JP2007296103A - Game medium lending system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a simply-configured inexpensive game medium lending system comprising a vending machine for putting out a recording medium for a game machine, a game medium lending machine for putting out game media by the feed of the recording medium, an adjusting machine for adjusting the balance of the recording medium, and a management device communicably connected with the vending machine and the adjusting machine for managing and storing the sales data of the recording medium. <P>SOLUTION: The vending machine is provided with a currency authenticity and money amount identification means, a recording medium put-out means by deposit signals, a recording medium identification code read means and a management device transmission means. The game medium lending machine is provided with a means for subtracting and updating the value of the fed recording medium and a game medium lending means. The adjusting machine is provided with a means for reading the identification code and value of the fed recording medium, a management device transmission means, and a value putout means. The management device stores or recognizes the identification code when receiving the identification code from the vending machine, transmits an adjustment command when receiving the identification code and the value from the adjusting machine, and also transmits a consumed value to a third party organization as the sales data. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a game medium lending system for managing sales in a pachinko hall in which a gaming machine such as a pachinko machine or a slot machine is installed by a third party.

  Conventionally, in pachinko halls, game media lending devices (hereinafter referred to as “ball lending machines”) corresponding to cash that lend out game media in cash (hereinafter referred to as “pachinko balls”) have been installed. The ball lending machine performs a pachinko ball lending operation after authenticity of the inserted cash and the denomination of the denomination, and the lending amount is sent to the hall computer for management in the hall, and totaled and managed as sales information It was like that.

  However, since the sales management of the above-described cash ball lending machine is performed only by the hall manager, there is a problem that there is no particularly effective check mechanism and system, and the management transparency is questioned.

  For this reason, in recent years, ball lending systems using prepaid cards have been widely introduced. In this system, the card sales are managed and settled by a third party card sales management company, so that the hall management becomes transparent. However, this system has problems such as unauthorized copying of prepaid cards and falsification of monetary data, and as a result, accurate sales management and grasping cannot be performed. In addition, many of the above-mentioned cash ball lending machines are used in the market (hall), and in order to replace all of these with prepaid card type ball lending systems, the capital investment is too enormous and pressures the hall management. It was obvious to do.

In view of such a problem, in recent years, a LAN control unit is connected to a control board that centrally controls the overall operation of the ball lending machine by connecting to the above-described cash lending machine communicatively with an expansion unit such as a card unit. There is a game medium lending device that transmits sales data to an external management server, which is a third party organization.
JP 2005-278827 A

However, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-278827 has a problem in that each ball lending machine is equipped with a LAN control unit, which requires a large amount of wiring work and increases the cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a game medium lending system that can perform accurate sales management at a low cost with a minimum simple configuration in view of the above-described conventional problems.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention described in claim 1 is a vending machine that pays out game machine recording media by inserting money, and a game medium lending machine that pays out game media by inserting game machine recording media. A settlement machine that pays out money by inserting a game machine recording medium, and a management device that is communicably connected to the vending machine and the payment machine and has a storage means for storing a unique identification code of the game machine recording medium; The game machine lending system includes: an identification means for identifying the authenticity and amount of the inserted money; a gaming machine recording medium dispensing means for dispensing the gaming machine recording medium; A reading means for reading the identification code of the game machine recording medium to be sent out, and a transmission means for transmitting the identification code to the management device, wherein the gaming medium lending machine has the valuable value of the inserted gaming machine recording medium. Updater to subtract update And a game medium lending unit for lending a predetermined number of game media, wherein the settlement machine reads the identification code and the valuable value of the input recording medium for the gaming machine, and the identification code and the valuable value Transmitting means to transmit to the management device, and settlement processing means for paying out the valuable value of the recording medium for the gaming machine when receiving a signal from the management device, the management device from the vending machine When the identification code is received, the identification code is stored or recognized, and when the identification code and the valuable value are received from the settlement machine, a settlement instruction for the valuable value is transmitted and the consumed valuable value is a game machine. It is characterized in that it is transmitted as sales data of a recording medium to a sales counting system of a third party organization.

  According to the gaming medium lending system described in claim 1, the vending machine transmits at least the identification code of the paid gaming machine recording medium to the management device. The game medium lending machine subtracts and updates the valuable value of the game machine recording medium every time the game medium is lent. The checkout machine transmits the identification code and the valuable value of the recording medium for the gaming machine to the management device and pays back the unused valuable value balance. The management device collates the identification code received and stored from the vending machine with the identification code received from the settlement machine. If the collation results match, the management device uses the valuable value of the identification code as sales data of the third party organization. Send to sales summary system. Thereby, the sales amount of a game medium rental machine can be managed.

