JP5960562B2 - Amusement center management system and settlement apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a game hall management system applied to a game hall in which a gaming machine such as a pachinko gaming machine or a slot machine is installed.

  Conventionally, a system for recording a deposit balance for renting game media and the number of game media acquired by a game in association with a card, paying out the deposit balance when the game is finished, and exchanging the game media for prizes Has been put into practical use (for example, see Patent Document 1). There are two types of cards used in this system: general cards for non-members and member cards for members. A general card is a card that is valid only on the day and is collected at the end of the game. The membership card is a card that can be used at any time until a predetermined expiration date arrives.

  Some players who use a general card take it back by deliberate or negligence. If a general card of about several hundred yen to about 1,000 yen becomes uncollectable, there is a problem that a loss occurs on the amusement hall side and a management disadvantage occurs. In the case of a general card in which the deposit balance and the number of game media corresponding to the cost of the card are recorded, there is a possibility that the loss can be compensated by the recorded deposit balance or the like even if it cannot be collected. However, for general cards that cannot be used on the next day, there are few players to take home with the balance of deposits remaining, and most of the general cards that cannot be collected have no deposit balance and a small number of game media Is a card that has been recorded. If such a general card is taken home, the loss cannot be compensated, and the disadvantage on the game hall side is the largest.

JP 2010-131183 A

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and provides a management system and a checkout device for a game hall capable of suppressing loss due to a game card whose expiration date is limited to that day. It is to provide.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a gaming machine is installed that consumes a gaming value given as money as money paid by a player and executes the game, and when the winning occurs by the game, a gaming machine that can acquire the gaming value is installed. In the game hall management system applied to the game hall
Deposit balance storage means for storing the unused amount of money as a deposit balance;
Game value storage means for storing the magnitude of the game value owned by the player;
A recording medium issuing means for issuing a recording medium in which information capable of specifying the deposit balance and the magnitude of the game value is recorded;
A settlement apparatus capable of executing a settlement process for paying out money corresponding to a deposit balance specified by information recorded in the recording medium;
A prize exchange device capable of executing a prize exchange process for exchanging a game value specified by information recorded on the recording medium with a prize,
When the payment apparatus reads the information recorded on the recording medium, the payment balance and the game value are specified, and the payment balance is present and the game value is greater than a reference value. After the settlement process is executed, the recording medium is returned to the player. On the other hand, if the deposit balance is present and the game value is less than a reference value, the game value is initialized. On the condition of this, there is a management system for a game hall that collects the recording medium after executing the checkout process (claim 1).

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is an account settlement device constituting the game hall management system according to the first aspect.

  The settlement apparatus according to the present invention executes the settlement process on condition that the game value is initialized and the recording medium is collected when the game value is less than the reference value when the deposit balance is settled. If the game value is initialized and the recording medium is collected in this way, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation where the recording medium is brought home with a little game value remaining.

  Note that some players think that if the game value recorded on the recording medium is small, the player may be initialized. For such a player, it is possible to save the trouble of consuming the game value and making it zero. Therefore, the checkout process with the initialization of the game value as described above is convenient and convenient.

  As described above, the settlement apparatus according to the present invention is a useful apparatus for suppressing the possibility that the recording medium is brought back to the player and cannot be collected. The management system for a game hall including this settlement apparatus is a system that can suppress a loss on the game hall side caused by an uncollectable recording medium.

  Examples of the gaming machine according to the present invention include a pachinko gaming machine having a pachinko ball winning opening, a slot machine that generates a winning according to a combination of symbols that are stopped and displayed. The pachinko gaming machine may be a type that uses a pachinko ball as a gaming medium as a gaming value, but may also be a so-called enclosed type that does not use a pachinko ball as a gaming value. The slot machine may be a slot machine that uses medals or coins as game media, but may be a so-called complete credit type slot machine that does not use game media. Further, in the case of a slot machine, a parrot (R) that uses a pachinko ball as a game medium may be used.

