Cashless reservation system

• US 20090104980A1
• Filed: 04/15/2008
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Original Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Inventors: Curry, David Thomas Francis, Jack, David Samuel, Lui, Louis Yausee, Muir, Robert Linley, Boesen, John Leslie
• Granted Patent: US 8,512,118 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 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• 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 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played

Abstract

A gaming machine and a gaming system is described. Gaming machines may be reserved by operating a button panel. In certain embodiments the reserved gaming machine or a head system causes the printing of a ticket and when that ticket is read by a bill acceptor, the gaming machine unlocks. In other embodiments, reservation is made by other means, including player cards.

Claims

1. A gaming machine including:

a game controller for controlling play of one or more games on the gaming machine;

a ticket reader and associated circuitry that outputs ticket data when a ticket is read by the ticket reader;

a ticket printer that prints tickets readable by the ticket reader;

a reservation actuator operable by a player of the gaming machine to indicate that the gaming machine is to be reserved;

wherein when the reservation actuator is operated, the ticket printer prints a ticket and locks, maintaining the ticket reader active, and unlocks when the ticket reader reads the printed ticket.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, including an electronic controller between the game controller and the ticket reader, wherein the electronic controller controls the ticket reader to be active when the gaming machine is reserved.

3. The gaming machine of claim 2, wherein the electronic controller communicates information to a head system when a ticket is read by the ticket reader when the gaming machine is reserved, the information identifying the ticket that has been read.

4. The gaming machine of claim 3, wherein the gaming machine unlocks the gaming machine only after receiving a message from the head system that the ticket is valid.

5. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein when the gaming machine is locked, it is locked without any credits on it and indicia indicating the value of any credits on it at the time the machine was locked are printed on the ticket by the ticket printer.

6. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein when the gaming machine is locked, a message indicating the value of any credits on it at the time the machine was locked is communicated to a head system.

7. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the gaming machine remains locked for a limited duration, following which the gaming machine automatically unlocks.

8. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the gaming machine applies qualification criteria before locking, wherein the gaming machine only locks and becomes reserved if the qualification criteria are met.

9. The gaming machine of claim 1, where the gaming machine charges a player for time that the gaming machine is reserved, with the charge being taken from credit of the player on the gaming machine.

10. A gaming system including a system controller in communication with a plurality of gaming machines, the system controller providing credit to a gaming machine and causing the issuance of a ticket at a site remote from the gaming machine, wherein when the gaming machine receives the credit, it locks so as to prevent play of the gaming machine, but keeps a ticket reader active, wherein the gaming machine unlocks and allows play of the gaming machine using the credit when the ticket is read by the ticket reader.

11. The gaming system of claim 10, wherein the gaming machine includes a ticket printer and a reservation actuator operable by a player of the gaming machine to indicate that the gaming machine is to be reserved and wherein when the reservation actuator is actuated, the ticket printer prints a ticket and locks, maintaining the ticket reader active, and unlocks when the ticket reader reads the printed ticket.

12. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein when the reservation actuator is actuated, the gaming machine remains locked for a period of time and unlocks after the period of time expires.

13. A gaming system including a system controller in communication with a plurality of gaming machines that each include ticket readers and ticket printers and a reservation actuator operable by a player of the gaming machine to indicate that the gaming machine is to be reserved, wherein when the reservation actuator of a said gaming machine is actuated, the ticket printer of that gaming machine prints a ticket and the gaming machine locks, maintaining the ticket reader active, and wherein the gaming unlocks in response to the ticket reader of that gaming machine reading the printed ticket, and also unlocks in response to a signal from the system controller, the signal being communicated by the system controller in response to the ticket being read by a ticket reader of another one of the gaming machines.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the tickets include indicia associated with a monetary value and when a gaming machine is locked, it is locked without any credits on a credit meter of the gaming machine.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the gaming machines also operate to identify a player other than through use of the ticket reader, and wherein the gaming system associates with the ticket an identifier of a player, and wherein the gaming machine unlocks in response to receipt of the identifier of the player at a gaming machine in the system.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the gaming machines also operate to identify a player other than through use of the ticket reader, and wherein the gaming system associates with the ticket an identifier of a player, and wherein the gaming machine unlocks in response to receipt of the identifier of the player at a gaming machine in the system.

17. A gaming system including a system controller in communication with a plurality of gaming machines that each include a game controller, a ticket reader, a ticket printer and a reservation actuator operable by a player of the gaming machine to indicate that the gaming machine is to be reserved, wherein when the reservation actuator of a said gaming machine is actuated, the ticket printer of that gaming machine prints a ticket and the gaming machine locks, maintaining the ticket reader active, and wherein the gaming unlocks in response to the ticket reader of that gaming machine reading the printed ticket, and also unlocks in response to a signal from the system controller, the signal being communicated by the system controller in response to the ticket being read by a ticket reader of another one of the gaming machines, wherein at least one of the gaming machines includes an electronic controller between the game controller and the ticket reader, the electronic controller controls the ticket reader to be active when the gaming machine is reserved.

18. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein the electronic controller communicates information to the system controller when a ticket is read by the ticket reader when the gaming machine is reserved, the information identifying the ticket that has been read.

19. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein the gaming machine unlocks the gaming machine only after receiving a message from the system controller that the ticket is valid.

20. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein when the gaming machine is locked, it is locked without any credits on it and indicia indicating the value of any credits on it at the time the machine was locked are printed on the ticket by the ticket printer.