Game machine

The present invention relates to a game machine including a main control unit and a sub control unit, and more particularly to a game machine that transmits / receives data while performing encryption / decryption between the main control unit and the sub control unit.

A game machine such as a slot machine or a pachinko machine determines the progress of a game by controlling a main control unit that manages the progress of the game, a liquid crystal display, decorative lamps such as LEDs, and a directing means such as a speaker. It is equipped with a sub-control unit that controls the production of the above. Data transmission / reception between these control units is unidirectional data communication from the main control unit to the sub control unit, and the main control unit transmits control information to the sub control unit while managing the progress of the game, and this control The sub-control unit that has received the information controls the effect means according to the control information, so that the game effect synchronized with the progress of the game is performed.

By the way, in recent years, the game production performed by the sub-control unit is not limited to a mere production, and there is also a production that affects the ball output rate that affects the result of the game. For example, a gaming machine configured so that the sub-control unit influences the ball output rate of the game machine by performing a navigation effect that prompts the player to perform a predetermined operation based on the control information input from the main control unit. There is (for example, a slot machine that navigates the order of pressing the stop button in the ART game state).

Whether or not to perform such a navigation effect is determined based on the control information input from the main control unit. Therefore, for example, an illegal device for a cable or a connector between the main control unit and the sub control unit. Is installed, and the control information (for example, AT command) related to the navigation effect that should be output from this device at a specific timing is always output to the sub control unit, thereby forcibly performing the navigation effect. Acts are increasing. Therefore, in order to eliminate such fraudulent acts of attaching an unauthorized device to the cable or connector between the main control unit and the sub control unit, the control information input from the main control unit to the sub control unit is encrypted. (For example, Patent Document 1) has been proposed.

In this game machine, the main control unit generates an encryption key composed of random numbers, and the encryption key generated when the power of the game machine is turned on is transmitted in advance to the sub control unit, and the subsequent communication is performed with this encryption key. By using it to send and receive while encrypting and decrypting control information, fraudulent activities are deterred.

<p><patcit num="1"><text>Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-21660</text></patcit></p>

<p> However, in the game machine described in Patent Document 1, although it is possible to deter fraudulent acts of attaching an unauthorized device to the cable or connector between the main control unit and the sub control unit, a random number generator for encryption / decryption, By incorporating complicated encryption / decryption algorithms, etc., the processing load of the main control unit and the sub control unit increases, and the game control originally performed by the main control unit and the production control performed by the sub control unit are oppressed and controlled. It was deteriorating efficiency.</p><p> The present invention has been proposed to solve the problems of the conventional techniques as described above, and utilizes the existing unique identification information (ID) assigned to each control chip provided in the main control unit. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a game machine that suppresses fraudulent activities while reducing the processing load of the main control unit and the sub control unit by encrypting / decrypting the control information by a simple algorithm.</p>

<p> In order to achieve the above object, the gaming machine of the present invention controls a main control unit that manages the progress of the game and a predetermined effect means based on the control information input from the main control unit. A gaming machine including a sub-control unit that performs a predetermined effect control related to the progress, and the main control unit is a calculation processing unit that controls the progress of the game and a unique identification assigned to each calculation processing unit. The main storage unit that stores information, the control information encryption unit that encrypts the control information by combining the control information with the unique identification information, and the encrypted control information are output to the sub control unit. The sub control unit includes a control information output unit, and the sub control unit is input from the main control unit based on the sub side storage unit that stores the unique identification information and the unique identification information stored in the sub side storage unit. The configuration includes a control information decoding unit that decrypts the encrypted control information.</p>

<p> According to the gaming machine of the present invention, the existing unique identification information (ID) assigned to each control chip provided in the main control unit is used as an encryption key, and the control information is encrypted / decrypted by a simple algorithm. By doing so, it is possible to suppress fraudulent activities while reducing the processing load on the main control unit and the sub control unit.</p>

<figref num="1">It is a schematic front view which shows the appearance of the game machine which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention.</figref><figref num="2">It is a schematic perspective view which shows the internal structure of the game machine which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention.</figref><figref num="3">It is a block diagram which shows the control structure of the game machine which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention.</figref><figref num="4">It is a flowchart which shows the transmission / reception processing of the control information performed between the main control part and the sub control part in the game machine which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention.</figref>

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the gaming machine according to the present invention will be described with reference to the respective figures.

[Game machine] A main control unit that manages the progress of the game, and a sub-control unit that controls a predetermined effect related to the progress of the game by controlling a predetermined effect means based on control information input from the main control unit. There are various types of gaming machines such as slot machines and pachinko machines, but in the present embodiment, a case where the present invention is applied to a slot machine will be described.

The slot machine 1 of the present embodiment is configured as a spinning-type game machine capable of acquiring medals, which is a game medium, by rotating a plurality of reels, and is an existing slot machine allocated to each arithmetic processing unit provided in the main control unit. By using the unique identification information (ID) as an encryption key and encrypting / decrypting the control information using a simple algorithm, fraudulent activity is suppressed while reducing the processing load on the main control unit and sub control unit. It is configured as follows. Hereinafter, the slot machine 1 according to the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

As shown in these figures, the slot machine 1 of the present embodiment has a plurality of rotatably pivotally supported reels 41a, 41b, 41c built-in, and a housing 1b having an open front side and a housing 1b. It is composed of a front door 1a that covers the front side so that it can be opened and closed, and inside, the main control unit 10 composed of a microcomputer and the like, and the display 8, speaker 9, LED, etc. according to the command from the main control unit 10. A sub-control unit 20 that controls production means such as lamps, and necessary machines, devices, and the like are housed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the front door 1a is a door body that can be opened and closed from the housing 1b of the slot machine 1 via a hinge or the like, and the front door 1a is provided with a plurality of operating means related to game operations. It constitutes the front part of the slot machine 1.

The operation means are a medal slot 2 for inserting medals, a bet button 2a for throwing medals stored as credits inside the device into the game, and a start lever 3 for starting the rotation of each reel 41a, 41b, 41c. , Three stop buttons 5a, 5b, 5c, etc. are provided to stop each rotating reel 41a, 41b, 41c. Further, the front door 1a is provided with a display window 6 on the upper side of each operating means so that the symbols displayed on the reels 41a, 41b, 41c can be visually recognized. Further, above the front door 1a, a display 8 made of a display means such as a liquid crystal TV and a speaker 9 for outputting sound effects, sounds, etc. are provided.

In the center of the housing 1b, a drum unit 4 including reels 41a, 41b, 41c, a motor (not shown) for rotating each reel 41a, 41b, 41c, a sensor for detecting a rotation position, and the like is provided. Further, a medal payout device 7 for storing and paying out medals is provided in the lower part of the housing 1b. The medal payout device 7 is provided with a hopper 7a for storing medals, and medals inserted from the medal insertion slot 2 are detected by the medal selector 2b and guided to the hopper 7a.

[Main control unit] The main control unit 10 is a one-chip microcomputer in which the main CPU 10a (central processing unit), main RAM 10b, and main ROM 10c are integrally built, and data transmission / reception between the one-chip microcomputer and the above-mentioned various devices including the sub control unit 10. It is composed of a main board on which an interface circuit or the like for performing the above is mounted, and a board case or the like for accommodating the main board.

The one-chip microcomputer (CPU10a) is an example of the arithmetic processing unit according to the present invention, and is unique identification information (unique) assigned to each one-chip microcomputer in order to improve security against fraudulent acts such as replacement with a counterfeit chip. ID) is stored in the main ROM 10c. This unique identification information is read when the power is turned on, and the slot machine 1 does not start unless it is read normally. The main control unit 10 having such a configuration controls each device such as the drum unit 4 and the medal payout device 7 based on the signal from each of the above operating means and the signal from the medal selector 2b, as follows. Advance the slot machine game.

Specifically, when a medal is inserted from the medal insertion slot 2 by the player, the medal is detected by the medal selector 2b, and the detection signal is input to the main control unit 10. When the bet button 2a is operated, the operation signal is input to the main control unit 10. The main control unit 10 monitors the number of medals that can be played based on the presence or absence of input of these signals, and also monitors the operation of the start lever 3. When the start lever 3 is operated when the number of medals that can be played is reached, the main control unit 10 drives the drum unit 4 to control the rotation of each reel 41a, 41b, 41c.

Further, when the start lever 3 is operated, the main control unit 10 internally determines the winning target of this game from a plurality of lottery targets such as a bonus combination, a small combination, a replay combination, and a loss. A lottery is performed, and based on the timing when each stop button 5a, 5b, 5c is pressed, the stop control of each rotating reel 41a, 41b, 41c is performed so that the reels stop with a combination of symbols according to the lottery result. ..