  In the present invention, in the case of a gaming machine that pays out game media such as pachinko balls and medals in accordance with winnings or the like, the game media becomes the game value. On the other hand, in the case of the above-mentioned enclosed pachinko gaming machine or a complete credit type slot machine, the points given electronically in accordance with winnings are the gaming value.

When the settlement apparatus in the management system for a gaming hall according to a preferred aspect of the present invention intends to execute the settlement process on condition that the game value is initialized, the settlement apparatus displays a message to that effect to the player. When the player gives an instruction to permit the execution of the checkout process, the checkout process is executed. On the other hand, when the player does not give the instruction, the checkout process is not executed and the recording medium is transferred to the player. (Claim 2).
With such a configuration, when the player is trying to initialize the game value and collect the recording medium, the player's intention is confirmed, and if the player refuses, the recording medium can be returned as it is.

A settlement apparatus in a management system for a game hall according to a preferred aspect of the present invention is configured to permit a player to execute a settlement process when the deposit balance is present and the game value is less than a reference value. When there is no instruction and the recording medium is returned to the player, a message is displayed indicating that the settlement process should be performed after all the gaming value is consumed.
In this way, when returning the recording medium, if it is guided that the game value should be consumed and then the settlement process should be performed again, the possibility that the recording medium can be brought home can be suppressed. Moreover, such guidance is effective and friendly for the player's reminder.

The system diagram which shows the system configuration | structure of the management system for game halls in an Example. The front view which shows the combination of the pachinko machine and counting rental unit in an Example. The block diagram which shows the electric constitution of the count rental unit in an Example. The front view which shows the payment apparatus in an Example. The block diagram which shows the electrical structure of the adjustment apparatus in an Example. The flowchart which shows the flow of the adjustment process in an Example. The front view which shows the acquisition refusal confirmation screen by the adjustment apparatus in an Example. The front view which shows the message screen by the adjustment apparatus in an Example. The front view which shows the payment completion screen by the payment apparatus 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 hall management system 1 for a game hall in which a pachinko gaming machine (game machine) 2 is installed. The contents will be described with reference to FIGS.

  In the game hall of this example, a plurality of rows of gaming machine islands 100 are formed in which a plurality of pachinko gaming machines 2 are arranged facing the passage. The prize counter provided in the game hall is provided with a prize exchange terminal (premium exchange apparatus) 5 for exchanging with a favorite prize according to the game value. In the 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. Furthermore, a settlement apparatus 4 for paying out money corresponding to the deposit balance recorded on the game card (recording medium) 10 is installed in the aisle in the game hall.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the game hall management system 1 of this example allows a prize exchange terminal 5, a management device 6, a pachinko gaming machine 2, a checkout device 4, a counting lending unit 3, and the like to communicate via the in-place network 11. System connected in a stable state. The counting lending unit 3 is installed for each pachinko gaming machine 2 for lending / counting game media.

  The pachinko gaming machine 2 is connected to the on-site network 11 through a repeater (not shown) together with the corresponding counting and lending unit 3. Each gaming machine island 100 is provided with a repeater 110, and the pachinko gaming machine 2, the count lending unit 3, etc. of the gaming machine island 100 are connected to the management device 6 etc. via this repeater 110. Hereinafter, the constituent devices of the management system 1 for amusement hall will be described in order.

(Management device)
The management device 6 is a device that manages the operation status of the pachinko gaming machine 2, the counting rental unit 3, the prize exchange terminal 5, and the payment device 4 installed in the game hall.
The management device 6 includes an output unit 61 that includes a liquid crystal display, a printer (not shown), and the like, a device main body 62 that executes various arithmetic processes, and an input unit 63 that includes a keyboard and a mouse (not shown). The apparatus main body 62 has a control function centered on a CPU (Central Processing Unit) for executing arithmetic processing, a storage function using a hard disk drive, a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc., and various signals or It has a communication function for transmitting and receiving information.

  The management device 6 of this example has functions as a deposit balance storage unit 601 for storing a deposit balance for each game card, and a game value storage unit 602 for storing a possession ball and a storage ball for each game card. In the management device 6, the magnitude of the game value such as the number of possessed balls and the number of stored balls owned by the player is stored and managed for each game card 10 on which an IC chip is mounted. As for the membership card 101 for members of the game hall, the deposit balance, the number of possessed balls, and the number of stored balls are managed in association with the card ID (identification information). For the general card 102 for non-members, the deposit balance and the number of possessed balls are managed in association with the card ID. Here, the holding balls are balls counted on the day and can be used regardless of whether or not they are members. Savings balls are counting balls before the previous day that were deposited using the savings service, which is a service for members.

(Game machine)
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 this pachinko machine 2, a lottery random number for jackpot determination is extracted in accordance with the winning of a pachinko ball at a predetermined start opening, and a jackpot lottery is executed, and by a stop display of a matching symbol such as “777” 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.

The pachinko gaming machine 2 includes an upper plate 21 that supplies a pachinko ball to a launcher (not shown) and a lower plate 22 that stores the pachinko ball overflowing from the upper plate 21 (see FIG. 2). A slide lever 225 is provided at the front edge of the lower plate 22 so that the bottom of the lower plate 22 can be removed in accordance with the operation of the slide lever 225.
A lending button 24 and a return button 25 are disposed on the upper surface of the edge of the upper plate 21. The lending button 24 and the return button 25 are operation buttons related to the operation of the counting lending unit 3. The function description of each button is included in the operation description of the counting lending unit 3 described later.

(Counter lending unit)
As shown in FIG. 1, the counting lending unit 3 is installed in a space between the adjacent pachinko gaming machines 2 so as to correspond to each pachinko gaming machine 2 individually. The counting lending unit 3 has a pachinko ball payout function for gaming, a counting function for the acquired pachinko balls, and a function as recording medium issuing means 311 for issuing the game card 10.

  On the front surface of the counting / lending unit 3, a state display unit 31 that displays an operating state such as an apparatus error or a stock of cards is displayed, a money insertion slot 32 that inserts money to be used as a money lending price, and a display screen of a liquid crystal display unit 331. The touch panel 33 on which the touch screen sheet 332 is laminated, the payout button 34 for paying out the pachinko balls from the holding balls, the payout nozzle 35 for supplying the payout balls to the upper plate 21 of the pachinko gaming machine 2, and the card insertion for inserting the game card 10 A mouth 36 is provided. A card return button 361 is disposed beside the card insertion slot 36. The deposit balance is the remaining amount that has not been consumed as the price of the ball lending out of the money inserted through the money insertion slot 32. The number of balls is the number of pachinko balls that have been acquired through the game and counted.

  A counting unit 37 that counts pachinko balls is provided at the lowermost part of the counting lending unit 3. A hollow duct 371 extends from the counting portion 37, and a counting tray 372 for receiving a pachinko ball flowing down from the lower plate 22 of the pachinko gaming machine 2 is attached to the distal end side of the hollow duct 371. When the slide lever 225 of the pachinko gaming machine 2 is operated, the pachinko balls flow from the lower plate 22 to the counting tray 372 and are supplied to the counting unit 37 via the hollow duct 371.

  A game card 10 such as a membership card 101 or a general card 102 can be inserted into the card insertion slot 36. The member card 101 is a game card issued to a player registered as a member. The general card 102 is a card issued when a deposit balance or a possession ball remains at the end of the game. In addition to the card ID, the general card 102 stores the deposit balance, the number of balls, and the like. In the member card 101, a password for logging in to a service menu for members is recorded in addition to the card ID, the deposit balance, and the number of possessed balls. Among the service menus for members, there is a savings service that deposits counting balls before the previous day as savings. The number of stored balls is not recorded in the member card 101, but is managed exclusively in the state where the card ID is associated on the management device 6 side.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the counting / lending unit 3 is electrically configured around a control unit 30 including a CPU 301, a ROM 302, a RAM 303, an I / O 304, and the like. In addition to the above-described configuration, the control unit 30 includes an I / F unit 38, a banknote processing unit 321 that detects the type of inserted banknote, and a card reader / writer that reads and writes the gaming card 10 inserted from the card insertion slot 36. 362, a card stock unit 363 that stocks five general cards 102 for new issuance, a payout unit 341 that pays out balls, a counting unit 37 that counts counting balls, and the like are electrically connected. The count lending unit 3 of this example is connected to the management device 6 and the pachinko gaming machine 2 through the I / F unit 38 in a communicable state.

