JP6867892B2 - Game equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a gaming device.

In recent years, in a game hall where a game machine such as a pachinko game machine or a slot machine is installed, a rental device (game device) having a function of counting the game media acquired by the player in a one-to-one correspondence with the game machine. ) Is provided. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a lending device having a function of lending medals and a function of counting medals won by a player. This lending device starts counting when the insertion of medals is detected, and ends counting when the insertion of new medals is not detected for a predetermined time.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2016-10596

However, the timing of inputting the game medium varies depending on the player. For this reason, for example, when a game medium is thrown in while an IC card is being issued, the drive unit for issuing an IC card and the drive unit for counting medals move at the same time, which increases the power load and processing load, and the game cannot be counted. It is conceivable that the game media cannot be counted normally due to the generation of media.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a game device for satisfactorily counting game media.

Since the gaming device waits for the execution of the guidance operation when the guidance suppression state has occurred, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of the guidance operation in the guidance suppression state. As a result, it is possible to suppress an increase in processing load and power load, and to perform good counting of game media.

Overall block diagram which shows one Embodiment of this invention Functional block diagram of rental equipment Side view showing a part of the rental device broken Perspective view showing the counting unit Flowchart of induction suppression state setting process Flow chart of counting process Flowchart of card issuance process Flowchart of issuance cancellation processing

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 schematically shows the overall configuration of the gaming system. A large number of gaming machines (for example, slot machines) 1 are installed in the amusement park, and a lending device 2 and a data display 3 are attached to each of the gaming machines 1. The game machine 1, the rental device 2, and the data display 3 are connected to the relay device 4 by two. The data display 3 is installed above the corresponding game machine 1 and displays various game data based on the signal received by the relay device 4. The relay device 4 is connected to the management device 6 via the LAN 5.

The management device 6 is installed in, for example, an office in the amusement park, and is connected to a monitor 6 m, a keyboard 6 k, and the like. The management device 6 manages the operating status of the devices on the game machine 1 side by inputting the game signals output from the game machine 1, the rental device 2, the data display 3, and the like. Although not shown in FIG. 1, in addition to the slot machines in the figure, for example, hundreds of gaming machines 1 including so-called pachinko gaming machines are managed by the management device 6, and are formed in the amusement park. The equipment on the 1st side of these gaming machines is installed on the pachinko and pachislot machines. If the gaming machine 1 is a slot machine, the gaming medium is a medal, and if the gaming machine is a pachinko gaming machine, the gaming medium is a pachinko ball.

The gaming machine 1 includes a display window 11, a reel 12, a start lever 13, a stop button 14, a liquid crystal display unit 15, a medal slot 16, a BET button 17, a saucer 18, and the like. The player can visually recognize the design drawn on the reel 12 provided inside through the display window 11. When the player inserts a medal (game value) into the medal slot 16 or operates the BET button 17, a predetermined number of credit medals (game value) are bet, and in that state, the start lever 13 is operated, that is, the game. When the start operation is performed, the internal lottery is executed and the fluctuation of the symbols is started, and when the stop button 14 is operated, the so-called attraction control (for example, up to 4 symbols, which is a predetermined attraction range, is on the effective line). The fluctuation of the reel 12 is stopped by the control) of pulling in and displaying the stop.

As is well known, the gaming machine 1 is set with a bonus role, a small role, a replay role, and the like, and the stop button 14 is operated by the player in a state where any of the roles is internally won at the time of the above-mentioned internal lottery. Then, when the symbol corresponding to the internal winning combination is stopped and displayed on the preset valid line (when the symbols are aligned), a prize is generated. Then, when a prize is awarded, the corresponding number of medals are paid out (adding game value) or the jackpot state (bonus state) is transferred.

