JPH07334639A - Prepaid card for game - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a prepaid card game of high security by forming a mag netic coating film on one of both sides of the card to record the balance data and providing a two-dimensional bar code on the other side of the card. CONSTITUTION:The letters 'PARLOR CARD' are printed in a design on the surface 10a of the prepaid card for game 10. The part where the head letter 'P' is shown serves as a two-dimensional bar code area 12, and a two-dimensional bar code is recorded in an area defined by an outer control line 14 and a circular inner contour line 16 of the letter 'P'. Meanwhile, a magnetic coating film is provided on the rear surface of the card 10 and the magnetic data are recorded on the coating film. Thus the resistance against the wrong use of the card 10, i.e., the security, is very high owing to the characteristic of the two-dimensional bar code. Furthermore, the security of the card is improved by the collation performed between the magnetic data and the two-dimensional bar code.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a game ball (pachinko ball).
And a gaming prepaid card used for lending a gaming medium such as a gaming coin.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, a game prepaid card called a common card or the like is provided with a magnetic stripe, and the balance of the advance payment, the security code, the issuer code, etc. are magnetically recorded on the magnetic stripe. It was

[0003]

However, since recording by such a magnetic stripe can be easily rewritten, there has been a demand for improvement in resistance to tampering such as tampering, that is, security.

[0004]

As means for solving this problem, in the game prepaid card of the present invention, the balance data corresponding to the balance of the advance payment is updated and recorded according to the borrowing of the game medium. In the prepaid card for use, a magnetic coating film for recording the balance data is provided on one surface, and a two-dimensional bar code obtained by encoding predetermined data is provided on the other surface.

[0005]

In the gaming prepaid card having the above structure, the balance data is recorded on one surface, and the other surface is provided with a two-dimensional bar code obtained by encoding predetermined data. A two-dimensional bar code has a large amount of data storage due to its characteristics, and it is possible to record, for example, how to use a card and various data tables by coding.

When the security code is stored during the recording of the two-dimensional bar code, it is extremely difficult to tamper with the security code, so that the resistance of the gaming prepaid card to improper acts, that is, the security is improved.

[0007]

EXAMPLES Next, examples of the present invention will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the game prepaid card of the present embodiment (hereinafter,
The surface 10a of the card 10 is also referred to as "PAR
The characters "LOR CARD" are printed in a pattern, and the portion representing the leading character "P" is the two-dimensional barcode area 12. In detail, the two-dimensional barcode area 12 is an area defined by an outer contour line 14 of the “P” shape and a circular contour line 16 of the inner side.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, the back surface 10b of the card 10 is provided with a magnetic coating film, and characters or figures are not printed. Also, as shown in FIG.
On the back surface 10b of this card 10, a start mark 1
8, the main data 22 including the data length 20, the parity data 22a, and the end mark 24 are magnetically written.

The structure of the two-dimensional bar code 30 will be described with reference to the schematic diagram shown in FIG. In the two-dimensional barcode 30, the code line L along the flow direction Q is recorded in a plurality of stages in the area defined by the closed curve 32,
The physical start and end are indicated by a start code mark 34 and an end code mark 36. Also,
A data size mark 38 is recorded following the start code mark 34, and parity data 40 is recorded adjacent to the end code mark 36. A data area 42 for recording various data is formed between the data size mark 38 and the parity data 40, and a code corresponding to desired data is recorded therein. However, valid data is not recorded in all of the data area 42, and valid data is recorded between specific start codes or end codes (valid data range). Therefore, the portion outside the valid data range described above is the invalid data range, and the data recorded in this range is the invalid data. In FIG. 4, the display of the code recorded in the data area 42 is omitted.

In the two-dimensional bar code area 12 in the "P" shape drawn on the surface 10a of the card 10 of the present embodiment, FIG.
In the data area 42 of the code, the issuer data for specifying the issuer of the card 10, the store data for specifying the store of the card 10, and the face value for specifying the face value of the card 10 are recorded. Data and the like are coded and recorded as valid data. Note that the security data can be configured by only these data, but further independent security data can be recorded. Further, the two-dimensional barcode 30 has a large amount of data storage due to its characteristics, and it is possible to record the usage of the card and various data tables by coding.

