JP3071674B2 - A prize management system with a function to change the constant during operation - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a prize management system including a management server and a prize exchange device (also referred to as a prize POS). It is made possible. The replacement unit price is, for example, such that cigarettes can be replaced with 50 pachinko balls.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When a constant such as an exchange unit price is changed in a premium POS of a pachinko parlor, the changed constant is transmitted to a server, and the constant in the server is changed. At this point, the constants in the prize POS are not changed, and unless the business start processing is performed again to download the constants, the prize P
The OS operates with the constant before the change.

[0003]

In such a conventional method, the constant changed during business hours cannot be used immediately in the prize POS. If you want to use it immediately, you have to close the business and start the business again.
However, this has disadvantages such as clearing of the business data on the day.

[0004] The present invention has been made in view of the above point, and it is an object of the present invention to immediately reflect the changed contents in a prize POS even when a constant is changed during business hours. . Another object of the present invention is to prevent a malfunction when an important operation is performed.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a prize management system having a function of changing a constant during operation, comprising a management server having an operation constant file and a registration constant file, and an operation constant file and a registration constant file. A prize exchange device for performing a prize exchange operation using the operation constants of the constant file, and the prize exchange device transmits a constant registration request to which a registered constant changed on the registration screen is added to the management server. Register constant changing means for changing the registered constant in the registered constant file to the registered constant that has been changed; and confirming whether or not download of the constant is instructed after the change of the registered constant. A confirmation processing means for transmitting a constant download request to the management server when download of the file is instructed, and managing the operation constants of the operation constant file The management server changes the registered constant of the registered constant file to the registered constant added to the request when receiving the constant registration request. It is characterized by comprising constant registration request processing means, and download request processing means for downloading a registration constant of a registration constant file to a request source device when a constant download request is received.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a prize management system having an in-service constant changing function, wherein the confirmation processing means includes a step of: It operates under the condition that it is different from the registered constant of (1).

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a prize management system having a function for changing a constant during business operation according to the first or second aspect of the present invention, wherein the management server includes a function for changing a registered constant file at the start of business. It is characterized in that it has a download means at the start of business for copying the registration constant to an operation constant file and downloading the operation constant of the operation constant file to the premium exchange device.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a prize management system having a function for changing a constant during business operation, wherein the prize exchange device performs an important operation. When an instruction is given, a confirmation screen is displayed to confirm the operation, and important operation confirmation processing means for executing an important operation is provided on condition that the confirmation screen instructs execution. Things.

The operation of the premium management system according to claim 1 will be described. The prize exchange device performs a prize exchange operation using the operation constants in the operation constant file. The premium exchange device changes the registration constant on the screen and sends a constant registration request to which the changed registration constant is added to the management server. Upon receiving the constant registration request, the management server changes the registration constant in the registration constant file to a constant added to the constant registration request.

After sending the constant registration request, the prize management device checks whether download of the constant is instructed.
If download of a constant is instructed, a request to download the constant is sent to the management server. When receiving the download request, the management server downloads the registration constant of the registration constant file to the request source device. The prize management device of the request source receives the downloaded constant, and changes the constant in the operation constant file to the downloaded constant.

The operation of the prize management system according to claim 2 will be described. The prize exchange device checks whether the registration constant changed on the registration screen is different from the registration constant before the change processing /
It checks whether the download of the constant is instructed if it is different. If download of a constant is instructed, as described above,
Send a constant download request to the management server. Claim 2
According to the invention, useless operation can be omitted.

The operation of the prize management device according to claim 3 will be described. At the start of business, the management server copies the contents of the registration constant file to the operation constant file, and downloads the constants of the operation constant file to each premium exchange device. Each premium exchange device copies the downloaded constant to both the operation constant file and the registered constant file. Therefore, immediately after the start of business, the contents of all operation constant files and registered constant files existing in the premium management system are the same.

The operation of the prize management device according to claim 4 will be described. The prize exchange device displays a confirmation screen after instructing an important operation, and executes an important operation after confirming execution. Thereby, malfunction can be prevented.

[0014]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a prize management system according to the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a prize counter, 2 is a management server, and 3 is a prize exchange device. When a pachinko ball is put into the hopper of the prize counter 1 and a ticketing button is pressed, the number of inserted pachinko balls, a counter number, a ticketing number, and the like are sent to the management server 2 and a counter number, a ticketing number, and a pachinko number are transmitted. Issue a ticket receipt with the number of balls and barcode printed. The bar code includes information indicating a counter number, a ticket issue number, and the number of pachinko balls. The management server 2 stores the transmitted number of pachinko balls, a counter number, a ticketing number, and the like.

When the customer brings the ticket receipt to the premium exchange device, the operator causes the barcode reader to read the barcode of the ticket receipt. The prize exchange device 3 checks whether or not the number of pachinko balls, the counter number, the ticketing number, etc. indicated by the read bar code are registered in the management server 2, and if they are registered, exchanges the exchange information. Display on the screen. The exchange information indicates how many special prizes can be obtained with the number of pachinko balls described on the ticket receipt.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the prize counter. In the figure, 4 is a microprocessor, 5 is a hopper, 6
Denotes a ball counter, 7 denotes a display unit, 8 denotes an operation unit, 9 denotes a data output unit, 10 denotes an interface unit, and 11 denotes a communication host. LON is an interface called a local operating network.

The microprocessor 4 controls the entire prize counter. The number of pachinko balls put in the hopper 5 is counted by a ball number counter 6. The display unit 7 is for displaying the number of balls counted and the like. The operation unit 8 is for inputting various instructions. As the data output unit 9, a printer or a card
There is a writer, etc.

The printer prints the number of balls, a counter number, a ticket number, a bar code, and the like on a ticket receipt. The card writer is for magnetically printing the same content data as a bar code on a PET card (a ticketing card made of polyethylene terephthalate resin).
Recently, PET ticketing cards have been used in the same way as paper ticket receipts. The number of balls,
Character strings indicating the counter number, the ticket issue number, and the like are printed so as to be visible. The interface unit 10 communicates with the communication host 11. Communication between the premium counter 1 and the management server 2 is performed via the communication host 11.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a ticket receipt.
The date of issue, the number of pachinko balls, a bar code, a counter number, a ticket number, and the like are printed on the ticket receipt. In the illustrated example, the number of pachinko balls is 2450.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the premium exchange device.
In the figure, 12 is a microprocessor, 13 is a display unit, 14 is an operation unit, 15 is a storage device, 16 is an interface unit, 17 is an output unit, 18 is a data reading unit, and 19 is a communication host. The prize exchange device and the prize POS are the same.

The prize exchange device 3 includes a microprocessor 1
2, a display unit 13, an operation unit 14, a storage device 15, an interface unit 16, an output unit 17, a data reading unit 18, and the like. The microprocessor 12 controls the entire prize exchange device. The display unit 13 displays various processing screens and messages. The operation unit 14 is, for example, a keyboard. The storage device 15 is a main storage device or an external storage device, and stores various data and programs. The interface unit 16 performs communication with the communication host 19. Communication between the premium exchange device 3 and the management server 2 is performed via the communication host 19. The output unit 17 is, for example, a printer. Data reading unit 18
Examples include a barcode reader and a card reader.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the premium exchange device. In the figure, 13-1 is a display / touch screen, 13-2 is a customer display, 18-1 is a touch scanner, 18-2 is a fixed scanner, and 18-3 is P
ET card reader / writer, 20 is a prize dispenser, 21
Is a pin pad. In addition, the same code | symbol as FIG. 4 shows the same thing.

Touch scanner 18-1 or fixed scanner 1
8-2 is for reading the barcode printed on the receipt. PET card reader / writer 18
-3 is for reading data magnetically printed on a PET card or magnetically printing on a PET card. The prize dispensing machine pays out special prizes that can be exchanged for money.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a download confirmation process after changing a constant, FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an operation constant and a registered constant, and FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a confirmation screen. The operation constant and the registration constant will be described with reference to FIG. The prize POS has an operation constant file and a registered constant file. The management server also has an operation constant file and a registered constant file. The operation constant file stores constants at the time of operation, and the registration constant file stores constants at the time of registration. The constants in the operation constant file are called operation constants, and the constants in the registration constant file are called registration constants. The prize POS performs various tasks using the operation constants.

At the start of business, the management server copies the constant (to be referred to) of the registration constant file to the operation constant file, downloads the constant to the premium POS, and registers the transmitted constant in the premium POS with the operation constant file. Copy to both of the constant files.

Referring to FIG. 6, the download process after changing the constant will be described. When it is desired to change the operation constant of the prize POS during operation, the operator of the prize POS displays a constant registration screen on the display unit of the prize POS, and changes the registration constant on the constant registration screen.

When the change of the registration constant on the registration screen is completed, the operator of the premium POS operates one of an end key and a cancel key. When the cancel key is operated, the constant registration screen ends. When the end key is operated, a constant registration message is transmitted from the premium POS to the management server.

Upon receiving the constant registration message, the management server changes the registration constant. The operation constant of the management server is not changed. Upon completion of the constant registration, the management server notifies the prize POS of the constant registration completion. Upon receiving the completion of the constant registration, the premium POS changes the constants in the registered constant file to the changed constants on the registration screen. When this process ends, the constant registration screen ends.

After the constant registration screen is completed, the registered constant before the change processing is compared with the registered constant after the change processing to check whether or not the registered constant after the change processing is changed. When there is a change, a confirmation screen is displayed on the display unit of the premium POS, and when there is no change, nothing is performed.

FIG. 8 shows an example of the confirmation screen. The confirmation screen displays character strings such as “Do you want to download?”, “Yes”, and “No”. The prize POS operator
To download the constant, position the cursor on "Yes" and press the execution key. Otherwise, position the cursor on "No" and press the execution key.

The premium POS sends a constant download request message to the management server when the "Yes" button is selected, and does nothing when the "No" button is selected. Upon receiving the constant download request message, the management server downloads the registered constant to the premium POS. The prize POS receives the downloaded registration constant and copies it to its own operation constant file and registration constant file.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a confirmation process at the time of an important operation. The premium POS operator gives an important operation instruction on the screen and presses the end key. Then, a confirmation screen is displayed. The confirmation screen is as shown in FIG.
When the operator of the prize POS selects “perform” on the confirmation screen, the important operation is executed, and when the operator selects “do not perform”, the important operation is not executed. The confirmation processing in FIG.
For example, it can be inserted between "press the end key" and "send a constant registration message to the server" in FIG.

[0033]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, when a constant is changed during the operation of the prize management system, the change is immediately reflected in the prize POS and can be used. . In addition, by performing a confirmation operation at the time of an important operation such as changing a constant, an erroneous operation is prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a premium management system.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a prize counter.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a ticket receipt.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a premium exchange device.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a premium exchange device.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a download confirmation process after changing a constant.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing operation constants and registration constants.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a confirmation screen.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a confirmation process at the time of an important operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 prize counter 2 management server 3 prize exchange device 4 microprocessor 5 hopper 6 ball counter 7 display unit 8 operation unit 9 data output unit 10 interface unit 11 communication host 12 microprocessor 13 display unit 14 operation unit 15 storage device 16 interface Unit 17 Output unit 18 Data reading unit 19 Communication host

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Seiichi Murase 3-12-9, Higashi-Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo Inside Ace Denki Co., Ltd. (72) Toshiyuki Nakamura 3--12, Higashi-Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo No. 9 ACE Denken Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-5-123446 (JP, A) JP-A-5-115604 (JP, A) JP-A-5-64687 (JP, A) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A63F 7/02

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A management server having an operation constant file and a registration constant file, and a prize exchange device having an operation constant file and a registration constant file, and performing a prize exchange operation using the operation constants of the operation constant file. Then, the prize exchange device transmits a constant registration request to which the registered constant changed on the registration screen is added to the management server, and changes the registered constant in the registered constant file to the registered constant changed. Constant changing means, after changing the registered constant, confirms whether or not download of the constant is instructed, and, if download of the constant is instructed, transmits a request for downloading the constant to the management server; Confirmation processing means, and download processing means for changing the operation constant in the operation constant file to a constant downloaded from the management server. Then, the management server, upon receiving the constant registration request, changes the registration constant of the registration constant file to the registration constant added to the request. A prize management system having a function of changing a constant during business hours, comprising download request processing means for downloading a registered constant of a registered constant file to a request source device. 2. The function according to claim 1, wherein the confirmation processing means operates under a condition that the changed registration constant is different from the registration constant before the change processing. Freebie management system. 3. The management server further comprises a business start download means for copying the registration constant of the registration constant file to the operation constant file at the start of business and downloading the operation constant of the operation constant file to the premium exchange device. 3. A prize management system having a function for changing a constant during operation according to claim 1 or 2. 4. The prize exchange device displays a confirmation screen when an important operation is instructed to confirm the operation, and executes the important operation on condition that the confirmation screen instructs execution. 4. A prize management system having a function for changing a constant during business hours according to claim 1, further comprising an operation confirmation processing means.