JP2001276403A - Game system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a game system allowing a player to play a game in an actual pachinko hall by utilizing a ball storage card and allowing the player to play at a game site on an internet based on ball storage card information. SOLUTION: When a game is played in the pachinko hall 4, the desired number of the balls acquired in the game is added to the number of the remaining balls of the ball storage card held by a control server 3 in this game system 1. When the player enters the ID number or the like of the ball storage card 12 after gaining access to the pay game site 9 through an internet connecting terminal 7 at home to play the game, the player can play the pay game for the number of the remaining balls held by the control server 3, and the number of the balls acquired in the game is added to the number of the remaining balls. The pay game can be played by utilizing the ball storage card system both in the actual pachinko hall and at the virtual game site on the internet.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a game system in which a game at a pachinko parlor or a game center and a game on the Internet can be played using a common ball-saving card or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Pachinko parlors issue a ball storage card in which the number of pachinko balls is stored so that the number of pachinko balls obtained in a pachinko game can be carried over as a next play fee without being exchanged for a premium. This coin saving card is generally usable only at the issuing store.

[0003] On the other hand, with the rapid increase of Internet users, games distributed from sites on the Internet are also being played on the screen of an Internet connection terminal. In this case, aside from the game provided free of charge, in the case of accessing the paid game site and playing the game for a fee, it is common to present a card number such as a credit card and settle the game fee. .

[0004]

Here, on the pay game side on the Internet, the pachinko balls obtained in the same manner as the actual pachinko game are pooled in a ball saving card, and the next or another paid game is stored in the ball playing card. It would be useful to be able to do this using the number of balls. Also, if it is possible to play a paid game on the Internet, a so-called paid virtual game, using the number of balls obtained in a pachinko game at an actual pachinko parlor, it is extremely convenient. In addition, users can enjoy various games on the Internet without being restricted by time and place.

[0005] In view of the above, the object of the present invention is to provide:
Using the number of pachinko balls and game medals obtained at actual pachinko parlors, you can play various paid games provided on the Internet site, and earned by playing games on the Internet side An object of the present invention is to propose a game system that can play a pachinko game or the like in an actual pachinko parlor or game center using the number of pachinko balls and the number of game medals.

[0006]

A game system according to the present invention comprises: a management server; a game store server installed in a game store;
It has a game server that operates a pay game site accessible from the Internet connection terminal via the Internet, and a portable game play storage medium.

Here, the storage medium carries ID information. The amusement store server provides the management server with the number of points obtained or lost by the owner of the storage medium playing the game at the amusement store. Further, the management server updates the number of remaining points stored in a form associated with the ID information of the storage medium based on the provided number of points. Further, when the game server accesses the pay game site from the Internet connection terminal via the Internet,
When the ID information is requested and the ID information is provided,
The management server authenticates the ID information and provides the number of remaining points, and causes the Internet connection terminal to play a pay game within the range of the number of remaining points, thereby obtaining or losing the pay game. The number of points is provided to the management server. On the other hand, the management server updates the number of remaining points corresponding to the ID information based on the provided number of points.

[0008] In the game system of the present invention, the game can be played in an actual amusement shop using the remaining points stored in the storage medium, and a paid game distributed via the Internet can be played. Regardless of which game is played, the number of points obtained can be used to play the other game. Therefore, a highly versatile game system can be realized.

Here, the storage medium may be a magnetic card or a transponder in which an IC chip is built.

In general, it is convenient to be able to play a game at a plurality of amusement stores using a common storage medium. In this case, amusement store servers are arranged at each of the amusement stores, respectively. The configuration may be such that the amusement store server is connected to the management server via a communication line.

On the other hand, instead of separately arranging the amusement store server and the management server, they can be constructed as a common server. The configuration in which the management server is made independent can be adopted when a plurality of amusement store servers are managed by one management center. On the other hand, when using a storage medium that can be used only by a single amusement store, the amusement store server may be used as it is as the management server.

