Automated system for providing information on game machine model

Abstract

To provide customers with model information on each model without requiring a game parlor to take the time and effort to update the model information when game machines installed in the game parlor are replaced.SOLUTION: A model information providing system 1 includes: a server 11; a model information input unit 12 for inputting model information to the server 11 from an information source outside a game parlor 90; a game machine model identification information input unit 13; a game machine model information matching unit 14 for matching game machine model information with model information for each model that is input to the server from the model information input unit 12; a tag information input unit 15 for inputting information corresponding to game machine identification information included in one information tag 93 that is transmitted from a mobile information terminal 80 when one of information tags 93 having information corresponding to the model identification information is read by the mobile information terminal 80, to the server 11; and a model information transmitting unit 16 for transmitting the model information associated with the game machine identification information corresponding to the information that is input from the tag information input unit 15 to the server 11 from the server 11 to the mobile information terminal 80.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a machine type information providing system that provides machine type information, which is information useful when playing a game, such as playing methods for each machine type of amusement machine, to a portable information terminal carried by a customer visiting a gaming parlor where gaming machines such as pachinko and pachislot machines are installed. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, gaming establishments (amusement halls, halls) provide customers with information on each type of gaming machine installed. The information on the type of gaming machine includes not only the method of playing that type of gaming machine, but also the symbols (which serve to inform customers that they are in a reach state or a jackpot state, and such information on symbols is also included in the playing method in a broad sense) that are displayed on the gaming machine (in many cases, a display device such as a liquid crystal display mounted on the gaming machine) when the machine is in a reach state, in which a jackpot is expected, or when a jackpot has already been hit. In the past, information on the types of machines was provided by placing paper instructions called POP on each gaming machine, but in recent years, systems that provide information on the types of machines to mobile information terminals carried by customers have become widespread.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a system for distributing model information for each gaming machine installed in a gaming parlor, which includes RF tags attached to the gaming tables on which the gaming machines are installed in a one-to-one correspondence, a hall computer communicatively connected to all gaming machines and storing and managing model names that identify the models of each gaming machine and model information for each model (note that in this document, model names are also included in model information), and a Web server communicatively connected to the hall computer. Each RF tag stores a gaming machine number, which is a number given to the corresponding gaming machine (note that this is not a gaming machine). The hall computer periodically transmits the model information, etc. to the Web server. The Web server stores distribution information in which the model information, etc., which is information to be distributed to mobile information terminals, is associated with the gaming machine number.

[0004] In the system described in Patent Document 1, when a customer brings a mobile information terminal with a dedicated app installed close to an RF tag, the mobile information terminal receives a signal from the RF tag via near field communication (NFC). This starts a dedicated app on the mobile information terminal, which receives gaming machine number information from the RF tag and transmits the information to a web server via wireless communication such as Wi-Fi. The web server reads out from a storage unit model information and the like associated with the gaming machine number received from the mobile information terminal and transmits it to the mobile information terminal. The dedicated app on the mobile information terminal displays the model information and the like transmitted from the web server on a screen. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-085858 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Machine information such as gameplay methods is provided by gaming machine manufacturers or specialized machine information providers whose business is providing machine information, but in the system described in Patent Document 1, such machine information must be managed by the hall computer for each machine type. Gaming establishments replace their gaming machines to introduce new or popular machines, but each time a machine is replaced, the machine information must also be updated, which places a burden on the operators of the gaming establishments who own the hall computers.

