JP2004105760A - Central controller for game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a central controller for a game machine, which can reduce human workloads in processes for finding a game machine requiring adjustment of nails and opening a glass door of the machine, when adjustment of the nails or the like is performed by opening the glass door of the machine. <P>SOLUTION: For each of pachinko machines 20, a profitability ratio totaling means 32 of a controller body part 30 determines a difference between the number of entering balls and that of put-out balls, in accordance with data indicating the entering balls and the put-out balls, sent from each of the pachinko machines 20. An extraction means 36 extracts the pachinko machine 20 having the difference not within a prescribed allowable range as the game machine whose nails have to be adjusted by opening the glass door 22. An opening command transmitting means 38 sends a command to open the door 22 to each of the extracted machines 20; and the extracted machine 20 receiving the command opens the door 22 by unlocking the door 22 by an opening means 52 using a solenoid etc. The body part 30 automatically starts processing for extracting the machine 20 which requires the adjustment of the nails, when a preregistered time is reached. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

The present invention is directed to a plurality of gaming machines that open a glass door to adjust the state of a gaming board surface and manage gaming machines based on data sent from the gaming machines. Regarding the management device.

As a conventional centralized management machine for gaming machines, based on data representing the number of incoming and outgoing balls sent from a plurality of pachinko machines placed in the amusement arcade, the difference between each There is one that obtains the number of balls and prints out them as a form.

The manager of the amusement arcade selects the pachinko machine to be nail-adjusted with reference to the value of the difference ball recorded on the form, then searches for the installation location of the corresponding pachinko machine in the amusement arcade, further unlocks the key. After opening the glass door of the pachinko machine, the nail was adjusted.

Further, Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 6-30676 discloses a gaming machine centralized management device which reduces the operation of selecting a pachinko machine to be nail-adjusted from a printed out form. In this apparatus, a pachinko machine in which the number of difference balls is not within a predetermined allowable range is selected by the gaming machine central management apparatus itself, and only the pachinko machines are printed out with a form in which difference balls and the like are recorded.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-30676

However, in such a conventional technique, information indicating the pachinko machine to be adjusted is simply printed out on a form, so that the person in charge of the adjustment walks around the game hall and identifies the pachinko machine displayed on the upper front of the pachinko machine. It was necessary to find out the location of the pachinko machine to be adjusted by comparing the number with the number printed on the form.

Furthermore, it was necessary to unlock the glass door of the pachinko machine that had been found and open it, which required a lot of labor and time to actually perform the nail adjustment.

The present invention has been made by focusing on such problems of the conventional technology, and when performing an adjustment operation such as opening a glass door of a gaming machine such as nail adjustment, searching for a gaming machine requiring adjustment. It is an object of the present invention to provide a gaming machine centralized management device capable of reducing the amount of manual work in the process until the glass door is opened and speeding up the adjustment work.

The gist of the present invention to achieve this object lies in the inventions in the following items. [1] A plurality of gaming machines (20) that open the glass door (22) to adjust the state of the gaming board surface are to be managed, and the profit of each gaming machine (20) is determined based on data sent from these gaming machines. In the gaming machine central management device (10) for managing the occurrence state,
Profit ratio tallying means (32) for calculating the amount of profit in each gaming machine (20) based on data sent from each gaming machine (20), and a glass door (22) to open the game board surface An extracting means (36) for extracting a gaming machine (20) whose state is to be adjusted based on the magnitude of the profit obtained by the profit rate totaling means (32); and each game extracted by the extracting means (36). A management device main unit (30) including an opening instruction sending means (38) for sending an opening instruction to open the glass door (22) to the machine (20);
Opening means (52, 64) provided for each gaming machine (20) and for opening the glass door (22) of the corresponding gaming machine (20) when receiving the opening instruction from the management device main body (30). ) And
The management device main unit (30) automatically starts a process of extracting a game machine (20) for adjusting a state of the game board surface when a pre-registered time comes. Central management device (10).

