JP2003216905A - Noncontact ic card reader/writer and game device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To correctly read and write information from and to an IC card. <P>SOLUTION: A noncontact IC card reader/writer 6 includes a frame 16 with a positioning hole 15 cut in its center and a recess formed therein for installing an IC card 14; a protrusion 18 provided on the bottom face of the recess in the frame and over which the IC card positioning hole is fitted; a cover 20 provided with an energizing mechanism for energizing the IC card in the direction of the bottom face of the recess while the recess is closed; a window 19 for checking from the outside of the frame the IC card inserted in the recess; and a transmitting and receiving part 30 for reading and writing, without making contact, information from and to the IC card inserted in the recess. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a non-contact IC card reader / writer for reading / writing various kinds of information from / to an IC card in a non-contact manner, and a game machine incorporating the non-contact IC card reader / writer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a gaming facility where various gaming devices such as pachinko machines, slot machines, game machines, etc. are installed, customers purchase a prepaid card at a prepaid card vending machine installed near the entrance of the gaming facility. In many cases, a system is adopted in which the prepaid card is inserted into the prepaid card insertion slot of the intended gaming machine and the amount of game corresponding to the amount information stored in the prepaid card is enjoyed.

In this case, from the amount information stored in the prepaid card inserted in the gaming device, the unit amount information corresponding to the corresponding unit game is sequentially reduced each time the customer enjoys the unit game at the gaming device. Go. When the customer stops playing the game on the gaming machine, the prepaid card in which the unused amount of money information is stored at that time is automatically returned to the customer. The customer can enjoy the game with another game device by using the returned prepaid card.

[0004]

As described above, in a gaming facility employing a prepaid card as described above, the convenience of the customer can be greatly improved, but the prepaid card is basically disposable, so that the running cost of the entire gaming facility is significantly increased. There is a problem to rise.

In order to solve such an inconvenience, each game machine is provided with a money slot without selling a prepaid card to each customer, and the customer directly inserts money into the game machine to It is conceivable to employ an IC card as a storage medium for deducting the amount information of the amount of the game enjoyed by the gaming device from the amount of money input by the customer.

However, as a mechanism for mounting an IC card in a non-contact IC card reader / writer for reading / writing various information from / into the IC card, the IC card is simply placed at the card mounting position, and the IC is vibrated. There is a concern that the card position will move and it will not be possible to accurately read and write various types of information on the IC card. In particular, various gaming devices such as pachinko machines, slot machines, game machines, etc. installed in a gaming facility are likely to be violently operated by a customer.

When the IC card is removed from the customer's view,
There is a concern that customers who are accustomed to prepaid cards may feel uneasy.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and by incorporating a mechanism for fixing the mounted IC card into various types of gaming machines installed in a gaming facility to which vibration is constantly applied. Even if incorporated, IC
It is an object of the present invention to provide a non-contact IC card reader / writer capable of accurately reading and writing various kinds of information from and to a card, and a game device incorporating the non-contact IC card reader / writer.

[0009]

In order to solve the above problems, in the non-contact IC card reader / writer of the present invention, a positioning hole is bored in the central portion to form a recess for mounting an IC card. Frame, a projection provided on the bottom surface of the concave portion of the frame and into which the positioning hole of the IC card is inserted, and a biasing mechanism for biasing the IC card toward the bottom surface of the concave portion with the concave portion covered. And a window formed in the frame for checking the IC card mounted in the recess from the outside of the frame, and reading and writing information without contacting the IC card mounted in the recess. And a transmitting / receiving unit for performing the operation.

In the non-contact IC card reader / writer configured as described above, the projection is provided on the bottom surface of the recess formed in the frame of the non-contact IC card reader / writer. Roughly, the IC card mounted in this recess is provided with a positioning hole into which the protrusion is inserted. Then, when this IC card is mounted in the recess and the recess is covered with the cover, the biasing mechanism of the cover biases the IC card toward the bottom surface of the recess.

As a result, since the IC card is firmly fixed in the recess, even if a large vibration is applied to, for example, a game machine in which the non-contact IC card reader / writer is incorporated, various information is stored in the IC card. Can read and write accurately.

[0012] Further, the customer of the game machine can feel at ease because the presence of the IC card can be confirmed from the window.

