SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PERFORMING A FINANCIAL TRANSACTION WITHIN A CASINO
A method of performing a financial transaction by a casino customer located at a casino gaming station. The method includes providing a portable, remote control unit (RCU) to the customer at the gaming station. Transaction information is entered into the RCU relating to a desired financial transaction. The transaction information is signaled from the RCU to a base processor via a wireless transmission. The RCU is operated to electronically capture a signature of the customer, with this electronically captured signature being signaled from the RCU to the base processor via a wireless transmission. Finally, the base processor is operated to print, via a printer electronically connected to the base processor, a negotiable financial document based upon the transaction information. The printed negotiable financial document includes the customer's signature, generated by the base processor based upon the electronically captured signature.
1 . A method of performing a financial transaction within a casino by a casino customer located at a casino gaming station, the method comprising:
providing a portable, remote control unit (RCU) to the casino customer at the casino gaming station;
entering transaction information into the RCU relating to a financial transaction desired by the customer from a customer account;
signaling the transaction information from the RCU to a base processor via wireless transmission;
operating the RCU to electronically capture a signature of the customer;
signaling the electronically captured signature from the RCU to the base processor via wireless transmission; and
operating the base processor to print, via a printer electronically connected to the base processor, a negotiable financial document based upon the transaction information, the negotiable financial document including the customer's signature generated by the base processor based upon the electronically captured signature.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is characterized by the casino customer not leaving the casino gaming station.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein entering transaction information includes:
entering a monetary value desired by the casino customer.
4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
operating the base processor to perform a transaction approval operation based upon the desired monetary value.
5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
signaling results of the transaction approval operation from the base processor to the RCU via wireless transmission.
6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
displaying the results of the transaction approval operation to the casino customer via the RCU.
7 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
determining a total transaction amount based upon the desired monetary value and a service fee; and
displaying the total transaction amount to the casino customer via the RCU.
8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
operating the base processor to determine the total transaction amount; and
signaling the total transaction amount from the base processor to the RCU via wireless transmission.
9 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
prompting the casino customer to indicate acceptance of the total transaction amount via the RCU after the step of displaying the total transaction amount to the casino customer.
10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
operating the base processor to electronically transfer funds equal to the service fee from the customer account after the step of prompting the casino customer to indicate acceptance.
11 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the printed negotiable financial document has a negotiable monetary value equal to the desired monetary value.
12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
entering customer identification information into the RCU; and
signaling the customer identification information from the RCU to the base processor via wireless transmission;
wherein operating the base processor to print a negotiable financial document includes formatting the negotiable financial document to include printed identification information based upon the customer identification information.
13 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
delivering a negotiable instrument to the casino customer after the step of printing the negotiable financial document.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the negotiable instrument has a monetary value equal to a monetary value of the negotiable financial document.
15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the negotiable instrument is selected from the group consisting of currency, casino-issued chips, casino-issued gaming card, check, or the printed negotiable financial document.
16 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
operating the RCU to signal a location of the gaming station to the base processor prior to the step of delivering a negotiable instrument to the casino customer;
wherein delivery of the negotiable instrument is based upon the signaled location of the gaming station.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein operating the base processor to print the negotiable financial document includes printing indicia on the negotiable financial document indicative of the location of the gaming station.
18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the base processor and the printer are located within the casino.
19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the gaming station is selected from the group consisting of a gaming machine and a gaming table.
20 . A system for performing a financial transaction within a casino by a casino customer located at a casino gaming station, the system comprising:
a remote controlled unit (RCU) deliverable to the gaming station, the RCU adapted to:
receive transaction information relating to a financial transaction desired by the casino customer from a customer account,
electronically capture a signature of the casino customer,
wirelessly signal the transaction information and the electronically captured signature;
a base processor adapted to:
receive wireless signals from the RCU,
generate negotiable financial document formatting information based upon the transaction information and the electronically captured signature; and
a printer electronically connected to the base processor for printing a negotiable financial document from the negotiable financial document formatting information, the printed negotiable financial document displaying the customer's signature.