Methods and devices for gaming account management

• US 20050020354A1
• Filed: 08/25/2004
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Binh T., Paulsen, Craig A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,950,996 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/22 in combination with an identity check of the pass holder
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3206 Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value

Abstract

Methods and devices are provided for managing gaming accounts. Some aspects of the invention provide for the cancellation, revocation or consolidation of cashless gaming instruments. For example, if a player has lost a cashless gaming instrument, the player could request that the cashless gaming instrument be cancelled. The request could be made in response to information (such as an activity log, an account statement, etc.) presented by a central network device. The information could be presented on a screen, printed on paper, etc. In order for such a request to be acted upon, it is preferable that the player, the gaming establishment that issued the cashless gaming instrument and the cashless gaming instrument itself be positively identified. Some implementations of the present invention provide for more flexible redemption in a cashless gaming system. Some such implementations allow a player to “cash out,” preferably in a single transaction, after one or more gaming sessions. The gaming sessions may have been conducted at different gaming machines and/or at different casinos. Some implementations allow a player to cash out without a cashless gaming instrument.

Claims

1. A method for providing gaming account services, the method comprising:

receiving identification information;

determining whether a gaming account is associated with the identification information;

providing gaming account information to a player when a gaming account is associated with the identification information, the gaming account information pertaining to a plurality of cashless gaming instruments; and

enabling gaming account management options relating to the management of at least one previously issued cashless gaming instrument.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming account management options comprise an option of voiding a cashless gaming instrument.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming account management options comprise an option of replacing a cashless gaming instrument.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming account management options comprise an option of consolidating gaming account transactions.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming account management options comprise an option of consolidating a plurality of cashless gaming instruments.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing step comprises providing a gaming account summary.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving step comprises receiving biometric identification information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving step comprises receiving casino identification information.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification information comprises a password and wherein the receiving step comprises receiving the password.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step comprises accessing a lookup table that comprises gaming account information and identification information.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step comprises accessing a database comprising gaming account information and identification information.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming account information provided in the providing step depends on a device from which the identification information was received in the receiving step.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming account information provided in the providing step depends on a person from which the identification information was received in the receiving step.

14. The method of claim 3, wherein the option of replacing a cashless gaming instrument comprises an option of crediting the gaming account for a value of the cashless gaming instrument.

15. The method of claim 3, wherein the option of replacing a cashless gaming instrument comprises an option of printing a replacement cashless gaming instrument.

16. The method of claim 5, wherein a first cashless gaming instrument of the plurality of cashless gaming instruments was issued at a first gaming establishment and a second cashless gaming instrument of the plurality of cashless gaming instruments was issued at a second gaming establishment.

17. The method of claim 6, wherein the gaming account summary comprises information regarding recent gaming account transactions.

18. The method of claim 6, wherein the gaming account summary comprises information regarding gaming account activity during a specified time.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of enabling gaming account management options is performed by a first gaming establishment and wherein at least one cashless gaming instrument of the plurality of cashless gaming instruments was issued by a second gaming establishment.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of enabling gaming account management options comprises a step of redeeming at least one cashless gaming instrument that was issued by the second gaming establishment.

21. A method of controlling gaming accounts, comprising:

receiving identification information from a player;

identifying a cashless gaming instrument based, at least in part, on the identification information; and

revoking the identified cashless gaming instrument, wherein the cashless gaming instrument is accepted as an indicium of credit for wagers on a game of chance and is redeemable for a cash value.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising a step of providing a listing of cashless gaming instruments to the player, wherein the identification information received from the player comprises a selection of a cashless gaming instrument from the listing of cashless gaming instruments.

23. A method of providing gaming account services, the method comprising:

generating a plurality of cashless gaming instruments associated with a gaming account, each of the cashless gaming instruments accepted as an indicium of credit for wagers on a game of chance and redeemable for a cash value;

accessing the gaming account;

selecting two or more of the cashless gaming instruments;

consolidating the two or more cashless gaming instruments to form a consolidated value;

generating a new cashless gaming instrument having the consolidated value; and

voiding the two or more cashless gaming instruments.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein each of the cashless gaming instruments is generated at a different time after a cash out at a gaming machine.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising notifying a gaming account user when a cashless gaming instrument is within a predetermined time from expiration.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising allowing a gaming account user to convert a cashless gaming instrument to a promotion.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the cashless gaming instrument is a printed ticket.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the gaming account is anonymous.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein notifying a gaming account user comprises sending an email to the account user.

30. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of offering the gaming account user a credit for the cashless gaming instrument is within a predetermined time from expiration.

31. The method of claim 26, further comprising allowing the gaming account user to print the promotion as a voucher.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the credit is for an amount less than a current value of the cashless gaming instrument.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein the credit is offered for a fee.

34. An apparatus for providing gaming account services, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving identification information;

means for determining whether a gaming account is associated with the identification information;

means for providing gaming account information to a player when a gaming account is associated with the identification information, the gaming account information pertaining to a plurality of cashless gaming instruments; and

means for enabling gaming account management options relating to the management of at least one previously issued cashless gaming instrument.

35. An apparatus for controlling gaming accounts, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving identification information from a player;

means for identifying a cashless gaming instrument based, at least in part, on the identification information; and

means for revoking the identified cashless gaming instrument, wherein the cashless gaming instrument is accepted as an indicium of credit for wagers on a game of chance and is redeemable for a cash value.

36. A gaming machine, comprising:

an input device for receiving input from a player;

a player authentication unit for receiving identification information from a player;

a display device;

a communication interface for transmitting the identification information to a network device and for receiving gaming account information from the network device when a gaming account is associated with the identification information, the gaming account information pertaining to a plurality of cashless gaming instruments; and

a logic device configured to control the display device to display at least some of the gaming account information in response to input from the player.

37. The gaming machine of claim 36, further comprising a reader configured to read cashless gaming instruments.

38. The gaming machine of claim 36, wherein the logic device is further configured to control the display device to display gaming account management options in response to input from the player.

39. The gaming machine of claim 38, wherein the gaming account management options comprise an option of receiving credit for a cashless gaming instrument in response to input from the player.

40. The gaming machine of claim 39, further comprising a printer, wherein the logic device is further configured to control the printer to a print a replacement cashless gaming instrument in response to input from the player.

41. A gaming network, comprising:

a host machine configured for;

receiving commands and identification information from a player;

communication with at least one network device; and

displaying gaming account information, the gaming account information pertaining to a plurality of cashless gaming instruments; and

a network device configured for;

determining whether a gaming account is associated with the identification information; and

providing gaming account information to the host machine when a gaming account is associated with the identification information.

42. The gaming network of claim 41, wherein the identification information comprises casino identification information.

43. A computer program embodied in a machine-readable medium, the computer program comprising instructions for controlling at least one device to perform the following steps:

receiving identification information;

determining whether a gaming account is associated with the identification information;

providing gaming account information to a player when a gaming account is associated with the identification information, the gaming account information pertaining to a plurality of cashless gaming instruments; and

enabling gaming account management options relating to the management of at least one previously issued cashless gaming instrument.

44. The computer program of claim 43, wherein the identification information comprises casino identification information.

45. A computer program embodied in a machine-readable medium, the computer program comprising instructions for controlling at least one device to perform the following steps:

receiving identification information from a player;

identifying a cashless gaming instrument based, at least in part, on the identification information; and

revoking the identified cashless gaming instrument, wherein the cashless gaming instrument is accepted as an indicium of credit for wagers on a game of chance and is redeemable for a cash value.

46. The computer program of claim 45, wherein the identification information comprises casino identification information.