JP2000202148A - Dispensing device for game medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To appropriately manage a sales money amount or the like by providing a storing and holding means for summing up the sales money amount or the like at the time of the feed of money or the like and holding the result even at the time of power interruption by a power failure or the like, judging that there is the danger of data ghosts in the case that the voltage of an auxiliary power source is lower than a comparison voltage and erasing storage information. SOLUTION: By a controller 10, sales signals transmitted from a paper money reception means 33 are monitored all the time, the arithmetic operation of adding the sales money amount data of the day is performed when the sales signals are transmitted and then, medals are dispensed from a medal dispensing machine 35. In this case, the sales money amount data of the day and the medal dispensed number data of the day, etc., are stored in the single chip microcomputer of the controller 10 and it is supplied with power from a capacitor 15 for backup as a charging type auxiliary power source at the time of the power failure or the like. Then, at the time of supplying power again, the voltage of the capacitor 15 is read, and in the case that the read voltage is lower than the comparison voltage set beforehand, the information stored in the microcomputer is erased and adverse influence by the data ghosts is eliminated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device installed between gaming machines such as a pachinko gaming machine and a pachislot gaming machine for renting out gaming media such as pachinko balls and metal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The sales amount of this type of apparatus is tallied and recorded by both the game medium lending apparatus itself and a hall computer for controlling the entire equipment installed in a game hall. In addition, since the operation of erasing the tally data in the game media lending device at the time of closing the store for each device is complicated and time-consuming, the erasing is performed automatically and securely by shutting down the power supply from closing the store to opening the next morning. Need to be

[0003] However, if the data of the game media lending device is erased due to a power cutoff such as a temporary power failure, it becomes impossible to check the data of the hall computer for failures or impropriety. It is necessary to configure so that the data of the game media lending device is not erased in the event of a power failure or the like.

For this reason, ROM, RAM, M (not shown)
In the controller 10 of the conventional device shown in FIG. 8, which is constituted by a single-chip microcomputer 11 or the like having a built-in PU or the like, every time a bill is inserted, data of a sales amount is stored in a RAM.
Is stored in the ROM in advance.

The VC of the single chip microcomputer 11
A capacitor 15 connected to the C terminal 12 and charged during energization and functioning as a backup auxiliary power supply,
Even when the power is turned off, the sales amount data is held in the RAM.

While the power is off, the capacitor 15 gradually discharges due to the current consumption of the VCC terminal 12, and the VCC voltage gradually decreases. Then, as shown in FIG. 9, for example, the VCC terminal voltage of the single chip microcomputer 11 becomes lower than the voltage at which the RAM data cannot be stored due to the power cutoff after the store is closed, and the capacity of the discharge resistor 16 is reduced. Resistance value is selected.

[0007]

However, the voltage at which the data in the RAM cannot be retained due to variability varies depending on the individual and the temperature difference. Therefore, the voltage remains stored during a normal power failure or power-off for maintenance. Therefore, it is actually difficult to always erase the data in the RAM when the power is shut off from the closing of the store to the opening of the store the next morning.

[0008] In the vicinity of a voltage at which data can be changed,
Because the phenomenon that only part of the data is garbled also occurs,
When the power is turned on at that time, a memory check (RAM
To make sure that data is kept properly) is very unreliable. Further, since all stored data becomes invalid, there is another problem that data to be stored for a long time, such as failure history data, cannot be arranged in the RAM.

Therefore, the data is not erased when the power is temporarily cut off during a power failure or maintenance, and the data can be surely erased when the power is shut off from the closing of the store to the opening of the next morning to manage the sales amount and the like. Needs to be easily performed, and this is a problem of the prior art to be solved.

[0010]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems in the prior art, means for identifying / returning / receiving coins, bills, prepaid cards, etc. (hereinafter referred to as money, etc.), and means for paying out game media, etc., are provided. Provided and installed, in a device for renting a game medium such as a pachinko ball used in a gaming machine by receiving money and the like, means for counting and calculating the sales amount and the like when the presented money and the like are recognized as appropriate, A memory holding means for holding the result of the calculation by the counting means even when the power is cut off due to a power failure, a rechargeable auxiliary power supply for activating the storage means, and a power supply of the voltage of the rechargeable auxiliary power supply Means for erasing specific storage information such as the total sales amount stored in the storage and holding means when the read voltage is lower than a preset comparison voltage. A game media lending apparatus of the first configuration so as to obtain,

In the game medium lending apparatus according to the first aspect, the comparison voltage set in advance is set to a voltage higher than a minimum voltage required for stable operation of the memory holding means. A media lending device,

