Management system for game token coin
11392812 ยท 2022-07-19
Assignee
Inventors
Cpc classification
G07F17/322
PHYSICS
G06K19/047
PHYSICS
G07F17/3251
PHYSICS
G06K19/0712
PHYSICS
G07F17/3248
PHYSICS
G06K19/0723
PHYSICS
International classification
G06K19/073
PHYSICS
Abstract
In a management system of a game token coin, one RFID tag having a data non-rewritable region and a data rewritable region is imparted to the game token coin. The location relating information of the game token coin is stored in the data rewritable region. The system includes a writer configured to additionally write the location relating information, a reader configured to read the location relating information from a plurality of the game token coins, and a management controller configure to examine the information obtained from the reader. The management controller includes a function that determines whether a history of the location relating information obtained from the reader has no abnormality.
Claims
1. A management system for a plurality of game token coins that each includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag that has (a) a non-rewritable data region configured to store, as constant information, at least one of production information, product information, casino information, value information, and a serial number of the game token coin, and (b) a rewritable data region configured to store variable information, the system comprising: a writer; a reader; and a management controller; wherein: the writer is configured to write the respective variable information of the game token coins to the respective rewritable data regions of the game token coins; the rewritable data regions are each configured to store a plurality of sets of the variable information relating to a plurality of locations, event or status; the reader is configured to: read the constant information stored in the data non-rewritable regions of the plurality of game token coins; and read the respective variable information stored in the data rewritable regions that are respectively paired with each of the constant information; and the management controller configured to, for each of one or more of the game token coins: determine presence of an abnormality based on the variable information of the respective game token coin; and generate an error signal in response to presence of the determination of the presence of the abnormality.
2. The management system according to claim 1, wherein the data rewritable region is configured to additionally store information on time at which the writer writes to the game token coin.
3. The management system according to claim 1, wherein the management controller is configured to determine the abnormality based on a history of the variable information.
4. The management system according to claim 1, wherein the variable information includes information relating to an owner who owns the game token coin.
5. The management system according to claim 4, wherein: the management controller is configured to determine, as the abnormality based on the information relating to the owner, occurrence of a predefined event; and the predefined event is any of an event group consisting of one or both of the following: (1) a person different from a final owner stored in the data rewritable region (a) converts the game token coin into money, (b) conducts an exchange, using the game token coin, in a gaming house, and/or (c) leaves the gaming house with the game token coin; and (2) a person different from an owner indicated in the variable information of the game token coin upon an exit from the gaming house brings the game token coin into the gaming house.
6. A game token coin that is used in the management system according to claim 1.
7. A reader for a game token coin used in the management system according to claim 1.
8. A game token coin comprising a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag that includes a non-rewritable data region and a rewritable data region, wherein: the non-rewritable data region is configured to store, as constant information, at least one of production information, product information, casino information, value information, and a serial number of the game token coin; and the rewritable data region is configured to store, as variable information, of the game token coin written by a writer.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
(15) First, a game token coin that is used in a management system for a game token coin according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described.
(16) In the data non-rewritable region 21, as constant information (or fixed information) 3, information that is not changed during the use of the game token coin 1, or information that cannot be not changed, or information that does not have to be changed is stored. More specifically, as the constant information 3, production information, product information, casino information, value information, serial numbers, and any other information of the game token coin 1 are stored. The production information includes a date and time when the game token coin is produced, a production machine, and the like. The product information includes information indicating a chip for the VIP area of a casino, for example, information that indicating a type of chip (e.g., information indicating that the game token coin 1 is a rolling chip or a cash chip), and any other information.
(17) The data non-rewritable region 21 may be a region in which no data write is functionally allowed due to the specifications of the RFID tag, or may be a region in which necessary information is written in the region in which a write is allowed and then the region is locked such that no data write is allowed.
(18) The data rewritable region 22 stores information, as variable information 4, that changes during the use of the game token coin 1. For example, as shown in
(19) The constant information 3 and the variable information 4 may be encrypted in order to avoid unauthorized information read or write by an unauthorized person. The constant information 3 and the variable information 4 may be stored as metadata.
(20)
(21)
(22) The variable information 4 may be configured in which the latest information alone is stored as shown in
(23) Next, a management system of the game token coin 1 according to the present embodiment will be described.
(24) First, at a factory 6, for the game token coin 1, a writer 14 writes the variable information 4 including information about the completion of production or the factory shipment to the data rewritable region 22 of the RFID tag 2 as the location relating information 220.
(25) At a backyard 7 of the casino an acceptance process of the game token coin 1 shipped from the factory 6 is performed. At the backyard 7, a reader 13 reads the variable information 4 stored in the data rewritable region 22 of the game token coin 1, and a management controller 15 determines whether the location relating information 220 indicating that information is written at the factory 6 as information that has to be written is written as the latest variable information 4 based on a read result. Supposing that when no write record is available at the factory 6, an error signal is generated as a game token coin that is suspected as a fraud game token coin. Thus, the casino side rejects the acceptance of that game token coin, or asks the factory side to make investigation. When the write record has no problem, the writer 14 writes the location relating information 220 indicating that the backyard in the data rewritable region 22 of the RFID tag 2. In writing, location information indicating the backyard may be described in addition to location information indicating the factory, or location information indicating the backyard may be described with location information indicating the factory deleted. The read and write of the game token coin at the backyard 7 described above may be performed in combination with the general validation work or activation work of the game token coin.
(26) The game token coin 1 on which acceptance tests are completed at the backyard 7 is carried to a warehouse 8 or a cage 9 of the casino. In the warehouse 8 or the cage 9, the reader 13 reads the variable information 4 stored in the data rewritable region 22 of the game token coin 1, and the management controller 15 determines whether the location relating information 220 indicating that information is written at the backyard 7 as information that has to be written is written as the latest variable information 4 based on a read result. Tests may be performed together with determination whether information that indicates the factory 6 is written in the history of the variable information 4. Similarly to the tests at the backyard 7 as described above, the management controller 15 determines whether the history of the location information has no abnormality. When the read result has no problem, the writer 14 writes the location relating information 220 indicating the warehouse 8 or the cage 9 in the data rewritable region 22.
(27) A player exchanges cash for the game token coin 1 at the cage 9. When the player purchases a game token coin 1, the writer 14 at the cage 9 writes information indicating time at which the game token coin is purchased and information indicating that the owner of the game token coin is changed from the casino to a customer as the variable information 4. A configuration may be provided in which the player is identified and recorded by a face recognition technique, or an ID card, such as a member's card of the casino, or an Individual Number Card.
(28) The player makes a bet by placing the game token coin 1 on a bet area 11 of a game table using the purchased game token coin 1. The reader 13 reads the location relating information 220 composed of the date-and-time information 221, the place-and-event information 222, and the owner information 223 from the RFID tag 2 of the bet game token coin 1, and the management controller 15 determines whether the location relating information 220 has no abnormality. For example, the management controller 15 can determine an abnormality in the case in which a certain period has elapsed from use information on the game table or from the date and time on conversion information at the cage, which are lastly written, or in the case in which the owner information 223 stored on the game token coin 1 is different from the owner information 223 identified by face recognition or an ID card.
(29) In the case in which the read result has no problem, the writer 14 additionally writes the location relating information 220 in the data rewritable region 22 of the bet game token coin 1. The location relating information 220 includes the date-and-time information 221, the place-and-event information 222, and the owner information 223. At the table, the writer 14 writes the variable information 4 including information on a player position number of the game token coin 1 placed and a player, for example. The information on the player may be identified by an ID card or face recognition. Generally, since a plurality of game token coins 1 is stacked and placed in the bet area 11, the game token coins 1 are collectively written in the stacked state.
(30) When the player brings out the game token coin 1 from the casino floor, a leaving process is performed at a gate 10. In leaving, the reader 13 reads the location relating information 220, and the management controller 15 determines whether the variable information 4 has no abnormality. At the gate 10, the writer 14 writes the variable information 4 including the place-and-event information 222 indicating leaving and the owner information 223.
(31) When a player enters the casino floor, in the case in which the player brings in a game token coin 1 having been brought out from the casino floor, the reader 13 reads the location relating information 220, and the management controller 15 determines whether the variable information 4 has no abnormality. For example, for the game token coin 1 that has been once brought out from the casino, in the case in which the owner when leaving the casino is different from the owner when entering the casino, it can be determined that there has been the act of transfer the game token coin outside the casino.
(32) In the case in which the determination based on the read result by the reader 13 is abnormal, the management controller 15 described above may output an alarm to the cage 9 or the gate 10. When the owner of the game token coin 1 converts the game token coin 1 into money at the cage 9 or the game token coin 1 leaves the gate 10, the conversion of the game token coin 1 into money can be refused or the owner can be checked separately, based on the alarm outputted from the management controller 15. In the case in which the determined result is abnormal, the management controller 15 may determine a response, such as sending a warning to dealers at the game tables to interrupt games, sending a warning to a pit where a manager determines whether to interrupt or continue games, for example, or the game token coin 1 is exchanged. Alternatively, a configuration may be provided in which the management controller 15 is connected to a total management controller 18 of the casino and the management controller 15 sends a warning to the total management controller 18.
(33) Similarly, when the game token coin 1 is converted into money at the cage, the reader 13 may read the variable information 4, and the management controller 15 may determine an abnormality. More specifically, the management controller 15 may determine an abnormality, in the case in which a certain period has elapsed from use information on the game table or from the date and time on conversion information at the cage, which are lastly written, or in the case in which a person who is different from the owner information 223 stored on the game token coin 1 is to convert the game token coin 1 into money, for example. In the case in which an abnormality is determined, the management controller 15 may output a warning and refuse the conversion of the game token coin 1 whose abnormality is determined into money.
(34) In the description above, an non-limiting example embodiment is described in which the reader 13 reads information, the management controller 15 makes determination, and then the writer 14 writes information. However, a configuration may be provided in which information is simultaneously read and written.
(35) In the following, the detail of an embodiment to which the present disclosure is applied.
(36) At the factory 6, in the completion of production or in shipment, the RFID tag 2 is read, written, or read and written. The production information or product information is written as the constant information 3, the RFID tag 2 is locked as necessary so as not to be rewritten, and the variable information 4 is written.
(37) At the backyard 7, the game token coin 1 shipped from the factory 6 is accepted, and the RFID tag 2 is read, written, or read and written when the game token coin 1 is activated as a usable game token coin 1.
(38) At the warehouse 8, the RFID tag 2 is read, written, or read and written when the game token coin 1 is transferred from the warehouse 8 to the cage 9 or the game token coin 1 is transferred from the cage 9 to the warehouse 8. Alternatively, to the game token coin 1 kept in custody at the warehouse 8, the RFID tag 2 is read, written, or read and written at certain time intervals, or a predetermined timing.
(39) At the cage 9, the RFID tag 2 is read, written, or read and written in the transfer from or to the warehouse 8 and in the conversion of the game token coin 1 into money. In the case in which the game token coin 1 is converted into money at the cage 9, the place-and-event information 222 indicating conversion into money and information on a player who converts the game token coin 1 into money is written on the variable information 4 as the owner information 223. The owner information 223 can be acquired from the casino ID card of the player, a face recognition the system, a credit card, and any other device.
(40) At the gate 10, the RFID tag 2 is read, written, or read and written, when the player leaves the casino. To all the game token coins 1 brought out from the casino when the player leaves the casino, the place-and-event information 222 indicating the game token coins 1 being brought out and the owner information 223 indicating the player who brings out the game token coins 1 are written as the variable information 4 for registration. Also when the player enters the casino, the place-and-event information 222 indicating the game token coins 1 being brought in and the owner information 223 indicating the player who brings in the game token coins 1 are similarly written as the variable information 4, and the game token coins 1 are registered.
