Premium Exchange Device and Premium Exchange Program

Abstract

To provide a prize exchange device and a prize exchange program capable of reporting to an employee when processing is not completed even if fixed time passes.SOLUTION: A prize exchange device 90 comprises: information acquisition means 94 capable of acquiring predetermined information correlated with a recording medium received from a player; clocking means 99 capable of clocking time when predetermined information is acquired by the information acquisition means 94; and control means 99 capable of executing specific control for executing notification of specific information when prize exchange processing is not completed when time clocked by the clocking means 99 reaches specific time.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a prize exchange device and a prize exchange program.

Background Art

[0002] When an employee extracts a recording medium such as a card from a prize exchange device used by the employee, a camera captures a face image of the person who extracted the recording medium. If the captured face image is the face image of the employee, it is regarded that the player who inserted the recording medium into the prize exchange device has forgotten it, and a function of notifying the forgetting of the recording medium is disclosed (for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, there has been room for improvement in conventional prize exchange devices.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] In order to achieve the above problems, the prize exchange device of the present invention is a prize exchange device capable of performing an operation for a player to perform a prize exchange process using a recording medium received from the player, and is capable of acquiring predetermined information associated with the recording medium received from the player. An information acquisition means, a time measurement means capable of measuring time when predetermined information is acquired by the information acquisition means, and when the time measured by the time measurement means reaches a specific time and the prize exchange process has not been completed, a control means capable of executing specific control for executing notification of specific information. It is configured to include.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0006] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of the amusement arcade system. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of a prize exchange device. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of the display on the employee's screen when switching to self-service POS mode. [Figure 4] This figure shows an example of the display on the player's screen in self-POS mode when a standard card is inserted. [Figure 5] This figure shows an example of the player's screen display, a continuation of Figure 4. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of the display on the player's screen in self-service POS mode when a membership card is inserted. [Figure 7] This is a flowchart showing the incomplete timing process. [Figure 8] This figure shows an example of a player-side screen displaying specific information. [Figure 9] This is a flowchart showing the cancellation process. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0007] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the figures. The amusement arcade system 1 according to this embodiment operates using a computer controlled by a program (prize exchange program). The amusement arcade system 1 is implemented through specific means involving the cooperation of a program and a computer. All or part of the program is provided on a magnetic disk, optical disk, and other computer-readable storage medium, and the program read from the storage medium is installed on the computer and executed. Furthermore, the program can also be loaded directly onto a computer via a communication line and executed without using a storage medium.

[0008] As shown in Figure 1, the amusement arcade system 1 consists of amusement machines 10, amusement media dispensing machines 20, machine management devices 30, island management devices 40, main island management devices 50, amusement arcade management devices 60, counting devices 70, member management devices 80, intercoms 85a, remote controls 85b, prize exchange devices 90, etc., and these devices are connected via a predetermined network (for example, a local area network). Furthermore, the amusement arcade system 1, with this configuration, functions as a prize exchange system for exchanging the number of game balls or tokens or other game media acquired by players through playing games for prizes. The following describes each device that makes up the amusement arcade system 1.

[0009] The gaming machine 10 is a device that uses a gaming medium to play games, and is a pachinko machine 10a that uses game balls as the gaming medium, or a slot machine 10b that uses tokens, etc. The gaming machines 10 are installed according to their model and rental rate. For example, the pachinko machine 10a is installed in a 4-yen corner where the rental rate for one game ball is 4 yen / ball, or in a 1-yen corner where the rental rate for one game ball is 1 yen / ball. Furthermore, slot machine 10b will be installed in areas such as the 20-yen corner, where the rate for lending one token is 20 yen / token, and the 5-yen corner, where the rate for lending one token is 5 yen / token. Furthermore, the gaming machine 10 may be a so-called sealed gaming machine (managed gaming machine) that is configured so that players cannot touch the gaming medium.

[0010] The gaming media dispensing machine 20 (20a is a ball dispensing machine, 20b is a medal dispensing machine) is a device that dispenses gaming media to players, and performs functions such as counting the gaming media acquired at the adjacent gaming machine 10, refunding the counted gaming media, dispensing gaming media according to the amount inserted, and issuing a storage medium that identifies the number of counted gaming media and the remaining balance of the inserted amount.

[0011] The stand management device 30 is an information processing device that relays and processes various information. It operates as a relay device that receives various information transmitted from the gaming machine 10 and the gaming medium lending machine 20, appropriately stores the information, and transmits it to the island management device 40.

