JP7178031B1 - gaming system - Google Patents

Abstract

The object of the present invention is to enable replaying of stored balls without giving a disadvantageous feeling to both the player and the operator of the game parlor. SOLUTION: An inter-machine processing machine 17 for lending game balls to a game machine 16 permits, for example, only normal games using a predetermined amount of cash (charge balance) prior to replaying the stored balls, and the predetermined amount of cash is allowed. Allows replay of stored balls when use is confirmed. Therefore, cash is secured on the side of the amusement arcade operator who manages the stored balls. Since no commission is paid, the player is not disadvantaged. [Selection drawing] Fig. 2

Description

The present invention relates to a game system operated in a game arcade having game machines such as pachinko and pachislot machines. In particular, the present invention relates to a technology that enables replay of stored balls considering not only the benefits of players (hereafter referred to as "fans") but also the benefits of game arcade operators.

In recent years, replaying accumulated balls has become popular. Replay of stored balls refers to game media (including medals) such as game balls lent out when a fan who has registered as a member of a game hall starts a game or game balls acquired by playing a game. ) are stored in the gaming system installed at the game hall (the accumulated balls are called "stored balls"), and when the fans visit the game hall again, they can use their own stored balls to play the games on the gaming machine. It refers to the form of service that is allowed to be used.

While the practice of replaying accumulated balls has become widespread, it is necessary for pachinko parlors to properly manage the accumulated balls of each fan, not only at the amusement facilities but also at third-party management institutions. becomes too high to ignore. In addition, there is a problem of putting pressure on the operation of the game hall because cash does not enter the game hall while the fan is using the accumulated ball replay.
Therefore, conventionally, various techniques have been proposed for reducing the burden of replaying accumulated balls in amusement arcades.

For example, in Patent Document 1, a fan pays a deposit for accumulated balls, and each time the user performs an operation to replay the accumulated balls, the usage fee is reduced (collected) from the deposit, and if the deposit is less than the usage fee, a game is played. A game system that limits the payout of balls is disclosed. Patent document 2 discloses a game saving game that automatically collects a management fee according to the number of accumulated balls, the deposit period of the accumulated balls, etc., in the daily processing of the hall, the regular processing of the monthly processing, and the processing when a fan comes to the store. A media management device is disclosed. Patent Literature 3 discloses a device that deducts a number corresponding to the replay fee from the obtained balls when a fan exchanges the obtained balls obtained by replaying accumulated balls for prizes. Patent Literature 4 discloses a ball management device that sets the number of no-fee balls and executes processing by withdrawing a fee from a ball account for accumulated balls replayed after exceeding the number of no-fee balls.

JP 2018-187230 A JP 2014-131534 A JP 2012-148024 A JP 2011-217846 A

The techniques exemplified in Patent Literatures 1 to 4 require the fan to pay a fee in some form in order to replay the accumulated balls. As a result, the game parlor operator benefits from a reduction in ball management costs. However, it is expected that some fans who will be deducted the fee will feel disadvantageous, and in that case, the motivation to continue using the accumulated ball replay will decrease, and there is a risk that it will not be possible to promote the use of the accumulated balls themselves.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a gaming system that enables replaying of accumulated balls that benefits both the fan and the gaming facility operator.

A game system according to one aspect of the present invention includes recording means for recording the number of stored game media corresponding to identification information of a player medium, and a game system for lending game media to a game machine installed corresponding to the game machine. A medium lending unit and detection means for detecting the player's medium, wherein the game medium lending unit includes first input means for receiving an input of value different from the game medium, and the recording means. a second input means for accepting the input number of the stored game media recorded in the second input means; and a control means for restricting acceptance by the second input means until the value used in the above exceeds a predetermined value.

According to the present invention, since the charge burden is avoided only by playing the normal game using the valuable value prior to the game using the accumulated ball replay, the fan does not feel disadvantageous, so the game hall operator side. will also benefit

1 is an overall configuration diagram of a gaming system and related systems; FIG. Explanatory drawing of an inter-stand processing machine. Explanatory drawing of a game management apparatus. Explanatory drawing of game hall member DB. Explanatory drawing of savings account DB. The block diagram of a fan terminal. Procedure explanatory drawing of settlement processing.

