APPARATUS, SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FACILITATING A NEGATIVE CREDIT BALANCE OF A GAMING DEVICE

• US 20070155482A1
• Filed: 10/03/2006
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Jorasch, James, Walker, Jay, Tedesco, Robert, Fincham, Magdalena
• Granted Patent: US 7,993,198 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 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

Disclosed herein are apparatus, systems and methods for a gaming device operable to support a negative credit balance. For example, in some embodiments, a gaming device may be configured to: (i) determine a current credit balance, (ii) determine a wager amount, (iii) determine whether the wager amount would result in a negative balance of credits, (iv) determine if it is permissible to allow a negative balance of credits, and if so (v) adjust a current balance such that is equal to the negative balance, and (vi) display an indication of the negative credit balance.

Claims

1-29. -29. (canceled)

30. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor operable to facilitate a wagering game; and

a computer-readable medium operable to communicate with the processor, the computer readable medium operable to communicate with the processor, the computer readable medium comprising instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to;

determine a first monetary amount provided as funds available for wagering on at least one game play of the wagering game; and

set, based on the determination of the first monetary amount, to a second monetary amount that is different from the first monetary amount a balance of credits available for wagering on the at least one game play, thereby set an initial credit balance.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the second monetary amount is an amount not greater than zero.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the computer readable medium further comprises instructions to be executed by the processor to:

determine a player'"'"'s progress through the at least one game play; and

determine a prize for the player based on the progress.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the at least one game play comprises a session including a plurality of game plays and the initial credit balance comprises an initial session credit balance,

and further wherein the instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to determine the player'"'"'s progress through the at least one game play comprise instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to:

determine an end of the session; and

determine an amount of credits available for wagering at the end of the session, thereby determine a final session credit balance.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the computer readable medium further comprises instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to:

determine a difference between the initial session credit balance and the final session credit balance; and

wherein the instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to determine the prize comprise instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to;

determine a prize based on the difference between the initial session credit balance and the final session credit balance.

35. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the first monetary amount is an amount transferred from a balance of funds associated with a player.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 further comprising a memory, wherein the balance of funds is a balance stored within the memory.

37. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the computer readable medium further comprises instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to:

determine a value of a parameter of a session being purchased in exchange for the first amount; and

determine the second amount based on the value of the parameter.

38. A computer readable medium comprising instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to:

determine a first monetary amount provided as funds available for wagering on at least one game play of a wagering game; and

set, based on the determination of the first monetary amount, to a second monetary amount that is different from the first monetary amount a balance of credits available for wagering on the at least one game play, thereby set an initial credit balance.

39. A method for facilitating a wagering game on a gaming device, the method comprising:

determining a first monetary amount provided as funds available for wagering on at least one game play of a wagering game; and

setting, based on the determination of the first monetary amount, to a second monetary amount that is different from the first monetary amount a balance of credits available for wagering on the at least one game play, thereby set an initial credit balance.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the second monetary amount is an amount not greater than zero.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

determining a player'"'"'s progress through the at least one game play; and

determining a prize for the player based on the progress.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the at least one game play comprises a session including a plurality of game plays and the initial credit balance comprises an initial session credit balance,

and wherein determining the player'"'"'s progress through the at least one game play comprises:

determining an end of the session; and

determining an amount of credits available for wagering at the end of the session, thereby determine a final session credit balance.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising:

determining a difference between the initial session credit balance and the final session credit balance; and

wherein determining the prize comprises;

determining a prize based on the difference between the initial session credit balance and the final session credit balance.

44. The method of claim 39, wherein the first monetary amount is an amount transferred from a balance of funds associated with a player.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising storing the balance of funds within a memory.

46. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

determining a value of a parameter of a session being purchased in exchange for the first amount; and

determining the second amount based on the value of the parameter.

47. A method, comprising:

determining a monetary input provided by a player for playing a wagering game;

setting a credit balance to an amount of credits based on the monetary input, thereby determining an initial credit balance;

tracking a player'"'"'s progress through the game by means of the credit balance, wherein wagers placed by the player during play of the game are deducted from the credit balance and payouts won by the player during play of the game are added to the credit balance;

determining a request from the player to cash out;

determining a final credit balance at the time of the request;

determining a difference between the final credit balance and the initial credit balance; and

allowing a cashout of the difference only if the final credit balance is greater than the initial credit balance.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein allowing a cashout of the difference comprises authorizing a dispensing of a monetary amount from a gaming device, the monetary amount corresponding to the difference.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein authorizing a dispensing of the monetary amount from the gaming device comprises authorizing a printing of a cashless gaming receipt from a printer associated with the gaming device, the cashless gaming receipt being redeemable for the monetary amount.

50. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor operable to facilitate a wagering game available on a gaming device; and

a memory operatively coupled to the processor, the memory storing a program for instructing the processor to;

determine a monetary input provided by a player for playing a wagering game;

set a credit balance to an amount of credits based on the monetary input, thereby determining an initial credit balance;

track a player'"'"'s progress through the game by means of the credit balance, wherein wagers placed by the player during play of the game are deducted from the credit balance and payouts won by the player during play of the game are added to the credit balance;

determine a request from the player to cash out;

determine a final credit balance at the time of the request;

determine a difference between the final credit balance and the initial credit balance; and

allow a cashout of the difference only if the final credit balance is greater than the initial credit balance.

51. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein the program for instructing the processor to allow a cashout of the difference comprises a program for instructing the processor to authorize a dispensing of a monetary amount from a gaming device, the monetary amount corresponding to the difference.

52. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the program for instructing the processor to authorize a dispensing of the monetary amount from the gaming device comprises a program for instructing the processor to authorize a printing of a cashless gaming receipt from a printer associated with the gaming device, the cashless gaming receipt being redeemable for the monetary amount.

53. A computer readable medium storing instructions for directing a processor to:

determine a monetary input provided by a player for playing a wagering game;

set a credit balance to an amount of credits based on the monetary input, thereby determining an initial credit balance;

track a player'"'"'s progress through the game by means of the credit balance, wherein wagers placed by the player during play of the game are deducted from the credit balance and payouts won by the player during play of the game are added to the credit balance;

determine a request from the player to cash out;

determine a final credit balance at the time of the request;

determine a difference between the final credit balance and the initial credit balance; and

allow a cashout of the difference only if the final credit balance is greater than the initial credit balance.

54. The computer readable medium of claim 53, wherein the instructions for directing the processor to allow a cashout of the difference comprise instructions for directing the processor to authorize a dispensing of a monetary amount from a gaming device, the monetary amount corresponding to the difference.

55. The computer readable medium of claim 54, wherein the instructions for directing the processor to authorize a dispensing of the monetary amount from the gaming device comprise instructions for directing the processor to authorize a printing of a cashless gaming receipt from a printer associated with the gaming device, the cashless gaming receipt being redeemable for the monetary amount.