Electronic payout administration method and system

• US 8,517,823 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2005
• Issued: 08/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Binh T., Paulsen, Craig A., B-Jensen, Michael T.
• Primary Examiner(s): D'AGOSTINO, PAUL ANTHONY
• Application Number:
  US11/266,636
• Publication Number:
  US 20060068904A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,854 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/207 Tax processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/123 Tax preparation or submission

Abstract

A payout administration method including automatically retrieving a plurality of electronic forms by a computer in communication with a gaming apparatus adapted to receive a wager from a player and to provide a payout based on the wager and a game outcome, at least one of the plurality of electronic forms selected according to a location of the gaming apparatus, retrieving stored data about the gaming apparatus and the player, and combining the plurality of electronic forms and the stored data to generate a plurality of completed electronic forms. The method also includes receiving an electronic player certification, and combining the electronic player certification and at least one of the plurality of completed electronic forms generated from stored data about the player to generate a certified completed player electronic form. A payout administration system operates according to the method.

Claims

1. A payout administration method comprising:

determining a location of a gaming apparatus adapted to receive a wager from a player and to provide a payout based on the wager and a game outcome;

determining at least one of a plurality of jurisdictions of the gaming apparatus using the determined location;

automatically retrieving a plurality of electronic forms by a computer in communication with the gaming apparatus, at least one of the plurality of electronic forms selected according to the determined jurisdiction of the gaming apparatus;

determining a source of data about the player, if manual, receive and store player data using a data input device associated with the gaming apparatus;

retrieving stored data about the gaming apparatus and the player;

combining at least one of the plurality of electronic forms and the stored data about the player to generate at least one completed player electronic form;

generating an electronic player certification;

combining the generated electronic player certification and the at least one completed player electronic form to generate a certified completed player electronic form;

combining at least one of the plurality of electronic forms and the stored data about the gaming apparatus to generate at least one completed gaming apparatus electronic form;

generating an electronic employee certification; and

generating at least one certified completed gaming apparatus electronic form using the generated electronic employee certification and the at least one completed gaming apparatus electronic form.

2. The payout administration method according to claim 1, wherein the electronic player certification comprises an electronic player signature and the electronic employee certification comprises an electronic employee signature.

3. The payout administration method according to claim 1, wherein the electronic player certification comprises player biometric data and the electronic employee certification comprises employee biometric data.

4. The payout administration method according to claim 3, wherein the player biometric data and the employee biometric data comprise a voice print.

5. The payout administration method according to claim 1, wherein the electronic player certification comprises a player personal identification number and the electronic employee certification comprises an employee personal identification number.

6. The payout administration method according to claim 1, comprising distributing the plurality of completed electronic forms, including the at least one certified completed player electronic form and the at least one certified completed gaming apparatus electronic form, to at least one remote computer disposed at a different geographic location than the gaming apparatus.

7. The payout administration method according to claim 6, wherein the remote computer and the gaming apparatus are disposed in a building at different geographic locations.

8. The payout administration method according to claim 6, wherein the remote computer is disposed in a different city than the gaming apparatus.

9. The payout administration method according to claim 1, wherein the location of the gaming machine is determined according to a phone number associated with the gaming machine.

10. The payout administration method according to claim 1, wherein the location of the gaming machine is determined according to an Internet address associated with the gaming machine.

11. The payout administration method according to claim 1, wherein the location of the gaming machine is determined according to a phone number associated with the player.

12. The payout administration method according to claim 1, comprising retrieving stored data about the gaming apparatus and the player from a database.

13. The payout administration method according to claim 12, wherein the database is a player tracking database.

14. A payout administration system comprising:

a gaming apparatus comprising a display apparatus that is capable of generating video images, a value input device, and a controller operatively coupled to said display apparatus and said value input devices, said controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor,

said controller being programmed to allow a person to make a wager,

said controller being programmed to cause a video image to be generated on said display apparatus, said video image representing a game, and

said controller being programmed to determine, after said video image has been displayed, a value payout associated with an outcome of said game represented by said video image; and

a computer comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor,

said computer being programmed to determine a location of said gaming apparatus based on a unique identifier of one of said gaming apparatus and a person playing said gaming apparatus,

said computer being programmed to determine a federal jurisdiction and a state jurisdiction of the gaming apparatus using the determined location,

said computer being programmed to retrieve a plurality of electronic forms, at least one of the plurality of electronic forms selected according to the determined federal jurisdiction and state jurisdiction of said gaming apparatus,

said computer being programmed to retrieve stored data about the player and said gaming apparatus,

said computer being programmed to combine at least one of the plurality of electronic forms and the stored data about the player to generate at least one completed player electronic form,

said computer being programmed to receive an electronic player certification,

said computer being programmed to combine the electronic player certification and the at least one completed player electronic form to generate a certified completed player electronic form,

said computer being programmed to combine at least one of the plurality of electronic forms and the stored data about said gaming apparatus to generate at least one completed gaming apparatus electronic form,

said computer being programmed to receive an electronic employee certification, and

said computer being programmed to generate at least one certified completed gaming apparatus electronic form using the electronic employee certification and the at least one completed gaming apparatus electronic form.

15. The payout administration system according to claim 14, wherein the electronic player certification comprises an electronic player signature and the electronic employee certification comprises an electronic employee signature.

16. The payout administration system according to claim 14, wherein the electronic player certification comprises player biometric data and the electronic employee certification comprises employee biometric data.

17. The payout administration system according to claim 16, wherein the player biometric data and the employee biometric data comprises a voice print.

18. The payout administration system according to claim 14, wherein the electronic player certification comprises a player personal identification number and the electronic employee certification comprises an employee personal identification number.

19. The payout administration system according to claim 14, wherein the computer is programmed to distribute the plurality of completed electronic forms, including the at least one certified completed player electronic form and the at least one certified completed gaming apparatus electronic form, to at least one remote computer disposed at a different geographic location than the gaming apparatus.

20. The payout administration system according to claim 19, wherein the remote computer and the gaming apparatus are disposed in a building at different geographic locations.

21. The payout administration system according to claim 19, wherein the remote computer is disposed in a different city than the gaming apparatus.

22. The payout administration system according to claim 14, wherein the location of the gaming machine is determined according to a phone number associated with the gaming machine.

23. The payout administration system according to claim 14, wherein the location of the gaming machine is determined according to an Internet address associated with the gaming machine.

24. The payout administration system according to claim 14, wherein the location of the gaming machine is determined according to a phone number associated with the player.

25. The payout administration system according to claim 14, wherein the computer is programmed to retrieve stored data about the gaming apparatus and the player from a database.

26. The payout administration system according to claim 25, wherein the database is a player tracking database.

27. The payout administration system according to claim 14, wherein the computer is operatively coupled to the gaming apparatus by a data link.

28. The payout administration system according to claim 14, wherein the computer comprises a Personal Digital Assistant.

29. The payout administration system according to claim 14, wherein the computer is operatively coupled to the gaming apparatus by a network.

30. The payout administration system according to claim 29, wherein the network is selected from the group of networks consisting of a local area network, a wide area network, an intranet and the Internet.