JP6859784B2 - Game system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a technique for providing information on an article acquisition game obtained by moving an article such as a prize.

Crane game devices (article acquisition game devices) are installed in many arcades. A stage (game field) is provided in the housing of the crane game device, and prizes (articles) such as stuffed animals and sweets are placed on the stage (game field). The player operates the crane by making full use of the horizontal and vertical buttons. If the prize can be grasped by the crane and moved to the drop opening, the player can obtain the prize (see Patent Document 1).

JP-A-2015-226707

Players' needs for crane game devices vary. For example, you may play because you have the prize you are looking for, or you may play simply because you are at a local arcade. Some players prefer the crane game device, which has a high degree of difficulty but contains luxurious prizes, while others choose the crane game device from the profit and loss point of view of how much they can expect to win the prize. However, there are not many proposals on how to help players find their favorite crane game device.

The present invention is an invention completed based on the above-mentioned viewpoint by the present inventors, and a main object thereof is to provide a technique for efficiently searching for an article acquisition game device.

The search server according to an embodiment of the present invention refers to a search receiving unit that receives search conditions of an article acquisition game device from a user terminal and a device table in which device information of a plurality of article acquisition game devices is registered, and refers to the search conditions. It is provided with a search execution unit for specifying an article acquisition game device suitable for the above, and a search notification unit for notifying the user terminal of the position of the identified article acquisition game device.

According to the present invention, it becomes easy for the player to find a favorite article acquisition game device.

It is a hardware block diagram of the game system in this embodiment. It is a figure which shows schematic the whole structure of the crane game apparatus in this embodiment. It is a functional block diagram of a game system. It is a data structure diagram of device information. It is a data structure diagram of aggregated information (device table). It is a screen view of a search condition screen. It is a screen view of a search result screen. It is a screen view of a player condition setting screen. It is a flowchart which shows the search process process. It is a flowchart which shows the approach detection processing process.

FIG. 1 is a hardware configuration diagram of the game system 100 according to the present embodiment.
In the game system 100 (information management system), a plurality of crane game devices 104a, 104b ... 104n (hereinafter, when collectively referred to or when not particularly distinguished, "crane game device 104" is used with respect to the server 102 (search server). , A plurality of user terminals 110a ... 110m (hereinafter, collectively referred to as "user terminal 110" when collectively referred to or not particularly distinguished) and a store terminal 108 are connected via the Internet 106.

The user terminal 110 in this embodiment is assumed to be a smartphone. The user terminal 110 may be a tablet terminal or a laptop PC. The user terminal 110 and the Internet 106 are wirelessly connected, but may be connected by wire.

The crane game device 104 is installed in amusement facilities such as an amusement park and an arcade. The store terminal 108 is a tablet terminal used by an operator who operates a play facility. The store terminal 108 may be a smartphone, a laptop PC, or a desktop PC.

Of the crane game devices 104, the crane game devices 104a to 104n are connected to the server 102 and the like via the Internet 106, but the crane game device 104p is not connected to the Internet 106. Since the crane game is essentially a stand-alone game, there is little need to connect the crane game device 104 to the Internet 106. However, it is predicted that the number of crane game devices 104 equipped with a connection function with the Internet 106 will increase in the future due to the spread of net catchers (described later). On the other hand, it is considered that the crane game device 104 of the conventional design, which does not have a connection function with the Internet 106, will continue to remain.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing the overall configuration of the crane game device 104 according to the present embodiment.
The crane game device 104 includes a rectangular parallelepiped base 112 and a box-shaped prize accommodating portion 114 provided on the base 112. A play space S is formed inside the prize accommodating portion 114, and a prize storage stand 116 (game field) is provided. A prize P such as a stuffed animal or miscellaneous goods is arranged on the prize mounting table 116. A crane 118 is provided above the prize mounting table 116. The crane 118 can move back and forth, left and right, and up and down in the play space S, and grips / releases the prize P.

The front surface and the left and right sides of the prize accommodating portion 114 are covered with transparent glass. The visibility of the prize P from the outside is taken into consideration. A monitor 120 is installed on the rear surface (back side surface) of the prize accommodating portion 114. The monitor 120 displays various effect images. A camera 122 is installed on the ceiling surface of the crane game device 104. The camera 122 takes an image of the prize mounting table 116 from above. The monitor 120 can also display the image captured by the camera 122.

An LED (Light Emitting Diode) is arranged on the vertical pillar 150 of the crane game device 104, and lights up as a part of the effect during play. A door 124 is provided on the front surface of the prize storage unit 114, and the operator can install the prize P in the prize storage unit 114.