[First embodiment]
An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a game arcade management system will be described below.
<Overall composition>
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a game management system 1 of the first embodiment. This game management system 1 is an information processing system that enables normal games by fans who are not registered as members of the game arcade and special games including replay of accumulated balls by fans who are registered as members of the arcade. , a management terminal 20, a fan terminal 30, a membership card 40, and a general card 50. FIG.

The game system 10 monitors the operation of the electronic devices in the entire game hall and controls the operation of these electronic devices in an integrated manner. In a game arcade where the game system 10 is installed, a repeater 15 is provided for each area called an "island". The repeater 15 is an electronic device that serves as an interface between the gaming machine 16 and the inter-machine processing machine 17 in the area and the gaming system 10 . The inter-machine processing machine 17 is an electronic device called a game medium lending unit arranged side by side on one game machine 16 . 1st Embodiment demonstrates the example in case the game stand 16 is a pachinko game machine. That is, it is assumed that the game medium is the game ball. For the sake of convenience, game balls may be referred to as rented balls, acquired balls, or held balls. In addition, the accumulated game medium is sometimes called accumulated balls, and the game using accumulated balls is sometimes called accumulated ball replay.

The management terminal 20 is an information processing terminal (synonymous with device or system) that is installed in a third-party management organization that is independent from the game hall operator and that is connected to the gaming system 10 via the communication network N. The management terminal 20 records information on accumulated balls of all members received from the gaming system 10 in a large-capacity storage, and makes the information on accumulated balls available for viewing upon request from the gaming system 10 or the fan terminal 30 . The stored ball information recorded in the management terminal 20 is the same as the stored ball information managed (recorded, updated, deleted, etc.) in the gaming system 10 . The management terminal 20 transmits to the gaming system 10 various condition information for enabling the replay of accumulated balls, if necessary.

The fan terminal 30 is an information terminal such as a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or a personal computer that can be operated by the fan, and is a medium for players capable of communicating with the gaming system 10 and the management terminal 20 via the communication network N. An example. A financial institution system and a credit card system (not shown) are also connected to the communication network N.

The member card 40 and the general card 50 are examples of a player's medium loaded with an IC chip, each having a prepaid area in which electronic money can be recorded and a ball area in which the number of balls held can be recorded. In the prepaid area, electronic money equivalent to cash, for example, electronic money with prepaid value is recorded. Cash and electronic money are examples of financial value. In the first embodiment, a financial value that indicates a significant value that can be exchanged for another value is called a valuable value. Also, increasing the prepaid value in the prepaid area is called "charging". The prepaid value decreases each time a game ball is borrowed. Decreasing the prepaid value is called "consumption" or "consumption", and the residual value of the prepaid value is called "charge balance".
The ball holding area is a recording area corresponding to a "dollar box" that was used before the systemization of the electronic equipment provided in the game arcade. The number of possessed balls recorded in the possessed ball area can be used in place of the ball rental without reducing the charge balance. The number of balls held can also be used for prize exchange.

The membership card 40 is a card issued when a fan registers a member (also called a game hall member or a ball member) in the gaming system 10. In addition to the prepaid area and ball holding area, the member area is provided. In the member area, a card ID, a member ID, a game hall ID for identifying a registered game hall, and a restriction release flag for replaying accumulated balls, which will be described later, are associated and recorded.
The general card 50 is an unnamed card that, in principle, allows the game to be played only on that day without membership registration (or even with membership registration). The member card 40 can be used repeatedly even if the number of balls held and the remaining amount of charge become zero, but the general card 50 is collected by the inter-machine processing machine 17 when the number of balls held and the remaining amount of charge become zero.

The game system 10 will be explained in detail. The gaming system 10 includes a card management device 11, a member management device 12, a game management device 13, a communication management device 14, and a card R/W (reader/writer) 111 as main electronic devices. These electronic devices are interconnected through a LAN (Local Area Network) installed in the game arcade.

The card management device 11 writes and reads information to and from the membership card 40 attached to the card R/W 111 . That is, the card management device 11 records the card ID, the member ID, and the game parlor ID in the member area of the member card 40 at the time of issuance. The card management device 11 also reads the recorded information of the membership area, prepaid area, and possession area of the membership card 40 through the card R/W 111 .

