JPS63242289A - Pinball rental machine - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Industrial Application Field The present invention relates to a pachinko ball rental machine or a metal ball rental machine for a game machine.

Conventional technology When lending balls for playing on a pachinko game machine, there are cases in which balls are lent directly from cash, and there are cases in which the cash is first exchanged into a card with the equivalent amount of cash stored on it, and then exchanged for game balls. The case is known. When renting out balls, two methods are known: one is to install a ball rental machine near the population of a game hall or at an appropriate position, and the other is to install a ball rental machine between game machines. When installing an inter-machine ball rental machine, if you install one machine for each game machine, the space for installing the game machine will be reduced, so usually one inter-machine rental machine is in charge of every two game machines. They are installed in every other gap between game machines.

To lend out balls using an intermission ball lending machine, if you are using cash, you must insert cash, but if you are using a card that stores the amount equivalent to cash, you can use the conventional method shown in Figure 3, which shows the conventional usage state. The card (102) is inserted into the card reader (104) provided in the intermittent ball rental machine (101) as shown in Figure 4, which is a cross-sectional view of the reader. Card (102)
When inserted into the card insertion slot (105) of the card reader (104) which opens in the same direction as the game machine (103) surface, the card is activated by sensing the insertion of the card (102) into the card reader (104). Card driving means (106)
is activated, and the back side (107) from the card insertion slot (105)
Move this card (102) to . Information stored on a card (102) such as a magnetic card or an IC card can be read as a magnetic or electrical signal by a reading means (10g) consisting of a magnetic head, a terminal, or the like. The read information such as the remaining amount is transmitted as a signal to the judgment means (109), and the judgment means (109)
When 9) determines that the card is genuine, it deposits a predetermined amount of pachinko balls, for example 200 yen worth of pachinko balls, into the ball rental section (111).
You can lend a ball by giving it to someone. Ball lending card driving means (106
) and insert the card (102) into the card slot (105).
), the amount reduced by lending the ball is written on the card (102) by the writing means (110) and stored. After writing, the card drive means (106) is reversed again and the reading means (106) is turned in the opposite direction.
08), the written memory is transferred to the writing means (11).
A determining means (109) determines whether the information is the same as the information written in step (1). If it is determined that they are the same, reverse the card drive means (106) again and insert the card into the card insertion slot (1).
Take out the card (102) from 05).

The quantity of balls lent is 2 between the interval ball lending machine (101)
It is possible to transmit the total number of bonds supplied to each game machine (102) to the host computer (replenishment computer) as information.

On the host computer, each game machine (102) is
The so-called supply (safe balls) supplied to the game machine (A
), information on out balls (C) issued from the game machine is received as a signal for each game.

(C) Problems to be Solved by the Invention ≠ In the bar game machine (102), the balls that enter each game machine include the supplementary (safe balls) (A) supplied from the rental ball conveyance device. There are rental balls (B) that are supplied to players when playing games. On the other hand, the balls that come out of each game machine are the out balls used for the game (
In addition to C), in prize exchange where gamers exchange prizes (D)
There is. And in these ball relations, A+B=C+
The relationship D holds true.

In this case, out balls (C), supply (A) for each game machine,
) can be managed by the supply computer'.

However, if you do not use an intermission ball rental machine and install a ball rental machine at the entrance of a hall, it is of course unclear which game machine the rental ball will be used for at the time of rental. The problem is that sales cannot be accurately determined.

On the other hand, when using an intermission ball lending machine, there is generally a high percentage of gamers using an intermission ball lending machine near the game machine.
Based on my experience, the percentage of players using rental balls from other ball rental machines is very small compared to the total number of halls. Therefore, if the number of rental balls of the intermission ball rental machine is calculated as the number of rental balls associated with the game machine corresponding to the intermission ball rental machine, then the number of balls to be supplied for each game machine,
Since the number of balls out is already known, the number of balls exchanged for prizes (D) can also be determined, and all the balls related to each game machine can be known, and the sales for each game machine can be accurately grasped. It should be. However, in the past, for a single intermission ball rental machine, it could only be calculated as the total number of balls rented to the game machines installed across the intermission ball rental machine, and the total number of balls rented from both machines was calculated as There were problems that could only be understood.

Therefore, in the past, there was a limit to grasping the number of balls in and out of each game machine, and there was a limit to grasping the number of sales for each game machine. There was no way to manage sales for each game machine by using it as a kind of controller or terminal. That is, conventionally, all information for each game machine is transmitted to a replenishment computer, and the replenishment computer not only controls all the game machines, but also manages sales, machine management, etc. all at once. Therefore, there was a problem in that the number of cables connecting the game machine and the replenishment computer was enormous. Furthermore, since the replenishment computer was responsible for all the management of the game machine, there was a problem in that if a problem occurred in the replenishment computer, it would be impossible to manage all the balls.

