Systems and methods for facilitating play of a casino game via expiring prepaid plays of the casino game

• US 7,086,947 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2002
• Issued: 08/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Van Luchene, Andrew S., Fincham, Magdalena M., Gelman, Geoffrey M., Walker, Jay S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hotaling, II, John M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shah, Milap
• Application Number:
  US10/213,464
• Publication Number:
  US 20030003983A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,464 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/25, 463/29
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0209 Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3269 Timing aspects of game play, e.g. blocking/halting the operation of a gaming machine

Abstract

In accordance with at least one embodiment, an expiring prepaid casino account is disclosed. The expiring prepaid casino account has associated therewith an amount of money, time, and/or game plays. The amount of money, time, and/or game plays expires in predetermined portions over a plurality of defined expiration periods, thus encouraging a player to return to a casino during each of the predefined expiration periods. The present invention may be implemented via either a brick-and-mortar casino or an online casino.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a player access to an amount, wherein the amount comprises a plurality of portions, and wherein each of the portions is associated with a respective

expiration period;

determining a current time;

determining an end time of one of the expiration periods and the portion associated with the expiration period;

adjusting the portion associated with the expiration period from a first value to a second value if the current time is within a predetermined time of the end time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting comprises:

adjusting the portion associated with the expiration period from a first value to a second value if the current time is within a predetermined time before the end time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting comprises:

adjusting the portion associated with the expiration period from a first value to a second value if the current time is the end time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting comprises:

adjusting the portion associated with the expiration period from a first value to a second value if the current time is within a predetermined time after the end time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first value is greater than the second value.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting comprises:

adjusting the portion associated with the expiration period from a first value that is usable by the player for a first activity to a second value that is usable by the player for a second activity

if the current time is within a predetermined time of the end time.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein one of the first activity and the second activity comprises gambling.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a storage device; and

a processor in communication with the storage device,

the storage device storing a program for controlling the processor; and

the processor operative with the program to;

perform the method of claim 1.

9. A medium encoded with a program for implementing a method, said program for directing a device to perform:

the method of claim 1.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a player access to an amount comprises at least one of:

(i) providing a smart card to the player;

(ii) providing a debit card to the player;

(iii) providing a casino loyalty card to the player;

(iv) providing access to an online casino account to the player;

(v) providing access to an account stored on a casino server;

(vi) providing a cardless electronic key to the player, the electronic key being associated with the account;

(vii) associating a personal identification number to the player, the personal identification number operable to access the amount;

(viii) providing a cashless gaming receipt to the player, the cashless gaming receipt storing an indication of the amount; and

(ix) providing a prepaid casino card to the player.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting further comprises:

determining a difference between the first value and the second value, thereby determining a third value; and

making the third value available to the player for purposes other than gambling.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the player has satisfied at least one condition and

adjusting the portion only if the player has not satisfied the at least one condition.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein determining whether the player has satisfied the at least one condition comprises determining whether the player has agreed to at least one of a specified forward commitment and to performing a task.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein determining whether the player has satisfied the at least one condition comprises determining whether the player'"'"'s gambling activity satisfies the at least one condition.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount comprises a number of game plays and wherein each portion of the plurality of portions defines a subset of the number of game plays.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount comprises an amount of money and wherein each portion of the plurality of portions defines a subset of the amount of money.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount comprises an amount of time that the player can play a gaming device, and wherein each portion of the plurality of portions defines a subset of the amount of time.

18. A method comprising:

associating an amount of a first currency with an account identifier,

wherein the amount comprises a plurality of portions of the first currency, each portion being associated with a respective expiration period, and

wherein each portion of the first currency is usable to fund gambling activity of a player;

determining a current time;

determining an end time of a first portion of the plurality of portions;

determining that the current time is within a predetermined time of the end time; and

converting the first portion to a second currency.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

associating a second expiration period with the converted first portion of the second currency.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the first portion of the first currency is of a first value and the first portion of the second currency is of a second value.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the first value is lesser than the second value.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the first value and the second value comprise a measure of cost to an entity providing the first currency and the second currency.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the converted first portion of the second currency is not usable to fund gambling activity of the player.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the converted first portion of the second currency is usable, by the player, to purchase goods and services from a merchant.

25. An apparatus comprising:

a storage device; and

a processor in communication with the storage device,

the storage device storing a program for controlling the processor; and

the processor operative with the program to;

perform the method of claim 18.

26. A medium encoded with a program for implementing a method, said program for directing a device to perform:

the method of claim 18.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein the account identifier is associated with at least one of:

(i) a smart card provided to the player;

(ii) a debit card provided to the player;

(iii) a casino loyalty card provided to the player;

(iv) an online casino account;

(v) an account stored on a casino server;

(vi) a cardless electronic key provided to the player, the electronic key being associated with the account;

(vii) a personal identification number associated with the player, the personal identification number operable to access the amount;

(viii) a cashless gaming receipt provided to the player, the cashless gaming receipt storing an indication of the amount; and

(ix) a prepaid casino card provided to the player.

28. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

determining whether the player has satisfied at least one condition; and

converting the first portion to a second currency only if the player has not satisfied the at least one condition.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein determining whether the player has satisfied the at least one condition comprises determining whether the player has agreed to at least one of a specified forward commitment and to performing a task.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein determining whether the player has satisfied the at least one condition comprises determining whether the player'"'"'s gambling activity satisfies the at least one condition.