Method and device for implementing a coinless gaming environment

• US 20030092486A1
• Filed: 12/19/2002
• Published: 05/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Anchor Gaming (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Cannon, Lee E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,746,330 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

Abstract

A gaming system for implementing coinless gaming environment having a central processing system interconnected to a plurality of gaming machines and a plurality of change machines. The central processing system includes a processor and a memory having a plurality of memory locations for storing data. Each memory location is identified by a unique address in memory. In communication with the central processing system are a plurality of gaming machines having an input for accepting encoded media and an input for accepting standard paper currency. The gaming machines also contain an output including a bar code printer for encoding and distributing gaming coupons to a player. The central processing is also in communication with one or more change machines having an input for accepting gaming coupons, an input for accepting paper currency and an output for generating and dispensing encoded gaming coupons and an output for dispensing value either in the form of paper currency and/or coins. By interspersing gaming machines and change machines in a gaming establishment, the gaming establishment can eliminate the use of coins or tokens.

Claims

1. A gaming system for implementing a coinless gaming environment, said system comprising:

a central processing system including a memory having a plurality of memory locations identified by a unique address;

a permanent coded media having encoded thereon only a unique identifier, said identifier corresponding to said unique address in said central processing system memory; and

a plurality of gaming machines having an input for accepting said permanent coded media and an output for distributing said coded media;

wherein said gaming machine input accepts said coded media, reads said unique identifier, and transmits said identifier to said central processing system;

wherein said central processing system accepts said transmitted code and accesses data in said central processing memory; and

wherein upon completion of a play said central processor stores in said memory data associated with said play and said gaming machines dispenses a coded media having said unique identifier associated with said memory location encoded thereon.

2. The gaming system as recited in claim 1, wherein said encoded media is a gaming coupon.

3. The gaming system as recited in claim 2, wherein said encoding is a bar code.

4. The gaming system as recited in claim 1, wherein said plurality of gaming machines further include an input for accepting currency and transferring a signal representing a value represented by said currency to said central processing system.

5. The gaming system as recited in claim 1, wherein said data stored in said central processing system memory includes an amount of credit.

6. The gaming system as recited in claim 5, wherein said data further comprises player demographic data.

7. The gaming system as recited in claim 1, wherein said encoded media is a magnetic stripe card.

8. The gaming system as recited in claim 1, wherein said encoded media is a smart card.

9. The gaming system as recited in claim 1, wherein said gaming machines further include a gaming credit display, said gaming credit display displaying an amount of credit associated with said unique identifier on said encoded media.

10. The gaming system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of change machines, said change machines having an input for accepting currency and said encoded media;

and

an output for distributing said encoded media and for distributing currency;

wherein said change machine input accepts currency, transmits a signal representing value represented by said currency and returns encoded media having encoded thereon said unique identifier; and

wherein said change machine input accepts said encoded media, reads said unique identifier and transmits a signal representing said unique identifier to said central processing system.

11. The gaming system as recited in claim 10, wherein said encoded media is a gaming coupon and said encoding is a bar code.

12. The gaming system as recited in claim 11, wherein said plurality of change machines are remote from said plurality of gaming machines.

13. The gaming system as recited in claim 11, wherein said plurality of change machines are incorporated into said plurality of gaming machines.

14. A gaming system for implementing a coinless gaming environment, said gaming system comprising:

a central processing system having a processor and a memory having a plurality of memory locations identified by a unique address;

a gaming coupon having encoded thereon only a unique identifier, said identifier corresponding to said unique address in said central processing system memory; and

a plurality of gaming machines having an input for accepting said gaming coupons and for accepting currency and an output for distributing said gaming coupons;

wherein said gaming machine input accepts said gaming coupons, reads said unique identifier, and transmits said identifier to said central processing system;

wherein said gaming machine input accepts said currency, and transmits value represented by said currency to said central processing system;

wherein said central processing system accepts said transmitted unique identifier and accesses data in said central processing memory; and

wherein upon completion of a play said central processor stores in said memory data associated with said play and said gaming machines dispenses a gaming coupon having said unique identifier associated with said memory location encoded thereon.

15. The gaming system as recited in claim 14, wherein said data stored in said central processing system memory includes an amount of credit.

