JP2010099211A - Game error screen reporting system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a game error screen reporting system, more accurately reporting a phenomenon occurring at a game machine installation site to a game supporter by saving an error screen and a setting screen of a game for business use through a screen shot, and transmitting the screen to a server device. <P>SOLUTION: In game machines 1a-1n, when an error occurs, a screen showing the occurrence of an error is displayed. When an error screen is generated, a report button is pressed to transmit an image of the error screen to the server device 5 through a communicating device 3, a network 7 and a communicating device 4. The image is stored in a database 6 and displayed on a display part 8. Thus, an accurate error screen is transmitted to the server device, whereby suitable instruction for error recovery and game setting can be received from a game supporter at a remote place. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention reports a game error screen or the like that can contact a game supporter for an appropriate instruction by sending an image of an error screen or setting screen of a game machine installed in a game center or store to a server device. About the system.

It is common for arcade game machines installed in stores or game centers that operate game machines to take action such as turning on an error lamp or displaying an error message when an error or other failure occurs. It is.
In such a case, if a person working in the field is unable to deal with the failure, the remote game management support center will be notified of the symptoms and settings of the failure that has occurred by phone, etc. You may not be able to communicate any symptoms. It is also possible to take a camera etc., photograph the symptoms and transfer the images, but it may be difficult to bring the equipment and environment to the site.

There has been proposed a game system that takes measures so that a failure such as an error can be dealt with in the field as much as possible (Patent Document 1).
This provides information that facilitates the handling of errors.
According to this proposal, storage means for storing each of error identification information for identifying various errors in the game machine and a moving image in which the contents relating to the recovery measures are stored in association with each error, and when an error is detected, Providing error specifying means for specifying error identification information corresponding to the detected error and selection means for selecting a moving image corresponding to the specified error identification information with reference to the storage means, and reproducing the selected moving image Provides information to recover from errors to personnel working in the field.
JP 2007-275143 A

  However, even if such information is obtained, there are cases where it cannot be dealt with by personnel working in the field. In such a case, a system that can accurately send the screen in which an error has occurred to a game supporter at a remote location is desired.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to screen and save an error screen and a setting screen of an arcade game, and send the screen to the server device to cause the game machine to be installed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a system for reporting a game error screen or the like that can more accurately notify a game supporter of a phenomenon that has occurred.

In order to achieve the above object, an invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is a system comprising a game machine, a server device, and a communication device connecting the game machine and the server device.
The game machine detects an error during game operation, and displays an error content display means for displaying an error state on the game screen, a report button, and when the error screen is displayed by the error content display means, the report button An error screen storage means for storing the image data of the error screen, and a failure report means for sending the stored image data of the error screen to the server device via the communication device when The apparatus includes a storage unit that stores image data of the error screen received from the game machine in a database, and a display unit that displays the image data of the error screen.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the game machine includes a game setting means for setting the operation content of the game machine, and a display means for displaying the content set by the setting means. When the game setting screen is displayed by the display means, the game setting screen is saved when the report button is pressed, and the game setting screen is transmitted to the server device by a communication device. .
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the present invention, after reporting to the server device by the failure reporting means, the game is restored or the game in which an error has occurred is rebooted. It has the means.

  According to the above configuration, the current error situation, game setting, and the like are more accurately transmitted to the administrator on the server device side, so that the problem can be solved more quickly.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a game error screen reporting system according to the present invention.
A large number of game machines 1 a to 1 n are installed in a store 2 such as a game center, and each game machine is connected to a network 7 via a communication device 3. The server device 5 is connected to the network 7 via the communication device 4.
When an error occurs in the game machines 1a to 1n, a screen indicating the occurrence of the error is displayed. Moreover, the manager of the store can display the game setting screen for each of the game machines 1a to 1n and perform each setting of the game.

  When an error screen occurs or when a game setting screen is displayed, an image of the error screen or game setting screen is transmitted via the communication device 3, the network 7, and the communication device 4 by pressing the report button (see FIG. 2). Images and data are sent to the server device 5. The image and data are stored in the database 6 and displayed on the display unit 8. By sending such an accurate error screen or game setting screen to the server device, it is possible to receive an appropriate instruction for error recovery or game setting from a game supporter at a remote location.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing an embodiment of the circuit of the game machine used in the game error screen reporting system according to the present invention.
When a coin is inserted from the coin insertion unit 13, the coin is detected, and the information is transmitted to the CPU 10 via the coin related device 12 and the input / output control unit 15. Setting values such as the number of coins inserted, that is, the number of coins and the number of plays are stored in the backup memory 14.
The ROM 16 stores a control program for controlling the entire game machine housing and, for example, a race game, a race game program and data necessary for the game machine.
The RAM 17 is used as a work area for calculation and processing performed by the game control unit and the like, and temporarily stores data.

CPU10 implement | achieves each function of the game control part 10a, the error monitoring part 10b, and the communication control part 10c by reading a control program and a game program from ROM16.
The game control unit 10a performs monitoring such as coin insertion in a standby state before the start of the game, control of lighting and blinking of game machine lighting, control after the game ends, and the like. Further, when the game setting button 22 is pressed, a game setting screen can be displayed. A game setting button 22 and a report button 21 to be described later are installed in the door on the front side of the game machine and can be operated only by the manager of the store.

The error monitoring unit 10b monitors an error during game machine activation, and when an error occurs, displays a screen showing the error content on the monitor 19 via the image processing unit 18. When the report button 21 is operated, an error screen image is stored in the RAM 17 and sent to the server device 5 via the communication device 3 under the control of the LAN control unit 20.
When the report button 21 is operated while the game setting screen is displayed on the monitor 19, the game control unit 10 a stores an image of the game setting screen in the RAM 17 and performs communication under the control of the LAN control unit 20. The data is sent to the server device 5 via the device 3. The error monitoring unit 10b and the monitor 19 have the function of error content display means, the error monitoring unit 10b and the RAM 17 have the function of error screen storage means, the error monitoring unit 10b and the communication control unit 10c, and the LAN control unit 20 have the function of fault reporting means. Prepare each.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing when an error occurs in the game machine.
When the game machine is operated, the error monitoring unit 10b starts monitoring whether or not an error has occurred (step (hereinafter referred to as “S”) 01). When an error occurs in the game machine, an error screen is displayed on the monitor 19. Then, it is determined whether or not the error report button 21 has been pressed (S02). When the error report button 21 is depressed, the current error screen image is stored in the RAM 17 (S03). Then, the communication control unit 10c adds the model name, version, date and time, and store information together with the error screen image stored in the RAM 17, and transmits it to the server device 5 via the LAN control unit 20 and the communication device 3 (S04). An example of the error screen sent to Fig.4 (a) is shown.

Next, when the server device 5 receives the error screen image, model name, version, date and time, and store information (S05), it stores the received information in the database 6 (S06). Further, the display unit 8 displays an error screen image, model name, version, date and time, and store information. When the server device 5 stores the information sent from the game machine, it returns a response signal to the game machine.
If the game machine can return to the game, a return operation is performed. If the game cannot be restored, an operation to reboot the game is performed (S07). As a result, if the game returns, the process proceeds to S01 again to continue monitoring.
Note that the game setting screen can also be sent to the server device 5 by depressing the report button 21 in the same manner. An example of the game setting screen in such a case is shown in FIG.

  This is a reporting system for a game error screen or the like comprising a game machine and a server device installed in a game center or a store.

1 is a schematic diagram of a game error screen reporting system according to the present invention. FIG. It is a circuit diagram which shows embodiment of the circuit of the game machine used with the game error screen reporting system by this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a process when an error generate | occur | produces in a game machine. It is a figure which shows an example of the error screen and test mode screen which are displayed on the monitor of a game machine.

Explanation of symbols

1a to 1n game machine
2 stores
3,4 communication equipment
5 Server device
6 Database
10 CPU
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Operation part 12 Coin-related apparatus 13 Coin insertion part 14 Back amplifier memory 15 Input / output control part 16 ROM
17 RAM
18 Image processing unit 19 Monitor 20 LAN control unit

Claims (3)

In a system comprising a game machine, a server device, and a communication device for connecting the game machine and the server device,
The game machine
Error content display means for detecting an error during game operation and displaying the error state on the game screen;
A report button,
When an error screen is displayed by the error content display means, an error screen storage means for storing image data of the error screen when the report button is pressed;
A failure report means for sending the stored error screen image data to the server device via the communication device;
The server device
Storage means for storing image data of an error screen received from the game machine in a database;
A game error screen reporting system, comprising: display means for displaying image data of the error screen. The game machine
Game setting means for setting the operation content of the game machine;
Display means for displaying the contents set by the setting means;
The game setting screen is displayed by the display means, and when the report button is pressed, the game setting screen is saved, and the game setting screen is transmitted to the server device by a communication device. 1. A system for reporting game error screens according to 1.   3. The game error screen reporting system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising means for returning to the game after the failure reporting means reports to the server device or rebooting the game in which an error has occurred. .

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