JP5748581B2 - Game equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention comprises a gaming machine that uses a gaming medium to play a game, and a terminal that is attached to the gaming machine and performs various information input operations, and the number of gaming media held by the player is determined as a gaming value. And the gaming value can be exchanged for a prize.

  Conventionally, in game stores such as pachinko halls, store clerks patrol the game store and place orders by exchanging premiums such as drinks and cigarettes and game media (game balls and medals) owned by the player In response, a prize service is provided to deliver the ordered prize to the player who is playing the game. This free gift service is generally performed by handing game balls stored in a lower plate or ball box to a store clerk if it is a pachinko machine, but the pachinko machine is enclosed in the machine without paying out the actual game balls. An enclosed game machine that circulates and uses a game ball is known.

  Regarding such enclosed game machines, as a prior art for carrying out the above-mentioned prize service, the game value possessed by the player, the first game value for executing the game, and other than the first game value There has already been proposed a game store system that can be stored separately for the second game value and can exchange prizes based on the second game value (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Here, the first game value corresponds to the number of game balls stored in the upper plate of the conventional gaming machine and guided to the launch position, and the second game value corresponds to the game ball in the lower plate or the ball box.

Japanese Patent No. 4288366

  In the conventional game store system described above, when a player exchanges a prize during a game, the prize is exchanged based on the second game value, so that the prize can be exchanged without affecting the first game value. Although it is possible, the prize cannot be exchanged based on the first game value. For this reason, there is a problem that a premium service cannot be received in the same sense as a general gaming machine other than an enclosed gaming machine.

  Also, in recent amusement stores, the rental unit price for renting a game and the premium unit price for a premium sphere when exchanging premiums are set differently depending on the gaming machine (for example, lending for 1 yen). However, at a game shop with such a sales form, depending on the gaming machine selected by the player, a prize service may be received. There was a problem that it might not be possible.

  That is, when a player receives a ball rental for 1000 yen, for example, when lending for 1 yen and exchanging prizes for 1 yen, the first game value is 250 and the second game value is 750, Since there is a second game value, a premium service can be received. However, when lending for 4 yen and exchanging prizes for 4 yen, the first game value is 250 and the second game value is 0. Therefore, in the latter case, since there is no second game value, the premium service cannot be received.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to the problems of the conventional technology as described above, and allows prizes to be exchanged based on the usable number (first game value) of game values. Even if there are, it is possible to exchange prizes in the same way as ordinary gaming machines, and the player can grasp in advance the effect of the prize exchange on the gaming value in real time, and the unit price of rented balls at the amusement store It is an object of the present invention to provide a gaming apparatus in which a player can exchange prizes in all gaming machines even when the unit price of the prize balls is differently set for each gaming machine.

The gist of the present invention for achieving the object described above resides in the inventions of the following items.
[1] A game machine (11) that uses a game medium to play a game, and a terminal machine (30) that is attached to the game machine (11) and performs various information input operations. In a gaming device (10) that manages the number of gaming media to be played as gaming value and can exchange the gaming value for prizes,
Storage means (113, 213) for storing a portion of the game value that can be used immediately for a game as a usable number;
The game value used for the game is subtracted from the usable number, the game value paid out to the player is added, and the used value is exchanged from the usable number based on the operation of the terminal (30). Computing means (110, 210) for subtracting the number of prize exchanges, which is the game value of minutes, and updating and storing the current value of the usable number;
Display means (30) attached to the terminal (30) and capable of displaying various information;
The calculation means (110, 210) calculates a usable number at the time of replacement, which is a value obtained by subtracting the number of premiums exchanged from the usable number before the prize exchange is performed,
The display means (30) updates and displays the current values of the usable number, the premium exchange number, and the usable number at the time of exchange before the prize exchange is executed. Gaming device (10).

  [2] The display means (30) updates and displays the current values of the usable number and the usable number at the time of exchange even during operation of the terminal (30) relating to the prize exchange. The gaming device (10) according to [1].

  [3] When the operation of the terminal (30) related to the prize exchange is completed, the display means (30) continuously displays the number of prize exchanges at the time and the number usable at the time of exchange as fixed values. In addition, the game apparatus (10) according to [1] or [2], wherein the total usable number at the time of exchange, which is the sum of the number of prizes exchanged and the usable number at the time of exchange, is continuously displayed as a fixed value. ).

  [4] After the operation of the terminal (30) relating to the prize exchange is completed, the display means (30) is informed of the fact and on the way to the end of the prize exchange when the prize actually reaches the player. The gaming device (10) according to [1], [2] or [3], wherein information related to the progress notification is updated and displayed.

  [5] The storage means (113, 213) stores the usable number of the game value up to a predetermined upper limit value, and separately stores the amount exceeding the upper limit value as a use waiting number. The gaming device (10) according to [1], [2], [3] or [4], which is characterized.

  [6] The arithmetic means (110, 210) is configured to operate the terminal (30) when the usable number stored in the storage means (113, 213) is less than the upper limit value. When there is an instruction to move a predetermined number of game values to the usable number within the range of the waiting number for use, the predetermined number is subtracted from the waiting number for use, and the subtracted predetermined number is used for the use The gaming machine (10) according to [5], wherein the gaming machine (10) is added to a possible number, and updates and stores the use waiting number and the current value of the usable number.

  [7] The computing means (110, 210) is configured to store the usable number stored in the storage means (113, 213) or the usable number when the prize exchange is executed based on an operation of the terminal (30). The premium exchange number is preferentially subtracted from the use standby number out of the use standby numbers, and when there is no use standby number, the premium exchange number is subtracted from the usable number. The gaming device (10) according to [5] or [6].

  [8] The computing means (110, 210) is configured to store the usable number stored in the storage means (113, 213) when the prize exchange is executed based on an operation of the terminal (30). Subtracting the prize exchange number preferentially from the use waiting number out of the use waiting numbers, and subtracting the shortage from the usable number when the use waiting number is insufficient on the way. The gaming device (10) according to [5], [6] or [7], which is characterized.

[9] The storage means (113, 213) includes, out of the game values, the number of rented balls to be paid out based on a lending operation equivalent to the amount inserted by the player, and the number of winning balls to be paid out based on a winning in the game. , Remember each separately,
The display means (30) updates and displays the current values of the number of balls rented, the number of winning balls, and the number of balls held, which is the sum of the number of usable balls and the number of usable balls [5]. ], [6], [7] or the gaming device (10) according to [8].

  [10] The display means (30) comprises a touch panel display unit, and also serves as the terminal (30) as a touch panel. [1], [2], [3], [4], [5 ], [6], [7], [8] or the game device (10) according to [9].

[11] Adjacent to the gaming machine (11), a card unit (20) that lends a ball of gaming value equivalent to the amount of money by inserting banknotes or cards,
The gaming device (10) according to [10], wherein the touch panel display unit is provided in a front portion of the card unit (20) so as to partition the adjacent gaming machine (11).

The present invention operates as follows.
According to the gaming device (10) described in [1], information specifying a player is input to the terminal (30), and the player specified by the input information in the gaming machine (11). A game using a game medium is executed based on the number of available game values that can be immediately used for a game.

  During the game, the calculation means (110, 210) subtracts the game value used for the game from the usable number stored in the storage means (113, 213), and also determines the winnings and game media during the game. The game value paid out to the player by lending is added to the usable number. Further, based on the operation of the terminal (30), the number of prize exchanges, which is the game value used for prize exchange, is subtracted from the usable number.

  As described above, when the game value held by the player is exchanged for a prize, the prize can be exchanged based on the usable number. The number that can be used here corresponds to the game balls stored in the upper plate of the conventional gaming machine (11). Accordingly, the player can receive a premium service with respect to the enclosed game machine (11) in the same manner as other general game machines (11).

  In addition, the calculation means (110, 210) calculates the usable number at the time of exchange, which is a value obtained by subtracting the premium exchange number from the usable number before the prize exchange is executed. Then, the display means (30) updates and displays the current values of the usable number, the premium exchange number, and the usable number at the time of exchange before the prize exchange is executed. These values vary with the game.

  By such display by the display means (30), when a player exchanges prizes, the game value (number of prize exchanges) required for prize exchange and the remaining games that can be used immediately in the game even after the prize exchange is executed. It is possible to grasp the value (the number that can be used at the time of exchange) and the total game value (the number that can be used) in real time, and to play a game while determining whether to actually exchange the prize.

  According to the gaming device (10) described in [2], the display means (30) is configured so that each of the usable number and the usable number at the time of the exchange can be obtained even during the operation of the terminal (30) related to the prize exchange. The current value of is updated and displayed.

  In this way, each time the game value is used during the game, the value that can be increased or decreased in real time for the usable number and the usable number for exchange is updated and displayed. The possible number and the usable number after exchange, which is the usable number after the exchange of prizes, can be confirmed at any time, which can be used for determining whether or not to exchange prizes.

  According to the gaming machine (10) described in [3], when the operation of the terminal (30) related to the prize exchange is completed, the display means (30) determines the number of prize exchanges at the time and the exchange time. In addition to continuously displaying the usable number as a fixed value, the total usable number at the time of replacement, which is the sum of the premium replacement number and the usable number at the time of replacement, is also continuously displayed as a fixed value.

  In this way, by fixedly displaying values other than the usable number that fluctuates in real time, the player can confirm the current state when the operation related to the prize exchange is completed, so that the prize exchange can be performed with peace of mind. Can do.

  According to the gaming device (10) described in [4], the display means (30), after completing the operation related to the prize exchange, notifies the fact and exchanges the prize that actually reaches the player. The information regarding the notification of the progress on the way to the end of is updated and displayed. Specifically, the notification here includes, for example, a display of completion of the order of the prize, a display during delivery of the prize, and a display of the completion of the exchange of the prize when the prize is delivered from the store clerk to the player.

  These notifications can be confirmed when the clerk confirms the player who ordered the prize, and the player can see the contents of the actual prize service by the clerk and the contents regarding the prize exchange displayed. , Can be confirmed by comparing each. Furthermore, both the store clerk and the player can confirm that the free gift service has been completed.

  According to the gaming machine (10) described in [5], the storage means (113, 213) stores the usable number of gaming values up to a predetermined upper limit value and exceeds the upper limit value. Is stored separately as the number of standbys for use. This makes it possible to manage the game value possessed by the player by dividing it into a usable number that can be used immediately for the game and a use standby number that exceeds the upper limit.

  According to the gaming machine (10) described in [6], the calculation means (110, 210) is a case where the usable number stored in the storage means (113, 213) is less than an upper limit value. And when there is an instruction to move a predetermined number of game values to a usable number within the range of the number of used standbys by operating the terminal (30), the predetermined number is subtracted from the number of used standbys, The predetermined number after subtraction is added to the usable number, and the current value of the waiting number and the usable number are updated and stored. As a result, when the remaining usable number is reduced or disappears, the player can appropriately move the game value of the number of standby units to the usable number by operating the terminal (30).

  According to the gaming device (10) described in [7], the computing means (110, 210) stores the storage means (113, 213) when a prize exchange is executed based on the operation of the terminal (30). The prize exchange number is preferentially subtracted from the use waiting number of the available number or use waiting number stored in (1). Further, when there is no waiting number for use, the number of gift exchanges is subtracted from the usable number.

  In this way, when there is a waiting number for use, even if the number of waiting for use is reduced due to the exchange of prizes by providing the prize service with priority given to the number of waiting for use, it can be used directly for games. There is no impact on the number of possibilities.

  According to the gaming device (10) described in [8], the computing means (110, 210) stores the storage means (113, 213) when a prize exchange is executed based on the operation of the terminal (30). ), Subtract the number of premiums exchanged from the number of available standbys or the number of used standbys stored in (1), and if this number of standbys becomes insufficient on the way, the shortage is used Subtract from possible number. In this way, the usable number and the waiting-for-use number can be combined to be used as the prize exchange number, and the prize exchange can be performed without interrupting the game.

  According to the gaming device (10) described in [9], the storage means (113, 213) includes, among game values, the number of rented balls to be paid out based on a renting operation corresponding to the amount inserted by the player, The number of prize balls to be paid out based on winning in the game is stored separately. And a display means (30) updates and displays each present value of the number of spheres which is the sum total of these and the number of usable balls other than the number of rented balls and the number of prize balls. As a result, the player can clearly confirm the detailed breakdown of the number of waiting for use (the number of rented balls and the number of winning balls) and can grasp all game values in real time.

  According to the gaming machine (10) described in [10] above, the display means (30) includes a touch panel display unit, and also serves as the terminal (30) as a touch panel. Thereby, even if it sets large so that the screen of a display means (30) can be seen easily, operativity improves also by serving as a terminal machine (30), and it can respond to the request | requirement of space saving.

  According to the gaming machine (10) described in [11], a card unit (20) that lends a rented game value equivalent to the amount of money by inserting a bill or a card is provided adjacent to the gaming machine (11). The touch panel display unit is provided on the front portion of the card unit (20) so as to partition the adjacent gaming machine (11). Thereby, a card unit (20) can be used effectively, and also a touch panel display unit can be functioned as a partition and a smoke distribution board which divide adjoining each other. Note that the touch panel display unit may be provided so as to appear and disappear.

  According to the gaming device of the present invention, it is possible to exchange prizes based on the amount of gaming value that can be used immediately for gaming, and even if it is an enclosed gaming machine, it is possible to exchange prizes in the same sense as ordinary gaming machines. In addition, when exchanging prizes, the player can grasp in advance the influence of the prize exchange on the game value in real time, which can be used to determine whether or not to exchange prizes.

  In addition, even if the player is operating with the rental unit price for renting a ball at a game store and the premium unit price for a premium sphere when exchanging premiums being set differently depending on the gaming machine, The prizes can be exchanged without interrupting the game in all the gaming machines without being influenced by different settings for each gaming machine.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an entire game store system including a game device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a front view which shows the game machine and card unit which comprise the game device which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is the front view and perspective view which show the card unit which comprises the game device which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram for demonstrating the control system of the game machine and card unit which comprise the game device which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram for demonstrating the movement of the information in the prize service process of the said game store system. It is a screen transition diagram for demonstrating the change of the display in the display unit with which the said card unit is provided. FIG. 7 is a screen transition diagram for explaining a change in display subsequent to FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is a screen transition diagram for explaining a change in display subsequent to FIG. 7. FIG. 9 is a screen transition diagram for explaining a change in display subsequent to FIG. 8. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the process used as the main flow of the said card unit and the said game machine. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the card | curd process and payment processing by the said card unit. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the ball lending process by the said card unit and the said game machine. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the holding ball movement process by the said card unit and the said game machine. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the game ball process by the said gaming machine. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the excess ball process by the said card unit and the said game machine. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the game end process by the said card unit and the said game machine. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the prize service process by the said card unit, the said game machine, a portable information terminal, and a management server. 18 is a flowchart that is a continuation of the flowchart of FIG. It is a screen transition diagram for demonstrating the display change in the display unit with which the card unit of the game device which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention is provided. FIG. 20 is a screen transition diagram for explaining a change in display subsequent to FIG. 19. FIG. 21 is a screen transition diagram for explaining a change in display subsequent to FIG. 20. It is a screen transition diagram for demonstrating the change of the display following FIG.

Hereinafter, various embodiments representing the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 to 18 show a first embodiment of the present invention.
The gaming apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment includes a gaming machine 11 that plays a game using a gaming medium, and a display unit 30 that corresponds to a “terminal” that is attached to the gaming machine 11 and performs various information input operations. The number of game media possessed by a player is managed as a game value, and the game value can be exchanged for a prize. Hereinafter, in this embodiment, a case where the gaming machine is applied to a pachinko machine will be described as an example.

  First, a game store system 1 of a game store in which a game device 10 is installed will be described with reference to FIG. The gaming store system 1 can communicate with a later-described card unit 20 provided for each gaming machine 11, and can communicate with a management server 40 that manages a gaming value possessed by the player, and the card unit 20, and a store clerk. Is provided with a portable information terminal 50 that is used in exchange of prizes. As will be described later, the display unit 30 is incorporated in the card unit 20.

  In addition, the amusement store system 1 includes a prize monitor device 60 for displaying information on a prize selected by the portable information terminal 50 (a prize name, a prize code, etc. for identifying a prize), and a prize mainly after the game ends. A gift POS terminal 70 that performs exchange processing and a settlement machine 80 that settles and pays out the unused amount of money put into the card unit 20 as will be described later.

  In the amusement store system 1, each card unit 20, management server 40, prize monitor device 60, prize POS terminal 70, payment machine 80, and the like are connected via a LAN 2 so as to communicate with each other. Further, the portable information terminal 50 can wirelessly communicate with the card unit 20 and the management server 40. The card unit 20 and the management server 40 are provided with a wireless communication unit.

  Next, based on FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, the gaming apparatus 10 that forms the basis of the present invention will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the gaming apparatus 10 includes a gaming machine 11 and a card unit 20 that is arranged adjacent to the gaming machine 11. The card unit 20 is provided with a display unit 30 as a “terminal” for the player to input various information. In the present embodiment, the gaming machine 11 is a pachinko machine that launches a game ball in the game area 13 formed on the front side of the game board 12 and plays a game, but collects the game ball launched in the game area 13. However, it is an enclosed game machine that is circulated and used without being paid out.

  In addition, the gaming machine 11 inputs information (for example, money amount information) indicating a game value generated by the insertion of cash into the card unit 20, and the money amount information is information indicating the game value and immediately in the game. It is converted into the number of balls that can be fired, which is the “number of usable balls” indicating the number of available game balls, and the game balls can be fired into the game area 13 in accordance with the number of balls that can be fired. In the gaming machine 11, when the number of balls that can be fired is 0 or more, the game ball can be fired, and every time one game ball is fired (used), 1 is subtracted from the number of fireable balls and When winning a prize, the number of winning balls generated by the winning is set to be added to the number of balls that can be fired.

  Here, an upper limit is set for the number of balls that can be fired, and if the number of balls that can be fired exceeds the upper limit (for example, 250) by adding the number of prize balls, the upper limit of the number of balls that can be fired The number of waiting balls is used as the number of waiting balls, and the number of balls held is added to the number of existing balls, so that the number of balls that can be fired is the upper limit. As described above, in the gaming machine 11 according to the present embodiment, the number of balls that can be fired (the number that can be used) of the game value is stored up to a predetermined upper limit value, and the amount exceeding the upper limit value is retained ( It is set so as to be stored separately as the number of standbys for use).

  Also, as will be described later, the number of game balls can be moved from the number of balls held in the number-of-balls information to the number of balls that can be fired by the player's operation, and the number of balls that can be fired is reduced. In such a case, by moving the number of game balls from the number of balls held to the number of balls that can be fired, the number of balls can be reduced and the number of balls that can be fired within the upper limit range. It is possible.

  In the gaming machine 11, the game balls fired based on the number of balls that can be launched reach the game area 13, and a part of the game balls are awarded to various winning holes and led to the back side of the game board 12 to be collected as safe balls. The A game ball that has not won any winning opening is collected as an out ball. These collected game balls are circulated and repeatedly used so that they are fired again through a circulation channel in the machine.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of decorative lamps 14, speakers 15, and the like are provided on the top of the game board 12. Further, a display unit 16 for displaying the number of balls that can be fired is provided in the lower center of the game board 12. Further, on the right side of the display unit 16, a handle 17 is provided for the player to perform a game ball launch operation. The handle 17 includes a touch sensor 142 (see FIG. 4) that detects that the player's hand is touching. The player touches the touch sensor 142 to fire a game ball, and the player handles the handle. The launching force of the game ball can be adjusted by rotating 17.

  Although not shown, a launching device for launching a game ball is provided on the front side of the lower portion of the game board 12, and the launching device launches the game ball toward the game area 13. The launching device includes a launching motor 141 (see FIG. 4) that serves as a drive source for launching a game ball. In addition, an enclosed path unit 18 (see FIG. 4) is provided in the game machine 11 for collecting the game balls launched toward the game area 13 and guiding them again to the launching device.

  The enclosing path unit 18 shown in FIG. 4 includes a collection port for collecting the game balls launched into the game area 13, a circulation channel for guiding the game balls from the collection port to the launching device, and an upstream side of the circulation channel. As a part, a collection ball flow path for allowing a game ball to flow down from a collection port to a standby flow path described later, a ball detection sensor 18a for detecting a game ball flowing down the collection ball flow path, and a downstream side of the circulation flow path A standby flow path for waiting for a game ball before being sent to the launch position, a ball amount detection sensor 18b for detecting the amount of game balls waiting in the standby flow path, and a downstream end of the standby flow path And a ball feeding device (not shown) for sequentially sending game balls one by one in accordance with the timing of game ball launching.

  In addition, the enclosing path unit 18 has a foul ball collection port (not shown) that collects the foul ball that has returned toward the launching device side despite being launched toward the game area 13 by the launching device. And a return ball detection sensor 18c for detecting the collected foul ball, and a foul ball channel (not shown) for causing the foul ball collected from the foul ball collection port to flow down to the standby channel.

  Further, the enclosing path unit 18 stores a game ball for replenishment in addition to a game ball that is normally circulated, and the ball amount detection sensor 18b indicates that the ball amount of the game ball that circulates during the game has decreased. A ball replenishing device (not shown) is provided for replenishing the stored game balls to the standby flow path when detected based on the signal from. This ball replenishing device is provided with a ball quantity adjusting solenoid 18d for switching the storage portion of the game ball between a state in which the game ball is stored and a state in which the game ball is supplied.

  The ball feeding device is provided with a ball feeding solenoid 143 for driving the ball feeding device and a launch ball detection sensor 18e for detecting a game ball to be launched. When the game ball to be fired is detected by the fire ball detection sensor 18e, the number of balls that can be fired is set to be reduced by one. When the return ball detection sensor detects a game ball that has become a foul ball, it is set so that 1 is added to the number of balls that can be fired.

  Although not shown in the game area 13, a normal figure start gate for giving a start condition for the normal symbol change display game, and a game ball passes through the normal figure start gate and the normal view change display game is not processed. The normal figure start memory display that displays the number of unprocessed times, the general figure change display that displays the general figure change display game, the normal change winning device that gives the start condition of the special symbol change display game, this normal change A special chart start memory display for displaying the number of unprocessed games in which a game ball has won a prize device and the special figure variation display game is unprocessed, a variable display device 131 for displaying a special figure variation display game, etc. 4), a special variable winning device, various winning ports, and an out port for collecting game balls that have not been won in any winning port as out balls.

  The normal variation winning device includes a pair of left and right open / close members and a general-purpose solenoid 126 (see FIG. 4) for operating them, and the open / close members are normally spaced at intervals enough to allow one game ball to flow in. When the closed state is maintained, but the result of the universal map display game of the universal map display becomes a special stop display mode (for example, “7” is stopped and displayed as identification information). Then, the game ball is easily opened and the game ball easily enters. This ordinary variable prize winning device also serves as a special prize starting prize opening. That is, when a game ball is detected by the start port sensor 121 (see FIG. 4) provided inside the normal variation winning device, the start condition is established, and the special figure variation display game is started.

  In addition, a gate sensor 122 (see FIG. 4) for detecting the game ball that has passed is provided in the usual figure starting gate. When the game ball fired in the game area 13 passes through the usual figure start gate and is detected by the gate sensor 122, the usual figure fluctuation display game is played on the usual figure fluctuation display. Here, the common figure change indicator is constituted by, for example, an LED or the like, and a normal display (for example, identification information such as numbers, symbols, character designs, etc.) is displayed on the normal figure change indicator. After the time variation display, the stop display is performed.

  If, as a result of this ordinary variable display game, the stop display on the general variable display becomes a special stop display mode (result mode) as described above, it becomes a win for the normal variable display game, and a normal variable prize is won. The opening / closing member of the apparatus is opened as described above for a predetermined time (for example, 0.5 seconds). This makes it easier for a game ball to win the normal variation winning device and facilitates the start of the special figure variation display game.

  The special display variable display device 131 includes a liquid crystal display, for example, and has a display screen on which display content can be changed. The display content on the display screen is controlled by an effect control device 130 (see FIG. 4) having a function as display control means. When the game ball launched into the game area 13 enters the normal variation winning device that also serves as the start port of the special figure and is detected by the start port sensor 121 and the start condition is satisfied, a plurality of special figures are displayed on the display screen. It is possible to execute a special figure variation display game for variably displaying the identification information (for example, numbers, symbols, character designs, etc.).

  As a result of this special figure change display game, when the display mode of the display screen is special stop display correspondence (for example, any one of the numbers such as “7, 7, 7”, etc.) Then, it becomes a big hit and it becomes a special gaming state (so-called big hit state). The special variable prize-winning device is provided with a big prize opening that is opened and closed by an attacker-type opening and closing door. During the special game state, the special prize opening is changed from a closed state to an opened state to enter the big prize opening. Rounds that facilitate the inflow of game balls are performed a predetermined number of times. Here, the open / close door is driven by a special prize opening solenoid 125 (see FIG. 4).

  A count sensor 124 (see FIG. 4) for detecting a game ball is disposed inside the special winning opening. Also, a general winning sensor 123 (see FIG. 4) for detecting a game ball that has entered each winning opening is disposed inside each general winning opening. A lamp / LED 132 for rendering the game with light is provided around the game board 12 and the variable display device 131.

  When a game ball that has been driven into the game area 13 wins a prize opening such as a general prize opening, an ordinary variable prize winning apparatus, or a special prize winning slot of a special variable prize winning apparatus, the winning game balls will be displayed in each prize opening. Based on the detection, a predetermined number of winning balls set corresponding to each winning opening is added to the number of balls that can be fired. If the number of balls that can be fired exceeds the upper limit due to the addition of the number of prize balls, the amount exceeding the upper limit is added to the number of balls held as described above, and the number of balls that can be fired does not exceed the upper limit. The upper limit is assumed.

  Next, the control system of the gaming machine 11 as described above will be described with reference to the control block diagram of FIG. The control system of the gaming machine 11 includes a game control device 120 that controls the progress of the game, an effect control device 130 that controls various effects under the control of the game control device 120, and controls the launch of the game ball. And a launch control device 140. Furthermore, the main body control apparatus 100 which performs the process which manages the enclosure path | route unit 18 and the launch control apparatus 140 which were mentioned above, and manages the number of balls which can be launched mentioned above is provided.

  The game control device 120, the effect control device 130, the launch control device 140, and a power supply device 150 that supplies power to the main body control device 100 are provided. This power supply device 150 is provided with a backup power supply 151 for enabling power supply even when the external power supply is interrupted, such as during a power failure, and is stored in the volatile memory of each control device during a power failure. The loss of various data is prevented.

  The game control device 120 is well-known in a pachinko machine having a CPU, RAM, ROM, etc. In addition to the control of the game, such as detection of the occurrence of a prize in the game and the operation of each variable prize device, Various random numbers related to the special figure and the usual variable display game are also generated. For example, various random values include a jackpot determination random number value for a special figure variation display game, a random number value for a hit determination for a normal figure variation display game, and the game control device 120 uses the random number value to display a special figure. In addition, the game results such as hitting and losing in the usual variable display game are determined.

  The game control device 120 is connected to a start port sensor 121, a gate sensor 122, a general winning sensor 123, and a count sensor 124 through an input / output interface, and a game ball detection signal from these sensors is input. It is like that. Then, a winning ball is generated based on inputs from various winning ports such as the general winning sensor 123, the start port sensor 121, the count sensor 124, and sensors provided in the winning device.

  The game control device 120 generates and outputs information relating to a prize ball indicating a numerical value (number of prize balls) preset for each sensor based on a detection signal of a game ball of a sensor provided in each prize area. . In the gaming machine 11, in a pachinko machine other than the encapsulated ball type, information relating to the winning ball is output to the main body control device 100 instead of the discharge control device that controls the payout of the gaming ball as the winning ball. Yes. In the main body control device 100, processing for adding the number of prize balls to the number of balls that can be fired is performed based on information relating to the prize balls as described later.

  Further, in the game control device 120, based on the signals input from the start port sensor 121 and the gate sensor 122, the progress (start) of the special display and the usual variable display game is controlled as described above. In addition, the game control device 120 is connected and controlled via an I / O with a prize winning solenoid 125 and a general electric solenoid 126. Based on this, as described above, the opening / closing of the special variation winning device and the normal variation winning device is controlled. In addition, the general electric solenoid 126 opens and closes the normal variation winning device, and the large winning opening solenoid 125 opens and closes the special variation winning device.

  The game control device 120 is connected to the main body control device 100 and the production control device 130 via I / O, and transmits various data, which will be described later, to the main body control device 100 and the production control device 130 as game machine information. . For example, when there is a prize ball based on the winning of a game ball as data relating to the above-mentioned prize ball, the game control device 120 uses a prize ball number command indicating the number of prize balls as one of the gaming machine information, and the main body control device 100. Output to.

  In addition, the game control device 120 increases the probability of winning the jackpot after the special game state as the jackpot, based on the control of starting and stopping the special display variable display game based on the start winning of the special chart, and determining whether or not the jackpot is missed. Special gaming state with a certain probability variation state (a jackpot start with probability variation), special gaming state without a probability variation state (a jackpot start with non-probability variation), other variable display game stop symbols and variation display Data relating to the effect of the variable display game including time and the like is transmitted to the effect control device 130.

  In addition, the game control device 120 corresponds to the special winning chart and the ordinary winning prize (detection signals input from the starting sensor 121 and the gate sensor 122) within the range of the upper limit value (for example, 4). The number of times that the start condition for starting the variable display game shown in the figure is satisfied is counted as the start memory number (holding number) of the special figure and the usual figure. Then, the game control device 120 increases the number of memories for starting the special figure or the normal figure within the upper limit range by one every time there is a special figure or the normal figure start prize, and plays the special figure or the usual figure variable display game. Every time it is started, control is performed to decrease the number of special-purpose or ordinary charts by one, and data related to the number of start-up memories is transmitted to the effect control device 130.

  The effect control device 130 includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like, and various ICs for video output control, which are well known in pachinko machines, and controls the progress of a special variable display game in the game control device 120. On the basis of the above, display control of a special display variable display game in the variable display device 131, and effect control by light emission of the lamp / LED 132 on the decorative board having the lamp / LED 132 provided on the game board 12 and the like are performed. In addition, the production control device 130 includes various ICs for audio output control, and controls production using audio output from the speaker 15, for example.

  The main body control device 100 includes a main control unit 110 made of, for example, a microcomputer chip, and the main control unit 110 includes a CPU 111, a ROM 112, a RAM 113, and the like. The CPU 111 includes a control unit and a calculation unit, and performs various calculations and controls. The CPU 111 controls the enclosing path unit 18 and the launch control device 140, manages the number of balls that can be fired, and controls communication with the card unit 20. Do. The ROM 112 stores programs, data, and the like related to the control of the enclosing path unit 18 and the launch control device 140, the control of communication, and the processing of the number of balls that can be fired.

  The RAM 113 includes a work area of the CPU 111 including storage areas such as various flags, various timers, and various counters. The RAM 113 stores information on the number of balls that can be fired indicating the number of balls that can be fired, and the number of balls that can be fired is updated and stored as described later by the processing of the CPU 111. Here, the RAM 113 corresponds to “storage means” for storing information on the number of balls that can be fired out of the game values held by the player.

  In addition, the main body control device 100 has an I / O via a ball entry detection sensor 18a, a ball amount detection sensor 18b, a return ball detection sensor 18c, a ball amount adjustment solenoid 18d, and a launch ball detection sensor 18e. Is connected. When the main body control device 100 detects that the number of game balls waiting in the enclosing path unit 18 is insufficient based on the signal from the ball amount detection sensor 18b, the main body control device 100 operates the ball amount adjustment solenoid 18d. In the enclosing path unit 18, the game balls stored without being circulated are changed from the stored state to the supply state, and the processing path is replenished to the circulating path of the enclosing path unit 18.

  The main body control device 100 is connected to the launch control device 140 via I / O. If the number of balls that can be fired is greater than 0, the launch control device 140 permits the launch device to launch a game ball. When the number of balls that can be fired becomes zero, the launch of game balls is prohibited. Further, when the game ball detection signal from the firing ball detection sensor 18e is input as described above, the main body control device 100 subtracts 1 from the number of balls that can be fired, and detects the game ball from the return ball detection sensor 18c. When a signal is input, 1 is added to the number of balls that can be fired. Further, when a prize ball number command indicating the number of prize balls is input from the game control apparatus 120, the main body control apparatus 100 adds the prize ball number indicated in the prize ball number command to the number of balls that can be fired. Here, the main body control device 100 realizes the function of “calculation means” that calculates the number of balls that can be fired and updates and stores the current value in real time.

  Further, the main body control device 100 can transmit the various types of information described above as external information to the management server 40 (see FIG. 1) via the card unit 20, for example, changes in special figures input from the game control device 120 A signal indicating execution (for example, start) of a display game, a signal indicating execution (start) of a special gaming state with a probability variation state in which the winning probability of winning the jackpot is increased after the special gaming state as a jackpot, and no probability variation state A signal indicating execution (start) of the special gaming state, an incoming signal based on the signal input from the aforementioned incoming ball detection sensor 18a, an outgoing ball signal based on the signal input from the firing ball detection sensor 18e, and a return ball detection sensor A return sphere signal based on the signal input from 18c is transmitted.

  As a result, the number of executions of the variable display game of each gaming machine 11 on the management server 40 side, the number of jackpots (occurrence of special gaming state) with uncertain change, the number of jackpots (occurrence of special gaming state) with probability change, the number of balls entered The number of difference balls obtained by subtracting the number of outgoing balls from the number of outgoing balls, the number of returned balls, and the number of incoming balls can be managed. As will be described later, the number of balls that can be fired is also sent from the main body control device 100 to the management server 40 via the card unit 20. Each information described above is managed by the management server 40 for each gaming machine and each member player, and each information can be backed up by the management server 40.

  The launch control device 140 includes a microcomputer chip having a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, and the like, and a driver circuit for the launch motor 141 of the launch device, and this driver circuit is connected to the launch motor 141. In addition, the touch sensor 142 of the handle 17 is connected to the launch control device 140. The launch control device 140 is connected to a ball feed solenoid 143 that is provided in the enclosing path unit 18 and sends an encapsulated game ball to the launch position.

  The firing control device 140 receives a firing permission control signal from the main body control device 100 based on a program stored in a ROM (not shown) and the touch sensor 142 detects the player's hand ( When a signal is input from the touch sensor 142), the launch motor 141 is controlled to sequentially fire the game balls at predetermined time intervals. The launch control device 140 controls the supply of the game ball from the enclosing path unit 18 to the launch position of the launch device by operating the ball feed solenoid 143 in accordance with the timing of launching the game ball by the launch device.

  Next, based on FIGS. 2 to 4, the card unit 20 (including the display unit 30) that constitutes the gaming apparatus 10 together with the gaming machine 11 will be described. The card unit 20 is arranged adjacent to one of the left and right sides of the gaming machine 11 and is a device that can read an ID as data stored from an IC card as a storage medium. As shown in FIG. 2, a card insertion slot 21 and a bill insertion slot 22 are provided in the front portion of the card unit 20. Note that the card unit 20 according to the present embodiment also has a function as a ball lending machine as will be described later.

  As the IC card, an ID as information for identifying a player can be read from a member card of a member player or a guest card of a non-member player. In the case of a membership card, it is possible to identify the player at any time by storing the information and ID of the player registered in advance in association with the management server 40, but in the case of a guest card, The ID of the guest card is specified as that of a player who is not a member. For example, when the guest card is inserted into the card insertion slot 21 and the player as a guest is playing, the player and the guest card The player can be identified by associating the ID.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the card unit 20 includes an IC card reader / writer 23 that can read data from the IC card and write data to the IC card, and a bill validator 24 into which bills are inserted as a ball lending machine. A “terminal” in which the player inputs various information, a display unit 30 having a function as “display means” capable of displaying various information, and each device provided in the card unit 20. A card unit control device 200, a power supply device 220 that supplies power to the card unit control device 200, and the like, and a portable information terminal transmission / reception unit 230 that enables wireless communication with the portable information terminal 50 (see FIG. 1).

  The IC card reader / writer 23 is a well-known one, reads the data of the IC card inserted from the card insertion slot 21 and outputs the data to the card unit control device 200, and the card under the control of the card unit control device 200. Data input from the unit control device 200 can be written to the IC card. Information input / output to / from the IC card is transmitted from the card unit controller 200 to the management server 40 (see FIG. 1).

  That is, when the IC card is inserted into the card unit 20, the ID is read, the ID is transmitted to the management server 40, and the information transmitted from the card unit 20 to the management server 40 until the IC card is subsequently discharged. (Including information transmitted through the card unit 20 transmitted from the gaming machine 11) is stored in the management server 40 in association with the ID.

  The bill discriminator 24 is a well-known device provided in a ball lending machine, identifies the amount of bills inserted from the bill insertion slot 22, outputs the bill amount to the card unit controller 200, and holds the inserted bills. To do. Thereby, the card unit 20 is configured to function as a ball lending machine. A ball lending machine may be installed separately from the card unit 20.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the display unit 30 has a vertically long rectangular plate appearance, and is provided on the front portion of the card unit 20 so as to partition the adjacent gaming machine 11. Here, the display unit 30 is provided in a projecting position drawn forward from the front part of the card unit 20 and a storage position recessed inside from the front part of the card unit 20 so as to be able to appear and retract. Such a display unit 30 also has a function as a partition or a smoke sparing plate for partitioning the neighbors.

  As shown in FIG. 4 and FIGS. 6 to 9, the display unit 30 includes a known touch panel display unit, and serves as a display unit that displays various types of information related to the corresponding gaming machine 11 (the gaming machine 11 located on the right side). The deposit amount display unit 31, the number of possessed balls display unit 33, the premium service display unit 34, and the stand information display unit 35 are provided. Each of these display units 31 to 35 is partitioned as a partial display area on the screen of the display unit 30. Since the configuration of the touch panel display unit itself is common, detailed description thereof is omitted.

  The deposit amount display unit 31 is for displaying the amount of money identified by the bill validator 24 by inserting the bill into the bill insertion slot 22, that is, the amount paid by the player. When a predetermined amount is subtracted from the game value indicating the amount by an operation of a ball lending operation unit 46 to be described later, the deposit amount display unit 31 is set to display the remaining amount at any time. For example, when a 10,000 yen bill is inserted and the deposit amount is 10,000 and 1000 as the amount information is converted to 250 as the number of game balls information, the deposit amount display unit 31 displays 10000. 1000 is subtracted to 9000.

The number-of-balls display section 33 displays the number of balls remaining, excluding the number of balls that can be fired, out of the information on the number of game balls (the amount information is not included) that is the game value owned by the player.
The prize service display unit 34 provides, as information relating to prizes, a “prize name” of each prize that allows the player to exchange the number of balls that can be launched (and the number of possessed balls), and “prize exchange” required for the exchange of each prize. “Number of balls” (corresponding to “Number of prize exchanges”) is displayed.

  The table information display unit 35 displays various types of information such as the number of jackpots related to the gaming machine 11, and is temporarily displayed on the screen when a table information A operation unit 41 or a table information B operation unit 42 described later is touched. Is displayed. The table information display unit 35 is touched by the table information B operation unit 42 and the number of jackpots (see FIG. 6A) which is the table information A displayed when the table information A operation unit 41 is touched. Other information (not shown) is set to be selectively displayed as the table information B displayed in this case.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the display unit 30 includes a launchable ball number display unit 36, a replaceable launchable ball number display unit 37, a total prize exchanged ball number display unit 38, and an exchange thereof. The “total” prize exchange ball number display section 39 (see FIG. 8E) is provided. Each of these display units 36 to 39 is related to the display that forms the basis of the present invention, and is partitioned as a part of the display area on the screen of the display unit 30 in the same manner as each of the display units 31 to 35 described above. ing.

  The shootable ball number display unit 36 displays the number of shootable balls that can be used immediately for a game among the game ball number information (not including monetary information) that is a game value owned by the player. Here, the number of balls that can be fired is incremented by the number of balls lent by the operation of a ball lending operation unit 46, which will be described later, and is decremented by 1 each time a game ball is fired by the above-mentioned launching device, Numbers are added at any time. In addition, the number of prize exchange balls, which is a game value used for prize exchange, is subtracted by an operation of a prize service operation unit 48 described later.

  The number of balls that can be fired displayed on the number of fireable balls display unit 36 is calculated by the main body control device 100 that is the calculation means, and is updated and stored in the RAM 113 that is the storage means. Is set to be displayed in a variable manner (updated display). The number of balls that can be fired is displayed on the display unit 16 of the gaming machine 11 as well as displayed on the number of balls that can be fired display unit 36.

  The exchangeable ball number display unit 37 displays the total number of exchanged balls (selection) before the prize exchange is executed, that is, after the prize service operation part 48 described later and before the prize confirmation operation part 48d. (The total value of all prizes) is subtracted from the number of balls that can be fired, and “the number of balls that can be fired at the time of replacement” (corresponding to “the number that can be used at the time of replacement”) is displayed. Here, the number of balls that can be fired at the time of replacement is calculated at any time as the number of balls that can be fired changes by the card unit control device 200 that forms a calculation means together with the main body control device 100, and is updated and stored in the RAM 213 in real time. It is set so that the latest current value is variably displayed (updated display).

  The total prize exchange number display section 38 displays all prizes selected by the player after the prize exchange by the operation of the prize service operation section 48 described later and before the completion of the prize exchange by the operation of the prize confirmation operation section 48d. The “total prize exchange number”, which is the number of prize exchange balls necessary for exchange (listed in the prize service display unit 34), is displayed. The total prize exchange ball number displayed on the total prize exchange ball number display section 38 is a value in which a room for fluctuation remains because the player cancels the selection of the prize before the completion of the prize exchange.

  In this way, as shown in FIGS. 7C and 7D, the display unit 30 has the respective current values of the number of balls that can be fired and the number of balls that can be fired at the time of exchange even during an operation relating to prize exchange. Is displayed updated. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 8 (e), when the operation related to the prize exchange is completed, the total number of prize exchange balls at the time point and the number of balls that can be fired at the time of exchange are fixed values. In addition to the continuous display, the total number of exchanged prizes at the time of exchange, which is the sum of the total number of exchangeable balls and the number of balls that can be fired at the time of exchange (corresponding to the “total number of exchangeable use”), is also continuously displayed as a fixed value. The

  The total number of exchanged balls for exchange is displayed on the exchange total prize exchange ball number display section 39 (see FIG. 8E) that appears when a prize confirmation operation section 48d described later is touched. ing. The number of balls that can be fired is continuously displayed in a variable manner on the number of fireable balls display section 36. In addition, after the operation related to the prize exchange is completed, the display unit 30 notifies the player that the actual prize is being “delivered” in addition to the notice of “order completed” (see FIG. 8E). (See FIG. 8 (f)), and information related to the notification of “delivery completed” (see FIG. 9 (g)) indicating that the prize has actually been delivered to the player and the prize exchange has been completed is also updated and displayed. Is set to

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6 (a), the display unit 30 includes a table information A operation unit 41, a table information B operation unit 42, a member information operation unit 43, and a game end as touch panel type operation buttons. An operation unit 44, a break operation unit 45, a ball lending operation unit 46, a holding ball movement operation unit 47, and a prize service operation unit 48 are provided. Further, when the premium service operation unit 48 is touched, as shown in FIGS. 6B and 7C, an up / down movement operation unit 48a, a premium selection operation unit 48b, a cancel operation unit 48c, and a premium confirmation operation unit 48d are displayed. , Each is temporarily displayed on the screen.

As described above, the table information A operation unit 41 and the table information B operation unit 42 display various information such as the number of jackpots related to the gaming machine 11 on the table information display unit 35.
The member information operation unit 43 is a switch for displaying various information read from the IC card inserted into the card unit 20 on the screen of the display unit 30 when the player starts the game.
The game end operation unit 44 is a switch for starting a process in which the player ends the game and ejects the IC card from the card unit 20.

  By touching the game end operation unit 44, for example, in the game value of the player managed in correspondence with the ID by the management server 40, the number of balls that can be fired may be added to the number of balls held. Further, the total number of game balls may be converted into a number of prize exchange balls as the number of game balls for prize exchange. Moreover, it is good also as what is managed, dividing into the number of balls which can be launched, and the number of possession balls.

  The break operation unit 45 is used when the player leaves the seat for a break or the like. When the break operation unit 45 is touched, for example, the IC card is discharged from the card insertion slot 21 of the card unit 20, and an IC card other than the discharged IC card (an IC card having a different ID) is discharged for a predetermined period thereafter. When inserted, the IC card is set to be ejected, and the game is played to the player who holds the IC card that was inserted when the break operation unit 45 was operated even though the game was not performed for a predetermined period of time. The machine can be occupied.

  The ball lending operation unit 46 converts the above-described amount information based on the deposit to the number of balls that can be fired, which is game ball number information. By operating the ball lending operation unit 46, a predetermined amount is subtracted from the received money amount information, and a predetermined number of game balls corresponding to the predetermined amount is added to the number of balls that can be fired. . The balance of the deposit amount may be displayed on the deposit amount display unit 31 as needed.

  The held ball movement operation unit 47 is for moving a predetermined number of held balls among the number of held balls of the player to the number of balls that can be fired. That is, when the ball movement operation unit 47 is touched, the predetermined number is subtracted from the number of held balls and the predetermined number is added to the number of balls that can be fired. The calculation of the number of balls held and the number of balls that can be fired based on the operation of the holding ball movement operation unit 47 is executed by the main body control device 100.

  That is, the main body control device 100 determines that the number of balls that can be fired stored in the RAM 113 is less than the upper limit value and is within a range of the number of balls held by the operation of the ball movement operation unit 47. When there is an instruction to move the game value to the number of balls that can be fired, a predetermined number is subtracted from the number of balls held, and the subtracted predetermined number is added to the number of balls that can be fired. The current value of the possible number of balls is updated and stored. If the upper limit is exceeded when a predetermined number is added to the number of balls that can be fired, the value obtained by subtracting the current number of balls that can be fired from the upper limit of the number of balls that can be fired is subtracted from the number of balls that can be fired. The upper limit is the number of balls that can be fired.

  The prize service operation unit 48 starts exchanging prizes when touched, and is used for exchanging game ball number information, which is a game value owned by the player, with prizes. Here, the information on the number of game balls used for the exchange of prizes corresponds to the number of balls that can be fired in principle. You may be allowed to exchange prizes from the sum of the number of balls that can be fired. This will be described later as a modification of the first embodiment.

  When the premium service operation unit 48 is touched, an up / down movement operation unit for moving a cursor (not shown) for selecting a premium desired by the player from the premiums displayed on the premium service display unit 34 up and down. 48a appears (see FIG. 6B). After touching the up / down movement operation unit 48a to move the position of the cursor over a desired prize, the player determines a desired prize to be exchanged by touching the prize selection operation part 48b. However, the determined selection of the prize can be canceled by touching the cancel operation unit 48c. When the prize is confirmed, the prize confirming operation unit 48d is touched to complete the operation related to the prize exchange by the player.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the card unit control device 200 of the card unit 20 includes a main control unit 210 having a CPU 211, a RAM 213, a ROM 212, and the like, and the display unit 30 is connected to the main control unit 210 via an I / O. Are connected, and further, an IC card reader / writer 23 and a bill validator 24 are connected. The card unit control device 200 receives an ID when an IC card is inserted from the IC card reader / writer 23, and receives monetary information when a bill is inserted from the bill validator 24.

  In the card unit control apparatus 200, a process in which an ID is input as information for identifying a player from the IC card reader / writer 23, a process in which the amount indicated in the deposit amount information input from the bill validator 24 is added to the amount information, Processing to display the deposit amount information on the deposit amount display unit 31, processing to convert the amount information to the launchable ball number information based on the operation signal from the ball lending operation unit 46, and processing to transmit the number of possessed balls information to the gaming machine 11 , Processing related to prize exchange, processing for displaying the number of balls held on the ball number display unit 33, and the like.

  The RAM 213 corresponds to “storage means” that stores information on the number of balls in the game value held by the player. That is, the “storage unit” of the present invention corresponds to the RAM 113 and the RAM 213. The RAM 213 stores the above-described deposit amount information, amount information, and number-of-balls information. The RAM 213 is updated and stored by the above-described processes, and is output for display or the like. Each data described above stored in the RAM 213 is output to the management server 40 and stored in the management server 40 corresponding to the ID described above. A part of the processing functions of the main body control apparatus 100 may be executed by the card unit control apparatus 200.

  The power supply device 220 supplies power to each device of the card unit 20 and includes a backup power supply 221. When power from outside is interrupted by the backup power source 221 such as during a power failure, the power is supplied to the card unit control device 200 to prevent the above-described loss of data stored in the RAM 213. .

  As shown in FIG. 1, the prize POS terminal 70 includes, for example, an IC card reader / writer and a barcode reader, and the management server 40 corresponds to an ID stored in an IC card as a storage medium as will be described later. It is possible to extract information on the number of premium exchange media stored in the database, and it is possible to extract premium data (including the number of premium exchanges) corresponding to the barcode attached to the premium. The prize POS terminal 70 receives and stores various data when the player exchanges prizes by the display unit 30, and manages prizes (stock management, etc.).

  The checkout machine 80 reads the ID from the IC card, reads the amount information stored in the management server 40 corresponding to the ID, and there is unused amount amount information without being converted into the number of game balls, The amount information is settled by paying out the money corresponding to the amount information. When the amount information corresponding to the ID is settled by the settlement machine 80, the amount information corresponding to the ID is set to 0 in the management server 40.

  The portable information terminal 50 stores various data relating to prize exchange transmitted from the portable information terminal transmission / reception unit 230 of the card unit 20, and a store clerk of the amusement shop confirms exchange of prizes by the display unit 30. A control unit (not shown) including a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, and the like for performing the communication, a communication unit (not shown) for performing wireless communication of data with the card unit 20, and the like.

  Also, in the portable information terminal 50, the fact that the store clerk who received the completion of the operation related to the prize exchange confirms that, or the fact that the prize exchange has ended when the actual prize is handed to the player is entered. An operation unit (not shown) is provided. Based on signals from these operation units, the display unit 30 notifies the player that the prize is being delivered to the player (see FIG. 8 (f)) and delivers the prize to the player for prize exchange. It is set so that a notification of completion (see FIG. 9G) is displayed.

  Furthermore, the prize service operation section 48, the up / down movement operation section 48a, the prize selection operation section 48b, the cancel operation section 48c, and the prize confirmation operation section 48d in the display unit 30 are also displayed on the portable information terminal 50. Instead of the player, the store clerk may perform a gift exchange operation based on the player's instruction.

  Next, the flow of main information in the prize service processing relating to prize exchange in the amusement shop system 1 according to the present embodiment will be schematically described based on FIG. First, in the card unit 20, an operation relating to prize exchange is performed based on a touch operation on the display unit 30 by the player. When this series of operations is completed, “gift information” that specifies the type of the prize selected by the player, in addition to “table information” for identifying the gaming machine 11 as prize service information from the card unit 20 to the management server 40. ”Or“ the number of prize exchange balls ”necessary for the exchange of prizes (circle 1).

  In the management server 40, the prize information is transmitted to the prize monitor device 60 and the prize POS terminal 70, and the prize is displayed on the prize monitor device 60, so that the clerk at the place where the prize monitor device 60 is installed is exchanged by the player. Tell the prize you want. Also, the prize POS terminal 70 updates the prize inventory data based on the sent prize information.

  In the management server 40, after receiving the prize service information, as the status information, “order completed” indicating that an operation related to prize exchange by the player has been accepted, or the clerk delivers the actual prize to the player. Information indicating “delivering” indicating that the card is being sent is transmitted to the card unit 20 (circle 2). Further, the management server 40 transmits the “table information”, “premium information”, and “premium exchange ball number” received from the card unit 20 to the portable information terminal 50 (circle 3). The portable information terminal 50 that has received such premium service information transmits a premium service information request to the card unit 20 (circle 4).

  The card unit 20 that has received the premium service information request transmits “table information”, “premium information”, and “number of premium exchange balls” as the premium service information to the portable information terminal 50 (circle 5). The store clerk who receives the prize service information at the portable information terminal 50 hands over the actual prize to the player who plays the game machine 11 corresponding to the card unit 20 (circle 6).

  At that time, the store clerk operates the portable information terminal 50 to transmit premium delivery information from the portable information terminal 50 to the card unit 20 (circle 7). The card unit 20 that has received the prize delivery information transmits the prize exchange completion information indicating that the prize exchange has been completed successfully to the portable information terminal 50 (circle 8). Subsequently, the prize exchange completion information is also sent to the management server 40. Is transmitted (circle 9). Thereby, a series of free gift service processing ends. Details of the series of free gift service processing will be described later with reference to FIGS. 17 and 18.

  Next, the prize service process will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 9, focusing on the transition of screen display on the display unit 30 of the card unit 20 and the display unit 16 of the gaming machine 11. First, in a normal state in which the player is not performing operations relating to prize exchange, as shown in FIG. 6A, the number of balls that can be fired displayed on the display unit 16 is not reduced by the prize exchange process. Each game ball is decremented one by one and is increased by the number of prize balls for each winning game ball.

  In addition, on the screen of the display unit 30, a table information display unit 35 is displayed in a large size. When the player touches the table information A operation unit 41, the table information display unit 35 displays the number of jackpots as the table information A. Further, when the player touches the base information B operation unit 42, other information (not shown) is displayed as the base information B.

  The player can perform operations relating to prize exchange on the screen of the display unit 30. As shown in FIG. 6B, when the premium service operation unit 48 is touched, a premium service display unit 34 appears instead of the table information display unit 35, and a player exchanges the premium service display unit 34. The “prize name” of each possible prize, the “number of prize exchange balls” necessary for prize exchange, etc. are displayed for each prize.

  In addition, an up / down movement operation unit 48a for moving up and down a cursor (not shown) for selecting a prize desired by the player from among the prizes displayed on the prize service display unit 34 appears. In addition, regarding the prize exchange during the game, it is possible to exchange not only all the prizes but only drinks, cigarettes and the like that are highly likely to be exchanged by the player during the game.

  The player determines the prize by touching the up / down movement operation section 48a and moving the cursor position on the desired prize, and then touching the prize selection operation section 48b. Then, as shown in FIG. 7 (c), the prize service display unit 34 displays the selected “prize name” and its “prize exchange ball number” and the total prize exchange ball number display unit 38. The “total number of prize exchange balls” required for exchanging all selected prizes is displayed. Here, the total number of exchanged balls is a value that can still be changed by touching the cancel operation unit 48c.

  Similarly, the number of shootable balls on the screen of the display unit 30 is decremented by 1 every time a game ball is fired, and the number of prize balls is added whenever necessary. Then, the fluctuation display (update display) is performed in real time. In addition, the number of balls that can be fired at the time of replacement displays the “number of balls that can be fired at the time of replacement”, which is a value obtained by subtracting the total number of exchanged prizes from the number of balls that can be fired. As shown in FIG. 7D, the number of balls that can be fired at the time of replacement is also calculated at any time as the number of balls that can be fired varies, and the latest current value is displayed in a variable manner (updated display) in real time.

  As described above, in the display unit 30, when a player exchanges prizes, the game value (total number of prize exchange balls) required for prize exchange and the remaining usable immediately in the game even after the prize exchange is executed. The game value (the number of balls that can be fired at the time of replacement) and the game value (the number of balls that can be fired) that are the sum of these values are displayed in a variable manner (updated) in real time. With reference to these values, the player can play a game while judging whether or not to actually exchange prizes.

  Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 8E, when the prize confirming operation unit 48d is touched, the player's operation relating to prize exchange is completed. After completion of such an operation, a notification of “order completed” indicating that the operation relating to the prize exchange has been completed is displayed on the screen of the display unit 30. In addition, the number of balls that can be fired is variably displayed (updated and displayed) in real time on the number of balls that can be fired in the display unit 36. Fixed display.

  Further, the number of balls that can be fired at the time of replacement in the number of balls that can be fired at the time of replacement 37 is also fixedly displayed as a value at that time. Further, the newly displayed “total” prize exchange ball number display portion 39 at the time of exchange displays the total number of exchange prizes at the time of exchange, which is the sum of the total prize exchange number and the number of balls that can be fired at the time of exchange, as a fixed value. The In this way, by fixedly displaying values other than the number of balls that can be fired that change in real time, the player can confirm the current state when the operation related to the prize exchange is completed, so the prize exchange can be performed with peace of mind. be able to.

  Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 8 (f), on the screen of the display unit 30, a “delivering” notification indicating that the actual prize is being delivered is displayed. Finally, as shown in FIG. 9G, a “delivery completed” notification is displayed on the screen of the display unit 30 indicating that the prize has actually been delivered to the player and the prize exchange has been completed. . In this way, information related to the notification of the progress halfway to the end of the prize exchange where the prize is actually delivered to the player is updated and displayed.

  This can be confirmed when the store clerk confirms the player who ordered the prize. In addition, the player can compare and confirm the contents of the actual prize service by the store clerk and the contents relating to the displayed prize exchange. Furthermore, both the store clerk and the player can confirm that the free gift service has been completed. Note that the character color such as a prize name displayed on the prize service display unit 34 and the background color thereof may be changed after the prize is delivered.

  As described above, the display unit 30 which is a display means as described above is composed of a touch panel display unit and also serves as a terminal as a touch panel. Thereby, even if it sets large so that the screen of the display unit 30 may be easy to see, operability is also improved by serving also as a terminal, and a request for space saving can be met. In addition, as shown in FIG. 3, by providing a display unit 30 in the front portion of the card unit 20 so as to partition the adjacent gaming machine 11, the card unit 20 can also function as a partition or a smoke distribution plate. Furthermore, since the display unit 30 can be moved in and out, there is no possibility of being disturbed by storing it when not in use.

  Hereinafter, the processing of the game value held by the player in the game store system 1 including the gaming apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. The processing described below mainly includes main body control device 100 of gaming machine 11 (including calculation means), card unit control device 200 of card unit 20 (including calculation means), and control of portable information terminal 50 (not shown). Executed by the department.

  First, in FIG. 10, a flowchart (FIG. 4A) that is a main flow of processing in the card unit control device 200 of the card unit 20 and a flowchart that is a main flow of processing in the main body control device 100 of the gaming machine 11 (FIG. 4 (B)) will be described side by side, and processing relating to game values performed in association with each other between the card unit 20 and the gaming machine 11 will be described.

The card unit control device 200 performs an initial setting process for setting various settings to a predetermined initial state when the power is turned on (step S101). Also in the gaming machine 11, the initial setting process (step S201) is performed when the power is turned on.
Next, in the card unit control device 200, when the player starts a game, card processing is performed which is processing when an IC card as a member card or guest card is inserted into the card unit 20 (step S102). .

  The gaming machine 11 according to the present embodiment inserts an IC card as a storage medium storing an ID into a card unit 20 provided adjacent thereto (the gaming value corresponding to the ID exists, and It is possible to play a game if at least a part of the game value is the number of balls that can be fired. Therefore, the state in which the IC card is inserted into the IC card reader / writer 23 of the card unit 20 basically occupies the gaming machine 11 by the player who owns the IC card, and the gaming machine 11 is in a gaming state. .

  Then, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 11A, in the card processing, whether the IC card is set, that is, the IC card has already been inserted into the card unit 20, and the card processing for the inserted IC card is completed. It is determined whether or not (step S111). Here, when the IC card is set (step S111; Y), the card processing for the IC card of the player who plays with the current gaming machine 11 is finished, and the card processing is finished. Return to the main flow.

On the other hand, when the card is not set (step S111; N), it is determined whether or not the IC card is inserted (step S112). When the IC card is not inserted (step S112; N). Then, the process is terminated and the process returns to the main flow.
When the IC card is inserted (step S112; Y), the ID stored in the IC card is read by the IC card reader / writer 23 (step S113) and transmitted to the management server 40.

  In the management server 40, the received ID is searched from a database (for example, stored in the storage device of the management server 40) in which the ID of the issued IC card is registered, and whether or not the ID exists in the database. Alternatively, it is possible to check the authenticity of the ID by a known ID (key code) confirmation method such as whether the ID corresponds to a preset ID generation method (method used when generating the ID of the IC card). judge.

  In data communication between the card unit 20 and the management server 40, it is assumed that each card unit 20 (the gaming machine 11 corresponding to the card unit 20 on a one-to-one basis) includes information that can be individually specified. In 40, the received ID and the information specifying the card unit 20 that has transmitted the ID are associated with each other.

  Then, the management server 40 transmits the authenticity determination result of the ID to the card unit 20, and the card unit 20 confirms the authenticity of the IC card corresponding to the received authenticity determination result (step S114). . That is, when the received determination result is true, the inserted IC card is determined to be true, and when the received determination result is false, the inserted IC card is determined to be false. Then, it is determined whether or not the confirmed determination result is true (step S115). If it is not true but false (step S115; N), the IC card is ejected from the card insertion slot 21 (step S116).

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the IC card is true (step S115; Y), the money amount information and the number-of-balls information (here, for example, the end of the game) stored from the management server 40 corresponding to the ID of the IC card. (Sometimes the number of balls held plus the number of balls that can be fired) is read out and stored in the RAM 213, and the value of the stored amount information is displayed on the deposit amount display unit 31, and the number of stored balls The number of balls possessed by the information is displayed on the number-of-balls display section 33 (step S117).

  Then, when the card process is completed in the card unit 20, the deposit process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 11B is performed (step S103). In this depositing process, first, it is determined whether or not the IC card is inserted into the card insertion slot 21 of the card unit 20 and the above-described card process is completed, that is, the IC card is set (step S121). .

Here, if the IC card is not set (step S121; N), the process is terminated and the process returns to the main flow of FIG.
That is, unless an IC card is set in the card unit 20, insertion of banknotes into the banknote insertion slot 22 is not accepted, and games without an IC card are not accepted.

On the other hand, when the IC card is set (step S121; Y), it is determined whether or not a bill is inserted (inserted) into the bill insertion slot 22 (step S122).
Here, when no banknote is inserted (step S122; N), the process is terminated and the process returns to the main flow.

  When a bill is inserted (step S122; Y), the amount of the bill inserted by the bill validator 24 is identified, and the identified amount is transmitted to the management server 40 as deposit amount information. In this process, the deposit amount information is actually set in the memory (RAM 213, etc.) as transmission data (step S123) (step S123). In the management server transmission process in step S109 of the main flow shown in FIG. 40. The above-described information such as ID is also actually transmitted in the transmission process.

Moreover, also when the banknote identification machine 24 cannot identify a banknote (step S122; N), the inserted banknote is discharged | emitted and a process is complete | finished.
In addition, when the deposit amount information is received in the management server 40, the deposit amount information is stored in association with the ID, and the amount indicated in the deposit amount information is set to the amount of the amount information corresponding to the ID. The amount information is updated and stored.

  The amount information may be managed on the card unit 20 side while the IC card is inserted in the card unit 20. That is, the money amount information corresponding to the ID is read from the management server 40 to the card unit 20 at the time of card processing, and calculation processing of addition and subtraction of the money amount information is performed by the insertion of banknotes and the later-described lending process by the card unit 20, When the IC card is ejected in a game end process to be described later, the amount information that is the result of the arithmetic processing is transmitted to the management server 40, and the amount information received at the management server 40 is updated and stored as the amount information corresponding to the ID. It is also good.

  In the present embodiment, basically all information related to the game value is stored in the management server 40, and the deposit amount information, the amount information, and the number-of-balls information in the game value information are stored in the card unit 20 (card unit control). The device 200) manages and stores the information, and the game machine 11 (main body control device 100) manages and stores the number of balls that can be fired in the game value information. Here, when adding the number of balls that can be fired, if the number of balls that can be fired is the upper limit value, the main body control device 100 sends information that exceeds the upper limit value of the ball numbers that can be fired to the card unit 20. The number of balls that can be fired is managed as the upper limit value.

  Next, in the card unit 20, the amount indicated by the identified deposit amount information is displayed on the deposit amount display unit 31, and in the management server 40 or the card unit 20, the amount information of the deposit amount information is added to the amount of the amount information corresponding to the ID. The result of adding the amount is used as new amount information, and this amount information is displayed on the deposit amount display unit 31 (step S124). Then, the deposit process is terminated and the process returns to the main flow of FIG.

  Next, a ball lending process (step S104, step S202) shown in the flowchart of FIG. 12 is performed between the card unit 20 and the gaming machine 11. First, the processing of the card unit 20 shown in FIG. In the display unit 30 of the card unit 20, it is determined whether or not the ball lending operation unit 46 is touched and an operation signal is input to the card unit control device 200 (step S 131). If the ball lending operation unit 46 is not touched (step S131; N), the process is terminated and the process returns to the main flow of FIG. The ball lending operation unit 46 is a touch panel type operation switch as described above, and an ON signal is continuously output to the card unit control device 200 while being touched.

  If the ball lending operation unit 46 is touched (step S131; Y), whether or not a long press has been made so that the ON signal from the ball lending operation unit 46 is continuously input for a predetermined time or more. That is, it is determined whether or not the ON signal is not interrupted within a predetermined time (step S132). In the present embodiment, the number of game balls as a game value possessed by a player is divided into the number of balls that can be fired managed by the gaming machine 11 and the number of balls held by the card unit 20. In the processing, when the money amount information is converted into the number of game balls, the player can select whether the number of rented balls as the converted number of game balls is the number of balls that can be fired or the number of balls possessed.

  When the ball lending operation unit 46 is long pressed (step S132; Y), the number of balls lent is added to the number of balls held, but without long pressing the ball lending operation unit 46 (step S132; N) ) When the player touches for a short time as a normal operation, the number of balls lent is added to the number of balls that can be fired. Thus, in principle, the number of rented balls is set to be added to the number of balls that can be fired. In addition, there is an upper limit for the number of balls that can be fired.If the number of balls that can be fired exceeds the upper limit when the number of balls that can be fired exceeds the upper limit, the player must add to the number of balls that can be fired. Even if selected, the number of game balls exceeding the upper limit is added to the number of balls held as the excess number of balls.

  Specifically, if the long press is not performed as a normal operation (step S132; N), 500 is subtracted from the amount of money amount information, and the number of rented balls 125 is transmitted to the gaming machine 11 (step S133). Here, it is assumed that the number of game balls is 4 yen. Note that the conversion rate of the game balls is not limited to 4 yen, and can be arbitrarily set within a predetermined range. In addition, since the communication between the card unit 20 and the gaming machine 11 is performed by a wire connected in a one-to-one relationship, the transmission data is not transmitted after the transmission data is once set, but is transmitted. Is transmitted from the card unit control device 200 to the gaming machine 11.

  In the present embodiment, the deposit is made by banknotes and the minimum unit is 1000 yen, but the conversion from the amount information to the number of balls in the ball lending process is in units of 500 yen. Accordingly, in the ball lending process, a fraction smaller than 500 does not occur in the amount information. If the amount indicated in the amount information stored when the ball lending operation unit 46 is touched is 0, the ball lending process is terminated and the process returns to the main flow of FIG.

Next, the subtracted amount information is updated and stored and displayed on the amount display unit (step S134). Further, the subtracted amount information is set for transmission to the management server 40 (step S135), and is transmitted by the management server transmission process.
On the other hand, when the ball lending operation unit 46 is touched and long-pressed (step S132; Y), the above-mentioned 125 lending numbers are added to the number of balls held in the number-of-balls information. (Step S136). Here, the amount information described above is also subtracted.

Then, the added ball number is updated and stored as ball number information, and the updated ball number is displayed on the ball number display unit 33 (step S137).
Then, it moves to step S134, displays the amount information subtracted as described above (step S134), performs a process for transmitting the amount information subtracted to the management server 40 (step S135), The lending process is terminated and the process returns to the main flow of FIG.

Next, the ball lending process of the main body control device 100 of the gaming machine 11 shown in FIG. In step S133 of the card unit 20 described above, the number of rented balls is transmitted, and it is determined whether or not the number of rented balls has been received (step S211). If the number of rented balls has not been received (step S211; N), the process ends and the process returns to the main flow of FIG.
When the number of rented balls is received (step S211; Y), 125 is added as a predetermined number of rented balls to the number of balls that can be fired in the stored number of balls that can be fired (step S212).

Then, it is determined whether or not the addition result obtained by adding the number of balls lent to the number of balls that can be fired exceeds 250 as a preset upper limit value of the number of balls that can be fired (step S213).
Here, when the number of balls that can be fired after the addition does not exceed the upper limit value (step S213; N), the number of balls that can be fired is confirmed and the number of balls that can be fired indicating the number of balls that can be fired after the addition is updated. The stored and updated number of balls that can be fired is displayed on the number of fireable balls number display unit 36 of the display unit 30 (step S214), the ball lending process is terminated, and the process returns to the main flow. The updated number of balls that can be fired is also displayed on the display unit 16 of the gaming machine 11.

  On the other hand, when the number of balls that can be fired exceeds the upper limit value (step S213; Y), the number of balls that can be fired is determined by an excess ball process described later, and an excess ball flag for starting the excess ball process Is set (step S215), the ball lending process in the gaming machine 11 is terminated, and the process returns to the main flow of FIG.

Next, in the card unit 20 and the gaming machine 11, a holding ball movement process is performed in which a predetermined number of the number of balls held by the card unit 20 is moved to the number of balls that can be fired by the gaming machine 11 (steps S105 and S203). .
As shown in the flowchart of FIG. 13A, in the card unit 20, it is first determined whether or not the ball movement operation unit 47 is touched as the ball movement process (step S141).

  When the holding ball movement operation unit 47 is not touched (step S141; N), the current holding ball number is displayed on the holding ball number display unit 33 in step S14B described later, and transmitted to the management server 40 in step S14C. After the number of balls to be set is set and the ball movement process is completed, the process returns to the main flow of FIG. In the present embodiment, the movement between the number of balls possessed and the number of balls that can be fired is not one direction from the number of balls possessed to the number of balls that can be fired, but is bidirectional. It is possible to select whether the number of game balls is moved to the number of balls that can be fired or whether the number of game balls is moved from the number of balls that can be fired to the number of balls held.

  The holding ball movement operation unit 47 is a touch panel type operation switch similar to the ball lending operation unit 46, and can determine a long press by the same control as the ball lending operation unit 46. When the ball movement operation unit 47 is touched (step S141; Y), whether or not the game ball number is to be moved in the long direction between the number of balls that can be fired and the number of ball possessions is determined. In step S142, it is determined whether or not the ball movement operation unit 47 has been pressed for a long time.

  When the touch of the holding ball movement operation unit 47 is not a long press and is a short time touch (step S142; N), the number of gaming balls is moved from the number of holding balls to the number of balls that can be fired. It is determined whether or not a predetermined number, for example, 250 or more, which is a predetermined number set when the ball is moved to the number of balls that can be fired (step S143). If the number of balls held is greater than or equal to the predetermined number (step S143; Y), a predetermined number of the number of held balls is transmitted to the gaming machine 11 (step S144), and the stored ball number information indicates A predetermined number of balls is subtracted from the number of balls held, and the subtraction result is updated and stored as new ball count information (step S145).

  Further, when the number of balls indicated by the stored number-of-balls information is smaller than the predetermined number (step S143; N), the current number of held balls smaller than the predetermined number is transmitted to the gaming machine 11 instead of the predetermined number. (Step S146) Assuming that all the number of balls has been moved to the gaming machine 11, new ball number information with the number of balls held as 0 is updated and stored (Step S147).

  On the other hand, in the holding ball movement process (step S203) of the gaming machine 11 (main body control device 100) to which the current number of balls held at or below the predetermined number is transmitted, in FIG. It is determined whether or not it has been received (step S221). When the number of possessed balls is not received (step S221; N), the process proceeds to step S226 and subsequent steps for moving the number of game balls from the number of balls that can be fired to the number of possessed balls described later.

  When the number of possessed balls is received (step S221; Y), the received number of possessed balls is added to the number of throwable balls indicated by the number of throwable balls stored in the gaming machine 11 (RAM 113). (Step S222). Accordingly, the card unit control device 200 has a function of transmitting a predetermined number of game values (the number of game balls) out of the number of balls stored in the RAM 213 to the gaming machine 11 as a number of balls that can be fired by a predetermined operation. . In addition, the main body control device 100 of the gaming machine 11 receives the game value (number of balls held) transmitted from the card unit 20 and, as a calculation means, adds the received number of balls to the number of balls that can be fired. It has.

  Next, it is determined whether or not the number of balls that can be fired with the number of balls held is larger than the upper limit value (step S223). Here, when the number of balls that can be fired is less than or equal to the upper limit (step S223; N), the number of balls that can be fired with the number of balls held is determined, and a new fireable ball that indicates the number of balls that can be fired is added. The number-of-balls information is updated and stored, and the updated number of balls that can be fired is displayed on the display unit 16 (and the number of balls that can be fired is displayed 36) (step S224). The process proceeds to step S226, which is the movement process.

  If the number of balls that can be fired is larger than the upper limit (step S223; Y), the number of balls that can be fired is set without setting the number of balls that can be fired (step S225), To decide. Further, after the excess ball flag is set, the process proceeds to step S226, which is a process of moving the number of game balls from the number of balls that can be fired to the number of balls possessed.

On the other hand, in the processing of the card unit 20, when it is determined in step S142 that the held ball movement operation unit 47 is pressed long (step S142; Y), the number of game balls from the number of balls that can be fired to the number of balls held The card unit 20 (card unit control device 200) sends a request to move the number of balls that can be fired to the gaming machine 11 (main body control device 100) (step S148).
In the gaming machine 11, as a process of moving the number of game balls from the number of balls that can be fired to the number of balls held, it is determined whether or not a request for movement of the number of balls that can be fired from the card unit 20 has been received (step S226).

And when the request | requirement ball number movement request | requirement is not received (step S226; N), a holding ball movement process is complete | finished and it returns to the main flow of FIG.
When the request for moving the number of balls that can be fired is received (step S226; Y), the number of balls that can be fired of the current number of balls that can be fired is transmitted to the card unit 20 (step S227). Further, assuming that the current number of balls that can be fired has been moved to the card unit 20, the number of balls that can be fired is set to 0, and the number of balls that can be fired that has become 0 is displayed 16 (Step S228).

  In the present embodiment, the current number of balls that can be fired is set to be able to move to the number of balls, but when the number of balls that can be fired is a predetermined number (for example, 100) or more, a predetermined number is set. It may be set so that only the card unit 20 can be moved. When the number of balls that can be fired is 0, a signal indicating that the number of balls that can be fired is 0 is output.

  The card unit 20 determines whether or not the number of balls that can be fired has been received after transmitting the request for movement of the number of balls that can be fired (step S149). If not received (step S149; N), this determination is repeated. By this, it will be in the state which waits for reception of the number of balls which can be launched. If the number of balls that can be fired is received (step S149; Y), the number of balls that can be fired is added to the number of balls currently held and the number of balls that can be fired is added. Is updated and stored as information on the number of balls possessed (step S14A).

  Then, the number of balls determined by the above processing of the ball movement process is displayed on the ball number display unit 33 (step S14B). The new ball number information is set to be transmitted to the management server 40 (step S14C), and is transmitted to the management server 40 by the management server transmission process. The management server 40 updates and stores new ball number information as ball number information. In the card unit 20, the ball movement process is terminated, and the process returns to the main flow of FIG.

  Next, in the gaming machine 11, the gaming process (step S204) shown in the flowchart of FIG. 14 is performed. In this game process, it is determined whether or not a game ball can be launched (step S231). Here, the state that can be fired means that an IC card is set in the card unit 20, the number of balls that can be fired is 1 or more, the player's hand touching the touch sensor 142 of the handle 17, etc. The necessary conditions for launching a game ball are complete. If it is not possible to fire (step S231; N), the process proceeds to step S23B described later, and information such as the current number of balls that can be fired is transmitted to the card unit 20.

  If firing is possible (step S231; Y), it is determined whether or not a firing ball is generated (step S232). Here, when a game ball detection signal is input from the shot ball detection sensor 18e, it is determined that a shot ball has been generated (game ball shot). Then, only when a fired ball is generated (step S232; Y), 1 is subtracted from the number of shottable balls in the stored number of shotable balls information (step S233).

  Next, it is determined whether or not a foul ball is generated (step S234). Here, when a game ball detection signal is input from the return ball detection sensor 18c, it is determined that a foul ball has been generated. Only when a foul ball is generated (step S234; Y), 1 is added to the number of balls that can be fired (step S235).

  Further, it is determined whether or not a prize ball is generated (step S236). Here, in the gaming machine 11, when a prize ball command indicating the number of prize balls is awarded from the game control device 120 to the main body control device 100, it is determined that a prize ball has been generated. Only when a winning ball is generated (step S236; Y), the number of winning balls indicated in the winning ball command is added to the number of balls that can be fired (step S237). In the above processing, the number of balls that can be fired is not determined even if the number of balls that can be fired is added or subtracted.

  Next, it is determined whether or not the number of balls that can be fired exceeds 250 which is the upper limit value (step S238). Only when the number of balls that can be fired is 250 or less (step S238; N), the number of balls that can be fired is determined. It is confirmed and updated and stored as information on the number of balls that can be fired, and the number of balls that can be fired is displayed on the display section 16 (number of fireable balls display section 36) (step S239). On the other hand, when the number of balls that can be fired exceeds 250 (step S238; Y), an excess ball flag is set (step S23A), and the number of balls that can be fired is determined by the excess ball processing described later.

  Subsequently, the number of balls that can be fired, error information when an error occurs, and other information are transmitted to the card unit 20 (step S23B), and the information is transmitted to the management server 40 via the card unit 20. Then, the game process ends and the process returns to the main flow of FIG. The main body control device 100 that performs the above game processing subtracts the game value amount (number of fired balls) used for the game from the number of balls that can be fired, and the game value (number of prize balls) corresponding to the winning for the number of balls that can be fired Functions as an arithmetic means for adding.

  Next, the excess ball processing shown in the flowchart of FIG. 15 is performed in the card unit 20 and the gaming machine 11 (step S106, step S205). In the excess ball processing of the gaming machine 11 shown in FIG. 15 (B), there is the above-described excess ball flag that is set when the number of balls that can be fired exceeds the upper limit by adding the number of game balls to the number of balls that can be fired. It is determined whether or not (step S241). If there is no excess ball flag (step S241; N), the excess ball process is terminated and the process returns to the main flow of FIG.

  If there is an excess ball flag (step S241; Y), the excess ball flag is cleared (step S242), and after the numerical value is added as described above, the value is larger than 250 as the upper limit value. The upper limit value 250 is subtracted from the number of fireable balls (step S243), and the excess number of balls as the portion exceeding the upper limit of the number of fireable balls is calculated. Then, the calculated excess ball count is transmitted to the card unit 20 as excess ball count information (step S244).

  On the other hand, in the card unit 20 shown in FIG. 15 (A), it is determined whether or not excess ball number information has been received (step S151), and when excess ball number information is not received (step S151; N), excess End the ball process. When the excess ball number information is received (step S151; Y), the excess ball number of the received excess ball number information is added to the ball number of the ball number information stored in the card unit 20, and the addition result Is updated and stored as number-of-balls information (step S152), and the updated number-of-balls information is displayed on the number-of-balls display 33 (step S153).

  In addition, the updated number of balls possessed and the number of balls that can be fired are set to the management server 40 (step S154), and transmitted by the management server transmission process. Note that the number of balls that can be fired at this time is determined to be the upper limit of the number of balls that can be fired excluding the excess number of balls, so it is not particularly necessary to transmit the number of balls that can be fired from the gaming machine 11. The number of balls that can be fired may be transmitted as the upper limit value.

  By the above excess ball processing, the main body control device 100 of the gaming machine 11 allows the upper limit value of the calculation result when the calculation result (the result of adding the number of game balls to the number of balls that can be fired) exceeds the upper limit value. It has a function to transmit the game value of the part exceeding the limit to the card unit 20 as the excess game value (excess number of balls). The card unit control device 200 of the card unit 20 adds the function of receiving the excess game value transmitted by the main body control device 100, the received excess game value, and the number of balls held in the RAM 213. It has the function to do.

  Next, the game end process (step S107, step S206) in the card unit 20 and the gaming machine 11 shown in FIG. 16 will be described. In this game end process, when the game end operation unit 44 of the display unit 30 of the card unit 20 is touched, the number of balls that can be fired is added to the number of balls held, the number of balls that can be fired is set to 0, and the card unit 20 In this process, the IC card is ejected from the game machine 11 so that the game on the gaming machine 11 is prohibited.

  In FIG. 16A, the card unit 20 first determines whether or not there is a premium service flag described later (step S161). Here, when the premium service flag is set (step S161; Y), since the calculation processing of the number of balls in the card unit 20 is prohibited, the game end processing cannot be performed. Thus, the game end process ends, and the process returns to the main flow of FIG. Therefore, in the prize exchange process during the game, the game end operation unit 44 is invalid, and even if the player touches the game end operation unit 44, the game end process is not started and the game ends. I can't.

  If the prize service flag is not set (step S161; N), whether or not the game end operation unit 44 is touched, that is, an operation signal from the game end operation unit 44 is received by the card unit control device 200. It is determined whether or not it has been received (step S162; N), the game end process is terminated and the process returns to the main flow of FIG. When an operation signal is received from the game end operation unit 44 (step S162; Y), a game end request is transmitted to the gaming machine 11 (step S163).

  As shown in FIG. 16 (B), in the gaming machine 11, it is determined whether or not a game end request is received from the card unit 20 in the game end process (step S251), and when the game end request is not received. (Step S251; N), the game end process is ended, and the process returns to the main flow of FIG. On the other hand, when the game end request is received (step S251; Y), it is determined whether or not the game operation is ended (step S252).

  Here, the player who touched the game end operation unit 44 is basically in a state where he / she quits the game by releasing his hand from the handle 17, and the launch control device 140 is moved from the touch sensor 142 provided on the handle 17. The signal to is off (a signal state indicating no touch). As a result, the launch motor 141 of the launch device is stopped by the control of the launch control device 140.

  For example, the main body control device 100 determines the end of the game operation based on, for example, the absence of a signal from the launch control device 140 or an output of a game ball detection signal from the launch ball detection sensor 18e for a predetermined time. Further, as the determination of the end of the game operation, the number of floating balls (game balls from being launched to the game area 13 until being collected) after being launched is monitored, and the number of floating balls becomes zero. In this case, it may be determined that the game operation has ended.

  Note that the number of floating balls is monitored by the number of shot balls (number of game balls launched) counted by the detection signal from the shot ball detection sensor 18e from the start of the game by inserting the IC card described above, and the ball detection sensor 18a. The difference from the number of collected balls (number of collected game balls) counted by the detection signal from the return ball detection sensor 18c is calculated to be the number of floating balls, and the number of floating balls is monitored to become zero.

  In addition, when the player is touching the game end operation unit 44 and performing the operation of launching the game ball without releasing his hand from the handle 17, the game operation is not ended and the game operation is ended. It will be in the state to wait. Here, as an actual process, here, the game end process is once ended and the process returns to the main flow of FIG. 10 to enable the game process (step S204) again, and again in the main flow, the game end process. When the game operation is started, it is preferably determined again whether or not the game operation has ended, and if the game operation has ended, the process proceeds to the next process.

  When the game operation is completed (step S252; Y), the game operation completion is transmitted (step S253), and the current number of balls that can be fired is transmitted to the card unit 20 (step S254). Further, the number of shotable balls stored as the number of shottable balls information is updated and stored as 0, and the updated number of shotable balls, that is, 0 is displayed on the number of shottable balls display unit 36 and the display unit 16 (step) S255).

  As a result, when the game operation is finished, the number of balls that can be fired becomes 0, and even if a signal indicating touch is input from the touch sensor 142 to the firing control device 140 by the player holding the handle 17 again, the firing is performed. The control device 140 is controlled by the main body control device 100 to prohibit launching because the number of balls that can be fired is 0, and the game operation (launching of the game ball) is not resumed. Then, the game end process in the gaming machine 11 is ended, and the process returns to the main flow of FIG.

  In FIG. 16A, the card unit 20 that transmitted the game end request next determines whether or not the game operation end information described above has been received from the gaming machine 11 (step S164). When game operation end information is not received (step S164; N), it is in a state of waiting for reception of game operation end information. Here, as in the case of the gaming machine 11 side for determining the end of the game operation, when the game operation end information cannot be received, the game end process is temporarily ended, and the game operation end information is then used in the next game end process. When reception is possible, the process proceeds to the next process, and if the reception is not possible, the game operation process may be terminated.

  When the game operation end information is received (step S164; Y), it is determined whether or not the next ball number information has been received (step S165) and the reception of the ball number information is awaited. It becomes. If the number of balls that can be fired is received (step S165; Y), the number of balls that can be fired in the information on the number of balls that can be fired is added to the current number of balls that is stored as the number of balls that can be fired. The result is updated and stored as number-of-balls information (step S166), and the updated number of balls is displayed on the number-of-balls display section 33 (step S167).

  Also, the updated number-of-balls information is set to be transmitted to the management server 40, and is transmitted by the management server transmission process (step S168). At this time, information indicating that the number of balls that can be fired is 0 is also transmitted. This information means, for example, that if the number of balls that can be fired is 0 at the end of the game, the game ends. It may be information indicating.

  The amount information is also transmitted to the management server 40 and managed. The management server 40 manages the updated ball number information and money amount information, and when the ID data is read from the IC card at the prize POS terminal 70, the number of balls held corresponding to the ball number information after the game is stored. It is possible to exchange prizes within a range, and the number of game balls exchanged for prizes is subtracted from the number of possession balls in the possession number information, and the subtraction result is updated and stored.

  Regarding the amount information, when the ID data is read from the IC card in the settlement machine 80, the amount information corresponding to the ID is transmitted from the management server 40 to the settlement machine 80, and the unused amount is paid by the settlement machine 80. The information is paid out as money, and the management server 40 updates and stores the amount information as 0 at the end of the settlement.

  Next, data is written to the IC card by the IC card reader / writer 23 of the card unit 20 (step S169). The writing here is, for example, information indicating the end of the game, and may include, for example, a gaming machine number (unit number) indicating the gaming machine 11 that has played a game, a game end time, and the like. Moreover, it is good also as what writes the number-of-balls information and money amount information in an IC card.

  When game value information such as the number of balls held or money amount information is written on the IC card, the game value information written on the IC card and the ID on the management server 40 are used when using the game value information. When the game value information stored in association with the game value information is different, the game value information stored in the management server 40 is used. As described above, when the game value information is different, the use of the game value information may be temporarily prohibited. Then, the IC card to which data has been written is ejected (step S16A), the game end process is terminated, and the process returns to the main flow.

  Next, the free gift service process shown in FIGS. 17 and 18 will be described. The player can exchange prizes while playing on the screen of the display unit 30 with the IC card inserted into the card unit 20. Although the operation on the screen of the display unit 30 has been described above, it will be described here as needed. In the free gift service process shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, it is first determined whether or not the free gift service flag is present in the card unit 20 shown in FIG. 17A (step S171).

  If the premium service flag is set (step S171; Y), it is determined whether or not the premium service operation unit 48 is touched (step S172). If the premium service operation unit 48 is not touched (step S172). S172; N), the premium service process in the card unit 20 is terminated, and the process returns to the main flow of FIG. Also, when the premium service flag is not set (step S171; N), the premium service processing is terminated and the process returns to the main flow of FIG.

  When the prize service operation unit 48 is touched (step S172; Y), exchange of prizes in the display unit 30 of the card unit 20 is started, and as shown in FIG. 6B, the prize service on the screen of the display unit 30 is displayed. The display unit 34 displays a prize name for identifying the type of prize for each prize and the number of prize exchange balls necessary for the prize exchange (step S173). Here, the information for each premium may be stored in advance in the ROM 212 of the main control unit 210, or may be received and stored in the data stored in the management server 40.

  On the screen shown in FIG. 6 (b), the player touches the up / down movement operation unit 48a to move a cursor (not shown) for selecting a prize up and down so that the cursor is positioned on the desired prize. After that, a prize is selected by touching the prize selection operation unit 48b (step S174). Then, a request for the number of balls that can be fired is transmitted from the card unit 20 (card unit control device 200) to the gaming machine 11 (main body control device 100) (step S175).

  As shown in FIG. 17B, in the gaming machine 11, it is determined whether a request for the number of balls that can be fired from the card unit 20 is received as a prize service process (step S261). Here, when the request for the number of balls that can be fired is not received (step S261; N), the premium service process is terminated, and the process returns to the main flow of FIG. On the other hand, when a request for the number of balls that can be fired is received (step S261; Y), the number of balls that can be fired of the current number of balls that can be fired is transmitted to the card unit 20 (step S262). Further, the current number of balls that can be fired is displayed on the number of fireable balls display unit 36 and the display unit 16 (step S263).

  The card unit 20 determines whether or not the number of balls that can be fired has been received after transmitting the request for the number of balls that can be fired (step S176). If not received (step S176; N), this determination is repeated. By performing, it will be in the state which waits for reception of the number of balls which can be launched. When the number of balls that can be fired is received (step S176; Y), “the ball that can be fired at the time of exchange”, which is a value obtained by subtracting the number of prize exchange balls of the selected prize from the number of balls that can be fired. Number "is calculated (step S177).

  Here, when there are a plurality of the selected prizes, the prize exchange ball numbers of all the selected prizes are added, and the addition result is updated and stored as total prize exchange ball number information (step S178). Note that the player can cancel the selected prize by touching the cancel operation unit 48c. Then, by touching the prize confirming operation part 48d (step S179; Y), a series of operations relating to the prize exchange by the player is completed, and if the prize confirming operation part 48d is not touched (step S179; N), The processing from the selection of the selected prize (step S174) is repeated.

  As described above, in the gaming apparatus 10, prizes can be exchanged based on the number of balls that can be fired. Here, the number of balls that can be fired corresponds to the game balls stored in the upper plate of the conventional game machine. Accordingly, the player can receive a prize service with respect to the enclosed game machine as well as other general game machines. Moreover, before the prize exchange is executed, the current values of the number of balls that can be fired, the total number of prizes exchanged balls, and the number of balls that can be fired at the time of exchange are updated and displayed on the screen of the display unit 30 as needed. Is done.

  That is, as shown in FIGS. 7 (c) and 7 (d), the number of balls that can be fired is displayed in real time on the fireable ball number display section 36 of the display unit 30 in addition to the display section 16. Fluctuation display (update display). In addition, as for the number of balls that can be fired at the time of replacement, the latest current value is variably displayed (updated display) in real time as the number of balls that can be fired at the time of replacement is displayed on the display unit 30. The The total number of exchanged balls is also displayed on the total number of exchanged balls display section 38 of the display unit 30 and may vary depending on the operation of the cancel operation section 48c.

  By such display by the display means 30, when a player exchanges prizes, the game value (total number of prize exchange balls) required for prize exchange and the remaining games that can be used immediately in the game even after the prize exchange is executed. The value (number of balls that can be fired at the time of exchange) and the total game value (number of balls that can be fired) can be grasped in real time, and it is possible to play a game while judging whether or not to actually exchange prizes. .

  In particular, even during the series of operations relating to the prize exchange described above (steps S174 to S179), these displays are updated and displayed in real time each time a game ball is fired (added by award balls, subtracted by firing). The Therefore, the player can check the number of balls that can be fired at the time of exchange, which is the number of balls that can be fired at the present time and the number of balls that can be fired after exchanging the prize, and can be used to determine whether or not to exchange prizes. it can.

  In step S177 described above, when the number of balls that can be fired is smaller than the number of giveaway balls, for example, the fact that the number of balls that can be fired at the time of exchange is negative is displayed and the player is asked to redo the prize selection. If the number of balls held is greater than or equal to the predetermined number, the number of game balls is moved from the number of balls held to the number of balls that can be fired by the above-mentioned holding ball movement process, or the prize service process is terminated. You may do it. In addition, at the stage of step S173 described above, the prize service display unit 34 may be set to display prize information that can be exchanged within the range of the number of balls that can be fired by the player.

Returning to FIG. 17A, when the prize confirming operation unit 48d is touched (step S179; Y), the card unit 20 (card unit controller 200) transfers the total amount to the gaming machine 11 (main body controller 100). A premium exchange ball number request is transmitted (step S180).
In the gaming machine 11, it is determined whether or not the total premium exchange ball number request from the card unit 20 has been received (step S264). Here, when the total prize exchange ball number request is not received (step S264; N), by repeating this determination, the reception of the total prize exchange ball number is awaited.

  When the total number of exchangeable balls has been received (step S264; Y), the received total number of exchangeable balls is subtracted from the number of balls that can be fired to obtain the latest number of balls that can be fired after the exchange of prizes. Is calculated (step S265). Such calculation is executed by the main body control device 100 (calculation means) of the gaming machine 11. Further, the latest launchable ball number is updated and displayed on the fireable ball number display unit 36 and the display unit 16 (step S266). Thereby, a series of premium service processing in the gaming machine 11 is completed, and the process returns to the main flow of FIG.

  Again, the card unit 20 transmits the prize service information to the management server 40 and the portable information terminal 50 after transmitting the total number of prize exchange balls (step S181). Here, the premium service information is “table information” for specifying the gaming machine 11 as described above, “premium information” for specifying the type of the prize selected by the player, and “ “Premium exchange ball number” is applicable.

  As shown in FIG. 17D, the management server 40 determines whether or not the premium service information from the card unit 20 has been received as a premium service process (step S411). Here, when the premium service information is not received (step S411; N), the premium service processing is terminated and the process returns to the main flow of FIG.

  On the other hand, when the premium service information is received (step S411; Y), the premium service information is registered in association with the ID corresponding to the member player (step S412). Subsequently, the management server 40 transmits state information to the card unit 20 (card unit control device 200) (step S413). Here, the status information is “completed order” indicating that the player has received an operation related to the prize exchange as described above, or “delivery in progress” indicating that the store clerk is delivering the actual prize to the player. Is applicable.

  Again, after transmitting the premium service information, the card unit 20 determines whether or not status information from the management server 40 has been received (step S182). If not received (step S182; N), By repeatedly performing this determination, it enters a state of waiting for reception of state information. When the status information is received (step S182; Y), as shown in FIG. 8E, “order completed” is displayed on the screen of the display unit 30 (step S183). Further, as shown in FIG. 8F, “Delivery” is displayed on the screen of the display unit 30 (step S184). Thereafter, a premium service flag is set (step S185).

  Further, as described above, after the prize confirming operation part 48d is touched, the total prize exchange ball number display part 38 is fixedly displayed on the screen of the display unit 30 as a value for which the total prize exchange ball number is confirmed, The number of balls that can be fired at the time of replacement is also fixedly displayed on the exchangeable ball number display section 37. Further, the total prize exchange ball number display section 38 displays the exchange total prize exchange ball number, which is the sum of the total prize exchange ball number and the number of balls that can be fired at the time of exchange, as a fixed value. With these displays, the player can confirm in advance the current state when the operation related to the prize exchange is completed.

  Further, after transmitting the state information, the management server 40 transmits the premium service information received from the card unit 20 (card unit control device 200) to the portable information terminal 50 (step S414). Then, the fact that the premium service information has been transmitted is registered (step S415).

  As shown in FIG. 17C, in the portable information terminal 50, as the premium service process, first, it is determined whether or not the premium service information from the management server 40 has been received (step S311). Here, when the free gift service information is not received (step S311; N), the free gift service process is terminated and the process returns to the main flow of FIG. On the other hand, when the premium service information is received (step S311; Y), the premium service information is registered (step S312), and the premium service information is displayed on the display unit of the portable information terminal 50 (step S313). .

  Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 18C, in the portable information terminal 50, it is determined whether or not the giveaway button has been pressed by the store clerk (step S314). If the push-down operation has not been performed (step S314; N), the free gift service process is terminated. When the pressing operation is performed (step S314; Y), a premium service information request is transmitted to the card unit 20 (card unit controller 200) (step S315).

  As shown in FIG. 18A, the card unit 20 determines whether or not a premium service information request from the portable information terminal 50 has been received (step S186). Here, when the premium service information request is not received (step S186; N), the premium service processing is terminated and the process returns to the main flow of FIG. On the other hand, when the premium service information request is received (step S186; Y), the premium service information is transmitted to the portable information terminal 50 (step S187).

  In the portable information terminal 50, it is determined whether or not the premium service information from the card unit 20 has been received (step S316). Here, when the free gift service information is not received (step S316; N), the determination is repeated, and the reception of the free gift service information is awaited. On the other hand, when the premium service information is received (step S316; Y), the authenticity of the premium service information is confirmed (step S317).

  If the prize service information is false (step S318; N), the prize service process is terminated and the process returns to the main flow of FIG. On the other hand, if the prize service information is true (step S318; Y), it is determined whether or not the prize delivery button has been pressed by the store clerk (step S319). Here, when the push-down operation is not performed (step S319; N), the determination is repeated to enter a state of waiting for the push-down operation of the prize delivery button. On the other hand, when the pressing operation is performed (step S319; Y), premium delivery information is transmitted to the card unit 20 (card unit control device 200) (step S320).

  Then, the card unit 20 determines whether or not the premium delivery information from the portable information terminal 50 has been received (step S188). Here, when the prize delivery information is not received (step S188; N), by repeating this determination, the reception of the prize delivery information is awaited. On the other hand, when premium delivery information is received (step S188; Y), premium exchange completion information is transmitted to the portable information terminal 50 (step S189). Subsequently, the gift exchange completion information is also transmitted to the management server 40 (step S190).

  The portable information terminal 50 determines whether or not the prize exchange completion information from the card unit 20 has been received (step S321). Here, when the prize exchange completion information is not received (step S321; N), by repeating this determination, the reception of the prize exchange completion information is awaited. On the other hand, when the prize exchange completion information is received (step S321; Y), the prize exchange completion information is recorded (step S322), and “delivery completion” is displayed on the display unit (step S323). The display of “delivery completed” is cleared (step S324). Thereby, the free gift service process in the portable information terminal 50 ends.

  The management server 40 also determines whether or not the prize exchange completion information from the card unit 20 has been received (step S416). If no prize exchange completion information is received (step S416; N), the prize service process is terminated. On the other hand, when the prize exchange completion information is received (step S416; Y), the prize exchange completion information is recorded (step S417), and “delivery completion” is displayed on the display unit (step S418). The display of “delivery completed” is cleared (step S419). Thereby, the free gift service process in the management server 40 ends.

  Then, the card unit 20 transmits the prize exchange completion information, and then records the prize exchange completion information (step S191). As shown in FIG. "Is displayed (step S192), and then the display of" delivery completed "is cleared (step S193). Subsequently, the premium service flag is cleared (step S194). Thereby, the free gift service process in the card unit 20 ends.

  In such a prize service process, as described above, after the player completes the operation related to the prize exchange, that is, after the prize confirming operation unit 48d is touched, the display unit 30 is operated as shown in FIG. “Order complete” is displayed on the screen. Further, during delivery of the prize by the store clerk, “Delivery” is displayed as shown in FIG. 8 (f), and when the prize is delivered from the store clerk to the player, as shown in FIG. 9 (g). “Delivery completed” is displayed.

  In the gaming store system 1 as described above, the RAM 113 as the storage means stores the number of balls that can be fired (usable number) out of the gaming value up to a predetermined upper limit, and the amount exceeding the upper limit is stored. It is stored separately as the number of balls held (the number of waits for use), and it is possible to exchange prizes only from the number of balls that can be fired. If the number of balls that can be fired is insufficient, the movement from the number of balls held to the number of balls that can be fired However, it may be configured as follows as a modification of the present embodiment.

  That is, when the prize exchange is executed based on the operation of the display unit 30 (terminal machine), the main body control device 100 (calculation means) of the gaming machine 11 can be launched stored in the RAM 113 (storage means). Out of the number of balls (usable number) or the number of balls held (number of waiting for use) stored in the RAM 213 (storage means), the number of balls exchanged is subtracted preferentially from the number of balls held. If there is not, it may be set to subtract the prize exchange number from the number of balls that can be fired.

  In this way, when there is a number of possessed balls, by providing the prize service with priority over the number of balls that can be fired, even if the number of possessed balls decreases due to prize exchange, it is used directly in the game Does not affect the number of balls that can be fired. In addition, by displaying a message such as “Use the number of balls” when exchanging the prize, it is possible to inform the player of the game value (number of balls held) from which the prize exchange number is subtracted. Therefore, the player can exchange prizes with peace of mind while confirming the game value used for prize exchange.

  Alternatively, when the prize exchange is executed based on the operation of the display unit 30 (terminal machine), the main body control device 100 (calculation means) of the gaming machine 11 can be launched stored in the RAM 113 (storage means). Out of the number of balls (usable number) or the number of balls held (number of waiting for use) stored in the RAM 213 (storage means), the number of balls exchanged is subtracted preferentially from the number of balls held. May be set so that the shortage is subtracted from the number of balls that can be fired.

  In this way, the number of balls that can be fired and the number of balls that can be fired can be used as the prize exchange ball number, and the prize exchange can be performed without interrupting the game by the above-mentioned ball movement process (see FIG. 13). It can be carried out. In such a case, first, “Use the number of balls to be used” is displayed, and when using the number of balls that can be fired due to insufficient number of balls, “There is a shortage of balls. ”Is displayed and the player is informed of the game value used for the prize exchange, so that the player can exchange the prize with confidence while confirming the game value used for the prize exchange. be able to.

  In the latter modification, if the number of balls held is insufficient when exchanging prizes, both the number of balls used for exchanging prizes and the number of balls that can be fired are sufficient. May display the number of balls used for prize exchange. Thus, by displaying the breakdown of which game value has been used, the player can confirm the game value used for the exchange of prizes, and can exchange prizes with peace of mind.

  Furthermore, when the number of balls that can be fired becomes a predetermined number (for example, 10) or less, a predetermined game ball is automatically changed from the number of balls held to the number of balls that can be fired without touching the ball movement operation unit 47. A configuration in which the number can be moved is also possible. In such a case, if the number of game balls more than the upper limit of the number of balls that can be fired is set as the number of balls, the number of game balls that are greater than or equal to the upper limit of the number of balls that can be fired, The player can launch without operating the movement operation unit 47, and a player who feels that it is troublesome to touch the ball lending operation unit 46 and the ball movement operation unit 47 relatively frequently executes the game without being bothered. It becomes possible.

FIGS. 19-22 has shown the transition of the screen display in the display unit 30 of the card unit 20 and the display part 16 of the gaming machine 11 in the gaming machine 10 according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
In the present embodiment, among the game values, the number of lent balls paid out based on the lending operation equivalent to the amount inserted by the player and the number of prize balls paid out based on the winning in the game are stored separately. Is set to Here, for example, the number of rented balls may be stored in the RAM 213 (storage means) of the card unit 20, and the number of prize balls may be stored in the RAM 113 (storage means) of the gaming apparatus 10.

  Then, the display unit 30 (display means) updates the current value of the number of balls held, which is the sum of the number of balls lent and the number of prize balls, and the total number of balls that can be fired (number of usable balls). indicate. The display control here may be set to be executed by the main control unit 210 of the card unit 20 in the same manner as the display control of the display unit 30 in the first embodiment. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the site | part of the same kind as 1st Embodiment, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.

  As shown in FIGS. 19 to 22, on the screen of the display unit 30, as a display unit different from that of the first embodiment, a balance display unit 32a, a rented display unit 32b, and a prize ball display unit 32c. And are provided. In addition, as a display unit similar to that in the first embodiment, a deposit amount display unit 31, a number-of-balls display unit 33, a premium service display unit 34, a stand information display unit 35, a launchable ball number display unit 36, and at the time of replacement A launchable ball number display unit 37, a total prize exchange ball number display unit 38, and the like are provided.

  First, after inserting an IC card into the card unit 20 and inserting a bill (for example, 10,000 yen bill), as shown in FIG. 19A, the deposit amount display section 31 on the screen of the display unit 30 is inserted. The amount is displayed. When the player touches the ball lending operation unit 46 in this state, a predetermined amount is subtracted from the game value indicating the deposit amount, and the number of balls corresponding to the predetermined amount is added and displayed on the lending display unit 32b. . In addition, the remaining amount display unit 32a is set to display the remaining amount as needed. Here, the deposit amount displayed on the deposit amount display unit 31 is for indicating the total amount of money that the player has inserted into the card unit 20, and is not subtracted even if the amount data is converted into the number of rented balls. The state displayed as 10,000 yen continues.

  When the player operates the handle 17 to fire a game ball in the game area 13, the number of balls that can be fired displayed on the display unit 16 in the gaming machine 11 is decremented by 1 each time the game ball is fired. At the same time, the subtractable number of fireable balls is updated and displayed in real time. In the example shown in FIG. 19A, the display unit 16 displays 250, which is the upper limit value for the number of balls that can be fired. Further, when a game ball is won in the game, the number of winning balls generated by the winning is added and displayed on the winning ball display section 32c.

  Furthermore, the number-of-balls display unit 33 displays the number of balls that can be fired displayed on the display unit 16, the number of balls lent displayed on the ball rental display unit 32b, and the prize ball display unit 32c. The number of possessed balls, which is the sum total of the number of prize balls that have been added, is displayed. These numbers are updated and displayed in real time. The player touches the holding ball movement operation unit 47 to within the range of the number of balls displayed on the ball rental display unit 32b and the number of prize balls displayed on the prize ball display unit 32c. The number of game balls corresponding to each game value can be moved to the number of balls that can be fired displayed on the display unit 16. In the normal gaming state, the table information display unit 35 appears greatly on the screen of the display unit 30.

  In FIG. 19B, the remaining amount displayed on the remaining amount display portion 32a has already become 0, the number of rents displayed on the sphere rental display portion 32b, and the award displayed on the prize sphere display portion 32c. The number of balls is also 0 respectively. The number of balls that can be fired displayed on the display unit 16 at this time is 249, and the player can exchange prizes within the range of the number of balls that can be fired. When the player touches the premium service operation unit 48, the premium service display unit 34 on which "Premium name", "Number of premium exchange balls", etc. are displayed instead of the stand information display unit 35 appears.

  After touching the up / down movement operation unit 48a to move the cursor position on the desired prize in the premium service display unit 34, the desired prize is determined by touching the premium selection operation unit 48b. . Then, as shown in FIG. 20 (c), the prize service display unit 34 displays the selected “prize name” and its “prize exchange ball number” and the total prize exchange ball number display unit 38. The “total number of prize exchange balls” required for exchanging all selected prizes is displayed. Here, the total number of exchanged balls is a value that can still be changed by touching the cancel operation unit 48c.

  Similarly, the number of shootable balls on the screen of the display unit 30 is decremented by 1 every time a game ball is fired, and the number of prize balls is added whenever necessary. Then, the fluctuation display (update display) is performed in real time. In addition, the number of balls that can be fired at the time of replacement displays the “number of balls that can be fired at the time of replacement”, which is a value obtained by subtracting the total number of exchanged prizes from the number of balls that can be fired. As shown in FIG. 20 (d), the number of balls that can be fired at the time of replacement is also calculated at any time as the number of balls that can be fired varies, and the latest current value is variably displayed (updated) in real time.

  As described above, in the display unit 30, when a player exchanges prizes, the game value (total number of prize exchange balls) required for prize exchange and the remaining usable immediately in the game even after the prize exchange is executed. The game value (the number of balls that can be fired at the time of replacement) and the game value (the number of balls that can be fired) that are the sum of these values are displayed in a variable manner (updated) in real time. Similarly, the number of balls lent, the number of winning balls, and the number of balls held, which is the sum of these numbers, are also variably displayed (updated) in real time.

  Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 21E, when the prize confirming operation unit 48d is touched, the player's operation relating to prize exchange is completed. After completion of such an operation, a notification of “order completed” indicating that the operation relating to the prize exchange has been completed is displayed on the screen of the display unit 30. In addition, the number of balls that can be fired is variably displayed (updated and displayed) in real time on the number of balls that can be fired in the display unit 36. Fixed display.

  Further, the number of balls that can be fired at the time of replacement in the number of balls that can be fired at the time of replacement 37 is also fixedly displayed as a value at that time. Further, the newly displayed “total” prize exchange ball number display portion 39 at the time of exchange displays the total number of exchange prizes at the time of exchange, which is the sum of the total prize exchange number and the number of balls that can be fired at the time of exchange, as a fixed value. Will be. Further, the number of balls lent, the number of winning balls, and the number of possessed balls, which is the sum of these numbers, are also variably displayed (updated) in real time as in the case of the number of balls that can be fired.

  Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 21 (f), on the screen of the display unit 30, a “delivery” notification indicating that the actual prize is being delivered is displayed. Finally, as shown in FIG. 22 (g), on the screen of the display unit 30, a “delivery completed” notification indicating that the prize has actually been delivered to the player and the prize exchange has been completed is displayed. . At this time, the remaining amount displayed on the remaining amount display portion 32a is zero.

  Further, the number of balls lent displayed on the ball rent display unit 32b is 0, and the number of prize balls displayed on the prize sphere display unit 32c is four. The number of balls that can be fired at the present time displayed on the display unit 16 has decreased to 145, and the total number of winning balls is displayed as 149 on the number of holding balls display unit 33. Yes. It should be noted that the number of balls that can be fired at the time of replacement displayed on the number of balls that can be fired at the time of replacement 37 remains fixed and displayed at 147 when the prize confirmation operation unit 48d is touched.

  According to such a gaming apparatus 10 according to the second embodiment, the number of rented balls and the number of prize balls are distinguished and stored among the game values owned by the player. Then, the display unit 30 updates and displays the current value of the number of balls held, which is the sum of the number of balls lent and the number of winning balls, and the total number of balls that can be fired. As a result, the player can clearly confirm the detailed breakdown of the number of balls held (number of rented balls and number of winning balls), and can grasp the types and number of all game values in real time. .

  As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and the present invention can be modified or added without departing from the scope of the present invention. Included in the invention. In the above-described embodiment, the case where the gaming machine is applied to a pachinko machine has been described. However, the gaming machine is not limited to a pachinko machine, and for example, a game as data without discharging a medal as a gaming medium. It may be a slot machine (pachislot machine) that can be played with value.

  In the above-described embodiment, the terminal unit is configured to serve as a display unit as the display unit 30 provided in the card unit 20. However, the terminal unit stores information identifying the player, such as an ID of an IC card, for example. It is only necessary that the information can be transmitted to the management server 40, for example, and an information input device such as a card reader may be provided as a separate pair outside. Further, the terminal may be in a state of being built in the gaming machine. That is, the gaming machine and the terminal may be an integrated gaming device.

  In the embodiment described above, the number of balls that can be fired (the number of usable balls) out of the game values owned by the player is stored up to a predetermined upper limit value, and the amount exceeding the upper limit value is stored ( However, it may be set to store all game values as the number of balls that can be fired without setting an upper limit on the number of balls that can be fired.

  In the embodiment described above, the calculation means for updating and storing the current value of the number of balls that can be fired is distributed between the main body control device 100 of the gaming machine 11 and the card unit control device 200 of the card unit 20. However, the management server 40 may be configured to manage the management server 40.

  Furthermore, the storage means for storing the number of balls that can be fired is the RAM 113 in the main body control apparatus 100, and the storage means for storing the number of balls that have exceeded the upper limit of the number of balls that can be fired is the RAM 213 in the card unit control apparatus 200. However, the specific location of these storage means is not limited to the RAM 113 or RAM 213.

  The gaming apparatus according to the present invention can be applied to an enclosed gaming machine that circulates and uses gaming balls enclosed in the machine without paying out actual gaming balls, among pachinko machines.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Game store system 2 ... Hub 10 ... Game machine 11 ... Game machine 12 ... Game board 13 ... Game area 14 ... Decoration lamp 15 ... Speaker 16 ... Display part 17 ... Handle 18 ... Enclosed path unit 20 ... Card unit 21 ... Card Insertion slot 22 ... Bill insertion slot 30 ... Display unit 31 ... Payment amount display part 32a ... Remaining money display part 32b ... Payment display part 32c ... Prize ball display part 33 ... Number of held balls display 34 ... Premium service display part 35 ... Information display unit 36 ... Launchable ball number display unit 37 ... Launchable ball number display unit 38 at exchange 38 Total prize exchange ball number display unit 39 ... "Total" premium exchange ball number display unit 40 at exchange 40 ... Management server 41 ... Information A operation section 42 ... stand information B operation section 43 ... member information operation section 44 ... game end operation section 45 ... break operation section 46 ... ball lending operation section 47 ... holding ball movement operation section 48 ... premium service operation Production section 48d ... prize confirmation operation section 50 ... portable information terminal 60 ... prize monitor apparatus 70 ... prize POS terminal 80 ... settlement machine 100 ... main body control apparatus 110 ... main control section 120 ... game control apparatus 130 ... effect control apparatus 140 ... launch Control device 150 ... Power supply device 200 ... Card unit control device 210 ... Main control unit

Claims (11)

A game machine that uses a game medium to play a game, and a terminal machine that is attached to the game machine to input various information, and manages the number of game media held by the player as a game value; In a gaming device in which the gaming value can be exchanged for a prize,
A storage means for storing, as an available number, an amount that can be used immediately for a game among the game values;
The game value used for the game is subtracted from the usable number, the game value paid out to the player is added, and based on the operation of the terminal, the game is used for exchanging premiums. A calculation means for subtracting the number of premium exchanges that are value and updating and storing the current value of the usable number;
Display means attached to the terminal and capable of displaying various types of information;
The computing means calculates a usable number at the time of replacement, which is a value obtained by subtracting the premium replacement number from the usable number before the premium replacement is executed,
The display device updates and displays the current values of the usable number, the premium exchange number, and the usable number at the time of exchange before the prize exchange is executed.   2. The gaming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display unit updates and displays the current values of the usable number and the usable number at the time of exchange even during operation of the terminal related to the prize exchange. .   When the operation of the terminal relating to the prize exchange is completed, the display means continuously displays the prize exchange number at the time and the usable number at the time of exchange as fixed values, respectively. The gaming apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the total usable number at the time of replacement, which is the sum of the usable numbers at the time of replacement, is continuously displayed as a fixed value.   After the operation of the terminal relating to the prize exchange is completed, the display means updates and displays information relating to a notification of the progress of the prize exchange when the prize is actually delivered to the player, in addition to the notification to that effect. The gaming device according to claim 1, 2, or 3.   The storage means stores the usable number of the game value up to a predetermined upper limit value, and separately stores the amount exceeding the upper limit value as a use waiting number. , 3 or 4 gaming device.   The arithmetic means is configured to use a predetermined number of game values within the range of the use waiting number when the usable number stored in the storage means is less than the upper limit value and by operating the terminal. When there is an instruction to move to the possible number, a predetermined number is subtracted from the use waiting number, and the subtracted predetermined number is added to the usable number, and the use waiting number and the usable number 6. The gaming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the current value is updated and stored.   The computing means preferentially uses the available waiting number from the usable number or the used waiting number stored in the storage means when the prize exchange is executed based on the operation of the terminal. The gaming machine according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the prize exchange number is subtracted, and when there is no use waiting number, the prize exchange number is subtracted from the usable number.   The computing means preferentially uses the available waiting number from the usable number or the used waiting number stored in the storage means when the prize exchange is executed based on the operation of the terminal. 8. The gaming apparatus according to claim 5, 6 or 7, wherein the prize exchange number is subtracted, and when the use waiting number becomes insufficient on the way, the shortage is subtracted from the usable number. The storage means stores, among the game values, the number of balls to be paid out based on a lending operation equivalent to the amount inserted by the player and the number of prize balls to be paid out based on a winning in the game, separately.
The display means updates and displays the current value of the number of balls held, which is the sum of the number of available balls and the number of winning balls, as well as the number of available balls and the number of available balls. , 7 or 8.   10. The gaming apparatus according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9, wherein the display means includes a touch panel display unit and serves also as the terminal as a touch panel. Adjacent to the gaming machine, comprising a card unit that lends a ball of gaming value equivalent to the amount by inserting bills or cards,
The gaming machine according to claim 10, wherein the touch panel display unit is provided on a front portion of the card unit so as to partition the adjacent gaming machine.

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