JP6198861B2 - Game equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention is arranged corresponding to Yu technique machine relates the count of game media to equipment for row of U遊 technique.

  As this type of gaming device, what is conventionally known is provided with, for example, a game medium receiving unit that receives and takes in the acquired game medium acquired by the player, and the game medium receiving unit receives the game medium receiving unit. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a gaming apparatus with a function of counting each vehicle has been conceived in which a game medium that has been received flows into a corresponding recording medium unit, counts the acquired game media, and adds and stores the count value.

  In this gaming machine with a counting function, each is divided into a recording medium unit part and a gaming medium receiving part, which are usually locked so that they are connected to each other and the connection is not released. When the game medium receiving unit is maintained or replaced with a new gaming machine, it is easier to perform the work by removing the game medium receiving unit from the recording medium unit. On the other hand, when anyone can easily remove the game medium receiving unit from the recording medium unit unit, there is a disadvantage that the player removes the game medium receiving unit.

  Therefore, in the conventional gaming device, for example, the recording medium unit part is removed and a release operation part is provided on the side surface of the recording medium unit part and the like, and the staff of the game hall operates it. Thus, the lock can be released (for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2009-183488 A

  In the case of the gaming apparatus disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, when performing the work of removing the game medium receiving portions over a plurality of units, the recording medium unit portions are removed one by one and the recording medium unit portions are removed. The release operation section provided on the side of the game has to be operated one by one, which has a disadvantage that it becomes a heavy work burden for the staff of the game hall. In particular, when a new machine is replaced, for example, the same type of gaming machines installed on one amusement island may be replaced all at once, and dozens of units must be unlocked by manual operation as described above. In other words, there is a drawback that the work load becomes enormous.

  The present invention has been conceived in view of the actual situation, and an object thereof is to reduce a work burden associated with a work for removing a plurality of game medium receiving units.

(1) are arranged corresponding to Yu technique machine, an apparatus for a game which performs counting of game media,
A recording medium unit for issuing a game recording medium in which information capable of specifying a count value is recorded;
A game medium receiving unit connected to the recording medium unit unit and capable of receiving a game medium for counting;
An individual release request receiving means for receiving an individual release request;
Information for specifying a group to which the gaming device belongs, and management when communication with a management device that manages to which group each of the plurality of gaming devices belongs is established Group identification information storage means for storing group identification information output from the apparatus;
An intra-group release request accepting means for accepting the intra-group release request;
An intra-group release signal transmitting means for transmitting an intra-group release signal including group specific information stored in the group specific information storage means when receiving the intra-group release request;
An intra-group release signal receiving means for receiving the intra-group release signal;
Whether the group identification information included in the intra-group cancellation signal matches the group identification information stored in the group identification information storage unit based on the reception of the intra-group cancellation signal A group specifying information determining means for determining
Determination that, based on the determination of the match by the group identification information determination means is conducted, while the game medium receiving portion ing and removable removable state, it does not match with the group identification information determining means Is performed, the detachable state is not achieved,
Based on the receipt of the individual release request, the detachable state,
An informing means for informing that the removable state is possible ;
Count restriction control means for restricting the counting of game media when the removable state is entered .

Further, the gaming system and the gaming apparatus may be as follows.
(1) A plurality of gaming devices (for example, card unit 3) that are arranged corresponding to each gaming machine (for example, pachinko machine 2) and count gaming media, and communicate with each of the plurality of gaming devices. A gaming system including a management device (for example, a system controller 1100) capable of
The plurality of gaming devices are divided into a plurality of groups, and the gaming device records a game recording medium (for example, a visitor card, a membership card) on which information capable of specifying a count value is recorded. A medium unit portion (for example, upper unit 3a and lower unit 3b), and a game medium receiving portion (for example, ball receiving tray unit 4) connected to the recording medium unit portion and capable of receiving in order to count game media; Including
The management device
Belonging group storage means (for example, storage device 1105 storing in-store device configuration table X) for storing which group the gaming device belongs to;
In a group that accepts an in-group release request for making a removable state in which the game medium receiving unit of another gaming device belonging to the same group as the group to which the gaming device belongs can be removed from the gaming device Cancellation request accepting means (for example, communication unit 1109);
On condition that the intra-group release request accepting means has accepted the intra-group release request (for example, YES in S1 and S2 in FIGS. 27 and 40 (b)), the game for which the intra-group release request is received While specifying the group to which the device belongs, and a release target game device specifying means (for example, S3 in FIG. 27) for performing a specifying process for specifying other game devices belonging to the group based on the storage of the belonging group storage means S4, S6 in FIG. 40 (b),
Release signal transmitting means for transmitting an in-group release signal for making the removable state to each of the other gaming devices belonging to the group specified by the release target game device specifying means (for example, FIG. 27, S4, S6) of FIG. 40 (b),
The gaming device further includes:
Release signal receiving means (for example, SX202 in FIG. 25, SX220 in FIG. 39) for receiving the intra-group release signal;
The release signal receiving means includes release control means (for example, SX221 to SX224, SX231 in FIGS. 25 and 39) for controlling to make the removable state based on the reception of the intra-group release signal. It is characterized by that.

  According to such a configuration, when removing the game medium receiving unit across a plurality of gaming devices belonging to a certain group, a game hall staff manages an in-group release request from the gaming devices belonging to that group. By transmitting to the device, the game medium receiving unit in the plurality of gaming devices belonging to the group becomes removable, and the work of removing the game medium receiving unit across the plurality of gaming devices is facilitated.

(2) In the gaming system of (1) above,
The gaming device is:
Identification information storage means (for example, EEPROM 328c) for storing gaming apparatus identification information (for example, device ID) for individually identifying gaming devices;
Cancellation request accepting means (for example, the IR photosensitive unit 315) for accepting the operation of the intra-group cancellation request;
When the cancellation request receiving means accepts an operation for a cancellation request within the group (for example, in FIG. 25, YES in SX212, NO in SX215a), the gaming device identification information stored in the identification information storage means A release request transmission means (for example, SX217 in FIG. 25) that transmits an intra-group release request to the management device,
The release target game device specifying means performs the specifying process based on the game device identification information included in the intra-group release request transmitted from the release request transmitting means (for example, S3 in FIG. 27). It is characterized by that.

  According to such a configuration, in order to transmit the intra-group release request to the management device, it can be achieved by operating the intra-group release request on the gaming device belonging to the group by the attendant of the game hall In addition, the attendant of the game hall can issue a release instruction while at the game hall, and the convenience during the release work is improved.

(3) In the gaming system of (1) above,
The gaming device is:
Group specifying information storage means for storing group specifying information that is information for specifying the group to which the gaming apparatus belongs (for example, RAM 328b for storing the ball tray release group by S107 in FIG. 32);
Cancellation request accepting means (for example, the IR photosensitive unit 315) for accepting the operation of the intra-group cancellation request;
When the cancellation request accepting unit accepts an operation for canceling the intra-group request, the group specifying information stored in the group specifying information storage unit is read, and the cancel request in the group including the read group specifying information is received. Release request transmission means (for example, SX317 in FIG. 40A) to be transmitted to the management device,
The release target game device specifying unit performs the specifying process based on the group specifying information included in the intra-group release request transmitted from the release request transmitting unit (for example, S6 in FIG. 40B). ).

  According to such a configuration, the gaming device stores group identification information that is information for identifying the group to which the gaming device belongs, and the gaming device adds the group identification information to the intra-group release request. In order to transmit the information to the management device, the management device that has received it can directly identify the group to which the gaming device of the intra-group release request source belongs from the group identification information. The burden can be reduced.

(4) In the gaming system of (3) above,
When the cancellation request transmission unit cannot communicate with the management device (for example, YES in SX250 of FIG. 40A), the cancellation request transmission unit includes the group specification information stored in the group specification information storage unit. Is transmitted to other gaming devices without going through the management device (for example, SX217a in FIG. 40 (a)),
The gaming device further includes:
Group identification for determining whether or not the group identification information included in the cancellation request matches the group identification information stored in the group identification information storage means when the cancellation request is received from another gaming device Including information determination means (for example, SX219 in FIG. 39),
Release control by the release control means is executed based on the determination that the group specifying information determination means matches (for example, SX221 to SX224, SX231 in FIG. 39).

  According to such a configuration, the game device stores the group specifying information that is information for specifying the group to which the game device belongs, and stores the information when communication with the management device is impossible. When the release request is transmitted to the other gaming device without passing through the management device, and the other gaming device receives the release request, the group specifying information included in the release request And the game device and the management device for determining whether or not the group specifying information stored in the other gaming device matches, and executing the release control based on the determination that they match The release control can be performed even when communication with the device is impossible.

(5) In the gaming system of (3) or (4) above,
The management device
Group setting means for allocating to which group each of the plurality of gaming devices belongs (for example, an input device 1106 and a display device 1107 for performing ball tray release group setting shown in FIG. 23);
Based on the establishment of communication with each of the plurality of gaming devices, group identification information capable of identifying the group allocated by the group setting means is transmitted to each gaming device. Group specifying information transmitting means (for example, S106 in FIG. 32),
The belonging group storage means stores the result assigned by the group setting means (for example, the storage device 1155 stores the in-store device configuration table X),
The gaming apparatus receives group identification information receiving means for receiving group identification information transmitted from the group identification information transmitting means (for example, a communication unit 334 for receiving the ball receiving tray release group ID transmitted in S106 of FIG. 32). )
The group specifying information storage means stores the group specifying information received by the group specifying information receiving means (for example, S107 in FIG. 32).

  According to such a configuration, allocation of which group each of the plurality of gaming devices belongs to is performed on the management device side, and communication between each of the plurality of gaming devices and the management device is established. When the power is turned on at the game hall, group identification information that can identify the allocated group is transmitted to each gaming device and stored in each gaming device. Thus, communication is established, and it is possible to allocate and store which group each of the plurality of gaming devices belongs to, and it is possible to perform reliable group setting.

(6) A plurality of gaming devices (for example, card unit 3) that are arranged corresponding to each gaming machine (for example, pachinko machine 2) and count gaming media, and the plurality of gaming devices include a plurality of gaming devices. A gaming system that is divided into groups and can communicate with each other,
The gaming device is:
A recording medium unit (for example, an upper unit 3a and a lower unit 3b) for issuing a game recording medium (for example, a visitor card, a membership card) in which information capable of specifying a count value is recorded;
A game medium receiving section (for example, ball receiving tray unit 4) connected to the recording medium unit section and having a counting receiving section (for example, ball receiving tray section 35) that can be received to count game media;
Group specifying information storage means for storing group specifying information that is information for specifying to which group the gaming device belongs (for example, RAM 328b for storing the ball receiving tray release group in S107 of FIG. 32).
Release request accepting means for accepting an in-group release request for making a removable state in which the game medium receiving portion of the gaming apparatus belonging to the same group as the group to which the gaming apparatus belongs can be removed. For example, IR photosensitive unit 315),
Based on the receipt of the intra-group release request by the release request acceptance means (eg, YES in SX212, NO in SX215 and SX215a in FIGS. 33, 37, 39, and 40 (a)), Release request output means (for example, SX217a in FIG. 33 and FIG. 40 (a), SX217b in FIG. 37) for performing a process of outputting a release request including the group specification information stored in the group specification information storage means,
Release request receiving means (for example, SX202a in FIGS. 33, 37, and 39) for receiving the release request output by the release request output means;
Based on the receipt of the release request by the release request receiving means, the group specifying information included in the release request matches the group specifying information stored in the group specifying information storage means. Group identification information determination means for determining whether or not (for example, SX219 in FIG. 33, FIG. 37 and FIG. 39);
Release control means (for example, SX221 to SX224, SX231 in FIGS. 33, 37, and 39) for performing the control to make the detachable state based on the determination that the group specific information determination means matches. It is characterized by including these.

  According to such a configuration, when the game medium receiving unit is removed across a plurality of gaming devices belonging to a certain group, the game staff member requests the intra-group release request to the gaming devices belonging to that group. By performing the above operation, the game medium receiving units in the plurality of gaming devices belonging to the group become removable, and the work of removing the game medium receiving units across the plurality of gaming devices is facilitated.

(7) In the gaming system of (6) above,
A management device (for example, a system controller 1100) capable of communicating with each of the plurality of gaming devices;
The management device
Group setting means for allocating which group each of the plurality of gaming devices belongs to (for example, the input device 1106 and the display device 107 for performing ball tray release group setting shown in FIG. 23);
Based on the establishment of communication with each of the plurality of gaming devices, group identification information capable of identifying the group allocated by the group setting means is transmitted to each gaming device. Group specifying information transmitting means (for example, S106 in FIG. 32),
The gaming apparatus receives group identification information receiving means for receiving group identification information transmitted from the group identification information transmitting means (for example, a communication unit 334 for receiving the ball receiving tray release group ID transmitted in S106 of FIG. 32). )
The group identification information storage unit stores the group identification information received by the group identification information reception unit (for example, SX107 in FIG. 32).

  According to such a configuration, allocation of which group each of the plurality of gaming devices belongs to is performed on the management device side, and communication between each of the plurality of gaming devices and the management device is established. When the power is turned on at the game hall, group identification information that can identify the allocated group is transmitted to each gaming device and stored in each gaming device. As communication is established, it is possible to assign which group each of the plurality of gaming devices belongs to, thereby enabling reliable group setting.

(8) In the gaming system of (6) or (7) above,
The release request accepting unit accepts an operation of an individual release request for individually bringing only the game medium receiving unit of the gaming device into the removable state (for example, FIGS. 25, 33, 37, and 39). SX215),
The release control means performs control to make the detachable state based on reception of the operation of the individual release request by the release request receiving means (for example, FIG. 25, FIG. 33, FIG. 37, FIG. 39). SX221 to SX224, SX231).

  According to such a configuration, when it is desired to individually release the game medium receiving unit in the gaming device, it becomes possible by performing an individual release request operation on the gaming device that is desired to be released. It can be used separately for when you want to cancel the group at the same time, improving convenience.

(9) In the game system according to any one of (6) to (8) above,
The release request accepting unit accepts the information for identifying the release requester (for example, receiving a password by SX211 in FIGS. 25, 33, 37, and 39),
The gaming device is:
Including authentication means (for example, SX213 in FIGS. 25, 33, 37, and 39) for performing authentication based on the identification information received by the release request receiving means;
The control according to the release request signal is executed on the condition that the authentication means has been authenticated (for example, YES is determined in SX214 in FIGS. 25, 33, 37, and 39). The control after SX215 is executed on the condition that it is done).

  According to such a configuration, the gaming device accepts the identification information of the cancellation requester, performs authentication based on the identification information, and is released on the condition that the authentication is performed appropriately. Since the control according to the request is executed, the control according to the release request signal by the release requester determined to be inappropriate as a result of the authentication can be prevented, and the security can be improved.

(10) A gaming device (for example, card unit 3) that is arranged corresponding to each gaming machine (for example, pachinko machine 2) and counts gaming media,
A recording medium unit (for example, an upper unit 3a and a lower unit 3b) for issuing a game recording medium (for example, a visitor card, a membership card) in which information capable of specifying a count value is recorded;
A game medium receiving unit (for example, a ball tray unit 4) connected to the recording medium unit unit and capable of receiving a game medium for counting;
Group specifying information storage means for storing group specifying information that is information for specifying the group to which the gaming apparatus belongs (for example, RAM 328b for storing the ball tray release group by S107 in FIG. 32);
Release request accepting means for accepting an in-group release request for making a removable state in which the game medium receiving portion of the gaming apparatus belonging to the same group as the group to which the gaming apparatus belongs can be removed. For example, IR photosensitive unit 315),
Based on the receipt of the intra-group release request by the release request acceptance means (eg, YES in SX212, NO in SX215 and SX215a in FIGS. 33, 37, 39, and 42a), Release request output means (for example, SX217a in FIG. 33 and FIG. 40 (a), SX217b in FIG. 37) for performing a process of outputting a release request including the group specification information stored in the group specification information storage means,
Release request receiving means (for example, SX202a in FIGS. 33, 37, and 39) for receiving the release request output by the release request output means;
Based on the receipt of the release request by the release request receiving means, the group specifying information included in the release request matches the group specifying information stored in the group specifying information storage means. Group identification information determination means for determining whether or not (for example, SX219 in FIG. 33, FIG. 37 and FIG. 39);
Release control means (for example, SX221 to SX224, SX231 in FIGS. 33, 37, and 39) for performing the control to make the detachable state based on the determination that the group specific information determination means matches. It is characterized by including these.

  According to such a configuration, when the game medium receiving unit is removed across a plurality of gaming devices belonging to a certain group, the game staff member requests the intra-group release request to the gaming devices belonging to that group. By performing the above operation, the game medium receiving units in the plurality of gaming devices belonging to the group become removable, and the work of removing the game medium receiving units across the plurality of gaming devices is facilitated.

(11) In the gaming device of (10) above,
Group setting means (for example, input device 1106 and display device 107 for performing ball tray release group setting shown in FIG. 23) for allocating to which group each of the gaming devices belongs, and gaming device Group specifying information transmitting means for transmitting group specifying information that can specify the group allocated by the group setting means to the gaming device based on the establishment of communication with the gaming device (for example, FIG. 32 SX106), and further includes a communication means (for example, a communication unit 334) for performing communication with a management device (for example, the system controller 1100).
The communication means receives the group identification information transmitted from the group identification information transmission means (for example, receives the ball tray release group ID transmitted in S106 of FIG. 32),
The group identification information storage means stores group identification information received by the communication means (for example, SX107 in FIG. 32).

  According to such a configuration, allocation of which group each of the plurality of gaming devices belongs to is performed on the management device side, and communication between each of the plurality of gaming devices and the management device is established. When the power is turned on at the game hall, group identification information that can identify the allocated group is transmitted to each gaming device and stored in each gaming device. As communication is established, it is possible to assign which group each of the plurality of gaming devices belongs to, thereby enabling reliable group setting.

(12) In the gaming apparatus of (10) or (11) above,
The release request accepting unit accepts an operation of an individual release request for individually bringing only the game medium receiving unit of the gaming device into the removable state (for example, FIGS. 25, 33, 37, and 39). SX215),
The release control means performs control to make the detachable state based on the receipt of the individual release request by the release request receiving means (for example, SX221 in FIGS. 25, 33, 37, and 39). To SX224, SX231).

  According to such a configuration, when it is desired to individually release the game medium receiving unit in the gaming device, it becomes possible by performing an individual release request operation on the gaming device that is desired to be released. It can be used separately for when you want to cancel the group at the same time, improving convenience.

(13) In the gaming apparatus according to (10) to (12) above,
The cancellation request receiving means receives a cancellation request signal that is a signal transmitted from a portable terminal (for example, remote controller 1010) and includes personal identification information of the portable terminal holder (for example, FIG. 25 and FIG. 33). SX211 in FIGS. 37 and 39),
The gaming device is:
Including authentication means (for example, SX213 in FIGS. 25, 33, 37, and 39) for performing authentication based on personal identification information included in the release request signal received by the release request receiving means;
The control according to the cancellation request signal is executed on the condition that the authentication means authenticates (for example, YES is determined in SX213 in FIGS. 25, 33, 37, and 39). The control after SX215 is executed on the condition that it is done).

  According to such a configuration, each of the plurality of gaming devices receives the identification information of the release requester, performs authentication based on the identification information, and confirms that the authentication is proper. In order to execute control according to the release request according to the conditions, control according to the release request signal by the release requester determined to be inappropriate as a result of authentication can be prohibited, and security can be improved. it can.

It is a system configuration figure showing the whole picture of a game system. It is a front view which shows a card unit and a pachinko machine. (A) is a front view of a unit holder, (b) is a partially enlarged view of (a), and (c) is a side view of a counting dispensing unit. It is a perspective view of the card unit and ball receiving tray unit installed in the unit holder. It is a disassembled perspective view of a ball receiving tray unit. It is an enlarged view which shows the metal fitting vicinity for a ball saucer unit. (A) And (b) is a perspective view of a count delivery unit. It is a disassembled perspective view of a count dispensing unit. It is a disassembled perspective view of a count dispensing unit. It is a figure explaining the mechanism of the coupling | bonding of a count delivery unit and a ball | bowl tray unit, and the unlocking | release of coupling. It is a block diagram which shows the control circuit used for a card unit. It is a figure explaining the communication between a control unit and a control part. (A) is a figure which shows the card table of a card unit, (b) is a figure which shows a game information table, (c) is a figure which shows a member game information table. It is a figure which shows the transmission data sequence transmitted from a card unit. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a system controller. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a management computer. It is a flowchart which shows the processing content implemented in a card unit. It is a flowchart which shows the processing content of the count information processing implemented in a card unit. It is a flowchart which shows the processing content of the return process implemented in a card unit. It is a flowchart which shows the processing content of the payout process implemented in a card unit. It is a figure which shows the state which the banknote identification unit protruded from the front surface of the card unit. It is a figure which shows the state which open | released the storage door in order to collect | recover banknotes from a banknote identification unit. It is a figure which shows the ball tray cancellation | release group setting screen in a system controller. It is a figure which shows the in-store apparatus structure table X in a system controller. It is a flowchart which shows the processing content of the ball tray cancellation | release process in a card unit. It is a figure which shows the display content at the time of ball receiving tray unit cancellation | release operation in a remote control. It is a flowchart which shows the processing content of the ball tray cancellation | release process in a system controller. It is a flowchart which shows the processing content of a system controller confirmation process. It is a flowchart which shows the processing content of the ball tray cancellation | release process in a count payout unit. It is a figure which shows the money collection group setting screen in a system controller. It is a figure which shows the in-store apparatus structure table Y in a system controller. It is explanatory drawing which shows the information transmitted / received at the time of power activation between a card unit, a system controller, and a payment apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows the processing content of the ball receiving tray cancellation | release process in the card unit in 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the processing content of the money collection process in the card unit in 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the processing content of the system controller confirmation process in 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the display content at the time of money collection operation in the remote control in 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the processing content of the ball receiving tray cancellation | release process in the card unit in 3rd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the processing content of the ball tray cancellation | release process in the system controller in 3rd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the processing content of the ball receiving tray cancellation | release process in the card unit in 4th Embodiment. The fourth embodiment is shown, (a) is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the ball tray release processing in the card unit, (b) is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the ball tray release processing in the system controller. . It is a flowchart which shows the processing content of the system controller confirmation process in 4th Embodiment.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[First Embodiment]
First, FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an overall image of a gaming system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The gaming system includes a card reader pachinko machine (hereinafter abbreviated as a pachinko machine) 2 that is a gaming machine arranged in parallel on each of the gaming islands (not shown) arranged in the game hall, and a predetermined side of the pachinko machine 2 A visitor card having a prepaid function, which is a game recording medium that is issued to a general player who is not registered as a member in a one-to-one correspondence with the pachinko machine 2 at a side position of A process for accepting a membership card, which is a game recording medium issued to a member player registered as a member of the gaming machine, and lending a pachinko ball, which is a gaming medium used for gaming in the gaming machine, A card unit 3 that counts pachinko balls acquired in a game in the pachinko machine 2 that performs and pays out (returns) pachinko balls within the counted number of pachinko balls, and a card A system controller 1100 for managing visitor cards, membership cards, and card units 3 used in the knit 3, and management of the number of balls counted in each card unit 3 and member players possessing membership cards The management computer 1150 for managing the number of saved balls and the number of possession balls recorded in the visitor card that can be used for a second game, and game information such as the base data of each pachinko machine 2 installed in the game hall. The hall computer 1140, which is a game information management device of the present invention to be managed, is provided at a predetermined position in the game hall, such as a position near the prize counter in the game hall, In order to exchange prizes by being provided in a sorter 1005 that sorts visitors cards or membership cards and prize counters in the game hall The gift exchange POS terminal 170 receives a card, pays out money corresponding to the value of value (prepaid balance) specified from the game value specification information (prepaid balance data) recorded on the card The settlement apparatus 1180 is mainly configured.

  And each apparatus which comprises these gaming systems of this embodiment is connected so that bidirectional | two-way data communication is possible via the hub (HUB) 1007 and the communication cable 1008, as shown in FIG. Each connected device is assigned a local IP address to form a local area network (LAN), and each of these devices connected to the local area network (LAN) can be individually identified. Each device has an IP address table in which each device (unit) ID is associated with a local IP address, a unit management table, which will be described later, and the like. By assigning each specified local IP address to the transmission data and transmitting / receiving it, It has to be able to perform the transmission and reception of.

  As described above, the system controller 1100 according to the present embodiment manages the prepaid balance (game value) remaining in each member card and each visitor card, and these members via the communication line 1101. It is connected to a management server 1012 installed in a card management company outside the game hall that manages cards and visitor cards so that bidirectional data communication can be performed. By transmitting the management information, the card management company can grasp the sales etc. by the membership card and the visitor card of each game hall by the management server 1012.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a monitoring camera system for monitoring the inside of the game hall is connected to the hall computer 1140 of the present embodiment, and the monitoring image inside the gaming hall captured by the monitoring camera system. However, it is stored and managed together with the base data of each pachinko machine 2 and the like. The game information such as the base data of each pachinko machine 2 managed by the hall computer 1140 is updated to the latest information by transmission data transmitted from the card unit 3 corresponding to each pachinko machine 2 as will be described later. It has been updated.

  Further, the card unit 3 and the pachinko machine 2 transmit / receive the lending-related data shown in FIG. For example, various signals associated with the lending of a plurality (25 in this embodiment) of pachinko balls predetermined as payout units, specifically, a terminal terminal lending completion signal (EXS) output from the pachinko machine 2 ), A stand READY signal (PRDY), a card unit READY signal (BRDY) output from the control unit 328, and a stand terminal lending request completion confirmation signal (BRQ). Furthermore, a jackpot signal, a probability changing signal, a time-short / medium signal, a winning ball signal, and a start signal, which will be described later, output from the pachinko machine 2 are connected.

  Next, as described above, the settlement apparatus 1180 receives a card (visitor card or membership card), and the value of the valuable value identified from the game value identification information (prepaid balance data) recorded on the card ( The amount corresponding to the prepaid balance is paid out and settled. Specifically, when the payment apparatus 1180 receives a card, the payment apparatus 1180 transmits a payment request including the card ID read from the card and the prepaid balance to the system controller 1100. The system controller 1100 that has received the settlement request matches the prepaid balance included in the settlement request with the prepaid balance stored in the member card table or visitor card table in association with the card ID included in the settlement request. As a condition, the stored prepaid balance is set to zero and a settlement permission notice is returned to the settlement apparatus 1180. The settlement apparatus 1180 that has received the settlement permission notice zeroes the prepaid balance recorded on the card and pays out money corresponding to the prepaid balance. Then, the checkout device 1180 returns the membership card, and the visitor card returns the membership card if the number of possessed balls is not zero.

  Next, referring to FIG. 2, a card reader type pachinko machine (hereinafter abbreviated as a pachinko machine) 2 as an example of a gaming machine is arranged in parallel on each of the gaming islands (not shown) arranged in the game hall. In addition, card units 3 are installed in a one-to-one correspondence with the pachinko machine 2 at lateral positions on a predetermined side of the pachinko machine 2. As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the card unit 3 is installed in a state of being held by a unit holder 8. This card unit 3 is issued to a visitor card having a prepaid function which is a game recording medium issued to a general player who has not registered as a member, or to a member player who has registered as a member in the game hall. Pachinko machine that is used for a game in the pachinko machine 2 by accepting a membership card, which is a game recording medium to be played, and a pachinko machine acquired in a game in the corresponding pachinko machine 2 It has a function (self-counting function) of counting balls and paying out (returning) pachinko balls within the number of pachinko balls already counted.

  The card unit 3 and the pachinko machine 2 output various signals associated with the lending of a plurality (25 in the present embodiment) of pachinko balls that are predetermined as payout units, specifically, output from the pachinko machine 2. The terminal terminal lending completion signal (EXS), the terminal READY signal (PRDY), the card unit READY signal (BRDY) output from the control unit 328, and the terminal terminal lending request completion confirmation signal (BRQ) are connected so that they can be transmitted and received. In addition, a jackpot signal, a probability changing signal, a time-short / medium signal, a winning ball signal, and a starting signal, which will be described later, output from the pachinko machine 2 are connected.

  Next, the pachinko machine 2 as an example of the gaming machine used in the present embodiment will be briefly described below. As shown in FIG. 2, the pachinko machine 2 is provided with a game board 26 whose front surface is covered with a glass door. A game area 27 is formed on the front surface of the game board 26. A hitting ball supply tray (upper plate) 23 is provided on the lower surface of the pachinko machine 2, and a lower tray 24 for storing pachinko balls overflowing from the hitting ball supply tray 23 and a hit ball are fired at the lower portion of the hitting ball supply tray 23. A hitting operation handle (hereinafter referred to as operation knob) 25 is provided. When the player rotates the operation knob 25, the pachinko balls in the hitting ball supply tray 23 are shot and fired into the game area 27.

  This pachinko machine 2 is a so-called first type of pachinko machine, which is not shown in the drawing, but a pachinko ball that has been driven into the game area 27 can win a prize, and the winning prize is won. A variable display device that variably displays based on the detection signal of the start winning ball, a variable winning ball device that is opened when the display result of the variable display becomes a predetermined combination of specific identification information (for example, a glance), etc. Is provided.

  When the variable winning ball apparatus is opened, a big hit state is achieved. In addition, since the display result of the variable display device is a combination of predetermined special identification information (for example, a combination of probability variation symbols such as 777) out of a combination of jackpot symbols (grooves), the probability variation big hit state is A probability variation state (probability variation state) in which the occurrence probability of the jackpot is improved after the occurrence of the control of the jackpot state is generated.

  In the variable display device, the variable display device is stopped and displayed in combination with the jackpot symbol, the big hit occurs, and the variable display of the variable display device reaches the predetermined number of times or the next jackpot occurs after the big hit is finished. When the variable display time (fluctuation time) is shortened compared to the normal gaming state, the state becomes short. During this time short state, a time short / medium signal is output to notify the outside of the occurrence of the time short state.

  Further, when the big hit state described above, the big hit signal becomes the output state, and when the probability change state mentioned above, the probability changing signal becomes the output state. Further, the pachinko ball won in the start winning opening is detected and the variable display device is variably displayed, so that the start signal is output. Furthermore, when a pachinko ball wins, a prize ball (prize ball) is paid out, and at that time, a prize ball signal is output.

  The pachinko machine 2 according to the present embodiment has a control for counting and paying out a predetermined number of prize balls from a game control board that controls the game in the pachinko machine 2 based on a prize ball signal that is output based on a prize. And a prize ball control board (not shown) for performing control for counting and lending out 25 pachinko balls, which are payout units, based on signals input / output by the card unit 3. Pachinko balls can be rented in multiples of 25 balls. In addition, since one unit is 25, when lending in one unit, the information exchanged by the communication for lending the pachinko ball between the card unit 3 and the pachinko machine 2 described above increases, and the control is complicated. This is to avoid the inconvenience.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the card unit 3 of the present embodiment is installed on the game island with the card unit 3 main body held by the unit holder 8. The unit holder 8 holds the card unit 3 main body so that it can be pulled out in the front direction. The card unit 3 includes a counting / dispensing unit 29 and an upper unit 3a located at the upper part thereof. The count dispensing unit 29 is also referred to as a lower unit 3b. The release operation part is provided inside the game island on the back of the card unit 3, and the card unit is obtained by removing the pachinko machine 2 corresponding to the card unit 3 and operating the release operation part from the game island inside to release the lock. 3 can be pulled out. As will be described later, when the upper unit 3a is pulled out, the counting payout unit 29 can be pulled out by releasing the fitting between the count payout unit 29, which is the lower unit 3b, and the unit holder 8.

  The unit holder 8 is provided with a connector for relaying various connection cables. A communication cable or the like connected to the control unit 328 is relay-connected via the unit holder 8. It is devised so that a communication cable or the like is not entangled when the card unit 3 body is pulled out and the card unit 3 body cannot be pulled out.

  Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, on the front surface of upper unit 3a in card unit 3 of the present embodiment, a bill insertion slot 302 for inserting bills, and a protrusion formed in the device front direction from the device front surface. Section 305 and a card insertion slot 309 for inserting a membership card or a visitor card are provided. The membership card or visitor card inserted into the card insertion slot 309 is received by the card reader / writer 327 (see FIGS. 4 and 11), and the information recorded on these cards is read. In the protrusion 305 described above, on the surface facing the player, a display unit 312 that can display various information, and when a member card is received, the member card ID and member ID recorded on the member card are specified. The payout button 319 also serving as a replay button for executing a replay game using the number of stored balls and an infrared signal from the remote control 1010 possessed by the attendant of the game hall are received and converted into an electronic signal and output. An IR light receiving unit 315 (see FIG. 11) is provided, and a transparent touch panel 314 for allowing each display item displayed on the display unit 312 to be input by touching the surface of the display unit 312 with a finger. Is provided.

  In addition, a liquid crystal display 313 (to be described later) formed by the display unit 312 is provided inside the protrusion 305. Further, a ball tray unit 4 is provided at a position below the lower plate 24 of the pachinko machine 2. As the pachinko balls stored in the lower plate 24 are discharged to the ball receiving tray unit 4, the discharged pachinko balls (return balls) flow down in the ball receiving tray unit 4 and will be described later. 29, the returned balls are counted, and the counted number of balls is displayed on the display unit 312.

  When the above-mentioned replay button / payout button 319 is operated, if there are counted balls, the pachinko balls are paid out (returned) from the counted balls, and there is no counted balls. When there is the above-mentioned number of stored balls, the pachinko balls are paid out from the number of stored balls. The payout (return) of pachinko balls from the counted number of balls will be described in detail later.

  A control unit, which will be described later, is provided with a bill inserted into a bill insertion slot 302 provided at the upper position of the upper unit 3a, and the authentication of the authenticity and bill type is performed, and the identification result is provided in the substantially central portion of the apparatus. A banknote identification unit (not shown) for output to 328 is provided, and various banknotes (10,000, 5,000, 2,000, and 1,000 yen banknotes) can be received by the banknote identification unit. ing.

  By operating the payout button 319 when there are counted balls, the pachinko balls (return balls) are paid out within the range of the counted balls as described above. At the time of paying out, pachinko balls are paid out from the pachinko machine 2 side into the hitting ball supply tray 23 in units of 25, which are the payout units described above. For this reason, since the number of counted balls, for example, less than 25, cannot be paid out from the pachinko machine 2 side, the sub-dish portion 7 of the ball receiving tray unit 4 from the counting payout unit 29 of the card unit 3 is used. To be paid out. The returned balls to be paid out to the sub-dish portion 7 are supplied from the ball supply basket of the game island.

  With reference to FIG. 3A and FIG. 4, the power supply board box 14 is attached to the unit holder 8. The power supply board box 14 is for supplying power of a predetermined voltage to the card unit 3.

  The unit holder 8 is provided with a return ball flow path 13 for taking a pachinko ball (return ball) from the above-mentioned amusement island ball supply basket and flowing it down. Further, a U-shaped meandering path mounting frame 11 projecting from the back surface is provided on the back side of the unit holder 8, and a meandering path (also referred to as a bellows) 12 is provided in the meandering path mounting frame 11. ing. The meandering path 12 is formed in a shape that causes the pachinko balls to meander and flow down a plurality of times, and reduces the ball pressure of the pachinko balls flowing down by the meandering. The pachinko balls (return balls) that have flowed down the return ball flow path 13 are supplied to the meandering path 12 and supplied to the counting dispensing unit 29 via the meandering path 12. Due to the meandering of the meandering path 12, the return balls are smoothly supplied to the counting / dispensing unit 29 in a state where the flow down pressure of the return balls is reduced. Since the counting / dispensing unit 29 is arranged in the lower part of the card unit 3, the height from the ball supply basket of the game island to the counting / dispensing unit 29 is relatively large, and the ball pressure is high. However, the meandering path 12 has an advantage that the flow down pressure of the ball can be effectively reduced.

  The meandering path 12 is configured to be detachable from the unit holder 8 together with the meandering path mounting frame 11, and the return ball flow path 13 is also configured to be detachable from the unit holder 8. Since the meandering path 12 is configured separately from the counting / dispensing unit 29, as described above, the height (in the vertical direction of the meandering path 12) for effectively reducing the ball pressure of the returned balls that have flowed down. There is an advantage that the counting payout unit 2 can be reduced in size while ensuring the length). In the figure, 16 is a coil spring.

  A plate member 280 is provided at the lower end of the meandering path 12, and a return ball supply port 517, a wiring insertion port 18, and a counting ball intake port 19 are formed in the plate member 280. The return ball supply port 517 faces the lower end of the above-described meandering path 12, and the return balls flowing down via the meandering path 12 are supplied from the return ball supply port 517 to the counting and dispensing unit 29. In addition, a wiring connected to the counting / dispensing unit 29 is inserted from the wiring insertion port 18. Further, the counting balls taken in by the counting payout unit 29 are taken in from the counting ball take-in port 19 and discharged to a ball collection basket on a game island (not shown).

  FIG. 3B is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the return ball supply port 517 of FIG. The plate member 280 is provided with a return ball shutter 20 that is rotatable by a rotation shaft 21. The rotating shaft 21 is provided with a torsion coil spring 22. One end of the torsion coil spring 22 is inserted into a spring retaining hole 28 provided in the return ball shutter 20, and the other end of the torsion coil spring 22 is the inner wall of the unit holder 8. It is locked to. In this state, the return ball shutter 20 is urged by an elastic force of the torsion coil spring 22 so as to close the return ball supply port 517 as shown in FIG.

  The upper surface of the plate member 280 is a fitting plate portion 32. When the counting / dispensing unit 29 is inserted and installed in the unit holder 8, the fitting plate portion 32 and the fitting piece 30 shown in FIG. The clearance between the payout unit 29 and the counting payout unit 29 is connected and fixed to the unit holder 8 side. At that time, as shown in FIG. 3C, the shutter pressing portion 31 is formed at the lower end of the engagement piece 30, and the fitting plate portion 32 is fitted into the gap between the engagement piece 30 and the counting dispensing unit 29. When combining, the head of the return ball shutter 20 is pressed downward by the shutter pressing portion 31 as indicated by the arrow in FIG. As a result, the return ball shutter 20 rotates in the direction of the arrow, the shutter of the return ball supply port 517 is released, and the return ball can flow from the return ball supply port 517 to the counting payout unit 29 side.

  As described above, the return ball shutter 20 is configured so that the return ball supply port 517 is closed and the return balls are not spilled out in a state where the counting / dispensing unit 29 is not attached. By attaching, the closing of the return ball supply port 517 is automatically released so that the return ball can flow down to the counting / dispensing unit 29.

  In FIG. 3C, reference numeral 142 denotes a mounting member for mounting the upper unit 3a. 33a is an upper fitting protrusion and 34 is a lower fitting protrusion. A pair of upper fitting protrusions 33a are provided on the left and right. The ball receiving tray unit 4 is connected and fixed by the upper fitting protrusions 33a and 33b and the lower fitting protrusion 34. This will be described in detail later.

  The card unit 3 described above is a card unit with a self-counting function. However, in the case of a card unit without a self-counting function, the meandering path mounting frame 11, the meandering path 12, and the counting payout The unit 29 becomes unnecessary. The counting / dispensing unit 29 and the power supply board box 14 are configured to have the same size. In the case of a card unit without a self-counting function, the counting / dispensing unit 29 is removed. The power supply board box 14 is arranged there. By doing so, the power supply board box 14 does not protrude from the side of the unit holder 8.

  FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the ball receiving tray unit 4. With reference to FIG. 5, the ball receiving tray unit 4 is roughly composed of a ball receiving tray unit upper portion 51 and a ball receiving tray unit lower portion 52. The ball receiving tray unit upper portion 51 is formed with a ball receiving tray portion 35 composed of a bottom surface portion 67 and a peripheral wall portion 68 around the bottom surface portion 67. As described above, the bottom surface portion 67 is inclined downward toward the counting ball outlets 42a and 42b, and is configured such that the received counting ball flows down. An opening 69 is formed from a portion of the bottom surface portion 67 that is inclined downward.

  Further, the rubber sheet 39 fitted into the ball receiving tray 35 is also composed of a bottom surface portion 70 and a peripheral wall portion 71 around it, and the inner shape of the ball receiving tray 35 when inserted into the ball receiving tray 35. It is configured to fit the shape. Further, the rubber sheet 39 is formed with an opening 72 at the same position as the opening 69 of the ball receiving tray 35 in a state of being inserted into the ball receiving tray 35. In this state, the ball receiving tray unit upper portion 51 and the ball receiving tray unit lower portion 52 are combined, so that the counting ball aligning flow rod 53 composed of the saw 37 is positioned at the openings 72 and 69.

  The ball tray unit upper part 51 is formed with a peripheral wall part 74 and an opening 75 for the sub-dish part 7. By combining the ball receiving tray unit upper portion 51 and the ball receiving tray unit lower portion 52, the saw blade 38 is positioned at the location of the opening 75, and the sub tray portion 7 is constituted by the saw blade 38 and the peripheral wall portion 74. The

  A return ball outlet 40 is formed at a location on the connection wall 73 side in the peripheral wall 74. The return ball outlet 40 is an outlet from which the return ball flowing in from the return ball inlet 41 (see FIG. 6) is discharged, and the return ball discharged from the return ball outlet 40 is stored in the sub-dish portion 7.

  A return ball down passage 64 for flowing down the return balls supplied from the return ball supply port 17 (see FIGS. 7A and 7B) of the counting and paying unit 29 is attached to the down flow rod attaching portion 480 from below. A return ball flow path 65 is formed in the return ball flow path 64, and the return ball flow path 64 is connected to the flow basket mounting portion 480 so that an end 66 of the return ball flow path 65 faces the return ball outlet 40. And fixed with screws 84.

  In the figure, reference numeral 49 denotes a light emitting portion insertion groove, and the above-described resin light emitting portion 36 is inserted into the light emitting portion insertion groove 49. The light emitting part 36 is formed with an engaging claw 50, and the claw receiving part formed on the light emitting part insertion groove 49 side is engaged with the engaging claw 50, whereby the light emitting part 36 is inserted into the light emitting part. It is fixed in the groove 49. In this state, when the return balls are returned from the counting / dispensing unit 29 to the sub dish portion 7, LEDs 115a and 115b described later emit light, and the light emitting portion 36 emits light. The player can recognize that the return ball has been returned to the sub-dish portion 7 by watching the light emission. In the figure, reference numeral 46 denotes the above-described depression.

  The ball tray unit lower part 52 is composed of a peripheral wall part 77 around the bottom face part 76, and the above-mentioned slat 38 is formed, and a ridge part 78 for the downfall is formed. On the ridge portion 78 for the falling basin, the counting ball alignment basin 53 made of the saw 37 is formed. The counting ball alignment flow bar 53 is provided with a partition wall 54 along the flow wall, and on both sides of the partition wall 54, a first count ball alignment flow bar 53a and a second count ball alignment flow bar 53b. Divided into two sections. As a result, the counting balls are divided into two sections and flow down to the counting ball intake port 19 of the counting payout unit 29 from the first counting ball outlet 42a and the second counting ball outlet 42b (see FIGS. 7A and 7B). Led. A ball leveling 55 is provided at a predetermined position of the counting ball alignment flow basket 53a, 53b. The ball leveling 55 is for leveling the counting balls flowing down the first counting ball alignment flow rod 53a and the second counting ball alignment flow rod 53b so that they do not overlap vertically. The ball leveling 55 is formed in a hollow cylindrical shape, and the support shaft 56 is inserted into the hole 57 with the support shaft 56 inserted into the cylinder, and is fitted into the fitting portion 58. It is installed in the wet state. Note that a C ring 57a for retaining is fitted into one end of the support shaft 56. By combining the ball receiving tray unit lower part 52 with the ball receiving tray unit upper part 51, the upper surface of the fitting part 58 is sealed, and the supporting shaft 56 is prevented from falling off together with the C ring 57a.

  A cylindrical portion 83 for attaching the level adjuster 5 is further provided on the bottom surface portion 76 of the ball tray unit lower portion 52. The cylindrical portion 83 is configured in a cylindrical shape so that the bolt portion 80 can be inserted, and female screw portions 98 and 99 (the third portion is not shown) are provided at three locations around the cylindrical portion 83. ing. In this state, the nut 81 is attached from the bottom side of the ball tray unit lower part 52. A washer 82 is formed integrally with the nut 81, and screw insertion holes 93 and 94 (the third part is not shown) are formed at three places of the washer 82. By screwing the screws into the above-mentioned three female screw portions 98 and 99 (the third portion is not shown) with the screws 90, 91 and 92 inserted through the three screw insertion holes, the nut 81 Is attached and fixed to the bottom surface side of the ball tray unit lower part 52.

  A nut 79 is screwed to the bolt portion 80 of the level adjuster 5, and the amount of protrusion from the nut 79 on the tip side of the bolt portion 80 can be adjusted by rotating the nut 79. When the bolt portion 80 protruding from the nut 79 is screwed into the nut 81, the bolt portion 80 is screwed into the nut 81 by the protruding amount, and the level adjuster 5 is adjusted with the height of the level adjuster 5 adjusted. It can be attached to the ball tray unit lower part 52.

  The level adjuster 5 is adjusted in height to adjust the ball receiving tray unit 4 horizontally when the ball receiving tray unit 4 is fixedly attached to the counting / dispensing unit 29.

  A connection fitting 59 is attached and fixed to the front side of the connection portion 73 described above. The connection fitting 59 is formed with a return ball inflow notch 62 and a counting ball outlet notch 63. Further, the above-described fitting notches 47a and 47b are formed on the left and right of the return ball inflow notch 62, respectively. Further, the lower end portion of the connection fitting 59 is bent, and the above-mentioned fitting slit 48 is formed at the bent lower end portion, and the screw insertion hole 61 is formed. With the screw 60 inserted into the screw insertion hole 61, the connection fitting 59 is attached to the connection portion 73 and fixed with the screw 60.

  An enlarged view of this state is shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, fitting notches 47 a and 47 b are formed at the left and right locations of the return ball inlet 41 in the connection fitting 59. Further, a light receiving portion 43 that receives the light of the LEDs 115 a and 115 ba described above faces the return ball inlet 41. Further, the above-described restriction protrusion 44 protrudes forward at the upper part of the first counting ball outlet 42a and the second counting ball outlet 42b, and the pushing claw is formed by bending the front portion of the restriction protrusion 44 downward. A portion 45 is formed.

  Returning to FIG. 5, screw stopper cylinders 95, 96, 97 and screw insertion holes 401 are formed in the ball tray unit lower part 52. A screw insertion hole (not shown) for inserting the screw 85 is also formed. By screwing these screws into the ball tray unit lower part 52 with the screws 88, 89, 87, 86, 85 inserted into the screw stopper cylinders 95, 96, 97, the screw insertion holes 401, respectively, The ball tray unit upper part 51 and the ball tray unit lower part 52 are integrally attached and fixed.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the ball receiving tray unit 4 generally protrudes forward, so that, for example, liquid such as water spilled from above may enter, or the ball receiving tray unit 4 temporarily. If the electronic components such as the counting sensors 356a and 356b and the payout motor 353 are provided in the device itself, the electric components may be damaged. However, as described above, since all the electrical components and the like are provided on the counting / dispensing unit 29 side without being provided in the ball receiving tray unit 4, damage to the electrical components and the like can be prevented as much as possible. Further, there is a case where a foreign object collides with the ball receiving tray unit 4 protruding forward, the ball receiving tray unit 4 itself is damaged, and the ball receiving tray unit 4 needs to be replaced with a new one. However, since the ball receiving tray unit 4 is not provided with electrical components such as the counting sensors 356a and 356b and the payout motor 353, the ball receiving tray unit 4 itself can be configured at a low cost, and the economic burden of the game arcade accompanying the replacement is reduced. It can be reduced as much as possible.

  Next, the structure and function of the count dispensing unit 29 will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 7, the counting / dispensing unit 29 is roughly divided into a metal casing 130 (see FIG. 8) with one open, and an upper counting / dispensing unit 29a and a lower counting / dispensing unit 29b are mounted. Further, the mounting member 142 described above is provided on the upper portion of the housing 130.

