JP5827141B2 - Game media counting system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a game medium counting system for counting game media such as game balls and medals.

  Conventionally, many game machines such as pachinko machines and slot machines are played using game media such as game balls (pachinko balls) and medals as game values. In many game halls, a game medium counting device for counting game media acquired by a player is installed for each gaming machine island. When a game medium can be acquired through a game, it is necessary to carry the counting process by carrying the acquired game medium to a game medium counting device installed at an island edge of the gaming machine island (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  Among the game halls, there are game halls that are operated so that employees do not count the game media in consideration of security problems, and the employees count only. In such a game hall, a player who has acquired a game medium calls an employee to request a counting operation.

  However, the above operation has the following problems. In other words, when a call is received from another game medium counting device while any one of the game medium counting devices is counting, the counting operation is simultaneously performed by a plurality of game medium counting devices installed separately. There is a need to make it happen, the work burden on employees is excessive and security issues arise. Increasing the number of employees can reduce these problems, but increases in labor costs are unavoidable, which is a burden on the management of the playground.

JP 2004-8445 A

  The present invention is an invention for providing a game medium counting system that allows an employee of a game hall to efficiently perform counting work and can reduce the burden on the game hall side required for the counting work.

In the present invention, a plurality of gaming machine islands on which a plurality of gaming machines are installed are provided, and a gaming medium counting device for counting gaming media acquired by a player is installed on each gaming machine island. In the game media counting system,
The game medium counting device comprises:
Detection means for detecting the approach of the player;
In response to the detection state of the detection means, a call operation section control means for causing a call operation section for calling an employee to appear and allowing the player to operate the call operation section;
Call means for performing a call operation for calling an employee when the call operation unit is operated;
A counting means for counting the inserted game media;
A signal output means for outputting a counting signal indicating that counting is being performed with respect to another gaming medium counting device when the counting means is counting gaming media;
Signal input means for inputting the counting signal output by another game medium counting device,
The call operation unit control means causes the call operation unit to appear when the signal input means does not input the counting signal while the detection means detects the approach of the player, The game medium counting system is characterized in that when the counting signal is input, the calling operation unit is controlled not to appear.

  The game medium counting device constituting the game medium counting system of the present invention includes detection means for detecting that a player has approached, and causes the call operation unit to appear according to the detection state of the detection means. However, in the case where the counting signal indicating that another game medium counting device is counting is being input, the call operation unit does not appear even if the detection state is entered.

  In a game hall in which the game medium counting system of the present invention is introduced, an employee who is counting with one of the game medium counting devices is not called from another game medium counting device. Therefore, the employee can perform the counting work intensively with one game medium counting device, and the work of the employee can be reduced while improving the efficiency of the counting work. A player who wishes to count may wait until the call operation unit appears or move to another game medium counting device where counting work is being performed.

  As described above, the game media counting system of the present invention is a system in which employees of the game hall can efficiently perform the counting work, and can greatly reduce the burden on the game hall side required for the counting work. Yes.

  As game media to be counted by the game media counting system of the present invention, there are game media for pachinko machines, game media for slot machines, and the like. In general, the game medium of a pachinko machine is a pachinko ball (game ball), and the game medium of a slot machine is a medal or a coin. Among slot machines, there is also a parrot (R) that uses a pachinko ball as a game medium, and the counting object in this case is a pachinko ball.

  In the gaming medium counting system according to a preferred aspect of the present invention, when the signal input means inputs the counting signal, when the detecting means detects the approach of a player, the output source of the counting signal is Message output means for outputting a message to be moved to the game medium counting device to the player is provided.

  If any game media counting device has already been counted and a message prompting the player to move to the game media counting device is displayed, the game media counting device can be reached without confusion for the player. It can be moved smoothly. As a result, the work burden on the employee can be reduced by introducing the game medium counting system of the present invention without causing the player to feel inconvenience. The message output means may be incorporated in the game medium counting device, or may be configured separately.

The system diagram which shows the structure of the game media counting system in an Example. The perspective view which shows the island edge counting device (game media counting device) in an Example. The block diagram which shows the electrical structure of the island edge counter in an Example. The flowchart which shows the flow of operation | movement of the island edge counter in an Example. The front view which shows the standby screen which an island edge counter displays in an Example. The front view which shows the calling screen which an island edge counter displays in an Example.

The embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the following examples.
(Example)
This example relates to a game medium counting system 1 introduced into a game hall to count pachinko balls (game media) acquired by a player through a game of a pachinko game machine (game machine) 2. The contents will be described with reference to FIGS.

  In the amusement hall, a plurality of pachinko gaming machines 2 are arranged facing the passage, whereby a plurality of gaming machine islands 100 are formed. At the end of each gaming machine island 100, an island edge counting device (game media counting device) 3 for counting pachinko balls as game media, a call lamp 300 for calling employees, and the like are installed.

  In the amusement hall, a prize counter for exchanging the acquired game media for prizes is provided, and a POS device (prize exchange terminal) 5 for exchanging for a favorite prize according to the number of counted media is installed. Furthermore, in a management space packed by the manager of the game hall, a management device 6 for managing the operation status of various devices installed in the game hall is installed.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the game medium counting system 1 of this example is installed for each of the pachinko gaming machines 2 for lending out the island edge counting device 3, the POS device 5, the management device 6, the pachinko gaming machine 2, and the gaming media. The lending device 23 is connected in a communicable state via the intranet line 11.

  The pachinko gaming machine 2 is connected to the intranet line 11 through a repeater (not shown) together with the corresponding lending device 23. Each gaming machine island 100 is provided with a repeater 110, and the pachinko gaming machine 2, the island edge counting device 3 and the like of the gaming machine island 100 are connected to the management device 6 side through the repeater 110. Hereinafter, the components of the game medium counting system 1 will be described in order.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the pachinko gaming machine 2 is a so-called seven machine called a pachinko gaming machine, and is a gaming machine that is played with a pachinko ball as a gaming value. In the game of the pachinko machine 2, a lottery random number for jackpot determination is extracted in accordance with the winning of a pachinko ball at a predetermined starting point, and a jackpot lottery is executed. The jackpot will be announced. When a big win is generated, a big win state is started in which a round game in which a variable winning device called a so-called attacker opens is repeated a plurality of times.

  In the amusement hall, a dedicated box for storing pachinko balls acquired by the game of the pachinko gaming machine 2 is prepared. These special boxes are stacked at various locations on the gaming machine island 100 and can be taken out freely, and handed over by employees according to the occurrence of jackpots. The player places a special box containing pachinko balls on the shelf of the gaming machine island 100 or stacks it on the floor behind to play the game. When ending the game, it is necessary to carry the dedicated box containing the pachinko balls to the island edge counting device 3 to have the employee count and to determine the number of balls acquired as the number of counting media.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the lending device 23 is installed in a space between the adjacent pachinko gaming machines 2 so as to correspond to each pachinko gaming machine 2 individually. The lending device 23 includes a money insertion slot for inputting money as a money lending price, a ball nozzle for supplying a money lending, and the like. The lending device 23 pays out a number of pachinko balls corresponding to the amount of money that has been thrown in as lending balls.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the island edge counting device 3 is a device that counts the number of game media (pachinko balls) and obtains the number of count media. The island edge counting device 3 includes a medium loading tray (not shown) covered with a slide cover 361. On the back side of the slide cover 361, an operation surface 3A on which the touch panel 32 and the like are disposed is provided, and on the side surface 3B on the near side, a return ball outlet 380 for returning an end ball and a human body sensor 31 (see FIG. 3). Sensor surface 310 and the like are arranged.

  The slide cover 361 is a cover for preventing a player from inserting a pachinko ball or the like. In the island edge counting device 3 of the present example, the medium loading tray appears by allowing the slide cover 361 formed over the entire width direction to slide to the back side, and the ball can be thrown in. The slide cover 361 is normally locked by the cover lock unit 36 (see FIG. 3) and unlocked when the employee ID is authenticated.

  On the operation surface 3A of the island edge counting device 3, in addition to the touch panel 32 capable of touching the display screen, a receipt issuing port 331 for issuing a receipt 330 (FIG. 3) recording the number of counting media and the like, an employee card A card reading surface 341 and the like for reading 340 (FIG. 3) are arranged. An LED 350 for displaying an operating state is disposed at the upper left end of the operation surface 3A.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the island edge counting device 3 is electrically configured around a control unit 30 including a CPU 301, a ROM 302, a RAM 303, and an I / O (Input / Output) 304. The control unit 30 includes a human body sensor (detection means) 31 that detects the approach of the player, a liquid crystal display unit 321 and a touch sheet 322 constituting the touch panel 32, a receipt issuing unit 33, a card reader 34, and an LED 350 according to the lighting state. A status display unit 35 for displaying the operating state, a cover lock unit 36 for locking the slide cover 361, a counting unit (counting means) 37 for counting the inserted pachinko balls, and a return unit for returning the end balls from the return ball outlet 380 38, an information output section (signal output means) 391 for outputting counting information, counting signals, etc. externally, a signal input section (signal input means) 392 for taking in counting signals of other island edge counting devices 3, etc. It is connected to the.

