JPH07236768A - Mah-jongg table - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a mah-jongg table in which a touch panel is provided on the display at the center of the mah-jongg table, the necessary information of the game is displayed on the display, and inf ormation can be input with a touch panel. CONSTITUTION:At the center of top of the mah-jongg table, a display 24 is provided, around which a hopper 25 is provided to insert mah-jongg pieces into an automatic setting mechanism, near the hopper 25 a lift mechanism is provided to arrange the set mah-jongg pieces for the game. The display 24 is, for example, a cathode ray tube(CRT) display which is controlled by the microcomputer controlling whole the automatic mah-jongg table and which displays various information required to proceed a mah-jongg game. A clear and conductive touch panel is provided on the CRT display, and various information are input to the microcomputer through the touch panel. This allows a mah-jongg game to proceed correctly and smoothly.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a mahjong table used in mahjong.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Mahjong, which uses a variety of games and beautiful tiles as game tools, is preferred by many people as an indoor game.

There is a setting of Mahjong tiles as an operation that needs to be performed in Mahjong even though it is not a game itself. However, since this setting is relatively troublesome, an automatic Mahjong table for automatically setting Mahjong tiles has become popular recently. is doing. This automatic mahjong table has a mechanism for automatically setting mahjong tiles as well as an operation part including a dice mechanism at the center of the top of the mahjong table.

Further, the weight of the score bar, which is different for each type, is detected by a weight measuring device attached to the box for storing the score bar, the score is calculated from the weight, and the score of the game participant is automatically calculated. The inventors of the present invention have provided an invention of a mahjong score counting system that is displayed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-253.

FIG. 1 shows the entire structure of the upper surface of the mahjong table and the operation part which employ the mahjong tile automatic setting mechanism and the mahjong score counting system, and FIG. 1A shows the automatic score counting mahjong. A plan view showing the upper surface of the table, and FIG. 7B is an enlarged view of the operation unit. In these figures, 1 is a mahjong table main body having a built-in mahjong tile automatic setting mechanism, and 2 is a frame body mounted on the mahjong table main body. Mahjong console body 1
A side bar box 3 for accommodating and counting points is provided on the side of, and a slope display 4 formed on the mahjong table body 1 is provided with a point display section 5 for displaying the counted points. There is.

An operation section 6 is formed in the center of the upper surface of the mahjong table main body, and a hopper 7 for inserting the mahjong tiles into the mahjong tile automatic setting mechanism is formed around it, and the set mahjong tiles are provided near the hopper 7 for games. A lift mechanism (which is hidden below the set mahjong tiles 8 in the figure) is provided for setting.

An enlarged view of the operation unit 6 of this automatic score counting mahjong table is shown in FIG. In this figure, 9 is a dice mechanism part, inside which two dice 10 and 11 are housed. By operating the switch 12 of the operation unit, the dice mechanism unit operates, the stored dice rotate, and the number of dice is determined. 13 is a switch for operating the mahjong tile automatic setting mechanism.
When is operated once, the hopper 7 is opened and the mahjong tiles for which the game has ended can be inserted. When the button switch 13 is operated again after the insertion of the mahjong tiles is completed, the mahjong tiles arranged for the game are set by the lift mechanism. It Reference numeral 14 is a reach operation unit that produces a reach sound by placing a reach rod here.

The mahjong game itself can be performed by using only mahjong tiles, but as other factors that influence the result of the game, what is the place breeze, who is the first parent (original), and what is the current parent? There may be some prizes to be paid when no one or parent is replaced, and who is reaching. These items are displayed using a dot bar and a display board. Also, because the highest scorer can get prize points,
It is important to know the score of each game participant when participating in the game, and in the Mahjong table shown in FIG. 1, the points stored in the box 3 provided on the side of the Mahjong table body. The number of bars is counted, and the result is a score display unit 5 provided on the inclined surface 4.
The score display section 5 is provided at four locations because it is necessary for all game participants.

Mahjong is a game with many variations, but in other words, the rules are complicated,
It can be difficult for beginners to fully understand the rules. Not only that, even for those who are familiar with the game, there are many so-called local rules such as concrete arrangements for rising roles, arrangements for Dora, arrangements for ending games, etc.
Among the game participants about these local rules,
If you do not confirm the details before starting the game, there may be differences in views during the game, which may kill the entertainment of the game. Even if the local rules are confirmed, the confirmed contents must be remembered by the game participants.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in response to such a situation, and in the present application, there is provided a display device capable of displaying various kinds of displays necessary for playing a game and used for confirmation work of rules. Provide a mahjong table equipped.

