Method and system for paragame activity at electronic gaming machine

• US 8,721,449 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2007
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Tipping Point Group, LLC
• Inventors: Johnson, Sam, Sirin, Simon, Daley, Danny Patrick, Ryan, Chad A., Ward, Bradley G., Stokes, Herbert W. Jr., Smalley, Robert W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hylinski, Steven J
• Application Number:
  US11/897,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20080113773A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,448 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 463/42, 463/47, 463/16, 463/20
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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
• 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

The provision of a paragaming event on an electronic gaming machine is provided by intercepting a cashout event, identifying the account balance and presenting an offer to participate in the paragaming event. If the customer agrees, the account balance is appropriately reduced and a voucher in followed by a cashout event is initiated to maintain a record of the transaction. A cash voucher and a transaction receipt are then printed for the customer.

Claims

1. A method for providing paragaming activity at a electronic gaming machine having an existing gaming machine controller which communicates with at least one video display via at least one communication path, wherein said gaming machine controller is configured to present information regarding one or more games to a player of said gaming machine via at least one video display of said gaming machine, the method comprising the steps of:

utilizing a secondary controller located at said gaming machine which operates independently of said gaming machine controller, which is configured to detect outputs of said existing gaming machine controller associated with play of said gaming machine by said player without modification of said existing gaming machine controller, and which is communicatively coupled via a communication link to said at least one communication path between said gaming machine controller and said at least one video display;

evaluating said outputs at said secondary controller for one or more pre-defined triggering events occurring at said gaming machine;

in response to the detection of a triggering event, presenting a paragaming event to said player via said at least one video display of the electronic gaming machine by transmitting paragame information from said secondary controller over said communication path to said at least one video display via said communication link, wherein the paragaming event is one or more of the paragaming events selected from the group of paragaming events including;

a game, a payout table based on an underlying game of the electronic gaming machine and entertainment and whereby said paragaming event is presented via said secondary controller and not said gaming machine controller; and

funding the paragaming event from the available funds in the electronic gaming machine upon detecting that said player has elected to participate in the paragaming event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more pre-defined triggering events comprises a cashout event and the step of utilizing said secondary controller to detect said one or more pre-defined triggering events comprises the step of detecting a slot accounting system command for a cashout and detecting printer commands associated with a cashout process.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more pre-defined triggering events comprises a cashout event and the step of utilizing said secondary controller to detect said one or more pre-defined triggering events comprises the step of detecting a slot accounting system command for a cashout.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more pre-defined triggering events comprises a cashout event and the step of utilizing said secondary controller to detect said one or more pre-defined triggering events comprises the step of detecting printer commands associated with a cashout process.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of parsing the printer commands to obtain information about the cashout transaction.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of parsing the printer commands to obtain an asset number, a validation number, a date and a time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of funding the paragaming event further comprises the step of deducting the cost of the paragaming event from the current electronic gaming machine balance.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of reconciling the payment of the paragaming event with an external accounting system for the gaming machine, wherein the step of reconciling the payment of the paragaming event further comprises the step of sending a voucher in command to the slot accounting system with the new balance, and then sending a slot accounting system cashout command to the accounting system.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of reconciling the payment of the paragaming event with an external accounting system for the gaming machine, wherein the step of reconciling the payment of the paragaming event further comprises the step of sending a slot accounting system cashout command to the accounting system.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of presenting a paragaming event comprises presenting a list of paragaming activities, said paragaming activities comprising at least one wagering and non wagering activity, and permitting said player to select none, as few as one, or a plurality of said paragaming activities in combination.

11. An apparatus for providing paragaming activity on an electronic gaming machine having an existing gaming machine controller which is configured to generate outputs related to one or more game play events and output game information for display via at least one electronic video display, comprising:

a secondary control unit having a first input communicatively coupled to an SAS output of the electronic gaming machine whereby said secondary control unit detects said outputs of said existing gaming machine controller via said SAS output, a second input communicatively coupled to a printer output of the electronic gaming machine, and at least one output communicatively coupled to the electronic gaming machine printer, said at least one electronic video display and a network interface;

a validation system communicatively coupled to the secondary control unit over the network interface and communicatively coupled to a host accounting system for the electronic gaming machine over an SAS connection to a slot machine interface board;

the secondary control unit being operable to detect the occurrence of a cashout event at said gaming machine via evaluation of said outputs of said existing gaming machine controller and in response, causing said at least one electronic video display to present paragame information which is different than said game information which is output by said gaming machine controller, said paragame information selected from a group of paragaming events including a wagering game, entertainment and a new payout table for the underlying game, receive an election to participate in the paragaming event, providing the paragaming event without interfering with the underlying gaming event and notifying the validation system of such election;

the validation system being operable to redeem the funds associated with the electronic gaming machine from the host accounting system, deduct a fee associated with the paragaming event and notifying the control unit; and

the secondary control unit being operable to perform a cashout event with the new funds balance.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the secondary control unit is operable to detect the occurrence of a cashout event by detecting a cashout command on the SAS output of the electronic gaming machine and detecting printer commands associated with a cashout event on the printer output of the electronic gaming machine.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the secondary control unit is operable to detect the occurrence of a cashout event by detecting a cashout command on the SAS output of the electronic gaming machine.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the secondary control unit is operable to detect the occurrence of a cashout event by detecting printer commands associated with a cashout event on the printer output of the electronic gaming machine.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the validation system being operable to redeem the funds associated with the electronic gaming machine from the host accounting system and deduct a fee associated with the paragaming event by reducing an account balance by the fee amount, sending a voucher in command with the new balance to the host accounting system and sending a cashout command to the host accounting system.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the secondary control unit is further operative to parse the printer commands to identify a current balance for the electronic gaming machine.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the validation system is operable to redeem the funds associated with the electronic gaming machine from the host accounting system and deduct a fee associated with the paragaming event by reducing the account balance detected by the control unit by the fee amount, sending a voucher in command with the new balance to the host accounting system and sending a cashout command to the host accounting system.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the secondary control unit is operable to print out a voucher ticket and a transaction receipt associated with the paragaming event.