JP2005073810A - Management system of game equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce costs for a management system of game equipment. <P>SOLUTION: A main controller 42 is provided on one game surface 20A among a plurality of game surfaces 20A to 20D where slot machines etc. are arranged. On the other game surfaces, sub-controllers 45B to 45D having restricted functions for driving control of paper money stackers 27 and for counting of collected paper moneys are provided. The main controller carries out management processing including setting of the ID number of a medal renting machine arranged on each game surface to concentrate sales information and other trouble information for each medal renting machine. Since the functions of the sub-controllers 45 on the many game surfaces are restricted, circuit boards are miniaturized and a required power capacity is reduced, so that remarkable cost reduction is attained as a whole. In addition, since concentrated management is performed by a control box part provided with the main controller 42 without going around to see each game surface, labor and time for control is reduced. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a management system for a play facility in which a plurality of play surfaces formed by horizontally arranging play tables are arranged.

At the amusement store, game machines such as slot machines and pachinko machines are arranged in a straight line in the horizontal direction to form a game surface, and a large number of these game surfaces are arranged to form an island. On the play side, between the play units, for example, one out of two play units, game medium lending machines are arranged, and a management box is provided at one end of each play side.
The game medium lending machine lends a predetermined number of game media when a bill is inserted, that is, a pachinko ball if the play table is a pachinko machine, and a medal if it is a slot machine. In the following, description will be made on a pachinko machine.

The banknotes thrown into the game medium lending machine are collected in the management box at the end of the play surface by a banknote transport device that is arranged on the front side above the play stand and connects each game medium lending machine.
Each management box includes a controller and a banknote stacker for aligning and storing banknotes transported by the banknote transport apparatus, and further includes a monitor connected to the controller.
As a similar configuration, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 4-90389 discloses an apparatus in which a banknote transport device is attached to a position above an amusement stand on a play surface and a bill is transported to a safe at one end of the play surface.

FIG. 7 shows a conventional management system.
A repeater 46 is installed for each predetermined number of adjacent game media lending machines on each of the game surfaces 60 (60A to 60D) on the island, and a controller 66 (66A to 66D) is connected to each game medium lending machine via the repeater 46. An ID (identification) number is set, and sales information for each game medium lending machine and information on the number of pachinko balls paid out are collected. The repeater 46 finally sends the information from the adjacent repeater 46 to the next repeater 46, thereby finally sending it to the controller 66.

The controller 66 controls the bill stacker 27 and counts the number of bills collected in the bill stacker 27. Further, by comparing the sales information with the count value of the banknotes collected in the banknote stacker 27, it is possible to confirm the coincidence / non-coincidence.
In addition to the pachinko machine, which is the main equipment, a bill transport device is also attached to the game surface 60, and trouble information in each equipment is also sent to the controller 66 so that the site where the trouble occurs can be identified.
The management box 65 (65A to 65D) displays various information such as sales information and trouble information gathered in the controller 66 on the monitor 44, respectively.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 4-90389

  As described above, in the game equipment in which the banknote transport device is arranged on the front side of the upper position of the play stand, one banknote transport device cannot be shared by both game surfaces even on an island with the game surfaces back to back. The bill stacker 27 and the controller 66 have to be connected to the bill transport device for each playing surface connecting the game medium lending machines. In the conventional management system, in the management box 65 having the banknote stacker and the controller for each playing surface 60, the ID number setting of the game medium lending machine, the sales information, etc. are collected, or the trouble information is collected. Further, a monitor 44 for the display is provided for each management box 65.

For this reason, in all the management boxes of a large number of game planes, a controller 66 having an ID number setting of a game medium lending machine, a summary of sales information, and other functions, a keyboard (not shown) and a monitor necessary for setting the ID number, etc. 44 was necessary, and there was a problem that the cost of the whole play equipment was high.
In addition, in the thing described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 4-90389, the sales are counted in each safe for each playing surface.
In view of the above-described conventional problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a management system for a play facility that can reduce costs as a whole amusement store.

  For this reason, the present invention arranges a plurality of game machines on one side, installs a game medium lending machine at a predetermined ratio between the game machines, and uses the money stacker driven by the controller to insert the money inserted into the game medium lending machine. In a game facility in which a plurality of game surfaces arranged to be collected by the money transfer device are arranged, a controller of one of the plurality of game surfaces is a main controller, and a controller of the remaining game surface of the plurality is each A sub controller is connected to each main controller, and the main controller performs management processing including setting of ID numbers of the game surface constituting facilities in the plurality of game surfaces.

