JP4070262B2 - Display device for gaming machine - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a display device for a gaming machine that is installed in a ball game machine such as a pachinko machine or a revolving type gaming machine such as a slot machine.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In the slot machine, a plurality of rotating bodies such as drums and belts on which a plurality of symbols are drawn are arranged in a single display device, for example, about three, for example, two identical symbols in one horizontal row or one diagonal row. When three or so were arranged, points were given or coin-shaped metal pieces were paid out according to the type of the symbol or the number of the arranged symbols.
[0003]
In addition, in a pachinko machine, etc., a display device having the same configuration is used for a hit / miss display. For example, when a hit is displayed with three identical symbols arranged side by side, the game state is changed to a state advantageous to the player, for example. There is.
Conventionally, in such a display device, each rotating body is rotated at a high speed with the start of the display operation, gradually decelerated, the rotating bodies are stopped one by one, and a hit / miss is displayed when all the rotating bodies stop. It was normal.
[0004]
For example, if three rotating bodies are used and three same symbols are arranged in a row, it is a hit. If two rotating bodies are stopped and there are two identical symbols in a row, depending on the last rotating member to be stopped. This is why the situation is called reach. At the time of reach, a so-called reach action has been performed such as slowing down the rotation speed of the last rotating body, suddenly rotating at a high speed, or reversely rotating in an attempt to attract the player.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Although this reach action is diverse, it is only a change in the rotational speed or direction of the last rotating body, and in this sense, it can be said that it has become rutted.
[0006]
An object of the present invention is to provide a display device for a gaming machine that can entertain a player by a new type of reach action.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention]
A display device for a gaming machine according to claim 1 for solving the above-described problem, a rotating body that rotates along a predetermined trajectory, a driving mechanism that rotates the rotating body, and controls the driving mechanism. Drive control means for rotating and stopping the rotating body thereby, in a display device of a gaming machine for displaying an image provided on the rotating body,
A strobe light source that irradiates the rotating body with strobe light, a hidden figure that is provided on the rotating body and is clearly visible by irradiation of the strobe light, and the hidden figure is at a set position on the orbit. And a light emission control means for emitting the strobe light source in synchronization with,
The hidden figure is associated with each component when a single image is decomposed into a plurality of components.
In this case, the plurality of hidden figures are arranged in a distributed manner on the rotating body, and when the strobe light is irradiated during the rotation of the rotating body, the plurality of hidden figures have the one unity. An image is reproduced .
[0008]
On the rotating body used in the display device of this gaming machine, for example, a display symbol for displaying the same hit as the conventional rotating body is printed. Furthermore, a hidden figure is provided in a part of the rotating body, for example, a part where a display symbol is not drawn or a part where a display symbol for displaying a deviation is drawn. The hidden figure is, for example, a combination of a portion that transmits light (translucent portion) and a portion that blocks light (light-shielding portion), a combination of a portion that easily reflects light (reflecting portion) and a portion that hardly reflects (absorbing portion), or It is formed by a combination of those appropriately selected from a light transmitting part, a light shielding part, a reflecting part, and an absorbing part. If these light-transmitting portions, light-shielding portions, reflecting portions, or absorbing portions have the same color or brightness, or have a slight difference, for example, the hidden figure is not clearly visible under normal illumination.
[0009]
The strobe light source is arranged on the inner side, the outer side, or the outer side of the rotating body according to the structure of the hidden figure (for example, a combination of a light transmitting part and a light shielding part, a combination of a reflecting part and an absorbing part). For example, if a hidden figure is formed by a combination of a translucent part and a light-shielding part, and the strobe light source is arranged inside the rotating body, the hidden figure becomes a set position on the trajectory (for example, a position almost facing the player). When the strobe light source emits light in synchronization with the light, the strobe light passes through the transparent part of the hidden figure and is blocked by the light shielding part, so that the hidden figure is clearly visible. That is, a hidden figure becomes obvious. In a display device using a conventional rotating body, this strobe light irradiation is performed only in a special case, for example, in the case of a reach that is very likely to be displayed as a hit (commonly called super reach). Players can be entertained with a special form of reach action that could not be realized.
[0010]
For example, a single hidden figure or a hidden figure of the same shape may be displayed statically by irradiating a strobe light every time it reaches a set position, but the hidden figure may be displayed as a single unit. Corresponds to each component when the image is decomposed into a plurality of components, and the plurality of hidden figures are distributed and arranged on the rotating body, and the strobe light is emitted while the rotating body is rotating. It is preferable that the united image is reproduced by the plurality of hidden figures when irradiated .
[0011]
If comprised in this way, one image, for example, a person, an animal, a special character, etc. can be reproduced | regenerated by the overlap of the afterimage of a some hidden figure, for example.
In addition, a series of movements can be reproduced and displayed by changing a plurality of hidden figures little by little like, for example, a series of movement decomposition photographs.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Next, embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.
[0013]
【Example】
As will be described in detail later, the display device (hereinafter simply referred to as a display device) 10 of the gaming machine of the present embodiment is composed of three display units 20 and will be described from the structure of the display unit 20.
[0014]
As shown in FIG. 1, the display unit 20 includes a support substrate 22 for supporting each part of the display unit 20. In this embodiment, the drive mechanism is attached to the support substrate 22 with a stepping motor 24 attached to the support substrate 22, a drive roller 26 that is rotationally driven by the stepping motor 24, and an axial direction substantially parallel to the drive roller 26. The driven roller 28 and the tension roller 32 that can swing around a swinging shaft 30 standing on the support substrate 22 and are urged counterclockwise in the drawing by the action of a spring (not shown). Etc. An endless display belt 40 corresponding to the rotating body of the present invention is wound around the driving roller 26, the driven roller 28, and the tension roller 32. The display belt 40 is stretched without looseness by the action of the tension roller 32, and the display belt 40 can be rotated by operating the stepping motor 24. The ground color of the display belt 40 is translucent white, and the ground portion allows light to pass therethrough.
[0015]
As shown in FIG. 2, a winning symbol 42 such as A, 7, 3, JP, etc. is printed on the surface of the display belt 40, and the winning symbol is almost between the winning symbol 42 and the winning symbol 42. A blank area 43 corresponding to one of 42 is provided. On the other hand, on the back surface of the display belt 40, a hidden figure 44 is printed at a location corresponding to the blank area 43. In the case of this embodiment, the hidden figure 44 is provided with slit portions 46 corresponding to strip-like portions 45 obtained by dividing the “V” shape shown in FIG. 3 along the horizontal direction at appropriate intervals. ing. These slit portions 46 are translucent, and their surroundings 47 are printed with light-shielding ink and do not transmit light. The positions of the slits 46 in the hidden figure 44 are different from each other. If the slits 46 of all the hidden figures 44 of the display belt 40 are overlapped, the relationship “V” shown in FIG. 3 is restored. ing.
[0016]
In addition, a light-shielding ink passage mark 48 is printed on one edge of the back surface of the display belt 40 corresponding to each hitting pattern 42 and the hidden figure 44. However, only one place (only the passage mark corresponding to A in the illustrated example) is a reference mark 49 that is almost twice as long as the other passage marks 48.
[0017]
As shown in FIG. 1, a strobe tube 36 is installed inside the display belt 40 and accommodated in a cone-shaped reflector 34. In the vicinity of the driven roller 28, optical sensors 38 and 39 each having a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion are provided. These optical sensors 38 and 39 are for detecting the passage of the passing mark 48 and the reference mark 49 of the display belt 40, and the distance between the detection centers of the optical sensors 38 and 39 is larger than the length of the reference mark 49. When the reference mark 49 is short, both optical sensors 38 and 39 detect this simultaneously.
[0018]
In this embodiment, when the optical sensor 39 detects the passing mark 48 or the reference mark 49, the winning symbol 42 or the blank area 43 corresponding to the next passing mark 48 is reflected by the reflector 34 (that is, the strobe). The setting is located in front of the tube 36). Referring to FIG. 2 in detail, when the reference mark 49 is simultaneously detected by the optical sensors 38 and 39, the symbol A of the contact 42 is located from the optical sensor 39 to the vicinity of the upper end of the reflector 34, and The setting is such that a blank area 43 below A is located on the front.
[0019]
Although not shown, a part of the support substrate 22 is a printed circuit board, a motor drive circuit 50 for supplying power to the stepping motor 24, a strobe drive circuit 52 for blinking the strobe tube 36, A signal path and the like for guiding signals from the optical sensors 38 and 39 are assembled.
[0020]
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, three display units 20 are arranged in parallel and connected to a display control device 60 for controlling the operation of each display unit 20. Further, as shown in FIG. For example, the display device 10 is attached to the game board 16 of the pachinko machine 14 and used as a display device 10.
[0021]
The control system of the display device 10 is configured as shown in FIG.
For each display unit 20, the stepping motor 24 is connected to a motor drive circuit 50. The motor drive circuit 50 controls each part of the display device 10 and functions as a drive control means and a light emission control means of the present invention. It is connected to the device 60. Similarly, the strobe tube 36 is connected to a strobe driving circuit 52, and the strobe driving circuit 52 is connected to a display control device 60. Further, the optical sensors 38 and 39 are also connected to the display control device 60.
[0022]
The display control device 60 is configured as a microcomputer having a well-known CPU, ROM, RAM, input / output port, etc., and controls the operation of the motor drive circuit 50 to operate the stepping motor 24 (including the rotation amount). Can control and stop. Further, the display control device 60 can recognize that the passage mark 48 and the reference mark 49 of the display belt 40 have passed through the optical sensors 38 and 39 based on the change in the signal level from the optical sensors 38 and 39.
[0023]
The display control device 60 can control blinking of the strobe tube 36 via the strobe driving circuit 52. Strobe tube 36 and the strobe drive circuit 52 has a configuration as shown in Figure 7, or a negative trigger pulse to the grid G ₁ occurs glow discharge between the grid G ₁ and the grid G _2, whereby A main arc discharge is generated between the anode and the cathode of the strobe tube 36, and a flash is emitted. The display control unit 60, by controlling the input of the trigger pulse to the grid G _1, is to control the flashing of the strobe tube 36.
[0024]
The display control device 60 is connected to a game control device 70 for controlling the operation of a winning device or the like installed on the game board 16 of the pachinko machine 14, and the winning symbol commanded from the game control device 70 In order to stop 42 at the position commanded by the game control device 70, the operation and stop of each stepping motor 24 are controlled. Further, when super reach is instructed from the game control device 70, the strobe tube 36 blinks in accordance with the rotation of the display belt 40, thereby displaying a "V" character as shown in FIG. Next, processing executed by the display control device 60 will be described with reference to the flowchart.
[0025]
As shown in FIG. 8, the display control device 60 is waiting for a display instruction from the game control device 70 (step 201, step is abbreviated as “S” hereinafter), and if there is such an instruction (S 201: YES), Each display belt 40 is rotated at high speed by rotating the stepping motors 24 of the three display units 20 at high speed (S202).
[0026]
Subsequently, the display control device 60 blinks the strobe tube 36 of each display unit 20 (S203). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9, when the display control device 60 knows the passage of the reference mark 49 based on the signals of the optical sensors 38 and 39 (S221), the passage mark 48 or the reference mark 49 is used as a reference. Each time it is detected that the blank area 43 is located in front of the reflector 34 (ie, the strobe tube 36) (S222), it is judged that the blank area 43 is located in front of the reflector 34. If the (S222: YES), the grid G ₁ of the strobe tube 36 by inputting a trigger pulse to the flash tube 36 (S223). Then, for example, if it is determined that the light emission is to be terminated because the number of times of light emission of the strobe tube 36 has reached the set number of times or the set time has passed since the first light emission (S224: YES), the flashing process of the strobe is terminated. Return to the main routine. This strobe flashing process is performed in parallel for each display unit 20. As a result, strobe light emission is performed each time the blank area 43 of each display belt 40 is positioned in front of the strobe tube 36 during high-speed rotation of each display belt 40, so that the player has an afterimage of each hidden figure 44. As a composite image, a “V” -shaped image as shown in FIG. 4 is recognized.
[0027]
Next, the display control device 60 displays the display belt so that the winning symbol 42 or the blank area 43 instructed from the game control device 70 is positioned in front of the reflector 34 for two of the three display units 20. 40 is stopped (S204). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 10, the passing of the reference mark 49 and the passing mark 48 is monitored based on the signals of the optical sensors 38 and 39, and the winning symbol 42 or the blank area 43 instructed from the game control device 70 is displayed. It is determined whether or not the vehicle has come to a deceleration start position (for example, 1 lap before the scheduled stop or 1.5 laps before) (S301). If the vehicle has reached the deceleration start position (S301: YES), the rotational speed of the stepping motor 24 is set. For example, the display belt 40 is rotated once or half a turn, and gradually decelerated at such a ratio that the rotation speed becomes 0 when the target hitting pattern 42 or the blank area 43 is just in front of the reflector 34. (S302). If it is detected that the winning symbol 42 or the blank area 43 instructed by the game control device 70 has come to the front of the reflector 34 (S303: YES), the stepping motor 24 is stopped to stop the display belt 40. Stop (S304). The display control device 60 executes the stop process in parallel for the two display units 20 so that the winning symbol 42 or the blank area 43 instructed from the game control device 70 is positioned in front of the reflector 34. The display belts 40 of those display units 20 are stopped.
[0028]
Returning to FIG. 8, the display control device 60 stops the display belts 40 of the two display units 20, and then determines whether or not a super reach instruction is received from the game control device 70 (S205). If there is a super reach instruction (S205: YES), the display control device 60 executes the strobe flashing process (see FIG. 9) similar to the above for the display unit 20 that is still rotating (S206). Only the display unit 20 displays a “V” -shaped image. Note that this super reach is to inform the player that the possibility of winning is extremely high, and for example, the winning is displayed with a probability of 90% or more.
[0029]
The display control device 60 follows the strobe flashing for super reach or does not perform the strobe flashing for super reach (S205: NO). A stop process (see FIG. 10) is executed for the unit 20, and the last display belt 40 is stopped. All the display belts 40 are stopped by the stop of the display belt 40, and, for example, a hit display (for example, 777) in which three identical hit symbols 42 are arranged in a straight line, or an out-of-display that does not have such an arrangement is determined.
As described above, according to the display device 10 of the present embodiment, a special display that cannot be realized by a display device using a conventional rotating body can be performed. For example, a player can be entertained by a special reach action. it can.
[0030]
As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described according to the Example, this invention is not limited to such an Example, and it cannot be overemphasized that it can implement variously in the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention.
For example, in the embodiment, a pachinko machine is taken as an example of the gaming machine, but the gaming machine may be a revolving gaming machine such as a slot machine. The rotating body is not limited to a belt, and a drum can also be used.
[0031]
The strobe light source does not need to be arranged inside the rotating body, and may be arranged outside or inside and outside.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a structure of a display unit of a display device of a gaming machine according to an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a display belt of a display device of a gaming machine according to an embodiment, FIG. 2 (a) is an explanatory view of the front surface, and FIG. 2 (b) is an explanatory view of the back surface.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a “V” character that is a source of a hidden figure provided on the back surface of the display belt of the display device of the gaming machine of the embodiment.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a structure on the front side of the display device of the gaming machine according to the embodiment.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a state in which the display device of the gaming machine of the embodiment is attached to the pachinko machine.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a control system of the display device of the gaming machine according to the embodiment.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a strobe driving circuit of the display device of the gaming machine according to the embodiment.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a symbol display process executed by the display control device of the display device of the gaming machine according to the embodiment.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart of strobe flashing processing executed by the display control device of the display device of the gaming machine according to the embodiment.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart of stop processing executed by the display control device of the display device of the gaming machine according to the embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Display device of game machine, 14 ... Pachinko machine (game machine), 16 ... Game board, 20 ... Display unit, 22 ... Support substrate, 24 ... Stepping motor (drive mechanism), 26 ... Drive roller (drive mechanism), 28 ... driven roller (drive mechanism), 30 ... swinging shaft (drive mechanism), 32 ... tension roller (drive mechanism), 34 ... reflector, 36 ... strobe tube (strobe light source), 38 ... optical sensor, 39 ... light Sensor: 40 ... Display belt (rotating body), 42 ... Hit pattern, 43 ... Blank area, 44 ... Hidden figure, 46 ... Slit part (hidden figure), 48 ... Pass mark, 49 ... Reference mark, 50 ... Motor drive circuit 52 ... Strobe drive circuit, 60 ... Display control device (drive control means, light emission control means), 70 ... Game control device.

Claims (1)

Comprising a rotating body that rotates along a defined trajectory, a drive mechanism for rotating the該回body, a drive control means for causing said rotating member to rotate and stopped by controlling the drive mechanism, wherein In a display device of a gaming machine that displays an image provided on a rotating body,
A strobe light source that emits strobe light to the rotating body;
A hidden figure provided on the rotating body and visible by irradiation of the strobe light; and a light emission control means for causing the strobe light source to emit light in synchronization with the hidden figure becoming a set position on the orbit. Comprising
The hidden figure corresponds to each component when a single image is decomposed into a plurality of components,
The plurality of hidden figures are distributed on the rotating body,
A display device for a gaming machine, wherein when the strobe light is irradiated while the rotating body is rotating, the one united image is reproduced by the plurality of hidden figures.

Images