METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FUNDING MOBILE GAMING

• US 20130090155A1
• Filed: 10/10/2011
• Published: 04/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vulcan Gaming LLC
• Original Assignee: Tipping Point Group, LLC
• Inventors: Johnson, Sam
• Granted Patent: US 9,373,107 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/34 Betting or bookmaking, e.g. Internet betting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3206 Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• 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 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking

Abstract

In a gaming method and system, a player is permitted to move funds from a gaming machine at a casino, such as funds won at the gaming machine or input into the gaming machine, with a funds account which the player can utilize to fund remote or mobile gaming. When a player of a gaming machine is identified, such as by detecting or sensing the player'"'"'s mobile communication device or by a player'"'"'s use of a player card or the like, a gaming machine may be configured or triggered to activate one or more funds association options, such as to offer the player the opportunity to associate funds provided to the gaming machine with their account for use in remote or mobile gaming.

Claims

1. A method of funding wagering game play comprising the steps of:

establishing a funds account associated with a player;

storing information regarding a balance of funds belonging to said player in association with said account;

identifying said player at stationary electronic gaming machine which is configured to present at least one wagering game, which gaming machine includes at least one device configured to accept monetary funds;

accepting monetary funds from said player via said at least one device at said electronic gaming machine;

associating at least a portion of said accepted monetary funds with said player'"'"'s funds account;

increasing said balance of funds based upon said monetary funds which are associated with said account; and

receiving a request from said player to access monetary funds from said player'"'"'s funds account for funding a wager placed at said player'"'"'s mobile electronic communication device.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising the step of receiving input regarding an amount of said accepted monetary funds which said player wishes to associate with said funds account.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising associating funds not associated with said funds account with said electronic gaming machine for use by said player in making wagers at said stationary electronic gaming machine.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said monetary funds comprise paper currency or coins.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said step of identifying said player comprises detecting a mobile communication device belonging to said player and receiving player identification information from said mobile communication device at said stationary electronic gaming machine.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said step of identifying said player comprises obtaining information from a player card belonging to said player.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said mobile electronic device comprises a mobile communication device belonging to said player.

8. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising the step of presenting at least one wagering game to said player at said stationary electronic gaming machine and, if said outcome of said at least one wagering game is a winning outcome, awarding an award to said player.

9. The method in accordance with claim 8 further comprising the step of permitting said player to associate at least a portion of said award with said funds account belonging to said player.

19. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising the step of transmitting a message to said player'"'"'s mobile electronic communication device which includes information regarding the amount of funds which have been transferred from said stationary electronic gaming machine to said funds account.

10. A gaming system comprising:

at least one stationary electronic gaming machine configured to present at least one wagering game and comprising at least one device configured to accept monetary funds;

an accounting server configured to store information regarding a plurality of player funds accounts, each account having an associated funds balance;

a communication link between said at least one stationary electronic gaming machine and said accounting server;

said at least one stationary electronic gaming machine configured to accept monetary funds from a player;

said accounting server configured to increase a funds balance of said players funds account based upon a portion of said monetary funds accepted by said at least one stationary electronic gaming machine which said player wishes to transfer to their funds account;

a communication link between said accounting server and said player'"'"'s mobile electronic communication device; and

said accounting server configured to decrease a funds balance of said player'"'"'s funds account based upon one or more wagers placed by said player via said player'"'"'s mobile electronic communication device.

11. The gaming system in accordance with claim 10 further comprising at least one game server configured to transmit wagering game information to said mobile electronic device belonging to said player in response to said wager.

12. The gaming system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said at least one wagering game comprises a slot game, a poker game, a bingo game, or a keno game.

13. The gaming system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said electronic gaming machine is configured to generate a credit balance for use by said player in placing wagers at said electronic gaming machine, said credit balance comprising a number of credits corresponding to said amount of monetary funds provided by said player less said funds transferred to said funds account.

14. The gaming system in accordance with claim 13 wherein said credit balance further comprises a number of credits awarded to said player as a result of game play at said electronic gaming machine, less a number of credits wagered by said player at said electronic gaming machine.

15. The gaming system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said electronic gaming machine further comprises means for identifying said player.

16. The gaming system in accordance with claim 15 wherein said means comprises a card reader configured to read a player identification card.

17. The gaming system in accordance with claim 15 wherein said means comprises a mobile communication device dock.

18. The gaming system in accordance with claim 15 wherein said means comprises a wireless mobile communication device detector.

20. The method in accordance with claim 10 wherein said accounting server is configured to transmit a message to said player'"'"'s mobile electronic communication device which includes information regarding the amount of funds which have been transferred from said stationary electronic gaming machine to said funds account.