Methods of cashless gaming and player tracking

Abstract

Methods of cashless gaming and player tracking use buttonless RFID technology at both gaming machines and gaming tables to transfer a predetermined denominated amount of credit from a remote network connected gaming account server to the gaming machine or table. Gaming machines have an Idle State, an anonymous credit state, and an identified credit state, each with specific methods for changing from one to another. Gaming tables have a keypad for the dealer, RFID readers at each seating position, and a transaction display visible to the dealer, the patrons, and an overhead security camera.

1 . A method of conducting a cashless gaming transaction comprising the steps of 
 providing a patron with a gaming account and an ID carrier having an ID code that uniquely identifies the patron's gaming account,    storing a predetermined denomination amount for association with the ID code prior to conducting a cashless gaming transaction,    providing at least one of a gaming machine and a gaming table with an ID carrier reader,    reading the ID code from an ID carrier,    transmitting the ID code to a remote network connected gaming account server and verifying that the gaming account associated with the ID code may be charged the predetermined denomination amount,    providing the patron with the predetermined denomination amount of credit for gaming, and    charging the predetermined denomination amount to the gaming account.    
   
   
       2 . The method of conducting a cashless gaming transaction according to  claim 1  including the step of storing in and reading back from the ID carrier the predetermined denomination amount associated with the ID code.  
   
   
       3 . The method of conducting a cashless gaming transaction according to  claim 1  including the step of storing in and reading back the gaming account the predetermined denomination amount associated with the ID code.  
   
   
       4 . The method of conducting a cashless gaming transaction according to  claim 1  including the step of reading the ID carrier with a non-contact reader having neither buttons nor display for patron interface during the cashless gaming transaction.  
   
   
       5 . The method of conducting a cashless gaming transaction according to  claim 1  including the step of providing at least the date and amount of the transaction to a player tracking database associated with the gaming account for recording therein.  
   
   
       6 . A method of conducting a cashless gaming transaction comprising the steps of 
 providing a patron with a gaming account and an ID carrier having an ID code that uniquely identifies the patron's gaming account,    storing a predetermined denomination amount for association with the ID code prior to conducting a cashless gaming transaction,    providing a gaming machine with an ID carrier reader,    reading the ID code from an ID carrier,    transmitting the ID code to a remote network connected gaming account server and verifying that the gaming account associated with the ID code may be charged the predetermined denomination amount,    providing the patron with the predetermined denomination amount of credit for gaming,    charging the predetermined denomination amount to the gaming account, and    maintaining a link between the future remaining credit balance on the gaming machine and the gaming account without the continued presence of the ID carrier within reading range of the ID carrier reader until the remaining credit balance is at least one of transferred back to the gaming account from the gaming machine and played down to zero.    
   
   
       7 . The method of conducting a cashless gaming transaction according to  claim 6  including the step of 
 awarding player tracking points during play of the gaming machine while a link remains between the credit balance on the gaming machine and the gaming account, and    transmitting awarded player tracking points from the gaming machine to the remote network connected gaming account server for accumulation and storage in the gaming account.    
   
   
       8 . The method of conducting a cashless gaming transaction according to  claim 7  including the step of changing an illuminated portion of the ID carrier reader from a first color to a second color to indicate that an exclusive link is established.  
   
   
       9 . A method of conducting a cashless gaming transaction comprising the steps of 
 providing a patron with a gaming account and an ID carrier having an ID code that uniquely identifies the patron's gaming account,    storing a predetermined denomination amount for association with the ID code prior to conducting a cashless gaming transaction,    providing a gaming machine with an ID carrier reader,    reading the ID code from an ID carrier,    transmitting the ID code to a remote network connected gaming account server and verifying that the gaming account associated with the ID code may be charged the predetermined denomination amount,    providing the patron with the predetermined denomination amount of credit for gaming,    charging the predetermined denomination amount to the gaming account,    generating a cash-out request on the gaming machine while a credit balance from a provided predetermined denomination amount remains on the gaming machine, and    transferring the remaining credit balance from the gaming machine to the gaming account.    
   
