US6371852B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for crediting a player of an electronic gaming device
Assignee: International Game Technology
•
Filing: 1998-08-14
•
Granted: 2002-04-16
•
Expires: 2018-08-14
Abstract
Abstract A method of providing incentive to play gaming devices connected by a network to a host computer. The casino creates a player account accessible by the host computer. The account can accrue both player-tracking points and account credits. Account credits are applied to a player's account as sign-up incentive, bonus award or other player incentive. When the player inserts his or her card in a card reader at one of the gaming devices, the player has access to the account points and credits. When playing with account credits, the account is debited in the amount of the wager responsive to each game played. The credit meter is simultaneously credited, also in the amount of the wager, thereby effectively providing the player with a free game. In a related implementation, the player can convert account points to account credits thereby redeeming player-tracking points at the machine.
Inventors
- 👤 John F. Acres
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 03:55
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F17/00; G07F17/32; G07F17/3225; G07F17/3232; G07F17/3237; G07F17/3239
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 50
Claim 1
Independent Claim
87 words
A method of providing incentive to play gaming devices connected by a network to a host computer comprising: creating a player account accessible by the host computer; applying an incentive credit to the player account; providing access to the account responsive to a command initiated by a player at one of the gaming devices; debiting the account responsive to a game played at said one gaming device; crediting said one gaming device responsive to debiting the account; and preventing the applied incentive credit from being cashed out.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
87 words
A method of providing incentive to play gaming devices connected by a network to a host computer comprising: creating a player account accessible by the host computer; applying an incentive credit to the player account; providing access to the account responsive to a command initiated by a player at one of the gaming devices; debiting the account responsive to a game played at said one gaming device; crediting said one gaming device responsive to debiting the account; and preventing the applied incentive credit from being cashed out.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said method further comprises making a wager on the gaming device and wherein the amount debited from the account and credited to the gaming device is equal to the wager.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein crediting the gaming device comprises applying credit to a credit meter associated with the gaming device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said method farther comprises paying an award to the player by applying credit to a credit meter associated with the gaming device.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said award comprises a jackpot.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said award comprises a bonus.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein applying an incentive credit to the player account comprises transmitting data over the network.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1 wherein crediting the gaming device comprises transferring credit from the player account to a credit meter associated with the gaming device responsive to a game played at the gaming device.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein applying an incentive credit to the player account comprises awarding a bonus to the player account.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 9 wherein awarding a bonus comprises awarding a bonus independently of a jackpot awarded pursuant to a pay table in the gaming device.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said method further includes displaying the current amount of credit in the player account.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said method further includes storing the player account in a memory associated with the gaming device.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said memory comprises a random access memory located at said gaming device and wherein said method further comprises storing the player account in the memory responsive to the command initiated by the player.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein applying an incentive credit to the player account occurs before the command initiated by the player.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein applying an incentive credit to the player account occurs after the command initiated by the player.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1 wherein crediting said one gaming device responsive to debiting the account comprises crediting said one gaming device with the amount debited from the account.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of providing incentive to play gaming devices connected by a network to a host computer comprising: creating a player account accessible by the host computer; applying an incentive credit to the player account; accessing information in the player account responsive to a command initiated by a player at one of the gaming devices; detecting a wager made by the player; detecting a game played on said one gaming device; debiting the account in the amount of the wager responsive to the game played; crediting the gaming device in the amount of the wager; and preventing the applied incentive credit from being cashed out.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of providing incentive to play gaming devices connected by a network to a host computer comprising: creating a player account accessible by the host computer; applying an incentive credit to the player account; accessing information in the player account responsive to a command initiated by a player at one of the gaming devices; detecting a wager made by the player; detecting a game played on said one gaming device; debiting the account in the amount of the wager responsive to the game played; crediting the gaming device in the amount of the wager; and preventing the applied incentive credit from being cashed out.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 17 wherein crediting the gaming device comprises applying credit to a credit meter associated with the gaming device.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said method further comprises paying to the player an award that results from gaming-device play utilizing credit from the player account.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 19 wherein paying to the player an award that results from gaming-device play utilizing credit from the player account comprises applying credit to a credit meter associated with the gaming device.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 17 wherein crediting the gaming device comprises applying credit to a credit meter associated with the gaming device.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said method further comprises paying an award to the player by applying credit to a credit meter associated with the gaming device.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 22 wherein said award comprises a jackpot.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 22 , wherein said award comprises a bonus.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 17 wherein applying credit to the player account comprises transmitting data over the network.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 17 wherein crediting the gaming device comprises transferring credit from the player account to a credit meter associated with the gaming device responsive to a game played at the gaming device.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 17 wherein applying an incentive credit to the player account comprises awarding a bonus to the player account.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 27 wherein awarding a bonus comprises awarding a bonus independently of a jackpot awarded pursuant to a pay table in the gaming device.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said method further includes displaying the current amount of credit in the player account.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said method further includes storing the player account in a memory associated with the gaming device.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 30 wherein said memory comprises a random access memory located at said gaming device and wherein said method further comprises storing the player account in the memory responsive to the command initiated by the player.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of providing incentive to play gaming devices connected by a network to a host computer comprising: creating a player account accessible by the host computer; applying an incentive credit to the player account; accessing information in the player account responsive to a command initiated by a player at one of the gaming devices; applying credit from the player account to said one gaming device responsive to a game played on said one gaming device; and preventing the applied incentive credit from being cashed out.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of providing incentive to play gaming devices connected by a network to a host computer comprising: creating a player account accessible by the host computer; applying an incentive credit to the player account; accessing information in the player account responsive to a command initiated by a player at one of the gaming devices; applying credit from the player account to said one gaming device responsive to a game played on said one gaming device; and preventing the applied incentive credit from being cashed out.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 32 wherein said method further comprises: associating said one gaming device with a card reader; issuing a card to the player; and associating the card with the player account.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 33 wherein the command initiated by the player comprises receiving the card into one of the card readers.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 32 wherein said method further comprises preventing applying incentive credit from the player account to the gaming device until after said game is played.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 35 wherein said method further comprises preventing more than one transfer of incentive credit from the player account to the gaming device between each game played.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
64 words
The method of claim 32 wherein said method further comprises accruing points in the player account related to the level of player play on the gaming devices and wherein applying incentive credit to the player account comprises converting points in the player account to a credit in the player account responsive to a conversion command initiated by the player at said one gaming device.
Claim 41
Independent Claim
54 words
A method of providing incentive to play a gaming device comprising: applying incentive credit to a player account; detecting a game played on the device; debiting the player account responsive to the game played; crediting the gaming device responsive to debiting the player account; and preventing the applied incentive credit from being cashed out.
Claim 42
Independent Claim
54 words
A method of providing incentive to play a gaming device comprising: applying incentive credit to a player account; detecting a game played on the device; debiting the player account responsive to the game played; crediting the gaming device responsive to debiting the player account; and preventing the applied incentive credit from being cashed out.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 38 wherein said method further comprises detecting a wager made by the player and wherein the step of debiting the player account responsive to the game played comprises debiting the player account in the amount of the wager.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 39 wherein crediting the gaming device responsive to debiting the player account comprises crediting the gaming device in the amount of the wager.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 38 wherein crediting the gaming device comprises applying a credit to the credit meter associated with the gaming device.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 38 wherein said gaming device is one of a plurality of gaming devices connected by a network to a host computer and wherein applying a credit to the player account comprises transmitting data over the network.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 42 wherein said method further includes storing the player account in a memory associated with the gaming device.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 43 wherein said memory comprises a random access memory located at said gaming device and wherein said method further comprises storing the player account in said memory.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 44 wherein said method further comprises detecting the amount of the wager on the game played and wherein debiting the player account comprises debiting the player account in the amount of the wager.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 45 wherein crediting the gaming device responsive to debiting the player account comprises crediting a credit meter associated with the gaming device in the amount of the wager.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-04-15 | 2005-10-15 | 2006-04-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-04-15 | 2009-10-15 | 2010-04-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-04-15 | 2013-10-15 | 2014-04-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |