JP2009261783A - Game medium lending machine and game system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To photograph an image of the face of a player facing a camera 8 at a high percentage in the case where a game medium lending machine (ball lending machine 2) is provided with a camera 8 that photographs an image of the face of a player who plays with a game machine corresponding to the game medium lending machine. <P>SOLUTION: When a player who plays with a game machine corresponding to a game medium lending machine shows a specific action (e.g., insertion of money or card or operation of an operating section) relative to the game medium lending machine, an image of the face of the player is photographed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention belongs to a technical field related to a gaming medium lending machine for lending gaming media used in gaming machines such as pachinko machines and pachislot machines installed in a gaming hall, and a gaming system including the gaming medium lending machine. .

  For example, in a pachinko hall, a plurality of pachinko machines are installed side by side on each of a plurality of game islands. Each gaming island is provided with a ball lending machine that lends pachinko balls, which are game media, corresponding to the plurality of pachinko machines. That is, normally, a ball lending machine is arranged on one side of each pachinko machine. In this ball lending machine, a bill, a prepaid card in which money amount information or the like is recorded, a membership card, or the like can be inserted, and a pachinko ball is lent by the insertion. The player can play a game on the gaming machine by receiving this rental.

  In game halls such as the pachinko hall, a system for monitoring a player is usually employed in order to prevent or detect an illegal act by the player. As this type of system, for example, each game machine is provided with a camera that captures a real-time video of the player, and the real-time video captured by each camera is transmitted to the management device and recorded in the management device. .

  However, in the case where a player's real-time video is taken and stored in the management device as described above, it becomes a very expensive system, and the administrator or the like needs to constantly monitor the player.

Therefore, a camera that shoots a player's face image is installed in a game medium lending machine provided for each gaming machine, and the face image data captured by the camera is transmitted to a management device (server). Have been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 1).
JP 2006-333882 A

  However, in the system of the proposed example, since the camera is disposed on the side of the gaming machine, shooting is performed obliquely with respect to the player (subject), and the player's face orientation is relative to the camera. It is difficult to take a picture in a frontal state, and as a result, there is a high possibility of erroneous recognition during face authentication. Here, if the image is taken many times at a predetermined time, a face image may be taken when the player's face is in front of the camera. In this case, a large number of games In game halls equipped with machines, a large amount of face image data is transmitted to the management device throughout the game hall, causing problems in terms of communication and storage capacity.

  The present invention has been made in view of such points, and an object of the present invention is to shoot a face image of a player who plays a game on a gaming medium rental machine corresponding to the gaming medium rental machine. When a camera is provided, a face image facing the front with respect to the camera can be photographed with high probability.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, when a player playing a game machine corresponding to a game medium lending machine performs a predetermined operation on the game medium lending machine, the face of the player An image was taken.

  Specifically, the invention of claim 1 is directed to a gaming medium lending machine that is provided corresponding to each of a plurality of gaming machines in a gaming hall and that lends gaming media used in the gaming machine.

  And when the player who plays with the game machine corresponding to the said game media rental machine performs predetermined | prescribed operation | movement with respect to this game media rental machine, the camera which image | photographs the said player's face image is provided. Shall.

  With the above configuration, when the player performs a predetermined operation such as insertion of money or a card, operation of the operation unit, or the like with respect to the game medium lending machine, the player's face is in front of the camera. The possibility increases, and taking a picture during this operation makes it possible to take a face image facing the camera with high probability, and it is necessary to shoot the player's face image many times There is no. As a result, when the photographed face image data is transmitted to the management device and stored, the communication load can be reduced and the storage capacity of the face image data in the management device can be reduced. In addition, when face authentication is performed using the photographed face image data, it can be performed appropriately and quickly.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the image processing device further comprises image determining means for determining whether or not the player's face image is normally photographed by the camera, and the face image is normally displayed by the image determining means. Only when it is determined that the image has been shot, the face image data shot by the camera is configured to be transmitted to a management device that is communicably connected to the game medium lending machine.

  As a result, it is possible to eliminate the waste of transmitting and storing face image data that cannot properly perform face authentication to the management apparatus, and further reduce the communication load.

  The invention of claim 3 is provided corresponding to each of a plurality of gaming machines in a gaming hall, and a gaming medium lending machine for lending gaming media used in the gaming machine, and a player who has played with the gaming machine The present invention is directed to a gaming system that includes a prize management machine disposed at a prize exchange place for exchanging the game media for prizes, and a management apparatus that is communicably connected to the game medium rental machine and the prize management machine.

  Then, the game medium lending machine displays a face image of the player when a player who plays with the game machine corresponding to the game medium lending machine performs a predetermined operation on the game medium lending machine. A lending machine camera for photographing, configured to transmit face image data photographed by the lending machine camera to the management device in association with information identifying a gaming machine that the player plays, The giveaway management machine includes a giveaway management machine camera that takes a face image of the player who has come to the giveaway exchange place, and transmits the face image data taken by the giveaway management machine camera to the management apparatus. The management device comprises storage means for storing face image data associated with information identifying the gaming machine transmitted from the gaming medium lending machine, and transmitted from the prize management machine Face painting When the data is received, the face image data of the same player as the received face image data is extracted from the face image data stored in the storage means and associated with the extracted face image data The information specifying the gaming machine is configured to be transmitted to the premium management machine.

  That is, the player goes to a prize exchange place when exchanging game media obtained by playing with a gaming machine for prizes. Then, a receipt including a bar code recording the number of game media, which is issued by counting the number of game media in advance with a counter, is handed to an attendant at the prize exchange place, and the attendant is provided in the prize management machine. The bar code reader reads the bar code of the receipt, and gives a prize to the player according to the read result (the number of game media). At this time, a face image of the player is photographed by the prize management machine camera provided in the prize management machine, and the face image data is transmitted to the management device. This management device receives face image data from a prize management machine, extracts face image data of the same player as the received face image data from the face image data stored in the storage means. Then, information specifying the gaming machine that the player has played in association with the face image data is transmitted to the prize management machine. Then, if the information is displayed on the display of the prize management machine, the staff can check the fraud by looking at the display. For example, if the clerk determines that the number of game media read by the bar code reader is significantly different from the number of game media actually paid out by the gaming machine that the player was playing, It can be determined that the receipt is forged.

  Here, for the number of game media actually paid out, the operating status information of the game machine and the game media lending machine (sales information, information on the number of game media thrown into the game machine, the game paid out from the game machine) By obtaining the operating status information from a hall computer that collects information on the number of media) and displaying it on the display of the prize management machine, the staff can grasp the information. What is necessary is just to make it obtain from a hall computer and to transmit to a prize management machine with the information which identifies a gaming machine. Alternatively, the management apparatus itself may acquire the operating status information of each gaming machine, and transmit the operating status information to the prize management machine together with information specifying the gaming machine. Or, from the hall computer to the prize management machine, all gaming machines or gaming machines specified by the staff (the staff specifies the gaming machine by looking at the information identifying the gaming machine transmitted from the management device) The operating status information may be directly transmitted.

  As described above, according to the game medium lending machine of the present invention, when a player who plays a game machine corresponding to the game medium lending machine performs a predetermined operation on the game medium lending machine, By providing a camera that captures a player's face image, a face image facing the front of the camera can be captured with a high probability.

  The gaming system according to the present invention includes the gaming medium rental machine, a prize management machine disposed at a prize exchange place, and a management device communicably connected to the gaming medium rental machine and the prize management machine. According to the present invention, the game media lending machine transmits the photographed face image data to the management device in association with information for identifying the game machine that the player plays, and the prize management machine returns to the prize exchange place. The face image of the player who has come is photographed, the photographed face image data is transmitted to the management device, and the management device is associated with the information identifying the gaming machine transmitted from the game medium lending machine. Storage means for storing face image data, and when the face image data transmitted from the prize management machine is received, the received face image data and the face image data stored in the storage means Same play The player who came to the prize exchange place by extracting the face image data of the player and transmitting the information specifying the gaming machine associated with the face image data to the prize management machine The person in charge at the gift exchange place can determine whether or not the person has made a fraud, and fraud can be effectively monitored and further suppressed.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows the entire configuration of a gaming system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and this gaming system is applied to a gaming hall (in this embodiment, it is described as a pachinko hall, but is not limited to this). is there.

  In the gaming hall, a plurality of gaming machines 1 (in this embodiment, pachinko machines) are arranged side by side on each of a plurality of gaming islands. In each gaming island, a ball lending machine 2 (game medium lending machine) that lends pachinko balls as game media is provided corresponding to each of the plurality of gaming machines 1. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, a vertically long ball lending machine 2 is disposed on the left side of each gaming machine 1. Each gaming machine 1 and a ball lending machine 2 corresponding to the gaming machine 1 are connected so as to be able to communicate with each other.

  In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, money is inserted into the upper part of the front of the ball lending machine 2 (in this embodiment, only banknotes can be inserted, but coins may be inserted). A card for inserting a prepaid card (magnetic card) on which money amount information and the like are recorded or a membership card (IC card) handed over to the member by the game hall at the lower part of the front of the ball lending machine 2 is provided. An insertion port 4 is provided. In addition, in the center in the vertical direction on the front of the ball lending machine 2, an operation button that is operated when the player inserts a prepaid card or a membership card, the remaining amount recorded on the prepaid card or the membership card, and a recording on the membership card. Operation / display unit having a display panel that displays the number of stored balls (the number of balls that can be stored in association with a membership card without replacing the previous game play with a prize) 5 is provided. Examples of the operation buttons include a display switching button for switching display contents of the display panel, a replay button for replaying a game using the balls stored during the previous game, a prepaid card or a membership card inserted from a card insertion slot. Is a return button for storing the remaining amount and returning it, a lending button for lending a ball of, for example, 1000 yen by one operation.

  Then, the player inserts money into the money insertion slot 3 of the ball lending machine 2 corresponding to the gaming machine 1 to be played, or inserts a prepaid card or member card into the card insertion slot 4 When a button (lending button or the like) is operated, balls are lent out to the gaming machine 1 and the player can play a game in the gaming machine 1.

  As described above, the ball lending machine 2 is also referred to as a card processing unit because a prepaid card or a membership card can be inserted and processing corresponding to the operation is performed when the card is inserted. Note that the member card may be one in which a non-contact IC tag is embedded. In this case, it is not necessary to insert the member card, and the member card is brought into contact with a predetermined portion.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the ball lending machine 2 includes a ball lending machine camera 8 that captures a face image of a player who plays with the gaming machine 1 corresponding to the ball lending machine 2, and the ball lending machine camera 8. As described above, the remaining amount and the number of balls are displayed on the display panel in accordance with the operation of the operation button of the operation / display unit 5 and the insertion of money (by the detection sensor 11 disposed in the money insertion slot 3). Communication control interface for communicating with the gaming machine 1 corresponding to the ball lending machine 2 and an island controller 15 described later. Part 10 is provided.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the photographing lens 8 a of the ball lending machine camera 8 is located between the money insertion slot 3 and the operation / display unit 5 in the front of the ball lending machine 2 (in the vicinity of the money insertion slot 3 and operated). -It is located in the vicinity of the display unit 5).

  The control unit 9 of the ball lending machine 2 is communicably connected to an island controller 15 provided on the amusement island to which the ball lending machine 2 belongs via the communication control interface unit 10. One island controller 15 is provided for each game island, and all the island controllers 15 are connected to the management server 21 so as to communicate with each other. As shown in FIG. 1, the management server 21 includes the island controller 15 and the card issuing machine 22 for issuing the prepaid card via the communication control interface unit 21a (see FIG. 2). The card settlement machine 23, the prize management machine 24, and the ball counting machine 26 to be performed are connected to be able to communicate with each other, and the state of all devices including the gaming machine 1 and the ball lending machine 2 in the gaming hall are managed by the management server 21. Yes. The management server 21 corresponds to the management device of the present invention.

  The ball counter 26 counts the number of balls obtained by the player playing with the gaming machine 1, and when the player inserts a ball into the ball counter 26, the ball counter 26 The number of balls thrown is counted, and a receipt including a barcode on which the counted value is recorded is output. Then, the player takes the receipt, goes to a prize exchange counter (premium exchange place) provided in the game hall, and gives the receipt to the staff of the prize exchange counter.

  The prize exchange counter includes the prize management machine 24 provided with a barcode reader 24a (see FIG. 2), and a prize dispenser 25 that is connected to the prize management machine 24 so as to be communicable and previously stores special prizes. The staff of the prize exchange counter that is installed causes the bar code reader 24a to read the information (the count value) recorded on the bar code of the receipt delivered from the player. Then, when “replacement for special prize” is selected by the staff, the prize management machine 24 instructs the prize giving machine 25 to pay out the special prize according to the read count value. The prize dispenser 25 dispenses special prizes upon receiving an instruction from the prize management machine 24. This special prize is given to the player from the staff at the prize exchange counter. The prize manager 24 includes a display 24b for displaying the count value read by the barcode reader 24a. When the player wishes to exchange for a general prize, the clerk Look at the displayed count value, and exchange it for a general prize according to the count value.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the prize management machine 24 controls the operation of the prize management machine camera 24c for photographing the face image of the player who has come to the prize exchange counter, and the operation of the prize management machine camera 24c. In order to communicate with the management server 21 and the control unit 24d that gives the instruction to the prize dispenser 25 and displays the read count value on the display 24b according to the reading result of the barcode reader 24a. The communication control interface unit 24e is further provided. The control unit 24d of the free gift management machine 24 has received an input operation from a staff member of the free gift exchange counter or has come to a position where the player can take a face image facing the front of the free gift management machine camera 24c. In response to the information from the sensor for detecting this, the prize management machine camera 24c is operated to take a face image of the player. Then, the control unit 24d of the prize management machine 24 transmits the face image data captured by the prize management machine camera 24c to the management server 21 through the communication control interface unit 24e.

  In the gaming hall of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, operating status information (sales information, information on the number of balls thrown into the gaming machine 1, An operation status information collecting system that collects information such as the number of balls paid out from the gaming machine 1 has been constructed. That is, both the gaming machine 1 and the ball lending machine 2 are communicably connected to the base unit 41. A plurality of sets (for example, four sets) of gaming machines 1 and ball lending machines 2 are connected to the table unit 41, and a plurality of table units 41 are provided on each gaming island. Each unit 41 is communicably connected to an island controller 42 (in this embodiment, the same as the island controller 15) provided on the amusement island to which the unit 41 belongs, and this island controller 42 is connected to each amusement island. Each island controller 42 is connected to the control unit 33 of the hall computer 31 via the communication control interface unit 32. The control unit 33 collects the operating status information from the gaming machine 1 and the ball lending machine 2, and stores the operating status information in a predetermined database (a sales database 34, a received quantity database 35, and a thrown quantity described later). A collection information registration unit 33a to be registered in the database 36) and a game medium management unit 33b for managing the number of balls thrown into the gaming machine 1 and the number of balls paid out from the gaming machine are provided.

  The collection information registration unit 33a stores sales information such as the amount of money inserted into the money insertion slot 3 of the ball lending machine 2 in the sales database 34, and the machine number information of the gaming machine 1 corresponding to the ball lending machine 2. (The machine number is a number different for each gaming machine 1, and the machine number information corresponds to information for identifying the gaming machine 1) and is stored in association with the received quantity database 35, and the number of balls thrown into the gaming machine 1 The information is stored in association with the machine number information of the gaming machine 1, and the ball number information paid out from the gaming machine 1 is stored in the thrown-out quantity database 36 in association with the machine number information of the gaming machine 1.

  The hall computer 31 is provided with an input unit 37 including a keyboard for inputting and operating various types of information, and an output unit 38 including a display for outputting and displaying various types of information. By the predetermined operation 37, it is possible to make a browsing request for information stored in the sales database 34, the received quantity database 35, and the dispensed quantity database 36, respectively. And the said game media management part 33b displays the information memorize | stored in each database 34-36 on the said output part 38 according to the browsing request. As a result, it is possible to conduct various analyzes on sales management and management of the game hall.

  In the present embodiment, the management server 21 and the hall computer 31 are communicably connected to each other. As will be described later, the hall computer 31 passes through a communication control interface unit 32 in response to a request from the management server 21. The operation status information of the gaming machine 1 related to the request is transmitted to the management server 21.

  The ball lending machine camera 8 of the ball lending machine 2 is connected to the ball lending machine 2 when a player playing a game on the gaming machine 1 corresponding to the ball lending machine 2 performs a predetermined operation on the ball lending machine 2. The person's face image is taken. In the present embodiment, the predetermined operation includes an operation in which a player inserts money into the money insertion slot 3 and an operation in which the player operates an operation button of the operation / display unit 5.

  Specifically, the control unit 9 of the ball lending machine 2 is provided with a camera control unit 9a for controlling the ball lending machine camera 8, and the camera control unit 9a has a currency inserted in the coin insertion slot 3. A payment signal transmitted from the detection sensor 11 when inserted into the camera and an operation signal transmitted from the switch of the operation button when the operation button of the operation / display unit 5 is operated are input. It has become. And the camera control part 9a operates the ball lending machine camera 8, and image | photographs a player's face image, when the said money_receiving | payment signal or an operation signal is input. As described above, when the player inserts money into the money insertion slot 3 or operates the operation button of the operation / display unit 5, the player's face is the money insertion slot 3 or the operation / display unit 5. It will turn in the direction. Since the photographing lens 8a of the ball lending machine camera 8 is provided in the vicinity of the money insertion slot 3 and the operation / display unit 5, the player's face faces the ball lending machine camera 8 (photographing lens 8a). To face the front. If a face image is taken at this time, a face image facing the front with respect to the ball lending machine camera 8 is taken. In addition, the player inserts money into the money insertion slot 3 during the game, or operates the operation button of the operation / display unit 5 after inserting the prepaid card or the membership card. It must be taken.

  Further, the control unit 9 of the ball lending machine 2 is provided with an image determination unit 9b, and face image data photographed by the ball lending machine camera 8 is input to the image determination unit 9b. Yes. And the image determination part 9b determines whether the player's face image was image | photographed normally based on the input face image data. That is, the image determination unit 9b extracts the eyes and nose from the photographed face image data using a general image processing method, and based on the positions of the eyes and nose, the image in the vertical and horizontal directions of the face is extracted. When the tilt (tilt from the state of facing the front of the ball lending machine camera 8) is calculated and the tilt of the face in the vertical and horizontal directions is below a predetermined level, that is, the ball is lent to the extent that face authentication is possible If the face image can be regarded as facing the front with respect to the machine camera 8, it is determined that the image was taken normally. Therefore, the image determination unit 9b constitutes image determination means for determining whether or not the player's face image has been normally captured by the ball lending machine camera 8.

  The control unit 9 of the ball lending machine 2 uses the face image data captured by the ball lending machine camera 8 only when the image determination unit 9b determines that the face image has been normally captured. The information is transmitted to the management server 21 via the communication control interface unit 10 and the island controller 15 in association with the machine number information of the gaming machine 1 on which the player plays. On the other hand, when the image determination unit 9b determines that the face image is not normally captured, the face image data is not transmitted to the management server 21, but is deleted after the determination.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the management server 21 includes an image storage unit 21b serving as a storage unit that stores face image data associated with the machine number information transmitted from the ball lending machine 2, and the prize management. A face authentication unit 21c to which the face image data is input when the management server 21 receives the face image data transmitted from the machine 24 at the communication control interface unit 21a. The face authentication unit 21c performs face authentication from the face image data stored in the image storage unit 21b, and extracts the same player face image data as the input face image data. This face authentication is performed by a general method based on the feature amount of the face image data.

  Then, the management server 21 transmits the machine number information associated with the extracted face image data to the hall computer 31 through the communication control interface unit 21a, and makes a transmission request for the operation status information of the machine number. In response to this transmission request, the hall computer 31 transmits the operation status information of the machine number related to the transmission request to the management server 31.

  The management server 21 that has received the operation status information transmits the machine number information, the face image data, and the operation status information to the premium management device 24 through the communication control interface unit 21a.

  The control unit 24d of the gift management machine 24 receives the machine number information, face image data, and operation status information from the management server 21 via the communication control interface unit 24e, and these information is received by the barcode reader 24a. It is displayed on the display 24b together with the read information (count value by the ball counter 26). When the face authentication unit 21c of the management server 21 cannot extract the face image data, information to that effect is transmitted from the management server 21 to the prize management machine 24, and is displayed on the display 24b of the prize management machine 24. An error is displayed.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, when a player plays with the gaming machine 1, money is inserted into the money insertion slot 3 of the ball lending machine 2, or a prepaid card or membership card is inserted into the card insertion slot 4. When the operation button of the operation / display unit 5 is operated later, the ball lending machine camera 8 captures the face image of the player. About this photographed face image data, whether or not the face image has been photographed normally by the image determination unit 9b, that is, whether the face image faces the front with respect to the ball lending machine camera 8 (photographing lens 8a). It is determined whether or not.

  Here, at the time of photographing with the ball lending machine camera 8, since the player's face usually faces the direction of the money insertion slot 3 or the operation / display unit 5, the photographed face image is the ball lending machine camera. The image determination unit 9b is highly likely to determine that the image has been captured normally.

  If the image determination unit 9b determines that the face image is normally shot, the face image data shot by the ball lending machine camera 8 is the machine number information of the gaming machine 1 on which the player plays. Is transmitted to the management server 21 via the island controller 15 through the communication control interface unit 10.

  The management server 21 stores the face image data transmitted from the ball lending machine 2 and associated with the machine number information in the image storage unit 21b. Thereby, in the image storage unit 21b, the face image data of the player who is playing in each gaming machine 1 is stored in association with the machine number information of the gaming machine.

  When the game on the gaming machine 1 is completed, the player first inserts the ball into the ball counter 26 and exchanges a receipt issued by the ball counter 26 in order to exchange the ball obtained by the game for a prize. receive. Then, the player goes to the prize exchange counter with the receipt, and gives the receipt to the staff at the prize exchange counter. At this time, the player's face image is photographed by the prize management machine camera 24 c, and the photographed face image data is transmitted from the prize management machine 24 to the management server 21.

  The management server 21 that has received the face image data from the giveaway management machine 24 uses the face authentication unit 21c to match the received face image data from the face image data stored in the image storage unit 21b. The player's face image data is extracted, and the machine number information associated with the extracted face image data is transmitted to the hall computer 31, and the operation status information of the machine number is requested. When the management server 21 receives the operation status information from the hall computer 31, the management server 21 transmits the machine number information, the face image data, and the operation status information to the premium management machine 24.

  On the other hand, the staff at the prize exchange counter causes the receipt received from the player to be read by the bar code reader 24a of the prize management machine 24, so that the display 24b of the prize management machine 24 displays the count value by the ball counter 26. Is displayed. Further, the display 24b displays the serial number information, the face image data and the operation status information transmitted from the management server 21.

  Then, the clerk compares the count value with the operation status information (particularly, the information on the number of balls paid out from the gaming machine), and if there is no problem, gives a special prize or a general prize to the player. On the other hand, if the clerk is suspicious because of a large difference between the counted value and the number of balls paid out, a detailed investigation is performed without handing over the prize to the player. In this way, fraud can be checked.

  In the present embodiment, the face image data stored in the image storage unit 21b of the management server 21 is erased at the time when the business day of the game hall is finished.

  As described above, in this embodiment, a player who plays with the gaming machine 1 corresponding to the ball lending machine 2 inserts money into the money insertion slot 3 by the ball lending machine camera 8 provided in the ball lending machine 2. Alternatively, when the operation button of the operation / display unit 5 is operated, the face image of the player is taken, so that the face facing the front with respect to the ball lending machine camera 8 (photographing lens 8a) Images can be taken with a high probability, and the player's face image need not be taken many times. As a result, the communication load between the ball lending machine 2 and the management server 21 can be reduced, and the storage capacity of the face image data in the management server 21 can be reduced. In addition, it is determined whether or not the face image is normally captured by the image determination unit 9b, and only when it is determined that the face image is normally captured, the face image data captured by the ball lending machine camera 8 is stored in the management server 21. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the waste of transmitting and storing face image data that cannot be properly performed face authentication to the management server 21 and further reducing the communication load.

  Further, the face image data photographed by the ball lending machine camera 8 is stored in the image storage unit 21b of the management server 21, and the prize management machine camera 24c provided in the prize management machine 24 is used to come to the prize exchange counter. A face image of the player is photographed, and the photographed face image data is received by the management server 21 from the prize management device 24, and face authentication is performed from the face image data stored in the image storage unit 21b. The player's face image data that is the same as the received face image data is extracted, and operational status information of the machine number associated with the extracted face image data is obtained from the hall computer 31, and the machine number information, face Since the image data and the operation status information are transmitted from the management server 21 to the prize manager 24, the information is displayed on the display 24b of the prize manager 24. By displaying, it is possible to determine whether the player who came to the free gift exchange counter is a fraudster or not, and it is possible to monitor the fraud and to suppress fraud. Can be done automatically. Further, since the face image data stored in the image storage unit 21b at the time of the face authentication is a face image facing the front with respect to the ball lending machine camera 8, the face authentication can be appropriately performed. .

  The configuration of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but includes various other configurations.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, when the player inserts money into the money insertion slot 3 of the ball lending machine 2 or operates the operation button of the operation / display unit 5 as the predetermined action of the player, The ball lending machine camera 8 is operated to shoot a face image of the player, but is not limited thereto. In the case of a card-only machine having no money insertion slot, the ball lending machine camera 8 may be operated when a player inserts a prepaid card or a membership card into the card insertion slot 4. In this case, it is preferable to arrange the photographing lens 8 a of the ball lending machine camera 8 in the vicinity of the card insertion slot 4. In short, the ball lending machine camera 8 (photographing lens 8a) may be disposed in the vicinity of the portion to be subjected to the predetermined operation in the ball lending machine 2.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, it is determined whether the face image was normally image | photographed by the image determination part 9b, and the face image image | photographed with the ball lending machine camera 8 only when it determines with having image | photographed normally. Although the data is transmitted to the management server 21, all the face image data may be transmitted to the management server 21 without determining whether or not the face image has been normally captured.

  Further, the transmission of the face image data from the ball lending machine 2 to the management server 21 may be performed when there is a transmission request from the management server 21. By doing so, the face image data is not simultaneously transmitted from the plurality of ball lending machines 2 to the management server 21 and the communication load is not increased.

  In the embodiment, the management server 21 includes the image storage unit 21b and the face authentication unit 21c. However, a separate server having the same function as at least one of the image storage unit 21b and the face authentication unit 21c is separately provided. Or two servers each having the same functions as the image storage unit 21b and the face authentication unit 21c may be provided separately.

  Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the management server 21 acquires the operation status information from the hall computer 31 and transmits the machine number information, the face image data, and the operation status information to the prize management machine 24. However, the management server 21 receives the prize. The information transmitted to the management machine 24 may be the machine number information only, or the machine number information and the face image data. In this case, for example, from the hall computer 31 to the prize management machine 24, the gaming machine 1 designated by the attendant of all the gaming machines 1 or the prize exchange counter (the attendant looks at the machine number information transmitted from the management server 21 and The operation status information (designating the gaming machine 1 of the machine number information) may be directly transmitted.

  Further, when the management server 21 transmits the operating status information to the prize management machine 24, the management server 21 has the same function as the hall computer 31, and the management server 21 itself operates the operating status of the gaming machine 1 and the ball lending machine 2. Information may be collected.

  The present invention relates to a gaming medium lending machine that lends gaming media used in gaming machines such as pachinko machines and pachislot machines installed in a gaming hall, and the gaming medium rental machine, and a player gives the gaming media a prize. The present invention is useful for a gaming system including a prize management machine disposed at a prize exchange place to be exchanged and a management apparatus that is communicably connected thereto.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the whole game system which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the detail of a ball lending machine, a prize management machine, and a management server. It is a front view of a gaming machine and a ball lending machine. It is a block diagram which shows the operating condition information collection system using a hall computer.

Explanation of symbols

1 gaming machine 2 ball lending machine (game media lending machine)
3 coin insertion slot 4 card insertion slot 5 operation / display unit 8 ball lending machine camera 9 control unit 9a camera control unit 9b image determination unit (image determination means)
21 Management server (management device)
21b Image storage unit (storage means)
21c Face authentication unit 24 Premium management machine 24c Premium management machine camera

Claims (3)

A gaming medium lending machine provided corresponding to each of a plurality of gaming machines in a gaming hall and lending gaming media used in the gaming machine,
When a player playing a game machine corresponding to the game medium lending machine performs a predetermined operation on the game medium lending machine, the camera is provided with a camera that captures a face image of the player. A game machine rental machine. The game medium lending machine according to claim 1,
Further comprising image determining means for determining whether or not the player's face image is normally photographed by the camera;
Only when it is determined by the image determining means that the face image has been normally captured, the face image data captured by the camera is transmitted to a management device communicably connected to the game medium lending machine. A gaming medium lending machine characterized by being configured. A game medium lending machine that is provided corresponding to each of a plurality of gaming machines in the gaming hall and that lends gaming media used in the gaming machine, and a player who has played with the gaming machine exchanges the gaming media for prizes. A prize management machine disposed at a prize exchange place, and a management system connected to the game medium lending machine and the prize management machine so as to communicate with each other,
The game medium lending machine captures a face image of the player when a player who plays with the game machine corresponding to the game medium lending machine performs a predetermined operation on the game medium lending machine. A lending machine camera is provided, and is configured to transmit facial image data captured by the lending machine camera to the management device in association with information identifying a gaming machine that the player plays,
The premium management machine includes a premium management machine camera that captures a face image of the player who has come to the premium exchange place, and transmits the facial image data captured by the premium management machine camera to the management apparatus. Composed of
The management device includes storage means for storing face image data associated with information identifying the gaming machine transmitted from the gaming medium lending machine, and the facial image data transmitted from the prize management machine , The face image data of the same player as the received face image data is extracted from the face image data stored in the storage means, and is associated with the extracted face image data. A gaming system configured to transmit information identifying the gaming machine to the prize management machine.

Images