The mahjong table according to the present invention comprises a display device and a switch mechanism at the center of the upper surface of the mahjong table. Various information is displayed on the display device and various information is input by the switch mechanism.

That is, an appropriate display device such as a CRT or LCD is provided at the center of the upper surface of the mahjong table, and these display devices display rules, dice, information necessary for the game progress, and the number of points according to the situation. To be done. Further, information is input by a switch mechanism including a touch panel provided on the display device or a switch provided around the display device.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In all of the embodiments described here, the present invention is applied to a mahjong table having a mahjong tile automatic setting mechanism which has been widely used conventionally. FIG. 2 shows the entire structure of the upper surface of the mahjong table to which the present invention is applied and the configuration of the operating portion. FIG. 2 (a) is a plan view showing the upper surface of the mahjong table, and FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the operation unit.

In the Japanese Patent Application No. 5-152213, the present applicants have four sets of reading sensors on a mahjong table, and each sensor has 20 sensor blocks for reading the identification information stored in the mahjong tile. Mahjongg is configured by arranging them side by side, calculating the softening score based on the identification information of the hand-held tile read by each sensor block and the information input from the input switch, and displaying the calculation result on the display. A patent application has been filed for an invention of a mahjong table, a mahjong tile used therefor, and a method for reading a mahjong tile, which enables a quick and easy game play without the burden of calculating a softening score when performing. Therefore, the mahjong table of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 will be explained by applying the mahjong tile reading method to the mahjong table shown in FIG.

In this figure, 21 is a mahjong table body, 22
Is a frame attached to the mahjong table itself. On the side of the mahjong table body 21, there is provided a point bar box 23 for accommodating and counting point bars. Display device 24 in the center of the top of the mahjong table
A hopper 25 for loading Mahjong tiles into the Mahjong tile automatic setting mechanism is formed around it, and a lift mechanism for setting the set Mahjong tiles for the game (set in the figure is set near the hopper. Mahjong tile 2
6 is hidden below).

A display example of the display device 24 of the automatic mahjong table is shown in (b). The display device 24 is configured by using a cathode ray tube (CRT) display device, and is controlled by a microcomputer that controls the entire automatic mahjong table, and displays various information necessary for advancing a mahjong game. CR
A transparent / conductive touch panel is attached to the T display screen, and various information is input to the microcomputer by touching a required portion of the touch panel.

An example of the display screen shown in FIG. 1B is shown in FIG.
It is a screen to start the game using the dice corresponding to, the parent of the game is displayed, two dice 27, 28 are displayed in the center and the dice are operated. The dice switch display 30 labeled “Dice” is displayed next to the “parent” display 29. At the start of the game, when the "parent" touches the dice switch display 30 labeled "Dice", the microcomputer operates the electronic dice program to display the dice display 2
Eyes 7, 28 change.

In addition to the display screen shown here, the following screens are displayed. Standby screen This is a screen when the Mahjong console is not used, and a display such as "start" for inputting to start using is displayed at the position of the corresponding touch panel switch. Since no information other than the "start" switch position is displayed on this screen, a price list, contact information, or advertisement may be displayed. Seat selection screen When the "Start" switch is operated, the dice, the back of the wind tile, etc. are displayed to determine the seat, and the seat is determined by the normal procedure by operating the "Dice" switch. Rule decision screen When the seat is decided, the rule of the mahjong game is displayed, and the rule is decided by operating the corresponding touch panel switch. Game start screen Dice is displayed when the rule is decided and "Dice"
By operating the switch, the start-up is determined by a normal procedure, and when the start-up is determined, the screen shown in (b) is displayed and the game is started. Game information screen When the game starts, the factors that affect the outcome of the game, the wind, who is the current parent, the amount of the prize, the stacking bar, the status of the reach, and the points of all the game participants are displayed. In addition, the position of the touch panel switch for "reach", "relaxation", and "flow" is displayed. When the reach is performed, the reach is performed and the reach bar is displayed by operating the touch panel switch for the “reach”. "Sweet" screen When a person who becomes "soft" operates the touch panel switch for "softness" and puts the tiles on the automatic score calculation device, the automatic score calculation device calculates the score and In the case of "", the points will be automatically moved from three game participants, and in the case of "transfer", the points will be automatically moved, and the results including negative points will be displayed. It "Flow" screen If there is no one who has become "soft", operating the touch screen switch for "flow" will execute a penalty, increase the prize, and perform other processing. When the "softening" or "flowing" processing ends, the screen shown in (b) appears, and the next game starts. End screen When it is necessary to end the game, such as when the game is completely finished, or when some of the game participants run out of points, the computer ends the game according to the rules, and finally Allocate various points.