The prize mounting table 116 is divided into a first area 126 and a second area 128. Each compartment area consists of removable panels. By removing either one of the panels, a drop port 130 for dropping the prize P can be formed. When the prize P is placed in the first area 126 and the drop port 130 is formed in the second area 128, if the player can move the prize P from the first area 126 to the second area 128 (fall port 130), the prize P is placed. P can be obtained.

Inside the base 112, a prize stock space 132 for accommodating the prize P that has fallen from the drop port 130 is formed. On the front surface of the base 112, a prize outlet 134 for taking out the prize P that has fallen into the prize stock space 132 is formed.

An operation console 136 is provided on the front side of the base 112. The operation console 136 is provided with a coin slot 138, an IC (Integrated Circuit) card reader 140, an operation unit 142, and a setting display unit 144. At the start of the game, the player inserts a coin into the coin slot 138 or touches an IC card charged with electronic money in the IC card reader 140. In the latter case, payment processing using electronic money is executed, but since it is a known technique, the details thereof will be omitted.

The operation unit 142 has operation buttons 142a and 142b for the player to move the crane 118. The operation unit 142 functions as a "crane operation unit" that receives an input signal based on the operation of the player. The operation button 142a is a button for moving the crane 118 in the left-right direction (X direction), and the operation button 142b is a button for moving the crane 118 in the front-rear direction (Y direction). As a modification, the crane 118 may be moved back and forth and left and right by a joystick.

A touch panel is installed on the setting display unit 144. The setting display unit 144 functions as a "setting input unit" for the administrator to input game setting information, and also as an "information display unit" for displaying information related to the game such as the operation method of the operation unit 142 and the game result. Function. The crane game device 104 also includes a speaker (not shown), an external connection terminal, and the like.

The crane 118 has an arm 146 capable of gripping and releasing the prize P. The crane 118 includes a motor that opens and closes the arm 146. By opening and closing the arm 146, the prize P is gripped and released.

The crane 118 is movable along a guide rail (not shown) installed above the prize accommodating portion 114, and is driven by the crane driving portion 148. The crane driving unit 148 includes a moving mechanism that drives the crane 118 in the lateral direction (X direction) and the vertical direction (Y direction), and an elevating mechanism that drives the crane 118 in the vertical direction (Z direction). The moving mechanism includes an X-direction motor and a Y-direction motor. The elevating mechanism includes a Z-direction motor. The crane drive unit 148 can move the crane 118 to an arbitrary position in the play space S. Since such a drive mechanism is known, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the game system 100.
Each component of the crane game device 104, the server 102, the user terminal 110, and the store terminal 108 included in the game system 100 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a computing unit such as various coprocessors, a storage device such as memory and storage, and the like. It is realized by hardware including a wired or wireless communication line that connects the two, and software that is stored in a storage device and supplies processing commands to a coprocessor. A computer program may be composed of a device driver, an operating system, various application programs located on the upper layers thereof, and a library that provides common functions to these programs. Each block described below shows a block for each function, not a configuration for each hardware.

(Crane game device 104)
The crane game device 104 includes a user interface processing unit 152, a mechanism unit 154, a communication unit 240, a data processing unit 156, and a data storage unit 158.
The user interface processing unit 152 accepts operations from the player via various input devices, and is in charge of processing related to the user interface such as image display and audio output. The mechanism unit 154 drives various mechanisms such as the crane 118 and the prize stock space 132. The communication unit 240 is in charge of communication processing with the server 102 and the like. The data storage unit 158 stores various data. The data processing unit 156 executes various processes based on the input from the user interface processing unit 152, the data received by the communication unit 240, and the data stored in the data storage unit 158. The data processing unit 156 also functions as an interface for the mechanism unit 154, the communication unit 240, the user interface processing unit 152, and the data storage unit 158.

The user interface processing unit 152 includes an input unit 160 that receives input from the player and an output unit 162 that outputs various information such as images and sounds to the player.

The input unit 160 includes a setting input unit 164 and a crane operation unit 166.
The setting input unit 164 receives a setting input from the operator via the setting display unit 144. The crane operation unit 166 receives an operation input from the player via the operation unit 142. The crane game device 104 has a setting mode and a play mode. In the setting mode, the operator makes various settings described later. The prize is also brought in during the setting mode. In the play mode, the player operates the operation unit 142 to play the crane game.

