Gaming device having a cash out menu screen and a system and method for enabling a player to retrieve money from a gaming device

• US 20020045476A1
• Filed: 03/27/2001
• Published: 04/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Hollibaugh, Larry R., Poole, Richard W.
• Granted Patent: US 6,579,179 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• 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

The present invention is an operator configurable cash out menu that is displayed when a player presses the cash out button of a gaming device. The present invention provides for more flexible cash outs than in known gaming systems, wherein the player can select one or more methods of payment. The player can select an amount of coins to issue from a coin payout tray. The player can also select an amount of money to issue on a ticket that the gaming device prints and provides to the player, whereby the player can redeem the ticket for cash. The present invention also enables the player to select different amounts of money to cash out. The player can choose: (i) to have some or all of the amount issue as coins from the coin payout tray; (ii) to have some or all of the amount issue as cash printed on a ticket; or (iii) to have some issue as coins and some issue as cash printed on a ticket.

Claims

1. A gaming device comprising:

a controller;

a display device connected to said controller;

a cash out menu selectively displayed by said display device; and

means for providing a player an amount of said player'"'"'s money requested by said player using said cash out menu.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes means for enabling said player to request the display device to display the cash out menu.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein said means for providing an amount of said player'"'"'s money includes means for providing an amount of coins or tokens requested by said player.

4. The gaming device of claim 3, wherein the cash out menu includes means for enabling said player to request a maximum amount of coins or tokens.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein said means for providing an amount of said player'"'"'s money includes means for providing an operator definable amount of coins or tokens.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein said means for providing an amount of said player'"'"'s money includes means for providing a player an amount recording device representing a selectable amount of said player'"'"'s money.

7. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein said amount recording device includes a ticket, a credit card, a debit card, a smart card, a note or a handpay indication.

8. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the cash out menu includes means for enabling said player to request an amount recording device representing all of said player'"'"'s money.

9. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein said means for providing an amount of said player'"'"'s money includes means for providing a player selectable amount of coins or tokens and an amount recording device having player selectable amount of the player'"'"'s money.

10. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein said means for providing an amount of said player'"'"'s money includes means for displaying an addition of a player selectable amount of coins or tokens and a player selectable ticket amount.

11. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein said means for providing an amount of said player'"'"'s money includes means for canceling said player'"'"'s request.

12. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein said means for providing an amount of said player'"'"'s money includes means for returning to the gaming device play.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said means for inputting a decision to retrieve said player'"'"'s money includes a selector chosen from the group consisting of an electromechanical selector and an area on a touch screen associated with said controller.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein said menu includes a coin payment option and an amount recording device payment option.

16. The system of claim 13, which includes means for issuing a player selectable amount of coins or tokens.

17. The system of claim 13, which includes means for issuing an operator selectable amount of coins or tokens.

18. The system of claim 13, which includes means for issuing an amount recording device, said amount recording device representing a player selectable amount of money.

19. The system of claim 18, which includes means for said player to redeem said amount recording device for said amount of money represented by said amount recording device.

20. The system of claim 13, which includes a local area or wide area network connection to said controller and means for accessing at least one service provider.

21. The system of claim 20, which includes means for accessing a restaurant, laundry facility or cosmetic operations via said local area network connection.

22. The system of claim 20, which includes means for accessing a restaurant, laundry facility, cosmetic operation, hotel or airline via said wide area network connection.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein requesting an amount of money includes requesting an amount of coins or tokens using the menu.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein requesting an amount of money includes requesting an amount recording device representing an amount of money using the menu.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein requesting an amount of money includes requesting an amount of coins or tokens and an amount recording device representing an amount of money using said menu.

27. The method of claim 26, which includes the step of displaying on said menu an amount equal to the sum of said amount of coins or tokens and said amount represented by said amount recording device.

28. The method of claim 23, which includes the step of enabling said player to request an operator defined amount of coins or tokens using said menu.