The input switch in the above-described embodiment is constituted by a touch panel switch provided on the display screen, but this touch panel switch is expensive and the display screen is difficult to see due to stains on the finger of the operator. Or it may become incomplete. Therefore, other suitable switch means can be adopted as the input switch instead of the touch panel switch, and in that case, the switch is arranged around the display screen.
The embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

In this figure, 31 is a mahjong table body, 32
Is a frame attached to the mahjong table itself. On the side of the mahjong table body 31, there is provided a dot bar box 33 for accommodating and counting dot bars. Display device 34 in the center of the top of the mahjong console
A hopper 35 for inserting Mahjong tiles into the Mahjong tile automatic setting mechanism is formed around it, and a lift mechanism for setting the set Mahjong tiles for games (set in the figure is set near the hopper. Mahjong tile 3
6 is hidden below).

An enlarged view of the display device 34 of this automatic mahjong table is shown in FIG. The display device 34 is configured by using a CRT display tube 37, and a switch for performing various operations and a switch for inputting information to a microcomputer are arranged around the display device 34. The operation switches are a dice operation switch 38 and a hopper operation switch 39, and the input switches are a plurality of switches 40. CR
These switches 38, 3 according to the display on the T screen
By operating 9, 40, various operations are performed and information is input. As the switch, various touch-type switches can be used in addition to general mechanical switches.

An example of a display screen of the display device 34, whose enlarged view is shown in (b), is a screen for starting a game using the dice corresponding to FIG. 1 (b), and who is the parent in the game. The parent indicator 43 is displayed, and two dice 41 and 42 are displayed in the center. The other display screens are the same as those having the touch panel switch shown in FIG. 2, and therefore the description thereof is omitted here.

Further, although the CRT is used as the display device in the above-described embodiments, a suitable display device other than the CRT such as a liquid crystal (LCD) panel, a light emitting diode (LED) panel, a fluorescent display tube is used as the display device. Panel, electroluminescence (EL) panel, plasma emission (PLD)
Etc. can be used.

The mahjong table of the embodiment described above is a mahjong table having an automatic score counting device and an automatic tile reading device. However, applying the present invention to a mahjong table that does not have both or one or other of these devices can be performed by using the "soft" screen and the end of the display contents of the screen shown in FIG. 2 or 3. It is of course possible to modify the display content of the screen, and since the content should be appropriately performed in the design of the device, the repetitive description here will be omitted.

[0025]

[Effect] The mahjong table according to the present invention comprises a display device and a switch mechanism at the center of the upper surface of the mahjong table. The display device displays various information necessary for the game progress and the switch mechanism enables the game progress. Enter various information. With such a configuration, the progress of the mahjong game becomes more reliable and smooth, which makes the mahjong game more interesting, and it is possible to check the local rules that tend to be an obstacle especially for beginners, which often occurs. It is possible to reduce the occurrence of fouls (chonbo) that will kill the excitement of the game. Moreover, since the various displays are displayed on the screen located in the center of the mahjong table, the construction of the mahjong table is simplified.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an upper surface of a conventional automatic mahjong table and an enlarged view of an operation unit.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an upper surface of the automatic mahjong table of the first embodiment to which the present invention is applied and an enlarged view of an operation unit.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an upper surface of an automatic mahjong table according to a second embodiment of the present invention and an enlarged view of an operation unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1,21,31 Mahjong table main body 2,22,32 frame body 3,23,33 point bar box 4 inclined surface 5 point display section 6 operating section 7,25,35 hopper 8,26,36 mahjong tile 9 dice mechanism section 10, 11 Dice 12, 13 switch 14 Reach operating part 24, 34 Display device 27, 28, 41, 42 Dice display 29, 43 Parent display 30 Dice switch display 37 CRT display tube 38 Dice operation switch 39 Hopper operation switch 40 Input switch

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A display device is provided at the center of the upper surface of a mahjong table, and a touch panel switch is provided on the display device. The display device displays various information necessary for game progress and the display device Mahjong console where various information necessary for game progress is input by the touch panel switch provided above. 2. A mahjong table is provided with a display device at the center of the upper surface thereof, and a switch is provided around the display device. The display device displays various information necessary for game progress and the periphery of the display device. Mahjong table where various information necessary for the game progress is input by the switch provided in. 3. The mahjong table according to claim 1, wherein the display device is a cathode ray tube display device. 4. The display device is a liquid crystal display device.
Or the Mahjong table described in 2. 5. The mahjong table according to claim 1, wherein the display device is a light emitting diode display device. 6. A mahjong table according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the display device is a plasma display device.