Method for cashless gaming

• US 20030186747A1
• Filed: 04/25/2003
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Binh T. Nguyen, Craig A. Paulsen
• Original Assignee: Binh T. Nguyen, Craig A. Paulsen
• Inventors: Nguyen, Binh T., Paulsen, Craig A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,739,975 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• 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 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements

Abstract

A gaming system method uses typically a wireless communication device, and includes the following steps: Call data is provided identifying a gaming system player. This would normally be a typical identifying number plus a PIN number. A call is initiated from the wireless communication device (such as a cell phone) through a telephone call network to a financial center, requesting a cash transfer. Based on the call data, the transfer is credited to the wireless communication device or to a casino, to the credit of the player. Upon receiving of the predetermined balance of the cash transfer, one may communicate, using the wireless communication device, to transfer a portion or all of the predetermined cash balance from the wireless communication device or casino to the credit of a particular gaming machine, thus enabling the gaming machine for play just as if physical cash has been provided to it.

Claims

1. A gaming system method using a wireless communication device, including the steps of:

providing call data identifying a gaming system player;

initiating a call from the wireless communication device through a telephone cell network to a financial center;

requesting a cash transfer, based on said call data, credited to said wireless communication device, and receiving said cash transfer of a predetermined cash balance;

communicating, using said wireless communication device, with a casino to transfer a portion of the predetermined cash balance from the wireless communication device to the credit of a particular gaming machine; and

playing the particular gaming machine using the portion of cash balance so transferred.

2. The method of claim 1 in which said communicating with a casino comprises a direct communication with said particular gaming machine.

3. The method of claim 1 in which, thereafter, a subsequent step of communicating is made, using said wireless communication device, with said casino to obtain transfer of a cash balance from the particular gaming machine back to the wireless communication device.

4. The method of claim 1 in which, thereafter, a subsequent step of communicating is made, using said wireless communication device, with said casino to obtain transfer of a cash balance from the particular gaming machine to another gaming machine.

5. The method of claim 1 in which communications to and from said wireless communication device are encrypted.

6. The method of claim 1 in which authentication of the user is required.

7. The method of claim 1 in which the legality of the transaction is verified.

8. The method of claim 1 in which the step of communicating with the casino is performed by infrared transmission.

18. The method of claim 1 in which at least a portion of said call data is preloaded into said communication device so that the user does not have to provide that call data at the time that the cash transfer is desired.

19. The method of claim 1 in which, thereafter, a subsequent step of communication with the casino is made, using said wireless communication device, to obtain a cash voucher from the particular gaming machine which may be cashed in for cash or credit.

9. A gaming system method using a wireless communication device, including the steps of:

providing call data identifying a gaming system player;

initiating a call from the wireless communication device through a telephone cell network to a financial center;

requesting a cash transfer, based on said call data and using said wireless communication device, credited to a casino on behalf of the gaming system player, to provide a predetermined cash balance;

communicating, using said wireless communication device, with the casino to allocate at least a portion of the predetermined cash balance to a particular gaming machine; and

playing the particular gaming machine using the portion of cash balance so transferred.

10. The method of claim 9 in which, thereafter, a subsequent step of communication with the casino is made, using said wireless communication device, to obtain transfer of a cash balance from the particular gaming machine back to the credit of the player at the casino.

11. The method of claim 9 in which, thereafter, a subsequent step of communication with the casino is made using said wireless communication device, to obtain transfer of a cash balance from the particular gaming machine to another gaming machine.

12. The method of claim 9 in which communications to and from said wireless communication device are encrypted.

13. The method of claim 9 in which authentication of the user is required.

14. The method of claim 9 in which the legality of the transaction is verified.

15. The method of claim 9 in which the step of communicating with the casino is performed by infrared transmission.

16. The method of claim 9 in which at least a portion of said call data is preloaded into said communication device so that the user does not have to provide that call data at the time that the cash transfer is desired.

17. The method of claim 9 in which, thereafter, a subsequent step of communication with the casino is made, using said wireless communication device, to obtain a cash voucher from the particular gaming machine which may be cashed in for cash or credit.

20. A gaming system method using a communication device including the steps of:

providing call data identifying a gaming system player;

initiating a call from the communication device through a telephone network to a financial center;

requesting a cash transfer, based on said call data, credited to a casino on behalf of the gaming system player, or to the communication device, to provide a predetermined cash balance;

communicating, using said communication device, with the casino to allocate at least a portion of the predetermined cash balance to a particular gaming machine; and

playing the particular gaming machine using a portion of cash balance so transferred.

21. The gaming system method of claim 20 in which said communication device is wired to a telephone system.