JPH0749074B2 - Card type ball lending management device - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a card type ball lending management device for managing a card type ball lending machine that lends pachinko balls with a prepaid type card.

2. Description of the Related Art A card-type ball lending system that lends pachinko balls within the amount paid by a card purchased by paying a predetermined amount, that is, a so-called prepaid card, is already known from Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-143085. This card magnetically records information such as store code, issue date, and ticket issuing number on the card when the card is issued by the ticket issuing means, while registering the ticket issuing number in the computer. The magnetic information was read with a card reader, and first, the ticket issuing number of this card was checked against a number of ticket issuing numbers registered in the computer to determine whether this card is an authorized card registered in the computer. Later, the system is used to check whether or not ball lending is possible.

However, in this case, it is indispensable to register the ticket issuing number as a card identification code in the computer when the prepaid card is issued, and for that purpose, a ticket issuing means linked to the computer must be provided. That is, it was impossible to issue a card without using such a special ticket issuing means.

On the other hand, at the time of ball lending, the magnetic information of the card inserted in the ball lending machine is read by a card reader, and this information is checked with a single computer at any time to determine whether or not ball lending is possible. , The ball lending machine and the single computer must be linked from the confirmation of the card information to the end of the pachinko ball payout by the ball lending machine, and a large number of ball lending machines can be used at the same time If the limit is exceeded, the use of the ball lending machine will be restricted. Furthermore, since the number of pachinko balls paid out with one card insertion is limited, there is no other way than to repeat card insertion many times when trying to pay out a large number of pachinko balls. The number of times a lending machine is used increases, and the burden on a single computer is inevitable.

Further, as a device which does not use a ticket issuing means linked to a computer, for example, there is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-130075, "a player registration system control system for electronically controlled pachinko machines" and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
"Electronic-controlled pachinko game machine" described in No. 59-85685
Is known.

In the one described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 58-130075, a key in which an identification code is stored is prepared in advance, and the key is inserted in the insertion port of an enclosed card pachinko machine in which a player does not lend a ball. When inserted, the identification code of the inserted key is read out, the computer stores this identification code together with the platform number of the pachinko machine in the arithmetic storage unit, and then the player inserts a coin into the coin slot of the card-type pachinko machine. When you input
The computer memorizes the number of actual game balls corresponding to the inserted amount of money in association with the stored identification code, and adds the number of balls corresponding to the launch signal, foul signal, and winning signal of the game ball in the game to the actual game class or Update the actual game ball number by subtracting, and when the player pulls out the key from the pachinko machine, clear the relationship between the identification code and the machine number of the pachinko machine and also the actual game ball number in relation to the identification code. Is to hold.

Also, in the one disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59-85685, a card for designating a specific address in the memory operation unit of the computer is prepared in advance, and the player clearly indicates on the card from the keyboard of the enclosed card pachinko machine. If you enter a number that specifies the specified specific address, the specific address in the storage operation unit becomes memorable, then when the player inserts a coin into the coin slot of the card type pachinko machine, the computer displays
Store the actual number of game balls according to the inserted amount in association with the identification code, and add or subtract the number of balls corresponding to the firing signal, foul signal, and winning signal of the game ball in the game to the actual number of game balls. When the number of game balls is updated and the player operates the movement adjustment switch, the computer stores and holds the current actual number of game balls stored in a specific number in the storage operation unit.

However, with these things, the launch signal of the game ball,
It is necessary to check the ball number information corresponding to the foul signal and the winning signal with a single computer at any time to judge whether or not the game can be continued, and the ball number information is sent from the pachinko machine to the computer. However, if multiple pachinko machines are used at the same time and the processing capacity is exceeded, the use of the pachinko machines will be restricted. In order to manage with a single computer, the size of the computer must be increased, and the efficiency of control processing time must be reduced. Also, what is stored is the number of playable balls, which can only be exchanged for prizes and is different from the unit price of pachinko balls when borrowed.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention An object of the present invention is to improve the processing efficiency of the host computer by reducing the load on the host computer that manages the ball lending of each card, and to manage a large number of ball lending machines. It is to provide a card type ball lending management device that can.

