Casino cashless ticket identification system

• US 7,771,278 B1
• Filed: 02/23/2005
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympian Gaming, LLC (Costas, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Olympian Gaming, LLC (Costas, Inc.)
• Inventors: Muskin, Jon H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones; Scott
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hu; Kang
• Application Number:
  US11/064,060
• Time in Patent Office: 1,994 Days
• Field of Search: 463/17, 463/25, 463/26, 463/43
• US Class Current: 463/29
• 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

Abstract

A slot machine gaming device and method to target advertisements and promotions on cashless tickets. Players can be identified by their player'"'"'s card, and a record associated with a ticket can be associated with the identified player. Upon redemption, the player, based on his or her player profile, can be presented with a targeted message and/or a special bonus offer.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a loyalty card in a card reader associated with a slot machine;

identifying, by a processor, a player associated with the loyalty card;

receiving play by the player on the slot machine;

receiving, on the slot machine, a cashout request from the player;

generating, in an electronic database, an electronic ticket record for a cashless ticket, the electronic ticket record comprising a player identifier identifying the player ascertained from the loyalty card;

dispensing, from a ticket dispenser, a ticket associated with the electronic ticket record;

receiving the ticket in a ticket redemption machine, the ticket being inserted into the ticket redemption machine by the player;

retrieving the electronic ticket record associated with the ticket from the electronic database;

identifying, by a processor, the player using the player identifier retrieved in the electronic ticket record;

displaying, in response to the player inserting the ticket into the ticket redemption machine, a targeted message based on and comprising a particular game outcome from a playing history of the player associated with the player identifier to the player on a display device associated with the ticket redemption machine, the targeted message being determined using said particular game outcome, the particular game outcome having occurred to the player before the ticket was dispensed from the ticket dispenser; and

dispensing, from the ticket redemption machine, a cash amount based on the electronic ticket record.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

dispensing a physical coupon along with the cash amount, the coupon selected based on information the casino has on the player identified by the player identifier.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the targeted message comprises a bonus offer to the player.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, further comprising:

allowing the player to accept or reject the bonus offer;

if the player rejects the bonus offer, dispensing cash; and

if the player accepts the bonus offer, dispensing a new promotional ticket.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the new promotional ticket has a cash value with a condition attached, the ticket not redeemable until the condition is met.

6. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the new promotional ticket has a first cash value and a second value with a condition attached, the second value being cashable only after the condition is met.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the targeted message comprises an offer for sale of an item.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the item is selected using a player'"'"'s profile of the player.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the item is selected using a player'"'"'s sex of the player.

10. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the item is selected using a player'"'"'s age of the player.

11. A method, comprising:

receiving a loyalty card in a card reader associated with a slot machine;

identifying, by a processor, a player associated with the loyalty card;

receiving play by the player on the slot machine;

electronically recording a plurality of game outcomes presented to the player on the slot machine;

receiving, on the slot machine, a cashout request from the player;

generating, in an electronic database, an electronic ticket record for a cashless ticket;

dispensing, from a ticket dispenser, a ticket associated with the ticket record,

receiving the ticket in a ticket redemption machine, the ticket being inserted into the ticket redemption machine by the player;

identifying, from the electronic database, the electronic ticket record associated with the ticket;

retrieving, using a processor, a particular game outcome out of the recorded plurality of game outcomes;

displaying, in response to the player inserting the ticket into the ticket redemption machine and based on said particular game outcome, to the player on a display device on the ticket redemption machine a targeted message which includes displaying said particular game outcome that occurred to the player before the ticket dispensed from the ticket dispenser; and

dispensing a cash amount to the player from the ticket redemption machine, the cash amount determined based on the ticket record.