  In the counting lending unit 3, when money is inserted into the money insertion slot 32, the amount is stored as a deposit balance, and the rentable frequency (number of times: 125 balls) is displayed on the touch panel 33 and Payout becomes possible. The inserted game card 10 can be used according to the use permission by the management device 6. When the game card 10 becomes usable, the recorded deposit balance and the number of possessed balls are displayed on the touch panel 33, and it becomes possible to pay out the balls and pay out the balls. Further, in the case of the membership card 101, if there is a number of balls managed on the management device 6 side, the number of balls stored is displayed on the touch panel 33, and it becomes possible to pay out the balls.

  The use permission by the management device 6 will be described here. The card ID, the deposit balance, and the number of possessed balls read out from the game card 10 by the counting lending unit 3 are transmitted to the management device 6. On the management device 6 side, a database in which the deposit balance is managed for each card ID is referred to, and it is determined whether the data such as the deposit balance is correct. Is replied. Further, in the case of the membership card 101, the number of stored balls is transmitted together with the use permission.

In the state where the deposit balance is displayed, it is possible to receive the payout of the balls one by one in accordance with the operation of the lending button 24 provided in the pachinko gaming machine 2. When a ball is rented, the price is deducted from the deposit balance, and the display of the remaining loanable frequency on the touch panel 33 is updated.
In the state where the number of balls is displayed, the pachinko balls can be paid out from the balls in accordance with the operation of the payout button 34. 125 balls can be paid out in response to one operation of the payout button 34, and the number of balls on the touch panel 33 is subtracted and updated in accordance with the payout.

  By operating the slide lever 225 of the pachinko gaming machine 2, the pachinko balls on the lower plate 22 can flow down to the counting tray 372 and be supplied to the counting unit 37. The counting unit 37 starts counting in response to detection of the supplied pachinko balls. The counted number of balls is added to the number of balls, and the display on the touch panel 33 is thereby updated.

  After the game is finished, when the return button 25 provided in the pachinko gaming machine 2 is operated, the game card 10 is returned or issued. In the case of a game using the game card 10, the game card 10 is returned according to the operation of the return button 25. On the other hand, in the case of a game in which the game card 10 is not inserted, the general card 102 is paid out from the card stock unit 363 in accordance with the operation of the return button 25, and the deposit balance and the number of balls are recorded and issued. When the game card 10 is returned or issued, the deposit balance and the number of possession data recorded on the game card 10 are transmitted to the management device 6 together with the card ID.

(Premium exchange terminal)
As shown in FIG. 1, the prize exchange terminal 5 is a terminal that executes prize exchange using the number of balls and the like recorded on the game card 10. A card unit 51 that can read and write the game card 10 is externally attached to the prize exchange terminal 5 of this example. According to the prize exchange terminal 5, it is possible to exchange prizes within the range of the number of balls read from the game card 10 set in the card unit 51 on the premise that the use of the card by the management device 6 is permitted.

Note that the use of the card by the management device 6 is almost the same as in the case of the counting and lending unit 3 described above. In the case of the membership card 101, if there is a stored number of balls managed by the management device 6, the number of stored balls is returned to the free gift exchange terminal 5 together with the use permission, and a free gift exchange using the stored number of balls is also possible.
After the prize exchange using the game card 10, data such as the number of updated balls is transmitted together with the card ID from the prize exchange terminal 5 to the management device 6.