Means for Solving Problems A card type ball lending management device of the present invention is a host computer for managing the ball lending of each prepaid card, reading an identification code for identifying the card stored in the card, and a pachinko ball. Of multiple card-type ball lending machines with a built-in computer that control the lending and the transportation of inserted cards with a computer, and group the plurality of card-type ball lending machines, and monitor the card-type ball lending machines in the group. , When pachinko balls are lent out, each time the balls are lent out, a computer of the plurality of card type ball lending machines and a communication computer provided for each group that relays transmission and reception of information between the host computers are provided. When the card is inserted, the computer of the card type ball lending machine reads the identification code stored in the card and communicates the identification code. The communication computer transmits the received identification code to the host computer. The host computer monitors each communication computer, and when an identification code is sent from the communication computer, the host computer searches the identification code stored in the memory to determine the number of balls that can be lent out and the identification number stored corresponding to the identification code. If the code is not stored and is new, a card-type ball lending machine in which the identification number is stored together with the identification code in the memory, the ball lendable number is newly registered, and the card is inserted through the communication computer Reply to my computer. The computer of the card type ball lending machine that has received the ball lending available number lends balls within the ball lending available number returned from the communication computer, and the ball lending number or the new ball lending available number is sent via the communication computer. The above problem is solved by transmitting the data to the host computer, and the host computer managing the ball lending by storing the available number of new ball lending corresponding to the identification code based on the transmitted information.

When the card is inserted into the card type ball lending machine, the computer of the card type ball lending machine reads the identification code from the inserted card and transmits the identification code to the communication computer. The communication computer monitors the card type ball lending machine in the group, and when receiving the identification code from the computer of the card type ball lending machine, transmits the identification code to the host computer. The host computer monitors each communication computer and, if the received identification code is new, performs new registration, searches for the registered identification code, and determines the number of balls that can be lent to the ball stored corresponding to the identification code. It reads and returns the available ball lending number to the communication computer, and the communication computer receives this and returns the available ball lending number to the computer of the card type ball lending machine. The computer of the card type ball lending machine makes ball lending possible within the returned number of ball lending, lends a ball, and the number of ball lending or the number of new ball lending is transmitted to the host computer via the communication computer. The host computer receives the number of lent balls or the number of lent new balls, and stores the number of lent new balls corresponding to the identification code.

Example One example of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the entire ball lending system. Reference numeral 1 is a ball lending machine that lends a ball by a card. The ball lending machine 1 reads and conveys magnetic data of a card inserted into the ball lending machine 1 and thermal. It is equipped with a card reader / microprocessor for printing (hereinafter referred to as a card reader CPU) and a sand control microprocessor (hereinafter referred to as a sand control CPU) for paying out pachinko balls and displaying the remaining number. Each sand control CPU of a group of a plurality of ball lending machines, each communication microprocessor 2 (hereinafter,
Host computer 3 via the island computer)
It is connected to the. Reference numeral 4 is a maintenance panel equipped with a keyboard input device, a CRT display device and the like used for changing data of the host computer 3 connected to the host computer 3, and reference numeral 5 is a balance according to the remaining number of the card. It is a payment machine that pays back. Then, the card reader CPU in the ball lending machine 1 controls the card transportation,
The data stored in the magnetic storage section of the card is read, and the thermal printer controls the printing of the remaining number of ball lending. The sand control CPU controls the payout of pachinko balls and displays the remaining number. Also, the island computer 2 controls communication between the sand control CPU in each ball lending machine and the host computer, and the host computer 3 performs new registration of cards, management of the remaining number of pachinko balls that can be lent to registered cards, and so on. Communication between the host computer 3 and each island computer 2 and between the island computer 2 and each sand control CPU is performed by the polling / selection method, and the sand control CPU and the card reader CPU are in one-to-one correspondence. Is configured. The control computer of each settlement machine 5 and the host computer are also communicated by the polling / selection method so that the remaining number of cards inserted in the settlement machine can be confirmed. In the present invention, it is not necessary to register the ticket issuing number as the card identification code in the host computer 3 in advance when issuing the card, the ticket issuing machine 6 is installed offline independently of the host computer 3, and the card issuing is
It is a system that can be sold from the ticket issuing machine 6 or by a clerk. Also, in this example,
The amount of pachinko balls paid out is converted based on the frequency.
It is a unit whose frequency is worth 100 yen.

