Managing cashless wagering game systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9595165-B2
Application number	US-201514853274-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2015
Priority date	Jun 9, 2006
Publication date	Mar 14, 2017
Grant date	Mar 14, 2017

Abstract

A gaming system is configured to transfer wagering credits usable for wagering from a first cashless wagering system to a second cashless wagering system, the gaming system including a first and a second gaming machine and controller(s) configured to perform acts including depositing wagering credits associated with the first gaming machine into the first cashless wagering system, accessing, via a first system access technique, the first cashless wagering system and debiting, in a first transaction, the wagering credits from the first cashless wagering system. The controller(s) being further configured to credit, in the first transaction, the wagering credits from the first cashless wagering system to a second, different cashless wagering system, the second cashless wagering system being accessed via a second, different system access technique, wherein the first and second cashless wagering systems are communicably coupled over a network and disburse the wagering credits from the second cashless wagering system for game play on the second gaming machine associated with the second cashless wagering system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gaming system configured to transfer wagering credits from a first cashless wagering system to a second, different cashless wagering system, each of the first and second cashless wagering systems being configured to directly fund casino wagering games, the gaming system comprising:
a first gaming machine associated with the first cashless wagering system, the first gaming machine including an electronic display device and a value input device; and
one or more controllers configured to:
detect, via the value input device, a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance;
initiate a casino wagering game on the first gaming machine in response to a wager covered by the credit balance;
randomly determine an outcome of the casino wagering game;
direct the electronic display device to display the outcome;
deposit the wagering credits from play of the casino wagering game at the first gaming machine into the first cashless wagering system;
access, via a first system access technique, the first cashless wagering system;
debit, in a financial transaction, the wagering credits from the first cashless wagering system;
credit, in the same financial transaction, the wagering credits from the first cashless wagering system to a second, different cashless wagering system, the second cashless wagering system being accessed via a second, different system access technique, wherein the first and second cashless wagering systems are communicably coupled over a network; and
disburse the wagering credits from the second cashless wagering system for game play on a second gaming machine associated with the second cashless wagering system.

2. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more controllers are further configured to:
receive, via a first cashless wagering game media input device of the first gaming machine, the wagering credits associated with a first cashless wagering game medium that is associated with the first cashless wagering system; and
disburse the wagering credits associated with a second cashless wagering game medium that is associated with the second cashless wagering system.

3. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the first cashless wagering system includes a ticket-in/ticket-out (TITO) system, and the second cashless wagering system includes at least one of an account-based system and a prepaid card system.

4. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the second cashless wagering system includes a ticket-in/ticket-out (TITO) system, and the first cashless wagering system includes at least one of an account-based system and a prepaid card system.

5. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the first cashless wagering system is associated with a first set of casino wagering games, and wherein the second cashless wagering system is associated with a second set of casino wagering games, the first and second set of casino wagering games being different from one another.

6. The gaming system of claim 5 , wherein the first set of casino wagering games is from a first wagering game manufacturer and the second set of casino wagering games is from a second, different wagering game manufacturer.

7. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more controllers are further configured to:
debit a debit amount of the wagering credits from the second cashless wagering system in a second financial transaction; and
credit a credit amount of the wagering credits to the first cashless wagering system in the same second financial transaction.

8. The gaming system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first cashless wagering game media input device configured to receive the wagering credits associated with a first cashless wagering game medium, and
a second cashless wagering game media input device configured to receive the wagering credits associated with a second cashless wagering game medium,
wherein the wagering credits associated with the first and second cashless wagering game media are applied by the one or more controllers to an available balance in the first and second cashless wagering systems, respectively.

9. A method of transferring wagering credits, that are usable for wagering, from a first gaming machine associated with a first cashless wagering system to a second gaming machine associated with a second cashless wagering system, the first and second cashless wagering systems being different systems and being configured to directly fund wagering games, the first gaming machine including an electronic display device and a value input device, the method comprising:
detecting, via the value input device, a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance;
initiating a casino wagering game on the first gaming machine in response to a wager covered by the credit balance;
determining, by one or more controllers, a wagering game outcome at the first gaming machine;
displaying the outcome on the electronic display device of the first gaming machine;
using the one or more controllers to deposit wagering credits at the first gaming machine into the first cashless wagering system;
using the one or more controllers to access the first cashless wagering system using a first system access technique;
using the one or more controllers to access the second cashless wagering system using a second, different system access technique;
executing, via at least one of the one or more controllers, a transaction between the first and second cashless wagering systems by:
debiting the wagering credits from the first cashless wagering system;
crediting the wagering credits to the second cashless wagering system; and
disbursing, via the one or more controllers, the wagering credits in the second cashless wagering system to be wagered on a casino wagering game at the second gaming machine.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first cashless wagering system is a ticket-in/ticket-out (TITO) system and the first system access technique includes reading authentication information from a TITO ticket.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second cashless wagering system is an account-based system and the second system access technique is an account log-in screen.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first and second cashless wagering systems are operated by different gaming establishments.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the wagering credits associated with the first gaming machine are included on a ticket-in/ticket-out (TITO) ticket issued by the first gaming machine, and wherein the second gaming machine is not TITO-compatible.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the wagering credits associated with the first gaming machine are available in a user-account, and wherein the second gaming machine is not compatible with the user account.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the first and second system access techniques requires player identification and wherein the other of the first and second system access techniques is anonymous.

16. A gaming system configured to transfer wagering credits, that are usable for wagering, from a first cashless wagering system to a second, different cashless wagering system, each of the cashless wagering systems being configured to directly fund wagering games, the gaming system comprising:
a first gaming machine associated with the first cashless wagering system, the first gaming machine including a first electronic display device and a first value input device;
a second gaming machine, comprising a second electronic display device, associated with the

Assignees

• Bally Gaming Inc

Inventors

• Gagner Mark B
• Rathsack Erhard W
• Shimabukuro Jorge L

Classifications

• G07F17/3286

  Type of games · CPC title

• G07F17/3211

  Display means · CPC title

• G07F17/3225

  Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users · CPC title

• G07F17/3244 Primary

  Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes · CPC title

• G07F17/32

  for games, toys, sports, or amusements · CPC title