GB2294348A

GB2294348A - Cashless gaming machine operation

Info

Publication number: GB2294348A
Application number: GB9520823A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mark W Wheeler; Harald D Seeley
Original assignee: Intergame
Current assignee: Intergame
Priority date: 1994-10-19
Filing date: 1995-10-11
Publication date: 1996-04-24
Anticipated expiration: 2015-10-11
Also published as: ZA958446B; GB9520823D0; GB2294348B; AU3313495A

Abstract

A method and system for cashless gaming machine operation preferably implemented aboard an airplane, where a cashless gaming system is desirable, comprises a location subsystem, an operator subsystem, and a financial institution subsystem, wherein each subsystem is capable of communicating with the other subsystems. A player uses a financial card to operate a gaming machine. The financial institution subsystem that services the player's financial card transmits authorization to the location subsystem via the operator subsystem, thereby providing the player with a preauthorized credit limit. Only the player's actual losses, if any, are charged to the player's financial card account, with the remaining balance of the preauthorized credit limit transmitted back to the financial institution subsystem as an authorization credit. Furthermore, the player's winnings, if any, are credited to the player's financial card account, thereby eliminating the need for the player or flight attendant to handle cash.

Description

A Method and Svstem for Cashless Gamins Machine Operation This invention relates to gaming systems, and more specifically to a method and system for providing a gaming machine that is capable of operating on a cashless basis.

Gaming systems that allow players to use a credit card, charge card, debit card, or other type of financial card for obtaining credit to operate a gaming machine is known in the art. One such embodiment is disclosed in U.S. Patent 5,038,022.

However, there are drawbacks to such prior art gaming systems. For example, in one disclosed embodiment of a prior art gaming system, the player obtains credit to operate a gaming machine by charging an amount of money to the player's financial card account. This amount of money is then made available to the player as a credit on the gaming machine. Since the amount of money is charged against, or subtracted from, the player's financial card account, any remaining credit on the gaming machine at the end of play is typically dispensed from the gaming machine in the form of cash, or an equivalent, such as chips or tokens.

In another disclosed embodiment of a prior art gaming system, a financial card having a prearranged amount of credit stored on the financial card is used. If, at the end of play, the player has credit remaining on this financial card, the player must redeem the remaining credit by exchanging the financial card for cash, or an equivalent, either through the gaming machine, or a cashier.

As can be seen in the above mentioned prior art gaming systems, the conveniences provided by the use of financial cards are mitigated by the inconveniences of eventually having to handle cash or redeem any remaining credit. This restricts the pIacement of such prior art gaming systems in an environment where it is desirable to operate gaming systems on a cashless basis.

Therefore, a better solution is needed to provide a method and system for providing a gaming machine that is capable of operating on a cashless basis.

The method and system of the present invention for providing a gaming machine capable of operating on a cashless basis allows for the placement of such a system in an environment where cashless operations are desirable.

For example, in a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a cashless gaming machine system for use aboard commercial airplanes. Since most passengers are looking for something to do during a flight to pass the time, an airplane is an ideal location for the placement of gaming machines. However, installing gaming machines that dispense cash, or having flight attendants serve as cashiers, is neither desirable nor practical.

Therefore, the method and system of the present invention for cashless gaming machine operation is ideally suited for use aboard an airplane.

The gaming system comprises an airplane subsystem located on an airplane, an operator subsystem located on the ground, and a financial institution subsystem located on the ground. The airplane subsystem is capable of communicating with the operator subsystem, and the operator subsystem is capable of communicating with the financial institution subsystem.

The airplane subsystem requests start-up authorization from the operator subsystem. The operator subsystem provides start-up authorization if predetermined condi tions are met. Once the system is activated, a player may play a gaming machine by entering the player's financial card information. The airplane subsystem uses this information to request player authorization from the operator subsystem. The operator subsystem, in turn, requests player authorization from the financial institution subsystem. The financial institution subsystem provides player authorization to the operator subsystem if it can verify the validity of the player's financial card account and the availability of a sufficient credit limit. The operator subsystem then provides player authorization to the airplane subsystem, thereby allowing the player to commence play on the gaming machine.