(Checkout device)
The settlement device 4 is a device for paying back the money of the deposit balance to the player, and is installed in a passage in the game hall. On the front face of the settlement apparatus 4, a touch panel 43 in which a touch screen sheet 432 is laminated on the display screen of the liquid crystal display unit 431, an operation panel 41 on which a numeric keypad and the like are arranged, a card insertion slot 46, a banknote outlet 42, a coin outlet 47 etc. are arranged.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the settlement apparatus 4 is electrically configured with a control unit 40 including a CPU 401, a ROM 402, a RAM 403, an I / O 404, and the like as a center. For the control unit 40, in addition to the above configuration, the I / F unit 48, the card reader / writer 462 for reading and writing the game card 10 inserted from the card insertion slot 46, and the card stock for collecting and stocking the general card 102 A part 463, a money paying part 44 for paying out money, a money stocking part 45 for stocking money for paying out, and the like are electrically connected. The settlement apparatus 4 is connected via the I / F unit 48 so as to be able to communicate with the management apparatus 6.

One of the features of the game hall management system 1 of this example configured by combining the above-described devices is the operation of the settlement apparatus 4. The operation of the settlement apparatus 4 of this example will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 6 and the display screens of FIGS.
The settlement process by the settlement apparatus 4 of this example is started in response to acceptance of the game card 10 as shown in FIG. 6 (S101: YES). As in the case of the above-mentioned counting / lending unit 3 or the like, the game card 10 can be used according to the use permission on the management device 6 side. First, the deposit balance recorded on the game card 10 is read out, and is more than zero yen. Is determined (S102). If there are more than zero yen (S102: YES), the type of the game card 10 is determined (S103). If it is the general card 102 (S103: YES), the number of possessed balls is read, and it is determined whether or not it is equal to or more than a reference value (100 balls in this example) (S104).

If this number is less than the reference value (S104: NO), the number of possession rejection confirmation screen 43A (FIG. 7) is displayed on the touch panel 43 (S105), and the player's operation is awaited. (S106: NO → S117: NO).
When the YES button on the capture rejection confirmation screen 43A is operated (S106: YES), first, the money corresponding to the deposit balance is paid out (S107). Thereafter, the deposit balance and the number of possessed balls recorded on the general card 102 being handled are cleared (initialization by zero reset) (S108) and collected in the card stock unit 463 (S109).
On the other hand, when the NO button in the capture rejection confirmation screen 43A is operated (S106: NO → S117: YES), a message screen 43B (FIG. 8) prompting consumption of the remaining balls is displayed on the touch panel 43. (S118) The accepted general card 102 is returned (S119).

In the above step S104, when the number of balls in the general card 102 is equal to or larger than the reference value (S104: YES), after the money for the deposit balance is paid out (S125), only the deposit balance data is obtained. The general card 102 is returned together with the display of the payment completion screen 43C of FIG. 9 which is deleted (S126) and the deposit balance is reset (S119).
In the case of the membership card 101 (S103: NO), the payment of money corresponding to the deposit balance is executed (S125) regardless of whether or not the number of possessed balls is equal to or greater than the reference value. Only the balance data is deleted (S126) and returned (S119).

  In the game hall management system 1 configured as described above, when adjusting the deposit balance, if the number of possessed balls is less than the reference value (100 balls), the number of possessed balls is initialized. The settlement process is executed on condition that the general card (recording medium) 102 is collected. If the general card 102 is initialized and collected in this way, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the general card 102 is brought home with a little game value such as holding balls remaining.

  Note that some players think that the player may be initialized if the game value such as a ball to be recorded on the general card 102 is small. For such a player, it is possible to save the trouble of consuming the recorded few possession balls to zero, so the configuration that initializes the few possession balls as described above is convenient and convenient. is there.

  Furthermore, the settlement apparatus 4 of the present example performs the player's intention confirmation when initializing the number of balls and attempting to collect the general card 102. If such an intention confirmation is performed and the general card 102 is returned to the rejected player, the player can deal with a wide variety of players with various ideas. If a player who refuses to initialize a small number of balls is displayed with a message prompting the player to return the card after the number of balls is consumed (Fig. 8), the player is motivated to return the card. Can be attached.