Next, the configuration of the ball lending machine 1 will be briefly described. The ball lending machine described below is a card-type inter-lens ball lending device installed between pachinko game tables, and card-type ball lending devices other than this card-type inter-lens ball lending device are also connected to the island computer 2. Of course, it is done.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 is a card-type inter-lens ball lending device, and this card-type inter-lens ball lending device 1 includes a ball lending device body 7
And the card processing device 8.

As shown in FIG. 3, the card processing device 8 is divided into a processing device main body 8a and a guide portion 8b fitted to the card transportation path A-B-C as a parting line. As shown in FIG. 2, the guide portion 8b and the guide portion 8b are openably and closably coupled by being guided by a pin 10 and a long hole 11 via a hinge portion 9. In FIG. 2, the guide portion 8b shown by the solid line shows the fitting position, and the guide portion 8b 'shown by the imaginary line (two-dot chain line) shows the open position of the guide portion 8b.

As shown in FIG. 3, a large pulley 12, a thermal roller 13, a small pulley 14, a pinch roller 15, and an idler 16 are rotatably supported by the processing device main body 8a. While the round belt 20 is stretched together with the drive pulley 19 driven via the motor pulley 17 and the round belt 18 by the conveyance motor M arranged in the substantially central portion of the processing apparatus main body 8a, the round belt 20 is large. An idler 16 provided in the vicinity of the pulley 12 is brought into contact with the belt loop from the outside so as to give an appropriate tension, and the shape of the belt loop is changed by the idler 16 so that the conveyor motor M is provided at a substantially central portion of the processing apparatus main body 8a. There is a space for installing. The grooves for tensioning the round belt 20 provided on the large pulley 12, the small pulley 14, and the drive pulley 19 are formed shallower than the diameter of the round belt 20.
The round belt 20 is configured to be slightly exposed from the peripheral surface of each pulley when the pulley is stretched. Further, the thermal roller 13 and the pinch roller 15 have no grooves on their peripheral surfaces and are located above or below the path of the stretched round belt 20 (third part).
In the figure, it is offset in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface.
Further, in the vicinity of the conveying path terminal end portion C of the processing apparatus main body 8a,
A small pulley 21 is rotatably and axially supported to drive the pulley.
Another round belt 22 driven by 19 is stretched.
Round belt 22 provided on the drive pulley 19 and the small pulley 21.
The groove for stretching the round belt is also formed to be shallower than the diameter of the round belt 22, and when the round belt 22 is stretched around each pulley, the round belt 22 is slightly exposed from the peripheral surface of each pulley. Is configured.

The symbol SOL disposed near the starting point A of the conveying path is a PULL type solenoid (hereinafter referred to as a gate solenoid SOL), and its actuator 23 has a conveying path A- shown in FIG. 3 when the gate solenoid SOL is not excited. B is closed and the gate solenoid SOL is excited.
It is configured to open B.

Further, P1a, P1b to P4a, 4b provided on the processing apparatus main body 8a along the conveying path A-B-C shown in FIG. 3 are card position detecting means for detecting the position of the card moving on the conveying path. In this embodiment, a photo sensor including a light emitting element and a light receiving element is used.

Next, the configuration of the guide portion 8b will be described.

Rollers 24, 25, 26, 27, and 28 are rotatably and pivotally supported at positions where the guide portion 8b is fitted with the processing device body 8a. The rollers 24, 25 are urged by the elastic force of a spring or the like (not shown) to contact the round belt 20 stretched on the large pulley 12 provided in the processing apparatus main body 8a, and the rollers 26, 27 are also elastic by the spring or the like. A small belt 14 provided on the processing apparatus main body 8a is urged by a force to a round belt 20 stretched around a driving pulley 19, and is in contact with the round belt 20. Further, the roller 28 is the processing apparatus main body.
On a round belt 22 stretched around a small pulley 21 provided on 8a,
It is urged by the elastic force of a spring or the like (not shown) and is in contact with it. Reference numeral 29 is the pinch roller 15 of the processing apparatus main body 8a.
Is a read-only magnetic head provided opposite to
It is configured to read data from a card on the transport path. Further, a thermal printer unit 30 is disposed in the upper center of the guide portion 8b in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, the tip of the 31 is exposed to the thermal roller 13 provided in the processing apparatus main body 8a, and thermal printing is performed on the card on the conveying path.