The mechanism unit 154 includes a crane drive unit 148 and a camera 122 (imaging unit). As described above, the camera 122 installed on the ceiling of the crane game device 104 images the prize mounting table 116 (game field). From this captured image, it is possible to grasp the arrangement and movement progress of the prize. Further, if the captured image is displayed on the monitor 120, the player can more accurately grasp the positional relationship between the crane 118 and the prize. As described above, the crane drive unit 148 executes the movement, gripping and releasing of the crane 118.

The data processing unit 156 includes a crane control unit 172, a movement determination unit 176, and an apparatus information generation unit 180.
The crane control unit 172 instructs the crane drive unit 148 to move, grip, and release according to the operation instruction by the crane operation unit 166 (operation unit 142). The movement determination unit 176 determines whether the prize has fallen into the drop port 130, that is, the success or failure of the crane game. The device information generation unit 180 generates device information described later.

The communication unit 240 includes a device information transmission unit 242. The device information transmission unit 242 transmits the device information to the server 102.

The data storage unit 158 includes a game program storage unit 182 and a setting storage unit 184.
The game program storage unit 182 stores the game program of the crane game. The setting storage unit 184 stores information on the usage state such as the setting and the game play result.

(Server 102)
The server 102 includes a data processing unit 200, a data storage unit 202, and a communication unit 204.
The communication unit 204 is in charge of communication processing with the crane game device 104, the user terminal 110, the store terminal 108, and the like. The data storage unit 202 stores various data. The data processing unit 200 executes various processes based on the received data of the communication unit 204 and the data stored in the data storage unit 202. The data processing unit 200 also functions as an interface between the communication unit 204 and the data storage unit 202.

The data processing unit 200 includes a search execution unit 206, a player management unit 208, a notification determination unit 168, and a device information update unit 210.
The search execution unit 206 executes a search for the crane game device 104 based on a search request from the user terminal 110 (described later in relation to FIG. 6 and the like). The device information updating unit 210 collects device information transmitted from the user terminal 110 and aggregates the usage states of each crane game device 104 (described later in relation to FIG. 5).

The player management unit 208 manages the attributes and history of the player. The player can also register as a member in the game system 100 in advance. A game card with a player ID (hereinafter, also referred to as "PID") is issued to a player who has registered as a member (hereinafter, simply referred to as a "registered player"). When the registered player plays the crane game by holding the game card over the IC card reader 140, the crane game device 104 records the play result in association with the player ID. The play result is transmitted to the server 102 as a part of the device information described later. The player management unit 208 manages the play history for each player based on the device information. Specifically, the player name, the crane game device 104 played, the date and time of play, the success or failure of the prize acquisition, the player rank set based on the success or failure of the prize acquisition, and the like are managed. The player management unit 208 may raise the player rank of the player as the prize acquisition is successful. The player rank is an index value of the skill of the player. At the time of player registration, various attribute information such as player's age, gender, nationality, and game history may be registered.
The notification determination unit 168 determines whether or not the store terminal 108 should be notified of the approach of the registered player to the crane game device 104 (described later in relation to FIG. 10).

The communication unit 204 includes a search reception unit 244, a search notification unit 246, a device information reception unit 248, a position reception unit 250, an approach notification unit 252, a player condition reception unit 254, and an advertisement notification unit 256.
The search receiving unit 244 receives the search conditions of the crane game device 104 from the user terminal 110. The search notification unit 246 transmits the search result to the user terminal 110. The device information receiving unit 248 receives device information from the device information transmitting unit 242 of the crane game device 104. The position receiving unit 250 receives the position information of the user terminal 110. The approach notification unit 252 detects the approach of the player (user terminal 110) to the store that operates the crane game device 104 (described later in relation to FIG. 10). The player condition receiving unit 254 receives the setting of the player attribute (hereinafter, referred to as “player condition”) targeted by the crane game device 104 from the crane game device 104. The advertisement notification unit 256 transmits the advertisement information to the user terminal 110 owned by the player. The search and the transmission of the advertisement are executed for the players who satisfy the player conditions, and the details will be described later.

FIG. 4 is a data structure diagram of the device information 170.
The device information 170 shown in FIG. 4 includes various settings of the crane game device 104 and play results based on the settings. The device information generation unit 180 generates device information 170 each time the crane game is played. The device information transmission unit 242 transmits the device information 170 to the server 102.

The device information 170 includes a device ID (hereinafter, also referred to as “UID”) which is an ID of the crane game device 104. The device information 170 shown in FIG. 4 includes the gripping force and size of the arm 146, the starting position (home position) of the crane 118, and the number of arms 146 as the settings of the crane game device 104. The position of the drop port 130 is also included as part of the setting. The device information 170 also includes a play result such as a play date and time and a success or failure of acquisition of a prize. The device information 170 also includes the installation position (store name, area name, or latitude / longitude information) of the crane game device 104 and the charge per play. When the registered player plays the crane game device 104, the device information 170 also includes a player ID (PID).