(41) In the bet area 11, the RFID tag 2 of the game token coin 1 placed in the bet area 11 by the player who joins betting is read, written, or read and written. The RFID tag 2 of the game token coin 2 placed by the dealer in the bet area 11 as redemption money for the player is read, written, or read and written.
(42) At a chip tray 12, the RFID tag 2 of the game token coin 1 collected and kept in the chip tray and the game token coin 1 kept on the chip tray is read, written, or read and written to.
(43) The game table may further include a payment area, in which the RFID tag 2 the game token coin 1 placed therein by the dealer for redemption money for the player may be read, written, or read and written.
(44) As described above, at the game table, the variable information 4 (i.e., the location relating information 220) can be updated at timing at which the game token coin 1 is bet (bet timing), timing at which the game token coin 1 is collected by the dealer (collecting timing), and timing at which the dealer pays the game token coin 1 to the player (payment timing). The variable information 4 may be updated at all the bet timing, the collecting timing, and the payment timing, or the variable information 4 may be updated at a part of these timings.
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(46) According to this example, first, since information on the dealer and any player can be written as the owner information 223 in the variable information 4, the history of the owners can be accurately determined. Specifically, according to the present example, the state can be achieved in which the actual owner is matched with information on the owner all the time. Note that in the betting state, the owner information 223 may be information on the player who makes a bet, not changed, or may be information indicating that a bet is made.
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(48) According to this example, it can be determined which player the game token coin 1 on the chip tray 12 (i.e., owned by the casino) is collected from. In addition, it can be determined that the casino surely collects the game token coin 1 from the player.
(49)
(50) According to this example, the betting by the players and the payment (redemption) to the players can be determined. For example, in the case in which after the betting by Player-G, Player-H makes a bet without payment to Player-H, it can be determined that the game token coin is directly delivered from Player-G to Player-H.
(51)
(52) Also according to this example, since information on the dealer and any player can be written as the owner information 223 in the variable information 4, the history of the owners can be accurately determined. Specifically, according to the present example, the state can be achieved in which the actual owner is matched with information on the owner all the time.
(53)
(54) According to this example, how the players who own the game token coin 1 are transitioned via the chip tray 12 can be determined. It can be determined that the game token coin 1 is actually bet. Thus, it can be confirmed that the game token coin 1 is not used for money-laundering.
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(56) According to this example, it can be known which game table the game token coin 1 is used at and when the game token coin 1 is used. In the case in which a fraud is suspected, video on the suspicious game table can be checked on suspicious hours, and it can be confirmed that the game token coin 1 is not used for money-laundering.
(57)
(58) According to this example, it can be determined which game table the game token coin 1 owed by the player is paid at. Thus, it is known that the game token coin 1 is not stolen from the chip tray, and it can be confirmed that the game token coin 1 is not used for money-laundering.
(59) As described above, in the management system according to the present embodiment, at the game table, the variable information 4 (i.e., the location relating information 220) is updated at least any one timing of the bet timing, the collecting timing, and the payment timing.
(60) Note that in the example, the update of the variable information 4 at the collecting timing may be performed in the bet area, or may be performed on the chip tray. In the operation of baccara games, the bet chip of the player who loses the game is first collected, and then payment is made to the player who wins the game. Thus, time for updating the variable information 4 in the bet area can be reserved for relatively long time for the game token coin 1 owed by the player who wins the game, and the variable information 4 can be relatively reliably updated also in the bet area.
(61) On the other hand, in regard to the game token coin 1 that has to be collected, time for which the game token coin 1 is present in the bet area is relatively short from the time at which the collection is determined (the game result is determined) to the time at which the game token coin 1 is actually collected. Thus, when it is desired to update the variable information 4 in the bet area, the update may not be finished. Therefore, in regard to the game token coin 1 to be collected, it is favorable to rewrite the variable information 4 in the chip tray as a collection destination.