The invention according to claim 2 is the gaming medium lending system according to claim 1, wherein the vending machine has a small amount of money as a valuable value, a number of lending balls or a number of lending to the recording medium for gaming machines. And writing means for writing either of them, and the settlement machine is provided with writing means for erasing the valuable value recorded on the recording medium for gaming machines.

  According to the gaming medium lending system according to claim 2, the game medium lending system includes a writing unit that writes the value as the valuable value, the number of balls lent or the number of lending to the recording medium for the gaming machine. Each time the recording medium is paid out, the valuable value can be written, and unlike a recording medium for a gaming machine having a single valuable value recorded in advance, an operation mode suitable for the actual situation of the hall is possible.

A third aspect of the present invention is the gaming medium lending system according to the first aspect, wherein the gaming medium lending machine includes a writing means for writing the rented valuable value on the recording medium for the gaming machine. It is characterized by.

According to the gaming medium lending system according to claim 3, it is possible to verify the valuable value recorded by the recording medium for gaming machine by writing the rented data (valuable value) lent by the gaming medium lending machine. To do.

The invention according to claim 4 is the gaming medium lending system according to claim 1, wherein the reading means of the checkout machine reads the lending value written by the gaming medium lending machine and the lending The management device transmits the valuable value to the management device, and the management device transmits the rental valuable value read by the settlement machine to the sales counting system of the third party organization as sales data.

According to the game medium lending system described in claim 4, the reliability of the sales data is further improved by transmitting the lending value to the sales counting system of the third party organization.

  According to the medium lending system of the present invention, accurate sales management of a game medium lending apparatus can be performed without requiring a large capital investment as in the prior art.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail by way of examples.
This embodiment is applied to amusement islands in which a plurality of pachinko machines are arranged side by side, and ball lending machines attached to each pachinko machine are arranged between the pachinko machines. FIG. 1 is a sales management system showing basic configuration blocks of a game medium lending system.

  An IC coin vending machine 100 (hereinafter referred to as “vending machine”) that sells gaming machine recording media (hereinafter referred to as “IC coins”) by the player's insertion of money, and a player's IC coins adjacent to the clapperboard The ball lending machine 200, which is a gaming medium lending machine that lends pachinko balls upon insertion, and the IC coin settlement machine 300 (hereinafter referred to as “settlement”) that converts the valuable value balance of the IC coins into money by returning the IC coins and returns them to the player. And a management device 400 that collectively manages IC coin amount information and collects sales data and the like is connected to the vending machine 100 and the checkout machine 300 via an internal communication network 500 so that they can communicate with each other. . In addition, the management device 400 is connected to an external communication network 600, thereby transmitting sales data to a third party.

FIG. 2 shows a configuration diagram of the game medium lending system.
The vending machine 100 and the checkout machine 300 are respectively installed on the island edge of the amusement island 1 where a plurality of pachinko machines and a ball lending machine 200 installed between the pachinko machines are provided or in various places in the amusement shop, These devices are connected to a management apparatus 400 installed in, for example, an office via an internal communication network 500.

Next, the front of the vending machine 100 will be described based on the front view of FIG.
On the front surface of the vending machine 100, an operating state display unit 111 for displaying an operating state, a coin input port 112 for receiving money input from a player, a bill input port 113, and an amount for displaying the amount of money input The display unit 114 and the payout opening 115 for the IC coin 10 to be paid out by inserting coins are connected in series, and a receiving slot 116 for the IC coin 10 being paid out and a bill receiving slot 117 are provided.

Further, the internal configuration of the vending machine 100 will be described with reference to FIG.
A coin selector 122 connected to the coin insertion slot 112 and a bill discriminator 123 connected to the bill insertion slot 113 are provided, and an identification unit (identification means) for identifying the authenticity and amount of the inserted money. 120). In addition, the vending machine 100 is provided with a payout unit (recording medium payout unit for gaming machine) 130 of the IC coin 10 that is a recording medium for gaming machine. The payout unit 130 includes a storage unit 131 in which the IC coin 10 is stored, a reader / writer 132 (reading unit) that reads / writes valuable information of the IC coin 10 to a payout port 131a of the storage unit 131, and a valuable unit. An IC coin payout unit 133 that pays out the IC coin 10 in which information is recorded, and a storage sensor 134 that detects the storage state of the storage unit 131 are provided. Furthermore, based on the detection signal of the storage sensor 134, an output port 135 that outputs a shortage signal, a storage unit 136 that stores the amount of inserted money, and a communication unit that communicates valuable information on the IC coin 10 and the management device 400 described later. (Transmission means) 137, a control unit 138 storing a control program of the vending machine 100, and a banknote payout unit 140 for paying out a fishing bill.

  The valuable information of the IC coin 10 includes an identification code of the IC coin 10, a valuable value (amount, number of balls lent, number of loans), and the like. The valuable information is recorded in the IC coin 10 in advance. It may be written at the time of issuance from the vending machine 100.