[0007] To provide a system for providing information on gaming machines that can provide customers with information on each model when gaming machines installed in an amusement facility are replaced without requiring the operator of the amusement facility to take the time to update the model information. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The machine type information providing system according to the present invention, which has been developed to solve the above problems, a) a server; b) a machine type information input unit that inputs machine type information, which is information on each machine type of all gaming machines in the gaming establishment or information on links to said information, from an information source outside the gaming establishment to said server; c) a gaming machine type identification information input unit that inputs gaming machine type identification information, which is information that identifies each gaming machine in the gaming facility, and type identification information, which is information that identifies the type of gaming machine installed on each gaming machine, into the server from an information source inside or outside the gaming facility, in association with each gaming machine; d) a gaming machine model information matching unit that matches the gaming machine identification information and model information of each gaming machine based on the model information for each machine type input from the model information input unit to the server and the gaming machine identification information and model identification information input from the gaming machine model identification information input unit to the server; e) a tag information input unit that inputs information corresponding to the gaming machine identification information included in one information tag, which is installed on each gaming machine in the gaming facility and has information corresponding to the gaming machine identification information, transmitted from the mobile information terminal when the information tag is read by the mobile information terminal, to the server; f) a machine type information transmitting unit that transmits, from the server to the mobile information terminal, machine type information associated with gaming machine identification information corresponding to the information input from the tag information input unit to the server; The present invention is characterized by comprising:

[0009] The machine type information is a collective term for the information itself for each machine type and the link to that information (it does not refer only to the link to the machine type information). The information for each machine type includes information that is useful during play, such as the game method, data such as the probability of hitting the jackpot, and the symbols that are displayed on the display of the gaming machine when it is in a reach state or a jackpot state. The machine type information is input to the server from an information source outside the gaming facility, and is not input from an information source inside the gaming facility, such as a hall computer.

[0010] The gaming machine identification information is information that identifies each gaming machine owned by a gaming establishment, and is specified for each gaming machine by numbers (machine number) and letters (alphabet, etc.). Information that identifies the gaming establishment where the gaming machine is installed (numbers, letters, etc., referred to as "gaming establishment identification information") may be added to the gaming machine identification information. By using gaming machine identification information to which gaming establishment identification information has been added in this way, each gaming machine installed in multiple gaming establishments can be managed using only the gaming machine identification information.

[0011] The gaming machine identification information and the model identification information input to the server by the gaming machine model identification information input unit may be obtained from a hall computer installed in the gaming establishment. Alternatively, they may be obtained from a computer or a server outside the gaming establishment owned by a company that manages the hall computer. Furthermore, they may be provided by the gaming establishment and obtained from a computer or a server of a company that provides other information (different from the model information provided to customers by the system according to the present invention) to the gaming establishment and customers. Such "other information" may include, for example, information called a slump graph, which shows the tendency of balls paid out for each gaming machine installed on each gaming machine in a graph (usually, the gaming machine number of the gaming machine to be provided with the information and the model name of the gaming machine installed on the gaming machine are displayed on the screen together with the graph).

[0012] The information tag is a tag on which some information is recorded so as to be readable by a mobile information terminal. Examples of such tags include tags with printed barcodes or two-dimensional barcodes, RF tags (NFC tags), and the like. In the present invention, information corresponding to gaming machine identification information is recorded in the information tag. Here, "information corresponding to gaming machine identification information" may be the gaming machine identification information itself, or information that corresponds one-to-one with each gaming machine identification information (not the gaming machine identification information itself). When gaming machine identification information to which gaming facility identification information has been added is used as described above, gaming facility identification information or information that corresponds one-to-one with each gaming facility identification information is also added to the information tag.

[0013] According to the machine type information providing system of the present invention, machine type information prepared for each machine type is input to a server from an information source outside the gaming establishment, and the gaming machine identification information and machine type identification information of the gaming establishment are input in association with each gaming machine, and the gaming machine identification information and machine type information of each gaming machine are associated with each other based on the machine type information, gaming machine identification information, and machine type identification information of each gaming machine. When a customer at the gaming establishment reads one of the information tags installed on each gaming machine with a mobile information terminal, the gaming machine identification information included in the one information tag is sent and input to the server, and the machine type information associated with the one information tag is sent to the mobile information terminal, thereby allowing the customer to obtain the machine type information of the gaming machine on the gaming machine on which the one information tag is installed.

[0014] If the model information transmitted to the portable information terminal is information about the model itself, the portable information terminal displays the transmitted model information. On the other hand, if the model information transmitted to the portable information terminal is a link to information about the model, the portable information terminal accesses the link destination and displays the information transmitted from the link destination.

[0015] When a gaming machine installed on a gaming table is replaced, as part of the replacement work, the gaming table identification information and the model identification information stored in the hall computer or the computer owned by the company that provides the slump graph information are usually updated. In the model information providing system according to the present invention, the gaming table model identification information input unit periodically inputs the gaming table identification information and the model identification information to the server, so that when the replacement work is performed, the gaming table identification information and the model identification information stored in the server are automatically updated to the replaced information, and the correspondence between the gaming table identification information and the model information is automatically updated to the replaced information. As a result, the model information displayed on the mobile information terminal of the visiting customer is automatically updated to the replaced model. Therefore, even if the model of the gaming machine is replaced, the operator of the gaming establishment does not need to take the trouble of updating the model information, and the model information of the replaced model can be provided to the visiting customer.

[0016] In the machine type information providing system according to the present invention, the gaming machine type identification information input unit may input the information in which the gaming machine identification information and the machine type identification information are associated to the server when the manager of the machine type information providing system performs a predetermined operation, but it is preferable to input the information to the server periodically (automatically) without requiring such an operation. This eliminates the need for the manager to perform the laborious operation, prevents the manager from forgetting to update, and ensures that the information can be updated.

[0017] When the gaming machine model-specific information input unit periodically (automatically) inputs the information in which the gaming machine specific information and the model specific information are associated to the server, it is preferable to input the information before the opening of the store every day or before the opening of the store on each business day of the gaming store. This makes it possible to reliably provide customers with model information on the new model when the model of the gaming machine installed on the gaming machine is replaced after the store closes on the previous day. Effect of the Invention

[0018] According to the machine type information providing system of the present invention, when gaming machines installed in an amusement facility are replaced, the operator of the amusement facility can provide customers with machine type information for each machine type without having to take the time to update the machine type information. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an overall configuration of an embodiment of a model information providing system according to the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a gaming table. [Diagram 3] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a modified example of a connection state between the model information providing system of the present embodiment and an external computer. [Figure 4] 13 is a diagram showing an example of a setting screen for setting the timing for acquiring gaming machine-machine association information in the machine type information providing system of the present embodiment. FIG. [Diagram 5] 11 is a table showing an example of gaming machine-machine type association information in which gaming machine identification information and machine type identification information are associated with each other. [Figure 6] A table showing another example of gaming machine-machine association information (after machine replacement) in which gaming machine identification information and machine identification information are associated with each other. [Figure 7] 11 is a table showing an example of information in which game machine identification information and the address of a file of data that is model information are associated with each other. [Figure 8] 11 is a table showing an example of information in which gaming machine identification information is associated with the address of a link to a web page that displays machine type information. [Figure 9] 13 is a table showing another example of information in which game machine identification information and the addresses of files of data that are model information are associated with each other (after model replacement). [Figure 10] A table showing another example of information (after model replacement) in which gaming machine identification information is associated with the address of a link to a web page that displays model information. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of an on-screen operation for selecting, for each gaming machine, one of the pieces of machine information created by a plurality of vendors for one machine. [Figure 12] 13 is a diagram showing an example of machine type information displayed on a mobile information terminal owned by a customer at an amusement facility by the machine type information providing system of the present embodiment. FIG. [Figure 13] 13 is a diagram showing another example of machine type information (after machine type replacement) displayed on a mobile information terminal owned by a customer at a gaming facility by the machine type information providing system of the present embodiment. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] An embodiment of the machine type information providing system according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 13. The machine type information providing system 1 of this embodiment is a system that provides machine type information for each machine type of gaming machine installed in a gaming establishment 90 (which may be one establishment, multiple establishments owned by one company, or multiple establishments each owned by multiple companies) that is a customer of the system operator who operates the system, to a mobile information terminal 80 held by a customer who visits the gaming establishment. Here, the machine type information refers to information that is useful during playing, such as a game method, data such as the probability of winning a jackpot, and a pattern that is displayed on the display of the gaming machine when it is in a reach state or a jackpot state.

[0021] (1) Configuration of the model information providing system according to the present embodiment 1 shows the overall configuration of the model information providing system 1 of this embodiment. This model information providing system 1 has a server 11, a model information input unit 12, a gaming machine model specification information input unit 13, a gaming machine model information matching unit 14, a tag information input unit 15, and a model information transmission unit 16.

[0022] The model information input unit 12 inputs model information, which is information (or a link to the information) about each model, for each of the multiple gaming machines to the server 11. It is desirable for the system operator to input model information about all models sold by gaming machine manufacturers that do business with the gaming establishment 90 to the server 11 via the model information input unit 12, so as to cover all model information about all models that may be installed in the customer's gaming establishment 90. The model information may be created by the system operator itself, or may be transferred to the system operator from information created by another company. In any case, the model information is input to the server 11 from an information source outside the gaming establishment 90, and the operator or employees of the gaming establishment 90 do not need to be involved in inputting the model information.

[0023] The entity of the model information input unit 12 is composed of input devices such as a keyboard and mouse possessed by the server 11, a device for reading model information from storage such as a USB memory or CD-ROM in which the model information is stored, and an input unit from an Internet line to the server 11 for downloading model information stored in a server other than the server 11.

[0024] The gaming machine model identification information input unit 13 inputs gaming machine identification information, which is information that identifies each gaming machine 91 owned by the customer's gaming facility 90, and model identification information, which is information that identifies the model of the gaming machine 92 installed on each gaming machine 91, in association with each gaming machine 91 to the server 11. Hereinafter, information in which the gaming machine identification information and model identification information are associated with each gaming machine 91 is referred to as "gaming machine-model association information."

[0025] Here, the gaming machine 91 will be described as a premise for explaining the gaming machine-machine type association information. As shown in FIG. 2, the gaming machine 91 usually has a frame 921 in which the gaming machine 92 is fitted, and a machine lamp 922 provided above the frame 921. The machine lamp 922 has a display for displaying a slump graph of the gaming machine 92 installed on the gaming machine 91, a call lamp for calling an employee, and the like, and has a built-in computer for controlling the display and the call lamp. The built-in computer of the machine lamp 922 is connected to the hall computer 95 installed in the gaming establishment 90 through a local network in the gaming establishment 90. In addition, the built-in computer of the machine lamp 922 is assigned a unique number for each machine lamp 922 (i.e., each gaming machine 91), and this unique number (hereinafter referred to as the "gaming machine number") becomes the gaming machine specific information. On the other hand, the type specific information consists of a model name or a certification number determined for each type of gaming machine 92. The model name is the name determined by the gaming machine manufacturer for each model, and the inspection number is a number given to each model after inspection by the prefectural public safety commission upon application from the manufacturer.

[0026] The gaming establishment 90 is obligated to report the gaming machine-machine association information data to the public safety commission in charge every time the model of the gaming machine 92 installed on the gaming establishment 91 is replaced. The gaming machine-machine association information is stored in a storage device of the hall computer 95 of the gaming establishment 90, and is updated every time the model of the gaming machine 92 is replaced by the opening time of the gaming establishment 90. The gaming machine-machine association information is input to the hall computer 95. In some cases, the gaming machine-machine association information may be shared not only by the hall computer 95, but also by a management computer 71 owned by a company that manages the hall computer 95, or a slump graph providing computer 72 owned by a slump graph providing company that provides online information on slump graphs for each gaming machine 92 installed on the gaming establishment 91 to the public (FIG. 3). Both the management computer 71 and the slump graph providing computer 72 are installed outside the gaming establishment 90 and are connected to the hall computer 95 via an Internet line (not shown).

[0027] In this embodiment, the gaming machine model specification information input unit 13 inputs gaming machine-model association information from the hall computer 95 to the server 11 via an Internet line. Note that instead of inputting the gaming machine-model association information from the hall computer 95 to the server 11, the information may be input to the server 11 from the management computer 71 or the slump graph providing computer 72 (FIG. 3).

[0028] The substance of the gaming machine model specification information input unit 13 is an input unit from an Internet line to the server 11. In this embodiment, the timing for inputting the gaming machine-model association information to the server 11 is set on a gaming machine-model association information setting screen 130 shown in FIG. 4. The gaming machine-model association information setting screen 130 displays a synchronization execution button 131, a revision button 132, a time setting field 133, a time setting button 134, and a pause button 135. When the manager of the model information providing system 1 presses the synchronization execution button 131 on the gaming machine-model association information setting screen 130, the gaming machine-model association information is immediately input (updated) to the server 11. Also, when the manager inputs a time in the time setting field 133 and then presses the time setting button 134, the gaming machine-model association information is input (updated) to the server 11 at the same time every day. Even if the time is set in this way, when the administrator presses the synchronization execution button 131, the gaming machine-machine association information is immediately input to the server 11.

[0029] Here, it is preferable that the time entered in the time setting field 133 is a time before the opening of the gaming establishment 90. This allows the server 11 to always have the latest gaming machine-machine association information at the opening time of the gaming establishment 90. Also, a field for entering regular holidays of the gaming establishment 90 may be provided on the setting screen, and the operation of acquiring gaming machine-machine association information may not be performed on the regular holidays.

[0030] The revision button 132 is a button for reverting the input (updated) gaming machine-machine association information to the gaming machine-machine association information input one time prior to the input (update) when some kind of situation (problem) occurs.

[0031] The pause button 135 is a button for temporarily stopping the input (update) of gaming machine-machine association information while the time remains input in the time setting field 133. While the operation of inputting (updating) gaming machine-machine association information at the set time is being executed, an equilateral triangle symbol is displayed on the pause button 135. When the pause button 135 is pressed, the symbol displayed on the button changes from an equilateral triangle to two vertically long rectangles arranged horizontally, and the operation is temporarily stopped. When the pause button 135 is pressed again in this state, the symbol displayed on the button returns to the original equilateral triangle, and the operation of inputting (updating) gaming machine-machine association information at the set time is resumed.

[0032] When multiple gaming establishments 90 are targeted, the time for acquiring the gaming machine-machine association information set in the time setting field 133 may be set for each gaming establishment 90, or a common time may be set for the multiple gaming establishments 90. Similarly, the synchronization execution button 131 and revision button 132 may be provided for each gaming establishment 90 to perform the above operations, or one button may be provided to perform the above operations simultaneously for the multiple gaming establishments 90.

[0033] The gaming machine model information matching unit 14 performs processing to match the gaming machine identification information and model information of each gaming machine 91 based on the model information for each model of gaming machine 92 input from the model information input unit 12 to the server 11 and the gaming machine-model association information input from the gaming machine model identification information input unit 13 to the server 11. Since the gaming machine-model association information associates the gaming machine identification information and model identification information (model name or certification number) of each gaming machine 91, it is sufficient to match the model information of the model corresponding to this model identification information (information useful during play, such as a playing method) with the gaming machine identification information. The gaming machine model information matching unit 14 is actually a part of the server 11.

[0034] The gaming machine identification information of each gaming machine 91 may be the gaming machine number (only), but it is preferable to use a combination of the gaming machine number and information that identifies the gaming facility 90 (gaming facility identification information, consisting of symbols, numbers, etc.). For example, the gaming machine identification information of a gaming machine 91 that is installed in a gaming facility 90 that is assigned the gaming facility identification information of "083" and that is assigned the gaming machine number "101" can be set by combining the gaming facility identification information and the gaming machine number, such as "083101" or "083-101". By using the gaming machine identification information to which the gaming facility identification information is added in this way, each gaming machine installed in a plurality of gaming facilities can be managed using only the gaming machine identification information.