The operator makes various settings on the crane game device 104 via the setting input unit 164. Device information 170 includes all or part of such settings. In addition to this, the device information 170 may include other setting information such as the moving speed of the crane 118, the type and number of prizes, the one-play fee, and the shape of the tip (claw) of the arm 146.

Various setting information is stored in the setting storage unit 184 of the crane game device 104. The device information generation unit 180 packages all or part of the setting information and the play result as the device information 170. The device information generation unit 180 may add the advertisement information of the store or the crane game device 104 to the device information 170, or may add the image captured by the camera 122.

When the crane game device 104 does not have a connection function with the Internet 106, the crane game device 104 may transmit the device information 170 to the user terminal 110 by short-range wireless communication. Near field communication here is wireless transmission with a transmission range of several centimeters to 1 meter, and is NFC (Near Field Communication), Bluetooth (registered trademark), RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification), IrDA (Infrared Data). Association) is a typical example. The user terminal 110 receives the device information 170 by short-range wireless communication, and transmits the device information 170 to the server 102 via the Internet 106.

The device information generation unit 180 of the crane game device 104 may convert the device information 170 into a two-dimensional code according to a predetermined encryption rule, and display this on the setting display unit 144. The user terminal 110 may acquire the device information 170 by imaging the two-dimensional code, and may transmit the device information 170 included in the two-dimensional code to the server 102 via the Internet 106.

The information of the store where the crane game device 104 is installed may be transmitted to the server 102 as a part of the device information 170, or the operator may register the store information by accessing the server 102 from the store terminal 108.

FIG. 5 is a data structure diagram of the aggregated information 190.
The aggregated information 190 (device table) is stored in the data storage unit 202 of the server 102. The aggregated information 190 includes the installation location, setting, success rate, difficulty level, prize, one-play fee, etc. of the crane game device 104. The device information update unit 210 of the server 102 updates the aggregated information 190 every time the device information 170 is received from any of the crane game devices 104.

According to FIG. 5, the crane game device 104 with UID = U001 (hereinafter referred to as “crane game device 104 (U001)”) is installed in Umeda, Osaka (17th area of Umeda). The gripping force of the arm 146 is "medium" out of three stages of strong, medium, and weak. The crane game device 104 includes the numerical information of the gripping force in the device information 170 and transmits the device information 170, and the device information update unit 210 of the server 102 classifies the information into a plurality of levels such as strong, medium, and weak to reduce the information. To do. The crane 118 of the crane game device 104 (U001) is "large" in size, the starting position (home position) is on the far right side of the crane game device 104 from the front, and there are two arms 146.

The amusement facility is identified by a store ID (hereinafter, also referred to as "LID"). The crane game device 104 (U001) will be installed in a store (L01) in Umeda, Osaka. In addition, the probability of successfully acquiring a prize in the crane game device 104 (U001) is 4.4%. The device information update unit 210 updates the success rate by totaling the success or failure of the prize acquisition obtained for each device information 170.

The device information updating unit 210 determines the difficulty level of the crane game device 104 (U001) by weighted averaging these parameters related to the setting and the play result. In this embodiment, the difficulty level is ranked in three stages, A, B, and C, from the most difficult one.

The prize to be thrown into the crane game device 104 is identified by a prize ID (hereinafter, also referred to as "GID"). When the prize is replaced, the operator transmits the prize ID together with the store ID (LID) and the device ID (UID) from the store terminal 108. The device information updating unit 210 updates the aggregated information 190 even when the prize is replaced. A prize (G01) is stored in the crane game device 104 (U001).

The crane game device 104 (U001) installed in Umeda (Umeda 17) has a success rate of 4.4%, and the difficulty level is the highest A judgment. On the other hand, the crane game device 104 (U004) installed in Kurashiki City (Kurashiki 33) has a high success rate of 20.2%, and the difficulty level is the lowest C judgment. It is considered that the crane game device 104 (U004) has a high success rate because the crane 118 has a strong gripping force and has three arms 146.

The crane game device 104 transmits device information 170 to the server 102 each time game play is executed, or each time a setting change or a prize change is made. The device information update unit 210 recalculates the success rate and the like each time the device information 170 is received, and updates the aggregated information 190. Further, when the registered player plays the crane game device 104, the player management unit 208 updates the play history (not shown) for each player.