B) Means for Solving the Problems This invention provides a means for generating a ball rental number signal that senses the number of rental balls supplied to a game machine and generates a rental ball number signal, and a means for generating a rental ball number signal and a game machine. The game machine receives a supply ball number signal transmitted by sensing the number of supplied balls and an out ball number signal transmitted by sensing the number of out balls ejected from the game machine, and calculates the number of rental balls at the game machine. The sum of the number of balls to be supplied and the number of balls to be exchanged for prizes is equal to the sum of the number of out balls and the prize exchange balls ejected from the game machine.The number of prize exchange balls is calculated from each signal received, and the number of balls to be paid and the number of balls to be exchanged for the game machine are calculated from each signal received. To perform sales management for each game machine in each ball lending machine by providing a ball lending machine characterized by transmitting the number of balls to be exchanged for prizes as a number of rental balls signal and a signal for the number of balls to be exchanged for prizes.

(E) Operation A storage medium such as a card that stores cash or an equivalent amount of cash is placed in, inserted into, or otherwise installed in a ball lending machine. Then, the number of balls to be rented will be determined according to the desired amount. The rental balls are directly supplied to a ball receiving section of the game machine or a ball rental section provided close to the game machine. The number of rental balls or the rental ball portion is generated as a rental ball number signal. As the game progresses, the game machine is replenished with balls, and used balls from the game machine are discharged as out balls.

The number of balls to be replenished and the number of out balls are sensed by a replenishment computer or a ball rental machine, and a number of balls to be replenished signal and a number of out balls signal are generated. The ball lending machine receives the ball rental number signal, the supply ball number signal, and the out ball number signal. The sum of the number of rental balls and the number of supplementary balls is based on the relationship that the sum of the number of out balls and the number of prize exchange balls is equal, so for the prize exchange balls, the number of out balls is calculated from the sum of the number of rental balls and the number of replacement balls. It is calculated by subtracting the number.

The rental ball number signal and the prize exchange ball number signal are transmitted to the replenishment computer.

(F) Embodiment This invention will be explained with reference to FIG. 1, which shows a schematic cross-section of a card reading device used in a ball lending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2, which shows the usage state of the same ball lending machine.

(l l) is a pachinko game machine. In this embodiment, the usage side of the pachinko game machine (11) faces the same side,
and install it with the sides aligned. (12) is an intermission ball rental machine, which is installed at every other gap between pachinko game machines (11). In this embodiment, the intermission ball lending machine (12) is installed between the pachinko game machines (12), but the intermission ball lending machine (12) is installed between the pachinko game machines (12).
) is not necessarily installed between pachinko game machines, as long as it is used in relation to each pachinko game machine. (13) is a saucer-shaped ball receiving part provided in the pachinko game machine (11) into which rented balls flow, and (14) is a remaining amount display part that displays the cash equivalent amount stored on the card or the number of remaining plays. , (15) are gaming chairs.

(16) is a radio earphone output terminal.

(21) is a card reading device. Card reader (2
1) is installed at any position from the operator's side, such as the upper or lower part of the intermission ball rental machine (12) provided between the pachinko games fi (11).

The card reading device (21) has two card placement sections (22
)a, (22)b, and card placement parts (22)a, (2)
2) a reading section (23) provided in the middle sandwiched by b. The card placement parts (22)a, (22)b are cards (24)a, (24)!, which are IC cards, magnetic cards, and other card-like objects that serve as storage media. It has gaps (25) and (25)b that are large enough to prevent it from falling over even if the + is installed, and each gap (
25)a and (25)b are continuous with card insertion slots (26)a and (26)b that form the entrance of the reading section (23). The card insertion slots (26)a and (26)b are used to insert cards (24)a and (24)b into the Bajini/Co game machine (
11) Pachinko game 1 so that it is inserted parallel to the surface of
(11) are provided at right angles (in the present invention, they do not have to be physically strictly at right angles) and at positions opposite to each other.

(27)a, (27)b are reading KI (23) of (24)
This is a stopper that restricts intrusion. Stopper (2
7)a and (27)b are each connected to the determining means (28). (29)a and (29)b are roller-shaped card drive means, and a motor (30) that can rotate in both directions.
Cards (24)a and (24) are rotated by a and (30)b.
4) Read b. m (23) Carry in and out.

The motors (30)a and (30)b each have a determining means (2).
8) to control the rotation direction and rotation time.

(31) is a presence sensor, cards (24)a,
(24) Detect b's intrusion into the reading section and presence. ,(
32) is a reading means, (33) is a writing means, and when the cards (24)a and (24)b are magnetic cards, the magnetic head is used, and the cards (24)a and (24)b are used as IC cards. In this case, it consists of the terminal of the electrical signal detection circuit.