The control unit 30 has functions as a call operation unit control unit 41 that controls the call operation unit and a call unit 42 that executes a call operation for calling an employee.
The call operation unit of this example is configured by a call screen 320 (see FIG. 6) displayed on the touch panel 32. The control unit 30 is in a state where the human body sensor 31 has detected a player approaching the island edge counting device 3, and at that time, receives a counting signal indicating that counting is being performed from another island edge counting device 3. If not, a call screen 320 is displayed on the touch panel 32, thereby enabling a player to perform a call operation.

  The control unit 30 executes a predetermined calling operation when a calling operation is performed by the player. The calling operation by the island edge counting device 3 of this example outputs a calling signal to the calling lamp 300, thereby turning on the calling lamp 300, and turning on the LED 350 of the state display unit 35 with a predetermined color to call the calling state. Is to display.

  The receipt 330 issued by the island edge counting device 3 of this example is printed with a barcode on which the number of counting media and the receipt ID are recorded in addition to the Arabic numerals representing the number of counting media. Further, the counting information output from the island edge counting device 3 includes at least the number of counting media and the receipt ID. This count information is output to the management device 6 and managed.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the POS device 5 is a device that receives a receipt 330 of the island edge counting device 3 and performs a prize process. The POS device 5 includes a barcode reader 51 that reads the receipt ID from the barcode printed on the receipt 330 brought by the player.

  When the POS device 5 reads the receipt ID and the number of counting media from the receipt 330, the POS device 5 requests the management device 6 to transmit counting information including the same receipt ID. Upon receiving the request, the management device 6 extracts and returns the count information including the receipt ID designated by the POS device 5 from the count information received and managed from the island edge counting device 3.

  The POS device 5 compares the count medium number of the count information received from the management device 6 in this way with the count medium number read from the receipt ID, and determines that the receipt 330 received in accordance with the match is valid. When the receipt 330 is valid, the POS device 5 executes a replacement process for special prizes such as cigarettes and confectionery in accordance with the specified number of counting media.

  Next, regarding the operation of the island edge counting device 3 in the gaming medium counting system 1 configured as described above, FIG. 5 and FIG. 5 showing the display screen of the touch panel 32 along the flowchart of FIG. This will be described with reference to FIG.

  When the human body sensor 31 is not in the detection state (S101: NO), the island edge counting device 3 executes standby processing P1 that repeatedly displays three types of standby screens as shown in FIG. When input of the counting signal of the other island edge counter 3 starts during execution of the waiting process P1 (S112: YES), the call prohibition flag for prohibiting the call operation by the player is set to the on state. (S113). On the other hand, when the input of the counting signal is completed (S114: YES), the calling prohibition flag is reset (S115).

  When the human body sensor 31 detects a player approaching the island edge counting device 3 and enters the ON state (S101: YES), the flag state of the call prohibition flag is determined (S102). If the call prohibition flag is off (S102: NO), the standby screens 321A to 321C of FIG. 5 are repeatedly displayed in order on the touch panel 32, and the call for calling the employee as shown in FIG. Switching to the display of the call screen 320 including the button 322B (S103).

  When the call button 322B is operated (S104: YES), the island edge counting device 3 outputs a call signal (calling operation) (S105), thereby lighting the corresponding call lamp 300. At the same time, it waits for reading of the employee card 340 (S116).

  When the ID of the employee card 340 is read (S116: YES), the ID is authenticated (S117). If the authentication is OK (S118: YES), output of the counting signal is started, the slide cover 361 is unlocked (S119), and the slide cover 361 is opened to expose the medium loading tray. Then, the counting process P2 is executed in response to the insertion of the pachinko balls into the medium loading tray, and the signal output process P3 for outputting counting information and the like to the outside is executed.

  Thereafter, the slide cover 361 is closed and locked, and the output of the counting signal is ended. If the authentication of the ID read from the card is NG (S118: NO), the slide cover 361 remains locked and the pachinko ball is prevented from being inserted (S129).