16. The gaming system as recited in claim 15, wherein said data further comprises player demographic data.

17. The gaming system as recited in claim 14 further comprising a plurality of change machines, said change machines having an input for accepting currency and said gaming coupons;

and

an output for distributing said gaming coupons and for distributing currency;

wherein said change machine input accepts currency, transmits a signal representing value represented by said currency and returns said gaming coupons having encoded thereon said unique identifier; and

wherein said change machine input accepts said gaming coupons, reads said unique identifier and transmits a signal representing said unique identifier to said central processing system.

18. The gaming system as recited in claim 17, wherein encoding is a bar code.

19. The gaming system as recited in claim 18, wherein said plurality of change machines are remote from said plurality of gaming machines.

20. The gaming system as recited in claim 19, wherein said plurality of change machines are incorporated into said plurality of gaming machines.

21. A gaming system for implementing a coinless gaming environment, said gaming system comprising:

a central processing system, said central processing system including a memory having a plurality of memory locations identified by a unique address for storing value;

a plurality of gaming machines; and

a plurality of change machines, said change machines having an input for accepting currency and for accepting gaming coupons, and an output for distributing said gaming coupons and for distributing currency;

wherein said change machine input accepts currency, transmits a signal representing value represented by said currency and returns said gaming coupons having encoded thereon said unique identifier; and

wherein said change machine input accepts said gaming coupons, reads said unique identifier and transmits a signal representing said unique identifier to said central processing system.

22. The gaming system as recited in claim 21, wherein said encoding is a bar code.

23. The gaming system as recited in claim 22, wherein said plurality of change machines are remote from said plurality of gaming machines.

24. The gaming system as recited in claim 22, wherein said plurality of change machines are incorporated into said plurality of said gaming machines.

25. The gaming system as recited in claim 22, wherein at least one of said change machines is incorporated into at least one of said plurality of said gaming machines.

26. A gaming system for implementing a coinless gaming environment, said gaming system comprising:

a central processing system, said central processing system including a memory having a plurality of memory locations identified by a unique identifier for storing value;

a plurality of gaming machines; and

a plurality of change machines, said change machines having a first input for accepting currency, a second input for accepting said gaming coupons, an first output for distributing said gaming coupons and an second output for distributing currency;

wherein said change machine input accepts currency, transmits a signal representing value represented by said currency and returns said gaming coupons having encoded thereon said unique identifier; and

wherein said change machine input accepts said gaming coupons, reads said unique identifier and transmits a signal representing said unique identifier to said central processing system.

27. The gaining system as recited in claim 26, wherein said encoding is a bar code.

28. The gaming system as recited in claim 27, wherein said plurality of change machines are remote from said plurality of gaming machines.

29. The gaming system as recited in claim 27, wherein said plurality of change machines are incorporated into said plurality of said gaming machines.

30. The gaming system as recited in claim 27, wherein at least one of said change machines is incorporated into at least one of said plurality of said gaming machines.

31. A gaming system for implementing a coinless gaming environment, said gaming system comprising:

a central processing system having a processor and a memory having a plurality of memory locations identified by a unique address;

a gaming coupon having encoded thereon only a unique identifier, said identifier corresponding to said unique address in said central processing system memory; and

a plurality of gaming machines having an input for accepting said gaming coupons and for accepting currency and an output for distributing said gaming coupons;

a plurality of change machines, said change machines having an input for accepting currency and for accepting gaming coupons, and an output for distributing said gaming coupons and for distributing currency;

wherein said change machine input accepts currency, transmits a signal representing value represented by said currency and returns said gaming coupons having encoded thereon said unique identifier;

wherein said change machine input accepts said gaming coupons, reads said unique identifier and transmits a signal representing said unique identifier to said central processing system;

wherein said gaming machine input accepts said gaming coupons, reads said unique identifier, and transmits said identifier to said central processing system;

wherein said gaming machine input accepts said currency, and transmits value represented by said currency to said central processing system;

wherein said central processing system accepts said transmitted unique identifier and accesses data in said central processing memory; and

wherein upon completion of a play said central processor stores in said memory data associated with said play and said gaming machines dispenses a gaming coupon having said unique identifier associated with said memory location encoded thereon.

32. The gaming system as recited in claim 31, wherein said encoding is a bar code.

33. The gaming system as recited in claim 32, wherein said gaming machine output includes a bar code printer.

34. The gaming system as recited in claim 33, wherein said plurality of change machines are remote from said plurality of gaming machines.