Further, the main control unit 10 determines a combination of symbols that are stopped and displayed on the reels 41a, 41b, 41c, and when a predetermined combination of symbols is used, a control for paying out a predetermined number of medals to the medal payout device 7. And pay out the medals from the medal payout exit 7b.

In addition to the control related to the progress of the slot machine game as described above, the main control unit 10 has a predetermined operation timing (for example, start lever operation) so that the sub control unit 20 can perform a game effect synchronized with the progress of the game. , Stop button operation, bonus game start, bonus winning combination), predetermined control information (for example, control command) is output to the sub control unit 20.

For example, the control information output from the main control unit 10 to the sub control unit 20 includes control information indicating the progress of the game such as start lever operation, stop button operation, and bonus game start, as well as winning as a result of an internal lottery. There are winning target information indicating the winning lottery target (for example, the type of winning bonus role [big bonus, regular bonus], the type of winning small role, replaying role, loss, etc.). These control information is transmitted to the sub control unit 20 via the control information output unit such as the I / O port of the one-chip microcomputer and the interface circuit arranged on the main board.

If such control information is transmitted to the sub control unit 20 as it is without any processing, for example, the main control unit 10 becomes the winning small winning combination only when the stop button 5 is operated in a specific operation order. When controlling to stop the reel 41 with a combination of corresponding symbols, if the winning target information corresponding to this small winning combination is illegally acquired, each time the small winning combination is won, an operation is performed in a specific operation order. As a result, medals will be illegally obtained, and the amusement park will suffer great damage.

Therefore, the main control unit 10 performs the following encryption processing when outputting the control information to the sub control unit 20. Specifically, the main control unit 10 operates as a control information encryption unit, and based on the encryption process (encryption algorithm) stored in the main ROM 10c, the unique identification information assigned to each one-chip microcomputer is obtained. , Encrypt the control information in combination with the control information. For example, it is possible to adopt an encryption process in which each piece of information is digitized and the unique identification information is combined with the control information by four arithmetic operations (four arithmetic operations algorithm).

If the unique identification information is a serial number, this serial number is treated as a decimal number as it is, and if the control information is a binary number composed of multiple bits in the data transmission format, this is converted to a decimal number and also. One of the four rules of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division is performed on these numerical values, and the calculation result is used as encrypted control information.

The quantification of the unique identification information and the control information is not limited to the decimal number, and may be any base number such as a binary number or a hexadecimal number. Further, the four arithmetic operations are preferably addition or subtraction, which does not require repetitive operations in order to reduce the processing load. In the present embodiment, the numerical values obtained by adding the quantified unique identification information and the control information are used as the control information. .. In addition, the encrypted control information can be converted into a binary number, a hexadecimal number, or the like again in order to be converted into a data transmission format.

Further, when performing the encryption process using the four arithmetic operations as the encryption algorithm, it is possible to determine the operation to be adopted at a predetermined cycle or by using a random number. When the calculation to be adopted is determined in a predetermined cycle, for example, each time the power is turned on, it is determined in advance such as addition decrease multiplication division addition decrease multiplication division or addition decrease addition decrease. It is also possible to alternate the operations to be adopted according to the order given. Further, when determining using random numbers, for example, it is possible to generate and acquire random numbers of 0 to 3 when the power is turned on, and determine addition, subtraction, multiplication and division corresponding to these random numbers as an operation to be adopted.

In this way, by combining the unique identification information with the control information by using four arithmetic operations (particularly, addition and subtraction) in the encryption process, the processing load related to the encryption can be reduced. The control information encryption process (encryption algorithm) performed by combining the unique identification information with the control information is not limited to the above, and for example, all or a part of the unique identification information (serial number) may be used. It interrupts between the bits that make up the control information, adds it to the lower or upper bits, and replaces the control information bit corresponding to the numerical value of any digit of the serial number with the upper or lower bit. You can also do it.

Further, the encryption process stored in the main ROM 10c may be only one of the above encryption processes (encryption algorithm), but two or more types of encryption processes (encryption algorithm) are stored in advance. It is also possible to change the encryption process (encryption algorithm) to be adopted by lottery or in a predetermined order at a predetermined timing such as every time the power is turned on. As a result, since the encryption process is not fixed, it becomes difficult to decrypt the control information, and it is possible to prevent fraudulent acts of attaching an unauthorized device to the cable or connector between the main control unit 10 and the sub control unit 20.