The game machine 1 outputs various game signals according to the execution of the game. Specifically, the game machine 1 has an input signal indicating the number of game media input to the game machine 1, a payout signal indicating the number of game media paid out due to the occurrence of a prize, and the game being started. A start signal indicating that a jackpot state has occurred, a jackpot signal (bonus signal) indicating that a jackpot state has occurred, and the like are output. The data display 3 and the management device 6 aggregate and manage the game information, specify the jackpot state, and the like based on the input of these game signals from the game machine 1 via the relay device 4.

The lending device 2 includes an operation lamp 21 composed of LEDs indicating an operating state, a money insertion slot 22 into which money is inserted, a liquid crystal display unit 23 that displays various displays, a touch panel 23a arranged on the liquid crystal display unit 23, and not shown. A game machine 1 receives a medal in response to pressing the payout button 25a (or lending button 25b) for payout operation included in the card insertion slot 24 into which the IC card (recording medium) is inserted, the operation button group 25, and the operation button group 25. It is provided with a payout nozzle 27 and the like to be paid out to the saucer 18.

When the lending device 2 receives money from the money slot 22, the deposit amount is added to the balance and displayed on the display unit 23, and the player presses the lending button 25b while there is a balance (lending operation, granting operation). ) Then, the loan medal (value given for consideration) for the payout unit (for example, 1000 yen) is paid out from the payout nozzle 27 (payment processing), and the consideration is subtracted from the balance. In addition, money can be accepted for multiple times of consideration grant processing (for example, up to 10,000 yen).

The lending device 2 of the present embodiment is a so-called gaming device having a counting function for each machine, and includes, for example, an insertion unit 30 (counting receiving unit) for inserting medals as a counting person, so to speak. The lending device 2 counts the inserted medals with a counting unit (counting sensor 32a), which will be described later, and manages them as holding balls. The same number as the medal) is subtracted from the ball. Then, the lending device 2 provides information capable of identifying the balance and the ball (counting result by the counting sensor 32a) when the player performs a predetermined issuing operation with the balance and the ball remaining. Issue the recorded IC card. On the other hand, when the IC card is accepted at the card insertion slot 24, the balance and the possession ball specified by the IC card are taken over.

The issuing operation is performed, for example, by the player touching the issuing button displayed on the menu screen (not shown) of the liquid crystal display unit 23 with the touch panel 23a (hereinafter abbreviated as "touch operation"). Further, in the present embodiment, a slot machine in which the game medium is a medal is illustrated including the following description, but for convenience of explanation, the game medium such as a holding "ball" may be expressed as a ball instead of a medal. is there.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the rental device 2. The lending device 2 is operated by a control unit 20 composed of a microcomputer having a CPU 20a, a ROM 20b, a RAM 20c, and an I / O 20d. The control unit 20 reads various information recorded on the operation lamp 21, the money processing unit 22a for processing money (banknotes) inserted into the money input port 22, the liquid crystal display unit 23, the touch panel 23a, and the IC card. A card RW (reader / writer) 24a for writing, an input / output unit 29 for inputting / outputting various signals to / from the relay device 4, and an operation button group 25 such as a payout button 25a and a lending button 25b are connected.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 20 includes a drive motor 24b for carrying cards, which will be described later as an actuator mounted on the own device 2, and a drive motor 31b for a hopper for payout (see payout hopper 31 and FIG. 3). , The drive motor 32b of the counting hopper (counting hopper 32) is connected, and various sensors 31a, 32a, 32s arranged in the counting hoppers 31 and 32 are connected.

By the way, in the lending device 2, the timing of inserting medals into the insertion unit 30 varies depending on the player. Therefore, if an IC card is issued when the medal is inserted into the insertion unit 30, the drive motor 24b for carrying the card and the drive motor 32b of the counting hopper 32 operate at the same time, so that the power load and the processing load are increased. It is assumed that the number of medals will increase and some medals cannot be counted, making it impossible to count normally. Therefore, it can be said that the state in which the drive motor 24b or the like for card transfer is operating is the induction suppressing state in which the operation (induction operation) of the counting hopper 32 should be suppressed.