   
       10 . A method of conducting a cashless gaming transaction comprising the steps of 
 providing a patron with a gaming account and an ID carrier having an ID code that uniquely identifies the patron's gaming account,    providing a gaming machine or with an ID carrier reader and a currency validator,    reading the ID code from an ID carrier,    transmitting the ID code to a remote network connected gaming account server and verifying that the gaming account associated with the ID code may be charged a first amount,    providing the patron with the first amount of credit for play on the gaming machine,    charging the first amount to the gaming account,    validating currency of a second amount while a credit balance from a provided first amount associated with the gaming account remains on the gaming machine,    transferring the remaining credit balance from the gaming machine to the gaming account, and    providing the second amount of credit for play on the gaming machine.    
   
   
       11 . A method of conducting a cashless gaming transaction comprising the steps of 
 providing each of a plurality of patrons with a gaming account and an ID carrier having an ID code that uniquely identifies each patron's gaming account,    providing a gaming machine with an ID carrier reader,    reading a first ID code from a first ID carrier of a first patron,    transmitting the first ID code to a remote network connected gaming account server and verifying that the first gaming account associated with the first ID code may be charged a first amount,    providing the first patron with the first amount of credit for gaming,    charging the first amount to the first gaming account,    reading a second ID code from a second ID carrier of a second patron while a credit balance from a first provided amount associated with the first ID code remains on the gaming machine,    transmitting the second ID code to the remote network connected gaming account server and verifying that a second gaming account associated with the second ID code may be charged a second amount,    transferring the remaining credit balance from the gaming machine to the first gaming account,    providing the second patron with the second amount of credit for gaming, and    charging the second amount to the second gaming account.    
   
   
       12 . A method of conducting a cashless gaming transaction comprising the steps of 
 providing a patron with a gaming account and an ID carrier having an ID code that uniquely identifies the patron's gaming account,    locating the patron's gaming account on a remote network connected gaming account server,    providing the gaming machine with an ID carrier reader and a currency validator,    reading the ID code from an ID carrier during a first period of time,    validating an amount of currency during at least one of the first period of time and a second predetermined period of time after the first period of time has terminated, and    associating the amount of currency with the gaming account only if the currency was validated during one of the first and second periods of time, wherein associating the amount of currency with the gaming account is one of a) transferring the amount of currency in credit from the gaming machine to the gaming account, and b) providing the amount of currency in credit for play on the gaming machine and maintaining a link between the future remaining credit balance on the gaming machine and the gaming account without the continued presence of the ID carrier within reading range of the ID carrier reader until the remaining credit balance is at least one of transferred back to the gaming account from the gaming machine and played down to zero.    
   
   
       13 . The method of conducting a cashless gaming transaction according to  claim 12  wherein the second predetermined period of time is limited by the first game play after having read the ID code from the ID carrier.  
   
   
       14 . A method of creating and using a cashless gaming account comprising the steps of 
 providing a patron with an ID carrier having an ID code that can uniquely identify a patron's gaming account,    providing a plurality of gaming machines each with an ID carrier reader,    reading the ID code from an ID carrier at a first gaming machine,    transmitting the ID code from the first gaming machine to a remote network connected gaming account server,    determining that there is no gaming account currently associated with the ID code,    automatically creating an anonymous gaming account associated with the ID code,    reading the ID code associated with the anonymous gaming account at a second gaming machine, and    transferring credit between the second gaming machine and the anonymous gaming account.    
   
   
       15 . The method of creating a cashless gaming account according to  claim 14  including the steps of 
 automatically initializing a player tracking points balance upon creation of the anonymous gaming account,    awarding player tracking points during play of a gaming machine while a credit balance remains on the gaming machine associated with the transfer of credit from the anonymous gaming account to the gaming machine, and    transmitting awarded player tracking points from the gaming machine to the remote network connected gaming account server for accumulation and storage in the gaming account.    
   
   
       16 . The method of creating and using a cashless gaming account according to  claim 14  including the step of predetermining a denomination amount to associate with the anonymous gaming account and wherein a transfer of credit from the anonymous gaming account to the second gaming machine is a sum equal to the predetermined denomination amount so long as the anonymous gaming account credit balance is at least one of greater than and equal to the predetermined denomination amount prior to the transfer.  
   
