Apparatus and method for dispensing prizes

• US 20010034259A1
• Filed: 01/24/2001
• Published: 10/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sierra Design Group (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Luciano, Robert A., Crowder, Robert W., Souza, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 6,843,720 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3216 Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3253 involving articles, e.g. paying in bottles, paying out toys
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played

Abstract

A device for dispensing prizes includes a housing having a plurality of compartments, a door attached to the housing for coving the compartments, and a lock for limiting access to the compartments. The contents of the compartments are visible from the outside. Each compartment contains a prize, such as a diamond. The housing may be part of, or linked to, a gaming device. When a player wins a game, which entitles the player to select a tangible award, the device signals this fact to the player. The player then selects a compartment by pressing an input device located on the housing. An attendant opens an external door, and inserts an electronic key into a receptacle associated with the selected compartment, and enters a required code into the key. The compartment then opens, and the player obtains the prize. The device may also include an inventory control system which preferably uses an RFID apparatus for monitoring the contents of each compartment, and for keeping records of an inventory of prizes.

Claims

1. A system for awarding prizes, the system comprising the following:

(A) at least one gaming device, the gaming device being adapted to allow a player to play a game and produce a predetermined prize qualifying event;

(B) at least one prize; and

(C) at least one vault, the vault being adapted to store and display the prize and dispense the prize after the predetermined prize qualifying event occurs, the vault comprising;

(a) a housing;

(b) a compartment in the housing, the compartment being adapted to hold the prize, the prize being removeably positioned in the compartment; and

(c) a lock, the lock being adapted to limit removal of the prize from the compartment;

wherein the player may directly view the actual prize that may be awarded to the player when the prize qualifying event occurs.

2. The system of

claim 1

wherein the vault and the gaming device are in communication, the gaming device being adapted to cause the vault to enable the lock.

3. The system of

claim 1

wherein the vault is attached to the gaming device.

4. The system of

claim 3

wherein the vault is a positioned to display the prize to the player when the player is playing the game on the gaming device.

5. The system of

claim 1

wherein the vault further comprises a door, the door being adapted to limit access to the prize.

6. The system of

claim 5

wherein the door comprises a window, the window being adapted to allow the player to view the prize.

7. The system of

claim 5

wherein the lock is adapted to lock the door in a closed position.

8. The system of

claim 1

wherein the vault further comprises an automatic dispensing mechanism, the dispensing mechanism being adapted to dispense the prize to the player.

9. The system of

claim 1

wherein the vault further comprises a central processor unit, the central processor unit being in communication with the lock and adapted to open the lock.

10. The system of

claim 1

wherein the prize is a symbolic representation of an actual prize, wherein the player may redeem the symbolic representation of the actual prize to obtain the actual prize.

11. A system for awarding prizes, the system comprising the following:

(A) at least one gaming device, the gaming device being adapted to allow a player to play a game and produce a predetermined prize qualifying event;

(B) a plurality of prizes; and

(C) at least one vault, the vault comprising;

(a) a housing;

(b) a plurality of compartments in the housing, each compartment being adapted to hold at least one of the plurality of prizes, the plurality of prizes being removeably positioned in the compartments; and

(c) a lock, the lock being adapted to limit removal of the prize from at least one of the compartments;

wherein the player may view the actual prize the player may receive when the prize qualifying event occurs.

12. The system of

claim 11

wherein the vault further comprises a central processor unit.

13. The system of

claim 12

wherein the central processor unit is in communication with the gaming device, wherein the gaming device is adapted to transmit a signal to the central processor unit, the central processor unit enabling removal of at least one of the prizes from the vault in response to the signal.

14. The system of

claim 12

wherein the vault further comprises an input device in communication with the central processor unit, the input device being adapted to allow a player to indicate a prize the player has selected, the central processor unit being adapted to enable removal of at least one of the prizes from the vault in response to the selection.

15. The system of

claim 12

wherein the lock is in communication with the central processor unit, the central processor unit being adapted to enable operation of the lock.

