Methods and system for providing paper-based outcomes

• US 20050239530A1
• Filed: 07/06/2004
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Tulley, Stephen C., Gelman, Geoffrey M., Walker, Jay S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,043,152 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• 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 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played

Abstract

In various embodiments, gaming devices may generate outcomes to be sold in printed form. Representations of the outcomes, corresponding payouts, and other information are printed on sheets of paper. Multiple printed outcomes are assembled into books, wrapped, and sold to consumers. Consumers may purchase the books and browse through the printed outcomes at their leisure. When finished with a book, a consumer may submit a portion of the book to the casino that sold the outcomes. The casino may then pay the player based on the payouts associated with the outcomes in the book.

Claims

1. -28. (canceled)

29. A method, comprising:

causing a plurality of outcomes to be determined via a processor of a first device, wherein each outcome of the plurality of outcomes is determined based on a random number;

causing an indication of each respective outcome of the plurality of outcomes to be stored in electronic form on a medium readable by a processor of a second device; and

selling the medium to a player, for purposes of allowing the player to view the indications of the outcomes via the second device.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein causing the plurality of outcomes to be determined comprises:

causing the plurality of outcomes to be determined in response to a triggering event other than an initiation of a game play by a player.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the triggering event is a signal from a controller of the first device.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the first device comprises a simplified gaming device, the simplified gaming device operable to determine random outcomes.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein an indication of an outcome of the plurality of outcomes is not output via the first device prior to the indication of the outcome being stored on the medium.

34. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

determining a sum of payouts for the plurality of outcomes; and

authorizing a payment based on the sum of payouts to the player upon receiving a proof of purchase of the medium.

35. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

associating a unique identifier with the plurality of outcomes, the unique identifier being further associated with an amount to be paid to the player upon the player providing proof of purchase of the plurality of outcomes.

36. The method of claim 29, wherein selling comprises:

selling, on casino premises, the medium to the player, for purposes of allowing the player to view the indications of the outcomes at a location remote from the casino premises.

37. The method of claim 29, wherein the outcomes are generated at a speed significantly higher than a speed at which outcomes are discernable by a player of a gaming device.

38. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

causing the medium to be packaged for sale.

39. The method of claim 29, wherein causing the outcomes to be determined comprises causing a gaming device to generate the outcomes.

40. The method of claim 29, wherein the first device transmits an indication of the determined outcomes to a third device that is different from both the first device and the second device, for purposes of storing the outcomes on the medium.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein causing an indication of the plurality of outcomes to be stored comprises causing the third device to store an indication of the plurality of outcomes.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein causing the third device to store the outcomes further comprises:

causing the third device to access a file of graphics associated with the outcomes,

select one or more graphics that corresponds to an outcome of the plurality of outcomes; and

store the one or more graphics on the medium as a representation of the outcome.

43. A system, comprising:

a controller operable to communicate with at least one gaming device operable to generate a plurality of outcomes without a request of a player for an outcome, such that none of the plurality of outcomes is associated with a player prior to being generated; and

the at least one gaming device,

wherein the controller is operable to cause the at least one gaming device to generate the plurality of outcomes and transmit an indication of the plurality of outcomes to the controller;

the controller being further operable to;

cause the plurality of outcomes to be associated with an identifier; and

cause the plurality of outcomes to be stored in electronic form on a medium readable by a third device not in communication with the controller.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the controller being operable to cause the plurality of outcomes to be stored comprises:

the controller being operable to transmit an indication of the plurality of outcomes to a fourth device, the fourth device storing the outcomes in electronic form on the medium.

45. The system of claim 43, wherein the third device comprises a device remote from a casino location and operated under the control of a player who purchases the medium rather than under the control of a casino associated with the medium.

46. The system of claim 43, wherein the plurality of outcomes are stored after a last outcome of the plurality of outcomes is generated.

47. A method, comprising:

receiving an indication of a plurality of outcomes generated by a gaming device, each of the outcomes having been generated in response to an event other than a request from a player to generate an outcome;

storing, based on the indication, information about the plurality of outcomes in electronic form on a medium readable by a processor of another device, such that insertion of the medium causes the processor to execute a program to display the information,

wherein at least part of the information indicates a sum of payouts associated with the plurality of outcomes, the sum to be provided to a person who purchases the medium and provides proof of purchase of the medium.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the information is stored on the medium in a manner that renders it discernable by a person only upon purchase of the medium.

49. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

accessing a file of graphics;

selecting at least one graphic based on the indication; and

storing the selected at least on graphic as the indication.

50. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

storing an indication of a payout associated with the medium, the payout comprising an amount to be provided to a person upon receiving a proof of purchase of the medium from the person.

51. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

storing an indication of a price for the medium, the price being based on the outcomes.

52. The method of claim 47, wherein the plurality of outcomes are received after a last outcome of the plurality of outcomes is generated by the gaming device.

53. The method of claim 47, wherein the information comprises at least one of:

an outcome identifier,

a date on which the outcomes are generated,

a time at which the outcomes are generated,

a gaming device identifier,

an outcome, and

a payout corresponding to one of the outcomes.

54. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

storing the indication of the outcomes in a memory.

55. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

determining an identifier associated with the plurality of outcomes, the identifier further being associated with the sum of payouts.

56. The method of claim 55, further comprising:

outputting the identifier.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein outputting the identifier comprises printing a piece of paper, the piece of paper indicating the identifier.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein the identifier is represented by a series of characters, the characters being at least one of letters and numbers.

59. The method of claim 56, wherein outputting the identifier comprises outputting the identifier in machine-readable form.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein machine-readable form comprises a bar code.

61. The method of claim 56, further comprising:

receiving the identifier; and

receiving a proof of purchase of the medium.

62. The method of claim 61, further comprising:

determining the sum of payouts associated with the identifier; and

authorizing a provision of an amount of currency based on the sum of payouts, based on the received identifier and the received proof of purchase.