Gaming system and method for completing a transaction associated with a gaming machine

• US 6,892,938 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2002
• Issued: 05/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mandalay Resort Group (MGM Resorts International)
• Original Assignee: Mandalay Resort Group (MGM Resorts International)
• Inventors: Solomon, Gregg
• Primary Examiner(s): FUREMAN, JARED
• Application Number:
  US10/217,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20040031845A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,008 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/379, 235/380, 235/381, 235/382, 235/382.5, 902/1, 902/3, 902/4, 902/5, 902/23, 463/25, 463/27, 463/21, 463/29, 382/115, 382/117, 382/118, 382/119, 382/124, 705/18, 705/44, 713/186, 713/202, 340/5.52, 340/5.53, 340/5.81, 340/5.82, 340/5.83, 340/8.84
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/206 comprising security or operator identification provisions, e.g. password entry
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3206 Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics

Abstract

A system and method are used to complete a transaction associated with a gaming machine. The system and method assign the transaction to an employee of the casino and sense a biometric characteristic of the employee at a jackpot fill station. The sensed biometric characteristic is compared with a stored characteristic of the employee and a match is confirmed. The transaction is authorized if the match is confirmed.

Claims

1. A method for paying a jackpot to a player of a gaming machine in a gaming environment, said method comprising the steps of:

identifying a first employee at the gaming machine;

assigning the jackpot to the first employee after identifying the first employee;

registering the assigned jackpot on a computer at a jackpot fill station;

authorizing access to the computer at the jackpot fill station to the first employee to allow the first employee to select the assigned jackpot for processing;

sensing a biometric characteristic of the first employee at the jackpot fill station after the first employee has selected the assigned jackpot for processing and independent of authorizing access to the computer at the jackpot fill station to the first employee;

comparing the sensed biometric characteristic with a stored characteristic of the first employee and responsively confirming that the sensed biometric matches the stored characteristic of the first employee; and

,

authorizing payment of the jackpot to the player if a match is confirmed.

2. A method, as set forth in claim 1, including the step of transferring an identity of the first employee to the computer located at the jackpot fill station.

3. A method, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the step of identifying the first employee includes the step of inserting, by the first employee, an employee identification (ID) card into an identification (ID) card reader.

4. A method, as set forth in claim 3, wherein the step of identifying the first employee further includes the step of entering, by the first employee, an employee personal identification number (PIN) into a keypad.

5. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of sensing the biometric characteristic is further defined as sensing a geometric pattern defined by a physical attribute of the first employee.

6. A method, as set forth in claim 5, wherein the step of sensing the geometric pattern defined by the physical attribute of the first employee is further defined as sensing a fingerprint of the first employee.

7. A method, as set forth in claim 5, wherein the step of sensing the geometric pattern defined by the physical attribute of the first employee is further defined as sensing a plurality of veins of the first employee.

8. A method, as set forth in claim 5, wherein the step of sensing the geometric pattern defined by the physical attribute of the first employee is further defined as sensing an eye of the first employee.

9. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of sensing the biometric characteristic is further defined as sensing a signature of the first employee.

10. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of sensing the biometric characteristic is further defined as sensing a password spoken by the first employee.

11. A method, as set forth in claim 1, including the steps of:

releasing funds to the first employee after authorizing payment of the jackpot to the player; and

,

witnessing, by another employee, payment of the funds to the player by the first employee.

12. A method, as set forth in claim 1, including the steps of:

sensing a biometric characteristic of a second employee acting as a witness to payment of the jackpot to the player;

comparing the sensed biometric of the second employee with a stored characteristic of the second employee; and

,

responsively confirming that the sensed biometric of the second employee matches the stored characteristic of the second employee.

13. A method, as set forth in claim 12, wherein the step of authorizing payment of the jackpot to the player is further defined as authorizing payment of the jackpot to the player after responsively confirming that the sensed biometric of the first employee matches the stored characteristic of the first employee and the sensed biometric of the second employee matches the stored characteristic of the second employee.

14. A method for paying a jackpot to a player of a gaming machine in a gaming environment, said method comprising the steps of:

providing access to a computer at a jackpot fill station to a first employee to allow the first employee to select the jackpot for processing, the first employee being assigned to the jackpot;

sensing a biometric characteristic of the first employee at the jackpot fill station after the first employee has selected the jackpot for processing and independent of authorizing access to the computer at the jackpot fill station to the first employee;

comparing the sensed biometric characteristic with a stored characteristic of the first employee and responsively confirming that the sensed biometric matches the stored characteristic of the first employee; and

,

authorizing payment of the jackpot to the player if a match is confirmed.

15. A method, as set forth in claim 14, including the step of identifying the first employee prior to providing access to the computer at the jackpot fill station.

16. A method, as set forth in claim 15, wherein the step of identifying the first employee further includes the steps of:

inserting, by the first employee, an employee identification (ID) card into an identification (ID) card reader; and

,

entering, by the first employee, an employee personal identification number (PIN) into a keypad.

17. A method, as set forth in claim 14, wherein the step of sensing the biometric characteristic is further defined as sensing a geometric pattern defined by a physical attribute of the first employee.

18. A method, as set forth in claim 17, wherein the step of sensing the geometric pattern defined by the physical attribute of the first employee is further defined as sensing a fingerprint of the first employee.

19. A method, as set forth in claim 17, wherein the step of sensing the geometric pattern defined by the physical attribute of the first employee is further defined as sensing a plurality of veins of the first employee.

20. A method, as set forth in claim 17, wherein the step of sensing the geometric pattern defined by the physical attribute of the first employee is further defined as sensing an eye of the first employee.

21. A method, as set forth in claim 14, wherein the step of sensing the biometric characteristic is further defined as sensing a signature of the first employee.

22. A method, as set forth in claim 14, wherein the step of sensing the biometric characteristic is further defined as sensing a password spoken by the first employee.

23. A method, as set forth in claim 14, including the steps of:

releasing funds to the first employee after authorizing payment of the jackpot to the player; and

,

witnessing, by another employee, payment of the funds to the player by the first employee.

24. A method, as set forth in claim 14, including the steps of:

sensing a biometric characteristic of a second employee acting as a witness to payment of the jackpot to the player;

comparing the sensed biometric of the second employee with a stored characteristic of the second employee; and

,

responsively confirming that the sensed biometric of the second employee matches the stored characteristic of the second employee.

25. A method, as set forth in claim 24, wherein the step of authorizing payment of the jackpot to the player is further defined as authorizing payment of the jackpot to the player after responsively confirming that the sensed biometric of the first employee matches the stored characteristic of the first employee and the sensed biometric of the second employee matches the stored characteristic of the second employee.