In a game facility in which a plurality of game surfaces are arranged, one game surface controller performs management processing including ID number setting of the game surface component facilities (for example, a game medium lending machine or a money transport device) of the entire game surface. Since the main controller and the other game side are equipped with sub-controllers, the sub-controllers that occupy a large number can limit their functions to the drive control of the money stacker and the counting of collected money, so it becomes a small and inexpensive configuration, Further, since the power source capacity is also reduced, a significant cost reduction can be obtained as a whole.
In addition, since the store clerk can perform intensive management without visiting each game surface, the labor of management is reduced.

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of examples.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a slot machine row as a play surface to which the present invention is applied.
A slot machine row in which slot machines 22 as a plurality of play tables are arranged in the horizontal direction forms one play surface 20A. A medal lending machine 30 as a game medium lending machine is arranged between each adjacent slot machine 22 arranged in the horizontal direction.

A similar slot machine row extends in the opposite direction across the inspection door 18 to form a play surface 20B. The space of the inspection opening / closing door 18 is provided for avoiding the island support or for installing the lift, and can be freely opened and closed in order to inspect and repair the lift.
Furthermore, slot machine rows are also arranged back-to-back with the game surfaces 20A and 20B, and as shown in FIG. 2, an island 10 consisting of a total of four game surfaces 20A to 20D is formed. The island 10 forms a so-called double-sided island by playing back to back.
Each of the game planes 20 (20A to 20D) is arranged with 15 to 20 slot machines 22, but FIG. 1 shows three slot machines 22 on one game plane for simplification of illustration. is there.

On each playing surface 20, a bill transport device 24 as a money transport device extends laterally above the slot machine 22.
In the medal lending machine 30, the bill insertion unit 32 is incorporated in the bill transport device 24, and the insertion unit cover 33 including the vertical bill insertion port 34 is positioned higher than the slot machine 22.
A bill recognition unit (not shown) is stored on the back side of the insertion unit cover 33. When a bill is inserted into the bill insertion slot 34, the bill recognition unit of each medal lending machine 30 determines whether the inserted bill is genuine or not, and when the bill is authentic, the bill transport device. Send to 24. Then, the number of medals corresponding to the amount is paid out from an internal medal dispenser (not shown).

The banknote transport device 24 is configured by connecting banknote transport units 25 provided corresponding to the spaces between the medal lending machines 30, and will be described later in a management box 40 provided at the end of the playing surface 20. It is connected to a banknote stacker as a stacker and transports banknotes from each banknote identification unit to the banknote stacker.
Although a detailed description of the internal configuration of the banknote transport unit 25 is omitted, the banknote is transported while being pinched by a driven transport belt and a pulley, as in a general transport mechanism.
The straight arrows shown in FIG. 2 indicate the banknote transport direction by the banknote transport device 24.
The banknote transport unit 25 constituting the banknote transport apparatus 24 can be externally mounted on the front side of the mounting plate above the slot machine.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the banknote transport unit 25.
The banknote transport unit 25 sends banknotes inserted from the banknote identification unit or banknotes sent from the adjacent banknote transport unit 25 in the banknote stacker direction. In FIG. 3, a banknote is sent from the lower right to the upper left.
The banknote transport unit 25 has a transport cover 26 on the front surface thereof. On the front surface of the transport cover 26, a call lamp 23 is attached.
The insertion portion cover 33 of the insertion portion 32 includes a key hole 36, which can be unlocked and opened by inserting a predetermined key therein and turning it. The banknote identification unit can be taken out and the conveyance cover 26 can be opened to open the bill. Repair and adjustment inside the transport unit 25 are possible.
The medal lending machine 30 is also provided with a coin slot, but the illustration and description of the coin related items are omitted.

The management box 40 (40A to 40D) described above is installed at the end of each of the play surfaces 20A to 20D away from the inspection opening / closing door 18, and a banknote stacker connected to the banknote transport device 24 and a controller to be described later are installed in the management box 40. Is stored. Each management box 40 is provided with a lamp 41 on its upper wall.
Further, a repeater (not shown) is provided for every predetermined number of medal lending machines 30 adjacent to each other, for example, four. As will be described later, each repeater is sequentially connected by a transmission line, and the controller is also connected to an adjacent repeater.
The repeater is connected to the bill recognition unit and sends the sales information for each medal lending machine 30 to the transmission line.

Although not particularly illustrated, the medal lending machine 30 is provided with a sensor for detecting jamming of inserted bills, and the banknote transport unit 25 is also provided with a sensor for detecting jamming of bills. Sensors are also provided to detect fullness and other troubles.
The repeater also sends the slot machine 22, the medal lending machine 30, the bill transport unit 25, and other trouble information detected by these sensors to the transmission line.

