Wagering game account management system

• US 9,047,731 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2013
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Gagner, Mark B., Grabiec, Jacek A., Gura, Damon E., Rathsack, Erhard W., Thomas, Alfred
• Primary Examiner(s): Coburn, Corbett B
• Application Number:
  US13/777,357
• Publication Number:
  US 20130172075A1
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 705/39
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• 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 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements

Abstract

A wagering game account management system and its operations are described herein. In embodiments, the operations include detecting an account rule, wherein the account rule includes an activation event, wherein upon occurrence of the activation event a transfer of funds is initiates between a wagering game session and account and one or more other financial accounts. In some embodiments, the operations also include detecting the occurrence of the activation event. In some embodiments, the operations also include initiating the transfer of funds between the wagering game session account and one or more other financial accounts.

Claims

1. A method of operating a gaming system primarily dedicated to playing at least one casino wagering game, the gaming system including a gaming cabinet, a random element generator, one or more controllers, an electronic display device, and an electronic input device, the electronic display device and the electronic input device being coupled to the gaming cabinet, the method comprising:

presenting, on the electronic display device an account rule configuration menu that enables a player to define an account rule, the account rule initiating a transfer of funds between a wagering game session account and one or more other financial accounts in response to an activation event during play of the casino wagering game;

receiving, via the electronic input device, player input defining the account rule;

generating one or more random elements with the random element generator;

receiving, via the electronic input device, a wager input to initiate the casino wagering game;

determining, by the one or more controllers, an outcome of the casino wagering game based, at least in part, on the one or more random elements;

presenting the outcome on the electronic display device;

awarding, by the one or more controllers, an award in response to the outcome meeting a predefined award criterion;

detecting the activation event during play of the casino wagering game; and

in response to detecting the activation event, initiating the transfer of funds between the wagering game session account and one or more other financial accounts.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transfer of funds includes a transfer of funds from the wagering game session account to one or more of the other financial accounts.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transfer of funds includes a transfer of funds from one or more of the other financial accounts to the wagering game session account.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the transfer of funds was successfully completed; and

presenting, on the electronic display device, an indication that the transfer of funds was successfully completed.

5. A method of operating a wagering game machine primarily dedicated to playing at least one casino wagering game, the wagering game machine including a gaming cabinet, one or more controllers, an electronic display device, and an electronic input device, the electronic display device and the electronic input device being coupled to the gaming cabinet, the method comprising:

presenting, on the electronic display device, an account rule configuration menu, wherein the account rule configuration menu enables a player to define an account rule;

receiving, via the electronic input device, user input, wherein the user input defines the account rule, wherein the account rule comprises a transfer of funds between a wagering game session account and one or more other financial accounts, wherein the account rule includes an activation event, and wherein the transfer of funds is to occur upon occurrence of the activation event;

receiving, at the wagering game machine, an outcome of the casino wagering game based on one or more random elements generated by a random element generator;

presenting, on the electronic display device, the outcome of the casino wagering game;

awarding, by the one or more controllers, an award in response to the outcome meeting a predefined award criterion;

detecting the occurrence of the activation event during play of the casino wagering game; and

in response to detecting the occurrence of the activation event, causing the transfer of funds between the wagering game session account and one or more of the other financial accounts, according to the account rule.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the transfer of funds transfers funds from the wagering game session account to one or more of the other financial accounts.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the transfer of funds transfers funds from one or more of the other financial accounts to the wagering game session account.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the activation event includes one or more conditions, and wherein one or more of the conditions must be satisfied for the occurrence of the activation event.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the activation event is related to one or more of a wagering game session balance, recent wagering game activity, a balance of one or more of the other accounts, a time of day, a result of a casino wagering game session, a result of a casino wagering game round, and the outcome of the casino wagering game.

10. A gaming system primarily dedicated to playing at least one casino wagering game, the gaming system comprising:

a gaming cabinet for housing components associated with the casino wagering game;

an electronic display device coupled to the gaming cabinet configured to present an account rule configuration menu that enables a player to define an account rule, the account rule initiating a transfer of funds between a wagering game session account and one or more other financial accounts in response to an initiation condition occurring in play of the casino wagering game;

an electronic input device coupled to the gaming cabinet, the electronic input device configured to receive a first physical input from a player to initiate the casino wagering game and transform the first physical input into an electronic data signal and further configured to receive a second physical input from the player defining the account rule;

a random element generator configured to generate one or more random elements; and

one or more controllers configured to;

initiate the casino wagering game in response to the electronic data signal from the electronic input device;

determine an outcome of the casino wagering game based, at least in part, on the one or more random elements;

direct the electronic display device to present the outcome;

award an award in response to the outcome meeting a predetermined award criterion;

detect the initiation condition in play of the casino wagering game; and

in response to detecting the initiation condition, initiate a transfer between the wagering game session account and one or more other financial accounts.

