JPH1133205A - Obtaining of image data - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To view image data photographed by a photographing means which is arranged in plural places inside and outside of a Pachinko (Japanese pinball game) hall while playing a game through a game machine. SOLUTION: In a method for obtaining image information which is obtained by one of plural monitor cameras 20, 21, 22 and 23 arranged in the plural places, the operation contents of an operation part provided in the game machine 30 is made to correspond to the monitor camera to be selected, image information photographed by the monitor camera corresponding to the operation contents by the operation of the operating part is obtained and obtained image information is displayed in a display part provide in the game machine.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a technique for enabling image data taken by surveillance cameras installed at a plurality of locations inside and outside a pachinko hall to be viewed while playing a game with a game machine. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Hitherto, a system has been proposed in which a plurality of surveillance cameras provided in a pachinko hall monitor the inside of the hall.

[0003] In this type of system, an operator in a monitoring room monitors the state in the hall while viewing image information captured by a plurality of monitoring cameras on a monitor.

[0004]

By the way, there are cases where a customer playing a game with a gaming machine wants to know the inside and outside of the hall while continuing the game. Was not offered to pachinko players.

[0005] Therefore, it has been desired to realize a technique in which a customer can continue to play a game while grasping the inside and outside of the hall. Also, there has been a demand for a technique capable of grasping the state of the location of a person who has come to a game hall with a customer who is playing a game.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to convert image data photographed by photographing means installed at a plurality of places inside and outside a pachinko hall into a game machine. Is to provide a means that allows the user to watch the game while playing the game.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a means capable of observing a state of a present position of a person who has come to a game hall together with a customer playing a game.

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for acquiring image information obtained by one of a plurality of photographing means installed at a plurality of locations, comprising an operation provided in a gaming machine. Associating operation contents of the means with photographing means to be selected; acquiring image information photographed by the photographing means corresponding to the operation contents operated by the operation means; and providing the acquired image information to the gaming machine. Displaying the image information on the display means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for acquiring image information obtained by any of a plurality of photographing means installed at a plurality of locations, wherein the transmitting apparatus transmits its own identifier information. Operating the operating means provided on the gaming machine to give an instruction to determine the presence position, and when the instruction is given, the management computer grasps and grasps the photographing means for photographing the area where the transmitting device is present. Displaying the photographed image data of the photographing means on a display provided in the gaming machine.

Further, according to the third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for acquiring image information obtained by any of a plurality of photographing means installed at a plurality of locations, comprising: a transmitting device for transmitting its own identifier information; The step of associating the transmitting device with the area where the transmitting device should be present, and when the transmitting device is not present in the area where the transmitting device should be present, the management computer drives the warning means provided in the gaming machine and transmits the Grasping photographing means for photographing an area where the apparatus is present, and displaying photographed image data of the grasped photographing means on a display means provided in the gaming machine.

Such a method can be realized by storing a program describing a processing procedure in a storage medium, and reading and executing the program by a management computer. Examples of such a storage medium include C
Examples include optical storage media such as DROM and DVDROM, magnetic storage media such as flexible disks, ROMs, semiconductor storage media such as semiconductor ICs, and magneto-optical storage media such as MOs.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image information acquisition system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

This image information acquisition system includes a management computer 200 provided in a monitoring room A and capable of accessing a DB (database) 210, and a state inside the restaurant D provided at a restaurant D outside the hall. And a control device c1 for controlling a surveillance camera b21 for photographing the inside of the play room E, which is disposed in the play room E outside the hall,
2, a control device d13 disposed in the play room F outside the hall and controlling a monitoring camera d23 for photographing the inside of the play room F, and a hall C disposed in the hall C
A control device a10 for controlling the surveillance camera a20 for photographing the inside of the game machine, and a gaming machine information processing device 100 provided in the gaming machine 30 of the gaming machine number "001" constituting the gaming machine island B, These are connected by a communication medium 150 so that mutually necessary information can be communicated.

Further, in the play room E, a transmitting device ID is provided.
(Identifier) This shows a state in which a person who carries the transmitting device 40 that transmits the signal "1" exists. This transmitting device 4
0 indicates that the transmission device ID is transmitted by radio such as radio waves, and each control device transmits the received transmission device ID.
Is transmitted to the management computer 200 via the communication medium 150, and the management computer 200 performs a predetermined process described later. Although only one gaming machine or gaming machine island is described for easy understanding, a plurality of gaming machines or gaming machine islands are actually provided.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the gaming machine information processing apparatus 100 connected to the communication medium 150. The gaming machine information processing apparatus 100 includes a member card reader 101 for reading information recorded on the member card when a member card on which the member identification information is recorded is inserted, a warning unit 102 for calling attention to a player at a predetermined time, Information terminal 11
0, and the information terminal 110 has
An operation unit 111 for giving various instructions and a display unit 112 for displaying acquired image data are provided. The warning unit 102 is, for example, a sound output device such as a chime or an L
The display unit 112 can be realized by a liquid crystal display, for example, and can be realized by a light emitting device such as an ED.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control device a10. The control mechanism transmits the image data captured by the surveillance camera a20 by causing the surveillance camera a20 to move in a predetermined direction, perform a zoom operation, and the like. 10c and a signal transmitted from the transmitting device, and via the communication medium 150,
And a receiving unit 10b for transmitting to the management computer 200. Note that the other control devices b11 and c1
2. The control device d13 also includes a control mechanism and a receiving unit.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the contents stored in the DB 210. The monitoring camera selection table 211 stores the operation numbers and the types of monitoring cameras in advance in association with each other. A receivable transmitting device table 212 that stores device IDs in association with each other, and a transmitting device arrangement table 213 that associates gaming machine numbers, member numbers, transmitting device IDs, and location IDs as location identifiers are stored. I have.

In the transmitting device arrangement table 213, the transmitting device ID and the location ID are stored in advance in association with each other. In the example shown in the drawing, it is indicated that the transmission device with the transmission device ID “1” should exist in the play room E.

Now, the processing contents of the system operation will be described with reference to FIG. First, in step S400,
The operation number is input by operating the operation unit 111. This operation number is transmitted to the management computer 200 via the communication medium 150.
Sent to The management computer 200 refers to the surveillance camera selection table 211, grasps the corresponding surveillance camera type, acquires image data from the control device of the surveillance camera, and displays the acquired image data in the display unit 112 in step S420. To be displayed. As shown in the monitoring camera selection table 211 of FIG. 8, for example, the operation number “1”
Is input, the image data captured by the monitoring camera a20 is displayed on the display unit 112.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the operation unit 111 is operated to give a zoom instruction or a moving operation instruction (steps S500 and 510), the control mechanism of the corresponding control device controls the surveillance camera to perform zoom control. Or perform a movement operation such as panning of the monitoring camera.

According to such processing, image information taken by each monitoring camera while playing a game with a gaming machine is displayed on the display unit 11.
It becomes possible to see in 2. The display unit 112 displays image data in a desired state by a zoom operation or a movement operation.
Can be seen at

Next, another processing content of the system operation will be described with reference to FIG. First, the management computer 20 receiving the transmitting device ID detected by the receiving unit of each control device.
0 means that the transmission device ID is stored in the corresponding storage location of the receivable transmission device table 212. The example illustrated in FIG. 8 indicates that the control device c12 has received the ID transmitted from the transmission device having the transmission device ID “1”.

In step S600, the operation unit 111 is operated to input a transmission device ID. Next, in step S610, the management computer 200 having received the input transmitting device ID refers to the receivable transmitting device table 212 and detects the corresponding control device.

Next, in step S620, when the control device sends out image data captured by the monitoring camera connected to the detected control device onto the communication medium 150, the management computer 200 receives the image data.
Next, in step S630, the image data received by the management computer 200 is displayed on the display unit 112. By such a process, by operating the operation unit 111 while playing a game with the gaming machine, it becomes possible to view on the display unit 112 the image information captured by the surveillance camera that captures the area where the transmission device is located. .

Next, another processing content of the system operation will be described with reference to FIG. In step S700, when the member card is inserted into the member card reader 101, the member number is transmitted to the management computer 200 via the communication medium 150.

At this time, a predetermined gaming machine number is also transmitted from the information processing apparatus 100, and the management computer 200 associates the member number with the gaming machine number and associates the member number with the gaming machine number in the transmitting apparatus arrangement table 213. Store in the area. For example, if the transmitting device is lent out before the start of the game, the transmitting device ID of this transmitting device can be input via a not-shown input device as to which member number the member is lent to. When the operator inputs these pieces of information, the management computer 200
The transmission device ID and the member number may be stored in a predetermined area in the transmission device arrangement table 213 in association with each other.

Next, the management computer 200 grasps the location of the transmitting device by referring to information sent from each control device, and further determines whether the location of the transmitting device is normal or not. The determination is made with reference to the storage contents of the arrangement table 213.

