JPH10188072A - Substitute coin and substitute coin selector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To avoid inconvenience included in a conventional means for collecting a game charge. SOLUTION: The outer shell 12 of a substitute coin 10 is non-magnetic metal and a magnet chip 14 and a magnetic chip 16 are buried inside. In the coin 10, 32768 kinds of information can be recorded by the array of an N pole and an S pole or the array of the strong/weak of magnetism of fifteen magnet chips 14 and 512 kinds of information can be recorded by the array of the strong/weak of magnetism of nine magnetic chips 16 or the array of the presence/absence of magnetism. Consequently, the setting of a money amount is free from restriction on the assumption of using at a game shop, etc., so that the price of the coin can be set freely. In addition, how much yen to coordinate the amount code with can be decided depending on the setting of the coin selector of a game machine so that the setting of a game charge per one game is actually free from restriction. At the time of recording a shop code, the coin 10 of its own shop is distinguished from that of another shop.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a substitute coin used in a game machine or the like and a substitute coin sorting apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a game center or the like, a customer who uses a game machine receives one.
Usually, a predetermined amount of coins per game, for example, 100 yen coins, is inserted into a game machine and collected as a game fee.

However, when coins are used,
(1) In order to set the game fee to, for example, 110 yen, 150 yen, or the like, a two-way coin selector or two types of coin selectors capable of discriminating two types of coins, for example, 100 yen coin, 10 yen coin, and 50 yen coin (2) If multiple types of coins are mixed, it is necessary to sort them by type when counting sales,
(3) If the coins collected from each game machine are mixed, the sales of each game machine cannot be determined. (4) The sales can be determined by calculating from the coin meter attached to the game machine, but each game machine has a meter. There was a problem that the task of taking notes was troublesome.

[0004] The disadvantages associated with the use of coins are as follows.
For example, if the game machine can be used with a prepaid card, this can be solved. However, when a prepaid card is used, each game machine needs to be provided with a card reading / writing device. Further, when a host computer for controlling the card reading / writing device is installed, (1) wiring for connecting the card reading / writing device of each game machine to the host computer is required, and (2) replacement and rearrangement of the game machine. In such a case, there is a problem that a wiring error may occur. Alternatively, if there is a program error in the host computer, there may be a difference between the actual game fee and the sales recorded by the host computer, and the used prepaid card may become garbage. .

[0005] Each time a card is distributed to a customer who enters the store, the card is inserted into the game machine and the game is played, the card is recorded on the card, and the fee is settled based on the record of the card when opening the store. There is also a postpaid system, but if a customer discards or conceals a card, for example, there is a risk that a fee cannot be collected.

On the other hand, it is conceivable to use a substitute coin called a token. In this case, when raising or lowering the game fee, the price of one token may be changed, so one game machine only needs to provide one substitute coin selector for the token. Also has the advantage of being free. However, since thousands of tokens and substitute token selectors for tokens cannot be made, the use of tokens of other stores could not be completely prevented.

[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide a substitute coin which can avoid the disadvantages of the conventional means for collecting a game fee, and a sorting device therefor.

[0008]

Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention As means for solving the above problems, a substitute coin according to claim 1 has a matrix formed of a magnetic material. As the magnetic material, a material such as a permanent magnet or iron oxide that can record the strength of the magnetic field can be used. The matrix may be composed of only permanent magnets, only a material capable of recording magnetic strength, or a combination thereof.

The matrix can be formed by holding a magnetic material on a non-magnetic main body, for example. In this case, the magnetic material may be attached to the main body by, for example, bonding or crimping. Claim 3 is a magnetic material.
It may be buried inside the main body as described, or may be exposed on the surface of the main body as described in claim 4.

The non-magnetic main body is formed of, for example, plastic or non-magnetic metal. The shape can be a disk-like shape like a coin, a square, or a shape obtained by cutting off four corners of a square. In particular, if the shape is a square, the matrix can be arranged all over the inside. Further, if the four corners of the square are cut off in an arc shape, there is no corner, so that the user's hand, clothes, pockets, etc. are not damaged.

The information carried by the matrix includes six types of S pole and N pole of the permanent magnet, a portion having a strong magnetism, a portion having a weak magnetism, a portion having no magnetism due to the nonmagnetic material according to claim 5, and a main body (nonmagnetic). It is recorded in a combination of two or more types of information units. For example, if a store code that specifies a game store is recorded by this matrix, each game store can be used as a unique substitute coin. Also, if the amount code is recorded, each game store can determine how many yen the amount code corresponds to (ie, the price of one substitute coin), so that a game fee per game can be set. Has virtually no restrictions.

As a substitute coin sorting device for sorting substitute coins of the present invention, the substitute coin sorting device according to claim 6 can be employed. In the substitute coin sorting device, when the substitute coin according to any one of claims 1 to 5 is inserted from the insertion slot, the receiving passage allows the substitute coin to pass therethrough, and the reading magnetic head passes through the receiving passage. Read the matrix of substitute coins. Then, the determining means determines, for example, whether the store code matches that of the game store, whether the amount code is correct, and the like based on the information of the matrix read by the read magnetic head, to thereby determine the substitute coin. Appropriate and inappropriate. If all of these codes are correct, it is a proper substitute coin, and if they do not match or are not recorded, it can be regarded as an incorrect substitute coin or a foreign substance other than the substitute coin.

The path switching means switches the path of the substitute coin passing through the receiving path to either the receiving side or the discharging side according to the judgment of the judging means. For example, if a proper substitute coin is advanced to the storage side and accumulated in a coin storage box, etc., if inappropriate, the path is switched to the discharge side and discharged from the discharge port, so that only the proper substitute coin is stored. Inappropriate or foreign matter can be discharged.

The genuine signal output means outputs a signal according to the judgment by the judgment means. For example, the signal may have a high level if the substitute coin is appropriate, or a low level if not, and vice versa. The game machine body is provided with a switch circuit that outputs a signal only for one pulse when a signal indicating that the substitute coin is appropriate is input from the genuine signal output means. If you configure the game to start,
The game can be provided only when the customer inserts an appropriate substitute coin.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, if a magnetic head for writing magnetic information for writing magnetic information on a matrix of substitute coins is provided, a game machine code for specifying the game machine can be written on the substitute coins. Can be. In this way, it is also easy to read the game machine code after collecting the substitute coin and calculate the sales for each game machine based on the code.

[0016]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the substitute coin 10 of the present embodiment has an outer shape obtained by cutting four corners of a square into an arc shape.

The outer shell 12 of the substitute coin 10 is made of a non-magnetic metal. Inside the substitute coin 10, a magnet chip 14 and a magnetic chip 16 capable of recording magnetic strength using a magnetic material are embedded. Specifically, a total of 15 magnet chips 14 are arranged along each side of the substitute coin 10, and when the magnet chips 14 at the four corners are counted redundantly, five are located on three sides and five on the remaining one side. Are arranged in four. Also, 3 × 3 = 9 magnetic chips 16 are arranged inside the magnet chip 14. After all, the blank portion 18 in which the chip is not embedded
Also, when counted as one information unit, a matrix of 5 rows and 5 columns is formed.

In this substitute coin 10, 32,768 kinds of information can be recorded by the arrangement of the N pole and S pole of the 15 magnet chips 14 or the arrangement of the magnetic strength, and the magnetic force of the 9 magnetic chips 16 can be recorded. 512 types of information can be recorded in an array of strong and weak or an array of presence or absence of magnetism. By reading the position of the blank portion 18, it is possible to specify the front, back, top, bottom, left and right of the substitute coin 10.

Therefore, if the money code is recorded by the arrangement of the magnet chips 14, for example, it can be said that there is no limit to the setting of the money as long as it is assumed to be used in a game shop or the like, and the price of the substitute coin 10 can be freely set. it can. Also, for example, depending on the setting of the substitute coin selector of the game machine, it is possible to determine how many yen the corresponding amount code corresponds to,
There is virtually no limit on the setting of the game fee per game. Furthermore, if the store code is recorded together with the amount code, the substitute coin 10 of the own store and the substitute coin 10 of another store can be distinguished.

Then, if a game machine code of a game machine or the like in which the substitute coin 10 is used is written in the matrix of the magnetic chip 16, it is possible to determine which machine the substitute coin 10 has been used in. As the substitute coin selector 20 for selecting the substitute coins 10, the configuration shown in FIG. 2 can be adopted. The substitute coin selector 20 is provided in a game machine (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 2, the substitute coin selector 20 has a coin passage 26 extending from the insertion slot 22 to the return slot 24. The coin passage 26 has a receiving portion 28 inclined from the insertion port 22 side, a vertical portion 30 descending substantially vertically from the receiving portion 28, and a return port 24 from the vertical portion 30.
And a gate 34 that can be opened and closed is provided at a connection portion between the vertical portion 30 and the discharge portion 32. In addition, below the vertical portion 30, a coin passage 3 is provided.
6 is provided, and when the gate 34 is opened, the vertical portion 3
0 and the true coin passage 36 are communicated. In addition, genuine goods passage 36
Is connected to a coin collection box (not shown) installed in the game machine.

With this configuration, the coin passage 26 is
The substitute coin 10 inserted through the insertion slot 22 is
8 to the vertical section 30, and can be discharged from the return port 24 via the discharge section 32 if the gate 34 is closed. When the gate 34 is open, the substitute coin 10 that has passed through the vertical portion 30 is guided to the genuine coin passage 36 and discharged to the coin collection box.

The receiving unit 28 includes a reading head 40 for reading matrix information of the substitute coin 10, an erasing head 42 for erasing the magnetism of the magnetic chip 16, and a position reading head 44 for determining a writing position. A composite head section 46 and a write head 48 for writing magnetic information on the magnetic chip 16 are provided in this order from the slot 22 side. A pass sensor 50 for detecting the passage of the substitute coin 10 is provided in the genuine coin passage 36.

As shown in FIG. 3, the reading head 40, the erasing head 42, the position reading head 44, the writing head 48, and the passage sensor 50 are connected to a control circuit 52.
The control circuit 52 includes a well-known CPU, ROM, RAM,
The microcomputer is provided with an input / output port and the like (both not shown). The control circuit 52 includes a gate 3
A solenoid 54 for driving the opening and closing of the solenoid 4 is also connected.

Next, the operation of the substitute coin selector 20 will be described. When the substitute coin 10 in the insertion slot 22 of the substitute coin selector 20 is inserted, the substitute coin 10 moves the receiving portion 28 toward the vertical portion 30 by the action of gravity. And when passing in front of the reading head 40,
The read / write head 40 reads the magnetic pole or magnetic strength of the magnetic chip 14 of the substitute coin 10 and the magnetic strength of the magnetic chip 16 or the presence or absence of the magnetic field.
The read signal from 0 is input to the control circuit 52.

As shown in FIG. 4, the control circuit 52 waits for a signal from the read head 40 to be input (step 101; hereinafter, step is abbreviated as S), and there is a signal from the read head 40. Is read as matrix data (S102). Subsequently, the control circuit 52
Determines the front, back, top, bottom, left and right orientations of the substitute coin 10 based on the position of the blank portion 18 of the matrix data (S
103) After performing, for example, a process of inverting the S pole and the N pole in accordance with the determination result, the amount information and the store number of the substitute coin 10 are restored from the matrix data (S104). Further, the control circuit 52 checks the restored amount information and store number with the registered amount information and store number to determine whether or not the money is genuine (S10).
5).

Next, the control circuit 52 determines what the result of the collation in S105 is, that is, whether or not the inserted substitute coin 10 is a genuine coin (S106). Controls the strength of the magnetic force of the write head 48 based on a signal from the position read head 44 for writing alignment, and gives or does not give magnetism to each of the magnetic chips 16, so that the game of the game machine can be controlled. Information corresponding to the machine code is recorded in a 3 × 3 matrix of the magnetic chip 16 (S107).

