Instant anonymous account creation

• US 20080076528A1
• Filed: 09/08/2006
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Binh T., Underdahl, Brian
• Application Number:
  US11/517,653
• Publication Number:
  US 20080076528A1
• 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 17/3218 wherein at least part of the system is portable
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value

Abstract

A device and method is provided to create an anonymous account to play a wager-based game of chance on an mobile gaming device comprises obtaining a cashless ticket voucher having a unique identifier, the cashless ticket voucher having a monetary value, inputting the unique identifier into the mobile gaming device to expend the monetary value of the cashless ticket voucher, validating the unique identifier, and generating a game of chance on the mobile gaming device if the unique identifier is validated.

Claims

1. A portable gaming device adapted to play at least one wager-based game, comprising:

a communication interface adapted to communicate with a remote gaming server;

a display;

an input mechanism to receive a unique identifier of a cashless ticket voucher;

a controller operatively coupled to the display, communication interface, and the input mechanism; and

a validator operatively coupled to the controller to transmit the unique identifier to the remote gaming server for validation, the validator to receive an approval or a rejection message from the remote gaming server;

wherein the controller is programmed to cause the display to generate a game display relating to the at least one wager-based game and display an outcome of the at least one wager-based game if an approval message is received by the validator.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the input mechanism is a user interface on the portable gaming device.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the input mechanism is a transceiver.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier is associated with a security code.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the security code is a biometric data obtained from a biometric sensor coupled to the portable gaming device.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the remote gaming server is a gaming machine configured for providing wager-based games of chance.

7. A validation server, comprising:

an interface to receive a cashless ticket voucher unique identifier; and

a confirmation number database having a list of confirmation numbers of distributed cashless ticket vouchers;

wherein the unique identifier is matched to a confirmation number, and wherein an approval message is transmitted to a remote gaming server if a match is found.

8. The validation server of claim 7, wherein the remote gaming server is a gaming machine configured for providing games of chance.

9. The validation server of claim 7, wherein the remote gaming server is a mobile gaming device.

10. The validation server of claim 7, wherein a rejection message is relayed to the remote gaming server if the unique identifier is not matched to a confirmation number.

11. The validation server of claim 7, wherein the interface is a wireless transceiver.

12. A mobile gaming network, comprising:

a validation server, comprising;

an interface to receive a cashless ticket voucher unique identifier; and

a confirmation number database having a list of confirmation numbers of distributed cashless ticket vouchers;

wherein the unique identifier is matched to a confirmation number;

at least one portable gaming device to play at least one wager-based game, comprising;

a communication interface adapted to communicate with a remote gaming server;

a display;

an input mechanism to receive the unique identifier;

a controller operatively coupled to the display, communication interface, and the input mechanism; and

a validator operatively coupled to the controller to transmit the unique identifier to the remote gaming server for validation, the validator to receive an approval or a rejection message from the remote gaming server;

wherein an approval message is relayed from the validation server to the remote gaming server if a match is found; and

wherein the controller is programmed to cause the display to generate a game display relating to the at least one wager-based game and display an outcome of the at least one wager-based game if an approval message is received by the validator.

13. The network of claim 12, wherein the remote gaming server is a gaming machine configured for providing games of chance.

14. The network of claim 12, wherein the validation server relays a rejection message to the remote gaming server if the unique identifier is not matched to a confirmation number.

15. The network of claim 12, wherein the interface and wager input mechanism is a wireless transceiver.

16. The network of claim 12, wherein the wager input mechanism is a user interface on the portable gaming device.

17. The network of claim 12, wherein the unique identifier is associated with a security code.

18. The network of claim 17, wherein the security code is a biometric data obtained from a biometric sensor coupled to the portable gaming device.

19. The network of claim 17, wherein the security code is a personal identification number.

20. A method for creating an anonymous account to play a game of chance, comprising:

forming a cashless ticket voucher via a first device, the cashless ticket voucher having a unique identifier and a monetary value;

inputting the unique identifier into a second device to expend the monetary value of the cashless ticket voucher;

forwarding the unique identifier to a validation server to validate the cashless ticket voucher; and

generating the game of chance on the second device if the unique identifier is validated.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the first device is a gaming machine configured for providing games of chance.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the first device is a personal computer.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the second device is a mobile gaming device.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the forming further comprises entering credit card information.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the generating further comprises associating a security code with the unique identifier.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the security code is a personal identification number or password.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the security code is a biometric identifier obtained from a biometric device.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein the inputting further comprises wirelessly inputting the unique identifier to the second gaming machine.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein the inputting further comprises:

inserting the second device in a docking station; and

downloading the unique identifier to the second device.

