JP2002282504A - Game machine management system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a game machine management system capable of opposing to the ROM replacement within a game machine by a shrewd trick and shortening the working time for replacement of the game machine or the like. SOLUTION: A ROM 14 with a control program for controlling the game mechanism of a game machine 10 and identification information stored therein is mounted on each game machine 10. The game machine 10 transmits the identification information to an integrated management device 20, and the integrated management device 20 specifies the game machine of the transmitter from the identification information received from each game machine, collates it with preliminarily registered contents, and detects the use of an illicit ROM when the received identification information is not registered.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a gaming machine management system for managing a plurality of gaming machines such as a pachinko machine and a slot machine installed in the same amusement arcade. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a gaming machine management system that can check that a ROM is illegal and can grasp the operating status of a gaming machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a microcomputer control program for controlling a game machine such as a pachinko machine or a slot machine has been developed by a software development / manufacturing company, and the microcomputer ROM (Read Onl) has been developed.
y Memory). Further, the ROM in which the control program is stored is subjected to an inspection by a third party organization to determine whether or not the ROM passes a certain standard. In this inspection, control data in which a special game state in which a relatively large amount of game profit can be obtained, an occurrence probability of an auxiliary game state as a game condition for shifting to the special game state, and the like are set in advance. This is necessary because the control program can appropriately control the control program on the basis of the control program. In other words, the control program has a meaning of preventing the control from being extremely advantageous or disadvantageous to the player.

Therefore, only the ROMs that have passed the inspection by the third party are actually mounted on the game machine and carried into the game arcade. That is, in a game hall, only a gaming machine that can play a healthy game that passes a certain standard is installed. In other words, if this ROM is replaced with a fraudulent ROM, it is possible to execute fraudulent control that does not satisfy the above-mentioned predetermined standard, and to obtain an extremely large gaming profit.

Therefore, as a measure for preventing ROM exchange, a measure has been taken to attach a sealing seal to a cover (so-called lunch box) covering a microcomputer for controlling a gaming machine or a control board having a ROM mounted thereon. . Thus, even when the cover is removed for replacing the ROM, the sealing seal is also peeled off at the same time, so that it is possible to visually recognize the abnormality and to know that the illegal ROM replacement or the like has been performed.

However, this countermeasure using a sealing seal cannot detect that an unauthorized replacement has been made unless the inside of the gaming machine is checked, or forges the sealing seal and replaces the forged sealing seal after replacing the ROM. There was a problem that it became difficult to find out by sticking. For this reason, various means have been proposed for installing a detecting means at the cover and automatically detecting that the cover has been removed.

On the other hand, in a game arcade, an integrated management device is installed to manage a plurality of gaming machines. The integrated management device displays the gaming machine installation layout of the amusement arcade on the management screen so that the operating status of the gaming machine can be easily grasped, and displays the number, model and operating status of the gaming machine according to the installation position I am trying to do it.

The connection between each gaming machine and the integrated management device is known by an input terminal judgment formula and an address judgment formula. The input terminal judgment formula is to divide a plurality of gaming machines into several groups (islands), install an input device having a plurality of input terminals for each group, and input the same input to gaming machines belonging to the same group. This is a method of connecting to the device with individual wiring.
Furthermore, each input device is connected to the integrated management device,
The integrated management device sets which of the plurality of signal lines guided via the connection terminal of the input device corresponds to which gaming machine installation position (such as a machine number). Thereby, the integrated management device can specify, for example, various information received from the signal line identified by the name “A001” as information transmitted from the gaming machine installed at the position of the machine number 41.

[0008] In addition, the address judging equation is to connect each gaming machine by a bus wiring, and
In this method, an individual address is provided by an address unit provided between a gaming machine and a branch point of a bus. The bus wiring is also connected to the integrated management device, and various information transmitted from each gaming machine is transmitted to the integrated management device in a state where an address is added by the address unit. Thereby, the integrated management device can specify via which address unit the received information has been transmitted. That is, by associating an address unit with a gaming machine installation position (such as a machine number) connected to the address unit in advance, it is possible to specify which gaming machine installation position the information is transmitted from the gaming machine installed at Can be.

[0009] In recent years, a standard has emerged in which an identification number is assigned to each ROM to facilitate identification management of the ROM. According to this standard, a special storage area in a ROM stores a unique identification number in the ROM, and a microcomputer or the like obtains the identification number directly from the ROM so that ROM management and the like can be performed. I have.

[0010]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional ROM replacement countermeasures, the detection by the detection means provided on the cover or the control board is an indirect detection to the last, and can completely counteract the sophistication. It was not something. For example, while such measures are sufficiently effective against external offenders, they can be sufficiently prevented against internal offenses in which the clerk of the game arcade is an accomplice, offenses in the distribution process and offenses by installers. It was not something. That is, the conventional ROM replacement countermeasure is sufficient when the ROM is replaced before installation, or when the ROM is replaced while the fraud detecting means such as the ROM replacement is disabled by a clerk. There was a problem that it did not work.

On the other hand, in a game arcade, replacement of gaming machines is carried out at an arbitrary time, and the replacement work is often performed after the end of business on that day and before the start of business on the next day. In such a case, it is necessary to carry out operations such as loading, installing, and confirming the table within a short time. In addition, performing the registration work for the integrated management device was a heavy burden on the side of operating the game arcade. In particular,
If the arrangement of gaming machines (models) in the entire game arcade is changed in accordance with the delivery of a new gaming machine, the burden of the work becomes extremely large.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and is capable of countering a clever trick by directly detecting a ROM exchange. It is an object of the present invention to provide a gaming machine management system in which management data is automatically updated in an integrated management device when replacement or the like is performed.

[0013]

Means for Solving the Problems The above-mentioned problems are solved,
In order to achieve the object, in the gaming machine management system according to claim 1, a gaming machine configured by connecting a plurality of gaming machines and an integrated management device for managing each gaming machine via a communication line. In the machine management system, the gaming machine has a ROM in which a control program for controlling a gaming mechanism of the gaming machine and identification information are stored, transmits the identification information, and the integrated management device A gaming machine management system, comprising: receiving the identification information from a gaming machine; and identifying a transmission source gaming machine from the received identification information.

According to the present invention, since identification information is assigned to each ROM mounted on each gaming machine, by registering the identification information in the integrated management device, the gaming machine can be specified from the identification information. In addition to the above, when it cannot be specified, it can be detected.

Further, in the gaming machine management system according to claim 2, in the invention according to claim 1, the integrated management device refers to a reference in which a model name of the gaming machine is associated with the identification information. A table is held, and the model of the gaming machine that transmitted the identification information is specified from the reference table.

According to the present invention, the model name can be specified based on the identification information transmitted from each of the gaming machines in the integrated management device without transmitting the information on the model by the gaming machine itself.

Further, in the gaming machine management system according to claim 3, in the invention according to claim 1 or 2, the integrated management device is provided for the identification information with respect to the identification information. It holds a reference table in which the address or the gaming machine installation position specified by the signal line to which the identification information is transmitted is associated, and from the reference table, specifies the installation position of the gaming machine that transmitted the identification information. Features.

According to the present invention, the installation position can be specified based on the identification information transmitted from each of the gaming machines in the integrated management device without transmitting the information on the installation position by the gaming machine itself. By collating the correspondence information in the reference table with the address or the signal line, it is possible to detect that the installation position has been changed.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the gaming machine management system according to the third aspect, the integrated management device includes an installation position in the reference table associated with the received identification information. When the information does not match the gaming machine installation position specified by the address given to the identification information or the signal line from which the identification information was transmitted, the game machine installation position information in the reference table is received. It is characterized by updating to the address given to the identification information or the installation position information specified by the signal line to which the identification information was transmitted.

According to the present invention, the reference table can be automatically updated to the changed content in response to the detection that the installation position has been changed.

Further, in the gaming machine management system according to claim 5, in the invention according to claim 2, 3, or 4, the integrated management device includes the received identification information in the reference table. Based on the absence, there is a feature that it is detected that an unauthorized ROM is installed in the gaming machine that has transmitted the identification information.

According to the present invention, by registering the identification information of the gaming machine in the reference table of the integrated management apparatus, the gaming machine can be specified from the identification information, and the unregistered ROM can be identified. Can detect that it is illegal.

[0023]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a gaming machine management system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited by the embodiment.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a gaming machine management system according to an embodiment. In FIG. 1, a gaming machine management system according to an embodiment includes a plurality of gaming machines 10 installed in a
The game system includes an integrated management device 20 installed in a management room outside the control room, and a communication line 30 connecting the plurality of gaming machines 10 and the integrated management device 20. It should be noted that the connection method between the gaming machine 10 and the integrated management device 20 does not matter whether it is the input terminal determination type or the address determination type described above.

Each gaming machine 10 has a control board 12 similar to that mounted on a conventional gaming machine. The ROM 14 mounted on the control board 12 stores identification information inside as described above. This is a special ROM. Therefore, the microcomputer (not shown) on the control board 12 operates according to a control program stored in the ROM 14 or according to an input / output control program stored in other components mounted on the control board 12 or the like. The identification information in the ROM 14 can be sent out to the communication line 30 and sent to the integrated management device 20.

Here, since the identification information sent from the gaming machine 10 is composed of only a number enabling identification of the ROM 14, the integrated management device 20 uses the identification information alone to identify the source gaming machine. It is not possible to specify the model name or the location (unit number). Therefore, in the integrated management device 20, a reference table in which the identification information is associated with the model name and the machine number is created in advance. Thereby, the integrated management device 20 can specify the model name and the arrangement position of the source gaming machine from the received identification information with reference to the reference table. In fact, from the gaming machine 10,
Along with this identification information, various information indicating the operating status of the player in a game (playing), a jackpot occurrence, a trouble occurrence, and the like are transmitted. As a result,
The integrated management device 20 can display the gaming machine installation layout of the game arcade on the management screen and display the number, model, and operating status of the gaming machine corresponding to the installation position, as in the related art.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a management screen displayed on the integrated management device 20. As shown in FIG.
On the management screen 200, the display of the model name, the machine number, and the operation status are displayed in accordance with the layout of the gaming machines in the amusement arcade.

On the other hand, when the received identification information cannot be found in the reference table, the integrated management device 20 determines that the ROM of the gaming machine that transmitted the identification information is invalid, and to that effect. Is displayed. Also, by describing a program for automatically transmitting the identification information of the ROM 14 to the integrated management device 20 when the power of the gaming machine 10 is turned on, in the ROM 14 or other components of each gaming machine 10, When the amusement park opens,
The presence of a gaming machine including an unauthorized ROM can be checked by the integrated management device 20. In this case, the integrated management device 20 can determine that the ROM of the gaming machine is invalid even if the identification information of the gaming machine cannot be received even though the power is turned on. .

Further, when each of the gaming machines 10 is in operation,
As described above, it is also possible to detect an improper ROM by transmitting a signal indicating that the current operation status is returned to all the gaming machines by the integrated management device 20 periodically.

As described above, the ability to identify each of the gaming machines 10 in units of the ROM 14 mounted thereon has the following advantages. First, when a game machine is rearranged in the gaming hall 100, the above-mentioned reference table can be automatically updated, and complicated registration work accompanying the rearrangement occurs in the integrated management device 20. That is not to do.

For example, it is assumed that the gaming machine 10 and the integrated management device 20 are connected by the above-described input terminal determination formula, and that when the reference table is newly created, the identification information of the ROM 14 is associated with the signal line name of the input terminal. As a result, it is assumed that the gaming machine installation position is specified. In this case, first, the game machine is rearranged, that is, the game machine is connected to an input terminal different from the input terminal to which the game machine has been connected, and the game machine transmits its own identification information when the power is turned on. In response to this, the integrated management device 20 receives the identification information from the signal line corresponding to the input terminal of the rearrangement destination, and the data of the gaming machine installation position on the lookup table associated with the received identification information, It is detected that the data of the game machine installation position corresponding to the signal line to which the identification information is actually transmitted is different.

Thus, the integrated management device 20 determines that the rearrangement of the gaming machine has been performed, and corresponds to the received identification information with the installation position of the gaming machine corresponding to the signal line from which the identification information was actually transmitted. And update the reference table.

Second, during the distribution process or installation, the ROM
Even if the exchange has been done, the ROM
It is possible to detect that the replacement has been performed. This means that before the gaming machine actually leaves the factory,
Obtain the identification information of the ROM of the gaming machine to be delivered,
This can be realized by creating a reference table in advance in the integrated management device 20 based on the identification information.

As described above, according to the gaming machine management system according to the embodiment, the ROM exchange can be detected based on the identification information output from the ROM in the gaming machine. Thus, more direct detection of ROM replacement can be performed.

Further, by creating a reference table in which the identification information of the gaming machine is associated with the model name, the installation position of the gaming machine, etc., even when the rearrangement of the gaming machine is performed,
The registered contents such as the display on the management screen of the integrated management device can be automatically updated without the need for re-registration work. Therefore, it is possible to disperse the work load at the time of exchanging the tables or when changing the arrangement of the tables, and it is possible to perform the operations with a margin.

Further, by receiving the identification information of the game machine to be delivered in advance, it is possible to detect the distribution process and the ROM exchange at the time of installation of the game machine.

[0037]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, since identification information is assigned to each ROM mounted on each gaming machine, the identification information is registered in the integrated management device. By doing so, it is possible to identify the gaming machine from the identification information, and if it cannot be identified, it is also possible to detect that fact, so that various information such as the operating status transmitted with the identification information can be identified. This has the effect that it is possible to display in association with.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the model name can be specified on the basis of the identification information transmitted from each gaming machine in the integrated management device without transmitting the information regarding the gaming machine itself. Therefore, it is possible to display various kinds of information such as the operating status transmitted together with the identification information together with the display of the model name in association with the specified gaming machine.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the model name can be specified on the basis of the identification information transmitted from each gaming machine in the integrated management device without transmitting the information regarding the gaming machine itself. Therefore, it is possible to display various information such as the operating status transmitted together with the identification information, together with the display of the installation position, in association with the specified gaming machine.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the reference table can be automatically updated to the changed content in response to the detection that the installation position has been changed, so that re-registration work is required. In addition, it is possible to shorten the work time for the rearrangement of the gaming machines and the like.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, by registering the identification information of the gaming machine in the reference table of the integrated management device, it is possible to specify the gaming machine from the identification information and to register the gaming machine. Since it can be detected that the ROM is invalid, it is possible to detect the ROM replacement more directly than before.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a gaming machine management system according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a management screen displayed on the integrated management device of the gaming machine management system according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Amusement machine 12 Control board 14 ROM 20 Integrated management apparatus 30 Communication line 100 Amusement arcade 200 Management screen

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A gaming machine management system comprising a plurality of gaming machines and an integrated management device that manages each gaming machine connected via a communication line, wherein the gaming machine is a game machine of the gaming machine. A ROM in which a control program for controlling a mechanism and identification information are stored is mounted, and the identification information is transmitted. The integrated management device receives the identification information from each of the gaming machines, and transmits from the received identification information. A gaming machine management system for identifying an original gaming machine. 2. The integrated management device holds a reference table in which a model name of a gaming machine is associated with the identification information, and identifies the model of the gaming machine that transmitted the identification information from the reference table. The gaming machine management system according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The reference table in which the integrated management device associates the identification information with a game machine installation position specified by an address given to the identification information or a signal line to which the identification information is transmitted. 3. The gaming machine management system according to claim 1, wherein the location of the gaming machine that transmitted the identification information is specified from the reference table. 4. The integrated management device according to claim 1, wherein the installation position information in the reference table associated with the received identification information is specified by an address assigned to the identification information or a signal line to which the identification information is transmitted. If the game machine installation position does not match the installation position information specified in the reference table, the installation position specified by the address given to the received identification information or the signal line to which the identification information was transmitted. The gaming machine management system according to claim 3, wherein the information is updated to information. 5. The integrated management device according to claim 1, wherein the received identification information is not included in the reference table.
The gaming machine management system according to claim 2, wherein it is detected that an unauthorized ROM is installed in the gaming machine that has transmitted the identification information.