TOTAL MONEY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

• US 20130316797A1
• Filed: 05/22/2013
• Published: 11/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Angel Group Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Gaming Partners International Corporation
• Inventors: Gelinotte, Emmanuel, Gronau, Gregory Scott, Clark, Kirsten, McCarthy, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 9,858,756 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/322 Casino tables, e.g. tables having integrated screens, chip detection means
• 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 17/3246 involving coins and/or banknotes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value

Abstract

A total money management system for integrating numerous stand-alone components designed to validate, track and secure gaming currency from the table to back-of-house is provided. Utilizing RFID enabled casino currency, an RFID chip tray, a bill validator, RFID readers and antennas, inventory system and chip authentication network, the total money management system of the present disclosure provides casinos with a cash and chip tracking and reporting tool that will improve table performance and streamline the numerous at-table and back-of-house manual money management processes and procedures.

Claims

1. A money management system, comprising:

a bill validator configured to receive a non-gaming currency from a patron and generate a cash-in value for the non-gaming currency, wherein the cash-in value is to be exchanged by an operator for an equal chip-out value of gaming currency to be provided to the patron;

a gaming table having an inventory of RFID enabled gaming currency, a RFID antenna and reader configured to read a first set of identification information and value information for one or more gaming currency to be removed by the operator from the inventory, the one or more gaming currency corresponding to a chip-out value equal to the cash-in value, the RFID antenna and reader generating the chip-out value; and

an inventory system coupled to the bill validator and the RFID antenna and reader, the inventory system configured to monitor and maintain the inventory, to receive the cash-in value, the chip-out value and the first set of identification information and value information, and verify that the cash-in value matches the chip-out value, to authorize acceptance of the non-gaming currency within the bill validator, to authorize payment of the one or more gaming currency to the patron, and to update the inventory based on the first set of identification information and value information.

2. The money management system of claim 1, wherein the RFID antenna and reader is further configured to receive gaming currency not included in the inventory and to read a second set of identification information and value information from the gaming currency not included in the inventory, further comprising a chip authentication network coupled to the inventory system and configured to administer the inventory system and to verify the authenticity of the gaming currency not included in the inventory based on the second set of identification information and value information, and wherein the inventory system is further configured to update the inventory based on the second set of identification information and value information.

3. The money management system of claim 2, wherein the RFID antenna and reader is further configured to read a third set of identification information and value information from the gaming currency included in the inventory that will be paid to a patron at the completion of a game or hand and to update the inventory based on the third set of identification information, and wherein the inventory system is further configured to update the inventory based on the third set of identification information and value information.

4. The money management system of claim 1, wherein the gaming table includes a display configured to display the cash-in value and the chip-out value.

5. The money management system of claim 1, wherein the gaming table includes a chip tray for holding the inventory, wherein the RFID antenna and reader is further configured to read a second set of identification information and value information from the gaming currency included in the chip tray, further comprising a chip authentication network coupled to the inventory system and configured to administer the inventory system and to verify the authenticity of the gaming currency in the chip tray, and wherein the inventory system bases the inventory on the second set of identification information and value information.

6. The money management system of claim 5, wherein the RFID antenna and reader is further configured to receive gaming currency not included in the inventory and to read a third set of identification information and value information from the gaming currency not included in the inventory, wherein the chip authentication network is configured to verify the authenticity of the gaming currency not included in the inventory based on the third set of identification information and value information, and wherein the inventory system is further configured to update the inventory based on the third set of identification information and value information.

7. The money management system of claim 6, wherein the RFID antenna and reader is further configured to read a fourth set of identification information and value information from the gaming currency included in the inventory that will be paid to a patron at the completion of a game or hand, and wherein the inventory system is further configured to update the inventory based on the fourth set of identification information.

8. The money management system of claim 1, further comprising a chip recycler configured to hold the inventory and to receive gaming currency not included in the inventory and to read a second set of identification information and value information from the gaming currency not included in the inventory, further comprising a chip authentication network coupled to the inventory system and configured to administer the inventory system and to verify the authenticity of the gaming currency not included in the inventory based on the second set of identification information and value information, and wherein the inventory system is further configured to update the inventory based on the second set of identification information and value information.

9. The money management system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of bill validators configured to receive a plurality of non-gaming currency from a plurality of patrons and to exchange the plurality of non-gaming currency for a plurality of gaming currency of equal value to be provided to the patron, further comprising a plurality of RFID antennas and readers configured to read identification information and value information from gaming currency throughout a casino facility in which the gaming table resides, and wherein the inventory system is coupled to the plurality of bill validators and the plurality of RFID antennas and readers and is configured to monitor and maintain a casino facility-wide inventory of the plurality of non-gaming currency and the plurality of gaming currency.

10. The money management system of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of chip recyclers configured to hold at least a portion of the casino facility-wide inventory, and to exchange a portion of the casino facility-wide inventory for the plurality of non-gaming currency received by the plurality of bill validators, and wherein the inventory system is coupled to the plurality of chip recyclers to monitor and maintain the casino facility-wide inventory of the plurality of non-gaming currency and the plurality of gaming currency

11. The money management system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of bill validators, the plurality of RFID antennas and readers, and the plurality of chip recyclers are located throughout the casino facility to enable the inventory system to balance all non-gaming currency and gaming currency transactions through the casino facility, to track all non-gaming currency and gaming currency movement throughout the casino facility, to authenticate all incoming and outgoing gaming currency, to process all fills and credits of non-gaming currency and gaming currency, to alert casino management when predetermined incidents occur, and to relay all data collected by the inventory system to a casino management system

12. A method for validating and approving an exchange within a casino, said method comprising:

receiving one or more bank notes from a customer at an operator station;

inserting the bank notes into a bill validator, the bill validator being configured to count and authenticate the one or more bank notes, to reject unauthenticated bank notes, and to securely store any accepted bank notes in a stacker until the operator station is closed, the bill validator being further configured to share data collected from the bank notes with an inventory system responsible for monitoring and maintaining an inventory of all RFID enabled chips within the casino;

displaying a value corresponding to authenticated bank notes from the one or more bank notes to the customer for rejection or acceptance;

if the customer accepts the value, providing the customer with one or more RFID enabled chips equal to the value of the accepted bank notes;

balancing the inventory within the inventory system to reflect the value of the bank notes received for the value of the RFID enabled chips provided to the customer; and

securing the accepted bank notes within the stacker.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving one or more RFID enabled chips within a chip recycler at an operator station;

counting and authenticating the one or more RFID enabled chips to accept authenticated RFID enabled chips and to reject unauthenticated chips;

displaying a second value corresponding to the authenticated RFID enabled chips to the customer for rejection or acceptance;

if the customer accepts the second value, in accordance with a customer preference, providing the customer with one or more other RFID enabled chips equal to the second value or one or more bank notes and/or coins equal to the second value;

balancing the inventory within the inventory system to reflect the value of the authenticated RFID enabled chips received for the value of the other RFID enabled chips or the bank notes and/or coins provided to the customer; and

securing the authenticated RFID enabled chips within the chip recycler.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the operator station is a gaming table within the casino.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the operator station is a cashier cage within the casino.