FIG. 6 is a screen view of the search condition screen 260.
The search condition screen 260 is displayed on the user terminal 110. The search condition screen 260 is provided from the server 102 to the user terminal 110 as a web page. The search condition screen 260 of FIG. 6 assumes a search by a player in Shinagawa.

The player inputs the search condition in the search condition area 264 in the search condition screen 260. In the search condition screen 260 of FIG. 6, a crane game device 104 that is "within a 30-minute walk" from the player's current location, stores related prizes of an animation program called "Buddy Youkai", and has a difficulty level of B rank or lower. Is specified as the search target. The player touches the search button 262 after setting the search condition in the search condition area 264. The search execution unit 206 of the server 102 refers to the aggregated information 190 and identifies the crane game device 104 that matches the search conditions.

Various search conditions other than the above can be considered. For example, the play fee, the type of scenery (plush toys, daily necessities, sweets, etc.), the availability and operating rate (popularity) of the crane game device 104, and the sweetness of the setting can be considered. The crane game device 104 may be set with a target player layer for women, infants, and the like. As a search condition, an assumed player layer may be set. Alternatively, the new crane game device 104 within a predetermined period from the release may be the search target, or the feature of the nostalgic crane game device 104 that has been played may be input as a search condition.

The search receiving unit 244 may receive information indicating the current location of the user terminal 110, and the search executing unit 206 may detect the nearest crane game device 104. The crane game device 104 within a predetermined range from the position of the user terminal 110 may be detected, or the crane game device 104 within a predetermined range from the nearest station of the user terminal 110 may be detected. In this way, when a predetermined matching condition is satisfied between the position of the user terminal 110 and the position of the crane game device 104, the search execution unit 206 may specify such a crane game device 104.

As described above, various device information 170s are provided from the crane game device 104 to the server 102, and the device information update unit 210 generates and updates the aggregated information 190 based on the device information 170, and the search condition specified by the player. By comparing the aggregated information 190, the server 102 can propose a crane game device 104 that meets the needs of the player.

FIG. 7 is a screen view of the search result screen 270.
The search result screen 270 of FIG. 7 is a screen displayed on the user terminal 110 after the search is executed under the search conditions shown in the search condition screen 260 of FIG. According to the search result screen 270, two game centers "Gameland Shinagawa" and "Game Square Shinagawa" have installed crane game devices 104 that match the search conditions. The name area 272 shows the name of the game center, the device information area 274 shows the information of the crane game device 104 installed by the game center, and the advertising area 276 shows the advertising information of the game center. When you touch the map button 278, a map including the stores is displayed (not shown).

According to FIG. 7, "Gameland Shinagawa" is a 7-minute walk from the player's current location, and is equipped with a crane game device 104 of difficulty level B capable of acquiring a "buddy youkai". The play fee is 100 yen. When the player touches the map button 278 of "Gameland Shinagawa", a map (not shown) around "Gameland Shinagawa" is displayed.

FIG. 8 is a screen view of the player condition setting screen 280.
The player condition setting screen 280 is displayed on the store terminal 108. The player condition setting screen 280 is provided from the server 102 to the store terminal 108 as a web page. The player condition setting screen 280 of FIG. 8 is assumed to be set by an operator of the crane game device 104 installed in a certain store.

The operator can also set the attribute of the player to be called to the crane game device 104, that is, the player condition, on the player condition setting screen 280. The operator inputs the player condition in the player condition area 284 of the player condition setting screen 280. In the player condition setting screen 280 of FIG. 8, a female player having a play rank of 20 or less is selected as a player target. In addition, advertisement information for a player (hereinafter referred to as a "target player") that matches the player conditions is also input. The operator touches the setting button 282 after setting the player condition in the player condition area 284. At this time, the player condition is transmitted from the store terminal 108 together with the device ID, and the player condition receiving unit 254 receives this.

Various player conditions other than the above can be considered. For example, age, game history, latest play date, nationality, place of residence, etc. The device information updating unit 210 of the server 102 manages the crane game device 104 in association with the play conditions. For example, suppose that the player P1 executes a search for the crane game device 104, and the crane game device 104A is detected. The search notification unit 246 may notify the crane game device 104A as a search result, provided that the player P1 satisfies the player condition of the crane game device 104A. In other words, when the player P1 does not satisfy the player condition of the crane game device 104A, the player P1 is not notified of the crane game device 104A as a search result. According to such a control method, only the target player can be selectively attracted to the crane game device 104. For example, if the crane game device 104 is for women, it can be set so that it can be searched only by female players, so that the target player of the crane game device 104 can be further clarified. Similarly, it is possible to efficiently narrow down the target players by setting player conditions such as a player having a certain level of skill or a child player.

The advertisement information input on the player condition setting screen 280 is push-notified to the target player. For example, it is assumed that the crane game device 104B sets a player having a player rank of 30 or more as a target player. The position receiving unit 250 periodically receives the position information of the crane game device 104. When a player having a player rank of 30 or higher is within a predetermined range from the installation location of the crane game device 104B, the advertisement notification unit 256 transmits the advertisement information set on the player condition setting screen 280 to the user terminal 110. By such push notification of advertisement information, when the target player approaches the crane game device 104B, the target player can be efficiently attracted to the crane game device 104b.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the search processing process.
The search process is executed when the search receiving unit 244 of the server 102 receives the search condition set on the search condition screen 260. The search execution unit 206 refers to the aggregated information 190 (device table) and searches for a crane game device 104 that matches the search conditions and a store in which the crane game device 104 is installed (S10). If there is a crane game device 104 that matches the search condition (Y in S12), the search execution unit 206 generates a list of stores in which such a crane game device 104 is installed (S14). If there is no matching crane game device 104 (N in S12), the process in S14 is skipped. The search notification unit 246 generates a search result screen 270 and transmits it to the user terminal 110 (S16).

As described above, for the crane game device 104 for which the player conditions are set, the information of the store where the crane game device 104 is installed is not notified to the players other than the target player.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the approach detection processing process.
In addition to notifying the user terminal 110 of the crane game device 104 that matches the search conditions, the server 102 also notifies the user terminal 110 of the approach of a player that matches the notification conditions specified in advance by the store (hereinafter referred to as "notification player"). Can also be notified to. The store operator (manager) sets notification conditions in the server 102 in advance via the store terminal 108. The store ID and the notification condition are registered in association with each other in the data storage unit 202. The notification condition may be a player attribute such as a child or a woman, or may be an experience or skill such as the number of times the crane game device 104 is played, the number of times a prize is acquired, or the success rate.

The position receiving unit 250 of the server 102 periodically receives the position information from the user terminal 110 of the registered player. The notification determination unit 168 determines whether or not the crane game device 104 exists within a predetermined range from the registered player, in other words, whether or not the registered player is approaching any of the crane game devices 104 ( S20). The approach may be determined when the distance between the registered player and the crane game device 104 is within a predetermined distance, or the approach may be determined when the registered player visits the store where the crane game device 104 is installed. In the latter case, a known sensor installed in the store may detect the visit of the registered player.

When the registered player is approaching (Y in S20), the notification determination unit 168 registers in advance the store (hereinafter referred to as "approaching store") in which the crane game device 104 to which the registered player is approaching is installed. The success or failure of the notification condition is determined with reference to the notification condition (S22). If the notification condition is satisfied (Y in S22), the approach notification unit 252 notifies the store terminal 108 of the approaching store that the notification player is approaching (S24). On the other hand, when there is no nearby store (N in S20) or when the notification condition is not satisfied (N in S22), the notification is not performed.

The store may temporarily loosen the setting of the crane game device 104 when, for example, a child's notification player approaches. In general, children are often inferior in operation skills to adults, so by setting such advance settings, it is possible to provide a crane game that is easy for children to be satisfied with.

When the store terminal 108 receives the approach information, the store terminal 108 may transmit a setting signal to the crane game device 104. The crane game device 104 may include an automatic setting unit (not shown), and the automatic setting unit may be changed to a setting that is associated in advance with a registered player who approaches when a setting signal is received from the store terminal 108. .. In the case of the above example, when the child's notification player approaches, the crane game device 104 may automatically change to a sweet setting. Similarly, when a customer who has played more than a predetermined number of times per month approaches, a solicitation email may be sent from the store terminal 108 to the customer.

As described above, in the case of the crane game device 104 in which the player conditions are set, when the registered player approaches and the registered player is the target player, the advertisement notification unit 256 advertises to the user terminal 110 of the target player. Information may be sent.

The game system 100 has been described above based on the embodiment.
According to the present embodiment, it is possible to notify the player of the location of the crane game device 104 that meets the needs of the player. The player may want to find the nearest crane game device 104, or may want to enjoy the crane game device 104, which makes it easy to obtain a prize. For example, when there is a waiting time, the nearest crane game device 104 can be easily found. Area-limited items may be stored as prizes in the crane game device 104, and a search system may be used to attract travelers. It is also possible to search for a crane game device 104 that stores prizes that can only be obtained in the area at the destination and collect it, which is also effective in enhancing the interest of the trip. It is thought that it will be easier for travelers to enjoy the joy of the collection by "acquiring" the regional items through a crane game rather than simply buying the regional items while traveling.

