Electronic prize fulfillment for a gaming system

• US 6,609,978 B1
• Filed: 01/07/2000
• Issued: 08/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Paulsen, Craig A.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Neill, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROCKETTI, JULIE K
• Application Number:
  US09/479,754
• Time in Patent Office: 1,327 Days
• Field of Search: 463/20, 463/25, 463/40, 463/41, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3253 involving articles, e.g. paying in bottles, paying out toys
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played

Abstract

A gaming system and method facilitating electronic fulfillment of prizes is provided. A electronic message is sent from a gaming terminal or casino, in response to winning at least certain prizes, such as non-monetary prizes, to a fulfillment entity. Fulfillment entities which are not a part of or controlled by the casino may be retail entities such as Internet retail entities. In one embodiment, the fulfillment entity selects or formulates a web page displaying a prize or a selection of prizes for display to a user at the gaming terminal. When several prizes or prize options are displayed, the user may select a desired non-monetary prize, e.g. using a touch screen keypad and the like. The prize fulfillment entity delivers the prize preferably at a location selected or preferred by the user, e.g. using mail, parcel delivery and the like.

Claims

1. A gaming terminal apparatus comprising:

a wager acceptor; and

a display for displaying at least a first web page from at least one of a multiple of remote fulfillment sites in response to at least a first game outcome, wherein said multiple web pages may be navigated and a prize is displayed in response to communication sent to said remote fulfillment site from a central computer linked to a first gaming terminal, over a communications link, wherein a remote site provides communications for accounting information to be sent to the central computer and for controlling a prize display at a second gaming terminal, different from said first gaming terminal.

2. A gaming terminal, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said display also displays at least a second non-monetary prize and wherein said gaming terminal further comprises at least a first player input device for selecting between at least said first and second prizes.

3. A gaming terminal, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said communications link is selected from among a telephone link and an Internet link.

4. A gaming terminal, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said display of said first non-monetary prize includes a pictorial or graphic prize display.

5. A gaming terminal, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said central computer authorizes release of funds from the casino financial account to said first remote site which outputs instructions for delivering a prize to a location different from the location of said gaming terminal.

6. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 5, wherein said location is a home address of a player of said gaming terminal.

7. A gaming terminal, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said display for displaying at least a first non-monetary prize displays a first display for a first player in response to a first gaming outcome and wherein said gaming terminal displays a second display, different from said first display, in response to said first gaming outcome, to a second player, different from said first player.

8. A gaming terminal, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for obtaining information indicative of a stored player preference for transmission to said remote site and said remote site also performing accounting and data capture processes for multiple gaming terminal game outcomes.

9. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 8, wherein said player preference information is obtained using information stored on a token.

10. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 9, wherein said token comprises an encoded card.

11. A gaming terminal apparatus for use by a player comprising:

a wager acceptor and a central computer located at a host establishment;

a display for displaying at least a first non-monetary prize from at least one of a multiple of prize fulfillment web sites;

a reader for a token permitting obtaining first information; and

a display controller for controlling said display and providing for navigation of said prize fulfillment web site in order to present at least a first prize in response to a first gaming outcome for a first player, selected using said first information and receiving instructions from said host establishment central computer wherein said display is different from a display presented to a second player in response to said first gaming outcome.

12. A method for prize fulfillment in a gaming system comprising:

providing a plurality of gaming terminals;

transmitting an electronic message to a central computer that transmits a corresponding electronic message to at least one of a plurality of remote prize fulfillment web sites in response to at least a first gaming outcome at a first of said plurality of gaming terminals;

navigating said remote prize fulfillment site to choose a prize;

wherein said electronic message includes information indicative of at least one;

a prize type; and

a delivery location.

13. A method, as claimed in claim 12, further comprising selecting said remote site from among a plurality of remote sites.

14. A method, as claimed in claim 12, further comprising transmitting a plurality of prize options for display at said first gaming terminal.

15. A method, as claimed in claim 14, further comprising receiving, at said first gaming terminal, input from said player indicating a selection from among said plurality of prize options.

16. A method, as claimed in claim 12, wherein said plurality of prize options is transmitted according to an Internet protocol to said remote site and the central computer so that the central computer can authorize payment to the remote site for the prize.

17. Apparatus for prize fulfillment in a gaming system comprising:

a pluralin of gaming terminals;

means, in said plurality of gaming terminals, for transmitting an electronic message, over the Internet, to at least one of a plurality of remote sites, in response to at least a first gaming outcome, wherein said message includes information indicative of at least one of a prize type and a delivery location;

a central computer linked to the gaming terminals and also receiving said message and authorizing said remote site to deliver said prize and displaying a web page from said remote site in order to allow a player to navigate the site and select a prize; and

means, in said remote site, for automatically outputting instructions for delivering a non-monetary prize, in response to said electronic message.