In this case, the main control unit 10 outputs encryption information that can identify any of the above encryption processes so that the sub control unit 20 recognizes the encryption process adopted by the main control unit 10. By inputting this encryption information, the sub control unit 20 can specify the encryption process performed by the main control unit 10, so that the process opposite to the encryption process, for example, if the encryption process is an addition process , The original control information can be retrieved by performing the subtraction process.

Further, it is preferable that the main control unit 10 transmits the unique identification information to the sub control unit 20 in advance in order for the sub control unit 20 to decrypt the encrypted control information. This transmission can be performed, for example, when the slot machine is powered on.

[Sub-control unit] The sub control unit 20 is configured as a computer like the main control unit 10, and controls a predetermined video effect and sound effect via the display 8 and the speaker 9.

Specifically, the sub control unit 20 is used for image control such as a control chip such as a sub CPU 20a, a sub RAM 20b, and a sub ROM 20c, a processor for image control (VDP, etc.), VRAM, and an image ROM storing image data. It consists of a sub-board on which a chip, a PCM sound source, a voice ROM that stores sound data such as sound effects and voice, and a sound control chip such as an amplifier are mounted, and a board case that houses the sub-CPU 20a. By executing and processing the program stored in the ROM 20c, a predetermined image is displayed on the display 8 and a predetermined sound data is output from the speaker 9.

The sub control unit 20 having such a configuration operates as follows based on the control information from the main control unit 10. When the control information from the main control unit 10 is input, the sub control unit 20 determines the game state of the slot machine 1 at that time from the control information, and VDP, so as to perform an effect according to the game state. It controls PCM sound sources, etc., and these VDPs and PCM sound sources output image data and sound data via the display 8 and speaker 9.

For example, when the main control unit 10 receives the control information indicating the start of the bonus game as the control information indicating the progress of the game, the sub CPU 20a instructs the VDP, the PCM sound source, etc. to produce the start of the bonus game. The image of the start of the bonus is displayed via the display 8, and a predetermined fanfare sound is output via the speaker 9.

Further, in performing these effect controls, the sub control unit 20 operates as a control information decoding unit to decode the encrypted control information transmitted from the main control unit 10 as follows. The decoding performed by the sub-control unit 20 is performed based on the unique identification information. Further, when one of the encryption processes in which the main control unit 10 has a plurality of types is selected and executed, it is specified from the encryption information and the encryption information transmitted from the main control unit 10. It is performed based on the decryption process. These information and encryption processing are stored in the sub RAM 20b or the sub ROM 20c. For example, the encryption information is temporarily stored in the sub RAM 20b by being transmitted from the main control unit 10 when the power is turned on, and the program that defines the decryption process corresponding to the encryption information is stored in the sub ROM 20c. ing. Further, the unique identification information is temporarily stored in the sub RAM 20b by being transmitted from the main control unit 10 when the power is turned on.

The decryption process is performed by executing one predetermined decryption process stored in the sub ROM 20c, or one of a plurality of decryption processes specified by the encryption information. Will be done. Specifically, when the main control unit 10 executes one predetermined encryption process, it is performed based on the decryption process (decryption algorithm) corresponding to the one encryption process, and the main is performed. When one of the encryption processes in which the control unit 10 has a plurality of types is selected and executed, the one decryption process specified from the encryption information transmitted from the main control unit 10 ( Decryption algorithm).

The decryption process is a process of extracting the original control information from the encrypted control information, and is configured by an algorithm opposite to the encryption process. For example, when the main control unit 10 employs an encryption process in which the unique identification information is combined with the control information by four arithmetic operations, the sub control unit 20 performs the inverse operation algorithm of the adopted operation as the decryption process. .. Specifically, when addition is adopted among addition, subtraction, multiplication and division in the encryption process, the original control information can be extracted by subtracting the unique identification information from the encrypted control information. , When subtraction is adopted, the original control information can be extracted by adding the unique identification information from the encrypted control information. In this way, by combining the unique identification information with the control information by using four arithmetic operations (particularly, addition and subtraction) in the decoding process, the processing load related to the decoding can be reduced. When extracting the original control information by the four arithmetic operations, it is necessary to align the encrypted control information and the unique identification information in the same base number before performing the operation.

