Method and apparatus for gaming with alternate value payouts

• US 20020177479A1
• Filed: 05/24/2002
• Published: 11/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Friesen, Scott T., Tulley, Stephen C., Gelman, Geoffrey M., Alderucci, Dean P., Walker, Jay S.
• Application Number:
  US10/156,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20020177479A1
• 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 17/3216 Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3218 wherein at least part of the system is portable
• 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 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for permitting a player to play a game at a gaming device. The gaming device provides a payout for the game. The payout is redeemable for one of a plurality of values, and at least two of the plurality of values are different from each other. The values typically have different corresponding forms of payout, such as cash or merchandise credits.

Claims

1. A method for running a slot machine game with alternate-value payouts, comprising:

permitting a player to play a game at a slot machine;

printing a ticket; and

providing the player with the ticket as a payout for the game, in which the ticket includes indicia that indicates

a first value in the form of cash,

a second value in the form of a coupon for a merchant, and

a bar code,

in which the first value is different than the second value.

2. A method for running a slot machine game with alternate-value payouts, comprising:

permitting a player to play a game at a gaming device; and

providing a payout for the game, the payout including a printed ticket;

in which the payout is redeemable for only one of a plurality of values,

in which each of the plurality of values corresponds to a form of payout,

in which a first form of payment is cash;

in which a second form of payment is a coupon for a merchant;

in which at least two of the plurality of values are different from each other.

3. A method comprising:

permitting a player to play a game at a gaming device; and

providing a payout for the game,

in which the payout is redeemable for one of a plurality of values,

in which at least two of the plurality of values are different from each other.

4. The method of claim 3, in which providing a payout comprises:

printing indicia onto a substrate.

5. The method of claim 4, in which printing indicia onto a substrate comprises:

printing a plurality of indications of the values.

6. The method of claim 4, in which printing indicia onto a substrate comprises:

printing a bar code.

7. The method of claim 6, in which printing the bar code comprises:

associating an identifier with a plurality of values; and

printing a barcode that represents the identifier.

8. The method of claim 3, in which providing the payout comprises at least one of:

transmitting data that represents the payout.

9. The method of claim 3, in which providing the payout comprises at least one of:

transmitting data that represents the plurality of values.

10. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving a code before providing the payout.

11. The method of claim 3, in which each of the plurality of values corresponds to a form of payout, and

in which at least two forms of payout are different from each other.

12. The method of claim 11, in which a first value corresponds to a first form of payout,

in which the second value corresponds to a second form of payout, and

in which the ratio of the second value to the first value is constant regardless of the value of the first value.

13. The method of claim 11, in which a first form of payout is payment in cash.

14. The method of claim 3, in which a first form of payment comprises at least one of:

a coupon for a merchant;

a merchandise credit;

a credit card with a credit balance;

a credit to play the game again;

frequent flyer miles; and

a credit to a bill.

15. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a first form of payout; and

in which the payout is redeemable in the first form of payment.

16. The method of claim 3, in which the payout comprises:

a right a purchase a product for a predetermined price.

17. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

outputting a request to select from a plurality of values; and

receiving an indication of one of the plurality of values.

18. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

outputting a request to select from a plurality of forms of payout; and

receiving an indication of one of a plurality of forms of payout.

19. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

storing an indication of accumulated payouts.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

transmitting data that indicates the accumulated payouts.

21. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

outputting an offer to reduce the payout in exchange for purchasing a product.

22. The method of claim 21, in which the reduced payout comprises the payout rounded to a predetermined multiple.

23. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

outputting an offer to increase the payout in exchange for the player agreeing to perform a specified action.

24. The method of claim 23, in which the increased payout comprises the payout rounded to a predetermined multiple.

25. The method of claim 23, in which the action comprises:

returning to subsequently play the game.

26. The method of claim 23, in which the action comprises:

receiving the increased payout over time.

27. A method comprising:

permitting a player to play a game at a gaming device;

receiving an indication of one of a plurality of values,

in which at least two of the values are different from each other; and

providing a payout for the game,

in which the payout is redeemable for the indicated value.

28. A method comprising:

reading from a ticket an indication of a plurality of values;

selecting a predetermined value of the plurality of values; and

crediting a purchase with an amount that is based on the selected predetermined value.

29. A method comprising:

receiving an indication of a first form of payout;

receiving an indication of a first value corresponding to the first form of payment;

storing the first form of payout among a first plurality of forms of payment;

storing the first value among a first plurality of values;

selecting a second plurality of values from the first plurality of values,

in which at least two of the second plurality of values are different from each other;

permitting a player to play a game at a gaming device; and

providing a payout for the game,

in which the payout is redeemable for one of the second plurality of values.