Next, the front of the ball lending machine 200 that lends pachinko balls will be described based on the front view of FIG.
On the front surface of the ball lending machine 200, a lamp 211 for notifying / displaying the operation state of the ball lending machine 200 by turning on / off, an insertion slot 212 that enables insertion of the IC coin 10, and the IC coin 10 are recorded. A valuable value display unit 213 for displaying a valuable value, a return port 214 for the IC coin 10, a lending switch 215 for lending the pachinko ball, a return switch 216 for returning the IC coin 10, and a pachinko A ball dispensing supply pipe 217 that dispenses balls to a tray on a pachinko machine is provided.

Further, the internal configuration of the ball lending machine 200 will be described with reference to FIG.
Inside the ball lending machine 200, the identification code of the inserted IC coin 10 is read, the value of the lent loan is subtracted, and the value of the loan, such as the number of balls lent or the number of loans, is lent to the IC coin 10. An IC coin processing unit 220 provided with a reader / writer (updating means) 221 for writing, a ball lending unit (game medium lending means) 230 for lending pachinko balls, a control program, and a ball lending machine 200 are controlled. A control unit 240 is provided. The ball lending machine 200 is connected to a collecting device 250 for collecting used IC coins at a predetermined place.

Next, the front of the checkout machine 300 will be described based on the front view of FIG.
On the front face of the checkout machine 300, an operation state display unit 311 for displaying the operation state of the checkout machine 300, an insertion unit 312 for the IC coin 10, and an amount display unit 313 for displaying the valuable value balance of the input IC coin 10. And an outlet 314 for the displayed monetary amount.

Further, the internal configuration of the settlement machine 300 will be described with reference to FIG.
A reader / writer (reading means) 320 for reading the identification code of the IC coin 10 inserted from the insertion slot 312, the valuable value balance and the rental valuable value, and erasing the valuable value and the rental valuable value, and the identification code Money that pays the unused valuable value of the IC coin 10 to the player with coins and banknotes based on a communication unit (transmission means) 330 that transmits the management device 400 to be described later and reception of a settlement signal from the management device 400 A payout unit (settlement processing means) 350, a collection unit 340 for the IC coin 10 and a control unit 360 for storing these control programs are provided.

Next, the management apparatus 400 will be described with reference to a block diagram showing the configuration of FIG.
The management device 400 aggregates the received amount received by the vending machine 100, the rent amount of the issued IC coin 10 and the number of pachinko balls or the number of loans lent by the ball lending machine 200, and transmits them to a third party. To do. The third-party organization stores the sales data on which hall sales have been verified and guaranteed.

The management device 400 includes a storage device 410 that stores amount information of the IC coin 10 and the like, and a control unit 420 that stores a program for controlling the operation of the management device 400, and includes a vending machine 100, a ball lending machine 200, a checkout. An internal communication network 500 with the machine 300 and an external communication network 600 with a third party organization are connected.

  The storage device 410 stores a management database 411 for storing and managing the value related to the identification code of each IC coin 10 used in the hall, and history of transaction time, settlement amount, settlement machine number, etc. of each IC coin 10. Is stored in the history database 412. The management database 411 stores the identification codes of all the IC coins 10 used in the hall in advance and recognizes the usable state by issuing or stores the identification codes at the time of issuing. Further, according to the present invention, the sales of the ball lending machine 200 can be grasped by collecting the information in the history database 412. Note that the management device 400 may be in the vending machine 100 or in the office as described above, and is not limited.

Next, the sales process of the game medium lending system of the present invention will be described.
First, the player inserts money into the coin slot 112 and the banknote slot 113 in order to purchase the IC coin 10 prior to the game. As for the inserted money, the inserted money amount is stored in the storage unit 136 via the coin selector 122 or (and) the bill discriminator 123. For example, the sale of the IC coin 10 in which a uniform valuable value (for example, 1000 yen) is recorded. Issued when the amount reaches, issuance of IC coin 10 selected from a plurality of kinds of valuable value (for example, 3000 yen, 5000 yen, 10000 yen), or the amount of money inserted by the player is IC coin 10 is issued and issued from the payout unit 130.

  When the IC coin 10 is issued, the identification code read by the reader / later 132 is transmitted to the management device 400, or the valuable value is recorded in the case where the money amount is recorded. When the management apparatus 400 recognizes or registers the identification code, and the vending machine 100 receives a response signal from the management apparatus 400, it is paid out to the receiving port 116.

Next, the ball lending process of the game medium lending system of the present invention will be described.
First, the IC coin 10 is inserted into the insertion slot 212 by the player, and the identification code and the valuable value are read by the reader / writer 221. The read valuable value (for example, 1000 yen = 10) is displayed on the valuable value display 212.

