System and method for tracking funds from a plurality of funding sources

• US 10,621,826 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2019
• Issued: 04/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Higgins, Kevin, Shepherd, Jeffery
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US16/531,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20190362596A1
• Time in Patent Office: 253 Days
• Field of Search: 463 25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0658 e-cash managed locally
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/227 characterised in that multiple accounts are available, e.g. to the payer
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3223 Realising banking transactions through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/36 using electronic wallets or electronic money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3676 Balancing accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

The present disclosure relates generally to a system that tracks the funding source of an amount of funds as the funds are transferred between various accounts or balances of various components of the system.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by processor, cause the processor to;

responsive to a transfer of a first amount of funds to a first gaming establishment account from a first external account, associate the first amount of funds with the first external account, wherein after a transfer of any portion of the first amount of funds from the first gaming establishment account to a second, different gaming establishment account, the transferred portion of the first amount of funds remain associated with the first external account, and

responsive to an occurrence of an external transfer event, independent of which gaming establishment account the first amount of funds associated with the first external account reside in when the external transfer event occurs, transmit data associated with the first amount of funds to the first external account.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the external transfer event occurs responsive to a receipt of data associated with a requested amount of funds to be transferred to the first external account.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the external transfer event does not occur responsive to receipt of data associated with a requested amount of funds to be transferred to the second, different external account.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the processor responsive to a transfer of a second amount of funds to the first gaming establishment account from a second, different external account, the instructions cause the processor to associate the second amount of funds with the second, different external account, wherein after a transfer of any portion of the second amount of funds from the first gaming establishment account to the second, different gaming establishment account, the transferred portion of the second amount of funds remain associated with the second, different external account.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein when executed by the processor responsive to the occurrence of the external transfer event, the instructions cause the processor to, independent of which gaming establishment account the second amount of funds associated with the second, different external account reside in when the external transfer event occurs, transmit data associated with the second amount of funds to the second, different external account.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the processor responsive to the transferred portion of the first amount of funds being wagered at an electronic gaming machine and resulting in winnings of a second amount of funds, the instructions cause the processor to not associate the second amount of funds with the first external account.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein when executed by the processor responsive to the occurrence of the external transfer event, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to transmit data associated with the second amount of funds to a second, different external account.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the processor responsive to the transferred portion of the first amount of funds being wagered on a sporting event and resulting in winnings of a second amount of funds, the instructions cause the processor to not associate the second amount of funds with the first external account.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein when executed by the processor responsive to the occurrence of the external transfer event, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to transmit data associated with the second amount of funds to a second, different external account.

10. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

maintain a first gaming establishment account associated with a first balance of funds comprising a first amount of funds associated with a first funding source and a second amount of funds associated with a second, different funding source,

responsive to an occurrence of an internal transfer event, cause part of the first amount of funds to be transferred to a second gaming establishment account, the transferred part of the first amount of funds forming a third amount of funds, and

responsive to an occurrence of an external transfer event associated with the first funding source;

transmit data associated with the first amount of funds to the first funding source, and

transmit data associated with the third amount of funds to the first funding source.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein when executed by the processor responsive to an occurrence of an external transfer event associated with the second funding source, the instructions cause the processor to transmit data associated with the second amount of funds to the second, different funding source.

12. A method of operating a system, the method comprising:

responsive to a transfer of a first amount of funds to a first gaming establishment account from a first external account, associating, by a processor, the first amount of funds with the first external account, wherein after a transfer of any portion of the first amount of funds from the first gaming establishment account to a second, different gaming establishment account, the transferred portion of the first amount of funds remain associated with the first external account, and

responsive to an occurrence of an external transfer event, independent of which gaming establishment account the first amount of funds associated with the first external account reside in when the external transfer event occurs, transmitting data associated with the first amount of funds to the first external account.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the external transfer event occurs responsive to a receipt of data associated with a requested amount of funds to be transferred to the first external account.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the external transfer event does not occur responsive to receipt of data associated with a requested amount of funds to be transferred to the second, different external account.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising, responsive to a transfer of a second amount of funds to the first gaming establishment account from a second, different external account, associating, by the processor, the second amount of funds with the second, different external account, wherein after a transfer of any portion of the second amount of funds from the first gaming establishment account to the second, different gaming establishment account, the transferred portion of the second amount of funds remain associated with the second, different external account.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising, responsive to the occurrence of the external transfer event and independent of which gaming establishment account the second amount of funds associated with the second, different external account reside in when the external transfer event occurs, transmitting data associated with the second amount of funds to the second, different external account.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising, responsive to the transferred portion of the first amount of funds being wagered at an electronic gaming machine and resulting in winnings of a second amount of funds, not associating the second amount of funds with the first external account.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising, responsive to the occurrence of the external transfer event, transmitting data associated with the second amount of funds to a second, different external account.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising, responsive to the transferred portion of the first amount of funds being wagered on a sporting event and resulting in winnings of a second amount of funds, not associating the second amount of funds with the first external account.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising, responsive to the occurrence of the external transfer event, transmitting data associated with the second amount of funds to a second, different external account.