[0035] The tag information input unit 15 inputs information transmitted from the mobile information terminal 80 when an information tag 93 described below is read by the mobile information terminal 80 to the server 11. The information tag 93 is a tag on which specific information is recorded so as to be readable by the mobile information terminal 80, and is attached (installed) to each gaming machine 91 (for example, to a portion of the frame 921 to the right of the gaming machine 91) (see FIG. 2). The information recorded in each information tag 93 includes gaming machine specific information of the corresponding gaming machine 91. In this embodiment, a two-dimensional barcode is used for the information tag 93, but a one-dimensional barcode, an NFC tag, or the like may be used instead. The actual entity of the tag information input unit 15 is an input unit that inputs information from a mobile phone line or an Internet line connected to the mobile information terminal 80 to the server 11.

[0036] The model information transmission unit 16 reads out from the server 11 the model information associated by the gaming machine model information association unit 14 with the gaming machine specific information corresponding to the information input from the tag information input unit 15 to the server 11, and transmits it to the mobile information terminal 80 from which the information tag 93 was read. The actual entity of the model information transmission unit 16 is an output unit to a mobile phone line or an Internet line that connects the server 11 to the mobile information terminal 80.

[0037] (2) Operation of the Model Information Providing System of the Present Invention The operation of the machine type information providing system 1 of this embodiment will be described below. When the manager of the machine type information providing system 1 acquires a new gaming facility 90 as a customer, the manager sets the information source (such as the hall computer 95 of the gaming facility 90, or a computer owned by a hall computer management company or slump graph provider with which the gaming facility 90 has a separate contract) that shares the gaming machine-machine association information in the gaming machine type identification information input unit 13. A hall computer management company or a slump graph provider usually contracts with multiple gaming facilities and sets an ID for each gaming facility to perform management. Therefore, when receiving information from these companies, the manager of the machine type information providing system 1 further sets the ID of the gaming facility as a customer, thereby obtaining information on the gaming machine-machine association information of the gaming facility. These setting operations are performed by software for managing the machine type information providing system 1.

[0038] Furthermore, every time a new model that can be installed in a customer's gaming establishment 90 is released by a gaming machine manufacturer, the manager of the model information providing system 1 inputs model information of the model into the server 11 via the model information input unit 12. The model information to be input may be created by the manager or another person in charge, such as an employee of the system operator itself, or may be information created by another company and transferred to the manager. The model information data is stored in a specified folder in the server 11.

[0039] The gaming machine model specification information input unit 13 executes the following operations every day at the time set in the time setting field 133 on the management screen, or when the manager of the model information provision system 1 presses the synchronization execution button 131. For each gaming establishment 90, the gaming machine model specification information input unit 13 accesses the hall computer 95 of that gaming establishment 90, the computer of the hall computer management company or slump graph provider with which that gaming establishment 90 has a contract, etc., via the Internet line, and obtains gaming machine-model association information for each gaming establishment 90.

[0040] Examples of game machine-machine type association information are shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6. In the example of Fig. 5, game machines 92 of a type "model name 'P Shinseiki EVG☆', certification number '3P12345'" are installed on game machines 91 with game machine numbers (corresponding to game machine specific information; the same applies below) 101 to 116 in a certain game parlor 90, game machines 92 of a type "model name 'P○× no Yabou', certification number '3109876'" are installed on game machines 91 with game machine numbers 117 to 124, and game machines 92 of a type "model name 'P◇△ Monogatari II', certification number '3P08642'" are installed on game machines 91 with game machine numbers 125 to 128. The gaming machine type identification information input unit 13 acquires information associating these gaming machine numbers with the model name and / or certification number (either one of the model name and certification number or both) of the machine installed on the gaming machine 91 with the gaming machine number as gaming machine-type association information. Note that, although only the gaming machine number is shown as the gaming machine identification information in Fig. 5, the gaming parlor identification information and the gaming machine number may be used in combination as described above (similar to Figs. 6 to 11).

[0041] On the other hand, in the example of Fig. 6, during the time period after the gaming establishment 90 closes after the gaming establishment 90 acquires the gaming machine-machine association information in the example of Fig. 5, the gaming machines 92 of the model name "P○× no Yabou" and certification number "3109876" are replaced with gaming machines 92 of the model name "P△◎ Senshi GNDM" and certification number "3P13579" in the gaming establishments 91 with gaming machine numbers 117 to 124. Each time such a machine type replacement is performed, the gaming establishment 90 notifies the public safety commission of the gaming machine-machine association information data as described above and stores the data in the storage device of the hall computer 95. In the machine type information providing system 1 of this embodiment, the gaming machine machine type identification information input unit 13 acquires new gaming machine-machine association information every day or during the period before the gaming establishment 90 opens on each business day, so that the latest gaming machine-machine association information after the machine type is replaced is always available when the gaming establishment 90 opens on each business day.

[0042] In addition to the gaming machine-machine type association information, the computer of the hall computer management company or the slump graph provider may also transmit additional information such as the unit price of balls rented for the gaming machines 92 installed on each gaming machine 91 (price per rental ball for pachinko or per rental token for pachislot). The machine type information providing system 1 may have a function of providing this additional information to the mobile information terminal 80 together with the machine type information.

[0043] The gaming machine model information matching unit 14 matches the gaming machine identification information with the model information by replacing the model name or the certification number in the gaming machine-model association information with the model information of the corresponding model each time the gaming machine-model association information is acquired. FIGS. 7 and 8 show an example of matching the gaming machine identification information with the model information based on the gaming machine-model association information shown in FIG. 5. In the example shown in FIG. 7, the URL of the link destination for each model is input to the server 11 from the model information input unit 12 as the model information, and the URL is written in the "model information" column of the table in the figure. On the other hand, in the example shown in FIG. 8, the model information is input to the server 11 from the model information input unit 12, and the folder of the server 11 in which the data of the model information is stored is written in the "model information" column of the table in the figure.

[0044] As described above, the association between the gaming machine specifying information and the model information is automatically updated when the gaming machine-model association information is updated every day at the time set in the time setting field 133 on the management screen or when the administrator of the model information providing system 1 presses the synchronization execution button 131. For example, when the gaming machine-model association information is updated from that shown in Fig. 5 to that shown in Fig. 6 due to a model change, the association between the gaming machine specifying information and the model information is automatically updated from that shown in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 to that shown in Fig. 9 and Fig. 10, respectively. In both cases, the model information of gaming machine numbers 117 to 124, where the model has been changed, is updated to the model information of the new model after the change.

[0045] There are cases where multiple vendors create different types of machine information for one machine. In such a case, it is preferable to select and set one of multiple types of machine information corresponding to one machine on the setting screen of the machine information providing system 1. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 11, it is possible to select one of the link destinations of machine information created by three companies, namely, Company A, Company B, and Company C, for each gaming machine. In addition, it is also possible to select an option to manually input a URL so that a link can be made to machine information created by a vendor other than the three companies registered on the setting screen.

[0046] When a customer who visits a gaming establishment 90 after opening plays one of the gaming machines 92 in the establishment, the customer reads an information tag 93 provided on the right side of a gaming table 91 on which the gaming machine 92 is installed with a mobile information terminal 80, and a browser or a dedicated application is started (the dedicated application is installed in advance by the customer performing a predetermined operation on the mobile information terminal 80). At the same time, the mobile information terminal 80 transmits the information recorded in the read information tag 93 to the tag information input unit 15 of the model information providing system 1. In response to this, the tag information input unit 15 inputs the information to the server 11. Then, the model information transmission unit 16 reads out model information corresponding to the information input to the server 11 from the server 11 and transmits it to the mobile information terminal 80 of the customer whose information tag 93 was read. The mobile information terminal 80 that has received the model information transmits the model information to the browser or the dedicated application.

