GB2065352A - A drive mechanism for use in apparatus for playing a game of chance - Google Patents
A drive mechanism for use in apparatus for playing a game of chance Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2065352A GB2065352A GB8033625A GB8033625A GB2065352A GB 2065352 A GB2065352 A GB 2065352A GB 8033625 A GB8033625 A GB 8033625A GB 8033625 A GB8033625 A GB 8033625A GB 2065352 A GB2065352 A GB 2065352A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- reel
- datum
- drive system
- fruit machine
- control means
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
- G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
- G07F17/32—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for games, toys, sports, or amusements
- G07F17/34—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for games, toys, sports, or amusements depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines
Landscapes
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Pinball Game Machines (AREA)
- Slot Machines And Peripheral Devices (AREA)
Abstract
A fruit machine reel signals a number of datum positions A-E for each revolution, and the symbol at which the reel is to stop is pre- selected and identified by its distance from one of the datum positions. The pre-selection is used to govern a stepping motor drive. The datum positions are coded, the favoured arrangement being elements unequally circumferentially spaced around the reel and each in turn producing a pulse at a single sensor. The pulse spacing, in terms of steps of the motor from one datum to the next, identifies each datum. Apart from one datum providing an origin from which the stopping position is reckoned, usually the first datum identified, the other datums are used to keep a check on the reel rotation. <IMAGE>
Description
SPECIFICATION
A drive mechanism for use in apparatus for playing a game of chance
This invention relates to a drive mechanism for use in apparatus for playing a game of chance. It is primarily concerned with the drive to the drums or reels of a fruit machine.
In such machines the reels are spun in an apparently random manner and ultimately stop with a row of symbols, very often fruit, showing in a window. Certain combinations of such symbols generate a prize.
There has to be some correlation between the stopped position of the reels and the prizeawarding mechanism. In the past, it has been common for the reels to have associated code plates and sensors and for each symbol there was generated a unique signal. When this was done by electro-mechanical means there were problems with wear and imperfect contacts. However, these have gradually been superseded.
One new approach is to use a stepping motor which is indexed around by pulses from a control unit. This should make it possible not to refer to the reels at all. The number of pulses applied to the stepping motor can be used to determine where the reel stops, provided of course that the initial starting position is known. In theory, once the machine has been set up and measures taken not to erase any memory of the current reel positions, even when the machine is switched off, there would be no need to refer to the reels at all.
However, in practice this is unsafe and generally a check, and re-synchronisation if necessary, will be made from a datum point on the reels, once for each revolution. Even so, this is slightly hazardous since there are a large number of symbols on the reels of most machines and it is possible to lose synchronism between the datum points and the intended stopping position. Also, there is still the need to provide a memory of the last stopping position, and hence the next starting position, particularly in case the reels do not complete a full revolution and pass a datum point. A further problem is interference with the reel between games.
It is the aim of the invention to adopt some of the benefits of the stepping motor drive but reduce some of the drawbacks outlined above.
According to the present invention there is provided a fruit machine reel drive system comprising a reel having a plurality of circumferentially spaced datum points dividing the reel into a corresponding plurality of sectors, and control means governing the stepping motor drive to stop the reel at a selected position in one of said sectors by reference to one of the datum points as the reel rotates but without reference to the reel when stopped, the datum points being coded to be identifia ble to sensor means.
The control means, such as a digital com
puter, may be programmed before the game
to stop the reel at a given symbol position
within a particular segment, or it could gener
ate a signal corresponding to a stopping posi
tion during the game itself. Although this may
in fact be a pre-ordained position it will not be
known to the player and to all outward ap pearances the stopping is at random.
Preferably a single sensor is employed. The
datum points may then be arranged to gener
ate signals with different characteristics, in
which case they can be evenly spaced around
the reel. However, in another system, the
sectors are all unequal and the coding of the
datum points lies in their circumferential spac
ing. Each datum point is then identified by
reference to the number of motor steps or
symbol positions occurring since the previous
datum point passed the sensor. In this case,
the control means may provide a random
number when the reel starts to spin, this
number determining the number of motor steps step or symbol positions to occur after the first positive identification of a datum point.In
order to remove any possible bias, as ex
plained further below, the control means may
provide a further random number when the
first positive identification is made, this further
number lying in a range dependent on the
datum point identified, and being added to
the first random number to adjust the even
tual stopping position of th'e reel.