[2] The profit rate totaling means (32) includes a storage means (34) for storing the magnitude of profit for each gaming machine (20) for a plurality of days, and the extracting means (36) stores a state of a game board. The centralized management device for gaming machines according to [1], wherein the gaming machine (20) to be adjusted is extracted based on the magnitude of profit for a plurality of days stored in the storage means (34). 10).

[3] The gaming machine (20) is a pachinko machine that sends out data indicating the number of incoming balls and the number of outgoing balls, and the profit rate aggregation means (32) calculates the number of incoming balls and the number of outgoing balls. The number of difference balls, which is the difference, is determined as the size of the profit, and the extracting means (36) adjusts the state of the game board surface of a gaming machine (20) in which the number of difference balls is not within a predetermined allowable range. The gaming machine centralized management device (10) according to [1] or [2], wherein the gaming machine is extracted as a machine (20).

[4] A display lamp (54) for displaying that the state of the game board surface should be adjusted, and the display lamp (54) is turned on when the opening instruction is received from the management device main body (30). The lighting means (62), the detecting means (50) for detecting the opening and closing of the glass door (22), and the detecting means (50) after the opening means (52, 64) open the glass door (22). A light-off means (62) for turning off the display lamp (54) when it is detected that the glass door (22) is closed is provided for each gaming machine (20) [1]. The gaming machine centralized management device (10) according to [2] or [3].

The present invention operates as follows.
The profit rate totaling means (32) of the management device main body (30) obtains the magnitude of profit in each gaming machine (20) based on data sent from each gaming machine (20). The extracting means (36) extracts the gaming machine (20) whose glass door (22) is to be opened to adjust the state of the gaming board based on the magnitude of the profit obtained by the profit rate totaling means (32).

For example, a pachinko machine that sends data representing the number of incoming and outgoing balls is managed, and the difference between the number of incoming balls and the number of outgoing balls sent from the pachinko machine is calculated as profit. A game machine (20) which is obtained by the rate totaling means (32) and whose number of difference balls is not within a predetermined allowable range is extracted as a gaming machine (20) requiring adjustment such as nail adjustment. In other words, both a game machine with a high profit rate and a large loss of the player and a game machine with a low profit rate exceeding the limit are selected as gaming machines (20) to be adjusted.

The opening instruction sending means (38) sends an opening instruction to open the glass door (22) to each gaming machine (20) extracted by the extracting means (36). Opening means (52, 64) provided in each of the gaming machines (20) to be managed, when receiving an opening instruction from the management apparatus main body (30), locks the corresponding glass door (22) with its key. Open and open.

As described above, the gaming machine central management device (10) extracts the gaming machine (20) to be adjusted by itself, and automatically opens the glass door (22) of the extracted gaming machine (20). Preliminary work before entering is reduced, and adjustment work can be performed quickly. Furthermore, since the gaming machine (20) which needs to be adjusted has its glass door (22) opened, the person in charge can easily find the installation location of the gaming machine (20) to be adjusted in the game arcade, The adjustment work can proceed more quickly.

In addition, the management device main unit (30) automatically starts the process of extracting a gaming machine (20) whose state of the gaming board surface should be adjusted when a pre-registered time comes. If the business closing time is registered in advance in the management device main unit (30), the extraction process is automatically started when the business of the game hall is completed, and the corresponding game is performed based on the data collected during the business hours. An instruction to open the glass door (22) is sent to the machine (20). As a result, the glass door (22) of the gaming machine (20) requiring adjustment is automatically opened after the business closes, and the business after the store closes can proceed more smoothly.

(4) Further, the profit rate totaling means (32) is provided with a storage means (34), in which the magnitude of profit for each gaming machine (20) is stored for a plurality of days. The extracting means (36) stores the gaming machine (20) to be adjusted based on the magnitude of profit for a plurality of days stored in the storage means (34) of the profit rate totaling means (32), for example, for a plurality of Extract based on the sum of the minutes' profits.

