GAME AT CASH REGISTER

• US 20080207296A1
• Filed: 02/23/2007
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CFPH LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Original Assignee: CFPH LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Inventors: Lutnick, Howard W., Gelman, Geoffrey M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,780,522 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0209 Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• 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 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3253 involving articles, e.g. paying in bottles, paying out toys
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3272 Games involving multiple players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/24 with change-giving

Abstract

In various embodiments, a mobile gaming device may interact with a point-of-sale terminal.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an indication of a price of an item to be purchased by a person from a merchant;

receiving an indication of an amount tendered by the person;

determining an amount of change due to the person based on the price and based on the amount tendered;

determining the rules of a game;

generating a first outcome of the game using a random number generator;

determining based on the rules whether the first outcome is winning or losing;

authorizing, if the first outcome is winning, that the amount tendered be returned to the person and that the person be allowed to keep the item; and

authorizing, if the first outcome is losing, that the amount tendered be kept by the merchant.

2. The method of 1 in which determining the rules of a game includes determining the rules of a game in which the person will bet the amount of change due for a chance to win the item, wherein the rules specify a second outcome that is winning and a third outcome that is losing;

3. The method of 1 in which the indication of the amount owed is received from a mobile gaming device.

4. A method comprising:

receiving an indication of an item to be purchased by a person;

determining a price for the item;

receiving an indication of an amount tendered by the person;

determining an amount of change due based on the price and the amount tendered;

determining an outcome of a game in which the amount of change due has been used as a bet in the game; and

authorizing, if the outcome is a winning outcome, that the person receive the item and that the entire amount tendered be returned to the person.

5. The method of 4 in which determining an amount of change due includes determining a difference between the amount tendered and the price.

6. The method of 4 in which the price includes a tax.

7. The method of 4 in which determining the outcome of the game includes generating the outcome of the game using a random number generator.

8. The method of 4 in which determining the outcome of the game includes receiving from a mobile gaming device an indication of the outcome of the game.

9. The method of 4 in which determining the outcome of the game includes receiving from a casino server an indication of the outcome of the game.

10. The method of 4 in which receiving an indication of an amount tendered by the person includes receiving from a mobile gaming device an indication of an amount tendered by the person.

11. The method of 4 in which receiving an indication of an amount tendered by the person includes receiving from a mobile gaming device an indication of a number of gaming credits tendered by the person.

12. The method of 4 in which receiving an indication of an amount tendered by the person includes receiving from a mobile gaming device an indication of a number of credits tendered by the person from a balance of credits dedicated to non-gaming activities.

13. The method of 4 further including recording at least one of:

(a) the purchase price;

(b) the amount tendered;

(c) the amount of change due;

(d) the outcome of the game;

(e) the indication of the item to be purchased;

(f) whether the amount tendered was returned to the person; and

(g) whether the amount tendered was not returned to the person.

14. A method comprising:

receiving an indication of an item to be purchased by a person;

determining a purchase price for the item;

determining a number of gaming credits whose aggregate value exceeds the purchase price;

receiving an authorization from the person to use the number of gaming credits to make the purchase;

determining an amount of change due based on the purchase price and the aggregate value;

determining an outcome of a game in which the amount of change due has been used as a bet in the game;

displaying, if the outcome is a winning outcome, a message indicating that the item has been won without the necessity of payment; and

displaying, if the outcome is a losing outcome, a message indicating that the person has lost the amount of change due.

15. The method of 14 further including:

authorizing the deduction of the number of gaming credits from a credit balance associated with the person; and

updating a display of the credit balance to reflect the reduced number of gaming credits in the credit balance.

16. The method of 15 further including:

receiving, if the outcome is a winning outcome, an indication that the number of gaming credits is to be restored to the credit balance associated with the person; and

updating, if the outcome is a winning outcome, the display of the credit balance to reflect the increased number gaming credits in the credit balance.

17. The method of 14 in which determining an outcome of the game includes generating the outcome of the game using a random number generator.

18. The method of 14 in which determining an outcome of the game includes receiving from a POS terminal an indication of the outcome of the game.

19. The method of 14 in which determining an outcome of the game includes receiving from a casino server an indication of the outcome of the game.