In the game medium lending device of the first or second configuration, when the power is turned on, charging control means for reading the voltage of the rechargeable auxiliary power supply in a charging prohibited state and starting charging after reading is completed. A game media lending device having a third configuration,

In the gaming medium lending apparatus having any one of the first to third configurations, the power supply cutoff time until the storage information such as the total sales amount stored in the storage holding means is erased is compared with the means for setting the power supply cutoff time. A game medium lending device according to a fourth configuration, comprising: means for setting a voltage;

In the gaming medium lending device of any one of the first to fourth configurations, the voltage of the rechargeable auxiliary power supply is read by A / D conversion, read, and compared with a predetermined value to compare the voltages. And a game medium lending apparatus having a fifth configuration.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to a metal lending apparatus which lends a predetermined number of metals, for example, 50, to be used in a pachislot machine by paying 1000 yen bills, as shown in FIG. This will be described with reference to FIG. In addition, in order to facilitate understanding, in these drawings, the same parts as those shown in FIG. 8 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

The metal lending device 100 of the present invention shown in FIG.
Is provided with a bill receiving port 31, a metal payout port 32, and the like on its front face, and a controller 10, a bill receiving means 33, a safe 34, a metal payout machine 35, a display 36, and the like.

FIG. 1 shows the electrical configuration of the metal lending device 100.
Shown in The controller 10 including a microcomputer and the like includes:
The bill inserted into the bill receiving port 31 is identified, and if it is a fake bill, it is returned as it is. If it is a normal 1,000 yen bill, it is taken into the safe 34, and the bill is transmitted to the controller 10 with sales information of 1,000 yen. Receiving means 33 and controller 10
A metal dispensing machine 35 for dispensing metal to the metal payout port 32 based on a command from the sensor, detecting that the metal has been securely paid out by a sensor, and outputting the number of payouts to the controller 10 by a counting pulse signal or the like. , Display 36,
A sales display switch 37 operated when displaying the sales summary data of the day on the display device 36, an erasing switch 38 for deleting the sales summary data of the day, and the sales summary data of the day are erased about 4 hours after the power is turned off. Or a backup time changeover switch 39 for switching whether the data is to be erased after about 24 hours.

The controller 10 is configured, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, and has a ROM in which a required control program as a metal lending device is stored in advance, a RAM as a temporary storage unit, and an MPU (MPU as an arithmetic unit). (Not shown)
And a single-chip microcomputer 11 configured to supply power to the single-chip
It comprises a backup capacitor 15 for storing the data of M, a transistor 17 for charging the capacitor 15 in accordance with the charge control output from the single-chip microcomputer 11, and the like. The positive electrode of the capacitor 15 is connected to the A of the single chip microcomputer 11.
/ D conversion input terminal 13.

In the controller 10, the VCC terminal 1 of the single-chip microcomputer 11 after the power is cut off.
The capacity of the capacitor 15 and the like are determined so that the voltage No. 2 becomes higher than the minimum data retention voltage of the RAM even after 24 hours as shown in FIG. 3, for example. Also, 2
The circuit is designed so that the A / D conversion value of the voltage of the VCC terminal 12 at the time when 4 hours have elapsed is, for example, 71 points, and that at the time when 4 hours have passed is, for example, 207 points.

In the RAM of the single-chip microcomputer 11, the sales data of the day, the data of the number of paid-out metals, the data of the sales amount of the previous day, the data of the number of paid-out metal of the previous day, the failure history data (1), the failure history data (1) shown in FIG. 2) Data such as... Are automatically stored and held.

An example of control by the controller 10 during energization will be described with reference to FIG. The controller 10 constantly monitors the sales signal transmitted from the bill receiving means 33.

Then, a sales signal is transmitted from the bill receiving means 33, and if it is determined YES in step S1, the process proceeds to step S4, where the sales amount data on the day is set to 1000.
A calculation for adding a circle is performed, and subsequently, the process proceeds to step S5 to start the metal dispensing machine 35 and perform a metal dispensing operation.

In the following step S6, metal is set to 1
The counting pulse signal output by the metal dispensing machine 35 is received every time a metal is dispensed, and the process proceeds to step S8 until 50 counting pulses are detected, that is, after the predetermined 50 metals are dispensed, and the process proceeds to step S8. The machine 35 is stopped.

