JPH1040099A - Security chip having communication function - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a security chip capable of eliminating the necessity of an inspection for checking the illegal action and alteration of a chip to be loaded on a control board after certifying the chip. SOLUTION: The security chip comprises a clock generation circuit 10, a playing machine controlling central processing unit(CPU) 11, a built-in RAM 13, a user program storing means 14, a security checking circuit 16, a reset circuit 12, an ID number storing circuit 15, and an external communication control circuit 18 connected to an external communication I/F circuit 20. The chip has a function for transmitting the validity/invalidity and ID number of the chip itself by an instruction from an external management device 22, stores information such as a big hit and a small hit obtained from a playing machine information I/F circuit 19, outputs information based on an instruction, and outputs also information such as fed balls and recovered balls which is obtained by a detection means 21. The control circuit 18 has a ciphering circuit and a decoding circuit and executes communication in a ciphered state to add security.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a pachinko game machine,
A microcomputer chip that stores a user program used to control the spinning-type gaming machine. It has a function to check whether the one mounted on the gaming machine is genuine and always has the management information of the gaming machine. The present invention relates to a microcomputer chip having a security function having a communication function configured to be capable of outputting.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional chip, when a gaming machine that controls a gaming machine based on a memory in which an authorized program is stored is initially turned on, is the program stored together with a key code in the memory valid? A security circuit mounted on the chip performs a security check on the integrity of the authentication code, and if the result of the check indicates that the security code is valid, the control program is allowed to operate, and the gaming machine is activated based on the program stored in the memory. A device configured to be controlled has been invented (JP-A-03-118120).

[0003]

In the case of a control board using a chip having such a security check function, the program cannot be modified, but the entire control board is replaced with an unauthorized one or a user program is stored. There is a problem that it is not possible to cope with a system in which a memory is used as a double ROM and a ROM in which a legitimate program is stored is used during a security check, and the ROM is switched to a ROM of an unauthorized program after the determination. Even if such unauthorized alterations were made, police officers could not detect all irregularities due to the existence of millions of gaming machines in Japan, and after receiving reports from customers etc. I had no choice but to discover the act. Signals such as symbol stop and big hit are turned on / off from the control board mounted on the gaming machine.
Other signals are output only as OFF signals, and other signals are not accurate information because various sensors are attached to the gaming machine to collect data.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, and it is possible to judge whether or not a control board mounted on a gaming machine has been certified without having to go into each pachinko hall and carry out an investigation. It is an object of the present invention to provide a chip capable of performing the following.

[0005]

That is, the present invention provides a central processing unit (CPU) for controlling a gaming machine which takes timing based on a clock generating circuit, a built-in RAM for a work connected to the CPU via a bus circuit, and A user program built-in memory, a security check circuit that performs a security check based on a predetermined security code to determine whether or not the program written in the user program built-in memory is legitimate; A reset circuit that issues a reset signal to the CPU when it is determined that the chip is not the same, an ID number storage circuit that stores a unique identification number given to the chip, and an external communication connected to the security check circuit and the ID number storage circuit. Control circuit and external communication control circuit And an external communication interface circuit for communicating with an external management device. The external communication control circuit determines whether or not the security check circuit mounted on the chip is legitimate in response to an instruction from the external management device. This object is achieved by a security chip having a function of transmitting the result to the external management device and a function of receiving the instruction of the external management device and transmitting the identification number written in the ID number storage circuit to the external management device. . The invention according to claim 2, wherein the chip has a gaming machine information interface circuit connected to a CPU via a bus circuit, and the interface circuit is connected to an external communication control circuit. Has a function of storing various information such as jackpots and small hits of the gaming machine detected by the CPU transmitted from the gaming machine information interface circuit, and outputting the stored information when instructed by an external management device. Security chip. Preferably, the external communication control circuit is a CPU.
Not only the information detected from the game machine but also connected to the detecting means provided in the gaming machine through the gaming machine external information interface circuit, and temporarily stores the information of the replenishment balls, collected balls and the like obtained by the detecting means, This is configured to be transmitted as information when instructed by the management device, and all information on the gaming machine is collected. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, an encryption circuit and a decryption circuit are provided in the external communication control circuit in order to provide security for the communication between the external communication control circuit and the external management device, and the communication with the external management device is encrypted. It is configured to communicate in a state.

