Charging control system

Abstract

To enable effective use of charging functions for terminal devices such as smartphones, when these functions are provided for each gaming machine. [Solution] In the management device 3, the operation status collection and update unit 310 acquires operation status notification data from each inter-machine at predetermined intervals. Using the acquired operation status notification data, the operation status collection and update unit 310 updates the operation status file 306. The charging mode identification unit 311 identifies the charging mode for each group based on the stored information in the operation status file 306. The identified charging mode is provided to each inter-machine of each gaming system in each group by the information provision unit 308 of the management device. The inter-machine controls the power supply to the terminal charging unit of the power supply circuit according to the charging mode from the management device 3.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a gaming hall system in which a charging function for a terminal device such as a smartphone is provided corresponding to each gaming machine in a gaming hall where gaming machines such as pachinko machines and pachinko - type slot machines are installed.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 described later discloses an invention related to a portable terminal charging system in a gaming hall that can perform wireless charging by simply placing a portable terminal near a gaming machine and can obtain useful information regarding the gaming machine during charging. The invention disclosed in Patent Document 1 provides a non - contact charging device for a portable terminal corresponding to the gaming machine and transmits gaming machine identification information for identifying the gaming machine to the portable terminal during charging. In the portable terminal, by transmitting the received gaming machine identification information to a server computer, information corresponding to the gaming machine identification information can be received from the server computer. Thereby, a player can charge the portable terminal during the game and can obtain useful information regarding the corresponding gaming machine during the charging period of the portable terminal.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Charging mobile devices using charging devices installed in amusement arcades for gaming machines is only permitted while playing. If the use of these charging devices were unconditionally permitted, gaming machines would be monopolized by non-players charging their devices, depriving those who want to play of the opportunity. However, having many empty gaming machines can give the impression of a lack of customers, so effective use of charging devices for empty machines is desirable. In this case, it is desirable that the charging devices are not taken away from those who want to play, and that they contribute to the use of the gaming machines.

[0005] In view of the above, the purpose of this invention is to enable effective use of charging functions for terminal devices such as smartphones when such functions are provided in accordance with each gaming machine. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To solve the above problems, the charging control system of the invention described in claim 1 is: A charging control system comprising a plurality of gaming systems, each consisting of a gaming machine and an inter-machine unit connected to the gaming machine to control the execution of games on the gaming machine, and a management device to which each of the inter-machine units of the plurality of gaming systems is connected, The aforementioned control device is An acquisition means that acquires operating status notification data indicating the operating status of the gaming system from each of the inter-machine units connected to the main unit at predetermined intervals, For each predetermined group and for each game system, an update means updates the operating state of each game system based on the operating state notification data acquired by the acquisition means, A charging mode identification means that, by referring to the stored information of the operating state storage means, identifies the applicable charging mode for each predetermined group based on the operating state of each of the game systems belonging to that group, A means for providing the charging modes for each predetermined group identified by the charging mode identification means to the inter-machine of each gaming system for each predetermined group. Equipped with, The aforementioned inter-unit machine is A terminal charging unit that charges external devices, A power supply circuit that supplies power to the terminal charging unit, An operating status notification means that notifies the management device of operating status notification data indicating the operating status at predetermined intervals, A power supply control means that acquires the charging mode provided by the management device and controls the power supply to the terminal charging section of the power supply circuit according to the acquired charging mode. It is characterized by having the following features.

[0007] According to the charging control system of the invention described in claim 1, the management device acquires operating status notification data from each inter-machine at predetermined intervals using the acquisition means. The operating status storage means updates the operating status storage means using the acquired operating status notification data. The charging mode identification means identifies the charging mode for each group based on the stored information in the operating status storage means. The identified charging mode is provided to each inter-machine of each gaming system in each group by the providing means of the management device. On the other hand, the inter-machine comprises a terminal charging unit and a power supply circuit. In the inter-machine, the operating status notification means provides operating status notification data to the management device at predetermined intervals. The power supply control means acquires the charging mode from the management device and controls the power supply of the power supply circuit to the terminal charging unit according to the charging mode. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to this invention, a charging mode can be identified for each group according to operating status notification data indicating the operating status of each gaming system, and the charging function provided for each gaming machine in each group can be controlled using the identified charging mode. This makes it possible to effectively utilize the charging function provided for each gaming machine in each group. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a diagram illustrating an example configuration of the charging control system according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram illustrating an example configuration of the inter-machine unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] This diagram illustrates an example of operating status notification data sent from the inter-unit machine of the embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a block diagram illustrating an example configuration of a gaming machine according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a block diagram illustrating an example configuration of the control device according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] This figure illustrates an example of data stored in the device database (DB) of the management device according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] This figure illustrates an example of data stored in the operating status file of the management device according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] This diagram illustrates an example of data stored in the charge mode file of the management device according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] This diagram illustrates the process of identifying the charging mode performed by the management device of the embodiment. [Figure 10] This diagram illustrates the review of the charging mode performed by the management device of the embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a flowchart illustrating the processes performed by the control device of the embodiment. [Figure 12] This is a flowchart illustrating the processing performed by the inter-machine machine of the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the charging control system and the between-platform machine according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this specification, a gaming machine executes a game according to the operation of a player and generates an increase or decrease in points. Gaming machines include pachinko gaming machines (automatic ball-playing devices) called pachinko machines, pachinko-type slot machines (rotary drum gaming machines) called pachislots, and various gaming machines installed in so-called game centers.

[0011] Therefore, the points that increase or decrease in the gaming machine are the number of balls in hand (so-called the number of pachinko balls) when the gaming machine is a pachinko gaming machine, and the number of medals in hand (so-called the number of slot medals) when the gaming machine is a pachinko-type slot machine. In addition, the points that increase or decrease in the gaming machine when the gaming machine is various gaming machines are the scores (points) or level values that increase or decrease in each gaming machine, or may be functions or items that are acquired or lost.

[0012] In the embodiments described below, for the sake of simplicity, the case where the gaming machine is a pachinko gaming machine installed in a so-called pachinko hall will be described as an example. In addition, in the pachinko hall of the following embodiments, a card medium is utilized so that money is required each time a loan ball is provided, and the player does not carry pachinko balls around. The card medium has a so-called prepaid function (prepayment function) and a ball-in-hand management function.

[0013] [Configuration Example of Charging Control System] FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining a configuration example of the charging control system according to the embodiment. The game hall of this embodiment is a pachinko hall. A plurality of types of gaming machines (pachinko machines) are installed in the pachinko hall. Gaming machines of the same type are generally grouped together and arranged to form a so-called island. In this case, the "island" means something that is distinct and grouped together.

[0014] In the example shown in Figure 1, the island with island number "001" is the section where gaming machines of model A are arranged together. In Figure 1, the island with island number "001" has multiple gaming machines of model A 2A1, 2A2, 2A3... and multiple inter-machine units 1A1, 1A2, 1A3... installed. Also in Figure 1, inter-machine unit 1A1 is connected to gaming machine 2A1, inter-machine unit 1A2 is connected to gaming machine 2A2, and inter-machine unit 1A3 is connected to gaming machine 2A3. In other words, each of the inter-machine units 1A1, 1A2, 1A3... is provided and connected in a one-to-one correspondence with each of the gaming machines 2A1, 2A2, 2A3...

[0015] Similarly, the island with island number "002" is the section where gaming machines of type B are arranged together. In Figure 1, the island with island number "002" has multiple gaming machines of type B 2B1, 2B2, 2B3... and multiple inter-machine units 1B1, 1B2, 1B3... installed. In Figure 1, inter-machine unit 1B1 is connected to gaming machine 2B1, inter-machine unit 1B2 is connected to gaming machine 2B2, and inter-machine unit 1B3 is connected to gaming machine 2B3. In other words, each of the inter-machine units 1B1, 1B2, 1B3... is provided and connected in a one-to-one correspondence with each of the gaming machines 2B1, 2B2, 2B3...

