Gaming device having an electronic funds transfer system

• US 20040043813A1
• Filed: 08/28/2002
• Published: 03/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Chamberlain, John W., Hollibaugh, Larry R., Saffari, Ali Mohamad
• Granted Patent: US 7,749,079 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 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 5/00 Receipt-giving machines cash registers giving receipts G07G1/00

Abstract

An apparatus, system and method for electronically transferring funds at a gaming device. The apparatus includes a gaming device having a ticketing system that includes a ticket reader and a ticket printer. The processor of the gaming device communicates with each of these devices as well as a ticket validation system, which is preferably located within the casino or gaming establishment outside of the gaming device. The gaming device also includes an electronic funds transfer control unit that communicates with a card reader, keypad and display for prompting the player to enter fund transfer card information. The control unit sends out fund requests over a wide area network to a remote fund repository. If the repository approves of a fund request, the approval travels back to the ticket validation system, which instructs the gaming device to issue a ticket to the player having the requested amount and a receipt for the electronic funds transfer.

Claims

1. A gaming device for requesting and receiving electronically transferred funds, said gaming device comprising:

a processor which communicates with a ticket validation network, wherein the ticket validation network communicates over a second network with a remote fund repository;

a control unit which communicates with the remote fund repository to enable an electronic funds transfer request to be sent to the remote fund repository; and

a ticket printer which communicates with the processor, prints an approved fund transfer on a ticket and issues said ticket to a user.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes a ticket reader which communicates with the processor and accepts a ticket to determine a cash value of said ticket.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the ticket printer is a thermal printer.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the ticket printer prints and issues a receipt for the approved fund transfer to said user.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes a second printer which communicates with the processor and prints and issues a receipt for the approved fund transfer to said user.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes a multi-button keypad which communicates with the control unit and enables the user to input a desired electronic funds transfer amount.

7. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes a funds transfer display which communicates with the control unit and requests information from the player for the electronic funds transfer.

8. The gaming device of claim 7, wherein the display is a vacuum fluorescent display.

9. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes a card reader which communicates with the control unit and reads information from an electronic funds transfer device.

10. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the ticket includes a receipt for the approved fund transfer.

11. A system for electronically transferring funds, said system comprising:

a first plurality of gaming devices each having a ticket printer and an electronic funds transfer control unit;

a first ticket validation network which electronically connects the ticket printers and communicates with a remote fund repository; and

a first fund transfer network which electronically connects the remote fund repository to the fund transfer control units in said gaming devices.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first ticket validation network includes fiber-optic connections.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the first ticket validation network communicates with a server computer that communicates with the first fund transfer network.

14. The system of claim 13, which includes an operator interface device which communicates with the server computer of the first validation network and manipulates ticket data.

15. The system of claim 13, which includes an operator controlled ticket reader which communicates with the server computer of the first validation network and enables the operator to redeem tickets.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the first fund transfer network includes a server computer which relays an electronic fund request to the remote fund repository.

17. The system of claim 16, which includes an operator interface device which communicates with the server computer of the first fund transfer network and manipulates fund request result data.

18. The system of claim 11, which includes a plurality of remote fund repositories which communicate with the first fund transfer network.

19. The system of claim 11, which includes a second fund transfer network which electronically connects the fund transfer control units of a second plurality of gaming devices, wherein the second fund transfer network communicates with the first fund transfer network.

20. The system of claim 19, which includes a second ticket validation network that links ticket printers of the second plurality of gaming devices to the second fund transfer network.

21. A method for electronically transferring funds to a gaming device, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) electronically receiving a fund transfer request from a user at the gaming device;

(b) sending the request to a remote fund repository which is enabled to generate a fund request approval and a fund request rejection;

(c) receiving a response from the remote fund repository;

(d) printing a ticket bearing an approved amount of funds if the response is an approval; and

(e) informing the user of a rejection if the response is a fund request rejection.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein receiving an approval includes receiving an approval from a ticket validation network that communicates with the remote fund repository.

