Cashless gaming system: apparatus and method

• US 6,511,377 B1
• Filed: 08/07/1997
• Issued: 01/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Incorporated (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Original Assignee: Casino Data Systems (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Inventors: Weiss, Steven A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica
• Application Number:
  US08/908,300
• Time in Patent Office: 2,000 Days
• Field of Search: 463/29, 463/25, 463/23, 463/20, 463/19, 463/18, 463/17, 463/16, 463/42, 463/41, 463/40, 902/23, 273/143.R, 273/138.2
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3281 wherein game attributes are transferred between players, e.g. points, weapons, avatars

Abstract

An apparatus and method for cashless gaming wherein a player can access credits via a pin activated keypad located on the gaming machine. Real-time accounting allows the player to redeem credits and secure perquisites as a function of patronage.

Claims

1. A method of operating gaming machines connected to a system computer associated with a database, each of said gaming machines having a credit meter, a keypad, a display and a controller assembly, said controller assembly coupled to said system computer, comprising:

creating a player account in said database associated with at least one player, said player account having a permanent account balance indicating a value amount;

applying credits to said credit meter of one of said gaming machines;

accessing said player account to upload value from said one gaming machine to said player account responsive to a command initiated by said one player at said one gaming machine, said step of accessing including;

(i) using said keypad and inputting a selected amount of value to be uploaded to said player account, said step of using being performed by said one player keying-in said selected amount on said keypad;

(ii) transmitting a deposit message, indicative of said selected amount, from said controller assembly to said system computer;

(iii) creating a temporary account balance associated with said player account based on said deposit message, said step of creating being performed by said system computer;

(iv) transmitting a first acknowledgement from said system computer to said controller assembly after creating said temporary account balance;

(v) removing credits from said credit meter of said one gaming machine after receipt of said first acknowledgment by said controller assembly;

(vi) transmitting a second acknowledgement from said controller assembly to said system computer; and

(vii) adjusting said permanent account balance after removing credits from said credit meter.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said player account includes cash data indicative of the sum of inserted cash and game winnings.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said player account includes complementary data indicative of promotional value.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said player account includes points data indicating value in the form of a number of points.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of using said keypad and inputting a selected amount of value includes using said keypad and inputting a selected amount of credits.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said keypad is formed separate from a display screen.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of adjusting said permanent account balance includes changing said permanent account balance to equal said temporary account balance.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of accessing said account further includes moving said temporary account balance.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said controller assembly converts said selected amount of value to credits.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of applying credits to the credit meter includes inserting cash into said one gaming machine.

11. A method of operating gaming machines according to claim 1, wherein each of said gaming machines has a card reader, and wherein said method further includes:

providing a player card to said one player;

providing a player identification number associated with said player card to said one player; and

wherein said step of accessing said account responsive to a command initiated by said one player includes;

inserting said player card into said card reader; and

inputting said player identification number using said keypad.

12. A method according to claim 1, and further including displaying on said display a confirmation of the adjusted permanent account balance.

13. A method of operating gaming machines connected to a system computer associated with a database, each of said gaming machines having a value meter, a keypad, a display and a controller assembly, said controller assembly coupled to said system computer, comprising:

creating an account in said database associated with at least one player, said account having a permanent account balance indicative of value;

applying value to said value meter of one of said gaming machines;

accessing said account responsive to a command initiated by said one player at said one gaming machine, said step of accessing including;

(i) commanding a selected amount of value to be removed from the value meter of said one gaming machine and corresponding value to be added to said account, said step of commanding being performed by said one player at said one gaming machine;

(ii) transmitting an amount message from said controller assembly to said system computer;

(iii) creating temporary data associated with said account based on said corresponding value to be added to said account, said step of creating being performed by said system computer;

(iv) transmitting a first acknowledgement from said system computer to said controller assembly;

(v) removing value from said value meter of said one gaming machine;

(vi) transmitting a second acknowledgement from said controller assembly to said system computer; and

(vii) adjusting said permanent account balance so as to add said corresponding value.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein said controller assembly converts said value to be removed to said corresponding value to be added.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein said step of applying value to said value meter includes inserting cash into said one gaming machine.