In an IC card in which information is read and written by a non-contact IC card reader / writer of another invention, a base formed in a rectangular shape by a plastic plate and a positioning member formed in the center of the base are used. It is provided with a hole, a transmitting / receiving antenna embedded in the peripheral portion of the base, and an IC chip embedded in the base including at least a memory element.

In the thus constructed IC card, since the positioning hole is formed in the central portion of the IC card, the IC card is recessed so that the protruding portion is inserted into the positioning hole. If attached to the IC card, the IC card will be a non-contact IC
It is firmly fixed in the recess of the card reader / writer while being accurately positioned.

A gaming machine according to still another aspect of the present invention provides a gaming mechanism that allows a player to enjoy a game according to money amount information, a non-contact IC card reader / writer having the above-mentioned configuration, and money amount information of money inserted from a money insertion slot. An input amount reading unit for reading,
The amount information read by this input amount reading unit is contactless IC
Insertion amount information writing means for writing to the IC card via the card reader / writer, and insertion made to the IC card via the non-contact IC card reader / writer each time unit amount information is spent in the game in the game mechanism. It is provided with an input amount information reducing means for sequentially reducing the unit amount information from the amount information.

In the gaming machine thus constructed, a customer who wants to enjoy a game with this gaming machine first throws money into the cash slot of this gaming machine. Then, the inserted amount information corresponding to the inserted money is written in the IC card mounted on the non-contact IC card reader / writer via the non-contact IC card reader / writer. Then, each time the customer enjoys a game with this gaming device, the amount-of-payment information written in the IC card is decremented by the unit amount of money information.

Since this IC card is individually mounted for each gaming device, it is not handed to the customer. Therefore, as compared with the case where a disposable prepaid card is sold to each customer, the running cost of each gaming device can be significantly reduced.

[0018]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external view of a gaming device including a pachinko machine in which a non-contact IC card reader / writer according to an embodiment of the present invention is incorporated. On a table 2, a game device 1 including a plurality of pachinko machines is arranged.

On the front surface of each game machine 1, a game mechanism 3 in which a customer directly operates to enjoy a game, a money slot 4 including a coin slot 5a and a bill slot 5b, and a non-contact IC card reader are provided. The front surface of the writer 6 is exposed. Furthermore, below the game mechanism 3, a lever 8 for hitting the supplied balls 7 and a tray 9 for the balls 7 are provided.

More specifically, a window 19 is formed on the front surface of the non-contact IC card reader / writer 6, and the window 19 is used by the customer.
You can check the IC card installed inside. Furthermore, in order to prevent the customer from trying to pull out the IC card from the window 19, a transparent cover is attached to the front surface of the non-contact IC card reader / writer 6.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of each gaming machine 1. In each gaming machine 1, for example, the game mechanism 3 described above is provided to the control unit 10 including a computer.
A hitting ball supply mechanism 11, an amount-of-money information reading unit 12 for reading the amount information of the amount of money inserted from the money insertion port 4 and storing the amount of money for which the reading of the amount of money information has been completed in a safe 13, and a positioning hole 15 at the center. A non-contact IC card reader / writer 6 for reading and writing various kinds of information is connected to the IC card 14 provided.

Next, the general operation of the gaming machine 1 thus constructed will be briefly described. When the power of the gaming machine 1 is turned on, the control unit 10 sends an initialization command to each unit 3, 11, 12, 6 to initialize each unit. As a result, the non-contact IC card reader / writer 6 also has the IC card 14
The money amount information written in is initialized to "0".

In this state, when a customer inserts coins or bills into the money insertion slot 4, the insertion amount reading unit 12 disperses the insertion amount and notifies the control unit 10 as insertion amount information. The control unit 10 writes the received money amount information into the IC card 14 via the non-contact IC card reader / writer 6.

Next, when the customer presses the hitting ball supply button of the game mechanism 3, the control section 10 sends a ball 7 supply command to the hitting ball supply mechanism 11. The hitting ball supply mechanism 11 supplies a unit number of balls 7, such as 25 balls, to the game mechanism 3. At the same time, the control unit 10 controls the IC via the non-contact IC card reader / writer 6.
The unit amount information corresponding to the unit number of balls 7 is subtracted from the input amount information stored in the card 14. Then, the customer hits the ball 7 supplied to the game mechanism 3 with the lever 8 and enjoys it.

As described above, every time the customer presses the hitting ball supply button of the game mechanism 3, the unit number of balls 7 is supplied to the game mechanism 3 and the inserted amount information stored in the IC card 14 is a unit. The amount information is reduced by each amount. Then, when the inserted amount information stored in the IC card 14 becomes “0”, the supply of the unit number of balls 7 to the game mechanism 3 is stopped.

Next, the non-contact I incorporated in each gaming machine 1
The detailed configuration and operation of the C card reader / writer 6 will be described. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the non-contact IC card reader / writer 6 incorporated in the gaming device 1, and FIG.
4 is a front view showing a state in which 0 is opened, and FIG.
It is a side view of the state where 0 was closed.

The front surface 16a of the frame 16 formed of a plastic material in a box shape faces the front surface of the game apparatus 1. Above the side surface 16b of the frame 16, the front surface 16a
A rectangular recess 17 into which the IC card 14 is mounted is formed at a position close to. At the center position of the bottom surface 17a of the recess 17, a columnar projection 18 into which the positioning hole 15 formed at the center of the IC card 14 is inserted is formed. A plurality of bars 17f for fixing the position of the recessed portion 17 in the mounted IC card 14 in the depth direction are formed on the bottom surface 17a of the recessed portion 17.

Further, the frame 1 in the recess 17
A step portion 17d is formed on the side surface 17b of the No. 6 side surface 17b facing the side surface 17c on the front surface 16a side. A notch 17e for removing the mounted IC card 14 with a finger is formed at the center of the step 17d.

Further, between the side surface 17c of the recess 17 and the front surface 16a of the frame 16, it is shown that the customer of the game apparatus 1 has the IC card 14 mounted in the recess 17 on the front surface of the game apparatus 1. A slit-shaped window 19 is provided for confirmation from the side. More specifically, FIG. 4 (b)
As shown in, when the IC card 14 is mounted in the recess 17, the end of the IC card 14 is exposed through the window 19.

As shown in the front view of FIG. 4A, in order to read / write various information in a contactless manner with respect to the mounted IC card 14, a portion of the frame 16 facing the bottom surface 17a of the recess 17 is provided. A transmitter / receiver 30 is provided.

Further, one end of a cover 20 for covering the recess 17 is pivotally supported on one side of the recess 17 by shafts 21a and 21b. A plurality of crosspieces 22 are provided on the inner surface of the cover 20.
Are formed.

A stopper jig 23 made of a spring material is attached to the tip of the cover 20. 5A is a diagram showing a state where the cover 20 is opened, and FIG. 5B is a diagram showing a state where the cover 20 is closed.

As shown in FIG. 5A, the IC card 14 mounted in the recess 17 is in a state of being positioned by the bar 17f formed on the bottom surface 17a of the recess 17 and the protrusion 18. When the cover 20 is closed in this state, as shown in FIG. 5B, the locking jig 23 is locked by the locking portion 24 formed on the side surface inside the recess 17. In this case, the elastic force of the spring material of the stopping jig 23 formed of the spring material causes the cover 20 to
The IC card 14 is urged toward the bottom surface 17a in the recess 17 by the tip of each crosspiece 22. Therefore, each crosspiece 22 and the stop jig 23 formed of a spring material constitute an urging mechanism for urging the IC card 14 in the recess 17 toward the bottom surface 17a.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view when the non-contact IC card reader / writer 6 with the cover 20 closed is cut in the horizontal direction.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the IC card 14 used in the non-contact IC card reader / writer 6.
A positioning hole 15 is formed in the center of a rectangular base 25 made of a plastic plate. A transmitting / receiving antenna 26 is embedded in the peripheral portion of the base 25. Further, the positioning hole 15 of the base 25 and the transmitting / receiving antenna 2
Between 6 and memory element, interface circuit or CPU
An IC chip 27 including is embedded. The aforementioned amount-of-payment information is written in the storage element.

