REDEMPTION OF VIRTUAL TICKETS USING A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20130065668A1
• Filed: 09/13/2011
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: LeMay, Steven G., Nelson, Dwayne R., Vasquez, Jim A., Gowin, Scott T.
• Granted Patent: US 10,297,105 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• 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 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens

Abstract

A gaming system compatible with patron-controlled portable electronic devices, such as smart phones or tablet computers, is described. The gaming system can include electronic gaming machines that are compatible to receive both virtual ticket vouchers and printed ticket vouchers that are redeemable for credits on the electronic gaming machines. Information associated with a virtual ticket voucher can be stored on a patron-controlled portable electronic device and then can be wireless transmitted to the electronic gaming machines. The electronic gaming machines can be configured to issue virtual ticket vouchers and printed ticket vouchers that can be redeemed for cash or additional game play on another electronic gaming machine. In one embodiment, the electronic gaming machine can be configured to issue a virtual ticket voucher to a patron-controlled portable electronic device.

Claims

1. Computer readable storage medium for tangibly storing a computer program used by a processor on a portable electronic device, the computer readable medium comprising:

computer code for communicating with a wager-based electronic gaming machine (EGM) via a wireless interface on the portable electronic device;

computer code for storing a virtual ticket voucher wherein the virtual ticket voucher is a bearer instrument redeemable only once for cash or wagering credits on the EGM;

computer code for receiving the virtual ticket voucher from the EGM via the wireless ticket interface;

computer code for rendering an image from data of at least a front side of the virtual ticket voucher to a display wherein the image is rendered in a format similar to a printed ticket voucher issued by the EGM; and

computer code for sending the virtual ticket voucher to the EGM via the wireless interface.

2. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising computer code for sending to the EGM or receiving the virtual ticket voucher from the EGM via a wired communication connection.

3. The computer storage readable medium of claim 1, further comprising computer code for communicating with the EGM via a near-field communication protocol on the wireless interface.

4. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising computer code for communicating with the EGM via a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth compatible protocol on the wireless interface.

5. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising computer code for receiving a selection of a parameter to customize an appearance of the virtual ticket voucher rendered on the display and for storing the selected parameter.

6. The computer readable storage medium of claim 5, further comprising computer code for sending the selected parameter to the EGM to cause a change in appearance of the virtual ticket voucher rendered on the EGM.

7. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising computer code for storing a plurality of virtual ticket voucher templates wherein the virtual ticket vouchers templates affect an appearance of the rendered image of the virtual ticket voucher and for enabling a selection of one of the plurality of virtual ticket voucher templates to apply to the virtual ticket voucher.

8. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising computer code for receiving appearance data from the EGM that affects the image of the virtual ticket voucher rendered on the portable electronic device and rendering the virtual ticket voucher according to the received appearance data.

9. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the received appearance data is related to a holiday theme or an event theme.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the received appearance data is related to a game theme for the wager-based game generated on the EGM.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising computer code for sending a request to the EGM to perform an electronic cash-in transaction.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, further comprising computer code for receiving an input for initiating the request.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising computer code for sending a request to the EGM to perform an electronic cash-out transaction.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, further comprising computer code for receiving an input for initiating the request.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising computer code for determining an expiration date of the virtual ticket voucher and sending a notification message when the virtual ticket voucher is about to expire.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising computer code for optionally sending loyalty program information with the virtual ticket voucher.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising computer code for displaying a message requesting additional verification information before allowing the virtual ticket voucher to be sent to the EGM.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising computer code for receiving the additional verification information via an encrypted communication and authenticating the additional verification information.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the additional verification information is one of a PIN, a password or biometric data.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the request for the additional verification is triggered when a value of the virtual ticket voucher that is to be redeemed exceeds a threshold value.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising computer code for sending a request to a remote server to extend an expiration date on a virtual ticket voucher.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the rendered image includes optically formatted image data.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising computer code for communicating with a remote server and for purchasing a virtual ticket voucher from the remote server redeemable for game play at a casino.

24. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising computer code for sending a request to a remote server to redeem a virtual ticket voucher and sending the virtual ticket voucher to the remote server for redemption.

25. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising computer code for generating a scannable image that is output to a display for redemption of the virtual ticket voucher at a cashier station or redemption kiosk.

26. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising computer code for displaying a plurality of virtual ticket vouchers simultaneously on the display, receiving a selection of two or more of the plurality of virtual ticket voucher and sending the selected two or more virtual ticket vouchers to the EGM for redemption.

27. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising computer code for uploading the rendered image to a social media site.

28. The computer readable storage medium of claim 26, further comprising obscuring or removing information from the rendered image needed to redeem the virtual ticket voucher.

29. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1 further comprising computer code for uploading information associated with the virtual ticket vouchers to a remote device for storage.

30. A method in a server including a processor, a memory and a network interface, the method comprising:

establishing communications with a portable electronic device via the network interface;

receiving a request from the portable electronic device to generate a virtual ticket voucher redeemable for game play at a casino;

receiving an electronic payment for the virtual ticket voucher;

sending a request to a remote server at the casino to send a ticket validation number including a value of the virtual ticket voucher;

receiving the ticket validation number;

generating the virtual ticket voucher;

sending the virtual ticket voucher to the portable electronic device; and

notifying the remote server that the virtual ticket voucher has been generated.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising generating instructions that allow an image of the virtual ticket voucher to be rendered on the portable electronic device and sending the instructions to the portable electronic device.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

sending a promotion coupon to the portable electronic device.

33. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

receiving a request for redemption of a first virtual ticket voucher from the portable electronic device, requesting the remote server to validate the first virtual ticket voucher and when the first virtual ticket voucher is validated arranging a transfer of funds for the value of the first virtual ticket voucher.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising determining whether the first virtual ticket voucher is eligible for redemption by the server.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the determining includes determining whether the virtual ticket voucher is near its expiration date.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the determining includes determining whether the virtual ticket voucher is below a threshold value.

37. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

receiving a request to extend an expiration date of a first virtual ticket voucher, requesting the remote server to extend the expiration date of the first virtual ticket voucher and sending a message to the portable electronic device indicating whether the expiration date of the first virtual ticket voucher is extended.