The member management device 12 cooperates with the card management device 11 to collect the member's personal information, authority information such as a password set by the member, contract information between the game hall operator and the third party management organization, It manages (records, updates, deletes, reads, etc. to accessible storage) the privilege information of members that can be provided.

The game management device 13 monitors the operation status of the game machines 16 and the inter-machine processor 17, and performs various controls based on the monitoring results. For example, the game management device 13 controls the operation of the inter-machine processing machine 17 to enable a member who is playing a game using the membership card 40 to check the accumulated balls and replay the accumulated balls.

The communication management device 14 enables communication between the management terminal 20, the fan terminal 30, and external information sites connected to the communication network N, such as a financial institution system and a credit card providing system. A financial institution system and a credit card providing system access based on predetermined authority information when acquiring valuable value instead of cash in response to a request from a fan or a member.

The inter-machine processing machine 17 will be described. FIG. 2 is a structural explanatory diagram of the inter-stand processor 17. As shown in FIG. The inter-machine processing machine 17 includes a status display section 171 , a bill insertion slot 172 , a display operation section 173 , a card insertion slot 174 , a code reading sensor 175 , a nozzle unit 176 , a counting unit 177 and a control unit 178 . The control unit 178 is a type of computer having a storage for holding various data and having a ball rental control program installed. , the operation of the inter-machine processing machine 17 is generally controlled.

The state display section 171 displays the operating state of the inter-machine processing machine 17 . During normal operation, the light is green, for example, and if some trouble occurs, it is automatically or manually changed to red, and if the trouble continues for a certain period of time, it changes to flashing red. The banknote insertion slot 172 is a hole for receiving banknotes inserted by the fan. The control unit 178 recognizes the financial value of the inserted bill and records the recognized financial value in the storage as the balance of the charge.

The display operation unit 173 is a user interface with the fan, and includes a numeric keypad 173a and a display unit 173b. The numeric keypad 173a is used for ball supply within the range of the number of balls, member authentication, ball supply by replaying accumulated balls and other function selections, withdrawal from the card and other instruction inputs. The display unit 173b displays the charge balance, the number of balls, and the like recorded in the storage. A membership card 40 or a general card 50 is inserted into the card insertion slot 174, and the membership card 40 or general card 50 is ejected upon input of an instruction to remove the card. At that time, the charge balance and the number of balls held are recorded in the member card 40 or the general card 50.例文帳に追加The code reading sensor 175 reads the image code 301 displayed on the display of the fan terminal 30 and transmits the result to the control unit 178 . The result of reading by the image code 301 is, for example, that the fan currently operating the game table 16 and the inter-machine processing machine 17 next to it is a member, that the confirmation of the total number of accumulated balls is requested, and that the accumulated accumulated balls are renewed. This is information indicating that a play is requested, an input of cash equivalent from a financial institution system or a credit card providing system, and the like.

Under the control of the control unit 178, the nozzle unit 176 supplies game balls (rental balls, balls held) from a game ball circulation mechanism (not shown) provided behind the game table 16 to the upper tray of the game table 16. do. The counting unit 177 counts the game balls (balls in possession) discharged from the lower tray of the gaming machine 16 to the game ball circulation mechanism by manual operation, and records the counting result in the storage of the control unit 178 as the number of balls in the game. The number of balls held is sequentially displayed on the display section 173 b of the display operation section 173 .

The game management device 13 will be described with reference to FIG. The game management device 13 is a computer to which peripheral devices such as a display, printer, keyboard, and storage device are connected. By executing the game management program, the game management device 13 has a data input unit 101, a personal authentication unit 102, a game medium management unit 103, a game hall member management unit 106, a data transmission/reception unit 107, a data output unit 108, and It implements the functions of the control unit 100 . Also, a game parlor member database (hereinafter, the database is abbreviated as “DB”) 104 and a ball account DB 105 are constructed in a storage (not shown).

The data input unit 101 receives various data input from, for example, a plurality of inter-machine processors 17 connected via a repeater 15 . The various types of data to be accepted include, for example, recorded information on the membership card 40 read by the inter-machine processing machine 17, condition satisfaction information for replaying accumulated balls created by the inter-machine processing machine 17, instructions on the number of accumulated balls to be used for replaying accumulated balls, and the like. be.

The individual authentication unit 102 performs individual authentication of the member when the fan who has started playing or who is playing the game is requested to be authenticated as a member, and returns the authentication result to the requester. Personal authentication is performed by collating the member ID and authority information input through the data input unit 101 with the personal information stored in the game hall member DB 104 at the time of registration.

The game medium management unit 103 performs monitoring of the operation status of the game ball circulation mechanism, monitoring of the operation status of the inter-machine processing machine 17, increase/decrease processing of the total number of stored balls of the member, processing of responding to requests for viewing the total number of stored balls, and the like.

The game hall member DB 104 stores personal information of members managed by the member management device 12 on a file basis. The ball account DB 105 stores a ball account for each member, and increases or decreases the total number of accumulated balls in the ball account. The accumulated ball account may be associated with a limit flag for limiting the use of accumulated balls for replaying the accumulated balls and a limit removal flag for canceling the limitation. The restriction flag is, for example, a numerical value of "1", and the restriction release flag is, for example, a numerical value of "0", but these numerical values may be reversed. Moreover, since it is sufficient if both can be distinguished, letters or symbols other than numerical values may be used.

The game parlor member management unit 106 manages information about members. That is, a member ID is assigned when a fan is registered as a member, and a record area for each member ID is created in the game parlor member DB 104 . Also, when a fan registers as a member, a ball account dedicated to the member is opened, and this ball account is associated with the member ID and registered in the ball account DB 105 . Furthermore, the member management device 12, the game hall member DB 104, and the accumulated ball account DB 105 exchange information on members.

The data transmission/reception unit 107 functions as one of communication means that enables communication with the management terminal 20 . The data output unit 108 displays various data on the inter-machine processor 173 and the like via the repeater 15 .

The control unit 100 comprehensively controls various operations of the game management device 13 . In addition, in cooperation with the control unit 178 of the inter-machine processing machine 17 connected via the repeater 15, the use of the accumulated balls is controlled when the member replays the accumulated balls. For example, the control unit 100 provides the control unit 178 of each inter-machine processing machine 17 with information and instructions for autonomously performing control relating to the characteristic ball replay, and receives the result thereof, Take control that responds to the results received. One aspect of the control regarding the use of accumulated balls is to limit or cancel acceptance of replay of accumulated balls performed by inserting the membership card 40 into the card insertion slot 174 of the inter-machine processing machine 17 based on a predetermined condition. is. Predetermined conditions will be described later in detail. The replay of accumulated balls is made possible by inserting the member card 40 into the card slot 174 and inputting the number of accumulated balls to be used for the game using the numeric keypad 173a.

The game parlor member DB 104 and the ball account DB 105 will be explained. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the game parlor member DB 104. As shown in FIG. In the gaming hall member DB 104, records such as personal information of fans who have become members, authority information (such as passwords) used for personal authentication, and game histories are recorded in association with member IDs. The recorded contents of the game parlor member DB 104 are updated as appropriate.

In the ball account DB 105, the member's ball account is registered in association with the member ID. FIG. 5 is an illustration of the ball account of each member distinguished by member ID#A to member ID#H. The stored ball data A is the total number of stored balls of the member with the member ID#A. The same applies to other members. The number of accumulated balls on the day is also recorded in each member's accumulated ball account. +1000 indicates that 1000 balls have increased. -10000 indicates that 10000 of the accumulated balls have been reduced for replay. 0 indicates that there is no change in the accumulated ball data for the day.

The fan terminal 30 will be explained. FIG. 6 is a functional configuration diagram of the fan terminal 30. As shown in FIG. The fan terminal 30 executes a stored ball member program installed in the built-in storage to provide the member with various services related to the handling of his/her own stored balls. In the first embodiment, the fan terminal 30 operates as a data transmission/reception section 31, a data input section 32, a data output section 33, and a control section .

The data transmission/reception unit 31 accesses the game management device 13 and performs two-way communication. The data input unit 32 is an input interface such as key buttons and a touch panel. The data output unit 33 is an output interface such as a display or sound output device. The display presents various data, messages, etc. to the member in a visible form, and the sound output device presents the message to the member in synthesized voice.

