Entertainment machines

Abstract

 An entertainment machine can be operated by a player, after insertion of a coin or token into a coin mechanism to cause the machine to produce a moving or changing visual display which is terminated at random to give a fixed display, and a win indication is produced if the fixed display is of a predetermined nature.
The machine has a control system which incorporates a processing device and a programme device, which programme device can be changed to enable different games to be played with the machine.
The visual display is produced on the front screen (2) of an electronic visual display unit, such as a cathode ray tube (45), and the programme device (18) of the control system determines the nature of the display produced on the screen (2).

Description

[0001] This invention relates to entertainment machines including both gaming machines and non-gaming amusement machines of the kind, hereinafter referred to as the kind defined, which is operable by a player so as to perform a number of operations (particularly although not necessarily on a random basis) as initiated by the player,.and to perform further operations determined by the first said operations (involving, for example, the actuation of a device which gives a win indication in the event that a predetermined arrangement, such as a predetermined combination or sequence of the first said operations is achieved).

[0002] In our British Patent Specification No. 1,545,301 there is described an entertainment machine of the kind which is operable by a player, after actuation of the cachine by insertion of one or more coins or tokens into 3 coin mechanism of the machine, so as to perform a number of operations as initiated by the player, and to perform further operations determined by the first said operation, which machine incorporates a control system arranged to respond to and effect control of machine operations, wherein said control system incorporates a processing device, and a plurality of interchangeable programme devices are provided for individual detachable incorporation in the control system for feeding different respective programme information to the processing device corresponding respectively to.adaptation of the machine for the playing of different games therewith, whereby the machine can be adapted for playing a selected such game by selection of the pertaining said programme device for said incorporation in the control system.

[0003] More specifically said British Patent Specification describes such a control system in which the processing device is in the form of a microprocessor unit (MPU) in the context of an entertainment machine of the fruit machine type, that is, a machine having a number of rotatable members such as drums or discs carrying symbols or indicia, which members are in play set in rotation and subsequently come to rest with a combination of said indicia displayed to the player, the duration of rotation of each member, and hence the displayed combination of indicia being determined wholly or largely on a random basis and a reward mechanism being actuated in the event that said displayed combination is of a predetermined nature.

[0004] In accordance with the present invention, it has been found advantageous to utilise a control system of the kind described above in the context of an entertainment machine of the kind defined, in conjunction with an electronic visual display unit arranged to produce a visual display representative of performance of the first said machine operations, said display unit being connected to the said control system and production of said display being arranged to be controlled by said control system.

[0005] With this arrangement it will be appreciated that the said entertainment machine advantageously can be constructed with the minimum of mechanical systems. Thus, in the case where the entertainment machine is a fruit machine, the arrangement may be such that, in place of the usual rotating discs or drums and associated drive equipment, the visual display unit may be arranged to produce a visual display simulating the rotation of discs or drums. Reliability can therefore be improved and also it may be possible to perform operations and achieve effects which may be impossible or inconvenient with conventional mechanical systems, for example, it may be possible to provide simulated discs or drums with many more different stopping positions than the usual 2₀ stopping positions with conventional fruit machines, and it may be possible to have many more than the usual three or four drums or discs. The use of a visual display in substitution for a mechanical system may also render more difficult interference with the machine by dishonest practices.

[0006] Further, the game played with the entertainment machine can be varied in a simple and convenient manner by changing the operation of the control system, by replacing or modifying said programme device thereof, and in this respect it will be noted that such change in operation of the control system can change not only the functioning of the machine but also the nature of the visual display. Thus, for example, in the case where the display simulates rotating fruit machine drums, the display may be changed to vary features such as the number of simulated discs or drums, the number or kind of simulated indicia on the peripheries of such discs or drums, and the like. Also, the display may be changed to change the nature of the entertainment machine, for example, by changing the display from a simulated fruit machine display to a display appropriate to a simulated ball game of known kind in which a symbol representing a ball is impelled backwards and forwards by simulated impact with further symbols which are movable under the control of players. The invention is not of course intended to be restricted to these games and the encer- tainment machine of the invention may be capable of use in the playing of any other suitable game or for any other suitable entertainment and/or educational purpose.

[0007] Further, the arrangement may be such that the visual display unit is arranged to produce a visual display representative of the aforesaid second machine operations and/or a visual display providing information, instructions, decorative matter and the like appropriate to the game to be played. Thus, for example, in the case where the entertainment machine is a fruit machine the visual display may not only simulate the rotation of drums or discs but may also give win indications when a winning combination is obtained, may display information relating to the game such as details of winning combinations, and may display decorative borders, simulated window frames around the simulated drums or discs, and the like. In this way it will be appreciated that many of the unreliable components usually provided in fruit machines such as indicator lamps can be omitted in so far as their function can be performed by a display on an appropriate section of the visual display unit. Further, complex and expensive constructional and artistic work such as is usually provided at the front of a fruit machine can be minimised or obviated in so far as such work can be provided-and readily changed by appropriate operation of the visual display unit. It is however to be understood that all components such.as indicator lamps and all fixed constructional and artistic work need not of course be omitted.