In this card 10, the two-dimensional bar code 3
Since the security data is stored during the recording of 0, it is extremely difficult to falsify the security data, and the resistance of the gaming prepaid card 10 to fraud, that is, the security is extremely high.

In this card 10, characters including a "P" character having a two-dimensional bar code 30 recorded on the front surface 10a are printed, and a magnetic coating film is provided on the back surface 10b so that data can be magnetically written. it can. Since the two-dimensional bar code area 12 may be defined by closed curves such as the contour lines 14 and 16, the degree of freedom of the shape is extremely large, and the two-dimensional bar code 30 itself is designed in the card 10 as in the present embodiment. Can be part of.

The surface 10a has a two-dimensional bar code 3
0, the back surface 10b and the magnetic coating film are provided on different surfaces, so there is no risk of mutual interference. Therefore, also in this respect, the degree of freedom of the printing range and the printing method of the two-dimensional barcode 30 is large, and the selection range of the ink quality, the printing thickness, the color and the like becomes extremely wide. Therefore, the two-dimensional barcode 30 can be printed by, for example, thermal printing, and a method of printing the two-dimensional barcode 30 at the time of selling the card 10 can be adopted.

Further, since the front surface 10a is a two-dimensional bar code surface and the back surface 10b is a magnetic recording surface as described above, the front surface 10a is not contacted by a magnetic head for magnetic recording / reading or writing. . Therefore, since the magnetic head or the like does not attach dirt to the surface 10a and it is not necessary to consider such dirt, the two-dimensional barcode 3
The recording density of 0 can be increased.

Next, a device using the card 10 having the above-mentioned structure will be described by taking a case of a pachinko parlor as an example. As shown in FIG. 5, a pachinko machine 76 of a pachinko parlor
A plurality of card type ball lenders 50 (not shown in FIG. 5) are installed between the repeater 52 and the optical cable 54.
It is connected to the hall management computer 56 via. A repeater 60 is connected to the repeater 52 via an optical cable 58, and a card vending machine 62 and a card usage fee management device 64 each having a microcomputer are connected to the repeater 60. . Further, the card usage charge management device 64 can be connected to a host computer (not shown) via a telephone line 66.

As shown in FIG. 6, the ball lending machine 50 has a slit-shaped insertion opening 70 for inserting and ejecting the card 10.
Is open. In addition, the ball lending machine 50 is provided with a balance display board 72 for displaying the balance of the prepaid amount recorded in the card 10, above the insertion slot 70, and below the insertion slot 70. A return button 74 for instructing the ejection of the card 10 is installed in the.

On the other hand, the ball lending machine 50 and the pachinko machine 76 adjacent to the ball lending machine 50 have a one-to-one correspondence with each other, and are connected via electrical wiring (not shown). The upper tray 78 of the pachinko machine 76 is provided with a ball lending button 80 for instructing the ball lending machine 50 to lend a set number of pachinko balls. Further, on the upper tray 78, a ball lending indicator 124 (not shown in FIG. 6) for displaying the set number of lending balls.
Is provided adjacent to the ball lending button 80.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the ball lending machine 50, which is shown in FIG.
Is DA with respect to the center line DA of the insertion opening 70 shown in FIG.
FIG. 7B on the B side is also a sectional view on the DAA side.
As shown in FIG. 7, the insertion slot 7 is provided inside the ball lending machine 50.
A card passage 82 extending to 0 is provided. A pair of feed belts 88, 9 that can reciprocate in the forward direction F and the backward direction R along the wall surfaces 84, 86 of the card passage 82.
0s are arranged facing each other. These feed belts 88,
90 allows the cards 10 sandwiched between them to move forward and backward along the passage 82. The feeding belt 9
0 bypasses the CCD line sensor 92 installed on the wall surface 86 in order to read the two-dimensional barcode 30 printed on the surface 10a of the card 10, and thus the wall surface 8
The portion exposed at 6 is divided into a front portion 90a and a rear portion 90b.

On the wall surface 84, the back surface 1 of the card 10
A magnetic data reading head 94 for reading the magnetic data recorded on the magnetic coating film 0b is installed on the insertion port 70 side, and a magnetic data writing head 96 for writing the magnetic data is provided on the back side. is set up.

