CASH-OUT METHODS AND SYSTEMS YIELDING ENHANCED TIME-DEFERRED VALUE

• US 20090327060A1
• Filed: 07/30/2007
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Schwartz, Richard T., Gagner, Mark B., Hornik, Jeremy M., Thomas, Alfred, Arezina, Vladimir I.
• Granted Patent: US 8,190,507 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0213 Consumer transaction fees
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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

A method of exchanging assets within a wagering establishment computer-based marketplace layer including the acts of accessing a wagering establishment marketplace layer using a peripheral device, offering a first asset for exchange in the wagering establishment marketplace layer to all participants in the wagering establishment marketplace layer. The method also includes the acts of receiving an offer to exchange a second asset for the first asset from an anonymous one of the participants in the wagering establishment marketplace layer, accepting the offer to exchange the second asset for the first asset from the anonymous one of the participants in the wagering establishment marketplace layer, and transferring the first asset in exchange for the second asset.

Claims

1. A method of exchanging assets within a wagering establishment computer-based marketplace layer, comprising:

accessing a wagering establishment marketplace layer using a peripheral device;

offering a first asset for exchange in said wagering establishment marketplace layer to all participants in said wagering establishment marketplace layer;

receiving an offer to exchange a second asset for said first asset from an anonymous one of said participants in said wagering establishment marketplace layer;

accepting said offer to exchange said second asset for said first asset from said anonymous one of said participants in said wagering establishment marketplace layer; and

transferring said first asset in exchange for said second asset.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said peripheral device comprises at least one of a handheld gaming machine, an upright gaming machine, a kiosk, a handheld electronic device, and a computer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said act of accessing comprises establishing a wireless communication link between a server providing access to said wagering establishment marketplace layer and said peripheral device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said participants comprises at least one of another player, another person, a computer programmed to conduct trades, and a representative of said wagering establishment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said act of transferring occurs within said marketplace layer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said act of transferring occurs outside of said marketplace layer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said acts of offering, accepting, and transferring is brokered by said wagering establishment.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said wagering establishment charges a fee for the act of brokering.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the acts of:

establishing a first wagering layer account for a first participant; and

establishing a second wagering layer account for a second participant,

wherein said act of transferring said first asset in exchange for said second asset further comprises transferring said first asset from said first account to said second account and transferring said second asset from said second account to said first account.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said act of transferring comprises transferring said first asset to a marketplace account associated with a participant conveying said second asset and transferring said second asset to a marketplace account associated with a participant conveying said first asset.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first asset and said second asset comprises at least one of cash, currency, and credit in one of a physical and an electronic form.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said first asset is received in association with a wagering activity.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said first asset comprises at least one of a comp, a game-related asset, an unrealized potential, and a non-game asset.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said second asset comprises at least one of a monetary value, a comp, a game-related asset, an unrealized potential, and a non-game asset, said second asset being different than said first asset.

15. A method of linking peripheral devices to a wagering establishment computer-based marketplace layer, comprising:

establishing a communication link between a plurality of participants in a wagering establishment marketplace layer, said participants being anonymous to one another;

accessing a first marketplace layer account associated with a first participant;

offering a first asset associated with said first marketplace layer account for exchange, subject to at least one exchange condition, to all participants on said marketplace layer;

receiving all offers presented by said participants offering an asset in exchange for said first asset; and

presenting to said first participant all offers received by said participants offering an asset in exchange for said first asset.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving from said first participant an acceptance of a selected one of said offers presented by said participants;

accepting said offer by said second participant of said asset in exchange for said first asset;

transferring said asset from a marketplace layer account associated with said asset to said first marketplace layer account and transferring said first asset to said marketplace layer account associated with said asset.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said peripheral device comprises at least one of a handheld gaming machine, an upright gaming machine, a kiosk, and a computer.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said act of establishing a communication link comprises establishing a wireless communication link between a server providing access to said wagering establishment marketplace layer and a handheld gaming machine.

19. A computer-based wagering establishment marketplace system, comprising:

a computer network comprising an instruction set defining a marketplace layer; and

a plurality of peripheral devices connected to said network, said peripherals being configured to permit participants having a marketplace layer account to enter said marketplace layer;

wherein said instruction set defining said marketplace layer is configured, upon execution, to enable multi-party communication in said marketplace layer, and in relation to communications between any participants therein, to display each participant'"'"'s anonymous participant ID and associated status score;

wherein said instruction set defining said marketplace layer is configured, upon execution, to facilitate at least one of exchange, sale, and auction of assets between any of said participants, said marketplace layer further comprising an instruction set to facilitate, in connection with a transaction between participants in said marketplace layer, association of a first asset in a first marketplace layer account with a second marketplace layer account and association of a second asset in said second marketplace layer account with said first marketplace layer account.

20. A method of incentivizing deposit of funds to a wagering account, comprising:

transferring funds associated with a wagering account to an interest bearing account associated with at least one of a player and an identification number assigned to said player;

accruing interest comprising at least one of a monetary interest and a non-monetary interest in association with said funds; and

awarding said interest to said player subject to at least one redemption condition.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the wagering account is associated with a handheld gaming machine.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein said interest consists of at least one of a non-monetary asset, award, and benefit.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein said act of accruing interest comprises a precondition.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein said precondition comprises at least one of a transfer of or maintenance of a minimum amount of funds in said interest bearing account and a maintenance of a minimum amount of funds in said interest bearing account for at least a predetermined minimum period of time.