[0016] Similarly, the island with island number "003" is the section where gaming machines of model C are arranged together. In Figure 1, the island with island number "003" has multiple gaming machines of model C 2C1, 2C2, 2C3... and multiple inter-machine units 1C1, 1C2, 1C3... installed. In Figure 1, inter-machine unit 1C1 is connected to gaming machine 2C1, inter-machine unit 1C2 is connected to gaming machine 2C2, and inter-machine unit 1C3 is connected to gaming machine 2C3. In other words, each of the inter-machine units 1C1, 1C2, 1C3... is provided and connected in a one-to-one correspondence with each of the gaming machines 2C1, 2C2, 2C3...

[0017] In Figure 1, the reference code "1A1" for inter-machine machines indicates that the first "1" is an inter-machine machine, the next "A" indicates that it is an inter-machine machine connected to machine type A, and the last "1" indicates that it is the first inter-machine machine in that row. Similarly, the reference code "2A1" for gaming machines indicates that the first "2" is a gaming machine, the next "A" indicates that it is machine type A, and the last "1" indicates that it is the first gaming machine in that row. The same applies to reference codes "1B1", "1C1", "2B1", "2C1", etc.

[0018] In this way, a single gaming system is formed for one player using a gaming machine and an inter-machine unit that correspond to each other on a one-to-one basis. In the charging control system shown in Figure 1, when a player or other person is seated facing a gaming machine, the inter-machine unit located to the left of the player becomes the inter-machine unit connected to that gaming machine. Also, in this embodiment, when viewing each island from the left side of Figure 1 (the side with the notation such as Model A or Island No. 001), the left line (column) is called the L side (left line) and the right line (column) is called the R side (right line).

[0019] In Figure 1, Island No. 001, Island No. 002, and Island No. 003 each show 10 gaming machines and inter-machine units connected, but in reality, many more gaming machines and inter-machine units are connected. Also, there are many more islands. However, for the sake of simplicity, the following explanation will use the case shown in Figure 1, where gaming machines and inter-machine units are connected, as an example.

[0020] The gaming machines 2A1, ..., 2B1, ..., 2C1, ... are gaming machines in which, by operating a handle, pachinko balls are launched from, for example, the lower left of the board onto a glass-covered board with many nails, and when the pachinko balls fall according to the nails and enter the winning slots, the player receives prize balls. The inter-machine units 1A1, ..., 1B1, ..., 1C1, ... accept the insertion of money (coins), lend out pachinko balls, accept membership cards and general cards, and cooperate with the corresponding gaming machines 2A1, ..., 2B1, ..., 2C1, ... to manage the player's ball holdings. Although the inter-machine units 1A1, ..., 1B1, ..., 1C1, ... are called inter-machine units because they are installed between gaming machines, they are sometimes also called unit devices.

[0021] Here, a membership card is issued to players (customers) who frequently play at the pachinko parlor and who have registered as members (members). The membership card records information about the member, such as their name and phone number, as well as information about the balance of deposited money and the number of balls held, and the member can take it home with them. A general card is temporarily lent to players (customers) who are not members, such as those who occasionally use the pachinko parlor or those who happen to stop by the pachinko parlor. A general card can be used in other gaming systems within the pachinko parlor as long as the balance of deposited money and the number of balls held are not zero, but it is basically returned after settlement or prize exchange on the day it is lent. Membership cards and general cards can be configured as IC (integrated circuit) cards or magnetic cards, but in this embodiment, membership cards and general cards are assumed to be IC cards.

[0022] The management device 3 manages, for example, information recorded on membership cards and general cards, the quantity of banknotes inserted into inter-machine machines 1A1, ..., 1B1, ..., 1C1, ..., and information sent and received between inter-machine machines 1A1, ..., 1B1, ..., 1C1, ..., etc. Although not shown in Figure 1, POS (POS terminals) and payment machines are connected to the management device 3. The management device 3 receives information from the POS and payment machines and performs processing such as rewriting customer information.

[0023] POS systems are typically installed near entrances and service counters and process the exchange of game value corresponding to the number of tokens held on member cards or general cards for prizes. Specifically, they accept member cards and general cards, record the number of tokens stored on them on a paper medium, for example, and print it out, then clear the number of tokens on the member card or general card to 0 (zero). General cards with both a deposit balance and a number of tokens at 0 (zero) are collected by the POS system. Players can then exchange the printed paper with the number of tokens printed from the POS system for prizes at the service counter. Note that some POS systems are installed within the service counter and operated by staff.

[0024] Furthermore, the payment machines are installed near entrances and exits or service counters, and they process the refund of cash corresponding to the balance recorded on membership cards and general cards (the amount deposited minus the amount of balls played). Specifically, they accept membership cards and general cards, refund the cash corresponding to the balance stored on them, and clear the balance on the membership card or general card to 0 (zero). General cards with both a balance and balls held at 0 (zero) are collected by the payment machine. In addition, some payment machines are installed within the so-called service counter and operated by store staff.

[0025] In this way, the system of the amusement arcade (pachinko hall) in this embodiment is configured. In this embodiment, a charging function for terminal devices such as smartphones is further provided in accordance with each gaming system, thereby forming a charging control system as a whole. That is, a large number of gaming systems, each consisting of gaming machines and inter-machine units, are connected to the management device 3, thereby forming the charging control system of this embodiment.

[0026] Power supply control to the charging function provided for each gaming system in this embodiment is performed by the corresponding inter-machine unit. In this case, unlike conventional systems, charging is not simply enabled by the charging function provided for the gaming system in which the game is being played. Each of the inter-machine units 1A1, ..., 1B1, ..., 1C1, ... in this embodiment grasps the operating status of the corresponding gaming machines 2A1, ..., 2B1, ..., 2C1, ... and the corresponding charging function, and notifies the management device 3 of this.

[0027] Based on the operating status notified by each of the inter-unit machines 1A1, ..., 1B1, ..., 1C1, ..., the management device 3 identifies a charging mode for each predetermined group, according to the operating status of each predetermined group, such as by machine model or by island. The management device 3 notifies each of the inter-unit machines 1A1, ..., 1B1, ..., 1C1, ... belonging to each of the predetermined groups of the charging mode identified for each predetermined group, and controls the power supply to the charging function for each predetermined group.

[0028] There are two charging modes. One is Charging Mode 1, in which charging is only possible through the charging function associated with the gaming system in which a game is being played. The other is Charging Mode 2, in which charging is possible through the charging function associated with all gaming systems within a given group, regardless of whether a game is being played or not. These charging modes can be switched at predetermined intervals according to the operating status of the gaming systems in each group.

[0029] This allows for the use of charging mode 2 in groups with many empty gaming machines, thereby increasing the number of users sitting in front of the machines to charge their terminal devices and preventing the impression that the machines are empty. Conversely, by using charging mode 1 in groups with many players and users charging their devices, it is possible to reduce the number of users sitting in front of the machines to charge their terminal devices and encourage an increase in the number of players sitting in front of the machines to actually play games.

[0030] The following describes an example of the configuration of the inter-machine units 1A1, ..., 1B1, ..., 1C1, ..., gaming machines 2A1, ..., 2B1, ..., 2C1, ..., and management device 3 that constitute the charging control system of this embodiment, which enables charging control for terminal devices. Since each of the inter-machine units 1A1, ..., 1B1, ..., 1C1, ... has a similar configuration and realizes similar functions, they will be collectively referred to as inter-machine unit 1 below unless it is necessary to distinguish them. Also, for example, inter-machine units 1A1, 1A2, 1A3, ... connected to gaming machines 2A1, 2A2, 2A3, ... of model A may be collectively referred to as inter-machine unit 1A. The same applies to inter-machine units connected to gaming machines of other models.

[0031] Furthermore, although the gameplay differs for each of the gaming machines 2A1, ..., 2B1, ..., 2C1, ..., if they are of different models, their basic function of enabling pachinko play is the same. Therefore, unless there is a need to specifically distinguish them, they will be collectively referred to as gaming machine 2 below. Also, for example, gaming machines 2A1, 2A2, 2A3, ... of model A may be collectively referred to as gaming machine 2A. The same applies to gaming machines of other models.

[0032] [Example configuration of machine 1] Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example configuration of the inter-machine machine 1 according to the embodiment. The connection terminal 101T constitutes the connection terminal to the communication path with the management device 3. The management device communication unit 101 enables mutual communication with the management device 3. The control unit 102, although not shown, is a microprocessor comprising a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), non-volatile memory, etc. The control unit 102 implements functions to control each part of the inter-machine machine 1.