The crane game is essentially a stand-alone game. Therefore, the crane game device 104 is not usually designed on the premise of connecting to the Internet 106 like an arcade game or a network game. At present, development resources are concentrated in the direction of enhancing the enjoyment of the crane game device 104, and compared to this, it seems that the development of the technology for conveying the enjoyment of the crane game device 104 is delayed.

Since the server 102 in the present embodiment can specify the features of the crane game device 104 desired by the player in detail as search conditions, it is possible to expand the opportunity to appeal the specifications, game characteristics, prizes, etc. of the crane game device 104 to the player. Further, by examining the search history of the player, it is possible to know what kind of crane game device 104 is required of what kind of player, which is considered to lead to more efficient development of the crane game device 104.

The crane game device 104 is often resold as a used product. By designating the device ID and the device type as search conditions, the player can identify the store where the crane game device 104 that he once enjoyed is currently active. For example, if the device ID of the crane game device 104 that was often played in Shinjuku is entered as a search condition, it may be found that the crane game device 104 is active in Kumamoto. According to the present embodiment, since the player can be provided with an opportunity to find the nostalgic crane game device 104, it is also effective in increasing the player's attachment to the crane game device 104.

The device information 170 is transmitted from the crane game device 104 to the server 102 periodically or every time the game is played in the crane game device 104. Therefore, it becomes easy to maintain the information freshness of the aggregated information 190. The prize is particularly important for the crane game device 104 in attracting the player. For example, if the crane game device 104 stores a popular product M that is sold out in a store, the player may try to obtain the product M even by playing the crane game device 104. Also in this case, the player seeking the product M and the crane game device 104 for storing the product M can be efficiently connected via the search system.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications, and the components can be modified and embodied within a range that does not deviate from the gist. Various inventions may be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of components disclosed in the above embodiments and modifications. In addition, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the above embodiments and modifications.

As a modification, the information of the player of the crane game device 104 may be notified to another player. For example, it is assumed that the player P1 is playing the crane game device 104A when the server 102 is registered to have a predetermined relationship such that the player P1 and the player P2 are friends. When the player P2 passes near the crane game device 104A, the approach notification unit 252 notifies the user terminal 110 of the player P2 that "the player P1 is playing with the nearby crane game device 104A". May be good. When the player P1 plays the crane game device 104A and succeeds in acquiring the prize or fails to acquire the prize, the player management unit 208 of the server 102 determines that the player P2 has a predetermined relationship with the player A. , The user terminal 110 of the player P2 may be notified that "the player P1 has played with the nearby crane game device 104A and succeeded (or failed) in acquiring the prize". As a result, the player P2 may also play the crane game device 104A. According to such a control method, a new player can be attracted to the crane game device 104A triggered by a human relationship. Further, when the player P2 plays the crane game device 104A, the privilege granting portion 102 (not shown) is attached to the game play for the player who is attracted to the crane game device 104A due to the human relationship (for example,). Discounts on game fees, changes in game content and game settings, etc.) may be granted.

The crane game device 104 or the server 102 captures the game field with the camera 122, and whether or not the prize has been moved to the vicinity of the drop port 130, more specifically, the prize located within a predetermined range from the drop port 130. A quasi-acquisition determination unit, which determines whether or not there is, may be provided. The communication unit 204 of the server 102 includes an information notification unit (not shown), and the information notification unit has a crane game device 104 in which a prize that can be acquired for the user terminal 110 of the registered player exists. You may notify. It is considered that such a notification service facilitates the registration of the player in the game system 100. In addition, such advantageous information is transmitted to registered players (customers who are good at playing) more than a predetermined number of times per month and registered players (customers who are inferior in skill) whose success rate of acquiring prizes is less than a predetermined value. You may. In addition to this, the registered player may be notified when the prize is replaced or when the setting of the crane game device 104 is changed loosely.

The operator may register a defective player such as roughly handling the crane game device 104 as a notification condition. With such a setting, a notification is given even when a bad player approaches, so that it becomes easy for the store to take measures in advance.

Collaboration with other industries is also possible. For example, a date plan of playing the crane game device 104 after eating Italian food for lunch may be input as a search condition. In this case, an Italian restaurant and a crane game device 104 in the vicinity are identified. According to such a control method, it is possible to propose a crane game device 104 that meets not only the specifications and performance of the crane game device 104 but also the comprehensive needs including the location conditions for other stores and facilities. When the itinerary is entered, the search notification unit 246 may propose a crane game device 104 that can be played in the free time of the trip.

100 game system, 102 server, 104 crane game device, 106 internet, 108 store terminal, 110 user terminal, 112 base, 114 prize storage, 116 prize stand, 118 crane, 120 monitor, 122 camera, 124 doors, 126 1st area, 128 2nd area, 130 drop port, 132 prize stock space, 134 prize outlet, 136 operation console, 138 coin slot, 140 IC card reader, 142 operation unit, 144 setting display unit, 146 arm, 148 Crane drive unit, 150 vertical columns, 152 user interface processing unit, 154 mechanism unit, 156 data processing unit, 158 data storage unit, 160 input unit, 162 output unit, 164 setting input unit, 166 crane operation unit, 168 notification judgment unit, 170 device information, 172 crane control unit, 176 movement judgment unit, 180 device information generation unit, 182 game program storage unit, 184 setting storage unit, 190 aggregate information, 200 data processing unit, 202 data storage unit, 204 communication unit, 206 Search execution unit, 208 player management unit, 210 device information update unit, 240 communication unit, 242 device information transmission unit, 244 search reception unit, 246 search notification unit, 248 device information reception unit, 250 position reception unit, 252 proximity notification unit , 260 search condition screen, 262 search button, 264 search condition area, 270 search result screen, 272 name area, 274 device information area, 276 advertising area, 278 map button

Claims (8)

Includes a search server, a user terminal, and an article acquisition game device that does not have a communication function to the search server.
The search server
A search receiving unit that receives the search conditions of the article acquisition game device from the user terminal, and
A search execution unit that refers to a device table in which device information of a plurality of goods acquisition game devices is registered and identifies an article acquisition game device that matches the search conditions.
A search notification unit that notifies the user terminal of the position of the specified article acquisition game device, and
A device information receiving unit that receives the device information and
When the device information is received, the device information update unit that updates the device table and
With
The device information includes information regarding the setting of the article acquisition game device, and includes at least information regarding the size of the arm.
The article acquisition game device has a device information transmission unit that transmits the device information to a user terminal.
A game system in which the device information transmitted by the device information transmission unit is transmitted to the search server by a user terminal. The article acquisition game device is
The game system according to claim 1, wherein the device information is transmitted to a user terminal by short-range wireless communication. In the device table, the installation position of the article acquisition game device is registered as a part of the device information.
The search receiving unit receives the position of the user terminal as a search condition, and receives the search and receiving unit.
The game system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the search execution unit specifies an article acquisition game device installed at a position where a predetermined matching condition is satisfied with respect to the position of the user terminal. In the device table, prizes to be input to the article acquisition game device as a part of the device information are registered.
The search receiving unit receives a prize as a search condition from the user terminal, and receives the prize as a search condition.
The game system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the search execution unit specifies an article acquisition game device that stores a prize designated by the user terminal. A position receiving unit that receives the position information of the user terminal from the user terminal owned by the player, and
When the player satisfies a predetermined notification condition, the approach notification unit is characterized in that the manager of the article acquisition game device located within a predetermined range is notified of the approach of the player. The game system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising. A player condition receiving unit for receiving the player condition of the article acquisition game device is further provided.
The search notification unit sets the position of the specified article acquisition game device on the user terminal, provided that the player holding the user terminal satisfies the player condition set for the specified article acquisition game device. The game system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the game system is notified. A player condition receiving unit that receives the player conditions of the article acquisition game device, and
A position receiving unit that receives the position information of the user terminal from the user terminal owned by the player, and
When the player satisfies the player condition set in the article acquisition game device located within a predetermined range from the player, the advertisement notification unit that transmits the advertisement information set by the article acquisition game device to the user terminal. The game system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising. Includes a search server, a user terminal, and an article acquisition game device that does not have a communication function to the search server.
The search server
A search receiving unit that receives the search conditions of the article acquisition game device from the user terminal, and
A search execution unit that refers to a device table in which device information of a plurality of goods acquisition game devices is registered and identifies an article acquisition game device that matches the search conditions.
A search notification unit that notifies the user terminal of the position of the specified article acquisition game device, and
A device information receiving unit that receives the device information and
When the device information is received, the device information update unit that updates the device table and
With
The device information includes information regarding the setting of the article acquisition game device, and includes at least information regarding the size of the arm.
The article acquisition game device is
A code generator that converts the device information into a two-dimensional code according to a predetermined encryption rule,
A setting display unit that displays the two-dimensional code as an image,
With
The two-dimensional code displayed in the image is imaged by the user terminal and is captured.
A game system characterized in that the device information included in the captured two-dimensional code is transmitted to the search server by a user terminal.

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