FIG. 4 shows a system configuration of the above-mentioned various information exchange management.
The management box 40A of the playing surface 20A includes a main controller (MAIN C.) 42 and a bill stacker 27 connected to the bill transport device 24 as described above, and includes a monitor 44 connected to the main controller 42. Yes.
On the other hand, the management boxes 40B to 40D of the remaining game surfaces 20B to 20D accommodate the banknote stacker 27 and a sub-controller (SUB C.) 45 (45B to 45D) for driving and controlling the banknote stacker 27, respectively.
The housings of the management boxes 40B to 40D have the same external dimensions and are common parts.

The main controller 42 and the sub-controller 45B of the game surfaces 20A and 20B arranged on one side of the back-to-back are respectively connected to the repeater 46 that is closest in distance by the transmission line 47, and the repeater 46 is also adjacent to each other. Are sequentially connected by a transmission line 47. The sub-controllers 45C and 45D of the game surfaces 20C and 20D and the repeater 46 arranged on the other side of the back-to-back are also connected by the transmission line 47.
Further, the main controller 42 of the game surface 20A and the sub-controller 45C of the back-to-back game surface 20C are connected by a transmission line 48.
Thereby, in the island 10, the sub controllers 45 </ b> B to 45 </ b> D of all the game surfaces except the game surface 20 </ b> A having the main controller 42 in the management box 40 </ b> A are connected to the main controller 42.

In each of the management boxes 40B to 40D, the sub-controller 45 is connected to the banknote stacker 27, drives and controls the banknote stacker 27, and creates count data of banknotes collected from the banknote transport device 24 in the banknote stacker 27.
Further, the sub-controller 45 blinks the lamp 41 when a trouble occurs in the corresponding game surface 20.

  In the management box 40A, the main controller 42 is connected to the banknote stacker 27 and controls the banknote stacker 27, and counts banknotes collected from the banknote transport device 24 in the banknote stacker 27, similarly to the sub-controller 45. In addition, the occurrence of trouble in the playing surface 20A is displayed by the lamp 41.

Further, the main controller 42 sets an ID number for each medal lending machine 30 (the banknote identification unit) of each playing surface 20 in the island 10 via the repeater 46, and also in the slot machine 22 and the banknote transport apparatus 24. Also has a function of setting a necessary ID number. In addition to issuing a command to each banknote recognition unit and the like to obtain sales information for each medal lending machine 30, the above trouble information is received and management of the game surface constituting equipment in all game surfaces, that is, a medal lending machine Centralized management of 30 and the banknote transport device 24 is performed.
Although not particularly shown, the main controller 42 includes a keyboard for setting an ID number and inputting control data.

The sub-controllers 45 </ b> B to 45 </ b> D receive a command from the main controller 42 and send the collected banknote count data directly or via the relay 46 to the main controller 42.
The main controller 42 displays the sales information for each medal lending machine 30 on the monitor 44, and displays the trouble information together with the occurrence location on the monitor 44.

  The present embodiment is configured as described above, and the main controller 42 is provided in the management box 40A of one of the four playing surfaces 20 and the management box 40B of the other three playing surfaces 20B to 20D. 40D is provided with sub-controllers 45B to 45D whose functions are limited to the drive control of the banknote stacker 27 and the counting of collected banknotes, and the main controller 42 performs management processing including setting of the ID number of the medal lending machine 30, and the medal lending machine. The sales information for every 30th and other trouble information are concentrated on the main controller 42.

  As a result, functions such as ID number setting and sales information totalization, which have been conventionally required for each game surface, are only required for the main controller 42 installed on one game surface, and the other game surfaces are limited in function and inexpensive. A sub-controller 45 can be installed, and a keyboard and monitor are not required. The fact that functions such as ID number setting and sales information aggregation are unnecessary in many sub-controllers makes the circuit board that constitutes the control device smaller and also requires less power capacity, so it is remarkable for the entire island. Reduce costs.

And since it can manage intensively by the management box part provided with the main controller 42, without going around each game surface, the management effort is also reduced.
Since the circuit board, power supply, and the like of the sub controller 45 are reduced, the sizes of the management boxes 40B to 40D that store the sub controller 45 together with the banknote stacker 27 can be reduced.

In the embodiment, some of the sub-controllers 45D and 45B are connected to the other sub-controller 45C via the repeater 46, and then connected to the main controller or to the main controller 42 via the repeater 46. However, it may be directly connected to the main controller 42 without using a repeater.
However, by connecting the sub-controller 45 to another sub-controller via the repeater 46, there is an advantage that an independent transmission line to the main controller 42 is not required and the number of transmission lines can be reduced. .

In the embodiment, a description has been given of one island composed of four game surfaces 20B to 20D, in which the game surface is extended in both directions across the inspection opening / closing door, and back to back. You can also
FIG. 5 shows an example.
Here, two islands 10A and 10B each having one play surface 20A and 20B are installed along the wall surface 50 in the amusement store, and two islands 10C and 10D are installed in parallel with these islands. .
The island 10C is composed of two game surfaces 20C and 20E that are back-to-back, and the island 10D is composed of two game surfaces 20D and 20F that are also back-to-back.