  Referring to FIG. 7, hook-like fitting portions 112a, 112b, 112c, and 112d (112c and 112d are not shown) are provided at four locations in the lower portion of the upper counting and dispensing unit 29a. On the other hand, fitting recesses 113a, 113b, 113c, and 113d (see FIG. 9 for 113c and 113d) are formed at four locations in the upper portion of the lower counting and dispensing unit 29b. Then, when the hook-shaped fitting portions 112a to 112d are fitted into the fitting concave portions 113a to 113d, the upper counting paying unit 29a and the lower counting paying unit 29b are integrally connected and fixed. . The upper counting / dispensing unit 29a mainly has a function of returning fraction balls (return balls) less than 25 from the counted balls to the sub-dish portion 7 of the ball receiving tray unit 4. On the other hand, the lower counting / dispensing unit 29 b mainly has a function for counting the counting balls received in the ball receiving tray portion 35 of the ball receiving tray unit 4.

  The above-described upper fitting protrusions 33a and 33b and the lower fitting protrusion 34 are provided on the mounting side of the ball receiving unit 4 of the housing 130. Further, the LEDs 115 a and 115 b described above face the upper position of the return ball supply port 17. Further, the lock member 116 faces the upper part of the counting ball intake 19 so as to be able to be withdrawn and withdrawn as will be described later.

  An operation notch 269 is provided at an upper corner portion of the housing 130, and a lock release lever 117 is provided so that one end of the operation notch 269 is exposed.

  In the mounting member 142 described above, side wall portions 110a and 110b are formed on the left and right sides of the bottom portion 109, and a back side wall portion 111 is formed on the back side (the side opposite to the side on which the ball tray unit 4 is attached). ing. In this state, the card unit portion above the counting / dispensing unit 29 is guided by the side wall portions 110 a and 110 b and is slid into the unit holder 8.

  Reference numeral 114 in the figure denotes a counting path cleaning window, which is formed along paths (a first counting ball flow path 440a and a second counting ball flow path 440b in FIG. 9) through which the counting balls flow down. The cleaning tool can be inserted from the counting path cleaning window 114 to clean the path through which the counting balls flow down. In the figure, reference numeral 602 denotes a projecting piece formed at the U-shaped notch of the housing 130, and reference numeral 227 denotes an L-shaped member 227 for grounding. These will be described later.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, the structure and function of the upper counting dispensing unit 29a will be described. The upper counting / dispensing unit 29a is roughly divided into a return-side frame member 145, a first plate member 129, and a second plate member 131, and various return ball payout components are attached and fixed by these members. Thus, it is housed in the aforementioned housing 130.

  As described above, the housing 130 is provided with the mounting member 142 on the upper side, and upper fitting protrusions 33a and 33b and a lower fitting protrusion 34 are formed on the mounting side of the ball tray unit 4. Yes. Furthermore, screw insertion holes 174, 175, and 176 through which the screws 165, 166, and 167 are inserted are provided.

  The return side frame member 145 can be roughly divided into a part that forms a return ball flow down basket 159 where the return balls flow down, an upper surface mounting part on which the control board 143 is mounted, and the return ball down flow basket 159 described above. In the lower part, a part for housing and arranging the payout motor 353, the plurality of gears 133 to 136, the locking solenoid 146, and the like is included.

  A female screw portion 184 and a pin 201 are provided on the upper surface mounting portion so as to protrude upward. On the other hand, the first plate member 129 is similarly provided with a female screw portion 185 and a pin 202 protruding upward. The height of the female screw portions 185 and 184 and the height of the cylindrical portion excluding the tip small diameter portion in the pins 201 and 202 are configured to be the same height.

  The control board 143 is provided with screw insertion holes 172 and 173 and insertion holding holes 199 and 200. The screw insertion holes 172 and 173 are aligned with the female screw portions 184 and 185, and the insertion holding holes 199 and 200 are provided. With the small diameter portions of the pins 201 and 202 inserted into the pins and the cover member 144 covered with the control board 143, the screws 163 and 164 are screwed into the female screw portions 184 and 185 through the screw insertion holes 172 and 173, respectively. As a result, the control board 143 and the cover 144 are fixed with screws.

  The return ball flow lower rod 159 formed on the return side frame member 145 is inclined downward toward the connection side of the ball receiving tray unit 4, and the return ball supplied from the return ball supply port 517 (see FIG. 3) flows down. Is configured to do. Sprocket storage recesses 160a and 160b are formed in the middle of the return ball lowering rod 159, and the sprocket storage recesses are supported in a state where the sprocket 137 is pivotally supported on the pivot shaft 141 inserted into the bearing portion 158. A sprocket 137 is rotatably arranged in 160a and 160b. As will be described later, the sprocket 137 is configured to receive the rotational driving force from the payout motor 353 and to feed forward one by one by rotating the return balls that have flowed down the return ball flow bar 159. .

  An insertion holding space 155 and an insertion holding groove 154 are formed further forward of the sprocket storage recesses 160a and 160b, and the return ball sensor 151 is inserted into the insertion holding space 155 and held by the insertion holding groove 154. Installed and fixed in the wet state. In this state, when the sprocket 137 rotates, the return balls that are fed one by one are detected one by one by the return ball sensor 151. A connector 152 is connected to the return ball sensor 151, and a return ball detection signal from the return ball sensor 151 is transmitted to the control unit 350 provided on the control board 143 by the wiring connected by the connector 152. .

  Further, board insertion holding grooves 153a and 153b are formed in the upper part on the front side of the return side frame member 145, and the LED board 149 is inserted and held in the board insertion holding grooves 153a and 153b. The LED board 149 is provided with the two LEDs 115a and 115b described above. A connector 150 is connected to the LED board 149, and the LEDs 115a and 115b are lit according to the control of the control unit 350 provided on the control board 143. For example, as described above, the payout motor 353 is driven to rotate the sprocket 137 so that the LEDs 115a and 115b are turned on when the return balls are being paid out, and the light emitting unit 36 is controlled to emit light.

  A relay board 156 is inserted and held in the lower part of the return ball flow lower rod 159 in the return side frame member 145 to be fixed. A connector 157 is connected to the relay board 156.

  Further, a plurality of bearing portions 410, 411, 412 are provided in the lower portion of the return ball flow lower rod 159, and pivot shafts 138, 139, 140 are inserted into the respective bearing portions 410, 411, 412. Mounted. The other ends of the pivot shafts 138, 139, 140 protrude from the assembled second plate member 131, and the second gear 133, the third gear 134, and the fourth gear 135 are attached to the protruding portions, respectively. . Furthermore, screw insertion holes 196 and 197 are provided in the motor mounting board 161 provided with the above-described payout motor 353, and the screws 194 and 195 are inserted into the screw insertion holes 196 and 197. The payout motor 353 and the motor mounting board 161 are assembled and fixed by screwing 195 into the female screw portions 192 and 198.

  The rotation shaft of the payout motor 353 passes through the motor mounting board 161, and the first gear 132 is fixedly attached to the penetrating rotation shaft. By assembling the second plate member 131 in this state, the first gear 132 protrudes from the second plate member 131 and the first gear 132 and the second gear 133 are engaged.

  In addition, the gear fitting portion 413 of the sprocket 137 pivotally supported by the pivot shaft 141 is configured to be fitted to the fifth gear 136 so that the sprocket 137 rotates together with the fifth gear 136. In this state, when the payout motor 353 is driven to rotate, the rotational driving force is transmitted to the first gear 132, the second gear 133, the third gear 134, the fourth gear 135, and the fifth gear 136, and the fifth gear. The sprocket 137 also rotates with the rotation of 136, and the return balls are fed forward one by one as described above.

  Further, the lock member 116 is housed and held in the return side frame member 145 at a position below the aforementioned sprocket housing recess 160b. Further, a locking solenoid 146 is attached and fixed at a rear position of the lock member 116 stored and held. A pin 128 formed on the lock member 116 is inserted into the plunger 147 of the solenoid 146 for locking. The plunger 147 normally protrudes from the solenoid 146 by the urging force of the coil spring 148. As a result, the lock member 116 protrudes forward in the normal state (see FIGS. 7 and 10). .

  When the locking solenoid 146 is excited, the plunger 147 is retracted, and accordingly, the lock member 116 is also retracted from the projecting posture to the back via the pin 128 to be in the retracted posture.

  The second plate member 131 is provided with screw insertion holes 180, 181, 182, and 183, and screw insertion holes 177, 178, and 179 are provided at positions corresponding to the screw insertion holes of the first plate member 129, respectively. 414 are provided. The screws 171, 168, 169, 170 are inserted into the screw insertion holes 180-183, 177-179, 414, and are screwed into the female screw portions 189, 193, 190, 191 formed on the return side frame member 145. As a result, the first plate 129 and the second plate 131 are fixed to the return side frame member 145 with screws.

  Further, the second plate member 131 is provided with a rotating shaft 124, and the shaft insertion hole 123 of the unlocking lever 117 described above is fitted to the rotating shaft 124, so that the unlocking lever 117 can freely rotate. Mounted on. In the assembled state, the contact portion 126 of the lock release lever 117 comes into contact with the pin 127 provided on the lock member 116 described above. When the locking solenoid 146 is in a non-excited normal state, the lock member 116 is projected by the biasing force of the coil spring 148. In this state, the contact portion 126 of the lock release lever 117 is pushed in the lower left direction in FIG. The second plate member 131 is provided with a stopper 125 for restricting the rotation of the unlocking lever 117 in the clockwise direction (see FIG. 8). Then, by manually rotating the lock release lever 117 in the counterclockwise direction (see FIG. 8), the pin 127 is pushed by the contact portion 126, and the lock member 116 is retracted against the urging force of the coil spring 148. It is possible to switch to the retracted posture.

  The mechanism of the connection locked state and the unlocked state of the ball tray unit 4 when the lock member 116 is withdrawn / withdrawn will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 10 shows a state where the counting and dispensing unit and the ball receiving unit 4 are not connected. In this state, in a normal state where the locking solenoid 146 is not excited, the locking member 116 is in a protruding posture by the urging force of the coil spring 148 as described above.

  On the other hand, the connecting metal fitting 59 provided in the ball receiving tray unit 4 is formed with a pushing claw portion 45 in which the restricting protruding piece 44 is bent downward as described above. In order to connect the ball receiving tray unit 4 provided with such a connection fitting 59 to the counting and dispensing unit, the upper fitting protrusions 33a and 33b are inserted into the fitting notches 47a and 47b as shown by arrows in FIG. In this way, the connection fitting 59 is pressed against the counting / dispensing unit 29 side. Then, the pushing claw portion 45 just contacts the tip of the lock member 116, and the locking member 116 is pushed in by the pushing claw portion 45. When the ball receiving tray unit 4 is dropped downward in the fully depressed state, the connection metal fitting portion on the upper side of the fitting notches 47a and 47b is placed in the recess on the back side of the upper fitting protrusions 33a and 33b. Will be fitted. Furthermore, the lower fitting protrusion 34 enters and fits into a fitting slit 48 (see FIG. 5) provided on the other side of the connection fitting 59. Then, the pushing claw portion 45 is positioned below the lock member 116, and the lock member 116 released from the pushing of the pushing claw portion 45 is moved forward (to the connection fitting 59 side) by the biasing force of the coil spring 148. Protruding state. In this state, the tip of the lock member 116 is positioned immediately above the restricting protrusion 44, and even if the ball receiving tray unit 4 is lifted upward to release the connection from the counting dispensing unit 29, the restricting protrusion 44 does not move. The ball receiving tray unit 4 cannot be lifted by coming into contact with the tip of the lock member 116, and the connected state cannot be released.

  In such a locked state, as a method of releasing the lock, an automatic release method of exciting the lock solenoid 146 by a remote control operation or the like, and a manual release method of manually releasing the lock release lever 117 described above to release the lock There are two types. As an automatic release method, by operating a remote controller 1010 possessed by an attendant of a game hall, a locking solenoid 146 provided in the counting payout unit 29 of the corresponding card unit 3 is excited according to the operation. Then, as described above, since the plunger 147 pulls the pin 128 and the lock member 116 is retracted and the contact with the restricting protrusion 44 is released, it is possible to lift the ball receiving tray unit 4 and release the connection. It becomes.

  On the other hand, as a manual release method, a staff member of the game hall rotates the end of the lock release lever 117 facing the operation notch 269 provided in the counting payout unit 29, so that the rotation shaft 124 is rotated. Then, the lock release lever 117 is rotated, the pin 127 is pushed by the contact portion 126, the lock member 116 is retracted against the urging force of the coil spring 148, the contact with the restricting protrusion 44 is released, and the lock is released. Canceled. For example, the lock is released by this manual release method at the time of a power failure.

  Since the upper unit 3a is provided above the counting / dispensing unit 29 as described above, the operation notch 269 is not exposed unless the upper unit 3a above the counting / dispensing unit 29 is removed. Manual release by the lock release lever 117 is not possible.

  In FIG. 10, 115 a and 115 b are LEDs, 43 is a light receiving unit that receives the light, and the light emitting unit 36 emits light by the light received by the light receiving unit 43.

  Returning to FIG. 8, in order to attach the upper counting / dispensing unit 29 a to the housing 130, the screws 165, 166, 167 are inserted into the screw insertion holes 174, 175, 176 and screwed into the female screw portions 186, 187, 188. It becomes possible.

  At the lower end portion of the first plate member 129, the hook-shaped fitting portions 112c and 112d described above are formed. Also, hook-shaped fitting portions 112a and 112b are formed at positions below the return side frame member 145 (see FIG. 9). In a state where the upper counting / dispensing unit 29 a is assembled to the housing 130, the control board 143 and the cover member 144 are in a state where they enter the lower portion of the mounting member 142. The cover member 144 and the mounting member 142 are made of metal, and by placing the upper unit 3a of the mounting member 142, the ground for the control board 143 is connected to the cover member 144, the mounting member 142, It is constituted by the case of the upper unit 3a, and the control board 143 can be satisfactorily grounded.

  Note that reference numeral 162 in FIG. 8 denotes a cover member that covers the upper side of the first counting ball flow path 440a and the second counting ball flow path 440b, which will be described later.

  Next, on the other side surface of the return side frame member 145, the sensor substrate 208 on which the radio wave sensor 207 and the ball receiving tray presence / absence detection sensor 270 are mounted, the ball breakage detection sensor 204 configured by a flat proximity sensor, and a withdrawal member 118 is assembled (see FIG. 9). The ball tray presence / absence detection sensor 270 is configured by a U-shaped light projecting / receiving sensor in which two portions in the vertical direction protrude. A projector is provided on one projecting portion in the vertical direction, and a light receiver is provided on the other projecting portion. The ball break detection sensor 204 detects the presence or absence of a return ball flowing down the return ball flow lowering rod 159, and the detection signal is transmitted to the control unit 350 of the control board 143 through the wiring connected to the connector 205. The

  The radio wave sensor 207 is a so-called anti-goat sensor, and is used to detect an illegal radio wave and notify an error when the radio wave is transmitted to perform fraud.

  The withdrawal / retraction member 118 is a member for detecting whether or not the ball receiving tray unit 4 is connected to the counting / dispensing unit 29. The retractable member 118 has a coil spring insertion portion 120 formed therein, and is slidably provided on the return side frame member 145 with the coil spring 119 inserted in the coil spring insertion portion 120. And the withdrawing / withdrawing member 118 is in a state of protruding to the front side (the ball receiving tray unit 4 side) of the counting / dispensing unit 29 by the urging force of the coil spring 119 (see FIG. 7A).

  Then, by connecting the ball receiving tray unit 4 to the counting / dispensing unit 29, the retracting member 118 is pushed inward by the connection fitting 59 of the ball receiving tray 4. Then, the plate-shaped protruding piece 121 formed on the retracting member 118 is inserted between the projector and the light receiver of the ball tray presence / absence detection sensor 270, and the ball tray unit 4 is attached by the ball tray presence / absence detection sensor 270. Can be detected.

  Further, a cover member 209 is provided on the side surface of the return side frame member 145. The cover member 209 has an opening 211 and screw insertion holes 244, 245, 246, and 247. On the other hand, female screw portions 252, 253, 254, and 257 are provided on the side surface of the return side frame member 145, and the screws 230, 231, 232, and 233 are inserted into the screw insertion holes 244 to 247, respectively. The cover member 209 is screwed to the side surface of the return side frame member 145 by being screwed into the female screw portions 252 to 255. The radio wave sensor insertion notch 210 is formed in the cover member 209, and the radio wave sensor 207 is exposed from the radio wave sensor insertion notch 210 when the cover member 209 is attached.

  Further, female screw portions 255, 256 are further provided on the side surface of the return side frame member 145. By inserting screws 235, 236 into the female screw portions 255, 256 and screwing them in, the locking solenoid 146 is moved. Screws are fixed to the return side frame member 145.

  Next, the structure and function of the lower counting payout unit 29b will be described with reference to FIG. The lower counting / dispensing unit 29b is mainly for causing the counting balls taken from the ball receiving tray unit 4 to flow down and counting. The lower counting / dispensing unit 29b is configured by assembling various components to the counting-side frame member 206. The counting-side frame member 206 is formed with a first counting ball flow path 440a and a second counting ball flow path 440b that allow the counting balls taken from the counting ball intake port 19 to flow down in two rows. Each of these flow-down paths 440a and 440b is inclined downward from the counting ball inlet 19 toward the back. The bottom surface of each flow-down path 440a, 440b is configured by standing a plate-like member, and the counting ball flows down the peak portion of the plate-like member. Gaps are formed on both sides of the plate-like member so that dust is discharged downward from the respective flow-down paths 440a and 440b.

  The counting sensor 356 provided with the first counting sensor 356a and the second counting sensor 356b composed of dual sensors is attached to the counting-side frame member 206 from above, so that the first counting ball flow path 440a has a first position in the middle. The counting sensor 356a is arranged, and the second counting sensor 356b is arranged at a midpoint of the second counting ball flow path 440b. The counting sensor 356 is provided with pin insertion holding holes 225 and 226. The pins 223 and 224 protruding from the sensor cover member 222 are inserted into the pin insertion holding holes 225 and 226, respectively. It is attached to 206.

  As a result, the counting balls flowing down the first counting ball flow path 440a and the second counting ball flow path 440b are detected one by one by the first counting sensor 356a and the second counting sensor 356b, and the detection signal is sent to the control board 143. It is transmitted to the provided control unit 350. In the control unit 350, the counted number of balls is added and updated based on the detection signal and stored, and the counted number of balls is displayed on the display unit 312 as described above.

  On both side surfaces of the counting side frame member 206, the counting path cleaning window 114 described above is formed along the first counting ball flow path 440a and the second counting ball flow path 440b.

  Further, a plate member 229 for covering the upper part of the counting side frame member 206 on the counting ball inlet 19 side is attached. Fitting recesses 265, 266, 267, and 268 are formed in the upper portion of the counting frame member 206 on the counting ball inlet 19 side, and the fitting protrusions 261 formed at the four corners of the plate member 229, The plate member 229 is attached to the counting side frame member 206 by fitting 262, 263, and 264, respectively.

  Further, the counting-side frame member 206 is formed with the above-described fitting recesses 113a, 113b, 113c, and 113d, and the hook-like fitting portions 112a, 112b, 112c, and 112d on the upper counting dispensing unit 29a side are respectively fitted. Configured to match.

  The plate member 229, the sensor cover member 222, and the cover member 162 (see FIG. 8) are made of a resin material (for example, Duracon (registered trademark)) having excellent fatigue resistance and wear resistance. The upper portions of the first counting ball flow path 440a and the second counting ball flow path 440b are covered by the members 229, 222, 162 with a cover of a resin material (for example, Duracon) having excellent fatigue resistance and wear resistance. It becomes a state. Specifically, the cover member 162 is provided inside the hook-shaped fitting portions 112a and 112c. As described above, the hook-shaped fitting portions 112a to 112d are fitted into the fitting concave portions 113a to 113d, respectively. Thus, the upper counting / dispensing unit 29a and the lower counting / dispensing unit 29b are integrally connected and fixed, and in this state, the cover member 162 is attached and fixed inside the fitting recesses 113a and 113c. The cover member 162 has a lower left portion in FIG. The portion of the first counting sensor 356a of the counting sensor 356 enters and is combined with the notched portion. The sensor cover member 222 is formed in a shape that covers a bottom surface portion of the count sensor 356 excluding the first count sensor 356a and the second count sensor 356b protruding downward. The sensor cover member 222 end and the cover member 162 end are in contact with each other except for the first count sensor 356a and the second count sensor 356b. Further, the other end of the sensor cover member 222 and the end of the plate member 229 are in contact with each other. Further, the bottom surface of the plate member 229, the bottom surface of the sensor cover member 222, and the bottom surface of the cover member 162 are flush with each other, and each member is inclined downward toward the lower flow side of the counting ball flow paths 440a and 440b. The thicknesses of 229, 222 and 162 are adjusted.

  The pachinko ball may jump upward and collide with the ceiling cover member in the middle of flowing down the first counting ball flow path 440a and the second counting ball flow path 440b, and the ceiling cover member is made of a general hard resin. Then, there is a risk of damage such as cracking of the cover member. However, by configuring as described above, each of the upper sides of the first counting ball flow path 440a and the second counting ball flow path 440b is made of a resin material having excellent fatigue resistance and wear resistance such as Duracon. Even if a pachinko ball that has jumped upward in the middle of flowing down the first counting ball flow path 440a and the second counting ball flow path 440b is covered with the members 229, 222, 162, the damage is prevented as much as possible. can do. In addition, since the bottom surface portion of the counting sensor 356 is covered with the sensor cover member 222, the counting sensor 356 can be protected from the collision of the pachinko balls that have jumped upward.

  Further, a shutter mechanism for stopping the flow of the counting balls is disposed below the first counting ball flow down path 440a and the second counting ball flow down path 440b of the counting side frame member 206.

  This shutter mechanism includes a shutter solenoid 212 as a drive source and shutters 213a and 213b that are in a standing posture (rise posture) by the driving force of the shutter solenoid 212. First, the shutter solenoid 212 as a drive source is fixed to the solenoid mounting member 217 with screws 237 and 238. In this state, the solenoid mounting member 217 is screwed and fixed to the counting side frame member 206 by screws 239 and 260. At that time, both the L-shaped member 227 shown in FIG. That is, the screw insertion hole 258 provided in the L-shaped member 227 and the screw insertion hole 259 provided in the solenoid mounting member 217 are in communication with each other, the screw 260 is inserted, and the screw 260 is used together to count the frame member on the counting side. Screwed to 206. The L-shaped member 227 is made of metal and serves as a ground. The L-shaped member 227 is positioned on the protruding piece 602 formed in the U-shaped notch portion of the housing 130 in the assembled state (see FIG. 7B). The projecting piece 602 is slightly bent inward from the housing 130 and comes into contact with the assembled L-shaped member 227. The casing 130 is also metallic, and static electricity generated due to excitation of the shutter solenoid 212 and the falling of the counting ball can be grounded and discharged via the L-shaped member 227 and the casing 130.

  A slide member 216 for transmitting the retracting force of the plunger 221 of the shutter solenoid 212 to the shutters 213a and 213b is also slidably provided on the counting side frame member 206. A coil spring locking piece 219a is provided on the side of the slide member 216, and the coil spring 218 is in a tensioned state across the coil spring locking piece 219b provided on the solenoid mounting member 217 and the coil spring locking piece 219a. It is passed by. In a normal state where the shutter solenoid 212 is not excited, the slide member 216 is pushed by the plunger 221 of the shutter solenoid 212, and the slide member 216 is pushed out against the tensile force of the coil spring 218. ing.

  When the shutter solenoid 212 is excited and the plunger 221 is pulled, the slide member 216 is pulled by the pulling force of the coil spring 218 and moves to the solenoid mounting member 217 side.

  On the other hand, in both shutters 213a and 213b, the pivot shaft 214 is inserted into the pivot shaft insertion holes 215a and 215b so that both the shutters 213a and 213b rotate integrally around the pivot shaft 214 as a rotation center. It is configured. That is, when one shutter 213b is rotated to the upright posture, the other shutter 213a is also rotated to the upright posture. When the slide member 216 is pulled by the pulling force of the coil spring 218 and moves to the solenoid mounting member 217 side, the lower protrusion 604 of the shutter 213b is pushed up by the inclined portion 606 of the slide member 216, and both the shutters 213a and 213b are moved. It becomes a standing posture (a standing posture), thereby preventing the counting ball from flowing down. Specifically, the counting ball in the first counting ball flow path 440a is blocked by the shutter 213a in the standing posture, and the counting ball in the second counting ball flow channel 440b is blocked by the shutter 213b in the standing posture. Flow is prevented.

  In this state, the excitation of the shutter solenoid is released and the plunger 221 protrudes, so that the slide member 216 is pushed out. Accordingly, the downward protrusion 604 is not pushed up by the inclined portion 606, and both shutters 213a and 213b are released. Returns to the lying posture.

  A plate member 228 is further attached to the counting side frame member 206. Screw insertion holes 248, 249, 250, and 251 are provided at four corners of the plate member 228, and the screws 240, 241, 242, and 243 are inserted into the screw insertion holes 248 to 251, respectively. Is screwed into the counting side frame member 206 to fix the plate member 228 to the counting side frame member 206 with screws. The plate member 228 is located below the first counting ball flow path 440a and the second counting ball flow path 440b, and the dust that has fallen from the first counting ball flow path 440a and the second counting ball flow path 440b, It is comprised so that it can drop and discharge | emit downward from two notches 228a and 228b.

  FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the card unit 3 of the present embodiment. As described above, the upper unit 3a in the card unit 3 mainly controls the bill identification unit 321, the card reader / writer 327, the display control board 329, the count dispensing unit 29, and each part of the card unit 3. The control unit 328 is implemented by a control program and provides various functions of the card unit 3. The bill recognition unit 321, the card reader / writer 327, the counting payout unit 29, and the display control board 329 are controlled by the control unit 328. To send and receive various data. Further, power is supplied to various circuits and electrical devices from the power circuit board 14a of the power board box 14 (see FIG. 3) provided in the card unit 3.

  The card reader / writer 327 reads and writes recorded information such as a (member) card ID, a member ID (member card only), and prepaid balance data recorded on the member card and visitor card inserted from the card insertion slot 309. I do. The prepaid balance is stored in association with the card ID without being recorded on the member card or visitor card, and is managed so that the prepaid balance corresponding to the card can be searched from the card ID of the card. May be.

  Next, the control unit 328 of the present embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 11, the control unit 328 is accepting a central processing unit (CPU) 328a capable of executing a control program or a card reader / writer 327. (Membership) card ID and prepaid balance of the visitor card and membership card, the number of holding balls, the number of stored balls, the number of points visited, the corresponding pachinko machine 2 data, game information of members in the game, etc. A RAM 328b that can be stored, an EEPROM 328c that is a non-volatile memory that can rewrite and store setting information including the control program executed by the central processing circuit (CPU) 328a and the device ID of the card unit 3, and the RAM 328b is not shown. Even if the power is cut off, it is backed up by a battery. There the data stored in is held.

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

  The control unit 328 is connected to an out ball counter 16 provided at a lower position of the corresponding pachinko machine 2 so that each count signal from the out ball counter 16 can be input. In response to the input of the count signal from the counter 16, a predetermined number corresponding to the count signal is added to the value of the total number of shot balls in a game information table (see FIG. 13B) to be described later.

  The control unit 328 is connected to the count payout unit 29 and, as will be described later, in response to the reception of the count information output from the count payout unit 29, By updating the number of balls, the total number of balls counted by the counting and paying unit 29 (if there are balls already counted on that day before that time, the total number of balls Number) is displayed as the number of balls already counted.

  The control unit 328 is connected to a payout button switch 311 ′ corresponding to a payout button 319 provided at a position below the protrusion 305 on the front surface of the apparatus, and a signal corresponding to the operation of the payout button 319 is sent to the control unit 328. By inputting from the button switch 311 ′, the presence / absence of the operation of the payout button 319 is grasped, and when the payout button 319 is operated, a payout process to be described later is performed, so that the number of payout units (25) is clicked. The payout of balls is performed from the corresponding pachinko machine 2 and the payout of fractional pachinko balls less than the number of payout units (24 or less) is performed from the counting payout unit 29.

  The game information is stored in the RAM 328b. Specifically, the current gaming state (only today) based on the input status of the big hit signal, the probability changing signal, and the short time signal output from the corresponding pachinko machine 2, the latest gaming state data, and the previous Game state data (game state data before being updated to the latest game state data, today only), total number of balls hit from the start of business, total number of winning balls, number of difference balls (total number of balls hit-total The number of winning balls), the total number of starts, the number of start after hit, which is the number of starts after the occurrence of a big hit, and the number of big hits, which is the number of hits from the start of business. , The number of times of probability change that is the number of occurrences of the probability change state from the start of business, the number of time reductions that are the number of times of short-time state from the start of business, and from the big hit that occurred in the normal game state to the next normal game state Generated The game information consisting of the number of consecutive villas is stored, and these game information are input to the big hit signal, the probability change signal, the short time signal, the start signal, the prize ball signal, and the out ball count signal. The latest information is updated based on this.

  The control unit 328 is input from the display control board 329 in response to an output from the IR light receiving unit 315 according to transmission from the remote controller 1010, an operation of the payout button 119 provided on the protrusion 305, or an operation of the touch panel 314. Provided in the multi-function lamp connected to the control unit 328 in response to various information, currency identification information by the banknote identification unit 321, card insertion information from the card reader / writer 327, visitor card storage state information, etc. The overall operation control such as the lighting control of each LED such as the full color LED 301a, the card reader / writer 327, the display control board 329, the display control of the balance indicator, and the membership card inserted in the card insertion slot 309 Card acceptance processing to determine whether visitor cards can be used, Loan processing that uses the prepaid balance based on the prepaid balance data read from the member card or visitor card being credited, return processing to return the member card or visitor card that is being accepted by operating the return button, money Depending on the receipt of payment, the payment to the prepaid balance remaining on the member card or visitor card being accepted, or the issuance / payment process in which the prepaid balance is written to a new visitor card, and the operation of the payout button 319 are accepted. If there is a counted number of balls, the number of balls counted (including those specified by the inserted visitor card and membership card) is paid out (returned) and the number of balls paid out is subtracted from the counted number of balls. Various processes such as a payout process or a replay process using the number of stored balls are executed.

  The control unit 328 also transmits data such as a system controller (not shown), a hall computer (not shown), a management computer (not shown), etc. connected to the local area network (LAN) via the communication unit 334 and the HUB 7. It is connected so that communication is possible, and various data can be transmitted to and received from each of these computers through the communication unit 334.

  The display control board 329 connected to the control unit 328 is an electronic device such as a liquid crystal display 313 that forms the display unit 312, a transparent touch panel 314, an IR light receiving unit 315, and an LED 320 a (not shown in FIGS. 2 and 4). The components are connected, and the operation information of the transparent touch panel 314 and information based on the output signal output from the IR light receiving unit 315 are output to the control unit 328 via the display control board 329.

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

  The control unit 328 is connected to the count payout unit 29 so that various data such as count information and fractional payout requests can be sent and received by serial communication that can send and receive data with a small number of communication lines.

  The control unit 352 is connected to the count sensors 356a and 356b, the radio wave sensor 207, the ball break detection sensor 204, the payout motor 353, the ball tray presence / absence detection sensor 270, the shutter solenoid 212, the LEDs 115a and 115b, and the return ball sensor 151. Yes.

  As described above, the pachinko balls that have flowed into the ball receiving tray 35 enter the counting ball intake 19, and are detected by the counting sensors 356a and 356b, and the count ball detection signal is input to the control unit 350 and counted. The counted number of balls is added to the counted number of balls data and recorded. The counted number of balls is displayed on the liquid crystal display 313. The control unit 350 monitors the flow direction of the balls based on the detection signals of the counting sensors 356a and 356b, and decrements the count ball count when the balls flow backward. Furthermore, the control unit 350 monitors the speed at which balls are counted based on the detection signals of the counting sensors 356a and 356b. On the other hand, when the counting speed is too slow and is detected at a substantially constant period, the counting abnormality 1 is similarly set. If only one of the two counting sensors 356a and 356b is detected, it indicates a clogging abnormality (single flow). Further, if a ball is detected by the counting sensors 356a and 356b while the shutter solenoid 212 is being controlled to be excited, a counting abnormality 2 is set.

  A detection signal of unauthorized radio waves from the radio wave sensor 207 is input to the control unit 350, and control is performed to notify that an abnormality has occurred by lighting or blinking of the full color LED 301a. A ball-out detection signal from the ball-out detection sensor 204 is input to the control unit 350, and it is determined that there is no return ball, a notification to that effect is made, and the payout motor 353 is stopped to pay out the return ball. Interrupt the operation. Furthermore, based on the detection signal from the ball receiving tray presence / absence detection sensor 270, the control unit 350 determines whether or not the ball receiving tray unit 4 is connected, and notifies that when it is not connected.

  Each time a return ball paid out by rotating the payout motor 353 is detected by the return ball sensor 151, a detection signal is input to the control unit 350, and the number of return balls to be paid out is a predetermined number based on the detection signal. Control unit 350 determines whether or not the value has been reached. When the predetermined number is reached, driving of the payout motor 353 is stopped to stop payout.

  Further, when the control unit 350 prevents the counting ball from flowing down, the control unit 350 excites the shutter solenoid 212 to stop the counting ball from flowing down. For example, the control unit 350 excites the shutter solenoid 212 to stop the counting ball from flowing down when communication with the control unit 328 is disabled. Moreover, the control part 350 performs control which light-emits LED115a, 115b at the time of payout of a return ball.

  Further, the control unit 350 performs control to excite the locking solenoid 146, thereby releasing the lock between the count dispensing unit 29 and the ball tray unit 4 as described above. Specifically, the unlocking is performed by the following procedure.

  First, the system controller 1100 assigns a group ID for each card unit 3 (details will be described later). This group ID is set, for example, so that the same group is formed between the card units 3 installed corresponding to the pachinko machine 2 of the same model. On the other hand, the card unit 3 is given a device ID that can identify the card unit 3 individually. The system controller 1100 stores the device IDs of all the card units 3 installed in the amusement hall in association with the allocated group IDs.

  Next, when replacing or maintaining a certain type of pachinko machine 2, it is necessary to remove the ball tray unit 4 on the front surface of the pachinko machine 2 so as not to obstruct the work. In that case, an attendant at the game hall goes to any place of the pachinko machine 2 to be worked, and operates the remote controller 1010 toward the card unit 3 installed corresponding to the pachinko machine 2. The remote controller 1010 has three types of release buttons: a group release button, an individual release button that is released for each unit, and a batch release button that simultaneously releases the ball tray units 4 of all card units 3 installed in the amusement hall. It is configured to allow selection operation. When releasing the ball receiving unit 4, the control unit 350 controls the excitation of the locking solenoid 146 to release the lock as described above. Details of the release control of the ball receiving tray unit 4 will be described later.

  FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining a state of communication between the control unit 350 and the control unit 328 described above. First, in the countable state of the counting balls, a countable signal is transmitted from the control unit 328 to the control unit 350. The control unit 350 returns a non-counting time signal to the control unit 328 in the case of non-counting when counting balls are not counted. The transmission of the count enable signal and the reply of the non-count signal are repeatedly executed every 500 ms. When the ball is inserted into the ball receiving unit 4 and is counted by the counting sensors 356a and 356b, the control unit 350 is counting the count value (for example, 10) when the count enable signal is received. It returns to the control unit 328 as a signal. When a countable signal is transmitted from the control unit 328 to the control unit 350 after the next 500 ms elapses, the control unit 350 controls the counting signal including the number of counting balls (for example, 15 balls) counted at that time. Reply to unit 328. Further, when a countable signal is transmitted from the control unit 328 after the next 500 ms, if the counting of the counting ball has been completed, the control unit 350 determines the final number of counts (for example, 15) is returned to the control unit 328.

  In the control unit 328, the counting state included in the counting signal is displayed on the liquid crystal display 313 when the counting signal is received. In addition, when a count end signal (15) is returned from the control unit 350, the control unit 328 performs control to display 15 as the final number on the liquid crystal display 313 as a fixed number.

  Next, information stored in the RAM 328b according to the present embodiment will be described. The RAM 328b stores a card table. As shown in FIG. 13A, the card table reads (member) card ID or member read from a visitor card or member card inserted into the card reader / writer 327. ID (member card only), (member) card ID and prepaid balance based on prepaid balance data, card ID or (member) number of balls specified from card ID and member ID or number of balls counted, (member) The number of stored balls specified from the card ID and the member ID (members only) and the number of store visit points specified from the member ID (members only) are stored.

  Further, in the game information table of the present embodiment stored in the RAM 328b, as shown in FIG. 13B, game information for three days including today, that is, today's data, previous day's data, and previous day's data. Is remembered. The previous day data and the previous day data are also stored in the EEPROM 328c. However, when displaying the previous day data and the previous day data, the present day data and the previous day data can be processed at a higher speed than reading from the EEPROM 328c. In the embodiment, the previous day data and the previous day data read from the EEPROM 328c in advance are stored in the game information table stored in the RAM 328b.

  In the game information table of the present embodiment, the current state based on the input statuses of the above-mentioned jackpot signal, probability changing signal, and short time signal output from the corresponding pachinko machine 2 to the input terminals 1 to 3 (not shown). Game state (only today) and latest game state data (input state of input terminal 1 to input terminal 3, 0: LOW / not connected, 1: HIGH, only today) from the left bit and previous game state data (Game state data before being updated to the latest game state data, today only), the total number of balls hit from the start of business, the total number of winning balls, the number of difference balls (total number of driving balls-total number of winning balls ), The total number of starts, reset every time the occurrence of a big hit state is identified, the number of start after hit that is the number of start after the occurrence of the big hit, the number of big hits that is the number of occurrence of the big hit from the start of business, the start of business Occurrence of probability change from time The number of probability changes that is the number of times, the number of times that the short-time state has occurred since the start of business operation, and the number of consecutive games that are the number of jackpots that occurred from the big hit that occurred in the normal gaming state to the next normal gaming state The game information consists of the latest information based on the jackpot signal, the probability changing signal, the short time signal, the start signal, the winning ball signal, and the out ball count signal input to the input terminal. Updated to

  It should be noted that today's table data tabulated and managed in these game information tables, as shown in FIG. 14, a specific data header indicating that it is transmission data including the table data at the head, and the card unit 3 In response to reception of a transmission request from the hall computer 1140 as a transmission data string in a predetermined format to which a device ID and a mode flag that can specify the mode type (normal mode, test mode, and erasure mode) are assigned ( Sent when the game state changes. Note that the ECC in FIG. 14 is an error correction code.

  The card unit 3 is broadly divided into a normal mode that is shifted when performing various processes during business operations, a test mode that is shifted when performing operation checks (tests) of various processes during sales operations, and these tests. There are three modes of erasure mode which are shifted when erasing the recorded data recorded on the visitor card used in the mode, and the transition to each of these modes is made by various mode transition requests from the management computer 150. In response to the reception, the mode shifts to each mode corresponding to the received mode shift request.

  Further, in the member game information table of the present embodiment stored in the RAM 328b, as shown in FIG. 13 (c), game information from when the member card is inserted into the card reader / writer 327, that is, The game information regarding the game of the member who possesses the inserted member card is stored.

  Specifically, the start time when the member started playing (member card acceptance time), the end time when the member finished playing (member card return time), the member's game time, and after the member started playing The number of start-ups, the number of jackpots that have occurred since the member started playing, the number of jackpots that have occurred since the member started playing, the number of positive changes that have occurred since the member started playing, the member has started playing The number of balls acquired from (the difference from the number of balls counted at the start of the game), the spending amount used by the member for the game, the number of replay balls used for replay after the member started the game, The number of balls used since the member started the game is updated and stored, and the game information (table data) since the member player playing the game with the corresponding pachinko machine 2 can start grasping. It is like that.

  Next, the system controller 1100 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. First, as shown in FIG. 15, a system controller 1100 used in the present embodiment has a CPU 1102 that performs various processes performed by the system controller 1100, a work memory, and a data bus 1101 that transmits and receives data inside the computer. RAM 1103 used as a device, RTC 1104 for outputting time information and calendar information, a storage device 1105 such as a hard disk, an input device 1106 such as a keyboard and a mouse, a display device 1107 for displaying and outputting various screens, and printing various information Printer 1108, a communication unit 1109 that performs data communication with each device such as a card unit 3 (control unit 328) and a card issuing / payment machine connected to a local area network (LAN), and a management server installed in the card company With 1012 Digital service unit (DSU) 1110 for performing over data communication is connected normal computer.

  The storage device 1105 includes a membership card table for managing the remaining prepaid amount remaining on the membership card, and a visitor card, in addition to a processing program in which processing contents for performing various processing executed in the system controller 1100 are described. And a visitor card table for managing the remaining prepaid balance.

  In the member card table, each member card is associated with a member card ID that can be individually identified, and the member ID of the member player who has issued the member card, the prepaid balance, and the member card cannot be used. An unusable flag indicating whether or not there is stored is stored, and from the member card ID or member ID stored in the member card, it is possible to specify the remaining prepaid amount and whether or not the member card can be used.

  In the visitor card table, each visitor card is associated with an individually identifiable card ID, the visitor card status (whether in use or in storage), and the prepaid card is issued. The latest issue date and time, which is the latest date, the prepaid balance, and an unusable flag indicating whether or not the card is unusable are stored. From the card ID stored in the visitor card, the prepaid balance and Whether the visitor card can be used and the latest issue date can be specified.

  As shown in FIG. 15, the storage device 1105 stores a membership card table and a visitor card table used for managing information related to card usage during the test mode of the card unit 3. And a normal mode storage area in which a member card table and a visitor card table used for managing information related to card use in the normal mode of the card unit 3 are stored. When the mode flag included in the transmission data such as various requests and notifications transmitted from 3 is a flag corresponding to the test mode, the member card table or the visitor card table in the test mode storage area is updated. The mode flag included in the transmission data corresponds to the normal mode. If it is a flag, the member card table or the visitor card table in the normal mode storage area is updated, so that the information in the test mode and the information in the normal mode are individually stored and managed. ing.

  The system controller 1100 (CPU 1102) of the present embodiment transmits the device ID of the card unit 3 and the received member card or the card transmitted from each card unit 3 in response to acceptance of the member card or visitor card in the card unit 3. In response to receipt of a card acceptance notification including the (member) card ID read from the visitor card and the prepaid balance, a card acceptance process is performed for determining whether or not the member card or visitor card can be used and returning it to the card unit 3 .

  Further, the system controller 1100 (CPU 1102) of the present embodiment is included in the received lending completion notification in response to reception of a lending completion notification (to be described later) transmitted along with the lending processing in the card unit 3 (membership). ) Subtract update processing for subtracting and updating the tax-included usage amount included in the loan completion notice from the prepaid balance stored in the member card table or visitor card table corresponding to the card ID is performed.

  In addition, the system controller 1100 (CPU 1102) of the present embodiment receives the received card payment notification, which will be described later, transmitted along with the issue / payment process in the card unit 3 or the card issue / payment machine. Corresponding to the (member) card ID included in the card payment notification, a payment update process is performed to add and update the payment amount included in the card payment notification to the prepaid balance stored in the member card table or visitor card table.

  In addition, the system controller 1100 (CPU 1102) of the present embodiment is included in the received issuance notification in response to the issuance notification transmitted from the card unit 3 when the card unit 3 issues the visitor card. Corresponding to the card ID, “0” is stored in the prepaid balance stored in the visitor card table, and update processing for updating the data of the status and the latest issue date is performed.

  Next, the management computer 1150 of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. First, as shown in FIG. 16, the management computer 1150 used in the present embodiment has a central processing unit that performs various processes performed by the management computer 1150 on a data bus 1151 that transmits and receives data inside the computer. (CPU) 1152, RAM 1153 used as a work memory, real-time clock (RTC) 1154 for outputting time information and calendar information, a storage device 1155 such as a hard disk, an input device 1156 such as a keyboard and a mouse, and various screens A display unit 1157 that displays and outputs, a printer 1158 that prints various information, and a communication unit 1159 that performs data communication with the card unit 3 and the gift exchange POS terminal 1170 connected to the local area network (LAN) are connected. On the computer That.

  In the storage device 1155, in addition to a processing program in which processing contents for performing various processing executed in the management computer 1150 are described, the number of saving balls owned by the member player possessing the membership card A player who possesses the member saving management table for managing the number of balls acquired by the member player and the number of stored balls acquired by the member player before the day, and the visitor card recorded on the visitor card In order to manage the visitor saving management table for managing the number of possessed balls acquired on the day, the number of balls currently counted in each card unit 3 in the amusement hall, and the cards being received in each card unit 3 Unit management table and member information table that stores member information about member players who own membership cards And Le, each member ID which can specify member player, a member-based game history table game history including game information of the member player is stored is stored.

  As shown in FIG. 16, the storage device 1155 stores a test mode storage area in which the various tables used for information management during the test mode of the card unit 3 are stored, and the card unit 3. A normal mode storage area for storing the above-described various tables used for managing information in the normal mode is provided separately, and the mode flag included in the transmission data transmitted from the card unit 3 is tested. When the flag corresponds to the mode, the corresponding data in the test mode storage area is updated, while when the mode flag included in the transmission data is the flag corresponding to the normal mode, the normal mode storage area By updating the corresponding data, the information in the test mode and the information in the normal mode are separated. Memory, and it is managed.

  In the member saving management table, a member ID corresponding to each member card ID, which is member identification information for individually identifying the member player who has been issued the member card, and the member player on that day The total number of balls that have been acquired and the number of balls that have not been used for game or prize exchange, and the total number of balls that the member player has acquired before the day of the game and prize exchange The number of stored balls, which is the number of unused balls, is stored, and from the member card ID or member ID stored in the member card, the number of stored balls and the number of stored balls that are the number of stored balls owned by the member player Can be specified.

  Note that the number of possessions managed in the member savings management table is managed as the number of possessions only on that day, and the number of possessions that exist in the member savings management table in the processing at the end of business (data update processing) after the end of business. The number of balls is reset after being added to the number of balls.

  In the visitor saving management table, each visitor card is associated with an individually identifiable card ID, and the latest issue date and time of the visitor card and the winning ball acquired by the player possessing the visitor card on that day. The number of balls that are the total number of balls that are unused for gaming or prize exchange is stored, and the number of balls that the player has is specified from the card ID stored in the visitor card It can be done.

  The number of possessed balls managed in the visitor savings management table is valid only on the day when the number of possessed balls is counted, and is present in the visitor savings management table in the processing at the end of business after the end of business described later. It is invalidated by resetting the number of holding balls to be reset. In addition, when the number of possessions before the day is recorded on the visitor card, the number of possessions is erased as invalid.

  In the unit management table, the local IP in which the local IP address of the card unit 3 is stored in association with the device ID uniquely assigned to each card unit 3 installed in the game hall, and the card unit 3 is installed. The installed island in which the island number of the game island being stored is stored, the situation in which the card unit 3 is accepting or waiting for the card, and the pachinko machine 2 corresponding to the card unit 3 Are stored, the corresponding ID number in which the card number of the card is stored, the reception ID in which the card ID of the member card or visitor card being received is stored, and the number of balls counted in each card unit 3 at that time, These counted ball count data are periodically transmitted from each card unit 3 in response to reception of a transmission request from the management computer 1150. After counting already ball predetermined number of the changed time (e.g. 5 seconds), that is sent from each card unit 3, so that the latest count already piece count is managed. The data of “situation”, “reception ID”, and “counted number of balls” are reset when the mode is shifted to the normal mode or the test mode.

  The membership information table is associated with the membership ID of the member player who owns the membership card, and a PIN number for identity verification and a predetermined store visit point are added and updated once a day according to acceptance of the membership card. Store visit points, rank based on store visit status, and member attribute information (personal information) consisting of member's name (first name and last name), gender, age, birthday, occupation, address, e-mail address are registered ing.