23. The method of claim 21, which includes the step of determining whether or not to print the ticket after receiving the approval.

24. The method of claim 21, which includes the step of issuing the ticket after receiving the approval.

25. The method of claim 24, which includes the step of issuing a receipt for the fund transfer.

26. The method of claim 24, which includes the step of redeeming the issued ticket for the requested amount.

27. The method of claim 24, which includes the step of redeeming the issued ticket for a number of game credits.

28. The method of claim 24, which includes the step of providing account information upon issuing the ticket.

29. The method of claim 21, which includes the step of providing account information to the user after receiving the rejection.

30. The method of claim 21, which includes the step of receiving a second fund transfer request from the user at the gaming device after the rejection.

31. The method of claim 21, wherein the fund transfer request includes at least one of:

a personal identification number, an account number and a requested amount.

32. The method of claim 21, wherein the fund transfer request includes an election for a fund transfer from a credit account or a debit account.

33. The method of claim 21, wherein sending the request to the remote fund repository includes sending the request over the Internet.

34. The method of claim 21, wherein sending the request to the remote fund repository includes sending the request over a data network.

35. A gaming device adapted to request and receive electronically transferred funds, the gaming device having:

a first processor adapted to;

(a) electronically receive a fund transfer request from a user, the request including an account number and a requested amount of money, and

(b) send the request to a remote fund repository that is enabled to generate a fund request approval and a fund request rejection;

a ticket printer; and

a second processor adapted to cause the ticket printer to print a ticket bearing the requested amount upon receipt of the fund request approval.

36. The gaming device of claim 35, wherein the second processor is adapted to determine whether or not to accept the approval.

37. The gaming device of claim 35, which includes a ticket printer instructed by the second processor to issue a receipt for the fund transfer.

38. The gaming device of claim 35, wherein the second processor is adapted to redeem an issued ticket for a number of game credits.

39. The gaming device of claim 35, which includes account information from the remote fund repository provided by the first processor.

40. The gaming device of claim 35, wherein the first processor is adapted to receive a second fund transfer request upon the fund request rejection.

41. The gaming device of claim 35, wherein the fund transfer request includes a personal identification number.

42. The gaming device of claim 35, wherein the fund transfer request includes an election for a fund transfer from a credit account or a debit account.

43. The gaming device of claim 35, wherein the first processor is adapted to send the request over the Internet to the remote fund repository.

44. The gaming device of claim 35, wherein the first processor is adapted to send the request over a data network to the remote fund repository.

45. A gaming device for requesting and receiving electronically transferred funds, said gaming device comprising:

a processor which communicates with a first network for ticket validation, and over a second network with a remote fund repository;

a control unit which communicates with the remote fund repository to enable an electronic funds transfer request to be sent to the remote fund repository; and

a ticket printer which communicates with the processor, prints an approved fund transfer on a ticket and issues said ticket to a user.

46. The gaming device of claim 45, which includes a ticket reader which communicates with the processor and accepts a ticket to determine a cash value of said ticket.

47. The gaming device of claim 45, wherein the ticket printer is a thermal printer.

48. The gaming device of claim 45, wherein the ticket printer prints and issues a receipt for the approved fund transfer to the user.

49. The gaming device of claim 45, which includes a second printer which communicates with the processor and prints and issues a receipt for the approved fund transfer to the user.

50. The gaming device of claim 45, which includes a multi-button keypad which communicates with the control unit and enables the user to input a desired electronic funds transfer amount.

51. The gaming device of claim 45, which includes a funds transfer display which communicates with the control unit and requests information from the player for the electronic funds transfer.

52. The gaming device of claim 51, wherein the display is a vacuum fluorescent display.

53. The gaming device of claim 45, which includes a card reader which communicates with the control unit and reads information from an electronic funds transfer device.

54. The gaming device of claim 45, wherein the ticket includes a receipt for the approved fund transfer.