Next, in the game system according to the present invention,
It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the number of remaining points is stored and held in the storage medium. A game system using a storage medium of this type includes an amusement store server installed in an amusement store, a portable storage medium for game play, an Internet connection terminal equipped with a reader / writer for the storage medium, And a game server that operates a pay game site accessible from the connection terminal via the Internet.

In this case, the storage medium carries ID information and information on the number of remaining points. The amusement store server updates the number of remaining points carried on the storage medium based on the number of points obtained or lost by the owner of the storage medium playing the game at the amusement store. Further, the game server requests the ID information and the number of remaining points carried on the storage medium when the pay game site is accessed from the Internet connection terminal via the Internet,
When these pieces of information are provided, the pay game is performed in the Internet connection terminal within the range of the remaining points, and the number of points obtained or lost in the pay game is provided to the Internet connection terminal. on the other hand,
The Internet connection terminal updates the remaining number of points in the storage medium based on the provided number of points.

Here, the storage medium may be an IC card having a high security function.

To further enhance the security function,
The amusement store server also stores the ID information and the number of remaining points carried on the storage medium, and the amusement store server stores the information when a game is played using the storage medium. The ID information and the number of remaining points may be collated with the contents stored in the storage medium. Also, in order to enhance the security function when playing a game using the Internet connection terminal, the game server stores the ID information and the remaining points provided from the Internet connection terminal and the game server stores the ID information and the remaining points. What is necessary is just to perform the collation with the stored contents.

Generally, a system is constructed so that a game can be played at a plurality of amusement stores using a common storage medium. In this case, the amusement store server installed in each of the plurality of amusement stores, and a management server connected to these amusement store servers via a communication line, the management server, The ID information and the number of remaining points may be stored and held.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a game system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a game system to which the present invention is applied. Referring to this figure, the game system 1 of the present example is installed in a management server 3 installed in a management center 2 that manages and operates the entire game system, and in a pachinko parlor 4 that is a game store. Pachinko parlor server (hall PC) 5, an Internet connection terminal 7 such as a personal computer having an Internet communication function installed at the player's home 6, etc., and accessible from the terminal 7 via the Internet 8. The game server 10 includes a game server 10 that manages a pay game site 9 and a coin storage card (magnetic card) 12 as a portable storage medium for game play.

The game server 10 may be a part of the management server 3 or may be constructed as an independent server. In general, a plurality of game servers independently operated by a plurality of game providers affiliated with the management center 2 are included. Similarly, the pachinko parlor 4 is configured to include a number of affiliated pachinko parlors, and a common coin-sale card 12 can be used in each pachinko parlor.

The ball storage card 12 is made of, for example, a magnetic card, and the ID number 13 of the card is stored in a magnetic stripe formed on the surface of the card. ID
The number includes a card number assigned to each individual coin saving card, a shop number indicating a pachinko parlor that issued the card, a group number indicating a group to which the pachinko parlor of the issuer belongs, and the like.

The pachinko parlor server 5 is a general server composed of a computer, input / output devices, and communication devices. The server 5 includes a reader / writer 51 for a coin storage card via an input / output interface (not shown). And a ball rental machine 52 and an external device such as a ball counter 53 are connected. In the pachinko parlor 4, a large number of pachinko machines 41 and other various game machines (not shown) are arranged.
This configuration is the same as that of a general pachinko parlor.

The management server 3 of the management center 2 has a communication line 1
4 and is connected to each pachinko parlor server 5. The communication line 14 may be a dedicated line, a general telephone line, or a connection form via the Internet. Further, either a wired or wireless line may be used. This management server 3 is provided with an ID authentication function 3C of the coin storage card 12, and its storage unit stores the ID of the coin storage card.
A ball storage card list 3A in which the numbers and the number of remaining balls are held in association with each other, and a history list 3B in which a history of the number of remaining balls is held for each ball storage card are formed. It also has an update function.

On the other hand, the game server 10 also has a communication line 15
Is connected to the management server 3 via the. Communication line 15
Also, various forms similar to those of the communication line 14 can be used. The game server 10 operates a pay game site 9 on the Internet. For example, there is a pachinko game site 9a provided with a virtual pachinko machine.

A procedure for playing a pachinko game using the thus configured game system 1 of this embodiment will be described. First, it is assumed that a player who has played a pachinko game at the pachinko parlor 4 has received a part of the obtained number of balls as the ball saving card 12 without exchanging prizes. In this case, the ID number and the number of remaining balls of the ball saving card 12 are transmitted from the pachinko parlor server 5 to the management server 3,
It is added to the savings card list 3A and the history list 3B. In addition, information such as an ID number is provided to the player.

When the player plays the pachinko game again at the pachinko parlor 4 using the ball storage card 12, the reader / writer 51 first reads the ball storage card 12. The read ID number is transmitted from the pachinko parlor server 5 to the management server 3 via the communication line 14.

The management server 3 authenticates the ID number by the ID authentication function, confirms that the card is a legitimate ball storage card, and then retrieves and outputs the number of remaining balls corresponding to the ID number. Reply to the pachinko parlor server 5.
When the authentication of the ball saving card cannot be obtained, the fact is reported to the pachinko parlor server 5.

The pachinko parlor server 5 rents out the number of pachinko balls designated and input from the remaining number of balls from the ball lending machine 52. The rented number is transmitted from the pachinko parlor server 5 to the management server 3, and the lists 3A and 3B are updated.

It is assumed that the player has played a pachinko game and has obtained a large number of pachinko balls, and some of them have been added to the ball-saving card 12 without exchanging prizes. In this case, the number of additional balls (the number of accumulated balls) is transmitted from the pachinko parlor server 5 to the management server 3, and the management server 3 stores and holds the number obtained by adding the received number of additional balls as the number of remaining balls. . In addition, a history of playing the pachinko game is added to the list 33.

On the other hand, when the player plays a pachinko game on the screen of the Internet connection terminal 7 at home 6 or the like, the pay game side operated by the game server 10 from the terminal 7 via the Internet 8 Access 9

When the game server 10 accesses the pay game site 9 from the Internet connection terminal 7 via the Internet, the game server 10 requests an input of an ID number of the coin storage card 12 given to the player. When the information such as the ID number is transmitted, the game server 10 causes the management server 3 to authenticate the ID number and the like. If authenticated, provide information on the number of remaining balls.

The number of remaining balls is transmitted to the Internet connection terminal 7 together with the front page of the pay game site 9 and displayed on the screen. Thereafter, by clicking a predetermined field of the pay game site 9, the user can access the pachinko game site 9a, which is a pay game, and can play the pachinko game on the screen of the Internet connection terminal 7. This pachinko game is performed in exactly the same procedure as when a pachinko game is actually played at a pachinko parlor and a pachinko ball is used to drive out a pachinko ball to play pachinko. Therefore, after the game is over, the acquired number of pachinko balls is provided to the management server 3 via the game server 10, and the lists 3A and 3B are updated.

As described above, in the game system 1 of the present embodiment, it is possible to go to the pachinko parlor 4 and play the game while sitting in front of the pachinko parlor by using the ball saving card 12, or connect to the Internet at home or the like. The pachinko game can also be played at a pay game site on the Internet by operating the terminal 7 and using the ball saving card information. Regardless of which game you play, the number of pachinko balls you earn will be added to your savings card and can be used at a later date.

In this embodiment, a magnetic card is used as the ball storage card 12, but a read-only transponder having an IC chip may be used instead.

In this example, there are a large number of pachinko parlors 4, which are collectively managed by the management server 3 of the management center 2. For example, when the pachinko parlor is one, the management server 3 and the pachinko parlors are The store server 5 may be a common server.

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing another embodiment of the game system according to the present invention. The game system 21 of this example employs an IC card as a ball storage card as a portable storage medium, and stores and holds information on the remaining ball number in the ball storage card itself.

More specifically, the game system 21 according to the present embodiment includes a game store server 25 installed in a game store 24 such as a pachinko parlor or a game center, and a ball storage card 32 as a portable game play storage medium. , The player's home 26
And the like, and the reader / writer 271 of the ball storage card 32
, And various game servers 30 that operate pay game sites 301 to 304 accessible from the Internet connection terminal 27 via the Internet 28.

