Printer interpreter for a gaming machine
First Claim
1. A gaming machine adapted for accepting a wager, playing a game based on the wager and granting a monetary payout based on the result of the game, comprising:
- an exterior housing arranged to contain a plurality of internal gaming machine components therein;
a master gaming controller in communication with at least one of said plurality of internal gaming machine components, said master gaming controller being adapted to execute or control one or more aspects of said game;
a printer located within or about said exterior housing and configured to print to cashless instruments monetary amounts issued by said gaming machine; and
a printer interpreter in communication with said master gaming controller and said printer, said printer interpreter being configured to receive a credit amount from said master gaming controller, to convert the credit amount to a first currency amount in units different from the units of the credit amount, and to instruct said printer to print the first currency amount to a cashless instrument, wherein said printer interpreter is isolated from the execution of said game.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems for issuing cashless instruments and providing a printer interpreter for a gaming machine are disclosed. A printer and specialized printer interpreter (controller) are provided to facilitate the conversion of a specific credit amount to a currency amount in differing units (first form of currency), and the subsequent issuance of a cashless instrument reflecting that currency amount. Where the printer interpreter is reconfigurable, a second currency amount in different units (second form of currency) could also be selected. Multiple different currencies and their corresponding languages can be available to the printer interpreter, such that a given credit amount can be issued to a cashless instrument in one of many different currencies. Game execution operations of the MGC are isolated from the printer interpreter, such that recertification of the gaming machine or system is not necessary when reconfiguring the printer interpreter from one form of currency to another.
132 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A gaming machine adapted for accepting a wager, playing a game based on the wager and granting a monetary payout based on the result of the game, comprising:
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an exterior housing arranged to contain a plurality of internal gaming machine components therein;
a master gaming controller in communication with at least one of said plurality of internal gaming machine components, said master gaming controller being adapted to execute or control one or more aspects of said game;
a printer located within or about said exterior housing and configured to print to cashless instruments monetary amounts issued by said gaming machine; and
a printer interpreter in communication with said master gaming controller and said printer, said printer interpreter being configured to receive a credit amount from said master gaming controller, to convert the credit amount to a first currency amount in units different from the units of the credit amount, and to instruct said printer to print the first currency amount to a cashless instrument, wherein said printer interpreter is isolated from the execution of said game. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A gaming system adapted for accepting a wager, playing a game based on the wager and granting a monetary payout based on the result of the game, comprising:
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a plurality of input and output devices adapted to facilitate the acceptance of said wager, display of said game and granting of said monetary payout;
a master gaming controller in communication with one or more of said plurality of input and output devices, said master gaming controller being adapted to execute or control one or more aspects of said game;
a printer configured to print to cashless instruments monetary amounts issued by said gaming system;
a printer interpreter in communication with said master gaming controller and said printer, said separate printer controller being configured to receive a credit amount from said master gaming controller, to convert the credit amount to a first currency amount in units different from the units of the credit amount, and to instruct the printer to print the first currency amount to a cashless instrument, wherein said printer controller is isolated from the execution of said game; and
a server in communication with said master gaming controller and configured to record information regarding cashless instruments issued by said gaming system. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of issuing a monetary amount at a gaming machine adapted for accepting a wager, playing a game based on the wager and granting a monetary payout based on the result of the game, the method comprising:
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providing a gaming machine having an exterior housing arranged to contain a plurality of internal gaming machine components therein, a master gaming controller in communication with at least one of said plurality of internal gaming machine components and adapted to execute or control one or more aspects of said game, and a printer located within or about said exterior housing and configured to print to cashless instruments monetary amounts issued by said gaming machine, wherein said printer includes a separate printer controller isolated from the execution of said game;
receiving a request or instruction to cash out a specific credit amount at said gaming machine, said specific credit amount comprising all or part of a total credit amount balance stored at said gaming machine;
communicating said specific credit amount to be cashed out from said master gaming controller to said separate printer controller;
converting said specific credit amount to a first currency amount in units different from the units of said specific credit amount; and
printing said first currency amount to a cashless instrument at said printer. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A cashless instrument issuing apparatus for a gaming machine, comprising:
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a printer configured to print monetary amounts to cashless instruments issued by a gaming machine adapted for accepting a wager, playing a game based on the wager and granting a monetary payout based on the result of the game; and
a printer controller in communication with said printer and adapted for use in conjunction with a master gaming controller of said gaming machine, said printer controller being configured to receive a credit amount from said master gaming controller, to convert the credit amount to a first currency amount in units different from the units of the credit amount, and to instruct the printer to print the first currency amount to a cashless instrument, wherein said printer controller is isolated from the execution of said game. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method of printing cashless instruments for a gaming machine or gaming system, comprising:
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receiving at a printer interpreter a communication of a specific credit amount from a master gaming controller of a gaming machine or gaming system adapted for accepting a wager, playing a game based on the wager and granting a monetary payout based on the result of the game;
converting at said printer interpreter said specific credit amount to a currency amount in units different from the units of said specific credit amount; and
printing at a printer controlled by said printer interpreter said currency amount to a cashless instrument. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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37. A computer readable memory adapted to direct a gaming machine or gaming system to function in a specified manner, comprising:
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a first module adapted to receive a communication of a specific credit amount from a master gaming controller of a gaming machine or gaming system adapted for accepting a wager, playing a game based on the wager and granting a monetary payout based on the result of the game;
a second module adapted to convert said specific credit amount to a currency amount in units different from the units of said specific credit amount; and
a third module adapted to initiate the printing of said currency amount to a cashless instrument; and
a fourth module adapted to communicate to the master gaming controller of the gaming machine an indication that the cashless instrument has been printed. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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Specification