Registers – Systems controlled by data bearing records – Credit or identification card systems
Patent
1992-08-18
1996-05-14
Shepperd, John
Registers
Systems controlled by data bearing records
Credit or identification card systems
235477, 902 23, G06K 1320
Patent
active
055170102
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY
This invention relates to a record medium reading apparatus for reading recorded data from a record medium such as a magnetic card, and also to game medium dispensers, such as a ball dispenser and a medal dispenser, using the record medium reading apparatus. The reading apparatus and the dispensers are to be used in a game house where many game machines such as slot machines and/or pachinko game machines are installed.
BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY
In a game medium dispenser using a conventional record medium reading apparatus, when a record medium such as a magnetic card is inserted, the record medium reading apparatus takes the record medium in, reads recorded data from the record medium and subtracts predetermined subtrahend data from the recorded data, whereupon a number of game mediums corresponding to the subtrahend data are dispensed. Meanwhile the magnetic card is returned to the inlet after the subtrahend data has been subtracted and a record of this made on the card.
However, with this conventional art, when the recorded data of the record medium is reduced to zero, this used-up record medium is returned to the customer from the inlet. If it undergoes a regenerative process, the used-up record medium can be made reusable. Nonetheless, since a used-up record medium is discarded, it results in an increased cost of production of record mediums so that an effective use of resources cannot be achieved.
With the foregoing problems of the conventional art in view, it is an object of this invention to provide a record medium reading apparatus and a game medium dispenser, such as a ball dispenser and a medal dispenser, which result in not only a reduced cost of production of the record medium but also an effective use of the resource.
DISCLOSE OF INVENTION
According to one aspect of this invention, there is provided a record medium reading apparatus comprising: an inlet through which a reloadable record medium is to be inserted; an insertion detecting sensor for detecting that the record medium has been inserted from the inlet; a case for receiving the record medium; a conveying path extending between the inlet and the case; a conveyer for conveying the record medium along the conveying path; a reader disposed at some point along the conveying path for reading the recorded data from the record medium; a memory for analyzing and storing the record data read by the reader; an arithmetic unit for subtracting a predetermined subtrahend data from the recorded data, which is stored in the memory, to obtain remaining data; an eraser disposed more toward the case than the reader for erasing the recorded data of the record medium; a recorder disposed more toward the case than the reader for recording on the record medium the remaining data obtained by the arithmetic means; a return position detecting sensor for detecting the presence of the record medium at a post-record position after recording has been completed by the recorder; and means for discriminating whether or not the remaining data obtained by the arithmetic means is zero. The apparatus further comprises a conveying control unit for controlling the conveyer, in response to the detection by the insertion detecting sensor and the return position detecting sensor. When the insertion detection sensor detectors the presence of the record medium which has been inserted from said inlet, the conveyer is controlled so as to convey the record medium toward the case along the conveying path. In response to the detection by the return position detecting sensor, when the discriminating means discriminates the remaining data as not zero. The conveyer is controlled so as to convey the record medium, which is located at the post-record position, toward the inlet along the conveying path, and when the discriminating means discriminates the remaining data as zero, the conveyer is controlled so as to convey the record medium, which is located at a post-read position after reading by the reader, into the case.
Preferably, the record medium reading appara
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Kawashima Kazunari
Takemoto Takatoshi
Kabushiki Kaisha Ace Denken
Shepperd John
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