MOBILE-PHONE-BASED WAGERING GAME ACCOUNT TRANSACTIONS

• US 20110263318A1
• Filed: 08/04/2009
• Published: 10/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Agarwal, Vijay K., Pace, Mark C., Buchholz, Dale R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,430,745 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 17/3225 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

Abstract

In some embodiments a method includes receiving, from a mobile phone, a request to transfer a first fund amount from a player account to a wagering game machine. The method can also include determining that the player account does not include the first fund amount; receiving a second fund amount from a secondary funding source, and augmenting the player account by the second fund amount, wherein the augmenting results in the player account including the first fund amount. The method can also include transferring the first fund amount from the player account to the wagering game machine; debiting the player account by the first fund amount.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, from a mobile phone, a request to transfer a first fund amount from a player account to a wagering game machine;

determining that the player account does not include the first fund amount;

receiving a second fund amount from a secondary funding source;

augmenting the player account by the second fund amount, wherein the augmenting results in the player account including the first fund amount;

transferring the first fund amount from the player account to the wagering game machine;

debiting the player account by the first fund amount.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transferring occurs before a player associated with the player account has signed-onto the wagering game machine.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, from the mobile phone, a third fund amount; and

crediting the player account by the third fund amount.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the request to transfer the first fund amount is included in a short message service (SMS) message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the player account indicates the secondary funding source.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the secondary funding source is a financial institution server operated by bank.

7. A wagering game account server comprising:

a player account base configured to store a plurality of player accounts, the player accounts including funds;

a request processor electronically coupled to the player account base, the request processor configured to receive a request to electronically transfer funds from one of the player accounts to a wagering game machine, the request originating at a mobile phone, and the funds being for use in playing wagering games on the wagering game machines; and

a transaction processor electronically coupled to the player account base and the request processor, the transaction processor configured to electronically transmit the funds to the wagering game machine and update the player account base to indicate a debit on the one of the player accounts.

8. The wagering game account server of claim 7, wherein the request to electronically transfer funds is included in a short message service (SMS) message.

9. The wagering game account server of claim 7, wherein

the request processor is further configured to receive a request to electronically transfer funds from the mobile phone into the one of the player accounts;

the transaction processor is further configured to update the player account base to indicate a credit based on the transfer of funds from the mobile phone.

10. The wagering game account server of claim 7, wherein

the transaction processor is further configured to determine that the one player accounts does not include the funds and to procure the funds from a secondary funding source.

11. The wagering game account server of claim 7, wherein the request to electronically transfer funds is included in a message in a protocol that is not native to the mobile phone.

12. A mobile phone capable of transferring funds to devices on a wagering game network, the mobile phone comprising:

an account interface controller configured to present a user interface elements associated with requesting transfer of funds from a player account to a wagering game machine, wherein mobile phone does not include the player account, and wherein the funds are for use in playing wagering games on the wagering game machine;

a transaction controller electronically coupled to the account interface controller, wherein the transaction controller is configured to transmit a request to transfer the funds on the player account to the wagering game machine.

13. The mobile phone of claim 12, further comprising:

a vault configured to electronically store the funds received from the wagering game machine, wherein the transaction controller is further configured to store the funds from the wagering game machine in the vault.

14. The mobile phone of claim 13, wherein the transaction controller is further configured to transfer the funds stored in the vault to the player account.

15. The mobile phone of claim 12, wherein the request to transfer the funds on the player account to the wagering game machine is included in a short message service (SMS) message.

16. The mobile phone of claim 12, wherein the request to transfer the funds on the player account to the wagering game machine is transmitted directly to the wagering game machine.

17. A wagering game network comprising:

a mobile phone configured to transmit a request to electronically transfer a first monetary amount from a player account to a wagering game machine;

a wagering game account server configured to receive the request, to transmit the first monetary amount to the wagering game machine, and to update the player account to indicate the transfer; and

the wagering game machine configured to electronically receive the first monetary amount, to make the monetary amount available of use in wagering games, and to present the wagering games.

18. The wagering game network of claim 17, wherein the wagering game machine is further configured to electronically transfer a second monetary amount to the mobile phone, and wherein the mobile phone is further configured to electronically transfer the second monetary amount to the player account in the wagering game account server.

19. The wagering game network of claim 17, wherein the request is included in a short message service (SMS) message.

20. The wagering game account network of claim 17, wherein the wagering game account server is further configured to determine that the player account does not include the first monetary amount and to electronically procure a second monetary amount from a secondary funding source.

21. The wagering game network of claim 17, wherein the wagering game machine configured to electronically receive the first monetary amount after a player associated with the player account has signed-on.

22. The wagering game network of claim 17, wherein the wagering game machine configured to electronically receive the first monetary amount before a player associated with the player account has signed-on.

23. A wagering game account server comprising:

means for receiving, from a mobile phone, a request to transfer funds from a financial institution account to a casino account, wherein the casino account is associated with a player;

means for requesting and receiving the funds from the financial institution account;

means for delivering the funds into the casino account;

means for transferring at least some of the funds into a game session account available on one or more wagering game machines, wherein the game session account provides the funds for use in wagering games; and

means for notifying the mobile phone about one or more account transactions.

24. The wagering game account server of claim 23, wherein the transferring occurs before a player associated with the player account has signed-onto the wagering game machine.

25. The wagering game account server of claim 23 further comprising:

means for transferring at least some of the funds from the casino account to the mobile phone.