Methods and devices for gaming account management

• US 7,950,996 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2004
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Binh T., Paulsen, Craig A.
• Primary Examiner(s): D'AGOSTINO, PAUL ANTHONY
• Application Number:
  US10/926,636
• Publication Number:
  US 20050020354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,470 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 463/29
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/22 in combination with an identity check of the pass holder
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value

Abstract

Methods and devices are provided for managing gaming accounts. Some aspects of the invention provide for the cancellation, revocation or consolidation of cashless gaming instruments. For example, if a player has lost a cashless gaming instrument, the player could request that the cashless gaming instrument be cancelled. The request could be made in response to information (such as an activity log, an account statement, etc.) presented by a central network device. The information could be presented on a screen, printed on paper, etc. In order for such a request to be acted upon, it is preferable that the player, the gaming establishment that issued the cashless gaming instrument and the cashless gaming instrument itself be positively identified. Some implementations of the present invention provide for more flexible redemption in a cashless gaming system. Some such implementations allow a player to “cash out,” preferably in a single transaction, after one or more gaming sessions. The gaming sessions may have been conducted at different gaming machines and/or at different casinos. Some implementations allow a player to cash out without a cashless gaming instrument.

Claims

1. A method for providing gaming account services, the method comprising:

receiving identification information;

determining whether a gaming account is associated with the identification information;

providing gaming account information to a player when a gaming account is associated with the identification information, the gaming account information pertaining to a plurality of ticket vouchers used as cashless gaming instruments, said ticket vouchers being adapted or configured to be negotiated only in connection with the gaming account associated with the identification information; and

enabling gaming account management options to said player relating to the management of at least one of said previously issued ticket vouchers used as a cashless gaming instrument, wherein said options comprise an option of voiding by the player on a device an unredeemed previously issued ticket voucher.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming account management options comprise an option of replacing an unredeemed previously issued ticket voucher.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming account management options comprise an option of consolidating gaming account transactions.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming account management options comprise an option of consolidating a plurality of said ticket vouchers.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing step comprises providing a gaming account summary.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving step comprises receiving biometric identification information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving step comprises receiving casino identification information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification information comprises a password and wherein the receiving step comprises receiving the password.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step comprises accessing a lookup table that comprises gaming account information and identification information.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step comprises accessing a database comprising gaming account information and identification information.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming account information provided in the providing step depends on a device from which the identification information was received in the receiving step.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming account information provided in the providing step depends on a person from which the identification information was received in the receiving step.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of enabling gaming account management options is performed by a first gaming establishment and wherein at least one ticket voucher of the plurality of ticket vouchers was issued by a second gaming establishment.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein the option of replacing said unredeemed ticket voucher comprises an option of crediting the gaming account for a value of the ticket voucher.

15. The method of claim 2, wherein the option of replacing said unredeemed ticket voucher comprises an option of printing a replacement ticket voucher.

16. The method of claim 4, wherein a first ticket voucher of the plurality of ticket vouchers was issued at a first gaming establishment and a second ticket voucher of the plurality of ticket vouchers was issued at a second gaming establishment.

17. The method of claim 5, wherein the gaming account summary comprises information regarding recent gaming account transactions.

18. The method of claim 5, wherein the gaming account summary comprises information regarding gaming account activity during a specified time.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of enabling gaming account management options comprises a step of redeeming at least one ticket voucher that was issued by the second gaming establishment.

20. An apparatus for providing gaming account services, the apparatus comprising:

an input device configured to receive identification information from a player;

a player authentication unit configured to determine whether a gaming account is associated with the identification information;

a display device;

a communication interface and logic device configured to provide gaming account information to a player when a gaming account is associated with the identification information, the gaming account information pertaining to a plurality of ticket vouchers used as cashless gaming instruments, said ticket vouchers being adapted or configured to be negotiated only in connection with the gaming account associated with the identification information; and

to enable gaming account management options to said player relating to the management of at least one of said previously issued ticket vouchers used as a cashless gaming instrument, wherein said options comprise an option of voiding by the player on the apparatus an unredeemed previously issued ticket voucher.

21. A computer program embodied in a machine-readable medium, the computer program comprising instructions for controlling at least one device to perform the following steps:

receiving identification information;

determining whether a gaming account is associated with the identification information;

providing gaming account information to a player when a gaming account is associated with the identification information, the gaming account information pertaining to a plurality of ticket vouchers used as cashless gaming instruments, said ticket vouchers adapted or configured to be negotiated only in connection with the gaming account associated with the identification information; and

enabling gaming account management options to said player relating to the management of at least one of said previously issued ticket vouchers used as a cashless gaming instrument, wherein said options comprise an option of voiding by said player on a device an unredeemed previously issued ticket voucher.

22. The computer program of claim 21, wherein the identification information comprises casino identification information.