Light source control device and game machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9266016-B2
Application number	US-201214236131-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 22, 2012
Priority date	Aug 10, 2011
Publication date	Feb 23, 2016
Grant date	Feb 23, 2016

Abstract

A game machine has a game machine main body, a plurality of light sources arranged on the game machine main body, a light source control device that controls the plurality of light sources, and a rendition control unit that controls a rendition depending on a state of a game. Each of the plurality of light sources has an anode connected to any one of a plurality of first signal lines, a cathode connected to any one of a plurality of second signal lines, and a different combination of the connected first signal lines and the connected second signal lines.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A light source control device configured to control a plurality of light sources arranged on a game machine, each of the plurality of light sources comprising an anode connected to any one of a plurality of first signal lines, a cathode connected to any one of a plurality of second signal lines, and a different combination of the connected first signal lines and the connected second signal lines, the light source control device comprising:
an interface unit that includes gradation data that regulates one luminescence amount of the plurality of light sources with a plurality of bits in each of the plurality of light sources and receives a serially transmitted control command;
a command analyzing unit that:
generates, for each of the plurality of first signal lines, a first signal for setting a first period being capable of alternately energizing a light source connected to the first signal line in the plurality of light sources in a predetermined cycle, and
generates, for each of the plurality of second signal lines, while the first period is set, a second signal for setting a second period being capable of energizing the light source to the first signal line to which an anode of a light source connected to the second signal line in the plurality of light sources is connected, depending on a luminescence amount represented by the gradation data corresponding to the light source included in the control command;

a dynamic control unit that applies a voltage to each of the plurality of first signal lines such that a potential in the first period set in the first signal is higher than a potential except in the first period; and
a gradation control unit that energizes a light source connected to the second signal line in the plurality of light sources, for each of the plurality of second signal lines, in the second period set in the second signal.

2. The light source control device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the control command includes gradation control data that regulates a bit length expressing gradation data, and
wherein the command analyzing unit divides a storage portion for the gradation data in the control command by a bit length regulated by the gradation control data to extract the gradation data for each of the plurality of light sources.

3. The light source control device according to claim 1 ,
wherein each of the plurality of first signal lines is connected to a discharging signal line, and
wherein, each time the first period is set to any one of the plurality of first signal lines, the gradation control unit energizes the plurality of first signal lines and the discharging signal line in a period shorter than the first period from a rising edge of the first period to discharge residual charges in the plurality of first signal lines.

4. The light source control device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a setting circuit that receives a luminance adjusting signal representing a ratio of an emission intensity of each of the plurality of light sources to the maximum emission intensity to decrease each of the emission intensities of the plurality of light sources depending on the ratio represented by the luminance adjusting signal.

5. A game machine comprising:
a game machine main body;
a plurality of light sources arranged on the game machine main body;
a light source control device that controls the plurality of light sources; and
a rendition control unit that controls a rendition depending on a state of a game,
wherein each of the plurality of light sources comprises:
an anode connected to any one of a plurality of first signal lines,
a cathode connected to any one of a plurality of second signal lines, and
a different combination of the connected first signal lines and the connected second signal lines,

wherein, depending on the state of game, the rendition control unit generates a control command including gradation data for regulating one luminescence amount of the plurality of light sources with a plurality of bits in each of the plurality of light sources and serially transmits the control command to the light source control device, and
wherein the light source control device comprises:
an interface unit that receives the control command,
a command analyzing unit that:
generates, for each of the plurality of first signal lines, a first signal for setting a first period being capable of alternately energizing a light source connected to the first signal line in the plurality of light sources in a predetermined cycle, and
generates, for each of the plurality of second signal lines, while the first period is set, a second signal for setting a second period being capable of energizing the light source to the first signal line to which an anode of a light source connected to the second signal line in the plurality of light sources is connected, depending on a luminescence amount represented by the gradation data corresponding to the light source included in the control command,

a dynamic control unit that applies a voltage to each of the plurality of first signal lines such that a potential in the first period set in the first signal is higher than a potential except in the first period, and
a gradation control unit that energizes a light source connected to the second signal line in the plurality of light sources, for each of the plurality of second signal lines, in the second period set in the second signal.

6. The game machine according to claim 5 ,
wherein the rendition control unit generates a luminance adjusting signal representing a ratio of an emission intensity of each of the plurality of light sources to the maximum emission intensity and transmits the luminance adjusting signal to the light source control device, and
wherein the light source control device further comprises a setting circuit that receives the luminance adjusting signal to decrease each of the emission intensities of the plurality of light sources depending on the ratio represented by the luminance adjusting signal.

Assignees

• Matsushita Katsumi
• Ohba Yasuyuki
• Takahashi Norihisa
• Ibuki Hiroyuki
• Omron Tateisi Electronics Co

Inventors

• Matsushita Katsumi
• Ohba Yasuyuki
• Takahashi Norihisa
• Ibuki Hiroyuki

Classifications

• G07F17/3202

  Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof · CPC title

• A63F2011/0058

  using electronic means (A63F2011/0053 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H05B37/02

  Electricity · mapped topic

• A63F11/0051 Primary

  Indicators of values, e.g. score counters · CPC title

• H05B47/165 Primary

  following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC] · CPC title