Further, although not shown, the insertion port 7
An insertion sensor is installed in the vicinity of 0, and when the tip of the card 10 passes through the insertion opening 70, the insertion sensor moves to the card 1.
This is a configuration for detecting the insertion of 0. As shown in FIG. 8, in the ball lending machine 50, a two-dimensional bar code 3 is provided by a feeding mechanism 98 that drives the feeding belts 88 and 90 and a CCD line sensor 92.
A linear LED 100 and the like, which serve as a light source when reading 0, are provided. The linear LED 100 includes an amplifier 102
It is connected to a two-dimensional bar code decoder (hereinafter, also simply referred to as a decoder) 104 via. The detection signal of the insertion sensor is input to the two-dimensional bar code decoder 104. When the detection signal is input, the amplifier 102 is turned on by the signal from the decoder 104 and the linear LED 100 emits light. It is a composition.

The decoder 104 has a frame memory 106.
The two-dimensional barcode 30 read by the CCD line sensor 92 can be stored in the frame memory 106. Further, the decoder 104 includes a frame memory 106.
Decode the two-dimensional barcode 30 stored in
The data can be output. The output of the decoder 104 is input to the data input / output interface 108 and further input to the CPU 112 via the bidirectional bus 110. The data input / output interface 108 is
The hall management computer 56 via the repeater 52 described above.
It is connected to the.

The CPU 112 also includes a bidirectional bus 11
The ROM 114 and the RAM 116 are connected via 0, so that a program stored in the ROM 114 in advance can be read and arithmetic processing according to this program can be executed.
The RAM 114 stores the data input to the PU 112, the data calculated by the CPU 112, and the like.
The data stored in 14 can be read.

Further, an output interface 118 and an input interface 120 are connected to the CPU 112. The balance display panel 7 is provided on the output interface 118.
2, the ball lending indicator 124, the feeding mechanism 98 and the magnetic data writing head 96 are connected, and the CPU 112
It is possible to control the display of the balance display panel 72 and the ball lending indicator 124, the driving of the feeding mechanism 98, and the writing of the magnetic data writing head 96. Similarly, a ball lending button 80, a return button 74 and a magnetic data reading head 94 are connected to the input interface 120, and the CPU 112 sends signals from the ball lending button 80, the return button 74 and the magnetic data reading head 94. Can be read.

Next, sales of the card 10 by the above-described device, ball lending by the card 10 and ball lending data totaling processing will be described. First, the sale of the card 10 executed by the card vending machine 62 will be described according to the prepaid card sale routine shown in FIG.

First, the purchase amount of money is input by the card purchaser (S1100). The card 10 has a preset face value (for example, 1,000 yen, 3,000 yen, 5,000 yen).
0 yen, 10,000 yen, etc.), the input of the purchase amount here is made by selection from the face value types shown on the display panel (not shown) of the card vending machine 62.

Subsequently, the card vending machine 62 takes out the card 10 having the face value corresponding to the selected purchase amount from the stock (S1200). Next, the two-dimensional barcode 30 of the card 10 taken out is read (S130).
0). The reading process of the two-dimensional barcode 30 will be described in detail in the description of the ball lending operation described later.

Next, the card vending machine 62 encodes the magnetic data using the two-dimensional barcode 30 by the magnetic data encoding subroutine (S1400).
As shown in FIG. 10, in the magnetic data encoding subroutine, the value of the two-dimensional bar code 30 read in S1300 and the prestored decryption key are arithmetically processed in accordance with the decryption logic program to perform the two-dimensional barcode. A numerical value (hereinafter referred to as a code value) based on the code 30 is calculated (S1410). Then, the card vending machine 62
The par value of the card 10 is input to the encryption logic program (S1420). Further, the registration number of the store that identifies the pachinko parlor where the card vending machine 62 is installed is input to the encryption logic program (S143).
0). Next, the card vending machine 62 uses the code value calculated in S1410 as an encryption key to input the above-mentioned card 1
The balance of 0 (face value) and the registration number of the store are encrypted (S1440). After that, the code value calculated in S1410 and the encrypted balance and registration number are combined into magnetic data (S1450), and this subroutine is terminated and the process returns to the prepaid card selling routine.

When returning to the prepaid card sales routine, the magnetic data created above is transferred to the back side 1 of the card 10.
0b is written as magnetic recording (S1500). next,
Sales data such as the par value of the card 10 and the sales date and time are recorded (S1600). Finally, the card vending machine 62 ejects the card 10 (S1700) and ends the process of this routine. The sales data recorded in S1600 is transmitted to the hall management computer 56 and the host computer.