In step S9, an operation of adding 50 sheets to the metal payout number data of the day is performed.
Move to 2. In step S2, it is determined whether or not the erase switch 38 has been operated. If the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to step S10, in which the current day sales amount data is transferred to the previous day sales amount data, and subsequently, the process proceeds to step S11. Delete the sales amount data on the day.

In step S12, the current day metal payout number data is transferred to the previous day metal payout number data. In step S13, the current day metal payout number data is deleted, and the process proceeds to step S3.

In step S3, it is determined whether or not a failure has occurred. If the determination is no, the process directly returns to the main flow. If the determination is yes, step S1 is performed.
Then, the process goes to 4 to store the contents of the failure in a required area of the RAM, and then returns to the main flow.

If the determination in step S1 is NO, the process directly proceeds to step S2, and proceeds to step S2.
If it is determined as No in step S3, the process directly proceeds to step S3.

By the way, in step S2, yes,
That is, it is determined that the erase switch 38 has been operated, and the control of steps S10 to S13 is performed mainly when the backup time switch 39 has selected the backup time of 24 hours.

By performing the above control, the RAM of the single-chip microcomputer 11 stores the data on the day's sales amount, the data on the number of paid out metals on the day, the data on the previous day's sales amount,
The previous day's metal payout number data, failure history data, and the like are appropriately stored, and the capacitor 15 which is a power supply for holding and storing the RAM is fully charged.

When the business is over and the clearing business after the store is closed, the power supply for supplying power to the metal lending device 100 is turned off. After the power is turned off, the single-chip microcomputer 11 shifts to the low power consumption mode. As long as the supply voltage to the VCC terminal 12 is equal to or higher than the RAM data holding minimum voltage which is a characteristic of the microcomputer, the contents of the RAM are accurately stored. Will be retained. Since the data in the RAM is often held even slightly below the nominal RAM data holding minimum voltage, in the device as shown in the conventional example, the supply voltage to the VCC terminal 12 after the power is turned off during each set time. The capacity of the capacitor and the like are determined so that the discharge characteristics can be reduced to a voltage at which data is lost.

On the other hand, in the controller 10 of the metal lending apparatus 100 according to the present invention, the voltage of the VCC terminal 12 after the power is cut off is maintained at R even after 24 hours as shown in FIG.
It is held higher than the AM data holding minimum voltage. Also, the A / D conversion value of the VCC terminal voltage at the time when 24 hours have elapsed is 71 points slightly higher than the minimum RAM data holding voltage, and the A / D conversion value of the VCC terminal voltage at the time when the 4 hours have elapsed is 207 points. The circuit is designed.

Next, the backup time switch 39
An example of the control by the controller 10 when the power supply once turned off and the power is turned on again with the backup time of 4 hours selected is described with reference to FIG.

When the power is turned on again, the initial flow of the single-chip microcomputer 11 is started, and in step S21, the charging control output 14 is set to the charging prohibited state. Thus, the backup capacitor 15 holds the voltage immediately before the power is turned on again.

In step S22, the voltage of the backup capacitor 15 is converted into a value of 0 to 255 points by the A / D conversion input and taken in, and the process proceeds to step S23 to determine the state of the backup time switch 39.

In this case, since the backup time of 4 hours has been selected, the flow shifts to step S27 to compare the A / D converted value with 207 points.

If YES in step S27, that is, if the A / D conversion value is 207 points or more, and it is determined that the power supply that was cut off due to a power outage or maintenance and inspection of the apparatus has been turned on again within four hours, the RAM The process proceeds to step S26 without any change to the data, the charging control output 14 is switched to the charged state, the backup capacitor 15 is charged, and the process proceeds to the main flow.

On the other hand, if it is determined NO in step S27, that is, if the A / D conversion value is smaller than 207 points and it is determined that power has been turned off and the power has been turned on more than 4 hours later, the process proceeds to step S28. Further, a comparison with 71 points is performed.

In step S28, the result is NO, that is, the A / D converted value is greater than 71 points corresponding to a voltage slightly higher than the RAM data holding minimum voltage, and four hours or more have elapsed since the power was turned off. , 24
If it is determined that the power has been turned on again before the time has elapsed, for example, when the power is turned off at the end of the clearing operation after closing the store on the previous day and the store is opened 12 hours later, the process proceeds to step S29. The sales amount data of the day is transferred to the sales amount data of the previous day, and in the following step S30, the sales amount data of the day is deleted.

Further, in step S31, the current day metal payout number data is transferred to the previous day metal payout number data, and in the following step S32, the current day metal payout number data is deleted.

