Electronic signature capability in a gaming machine

• US 6,935,951 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2001
• Issued: 08/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Binh T., Paulsen, Craig A.
• Primary Examiner(s): ONEILL, MICHAEL W
• Application Number:
  US09/946,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20030045353A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 463 36- 39, 463 40- 42
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3206 Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements

Abstract

A disclosed gaming machine provides electronic signature capability to enable signature transactions to be effected from the gaming machine. The gaming machine utilizes electronic signature capture and authentication software in conjunction with an electronic signature database to authenticate an electronic signature input on the gaming machine. The authentication software may be co-located with the electronic signature capture software on the gaming machine or may be remotely located from the electronic signature capture software. The electronic signature database may be co-located with either or both the electronic signature capture software and authentication software or may be remotely located from either or both.

Claims

1. A gaming machine comprising:

a master gaming controller configured to control one or more games played on the gaming machine;

a plurality of gaming devices connected to the gaming machine and in communication with the master gaming controller wherein at least one of the gaming devices is a signature input device configured to detect a hand-written signature or a mark input using the signature input device and to capture physical indicia characterizing the handwritten signature or the mark as electronic signature data elements for an electronic signature wherein the electronic signature data elements include at least a captured series of positions corresponding to a signature pattern or a mark pattern;

a memo configured to store a plurality of electronic signature software elements that allow the machine to capture the electronic signature input on the signature input device and to authenticate the electronic signature; and

a main display configured to display the one or more games on the gaming machine and configured as the signature input device.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising:

player tracking software, wherein the electronic signature software elements are located in the player tracking software.

3. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the electronic signature software elements further comprise:

an electronic signature capture software element, for receiving electronic signature data elements generated by the signature input device, and for communicating the signature data elements to a signature authentication software element.

4. The gaming machine of claim 3, wherein the electronic signature software elements further comprise:

an electronic signature authentication software element, for receiving electronic signature data from the electronic signature capture software element and for authenticating the electronic signature data.

5. The gaming machine of claim 4, further comprising:

an electronic signature database in communication with the signature authentication software element, wherein the electronic signature database includes at least one signature stored as one or more electronic signature data elements.

6. The gaming machine of claim 4, wherein the signature authentication software element is in communication with an electronic signature database and authenticates the electronic signature data based upon a comparison of the input signature data elements with at least one signature stored as one or more electronic signature data elements in the electronic signature database.

7. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the signature input device comprises at least one of a touch screen display, an input pad, a stylus, a scanner, an input port, a wireless interface, a mouse, a biometric device, a digital imager, a hand-held device, and a digital glove.

8. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the electronic signature database further includes information associated with the player whose signature is stored in the electronic signature database.

9. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the one or more games is selected from the group consisting of video slot games, mechanical slot games, video blackjack games, video poker games, video keno games, video bingo games, video pachinko games, video card games, video games of chance, and combinations thereof.

10. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless interface for receiving signature information from a hand-held device.

11. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising:

gaming software elements for providing a transaction at the gaming machine requiring a signature.

12. The gaming machine of claim 11, wherein the transaction is selected from the group consisting of a car rental, a casino show ticket purchase, a lodging reservation, an airline reservation, a tour package purchase, a drink request, a dinner reservation, an electronic W2G form, a casino credit arrangement, a receipt of a cash payout, a credit card purchase, a merchandise base, and an electronic fund transfer.

13. The gaming machine of claim 11, wherein the transaction is a casino service transaction for accessing gaming machine data.

14. The gaming machine of claim 13, wherein the gaming machine data is selected from the group consisting of number of coins inserted, number of coins paid out, number of games played, gaming machine configuration, jackpot history, and combinations thereof.

15. The gaming machine of claim 11, wherein the transaction is an auditing transaction for accessing audit related data.

16. The gaming machine of claim 15, wherein the transaction is a government auditing transaction for accessing government audit related data.

17. The gaming machine of claim 16, wherein the government auditing related data is selected from the group consisting of gaming machine software compliance data.

18. The gaming machine of claim 15, wherein the audit related data is selected from the group consisting of jackpot verification, gaming machine performance, gaming machine configuration, and combinations thereof.

36. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the physical indicia characterizing the handwritten signature or the mark comprise one or more of detected positions, detected velocities, detected pressures and detected temperatures and combinations thereof.

19. A gaming machine network comprising:

a plurality of file storage devices storing gaming software programs;

a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine comprising;

a master gaming controller configured to control one or more games played on the gaming machine,

a plurality of gaming devices connected to the gaming machine and in communication with the master gaming controller wherein at least one of the gaming devices is a signature input device configured to detect a hand-written signature or a mark input using the signature input device and to capture physical indicia characterizing the handwritten signature or the mark as electronic signature data elements for an electronic signature herein to electronic signature data elements include at least a captured series of positions corresponding to a signature pattern or a mark,

a memory configured to store a plurality of electronic signature software elements that allow the gaming machine to capture the electronic signature input on the signature input device and to authenticate the electronic signature; and

a main display configured to display the one or more games played on the gaming machine and configured as the signature input device and

a network allowing communication between the file storage devices and the plurality of gaming machines.

20. The gaming machine network of claim 19, further comprising:

player tracking software, wherein the electronic signature software elements are located in the player tracking software.

21. The gaming machine network of claim 19, wherein the electronic signature software elements further comprise:

an electronic signature capture software element, for receiving electronic signature data elements generated by the signature input device, and for communicating the signature data elements to a signature authentication software element; and

an electronic signature authentication software element, for receiving electronic signature data from the electronic signature capture software element and for authenticating the electronic signature data.

22. The gaming machine network of claim 21, further comprising:

an electronic signature database in communication with the signature authentication software element, wherein the electronic signature database includes at least one signature stored as one or more electronic signature data elements.

23. The gaming machine network of claim 21, wherein the signature authentication software element is in communication with an electronic signature database and authenticates the electronic signature data based upon a comparison of the input signature data elements with at least one signature stored as one or more electronic signature data elements in the electronic signature database.

24. The gaming machine network of claim 19, wherein the signature input device comprises at least one of a touch screen display, an input pad, a stylus, a scanner, an input port, a wireless interface, a mouse, a biometric device, a digital imager, a hand-held device, and a digital glove.

25. The gaming machine network of claim 19, wherein the electronic signature database further includes information associated with the player whose signature is stored in the electronic signature database.

26. The gaming machine network of claim 19, wherein the one or more games is selected from the group consisting of video slot games, mechanical slot games, video black jack games, video poker games, video keno games, video bingo games, video pachinko games, video card games, video games of chance, and combinations thereof.

27. The gaming machine network of claim 19, further comprising:

a wireless interface for receiving signature information from a hand-held device.

28. The gaming machine network of claim 19, further comprising:

gaming software elements for providing a transaction at the gaming machine requiring a signature.

29. The gaming machine network of claim 28, wherein the transaction is selected from the group consisting of a car rental, a casino show ticket purchase, a lodging reservation, an airline reservation, a tour package purchase, a drink request, a dinner reservation, an electronic W2G form, a casino credit arrangement, a receipt of a cash payout, a credit card purchase, a merchandise purchase, and an electronic fund transfer.

30. The gaming machine network of claim 28, wherein the transaction is a casino service transaction for accessing gaming machine data.

31. The gaming machine network of claim 30, wherein the gaming machine data is selected from the group consisting of number of coins inserted, number of coins paid out, number of games played, gaming machine configuration, jackpot history, and combinations thereof.

32. The gaming machine network of claim 28, wherein the transaction is an auditing transaction for accessing audit related data.

33. The gaming machine network of claim 32, wherein the transaction is a government auditing transaction for accessing government audit related data.

34. The gaming machine network of claim 33, wherein the government auditing related data is selected from the group consisting of gaming machine software compliance data.

35. The gaming machine network of claim 32, wherein the audit related data is selected from the consisting of jackpot verification, gaming machine performance, gaming machine configuration, and combinations thereof.

37. The gaming machine network of claim 19, wherein the physical indicia characterizing the handwritten signature or the mark comprise one or more of detected positions, detected velocities, detected pressures and detected temperatures and combinations thereof.