Gaming machine with electronic tax form filing function

• US 20030083126A1
• Filed: 10/31/2001
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: International Game Technology
• Inventors: Paulsen, Craig A.
• Application Number:
  US10/003,921
• Publication Number:
  US 20030083126A1
• 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 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value

Abstract

A gaming machine including a gaming controller designed or configured to control the outcome of one or more games played on the gaming machine, and an electronic form generation device coupled to the game controller. The form generation device is adapted to generate an electronic form intended for a game user or patron of the gaming machine when the game user receives a payout award which is at least equivalent to a predetermined amount.

Claims

1. A gaming machine comprising:

a gaming controller designed or configured to control the outcome of one or more games played on the gaming machine; and

an electronic form generation device coupled to said game controller, and adapted to generate an electronic form intended for a game user of the gaming machine when the game user receives a payout award which is at least equivalent to a predetermined amount.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein

the electronic form is a tax form.

3. The gaming machine of claim 2, wherein

said tax form is a W2G tax form.

4. The gaming machine of claim 2, wherein

the predetermined amount is equivalent to an amount set by a government entity which requires reporting.

5. The gaming machine of claim 1, further including:

an input device coupled to the form generation device which enables the game user to provide or input personal identification or profile data identifying the game user.

6. The gaming machine of claim 5, wherein

the input device includes a player tracking interface device for a player tracking unit.

7. The gaming machine of claim 6, wherein

the player tracking interface device is one or more of the following:

a card reader, a bonus button, a microphone, a sound projection device, a camera, a wireless interface device, a proximity sensor, a key pad, a touch pad, a bar-code reader, an illumination device, a retina scan reader and a finger print reader.

8. The gaming machine of claim 6, wherein

the player tracking interface device includes a card reader and a player tracking card providing at least a portion of the personal identification or profile data identifying the game user to be inserted in the electronic form.

9. The gaming machine of claim 5, wherein

the input device is a portable wireless device.

10. The gaming machine of claim 9, wherein

the portable wireless device is a personal digital assistant.

11. The gaming machine of claim 1, further including:

a display for displaying the electronic form.

12. The gaming machine of claim 11, further including:

an input device coupled to the form generation device which enables the game user to provide or input personal identification data identifying the game user for insertion into the electronic form.

13. The gaming machine of claim 12, wherein

the input device includes a touch screen mounted over the display, and a logic device generating a key pad interface on the display and receiving input signals from the touch screen corresponding to input buttons on the key pad interface.

14. The gaming machine of claim 13, wherein

the touch screen further includes:

a touch screen sensor;

a touch screen assembly enclosing the touch screen sensor; and

a touch screen controller integrated into said touch screen assembly.

15. The gaming machine of claim 11, wherein

the display is further coupled to the game controller for displaying the outcome of the game.

16. The gaming machine of claim 15, wherein

the display is at least one of a LED display, a LCD display, a plasma display and a CRT.

17. A method of providing one or more game services on a gaming machine comprising:

providing a gaming controller designed or configured to control the outcome of one or more games played on the gaming machine; and

automatically generating an electronic form intended for a game user of the gaming machine when the game user receives a payout award from the game controller which is at least equivalent to a predetermined amount.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

displaying the electronic form on a display.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

displaying the outcome of the game on the display.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein

the electronic form is a tax form.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein

said tax form is a W2G tax form.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

providing an input device coupled to the form generation device which enables the game user to provide or input personal identification or profile data identifying the game user.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein

the input device includes a player tracking interface device for a player tracking unit.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein

the player tracking interface device is one or more of the following:

a card reader, a bonus button, a microphone, a sound projection device, a camera, a wireless interface device, a proximity sensor, a key pad, a touch pad, a bar-code reader, an illumination device, a retina scan reader and a finger print reader.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

automatically inputting at least a portion of the personal identification or profile data identifying the game user through the player tracking interface device.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein

the player tracking interface device is one or more of the following:

a card reader, a bonus button, a microphone, a sound projection device, a camera, a wireless interface device, a proximity sensor, a key pad, a touch pad, a bar-code reader, an illumination device, a retina scan reader and a finger print reader.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

providing the at least a portion of the personal identification or profile data identifying the game user is provided on a player tracking card.

28. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

inputting at least a portion of the personal identification or profile data identifying the game user through a touch screen mounted over the display.

29. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

displaying a key pad interface with a plurality of input buttons to the touch screen on the display.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein

the input buttons are selected from the group consisting of alphabetic symbols, numeric symbols and functional symbols.

31. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

validating an identity of the game user of the player tracking unit.

32. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

displaying a hand-writing interface to the touch screen display.

33. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

providing a receipt.