IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,417,170
Granted Patent B2
US 11,417,170 · App. 17/348,432 · Granted Aug 16, 2022

System and method for centralizing funds to a primary gaming establishment account

Inventors: Jeffery Shepherd (Reno, NV); Kevin Higgins (Reno, NV)
Assignee: IGT
G07F17/3225G06Q20/10G06Q20/322G07F17/3244
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,417,170
App. No.
17/348,432
Granted
Aug 16, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure relates generally to a system that utilizes a primary or central gaming establishment account to accumulate funds from one or more secondary or peripheral gaming establishment accounts and escrow such funds prior to use.

Claims (32)

1. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

responsive to a fund request made when an amount of funds associated with a first edge gaming establishment account is at least equal to a requested amount of funds, communicate data that results in the requested amount of funds being transferred from the first edge gaming establishment account to a gaming establishment component,

responsive to the fund request made when the amount of funds associated with the first edge gaming establishment account is less than the requested amount of funds and when an amount of funds associated with a central gaming establishment account is at least equal to the requested amount of funds, communicate data that results in the requested amount of funds being automatically transferred first from the central gaming establishment account to the first edge gaming establishment account and then from the first edge gaming establishment account to the gaming establishment component, and

responsive to the fund request made when the amount of funds associated with the first edge gaming establishment account is less than the requested amount of funds, when the amount of funds associated with the central gaming establishment account is less than the requested amount of funds and when an amount of funds associated with a second edge gaming establishment account is at least equal to the requested amount of funds, communicate data that results in the requested amount of funds being automatically transferred first from the second edge gaming establishment account to the first edge gaming establishment account and then from the first edge gaming establishment account to the gaming establishment component.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first edge gaming establishment account comprises a gaming establishment retail account and the gaming establishment component comprises a point-of-sale terminal.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first edge gaming establishment account comprises a gaming establishment cashless wagering account and the gaming establishment component comprises an electronic gaming machine.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the central gaming establishment account comprises a gaming establishment fund management account.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the amount of funds associated with the central gaming establishment account are automatically transferred to the central gaming establishment account responsive to an automatic gaming establishment account transfer event occurring in association with the second edge gaming establishment account.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the automatic gaming establishment account transfer event occurs based on an inactivity condition being satisfied with the second edge gaming establishment account.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the automatic gaming establishment account transfer event occurs based on the balance of the second edge gaming establishment account exceeding a threshold maximum balance.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein when executed by the processor responsive to the fund request made when the amount of funds associated with the first edge gaming establishment account is less than the requested amount of funds, when the amount of funds associated with the central gaming establishment account is less than the requested amount of funds, when the amount of funds associated with a second edge gaming establishment account is less than the requested amount of funds, and after a transfer of a first portion of the requested amount of funds from the second edge gaming establishment account to the first edge gaming establishment account, the instructions cause the processor to communicate data that results in a second portion of the requested amount of funds being automatically transferred from a third edge gaming establishment account to the first edge gaming establishment account.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fund request is received in association with a mobile device application of a mobile device.

10. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

at a first point in time and responsive to an automatic gaming establishment account transfer event occurring in association with a first edge gaming establishment account, automatically communicate data that results in an amount of funds being transferred from the first edge gaming establishment account to a central gaming establishment account, and

at a second, subsequent point in time and responsive to a fund transfer request made in association with a second edge gaming establishment account, communicate data that results in an amount of funds being transferred from the central edge gaming establishment account to the second edge gaming establishment account.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the second edge gaming establishment account is different from the first edge gaming establishment account.

12. A method of operating a system, the method comprising:

responsive to a fund request made when an amount of funds associated with a first edge gaming establishment account is at least equal to a requested amount of funds, communicating data that results in the requested amount of funds being transferred from the first edge gaming establishment account to a gaming establishment component,

responsive to the fund request made when the amount of funds associated with the first edge gaming establishment account is less than the requested amount of funds and when an amount of funds associated with a central gaming establishment account is at least equal to the requested amount of funds, communicating data that results in the requested amount of funds being automatically transferred first from the central gaming establishment account to the first edge gaming establishment account and then from the first edge gaming establishment account to the gaming establishment component, and

responsive to the fund request made when the amount of funds associated with the first edge gaming establishment account is less than the requested amount of funds, when the amount of funds associated with the central gaming establishment account is less than the requested amount of funds and when an amount of funds associated with a second edge gaming establishment account is at least equal to the requested amount of funds, communicating data that results in the requested amount of funds being automatically transferred first from the second edge gaming establishment account to the first edge gaming establishment account and then from the first edge gaming establishment account to the gaming establishment component.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first edge gaming establishment account comprises a gaming establishment retail account and the gaming establishment component comprises a point-of-sale terminal.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first edge gaming establishment account comprises a gaming establishment cashless wagering account and the gaming establishment component comprises an electronic gaming machine.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the central gaming establishment account comprises a gaming establishment fund management account.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of the amount of funds associated with the central gaming establishment account are automatically transferred to the central gaming establishment account responsive to an automatic gaming establishment account transfer event occurring in association with the second edge gaming establishment account.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the automatic gaming establishment account transfer event occurs based on an inactivity condition being satisfied with the second edge gaming establishment account.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the automatic gaming establishment account transfer event occurs based on the balance of the second edge gaming establishment account exceeding a threshold maximum balance.

19. The method of claim 12 , further comprising, responsive to the fund request made when the amount of funds associated with the first edge gaming establishment account is less than the requested amount of funds, when the amount of funds associated with the central gaming establishment account is less than the requested amount of funds, when the amount of funds associated with a second edge gaming establishment account is less than the requested amount of funds, and after a transfer of a first portion of the requested amount of funds from the second edge gaming establishment account to the first edge gaming establishment account, communicating data that results in a second portion of the requested amount of funds being automatically transferred from a third edge gaming establishment account to the first edge gaming establishment account.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the fund request is received in association with a mobile device application of a mobile device.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 3, 2025
From: IGT
To: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 071817/0394 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 9, 2022
From: SHEPHERD, JEFFERY; HIGGINS, KEVIN
To: IGT
Reel/Frame 058941/0664 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 15850565 · Dec 21, 2017
Related Publication 20210312758A1 · Oct 7, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,608,998