Method And Apparatus For Facilitating Usage Of A Supplemental Ticket At A Gaming Device

• US 20080248865A1
• Filed: 04/07/2005
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Tulley, Stephen C., Tedesco, Robert C
• Application Number:
  US11/719,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20080248865A1
• 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 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value

Abstract

In accordance with one or more embodiments, a method may provide for receiving a first indicia associated with play of a gaming device, receiving a second indicia associated with play of the gaming device, and modifying, based upon the receipt of both the first and second indicia, a parameter of play of the gaming device. The parameter is only modified if both the first indicia and the second indicia are received. For example, upon receiving both a cash-out ticket and a supplemental ticket, a gaming device may activate a feature or increase a credit balance by more than the face value of the cash-out ticket.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a first indicia associated with play of a gaming device;

receiving a second indicia associated with play of the gaming device; and

modifying, based upon the receipt of both the first and second indicia, a parameter of play of the gaming device,

wherein the parameter is only modified if both the first indicia and the second indicia are received.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first indicia is associated with a first value, the second indicia is associated with a second value, and the modified parameter is associated with a third value, the third value being greater than the sum of the first value and the second value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first indicia is a cash-out ticket that indicates an amount of credit available for use in playing the gaming device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the second indicia is a supplemental ticket that indicates a modification of the amount of credit indicated by the first indicia.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second indicia is associated with at least one condition to be satisfied in order for the second indicia to be redeemable.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one condition defines a characteristic of the first indicia, such that the second indicia is only redeemable along with a first indicia having the characteristic.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one characteristic is at least one of a minimum value of the first indicia and a maximum value of the first indicia.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one condition identifies the first indicia, such that the second indicia is only redeemable along with the first indicia.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one condition identifies a player identifier, such that the second indicia is only redeemable along with the player identifier.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein

receiving the first indicia comprises

receiving a paper via a paper handling mechanism of the gaming device and wherein

receiving the second indicia comprises

receiving a second paper via the paper handling mechanism.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

outputting a prompt, the prompt indicating an inquiry regarding the second indicia.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first indicia is a first code readable by the gaming device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the second indicia is a second code readable by the gaming device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the parameter comprises activating a feature of the gaming device that would not otherwise be active during game play.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the parameter comprises at least one of:

accessing a payout table that would not otherwise be accessed;

accessing a probability table that would not otherwise be accessed;

modifying at least one payout of a payout table;

modifying a probability of obtaining at least one outcome;

modifying at least one rule of game play;

modifying a credit meter balance from an amount that would otherwise be available to a player;

providing a resource that would not otherwise be available to a player.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the parameter comprises:

determining a value of the first indicia; and

determining a modified value based on the second indicia; and

adjusting a credit meter balance of the gaming device based on the modified value.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an identifier of the supplemental wagering instrument;

transmitting the identifier to another device; and

receiving the instruction from the other device, the instruction having been determined based on the identifier.

17. A method, comprising:

receiving, via a first component associated with a gaming device, a primary wagering instrument;

determining a validity and value of the primary wagering instrument;

receiving, via a second component associated with the gaming device, a supplemental wagering instrument, the supplemental wagering instrument indicating an instruction for modifying a value of the primary wagering instrument;

determining a modified value of the primary wagering instrument based on the instruction; and

setting a credit meter balance of the gaming device to an amount based on the modified value.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining a condition associated with the supplemental wagering instrument; and

determining, before determining the modified value, whether the condition is satisfied,

wherein the credit meter balance is set to an amount based on the modified value only if the condition is satisfied.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the primary wagering instrument is at least one of a cash-out ticket, a supplemental ticket, a player tracking card, a financial account identifier and a smart card.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the supplemental wagering instrument is at least one of a paper ticket, a player tracking card, a financial account identifier and a smart card.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the first component is the second component.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein determining a modified value comprises:

storing the value of the primary wagering instrument in memory;

determining, based on the instruction, an amount by which the value is to be increased; and

determining the modified value by adding the amount to the stored value.

24. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a first gaming device, a request to cash out a credit meter balance of the gaming device;

outputting, in response to the request, a primary wagering instrument having a value based on a current value of the credit meter balance;

outputting, at the gaming device, a supplemental wagering instrument, the supplemental wagering instrument including an instruction for modifying a parameter of at least one of a second gaming device and the primary wagering instrument,

wherein the supplemental wagering instrument is redeemable only along with the primary wagering instrument.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the first gaming device is the second gaming device.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the primary wagering instrument is a cash-out ticket printed via a printer device associated with the gaming device, the cash out ticket being exchangeable for cash and credits on at least the first gaming device and the second gaming device.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the supplemental wagering instrument is a supplemental ticket printed via a printer device associated with the gaming device, the ticket indicating a benefit to be provided upon redemption of the ticket at the time of redemption of the cash-out ticket.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the supplemental ticket does not have any intrinsic value, such that the supplemental ticket has value only if redeemed along with the cash-out ticket.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the supplemental ticket has a first value if redeemed without the cash-out ticket and a second value if redeemed along with the cash-out ticket, the first value being less than the second value.

30. A system, comprising:

a controller operable to communicate with a plurality of devices, at least one of the plurality of devices comprising a gaming device; and

the plurality of devices,

wherein at least one of the plurality of devices is operable to output a supplemental ticket, the supplemental ticket defining a benefit to be provided upon the redemption of the ticket along with at least one other ticket, and

wherein the benefit comprises a modification of a parameter associated with at least one of the gaming device, the supplemental ticket and a player.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein redemption of the supplemental ticket along with at least one other ticket comprises insertion of the supplemental ticket into a gaming device and insertion of the at least one other ticket into the gaming device.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the at least one other ticket comprises one of

a cash-out ticket redeemable for at least one of cash and credits at a gaming device;

and

another supplemental ticket.