U.S. patent application number 12/295717 was filed with the patent office on 2009-12-24 for game machine.
This patent application is currently assigned to KONAMI DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Hiroto Nakamoto, Masato Okuaki, Toru Omoto, Junichi Yamaguchi.
Application Number | 20090318207 12/295717 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38563216 |
Filed Date | 2009-12-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090318207 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Okuaki; Masato ; et
al. |
December 24, 2009 |
GAME MACHINE
Abstract
A medal as the first game medium and a ball as the second game
medium are supplied to a play field section based on the player's
operation, a basic game is executed in association with the
operation of the medal, and while a dividend depending on the game
result of the basic game is imparted to the player, a chance for
obtaining dividend is imparted to the player, when the ball is
ejected from the play field section due to the operation of the
ball linked with the operation of medal, the number of the balls as
the game media existing in the game field section is detected, and
a privilege tied to delivery of dividend is imparted depending on a
decrease of the number of the balls.
Inventors: |
Okuaki; Masato; (Tokyo,
JP) ; Nakamoto; Hiroto; (Tokyo, JP) ; Omoto;
Toru; (Tokyo, JP) ; Yamaguchi; Junichi;
(Tokyo, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DARBY & DARBY P.C.
P.O. BOX 770, Church Street Station
New York
NY
10008-0770
US
|
Assignee: |
KONAMI DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT CO.,
LTD.
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
38563216 |
Appl. No.: |
12/295717 |
Filed: |
February 15, 2007 |
PCT Filed: |
February 15, 2007 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2007/052695 |
371 Date: |
October 1, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/2 ;
463/17 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/3297
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/2 ;
463/17 |
International
Class: |
A63F 9/24 20060101
A63F009/24 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 3, 2006 |
JP |
2006-102486 |
Claims
1. A game machine comprising: a first game-medium supply device
supplying a first game medium to a play field section based on an
operation by a player; a basic-game execution device executing a
basic game in association with an operation of the first game
medium dropped to the play field section, and imparting to the
player a dividend depending on a game result of the basic game; a
second game-medium supply device supplying to the play field
section a second game medium different in kind from the first game
medium, in a case that a predetermined situation occurs in the
basic game; and a dividend chance imparting device imparting a
chance of obtaining dividend to the player, in a case that the
second game medium is ejected from the play field section by an
operation of the second game medium linked with the operation of
the first game medium, a medium number-of-pieces detection device
detecting the number of the second game media existing in the game
field; and a privilege imparting device imparting privilege to be
tied with a delivery of the dividend to the player, in a case that
the number of the second game media detected by the medium
number-of-pieces detection device decreases to less than a
predetermined number.
2. The game machine according to claim 1, wherein the privilege
imparting device imparts the privilege by executing processing for
increasing a probability that the predetermined situation is formed
in the basic game.
3. The game machine according to claim 1, wherein the basic-game
execution device executes, as a game included in the basic game, a
lottery game where a lottery processing in which the basic-game
execution device executes a lottery processing to allow a winning
case to occur in a case that the first game medium pass through a
predetermined position in the play field section, while controlling
win probability in accordance with a predetermined control law, and
delivers the dividend directly and indirectly to the player in a
case that the winning case is formed, and the privilege imparting
device imparts the privilege by executing at least either a
processing for increasing a probability to form the winning case in
the lottery game, or a processing for increasing amount of the
delivery at the moment of forming the winning case.
4. The game machine according to claim 1, wherein the first game
medium is a medal, the basic-game execution device executes, as
games included in the basic game, a pusher game in which the
basic-game execution device, while pushing out a cluster of medals
accumulated in the play field section by a pusher table with a
back-and-forth motion in the play field section, delivers to the
player as the dividend the medal ejected from a predetermined range
of the play field section, and a lottery game in which the
basic-game execution device executes a lottery processing to allow
a winning case to occur in a case that the medal passes through a
predetermined position in the play field section, while controlling
win probability in accordance with a predetermined control law, and
delivers to the player the medal as the dividend directly and
indirectly in a case that the winning case is formed, the second
game-medium supply system supplies the second game medium,
recognizing that the predetermined situation has occurred in the
basic game in a case that a predetermined winning case of
game-medium delivery is formed in the lottery game, and the
privilege imparting device delivers the privilege by executing at
least either a processing for increasing a probability to form a
winning case of the game-medium delivery in the lottery game, a
processing for increasing a probability to form the winning case in
the lottery game, or a processing for increasing number of medals
as the dividend at a moment of winning the winning case.
5. The game machine according to claim 1, wherein the privilege
imparting device, in a case that a situation is detected that the
second game medium does not exist in the play field section,
imparts the privilege.
6. The game machine according to claim 1, wherein the dividend
chance imparting device has a physical lottery system which takes
the second game medium ejected from the play field section
thereinto and selects at least one choice from a plurality of
choices by imparting an physical operation to the second game
medium, and controls the delivery of dividend to the player in
association with a lottery result by the physical lottery
system.
7. The game machine according to claim 2, wherein the dividend
chance imparting device has physical lottery system which takes the
second game medium ejected from the play field section thereinto,
and selects at least one choice from a plurality of choices by
imparting an physical operation to the second game medium, and
controls the delivery of dividend to the player in association with
a lottery result by the physical lottery system.
8. The game machine according to claim 3, wherein the dividend
chance imparting device has physical lottery system which takes the
second game medium ejected from the play field section thereinto,
and selects at least one choice from a plurality of choices by
imparting an physical operation to the second game medium, and
controls the delivery of dividend to the player in association with
a lottery result by the physical lottery system.
9. The game machine according to claim 4, wherein the dividend
chance imparting device has physical lottery system which takes the
second game medium ejected from the play field section thereinto,
and selects at least one choice from a plurality of choices by
imparting an physical operation to the second game medium, and
controls the delivery of dividend to the player in association with
a lottery result by the physical lottery system.
10. The game machine according to claim 5, wherein the dividend
chance imparting device has physical lottery system which takes the
second game medium ejected from the play field section thereinto,
and selects at least one choice from a plurality of choices by
imparting an physical operation to the second game medium, and
controls the delivery of dividend to the player in association with
a lottery result by the physical lottery system.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO PRIOR RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a U.S. national phase application under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn.371 of International PatentApplication No. PCT/JP2007/052695
filed Feb. 15, 2007, and claims the benefit of Japanese Patent
Application No. 2006-102486 filed Apr. 3, 2006. The International
Application was published in Japanese on Oct. 11, 2007 as WO
2007/113943 A1 under PCT Article 21(2). The contents of these
priority applications are incorporated by reference in their
entireties into the present disclosure.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to supply first game media and
second game media to a play field section.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] As one type of game machines where game medium is used,
there is well-known a so-called medal pusher game machine to allow
a medal thrown into by a player to drop down to a play field
section, by pushing out by a pusher table the medal having dropped
down, arrangement of a clump of medals is changed, and because of
the change, the medal which has fallen down from a predetermined
range of the play field section is delivered to the player.
Moreover, as this type of pusher game, there is also provided a
game machine where a second game medium (a ball for example) which
is different from the medal as the first game media is supplied to
the play field section in addition to the medal, the second game
medium is allowed to move with the medal, a lottery processing is
executed subject to the second game medium which has fallen down
from the play field section, and a dividend depending on the
lottery is delivered to the player. According to the game machine
like this, the second game medium is supplied to the play field
section in addition to the first game media, and the second game
medium is pushed out linked with the first game medium and ejected
from the play field section. Thereby a chance for obtaining the
dividend is imparted to the player. The motion of game medium such
as the medal or the like is subject to physical law. Therefore, if
it is set to impart the chance for obtaining dividend depending on
the motion of the game medium, while it is possible to remove an
impression of adding an intentional operation by the game machine,
it is possible to make the player expect more dividend in
comparison with a game machine where one kind of game medium is
used.
[0004] In the above mentioned game machine, as more number of
pieces of the second game medium existing in the play field
section, the expectation of the player about obtaining the dividend
gets higher. Accordingly, when the number of the second game media
existing in the play field section decreases, the player recognizes
that the situation is not good for obtaining the dividend, which
can make the player lose his/her motive for sustaining the game.
Especially, when the second game medium does not exist in the play
field section, the inclination is enhanced. If such situation
occurs at a game machine for commercial use, which will bring
inexpedience such as a decrease of operation rate or a decrease of
profit.
[0005] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a game
machine which supplies not only the first game medium but also the
second game medium in the play field section, is capable of
imparting a motive for sustaining a game to a player even if the
number of the second game media existing in the play field section
decreases.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention solves the above problems by the
following configuration. A game machine has a first game-medium
supply device for supplying a first game medium to a play field
section based on an operation by a player; a basic-game execution
device for executing a basic game in association with an operation
of the first game medium dropped to the play field section, and
imparting to the player a dividend depending on a game result of
the basic game; a second game-medium supply device for supplying to
the play field section a second game medium different in kind from
the first game medium, in a case that a predetermined situation
occurs in the basic game; and a dividend chance imparting device
for imparting a chance of obtaining dividend to the player. In a
case that the second game medium is ejected from the play field
section by an operation of the second game medium linked with the
operation of the first game medium, wherein the game machine
further includes a medium number-of-pieces detection device for
detecting the number of the second game media existing in the game
field; and a privilege imparting device for imparting privilege to
be tied with a delivery of the dividend to the player, in a case
that the number of the second game media detected by the medium
number-of-pieces detection device decreases to less than a
predetermined number.
[0007] According to the game machine of the present invention, in
the case when the number of the second game media existing in the
play field section decreases to less than a predetermined number,
in response to this, the privilege tied to the delivery of dividend
to the player is imparted by the privilege imparting device.
Consequently, even if the number of the second game media
decreases, it is possible to make the player feel an expectation
for obtaining the dividend through the privilege newly imparted.
Thereby, it is possible to impart to the player the motive for
sustaining the game, and expect to improve of the operation rate
and the profit performance and the like of the game machine.
