JP6279840B2 - Game medium counting device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a game medium counting device capable of forcibly ending counting of game media.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, game machines where game machines such as pachinko machines and slot machines are installed are provided with lending devices that count game media acquired by players in one-to-one correspondence with game machines. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a lending device having a function of lending medals and a function of counting medals acquired by a player. In this lending apparatus, counting is started when the insertion of a medal is detected, and the counting is ended when a new medal is not detected for a predetermined time.

JP2013-39234A

Here, after starting the counting, the player may think that the counting is to be ended in the middle of counting, or the game hall administrator may want to stop the counting for maintenance or the like, and the medal counting is manually performed. It is desirable to provide a function to forcibly stop the operation.
However, if a function to manually stop counting is provided, it is assumed that the player has counted all medals before the automatic counting stops, and the counting is manually stopped in the middle of counting. There is a risk that the counting will end with an uncounted medal remaining inside.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a game medium counting device capable of suppressing the end of counting while an uncounted game medium remains. .

  The game medium counting device according to the present invention counts a game unit stored in the storage unit, a storage unit that stores a game medium input to the input unit, a storage unit that stores the game media input to the input unit. A counting means, a discharging means for discharging the game medium counted by the counting means from the storage section, and a counting start means for causing the counting means to start counting when a predetermined counting start condition is satisfied. And after the counting means starts counting, automatic counting ending means for ending counting by the counting means when there is no game medium in the storage unit, and for the countr to finish counting by the counting means. An end operating means for operating the counter, a manual counting end means for ending counting by the counting means when the end operating means is operated after the counting means starts counting, and the manual meter When the counting by the counting means is ended by the ending means, a special notification that allows the counter to specify that there is a possibility that the game medium may remain in the storage unit is executed, while the automatic counting ending means And a notifying means for restricting execution of the special notification when the counting by the counting means is completed (claim 1).

The game medium counting device according to claim 1,
After the operation of the ending operation means by the counter, the counter is provided with a count restart specifying means for specifying that the counter has restarted counting, and when the counting means restarts counting, the notification means May be terminated (claim 2).

The game media counting device according to claim 2,
The counting resumption specifying unit may specify that the counting unit has restarted counting when a new game medium is inserted into the storage unit in a situation where the special notification is being executed (claim). Item 3).

In game medium counter according to any one of claims 1 to 3 player game media is provided adjacent to the insertion capable Yu TECHNICAL machine to said insertion portion obtained in the game,
An issuing means for issuing a recording medium that records counting result information, which is information corresponding to the number of the counted gaming media, and the notifying means after the counting of the counting means is ended by the manual counting end means; the case where the issuance of the Symbol recording medium by the issuing means without counting by the counting means is performed again is performed, it may be executed the special notification fit to issue the recording medium (according Item 4).

  When the counting is finished manually, there is a possibility that the game medium remains in the storage unit. According to the invention of claim 1, in this case, the game medium remains by executing the special notification. Completing the counting can be suppressed. Furthermore, by not performing the special notification when the counting is automatically ended, it is possible to prevent the counter from misidentifying as if the game medium remains with a low possibility that the game medium remains.

  If counting is performed after manually counting, it can be determined that the operation of the previous ending operation means was for interrupting the counting, and if the counting is continued, a special notification is executed. Since it is not necessary, according to the invention of claim 2, when it can be determined that the counting is interrupted, the special notification is executed more than necessary by suppressing the special notification, and it can be suppressed that the counter is considered troublesome. .

  If a new game medium is inserted, there is no problem even if it is determined that the operation of the previous ending operation means is for interrupting the counting. Therefore, according to the invention of claim 3, the configuration of claim 2 is adopted. Thus, the interruption of counting by the counter can be well identified.

  When the recording medium is issued after manually counting, there is a possibility that the recording medium may be issued with the game medium remaining. According to the invention of claim 4, after the counting is manually ended, When a recording medium is issued without being counted again, a special notification is executed, so that the player can finally confirm whether or not there is any game medium remaining in the storage unit. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the player from ending the game as it is by issuing the recording medium while the game medium remains in the storage unit.

