Cashless gaming system: apparatus and method

• US 20030087692A1
• Filed: 12/02/2002
• Published: 05/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Incorporated (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Original Assignee: Casino Data Systems (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Inventors: Weiss, Steven A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,997,807 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 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3281 wherein game attributes are transferred between players, e.g. points, weapons, avatars

Abstract

An apparatus and method for cashless gaming wherein a player can access credits via a pin activated keypad located on the gaming machine. Real-time accounting allows the player to redeem credits and secure perquisites as a function of patronage.

Claims

1. - An apparatus for conducting cashless gaming by a player comprising, in combination:

a player card,

means for initializing said player card for use in a gaming machine,

player card reading means operatively coupled to said gaming machine,

credit downloading means to allow the player to transfer, display and wager some of the player'"'"'s funds,

real-time accounting means communicating with both said initializing means and said player card reading means to enable said gaming machine to immediately update player status as a function of player wagering activity.

2. - The apparatus of claim 1 further including means for rewarding complimentary based on player profiles.

3. - The apparatus of claim 2 further including means for rewarding bonus points based on player profiles.

4. - The apparatus of claim 3 further including redemption means for accessing available point and complimentary balances and for receiving vouchers for cash and complimentary items.

5. - The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said redemption means includes a processing means operatively coupled to an on-line accounting and gaming machine information system.

6. - The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said redemption means further includes a card reader and keypad operatively coupled to said processing means for player identification.

7. - The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said redemption means further includes a touch screen display for player interaction wherein the player selects a desired service by touching an area on the screen descriptive of service desired by the player.

8. - The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said redemption means further includes printing means for printing vouchers and dispensing the voucher to the player via a script slot.

9. - A method of playing gaming machines operatively coupled to an on-line cashless wagering system, including the steps of:

establishing an electronic account in a database associated with the system;

associating a player selected identification number to a player card for accessing the player'"'"'s electronic account stored in the database;

coupling a card reader assembly to at least one gaming machine and the system, the assembly including a card reader, a keypad and a display;

accessing the player'"'"'s account by coupling the player card to the card reader and entering the associated player identification number via the keypad;

downloading by the player up to all of the funds in the account to at least the one machine;

enabling game play of the machine by wagering an amount of the downloaded funds; and

updating the player account in real-time to immediately update player status as a function of player wagering activity.

10. - The method of claim 9 wherein establishing the electronic account includes the step of completing a debit/credit application.

11. - The method of claim 10 wherein establishing the electronic account further includes the step of entering the player selected identification number into the system by the player manipulating a numbered input means operatively coupled to the system.

12. - The method of claim 11 wherein establishing the electronic account further includes the step of depositing funds into the account.

13. - The method of claim 12 wherein downloading the player selected amount of funds includes the step of selecting a transfer of funds option from a menu of options displayed on the card reader display.

14. - The method of claim 13 wherein downloading the player selected amount of funds further includes the step of inputting the player selected amount of funds to the system by manipulating the keypad.

15. - The method of claim 14 further including the step of displaying credits correlative to the downloaded funds onto a gaming machine credit meter display.

16. - The method of claim 15 further including the step of depositing a player selected amount of credits displayed on the credit meter to the player'"'"'s account.

17. - The method of claim 16 wherein depositing credits includes the step of selecting a deposit funds option from the menu of options displayed on the card reader display.

18. - The method of claim 17 wherein depositing credits further includes the step of inputting the player selected amount of credits to the system via the keypad.

19. - A method of conducting cashless gaming on a gaming machine by a player, including the steps of:

providing a player card to at least one player,

initializing the player card with initializing means for use in a gaming machine,

providing a card reader means operatively coupled to the gaming machine for inserting the player card,

providing an input means operatively coupled to the gaming machine for entering a player related personal identification number,

providing means for downloading a player selected amount of the player'"'"'s funds to the gaming machine,

providing a meter for displaying the selected amount as credits, and

linking together both the initializing means and the card reading means with a real-time accounting means to enable said gaming machine to immediately update player status as a function of player wagering activity.

20. - The method of claim 19 wherein the player card is a player memory card.

21. - The method of claim 20 further including the step of reading the present status of a game either at the beginning of a game, while in progress, or at the end of the game from the player memory card.

22. - The method of claim 21 further including the step playing the game based on the present status of the game as reflected on the player memory card, and writing an update of the new status of the game on the player memory card at the end of a session when the player present elects to stop playing.

23. - An apparatus for conducting cashless gaming by a player, comprising in combination:

a display means,

a controller having means to drive said display means and to generate a random an outcome to control gaming results of said processor and its driving of said display means,

a plurality of inputs enabled by a player allowing the player to initiate and sustain play of said gaming apparatus, and a player memory card including memory storage means on said card removably accessible to said processor to upload and download information between said processor and said player memory card reflective of status of an ongoing game.