JP4135798B2 - Game machine sales inquiry method and gaming machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for realizing effective inquiry and sales regarding a gaming machine such as a pachinko machine, a revolving game machine, an arrangement ball machine, and a sparrow ball game machine.

  In general, players such as pachinko machines tend to desire games with more innovative new models. Therefore, it is necessary to introduce new models one after another in each game hall to meet the expectations of the players.

However, introducing new models one after another requires a certain amount of money, so in order to recover the amount of money before the next new model is introduced, it is ultimately necessary to reduce the rate of the entire hall. On the contrary, it would be against the player's needs. Therefore, in order to solve such a problem, there is a demand for a gaming machine that can introduce new models one after another without spending much money, and a device that is suitable for selling such gaming machines.
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and it is intended to provide a sales inquiry method suitable for a gaming machine that does not cause much financial burden even if new models are introduced one after another, and an apparatus therefor. Let it be an issue.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention comprises a product database and a customer database relating to gaming machines, and creates information created by itself in response to inquiries from client devices operated on the side of those who wish to introduce gaming machines. It is a sales inquiry method in which the server equipment to be returned is connected to the information transmission path, and the product database has sales components that are discontinued when a new model is introduced and the use limit even when a new model is introduced. For each gaming machine configured in combination with a continuously available lending member, the selling unit price and the lending unit price are stored separately, and the customer database stores the selling member and the selling member for each device held by each customer. Management information is stored separately for rental members, input hand throwing to accept input from the client device about the model of the gaming machine desired to be introduced and the number thereof, When the product database and the customer database are searched based on the information received by the input means, and the rental member constituting the gaming machine desired to be introduced matches the loan member currently being loaned to the introduction applicant Receiving means for accepting an answer from the client device corresponding to return information indicating whether to continue using the rental member of the gaming machine currently in use or to introduce a new model in place of the gaming machine currently in use ; , Based on the response result received by the receiving means, identify the number of newly required lending members, calculate the lending price based on the number and lending unit price, and the number of gaming machines desired to purchase The server device includes calculation means for calculating a selling price based on the selling unit price and returning it to the client device . Further, the present invention is a gaming machine for which sales inquiry is made by the above method.

  According to the present invention, the selling price of gaming machines can be suppressed, so that even if new models are introduced one after another, the gaming hall is not burdened with much money, and the player's needs can be surely met. it can. In addition, if the model and number of gaming machines are specified, it is possible to accurately grasp the sales amount and the loan amount.

  In the sales inquiry device according to the present invention, it is preferable that the input of the model of the gaming machine desired to be introduced and the number thereof is executed by the client device. In this case, the server device and the client device are connected to the LAN or They are connected by an information transmission path such as the Internet. For example, when an in-house LAN is constructed, sales personnel and other employees can immediately know the sales amount and loan amount for each gaming machine, and when using the Internet, the game hall of the sales office, etc. It is possible to grasp the above information even from Further, if the information on the storage medium is disclosed, even a person on the game hall side can know necessary information at any time through the Internet or the like, and can receive an order for a gaming machine. In the present invention, the configuration of the gaming machine is not particularly limited, but a gaming board having a gaming area into which a gaming ball is driven is a sales member, and a frame member to which the gaming board is detachably attached is a rental member. Is preferable.

  As described above, when the Internet line is used as the information transmission path, necessary information can be obtained as appropriate on the game hall side. In addition, since the present invention is a system for calculating the necessary amount by searching the product database and the customer database when an inquiry is made from the client device to the server device, There is no need to manage.

  According to the present invention described above, it is possible to realize a sales inquiry method and apparatus suitable for a gaming machine that does not cause much financial burden even if new models are introduced one after another.

  Hereinafter, the embodiment of the sales inquiry device according to the present invention will be described based on examples. As shown in FIG. 8, the sales inquiry device according to the present embodiment is composed of a server device S connected to the Internet line 80, and a product data verse DB1 and a customer database DB2 accessed from the server device S. . The server device S constructs a homepage HP of the pachinko machine maker, and the customer browses the homepage HP by connecting the client personal computers PC1... PCn to the Internet line.

  FIG. 9 illustrates a schematic configuration of the product database DB1. As shown in the figure, the product database DB1 includes, for each pachinko machine model, a sales member ID that specifies a sales member, a sales unit price of the sales member, a rental member ID that specifies a rental member, and a rental unit price of the rental member. Is stored. In this embodiment, there are N sales members corresponding to N types of pachinko machines, but there are only two types of rental members. Therefore, for example, if a pachinko hall (customer) that has installed a model named A1 wants to introduce a new model named B2 instead of A1, the rental member X01 in the original device can continue to be used. become.

  FIG. 10 illustrates a schematic configuration of the customer database DB2. In the customer database DB2, a sales member and a rental member are managed separately for each customer. For the sales member, the purchase date, the purchased sales member ID, the number of units sold, the sales price, and the presence / absence of the current installation status are stored. Has been. On the other hand, with respect to the lending member, the lending date, the lending lending member ID, the number of lending, the expiration date, and the lending amount are stored. In the example shown in the figure, for the first time on December 20, there are 40 transactions for the model A1 (sales member A100), and on March 4, a new model B2 (sales member B200) is traded instead of the model A1. Since there were 140 units, the new lending of the lending member X01 in the transaction on March 4 was 100 units.

  Next, the operation content of the server device S when browsing from the client personal computer PCi to the homepage HP will be described. When following the link from the top page of the homepage HP, a screen for displaying a device list appears. If you select an appropriate model, you will be taken to the next page, where various introductions showing the game content will appear along with a picture of the game board of the device. On this page, the price of the device is displayed separately for the selling price and the lending price.

  After reading the introduction content as described above for each model, if you wish to purchase or further study any of the devices, proceed to the purchase screen by operating the mouse. Then, a screen for entering the user ID and password appears, and necessary information is entered. In the case of the first time, the user proceeds to the user registration screen and obtains the user ID and password by registering necessary information, and then performs the above operation.

  When this operation is correctly completed, a screen for selecting a device to be introduced and inputting the number of devices appears. When a necessary operation is performed on the client personal computer PCi, the server device S receiving this information first searches the product database DB1 to identify the sales member ID and the rental member ID for the device desired to be introduced. In addition, the customer database DB2 is searched to check whether or not there has been a transaction in the past for the user. If there is a transaction, whether or not the rented lent member can be used for a device desired to be introduced. judge. In addition, since the use limit date is set for the rented member and is exceeded, the maker side collects it, so that only the rented member that does not exceed the use limit is subject to determination.

If the result of this determination is that the available lending member is present, "currently, is a ○○ hall-like, the lending member of the pachinko machine ×× lets me use M stand you. Lending member of the pachinko machine ×× Will you continue to use it, or will you introduce a new model instead of pachinko machine XX? If the customer wishes to introduce a new model instead of the pachinko machine XX, the unit price of the sales member and the rental member of the device is read from the product database DB1, and the number N of purchases is added to this unit. Display the amount.

On the other hand, if it is desired to continue to use the pachinko machine XX lending member, the unit price of the sales member and the lending member of the device is read from the product database DB1, and for the sales member, the purchase number N is integrated. For rental members, integration with the additional number (NM) is performed. Then, the amount required for each is displayed while clearly indicating the basis of the calculation.

  Thereafter, the customer further proceeds with the purchase procedure, and when the process is finally completed, the contents of the customer database DB2 are updated. The update time of the customer database DB2 may be after the product is actually introduced. As described above, with this device, not only can you always know the latest information using the Internet line, but you can use already installed lending members when introducing new models, so there is a financial burden. It becomes lighter.

  Moreover, in the customer database DB2, management information is stored for each device held by each customer, divided into sales members and rental members based on past transaction results, and the product database DB1 and the customer database DB2 are searched. Thus, since the system calculates the necessary amount, the customer does not need to perform complicated operations such as managing rental members.

  FIG. 11 illustrates an embodiment in which the server device S and the client device PC are connected by an in-house LAN. In the case of this embodiment, it is possible to directly access the customer database DB2 and the product database DB1 from each client device. For example, a salesman can determine how much money is required when introducing a new model for a game hall that he / she is responsible for. It becomes possible to know immediately whether it is necessary. In this embodiment, the customer database DB2 may be omitted. Even in this case, if the operator specifies the model and number of units, the sales amount of the sales member and the rental amount of the rental member are different. Is displayed / printed. In the case of such an embodiment, necessary information may be stored in a storage medium such as a CD, and information may be individually acquired in each client device PC.

  Next, a specific configuration of the pachinko machine 1 to be sold or inquired with this apparatus will be described. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a pachinko machine 2 applied to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side view of the pachinko machine 2. The pachinko machine 2 shown in FIG. 1 is a rectangular frame-shaped wooden outer frame 3 that is detachably mounted on the island structure and a hinge H that is fixed to the outer frame 3 before being pivotably mounted. It consists of a frame 4. A plurality of pachinko machines 2 are arranged in the length direction of the island structure of the pachinko hall while being electrically connected to the card-type ball lending machine 1.

  In the pachinko machine 2 of the present embodiment, the front frame 4 is formed in a rectangular frame shape having an opening window at the center, and is disposed in front of the outer frame 3. All members of the pachinko machine 2 are attached to the front frame 4, and the game board 5 provided with game parts is detachably attached to the opening window W (FIG. 7) of the front frame 4 from the back side. ing. On the front side of the front frame 4, a glass door 6 covering the game board 5 and a front plate 7 on which an upper plate 8 is mounted are pivotally mounted in two upper and lower stages so as to be opened and closed. A lower plate 9 for storing game balls overflowing or extracted from the upper plate 8 and a launching handle 11 of the launching device 10 are provided at the lower part of the front frame 4.

  The launching device 10 includes a launching handle 11 that can be rotated, a launching motor 70 that launches a game ball with a striking force 12 according to the turning force of the launching handle 11, a control board 48 that operates the launching motor 70, and the like. (FIG. 7). On the right side of the upper plate 8, there is provided an operation panel 13 for a ball lending operation for the card-type ball lending machine 1, and on this operation panel 13, a card remaining amount display portion 13a for displaying the remaining amount of the card with a three-digit number. And a ball lending switch 13b for instructing lending of game balls for a predetermined amount, and a return switch 13c for instructing to return the card at the end of the game.

  Of the above-described components, the player pays particular attention to the game board 5, and pays no particular attention to the glass door 6, the upper plate 8, the operation panel 13, the lower plate 9, the firing handle 11, and the like. Is the actual situation. Therefore, in this embodiment, for the purpose of reducing the waste from the pachinko hall by reducing the number of sales members, all other parts are removed from the pachinko hall except for the game board 5 and the members attached to the back side thereof. The material is rented out to the manufacturer, and if the usage limit is exceeded, the manufacturer collects it. That is, when the new model is introduced, only the game board 5 is replaced with the attached member fixed to the back side thereof.

  FIG. 3 is a front view illustrating a schematic configuration of the game board 5. As shown in the figure, the game board 5 is provided with a guide rail 15 made of a metal outer rail and an inner rail in a substantially annular shape, and a game area 5 a inside the guide rail 15 has a color liquid crystal display 16, The symbol starting means 17, the open / close-type winning means 18, a total of seven normal winning means 19 (six on the both sides in addition to the top), and two gates (passage openings) 20 are arranged.

  The liquid crystal display 16 functions as a special symbol display means 22 that displays a changing symbol and also displays a background image, animations of various characters, and the like in an animated manner. In this embodiment, the special symbol display means 22 has three symbol display portions 22a to 22c in the left-right direction. The display of the symbol display portions 22a to 22c is performed on the condition that a game ball wins the symbol starting means 17. The symbols are variably displayed (scrolled) for a predetermined time, and stopped with a stop symbol pattern based on the lottery result corresponding to the winning timing of the game ball to the symbol starter 17.

  On the upper side of the liquid crystal display 16, a normal winning means 19 and a normal symbol display unit 23 are provided. The normal symbol display unit 23 displays one normal symbol. When a game ball that has passed through the gate 20 is detected, the normal symbol fluctuates for a predetermined time, and the game ball is randomly selected when the game ball passes through the gate 20. A stop symbol determined by a lottery value is displayed and stopped. The symbol starting means 17 is an electric tulip having a pair of left and right opening and closing claws 17a that can be freely opened and closed. When the normal symbol display unit 23 stops at the symbol, the opening and closing claws 17a are opened for a predetermined time.

  The open / close-type winning means 18 includes an opening / closing plate 18a that can be opened forward, and when the special symbol display means 22 has a winning symbol such as “777” after the change, the special game called “big hit” is started. The opening / closing plate 18a is opened to the front side. There is a specific area 18b inside the openable winning means 18, and the special game is continued when the winning ball passes through the specific area 18b.

  After the opening / closing plate 18a of the openable winning means 18 is opened, the opening / closing plate 18a is closed when a predetermined time elapses or a predetermined number (for example, 10) of game balls wins. At this time, if the game ball does not pass through the specific area 18b, the special game ends. If the game ball passes through the specific area 18b, the special game is continued up to a predetermined number of times (for example, 16 times). ing.

  The gaming operation as described above is realized by the circuit configuration shown in FIG. Hereinafter, based on FIG. 4, in the pachinko machine 2 of the present embodiment, the main control board 39, the symbol control board 40, the lamp control board 42, the voice control board 43, the payout control board 46, and the launch control board 48. The main operation is realized. These are all composed of separate boards, but each control board 39, 40, 42, 43, 46 excluding the launch control board 48 is equipped with a computer circuit comprising a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc. The main control board 39 and the other control boards 40, 42, 43, 46 are electrically connected via a connector with a plurality of signal lines (thick line portion in FIG. 4).

  Each control board 40, 42, 43, 46 executes a predetermined game operation based on a control command received from the main control board 39. For example, the symbol control board 40 drives the liquid crystal display 16, and the sound control board 43 drives the speaker 60. The lamp control board 42 drives various lamps and LEDs on the game board 5 via the lamp relay board 61. The lamp relay board 61 also drives the big hit LED via the big hit LED relay board 62.

  On the other hand, the payout control board 46 performs a game ball payout process via the frame relay board 63 based on a control command from the main control board 39. The frame relay board 63 is attached to the back mechanism 30 (FIG. 6) together with various switches, motors and solenoids connected thereto.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the control boards 40, 42, 43, and 46 are operated based on the one-way communication of the control command, so that it is possible to reliably prevent fraud related to the symbol stop and the main control board 39. Control load can be remarkably reduced, and transmission control can be simplified. Further, the design control board 40, the lamp control board 42, the voice control board 43, and the payout control board 46 can be made common regardless of the model of the pachinko machine, except for the part that stores the program.

  The remaining portion will be described with reference to FIG. 4. The payout control board 46 pays out game balls based on instructions from the prepaid card unit 64 of the card-type ball lending machine 1, and displays on the operation panel 13 via the frequency display board 65. It is carried out. The payout control board 46 is attached to the back mechanism unit 30 (FIG. 6) together with the external connection terminal first board 66 that outputs necessary data to the outside.

  The launch control board 48 drives the launch motor 70 based on the operation of the launch handle 11 and the like to launch a game ball. The firing control board 48 is attached to the back side of the front frame 4 at a position corresponding to the firing handle 11 so as to overlap the firing motor 70 (FIG. 7). The game board 5 is provided with switches such as a prize opening switch and a gate switch, and a solenoid for opening an electric tulip. These and the main control board 39 are connected via a game board relay board 67. Or, it is further connected through a special winning opening relay board 68.

  The game board relay board 67 and the big prize opening relay board 68 are fixed to the game board 5 together with the main control board 39. Further, the power supply board 45 supplies a predetermined voltage to each part, but is fixed to the back mechanism part 30 in an electrostatic shielded state (FIG. 6). Note that the start port switch for detecting that the game ball has won the symbol starting means 17 and the external connection terminal second board 69 are electrically connected directly to the main control board 39 without going through the relay board. .

  FIG. 5 is a front view showing the back side of the pachinko machine 2. FIGS. 6 and 7 are partial views showing the mounting positions of the above-described substrates. As is clear from FIGS. 5 and 6, on the back side of the front frame 4, a back mechanism portion 30 made of transparent plastic that holds the game board 5 from the back side is mounted without using an instrument such as a driver. Specifically, the cylindrical portions 30R and 30R positioned at the right end of the back mechanism portion 30 are detachably fitted to the columnar shafts 4P and 4P integrated with the front frame 4, and are hinged to the columnar shafts 4P and 4P. Thus, the entire back mechanism unit 30 can be opened. In the state of FIG. 6, the entire back mechanism unit 30 is fixed to the front frame 4 by the wing nuts 4 a to 4 d fixed to the front frame 4. Since the back mechanism unit 30 is pressed against the back side of the game board 5, the game board 5 is fixed to the opening window W of the front frame 4.

  An opening 30a is formed at the center of the back mechanism portion 30, and a prize ball tank 33 and a tank rail 34 extending therefrom are provided above the opening 30a. On the side of the back mechanism section 30, an external connection terminal first substrate 66 is attached, and a payout means (a payout motor, a payout switching solenoid, etc.) 35 connected to the tank rail 34 is provided. Further, a passage unit 36 connected to the dispensing means 35 is provided below the back mechanism portion 30. The award ball tank 33 to the passage unit 36 correspond to the payout device of the present embodiment, and the game balls paid out from the rail payout means 35 are transferred to the upper plate 8 shown in FIG. Paid out.

  A transparent plastic case 44 is attached to the lower part of the back mechanism portion 30, and a power supply board 45 and a payout control board 46 are disposed adjacent to each other inside the case 44. Thus, in the case of the present embodiment, only the members (power supply board 45, payout control board 46, payout means 35, etc.) that can be commonly used in each model of the pachinko machine are arranged in the back mechanism unit 30. Therefore, it can be used as a rental member for the hall including the back mechanism 30 and can be used continuously even if a new model of a pachinko machine is introduced. In addition, since the manufacturer collects after an appropriate rental period, the consumable part can be replaced and reused.

  Then, the part of the opening part 30a of the back mechanism part 30 is demonstrated. In this position, a back cover 37 made of transparent plastic is fitted from the back side of the game board 5, and three cases 38, 41 a, 41 b made of transparent plastic are detachably mounted on the back cover 37. (FIGS. 2 and 5). A main control board 39 is disposed inside the case 38, and a symbol control board 40 is disposed on the front side thereof. A lamp control board 42 is disposed inside the case 41a, and an audio control board 43 is disposed inside the case 41b.

  The main control board 39, the symbol control board 40, the lamp control board 42, and the voice control board 43 are all parts that produce game characteristics for each model. Therefore, in the present embodiment, all of these are attached to the back side of the game board 5 and positioned as sales members, and when the new model is introduced, they are sold together with the game board 5 to the pachinko hall.

  FIG. 7 illustrates a state in which the back mechanism unit 30 is separated from the cylindrical shafts 4P and 4P and removed, and the back cover 37 is removed from the game board 5. In FIG. 7, the card-type ball lending machine 1, a rectangular frame-shaped outer frame 3, a front frame 4 having a hollow portion located inside thereof, and wing nuts 4 a to 4 d are held in the hollow portion of the front frame 4. A game board 5 is shown. Originally, since the wing nuts 4a to 4d are fixed in a state where the back mechanism portion 30 is stacked on the game board 5, FIG. 7 shows a state where the game board 5 is temporarily held.

  As shown in FIG. 7, a case 47 is mounted on the lower side of the front frame 4 on the rear side of the firing motor 70, and a firing control board 48 is provided inside the case 47. A speaker 60 is fixed to the front frame 4. As described above, the launching device and the speaker 60 including the launch control board 48 are rental members that are lent out to pachinko halls, and continue to be used even when new models are introduced.

  As mentioned above, although one Example of this invention was described, the concrete description content does not specifically limit this invention. That is, in this embodiment, the game board 5 and the boards 39, 40, 42, 43 fixed to the back side thereof are positioned as sales members, but the present invention is not particularly limited to such an embodiment. In order to reduce the number of discarded parts, sales members may be further reduced. Conversely, for the purpose of renewing the design when a new model is introduced, all the parts that can be seen by the player may be used as sales members.

It is a perspective view of the pachinko machine applied to the present invention. It is a side view of the pachinko machine of FIG. It is a front view of the game board of the pachinko machine of FIG. It is a circuit block diagram of the pachinko machine of FIG. It is a rear view of the pachinko machine of FIG. It is the fragmentary diagram which extracted a part of FIG. It is drawing of the state which separated the back side of the pachinko machine partially. It is a block diagram which shows one Example of this invention. It illustrates the contents of the product database. It illustrates the contents of a customer database. It is a block diagram which shows another Example of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DB1 Product database DB2 Customer database S Server equipment 2 Game machine (pachinko machine)
5 Game board 6 Cover (glass door)
8 Upper plate 9 Lower plate 11 Firing handle 13 Operation panel 39 Main control board

Claims (3)

A server device that has a product database and a customer database related to gaming machines, and that returns information created by itself in response to inquiries from client devices operated by those who wish to introduce gaming machines, is connected to the information transmission path. A sales inquiry method,
The product database includes a sales unit price for each gaming machine configured by combining a sales member that ends use when a new model is introduced and a rental member that can continue to be used up to the use limit even when a new model is introduced. Lending unit price is stored separately,
In the customer database, for each device held by each customer, management information is stored separately for sales members and rental members,
An input hand-pitch that accepts input from the client device about the type of gaming machine desired to be introduced and the number of the machines;
When the product database and the customer database are searched based on the information received by the input means, and the rental member constituting the gaming machine desired to be introduced matches the loan member being loaned to the introduction applicant Receiving means for accepting an answer from the client device corresponding to return information indicating whether to continue using the rental member of the gaming machine currently in use or to introduce a new model in place of the gaming machine currently in use ; ,
Based on the answer result received by the receiving means, the number of newly rented members is specified, the rent price is calculated based on the number and the rent unit price, and the number of gaming machines desired to be purchased and the A calculation means for calculating the sales price based on the sales unit price and returning it to the client device ;
The server device comprises a sales inquiry method.   The sales inquiry method according to claim 1, wherein a game board having a game area into which a game ball is to be shot is a sales member, and a frame member to which the game board is detachably attached is a rental member.   A gaming machine for which sales are inquired by the method according to claim 1 or 2.

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