Method and apparatus for facilitating monetary and reward transactions and accounting in a gaming environment
First Claim
1. A financial and reward system for a casino comprising:
- a plurality of gaming terminals, each gaming terminal including a player identification input device;
a financial transaction host, said financial transaction host in communication with each of said plurality of gaming terminals via a communication network, said financial transaction host including memory for storing data files corresponding to players and identifiable with said player identification, said data files including information regarding finances available for use by said player in playing one or more of said plurality of gaming terminals;
a player reward host, said player reward host in communication with each of said plurality of gaming terminals and said financial transaction host, said player reward host including a memory for storing data files corresponding to players and identifiable with said player identification, said data files including player reward information; and
at least one communications gateway permitting a player to access one or more data files corresponding to said player at said financial transaction host using said player'"'"'s player identification.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
One or more methods and apparatus for facilitating financial and player tracking/reward transactions. In one embodiment, a system includes at least one server and a plurality of gaming machines and/or a game generator for transmitting game information to a remote game play location. The server has a memory containing data files corresponding to players. The data files contain information such as credits or monies in an account which belong to the player or which may be used by the player to play games. The data files also contain player tracking information, such as points awarded to a player based upon their game play. In one embodiment, players are issued media in the form of player cards having identification information thereon. The identification information is used to access the player'"'"'s account or files, such as at a gaming machine. A player and a casino may manage the player'"'"'s accounts, such as by placing criteria upon the account, including the use of associated credits. A player may play a game using credits associated with their account. A player may also manage their accounts, including viewing financial and game play or reward information and transfer funds into and out of an account.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A financial and reward system for a casino comprising:
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a plurality of gaming terminals, each gaming terminal including a player identification input device;
a financial transaction host, said financial transaction host in communication with each of said plurality of gaming terminals via a communication network, said financial transaction host including memory for storing data files corresponding to players and identifiable with said player identification, said data files including information regarding finances available for use by said player in playing one or more of said plurality of gaming terminals;
a player reward host, said player reward host in communication with each of said plurality of gaming terminals and said financial transaction host, said player reward host including a memory for storing data files corresponding to players and identifiable with said player identification, said data files including player reward information; and
at least one communications gateway permitting a player to access one or more data files corresponding to said player at said financial transaction host using said player'"'"'s player identification. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of facilitating financial and reward transactions in a gaming system including a plurality of gaming devices associated with a server comprising the steps of:
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generating a first financial account corresponding to a player, said account represented by at least one data file, said at least one data file containing information regarding available finances for playing one or more of said gaming devices and said at least one data file containing game play information regarding one or more gaming devices played by said player;
issuing to said player a player card having identification information thereon;
reading said identification information at a gaming device elected to be played by a player;
accessing said at least one data file containing information regarding available finances and said at last one data file containing game play information with said identification information;
modifying said available finance data at said at least one data file based upon amounts bet and amounts won by said player while playing said gaming device; and
storing game play information at said at least one data file containing game play information. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of facilitating financial and reward transactions from a remote station to a gaming system including a server and at least one gaming machine coupled to the server, the server including at least one data file containing player information comprising the steps of:
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accepting input from a player transmitted from said remote station to said server, said input including identification information;
obtaining player information from said at least one data file associated with said identification information;
transmitting player information from said server to said remote station; and
modifying credit information stored at said at least one data file based upon input by said player. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 21)
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20. A financial accounting system for a casino comprising:
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a plurality of gaming devices, each gaming device including a player identification input device; and
a financial transaction server, said financial transaction server in communication with each of said plurality of gaming devices via a communication network, said financial transaction server including memory for storing at least one data files correspond to a player and identifiable with said player identification, said at least one data files including information regarding a first account, said first account having one or more credits associated therewith representing one or more deposits by a player, said first account comprising a debit account from which credits may be deducted for use in playing one or more of said gaming devices, and a second account, said second having one or more credits associated therewith comprising winnings received by said player while playing one or more of said gaming machines.
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22. A gaming system for a casino comprising:
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a game server adapted to generate game play information;
a financial transaction host, said financial transaction host in communication with said game server, said financial transaction host including memory for storing data files corresponding to players and identifiable with said player identification, said data files including information regarding finances available for use by said player in playing a game using information generated by said game server; and
at least one communications gateway, said financial transaction host and game server in communication with said gateway, said gateway permitting game information generated by said game server to be transmitted to a remote location for presenting a game to a player and for receiving said player'"'"'s player identification for use by said financial transaction host in verifying financial entitlement of said player to play said game. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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Specification