JP2010072801A - Coin selector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a coin selector for determining the number of received coins by denomination and the number of received IC coins; and to further provide a coin selector for easily determining the number of received coins by denomination and the number of received IC coins. <P>SOLUTION: A coin selector receives a plurality of kinds of coins and IC coins from one slot to determine authenticity of the coins on the basis of coin information acquired from a coin sensor, takes in the coins if they are authentic, returns them if they are counterfeit, takes in the IC coins if they are authentic IC and have no value information, and returns the IC coins to a return port if they are counterfeit coins or authentic IC coins having value information. The selector includes a storage unit storing the number of received coins by denomination based on the output from the sensor and the number of the IC coins taken in; and a wireless communication unit for storage information in the storage unit. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention discriminates and selects the true / false of coins, discriminates the authenticity of IC coins, returns fake coins and fake IC coins, takes in genuine coins, and takes in IC coins with genuine and no value information It relates to a coin selector.
Furthermore, the present invention relates to a coin selector that can easily transmit information on the captured coins and IC coins to an external device.

As a first conventional technique, a coin number measuring unit that electrically contacts a coin detector and measures the number of coins based on a coin detection signal from the coin detector, and a coin number measured by the coin number measuring unit A charging unit having a coin number storage means to be stored; a charging information transmitting / receiving means for transmitting and receiving information such as the number of coins stored in the coin number storage means; a receiving means for receiving information from the charging unit; A portable handy terminal having an information storage means for storing information received by the receiving means and a transmission means for transmitting information stored in the information storage means, and transmitting and receiving information between the handy terminal. A tally device that has storage information transmission / reception means to perform, and totalizes the operating status of the coin game machine based on information received by the storage information transmission / reception means; Traffic collection device coin game machine, wherein the Ranaru is known (e.g., see Patent Document 1).
As a second conventional technique, in a game machine, it is known that a denomination and number of coins determined to be a genuine coin and value information deducted from an IC coin are transmitted to a management computer by wireless communication (see, for example, Patent Document 2). ).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-282091 (pages 1-7, FIGS. 1-7) JP 2006-6663 (paragraph numbers 0022 to 0126, FIGS. 1 to 8)

In the first conventional apparatus, the denomination and quantity of coins inserted into the game machine are stored in advance in the game machine, and taken into the handy terminal and the management computer by wireless communication.
This eliminates the need to manually input the number of coins at the time of coin collection by the game machine, thereby providing an advantage of eliminating input mistakes and saving labor.
However, there is no disclosure regarding information processing related to IC coins.
In the second conventional apparatus, it is disclosed that the number of accepted coins and value medium reduction information from IC coins are transmitted to a management computer by wireless communication.
Thereby, there is an advantage that the acceptance information of the value from the coin and the value medium can be grasped in real time.
However, the recovery status of the value medium cannot be known.
IC coin charges cannot be taken from customers, and the shortage of IC coins due to take-out of good-will customers, etc. results in a business loss, so the number collected is important.
However, the second prior art has a problem that the collection status cannot be known because the collection information of the value medium is not collected.

A first object of the present invention is to provide a coin selector capable of grasping the number of coins accepted for each denomination and the number of IC coins accepted.
The second object of the present invention is to provide a coin selector that can easily grasp the number of coins accepted for each denomination and the number of IC coins accepted.

In order to achieve this object, the coin selector of the present invention is configured as follows.
Accepts multiple denomination coins and IC coins from a single slot, determines the authenticity of those coins based on the coin information acquired by the coin sensor, takes them in if they are genuine coins, returns them in the case of false coins, authentic IC coins And then. In the coin selector that takes in the IC coin when there is no value information, and is a fake IC and genuine IC coin and the value information remains, returns it to the return port. A coin selector having a storage unit for storing the number of accepted money types based on the number of IC coins taken in, and a wireless communication unit for storing information in the storage unit.

According to the present invention, a coin determined to be a genuine coin by the coin selector and an IC coin that is a genuine coin and has no value information are taken in, and an IC coin in which fake coins and value information remain is returned. .
Quantity information for each accepted denomination and IC coin quantity information accepted by the storage process are stored in the storage unit.
The information stored in the storage unit can be transmitted to the handy terminal and / or the management computer via the wireless communication unit and can be appropriately processed.
Thereby, there is an advantage that it is possible to grasp the number of money types received and the number of IC coins received.
Wireless communication is a concept for transmitting and receiving information on radio waves, light, or sound waves.

  Accepts multiple denomination coins and IC coins from a single slot, determines the authenticity of those coins based on the coin information acquired by the coin sensor, takes them in if they are genuine coins, returns them in the case of false coins, authentic IC coins And then. When there is no value information, the IC coin is taken in, and when it is a fake coin and a genuine IC coin and the value information remains, it is returned to the return slot. A coin selector having a storage unit for storing the number of accepted money types based on the number of IC coins received and a wireless communication unit for storing information in the storage unit;

In the coin selector of the present embodiment, the authenticity of 10 yen, 50 yen, 100 yen and 500 yen coins can be discriminated as coins and communicated with IC coins.
IC coins are larger, thicker and heavier than 500-yen coins.

As shown in FIG. 1, the coin selector 100 includes a front plate 102 and a mounting plate 104 disposed at a right angle to the front plate 102.
In the center of the upper part of the front plate 102, a vertically long slit-like insertion port 106 is formed, and a return port 108 is arranged in the lower part.
Into the insertion slot 106, the coins 110, 50, 100, and 500 can be inserted, and the IC coin 110C with the built-in IC tag 111 can be inserted.
On the right side in the middle of the front plate 102, a jammed coin or a return lever 112 for return is arranged.
Further, a display 114 for displaying the value information of the IC coin 110C and the like is disposed in the middle above the return slot 108.
Further, an infrared transmission / reception terminal 116 is disposed at the center of the surface plate 102.

Next, an outline of the configuration of the coin selector 100 will be described with reference to FIG.
Following the insertion slot 106 of the coin selector 100, a rolling guide rail 122 that is lowered forward is disposed.
On the upper side of the rolling guide rail 122, a coin passage 124 slightly wider than the thickest thickness of the coin 110 and the IC coin 110C is formed.
A coin sensor 126 is disposed along the coin path 124.
The coin sensor 126 includes, for example, a material sensor 132, a diameter sensor 134, and a thickness sensor 136.
A communication antenna 138 for communicating with the IC coin 110C is disposed on the most downstream side of the coin passage 124.

A stopper 140 for temporarily stopping the IC coin 110C is disposed on the most downstream side of the coin passage 124.
The stopper 140 is a lever 144 having one end fixed to a rotation shaft 142, and the rotation shaft 142 is rotated by a predetermined angle by a rotary solenoid 146, for example.
When the rotary solenoid 146 is energized, the stopper 140 enters the coin path 124 and comes into contact with the upper end of the IC coin 110C rolling on the rolling guide rail 122 to stop and stop the rolling. .
The communication antenna 138 is disposed so as to face the side surface of the IC coin 110C stopped by the stopper 140.
When the rotary solenoid 146 is demagnetized, the stopper 140 retreats from the coin passage 124, and the IC coin 110C is not locked.

A side of the rolling guide rail 122 is a storage passage 148 extending in the vertical direction.
A plate-like gate 150 is disposed in the storage passage 148.
For example, when the electromagnetic solenoid 152 is demagnetized, the gate 150 protrudes into the storage passage 148 to prevent the coin 110 and the IC coin 110C from dropping and guides it to the right in FIG.
In the return path 154, the coin 110 and the like roll on the return guide rail 156 inclined downward and reach the return port 108.
The gate 150 normally protrudes into the storage passage 148 by a spring or the like, and guides the coin 110 and the IC coin 110C to the return passage 154 when the coin selector 100 is not in the receiving state.
When the value information of the authentic coin 110 or the IC coin 110C is lost by communication based on the information from the coin sensor 126, the solenoid 152 is energized, and these coins or the like fall down the storage passage 148 and have a safe (not shown) ).

An IC coin sensor 158 is disposed in the coin passage 124 immediately downstream of the insertion slot 106.
The IC coin sensor 158 has a function of detecting that the IC coin 110C has been inserted.
The IC coin sensor 158 is a photoelectric sensor in which the projection light is not blocked by the largest coin of 500 yen, but is blocked by the IC coin 110C.

Next, the control device 160 will be described with reference to FIG.
The control device 160 is a microcomputer 162 in this embodiment.
The microcomputer 162 performs predetermined calculation processing based on various information acquired by the calculation unit 166 via the IC coin sensor 158, the coin sensor 126, and the communication antenna 138 based on the program stored in the ROM 164, and the storage unit 168. The rotary solenoid 146 and the solenoid 152 are caused to perform predetermined operations, and predetermined communication with the handy terminal 172 is performed via the wireless communication unit 170 and the infrared transmission / reception terminal device 116.
The storage unit 168 includes the management number of the built-in game machine, the denomination and total number of genuine coins determined based on the information detected by the coin sensor 126, the identification code, reduced value information, and remaining value of the processing IC coin 110C. Stores information, captured IC coin identification code, total number of captured, etc.
The wireless communication unit 170 communicates various types of information stored in the storage unit 168 via the infrared transmission / reception terminal 116 based on a standardized protocol, in this embodiment, an infrared communication protocol.

next. Processing when coins 110 are inserted will be described.
Since the coin 110 is smaller than the IC coin 110C, it is not detected by the IC coin sensor 158.
In the process in which the coin 110 is inserted and rolls in the coin passage 124, the coin 110 determines the authenticity and denomination of the inserted coin based on information from the material sensor 132, the diameter sensor 134, and the thickness sensor 136.
In the case of a genuine coin, the solenoid 152 is excited for a predetermined time and the gate 150 is withdrawn from the storage passage 148, so that the coin 110 falls through the storage passage 148 and is stored in the safe.
Further, the denomination information and the number 1 are stored in the storage unit 168.

Next, processing when the IC coin 110C is inserted will be described.
Since the IC coin 110C has a large diameter, it is detected by the IC coin sensor 158.
The rotary solenoid 146 is excited by the detection of the IC coin sensor 158, and the stopper 140 protrudes into the coin path 124.
The IC coin 110C is stopped by the stopper 140 on the side of the communication antenna 138.
Predetermined value information is subtracted from the value information of the IC tag built in the IC coin 110C via the communication antenna 138.
If the post-subtraction value information remains, the rotary solenoid 146 is demagnetized.
As a result, the IC coin 110C is guided to the return passage 154 by the gate 150 and returned to the return slot 108.
When the value information does not remain, the solenoid 152 is energized for a predetermined time and the rotary solenoid 146 is demagnetized, so that the IC coin 110C dropped in the storage passage 148 is stored in the safe.
The number 1 is stored in the storage unit 168 together with the identification code of the stored IC coin 110C.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
When the coin selector 100 is not in the receiving state, for example, when the power is not turned on, the solenoid 152 is not energized, so that the gate 150 protrudes into the storage passage 148.
Thus, when the coin 110 or the IC coin 110C is inserted, the coin 150 is guided to the return passage 154 by the gate 150 in the storage passage 148 and returned to the return port 108.

Next, a case where the power is turned on and the coin selector 100 is activated will be described.
Since the solenoid 152 remains demagnetized even in the operating state, the gate 150 protrudes into the storage passage 148.
When a 100-yen coin is inserted into the insertion slot 106, the coin 110 rolls on the coin passage 124 and passes by the side of the coin sensor 126.
Since the IC coin sensor 158 is not shielded from light, the process proceeds from step S1 to S2.
In step S2, information is acquired from the material sensor 132, the diameter sensor 134, and the thickness sensor 136, and the process proceeds to step S3.
In step S3, the acquired information is compared with a reference value to determine authenticity.
In this example, since it is a genuine 100 yen coin, it is determined to be a genuine coin and the process proceeds to step S4.
In step S4, the solenoid 152 is excited for a predetermined time, and then the process proceeds to step S5.
As a result, the gate 150 is withdrawn from the storage passage 148, so that the 100 yen coin falls in the storage passage 148 and is stored in the safe.
In step S5, the denomination and the number are stored in the storage unit 168, and the process proceeds to step S6.
Specifically, the number 1 is stored in the storage unit 168 for a denomination of 100 yen.
In step S6, the input amount is compared with the set value, and if it is not the set value, the process returns to step S1.
For example, if the set value is set to 500 yen, this time it is 100 yen, so the process returns to step S1.

When a 100-yen coin is subsequently inserted, it is determined to be a true coin and stored in a safe as described above, and the quantity of 100-yen coin is stored as 2 in the storage unit 168.
If this is repeated and the input amount reaches 500 yen, the process proceeds from step S6 to step S7.
In step S7, the set amount acceptance signal NS is output, and the process returns to step S1.
When a device provided with the coin selector 100, such as a game machine, receives a set amount acceptance signal NS, it performs a predetermined process (makes it possible to start a game).
In this case, the storage unit 168 stores information indicating that there are five 100 yen coins.
When a 500 yen coin is inserted. The denomination information of 500 yen and the number 1 are stored in the storage unit 168.
When a 10 yen coin is inserted, the denomination information of 10 yen and the number 1 are stored in the storage unit 168.
When a 50 yen coin is inserted, the denomination information of 50 yen and the number 1 are stored in the storage unit 168.
If it is a fake coin, the solenoid 152 is not excited, so that the fake coin is returned to the return slot 108.

Next, a case where the IC coin 110C is inserted will be described.
When the IC coin 110C is inserted into the insertion slot 106, the IC coin sensor 158 outputs the IC coin signal IS, so it is determined in step S1 that the IC coin 110C has been inserted, and the process proceeds to step S8.
In step S9, after the rotary solenoid 146 is excited, the process proceeds to step S9.
Due to the excitation of the rotary solenoid 146, the stopper 140 protrudes into the coin path 124.
As a result, the upper end of the IC coin 110C that has rolled on the rolling guide rail 122 is locked to the tip of the stopper 140 and stopped.

In step S9, communication is performed with the IC tag of the IC coin 110C via the communication antenna 138, 500 is subtracted from the stored value information, and the process proceeds to step S10.
In step S10, the value information stored in the IC tag 111 is determined and if it is zero, the process proceeds to step S11.
In step S11, after the solenoid 152 is excited for a predetermined time, the process proceeds to step S12.
The solenoid 152 is excited for a predetermined time, and the gate 150 exits from the storage passage 148.
In step S12, after the identification code of IC coin 110C and the number of received coins are stored as 1, the process proceeds to step S13.
In step S13, after the rotary solenoid 146 is demagnetized, the process returns to step S1.
As a result, the locking by the stopper 140 is released, so that the IC coin 110C falls into the storage passage 148 and is stored in the safe.
If the value information remains in step S10, the process proceeds to step S13, the rotary solenoid 146 is demagnetized, and then the process returns to step S1.
Due to the demagnetization of the rotary solenoid 146, the IC coin 110C falls into the storage passage 110C, is guided to the return passage 154 by the gate 150, and is returned to the return port 108.

Next, the operation of acquiring the storage information of the coin selector 100 using the handy terminal 172 will be described with reference to FIG.
The infrared transmission / reception terminal of the handy terminal 172 is pointed at the infrared transmission / reception terminal 116 of the coin selector 100 and the transfer button is pressed.
By this. A transmission request signal is output from the handy terminal 172.
When the transmission request signal is determined in step S21 of the communication program in the coin selector 100, the process proceeds to step S22.
In step S22, the wireless communication unit 170 transmits the total number of coins of the denomination stored in the storage unit 168 and the total number of accepted IC coins 110C to the handy terminal 148, and ends the process.
Note that the identification code of the IC coin 110C stored at the time of communication can also be transmitted.
Information received by the handy terminal 172 is processed by a management computer or the like and used for various types of management.
As described above, since the wireless communication unit 170 can easily acquire the denomination of coins received by the coin selector 100 and the total number of denominations and the total number of accepted IC coins 110C, it is possible to efficiently perform the collection work and the like. it can.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a coin selector according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the coin selector according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the coin selector control device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a processing flowchart of the coin selector according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a processing flowchart of the coin selector according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

106 slot
108 Return port
110 coins
110C IC coin
116 Infrared transceiver
126 coin sensor
168 storage unit,
170 Communications department

Claims (1)

In the case of genuine coins by accepting multiple denomination coins (110) and IC coins (110C) from one input slot (106) and determining the authenticity of those coins based on the coin information acquired by the coin sensor (126) In the case of taking in and fake coins, return them to the return slot (108), and they are genuine IC coins. In the coin selector that takes in the IC coin when there is no value information, and returns it to the return port when it is a fake IC and genuine IC coin and the value information remains,
A storage unit (168) for storing the number of money types accepted based on the output from the coin sensor, and the number of IC coins taken in,
Wireless communication unit (146) of stored information of the storage unit
Coin selector with.

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