When the airplane flight reaches a play cutoff point, all players are notified that play will end. The airplane subsystem then calculates each player's final transactions for all gaming machines played during the flight and transmits final transactional records to the operator subsystem for processing. The airplane subsystem also generates a master audit file of the final transactional records, and the master audit file is removed from the airplane at the end of the flight for processing by the operator subsystem for verification purposes.

Since the airplane subsystem typically communicates with the operator subsystem during flight, all communications from the airplane subsystem to the financial institution subsystem are routed through the operator subsystem via an air-to-ground satellite system. This eliminates the need for the financial institution subsystem to incorporate specialized equipment to handle air-to-ground and ground-to-air communications. It is understood that direct communication between the airplane subsystem and financial institution subsystem is an obvious variation of the presently disclosed embodiment.

The method and system of the present invention provides a unique method of implementing a financial card transaction so as to enable a cashless transaction.

First, an authorization request for a predetermined amount is made to the financial institution subsystem that services the financial card used by the player. Once the authorization for the predetermined amount is received (assume the amount to be $500.00 for illustrative purposes), the player is allowed to designate a starting amount up to the $500.00 amount, and to play the gaming machine until the $500.00 preauthorized amount is spent.

In the prior art gaming systems, since the entire $500.00 is charged to the player's financial card account up front, or debited from the player's financial card account immediately, any remaining credit at the end of play must be redeemed for cash, or an equivalent.

However, in the method and system of the present invention, only the amount actually spent by the player, i.e., losses, are actually charged to the player's financial card account after the player has finished playing.

For example, assume that the player spends $100.00, and then decides to stop playing. In the system of the present invention, the player does not have to handle $400.00 in cash dispensed from the gaming machine, nor does the player have to request $400.00 from the cashier/ flight attendant. Instead, the $100.00 amount is charged to the player's financial card account as the actual amount spent, and the remaining $400.00 of unused credit authorization is transmitted to the financial institution subsystem as an authorization credit, or authorization reversal, thereby freeing up the player's credit line of the unused portion of the preauthorized $500.00 credit limit.

In the event that the player wins money in excess of the player's starting amount, the winnings are transmitted to the player's financial institution subsystem as a credit to the player's financial card account that was used to begin play. Again, no actual cash, or an equivalent, is handled by the player or the cashier/flight attendants.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved gaming system.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method and system for cashless gaming machine operation.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a method and system for cashless gaming machine operation aboard an airplane.

The invention will be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the basic components of a preferred embodiment of a system for providing gaming machines capable of operating on a cashless basis aboard an airplane.

FIG. 2 is a more detailed block diagram of the basic components of a preferred embodiment of the system, as shown in FIG. 1, for providing gaming machines capable of operating on a cashless basis aboard an airplane.

FIG. 1 illustrates the basic components of a gaming system 10 comprising an airplane subsystem 12 located aboard an airplane (not shown), an operator subsystem 14 located on the ground, and at least one financial institution subsystem 16 located on the ground. The airplane subsystem 12 is capable of communicating with the operator subsystem 14, and the operator subsystem 14 is capable of communicating with the financial institution subsystem 16.

FIG. 2 shows a more detailed block diagram of the airplane subsystem 12, the operator subsystem 14, and the financial institution subsystem 16 that comprise the gaming system 10, as shown in FIG. 1.

The airplane subsystem 12 comprises a plurality of passenger gaming machines 20, and an airplane master server 22. Each passenger gaming machine 20 comprises a machine processor 24, a machine memory 26 capable of communicating with the machine processor 24, a machine game controller 28 capable of communicating with the machine processor 24, a machine video controller 30 capable of communicating with the machine processor 24, and a machine video display 32 capable of communicating with the machine processor 24. Gaming machines that do not require cash to operate are referred to as cashless gaming machines.

