JP5650992B2 - Game system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a gaming system. Specifically, the first management device that manages the acquired value acquired by the player in the game in association with the identification information of the game recording medium, and the stored value acquired and stored by the player is identified by the game recording medium. A game management system including a second management device that manages the information in association with information, and a gaming device that is communicable with the first management device and the second management device and is arranged corresponding to each gaming machine. About the system.

  Conventionally, the same day savings (the value acquired by the player in the game) and the normal savings (the saving value acquired and saved by the player) prior to the day are managed separately, and the savings on the day after the closing There has been a management device for a game hall that is shifted to (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2010-35840 A

  However, in the management device of Patent Document 1, if there is no transition from holding balls (acquired value acquired by the player in the game) that cannot be determined due to communication abnormality to stored balls (saved value acquired and stored by the player), The problem is that when communication is restored, the number of managed balls (saved value acquired and stored by the player) and the number of stored balls grasped by the player are inconsistent, which may cause distrust to the player. was there.

  The present invention has been conceived in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a game system capable of managing the stored value so as not to give distrust to the player.

Specific examples of means for solving the problems and their effects

(1) The acquired value (for example, the number of possession balls) acquired by the player in the game is managed in association with the identification information (for example, card ID, member ID) of the game recording medium (for example, membership card, visitor card). Identification information (for example, a membership card) of a first management device (for example, a possession management computer 150) and a stored value (for example, the number of stored balls) acquired and stored by a player (for example, a membership card) A second management device (for example, a storage management computer 160) managed in association with a member ID), the first management device and the second management device, and each gaming machine (for example, a pachinko game) A gaming system including a gaming device (for example, a card unit 3) arranged corresponding to the machine 2),
The gaming device is:
Acquisition value storage means (for example, a card table stored in the RAM 328b) for storing the acquisition value updated by addition or subtraction in accordance with the game;
When the acquired value managed by the first management device is updated based on the acquired value stored in the acquired value storage means, the acquired value managed by the first management device and the acquired value A gaming apparatus side communication abnormality determining means for determining whether or not there is a communication abnormality with the first management apparatus that may cause inconsistency with the acquired value stored in the acquired value storage means (for example, FIG. 23) Step S251),
An abnormality notification means (for example, step Sa08 in FIG. 19) for notifying the first management device of information indicating that there is a communication abnormality based on the determination result of the gaming apparatus side communication abnormality determination means. ,
The gaming system includes:
In the processing at the end of the game hall, value transfer means for transferring the acquired value managed by the first management device to the saving value managed by the second management device (for example, FIG. 34). Step S553 and step S554 of FIG. 31, and step S601 to step S604 of FIG.
Based on the notification from the abnormality notification means, a correction determination means for determining whether or not the communication abnormality has occurred with respect to the acquired value that has already been transferred by the value transfer means (for example, step S11 to step S14 in FIG. 20). When,
Correction processing means (for example, step S16 in FIG. 20) for correcting the saving value managed by the second management device based on the determination result of the correction determination means.

  According to such a configuration, the acquired value updated by adding or subtracting with the game is stored by the gaming device, and the acquired value managed by the first management device based on the stored acquired value Whether or not there is a communication abnormality with the first management device that may cause a mismatch between the acquired value managed by the first management device and the acquired value stored in the gaming device The first management apparatus is notified of information indicating that there is a communication abnormality based on the determination result. The gaming system transfers the acquired value managed by the first management device to the saved value managed by the second management device in the processing at the time of closing of the game hall, and there is a communication abnormality Whether or not the communication abnormality has occurred with respect to the acquired value that has already been transferred is determined based on the notification to the effect, and the saving value managed by the second management device is corrected based on the determination result. .

  When the acquired value managed by the first management device is updated based on the acquired value stored in the acquired value storage means, the acquired value managed by the first management device and the acquired value The communication abnormality between the first management device and the gaming device that may cause inconsistency with the acquired value stored in the acquired value storage means is, for example, from the gaming device to the first management device. If the transmission of the acquired value stored in the acquired value storage means fails (for example, when the transmission of the membership card return notification including the number of possessed balls fails), the first management from the gaming device The transmission of the acquired value to the device succeeds but before the first management device to the effect that the acquired value managed by the first management device with the transmitted acquired value has been successfully updated. When the transmission to the gaming device fails (for example, when the transmission of the card update result indicating that the update is successful), or from the first management device indicating that the acquired value has been successfully updated from the first management device When transmission to the gaming device succeeds, but transmission from the gaming device to the first management device to the effect that the processing after transmission of the acquired value has been normally completed in the gaming device fails (for example, , Communication failure such as failure to send return notification.

  For this reason, since the acquired value is transferred to the saving value regardless of whether there is a communication abnormality, it is possible to prevent the player from feeling distrust as compared to the case where it is not possible to transfer, and the communication abnormality If there is, the saving value is corrected, so that the acquired value and the saving value can be appropriately managed. As a result, it is possible to provide a gaming system capable of managing the stored value without causing distrust to the player.

  (2) In the gaming system of (1) above, the value transfer means collectively transfers the acquired value to the saved value in the processing at the end of business (for example, from step S551 to step S554 in FIG. 34). At the same time, the transferred acquired value is deleted (for example, step S556 in FIG. 34).

  According to such a configuration, the acquired value is collectively transferred to the saved value in the processing at the end of business by the gaming system, and the transferred acquired value is deleted. For this reason, since it is made to transfer collectively, the processing load of transfer can be reduced. Further, since the acquired value is deleted when the value is shifted to the saving value, the value is not managed redundantly, so that double management can be prevented.

(3) In the gaming system according to (1) or (2), the first management device further includes:
In the update of the acquired value that is managed, whether or not there is a communication abnormality with the gaming device that may cause a mismatch between the managed acquired value and the acquired value that is stored in the gaming device Management apparatus side communication abnormality determination means (for example, step S41 in FIG. 24) for determining
When the management apparatus side communication abnormality determining unit determines that there is a communication abnormality, an abnormality information storage unit (for example, FIG. 24) stores information indicating that there is a communication abnormality in association with the managed acquired value. Step S42).

  According to such a configuration, in the update of the acquired value managed by the first management device, inconsistency may occur between the managed acquired value and the acquired value stored in the gaming device. It is determined whether or not there is a communication abnormality with the gaming device. If it is determined that there is a communication abnormality, information indicating that there is a communication abnormality is stored in association with the managed acquired value. For this reason, it is possible to easily identify a ball having a possibility of abnormality.

(4) In the gaming system of (3), the first management device further includes:
Holding means (for example, FIG. 34) that holds the acquired value of the update target in communication determined to have communication abnormality by the management apparatus communication abnormality determining means after being transferred to the saving value by the value transfer means. In step S555 and step S556, the number of balls with the gray flag turned on is not erased)
The correction processing unit corrects the saving value with reference to the acquired value held by the holding unit.

  According to such a configuration, the acquisition value of the update target in communication determined to have communication abnormality by the first management device is retained after being transferred to the saving value, and the retained acquisition value is referred to The savings value is corrected. For this reason, an illegal correction of the saving value can be prevented.

(5) In the gaming system according to any one of (1) to (4), the first management device further includes:
In the end-of-business-end processing, a transmission means for transmitting an end-of-business-end processing request to the gaming device (for example, transmission of an end-of-business processing request in FIG. 32),
The gaming device further includes:
An acquired game value specifying means (for example, counting / fractional payout unit 340) for specifying the game value acquired by the player;
The acquired value storage means updates and stores the acquired value based on the game value specified by the acquired game value specifying means,
The gaming device further includes:
A discharge process for discharging a game recording medium in which information (for example, a card ID, a member ID, or the number of possessed balls) that can identify the acquired value stored in the acquired value storage unit is recorded. Means (for example, card reader / writer 327, step S218 in FIG. 22, step S213 in FIG. 23, step S256, step S258);
When the business end-time processing request is received from the first management device, the acquired value is obtained without performing the discharge process on the condition that the acquired value is stored in the acquired value storage means. An invalidation processing means (for example, step Sd4 and step Sd7 in FIG. 33) for performing invalidation processing for invalidation is provided.

  According to such a configuration, the end-of-business-time processing request is transmitted to the gaming device by the first management device during the business-end processing. A gaming record in which the gaming value acquired by the player is specified by the gaming device, the acquired value is updated and stored based on the specified gaming value, and the stored information for identifying the acquired value is recorded When a discharge process for discharging the medium is performed and a processing end-time processing request is received from the first management apparatus, the acquisition process is performed without performing the discharge process on the condition that the acquired value is stored. An invalidation process for invalidating the value is performed.

  If the acquired value is stored at the end of business in each gaming device, the next day's business will be hindered. For this reason, in order not to use the acquired value, the acquired value may be specified from the game recording medium, the game recording medium may be ejected, and the acquired value may be erased from the gaming device. However, it takes time to collect the game recording medium and erase the acquired value that can be specified from the game recording medium.

  Thus, if the acquired value is invalidated without discharging the game recording medium in which the acquired value can be specified, it is stored in the game device without increasing the burden on these operations. The acquired value can be prevented from hindering sales.

(6) In the gaming system according to any one of (1) to (5), the first management device further includes:
In the end-of-business-end processing, a transmission means for transmitting an end-of-business-end processing request to the gaming device (for example, transmission of an end-of-business processing request in FIG. 32),
The gaming device further includes:
An acquired game value specifying means (for example, counting / fractional payout unit 340) for specifying the game value acquired by the player;
The acquired value storage means updates and stores the acquired value based on the game value specified by the acquired game value specifying means,
The acquired game value specifying means prohibits the specification of the game value after receiving the business end time processing request from the first management device (for example, in step S23 of FIG. The number is transmitted to the ball management computer 150 as an invalid counting ball number so that it is not counted as a ball held by any player).

  According to such a configuration, the end-of-business-time processing request is transmitted to the gaming device by the first management device during the business-end processing. After the gaming value acquired by the player is specified by the gaming device, and the acquired value is updated and stored based on the specified gaming value, and the processing end-time processing request from the first management device is received, Identification of game value is prohibited.

  For example, when there is a game machine or a game medium left in a game arcade, it is necessary to specify the game medium as an invalid game value with a specific device, and there is a problem that it takes time and effort. In this way, if the specification of the gaming value is prohibited at the end of the business, if a gaming machine or a gaming medium left in the gaming hall is thrown into a large number of gaming devices installed in the gaming hall, Since the game medium can be specified as an invalid game value, the work load can be reduced.

(7) In the gaming system of (1) to (6) above, the gaming device further includes:
An acquired game value specifying means (for example, counting / fractional payout unit 340) for specifying the game value acquired by the player;
A game enabling process for allowing a game medium to be used for a game within a range of the number of game media specified by the acquired value stored in the acquired value storage means (for example, one by one or a lending unit number). Game enabling processing means for executing (for example, the payout process of FIG. 32 executed in step Sb25 of FIG. 17);
The game value specified by the acquired game value specifying means is added to the acquired value stored in the acquired value storage means, and the number of game media made available to the game by the game enabling processing means is calculated. Addition / subtraction means for subtracting the identifiable value from the acquired value stored in the acquired value storage means (for example, counting information processing in FIG. 18, replay process executed in step Sb24 in FIG. 17, and step in FIG. 17) The payout process of FIG. 32 executed in Sb25);
Accepting means for accepting the game recording medium (card reader / writer 327, card accepting process in FIG. 19 executed in step Sb20 in FIG. 17);
If an end operation (for example, operation of a return button) is accepted when a member game recording medium (for example, a membership card) is accepted by the accepting means, it is recorded on the member game recording medium being accepted. An update request for updating the acquired value stored in the acquired value storage means (for example, a membership card return notification) is performed with the acquired value managed by the first management device in association with the identification information. , A discharge processing unit upon receipt for discharging the member game recording medium (for example, a member card return process executed in step S250 of the return process of FIG. 22 executed in step Sb23 of FIG. 17);
When the end operation is accepted when the member game recording medium is not accepted by the accepting unit, the acquired value stored in the acquired value storage unit can be recorded as the counted game recording medium. Non-acceptance discharge processing means (for example, the return process of FIG. 22 executed in step Sb23 of FIG. 17) for recording on (for example, a visitor card) and discharging the counting game recording medium;
Acquisition value update means for updating the acquisition value stored in the acquisition value storage means based on the acquisition value recorded on the counting game recording medium received by the reception means (for example, step Sb20 in FIG. 17). Step Sa12) of the card reception process shown in FIG.
The first management device further includes:
Based on the update request, management acquired value update means for updating the acquired value managed in association with the identification information recorded on the member game recording medium (for example, the card management computer side card return in FIG. 24) Time processing step S32),
The gaming device further includes:
Communication determining means for determining whether communication with the first management device is possible or not (for example, step S212 + and step S251 of the member card return process in FIG. 23),
The reception discharge processing means, when the end operation is received when the member game recording medium is received (for example, when YES is determined in step S204 of the return process in FIG. 22), the communication The received member game recording medium is ejected on condition that the determination means determines that communication is impossible (for example, YES is determined in step S251 of the member card return process in FIG. 23) ( For example, together with step S255 and step S256 of the member card return process of FIG. 23, a non-communication discharge process for recording and discharging the acquired value stored in the acquired value storage means on the counting game recording medium is executed. (For example, step S257 and step S258 of the member card return process in FIG. 23).

  According to such a configuration, the gaming value acquired by the player is specified by the gaming device, and the gaming media can be used for gaming within the range of the number of gaming media specified by the stored acquired value. The game enabling process is executed, the specified game value is added to the stored acquired value, and the value that can specify the number of game media made available for the game is stored in the acquired value If the termination operation is accepted when the game recording medium is accepted and the member game recording medium is accepted, it is associated with the identification information recorded on the member game recording medium being accepted. An update request for updating the stored acquired value with the acquired value managed by the first management device is made, the member game recording medium is ejected, and the member game recording medium is received If the end operation is accepted when there is not, the stored acquired value is recorded on the counting game recording medium capable of recording the acquired value, the counting game recording medium is ejected, and the received counting game is received. The stored acquired value is updated based on the acquired value recorded on the recording medium. Based on the update request, the first management device updates the acquired value managed in association with the identification information recorded on the member game recording medium. It is determined by the gaming device whether communication with the first management device is possible or not, and when the end operation is accepted when the member gaming recording medium is accepted, it is determined that communication is impossible. On the condition that the received member game recording medium is discharged, a non-communication discharge process is executed in which the stored acquired value is recorded on the counting game recording medium and discharged.

  For this reason, even if the gaming measure and the first management device cannot communicate with each other when the ending operation is performed, the acquired value acquired by the player is recorded on the counting game recording medium and discharged, and then the counting is performed. The number of game media indicated by the game value recorded on the game recording medium can be used by other game devices for games on the game machine corresponding to the game device. As a result, even if communication between the first management device and the gaming device is disabled during the game, the gaming value acquired and specified by the game in the gaming machine corresponding to the gaming device is determined. It can be used for games in the corresponding gaming machine by other gaming devices.

(8) In the gaming system according to any one of (1) to (7), the gaming device further includes:
An acquired game value specifying means for specifying the game value acquired by the player (for example, counting / fractioning unit 340);
Enabling the use of a game in which the game media can be used for a game within a range of the number of game media specified by the acquired value stored in the acquired value storage means (for example, one by one or a lending unit number). Game enabling processing means for executing the processing (for example, the payout processing of FIG. 32 executed in step Sb25 of FIG. 17),
The game value specified by the acquired game value specifying means is added to the acquired value stored in the acquired value storage means, and the number of game media made available to the game by the game enabling processing means is calculated. Addition / subtraction means for subtracting the identifiable value from the acquired value stored in the acquired value storage means (for example, counting information processing in FIG. 18, replay process executed in step Sb24 in FIG. 17, and step in FIG. 17) The payout process of FIG. 32 executed in Sb25);
Accepting means for accepting the game recording medium (card reader / writer 327, card accepting process in FIG. 19 executed in step Sb20 in FIG. 17);
Communication determination means for determining whether communication with the first management device is possible or not (for example, step S212 + and step S251 of the member card return process in FIG. 23);
When an end operation (for example, an operation of a return button) is accepted, it is associated with the identification information recorded on the game recording medium being accepted on the condition that the communication determination means determines that communication is possible. An update request (for example, a membership card return notification) for updating the acquired value stored in the acquired value storage means with the acquired value managed by the first management device is performed, and the game recording medium And a discharge time processing means (member card return process executed in step S250 of the return process of FIG. 22 executed in step Sb23 of FIG. 17),
The first management device further includes:
Based on the update request, management acquired value update means for updating the acquired value managed in association with the identification information recorded on the game recording medium (for example, when the card management computer side card return in FIG. 24 is performed) Processing step S32);
When the acquired value cannot be updated by the management acquired value updating unit, the disabled information transmitting unit (for example, step S38 of the card management computer side card return process in FIG. 24) transmits the disabled information to the gaming device. )
The gaming device further includes:
When the termination operation is accepted, the acquired value storage is performed on the condition that the communication determination unit determines that communication is impossible (for example, it is determined YES in step S251 of the member card return process in FIG. 23). Recording processing means (for example, step S257 of the member card return process in FIG. 23) for performing recording processing for recording the acquired value stored in the means on a counting game recording medium (for example, visitor card) capable of recording the acquired value. )When,
When the disabling information is received (for example, when YES is determined in step S261 of the member card return process of FIG. 23), the recording process is performed by shifting to a disconnected state where the communication determining unit determines that communication is impossible. A non-performing state processing means (for example, step S263 and step S257 of the member card return process of FIG. 23).

  According to such a configuration, the gaming value acquired by the player is specified by the gaming device, and gaming media within the range of the number of gaming media specified by the stored acquired value can be used for the game. The game enabling process is executed, the specified game value is added to the stored acquired value, and the value that can specify the number of game media made available for the game is stored in the acquired value If it is subtracted, the game recording medium is received, it is determined whether communication with the first management device is possible or not, and if an end operation is received, it is determined that communication is possible. An update request is made to update the stored acquired value with the acquired value managed by the first management device in association with the identification information recorded on the receiving game recording medium. Recording media It is discharged. When the acquired value managed in association with the identification information recorded on the game recording medium is updated by the first management device in accordance with the update request, and the acquired value cannot be updated, the disabled information Is transmitted to the gaming device. When the game device accepts the end operation, a recording process for recording the stored acquired value on a count game recording medium capable of recording the acquired value on the condition that it is determined that communication is impossible. When the inability information is received, the recording process is performed after shifting to a disconnected state where it is determined that communication is impossible.

  Therefore, even if the gaming device and the first management device are unable to communicate when the ending operation is performed, the acquired value acquired by the player is recorded on the counting game recording medium and discharged, and then the counting is performed. The number of game media indicated by the game value recorded on the game recording medium can be used by other game devices for games on the game machine corresponding to the game device. As a result, even if communication between the first management device and the gaming device is disabled during the game, the gaming value acquired and specified by the game in the gaming machine corresponding to the gaming device is determined. It can be used for games in the corresponding gaming machine by other gaming devices.

It is a system configuration figure showing the whole picture of a game system in an embodiment of the invention. It is a front view which shows the pachinko machine and card unit which were used for the game system of the embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the card unit used in embodiment of this invention. It is top view sectional drawing which shows the structure of the card reader / writer used for the card unit of embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the protrusion part of the card unit used in embodiment of this invention. It is an external appearance perspective view which shows the counting and fraction payout unit used in embodiment of this invention. It is a side view of the card unit of an embodiment of the invention. It is a fracture | rupture top view which shows the internal structure of the counting and fraction discharge unit used for embodiment of this invention. (A)-(d) is a figure explaining the flow path in the inside of the counting and fraction discharge unit used for embodiment of this invention, and the flow-down condition of the pachinko ball. (A) is a figure which shows the card table of the card unit used in embodiment of this invention, (b) is a figure which shows the game information table of the card unit used in embodiment of this invention. (C) is a figure which shows the member game information used in embodiment of this invention, (d) is a figure which shows the number-of-balls data used in embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the balance management computer used in embodiment of this invention. (A) is a figure which shows the member card table in the balance management computer used in embodiment of this invention, (b) is a figure which shows a visitor card table. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the possession management computer used in embodiment of this invention. (A) is a figure which shows the member possession ball management table in the possession ball management computer used in embodiment of this invention, (b) is a figure which shows a visitor possession ball management table. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the storage ball management computer used in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the member savings ball management table in the savings ball management computer used in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the processing content implemented in the card unit used in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the processing content of the count information processing implemented in the card unit used in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the processing content of the card | curd reception process implemented in the card unit used in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the processing content of the processing at the time of the coin management computer side card reception implemented in the coin management computer used in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the processing content of the lending process implemented in the card unit used in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the processing content of the return process implemented in the card unit used in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the processing content of the member card return process implemented in the card unit used in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the processing content of the processing at the time of the possession management computer side card return implemented in the possession management computer used in embodiment of this invention. It is the 1st figure showing exchange of information between a possession management computer and a card unit at the time of card reception and card return in an embodiment of the invention. It is a 2nd figure which shows transfer of the information between the possession management computer and the card unit at the time of card reception and card return in the embodiment of the present invention. It is a 3rd figure which shows transfer of the information between the possession management computer and a card unit at the time of the card reception in the embodiment of this invention, and a card return. It is a 4th figure which shows transfer of the information between the possession management computer and the card unit at the time of card reception and card return in the embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart which shows the processing content of the payout process implemented in the card unit used in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the visitor card storage process performed by the prize exchange POS in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the storage-ball addition process performed with the storage-ball management computer in embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the information transmitted / received between the card unit used in embodiment of this invention, the possession management computer, and the balance management computer. (A) is a flowchart which shows the content of the process at the time of business closing implemented in the card unit in embodiment of this invention, (b) is the processing content of the count invalidation process which comprises the process at the time of business end FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the storage ball transfer process performed with the possession management computer in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the transfer from the possession ball at the time of the settlement in the embodiment of the present invention and the end of business to a storage ball. It is a figure which shows correction | amendment of the transfer from the holding ball to the storage ball at the time of business on a later day in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the processing content of the ball management computer side card | curd reception process implemented in the ball management computer used in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the processing content of the member card return process implemented in the card unit used in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the processing content of the process at the time of the possession management computer side card return implemented in the possession management computer used in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is the 1st figure showing exchange of information between the possession management computer and a card unit at the time of card reception and card return in the 2nd embodiment of the present invention. It is a 2nd figure which shows transfer of the information between the possession management computer at the time of the card | curd reception in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention and a card return, and a card unit. It is a 3rd figure which shows transfer of the information between the possession management computer and a card unit at the time of the card reception in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention, and a card return. It is a 4th figure which shows transfer of the information between the possession management computer and a card unit at the time of the card reception in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention, and a card return. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the storage ball transfer process performed with the possession management computer in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the transfer from the holding ball to the storage ball at the time of the adjustment in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention and the time of a business end. It is a figure which shows the correction | amendment of the transfer from the holding ball to a storage ball at the time of business at a later date in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, an embodiment for implementing a gaming system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[First Embodiment]
First, FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an overall image of a gaming system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The gaming system includes a card reader pachinko machine (hereinafter abbreviated as a pachinko machine) 2 that is a gaming machine arranged in parallel on each of the gaming islands (not shown) arranged in the game hall, and a predetermined side of the pachinko machine 2 A visitor card having a prepaid function, which is a game recording medium that is issued to a general player who is not registered as a member in a one-to-one correspondence with the pachinko machine 2 at a side position of A process for accepting a membership card, which is a game recording medium issued to a member player registered as a member of the gaming machine, and lending a pachinko ball, which is a gaming medium used for gaming in the gaming machine, A card unit 3 that counts pachinko balls acquired in a game in the pachinko machine 2 that performs and pays out (returns) pachinko balls within the counted number of pachinko balls, and a card Remaining amount management computer 100 for managing visitor cards, membership cards, and card units 3 used in the knit 3, management of the number of balls counted in each card unit 3, and holding balls corresponding to the membership cards A management computer 150 for managing the number of balls and the number of balls recorded on the visitor card, and a storage management computer 160 for managing the number of balls that the member player who owns the membership card can use for replaying And a hall computer 140 serving as a game information management device of the present invention for managing game information such as machine data of each pachinko machine 2 installed in the game hall, and a prize counter in the game hall for exchanging prizes. The prize exchange POS 170 is mainly composed of.

  And each apparatus which comprises these gaming systems of this embodiment is connected so that bidirectional | two-way data communication is possible via the hub (HUB) 7 and the communication cable 8, as shown in FIG. Each connected device is assigned a local IP address to form a local area network (LAN), and each of these devices connected to the local area network (LAN) can be individually identified. Each device has an IP address table in which the device (unit) ID and the local IP address are associated with each other, so that each local IP address identified from the device (unit) ID is assigned. Can be transmitted / received to / from each other by sending / receiving data to the transmission data.

