JP2002263348A - Information exchanging system for game parlor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information exchanging system for a game parlor which can transmit a message even to people who do not jet visit the hall. SOLUTION: A CR machine 2 and a display unit 3 for each machine are set while corresponding with a game machine 1. A liquid crystal display section 12 is provided on the display unit 3 for each machine. By a touch operation to the liquid crystal display section 12, a demand is sent to an administering device 6 in such a manner that a message may be transmitted to desired group members from among the group members who are group-registered in advance. In this case, the administering device 6 transmits the message to the display unit 3 for each machine, which is provided in a manner to correspond with the playing game machine 1 when the group member who is the transmission destination is playing the game. When the group member of the transmission destination is not playing the game, the message is transmitted to an E-mail address which is registered in advance. Thus, the message can be transmitted even to people who do not visit the game hall.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information exchange system for a game arcade having a function of transmitting a message to friends.

[0002]

As described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-244503, this type of system exchanges information by transmitting and receiving messages between players in a game arcade. It has been known. According to this system, a player can enjoy communication with another player while playing a game.

However, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-244503 discloses
In the publication, the message transmission / reception range is limited to the inside of the game arcade, and it is meaningless and impractical unless a partner who wants to exchange information comes to the store.

[0004] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an information exchange system for a game store that can transmit a message to future store owners.

[0005]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
A destination designation means for designating a destination of a message is provided, and a message creating means for creating a message to be transmitted from a player to another player is provided, and the destination designated by the destination designation means plays a game. A game machine specifying means for specifying a gaming machine which is present; a mail address storage means for storing an e-mail address for each player; a message notifying means for notifying a received message; To the message notifying means corresponding to the gaming machine identified by the gaming machine identifying means, and, when the gaming machine identifying means cannot identify the gaming machine, the mail address storage means corresponding to the transmission destination. A message transmitting means for transmitting a message to a stored e-mail address is provided.

[0006] According to such a configuration, when the player inputs the destination of the message, the destination specifying means specifies the destination of the message. When the player inputs a message, the message creating means creates a message for transmission.

Here, the destination specifying means specifies the gaming machine in which the destination specified by the destination specifying means is playing a game. At this time, if the destination party is playing a game, the destination specifying means can specify the destination party,
The message transmitting means transmits the message to the message notifying means corresponding to the gaming machine identified by the gaming machine identifying means. Thereby, the message is notified by the message notifying means, so that the destination player can check the message transmitted by the source player.

On the other hand, if the transmission destination is not playing a game, the transmission destination specifying means cannot specify the gaming machine in which the transmission destination is playing a game. Convert the message to an email and send it. As a result, the destination
The message transmitted by the source player can be confirmed on a personal computer or a mobile phone.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the message transmitting means is provided when the gaming machine identifying means cannot identify the gaming machine and the mail address storing means does not store the destination e-mail address. When the gaming machine identification means has identified the gaming machine, a message is transmitted to a message notifying means corresponding to the gaming machine.

[0010] According to such a configuration, if the destination player does not play the game on the gaming machine and has not registered an e-mail address, the message cannot be transmitted, but in such a case, Since the message transmitting means transmits the message to the message notifying means corresponding to the gaming machine when the gaming machine identifying means has identified the gaming machine, the message transmission rate can be increased.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a group registration unit for registering a group of players, and the destination designation unit is configured to select a destination destination from among the players registered in the group registration unit. Is specified.

According to such a configuration, when a player uses the present system, a group is registered in advance by the group registration means. Then, the transmission destination specifying means specifies the transmission destination partner from the group-registered players stored in the group registration means, so that unnecessary messages are not received from anyone other than the group.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a reading means for reading member information from a membership card issued from a game store corresponding to the gaming machine is provided.
The reader specifies the gaming machine in which the destination player plays based on the member information read from the member card.

According to such a configuration, when the player receives the mail service from the game store, the member card issued from the game store is read by the reading means provided corresponding to the game machine. The gaming machine identification unit can reliably and easily identify the gaming machine in which the destination player plays a game based on the member information read from the membership card by the reading unit. Thus, the player can easily receive the mail service without performing any troublesome work.

[0015] According to the invention of claim 5, after providing a gaming machine terminal corresponding to the gaming machine, the destination designation means,
The message creating means and the message notifying means are provided in the gaming machine terminal. According to such a configuration, the gaming machine terminal may be installed corresponding to the gaming machine, and the installation operation can be simplified.

[0016]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a pachinko hall management system will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 schematically shows the entire configuration. In FIG. 1, a plurality of pachinko machines and a gaming machine 1 such as a pachislot machine (not shown) are installed in a pachinko hall, and a CR (card reader) machine 2 adjacent to each gaming machine 1 and a CR (card reader) machine 2 of the present invention are provided. A display unit (corresponding to a gaming machine terminal) 3 is provided for each unit. The CR machine 2 lends a game medium such as a pachinko ball or a medal within a range of the remaining amount stored in the prepaid card with a prepaid card (not shown) inserted. In this case, the rented game media is directly paid out from the gaming machine 1.

An input / output interface 4 is provided for each of the two gaming machines 1 and the CR machine 2, and each of the gaming machines 1 and the CR machine 2 manages a gaming machine installed on each island through the input / output interface 4. It is connected to the device 5. The gaming machine management device 5 collects and manages data of the gaming machines 1 on the entire island, and transmits the data to a management device (corresponding to a gaming machine identification unit, a mail address storage unit, and a message transmission unit) 6. The per-unit display unit 3 is connected to the management device 6 through the display unit management device 7 installed for each island.

The display unit management device 7 constantly samples data transmitted from the input / output interface 4 to the gaming machine management device 5, and supplies the sampled data to the display unit 3 for each unit. Also, when data of another gaming machine 1 is requested from the display unit 3 for each unit, if the gaming machine 1 belongs to its own island, data corresponding to the gaming machine 1 is received from the display unit 3 for each unit. In the case of the gaming machine 1 belonging to another island, the corresponding data is received from the management device 6 and supplied to the request source display unit 3.

The management device 6 manages the gaming status of each gaming machine 1 and the sales status of the CR machine 2 through the gaming machine management device 5, and communicates with the display unit 3 for each unit via the display unit management device 7. Display unit 3
The image to be displayed is controlled. Further, the management device 6 is connected to the gateway 8 and forms a network with another group store 9 via the Internet. With such a configuration, the management device 6 can provide various services including the other group stores 9 by communicating with the management device 6 of the other group stores 9.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the display unit 3 for each unit. In FIG. 2, the display unit 3 includes a status display lamp 10, a liquid crystal display unit 12 having a touch panel 11, a point display unit 13, a card ejection button 14, and a card insertion slot 15. The status display lamp 10 displays an operation status, an error status, and the like. The point display unit 13 displays the points currently acquired by the pachinko hall members as described later. A membership card issued by the pachinko hall is inserted into the card insertion slot 15.

FIG. 3 schematically shows the structure of the display unit 3 for each unit. In this FIG.
Is mainly composed of a control unit (corresponding to a transmission destination designation unit, a message creation unit, a message notification unit, a group registration unit, and a reading unit) 16. This control unit 16
Is composed of a CPU 17, a ROM 18, and a RAM 19;
CPU 17 based on the program stored in OM 18
Works. The operation of the CPU 17 includes display control on the liquid crystal display unit 12 of game data (for example, the number of jackpots, the number of starts, etc.) selected according to a touch operation on the touch panel 11, reading of a member number from a member card by the card reader 20, Lighting control of the status display lamp 10, data display on the point display unit 13, determination of the operation state of the card ejection button 14, transmission / reception unit 2
1 has communication control with the display unit management device 7.

FIGS. 4 to 7 schematically show various files stored in a storage device (not shown) of the management device 6, and these files implement the present embodiment as described later. You will need it when you do. In this case, FIG. 4 shows one member of the information file for each member, FIG. 5 shows one group of the group information fine, FIG. 6 shows one person of the mail information file, and FIG. Shows one person.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. When the power is turned on to the display unit 3, the display unit 3 displays the main menu screen 11 shown in FIG. 11 on the liquid crystal display unit 12. The main menu screen 22 includes a “data navigation” button 23 and a “character”
Button 24, “this stand data” button 25, “pachinko stand MAP” button 26, “ranking” button 27,
"Group" button 28, "Departure battle" button 29,
A "personal" button 30, a "match result" button 31,
The “mail service” button 32 is displayed. The lower screen of the liquid crystal display unit 12 is a fixed display unit,
A “main” button 33, a “previous screen” button 34, a “unit number designation” button 35, a “TV / video” button 36,
"Volume" button 37, "Channel" button 38
Is displayed. Since the liquid crystal display unit 12 is configured to include the touch panel 11, the player performs a touch operation on a desired button to execute the processing content indicated by the button. The liquid crystal display unit 12 can display a television screen or a video screen.
By touching the "TV / video" button 36, the "volume" button 37, and the "channel" button 38, a switching operation to a desired television program or a video screen and a volume adjustment are possible.

Here, for the sake of simplicity, the case where the "group" button 28 and the "mail service" button 32 related to the present invention are touch-operated will be described, and the case where the other buttons are touch-operated will be described. Description is omitted. In this case, the "group" is for registering a group of friends to receive a mail service or other services. The "mail service" is for exchanging mails with friends registered in advance by "group".

When a player wants to receive various services provided by a pachinko hall, it is necessary to receive a membership card in advance. A membership number is stored in the membership card, and various services provided by the pachinko hall can be received by using the membership card. As an example of this service, an information providing service for providing table data to a player, storing the obtained pachinko balls, and when returning to the store, paying out the pachinko balls arbitrarily within the range of the number of stored pachinko balls can be performed. There are a ball storage system, a point service that accumulates points according to a game, evaluates a game experience level according to the accumulated points, and gives a predetermined privilege according to a pointer.

When the member card is issued, the management device 6 creates a member-specific information file shown in FIG. In this member information file, the member number, group number, nickname, e-mail address, and gaming machine number are set, and when the member is registered, only the member number and nickname are registered in the member information file. Become. The nickname can be freely determined by the player,
If not determined, register your name as a nickname.

When a player who has been issued a membership card as described above plays a game with the gaming machine 1, the member card is inserted into the card insertion slot 15 of the display unit 3 for each unit. Then, the display unit 3 reads the membership number from the membership card, adds an identification number indicating the gaming machine 1, and transmits the identification number to the management device 6 through the display unit management device 7. The management device 6 stores the gaming machine number in a member information file corresponding to the member number input from the display unit 3 for each machine.

Then, when the player inserts the prepaid card into the CR machine 2 and borrows a pachinko ball to start the game, a sales signal is transmitted from the CR machine 2 to the management device 6 and the outgoing ball and the safe ball are transmitted. An out ball signal and a safe ball signal are transmitted to the gaming machine management device 5 according to the occurrence of a ball, and a special prize signal is transmitted to the gaming machine management device 5 according to the occurrence of a special prize. The gaming machine management device 5 aggregates the sales of each gaming machine 1 based on the sales signal from the CR machine 2 and also aggregates the operating state of each gaming machine 1 based on various signals from the gaming machine 1 to a predetermined value. The information is transmitted to the management device 6 every time.
Thereby, the management device 6 can total the sales status and the operating status of each gaming machine 1.

When a player wants to receive the mail service, it is necessary to make a group registration in advance. This group registration is necessary not only to receive the mail service but also to receive a service for confirming the game level of the group-registered fellows or the number of the game player.

To register a group, the user touches a "group" button 28 displayed on the main menu screen 22 shown in FIG. Then, the unit-by-unit display unit 3 displays the group function screen 39 shown in FIG. 12 on the liquid crystal display unit 12. When registering a group only for the current day, the “day group” button 40 is touch-operated. When registering an effective group, the “friend group” button 41 is touched. These buttons 4
Since the operation when touching 0 and 41 is the same,
The operation when the “friend group” button 41 is touched will be described, and the description of the operation when the “day group” button 40 is touched will be omitted.

The "friend group" button 41 is operated to display a group rank list screen 42 as shown in FIG. 13 when a group is already registered in addition to the group registration. It has become so. On the rank list screen 42, information on the game level of the players registered in the group and the number of the game in which the group-registered friends are playing are displayed, and a "today's score" button 43 and a "register" button 44 are displayed. , A “Delete” button 45, a “Battle” button 46, and a scroll button 47 are displayed. In this case, the ranking of the game level is calculated based on the game experience points acquired by the player by the point service provided by the pachinko hall. The game experience points are calculated based on the game time (maturity point), the number of big hits (technical points), the amount of money lost (help points), and the like. It is displayed on the point display unit 13.

The group function screen 39 shown in FIG.
Alternatively, the buttons 33 to 3 displayed on the fixed display unit of the liquid crystal display unit 12 on the rank list screen 42 shown in FIG.
8 (see FIG. 11) can be arbitrarily shifted from the group function screen 39 or the rank list screen 42 to another screen, and the same applies to various screens thereafter.

Now, when a player who has not registered as a group touches the "friend group" button 41 displayed on the group function screen 39 shown in FIG.
The display unit for each unit 3 displays a registration screen 48 shown in FIG. 14 according to a command from the management device 6. This registration screen 4
8 displays a message asking if a new group is to be created, and a “YES” button 49 and “N
An "O" button 50 is displayed. In this case, since a new group is created, when the “YES” button 49 is touched, the display unit 3 for each unit requests the management device 6 to perform group registration. Create a new group information file. The group information includes a group number, the number of members, member numbers 1 to 10,
The use flag is set. Therefore, when the friend group number is newly created, "1" is set as the friend group number and the number of members, the member number of the player is set as the member number 1, and "01" is set as the use flag. At the same time, the management device 6 registers the friend group number in the member-by-member information file shown in FIG. 4 corresponding to the member number registered in the friend group.

Then, the management device 6 returns the friend group number created and the nickname stored in the member information file to the display unit 3 for each unit.
As shown in FIG. 15, the display unit 3 for each
Registration screen 51 showing the group number registered by
Are displayed, two seconds later, a rank list screen 42 shown in FIG. 13 is displayed. In this case, immediately after the friend group is registered as described above, only the information on the player's game level and the number of the player playing the game are displayed in correspondence with the player's nickname.

Here, when registering a friend as a group, a "registration" button 44 displayed on the rank list screen 42 shown in FIG. 13 is touch-operated. Then, the display unit 3 for each unit displays the member registration screen 52 shown in FIG.
Is displayed to indicate the registration procedure. After confirming the registration procedure, the “OK” button 53 is touched. Then, the display unit 3 for each unit ejects the membership card from the card insertion slot 15 and displays the group registration screen 54 shown in FIG. 17 to urge the insertion of the membership card. Therefore, 5 units are counted on the group registration screen. By the time, the member cards of the members to be registered in the group are inserted into the card insertion slot 15 of the display unit 3 for each unit.

When the next member card is inserted, the display unit 3 reads the member number from the inserted member card and outputs it to the management device 6, so that the management device 6 stores the member number in the friend group information file. After the number is added and registered, the friend group number is registered in the member information file corresponding to the member number, and the nickname of the registered member is transmitted to the display unit 3 for each unit.

The display unit 3 displays that the registration is completed by displaying the friend group number and the nickname input from the management device 6 on the registration completion screen 55 shown in FIG.

When the group registration of the associates is completed as described above, the user inserts his / her membership card in the display state of the registration completion screen 55 shown in FIG.
Returns to the display state of the rank list screen 42 shown in FIG. The display unit 3 displays the group registration screen 54 shown in FIG. 17 after two seconds have elapsed in the display state of the registration completion screen 55 shown in FIG. 18. Other friends can be registered in the group in the same way.

When five counts have elapsed on the group registration screen 54 shown in FIG. 17, the user can return to the rank list screen 42 shown in FIG. 13 by inserting his / her own membership card. When two minutes have elapsed without inserting a membership card of another person or without inserting a membership card, the display returns to the group function screen 39 shown in FIG.

When the group registration of all the friends is completed as described above, the rank list screen 42 shown in FIG.
Is displayed, and information about the game level of the group-registered friends can be known. In this state, the member number of the fellow is not displayed because the fellow member card is not inserted into the display unit 3 for each unit.

Then, the members registered in the group display their own membership cards on a per-unit display unit 3 in order to start the game.
Is displayed on the rank list screen 42 shown in FIG. 13 in addition to the information on the game level, as well as the number of the unit where the friend is playing. In addition, rank list screen 4
In 2, the information about oneself is displayed in a different color from the information about other friends, and the visibility is enhanced.

On the other hand, a group function screen 39 shown in FIG.
In the case where a group of the day is selected, the management device 6 registers the group number of the day as an information file for each member shown in FIG. 4 and creates a group information file of the day similarly to the friend group described above. The group information on the day is deleted when the business on the day ends. In this case, it is possible to register a group on the day when a player who has registered a friend group visits a friend other than the friend group, and in such a case, the information file for each member contains the friend group number. In addition, the day group number is registered only on the day of the game.

When a player starts a game and a special prize is generated in response to a game signal, the special prize history is stored in the personal special prize history file shown in FIG. This personal prize history file contains the time when the prize was generated according to the member number,
Type of gaming machine (P (Pachinko machine) / G (Slot machine)), machine number, special prize type (Normal / probable change for pachinko machine, BB (Big bonus), RB for slot machine)
(Regular bonus), the number of games (the number of games before the occurrence of the special prize), and the TY (the number of balls in the special prize) are stored.
Therefore, each time a special prize is generated in the gaming machine, the above-mentioned special prize history is sequentially added to the personal special prize history file.

When the friend group registration or the day group registration is completed as described above, it is possible to receive the service using the group registration. There is an email service that sends emails to friends and emails to friends. To receive such a mail service, the main menu screen 2 shown in FIG.
Touching the “mail service” button 32 with 2 displayed. Then, the display unit 3 for each unit displays the menu screen 56 of the mail service shown in FIG. 19 and executes the mail service processing. On this menu screen 56, an "E-mail address registration / change" button 57, a "Send personal prize history e-mail" button 58, a "List of received messages of the day" button 59, and a "Create short message" button 60 are displayed. .

FIG. 8 shows a flowchart of the mail service processing of the display unit 3 for each unit. In FIG. 8, when the player wants to register the e-mail address of his / her mobile phone or personal computer at home or change the already-registered e-mail address, the menu screen 56 shown in FIG. 19 is displayed. "E-mail address registration /
"Change" button 57 is touched.

When the "E-mail address registration / change" button 57 is turned on as shown in FIG. 8 (S101: YES), the display unit 3 displays an E-mail address registration screen 61 shown in FIG. After that (S102), an address registration / change process is requested to the management device 6 (S10).
3). That is, the e-mail address display section 62, the key button 63, and the “register” button 64 are displayed on the address registration screen 61, so that the player can change his / her own e-mail address by touching the key button 63. "Registration" button 6 with input to display section 62
When a touch operation is performed on the management device 6, the display unit 3 per unit transmits the input content to the management device 6,
Registers a mail address in the member-by-member information file shown in FIG. 4 based on the e-mail address information received from the display unit 3 for each unit. In this case, the display unit 3 for each unit displays the e-mail address input by the operation of the key button 63 of the player on the e-mail address display section 62, so that the player can easily input the e-mail address by the key operation. Can be changed. When the registration of the e-mail address has been completed, the display unit 3 displays the menu screen shown in FIG.

Since the special prize history of the gaming machine 1 indicates its own game performance, it is possible to analyze its own game result by analyzing the special prize history. Therefore, by transmitting his / her special prize history to his / her personal computer or his / her mobile phone, his / her gaming results can be analyzed. When the user wants to transmit his / her special prize history, the user touches a “send individual special prize history mail” button 58 displayed on the menu screen 56 shown in FIG.

When the "personal prize history mail transmission" button 58 is touched (S1)
04) After displaying a screen indicating that the mail has been transmitted (S105), a special prize history mail transmission request is transmitted to the management device 6 (S106).

FIG. 9 shows a special prize history mail transmission process of the management device 6. In FIG. 9, when receiving a special prize history mail transmission request from the display unit 3 for each unit, the management device 6 reads the information file for each member (S201),
After specifying the destination mail address based on the e-mail address stored corresponding to the mail source player (S202), the special prize history file is read (S20).
3) Identify the special prize history data stored corresponding to the e-mail transmission source player (S204).

Subsequently, the e-mail information is created based on the e-mail address and the special prize history data (S20).
5) E-mail information is transmitted to the gateway 8 (S2)
06). As a result, the e-mail information is transmitted from the gateway 8 to the mail server of the provider with which the player has contracted or the mail server of the mobile phone company via the Internet and stored. Therefore, the player can return to the home and access the mail server by using a personal computer or a mobile phone to obtain the special prize history data and analyze his / her game results.

When the player wants to check the message received from the group member or to send the message to the group member, he / she touches the “today's received message list” button 59 on the menu screen shown in FIG.

When the “Today's received message list” button 59 is touched as shown in FIG. 8 (S107: YES), the display unit 3 displays the today's received message list screen 65 shown in FIG. indicate. In this day's received message list screen 65, a received message list display section 66 is displayed so as to be scrollable by operating a scroll button 67, and a "create message" button 68 is displayed. When the user wants to send a message to the user, the user touches a "Create message" button 68. The envelope mark 69 displayed in the received message indicates that the received message has not been opened.

When the "Create Message" button 68 is touched as shown in FIG. 8 (S114: YES), the display selection unit 7 shown in FIG.
After displaying 0 (S115), a destination designation process is executed (S116). That is, since the group member is displayed on the name display button 71 on the destination selection screen 70 as shown in FIG. 22, the player touches the name display button 71 on which the name of the group member of the message transmission destination is displayed. The display color of the selected destination is changed each time the selection is made by operation, and the selected destination is stored.

When the player determines the message transmission destination as described above, the destination selection screen 70 shown in FIG.
Touch operation is performed on the "OK" button 72 displayed in the "." As shown in FIG. 8, the display unit 3 for each unit
When the button 72 is touched (S117: YE
S), a short message creation screen 73 shown in FIG. 23 is displayed (S118). On the short message creation screen 73, a plurality of fixed messages set in advance on the message display unit 74 are displayed so as to be scrollable by a touch operation on the scroll button 75. When inserting a desired number into a fixed message to be transmitted, the player inputs a number by a touch operation on the ten-key 76 in a state where the fixed message to be transmitted is displayed at the center of the column by a scroll operation, and then " Touch the "Send" button 77.

When the "send" button 77 is touched as shown in FIG.
9: YES), and requests the management device 6 to perform a message transmission process.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the message transmission process of the management device 6. In FIG. 10, after the management device 6 reads the member information file (S30).
1), the gaming machine number of the destination player is determined based on the member information (S302). At this time, for the group members playing the game at the gaming machine among the group members of the message transmission destination, the gaming machine number is specified, and the message is transmitted to the display unit 3 corresponding to each gaming machine number ( S
303).

If there is a group member whose gaming machine number has not been registered because there is no game, the management device 6 specifies the mail address of the member (S304).
As shown in FIG. 6, after the mail information file is created and the email information is created (S305), the email information is transmitted through the gateway 8 (S306).

As described above, when the group member is playing a game, a message is transmitted to the display unit 3 corresponding to the gaming machine 1, and when the group member is not playing, the group member holds the message. A message can be sent to an e-mail address of a personal computer or a mobile phone.

Here, when the gaming machine number is not registered and the e-mail address is not registered, the management device 6 specifies the gaming machine number of the player by the group member playing the game (S307: YES), a message is transmitted to the display unit 3 for each of the specified gaming machine numbers (S3).
08).

In short, the management device 6 sets the message transmission destination according to the location of the group member as follows. In the case where the group member of the message destination is playing a game at the same store ...... The display unit 3 for each unit in which the membership card of the group member of the message destination is inserted. When the message transmission destination group member is not playing a game at the same store and an e-mail address is registered ..... The e-mail address of the group member who has converted the message into e-mail and registered as an e-mail destination. If you are not playing a game at the same store as the e-mail destination and you are an unregistered e-mail address person ... The e-mail destination group member holds the membership card in the display unit 3 until the member card is inserted, and the member card is inserted. The display unit 3 corresponds to each unit. In this case, when the store closing process is performed, the held message destination is deleted.

On the other hand, the display unit 3 for each unit which has received the received message from the management device 6 displays a list of the received messages on the received message list screen 65 of the day as shown in FIG. 21, and the message is touch-operated. when,
As shown in FIG. 24, the today's received message screen 78 is displayed, so that the player wants to reply to the message by touching the “end” button 79 displayed on the received message screen 78 when not replying the message. In this case, the “reply” button 80 is touched.

When the "end" button 79 is touch-operated as shown in FIG.
3: YES), and the process proceeds to step S108 to display the today's received message list screen 65 shown in FIG. On the other hand, when the “reply” button 80 is touched (S112: YES), the short message creation screen 73 shown in FIG. 23 is displayed, so that the player can send the message in the same manner as described above. By creating the message, the message can be returned to the message sender.

According to this embodiment, even when the group member has not visited the store, the message is transmitted to the e-mail address of the personal computer or mobile phone owned by the group member. Messages can also be sent to group members who have not done so. Therefore, unlike the conventional example in which a message can be transmitted only to a visiting player, the message transmission rate can be increased, and the practicality can be improved.

For a group member who has not visited the store and whose e-mail address is not registered, a message is displayed when the group member starts playing a game using the membership card and the message is played by the group member. Since the message is transmitted to the display unit 3 corresponding to each device, the message transmission rate can be further increased.

Further, since the group members are registered using the membership card which receives the service from the pachinko hall, the registration of the group members can be easily performed without any troublesome operation, and the operability is excellent. ing.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be modified or expanded as follows. A message to be transmitted may be arbitrarily created by key input. The destination of the message may be transmitted to players other than the group members registered in the group. Game data other than the special prize history may be transmitted as an e-mail.

[0067]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the information exchange system for amusement arcades of the present invention, a destination designation means for designating a destination of a message is provided, so that a player can send a message to another player. A message creating means for creating a message to be transmitted, a game machine specifying means for specifying a gaming machine in which the destination specified by the destination specifying means is playing, and a mail storing an e-mail address for each player An address storage unit, a message notifying unit for notifying a received message, and transmitting the message created by the message creating unit to a message notifying unit corresponding to the gaming machine identified by the gaming machine identifying unit; If the machine identification means cannot identify the gaming machine, the e-mail address stored in the e-mail address storage means corresponding to the transmission destination is stored. Since there is provided a message transmission means for transmitting a message to the less, an excellent effect of being able to send messages also to non-online business.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an entire configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a display unit for each stand.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of a display unit for each unit.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an information file for each member.

FIG. 5 shows a group information file.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a mail information file.

FIG. 7 shows a personal award history file.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a mail service process of a display unit for each unit.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a special prize history mail transmission process of the management device.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a message transmission process of the management device.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a main menu screen displayed on a display unit for each unit.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a group function screen displayed on a display unit for each unit.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a rank list screen displayed on a display unit for each unit.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a registration screen displayed on a display unit for each unit.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an ID registration screen displayed on a display unit for each unit.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a member registration screen displayed on a display unit for each unit.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a group registration screen displayed on a display unit for each unit.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a registration completion screen displayed on a display unit for each unit.

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a mail service menu screen displayed on a display unit for each unit.

FIG. 20 is a diagram showing an e-mail address registration screen displayed on a display unit for each unit.

FIG. 21 is a view showing a received message list screen of the day displayed on the display unit for each unit.

FIG. 22 is a diagram showing a destination selection screen displayed on a display unit for each unit.

FIG. 23 is a diagram showing a short message creation screen displayed on a display unit for each unit.

FIG. 24 is a diagram showing a today's received message screen displayed on the display unit for each unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 is a gaming machine, 2 is a CR machine, 3 is a display unit for each machine (gaming machine terminal), 6 is a management device (gaming machine specifying means, mail address storage means, message transmitting means), 12 is a liquid crystal display section, 16 is It is a control unit (transmission destination designation means, message creation means, message notification means, group registration means, reading means).

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Kazuyuki Yamauchi 1-47-1 Nagono, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya City Furuya International Center Building 2F Daikok Electric Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 2C088 CA27 CA31 CA35

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A destination specifying means for specifying a destination of a message, a message generating means for generating a message to be transmitted from a player to another player, and a destination specified by the destination specifying means. Gaming machine identifying means for identifying a gaming machine being played, e-mail address storage means for storing an e-mail address for each player, message notifying means for notifying a received message, and message created by the message creating means To the message notifying means corresponding to the gaming machine identified by the gaming machine identifying means, and when the gaming machine identifying means cannot identify the gaming machine, the e-mail address storage means corresponds to the transmission destination. And a message transmitting means for transmitting a message to a stored e-mail address. System. 2. The game machine specifying means when the game machine specifying means cannot specify a gaming machine and the mail address storage means does not store an e-mail address of a transmission destination. A game store information exchange system for transmitting a message to message notifying means corresponding to the game machine when the game machine can be specified. 3. A group registering means for registering a group of players, wherein the transmission destination specifying means specifies a transmission destination from among the players registered in the group registration means. Item 3. An information exchange system for a game store according to item 1 or 2. 4. A reading device provided corresponding to the gaming machine, for reading member information from a member card issued from a gaming store, wherein the gaming machine specifying device includes a member read by the reading device from the member card. The gaming machine information exchange system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a gaming machine on which the destination player plays a game is specified based on the information. 5. A gaming machine terminal corresponding to the gaming machine, wherein the transmission destination designation means, the message creating means, the message notifying means, the group registration means, and the reading means are provided in the gaming machine terminal. The information exchange system for a game store according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: