Patent Application
20190043309
The present invention relates to a game token management system that prevents the use of forgeries of token in game places in game facilities used in casino or other game token.
Baccarat and blackjack may be mentioned among many live table games in casino and game facilities. In these games, a standard deck formed of 52 playing cards is used, and playing cards are distributed from a shooter provided with a plurality of previously shuffled decks (6 to 9 or 10 decks) onto a game table for start of the game. In casino or game facilities, game tokens are used in games.
False game tokens should not be used in casino. In order to prevent the use of false game tokens in casino, a technique in which RFID is provided on the game token is adopted in casino. Game tokens attached with RFID are publicly known and are disclosed in Patent Literature 1 (International Application Publication WO 2008/120749).
Patent Literature 1: International Application Publication WO 2008/120749
The present invention provides a management system or a game token that can prevent the use of false game tokens used in casino or game facilities and that can prevent the use of false game tokens and unfair exchange in casino or game facilities. In recent years, manufacturing techniques of false game tokens are progressed to such an extent that truth-or-falsity determination marks and RFIDs can be copied fully accurately. As a result, truth-or-falsity determination marks and RFIDs that are the same as authentic truth-or-falsity determination marks and RFIDs are provided on false game tokens, making it impossible to distinguish false game tokens from true game tokens and making it substantially impossible to perform truth-or-falsity determination.
In order to solve the problem of the prior art, according to the present invention, there is provided a game token management system including: game tokens attached with unique ID that is individually identifiable; an ID reading device that reads the unique ID attached to the game token; a storage that holds the game token in a casher in a game place; a game table chip tray that holds the game token in a game table; a chip determination device that specifies a type and number of game tokens held in the game table chip tray and the storage, with the ID reading device; and a management control device that, in the game place, manages the IDs attached to the game tokens on the database, wherein the management control device has a function that previously registers, on the database, the IDs of the game tokens that are contemplated to be used, manages, using the database, at least the IDs of the game tokens present on the game table chip tray and the storage, together with information about location, on the database, specifies the game token in the game table chip tray and the storage at predetermined timing and further retrieves the database and determines the following events by the retrieval of the database: 1) ID absent on the database is newly present and 2) two or more identical IDs are present, and generates an error signal when status 1) or 2) is noticed.
Furthermore, the management control device further includes a function that when there is a change in presence of the game token in at least the game table chip tray and the storage, records a time or a place at which the change has occurred, on the database in association with the ID, retrieves the database, and, when two or more identical IDs are present, extracts and stores the ID and the time or the place recorded in association with the ID on the database from the database, and specifies the time at which the detected game token attached with the ID goes in or goes out the game table chip tray or the storage, or the place of the game table chip tray or the storage in which the game token has been held.
Further, the game token management system may include a bet area chip determination device that specifies the type and numbers of the game tokens bet on a bet area of the game table by the ID reading device, and a function is provided that determines following events by the retrieval of the database also for the ID of the game token present on the bet area of the game table: 1) a fact that ID absent on the database is newly present and 2) a fact that two or more identical IDs are present, and generates an error signal when status 1) or 2) is noticed.
The unique ID is provided at least three places of a side face of the game token. The unique ID has been inkjet-printed with an ink that is viewable in visible light. In particular, a construction in which the unique ID has been provided by a presence or absence of marks in a plurality of lines and a plurality of rows is advantageous. Further, a transparent coating layer or varnish is provided on upper and lower surfaces of the game token.
In order to solve the above problem of the prior art, according to the present invention, there is provided a game token having a construction having a multilayer structure including a plurality of laminated plastic layers having respective different colors, at least one layer being a colored layer, a white layer or a light-color layer being laminated on an outer side of the colored layer, the multilayer structure having a striped pattern on a side face thereof in a laminated direction, the type of the game token being identifiable by the colored layer. Further, the game token has a construction including a unique ID that is provided at at least three places of a white layer on a side face or a side face of a light-color layer, is readable by a ID reading device to identify the type of and information about manufacture of a game token, and can be managed on database. The unique ID may be inkjet-printed with an ink viewable in visible light. The unique ID may be inkjet-printed with an ink unviewable in visible light.
In order to solve the above problem of the prior art, according to the present invention, there is provided a game token including IDs that are each identifiable, wherein the unique ID provided on the game token is read with an ID reading device, the ID reading device can read the game token held in a storage held by a casher in a game place and a game table chip tray in the game table, and, further, the type and number of the game tokens held in the game table chip tray and the storage are specified by a chip determination device through the ID reading device, the ID of the game token present on the game table chip tray and the storage is managed together with information about location on database, at least 1) a fact that ID absent on the database is newly present and 2) a fact that two or more identical IDs are present, are examined, and an occurrence of status 1) or 2) can be determined by the ID.
A management system of a game token in a game place having a game table in an embodiment of the present invention will be described.
In a casher 10 of a game place, a game token 5 is replaced with cash 11 paid by a game participant 2, and in the casher 10, the game token 5 is stored in a storage 12 that stores the game token 5. Further, in the casher 10 in the game place, the game token 5 brought by the game participant 2 is refunded in cash 11. In a game table 1, the game token 5 is held by a game table chip tray 13. Game tokens 5 bet by a game participant 2 who has lost in each game are collected from the table 1 by the dealer 3 and are returned to the game table chip tray 13. Thereafter, game tokens 5 are redeemed to the game participant 2 who has won the game. Interaction between the game participant 2 and the casher 10 or the dealer 3 in the game place is wholly photographed and recorded by a camera 4. In the storage 12 and the game table chip tray 13, every time when there is an interaction between the game participant 2 and the game token 5, the number of game tokens 5 stored in the storage 12 and the game table chip tray 13 is increased or decreased. The type and number of game tokens 5 held in the game table chip tray 13 and the storage 12 are monitored by the ID reading device 8 and the chip determination device 9 through the camera 4 at predetermined timing or on a steady basis. The management control device 7 previously holds, on database 14, IDs 6 of all the game tokens 5 that are contemplated to be used in the game place (in the game place, IDs 6 of all the game tokens 5 that are contemplated to be used are previously registered).
Thus, the management control device 7 that manages IDs 6 attached to the game token 5 on the database manages, using the database 14 in the game place, at least all the IDs 6 of game tokens 5 present on the game table chip tray 13 and the storage 12 together with information about location (for example, in the storage 12 or the game table chip tray 13, or in transit from a backyard (not shown), or held by the game participant 2 on the database 14. The management control device 7 specifies all the game tokens 5 in the game table chip tray 13 and the storage 12 at predetermined timing or on a steady basis by IDs 6, and further retrieves the database 14 to determine the following events by the retrieval of the database 14.
The following determination is made: 1) a fact that IDs 6 that have been absent (or are absent) in the database 14 are newly present; 2) a fact that two or more identical IDs are present. When the status 1) or 2) is noticed, an error signal that indicates abnormality is generated, and a management section or a security section 15 in the game place is informed of the error signal. The management control device 7 has the above function.
Since the management control device 7 specifies all the game tokens 5 in the game table chip tray 13 and the storage 12 at predetermined timing or on a steady basis by IDs 6 and stores the game token 5 on the database 14, 1) a fact that IDs 6 that have been absent (or are absent) in the database 14 are newly present can be determined. Further, 2) a fact that two or more identical I IDs 6 are present can also be determined.
The management control device 7 further has a function that when there is a change in presence of the game token 5 in at least the game table chip tray 13 and the storage 12, records, on the database 14, a time or a place (the storage 12, the game table chip tray 13, and the like) at which the change has occurred, in association with the ID 6, retrieves the database 14, and, when two or more identical IDs 6 are present, and extracts and stores the ID 6 and the time or the place recorded in association with the ID 6 on the database 14 from the database 14, and specifies, by the database 14, the time at which the detected game token 5 (already used or converted) attached with the ID 6 goes in or goes out the game table chip tray 13 or the storage 13, or the place of the game table chip tray 13 or the storage 13 in which the game token 5 has been held. When the time and the place are specified, for example, a person with suspected misuse of the game token 5 can be specified from the record image of the camera 4.
In the game token management system, the management control device 7 can specify the type and number of game tokens 5 bet on a bet area 16 in the game table 1 by an ID reading device 8. The game token 5 in the bet area 16 is photographed by a camera 4b that particularly takes photographs of the bet area 16, and also for IDs 6 of the game tokens 5 present on the bet area 16 in the game table 1, the following events are determined by the retrieval of the database 14: 1) a fact that ID 6 that has been absent on the database 14 is newly present on the bet area 16; 2) a fact that two or more identical IDs are present. When the status 1) or 2) is noticed, an error signal is generated. The management control device 7 has the above function.
In this system, the management control device 7, the ID reading device 8 provided in the interior of the system, and the chip determination device 9 that specifies the type and number of game tokens 5 have a structure that compositely includes a computer and a program and a memory integrally or as a plurality of constructions.
