JP2002163407A - Premium exchange machine for amusement arcades and premium exchange method - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] While eliminating the uninterestingness of only mail-order prizes, there is no problem such as difficulty in operation or limitation of the amount of information. Make it available as a free gift. SOLUTION: A merchandise selecting means for a player to select desired digital content merchandise such as music, images, games, etc. from a monitor screen 2 with touch keys as a prize to be exchanged, and assigning points based on coins and medals to the commodity price. Means for determining the payment method, product ordering means for ordering the selected product on the server side, a product for storing the ordered digital content product in a memory card, a cartridge for a pocket game machine, or a mobile phone for providing to the user. It includes provision means.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to music data that can be accessed by a large number of players in a game room such as a pachinko / pachislot parlor, by using the points obtained by using the coins and medals obtained at the game room. The present invention relates to a prize exchange machine and a prize exchange method for a game arcade that can acquire digital contents such as image data, game data, and programs.

[0002]

Conventionally, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-11 / 1993
In Japanese Patent No. 5605, a game ball obtained by playing a game at a game hall, that is, a prize ball can be stored for reuse at a later date, and a prize is selected from an electronic catalog device in the game hall according to the number of stored balls. Has proposed a system in which prizes are delivered to homes at a later date. In this product, in addition to the products displayed at the prize exchange counter in the amusement arcade, mail-order items are added, and the options for prize exchange are expanded,
Mail order products have the drawback that they cannot return with their prizes on the day they win at the amusement arcade, and they cannot add grace to the return home.

[0003] On the other hand, with the progress of information communication technology in recent years,
2. Description of the Related Art A system that can download various digital contents from a server via the Internet or the like using a personal terminal such as a personal computer or a mobile device such as a mobile phone has become widespread. However, the payment can be made by a credit card or cash on delivery, but in any case, the user ultimately bears cash. In addition, it is still not easy for everyone to import digital content onto such a personal computer and then drop it onto a compact disk or memory card.
In some cases, it may be necessary to provide dedicated peripheral equipment. or,
In mobile devices such as mobile phones, the amount of information that can be downloaded is limited due to restrictions on memory capacity, communication speed, and the like, and the range of content that can be obtained is narrow.

According to the present invention, it is possible to eliminate the uninteresting effect of prize exchange in which only mail-order sales have been added, as well as the difficulty of operation when using a personal terminal such as a personal computer or a mobile device, and restrictions on the amount of information. It is an object of the present invention to provide a prize exchange machine and a prize exchange method for a game arcade in which a player who alternates and accesses the content without any problem can acquire a digital content product as a prize on the spot.

[0005]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a prize exchange for a game arcade which is open to a large number of players and is connected to a server through a computer network, wherein the player selects a desired digital content product as a prize to be exchanged. Selection means, payment method deciding means for deciding that the points obtained by the player at the game arcade are to be used for the commodity price, commodity ordering means for ordering the commodity selected on the server side, and the digital content commodity for which the order has been placed by the player. Product providing means to be provided. As a result, the player who alternates and accesses is able to acquire digital content products on the spot as prizes. The prize exchange may be a dedicated exchange for digital contents products or a combination exchange with other products by mail order or the like.

[0006] The invention according to claim 2 allows not only digital content products but also other products to be exchanged,
In order to further satisfy the demands of the players, the product selection means has enabled selection of products other than digital content products.
Products other than digital content products include, for example, mail-order products acquired through mail-order sales, and products stocked inside the machine body of the premium exchange machine.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a payment method determining means is provided so that a player who has no or insufficient points can acquire a desired digital content product.
Instead of or in conjunction with the appropriation of merchandise by points, it has become possible to decide to use real-time settlement by cash or debit card. As a result, in addition to points, payment by cash or debit card or combined payment can be performed, and it becomes possible to acquire expensive digital content products and the like that cannot be exchanged only with points, thereby further satisfying the demands of players. In addition, immediate settlement by cash or debit card can secure secure settlement like points.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in order to solve the same problem as the first aspect, a prize exchange method for a game arcade which is open to a large number of players and is connected to a server through a computer network. A product selection process in which a player selects a desired digital content product as a gift to be exchanged,
A payment method determining process in which a player decides to apply the points acquired in a game hall to a product price, a product ordering process in which a server selects a product to be selected, and providing the ordered digital content product to the player. It includes the product provision process.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an apparatus main body of a prize exchange machine which incorporates digital contents products as exchangeable prizes.
It is installed in the game store A such as a pachislo parlor, and a large number of users can be switched to each other and can freely access the installation site.
On the front surface of the apparatus main body 1, a monitor screen 2 with touch keys for selecting and ordering products is provided.

A memory card such as a mobile device owned by a user is inserted into the front of the apparatus main body 1 as an external receiving means for receiving a storage device owned by the user and storing and providing digital content products in the storage device. A memory card insertion slot 3, a cartridge insertion slot 4 for inserting a flash memory cartridge such as a pocket game machine owned by the user, and a mobile phone connector 5 for directly connecting a mobile phone owned by the user. In addition, Bluetooth (blue
A connection connector for a communication unit such as ETHOOT) may be provided.