   
       17 . The method of creating and using a cashless gaming account according to  claim 16  wherein the step of predetermining a denomination amount to associate with the anonymous gaming account is based on one of a) an integer multiple between one and one hundred of the base wagering denomination of the first gaming machine, b) an amount selected by the patron from a limited menu of choices offered, b) a default amount predetermined with a setup menu parameter in the first machine, and c) a default amount predetermined with a setup menu parameter in the remote network connected gaming account server.  
   
   
       18 . The method of creating and using a cashless gaming account according to  claim 16  including the step of reading a predetermined denomination amount from the ID carrier and wherein a transfer of credit from the anonymous gaming account to the second gaming machine is a sum equal to the predetermined denomination amount so long as the anonymous gaming account credit balance is at least one of greater than and equal to the predetermined denomination amount prior to the transfer.  
   
   
       19 . A method of creating and using a cashless gaming account comprising the steps of 
 providing a first gaming machine with a currency validator,    validating a patron's currency to provide a credit balance on the first gaming machine,    generating a cash-out request on the first gaming machine,    reading a predetermined ID code from an ID carrier and dispensing the ID carrier to the patron from the first gaming machine,    transmitting the predetermined ID code to a remote network connected gaming account server,    automatically creating an anonymous gaming account on the gaming account server associated with the predetermined ID code,    transferring the remaining credit balance from the first gaming machine to the anonymous gaming account,    providing each of a plurality of other gaming machines with an ID carrier reader,    reading the predetermined ID code from the patron's ID carrier at a second gaming machine,    transferring credit between the second gaming machine and the anonymous gaming account,    reading the predetermined ID code from the patron's ID carrier at a third gaming machine, and    transferring credit between the third gaming machine and the anonymous gaming account.    
   
   
       20 . The method of creating a cashless gaming account according to  claim 19  including the steps of 
 automatically initializing a player tracking points balance upon creation of the anonymous gaming account,    awarding player tracking points during play of a gaming machine while a credit balance remains on the gaming machine associated with the transfer of credit from the anonymous gaming account to the gaming machine, and    transmitting awarded player tracking points from the gaming machine to the remote network connected gaming account server for accumulation and storage in the gaming account.    
   
   
       21 . The method of creating a cashless gaming account according to  claim 19  wherein the step of transferring credit between the second gaming machine and the anonymous gaming account includes transferring the remaining credit balance from the second gaming machine to the anonymous gaming account.  
   
   
       22 . The method of creating a cashless gaming account according to  claim 19  including the step of automatically associating a predetermined denomination amount with the ID code upon creation of the anonymous gaming account and wherein a transfer of credit from the anonymous gaming account to any of the plurality of other gaming machine is a sum equal to the predetermined denomination amount so long as the anonymous gaming account credit balance is at least one of greater than and equal to the predetermined denomination amount prior to the transfer.  
   
   
       23 . The method of creating a cashless gaming account according to  claim 22  wherein the predetermined denomination is an integer number of one of dollars and euros and wherein the integer is one of one, five, ten, twenty, twenty five, fifty, one hundred and five hundred.  
   
   
       24 . The method of creating a cashless gaming account according to  claim 23  wherein the predetermined denomination is an integer multiple, greater than zero, of the base wagering denomination of the gaming machine dispensing the ID carrier.  
   
   
       25 . A method of viewing a cashless gaming account balance comprising the steps of 
 providing a patron with a gaming account and an ID carrier having an ID code that uniquely identifies the patron's gaming account,    locating the gaming account on a remote network connected gaming account server,    providing at least one of a gaming machine and a gaming table with an ID carrier reader,    providing the at least one of a gaming machine and a gaming table with a numerical display,    holding the ID carrier in proximity to the ID carrier reader for a period of time during which its ID code may be continuously read,    requesting the credit balance of the gaming account associated with the ID code from the remote network connected gaming account server, and    displaying the credit balance of the gaming account on the numerical display only if the period of time exceeds a first predetermined number of seconds.    
   
   
       26 . The method of viewing a cashless gaming account balance according to  claim 25  wherein the first predetermined number of seconds is between one and ten.  
   
   
       27 . The method of viewing a cashless gaming account balance according to  claim 25  including the steps of 
 transferring a predetermined denomination amount from the gaming account to the credit balance on the gaming machine when the ID code is first read and subsequently verified by the remote network connected gaming account server, and    transferring the predetermined denomination amount back to the gaming account from the credit balance on the gaming machine when the period of time exceeds a second predetermined number of seconds that is at least one of equal to and greater than the first predetermined number of seconds.    
   
   
       28 . The method of viewing a cashless gaming account balance according to  claim 25  including the steps of 
 requesting the player tracking points balance of the gaming account associated with the ID code from the remote network connected gaming account server, and    displaying the player tracking points balance on the numerical display in conjunction with the display of the credit balance.    
   
   
       29 . A method of managing credit value on a gaming machine comprising the steps of 
 providing the gaming machine with a currency validator for accepting a patron's currency,    providing the gaming machine with an ID reader for reading an ID code from a patron's ID carrier in order to transfer credit between a gaming account associated with the ID code on a remote network connected gaming account server and the gaming machine,    providing the gaming machine with at least an idle state, an anonymous credit state, and an identified credit state,    accepting a patron's currency to provide credit on the gaming machine when the gaming machine is in the idle state and then setting the credit state to the anonymous credit state,    reading a first ID code from a patron's ID carrier and transferring an amount of credit to the gaming machine from the gaming account associated with first ID code when the gaming machine is in the idle state and then setting the credit state to the identified credit state,    setting the credit state of the gaming machine to the idle state within a predetermined period of time after the credit balance on the gaming machine becomes zero, and    maintaining an identified credit state without the continued presence of the patron's ID carrier within reading range of the ID reader.    
   
   
       30 . The method of managing credit value on a gaming machine according to  claim 29  wherein the transferred amount is a predetermined denominated amount.  
   
   
       31 . The method of managing credit value on a gaming machine according to  claim 29  including the step of 
 determining that the gaming machine is in the anonymous credit state,    determining that there has been no game play activity since the anonymous credit state was entered,    reading the ID code from the patron's ID carrier,    associating the credit balance on the gaming machine with the gaming account, wherein associating the credit balance on the gaming machine with the gaming account is one of a) transferring the credit from the gaming machine to the gaming account, and b) providing a link between the future remaining credit balance on the gaming machine and the gaming account without the continued presence of the ID carrier within reading range of the ID carrier reader until the remaining credit balance is at least one of transferred back to the gaming account from the gaming machine and played down to zero, and    setting the credit state to the identified credit state.    
   
   
       32 . The method of managing credit value on a gaming machine according to  claim 31  including the step of determining that a predetermined time period less than substantially 60 seconds has not elapsed since the acceptance of the patron's currency.  
   
   
       33 . The method of managing credit value on a gaming machine according to  claim 29  including the step of 
 determining that the gaming machine is in the anonymous credit state,    generating a cash-out request,    reading a predetermined ID code from an ID carrier and dispensing the ID carrier to the patron from the gaming machine,    automatically creating an anonymous gaming account associated with the predetermined ID code on the gaming account server, and    transferring the remaining credit balance from the gaming machine to the anonymous gaming account.    
   
   
       34 . The method of managing credit value on a gaming machine according to  claim 29  including the step of 
 determining that the gaming machine is in the identified credit state,    reading a subsequent ID code from a patron's ID carrier,    determining that the subsequent ID code is the same as the first ID code, and    automatically transferring the same amount of credit from the gaming account associated with the first ID code to the gaming machine and summing it with the current credit balance on the gaming machine.    
   
   
       35 . The method of managing credit value on a gaming machine according to  claim 29  including the steps of 
 determining that the gaming machine is in the identified credit state,    reading a subsequent ID code from a patron's ID carrier,    determining that the subsequent ID code is different from the first ID code, and    transferring no credit between the gaming machine and the gaming account associated with the subsequent ID code.    
   