[0033] The card processing unit 103 is comprised of a mechanism for inserting and ejecting membership cards and general cards, and a mechanism for reading information from and recording information to cards (reader / writer mechanism). When a player possesses a membership card or general card, they insert their card into the card processing unit 103 of the inter-machine unit 1 to start playing. The card processing unit 103 reads necessary information such as card ID, balance, and number of tokens from the inserted card and supplies it to the control unit 102, where it is recorded, for example, in non-volatile memory and made updatable.

[0034] The money processing unit 104 is configured to include a mechanism for inserting and dispensing money as payment for receiving rental balls, and a mechanism for storing the inserted money. In this embodiment of the inter-machine 1, the money processing unit 104 is configured to accept only banknotes such as 1,000 yen bills, 5,000 yen bills, and 10,000 yen bills, and does not accept coins. When the money processing unit 104 receives money, it stores and holds it and notifies the control unit 102 of the amount of money received. The control unit 102 adds the amount of money inserted to the balance of the card inserted into the card processing unit 103, which is information recorded in the non-volatile memory. The player can receive rental balls within the limits of the balance.

[0035] The memory unit 105 is a device consisting of a recording medium and its driver, such as an SSD (Solid State Drive) or HDD (Hard Disk Drive). The memory unit 105 stores and holds programs and data necessary for various processes, and is also used as a work area to temporarily store intermediate results in various processes. The operation unit 106 is composed of several operation button switches (hereinafter simply referred to as buttons) that accept press input from the player. The operation unit 106 is provided with, for example, a counting button, a card ejection button, a ball dispensing button, and a replay button.

[0036] The counting button is used to count the number of balls or other winnings at the end of the game, and the card ejection button is used to eject membership cards and general cards with remaining balances or balls. The ball dispensing button is used to dispense balls into the corresponding gaming machine 2, within the limits of the balance. In this embodiment, each time the ball dispensing button is pressed, for example, 125 pachinko balls (worth 500 yen at 4 yen per ball) can be instructed to be dispensed into the corresponding gaming machine 2.

[0037] The clock circuit 107 provides the function of providing the current year, month, and day, as well as the function of providing timing at regular intervals from a predetermined point in time. The display unit 108 is configured using a display element such as an LCD or an organic EL display, and displays various display messages such as guidance messages.

[0038] The information update processing unit 109 updates the information stored in the non-volatile memory, which is the card information read from the card medium inserted into the card processing unit 103, according to the player's actions and the progress of the game. As described above, when a membership card is inserted into the card processing unit 103, information such as the balance of money, the number of balls held, and the number of stored balls recorded on the membership card is read and recorded in the non-volatile memory. Then, when the player presses the ball dispensing button and receives balls, the processing subtracts the charge amount from the balance of money and adds the dispensing balls to the number of balls held. Also, when the replay button is pressed, the processing subtracts a predetermined number of balls to be reinserted from the stored balls and adds that number of balls to the number of balls held.

[0039] In this embodiment, as described above, pressing the ball dispensing button once deducts 500 yen from the balance and adds 125 balls to the held balls. Similarly, if a replay operation is performed, 125 balls are deducted from the stored balls and added to the held balls. During gameplay, the number of balls launched (launched balls) is deducted from the held balls, and the number of balls paid out due to winning (paid-out balls) is added to the held balls to determine the current number of balls held. The number of launched balls and paid-out balls can be determined by signals from the game machine 2. In the case of a general card, there are no stored balls, but processing other than stored balls is handled in the same way as with a membership card. Thus, in this statement, the number of balls held is determined as "Number of balls held = Number of balls dispensed - Number of balls launched + Number of balls paid out". The held balls can be used for gameplay, exchanged for prizes, or transferred to stored balls. Furthermore, "stored balls" refers to pachinko balls that have been transferred from the player's existing balls and are being deposited (stored) at the pachinko parlor in question.

[0040] The operation status notification unit 110 grasps the operation status of its own machine, forms operation status notification data to notify the management device 3 of the grasped operation status, and transmits this data to the management device 3 through the management device communication unit 101 and the connection terminal 101T. Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of operation status notification data sent from the inter-machine 1. As shown in Figure 3, the operation status notification data consists of a destination ID, a source ID, the operation status, and the generation date and time. The destination ID is entered with the identification information of the management device 3. Specifically, the information entered with the destination ID is, for example, the IP address or MAC address of the management device 3. The source ID is entered with the identification information of the inter-machine 1. Specifically, the information entered with the source ID is, for example, the IP address or MAC address of the inter-machine 1. The identification information of the management device 3 can be obtained through communication with the management device 3 at startup, and it can also be stored in each inter-machine 1 in advance.

[0041] The operating status of the operating status notification data contains information indicating the operating status of the gaming system, which consists of the transmitting inter-machine unit and the gaming machine. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, one of the following information is input: "0: No game being played", "1: Game being played", or "2: Charger present". "0: No game being played" indicates that no game is being played and the mobile terminal is not being charged. "1: Game being played" indicates that a game is being played, regardless of whether charging is taking place or not. "2: Charger present" indicates that no game is being played, but the mobile terminal is being charged and a charger is present. Details of detecting the operating status of the gaming system will be described later. The generation date and time of the operating status notification data is information indicating the current date and time obtained from the clock circuit 107 when the operating status notification data was generated. Such operating status notification data is formed by the operating status notification unit 110 and notified to the management device 3.

[0042] The connection terminal 111T constitutes the connection terminal to the gaming machine 2. The gaming machine communication unit 111 implements the function of communicating with the corresponding gaming machine 2. The gaming machine communication unit 111 provides information on the number of balls held from the inter-machine unit 1 to the corresponding gaming machine 2, and receives information on the number of balls dispensed and used (IN / OUT signals) from the gaming machine 2. When information on the number of balls dispensed is received from the gaming machine 2, the information update processing unit 109 functions under the control of the control unit 102, as described above, to add the number of balls dispensed to the number of balls held. Also, when information on the number of balls used is received, the information update processing unit 109 functions under the control of the control unit 102, as described above, to subtract the number of balls used from the number of balls held, and other processing is performed. Furthermore, when a member card or general card is inserted into the card processing unit 103 of the inter-machine unit 1, it can obtain the current time at the time of insertion from the clock circuit 107 and record it on the member card or general card.

[0043] In this way, suppose that information stored in the non-volatile memory is read from a card inserted into the card processing unit 103, and the information stored in the non-volatile memory is overwritten. In this case, when the member card or general card inserted into the card processing unit 103 is ejected, the card processing unit 103 functions under the control of the control unit 102, and the latest information on the card held in the non-volatile memory of the control unit 102 is written back to the card. This allows for the management of member cards and general cards with the latest information.

[0044] Furthermore, when the counting button on the operation unit 106 is pressed, the control unit 102 performs the counting of the number of balls, etc., and can also update the information of the card inserted in the card processing unit 103, which is also stored in the non-volatile memory. In addition, if the card ejection button is pressed and the counting process for the number of balls, etc., is not yet complete, the system can perform the counting process and then eject the member card or a general card with a remaining balance or number of balls. In this case as well, the card processing unit 103 will function under the control of the control unit 102.

[0045] Furthermore, in this explanation, the information recorded on the member card or general card inserted into the card processing unit 103 is temporarily stored in the non-volatile memory of the control unit 102 for update processing, and the card information is written back from the non-volatile memory when the card is ejected. However, this is not the only method. It is also possible to directly update the card information recorded on the member card or general card inserted into the card processing unit 103.

[0046] Furthermore, players who do not have a card can create a membership card at a designated location, such as a service counter, and use it to play pachinko. Alternatively, as mentioned above, they can insert banknotes into the money processing unit 104 to receive balls and play the game. In the latter case, at the end of the game, if there is a balance or balls remaining, it will be recorded on the general card held in the inter-machine machine 1 in an empty state. After this, by pressing the card ejection button on the operation unit 106, the general card will be ejected, and the player can move to another gaming machine 2, settle their ball balance using a POS terminal, or settle their balance using a settlement machine.