Next, when the lending switch 215 is operated (pressed), a predetermined fixed number of pachinko balls are paid out by the ball lending unit 230 to the tray on the pachinko machine via the ball paying supply pipe 217.

When the control unit 240 receives the lending operation signal, the controller 240 subtracts the valuable value (amount, number of balls lent, number of loans) of the inserted IC coin 10 and adds the value of loan (number of balls lent, number of loans). The reader / writer 221 is instructed to update the valuable value of the IC coin 10 and newly record the rental valuable value. The sales management of the ball lending machine 200 is further ensured by the record of the lending value.

Thereafter, when the same operation is performed and the valuable value of the IC coin 10 becomes zero, the IC coin 10 is recovered to a predetermined place by the recovery device 250 and a reader provided in the recovery device 250. The identification code and the rental value are read by the writer 260 and transmitted to the management device 400. Alternatively, when the operation signal of the return switch 216 is received, the holding of the IC coin 10 is released and returned to the return port 214.

Next, the settlement process of the game medium lending system of the present invention will be described.
First, the IC coin 10 is inserted into the insertion slot 312 by the player, and the identification code, the valuable value and the rental valuable value are read by the reader / writer 320. The read data is transmitted to the management database 411 of the storage device 410 via the internal communication network 500.

When the management apparatus 400 receives the response signal from the settlement machine 300, the management apparatus 400 checks whether or not the transmission data identification code has been issued. If it is an issued identification code, it displays the value balance on the money amount display unit 313 of the settlement machine 300 and transmits a signal permitting the payout of the value to the control unit 350. At the same time, these transaction time, settlement amount, settlement machine number, etc. are stored in the history database 412.

The control unit 350 of the checkout machine 300 performs control so as to pay out the valuable value balance to the money payout unit 340 described above. If the IC coin 10 is recorded with a valuable value, the valuable value is erased and collected by the collecting unit 340. In addition, when the part identification code cannot be confirmed as fermented, it is notified as an error.

In addition, after closing the store, the management device 400 totals the sales data and the lending data of the IC coin 10 that has been settled, and encrypts these data and transmits them to a third party through the external communication network 600. To do. Note that data transmitted to a third party cannot be viewed to prevent falsification.

It is a sales management system figure which implemented the game media rental system of the present invention. It is a game media rental system block diagram. It is a front view of an IC coin vending machine. It is an internal block diagram of an IC coin vending machine. It is a front view of a game media rental machine. It is an internal block diagram of a game media rental machine. It is a front view of an IC coin settlement machine. It is an internal block diagram of an IC coin settlement machine. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a management apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

10 IC coin 100 Vending machine 200 Game media lending machine 300 Checkout machine 400 Management device 500 Internal communication network 600 External communication network

Claims (4)

A vending machine that pays out recording media for gaming machines by inserting money;
A game medium lending machine for paying out game media by inserting a recording medium for game machines;
A payment machine that pays out money by inserting a recording medium for gaming machines;
Communicatively connected to the vending machine and the payment machine,
A management device having storage means for storing a unique identification code of a recording medium for gaming machines;
A game media lending system including:
The vending machine
An identification means for identifying the authenticity and amount of money entered;
A gaming machine recording medium dispensing means for dispensing a gaming machine recording medium;
Reading means for reading the identification code of the game machine recording medium to be paid out;
Transmitting means for transmitting the identification code to the management device;
With
The game media lending machine is
Updating means for subtracting and updating the valuable value of the input gaming machine recording medium;
A game medium lending means for lending a predetermined number of game media;
With
The settlement machine is
Reading means for reading the identification code and the valuable value of the input recording medium for gaming machines;
Transmitting means for transmitting the identification code and the valuable value to the management device;
Payment processing means for paying out the valuable value of the recording medium for the gaming machine when receiving a signal from the management device;
With
The management device
When receiving the identification code from the vending machine, store or recognize the identification code,
When the identification code and the valuable value are received from the payment machine, a payment instruction for the valuable value is transmitted, and the consumed valuable value is transmitted to the sales aggregation system of the third party organization as sales data of the recording medium for the gaming machine A gaming medium rental system characterized by processing. In the vending machine, writing means for writing either the amount of money as the valuable value or the number of balls lent or the number of loans to the recording medium for gaming machines,
2. The game medium lending system according to claim 1, wherein the settlement machine includes a writing means for erasing the valuable value recorded on the game machine recording medium. 2. The game medium lending system according to claim 1, wherein the game medium lending machine includes writing means for writing the rented valuable value on the recording medium for the game machine. The reading unit of the checkout machine reads the rental value written by the game medium lending machine, and transmits the rental value to a management device,
2. The game medium lending system according to claim 1, wherein the management device transmits the lending value read by the checkout machine as sales data to a sales counting system of a third party organization.

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