35. The gaming system as recited in claim 33, wherein said plurality of change machines are incorporated into said plurality of said gaming machines.

36. The gaming system as recited in claim 33, wherein at least one of said change machines is incorporated into at least one of said plurality of said gaming machines.

37. A method for implementing a coinless gaming environment, said method comprising:

establishing a central memory having a plurality of memory locations identified by a unique address;

accepting currency from a player;

transmitting a signal representing value represented by said currency to said memory;

storing said value in said memory and returning a unique address from said memory;

generating a gaming coupon having only said unique address encoded thereon as a unique identifier; and

distributing said gaming coupon to said player.

38. The method for implementing a coinless gaming environment as recited in claim 37, wherein said gaming coupon encoding is printing a bar code on said gaming coupon.

39. A method for implementing a coinless gaming environment, said method comprising:

accepting a gaming coupon having a unique identifier encoded thereon from a player;

reading said unique identifier on said gaming coupon;

accessing credit data stored in a memory location corresponding to said unique memory identifier; and

distributing currency equal to said accessed credit data to said player.

40. The method for implementing a coinless gaming environment as recited in claim 39 further comprising deleting said credit data in said memory location after accessing the data.

41. The method for implementing a coinless gaming environment as recited in claim 39, wherein said reading of said unique identifier includes scanning a bar code.

42. A method for implementing a coinless gaming environment, said method comprising:

accepting a gaming coupon having a unique identifier encoded thereon from a player;

reading said unique identifier on said gaming coupon;

accessing credit data stored in a memory location corresponding to said unique memory identifier; and

providing said player with credit equal to said accessed credit data.

43. The method for implementing a coinless gaming environment as recited in claim 42 further comprising deleting said credit data in said memory location after accessing the data.

44. The method for implementing a coinless gaming environment as recited in claim 42, wherein said reading of said unique identifier includes scanning said bar code.

45. A method for implementing a coinless gaming environment, said method comprising:

establishing a central memory having a plurality of memory locations identified by a unique address;

accepting currency from a player;

storing said value in said memory and returning a unique address from said memory;

generating a gaming coupon having only said unique address encoded thereon as a unique identifier;

distributing said gaming coupon to said player;

accepting said gaming coupon having a unique identifier encoded thereon from said player;

reading said unique identifier on said gaming coupon;

accessing credit data stored in a memory location corresponding to said unique memory identifier; and

providing said player with credit equal to said accessed credit data.

46. The method for implementing a coinless gaming environment as recited in claim 45 further comprising deleting said credit data in said memory location after accessing the data.

47. The method for implementing a coinless gaming environment as recited in claim 46, wherein said gaming coupon encoding is printing a bar code on said gaming coupon.

48. The method for implementing a coinless gaming environment as recited in claim 47, wherein said reading of said unique identifier includes scanning said bar code.

51. The method for implementing a coinless gaming environment as recited in claim 47, wherein said reading of said unique identifier includes scanning said bar code.

49. A method for implementing a coinless gaming environment, said method comprising:

accepting a gaming coupon having a unique identifier encoded thereon from a player;

reading said unique identifier on said gaming coupon;

accessing credit data stored in a memory location corresponding to said unique memory identifier; and

providing said player with credit equal to said accessed credit data;

deleting said credit data in said memory location after accessing the data;

maintaining an accounting of said player'"'"'s credit;

upon completion of play, storing said credit accounting in said memory and returning a unique address from said memory;

generating a gaming coupon having only said unique address encoded thereon as a unique identifier;

distributing said gaming coupon to said player.

50. The method for implementing a coinless gaming environment as recited in claim 49, wherein said gaming coupon encoding is printing a bar code on said gaming coupon.

52. A method for implementing a coinless gaming environment, said method comprising:

accepting a permanently coded media having a unique identifier encoded thereon from a player;

reading said unique identifier on said coded media;

accessing credit data stored in a memory location corresponding to said unique memory identifier; and

providing said player with credit equal to said accessed credit data;

deleting said credit data in said memory location after accessing the data;

maintaining an accounting of said player'"'"'s credit;

upon completion of play, storing said credit accounting in said memory and returning a unique address from said memory;

generating a second coded media having only said unique address encoded thereon as a unique identifier;

distributing said coded media to said player.

