Automatic dealing machine and automatic dealing system

Abstract

An automatic dealing machine installed in a gaming facility and configured to be operated by a customer comprises a casing configured for storing therein a plurality of handling units, a chip handling unit located in the casing and adapted for handling chips, and a banknote handling unit located in the casing and adapted for handling banknotes. The chip handling unit includes a chip insertion port through which the chips can be inserted into the chip handling unit from the exterior of the casing, a chip determination portion adapted for determining the kind of each chip inserted through the chip insertion port, and a chip calculation portion adapted for calculating the number of the chips, for each kind, determined by the chip determination portion and total amount of money. A control unit provided in the automatic dealing machine performs control such that the banknotes of an amount of money corresponding to the total amount of money of one or more chips calculated by the chip calculation portion of the chip handling unit can be disbursed into the banknote disbursement port of the banknote handling unit, when the one or more chips are inserted through the chip insertion port of the chip handling unit.

1 . An automatic dealing machine installed in a gaming facility and configured to be operated by a customer, the automatic dealing machine comprising:
 a casing configured for storing therein a plurality of handling units;   a chip handling unit located in the casing and adapted for handling chips, the chip handling unit including a chip insertion port through which the chips can be inserted into the chip handling unit from the exterior of the casing, a chip determination portion adapted for determining the kind of each chip inserted through the chip insertion port, a chip calculation portion adapted for calculating the number of the chips, for each kind, determined by the chip determination portion and total amount of money of the chips, and a chip storage portion configured for storing therein the chips determined by the chip determination portion;   a banknote handling unit located in the casing and adapted for handling banknotes, the banknote handling unit including a banknote disbursement port configured for releasing the banknotes such that they can be taken out to the exterior of the casing, a banknote storage portion configured for storing the banknotes therein, and a banknote disbursement portion adapted for disbursing necessary sheets of banknotes into the banknote disbursement port from the banknote storage portion; and   a control unit adapted for controlling the chip handling unit and banknote handling unit, wherein the control unit performs control such that the banknotes of an amount of money corresponding to the total amount of money of the chips calculated by the chip calculation portion of the chip handling unit can be disbursed into the banknote disbursement port of the banknote handling unit, when the chips are inserted through the chip insertion port of the chip handling unit.   
     
     
         2 . The automatic dealing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the chip determination portion is configured to take an image of a surface of each chip and determine the chip, based on the taken image. 
     
     
         3 . The automatic dealing machine according to  claim 2 , wherein the chip determination portion is configured to determine the chip, based on a color and/or design of the taken image. 
     
     
         4 . The automatic dealing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the chip determination portion is configured to determine the chip, based on information about the interior of the chip. 
     
     
         5 . The automatic dealing machine according to  claim 1 , further comprising a coin handling unit provided in the casing and adapted for handling coins, the coin handling unit including a coin insertion port through which the coins can be inserted into the coin handling unit from the exterior of the casing, a coin discrimination portion adapted for discriminating the coins inserted through the coin insertion port, and a coin storage portion configured for storing therein the coins discriminated by the coin discrimination portion. 
     
     
         6 . The automatic dealing machine according to  claim 5 , wherein the control unit is also configured to control the coin handling unit, wherein the control unit performs control such that the banknotes of an amount of money corresponding to the total amount of money of the coins in a result of discrimination by the coin discrimination portion of the coin handling unit can be disbursed into the banknote disbursement port of the banknote handling unit, when the coins are inserted through the coin insertion port of the coin handling unit. 
     
     
         7 . The automatic dealing machine according to  claim 1 , further comprising a paper-sheet handling unit provided in the casing and adapted for handling paper-sheets, the paper-sheet handling unit including a paper-sheet insertion port through which the paper-sheets can be inserted into the paper-sheet handling unit from the exterior of the casing, a paper-sheet discrimination portion adapted for discriminating the paper-sheets inserted through the paper-sheet insertion port, and a paper-sheet storage portion configured for storing therein the paper-sheets discriminated by the paper-sheet discrimination portion. 
     