18. A method for prize fulfillment in a gaming system, comprising the steps of:

providing a gaming terminal with a display device connected to a central computer;

determining if a selected gaming outcome has occurred at said gaming terminal;

if said selected outcome has occurred then linking to the central computer and over the Internet to at least one of a plurality of remote fulfillment web sites; and

displaying one or more web pages from said fulfillment web sites on the display device of said gaming terminal and allowing navigation of said fulfillment web site in order to choose a prize.

19. A method as defined in claim 18, in which said selected gaming outcome entitles the player to a nonmonetary prize intended for electronic fulfillment.

20. A method as defined in claim 18, in which one of said web pages displayed on the display device presents choices of prizes to the player.

21. A method as defined in claim 19, including the step of enabling a player to upgrade the prize the player has won.

22. A method for prize fulfillment in a gaming system, comprising the steps of:

providing a gaming terminal with a display device and the gaming terminal connected to a central computer;

determining if a prize has been won by a player;

if a prize has been won, then determining if the prize is intended for electronic fulfillment;

if a prize is not intended for electronic fulfillment, then awarding a monetary payout;

if the prize is intended for electronic fulfillment then providing a player selected option to choose from electronic fulfillment via a gaming terminal or linking to at least one of a plurality of remote fulfillment web sites;

navigating said remote fulfillment web site;

choosing a prize from said remote fulfillment web site;

providing authorization to the remote fulfillment site from the central computer; and

arranging for delivering the prize from a remote location to a delivery site.

23. A method as defined in claim 22, in which the remote site is an Internet web site.

24. A method as defined in claim 22, including the steps of inputting delivery information and transmitting said delivery and accounting information to the remote site.

25. A method for prize fulfillment in the gaming system, comprising with steps of:

providing a gaming terminal with a display device;

determining if a prize intended for electronic fulfillment has been won;

if a prize for electronic fulfillment has been won, then establishing connection from said gaming terminal to at least one of a plurality of remote fulfillment web sites;

inputting delivery information on the remote fulfillment web site and navigating the remote fulfillment web site at said gaming terminal;

selecting a prize from the remote fulfillment web site at said gaming terminal;

transmitting to the remote fulfillment web site authorization from a central computer; and

arranging at said remote fulfillment web site for delivery of the prize to a delivery site.

26. A method for prize fulfillment in a gaming system, comprising the steps of:

providing a gaming terminal with a display device;

determining if a selective gaming outcome has occurred at said gaming terminal;

if said selected outcome has occurred, then linking over the Internet to at least one of a plurality of remote fulfillment web sites;

displaying a web page from said remote fulfillment web sites on said display device;

navigating the web page;

selecting a prize at said gaming terminal from said web page;

transmitting information concerning said prize selection to said remote fulfillment site and a host establishment central computer;

arranging for delivery of the prize to a player'"'"'s delivery site; and

the fulfillment site linked to a financial account site providing accounting for multiple prize deliveries and reporting such information to the host establishment central computer.

27. A gaming system for a casino comprising:

a first group of gaming terminals;

a central computer within a casino coupled to the group of gaming terminals;

at least one of a plurality of remote prize fulfillment web sites outside of the casino in communication with the central computer;

a casino financial account site in communication with the central computer and the remote prize fulfillment web site;

a first gaming outcome provided by the gaming terminals transmitted to the central computer and prompting the central computer to transmit a gaming outcome to the casino financial account site which provides an authorization instruction to the remote prize fulfillment web site; and

a link provided by each of said gaming terminals providing for player navigation of the remote prize fulfillment web site and allowing player selection of a prize and the casino financial account site prompting the remote prize fulfillment web site to deliver a prize to a preselected address provided by the gaming terminals.

28. The casino gaming system of claim 27 wherein the remote prize fulfillment site provides an accounting report to the central computer identifying all prizes distributed and the corresponding gaming outcome instruction in a batch process.

29. The casino gaming system of claim 27 wherein the remote prize fulfillment site provides an accounting report to the casino financial account site identifying all prizes distributed and the corresponding gaming outcome instruction in a batch process.

30. The casino gaming system of claim 27 wherein the central computer is a cluster controller linked to the first cluster of gaming terminals.

31. The casino gaming system of claim 27 wherein the casino financial account site performs accounting and balancing between the casino and the prize fulfillment site in a batch process.

32. The casino gaming system of claim 27 wherein the central computer is linked to a second cluster of gaming terminals.

33. The casino gaming system of claim 27 wherein the central computer is linked to multiple clusters of gaming terminals.

34. The gaming system of claim 27 wherein the link provided by each of said gaming terminals is an Internet link.

35. The gaming system of claim 27 wherein the link provided by each of said gaming terminals is an Internet link.

36. The gaming system of claim 27 wherein the remote prize fulfillment site transmits a web page for display by the gaming terminal displaying a plurality of prize options and allowing the player to choose and select the prize options.