[0047] The power supply terminal 112T, power supply circuit 112, terminal charging cradle 113, and LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) 114 constitute a charging function unit that enables charging of terminal devices such as smartphones. The power supply terminal 112T is the part that receives power from an external source. The power supply circuit 112 forms the power supply for the terminal charging cradle 113 from the power supplied through the power supply terminal 112T and supplies this power to the terminal charging cradle 113. The terminal charging cradle 113 forms a drive current from the supplied power and flows it through a built-in coil, enabling contactless charging of terminal devices placed on it using electromagnetic induction technology. The LCD 114 is a display unit provided near the terminal charging cradle 113 and displays information regarding whether charging is possible through the terminal charging cradle 113. For example, the LCD 114 displays "Charging OK" or "Charging NOT OK". The power supply circuit 112 and the LCD 114 are controlled by the control unit 102. The control unit 102 will perform control according to the charging mode provided by the management device 3.

[0048] In this way, the inter-machine unit 1 works in cooperation with the gaming machine 2 to realize a function that enables gaming using the gaming machine 2. Furthermore, the inter-machine unit 1 is equipped with a power supply terminal 112T, a power supply circuit 112, and a terminal charging stand 113, and realizes a charging function for terminal devices, and can control whether or not charging of terminal devices is possible according to the charging mode from the management device 3. In this case, the LCD 114 can clearly notify the user whether or not charging is possible via the terminal charging stand 113.

[0049] [Example configuration of gaming machine 2] Figure 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example configuration of a gaming machine 2 in an embodiment that is a pachinko machine. The connection terminal 201T constitutes the connection terminal to the inter-machine unit 1. The inter-machine unit communication unit 201 enables mutual communication with the inter-machine unit 1 connected to the machine. This makes it possible to receive notifications of the number of balls dispensed from the inter-machine unit 1, and to notify the inter-machine unit 1 of the number of balls dispensed and the number of balls used by the machine. The control unit 202, although not shown, is a microprocessor equipped with a CPU, ROM, RAM, and non-volatile memory, and controls each part of the gaming machine 2.

[0050] The operation unit 203 is a part equipped with a handle that can be rotated to instruct the player to launch the balls onto the game board. The display unit 204 is composed of an LCD or organic EL display and displays the number of balls held (the number of pachinko balls that can be launched). The game function unit 205 is the mechanism for running the pachinko game, including the game board with many nails, the pachinko ball launching mechanism, the prize ball mechanism, and the pachinko ball supply mechanism linked to the pachinko ball supply system. This game function unit 205 will differ depending on the model.

[0051] The control unit 202 controls the game function unit 205 to insert pachinko balls in response to a ball insertion instruction from the inter-machine machine 1, making them available for use in its own machine. The control unit 202 can also determine the number of pachinko balls that have received prize balls (number of balls dispensed) and the number of pachinko balls that have been launched onto the game board (number of balls used) based on information from the game function unit 205.

[0052] [Example configuration of management device 3] Figure 5 is a block diagram illustrating an example configuration of the management device 3 in the embodiment. 301T constitutes the connection terminal to the inter-unit machine 1 and other devices such as POS terminals and payment machines (not shown). The device communication unit 301 enables mutual communication with the inter-unit machine 1 and other devices such as POS terminals and payment machines (not shown). The control unit 302 is a microprocessor (not shown) comprising a CPU, ROM, RAM, non-volatile memory, etc. The control unit 302 implements functions to control each part of the management device 3. The storage device 303 is a device unit composed of a recording medium and its driver, such as an SSD or HDD, and stores programs and data necessary for various processes, as well as being used as a work area to temporarily store intermediate results in various processes.

[0053] The Customer Database 304 is created on the recording medium of the device unit, which consists of a recording medium and its driver, such as an SSD or HDD, and stores and holds member information of members who have been issued a membership card, as well as information of customers who use general cards. Member information includes various information such as user ID (member ID), member's name, gender, age, address, usage history, balance, number of tokens held, number of tokens saved, and update date and time. Information of customers who use general cards does not include information that identifies the customer, but includes various information such as card ID, balance, number of tokens held, and update date and time.

[0054] The device database (DB) 305, like the customer database (DB) 304, is created on the recording medium of the device unit, which consists of a recording medium and its driver, such as an SSD or HDD, and stores and holds information about the gaming system installed in the pachinko hall. Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of the data stored in the device database 305 of the management device 3 of the embodiment. As shown in Figure 6, the device database 305 stores and holds information such as the inter-machine ID, MAC address, IP address, and corresponding gaming machine ID.

[0055] In Figure 6, the inter-machine ID is identification information assigned to each inter-machine 1, and in Figure 6, a reference code attached to each inter-machine 1 is used for simplicity of explanation. The MAC address is information assigned to each inter-machine 1, for example, during the manufacturing stage, and the IP address is information assigned to each inter-machine 1, for example, by the DHCP server function of the management device 3. The corresponding gaming machine ID is the identification ID of the gaming machine 2 connected to each inter-machine 1, and in Figure 6, a reference code attached to each gaming machine 2 is used for simplicity of explanation. Therefore, if inter-machine 1 is identified, the gaming machine 2 connected to it can be identified, and conversely, if gaming machine 2 is identified, the inter-machine 1 connected to it can be identified.

[0056] The operating status file (labeled as Operating Status F in Figure 5) 306 is also created on the recording medium of the device unit, which is composed of the recording medium and its driver, such as an SSD or HDD, and stores and holds information indicating the operating status of the gaming system installed in the pachinko hall. Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of the data stored in the operating status file 306 of the management device 3 of the embodiment. As shown in Figure 7, the operating status file 306 holds information indicating the operating status for each gaming system, categorized by model, island number, side section, and aisle / window section.

[0057] As mentioned above, the side classification indicates whether it is the line on the left side or the line on the right side. The aisle / window classification indicates whether the line faces an aisle or window, or whether it is a line between machines facing each other. In this embodiment, the aisle / window classification for lines facing aisles or windows is "1", and the aisle / window classification for lines between machines facing each other is "0". In this embodiment, the game machine ID, which is the identification ID of game machine 2, is used as information to distinguish the game systems. In Figure 7, for the sake of simplicity, the reference code assigned to the game machine is used as the game machine ID.

[0058] The data stored in the operation status file 306 shown in Figure 7 allows for the understanding of the operating status of the gaming system (1) by machine type, (2) by machine type and by island, or (3) by machine type, island, and side section. Furthermore, by aisle / window section, gaming systems in visible lines facing aisles or windows can be targeted for charging control according to the charging mode. In the examples shown in Figures 1 and 7, each machine type constitutes a different island, so they will constitute the same group whether by machine type or by island. However, in actual pachinko halls, one type of gaming machine may constitute multiple islands, so as shown in Figures 1 and 7, it is possible to configure groups (1) by machine type, (2) by machine type and by island, or (3) by machine type, island, and side section.

[0059] In the case of the data stored in the operation status file 306 shown in Figure 7, it can be seen that in the game system of Island No. 1, which is composed of game machines 2A1, 2A2, 2A3, ... of model A, 4 machines on the left side and 3 machines on the right side are in the "1: Game in progress" state. In addition, it can be seen that in the game system of Island No. 1, 1 machine on the left side and 2 machines on the right side are in the "0: Game out" state. In the case of the data stored in the operation status file 306 shown in Figure 7, it can be seen that in the game system of Island No. 2, which is composed of game machines 2B1, 2B2, 2B3, ... of model B, 1 machine on the left side and 2 machines on the right side are in the "1: Game in progress" state. In addition, it can be seen that in the game system of Island No. 2, 4 machines on the left side and 3 machines on the right side are in the "0: Game out" state. Furthermore, in the case of the data stored in the operating status file 306 shown in Figure 7, it can be seen that the gaming system of Island No. 2, which is composed of gaming machines 2C1, 2C2, 2C3, ... of model C, is in the state of "0: No game being played".

[0060] The charging mode file (labeled as charging mode F in Figure 5) 307 is also created on the recording medium of the device unit, which is composed of the recording medium and its driver, such as an SSD or HDD, and stores the charging mode identified by the charging mode identification unit 311, which will be described later. Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of the data stored in the charging mode file 307 of the management device 3 of the embodiment. As shown in Figure 8, the charging mode file 307 stores the charging mode identified by the charging mode identification unit 311 for each group classification. Note that there is not just one group classification; one of the following can be selected in advance: "model," "island No.," "side classification," or "aisle / window classification."

[0061] This allows the charging mode to be identified and maintained for each game machine, according to the operating state of the game system for each "machine," as shown in Figure 8(A). Similarly, the charging mode can be identified and maintained for each island, according to the operating state of the game system for each "island number," as shown in Figure 8(B). Furthermore, the charging mode for each side (L side, R side) of each island can be identified and maintained, according to the operating state of the game system for each "side division," as shown in Figure 8(C). Additionally, the charging mode for lines where the aisle / window division is "1: aisle or window side" can be identified and maintained according to the operating state of the game system in that line. In other words, control can be performed according to the charging mode only for the game systems in aisle or window-side lines.

[0062] The information provision unit 308 provides information from the customer database 304 in response to requests from the inter-machine unit 1, POS terminals, and payment machines, and also provides the specified charging mode to each inter-machine unit 1 in each group for each group category used. The information update unit 309 performs processing such as updating the information in the customer database 304 in response to requests from the inter-machine unit 1, POS terminals, and payment machines.

[0063] The operation status collection and update unit 310 forms an operation status notification request at predetermined intervals, such as every 30 minutes, and transmits it to the inter-machine unit 1 of each gaming system. In response to the operation status notification request, the operation status collection and update unit 310 acquires the operation status notification data transmitted from the inter-machine unit 1 of each gaming system and updates the operation status file 306 (Figure 7) based on this data.

[0064] The charging mode identification unit 311 identifies the charging mode for each predetermined group category based on the data stored in the operation status file 306, which is updated at predetermined intervals, and stores the identified operation category in the charging mode file 307. The selection of whether the group category for identifying the charging mode is by "machine model," by "island number," by "side category," or only for aisle / window side lines can be made through an operation unit (not shown). Furthermore, the charging modes identified by the charging mode identification unit 311 and stored in the charging mode file 307 are provided by the information provision unit 308 to the inter-machine machines 1 of the gaming systems that constitute the group identified by the group category.

[0065] In this manner, the management device 3 stores and retains various information required by each piece of equipment installed in the pachinko hall. The management device 3 can provide or update the stored information in response to requests from each piece of equipment. In this embodiment, the management device 3 works in cooperation with the inter-machine unit 1 to switch the charging mode of the charging function provided for each gaming system, according to the operating status of each predetermined group of gaming systems.

[0066] [Charging mode identification process] Next, the charging mode identification process performed by the charging mode identification unit 311 of the management device 3 will be explained. Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating the charging mode identification process performed by the charging mode identification unit of the management device 3. In Figures 9 and 10 used in the following explanation, the operating state of the gaming system consisting of the inter-machine unit 1 and the gaming machine 2 will be indicated using black circles and black triangles, as shown in Figure 9(A).

[0067] The black circle indicates that the operating status is "Game in progress (Game is running)". In this embodiment, the inter-machine unit 1 determines that the operating status is "Game in progress" if a member card or general card is inserted and balls are being launched, and includes this in the operating status notification data to notify the management device 3. Whether or not balls are being launched can be determined by whether or not so-called IN / OUT signals, which are information about the balls dispensed and used, are being transmitted from the corresponding game machine 2. Here, the system determines that "Game in progress" is determined when a member card or general card is inserted and balls are being launched, but it may also be determined that "Game in progress" is determined if a member card or general card is inserted.

[0068] Furthermore, the black triangle indicates the operating status as "Charger present (charging in progress)". In this embodiment, the inter-unit 1 determines the operating status as "Charger present" when there is a connection of the terminal device to be charged and power output (power supply) to the terminal charging stand 113, and includes this in the operating status notification data to notify the management device 3. There are several ways to determine whether or not there is a connection of the terminal device to be charged. For example, when the terminal charging stand 113 sends energy to the terminal, current flows to the receiving part (charging coil) of the terminal and energy is transferred. By sensing the change in this current, it is possible to determine that a terminal has been placed. This also allows for the detection of power output.

[0069] In addition, when the terminal is correctly placed on the charging cradle, a magnetic sensor built into the charging cradle can detect the change in the magnetic field, confirming that the terminal is placed there. In this case, the magnetic sensor can be built into the terminal charging cradle 113. It is also possible to configure the system to detect the connection (placement) of the terminal device to be charged to the terminal charging cradle 113 using an infrared sensor or a contact sensor. Furthermore, regarding whether or not there is power output (power supply), the control unit 102 can determine if there is power output (power supply) when power is being supplied from the power supply circuit 112 to the terminal charging cradle 113.

[0070] Thus, a black circle indicates "game in progress," and a black triangle indicates "charger in progress." As shown in Figure 9(A), the "no game in progress (no game being played)" state is unmarked. In this "no game in progress" state, neither a membership card nor a general card is inserted into the inter-machine 1, nor is charging taking place via the terminal charging bay 113.

[0071] In this way, the operating status of the gaming system, which consists of the inter-machine unit 1 identified by the inter-machine unit 1 and the gaming machine 2, is notified to the management device 3 by operating status notification data (Figure 3) from the inter-machine unit 1 and aggregated in the operating status file 306 (Figure 7) of the management device 3. As a result, as shown in Figure 9(B), for island No. 001, which is a collection of gaming machines of model A, it is assumed that seven gaming machines 2A1, 2A4, 2A5, 2A7, 2A8, 2A9, and 2A10 were in the "playing" state. Also, as shown in Figure 9(B), for island No. 002, which is a collection of gaming machines of model B, it is assumed that three gaming machines 2B1, 2B4, and 2B10 were in the "playing" state. Also, as shown in Figure 9(B), for island No. 003, which is a collection of gaming machines of model C, it is assumed that two gaming machines 2C5 and 2C8 were in the "playing" state. The operating states shown in Figure 9(B) also correspond to the example of data stored in the operating state file 306 shown in Figure 7.

[0072] In this case, it is stipulated that if the utilization rate of gaming machines 2A, 2B, and 2C on each island is above a predetermined threshold, charging mode 1 will be used, and if it is below the threshold, charging mode 2 will be used. Let's say the predetermined threshold is, for example, 50%. In this case, as shown in Figure 9(C), the charging mode for each island where gaming machines of each model are gathered is determined. That is, for island No. 001, where gaming machine 2A of model A is gathered, 7 out of 10 gaming machines are "in use," so the utilization rate is 70%, and charging mode 1 is determined to be applied to island No. 001.

[0073] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9(C), for island No. 002, where gaming machines 2B of model B are gathered, 3 out of 10 gaming machines are "in use," resulting in a utilization rate of 30%, and island No. 002 is designated to be charged in mode 2. Similarly, for island No. 003, where gaming machines 2C of model C are gathered, 2 out of 10 gaming machines are "in use," resulting in a utilization rate of 20%, and island No. 003 is designated to be charged in mode 2.

[0074] In this way, for example, the charging mode can be determined for each island depending on whether the proportion of gaming systems in the "playing" state is above or below a threshold. However, in islands where charging mode 2 is applied, gaming systems used to charge terminal devices cannot be used for playing games, so the opportunity to switch back to charging mode 1 is lost, and the opportunity to use the gaming system's original function of playing games is lost. Therefore, when charging mode 2 is applied, gaming systems whose operating status is "charging in progress" are also treated as being used gaming systems, just like in the case of "playing," and are included in the calculation of the utilization rate. That is, the utilization rate for a group is the sum of the number of charging users in that group and the number of operating machines in that group, divided by the number of gaming machine systems installed in that group. This makes it possible to switch from charging mode 2 to charging mode 1 after switching from charging mode 1 to charging mode 2.

[0075] Figure 10 is a diagram illustrating the review of the charging mode performed by the charging mode identification unit 311 of the management device 3. In Figure 10, as in Figure 9 described above, the operating status of the gaming system consisting of the inter-machine machine 1 and the gaming machine 2 is explained by using black circles to indicate "game in progress" and black triangles to indicate "charger present". "No game in progress" is indicated by no mark. In Figure 10, for the sake of simplicity, the explanation focuses on the five gaming systems on the left side of island No. 003, where machine type C is arranged together. In Figure 10, the reference codes for the gaming machines 2C1, 2C3, 2C5, 2C7, and 2C9 are used as reference codes to distinguish each gaming system.