[0008] Further, the advantages discussed in relation to the machine of the aforesaid British Patent Specification may also apply in relation to the machine of the present invention particularly having regard to the facility for standardisation between machines and the ability to test machines with programmed testing devices. Indeed, in so far as the machine of the present invention may rely to a greater extent on electronic systems as opposed to mechanical systems, standardisation to a much greater extent can be achieved.

[0009] With regard to the visual display unit of the machine of the present invention, this may take any suitable form but preferably comprises a cathode ray tube particularly a colour video tube.

[0010] The invention will now be described further by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of one form of a machine according to the present invention; and

Fi^g. 2 is a circuit diagram of the machine.

[0011] The machine comprises a floor-standing box structure housing 1 containing a colour video tube 45 (Fig. 2) the front screen 2 of which is exposed through an opening in a front wall of the housing. A conventional coin mechanism has a slot 3 mounted at the front of the housing as also are control switches 4, and a pay-out chute 5. Inside the housing 1 there is a control system, as shown in Fig. 2, which is connected to the coin mechanism 3, to the switches 4, to the video tube and to other mechanisms and devices such as indicator lamps, game counters, coin counters, pay-out solenoids and the like.

[0012] The control system comprises a main sequential processing device, namely a microprocessor unit MPU with associated auxiliary devices such as a power supply (not shown), clock device 10, random access memory (RAM) and interface units (PIA). In the usual manner, the MPU is connected to the RAM and PIA devices via control, data and address buses 11, 12, 13.

[0013] The PIA units are connected to switching triacs 14 which control switching of heavy duty components such as pay-out solenoids, to switching transistors 15 which control switching of indicator lamps 16, and to input switches 17 such as coin mechanism and player control switches.

[0014] The MPU also has connected thereto (via the buses 11_; 12, 13) a programme device in the form of a plug-in module 18 comprising an encased printed circuit board with memory devices and associated components thereon. The memory devices comprise ROM/PROM devices. The module has a multi-pin p.c.b. plug 19 which is detachably engageable with an appropriate socket 20 of the control system.

[0015] The MPU is also connected via a bi-directional three-state buffer device 21 to a buffered data bus 23 connected to a cathode ray tube controller device (CRTC) which may be a motorola MC6845 device. The MPU address bus 13 is also connected to an address bus 24 of the CRTC device. This device has outputs 22 which are connected to the video tube 45 and are arranged to feed timing signals (line and frame sync) to the video tube 45 under the control of the MPU.

[0016] The CRTC device also produces, under the control of the MPU, 12-bit display address outputs via line 26 which are used to produce a display on the video tube screen in accordance with data stored in a display RAM 25.

[0017] The display RAM 25 typically has a lk X 8-bit storage capacity and each location within the RAM represents an area on the video tube screen, and each such area has a unique 8-bit character or symbol code. Each such code being read from the display RAM is held in an 8-bit character latch 27. The 8-bit code (on a character address bus 29) together with a 4-bit row address (on a row address bus 30 from the CRTC device) are used to address a number of PROM character/symbol generators 28, which like the above-mentioned ROM/PROM devices may be in the form of a separate plug-in module incorporated in or separate to the ROM/PROM module 18.

[0018] In response to such address, a single one of the character PROMs 28 produces an 8-bit output at line 31 appropriate to the production on the screen of a displayed alphanumeric character, such display being a two-colour display, background and foreground. Also, two combined symbol PROMs 28 produce an 8-bit output at line 32 appropriate to the production on the screen of a displayed fruit symbol (a cherry, orange or the like), such display being a two-colour display with black and white. In this respect it will be seen that outputs of the PROMs 28 are connected via dot multiplexers 33 (giving 1-bit outputs) to red, green and blue colour channels 34, 35, 36 of the video tube. The dot multiplexers 33 are also connected via a 3-bit dot address line 42 to an 8MH dot rate clock 43 via a divider 44. A lMH₂ output of the divider is also connected to a character rate clock input of the CRTC.

[0019] In this way, the foreground and background may be in any of eight colours (the various combinations of red, green, and blue) giving 64 colour combinations. The combination selected is determined by a 6-bit code fed to a colour modifier ROM device 37 from a 6-bit colour modifier latch 38 which is set by 64 of the 256 character codes of the display RAM. Once this latch has been set it determines all the following character colours until the next colour modifier code is detected-and-latched. Colour modifier codes cause the appropriate background colour to be displayed on the video tube at the pertaining location.

[0020] It will be noted that the CRTC device and the display RAM are under the control of the MPU via the three-state data buffer 21 and an address multiplexer 39. Many of the parameters of the CRTC are under SOFTWARE control, such as size and number of characters displayed on the screen.

[0021] With the arrangement described above, in use the video tube produces a visual display comprising a side-by-side arrangement of sets of fruit symbols 6, an arrangement of alphanumeric characters and symbols at fixed positions 7 on the video screen providing information for example concerning the value of coins to be inserted, the awards which can be obtained with various winning combinations, and if desired other information or decorative matter or border lines for example defining a "window" around the fruit symbols 6 and the like. There may also be appropriate information and/or instructions on the screen adjacent the control switches 4; and there may be portions of the screen on which information or instructions or the like is displayed on an occasional basis for example information indicating that a "hold" facility is available in respect of one or more sets of fruit symbols, information indicating that a win has been achieved, and the like.

[0022] When appropriate switches 3, 4 are operated by a player the side-by-side sets of fruit symbols 6 change rapidly, simulating rotation of conventional fruit machine discs or drums, for random periods of time and a randomly selected fixed display of such symbols is then produced. Change of each set of symbols is achieved by cycling a predetermined sequence of symbols and the stopping of this cycling after a random period of time is achieved in any suitable manner analogous to the random stopping of the rotation of conventional fruit machine drums. When all sets of symbols have stopped changing, assessment is made as to whether or not the displayed symbols represent a predetermined winning combination and then appropriate action is initiated with regard to the production of win indications, the actuating of pay-out mechanisms and the like.

[0023] It will be noted that the display and the nature of the game can be changed by changing the plug-in module or modules. If desired, and as shown in dotted lines, a further plug-in module 40 or section of the ROM/PROM and/ or character/symbol PROM module or modules may be provided for expanding the display RAM 25.

[0024] Such change of modules may be utilised to give changes in the details of the game, for example, by changing the awards, or the winning combinations, or even the number of sets of symbols, but without departing from the general fruit machine format. Additionally, if desired, the change of modules may change the format of the machine to the extent that the machine can be used for playing a conventional video game such as a bat and ball type video game. In this case there may be provision for feeding linear inputs from player controls via a converter 41 to the MPU via one PIA thereof. If desired there may be a plurality of programme modules appropriate to different games and there may be a selector switch whereby an appropriate module.can be selected by a player to give a desired game. There may also be a test module which is plugged in or selected with a selector switch to enable the machine to be tested automatically in like manner to that described in the aforementioned British Patent Specification.

[0025] With the arrangement described above it will be appre- - ciated that a plurality of machines can be used for playing different games yet a considerable degree of standardisation between machines can be achieved. Thus, the same housing, video tube, control switches can be used irrespective of the game to be played. Only the plug-in module need differ.

[0026] It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above embodiment which are-described by way of example only. Also, it is to be understood that all features of the machine described in the aforesaid British Patent Specification may be incorporated in the machine of the present invention as appropriate.

Claims

1. An entertainment machine which can be operated by a player, after actuation of the machine by insertion of one or more coins or tokens into a coin mechanism of the machine, to initiate performance of first machine operations represented by a visual display of a moving or changing nature terminating at random in a fixed visual display, said machine being arranged to perform further operations resulting in a win indication in the event that said fixed display is of a predetermined nature, and said machine incorporating a control system arranged to respond to and effect control of said machine operations, the control system incorporating a processing device and a programme device incorporated in the control system for feeding programme information to the processing device, said programme device being adapted to be changed for changing the nature of said programme information so that the machine can be adapted for the playing of different games therewith,
characterised in that
the machine has an electronic visual display unit (45) having a front screen (2) arranged to produce said visual displays thereon, and said visual display unit (45) is connected to the said control system so that production of said displays thereon is arranged to be controlled by the ccntrol system in accordance with the programme information provided by the programme device (18) selected for incorporation in the system.

2. A- machine according to claim 1,
characterised in that
the moving or changing visual display on the visual display unit (45) is arranged to simulate the rotation of discs or drums of a fruit machine and the fixed visual display is arranged to simulate such discs or drums when stopped.

3. A machine according to claim 1 or 2,
characterised in that
the control system is also arranged to control the production on the visual display unit (45) of a visual display representative of the said win indication and/or of other information and/or instructions and/or decorative matter appropriate to the game to be played.

4. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
characterised in that
the electronic visual display unit (45) is a colour cathode ray tube and operation of same is controlled by said control system in accordance with information in binary form stored in said programme devices (18).

Drawing