Cashless method for a gaming system

• US 6,280,326 B1
• Filed: 06/11/1998
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Mikohn Gaming Corporation (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Saunders, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): ONEILL, MICHAEL W
• Application Number:
  US09/095,915
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 463/29, 463/16, 463/17, 463/43, 463/42, 273/143.R, 273/138.1, 235/379, 235/380, 235/381, 902/23
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards

Abstract

A cashless peripheral method interfacing with a gaming system. The gaming system issues a “cash-out” signal when a player quits playing and receives a “cash-in” signal when a player desires to play a game in the gaming system. A stack of unprinted tickets is stored in the interior of the device. A ticket printer prints a coded value, such as a bar code, on a ticket in response to a cash-out signal from the gaming system. A ticket reader reads the amount printed on the ticket. If the printed value corresponds to the value which should have been printed, a ticket-out transport delivers the printed ticket to the player cashing out from the gaming system. When a player inserts the printed ticket into the device a ticket-in transport senses the insertion and the ticket reader reads the coded value from the inserted printed ticket. The ticket reader issues a cash-in signal to the gaming system corresponding to the value read from the coded value on the inserted printed ticket. After reading, the ticket is delivered into a ticket bin, which is secured by means of a lock internally in the housing.

Claims

1. A cashless method operating a gaming machine, the gaming machine issuing a cash-out signal having a cash-out value when a cash-out button is pressed, the cashless method comprising the steps of:

obtaining one of a plurality of unprinted tickets stored at the gaming machine,

printing, at the gaming machine, a bar code containing information at least including the cash-out value from the cash-out signal on the obtained ticket,

scanning the bar code on the printed ticket,

retaining the printed ticket at the gaming machine when the scanned bar code does not match the printed bar code,

delivering the printed ticket out from the gaming machine when the scanned bar code matches the printed bar code,

receiving a ticket when inserted at the gaming machine,

reading, at the gaming machine, the information in the bar code from the received ticket,

issuing a cash-in signal corresponding to a cash-in value from the read bar code to the gaming machine,

retaining the read ticket at the gaming machine in response to the step of issuing.

2. The cashless method of claim 1 wherein the step of obtaining includes the step of separating said one ticket from the remaining plurality of tickets.

3. The cashless method of claim 1 wherein the step of printing includes printing insertion information on the obtained ticket.

4. The cashless method of claim 3 wherein the insertion information comprises at least orientation information.

5. The cashless method of claim 3 wherein the insertion information comprises at least direction information.

6. The cashless method of claim 1 further including the step of:

informing a player at the gaming machine that a ticket is being printed.

7. The cashless method of claim 1 further including the step of:

informing a player that a ticket is being read at the gaming machine.

8. The cashless method of claim 1 wherein the step of printing further includes the steps of:

holding the obtained ticket when a malfunction occurs; and

outputting a message to a player that the obtained ticket is not printed.

9. The cashless method of claim 1 further includes the step of:

outputting a message to a player when a ticket cannot be read in response to the step of reading.

10. The cashless method of claim 1 further including the step of:

obtaining authorization from a central computer that the received ticket is correct in response to reading the received ticket.

11. The cashless method of claim 10 further including the step of:

issuing an alarm if the received ticket is not correct.

12. The cashless method of claim 1 wherein the information is based on a player'"'"'s name.

13. The cashless method of claim 1 wherein the information is based on a player'"'"'s ID.

14. The cashless method of claim 1 wherein the information is based on a PIN number.

15. The cashless method of claim 1 wherein the information is based on a ticket number.

16. The cashless method of claim 1 wherein the information is delivered to a central computer for storage.

17. A cashless method for a gaming system having at least one gaming machine, the cashless method comprising the steps of:

receiving a cash-out signal corresponding to a cash-out value in the gaming machine,

obtaining one of a plurality of unprinted tickets stored at the gaming machine,

printing at the gaming machine (1) coded information at least including the cash-out value and (2) insertion information on the obtained ticket,

scanning the printed bar code on the printed ticket,

retaining the printed ticket at the gaming machine when the scanned bar code does not match the printed bar code,

delivering at least the coded information to a computer for storage,

delivering the printed ticket out from the gaming machine when the scanned bar code matches the printed bar code,

receiving a ticket when inserted at the gaming machine,

reading at the gaming machine coded information from the received ticket,

obtaining authorization from the computer in response to reading the received ticket whereby the read coded information from the received ticket is correct based upon stored coded information at the computer,

issuing a cash-in signal corresponding to a cash-in value from the read coded information to the gaming machine when the ticket is authorized,

retaining the read ticket at the gaming machine in response to the step of issuing,

issuing an alarm when the received ticket is not authorized.

18. The cashless method of claim 17 wherein the insertion information comprises at least orientation information.

19. The cashless method of claim 17 wherein the insertion information comprises at least direction information.

20. A cashless method for outputting monetary value from a gaming machine, the cashless method comprising the steps of:

receiving a cash-out signal having the monetary value in the gaming machine,

obtaining one of a plurality of unprinted tickets stored at the gaming machine in response to the cash-out signal,

printing, at the gaming machine, (1) coded information at least including the monetary value and (2) insertion information on the obtained ticket,

scanning the printed bar code on the printed ticket in response to the step of printing,

retaining the printed ticket at the gaming machine when the scanned bar code does not match the printed bar code,

delivering the printed ticket out from the gaming machine when the scanned bar code matches the printed bar code,

delivering the coded information to a computer for storage.