Next, a ball lending operation executed by the ball lending machine 50 will be described. When the card 10 is inserted into the insertion slot 70 and the detection signal from the insertion sensor is input, the decoder 104 of the ball lending machine 50 sends a signal to the amplifier 102 to cause the line-shaped LED 100 to emit light, and 2 shown in FIG. Start the dimensional barcode decoding routine. That is, every time the card 10 is inserted, the processing according to the two-dimensional barcode decoding routine is executed. Further, the detection signal from the insertion sensor is also input to the CPU 112 via the input interface 120, and when the detection signal is input, the CPU 112 performs processing such as operating the feed mechanism 98.

As shown in FIG. 11, the two-dimensional bar code 3
When the 0 decoding routine is started, the decoder 104
Quantizes the output of the CCD line sensor 92, and then writes it in the frame memory 106 as image data (S2).
100). Next, the decoder 104 uses the frame memory 1
A closed curve area having a predetermined area or more is specified from the image data in 06 (S2200). That is, the decoder 104
Specifies the two-dimensional barcode area 12 in the image data. Subsequently, the decoder 104 extracts the data arrangement direction (= flow direction Q) of the closed curve area (S2300).

After that, the decoder 104 decodes the two-dimensional bar code 30 in the closed curve area (S2400). At this time, the data size from the start code mark 34 to the end code mark 36 is collated with the data size mark 38, and the numerical value calculated from the data from the start code mark 34 to the end code mark 36 is collated with the parity data 40. Then, a reading error or the like by the CCD line sensor 92 is checked. If there is a discrepancy in the data size or parity data, the process after the read operation by the CCD line sensor 92 is repeated. If the number of repetitions exceeds the set number, the process by this routine is interrupted and output to the CPU 112. In response to this, the CPU 112 operates the feeding mechanism 98 to eject the card 10 from the insertion slot 70.

When the decoding process in S2400 is normally performed, the decoder 104 proceeds to S2500 and extracts the start code and the end code to specify the valid data range. Further, the decoder 104 uses S250.
The data following the start code extracted by 0 to the data immediately before the end code are output to the CPU 112 (S2600). That is, the data within the valid data range is output.

Next, the prepaid card ball lending process executed by the CPU 112 in the ball lending operation will be described with reference to FIG.
Will be described with reference to. The prepaid card ball lending routine is repeatedly executed as a time interruption process at every predetermined timing. As shown in FIG. 12, the CPU 1
12 determines whether or not the gaming prepaid card 10 has been inserted. If the card 10 has not been inserted, this routine is terminated and the process proceeds to another process. If the card 10 has been inserted, the process proceeds to the next S3200 (S3100). ).

In S3200, the CPU 112 reads the magnetic data of the card 10 with the magnetic data reading head. Next, the two-dimensional barcode 30 output from the decoder 104 as described above is read (S3300). Subsequently, the code value is calculated by the same calculation process as in S1410 described above (S3400). Further, using this code value as a decryption key, the encrypted record of the magnetic data read in S3200 is decrypted to calculate the amount (balance) and the registration number of the store (S3500).

Next, the CPU 112 checks whether the code value encrypted and recorded in the card 10 and the code value calculated in the above step 3300 match each other to determine whether the card 10 is proper. Determine whether or not (S
3600). Here, if they do not match (inappropriate), S37
Then, the process proceeds to 00 to execute the fraudulent card process, and the present routine ends. On the other hand, if the code values match in S3600 (appropriate), the process proceeds to S3800.

In S3800, the CPU 112 causes the balance display board 72 to display the balance based on the read magnetic data. In S3900, the CPU 112 causes the ball lending or returning button 74 by pressing the ball lending button 80.
Wait for an instruction to return the card when is pressed.

