Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – Perceptible output or display
Reexamination Certificate
1997-09-17
2002-06-04
O'Neill, Michael (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
Perceptible output or display
C463S016000, C463S043000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06398648
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a game hall system utilizing storage media.
BACKGROUND ART
Generally, in a game hall, a plurality of game machines are arranged together with at least one adjustment device which performs the delivery of a prize, etc. on the basis of a game result. In recent years, regarding such a game hall, there has been proposed, for example, one wherein the progress of a game in the game machine is recorded in a magnetic card which has a data recording function and which has been purchased beforehand, and wherein information items recorded in the magnetic card are read by the adjustment device so as to manage a game situation or exchange game media for a prize in conformity with the read information items. A prior-art example concerning this game hall is a technique disclosed in the pamphlet of PCT Publication WO92/20415. According to the prior-art technique, in a game apparatus having a game execution section with which a game is played by the use of game media, and a game-media holder in which the game media for use in the game are temporarily held, the number of game media which are handled during the execution of the game is managed, and the managed number of game media is recorded into a card, being a storage medium, by a write circuit.
With the prior-art technique, however, the identical magnetic card cannot be used many times due to heavy wear in the case of recycling it when the number of game media written in the magnetic card has become zero or after the game media have been exchanged for a prize by reading the number thereof by means of an adjustment device. Therefore, the card is usually disposed of after having been utilized once, which poses an environmental problem. Another problem is that since a new card is issued for every game player, the technique results in a high cost.
Moreover, the information items of the card are directly read and written by read and write circuits, respectively, so that inferior contact with the card is to be expected.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in order to solve the problems stated above, and has for its object to provide a game hall system which can utilize recyclable storage media. Another object is to provide a game hall system in which inferior contact with a storage medium is not experienced when reading/writing the information thereof.
In order to accomplish the aforementioned objects, a game hall system having a plurality of game machines each of which is equipped with a game execution section for executing a game, consists in comprising storage media in each of which information items about the game are stored; the storage medium including a storage-medium transmitter/receiver which transmits and receives by radio, a storage-medium controller which controls the transmission and reception of the storage-medium transmitter/receiver, a memory portion in which the information items transmitted and received by the storage-medium transmitter/receiver are stored, and a power supply circuit which is chargeable; each of the game machines including a game-machine transmission/reception section which transmits and receives information to and from the storage medium, and a game-machine controller which controls the transmission and reception of the game-machine transmission/reception section and controls the execution section; the game-machine transmission/reception section including a game-machine-side setting port in which the storage medium is set, a game-machine transmitter/receiver which transmits and receives by radio to and from the storage medium set in the game-machine-side setting port, and a charging circuit which charges the power supply circuit of the storage medium set in the game-machine-side setting port.
It is possible that the game machine further includes a setting switch which serves to set an amount of money to be spent on a game, and an end switch which serves to give a command for ending the game; that, in compliance with manipulation of the setting switch, the execution section operates so as to execute the game within a range of the set amount of money and processes data originating with the execution of the game; that, in compliance with manipulation of the end switch, the game-machine controller transmits results of the data processing of the execution section to the storage medium through the game-machine transmitter/receiver; and that the storage-medium controller stores the data processing results received by the storage-medium transmitter/receiver, in the memory portion.
Each of the storage-medium transmitter/receiver and the game-machine transmitter/receiver may well include error detection means for detecting any error during the transmission and reception of the information.
It is also allowed that the storage-medium controller transmits the data processing results stored in the memory portion, through the storage-medium transmitter/receiver; and that the game-machine controller includes judgement means for judging whether or not the data processing results received from the storage medium by the game-machine transmitter/receiver agree with the transmitted data processing results.
Further, the power supply circuit of the storage medium is charged by the charging circuit when held set in the setting port of the game machine. Besides, the charging circuit can perform the charging even during the transmission and reception between the storage-medium transmitter/receiver and the transmitter/receiver of the game machine.
It is also allowed that the storage-medium controller detects a charged state of the power supply circuit, and that it further transmits information indicative of the detected charged state, through the storage-medium transmitter/receiver during the transmission and reception; and that the game-machine controller includes detection means for detecting whether or not the information indicative of the charged state of the storage medium as received by the game-machine transmitter/receiver is abnormal or not. Thus, the presence of any charging abnormality can be detected. It is consequently possible to judge if the data written in the IC card are correct.
Further, the storage medium may well include display means for displaying the data processing results. A liquid-crystal screen or the like can be included as the display means.
It is possible that the game-machine-side setting port detects the setting of the storage medium; that, when the setting of the storage medium has been detected in the game-machine-side setting port, the game-machine controller gives a command to the storage medium through the game-machine transmitter/receiver so as to transmit the information stored in the memory portion; and that, when the storage-medium-controller has been commanded, through the storage-medium transmitter/receiver, to transmit the information by the game-machine controller, the storage-medium controller thereof transmits the information stored in the memory portion.
It is possible that the game-machine controller gives a command to the storage medium through the game-machine transmitter/receiver so as to erase the information stored in the memory portion; and that, when the storage-medium controller has been commanded to erase the information by the game-machine controller through the storage-medium transmitter/receiver, the storage-medium controller thereof erases the information stored in the memory portion.
It is possible that the game-machine controller gives a command to the storage medium through the game-machine transmitter/receiver so as to “OFF”/“ON” operate a power supply of the power supply circuit; and that, when the storage-medium controller has been commanded to “OFF”/“ON” operate the power supply by the game-machine controller, the storage-medium controller thereof controls the “OFF”/“ON” operation of the power supply of the power supply circuit through the storage-medium transmitter/receiver.
It is also possible to further comprise an adjustment device which includes adjustment means for adjusting stakes for the
Kawashima Kazunari
Takemoto Takatoshi
Ace Denken Kabushiki Kaisha
O'Neill Michael
SEED IP Law Group PLLC
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