The reading means (32) and the writing means (33) may be a dual-purpose reading/writing means. The remaining amount display section (14), the pay ball supply control means (
42) are each connected to the determining means (28).

A ball rental number signal generating means (4I) is connected between the determination means (28) and the rental ball supply control means (42), and the amount read by the determination means (28) is converted into the number of rental balls. Then, it is transmitted to the rental ball supply control means (42) as a signal for the number of rental balls.

(35) a and (35) b are card placement presence sensors that detect the presence of cards (24) a and (24) b on card placement sections (22) a and (22) b. do. The card placement presence sensors (35)a and (35)b are the judgment means (
28) to the supply computer (post computer) (44). The supply computer (44) is connected to each pachinko game machine (11) at the pachinko pole.
The number of out balls detected by each game machine is received, and the number of out balls signal is received, and the number of balls to be supplied is controlled to be supplied to each pachinko game machine (11). It is controlled by transmitting it to the means, and performs so-called platform control.

(51) is a rental ball transport device, and is a pachinko game machine (1
1) It is installed on the top of the machine and supplies pachinko balls, which are rental balls. (52) is a rental ball supply path that supplies pachinko balls from the rental ball transport device (51) to each pachinko game machine (11), passing through the back side of each game machine. The rental ball supply path (52) includes a rental ball transport device (51),
It is directly connected to the ball receiving part (13).

(43) is a rental ball supply means, and the rental ball transport device (51)
It is provided so as to be openable and closable at the boundary between the ball supply path (52) and the rental ball supply path (52), and by opening the ball rental ball, rental balls can be supplied to the ball receiving portion (13). The opening and closing of the pay ball supply means (43) is performed by a solenoid, an electric motor, or mechanical operation, and the opening/closing operation is controlled and supplied by the pay ball supply control means (42) based on the received ball pay number signal. It remains open only while the number of balls to be paid is passed. Rental ball supply control means (42
) is in the closed state when it does not receive a signal.

(71) is an out ball detection sensor that detects the number of out balls and transmits an out ball number signal, which is a signal representing the number of out balls, to the replenishment computer (44).

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained. The operator who exchanged cash for the card (24) a with the cash equivalent amount memorized near the entrance of Bachiko Paul places the card (24) a on the card holder (
22) Install at a.

Then, the card placement sensor (35)a or the card (2)
4) By sensing the presence of a, it is possible to determine which machines are in use, and the replenishment computer (44) can intensively distinguish between used and unused machines. A stopper (27) is provided between the card placement part (22)a and the card insertion slot (26)a.
A is installed. The stopper (27)a and the stopper (27)b are connected to the determination means (28), and the determination means (28) is connected to the presence sensor (31),
When the presence sensor (31) detects the presence of a card, the stopper (27) b located on the non-card insertion slot side
is controlled by the determining means (28) to take the awake state and prevent the card from entering.

Therefore, the card (2) placed on the card placement section (22)a
4) When the operator presses a toward the reading section (23), the presence sensor (31) senses it. In order to receive the detection from the presence sensor (31), the determining means (28) raises the stopper (27)b on the side where the card is not inserted, and the card is placed on the other card placement section (22)b. Cards of other operators (24
) b is prevented from moving into the reading section (23). at the same time,
The determining means (28) includes motors (30)a and (30)b.
The card drive means (29)a and (29)b control the card (24)a to move toward the reading section (23).

Information regarding the exchange balance stored in the card (24)a is read, converted into a signal, and transmitted to the determination means (28),
It is determined whether the amount equivalent to 200 yen (for example, 200 yen) remains on the card, along with the authenticity of the card, and the remaining amount display section (14
) to display the amount. If the card is determined to be fake, that line is displayed and the following operations are stopped. If there is an amount equivalent to 200 yen remaining, the amount signal that is read as an amount equivalent to 200 yen and transmitted to the determining means (28) is received by the amount signal generating means (41) for the number of balls to be paid, and the amount signal corresponding to 200 yen is received. The signal is converted into the number of balls and transmitted to the rental ball supply control means (42) as a signal for the number of rental balls.

When the reading of the card is finished, the judgment means (28
), the motors (30)a and (30)b are controlled to rotate in the reverse direction, so the card (24)a is moved towards the card insertion slot (2B)a side. During this movement, the writing means (33) stores in the card (24)a an amount that has been reduced by the amount equivalent to one paid ball surface.

When the writing operation is completed, the motors (30) a, (3
0) Each of b is rotated in the reverse direction again, and the amount that should have been written by the writing means (33) and the amount actually stored on the card (24) a are sensed by the judgment means (28). Determine whether the signals are the same. If they are the same, move the card (24)a out of the reading section (23). If they are not the same, repeat the writing and reading operations again.