[0008] In addition, in the game machine of the game machine, a game
where a play chance is ensured to the player based on the drop of
the first game medium can be employed to the basic game. The range
of the basic game may be set in a coordinated fashion. With respect
to the imparting of dividend in the basic game, it can be employed
that either the first game medium itself may be imparted to the
player, or some game value exchangeable with the first game medium
may be imparted to the player. In the case that the first game
medium is delivered, it can be employed that either the first game
medium may be delivered directly to the player, or indirectly to
the player such that the first game medium is delivered to the play
field section and the like. The second game medium can be utilized
as a medium for executing various processing such as a lottery and
the others to be executed for delivering the dividend.
Additionally, the second game medium itself can be delivered as the
dividend to the player. The privilege imparted by the privilege
imparting device can be any privilege as long as the privilege is
tied to the delivery of dividend. For example, a lottery chance for
determining dividend can be imparted to the player and the like, it
is possible to impart as the privilege, a chance for delivering the
dividend when an additional condition is satisfied in addition to
the decrease of the second game media. Alternatively, it is
possible to impart the delivery of the dividend itself as the
privilege. Further, it is possible for the game machine of the
present invention to include the following configurations.
[0009] In one configuration of the game machine according to the
present invention, the privilege imparting device may impart the
privilege by executing processing for increasing a probability that
the predetermined situation is formed in the basic game. According
to this configuration, it is possible to increase the probability
that a predetermined situation is formed in the based game to
supply the second game medium to the play field section. Therefore,
in the case that the number of the second game media decreases, it
is possible to expect to reduce a necessary time up to supply the
next second medium. Thereby, it is possible to impart the motive
for sustaining the game to the player.
[0010] In one configuration of the game machine according to the
present invention, the basic-game execution device may execute, as
a game included in the basic game, a lottery game where a lottery
processing in which the basic-game execution device executes a
lottery processing to allow a winning case to occur in a case that
the first game medium pass through a predetermined position in the
play field section, while controlling win probability in accordance
with a predetermined control law, and may deliver the dividend
directly and indirectly to the player in a case that the winning
case is formed, and the privilege imparting device may impart the
privilege by executing at least either a processing for increasing
a probability to form the winning case in the lottery game, or a
processing for increasing amount of the delivery at the moment of
forming the winning case. According to this configuration, when the
number of the second game media decreases, the probability that the
winning case is formed in the lottery game executed as one of the
basic game increases, or the amount of delivery when the winning
case is formed increases. Consequently, even if the number of the
second game media decreases, it is possible to make the player feel
an expectation for obtaining more dividend than usual through the
lottery game. Thereby, it is possible to impart the motive for
sustaining the game to the player.
[0011] In one configuration of the game machine according to the
present invention, the first game medium may be a medal, the
basic-game execution device may execute, as games included in the
basic game, a pusher game in which the basic-game execution device,
while pushing out a cluster of medals accumulated in the play field
section by a pusher table with a back-and-forth motion in the play
field section, delivers to the player as the dividend the medal
ejected from a predetermined range of the play field section, and a
lottery game in which the basic-game execution device executes a
lottery processing to allow a winning case to occur in a case that
the medal passes through a predetermined position in the play field
section, while controlling win probability in accordance with a
predetermined control law, and may deliver to the player the medal
as the dividend directly and indirectly in a case that the winning
case is formed, the second game-medium supply system may supply the
second game medium, recognizing that the predetermined situation
has occurred in the basic game in a case that a predetermined
winning case of game-medium delivery is formed in the lottery game,
and the privilege imparting device may deliver the privilege by
executing at least either a processing for increasing a probability
to form a winning case of the game-medium delivery in the lottery
game, a processing for increasing a probability to form the winning
case in the lottery game, or a processing for increasing number of
medals as the dividend at a moment of winning the winning case.
[0012] According to this configuration, when the medal is ejected
from the predetermined range of the play field section in the
pusher game, the lottery game is executed, and the winning case is
formed in the lottery game, the medal is delivered as the dividend.
Additionally, when the winning case of game-medium delivery is
formed in the lottery game, the second game medium is supplied to
the play field section. By ejecting the second game medium from the
play field section, a chance for obtaining dividend is imparted to
the player. Then, when the number of the second game media existing
in the play field section decreases, the probability to form the
winning case of game-medium delivery increases, the probability to
form the winning case increases, or the dividend number of the
medals to be delivered in response to formation of the winning case
increases. Consequently, even if the number of the second game
media in the play field section decreases, it is possible to make
the player feel the expectation for obtaining more dividend.
Thereby, it is possible to impart the motive for sustaining the
game to the player.
[0013] In one configuration of the game machine of the present
invention, the privilege imparting device, in a case that a
situation is detected that the second game medium does not exist in
the play field section, may impart the privilege. According to this
configuration, even if the situation occurs that no second game
medium exists in the play field section, by imparting the
privilege, it is possible to make the player feel the expectation
for obtaining the dividend and possible to impart the motive for
sustaining the game.
[0014] In one configuration of the game machine of the present
invention, the dividend chance imparting device may have a physical
lottery system which takes the second game medium ejected from the
play field section thereinto and selects at least one choice from a
plurality of choices by imparting an physical operation to the
second game medium, and may control the delivery of dividend to the
player in association with a lottery result by the physical lottery
system. In the game machine of this configuration, the second game
medium is settled as a medium for a lottery by the physical lottery
system, and the delivery of dividend to the player is controlled in
association with the result of the physical lottery. As the lottery
result of the physical lottery system depends on the physical
operation of the medium, it is difficult to interpose the artifact
by the game machine with respect to the lottery result. Therefore,
the physical lottery system has a merit that it is easy to increase
the expectation of the player for obtaining the dividend. On the
contrary, when the number of the second game media existing in the
play field section decreases, as the chance of lottery by the
physical lottery system also decreases, the merit of the physical
lottery system can not be performed satisfyingly, and thereby, it
could occur that the motive of the player for sustaining the game
is reduced. However, if it is configured to impart the privilege
for the decrease of the number of the second game media, it is
possible to impart the motive for sustaining of the game to the
player until the moment when the number of the second game media
increases.
[0015] As mentioned above, according to the game machine of the
present invention, by imparting a privilege tided to payment of
dividend to a player when the number of the second game media
decreases to over a predetermined number, it is possible to impart
the expectation to obtain the dividend to the player, and thereby,
it is possible to impart the motive for sustaining a game to the
player and expect to improve the operation rate, and the profit
performance and the like of the game machine.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 A diagram showing an schematic configuration of a
game machine according to one embodiment of the present
invention.
[0017] FIG. 2 A perspective view showing a satellite unit and a
station unit combined therewith.
[0018] FIG. 3 A diagram showing a flow of a medal in the station
unit.
[0019] FIG. 4 A diagram showing a flow of a ball in the station
unit.
[0020] FIG. 5 A perspective view showing a center unit.
[0021] FIG. 6 A block diagram showing an schematic configuration of
a control system of the game machine.
[0022] FIG. 7 A flow chart showing processing to be executed by a
host control unit and a station control unit to manage payout
rates.
[0023] FIG. 8 A flow chart showing a game basic-control routine to
be executed by the station control unit in response to a drop of
medal.
[0024] FIG. 9 A diagram showing a game image displayed on a monitor
of the station unit.
[0025] FIG. 10 A diagram showing details of a bingo game section
provided in the game image shown in FIG. 9.
[0026] FIG. 11 A flow chart showing a satellite lottery routine to
be executed by the satellite control unit.
[0027] FIG. 12 A flow chart showing a win-probability determination
routine to be executed by the host control unit.
[0028] FIG. 13 A diagram showing data of the number of wins held by
the host control unit.
[0029] FIG. 14 A flow chart showing a bingo game routine to be
executed by the station control unit in response to a notification
of a result of a satellite lottery.
[0030] FIG. 15 A diagram for explaining a way of rearrangement of
numerals on a win line in the bingo game.
[0031] FIG. 16 A flow chart showing a center lottery routine to be
executed by a center control unit.
[0032] FIG. 17 A flow chart showing a grand slot lottery routine to
be executed by the host control unit.
[0033] FIG. 18 A flow chart showing a premier mode routine to be
executed by the station control unit instead of the game
basic-control routine.
[0034] FIG. 19 A diagram showing a schematic game image to be
displayed on the monitor of the station at the moment of a premier
mode.
[0035] FIG. 20 A flow chart showing a premier-mode-end control
routine to be executed by the station control unit to determine the
end of the premier mode.
[0036] FIG. 21 A flow chart showing a ball-count processing routine
to be executed by the station control unit.
[0037] FIG. 22 A flow chart showing a empty mode routine to be
executed by the station control unit.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0038] Using FIGS. 1 to 5, the outline of construction of game
machine G of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is an
overhead view of the game machine G showing one embodiment of the
present invention. The game machine G has one center unit CN, four
satellite units SA, and six teen station units ST. Each satellite
unit SA is placed such that the satellite units SA surround the
center unit CN below the center unit CN, and each satellite unit SA
is surrounded by four station units ST. Than is, the game machine G
is configured such that the center unit CN is placed as the center,
four satellite units SA are placed around the center unit CN, and
further four station units ST are placed around each of the
satellite units. At the station unit ST, each of a so-called pusher
game where a medal is used as a game medium and a digital lottery
game associated with the pusher game is implemented as a basic
game. At the satellite unit SA, a satellite lottery is performed in
association with a game result of the digital lottery game at the
station unit SA. At the center unit CN, a center lottery or a grand
slot lottery is performed as a center game, in association with a
game result of the digital lottery game at the station unit ST, or
a lottery result of the satellite lottery at the satellite unit
SA.
[0039] FIG. 2 shows one satellite unit SA and one station unit ST
being combined therewith. The station unit ST has a left-right pair
of operation sections 10 for the player's operation relating to the
game, a play field section 12 where the medal pusher game is
performed, a medal supply section 13 for supplying a medal M as the
first game medium to the play field section 12, a ball drop section
14 for dropping a ball B as the second play medium to the play
field section 12, a ball transfer section 15 for carrying the ball
B to the satellite unit SA, and a station monitor 16 for displaying
a game image and so on. The play field section 12 has a main table
20 and a sub table 21 which accumulate the medals M, and further
has a pusher tables 22, 23 which slide forward and backward on the
tables 20, 21 respectively. The medals M are accumulated such that
the medals M are bed on the main table 20 and the sub table 21. The
play field section 12 is shielded against the outside because of
being surrounded by a partition wall such as a transparent
board.