53. A method for implementing a coinless gaming environment, said method comprising:

accepting a gaming coupon having a unique identifier encoded thereon from a player;

reading said unique identifier on said gaming coupon;

accessing credit data stored in a memory location corresponding to said unique memory identifier; and

providing said player with credit equal to said accessed credit data;

deleting said credit data in said memory location after accessing the data;

maintaining an accounting of said player'"'"'s credit;

upon completion of play, storing said credit accounting in a different memory location and returning a unique address from said memory;

generating a second said gaming coupon having only said unique address encoded thereon as a unique identifier;

distributing said second said gaming coupon to said player.

54. The method for implementing a coinless gaming environment as recited in claim 53, wherein said gaming coupon encoding is printing a bar code on said gaming coupon.

55. The method for implementing a coinless gaming environment as recited in claim 54, wherein said reading of said unique identifier includes scanning said bar code.

56. A gaming machine for implementation in a coinless gaming environment, said gaming machine comprising:

a processor;

an input for accepting a permanent coded media having encoded thereon only a unique identifier; and

an output for generating said coded media;

wherein said gaming machine input accepts said coded media, reads said unique identifier, and transmits said identifier to a central processing system; and

wherein upon completion of a play said gaming machine dispenses said coded media representing an amount of value accumulated by a player.

57. The gaming machine as recited in claim 56, wherein said coded media is a gaming coupon.

58. The gaming machine as recited in claim 57, wherein said encoding is a bar code.

59. The gaming machine as recited in claim 56, wherein said output includes a bar code printer.

60. The gaming machine as recited in claim 56 further comprising a display, said display for visually indicating an amount of credit retained for a player.

61. The gaming machine as recited in claim 56, wherein said coded media is a smart card.

62. The gaming machine as recited in claim 56, wherein said coded media is a magnetic stripe card.

63. A gaming machine for implementation in a coinless gaming environment, said gaming machine comprising:

a processor;

an input for accepting a permanent coded media having encoded thereon only a unique identifier;

an input for accepting currency; and

an output for generating said coded media;

wherein said gaming machine input accepts said coded media, reads said unique identifier, and transmits said identifier to a central processing system;

wherein said gaming machine input accepts currency and credits a player account with the amount represented by said currency; and

wherein upon completion of a play said gaming machine dispenses said coded media representing an amount of value accumulated by said player in said player account.

64. The gaming machine as recited in claim 63, wherein said coded media is a gaming coupon.

66. The gaming machine as recited in claim 63, wherein said output includes a bar code printer.

67. The gaming machine as recited in claim 63 further comprising a display, said display for visually indicating an amount of credit retained for a player.

68. The gaming machine as recited in claim 63, wherein said coded media is a smart card.

69. The gaming machine as recited in claim 63, wherein said coded media is a magnetic stripe card.

70. The gaming machine as recited in claim 63, wherein said input is a combined bar code reader and currency reader.

65. The gaming machine as recited in claim 65, wherein said encoding is a bar code.

71. A change machine for implementation in a coinless gaming environment, said change machine comprising:

a processor;

an input for accepting a permanent coded media having encoded thereon only a unique identifier;

an input for accepting currency;

an output for generating said coded media; and

an output for distributing currency to a player;

wherein said change machine input accepts said coded media, reads said unique identifier, and transmits said identifier to a central processing system;

wherein upon receipt of said coded media, said change machine dispenses currency equal to an amount of value accumulated by said player in a player account;

wherein said change machine input accepts currency and credits said player account with the amount represented by said currency; and

wherein said change machine dispenses said coded media representing an amount of value accumulated by said player in said player account.

72. The change machine as recited in claim 71, wherein said coded media is a gaming coupon.

73. The change machine as recited in claim 72, wherein said encoding is a bar code.

74. The change machine as recited in claim 71, wherein said output includes a bar code printer.

75. The change machine as recited in claim 71 further comprising a display, said display for visually indicating an amount of credit retained for a player.

76. The change machine as recited in claim 71, wherein said coded media is a smart card.

77. The change machine as recited in claim 71, wherein said coded media is a magnetic stripe card.

78. The change machine as recited in claim 71 wherein said input is combined bar code reader and currency reader.