The ball storage card 32 is composed of an IC card as described above, and the ID number 33 and the number of remaining balls 34 of the card are stored in an IC chip embedded therein. The ID number 33 includes a card number assigned to each coin-saving card, a store number indicating a pachinko store that is the issuer of the card, a group number indicating a group to which the pachinko store of the issuer belongs, and the like.

The pachinko parlor server 25 is a general server composed of a computer, input / output devices, and communication devices. The server 25 is provided with a reader / writer 251 for a coin storage card via an input / output interface (not shown). And a ball rental machine 52 and an external device such as a ball counter 53 are connected. Also, the pachinko parlor 24 has a large number of pachinko machines 41,
Various other game tables (not shown) are arranged. This configuration is the same as that of a general pachinko parlor.

The game server 30 includes, for example, a server that provides a horse racing game site 301, a sports game site 302, a slot game site 303, and a cart game site 304.

A procedure for playing a pachinko game using the game system 21 having this configuration will be described.
First, a player who has played a pachinko game at the pachinko parlor 24 does not exchange a part of the number of obtained balls for a prize,
Assume that it was received as 2. In this case, an ID number 33 and the remaining number of balls 34 are stored in the ball storage card 32. In addition, for the management of the bill storage card, the storage unit of the pachinko parlor server 25 stores the ID number of the issued bill storage card and the like.

When the player uses the ball storage card 32 to play the pachinko game again at the pachinko parlor 24, the reader / writer 251 first reads the ball storage card 32. The pachinko parlor server 25 borrows the designated and input number of pachinko balls from the read remaining ball numbers from the ball lending machine 52, and updates the remaining ball numbers stored in the ball storage card 32.

It is assumed that the player has performed a pachinko game and has obtained a large number of pachinko balls, and that some of them have been added to the ball storage card 32 without exchanging prizes. In this case, the number of additional balls (the number of stored balls) is sent from the pachinko parlor server 25 to the reader / writer 251 and is added to the remaining number of balls stored in the stored ball card 32 inserted therein. The number of remaining balls is updated by the value.

On the other hand, when the player plays a pachinko game on the screen of the Internet connection terminal 27 at home 26 or the like, the terminal 27
8, one of the pay game sides managed by the game server 30, for example, a pay game site 301 is accessed.

The game server 30 sends the paid game site 3 from the Internet connection terminal 27 via the Internet.
When there is an access to 01, a request is made to transmit the ID number 33 and the number of remaining balls of the ball storage card 12 given to the player. When the player causes the reader / writer 271 to read the coin storage card 32 and transmits information such as the ID number, the game server 30 causes the pachinko parlor server 25 to authenticate the ID number. Alternatively, authentication is performed by holding a list of issued coin storage card ID numbers transmitted from the pachinko parlor server 25 at any time or periodically and collating the list with the list.

After the authentication, the front page of the pay game site 301 is transmitted to the Internet connection terminal 27 and displayed on the screen. Thereafter, by clicking a predetermined field on the screen, the pay game can be downloaded and the game can be played on the screen of the Internet connection terminal 27. After the game is over, the number of points obtained is added to the remaining number of balls on the ball-saving card 32.

As described above, in the game system 21 of the present embodiment, it is possible to go to a pachinko parlor or the game center 24 and play a game by sitting at a game machine using the ball storage card 32 or at home or the like. By operating the Internet connection terminal 27 at, various games can also be played at a pay game site on the Internet using the coin storage card information. In any case, the number of pachinko balls and points acquired is added to the savings card 32 and can be used at a later date.

Here, from the viewpoint of management of the ball storage card composed of an IC card and security, as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. 2, a management center 200 having a management server 300 is installed. It is desirable to collectively manage the ID number, the remaining ball information, the use history, and the like of the ball storage card, and to authenticate the ball storage card in the management server 300 when the ball storage card is used. The authentication procedure in this case is performed by the management server 3 shown in FIG.
May be performed in the same manner as in the above.