  As described above, the remaining amount management computer 100 according to the present embodiment manages the prepaid balance (game value) remaining in each member card and each visitor card, and via the communication line 11, The balance management computer 100 is connected to the prepaid balance management 12 installed in a card management company outside the game hall that manages the membership card and the visitor card so as to be able to perform two-way data communication. Thus, the various management information is transmitted, so that the card management company can grasp the sales by the membership card and the visitor card of each game hall in the prepaid balance management 12.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a monitoring camera system for monitoring the inside of the game hall is connected to the hall computer 140 of the present embodiment, and the monitoring image inside the gaming hall captured by the monitoring camera system. However, it is stored and managed together with the base data of each pachinko machine 2 and the like. The game information such as the base data of each pachinko machine 2 managed by the hall computer 140 is updated to the latest information by transmission data transmitted from the card unit 3 corresponding to each pachinko machine 2, as will be described later. It has been updated.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the card unit 3 and the pachinko machine 2 are provided with various signals associated with the lending of a plurality (25 in this embodiment) of pachinko balls that are predetermined as payout units. The terminal terminal lending completion signal (EXS) and the table READY signal (PRDY) output from the pachinko machine 2, the card unit READY signal (BRDY) output from the control unit 328, and the terminal terminal lending request completion confirmation signal (BRQ). ) Are connected so as to be able to send and receive, and a jackpot signal, a probability changing signal, a time-shortening signal, a winning ball signal, and a start signal, which will be described later, output from the pachinko machine 2 are connected to be inputable.

  First, the pachinko machine 2 which is a gaming machine used in the present embodiment will be briefly described below. The pachinko machine 2 has a glass door frame 22 formed in a frame shape as shown in FIG. A hitting ball supply tray 23 is provided on the lower surface of the glass door frame 22. An operation unit 14 is provided at a predetermined position on the upper surface of the hitting ball supply tray 23, and a lower tray 24 that stores pachinko balls overflowing from the hitting ball supply tray 23 is provided below the hitting ball supply tray (upper plate) 23. A hitting operation handle (hereinafter referred to as an operation knob) 25 for emitting a hitting ball is provided.

  A game board 26 is detachably attached to the rear side of the glass door frame 22. A game area 27 is provided in front of the game board 26. A special figure variable display section 28 in which a plurality of types of identification information called “special symbols” are variably displayed in a lower area on the right side of the game area 27, and a plurality of types called “effect symbols” in the vicinity of the center thereof. Are provided, and an effect variable display unit 29 for displaying effect images and a variable display device 30 for variably displaying a plurality of types of identification information called “ordinary symbols” are provided. The game board 26 is provided with a plurality of winning holes 44, a passing gate 31, a starting winning hole 34, and a variable winning ball device 36. A recovery outlet 46 is formed.

  When a hitting ball is won in each of the winning openings, a winning ball corresponding to each winning opening is paid out by a ball cutting / dispensing device (not shown) and also according to the number of winning balls paid out by the ball cutting / dispensing device. A prize ball signal (1 pulse per 10 balls) is output to the outside, so that the number of prize balls is notified to the outside.

  A hit ball fired by a hammer (not shown) that is swung by the operation of the hitting operation knob 25 enters the game area 27 through the hitting rail, and then flows down the game area 27. At this time, pachinko balls whose launch momentum is too weak to reach the game area 27 are circulated to the lower plate 24 through a circulation path (not shown).

  In addition, when the ball that has been driven into the game area 27 passes through the passing gate 31, the normal symbol that is stopped and displayed on the variable display device 30 is variably started.

  When the display result after the variable display operation of the variable display device 30 is a predetermined display result (for example, ◯), the movable piece 35 provided at the start winning opening 34 is opened for a predetermined time and the player This is an advantageous state.

  When a pachinko ball is won at the start winning opening 34, all special symbols are variably displayed (variable display) in the special figure variable display section 28, and the effect display is started in the effect variable display section 29. After that, when the special symbol in the special figure variable display unit 28 stops and the result of the stop display becomes a predetermined specific display mode, the left, middle and right effects in the production variable display unit 29 are displayed. The variable display of the symbol is also stopped, and the display mode of the effect symbol is also set to a predetermined specific display mode (for example, 777), so that a specific gaming state (big hit state) occurs and a big hit signal is output. By being in a state, the occurrence of the jackpot is notified to the outside.

  Further, when the special symbol on the special symbol variable display unit 28 is stopped, a start signal having a predetermined pulse width is output, and the special symbol variable display (variable display) is performed on the special symbol variable display unit 28. Will be notified.

  When the big hit state occurs in this way, the opening / closing plate 40 provided in the variable winning ball apparatus 36 is opened, and a first state advantageous to the player is obtained. This first state ends when a predetermined period (for example, 30 seconds) or a predetermined number of hit balls (for example, 10) wins, whichever comes first, and then for the player This is a disadvantageous second state.

  If a hit ball that has entered the large winning opening of the variable winning ball apparatus 36 in the first state wins a specific winning area (V pocket) and is detected by a V count switch (not shown), Waiting for the end of the first state, repeated continuation control is performed to control from the second state to the first state. The upper limit number of the repeated continuation control is set to 15 times, for example.

  When the display result of the special figure variable display unit 28 and the display result of the effect symbol of the effect variable display unit 29 are stopped and displayed with a combination of predetermined jackpot symbols, a big hit occurs as described above. A reach state may occur in a state before the stop display.

  When the special symbol variably displayed on the special figure variable display unit 28 and the production variable display unit 29 and the production symbol are stopped and displayed with a combination of symbols corresponding to a predetermined probability variation symbol type, After the completion of ”, the probability variation state in which the probability of a big hit again becomes a higher probability state than the normal probability state becomes a probability variation state. In the probability variation state after the end of the probability variation jackpot, the probability variation state signal is output, and the occurrence of the probability variation state is notified to the outside.

  Further, when the special symbol variably displayed on the special symbol variable display unit 28 and the production variable display unit 29 and the production symbol are stopped and displayed with a combination of symbols other than the predetermined probability variation symbol, the “big hit” by the repeated continuation control is performed. The special symbol and effect variable display part in the special figure variable display part 28 until the variable display reaches the predetermined number of times or the next big hit occurs in the special figure variable display part 28 and the effect variable display part 29. When the variable display time (variation time) of the effect symbol in 29 is shortened compared to the normal gaming state, it becomes a short state, and during these short states, the short and medium signal is output, The occurrence of a short time condition is notified to the outside.

  The pachinko machine 2 of the present embodiment is equipped with an information output board (not shown) for outputting these signals to the outside, and the information output board and the card unit 3 are connected via a signal cable (not shown). From the information output board, an external output signal consisting of a big hit signal, a probability changing signal, a short time signal, a start signal, and a prize ball signal is output to the card unit 3 via a signal cable.

  Here, the big hit signal is a signal that is in the output state during the big hit state period, the probability changing signal is a signal that is in the output state only during the probability changing state period, and the short and medium time signal is the period in the short time state The start signal is a pulse signal of a predetermined width that is output when the variable display is completed after all the display results of the special figure variable display section 28 are derived and displayed. The ball signal is a pulse signal having a predetermined width that is output every time a predetermined number of balls (10 balls in the present embodiment) is paid out.

  The pachinko machine 2 according to the present embodiment has a control for counting and paying out a predetermined number of prize balls from a game control board that controls the game in the pachinko machine 2 based on a prize ball signal that is output based on a prize. And a prize ball control board (not shown) that performs control for counting and lending out 25 pachinko balls, which are payout units, based on signals input / output from the card unit 3 in the same manner as a normal CR machine. In addition, pachinko balls can be lent out in multiples of 25 balls, which is the payout unit.

  Next, the visitor card and membership card used in the present embodiment will be briefly described. The visitor card and membership card used in the present embodiment are non-volatile for storing various data. Use of an IC card equipped with an IC chip having a volatile memory and a controller for rewriting and reading out the recorded information and performing non-contact communication with an external reader / writer device. The card and the membership card are pre-stored in a card ID that can identify each individual card, specifically, a visitor card that starts with VC and a membership card that starts with KC. And the type of the prepaid balance that can be identified from the card ID and the prepaid balance can be specified. Various data are stored such data.

  The member card is issued to a member player who has registered as a member in the amusement hall, and a member ID assigned to the member is stored in a non-rewritable manner. In addition, as will be described later, the member player can use the membership card to store the pachinko balls once acquired and counted so that they can be used again in the game after the next day. However, these member cards do not directly record the number of stored balls, which is the data of the stored balls, and these stored ball numbers correspond to the member card ID and the member ID in the holding ball management computer 150 as will be described later. By being added and stored, it is specified from the member card ID or member ID.

  In the present embodiment, the membership card is provided with a magnetic stripe in addition to the IC chip. The member ID is stored in this magnetic stripe.

  The visitor card is purchased and issued by a card issuing / payment machine (not shown) installed in the amusement hall, and is also issued by the card unit 3. The visitor card stores the number of balls and date based on the counted number of balls counted by the player who owns the visitor card, and the number of balls is stored only on the day of the game. The card unit 3 can be used.

  In the present embodiment, as described above, the number of possessed balls is written and recorded only on the visitor card, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the number of retained balls and the number of accumulated balls are not limited thereto. The data may be recorded on the membership card as in the visitor card.

  Next, the card unit 3 according to the present embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 2 to 10. The front surface of the card unit 3 according to the present embodiment is composed of full-color LEDs as shown in FIG. Various display units such as a multi-function lamp 301 that can be notified of the state of the card unit 3 and the like by being lit in a plurality of colors, a bill insertion slot 302 for inserting bills, and from the front of the device to the front side of the device A protruding portion 305 formed to protrude, a payout button 311 for accepting a counting payout operation for paying out the counted number of balls, and a card insertion slot 309 for inserting a member card or a visitor card are provided.

  A card insertion slot 309 provided on the front surface of the card unit 3 is connected to a card slot 392 of a card reader / writer 327 (see FIG. 7) built in a position corresponding to the card insertion slot 309. A visitor card or a membership card can be inserted into the card slot 392 through the insertion slot 309.

  A protruding portion 305 is provided on the front surface of the card unit 3 so as to protrude forward. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, on the surface of the protruding portion 305 facing the player, a display unit 312 capable of displaying various information, a menu button 316 for displaying a main menu screen, a table When a table data button 318 for displaying data and a member card is received, a replay game using the member card ID recorded on the member card and the number of balls specified by the member ID is performed. Replay button 319, replay display unit 320 for notifying that the operation of replay button 319 is effective, and an infrared signal from a remote control (not shown) possessed by an attendant of the game hall are An IR light receiving unit 315 that converts and outputs a signal is provided, and each display item displayed on the display unit 312 is provided on the surface of the display unit 312. Transparent touch panel 314 to be input is provided by touching with a finger.

  Further, a liquid crystal display 313, which will be described later, and a switch corresponding to each button are provided inside the protrusion 305, and these correspond to the protrusion 305 as shown in FIG. By being connected to the display control board 329 provided at the position in the apparatus, display control of the liquid crystal display 313, input position detection by the transparent touch panel 314, and the like are performed by the display control board 329.

  At the upper position in the card unit 3, a banknote inserted in the banknote insertion slot 302 is connected, and a bill inserted into the banknote insertion slot 302 is taken to identify its authenticity and banknote type. A banknote identification unit 321 that outputs to a control unit 328, which will be described later, provided in the unit is provided. In the banknote identification unit 321, various banknotes (10,000 yen, 5,000 yen, 2,000 yen, 1,000 yen each) (Banknotes) can be accepted.

  Further, a control unit 328 for controlling the operation of the card unit 3 is provided at a substantially central position of the card unit 3 so as to be easily connected to each part constituting the card unit 3, and as will be described later. Various operations of the card unit 3 are controlled by the control unit 328.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 7, a recovery channel box 348 having a recovery channel inclined from the front side to the rear (inward) side of the card unit 3 is provided at the lowermost position of the card unit 3. In addition, the card unit 3 is disposed at the lower end position of the front surface of the card unit 3 on the front surface side of the recovery flow path box 348 at the lower position of the lower plate 24 of the pachinko machine 2, thereby being discharged from the lower plate 24. There is a connecting rod 344 for allowing the pachinko balls discharged from the box-like counting / fractional payout unit 340 to flow into the card unit 3 while counting the pachinko balls that are less than the payout unit number. A connecting rod mounting port 348 ′ to be mounted is provided, and the pachinko balls that flow down the connecting rod 344 and flow into the recovery flow path box 348 from the connecting rod mounting port 348 ′ are recovered. The road box 348 from the front side of the card unit 3 will flow down to the rear (inner) side, and is discharged to a collecting gutter (not shown) of the game island from the rear lower end of the card unit 3.

  As shown in FIG. 7, in the card unit 3 of the present embodiment, the card unit 3 main body engages with a unit holder 31 ′ formed at the upper and lower positions thereof, and the card unit 3 main body is directed in the front direction. A cylinder lock (not shown) is provided at a predetermined position below the front surface of the card unit 3 via a unit holder 31 that is held so that it can be pulled out. The card unit 3 can be pulled out by canceling. The unit holder 31 is provided with a connector for relaying various connection cables. A communication cable or the like connected to the control unit 328 is relay-connected via the unit holder 31. It is devised so that a communication cable or the like is not entangled when the card unit 3 body is pulled out and the card unit 3 body cannot be pulled out.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the card unit 3 of the present embodiment. As described above, the card unit 3 mainly controls the bill identification unit 321, the card reader / writer 327, the display control board 329, the counting / fractional dispensing unit 340, and the control of each part of the card unit 3. And a control unit 328 that implements various functions of the card unit 3, and a bill identification unit 321, a card reader / writer 327, a counting / fraction dispensing unit 340 and a display control board 329 are provided in the control unit 328. To send and receive various data.

  The card reader / writer 327 reads and writes recorded information such as a (member) card ID, a member ID (member card only), and prepaid balance data recorded on the member card and visitor card inserted from the card insertion slot 309. I do.

  The configuration of the card reader / writer 327 used in this embodiment will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 4. The card reader / writer 327 is inserted with a membership card or a visitor card from the card insertion slot 309. In addition, an insertion sensor 397 for detecting that a membership card or a visitor card is being inserted, a shutter solenoid 399 for moving a shutter to prevent insertion of a new membership card or a visitor card from the card insertion slot 309, , A guide rail 398 extending from the card insertion slot 309 and allowing a membership card or a visitor card to slide, and a membership card or a visitor card disposed so as to sandwich the guide rail 398 and inserted into the card slot 392 In the card slot 392, as well as membership cards and visitors An intake / discharge roller 387 ′ for discharging the card from the card insertion slot 309, a drive motor 386 ′ for driving the intake / discharge roller 387 ′, and an inward side of the card slot 392 by the intake / discharge roller 387 ′. The movement of the taken member card or visitor card on the guide rail 398 is carried out by being driven and rotated by the drive motors 386 and 393, and one side of the transport rollers 387 and 388 is stretched. A transport mechanism comprising a transport belt 391, a solenoid 389 for raising and lowering a stop pin that stops the transported member card or visitor card at a predetermined position, or a member card or visitor card stopped at a predetermined position A communication head 390 for supplying power to the terminal and for data communication, and a member card connected to the communication head 390. And a communication board 327a for controlling data transmission / reception with a user card or a visitor card, and reading of data from the inserted member card or visitor card and writing to the member card or visitor card are in a non-contact state. It is possible at.

  The transport roller 387 constituting the transport mechanism provided in the card reader / writer 327 of the present embodiment is separated from the card insertion slot 309 by a distance substantially equal to the length dimension of one member card or visitor card. The other membership card or visitor is provided at a predetermined position corresponding to the communication head 390 while one membership card or visitor card is retained (held) between the card insertion slot 309 and the transport roller 387. Data can be read and written by stopping the card, and the visitor card issued when necessary and the member card being received can be discharged from the card insertion slot 309 almost continuously.

  A card storage section 370 capable of storing up to 10 visitor cards is provided at the inner terminal end position of the card unit 3 of the conveyor belt 391 provided in the card reader / writer 327 of the present embodiment. A new visitor card can be issued.

  Inside the card storage section 370 of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, a pair of transport rollers 371 driven and rotated by a drive motor 373 and a transport belt stretched around the transport rollers 371. 372 and a transport mechanism for moving (storing and discharging) the visitor card, and pressing the visitor card stored in the card storage unit 370 toward the transport belt 372 via the support plate 377. A pressing spring 376 is provided.

  A swing roller 375 that swings by a solenoid 374 is provided at a substantially central portion of the transport belt 372 in the transport mechanism. When the visitor card is taken into the card storage unit 370, the swing roller 375 is swung by the solenoid 374 and comes into contact with the transport belt 372, so that the central portion of the transport belt 372 protrudes and is already stored. By pressing the card or support plate 377, a gap for newly receiving the visitor card is formed between the conveyor belt 372 and the visitor card or support plate 377. Therefore, the inserted visitor card can be smoothly stored in the card storage unit 370, and after the visitor card is taken in, the swing roller 375 returns to a position where it does not come into contact with the transport belt 372. The visitor card is stored in a state where the protrusion of the central portion of the transport belt 372 is eliminated and the transport belt 372 contacts the entire surface of the visitor card, and when the visitor card is discharged, the visitor that contacts the transport belt 372 is stored. The card is discharged to the conveyance belt 391 by moving the conveyance belt 372 in the direction opposite to that of taking in the card.

  The card storage unit 370 is provided with a card replenishment detection sensor 378 that is an optical sensor that detects that the number of visitor cards stored in the card storage unit 370 is 1 or less. A card full detection sensor 379 is provided by an optical sensor that detects that the number of visitor cards stored in the card storage unit 370 has reached 10 (full). When the card replenishment detection sensor 378 detects that the number of visitor cards has become one or less due to the absence of light reflection from the visitor card, the detection signal is output to the control unit 328, whereby the control unit 328. When the multi-function lamp 301 is turned on in a predetermined lighting mode for requesting card replenishment, the store clerk is informed that there are not enough visitor cards, and the card full detection sensor 379 indicates the number of visitor cards. When it is detected that there are 10 sheets (full tank) due to light reflection from the visitor card, the detection signal is output to the control unit 328 so that the control unit 328 can In 370, you can recognize that the visitor card is full. The visitor card without performing the recovery of terpolymers card is ejected from the card insertion opening 309.

  When the visitor card is replenished to the card storage unit 370, the visitor card with a remaining balance of 0 is sequentially inserted into the card insertion slot 309 in a state where the clerk has shifted to the card replenishment mode by operating the remote controller. These inserted visitor cards are sequentially stored in the card storage unit 370.

  Next, the control unit 328 of the present embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the control unit 328 is accepting a central processing unit (CPU) 328a capable of executing a control program and a card reader / writer 327. (Member) card ID and prepaid balance of the visitor card and membership card, the number of balls, the number of balls, the corresponding data of the pachinko machine 2, the game information of the members in the game, the counting / fractional payout unit 340 A RAM 328b capable of storing various data such as stored ball count data, which is the number of pachinko balls being stored, a control program executed by the central processing circuit (CPU) 328a, setting information including the device ID of the card unit 3, EEPROM, which is a non-volatile memory that can rewrite and store various data such as (member) card IDs when away from the desk 28c and a real-time clock (RTC) 328d capable of outputting time information, calendar information, and the like at that time. The RAM 328b is backed up by a battery (not shown) and is stored for a predetermined period even when the power is shut off. Data is retained.

  As described above, the control unit 328 of the present embodiment is connected to the prize ball control board (not shown) provided in the pachinko machine 2 so that various signals accompanying the lending of the pachinko balls can be exchanged. In addition, as described above, by connecting to the information output board of the pachinko machine 2 through the signal cable, various external output signals such as a big hit signal can be input.

  The control unit 328 is connected to an out ball counter 16 provided at a lower position of the corresponding pachinko machine 2 so that each count signal from the out ball counter 16 can be input. In response to the input of the count signal from the counter 16, a predetermined number corresponding to the count signal is added to the value of the total number of balls hit in the game information table and updated.

  Further, the control unit 328 is connected to the counting / fractional payout unit 340 and, as will be described later, in response to the reception of the counting information output from the counting / fractional payout unit 340, the lower position of the display unit 312 The total number of balls counted by the counting and fraction paying unit 340 (before that time) is updated by updating the value of the counted balls (see FIG. 5) displayed in If the number of balls already counted on that day already exists, the total number of balls held) is displayed as the counted number of balls.

  The control unit 328 is connected to a payout button switch 311 ′ corresponding to a payout button 311 provided at a position below the protrusion 305 on the front surface of the apparatus, and a signal corresponding to the operation of the payout button 311 By inputting from the button switch 311 ′, the presence / absence of the operation of the payout button 311 is grasped, and when the payout button 311 is operated, a payout process described later is performed to pay out pachinko balls corresponding to the number of payout units. While performing from the corresponding pachinko machine 2, the pachinko balls with a fraction less than the number of payout units are paid out from the counting / fractional payout unit 340.

  In the card table stored in the RAM 328b of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10A, the (member) card ID or member ID read from the visitor card or member card inserted into the card reader / writer 327 is displayed. (Member card only), (Member) card ID and prepaid balance based on prepaid balance data, Card ID or (Member) card ID and number of possessed balls specified from member ID, (Member) card Online transaction serial numbers (members) that are updated when the number of stored balls specified by ID and member ID (members only), and the number of stored balls and the number of stored balls are updated by the exchange between the managed ball management computer 150 and the card unit 3. Only) is memorized.

  Further, as described above, the control unit 328 includes a remaining amount indicator provided in the operation unit 14 of the corresponding pachinko machine 2, a loan button switch for detecting the operation of the loan button, a member card and a visitor being received. A return button switch for detecting the operation of the return button operated when returning the card is connected, so that the operation of the lending button and the operation of the return button can be detected, and the display control of these remaining amount indicators is performed.

  The control unit 328 outputs various information input from the display control board 329 in response to an output from the IR light receiving unit 315 according to transmission from the remote controller, operation of various buttons provided on the protrusion 305, and operation of the touch panel. The full color provided in the multi-function lamp connected to the control unit 328 in response to the currency identification information by the banknote identification unit 321, the card insertion information from the card reader / writer 327, the visitor card storage state information, etc. LED 301a and other LED lighting control, card reader / writer 327, display control board 329 control, balance display display control, and other overall operation controls, as shown in FIG. 17, are inserted into the card insertion slot 309. Card reception processing to determine whether membership cards and visitor cards can be used, and reception Lending process for lending using the prepaid balance based on the prepaid balance data read from the member card or visitor card in the middle, return processing for returning the member card or visitor card being accepted by operating the return button, Depending on the acceptance, payment to the prepaid balance remaining on the member card or visitor card being accepted, or issuance / payment processing to write the prepaid balance to a new visitor card and issue, replay processing using the number of stored balls, By accepting the operation of the payout button 311, the number of balls counted (including those specified by the inserted visitor card and member card) is paid out (returned), and the number of balls paid out is subtracted from the counted number of balls. To shift to the leaving mode by receiving a signal based on the payout process and the leaving operation on the remote control It executes various processes unattended processing of.

  In addition, the control unit 328 is connected to the above-described balance management computer 100, hall computer 140, and possession management computer 150 connected to the local area network (LAN) via the communication unit 334 and the HUB 7 so that data communication can be performed. In addition, transmission / reception of various data to / from these computers is possible through the communication unit 334.

  The display control board 329 connected to the control unit 328 includes a liquid crystal display 313 that forms the display unit 312, a transparent touch panel 314, various switches (a menu switch 316 a corresponding to the menu button 316, and a base data button 318. The corresponding table data switch 318a, the replay switch 319a corresponding to the replay button 319), the IR light receiving unit 315, and the electronic components such as the LED 320a provided in the replay display unit 320 are connected. Operation information on the transparent touch panel 314, operation information on various switches, and information based on the output signal output from the IR light receiving unit 315 are output to the control unit 328 via the display control board 329.

  In the display control board 329 of the present embodiment, a display driving circuit (not shown) that performs display driving of the liquid crystal display 313 and a position that is pressed based on an output signal from the transparent touch panel 314 are specified. An input position detection circuit (not shown) that outputs the specified input position information, a VDP (not shown) that performs processing related to a display image displayed on the display unit 312, image data used for menu display, and the like are stored. A processing program that performs determinations and processes associated with inputs from various switches and a touch panel independently of a VROM (not shown), a VRAM (not shown) that temporarily stores display data to be displayed on the display unit 312, and the control unit 328 Is implemented based on the display data (page data) output from the control unit 328, etc. The type of display screen, and is capable of displaying on the liquid crystal display 313 constituting the display unit 312.

  Further, as will be described later, the control unit 328 determines whether or not the ball management computer 150 receives the online confirmation request periodically transmitted from the ball management computer 150 (about every 10 seconds in the present embodiment). It is possible to detect whether the communication state with the online state or the offline (incommunicable) state, and in response to receiving these online confirmation requests, an online confirmation response including the device ID is received. By returning to 150, the possession management computer 150 can detect the online / offline state of each card unit 3. These online confirmation requests may be substituted by other data transmission requests.

  As these offline detections, the control unit 328 transmits an online confirmation request to the possession management computer 150 when the online confirmation request has not been received for a predetermined period of time, and transmits the online confirmation request. When there is no response to the corresponding online confirmation response, it is determined that an offline state has occurred.

  Similarly, the coin management computer 150 also transmits an online confirmation request to the card unit 3 to which no online confirmation response is returned, and no online confirmation response is returned in response to the online confirmation request again. In addition, it is determined that an offline state has occurred.

  The control unit 328 is connected to the counting / fractional payout unit 340 so that various data such as counting information and a fractional payout request can be transmitted and received by serial communication capable of transmitting and receiving data with a small number of communication lines.

  Here, the counting / fractional dispensing unit 340 of the present embodiment will be described in detail. The counting / fractional dispensing unit 340 of the present example is composed of the lower plate 24 of the pachinko machine 2 as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. Are connected to a recovery flow path box 348 provided at the lowest position of the card unit 3 via a connecting rod 344. ing.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 6, the end of the connecting rod 344 bent at a right angle is attached to the connecting rod mounting port 348 ′ connected to the recovery flow path box 348 provided below the front surface of the main body of the card unit 3. Thus, the counting / fraction dispensing unit 340 is positioned immediately below the lower plate 24.

  The top surface of the counting / fraction dispensing unit 340 is formed with a hopper-shaped insertion portion 345 into which pachinko balls discharged from the lower plate 24 are inserted, and the front side of the card unit 3 main body ( On the left side), there is provided a return storage section 342 for storing the paid-out (returned) fractional pachinko balls so that they can be taken out.

  In addition, a step portion is provided on the hitting operation handle 25 side of the counting / fraction dispensing unit 340 of the present embodiment, and an elastic member is provided on the upper surface of the step portion so that the height of the elastic member is high. A hand placement member 343 whose position can be adjusted is arranged so that the player can place a portion near the wrist of the hand on the hand placement member 343 when operating the hitting operation handle 25. In a long game, it is possible to prevent the hand from getting tired by operating the hitting operation handle 25, but the present invention is not limited to this. The member 343 may not be provided.

  The counting / fraction dispensing unit 340 mainly includes an upper unit 340a constituting the upper part of the unit and a lower unit 340b constituting the lower part of the unit. The upper unit 340a is detachable from the lower unit 340b. Has been.

  The upper part of the upper unit 340a is a throwing-in part 345 having a concave shape capable of temporarily storing pachinko balls discharged from the lower plate 24.

  An inflow port 346 connected to the counting channel 347 formed in the lower unit 340b is provided at the lowest position on the bottom surface of the charging unit 345. As will be described later, the counting channel 347 is formed so as to be inclined toward the connecting rod 344 so that the connecting rod 344 side is downward, and the inflow port 346 is connected to the counting channel 347. It is provided so as to open toward the rear side of the counting / fraction dispensing unit 340, which is in a direction perpendicular to the inclination direction.

  Therefore, the pachinko balls thrown into the insertion portion 345 flow into the counting channel 347 from the inflow port 346 and flow down on the counting channel 347 in the direction of the connecting rod 344. Counting is performed by a counting sensor 356 (described later) provided in the downstream portion (see FIG. 8).

  That is, the counting passage of the present invention is formed by the inflow port 346 and the counting channel 347, and the direction of the inflow port 346 is provided so as to be perpendicular to the direction of the channel in the counting channel 347. The passage has one bent portion, so that it is possible to prevent the rod-shaped metal member from being inserted from these inflow ports 346 and reaching the counting sensor 356.

  In addition, an inclined cover part 345 ′ formed so as to incline to the front side of the counting / fraction dispensing unit 340 is provided at the upper part of the counting channel 347, and the pachinko balls on the inclined cover part 345 ′ are It flows down to the front side of the input part 345. That is, the pachinko balls thrown into the throwing portion 345 are once collected at the front side position of the throwing portion 345, and then the bottom of the throwing portion 345 has the bottom of the throwing portion 345 in which the inflow port 346 is formed. By being inclined toward the hand placement member 343 side (right side), it flows down toward the inflow port 346 and flows from the inflow port 346 toward the rear of the counting / fractioning unit 340. It has become.

  In this way, the pachinko balls put in from the lower plate 24 are once collected on the front side of the loading unit 345, so that the pachinko balls in the loading unit 345 can be easily taken out without being obstructed by the lower plate 24. This is preferable. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the inserted pachinko balls may not be collected on the front side of the input unit 345.

  The inlet 346 is provided with an inlet shutter 352 for blocking the inflow of pachinko balls from the inlet 346. When the inlet shutter 352 is opened, A pachinko ball flows into the counting channel 347 from the inlet 346.

  In addition, the side of the upper unit 340a on the side of the connecting rod 344 (on the left side) is provided with a counting operation unit 355 that is operated by the player when counting, and by the operation in the counting operation unit 355, The inflow shutter 352 is opened in response to the operation of the counting switch 355 ′ included in the counting operation unit 355.

  On the other hand, on the front surface of the lower unit 340b, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, a bottomed box-like return storage section 342 is provided at the end position of the connecting rod 344. A front portion of the return storage portion 342 is provided so as to protrude from the front surface of the lower unit 340b, and a take-out concave portion 342 ′ is provided at a portion of the front surface of the upper unit 340a that is an upper position of the return storage portion 342. It is provided so that the fractional pachinko balls paid out to the return storage section 342 can be easily taken out from the return storage section 342.

  Next, the structure of the lower unit 340b of this Embodiment is demonstrated based on FIG. FIG. 8 is a plan view of the counting / fractional dispensing unit 340 when the upper unit 340a is removed, as viewed from above, that is, a plan view of the lower unit 340b as viewed from above. As shown in FIG. 8, it mainly includes a counting channel 347, a counting module 330, an inflow channel 339, a storage unit 338, a discharge channel 337, a return channel 335, and a return storage unit 342.

  The counting channel 347 is a two-channel channel formed across the lower unit 340b in the rear part of the counting / fraction dispensing unit 340 that is located immediately below the inclined cover portion 345 ′. Pachinko balls flow down in alignment toward the connecting rod 344 side.

  The counting module 330 is provided on the downstream side of the counting channel 347 and includes a counting sensor 356 for detecting and counting pachinko balls flowing down the counting channel 347.

  On the front side of the counting flow path 347, there is a storage part 338 for storing pachinko balls used for paying out pachinko balls having a fraction less than the payout unit number, and the front side of the storage part 338 has a height on the rear side. The storage portion 338 and the downstream portion of the counting module 330 are connected by an inflow passage 339 inclined toward the storage portion 338 side. The pachinko balls that have been counted by the counting sensor 356 are allowed to flow into the storage section 338 through the inflow passage 339 and be stored.

  A pachinko ball outlet 338 ′ stored in the reservoir 338 is provided at the front side position of the reservoir 338, and the reservoir 338 is directed toward the outlet 338 ′. Guide grooves (not shown) formed so as to meander are provided, and the pachinko balls that have flowed into the storage portion 338 are stored in an aligned state on the guide grooves in the order of flow, The pachinko balls stored in advance are discharged from the outlet 338 ′.

  In addition, two flow paths are formed in the counting module 330, and among the two flow paths, one flow path on the front side is a flow path changing shutter at the downstream end position of the counting module 330. 351 is provided, and when the flow path changing shutter 351 is projected and retracted, the flow direction of the pachinko balls can be switched to the connecting rod 344 side or the inflow path 339 side.

  As shown in FIG. 8, a storage ball sensor 357 for detecting and counting the pachinko balls flowing down the inflow channel 339 and stored in the storage unit 338 is located at a position near the diversion unit to the inflow channel 339. Is provided.

  Further, the outlet 338 ′ has the lowest height in the reservoir 338 so that the pachinko balls stored in the reservoir 338 naturally flow down toward the outlet 338 ′. The outlet 338 ′ is connected to the discharge channel 337 as shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the discharge passage 337 is provided with a recess mounted on the rotation shaft of the discharge motor 353 and having a recess capable of accommodating one pachinko ball on the outer periphery thereof, as shown in FIG. A sprocket 353 ′ is arranged, and the discharge sprocket 353 ′ regulates the natural outflow of pachinko balls from the outlet 338 ′, and the discharge motor 353 is operated to rotate the discharge sprocket 353 ′. Pachinko balls that have flowed out to the outlet 338 ′ are taken into the recesses formed in the payout sprocket 353 ′ one by one and discharged into the discharge flow path 337 by the rotation of the payout sprocket 353 ′. It flows down the path 337, joins the connecting rod 344, and is collected in the card unit 3.

  In the middle of the discharge flow path 337, a pachinko ball that has flowed down the discharge flow path 337 by advancing and retreating the flow dividing port 336 to the return passage 335 connected to the return storage section 342 and the flow path switching plate mounted. The flow path switching solenoid 358 that can be switched to the connecting rod side or the return path side is provided, and a discharge sprocket 353 ′ is disposed at an upstream position of the flow outlet 336 of the discharge flow path 337. A payout sensor 354 for detecting and counting the pachinko balls lifted and supplied to the discharge flow path 337 is provided, and the payout sensor 354 pays out (returns) to the player through the return passage 335. The number of balls can be counted, and pachinko balls collected (discharged) in the card unit 3 from the storage unit 337 through the connecting rod 344 can be counted. It has become to so that.

  In addition, a control microcomputer or the like serving as a control unit 350 for controlling the counting / fractional dispensing unit 340 is mounted in the lower unit 340b located below the stepped portion where the hand placement member 343 is provided. A control board 341 is incorporated.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the control board 341 includes the flow path changing shutter 351, the inlet shutter 352, the dispensing motor 353, the dispensing sensor 354, and the counting switch 355 ′ incorporated in the counting / fraction dispensing unit 340. The counting sensor 356, the storage ball sensor 357, and the flow path switching solenoid 358 are connected, and the control board 341 is controlled to form each function of the counting / fractional dispensing unit 340.

  In addition, the control board 341 is electrically connected to the main body of the card unit 3 via a connecting rod 344.

  Specifically, a connection channel formed so as to incline from the counting / fraction dispensing unit 340 toward the connection rod mounting port 348 ′ is provided inside the connection rod 344, and the connection channel The connecting rod cover 344 ′ is attached to the upper portion of the connecting rod cover, and a connecting cable is installed in the connecting rod cover 344 ′.

  A predetermined number of metal connection terminal pins 349 ′ connected to the control unit 328 or a power supply circuit (not shown) via a connection cable are provided at an upper position on the front side of the recovery flow path box 348 inside the card unit 3 body. A connection terminal portion 349 is provided.

  These connection terminal pins 349 ′ are provided so as to face the upper position of the connection rod attachment port 348 ′ attached to the connection rod 344.

  On the other hand, a terminal insertion member connected to the connection cable in the connection rod cover 344 ′ is provided at the end of the connection rod cover 344 ′ attached to the connection rod attachment port 348 ′.

  Therefore, when the connecting rod 344 is mounted in the connecting rod mounting port 348 ′, the connection terminal pin 349 ′ is inserted into the terminal insertion member, and the connection terminal pin 349 ′ and the terminal insertion member are electrically connected to each other. The control unit 328 and the control board 341 inside the main body are communicably connected, and operating power is supplied to the control board 341 from the card unit 3 main body.

  Here, the flow of the pachinko balls in the counting / fraction dispensing unit 340 will be described with reference to FIG. 9. When pachinko balls are counted in a state where no pachinko balls are stored in the storage unit 338, FIG. As shown in (a), when the flow path is changed to the inflow path 339 side by the flow path changing shutter 351, the counted pachinko balls counted by the counting sensor 356 pass through the inflow path 339 into the storage unit 338. It flows into and is stored.

  At this time, the pachinko balls flowing into the inflow path 339 and the storage unit 338 are detected by the storage ball sensor 357, and each time one pachinko ball is detected, the control board 341 (control unit 350). On the other hand, when the detection signal is output, the number of replenishment balls, which is the number of pachinko balls flowing into the storage portion 338 and the inflow path 339 in the control board 341 (control unit 350), is counted. The replenishment ball number information including the counted replenishment ball number is transmitted to the control unit 328, whereby the replenishment ball number is added and updated to the stored ball number data.

  Specifically, from the start of input of a detection signal according to detection of a new pachinko ball by the storage ball sensor 357, the storage ball sensor 357 causes the storage portion 338 and the inflow path 339 to be filled with the pachinko balls. Count the number of detection signals that are input until the pachinko ball is detected continuously for a predetermined time or longer, or until the pachinko ball is not detected for a predetermined time or longer, and the count number is replenished. To the control unit 328, the control unit 328 adds and updates the count number included in the supplemented ball number information to the stored ball number data.

  After the inside of the reservoir 338 and the inflow path 339 are filled with pachinko balls in this way, the flow path change to the inflow path 339 side by the flow path change shutter 351 is canceled as shown in FIG. 9B. As a result, all the pachinko balls that have been counted by the counting sensor 356 flow down the connecting rod 344 and are collected in the game island via the collection flow path box 348 inside the card unit 3.

  In the state where pachinko balls are stored in the storage unit 338 in this way, when the number of pachinko balls having a fraction less than the dispensing unit, for example, 20 balls are paid out (returned), that is, as will be described later. On the other hand, when a fraction payout request including 20 balls, which is the fraction to be paid out (returned), is received from the control unit 328, the flow path is switched by the flow path switching solenoid 358 to the return path 335 as shown in FIG. , And by operating the payout motor 353 until a detection signal of 20 which is the payout ball number (fraction) included in the received fraction payout request is input from the payout sensor 354, the payout ball number (fractional number) ) 20 pachinko balls are supplied to the discharge flow path 337, so that the 20 pachinko balls supplied to the discharge flow path 337 Flows into et return path 335, will be stored is returned to the return reservoir 342.

  When a number of detection signals corresponding to these fractions are input from the dispensing sensor 354, a fraction dispensing completion notification is transmitted to the control unit 328 as a response to the fraction dispensing request, whereby the control unit 328 subtracts and updates 20 which is a fraction included in the fraction payout request from the stored ball count data, and transmits a payout completion notification to the possession management computer 150 as will be described later.

  Further, when a discharge request including the number of discharged balls, for example, 55 balls, transmitted from the control unit 328 in response to reception of the discharge instruction from the holding ball management computer 150 is received, FIG. As shown in the figure, without changing to the return passage 335 of the flow path, the payout motor 353 is operated until a detection signal of 55, which is the number of discharged balls included in the received discharge request, is input from the payout sensor 354. By operating the 55 pachinko balls corresponding to the number of discharged balls to the discharge channel 337, the 55 pachinko balls supplied to the discharge channel 337 are connected to the connecting rod 344 and the card unit 3. It is recovered in the game island through a recovery flow path box 348 inside the main body.

  When detection signals corresponding to the number of discharged balls are input from the payout sensor 354, a discharge completion notification is transmitted to the control unit 328 as a response to the discharge request, so that the control unit In 328, 55, which is the number of discharged balls included and transmitted in the discharge request, is updated by subtraction from the stored ball number data.

  In addition, when the number of discharged balls included in the discharge request is the total number, the payout motor 353 is operated until no pachinko ball detection signal is input from the payout sensor 354, so that the storage unit 338 and the inflow passage 339 are operated. All the stored pachinko balls are discharged to the connecting rod 344, and the storage part 338 and the inflow path 339 are in an empty state.

  Next, the balance management computer 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. First, as shown in FIG. 11, a remaining amount management computer 100 used in the present embodiment has a CPU 102 that performs various processes performed by the remaining amount management computer 100 on a data bus 101 that transmits and receives data inside the computer. RAM 103 used as a work memory, RTC 104 that outputs time information and calendar information, a storage device 105 such as a hard disk, an input device 106 such as a keyboard and a mouse, a display device 107 that displays and outputs various screens, and various information Installed in a card company, a communication unit 109 that performs data communication with a printer 108 for printing output, a card unit 3 (control unit 328) connected to a local area network (LAN), and each device such as a card issuing / payment machine Data communication with prepaid balance management 12 Tal service unit (DSU) 110 is connected is a conventional computer.

  The storage device 105 has a membership card table (FIG. 12) for managing the prepaid balance remaining in the membership card, in addition to a processing program in which processing contents for performing various processes executed in the balance management computer 100 are described. (See (a)) and a visitor card table (see FIG. 12 (b)) for managing the prepaid balance remaining on the visitor card.

  In the member card table, as shown in FIG. 12 (a), each member card is associated with a member card ID that can be individually identified, and the member ID of the member player who has issued the member card and the prepaid The remaining amount and an unusable flag indicating whether or not the member card is unusable are stored, and the prepaid balance or the use of the member card can be used from the member card ID or member ID stored in the member card. Can be specified.

  In the visitor card table, as shown in FIG. 12B, each visitor card is associated with a card ID that can be individually identified, and the status of the visitor card (whether it is being used or stored). ), The latest issuance date and time when the prepaid card was issued, the prepaid balance, and an unusable flag indicating whether or not the card is unusable are stored in the visitor card. The prepaid balance, the availability of the visitor card, and the latest issue date and time can be specified from the card ID.

  The balance management computer 100 (CPU 102) of the present embodiment transmits the device ID of the card unit 3 and the received membership card transmitted from each card unit 3 in response to the acceptance of the membership card or visitor card in the card unit 3. Alternatively, in response to receiving a card reception notification including the (member) card ID read from the visitor card and the prepaid balance, a card reception process is performed to determine whether or not the member card or visitor card can be used and to return to the card unit 3 To do.

  Further, the remaining amount management computer 100 (CPU 102) of the present embodiment is included in the received loan completion notification in response to reception of a later-described loan completion notification transmitted along with the execution of the lending process in the card unit 3 ( (Member) A subtraction update process for subtracting and updating the tax-included use amount included in the lending completion notice from the prepaid balance stored in the member card table or visitor card table corresponding to the card ID is performed.

  In addition, the balance management computer 100 (CPU 102) of the present embodiment receives the card payment notification, which will be described later, transmitted in accordance with the issue / payment process in the card unit 3 or the card issue / payment machine. In response to the (member) card ID included in the received card payment notification, a payment update process is performed to update the prepaid balance stored in the member card table or visitor card table by adding the payment amount included in the card payment notification. .

  Further, the remaining amount management computer 100 (CPU 102) of the present embodiment is included in the received issuance notification in response to the issuance notification transmitted from the card unit 3 when the card unit 3 issues the visitor card. “0” is stored in the prepaid balance stored in the visitor card table corresponding to the card ID to be updated, and update processing is performed to update the data of the status and the latest issue date.

  Next, the coin management computer 150 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. First, as shown in FIG. 13, the ball management computer 150 used in the present embodiment performs various processes performed by the ball management computer 150 on a data bus 151 that transmits and receives data inside the computer. A central processing unit (CPU) 152; a RAM 153 used as a work memory; a real-time clock (RTC) 154 that outputs time information and calendar information; a storage device 155 including a hard disk; an input device 156 such as a keyboard and a mouse; A communication unit that performs data communication with the display device 157 that displays and outputs various screens, the printer 158 that prints various information, the card unit 3 connected to the local area network (LAN), the storage management computer 160, and the gift exchange POS 170 159 connected to a normal computer Is another.

  In the storage device 155, in addition to a processing program in which processing contents for performing various processing executed in the possession management computer 150 are described, the number of saving balls owned by a member player who owns the membership card The member possession management table (see FIG. 14 (a)) for managing the number of possessions acquired by the member player at the same time and the player possessing the visitor card recorded on the visitor card on the day A visitor possession management table (see FIG. 14B) for managing the acquired number of possessions is stored.

  In the member possession management table, as shown in FIG. 14 (a), the member identification information is associated with each member card ID and can individually identify the member player who has issued the member card. The ID, the total number of balls acquired by the member player on that day, and the number of balls that are unused in the game or prize exchange, and the online transaction serial number described in FIG. 10 (a) The member card ID stored in the member card is stored with a gray flag indicating whether the member card is normally discharged in the card unit 3 or the recovery information is recorded and discharged. Alternatively, from the member ID, it is possible to specify the number of possessed balls owned by the member player and the online transaction serial number.

  The number of possessed balls managed in the member possession management table is managed as the number of possessions only on that day, and exists in the member possession management table in the processing at the end of business (data update processing) after the end of business. Basically, the number of held balls is basically reset after being added to the number of stored balls. However, as described later, in a predetermined case, it is held without being reset.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 14B, the visitor possession management table associates each visitor card with a card ID that can be individually identified, the latest issue date and time of the visitor card, and possession of the visitor card. Is the total number of balls that the player has earned on that day, and the number of balls that are unused for the game or prize exchange is stored, and from the card ID stored in the visitor card, It is possible to specify the number of balls possessed by the player.

  The number of possessed balls managed in the visitor possession management table is valid only on that day when the number of possessed balls is counted. It will be invalidated by resetting all the existing balls. In addition, when the number of possessions before the day is recorded on the visitor card, the number of possessions is erased as invalid.

  Next, the storage ball management computer 160 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. First, as shown in FIG. 15, the storage management computer 160 used in the present embodiment performs a central operation for performing various processes performed by the storage management computer 160 on a data bus 161 that transmits and receives data inside the computer. A processing unit (CPU) 162, a RAM 163 used as a work memory, a real-time clock (RTC) 164 that outputs time information and calendar information, a storage unit 165 including a hard disk, an input unit 166 such as a keyboard and a mouse, various types A display unit 167 that displays and outputs a screen, a printer 168 that prints out various information, a communication unit 169 that performs data communication with the card unit 3, the ball management computer 150, and the gift exchange POS 170 connected to a local area network (LAN). Is connected to a normal computer Is another.

  In the storage device 165, in addition to a processing program in which processing contents for performing various processing executed in the storage ball management computer 150 are described, the number of storage balls owned by the member player possessing the member card is the day before The member storage management table (see FIG. 16) for managing the number of storages acquired by the member player is stored.

  In the member pool management table, as shown in FIG. 16, the member player who has been issued each member card is associated with a member ID, which is member identification information for individually identifying the member player, and the member player is notified on that day. The total number of balls acquired before and the number of balls that are unused for game and prize exchange is stored, and the member player possesses the member ID from the member ID stored in the member card. The number of stored balls can be specified.

  Hereinafter, operations such as updating the number of balls and the number of balls executed in the game system of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

  First, the control unit 328 of the card unit 3 is activated by turning on the power to the card unit 3, thereby performing the activation process of Sb1, initializing various tables, checking the connection status of each part, and managing the remaining amount Transmission of the connection confirmation request to the computer 100, the hall computer 140, the possession management computer 150, and the storage management computer 160, and the balance management computer 100, the hall computer 140, the possession management computer 150, in response to the transmission of the connection confirmation request Settings such as initial values are set for each setting data based on the setting information returned from the storage management computer 160.

  Then, after the activation process is completed, the process of Sb2 to Sb10 is performed to accept the card that is the insertion of the membership card or the visitor card into the card insertion slot 309 and the rental button by the player (member or visitor) Operation, cash acceptance by inserting a bill from the bill insertion slot 302, operation of a return button by a player, operation of a replay button 319 (reception of replay operation information from the display control board 329), operation of a payout button 311, Stand-by state for detecting the leaving operation (reception of leaving operation information from the display control board 329) and the operation of the menu button 316 (reception of main menu display operation information from the display control board 329) in the remote control possessed by the staff It becomes.

  The control unit 328 monitors the reception of the counting information transmitted from the counting / fractional payout unit 340 in parallel with the normal processing shown in FIG. 17 after the start processing of Sb1. Illustration of monitoring and monitoring the input and change of the big hit signal, probability change signal, time reduction signal, start signal, prize ball signal, and out ball count signal output from the corresponding pachinko machine 2 and out ball counter 16 The interrupt monitoring process that is not performed is performed based on the processing task that is separate from the processing task that performs these normal processes, so that the occurrence of each target state is monitored, the update to the counted number of balls and the game information Update processing can be performed sequentially.

  Here, the flow in which the pachinko balls are counted in the card unit 3 will be described. When counting pachinko balls, the player is first paid out from the pachinko machine 2 and stored in the lower plate 24. The pachinko balls are thrown into the throwing portion 345 by operating a lever provided on the lower plate 24.

  Then, after the amount of pachinko balls to be counted is thrown into the throwing part 345, the counting operation part 355 is operated to open the inlet shutter 352 provided at the inlet 346 to the counting channel 347. As a result, the pachinko balls temporarily stored in the insertion portion 345 flow into the counting channel 347 from the inlet 346, flow down the counting channel 347, and are detected by the counting sensor 356. Every time a pachinko ball is detected, a count sensor signal of a predetermined pulse is output to the control board 341 (control unit 350).

  When a predetermined number (for example, 10) of count sensor signals are input from the count sensor 356 within a predetermined time (for example, 1 second), the control board 341 (control unit 350) has 10 balls. Count information including a constant count command indicating that the counter is counted is transmitted to the control unit 328 every time a predetermined number of count sensor signals are counted, and within a predetermined time (for example, 1 second). When a predetermined number (for example, 10) of counting sensor signals are not input, the counting includes a fraction counting command corresponding to the number of counting sensor signals that are input and counted at a predetermined time (for example, 1 second). Send information. As these fraction counting commands, a command of a type corresponding to a number less than a predetermined number may be determined in advance. If the predetermined number is 10, the fraction counting command corresponding to 1 to the fraction counting corresponding to 9 is performed. Nine types of fraction counting commands up to the command may be used.

  The count information is received at the SS1 step in the count information processing shown in FIG. 18 performed by the control unit 328, and it is determined that the count information has been received, and the process proceeds to the SS2 step. It is determined whether or not the count prohibition state is outputting the count prohibition instruction.

  When counting is prohibited, the process proceeds to step SS5, where the display unit 312 displays that a counting error has occurred, and the process proceeds to an error notification process in which the multifunction lamp 301 is lit. If counting is not prohibited, the process proceeds to step SS4.

  The number of balls specified from the command included in the counting information received during the prohibition of counting is returned by paying out the pachinko balls stored in the storage unit 338 in the same manner as the fractional payout. You may make it return to the storage part 342. FIG.

  In step SS4, the number of balls according to the type of command included in the received count information is added to the number of balls in the card table and the number of balls counted on the display unit 312 and updated, and the process returns to step SS1.

  That is, the pachinko balls that have flowed into the counting flow path 347 from the inlet 345 through the inlet 346 are detected one by one by the counting sensor 356 and added to the number of held balls and the number of balls already counted.

  In addition, in these additions, an addition end detection timer (in this embodiment, 5 seconds is set) for detecting the end of the addition is reset for each addition, and the addition end detection timer is timed up. When the predetermined time set in the addition end detection timer has elapsed since the last addition was performed, the device ID of the card unit 3, the card ID of the receiving card, and the addition Is sent to the possession management computer 150, so that the number of possessions in the member possession management table or visitor possession management table of the possession management computer 150 is It is updated without delay to the counted number of balls included in the number of balls update request.

  Next, when the player inserts a visitor card or a membership card into the card insertion slot 309 in the standby state of Sb2 to Sb10 described above, the insertion detection information accompanying the insertion of the visitor card or membership card is a card reader. By outputting to the control unit 328 from the writer 327, the control unit 328 determines that the card is accepted in Sb2, advances to the step of Sb20, and performs a card acceptance process.

  In the card acceptance process of this embodiment in Sb20, as shown in FIG. 19, first, in Sa01, an instruction to take in the membership card or visitor card inserted into the card insertion slot 309 is output to the card reader / writer 327. Then, the inserted membership card or visitor card is taken into the card slot 392 of the card reader / writer 327, and the stored data stored in the membership card or visitor card, specifically, the membership card or visitor card (Member) Card ID, member ID (member card only), prepaid balance data, number of possession data (visitor card only), etc. are read.

  Then, the control unit 328 transmits an authentication request including the (member) card ID, prepaid balance data, device ID, and mode flag read from the accepted membership card or visitor card in Sa03 to the balance management computer 100, and Sa04. The card authentication process for receiving the authentication result from the remaining amount management computer 100 is performed.

  In response to the reception of the authentication request, the balance management computer 100 cannot use the unusable flag as well as whether or not the (member) card ID included in the received authentication request exists in the member card table or the visitor card table. It is determined whether or not “1” is stored. If it exists and cannot be used, “1” is not stored, that is, if “0” is stored in the unavailable flag, the (member) card ID The prepaid balance stored and managed in the member card table or visitor card table in association with the prepaid balance data included in the received authentication request, that is, from the prepaid balance data read from the received member card or visitor card It is determined whether or not it matches the specified prepaid balance. As a result, “authentication OK” is returned. On the other hand, when the (member) card ID does not exist in the member card table or the visitor card table, or when the unavailable flag “1” is stored in the unavailable flag, the prepaid balance is If they do not match, “authentication NG” is returned. However, if the prepaid balance does not match and the prepaid balance specified from the prepaid balance data included in the authentication request is smaller, the prepaid balance in the member card table or visitor card table is set to the small amount. In addition to renewing the amount, “authentication OK” is returned to permit use of the member card or visitor card.

  When the authentication result returned from the remaining amount management computer 100 is “authentication NG”, the card unit 3 outputs an instruction to eject the accepted member card or visitor card to the card reader / writer 327 in Sa06 and is inserted. When the returned authentication result is “authentication OK”, the (member) card ID read from the received card and the member are returned in Sa07. ID (member only) and prepaid balance are stored in the card table.

  Next, in Sa21, it is determined whether or not the inserted card is a membership card. If it is determined that the card is a membership card, in Sa22, a savings ball acquisition request including the member ID read from the accepted membership card and the device ID is transmitted to the savings ball management computer 160.

  When the storage ball management computer 160 receives the storage ball acquisition request from the card unit 3, the storage ball management computer 160 reads the number of storage balls corresponding to the member ID included in the storage ball acquisition request from the member storage ball management table and includes the device ID included in the storage ball acquisition request. A stored ball acquisition response including the read number of stored balls is transmitted to the card unit 3.

  In the card unit 3, in Sa23, it is determined whether or not a stored ball acquisition response is received from the stored ball management computer 160.

  If it is determined in Sa21 that the card is not a member card, and if it is determined in Sa23 that a savings acquisition response has been received, in Sa08, the coin management computer 150 reads the received member card or visitor card (membership). ) A card reception notification including the card ID, the device ID, and the number of possession balls (visitor card only) is transmitted.

  If the received membership card includes recovery information, the recovery information is also included in the card reception notification and transmitted.

  The recovery information is an offline state when the membership card is received by the card unit 3 and the ball management computer 150 and the card unit 3 exchange information in order to update the number of balls. Together with the membership card when it is unclear whether or not the number of possessions has been updated normally by the possession management computer 150 due to the occurrence or an error in the renewal at the possession management computer 150 This is information recorded on the membership card after the number of balls that have not been updated at that time is recorded as the number of possessed balls on the new visitor card to be discharged. The number of balls whose update has been counted is the number of balls that have been counted by the counting / fractional payout unit 340 but are unknown whether it has been normally updated by the holding ball management computer 150 or not.

  The recovery information includes the online transaction serial number and the update unknown counted number stored in the card table of the RAM 328b of the card unit 3 described with reference to FIG. 10A when the membership card is discharged. It is confirmed whether or not the number of balls whose update has been counted has been added as an update of the number of balls in the possession management computer 150, and if the number of possessions has been updated, it is recorded on the visitor card. The update unknown count included in the recovery information is used to correct the number of balls managed by the ball management computer 150 in order to overlap the number of unknown balls already recorded as the number of available balls. The number of finished balls is used. The recovery information is recorded on the membership card in S255 of FIG.

  In the card management computer side card reception process executed by the ball management computer 150 in response to the reception of this card reception notification, first, as shown in FIG. 20, a card reception notification is sent from the card unit 3 in S01. It is determined whether or not it has been received. If it is determined that the card has not been received, the process at the time of accepting the money management computer side card is terminated and the process returns to the original process.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the card reception notification has been received, it is determined whether or not the visitor card has been received by the card unit 3 by determining whether or not the number of possessed balls included in the received card reception notification exists. If it is determined that the visitor card has been accepted, a verification process for verifying the number of balls is performed in step S03.

  As a result of the verification process, in S04, the number of possessed balls stored in the visitor possessed ball management table corresponding to the card ID included in the card reception notification and the number of retained balls included in the received card reception notification are obtained. By determining whether or not they match, it is determined whether or not the collation is NG.

  If it is determined that the result of the verification is NG, a card reception result indicating that the verification of the number of possessed balls is NG is returned to the card unit 3 that is the transmission source of the received card reception notification. The processing at the time of the ball management computer side card reception is terminated and the processing returns to the original processing.

  Returning to FIG. 19, in Sa09, it is determined whether or not the card acceptance result is received from the possession management computer 150 in response to the card acceptance notification transmitted in Sa08. If it is determined that it has not been received, the processing of Sa09 is repeated. On the other hand, if it is determined that the card reception result has been received, it is determined in Sa10 whether or not the received card reception result indicates verification NG.

  If it is determined that the verification is NG, the visitor card is returned at Sa11, the card acceptance process is terminated, and the process returns to the original process. On the other hand, if it is determined that the verification is not NG, that is, the verification is OK, the process to be executed is advanced to the process of Sa12 described later.

  Proceeding to FIG. 20, on the other hand, if it is determined that it is not NG in the collation determination, or if it is determined that the visitor card is not accepted (in the case of a membership card), the process proceeds to a normal acceptance process after S06.

  In the normal acceptance process, the possession management computer 150 first determines whether or not the card unit 3 accepts a membership card in S06. If it is determined that the card is not a member card, that is, a visitor card, in S07, it is determined whether or not an offline flag is included in the card reception notification. If it is determined that the offline flag is included, the number of possessions included in the card reception notification is not reflected in the visitor possession management table, so the visitor corresponding to the received card ID is the number of possessions received. The number of possessed balls stored in the possessed ball management table is updated.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the offline flag is not included, in S09, the number of possessed balls stored in the visitor possession management table corresponding to the card ID included in the received card reception notification is specified.

  In S10, a card acceptance result indicating that the number of held balls stored in S08 or the number of held balls specified in S09 is OK is returned to the card unit 3 that is the transmission source of the card acceptance notification. . Thereafter, the process at the time of accepting the money management computer side card is terminated and the process returns to the original process.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in S06 that the card is a membership card, it is determined in S11 whether recovery information is included in the received card reception notification.

  If it is determined that the recovery information is included in S11, the online transaction serial number stored in the member possession management table described in FIG. 14A is compared with the online transaction serial number included in the recovery information in S12. . In S13, it is determined whether or not the online transaction serial numbers match.

  If the online transaction serial numbers do not match, it means that the number of possessed balls has been updated normally by the possession management computer 150 when the membership card is ejected by the card unit 3, and is recorded as the number of possessed balls on the visitor card. It is overlapped with the number of balls that have not been updated. However, if the date is after the day when the recovery information is stored in the member card, the number of possessed balls is added to the number of stored balls in the member stored ball management table of the stored ball management computer 160, as will be described later.

  Therefore, in S14, it is determined whether or not it is the day when the recovery information is stored in the membership card. If it is determined that it is the current day, in S15, the number of possessed balls is updated by subtracting the number of balls whose update is unknown from the number of possessed balls in the member possessed ball management table described in FIG. Thereafter, the process to be executed is advanced to S17.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that it is not the current day, in S16, the member described with reference to FIG. 16 is also referred to with reference to the gray flag in the on state stored in the possession management table corresponding to the card ID included in the card reception notification. A subtraction request including the member ID and the number of unknown update counted balls is transmitted to the storage management computer 160 so as to subtract the number of unknown update counted balls included in the recovery information from the number of stored balls in the storage management table. Thereafter, the process to be executed is advanced to S17.

  When the storage management computer 160 receives the subtraction request from the holding management computer 150, the storage management computer 160 subtracts the update unknown counted number of balls included in the subtraction request from the number of storages corresponding to the member ID included in the subtraction request.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in S13 that the online transaction serial numbers match, this means that the number of possessed balls has not been updated normally by the possession management computer 150 when the membership card is ejected in the card unit 3, but in this case , It does not overlap with the number of updated unknown counted balls recorded as the number of held balls on the visitor card, and there is no need to subtract the number of unknown updated counted balls from the number of held balls or the number of stored balls in S15 or S16, respectively. Therefore, the process to be executed proceeds to S17.

  Next, in S17, the number of possessed balls stored in correspondence with the (member) card ID included in the received card reception notification is specified in the member possession management table.

  In S18, an online transaction serial number is newly set, and the online transaction serial number is stored in association with the (member) card ID included in the received card reception notification.

  Next, in S19, the card acceptance result including the specified number of possessed balls, the set online transaction serial number, and the (member) card ID is sent to the card unit 3 that is the transmission source of the received card acceptance notification. Send back.

  Returning to FIG. 19, when it is determined in Sa10 described above that the card reception result received from the possession management computer 150 in response to the card reception notification transmitted in Sa08 indicates that the verification is OK, in Sa12, In response to the reception of the card acceptance result, the card unit 3 (control unit 328) receives the number of possessed balls and the online transaction serial number included in the card acceptance result received from the possession management computer 150, and the storage management computer 160. The number of stored balls (member only) included in the received stored ball acquisition response is stored in the card table.

  Thereafter, in Sa13, the prepaid balance stored in the card table is displayed on the remaining balance indicator of the corresponding pachinko machine 2, and the number of held balls stored in the card table is displayed on the display unit 312 as the counted number of balls. To do. Next, in Sa14, if an offline flag is recorded on the received card, the card is erased. In Sa15, if recovery information is recorded on the received card, the card is erased. And it returns to the standby state of Sb2-Sb10.

  In addition, when the card acceptance result is received, if the number of balls is already stored in the card table, that is, the card is inserted after the game is performed and the pachinko balls are acquired and counted without using the card. In the case of (for example, forgetting to insert a member card or visitor card), the number of possessed balls included in the card reception result is updated by adding to the number of retained balls already stored.

  When the player operates the lending button after the prepaid balance is displayed on these remaining amount indicators, a signal from the lending button switch for detecting the lending button operation by the player is sent to the control unit 328. The control unit 328 determines that the operation of the lending button is present in the step Sb3 in the standby state of Sb2 to Sb10, proceeds to the step Sb21, and executes the lending process.

  In this lending process, as shown in FIG. 21, first, in S001, the card is read from the inserted membership card or visitor card (including the visitor card issued by inserting the banknote) and stored in the RAM 328b (card table). It is determined whether or not the prepaid balance is less than 1 frequency (= 100 yen) corresponding to 25 balls as the payout unit in the corresponding pachinko machine 2, and the prepaid balance is less than 1 frequency (= 100 yen) If it is determined (YES), the lending process is terminated and the process returns to the standby state of Sb2 to Sb10, while the prepaid balance is determined to be 1 frequency (= 100 yen) or more (NO). In S002, whether or not the prepaid balance is equal to or greater than 5 times (= 500 yen) set as the use frequency of the lending process in the present embodiment. Judges.

  Here, if it is determined that the prepaid balance is equal to or greater than 5 frequency (= 500 yen), which is the frequency of use (YES), in S003, the money amount lending process is performed while the frequency of usage is 5 frequency. If it is determined that the price is less than (= 500 yen) (NO), in S013, the display amount ball lending process is performed, and the process proceeds to S004.

  In the use amount ball lending process of S003, a payout signal for instructing the payout of the number of pachinko balls corresponding to the frequency of use (= 500 yen), specifically, the payout of 25 balls that is the frequency of use. (BRQ) is output five times, and the corresponding pachinko machine 2 is made to pay out 125 balls corresponding to 5 times (= 500 yen).

  Specifically, PRDY HIGH / LOW output from the pachinko machine 2 is determined. If PRDY is HIGH, a predetermined error process is performed, and the lending process is terminated.

  When PRDY is LOW, after BRDY is switched to LOW, BRQ is set to LOW, and a state of waiting for detection of HIGH of EXS from the pachinko machine 2 is entered, and BRQ is set based on detection of LOW of EXS. Switch to HIGH and wait for detection of EXS HIGH.

  Next, when the payout for one time in the pachinko machine 2 is completed and the HIGH level of the EXS is detected, the control unit 328 displays the prepaid balance displayed on the balance indicator, the prepaid balance data on the card table, and the receiving member. 100 yen corresponding to the one time is subtracted from the prepaid balance data stored in the card or visitor card, and the number of BRQs is counted, and the counted number of BRQs is equivalent to the number of use of 5 times. Compare with 5 times.

  If the number of BRQs counted in this comparison does not match the number of 5 times, the payout process for the above-mentioned 1 times is performed again, and the number of BRQs counted in the comparison with the above-mentioned usage frequency Is equal to 5 times, BRDY is set to HIGH, and the used amount ball lending process in S003 is terminated.

  In S004, the device ID uniquely assigned to the card unit 3 to the remaining amount management computer 100, the card ID of the receiving membership card or visitor card, and the usage amount corresponding to the usage frequency (500 yen). ) And a mode flag are transmitted, and in S005, reception of an update completion notification transmitted from the remaining amount management computer 100 is awaited. The remaining amount management computer 100 that has received the lending completion notification calculates the usage amount included in the lending completion notification from the prepaid balance stored in the member card table or the visitor card table in association with the card ID included in the lending completion notification. Subtraction update is performed, and an update completion notification is returned to the card unit 3.

  When an update completion notification is received from the balance management computer 100 (YES in S005), it is determined in S006 whether or not the card being received is a visitor card. If it is determined that the card is not a visitor card (NO), When the lending process is finished and the process returns to the standby state of Sb2 to Sb10, on the other hand, if it is determined to be a visitor card (YES), in S007, the prepaid balance (card table of the RAM 328b) displayed on the balance display Is the same as the prepaid balance stored in (1).

  If it is determined that the prepaid balance is not zero (NO), the lending process is terminated and the process returns to the standby state of Sb2 to Sb10, while the prepaid balance is determined to be zero (YES). In step S008, it is determined whether the number of balls stored in the card table of the RAM 328b is zero.

  If it is determined that the number of possessed balls is not zero (NO), the lending process is terminated and the process returns to the standby state of Sb2 to Sb10, while the number of retained balls is determined to be zero (YES). In S009, an acquisition notification including the card ID of the visitor card is transmitted to the remaining amount management computer 100, and the device ID of the card unit 3 is transmitted to the possession management computer 150 in S010. Then, a capture notification including the card ID of the visitor card is transmitted, and in S011, reception of an update completion notification transmitted from the remaining amount management computer 100 and the possession management computer 150 is awaited.

  The balance management computer 100 that has received the capture notification changes the “status” corresponding to the card ID included in the received capture notification to “in storage” in the visitor card table, An update completion notice is transmitted to the card unit 3.

  In addition, the possession management computer 150 that has received the capture notification updates the number of retained balls stored corresponding to the card ID included in the received capture notification to zero in the visitor possession management table. Then, an update completion notification is transmitted to the card unit 3 that is the transmission source of the capture notification.

  If it is determined in S011 that an update completion notification has been received from the remaining amount management computer 100 and the possession management computer 150 (YES), in S012, the accepted visitor card is taken and stored in the card storage unit 370. The lending process is completed, and the process returns to the standby state of Sb2 to Sb10.

  On the other hand, in the display amount ball lending process of S013, the frequency obtained by dividing the prepaid balance (same as the prepaid balance stored in the card table of the RAM 328b) displayed on the balance indicator by 100 yen corresponding to 1 count. If the prepaid balance is 400 yen, for example, a payout signal (BRQ) for instructing the payout of 25 balls, which is a single frequency, is output four times, and the number of 4 times corresponding to 400 yen (= 100) The corresponding pachinko machine 2 is paid out in the same manner as in the case of the above-mentioned payout, and the prepaid balance displayed on the balance indicator, the prepaid balance data on the card table, and the receiving 400 equivalent to the number of 4 times that prepaid balance data recorded on a membership card or visitor card is used for pachinko ball lending Amount of money but that is subtraction update, that is updated to "0", the program proceeds to S004. In this case, it is always determined as YES in S007 that has proceeded from S004.

  As described above, in the usage amount ball lending process in S003, the usage amount (here, 5 times (= 500 yen)) is used, and in the display amount ball lending process in S013, the display amount (that is, 1 time ( = Integer multiple of 100 yen) is used, so the prepaid balance used in this lending process is always an integral multiple of 1 degree (= 100 yen). Therefore, the prepaid balance specified from the prepaid balance data recorded on the card is always an integer multiple of 1 (= 100 yen), and no fraction less than 100 yen is generated.

  Further, in the standby state of Sb2 to Sb10 described above, when a player inserts cash (banknote) from the banknote insertion slot 302, money identification information accompanying the insertion of the cash (banknote) is controlled from the banknote identification unit 321. By outputting to the unit 328, the control unit 328 determines that there is acceptance of cash in the step of Sb4, proceeds to the step of Sb22, and performs issue / payment processing.

  In this issuance / payment process, first, the amount of money inserted is specified from the input money identification information, and it is determined whether or not there is a member card or visitor card accepted by the card reader / writer 327. To do.

  When it is determined that there is no member card or visitor card being received, the control unit 328 moves the visitor card stored in the card storage unit 370 to a predetermined reading position on the card slot 392, The card ID of the visitor card is read out, and an issuance request including the read card ID, the inserted amount, and the device ID of the card unit 3 is transmitted to the remaining amount management computer 100.

  In response to the receipt of the issuance request, the remaining amount management computer 100 determines whether or not the card ID included in the received issuance request exists in the visitor card table, and if it exists, corresponds to the card ID. Update the “Status” of the visitor card table to “In Use”, store the current date and time output from the RTC 104 as the latest issue date and time, and store the received input amount as the “Remaining Amount” as the prepaid balance , “Issue permission” is returned to the card unit 3 that is the transmission source of the issue request. If the received card ID does not exist in the visitor card table, “Issuance not possible” is returned.

  In response to the transmission of the “issue permission”, the remaining amount management computer 100 has an issue notification including the latest issue date and time stored, the card ID and the device ID included in the received issue request, for the money management computer 150. By notifying the ball management computer 150, the possession management computer 150 is notified of the latest issue included in the received issue notification at the latest issue date and time of the visitor holding ball management table corresponding to the card ID included in the received issue notification. Stores date and time.

  The card unit 3 (control unit 328) writes and stores the prepaid balance corresponding to the inserted amount in the visitor card moved to the card slot 392 in response to the reception of the above “issue permission”, and also stores the prepaid amount in the card table. After storing the card ID of the visitor card and the prepaid balance corresponding to the inserted amount, and displaying the prepaid balance on the balance display, the issuing / paying process is terminated and the process returns to the standby state of Sb2 to Sb10.

  In addition, when “Issuance is impossible” is received from the balance management computer 100 and when no visitor card is stored in the card storage unit 370, the cash (banknote) inserted from the banknote insertion slot 302 is returned. Then, the error notification process for lighting the multi-function lamp 301 in a predetermined error notification mode is performed until the error state is eliminated, thereby notifying the occurrence of the error.

  On the other hand, if there is a member card or visitor card being accepted in the card slot 392 at the time of cash (banknote) insertion, the amount specified above is stored in the member card or visitor card being received and the card table. After adding the prepaid balance specified from the stored prepaid balance data and updating each of the prepaid balance data to the prepaid balance data that can be specified, the deposit amount (to the input amount) is updated. The same) and the device ID of the card unit 3 and the (member) card ID of the member card or visitor card being received are transmitted to the balance management computer 100, and the membership card of the balance management computer 100 is sent. The (member) card at the table or visitor card table The said input money amount of money to be added update the prepaid balance, which corresponds to the de-ID are stored.

  Then, the remaining amount of the prepaid displayed on the remaining amount display is updated and displayed as a new amount after the addition update, the deposit process is terminated, and the process returns to the standby state of Sb2 to Sb10.

  In addition, when the player operates the return button in the standby state of Sb2 to Sb10 described above, a signal from the return button switch for detecting the operation of the return button by the player is input to the control unit 328. As a result, the control unit 328 determines that there is an operation of the return button in Sb5, proceeds to Sb23, and performs return processing.

  In this return process, as shown in FIG. 22, first, in S201, it is determined whether there is a card (member card or visitor card) being received by the card reader / writer 327. If it is determined that there is no card being accepted (NO), in S202, the return operation accepted in Sb5 is invalidated and the process returns to the standby state of Sb2 to Sb10.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in S201 that there is a member card or visitor card being received by the card reader / writer 327 (YES), the operation of the payout button 311 is invalidated and the counting / fractional payout unit 340 is determined in S203. Is output to prohibit counting.

  In response to the output of the counting prohibition instruction, the counting / fraction dispensing unit 340 disables the operation of the counting operation unit 355, thereby prohibiting the opening of the inflow shutter 352, so that a new pachinko ball is counted. It is forbidden.

  In step S204, it is determined whether the card being received by the card reader / writer 327 is a membership card. If it is determined in S204 that the card being accepted is a membership card (YES), membership card return processing is executed in S250.

  In the membership card return process in S250, as shown in FIG. 23, first, in S210, a membership card return notification including the membership card ID of the membership card and membership game information data is sent to the hall computer 140. At the same time, in S211, a return notification including the device ID of the card unit 3, the card ID of the card to be returned, and the number of possessed balls stored in the card table is transmitted to the possession management computer 150. In step S212, reception of an update completion notification transmitted from the hall computer 140 is awaited.

  The hall computer 140 that has received the membership card return notification stores the member game information data included in the membership card return notification in association with the membership card ID included in the received membership card return notification, and returns the membership card. An update completion notification is transmitted to the card unit 3 that is the transmission source of the notification.

  Further, in the processing at the time of the card management computer side card return executed by the ball management computer 150 that has received the membership card return notification, as shown in FIG. 24, first, at S21, the visitor card is returned from the card unit 3 Determine whether a notification has been received. If it is determined that the visitor card return notification has been received, the process to be executed is advanced to the process of S22 described later.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that a visitor card return notification has not been received, it is determined in S31 whether or not a membership card return notification has been received from the card unit 3. If it is determined that a membership card return notification has not been received, in S41, neither a visitor card return notification nor a membership card return notification has been received, but a card acceptance notification with a different card ID has been received from the card unit 3. Determine whether or not.

  If it is determined that a card acceptance notification with a different card ID has been received, the gray flag corresponding to the previous card ID in the member possession management table is turned on in step S42. If it is determined that a card acceptance notification with a different card ID has not been received, and after step S42, the process of returning and managing the card management computer side card is returned to the calling process.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that the member card return notification has been received, in S32, the number of possessed balls stored in correspondence with the (member) card ID included in the received member card return notification is stored in the member possession management table. , Update the number of possessions included in the received membership card return notification.

  Then, in S33, it is determined whether or not the number of possessed balls in S32 has been successfully updated. When it is determined that the number of possessed balls has been successfully updated, in S35, a card update result indicating that the update has been successful is transmitted as an update completion notification to the card unit 3 that is the transmission source of the membership card return notification. In S36, the online transaction serial number stored in the member possession management table described with reference to FIG.

  Returning to FIG. 23, if it is determined in S212 that an update completion notification has been received from the hall computer 140 (YES), it is determined in S212 + whether the card update result transmitted from the possession management computer 150 has been received. To do. If it is determined that it has not been received, it is determined in S251 whether or not the occurrence of an offline state has been detected. The occurrence of the off-line state is determined by the control unit 328 of the card unit 3 that there is no reception of an online confirmation request that is periodically transmitted from the possession management computer 150 (about every 10 seconds in the present embodiment). Is detected. If it is determined that the occurrence of the offline state has not been detected, the process returns to S212 +. If it is determined that the occurrence of the offline state has been detected, the process to be executed proceeds to S252.

  If it is determined in S212 + that a card update result as an update completion notification has been received from the possession management computer 150, it is determined in S261 whether or not the update result indicated by the card update result indicates that the update has failed. To do.

  If it is determined that the update result does not indicate an update failure (NG), that is, indicates that the update is successful, in S266, the online transaction serial number stored in the card table described in FIG. 10A is counted up, and in S213 Then, a discharge instruction is output to the card reader / writer 327, and the member card being received is discharged from the card insertion slot 309 and returned. In S214, the card table is reset.

  Then, the process to be executed is returned to the card return process of the caller of this member card return process. Returning to FIG. 22, after S250, in S215, the invalidation of the operation of the payout button 311 and the prohibition of counting in the counting / fractional payout unit 340 are canceled, and the process returns to the standby state of Sb2 to Sb10.

  That is, the membership card being accepted by the card unit 3 is different from the case of a visitor card, which will be described later, regardless of whether the prepaid balance is zero and whether the number of possessed balls is a fractional unit. Always returned. If the prepaid balance of the returned membership card is not zero, the prepaid balance can be settled in the settlement apparatus 180.

  Proceeding to FIG. 24, if it is determined in S33 that the number of held balls and the number of stored balls have not been updated successfully, that is, it has failed, in S37, the update of the number of held balls has failed in the managed ball management computer 150. Inform the effect. In S38, a card update result indicating that the update has failed is transmitted as an update completion notification to the card unit 3 that is the transmission source of the member card return notification.

  Returning to FIG. 23, if it is determined in S261 that the update result indicated by the card update result indicates an update failure (NG), an error notification and a communication interruption notification (FIN) are transmitted to the possession management computer 150 in S262. . The communication interruption notification is a command for informing the possession management computer 150 that communication is to be disconnected until the next transmission of some command. In step S263, the card unit 3 is shifted to an offline state. Thereafter, the process to be executed is advanced to the process of S252.

  When the process proceeds to S252, the multi-function lamp 301 is turned on in a red flashing manner to notify an error. Next, in S253, the operator waits for the reception of the trouble mode transition operation signal transmitted from the remote control by performing the operation for shifting to the trouble mode with the remote control.

  If it is determined that the trouble mode transition operation signal has been received from the remote controller, the card unit 3 is shifted to the trouble mode in S254. Next, in S255, whether or not the online transaction serial number stored in the card table described in FIG. 10A and the counting / fractional payout unit 340 have been successfully updated by the possession management computer 150. Recovery information including the number of balls whose update is unknown, which is the number of balls whose number is unknown, is recorded on the accepted member card, and the member card is discharged and returned in S256.

  Next, in S257, the number of balls whose update is unknown is recorded as the number of balls in one of the visitor cards stored in the card storage unit 370, and indicates that the visitor card has been issued in an offline state. The offline flag is recorded, and the visitor card is ejected and returned in S258. In step S259, the card unit 3 is shifted to the online state. In step S264, detection of the online state is awaited. The online status is determined by the control unit 328 of the card unit 3 receiving the online confirmation request that is periodically transmitted (about 10 seconds in the present embodiment) from the possession management computer 150. Detected.

  When the online state is detected, the processing history in the trouble mode from S255 to S258 is transmitted to the possession management computer 150 in S265. By receiving this processing history, the possession management computer 150 can grasp the processing contents in the trouble mode. Thereafter, the process to be executed is returned to the return process of the caller of this membership card return process. Returning to FIG. 22, after the process of S215 described above, the process returns to the standby state of Sb2 to Sb10.

  If it is determined in S204 that the card being accepted is a visitor card (NO), the prepaid balance stored in the card table (that is, the prepaid balance recorded in the visitor card) is zero in S220. It is determined whether or not. If it is determined in S220 that the prepaid balance is not zero (NO), it is determined in S221 whether or not the number of possessed balls stored in the card table is a fractional number (24 or less in this example). judge. If it is determined in S221 that the number of possessed balls is not a fraction less than the unit (NO), that is, it is determined that the number of retained balls is equal to or greater than the payout unit, the number of retained balls is recorded in the visitor card in S222, and the process proceeds to S216. move on. On the other hand, if it is determined in S221 that the number of possessed balls is a fraction less than a unit (YES), in S223, a pachinko ball having a fraction less than a unit is paid out from the pachinko balls stored in the ball storage unit 355 and played. The less than unit payout process for returning to the person is performed, and the number of possessed balls (in this case, zero) is recorded on the visitor card, and the process proceeds to S216. Details of the payout of the pachinko balls stored in the ball storage unit 355 will be described in detail in Sh5 of FIG. If it is determined in S221 that the number of balls is zero, the process proceeds to S216 without performing the process in S223.

  Next, in S216, a visitor card return notification including the device ID of the card unit 3, the card ID of the visitor card, and the number of possessions stored in the card table is transmitted to the possession management computer 150. In step S217, it waits for reception of an update completion notification transmitted from the possession management computer 150.

  Proceeding to FIG. 24, when the possession management computer 150 that has received the visitor card return notification determines that it has received the visitor card return notification in S21 described above, in S22, the received visitor card is displayed in the visitor possession management table. The number of possessed balls stored corresponding to the card ID included in the return notification is updated to the number of retained balls included in the received visitor card return notification, and the current date and time output from the RTC 104 is set to the latest issue date and time. In step S23, an update completion notification is transmitted to the card unit 3 that is the transmission source of the visitor card return notification.

  Returning to FIG. 22, when an update completion notification is received from the possession management computer 150 (YES in S217), a discharge instruction is output to the card reader / writer 327 in S218, and the accepted visitor card is discharged from the card insertion slot 309. In step S219, the card table is reset, and the process proceeds to step S215. In other words, the visitor card being accepted by the card unit 3 is always returned when the prepaid balance is not zero. The prepaid balance of the returned visitor card can be settled in the settlement apparatus 180.

  If it is determined in S220 that the prepaid balance is zero (YES), in S231, the number of held balls stored in the card table is less than a unit fraction (24 balls or less in this example) as in S221. ). If it is determined in S231 that the number of held balls is not a fraction less than the unit (NO), that is, it is determined that the number of held balls is equal to or more than the payout unit, in S232, the number of held balls is stored in the visitor card as in S222. Record and proceed to S216. In other words, the visitor card being accepted by the card unit 3 is returned on condition that the number of possessed balls is not zero when the prepaid balance is zero. Since the prepaid balance of the visitor card returned here is zero, it cannot be settled in the settlement apparatus 180.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in S231 that the number of possessed balls is a fractional unit (YES), a pachinko ball having a fractional unit fraction is stored in the ball storage unit 355 in S233, similarly to S223. A less than unit payout process for paying out from the pachinko ball and returning it to the player is performed, and the process proceeds to S240. If it is determined in S231 that the number of possessed balls is zero, the process proceeds to S240 without performing the process in S233.

  In S240, a capture notification including the card ID of the visitor card is transmitted to the balance management computer 100. In S241, the device ID of the card unit 3 and the visitor card are transmitted to the possession management computer 150. In step S <b> 242, reception of an update completion notification transmitted from the remaining amount management computer 100 and the possession management computer 150 is awaited.

  The balance management computer 100 that has received the capture notification changes the “status” corresponding to the card ID included in the received capture notification to “in storage” in the visitor card table, An update completion notice is transmitted to the card unit 3. Further, the possession management computer 150 that has received the capture notification updates the number of retained balls stored in correspondence with the card ID included in the received capture notification in the visitor possession management table to zero, An update completion notification is transmitted to the card unit 3 that is the transmission source of the capture notification.

  When an update completion notification is received from the remaining amount management computer 100 and the possession management computer 150 (YES in S242), in S243, an accepting process of taking in the accepted visitor card and storing it in the card storage unit 370 is performed, and the above S219 Proceed to That is, the visitor card being accepted by the card unit 3 is taken in without being returned when the prepaid balance is zero and the number of held balls is a fractional unit. According to this, it is possible to prevent a loss related to the replenishment cost of the visitor card in the game hall due to the visitor card in which a small number of possessed balls are recorded and returned to the player being discarded without being returned to the game hall.

  Here, in the process at the time of card reception explained in FIGS. 19 and 20 and the process at the time of card return explained in FIGS. 22 to 24, exchange of information between the possession management computer 150 and the card unit 3 An example will be described.

  FIG. 25 is a first diagram showing information exchange between the possession management computer 150 and the card unit 3 at the time of card reception and card return in the embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 25, when a card is inserted and accepted in card unit 3, a card acceptance notification including a card ID is transmitted from card unit 3 to possession management computer 150.

  In response to the reception of the card acceptance notification from the card unit 3, the online management computer 150 newly sets an online transaction serial number (here, “X”), the set online transaction serial number, A card acceptance result indicating that the membership card verification is OK, including the number of possessed balls managed in correspondence with the card ID included in the card acceptance notice received by the ball management computer 150 is a card from the possession management computer 150. Sent to unit 3.

  In the card unit 3, information such as the online transaction serial number (here, “X”) included in the received card acceptance result is stored in the card table of the RAM 328b of the card unit 3 described with reference to FIG. . This makes it possible to use the number of balls in a game on the pachinko machine 2.

  After a game on the pachinko machine 2, when the return button is pressed by the player in the card unit 3, the number of balls currently stored in the card table of the card unit 3 and the online transaction serial number are included. A membership card return notification is transmitted from the card unit 3 to the possession management computer 150.

  In the possession management computer 150, the number of possessions managed is updated to the number of possessions included in the received membership card return notice, and when the update is successful, the online transaction serial number on the possession management computer 150 side is updated. Counts up (here, “X + 1” is set). Then, a card update result indicating that the update has been successful is transmitted from the possession management computer 150 to the card unit 3.

  In the card unit 3, the online transaction serial number is counted up (in this case, “X + 1”) in response to receiving the card update result indicating that the update has been successful from the possession management computer 150, and accepted. The member card is returned.

  FIG. 26 is a second diagram illustrating information exchange between the possession management computer 150 and the card unit 3 at the time of card reception and card return according to the embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 26, the exchange of information at the time of accepting the card is the same as that in FIG. 25, and therefore the overlapping contents are not shown in FIG.

  Similar to FIG. 25, in the card unit 3 in a state where the membership card is received, the counting information processing for updating the number of possessed balls by the number indicated by the pachinko ball counting information counted in the counting / fractional payout unit 340 is performed. When the return button is pressed after being performed, a membership card return notification is transmitted from the card unit 3. At this time, if the relationship between the possession management computer 150 and the card unit 3 becomes offline, the membership card return notification does not reach the possession management computer 150, so the number of possessions is not updated, and the possession management The online transaction serial number on the computer side is not counted up (here, “X” is left).

  Then, if neither the membership card return notification nor the visitor card return notification is received in the possession management computer 150 but a card reception notification with a different card ID is received, the gray flag corresponding to the previous card ID Is turned on.

  In the card unit 3, when the card update result indicating that the update corresponding to the membership card return notification is successful is not received from the possession management computer 150, it is determined whether the update is unknown or not. Transitions to error state for recovery.

  Then, in the card unit 3, when an operation at the game hall is performed to shift to the trouble mode by the remote controller, the online transaction serial number (here, “X”) stored in the card table described with reference to FIG. Recovery information including the number of balls whose update is unknown and which is the number of balls which has been counted by the counting / fractional payout unit 340 but which has not been successfully updated by the possession management computer 150 is received. Is recorded on the existing membership card and discharged as the first card.

  Next, the number of balls with unknown update count is recorded as the number of possessed balls in a new visitor card, and an offline flag indicating that the visitor card has been issued offline is recorded, and the second card As discharged.

  When the card issued in the trouble mode is inserted and accepted in another card unit 3, the card includes recovery information including the card ID, the online transaction serial number (here, “X”), and the number of balls whose update is unknown. An acceptance notification is transmitted from the card unit 3 to the possession management computer 150.

  In the possession management computer 150, the online transaction serial number included in the recovery information included in the card acceptance notification is changed to the member possession management described with reference to FIG. 14A in response to the reception of the card acceptance notification from the card unit 3. It is determined whether or not it matches the online transaction serial number (here “X”) stored in the table.

  Here, it is determined that they match, that is, the update unknown count ball recorded as the number of balls in the visitor card is not reflected in the number of balls managed by the ball management computer 150, so the update is unknown The number of balls already counted is not duplicated and the number of balls is not corrected.

  Then, the card acceptance result described in FIG. 25 is transmitted from the possession management computer 150 to the other card unit 3.

  In the other card unit 3, the recovery information is erased together with the processing described with reference to FIG. 25 performed when the card acceptance result is received.

  FIG. 27 is a third diagram illustrating information exchange between the possession management computer 150 and the card unit 3 at the time of card reception and card return according to the embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 27, the exchange of information at the time of accepting the card is the same as in FIG. 25, and therefore the overlapping contents are not shown in FIG.

  Similar to FIG. 25, in the card unit 3 in a state where the membership card is received, the counting information processing for updating the number of possessed balls by the number indicated by the pachinko ball counting information counted in the counting / fractional payout unit 340 is performed. When the return button is pressed after being performed, a membership card return notification is transmitted from the card unit 3.

  In the possession management computer 150, as in FIG. 25, the number of possessions managed is updated to the number of possessions included in the received membership card return notification, and if the update is successful, the possession management computer 150 side Is counted up (here, “X + 1” is set). Then, a card update result indicating that the update has been successful is transmitted from the possession management computer 150 to the card unit 3.

  At this time, if the card management computer 150 and the card unit 3 are in an offline state, the card update result does not reach the card unit 3, so the card unit 3 side has the card management computer 150 side. It is unknown whether the number of balls has been updated normally. For this reason, the card unit 3 shifts to an error state in order to recover the update unknown counted ball number for which it is unknown whether or not the update is successful.

  Then, similarly to FIG. 26, the remote control is shifted to the trouble mode, and the membership card and the visitor card on which the recovery information is recorded are ejected.

  Similarly to FIG. 26, when the member card is inserted and accepted in another card unit 3, a card acceptance notification including recovery information is transmitted from the card unit 3 to the possession management computer 150.

  Further, as in FIG. 26, in the possession management computer 150, in response to the reception of the card acceptance notification from the card unit 3, the online transaction serial number (here “X”) included in the card acceptance notification is It is determined whether or not it matches the online transaction serial number (here, “X + 1”) stored in computer 150.

  Here, since it is determined that they do not match, that is, the number of balls whose update unknown count recorded as the number of balls in the visitor card is also reflected in the number of balls managed by the ball management computer 150. The number of balls that have not been updated is duplicated, and the number of balls is corrected. The correction of the number of balls is performed by subtracting the number of balls whose update is unknown from the number of balls in the member holding ball management table described with reference to FIG.

  Then, as in FIG. 26, the card acceptance result described in FIG. 25 is transmitted from the possession management computer 150 to the other card unit 3.

  Similarly to FIG. 26, in the other card unit 3, the recovery information is erased together with the processing described in FIG. 25 performed when the card acceptance result is received.

  FIG. 28 is a fourth diagram illustrating information exchange between the possession management computer 150 and the card unit 3 at the time of card reception and card return in the embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 28, the exchange of information at the time of accepting the card is the same as that in FIG. 25, so the overlapping contents are not shown in FIG.

  Similar to FIG. 25, in the card unit 3 in a state where the membership card is received, the counting information processing for updating the number of possessed balls by the number indicated by the pachinko ball counting information counted in the counting / fractional payout unit 340 is performed. When the return button is pressed after being performed, a membership card return notification is transmitted from the card unit 3.

  As shown in FIG. 25, in the possession management computer 150, the number of possessions managed is updated to the number of possessions included in the received membership card return notification. However, if the operation of the coin management computer 150 is unstable, the number of balls will not be updated normally, or if the membership card return notification is not received normally due to unstable communication, Update may fail.

  If the update fails in this manner, the online transaction serial number on the side of the money management computer 150 is not counted up (here, “X” is left). If the update fails, a card update result indicating that the update has failed is transmitted from the possession management computer 150 to the card unit 3.

  In the card unit 3, in response to receiving the card update result indicating that the update has failed from the possession management computer 150, the card unit 3 forcibly transitions to the offline state and the error state, and the update unknown count has been completed. In order to recover the number of balls, an error notification and a communication interruption notification are transmitted from the card unit 3 to the possession management computer 150.

  Then, as in the case of FIG. 26 and FIG. 27, which is a case where an offline state has occurred, the remote controller shifts to the trouble mode, and the membership card and the visitor card on which the recovery information is recorded are ejected. Thereafter, the communication between the holding ball management computer 150 and the card unit 3 is returned to the online state.

  Returning to FIG. 17, when the player operates the replay button 319 in the above-described standby state of Sb2 to Sb10, the replay operation information is displayed from the display control board 329 that detects the operation of the replay button 319. Is input to the control unit 328, the control unit 328 determines that there is an operation of the replay button 319 in Sb6, proceeds to Sb24, and performs a replay process.

  In this replay process, first, it is determined whether or not the number of balls is “0”. If the number of balls is not “0”, the operation is invalidated, and “ After the message “Please operate the payout button” is displayed on the display unit 312, the process returns to the standby state of Sb <b> 2 to Sb <b> 10, but if the number of held balls is “0”, the RAM 328 b It is determined whether or not the collated flag indicating whether or not the password stored in the password is “1” indicating that the collation has been completed. Perform the PIN code acceptance process.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the number of possessed balls acquired by the member player on the day is different from the number of accumulated balls, and payout is performed without requiring a fee. Disabling the replay operation when it exists, eliminates the disadvantage of the member player due to the use of the accumulated number of fees in spite of the existence of the number of balls that do not charge Can be done.

  In the PIN code receiving process of the present embodiment, a PIN code receiving screen including a numeric keypad and an announcement display for prompting the PIN code are displayed on the display unit 312 to accept the PIN code.

  Then, the received personal identification number and the personal identification number managed by the possession management computer 150 are compared, and if both coincide, the collated flag in the predetermined area in the RAM 328b is updated to “1” indicating that collation has been completed. In addition, the replay ball lending process is executed on condition that the number of stored balls stored in the card table is equal to or greater than a predetermined number of replay unit balls (135 balls).

  On the other hand, in the case of “1” indicating that collation has been completed, it is further determined whether or not the LED 320a is in a lit state, that is, whether or not the number of stored balls is equal to or greater than a predetermined number of replay unit balls. Is in the lit state, 135 balls, which is the number of replay units, are subtracted from the number of balls stored in the card table and updated, the replay display unit 320 (LED 320a) is turned off, and the replay ball lending is performed. Perform the process. In the replay ball lending process according to the present embodiment, the number of pachinko balls corresponding to the number of replay units (135 balls), specifically, the number of replay units (135 balls) minus 10 fees is 125. As in the case of the lending process described above, the pachinko machine 2 is caused to output a signal instructing the payout of 25 balls, which is a payout unit in the corresponding pachinko machine 2, five times.

  In addition, when the number of stored balls after subtraction update of the number of replay unit balls is equal to or more than the number of replay unit balls, the replay display unit 320 (LED 320a) is turned on again after the replay ball lending process is completed. State.

  Then, after sending a replay completion notification including the member ID stored in the card table and the replay unit number (135 balls) subtracted from the number of stored balls to the stored ball management computer 160, the replay processing To return to the standby state of Sb2 to Sb10.

  Upon receipt of the replay completion notification, the storage management computer 160 subtracts the number of replay units (135 balls) from the number of storage balls stored in association with the member ID included in the replay completion notification in the member storage management table. Update.

  Further, when the payout button 311 is operated in the above-described standby state of Sb2 to Sb10, an operation signal from the payout button switch 311 ′ is input to the control unit 328, so that the control unit 328 pays out in Sb7. If it is determined that the button 311 is operated, the process proceeds to Sb25, and the payout process shown in FIG. 29 is performed. When the payout operation is invalid, the standby state of Sb2 to Sb10 is continued without proceeding to Sb25.

  In the payout process according to the present embodiment, first, as shown in FIG. 29, it is determined whether or not there is a counted number of balls, that is, the number of balls in the card table (Sh1).

  In the determination in the step of Sh1, if there is no counted number of balls (the number of held balls), the process proceeds to the step of Sh6 and, for example, an error message “There is no counted number of balls” on the display unit 312. Is displayed to inform the player that there is no counted number of balls (the number of balls held), and then the payout process is terminated and the process returns to the standby state of Sb2 to Sb10.

  On the other hand, if there is a counted number of balls (the number of balls held), the process proceeds to step Sh2, where the counted number of balls is 125 balls or more corresponding to a preset number of 5 payouts which is a predetermined payout setting number. It is determined whether or not there is.

  If it is determined that the number of balls is 125 or more, the process proceeds to Sh8 and a payout set number payout process is performed.

  Specifically, in the payout set number payout process, the high / low PRDY output from the pachinko machine 2 is determined as in the case of the usage frequency loan process described above, and the condition is that PRDY is LOW. After switching BRDY to LOW, BRQ is set to LOW, and a state of waiting for detection of EX HIGH from the pachinko machine 2 is entered, and BRQ is switched to HIGH based on detection of the LOW of EXS. The payout of 25 pachinko balls corresponding to the frequency is executed, and a state of waiting for detection of HIGH of EXS is entered.

  Next, when the payout of one payout unit in the pachinko machine 2 is completed and the HIGH of the EXS is detected, the control unit 328 counts the number of BRQs, and the counted number of BRQs corresponds to the number of payouts set to 5 degrees. Compare with 5 times.

  If the number of BRQs counted in this comparison does not match the number of 5 times, the above-mentioned payout process is performed once again, and the number of BRQs counted in the above comparison is the set number of payouts. If it matches the 5th frequency, BRDY is set to HIGH.

  Then, the control unit 328 determines from the counted number of balls in the display unit 312 and the number of balls in the card table (if the card being received is a visitor card, the number of balls in the visitor card being received). While subtracting and updating the number of balls, the device ID uniquely assigned to the card unit 3 and the (member) card ID of the member card or visitor card being received are paid out The payout completion notice including the number of balls (125 balls) is transmitted and stored in association with the (member) card ID in the member possession management table or visitor possession management table of the possession management computer 150. After subtracting and updating the number of balls paid out from the number of possessed balls (125 balls), the process proceeds to Sh20 card collection determination processing.

  In this card collection determination process, it is determined whether or not the accepted card is a visitor card whose number of counted balls (number of balls) after subtraction update is “0”. If the visitor card is “0”, the prepaid balance is also “0”, as in the case where the prepaid balance in the aforementioned lending process is “0”. After collecting the visitor card, the payout process is terminated and the process returns to the standby state of Sb2 to Sb10.

  On the other hand, if the determination result in the step of Sh2 is a determination result that is not equal to or greater than the set number of payouts, the process proceeds to the step of Sh3 and 25 balls, which is the number of payout units in the pachinko machine 2 corresponding to the counted number of balls. It is determined whether it is above.

  When it is determined that the number of balls is not more than 25 in the determination, for example, when the counted number of balls is 20, the process proceeds to the step of Sh4 and is stored in the storage unit 338 specified from the stored ball number data. It is determined whether or not the number of remaining pachinko balls (remaining number) is 20 or more that is the counted number of balls, that is, whether or not 20 balls that are the counted number of balls can be paid out. .

  In this determination, when it is determined that the number of pachinko balls (remaining number) stored in the storage unit 338 is not equal to or greater than the counted number of balls, that is, 20 pachinko balls cannot be paid out. In the case of, the process proceeds to the step of Sh7, and the display unit 312 displays a message “Cannot pay out due to lack of balls. Please call an attendant.” The storage ball remaining number error notification process of lighting in a predetermined lighting mode for notifying that a storage ball remaining number error has occurred is performed.

  An attendant who has grasped that the number of pachinko balls (remaining number) stored in the storage unit 338 is small by this notification, shifts to the added reserve mode and replenishes the ball storage unit 338 with the pachinko balls using the remote control. As a result, the pachinko balls can be paid out from the storage unit 338.

  On the other hand, in the determination in the step of Sh4, if it is determined that the number of pachinko balls (remaining number) stored in the storage unit 338 is equal to or more than 20 balls, which is the counted number of balls, the step of Sh5 is performed. Going forward, a fraction payout request including the number of payout balls of 20 which is the counted number of balls is transmitted to the counting / fractional payout unit 340.

  In response to the reception of the fraction payout request, the counting / fractional payout unit 340 switches the flow path to the return passage 335 by the flow path switching solenoid 358 and is the number of payout balls (fraction) included in the received fraction payout request. By operating the payout motor 353 until 20 detection signals are input from the output sensor 354, 20 pachinko balls corresponding to the payout balls (fraction) are returned from the diversion port 336 on the discharge flow path 337. By flowing into the passage 335 and being returned to and stored in the return storage unit 342, the player can take out these 20 paid-out pachinko balls from the return storage unit 342.

  Then, at the stage where the payout of 20 pachinko balls based on the fraction payout request is completed, the control unit 350 of the counting / fractional payout unit 340 transmits a fraction payout completion notification to the control unit 328.

  In response to the reception of the fraction payout completion notice, the control unit 328 determines the number of balls counted on the display unit 312 and the number of balls held on the card table (if the card being received is a visitor card, the visitor card being received). The number of balls paid out is subtracted and updated from the number of possessed balls). Thereby, the counted number of balls and the number of balls are “0”.

  Then, the device ID uniquely assigned to the card management computer 150, the (member) card ID of the member card or visitor card being accepted, and the number of paid-out balls (20 balls). Is returned from the number of possessed balls stored in association with the (member) card ID in the member possession management table or visitor possession management table of the possession management computer 150. After the number of payout balls (20 balls) is subtracted and updated to “0”, the card collection determination process of Sh20 described above is performed, and then the payout process is terminated and the process returns to the standby state of Sb2 to Sb10.

  That is, when the counted number of balls (the number of possessed balls) is a fraction less than 25 balls corresponding to the number of times that is the payout unit, the player operates the payout button 311 so that the pachinko ball of the fraction is By being paid out from the pachinko balls stored in the storage unit 338 in the counting / fractional payout unit 340, it is returned to the player.

  On the other hand, in the determination in Sh3, when it is determined that the counted number of balls (the number of balls held) is 25 or more, the process proceeds to the step of Sh9, and the maximum payout within the range of the counted number of balls is possible. After specifying the payout unit and the fraction less than the payout unit, the process proceeds to the step of Sh10 to pay out the number of balls of the specified maximum payout unit from the corresponding pachinko machine 2, and the steps of Sh4 and Sh5 described above are performed. By carrying out, the specified number of pachinko balls are paid out to the return storage unit 342 in the counting / fractional payout unit 340.

  Specifically, for example, if the number of possessed balls (the number of counted balls) is 110 balls, in the step of Sh9, the value obtained by dividing 110 balls which is the number of retained balls by 25 balls which are payout units. An integer value of 4 is specified as the payout frequency corresponding to the maximum payout unit, and 10 balls less than the payout unit, which is the remainder of the value divided by the payout unit of 25 balls, are specified as a fraction.

  Then, in Sh10, the PRDY output from the pachinko machine 2 is determined to be HIGH / LOW, and on the condition that PRDY is LOW, BRDY is switched to LOW, then BRQ is set to LOW, and the EXS from the pachinko machine 2 is set. HIGH detection waiting state, and by switching the BRQ to HIGH based on the detection of the LOW of the EXS, 25 pachinko balls corresponding to the number of one payout are paid out, and the EXS HIGH detection It will be in a waiting state.

  Next, when the payout of one payout unit in the pachinko machine 2 is completed and the HIGH level of the EXS is detected, the control unit 328 counts the number of BRQs, and the payout number specified in the step of Sh8. Compare with 4 times corresponding to 4 degrees which is the frequency.

  If the number of BRQs counted in this comparison does not match the number of 4 times, the payout process for the above-mentioned 1 time is performed again, while the number of BRQs counted in the above comparison is the number of payouts set to 4 If it matches, BRDY is set to HIGH.

  Then, the control unit 328 calculates the number of balls counted on the display unit 312 and the number of balls held on the card table (if the card being received is a visitor card), the number of balls on the visitor card being received) In addition to subtracting and updating 100 balls corresponding to the 4 times of payout, the device ID uniquely assigned to the card management computer 150 and the member card or visitor card being accepted (member) A payout completion notification including the card ID and the number of balls that have been paid out (100 balls) is transmitted, and the (member) card ID is supported in the member holding ball management table or visitor holding ball management table of the holding ball management computer 150 After subtracting and updating the number of balls (100 balls) paid out from the number of possessed balls that have been added and stored, the remaining ends can be obtained by carrying out the steps of Sh4 and Sh5. 10 pachinko balls are paid out to the return storage unit 342 in the counting / fractional payout unit 340, and the number of balls that have been paid out is subtracted and updated, so that the counted number of balls and the card in the display unit 312 are updated. The number of balls in the table (if the card being accepted is a visitor card, the number of balls in the visitor card being accepted) is all set to “0”, and The number of cards held is also set to “0”.

  In other words, when the counted number of balls (the number of balls) is 25 balls or more corresponding to one payout unit, which is less than 125 balls corresponding to the set number of payouts, and there are fractions, In order to pay out the fraction, the player can pay out the pachinko balls of that fraction from the pachinko balls stored in the storage unit 338 in the counting / fractional payout unit 340 without operating the payout button 311 individually. To be returned to.

  Further, when a player wants to leave his / her seat for his / her purpose, it is necessary to call an attendant and have the remote control carried by the attendant perform the leaving operation to shift to the away mode.

  When a remote control operation is performed on the remote controller, a predetermined infrared signal corresponding to the remote control operation is output from the remote control, so that the infrared signal can be specified by the IR light receiving unit 315. By being converted into a predetermined electrical signal and output to the display control board 329, the display control board 329 outputs to the control unit 328 the leaving operation information indicating that the leaving operation has been performed.

  The output of the leaving operation information is detected in Sb8 in the above-described standby state of Sb2 to Sb10, so that it is determined that there is a leaving operation, and the process proceeds to Sb26 to perform the leaving process.

  In this leaving process, the control unit 328 first invalidates all operations and outputs a count prohibition instruction to the counting / fractional payout unit 340 (control unit 350) to count new pachinko balls. Ban.

  The control unit 328 determines the (member) card ID and the member ID (member card only) and the number of balls being received by the card reader / writer 327 even if the card data in the RAM 328b is lost due to a long power interruption or the like. (Member) card ID and the member ID are stored in a predetermined storage area of the EEPROM 328c, and then a discharge instruction is output to the card reader / writer 327 to accept the member card or visitor card being received. The function lamp 301 is turned on in yellow to indicate that the user is away from the seat, and the display unit 312 displays “separated” and the elapsed time (remaining time of the predetermined away time). At the same time, by outputting a card insertion enabling instruction to the card reader / writer 327, the shutter is released along with the ejection. The solenoids 399 that the shutter of the card insertion opening 309 is a sinking state, the process proceeds to Away mode that only allows the card insertion from the card insertion opening 309.

  In the present embodiment, as described above, since the RAM 328b of the control unit 328 is backed up by a battery, the (member) card ID and the member ID (member only) are cards for which the away mode is to be canceled. The information may be stored again in a predetermined area in the RAM 328b, or, as in the present embodiment, the (member) card ID and member ID (member ID) are stored in the card table when a member card or visitor card is received. (Only card) is already stored, the new (member) card ID and member ID are not stored, and the (member) card ID and member ID already stored in the card table are omitted. (Membership card only) may be used.

  The player may leave his / her seat by bringing the membership card or visitor card discharged from the card insertion slot 309.

  In the transition to the above-described leaving mode, the control unit 328 transmits a leaving notice including the device ID and the (member) card ID of the ejected card to the balance management computer 100 and the possession management computer 150. By registering these (member) card IDs as leaving cards, even if these ejected cards are received at other card units 3 or gift exchange POS 170, the card cannot be used and returned. It is like that.

  When the player finishes his job and resumes the game, the member card or visitor card discharged at the time of leaving the seat may be inserted into the card insertion slot 309, and the member card or visitor card is inserted. In this case, the control unit 328 reads the (member) card ID and the member ID (member card only) from the inserted member card or visitor card, and stores the (member) card ID and member ID (member ID (only the member card) in the predetermined storage area of the EEPROM 328c. (Membership card only).

  If the (member) card ID and the member ID (member card only) do not match, the inserted member card or visitor card is ejected and the away mode is continued, while the (member) card ID and member ID ( (Member card only) matches, the (member) card ID and member ID (member card only) stored in the predetermined storage area of the EEPROM 328c are erased, and the operation performed in the transition to the away mode is prohibited. By canceling the prohibition of counting, the mode is changed from the away mode to the normal mode, and the standby state of Sb2 to Sb10 is returned.

  In the case where the player who has left the seat does not return even after a predetermined time has passed, the seat leaving mode can be forcibly canceled. When the forced release is performed, the clerk only has to operate the forced release button provided on the remote control that is possessed, and the forced release button is operated from the remote control (forced release operation) by operating the forced release button. The infrared signal is converted into a predetermined electrical signal that can specify the forced release operation by the IR light receiving unit 315 and output to the display control board 329. The forced release operation information indicating that the forced release operation has been performed is output from the display control board 329 to the control unit 328.

  When the forced release operation information is input during these leaving modes, the control unit 328 stores the (member) card ID and the member ID (member card only) and the number of balls stored in a predetermined storage area of the EEPROM 328c. Is stored in the other predetermined area of the EEPROM 328c as forced release history data, and then the data is erased and the card table is reset.

  Then, by canceling the prohibition of the operation and counting prohibition performed in the transition to the away mode, the transition from the away mode to the normal mode returns to the standby state of Sb2 to Sb10, and a new member card or visitor card and It is possible to accept bills.

  In addition, the forced release history data is stored in response to a transmission request from the balance management computer 100 and the possession management computer 150 or in a closing-related process at the end of business (FIG. 33A). Even if there is a complaint by a person away from the seat by being transmitted to both of the computers 150 and stored and managed by the balance management computer 100 and the coin management computer 150, the balance management computer 100 or the coin management computer The forced release history data stored and managed in 150 ensures that the number of possessed balls owned by the away person is ensured even if a failure occurs in either the balance management computer 100 or the possession management computer 150. Be able to.

  When the player operates the menu button 316 in the standby state of Sb2 to Sb10 described above, the main menu display operation information is received from the display control board 329 that has detected the operation of the menu button 316 from the control unit 328. , The control unit 328 determines that the menu button 316 is operated in Sb10, proceeds to Sb28, and performs a menu display process (not shown).

  In this menu display process, the control unit 328 first determines whether or not the player who is playing the game with the corresponding pachinko machine 2 is a member based on the data stored in the card table (whether the member ID is stored). If the player is not a member (if the member ID is not stored), the menu items of “table data”, “ranking”, and “notification” that do not include member-specific menu items The visitor main menu (see FIG. 5) including only the visitor main menu is displayed on the display unit 312 by outputting a visitor main menu display instruction to the display control board 329. On the other hand, if the player is a member, The member main menu shown in FIG. 5 further including a menu item “replay” which is a menu item, displays a member main menu display instruction. It is displayed on the display unit 312 by outputting to the control board 329.

  Each menu item displayed on the display unit 312 can be selected by the player, and if any menu item is not selected within a predetermined time, a menu display end instruction is displayed on the display control board 329. After the display of the main menu is terminated by outputting, the process returns to the standby state of Sb2 to Sb10. On the other hand, if any menu item is selected within a predetermined time, it corresponds to the selected menu item. After executing the process, the process returns to the standby state of Sb2 to Sb10.

  When the “replay” menu in the main menu is selected, the replay process of Sb24 described above is executed.

  In addition, when the “device data” menu is selected, each data of today stored in the game information table is displayed. When the “ranking” menu is selected, the type of ranking, specific Specifically, a submenu screen for selecting a payout ranking, a jackpot ranking, a consecutive house ranking, etc. is displayed, and ranking data of the type selected on the submenu screen is acquired from the hall computer 140 and displayed on the display unit 312. Is displayed.

  When the “Notification” menu is selected, the notification information stored in the RAM 328 b is displayed on the display unit 312.

  In addition, unlike the main menu, the display of the “counted number of balls” below the display unit 312 is always displayed below the display unit 312 so that the player can always display the number of counted balls. It can be confirmed.

  Next, the process flow for the member who owns the membership card to add the number of balls recorded on the visitor card discharged by the recovery process etc. to the number of accumulated balls corresponding to the membership ID of the membership card Will be described with reference to FIGS. 30 and 31. FIG. The processing for this is executed by the gift exchange POS 170 and the storage management computer 160.

  FIG. 30 is a flowchart showing the flow of the visitor card storage process executed by the prize exchange POS 170 according to the embodiment of the present invention. With reference to FIG. 30, first, in step S701, the CPU of the free gift exchange POS 170 determines whether or not an operation for shifting the holding ball of the visitor card to the storage ball has been received from the operation unit of the free gift exchange POS 170. When it is determined that it has not been accepted (when NO is determined in step S701), the CPU of the gift exchange POS 170 returns the process to be executed to the caller process of this process.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that an operation for shifting to a storage ball has been accepted (YES in step S701), in step S702, the CPU of the gift exchange POS 170 indicates that a member card and a visitor card are to be inserted. The information is displayed on the display unit of the replacement POS 170.

  In step S703, the CPU of the gift exchange POS 170 determines whether or not a member card has been received by the card reader / writer. If it is determined that it has not been accepted (NO in step S703), the CPU of the gift exchange POS 170 repeats the process in step S703.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that the membership card has been received (YES in step S703), in step S704, the CPU of the gift exchange POS 170 determines whether the visitor card has been received by the card reader / writer. When it is determined that it has not been received (when NO is determined in step S704), the CPU of the gift exchange POS 170 repeats the process of step S704.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that the visitor card has been received (YES in step S704), in step S705, the CPU of the gift exchange POS 170 controls the card reader / writer to read the member ID from the member card. In step S706, the CPU of the gift exchange POS 170 controls the card reader / writer to read the number of possessed balls from the visitor card.

  Next, in step S707, the CPU of the gift exchange POS 170 transmits to the storage management computer 160 a stored ball addition notification including the member ID read in step S705 and the number of possessed balls read in step S706.

  FIG. 31 is a flowchart showing the flow of a stored-ball adding process executed by the stored-ball management computer 160 in the embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 31, in step S601, CPU 162 of storage ball management computer 160 determines whether or not a storage ball addition notification has been received from an external device. When determining that it has not been received (when determining NO in step S601), CPU 162 returns the process to be executed to the caller process of this process.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the storage ball addition notification is received (YES in step S601), in step S602, the CPU 162 sets the number of stored balls corresponding to the member ID included in the storage ball addition notification in the member storage ball management table. Then, the number of possessed balls included in the storage ball addition notification is added.

  In step S603, the CPU 162 determines whether the addition update has been completed. If it is determined that the process has not ended (NO in step S603), CPU 162 repeats the process in step S603.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that the addition update has been completed (YES in step S603), in step S604, the CPU 162 sends an update completion notification indicating that the number of stored balls has been updated, Send to. Thereafter, the CPU 162 returns the process to be executed to the caller process of this process.

  Returning to FIG. 30, in step S <b> 708, the CPU of the gift exchange POS 170 determines whether or not an update completion notification has been received from the storage management computer 160. If it is determined that it has not been received (NO in step S708), the CPU of the gift exchange POS 170 repeats the process in step S708.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that an update completion notice has been received (YES in step S708), the CPU of the gift exchange POS 170 controls the card reader / writer, and takes the visitor card into the card storage unit in step S709. In step S710, the membership card is returned. Thereafter, the CPU of the gift exchange POS 170 returns the process to be executed to the process that called the process.

  Next, the flow of processing at the end of business will be described with reference to FIG. 32 and FIG. 33. First, the processing at the end of business at the end of business is executed by the remaining amount management computer 100, and the remaining amount management computer When the operation stop request is transmitted from 100 to the card unit 3, the card unit 3 (control unit 328) accepts various operations such as a lending operation and a payout operation, and a new member to the card reader / writer 327. Inhibiting insertion of cards and visitor cards, updating of various game information data such as game information tables and stored ball count data, and replying to the remaining amount management computer 100 that the operation has been stopped After that, the system shifts to a state of waiting for reception of a processing request at the end of business from the money management computer 150.

  The balance management computer 100 that has received the operation stop notification transmits a business end notification indicating that the processing of the membership card and the visitor card has been completed to the possession management computer 150, whereby the possession management computer 150. Detects that the remaining amount management computer 100 has shifted to the end of business, and transmits a processing end-time processing request to the control unit 328 of each card unit 3.

  The control unit 328 that has received the business end process request starts the business end process shown in FIG. In this end-of-business process, as shown in FIG. 33 (a), it is determined whether or not an end-of-business process request has been received (Sk0). If it is determined that it has been received (YES in Sk0) The count invalidation process (Sk1), the data update process (Sk2), the stored ball discharge process (Sk3), and the tightening related process (Sk4).

  In the count invalidation process in the step of Sk1, as shown in FIG. 33B, first, it is determined whether or not there is a card (visitor card or member card) being received by the card reader / writer 327 (Sd1). ).

  If there is no card being accepted, the process proceeds to step Sd2. On the other hand, if there is a card being accepted, the process proceeds to step Sd5 to determine whether the card being accepted is a visitor card. It is determined from the card ID read from the receiving card stored in the item of the card ID.

  When the accepted card is a visitor card, the determination in Sd5 is “Yes” and the process proceeds to Sd6. Further, whether there is a recorded number of balls (recording number of balls is present) On the other hand, when the accepted card is a membership card, it is determined as “No” in the determination of Sd5, and the process proceeds to the step of Sd9 and the return process is performed.

  If there is a ball number recorded in the accepting visitor card, the process proceeds to step Sd7 to record the number of balls currently present and the date on which the number of balls was counted. After instructing the card reader / writer 327 to erase, the process proceeds to step Sd8.

  On the other hand, if there is no number of balls recorded on the accepting visitor card, the process proceeds to step Sd8 without going through the step Sd7, and whether there is a prepaid balance of the accepting visitor card. It is determined whether or not there is a prepaid balance in the card table.

  In addition, the record of the number of possessed balls erased in Sd7 and the record of the date when the number of possessed balls is counted are recorded as the card invalidation information including the card ID and the device ID as in the step of Sd3. The recorded data erased by the visitor card may be managed by the possession management computer 150.

  If the prepaid balance does not exist, that is, it is “0”, the process proceeds to step Sd12, and after the visitor card being received is collected in the card storage unit 370 of the card reader / writer 327, the process proceeds to step Sd2. If the prepaid balance is present, that is, it is not “0”, the process proceeds to step Sd9 and a return process is performed.

  In the return process of step Sd9, the visiting visitor card or membership card is discharged from the card insertion slot 309.

  If the card to be ejected is a membership card, a return notification including the device ID of the card unit 3, the membership card ID of the card to be returned, and the number of possessed balls stored in the card table is provided. In the member possession management table, the number of possessions stored in correspondence with the member card ID included in the received return notification is the number of retained balls included in the received return notification. Updated to When the card to be ejected is a visitor card, the return notification is not transmitted in order to collectively update the visitor possession management table in an update process described later.

  Then, the process proceeds to step Sd10, and the card discharge is notified until the card is removed or a predetermined time elapses in a notification mode corresponding to the type (visitor / member) of the discharged card. Specifically, when the visitor card is discharged, the lighting state of the multi-function lamp 301 is changed to a yellow fast blinking state to notify the discharge of the visitor card, while when the membership card is discharged, the multi-function lamp The discharge state of the membership card is notified by setting the lighting state of 301 to a high-speed blinking state of blue.

  Cards discharged in this way are collected and collected separately by the clerk for each card type, that is, for each visitor card or membership card, and stored until the proper owner makes an offer. Therefore, when these clerks collect and collect, it is possible to confirm which type of card is being discharged in which card unit 3 from a distance without going to the card unit 3, so the types of these discharged cards The workability of each separate collection work is improved.

  Then, after sending discharge history information including the (member) card ID and the device ID of these discharged cards to the possession management computer 150 (Sd11), the process proceeds to step Sd2.

  In this way, all the discharge history information transmitted from the card unit 3 is stored as a discharge history file to which the date of the day is added for a predetermined period of time by the possession management computer 150. The card that was accepted by the card unit 3 at the end, that is, each visitor card or membership card that the player forgot to take out was inserted into (or discharged from) which card unit 3 on which date. Since it can be specified (confirmed) in the management computer 150 and these information can be used as important information for specifying the legitimate owner of the visitor card or membership card, it is easy to return these cards to the legitimate owner. .

  Next, in step Sd2, it is determined whether or not there is a counted number of balls (the number of balls in the card table).

  If the counted ball number exists, the process proceeds to step Sd3, and invalidation information including the device ID, the counted ball number (the number of balls), and the mode flag is sent to the ball management computer 150. After the transmission, the counted number of balls (the number of balls in the card table) is deleted (Sd4), and the counting invalidation process is terminated. The possession management computer 150 that has received the transmitted invalidation information stores and manages the received invalidation information as an invalidation history on that day.

  When it is determined that there is no counted ball count (when NO is determined at Sd2), and after Sd4, the inlet shutter 352 of the card unit 3 is opened at Sd21. Thereby, the pachinko ball thrown into the throwing part 345 is detected by the counting sensor 356 and collected in the game island.

  Next, in Sd22, the control unit 328 determines whether or not the counted number of balls has been updated. If it is determined that it has been updated (YES in Sd22), in Sd23, the control unit 328 transmits the updated counted number of balls to the possession management computer 150 as an invalid counted number of balls. The possession management computer 150 that has received the invalid count ball number stores and manages the received invalid count ball number as the invalidation history of the day, as in the invalidation information described above.

  When it is determined that the number of balls already counted has not been updated (when NO is determined at Sd22), and after Sd23, at Sd24, the control unit 328 has passed a predetermined time from the start of business end processing. Determine whether or not. Here, at the end of the business, the game hall attendant makes a round of the game hall, throws spilled balls and remaining balls into the throwing unit 345, and finishes counting the pachinko balls thrown. Time, for example 1 hour.

  If it is determined that the predetermined time has not elapsed (NO in Sd24), the control unit 328 returns the process to be executed to Sd22. On the other hand, if it is determined that the predetermined time has elapsed (YES in Sd24), the control unit 382 returns the process to be executed to the process at the end of business of the caller of this process.

  Next, in the business end process, the control unit 328 performs the data update process of Sk2. In this data update process, each game information data in today's data of the game information table for which update is prohibited is transmitted to the hall computer 140 together with the device ID, and the game information of the hall computer 140 is updated to the final data. After updating the previous day's data two days ago, today's data the previous day, and resetting the today's data, the card table and the member game information table are reset, and the data updating process ends.

  Next, the control unit 328 performs Sk3 storage ball discharge processing. In the stored ball discharge process, a waiting state for receiving a discharge instruction transmitted from the holding ball management computer 150 is entered. When the above-described discharge instruction is received from the possession management computer 150 in a waiting state for receiving the discharge instruction, a discharge request including the number of discharged balls (for example, the total number) is output to the control board 341 (control) of the counting / fractioning unit 340. All the pachinko balls including the pachinko balls stored in the storage unit 338 beyond the storage upper limit period and discharged from the storage unit 338 and collected. Update to "0".

  Next, the control unit 328 performs Sk4 tightening-related processing. In the closing-related processing, information such as the usage history of the prepaid balance is transmitted to the balance management computer 100, and as described above, the data such as forced cancellation history data in the absence of the seat is stored in the balance management computer 100 and the coin management. It is transmitted to both the computers 150 and stored.

  In the present embodiment, the above-described discharge history information is transmitted only to the possession management computer 150, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the remaining amount management is performed in the same manner as the forced release history data described above. By transmitting to both the computer 100 and the possession management computer 150 and storing it, the discharge history information can be confirmed even if any trouble occurs in either the remaining amount management computer 100 or the possession management computer 150. Also good.

  In response to the completion of the Sk4 tightening-related processing, the control unit 328 transmits a processing end notification including the device ID to the ball management computer 150.

  As shown in FIG. 32, the possession management computer 150 executes the storage ball transfer process in response to receiving the process end notifications from all the card units 3.

  FIG. 34 is a flowchart showing the flow of the savings transfer process executed by the possession management computer 150 according to the embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 34, in step S551, CPU 152 of possession management computer 150 determines whether or not there is a next member card that has not yet been processed in the member transition management process in the member possession management table.

  When it is determined that there is an unprocessed next member card (when YES is determined in step S552), in step S552, the CPU 152 stores the number of balls in the member possession management table corresponding to the card ID of the member card. Whether or not is stored is determined. If it is determined that the number of possessed balls is not stored (NO in step S552), CPU 152 returns the process to be executed to step S551.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that the number of possessed balls is stored (when YES is determined in step S552), in step S553, the CPU 152 sends a stored ball addition notification including the member ID of the member card and the number of retained balls. It transmits to the storage management computer 160.

  Since the storage ball addition processing executed by the storage ball management computer 160 that has received the storage ball addition notification has been described with reference to FIG. 31, repeated description will not be repeated. When the number of possessed balls is added to the number of accumulated balls by the storage management computer 160, an update completion notification is transmitted to the management unit 150.

  In step S554, CPU 152 determines whether an update completion notification has been received from storage management computer 160 or not. When determining that it has not been received (when determining NO in step S554), CPU 152 repeats the process of step S554.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that the update completion notification has been received (YES in step S554), in step S555, the CPU 152 is in the ON state in the member possession management table in association with the card ID of the member card. It is determined whether a gray flag is stored.

  If it is determined that there is no gray flag (NO in step S555), in step S556, the CPU 152 determines the number of balls stored in the member possession management table in association with the card ID of the member card. to erase. Thereafter, the CPU 152 returns the process to be executed to the process of step S551.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that there is a gray flag (YES in step S555), the CPU 152 changes the process to be executed to step S551 without deleting the number of possessions for the convenience of confirmation at a later date. return.

  When it is determined that there is no unprocessed next membership card (when NO is determined in step S551), the CPU 152 returns the process to be executed to the process of the caller of the savings transfer process.

  After the storage ball transfer process is completed, the possession management computer 150 performs a data update process as shown in FIG.

  In this data update process, all the card IDs stored in association with the device IDs included in the invalidation information (stored as invalidation history) received from the card unit 3 are extracted and correspond to the extracted card IDs. In addition, the number of possessed balls stored in the visitor possession management table is reset (erased) as invalidated, and if there is a possession number in the visitor possession management table, the number of retained balls, In other words, after adding the number of balls and card IDs that were recorded on the visitor card but not used on that day to the invalidation history, all these existing balls are reset so that the visitor on that business day All the number of balls stored in the ball management table is invalidated.

  By counting the number of balls already counted (number of balls held) included in each of these invalidation histories, the number of balls that have been invalidated in the card unit 3 (no The total number of invalidated counting balls (number of balls) including the number of balls) can be tabulated, and the total number of invalidated balls that have been tabulated and the invalidation history information are shown in the figure. As shown in FIG. 32, after the completion completion notification is transmitted to the remaining amount management computer 100, it is transmitted to the hall computer 140 and used and stored as data for accounting processing.

  As the last process in the data update process, an end completion notification is transmitted to the remaining amount management computer 100.

  Upon receipt of the completion completion notification from the possession management computer 150, the remaining amount management computer 100 detects that the completion preparation has been completed in the possession management computer 150, and proceeds to a predetermined termination process.

  FIG. 35 is a diagram showing a transition from holding balls to storage balls at the time of settlement and at the end of business in the embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 35, as explained in FIG. 30 and FIG. 31, at the time of checkout, in the prize exchange POS 170, the member player has received the number of balls of visitor cards discharged by the recovery process (unknown update) When the number of balls counted is transferred to a storage ball, a membership card and a visitor card are accepted.

  Then, the prize exchange POS 170 transmits a savings addition notification including the member ID corresponding to the accepted membership card and the number of possessed balls recorded in the accepted visitor card to the savings management computer 160.

  In the stored ball management computer 160, the number of possessed balls included in the stored ball addition notification is added to the number of stored balls stored in the member stored ball management table corresponding to the member ID included in the stored ball addition notification.

  Further, as described with reference to FIGS. 31 to 34, at the end of business, the possession management computer 150 has the number of possession balls stored in the membership possession management table corresponding to the membership card. A savings addition notification including the member ID corresponding to the membership card and the number of possessions is transmitted to the savings management computer 160.

  In the stored ball management computer 160, the number of possessed balls included in the stored ball addition notification is added to the number of stored balls stored in the member stored ball management table corresponding to the member ID included in the stored ball addition notification.

  In this way, in the gift exchange POS 170, when the visitor card discharged in the recovery process is transferred from the update unknown counted ball to the storage ball, the update unknown counted ball is duplicated and added to the storage ball. End up.

  FIG. 36 is a diagram illustrating a correction of the transition from the holding ball to the storage ball at a later business day according to the embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 36, as explained in FIG. 19, when the membership card in which the recovery information is recorded is received in the card unit 3 at the business day after the recovery process is performed, the online transaction serial number and the update are performed. A card acceptance notification including recovery information including the number of unknown count balls is transmitted to the possession management computer 150.

  As described with reference to FIG. 20, if the stored online transaction serial number and the received online transaction serial number do not match, the visitor management computer 150 has a visitor card that has been ejected in the recovery process and the internal management computer. This means that the number of balls whose update is unknown is stored in duplicate with 150.

  To recover this, the number of updated unknown counts transferred from the gift exchange POS 170 to the storage management computer 160 at the time of payment, and the update unknown count transferred from the holding management computer 150 to the storage management computer 160 at the end of business. You need to delete one of the balls.

  For this reason, when the online transaction serial number does not match by the possession management computer 150, the member ID and the update unknown count completed for subtracting the update unknown count from the number of stored balls managed by the storage management computer 160. A subtraction request including the number of balls is transmitted to the stored ball management computer 160.

  When receiving the subtraction request, the storage management computer 160 receives the number of unknown updates counted in the subtraction request from the number stored in the member storage management table corresponding to the member ID included in the subtraction request. Is subtracted.

  Thereby, it is possible to correct the number of updated unknown counted balls added to the accumulated balls in duplicate.

[Second Embodiment]
In the first embodiment, even if it is the number of balls whose update is unknown, which is the number of balls that are unclear whether it has been updated normally or not, it is added to the number of balls at the end of business, and the number of balls is stored at a later date. Recovered.

  In the second embodiment, when it is unclear whether the number of possessed balls has been updated normally and the membership card has been returned (when the gray flag is on), the number of retained balls is not added to the number of stored balls. Then, after recovering the number of possessed balls at a later date, the recovered number of retained balls is added to the number of stored balls at the end of the business day.

  FIG. 37 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the coin management computer side card reception processing executed in the coin management computer 150 used in the second embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 37, the processing from step S01 to step S10 and the processing from step S17 to step S18 are the same as the processing in the first embodiment described with reference to FIG. Does not repeat.

  If it is determined that the card is a membership card (YES in step S06), the CPU 152 of the possession management computer 150, in step S60, stores the gray flag stored in the membership possession management table corresponding to the membership card. It is determined whether or not is in an on state.

  When it is determined that the gray flag is not on (when NO is determined in step S60), the CPU 152 is the same as the processing from step S11 to step S13 of FIG. 20 and the processing of step S15 in the first embodiment. Execute the process.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that the gray flag is on (YES in step S60), in step S61, CPU 152 determines whether or not the received card reception notification includes recovery information.

  If it is determined that the recovery information is not included (NO is determined in step S61), the recovery information is not included and there is no update unknown counted ball count. In step S62, the CPU 152 sets the gray flag to ON. In this state, the gray flag is changed to an off state so that the number of possessed balls stored in the member possession ball management table becomes the number of balls having the gray flag off.

  As a result, the number of balls that have not been added to the number of stored balls is normal, so that the number of held balls is added to the number of stored balls at the end of business on the day when the gray flag is turned off.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that the recovery information is included (YES in step S61), in step S63, the CPU 152 adds the update unknown counted number of balls stored in the visitor card to the number of stored balls from the gift exchange POS 170. It is judged whether it was done.

  If it is determined that the number of stored balls has been added from the gift exchange POS 170 (when YES is determined in step S63), the number of updated unknown count balls included in the recovery information has already been added to the number of stored balls, so in step S64, The CPU 152 subtracts the number of updated unknown counted balls from the number of held balls stored in the member owned ball management table with the gray flag turned on.

  If it is determined from the prize exchange POS 170 that it has not been added to the number of stored balls (when NO is determined in step S63), the update unknown counted number of balls included in the recovery information is not added to the number of stored balls. Without executing the process, the number of possessed balls stored in the member possessing ball management table with the gray flag turned on remains unchanged.

  After that, in step S65, the CPU 152 turns off the gray flag so that the number of possessed balls stored in the member possession management table with the gray flag turned on becomes the number of possessed balls with the gray flag turned off. Change to the state.

  As a result, when the update unknown counted ball number included in the recovery information is added to the accumulated ball number from the gift exchange POS 170, the number of accumulated balls is duplicated at the end of business on the day when the gray flag is turned off. Since it is subtracted from the number of balls with the gray flag turned on and is not added to the number of stored balls from the gift exchange POS 170, the business is closed on the day when the gray flag is changed to the off state. Since it is sometimes necessary to add to the number of balls, the gray flag is not subtracted from the number of balls in the on state.

  FIG. 38 is a flowchart showing the contents of the member card return process performed in the card unit 3 used in the second embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 38, in the member card return process of the second embodiment, after the member card is returned in step S213 of the member card return process of the first embodiment described in FIG. After returning the membership card and the visitor card in step S256 and step S258, in step S267 and step S268, respectively, a return notice including a card ID indicating that the card has been returned is transmitted to the possession management computer 150. Since other processes are the same as the process of FIG. 23 of the first embodiment, the overlapping description will not be repeated.

  FIG. 39 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the holding ball management computer side card return processing executed in the holding ball management computer 150 used in the second embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 39, in the first embodiment, when CPU 152 of possession management computer 150 determines that a membership card return notice has not been received (NO in step S31), step The processing of S41 and step S42 is executed, and after step S41 and step S42, and after step S23, step S36 and step S38, the processing to be executed is returned to the processing of the caller of this processing.

  In the second embodiment, after step S36 and step S38, it is determined in step S71 whether a return notice has been received from the card unit 3.

  If it is determined that the return notification has not been received (NO in step S71), a predetermined time (for example, 1 minute) has elapsed since the card update result was transmitted to the card unit 3 in step S72. Determine whether or not. If it is determined that it has not elapsed, the process to be executed is returned to step S71.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the predetermined time has elapsed without receiving the return notification (when YES is determined in step S72), in step S73, the CPU 152 has a membership corresponding to the card ID included in the return notification. The gray flag stored in the ball management table is changed to the on state.

  When it is determined that the return notification has been received (when YES is determined in step S71) and after step S73, the CPU 152 returns the process to be executed to the caller process of this process.

  FIGS. 40 to 43 are first to fourth diagrams showing exchange of information between the possession management computer 150 and the card unit 3 at the time of card reception and card return in the second embodiment of the present invention, respectively. It is. 40 to 43, in the second embodiment, after the membership card is returned and the membership card and the visitor card are returned in the first embodiment, the card unit If the return notification is transmitted from 3 to the possession management computer 150 and the possession management computer 150 determines whether or not the return notification is received, Make sure the gray flag is on.

  FIG. 44 is a flowchart showing the flow of the storage ball transfer process executed by the possession management computer 150 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 44, step S551 and step S552 are the same as the processing of the first embodiment described with reference to FIG. 34, and therefore, overlapping description will not be repeated.

  When it is determined that the number of possessed balls is stored (when it is determined YES in step S552), in step S557, the CPU 152 of the retained ball management computer 150 manages the member possession balls corresponding to the card ID of the member card. It is determined whether or not the gray flag in the on state is stored in the table.

  When it is determined that the gray flag is not on (when NO is determined in step S557), the CPU 152 executes the processing of steps S553 and S554 in FIG. 34 of the first embodiment. That is, a storage ball addition notification including the member ID of the member card and the number of balls is transmitted to the storage ball management computer 160 and an update completion notification is received from the storage ball management computer 160.

  If it is determined that an update completion notification has been received (YES in step S554), the process similar to the process in step S555 of FIG. 34 of the first embodiment is already executed in step S557. In step S556, the CPU 152 stores the number of coins stored in the member possession management table in association with the card ID of the member card in the same manner as in step S556 in FIG. 34 of the first embodiment. Erase. Thereafter, the CPU 152 returns the process to be executed to the process of step S551.

  FIG. 45 is a diagram illustrating a transition from a holding ball to a storage ball at the time of settlement and at the end of business in the second embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 45, the flow at the time of payment is the same as that in FIG. 35 of the first embodiment, and therefore, repeated description will not be repeated.

  Also, as explained in FIG. 44, at the end of business, unlike FIG. 35 of the first embodiment, the possession management computer 150 is stored in the membership possession management table corresponding to the membership card. In addition to the case where there is a number of possessed balls, when a gray flag that is on corresponding to the membership card is not stored, a savings addition notification including the membership ID and the number of possessions corresponding to the membership card is issued. , Is transmitted to the storage management computer 160.

  In the storage management computer 160, as in FIG. 35 of the first embodiment, the number of possessions included in the storage addition notification is stored in the member storage management table corresponding to the member ID included in the storage addition notification. It is added to the number of stored balls.

  That is, even if there is a number of balls, if the gray flag is stored, the number of balls is not added to the number of balls at the end of business.

  FIG. 46 is a diagram illustrating correction of the transition from the holding ball to the storage ball at the later business day according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 46, as described with reference to FIG. 19 of the first embodiment, the membership card in which the recovery information is recorded is received in the card unit 3 at the business day after the recovery process is performed. Then, a card reception notification including recovery information including the online transaction serial number and the number of balls whose update is unknown is transmitted to the possession management computer 150.

  In the possession management computer 150, as described with reference to FIG. 37, whether or not the gray flag in the member possession management table corresponding to the card ID included in the received card reception notification is on. Is judged. When it is determined that the gray flag is on, it is determined whether or not recovery information is included in the received card reception notification.

  If it is determined that the recovery information is not included, there is no update unknown count ball, so the number of balls stored in the member's own ball management table with the gray flag turned on is the number of balls held in the gray flag off state. The gray flag is changed to an off state in order to obtain the number of possessed balls.

  Thereby, since the number of balls that have not been added to the number of stored balls is normal, the number of held balls is added to the number of stored balls at the end of business on the day when the gray flag is changed to the off state.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that the recovery information is included, it is determined whether or not the update unknown counted number of balls stored in the visitor card has been added to the number of stored balls from the gift exchange POS 170.

  When added to the number of stored balls from the gift exchange POS 170, the update unknown counted number of balls included in the recovery information has already been added to the number of stored balls, so it is stored in the member possession management table with the gray flag turned on. The number of balls whose update is unknown is subtracted from the number of holding balls, and the gray flag is changed to an off state.

  On the other hand, if it has not been added to the number of stored balls from the gift exchange POS 170, the number of balls that have not been updated and included in the recovery information is not added to the number of stored balls, so the number of held balls is left as it is and the gray flag is off. It is changed to the state.

  As a result, if the number of updated unknown counts included in the recovery information is added to the number of stored balls from the gift exchange POS 170, the number of stored balls is duplicated at the end of business on the day when the gray flag is turned off. Is not subtracted from the number of stored balls when the gray flag is on, and if the number is not added to the number of stored balls from the gift exchange POS 170, at the end of business on the day when the gray flag is changed to off. Since it is necessary to add to the number of accumulated balls, the gray flag is not subtracted from the number of balls in the on state.

  (1-1) As described above, according to the first embodiment, the gaming system manages the number of possessions acquired by the player in the game in association with the card ID or member ID of the member card or visitor card. Can communicate with the holding ball management computer 150, the storage ball management computer 160 that manages the number of balls acquired and stored by the player in association with the member ID of the member card, and the holding ball management computer 150 and the storage ball management computer 160. Card unit 3 arranged corresponding to each pachinko gaming machine 2.

  As described with reference to FIG. 10, the card unit 3 stores the number of balls to be updated by addition or subtraction in accordance with the game. As described in step S251 of FIG. 23, when the number of balls managed by the ball management computer 150 is updated by the card unit 3 based on the number of balls stored, the card management computer 150 It is determined whether or not there is an abnormality in communication with the possession management computer 150 that may cause a mismatch between the number of retained balls and the number of retained balls stored in the card unit 3. As described in step Sa08 of FIG. 19, the card unit 3 notifies the coin management computer 150 of a card reception notification including recovery information indicating that a communication abnormality has occurred based on the determination result of the communication abnormality. . As described in steps S553 and S554 in FIG. 34 and steps S601 to S604 in FIG. 31, the possession system managed by the possession management computer 150 in the game end-of-business process by the gaming system. The number of balls is shifted to the number of balls managed by the ball management computer 160. As described in steps S11 to S14 in FIG. 20, the gaming system determines whether or not a communication abnormality has occurred with respect to the number of balls already transferred based on the card reception notification. As described in step S <b> 16 of FIG. 20, the gaming system corrects the number of stored balls managed by the stored ball management computer 160 based on the determination result.

  For this reason, since the number of possessed balls is transferred to the number of stored balls regardless of whether there is a communication abnormality, compared to the case where it is not possible to transfer, it is possible to prevent distrust to the player and communication When there is an abnormality, the number of stored balls is corrected, so that the number of held balls and the number of stored balls can be managed appropriately. As a result, the number of stored balls can be managed so as not to give distrust to the player.

  (1-2) Also, according to the first embodiment, as described in steps S551 to S554 in FIG. 34 and step S556 in FIG. The number of possessed balls is transferred to the number of stored balls at a time, and the number of retained balls is deleted. For this reason, since it is made to transfer collectively, the processing load of transfer can be reduced. In addition, since the number of possessed balls is deleted when the number of stored balls is shifted, the value is not managed redundantly, and double management can be prevented.

  (1-3) Also, according to the first embodiment, as described in step S41 of FIG. 24, the number of possessed balls managed by the possessed ball management computer 150 is managed. It is determined whether or not there is an abnormality in communication with the card unit 3 that may occur after the fraud between the number of held balls and the number of held balls stored in the card unit 3. As described in step S42 in FIG. 24, when the possession management computer 150 determines that there is a communication abnormality, a gray flag indicating that there is a communication abnormality is stored in association with the number of possessed balls managed. Is done. For this reason, it is possible to easily identify a ball having a possibility of abnormality.

  (1-4) Further, according to the first embodiment described above, the number of balls with the gray flag turned on in steps S555 and S556 in FIG. The number of balls to be updated in communication determined to have been held is retained after being transferred to the number of stored balls. As described in step S16 of FIG. 20, the number of held balls is referred to by the gaming system to correct the number of stored balls. For this reason, it is possible to prevent an unauthorized correction of the number of stored balls.

  (1-5) As explained in the transmission of the processing request at the end of business in FIG. 32, the processing request at the end of business is transmitted to the card unit 3 by the possession management computer 150 in the processing at the end of business. The pachinko balls acquired by the player are counted by the counting / fractional payout unit 340 of the card unit 3, and the number of possessed balls is updated and stored based on the counted number of pachinko balls. As described in step S218 in FIG. 22, step S213 in FIG. 23, step S256, and step S258, the card ID, which is information that can specify the number of held balls by the card reader / writer 327 of the card unit 3, A discharge process for discharging the member card or visitor card in which the member ID or the number of balls is recorded is performed. As described in step Sd4 and step Sd7 in FIG. 33, when the card unit 3 receives a processing end-time processing request from the possession management computer 150, the number of possessions is stored as a condition. An invalidation process for invalidating the number of balls is performed without the discharge process.

  In each card unit 3, if the number of possessed balls is stored at the end of business, the next day's business will be hindered. For this reason, in order not to use the number of possessed balls, the number of retained balls may be specified from the visitor card, the visitor card may be discharged, and the number of retained balls may be erased from the card unit 3. However, it takes time to collect the visitor card and erase the number of balls that can be specified from the visitor card.

  In this way, if the number of held balls is invalidated without discharging the visitor card whose number of held balls can be specified, it is stored in the card unit 3 without increasing the burden on these operations. It is possible to keep the number of holding balls as it is without any hindrance to business.

  (1-6) As described in the transmission of the processing request at the end of business in FIG. 32, the processing request at the end of business is transmitted to the card unit 3 by the possession management computer 150 in the processing at the end of business. The pachinko balls acquired by the player are counted by the counting / fractional payout unit 340 of the card unit 3, and the number of possessed balls is updated and stored based on the counted number of pachinko balls. In step S23 of FIG. 33 (b), the counted number of balls is transmitted to the possession management computer 150 as an invalid count number of balls, so that it is not substantially counted as a possession ball of any player. As a result, the card unit 3 prohibits the counting of pachinko balls after the end-of-business-time processing request from the holding ball management computer 150 is received.

  For example, when there is a pachinko ball that is left in the pachinko machine 2 or the game hall, it is necessary to count the pachinko ball as an invalid pachinko ball with a specific device (for example, an island edge counter). There was a problem that it took time and effort. Thus, if counting of pachinko balls is prohibited at the end of business, pachinko gaming machines 2 and pachinko balls left in the amusement park are thrown into the card units 3 installed in the amusement hall. Then, since the pachinko balls can be counted as invalid pachinko balls, the work load can be reduced.

  (2-1) In addition, according to the second embodiment, the gaming system manages the number of possessions acquired by the player in the game in association with the card ID or member ID of the member card or visitor card. Can communicate with the holding ball management computer 150, the storage ball management computer 160 that manages the number of balls acquired and stored by the player in association with the member ID of the member card, and the holding ball management computer 150 and the storage ball management computer 160. Card unit 3 arranged corresponding to each pachinko gaming machine 2.

  As described with reference to FIG. 10, the card unit 3 stores the number of balls to be updated by addition or subtraction in accordance with the game. As described in step S41, step S71, and step S72 in FIG. 39, when the number of possessed balls managed by the possessed ball management computer 150 is updated based on the acquired value stored in the card unit 3. Then, it is determined whether or not there is an abnormality in communication with the card unit 3 in which a mismatch occurs between the number of managed balls and the number of balls stored in the card unit 3. As described in steps S62 and S64 of FIG. 37, the possession management computer 150 corrects the inconsistency in the number of possessed balls based on the communication abnormality with the card unit 3. As described in steps S553 and S554 of FIG. 44 and steps S601 to S604 of FIG. 31, the possession system managed by the possession management computer 150 by the gaming system in the processing at the end of the game hall. The number of balls is shifted to the number of balls managed by the ball management computer 160. If the gray flag in the on state corresponding to the number of balls is stored in the storage ball transfer process of FIG. 44, the processing for adding the number of balls in step S553 to the number of stored balls is not executed. When it is determined that there is an abnormality, the transition of the number of possessed balls to the number of accumulated balls is limited. At the same time, the gray flag is turned off in step S62 and step S65 in FIG. 37, so that NO is determined in step S557 in FIG. 44 at the end of the business day, and the number of possessed balls shifts to the number of stored balls in step S553. Thus, when the inconsistency in the number of possessed balls is corrected, the transition of the number of retained balls in which the transition is limited to the number of stored balls is allowed.

  For this reason, if there is a communication error, the number of balls will not be transferred to the number of stored balls, so compared to the case where it is transferred, the number of uncertain balls can be prevented from being transferred to the number of stored balls. The number of stored balls can be kept from being indeterminate. In addition, when there is a communication error, the transition from the number of balls to the number of stored balls is limited, and after correcting the inconsistency in the number of balls, the number of balls is transferred to the number of stored balls. Thus, it is possible to manage the number of stored balls when there is a communication abnormality. As a result, the number of stored balls can be reliably managed, and the processing for managing the number of stored balls can be prevented from becoming complicated.

  (2-2) Further, according to the second embodiment, at the end of business on the day when the inconsistency in the number of balls is corrected, in step S553 in FIG. The game system shifts the number of possessed balls to the number of stored balls in the closing process on the day when the inconsistency in the number of balls is corrected. For this reason, even if you do not prepare special processing for transferring the number of balls that have been corrected for inconsistencies, the number of balls that have been corrected for inconsistencies in the normal closing process Can be migrated to.

  (2-3) Also, according to the second embodiment, as described in steps S551 to S554 in FIG. 44 and step S556 in FIG. The number of possessed balls is transferred to the number of stored balls at a time, and the number of retained balls is deleted. For this reason, since it is made to transfer collectively, the processing load of transfer can be reduced. In addition, since the number of possessed balls is deleted when the number of stored balls is shifted, the value is not managed redundantly, and double management can be prevented.

  (2-4) Also, according to the second embodiment, the number of balls with the gray flag turned on and the gray flag are not erased in steps S557 and S556 of FIG. The gray flag indicating that it is determined that there is a communication abnormality is retained after the transfer of the number of balls to be updated in the communication is limited. As described in steps S61 to S65 in FIG. 37, the gaming system refers to the held gray flag and corrects the inconsistency in the number of balls. For this reason, the correction | amendment of the inconsistency of an improper acquisition value can be prevented.

  (3-1) Further, according to the above embodiment, the card unit 3 counts pachinko balls specially acquired by the player, and based on the count, the number of pachinko balls acquired by the player can be specified. A payout process for paying out pachinko balls within the range of the number of pachinko balls specified by the stored number of balls is stored, and the number of pachinko balls counted is calculated from the number of held balls It is added to the number of pachinko balls specified, and the number of pachinko balls paid out is subtracted from the number of pachinko balls specified from the stored number of balls, and a member card on which a member ID is recorded is accepted. When the operation of the return button is accepted, the card unit 3 stores the number of balls managed by the ball management computer 150 in association with the member ID recorded on the member card being accepted. Holding When a member card return notice is sent to add the number, the member card is ejected, and the operation of the return button is accepted when the member card is not accepted, the number of retained balls is The number is recorded on the visitor card that can record the number, the visitor card is discharged, and the stored number of held balls is updated based on the number of held balls recorded on the accepted visitor card.

  Based on the membership card return notification, the possession management computer 150 updates the number of possessed balls managed in association with the member ID recorded on the membership card. If the card unit 3 determines whether it is online or offline with the possession management computer 150, and if a return button operation is accepted when the membership card is accepted, it is determined that the card is offline. On the condition that the member card has been accepted, the received member card is ejected, and the ejecting process when communication is impossible is executed in which the number of held balls is recorded on the visitor card and ejected.

  Therefore, even if the card unit 3 and the ball management computer 150 are offline when the return button is operated, the number of balls acquired by the player is recorded on the visitor card and discharged, and then the visitor The number of pachinko balls indicated by the game value recorded on the card is paid out by the other card unit 3 and can be used for the game in the gaming machine corresponding to the card unit 3. As a result, even if communication between the holding ball management computer 150 and the card unit 3 becomes impossible during the game, the pachinko balls acquired and counted in the game in the gaming machine corresponding to the card unit 3 are used. The other card unit 3 can be used for a game in the corresponding gaming machine.

  (3-2) According to the above embodiment, the card update result indicating that the number of possessed balls has been updated by the possession management computer 150 in spite of transmitting the membership card return notice by the card unit 3. Ejection processing when communication is impossible is executed on condition that there is no reply. For this reason, when it becomes an offline state after operation of a return button is accepted, the number of balls stored in the card unit 3 can be recorded on the visitor card and discharged.

  (3-3) Moreover, according to the said embodiment, when the card unit 3 performs a discharge process when communication is impossible, the number of balls updated on the card unit 3 side is the side of the ball management computer 150 side. The recovery information including the online transaction serial number for checking and correcting whether or not it has been updated and the number of updated unknown counted balls is recorded on the discharged membership card. Thereafter, when the membership card in which the recovery information is recorded is received by the separate card unit 3, the recovery information and the member ID recorded in the membership card are transmitted to the possession management computer 150. Then, the coin management computer 150 receives the recovery information and the member ID transmitted from the separate card unit 3, and manages the number of coins managed in association with the received member ID according to the received recovery information. Is corrected.

  For this reason, the number of possessed balls managed in association with the member ID of the membership card discharged in the offline state is corrected by using the own ball management computer 150 and the separate card unit 3 that is not in the offline state. As a result, it is possible to appropriately manage the number of balls in the possession management computer 150 without waiting for the card unit 3 that has entered the offline state to enter the online state.

  (3-4) Moreover, according to the said embodiment, based on having received operation of the return button by the card unit 3, the memorize | stored online transaction serial number is updated. The stored online transaction serial number is updated by the owned ball management computer 150 based on the updated number of owned balls. The recovery information including the stored online transaction serial number is transmitted by the separate card unit 3. From the online transaction serial number included in the recovery information received from the separate card unit 3 by the own ball management computer 150 and the online transaction serial number stored in the member possession ball management table of FIG. It is determined whether or not the number has been updated, and when it is determined that the number of balls has been updated, the number of balls is corrected. When it is determined that the number of balls is not updated, the number of balls is not corrected.

  For this reason, it is possible to accurately determine whether or not the number of possessed balls needs to be corrected by the online transaction serial number. As a result, the proper management of the number of balls in the ball management computer 150 can be further ensured.

  (3-5) Also, according to the above embodiment, when the recovery information is received by the possession management computer 150, a card reception result indicating that the recovery information has been received is transmitted to the different card unit 3. Is done. The recovery information recorded on the accepted membership card is erased based on the reception of the card acceptance result transmitted from the possession management computer 150 by the separate card unit 3.

  For this reason, the recovery information can be erased after the recovery information has surely arrived at the possession management computer 150. As a result, it is possible to prevent the recovery information from being erased even though it has not reached the possession management computer 150 and the number of possessions from being properly managed.

  (4-1) Moreover, according to the said embodiment, the pachinko ball which the player acquired by the card unit 3 is counted, the number of possession balls is memorize | stored based on count, and it is specified by the memorized number of possession balls. The payout process for paying out pachinko balls within the range of the number of pachinko balls to be executed is executed, and the counted number of pachinko balls is added to the number of pachinko balls specified from the stored number of balls, and the payout is performed. The number of pachinko balls received is subtracted from the number of pachinko balls specified from the stored number of balls, a membership card is received, and it is determined whether it is online or offline with the ball management computer 150 If the return button operation is accepted, the coin management computer is associated with the card ID recorded on the accepted membership card on the condition that it is determined to be online. The number of lifting balls 50 is managing membership card return notification for causing adding the number of lifting balls stored is transmitted, the membership card is discharged.

  When the number of possessions managed in association with the card ID recorded on the membership card is updated by the possession management computer 150 in accordance with the membership card return notification, and the number of possessions cannot be updated. The card update result of the update NG is transmitted to the card unit 3. When the operation of the return button is accepted by the card unit 3, a recording process of recording the number of held balls on a visitor card capable of recording the number of held balls on condition that it is determined to be in an offline state. When the card update result of the update NG is received, the recording process is performed by shifting to the disconnected state where the offline state is determined.

  For this reason, when the operation of the return button is accepted, the number of held balls transmitted from the card unit 3 cannot be updated in the held ball management computer 150 under the condition that it is determined that the offline state has been determined. Therefore, it is not necessary to prepare special processing corresponding to the case where the number of possessions cannot be updated in the possession management computer 150, and the number of possessions of the player is guaranteed. it can.

  (4-2) According to the above embodiment, the card unit 3 does not send a reply indicating that the number of possessed balls has been updated by the possessed ball management computer 150 even though the membership card return notification has been transmitted. The recording process is executed on the condition. For this reason, the number of balls stored in the card unit 3 when the offline button operation is accepted after the return button operation is accepted can be recorded in the visitor card.

  (4-3) According to the above embodiment, the card unit 3 ejects the accepted membership card and the visitor card on which the number of held balls is recorded as a recording process. Ejection processing when communication is impossible is executed.

  For this reason, even if the card unit 3 and the ball management computer 150 are in an offline state when the return button is operated, the number of balls that can identify the number of pachinko balls acquired by the player is recorded on the visitor card. Discharged. As a result, information capable of specifying the number of possessed balls can be issued to the player, so that the player can easily receive a guarantee.

  (4-4) Further, according to the above embodiment, even when the recording state is shifted to the disconnected state, the normal state is restored thereafter. For this reason, it is possible to prevent the card unit 3 from being left in a disconnected state and not being used for games during that time.

  (5-1) Moreover, according to the said embodiment, it has the storage parts 338 and 413 which store the pachinko ball in the counting and fraction dispensing units 340 and 400, and the pachinko stored in the storage parts 338 and 413 Since a fraction of pachinko balls are paid out from the balls, it is possible to eliminate the complication of the card unit 3 caused by providing a supply path.

  (5-2) According to the above embodiment, in the card unit 3 which is a gaming device, the return passage 335 for returning the fractional pachinko ball to the player is provided inside the counting / fractional payout unit 340. Compared to the case where a return path is provided for returning and supplying pachinko balls discharged from the center of the card unit, which is well implemented in the past, to the upper plate of the pachinko machine, for example. It can be avoided that the return passage 335 becomes an obstacle or an obstacle to the game.

  (5-3) Further, according to the above embodiment, when the counted number of balls is only a fraction, the fraction is paid out in accordance with the operation of the payout button 311. The user can select to pay out these fractional pachinko balls or leave these fractional pachinko balls without paying them out by performing / not performing the operation of these payout buttons 311.

  (5-4) Moreover, according to the said embodiment, since the pachinko ball currently stored by the storage part 338 can be discharged to the connection rod 344, the same pachinko ball is stored by the storage part 338 over a long period of time. It is possible to prevent the occurrence of defects such as degeneration of pachinko balls due to continuing, and to easily identify the card unit 3 in which no pachinko balls are stored in the storage unit 338 by performing these discharges, Pachinko balls can be replenished accurately.

  (5-5) Moreover, according to the said embodiment, the storage upper limit period in which the storage period of the pachinko ball currently stored by the storage part 338 is set on the storage ball discharge | emission setting screen of the possession management computer 150 is set. In the case of exceeding, since a discharge instruction is transmitted from the holding ball management computer 150 and the pachinko balls stored in the storage unit 338 are surely discharged, the same pachinko balls are stored in the storage unit 338 for a long time. It is possible to reliably prevent the occurrence of defects such as degeneration of pachinko balls due to continuing being performed.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and the present invention can be changed or added without departing from the scope of the present invention. include.

  (1) For example, in the above-described embodiment, it is determined that the update of the online transaction serial number at the time of returning the membership card in the card unit 3 has received the card update result from the possession management computer 150 in S212 + of FIG. This is done in S266 on condition that this is the case.

  However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the update of the online transaction serial number at the time of returning the member card in the card unit 3 is performed after determining that there has been a return operation in Sb5 of FIG. 17, and then in S211 of the member card return process of FIG. It may be made until the card return notification including the online transaction serial number is transmitted to the possession management computer 150 in this process. In this case, when it is determined that the serial numbers match in S13 of the card management computer side card reception process in FIG. 20, the number of balls is corrected in step S15 or step S16, and it is determined that they do not match. If this happens, the number of balls is not corrected in step S15 or step S16.

  (2) Further, after the online transaction serial number is updated in S266 in FIG. 23, the online transaction serial number stored in the card table is reset in S214 without using the online transaction serial number in particular. When the member card is returned at 3, the online transaction serial number may not be updated at S266.

  (3) In the above-described embodiment, is there a visitor card stock when the visitor card is ejected, for example, when data is recorded on the visitor card and ejected at S257 and S258 in FIG. The process of confirming whether or not is not particularly described. However, it is preferable to check whether or not there is a visitor card stock and, if not, to notify the outside.

  (4) In the embodiment described above, the membership card in which the recovery information is recorded is received by another card unit 3 different from the card unit 3 from which the membership card is discharged, and the number of balls is corrected. The processing was done.

  However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the member card in which the recovery information is recorded may be received after returning to the online state by the card unit 3 from which the member card is discharged.

  (5) In addition, the membership card in which the recovery information is recorded is received by a gaming device having a function of receiving the membership card (for example, a gift exchange POS 170, a payment machine, a game-related data providing device, etc.) The correction process may be performed.

  (6) In the above-described embodiment, the card unit 3 includes the counting / fractioning unit 340. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the counting / fractioning unit 340 may be configured separately from the card unit 3.

  (7) In the above-described embodiment, as a process of paying out the pachinko balls in Sb21 and Sb24 of FIG. 17, the card unit 3 sends a signal for causing the pachinko machine 2 to pay out the pachinko balls. By transmitting, the card unit 3 performs the process of paying out the pachinko balls indirectly. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the card unit 3 may directly perform a process of paying out pachinko balls.

  (8) In the above-described embodiment, no matter how many times the card update result from the possession management computer 150 is determined to be NG in S261 of the membership card return process in FIG. 23, in S259 and S264, Added an operation to return to the online state. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and if the card update result from the possession management computer 150 is determined to be NG a predetermined number of times, the card may be put on standby without performing an operation for returning to the online state.

  In this way, in the unstable state where the possession management computer 150 repeats the inability to update the number of possessions, it is possible to prevent the operation for returning more than necessary.

  (9) In the above-described embodiment, the operation of the counting operation unit 355 causes the inlet switch 352 to be opened in response to the operation of the counting switch 355 ′ included in the counting operation unit 355. It was to so. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and in addition, if there is an operation such as depositing or inserting a card, the inlet shutter 352 may be opened, and there is no operation such as depositing or paying out for a certain period of time. The inlet shutter may be closed.

  (10) Further, in the above embodiment, when the banknote is received in the card unit in a state where the card is not inserted, the visitor card is always issued and the prepaid balance is recorded. Is not limited to this. For example, when 1000 yen which is a low-value bill is received, all the pachinko balls corresponding to the 1000 yen are paid out from the corresponding pachinko machine 2, You may not issue a visitor card.

  (11) Further, in the above-described embodiment, the member management computer 150 also manages the members. However, the present invention is not limited to this. You may make it implement in this computer.

  (12) Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the number of holding balls acquired on the day and the number of saving balls acquired before the day are illustrated individually as a member's saving ball number, the form of this invention is illustrated. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the number of balls acquired on the day may be managed as the number of balls stored in a unified manner.

  (13) In the above embodiment, an example in which both a membership card and a visitor card are used is illustrated, but the present invention is not limited to this, and either the membership card or the visitor card is used. It is good also as a system which uses only.

  (14) In the embodiment, the membership card and the visitor card make it possible to specify the prepaid frequency that is the value for gaming, and the specified prepaid frequency can be used for the game. It is not limited to this, and these membership cards and visitor cards are those for which the prepaid frequency that is a game value cannot be specified, that is, the membership card can specify only the number of possessed balls and the number of stored balls. Yes, the visitor card may be able to specify the number of balls.

  (15) In the embodiment, in the count invalidation process in the termination process, it is determined whether or not there is a counted number of balls or a number of balls in Sd2 and Sd6. Only when the number of balls is available, the number of balls already counted is invalidated (reset) and the number of balls held and the date is deleted. When there is no card, unnecessary invalidation (reset) or erasure causes unnecessary processing time and processing load to be consumed, and it is possible to prevent the number of times the card is rewritten from being wasted. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the number of balls counted and the number of balls possessed is 0 without determining whether or not there is a ball count or ball count in Sd2 and Sd6. There Invalidation (reset) or erasure, that is, invalidation processing to invalidate the number of counting game media based on receiving a processing request at the end of business, or the number of balls recorded on the visitor card The erasing process may be performed uniquely.

  (16) In the above-described embodiment, the possession management computer 150 and the storage management computer 160 are configured separately. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the possession management computer 150 and the storage management computer 160 may be configured integrally.

  (17) In the above-described embodiment, it is determined by the possession management computer 150 that a communication abnormality has occurred when the possession count is updated by transmitting the possession count from the card unit 3 to the possession management computer. The gray flag is now turned on when the However, the present invention is not limited to this, and if the card unit 3 determines that a communication abnormality has occurred when the number of possessed balls is updated, the card unit 3 will indicate that such a determination has been made after the communication is restored. It may be transmitted to the ball management computer, and when the fact is received by the possession ball management computer, the gray flag may be turned on.

  (18) In the first embodiment described above, as described with reference to FIG. 24, the possession management computer 150 does not receive a visitor card return notification or a membership card return notification, but in step S41, When it is determined that a card reception notification with a different card ID has been received, it is determined that there has been a communication abnormality with the card unit 3.

  In the second embodiment described above, as described with reference to FIG. 39, in addition to the determination in step S41, the possession management computer 150 transmits a card update result to the card unit 3 and then performs predetermined processing. When it is determined that the return notice has been received from the card unit 3 within the time, it is determined that there is a communication abnormality with the card unit 3.

  However, the method of determining whether or not there is an abnormality in communication with the card unit 3, which may cause a mismatch between the number of held balls and the number of held balls stored in the card unit 3. As long as it is not limited to this, another method may be used.

  For example, after the coin management computer 150 receives the membership card return notification from the card unit 3, the communication status with the card unit 3 is periodically monitored (for example, every few seconds). If an offline state is detected before it is confirmed that the membership card has been returned (for example, before receiving a return notice), it is determined that there has been a communication abnormality with the card unit 3. Also good.

  In addition, the acquired card ID has changed even though the coin management computer 150 periodically acquires the card ID of the card accepted by the card unit 3 and has not received the card return notification. In this case, it may be determined that there is a communication abnormality with the card unit 3 when the previously accepted card is returned.

  (19) In the first embodiment described above, the possession management computer 150 stores the recovery information in the accepted membership card, and the succession management computer 150 stores the serial number of the recovery information. If it is not the same as the serial number and the recovery information is not on the day of recording on the membership card, the number of balls has been updated normally, so it is determined that the number of balls is duplicated and added to the number of balls, In step S16 of FIG. 20, a process for subtracting the number of stored balls is performed.

  However, the method is not limited to this as long as it can determine whether or not the number of possessed balls is already reflected in the number of stored balls, and other methods may be used. For example, there is a method of comparing the communication history of the number of balls in the card unit 3 with the history of updating the number of balls in the ball management computer 150 and the history of updating the number of balls in the storage ball management computer 160. Also good.

  For example, there is a history in which the number of possessed balls is transmitted from the card unit 3, and there is a history in which the number of retained balls is updated by the possessed ball management computer 150. If there is a history, it is determined that the number of possessed balls has already been reflected in the number of accumulated balls. In this case, the membership card in which the recovery information is recorded and the visitor card in which the number of possessed balls is not discharged, so the number of retained balls will not be reflected in the number of accumulated balls. In this embodiment, it is determined that it is not necessary to correct the number of balls in the second embodiment.

  In addition, if there is a history that there was a communication error when the number of possessed balls was transmitted from the card unit 3 and the membership card with the recovery information recorded and the visitor card with the number of retained balls were ejected, the communication error would occur. Regardless, if there is a history that the number of possessions has been updated by the possession management computer 150 and there is a history that the number of accumulated balls has been updated with the number of possessions at the end of the day, the number of retained balls is already reflected in the number of accumulated balls It is determined that In this case, since the number of possessed balls recorded on the visitor card is basically reflected in the number of accumulated balls, the number of retained balls is reflected in the accumulated number of balls in duplicate. In the second embodiment, it is determined that it is necessary to correct the number of stored balls, and in the second embodiment, it is necessary to correct the number of held balls (specifically, subtract the number of held balls on the day of communication abnormality). .

  On the other hand, if the card unit 3 has sent the number of possessed balls but there is a history of communication abnormality, and the member card with the recovery information recorded and the visitor card with the number of possessed balls are discharged, If there is no history in which the number of possessed balls has been updated in the possessed ball management computer 150 and there is no history in which the number of accumulated balls has been updated at the end of the day, the number of retained balls is still reflected in the number of accumulated balls. Judge that there is no. In this case, since the number of possessed balls recorded in the visitor card is basically reflected in the number of accumulated balls, the number of retained balls is reflected in the number of accumulated balls. Therefore, in the first embodiment, In the second embodiment, it is determined that there is no need to correct the number of balls. As a result, in the first embodiment, the number of balls is kept, and in the second embodiment, the number of balls is kept as it is.

  (20) In the above-described embodiment, the recovery information is recorded on the membership card when offline, and if the recovery information is recorded on the membership card accepted in the online state, the coin management computer 150 is notified. Based on the determination result of the communication abnormality on the card unit 3 side, information indicating that there was a communication abnormality is notified to the possession management computer 150.

  However, the present invention is not limited to this, and on the condition that the card unit 3 is changed from the offline state to the online state on or after that day, an abnormality that occurred during the offline, for example, recovery information recorded on the member card, You may make it notify to the possession management computer 150 as information which shows that there was communication abnormality.

  (21) In the above-described embodiment, when the gray flag is turned on in step S42 in FIG. 24, the ball management computer 150 determines that there is a communication abnormality with the card unit 3, Information indicating that there was a communication abnormality was stored in association with the number of managed balls.

  However, the present invention is not limited to this. By storing the card IDs of the member cards having communication errors as a list, there is a communication error in association with the number of possessed balls corresponding to the card ID being managed. The information may be stored.

  (22) In the above-described embodiment, as described in step S62 and step S64 in FIG. 37, the number of held balls is automatically corrected. However, the present invention is not limited to this as long as it corrects the inconsistency in the number of balls based on an abnormality in communication with the card unit 3. For example, the number of balls may be corrected by a store clerk's operation.

  (23) In the above-described embodiment, the gray flag is turned off in steps S62 and S65 in FIG. 37, so that NO is determined in step S557 in FIG. 44 at the end of the business day, and in step S553. The number of holdings is now transferred to the number of stored balls.

  However, this is not limited to this, as long as it allows the transition of the limited number of balls to the number of stored balls when the mismatch of the number of balls is corrected, The number of held balls may be transferred to the number of stored balls as soon as it is corrected.

  (24) In the above-described embodiment, a predetermined number of game balls are paid out in accordance with the ball lending operation within the range of the value owned by the player, such as the prepaid balance, the number of held balls, and the number of stored balls. A game is played by sequentially hitting the game balls into the game area, a predetermined number of game balls are paid out according to the detection of the winning, and the game balls acquired according to the counting operation of the player are counted and counted. A payout-type game machine with a function of counting each vehicle, which associates a game value capable of specifying the number of game balls with a game recording medium such as a membership card or a visitor card, has been described.

  However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a game ball is played in the game area according to an operation of driving the player's game ball into the game area within the range of the game value possessed by the player, such as a prepaid balance, the number of balls, and the number of balls stored. The game value is added to the game value owned by the player according to the detection of winning, and the game value owned by the player is added to the membership card or The above-described embodiment may be applied to other types of gaming machines to which the above-described embodiment can be applied, such as a ball-enclosed gaming machine associated with a game recording medium such as a visitor card.

  (25) 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.

  2 Pachinko machine, 3 card unit, 100 balance management computer, 102 CPU, 105 storage device, 106 input device, 107 display device, 109 communication unit, 140 hall computer, 150 coin management computer, 152 CPU, 155 storage device, 156 Input device, 157 display device, 160 storage management computer, 162 CPU, 165 storage device, 166 input device, 167 display device, 170 free gift exchange POS terminal, 309 card insertion slot, 312 display unit, 314 transparent touch panel, 315 IR light receiving unit , 321 banknote identification unit, 327 card reader / writer, 328 control unit, 334 communication unit, 335 return passage, 337 discharge channel, 338 storage unit, 340 counting / fraction dispensing unit, 341 control group , 344 connecting gutter 345 feeding section, 347 counting channel, 350 control unit, 353 payout motor, 355 counting operation unit, 356 counting sensor, 370 card storage portion.

Claims (1)

A first management device for managing the acquired value acquired by the player in the game in association with the identification information of the game recording medium, and the saving value acquired and stored by the player corresponding to the identification information of the game recording medium A gaming system including a second management device that is attached and a gaming device that is communicable with the first management device and the second management device and is arranged corresponding to each gaming machine. And
The gaming device is:
Acquired value storage means for storing the acquired value updated by addition or subtraction in accordance with the game;
When the acquired value managed by the first management device is updated based on the acquired value stored in the acquired value storage means, the acquired value managed by the first management device and the acquired value A gaming apparatus side communication abnormality determining means for determining whether or not there is a communication abnormality with the first management apparatus that may cause inconsistency with the acquired value stored in the acquired value storage means;
An abnormality notifying means for notifying the first management device of information indicating that there is a communication abnormality based on the determination result of the gaming apparatus side communication abnormality determining means;
The gaming system includes:
Value transfer means for transferring the acquired value managed by the first management device to the saved value managed by the second management device in the processing at the time of business closing of the game hall;
Based on the notification of the abnormality notification unit, a correction determination unit that determines whether the communication abnormality has occurred with respect to the acquired value that has already been transferred by the value transfer unit;
A gaming system comprising: correction processing means for correcting the stored value managed by the second management device based on a determination result of the correction determination means.

Images