11. The gaming system of claim 10, wherein the initiation condition includes one of a wagering game session account balance, a recent change in the wagering game session account balance, and increase in the wagering game session account balance, and a decrease in the wagering game account balance.

12. The gaming system of claim 10, wherein the transfer between the wagering game session account and one or more other financial accounts includes a transfer from the wagering game session account to one or more of the other financial accounts.

13. The gaming system of claim 10, wherein the transfer between the wagering game session account and one or more other financial accounts includes a transfer from one or more of the other financial accounts to the wagering game session account.

14. The gaming system of claim 10, wherein the one or more other financial accounts include one or more of a checking account, a savings account, a charity account, an education account, a money market account, and a retirement account.

15. A method of operating a gaming system primarily dedicated to playing at least one casino wagering game, the gaming system including a gaming cabinet, a random element generator, one or more controllers, an electronic display device, and an electronic input device, the electronic display device and the electronic input device being coupled to the gaming cabinet, the method comprising:

presenting, on the electronic display device, an account rule configuration menu, wherein the account rule configuration menu enables a player to define an account rule, wherein the account rule relates to a wagering game session account associated with the player, wherein the account rule includes an initiation condition, and wherein occurrence of the initiation condition causes a transfer of funds between the wagering game session account and one or more other financial accounts;

receiving, via the electronic input device, player input defining the account rule;

receiving, via the electronic input device, a wager input to initiate the casino wagering game;

generating one or more random elements with the random element generator;

determining, by the one or more controllers, an outcome of the casino wagering game based, at least in part, on the one or more random elements;

presenting, on the electronic display device, the casino wagering game;

presenting, on the electronic display device, the outcome;

awarding, by the one or more controllers, an award in response to the outcome meeting a predefined award criterion;

depositing, in the wagering game session account, the award;

monitoring the wagering game session account for the occurrence of the initiation condition;

detecting, based, at least in part, on the monitoring the wagering game session account, the occurrence of the initiation condition; and

causing, in response to the detecting the occurrence of the initiation condition, the transfer of funds among the wagering game session account and one or more of the other financial accounts.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the initiation condition is a win greater than a predetermined amount during a wagering game session.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the initiation condition is a loss greater than a predetermined amount during a wagering game session.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the initiation condition is a wagering game session account balance greater than a predetermined amount.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the initiation condition is a wagering game session account balance less than a predetermined amount.

20. A method of operating a wagering game machine primarily dedicated to playing at least one casino wagering game, the wagering game machine including a gaming cabinet, one or more controllers, an electronic display device, and an electronic input device, the electronic display device and the electronic input device being coupled to the gaming cabinet, the method comprising:

presenting, on the electronic display device, an account rule configuration menu, wherein the account rule configuration menu enables a player to define an account rule;

receiving, via the electronic input device, user input, wherein the user input defines the account rule, wherein the account rule comprises a transfer of funds between a wagering game session account and one or more other financial accounts, wherein the account rule includes an activation event, and wherein the transfer of funds is to occur upon occurrence of the activation event;

receiving, at the wagering game machine, an outcome of the casino wagering game based on one or more random elements generated by a random element generator;

presenting, on the electronic display device, the outcome of the casino wagering game;

awarding, by the one or more controllers, an award in response to the outcome meeting a predefined award criterion, wherein the award is deposited in the wagering game session account;

detecting, based on a balance of the wagering game session account, an occurrence of the activation event; and

causing, based on the detecting the occurrence of the activation event, the transfer of funds between the wagering game session account and one or more of the other financial accounts, according to the account rule.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the transfer of funds transfers funds from the wagering game session account to one or more of the other financial accounts.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the transfer of funds transfers funds from one or more of the other financial accounts to the wagering game session account.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the activation event includes one or more conditions, and wherein one or more of the conditions must be satisfied for the occurrence of the activation event.