The control unit 34 comprehensively controls the operation of the fan terminal 30 . The control unit 34 also creates various types of information to be transmitted to the gaming system 10 or the management terminal 20, and performs processing according to the information received from the gaming system 10 or the management terminal 20 to the relevant functional block (for example, the data output unit 33 ) to run. The information transmitted to the gaming system 10 is, for example, an inquiry about the player's own ball account, a request to freeze the relevant ball account, etc. One of the processes according to the received information is the display of the image code 301 described above.

<Example of operation mode>
Next, a description will be given of an operation mode example when a member replays the accumulated balls. Replay of accumulated balls can be performed only by a member whose membership card 40 is inserted into the inter-machine processing machine 17 and whose accumulated balls exist in the accumulated ball account. FIG. 7 is a procedure explanatory diagram of processing performed by the inter-machine processing machine 17 under the control of the game management device 13. As shown in FIG.

Referring to FIG. 7, when inter-machine processing machine 17 detects that member card 40 has been inserted into card insertion slot 174 (S101), request to replay stored balls through numeric keypad 173a (S102) or card Wait for a takeout instruction (S102: N, S109).

When the member inputs a stored ball replay request (S102: Y), the inter-machine processing machine 17 determines the stored ball replay condition (S103). The accumulated ball replay condition is, for example, that a normal game is played using a predetermined amount of cash (charge balance) while the membership card 40 is detected. When the accumulated ball replay condition is satisfied, a restriction release flag is written in the member area of the member card 40.例文帳に追加

This restriction release flag is effective even if the member moves to another inter-machine processing machine 17, but is deleted when the flag deletion condition described later is met. The predetermined amount of money is transmitted, for example, from the game management device 13 to the inter-machine processing machine 17 and recorded in the storage of the control unit 178 . In the first embodiment, it is assumed that the predetermined amount is 999 yen.

The inter-machine processor 107 determines whether or not the restriction release flag is recorded in the member area of the member card 40 (S104). When the restriction release flag is not recorded (S104: N), the inter-machine processing machine 107 waits for cash input for supplying rental balls to the gaming machine 16 (S105: N). The member inserts a 1,000-yen bill, a 5,000-yen bill, or a 10,000-yen bill into the bill insertion slot 172 of the inter-machine processing machine 107 .

When the inter-machine processing machine 17 detects that cash has been inserted (S105: Y), it charges the prepaid area of the membership card 40 with electronic money equivalent to the inserted cash. The inter-machine processor 107 temporarily stores the consumption amount from the charge balance in the storage of the control unit 178 until the member card 40 is ejected, and determines whether or not the consumption amount exceeds a predetermined amount. (S106). If not, the process of S106 is repeated (S106: N).

When the consumption amount exceeds the predetermined amount (S106: Y), the inter-machine processing machine 107 writes the restriction release flag to the member area of the member card 40 together with the date and time information (S107). In addition, the display unit 173b is caused to display a restriction release notification (S108). If there is no card removal instruction (S109: N), the inter-machine processing machine 107 returns to S102 and validates the stored ball replay request, that is, the input of the number of stored balls for replay. Since the restriction release flag is written in the membership area of the membership card 40, the inter-machine processing machine 107 next determines whether or not the flag deletion condition is satisfied (S103, S104: Y, S110).

The flag clearing condition is a condition for clearing the restriction release flag. In 1st Embodiment, it can be set as the following contents, for example. This condition is recorded in the storage of control unit 178 . The cumulative number of used balls can be checked by appropriately reading from the saved ball account.
・The date on which the restriction cancellation flag was written is not the day of the game ・The accumulated number of used balls is equal to or greater than the limit on the day of the game. , the restriction cancellation flag is erased from the membership area of the membership card 40 (S111).

If the flag clearing condition is not met (S110: N), the inter-machine processing machine 17 supplies a predetermined number of accumulated balls from the nozzle unit 175 to the upper tray of the game table 16 (S112). In addition, the game management device 13 is notified of the number of stored balls supplied via the repeater 15, and the processes after S102 are repeated. In other words, it waits for the input of a new number of stored balls by the member, and allows replay of stored balls while the limit release flag is written. If the card removal instruction is input (S109: Y), the member card 40 is ejected (S113) and the processing relating to the member card 40 ends.