[0012] The island management device 40 is an information processing device that relays and processes various information. It is connected to the stand management device 30 and the parent island management device 50 via a network, and transmits and receives various information between these devices. Then, the island management device 40 transmits various information to the casino management device 60 in response to a request from the casino management device 60 or at a predetermined cycle.

[0013] The parent island management device 50 is an information processing device that relays and processes various information. It receives various information transmitted from each island management device 40, appropriately stores or aggregates it, and transmits it to the casino management device 60.

[0014] The casino management device 60 is an information processing device that operates according to a program. For example, it is a hall computer or the like, and collects, aggregates, and manages gaming information regarding all the gaming machines 10 installed in the casino, and manages business management information and the like necessary for the operation of the casino.

[0015] The counting device 70 (70a is a ball counter, 70b is a medal counter) is a device for counting the gaming media acquired by the player in the gaming machine 10, and is installed at multiple locations in the casino (e.g., the ends of the gaming islands). Specifically, the counting device 70 is provided with, for example, a card insertion part into which a general card or a membership card (hereinafter also simply referred to as a card) can be inserted, and a card reader that reads predetermined information from the card. Here, a general card (such as a visitor card) stores the player's held balls outside the gaming machine 10 and is temporarily lent to the player on the day of the game. Therefore, the general card only stores the held balls, and if the casino closes without exchanging the held balls, the player cannot redeem or exchange prizes using the stored held balls. On the other hand, the membership card is issued to a player who has registered as a member in advance, and is a card that allows the player to pay out and exchange prizes with the held balls over several days. For example, when the membership card is inserted into the card insertion part, the card reader reads information (for example, membership number) that can identify the member recorded inside the membership card, and associates the read membership number with the counted value which is the result of counting, and transmits the information to the member management device 80, so that the counted gaming media can be deposited in the casino. Therefore, the membership card stores the held balls, and stores the stored balls not in the membership card itself but in association with the membership number etc. in the member management device 80 etc. The counting device 70 transmits the quantity etc. of the counted gaming media to the casino management device 60 for each issuance operation, together with information that identifies the gaming machine 10 which is the acquisition destination of the gaming media related to the counting.

[0016] The member management device 80 is an information processing device that operates under program control, and stores and manages information related to members as a member database. The member database stores information related to players, and is configured with items such as the number of stored balls that identify the player, membership number, member name, and password etc. The number of stored balls is the quantity of gaming media that the member has deposited in the casino without exchanging them for prizes among the gaming media obtained in the game. This number of stored balls is associated with the membership number and transmitted from the counting device 70 or the prize exchange device 90, and when it is withdrawn during prize exchange or a game, it decreases by the withdrawn quantity. Also, the number of stored balls is managed separately for each account according to the lending rate. For example, the number of stored balls is stored separately for each account according to the lending rate, such as A balls in the account related to the lending rate (4 yen / ball), B balls in the account related to the lending rate (1 yen / ball), C pieces in the account related to the lending rate (20 yen / piece), and D pieces in the account related to the lending rate (5 yen / piece). The membership number is a number for identifying a member, and a different membership number is assigned to each member. The member's name is the name of the member that is managed in conjunction with their membership number. The PIN is a number used to verify whether or not you are the actual member. For example, when a member withdraws their stored tokens to exchange for a prize, the member is instructed to operate the prize exchange device 90 and enter their PIN. By comparing the entered membership number with the membership number registered in the membership database, it is possible to verify whether the member is a legitimate member. Alternatively, instead of a PIN, the system may store biometric information that can identify each member (for example, facial image, fingerprint, iris, or voiceprint) and perform member verification using facial recognition or biometric authentication.

[0017] The Intercom 85a is a wireless terminal used as a communication tool. The gaming arcade system 1 is equipped with multiple intercoms 85a, and each employee carries one intercom 85a. The Intercom 85a not only allows for hands-free communication using a headset, but also enables notifications of various information from the game room management device 60, prize exchange device 90, etc., making it suitable as a communication tool for game rooms where immediacy is required.

[0018] The remote control 85b is a small signal transmitter that, when operated by an employee, transmits signals to a call lamp (not shown), a prize exchange device 90, etc., via infrared communication or the like. Each remote control 85b is assigned a unique remote control ID and other information. This remote control ID is recorded in a recording medium such as ROM or RAM located inside the remote control 85b.

[0019] The prize exchange device 90 is a so-called POS terminal that performs prize exchange processing, which involves exchanging game tokens or stored tokens acquired through gameplay for prizes. For example, the system reads the quantity of gaming media from a receipt issued by the counting device 70, a general card or membership card to which the counting results are associated, compares the read quantity with the number of prizes corresponding to the prizes the player wishes to exchange, links them together and processes them, or performs processes such as deducting the number of prizes from stored tokens. In this embodiment, "stored tokens" refers to game tokens acquired by a player during gameplay, or data indicating the number of such game tokens, which can be used again for gameplay on subsequent days (after closing time). Furthermore, "held tokens" refers to the game tokens or data indicating the number of such tokens acquired by a player during gameplay, which can only be used again for gameplay on the same day (before closing time). Therefore, stored tokens are usually only available to member players and are used when acquiring game tokens to play on subsequent days, while held tokens are available to both general and member players and are used when changing the game machine being played (so-called machine change). The configuration of this prize exchange device 90 will be explained below with reference to Figure 2.

[0020] The prize exchange device 90 includes a communication means 91, a storage means 92, a display means 93, an acquisition means 94, an employee operation means 95, a remote control receiving means 96, and a control means 99.

[0021] The communication means 91 receives information about members (count values, number of stored balls, etc.) from the member management device 80 via a communication line with the amusement facility management device 60 and the member management device 80, and transmits it to the control means 99.

[0022] The storage means 92 consists of, for example, ROM, RAM, hard disk, etc., and stores programs for executing various functions of the prize exchange device 90 and information related to prize exchange. Specifically, the information stored by the memory means 92 includes prize information, which is information about prizes; member information, which is information about members; counting information read from the recording medium by the acquisition means 94; and time information measured by the control means 99. Prize information includes a prize code that uniquely identifies each prize, prize name information indicating the name of the prize, prize classification information indicating the category to which each prize belongs (e.g., sweets, drinks, special prizes), and the number of game tokens required to exchange for each prize. Member information is information used to identify a member, and is information read from the member card by the card reader 94b. The counting information is information indicating the quantity of gaming media read by the recording medium. The time information is information indicating the time measured by the control means 99, and is information related to the prize exchange process.

[0023] The display means 93 displays information on the screen regarding prize exchanges corresponding to the number of game tokens acquired by the player. The display means 93 includes an employee-side screen 93a for viewing by amusement arcade employees and a player-side screen 93b for viewing by players. When installed at the prize exchange counter, the employee-side screen 93a faces the employees and the player-side screen 93b faces the players. The employee-side screen 93a and the player-side screen 93b are, for example, composed of a touch-panel type LCD display panel, and each item can be selected by touching the displayed information.

[0024] The acquisition means 94 acquires predetermined information associated with the recording medium received from the player. For example, if a player hands a recording medium to an employee at a prize exchange counter, the employee uses the acquisition means 94 to read the count value from the recording medium. Such acquisition means 94 includes a ticket reader 94a for acquiring receipt records and a card reader 94b for acquiring card records.

[0025] The ticket reader 94a is an information acquisition means that reads the count value recorded on the receipt. The card reader 94b is equipped with a card insertion slot into which a general card or membership card can be inserted, and is an information acquisition means that reads card information (card number, card type, number of tokens held, etc.) when a player inserts a general card or membership card into the card insertion slot. The ticket reader 94a and card reader 94b then transmit the read card information to the control means 99. Furthermore, if the counted values ​​or other information are printed on the receipt as a barcode, a barcode reader can be used as ticket reader 94a.

[0026] The employee operation means 95 is used by employees of the amusement facility to input predetermined information, and can be configured, for example, with a keyboard or mouse, and can be used to execute various functions of the prize exchange device 90 and to set input settings for various information. Furthermore, the employee operation means 95 can, for example, select special prizes or general prizes based on instructions from the player. In this embodiment, since the employee-side screen 93a is configured as a touch panel, the employee-side screen 93a functions as the employee operation means 95.

[0027] The remote control receiving means 96 receives signals such as infrared rays and radio waves transmitted wirelessly from the remote control 85b carried by an employee of the amusement arcade. The remote control receiving means 96 then transmits this received signal (release signal) to the control means 99 to release the restriction on the operation of the prize exchange device 90, which will be described later.

[0028] The control means 99 is composed of a CPU or the like, and controls the operation of each component of the prize exchange device 90 by reading and executing a program stored in the storage means 92. For example, the control means 99 has a calculation function and performs calculations when exchanging all or part of the acquired number of game tokens for each prize. Specifically, upon receiving a signal that indicates a prize has been selected, the number of game tokens that can be exchanged for this prize is subtracted from the total number of game tokens acquired by the player.

[0029] Incidentally, from the perspective of reducing manpower, there is a high demand for self-service prize exchange machines 90 (hereinafter also called self-POS) that allow players to exchange prizes themselves. These machines are installed in many amusement facilities and are operated in a way that allows prize exchanges to be carried out without the involvement of employees. In this embodiment, the prize exchange device 90 is also configured to allow switching to a self-POS mode (self mode) in which the player exchanges the prizes themselves. Here, Self-POS mode refers to a mode that is activated by selecting the "Self-POS" button (switching mechanism) from the settings operation menu on the employee-side screen 93a, as shown in Figure 3(a), and in which the player selects their prize and then completes the prize exchange process. For example, by switching to self-service POS mode during times when staffing is insufficient, operations can be conducted with fewer employees, alleviating labor shortages and reducing costs. When the "Self-POS" button is selected, the employee screen 93a displays a screen indicating that the transition to self-POS mode is in progress (see Figure 3(b)).

[0030] The prize exchange device 90 implements various operations in self-POS mode using a program that reads and executes information from the storage means 92. This program consists of code for performing the various operations described below. The prize exchange flow during self-POS mode, as executed by the control unit 65, will be explained below, with reference to the player-side screen 93b shown in Figures 4 to 6. Here, we will explain the case of exchanging items for special prizes as an example. Figures 4 to 6 show examples of screens displayed by the control means 99 on the display means 93 (player-side screen 93b), and the player-side screen 93b accepts player input. Additionally, a "Call" button is displayed in the upper right corner of the player's screen 93b, which can be used to summon an employee if the player is unsure how to operate the machine or if any problems occur. This "call" button is always displayed on screens that prompt the player to perform some action, and when selected, it notifies the employee's intercom 85a that the prize exchange device 90 is in a call state.

[0031] When the self-POS mode is selected and activated, the control means 99 displays a message on the player-side screen 93b prompting the player to insert a card. Figure 4(a) shows the TOP screen in Self-POS mode, which is activated when the "Self-POS" button is selected from the settings menu on the employee-side screen 93a. On the TOP screen, a video prompting the player to insert a card, along with a message such as "Please insert a general card or membership card," will appear, allowing the system to read the information recorded on the card. Although not mentioned in the message on the screen shown in Figure 4(a), in self-POS mode, tickets can also be used in addition to regular cards and membership cards.

[0032] If a player follows these instructions and, for example, inserts a "general card" into the card reader 94b of the prize exchange device 90, a screen prompting them to select the account to exchange the card into will be displayed, as shown in Figure 4(b). Here, for example, buttons such as "4 yen" and "1 yen" are displayed along with a message such as "Please select the account to exchange with." In the lower left corner of the player-side screen 93b, a "Cancel" button is displayed for when the player wishes to stop the process. When this "Cancel" button is selected, the player returns to the TOP screen. This point is the same as the screens shown in Figures 5 and 6, which will be described later. While the 4-yen account and 1-yen account are listed as options for players to choose from, the options are not limited to these. For example, the lending rates set on the gaming machines 10 installed in the arcade could also be listed as options for players to choose from.

[0033] Figure 4(c) shows the screen after the player has selected the 4-yen account as the account to exchange their winnings into. The current number of tokens held in the 4-yen account is displayed along with the "Add" and "Next" buttons. This allows players to check their current balance of tokens in their 4-yen account. On this screen, if the player wants to add more cards, they select the "Add" button. If they do not want to add any more cards and wish to win a prize with the displayed tokens, they select the "Next" button. If the "Add" button is selected, the system returns to the TOP screen to read the information recorded on the added card. On the other hand, if the "Next" button is selected, the data to be exchanged is confirmed, and the screen shown in Figure 5(a) is displayed.

[0034] Figure 5(a) shows a screen displaying instructions for obtaining special prizes, where players can select the number of prizes they want to acquire. Options include "Store All" to end the game with all their remaining tokens, "Specify Your Own" to specify which special prizes to exchange, and "Take as Many as You Can" to acquire the maximum number of special prizes.

[0035] In the screen shown in Figure 5(a), after the player selects the "Specify Myself" button and then selects one large prize, one medium prize, and one small prize, the screen shown in Figure 5(b) will be displayed. Furthermore, after selecting the "Store Balls" button and specifying the number of balls to store, selecting the "Complete" button will display a final screen showing the quantity of each special prize to be exchanged and the number of balls stored, as shown in Figure 5(c). The recording medium will then be returned, the selected special prizes will be dispensed, and the exchange process will be completed. Therefore, the completion condition for the prize exchange process is when the final screen shown in Figure 5(c) is displayed on the player's screen 93b, and the recording medium is removed from the acquisition means 94, that is, when the acquisition means 94 can no longer read the information recorded on the recording medium. Then, after a predetermined time has elapsed, the system returns to the TOP screen and accepts the player's request to exchange prizes again. If a player selects the "Store All Balls" button on the screen shown in Figure 5(a) or the "Store Balls" button on the screen shown in Figure 5(b), in the case of a regular card, a message prompting the insertion of the membership card will be displayed on the next screen (not shown), and the regular card with the stored balls will be returned. In this case, the screen showing the return of the regular card is the final screen, and the completion condition for the prize exchange process is when the regular card is returned and acquisition means 94 can no longer read the information recorded on the regular card. On the other hand, with a membership card, the number of balls stored on the membership card is transferred to the stored balls account. However, even if the process of transferring the number of balls stored on the membership card to the stored balls is not performed, the number of balls will be automatically transferred to the stored balls account at a predetermined time after the arcade closes.

[0036] Furthermore, if a player inserts their "membership card" into the card reader 94b of the prize exchange device 90 on the TOP screen, the screen will transition to the one shown in Figure 6(b). Here, along with messages prompting you to choose an exchange medium such as "Which method would you like to use to start the exchange?", the "Stored Balls" button and "Current Balls" button are displayed. On this screen, players select the "Stored Balls" button if they want to add the counting result to their stored ball count, or the "Current Balls" button if they want to add the counting result to their current ball count.

[0037] Figure 6(c) shows the screen displayed when the player selects the "Store Balls" button. This screen informs players who wish to exchange prizes of their current number of stored tokens for each account and allows them to select the account to exchange for the prizes. For example, it displays the current number of stored tokens for each account, membership number, member name, points, memo, mark, "cancel" button, and "confirm" button. Then, after the player selects the 4-yen account as the account to exchange, and the "Confirm" button is selected, the screen shown in Figure 4(c) will be displayed. Furthermore, if the player selects the "Balls" button on the screen shown in Figure 6(b), the screen shown in Figure 4(b) will be displayed.

[0038] Since this type of self-service prize exchange machine 90 does not involve employees, if a player forgets to take their recording device and leaves the prize exchange machine 90, it may interfere with other players who want to use the prize exchange machine 90. Furthermore, it's possible that a player might leave the prize exchange machine 90 with a recording medium inserted, not simply forgetting to retrieve it, but intentionally as a prank. Dealing with such actions would require employees to frequently check the prize exchange machine 90, thus negating the advantages of a self-service system.

[0039] Therefore, in order to solve these problems, the prize exchange device 90 in this embodiment is configured to take advantage of the benefits of a self-service system while also notifying the amusement arcade staff if the process is not completed after a certain period of time, in order to ensure smooth prize exchange. As a result, even if a player leaves the prize exchange device 90 while, for example, leaving their membership card or the like on the card reader 94b during the prize exchange process, the employee will be notified that the card is unattended, and can be asked to check the prize exchange device 90 only when necessary. The following describes the incomplete timing process in self-POS mode.

[0040] [Incomplete time measurement process] The incomplete timing process is a process that notifies an employee (hereinafter referred to as "specific information") if the prize exchange process has not been completed even after a certain period of time (hereinafter also referred to as "specific time") has elapsed since the player inserted the recording medium into the acquisition means 94. At this time, the control means 99 operates as a timing means, timing the time from when the recording medium is received until the prize exchange process is completed, and if the prize exchange process is not completed after a specified time has elapsed, it performs a specific control to notify specific information. Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating the series of operations in the incomplete timing process.

[0041] First, the control means 99 determines whether the current processing mode is "self-POS mode" (S10), and if it determines that the current processing mode is "self-POS mode" (S10: Yes), it proceeds to S11. On the other hand, if it is determined that the current processing mode is not "Self-POS mode" (S10: No), the process is terminated. Next, in the process of S11, the control means 99 determines whether or not the recording medium has been received by the acquisition means 94. The method for receiving the recording medium here may be a contact type in which a magnetic card, IC card, etc., directly contacts the terminals of the acquisition means 94 to communicate, or a non-contact type in which a card with a coil built inside, such as Felica (registered trademark), is passed through the magnetic field generated by the acquisition means 94 to communicate. Other recording media include, for example, general cards, membership cards, and receipts.

[0042] If the control means 99 determines that the recording medium has been received by the acquisition means 94 (S11:Yes), it starts timing by functioning as a timing means (S12). On the other hand, if the control means 99 determines that the recording medium has not been received by the acquisition means 94 (S11:Yes), it terminates the process. The start condition for timing is the moment when the recording medium is received by the acquisition means 94, that is, the moment when the information recorded on the recording medium is read. The starting condition for timing is the time when the recording medium is received by the acquisition means 94, but other conditions such as the time of the last operation by the player on the prize exchange device 90 may also be used.

[0043] Next, the control means 99 determines whether or not the prize exchange process has been completed after a specific time (for example, 3 minutes) has elapsed since the start of timing (S13). If the control means 99 determines that the prize exchange process has not been completed after a specific time has elapsed (S13: No), it will notify the system of specific information (hereinafter also referred to as specific notification) (S14). On the other hand, if the control means 99 determines that the prize exchange process has been completed (S13:Yes), it terminates the process.

[0044] If the control means 99 receives a recording medium such as a card or ticket to which the number of game media is associated, and the prize exchange process is not completed even after a specific amount of time has elapsed, it will perform a specific control to notify the employee via their intercom 85a or the like. Specifically, the employee hears a message via the intercom 85a such as, "We are calling you at the prize exchange device 90 for XX," while the player's screen 93b displays a message such as, "Employee on call," as shown in Figure 8(b). The example shown in Figure 8 illustrates the case where the player leaves the prize exchange device 90 during the process shown in Figure 4(c) above. Then, the employee who hears the message goes to the prize exchange machine 90 and checks the screen shown in Figure 8(b), thereby executing the deactivation process described later. This allows employees to be sure to understand the current status of the prize exchange machine 90 and recognize that they must perform the deactivation process. Furthermore, the next player to use the prize exchange device 90 will not be left in an incomplete state, so they can use it as usual without any confusion.

[0045] At this time, the control means 99 controls the prize exchange device 90 to an operation restriction state, which restricts operations from the player that are input via the touch panel of the display means 93. In other words, the control means 99 causes the display means 93 to function as a notification means, displaying specific information on the display means 93, and also functions as a regulatory means, transmitting a regulatory signal to the display means 93 to regulate operations input via the touch panel.

[0046] Next, the control means 99 determines whether or not it has received the release process (S15). If it determines that it has received the release process (S15:Yes), it cancels the specific notification (S16) and terminates the process. On the other hand, if the control means 99 determines that it has not received a release operation (S15: No), it returns to S14. In this manner, the prize exchange device 90 is controlled so that, while an employee is receiving a specific notification or while the screen shown in Figure 8(b) is displayed, the player will not be able to operate the prize exchange device 90 unless the employee performs a predetermined release process from the player's screen 93b. This prevents the prize exchange process from being executed using someone else's forgotten storage media, as the prize exchange process will not be carried out unless an employee performs the deactivation process. Furthermore, the player-side screen 93b of the prize exchange device 90, which has received the cancellation request, displays the TOP screen shown in Figure 4(a) and continues to accept operations from the player.

[0047] [Release process] Now, we will explain the release process while referring to the flowchart in Figure 9. If the control means 99 determines that the prize exchange process is incomplete after a specific time has elapsed, it controls the operation to restrict the player's input via the touch panel of the display means 93 (S20). The operational restrictions on the prize exchange device 90 are released when the predetermined release conditions are met. The release conditions are the conditions for releasing the operational restrictions on the prize exchange device 90. In this embodiment, there are conditions for releasing (1) employee card reception processing, (2) password input processing, and (3) remote control operation processing, and the operation restriction of the prize exchange device 90 is released when any of the conditions are met.

[0048] (1) Employee card reception processing The first condition for deactivation is that the operation restriction is deactivated when an employee inserts an employee card on which employee information such as an employee ID is recorded into the card reader 94b and the employee ID is successfully read (S21). The control means 99 determines whether the read employee ID, etc. matches an employee ID, etc. previously stored in the storage means 92. Then, if the determination result matches, the control means 99 sends a release signal to the display means 93 to release the restriction on the operation of the prize exchange device 90 (S22). Thus, the prize exchange device 90 has a condition for releasing the restrictions on its operation: acceptance of an employee card on which a pre-registered employee ID, etc., is recorded.

[0049] (2) Password input process The second condition for deactivation is that the operation restriction is lifted when an employee enters a password and the entered password matches a pre-stored password (S23). For password entry, for example, software keys for each number can be displayed on the touch panel screen from the player's screen 93b. When an employee enters a password via the employee-side screen 93a, the control means 99 determines whether the entered password matches a password previously stored in the storage means 92. If the determination result matches, the control means 99 sends a release signal to the display means 93 to release the restriction on the operation of the prize exchange device 90 (S22). Thus, the prize exchange device 90 requires the correct password to be entered as a condition for releasing the restrictions on the operation of the prize exchange device 90.

[0050] (3) Remote control operation processing The third release condition is that the remote control receiving means 96 receives a release signal or the like transmitted from the remote control 85b, thereby releasing the operation restriction (S24). When an operation is performed to request the release of the operation restriction, the remote control 85b transmits the remote control ID stored in the memory unit to the prize exchange device 90 along with a release signal requesting the release process. Then, when the remote control receiving means 96 receives a release signal such as infrared or radio waves from the remote control 85b carried by the amusement arcade employee, the control means 99 transmits a release signal to the display means 93 to release the restriction on the operation of the prize exchange device 90 (S22). Thus, the prize exchange device 90 uses the receipt of a release signal or the like transmitted by the operation of a remote control 85b carried by an employee as a condition for releasing the restrictions on the operation of the prize exchange device 90.

[0051] Furthermore, even while employees have been given a specific notification, the system may be controlled to allow players to operate the prize exchange device 90 without any restrictions on operation, and if operation is performed, the specific notification to employees may be canceled. Furthermore, the specific notification to employees is controlled to continue sending notifications to the intercom 85a at predetermined intervals until the operation restriction on the prize exchange device 90 is lifted. However, after a predetermined number of specific notifications (for example, 3 times), the specific notifications may be terminated even if the operation restriction on the prize exchange device 90 is not lifted. Furthermore, the prize exchange device 90 can accept additional recording media, and is controlled to allow the number of game media on multiple recording media to be totaled during the exchange. However, after the specific notification to employees is canceled, it is controlled so that the number of game media in the prize exchange process that was the subject of the specific notification cannot be totaled. This is because it is unlikely that a player who possessed the number of game tokens used in the prize exchange process that was the subject of the specific notification would be near the prize exchange device 90, and it is highly probable that the next player to use the prize exchange device 90 will be a different player. However, it would also be acceptable to allow the number of game tokens used in the prize exchange process that was the subject of the specific notification to be aggregated.

[0052] As explained above, with the prize exchange device 90 of this embodiment, if the process is not completed after a certain period of time (specific time), the employee can be notified accordingly. This allows the process to be executed with the recording medium still in the prize exchange device 90, thus preventing the process from being executed using a recording medium such as a card left behind by someone else. Furthermore, the manager of the amusement facility can request employees to check the prize exchange device 90 only when necessary, thus maximizing the benefits of labor-saving while ensuring smooth prize exchange. Furthermore, the prize exchange device 90 measures time from the moment it reads the information recorded on the recording medium, regardless of whether the recording medium is touch-based or not. Therefore, even when using a non-contact reader, the device can measure time appropriately when reading the recording medium. For example, the time can be controlled to start counting from the moment the recording medium contact is detected by the acquisition means 94. However, this requires detecting contact with the recording medium, so if a non-contact type reader is used, the time cannot be counted properly.

[0053] On the other hand, conventional prize exchange machines only process cases where a card or other recording medium is left behind when it is removed, making it difficult to prevent fraud using someone else's card. The prize exchange device 90 of this embodiment can solve all or part of the problems that conventional prize exchange devices have to improve.