[0006]

In the device according to the present invention, when the power of the gaming machine is turned on, the security check circuit of the chip performs a security check of the memory storing the user program based on a predetermined security code. If it is determined, the operation of the CPU is stopped via the reset circuit. If it is determined that the CPU is normal, the mode is switched from the inspection mode to the program execution mode, and the operation of the gaming machine is controlled. As a result, in the inventions of claims 2 and 3, in the case of a pachinko machine using a gaming machine, information detected by the CPU, such as a big hit, a small hit, a symbol stop, and a prize, is transmitted to the gaming machine information interface circuit. The information is input to the external communication control circuit via the external communication control circuit, and such information is temporarily stored as integrated information in a memory built in the external communication control circuit.

[0007] When communication from the external management device to the external communication control circuit is started, first, a confirmation signal is transmitted for a unique identification number given to a chip mounted on the control board of the gaming machine, and the external communication control is performed. The identification number is transmitted to the external management device via the circuit. As a result, the external management device checks the security chip to be checked.
Can be identified.

Next, a code is transmitted from the external management device to the external communication control circuit in order to verify the security check circuit of the chip. The external communication control circuit transmits this to the security check circuit, where it calculates an identification code according to a predetermined algorithm, and transmits it to the external management device via the external communication control circuit. Since the external management device is equipped with a check circuit similar to the security check circuit, the transmitted identification code is decoded by the check circuit to determine whether the security check circuit mounted on the chip is legitimate. Judge. Next, the external management device sends an instruction to transmit information of the gaming machine to the external communication control circuit, and the external communication control circuit transmits information stored in the memory for temporary storage to the external management device. Will do.

[0009] From the above, the external management device specifies the security chip to be communicated, determines whether or not the security check circuit mounted on the chip has been certified, and obtains various information from which the gaming machine can be obtained. Becomes possible. Incidentally, in the inventions of claims 1, 2, and 3,
The communication between the external communication control circuit and the external management device has been described as the exchange of raw data. However, in the invention of claim 4, all information is taken into account by considering that information is leaked to an unrelated third party by simple exchange of information. Since information is exchanged in an encrypted state, the information cannot be used unless an algorithm and a key for encryption or decryption are known.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the illustrated embodiments. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a microcomputer chip having a security function according to the present invention. A central processing unit (CPU) 11 for controlling a gaming machine which takes a timing based on a clock generation circuit 10 and the C
A built-in RAM 13 for work, a flash memory with a built-in user program, a storage means 14 such as an EEPROM, and a game machine information interface circuit 17 are connected to the PU 11 via a data bus and an address bus. 1
Reference numeral 6 denotes a security check circuit for performing a security check based on the user program and the security code stored in the storage means 14. When the circuit 16 determines that the data is invalid, the security check circuit 6 transmits a signal to the reset circuit 12, Is reset, and the result is stored in the storage means 38 of the external communication control circuit 18. Fifteen
Is an ID number storage circuit for storing a unique identification number assigned to identify a chip mounted on a control board of the gaming machine. The ID number storage circuit 15 is provided with an external communication control circuit 18 in the chip. Is connected to The external communication control circuit 18 is also connected to the security check circuit 16 and the game machine information interface circuit 17, so that the external communication control circuit 18 has the identification number stored in the ID number storage circuit 15, Various kinds of gaming machine information detected by the CPU 11 are transmitted, and information is exchanged with the security check circuit 16. Reference numeral 19 denotes an interface circuit for exchanging information with the external information detecting means 21 of the gaming machine so that information such as the number of supplied balls and the number of collected balls can be collected from the detecting means 21 provided at each place of the gaming machine. It is configured. Reference numeral 20 denotes an external communication interface circuit for communicating with the outside. In this embodiment, data is exchanged with the external management device 22 via the interface circuit 20.