As described above, in the first embodiment, unless a normal game is played using a predetermined amount of cash (charge balance) while the membership card 40 is detected in some inter-machine processing machine 17, the accumulated balls cannot be restarted. Although play is restricted, the predetermined amount of cash (remaining amount of charge) does not disappear as a fee for ball management, so that the member does not feel disadvantageous. On the other hand, on the side of the game parlor operator, there is an advantage that cash is secured before the replay of the accumulated balls is used. In the operation of amusement arcades, it is extremely advantageous in terms of cash flow and the like that cash is paid first.

[Second embodiment]
In the first embodiment, an example in which the restriction release flag is written in the member area of the membership card 40 has been described. Write to the savings account of
In such an embodiment, the inter-machine processing machine 17 accumulates the consumption amount of cash (remaining amount of charge) prior to using the accumulated ball replay, and when the accumulated amount exceeds a predetermined amount, the relay device 15, and frequently inquire of the game management device 13 whether or not the replay request for stored balls and the condition for clearing the restriction release flag are satisfied. Since it is possible to cope with a slight change in the specifications of the game medium lending unit and the game management device 13 (a slight change in the computer program), even in the case of a game parlor in which a large number of inter-machine processors 17 are installed, a large increase in cost can be avoided. It has the advantage of facilitating implementation of the invention without

[Modification]
In the first and second embodiments, when the member satisfies the conditions for replaying accumulated balls, an example of displaying a restriction cancellation notice on the display unit 173b was explained. Different modes of display may be performed depending on whether the restriction is lifted or when the restriction is lifted. For example, the background color of the display on the display unit 173b may be red when the replay of accumulated balls is restricted, and blue when the restriction is lifted.

In addition, it is also possible to display the shortfall amount with respect to the predetermined amount until the accumulated ball replay condition is satisfied. Thereby, the member can easily visually recognize the amount of money required to release the restriction on replaying the accumulated balls.

In the first and second embodiments, it is assumed that cash (remaining amount of charge) is inserted in order to satisfy the conditions for replaying accumulated balls. Alternatively, electronic money equivalent to cash, which can be acquired using a prepaid card, can be used as the valuable value.

In the first and second embodiments, it is assumed that the gaming machine 16 is a pachinko gaming machine (machine), the stored game media are stored balls, and the game medium lending unit is the processing machine 17 between machines. The machine may be a pass-slot machine. In this case, the ball lending in the above disclosure should be read as tokens for rent, the stored balls as medals for storage, and the balls in possession as tokens in possession.

Claims (8)

a recording means for recording the number of stored game media corresponding to the identification information of the player's medium; a game medium lending unit installed corresponding to the game machine for lending the game medium to the game machine;
detection means for detecting the player medium,
The game medium lending unit
a first input means for receiving an input of a value different from the gaming medium;
a second input means for accepting the input number of the game media recorded in the recording means;
In a state where the medium for player is detected, the reception by the second input means is continued until the valuable value input for lending the game medium and used for lending the game medium exceeds a predetermined value. and a control means for limiting. The valuable value is cash or electronic money equivalent to cash,
The game system according to claim 1. The control means is characterized in that, when the number of loaned game media satisfies a predetermined condition, a flag for releasing the restriction is recorded in at least one of the medium for player and the recording means. ,
3. The gaming system according to claim 1 or 2. The flag is valid until the value received by the first input means exceeds the predetermined value during a predetermined period and the cumulative number of the game media received by the second input means exceeds a predetermined number. characterized by being a conditional flag that
The game system according to claim 3. The control means monitors the recording date of the stored game media in the recording means, and accepts the stored game media recorded on the game day by the second input means regardless of the presence or absence of the flag. characterized by limiting
5. The game system according to claim 3 or 4. The game media lending unit further comprises display means for displaying different modes depending on whether the reception of the second input means is restricted or when the restriction is lifted. 6. The gaming system according to any one of 1 to 5. 7. The game system according to claim 6, wherein said display means displays a missing value of said valuable value with respect to said predetermined value. further having communication means for communicating with a management terminal owned by a third-party management organization;
At least one of the predetermined value, the predetermined number, and the predetermined period is transmitted from the management terminal via the communication means and held in the control means in an unrewritable manner. 4. The gaming system described in 4.

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