As described above, the gaming machines (20) to be adjusted are extracted based on the magnitude of profits for a plurality of days. Therefore, even if there is some variation in the magnitude of profits on a daily basis, the gaming machines that need to be adjusted are required. (20) can be selected accurately.

Further, a display lamp (54) is provided for each gaming machine (20), and when receiving an opening instruction from the management device main body (30), the display lamp (54) is turned on by the lighting means (62), or Flash. Thereby, the gaming machine (20) to be adjusted can be more easily and quickly found in the game arcade.

Further, a detecting means (50) for detecting the opening and closing of the glass door (22) is provided, and the indicator lamp (54) is turned off when detecting that the glass door (22) is closed after the nail adjustment or the like is completed. I do. As a result, only the display lamp (54) of the gaming machine (20) for which adjustment has not been completed is turned on, and the person in charge can quickly and easily find the gaming machine (20) to be adjusted next. . In addition, it is possible to prevent the gaming machine (20) that has already been adjusted from being adjusted again.

According to the gaming machine central management device of the present invention, the gaming machine to be adjusted is extracted by the gaming machine central management device itself, and the glass doors of those gaming machines are automatically opened. The human work to be performed before entering is reduced, and the adjustment work can be promptly performed. Further, the gaming machine requiring adjustment has its glass door opened and the display lamp is turned on, so that the person in charge of adjustment can easily find the gaming machine to be adjusted in the game hall.

In addition, the management device main unit automatically starts the process of extracting a gaming machine for which the state of the gaming board surface should be adjusted when a pre-registered time has arrived, so that the business can proceed more smoothly. Neglecting the nail adjustment work can be prevented.

Also, in the case of extracting gaming machines to be adjusted based on the magnitude of profits for a plurality of days, even if there is a certain fluctuation in the magnitude of profits on a daily basis, gaming machines that need to be adjusted are accurately identified. Can be selected.

In addition, when the adjustment work such as nail adjustment is completed and the glass door is closed, the display lamp is automatically turned off. By doing so, it is possible to identify the game machine quickly, and it is possible to prevent a situation in which the adjusted gaming machine is adjusted again.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
Each drawing shows an embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 2, the gaming machine managed by the gaming machine central management device 10 is a pachinko machine 20. In the amusement arcade, a plurality of gaming machine islands 21 in which a plurality of pachinko machines 20 are juxtaposed are provided. The gaming machine centralized management device 10 is composed of a management device main body 30 disposed in a management room of a game arcade and various gaming machine-side devices provided for each pachinko machine 20.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of the gaming machine centralized management device 10. The gaming machine side device provided for each pachinko machine 20 in the gaming machine centralized management device 10 includes an open / close detection sensor 50 for detecting the opening / closing of the glass door 22 of the pachinko machine 20, and opening or closing the glass door 22. There are an opening means 52 for switching between locking and unlocking with a solenoid, and a display lamp 54 provided above the pachinko machine 20. Further, a gaming machine-side control section 60 for controlling blinking of the display lamp 54, opening control of the glass door 22, and the like is provided on the back surface of each pachinko machine 20.

The pachinko machine 20 has a game board surface on which a pachinko ball is launched, and the game board surface is covered by a glass door 22. The left end of the glass door 22 is pivotally supported by the main body of the pachinko machine 20, and the glass door 22 can be opened and closed around the end. The open / close detection sensor 50 is a sensor that detects whether the glass door 22 is closed, and here, a mechanical switch such as a micro switch is used. In addition, an optical sensor or the like may be used as the open / close detection sensor 50.

At the right end of the glass door 22, a hook protruding toward the main body of the pachinko machine 20 is attached so that the movable shaft of the solenoid of the opening means 52 can be fitted into the hook with the glass door 22 closed. It has become.

(4) The movable shaft of the solenoid of the opening means 52 is locked by the force of a spring into the hook of the glass door 22 in a closed state when there is no power supply. On the other hand, when power is supplied, the movable shaft comes off the hook against the bias of the spring, and the glass door 22 is unlocked and can be opened.

The key of the glass door 22 may be opened and closed by a motor or the like instead of the solenoid. That is, the rotation of the motor can be converted into reciprocating motion to move the movable shaft hooked on the hook.

The gaming machine-side control unit 60 includes a blinking control unit 62 for controlling the blinking operation of the display lamp 54, and a door opening control unit 64 for driving the solenoid of the opening means 52 and controlling the opening and closing of the key of the glass door 22. . The gaming machine-side control unit 60 has a function of transmitting various data output from the pachinko machine 20 to the management device main unit 30 through a communication cable, and a function of receiving various control commands from the management device main unit 30. ing. The pachinko machine 20 sends an incoming signal generated each time there is an incoming ball and an outgoing signal generated each time there is an outgoing ball to the management device main unit 30.

A plurality of pachinko machines 20 provided with such a device are connected to the management device main unit 30 via a communication cable. The management device main unit 30 includes a profit rate totaling unit 32 that obtains and stores a profit generation state, that is, the number of difference balls, based on the incoming signal and the outgoing signal transmitted from each pachinko machine 20; Extraction means 36 for extracting the pachinko machine 20 that requires nail adjustment based on the occurrence state of the pachinko machine, and open instruction sending means 38 for sending an instruction to open the glass door 22 to the extracted pachinko machine 20.

The profit margin summing means 32 calculates a difference ball number for each pachinko machine 20 when the business of the game arcade is closed, and calculates a difference ball number for a plurality of recent days. Storage means 34 for storing each pachinko machine 20; In addition, the management device main unit 30 includes an operation unit 40 for inputting various operations, and a display unit 42 for displaying various information on the management status of the game arcade. Here, a CRT display is used as the display means 42.

The operation unit 40 includes standard keys for inputting alphabets, numbers, hiragana, symbols, etc., as well as a business start button that is pressed when starting business in a game arcade and a business end button that is pressed when business is completed. It is a keyboard with various special keys.

The management device main unit 30 is composed of a circuit mainly including a CPU (central processing unit), a ROM (read only memory), and a RAM (random access memory). Further, the management device main body 30 uses a non-volatile memory capable of retaining the stored contents even if a power failure or the like occurs, as the storage means 34 for storing various management data such as the number of difference balls for a plurality of days. . In addition, the management device main unit 30 is provided with a communication circuit unit for transmitting and receiving data and commands to and from each of the pachinko machines 20. Here, communication between the management device main unit 30 and each of the pachinko machines 20 is performed via a LAN (local area network).

The gaming machine-side control unit 60 provided on each pachinko machine 20 is a one-chip microcomputer provided with a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, a plurality of input / output ports, a communication control circuit corresponding to a LAN, and the like. It is configured.

Next, the operation of the gaming machine centralized management device 10 will be described.
FIG. 3 shows a flow of an operation performed by the management device main unit 30 of the gaming machine centralized management device 10. When the business start button of the operation unit 40 is pressed and the business of the game arcade is started (Step S101; Y), the difference ball counting unit 33 of the profit rate totaling unit 32 receives the input from each pachinko machine 20. Based on the ball signal and the ball output signal, the number of incoming balls and the number of outgoing balls are counted for each pachinko machine (step S102). A unique identification number is assigned to each pachinko machine in the amusement arcade, and the number of incoming and outgoing balls is managed in association with the identification number of the pachinko machine.

When the end of business is set by pressing the business end button of the operation unit 40 (step S103; Y), the difference ball counting unit 33 counts, for each pachinko machine 20, from the start of business to the end of business. The number of difference balls is calculated by subtracting the number of payout balls counted during the same period from the number of incoming balls, and the difference is stored in the storage unit 34 in association with the identification number assigned to the pachinko machine 20 (step S104).

The storage means 34 can store the difference number of balls for four days for all the pachinko machines 20 to be managed, and the storage area is divided into four areas according to business days. By sequentially moving the areas where the data for today is written and using the four storage areas cyclically, the data for the last four days is always stored in the storage means 34.

After the number of difference balls for today is stored in the storage means 34, the extracting means 36 determines whether or not it is necessary to perform nail adjustment one by one in the order of the smallest identification number among the pachinko machines 20 to be managed. Is determined.

{That is, the data of the number of difference balls for the last four days for one pachinko machine 20 selected in the order of the identification numbers is read from the storage means 34, and the total thereof is obtained (step S105). Then, it is determined whether or not the total number of difference balls falls within a predetermined allowable range (step S106).

If the number of difference balls is larger than the allowable range, it means that there are few outgoing balls with respect to incoming balls and the player loses too much.If the number of difference balls is below the allowable range or a negative value, the ball This indicates that the probability of winning is too high, and that there are many payouts, and that the profits of the game store exceed the limit and are small. Therefore, both a pachinko machine having a difference ball number exceeding an allowable range and a pachinko machine having a difference ball number below the allowable range are extracted as tables requiring nail adjustment.

When the difference ball number is out of the allowable range (Step S106; Y), the opening instruction sending unit 38 sends an opening instruction signal indicating that the glass door 22 is opened to the corresponding pachinko machine 20 (Step S107). . Such determination processing of the number of difference balls is performed for all the pachinko machines 20 (step S108; N), and when the determination processing is completed for all the pachinko machines 20, a series of processing on the management apparatus main body 30 side ends (END). ).

When the business is finished in this way, the pachinko machine 20 to be nail-adjusted is automatically extracted and its glass door 22 is opened, and the glass doors 22 of the pachinko machine 20 are individually or simultaneously opened from the management device main body 30. The operation can be performed at any time.

The operation unit 40 is provided with a simultaneous release button. When the button is pressed, the release instruction sending unit 38 of the management device main unit 30 sends an open instruction signal to all the pachinko machines 20. When the glass door 22 is to be individually opened, a predetermined door open command is input after designating the identification number of the pachinko machine to open the glass door 22 from the numeric keypad of the operation unit 40. At this time, the opening instruction sending means 38 sends an opening instruction signal only to the pachinko machine 20 having the designated identification number.

FIG. 4 shows a flow of the operation performed by the gaming machine-side control unit 60. The gaming machine-side control section 60 constantly transmits incoming and outgoing signals input from the corresponding pachinko machine to the management apparatus main body 30 via a LAN-compatible communication control circuit. In a normal state such as during business hours, the glass door 22 of the pachinko machine 20 is in a closed state, and the opening means 52 is in a locked state so that the solenoid is not energized and the glass door 22 is not opened.

The amusement machine-side control unit 60 is opened by the door opening control unit 64 upon receipt of an opening instruction signal from the management device main unit 30 when the business is closed or when the simultaneous release button is pressed (step S201; Y). The energization of the solenoid of the means 52 is started, the key is opened, and the glass door 22 is opened (step S202). The glass door 22 is urged by a spring so as to be slightly opened when the key is released.

When the opening instruction signal is received from the opening instruction sending means 38 (step S201; Y), the glass door 22 is opened, and the gaming machine-side control section 60 starts the blinking operation of the display lamp 54 by the blinking control section 62 (step S201). S203).

(4) Since the glass door 22 is opened and the display lamp 54 flashes in this manner, the person in charge of adjustment can easily identify the installation location of the pachinko machine 20 to be adjusted. Further, the operation of manually unlocking the glass door 22 becomes unnecessary, and the actual nail adjustment operation can be started immediately.

When the opening and closing detection sensor 50 detects that the nail adjustment is completed and the glass door 22 is closed (step S204; Y), the door opening control unit 64 stops energizing the solenoid of the opening means 52, The door 22 is locked (Step S205). Further, the blinking operation of the display lamp 54 is terminated, and the display lamp 54 is turned off (step S206).

