Method and system for paragame activity at electronic gaming machine

• US 20080113773A1
• Filed: 08/30/2007
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Smalley, Robert W., Daley, Danny Patrick, Sirin, Simon, Stokes, Herbert W., Ryan, Chad A., Johnson, Sam, Ward, Bradley G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,721,449 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 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements

Abstract

The provision of a paragaming event on an electronic gaming machine is provided by intercepting a cashout event, identifying the account balance and presenting an offer to participate in the paragaming event. If the customer agrees, the account balance is appropriately reduced and a voucher in followed by a cashout event is initiated to maintain a record of the transaction. A cash voucher and a transaction receipt are then printed for the customer.

Claims

1. A method for providing paragaming activity on an electronic gaming machine, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting a triggering event on the electronic gaming machine;

in response to the triggering event, presenting a paragaming event on the screen of the electronic gaming machine;

funding the paragaming event from the available funds in the electronic gaming machine; and

reconciling the payment of the paragaming event with the accounting system for the electronic gaming machine.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the trigger is a cashout event and the step of detecting the triggering event comprises the step of detecting a slot accounting system command for a cashout and detecting printer commands associated with a cashout process.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the trigger is a cashout event and the step of detecting the triggering event comprises the step of detecting a slot accounting system command for a cashout.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the trigger is a cashout event and the step of detecting the triggering event comprises the step of detecting printer commands associated with a cashout process.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of parsing the printer commands to obtain information about the cashout transaction.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of parsing the printer commands to obtain an asset number, a validation number, a date and a time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of funding the paragaming event further comprises the step of deducting the cost of the paragaming event from the current electronic gaming machine balance.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of reconciling the payment of the paragaming event further comprises the step of sending a voucher in command to the slot accounting system with the new balance, and then sending a slot accounting system cashout command to the accounting system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of reconciling the payment of the paragaming event further comprises the step of sending a slot accounting system cashout command to the accounting system.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of presenting a paragaming activity comprises presenting a list of paragaming activities, said paragaming activities comprising wagering and non-wagering activities, and permitting said player to select as few as one, or a plurality of said paragaming activities in combination.

11. An apparatus for providing paragaming activity on an electronic gaming machine, the apparatus comprising:

a control unit having a first input communicatively coupled to an SAS output of the electronic gaming machine, a second input communicatively coupled to a printer output of the electronic gaming machine, an output communicatively coupled to the electronic gaming machine printer and a network interface;

a validation system communicatively coupled to the control unit over the network interface and communicatively coupled to a host accounting system for the electronic gaming machine over an SAS connection to a slot machine interface board;

the control unit being operable to detect the occurrence of a cashout event and in response, presenting a screen to access a paragaming event, receive an election to participate in the paragaming event and notifying the validation system of such election;

the validation system being operable to redeem the funds associated with the electronic gaming machine from the host accounting system, deduct a fee associated with the paragaming event and notifying the control unit; and

the control unit being operable to perform a cashout event with the new funds balance.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the control unit is operable to detect the occurrence of a cashout event by detecting a cashout command on the SAS output of the electronic gaming machine and detecting printer commands associated with a cashout event on the printer output of the electronic gaming machine.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the control unit is operable to detect the occurrence of a cashout event by detecting a cashout command on the SAS output of the electronic gaming machine.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the control unit is operable to detect the occurrence of a cashout event by detecting printer commands associated with a cashout event on the printer output of the electronic gaming machine.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the validation system being operable to redeem the funds associated with the electronic gaming machine from the host accounting system and deduct a fee associated with the paragaming event by reducing an account balance by the fee amount, sending a voucher in command with the new balance to the host accounting system and sending a cashout command to the host accounting system.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the control unit is further operative to parse the printer commands to identify a current balance for the electronic gaming machine.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the validation system is operable to redeem the funds associated with the electronic gaming machine from the host accounting system and deduct a fee associated with the paragaming event by reducing the account balance detected by the control unit by the fee amount, sending a voucher in command with the new balance to the host accounting system and sending a cashout command to the host accounting system.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the control unit is operable to print out a voucher ticket and a transaction receipt associated with the paragaming event.

19. An apparatus for providing paragaming activity on an electronic gaming machine, the apparatus comprising:

a control unit having a first input communicatively coupled to an SAS output of the electronic gaming machine, a second input communicatively coupled to a printer output of the electronic gaming machine, an output communicatively coupled to the electronic gaming machine printer and a network interface;

a validation system communicatively coupled to the control unit over the network interface and communicatively coupled to a host accounting system for the electronic gaming machine over an SAS connection to a slot machine interface board;

the control unit being operable to detect printer commands associated with a cashout event on the printer output of the electronic gaming machine and in response, presenting a screen to access a paragaming event, receive an election to participate in the paragaming event and notifying the validation system of such election;

the validation system being operable to redeem the funds associated with the electronic gaming machine from the host accounting system, deduct a fee associated with the paragaming event and notifying the control unit; and

the control unit being operable to perform a cashout event with the new funds balance.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the validation system is operable to redeem the funds associated with the electronic gaming machine from the host accounting system and deduct a fee associated with the paragaming event by reducing the account balance detected by the control unit by the fee amount, sending a voucher in command with the new balance to the host accounting system and sending a cashout command to the host accounting system;

and

the control unit is further operable to print out a voucher and a transaction receipt associated with the paragaming transaction.