[0076] At opening time, charging mode 1 is applied to all gaming systems. Therefore, as shown in Figure 10(A1), immediately after opening, there are 0 players and 0 chargers, and as shown in Figure 10(B1), the utilization rate is 0%, but charging mode 1 is applied to the left side of island No. 003. After this, at predetermined intervals (for example, every 30 minutes), the management device 3 receives operating status notification data from each machine 1, updates the operating status file 306, and the charging mode identification unit 311 performs a review of the charging mode and sets a new charging mode in the charging mode file 307.

[0077] In this case, at the time of the initial review, as shown in Figure 10(A2), gaming machine 2C9 is in the "playing" state, and there are no users charging their devices. In this case, as shown in Figure 10(B2), since only one out of five gaming machines is in use, the utilization rate is 20%, which is below the threshold of 50%, so the mode is changed to charging mode 2. As a result, on the left side of island No. 003, it becomes possible to use any gaming system to charge mobile devices without playing games, encouraging users to sit in front of a gaming machine to charge their devices.

[0078] At the next review, let's assume that, as shown in Figure 10(A3), gaming machine 2C9 is in the "playing" state, and gaming machines 2C1 and 2C3 are in the "charging" state. In this case, as shown in Figure 10(B3), three out of five gaming machines are in the "playing" or "charging" state, resulting in a utilization rate of 60%. Since the utilization rate exceeds the threshold of 50%, the charging mode changes from Charging Mode 2 to Charging Mode 1. Therefore, once the mode changes to charging mode, it becomes impossible to charge the terminal device without playing a game, so users can be encouraged to play a game.

[0079] At the next review, as shown in Figure 10(A4), gaming machine 2C5 is in the "playing" state, but the other gaming machines are in the "not playing" state. In this case, as shown in Figure 10(B4), since one out of five gaming machines is in the "playing" state, the utilization rate becomes 20%, and since the utilization rate falls below the threshold of 50%, the charging mode changes from 1 to 2. As a result, on the L side of island No. 003, it becomes possible to use any gaming system for charging mobile devices without playing games, and users can be guided to sit in front of a gaming machine to charge their devices.

[0080] Thus, in this embodiment of the charging control system, the charging mode provided to each predetermined group can be reviewed at predetermined timings and for each predetermined group. Moreover, by including not only the "playing" state but also the "charging user" state in the calculation of the utilization rate, it becomes possible to review the charging mode more appropriately.

[0081] [Processing performed by the management device 3 and the inter-unit machine 1, which are the main components of the charging control system] Next, the processing performed by the management device 3 and the inter-unit machine 1, which are the main components of the charging control system in this embodiment, will be explained with reference to the flowchart.

[0082] <Processing by control device 3> Figure 11 is a flowchart illustrating the processes performed by the control device 3. The flowchart in Figure 11 describes the processes executed by the control unit 302 of the control device 3 when the charging control system, consisting of the control device 3, inter-machine unit 1, and gaming machines 2, is powered on and activated at the time the amusement parlor (pachinko hall) opens.

[0083] When the process shown in Figure 11 is executed, first, the control unit 302 controls the information provision unit 308 and sends a notification to all inter-machine units 1 via the equipment communication unit 301 and connection terminal 301T instructing them to apply charging mode 1 (step S101). As a result, charging control is performed in charging mode 1 in all gaming systems. Next, the control unit 302 obtains the current time T from the clock circuit 312 (step S102), monitors the current time provided by the clock circuit 312, and determines whether a predetermined time interval (for example, 30 minutes) has elapsed since the current time T obtained in step S102 (step S103). In other words, the determination process in step S103 is a determination process to detect, for example, every 30 minutes, the timing for reviewing the charging mode.

[0084] In step S103, it is determined that a predetermined time interval has elapsed since the current time T obtained in step S102. In this case, the control unit 302 controls the operation status collection and update unit 310 to form an operation status notification request and transmits it to all inter-machine units 1 (step S104). Each inter-machine unit 1 that receives the operation status notification request transmits operation status notification data (Figure 3). Therefore, the control unit 302 receives the operation status notification data through the connection terminal 301T and the device communication unit 301 (step S105). The operation status notification data received here is temporarily stored in the storage device 303. Next, the control unit 302 controls the operation status collection and update unit 310 to update the operation status file 306 using the operation status notification data from the inter-machine units 1 that was received and temporarily stored (step S106). As a result, the latest operation status of each gaming system can be grasped from the data stored in the operation status file 306 (Figure 7).

[0085] Next, the control unit 302 controls the charging mode identification unit 311 and, based on the data stored in the operation state file 306, performs a process to identify the charging mode to be applied to each predetermined group, according to the utilization rate of the gaming system in that group (step S107). In this case, the predetermined groups may be, for example, each machine model, each island, or each island divided by side (L side / R side). It is also possible to apply a charging mode selected according to the utilization rate only to aisle or window-side lines. The charging modes for each identified group are stored in the charging mode file 307, as shown in Figure 8.

[0086] Subsequently, the control unit 302 controls the information provision unit 308 and transmits the charging mode specified for each predetermined group to the inter-machine unit 1 of the gaming systems constituting that group (step S108). As a result, for each predetermined group, each gaming system constituting that group can perform charging control according to the notified charging mode by controlling the inter-machine unit 1. After the processing in step S108, the processing from step S102 is repeated.

[0087] Furthermore, suppose that in the determination in step S103, it is determined that a predetermined time interval has not elapsed since the current time T obtained in step S102. In this case, the control unit 302 determines whether or not the power supply has been turned off (step S109). If the determination process in step S109 determines that the power supply has not been turned off, the process from step S103 is repeated, and the system waits for the elapsed time from the current time T to exceed the predetermined time interval. If the determination process in step S109 determines that the power supply has been turned off, a predetermined termination process is performed to turn off the power supply (step S110), and the process shown in Figure 11 is terminated.

[0088] <Processing of inter-machine machine 1> Figure 12 is a flowchart illustrating the processes performed by the inter-machine unit 1. The processes shown in the flowchart of Figure 12 are executed in the control unit 102 of the inter-machine unit 1 when the charging control system, consisting of the management device 3, the inter-machine unit 1, and the gaming machines 2, is powered on and put into operation when the amusement hall (pachinko parlor) opens.

[0089] When the process shown in Figure 12 is executed, the control unit 102 receives requests from the management device 3 via the connection terminal 101T and the management device communication unit 101 (step S201), and determines whether or not it has received an operation status notification request (step S202). Suppose that in the determination process of step S202 it is determined that an operation status notification request has been received. In this case, the control unit 102 controls the operation status notification unit 110 to grasp the current operation status of the game system, forms operation status notification data (Figure 3), and transmits it to the management device 3 (step S204).

[0090] In step S204, the operating status of the self-playing game system is determined as explained using Figure 9(A). Specifically, if a member card or general card is inserted into the card processing unit 103, and so-called IN / OUT signals are received from the connected game machine 2 via the connection terminal 111T and the game machine communication unit 111, it is determined to be "game in progress". If this information is not available, and a mobile terminal is placed on the terminal charging stand 113 and power is being supplied, it is determined to be "charger present". The state that is neither "game in progress" nor "charger present" is "no game in progress". It is also possible for both "game in progress" and "charger present" to occur. In this case, it is determined to be in the "game in progress" state.

[0091] Furthermore, in the determination process of step S202, if it is determined that no operating status notification request has been received, the control unit 102 determines whether or not a charging mode notification has been received (step S205). In the determination process of step S205, if it is determined that a charging mode notification has been received, it determines whether or not the notified charging mode is "charging mode 1" (step S207). In the determination process of step S207, it is determined that the notified charging mode is "charging mode 1". In this case, the control unit 102 controls the power supply circuit 112 to supply power to the terminal charging stand 113 and enable charging of the terminal device only when the operating status of the gaming system is in the "game in progress" state (step S208). In other words, charging of the mobile terminal via the terminal charging stand 113 is only possible when a game is being played on the gaming machine 2.