  As described above, the island edge counting device 3 constituting the game medium counting system 1 of the present example includes the human body sensor 31 and causes the call screen 320 to appear on the touch panel 32 when a player is detected. However, when the other island edge counting device 3 is counting, the call screen 320 does not appear even if the player is detected.

  In the game hall where the game medium counting system 1 is introduced, an employee who is performing a counting operation on any gaming machine island 100 is not called for a counting operation on another gaming machine island 100. The employee can perform the counting work intensively with one island edge counting device 3, which can improve the efficiency of the counting work and at the same time reduce the work burden on the employee. A player who wishes to count may wait until the call screen 320 is displayed on the touch panel 32 or may move to the place where the island edge counting device 3 is performing the counting operation.

  As described above, the gaming medium counting system 1 of the present example is capable of efficiently performing counting work by a game hall employee, and can greatly reduce the burden on the gaming hall side required for counting work. System.

  When a player is detected with the call prohibition flag turned on, a message screen is displayed on the touch panel 32 to designate another island edge counting device 3 that is counting and to move to the island edge counting device 3. It is also possible to provide message output means in the island edge counter 3. For example, if a counting signal is output in association with the ID of the island-edge counter 3 that is the output source, the other island-edge counter 3 that is counting is received by the island-edge counter 3 that receives the counting-in signal. Identification becomes possible.

  In this example, when the island edge counting device 3 reads a valid employee card 340, the counting signal starts to be output, and then the counting signal is continuously output until the slide cover 361 is closed and locked. doing. Instead, when a valid employee card 340 is read, a counting start signal for starting the counting operation is output, and when the counting operation is completed, a counting end signal indicating that is output. It may be configured.

  In this example, the human body sensor 31 is provided in the island edge counter 3. Instead of this, the human body sensor 31 may be omitted from the island edge counter 3. In this case, the call screen is displayed in the standby state, while the call screen may be hidden only when a counting signal is received from another island edge counting device 3.

  In this example, the call operation unit is configured using the touch panel 32 that displays the call screen 320. Instead, the call operation unit is configured using a call button provided in a recess with an open / close shutter. It may be configured. In this case, the call button may appear by opening the open / close shutter only when the human body sensor 31 is in the detection state and the call prohibition flag is off.

  As described above, specific examples of the present invention have been described in detail as in the embodiments. However, these specific examples merely disclose an example of the technology included in the scope of claims. Needless to say, the scope of the claims should not be construed as limited by the configuration, numerical values, or the like of the specific examples. The scope of the claims includes techniques obtained by variously modifying or changing the specific examples using known techniques, knowledge of those skilled in the art, and the like.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Game media counting system 100 Game machine island 110 Island repeater 2 Pachinko game machine (game machine)
23 Lending device 3 Island edge counting device (game media counting device)
30 Control unit 300 Call lamp 31 Human body sensor (detection means)
310 Sensor surface 32 Touch panel 320 Call screen 321 Liquid crystal display unit 321A-C Standby screen 322 Touch sheet 322B Call button 36 Cover lock unit 361 Slide cover 37 Count unit (counter)
391 Information output unit (signal output means)
392 Signal input section (signal input means)
41 Calling operation unit control means 42 Calling means 5 POS device 6 Management device

Claims (2)

A gaming medium counting system in which a plurality of gaming machine islands on which a plurality of gaming machines are installed are provided, and a gaming medium counting device for counting gaming media acquired by a player is installed on each gaming machine island In
The game medium counting device comprises:
Detection means for detecting the approach of the player;
In response to the detection state of the detection means, a call operation section control means for causing a call operation section for calling an employee to appear and allowing the player to operate the call operation section;
Call means for performing a call operation for calling an employee when the call operation unit is operated;
A counting means for counting the inserted game media;
A signal output means for outputting a counting signal indicating that counting is being performed with respect to another gaming medium counting device when the counting means is counting gaming media;
Signal input means for inputting the counting signal output by another game medium counting device,
The call operation unit control means causes the call operation unit to appear when the signal input means does not input the counting signal while the detection means detects the approach of the player, A game media counting system, wherein when the counting signal is input, control is performed so that the calling operation unit does not appear.   In a state where the signal input means inputs the counting signal, when the detection means detects the approach of the player, a message prompting the player to move to the game medium counting device that is the output source of the counting signal is sent to the player. The game medium counting system according to claim 1, further comprising message output means for outputting the message.

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