Management boxes 40A and 40B are provided at opposite ends of the so-called wall islands 10A and 10B, respectively.
In addition, management boxes 40C, 40E and 40D, 40F are provided at opposite ends of the two islands 10C, 10D, which form double-sided islands in parallel with the islands 10A, 10B, corresponding to the respective game surfaces. ing.
The straight arrows shown in FIG. 5 indicate the bill conveyance direction.

FIG. 6 shows a system configuration in which a total of six play surfaces 20A to 20F composed of these four islands are managed.
The management box 40A of one island 10A along the wall surface 50 includes the main controller 42 and the banknote stacker 27, and the management box 40B of the other island 10B includes the sub controller 45B and the banknote stacker 27. Further, the management boxes 40C to 40F of the islands 10C and 10D are all provided with a sub controller 45 (45C to 45F) and a banknote stacker 27.

In the double-sided islands 10C and 10D, the repeaters 46 provided on the game surfaces 20C to 20F are sequentially connected to the corresponding sub-controllers 45C to 45F, and the sub-controllers corresponding to the back-to-back game surfaces are connected to each other. Connected. Further, the opposing sub-controllers (45C, 45E) and (45D, 45F) are connected.
In this way, all the sub-controllers in the islands 10C and 10D are connected to the main controller 42 by the transmission line 48.

  On the island 10A along the wall surface, the repeaters 46 provided on the play surface 20A are sequentially connected to the main controller 42. Further, the sub controller 45B of the island 10B having the same configuration is connected to the main controller 42. As a result, all the sub-controllers 45 are connected to the main controller 42, and the ID number setting, sales information aggregation, trouble information acquisition, etc. on the four islands 6 game surface are performed from the main controller 42 as in the embodiment. It is done intensively based on the command. Further, the cost reduction effect is greater as the ratio of the sub-controller 45 is larger.

The medal lending machine 30 of the embodiment shows only the bill insertion slot 34, but a coin insertion slot, a coin transport device, a coin storage box, and the like are also provided corresponding to coins as money. Moreover, the banknote which the medal lending machine 30 accepts is not limited to only one type of banknote, but may be a circulation banknote such as 2,000 yen, 5,000 yen, or 10,000 yen other than the thousand yen banknote that is normally used frequently.
Further, the installation position of the management box 40A for housing the main controller 42 is not limited to that shown in FIG. 2 or FIG. 5, but may be set at the end of one play surface arbitrarily selected from a large number. .

In addition, although the banknote transport device 24 is configured by connecting the banknote transport unit 25, the banknote transport unit 24 may have a configuration in which a single transport belt having a length substantially equal to the entire length of the playing surface 20 is stretched. It is not limited to the form of illustration.
In addition, although a slot machine game store has been described as an example, the present invention can be applied to the management of islands and game surfaces in pachinko and other game stores.
Furthermore, the management target range is not limited to that shown in the embodiment and the modification, and can be arbitrarily set.

It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance around a banknote conveyance unit. It is a figure which shows the system configuration | structure of management. It is a figure which shows the modification of an island form. It is a figure which shows the system configuration | structure of the management in a modification. It is a figure which shows a prior art example.

Explanation of symbols

10, 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D Island 18 Inspection door 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D, 20E, 20F Playing face 22 Slot machine (playing board)
23 Call lamp 24 Bill transport device (money transport device)
25 bill transport unit 26 transport cover 27 bill stacker (money stacker)
30 medal lending machine (playing media lending machine)
32 Input unit 33 Input unit cover 34 Bill input port 36 Key hole 40A, 40B, 40C, 40D, 40E, 40F Management box 41 Lamp 42 Main controller 44 Monitor 45B, 45C, 45D, 45E, 45F Sub controller 46 Repeater 47, 48 Transmission line 50 Wall surface

Claims (2)

A plurality of play units are arranged on one side and a play medium lending machine is installed at a predetermined ratio between the play tables, and the money thrown into the play medium lending machine is collected by a money transport device to a money stacker driven by a controller. In a play facility with a plurality of play surfaces configured as described above,
A controller of one game surface among the plurality of game surfaces is a main controller, a controller of the remaining game surface among the plurality is a sub controller, and each of the sub controllers is connected to the main controller,
The main controller performs a management process including an ID number setting of the game plane constituting equipment in the plurality of game planes.   The money transporting apparatus is configured such that a plurality of banknote transport units having a length matching the pitch of the play table array are connected in the front direction above the play table in the direction in which the play tables are arranged. The management system for game equipment according to claim 1.

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