[0054] Although preferred embodiments of the prize exchange device 90 and prize exchange program of the present invention have been described above, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention. For example, although the present invention has been described using an example of its application to a prize exchange device 90 in self-POS mode, it can also be applied to normal modes involving employees other than self-POS mode. Furthermore, in addition to the gaming media dispensing machine 20 described above, it can also be applied to other devices that can be connected to the gaming arcade system 1, such as a settlement machine (not shown) that reads the cash balance from a membership card or the like and returns the cash to the player according to the operation. Furthermore, the system may be configured so that the prize exchange device 90 in self-POS mode cannot be used depending on the number of balls exchanged. For example, recording media associated with a number of game media corresponding to a loan amount of less than 200 yen may not be used for prize exchange. Furthermore, for example, recording media associated with a rate of 4 yen or more can be used, but recording media associated with a rate of less than 4 yen will not be eligible for prize exchange. In other words, the prize exchange device 90 in self-POS mode may be made unavailable for each rate. Furthermore, the use of the prize exchange device 90 in self-POS mode may be restricted depending on the type of recording medium, for example, by not allowing the use of tickets or general cards, while allowing the use of membership cards. Furthermore, if a situation arises where the prize exchange device 90 cannot be used in self-POS mode, it is preferable to use the prize exchange device 90 in normal mode. Additionally, employees may be allowed to set a specific time frame (for example, 1 minute, 3 minutes, 5 minutes, or unlimited) before a specific notification is issued to call them, either through the employee screen 93a or the player screen 93b. Furthermore, the specific time may be set differently depending on the number of game media associated with the recording medium. For example, if there are fewer than 100 balls, the time may be 3 minutes; if there are 100 balls or more but less than 500 balls, the time may be 5 minutes; and if there are 500 balls or more, the time may be unlimited. Furthermore, only players deemed to be good players may be allowed to use the prize exchange device 90 in self-POS mode. In this case, for example, a system could be created to record a player's prize exchange history by linking it to their facial image or membership number, and players who have exchanged prizes a certain number of times (for example, 5 times) or more without any problems could be judged as good players. Furthermore, with regard to membership cards, it would be possible to manage specific time limits for each ID and each player, for example, by extending the specific time for good players (e.g., 5 minutes) and shortening it for others (e.g., 3 minutes). Furthermore, when operating a game arcade that uses prize exchange devices 90 in both normal mode and self-POS mode, it may be possible to remotely switch between normal mode and self-POS mode. Furthermore, the specific notification may be made available through an operation process on the gaming facility management device 60. This invention assumes the use of a conventional prize exchange device 90 for the number of screens of the display means 93, and therefore assumes a prize exchange device 90 with two screens (an operator-side screen and a customer-side screen) (see Figure 1). However, for example, this invention can also be realized with a prize exchange device 90 with one screen. Furthermore, each prize exchange device 90 may be equipped with multiple screens (for example, five) to allow multiple people (for example, five people) to exchange prizes simultaneously. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0055] 1. Amusement arcade system 10 Gaming Machines 85a Intercom 85b Remote control 90 Prize exchange device 91 Communication methods 92 Memory means 93 Display means (notification means, switching means) 94 Acquisition means (information acquisition means) 95 Employee Operating Means 96 Remote control receiving means 99 Control means (timing means, regulating means)

Claims

1. A prize exchange device in which a player can perform operations to perform a prize exchange process using a recording medium received from the player, information acquisition means for acquiring predetermined information associated with the recording medium received from the player; a timer that can measure time when predetermined information is acquired by the information acquisition unit; a control means for executing specific control for notifying specific information when the time measured by the timing means reaches a specific time and the prize exchange process has not been completed; A prize exchange device comprising:

2. The specific control is This is a control to transmit information to the intercom to cause the intercom to notify specific information.

2. The prize exchange device according to claim 1.

3. a notification means capable of notifying specific information; The specific control is Control for causing the notification means to execute specific information.

3. The prize exchange device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. When the specific control is executed, a restricting means is provided that can restrict the execution of the prize exchange process. The prize exchange device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The restriction means is Restrictions can be lifted by wireless communication devices carried by game center staff.

5. The prize exchange device according to claim 4.

6. A switching means is provided for switching to a self-mode in which the prize exchange process can be performed by the player himself. The prize exchange device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. a computer constituting a prize exchange device that allows a player to perform operations to perform a prize exchange process using a recording medium received from the player; information acquisition means for acquiring predetermined information associated with the recording medium received from the player; a timer that can measure time when predetermined information is acquired by the information acquisition unit; and a control means for executing specific control for notifying specific information when the time measured by the timing means reaches a specific time and the prize exchange process has not been completed; A prize exchange program characterized by functioning as a prize exchange program.

Images