   
       36 . The method of managing credit value on a gaming machine according to  claim 29  including the steps of 
 determining that the gaming machine is in the identified credit state,    reading a subsequent ID code from a patron's ID carrier,    determining that the subsequent ID code is different from the first ID code,    transferring the remaining credit balance from the gaming machine to the gaming account associated with the first ID code, and    transferring a second amount of credit from the gaming account associated with the subsequent ID code to the gaming machine.    
   
   
       37 . The method of managing credit value on a gaming machine according to  claim 29  including the steps of 
 determining that the gaming machine is in the identified credit state,    generating a cash-out request, and    transferring the remaining credit balance from the gaming machine to the gaming account associated with the first ID code.    
   
   
       38 . The method of managing credit value on a gaming machine according to  claim 29  including the steps of 
 determining that the gaming machine is in the identified credit state,    awarding player tracking points during play of the gaming machine, and    transmitting awarded player tracking points from the gaming machine to the gaming account associated with the first ID code.    
   
   
       39 . The method of managing credit value on a gaming machine according to  claim 29  including the step of 
 determining that the gaming machine is in the identified credit state,    determining that there has been no game play activity since the identified credit state was entered,    validating an amount of currency,    increasing the credit balance on the gaming machine by the amount of currency, and    providing a link between the future remaining credit balance on the gaming machine and the gaming account without the continued presence of the ID carrier within reading range of the ID carrier reader until the remaining credit balance is at least one of transferred back to the gaming account from the gaming machine and played down to zero.    
   
   
       40 . The method of managing credit value on a gaming machine according to  claim 29  including the step of 
 determining that the gaming machine is in the identified credit state,    determining that since the last instance of reading the first ID code a predetermined period of time less than substantially two minutes has not elapsed without an instance of game play activity,    validating an amount of currency,    increasing the credit balance on the gaming machine by the amount of currency, and    providing a link between the future remaining credit balance on the gaming machine and the gaming account without the continued presence of the ID carrier within reading range of the ID carrier reader until the remaining credit balance is at least one of transferred back to the gaming account from the gaming machine and played down to zero.    
   
   
       41 . A method of merging gaming accounts comprising the steps of 
 providing a patron with a first non-contact ID carrier having a first ID code that uniquely identifies a first gaming account associated with the first ID code on a remote network connected gaming account server,    providing the patron with a second non-contact ID carrier having a second ID code that uniquely identifies a second gaming account associated with the second ID code on the remote network connected gaming account server,    providing at least one of a gaming machine and a gaming table with an ID reader for reading an ID code from a patron's non-contact ID carrier,    placing the first non-contact ID carrier within reading range of the ID reader and reading the first ID code,    placing the second non-contact ID carrier within reading range of the ID reader while the first non-contact ID carrier still remains within reading range of the ID reader and reading the second ID code from the second non-contact ID carrier,    verifying that at least one of a) both first gaming account and second gaming account are registered to the same person, and b) that at least the second gaming account is an anonymous account,    establishing one of the gaming accounts as the surviving gaming account and the other as the terminated gaming account, and    transferring all credit value from the terminated gaming account to the surviving gaming account.    
   
   
       42 . A method of merging gaming accounts comprising the steps of 
 providing a patron with a first non-contact ID carrier having a first ID code that uniquely identifies a first gaming account associated with the first ID code on a remote network connected gaming account server,    providing the patron with a second non-contact ID carrier having a second ID code that uniquely identifies a second gaming account associated with the second ID code on the remote network connected gaming account server,    providing at least one of a gaming machine and a gaming table with an ID reader for reading an ID code from a patron's non-contact ID carrier,    placing the first non-contact ID carrier within reading range of the ID reader and reading the first ID code,    placing the second non-contact ID carrier within reading range of the ID reader while the first non-contact ID carrier still remains within reading range of the ID reader and reading the second ID code from the second non-contact ID carrier,    verifying that at least one of a) both first gaming account and second gaming account are registered to the same person, and b) that at least the second gaming account is an anonymous gaming account, and    linking the first and second gaming accounts into a single linked gaming account having a credit balance that is the sum of the credit balance from the first gaming account and the second gaming account and which can be accessed by reading either the first or second non-contact ID carrier.    
   