16. A method according to claim 13, wherein said account includes cash data indicative of the sum of inserted cash and game winnings.

17. A method according to claim 13, wherein said account includes complementary data indicative of promotional value.

18. A method according to claim 13, wherein said account includes points data indicating value in the form of a number of points.

19. A method according to claim 13, wherein said step of commanding includes using said keypad to enter said selected amount of value to be added to said account.

20. A method according to claim 13, wherein said keypad is formed separate from a display screen.

21. A method according to claim 13, wherein said step of adjusting said permanent account balance includes changing said permanent account balance in accordance with said temporary data.

22. A method according to claim 13, wherein said step of accessing said account further includes removing said temporary data.

23. A method of operating gaming machines according to claim 13, wherein each of said gaming machines has a card reader, said method further including:

providing a player card to said one player;

providing a player identification number associated with said player card to said one player; and

wherein said step of accessing said account responsive to a command initiated by said one player includes;

inserting said player card into said card reader; and

inputting said player identification number using said keypad.

24. A method according to claim 13, and further including displaying on said display a confirmation that said permanent account balance has been adjusted.

25. A method of operating gaming machines connected to a system computer associated with a database, each of said gaming machines having a value meter for indicating an amount of credit for play of the gaming machine, and a controller assembly, said controller assembly coupled to said system computer, comprising:

creating a player points account in said database associated with at least one player, said player points account having an account balance representing player points value;

providing player points value in said player points account;

accessing said player points account responsive to a command initiated by said one player at one of said gaming machines in order to selectively exchange a selected amount of player points value for value on said value meter, said step of accessing including;

(i) commanding a selected amount of player points value to be exchanged for an amount of credit for play at said one of said gaming machines, said step of commanding being performed by said one player at said one of said gaming machines;

(ii) adding value, corresponding to said selected amount, to said value meter of said one gaming machine; and

(iii) decrementing said account balance in said player points account by an amount corresponding to said selected amount.

26. A method according to claim 25 wherein said one of said gaming machines is associated with a keypad;

and wherein said step of accessing said player points account includes using said keypad to enter said selected amount.

27. A method according to claim 26 wherein said keypad includes a point conversion key;

and wherein said step of accessing said player points account includes using said point conversion key.

28. A method according to claim 26 wherein said keypad is formed on a display touch screen.

29. A method according to claim 25 wherein said one of said gaming machines is associated with a display viewable by said one player, and wherein said step of accessing said player points account includes displaying said account balance of said player points account on said display.

30. A method according to claim 25 wherein said step of adding value includes transmitting an amount message from said system computer to said controller assembly of said one of said gaming machines.

31. A method according to claim 25 wherein said value on said credit meter is a numerical amount of dollars.

32. A method according to claim 25 wherein said selected amount is an amount in dollars.

33. A method according to claim 32 wherein said account balance is a numerical amount of player points.

34. A method according to claim 25 wherein said account balance amount is a numerical amount of player points.

35. A method according to claim 34 wherein said step of decrementing includes decrementing a number of player points from said account balance.

36. A method according to claim 35 wherein said step of adding value to said value meter includes increasing the value of said value meter by an amount corresponding to the product of (i) a value assigned to each of said player points and (ii) the number of points decremented from said account balance.

37. A method according to claim 25 wherein said step of providing player points value includes awarding player points to said player points account based on play of at least one of said gaming machines.

38. A method according to claim 25, wherein said one of said gaming machines is associated with a card reader, said method further includes:

providing a player card to said one player,

and wherein said step of accessing said player points account includes;

inserting said player card into said card reader.

39. A method according to claim 38 and wherein said one of said gaming machines is associated with a keypad;

and wherein said method further includes;

providing a player identification number associated with said player card to said one player, and wherein said step of accessing said account includes;

inputting said player identification number using said keypad.

40. A method according to claim 25 wherein said player points value in said player points account is in dollars, and wherein said selected amount is an amount of dollars and wherein said step of adding value includes adding dollars to said value meter, whereby a selected amount of player points value is exchanged to an amount of credit for play of said one gaming machine.