When a ball lending is instructed here, the CPU 112
Instructs a ball ejection mechanism (not shown) to eject a predetermined number of pachinko balls (S4000). Thereby, the ball lending by the ball lending machine 50 is executed. Next, the CPU 112 encrypts the new balance obtained by reducing the amount corresponding to the number of balls lent out from the balance based on the magnetic data described above, using the code value as the encryption key, as in S1440 described above (S).
4100). Subsequently, the CPU 112 writes the magnetic data obtained by encrypting the new balance on the card 10 (S420).
0). Further, the CPU 112 sends the code value and the ball lending amount to the hall management computer 56 via the repeater 52.
And output to the card usage fee management device 64, S390
Return to 0 (S4300). If the ball lending is instructed again in S3900, the processes of S4000 to S4300 are repeated.

On the other hand, when the card return is instructed in S3900, the CPU 112 inserts the card 10 into the insertion slot 70.
Then, the feeding mechanism 98 is operated to discharge the sheet from the sheet, and this routine is finished (S4400). In the ball lending machine 50, the ball lending operation using the card 10 is executed as described above.

Next, aggregation of ball lending data by the card usage fee management device 64 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 13, the ball lending machine 50 is operated as described above.
When the ball lending data is output from, the card usage fee management device 64 receives the ball lending data (S5100). The card usage fee management device 64 totals the ball lending amount for each code value (S5200). Further, the card usage fee management device 64 transmits the ball lending amount totaled in S5200 to the computer every designated period (S5300).

As described above, sales of the card 10, ball lending by the card 10, and ball lending data are totaled. As described above, the game prepaid card 10 has extremely high resistance to fraud, that is, security, and a numerical value (code value) based on the two-dimensional bar code 30 is used as an encryption key to balance the balance of the card 10 and the store. The registration number is encrypted and recorded as magnetic data, and the card 1
When lending by 0, the code value in the magnetic data and 2
The tampering of the magnetic recording of the card 10 is checked by collating with the code value of the dimensional barcode 30. For this reason, the security of the ball lending operation by the card 10 becomes extremely high.

Although the present invention has been described above according to the embodiments, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to such embodiments and can be variously implemented without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, in this embodiment, the two-dimensional bar code is recorded in the character "P", but the recording area is not limited to the character itself or a part of the character, and various designs are possible. Further, the two-dimensional bar code need only be processed as binary data on the reading side (for example, the decoder 104), so that it is not limited to monochrome, and various colors can be applied. In the case of coloring, it is possible to perform binarization based on color difference or binarization based on color intensity.

[0042]

As described above, according to the gaming prepaid card of the present invention, the resistance, that is, the security, to the fraudulent activity of the gaming prepaid card is improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a game prepaid card according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the game prepaid card of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of magnetic data on the back surface side of the gaming prepaid card of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a two-dimensional bar code of the gaming prepaid card of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an equipment configuration of a ball lending machine or the like that uses the game prepaid card of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged view for explaining the arrangement of the ball lending machine and the pachinko machine that use the game prepaid card of the embodiment.

7 is an explanatory view of the internal structure of the ball lending machine using the game prepaid card of the embodiment, FIG. 7 (a) is a partial sectional view of the DAA side of FIG. 6, and FIG. 7 (b) is a drawing. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of DAB of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a facility arrangement of a ball lending machine that uses the game prepaid card of the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a prepaid card selling routine executed by a card vending machine that uses the gaming prepaid card of the embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a magnetic data encoding subroutine executed by a card vending machine that uses the gaming prepaid card of the embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a two-dimensional bar code decoding routine by a two-dimensional bar code decoder incorporated in the ball lending machine using the game prepaid card of the embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a prepaid card ball lending routine executed by a ball lending machine that uses the game prepaid card of the embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of a ball lending data totaling routine executed by the card usage fee management device that receives data from the ball lending machine that uses the game prepaid card of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... game prepaid card, 10a ... front surface, 10b ... back surface, 30 ... two-dimensional barcode,
50 ... Ball lending machine, 62 ... Card vending machine, 64 ...
・ Card fee management device, 76 ・ ・ ・ Pachinko machine, 1
04 ... Dimension code decoder, 12 ... CPU.

Front page continued (72) Inventor Shogo Tatsumi 125 Miyoro-cho, Nishi-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi Taiyo Electronics Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A game prepaid card in which balance data corresponding to a balance of prepayment is updated and recorded according to borrowing of a game medium. A magnetic coating film for recording the balance data is provided on one surface of the prepaid card for gaming. A prepaid card for gaming, characterized in that a two-dimensional bar code in which predetermined data is encoded is provided on the surface.