[0092] Furthermore, in the determination process of step S207, it is determined that the notified charging mode is not "Charging Mode 1". In this case, since the notified charging mode is "Charging Mode 2", the control unit 102 controls the power supply circuit 112 to constantly supply power to the terminal charging stand 113, enabling charging of the terminal device (step S209). In other words, even if the game is not played on the gaming machine 2, it becomes possible to charge the mobile terminal through the terminal charging stand 113, so the user can be guided to sit in front of the gaming machine 2 to charge their device.

[0093] Furthermore, in the determination process in step S205, if it is determined that no notification of charging mode has been received, processing corresponding to other received requests is executed (step S210). Also, if no requests have been received at all, no processing is performed in step S210.

[0094] As shown in Figure 12, after the processing in steps S204, S208, S209, and S210, the control unit 102 determines whether or not the power supply has been turned off (step S211). If the determination process in step S211 determines that the power supply has not been turned off, the processing from step S201 is repeated. If the determination process in step S211 determines that the power supply has been turned off, a predetermined termination process is performed to turn off the power supply (step S212), and the process shown in Figure 12 is terminated.

[0095] [Effects of the embodiment] In the charging control system described above, for each predetermined group consisting of multiple gaming systems, the charging mode can be switched according to the utilization rate of the gaming system to which the system belongs, based on its operating state. In the embodiment described above, charging mode 1 allows charging only through the charging function associated with the gaming system in which a game is being played. Charging mode 2 allows charging through the charging function associated with all gaming systems within the predetermined group, regardless of whether a game is being played or not.

[0096] This allows for guiding players to play on game machine 2 in groups of gaming systems where charging mode 1 is applied. Furthermore, in groups of gaming systems where charging mode 2 is applied, players can charge their mobile devices without playing on game machine 2, thus guiding them to sit in front of game machine 2. In other words, players can be guided to empty machines, reducing the appearance of empty machines and minimizing the impression that the machines are empty.

[0097] Furthermore, the applicable charging mode is reviewed at predetermined intervals and can be changed according to the utilization rate of the gaming system. This prevents situations where the charging mode becomes fixed and prevents the gaming system from being monopolized by customers who only use it for charging. Consequently, it also prevents the loss of opportunities for the gaming system to be used for gameplay.

[0098] [Differentiation] In the embodiment described above, the management device 3 sends an operating status notification request to all inter-machine units 1 at predetermined intervals, and in response, it acquires the operating status notification data transmitted from all inter-machine units 1. However, it is not limited to this. For example, it is also possible to configure all inter-machine units 1 to automatically send operating status notification data to the management device 3 at predetermined time intervals, such as every 30 minutes from opening time.

[0099] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the process of identifying the charging mode uses a utilization rate, with a threshold of 50% for this utilization rate, but it is not limited to this. The threshold can be set to an appropriate value. Also, in the above-described embodiment, the utilization rate used in the process of identifying the charging mode is the sum of the number of gaming systems whose operating state is "playing" and the number of gaming systems whose operating state is "charging user". However, it is not limited to this, and the charging mode may be identified based only on the utilization rate of the number of gaming systems whose operating state is "playing". However, by considering the case where the operating state is "charging user" when calculating the utilization rate, the switching of charging modes can be made more flexible.

[0100] Furthermore, the grouping of gaming systems is not limited to grouping by side (L side / R side), but rather by machine type, by island, or by island, as mentioned above. It is also possible to specify charging modes for larger groups, such as by multiple machine types or by multiple islands. Additionally, if, for example, an identification ID is managed for each gaming machine, or by each machine between machines, these can be used to create more granular groups. For example, it is possible to create groups based on the number of machines, such as 5, 10, 15, or 20, and set the charging mode for each of these groups.

[0101] For example, if there are 100 gaming systems on one island, they can be divided into five groups of 20 systems each, and the utilization rate of each group can be tracked, allowing for separate charging modes to be set for each group. In this way, groups consisting of multiple gaming systems can be divided into various groups according to the intentions of the gaming facility manager by using information that enables group division.

[0102] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the operation status collection and update unit 310 of the management device 3 was described as collecting operation status notification data from each inter-machine 1 and using this to update the stored information in the operation status file 306. However, it is not limited to this. It is certainly possible to have a configuration in which an operation status collection unit that collects operation status notification data from each inter-machine 1 and an operation status update unit that updates the stored information in the operation status file 306 using this data are provided separately.

[0103] <Information provided to users charging their devices> As described above, by applying charging mode 2, it becomes possible to charge a mobile device even without playing a game through the gaming machine 2. For users who are only charging without playing a game, various information can be provided through the display unit 108 of the inter-machine unit 1 that enables the charging. Specifically, the control unit 102 may control the display unit 108 of the inter-machine unit 1 of the gaming system that is charging, displaying a guide on how to play the gaming machine 2, its model, manufacturer, or advertisements for the pachinko parlor. This can encourage users to play using the gaming machine 2 by providing information on how to play or special offers at the pachinko parlor.

[0104] <An approach that prompts users who are charging their devices to free up their gaming systems> As described above, by applying charging mode 2, it becomes possible to charge a mobile device even without playing a game through the gaming machine 2, and it is also possible to take measures to encourage users who are only charging without playing to free up the gaming system. For example, a customer of a pachinko parlor who wants to use a gaming system that is only being charged can, for example, tell an employee of the pachinko parlor at the store counter the identification information of the gaming system they wish to use (for example, the number assigned to the gaming machine). In this case, the employee sends a request to the management device 3 via a terminal device at the store counter to free up the gaming system identified by the identification information of the gaming system the customer wishes to use.

[0105] In response, the control unit 302 of the management device 3 issues an instruction via the information provision unit 308 to output a message to the inter-machine unit 1 of the target gaming system requesting that the gaming system be vacated. In response, the inter-machine unit 1 displays a message to the charger via the display unit 108 requesting that the gaming system be vacated. For example, it displays a message such as, "Charging will no longer be possible. Please move to another charging station." Although not shown in Figure 2, a similar voice message can also be output from a speaker connected to the inter-machine unit 1. In addition to outputting the message, power supply to the terminal charging station 113 is stopped, making charging impossible, thereby encouraging the user to vacate the gaming system.

[0106] Furthermore, for example, images captured by cameras installed for each gaming system are analyzed by the management device 3 to determine the number of customers viewing the information display, such as the number of wins on the gaming machine 2, and the duration of that viewing. In this case, the number of customers is not limited to different customers; even if the same person comes to view it multiple times, each instance is counted as one. In this way, if the number of times customers view the information display on the gaming machine 2 exceeds a certain number, or if there are customers who view the information display on the gaming machine 2 for a certain period of time or longer, it becomes highly likely that there are customers who want to use that gaming system. In this case as well, the control unit 302 of the management device 3 can also be configured to issue an instruction to the inter-machine unit 1 of the target gaming system via the information provision unit 308 to output a message requesting that the gaming system be made available.

[0107] Furthermore, in recent years, it has become possible to view information about individual gaming machines 2 installed in a pachinko parlor (such as the number of wins) through terminal devices installed in the pachinko parlor. In addition, it is sometimes possible to view information about individual gaming machines 2 installed in a pachinko parlor (such as the number of wins) by accessing the pachinko parlor's information server via the internet using a customer's smartphone. Let's assume that a gaming system, including gaming machines whose public information has been viewed many times via terminal devices installed in the pachinko parlor or customers' smartphones, is in a "charging in progress" state. Even in this case, the control unit 302 of the management device 3 can also issue an instruction via the information provision unit 308 to output a message to the inter-machine unit 1 of the target gaming system requesting that the gaming system be freed up. The management device 3 can obtain the number of times the public information for each gaming machine has been viewed from the server device that provides the public information for gaming machines 2, but it is sufficient if it is set up to receive the information automatically.

[0108] <Exclusion from charge control based on charging mode> Furthermore, the management device 3 stores historical information on when and for how long each gaming system is used for gaming. Using this historical information, it is possible to apply charging mode 1 to a gaming system during its frequently used days and times, even if charging mode 2 is applied to the group to which the gaming system belongs. In this case, the information provision unit 308 can change the notification destination of the charging mode for each gaming system by the control unit 302 of the management device 3. Simply put, if a group A becomes subject to charging mode 2, charging mode 2 can be notified to all inter-machine devices 1 of the gaming systems in group A, and then charging mode 1 can be resent to the inter-machine devices 1 of the gaming systems identified as having high utilization rates. Of course, it is also possible to notify the inter-machine devices 1 of the gaming systems with high utilization rates in group A with charging mode 1 from the beginning, and notify the inter-machine devices 1 of the other gaming systems with charging mode 2.

[0109] <Only gaming systems in easily visible locations will be subject to charging control.> As mentioned above, the operation status file 306 of the management device 3 allows for the identification of aisle-side and window-side lines. Therefore, it is possible to target groups consisting of gaming systems on aisle-side and window-side lines for charging control, while providing charging mode 1 to all other gaming systems. In this case, the charging mode identification unit 311 only needs to process lines where the aisle / window classification in the operation status file 306 is "1".

[0110] <Preferential treatment for players who were playing games> Furthermore, for players who were playing in a gaming system of a group to which charging mode 1 was applied, charging can be continued in charging mode 2 even after the game has ended. For example, suppose that charging mode 1 was applied to the inter-machine machine 1, and charging was possible and in progress when "game was being played," but the game has ended, and there is no IN / OUT signal, or the membership card or general card has been ejected from the inter-machine machine 1. In this case, the control unit 102 can be used to continue supplying power from the power supply circuit 112 to the terminal charging stand 113 for a certain period of time (for example, 15 minutes). In this case, if the control unit 102 detects that the terminal device placed on the terminal charging stand 113 has been removed from the terminal charging stand 113, the power supply from the power supply circuit 112 to the terminal charging stand 113 should be stopped.

[0111] <Display related to charging mode> Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the LCD 114 can display messages such as "Charging Available" and "Charging Not Available," but it is not limited to this. Various messages can be displayed within the size of the LCD 114's display screen, such as "Charging is possible" and "Charging is possible while playing" depending on the charging mode. Alternatively, instead of an LCD, an LED (Light Emitting Diode) can be used, where a green LED lights up when charging is possible and a red LED lights up when charging is not possible. In this case as well, the control unit 102 can control the lighting of the LED. Of course, the terminal charging stand 113 may also control the lighting of the LED depending on whether or not power is being supplied to the terminal charging stand 113.

[0112] <Using the charging terminal> In the embodiment described above, a terminal charging stand 113 that enables contactless charging of the mobile terminal is used, but the system is not limited to this. It is also possible to provide a charging terminal near the gaming machine 2 or the inter-machine unit 1, and configure the system so that the mobile terminal is connected to this charging terminal for charging. In this case, it would be even better to provide charging terminals of several standards adopted by mobile terminals so that the system can accommodate various models of mobile terminals.

[0113] <Application to the program> Furthermore, by creating a program that executes the process described using the flowchart in Figure 11 and making it executable on a conventional management device, the management device used in the charging control system of this invention can be realized. Also, by creating a program that executes the process described using the flowchart in Figure 12 and making it executable on a conventional inter-unit machine, the inter-unit machine used in the charging control system of this invention can be realized.

[0114] <Application to gaming machines other than pachinko machines> Furthermore, although the above-described embodiment assumed that the gaming machine was a so-called pachinko machine, the invention is not limited to this. This invention can also be applied to systems formed in amusement parlors where so-called pachinko-type slot machines are installed. In the case of pachinko-type slot machines, the inter-machine unit is often located to the right of the pachinko-type slot machine. This invention can also be applied to systems formed in game centers where various game machines are installed. In the case of game machines, the functional part corresponding to the inter-machine unit is often incorporated into the game machine. Regardless of the type of gaming machine, the charging function for an external terminal device provided in conjunction with the gaming machine can be switched between an available state and an unavailable state depending on the operating state of the gaming machine in a group consisting of multiple gaming machines and inter-machine units. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0115] 1...Inter-machine unit, 101T...Connection terminal, 101...Management device communication unit, 102...Control unit, 103...Card processing unit, 104...Money processing unit, 105...Storage unit, 106...Operation unit, 107...Clock circuit, 108...Display unit, 109...Information update processing unit, 110...Operation status notification unit, 111T...Connection terminal, 111...Game machine communication unit, 112T...Connection terminal, 112...Power supply circuit, 113...Terminal charging stand, 114...LCD, 2...Game machine, 201T...Connection terminal, 2 01...Inter-machine communication unit, 202...Control unit, 203...Operation unit, 204...Display unit, 205...Game function unit, 3...Management device, 301...Connection terminal, 301...Device communication unit, 302...Control unit, 303...Storage device, 304...Customer DB, 305...Device DB, 306...Operation status file, 307...Charging mode file, 308...Information provision unit, 309...Information update unit, 310...Operation status collection and update unit, 311...Charging mode identification unit, 312...Clock circuit

Claims

1. A charging control system comprising a plurality of gaming systems, each consisting of a gaming machine and an inter-machine unit connected to the gaming machine to control the execution of games on the gaming machine, and a management device to which each of the inter-machine units of the plurality of gaming systems is connected, The aforementioned control device is An acquisition means that acquires operating status notification data indicating the operating status of the gaming system from each of the inter-machine units connected to the main unit at predetermined intervals, For each predetermined group and for each game system, an update means updates the operating state of each game system based on the operating state notification data acquired by the acquisition means, A charging mode identification means that, by referring to the stored information of the operating state storage means, identifies the applicable charging mode for each predetermined group based on the operating state of each of the game systems belonging to that group, A means for providing the charging modes for each predetermined group identified by the charging mode identification means to the inter-machine of each gaming system for each predetermined group. Equipped with, The aforementioned inter-unit machine is A terminal charging unit that charges external devices, A power supply circuit that supplies power to the terminal charging unit, An operating status notification means that notifies the management device of operating status notification data indicating the operating status at predetermined intervals, A power supply control means that acquires the charging mode provided by the management device and controls the power supply to the terminal charging section of the power supply circuit according to the acquired charging mode. A charging control system characterized by comprising the following features.

2. A charging control system according to claim 1, The operating status notification means of the inter-machine unit notifies the corresponding gaming machine whether a game is being played or not, as operating status notification data. The charging mode identification means of the management device identifies the charging mode according to the ratio of the number of gaming systems in which games are being played for each predetermined group. A charging control system characterized by the following:

3. A charging control system according to claim 1, The operating status notification means of the inter-machine unit notifies, as operating status notification data, whether a game is being played on the corresponding gaming machine, or whether a game is not being played but charging is being performed on an external terminal. The charging mode identification means of the management device identifies the charging mode according to the ratio of the sum of the number of gaming systems being played in each predetermined group and the number of gaming systems being charged. A charging control system characterized by the following:

4. A charging control system according to claim 1, The charging modes include a first mode that permits charging only in the gaming system in which a game is being played, and a second mode that permits charging in all gaming systems belonging to the group, regardless of whether a game is being played or not. A charging control system characterized by the following:

5. A charging control system according to claim 1 or claim 2, The inter-unit device has a notification means that notifies the external terminal via the terminal charging unit when it is in a state where it can be charged and when it is in a state where it cannot be charged. A charging control system characterized by being equipped with the following features.

6. The inter-machine unit of a charging control system comprising a gaming machine, an inter-machine unit connected to the gaming machine and controlling the execution of games on the gaming machine, a plurality of gaming systems, and a management device to which each of the inter-machine units of the plurality of gaming systems is connected, The management device comprises: an acquisition means for acquiring operation status notification data indicating the operating status of the gaming system from each of the inter-machine units connected to the machine at predetermined timings; an update means for updating the operating status of each gaming system in an operation status storage means that stores the operating status for each group and each gaming system, based on the operation status notification data acquired by the acquisition means; a charging mode identification means for identifying the charging mode to be applied for each predetermined group, based on the operating status of each gaming system belonging to that group, by referring to the stored information of the operation status storage means; and a providing means for providing the charging mode for each predetermined group identified by the charging mode identification means to the inter-machine units of each gaming system in each predetermined group. A terminal charging unit that charges external devices, A power supply circuit that supplies power to the terminal charging unit, An operating status notification means that notifies the management device of operating status notification data indicating the operating status at predetermined intervals, A power supply control means that acquires the charging mode provided by the management device and controls the power supply to the terminal charging section of the power supply circuit according to the acquired charging mode. A machine for use between tables, characterized by having the following features.

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