On the front face of the apparatus main body 1, there are provided a cash slot 6 for coins and bills and a debit card slot 7 as payment method determining means for determining a payment method. When cash is inserted into the cash slot 6, cash settlement is automatically performed, and when a debit card is inserted into the debit card slot 7, debit card settlement is automatically performed. Further, by operating the monitor screen 2 with the touch keys, the user can use the stored coins / medal points, which are points that can be exchanged for the privilege stored by the user, for the price. In addition, cash, debit card and points can be paid together.

The monitor screen 2 with the touch keys includes a ring tone of a mobile phone, music data such as appreciation music, screen characters of a mobile phone or a pocket game machine, image data such as appreciation wallpaper or a movie, various game software, and the like. pachinko·
Various digital content products such as game data and programs such as pachislot capture simulations,
It can be browsed along with its specifications, price, appropriation points, etc., so that desired products can be selected. In addition, it is possible to browse electronic catalogs of mail-order products delivered later by mail order and select the mail-order products. It is a matter of course that actual items such as the pocket game machine main body and the flash memory cartridge may be stocked in the main body 1 so that they can be acquired.

The monitor screen 2 with touch keys allows a destination address, name, telephone number, and the like for mail-order sales to be input. The destination can be specified by entering the first letter of the kana of the address, the postal code or the telephone number, and a list of candidates is displayed. The user simply selects one after another, and inputs the address. Is completed, and it is not necessary to directly input kanji, which is generally considered difficult.

A general electronic advertisement,
Monitor display screen 8 for displaying electronic advertisements for digital content products and mail order products, promotion information for stores, etc.
Is provided. This display means
It has a detachable connection structure, and can be added even after the apparatus main body 1 is installed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the apparatus main body 1 has an ISD
It is connected to a sales management center 10 serving as a server for digital content products and mail order products via a public line 9 such as N (Integrated Digital Communication Network). Sales Management Center 1
0, based on a product ordering command sent from the apparatus body 1, confirms the distribution preparation and inventory of the product selected by the user, and checks whether the payment method determined by the user, that is, cash or debit card or point is the product. Check whether to apply for the price. Then, after these are positively confirmed, the sales management center 10 distributes the digital content product to the apparatus main body 1 or sends the mail order product to a destination designated by the user.

[0016] Immediate settlement by debit card is entrusted to an existing bank information processing center, etc.
It entrusts collation of a password input from the monitor screen 2 with a touch key, inquiry of a card number, debit processing of a user account, and the like.

The settlement by points is performed by subtracting points corresponding to the commodity price from the saving points of the user managed by the ball and medal point management center 11. The point management center 11 is connected to the apparatus main body 1 via the public line 9, and notifies the monitor screen 2 with touch keys of available points prior to product selection or points after subtraction. are doing.
Further, it is connected to the sales management center 10 via the public line 9 or the Internet 12, and is linked with digital content product distribution processing and mail-order merchandise shipping processing to reduce points. Specifically, the points are subtracted after the start of the distribution processing or the shipping processing. Note that the initial registration of points, addition and update, and subtraction and update by replay are performed by the hall computer 1 connected via the Internet 12 or the like.
3 or the store POS terminal 14.

In FIG. 2, 15 is the Internet 1
2 is a server that independently carries out digital content distribution services on the server 2, and via the sales management center 10
The digital content product distributed from the server 15 can also be provided. Reference numeral 16 denotes a management company that connects to the game arcade store A in which the apparatus main body 1 is installed, the sales management center 10, and the point management center 11 and monitors the transaction status and the like. Responsible for collection and distribution of administrative expenses.

The apparatus main body 1 and the store POS terminal 14 may be connected directly or via the hall computer 13 to settle digital contents and mail-order products using a store-specific register POS system.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of a machine main body of a vending machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram of the vending machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1; device main body 2; monitor screen with touch keys 3; memory card slot 4; cartridge slot 5; mobile phone connector 6; cash slot 7; debit card slot 8; monitor display screen 9; Sales Management Center 11; Point Management Center 12; Internet

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Atsushi Fujimoto 3-1-25 Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo Ariake Frontier Building B Building F term (reference) 2C088 BA90 BC80 CA02 CA31 5B049 BB62 CC05 EE00 GG00 GG06

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A prize exchange for a game arcade, which is open to a large number of players and is connected to a server via a computer network, wherein the player selects a desired digital content product as a prize to be exchanged. , Payment method deciding means for deciding that the points earned by the player at the amusement arcade will be used for the commodity price, merchandise ordering means for ordering the selected merchandise on the server side, and providing the ordered digital content merchandise to the player. A prize exchange machine for a game arcade, comprising a commodity providing means for performing a game. 2. The prize exchange for a game arcade according to claim 1, wherein the merchandise selecting means enables selection of merchandise other than digital content merchandise. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the payment method determining means is capable of determining the use of immediate settlement by cash or a debit card in place of or in combination with the application of the commodity price by points. A prize exchange machine for amusement arcades. 4. A prize exchange method for a game arcade that is open to a large number of players and is connected to a server through a computer network, wherein the player selects a desired digital content product as a prize to be exchanged. Process, a payment method determining process in which the player decides to apply the points earned in the playground to the product price, a product ordering process of ordering the selected product on the server side, and the digital content product ordered to the player. A prize exchange method for a game arcade, comprising a step of providing goods to be provided.