29. The method of claim 23, which includes the step of enabling said player to request a maximum allowable amount of coins or tokens using said menu.

30. The method of claim 23, which includes the step of enabling said player to request an amount recording device representing all of said player'"'"'s money using said menu.

31. The method of claim 23, which includes the step of enabling said player to cancel said retrieval of said player'"'"'s money before providing said money to said player.

32. The method of claim 23, which is stored on a storage device.

13. A system for enabling a player to retrieve the player'"'"'s money from a gaming device, said system comprising:

a controller;

means connected to said controller for inputting a decision to retrieve said player'"'"'s money;

a display device connected to said controller;

a menu displayed by said display device adapted to enable a player to request an amount of the player'"'"'s money and the form of payment; and

means for providing a requested amount of said player'"'"'s money in the form requested by the player.

23. A method for enabling a player to retrieve the player'"'"'s money from a gaming device, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) enabling said player to request a menu;

(b) displaying said menu to said player;

(c) enabling said player to request an amount of the player'"'"'s money using said menu; and

(d) providing said requested money to said player.

33. A gaming device comprising:

a controller;

a display device connected to said controller;

a cash out menu selectively displayed on said display device; and

means on said cash out menu, for accepting a request to issue an amount of said player'"'"'s money.

34. The gaming device of claim 33, which includes means for accepting a request to display the cash out menu.

35. The gaming device of claim 33, wherein said means for accepting a request includes means for accepting a request for an amount of coins or tokens.

36. The gaming device of claim 35, wherein said cash out menu includes means for accepting a request for a maximum amount of coins or tokens.

37. The gaming device of claim 33, wherein said cash out menu includes means for accepting a request for an operator definable amount of coins or tokens.

38. The gaming device of claim 33, wherein said means for accepting a request includes means for accepting a request for an amount of money on an amount recording device.

39. The gaming device of claim 38, wherein said amount recording device includes a ticket, a credit card, a debit card, a smart card, a note or a handpay indication.

40. The gaming device of claim 33, wherein the cash out menu includes means for accepting a request for all of said player'"'"'s money on said amount recording device.

41. The gaming device of claim 33, wherein said cash out menu includes means for accepting a request for an operator definable amount of money on an amount recording device.

42. The gaming device of claim 33, wherein said cash out menu includes means for displaying a requested amount of coins or tokens.

43. The gaming device of claim 33, wherein said cash out menu includes means for displaying a requested amount of money to an amount recording device.

44. The gaming device of claim 33, wherein said cash out menu includes means for displaying an addition of a requested amount of coins or tokens and a requested amount of money to an amount recording device.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein said system includes means for redemption of said player'"'"'s money at a different location than each said gaming machine.

48. The system of claim 47, which includes a local area or wide area network connection to said central controller and means for accessing at least one service provider.

49. The system of claim 48, which includes means for accessing a restaurant system, laundry system or cosmetic system via said local area network connection.

50. The system of claim 48, which includes means for accessing a restaurant system, laundry system, cosmetic system, hotel system or airline system via said wide area network connection.

45. A system for enabling a player to retrieve a player'"'"'s money from a gaming device, said system comprising:

at least one gaming device;

each said gaming devices having a controller associated with said gaming device;

means associated with each gaming device connected to said controller for inputting a decision to retrieve said player'"'"'s money;

a display device connected to said controller;

a display device connected to said controller;

a menu displayed by said display device adapted to enable a player to request an amount of the player'"'"'s money and the form of payment; and

means associated with each gaming device for providing a requested amount of said player'"'"'s money in the form requested by the player.

47. A system for enabling a player to retrieve a player'"'"'s money from a gaming device, said system comprising:

a central controller;

a plurality of gaming devices, said gaming devices each including a display device which communicates with said central controller;

said central controller adapted to receive a player'"'"'s request for an amount of player'"'"'s money and the form of payment; and

means in said gaming device adapted to receive commands from said central controller for providing said requested amount of said player'"'"'s money in the form requested by the player.