REUSABLE CASHLESS INSTRUMENTS FOR GAMING MACHINES AND SYSTEMS
First Claim
1. A gaming system adapted for accepting wagers, playing games based on the wagers and granting payouts based on the results of the games, comprising:
- a plurality of reusable cashless instruments, each having a unique validation code designated thereon, an associated monetary value and no monetary designation printed, stored or encoded thereon;
a server configured to compare the unique validation codes of each of said reusable cashless instruments with a plurality of stored validation codes to determine a monetary value associated with one or more of said reusable cashless instruments;
a database in communication with said server and adapted to store said plurality of validation codes and associated account information for said plurality of reusable cashless instruments, wherein said associated account information includes said associated monetary value for each of said reusable cashless instruments; and
a plurality of gaming machines adapted to accept wagers, play games and grant payouts based on the results of the games, wherein each of said plurality of gaming machines includesa plurality of input and output devices adapted to accept wagers, play games and grant payouts based on the results of the games,a master gaming controller in communication with one or more of said plurality of input and output devices, said master gaming controller adapted to control one or more aspects of said games,at least one reusable cashless instrument issuing device in communication with at least one of said server and said master gaming controller, said at least one reusable cashless instrument issuing device configured to issue one or more of said reusable cashless instruments,at least one reusable cashless instrument reading device in communication with at least one of said server and said master gaming controller, said at least one reusable cashless instrument reading device configured to read one or more of said reusable cashless instruments, andat least one storage mechanism adapted to store one or more of said plurality of reusable cashless gaming instruments, wherein said gaming machine is adapted to accept a first reusable cashless instrument having a first associated monetary value, provide a gaming credit corresponding to said first associated monetary value on said gaming machine, and issue said first reusable cashless instrument with a second different associated monetary value.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for utilizing reusable tickets or other suitable cashless instruments for gaming machines systems are disclosed. Each reusable cashless instrument includes a unique validation code designated thereon, an associated monetary value and no monetary designation stored or encoded thereon. The validation code corresponds to an associated account stored in a central system, which stores a monetary value for each reusable cashless instrument. Systems can include reusable cashless instruments, gaming machines and devices, storage and stacking mechanisms, escrow devices, servers, databases, reusable ticket issuing and reading devices, and cashier stations. The reusable ticket issuing devices may not write to the reusable tickets upon issuance. Reusable cashless instrument may comprise paper, reinforced paper or a plastic material. Methods include issuing a reusable ticket with a first value, receiving a request to redeem a specified credit amount, updating the monetary value, and reissuing the reusable ticket with a second different value.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A gaming system adapted for accepting wagers, playing games based on the wagers and granting payouts based on the results of the games, comprising:
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a plurality of reusable cashless instruments, each having a unique validation code designated thereon, an associated monetary value and no monetary designation printed, stored or encoded thereon; a server configured to compare the unique validation codes of each of said reusable cashless instruments with a plurality of stored validation codes to determine a monetary value associated with one or more of said reusable cashless instruments; a database in communication with said server and adapted to store said plurality of validation codes and associated account information for said plurality of reusable cashless instruments, wherein said associated account information includes said associated monetary value for each of said reusable cashless instruments; and a plurality of gaming machines adapted to accept wagers, play games and grant payouts based on the results of the games, wherein each of said plurality of gaming machines includes a plurality of input and output devices adapted to accept wagers, play games and grant payouts based on the results of the games, a master gaming controller in communication with one or more of said plurality of input and output devices, said master gaming controller adapted to control one or more aspects of said games, at least one reusable cashless instrument issuing device in communication with at least one of said server and said master gaming controller, said at least one reusable cashless instrument issuing device configured to issue one or more of said reusable cashless instruments, at least one reusable cashless instrument reading device in communication with at least one of said server and said master gaming controller, said at least one reusable cashless instrument reading device configured to read one or more of said reusable cashless instruments, and at least one storage mechanism adapted to store one or more of said plurality of reusable cashless gaming instruments, wherein said gaming machine is adapted to accept a first reusable cashless instrument having a first associated monetary value, provide a gaming credit corresponding to said first associated monetary value on said gaming machine, and issue said first reusable cashless instrument with a second different associated monetary value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A gaming machine adapted for accepting a wager, playing a game based on the wager and granting a 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 as well as an external server adapted to administer a reusable cashless instrument system, said master gaming controller being adapted to execute or control one or more aspects of said game; a reusable cashless instrument issuing device in communication with said master gaming controller, located within or about said exterior housing and configured to issue one or more reusable cashless instruments having a validation code; a reusable cashless instrument reading device in communication with said master gaming controller, located within or about said exterior housing and configured to read one or more reusable cashless instruments having a validation code; and at least one storage mechanism adapted to store one or more reusable cashless gaming instruments, wherein said gaming machine is adapted to accept a first reusable cashless instrument having a first associated monetary value, provide a gaming credit corresponding to said first associated monetary value on said gaming machine, and issue said first reusable cashless instrument with a second different associated monetary value. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A reusable cashless gaming instrument system, comprising:
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one or more gaming devices adapted for accepting wagers, playing games based on the wagers and granting payouts based on the results of the games; a server in communication with said one or more gaming devices and configured to compare the unique validation codes of each of a plurality of reusable cashless instruments with a plurality of stored validation codes to determine a monetary value associated with each of said reusable cashless instruments; a database in communication with said server and adapted to store said plurality of validation codes and associated account information for said plurality of reusable cashless instruments, wherein said associated account information includes said associated monetary value for each of said reusable cashless instruments; at least one reusable cashless instrument issuing device in communication with said server, said at least one reusable cashless instrument issuing device configured to issue one or more of said reusable cashless instruments; at least one reusable cashless instrument reading device in communication with said server, said at least one reusable cashless instrument reading device configured to read one or more of said reusable cashless instrument, wherein said reusable cashless gaming instrument system is adapted to reuse one or more of said plurality of reusable cashless instruments after said one or more reusable cashless instruments have already been redeemed by one or more players. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A method of using reusable cashless instruments in a reusable cashless gaming instrument system adapted for accepting wagers, playing games based on the wagers and granting monetary payouts based on the results of the games, the method comprising:
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providing a first reusable cashless instrument having a unique validation code designated thereon, an associated first monetary value and no monetary designation printed, stored or encoded thereon; accepting said first reusable cashless instrument into a reusable cashless instrument reading device; reading said first reusable cashless instrument; comparing the unique validation code on said first reusable cashless instrument with a plurality of stored validation codes to determine said first monetary value associated with said first reusable cashless instrument; providing credit in a gaming device to match said first monetary value associated with said first reusable cashless instrument; and issuing said first reusable cashless instrument with a second different associated monetary value. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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Specification