The system is compatible with a feature
known as "nudging", where the player is
offered the chance to index the reels to
achieve a winning combination. Generally,
this feature is offered after a reel spin, and
each operation of a button or the like will
generate the necessary number of pulses to
be passed to the stepping motor to move the
reel associated with that button one symbol
position. The feature is part of a single game
and the reel positions will still be known and
updated as indexing proceeds. The final
stopping position can thus be a conscious
selection by the player (within limits imposed
by the amount of indexing allowed) rather
than a random selection by a computer.
If this feature is sometimes available with
out a previous reel spin, or if a 'hold' feature
is present, allowing selected reels to be held
while others are spun, then provision must be I made for memorising where the reels stopped
in the previous game.
A convenient system for relating the reel
position to the symbol showing on the combi
nation line in the display windows is to assign a a number to each different symbol position, so that each symbol that shows on the combi
nation line is uniquely identified by a particu
lar number. The numbers and their relation
ship to one or more of the datum points are stored in a memory. Thus when the control means randomly selects a number n, meaning for example that an orange should appear on the combination line when the reel stops, as the reel spins one of the datum points is detected and informs the control means of the reel position. If the orange in question will be displayed when the reel moves on n positions from that datum pint, the control means will govern the stepping motor accordingly.If it is another datum point that is detected first, an addition or subtraction can be made to or from the pulses that the control means will apply to the stepping motor, in accordance with the spacing of that other datum point from the first one from which the nth position is reckoned. As each datum position is passed, a check on the control means, and updating if necessary, is made.
It is customary for the reels to stop in sequence with fairly regular intervals, generally from left to right. It can be arranged that while the left hand reel is spinning, the random position selection, the sensing of datum points, or any other step in the arresting of the remaining reels is delayed. Once the left hand reel has stopped, the arresting process of the next reel is enabled and so on. It can be arranged for the left hand reel itself to have a generous spin time, rather than being stopped almost immediately after the first datum point, as could happen if certain selections were made. Of course, all the reels will be arranged to .spin through one sector so that at least one datum point is identified.
The stopping position of a reel is of course the starting position of that reel for the next game, unless the machine is tampered with.
But for normal spinning of the reels, this position does not have to be memorised. In any game, the reels will soon pass one of the individually coded datum points, or a pair of individually spaced points, and the control means will be instantaneously informed of the position of the reel and the sector which is then about to pass the display window. Generally there will only be a few symbol positions in each sector and there is virtually no opportunity to lose synchronism; modern stepping motors are sufficiently reliable to allow this brief open-loop arrangement.
Individually coded datum points may be provided by being marked on or attached to the reel itself and co-operating with a single sensor. Alternatively a single element on the reel could co-operate with a plurality of sensors spaced around the reel axis. Conveniently, there will be two or four datum points for each reel having twenty symbol positions, with ten or five symbol positions respectively in each sector, but other divisions and reels with a different number of symbol positions are quite feasible.
The sensing of each datum point can be by any suitable means, such as optical, capacitive or even mechanical, and there are various
ways in which the respective datum points
can be distinguished. For example, with the
plurality of points on the reel itself they may
generate different numbers of pulses in a
single sensor, or there could be different sig
nal intensities. If four datum points are identi
fied by one, two, three and four pulses re
spectively, the multiple pulses will be so
closely grouped in relation to the interval
between datum points, whatever the speed of
the reel, that they can be distinguished by a
single sensor. If every symbol position were to be coded, a single sensor could probably not
cope.If there is a plurality of sensors spaced
around the reel axis which respond sequenti
ally to a single element on the reel, then the
coding can exist simply by virtue of the differ
ent lines or channels into which the separate
sensors can feed. An alternative is to have a
group of fixed sensors along one radial line
and to provide the reel with different combina
tions of tabs or sensor activating elements
along the various radii corresponding io da
tum positions.
To provide a number of sensors is expen
sive, and therefore the single one is preferred.