When writing money amount information into such an IC card 14, the IC card 14 is used as a non-contact IC.
When the card 20 is mounted in the recess 17 of the card reader / writer 6 and the cover 20 is closed, the IC card 14 faces the transmitting / receiving unit 30 set in the frame 16. In this state, when a write command designating the amount-of-payment information for the IC card 14 is input from the control unit 10 of the gaming device 1, the amount-of-payment information is frequency-converted into a high frequency signal from the transmission / reception unit 30 and emitted as a radio wave. The radio-frequency signal thus emitted is received by the transmitting / receiving antenna 26 of the IC card 14, converted into the original amount-of-payment information by the interface circuit in the IC chip 27, and written in the memory element by the CPU.

Further, in the case of reading the amount-of-payment information stored in the storage element of the IC card 14, when a command for reading the amount-of-payment information to the IC card 14 is input from the control unit 10 of the gaming machine 1, the transmitting / receiving unit 30 is The frequency of the read command is converted into a high frequency signal and the radio wave is emitted. This radio-frequency emitted high-frequency signal is received by the transmission / reception antenna 26 of the IC card 14, the CPU in the IC chip 27 reads the deposit amount information in the storage element 27, and the interface circuit converts it into a high-frequency signal for transmission / reception. Radio waves are emitted via the antenna 26. The transmission / reception unit 30 on the non-contact IC card reader / writer 6 side reads the high-frequency signal emitted from the radio wave, frequency-converts it into the input amount information, and sends it to the control unit 10 of the gaming device 1.

In the IC card 14 and the non-contact IC card reader / writer 6 having such a configuration, the IC card 1
Since the positioning hole 15 is formed in the center of the IC card 4, the IC card 14 is used as a contactless IC card reader / writer 6.
The protrusion 18 formed in the concave portion 17 on the side is the positioning hole 15
The IC card 14 is firmly fixed in the recess 17 of the non-contact IC card reader / writer while being correctly positioned by mounting the cover 20 in the recess 17 so that the IC card 14 is inserted into the recess 17. Further, as shown in FIG. 4B, the tip of the IC card 14 is exposed through the window 19.

As a result, even if a large vibration is applied to the game apparatus 1 in which the non-contact IC card reader / writer 6 is incorporated, various information can be accurately read / written from / to the IC card 14. Furthermore, the presence of the IC card 14 can be confirmed from the window 19 for the customer of the gaming machine 1, so that he / she can feel a sense of security.

Further, since the transparent cover is attached to the front surface of the non-contact IC card reader / writer 6, it is possible to prevent the customer from accidentally pulling out the exposed IC card 14 from the window 19.

Furthermore, the IC card 14 is used for each gaming device 1.
Each of them is installed individually and is not handed to the customer. Therefore, the running cost of each gaming device 1 can be significantly reduced as compared with the conventional case where a disposable prepaid card is sold to each customer.

[0042]

As described above, the noncontact I of the present invention is
In a C card reader / writer and a game machine, an IC is provided with a positioning hole in an IC card, and a non-contact IC card reader / writer has a protrusion portion to be inserted into the positioning hole.
It incorporates a mechanism to fix the card. Furthermore, a window for confirming the IC card is formed.

Therefore, even if the non-contact IC card reader / writer of the present invention is incorporated in various game devices installed in a game facility where vibration is always applied, various information can be accurately read from and written to the IC card. . further,
While reducing the running cost of the seed game device,
It gives a feeling of security to the customers who enjoy the game with the seed game device.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of a game device including a pachinko machine in which a non-contact IC card reader / writer according to an embodiment of the present invention is incorporated.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a gaming device according to the same embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a non-contact IC card reader / writer according to the same embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a front view and a side view of the non-contact IC card reader / writer according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a cover opening / closing operation in the non-contact IC card reader / writer according to the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a cutaway sectional view of the non-contact IC card reader / writer according to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of an IC card used in the non-contact IC card reader / writer according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1. Gaming device 3 ... Game equipment 4 ... Money input port 6 ... Non-contact IC card reader / writer 7 ... ball 10 ... Control unit 11 ... Ball supply mechanism 12 ... Payment amount reading unit 14 ... IC card 15 ... Positioning hole 16 ... Frame 17 ... Recess 18 ... Projection 19 ... Windows 20 ... Cover 23 ... Stopping jig 25 ... Base 26 ... Transmitting / receiving antenna 27 ... IC chip 30 ... window

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ───

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] April 16, 2002 (2002.4.1)
6)

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] Claim 1

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Procedure Amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0009

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0009]

In order to solve the above problems, in the non-contact IC card reader / writer of the present invention, a positioning hole is bored in the central portion to form a recess for mounting an IC card. The frame is mounted in a state in which the frame is covered with the projection, the projection protruding from the bottom of the recess in the frame and into which the positioning hole of the IC card is inserted, and the recess covered .
A cover for preventing the IC card from coming off the protrusion, a window formed on the frame for confirming the IC card mounted in the recess from the outside of the frame, and mounted in the recess. And a transmission / reception unit for reading and writing information from and to the IC card that has been read.

[Procedure 3]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0010

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

In the non-contact IC card reader / writer configured as described above, the projection is provided on the bottom surface of the recess formed in the frame of the non-contact IC card reader / writer. Roughly, the IC card mounted in this recess is provided with a positioning hole into which the protrusion is inserted. Then, when this IC card is mounted in the recess and the recess is covered with a cover , the mounted IC card and protrusion
Is covered by a cover.

[Procedure amendment 4]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0011

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0011] As a result, IC card or protrusion in the recess
Since not deviate al, even a variety of information can be read and written precisely even for an IC card as a large vibration is applied to the non-contact IC card reader writer integrated example gaming device.

[Procedure Amendment 5]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0014

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

In the thus constructed IC card, since the positioning hole is formed in the central portion of the IC card, the IC card is recessed so that the protruding portion is inserted into the positioning hole. If attached to the IC card, the IC card will be a non-contact IC
Be fit positioning accurately in the recess of the card reader-writer.

[Procedure correction 6]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0042

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0042]

As described above, the noncontact I of the present invention is
In a C card reader / writer and a game machine, an IC is provided with a positioning hole in an IC card, and a non-contact IC card reader / writer has a protrusion portion to be inserted into the positioning hole.
It incorporates a mechanism to prevent the card from coming off . Further IC
A window for confirming the card is formed.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme code (reference) G06K 19/00 G06K 19/00 H 19/07 U Q (72) Inventor Kenichi Funaki Kita-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture No. 5-9 Nozakicho F-Term in Japan Game Card Co., Ltd. (reference) 2C005 MA18 MA25 MA40 MB02 NA06 NA08 NB03 NB09 PA09 SA04 TA06 TA22 2C088 BB03 BB11 BB21 BB23 BB26 BC77 5B035 BA03 BB09 BC02 CA01 CA11 CA23 5B058 CA02 CA15 CA15 CA02 CA15 CA15 CA02 CA15 YA06 YA20

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A frame (16) in which a positioning hole (15) is formed in a central portion and a concave portion for mounting an IC card (14) is formed, and a convex portion is provided on a bottom surface of the concave portion in the frame. A cover (20) provided with a protrusion (18) into which the positioning hole of the IC card is externally inserted, and a biasing mechanism that biases the IC card toward the bottom surface of the recess while the recess is covered.
And an IC formed in the frame and mounted in the recess
A window (1 for viewing the card from outside the frame
A non-contact IC card reader / writer comprising: 9) and a transmitting / receiving unit (30) for reading and writing information in a contactless manner with respect to an IC card mounted in the recess. 2. The IC card comprises a base (25) formed of a plastic plate in a rectangular shape, a positioning hole (15) formed in a central portion of the base, and a peripheral portion of the base. The non-contact IC card reader / writer according to claim 1, further comprising an embedded transmitting / receiving antenna (26) and an IC chip (27) embedded in the base and including at least a storage element. 3. A game mechanism (3) capable of enjoying a game according to the amount information, a non-contact IC card reader / writer (6) according to claim 1 or 2, and amount information of money inserted from a money insertion port. A deposit amount reading unit (12) for reading the deposit amount, and a deposit amount information writing unit (10) for writing the amount information read by the deposit amount reading unit to an IC card via the non-contact IC card reader / writer, Every time the game machine spends unit price information on the game,
A gaming machine provided with an input amount information reduction unit (10) for sequentially reducing unit amount information from the input amount information written in the IC card via the non-contact IC card reader / writer.