Therefore, the control unit 20 of the lending device 2 is in the counting hopper 32 that stores the inserted medals if a predetermined guidance suppression state has not occurred when the medals are inserted into the insertion unit 30. While the guidance operation for guiding the medal to the counting sensor 32a is executed, if the guidance suppression state has occurred, the execution of the guidance operation is waited until the guidance suppression state ends. The specific configuration of the lending device 2 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIG. 3 is a right side view showing the rental device 2 with the lower part cut off, and a card transfer mechanism (not shown) including a drive motor 24b is arranged on the upper part of the rental device 2. The card transfer mechanism includes a plurality of rollers for card transfer built in the lending device 2 and a drive motor 24b thereof, and drives the IC card to the card RW24a side (or a card stock portion side (not shown)) by driving the drive motor 24b. ) And the card insertion slot 24 side are configured to be conveyed to those predetermined positions. Therefore, the issuing means for issuing the IC card includes the card RW24a, the card transport mechanism, and the control unit 20 that controls the drive motor 24b.

As shown in FIG. 3, the lending device 2 has a built-in payout hopper 31 located at a substantially intermediate portion in the vertical direction. The payout hopper 31 includes a hopper-shaped storage portion 31c whose upper surface side is open, and a base portion 31d thereof. In the storage unit 31c, medals to be replenished are stored via a supply path 33 or the like provided on the back side of the lending device 2. Further, although detailed illustration is omitted, a payout outlet 31e is provided on the front side of the base portion 31d of the payout hopper 31, and a rotary disk 31f rotated by the drive motor 31b is provided on the bottom of the storage portion 31c. There is.

The payout hopper 31 rotates the rotary disk 31f by driving the drive motor 31b, and pays out the medals in the storage portion 31c from the payout outlet 31e. At this time, the medals paid out from the payout outlet 31e flow down to the saucer 18 of the game machine 1 via the payout path A connected to the payout nozzle 27 shown in FIG. Further, the control unit 20 drives the drive motor 31b described above when the player performs a predetermined payout operation (such as a loan process by the loan operation or a replay process in consideration of the possessed ball). The medals in the storage unit 31c are paid out from the payout nozzle 27 via the payout passage A, and together with the payout hopper 31, the payout means is configured.

The payout detection sensor 31a disposed below the storage unit 31c detects medals related to payout (or medals in the storage unit 31c). Further, as for the configuration of the rotary disc 31f, the same configuration as that of the rotary disc 32f of the counting hopper 32 described below can be adopted, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The counting hopper 32 is located below the payout hopper 31 and is built in the lending device 2. As shown in the external perspective view of FIG. 4, the counting hopper 32 includes a hopper-shaped storage portion 32c with an open upper surface side and a base portion 32d thereof, and is charged into the charging portion 30 on the front side of the lending device 2. The medals are stored in the storage unit 32c via the counting path B1 (see the broken line arrow in FIG. 3). Here, the insertion unit 30 is opened on the front side of the lending device 2 so as to receive medals from above with the lid 30a open as shown in FIG. The bottom wall 30b of the insertion portion 30 forms an insertion path B1 by forming a slope such that medals inserted from above slide down to the rear storage portion 32c.

In the counting hopper 32, a rotating disk 32f rotated by a drive motor 32b is provided at the bottom of the storage unit 32c, and a counting path B2 extending rearward from the rear bottom of the storage unit 32c is provided on the upper side of the base portion 32d. (See the dashed arrow in FIG. 3). A counting sensor 32a is provided in the counting path B2. The counting sensor 32a is composed of, for example, two types of sensors (two sensors 32a ₁ and 32a ₂ shown in FIG. 3), a photo sensor and a proximity sensor. As a result, the control unit 20 of the lending device 2 executes a counting process of incrementing the count value when _{the proximity sensor 32a 2} reacts after confirming the passage of the medal by the _{photo sensor 32a 1.} Hereinafter, for convenience, the respective outputs of the photo sensor 32a ₁ and the proximity sensor 32a ₂ will be simply referred to as “sensor output from the counting sensor 32a”. Of course, the counting sensor 32a may be composed of one sensor capable of counting medals.