16. A method of awarding a prize to a player, comprising:

(A) providing a gaming device, the gaming device being adapted to allow the player to play a game and produce a predetermined prize qualifying event;

(B) allowing the player to play the game;

(C) producing the predetermined prize event;

(D) providing a plurality of prizes;

(E) providing a vault, the vault comprising;

(a) a housing;

(b) a plurality of compartments in the housing, the compartment being adapted to hold at least one of the plurality of prizes; and

(a) a lock, the lock being adapted to limit removal of the prize from the compartment;

(F) storing the prizes in the compartments;

(G) allowing the player to view the prizes;

(H) allowing the player to select a prize from among the plurality of prizes; and

(I) awarding the selected prize to the player.

19. A system for monitoring inventory of prizes, the system comprising:

(A) a plurality of prizes;

(B) a plurality of inventory tags, each tag being attached to a prize;

(C) at least one vault, the vault comprising;

(a) a housing;

(b) a plurality of compartments in the housing, each compartment being adapted to hold at least one of the plurality of prizes, the plurality of prizes being removeably positioned in the compartments; and

(c) a lock, the lock being adapted to limit removal of the prize from at least one of the compartments;

(d) at least one of inventory sensor, the inventory sensor being adapted to detect the presence or absence of at least one inventory tag.

28. A method of monitoring inventory or prizes in a gaming system, the method comprising:

(A) providing a plurality of prizes;

(B) providing a plurality of inventory tags, each tag having a unique identifier;

(C) physically associating at least one inventory tag with each prize of the plurality of prizes;

(D) recording information relating to at least one of the prizes, the information comprising the unique identifier associated with the prize.

34. A system for awarding prizes, the system comprising the following:

(A) at least one gaming device, the gaming device being adapted to allow a player to play a game and produce a predetermined prize qualifying event;

(B) a plurality of prizes; and

(C) at least one vault, the vault comprising;

(a) a housing;

(b) at least one compartment in the housing, the compartment being adapted to hold the plurality of prizes, the plurality of prizes being removeably positioned in the compartment; and

(c) a lock, the lock being adapted to limit removal of the prize from at least one of the compartments;

(D) wherein the player may view the actual prize the player may receive, the player being awarded the prize when the prize qualifying event occurs.

23. The system of

claim 34

wherein the computer is adapted to record information related to the plurality of prizes.

39. A system for awarding prizes, the system comprising the following:

(A) a first gaming device, the gaming device being adapted to allow a player to play a game and produce a predetermined prize qualifying event;

(B) a second gaming device, the gaming device being adapted to play a game;

(C) at least one prize; and

(D) at least one vault attached to the second gaming device, the vault being adapted to store and display the prize and dispense the prize after the predetermined prize qualifying event occurs, the vault comprising;

(a) a housing;

(b) at least one compartment in the housing, the compartment being adapted to hold the prize, the prize being removeably positioned in the compartment; and

(c) a lock, the lock being adapted to limit removal of the prize from the compartment;

wherein the player may directly view the actual prize that may be awarded to the player when the prize qualifying event occurs.

40. The system of claim 61 wherein the vault and the first gaming device are in communication, the gaming device being adapted to cause the vault to enable operation of the lock.

41. The system of claim 61 wherein the first gaming device comprises a voucher printer, the first gaming device being adapted to print a voucher having information indicating that the player has obtained a prize qualifying event, wherein the vault further comprises a voucher reader, the voucher reader being adapted to read the information on the voucher.

17. The method of

claim 21

wherein awarding the prize to the player comprises unlocking the lock.

18. The method of

claim 21

wherein awarding the prize comprises the player obtaining the prize at a location that is different from the vault.

20. The system of

claim 31

further comprising a computer in communication with the inventory sensor, the inventory sensor being adapted to transmit a signal to the computer indicating the presence or absence of the tag in the vault.

21. The system of

claim 31

wherein the tag comprises a unique identifier, the inventory sensor being adapted to read the unique identifier.

29. The method of

claim 41

wherein the information further comprises transactions involving the prize.

30. The method of

claim 41

wherein the information further comprises the presence or absence of the prize.

31. The method of

claim 41

wherein the information comprises the identity of at least one person involved in a transaction performed with at least one prize.

32. The method of

claim 41

further comprising providing a vault, the vault comprising:

(A) a housing;

(B) a plurality of compartments in the housing, the compartment being adapted to hold at least one of the plurality of prizes;

(C) a lock, the lock being adapted to limit removal of the prize from the compartment;

(D) an inventory sensor, the inventory sensor being for adapted to detect the presence or absence of at least one inventory tag.