The processing apparatus main body 8a and the guide portion 8b thus configured are fitted with each other as shown by the solid line in FIG. 2 and fixed by the stopper 32, and then the round hole 33 provided in the processing apparatus main body 8a.
The ball lending device main body 7 is rotated by an approximately 90 ° counterclockwise rotation about the rotation shaft 34 fitted in the ball lending device 7 and completely fitted into the storage space 35 provided in the ball lending device main body 7. It is fixed to and ready for use.

As shown in FIG. 2, the ball lending device main body 7 communicates with the ball supply passage 37, the ball supply passage 37, to which the pachinko balls are supplied from a pachinko ball storage portion (not shown), and the number of balls to be delivered to the ball take-out port 38. A ball measuring unit 39 for counting the number of balls, a delivery passage 40 for guiding the pachinko balls sent from the ball measuring unit 39 to the ball taking-out port 38, and a card with the remaining frequency "0" discharged from the card processing device 8 is stored. Card stacker 41 and the like.

The ball measuring unit 39 is provided with a ball payout solenoid, and the pachinko ball payout is started by the excitation of the ball payout solenoid, and a ball payout confirmation switch (not shown) is pressed when the payout of the ball for one time is completed. Has been done. Further, a ball breakage detecting means 42 including a limit switch or the like is arranged at an upstream portion of the ball supply passage 37, and a card processing device 8 is provided at a position facing the conveying path end C at a set position of the card processing device 8. Remaining discharge frequency "0"
A communication port 43 for guiding the card to the card stacker 41 is provided, and at a position intersecting with the delivery passage 40, the delivery passage 40 is configured to bypass the rear of the communication passage 43.

The card type inter-lens ball lending device 1 configured as described above is the fourth
It has an appearance as shown in the figure, and the front panel 43 has a residual frequency display window 44 for displaying the residual frequency of the card by a display means such as an LED, a micro for the user to select the borrowing frequency of the pachinko ball. It is provided with frequency selection switches 45 (1 frequency), 46 (3 degrees), 47 (5 frequencies) configured by switches and the like. The reference numeral 49 is a card insertion slot,
It corresponds to the starting point A of the conveying path shown in the figure.

Next, the card adopted in this embodiment will be described.

The card adopted in this embodiment is a magnetic card, and as shown in FIG. 5, this card 50 uses a card having a narrower width than a conventionally used card, and is used between pachinko game boards. It is designed to be used even if the width is narrow. At the lower end of the longitudinal direction of the card 50, the thermal printer section 51 on which the date of issue of the card, the type of issued ticket and the remaining number are printed, and on the upper part thereof, as the code for identifying the issued date, the type of issued ticket and the card. A magnetic stripe portion 52 for magnetically storing the ticket issuing number data of is provided. In this embodiment, only the ticket type with a frequency of 10 (1000 yen) is used.

Hereinafter, the operation of this embodiment will be described in detail based on the above-described configuration and the processing flowcharts shown in FIGS. 6 (a) to 6 (f) and FIG.

First, the card reader CPU, the sand control CPU, the island computer 2 and the host computer 3 provided in the ball lending machine 1 are initialized at the same time when the power is turned on (step S1, step S51, step S101, step S151). Next, the host computer 3 is connected to the plurality of island computers 2.
Sending the selecting sequence to the first of the two, establishing a data link with the island computer 2,
The data of the date and store number (stored in the host computer 3) indicated by the clock provided in the host computer 3 is transmitted to the island computer 2 (step S152). Further, the host computer 3 selects the island computers 2 one after another, and transmits the date and store number data to all the island computers 2.

The island computer 2, which has established a data link with the host computer 3 by the selecting sequence, receives the date and store number data in step S102 and stores the data in its own memory (step S103). Of the plurality of ball lending machines 1 subordinate to 2, send a selecting sequence to the sand control CPU provided in the first one, establish a data link with the sand control CPU, and set the date and store number. The data is transmitted to the sand control CPU (step S104). Furthermore, this island computer 2 is in turn provided with the sand control CP of the subordinate ball lending machine 1.
Select U and send the date and store number data to all the sand control CPUs.

The sand control CPU, which has established the data link with the island computer 2 by the selecting sequence, executes step S52.
Receives the date and store number data at, and stores the data in its own memory (step S53), and then checks whether there are enough pachinko balls for lending by the out-of-ball detecting means 42. (Step S54), this information is transmitted to the card reader CPU (step S55). As described in the system configuration, each ball lending machine 1 is equipped with a card reader CPU and a sand control CPU, and these correspond one-to-one in information communication, so the card reader CP
There is no need for polling or selecting in transmission / reception between U and AND control CPU.

On the other hand, the card reader CPU, which has completed the initialization in step S1, next confirms whether there is any abnormality in the card position detecting means constituted by the light receiving elements P1a to P4a and the light emitting elements P1b to P4b (step S2). If there is an abnormality, the acceptance prohibition process is executed (step S3), the gate solenoid SOL is maintained in the non-excited state, and the actuator 23
Of the starting point A of the carrying diameter path shown in FIG.
That is, the card insertion unit 49 is always closed to make the insertion of the card 50 impossible, and the acceptance of the card 50 is prohibited. Step
If no abnormality is detected in the card position detection means in S2, the card reader CPU enters a standby state waiting for information input from the sand control CPU, and receives the out-of-ball information transmitted from the sand control CPU in step S4. Then, it is determined whether or not this information indicates a ball out (step S5), and if it indicates a ball out, the process returns to step S3, the acceptance prohibition process is executed, and the acceptance of the card 50 is prohibited. . or,
If this information indicates that there are enough balls for lending, then a wait state awaits insertion of card 50.
Then, when the insertion of the front end of the card 50 is confirmed by the first card position detecting means composed of P1a and P1b (step S
6), the card reader CPU excites the gate solenoid SOL to move the actuator 23 to the conveying path A- shown in FIG.
It is retracted to the left from B, and the starting point A of the conveying path, that is, the card insertion slot 49 is opened. Then, when the card 50 is further inserted and the second card position detecting means composed of P2a and P2b confirms the leading end position of the card 50 (step S6), the card reader CPU rotates the carry motor M forward, The drive pulley 19 is driven via the motor pulley position 7 and the round belt 18 to drive the round belt 20 in the forward direction and feed the inserted card 50 in the forward direction to move the card 50. Next, when the third card position detecting means composed of P3a and P3b confirms the tip position of the card 50, the card reader CPU activates the magnetic head 29,
From the magnetic stripe portion 52 of the moving card 50, the date of issue, the store number, and the ticket issuing number data that have been magnetically stored in advance using the ticket issuing machine 6 when the card is issued are read (step S
7) Confirm whether or not these magnetic data are clean through a decoder or the like (step S8), and if an abnormality is found, execute the return processing (step S15) described later to return this card 50. . If no abnormality is found in the magnetic data, then the date of issue, store number, and ticket issuing number data are transmitted to the sand control CPU (step S9).

In step S56, the sand control CPU that has received and stored the issue date, store number, and ticket number data stores the received issue date and store number in the regular date and store number stored in step S53. (Step S57), the validity of the card 50 is confirmed by determining whether or not the card 50 is within the expiration date and issued at the pachinko parlor. If this card 50 is not valid, a return command is output to the card reader CPU (step S58),
If the date of issue and the store number are normal, a valid signal is output to the card reader CPU in step S56 and the stored ticket issuing number is stored in the island computer 2 to which the sand control CPU is subordinate. It is transmitted to the island computer 2 based on the polling sequence (step S5).
9).

The island computer 2 that has received and stored the ticket issuing number in step S105 transmits this ticket issuing number to the host computer 3 based on the polling sequence of the host computer 3 (step S106).

The host computer 3 that has received the ticket issuing number in step S153 confirms whether or not this ticket issuing number is already registered in its own memory, that is, whether the card 50 inserted this time is the first time use (step S153). S154), if it is not registered yet, after newly registering this ticketing number (step S15)
5) In addition, if it is already registered, it immediately searches its own memory, reads out and stores the remaining count data corresponding to the ticket issuing number (step S156), and stores the remaining count in the island computer 2 described above. It is transmitted (step S157), and polling is restarted.

The island computer 2 that has received the remaining frequency in step S107
This remaining number is sent to the sand control CPU (step S
108), restart polling of the sand control CPU.

Sand control CPU that has received and stored the residual count in step S60
Displays the residual frequency in the residual frequency display window 44 (step S6
1) Clearly indicate the remaining frequency to the card user, and wait for the user to input the pachinko ball payout frequency with the frequency select switches 45 to 47. That is, the sand control CPU waits for any one of the frequency select switches 45 to 47 to be pressed while repeating the loop process of step S62-step S63-step S64-step S62, and then presses the frequency select switch 45 ( If the frequency 1) is pressed, the frequency select switch 46 is pressed in step S62. If the frequency select switch 46 (frequency 3) is pressed, the frequency select switch 47 is controlled in step S63.
If (frequency 5) is pressed, this is detected in step S64. Then, the size relationship between the payout frequency requested by the frequency select switch and the remaining frequency stored in step S60 is compared (step S65, step S67, step S6).
9) If the requested payout frequency does not exceed the remaining frequency, the payout frequency requested by the select switch is stored in the ball lending frequency storage register R1 (step S66, step S68, step S70), or requested. If the payout frequency exceeds the remaining frequency, the total remaining frequency is stored in the ball lending frequency storage register R1 and these values are set as the ball lending frequency (step S71). Next, the ticket issuing number and the number of ball lending are transmitted to the island computer 2 based on the polling sequence of the island computer 2 (step S73).

The island computer 2, which has received the ticket issuing number and the number of ball lending in step S109, transmits the ticket issuing number and the number of ball lending to the host computer 3 based on the polling sequence of the host computer 3 (step S110).

The host computer 3 that has received the ticket issuing number and the number of ball lending in step S158 subtracts the number of ball lending this time from the remaining number stored corresponding to the ticket issuing number, and updates the remaining number data corresponding to the ticket issuing number to the updated remaining number. Rewrite to frequency (step S1
59) After transmitting the updated remaining count to the island computer 2 (step S160), the polling process for the next island computer is started.

In step S111, the island computer 2 that has received the updated remaining number transmits the updated remaining number to the sand control CPU (step S112), and then restarts the polling process.

Although the number of ball lending is transmitted to the island computer 2 in step S73, the new remaining count is calculated by the sand control CPU, the new remaining count is transmitted to the host computer via the island computer 2, and the host computer The computer may store the received new remaining frequency corresponding to the ticket issuing number.

In step S74, the sand control CPU that has received and stored the updated remaining number displays the updated remaining number in the remaining number display window 44 (step S75), and after indicating the current remaining number to the user, If the updated remaining count is "0", the card 50 will be collected. If the updated remaining count is "0", it will be returned to the user. The mark position on the thermal print section 51 of the card 50 (the user can confirm the remaining frequency of this card by visually observing the mark position on the card 50) is calculated according to the frequency (step S76). After transmitting the mark position and the return / collection information to the card reader CPU (step S77), the process proceeds to a ball payout process subroutine (step S78).

In the ball payout process shown in FIG. 7, the sand control CP
First, the U operates the ball payout solenoid provided in the ball measuring unit 39 (step S201) to start the payout of the pachinko ball, until the ball payout confirmation switch provided in the ball measuring unit 39 is turned ON. The operating state of the dispensing solenoid is maintained (step S202). And the ball payout confirmation switch
When turned on, the payout of the pachinko balls corresponding to the frequency is completed, so the ball payout solenoid is turned off (step S203), 1 is subtracted from the ball lending number storage register R1 (step S204), and then the value of the register R1 is set. Is determined to be 0 (step S205), and if not 0, the process returns to step S201 again to execute the payout of the pachinko balls corresponding to the one time, and the value of the register R1 becomes 0 in step S205,
Until the number of ball lending reaches the set value Step S201-Step S202-Step S203-Step S204-Step S205-
The process of step S201 is repeated to complete the payout of balls.