The number of rental balls signal transmitted from the number of rental balls signal generation means (41) is received by the rental ball supply control means (42), and the number of rental balls signal is transmitted to the rental ball supply means (43) only when the number of rental balls corresponding to the number of rental balls passes. It is set in the open state. Therefore, the rental balls are transferred to the ball receiving section (
13).

Did you rent a ball for card (24) a? Car F (
24) Check each card slot (
It is possible to identify which card (26)a or card (26)b first senses the intrusion of the card into the reading section (23). Further, the supplied rental balls are directly supplied to the pachinko game machine (11) corresponding to the card insertion slots (2B)a and (26)b.

While the game machine is in use, out balls ejected from the pachinko game I (11) are detected by an out ball detection sensor (71), converted into a signal as an out ball signal, and the signal is received by the supply computer (44). . When the out-ball signal reaches a predetermined number determined for each machine, the replenishment computer (44) transmits a replenishment ball number signal to the replenishment ball number control means (64). The supply ball number control means (64) that has received the supply ball number signal controls the supply ball supply means (64) to take an open state so as to supply the number of balls to the supply ball receiver (62) according to the content of the signal. 63).

A supply computer (44) connected to the determination means (28)
) receives an out ball number signal and a supply ball number signal. On the other hand, the ball rental number signal generated by the rental ball number signal generation means (41) is received.

Torude, A: Number of balls to be supplied B: Number of balls to be rented C: Number of near-field balls D 2. In the number of balls to be exchanged for prizes, the following relationship is established: A+B=C+p. In the determining means (28), A: the number of replenishing balls, B: the number of rental balls, and C the number of out balls are determined from the received out ball signal number, supply ball number signal, and rental ball number signal. Therefore, the number of balls to be exchanged for prizes can be easily calculated by A+B-C=D, and the determining means calculates the number of balls to be exchanged for prizes at each point in time. The difference between the number of balls to be rented (B) and the number of balls to be exchanged for prizes (D) determined at this time is the sales of the pachinko game machine (lI).

The number of prize exchange balls received by the determining means (28) is converted into a signal, and as the signal of the number of prize exchange balls, the number of rental balls signal, the sales amount, and the card authenticity information that have been converted into signals are also sent to the supply computer (44). Transmit.

These signals may be temporarily stored by incorporating a storage element into the determination means (28). In that case, even if there is some kind of problem with the replenishment computer (44), each computer can be managed within a certain range.

Therefore, by connecting the information signals such as the number of safe balls and number of out balls of each pachinko game machine located on each card side to the host computer, it becomes possible to know the sales of each of the many operating machines at once. .

In this embodiment, the rented balls are sent directly to the ball tray section (13), which makes the management of the rented balls more accurate. The player may move the pachinko game machine (11) to the ball receiving section.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, one intermission ball rental machine (12) is installed in two pachinko game machines, and each card insertion slot (26) a,
(26) Since b is provided corresponding to each pachinko game machine (11) and rental ball supply means (43), rental ball management can be performed accurately without increasing the number of reading means. However, the pachinko game machine (11) 1
Even if each machine is provided with a reading means corresponding to each game machine, the game machine will always use a specific ball supply means (43).
A similar effect can be obtained by allowing balls to be rented from. Furthermore, a cash reader may be used instead of a card reader.

(g) Effects Therefore, with this invention, it becomes possible to perform sales management for each specific pachinko game machine, and it becomes possible to make the intermission ball lending machine function as a kind of controller or terminal, and it becomes possible to perform sales management for each specific pachinko game machine. Since a certain level of management can be carried out, if the calculation results are transmitted to the replenishment computer, it is possible to easily reduce the number of cables and the like that connect the game machine and the replenishment computer.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a card reading device according to this embodiment, FIG. 2 is a diagram of the same in use, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are diagrams of a conventional example. (11)...Game console, (28)...
Judgment means, (41)... Means for generating signal for the number of balls to be paid, Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] A number of rental balls signal generation means that senses the number of rental balls supplied to the game machine and generates a number of rental balls signal, and a replenishment signal that senses the number of rental balls signal and the number of replenishment balls supplied to the game machine and is transmitted. The number of balls signal and the number of out balls signal transmitted by sensing the number of out balls ejected from the game machine are each received, and the sum of the number of rental balls and the number of balls to be supplied is determined by the number of out balls and the number of balls ejected from the game machine. Calculate the number of prize exchange balls from each received signal in a relationship that is equal to the sum of the prize exchange balls ejected from the
A ball lending machine characterized by transmitting the number of balls to be rented and the number of balls to be exchanged for prizes in a game machine as a number of balls to be rented and a number of balls to be exchanged for prizes signal.