Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
245 words
A data transfer system for use with a plurality of game machines (10) comprising: a plurality of portable data units (20) for carrying by players, each portable data unit (20) comprising a data memory (26) containing player account information relevant to its associated player; an interface unit (40) incorporated into each game machine (10) for receiving the portable data unit (20) carried by a player and for reading from the data memory (26) of that portable data unit (20) player information; and a central data processor (82) for receiving the portable data unit (20) carried by a player and reading therefrom the player information, CHARACTERISED IN THAT each interface unit (40) includes means for transmitting to the data memory (26) of a portable data unit (20) received therein machine data; each portable data unit (20) or each interface unit (40) further comprises a processor (22 or 46) for recording machine data in the data memory (26) of a portable data unit (20) received in an interface unit (40) of a game machine (10) and for modifying player information stored in the said data memory (26) in response to selected machine data transmitted to the portable data unit (20) by the interface unit (40) in which it is received; and the central data processor (82) further includes means for reading from a portable data unit (20) inserted therein machine data relating to the game machines (10) with which the portable data unit (20) has been used.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
59 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein each portable data unit (20) comprises a processor (22) for modifying the player information stored in the data memory (26) of the portable data unit (20) when received in an interface unit (40) in response to the selected machine data transmitted to the portable data unit (20) by the interface unit (40).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein each interface unit (40) comprises a processor (46) for modifying the player information stored in the data memory (26) of a portable data unit (20) inserted therein, in response to the selected machine data transmitted to the portable data unit (20) from the interface unit (40).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
72 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein each portable data unit (20) comprises a processor (22) and each interface unit (40) comprises a processor (46), the processors (22, 46) cooperating to modify the player information stored in the data memory (26) of a portable data unit (20) received in an interface unit (40) in response to the selected machine data transmitted to the portable data unit (20) by the interface unit (40).
Claim 5
Independent Claim
19 words
A system according to any preceding claim, in which the data memory (26) is a non-volatile random access memory.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
24 words
A system according to any preceding claim, in which the interface units (40) are included within the outer housings of the game machines (10).
Claim 7
Independent Claim
43 words
A system according to any preceding claim, in which both the interface units (40) and the data unit (20) comprise means for encrypting data transmitted to the portable data unit (20) and means for decrypting data transmitted from the portable data units (20).
Claim 8
Independent Claim
25 words
A system according to any preceding claim, in which each interface unit (40) includes means for adding date and time information to the selected data.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
30 words
A system according to any preceding claim, in which each interface unit (40) additionally includes a display (78) for displaying player information from a portable data unit (20) inserted therein.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
24 words
A system according to any preceding claim, in which each portable data unit (20) has outer dimensions that correspond to a standard credit card.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
31 words
A system according to any preceding claim, wherein each portable data unit (20) has a separate memory or memory area (26) configured to receive player information, play information and machine data.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
63 words
A system according to claim 11, wherein the play information includes player account information including separate fields to identify, for each denomination of currency acceptable to the game machine, the number of games played, the amount of any winnings, the number of coins or tokens inserted into the game machine while the portable data unit (20) is inserted therein and the time played.