42. The system of claim 63 wherein the information enables operation of the lock.

43. A system for awarding prizes, the system comprising the following:

(A) at least one gaming device, the gaming device being adapted to allow a player to play a game and produce a predetermined prize qualifying event;

(B) at least one prize; and

(C) at least one vault, the vault being adapted to store and display the prize and dispense the prize after the predetermined prize qualifying event occurs, the vault comprising;

(a) a housing;

(b) a compartment in the housing, the compartment being adapted to hold the prize, the prize being removeably positioned in the compartment; and

(c) a lock, the lock being adapted to limit removal of the prize from the compartment;

wherein the player may directly view the actual prize that may be awarded to the player, the player being awarded the prize when the prize qualifying event occurs.

44. The system of claim 71 further comprising a server in communication with the vault, the server being adapted to maintain information on at least one prize and being adapted to transmit the information to the vault, the vault being adapted to display the information to the player.

45. The system of claim 72 wherein the vault further comprising a video screen, the video screen being adapted to display the information.

22. The system of

claim 33

further comprising a computer in communication with the inventory sensor, the inventory sensor being adapted to transmit the unique identifier.

33. The method of

claim 45

wherein the inventory sensor is further adapted to read the unique identifier from the tag.

46. The system of claim 71 further comprising a server in communication with the vault, the server being adapted to maintain information on a plurality of server prizes and being adapted to transmit the information to the vault, the vault being adapted to display the information to the player.

47. The system of claim 74 wherein the vault further comprises an input device, the input device being adapted to allow the player to select at least one of the plurality of server prizes.

48. The system of claim 71 further comprising a container, the container being adapted to hold the prize and being adapted to be inserted into the compartment, wherein the prize is removably positioned in the container and the container is removably positioned in the compartment.

49. A vault for awarding prizes in a system including at least one gaming device, the gaming device being adapted to allow a player to play a game and produce a predetermined prize qualifying event, said vault comprising:

(A) at least one prize;

(B) a housing;

(C) at least one compartment in the housing, the compartment being adapted to hold said at least one prize, said at least one prize removeably positioned in the compartment; and

(D) a lock, the lock being adapted to limit removal of the prize from the compartment; and

wherein the player may view the actual prize the player may receive, the player being awarded the prize when the prize qualifying event occurs.

50. The vault of claim 81 further comprising a door, the door being adapted to limit access to the compartment.

51. The vault of claim 82 wherein the door comprises a window, the window allowing the player to see into the compartment.

24. The system of

claim 35

wherein the information comprises the unique identifier of the tag attached to at least one of the plurality of prizes.

25. The system of

claim 35

wherein the information comprises transactions performed with at least one prize.

26. The system of

claim 35

wherein the information comprises the presence or absence of the prize.

27. The system of

claim 35

wherein the information comprises the identity of at least one person involved in a transaction performed with at least one prize.

35. The system of

claim 51

further comprising a door, the door being adapted to limit access to the compartment.

37. The system of

claim 51

wherein the vault further comprises an inventory sensor, the inventory sensor being adapted to sense the presence or absence of at least one of the plurality of prizes.

52. The vault of claim 81 wherein the vault further comprises an inventory sensor, the inventory sensor being adapted to sense the presence or absence of said least one prizes.

36. The system of

claim 52

wherein the door comprises a window, the window allowing the player to see into the compartment.

53. The vault of claim 84 further comprising at least one inventory tag, said at least one inventory tag attached to said at least one prize, wherein the inventory sensor senses the presence of said at least one prize by sensing the presence of the tag.

54. The vault of claim 84, further comprising a plurality of prizes and a plurality of inventory tags, each of said plurality of said inventory tags attached to a corresponding prize from said plurality of prizes, wherein the inventory sensor senses the presence of each of said plurality of prize by sensing the presence of each said inventory tags.

38. The system of

claim 54

further comprising at least one inventory tag, the inventory tag being attached to the at least one of the plurality of prizes, wherein the inventory sensor senses the presence of the at least one of the plurality of prizes by sensing the presence of the tag.