   
       43 . A method of conducting a cashless gaming transaction comprising the steps of 
 providing a patron with a gaming account and an ID carrier having an ID code that uniquely identifies the patron's gaming account,    locating the gaming account on a remote network connected gaming account server,    providing the gaming table with a data entry means, a transaction display means, and at least one ID carrier reader,    entering an amount of credit with the data entry means to be returned to the patron's gaming account,    visually displaying the amount of credit to be returned to the patron's gaming account on the transaction display means such that each of the patron, the gaming table operator, and an overhead security camera can read the amount of credit,    reading the ID code from the patron's ID carrier to approve the transaction, and    transferring the amount of credit to the gaming account associated with the ID code.    
   
   
       44 . The method of conducting a cashless gaming transaction according to  claim 43  including the steps of 
 providing the transaction display means with a single display face, and    tilting the display face back from vertical substantially between 20 degrees and 60 degrees.    
   
   
       45 . The method of conducting a cashless gaming transaction according to  claim 43  including an ID carrier reader at each seating position of the gaming table and comprising the steps of 
 emitting a first color of light from the sensing face of the ID carrier reader when it is in an idle state, and    emitting a second color of light from the sensing face of the ID carrier reader at the patron's seating position when a transaction approval is required of the patron.    
   
   
       46 . The method of conducting a cashless gaming transaction according to  claim 43  including the step of providing at least one of the date and the amount of the transaction to a player tracking database associated with the gaming account for recording therein.  
   
   
       47 . A method of conducting a cashless gaming transaction comprising the steps of 
 providing a patron with a gaming account and an ID carrier having an ID code that uniquely identifies the patron's gaming account,    locating the gaming account on a remote network connected gaming account server,    providing the gaming table with an acknowledgement means, a transaction display means, an ID carrier reader at each seating position at the gaming table, and a table system controller means for communicating with and controlling each of the acknowledgement means, transaction display means, and ID carrier readers, and for communicating with the remote network connected gaming account server,    reading the ID code from the patron's ID carrier at a seating position,    verifying that a gaming account associated with the ID code may be charged an amount of credit,    visually displaying the amount of credit to be drawn from the patron's gaming account on the transaction display means such that each of the patron, the gaming table operator, and an overhead security camera can read the amount of credit,    providing the patron with the amount of credit for play at the gaming table,    acknowledging with the acknowledgement means that the patron has been provided with the amount of credit, and    charging the amount of credit to the gaming account associated with the ID code.    
   
   
       48 . The method of conducting a cashless gaming transaction according to  claim 47  including the steps of 
 providing the transaction display means with a single display face, and    tilting the display face back from vertical substantially between 20 degrees and 60 degrees.    
   
   
       49 . The method of conducting a cashless gaming transaction according to  claim 47  including the step of predetermining a denomination amount to associate with the gaming account and wherein a transfer of credit from the gaming account to the gaming table is a sum equal to an integer multiple of the predetermined denomination amount.  
   
   
       50 . The method of conducting a cashless gaming transaction according to  claim 47  including the step of providing at least one of the date and the amount of the transaction to a player tracking database associated with the gaming account for recording therein.  
   
   
       51 . The method of conducting a cashless gaming transaction according to  claim 47  including the step of visually displaying the seating position on the transaction display means such that each of the patron, the gaming table operator, and an overhead security camera can read the seating position.  
   
   
       52 . The method of conducting a cashless gaming transaction according to  claim 47  including the steps of 
 providing a minimum buy-in limit for the table game,    setting the amount of credit equal to zero if the credit balance in the gaming account is less than the minimum buy-in limit,    setting the amount of credit equal to a predetermined denomination amount associated with the gaming account if the credit balance in the gaming account is at least equal to the predetermined denomination amount, and    setting the amount of credit equal to an integer multiple of the minimum buy-in limit if the credit balance in the gaming account is greater than the minimum buy-in limit and less than a predetermined denomination amount associated with the gaming account.