[0047] Fig. 12 shows an example of a model information display screen 801 displayed on the mobile information terminal 80. The model information display screen 801 has, from the top, a store name / machine number display section 81 that displays the store name and machine number of the gaming store 90 from which the information tag 93 was read, a machine name display section 82 that displays the name of the machine (in this example, the same as the model name) installed on the gaming machine 91 from which the information tag 93 was read, and a model information display section 83 that displays model information such as the specifications and playing method of the machine. In the example of Fig. 12, only an upper part of the model information display section 83 is displayed, and the remaining part of the model information display section 83 that is not shown in Fig. 12 can be displayed by performing a scroll operation on the model information display screen 801. In the example of Figure 12, model information is displayed for gaming machine 92 "P○× no Yabou" (displayed as "Pachinko ○× no Yabou" on model information display screen 801) installed on gaming machine 91 with gaming machine number 118 at gaming parlor 90 named "Parlor *★ Kyoto Ekimae Store."

[0048] When a machine type is replaced after the business day when the machine type information display screen 801 in the example of Fig. 12 is displayed on the mobile information terminal 80, the machine type identification information input unit 13 and the machine type information association unit 14 operate as described above during the next business day or before the opening of the store, and the association between the machine type identification information and the machine type information is automatically updated. As a result, when the information tag 93 of the machine type 91 with the machine type number 118 at "Parlor ※★ Kyoto Ekimae Store" is read by the mobile information terminal 80 on the next business day, the machine type information of "P△◎ Senshi GNDM" (displayed as "Pachinko △◎ Senshi GNDM" on the machine type information display screen 801), which is the machine type 92 installed on the machine type 91 after the replacement, is displayed as shown in Fig. 13.

[0049] According to the machine type information providing system 1 of this embodiment, when a gaming machine 92 installed in an amusement establishment 90 is replaced, the operator of the amusement establishment 90 can provide customers with machine type information of the replaced machine without having to take the time to update the machine type information.

[0050] Although the embodiment of the machine type information providing system according to the present invention has been described above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and various modifications are possible. [Explanation of symbols]

[0051] 1. Model information system 11…Server 12...Model information input section 13... Gaming machine type specific information input section 14...Amusement machine model information matching section 15…Tag information input section 16...Model information transmission section 71...Administrative computer 72...Computer for providing slump graphs 80…Mobile information terminal 801…Model information display screen 81…Store name and machine number display section 82…Model name display area 83…Model information display section 90…Amusement parlor 91...Amusement machine 92...Amusement machines 921… Frame of game machine 922…Pedestal lamp 93...Information tag 95…Hall computer

Claims

1. a) a server; b) a machine type information input unit that inputs machine type information, which is information on each machine type of all gaming machines in the gaming establishment or information on links to said information, from an information source outside the gaming establishment to said server; c) a gaming machine type identification information input unit that inputs gaming machine type identification information, which is information that identifies each gaming machine in the gaming facility, and type identification information, which is information that identifies the type of gaming machine installed on each gaming machine, into the server from an information source inside or outside the gaming facility, in association with each gaming machine; d) a gaming machine model information matching unit that matches the gaming machine identification information and model information of each gaming machine based on the model information for each machine type input from the model information input unit to the server and the gaming machine identification information and model identification information input from the gaming machine model identification information input unit to the server; e) a tag information input unit that inputs information corresponding to the gaming machine identification information included in one information tag, which is installed on each gaming machine in the gaming facility and has information corresponding to the gaming machine identification information, transmitted from the mobile information terminal when the information tag is read by the mobile information terminal, to the server; f) a machine type information transmitting unit that transmits, from the server to the mobile information terminal, machine type information associated with gaming machine identification information corresponding to the information input from the tag information input unit to the server; A model information providing system comprising:

2. 2. The machine type information providing system according to claim 1, wherein the gaming machine type identification information input unit periodically inputs the gaming machine identification information and the machine type identification information associated with each gaming machine to the server.

3. The machine type information providing system according to claim 2, wherein the gaming machine type identification information input unit inputs the gaming machine identification information and the machine type identification information associated with each gaming machine into the server before the gaming facility opens each day or before the gaming facility opens on each business day of the gaming facility.

4. 4. The machine type information providing system according to claim 1, wherein information for identifying the gaming facility is added to the gaming machine identifying information.

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