  As described above, the settlement apparatus 4 according to the present invention is a useful apparatus for suppressing the possibility that the recording medium is brought back to the player and cannot be collected. The game hall management system 1 including the settlement apparatus 4 is a system that can suppress a loss on the game hall side caused by an uncollectable recording medium.

In this example, the deposit balance and the number of possessions are recorded on the game card 10, but instead, only identification information such as a card ID may be recorded on the game card 10. In this case, using the card ID recorded on the game card 10 and referring to the card information such as the deposit balance and the number of balls managed by the management device 6 for each card, the deposit corresponding to the specific game card 10 is made. You can specify the balance, number of balls, etc.
In this example, the member card 101 in which the number of stored balls is not recorded is illustrated, but the number of stored balls may be recorded in the member card 101. As in this example, if the use permission on the management device 6 side is set as a premise of use of the accepted game card 10, there will be no problem even if the number of stored balls is recorded on the member card 101.

  In this example, a gaming machine that pays out gaming media is illustrated. Instead of this, it may be an enclosed game machine that does not pay out game media such as pachinko balls and medals, and adds and stores it as electronic data such as earned points. In this example, a pachinko gaming machine is illustrated, but other types of gaming machines such as a slot machine may be used.

In this example, the game card 10 is illustrated as a recording medium such as a deposit balance, but instead of this, a coin or the like in which an IC chip is incorporated can be used as a recording medium, or a smartphone (multifunctional mobile phone). A portable terminal such as a telephone may be used as a recording medium.
In this example, a counting device (counting lending unit 3) is provided for each gaming machine, but a configuration in which one counting device is shared among a plurality of gaming machines may be employed.

  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.

1 Management system for game hall 10 Game card (recording medium)
100 amusement machine island 11 on-site network 110 repeater 2 pachinko machine (game machine)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 3 Count rental unit 311 Recording medium issuing means 37 Counting part 371 Hollow duct 372 Count tray 4 Settlement device 43 Touch panel 43A Acquisition rejection confirmation screen 43B Message screen 43C Settlement completion screen 5 Free gift exchange terminal (free gift exchange device)
51 Card unit 6 Management device 601 Deposit balance storage means 602 Game value storage means

Claims (4)

A game hall that is applied to a game hall in which a game machine is executed that consumes the game value given as money in exchange for the player's money and has a game machine that can acquire the game value when a prize is generated by the game Management system
Deposit balance storage means for storing the unused amount of money as a deposit balance;
Game value storage means for storing the magnitude of the game value owned by the player;
A recording medium issuing means for issuing a recording medium in which information capable of specifying the deposit balance and the magnitude of the game value is recorded;
A settlement apparatus capable of executing a settlement process for paying out money corresponding to a deposit balance specified by information recorded in the recording medium;
A prize exchange device capable of executing a prize exchange process for exchanging a game value specified by information recorded on the recording medium with a prize,
When the payment apparatus reads the information recorded on the recording medium, the payment balance and the game value are specified, and the payment balance is present and the game value is greater than a reference value. After the settlement process is executed, the recording medium is returned to the player. On the other hand, if the deposit balance is present and the game value is less than a reference value, the game value is initialized. A management system for a game hall, wherein the recording medium is collected after executing the settlement process on the condition.   When the settlement apparatus intends to execute the settlement process on condition that the game value is initialized, the settlement apparatus displays a message to that effect and permits the player to execute the settlement process. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the checkout process is executed when the instruction is issued, and the recording medium is returned to the player without executing the checkout process when there is no instruction from the player. Management system for amusement parks.   When the payment apparatus has the deposit balance and the game value is less than a reference value, the player does not give an instruction to permit the execution of the payment process, and returns the recording medium to the player. 3. A management system for a game hall according to claim 2, wherein a message indicating that the payment processing should be performed after the game value is completely consumed is displayed.   The payment apparatus which comprises the management system for game centers described in any one of Claims 1-3.

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