As shown in FIG. 4, the rotary disk 32f has a rotary shaft 35A rotated by a drive shaft of a drive motor 32b and a plurality of (for example, five) circular recesses formed around the rotary shaft 35A at equal intervals. It is a rotating body 35 including 35B (a part of the recess 35B is shown in FIG. 4). The circular recess 35B is formed so as to accommodate one medal at a time. Then, the medals stored so as to be stacked in the storage portion 32c are stored one by one in the circular recess 35B according to the rotation of the rotating disk 32f driven by the drive motor 31b, and the medals of the recess 35B rotate backward. When it reaches the position, it is guided so as to be sent out one by one to the counting path B2, that is, the counting sensor 32a side behind the counter. Such a guidance operation is realized by a guidance means including a control unit 20, a rotary disk 32f, and a drive motor 32b, and the control unit 20 executes a guidance operation for guiding the medal of the storage unit 32c to the counting sensor 32a side. In addition, the drive motor 31b (rotation of the turntable 32f) is controlled.

As shown in FIG. 3, the auto start sensor 32s arranged under the storage unit 32c is, for example, a proximity sensor that detects medals stored in the storage unit 32c (medals inserted from the insertion unit 30). Consists of. Further, on the downstream side of the counting path B2, a circulation path 37 is provided for collecting and circulating the medals counted by the counting sensor 32a on the back side of the lending device 2.

Subsequently, the process including the execution of the guidance operation described above will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 5 to 8. It is assumed that each process shown in the flowcharts of FIGS. 5 to 8 is executed by the control unit 20 (appropriately abbreviated as “rental device 2”) of the lending device 2. Further, it is assumed that the medals acquired by the player by the game on the game machine 1 are counted by the corresponding lending device 2 in FIG.

Here, FIG. 5 interrupts the counting process of FIG. 6 by the interrupt function provided in the control unit 20 (for example, interrupting at a cycle of 2 msec and executing by interrupting at least once for the execution of one counting process). Indicates the induction suppression state setting process to be executed. When the lending device 2 starts the induction suppression state setting process, the lending device 2 determines whether or not the self-device 2 is in the state of issuing or accepting an IC card, or lending a medal (S1 in FIG. 5). ).

That is, if it is in any of these states, it is determined that the IC card is being issued or is being accepted because the drive motor 24b for carrying the card or the drive motor 31b of the payout hopper 31 is driven (S1: YES). If the lending process is being executed (or if the drive motor 31b is driving), it is determined that the medal is being lent (S1: YES). At this time, the lending device 2 sets the state flag F indicating whether or not it is in the induction suppression state to "1" (sets the induction suppression state) (S2). That is, the state flag F is in a state where the IC card is being issued or accepted, the medal is being lent out, or the like in the own device 2, and the drive motors 24b and 31b and the drive motor 32b of the counting hopper 32 are driven at the same time. The induction suppression state is defined in order to suppress the above or to ensure the normal counting in the counting hopper 32.

On the other hand, the lending device 2 does not drive any of the drive motors 24b and 31b, and it is determined that the lending device 2 is not in any state of issuing or accepting an IC card or lending a medal in its own device 2. (S1: NO), the state flag F is set to "0" (the induction suppression state is released) (S3). As described above, in the induction suppression state setting process, the state flag F is set to either "0" or "1", and then the process is terminated (returned).

Then, when counting medals, the player inserts the medals into the opening of the insertion unit 30 with the lid 30a of the insertion unit 30 in the corresponding lending device 2 open (see FIG. 3), and passes through the counting path B1. The medal is stored in the storage unit 32c.

Here, when the lending device 2 starts the counting process of FIG. 6 executed at a predetermined cycle (for example, a cycle of 100 msec), the auto start sensor 32s detects whether or not a medal has been inserted into the insertion unit 30 (FIG. FIG. 6 S11). When the lending device 2 detects that no medal has been inserted into the insertion unit 30 (S11: NO), the lending device 2 ends (returns) this process.

When the lending device 2 detects the insertion of the medal into the insertion unit 30 by the player described above by the auto start sensor 32s (S11: YES), it determines whether or not the guidance suppression state has occurred based on the state flag F. (S12).

Specifically, the lending device 2 determines that the induction suppression state has occurred when the state flag F is "1" (S12: YES), the state flag F becomes "0", and the induction suppression state is changed. The execution of the guidance operation in the counting hopper 32 is waited until it is determined that the process is completed (S12: NO). Then, when the lending device 2 determines that the induction suppression state has not occurred (S12: NO), it drives the counting hopper 32 (drives the drive motor 32b) to execute the induction operation on the counting hopper 32. (S13).

In other words, for example, when an IC card is issued, the lending device 2 determines that an induction suppression state accompanied by driving of the drive motor 24b for carrying the card has occurred (S12: The above: YES), assuming that the induction suppression state has ended when the issuance of the IC card is completed and the drive motor 24b is stopped (S12: NO), the induction operation in the counting hopper 32 is executed. That is, when it is determined that the induction suppression state has occurred, the execution of the induction operation on the counting hopper 32 is waited (delayed) until the induction suppression state ends.

On the other hand, for example, when the payout hopper 31 pays out medals, the lending device 2 determines that an induction suppression state accompanied by the drive of the drive motor 31b of the payout hopper 31 has occurred (the above S12: YES), assuming that the induction suppression state has ended when the payout of the medal is completed and the drive motor 31b is stopped (S12: NO), the induction operation in the counting hopper 32 is executed.

In this guidance operation, the medals in the storage portion 32c are housed one by one in the circular recess 35B as the rotary disk 32f is rotated by the drive of the drive motor 31b, and the medals in the recess 35B reach the rear rotation position. And one by one, it is guided so as to be sent out to the counting path B2 side behind the said one by one. In this case, the lending device 2 counts medals by incrementing the count value of the medals after confirming the passage of the medals in the counting path B2 based on the sensor output from the counting sensor 32a.

Further, the lending device 2 determines whether or not a new medal is counted for a predetermined time (for example, 10 seconds) based on the sensor output from the counting sensor 32a (S14). That is, in the lending device 2, the counting sensor 32a indicates that all the medals in the storage unit 32c are guided to the counting path B2 and counted by driving the counting hopper 32 described above, and the medals in the storage unit 32c are exhausted. Judgment is made using the sensor output of. As a result, when the lending device 2 determines that there is no new medal counting for a predetermined time (S14: YES), the drive motor 31b is stopped to end the guidance operation in the counting hopper 32 (S15), and this process is performed. finish.

FIG. 7 shows the flow of the card issuance process executed in a predetermined cycle (for example, 100 msec cycle) in the lending device 2. When the lending device 2 starts the card issuing process, it determines whether or not there has been an IC card issuing operation (S21). When the lending device 2 determines that there is no IC card issuing operation (S21: NO), the lending device 2 ends (returns) this process.

When the player touches the issue button on the liquid crystal display unit 23, the lending device 2 determines that the IC card has been issued (S21: YES), and drives the drive motor 32b to drive the counting hopper 32. (S22). Next, the lending device 2 determines whether or not there is a new medal count for a predetermined time (for example, 5 seconds shorter than that in S14 of the counting process) based on the sensor output from the counting sensor 32a (S23). When the lending device 2 determines that there is no new medal counting for a predetermined time (S23: YES), the lending device 2 ends the guidance operation in the counting hopper 32 by stopping the drive motor 31b (S24). After that, when the counted balls and balance remain, the lending device 2 writes the information that can identify the balls and balance to the IC card, and drives the IC card that has completed the writing by driving the motor 24b. By paying out to the card insertion slot 24 side, an IC card is issued (S25), and this process is completed.

In this way, when the player performs the issuing operation, the lending device 2 uses the counting hopper 32 regardless of whether or not the auto start sensor 32s detects the insertion of medals before issuing the IC card. Perform a guidance action. This is a device for suppressing the issuance of an IC card in a state where medals remain in the storage unit 32c (a state in which all the balls to be recorded are not counted).

FIG. 8 shows an issuance canceling process that is executed by interrupting the card issuance process of FIG. 7 by the above-mentioned interrupt function. When the lending device 2 starts the issuance suspension process, it determines whether or not the three conditions for suspending the issuance of the IC card are satisfied (S31 to S33 in FIG. 8).

Specifically, the lending device 2 determines whether or not the IC card is being issued, that is, whether or not the IC card of FIG. 7 is being issued (S25) (S31). Further, when the lending device 2 determines that the IC card is being issued (S31: YES), the auto start sensor 32s detects whether or not a medal has been inserted into the insertion unit 30 (S32). Further, when the lending device 2 determines that the medal has been inserted into the insertion unit 30 (S32: YES), the lending device 2 determines whether or not it is possible to stop issuing the IC card (S33).

That is, if a medal is inserted into the insertion unit 30 during the issuance of the IC card in the lending device 2 (YES in both S31 and S32), the timing is such that the issuance of the IC card can be stopped. (S33: YES), the issuance of the IC card is stopped (S34). Whether or not the issuance of the IC card can be stopped is collected without issuing the IC card by the reverse rotation of the driving motor 24b when the insertion of the medal is detected during the issuance of the IC card. It is determined based on whether or not the timing is possible (within a predetermined time (for example, within 0.3 seconds) from the start of normal rotation of the motor 24b).

As described above, the lending device 2 suspends the issuance of the IC card when it is determined to be YES in steps S31 to S33 (S34), while the lending device 2 cancels the issuance of the IC card when it is determined to be NO in any of steps S31 to S33. End (return) the issuance cancellation process without canceling.

When the lending device 2 cancels the issuance of the IC card in the above-mentioned issuance cancellation process (S34), the guidance suppression state set for issuing the IC card is released (S1: NO in FIG. 5). , S3). Then, by executing the guidance operation in the counting process by releasing the guidance suppression state (S11: YES, S12: NO, S13 in FIG. 6), the inserted medals are calculated based on the sensor output from the counting sensor 32a. It will be counted (the counting result will be added as a ball). That is, since the lending device 2 has an interrupt function and is configured to be able to execute a plurality of processes in parallel, the counting process of FIG. 6 is executed in parallel with the card issuing process of FIG. Therefore, even if a medal is inserted while the IC card is being issued (or the medal is being lent out), the medal can be counted (see FIGS. 5 and 8).

When the issuance of the IC card is canceled in the issuance cancellation process of FIG. 8 (S34), the IC card is not issued unless the player performs the issuance operation again (see S21 of FIG. 7). After the counting of medals due to the suspension of issuance of the IC card is completed (after the counting result is added as a ball), the IC card may be automatically issued by executing step S25.

According to the embodiment described above, the following effects are obtained.
Since the lending device 2 waits for the execution of the guidance operation by the counting hopper 32 when the guidance suppression state has occurred, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of the guidance operation by the counting hopper 32 in the guidance suppression state. As a result, it is possible to suppress an increase in the processing load and the power load in the lending device 2 and to count medals satisfactorily.

When the issuing operation is performed by the lending device 2, the medals can be counted before the IC card is issued, so that it is possible to suppress the issuance of the IC card with the medals remaining in the storage unit 32c.

Since the lending device 2 stops issuing the IC card when a medal is inserted into the insertion unit 30 during the issuance of the IC card, it is possible to count the inserted medals and then issue the IC card again. it can. As a result, it is possible to enhance the effect of suppressing the issuance of the IC card with the medals remaining in the storage unit 32c.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and may be modified or expanded as follows, each modification may be combined with the above embodiment, or each modification may be combined.
The target of guidance to the counting sensor 32a (counting target) is a medal, but if the gaming machine is a pachinko gaming machine, the pachinko ball may be the counting target. That is, it can also be applied to a game device provided with a throwing unit for throwing balls as a game medium.

Further, as the game device, the rental device 2 corresponding to the game machine on a one-to-one basis is illustrated, but one game device provided corresponding to a plurality of game machines may be used. For example, in a configuration in which one game device is installed on a game machine island on which a plurality of game machines are installed, an employee of the game field carries the game medium acquired by the player to one game device, and the player carries the game medium. It is conceivable that the employee inputs the game medium into the input unit of the one game device as a counter. In this way, the counting person is not limited to the player, but may be an employee.

As the induction suppression state, the IC card is being issued or accepted, or the medal is being lent out is illustrated, but the induction suppression state may be arbitrarily changed. For example, a signal is transmitted and received between the lending device 2 and the management device 6 described above, but when the lending device 2 may wait for reception of a signal from the management device 6, it is waiting (or of a signal). The state (during transmission / reception) may be defined as an induction suppression state in which the state flag F is set to “1”.

As the guidance operation, a configuration in which the medal is guided toward the counting sensor 32a by driving the drive motor 32b has been illustrated, but the guidance operation or the guidance means is not limited to this, and a shutter means is provided at the bottom of the storage unit 32c. By switching the shutter from the closed state to the open state, a guiding means for guiding the medal by dropping it toward the counting sensor 32a may be configured. Further, with respect to the counting sensor 32a, the detection method may be appropriately changed according to the mode of the medal guiding operation. For example, an imaging means for capturing the guided medal (passing through the counting path B2) is provided, and the imaging means is provided. The medals may be counted by analyzing the captured image. As described above, it goes without saying that the counting unit may be composed of an imaging means or other counting means.

The issuing operation and the payout operation are not limited to those illustrated, and for example, the gaming machine 1 may be provided with a button to be operated at the time of issuing an IC card or lending processing (paying out processing). In addition, issuing and paying operations are performed using the buttons and touch panels of another device attached to the gaming device, and IC card issuance and lending processing are performed by the issuing and paying means provided by the other device. It may be configured.

The configuration is such that information that can identify the possession ball and balance is written to the IC card, but the information related to such counting results is not written directly to the IC card, but is counted on the management device 6 side in association with the card ID of the IC card. You may manage the results. In this configuration, when the IC card is used (when the IC card is inserted into the insertion slot 24), the lending device 2 communicates with the management device 6 to specify the counting result managed by the management device 6. Can be done.

When a medal is inserted into the insertion unit 30 during the issuance of an IC card, the timing at which the issuance of the IC card can be stopped is within a predetermined time from the start of driving of the drive motor 24b, but the timing at which the can be stopped can be arbitrarily changed. You may. For example, in a series of flows in which information on the counting result is written on the IC card and then the IC card is sent out to the insertion slot 24 side and issued, it is a timing that can be stopped if the information on the counting result is being written. On the other hand, if the writing is completed and the drive motor 31b has started driving, it may be determined that the timing cannot be stopped. In this configuration, it is determined that the IC card is being issued from the timing when writing to the IC card is started. Further, even if a medal is inserted into the insertion unit 30 during the issuance of the IC card, the issuance of the IC card may not be stopped. It should be noted that the above-mentioned numerical values, the number of digits, items and the like are examples, and any numerical values may be adopted, and it goes without saying that the predetermined time and the like can be set to appropriate values.