On the other hand, the card reader CPU, which has sent the date of issue, store number, and ticket issuing number data to the sand control CPU in step S9 of FIG. 6 (b), receives the return command from the sand control CPU. (Step S10) Next, the presence / absence of the return instruction is checked (step S11), and if the return instruction is confirmed, the process proceeds to return processing (step S15) described later. If the return command is not confirmed, the mark position and the return / recovery information are then received from the sand control CPU (step S12), and the fourth card position detecting means composed of P4a and P4b in advance has the tip of the card 50. The conveyance motor M, which has been stopped by detecting the position, is reversely driven to feed the card 50 in the reverse direction, while the displacement detection means such as an encoder provided in the conveyance motor M causes the printer arm of the thermal printer unit 30 to be moved. 31 When the position of the card 50 with respect to the tip of the card 50 is detected and it is confirmed that the mark position on the thermal print section 51 of the card 50 has reached the tip of the printer arm 31, the thermal printer unit 30 is activated to perform mark processing. (Step S31). Next, it is confirmed whether the information received in step S12 is a return command or a recovery command (step S14), and if it is a return command, the reverse driving of the carry motor M is continued while the gate solenoid SOL is operated. To open the card insertion slot 44 and return the card 50 to the user (step S15). If it is a recovery command, the transport motor M is normally rotated again to feed the card 50 in the forward direction,
The card 50 is discharged from the card processing device 8 and collected in the card stacker 41 via the communication port 43 (step S16).
When the return or collection process of the card 50 is completed in this way, the card reader CPU sends a return or collection end signal to the sand control CPU (step S17), and then ends this process and returns to the initial state.

In step S79, the sand control CPU that has received the return or recovery end signal from the card reader CPU confirms whether this signal is a return signal or a recovery signal (step S8
0), if it is a recovery signal, "00" is displayed in the remaining number display window 44 (step S82) to indicate to the user that the remaining number is "0" and the card 50 has been collected. If it is a return signal, the remaining frequency display window 44 displays "-" (step
(S81), it indicates that the card is ready to be accepted again, and the processing of this time is ended to return to the initial state.

In addition, in the case of a payment refund by the payment machine 5, a card 50
Is inserted into the checkout machine 5, the identification code of the card 50,
That is, the magnetically stored ticket issuing number is read by the card reader provided in the checkout machine 5, and the checkout machine 5 accesses the host computer 3 based on the polling sequence of the host computer 3 to obtain the issue number of the card. The corresponding remaining frequency is confirmed, and the settlement and refund according to the remaining frequency are performed. Then, when the payment is refunded, the host computer 3 deletes the registration of the ticket issuing number of the card 50 from the memory.

In this embodiment, a plurality of ball lending machines 1 (sand control CPU)
Data is transmitted and received between each ball lending machine 1 (sand control CPU) and the island computer 2 based on the polling sequence of the island computer 2 which is the main station of the island computer. Station, and each island computer 2 and host computer 3 based on the polling sequence of the host computer 3.
Since data is transmitted and received between the host computers 3, the processing efficiency of the host computer 3 is good, and even when a large number of ball lending machines 1 are arranged for one host computer, the processing of the host computer is overloaded. The operation of the ball lending machine will not be delayed. Also, the CPU (card reader CPU) that carries the card and confirm the information stored in the card and the CPU (sand control CPU) that pays out the pachinko balls do not necessarily have to be provided individually, but a single CPU. You may make it perform these processes by.

According to the card type ball lending management device of the present invention, a plurality of card type ball lending machines are divided into groups, and a communication computer provided for each group monitors the card type ball lending machines in the group. , When pachinko balls are lent out, each time the balls are lent out, it relays the transmission and reception of information between the computer of the plurality of card type ball lending machines and the host computer, and the host computer monitors each communication computer. When the identification code is sent from the communication computer, if the identification code is new, it is newly registered, the registered identification code is searched, and the remaining number of balls available for lending corresponding to the identification code is stored in the card via the communication computer. Since it returns to the computer of the inserted card type ball lending machine, the processing is significantly reduced by the host computer that manages the ball lending of each card. Therefore, the processing efficiency of the host computer can be improved, and the use of the ball lending machine is restricted even if a large number of ball lending machines are installed in one host computer. Therefore, a large number of ball lending machines can be collectively managed by one host computer without increasing the size of the host computer.