FIG. 2 shows the external communication control circuit 1.
8, the communication circuit includes an external communication processing device (CPU) 30 and a work work RAM 3 connected to the CPU 30 via a data bus and an address bus.
1, an interface circuit 32 for communicating with the security check circuit 16, a gaming machine management information input port 33 for inputting information transmitted from the gaming machine information interface circuit 17, a built-in ROM 34 storing a control program, Integrated flash memory or EE for storing data of the external communication circuit 36 and various gaming machines
A storage means 38 comprising a PROM and the external communication circuit 3
6, an encryption circuit 35 and a decryption circuit 37,
An ID number input interface circuit 39 for connection to an ID number storage circuit is provided. The data of the external management device 22 transmitted through the external communication interface circuit 20 is once decoded by a decoding circuit 37 and then transmitted to the CPU 3.
0 is transmitted to the ID number storage circuit 1
5. When transmitting the data of the security check circuit 16 and the accumulation type storage means 38 to the external management device 22,
The encryption circuit 35 is configured to transmit the data once encrypted.

The security check circuit 16 can be checked by the external management device 22 in such a manner that a system of the same encryption algorithm as that of the security check circuit 16 is incorporated in the external management device 22 and various inspection data are transmitted to the external communication control circuit. The data is transmitted to the security check circuit 16 via the control unit 18 and the identification code is calculated here. Then, after receiving the identification code calculated by the security check circuit 16, it is configured to determine whether or not the identification code calculated in the external management device 22 matches.

As described above, in the chip according to the present embodiment, when there is no access from the external management device 22, the security check circuit 16 stores the user program in the memory 14 at the beginning of the power-on of the gaming machine. A security check is performed, and if it is determined that the game is legitimate, the mode shifts from the check mode to the program execution mode, and the game is made available. When it is determined that the game is abnormal, the CPU 11 of the control board of the gaming machine is reset. Further, information that the user program is authorized or illegal is stored in the storage means 38 of the communication control circuit 18. When the gaming machine is used as a regular program, the CPU 11 and the detecting means 2 provided outside the gaming machine are used.
Various information is transmitted from 1 to the external communication control circuit 18, and the external communication control circuit 18 temporarily stores the information in the integrating type storage means 38. Therefore, the storage means 38 of the external communication control circuit 18 always stores the integrated information.

Next, when the external management device 22 accesses the external communication control circuit 18 of the gaming machine, the external management device 22 transmits an identification number of the chip so as to specify the chip. 18 to send a command. The command is decoded by the decoding circuit 37 and I
The identification number stored in the D number storage circuit 15 is output. The output identification number is encrypted based on the command sent from the external management device 22 and transmitted to the external management device 22. The external management device 22 specifies the chip by decrypting the transmitted encrypted identification number.

Next, the external management device 22 controls the security check circuit 16 itself to check whether or not the security chip mounted on the gaming machine has been certified by a third-party inspector. To check,
The encrypted inspection code is transmitted to the external communication control circuit 18. The transmitted encrypted check code is decrypted in the decryption circuit 37 of the external communication control circuit 18, and the decrypted check code is transmitted to the security check circuit 16, and the security check circuit 16 converts the check code into a predetermined code. An identification code is calculated according to an algorithm, and this code is transmitted to the external communication control circuit 18. In the external communication control circuit 18, the transmitted identification code is encrypted by the encryption circuit 35 and transmitted to the external management device 22 as encrypted data. In the external management device 22, first, the transmitted data is decoded by a decoding circuit. On the other hand, the external management device 22 independently calculates the identification code based on the inspection code using a circuit similar to the security check circuit 16, and performs collation based on whether the received identification code matches the uniquely calculated identification code. I do. As a result of the collation, if there is no match, the game machine is listed as a gaming machine to be investigated, and if there is a match, the process proceeds to the next operation.

That is, the integration storage means 38 of the external communication control circuit 18 stores various information relating to the gaming machine, and the external management device 22 stores the information in the storage means 3 for the external communication circuit.
8 is transmitted as encrypted information. Then, the external communication control circuit 18 decodes (decodes) the data in the decoding circuit 37 and instructs the storage unit 38 to output data. The various information of the gaming machine transmitted from the storage means 38 is transmitted to the external management device 22 via the external communication circuit 20 after being encrypted in the encryption circuit 35, and the external management device 22 converts the received data into a decryption circuit. Decrypted and used as management data.

As described above, since the mutual communication between the external communication control circuit 18 and the external management device 22 is performed by exchanging the encryption information, in order to perform the communication correctly, the encryption built in both devices is performed. Since it is required that the decryption circuit and the decryption circuit match each other, the external management device 22
Can be confirmed whether the encrypted information can be exchanged accurately.

When the data is stored in a flash memory or an EEPROM as the accumulation storage means, the data is not lost even if the power is turned off or the communication with the external management device 22 is interrupted halfway. It is possible to send the correct data later.

As described above, in the chip according to the present invention, since the collation is performed by checking the function of the security check circuit itself, regardless of whether the user program is being executed or not. It is possible to always check whether the product is genuine. Further, since various kinds of information of the gaming machine are temporarily stored in the external communication circuit so that the information can be transmitted through the communication line, the management of the gaming machine becomes easy. Since an identification number is given to each chip and the identification number is recognized by the external management device, mass production of counterfeit chips becomes difficult. Further, the chip according to the present invention uses all of the security check circuit, the external communication interface circuit, the ID number storage circuit, and the like, and is configured to check these by an external management device. One must spend enormous amounts of money on duplicating chips, making forgery difficult.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a chip embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of an external communication circuit in the chip of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing a state of data exchange between a security chip of the present invention and an external management device.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Clock generation circuit 11 Central processing unit (CPU) for control of a game machine 12 Reset circuit 13 Built-in RAM for work 14 User program storage means 15 ID number storage means 16 Security check circuit 17 Game machine information interface circuit 18 External communication control circuit 19 Game Machine external information interface circuit 20 External communication interface circuit 21 Detecting means 22 External management device 30 Central processing unit for external communication 31 Internal RAM for work 32 Security check interface circuit 33 Gaming machine management information input port 34 Internal ROM 35 Encryption circuit 36 External Communication circuit 37 Decoding circuit 38 Integration storage means 39 ID number input interface circuit

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A game machine control central processing unit (CPU) 11 which takes timing based on a clock generation circuit 10;
Work internal RAM 13 and user program internal memory 1 connected to CPU 11 via a bus circuit.
4, a security check circuit 16 for performing a security check based on a predetermined security code to determine whether or not the program written in the user program built-in memory 14 is legitimate; A reset circuit 12 that issues a reset signal to the CPU 11 when it is determined that the chip ID is not the same, an ID number storage circuit that stores a unique identification number given to the chip, and the security check circuit 16 and the ID number storage circuit 15. An external communication control circuit 18 and an external communication interface circuit 20 for the external communication control circuit 18 to communicate with an external management device 22.
In response to an instruction from the external management device 22, the security check circuit 16 mounted on the chip determines whether or not the security check circuit 16 is legitimate, and transmits the result to the external management device 22; A security chip having a communication function, having a function of transmitting the identification number written in the ID number storage circuit 15 to the external management device 22. 2. The chip has a gaming machine information interface circuit 17, which is connected to an external communication control circuit 18, wherein the external communication control circuit 18 is connected to the gaming machine information interface circuit 17. It has a function of storing various information such as jackpots and small hits of gaming machines detected by the CPU 11 transmitted from the CPU 11 and outputting the stored information when instructed by the external management device 22. A security chip having a communication function according to claim 1. 3. The external communication control circuit 18 is connected to a detecting means 21 provided in the gaming machine via a gaming machine external information interface circuit 19, and temporarily stores information such as replenishing balls and collected balls obtained by the detecting means. 2. The security chip having a communication function according to claim 1, wherein the security chip is stored and transmitted as information when instructed by the external management device 22. 4. The external communication control circuit 18 includes an encryption circuit and a decryption circuit, and the communication with the external management device 22 is configured to communicate in an encrypted state. A security chip having a communication function according to any one of claims 1 to 3.