On the condition that the medal was inserted into the insertion unit 30 while the induction suppression state was generated, the induction operation on the counting hopper 32 was executed after the induction suppression state was completed, but the induction suppression state was completed. If this is the case, the guidance operation on the counting hopper 32 may be executed regardless of whether or not the medal has been inserted during the induction suppression state.

Specifically, the lending device 2 shall execute the processes of steps S12 to S15 excluding step S11 in the counting process of FIG. 6, and when it is determined that the induction suppression state has ended (S12: NO), the induction. Regardless of whether or not a medal has been inserted into the insertion unit 30 during the suppression state, the induction operation in the counting hopper 32 is executed by driving the drive motor 32b (S13). According to this configuration, when the guidance suppression state ends, the lending device 2 executes the guidance operation on the counting hopper 32 regardless of whether or not a medal has been inserted into the insertion unit 30 during the guidance suppression state. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of medals that cannot be counted.

In the drawing, 1 is a game machine, 2 is a rental device (game device), 20 is a control unit (guidance means, payout means, issuing means), 24a is a card RW (issuing means), and 24b is a drive motor (issuing means). , 30 is an input unit, 31 is a payout hopper (payout means), 32a is a counting sensor (counting unit), 32b is a drive motor (induction means), 32c is a storage unit, and 32f is a rotating disk (induction means).

Claims (4)

The input section where the counter inputs the game medium, and
A storage unit for storing the game medium charged in the charging unit, and a storage unit.
A counting unit that counts game media,
If a predetermined induction suppression state has not occurred when the game medium is charged into the charging unit, the induction operation of guiding the game medium of the storage unit to the counting unit is executed, while the induction suppression state is generated. If it has occurred, it is provided with a guidance means that waits for the execution of the guidance operation until the guidance suppression state ends .
The guiding means is a gaming device, characterized in that, when the guidance suppressing state is terminated, the guiding operation is executed regardless of whether or not the game medium is charged into the charging unit during the guidance suppressing state. .. The input section where the counter inputs the game medium, and
A storage unit for storing the game medium charged in the charging unit, and a storage unit.
A counting unit that counts game media,
If a predetermined induction suppression state has not occurred when the game medium is charged into the charging unit, the induction operation of guiding the game medium of the storage unit to the counting unit is executed, while the induction suppression state is generated. If it has occurred, the guidance means that waits for the execution of the guidance operation until the guidance suppression state ends, and
It is provided with an issuing means for issuing a recording medium in which information that can identify the counting result of the counting unit is recorded when the player performs an issuing operation .
The guidance means determines that the guidance suppression state has occurred when the recording medium is being issued, and assumes that the guidance suppression state has ended when the issuance of the recording medium is completed. Perform a guidance action,
When the game medium is inserted into the input unit during the issuance of the recording medium, the issuing means cancels the issuance of the recording medium at a timing when the issuance of the recording medium can be stopped. Yu Technical equipment it said. The input section where the counter inputs the game medium, and
A storage unit for storing the game medium charged in the charging unit, and a storage unit.
A counting unit that counts game media,
If a predetermined induction suppression state has not occurred when the game medium is charged into the charging unit, the induction operation of guiding the game medium of the storage unit to the counting unit is executed, while the induction suppression state is generated. If it has occurred, the guidance means that waits for the execution of the guidance operation until the guidance suppression state ends, and
It is provided with an issuing means for issuing a recording medium in which information that can identify the counting result of the counting unit is recorded when the player performs an issuing operation .
When the player performs the issuing operation, the guiding means executes the guiding operation before the issuing means issues the recording medium.
When the game medium is inserted into the input unit during the issuance of the recording medium, the issuing means cancels the issuance of the recording medium at a timing when the issuance of the recording medium can be stopped. Yu Technical equipment it said. A payout means for paying out the game medium to the player when the player performs a payout operation is provided.
The guidance means determines that the guidance suppression state has occurred when the payout means pays out the game medium, and assumes that the guidance suppression state has ended when the payout of the game medium is completed. The gaming device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the guidance operation is executed.

Images