[0040] In reference to FIG. 3, the outline of a flow of the medal M
in the station unit ST will be described. When a player drops the
medal M from a medal drop slot (not shown) mounted in the operation
section 10, the medal M falls down on either one of the medal
hoppers 13a of the medal supply section 13 via a medal shoot 17. In
advance of the drop of medal by the player, the medals M have been
delivered in each of medal ejection sections 18, which are placed
on the right side and the left side of the station unit ST, and the
medals M are held in each of the medal ejection sections 18 for a
drop to the play field section 12. The medal M held in the medal
ejection section 18 is transferred to a medal shooter 19 at the
timing in synchronism with the drop of medal M by the player, and
from the medal shooter 19 dropped onto the sub table 21. In
addition, the direction of shooter 19 is changeable in the
right-left direction by operating levers 10a mounted to the right
side and the left side of operation sections 10.
[0041] The medal M dropped to the play field section 12 falls down
on the sub table 21, and is accumulated there or rolls down from
the sub table 21 to the main table 20. Because of pushing out the
cluster of medals accumulated on the sub table 21 forwardly (the
side where the player exists. Hereinafter, same meaning) by the
back-and-forth motion of the pusher table 23, the medal M is pushed
out from the front edge of the sub table 21, the medal M which ahs
pushed out slides down in an incline section 24 to move to the main
table 20, and are accumulated there. Because of pushing out the
cluster of medals M accumulated on the main table 21 by the
back-and-forth motion of the pusher table 22, the medal M falls
down around the main table 20. The medal M which has fallen down is
retrieved to a lift-up hopper 25 shown in FIG. 2. Then, the same
number of pieces of medals M as the medals having fallen down from
the front edge of the main table 20 are delivered from the lift-up
hopper 25 as the medals obtained by the player to a medal delivery
section 11 mounted between the operation sections 10. As the medal
delivery section 11 is placed at the outside of the partition wall
covering the play field section 12, it is possible for the player
to accept the medals M delivered to the medal delivery section
11.
[0042] Returning to FIG. 2, in the incline section 24, plural
opening sections 24a, 24b, 24c are mounted as a checker through
which the medal M passes (fall). When the medal M falls through any
one of the opening section 24a, 24b, 24c while sliding down in the
incline section 24, the passing through of the medal M is detected
by a sensor, which is not shown. By using the detection signal as a
trigger, the digital lottery game is started on the station monitor
16. The digital lottery game is one type of a slot game where three
patterns are displayed on the station monitor 16 in a state that
the patterns are aligned in a horizontal direction, and it is
competed for whether the combination of the three patterns
(pictures, symbols, numerals and so on) forms a predetermined
winning case. A "BALL" is prepared as one of the winning cases of
the digital lottery game. For example, in the case that three
pictures of ball are displayed, the winning case "BALL" is formed.
In the case that this winning case is formed, the ball B is dropped
onto the main table 20 from the ball drop section 14. This supply
of the ball B to the ball drop section 14 will be described. In
this embodiment, different two kinds of balls, that is, a normal
ball B1 and a special ball B2 are prepared as the ball B. However,
when it is not necessary to discriminate each of them, each is
referred to as the ball B.
[0043] The ball B dropped onto the main table 20 are pushed out
gradually toward the front of the main table 20 together with the
medals M, due to the back-and-forth motion of the pusher table 22.
When the ball B falls down from the front edge of the main table
20, the ball B which has fallen down is transferred to the
satellite unit SA by the ball transfer section 15. FIG. 4 shows a
transfer route of ball B by the ball transfer section 15. The ball
B which has fallen down from the main table 20 is taken into a ball
lifter 27 via a ball duct 26. The ball lifter 27 sends up the taken
ball B along a slope 28 to transfer the ball B to the end (the top)
of the slope 28. At the satellite unit SA, the satellite lottery is
performed by utilizing the ball B which has been transferred to the
end of slope 28.
[0044] As shown in FIG. 2, the satellite unit SA comprises a bingo
stage 30, a ball carrier 40 mounted at the outer circumference of
the bingo stage 30, a pair of ball supply systems 50A, 50B placed
around the bingo stage 30, and a pair of ball drop systems 60A, 60B
placed across the bingo stage 30 from the ball supply systems 50A,
50B. The bingo stage 30 is driven to rotate around an axis of
vertical direction in a predetermined direction by a driving system
which is not shown. The upper surface of the bingo stage 30 is
divided into an outer circumference section 32A and an inner
circumference section 32B by a fence 31 in the shape of ring. In
the sections 32A, 32B, winning prize pockets 32a, 33a in the shape
of round each of which has a diameter allowing the ball B to pass
through are mounted, such that each of the winning prize pockets
32a, 33a penetrates the bingo stage 30. To the outer circumference
section 32A, ten winning prize pockets 32a are provided, and to the
inner circumference section 32B, five winning prize pockets 33a are
provided. To each of the winning prize pockets 32a, 33a, a number
or a picture to be a choice in the satellite lottery is assigned.
To each of the winning prize pockets 32a in the outer circumference
section 32A, any one of numbers from one to nine and a word "JP
chance" is alternatively assigned. In this embodiment, "JP" is used
as an abbreviation of a word indicating "jack pot", that is, a big
win. On the other hand, to each of three winning prize pockets 33a
in the inner circumference section 32B, three numbers which are
properly combined from the numbers of one to nine are assigned, and
to each of remaining two winning prize pockets 33a, the word "JP
chance" is assigned.
[0045] The ball carrier 40 is capable of moving along the outer
circumference of the bingo stage 30. The ball carrier 40 transfers
the ball B from the ball supply system 50A, 50B to the ball drop
section 14 in each station unit ST, and transfers the ball B from
the ball transfer section 15 in each station unit ST to the ball
drop system 60A, 60B. The ball B, which has passed trough any one
of the winning prize pockets 32a, 33a of the bingo stage 30 is
guided selectively depending on the kind thereof to the below
portion of ball supply system 50A, 50B. For example, the normal
ball B1 is guided to the ball supply system 50A, and the special
ball B2 is guided to the ball supply system 50B. The ball supply
system 50A, 50B takes the guided balls B into a screw feeder 51 to
transfer the balls B upward, and delivers the balls B reaches the
top end of the screw feeder 51 one by one from an ejection section
52. Linking with the delivery of the ball B from the ejection
section 52, the ball carrier 40 moves just below the ejection
section 52. Thereby, the ball B ejected from the ball ejection
section 52 is passed to a fork 41 of the ball carrier 40. The ball
carrier 40 which has accepted the ball B from the ball supply
system 50A, 50B moves along the outer circumference of the bingo
stage 30 up to the ball drop system 14 of the station unit ST to
which the ball B should be transferred. After that, as the fork 41
is inclined outward, the ball B is delivered to the top end of a
slope 14a of the ball drop section 14. The delivered ball B slides
along the slope 14a, and is dropped onto an arbitrary position in
the main table 20 via a drop-position selection system 14b.
[0046] On the other hand, in the case that the ball B is
transferred to the ball transfer section 15 of the station unit ST,
the ball carrier 40 moves to the inner side of the slope 28 of the
ball transfer section 15 where the ball B has been transferred to
accept the ball B from the slope 28. After that, the ball carrier
40 transfers the ball B to the position of the ball drop system 60A
or 60B. It is associated with the kind of ball B that the ball B
should be transferred to which one of the ball drop systems 60A or
60B. For example, in the case of the normal ball B1, the ball
carrier 40 transfers the ball B1 to the ball drop system 60A, and
on the other hand, in the case of the special ball B2, the ball
carrier 40 transfers the ball B2 to the ball drop system 60B.
[0047] Each of the ball drop system 60A, 60B comprises a ball
lifter 61 and a ball guide 62. The ball lifter 61 is capable of
reciprocating motion in an up-and-down direction. In the case that
the normal ball B1 is transferred from the ball carrier 40 to the
ball drop system 60A, the ball lifter 61 of the ball drop system
60A goes down. After that, the fork 41 of the ball carrier 40 is
inclined toward the side of ball lifter 61, and thereby, the ball
B1 is passed to the ball lifter 61 from the ball carrier 40. The
ball lifter 61 which has accepted the ball B1 goes up to the top
end of the ball guide 62. After that, the ball lifter 61 is
inclined to make a down slope toward the ball guide 62. Thereby,
the normal ball B1 is passed to the ball guide 62. The normal ball
B1 which has been passed to the ball guide 62 is dropped to the
outer circumference section 32 of the bingo stage 30 from the top
end of the ball guide 62. In the case that the special ball B2 is
transferred from the ball carrier 40 to the ball drop system 60B,
the ball lifter 61 of the ball drop system 60B goes down to pass
the ball B2 from the ball carrier 40 to the ball lifter 61. After
that, the ball lifter 61 operates in a manner similar to the ball
drop system 60A, and thereby the special ball B2 is passed to the
ball guide 62 of the ball drop system 60B. The special ball B2
which has been passed to the ball guide 62 is dropped to the inner
circumference section 33 of the bingo stage 30 from the top end of
the ball guide 62.
[0048] The center unit CN, as shown in FIG. 5, has a center monitor
70, a grand roulette 71, and a grand ball drop system 72. The grand
roulette 71 is driven to rotate at a predetermined speed in one
direction by a driving system which is not shown. Plural winning
prize pockets 71a are disposed at the periphery of the grand
roulette 71. To each of the winning prize pockets 71a, the number
(or the multiple number) of the medals M or each kind of modes is
assigned as a winning case. When the center game starts, the grand
ball 73 for the grand roulette is dropped to the outer
circumference of the grand roulette 71 from the ball drop system
72. While oscillating at the periphery of the grand roulette 71
according to the rotation of the grand roulette 71, the grand ball
73 enters any one of the winning prize pockets 71a. The privilege
is imparted to the player depending on the winning prize pocket 71a
which the grand ball 73 has entered.
[0049] Additionally, in each of the station unit ST, the satellite
unit SA, and the center unit CN, illumination devices and sound
devices are provided as rendering devices to raise the game mode.