[0048]

As described above, in the game system of the present invention, a game can be played in a pachinko parlor or a game center using a portable storage medium such as a ball-saving card and the storage medium. The game can be played on a pay game site on the Internet using the number of remaining balls or the number of points retained in the game. In addition, a game can be played by using a pachinko ball, a game medal, or the like obtained by both of them on either side.

Therefore, not only the actual pachinko parlors and game centers, but also various pay games managed on the Internet can be played without restrictions on place and time. Therefore, it is possible to give versatility to the ball storage card system used in the pachinko parlor.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of a game system to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a second embodiment of the game system to which the present invention is applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1,21 game system 2,200 management center 3,300 management server 3A billing card list 3B history list 3C authentication function 4,24 pachinko store (amusement store) 5,25 pachinko store server (amusement store server) 6,26 Player's home 7, 27 Internet connection terminal 271 Reader / writer 8, 28 Internet 9, 301 to 304 Paid game site 10, 30 Game server 12 Savings card (magnetic card) 14, 15 Communication line 32 Savings card (IC card) 33 ID number 34 Number of remaining balls 51 Reader / writer 252 Reader / writer

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] April 20, 2000 (200.4.2
0)

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Drawing

[Correction target item name] All figures

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

FIG.

FIG. 2

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Masanori Shimozato 6532-5, Wada, Matsumoto-shi, Nagano F-term in TMI Japan Co., Ltd. (reference) 2C001 AA02 AA13 BA08 CB08 DA06 2C088 BB07 BB29 CA02 CA31 CA35

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A management server, a game server installed in a game store, a game server operating a paid game site accessible from the Internet connection terminal via the Internet, and a portable storage medium for game play And the storage medium carries ID information, and the amusement store server notifies the management server of the number of points acquired or lost by the owner of the storage medium at the amusement store by playing a game. The management server updates the number of remaining points stored in a form associated with the ID information of the storage medium based on the provided number of points. Requesting the ID information when the pay game site is accessed via the Internet, and the ID information is provided. Then, it causes the management server to authenticate the ID information and provide the number of remaining points, and causes the Internet connection terminal to play a pay game within the range of the number of remaining points, thereby obtaining the pay game. Alternatively, the game system provides the management server with the number of lost points, and the management server updates the remaining number of points corresponding to the ID information based on the provided number of points. 2. The game system according to claim 1, wherein the storage medium is a magnetic card or a transponder including an IC chip. 3. The game server according to claim 1, further comprising a game server installed in each of the plurality of game stores, wherein the game server is connected to the management server via a communication line. A game system characterized by the following. 4. The game system according to claim 1, wherein the game store server and the management server are a common server. 5. An amusement store server installed in an amusement store, a portable game play storage medium, an Internet connection terminal equipped with a reader / writer for the storage medium, and access from the Internet connection terminal via the Internet. A game server that operates a pay game site that can perform the game, wherein the storage medium carries ID information and information on the number of remaining points, and the amusement shop server possesses the storage medium in the amusement shop. The game server updates the number of remaining points carried on the storage medium based on the number of points obtained or lost by the player playing the game, and the game server accesses the pay game site from the Internet connection terminal via the Internet. When there is, the ID information and the point balance carried on the storage medium are Requesting the number, and when such information is provided, the user is allowed to play the pay game in the Internet connection terminal within the range of the remaining point number, and provides the Internet connection terminal with the number of points obtained or lost in the pay game. The internet connection terminal updates the remaining point count of the storage medium based on the provided point count. 6. The game system according to claim 5, wherein the storage medium is an IC card. 7. The game store server according to claim 5, wherein the game store server stores the ID information and the number of remaining points carried on the storage medium, and the game store server uses the storage medium. A game system wherein when the game is played, the stored ID information and the number of remaining points are collated with the contents stored in the storage medium. 8. The game server according to claim 5, wherein the game server stores the ID information and the number of remaining points provided from the Internet connection terminal, and the game store server. A game system for performing collation with stored contents. 9. The game server according to claim 5, wherein the game server is installed in each of the plurality of game stores, and the game server is connected to the game servers via a communication line. A management server, wherein the management server stores and holds the ID information and the number of remaining points.