Method for providing incentive to play gaming devices connected by a network to a host computer
DCFirst Claim
1. A method for providing incentive to play gaming devices connected by a network to a host computer comprising:
- associating each gaming device with an input device for receiving player identification;
associating unique player identification with a gaming device player, creating a player account accessible by the host computer;
associating the unique player identification with the player account;
applying a promotional credit to the player'"'"'s account;
permitting the player to access the account;
transferring promotional credit in the account to the gaming device;
permitting the player to wager the promotional credit; and
preventing the promotional credit from being cashed out by the player.
1 Assignment
Litigations
0 Petitions
Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for providing incentive to players of networked slot machines includes a card reader associated with each machine and a card associated with each player. A player account accessible by a host computer on the network is created which associates the player'"'"'s card with the account. A predetermined credit is applied to the player'"'"'s account. In a complementary incentive, credit from the player'"'"'s account is applied to the coin-in meter of a slot machine responsive to insertion of the player card into a card reader associated with the machine. In a matching incentive also implemented by the present invention, each time the player inserts a coin into the slot machine, an equal credit is debited from the player'"'"'s account and applied to the coin-in meter of the machine. In both cases, the credit can only be used by the player to play the machines and cannot be cashed out.
725 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method for providing incentive to play gaming devices connected by a network to a host computer comprising:
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associating each gaming device with an input device for receiving player identification;
associating unique player identification with a gaming device player, creating a player account accessible by the host computer;
associating the unique player identification with the player account;
applying a promotional credit to the player'"'"'s account;
permitting the player to access the account;
transferring promotional credit in the account to the gaming device;
permitting the player to wager the promotional credit; and
preventing the promotional credit from being cashed out by the player. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for providing incentive to play gaming devices connected by a network to a host computer comprising:
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creating a player account accessible by the host computer;
applying a promotional credit to the player account;
providing access to the account responsive to a command initiated by a player at one of the gaming devices;
transferring promotional credit in the account to the gaming device;
permitting the player to wager the promotional credit; and
preventing the promotional credit from being cashed out by the player. - View Dependent Claims (11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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- 12. The method of clam 10 wherein said method further comprises preventing transferring promotional credit in the account to the gaming device beyond a predetermined time period.
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19. A method for providing incentive to play gaming devices connected by a network to a host computer comprising:
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creating a player account accessible by the host computer;
applying a promotional credit to the player account;
transferring promotional credit in the account to the gaming device responsive to a command initiated by a player at one of the gaming devices;
permitting the player to wager the promotional credit; and
preventing the promotional credit from being cashed out by the player. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification