Apparatus and method for maintaining game state

Abstract

A system and method for using players' award credits in a gaming environment is disclosed. In particular the use of players' redeemable award credits in a gaming machine that has both games and prize awarding capabilities in the what visually appears to be the same physical container, configured to require human intervention in order to complete the redemption process, is a primary focus.

1 . A gaming unit comprising: 
 a gaming device configured to allow a player to play a game, said gaming device further configured to issue at least one award credit receivable by a player upon a winning game event, and where said at least one award credit is configured to be receivable in a prize station;    a prize station configured to contain a prize, further configured to receive an award credit from a player, and configured to issue a prize in accordance with said at least one received award credit and in a manner receivable by a player, and,    a container configured to operably contain said at least one gaming device and said at least one prize station.    
     
     
         2 . The gaming unit of  claim 1  where said at least one gaming device and said at least one prize station are configured to require at least one award credit to be manually transferred by a player.  
     
     
         3 . The gaming unit of  claim 1  where said at least one issued award credit and said at least one received award credit are the same award credit.  
     
     
         4 . The gaming unit of  claim 1  where said at least one issued award credit is further configured to be perceived by a player as having no intrinsic value.  
     
     
         5 . The gaming unit of  claim 1  where said at least one issued award credit is further configured to only have value relative to one of: a single issuing entity, or, a cooperating group of issuing entities.  
     
     
         6 . The gaming unit of  claim 1  where said gaming device is further configured to issue award credits only as PBIs, and where said prize station is further configured to receive award credits only as PBIs.  
     
     
         7 . The gaming unit of  claim 1  where said gaming device is further configured to issue award credits only in memory devices that may be handheld by a player, and where said prize station is further configured to receive award credits only from memory devices that may be handheld by a player.  
     
     
         8 . The gaming unit of  claim 1  where said gaming device is further configured to issue award credits and to associate said issued award credits with a form of player ID, and where said prize station is further configured to receive a player ID and further configured to retrieve award credits associated with said player ID.  
     
     
         9 . A gaming unit comprising: 
 a gaming device configured to allow a player to play a game, said gaming device further configured to issue at least one award credit receivable by a player upon a winning game event, and where said at least one award credit is configured to be receivable in a prize station;    a prize station configured to contain a prize, further configured to receive an award credit from a player, and configured to issue a prize in accordance with said at least one received award credit and in a manner receivable by a player; and,    where said gaming unit is structured and configured to give the visual appearance of a single physical unit.    
     
     
         10 . The gaming unit of  claim 9  where said at least one gaming device and said at least one prize station are configured to require at least one award credit to be manually transferred by a player.  
     
     
         11 . The gaming unit of  claim 9  where said at least one issued award credit and said at least one received award credit are the same award credit.  
     
     
         12 . The gaming unit of  claim 9  where said at least one issued award credit is further configured to be perceived by a player as having no intrinsic value.  
     
     
         13 . The gaming unit of  claim 9  where said at least one issued award credit is further configured to only have value relative to one of: a single issuing entity, or, a cooperating group of issuing entities.  
     
     
         14 . The gaming unit of  claim 9  where said gaming device is further configured to issue award credits only as PBIs, and where said prize station is further configured to receive award credits only as PBIs.  
     
     
         15 . The gaming unit of  claim 9  where said gaming device is further configured to issue award credits only in memory devices that may be handheld by a player, and where said prize station is further configured to receive award credits only from memory devices that may be handheld by a player.  
     
     
         16 . The gaming unit of  claim 9  where said gaming device is further configured to issue award credits and to associate said issued award credits with a form of player ID, and where said prize station is further configured to receive a player ID and further configured to retrieve ward credits associated with said player ID.  
     
     
         17 . A method of using a game unit, where the game unit has a game device and a prize station and is configured to give the visual appearance of a single physical unit, and where there is an award credit transfer mechanism that is manual, the method comprising: 
 playing a game device;    receiving at least one award credit during the play of said game device;    issuing at least one award credit in a manner receivable by a player from said game device;    receiving said at least one issued award credit at said prize station, the award credit transfer mechanism requiring a player.    
     
     
         18 . A method of transferring award credit data in a game unit, where the game unit has at least one game device and at least one prize station and is configured to give the visual appearance of a single physical unit, and the award credit data is to be transferred between at least one game device and at least one prize station in the game unit, the method comprising: 
 issuing award credit data from a game device onto a handheld transfer device; and,    receiving award credit data at a prize station from a handheld transfer device.    
     
     
         19 . A method of transferring award credit data in a game unit, where the game unit has at least one game device and at least one prize station and is configured to give the visual appearance of a single physical unit and where each game device and each prize station is operably connected to a database, and the award credit data is to be transferred between at least one game device and at least one prize station in the game unit, the method comprising: 
 recording award credit data from a game device in said database, further associating said award credit data with an identifier;    issuing said identifier on a handheld transfer device;    receiving said identifier from said handheld device at a prize station; and,    retrieving, inside said prize station, award credit data associated with said identifier from said database.    
     
     
         20 . A method of transferring award credit data in a game unit, where the game unit has at least one game device and at least one prize station and is configured to give the visual appearance of a single physical unit and where each game device and each prize station is operably connected to a database, and the award credit data is to be transferred between at least one game device and at least one prize station in the game unit, the method comprising: 
 recording at least some award credit data from a game device in said database, further associating said award credit data with an identifier;    issuing said identifier and at least some award credit data on a handheld transfer device;    receiving said identifier and any award credit data from said handheld device at a prize station; and,    retrieving and correlating, inside said prize station, award credit data associated with said identifier from said database with award credit data from said handheld device.    
     
     
         21 . A method of issuing a prize from a prize station, the prize station being in close physical proximity to at least one game device and further configured to give the visual appearance of a single physical unit, usable by a player to play at least one game, the method comprising: 
 awarding credits redeemable for prizes to a player playing said at least one game;    alerting casino personnel when a prize is to be awarded from said prize station;    enabling a prize to be awarded from said prize station in accordance with said redeemable credits and with the active participation of said casino personnel.