In the example shown in FIG. 8, when the transmission device with the transmission device ID “1” exists in the play room E, the transmission device is normally (Y
es), and in other cases (No), it is determined to be abnormal.

If the operation is normal, the process is terminated (end). If the operation is abnormal, the management computer 200 transmits a control signal of the warning unit 102 via the communication medium 150 in step S730. Thereby, the warning unit 1
02 is activated to output sound or light to draw the player's attention. Then, in step S740, the management computer 200 performs an automatic tracking process of displaying image data sent from the control device at the position where the transmitting device is present on the display unit 112.

By such processing, when the transmitting apparatus moves out of the area where the transmitting apparatus should exist, the movement can be grasped even during the game, and the image data of the moving transmitting apparatus can be viewed.

The processing described above can be realized by making a program, storing it in a storage medium such as a ROM, and executing this program by a management computer.

The restaurants and playrooms shown in FIG. 1 are examples of places where surveillance cameras are installed outside the hall. In addition, surveillance cameras are installed at various places such as rest areas, restaurants, bowling alleys, and the like. It is possible to do.

[0033]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the operation means provided on the gaming machine is operated by the operation means in correspondence with the operation content and the photographing means to be selected. Since the image information obtained by the photographing means corresponding to the operation content is acquired and displayed on the display means provided in the gaming machine, it is possible to view the image information photographed by each photographing means on the display means while playing a game with the gaming machine. It becomes possible.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, an instruction for obtaining the location of the transmitting device is given by operating the operating means provided on the gaming machine, and when the instruction is given, the management computer sends the instruction to the transmitting device. Grasps the photographing means for photographing the area where is present, and displays the photographed image data of the grasped photographing means on the display means provided in the gaming machine, so that the game is transmitted by operating the operating means while playing the game with the gaming machine Image information captured by the image capturing means for capturing the area where the device is located can be viewed on the display means.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the transmitting device is associated with the area where the transmitting device should exist, and when the transmitting device does not exist in the area where the transmitting device should exist, the management computer Drives the warning means provided in the gaming machine, and displays, on the display means provided in the gaming machine, the photographed image data photographed by the photographing means for photographing the area where the transmitting device is present. When the user moves out of the expected area, the player can recognize the movement during the game, and can also view the image data of the transmitting device that has moved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image information acquisition system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the gaming machine information processing apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control device.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the image information acquisition system.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the image information acquisition system.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the image information acquisition system.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the image information acquisition system.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of storage contents of a DB.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 control device a 11 control device b 12 control device c 13 control device d 20 monitoring camera a 21 monitoring camera b 22 monitoring camera c 23 monitoring camera d 30 gaming machine 40 transmitting device 100 gaming machine information processing device 101 membership card reader 102 warning Unit 110 information terminal 111 operation unit 112 display unit 150 communication medium 210 DB (database) 211 monitoring camera selection table 212 receivable transmission device table 213 transmission device arrangement table

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Atsushi Miyazaki 2-3014-8 Hirosawa-cho, Kiryu-shi, Gunma Heiwanai Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Toru Imamura 8-3014 Hirosawa-cho, Kiryu-shi, Gunma 8 shares Heiwauchi Company (72) Inventor Masaaki Hatori 8-3014 Hirosawa-cho, Kiryu-shi, Gunma 8 Heiwanai Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A method for acquiring image information obtained by one of a plurality of photographing means installed at a plurality of places, wherein an operation content of an operating means provided in a gaming machine is associated with a photographing means to be selected. Image information acquiring method, comprising: acquiring image information captured by an image capturing means corresponding to the operation content operated by the operating means; and displaying the acquired image information on a display provided in the gaming machine. . 2. A method for acquiring image information obtained by one of a plurality of photographing means installed at a plurality of locations, wherein an instruction for determining an existing position of a transmitting device transmitting its own identifier information is provided. Operating the operating means provided in the game device; and when the instruction is given, the management computer grasps the photographing means for photographing the area where the transmitting apparatus is present, and captures the photographed image data of the grasped photographing means in the game. Displaying on image display means provided in the device. 3. A method for acquiring image information obtained by one of a plurality of photographing means installed at a plurality of locations, wherein a transmitting device transmitting its own identifier information corresponds to an area where the transmitting device should exist. Attaching, when the transmitting device is not present in the area where the transmitting device should be present, the management computer drives the warning device provided in the gaming machine and shoots the area where the transmitting device is present And displaying the captured image data of the captured image capturing means on a display provided in the gaming machine.