US2012283003A1PendingUtilityA1

Method of processing a user data card, an interface module and a gaming system

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Assignee: O'DONNELL PETER WILLIAMPriority: Jan 15, 2008Filed: Jul 13, 2012Published: Nov 8, 2012
Est. expiryJan 15, 2028(~1.5 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Peter O'Donnell
G06Q 20/342G07F 7/025G07F 17/32G07F 17/3251G07F 7/125G07F 7/10G06Q 20/24
47
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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Claims

Abstract

A method of processing a user data card comprising: determining that a user data card comprising a non-compatible smart card has been entered into a card reader; obtaining a user identifier from a magnetic stripe of the user data card; and processing the user identifier to obtain data from a user record to enable further processing in respect of the user data card.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A method of processing a user data card comprising:
 determining that a user data card comprising a non-compatible smart card has been entered into a card reader;   obtaining a user identifier from a magnetic stripe of the user data card; and   processing the user identifier to obtain data from a user record to enable further processing in respect of the user data card.   
     
     
         2 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the further processing includes transferring credit from the user record to a gaming machine. 
     
     
         3 . A method as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising transferring credit to the user record from a gaming machine 
     
     
         4 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising issuing an error message if the user data card does not have a magnetic stripe or the magnetic stripe does not have a user identifier. 
     
     
         5 . An interface module for a gaming system, the interface module arranged to be placed in data communication with a card reader and a user database storing user records, the interface module arranged to:
 determine that a user data card comprising a non-compatible smart card has been entered into a card reader;   obtain a user identifier from a magnetic stripe of the user data card; and   process the user identifier to obtain data from a user record associated with the identifier to enable further processing in respect of the user data card.   
     
     
         6 . An interface module as claimed in  claim 5 , arranged to process the user identifier to send a request to a user server storing said user record. 
     
     
         7 . An interface module as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the further processing includes participating in the transfer of credit from the user record to a gaming machine. 
     
     
         8 . An interface module as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the further processing includes participating in the transfer of credit to the user record from a gaming machine. 
     
     
         9 . An interface module as claimed in  claim 5 , arranged to issue an error message if the user data card does not have a magnetic stripe or the magnetic stripe does not have a user identifier. 
     
     
         10 . A gaming system comprising:
 a card reader;   a user database storing user records; and   an interface module arranged to:
 determine that a user data card comprising a non-compatible smart card has been entered into a card reader; 
 obtain a user identifier from a magnetic stripe of the user data card; and 
 process the user identifier to obtain data from a user record associated with the user identifier to enable further processing in respect of the user data card. 
   
     
     
         11 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 10 , further comprising a gaming machine, and wherein the further processing comprises transferring credit from the user record to a gaming machine. 
     
     
         12 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 10 , further comprising a gaming machine, and wherein the further processing comprises transferring credit to the user record to a gaming machine. 
     
     
         13 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 11 , comprising a player marketing module in data communication with the gaming machine, the card reader and the interface module provided by the player marketing module. 
     
     
         14 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 10 , comprising a user server hosting said user database. 
     
     
         15 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the interface module is arranged to issue an error message if the user data card does not have a magnetic stripe or the magnetic stripe does not have a user identifier. 
     
     
         16 . A method of processing user transactions comprising:
 conducting transactions for a user by retrieving data from a user record using a user identifier obtained from a magnetic stripe of a hybrid data card while the user has a hybrid data card comprising a non-compatible smart card; and   switching to processing from a compatible smart card once it is detected that a user has a user data card comprising a valid smart card.   
     
     
         17 . A method as claimed in  claim 16  comprising writing data to the valid smart card in response to determining that the user has a new user data card comprising a valid smart card. 
     
     
         18 . An interface module for a gaming system, the interface module arranged to:
 conduct transactions for a user by retrieving data from a user record using a user identifier obtained from a magnetic stripe of a hybrid data card while the user has a hybrid data card comprising a non-compatible smart card; and   switch to processing from a compatible smart card once it is detected that a user has a user data card comprising a valid smart card.   
     
     
         19 . An interface module as claimed in  claim 18  arranged to write data to the valid smart card in response to determining that the user has a new user data card comprising a valid smart card. 
     
     
         20 . A gaming system comprising:
 a card reader;   a user database storing user records; and   an interface module arranged to:
 conduct transactions for a user by retrieving data from a user record using a user identifier obtained from a magnetic stripe of a hybrid data card while the user has a hybrid data card comprising a non-compatible smart card; and 
 switch to processing from a compatible smart card once it is detected that a user has a user data card comprising a valid smart card. 
   
     
     
         21 . An gaming system as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the interface module is arranged to write data to the valid smart card in response to determining that the user has a new user data card comprising a valid smart card. 
     
     
         22 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 20 , comprising a gaming machine and a player marketing module in data communication with the gaming machine, the card reader and the interface module provided by the player marketing module. 
     
     
         23 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 20 , comprising a user server hosting said user database.

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