(62) The management controller 15 has a function that determines whether the location relating information 220 obtained from the read result by the reader 13 at places has no abnormality. For determination of an abnormality, determination can be made whether there is any event that the game token coin 1 is not used for a predetermined period or more from the previous write or that the location relating information which has to be written is not written.
(63) The event that the game token coin 1 is not used for a predetermined period or more from the previous write is any situation in which: 1) latest location relating information is information indicating the cage 9, and the subsequent information write is made after an elapse of a predetermined time or more, 2) the latest location relating information is information indicating entering at the gate 10, and the subsequent information write is made after an elapse of a predetermined time or more, and 3) the latest location relating information is information indicating leaving the gate 10, and the subsequent information write is made after an elapse of a predetermined time or more.
(64) The event that the location relating information which has to be written is not written is any situation in which: 4) when a player enters the gaming house, as latest location relating information on the data rewritable region 22 of the game token coin 1, information indicating leaving the gate 10 is not written, 5) when the game token coin 1 is used at the cage 9, information indicating the backyard 7 is not written, and 6) when a player leaves the gaming house, information indicating the cage 9 or the backyard 7 is not written.
(65) The management controller 15 can determine any situation as the event that is determined as an abnormality based on the owner relating information 223 obtained from the reader 13 in which: 1) a person different from the final owner stored in the data rewritable region 22 converts the game token coin 1 into money in the gaming house, or makes exchange of game token coins, or leaves the gaming house, and 2) a person different from the owner in leaving stored in the data rewritable region 22 brings in the game token coin in the gaming house.
(66) The management controller 15 determines any of situations 1) to 4) as the event that is determined as an abnormality based on information obtained from the reader 13 indicating information indicating the place of the bet area 11 or information indicating the place of the chip tray 12 or the payment area, in which: 1) a person different from the final owner stored in the data rewritable region 22 uses the game token coin 1 at the game table, 2) a person different from a person who purchases a game token coin 1 at the cage 9 converts the game token coin 1 having no use record at the game table into money at the cage 9, 3) a game token coin 1 that does not have information indicating the cage 9 or the backyard 7 is used in the gaming house, and 4) the latest location relating information is information indicating the bet area 11 or the payment area, and the game token coin 1 is converted into money at the cage 9 or used at the game table after a lapse of a predetermined period or more.
(67)
(68) In the RFID tag 2 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the region in which data is functionally non-rewritable in the data non-rewritable region 21 may be a TID. The region in which necessary information is written in the data non-rewritable region 21 and then the region is locked so as not to allow data write may be an EPC or a user region. The data rewritable region 22 may be an EPC or a user region.
(69) The forms of the reader 13 and the writer 14 may be changed depending on places. For example, at the factory 6, the forms of the reader 13 and the writer 14 may be in a stage shape shown in
(70) In the embodiments above, the case is described in which the game token coin has one RFID tag, and the one RFID tag has a data non-writable region and a data rewritable region. To this, a form can also be thought in which two RFID tags are placed in a game token coin, one RFID tag stores constant information and then locked so as not to allow data write and the other RFID tag allows data rewrite in order to record variable information.
(71) However in this case, in the case in which a plurality of game token coins is collectively read, the information group of the constant information 3 and the information group of the variable information 4 are separately read as shown in
(72) To this, as shown in
(73) Generally, the RFID tag having a larger diameter more improves read accuracy. Thus, in the case in which a game token coin includes an RFID tag, the RFID tag desirably has a size having a diameter that is at least the radius of the game token coin or more. Therefore, two RFID tags are included in a game token coin to reduce the diameter of each RFID tag, which is not preferable. Since the inclusion of two RFID tags increases the number of RFID tags to be read, this leads to a slowed read rate when a plurality of game token coins is read.
(74) From the points above, it is thought that the game token coin is more effectively embodied using one RFID tag.