Gaming apparatus supporting virtual peripherals and funds transfer
In one embodiment, a peripheral management device may have a controller configured to communicate with a gaming machine and a portable electronic device. The controller may be configured to: (i) receive a peripheral data packet from a gaming machine processor, the peripheral data packet including at least one command; (ii) determine whether to process the peripheral data packet on at least one peripheral device of the gaming machine or at least one virtual peripheral device of the portable electronic device; (iii) generate an instructional data packet for the at least one virtual peripheral device if the peripheral data packet is determined to be processed on the at least one virtual peripheral device; and (iv) transmit the instructional data packet to the portable electronic device.
1. A method for communicating information between a gaming machine and a portable electronic device via a wireless network, the gaming machine including at least one gaming machine peripheral device positioned on or within the gaming machine, the portable electronic device directly communicates with one or more components via the wireless network without use of a wired network external to the gaming machine, and the portable electronic device including at least one virtual peripheral device, the method comprising:
receiving, at the gaming machine peripheral device, input of a monetary value;
recognizing the portable electronic device is a portable electronic device positioned nearest to the gaming machine;
receiving, at the gaming machine, a request to access at least a portion of the monetary value that has been received at the gaming machine peripheral device of the gaming machine, the request to access at least a portion of the monetary value being for access on the portable electronic device that is responsive to the recognizing;
verifying funds transfer ability between the gaming machine and the portable electronic device;
determining at least a peripheral destination from the request to access at least a portion of the monetary value for at least a peripheral destination; and
transferring the requested at least a portion of the monetary value available for use at the portable electronic device via the peripheral destination of the portable electronic device, provided that the portable electronic device has been verified to have funds transfer ability.
2. A method as recited in claim 1 ,
wherein the method comprises:
determining at least one virtual peripheral device included in the portable electronic device that supports the request based on the peripheral destination, and
wherein the transferring the requested at least a portion of the monetary value available for use at the portable electronic device via the peripheral destination using the determined at least one virtual peripheral device of the portable electronic device.
3. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the method comprises:
verifying, prior to the transferring, that a user of the portable electronic device is permitted to transfer funds between the gaming machine and the portable electronic device.
4. A method as recited in claim 3 , wherein the transferring the requested at least a portion of the monetary value available for use at the portable electronic device via the peripheral destination, provided that the user of the portable electronic device has been verified to be permitted to transfer funds.
5. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the gaming machine is a slot machine or an electronic table.
6. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the monetary value input comprises cash, an electronically-readable ticket, or an electronically-readable card.
7. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the peripheral destination corresponds to a user account.
8. A method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the user account is one of a player-tracking account, a bank account, and a credit card account.
9. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the at least one virtual peripheral device includes a virtual printer.
10. A method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the virtual printer generates a virtual ticket.
11. A non-transitory computer readable medium including at least computer program code for communicating information between a gaming machine and a portable electronic device via a wireless network, the gaming machine including at least one gaming machine peripheral device positioned on or within the gaming machine, the portable electronic device directly communicates with one or more components via the wireless network without use of a wired network external to the gaming machine, the computer readable medium comprising:
computer program code for receiving, at the gaming machine peripheral device, input of a monetary value;
computer program code for recognizing the portable electronic device is a portable electronic device positioned nearest to the gaming machine;
computer program code for receiving, at the gaming machine, a request to access at least a portion of the monetary value that has been received at the gaming machine peripheral device of the gaming machine, the request to access at least a portion of the monetary value being for access on the portable electronic device that is responsive to the recognizing;
computer program code for verifying funds transfer ability between the gaming machine and the portable electronic device;
computer program code for determining at least a peripheral destination from the request to access at least a portion of the monetary value for at least a peripheral destination; and
computer program code for transferring the requested at least a portion of the monetary value available for use at the portable electronic device via the peripheral destination, provided that the portable electronic device has been verified to have funds transfer ability.
12. A non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 11 ,
wherein the computer readable medium comprises:
computer program code for determining at least one virtual peripheral device included in the portable electronic device that supports the request based on the peripheral destination, and
wherein the computer program code for transferring the requested at least a portion of the monetary value available for use at the portable electronic device via the peripheral destination using the determined at least one virtual peripheral device of the portable electronic device.
13. A non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 11 , wherein the computer readable medium comprises:
verifying, prior to the transferring, that a user of the portable electronic device is permitted to transfer funds between the gaming machine and the portable electronic device, and
wherein the transferring the requested at least a portion of the monetary value available for use at the portable electronic device via the peripheral destination, provided that the user of the portable electronic device has been verified to be permitted to transfer funds.
14. A non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 11 , wherein the gaming machine is a slot machine or an electronic table.
15. A non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 11 , wherein the monetary value input comprises cash, an electronically-readable ticket or an electronically-readable card.
16. A non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 15 , wherein the peripheral destination corresponds to a user account, and wherein the user account is one of a player-tracking account or a bank account.
17. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 11 , wherein the at least one virtual peripheral device includes a virtual printer configured to generate a virtual ticket.
18. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 11 , wherein the peripheral destination renders an indication of proof of the transfer of the requested at least a portion of the monetary value.
19. A gaming apparatus, comprising:
a processor configured to operate the gaming apparatus to provide a game of chance to a user of the gaming apparatus;
a user input device configured to receive one or more user inputs from the user for use with the game of chance;
at least one gaming apparatus peripheral device positioned on or within the gaming apparatus;
a display device configured to present gaming information pertaining to the game of chance;
a wireless interface configured to support wireless communication with at least one portable electronic device; and
wherein the processor is configured to:
detect receiving, via the gaming apparatus peripheral device, input of a monetary value;
recognize the portable electronic device is a portable electronic device positioned nearest to the gaming apparatus;
receive a request to access at least a portion of the monetary value that has been received at the gaming apparatus peripheral device of the gaming apparatus, the request to access at least a portion of the monetary value being for access on the portable electronic device that is recognized;
verify funds transfer ability between the gaming apparatus and the portable electronic device;
determine at least a peripheral destination from the request to access at least a portion of the monetary value for at least a peripheral destination; and
transfer the requested at least a portion of the monetary value available for use at the portable electronic device via the peripheral destination, provided that the portable electronic device has been verified to have funds transfer ability.
20. A gaming device as recited in claim 19 , wherein the gaming apparatus is a slot machine or an electronic table.
21. A gaming device as recited in claim 19 , wherein the monetary value input comprises cash, an electronically-readable ticket, or an electronically-readable card.
22. A gaming device as recited in claim 19 , wherein the peripheral destination corresponds to a user account.
23. A gaming device as recited in claim 22 , wherein the user account is one of a player-tracking account or a bank account.
24. A gaming device as recited in claim 19 , wherein the gaming apparatus peripheral device receiving input of the monetary value is a bill accepter, and wherein the peripheral destination is a virtual bill acceptor.