Locking system, game machine, and device management system

• US 7,642,896 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2003
• Issued: 01/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyomaru Sangyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Toyomaru Sangyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Hitoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown; Vernal U
• Application Number:
  US10/517,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20060103502A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,328 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.61, 340/5.6, 340/10.1, 340/5.64, 340/5.73, 340/5.63, 340/5.65, 340/5.8, 340/5.81, 340/5.9
• US Class Current: 340/5.6
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00777 by induction
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3216 Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects

Abstract

An IC tag for monitoring opening/closing operation 86 is attached on the backside of the glass frame 111 at its upper right portion, and on a main body frame 110 opposing to the glass frame 111, an antenna for monitoring 68 is attached. An IC tag for monitoring opening/closing operation 186 is attached on the inside of the right frame of the wooden frame 112, and on the main body frame 111 opposing to the wooden frame 112, an antenna for monitoring 168 is attached. The distance between these antenna and IC tags is respectively set to about 3 mm in a state where the frames on which they are provided are closed. A R/W unit always polls the IC tags via the antennas. When the glass frame 111 or the main body frame 110 is opened and the distance between the antenna and the IC tag exceeds about 5 mm, the communication becomes unavailable and this state is immediately detected. An antenna for key 128 is buried above a keyhole 120. When a key incorporating an IC tag for key therein is inserted in the keyhole 120, the R/W unit reads the ID code of the IC tag. A solenoid for locking operation is turned on only when the read ID code is identical to the registered ID so as to pull a plunger for unlocking the frame.

Claims

1. A locking system for a game machine comprising:

an IC tag for locking operation;

an IC tag for monitoring opening/closing operation;

an IC tag monitoring device that communicates with the IC tag for locking operation and the IC tag for monitoring opening/closing operation; and

a locking device that locks and unlocks a device based on a result of monitoring made by the IC tag monitoring device,

wherein said IC tag for locking operation stores identification data that is used for distinguishing the IC tag for locking operation from other IC tags,

wherein said IC tag for monitoring opening/closing operation stores identification data that is used for distinguishing the IC tag for monitoring opening/closing operation from other IC tags,

wherein said IC tag monitoring device includes

(1) a first transmission means for transmitting a calling wave for calling said IC tag for locking operation,

(2) a first reception means for receiving a reflected wave returned from said IC tag for locking operation,

(3) an antenna for key that is connected to said first transmission means and said first reception means,

(4) key determination means for determining proper reception of the reflected wave containing identification data within a specified period of time since the transmission of the calling wave by the first transmission means and proper comparison of identification data of the reflected wave to data registered beforehand,

(5) a first output means for outputting the result of key determination made by the key determination means and key monitoring history data to the outside,

(6) a second transmission means for transmitting a calling wave for calling said IC tag for monitoring opening/closing operation,

(7) a second reception means for receiving a reflected wave returned from said IC tag for monitoring opening/closing operation,

(8) an antenna for monitoring connected to said second transmission means and said second reception means,

(9) an opening/closing operation determination means for determining proper reception by the second reception means, of the reflected wave, through comparison of the identification data of the reflected wave to data registered beforehand, and

(10) a second output means for outputting history data of monitoring opening/closing operation containing result of opening/closing operation determination by the opening/closing operation determination means to the outside,

wherein said key monitoring history data comprises at least one of a key insertion time, a key withdrawal time, and a key ID abnormal time, and

wherein said locking device comprises a key including said IC tag for locking operation and a lock that includes said antenna for key and into which said key is to be inserted.

2. A locking system according to claim 1, wherein said locking device comprises third reception means for receiving said result of key determination outputted from said first output means, and unlocking means for unlocking operation if said result of key determination received by said second reception means is normal.

3. A locking system according to claim 1, wherein said key monitoring history data comprising at least one of the key insertion time that is the time at which the communication unavailable state in which said first reception means cannot receive said reflected wave has changed into the communication available state in which said first reception means is configured to receive said reflected wave and identification data contained in the received reflected wave, the key withdrawal time that is the time at which said communication available state has changed into said communication unavailable state, and the key ID abnormal time that is the time at which identification data different from the registered data that is registered beforehand is received and identification data contained in the received reflected wave.

4. A locking system according to claim 1, wherein said IC tag monitoring device comprises annunciation means for making an annunciation if both of said result of key determination and said result of opening/closing operation determination are abnormal.

5. A locking system according to claim 1, wherein said antenna for monitoring is provided to a device main body in the vicinity of said IC tag for monitoring opening/closing operation if said IC tag is provided to said opening/closing member, and is provided to said opening/closing member in the vicinity of the IC tag for monitoring opening/closing operation if said IC tag is provided to said device main body, wherein said antenna for monitoring and said IC tag for monitoring opening/closing operation is configured to make communication with each other if said opening/closing member is in a closed state, and cannot make communication with each other if said opening/closing member is in an opened state.

6. A locking system according to claim 1, wherein said history data of monitoring opening/closing operation comprises at least one of the time of disappearance that is the point of time at which the communication available state in which said second reception means is configured to receive said reflected wave has changed into the communication unavailable state in which said second reception means cannot receive said reflected wave, the time of recovery that is the point of time at which said communication unavailable state has changed into said communication available state, and the time of ID abnormality that is the point of time at which identification data different from the registered data that has been registered beforehand has received.

7. A game machine comprising the locking system according to claim 1.

8. A device management system in which a device that includes the locking system according to claim 1 is connected with a management machine that manages the device via a network, wherein said management machine comprises monitoring history data reception means for receiving said result of key determination that is outputted from said first output means or said key monitoring history data, or for receiving said history data of monitoring opening/closing operation outputted from said second output means.

9. A device management system according to claim 8, wherein said management machine comprises monitoring history data storage means for storing said result of key determination or said key monitoring history data that said monitoring history data reception means has received or for storing said history data of monitoring opening/closing operation.

10. A device management system according to claim 8, wherein said management machine comprises monitoring history data output means for outputting said result of key determination or said key monitoring history data that said monitoring history data reception means has received or for outputting said history data of monitoring opening/closing operation.