As the illumination devices, for example, in the station, plural
LEDs (light emitting diodes) are provided along a transfer route
from the drop of medals M up to the ejection of medal M to the play
field 12. In the satellite unit SA, lamps are provided so that such
illumination is obtained from the lower portion of the bingo stage
30 as the ring-shaped illumination the center of which is the
rotation axis of the bingo stage 30. The winning prize pockets 71a
of the grand roulette 71 in the center unit CN is fringed with
plural LEDs. Speakers are provided as the sound devices, effect
sounds and BGM (back ground music) are output properly from the
speakers. As shown in FIG. 1, at each area between the satellite
units SA of the game machine G, a spacer SA is provided. Under each
spacer SP, a moving light L and a speaker for show time are
provided.
[0050] Next, the configuration of control system of the game
machine will be described. As shown in FIG. 6, in the game machine
G, as a computer unit for controlling operations of the game
machine G, a host control unit 100, a host PC ("PC" is an
abbreviation word of a personal computer. "PC" is the same meaning
hereinafter.) 110, a center PC 120, a center control unit 130, a
satellite control unit 140 and a station control unit 150 are
mounted. Each one satellite control unit 140 is mounted to each one
satellite unit SA as a configuration element of the satellite unit
SA. Each one station control unit 150 is mounted to each one
station unit ST as a configuration element of the station unit ST.
Namely, in the whole of game machine G, four satellite control
units 140 and six teen station control units 150 are provided. The
above mentioned units 110 to 150 connects with each other via a
line for LAN 160, and thereby the units 110 to 150 can communicate
information necessary for controlling various games or lotteries to
each other. In addition, a so-called star connection in which
plural hubs are arranged at appropriate positions can be adopted to
the line for LAN 160.
[0051] The host control unit 100 executes a whole management, a
unified control and the like for the game machine G. The host PC
110 controls operations of a main-body rendering section 111 of the
game machine G. In the main-body rendering section 111, rendering
devices which belong to neither the center unit CN, the satellite
unit SA, nor the station unit ST, such as the moving lights L and
the speakers on the spacers SP, are included. The center PC 120
executes a display control of the center monitor 70.
[0052] The center control unit 130 controls to execute the center
game and rendering in the game using the center unit CN, as
operating a center drive section 132 and a center rendering section
133, based on the state of the center unit CN detected by the
sensors 131. In the sensors 131, a win sensor for detecting whether
the grand ball 73 enters each one of the winning prize pockets 71a
in the grand roulette 71 is included. For example, a proximity
switch, a reflection-type optical sensor, or a transmission-type
optical sensor can be adopted to the win sensor. In the center
drive section 132, drive devices, such as a motor for driving the
rotation of grand roulette 71 and an actuator for driving the grand
ball drop system 72, are included. In the center rendering section
133, rendering devices unique to the center unit CN, such as the
lamps and the speakers, are included.
[0053] The satellite control unit 140 controls to execute the
satellite lottery, the transfer of ball B, the rendering in the
game using the satellite unit SA, as operating the satellite drive
section 142 and the satellite rendering section 143 based on the
state of satellite unit SA detected by the sensors 141. In the
sensors 141, win sensors for detecting whether or not the ball B
has passed trough in each of the winning prize pockets 32a, 33a in
the bingo stage 30, and a carrier position sensor for detecting the
position of the ball carrier 40 in a circumferential direction are
included. For example, a proximity switch, a reflection-type
optical sensor, or a transmission-type optical sensor can be
adopted to the win sensor. In the satellite drive section 142, the
following drive devices are included: a motor for driving the
rotation of grand roulette 71; an actuator for driving the ball
carrier 40 along the outer circumference of the bingo stage 30; an
actuator for operating the fork 41 of the ball carrier 40;
actuators for driving the screw feeder 51 of the ball supply
systems 50A, 50B and the ball ejection section 52 respectively; and
an actuator for driving the ball lifter 61 of the ball drop system
60A, 60B to go up. In the satellite rendering section 143, the
rendering devices unique to the satellite unit SA, such as the
lamps and the speakers, are included.
[0054] The station control unit 150 controls the pusher game and
the digital lottery game to be executed at the station unit ST and
the rendering of game using the station unit ST, as operating the
station drive section 152 and the station rendering section 153
based on the state of station unit ST detected by the sensors 151.
Further, the station control unit 150 executes a display control of
the station monitor 16. In the sensors 151, medal sensors for
detecting the medal M, ball sensors for detecting the ball B,
position sensors for detecting the position of movable portion such
as the lever 10a, and the pusher tables 22, 23.
[0055] In the medal sensors, the following sensors are included: a
medal drop sensor for detecting a drop of medal M from the medal
drop slot; a medal ejection sensor for detecting the ejection of
medal M from the medal ejection section 18; a checker sensor for
detecting a fall of medal M to the opening sections 24a to 24c as
the checker; a fall medal sensor for detecting the medal M which
has fallen down from the front edge of the main table 20; a medal
delivery sensor for detecting the medal M which has been delivered
to the medal delivery section 11 from the lift up hopper 25; and
the like. Similar to the medal sensor in the already-known medal
game machine, a proximity switch, an optical sensor, a micro switch
and the like can be adopted to the above sensors. In the ball
sensors, the following sensors are included: a ball drop sensor for
detecting that the ball B has been dropped from the ball drop
section 14; a ball fall sensor for detecting the ball B which has
fallen down from the main table 20 to be passed to the ball
transfer section 15; and the like. The ball fall sensor also
functions as a sensor for discriminating the kind of ball B, that
is, which kind of the ball B has fallen, the normal ball B1 or the
special ball B2. The discrimination of the kind of ball B can be
realized by adopting to the ball fall sensor, which outputs
different signals depending on the kind of ball B1, B2. For
example, when any one of either the ball B1 or ball B2 is a resin
product and another one is a metal product, it is possible to
discriminate the kind of ball B1, B2 by using a metal sensor. When
the reflection rates of the balls B1 and B2 are different from each
other, a reflection-type optical sensor is adopted to the ball fall
sensor to discriminate the kind of ball B depending on the strength
of output signal from the sensor. As the ball fall sensor
discriminates the kind of ball B, it is possible to specify the
ball drop system 60A, 60B to which the ball carrier 40 should
transfer the ball B.
[0056] In the station drive section 152, a drive device for each of
the medal hopper 13a and the lift up hopper 25, an actuator for
realizing the medal-ejection operation of the medal ejection
section 18, drive devices, such as motors, for reciprocating the
pusher tables 22, 23, an actuator for operating the drop-position
selection system 14b of the ball drop system 14, a drive device for
driving the ball lifter 27 of the ball transfer section 15, and the
like. In the station rendering section 153, rendering device unique
to the station unit ST such as lamps and speakers are included.
[0057] Next, in reference to FIGS. 7 to 20, various processing to
be executed in the game machine G will be described. First, the
management of payout rate in the game machine G will be described.
In the game machine G in this embodiment, each station control unit
150 counts the number of the dropped medals M and the number of the
delivered medals M in each station unit ST, and calculates the
payout rate at appropriate intervals for each station unit ST. When
the number of the dropped medals M detected in a predetermined
calculation period by the medal drop sensor is referred to as
NSTin, and the number of the delivered medals M detected in the
same period by the medal delivery sensor is referred to as NSTout,
by calculating a percentage of the value to be obtained by dividing
the latter by the former NSTout/NSTin, it is possible to specify
the payout rate POst in the present situation of the station unit
ST in the predetermined calculation term. However, when the game
machine G has functions for executing a processing such that the
number of the medals M which have been deposited from a player can
be held as a credit number of medals M, the medals M are dropped to
the play field section 12 from the medal ejection section 18 in
exchange for a withdrawal from the credit number and the delivery
of medals M is treated by increasing the credit number, the
subtracted number from the credit number should be added to the
number of the dropped medals NSTin and the added number to the
credit number of should be added to the number of the delivered
medals NSTout to calculate the payout rate POst.
[0058] In the game machine G of this embodiment, so that the payout
rate POst of each of the station units ST is moderately equalized,
the processing shown in FIG. 7 is executed under a linkage between
the host control unit 100 and the station control unit 150. Namely,
the host control unit 100 executes at moderate intervals, a routine
for management of entire payout rate, and in synchronism with this,
each of the station control unit 150 executes a routine for
management of individual payout rate. When these routines are
started, firstly, at step S11 the station control unit 150 notifies
the host control unit 100 of the payout rate POst which has been
calculated by the station control unit 150. Receiving this, the
host control unit 100 obtains the payout rate POst of each station
unit ST at step S21, and subsequently at step S22, the host control
unit 100 calculates the entire payout rate POall to notify each
station control unit 150 of the calculation result. The entire
payout rate POall can be, for example, a simple average of the
payout rates POst of the station units ST.
[0059] The station control unit 150 obtains the payout rate POall
from the host control unit 100 at step S12, and subsequently at
step S13, the station control unit 150 determines the target payout
rate POsttgt of the own station unit ST based on the difference
between the own payout rate POst and the entire payout rate POall.
In each station control unit 150, a standard target payout rate
POsttgt is set as an initial value in advance. Then, each station
control unit 150 controls properly a win probability (rate of
forming a winning case in the digital lottery game and the like, so
that the payout rate POst to be calculated by the station control
unit 150 itself is controlled to approach to the initial value of
the target payout rate POsttgt. Further, at step S13, when the
difference between the own payout rate POst and the entire payout
rate POall is getting bigger than an allowable range, the station
control unit 150 modifies the target payout rate POsttgt so as to
decrease the difference. For example, in the case that the own
payout rate POst is higher than the entire payout rate POall, the
target payout rate POsttgt is set to be lower than the initial
value. The target payout rate POsttgt is modified as mentioned
above, and thereby, it is possible to reduce a dispersion of the
payout rates POst in the station units ST.
[0060] Next, in reference to FIG. 8, the control for games in the
station unit ST will be described. In each station unit ST, while
the pusher tables 22, 23 repeats the back-and-forth motion at
predetermined intervals, the medal M is dropped to the play filed
section 12 in response to the drop of medals M from the medal drop
slot. Thereby the pusher game is performed. FIG. 8 shows a flow
chart of a game basic-control routine to be executed by the station
control unit 150 in response to the detection of the drop of medal
M from the medal drop slot. In the game basic-control routine shown
in FIG. 8, firstly at step S101, the station control unit 150
executes necessary processing to drop the medals M to the play
field section 12. The flow of the medal M at this moment is as
explained in reference to FIG. 3.
