METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MODIFYING GAMING MACHINES TO PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTAL OR MODIFIED FUNCTIONALITY

• US 20160012681A1
• Filed: 09/21/2015
• Published: 01/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western Gaming Properties
• Original Assignee: Western Gaming Properties
• Inventors: Dabrowski, Stanley P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,437,076 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2455 Printers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/247 audible, e.g. using a loudspeaker
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/34 Betting or bookmaking, e.g. Internet betting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• 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 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3246 involving coins and/or banknotes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3272 Games involving multiple players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3281 wherein game attributes are transferred between players, e.g. points, weapons, avatars
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/24 with change-giving

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for transferring credits from one gaming device to another via the use of coded scrip is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of accepting a cash-out command in the gaming device, scanning a magnetically manifested code uniquely identifying a scrip stored in the gaming device, transmitting a cash-out message comprising the code to a remote processor having access to a database configured to store and retrieve codes from a plurality of gaming devices, receiving a scrip dispense message from the remote processor, and dispensing the scrip. The apparatus comprises a scrip storage unit, a scrip dispensing unit having a scrip transducer for reading and recording a magnetically manifested code on a scrip retrieved from the scrip storage unit, and a processor, communicatively coupled to the scrip transducer and a remote computer having access to a database for storing and retrieving code information from the plurality of gaming devices.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a remote server configured to communicate with a plurality of electronic gaming machines including sending second data to each of the plurality of electronic gaming machine;

the plurality of electronic gaming machines each electronic gaming machine comprising;

a gaming processor configured to generate a play of a wager-based game on the electronic gaming machine;

a cash acceptor communicatively coupled to the gaming processor configured to verify whether inserted cash is genuine and send a signal to the gaming processor indicating the cash is genuine;

a display, communicatively coupled to the gaming processor and a second processor, configured to output the wager-based game;

an input mechanism, communicatively coupled to the gaming processor, configured to accept input associated with the play of the wager-based game;

a first communication interface, communicatively coupled to the second processor, configured to receive, from the gaming processor, first data associated with the play of the wager-based game generated by the gaming processor;

a second communication interface, communicatively coupled to the second processor, configured to receive second data from the remote server; and

the second processor, separate from the gaming processor, communicatively coupled to the display, the gaming processor, and the remote server, configured to;

     1) receive the first data from the gaming processor via the first communication interface,

     2) receive the second data from the remote server via the second communication interface,

     3) determine whether to output a first signal which includes the first data or a first substitute signal which includes only the second data and

     4) control output, via an output mechanism, of the first signal or the first substitute signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote server is further configured to receive cashout information from the plurality of gaming machines.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the cash acceptor is further configured to receive scrip.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the second processor is further configured to send scrip code read from the scrip to the remote server.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the scrip code is sent to the remote server in an encrypted format.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the remote server is further configured to receive the scrip code, determine whether the scrip is valid, determine an amount of credit associated with scrip code and send a message to the second processor indicating the amount of credit associated with the scrip.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote server is configured to receive, from the second processor, scrip code and cashout information, store information about the scrip code including a cashout value to a database and send a command to the second processor to dispense scrip redeemable for the cashout value.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote server is configured to receive information from the second processor in an encrypted format and decrypt the information.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the remote server is configured to generate control commands and send the control commands to the second processor.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the output mechanism on one or more of the plurality of electronic gaming machines is a display.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the output mechanism on one or more of the plurality of electronic gaming machines is a printer.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the output mechanism on one or more of the plurality of electronic gaming machines is a printer is an audio device.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the first data or the second data include electronic media data.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the electronic media data is one of electronic video data, electronic audio data or combinations thereof.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the second processor is further configured to generate the substitute signal including the first data and the second data and control output of the substitute signal to the output mechanism.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein the first data includes control commands generated by the first processor.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the second data includes control commands generated by the remote server.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of electronic gaming machines includes a printing mechanism used to print optically formatted data in accordance with the first signal or the substitute signal.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the optically formatted data is output on a printed ticket.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein second processor is configured, in response to control commands received from the remote server, to control printing of information to scrip and to dispense the scrip including the printed information.