Next, the game token 5 (the so-called “chip”) used in this system will be described in more detail.
Further, as illustrated in
In particular, in the present embodiment, the unique ID 6 is constructed and provided by the absence or presence of mark C provided in a plurality of lines and a plurality of rows. In the marks C in the plurality of lines and the plurality of rows, as illustrated in
The game token 5 in the present embodiment has a construction having a multilayer structure including a plurality of laminated plastic layers having different colors, at least one layer being a colored layer 101, a white layer 102 or a light-color layer being laminated on an outer side of the colored layer 101, the multilayer structure having a striped pattern on a side face thereof in a laminated direction, the type of the game token 5 being identifiable by the colored layer 101. The unique ID 6 is provided at at least three places (desirably six places) on a side face of the white layer 102 or the light-color layer. In the present embodiment, six IDs are provided while providing a predetermined spacing at 60 degrees in a rotating direction. In the game token 5, unique IDs 6 that are individually identifiable (different from each other one by one) are provided while providing a predetermined spacing at 60 degrees in a rotating direction so that IDs 6 can be necessarily viewed from the side. The unique ID 6 provided on the game token 5 is read by the ID reading device 8. For example, the type and information about manufacture of the game token 5 can be specified by reading the ID 6 with the ID reading device 8, and the ID 6 can be managed on the database 14. In the present embodiment, the unique ID has been inkjet-printed with an ink viewable in visible light. The unique IDs 6 may be attached by inkjet printing with inks (UV ink, carbon black ink or infrared reaction ink) which are not visible with visible light.
The unique IDs 6 attached to the game token 5 are read by the ID reading device 8, the ID reading device 8 can read game tokens 5 held in the storage 12 held by the casher in the game place and the game table chip tray 13 in the game table, and, in fact, even when game tokens 5 are stacked horizontally (laterally) as illustrated in (a) of
Further, in the game token 5, a mark M formed of UV ink or carbon black ink is provided on a surface (X) of the white layer 102. This mark M is provided for the indication of truth or falsity of the game token 5. When the mark M is exposed to ultraviolet light (or infrared light), the mark M can be viewed with the naked eye. An authentic game token can be determined by combining the shape and number of marks. A transparent layer 104 is thermocompression-bonded or coated as an outermost layer so as to cover a print 103 (for example, 100 points) or mark M for game place specifying purposes on the surface of the game token. The transparent layer 104 is subjected to embossing or varnish processing to prevent mutual intimate contact of the game token 5 or to improve slipperiness.
The end of the transparent layer 104 that is the outermost layer on which the print 103 (for example, 100 points) is formed in R-shape (R) to prevent appearance of the white layer 102 on the side surface due to deformation of the surface of the white layer 102 in the step of punching of a game token 100. Further, this prevents a sharp end of the game token 100 from damaging hands or other chips T. The colored layer 101 may be formed of one colored layer or a plurality of colored layers. In order to increase the weight, metal or ceramics may be incorporated within the layer constituting the colored layer 101. Further, a part of the colored layer 101 may be bored, or alternatively a space may be provided between the colored layer 101 and the white layer 102, followed by incorporation of RFID in the space. In this case, a combination of IDs by the mark C-derived codes and RFID is adopted as the ID 6 of the game token 5.
In the game token 5 thus constructed, the type and number of game tokens 5 held in the game table chip tray 13 and the storage 12 are specified by the chip determination device 9 through the camera 4 and the ID reading device 8, and IDs 6 of game tokens 5 present on the game table chip tray 13 and the storage 12, together with information about location, are managed on the database 14. This makes it possible to examine at least the following events: 1) a fact that ID 6 that has been absent on the database 14 is newly present; and 2) a fact that two or more identical IDs are present. The occurrence of the status 1) or 2) can be realized by the retrieval and determination of all the IDs 6.
The management control device 7 may be a control device having an artificial intelligent-type or deep-learning-type structure. The management control device 7 can grasp a position 24 (a position where the token is bet to a player, a banker, or a pair), the type (different values are allocated for each color in the game token), and the number of game tokens 5, using, for example, artificial intelligence-type computers or control systems, deep-learning (structure) techniques, and self-learning functions.
Variants of the game token 5 will be described. In a variant, a seven-digit figure is printed as ID 6 on a side face of the game token 5. In an embodiment illustrated in
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-030443 | Feb 2016 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2017/002342 | 1/24/2017 | WO | 00 |