[0061] At next step S102, the station control unit 150 determines
whether or not the medal M has entered any one of the opening
sections 24a to 24c as the checker. In the case of entering the
checker, the station control unit 150 advances to step S103 to
start the slot lottery in the digital lottery game. Namely, the
station control unit 150 displays a game image 200 shown in FIG. 9
on the station monitor 16, and the patterns to be displayed at
changeable display sections 201a, 201b, 201c respectively are
selected by using random numbers or the like, the changeable
display sections 201a, 201b, 201c being aligned in a lateral
direction in the game image 200. The processing for determining the
patterns can be executed based on a control law similar to that of
a general slot machine. Then the station control unit 150 displays
the selected patterns at the changeable display sections 201a,
201b, 201c respectively while adding a predetermined rendering
effect (such as animation) to the patterns. Moreover, a bingo game
section 210 is also provided in the game image 200, and this will
be described later.
[0062] After the slot lottery ends, the station control unit 150
advances to step S104 to determine whether the combination of the
three patterns selected by the slot lottery is a losing case or
not, and, in the case of the losing case, the station control unit
150 ends the routine of this time. On the other hand, in the case
of not the losing case at step S104, that is, in the case of
forming a winning case at the slot lottery, the station control
unit 150 advances to step S105 and thereafter to execute the
processing in accordance with the kind of winning case. Namely, the
station control unit 150, firstly at step S105, determines whether
the winning case "BALL" has been formed or not. When the winning
case "BALL" has been formed, the station control unit 150 advances
to step S106 to deliver (drop) the normal ball B1 to the play field
section 12. Namely, the delivery of the normal ball B1 is requested
to the satellite control unit 140. In response to the request, the
satellite control unit 140 ejects the normal ball B1 from the ball
supply system 50A, and delivers the normal ball B1 to the slope 14a
of the ball drop section 14 in the station unit ST by the ball
carrier 40. In synchronism with the delivery of the normal ball B1,
the station control unit 150 operates the drop-position selection
system 14b of the ball drop system 14 to drop the normal ball B1 to
a proper position of the play field section 12. After completing
the drop of normal ball B1, the station control unit 150 ends the
routine of this time.
[0063] When the winning case "BALL" has not been formed at step
S105, the station control unit 150 advances to step S107 to
determine whether or not the winning case "ORDINARY PATTERN" has
been formed in the slot lottery. In the case of forming the winning
case "ORDINARY PATTERN", the station control unit 150 advances to
step S108 to execute the processing for supplying from the medal
supply section 13 to the play field section 12, the number of the
medals M which corresponds to the winning case "ORDINARY PATTERN".
Hereinafter, a delivery of medal M means a delivery of medal M from
the lift-up hopper 25 to the medal delivery section 11, and a
supply of medal M means a supply of medal M from the medal supply
section 13 to the play field section 12. A route for the supply of
medal M from the medal supply section 13 can be only a route via
the medal ejection section 18 and the medal shooter 19, but for the
moment when a big amount of medals M are supplied to the play field
section 12 at one time, it can be configured that the medals M are
supplied via the other routes.
[0064] Subsequently at step S109, the station control unit 150 sets
the mode of slot lottery to be a normal mode, and after that, ends
the routine of this time. The mode of slot lottery will be
described later. In the case that the winning case "ORDINALY
PATTERN" has not been formed at step S107, the station control unit
150 advances to step S110 to determine whether or not the winning
case "PROBABILITY-OSCILLATION PATTERN" has been formed. In the case
that the winning case "PROBABILITY-OSCILLATION PATTERN" has been
formed, the station control unit 150 advances to step S111 to
supply to the play field section 12, the medals M, the number of
which corresponds to "probability-oscillation pattern".
Subsequently at step S112, the station control unit 150 sets the
mode of slot lottery to be a probability-oscillation mode, and
after that, ends the routine of this time. The
probability-oscillation mode is a mode where the probability of
forming the winning cases in the slot lottery is increased in
comparison with the normal mode. Namely, when the winning case
"PROBABILITY-OSCILLATION PATTERN" has been formed, at step S112,
the probability-oscillation mode is started, or continued. Then, in
the case that the winning case "ORDINARY PATTERN" is formed during
the probability-oscillation mode, by the processing of step S109,
the probability-oscillation mode is ended.
[0065] In the case that the winning case "PROBABILITY-OSCILLATION
PATTERN" has not been formed at step S110, the station control unit
150 advances to step S113 to determines whether or not the winning
case "BINGO FEATURE" has been formed. In the case that the winning
case "BINGO FEATURE" has been formed, the station control unit 150
advances to step S114 to execute the bingo-card-feature setting
processing. The bingo-card-feature setting processing is a
processing to change an expectation value of player with respect to
the number of the delivered medals M, by changing player's
privilege in a bingo game to be executed by a combination of the
satellite lottery performed in the satellite unit SA and a bingo
card 211 displayed at the bingo game section 210 shown in FIG.
9.
[0066] In FIG. 10, the bingo game section 210 is specifically
shown. In the bingo game section 210, the bingo card 211 is shown.
The bingo card 211 has nine boxes which are arranged in the shape
of matrix having three lines and three rows. In each box, a given
number from 1 to 9 is disposed. These numbers correspond to the
numbers assigned to the winning prize pockets 32a, 33a of the bingo
stage 30 in the satellite unit SA. When in the satellite lottery,
the ball B falls down to any one of winning prize pockets 32a or
33a, the number assigned to the winning prize pockets 32a, 33a
becomes valid. When the three valid numbers are aligned in either a
vertical direction, a lateral direction or a diagonal direction of
the bingo card 211, the bingo is formed, and the number of the
medals displayed in the odds display area 212 are supplied to the
play field section 12. At the left side and at the bottom side of
the bingo card 211, a bingo feature display area 213 is provided.
In the bingo feature display area 213, feature display sections
214a to 214h are provided in association with lines in a lateral
direction, lines in a vertical direction, and lines in a diagonal
direction of the bingo card 211 respectively. In each of the
feature display sections 214a to 214h, when the bingo has been
formed, namely three valid numbers are arranged at the
corresponding line, a picture depending on a privilege to be
imparted to the player in addition to a supply of the number of the
medals M displayed in the odds display area 212, is shown. Any one
of these privileges directly or indirectly links with the delivery
of medals to a player, and the influences of the privileges to the
pay out rate are different from each other. In this embodiment, the
addition of a bonus number of medals to the number of the medals
displayed odds display area 212, the drop of the normal ball B1 or
the special ball B2 to the play field section 12, the imparting of
"JP chance" and the like are prepared as the privileges. In the
example shown in FIG. 10, the picture indicating the drop of
special ball B2 appears in the feature display sections 214a, 214e
respectively, the picture indicating the drop of normal ball B1
appears in the feature display section 214b, 214d, 214f, 21h
respectively, and the picture indicating the imparting of "JP
chance" appears in the feature display section 214c. Consequently,
for example, when three valid numerals are aligned in a lateral
direction at the top line in the bingo card 211, the special ball
B2 is dropped to the play field section 12 because of formation of
the bingo.
[0067] In the bingo-card-feature setting processing at step S114
shown in FIG. 8, the privilege to be imparted to a player at the
moment of forming the bingo is changed by adding newly or changing
the picture (privilege) to be allowed to appear at any one of the
feature display sections 214a to 214h. Thereby, it is possible to
control the payout rate of medals. For example, in the case that
the present payout rate POst is lower than the target payout rate
POsttgt, if a privilege the influence of which for a direction of
increasing the payout rate is big, namely, a privilege linking with
a delivery of bigger number of medals is selected within privileges
prepared in advance by priority in comparison with the other
privileges, it is possible for the payout rate POst to approach the
target payout rate POsttgt more earlier. On the contrary, in the
case that the present payout rate POst is higher than the target
payout rate POsttgt, if a privilege the influence of which for a
direction of increasing the payout rate is small, namely, a
privilege linking with a delivery of comparatively smaller number
of medals is selected within privileges prepared in advance by
priority in comparison with the other privileges, it is possible
for the payout rate POst to approach the target payout rate POsttgt
more earlier. For selecting these privileges, for example, the
measure of each influence for the payout rate caused by each
privilege is qualified, and the probability to select each of the
privileges is basically set depending on the qualified value. When
the payout rate should be controlled to increase, the probability
to select the privilege which has a bigger influence for the payout
rate (the influence to a direction of increasing the payout rate)
is made higher than the basic setting. On the contrary, when the
payout rate should be controlled to decrease, the probability to
select the privilege which has a smaller influence to the payout
rate is made higher than the basic setting. When the feature
setting processing completes at step S114, the station control unit
150 ends the routine of this time.
[0068] In the case that the winning case "BINGO FEATURE" has not
been formed at step S113 in FIG. 8, the station control unit 150
advances to step S115 to determine whether or not the winning case
"DIRECT SATELLITE" has been formed. In the case that the winning
case "DIRECT SATELLITE" has been formed, the station control unit
150 advances to step S123. On the other hand, in the case that the
winning case "DIRECT SATELLITE" has not been formed, the station
control unit 150 advances to step S116 to recognize that the
winning case "DIRECT CENTER" has been formed. Subsequently at step
S123, the station control unit 150 requests to execute the center
lottery to the center control unit 130, and after that, ends the
routine of this time. In this case, as the ball B is not
transferred to the ball transfer section 15, the ball B1 is
delivered from the ball supply system 50A to the ball carrier 40,
and the ball B1 is transferred to the ball drop system 60A to
execute the satellite lottery.
