Token Management System and Method of Operation Thereof

• US 20080318670A1
• Filed: 06/10/2008
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cork Group Trading Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Waterleaf Limited
• Inventors: Zinder, Mattiatyh, Aharonovich, Avraham
• Granted Patent: US 8,382,583 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

A method and system for managing tokens in an electronic gaming environment includes managing computer-readable tokens that may be issued by an issuer and transferred to an original recipient of the issued tokens, and thereafter, to one or more players of electronic casino games and/or to electronic gaming devices at which the players intend to play the casino games. The issued tokens may not be redeemable by the issuer, but may be redeemable by the original recipient of the issued tokens or an intermediary device of a hierarchy of devices including the original recipient and the electronic gaming devices. The players may play single-player and/or multi-player games. Tokens wagered during a single-player game may be cancelled if the wager is lost. Tokens wagered during a multi-player game may not be cancelled, but instead transferred to the winner of the multi-player game

Claims

1. A method for managing tokens in an electronic gaming environment, the method comprising:

issuing at least one token usable to make a wager in an electronic game;

transferring the at least one token from an issuer thereof to at least one recipient capable of making the wager in the electronic game; and

cancelling the at least one issued token if the wager in the electronic game is unsuccessful.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the issuer of the token is not responsible for settlement of the wager in the electronic game.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one token is redeemable via an intermediary device operating between (i) a device that issues the at least one token, and (ii) an electronic gaming device at which the at least one recipient plays the electronic game.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein the at least one token is non-redeemable,

wherein the electronic game comprises an electronic casino game served by a gaming server,

wherein the at least one recipient includes a player of the electronic casino game, and

wherein the player is able to play the electronic casino game without registering to have an account with the gaming server.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein the electronic game comprises an electronic casino game, and

wherein the at least one recipient is able to play the electronic casino game without establishing an account with a gaming server that serves the electronic casino game to the at least one recipient.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one token is issued by an issuing device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one issued token is transferable between different levels of a multi-level distribution chain between the issuer of the at least one token and the at least one recipient capable of making the wager in the electronic game.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one token is non-redeemable by the issuer of the at least one token.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one token is redeemable for monetary value by an agent other than the issuer of the at least one token.

10. A system for managing tokens in an electronic gaming environment, the system comprising:

electronic gaming devices that present a display of game-play to players playing electronic games;

a server coupled through a communication network to the electronic gaming devices, wherein the server generates outcomes of the electronic games; and

a token management application executable by an issuing device, wherein execution of the token management application causes (i) issuance of at least one token usable by the players to make wagers in the electronic games, and (ii) transfer of the at least one token from the issuing device to at least one player capable of making a wager in the electronic games and cancellation of the at least one issued token if the wager in the electronic game is unsuccessful.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

an intermediary device operating between the issuing device and the electronic games,

wherein the at least one token is redeemable via the intermediary device.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the issuing device of the at least one token is not responsible for settlement of the wager in the electronic game.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

an intermediary device between the issuing device and the at least one player,

wherein the intermediary device is responsible for settling the wager in the electronic game.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one token is redeemable for monetary value.

15. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a multi-level distribution chain between the issuing device and the electronic gaming devices,

wherein the at least one issued token is transferable between the different levels of the multi-level distribution chain.

16. The system of claim 15,

wherein each level of the multi-level distribution chain includes at least one server including (i) a processor, and (ii) data storage containing computer-readable program instructions executable by the processor, and

wherein the computer-readable program instructions include instructions executable by the processor to transfer the at least one token from the issuing device to at least one of the electronic gaming devices.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the data storage further contains at least one token account associated with one of the electronic gaming devices.

18. A method for managing tokens in an electronic gaming system, wherein the electronic gaming system allows a plurality of players to play a multi-player game, the method comprising:

issuing a plurality of tokens from an issuing device to a token account associated with a token agent, wherein the plurality of issued tokens are non-redeemable via the issuing device;

for each player of the plurality of players, transferring a respective set of the issued tokens from the token account associated with the token agent to a respective token account associated with the player;

receiving from each player a respective wager for a multi-player game, wherein each wager jeopardizes a given quantity of tokens in the token account associated with the player that placed the wager; and

determining which player of the plurality of players is a winner of the multi-player game and responsively transferring all of the tokens wagered for the multi-player game to the token account associated with the winner of the multi-player game.

19. The method of claim 18,

wherein, for at least one player of the plurality of players, transferring the respective set of the issued tokens from the token account associated with the token agent to the respective token account associated with the player includes (i) transferring the respective set of issued tokens from the token account associated with the token agent to a respective token account associated with at least one other agent, and (ii) transferring the respective set of issued tokens from the token account associated with the at least one other agent to the respective token account associated with the player.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

the token agent receiving from a given player of the plurality players a request to redeem any tokens remaining in the token account associated with the given player;

transferring the tokens remaining in the token account associated with the given player to the token account associated with the token agent; and

after transferring the remaining tokens to the token account associated with the token agent, providing a monetary payment to the given player.

21. The method of claim 20,

wherein the electronic gaming system comprises a respective electronic gaming device at which each player of the plurality of players plays the multi-player game,

wherein the token agent is communicatively linked to the issuing device and to the electronic gaming devices via a communication network, and

wherein prior to the token agent receiving the request to redeem the remaining tokens, the request is transmitted from the electronic gaming device at which the given player plays the multi-player game to the token agent via the communication network.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein at least one player of the plurality of players playing the multi-player game is a player that does not have an account with the issuing device.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein, for at least one player of the plurality of players, the token account associated with the at least one player comprises a token account that is associated with an electronic gaming device at which the at least one player plays the multi-player game.

24. A system that manages electronic tokens, the system comprising:

a plurality of electronic gaming devices, wherein each gaming device is operable to participate in a common occurrence of a multi-player game;

a gaming server connected to the plurality of electronic gaming devices via a communication network, wherein the gaming server (i) determines that at least one wager on the multi-player game has been placed by each of the electronic gaming devices, and (ii) thereafter determines a winner of the multi-player game, and wherein each wager jeopardizes at least one electronic token in a token account associated with the electronic gaming device from which the wager was placed; and

data storage containing computer-readable program instructions executable by a processor, wherein the processor determines from the gaming server the winner of the multi-player game, and wherein execution of the program instructions cause each of the electronic tokens wagered on the multi-player game to be transferred to the token account associated with the electronic gaming device being used by the winner of the multi-player game.

25. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

at least one agent device connected to the communication network; and

a token issuing device connected to the communication network,

wherein the at least one agent device receives tokens that are issued by the token issuing device,

wherein the at least one agent device transfers a respective quantity of tokens to the token accounts associated with the plurality of electronic gaming devices, and

wherein the tokens issued by the token issuing device are not redeemable at the token issuing device.

26. The system of claim 25,

wherein the at least one agent device is operable to redeem tokens from at least one electronic gaming device of the plurality of electronic gaming devices.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the tokens redeemed from the at least one electronic gaming device comprise a quantity of tokens greater than the respective quantity of tokens transferred to the electronic gaming device from the at least one agent device.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the quantity of tokens greater than the respective quantity of tokens transferred to the electronic gaming device from the at least one agent device include tokens transferred in response to execution of the computer-readable program instructions by the processor.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the tokens redeemed from the at least one electronic gaming device comprise a quantity of tokens less than or equal to the respective quantity of tokens transferred to the electronic gaming device from the at least one agent device.

30. The system of claim 24, wherein the gaming server comprises the data storage and the processor.