The figure which shows schematically the whole structure of the management system for game centers in one Embodiment of this invention. Front view of call lamp unit FIG. 2 equivalent diagram showing the notification screen Figure showing the standby screen Figure showing the counting method guidance screen Figure showing the counting screen Figure showing the menu screen

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 schematically shows the overall configuration of a game hall management system. In the game hall, a lending device 2 (corresponding to a game medium counting device) and a calling lamp unit 3 are installed corresponding to the gaming machine (slot machine) 1. The two gaming machines 1, the two lending devices 2 and the two calling lamp units 3 are connected to one relay device 4, and the relay device 4 is connected to the management device 6 via the LAN 5. . The management device 6 is installed in, for example, a management room in the game hall, and is configured by combining a mouse 7 and a keyboard 8, a monitor 9, a printer (not shown), and the like that are operated by the game hall manager. Although omitted in FIG. 1, hundreds of gaming machines 1 are managed by the management device 6. In the present embodiment, since the gaming machine 1 is a slot machine as described above, the gaming value (game medium) is a medal. If the gaming machine 1 is a pachinko machine, the gaming value is a pachinko ball.

  The gaming machine 1 includes a reel 11 that can be viewed through the display window 10, an activated line display unit 12 that indicates an activated winning line, a display panel 13, a credit button 14 for inserting a credit medal, and a payment of a credit medal. A settlement button 15 to perform, a medal slot 16 for inserting medals, a start lever 17 and a left stop button 18, a middle stop button 19, a right stop button 20, a tray 21 and the like are provided.

  When the start lever 17 is operated with a medal inserted (when a game start operation is performed), the gaming machine 1 extracts one random number from the generated random numbers and executes an internal lottery. If there is a winning combination, a flag corresponding to the internal winning combination is established and each reel 11 is started (rotated). When each stop button 18-20 is operated in this state, the corresponding reel 11 Stop rotation. Subsequently, based on a stop table (not shown) for determining the stop position of each reel 11 in accordance with the internal winning combination flag, stop control including so-called pull-in control (slip control) Control to stop display with a winning symbol or a lost symbol according to the type of the game). The pull-in control is a control capable of pulling a symbol in a predetermined pull-in range (up to four symbols at the maximum) from the time point when the operation of each of the stop buttons 18 to 20 is detected and stopping it. When the symbol corresponding to the internal winning combination flag does not exist within the drawing range, the symbol cannot be drawn on the winning line and stopped, so that no winning occurs and so-called losing is made.

The gaming signals shown below are output from the gaming machine side.
Out signal: This is a use signal that can specify the number of game values (number of use, out) used in the game. Since pulses corresponding to the number of medals (3 or 1) in the BET state are output according to the game start operation, the number of out signals × 1 is specified as out. The corresponding amount is also output when the replay winning combination is won.
Safe signal: an acquisition signal that can specify the number of game values (acquired number, safe) acquired by the player (paid from the gaming machine 1). Since one pulse is output every time one medal is paid out, the number of safe signals × 1 is specified as safe. Even when the replay winning combination is won, the medals used in the game are output.
BB signal: a signal that can specify a BB (big bonus) state. Since the level is output during the BB state, the reception of the BB signal is specified as the BB state.
RB signal: a signal that can specify an RB (regular bonus) state. Since the level is output during the RB state, the reception of the RB signal is specified as the RB state.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the call lamp unit 3 includes a call button 22 pressed by the player when calling an employee of the game hall, a display switch button 23 pressed by the player when switching display of game information, and a lamp 24. And a data display unit 25 and the like. The data display unit 25 includes a segment display unit 25a and a liquid crystal display unit 25b (corresponding to notification means). The calling lamp unit 3 includes a control unit configured by a microcomputer having a CPU, ROM, RAM, and I / O, and displays various game information on the data display unit 25 by inputting game signals from the gaming machine 1. To do. When the player presses the call button 22, the lamp 24 is turned on. When the player presses the display switching button 23, the display of the game information on the data display unit 25 is switched.

  The management device 6 transmits and receives various signals and various information to and from the control unit constituted by a microcomputer having a CPU, ROM, RAM, and I / O, the gaming machine 1, the lending device 2, and the calling lamp unit 3. When a game signal (out signal, safe signal, BB signal, RB signal) output from the gaming machine side or a sales signal output from the lending device 2 is received, the game information (out, Safe, difference medal, BB count, RB count, etc.) and sales information is calculated.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the lending device 2 includes a bill insertion slot 26 for a player to insert a bill, a card insertion slot 27 for a player to insert an IC card (corresponding to a recording medium), and an inserted IC. A ticket issuing button 28 for issuing a card, a hopper LED 29 indicating the state of a hopper described later (corresponding to a notifying means), a medal insertion unit 30 for inserting a medal (closed with a lid in FIG. 1), a medal A payout nozzle 31 for paying out to the tray 21 of the gaming machine 1 is provided. The lending device 2 includes a control unit (counting means, counting starting means, automatic counting ending means, manual counting ending means, counting resumption specifying means, issuing means) constituted by a microcomputer having a CPU, ROM, RAM, and I / O. Equivalent).

  The lending device 2 includes a hopper (corresponding to a storage unit) (not shown) inside. The hopper is composed of a disk and a hopper motor, and the disk is rotated by the hopper motor (corresponding to the discharging means) to discharge medals one by one to the medal discharge path one by one. The medal discharge path is provided with two types of sensors, a photo sensor and a proximity sensor. After confirming the passage of the medal with the photo sensor, a counting process is executed to increment the count value when the proximity sensor reacts. Although the medal discharged to the medal discharge path is counted, a sensor may be provided in front of the medal discharge path, and the medal may be discharged from the hopper after counting.

The lending device 2 executes the following operations as operations related to counting.
(Start counting)
(1) Counting can be started while the standby state and menu screen are displayed, and auto-start sensor detection is used as a trigger for starting counting. In this automatic start sensor detection, when a medal is inserted into the medal insertion unit 30, a sensor in the hopper detects the insertion of the medal and drives the hopper motor to automatically start the counting process. In this case, although the insertion of medals can be detected by the sensor in the hopper, it cannot be detected whether or not one or two medals remain in the hopper. Whether or not to enable the auto start function can be changed by setting.

The lending device 2 displays a standby screen in the standby state (non-card insertion state).
On the standby screen shown in FIG. 4, (a) bill insertion guidance display, (b) card insertion guidance display, (c) replay guidance display, (d) game guidance display, and (e) counting start guidance display are displayed at regular intervals. Are displayed in order. In any display, a unit lending unit price 32a, a unit lending medal number 32b, and a message 32c are displayed. In the count start guidance display related to the count start, a message “It is possible to count with medal insertion or count touch” is displayed. In FIG. 4, five types of guidance display are shown, but the display contents vary depending on settings and states.

On the other hand, the lending device 2 displays a counting method guidance screen while the IC card is being inserted.
On the counting method guidance screen shown in FIG. 5, an insertion card 32d, a message 32e that “it is possible to count by medal insertion or counting touch”, and a deposit balance 32f are displayed.

When a medal is inserted into the medal insertion unit 30 of the lending device 2 in the display state of the standby screen of FIG. 4 or the counting method guidance screen of FIG. 5, the above-described counting start condition by the auto-start sensor detection is satisfied. indicate.
In the counting screen shown in FIG. 6, a message 32e indicating that “the medal is being counted”, a “counting stop” button 32g (corresponding to an ending operation means), a payout button guide 32h, and a medal number 32i are displayed in the message 32e. Is done.

(2) As another trigger in the standby state and the state in which counting can be started while the menu screen is displayed, there is an operation on the “counting start” button on the menu screen.
On the menu screen shown in FIG. 7, a “counting start” button 33 a, a “deposit received balance” button 33 b, a “slightly lending” button 33 c, and a “detailed information” button 33 d are displayed. In order to display another menu, the “next” button 33e is operated (pressed).

  The lending device 2 inserts a medal into the medal insertion unit 30 after the “counting start” button 33a is operated, or inserts a medal into the medal insertion unit 30 even if the “counting start” button 33a is not operated. When the counting start condition by auto-start detection is satisfied, the medal counting is started and the counting screen shown in FIG. 6 is displayed. If the auto start function is disabled, the medal counting may be started by operating the “counting start” button 33 a after the medal is inserted into the medal insertion unit 30.

(Counting stopped)
The conditions for transition from the counting state to the stop state (end state) are as follows.
(1) No counting (natural stop)
If there is no count even if the disc is rotated 3 seconds forward, 1 second reverse, 3 seconds forward from the final count of medals, it stops.
(2) Count stop button operation (forced stop)
The count state is stopped by operating the “count stop” button 32g displayed on the display during counting in FIG. When the insertion of medals is detected after the “counting stop” button 32g is operated, the medal counting is started again by the auto start function.
When the medal counting is completed, the above-described counting stop condition without counting is satisfied, so the counting result is displayed on a counting end screen (not shown).

(3) When an error occurs (forced stop)
When the lending device 2 detects an abnormality, it immediately stops the counting state.
(4) Specified time over (forced stop)
The lending device 2 stops the rotation of the hopper motor when the counting state continues for 3 minutes to protect the hopper. In this case, an interval of 30 seconds is provided for the next transition to the countable state, and during that period, the count stop mode is set, and “counting stopped” is displayed at the bottom of the standby screen. In the menu screen, the “counting start” button 33a is deactivated.

(Counting status display function)
The lending device 2 notifies the counting state by the hopper LED 29 as follows.
Countable state …… Lit Counting state …… Flashing After forced stop …… High-speed flashing (equivalent to special notification)
That is, since there is a possibility of remaining medals after the forced stop, the notification is made with high-speed flashing, and in the case of automatic stop, there is no high-speed flashing.

  By the way, the “counting stop” button 32g is displayed on the counting screen in FIG. 6 because, for example, when the counting does not end automatically due to a sensor abnormality or when it is desired to stop counting halfway. . However, some counters may operate the “counting stop” button 32g early in a state where medals remain even though all the medals are considered to be counted. When the “count stop” button 32g is operated in this way, the count stop condition by the operation on the “count stop” button 32g is satisfied, so that the count is forcibly stopped and an uncounted medal remains in the hopper. There is a possibility.

  For this reason, in this embodiment, in addition to the hopper LED 29 of the lending device 2, a special notification for notifying that there is a possibility that medals remain in the calling lamp unit 3 is executed. In other words, the lending device 2 makes a special notification to the player by flashing the hopper LED 29 at a high speed, and at the same time, the calling lamp unit 3 gives a special notification that a medal may remain. These special notifications are not performed when automatic counting is stopped. The management device 6 outputs a signal for displaying on the calling lamp unit 3. In other words, a signal indicating that the lending device 2 has automatically stopped is output to the management device 6, and a signal notifying that there is a possibility that medals remain in the calling lamp unit 3 is output from the management device 6.

  FIG. 3 shows a special notification screen by the calling lamp unit 3. On the liquid crystal display unit 25b of the data display unit 25 of the calling lamp unit 3, a message “Please touch counting start because there is a possibility that medals may remain” is displayed (corresponding to a special notification). Accordingly, the player touches the “counting start” button 33a on the menu screen by confirming the message display by the calling lamp unit 3 in addition to the high-speed blinking of the hopper LED 29, so that a medal remains in the hopper. If so, the medal can be counted reliably.

  Here, the display time of the special notification screen of the calling lamp unit 3 is set to 6 seconds, whereas the fast blinking time of the hopper LED 29 of the lending device 2 is the display time of the special notification screen of the calling lamp unit 3. Longer than 30 seconds. The reason why the special notification display by the calling lamp unit 3 is set to be shorter than the high-speed blinking time of the hopper LED 29 as described above is that the player who wants to check the game data is in the special notification, so it is difficult to check the game data. It is for suppressing that it will be.

  Even if the display time of the special notification screen of the calling lamp unit 3 has not elapsed for 6 seconds, when the insertion of a new medal is detected, or when the “counting start” button 33a is operated, the interrupted count is displayed. The special notification is terminated because it is specified to resume (corresponding to claims 2 and 3). In addition, when out is detected, when a jackpot signal is detected, or when a medal lending (cash and savings) is detected, the special notification is terminated as the game continues even if 6 seconds have not elapsed. To do. In particular, when medals are lent based on cash, there is no problem even if the special notification is terminated, assuming that customer substitution has occurred.

  Further, after the counting is finished in response to the operation on the “count stop” button 32g, when the ticket issuing button 28 is operated without counting again, a special notification is executed (corresponding to claim 4). In this case, after the counting is finished based on the operation of the “counting stop” button 32g, if the counting is performed again and stopped automatically, the special notification at the time of ticketing is not executed.

According to such an embodiment, the following effects can be produced.
When the medal is counted in the lending device 2, when the medal is automatically counted by detecting that there are no medals in the hopper, no special notification is given. When counting is terminated by operating the “count stop” button 32g without detection, a special notification is given that there is a possibility that medals remain, so in a state where there is a high possibility that medals remain. Whether or not medals remain due to the execution of extra special notifications by not performing special notifications in a state where the possibility of remaining medals is low while suppressing special medals from remaining Thus, it is possible to suppress the illusion of the counter.

When it is possible to determine that the interrupted count has been resumed, the special notification is terminated, so that it is possible to suppress the special notification from being executed more than necessary, and the counter being considered troublesome.
Since the special notification is executed when the IC card is issued without counting again after the counting is manually finished, the player can finally confirm whether or not any medals remain in the hopper. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the player from ending the game as it is by issuing the IC card with the medal remaining in the hopper.

(Other embodiments)
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and may be modified or expanded as follows, each modified example may be combined with the above-described embodiment, or each modified example may be combined.
Although the special notification is not executed when the medal counting is naturally stopped, the special notification may be executed in a range in which it is difficult to grasp the special notification as compared with the case where the counting is stopped based on the count stop button operation. In other words, even if the special notification is executed, if the player has difficulty in recognizing the special notification, this corresponds to restricting the execution of the special notification.
The game media to be counted may not be medals. For example, the present invention can be applied to a counter that counts balls.
The condition for starting the counting may be only one of the operation of the “counting start” button 33a and the detection of the medal insertion, or other conditions may be added.

The method of notifying the player that a medal is remaining may be arbitrarily changed. For example, among the special notification of the lending device 2 and the special notification of the calling lamp unit 3, only the special notification of the lending device 2 may be used. In this case, instead of or in addition to the special notification by the hopper LED 29 of the lending device 2, the special notification may be executed on the display unit of the lending device 2.
The special notification when counting is stopped by operating the “count stop” button 32g and the content of the special notification when issuing a ticket without counting again may be made different. When issuing a ticket, since the player is likely to end the game, it is preferable to make the content more easily noticed by the player than the special notification at the timing of stopping counting, such as outputting a sound in addition to the special display.

After the counting is ended by operating the “counting stop” button 32g, the special notification may be further executed when the counting is not automatically stopped after the counting is performed again. For example, when the number of medals stored in the lower tray of the slot machine for use in a game is specified, and the number of medals stored in the lower tray reaches a predetermined number (for example, less than 25), further You may make it perform special alerting | reporting. In this case, the number of medals stored in the lower plate is specified by subtracting the out signal and the number of medals counted from the safe signal and the total number of medals lent to the player from the lending device 2. It is good to make it. This is based on the assumption that there is a player who finishes the game without lending medal based on the counting result at the timing when the medal in the lower plate is exhausted. More specifically, more than 50 medals can be stored in the lower plate of the slot machine. Then, there are players who finish the game because they feel that the drill is good when many medals are gone. Assuming such a case, the special notification may be executed on condition that the number of medals is less than a predetermined number without lending medals based on the counting result.
As the recording medium, an IC coin, a mobile phone, or the like can be used instead of or in addition to the IC card. When a mobile phone is used as a recording medium, the recording result may be issued by recording the counting result on the mobile phone by deceiving the mobile phone.

  In the drawings, 1 is a gaming machine, 2 is a lending device (game medium counting device, counting means, counting start means, automatic counting end means, manual counting end means, counting restart specifying means, issuing means), and 25b is a liquid crystal display ( Notification means) 29 is a hopper LED (notification means).

Claims (4)

An input unit in which the counter inputs game media;
A storage unit for storing game media input to the input unit;
Counting means for counting game media stored in the storage unit;
Discharging means for discharging the game medium counted by the counting means or counted from the storage section;
Counting start means for causing the counting means to start counting when a predetermined counting start condition is satisfied;
After the counting means starts counting, automatic counting ending means for ending counting by the counting means when there is no game medium in the storage unit;
End operation means operated by the counter to end counting by the counting means;
Manual counting end means for ending counting by the counting means when the end operating means is operated after the counting means starts counting;
When the counting of the counting means is finished by the manual counting ending means, a special notification that allows the counter to specify that there is a possibility that game media may remain in the storage section is executed, while the automatic counting is performed. Informing means for restricting execution of the special notice when the counting means finishes counting by the ending means,
A game medium counting device comprising: After the operation of the ending operation means by the counter, the counting restart specifying means for specifying that the counter has restarted counting is provided,
2. The game medium counting device according to claim 1, wherein when the counting unit resumes counting, the notification unit ends the special notification.   The counting resumption specifying unit specifies that the counting unit has restarted counting when a new game medium is inserted into the storage unit in a situation where the special notification is being executed. 3. The game medium counting device according to 2. In game medium counter according to any one of claims 1 to 3 player game media is provided adjacent to the insertion capable Yu TECHNICAL machine to said insertion portion obtained in the game,
Issuing means for issuing a recording medium that records counting result information that is information corresponding to the number of the counted gaming media;
The notification means, if said after counting of said counting means is terminated by manually counting ending means, the issuance of the Symbol recording medium by the issuing means without counting by the counting means is performed again is performed, the recording The game medium counting device, wherein the special notification is executed in accordance with the issue of the medium.

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