When the substitute coin 10 passes in front of the composite head section 46, the magnetism of the magnetic chip 16 is erased by the erasing head 42, and the positions of the magnet chip 14 and the blank section 18 are read by the position reading head 44. Can be The control circuit 52 performs the above-described positioning based on the signal of the position reading head 44, and records information corresponding to the game machine code on the magnetic chip 16 of the substitute coin 10 by the writing head 48. Therefore, if the game machine code is read after the substitute coin 10 has been collected, it can be immediately known in which game machine it was used. Note that this writing process is performed only for genuine coins, and the writing process is not performed for money information or a shop number that is different, or for which there is no one of them.

After writing the game machine code, the control circuit 5
2 excites the solenoid 54, thereby opening the gate 34 (S108). On the other hand, if it is not a genuine coin (S106: NO), the control circuit 52
The gate 34 is closed without exciting (S10).
9).

Therefore, only the genuine coin is discharged from the genuine coin passage 36 to the coin collection box. At this time, a detection signal output from the passage sensor 50 provided in the genuine coin passage 36 is input to the control circuit 52, and the control circuit 52 sends a genuine signal to a control device (not shown) of the game machine main body. I do. Then, the game starts on the game machine.

As described above, the substitute coin 10 of this embodiment is
If the substitute coin selector 20 is used, for example, the charge setting for one game is completely free, and irregular substitute coins such as substitute coins of other stores can be accurately eliminated. In addition, it is possible to avoid all inconveniences when a conventional substitute coin or the like is used.

The embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments, and may be variously implemented without departing from the gist of the present invention. Needless to say. For example, the magnet chip and the magnetic chip may be exposed on the surface without being buried in the substitute coin body. Further, the substitute coin body may be made of plastic.

Further, the outer shape of the substitute coin and the arrangement of the magnet chips or the magnetic chips may be as shown in FIG. The cross-sectional structure of the substitute coin may be, for example, one shown in FIG.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a substitute coin according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a structure of a substitute coin selector of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control system of the substitute coin selector of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a coin discrimination process executed by the control circuit of the substitute coin selector of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of a modification of the arrangement of the magnetic material of the substitute coin.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of a modified example of the sectional structure of the substitute coin.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Coin substitute 12 ... Outer shell 14 ... Magnetic chip 16 ... Magnetic chip 18 ... Blank part 20 ... Substitute coin selector 22 ... Insert port 24 ... Return port 26 ... Coin passage 28 ... Receiving part 30 ... Vertical part 32 ... Discharge part 34 ... Gate 36 ... Coin passage 38 ... Coin outlet 40 ... Read head 42 ... Erase head 44 ... Position read head 46 ... Composite head unit 48 ... Write head 50 ... Pass sensor 52 ... Control circuit 54 ... Solenoid

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A substitute coin having a matrix formed of a magnetic material. 2. The substitute coin according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic material is held by a non-magnetic main body. 3. The substitute coin according to claim 2, wherein said magnetic material is buried inside said main body. 4. The substitute coin according to claim 2, wherein a part of the magnetic material is exposed on a surface of the main body. 5. The substitute coin according to claim 1, wherein a part of the matrix is made of a non-magnetic material. 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid is supplied from an input port.
A receiving passage for passing the substitute coin according to any of the above, a reading magnetic head for reading the matrix of the substitute coin passing through the receiving passage, and a reading magnetic head based on information of the matrix read by the reading magnetic head. Determining means for determining whether the substitute coin is proper or inappropriate; path switching means for switching the path of the substitute coin passing through the receiving passage to either the receiving side or the discharging side in accordance with the determination of the determining means; And a genuine coin signal output means for outputting a signal in accordance with the judgment made by the substitute coin sorter. 7. The substitute coin sorting device according to claim 6, further comprising a write magnetic head for writing magnetic information to the matrix of the substitute coins.