Electronic Fund Transfer for Mobile Gaming

• US 20170243440A1
• Filed: 04/24/2017
• Published: 08/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Incorporated (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Original Assignee: Binh T. Nguyen
• Inventors: Nguyen, Binh T.
• Granted Patent: US 10,777,038 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3223 Realising banking transactions through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3218 wherein at least part of the system is portable
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking

Abstract

In one embodiment, a system and method to transfer money may include a mobile device associated with a player, a location server designed to: track a device position of the mobile device and track a vessel position, and a mobile gaming management server designed to: receive a fund transfer request from a gaming server for the mobile device, the fund transfer request including a fund amount; determine if the fund amount can be transferred to the mobile device based on the device position and the vessel position; and transfer the fund amount to the mobile device if it is determined that the fund amount can be transferred to the mobile device.

Claims

1. A mobile gaming management device configured to transfer funds for passengers on a vessel, the mobile gaming management device comprising:

at least one memory configured to store at least one passenger gaming account; and

a processor configured to;

track gaming funds for use by at least one user of a mobile device;

receive a fund request including a fund amount;

obtain the fund amount, the fund amount used to play an on-board game of chance on the mobile device;

transfer the fund amount to the mobile device;

separately manage usage of the fund amount in a passenger gaming account, the passenger gaming account associated with the user playing the on-board game of chance;

accumulate any gaming wins from the on-board game of chance in the passenger gaming account; and

close the gaming account for the passenger at the conclusion of a vessel route for the vessel.

2. The mobile gaming management device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a vessel position and a device position from a location server; and

determine whether to transfer the amount of funds to the mobile device based upon the vessel position and device position,

wherein the device position is a position of the mobile device relative to the vessel, and wherein the vessel position is a global position of the vessel.

3. The mobile gaming management device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to communicate with a vessel management device, the vessel management device having a main account including credit or debit account information for the at least one user of the mobile device from which the funds can be obtained.

4. The mobile gaming management device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine when the on-board game of chance is completed;

determine whether there are any gaming wins from playing the on-board game of chance.

5. A mobile gaming management apparatus configured to provide funds for patrons of bet-based gaming, the mobile gaming management apparatus comprising:

at least one memory configured to store at least one patron gaming account; and

a processor configured to;

track gaming funds for use by at least one patron of a mobile device;

receive a fund request including a fund amount;

obtain the fund amount, the fund amount used to play a bet-based game on the mobile device;

rendering the fund amount available for use by the at least one patron on the mobile device;

manage usage of the fund amount in the patron gaming account, the patron gaming account associated with the at least one patron playing the bet-based game;

accumulate any gaming wins from the bet-based game in the patron gaming account.

6. The mobile gaming management device of claim 5, wherein the mobile gaming management apparatus is provided for a vessel, and wherein the at least one patron is a passenger of the vessel.

7. The mobile gaming management device of claim 6, wherein the vessel travels to a destination, and wherein the processor is further configured to close the gaming account for the patron at the conclusion when the vessel is at the destination.

8. The mobile gaming management device of claim 5, wherein the bet-based game is a game of chance.

9. The mobile gaming management device of claim 5, wherein the bet-based game is a sports bet.