Cashless method for a gaming system using player information

• US 6,558,256 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2001
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• 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): Sager, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): ASHBURN, STEVEN L
• Application Number:
  US09/873,129
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 235/1.B, 235/51, 235/54.F, 235/48, 235/380-382, 463/25, 463/29, 463/16-17, 273/148.R, 273/138.1, 700/225, 700/233, 700/235, 700/237, 700/231, 705/65-67, 705/17-18, 705/12, 705/14, 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 for a plurality of gaming machines connected over a communication link with a central computer, the cashless method comprising:

receiving player information at a first gaming machine in said plurality of gaming machines from a player, the player information input by the player into the first gaming machine,

receiving a cash-out signal corresponding to a cash-out value in the first gaming machine when the player is finished playing at the first gaming machine,

printing, at the first gaming machine, coded information on a ticket, the coded information at least including the cash-out value and the received player information,

storing the coded information including at least the cash-out value and the player information in the central computer,

delivering the printed ticket from the first gaming machine to the player,

receiving the printed ticket when inserted by the player at a second gaming machine in said plurality of gaming machines,

reading at the second gaming machine the printed coded information including the cash-out value and the player information on the received ticket,

delivering the read coded information, in response to reading, from the second gaming machine to the central computer,

comparing, in the central computer, the stored coded information for the printed ticket to the delivered coded information for correctness,

obtaining authorization at the second gaming machine from the central computer based upon the correctness of the stored coded information in response to the read coded information,

issuing a cash-in signal corresponding to the cash-out value from the read coded information to the second gaming machine when authorization is obtained so that the player can play the second gaming machine.

2. The cashless method of claim 1 further comprising:

moving the received ticket out from the second gaming machine when authorization is not received from the central computer.

3. The cashless method of claim 1 further comprising:

seizing the received ticket in the second gaming machine when authorization is not received from the central computer.

4. The cashless method of claim 1 further comprising:

issuing an invalid ticket message in a display of the second gaming machine when authorization is not received from the central computer.

5. The cashless method of claim 1 further comprising:

issuing an alarm when authorization is not received from the central computer.

6. The cashless method of claim 1 wherein receiving player information at the first and second gaming machines comprises:

receiving a personal identification number in keypads at the first and second gaming machines so that the player information at least includes the personal identification number.

7. The cashless method of claim 1 wherein receiving player information at the first and second gaming machines comprises:

receiving a player card in card readers at the first second gaming machines so that the player information at least includes player identity information from the player card.

8. A cashless method for first and second gaming machines comprising:

receiving player information from a player at the first gaming machine, the player information input by the player into the first gaming machine,

the first gaming machine issuing a cash-out signal having a cash-out value when the player is finished playing at the first gaming machine,

printing, at the first gaming machine, a code containing at least the cash-out value from the cash-out signal and the received player information on a ticket,

delivering the printed ticket from the first gaming machine to the player, receiving the player information at the second gaming machine from the player, the player information input by the player into the second gaming machine,

receiving the printed ticket when inserted at the second gaming machine from the player,

reading, at the second gaming machine, the cash-out value and the player information in the printed code on the received ticket in response to receiving,

determining, at the second gaming machine, whether the read player information from the printed code on the received ticket matches the received player information input by the player into the second gaming machine,

issuing a cash-in signal corresponding to the read cash-out value into the second gaming machine only when the received player information at the second gaming machine matches the read player information in the printed code on the received ticket.

9. The cashless method of claim 8 further comprising:

moving the received ticket out from the second gaming machine when a match does not occur in determining.

10. The cashless method of claim 8 further comprising:

seizing the received ticket in the second gaming machine when a match does not occur in determining.

11. The cashless method of claim 8 further comprising:

issuing an invalid ticket message in a display of the second gaming machine when a match does not occur in determining.

12. The cashless method of claim 8 further comprising:

issuing an alarm when a match does not occur in determining.

13. The cashless method of claim 8 wherein receiving player information at the first and second gaming machines comprises:

receiving a personal identification number in keypads at the first and second gaming machines so that the player information at least includes the personal identification number.

14. The cashless method of claim 8 wherein receiving player information at the first and second gaming machines comprises:

receiving a player card in card readers at the first and second gaming machines gaming machine so that the player information at least includes player identity information from the player card.

15. A cashless method for first and second gaming machines comprising:

receiving a player card containing player identity information from a player at the first gaming machine,

receiving a personal identification number from the player at the first gaming machine,

the first gaming machine issuing a cash-out signal having a cash-out value when the player is finished playing at the first gaming machine,

printing, at the first gaming machine, a code containing at least the cash-out value from the cash-out signal, the received player identity information and the personal identification number on a ticket,

delivering the printed ticket from the first gaming machine to the player,

receiving the player card containing player identity information from the player at the second gaming machine,

receiving the personal identification number from the player at the second gaming machine,

receiving the printed ticket when inserted at the second gaming machine from the player,

reading, at the second gaming machine, the cash-out value, the player identity information, and the personal identification number in the printed code on the received ticket in response to receiving,

determining, at the second gaming machine, whether the read player identity information and personal identification number from the printed code on the received ticket matches the received player information and personal identification number received from the player into the second gaming machine,

issuing a cash-in signal corresponding to the read cash-out value into the second gaming machine only when the received player identity information and personal identification number received at the second gaming machine matches the read player identity information and the personal identification number in the printed code on the received ticket.