30. The method of claim 20, wherein the inputting further comprises reading the unique identifier with a scanner coupled to the second device.

31. The method of claim 20, wherein the inputting further comprises:

reading the unique identifier with a scanner coupled to the first device; and

downloading the unique identifier to the second device.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the downloading occurs in a docking station.

33. The method of claim 31, where the downloading occurs wirelessly.

34. The method of claim 20, wherein the forwarding comprises:

comparing the unique identifier to a list of confirmation numbers; and

marking the unique identifier as used if the unique identifier matches a confirmation number.

35. The method of claim 20, wherein the forming further comprises coating the ticket voucher with a light sensitive coating.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising the step of exposing the ticket voucher to light, thereby voiding the ticket voucher.

37. The method of claim 20, wherein the inputting further comprises inserting the ticket voucher into a ticket reader in communication with a validation server.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the ticket reader is coupled to the first device.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the ticket reader is removably coupled to the second device.

40. The method of claim 37, further comprising printing a written indicium on the cashless ticket voucher to indicate the ticket voucher is void.

41. The method of claim 20, wherein the inputting further comprises manually inputting the unique identifier into the second device.

42. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

returning the validated cashless ticket voucher to a third party; and

redeeming a retained amount from the value of the cashless ticket voucher.

43. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

returning the validated cashless ticket voucher to a third party; and

entering the validated ticket voucher into a second game of chance.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the second game of chance is a lottery drawing.

45. A method for creating an anonymous account to play a game of chance on a mobile gaming device, comprising:

forming a cashless ticket voucher having a unique identifier, the cashless ticket voucher having a monetary value;

inputting the unique identifier into the mobile gaming device to expend the monetary value of the cashless ticket voucher;

validating the unique identifier; and

generating a game of chance on the mobile gaming device if the unique identifier is validated.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising voiding the validated ticket voucher.

47. The method of claim 45, wherein the forming further comprises entering credit card information.

48. The method of claim 45, wherein the cashless ticket voucher is obtained from a remote gaming machine.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the remote gaming machine is a gaming machine configured for providing games of chance.

50. The method of claim 45, wherein the inputting comprises reading the unique identifier with a scanner.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the scanner is removably coupled to the mobile gaming device.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein the scanner is coupled to a gaming machine.

53. The method of claim 52, further comprising wirelessly inputting the unique identifier to the mobile gaming device.

54. The method of claim 45, wherein the inputting further comprises inserting the cashless ticket voucher into a ticket reader in communication with a validation server.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the ticket reader is coupled to a gaming machine.

56. The method of claim 55, further comprising wirelessly downloading the value of the ticket voucher to the mobile gaming device if the unique identifier is validated.

57. The method of claim 54, wherein the ticket reader is removably coupled to the mobile gaming device.

58. The method of claim 46, wherein the voiding further comprises printing a written indicium on the ticket voucher to indicate the ticket voucher is void.

59. The method of claim 46, wherein the voiding further comprises:

coating the ticket voucher with a light sensitive coating; and

exposing the ticket voucher to light.

60. The method of claim 45, wherein the inputting further comprises manually inputting the unique identifier into the mobile gaming device.

61. The method of claim 45, wherein the validating further comprises:

forwarding the unique identifier to a validation server; and

matching the unique identifier to a list of confirmation numbers.

62. The method of claim 61, further comprising marking the unique identifier as used if there is a match.

63. The method of claim 45, wherein the forming further comprises associating a security code with the unique identifier.

64. The method of claim 63, wherein the security code is a personal identification number or password.

65. The method of claim 63, wherein the security code is a biometric identifier obtained from a biometric device.

66. The method of claim 45, wherein the forming further comprises deducting a retained amount from the monetary value.

67. The method of claim 66, further comprising:

returning the ticket voucher to a third party; and

redeeming the retained amount.

68. The method of claim 67, further comprising:

entering the validated ticket voucher into a second game of chance.

69. The method of claim 68, wherein the second game of chance is a lottery drawing.

70. The method of claim 45, further comprising:

returning the validated ticket voucher to a third party; and

entering the validated ticket voucher into a second game of chance.

71. The method of claim 70, wherein the second game of chance is a lottery drawing.