  Also, in the member-specific game history table, for each member ID, the game history of the member player, specifically the date of visit, the machine number of the pachinko machine 2 that played the game, the model name, the game start time (time) ), Game end time (time), game time from game start to game end, start count, bonus count, probability change count (probable change count), number of acquired balls, amount of money spent, number of replayed balls, used balls A game history consisting of numbers is stored. The visit date of the member-specific game history table stores the date when the game history is stored based on the calendar information output from the RTC 1154, and the game start time, game end time, game time, start count, The game history of the number of bonuses, the number of chances of change, the number of balls acquired, and the amount of money spent is stored based on member game history data transmitted from the card unit 3 when the member card is returned via the counting / payout unit 4.

  Next, operation | movement of the card unit 3 of this Embodiment is demonstrated using FIGS.

  First, the control unit 328 of the card unit 3 is activated by turning on the power to the card unit 3, thereby performing the activation process of Sb1, initializing various tables, checking the connection status of each unit, and system controller. 1100, hall computer 1140, management computer 1150 connection confirmation request transmission and each setting data based on the setting information returned from system controller 1100, hall computer 1140, management computer 1150 in response to the connection confirmation request transmission Set initial values, etc.

  Then, after the activation process is completed, the process of Sb2 to Sb10 is performed to accept the card that is the insertion of the membership card or the visitor card into the card insertion slot 309 and the rental button by the player (member or visitor) Operation, cash acceptance by inserting a bill from the bill insertion slot 302, return button operation by a player, operation of a payout button 311, leaving operation on a remote control possessed by a staff member (seating operation information from the display control board 329) Reception).

  The control unit 328 monitors the reception of the counting information transmitted from the ball receiving tray unit 4 in parallel with the normal processing shown in FIG. , A process for monitoring the reception of an added reservation request transmitted from the remote controller in response to an added reservation mode operation on the remote controller, and a big hit signal and a probability changing signal output from the corresponding pachinko machine 2 and out ball counter 16 , Interrupt monitoring processing (not shown) for monitoring the input and change of the time signal, start signal, prize ball signal, and out ball counting signal is performed based on processing tasks that are separate from the processing tasks that perform these normal processing. Thus, the occurrence of each target state can be monitored, and the addition update to the counted number of balls, the transition to the addition reservation mode and the cancellation thereof, and the game information update process can be performed sequentially. There.

  When the pachinko balls are counted, the player operates the lever provided on the lower plate 24 with the pachinko balls that are paid out from the pachinko machine 2 and stored in the lower plate 24. The unit 35 is charged. As a result, the pachinko balls are taken in and counted by the counting sensors 356a and 356b as described above, and each time one pachinko ball is detected for each strip, the count sensor signal of a predetermined pulse is sent to the control board 341 (control Part 350).

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

  When counting is prohibited, the process proceeds to step SS5, where the display unit 312 displays that a counting error has occurred, and the process shifts to an error notification process in which the multifunction lamp 301 is notified.

  If counting is not prohibited, the process proceeds to step SS3, and it is determined whether or not it is in the added reserve mode by the remote controller 10 possessed by the attendant. If not in the reserve mode, the process proceeds to step SS4 to add and update the number of balls according to the type of command included in the received count information to the number of balls in the card table and the number of balls counted in the display unit 312. Then, the process returns to the SS1 step. On the other hand, in the addition reservation mode, the process returns to the SS1 step without performing the SS4 step.

  That is, the pachinko balls that have flowed into the counting channel 347 from the ball receiving portion 35 through the inlet 346 are detected one by one by the counting sensor 356 and added to the number of balls and the number of balls already counted.

  In these additions, the addition end detection timer for detecting the end of addition (in this embodiment, 5 seconds is set) is reset every time the addition is completed, and when the addition end detection timer times out That is, when the predetermined time set in the addition end detection timer has elapsed since the last addition was performed, the device ID of the card unit 3, the card ID of the card being received, and the count after the addition When the number-of-balls update request including the number of balls is transmitted to the management computer 1150, the number of balls after the addition is the number of balls in the member saving management table or visitor saving management table of the management computer 1150, and the unit The counted number of balls in the management table is updated without delay to the counted number of balls included in the number-of-balls update request.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the addition update process is performed in real time, but the addition update process does not necessarily have to be performed in real time. For example, batch addition may be updated when the accepted card is returned.

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

  In the card acceptance process of the present embodiment in Sb20, an instruction for taking in the membership card or visitor card inserted into the card insertion slot 309 is output to the card reader / writer 327, and the inserted membership card or visitor card is used as the card. Data stored in the card slot (not shown) of the reader / writer 327 and stored in the member card or visitor card, specifically, the (member) card ID and member ID ( (Member card only), prepaid balance data, number of possession data (visitor card only), test flag, etc. are read out.

  When the current mode is the normal mode, the control unit 328 determines that the read test flag is “1” and the received card is a member card based on the read card ID. , Eject and return the membership card. In other words, the membership card stored (registered) in the member savings management table and member information table of the test mode storage area so that it can be used in the test mode is returned without being accepted in the normal mode and only in the test mode. It has come to be used.

  Note that the prepaid balance of the membership card in which the test flag is “1” can be erased only in the erase mode described later, and the test flag which is recording data other than the prepaid balance can be erased, The management computer 1150 can delete information stored (registered) in the member saving management table or the member information table in association with the member card ID of the member card. Yes.

  In addition, when the mode at that time is the normal mode, the control unit 328 determines that the read test flag is “1” and the received card is a visitor card from the read card ID. Sends an erasure request for the recorded data (prepaid balance, number of possessions, test flag) recorded on the received visitor card to the management computer 1150, and receives the erasure permission, as in the erasure mode described later. The recorded data is erased accordingly.

  Specifically, if there is a prepaid balance in the accepted visitor card, the system controller 1100 is notified of the card ID read from the accepted visitor card, the prepaid balance to be erased, and a mode flag indicating the test mode. In response to receiving the balance erasure permission returned in response to the transmission of the balance erasure request, the prepaid balance is erased. Note that when the balance erasure permission is not received (when the balance erasure is not accepted), the prepaid balance is not erased, a prepaid balance error is displayed on the display unit 312 to notify the error, and the visitor card is displayed. Discharge.

  When the system controller 1100 receives a request for erasing the balance, since the mode flag indicating the test mode is included in the balance erasure request, the visitor card table stored in the test mode storage area stores the mode flag. The prepaid balance is erased (updated to “0”) on condition that the prepaid balance stored in association with the card ID included in the balance elimination request matches the prepaid balance included in the balance elimination request. In both cases, the remaining amount erasure permission is returned.

  If the received visitor card has the number of possessed balls, the management computer 1150 issues an erasure request including the card ID read from the accepted visitor card, the number of possessed balls, and a mode flag indicating the test mode. The number of possessed balls is erased by receiving the erasure permission returned in response to the transmission. When no erasure permission is received (when erasure is not accepted), the recorded data is not erased, a recording data error is displayed on the display unit 312 to notify the error, and the visitor card is ejected. .

  The management computer 1150, in response to receiving the erasure request, includes a mode flag indicating the test mode in the erasure request, so the visitor saving management table stored in the test mode storage area stores , It is determined whether the number of possessed balls stored in association with the card ID included in the erasure request matches the number of possessed balls included in the erasure request, and the number of possessed balls is identical. If the number of possessed balls is erased and a permission for erasure is returned, and if the number of possessed balls does not match, the erasure is returned.

  Further, in the normal mode, the control unit 328 continues to accept the visitor card and the membership card whose read test flag is “0”.

  In addition, when the mode at that time is the test mode, the control unit 328 determines that the read test flag is “0” and the received card is a member card from the read card ID. Ejects the membership card and returns it. That is, when a regular member card is received by mistake during the test mode, it is possible to prevent the remaining prepaid amount of the member card, the number of stored balls, and the number of held balls from being used.

  In addition, when the mode at that time is the test mode, the control unit 328 determines that the read test flag is “0” and the received card is a visitor card based on the read card ID. Will continue accepting when there is no prepaid balance and number of possessions (0), while if there is a prepaid balance or number of possessions (not 0), the visitor card will be the same as the membership card. Drain and return.

  In this embodiment, when a visitor card whose test flag is “0” is received during the test mode, the visitor card is held at a predetermined reading position of the card reader / writer 327 so that the reception is continued. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the acceptance is continued by collecting the visitor card whose test flag is “0” in the card storage unit (not shown), that is, the test The mode may be used.

  Further, in the test mode, the control unit 328 continues to accept the visitor card and the membership card whose read test flag is “0”.

  That is, the control unit 328 matches the test flag of the accepted member card or visitor card with the mode at that time (if the test flag is “1”, it is in the test mode, and if the test flag is “0”, it is in the normal mode. ), And when the visitor card with the prepaid balance and the number of balls in the test mode is not present and the test flag is “0”, the acceptance is continued, while the test flag is “ If you receive a membership card or visitor card that is “0” (either the prepaid balance or the number of possessions is present), return the received membership card or visitor card without erasing the recorded data, If a member card with a test flag of “1” is accepted during normal mode, it will be accepted without erasing the data. Return the membership card, when in the normal mode test flag has received a visitor card is "1", to discharge the visitor card accepted to erase the data that has been recorded (return).

  In other words, the normal mode of the present embodiment has a function of an erasing mode for erasing recorded data of a visitor card used in the test mode, as will be described later, and is a mode that also serves as these erasing modes. In this way, it is preferable that the recorded data of the visitor card used in these test modes can be erased without shifting all the card units 3 in the game hall to the erase mode as will be described later. The present invention is not limited to this, and the normal mode may not serve as the erase mode.

  Note that, in these normal mode and the erasure mode described later, the processing contents when a member card with a test flag of “1” is received are different, but the present invention is not limited to this. These member cards may be similarly processed in the erasing mode (erasing the prepaid balance).

  When the control unit 328 determines that the acceptance is continued (except when a visitor card having no prepaid balance and no number of balls is accepted during the test mode), the control unit 328 reads out from the accepted membership card or visitor card ( (Member) An authentication request including a card ID, prepaid balance data, device ID, and mode flag is transmitted to the system controller 1100, and a card authentication process for receiving an authentication result from the system controller 1100 is performed.

  In response to the reception of the authentication request, the system controller 1100 has a (member) card ID included in the received authentication request as a member card table or a visitor card table corresponding to the mode flag included in the received authentication request. If the value corresponds to the normal mode, the member card table or visitor card table in the normal mode storage area, and if the value of the mode flag corresponds to the test mode, the member card table or visitor card table in the test mode storage area) It is determined whether or not “1” is stored in the unusable flag as well as whether or not it exists, and “1” is not stored in the unusable flag, that is, “0” is stored in the unusable flag. If stored, the member car is associated with the (member) card ID. The prepaid balance stored and managed in the table or visitor card table is the prepaid balance data included in the received authentication request, that is, the prepaid balance specified from the received prepaid balance data read from the member card or visitor card It is determined whether or not they match, and on the condition that they match, “Authentication OK” is returned as the authentication result. On the other hand, if the (member) card ID does not exist in the member card table or visitor card table, it cannot be used. When “1” cannot be used is stored in the flag and when the prepaid balance does not match, “authentication NG” is returned. However, if the prepaid balance does not match and the prepaid balance specified from the prepaid balance data included in the authentication request is smaller, the prepaid balance in the member card table or visitor card table is set to the smaller amount. In addition to updating to the amount, “authentication OK” is returned and the use of the member card or visitor card is permitted.

  In the following description, whether each table in the system controller 1100 and the management computer 1150 is a normal mode storage area or a test mode storage area unless otherwise specified. It is assumed that the storage area corresponding to the mode flag in the transmission data to be transmitted is used.

  When the authentication result returned from the system controller 1100 is “authentication NG”, the card unit 3 outputs an instruction to eject the accepted member card or visitor card to the card reader / writer 327 and inserts the inserted member card or visitor. If the returned authentication result is “authentication OK” while returning the card and completing the card acceptance process, the (member) card ID, member ID (member only), and prepaid balance read from the accepted card are returned. Are stored in the card table and the management computer 1150 includes a card ID, device ID, device ID, number of balls (only visitor card), and mode flag read from the received membership card or visitor card. Send acceptance notification.

  In response to reception of this card acceptance notification, the management computer 1150 first determines whether or not the number of possessed balls included in the received card acceptance notification is present, and if there is, checks the number of possessed balls. Perform verification processing.

  Specifically, in the visitor saving management table, whether or not the number of possessed balls stored corresponding to the card ID included in the card acceptance notification matches the number of retained balls included in the received card acceptance notification. Determine whether.

  If they do not match in the verification determination, the card unit 3 returns the verification error information indicating that the verification of the number of possessed balls is NG to the card unit 3 that is the transmission source of the received card acceptance notification. The visitor card is returned.

  On the other hand, if they match in the collation determination, or if the received card acceptance notification does not include the number of possessed balls (in the case of a membership card), the process proceeds to a normal acceptance process.

  In the normal acceptance process, the management computer 1150 first updates the “status” data corresponding to the device ID included in the card acceptance notification to “accepting” in the unit management table, and is included in the card acceptance notification. The (member) card ID is stored in the “reception ID” item of the unit management table.

  Next, the number of possessed balls and the number of stored balls (member only) corresponding to the (member) card ID included in the received card acceptance notification are associated with the (member) card ID in the member saving management table or the visitor saving management table. In addition to specifying from each stored data, if the card ID is a member card ID, further specify the PIN and store visit point stored in the member information table corresponding to the member card ID, Sending the received card acceptance notification to the reception processing completion notification including the specified number of held balls, number of stored balls (member only), point of visit (member only), PIN (member only), and (member) card ID Reply to the original card unit 3.

  In response to the reception of the acceptance process completion notification, the card unit 3 (control unit 328) determines the number of possessed balls, the number of stored balls (member only), the point of visit (member only), the PIN number ( (Member only) is stored in the card table, the prepaid balance stored in the card table is displayed on the remaining balance indicator of the corresponding pachinko machine 2, and the number of balls stored in the card table is counted. It displays on the display part 312 as a number, and it returns to the standby state of Sb2-Sb10. In addition, at the time of receiving the acceptance processing completion notification, if the number of possessed balls is already stored in the card table, that is, after playing the game without using the card and acquiring the pachinko ball and counting it, When it is inserted (for example, when a member card or a visitor card is forgotten to be inserted), the number of balls included in the acceptance process completion notification is added to the number of balls already stored and updated.

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

  In this lending process, for example, a usage amount of 5 times (= 500 yen) is used, so the prepaid balance used in this lending process is always an integral multiple of 1 time (= 100 yen). Therefore, the prepaid balance specified from the prepaid balance data recorded on the card is always an integer multiple of 1 (= 100 yen), and no fraction less than 100 yen is generated.

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

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

  When it is determined that there is no member card or visitor card being accepted, the control unit 328 moves the visitor card stored in the card storage unit to a predetermined reading position on the card slot of the card reader / writer 327. Then, the card ID of the visitor card is read, and an issuance request including the read card ID, the inserted amount, the mode flag, and the device ID of the card unit 3 is transmitted to the system controller 1100.

  In response to the reception of the issue request, the system controller 1100 determines whether the card ID included in the received issue request is a visitor card table (in this case, either the normal mode storage area or the test mode storage area). If it exists, the “status” of the visitor card table corresponding to the card ID is updated to “in use”, and the current date and time output from the RTC 1104 is updated. In addition to storing in the latest issue date and time, the received input amount is stored in the “remaining amount” as a prepaid remaining amount, and “issuance permission” is returned to the card unit 3 that sent the issue request. If the received card ID does not exist in the visitor card table, “Issuance not possible” is returned.

  However, if the card ID included in the issuance request is stored in the visitor card table in a storage area different from the storage area corresponding to the mode flag, the storage of the card ID is stored in the storage area corresponding to the mode flag. After moving to the visitor card table, the memory of the visitor card table in the transfer source storage area is deleted.

  In addition, the system controller 1100 sends the latest issue date and time stored, the card ID and device ID included in the received issue request, and the received issue request to the management computer 1150 in response to the transmission of the “issue permission”. The management computer 1150 notifies the management computer 1150 of the issue notification including the mode flag, and the received issue is issued at the latest issue date and time of the visitor saving management table corresponding to the card ID included in the received issue notification. The latest issue date and time included in the notification is stored, the “status” of the unit management table corresponding to the device ID included in the received issue notification is updated to “accepting”, and the received card is received as the “reception ID” The ID is stored and the unit management table is updated.

  The card unit 3 (control unit 328) responds to the receipt of the “issue issuance” described above, and the prepaid balance corresponding to the inserted amount and the test flag (in the test mode) are transferred to the visitor card moved to the card slot of the card reader / writer 327. Only) is stored, and the card ID of the visitor card and the prepaid balance corresponding to the inserted amount are stored in the card table, and the prepaid balance is displayed on the balance indicator, and then the issuing / payment process is terminated. And it returns to the standby state of Sb2-Sb10.

  In addition, when “Issuance is impossible” is received from the system controller 1100 and when a visitor card is not stored in the card storage unit, the cash (banknote) inserted from the banknote insertion slot 302 is returned and An error notification process for lighting the function lamp 301 in a predetermined error notification mode is performed until the error state is eliminated, thereby informing the occurrence of an error.

  On the other hand, when there is a member card or visitor card being accepted in the card slot of the card reader / writer 327 when the cash (banknote) is inserted, the inserted amount specified above is used for the member card or visitor card being received. In addition, after adding the prepaid balance specified from the prepaid balance data stored in the card table and updating each of the prepaid balance data to the prepaid balance data that can be specified, the deposit amount (Same as the input amount), the device ID of the card unit 3, the (member) card ID of the member card or visitor card being accepted, and the card payment notification including the mode flag are sent to the system controller 1100, Membership card table or bee of system controller 1100 In terpolymers card table is added update said input money amount to the prepaid balance stored in correspondence with the (Member) card ID.

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

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

  In this return process, as shown in FIG. 19, first, in S201, it is determined whether or not there is a card (member card or visitor card) being received by the card reader / writer 327. If it is determined that there is no card being accepted (NO), in S202, the return operation accepted in Sb5 is invalidated and the process returns to the standby state of Sb2 to Sb10.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in S201 that there is a member card or visitor card being received by the card reader / writer 327 (YES), in S203, the operation of the payout button 311 is invalidated, and the ball tray unit 4 is To output a counting prohibition instruction and prohibit new counting.

  In the counting payout unit 29 by the output of the count prohibition instruction, the shutter solenoid 212 is excited and the shutters 213a and 213b are prohibited from being opened, thereby prohibiting the counting of new pachinko balls.

  In step S204, it is determined whether the card being received by the card reader / writer 327 is a membership card. If it is determined in S204 that the card being accepted is a membership card (YES), the membership card ID of the membership card and the membership game information table are stored in the hall computer 1140 in S210. The member card return notification including the member game information data being sent is transmitted to the management computer 1150 and stored in the card table and the device ID of the card unit 3 and the card ID of the card to be returned in S211. A return notification including the number of possessed balls and the number of stored balls (members only) and a mode flag is transmitted, and in S212, reception of an update completion notification transmitted from the hall computer 1140 and the management computer 1150 is waited.

  The hall computer 1140 that has received the member card return notification associates the member game information data included in the member card return notification with the member card ID included in the received member card return notification in the member-specific game history table. The update completion notification is transmitted to the card unit 3 that is the source of the member card return notification.

  In addition, the management computer 1150 that has received the member card return notification displays the number of balls and the number of balls stored in the member saving management table corresponding to the (member) card ID included in the received member card return notification. , Update to the number of possessed balls and the number of stored balls included in the received membership card return notification, and change the “status” corresponding to the device ID included in the received membership card return notification to “standby” in the unit management table Then, the member card ID stored in the “accepting ID” is deleted, and an update completion notification is transmitted to the card unit 3 that is the transmission source of the member card return notification.

  If it is determined in S212 that an update completion notification has been received from the hall computer 1140 and the management computer 1150 (YES), a test flag (only in the test mode) is recorded on the member card in S213, and then a discharge instruction is issued to the card reader / writer. The member card being output to 327 is ejected from the card insertion slot 309 and returned. In S214, the card table and the member game information table are reset. In S215, the operation of the payout button 311 is disabled and the ball tray unit 4 The prohibition of counting is canceled and the process returns to the standby state of Sb2 to Sb10.

  That is, the membership card being accepted by the card unit 3 is different from the case of a visitor card, which will be described later, regardless of whether the prepaid balance is zero and whether the number of possessed balls is a fractional unit. Always returned. If the prepaid balance of the returned membership card is not zero, the prepaid balance can be settled in the settlement apparatus 1180.

  When the card to be returned is a member card, the control unit 328 transmits a return notification including the member game information data stored in the member game information table and the mode flag, and resets the member game information table. Thus, the member game information data is registered in the member-specific game history table.

  If it is determined in S204 that the card being accepted is a visitor card (NO), the prepaid balance stored in the card table (that is, the prepaid balance recorded in the visitor card) is zero in S220. It is determined whether or not. If it is determined in S220 that the prepaid balance is not zero (NO), it is determined in S221 whether or not the number of possessed balls stored in the card table is a fractional number (24 or less in this example). judge. If it is determined in S221 that the number of possessed balls is not a fraction less than the unit (NO), that is, it is determined that the number of retained balls is equal to or greater than the payout unit, the number of retained balls and the test flag (only in the test mode) are displayed in S222. Record in the visitor card and proceed to S216. On the other hand, if it is determined in S221 that the number of possessed balls is a fraction less than a unit (YES), in S223, the pachinko ball having a fraction less than a unit is dispensed by driving the dispensing motor 353 and returned to the player. The payout process is performed, and the number of possessed balls (in this case, zero) and the test flag (only in the test mode) are recorded on the visitor card, and the process proceeds to S216. If it is determined in S221 that the number of balls is zero, the process proceeds to S216 without performing the process in S223.

  Next, in S216, a visitor card return notice including the device ID of the card unit 3, the card ID of the visitor card, and the number of possessed balls stored in the card table is transmitted to the management computer 1150. In step S217, it waits for reception of an update completion notification transmitted from the management computer 1150.

  The management computer 1150 that has received the visitor card return notification displays the number of possessed balls stored in correspondence with the card ID included in the received visitor card return notification in the visitor saving management table in the storage area corresponding to the mode flag. , Update to the number of possessed balls included in the received visitor card return notification, store the current date and time output from the RTC 1104 in the latest issue date and time, and received it in the unit management table of the storage area corresponding to the mode flag Change the “status” corresponding to the device ID included in the visitor card return notification to “standby”, delete the card ID stored in “acceptance ID”, and the card unit that is the sender of the visitor card return notification An update completion notification is transmitted to 3.

  When an update completion notification is received from the management computer 1150 (YES in S217), in S218, the discharge support is output to the card reader / writer 327, and the accepted visitor card is discharged from the card insertion slot 309 and returned, and in S219, The card table is reset, and the process proceeds to S215. In other words, the visitor card being accepted by the card unit 3 is always returned when the prepaid balance is not zero. The prepaid balance of the returned visitor card can be settled in the settlement apparatus 1180.

  If it is determined in S220 that the prepaid balance is zero (YES), in S231, the number of held balls stored in the card table is less than a unit fraction (24 balls or less in this example) as in S221. ). If it is determined in S231 that the number of held balls is not a fraction less than the unit (NO), that is, it is determined that the number of held balls is equal to or more than the payout unit, in S232, the number of held balls is stored in the visitor card as in S222. Record and proceed to S216. That is, the visitor card being accepted by the card unit 3 is returned on condition that the number of possession balls is not zero when the prepaid balance is zero. Since the prepaid balance of the returned visitor card is zero, it cannot be settled in the settlement apparatus 1180.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in S231 that the number of possessed balls is a fraction less than a unit (YES), in S233, in the same manner as in S223, a pachinko ball with a fraction less than the unit is paid out and returned to the player. The under-unit payout process is performed, and the process proceeds to S240. If it is determined in S231 that the number of possessed balls is zero, the process proceeds to S240 without performing the process in S233.

  In S240, a capture notification including the card ID of the visitor card is transmitted to the system controller 1100. In S241, the device ID of the card unit 3 and the card ID of the visitor card are transmitted to the management computer 1150. In S242, reception of an update completion notification transmitted from the system controller 1100 and the management computer 1150 is awaited.

  The system controller 1100 that has received the capture notification changes the “status” corresponding to the card ID included in the received capture notification to “in storage” in the visitor card table, and An update completion notification is transmitted to the card unit 3. In addition, the management computer 1150 that has received the take-in notification updates the number of held balls stored in correspondence with the card ID included in the received take-in notification in the visitor saving management table to the unit management table. , Change the “status” corresponding to the device ID included in the received capture notification to “standby”, delete the card ID stored in “acceptance ID”, and An update completion notification is transmitted to the card unit 3.

  When the update completion notification is received from the system controller 1100 and the management computer 1150 (YES in S242), in S243, the accepting visitor card is taken in and stored in the card storage unit, and the process proceeds to S219. That is, the visitor card being accepted by the card unit 3 is taken in without being returned when the prepaid balance is zero and the number of held balls is a fractional unit. According to this, it is possible to prevent a loss of the game hall caused by returning and throwing away a visitor card in which a small number of balls are recorded.

  Further, when the payout button 311 is operated in the above-described standby state of Sb2 to Sb10, an operation signal from the payout button switch 311 ′ is input to the control unit 328, so that the control unit 328 pays out in Sb7. When it is determined that the button 311 is operated, the process proceeds to Sb25, and the payout process shown in FIG. 20 is performed. When the payout operation is invalid, the standby state of Sb2 to Sb10 is continued without proceeding to Sb25.

  In the payout process of the present embodiment, first, as shown in FIG. 20, it is determined whether or not there is a counted number of balls, that is, the number of balls in the card table (Sh1).

  If it is determined in the step of Sh1 that there is no counted number of balls (the number of possessed balls), the process proceeds to the step of Sh6, a replay process for paying out the stored balls is performed, and the standby state of Sb2 to Sb10 is returned. .

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

  In this way, in this embodiment, the number of possessed balls (number of counted balls) acquired by the member player on the day is different from the number of accumulated balls, and payout is performed without requiring a fee. By using the number of held balls (number of counted balls) in preference to the number of stored balls, even if there is a number of held balls (number of counted balls) that does not require a fee, It is possible to eliminate the disadvantage of the member player due to being used.

  In the password acceptance process of the present embodiment, first, a password acceptance screen including a numeric keypad and an announcement display for prompting entry of the password are displayed on the display unit 312 to accept the password.

  Then, the received personal identification number is compared with the personal identification number stored in the card table, and when the two coincide, the collation flag in the predetermined area in the RAM 328b is updated to “1” indicating the collation. The replay ball lending process is executed on condition that the number of stored balls stored in the card table is equal to or greater than the predetermined number of replay unit balls (135 balls).

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

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

  Then, a replay completion notification including the membership card ID and membership ID stored in the card table, the number of replay units subtracted from the number of stored balls (135 balls), and a mode flag is transmitted to the management computer 1150. After that, the replay process is ended and the process returns to the standby state of Sb2 to Sb10.

  In addition, the management computer 1150 that has received the replay completion notification, in the member saving management table, determines the number of replay units (from the membership card ID included in the replay completion notification and the number of stored balls stored in association with the member ID). (135 balls) is subtracted and updated.

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

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

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

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

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

  Then, the control unit 328 determines from the counted number of balls in the display unit 312 and the number of balls in the card table (if the card being received is a visitor card, the number of balls in the visitor card being received). In addition to subtracting and updating the number of balls, the device ID uniquely assigned to the card unit 3 to the management computer 1150, the (member) card ID of the member card or visitor card being received, and the ball that has been paid out The payout completion notification including the number (125 balls) and the mode flag is transmitted and stored in association with the (member) card ID in the member saving management table or visitor saving management table of the management computer 1150. After subtracting and updating the number of balls paid out from the number of balls (125 balls), the process proceeds to the card collection determination process of Sh20.

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

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

  When it is determined that the number of balls is not more than 25 in this determination, for example, when the counted number of balls is 20, the process proceeds to the step of Sh5 and the fraction payout process is performed. The fraction payout process is a process of paying out the fraction specified by Sh when YES is determined by Sh3. When NO is determined by Sh3, the current counted ball is processed. It is a process of paying out all of the numbers. Specifically, a fraction payout request including any one of the payout balls is transmitted to the control unit 350.

  In response to the reception of the fraction payout request, the control unit 350 operates the payout motor 353 to pay out pachinko balls for the designated payout number.

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

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

  Then, to the management computer 1150, the device ID uniquely given to the card unit 3, the (member) card ID of the member card or visitor card being accepted, the number of returned payout balls, and the mode flag The payout completion notice is transmitted, and the number of payout balls returned from the number of possessed balls stored in association with the (member) card ID in the member saving management table or visitor saving management table of the management computer 1150 is subtracted and updated. Then, after the card collection determination process of Sh20 described above is performed, the payout process is terminated and the process returns to the standby state of Sb2 to Sb10.

  When the counted number of balls (the number of balls held) is a fraction less than 25 balls corresponding to the number of times that is a payout unit, the player operates the payout button 311 so that the pachinko ball of that fraction is amusement island. It is returned to the player by taking in from the ball supply basket and paying it out via the return ball flow path 13.

  On the other hand, in the determination in Sh3, when it is determined that the counted number of balls (the number of balls held) is 25 or more, the process proceeds to the step of Sh9, and the maximum payout within the range of the counted number of balls is possible. After specifying the payout unit and the fraction less than the payout unit, the process proceeds to the step of Sh10, so that the number of balls of the specified maximum payout unit is paid out from the corresponding pachinko machine 2, and the above-described step of Sh5 is performed. Thus, the specified number of pachinko balls are paid out to the sub-dish portion 7 of the ball receiving tray unit 4.

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

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

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

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

  Then, the control unit 328 calculates the number of balls counted on the display unit 312 and the number of balls held on the card table (if the card being received is a visitor card), the number of balls on the visitor card being received) In addition to subtracting and updating 100 balls corresponding to the 4 times of payout, the device ID uniquely assigned to the card unit 3 to the management computer 1150 and the (member) card ID of the receiving membership card or visitor card And a payout completion notification including the number of balls paid out (100 balls) and a mode flag, and corresponding to the (member) card ID in the member saving management table or visitor saving management table of the management computer 1150 After subtracting and updating the number of balls (100 balls) paid out from the number of held balls, perform the steps of Sh4 and Sh5 The remaining fraction of 10 balls (or the total number of counted balls if the number of balls already counted is less than 10) is paid out to the sub-dish portion 7 of the ball receiving tray unit 4 and these are paid out. The number of balls in the fraction is updated and the number of balls counted in the display unit 312 and the number of balls in the card table (if the card being received is a visitor card, the number of balls in the visitor card being received) ) Are all set to “0”, and the number of possessed cards of the receiving card in the management computer 1150 is also set to “0”.

  In other words, when the counted number of balls (the number of balls) is 25 balls or more corresponding to one payout unit, which is less than 125 balls corresponding to the set number of payouts, and there are fractions, In order to pay out the fraction, the pachinko ball of that fraction is taken from the ball supply basket on the amusement island without being individually operated, and is sent out to the sub-dish portion 7 via the return ball flow path 13. To be returned to the player. Even when these fractional payouts are implemented, as described above, a payout completion notification including the payout ball number is transmitted to the management computer 1150, so that the storage is performed based on the payout completion notification. In the payout history table, a storage / payout history including the type of “payout” and the number of payout balls is registered as the storage / payout history corresponding to the device ID.

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

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

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

  In this leaving process, the control unit 328 first invalidates all operations and outputs a count prohibition instruction to the count payout unit 29 (control unit 350) to prohibit the counting of new pachinko balls. .

  The control unit 328 determines the (member) card ID and the member ID (member card only) and the number of balls being received by the card reader / writer 327 even if the card data in the RAM 328b is lost due to a long power interruption or the like. (Member) card ID and the member ID are stored in a predetermined storage area of the EEPROM 328c, and then a discharge instruction is output to the card reader / writer 327 to accept the member card or visitor card being received. The function lamp 301 is turned on in yellow to indicate that the user is away from the seat, and the display unit 312 displays “separated” and the elapsed time (remaining time of the predetermined away time). At the same time, by outputting a card insertion enabling instruction to the card reader / writer 327, the shutter is released along with the ejection. By the solenoids (not shown) the shutter of the card insertion slot 309 are sinking state, the process proceeds to Away mode that only allows the card insertion from the card insertion opening 309.

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

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

  In the transition to the above-described leaving mode, the control unit 328 transmits a leaving notice including the device ID, the (member) card ID of the ejected card, and the mode flag to the system controller 1100 and the management computer 1150. By registering these (member) card IDs as leaving cards, even if these discharged cards are received by other card units 3 or the POS terminal 170 for gift exchange, they cannot be used for the cards. It is supposed to be returned.

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

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

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

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

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

  The forced release history data is transmitted to both the system controller 1100 and the management computer 1150 in response to a transmission request from the system controller 1100 and the management computer 1150 or in a closing-related process at the end of business, Even if there is a complaint by a person away from the person by storing and managing the management computer 1150, the system controller 1100 or management is performed based on the forced release history data stored and managed in the system controller 1100 or the management computer 1150. Even if a failure occurs in any of the computers 1150, the number of balls possessed by the person away can be reliably guaranteed.

  Next, group settings that can be performed by the system controller 1100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 23. In the system controller 1100 according to the present embodiment, a ball tray unit is provided for each of the plurality of card units 3. The setting for allocating to which of the groups for releasing the lock 4 can be performed on the group setting screen displayed on the display device 107 as shown in FIG.

  This group setting screen is created on the side of the manufacturer by sending the device ID of the card unit 3 and the in-store configuration of the game hall to the manufacturer of the system controller 1100, and returns to the system controller 1100 of the game hall. It will be. The system controller 1100 displays the returned group setting screen on the display device 1107. Note that, on the game hall side, the device ID of the card unit 3 and the in-store configuration of the game hall may be input to the system controller 1100 to create a group setting screen.

  In this group setting screen, first, as shown in FIG. 23 (a), an input field of a group ID, which is group specifying information that can specify a group to be set, is displayed, and the arrangement status of the card unit 3 in the game hall is displayed. The in-store arrangement map shown is displayed. In the in-store arrangement map, the arrangement status of the card units 3 in each game island is indicated by a grid, and the machine number of the pachinko machine 2 corresponding to the card unit 3 is displayed in each grid.

  In the group setting screen shown in FIG. 23 (a), the group ID of the group is entered in the input field, and the card unit 3 to be allocated to the group is selected from the in-store arrangement map based on the arrangement status of the card unit 3. When the setting button is operated, as shown in FIG. 24B, the radio button is selected in association with the device ID of the card unit 3 selected in the in-store arrangement map X in the in-store device configuration table X. The group setting is performed by registering the group ID of the operating group or the closing processing group ID. Here, the group ID is set in association with the device ID stored in the power supply board box 14 whose arrangement does not change, so that the card unit can be changed by replacing it with a failure during operation or changing the arrangement part due to replacement of a new stand. Even if 3 is changed, the correspondence between the device ID and the group ID is invariable. Therefore, even if the card unit 3 is changed, it is not necessary to change the group setting. Therefore, there is no troublesomeness associated with the change, and no wrong group is set. The ball receiving tray unit 4 is not unlocked.

  When the group setting is performed in this way, as shown in FIG. 23B, the group ID of the group is displayed on the cell unit 3 where the group setting has been performed on the in-store arrangement map on the group setting screen. Is displayed. By repeating this group setting operation, all card units 3 are assigned to any group.

  FIG. 25 is a flowchart showing a ball tray releasing process in the card unit. The control unit 328 of the card unit 3 stores a 4-digit password that is authentication information transmitted from the remote controller 1010. Furthermore, the control unit 328 stores business hours at the game hall.

  In the ball tray release processing shown in FIG. 25, a ball tray release processing request, a password, and a release request (individual release request) transmitted from the remote controller 1010 operated by a store clerk having authority to release the ball tray. Since the process proceeds based on reception of a group release request or a simultaneous release request, first, display contents when the ball receiving tray unit is released by the remote controller 1010 will be described with reference to FIG. When the ball tray unit release button provided on the remote controller 1010 is operated in a state where the remote controller 1010 is directed to the IR light receiver unit 315 of the card unit 3, the ball receiver release processing request is issued from the remote controller 1010 to the IR light receiver unit 315. D4 is displayed on the display.

  In D4, a message prompting the user to input a 4-digit password is displayed. Here, when the remote controller 1010 is directed to the IR light receiving unit 315 of the card unit 3 and a ten-digit number is input one by one by operating the numeric keypad provided on the remote controller 1010, the remote controller 1010 receives the IR light receiving unit 315 from the remote controller 1010. The password is transmitted one digit at a time, and when the four-digit password is entered, D5 is displayed on the display.

  In D5, a message prompting the user to operate an individual release button, a group release button, or a simultaneous release button provided on the remote controller 1010 is displayed. Here, the individual release button is a button operated when releasing the ball receiving unit 4 of only the card unit 3 facing the remote controller 1010, and the group release button is the card unit 3 facing the remote controller 1010 and the card. This button is operated to release the ball receiving unit 4 in all the other card units 3 of the group to which the unit 3 belongs. The simultaneous release button is used to release the ball receiving unit 4 in all the card units 3 installed in the game hall. This button is operated when canceling.

  When the individual release button is operated with the remote controller 1010 facing the IR light receiving unit 315 of the card unit 3, the ball receiving unit 4 of only the card unit 3 is released from the remote controller 1010 to the IR light receiving unit 315. An individual release request for requesting is sent. On the other hand, when the group release button is operated with the remote controller 1010 facing the IR light receiving unit 315 of the card unit 3, the card unit 3 and the card unit 3 belong to the IR light receiving unit 315 from the remote controller 1010. A group release request for requesting release of the ball tray unit 4 in all the card units 3 is transmitted. In addition, when the simultaneous release button is operated with the remote controller 1010 facing the IR light receiving unit 315 of the card unit 3, the simultaneous release requesting the release of the ball tray unit 4 in all the card units 3 installed in the game hall is performed. A request is sent. As described above, since the release request includes an individual release request, a group release request, and a simultaneous release request, the ball receiving unit 4 of each card unit 3 and the ball receiving unit of all the card units 3 belonging to the group may be released individually. 4 can be canceled all at once and the ball tray unit 4 of all the card units 3 installed in the game hall can be canceled all at once.

  In addition, during operation, when D6 is displayed to prompt the user to operate the lock release button provided on the remote controller 1010, and the lock release button is operated with the remote controller 1010 facing the IR light receiving unit 315 of the card unit 3, The remote controller 1010 transmits an unlock request for requesting the unlocking of the ball tray unit 4 of the card unit 3 to the IR light receiving unit 315.

  Referring back to FIG. 25, the card unit 3 waits for reception of a ball tray release processing request transmitted from the remote controller 1010 in SX201, and also issues a cancellation request (described later) transmitted from the system controller 1100 in SX202. Waiting for reception of S4 or S5).

  When a ball tray release processing request is received from the remote controller 1010 in SX201 (YES), in SX211, the reception of the PIN number transmitted from the remote controller 1010 is waited, and the PIN number transmitted one digit at a time is displayed in four digits. When all are received (YES), in SX212, it waits for reception of a cancellation request (individual cancellation request or group cancellation request or simultaneous cancellation request) transmitted from remote controller 1010, and when there is reception of the cancellation request (YES), At SX213, the password received at SX212 is authenticated based on the password stored in advance, and at SX214, it is determined whether the authentication of the password is OK, and authentication OK (YES: that is, password) If the number is the same), the process proceeds to SX215, and if it is authentication NG (NO: that is, the password is not the same), the ball tray release process is terminated. To. According to this, if the card unit 3 receives the password from the remote controller 1010 operated by the store clerk who has the authority to release the ball tray and is not authenticated based on the password, the card In order not to be able to release the ball tray in the unit 3 and not to accept a group release request and a simultaneous release request, cancellation by an unauthorized person other than a store clerk who has the authority to release the ball tray Can be prevented. In SX215, it is determined whether or not the release request received in S212 is an individual release request. If it is determined in SX215 that the request is an individual release request (YES), the process proceeds to SX221 and the following, and the ball tray 4 in the card unit 3 can be released. On the other hand, if it is determined in SX215 that the request is not an individual release request (NO), it is determined in SX215a whether or not it is a simultaneous release request. If it is determined that the request is not a simultaneous release request (NO), that is, it is a group release request, a process of transmitting a group release request including the device ID stored in the card unit 3 to the system controller 1100 in SX217. Then, the control shifts to SX221.

  On the other hand, if it is determined by SX 215a that the request is a simultaneous release request, the process proceeds to SX 215b, where a process for transmitting the simultaneous release request to system controller 1100 is performed, and this ball tray release process ends.

  In SX221, based on the business hours memorize | stored beforehand and the time information which RTC1104 outputs, it is determined whether it is in business. If it is determined in SX221 that the business is in operation (YES), the process proceeds to SX221a, and a system controller confirmation process is executed. This system controller confirmation process is a process for confirming whether or not the system controller 1100 has been registered in advance so as to release the ball receiving tray. Although details will be described later, when releasing the ball tray during business, it is necessary to specify the card unit 3 to be released in advance and register it by inputting it to the system controller 1100. If the system controller 1100 confirms in this system controller confirmation process, the control proceeds to SX222, and when the unlock request is received from the remote controller 1010, the ball tray unit 4 is unlocked and the lock is released. A standby flag indicating that the lock is released is stored, the fact that the lock is released is notified by turning on the multi-function lamp 301, and the unlock request transmitted from the remote controller 1010 is received at SX223. stand by.

  If a lock release request is received at SX223 (YES), the control unit 328 transmits a lock release command for releasing the lock of the ball tray unit 4 to the control unit 350 at SX224. Receiving this, the control unit 350 performs control to excite the lock solenoid 146 to release the lock. This control will be described later.

  When the ball tray unit 4 is unlocked, the ball tray unit 4 can be removed for maintenance and inspection, and when the pachinko machine 2 is replaced with a new one, the ball tray unit 4 is in the way. You can work without becoming. At the stage where such work is completed, the attendant at the game hall reattaches the ball receiving tray unit 4 to the counting payout unit 29 and locks it as described with reference to FIG. Then, the ball tray presence / absence detection sensor 270 detects the ball tray unit 4 and outputs a detection signal to the control unit 350, and a remounting notification signal is sent from the control unit 350 (see S307). Then, the control unit 328 determines that the ball tray has been remounted by SX225 (YES), and executes a control to cause the multi-function lamp 301 to notify that the remounting is completed by SX225a, and then controls SX222. The waiting flag stored in this manner is erased, and the ball receiving tray release process is terminated.

  If it is determined that the business is not in operation at SX221 (NO), at SX231, the control unit 328 performs processing for transmitting a lock release command for the ball tray unit 4 to the control unit 350. As a result, the ball receiving tray unit 4 is unlocked by the control of the control unit 350 in the same manner as described above, and can be removed. After the maintenance and inspection and the replacement of the new stand are performed in the removed state, the removed ball receiving tray unit 4 is removed. The work of re-installing is carried out by a game attendant. At the stage of remounting, the determination at SX233 is YES, and at SX238, control of remounting completion notification is performed in the same manner as described above, and this ball receiving tray release processing ends.

  When a release request (S4 or S5) is received from the system controller 1100 in SX202 (YES), control is transferred to SX221, and the control after SX221 is executed as described above.

  FIG. 27 is a flowchart showing the control of the ball tray releasing process on the system controller 1100 side. First, at S1, it is determined whether or not a ball tray release request has been received. If not received, this ball tray release processing is terminated. If a simultaneous release request or a group release request including the device ID is transmitted from the card unit 3 by the SX 215b or SX 217 described above, a determination of YES is made in S1 and the process proceeds to S2, and the received release request is canceled. A determination is made whether this is a request. If it is not a group cancellation request (NO), that is, if it is a simultaneous cancellation request, a process of transmitting the cancellation request to all card units 3 installed in the game hall is performed by S5, and the ball tray cancellation process Ends.

  On the other hand, if the request is a group release request (YES in S2), the control advances to S3, and the in-store device configuration table X (see FIG. 24) is searched based on the device ID included in the group release request. A process of determining the tray release group ID (also referred to as a ball tray group ID) is performed.

  For example, referring to FIG. 24B, when the device ID is, for example, CU-001, the corresponding ball receiving tray cancellation group ID is “θ”.

  Returning to FIG. 27, next, the control proceeds to S <b> 4, and the process of transmitting the release request only to the card unit excluding the device ID included in the group release request among the device IDs belonging to the determined ball tray group ID. Is done. For example, referring to FIG. 24 (b), when the ball receiving tray group ID determined is “θ”, the device IDs of CU-001 to CU-008 that belong to the ball receiving tray release group of that θ. Of these, the release request signal is transmitted only to the card IDs (card units having the device IDs of CU-002 to CU-008) excluding the device ID included in the group release request, that is, CU-001.

  As a result, the ball tray receiving process of all the card units 3 belonging to the ball receiving tray release group of θ is executed, while the ball tray unit 4 of the card unit 3 belonging to the ball tray releasing group other than θ is in the released state. Don't be.

  FIG. 28 is a flowchart showing specific control of the system controller confirmation process shown in SX221a of FIG. Referring to FIG. 28, first, in system controller 1100, in S12, it is determined whether or not there is an operation for designating a card unit for releasing the ball receiving tray during business. If there is not, the process proceeds to S16. On the other hand, an input device 1106 consisting of a keyboard or the like of the system controller 1100 is operated by an attendant at the game hall, and a designation operation (for example, an input operation of the device ID) of the card unit 3 that is desired to release the ball receiving tray during business is performed. In this case, a determination of YES is made in S12, and the control proceeds to S13, where processing for storing the device ID of the designated card unit in the ball receiving tray release storage area is performed, and the process proceeds to S16. Thus, a card unit for releasing the ball receiving tray during business is registered in the ball receiving tray releasing storage area in the system controller 1100 in advance.

  Next, the card unit 3 notifies the system controller 1100 of the stored device ID and ball receiving unit release. Then, the system controller 1100 determines whether or not the received device ID is stored in the ball receiving tray release storage area in S16. In the case where the ball receiving tray release storage area has been stored in advance by the prior registration input operation described in S12, a YES determination is made and the permission signal is returned to the card unit 3, but it is not stored. Is returned to the card unit 3. When the received device ID is stored in the ball receiving tray release storage area, the system controller 1100 performs control to delete the stored device ID from the storage.

  On the other hand, the card unit 3 that has received the reply signal from the system controller 1100 determines whether or not the reply result is “permitted” in S17. If it is not permitted, that is, if it is NG, it displays NG in S18. To return after the step SX226 in FIG. As a result, the ball receiving tray release process after SX222 is not executed. This NG display is turned on by the multi-function lamp 301. On the other hand, if the return result is “permitted”, the system controller confirmation process ends, and the process returns to step SX222 in FIG. As a result, when it is “permitted”, the ball receiving tray releasing process after SX222 is executed.

  FIG. 29 is a flowchart showing a ball tray releasing process in the control unit 350 of the counting / dispensing unit 29. By S300, it is determined whether or not the unlocking command for the ball receiving unit 4 has been received. If not received, the ball receiving plate releasing process ends. On the other hand, when a lock release command for the ball tray unit 4 is transmitted from the control unit 328 to the control unit 350 in accordance with the step SX224 in FIG. 25, a YES determination is made in S300, and the shutter solenoid 212 is excited in S301. Then, the shutters 213a and 213b are switched to the standing posture so that the take-in balls are not taken in. Next, in S302, the locking solenoid 146 is excited, the lock member 116 is retracted, and the lock is released (see FIG. 10). In this state, an attendant at the game hall removes the ball tray unit 4 from the counting / dispensing unit 29, so that the ball tray presence / absence detection sensor 270 is switched from ON to OFF. After the ball receiving tray unit 4 is removed and the maintenance check and the above-described replacement of the new stand are performed, when the attendant of the game hall attaches the ball receiving tray unit 4 to the counting / dispensing unit 29 again, the ball receiving tray presence / absence detection sensor 270 is activated. Switch from OFF to ON. In S303, the ball receiving tray presence / absence detection sensor 270 is on standby for switching from OFF to ON. Then, at the stage of switching, the control proceeds to S304, and it is determined whether or not the confirmation timer has timed out. This confirmation timer measures a time of about 1 second from when the ball receiving tray presence / absence detection sensor 270 is switched from OFF to ON. In some cases, the ball tray presence / absence detection sensor 270 may be instantaneously switched from OFF to ON due to noise or foreign object contact. In order to prevent erroneous determination due to such noise or foreign object contact, the time of S304 is increased. The determination step is provided. If it is determined in S304 that the time has not yet been reached, it is determined in S305 whether or not the ball tray presence / absence detection sensor is ON. If the ball tray presence / absence detection sensor 270 is turned OFF before the confirmation timer expires, it is considered that the ball tray presence / absence detection sensor 270 is instantaneously turned ON from OFF due to contact of noise or foreign matter. Then, the control again proceeds to S303. On the other hand, when the ball receiving tray presence / absence detecting sensor 270 is continuously turned on until the confirmation timer expires (for example, for 1 second), it can be determined that the ball receiving tray unit 4 is securely remounted. Then, the control proceeds to S306, the excitation of the locking solenoid 146 is released, and the locking member 116 is protruded to be in the locked state (see FIG. 10). Next, in step S307, notification of remounting is performed. This notification is performed by the multi-function lamp 301. In step S308, the excitation of the shutter solenoid 212 is released. As a result, the shutters 213a and 213b in the standing posture are switched to the lying posture, and the state where the take-in ball is taken in is restored.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment will be described. The second embodiment is mainly different from the first embodiment described above in the following points. In addition to the ball tray group setting shown in FIG. 23, group setting is also performed when money collection is performed. The setting contents of the group setting when money collection is performed are as shown in FIG. Is stored in the system controller 1100. Then, the setting result of the group ID indicating which ball tray release group and money collection group each card unit 3 belongs to is transmitted to each corresponding card unit 3. Each card unit 3 stores the transmitted group ID, and the card unit 3 that has received a ball tray release request (group release request) designating a group or a currency collection request (group collection request) designating a group Transmits a group release request including the stored group ID to the other card unit 3, and the other card unit 3 receives the received group ID and the group stored by itself. When the ID matches, the ball receiving tray release processing or money collection processing is executed.

  Next, group settings that can be performed by the system controller 1100 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 30. The system controller 1100 of the present embodiment collects banknotes for each of the plurality of card units 3. The setting for allocating which group to belong to can be performed on the group setting screen displayed on the display device 107 as shown in FIG.

  In this banknote collection group setting screen, first, as shown in FIG. 30 (a), as a group type, an operating group for collecting banknotes during business operations, or a group for closing processing for collecting banknotes at the time of closing processing In addition, a radio button for setting any one of the above and a group ID input field, which is group specifying information for specifying the group to be set, are displayed, and an in-store arrangement map showing the arrangement status of the card units 3 in the game hall Is displayed. In the in-store arrangement map, the arrangement status of the card units 3 in each game island is indicated by a grid, and the machine number of the pachinko machine 2 corresponding to the card unit 3 is displayed in each grid.

  In the banknote collection group setting screen shown in FIG. 30 (a), the radio button for either the operating group or the closing process group is selected, and the group ID of the group is input in the input field. When the card unit 3 to be allocated to the group is selected on the basis of the arrangement status of the card unit 3 and the setting button is operated, as shown in FIG. 31 (b), it is selected in the in-store arrangement map in the in-store device configuration table. The group setting is performed by registering the group ID of the operating group or the closing process group selected by the radio button in association with the device ID of the card unit 3 that has been selected. Here, the group ID is set in association with the device ID stored in the power supply board box 14 whose arrangement does not change, so that the card unit can be changed by replacing it with a failure during operation or changing the arrangement part due to replacement of a new stand. Even if 3 is changed, the correspondence between the device ID and the group ID is invariable. Therefore, even if the card unit 3 is changed, there is no need to change the group setting, so there is no troublesomeness associated with the change, and no wrong group is set. The banknote can be collected from 3 and the banknote is not stolen.

  When the group setting is performed in this way, as shown in FIG. 30 (b), on the banknote collection group setting screen, the group of the group on the grid of the card unit 3 on which the group setting is performed on the in-store arrangement map. An ID is displayed. By repeating this group setting operation, all card units 3 are assigned to any group.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 31B, the number of card units 3 belonging to each group is preferably a relatively small number (4 units in this example) for the operating group, while for the closing processing group. Can be more than the group in operation (8 in this example). By assigning a large number of card units 3 to the operating group, if each card unit 3 belonging to the operating group is in a state in which banknotes can be collected, the player may have the banknotes stolen. This is because even if a large number of card units 3 are allocated to the closing process group, such a problem does not occur.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 31 (b), it is preferable that the card units 3 belonging to each group be allocated so that banknotes can be efficiently collected based on the arrangement situation. The card units 3 facing each other (for example, the card units 3 having the unit numbers 011, 012, 013, 015, 0210 2, 023, 025, 0 for the group with the group ID β) are allocated.

  Next, processing performed by the control unit 328 of the card unit 3, the CPU 102 of the system controller 1100, and the control unit of the settlement apparatus 1180 when the power is turned on will be described with reference to FIG. First, the system controller 1100 transmits an authentication command to each card unit 3 from the communication unit 109 and receives the authentication command by the communication unit 334 in step S101 in a state where the power is turned on in each card unit 3. The card unit 3 returns an authentication response from the communication unit 334 to the system controller 1100 in S102. Communication between the card unit 3 and the system controller 1100 is established by transmitting and receiving the authentication command and the authentication response. In step S103, the system controller 1100 that has received the authentication response by the communication unit 109 associates each card unit 3 from the communication unit 109 with the device ID of the card unit 3 in the in-store device configuration table Y (FIG. 31). The card unit 3 that transmits the stored money collection group ID (in-service group ID and closing group ID) and receives the group ID by the communication unit 334 stores the group ID in the RAM 328b in S104. In step S105, the communication unit 334 returns a storage completion notification to the system controller 1100.

  Further, in S106, the system controller 1100 cancels the ball receiving tray stored in the in-store device configuration table X (FIG. 24) in association with the device ID of the card unit 3 from the communication unit 109 to each card unit 3. The card unit 3 that has transmitted the group ID and received the group ID by the communication unit 334 stores the group ID in the RAM 328b in S107, and in S105, the communication unit 334 notifies the system controller 1100 of the storage completion. Reply.

  According to this, in the system controller 1100, the group to which each card unit 3 belongs is set, and when the communication with each card unit 3 is established, the group ID of the set group is set to the corresponding group ID. Since it is transmitted to the card unit 3 and the group ID is stored in the card unit 3, the group to which each card unit 3 belongs can be set reliably. In other words, even if the card unit 3 is changed due to a replacement due to a failure during business operation or a change of an arrangement location due to replacement of a new stand, etc., communication with the system controller 1100 is established when the power of the replaced card unit 3 is turned on. The in-store device configuration tables X and Y (FIGS. 24 and 31) in association with the group ID of the group to which the card unit 3 belongs (that is, in association with the device ID stored in the unit holder 31 ′ where the card unit 3 is installed). The group ID stored in the above is transmitted and the group ID is stored in the card unit 3, so that it is not troublesome to change the group setting, and the wrong group is not set. The ball tray unit 4 is not unlocked against the will of the store clerk and is also against the store clerk's will. Made from the card unit 3 and the bill can be recovered, not even the fact that in particular would be stolen is the bill to be in business.

  Further, the system controller 1100 transmits an authentication command from the communication unit 109 to the payment apparatus 1180 in step S111 while the payment apparatus 1180 is powered on, and the payment apparatus 1180 that has received the authentication command receives the authentication command in step S112. The authentication response is returned to the system controller 1100. By transmitting and receiving the authentication command and the authentication response, communication between the settlement apparatus 1180 and the system controller 1100 is established. In step S113, the system controller 1100 that has received the authentication response by the communication unit 109 causes the settlement apparatus 1180 to store the device ID, the island number, and the device ID stored in the in-store device configuration tables X and Y (FIGS. 24 and 31). The payment apparatus 1180 that transmits the correspondence between the serial numbers as the in-store device configuration data and receives the in-store device configuration data transmits a reception notification to the system controller 1100 in S114, and also in S115 to the management computer 1150. On the other hand, the in-store device configuration data is transmitted. The management computer 1150 that has received the in-store device configuration data counts the number of counting balls in each card unit 3 based on the in-store device configuration data and the device ID and the number of counting balls transmitted from each card unit 3. Can be grasped. According to this, in the past, the management computer 1150 solved the problem that it took time since manual input of in-store device configuration data, and acquired in-store device configuration data without performing the manual input, There is an effect that the number of counting balls in each card unit 3 can be totaled.

  FIG. 33 is a flowchart showing a ball tray releasing process of the card unit 3 in the second embodiment. The difference from the ball receiving tray release process in the first embodiment shown in FIG. 25 will be mainly described. When it is determined by SX215a that it is a simultaneous release request, a process of transmitting the simultaneous release request to all the other card units 3 is performed by SX215c, and this ball tray release process is completed. On the other hand, if it is determined by SX 215a that it is not a simultaneous release request (NO), that is, it is a group release request, control proceeds to SX 217a, and the ball tray group ID stored in the card unit 3 (stored in S107). The process of transmitting the group release request including “” to all the other card units 3 is performed, and the control shifts to SX 221.

  On the other hand, in the card unit 3, when the ball tray release processing request has not been received from the remote controller (NO in SX201), the SX202a determines whether or not a group release request has been received from another card unit 3. If not, a determination is made as to whether or not a simultaneous release request has been received from another card unit 3 by SX202b. If not, the ball receiving tray release process is terminated.

  Then, when a simultaneous release request is transmitted to another card unit 3 in accordance with SX215c described above, the card unit 3 that has received the simultaneous release request makes a determination of YES through SX202b, and the control shifts to SX221, A tray release process is executed.

  On the other hand, the group release request including the ball tray group ID is transmitted to the other card unit 3 by the above-described SX 217a, and in the card unit 3 that receives it, the determination of YES is made by SX 202a, and the group ID is matched by SX 219 Judge whether or not. This is whether the group ID stored in the card unit 3 (the ball tray cancellation group ID stored in S107) matches the ball tray cancellation group ID included in the group cancellation request determined to have been received by SX202a. It is a judgment of no. If they do not coincide with each other, the ball receiving tray release processing is terminated, and no ball receiving tray release control is performed. On the other hand, if it is determined by SX219 that the group IDs match, the control moves to SX221, and the subsequent ball receiving tray release process is executed.

  In the first embodiment described above, a group release request or a simultaneous release request is once transmitted from the card unit 3 to the system controller 1100, and a release request is transmitted to the corresponding card unit 3 via the system controller 1100. However, in the second embodiment, a group release request or a simultaneous release request is transmitted directly from the card unit 3 to another card unit 3 without going through the system controller 1100.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 34, the money collection process executed by the control unit 328 of the card unit 3 of the present embodiment will be described. As described above, the control unit 328 stores the money collection group ID transmitted from the system controller 1100 in SY104 of FIG. 32 (see S104). Further, the control unit 328 stores a 4-digit password that is authentication information transmitted from the remote controller 1010. Furthermore, the control unit 328 also stores business hours.

  In the money collection process shown in FIG. 34, a money collection process request, a password, and a collection request (individual collection request or simultaneous collection request transmitted from a remote controller 1010 operated by a store clerk who has authority to collect banknotes. The processing proceeds on the basis of the reception of). First, with reference to FIG. 36, display contents at the time of money collection operation by the remote controller 1010 will be described. When the money collection button provided on the remote controller 1010 is operated with the remote controller 1010 facing the IR light receiving unit 315 of the card unit 3, a money collection processing request is transmitted from the remote controller 1010 to the IR light receiving unit 315. , D1 is displayed on the display.

  In D1, a message prompting the user to input a 4-digit password is displayed. Here, when the remote controller 1010 is directed to the IR light receiving unit 315 of the card unit 3 and a ten-digit number is input one by one by operating the numeric keypad provided on the remote controller 1010, the remote controller 1010 receives the IR light receiving unit 315 from the remote controller 1010. The password is transmitted one digit at a time, and when the four-digit password is entered, D2 is displayed on the display.

  At D2, a message is displayed prompting the user to operate an individual collection button, a group collection button, or a simultaneous collection button provided on the remote controller 1010. Here, the individual collection button is a button operated when collecting banknotes from only the card unit 3 facing the remote controller 1010, and the group collection button is used by the card unit 3 facing the remote controller 1010 and the card unit 3 This button is operated when collecting banknotes from all the other card units 3 belonging to the group, and the simultaneous collection button is a button operated when collecting banknotes from all the card units 3 installed in the game hall. .

  Here, when the individual collection button is operated with the remote controller 1010 facing the IR light receiving unit 315 of the card unit 3, the remote control 1010 requests the IR light receiving unit 315 to collect the banknote from the card unit 3 alone. An individual collection request is sent. On the other hand, when the group collection button is operated with the remote controller 1010 facing the IR light receiving unit 315 of the card unit 3, the card unit 3 and the group to which the card unit 3 belongs are transferred from the remote controller 1010 to the IR light receiving unit 315. A simultaneous collection request for requesting collection of banknotes is transmitted from all the other card units 3. When the simultaneous recovery button is operated with the remote controller 1010 facing the IR light receiving unit 315 of the card unit 3, the remote control 1010 moves from the remote controller 1010 to the IR light receiving unit 315 to the game field other than the card unit 3 and the card unit 3. A simultaneous collection request for requesting the collection of banknotes is transmitted from all the installed card units 3. As described above, since the collection request includes an individual collection request, a group collection request, and a simultaneous collection request, it is desired to collect the banknotes individually from each card unit 3 and from all the card units 3 belonging to the group. It is possible to deal with each of the case and the case where it is desired to collect banknotes from all the card units 3 in the game hall at the same time.

  During business, when D3 prompts the user to operate the unlock button provided on the remote controller 1010, and the remote controller 1010 is directed to the IR light receiving unit 315 of the card unit 3, the unlock button is operated. The remote control 1010 transmits an unlock request for requesting the unlocking of the bill recognition unit 321 of the card unit 3 to the IR light receiving unit 315.

Referring back to FIG. 45, the card unit 3 waits for reception of a money collection processing request transmitted from the remote controller 1010 in SY201, and also receives a group collection request (from the other card unit 3 in SY202). and waiting to receive described below SY217 or SY218), further, in SY202a, waiting to receive a broadcast recovery request sent from another card unit 3 (described later SY215b).

  If the money collection processing request is received from the remote controller 1010 in SY201 (YES), the reception of the password transmitted from the remote controller 1010 is waited in SY211, and all the 4 digits of the password transmitted one digit at a time are received. If it is received (YES), it waits for reception of a collection request (individual collection request or simultaneous collection request) transmitted from the remote controller 1010 in SY212, and if it is received (YES), it is stored in advance in SY213. The security code received at the SY 212 is authenticated based on the security code being checked, and at SY 214, it is determined whether or not the authentication of the security code is OK, and the authentication is OK (ie, the security code matches). If so, the process proceeds to SY215, and if it is authentication NG (NO: that is, the secret code does not match), the money collection process is terminated. According to this, in the card unit 3, if a password is received from the remote controller 1010 operated by a store clerk who has the authority to collect banknotes, and authentication cannot be obtained based on the password, the card unit 3 In this case, the banknote cannot be collected, and the group collection request (SY217 or SY218 described later) or the simultaneous collection request (SY215b described later) is not transmitted to the other card unit 3, so the authority to collect the banknote is given. It is possible to prevent collection of banknotes by unauthorized persons other than the store clerk at the game hall.

  In SY215, it is determined whether or not the collection request received in SY212 is an individual collection request. If it is determined in SY215 that the request is an individual collection (YES), the process proceeds to SY221 and below, and the card unit 3 is in a state in which banknotes can be collected. On the other hand, if it is determined in SY215 that the request is not an individual recovery request (NO), it is determined in SY215a whether the request is a simultaneous recovery request. If it is determined in SY 215a that the request is a collective collection (YES), the process proceeds to SY 215b, and the collective collection request is transmitted to all other card units 3, and then the money collection process is completed. If it is determined in SY215a that it is not a simultaneous collection request (NO), that is, if it is determined that it is a group collection request, in SY216, based on the business hours stored in advance and the time information output by RTC 104 , Determine whether it is open. When it is determined that the business is in operation at SY216 (YES), at SY217, a group collection request including the business group ID stored at SY104 is transmitted to all the other card units 3, Proceed to SY221 and below. On the other hand, if it is determined in SY216 that the business is not open (NO), in SY218, a group collection request including the closing process group ID stored in S104 is transmitted to all the other card units 3, Proceed to SY221 and below.

  In SY221, it is determined whether or not the business is in the same manner as in SY216. If it is determined at SY221 that the business is in operation (YES), the system controller confirmation process of SY221b is performed. This process is similar to SX221a of FIG. 25 described above, and will be described in detail later with reference to FIG. In SY222, when the unlock request is received from the remote controller 1010, the lock of the bill recognition unit 321 is unlocked, and a standby flag indicating the unlocked state is stored, and the unlocked state is set. This is notified by turning on the multi-function lamp 301, and in SY223, reception of the unlock request transmitted from the remote controller 1010 is awaited. If the waiting flag is stored, as described above, even if cash is accepted (YES in Sb4), the accepted cash is returned without being issued / paid, but the issued / Normal processing other than deposit processing (that is, counting processing, card acceptance processing, lending processing, return processing, replay processing, payout processing, leaving processing, distribution processing, and menu display processing) is performed as usual, so the player The decrease in convenience and the decrease in sales and operation can be minimized.

  If a lock release request is received at SY223 (YES), the bill recognition unit 321 protrudes forward as shown in FIG. 21 or FIG. 22 by unlocking the bill recognition unit 321 at SY224. The banknotes stored in the banknote recognition unit 321 can be collected. In this state, the store clerk opens the storage door 321a and collects banknotes. And if the storage door 321a is closed and the banknote identification unit 321 is pushed back, it will be locked and will be in an initial state (namely, a banknote cannot be collect | recovered). As described above, during the business, the player enters the lock release standby state based on the reception of the collection request, and enters the state in which the money can be collected based on the reception of the lock release request in this state. Can be prevented from stealing.

  In SY225, it is determined whether or not the bill recognition unit 321 is protruding, that is, whether or not a signal indicating that the banknote recognition unit 321 is protruding is received from the protrusion detection sensor (not shown). In other words, if it is determined that the signal indicating that the paper is not protruding is received from the protrusion detection sensor, it is determined that the collection of the banknote by the store clerk is completed, and the standby flag stored in SY222 is erased in SY226. Then, the money collection process is terminated.

  If it is determined that SY 221 is not in operation (NO), that is, it is determined that the paper is being collected at the time of the closing process, the banknote identification unit 321 is unlocked in SY 231, as shown in FIG. 21 or FIG. Then, the bill recognition unit 321 protrudes forward, and the bills stored in the bill recognition unit 321 can be collected. In this manner, since the player does not steal banknotes during the closing process, it is possible to collect money without sending a lock release request by the remote controller 1010, and the convenience of banknote collection by the store clerk is improved. It has improved.

  In SY232, counting is started by a timer which is provided in the control unit 328 and starts timing based on the bill collection enabled state. In SY233, the time measured by the timing means is predetermined. It is determined that the time has expired (time up) based on the fact that the expiration time has been reached.

  In SY234, it is determined whether or not the bill recognition unit 321 is protruding, that is, whether or not a signal indicating that it is protruding is received from the protrusion detection sensor. If it is determined that the paper is protruding (YES) in SY234, it is determined in SY234a whether or not banknotes are remaining in the banknote identification unit 321; that is, a signal indicating that the banknotes are remaining from the storage detection sensor 321c. Is received. If it is determined that the SY 234a is remaining (YES), it is assumed that the store clerk forgot to collect the banknote, and the SY 235a notifies the fact by turning on the multi-function lamp 301. To complete the money collection process. On the other hand, if it is determined in SY 236 that it is not remaining (NO), that is, it is determined that a signal indicating that it is not remaining is received, it is assumed that the banknotes are recovered but the banknote identification unit 321 is forgotten to be returned to the initial state. In SY235b, a second collection failure notification is made to notify that effect by turning on the multi-function lamp 301, and the money collection process is terminated. If it is determined in SY 234 that the paper is not protruding (NO), that is, it is determined that a signal indicating that it is not protruding is received from the protrusion detection sensor, is a bank note remaining in the banknote identification unit 321 in SY 236? In other words, it is determined whether or not a signal indicating the remaining state is received from the storage detection sensor 321c. If it is determined in SY236 that it is remaining (YES), in SY237, the banknote recognition unit 321 is unlocked so that the banknote can be collected, and the clerk does not collect the banknote identification unit. Assuming that 321 has been returned to the initial state, in SY 235 c, a third recovery failure notification is made to notify that by turning on the multi-function lamp 301, and the money recovery processing is terminated. On the other hand, if it is determined in SY 236 that it is not remaining (NO), that is, it is determined that a signal indicating that it is not remaining is received, it is determined that the collection of banknotes by the store clerk has been completed, and this is indicated in SY 238 as a multi-function. The notification is made by turning on the lamp 301, and the money collection process is ended. Note that the lighting modes of SY235a, SY235b, SY235c, and SY238 by the multi-function lamp 301 are different (for example, different in color).

  Here, the control unit 328 that performs the processing of SY234, SY234a, and SY236 determines whether or not the bill recovery possible state is maintained based on the determination that the timing has expired (whether or not the protrusion is in progress), and The control unit 328 functions as a recovery failure determination means for determining whether or not banknotes have been recovered (whether or not the banknotes are remaining), and a multi-function lamp and a control unit 328 that performs processing of SY235a, SY235b, and SY235c 301 is a condition in which it is determined by the recovery failure determination means that a state in which banknotes can be recovered is maintained (in the protruding state) or banknotes are not recovered (in the remaining state). It functions as a collection failure notification means for performing notification. According to this, in the card unit 3, since the state is maintained after the time counting has been completed since the bill can be collected, or the notification is performed on the condition that the bill is not collected. Forgetting to collect banknotes or collecting banknotes, it is possible to make the store clerk know that the state in which banknotes can be collected is maintained.

  If a group collection request (SY217 or SY218) transmitted from another card unit 3 is received in SY202 (YES), the group ID included in the group collection request and the group stored in S104 are received in SY219. It is determined whether or not the ID matches. If it is determined that they do not match (NO), the money collection process is terminated. On the other hand, if it is determined that they match, the process proceeds to SY 221 and the subsequent steps, and the card unit 3 is in a state where the banknote can be collected.

  Here, the simultaneous collection in the money collection process described with reference to FIG. 34 will be specifically described with reference to the in-store device configuration table shown in FIG. For example, when a collective collection request is transmitted to the card unit 3 whose device ID is CU-001 during business, the card unit 3 of the CU-001 enters a lock release standby state and includes a group including the group ID “A”. A collection request is transmitted to all the card units 3. Then, as a result of the determination of SY219 in all the card units 3, CU-002, 003, and 004, which are other card units 3 belonging to the same group “A”, are simultaneously in the unlock release standby state. The other card units 3 do not enter the lock release standby state.

  Further, when a collective collection request is transmitted to the card unit 3 with the device ID CU-001 during the closing process, the card unit 3 with the CU-001 enters the bill collection state and the group collection including the group ID “α”. The request is transmitted to all card units 3. Then, when the determination of SY219 is performed in all the card units 3, CU-002, 003, 004, 005, 006, 007, and 008, which are the other card units 3 belonging to the same group “α”, are all at once. Although the bill can be collected, the other card units 3 are not in the bill collectable state.

  According to this, when the collection request signal is received in the card unit 3, a group collection request including the stored group ID is transmitted to the other card unit 3. If it is determined that the group ID included in the collection request matches the stored group ID, the banknote can be collected, and the money is collected from each card unit 3 belonging to each set group. be able to.

  FIG. 35 is a flowchart illustrating a subroutine program of the system controller confirmation process indicated by SX221b in the second embodiment. Differences from FIG. 28 in the first embodiment will be mainly described. In the system controller checking process in the second embodiment, not only the card unit 3 that releases the ball tray unit 4 but also the card unit 3 that collects money is specified. Not only the release of the unit 4 but also the collection of money is executed on condition that the system controller 1100 confirms it. First, in S <b> 10, the system controller 1100 determines whether or not there is an operation for designating the card unit 3 that collects money during business. If not, it is determined in S12 whether or not there has been an operation for designating the card unit 3 for releasing the ball tray during business. If not, control proceeds to S16.

  When the attendant at the game hall inputs, for example, the device ID of the card unit 3 to be collected during operation from the input device 1106 of the system controller 1100, a determination of YES is made in S10, and the input is made in S11. After the process of storing the device ID of the designated card unit 3 in the money collection storage area is performed, the control proceeds to S16.

  On the other hand, if there is a card unit for which the ball receiving unit 4 is desired to be released during business, if the attendant of the game hall inputs the device ID of the card unit 3 from the input device 1106 of the system controller 1100, the control proceeds to S13. After the process of storing the device ID of the card unit 3 designated for input in the ball receiving tray releasing storage area is performed, the process proceeds to S16.

  On the other hand, when the system controller confirmation process of SX221b in the flowchart of the ball tray release process shown in FIG. 33 is executed in the card unit 3, it is determined that the ball tray unit is released in S14 (YES), and the control is performed. Proceeding to S <b> 15, the device ID of the card unit 3 and the notification of ball receiving unit release are transmitted to the system controller 1100. In S16, the system controller 1100 determines whether or not the received device ID is stored in the ball receiving tray releasing storage area (see S13). If it is stored, a permission signal is returned to the card unit 3, while if it is not stored, an NG signal is returned to the card unit 3. Then, in the system controller 1100, when the received device ID is stored in the ball receiving tray release storage area, the stored device ID is deleted from the ball receiving tray release storage area in S19. After performing, it progresses to S21.

  On the other hand, when there is a reply from the system controller 1100, the card unit 3 determines whether or not the reply result is “permitted” in S17. If it is an NG signal, an NG display is performed in S18. This NG display is executed by the multi-function lamp 301. After the process of S18, the control returns after the step of SX226 in FIG. As a result, the ball receiving tray release process is not performed.

  On the other hand, if the signal returned from the system controller 1100 is “permitted”, a determination of YES is made in S17, and the control returns to SX222 in FIG. As a result, the ball receiving tray release process after SX222 is executed.

  On the other hand, when the system controller confirmation process is executed in step S221b in the money collection process flowchart shown in FIG. 34, since it is a money collection process, NO is determined in S14, and the card unit is determined in S20. 3 is transmitted to the system controller 1100. In response to this, the system controller 1100 determines whether or not the received device ID is stored in the money collection storage area (see S11) in S21. If it is stored, a permission signal is returned to the card unit 3, while if it is not stored, an NG signal is returned to the card unit 3. If the received device ID is stored in the money collection storage area, a process of deleting the stored device ID from the money collection storage area is performed in S24.

  On the other hand, the card unit 3 determines whether or not the signal returned from the system controller 1100 is “permitted” in S22. If it is an NG signal, the control advances to S23 to perform NG display. This NG display is performed by the multi-function lamp 301. Then, the post-control of S23 returns after the step of S226 in FIG. As a result, no money collection process is performed. On the other hand, if the signal returned from the system controller 1100 is “permitted”, a determination of YES is made in S22, and the control returns to S222 in FIG. As a result, the money collection process after S222 is executed.

[Third Embodiment]
Next, a third embodiment will be described. This third embodiment is similar to the second embodiment described above. As the difference, as described with reference to FIG. 32, each card unit 3 stores the money collection group ID and the ball tray release group ID transmitted from the system controller 1100, and the simultaneous release from the remote controller 1010. The system controller 1100 is not sent directly to the other card units 3 but the group release request including the ball receiving tray group ID when the group release request is received from the remote controller 1010 when the request is received. It is a point which transmits to the other card unit 3 via. Further, in the third embodiment, as with the first embodiment described above, control for money collection is omitted.

  In the flowchart of the ball tray release process in the card unit 3 of FIG. 37, differences from the flowchart of FIG. 33 in the second embodiment will be mainly described. When it is determined that the simultaneous release request has been received by SX 215a, the simultaneous release request is transmitted to the system controller 1100 by SX 215c, and then the ball receiving tray release process ends. On the other hand, if there is a group release request operation from the remote controller 1010, NO is determined by SX 215 a and the process proceeds to SX 217 b, and a group release request including the ball tray group ID stored in the card unit 3 is sent to the system controller. After the process of transmitting to 1100 is performed, the control shifts to SX221.

  On the other hand, in the system controller 1100, the ball receiving tray releasing process shown in FIG. 38 is executed. First, in S30, it is determined whether or not a simultaneous cancellation request has been received. If it has not been received, it is determined in S32 whether or not a group cancellation request has been received. The ball tray release process ends.

  If a simultaneous release request is transmitted from the card unit 3 to the system controller 1100 by SX215c in FIG. 38, a determination of YES is made in S30 and the control advances to S31, and the received simultaneous release request is transferred to the game. Processing to transmit to all card units 3 installed in the field is performed.

  On the other hand, when a group release request including the ball tray group ID is transmitted from the card unit 3 to the system controller 1100 by SX217b in FIG. 37, a YES determination is made in S32, and the control advances to S33 to cancel the group. A process of transmitting a group release request to all the card units 3 except the card unit 3 that is the transmission source of the request is performed.

  Returning to FIG. 37, in the card unit 3, when it is determined by SX201 that the ball tray release processing request has not been received from the remote controller 1010, the process proceeds to SX202a, and whether or not the group release request has been received from the system controller 1100. If it has not been received, it is determined whether or not a simultaneous release request has been received from the system controller 1100 by SX202b. If it has not been received, the ball receiving tray release process is terminated.

  Then, if a simultaneous release request is transmitted from the system controller 1100 to the card unit 3 according to the step of S31 in FIG. 38, a determination of YES is made by SX202b, and the control shifts to SX221. And the ball receiving tray cancellation | release process after SX221 is performed. On the other hand, if a group release request is transmitted from the system controller 1100 to the card unit 3 according to the step of S33 in FIG. 38, a determination of YES is made by SX202a and the process proceeds to SX219 to determine whether or not the group IDs match. To do. This determination is performed to determine whether or not the ball tray cancellation group ID stored in S107 of FIG. 32 matches the group ID included in the group cancellation request received at SX202a. If it is determined that they do not match, the ball receiving tray release process ends. Therefore, the ball receiving tray release process is not performed. On the other hand, when it is determined by SX219 that the group IDs match, the control shifts to SX221, and the ball receiving tray release processing after SX221 is executed.

[Fourth Embodiment]
Next, a fourth embodiment will be described. In the fourth embodiment, each card unit 3 has a function of determining whether it is an online state in which communication with the system controller 1100 is possible or an offline state in which communication is not possible. As a detection of this offline (incommunicable), the control unit 328 transmits an online confirmation request to the system controller 1100 if the online confirmation request has not been received for a predetermined time, and the online confirmation request It is determined that an offline state has occurred when there is no online confirmation response in response to the transmission of. Similarly, the system controller 1100 also sends an online confirmation request again to the card unit 3 to which an online confirmation response is not returned, and when no online confirmation response is returned in response to the online confirmation request again, It is determined that an offline state has occurred.

  In the online state, the system controller 1100 receives the ball tray release request transmitted from the card unit 3, and transmits the release request to all card units on the system controller 1100 side, or is included in the group release request. The release request is transmitted to the card unit 3 belonging to the ball tray group ID determined based on the device ID. On the other hand, in the case of offline, as described with reference to FIG. 33 in the second embodiment, a simultaneous release request or a group release request including a ball tray group ID is sent to another card unit 3 without going through the system controller 1100. In response to this, the other card unit receives it and determines whether or not its own group ID and the transmitted ball tray group ID match, and executes the ball tray release processing when they match. To do. Therefore, in this 4th Embodiment, as shown in FIG. 32, each card unit 3 has memorize | stored the ball saucer cancellation | release group ID transmitted from the system controller 1100 (refer S107).

  First, with reference to FIG. 39, the difference from the first embodiment and the second embodiment will be mainly described. If it is determined by SX215 in FIG. 39 that the request is not an individual release request, the control shifts to SX250 in FIG. 40 (a), and it is determined whether or not it is offline. If it is not offline, that is, if it is online, whether or not it is a simultaneous release request is determined by SX 315a. If it is a simultaneous release request, a simultaneous release request is transmitted to system controller 1100 by SX 315b. After the processing is performed, the ball receiving tray release processing is finished. On the other hand, when it is determined that the request is not a simultaneous release request, that is, a group release request (NO in SX315a), the process proceeds to SX317, and a group release request including the ball tray group ID stored in the card unit 3 is issued to the system controller. After the process of transmitting to 1100 is performed, the ball receiving tray release process ends.

  When a simultaneous release request is transmitted from the card unit 3 to the system controller 1100 according to the step of SX315b, the system controller 1100 makes a YES determination in S1 of FIG. 40B, and makes a NO determination in S2. In step S5, processing for transmitting a release request to all the card units 3 installed in the game hall is performed.

  In response to this, the card unit 3 determines whether or not a release request has been received from the system controller in S220 of FIG. 39, and determines YES. As a result, control shifts to SX221, and the release processing after SX221 is executed.

  On the other hand, when a group release request including the ball tray group ID is transmitted to the system controller 1100 in accordance with the step SX317 in FIG. 40A, the system controller 1100 determines YES in S1 in FIG. 40B. And in step S6, a determination of YES is made. In step S6, out of the card units 3 of the device ID belonging to the ball tray group ID included in the group release request, all card units excluding the card unit 3 that is the group release request source 3 performs a process of transmitting a release request. In response to this, the card unit 3 makes a determination of YES through SX220 in FIG. 39, and executes the release processing after SX221.

  On the other hand, if it is determined by SX250 in FIG. 40 (a) that the user is offline, the process proceeds to SX215a to determine whether or not it is a simultaneous release request, and in the case of a simultaneous release request, the simultaneous release is performed by SX215c. Processing for transmitting the request to all other card units 3 is performed.

  In the other card unit 3 that has received the group release request including the ball receiving tray group ID, a determination of YES is made based on SX202a in FIG. 39, and a determination is made as to whether the group IDs match with SX219. In this determination, the ball tray cancellation group ID transmitted from the system controller 1100 in FIG. 32 is stored in S107, and the group included in the cancellation request determined to have been received by SX202a. This is a determination as to whether or not the ID matches. If it is determined that they do not match (NO), the ball receiving tray release process ends. As a result, the ball receiving tray release process after SX221 is not executed. On the other hand, if it is determined that they match, the control shifts to SX221, and the ball tray release process after SX221 is executed.

  Next, FIG. 41 shows a flowchart of a subroutine program of the system controller confirmation process shown in SX221c of FIG. The control of FIG. 41 is almost the same as the control of FIG. 28 in the first embodiment described above, and the difference is that it is determined whether or not it is offline in step S14. And when it is determined that it is not offline, that is, it is in an online state (communication possible state), confirmation processing such as S15, S16, S17, etc. is executed, but when it is determined that it is offline, this system controller The confirmation process is terminated, and no process of confirming by making an inquiry to the system controller 1100 such as S15, S16, S17 or the like is performed. Thereby, when it is in an off-line state, control returns to SX222 of FIG. 39, without performing a confirmation process, and the ball tray release process after SX222 is performed without performing a confirmation process. Thereby, even when it becomes offline, although the confirmation process with respect to a system controller is abbreviate | omitted, it becomes possible to perform the cancellation | release process of a ball tray.

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

In the above-described embodiments, the invention including the following configurations is disclosed.
Counting restriction control means for controlling whether or not to count the number of game media (control unit 350 that controls the shutter solenoid 212 to be excited and controls the shutters 213a and 213b to a standing posture);
Assembling state determination means for determining whether or not the assembled position state of the game medium receiving unit and the recording medium unit unit is abnormal (the ball receiving tray is normally assembled based on the detection signal of the ball receiving presence / absence detection sensor 270) A control unit 350) for determining whether or not
Lock state detection means (S302 to S305) for detecting a lock state as to whether or not the game medium receiving unit can be removed from the recording medium unit unit;
The counting restriction control means controls to restrict the counting of game media on the condition that the gaming device has received the release request (S300, S301),
When the game medium receiving unit is removed and then remounted, the assembly state determination unit determines that there is no abnormality and the lock state detection unit detects the lock state (S304). The game apparatus is characterized in that the counting restriction control by the counting restriction control means is canceled (provided that the determination of YES is made in step S308).

  The counting restriction control means is configured such that the pachinko balls are not taken in with the shutters 213a and 213b standing upright, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, the counting of the counting balls taken in is counted. You may perform control to invalidate.

  Further, the group setting for money collection is performed only in the second embodiment described above, but the group setting for money collection is performed in the first embodiment, the third embodiment, and the fourth embodiment. You may make it carry out also in embodiment.

  In the above-described embodiment, two types of groups are set for the money collection group, that is, the operating group and the closing processing group. In addition, it is shown that one type of group setting is performed without distinction at the time of tightening processing. However, in place of it, the group setting for releasing the ball tray may be set to two types of group settings, that is, the group in operation and the group at the time of closing processing, similarly to the group setting for money collection.

  Furthermore, based on table data of the in-store device configuration table X storing the group setting result of the ball tray release and the in-store device configuration table Y storing the money collection group setting result, the system controller 1100 The display device 1107 may display the group setting status of the in-store device. Then, while observing the state of either one of the group settings, the other group setting may be performed with reference to the situation.

  In the above-described embodiment, the system controller confirmation process is performed by SX221a, SX221b, and SX221c. However, the step of the system controller confirmation process may be omitted.

  Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the remote control 1010 is operated to input the ball tray release request and the money collection request to the card unit 3, but instead of or in addition to that, the input device 1106 It may be possible to input a ball tray release request or a money collection request directly to the system controller 1100 by an operation or the like.

  Further, the input device 1106 of the system controller 1100 may be operated to input the cancellation target group at the time of the group cancellation request or the group collection request directly to the system controller 1100.

  In the above-described embodiment, the authentication by the personal identification number is shown when performing authentication of the attendant of the game hall that makes the ball tray release request or money collection request. However, it may not be performed to authenticate the game attendant by inputting the password and authenticating with the password. Furthermore, instead of or in addition to the authentication by the password when authenticating the attendant at the game hall, biometric authentication using fingerprints or veins may be performed. Furthermore, instead of a different personal identification number for each clerk, a common password for a stadium clerk may be set and authentication may be performed by inputting the password. Further, as an input method for such authentication, instead of or in addition to the input of the remote controller 1010, input is performed by operating the numeric keypad, input by operating the touch panel 314, or by an organic EL touch panel. You may input by touch operation.

  In the above-described embodiment, the ball tray release group ID and the money collection group ID are received by the card unit 3 from the system controller 1100 and stored in the RAM 328b of the card unit 3. However, instead of this, each card unit 3 may be provided with a dip switch for group setting, and the ball tray release group ID and the money collection group ID may be set and stored by the dip switch.

  Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the third embodiment, and the fourth embodiment described above, when there is a group release request (or group collection request), the card unit 3 that has received the request is the system controller 1100. SX217 → SX221, SX217b → SX221, SX217a → SX221, SX317 → SX221). However, instead, the process of S4 on the system controller 1100 side is changed to “send a release request to all card units of the device ID belonging to the indexed ball receiving tray group ID”, and the process of S33 is performed. , “Send group release request to all card units” may be changed to release control after waiting for the release request sent from the system controller 1100 on the card unit 3 side.

  In the embodiment described above, the ball dispensing unit 29 is provided with the ball breakage detection sensor 204 that detects the presence or absence of a return ball. However, instead of this, the broken ball detection sensor 204 may be provided in the meandering path 12. In addition, when the ball break detection sensor 204 is provided in the counting / dispensing unit 29, when changing from a card unit without a self-counting function to a card unit with a self-counting function, the path to the meandering path 12 is changed. There is an advantage that the work of attaching the ball break detection sensor 204 is not required.

  Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, as a method for simultaneously unlocking all the card units 3 belonging to the group to be unlocked, the card unit 3 side stores the group number transmitted from the management computer. It is shown that a group number is checked to determine whether or not they match. However, instead, on the management computer side, the device ID of the card unit 3 belonging to the group to be unlocked is indexed, and the unlock command is transmitted only to the card unit 3 of the determined device ID. You may control to make it unlock.

  In the embodiment described above, when the ball tray unit 4 is unlocked during business hours (business hours), the release button (individual release button, group release button, simultaneous release button of the remote controller 1010 is not used. In addition to the operation of either one, the unlocking operation is not performed unless the unlock button is operated (SX222 to SX224 in FIGS. 26 and 25). However, the present invention is not limited to this, and control may be performed so that unlocking is performed only by operating a release button (any one of an individual release button, a group release button, and a simultaneous release button) even during business. In that case, the steps SX222 and SX223 in FIG. 25 are not necessary.

  In the above-described embodiment, when money is collected during business hours (business hours), any one of the collection buttons (individual collection button, group collection button, simultaneous collection button) of the remote controller 1010 is used. In addition to the operation of), money is not collected unless the unlock button is operated (SY222 to SY224 in FIGS. 36 and 34). However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it may be controlled such that money is collected only by operating a collection button (any one of an individual collection button, a group collection button, and a simultaneous collection button) even during business. Steps SY222 and SY223 in FIG. 34 are not necessary.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the ball receiving tray release processing request is transmitted to the card unit 3 by operating the ball receiving tray release button of the remote controller 1010 (SX201 in FIGS. 26 and 25). However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the ball receiving tray release button is eliminated, and the ball receiving tray release processing request is transmitted to the card unit 3 by operating the release button (any of the individual release button, the group release button, or the simultaneous release button). It may be. Further, after the operation of the release button (any of the individual release button, the group release button, or the simultaneous release button), the password may be input. In that case, the processing of SX211 to SX214 in FIG. 25 is executed after YES in SX215, and after YES and NO in SX215a.

  In the above-described embodiment, the money collection processing request is transmitted to the card unit 3 by operating the money collection button of the remote controller 1010 (SY201 in FIGS. 36 and 34). However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the money collection button is eliminated, and a money collection processing request is transmitted to the card unit 3 by operating a collection button (either an individual collection button, a group collection button, or a collective collection button). Also good. In addition, the password may be input after the operation of the collection button (any one of the individual collection button, group collection button, and simultaneous collection button). In that case, the processing of SY211 to SY214 in FIG. 34 is executed after YES in SY215, and after YES and NO in SY215a.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the counted number of balls after the addition by SS4 in FIG. 18 is transmitted to the management computer 1150 in real time, and the number of balls held in the member saving management table or visitor saving management table and the unit management table The counted number of balls indicates what is updated to the counted number of balls in real time. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and this addition update processing may not be performed in real time, and for example, batch addition update may be performed when a card being accepted is returned.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the power supply board box 14 is provided separately from the card unit 3 (FIGS. 3A and 4). Since the device ID is stored in the power supply board box 14 whose arrangement does not fluctuate and does not fluctuate, the card unit 3 is changed due to a replacement due to a failure during business operation or a change in the arrangement location due to a new stand replacement. However, there is an advantage that the correspondence between the device ID and the group ID is unchanged. However, the device ID is not necessarily stored in the power supply board box 14. For example, the card unit ID stored in the card unit 3 itself may be used, and the pachinko machine 2 stored in the pachinko machine 2 may be used. The machine ID (unit number or the like) may be transmitted to the system controller 1100 via the card unit 3 and the pachinko machine ID may be used.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the meandering path 12 is used as a flow down pressure reducing means for reducing the flow down ball pressure when the pachinko balls are taken from the ball supply basket of the game island and flowed down and supplied to the counting payout unit 29. Used. However, the downflow pressure reducing means is not limited to the meandering path 12. For example, various things such as a spiral flow path in which a spiral member is inserted in the flow down cylinder and the pachinko ball flows down while spirally circulating in the flow down cylinder are conceivable and can reduce the flow down ball pressure. Anything is acceptable.

  In the above-described embodiment, the card unit 3 accepts a gaming card in which the remaining amount of the card as a consideration for the player's payment is recorded, and uses the remaining card amount recorded on the gaming card. A so-called CR unit that enables games on the corresponding pachinko machine 2 is shown. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a player receives a membership card and plays a game using a storage ball specified by the membership card (a game medium deposited in a game hall among game media acquired by a player). It may be one that allows only playing in the pool. Furthermore, for example, it is possible to accept a game card that records the number of balls counted by taking in the balls acquired by the player and paying out the number of balls recorded on the card, thereby enabling a game. It may be possible to play only with counting balls. In other words, the valuable value used to enable the game may be anything such as the remaining card amount, savings, or counting balls, and accepts the gaming card and uses some valuable value in the gaming machine. Anything may be used as long as it enables a game.

  In other words, the “game device” as used in the present invention may be any value such as a card remaining amount, a storage ball, or a counting game medium used for enabling a game. Anything that accepts and allows gaming on a gaming machine using some valuable value is included.

  The “storing ball” is a game medium deposited in a game hall as described above, and is generally managed by a management computer installed in the game hall. On the other hand, the “counted number of game media” is the number of game media counted by the self-counting function of the game device and not yet deposited in the game hall. Generally, it is managed by each gaming device and is recorded and ejected on the game recording medium at the end of the game, but when playing again using the number of counted game media recorded on the game recording medium The number of counted game media is read into the game device and managed by the game device. The number of counted game media may be managed by a management device for managing the counted game media installed in the game hall. In short, the difference between `` storing ball '' and `` number of counting game media '' is the game media that has been deposited in the game hall by performing the storage operation for depositing in the game hall, or the stage that has not been deposited in the game hall yet It is a point of whether it is a game medium.

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

  1100 system controller, 1150 management computer, 1010 remote control, 2 pachinko machine, 3 card unit, 309 card insertion slot, 312 display unit, 314 transparent touch panel, 315 IR light receiving unit, 321 bill recognition unit, 328 control unit, 4 ball tray unit , 7 Sub-dish part, 12 Meander path, 13 Return ball flow path, 14 Power supply board box, 17 Return ball supply port, 19 Count ball intake, 20 Return ball shutter, 29 Count payout unit, 35 ball tray part, 40 Return Ball Exit, 41 Return Ball Inlet, 42a, 42b Count Ball Exit, 53a, 53b Count Ball Alignment Downhole, 59 Connection Fitting, 62 Notch for Return Ball Inflow, 63 Notch for Count Ball Exit, 64 Return Ball Flowing trap, 65 Return ball flow path, 116 Lock member, 1 7 Lock release lever, 129 1st plate part, 130 2nd plate part, 137 sprocket, 143 control board, 145 return side frame member, 146 lock solenoid, 151 return ball sensor, 159 return ball flow lower rod, 204 ball detection Sensor, 206 Counting side frame member, 212 Shutter solenoid, 213 Shutter, 261 Fitting protrusion, 265 Fitting recess, 327 Card reader / writer, 356a, 356b Count sensor.

Claims (1)

Arranged corresponding to Yu technique machine, an apparatus for a game which performs counting of game media,
A recording medium unit for issuing a game recording medium in which information capable of specifying a count value is recorded;
A game medium receiving unit connected to the recording medium unit unit and capable of receiving a game medium for counting;
An individual release request receiving means for receiving an individual release request;
Information for specifying a group to which the gaming device belongs, and management when communication with a management device that manages to which group each of the plurality of gaming devices belongs is established Group identification information storage means for storing group identification information output from the apparatus;
An intra-group release request accepting means for accepting the intra-group release request;
An intra-group release signal transmitting means for transmitting an intra-group release signal including group specific information stored in the group specific information storage means when receiving the intra-group release request;
An intra-group release signal receiving means for receiving the intra-group release signal;
Whether the group identification information included in the intra-group cancellation signal matches the group identification information stored in the group identification information storage unit based on the reception of the intra-group cancellation signal A group specifying information determining means for determining
Determination that, based on the determination of the match by the group identification information determination means is conducted, while the game medium receiving portion ing and removable removable state, it does not match with the group identification information determining means Is performed, the detachable state is not achieved,
Based on the receipt of the individual release request, the detachable state,
An informing means for informing that the removable state is possible ;
A gaming apparatus, further comprising: a counting restriction control unit that regulates counting of game media when the removable state is entered .

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