[0069] When the medal M has not entered the checker at step S102 in
FIG. 8, the station control unit 150 advances to step S120 to
determine whether or not the ball B has fallen down from the main
table 20. When the ball B has not fallen, the station control unit
150 ends the routine of this time. On the other hand, when the ball
B has fallen, the station control unit 150 advances to step S121 to
determine whether or not the ball B which has fallen is the special
ball B2 or not. The way of determining the kind of ball B is as
explained about the sensors 151 in FIG. 6. In the case that the
ball B which has fallen is the special ball B2, the station control
unit 150 advances to step S122 to determine that the satellite
lottery should be executed at the inner circumference section 33 of
the bingo stage 30. On the other hand, in the case that the ball B
which has fallen is not the special ball B2, the station control
unit 150 advances to step S123 to determine that the satellite
lottery should be executed at the outer circumference section 32 of
the bingo stage 30. After determining the area where the satellite
lottery should be executed, the station control unit 150 advances
to step S124 to request the satellite lottery to the satellite
control unit 140. In this case, the station control unit 150 also
provides the satellite control unit 140 with information indicating
whether the satellite lottery should be executed at the outer
circumference section 32 or the inner circumference section 33.
After requesting the satellite lottery, the station control unit
150 ends the routine of this time. In addition to the request of
the satellite lottery, the station control unit 150 controls the
operations of ball transfer section 15 so that the ball B which has
fallen is transferred to the end of the slope 28.
[0070] FIG. 11 shows a flow chart of a satellite lottery routine to
be executed by the satellite control unit 140 in response to the
request of the satellite lottery from the station control unit 150.
In the satellite lottery routine, firstly at step S201, the
satellite control unit 150 determines whether or not the satellite
lottery should be executed at the outer circumference section 32 or
at the inner circumference section 33, in reference to the
information provided from the station control unit 150. In the case
of executing at the outer circumference section 32, the satellite
control unit 140 advances to step S202 to control the operations of
the ball carrier 40 and the ball drop system 60A so that the ball B
(the normal ball B1 in this case) transferred by the ball transfer
section 15 of the station unit ST is dropped to the outer
circumference section 32 from the ball drop system 60A. On the
other hand, in the case of executing the satellite lottery at the
inner circumference section 33, the satellite control unit 140
advances to step S203 to control the operations of the ball carrier
40 and the ball drop system 60B so that the ball B (the special
ball B2 in this case) transferred by the ball transfer section 15
of the station unit ST is dropped to the inner circumference
section 33 from the ball drop system 60B.
[0071] After dropping the ball B, the satellite control unit 140
advances to step S204 to detect which of the winning prize pockets
32a (or 33a) the dropped ball B has fallen into, based on the
detection signal of the win sensor included in the sensors 141.
Subsequently at step S205, the satellite control unit 140
determines whether or not the winning prize pocket 32a (or 33a)
into which the ball B has fallen is a JP-chance pocket, that is, a
winning prize pocket where the word "JP chance" are represented.
Then in the case of the JP-chance pocket, the satellite control
unit 140 advances to step S206 to request the center lottery to the
center control unit 130. In the case when the winning prize pocket
is not the JP-chance pocket, the processing of step S206 is
skipped.
[0072] At next step S207, the satellite control unit 140 notifies
the host control unit 100 and the station control unit 150 (note
that, the station control unit 150 which has requested the
satellite lottery.) of the number or the word of the winning prize
pocket 32a (or 33a) which the ball B has fallen into. After the
notification, the satellite control unit 140 ends the satellite
lottery routine.
[0073] FIG. 12 shows a flow chart of a win-probability
determination routine to be executed by the host control unit 100
in response to the notification of the number or the word of the
winning prize pocket from the satellite control unit 140. The
probability of fall of the ball B (the ease of fall of the ball B)
for each winning prize pocket 32a, 33a in the bingo stage 30 is not
equalized to each other because of influence of mechanical error.
This routine is executed to recognize the dispersion of the
probabilities and reflect the dispersion to the control of the
game. In this routine, firstly at step S301, the host control unit
100 updates the number-of-win data in response to the notification
of the winning-prize-pocket number from the satellite control unit
140. The number-of-win data is stored data that, for example as
shown in FIG. 13, each number for winning prize pocket (the
numerals of 1 to 9 and "JP") assigned to each winning prize pocket
32a, 33a and each number-of win N1 to N9, Njp indicating the number
of wins for each number for winning prize pocket are associated
with each other. The number-of-win is counted within a proper
sampling period (for example, 1000 times of lotteries in the past).
For example, when the notification that the ball B1 has entered the
winning prize pocket 32a which the number "1" is assigned to in the
satellite lottery is received, one is added to the number-of-win N1
for the pocket number "1", and one is subtracted from the
number-of-win Nx for the pocket number x (x is any one of the
numerals 1 to 9 or jp) corresponding to the oldest lottery chance
in the sampling period.
[0074] Next, at step S302 the host control unit 100 calculates the
win probability for each pocket number. The calculation is for
obtaining a value that the number-of-win N1 to N9, Njp for each
pocket number is divided by the number of lotteries within the
sampling period. It is possible to omit the calculation about the
win possibility of the pocket mumber JP corresponding to "JP
chance". Subsequently at step S302, the host control unit 100
notifies the station control unit 150 of the calculated win
probability of each pocket number, and after that, ends the routine
of this time. The station control unit 150 which is the destination
of notification at step S303 is the station control unit 150 of
each of four station units ST combined with the satellite unit SA
having the satellite control unit 140 which has notified of the
result of satellite lottery. Namely, the win-probability
determination routine is individually executed for each one unit
including one of the satellite unit SA and four of the station
units ST combined therewith.
[0075] FIG. 14 shows a flow chart of a bingo game routine to be
executed by the station control unit 150 at the moment when the
number for winning prize pocket is notified from the satellite
control unit 140. In the bingo game routine, firstly at step S131
the station control unit 150 validates on the bingo card 211, the
same number as the number for winning prize pocket 32a, 33a
notified from the satellite control unit 140. However, in the case
that the winning prize pocket is "JP chance", the validation is not
executed.
[0076] Subsequently at step S132, the station control unit 150
determines whether or not the bingo has been formed on the bingo
card 211, that is, three valid numbers has been aligned on one
line. When the bingo has been formed, the station control unit 150
advances to step S133 to supply to the play field section 12 as a
prize of forming bingo, the number of the medals M obtained by
adding the number of bingo WIN and the number of repeat WIN. The
number of bingo WIN is the number displayed at the odds display
area 212 shown in FIG. 10. The number of repeat WIN is the number
displayed at the repeat-number display area 215 shown in FIG. 10.
The repeat-number will be described later. Moreover, at step S133,
the station control unit 150 imparts to the player, the privilege
corresponding to the picture appearing in the display section of
the line or row where the bingo has been formed (referred to as the
win line hereinafter.), within the feature display sections 214a to
214h in the bingo game section 210. In this embodiment, for
example, the privilege is imparted, such as the addition of the
number of the delivered medals, the drop of ball B, the imparting
of "JP chance" or the like. The imparting of "JP chance" is a
request of the center lottery in a manner similar to the case when
the processing advances from step S205 to step S206 in FIG. 12.
[0077] At next step S135, the station control unit 150 resets the
feature on the win line, that is, erases the privilege
corresponding to the win line. After that, the station control unit
150 advances to step S136 to obtain the win probability of each
pocket number notified from the host control unit 100. Subsequently
at step S137, the station control unit 150 rearranges the numbers
on the win line, in reference to the win possibilities of pocket
numbers and the difference between the payout rate POst and the
target payout rate POsttgt. For example, the following will
describe about the case shown in FIG. 15, where the center line in
the bingo card has become the win line, the numerals on the win
line are 7, 6, and 4, and the win probabilities P7, P6, and P4
corresponding to the numerals 7, 6, and 4 respectively have a
relation such as P7>P6>P4. In the rearrangement processing at
step S137, the sequence of these three numerals arranged on the win
line is predetermined. The box placed at the center in the bingo
card is a box included in any lines of vertical direction, lateral
direction and diagonal direction. When a numeral the win
probability of which is high is placed at this box, the probability
to form the bingo increases relatively in comparison with a case
that a numeral the win probability of which is low is placed at the
box. Then, in the rearrangement processing at step S137, in the
case that the target payout rate POsttgt is enough higher than the
actual payout rate POst, the number 7 having the highest win
probability is disposed at the central box, and the other numerals
are assigned to the right and the left boxes respectively. Thereby,
it is possible to increase the probability to form the bingo. On
the other hand, when the target payout rate POsttst is enough lower
than the actual payout rate POst, the numeral 4 having the lowest
win probability is disposed at the central box, and the other
numerals are assigned to the right and the left boxes respectively.
Aforementioned, due to the rearrangement of the numerals depending
on the win probabilities to change the probability to form the
bingo, it is possible to make the payout rate POst approach the
target payout rate POsttgt more earlier.
[0078] Returning to FIG. 14, the description continues. After
rearranging the numerals on the win line, the station control unit
150 ends the routine of this time. Additionally, each numeral on
the win line after the rearrangement, becomes an initial state
where the numeral is invalid. On the other hand, when the bingo has
not been formed at step S132, the station control unit 150 advances
to step S140 to determine whether or not the winning prize pocket
is "REPEAT". In the case that the numeral notified in the satellite
lottery has been already valid on the bingo card 211, it is
determined to be "REPEAT". When it is determined to be "REPEAT",
the station control unit 150 advances to step S141 to increase a
repeat step by one step, that is, change the repeat WIN number
displayed at the repeat-number display area 215 to a one-step
bigger value. In the example in FIG. 10, the repeat WIN number
gradually increases such as 10, 20, 40 in accordance with the
repeat number of 1, 2, 3 respectively. At the moment of forming the
bingo, the repeat WIN number of medals according to the repeat
number are supplied to the play field section 12 (refer to step
S133).
[0079] Subsequently at step S412, the station control unit 150
delivers the normal ball B1 to the play field section 12. This
processing can be the same as step S106 in FIG. 16. After
delivering the normal ball B1, the station control unit 150 ends
the routine of this time. In the case that the winning-prize-pocket
number is not "REPEAT" at step S140, the station control unit 150
advances step 143 to supply the predetermined number of medals M,
and after that, ends the routine of this time.
