Cashless gaming system and method with monitoring

• US 7,963,843 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2003
• Issued: 06/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oneida Indian Nation
• Inventors: Mitchell, Ian, Martin, Richard L., Costantino, Dave William, Hole, Edward J. Jr., Santini, John A. Jr., Angell, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo; Peter DungBa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pandya; Sunit
• Application Number:
  US10/400,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20040204231A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,007 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 21, 463/25, 463/29, 463 39- 43
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

A cashless gaming system and method provide a plurality of games to a plurality of player terminals connected to a central controller. A remote monitoring system may track and/or control activity at the plurality of player terminals. Game software may be stored on the central controller or remote monitoring system and downloaded to player terminals. The present invention may be used with player terminals that do not accept items of value, including coins, tokens, or magnetic cards.

Claims

1. A cashless gaming method for providing a plurality of games at a plurality of player terminals coupled together, the method comprising:

receiving, at the player terminals, player identification information from players;

receiving, at the player terminal, game selection information from the player indicating a plurality of games;

displaying selected the games to the players at video displays at the player terminals;

executing software application program at the player terminals, said software application programs corresponding to the selected games, in response to an externally-generated set of random numbers to determine results of the selected games;

storing player account information for the player at a central controller connected to each of the plurality of player terminals;

adjusting, at the central controller, the account information of the players according to the results of the selected games from the player terminals; and

storing game information corresponding to the plurality of player terminals at a monitoring system remote from the central controller and the player terminals,

wherein the game information indicates wins associated with one of the player terminals and one of the selected games;

detecting, by the monitoring system, that the wins exceed statistical odds for the one of the selected games; and

disabling, by the monitoring system, the one of the player terminals associated with the wins, wherein the disabling occurs after detecting.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the game information further includes at least one of:

the player account information, the result of the game, the player identification information, and the game selection information.

3. The method of claim 1, further including:

sending the software application programs from the central controller to the player terminals.

4. The method of claim 1, further including:

sending the software application programs from the monitoring system to the player terminals.

5. The method of claim 1, further including:

generating the set of random numbers at the central controller.

6. The method of claim 1, further including:

generating the set of random numbers at the monitoring system.

7. The method of claim 1, further including:

generating the set of random numbers at an external game server.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving player identification information further includes:

receiving the player identification information from the players via touch screens of the video displays at the player terminals.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving game selection information further includes:

receiving the game selection information from the players via touch screens of the video displays at the player terminals.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the player terminals do not accept items of value, including coins, tokens, tickets, and cards, from the players.

11. A cashless gaming system for providing a plurality of games at a plurality of player terminals coupled together, the cashless gaming system comprising:

a player information receiving component configured to receive, at a player terminal, player identification information from a player;

a game information receiving component configured to receive, at the player terminal, game selection information from the player indicating one of the plurality of games;

a displaying component configured to display a selected one of the games to the player at a video display at the player terminal;

an executing component configured to execute a software application program at the player terminal, said software application program corresponding to the selected games, in response to an externally-generated set of random numbers to determine a result of the selected game independent of player participation at other player terminals, wherein ones of the externally-generated set of random numbers are received after predetermined time intervals;

an account information storing component configured to store player account information for the player at a central controller connected to each of the plurality of player terminals;

an adjusting component configured to adjust, at the central controller, the account information of the player according to the result of the selected game from the player terminal;

a game information storing component configured to store game information corresponding to the plurality of player terminals at a monitoring system remote from the central controller and remote from the player terminals;

a fraud detection component to detect, based on the game information, fraud at the player terminals, wherein the fraud detection component is part of the monitoring system; and

a disabling component configured to disable one or more of the player terminals in response to detection of fraud at the player terminals.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the game information includes at least one of:

the player account information, the result of the game, the player identification information, and the game selection information.

13. The system of claim 11, further including:

a sending component configured to send the software application programs from the central controller to the player terminals.

14. The system of claim 11, further including:

a sending component configured to send the software application program from the monitoring system to the player terminals.

15. The system of claim 11, further including:

a generating component configured to generate the set of random numbers at the central controller.

16. The system of claim 11, further including:

a generating component configured to generate the set of random numbers at the monitoring system.

17. The system of claim 11, further including:

a generating component configured to generate the set of random numbers at an external game server.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the player information receiving component further includes:

a touch screen receiving component configured to receive the player identification information from the participating player via a touch screen of the video display at the player terminal.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the game information receiving component further includes:

a touch screen receiving component configured to receive the game selection information from the participating player via a touch screen of the video display at the player terminal.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the player terminals do not accept items of value, including coins, tokens, tickets, and cards, from the players.

21. A cashless gaming system for providing a plurality of games at a plurality of player terminals coupled together the cashless gaming system, comprising:

means for receiving, at a player terminal, player identification information from a player;

means for receiving, at the player terminal, game selection information from the player indicating one of the plurality of games;

means for displaying a selected one of the games to the player at a video display at the player terminal;

means for executing a software application program at the player terminal, said software application program corresponding to the selected game, in response to an externally-generated set of random numbers to determine a result of the selected game independent of player participation at other player terminals;

means for storing player account information for the player at a central controller connected to each of the plurality of player terminals;

means for adjusting, at the central controller, the account information of the player according to the result of the selected game from the player terminal; and

means for storing game information corresponding to the plurality of player terminals at a monitoring system remote from the central controller, wherein the game information indicates money won at the player terminal;

means for detecting fraud at the player terminal based on odds associated with the selected one of the plurality of games, wherein the means for fraud detection component is part of the monitoring system; and

means for disabling the player terminal in response to detection of fraud at the player terminal.

22. A computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for providing a plurality of games at a plurality of player terminals coupled together, the computer readable code comprising:

a player information receiving module configured to receive, at a player terminal, player identification information from a player;

a game information receiving module configured to receive, at the player terminal, game selection information from the player indicating one of the plurality of games;

a displaying module configured to display a selected one of the games to the player at a video display at the player terminal;

an executing module configured to execute a software application program at the player terminal, said software application program corresponding to the selected game, in response to an externally-generated set of random numbers to determine a result of the selected game independent of player participation at other player terminals;

an account information storing module configured to store player account information for the player at a central controller connected to each of the plurality of player terminals;

an adjusting module configured to adjust, at the central controller, the account information of the player according to the result of the selected game from the player terminal; and

a game information storing module configured to store game information corresponding to the plurality of player terminals at a monitoring system remote from the central controller and remote from the player terminals;

a fraud detection module to detect, based on the game information, fraud at the player terminals, wherein the fraud detection component is part of the monitoring system; and

a disabling module configured to disable one or more of the player terminals in response to detection of fraud at the player terminals.

23. A method of operating games comprising:

establishing a player account file for a participating player at a central controller;

sending, by the central controller to a player terminal coupled to the central controller, at least one software application program corresponding to a plurality of games of chance;

receiving, at the player terminal, player identification information input by the participating player;

displaying, on a video display of the player terminal, at least one of the games of chance;

receiving, at the player terminal, information indicating a selected game that was selected from the games of chance;

sending, by the central controller to the player terminal, random numbers after expiration of time intervals;

executing, by the player terminal, a software application program corresponding to the information for the selected game, the executing being in response to receipt of ones of the random numbers and being to determine a result of the selected game independent of player participation at other player terminals; and

determining, by the central controller, a first account balance associated with the participating player according to the result of the selected game at the player terminal;

transmitting, by the central controller, the first account balance to the player terminal detecting fraud, wherein the detecting includes;

determining, at the player terminal, that the first account balance does not match a second account balance, wherein the second account balance is determined at the player terminal according to the result of the selected game; and

disabling the player terminal in response to the determination that the first and second account balances do not match.

24. The method of claim 23, further including:

generating the random numbers at the central controller.

25. The method of claim 23, further including:

generating the random numbers at an external game server.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein receiving player identification information further includes:

receiving the player identification information from the participating player via a touch screen of the video display at the player terminal.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein receiving information for a game further includes:

receiving the information for the selected game from the participating player via a touch screen of the video display at the player terminal.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the player terminal does not accept items of value, including coins, tokens, tickets, and cards, from the players.

29. A system of operating games, the system comprising:

an establishing component configured to establish a player account file for a participating player at a central controller;

a software sending component configured to send, by the central controller to a player terminal coupled to the central controller, at least one software application program corresponding to a plurality of games of chance;

a player information receiving component configured to receive, at the player terminal, player identification information input by the participating player;

a displaying component configured to display, on a video display of the player terminal, at least one of the games of chance;

a game selection receiving component configured to receive, at the player terminal, information for a selected game selected from the games of chance;

a random number sending component configured to send, by the central controller to the player terminal, random numbers after expiration of time intervals;

an executing component configured to execute, by the player terminal, a software application program corresponding to the information for the selected game in response to receipt of ones of the random numbers and to determine a result of the selected game independent of player participation at other player terminals; and

an account balance component, at the central controller, configured to determine a first account balance associated with the participating player according to the result of the game at the player terminal;

transmit the first account balance to the player terminal;

a fraud component, at the player terminal, configured to determine that the first account balance does not match a second account balance, wherein the second account balance is determined at the player terminal according to the result of the selected game; and

disable the player terminal in response to the determination that the first and second account balances do not match.

