Mobile-phone-based wagering game account transactions

• US 8,430,745 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2009
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Agarwal, Vijay K., Buchholz, Dale R., Pace, Mark C.
• Primary Examiner(s): DEODHAR, OMKAR A
• Application Number:
  US13/057,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20110263318A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,365 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions

Abstract

In some embodiments a method includes receiving, from a mobile phone, a request to transfer a first fund amount from a player account to a wagering game machine. The method can also include determining that the player account does not include the first fund amount; receiving a second fund amount from a secondary funding source, and augmenting the player account by the second fund amount, wherein the augmenting results in the player account including the first fund amount. The method can also include transferring the first fund amount from the player account to the wagering game machine; debiting the player account by the first fund amount.

Claims

1. A wagering game account server comprising:

a player account base configured to store a plurality of player casino accounts, the player casino accounts including funds;

a request processor electronically coupled to the player account base, the request processor configured to receive a request to electronically transfer funds from one of the player casino accounts to a wagering game machine, wherein the one of the player casino accounts is associated with a player, the request originating at a mobile phone, and the funds being for use in playing wagering games on the wagering game machine; and

a transaction processor electronically coupled to the player account base and the request processor, the transaction processor configured to electronically transmit the funds to the wagering game machine and update the player account base to indicate a debit on the one of the player casino accounts, wherein the transaction processor is configured to electronically transmits the funds to the wagering game machine before the player is physically present at the wagering game machine.

2. The wagering game account server of claim 1, wherein the request to electronically transfer funds is included in a short message service (SMS) message.

3. The wagering game account server of claim 1, wherein

the request processor is further configured to receive a request to electronically transfer funds from the mobile phone into the one of the player casino accounts;

the transaction processor is further configured to update the player account base to indicate a credit based on the transfer of funds from the mobile phone.

4. The wagering game account server of claim 1, wherein

the transaction processor is further configured to determine that the one player casino accounts does not include the funds and to procure the funds from a secondary funding source.

5. The wagering game account server of claim 1, wherein the request to electronically transfer funds is included in a message in a protocol that is not native to the mobile phone.

6. A wagering game account server comprising:

means for receiving, from a mobile phone, a request to transfer funds from a financial institution account to a player casino account, wherein the player casino account is associated with a player;

means for requesting and receiving the funds from the financial institution account;

means for delivering the funds into the player casino account;

means for transferring at least some of the funds into a game session account available on one or more wagering game machines before the player is physically present at the wagering game machine, wherein the game session account provides the funds for use in wagering games; and

means for notifying the mobile phone about one or more account transactions.

7. The wagering game account server of claim 6, wherein the transferring occurs before a player associated with the player casino account has signed-onto the wagering game machine.

8. The wagering game account server of claim 6 further comprising:

means for transferring at least some of the funds from the player casino account to the mobile phone.

9. A computerized method comprising:

storing a plurality of player casino accounts, the player casino accounts including funds;

receiving a request to electronically transfer funds from one of the player casino accounts for a player to a wagering game machine, the request originating at a mobile phone, and the funds being for use in playing wagering games on the wagering game machine;

electronically transmitting the funds to the wagering game machine before the player is physically present at the wagering game machine; and

updating the player account base to indicate a debit on the one of the player casino accounts.

10. The computerized method of claim 9, wherein the request to electronically transfer funds is included in a short message service (SMS) message.

11. The computerized method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a request to electronically transfer funds from the mobile phone into the one of the player casino accounts; and

updating the player account base to indicate a credit based on the transfer of funds from the mobile phone.

12. The computerized method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining that the one player casino accounts does not include the funds; and

procuring the funds from a secondary funding source.

13. The computerized method of claim 9, wherein the request to electronically transfer funds is included in a message in a protocol that is not native to the mobile phone.

14. One or more machine-readable storage media including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

store a plurality of player casino accounts, the player casino accounts including funds;

receive a request to electronically transfer funds from one of the player casino accounts for a player to a wagering game machine, the request originating at a mobile phone, and the funds being for use in playing wagering games on the wagering game machine;

electronically transmit the funds to the wagering game machine before the player is physically present at the wagering game machine; and

update the player account base to indicate a debit on the one of the player casino accounts.

15. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 14, wherein the request to electronically transfer funds is included in a short message service (SMS) message.

16. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 14, wherein the operations comprise:

receive a request to electronically transfer funds from the mobile phone into the one of the player casino accounts; and

update the player account base to indicate a credit based on the transfer of funds from the mobile phone.

17. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 14, wherein the operations comprise:

determining that the one player casino accounts does not include the funds; and

procuring the funds from a secondary funding source.

18. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 14, wherein the request to electronically transfer funds is included in a message in a protocol that is not native to the mobile phone.