[0080] FIG. 16 shows a flow chart of a center lottery routine to be
executed by the center control unit 130 in response to the request
of the center lottery. The center lottery is requested, in the case
that the bingo feature which is imparted at step S133 in FIG. 14 is
"JP chance", as well as at step S117 in FIG. 8 and at step S206 in
FIG. 11. In the center lottery routine, firstly the center control
unit 130 executes the center lottery at step S401. Namely, while
rotating the ground roulette 71, the center control unit 130 makes
the grand-ball drop system 72 drop the grandball 73. Subsequently
at step S402, the center control unit 130 determined whether or not
the grand ball 73 has entered the winning prize pocket 71a defined
as a JP prize pocket. In the case that it takes a somewhat long
time from the drop of grand ball 73 to the enter of the ball, it is
possible to stop the processing ones at the moment of the drop of
the grand ball 73, and restart the processing in FIG. 16 by a
trigger which is a detection that the grand ball 73 has been taken
into any one of winning prize pocket 71a in the grand roulette
71.
[0081] In the case that the grand ball 73 has been taken into the
JP prize pocket at step S402, the center control unit 130 advances
to step S403 to instruct the station control unit 150 which has
requested the center lottery, to supply to the play field section
12, the medals the number of which corresponds to the JP win. After
instructing the medal supply, the center control unit 130 ends the
routine of this time. Note that, in the case that the center
lottery is requested from the satellite control unit 140, it is the
station control unit 150 which has requested the satellite lottery
to the satellite control unit 140 that is the destination to be
notified of the instruction of medal supply. On the other hand, in
the case that the grand ball 73 has not been taken into the JP
prize pocket at step S402, the center control unit 130 advances to
step S404 to determine whether or not the grand ball 73 has been
taken into the winning prize pocket 71a defined as the grand slot
pocket. In the case that the grand ball 73 has been taken into the
grand slot pocket, the center control unit 130 advances to step
S405 to request the host control unit 100 to execute the grand slot
lottery, and after that, ends the routine of this time.
[0082] In the case that the grand ball 73 has not been taken into
the grand slot pocket at step S404, the center control unit 140
advances to step S406 to instruct the station control unit 150 to
supply to the play field section 12, the medals M the number of
which corresponds to the center lottery. The number of the medals M
to be supplied in this case is enough smaller than the number
instructed at step S403. It is possible to instruct different
number of medals depending on the kind of winning prize pocket 71a
into which the grand ball 73 has been taken. The destination to be
notified of the medal-supply instruction is the same as the case of
step S403. After instructing the medal supply, the center control
unit 130 ends the routine of this time.
[0083] FIG. 17 shows a flow chart of a grand-slot-lottery routine
to be executed by the host control unit 100 in response to the
request (of step S405 in FIG. 16) of the grand slot lottery from
the center control unit 130. In the grand slot lottery routine,
firstly the host control unit 100 executes the grand slot lottery
at step S501. The grand slot lottery is a slot lottery where it is
competed whether or not a combination of three patterns forms a
winning case like the digital lottery game executed on the station
monitor 16 in the station unit ST. The game image of the grand slot
lottery is displayed on the center monitor 70 via the center PC
120. For determining the combination of patterns in the grand slot
lottery, in other words, for determining the win probability in the
grand slot lottery, the entire payout rate POall calculated in the
processing in FIG. 7 may be referred.
[0084] After executing the grand slot lottery, the host control
unit 100 advances to step S502 to determine whether or not the
winning case "PREMIER MODE" has been formed in the grand slot
lottery. In the case that the winning case "PREMIRE MODE" has been
formed, the host control unit 100 advances to step S503 to request
the station control unit 150 to shift to the premier mode. The
destination of the request in this case is the station control unit
150 which has requested to the center control unit 130, the center
lottery which has caused the request of the grand slot lottery at
step S405 in FIG. 16. After requesting the shift to the premier
mode, the host control unit 100 ends the routine of this time.
[0085] In the case that the winning case "PREMIER MODE" has not
been formed at step S502, the host control unit 100 advances to
step S504 to determine whether or not the winning case "SATELLITE
GAME" has been formed. In the case that the winning case "SATELLITE
GAME" has been formed, the host control unit 100 advances to step
S505 to request the satellite control unit 140 which has requested
the center lottery to execute a predetermined center game. After
the request, the host control unit 100 ends the routine of this
time. The satellite control unit 140 which has been requested to
execute the satellite game executes the satellite game in
accordance with a predetermined procedure, and instructs the
station control unit 150 (the same as the destination of request at
step S503) to supply the number of the medals M depending on the
game result.
[0086] In the case that the winning case "SATELLITE GAME" has not
been formed at step S504, the host control unit 100 advances to
step S506 to determine whether or not the winning case "MEDAL WIN"
has been formed. In the case that the winning case "MEDAL WIN" has
been formed, the host control unit 100 advances to step S507 to
instruct the station control unit 150 to supply medals the number
of which is obtained by adding the number of the medals
corresponding to the winning case "MEDAL WIN" to the JP number of
medals (the supplied number of medals instructed at S403 in FIG.
16). In this case, the destination of direction is also the same as
the case of step S503. After requesting the medal supply, the host
control unit 100 ends the routine of this time.
[0087] In the case that the winning case "MEDAL WIN" has not been
formed at step S506, the host control unit 100 advances to step
S508 to request the center control unit 130 to re-execute the
center lottery. In response to this, the center control unit 130
re-executes the center lottery in FIG. 16. After requesting the
re-execution of the center lottery, the host control unit 100 ends
the routine of this time.
[0088] FIG. 18 shows a flow chart of a premier mode routine to be
executed by the station control unit 150 in the case that the shift
to the premier mode has been requested from the host control unit
100 (the case of step S503 in FIG. 17). This routine is executed
instead of the game basic-control routine in FIG. 8, in the case
that the drop of medal M to the play field section 12 has been
detected. Namely, at the moment of executing the premier mode, the
game control based on the game basic-control routine is not
executed. Additionally, in the case that the premier mode is
executed, the game image 220 shown in FIG. 19 instead of the game
image 200 shown in FIG. 9 is displayed on the station monitor 16.
The game image 220 resembles the game image 200 in a point that
three changeable display sections 201a, 201b, 201c are aligned in
the lateral direction. However, the game image 220 is different
from the game image 200 in a point that a continuation-condition
display section 221 is provided instead of the bingo game section
210. At the continuation-condition display section 221, the
numerals 1 to 9 are aligned in the lateral direction, and each of
them is displayed in a different state depending on whether the
numeral is valid or invalid for continuing the premier mode. In
FIG. 19, a round symbol is given to each valid numeral, and a
symbol "x" is given to each invalid numeral.
[0089] In the premier mode routine, firstly the station control
unit 150 executes the medal drop processing at step S151, and
subsequently at step S152, determines whether or not the medals M
has entered the checker. When the medals M has entered the checker,
the station control unit 150 advances to step S153 to execute the
slot lottery as the digital lottery game executed on the station
monitor 16. The winning case of this time is limited to a case that
three same numerals appear. Additionally, the win probability is
set to be higher than the one at step S103 in FIG. 8. Subsequently
at step S154, the station control unit 150 determines whether or
not the combination of patterns obtained in the slot lottery is a
losing case, and in the case of forming the losing case, ends the
routine of this time.
[0090] On the other hand, at step S154, in the case of not forming
the losing case, the station control unit 150 advances to step S155
to supply to the play field section, the medals M the number of
which is depending on the winning case formed in the slot lottery.
Subsequently at step S156, the station control unit 150 switches
the state of winning numeral, three of which have appeared, between
valid sate and invalid sate. For example, as shown in FIG. 19, in
the case that three of numeral 3 have appeared to form a winning
case, the state of numeral 3 is switched between valid sate and
invalid sate. For example, in FIG. 19, as the round symbol is given
to the numeral 3 at the continuation-condition display section 221,
when three of numeral 3 appear, the sate of numeral 3 is switched
from valid sate to invalid sate. According to this, the state of
numeral 3 displayed at the continuation-condition display section
221 is switched from the sate with the round symbol to the sate
with the symbol "x". After switching between valid sate and invalid
sate, the station control unit 150 ends the routine of this
routine.
[0091] On the other hand, in the case that the medals M has not
entered the checker at step S152, the station control unit 150
advances to step S160 to determine whether or not the ball B has
fallen down from the main table 20. In the case that the ball B has
not fallen, the station control unit 150 ends the routine of this
routine. On the other hand, in the case that the ball B has fallen,
the station control unit 150 advances to step S161 to determine
whether or not the ball B which has fallen is the special ball B2.
The determination of the kind of ball B is as explained with
respect to the sensors 151 in FIG. 6. In the case that the ball B
which has fallen is the special ball B2, the station control unit
150 advances to step S162 to determine that the satellite lottery
should be executed at the inner circumference section 33 of the
bingo stage 30. On the other hand, the ball B which has fallen is
not the special ball B2, the station control unit 150 advances to
step S163 to determine that the satellite lottery should be
executed at the outer circumference section 32 in the bingo stage
30. After determining the section where the satellite lottery
should be executed, the station control unit 150 advances to step
S164 to request the satellite lottery to the satellite control unit
140. In this case, the station control unit 150 also provides to
the satellite control unit 140, the information specifying which
section the satellite lottery should be executed, the outer
circumference section 32 or inner circumference section 33. After
requesting the satellite lottery, the station control unit 150 ends
the routine of this time. In addition to the request of satellite
lottery, the station control unit 150 controls the operation of the
ball transfer section 15, so that the ball B which has fallen is
transferred to the end of slope 28.
[0092] The satellite control unit 140, to which the satellite
lottery is requested by the processing at step S164 in FIG. 18,
executes the satellite lottery in accordance with the procedure
shown in FIG. 11. The station control unit 150 receives the result
of the satellite lottery, and executes a premier-mode-end control
routine shown in FIG. 20. This routine is for a control whether the
premier mode is continued or ended. At the first step S171, the
station control unit 150 obtains the number of winning prize pocket
notified from the satellite control unit 140. At next step S172,
the station control unit 150 determines whether or not the winning
prize pocket obtained at step S171 is "JP", namely, whether or not
the ball B has entered the JP chance pocket. When the
winning-prize-pocket number is "JP", the station control unit 150
advances to step S173 to end the premier mode, and returns to the
game basic-control shown in FIG. 8. After that, the station control
unit 150 ends the routine of this time. Note that, the station
control unit 150 only ends the premier mode here. In the case that
the "JP chance" in the satellite lottery occurs, the processing
advances to the center lottery and after in FIG. 16.
[0093] In the case that the winning-prize-pocket number is not "JP"
at step S172 in FIG. 20, the station control unit 150 advances to
the step S174 to determine whether or not the winning-prize-pocket
number is the invalid numeral. The invalid numeral used here is the
numeral to which the symbol "x" is given at the
continuation-condition display section 221. Then, in the case that
the winning-prize-pocket number is equal to the invalid number, the
station control unit 150 advances to step S173. In the case that
the winning-prize-pocket number is not the invalid number, the
station control unit 150 skips step S173 to end the routine of this
time. According to the above routine, the premier mode ends, when
the ball has fallen into the winning prize pocket the number of
which is equal to the invalid numeral in the satellite lottery, or
when the processing advances to the center lottery because the JP
chance has occurred in the satellite lottery. Accordingly, in the
case that the number of winning prize pocket, into which the ball B
has fallen in the satellite lottery is equal to the valid numeral,
the premier mode continues.
[0094] The station control unit 150 further has a function for
changing the game contents of the station control unit ST based on
the number of the balls B existing in the play field section 12.
Concretely, in the case that the number of the balls B existing in
the play field section 12 is zero, namely, the ball B dose not
exist in the play field section 12, the station control unit 150
executes the processing for increasing the expectation value of the
medal obtainment of the player. Hereinafter, the contents of
processing will be explained in reference to FIG. 21 and FIG.
22.
[0095] FIG. 21 shows a flow chart of a ball-count processing
routine to be executed by the station control unit 150 to detect
the number of the balls B existing in the play field section 12.
The station control unit 150, while the medal game is executed in
the station unit ST, repeatedly executes the routine in FIG. 21 at
a predetermined interval. In the ball-count processing routine,
firstly at step S181, the station control unit 150 determines
whether or not the ball has dropped onto the play field section 12.
This determination can be realized by using the ball drop sensor of
the ball sensors included in the sensors 151. However, not using
the sensors, it is possible to determine whether or not the ball B
has dropped depending on whether or not the drop of ball B has been
instructed, namely, whether or not either the processing at step
S106 in FIG. 8 or the processing at step S142 in FIG. 14 has been
executed between the moment of executing the routine in FIG. 21 of
the prior time and the moment of executing the routine of this
time.
[0096] In the case that it is determined that the ball B has been
dropped, the station control unit 150 advances to step S182 to add
one to the counting value of the ball counter to memorize the
number of the balls B. After that, the station control unit 150
ends the routine of this time. The ball counter may be a virtual
counter retained in a RAM and the like in the station control unit
150. On the other hand, at step S181, in the case that it is
determined that the ball B has not been dropped, the station
control unit 150 advances to step S183 to determine whether or not
the fall of the ball B from the play field section 12 has been
detected. The determination can be realized by using the ball fall
sensor of the ball sensors included in the sensors 151. In the case
that it is determined that the ball B has not fallen, the station
control unit 150 ends the routine of this time. On the other hand,
in the case that the ball has fallen, the station control unit 150
advances to the step S184 to subtract one from the counting value
of the ball counter. At the next step S185, the station control
unit 150 determines whether or not the number of the balls B
memorized in the ball counter is zero. In the case that the number
of the balls B is zero, the station control unit 150 advances to
step S186 to instruct to start an empty mode, and after that, ends
the routine of this time. At the moment when the empty mode starts,
the start of the empty mode can be notified to the player, for
example, by displaying a special image on the station monitor 16.
On the other hand, in the case that the number of the balls B is
not zero, the station control unit 150 skips step S186 and ends the
routine of this time.
[0097] In the case that the start of empty mode is instructed at
step S186 in FIG. 21, the station control unit 150 executes an
empty mode routine shown in FIG. 22 instead of the game
basic-control routine in FIG. 8. Namely, the station control unit
150, in the case that the drop of medal M to the play field section
12 has been detected, executes the routine in FIG. 22 instead of
the game basic-control routine in FIG. 8.
[0098] In the empty-mode routine in FIG. 22, firstly at step S191,
the station control unit 150 executes the medal drop processing,
and subsequently at step S192, determines whether or not the medal
M has entered the checker. In the case that the medal M enters the
checker, the station control unit 150 advances to step S193 to
execute the slot lottery as the digital lottery game executed on
the station monitor 16. Note that, in the slot lottery, two kinds
of winning case are set, that is, a winning case "BALL" which means
the drop of ball B, and a winning case "MEDAL" which means the
supply of medal M to the play field section 12. Additionally, the
probability to win the winning case "BALL" is set to be higher than
the probability to win the winning case "BALL" in the slot lottery
executed in accordance with the game basic-control routine in FIG.
8. Moreover, the probability to win the winning case "MEDAL" is set
to be higher than the probability to win the winning case "ORDINARY
PATTERN" in the slot lottery executed in accordance with the game
basic-control routine in FIG. 8. In essence, the win probabilities
are set so that the player's expectation value for obtaining medals
is made higher than the expectation value of the slot lottery
executed in the game basic-control routine.
[0099] Subsequently at step S194, the station control unit 150
determines whether or not the winning case "BALL" has been won. In
the case of winning the "BALL", the station control unit 150
advances to step S195 to request to deliver the normal ball B1 to
the satellite control unit 140. In response to the request, the
satellite control unit 140 makes the ball supply system 50A eject
the normal ball B1, and delivers the ball B1 to the slope 14a of
the ball drop section 14 in the station unit ST by using the ball
carrier 40. In synchronism with the delivery of the normal ball B1,
the station control unit 150 operates the drop-position selection
system 14b of the ball drop section 14 to drop the normal ball B1
to a proper position in the play field section 12. When the drop of
normal ball B1 is completed, the station control unit 150 advances
to step S196 to end the empty mode. Namely, by the delivery of the
normal ball B1, the empty mode is ended. Thereby, the station
control unit 150 returns to the game basic-control routine in FIG.
8. After executing the processing at step S196, the station control
unit 150 ends the routine of this time.
[0100] In the case that the winning case "BALL" has not been won at
step S194 in FIG. 22, the station control unit 150 advances to step
S197 to determine whether or not the winning case "MEDAL" has been
won in the slot lottery. In the case of winning the "MEDAL", the
station control unit 150 advances to step S198 to execute the
processing for supplying a predetermined number of medals M from
the medal supply section 13 to the play field section 12. In this
case, it is possible that the supplied medals M is the same as the
number of the supplied medals M at step S108 in FIG. 8, but more
number of medals M can be supplied to the play field section 12.
After supplying the medals M, the station control unit 150 returns
to step S191. Note that, in the case that a negative determination
results at step S192, or in the case that a negative determination
results at step S197, the station control unit 150 returns to step
S191.
[0101] According to the above empty mode, in the case that the ball
B does not exist in the play field section 12, the winning case
"BALL" is formed with a higher probability than the probability
that the normal ball B1 is dropped in the game basic-control
routine and the normal ball B1 is dropped to the play field section
12. Consequently, in comparison to the case of executing the game
basic-control routine, it is possible to expect a reduce of the
duration time of the state that the ball B does not exist in the
play field section 12. Moreover, as the win probability to win the
winning case "MEDAL" also increases, the expectation value of medal
obtainment itself also gets higher than the expectation value in
the state controlled by the game basic-control routine. Thereby,
even if the ball B does not exist in the play field section 12, it
is possible to impart the motivation of game continuation to the
player. That makes the operating rate and the profit performance of
the game machine G higher.
[0102] In the above embodiment, the medal supply section 13 of the
station unit ST corresponds to a first game-medium supply device.
The configuration for executing the pusher game and the digital
lottery game in the station unit ST corresponds to a basic-game
execution device. The ball supply system 50A, 50B and the carrier
40 of the satellite unit SA, and the ball drop section 14 of the
station unit ST for dropping the ball B to the play field section
12 correspond to a second game-medium supply device. The ball
transfer section 15 of the station unit ST, the satellite unit SA,
and the station control unit 150 for executing the satellite
lottery by using the ball B and the bingo game responding to the
lottery result of the satellite lottery correspond to a
dividend-chance imparting device. The station control unit 150
functions as a medium number-of-pieces detection device by
executing the routine in FIG. 21, and functions as a privilege
imparting device by executing the routine in FIG. 22. Moreover, the
satellite unit SA corresponds to the physical lottery system.
[0103] The present invention is not limited to the above
embodiment, but is possible to be executed in various embodiments.
Proper change of the privilege which the privilege imparting device
imparts and proper addition to the privilege can be allowed. In the
case that the ball does not exist, the privilege can be imparted by
executing the slot lottery in the probability oscillation mode. The
privilege can be imparted by changing the medal transfer route in
the play field section 12 so that the medal M is easier to enter
the opening section 24a, 24b, 24c as the checker. It is possible to
issue some privilege with respect to the bingo feature. It is
possible to impart the privilege by delivering to the play field
section 12, the special ball B2 instead of the normal ball B1, in
the case that the winning case "BALL" is won in the slot
lottery.
[0104] The basic game is not limited to the combination of the
pusher game and the slot lottery, and can be changed variously as
long as the a game is executed in association with the motion of
the first game medium. For example, the pin ball or the like can be
executed as the basic game. Also, it is possible to change
variously the dividend chance to be imparted when the second game
medium is ejected from the play field section. For example,
responding to ejecting the second game medium from the play field
section, it is possible to deliver the dividend without the lottery
processing such as the second game medium.
[0105] In the above embodiment, in the case that it is detected
that the ball B does not exist in the play field section 12, the
privilege is imparted, but the present invention is not limited to
this embodiment. For example, in the case that the number of the
balls B decreases to over a predetermined number which is 2 or more
than 2, though the balls B remains in the play field section 12, it
is possible to impart some privilege. By setting plural numerals as
the predetermined numbers which are criteria for imparting the
privilege, it is possible to impart the privilege in stages
depending on decrease of the number of the balls B. In this case,
it is possible to change to more advantageous privilege, as the
number of pieces more decreases. Moreover, it is possible to change
the predetermined number to be a criterion for imparting privilege,
as the predetermined number is allowed to be changed depending on
the game situation, for example, a change of payout rate.
* * * * *