30. The system of claim 29, further including:

a generating component configured to generate the random numbers at the central controller.

31. The system of claim 29, further including:

a generating component configured to generate the set of random numbers at an external game server.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein the player information receiving component further includes:

a touch screen receiving component configured to receive the player identification information from the participating player via a touch screen of the video display at the player terminal.

33. The system of claim 29, wherein the game selection receiving component further includes:

a touch screen receiving component configured to receive the information for the selected game from the participating player via a touch screen of the video display at the player terminal.

34. The system of claim 29, wherein the player terminal does not accept items of value, including coins, tokens, tickets, and cards, from the players.

35. A system of operating games, the system comprising:

means for establishing a player account file for a participating player at a central controller;

means for sending, by the central controller to a player terminal coupled to the central controller, at least one software application program corresponding to a plurality of games of chance;

means for receiving, at the player terminal, player identification information input by the participating player;

means for displaying, on a video display of the player terminal, at least one of the games of chance;

means for receiving, at the player terminal, information indicating a selected game selected from the plurality of games of chance;

means for sending, by the central controller to the player terminal, random numbers after expiration of time intervals;

means for executing, by the player terminal, a software application program corresponding to the information for the selected game in response to ones of the random numbers, wherein execution of the software application program being to determine a result of the selected game independent of player participation at other player terminals; and

means for determining, by the central controller, a first account balance associated with the participating player according to the result of the selected game at the player terminal means for detecting fraud, wherein the means for detecting includes;

means for determining, at the player terminal, that the first account balance does not match a second account balance, wherein the second account balance is determined at the player terminal according to the result of the selected game; and

means for disabling the player terminal in response to the determination that the first and second account balances do not match.

36. A cashless gaming method for providing a plurality of games at a player terminal that does not accept items of value, the method comprising:

receiving, at the player terminal, player identification information from a player;

receiving, at the player terminal, game selection information from the player indicating a game;

displaying a selected game to the participating player at a video display at the player terminal;

executing a software application program at the player terminal, said software application program corresponding to the selected game, in response to an externally-generated set of random numbers to determine a result of the selected game independent of player participation at other player terminals;

storing player account information for each player at a central controller connected to each of the plurality of player terminals; and

adjusting, at the central controller, the account information of the player on a per game basis according to the result of the selected game from the player terminal

storing game information at a monitoring system remote from the central controller and the player terminals, the game information including one or more of the player account information, the result of the selected game, the player identification information, and the game selection information;

selecting, at the monitoring system, new pay tables for one or more of the player terminals, the selecting based on the game information; and

transmitting the new pay tables to the player terminals;

detecting, by the monitoring system, fraud at the player terminal, wherein the detecting fraud is based on analysis of the game information; and

disabling the player terminal, after the detecting the fraud.

37. The method of claim 36,

wherein the pay tables are transmitted from the central controller to the player terminal.

38. The method of claim 37, further including:

generating the set of random numbers at the central controller.

39. The method of claim 37, further including:

generating the set of random numbers at the monitoring system.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein the pay tables are transmitted from the monitoring system to thesplayer terminals.

41. The method of claim 36, further including:

generating the set of random numbers at the player terminal.

42. The method of claim 36, further including:

generating the set of random numbers at an external game server.

43. The method of claim 36, wherein receiving player identification information further includes:

receiving the player identification information from the player via a touch screen of the video display at the player terminal.

44. The method of claim 36, wherein receiving game selection information further includes:

receiving the game selection information from the participating player via a touch screen of the video display at the player terminal.

45. A cashless gaming system for providing a plurality of games at a player terminal that does not accept items of value, comprising:

means for receiving, at the player terminal, player identification information from a player;

means for receiving, at the player terminal, game selection information from the player indicating a game;

means for displaying a selected game to the participating player at a video display at the player terminal;

means for executing a software application program at the player terminal, said software application program corresponding to the selected game, in response to an externally-generated set of random numbers to determine a result of the selected game independent of player participation at other player terminals;

means for storing player account information for each player at a central controller connected to each of the plurality of player terminals; and

means for adjusting, at the central controller, the account information of the player on a per game basis according to the result of the selected game from the player terminal;

means for storing game information at a monitoring system remote from the central controller and the player terminals, the game information including one or more of the player account information, the result of the selected game, the player identification information, and the game selection information;

means for selecting new pay tables for one or more of the player terminals based the selecting based on the game information, wherein the means for selecting new pay tables resides at the monitoring system; and

means for transmitting the new pay tables to the player terminals.