The airplane master server 22 comprises a master processor 36 capable of communicating with the machine processor 24, a master memory 38 capable of communicating with the master processor 36, and a master communications interface 40 capable of communicating with the master processor 36. Systems such as the airplane subsystem 12 that provide communication between a central unit and various passenger units are well known in the art, as demonstrated by the presence of multi-channel television monitors available for airplane passenger viewing preferences.

The operator subsystem 14 comprises an operator communications interface 46 that is capable of communicating with the master communications interface 40 via a receiving/ transmitting station 44 and a commercial satellite 42. The receiving/transmitting station 44 and commercial satellite 42 enable information to be transferred from air-to-ground and from ground-to-air when the airplane (not shown) is in flight. The operator subsystem 14 further comprises an operator processor 48 capable of communicating with the operator communications interface 46, and an operator memory 50 capable of communicating with the operator processor 48.

The gaming system 10 of the present invention comprises at least one financial institution subsystem 16 servicing a player's corresponding financial card (not shown). The financial institution subsystem 16 comprises an institution communications interface 54 capable of communicating with the operator communications interface 46, an institution processor 56 capable of communicating with the institution communications interface 54, and an institution memory capable of communicating with the institution processor 56.

Having described a preferred embodiment of the gaming system 10 of the present invention, a preferred method for cashless gaming machine 20 operation is as follows.

Once the airplane (not shown) is safely airborne, the airplane master server 22 requests start-up authorization from the operator subsystem 14 located on the ground. The transmission of information from air-to-ground and groundto-air is known in the art, as demonstrated by the availability of telephones capable of transmitting facsimile data located aboard airplanes.

In a preferred embodiment, information is transmitted via a satellite messaging system (as basically shown in FIG. 2 by the commercial satellite 42 and receiving/ transmitting station 44) based on X.25 packet switching telecommunications protocols, and managed by one of the various international telecommunications carriers.

All of the subsystems 12, 14, and 16 have computer programs stored in the subsystem memories 26 and 38, 50, and 58, respectively, that enable each of the subsystems to interact according to the preferred method described herein. The manipulation of information in a memory by a processor, and the transmission of such information via a wired or wireless modem is well known in the art, and therefore, the actual flow of information through various elements of each subsystem is not discussed in further detail.

If predetermined conditions are met, such as the reception of valid encryption keys and digital signature keys, then the operator subsystem 14 transmits start-up authorization to the airplane master server 22 via the receiving/transmitting station 44 and the commercial satellite 42. Once the airplane master server 22 receives start-up authorization, the passenger gaming machines 20 are activated into a state of readiness, awaiting a player (not shown) to enter the player's financial card information.

For illustrative purposes, assume that a player decides to play. In a preferred embodiment, the player swipes the magnetic strip of the player's financial card through a card reader (not shown) located on the passenger gaming machine 20. This financial card information is transmitted to the airplane master server 22. The airplane master server 22 transmits a player authorization request to the operator subsystem 14 for a predetermined amount of credit. The player authorization request enables the operator subsystem 14 to verify the validity of the player's financial card, and to verify that the account has a sufficient credit limit to cover the predetermined amount of credit.

In a preferred embodiment, the requested predetermined amount of credit is set according to the location of the individual passenger gaming machine 20. For example, passenger gaming machines 20 located in first class will request a predetermined amount of $500.00, whereas passenger gaming machines 20 located in economy class will request a predetermined amount of $250.00.

The operator subsystem 14, in turn, transmits this financial card information to the corresponding financial institution subsystem 16 servicing the player's financial card. Examples of various financial institutions comprise Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and various banks servicing ATM debit cards. The financial institution subsystem 16 verifies the validity and available credit limit of the player's financial card account in a manner well known in the art, as demonstrated by the prevalent use of credit card machines at retailers, restaurants, and even gas station pumps.

Assuming that the player's financial card is valid, and has a sufficient credit limit, the financial institution subsystem 16 transmits player authorization back to the operator subsystem 14. The operator subsystem 14 then transmits player authorization back to the airplane master server 22. Once player authorization is received by the airplane master server 22, the airplane master server 22 allows the player's passenger gaming machine 20 to begin operation. If the players authorization request is denied, the player will be notified to try using a different financial card.

The player designates a starting amount of money that the player wishes to wager, and this starting amount may not exceed that player's authorized predetermined amount of credit. For illustrative purposes, assume the player's wager amount and authorized predetermined amount of credit is $500.00. The player may then wager up to $500.00 on various casino-type games of chance, such as video versions of slots, blackjack, poker, keno, or other forms of entertainment, that are capable of being displayed on the machine video display 32 by the airplane master server 22, and are capable of being played by the player through the interactive use of the machine game controller 28 in the usual manner that other various video games are played.

In the method and system of the present invention, only the amount actually spent by the player (i.e., losses), is actually charged to the player's financial card account after the player has finished playing. For example, assume that the player spends $100.00, and then decides to stop playing. In the gaming system 10 of the present invention, the player does not have to handle $400.00 in cash dispensed from the passenger gaming machine 20, nor does the player have to request $400.00 in cash, or an equivalent, from the cashier/flight attendant (not shown).

Instead, the $100.00 amount actually spent by the player is charged to the player's financial card account, and the remaining $400.00 of unused credit authorization is transmitted back to the corresponding financial institution subsystem 16 as an authorization credit, thereby freeing up the player's credit line of the unused portion of the preauthorized $500.00 credit limit. In the event that the player wins money in excess of the player's starting amount, the winnings are transmitted to the player's financial institution subsystem 16 as a credit to the player's financial card account that was used to begin play. Again, no actual cash, or an equivalent, is handled by the player or the cashier/flight attendants.

It is understood that during the flight, the airplane master server 22 keeps track of all players and all previous games, such that each player may stop play, and then restart play, with that player's information readily available to the airplane master server 22.

As the airplane flight approaches its destination, a play cutoff notice is given to all the players playing on the passenger gaming machines 20, and then after all play has stopped, the passenger gaming machines 20 are deactivated, so that the players are no longer able to play.

The airplane master server 22 then calculates each player's final transactions for all passenger gaming machines 20 played during the flight. The airplane master server 22 then transmits final transactional records, which are stored in the master memory 38, to the operator subsystem 14 for processing, while the airplane is still airborne.

The airplane master server 22 also generates a master audit file (not shown) of the final transactional records, which may be saved in memory that is in removable form (not shown) such as floppy disks, recordable CD-ROM, removable hard disk drives, etc. This master audit file is removed from the airplane upon arrival, and may be used for verification purposes.

While the above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as an exemplification of preferred embodiments thereof. Many other variations are possible. For example, although a preferred embodiment of the present invention is implemented aboard an airplane, the method and system of the present invention for cashless gaming machine operations are applicable to any implementation where cashless gaming machine operations are desirable, such as hotels and cruise ships.

Although hotels and cruise ships are not limited in their ability to provide cashiers to the extent an airplane is limited, there are benefits to be derived from cashless gaming machines operating in hotels and cruise ships. For example, the elimination or reduction of the use of cash correspondingly reduces the employee time necessary to handle and account for the cash.

Furthermore, with the elimination of machine parts that are necessary for dispensing cash, the machines have fewer parts that can cause a malfunction.

It is understood that the airplane subsystem 12, commercial satellite 42, and receiving/transmitting station 44 combination can easily be replaced with a hotel subsystem or a cruise ship subsystem that makes use of known wired or wireless forms of communication, and that such replacement of the airplane subsystem 12 with a location subsystem comprising hotel subsystems and cruise ship subsystems falls within the scope of the method and system of the present invention for cashless gaming machine operation.

Claims

1. A system for cashless gaming machine operation comprising: a location subsystem comprising a plurality of gaming machines and a location master server, an operator subsystem capable of communicating with said location subsystem, and a financial institution subsystem capable of eommunieating with said operator subsystem.

2. A system for cashless gaming machine operation comprising: an airplane subsystem comprising a plurality of passenger gaming machines and an airplane master server, an operator subsystem capable of communicating with said airplane subsystem, and a financial institution subsystem capable of communicating with said operator subsystem.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said airplane subsystem is capable of communicating with said operator subsystem via a satellite.