On the other hand, in step S28, Yes, that is, the A / D conversion value was smaller than 71 points, and the power was turned on 24 hours or more after the power was turned off, and the data on the RAM was corrupted. If it is determined that there is a possibility, the process proceeds to step S25 and RA
All data on M is erased, and then the process moves to the main flow via step S26.

If it is determined in step S23 that 24 hours has been selected as the backup time, the process proceeds to step S24, where the A / A
It is determined whether the D-converted value is 71 points or more. If the determination is yes, that is, if it is determined that the power has been turned on again within 24 hours after the power was turned off, the process directly proceeds to step S26, When it is determined that the power has been turned on again after 24 hours or more have elapsed since the power was turned off, the process proceeds to step S25, in which the sales data of the day on the RAM, the sales data of the previous day, Erase all data such as history data,
After that, the processing shifts to the main flow via step S26.

By performing the above-described control, all of the current day sales amount data, the current day metal payout number data, the previous day sales amount data, the previous day metal payout number data, the failure history data, and the like stored in the RAM of the single-chip microcomputer 11 are stored. Data is completely preserved in the event of a brief power interruption, such as a power outage.

On the other hand, data other than data that needs to be stored for a long time, such as a failure history, due to a long-term power interruption until the opening of the store the next morning, that is, data on the number of metals paid out on the day, data on the amount of sales on the previous day, and numbers on the previous day. data,
Since the failure history data and the like are automatically deleted, data management becomes extremely simple.

The RAM data erasure control is performed only based on the result of reading the voltage of the backup capacitor 15 when the power is turned on again. In addition to this, a memory check of a checksum comparison method is used together. Needless to say, it may be.

Further, the game medium lending device of the present invention can be a device for renting pachinko balls used in a pachinko game machine.

[0046]

As described above, according to the apparatus of the present invention, all the data stored in the controller, such as the sales data of the day, the sales data of the previous day, the failure history data, etc., are stored when power outage or maintenance is performed. The data is not erased at all for a relatively short power-off period, but is stored for a long time in a relatively long power-off period from the closing of the store to the opening of the next morning, such as data on the same day excluding the failure history, data on the previous day, etc. Data is selectively erased, so that data management becomes extremely simple.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an electrical configuration of a device.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a configuration of a controller.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing discharge characteristics of a backup capacitor.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing data stored in a RAM.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a control example at the time of energization.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a control example when the power is turned on again.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the overall configuration of a metal lending device.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a conventional controller.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing discharge characteristics of a backup capacitor according to the related art.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Controller 11 Single chip microcomputer 12 VCC terminal 13 A / D conversion input terminal 14 Charge control output 15 Capacitor 16 Discharge resistor 17 Transistor 31 Banknote receiving port 32 Metal payout port 33 Banknote receiving means 34 Safe 35 Metal dispenser 36 Display 37 Sales display switch 38 Erase switch 39 Backup time changeover switch 100 Metal lending device

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Kazunori Mashimo 2-5-5 Keihanhondori, Moriguchi-shi, Osaka Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Saburo Tatsutsuki 2-chome Keihanhondori, Moriguchi-shi, Osaka 5-5 Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yukio Kitazawa 2-5-5 Keihanhondori, Moriguchi-shi, Osaka F-term in Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. 2C088 BA88 BB27 BC58 CA07 CA09

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. It is installed with means for identifying, returning, and receiving coins, bills, prepaid cards, etc. (hereinafter referred to as money, etc.), and means for paying out game media, and is used in a gaming machine by receiving money, etc. In a device for renting a game medium such as a pachinko ball, a means for calculating the sales amount when the presented money or the like is deemed appropriate, and a power cutoff due to a power failure or the like based on the result of the calculation by the calculation means. At the time of turning on the power, and the read voltage is lower than a preset comparison voltage. Means for erasing specific storage information, such as the total sales amount, sometimes stored in the storage means. 2. The game medium lending device according to claim 1, wherein the preset comparison voltage is set to a voltage higher than a minimum voltage required for stable operation of the memory holding means. 3. A game medium according to claim 1, further comprising a charge control means for reading the voltage of the rechargeable auxiliary power supply in a charging prohibited state when the power is turned on, and for starting charging after the reading is completed. Lending equipment. 4. A device for setting a power-off time until erasing stored information such as a total sales amount stored in a storage holding unit and a unit for setting a comparison voltage. The game medium lending device according to claim 1. 5. The voltage comparison of claim 1, wherein the voltage of the rechargeable auxiliary power supply is A / D converted and read, and compared with a predetermined value. Game media lending equipment.