     
         8 . The automatic dealing machine according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the paper-sheets include banknotes, bar-code tickets or checks,   wherein the paper-sheet storage portion has at least one of a banknote storage part for storing the banknotes therein, a bar-code ticket storage part for storing the bar-code tickets therein and a check storage part for storing the checks therein, and   wherein, in the case in which the paper-sheets are discriminated as banknotes by the paper-sheet discrimination portion, such banknotes are stored in the banknote storage part, or in the case in which the paper-sheets are discriminated as bar-code tickets by the paper-sheet discrimination portion, such bar-code tickets are stored in the bar-code ticket storage part, or in the case in which the paper-sheets are discriminated as checks by the paper-sheet discrimination portion, such checks are stored in the check storage part.   
     
     
         9 . The automatic dealing machine according to  claim 7  or  8 , wherein the paper-sheet discrimination portion is configured to obtain an image of each bar-code ticket when the paper-sheet discrimination portion discriminates the paper-sheets as bar-code tickets. 
     
     
         10 . The automatic dealing machine according to  claim 7  or  8 , wherein the paper-sheet discrimination portion is configured to obtain an image of each check when the paper-sheet discrimination portion discriminates the paper-sheets as checks. 
     
     
         11 . The automatic dealing machine according to  claim 7  or  8 , wherein the control unit is also configured to control the paper-sheet handling unit, wherein the control unit performs control such that the banknotes of the amount of money corresponding to the total amount of money of the inserted banknotes in a result of discrimination by the paper-sheet discrimination portion of the paper-sheet handling unit, while different in the denomination, can be disbursed to the banknote disbursement port of the banknote handling unit, when the banknotes are inserted through the paper-sheet insertion port of the paper-sheet handling unit. 
     
     
         12 . The automatic dealing machine according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a coin handling unit provided in the casing and adapted for handling coins, the coin handling unit including a coin insertion port through which the coins can be inserted into the coin handling unit from the exterior of the casing, a coin discrimination portion adapted for discriminating the coins inserted through the coin insertion port, and a coin storage portion configured for storing therein the coins discriminated by the coin discrimination portion; and   a paper-sheet handling unit provided in the casing and adapted for handling paper-sheets, the paper-sheet handling unit including a paper-sheet insertion port through which the paper-sheets can be inserted into the paper-sheet handling unit from the exterior of the casing, a paper-sheet discrimination portion adapted for discriminating the paper-sheets inserted through the paper-sheet insertion port, and a paper-sheet storage portion configured for storing therein the paper-sheets discriminated by the paper-sheet discrimination portion,   wherein the control unit is also configured to control the coin handling unit and paper-sheet handling unit, wherein the control unit performs control such that the banknotes of an amount of money corresponding to the total amount of money of the inserted coins in a result of discrimination by the coin discrimination portion of the coin handling unit can be disbursed into the banknote disbursement port of the banknote handling unit, when the coins are inserted through the coin insertion port of the coin handling unit, and wherein the control unit performs control such that the banknotes of the amount of money corresponding to the total amount of money of the inserted banknotes in a result of discrimination by the paper-sheet discrimination portion of the paper-sheet handling unit, while different in the denomination, can be disbursed to the banknote disbursement port of the banknote handling unit, when the banknotes are inserted through the paper-sheet insertion port of the paper-sheet handling unit.   
     
     
         13 . The automatic dealing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the control unit disburses coins, as the remaining amount of money left undisbursed upon the disbursement in accordance with a designation of a customer, or as an amount of money that cannot be disbursed with banknotes. 
     
     
         14 . The automatic dealing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the control unit drives a storage memory, which can be controlled by a customer, to store therein the remaining amount of money upon the disbursement in accordance with a designation of the customer or amount of money that cannot be disbursed with banknotes. 
     
     
         15 . An automatic dealing system including an automatic dealing machine installed in a gaming facility and configured to be operated by a customer and a host machine communicatively connected with the automatic dealing machine,
 wherein the automatic dealing machine comprises:   a casing configured for storing therein a plurality of handling units;   a chip handling unit located in the casing and adapted for handling chips, the chip handling unit including a chip insertion port through which the chips can be inserted into the chip handling unit from the exterior of the -casing, a chip determination portion adapted for determining the kind of each chip inserted through the chip insertion port, a chip calculation portion adapted for calculating the number of the chips, for each kind, determined by the chip determination portion and total amount of money of the chips, and a chip storage portion configured for storing therein the chips determined by the chip determination portion;   a banknote handling unit located in the casing and adapted for handling banknotes, the banknote handling unit including a banknote disbursement port configured for releasing the banknotes such that they can be taken out to the exterior of the casing, a banknote storage portion configured for storing the banknotes therein, and a banknote disbursement portion adapted for disbursing necessary sheets of banknotes into the banknote disbursement port from the banknote storage portion; and   a control unit adapted for controlling the chip handling unit and banknote handling unit, wherein the control unit performs control such that the banknotes of an amount of money corresponding to the total amount of money of the chips calculated by the chip calculation portion of the chip handling unit can be disbursed into the banknote disbursement port of the banknote handling unit, when the chips are inserted through the chip insertion port of the chip handling unit.   
     
     
         16 . The automatic dealing system according to  claim 15 , wherein the host machine includes a host controller, and wherein the host controller is communicatively connected with the automatic dealing machine. 
     
     
         17 . The automatic dealing system according to  claim 15 ,
 wherein the automatic dealing machine further comprises a paper-sheet handling unit provided in the casing and adapted for handling paper-sheets including banknotes, bar-code tickets or checks, the paper-sheet handling unit including a paper-sheet insertion port through which the paper-sheets can be inserted into the paper-sheet handling unit from the exterior of the casing, a paper-sheet discrimination portion adapted for discriminating the paper-sheets inserted through the paper-sheet insertion port, and a paper-sheet storage portion configured for storing therein the paper-sheets discriminated by the paper-sheet discrimination portion, and   wherein the control unit of the automatic dealing machine is also configured to control the paper-sheet handling unit, such that the control unit drives the paper-sheet discrimination portion of the paper-sheet handling unit to read bar-code information of each bar-code ticket when the bar-code tickets are inserted through the paper-sheet insertion port of the paper-sheet handling unit, performs a check over the read information by communicating with the host machine, and then drives the paper-sheet storage portion to store the bar-code tickets therein when the check is normally performed, as well as disburses the banknotes of an amount of money, based on the read information about the bar code, into the banknote disbursement port of the banknote handling unit.   
     
     
         18 . The automatic dealing system according to  claim 15 ,
 wherein the automatic dealing machine further comprises a paper-sheet handling unit provided in the casing and adapted for handling paper-sheets including banknotes, bar-code tickets or checks, the paper-sheet handling unit including a paper-sheet insertion port through which the paper-sheets can be inserted into the paper-sheet handling unit from the exterior of the casing, a paper-sheet discrimination portion adapted for discriminating the paper-sheets inserted through the paper-sheet insertion port, and a paper-sheet storage portion configured for storing therein the paper-sheets discriminated by the paper-sheet discrimination portion, and   wherein the control unit of the automatic dealing machine is also configured to control the paper-sheet handling unit, such that the control unit drives the paper-sheet discrimination portion of the paper-sheet handling unit to read data of the checks when the checks are inserted through the paper-sheet insertion port of the paper-sheet handling unit, performs a check over the read information by communicating with the host machine, and then drives the paper-sheet storage portion to store the checks therein when the check is normally performed, as well as disburses the banknotes of an amount of money, based on the read information about the data of the checks, into the banknote disbursement port of the banknote handling unit.   
     
     
         19 . The automatic dealing system according to  claim 15 ,
 wherein the automatic dealing machine further comprises an operation portion which can be controlled by a customer, and   wherein when a command for disbursing money on deposit is given by the customer via the operation portion and then the control unit receives the command for disbursing the money on deposit from the host machine by communicating with the host machine, the control unit of the automatic dealing machine disburses the banknotes of an amount of money corresponding to the command, into the banknote disbursement port of the banknote handling unit.   
     
     
         20 . The automatic dealing system according to  claim 15 ,
 wherein the automatic dealing machine further comprises a paper-sheet handling unit provided in the casing and adapted for handling paper-sheets including banknotes, bar-code tickets or checks, the paper-sheet handling unit including a paper-sheet insertion port through which the paper-sheets can be inserted into the paper-sheet handling unit from the exterior of the casing, a paper-sheet discrimination portion adapted for discriminating the paper-sheets inserted through the paper-sheet insertion port, and a paper-sheet storage portion configured for storing therein the paper-sheets discriminated by the paper-sheet discrimination portion, and   wherein the control unit of the automatic dealing machine is also configured to control the paper-sheet handling unit, such that the control unit drives the paper-sheet discrimination portion of the paper-sheet handling unit to discriminate the banknotes inserted into the casing, when the banknotes are inserted through the banknote insertion port of the banknote handling unit, and then transmits information about an amount of deposited money of such discriminated banknotes to the host machine.   
     
     
         21 . The automatic dealing system according to  claim 15 ,
 wherein the automatic dealing machine further comprises a coin handling unit provided in the casing and adapted for handling coins, the coin handling unit including a coin insertion port through which the coins can be inserted into the coin handling unit from the exterior of the casing, a coin discrimination portion adapted for discriminating the coins inserted through the coin insertion port, and a coin storage portion configured for storing therein the coins discriminated by the coin discrimination portion, and   wherein the control unit of the automatic dealing machine is also configured to control the coin handling unit, such that the control unit drives the coin discrimination portion of the coin handling unit to discriminate the coins inserted into the casing, when the coins are inserted through the coin insertion port of the coin handling unit, and then transmits information about an amount of deposited money of such discriminated coins to the host machine.   
     
     
         22 . The automatic dealing system according to  claim 15 ,
 wherein the automatic dealing machine further comprises:   a coin handling unit provided in the casing and adapted for handling coins, the coin handling unit including a coin insertion port through which the coins can be inserted into the coin handling unit from the exterior of the casing, a coin discrimination portion adapted for discriminating the coins inserted through the coin insertion port, and a coin storage portion configured for storing therein the coins discriminated by the coin discrimination portion; and   a paper-sheet handling unit provided in the casing and adapted for handling paper-sheets, the paper-sheet handling unit including a paper-sheet insertion port through which the paper-sheets can be inserted into the paper-sheet handling unit from the exterior of the casing, a paper-sheet discrimination portion adapted for discriminating the paper-sheets inserted through the paper-sheet insertion port, and a paper-sheet storage portion configured for storing therein the paper-sheets discriminated by the paper-sheet discrimination portion,   wherein the control unit of the automatic dealing machine is also configured to control the coin handling unit and paper-sheet handling unit, wherein the control unit performs control such that the banknotes of an amount of money corresponding to the total amount of money of the coins in a result of discrimination by the coin discrimination portion of the coin handling unit can be disbursed into the banknote disbursement port of the banknote handling unit, when the coins are inserted through the coin insertion port of the coin handling unit, and wherein the control unit performs control such that the banknotes of the amount of money corresponding to the total amount of money of the inserted banknotes in a result of discrimination by the paper-sheet discrimination portion of the paper-sheet handling unit, while different in the denomination, can be disbursed to the banknote disbursement port of the banknote handling unit, when the banknotes are inserted through the paper-sheet insertion port of the paper-sheet handling unit.