4. The system of claim 2 or 3, wherein said airplane master server requests player authorisation for a predetermined amount of credit based upon the location of said passenger gaming machine.

5. The system of claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein said airplane subsystem is capable of communicating with said financial institution subsystem, said airplane subsystem requests authorisation from said financial institution subsystem for a predetermined amount of credit from a player's corresponding financial card account, said system charges the player's financial card account only for an amount actually spent, said system provides an authorisation credit to the player's financial card account for an unused authorised predetermined amount of credit, and said system provides a credit to the player's financial card account in accordance with the player's winnings.

6. The system of claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, wherein said location or said airplane subsystem requests authorisation from a financial institution for a predetermined amount of credit from a player's corresponding financial card account.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said system charges the player's financial card account only for an amount actually spent.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein said system debits the player's financial card account only for an amount actually spent.

9. The system of claim 6, 7 or 8, wherein said system provides an authorisation credit to the player's financial card account for an unused authorised predetermined amount of credit.

10. The method of any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein said step of obtaining said information from said player's financial card account originates from an airplane.

10. The system of claim 6, 7 or 8, wherein said system provides a credit to the player's financial card account in accordance with the player's winnings.

11. A method for cashless gaming machine operation comprising the following steps: obtaining information from a player's financial card by having the player input the financial card into a financial card reader, requesting authorisation for a predetermined amount of credit from a financial institution servicing the player's financial card account, verifying validity of the financial card account, verifying sufficiency of the financial card account's credit limit, authorising said request for said predetermined amount of credit, and enabling the player to wager up to said predetermined amount of credit on a cashless gaming machine.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the following steps: charging the player's financial card account only for an amount actually spent.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the following Steps: debiting the player's financial card account only for an amount actually spent.

14. The method of claim 12 or 13, further comprising the following steps: providing an authorisation credit to the player's financial card account for an unused authorised predetermined amount of credit.

15. The method of claim 12, 13 or 14, further comprising the following Steps: providing a credit to the player's financial card account in accordance with the player's winnings.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said step of requesting authorisation for a predetermined amount of credit from the financial institution servicing the player's financial card account originates from an airplane.

17. A system for cashless gaming machine operation constructed and arranged to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

18. A method of cashless gaming machine operation substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as tollows

1. Apparatus for a cashless gaming machine operation, comprising: a location subsystem comprising a plurality of gaming machines and a location master server; an operator subsystem adapted to communicate with said location subsystem; and a financial institution subsystem adapted to communicate with said operator subsystem; said subsystems being adapted to charge or debit a player's financial card account (i) only after the player finishes playing a said gaming machine and (ii) only by an amount actually spent by the player during play.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the amount of money actually spent by the player during play is the net balance of money lost by the player during play and money won by the player during play.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein if the money won during play exceeds the money lost the subsystems are adapted, instead of charging or debiting the player's financial card account, to credit the player's financial card account with the player's net winnings.

4. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said location subsystem is adapted to request authorization from a financial institution for an amount of credit from the player's corresponding financial card account for a predetermined amount set by said apparatus.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said predetermined amount of credit is based upon the location of said gaming machine.

6. A method for cashless gaming machine operation, comprising the following steps: obtaining information from a player's financial card by having the player input the financial card into a financial card reader; requesting authorisation for a predetermined amount of credit from a financial institution servicing the player's financial card account; verifying validity of said financial card account; verifying sufficiency of said financial card account's credit limit; authorizing said request for said predetermined amount of credit; enabling the player to wager up to said predetermined amount of credit on a cashless gaming machine; charging or debiting the player's financial card account (i) only after the player finishes playing the cashless gaming machine and (ii) only by an amount actually spent by the player during play.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the amount of money actually spent is the net balance of money lost by the player during play and money won by the player during play.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein if the money won during play exceeds the money lost the player's financial card account is not charged or debited but is credited with the player's net winnings.

9. The method of any one of claims 6 to 8, further comprising fixing said predetermined amount of credit based upon the location of said gaming machine.