(4) Since the locking is automatically performed when the glass door 22 is closed after the nail adjustment, the manual operation by the adjusting person can be further omitted, and the adjusting operation can proceed more efficiently. In addition, when the glass door 22 is closed after the adjustment, the blinking operation of the display lamp 54 is stopped, so that only the unadjusted pachinko machine 20 blinks the display lamp 54. Therefore, the person in charge of adjustment can quickly find the next pachinko machine 20 to be adjusted by the presence or absence of blinking of the display lamp 54, and prevent a situation in which the adjusted pachinko machine 20 is adjusted again. Can be.

In the embodiment described above, the pachinko machine is the gaming machine to be managed. However, any type of gaming machine that opens the glass door covering the gaming board surface and performs some adjustment that affects the profit margin may be used. The target gaming machines are not limited to pachinko machines.

Further, the size of the profit margin is determined based on the difference ball, and the gaming machine that needs to be adjusted is extracted. However, the number of winnings to the start chucker or the like may be added as one of the selection criteria. good.

Further, in the embodiment, the extraction process of the pachinko machine 20 that needs to be adjusted is started in response to the pressing of the business closing button, but the business closing time and the time at which the adjustment is to be started are determined in advance by the management device main unit 30. , And the extraction process may be started automatically when the corresponding time comes.

It is an explanatory view showing the outline of the composition of the game machine central management device concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is an explanatory view showing an installation state of a game machine centralized management device according to an embodiment of the present invention in a game arcade. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of operation | movement which the management apparatus main body part of the gaming machine central management apparatus concerning one Embodiment of this invention performs. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of operation | movement which the game machine side control part of the game machine central management apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention performs.

Explanation of reference numerals

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Game machine central management apparatus 20 ... Pachinko machine 21 ... Game machine island 22 ... Glass door 30 ... Management apparatus main body 32 ... Profit ratio totaling means 33 ... Difference ball counting section 34 ... Storage means 36 ... Extraction means 38 ... Open instruction Sending unit 40 Operating unit 42 Display unit 50 Open / close detection sensor 52 Opening unit 54 Display lamp 60 Gaming machine side control unit 62 Flashing control unit 64 Door open control unit

Claims (4)

In a gaming machine centralized management device that manages a plurality of gaming machines that open a glass door and adjusts the state of the gaming board surface, and manages the state of generation of profit in each gaming machine based on data sent from these gaming machines,
Profit rate summarization means for calculating the amount of profit in each gaming machine based on data sent from each gaming machine, and the profit rate summing up the gaming machines to open the glass door and adjust the state of the game board surface A management apparatus comprising: extracting means for extracting based on the magnitude of the profit obtained by the means; and opening instruction transmitting means for transmitting an opening instruction to open the glass door to each of the gaming machines extracted by the extracting means. The main body,
Opening means provided for each gaming machine and, when receiving the opening instruction from the management device main body, opening a glass door of the corresponding gaming machine,
The centralized management device for gaming machines, wherein the management device main unit automatically starts a process of extracting a gaming machine for adjusting a state of the gaming board surface when a pre-registered time comes. The profit rate totaling means includes a storage means for storing the magnitude of profit for each gaming machine for a plurality of days, and the extracting means stores a gaming machine whose state of a gaming board surface is to be adjusted in the storage means. 2. The centralized management device for gaming machines according to claim 1, wherein the centralized management device is configured to extract the profits based on magnitudes of profits for a plurality of days. The gaming machine is a pachinko machine that sends data representing the number of incoming balls and the number of paying balls, and the profit rate summing unit calculates the number of difference balls, which is the difference between the number of incoming balls and the number of paying balls. 3. The game machine according to claim 1, wherein the size of the profit is obtained, and the extracting means extracts a gaming machine having a number of difference balls which is not within a predetermined allowable range as a gaming machine for which the state of the gaming board surface is to be adjusted. Gaming machine centralized management equipment. A display lamp for displaying that the state of the game board surface should be adjusted; lighting means for turning on the display lamp when the opening instruction is received from the management device main body; and detection for detecting opening and closing of the glass door Means, and turning off means for turning off the display lamp when the detecting means detects that the glass door is closed after the opening means opens the glass door, provided for each gaming machine. The gaming machine centralized management device according to claim 1, 2 or 3.

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