Also, since the remaining number of balls that can be lent by a prepaid card is stored in the host computer and not stored in the card, it is not necessary to provide a means for writing data to the card in the ball lending machine, and the cost can be reduced. is there. Further, when prepaid cards are sold, it is not necessary to register the card, which enables manual sales.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a system configuration diagram of one embodiment, FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the ball lending machine of the same embodiment, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a card processing device of the ball lending machine, and FIG. 4 is the same ball. A front view of the lending machine, FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram of a card, FIGS. 6 (a) to 6 (f) are processing flowcharts of one embodiment, and FIG. 7 is a flowchart of ball payout processing. 1 ... Card type ball lending machine, 2 ... Island computer,
3 ... Host computer, 4 ... Maintenance panel, 5 ... Adjustment machine, 6 ... Ticketing machine, 7 ... Ball lending device body, 8 ... Card processing device, 8a ... Processing device body, 8b ...
… Guide part, 9 …… hinge part, 10 …… pin, 11 …… oblong hole, 12 …… large pulley, 13 …… thermal roller, 14,21…
… Small pulleys, 15 …… Pinch rollers, 16 …… Idler,
17 …… Motor pulley, 18,20,22 …… Round belt, 19 …… Drive pulley, 23 …… Actuator, 24,25,26,27,28 ……
Roller, 29 ... Magnetic head, 30 ... Thermal printer unit, 31 ... Printer arm, 32 ... Stopper, 33 ...
… Round hole, 34 …… Rotating shaft, 35 …… Storage space, 36 …… Set key, 37 …… Ball supply passage, 38 …… Ball ejection port, 39…
… Ball measuring part, 40 …… Sending passage, 41 …… Card stacker, 42 …… Ball breakage detecting means, 43 …… Communication port, 44 …… Remaining count display window, 45, 46, 47 …… Count select switch, 49 ……
Card insertion slot, 50 …… Card, 51 …… Thermal print section, 52 …… Magnetic stripe section, M …… Conveyor motor, SOL
...... Gate solenoid, P1a, P2a, P3a, P4a …… Light receiving element, P1b, P2b, P3b, P4b …… Light emitting element.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A host computer for managing the lending of a card, and a computer built-in for controlling the reading of an identification code for identifying the card stored in the card, the lending of a pachinko ball, and the transportation of the inserted card. A plurality of card type ball lending machines and the plurality of card type ball lending machines are divided into groups, the card type ball lending machines in the group are monitored, and if there is a pachinko ball lending, the Of a card type ball lending machine, and a communication computer provided for each group that relays transmission and reception of information between the above host computers, and a card type ball lending machine for lending pachinko balls with a prepaid card In the card type ball lending management device to manage,
When the card is inserted, the computer of the card type ball lending machine reads the identification code stored in the card, sends the identification code to the communication computer, and the communication computer sends the received identification code to the host computer, The host computer monitors each communication computer, and when an identification code is sent from the communication computer, the host computer searches the identification code stored in the memory to determine the number of balls that can be lent out and the identification number stored corresponding to the identification code. If the code is not stored and is new, a card-type ball lending machine in which the identification number is stored together with the identification code in the memory, the ball lendable number is newly registered, and the card is inserted through the communication computer The computer of the card-type ball lending machine that has received the number of balls available for lending is The number of balls that can be lent out is returned, and the number of balls that can be lent out or the number of new balls that can be lent out is transmitted to the host computer via the communication computer, and the host computer sends new balls based on the transmitted information. A card-type ball lending management device, which stores the number of lendable items in association with an identification code. 2. When the card is inserted, the identification code of the card is read, the identification code is transmitted to the host computer, and the host computer confirms the number of lent balls corresponding to the identification code. The card type ball lending management device according to claim 1, further comprising a checkout machine for settling and refunding the balance amount according to the number of balls available for lending. 3. The card type ball lending management device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the card stores a store number, an issue date, and an identification code. 4. The ball lending machine displays the number of new balls available for lending by thermal printing on the card based on the number of new balls available for lending. The card type ball lending management device according to any one of 3 above.