But to distinguish by number of pulses is not
entirely satisfactory for it is then practical only
to have a very limited number of datum
points; and there are problems, if relying
solely on time spacing, when the reel starts
up or slows down. To rely on differences of
signal amplitude is also hazardous.
A more elegant solution will now be de
scribed, by way of example, with reference to
the accompanying drawing in which the sin
gle figure is a diagram of a fruit machine reel
with twenty symbol positions and five datum
points.
The symbol positions are numbered 1-20
and the datum points are indicated by letters
A-E, each being intermedite a pair of adjacent
symbols. There is a single sensor (not shown)
which responds with an electrical signal when
ever one of these datum points passes. This
can be generated in any of many different
ways, the preferred one being optical, for
example a tab on the reel interrupting a light beam. The circumferential spacing of the da
tum points (which are of course all at the
same radius) is not uniform and differs be
tween each adjacent pair. In the example
shown the spacing, in symbol positions, cycli
cally around the reel from datum point A is 6,
3, 4, 5, 2.
The sensing of one datum point will not, in
itself, define the reel position, but once it is
sensed a count can be kept of the stepping
motor pulses occurring until the next datum
point. Such a count will uniquely identify that
datum point, and hence the position of the
reel. This is repeated for every point, and so
there are five checks per reel revolution. It will
be appreciated that this system removes the necessity for a complete reel spin when the machine is first switched on, as well as keeping a much tighter check on the behaviour of the reels than can be had with a single tab/single sensor arrangement.
The spacing of the datum points of the example avoids the juxtaposition of the 6space interval with the 5- and 4-space intervals and is chosen to minimise the time taken for position identification starting from any random position.
This system lends itself to the following method of playing a game.
When the start button is pressed a random number is selected for each reel, and the reels are set in motion. Their last stopping positions do not have to be memorised. The reels are accelerated up to full speed by the control system, which identifies the reel positions as the second datum tabs pass the associated sensor. The random number selected for a reel represents the number of symbol positions on from that first identified datum at which the reel is to stop. Thus, the control system will know in advance (but not from the very start) what the first symbol combination will be. With this knowledge, the stepping motors are readily controlled to run at full speed and finally slow and stop the reels at the pre-ordained positions, repeated checks being made as the datum positions pass.
Should anything be amiss, for example a rotation of 7 or more symbol positions without a tab being detected, or a tab not being coincident with its expected position, then an alarm can be given, and the machine could be made automatically to shut down.
Because of the uneven spacing of the datum tabs identification at certain points is more likely than at others. For example the reel will stop more frequently in the six symbol sector AB than in the two symbol sector.
C is therefore a more common starting point than B. To compensate for this and to remove any bias, a further random number is added to the reel spin random number already selected. If this is in terms of symbol positions, the additional random numbers will be in the ranges indicated by the table
A B C D E
0-2 2-5 0-4 2-3 1-6
The system is not confined to rotation of the reels in one direction only. The control means can be designed or programmed to account for rotation in either direction.
Claims (6)
1. A fruit machine reel drive system comprising a reel having a plurality of circumferentially spaced datum points dividing the reel into a corresponding plurality of sectors, and control means governing a stepping motor drive to stop the reel at a selected position in one of said sectors by reference to one of the
datum points as the reel rotates but without
reference to the reel when stopped, the datum
points being coded to be identifiable by sen
sor means.
2. A fruit machine reel drive system as
claimed in Claim 1, wherein a single sensor is
employed, and the datum points generate
signals with different characteristics.
3. A fruit machine reel drive system as
claimed in Claim 1, wherein a single sensor is
employed, the sectors are all unequal and the
coding of the datum points lies in their cir
cumferential spacing, each datum point being
identifiable by reference to the number of motor steps or symbol positions occurring
since the previous datum point.
4. A fruit machine reel drive system as
claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the
control means provide a random number when when the reel starts to spin, this number determining the number of motor steps or
symbol positions to occur after the first posi
tive identification of a datum point.
5. A fruit machine reel drive system as claimed in Claims 3 and 4, wherein the
control means provides a further random
number when said first positive identification
is made, this further number lying in a range
dependent on the datum point identified, and
being added to the first random number to
adjust the eventual stopping position of the
reel.
6. A fruit machine reel drive system sub
stantially as hereinbefore described with refer
ence to the accompanying drawing.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB8033625A GB2065352B (en) | 1979-10-20 | 1980-10-17 | Drive mechanism for use in apparatus for playing a game of chance |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB7936488 | 1979-10-20 | ||
GB8033625A GB2065352B (en) | 1979-10-20 | 1980-10-17 | Drive mechanism for use in apparatus for playing a game of chance |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
GB2065352A true GB2065352A (en) | 1981-06-24 |
GB2065352B GB2065352B (en) | 1983-12-07 |
Family
ID=26273293
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
GB8033625A Expired GB2065352B (en) | 1979-10-20 | 1980-10-17 | Drive mechanism for use in apparatus for playing a game of chance |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
GB (1) | GB2065352B (en) |
Cited By (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP0095319A3 (en) * | 1982-05-21 | 1984-03-21 | Kabushiki Kaisha Universal | Games machine |
GB2287344A (en) * | 1994-03-08 | 1995-09-13 | Barcrest Ltd | Reel mechanism for entertainment machine |
US5938529A (en) * | 1997-03-17 | 1999-08-17 | Unislot, Inc. | Reel type slot machine having stepper motor monitoring system |
US5988638A (en) * | 1997-06-13 | 1999-11-23 | Unislot, Inc. | Reel type slot machine utilizing random number generator for selecting game result |
-
1980
- 1980-10-17 GB GB8033625A patent/GB2065352B/en not_active Expired
Cited By (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP0095319A3 (en) * | 1982-05-21 | 1984-03-21 | Kabushiki Kaisha Universal | Games machine |
GB2287344A (en) * | 1994-03-08 | 1995-09-13 | Barcrest Ltd | Reel mechanism for entertainment machine |
GB2287344B (en) * | 1994-03-08 | 1998-02-18 | Barcrest Ltd | Entertainment machines |
US5938529A (en) * | 1997-03-17 | 1999-08-17 | Unislot, Inc. | Reel type slot machine having stepper motor monitoring system |
US5988638A (en) * | 1997-06-13 | 1999-11-23 | Unislot, Inc. | Reel type slot machine utilizing random number generator for selecting game result |
US6003867A (en) * | 1997-06-13 | 1999-12-21 | Unislot, Inc. | Reel type slot machine utilizing time-based random game result selection means |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
GB2065352B (en) | 1983-12-07 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
US4790537A (en) | Multi-size reel symbols | |
EP0095319B1 (en) | Games machine | |
US4676506A (en) | Odds indicator for poker machines | |
US4448419A (en) | Electronic gaming device utilizing a random number generator for selecting the reel stop positions | |
US4101129A (en) | Gaming machines | |
US5988638A (en) | Reel type slot machine utilizing random number generator for selecting game result | |
US4773647A (en) | Slot machine with stop switch enablement after attainment of minimum reel speed | |
US4102492A (en) | Universal programmable process control apparatus | |
EP0062433A2 (en) | Entertainment machines | |
GB2084371A (en) | Gaming Apparatus | |
IE37006B1 (en) | Analyzer for the sequencer controller of an automatically controllable machine | |
GB2065352A (en) | A drive mechanism for use in apparatus for playing a game of chance | |
GB2193025A (en) | Multi-size reel symbols | |
GB2100492A (en) | Game-playing machines | |
US4229695A (en) | Rotational speed transducer having greater low speed discrimination | |
US4395147A (en) | Daisy wheel printer | |
GB2099198A (en) | Gaming machines | |
EP0023136B1 (en) | Improvements in or relating to reel mechanisms for gaming machines | |
GB1579731A (en) | Position detection of movable members of amusement machines | |
GB2152263A (en) | Gaming or amusement-with-prizes machines | |
US3940953A (en) | System for centrally controlling a plurality of knitting machines | |
US3772647A (en) | Data verification for electronic knitting machine | |
EP0045761A1 (en) | Position control methods and systems | |
GB1579732A (en) | Position detection of movable members of amusement machines | |
GB2054232A (en) | Gaming machines |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |