JP4804394B2 - Game system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention has a function of managing, for each gaming machine, an acquired value that increases at least according to a winning by a gaming machine and decreases when used in a game, and at least the acquired value specifying information that can specify the acquired value is a player The acquired value individual managing means for executing the acquired value issuing process to be issued and outputting the issue execution information, and each of the acquired value individual managing means can communicate with each other, and at least each gaming machine for the acquired value in each gaming machine An acquisition value management server that stores the identification value at the time of issuance based on the output issuance execution information, and stores the acquired value at the same time, while storing the identification information that can be identified, It is related with the system for games provided with.

  In this type of gaming system, a game media counter corresponding to each of the pachinko gaming machines as an example of gaming machines installed in a gaming hall is provided in what is generally known in the past, An example of a game medium that is obtained as a result of a player playing a game with a pachinko machine is counted by the game medium counter, and the count result is totaled by a central control device. It was.

In this gaming system, the totaling results of the respective game medium counters counted by the centralized management device are tabulated as transition data for one day for each corresponding gaming machine (Patent Document 1).
JP-A-10-127911

  However, in this conventional game system, when the game medium counter and the central management device are in a communicable state, the count data from the game medium counter is transmitted to the central management device and the central management device However, when the game media counter and the central management device are in a communication disabled state (offline state), the count data of the game media counter that is offline in the central management device is managed. I can't do that.

  In this offline state, the gaming medium counter is not under the control of the centralized management device, and therefore an illegal act against the gaming medium counter may occur.

  When this fraudulent act targeting the offline state occurs, it cannot be managed on the central management device side, so the abnormal state that the count value of the game medium counter becomes an abnormally large value in a short time must be managed And the prize is exchanged using the count value of the game media obtained by the fraudulent act, resulting in a disadvantage that a large loss occurs in the game hall.

  That is, in the conventional gaming system, it is defenseless against fraudulent acts aiming at the time when communication is impossible between the acquired value individual management means such as a game medium counter and the acquired value management server such as a centralized management device. It was impossible to verify the existence of such misconduct.

  The present invention has been conceived in view of such circumstances, and its purpose is to enable verification of the presence or absence of fraud aimed at the time when communication between the acquired value individual management means and the acquired value management server is impossible. is there.

Specific examples of means for solving the problems and their effects

(1) It has a function of managing, for each gaming machine, an acquired value (for example, acquired ball count data) that increases at least according to a winning by a gaming machine (for example, pachinko gaming machine 1) and decreases when used for gaming (for example, earned ball data) For example, the detection signal of the acquired ball detection switch 501 of the pachinko gaming machine 1 provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the pachinko gaming machine 1 is input and the processing of S90 to S101 in FIG. Acquired value issuing processing for issuing identifiable acquired value specifying information to the player (for example, S118, S127, S120 in FIG. 13, S118, S127A, S120 in FIG. 31) and issuing execution information (for example, authentication at checkout) Request signal) (for example, S114 in FIG. 13 and FIG. 31) acquired value individual management means (for example, the card in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3) Unit 2),
Each acquired value individual managing means is communicable and stored in association with identification information (for example, unit ID) that can identify each gaming machine at least for the acquired value in each gaming machine (for example, FIG. 23 ( a) S250, S251, the server data table of FIG. 22, FIG. 34), and based on the output issuance execution information, the obtained value at the time of issuance is determined and stored (for example, FIG. 24B, FIG. 36 (b) S288), the number of acquired balls corresponding to the new unit ID (for example, 1180) of the acquired value management server (for example, the server data table of FIGS. 22 and 34) that starts storing the new acquired value A gaming system comprising an acquired ball management server 8) for newly starting storage of the acquired number of balls f in the storage area,
The acquired value individual management means includes:
Managing the acquired value that increases or decreases during communication with the acquired value management server (for example, S90 to S101 in FIG. 12);
When during communication disabled state performing the earned value issuing process, identifiable communication unsaturated ability flights then that issued during communication disabled state during the emitting line issues a earned value specific information of the earned value issued time An incommunicable issuance means (for example, S127 and S120 in FIG. 13 and S127A and S120 in FIG. 31) for issuing by adding line information (for example, offline settlement data);
A non-communication issue processing storage unit (for example, S126 in FIG. 13 and FIG. 31) for storing that the acquired value issuance process in the communication disabled state by the non-communication issue unit has been performed;
At the time of return to the communicable state, return-time acquired value information capable of specifying the acquired value at the time of return is transmitted to the acquired value management server (for example, S31 in FIGS. 7 and 28), and when the communication is impossible When the issue processing storage means stores that the acquired value issue processing has been performed (for example, when the off-line settlement flag is ON), the acquired value issue processing was performed during a communication disabled state. Return time information transmitting means (for example, S30 in FIG. 7 and S30A in FIG. 28) for transmitting issue processing information when communication is impossible that can be specified to the acquired value management server,
The acquired value management server includes:
When the return time acquired value information is transmitted by the return time information transmitting means and the issuance processing information is not transmitted when the communication is impossible, the transmission time acquired value information is specified. When the acquired value at the return time is higher than the acquired value before the return time (for example, YES is determined by S263 in FIG. 23B and FIG. 35B). Sometimes) appropriateness determining means for determining whether or not the increase amount is within an appropriate range that can be increased (for example, S264 and S265 in FIG. 23B, S264A and S265 in FIG. 35B). It is characterized by that.

  According to such a configuration, the acquired value individual managing means manages the acquired value that increases or decreases while the acquired value management server cannot communicate with the acquired value management server, and at the time of return to the communicable state, When the return value acquisition value information that can specify the acquisition value is transmitted to the acquisition value management server, the acquisition value management server does not issue the acquisition value specification information that can specify the acquisition value when communication is impossible to the player. When the value acquired at the time of return specified by the return value information at the time of return is greater than the value acquired before the time of return, whether or not the increase is within an appropriate range that can be increased. In order to determine, it is possible to verify the presence or absence of fraud aimed at a communication disabled state.

(2) The return time point information transmission means is performed at least at the end of the communication disabled state when the acquired value issuing process is stored in the communication disabled issue processing storage means. Appropriateness determination information for determining whether or not the increase amount of the acquired value that has increased from the time when the acquired value is issued to the time when the communicable state is restored is within the appropriate range is transmitted (for example, S30 in FIG. 7). , S30A in FIG. 28),
The suitability determination means is configured to return the return time information transmitted by the return time information transmission means when the return time acquired value information and the communication impossible issue processing information are transmitted by the return time information transmission means. When there is an acquired value at the return time specified by the acquired value information, the acquired value at the return time is within an appropriate range based on the suitability determination information transmitted by the return time information transmitting means. It is determined whether it is a thing (for example, S255-S258 of FIG.23 (c), S255A-S258 of FIG.35 (c)).

  According to such a configuration, when the acquired value individual management means has issued acquired value specifying information that can specify the acquired value when communication is impossible to the player, from the time of issue to the time when the communication state is restored Appropriateness determination information for determining whether or not the increased amount of the acquired value is within an appropriate range is transmitted to the acquired value management server, and the acquired value management server transmits the transmitted appropriateness determination information. Even when issued value identification information that can specify the acquired value is issued to the player in the communication disabled state in order to determine whether the acquired value at the time of return is within the appropriate range based on the information Further, it is possible to verify the acquired value during the communication disabled state after the issuance.

(3) When the acquired value specific management means accepts the acquired value specifying information to which the communication disabled issue information is added in the communicable state, the acquired acquired value specifying information is transmitted to the acquired value management server. (For example, S60 in FIGS. 9 and 29),
The adequacy determination means determines whether or not the communication issuance issuance information is accepted when determining whether the acquired value specified from the acquired acquired value specifying information is appropriate (for example, S270 to S272 in FIG. 24A). , S270 to S272 in FIG.

  According to such a configuration, when the acquired value specifying information issued in the communication disabled state is moved to another gaming machine and used for the game, the acquired value individual managing means corresponds to the other gaming machine to acquire the information When the value specifying information is received, the acquired value specifying information is transmitted to the acquired value management server. In the acquired value management server, whether or not the acquired value specified from the transmitted acquired value specifying information is appropriate. Therefore, when the acquired value specific management means corresponding to another gaming machine accepts the acquired value specifying information issued in the communication disabled state, the acquired value management server can perform suitability determination, It is possible to determine the suitability of the acquired value management server without waiting for the acquired value individual managing means that is in a communication disabled state to return to the communicable state.

(4) When the acquired value specifying information issued by the acquired value individual managing means is communicable with the acquired value managing server, an inquiry for authenticating the validity of the acquired value specifying information is made. The inquiry processing to be performed is executed on the acquired value management server (for example, S158 and S162 in FIG. 15), and when the authentication of the return result validity from the acquired value management server is obtained, the received acquired value is received. A prize exchange process for exchanging with a player's desired prize within the range of acquired value specified by the specific information is performed (for example, S1782 and S185 in FIG. 17). A prize exchange terminal (for example, the POS terminal 13 in FIG. 3). Further comprising
When the premium exchange terminal receives the acquired value specifying information to which the incommunicable issuance information is added, it transmits the received acquired value specifying information to the acquired value management server (for example, S169 in FIG. 16, FIG. 32). S169A),
The suitability determination unit performs a determination process at the time of accepting communication impossible issue information for determining whether or not the acquired value specified from the acquired acquired value specifying information is appropriate (for example, S315 in FIGS. 27 and 38). ˜S317), the determination result of the determination processing at the time of accepting the incommunication issue information reception is returned to the premium exchange terminal (for example, S318 and S319 in FIGS. 27 and 38),
The prize exchange terminal executes the prize exchange process when the determination result is appropriate (for example, when YES is determined in S171 of FIG. 16, the process proceeds to SS182 or S185).

  According to such a configuration, when an attempt is made to perform a prize exchange process by a prize exchange terminal using the acquired value specifying information issued from the acquired value individual managing means when communication is disabled, the acquired value specifying information is acquired. Sent to the value management server, and the acquired value management server determines whether or not the acquired value specified from the acquired value specifying information is appropriate, and the prize exchange process is executed when the determined result is appropriate For this reason, the acquisition value management server determines whether or not communication is possible without waiting for the acquired value individual management means that issued the acquired value identification information to return to the communicable state, and at the stage where the prize is exchanged. As a result, it is possible to prevent prize exchange based on illegal acts as much as possible.

(5) further includes a communication disabled state period specifying unit (for example, S31A in FIG. 28) for specifying the communication disabled state period in the acquired value individual managing unit that is in a communication disabled state;
Whether or not the suitability determination means is within an appropriate range in which the increase amount of the acquired value increased during the communication disabled state can be increased based on the communication disabled state period specified by the communication disabled state period specifying unit. Determination is made (for example, S264A and S265 in FIG. 35B).

  According to such a configuration, the acquired value management server has an appropriate range in which the increase amount of the acquired value increased during the communication disabled state can be increased based on the period during which the acquired value individual management unit is in the communication disabled state. Therefore, it is possible to determine based on the period whether or not the increase amount of the acquired value is within an appropriate range corresponding to the communication disabled state period.

(6) In the gaming machine corresponding to the acquired value individual managing means that is in the communication disabled state, the acquired value management server has a gaming state in which the player's acquired value increases during the communication disabled state. Game information input means (for example, S214a, S215, S216 in FIG. 20, S292 in FIG. 25) for inputting game information (for example, the number of jackpots) that can specify whether or not there is included,
The suitability determination means determines whether or not the increase amount of the acquired value increased during the communication disabled state is within an appropriate range that can be increased based on the game information input to the game information input means (for example, , S263 to S265 in FIG. 23B, S255 to S258 in FIG. 23C, S315 to S317 in FIG. 27, S263 to S265 in FIG. 35B, and FIG. 35 (c) S255A to S258).

  According to such a configuration, the acquired value management server generates a gaming state in which the acquired value of the player increases during the communication disabled state in the gaming machine corresponding to the acquired value individual managing means that is in a communication disabled state. In order to determine whether or not the increase amount of the acquired value increased during the communication disabled state is within an appropriate range that can be increased based on the game information that can be specified whether or not It can be determined whether or not the increase amount of the acquired value is within an appropriate range corresponding to the gaming state.

(7) When the return time information transmitting means returns from the communication disabled state to the communication enabled state, the communication disabled issue means causes the communication disabled state in the middle of the game and issues the acquired value during the communication disabled state. When processing is performed, issuance value specifying information that can specify the acquired value issued by the acquired value issuing process, and communication from the time when communication cannot be switched to the time when the acquired value issuing process is performed The post-impossibility post-communication issue period determination information for determining whether or not the increase amount of the acquired value increased during the post-impossibility issue period is within an appropriate range (for example, S30A in FIG. 28),
The suitability determining means is specified based on the issue value specifying information transmitted by the return time information transmitting means when the acquired value is issued when communication is impossible by the communication impossible issue means. Whether or not the increase is within an appropriate range that can be increased based on the transmitted post-communication issuance period determination information that has been transmitted. A return time determination process is performed (for example, S255A to S258 in FIG. 35 (c)). When the determination result of the return time determination process is different, it is determined that the determination result of the determination process at the time of accepting the communication disabled issuance information is inappropriate (for example, FIG. Even if the table is moved by the card issued at the time of in-insertion and inserted into the destination card unit 2 and determined to be appropriate once in S62 of FIG. 9, it is subsequently determined to be abnormal by the return authentication and abnormal by S259. If authentication at the time of settlement is performed after the card is changed, YES is determined in S280, an inappropriate reply is made in S285, and it is determined to be inappropriate in S116.

  According to such a configuration, in the acquired value management server, the determination result of the return time determination process performed when the acquired value individual management means returns to the communicable state is the determination result of the determination process at the time of accepting the communication disabled issue information reception In order to determine that the determination result of the determination process at the time of accepting incommunicable issuance information is inappropriate, the acquired value specifying information issued from the acquired value individual management means during the incommunicable state is falsified It is also possible to verify the presence or absence of illegal acts.

(8) The acquired value management server corresponds to the acquired value individual managing unit, and transmits the stored acquired value to the acquired value individual managing unit (for example, S230 in FIG. 21A). , S231)
The acquired value individual managing means further includes acquired value recovery means (for example, S10 to S13 in FIG. 5) for storing the acquired acquired value as the current acquired value.

  According to such a configuration, the acquired value management server transmits the stored acquired value corresponding to the acquired value individual managing means to the acquired value individual managing means, and the acquired value individual managing means transmits the acquired acquisition. Since the value is stored as the current acquired value, the stored data of the acquired value in the acquired value individual management means disappears, or the acquired value individual management means breaks down and is replaced with a new acquired value individual management means, etc. Thus, it is possible to recover the acquired value in the acquired value individual managing means.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.
[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a front view showing a part of a gaming machine installation island installed in a game arcade where a gaming system according to the present invention is provided.

  A plurality of pachinko gaming machines 1 in which gaming balls (hereinafter referred to as balls) are thrown into the gaming area and played are arranged on the gaming machine installation island 100 side by side. Although a large number of pachinko gaming machines 1 are arranged in parallel on one gaming machine installation island 100, only a part of the pachinko gaming machines 1 are shown in FIG.

  On the left side of each pachinko gaming machine 1, a card unit 2 as an example of earned ball individual management means is installed. This card unit 2 deducts the remaining card amount and the number of balls from the card that records the remaining card amount as a value that can be used for the game by the player and the acquired number of balls as the acquired value as a result of the game. The pachinko balls are paid out as payable balls according to the withdrawal amount, and the player can use the pachinko gaming machine 1 by using the pachinko balls.

  In the gaming machine installation island 100, a calling device 4 is provided in the upper part of each pachinko gaming machine 1. The calling device 4 is for operating based on the player's operation when calling an attendant.

  FIG. 2 is a front view of the card unit 2 and the pachinko gaming machine 1 as an example of the gaming machine. In the pachinko gaming machine 1, when a player plays a game, a game card that can be used for the game is used. There are two types of cards: a membership card issued individually to a player registered as a member in a game hall, and a visitor card that can be used by all players.

  The membership card is a recording medium made up of an IC card. A card ID is recorded on the membership card. Various information (card information) such as remaining card amount, information on the number of balls acquired, information on the number of stored balls, information on the number of points visited, and member information for identifying individual members is associated with the card ID as a consideration for the player's input price. Are recorded in the acquired ball management server described later. The acquired ball management server can calculate various card information corresponding to the membership card based on 8. The membership card is a card that is used to enjoy predetermined membership privileges such as depositing of savings and execution of replay. The member card is issued to a member registrant when a member is registered in a member registration device or a game counter provided in the game hall. The card information registered in this way, such as the remaining card information, the number of stored balls information, the number of points visited, and the member information, is managed by the acquired ball management server using the card ID together with the player's game history. The membership card is owned by the member and can be used in principle in any card unit 2.

  Here, the stored ball refers to an act of depositing an acquired value such as an acquired ball acquired by the player to the game hall side and the deposited value. The accumulated ball number information is information indicating the number of accumulated balls of the player who owns the member card. The earned ball refers to a value indicating the score or ball obtained by the player through the game. The acquired number-of-balls information is information indicating the number of acquired balls of the player who owns the member card. The replay means that a player plays a game by lending a ball using a stored ball or an acquired ball not deposited in a game hall.

  The store visit point is numerical data that is added and updated by a predetermined number of points each time a member player visits the game hall, and a predetermined service is given to the player from the game hall side according to the number of points. Given. The point of visit is when the player visits the game hall and inserts a card into the card slot 26a provided in the card unit 2 (however, if the customer visits the store several times a day, the card for the first visit) Is added and updated).

  The store visit point is numerical data that is added and updated by a predetermined number of points each time a member player visits the game hall, and a predetermined service is given to the player from the game hall side according to the number of points. Given. The point of visit is when the player visits the game hall and inserts a card into the card slot 26a provided in the card unit 2 (however, if the customer visits the store several times a day, the card for the first visit) Is added and updated).

  When a player plays a game, first, money (1,000 yen) is inserted into the money insertion slot 60. Then, when the inserted money is discriminated and is an appropriate money, a game ball is lent out within the range of the amount of the inserted money, and a game becomes possible. When paying the number of balls acquired by the player through the game, the player can add and update the number of balls to be adjusted to the number of balls specified by the card ID of the member card possessed. If the player does not have a membership card, a visitor card is issued from the card unit 2. The acquired ball is recorded in the visitor card and discharged to the player.

  When a player plays a game using a visitor card, the visitor card is inserted into the card slot 26 a provided in the card unit 2. Then, card information recorded on the inserted visitor card, such as the remaining card amount and the number of acquired balls, is read by a card reader / writer provided in the card unit 2. Then, based on the read card information, the remaining card amount and the number of acquired balls are displayed on the remaining card amount display unit 28 a provided in the card unit 2. The card remaining amount display unit 28a is composed of a plurality of 7-segment displays, and is configured to digitally display the card remaining amount and the number of acquired balls with a predetermined number of digits. A game can be played using the displayed card remaining amount and the number of acquired balls.

  When a player plays a game using a membership card, the membership card is inserted into the card slot 26 a provided in the card unit 2. Then, the card ID recorded on the inserted member card is read by the card reader / writer. Then, the ball number data (acquired ball number data, accumulated ball number data) specified by the acquired ball management server 8 based on the read card ID is displayed on the card remaining amount display unit 28a. A game can be performed using the displayed card remaining amount, the number of acquired balls, and the number of stored balls.

  The pachinko machine 1 is provided with a ball lending button 27a that is operated when receiving a ball lending, and a payment button 27b that is operated when paying back a card by paying the remaining amount of the card, the number of balls acquired, etc. No. 2 is provided with a replay button 27c that is operated when receiving a ball lending using a stored ball or an acquired ball, that is, when replaying.

  When the ball lending button 27a is operated, a predetermined lending unit amount is deducted from the card remaining amount displayed on the card remaining amount display unit 28a and reduced, and in exchange for that, a ball for the lending unit amount is deducted. Are paid out from the card unit 2 as balls. The remaining card amount is displayed on the remaining card amount display unit 28a. Such an operation is called a ball lending operation.

  If the replay button 27c is operated in a state where a card is inserted in the card slot 26a, a predetermined lending unit number is obtained from the number of acquired balls or the number of stored balls displayed on the card remaining amount display portion 28a. The number of balls is withdrawn and subtracted, and in exchange for that, balls corresponding to the number of lending units are returned from the card unit 2 as balls. Such an operation is called a replay operation. The number of stored balls is displayed on the card remaining amount display unit 28a. The display of the remaining card amount, the number of acquired balls, and the number of stored balls in the card remaining amount display unit 28a is switched as follows. When a card is inserted, the ball lending mode is basically determined from the number of balls acquired (the number of balls stored when there is no number of balls acquired), and the number of balls acquired (or the number of balls stored) is displayed on the card remaining amount display portion 28a. When the ball lending button 27a is operated once in the ball lending mode state from the number of acquired balls (or the number of accumulated balls), the ball lending mode state from the card remaining amount is entered and the remaining card amount is displayed on the card remaining amount display unit 28a. Is done. Further, when the replay button 27c is operated once in the ball lending mode state from the remaining card amount, the ball lending mode state from the acquired number of balls (or the number of accumulated balls) is entered, and the number of acquired balls ( Or, the number of stored balls) is displayed.

  If the checkout button 27b is operated in a state where the membership card is inserted in the card slot 26a, information such as the number of balls acquired, the remaining card amount, and the number of stored balls is stored in the acquired ball number management computer 8. Then, the membership card in which the card ID specifying the stored information is recorded is ejected from the card slot 26a and returned to the player.

  Balls to be paid out as balls for lending from the card unit 2 are passed from a ball paying portion provided inside the card unit 2 via a ball paying nozzle 251 provided on the front side of the card unit 2. It is paid out on a hitting ball supply tray (upper plate) 92 provided in the machine 1.

  Further, the card unit 2 identifies whether or not the card is proper. In this regard, if the card cannot be identified as appropriate, the card is returned from the card slot 26a.

  In the game, the player operates the hitting operation handle 90 provided in the pachinko gaming machine 1 to eject and fire the balls stored in the hitting ball supply tray 92 and to hit the game area 10a. When the balls that have been placed in the game area win various prize areas as will be described later, a predetermined number of prize balls for each prize area are paid out to the hitting ball supply tray 92 (upper dish). On the other hand, the balls that have not won any of the winning areas are collected into the pachinko gaming machine 1 from the out port 15. When the hitting ball supply tray 92 becomes full, the balls are sent to an excess ball receiving tray (lower tray) 93 provided below and stored.

  In this pachinko gaming machine 1, a pachinko ball counting device used for game settlement called each counter 5 is provided corresponding to each pachinko gaming machine 1. Each counter 5 includes a counting display section 55 provided above the pachinko gaming machine 1 and a counting ball storage section 94 provided below the pachinko gaming machine 1.

  The ball receiving portion 94 for counting is provided below the surplus ball receiving tray 93 and is configured to receive and store balls discharged from the surplus ball receiving tray 93. When the discharge lever 93 a provided in the surplus ball receiving tray 93 is operated due to the storage ball becoming full or the like, the balls stored in the surplus ball receiving tray 93 are opened on the bottom surface of the surplus ball receiving tray 93. The ball is discharged downward from the portion and received by the ball receiving portion 94 for counting.

  The counting ball receiving portion 94 is provided with a counting shutter 94a that can be operated by the player. The counting shutter 94a is a member for opening and closing an opening provided at the bottom of the counting ball receiving portion 94, and is opened and closed according to an operation of the integrally formed lever portion 94b. The counting shutter 94a is closed in a normal state to make the counting ball receiving portion 94 in a state where balls can be stored, and is opened when the lever portion 94b is operated by the player. When the counting shutter 94 a is opened, the balls stored in the counting ball receiving portion 94 are discharged to the ball discharge passage 520 connected to the bottom of the counting ball receiving portion 94. On the entrance side of the ball discharge passage 520, there is an acquisition ball detection switch 501 including a passage detection sensor that detects the ball discharged from the counting ball receiver 94 (hereinafter referred to as “acquired ball”). Is provided.

  When a ball is detected and counted by the acquired ball detection switch 501, the count value is digitally displayed on the count display unit 55 including a plurality of 7-segment displays. This count value (also referred to as “acquired ball count”) is recorded on the visitor card as acquired ball count information at the end of the game, and can be used for various purposes such as prize exchange. Further, the member card is stored in the acquired ball management server 8 in association with the card ID of the member card, and can be used for various purposes such as prize exchange. In addition, it is possible to convert the acquired number of balls indicated by the acquired number-of-balls information into the number of stored balls and record it as stored-ball number information at the counter of the game hall.

  If the ball return switch 5 is operated, a count value corresponding to a predetermined number of return unit balls is withdrawn and subtracted from the count value displayed on the count display unit 55, and in return, the return unit Balls corresponding to the number of balls are paid out on a hitting ball supply tray (upper plate) 92 from a ball paying portion provided inside the card unit 2 via a ball paying nozzle 251. The balls paid out in this way are called return balls.

  The ball payout path from the ball payout portion in the card unit 2 is provided with the aforementioned ball rental passage and the aforementioned return ball passage, and these passages merge before the entrance of the nozzle 251. . As a result, both the balls that are lent and returned are dispensed from the nozzle 251. The ball rental payout passage is provided with a ball rental detection switch 250 for detecting the ball rental paid out from the nozzle 251. In addition, a return ball detection switch 700 for detecting a return ball paid out from the nozzle 251 is provided in the return ball payout passage.

  When the payment is to be made, the payment button 27b is operated by the player. When the checkout button 27b is operated, all the count values obtained by the above-described acquired ball detection switch 501 are settled for prize exchange, and information such as the calculated count value (in other words, the number of acquired balls) is stored in the card. The data is written on the visitor card by the reader / writer, and the visitor card is ejected from the card slot 26a and returned to the player. On the other hand, when a player inserts a member card into the card slot 26a and performs a settlement operation, information such as a count value (in other words, the number of balls acquired) is associated with the card ID of the member card and the acquired ball management server 8 Is remembered.

  In a game, when a ball wins the normal symbol start winning opening 16, the ball is detected by a normal symbol start ball detector (not shown), and a detection signal is input to a game control microcomputer as a game control unit. The The game control microcomputer receives the input, determines at random whether or not to generate a normal symbol, and instructs the normal symbol variable display control unit composed of the microcomputer to control the normal symbol variable display control. Outputs the display control command data. The normal symbol variable display control unit receives display control command data and performs variable display control of the normal symbol variable display device 17 in accordance with the contents of the command. Whether or not to generate a normal symbol hit is determined using a random value obtained from a count value extracted from a random counter (for example, whether or not it matches a predetermined value), as will be described later. As a result of the determination process, if the predetermined determination result is predetermined (for example, a result that matches a predetermined value), the normal symbol variable display device 17 is hit and the symbol (for example, “◯”) is derived and displayed.

  The normal symbol variable display device 17 can variably display normal symbols as a plurality of types of identification information including symbols such as numerals. In the present embodiment, the normal symbol variable display device 17 alternately variably displays “O” as a winning symbol and “X” as an off symbol. In the normal symbol variable display device 17, variable display is started according to the start winning in the normal symbol starting winning opening 16, and the display result is derived and displayed after a predetermined period. When the variable display result of the normal symbol variable display device 17 becomes a predetermined display mode (for example, “◯”), the normal symbol is hit as described above.

  When a normal symbol is hit, the start winning ball device 11a (ordinary variable winning ball device) is in an open state in which it is difficult to accept a ball or in a closed state in which a ball is not easily received. When the ball wins the starting winning ball device 11a (starting winning) and passes the starting region (special starting region) inside the starting winning ball device, the ball is detected by a starting winning ball detector (not shown), The detection signal is input to the game control microcomputer. The game control microcomputer receives the input, determines at random whether or not to generate a big hit state as a specific game state, and displays to instruct variable display control to a variable display control unit comprising the microcomputer Outputs control command data. The variable display control unit receives display control command data and performs variable display control of the variable display device 12 according to the contents of the command. Here, as will be described later, the specific gaming state is determined using a random value obtained from the count value extracted from the random counter (for example, whether or not it matches a predetermined value). As a result, if the result is a predetermined determination result (for example, a result that matches a predetermined value), a jackpot symbol (for example, a doublet such as “777”) is derived and displayed on the variable display device, and then the process proceeds. Refers to the game state.

  The variable display device 12 can variably display special symbols as a plurality of types of identification information including symbols such as numerals, and three variables, a left variable display portion 12a, a middle variable display portion 12b, and a right middle variable display portion 12c. It has a display part. In the variable display device 12, the variable display units start variable display all at once according to the start winning, and all display results are derived and displayed after a predetermined period. When the variable display result of the variable display device 12 is a predetermined combination of specific display modes (for example, a special symbol combination of “777”), a specific gaming state advantageous to the player as described above is obtained. The big hit gaming state is generated, and the following big hit control is executed.

  First, the variable winning ball apparatus 13 is controlled so as to be in a first state that is advantageous to the player. Then, the earlier condition is established, whether a predetermined number (for example, 10 balls) wins in the variable winning ball apparatus 13 in the first state or a predetermined time (30 seconds) elapses. As a result, the variable winning ball apparatus 13 is closed, and the player enters a second state that is disadvantageous to the player. If the ball that has won a prize in the variable winning ball apparatus 13 that is in the first state wins a specific winning area formed at a predetermined location, the first state of the variable winning ball apparatus 13 for that time ends. Waiting for this, the repeated continuation control for controlling the variable winning ball apparatus 13 to the first state again is executed. The upper limit number of executions of this repeated continuation control is set to 16 times, for example.

  The game control microcomputer performs various controls using a random number obtained from a count value extracted from a random counter that is a counter that performs a count to generate a random number. Various random counters, such as a random counter for determining a big hit, a random counter for determining a stop symbol in the variable display device 12, and a random counter for determining a normal symbol, are used for the game control microcomputer.

  A count value that is a random number for winning is extracted from a random counter for determining big hits according to the start winning prize, and the extracted count value is compared with a predetermined big hit determining value. Then, when the extracted count value matches the jackpot determination value, it is determined in advance that the jackpot state is generated. In addition, when there is a start winning prize, a count value that is a random number for the stop symbol is extracted from a random counter for determining the stop symbol, and a special symbol that has a correspondence relationship with the extracted count value in advance is used as the scheduled stop symbol. The variable display control of the special symbol is performed so that the scheduled stop symbol is displayed in advance as a display result. In addition, a count value that is a random number for hitting is extracted from a random counter for hitting a normal symbol in response to the start winning of the normal symbol, and the extracted count value and a hit determination for a predetermined normal symbol are extracted. The value is compared. Then, when the extracted count value matches the hit determination value, it is determined in advance to generate a normal symbol hit. If it is determined in advance that the normal symbol will be hit, variable display control of the normal symbol is performed so that the win symbol is displayed as a display result. On the other hand, if it is determined in advance that the normal symbol will be disengaged, the normal symbol variable display control is performed so that the off symbol is displayed as a display result.

  If it is determined in advance that the big hit state is generated by the game control microcomputer, the display control unit variably displays a combination of specific identification information for generating the big hit state (for example, a combination of double eyes). The apparatus 12 is controlled to stop. Such a combination of specific identification information is called a jackpot symbol. For example, when the combination of specific identification information for generating the big hit state is a combination of double eyes, the planned stop symbol of the right variable display unit is a random counter for determining the left stop symbol in the case of generating the big hit. By aligning with the same special symbol as the scheduled stop symbol of the left variable display portion determined based on the count value extracted from the above, a combination of the blue eyes, that is, a big hit symbol is obtained. On the other hand, if it is determined in advance that the big hit state will not be generated, the occurrence of the big hit state is indicated based on the count values extracted from the random counters for determining the stop symbols of the left, middle and right variable display sections. The special symbol is determined so that there is no combination of identification information (out of symbol). In addition, when it is determined in advance that the big hit state is not generated, when the planned stop symbol corresponding to the count value extracted from the random counter for determining the stop symbol becomes the big hit symbol, A part is forcibly shifted so that it is made out of design.

  In addition, when the combination of the jackpot symbol that is displayed in a stopped state is a combination of jackpot symbols (probability variation jackpot symbol) with a probability variation, after the end of a specific gaming state based on the jackpot, at normal time (normal gaming state) In comparison, the probability variation state (also referred to as a high probability state) in which the probability of occurrence of a big hit is high is changed. Such a probability variation state is a special game state that is advantageous for a player, which is different from the specific game state (big hit state). Such a probability variation state is generally sometimes abbreviated as “probability variation”. In the following, jackpots with probability variation symbols are referred to as probability variation jackpots.

  Once the probability variation jackpot occurs once in the normal gaming state, the probability variation state is continuously controlled until at least a predetermined number of probability variation continuation times (for example, until the next time) has occurred. Further, if a probability variation big hit occurs during the probability variation state, the probability variation continuation count is counted again after that probability variation big hit, and then the probability variation state continues until at least the number of probability variation continuations occurs. If the jackpot that has reached the probability variation continuation count is due to a non-probability variation symbol other than the probability variation symbol, the normal gaming state in which the probability variation does not occur is returned.

  Therefore, when no restriction is placed on the continuous control of the probability variation state, the probability variation state continues indefinitely at least as long as the big hit that has reached the number of times of the probability change continues is the probability change big hit. In the case of this pachinko gaming machine 1, once the probability variation state continues to some extent, once the probability variation jackpot is continuously generated during the probability variation state in order to end the continuous control to the probability variation state, An upper limit has been set. When the big hit display mode is determined to be an uncertain change big hit based on the upper limit number of times, the continuous control of the probability variation state is forcibly terminated at that time. It is to be noted that the restriction that prohibits the big hit with the probability variation symbol is called a limiter operation.

  In addition, after the big hit state or the probability variation state ends, the variable symbol display time for the normal symbol until the variable symbol special symbol is displayed a predetermined number of times (for example, 100 times) or until the big hit state is generated again. It is controlled to a normal symbol variation time shortening control (ordinary time shortening) state in which (the time from when the normal symbol variable display is started until the display result is displayed) is controlled to be shortened. Such a normal time short state is a special game state that is advantageous for a player different from the specific game state (big hit state).

  Next, the configuration of the main control circuit in the card unit 2 will be described, and the configuration of a gaming system as a gaming system for managing various types of information in the game hall will be described. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control circuit of the card unit 2 and the information management system in the game hall. The gaming system includes a card unit 2 provided in correspondence with the pachinko gaming machine 1, an acquired ball management server for managing the total number of acquired balls individually managed by each card unit 2, and a POS terminal for exchanging prizes. 34.

  In the pachinko gaming machine 1, game control is performed by the game control microcomputer 10 for causing the game-related operations as described above. In the pachinko gaming machine 1, various signals such as a big hit signal, a start signal, a probability change signal, a normal time short / medium signal, and a game signal are sent from the game control microcomputer 10 via the input / output interface 11 to the card. Output to unit 2.

  The big hit signal is a signal that can specify that the big hit gaming state has occurred, and is in an active state during the big hit gaming state. The start signal is a signal that can specify that variable display (variable display) of the variable display device 12 has started, and becomes active every time variable display is started (variable display starts). The probability-changing signal is a signal that can specify that a probability variation state has occurred, and is in an active state during a period during the probability variation state. The normal time short / medium signal is a signal that can specify that the normal symbol time short state has occurred, and is in the active state during the normal time state. The in-game signal is a signal that can specify that a game is being played on a pachinko gaming machine, and is in an active state except when the hitting operation handle 90 is not operated for a predetermined time (for example, 5 minutes or more). It becomes.

  In addition, in the card unit 2, in addition to the above-mentioned jackpot signal, start signal, probability change signal, normal time short / medium signal, and game signal, a ball rental detection signal, an acquired ball detection signal, a returned ball detection signal And a checkout signal.

  Further, when money is inserted into the money insertion slot 60 into which money (1000 yen) is inserted, the money detection switch 40 detects the money and a money detection signal is input to the input / output interface 29. Further, the ball lending operation signal is input to the input / output interface 29 by operating the ball lending button 27a. When the replacement completion button 60 that is operated when the control unit of the failed card unit 2 is replaced with a new one is operated, a replacement completion signal is input to the input / output interface 29. Further, when the replay button 27 c is operated, a replay operation signal is input to the input / output interface 29. Further, the card unit 2 is provided with a reset button 42 at a place where the player cannot operate it and only a game attendant can operate (for example, a place which can be unlocked and opened by a key held by the attendant). When the reset button 42 is operated, a reset signal is input to the input / output interface 29. Further, when the ball return switch 58 is operated, a return operation signal is input to the input / output interface 29.

  The rented ball detection signal is a signal that can specify that the paidout of the lented ball has been detected, and is in an active state (for example, in a high level state every time the lented ball detection switch 250 detects the paidout of the lented ball, The same shall apply hereinafter. The acquired ball detection signal is a signal that can specify that the above-described acquired ball is detected, and becomes active every time an acquired ball is detected by the acquired ball detection switch 501. The return ball detection signal is a signal that can specify that the above-described return ball is detected, and becomes active every time a return ball is detected by the return ball detection switch 700. The settlement signal is a signal that can specify that the above-described settlement has been performed, and becomes active when the settlement button 27b is operated.

  The card unit 2 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 21, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 22, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 23, a VDP 24, a VRAM (Video Random Access Memory) 25, and a control circuit including a character ROM 26. A card unit control microcomputer 20 is provided.

  The CPU 21 reads out a control program stored in the ROM 22 and executes various controls for operating the card unit 2 by executing the control program using the RAM 23 as a work area. The control executed by the CPU 21 includes the lending control for lending the balls, the game related information management control for managing various game related information of the pachinko gaming machine 1, and the image to be displayed on the display device 3. Display control such as instructing is included. When the CPU 21 performs various effects display as will be described later, necessary data is read out according to conditions from a plurality of effects display data stored in the ROM 22, and image display control is performed for effect display based on the data. . In addition, the CPU 21 controls the card reader / writer 200 to read out the remaining card amount and stored ball number information from the above-mentioned card and record the remaining card amount, stored ball number information and acquired ball number information.

  The CPU 21 performs various kinds of signals such as the above-described ball rental detection signal, acquired ball detection signal, return ball detection signal, checkout signal, jackpot signal, start signal, probability change signal, normal time short / medium signal, and game signal. Signals are received via the input / output interface 29, and processing for managing various game-related information related to the pachinko gaming machine 1 is performed based on these signals.

  The VDP 24 is an image display IC (Integrated Circuit). Display control data as command data for displaying an image is transmitted from the CPU 21 to the VDP 24. The VDP 24 reads necessary data from the character ROM 26 in which image data is stored in order to display an image according to the received display control data. The VDP 24 generates image data to be displayed on the LCD 27 in accordance with the read data, and stores the image data in the VRAM 25. Then, the image data in the VRAM 25 is converted into R (Red, red), G (Green, green), and B (Blue, blue) signals (RGB signals), and given to the LCD 27 constituting the display device 3. Thereby, various images such as various game-related information managed in the card unit 2 are displayed. Further, an operation signal corresponding to the operation of the touch panel 28 is given to the CPU 21 via the VDP 24. In accordance with the operation signal given from the touch panel 28, the CPU 21 performs control for displaying an image such as game related information according to the player's operation. The display device 3 includes an LCD 27 and a touch panel 28.

  In the game hall, there is provided an acquisition ball management server 8 for managing various information such as game-related information for the entire game hall where the pachinko gaming machine 1 is installed. In addition, a plurality of gaming machine installation islands 100 in which a plurality of pachinko gaming machines 1 are arranged side by side are provided in the game hall.

  The card unit 2 is connected via the hub 7 so as to be able to communicate data with the acquired ball management server 8. In the card unit 2, the card unit control microcomputer 20 has a data communication function for executing data communication by executing data communication software, and is obtained through the hub 7 via the input / output interface 29. Data communication with the management server 8 is performed.

  Various game-related information (also called game data) such as the number of jackpots managed in the card unit 2 and the acquired ball data are acquired in response to a request from the acquired ball management server 8 or periodically. 8 is given. Thereby, the acquired ball management server 8 manages various information such as game-related information and acquired ball data for all the pachinko gaming machines 1 in the game hall. For example, the acquired ball management server 8 stores game-related information and acquired ball data of each pachinko gaming machine 1 separately for a predetermined period, and manages various information.

  Various game-related information managed by the acquired ball management server 8 is given to the card unit 2 via the hub 7 in response to a request from the card unit 2.

  The acquired ball management server 8 is a control circuit including a CPU 81, a ROM 82, and a RAM 83 for communicating with the acquired ball management server 8 via the hub 7 and the control unit 80 that controls the entire acquired ball management server 8. Input / output interface 84, input unit 85 for inputting predetermined information to the acquired ball management server 8, display unit 86 for displaying predetermined information processed by the acquired ball management server 8, and acquired ball management A storage unit 87 for storing predetermined information processed by the server 8 is provided.

  The CPU 81 of the control unit 80 reads out the information processing program stored in the ROM 82 or the storage unit 87, and executes the information processing program using the RAM 83 as a work area. Various information processing to be operated is executed. The information processing executed by the CPU 81 includes a game related information totaling process for totaling game related information of the pachinko gaming machine 1 and an image data generating process for generating image data to be displayed on the display device 3 of the card unit 2. Image data transmission processing for transmitting the received image data to the card unit 2 is included.

  The acquired ball management server 8 transmits / receives various information to / from the card unit 2 via the hub 7 via the input / output interface 84.

  The input unit 85 is a keyboard or a mouse, and can input necessary information to the acquired ball management server 8 (control unit 80 including a CPU). The display unit 86 is a display such as a liquid crystal display device or a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube), and can display various types of information such as information managed by the acquired ball management server 8. The storage unit 87 is a magnetic disk storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD, Hard Disk Drive), and is connected to a control unit 80 including a CPU 81. As the storage unit 87, a magneto-optical disk storage device, an optical disk, or the like can be used instead of the magnetic disk storage device.

  A POS terminal 43 for prize exchange is further installed in the game hall. The POS terminal 43 is used to exchange prizes using the number of balls data (acquired ball data or accumulated ball data) specified by the card issued from the card unit 2 and to store the number of acquired balls. It is.

  The POS terminal 43 is provided with a microcomputer 44. The microcomputer 44 includes a CPU 45 serving as a control center, a ROM 48 storing a control operation program for the CPU 45, a RAM 47 serving as a CPU work area, an input / output interface 41 for inputting / outputting signals to / from an external device, A VDP 46 dedicated to image control, a character ROM 50, and a VRAM 49 are provided.

  Further, the POS terminal 43 is provided with a card reader / writer 51, an LCD 52, a touch panel 53, and a reset button 57. The card reader / writer 51 has a function of reading data recorded on the card and inputting it to the CPU 45 when a membership card or a visitor card is inserted. The touch panel 53 is used for inputting a predetermined operation signal to the VDP 46 when the operator performs a touch operation. The LCD 52 is for displaying an image in accordance with a control signal from the VDP 46. The reset button 57 is provided at a place where the player cannot operate and the player's staff can operate (for example, a position that can be unlocked and opened by a key held by the staff). Is operated to input a reset signal to the input / output interface 41. The input / output interface 41 is connected to the input / output interface 84 of the acquired ball management server 8.

  Next, a control operation executed by the CPU 21 of the card unit 2 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a main program for card unit processing. First, in step S (hereinafter simply referred to as S) 1, a unit replacement process performed when the card unit is replaced is performed, and in S 2, the connection between the card unit 2 and the acquired ball management server 8 goes offline. An offline determination process is performed to determine whether or not there is a currency acceptance process at S3, a card reception process is performed at S4, an acquisition ball process is performed at S5, and a settlement process is performed at S6. In S7, a server recovery process is performed that is executed when the server is recovered, and then the control returns to S1.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the specific control contents of the unit replacement process shown in S1 of FIG. First, in S10, it is determined whether or not an exchange completion operation has been performed. After the card unit 2 breaks down and is exchanged for a new card unit 2, if an attendant at the game hall operates the exchange completion button 60, an exchange completion signal is input, and YES is determined in S10. When YES is determined in S10, a process of transmitting an exchange completion signal to the acquired ball management server 8 is performed in S11.

  Next, in S12, it is determined whether or not data has been returned from the acquired ball management server 8, and waits until it is returned. At the stage where the reply is received, a process of storing the returned data is performed at S13. The returned data is various data such as acquired ball data stored in the card unit 2 before replacement when the failure occurs. The acquired ball management server 8 stores various data such as acquired ball data of each card unit 2 in association with the unit ID. The unit ID is an identification ID for identifying each card unit 2 and is a unique ID different for each card unit 2. Each card unit 2 stores its own unit ID. When sending data to the acquired ball management server 8, the card unit 2 adds its own unit ID and sends it. The control flowchart of the card unit 2 does not show that the data is transmitted to the acquisition ball management server 8 with its own unit ID added, but any data is transmitted to the acquisition ball management server 8. In this case, the unit ID is always added and transmitted. Therefore, when the exchange completion signal is transmitted in S11, it is transmitted with its own unit ID added.

  When the acquired ball management server 8 receives the exchange completion signal, the acquired ball management server 8 returns various data such as acquired ball number data stored corresponding to the unit ID added thereto to the card unit 2. The card unit 2 stores the various data returned. As a result, the data can be restored when the card unit 2 is replaced with a new one.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the specific control contents of the offline determination process shown in S2 of FIG. By S18, it is determined whether or not the offline flag is ON. The offline flag is a flag that is turned on while the card unit 2 and the acquired ball management server 8 are in a communication disabled state (offline state). If it is not in the offline state, NO is determined in S18 and the process proceeds to S20. It is determined whether or not the online state has changed to the offline state. To do. On the other hand, when the state changes from the online state to the offline state, a determination of YES is made in S20, the process proceeds to S21, a process of turning on the offline flag is performed, and a process of storing the time of switching to offline is performed in S22. The

  After the offline flag is turned ON, a determination of YES is made in S18, and the process proceeds to S19, where it is determined whether or not the offline state has been returned to the online state. To do. On the other hand, at the stage of return, a determination of YES is made at S19, and the control proceeds to S23, control for turning off the offline flag is performed, processing for storing the online return time is performed at S24, and data at return is returned at S25. Transmission processing is performed.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing specific processing contents of the return data transmission processing shown in S25 of FIG. By S28, it is determined whether or not the online settlement flag is ON. The online settlement flag is a flag that is turned ON when the number of balls acquired is settled by the online card unit 2 and a card is issued (see S126 in FIG. 13). When the online payment flag is ON, the online payment flag is turned OFF in S29, and in S30, the return notification signal, offline game history data, offline payment history data and offline earned ball increase / decrease history data. Is transmitted to the acquired ball management server 8. The offline game history data is, for example, history data of the occurrence time and end time of each jackpot, which are totaled based on the jackpot signal transmitted from the pachinko gaming machine 1. Specifically, referring to FIG. 11, the generation time t1, the end time t3, the generation time t6, the end time t8, the generation time t12, the end time t13, the generation time t16, and the end time t17. The off-line settlement history data is data of time when settlement is performed by operating the settlement button 27b while offline. Specifically, referring to FIG. 11, the time data is arranged in the order of t5, t14, and t15. The acquired ball increase / decrease history data in the offline state is data including a change value of the increase / decrease value of the acquired ball counter for counting the number of acquired balls and the time at which the increase / decrease time is offline. Specifically, referring to FIG. 11, t2, t4, t5, t7, t9, t10, t11, t14, t15, and t18 that are change times, and the count value of the acquired ball counter after the change corresponding thereto. It is.

  On the other hand, when the online settlement flag is not ON, the return notification signal, the value of the acquired ball counter at the time of return, and the offline game data (number of jackpots) are transmitted to the acquired ball management server 8 through S31.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing specific control contents of the acquired ball processing shown in S5 of FIG. In S35, it is determined whether or not money has been inserted. If not, it is determined whether or not the appropriate money inserted flag is ON. If not, the process for accepting money is terminated. To do. If money (1000 yen bill) is inserted into the money insertion slot 60 and a money detection signal is input from the money detection switch 40, a determination of YES is made in S35 and the process proceeds to S37, and the appropriate money inserted flag is turned ON. A determination is made whether or not The proper money inserted flag is a flag that is turned on when the appropriate money is inserted, and that it is already ON means that the appropriate money has already been inserted. In this case, a determination of YES is made in S37, and a process of returning the additionally inserted money is performed.

  If it is determined in S37 that the appropriate money insertion flag is not ON, the authenticity of the inserted money is determined in S38, and it is determined whether or not the money is appropriate in S39. If the money is not appropriate, the money is returned in S40. On the other hand, in the case of appropriate money, a process for turning on the appropriate money inserted flag is performed in S41. Next, in S42, it is determined whether or not a ball lending operation has been performed. If not, the processing at the time of accepting money ends. However, if the ball lending button 27a is operated and a ball lending operation signal is input, a determination of YES is made in S42, and the flow proceeds to S43, where the ball lending processing is executed. The This ball lending process is a process of lending a fixed amount (for example, 500 yen) and storing the inserted money (1000 yen bill) in the money stock part. The remaining amount obtained by subtracting the amount used for ball lending from the amount of money entered is recorded on the visitor card and the membership card as a card remaining amount (prepaid balance) and discharged. In the case of a member card, the member card may be stored in the acquired ball management server 8 in association with the card ID without being recorded on the card. Next, it progresses to S44 and control which turns OFF a proper money insertion completed flag is performed.

  If it is determined in S35 that no money has been inserted, it is determined in S36 whether or not the appropriate money input flag is ON. However, if it is ON, the process proceeds to S42 and shifts to control for accepting the ball lending operation.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing specific control contents of the card reception processing shown in S4 of FIG. Through S50, it is determined whether or not a card has been inserted. If no card is inserted, a determination is made in S51 as to whether or not the proper card inserted flag is ON. The proper card insertion completion flag is a flag that is turned ON when the inserted card is appropriate in the data format of the recording data of the card. If the appropriate card insertion completion flag is not ON, the card reception process is terminated.

  When a member card or visitor card is inserted into the card insertion slot 26a and the card reader / writer 200 detects the inserted card, a YES determination is made in S50 and the process proceeds to S52, where the appropriate card inserted flag is already ON. A determination is made whether or not If it is ON, an appropriate card has already been inserted, so the additionally inserted card is returned in S57. On the other hand, if the proper card insertion flag is not ON, the suitability determination of the inserted card is made in S53. This is suitability determination based only on the data format of the data recorded on the inserted card. In S54, it is determined whether or not the card is a proper card as a result of the suitability determination. If the card is not a proper card, the improper card is returned in S57. On the other hand, if it is a proper card, the process proceeds to S55, and the proper card inserted flag is turned ON.

  Next, the process proceeds to S56, where it is determined whether there is an off-line settlement record. The off-line settlement record is data recorded on the card when the card with the number of balls acquired is issued from the card unit 2 in the offline state (see S127 in FIG. 13). . When the card is issued from the card unit 2 in the online state, the control proceeds to S65a because there is no record of the adjustment data when offline, but when the card is issued from the card unit 2 in the offline state. Is determined YES in S56, and the process proceeds to S58, where processing for reading and storing the record data of the game data, the card ID, and the unit ID during the offline earned ball increase amount and the offline earned ball increase period is stored. Made.

  The amount of increase in the number of balls acquired during offline is the amount of increase in the value of the acquired ball counter during offline, and is the value of b1 to b4 in FIG. The off-line acquired ball increase period is a period required for the value of the acquired ball counter to increase during the off-line, and is a period indicated by a1 to a4 in FIG. The game data during the off-line earned ball increase period is data indicating how many jackpots have occurred during the off-line earned ball increase period, and is parenthesized after a1 to a4 in FIG. It is data (number of big hits).

  Next, in S59, it is determined whether or not the offline flag is ON. If it is not ON, the data read in S58 is transmitted to the acquired ball management server 8 together with the offline card acceptance notification signal. Next, in S61, it is determined whether or not the authentication result is received from the acquired ball management server 8, and waits until it is received. Then, in S62, at S62, it is determined whether or not the authentication result is appropriate. If it is appropriate, the process proceeds to S65a, but if it is not appropriate, the process proceeds to S63. On the other hand, if it is determined in S59 that the offline flag is ON, the process proceeds to S83, where it is determined whether or not there is a ball lending operation, and if there is, the process proceeds to S68. If there is no ball lending operation, it is determined in S84 whether or not there has been a play operation. If there is, there is a determination as to whether or not the inserted card is a member card. . On the other hand, in the case of a membership card, the number of balls data such as the final number of balls acquired and the number of balls stored are stored in the acquired ball management server 8, and the number of balls data cannot be specified because it is offline, and the most play is impossible due to S86. Is notified by the LCD 27.

  In S63, which is executed when it is determined to be inappropriate by S62, it is determined whether or not a reset operation has been performed by an attendant, and waits until there is. If the clerk operates the reset button 42 after the clerk performs an artificial response to the improper card being inserted, a YES determination is made at S63 and the process proceeds to S64, where the irrelevant card is ejected. In step S65, the appropriate card inserted flag is turned OFF, and the card receiving process is terminated.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in S51 that the appropriate card inserted flag is ON, the direct control proceeds to S65a.

  In S65a of FIG. 10, the card insertion notification signal, the card ID of the inserted card, and the unit ID are transmitted to the acquired ball management server 8. Next, in S66, it is determined whether or not a ball lending operation has been performed. If there is no ball lending operation yet, it is determined in S67 whether or not a replay operation has been performed. If there is still no replay operation, the card reception process is terminated.

  If the player operates the ball lending button 27a, a YES determination is made in S66, and the flow proceeds to S68, where the ball lending process is executed on condition that there is a remaining card amount of the inserted card. This ball lending process is a ball lending using the remaining card amount recorded on the card. The card can specify the remaining amount of the inserted money and the number of balls acquired by the player as a result of playing the game or the number of balls stored in the game up to the previous day. The ball lending process is performed using the card remaining amount, and when a replay operation is performed, the ball lending is performed using the number of acquired balls or the number of stored balls. Only member cards can be stored, and in the case of a visitor card, all prizes must be exchanged without storing the number of acquired balls on that day.

  Next, the process proceeds to S69, where a process of subtracting the remaining card amount is performed. This is a process in which an amount corresponding to the number of balls lent by the ball lending process is subtracted from the remaining card amount.

  On the other hand, if the player operates the replay button 27c and a replay operation signal is input, a determination of YES is made in S67, and whether or not the inserted card is a membership card is determined in S70. Made. If it is a membership card, the card ID is transmitted to the acquired ball management server 8 and the number of balls data is inquired in S71. In the case of a membership card, only the card ID and security data are recorded, and the acquired ball management server 8 stores the ball count data corresponding to the card ID. Therefore, when the inserted card is a membership card, the card ID recorded on the membership card is transmitted to the acquisition ball management server 8, and the acquisition ball management server 8 corresponds to the transmitted card ID. It is necessary to get the number of balls data memorized.

  The number of balls data includes two types, the number of balls acquired on that day and the number of balls stored by storing the number of balls acquired in the game up to the previous day. Then, in S72, it is determined whether or not the number-of-balls data has been returned from the acquired ball management server 8, and waits until there is. At a certain stage, the process proceeds to S73, and it is determined whether or not the number of balls acquired on the current day is included in the returned number of balls data. In some cases, the process proceeds to S74, and after performing the ball lending process, a process of subtracting the ball lending number from the number of acquired balls on the day and transmitting the subtraction result together with the card ID to the acquired ball management server 8 is performed in S75. . In response to this, the acquired ball management server 8 performs a process of updating the acquired number of balls on the current day to the acquired number of balls after subtraction.

  On the other hand, if there is no number of balls acquired on the day, after performing ball lending processing in S76, subtract the number of balls for (ball lending + commission) from the number of stored balls and acquire the subtraction result together with the card ID in S77. Processing to transmit to the ball management server 8 is performed. In response to this, the acquired ball management server 8 performs a process of updating the number of stored balls corresponding to the card ID to the number of stored balls after subtraction.

  As described above, even when there is a number of balls stored, if there are balls acquired on the day, the number of balls acquired on that day is preferentially used for the ball lending process. This is a disadvantage to the player, because a fee is generally collected when using the number of balls, and to avoid it, if there is the number of balls earned on that day, Is used for ball lending processing.

  If the inserted card is a visitor card, a determination of NO is made in S70, and the process proceeds to S78, in which a use authentication request signal, a card ID, and a recorded acquisition value are transmitted to the acquisition ball management server 8 Is made. In response to this, the acquisition ball management server 8 performs an authentication process, and returns an authentication result. In S79, it is determined whether or not an authentication result has been received, and the process waits until it is received. In step S80, whether the authentication result is proper or not is determined at the received stage. If the authentication result is not correct, the process proceeds to S63 or later when an abnormal card is inserted. On the other hand, if it is appropriate, the process proceeds to S81, and the ball lending process is executed on the condition that there is an acquired number of balls. Next, in S82, the ball lending number is subtracted from the acquired number of balls and updated to the subtraction result, and the subtraction result is transmitted to the acquired ball management server 8 together with the card ID. In the offline state, the subtraction result and the card ID are transmitted to the acquired ball management server 8 when returning to the online state.

  FIG. 11 shows a state in which game data (big hit) is generated when a game is played on the pachinko gaming machine 1, an increase / decrease change state of an acquired ball counter of the card unit 2 corresponding thereto, and a state in which settlement is performed. It is a timing chart. The horizontal axis of this timing chart represents the time axis, and t0 to t19 in the figure represent time.

  The game is started by the pachinko machine 1 and a big hit is generated. The prize balls paid out to the hitting ball supply tray (upper plate) 92 and the surplus ball tray (lower plate) 93 are accumulated, and the prize balls are stored in the counting ball storage unit. The value of the acquired ball counter is increased at a stroke by causing the acquired ball detection switch 501 to detect the acquired ball. Thereafter, when the player uses up the award balls accumulated by continuing the game without generating a big hit, the player operates the ball return switch 58 so that the predetermined number of game balls are returned and the predetermined number of acquired balls. The number is subtracted from the value of the earned ball counter. Thereafter, the card unit 2 enters an offline state, a second big hit occurs, a large number of prize balls are paid out, and the prize balls are flowed again to the counting ball storage unit 94 to be detected by the acquisition ball detection switch 501. , The value of the winning ball counter increases at a stretch. Thereafter, when the player operates the checkout button 27b, a card in which information capable of specifying the value of the acquired ball counter at that time is recorded is issued to the player, and the value of the acquired ball counter is cleared to 0. To be initialized.

  In this gaming state, the period of a1 from when switching to offline until settlement is performed is during the increase in the number of balls acquired during offline, and the value of the acquired ball counter at the time of switching to offline and the acquisition of the settlement time B1 which is the difference from the value of the ball counter is the amount of increase in the acquired ball during offline.

  The next player starts a game with the same pachinko machine 1, a big hit occurs, a large number of prize balls are paid out in the same manner as described above, and the prize ball detection switch 501 detects the prize ball counter. The value of increases at a stretch. After that, by continuing the game without generating a big hit, the winning ball is exhausted and the number of acquired balls, which is the value of the acquired ball counter, is exhausted to 0 after the game is exhausted. All winning balls are detected by the acquired ball detection switch 501, and the value of the acquired ball counter is increased at once. Then, when the player operates the settlement button 27b to perform settlement, a card in which information that can identify the acquired ball is recorded is issued to the player, and the value of the acquired ball counter is cleared to zero. In such a gaming state, the period corresponding to the off-line acquired ball increase period is the period from when the acquired ball counter value once becomes 0 until the value of the acquired ball counter increases with the big hit and settlement is performed. A2. Since the big hit occurs once during the period of a2, the game data during the off-line earned ball increase period is “one big hit”. The amount of increase in the number of balls acquired during offline is b2.

  Furthermore, the value of the earned ball counter has been greatly increased at a stretch even though other players have started playing with the same pachinko gaming machine 1 and no big hit has occurred. Checkout is performed in this state. In this case, the off-line earned ball increase period is a period a3 from the previous player's settlement time to the current player's settlement time. The game data during the period a3 is “0 hits per jackpot”. And the amount of increase in the number of balls acquired during offline is b3.

  In this way, when the amount of increase in the number of balls acquired offline is significantly increased as shown in b3 even though no big hit has occurred, the value of the acquired ball counter is illegally increased by radio waves or the like. There is a high possibility that fraud has been carried out.

  Further, the next player plays a game with the same pachinko machine 1, and a winning ball is generated and the winning ball associated therewith is detected by the winning ball detection switch 501, so that the value of the winning ball counter is increased at once, and then the card unit 2 Is back online. In this state, the off-line earned ball increase period is a4, which is a period from the previous player's check-out time to the time when the player returns to the online state, and the game data during the period of a4 is “one big hit” . Further, the amount of increase in the number of balls acquired during offline is b4.

  FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the specific control contents of the acquired ball processing shown in S5 of FIG. In S90, it is determined whether or not an acquired ball has been detected. If it has not been detected, it is determined in S95 whether or not a ball lending return operation has been performed. Control to display the number of balls, that is, the value of the acquired ball counter on the counting display unit 55 is performed.

  When the player operates the discharge lever 93a to cause the winning ball detection switch 501 to detect the winning ball, a determination of YES is made in S90 and the process proceeds to S91, and the value of the winning ball counter is added and updated by the number of detected balls. Processing is performed, and processing for storing the acquired ball increase / decrease history is performed in S92. Next, in S93, it is determined whether or not the offline flag is ON. If it is ON, the process proceeds to S95. If it is not ON, a process of transmitting the value of the acquired ball counter to the acquired ball management server 8 together with the increase / decrease notification signal is performed in S94. Upon receiving this, the acquired ball management server 8 updates the number of acquired balls in the server data table stored in association with the transmitted unit ID of the card unit 2 to the value of the new acquired ball counter that has been transmitted. Perform processing.

  If the player operates the ball return switch 58, a determination of YES is made in S95, and the process proceeds to S96, where return ball payout processing is executed on the condition that there is an acquired ball. Next, a process of subtracting and updating the acquired balls (the value of the acquired ball counter) by the number of returned balls is performed by S97, and a process of storing the acquired ball increase / decrease history is performed by S98.

  Next, in S99, it is determined whether or not the offline flag is ON. If it is, the process proceeds to S101. If not, the acquired ball counter value is added together with the increase / decrease notification signal from S112. Processing to transmit to the acquired ball management server 8 is performed. Receiving this, the acquired ball management server 8 updates the number of acquired balls stored in the server data table in association with the unit ID of the transmitted card unit to the value of the newly acquired acquired ball counter. To do.

  FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the specific control contents of the acquired ball settlement process shown in S6 of FIG. In S110, it is determined whether or not a settlement operation has been performed. If there is no settlement operation, the acquired ball settlement process ends. If the player operates the checkout button 27b, a determination of YES is made in S110, and the process proceeds to S111, in which it is determined whether or not the appropriate card inserted flag is ON. If the proper card has not been inserted, a determination of NO is made in S111 and the process proceeds to S112, in which it is determined whether or not the value of the acquired ball counter is “0” or more. If the appropriate card is not inserted and the current value of the acquired ball counter is “0”, the payment cannot be made. Therefore, even if a payment operation is performed, NO is determined in S112 and the payment is not performed. This acquisition ball settlement process ends. On the other hand, if the appropriate card is not inserted, but the value of the earned ball counter is larger than “0”, the control proceeds to S122, where the visitor card is taken out from the card stock part, and the card ID is obtained in S123. The process of generating and recording on the visitor card is performed and the process proceeds to S113.

  On the other hand, if a proper card has already been inserted, a determination of YES is made in S111, and the process proceeds to S113 to determine whether or not the offline flag is ON. In the online state, NO is determined in S113, and the process proceeds to S114, and a process of transmitting the payment request request signal and the card ID of the inserted card to the acquired ball management server 8 is performed. This is a process for having the acquired ball management server 8 authenticate the suitability of the card inserted at the time of payment. When the acquisition ball management server 8 receives the authentication request signal at the time of settlement, the acquired ball management server 8 authenticates the suitability based on the transmitted card ID and returns the authentication result. In S115, it is determined whether or not the authentication result has been received, and the process waits until it is received. In step S116, it is determined whether or not the authentication result is appropriate. If it is appropriate, the process proceeds to S117. If it is not appropriate, the process proceeds to S63 in FIG. The process in is performed.

  In S117, it is determined whether the inserted card is a membership card. In the case of a membership card, the process proceeds to S119, but in the case of a visitor card, the process of adding and recording the value of the acquired ball counter to the visitor card is performed in S118, and then the process proceeds to S119.

  On the other hand, in the offline state, YES is determined in S113, and the process proceeds to S124, where the amount of increase in the offline balls is calculated from the acquired ball increase / decrease history during the offline period and stored together with the card ID of the inserted card. Processing is done. Next, in S125, processing is performed for calculating game data during the acquired ball increasing period offline (game data during the offline acquired ball increasing period) and storing it together with the card ID. In step S126, the online settlement flag is turned ON.

  Next, the process proceeds to S127, in which processing for recording the amount of increase in the off-line acquired ball, the game data during the off-line acquired ball increase period, the unit ID, and the off-line settlement data on the card is performed.

  In step S119, the acquired ball counter is cleared, the card is ejected in step S120, and the proper card inserted flag is turned off in step S121.

  FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the specific control contents of the server recovery process shown in S7 of FIG. By S135, it is determined whether or not a server restoration signal has been received. If the server recovery signal is transmitted from the acquired ball management server 8, a determination of YES is made in S135, the process proceeds to S136, and the data during the failure period of the acquired ball management server 8 is read and transmitted to the acquired ball management server 8. Processing is performed. The acquisition ball management server 8 recovers the missing data during the failure period by receiving and storing the data.

Next, the control operation of the POS terminal 43 will be described with reference to FIGS.
Referring to FIG. 15, it is determined in S150 whether or not a card has been inserted. If the card is inserted, an insertion detection signal is transmitted from the card reader / writer 51 to the CPU 45, and YES is determined in S150. Then, in S151, it is determined whether or not the proper card insertion completed flag is ON. If an additional card is inserted in a state where a proper card has already been inserted, a determination of YES is made in S151, the additional card is returned in S152, and the process returns to S150. On the other hand, when a card is inserted in a state where a proper card is not inserted, the control advances to S153 to determine whether the inserted card is appropriate. This suitability determination is performed based on the data format of the card data recorded on the inserted card. Next, in S154, it is determined whether or not the card is a proper card. If the card is not a proper card, the improper card is returned in S152. On the other hand, in the case of an appropriate card, a process for turning on the appropriate card inserted flag is performed in S155, and it is determined in S156 whether or not there is an off-line settlement record. The off-line checkout record is recorded on the card issued when the card unit 2 is in the off-line state, and if there is this record, the control proceeds to S169, but if there is no record, By S157, it is determined whether or not the inserted card is a membership card.

  If it is a membership card, a process of transmitting the card ID of the membership card to the acquired ball management server 8 is performed in S158. The acquired ball management server 8 authenticates the suitability of the card based on the transmitted card ID and returns the authentication result. It is determined whether or not an authentication result has been received in S159, and the process waits until it is received. Then, at S160, a determination is made as to whether or not the received authentication result is an appropriate result through S160. If the result is inappropriate, the control proceeds to S165. If the result is appropriate, the number of balls included in the authentication result is stored in S161, and then the process proceeds to S177.

  If it is determined in S157 that the card is not a member card, that is, a visitor card, the process proceeds to S162, where the card ID of the visitor card and the number of acquired balls are read and transmitted to the acquired ball management server 8. Receiving this, the acquired ball management server 8 authenticates the suitability of the visitor card and returns an authentication result. In S163, it is determined whether or not an authentication result has been received, and the process waits until it is received. Then, when the authentication result is received, it is determined in S164 whether or not the authentication result is a proper result. If it is an appropriate result, the control proceeds to S177, but if it is an inappropriate result, the process proceeds to S165, an abnormality is notified, and a determination is made as to whether or not a reset operation has been performed by an attendant by S166, Abnormality notification is continued until a reset operation is performed. By operating the reset button 57 after the clerk takes measures against the abnormal situation, the control proceeds to S167, the card is ejected, and after S168, the proper card inserted flag is controlled to be turned off, and then to S150. Return.

  If the inserted card has an off-line settlement record, the control advances to S169, and the off-line earned ball increase amount, the game data during the off-line earned ball increase period, the record data of the card ID and the unit ID are stored in the card. And reading the data and transmitting the data to the acquired ball management server. The acquired ball management server 8 receives the data, authenticates whether or not the increased amount of acquired balls in the offline state is within an appropriate range, and returns the authentication result. In S170, it is determined whether or not an authentication result has been received, and waits until it is received. Then, at step S171, whether or not the reception result is appropriate is determined by S171. If the reception result is inappropriate, the control proceeds to S165. If it is appropriate, the inserted card is determined by S172. A determination is made whether is a membership card.

  If it is a membership card, a process of adding the amount of balls acquired during offline to the number of balls acquired on the day in the number of balls data included in the authentication result is performed in S173. Next, in S174, the ball number data after the addition is displayed, and the process proceeds to S177.

  On the other hand, if the inserted card is a visitor card, a determination of NO is made in S172 and the process proceeds to S175, where a process of adding the current acquired number of balls to the previous total acquired number of balls is performed, and the addition is performed in S176. After displaying the total number of balls acquired later, the process proceeds to S177.

  In S177, it is determined whether or not the inserted card is a membership card. If the card is a visitor card, the process proceeds to S178, and it is determined whether or not a prize exchange operation has been performed. If not, the process returns to S150. However, if there is an operation, the process returns to S150 after performing a prize exchange process in S185.

  On the other hand, if the inserted card is a membership card, a determination of YES is made in S177 and the process proceeds to S179, where it is determined whether or not a prize exchange operation has been performed. If not, the process returns to S150. If the player wishes to store balls and the attendant at the game hall performs the storing operation, a determination of YES is made in S180, the process proceeds to S181, and after storing processing is performed, the process returns to S150. This storage processing is a process of clearing the number of balls acquired on that day to 0 after updating the number of balls acquired on that day to the number of balls stored and updated.

  If the player wishes to exchange prizes and the attendant at the game hall performs a prize exchange operation, a determination of YES is made in S179 and the process proceeds to S182, where prize exchange processing is performed. Then, in S183, it is determined whether or not there is a surplus in the number of acquired balls after the prize exchange. If not, the process returns to S150. If there is, the remainder is stored in S184, and the process returns to S150. .

  Next, the control operation of the acquired ball management server (server) 8 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing the main processing in the server processing. First, in S200, server recovery completion processing that is performed when the acquired ball management server 8 is recovered from a failure is executed, and in S201, the processing corresponds to the card unit. Processing is performed, and processing corresponding to the POS terminal is performed in S202, and then the processing returns to S200.

  FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing the specific control contents of the server recovery completion process shown in S200 of FIG. Through S203, it is determined whether or not a recovery completion operation has been performed. If the game hall staff repairs the failed server and performs a recovery completion operation, a determination of YES is made in S203 and the process proceeds to S204. A process of specifying a failure period and distributing the server recovery signal to each card unit 2 simultaneously Is done. Next, in S205, it is determined whether or not the data during the failure period has been received from the card unit 2, and the process waits until it is received. Each card unit 2 transmits the data during the failure period to the acquired ball management server 8 by receiving the server recovery signal, and if the data during the failure period is transmitted from any card unit 2 In step S205, a determination of YES is made, and the process proceeds to step S206. In step S207, data is stored in association with the unit ID of the card unit that has transmitted the data. If it is determined that the process has not been completed yet, the process returns to S205, and the reception of data during the failure period is accepted again. Then, at the stage where data reception from all the card units is completed, a determination of YES is made in S207, and the server recovery completion processing is completed.

  20 to 24 are flowcharts showing the specific control contents of the card unit handling process shown in S201 of FIG. Referring to FIG. 20, it is determined in S210 whether or not an exchange completion signal has been received. As described above, if a failed card unit is replaced and a replacement completion operation is performed, a replacement completion signal is transmitted from the new card unit after the replacement (see S11 in FIG. 5). In step S218, data corresponding to the transmitted card unit is returned to the card unit.

  When the card ID and the inquiry about the number of balls data are transmitted from the card unit 2 by the above-described S71, a determination of YES is made in S211 and the processing proceeds to S219, and the number of balls data corresponding to the received card ID is obtained. A reply process is performed.

  When the use authentication request signal, the card ID, and the acquired value are transmitted from the card unit in S78 of FIG. 10 described above, the determination in S212 is YES and the process proceeds to S220, and the visitor card is used again. The authentication process in is performed. If the subtraction result and the card ID are transmitted from the card unit 2 by S77, S75, or S82 of FIG. 10 described above, a YES determination is made by S213, and the process proceeds to S221, where the number of balls corresponding to the received card ID Data subtraction processing is performed. If the increase / decrease notification signal and the value of the acquired ball counter are transmitted from the card unit 2 by S94 or S100 in FIG. 12 described above, a determination of YES is made in S214, and the process proceeds to S222, where the ball count data is transmitted. Processing to update the value of the acquired ball counter is performed. If the return notification signal is transmitted from the card unit 2 in S30 or S31 of FIG. 7 described above, a determination of YES is made in S214a, and it is determined in S215 whether various history data have been transmitted. If various history data have been transmitted in S30, the return authentication process 2 in S223 is performed. If the transmission in S31 is performed, the process proceeds to S226, and the return authentication process 1 is performed. It is.

  If the card unit 2 transmits the offline card acceptance notification signal, the amount of increase in the off-line acquired ball, the game data, the card ID, and the unit ID during the off-line acquired ball increase period from S60 in FIG. A determination of YES is made, and the process proceeds to S224, where an authentication process is performed when the card unit 2 accepts an offline card, which is a card issued in the offline state.

  If the card-unit 2 sends a payment-time authentication request signal and a card ID in S144 of FIG. 13, a determination of YES is made in S217, and the process proceeds to S225 to perform a payment-time authentication process that is performed at the time of payment of the number of balls to be acquired 2 is executed.

  If the card insertion notification signal, the card ID, and the unit ID are transmitted in S65a of FIG. 10, a determination of YES is made in S227, and a card insertion process is performed in S228.

  FIG. 21A is a flowchart showing specific control contents of the response data return process shown in S218 of FIG. In S230, a server data table (see FIG. 22) is searched based on the unit ID received together with the exchange completion signal, and the searched data is returned to the card unit 2 in S231. For example, referring to the server data table in FIG. 22, when the unit ID received together with the exchange completion signal is 1020, the number of acquired balls stored in association with “1020” in the unit ID column in the server data table All the data is searched and returned to the card unit with the unit ID “1020”. In the case of the server data table of FIG. 22, c is retrieved as the acquired ball number data of the card ID “1020”, and the c is returned to the card unit 2 as the acquired ball number data.

  FIG. 21B is a flowchart showing the specific control contents of the corresponding ball number data return process shown in S219 of FIG. In S235, the server data table is searched based on the received card ID, and the searched ball count data is returned to the card unit 2 in S236. For example, referring to the server data table of FIG. 22, when the received card ID is “0001”, “a + b + c” is returned as the confirmed number of balls acquired (the number of balls acquired on that day), and the game up to the previous day The number of stored balls A that stores the number of acquired balls that have been answered correctly is returned.

  FIG. 21C is a flowchart showing specific control contents of the in-use authentication process shown in S220 of FIG. By S240, the server data table is searched by the received card ID, and it is determined whether or not the searched number of acquired balls matches the received number of acquired balls. If they match, the card unit 2 is returned to the card unit 2 by S242, and if they do not match, the card unit 2 is returned to the card unit 2 by S243.

  For example, referring to the server data table shown in FIG. 22, after the game using the visitor card with the card ID 1001 that is the card currently being played is completed and the acquired number of balls f is added and updated as the fixed number of acquired balls When the card is inserted into another card unit, the number of confirmed acquired balls of “e + f” is searched as the number of acquired balls, and the determined acquired number of balls “e + f” matches the received number of acquired balls. No is determined in S241. In the case of a visitor card, since the number of balls acquired is recorded on the card itself, there is a risk that the number of balls acquired may be tampered with. Will be made.

  FIG. 21D is a flowchart showing the specific control contents of the subtraction process of the corresponding ball number data shown in S221 of FIG. By S245, the server data table is searched by the received card ID. Next, in S246, the searched ball count data is updated to the received subtraction result data.

  FIG. 22 is a diagram showing a server data table stored in the RAM 83 of the acquired ball management server 8. The server data table stores various types of information such as card type, card ID, unit ID, number of acquired balls, number of confirmed acquired balls, number of stored balls, and abnormal card information. There are two types of cards: membership cards and visitor cards. The card ID is data for identifying the card, and different ID data is assigned to each card. The unit ID is ID data for identifying the card unit 2. The number of acquired balls is stored in association with the unit ID, and is the acquired number of balls data at the present time transmitted by the card unit 2 of the corresponding unit ID. For example, if the card ID is “0001”, the settlement is performed with a card unit with a unit ID of 1000, and the number of balls a acquired is issued at the time of settlement, and then the settlement is performed with the card unit with a unit ID of 1005. The number of balls acquired at the time of payment is b, and further, the number of balls acquired at the time of payment is c when the card unit of 1020 unit ID is used for payment. In this way, payment is performed three times today. And the fixed number of acquired balls is the number of balls data for which the number of acquired balls has been fixed by performing settlement today, for example, when the card ID is 0001, the settlement is performed three times. “A + b + c” is the final number of balls acquired.

  On the other hand, for example, when the card ID is “1001”, e and f are stored as the number of acquired balls. However, only e is stored as the number of confirmed acquisition balls. This is because the card unit 2 with a unit ID of 1085 is used for payment and the number of balls acquired at the time of payment is e. Next, the game machine corresponding to the card unit with the unit ID of 1180 is currently playing, The number of balls currently acquired in the game is f, and the number of balls acquired for f is not yet settled. As a result, f is not the fixed number of balls acquired, and only e is stored as the fixed number of balls acquired.

  As mentioned above, the number of accumulated balls is the number of balls that have been accumulated in the game before the previous day, and can be stored only with a membership card. Can not.

  The abnormal card information is stored data of a determination result as to whether the card is an appropriate card or an abnormal card as a result of card authentication. This abnormal card information is stored corresponding to each card ID. For example, since the card ID of 0001 is an appropriate card and the card ID of 1002 is determined to be an abnormal card in the past, the abnormal card information is “abnormal”. Further, the card 1001 is a card that is currently being played or a card unit 2 that has been taken offline during the game and has been settled thereafter. It has become.

  FIG. 23A is a flowchart showing specific control contents of the ball number data update process shown in S222 of FIG. In S250, the server data table is searched by the unit ID of the card unit that has transmitted the data, and in S251, the searched number of acquired balls is updated to the received count value.

  FIG. 23B is a flowchart showing specific control contents of the return-time authentication processing 1 shown in S226 of FIG. By S263, it is determined whether or not the received number of balls received is greater than the number of acquired balls corresponding to the unit ID of the card unit that has transmitted the data. If it has not increased, the payment time authentication process ends. If it has increased, the adequacy of the increased amount is determined based on the received online game data in S264. Whether or not the determination result is abnormal is determined in S265, and if it is abnormal, the card ID determined to be abnormal is changed to an abnormal guard in S266 (see FIG. 22). Next, in S267, the unit ID of the card unit that has transmitted the data is displayed to notify the abnormality and notify that the illegal game is being performed.

  FIG. 23C is a flowchart showing the specific control contents of the return authentication process shown in S223 of FIG. Through S255, processing for calculating the amount of increase in each of the off-line balls is performed from the off-line settlement history data and the number of acquired ball increase / decrease history data. Referring to FIG. 11, the settlement history data while offline is data including the time when settlement is performed while offline. Specifically, the time data is arranged in the order of t5, t14, and t15. Acquired ball increase / decrease history data in FIG. 11 is data composed of a temporal change in the value of the acquired ball counter during offline and its changed time. Specifically, t2, t4, t5, t7, t9, t10, t11, t14, t15, and t18, which are the change times, and the acquired ball count values after the change corresponding thereto. From both of these history data, b1 to b4 that are the amount of increase in the number of balls acquired during offline are calculated.

  Next, in S256, a process of calculating game data during the off-line earned ball increase period from the received three types of history data is performed. Referring to FIG. 11, from the three types of history data of the settlement history data, the acquired ball history data, and the game history data, for example, in the offline acquired ball increase period a 1, the jackpot is increased once in the offline as the game data The game data for the period a2 is calculated once per jackpot, the game data for the offline earned ball increase period a3 is calculated as 0 hits, and the game data during the offline acquired ball increase period a4 is calculated once per jackpot.

  Next, in S257, a process is performed for determining whether or not each of the off-line acquired ball increase amounts is appropriate based on game data corresponding to the off-line acquired ball increase period. Referring to FIG. 11, it is determined that the game data is one big hit and is within an appropriate range with respect to the off-line acquired ball increase b1. It is determined that the game data is one big hit with respect to the increase amount b2 of balls acquired during offline, and this is also within the appropriate range. It is determined that the game data is one big hit with respect to the off-line acquired ball increase amount b4, and this is also within the appropriate range. However, the game data is 0 hits with respect to the amount of increase b3 during offline, which is determined to be abnormal because it deviates from the appropriate range.

  In S258, it is determined whether or not the determination result is abnormal. If the determination result is not abnormal, the process is executed after changing the card ID determined appropriate in S263 to appropriate in the server data table. The time authentication process ends, but if it is abnormal, a process of changing the card ID determined to be abnormal to an abnormal card is performed in S259. For example, referring to FIG. 22, if it is determined that the card ID of 1002 is abnormal, the row of the card ID and the column of abnormal card information is updated to “abnormal”.

  In step S260, the unit number of the card unit that has transmitted the data is displayed on the display unit 86, and an abnormality is notified. Further, in S261, it is determined whether or not the increase amount of the currently acquired ball in the game is abnormal. If the determination result is NO, this return-time authentication process is terminated, but the acquired ball currently being played is determined. If the increase amount is abnormal, a process of notifying that the illegal game is being played is performed by S262. In other words, an abnormal increase in the number of acquired balls currently being played means that the player who has illegally acquired the abnormal acquired balls is currently playing a game, and this is indicated by S262. It is configured so that a staff member rushes to the gaming machine corresponding to the displayed card ID and can quickly cope with fraud.

  FIG. 24A is a flowchart showing specific control contents of the off-line card acceptance authentication process shown in S224 of FIG. By S270, it is determined by searching the server data table whether or not the received card ID is an abnormal card. For example, when the received card ID is 0002, it is determined to be appropriate, and when the received card ID is 1002, it is determined to be abnormal. If the received card ID is abnormal, the control proceeds to S274. If normal, the control proceeds to S271, and whether or not the amount of increase in the off-line acquired ball is appropriate is determined based on the game data during the off-line acquired ball increase period. A determination process is performed. Referring to FIG. 11, the card unit 2 has transmitted offline-acquired ball increase amounts b1 to b4, and the offline-acquired ball increase period a1-a4 game data (the number of jackpots) is transmitted. Therefore, based on both data, it is determined whether or not the amount of increase in the offline ball is within an appropriate range.

  Then, in S272, it is determined whether or not the determination result is appropriate. If it is appropriate, a message indicating that the determination result is appropriate is returned to the card unit 2 in S273. On the other hand, in the case of improperness, the process proceeds to S274, in which improperness is returned to the card unit 2, and in S275, processing for changing the card ID determined to be improper to an abnormal card is performed. Next, in S276, the unit number of the card unit that has transmitted the data is displayed on the display unit 86 to notify the abnormality and to notify that the illegal game is in progress.

  FIG. 24B is a flowchart showing the specific control contents of the settlement time authentication process shown in S225 of FIG. By S280, it is determined whether the received card ID is an abnormal card by searching the server data table. For example, referring to FIG. 22, it is determined to be normal if a card ID of 1001 is received, and is determined to be abnormal if a card ID of 1002 is received. If it is determined to be abnormal in S280, the control proceeds to S285. If it is determined to be normal, a process of calculating game data during the acquired ball increasing period is performed in S281. This settlement-time authentication process is an authentication process executed when settlement is performed while the card unit 2 and the acquired ball management server 8 are online, and the acquired ball increase / decrease information and game data are received from the card unit 2. (The number of big hits) is transmitted one by one, and based on the transmitted data, the CPU 81 calculates game data during the earned ball increasing period.

  Next, in S282, a determination process is performed based on the game data for which the suitability of the currently acquired ball is calculated. The currently acquired ball is a ball acquired at the time of payment, and it is determined whether or not the size is within an appropriate range based on game data (number of jackpots). Then, in S283, it is determined whether or not the determination result is appropriate, and if it is appropriate, the fact that it is appropriate is returned to the card unit 2 in S284. Moreover, the process which adds and memorize | stores the number of acquired balls of the received card ID as a fixed acquired number of balls by S288 is performed. Since the card unit 2 has settled, the current number of acquired balls is added and stored as the determined number of acquired balls. For example, in the case of a card ID of 1001 in FIG. 22, as described above, a game is currently being executed in the gaming machine corresponding to the card unit 2 having a unit ID of 1180. If the settlement is performed, the number f of acquired balls at the end time is added and stored as the number of confirmed acquired balls, and the number of confirmed acquired balls becomes “e + f”.

  In the case of a visitor card, the value of the acquired ball counter is written in the visitor card itself in S118 when the number of acquired balls is settled. In the case of a membership card, the value of the acquired ball counter is stored in the card itself. First of all, it is only necessary to add and update the value of the acquired ball counter to the determined number of acquired balls corresponding to the card ID in the server data table. Thus, in the case of a member card, “Issued” means that the card ID of the member card and the acquired ball number data are stored in the server data table in association with each other, and the corresponding acquired ball number based on the card ID To be able to identify the data.

  After determining that the card ID is inappropriate in S283 and returning the card unit that the card is inappropriate in S285, in S286, the card ID determined to be inappropriate is changed to an abnormal card (the server data table in FIG. 22). reference). Next, in S287, the unit number of the card unit that has transmitted the data is displayed on the display unit 86 to notify the abnormality, and a process of notifying that the unauthorized person is paying is performed. The attendant at the game hall who sees this can rush to the POS terminal and quickly take measures to prevent fraudulent acts by preventing settlement by unauthorized persons.

  FIG. 24C is a flowchart showing specific control contents of the card insertion process shown in S228 of FIG. Through S289, the received card ID is retrieved from the server database, the received unit ID is added and stored in the unit ID area, and the abnormal card information area is set to “undecided”.

  25 to 27 are flowcharts showing specific control contents of the POS handling process shown in S202 of FIG. By S290, it is determined whether or not a card ID has been received. If the card ID is transmitted from the POS terminal 43 in S158 of FIG. 15, a determination of YES is made in S290, and the process proceeds to S293, where the membership card authentication process is performed.

  If the card ID and the number of balls acquired are transmitted from the POS terminal 34 in S162 of FIG. 15, a determination of YES is made in S291, and the process proceeds to S294, where a visitor card authentication process is executed.

  If the POS terminal 34 transmits the amount of increase in off-line acquired balls, the game data, the card ID, and the unit ID during the off-line acquired ball increase period from SPOS in FIG. 16, a determination of YES is made in S292. Proceeding to S295, processing for authenticating the offline card adjusted during offline is executed.

  FIG. 26A is a flowchart showing specific control contents of the membership card authentication process shown in S293 of FIG. Through S300, it is determined whether or not the received card ID is an abnormal card by searching the server data table (see FIG. 22). If not abnormal, a process of returning the ball number data (acquired ball number data, accumulated ball number data) stored in association with the received card ID to the POS terminal 34 is performed in S303. .

  On the other hand, if it is determined that there is an abnormality in S300, the process proceeds to S301, and a process of returning an inappropriate message to the POS terminal 34 is performed. Further, in S302, processing for displaying on the LCD 52 that an abnormality has occurred in the POS terminal processing stage is performed.

  FIG. 26B is a flowchart showing specific control contents of the visitor card authentication process shown in S294 of FIG. Through S305, it is determined whether or not the received card ID is an abnormal card by searching the server data table (see FIG. 22). In the case of an abnormality, the process proceeds to S309, the LCD 52 is notified that an abnormality has occurred in the POS terminal processing stage, and a process of changing the card ID determined to be illegal to an abnormal card is performed in S310 (see FIG. 22). .

  On the other hand, if it is determined that the received card ID is not abnormal, the server data table (see FIG. 22) is searched for the card ID by S306, and the number of confirmed acquired balls matches the received number of acquired balls. Is determined in S307. If they do not match, the control proceeds to S309 and the process at the time of abnormality is performed, but if they match, the process proceeds to S308 and a process of returning to the POS terminal 34 to the effect is performed.

  FIG. 27 is a flowchart showing the specific control contents of the offline card authentication process shown in S295 of FIG. Through S315, it is determined whether or not the received card ID is an abnormal card by searching the server data table (see FIG. 22). If it is an abnormal card, the control proceeds to S319, but if it is not an abnormal card, the process proceeds to S316, and processing for determining the suitability of the amount of increase in the off-line acquired ball based on the game data during the off-line acquired ball increase period is performed. . Referring to FIG. 11, game data (the number of jackpots) of the offline ball acquisition amount b1 to b4 and the offline acquisition ball increase period a1 to a4 is transmitted from the POS terminal 34. Based on these data Thus, it is determined whether or not the amount of increase in the number of balls acquired during offline is within an appropriate range.

  Next, in S317, it is determined whether or not the determination result is appropriate. If it is appropriate, the fact that it is appropriate is returned to the POS terminal 34 in S318. On the other hand, in the case of inappropriateness, the fact that it is inappropriate is returned to the POS terminal 34 through S319. Next, a process of changing the card ID determined to be inappropriate to an abnormal card through S320 is performed (see FIG. 22). In step S321, the unit number of the card unit that has transmitted the data is displayed on the LCD 52 to notify the abnormality, and the fact that an abnormality has occurred in the POS terminal processing stage is notified.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

  In this second embodiment, the acquisition ball management server 8 determines whether or not the amount of increase in the acquired balls is appropriate based on the length of the acquired ball increase period and the base data during the special award of the gaming machine that played the game. is there. In the following, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described.

  In the return data transmission process of FIG. 28, a process of transmitting a return notification signal, offline settlement history data, and acquired ball increase history data in offline is performed in S30A. That is to say, offline game history data in the first embodiment is not transmitted. In addition, the return notification signal, the value of the acquired ball counter at the time of return, and the offline period are transmitted to the acquired ball management server 8 through S31A.

  Next, in the card reception process of FIG. 29, the process of reading and recording the record data of the off-line acquired ball increase amount, off-line acquired ball increase period data, card ID, and unit ID is performed in S58A. Accordingly, in S60, the read data is transmitted to the acquired ball management server 8 together with the offline card acceptance notification signal. That is, instead of “game data during the increase in the number of balls acquired during offline” in the first embodiment, “offline acquired ball increase during period data” is stored and transmitted.

  FIG. 30 is a timing chart corresponding to FIG. 11 in the first embodiment. As a difference from the first embodiment, game data (big hit) is not used for the suitability determination. The data to be used are offline earned ball increase periods a1 to a4, offline earned ball increments b1 to b4, and special award based data in the gaming machine that acquired the earned balls. For example, when a big hit occurs during the offline earned ball increase period a1 and an offline earned ball increase amount b1 occurs, the off-line is calculated based on the product of the special prize base and the period of a1 in the gaming machine in which the increase of the earned ball occurs. The upper limit of the medium acquired ball increase amount can be calculated, and it is determined whether or not the offline acquired ball increase amount b1 is within the upper limit range to determine suitability.

  In the acquired ball settlement process of FIG. 31, a process of calculating acquired ball increase period data offline and storing it together with the card ID is performed in S125A. That is, as in the first embodiment, not the game data during the acquired ball increase period during offline, but the data of the acquired ball increase period during offline is calculated and stored. Next, in S127A, a process for recording the increase amount of the acquired balls during offline and the offline acquired ball increase period data into the card with the unit ID and the offline settlement data is performed. That is, as in the first embodiment, instead of the game data during the off-line acquired ball increase period, data on the off-line acquired ball increase period itself is stored.

  Next, by S169A in FIG. 32, processing is performed to read the recorded data of the amount of increase in off-line acquired balls, the in-offline acquired ball increase period data, the card ID, and the unit ID and transmit them to the acquired ball management server 8. In the first embodiment, the game data during the off-line acquired ball increase period is transmitted, but in the second embodiment, data on the off-line acquired ball increase period itself is transmitted instead.

  In the card unit correspondence processing of FIG. 33, it is determined whether or not an offline card acceptance notification signal, an offline ball acquisition amount, an offline ball acquisition period data, a card ID, and a unit ID are received in S216A. It is. That is, it is determined whether or not “offline data gain during the offline acquisition period itself” has been received instead of “game data during the increase in offline acquisition balls” in the first embodiment.

  FIG. 34 is a diagram corresponding to the server data table shown in FIG. 22 in the first embodiment. In the server data table in the second embodiment, special award base data is stored corresponding to the unit ID. This special award base is the data of the base when the pachinko gaming machine is a big hit, for example, by the first type pachinko gaming machine, the second type pachinko gaming machine, the third type pachinko gaming machine, Each has a different base value. According to FIG. 34, unit IDs 1000, 1005, 1020, 1085, and 1180 are card units corresponding to the first type of pachinko gaming machine, and the base during the special prize is P.

  The unit ID 1108 is a card unit corresponding to the second type pachinko gaming machine, and the base during the special prize of the second type pachinko gaming machine is Q. The card unit of unit ID 1034 is a card unit corresponding to the third type pachinko gaming machine, and the base during the special prize in the third type pachinko gaming machine is R.

  The acquired ball management server 8 includes the special award base data stored in the server data table, the offline acquired ball increase period a1 to a4 data, and the offline acquired ball increase b1 to b4 data. Based on this, authentication is performed as to whether or not the increase amount of balls acquired during offline is within an appropriate range.

  In the flowchart shown in FIG. 35, in the return time authentication process 1 of (b), the suitability of the increase amount is determined based on the received online period data in S264A. In the return-time authentication process 2 of (c), a process of calculating each of the offline-acquired ball increase amount and the offline-acquired ball increase period from offline settlement history data and acquired ball increase history data is performed in S255A. It is. Then, in S256A, the server data table is searched based on the unit ID of the card unit that has transmitted the data, and the special award base data is read. Then, in S257A, processing for determining the suitability of each of the offline-acquired ball increase amounts is performed based on the corresponding offline ball acquisition period data and special award base data.

  In other words, in the first embodiment, the determination process is performed based on the game data during the off-line acquired ball increase period, but in the second embodiment, the off-line acquired ball increase period itself and the special prize The determination is made based on the middle base data.

  In the offline card reception authentication process shown in FIG. 36 (a), if NO is determined in S270, the control proceeds to SA270aA, and the server data table is searched by the received unit ID to read the base data during the award. Processing is performed. Then, in S271A, a process for determining whether or not the amount of increase in the off-line acquired ball is appropriate based on the off-line acquired ball increase period data and the special award base data is performed.

  In the checkout authentication process of FIG. 36 (b), if NO is determined in S280, the control advances to S280aA, and the server data table is searched based on the card ID of the card unit that has transmitted the data. A process of reading data is performed. Next, in S281A, a process for calculating an acquired ball increasing period is performed, and in S282A, a process for determining based on the acquired ball increasing period in which the suitability of the current acquired ball is calculated and the data based on a special prize is performed. .

  In the POS terminal compatible process of FIG. 37, it is determined whether or not the offline-acquired ball increase amount, offline-acquired ball increase period data, card ID, and unit ID have been received in S292A.

  In the offline card authentication process of FIG. 38, if NO is determined in S315, the control advances to S315aA, and the server data table (see FIG. 34) is searched by the card ID of the card unit that has transmitted the data. Processing for reading the middle base data is performed. Next, the process proceeds to S316A, and a process of determining whether or not the amount of increase in the off-line acquired ball is appropriate based on the off-line acquired ball increase period data and the special award base data is performed.

Next, effects of the characteristic portions in the embodiment described above are listed.
(1) The card unit 2 manages the number of acquired balls that increase and decrease while the card unit 2 is in an offline state with the acquired ball management server 8, and information on the number of acquired balls (acquired ball at the time of return) when returning to the online state. Counter value) is transmitted to the acquired ball management server 8, and the acquired ball management server 8 does not issue to the player the acquired ball number specifying information that can specify the acquired ball number when offline. In order to judge whether the increase is within the appropriate range that can be increased when the number of acquired balls is larger than the number of acquired balls before the return point, fraud aimed at the offline state The presence or absence of an action can be verified.

  (2) When the card unit 2 issues the number of balls acquired to the player when offline, the increase in the number of balls acquired from the issuance time to the time of returning to the online state is within the appropriate range. Is transmitted to the acquired ball management server 8, and the acquired ball management server 8 returns based on the transmitted appropriateness determination information. In order to determine whether or not the number of balls acquired at the time is within the appropriate range, even if the number of balls acquired is issued to the player in the offline state, the number of acquired balls in the offline state after the issue Can also be verified.

  (3) When the acquired ball number specifying information issued in the offline state is moved to another gaming machine and used for gaming, the card unit 2 accepts the acquired ball number specifying information corresponding to the other gaming machine. Sometimes, the acquired ball number specifying information is transmitted to the acquired ball management server 8, and the acquired ball management server 8 determines whether or not the acquired ball number specified from the acquired acquired ball number specifying information is appropriate. Therefore, when the card unit 2 corresponding to another gaming machine accepts the acquired ball number specifying information issued in the offline state, the acquired ball management server 8 can determine the suitability, and the offline state Therefore, it is possible to determine whether or not the acquired ball management server 8 is appropriate without waiting for the card unit 2 that has become to return to the online state.

  (4) When an attempt is made to exchange prizes using the prize exchange terminal using the obtained ball number information issued from the card unit 2 in the offline state, the obtained ball number information is transmitted to the acquired ball management server 8 and acquired. In the ball management server 8, it is determined whether or not the acquired number of balls is appropriate, and the prize exchange process is executed when the determination result is appropriate. Appropriateness determination by the acquired ball management server 8 is executed at the stage of trying to exchange prizes without waiting for the return to the online state, and prize exchange based on fraud aimed at the offline state can be prevented as much as possible.

  (5) The acquired ball management server 8 determines whether or not the increase amount of the acquired balls increased during the offline state is within an appropriate range based on the period during which the card unit 2 is in the offline state. Therefore, it is possible to determine based on the period whether or not the increase amount of the number of acquired balls is within an appropriate range commensurate with the offline state period.

  (6) The acquired ball management server 8 can specify whether or not a gaming state in which the number of balls acquired by the player increases during the offline state occurs in the gaming machine corresponding to the card unit 2 that is in the offline state. In order to determine whether the increase in the number of balls acquired during the offline state is within an appropriate range that can be increased based on the game information entered, It can be determined whether or not is within an appropriate range corresponding to the gaming state.

  (7) When the result of the return authentication process performed when the card unit 2 returns to the online state in the acquired ball management server 8 is different from the authentication process when the offline card is accepted when the card unit 2 is moved in the offline state. In addition, in order to determine that the determination result of the authentication process at the time of offline card acceptance is inappropriate, it is also verified whether or not there is an illegal act of falsifying the acquired ball number identification information issued from the card unit 2 during the offline state. can do.

  (8) The acquired ball management server 8 transmits the acquired number of balls stored corresponding to the card unit 2 to the card unit 2, and the card unit 2 indicates the number of acquired balls at the current time. And the number of balls acquired can be restored.

Next, modifications and feature points in the embodiment described above are listed.
(1) The replay button 27c and the ball lending button 27a may be combined into one. In such a case, when a card that can specify both the acquired ball and the remaining amount of the card (prepaid remaining amount) is inserted into the card unit 2 and the button combined into one is operated, the acquired ball is Control to use it preferentially. Further, when a card that can specify both the above-mentioned stored ball and the remaining amount of the card (prepaid balance) is inserted into the card unit 2 and the button combined into one is operated, the stored ball is used with priority. To control. Furthermore, when a card that can specify the acquired ball, the stored ball, and the remaining amount of the card (prepaid balance) is inserted into the card unit 2 and the button combined into one is operated, the acquired ball is used with priority. To control. In this way, the priority use order is in the order of the acquired ball, the stored ball, and finally the remaining card amount (prepaid balance). It should be noted that this priority usage order may be changed and set in the game hall by an operation of the card unit 2 by a staff member or a batch change command from the acquired ball management server 8.

  (2) In the above-described embodiment, the data transmission of the currently acquired ball or the like from the card unit 2 to the acquired ball management server 8 is performed every time there is a data update in the card unit 2. Alternatively, each card unit 2 may be periodically polled from the acquired ball management server 8 side to read the data of each card unit 2. In this way, when the offline state generated between the card unit 2 and the acquired ball management server 8 returns to the online state, when the period from the return point to the next polling has elapsed. The return data transmission process shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 28 is performed. That is, when returning to a communicable state, return-time acquired value information that can specify the acquired value at the time of return is transmitted to the acquired value management server (acquired ball management server 8). This “return time” does not mean that no time lag is allowed with respect to the return to the communicable state (online state), but the return time at which the acquired value at the time slightly delayed from the return time can be specified. It is a concept that includes content for transmitting acquired value information.

  (3) In the above-described embodiment, the card (recording medium) issued from the card unit 2 in accordance with the settlement operation is such that data is recorded in an invisible manner, but all or part of the data. May be configured to be visible.

  (4) In the above-described embodiment, a card unit (recording medium) that can specify the acquired value issued from a certain card unit 2 in accordance with the settlement operation is provided corresponding to another gaming machine. When a so-called table movement is performed in which the game machine is inserted in the other game machine and the game is played, the table movement history (unit ID and movement time (card insertion time) of the card unit that has moved and inserted the card) And the number of acquired balls issued at the time of payment) are sequentially stored in the card unit 2 at the movement destination. This movement history data may be stored in the acquired ball management server 8 in the same manner. Further, it may be stored in only one of the acquired ball management server 8 and the card unit 2.

  (5) Although one card unit 2 is provided for each pachinko gaming machine 1, the card unit 2 is not limited to this, but a card is provided for a plurality of (for example, two) pachinko gaming machines. One unit 2 may be provided.

  (6) In the above-described embodiment, the card ID is a fixed ID that does not change even when the table is moved. However, the card ID is not limited to this, and the card ID is changed every time the table is moved. Also good. And whenever card ID changes with stand movement, it controls so that card ID of the server data table of acquisition ball management server 8 is also updated.

  (7) The acquired ball management server 8 is a server separate from the hall management computer that performs processing for aggregating game information of each gaming machine installed in the game hall and making it available for management of the game hall. It is configured, and the acquired ball management server 8 and the hall management computer are not connected. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the acquisition ball management server 8 and the hall management computer may be connected to exchange data. Further, the acquisition ball management server 8 and the hall management computer May be configured so that one hall management computer manages the acquired value. In the case of such a configuration, instead of the above-mentioned game data (such as the number of big hits) being transmitted from the pachinko machine 1 to the acquisition ball management server (or the hall management computer) via the card unit 2 or In addition, game data (such as the number of big hits) is transmitted from the pachinko machine 1 to the acquisition ball management server 8 via the hall management computer or is integrated with the acquisition ball management server 8. You may comprise so that it may transmit directly from the pachinko machine 1. In a configuration in which game data (such as the number of big hits) is transmitted to the acquisition ball management server 8 without going through the card unit 2, it is acquired offline when the card unit 2 returns to the online state after going offline. The ball increase periods a1 to a4 may be transmitted to the acquired ball management server 8, and game data (number of jackpots) in each online acquired ball increase period a1 to a4 may be calculated on the acquired ball management server 8 side.

  Furthermore, an offline game history stored in the offline card unit 2 by a clerk at a game hall inserting a data read-only card (recording medium) into the offline card unit 2 The data, the off-line settlement history data, and the off-line acquired ball increase / decrease history data are recorded on a card (recording medium) and discharged, and the obtained ball (recording medium) is read by the acquired ball management server 8 to Various history data may be input. In response to the input of the various history data, the acquired ball management server 8 makes a determination of YES in S214a and S215 in FIG. 20, and executes the return authentication process 2 in S223 (see FIG. 13C).

  (8) Although the jackpot data has been described as the game data in the first embodiment described above, instead of or in addition, as the game data, winning ball data, effective start winning data, supply ball data And may be game data.

  (9) In the second embodiment, the special award base data that differs depending on the type of gaming machine is used as the reference data for the suitability determination. However, this reference data is not limited to the special award base data, but for a certain period of time. Any data can be used as long as it is possible to determine the upper limit of the number of balls that can be acquired in step (b). In addition, instead of using different standard data for each model, the gaming machine of the model that can obtain the most earned balls in a short period of time in various gaming machines installed in the game hall is used as a standard. The reference data may be applied to all other types of gaming machines.

  (10) The embodiment disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

It is a front view which shows a part of game machine installation island installed in the game hall. It is a front view of a pachinko gaming machine as an example of a card unit and gaming machine. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the control circuit of a card unit, the control circuit of a POS terminal, the control circuit of an acquisition ball management server, and the information management system in a game arcade. It is a flowchart which shows the control processing of a card unit. It is a flowchart which shows the specific control content of the process at the time of unit replacement | exchange. It is a flowchart which shows the specific control content of an offline determination process. It is a flowchart which shows the specific control content of the data transmission process at the time of a return. It is a flowchart which shows the specific control content of the process at the time of money reception. It is a flowchart which shows the specific control content of the process at the time of card | curd reception. It is a flowchart which shows the specific control content of the process at the time of card | curd reception. It is a timing chart which shows the change state of game data, an acquisition ball counter, and adjustment. It is a flowchart which shows the specific control content of acquisition ball | bowl processing. It is a flowchart which shows the specific control content of the acquisition ball adjustment process. It is a flowchart which shows the specific control content of a server time recovery process. It is a flowchart which shows a POS terminal process. It is a flowchart which shows a POS terminal process. It is a flowchart which shows a POS terminal process. It is a flowchart which shows a server process. It is a flowchart which shows the specific control content of a server recovery completion process. It is a flowchart which shows the specific control content of a card unit corresponding | compatible process. (A) is a flowchart showing the specific control contents of the corresponding data return process, (b) is a flowchart showing the specific control contents of the corresponding ball number data return process, and (c) is the in-use authentication process. It is a flowchart which shows a specific control content, (d) is a flowchart which shows the specific control content of the subtraction process of corresponding ball number data. It is a figure which shows a server data table. (A) is a flowchart which shows the specific control content of the number-of-balls data update process, (b) is a flowchart which shows the specific control content of the return time authentication process 1, (c) is the flow time of the return time authentication process 2. It is a flowchart which shows the specific control content. (A) is a flowchart which shows the specific control content of the authentication process at the time of offline card reception, (b) is a flowchart which shows the specific control content of the authentication process at the time of payment. It is a flowchart which shows a POS terminal corresponding | compatible process. (A) is a flowchart which shows the specific control content of a membership card authentication process, (b) is a flowchart which shows the specific control content of a visitor card authentication process. It is a flowchart which shows the specific control content of an offline card authentication process. It is a flowchart which shows the specific control content of the data transmission process at the time of return in 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the specific control content of the process at the time of card reception in 2nd Embodiment. It is a timing chart which shows the state of change with an acquisition ball counter and adjustment in a 2nd embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the specific control content of the acquisition ball adjustment process in 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the specific control content of the acquisition ball adjustment process in 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the specific control content of the card unit corresponding | compatible process in 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the server data table in 2nd Embodiment. (A) is a flowchart which shows the specific control content of the ball number data update process in 2nd Embodiment, (b) is a flowchart which shows the specific control content of the return time authentication process 1 in 2nd Embodiment. Yes, (c) is a flowchart showing the specific control contents of return-time authentication processing 2 in the second embodiment. (A) is a flowchart which shows the specific control content of the authentication process at the time of offline card reception in 2nd Embodiment, (b) is a flowchart which shows the specific control content of the authentication process at the time of payment in 2nd Embodiment. is there. It is a flowchart which shows the POS terminal corresponding | compatible process in 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the specific control content of the offline card | curd authentication process in 2nd Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

  1 Pachinko machine, 2 card units, 8 acquired ball management server, 43 POS terminal, 21, 45, 81 CPU, 40 currency detector, 27a ball lending button, 60 exchange complete button, 27c replay button, 42 reset button, 58 Ball return switch, 27b Settlement button, 27,52 LCD, 86 display, 501 Acquired ball detection switch.

Claims (8)

At least the acquisition value specifying information that can be specified for the acquired value can be issued to the player with the function of managing for each gaming machine the acquired value that increases at least according to the winning by the gaming machine and decreases when used in the game An acquired value individual management means for performing value issuance processing and outputting issuance execution information;
Each acquired value individual management means is communicable and stores at least each gaming machine in association with identification information that can identify each acquired value for each gaming machine, and based on the output issuance execution information A game system comprising: an acquisition value management server for starting and storing a new acquisition value while confirming and storing the acquisition value at the time of issue,
The acquired value individual management means includes:
Managing the acquired value that increases or decreases during communication with the acquired value management server;
When during communication disabled state performing the earned value issuing process, identifiable communication unsaturated ability flights then that issued during communication disabled state during the emitting line issues a earned value specific information of the earned value issued time Issuing means when communication is impossible to add line information and issue;
A communication impossible issue processing storage means for storing that the acquired value issuing processing in the communication impossible state by the communication impossible issue means has been performed;
At the time of returning to the communicable state, the acquired value information at the time of return capable of specifying the acquired value at the time of the return is transmitted to the acquired value management server, and the acquired value issuing process is stored in the non-communication issued process storage Return time information transmitting means for transmitting to the acquired value management server, communication issuance issue processing information capable of specifying that the acquired value issuance processing has been performed in a communication disabled state when there is a storage of what has been performed; Including,
The acquired value management server includes:
When the return time acquired value information is transmitted by the return time information transmitting means and the issuance processing information is not transmitted when the communication is impossible, the transmission time acquired value information is specified. When the return value at the return time is higher than the return value before the return time, the suitability determination means for determining whether the increase amount is within an appropriate range that can be increased; A gaming system characterized by comprising: The return time information transmitting means, when there is a storage that the acquired value issuing process has been performed in the non-communication issuance process storage means, Send information for suitability determination to determine whether the amount of increase in acquired value that has increased from the time of issuance to the time when communication is possible is within the appropriate range,
The suitability determination means is configured to return the return time information transmitted by the return time information transmission means when the return time acquired value information and the communication impossible issue processing information are transmitted by the return time information transmission means. When there is an acquired value at the return time specified by the acquired value information, the acquired value at the return time is within an appropriate range based on the suitability determination information transmitted by the return time information transmitting means. The gaming system according to claim 1, wherein it is determined whether or not it is a thing. The acquired value individual managing means, when receiving the acquired value specifying information to which the non-communication issue information is added in the communicable state, transmits the received acquired value specifying information to the acquired value managing server,
3. The non-communication issue information reception time determination process for determining whether or not the acquired value specified from the acquired acquired value specifying information is appropriate, according to claim 1 or claim 2. Gaming system. Inquiry processing that is communicable with the acquired value management server and performs an inquiry for authenticity verification of the acquired value specifying information when receiving the acquired value specifying information issued by the acquired value individual managing means Is executed on the acquired value management server, and when the authentication of the correctness of the return result from the acquired value management server is obtained, the game is within the range of the acquired value specified by the received acquired value specifying information. A gift exchange terminal for performing a gift exchange process for exchanging with a gift desired by the user,
When the prize exchange terminal receives the acquired value specifying information to which the incommunicable issuance information is added, transmits the received acquired value specifying information to the acquired value management server,
The suitability determination means performs a communication impossible issue information reception time determination process for determining whether or not the acquired value specified from the transmitted acquired value specifying information is appropriate, and determines the communication disabled issue information reception time determination process. And return the determination result to the gift exchange terminal,
The gaming system according to claim 1, wherein the prize exchange terminal executes the prize exchange process when the determination result is appropriate. A communication disabled state period specifying unit for specifying the communication disabled state period in the acquired value individual management unit that is in the communication disabled state,
Whether or not the suitability determination means is within an appropriate range in which the increase amount of the acquired value increased during the communication disabled state can be increased based on the communication disabled state period specified by the communication disabled state period specifying unit. The gaming system according to claim 1, wherein the game system is determined. The acquired value management server determines whether or not a gaming state in which the acquired value of the player is increased during the communication disabled state in the gaming machine corresponding to the acquired value individual managing means that is in the communication disabled state. Game information input means for inputting game information capable of specifying
The suitability judging means judges whether or not the increase amount of the acquired value increased during the incommunicable state is within an appropriate range based on the game information input to the game information input means. The game system according to any one of claims 1 to 4. When the return time information transmitting means returns from the communication disabled state to the communication enabled state, the communication disabled issue means causes the communication disabled state during the game, and the acquired value issuing process is performed during the communication disabled state. Issue value specifying information that can specify the acquired value issued by the acquired value issuing process, and issuance after communication is disabled from the time when communication cannot be switched to the time when the acquired value issuing process is performed Sending information for issuance period determination after non-communication to determine whether the amount of increase in acquired value that has increased during the period is within an appropriate range,
The suitability determining means is specified based on the issue value specifying information transmitted by the return time information transmitting means when the acquired value is issued when communication is impossible by the communication impossible issue means. Whether or not the increase is within an appropriate range that can be increased based on the transmitted post-communication issuance period determination information that has been transmitted. When the return determination process is performed, and the determination result of the return determination process is different from the determination result when the determination process at the time of the communication impossible issue information reception is performed for the acquired value of the determination target, The gaming system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the determination result of the determination process at the time of accepting the incommunicable issue information is determined to be inappropriate. The acquired value management server further includes acquired value transmission means for transmitting the acquired value stored in correspondence with the acquired value individual management means to the acquired value individual management means,
The gaming system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the earned value individual managing means further includes earned value restoration means for storing the acquired earned value as a present earned value.

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