Systems and methods for gaming drop box management

• US 10,593,156 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2017
• Issued: 03/17/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Ruckle, Clyde
• Primary Examiner(s): Deodhar, Omkar A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Williams, Ross A
• Application Number:
  US15/709,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20190088085A1
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3246 involving coins and/or banknotes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value

Abstract

Provided are methods for gaming drop box management. Methods include receiving, from an electronic gaming machine (EGM), drop box initiator data that corresponds to a drop box initiator ticket that is received by the EGM, automatically identifying the drop box initiator ticket as a first transaction item in a drop box session that begins responsive to a drop box being installed in the EGM and that ends corresponding to the drop box being removed from the EGM, and receiving, from the EGM, drop box session transaction data that occurs after the drop box initiator ticket is received by the EGM during the drop box session. Methods further include automatically associating the drop box with the EGM for the time period corresponding to the drop box session.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, from an electronic gaming machine (EGM) via a communication network, drop box initiator data that corresponds to a drop box initiator ticket in response to the drop box initiator ticket being input into a drop box installed in the EGM;

automatically identifying the drop box initiator ticket as a first transaction item in a drop box session that begins responsive to the drop box being installed in the EGM and that ends corresponding to the drop box being removed from the EGM;

receiving, from the EGM during the drop box session via the communication network, drop box session transaction data that occurs after the drop box initiator ticket is received by the EGM during the drop box session; and

automatically associating the drop box with the EGM for a time period corresponding to the drop box session.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising generating a drop box session report that includes the drop box session transaction data corresponding to currency and/or transaction receipts that are stored in a stacker of the drop box.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the transaction receipts comprise data tickets that are received to convey monetary value from a player to the EGM.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein generating the drop box session report comprises:

retrieving the drop box initiator ticket from the drop box after the drop box is removed from the EGM; and

associating the drop box, the EGM and the drop box session transaction data.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the drop box initiator ticket is visually distinctive from the transaction receipts.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the drop box initiator ticket includes a first color and the transaction receipts include a second color that is different from the first color.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein automatically identifying the drop box initiator ticket as a first transaction item in the drop box session comprises detecting a unique identifier on the drop box initiator ticket.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the drop box initiator ticket comprises a nominal transaction amount.

9. The method according to claim 1, the method further comprising providing the drop box initiator ticket that includes a unique identifier and that is configured to be received by the EGM upon installation of the drop box therein.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving drop box session transaction data comprise receiving, from the EGM during the drop box session via the communication network, drop box session transaction data in response to currency and/or transaction receipts being input into the drop box, the method further comprising:

receiving, from the EGM via the communication network, a drop signal that indicates a completion of the drop box session; and

responsive to receiving the drop signal, associating the drop box session transaction data that was received after the drop box initiator ticket was received by the EGM with the drop box, the drop box session, and the EGM.

11. The method according to claim 10,

wherein the drop box comprises a first drop box;

wherein the drop box initiator ticket comprises a first drop box initiator ticket,

wherein the drop box initiator data comprises first drop box initiator data,

wherein the drop box session comprises a first drop box session that is initiated corresponding to the first drop box initiator ticket and corresponds to the first drop box, and

wherein receiving the drop signal comprises receiving, from the EGM via the communication network, second drop initiator data that corresponds to a second drop box initiator ticket that is received by the EGM and that corresponds to a second drop box that is installed in the EGM after the first drop box is removed.

12. A system, comprising:

a server that includes a processing device and a memory, the memory configured to store computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause the processing device to;

receive, from an electronic gaming machine (EGM) via a communication network, drop box initiator data that corresponds to a drop box initiator ticket in response to the drop box initiator ticket being input into a drop box installed in the EGM;

automatically identify the drop box initiator ticket as a first transaction item in a drop box session that begins responsive to the drop box being installed in the EGM;

receive, from the EGM during the drop box session and via the communication network, drop box session transaction data that occurs after the drop box initiator ticket is received by the EGM during the drop box session;

automatically associate the drop box with the EGM for a time period corresponding to the drop box session; and

generate a drop box session report that includes the drop box session transaction data corresponding to currency and/or transaction receipts that are stored in a stacker of the drop box.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the drop box session transaction data that is received from the EGM is provided without being associated with the drop box.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the instructions that cause the processing device to generate the drop box session report are further configured to cause the processing device to:

retrieve the drop box initiator ticket from the drop box after the drop box is removed from the EGM; and

associate the drop box, the EGM and the drop box session transaction data.

15. The system according to claim 12, wherein the instructions that cause the processing device to automatically identify the drop box initiator ticket as a first transaction item in the drop box session are further configured to cause the processing device to detect a unique identifier on the drop box initiator ticket.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the drop box initiator ticket comprises a nominal transaction amount.

17. The system according to claim 12, further comprise instructions that cause the processing device to:

receive, from the EGM via the communication network, a drop signal that indicates a completion of the drop session; and

responsive to receiving the drop signal, to associate the drop box session transaction data that was received after the drop box initiator ticket was received by the EGM.

18. A method, comprising:

receiving, by an electronic gaming machine (EGM), a drop box that is configured to store currency and/or transaction receipts that are received by the EGM during a drop box session and that includes a stacker that is operable to store received currency and/or transaction receipts;

receiving, by the EGM, a drop box initiator ticket that includes a unique identifier that signals a beginning of the drop box session; and

responsive to receiving the drop box initiator ticket, transmitting, by the EGM to a server via a communication network, drop box initiator data that corresponds to the drop box initiator ticket that was received by the EGM.

19. The method according to claim 18, the method further comprising transmitting, by the EGM via the communication network, a drop signal that indicates a completion of the drop box session.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the drop box comprises a first drop box, wherein the drop box session comprises a first drop box session, wherein transmitting the drop signal is performed corresponding to a removal of the first drop box and indicates an end of the first drop box session, the method further comprising:

receiving, by the EGM, a second drop box that is configured to store currency and/or transaction receipts that are received by the EGM during a second drop box session that is after the first drop box session;

receiving, by the EGM, a second drop box initiator ticket that includes another unique identifier that signals a beginning of the second drop box session; and

transmitting, by the EGM to a server via the communication network, second drop box initiator data that corresponds to the second drop box initiator ticket that was received by the EGM.