Further, in the encryption process, all or a part of the unique identification information is interrupted between the bits constituting the control information, added to the lower or upper bits, or the unique identification information (serial number). When the bits of the control information corresponding to the numerical value of the digit and the upper or lower bits thereof are replaced with each other, the corresponding decoding process retrieves the unique identification information interrupted between the bits. The original control information can be retrieved by performing the reverse processing of the encryption processing, such as excluding the unique identification information added to the lower or upper bits.

The encryption / decryption processing performed between the main control unit 10 and the sub control unit 20 as described above is executed in the control information transmission process and the control information reception process shown in FIG.

Specifically, in the control information transmission process executed by the main control unit 10, the power-on is monitored (S10), and when the power is turned on (S10-Yes), for example, the uniqueness stored in the main ROM 10c. While loading the identification information (S11), the loaded unique identification information is transmitted to the sub-control unit 20 (S12). At this time, when the main control unit 10 selects and executes one encryption process from among a plurality of types of encryption processes, the sub control unit 20 provides encryption information that can identify the one encryption process. Send to. After transmitting the unique identification information or when the power has already been turned on (S10-No), the operation change related to the transmission of the control information is monitored in the progress of the slot machine game (S13-No).

When there is an operation change (S13-Yes), the control information encryption process is executed in order to transmit the control information related to the operation (S14). In the encryption process, for example, the unique identification information and the control information are digitized, and the control information is combined with the unique identification information by four arithmetic operations to perform encryption. After that, the encrypted control information is transmitted to the sub control unit 20 (S15), and the operation change related to the transmission of the control information is monitored again (S13).

On the other hand, in the control information reception process executed by the sub control unit 20, for example, when the power is turned on, a standby operation waiting for reception of the unique identification information is performed (S20), and when the unique identification information is received (S21), the reception is received. The unique identification information is stored in the sub RAM20b (S22). Further, when one of the encryption processes having a plurality of types of the main control unit 10 is selected and executed, the encryption information transmitted from the main control unit 10 is stored in the sub RAM 20b.

After that, the reception of the control information is monitored, and when the control information is received from the main control unit 10 (S23), the decryption process of the received control information is executed in order to extract the original control information (S24). In the decryption process, the inverse calculation algorithm of the encryption process is executed. For example, if the encryption process is an addition process, the original control information is obtained by performing a subtraction process of subtracting the unique identification information from the received control information. Take it out. Next, the sub-control unit 20 outputs image data and sound data via the display 8 and the speaker 9 based on the extracted original control information, thereby performing a predetermined game effect (S25), and control information again. Monitor the reception of (S23).

As described above, according to the gaming machine according to the present embodiment, the existing unique identification information (ID) assigned to each one-chip microcomputer provided in the main control unit 10 is used, and the control information is encrypted by a simple algorithm. By performing decryption, fraudulent activity can be suppressed while reducing the processing load of the main control unit and the sub control unit.

Although the preferred embodiment of the gaming machine of the present invention has been described above, the gaming machine according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention. Needless to say.

For example, in the present embodiment, the unique identification information is transmitted from the main control unit 10 to the sub control unit 20 and temporarily stored in the sub RAM 20b, but the unique identification information is stored in the sub ROM 20c in advance. You can also. By storing the unique identification information in the sub ROM 20c in advance in this way, not only the transmission processing of the unique identification information becomes unnecessary and the processing load is reduced, but also the individual sub-control units 20 are not general-purpose but unique. Therefore, mass production of sub ROM20c, illegal sub-board, etc. can be prevented when performing unauthorized modification. That is, since the main control unit 10 and the sub control unit 20 are a pair of dedicated products each having unique identification information, the control information cannot be transmitted / received only by illegally modifying one of the control units. Cheating can be effectively deterred.

In addition, when the unique identification information includes not only numerical values but also characters such as alphabetic characters, it can be quantified based on a predetermined rule when performing four arithmetic operations (for example, in the case of alphabets, A can be converted into numerical values. Quantification by numbering with 1 and Z as 26).

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be suitably used for a game machine such as a slot machine or a pachinko machine, which includes a main control unit and a sub control unit.

1 slot machine (game machine) 10 Main control unit (control information encryption unit, control information output unit) 10a CPU (arithmetic processing unit) 10b RAM 10c ROM (main side storage) 20 Sub-control unit (control information decoding unit) 20a CPU 20b RAM (sub side storage) 20c ROM 8 Display (directing means) 9 Speaker (Direction means)