IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,983,992
Granted Patent B2
US 11,983,992 · App. 17/220,159 · Granted May 14, 2024

System and method for incentivizing the maintenance of funds in a gaming establishment account

Inventors: Kevin Higgins (Reno, NV); Jeffery Shepherd (Reno, NV); Sina Miri (Menlo Park, CA); Dwayne A. Davis (Reno, NV); Erik Petersen (Reno, NV); Christopher Levin (Reno, NV)
Assignee: IGT
G07F17/3255G06Q20/363G07F17/3223G07F17/323
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,983,992
App. No.
17/220,159
Granted
May 14, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure relates generally to a system that provides zero, one or more benefits to a user in association with maintaining an amount of funds in one or more gaming establishment accounts associated with one or more system components.

Claims (59)

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 first amount of funds maintained in a gaming establishment account for a first amount of time:

determine a first value available to be awarded in association with forgoing a first electronic transfer of the first amount of funds from the gaming establishment account to an external account for the first amount of time, and

communicate data that results in a display device displaying the determined first value available to be awarded in association with forgoing the first electronic transfer,

responsive to a second, different amount of funds maintained in the gaming establishment account for the first amount of time:

determine a second value available to be awarded in association with forgoing a second electronic transfer of the second, different amount of funds from the gaming establishment account to the external account, the second value being different from the first value for the first amount of time, and

communicate data that results in the display device displaying the determined second value available to be awarded in association with forgoing the second electronic transfer, and

responsive to the first amount of funds maintained in the gaming establishment account for a second amount of time:

determine a third value available to be awarded in association with forgoing a third electronic transfer of the first amount of funds from the gaming establishment account to the external account for the second amount of time, the third value being different from the first value and the second amount of time being different from the first amount of time, and

communicate data that results in the display device displaying the determined third value available to be awarded in association with forgoing the third electronic transfer.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein when executed by the processor after the first amount of funds are maintained in the gaming establishment account for the first amount of time and responsive to an occurrence of an incentive realization event, the instructions cause the processor to:

determine an award based on the determined first value, and

communicate data that results in the display device displaying the determined award.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein a value of the determined award is different from the determined first value.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the incentive realization event occurs based on an action of a user associated with the gaming establishment account.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the gaming establishment account and the external account are associated with a first user and the determined award is associated with a second, different user.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the determined award is any of: a monetary amount, a quantity of player tracking points, a player tracking point modifier, a quantity of promotional credits, and a quantity of virtual credits.

7. The system of claim 2 , wherein when executed by the processor, the instructions cause the processor to determine the award in association with a play of a game displayed by the display device.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the play of the game comprises a random determination.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein when executed by the processor, the instructions cause the processor to determine the first value based on a percentage of an amount of interest accrued on the first amount of funds maintained in the gaming establishment account for the first amount of time.

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:

responsive to a first quantity of transaction fees avoided in association with forgoing a first quantity of electronic transfers of funds from a first quantity of gaming establishment accounts to a first quantity of external accounts and responsive to an occurrence of an incentive realization event:

determine, based on a value of the first quantity of transaction fees, a first value available to be awarded,

determine a first award based on the determined first value, and

communicate data that results in a first display device displaying the determined first award, and

responsive to a second, different quantity of transaction fees avoided in association with forgoing a second, different quantity of electronic transfers of funds from a second, different quantity of gaming establishment accounts to a second, different quantity of external accounts and responsive to the occurrence of the incentive realization event:

determine, based on a value of the second, different quantity of transaction fees, a second, different value available to be awarded,

determine a second award based on the determined second, different value, and

communicate data that results in a second display device displaying the determined second award.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein at least one of:

the first award is different from the second award,

the first display device is different from the second display device,

the first award is determined in association with a first play of a game displayed by the first display device, and

the second award is determined in association with a second play of the game displayed by the second display device.

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

responsive to a first amount of funds maintained in a gaming establishment account for a first amount of time:

determining, by a processor, a first value available to be awarded in association with forgoing a first electronic transfer of the first amount of funds from the gaming establishment account to an external account for the first amount of time, and

displaying, by a display device, the determined first value available to be awarded in association with forgoing the first electronic transfer,

responsive to a second, different amount of funds maintained in the gaming establishment account for the first amount of time:

determining, by the processor, a second value available to be awarded in association with forgoing a second electronic transfer of the second, different amount of funds from the gaming establishment account to the external account, the second value being different from the first value for the first amount of time, and

displaying, by the display device, the determined second value available to be awarded in association with forgoing the second electronic transfer, and

responsive to the first amount of funds maintained in the gaming establishment account for a second amount of time:

determining, by the processor, a third value available to be awarded in association with forgoing a third electronic transfer of the first amount of funds from the gaming establishment account to the external account for the second amount of time, the third value being different from the first value and the second amount of time being different from the first amount of time, and

displaying, by the display device, the determined third value available to be awarded in association with forgoing the third electronic transfer.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising, after the first amount of funds are maintained in the gaming establishment account for the first amount of time and responsive to an occurrence of an incentive realization event:

determining, by the processor, an award based on the determined first value, and

displaying, by the display device, the determined award.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein a value of the determined award is different from the determined first value.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the incentive realization event occurs based on an action of a user associated with the gaming establishment account.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the gaming establishment account and the external account are associated with a first user and the determined award is associated with a second, different user.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the determined award is any of:

a monetary amount, a quantity of player tracking points, a player tracking point modifier, a quantity of promotional credits, and a quantity of virtual credits.

18. The method of claim 13 , further comprising determining, by the processor, the award in association with a play of a game displayed by the display device.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the play of the game comprises a random determination.

20. The method of claim 12 , further comprising determining, by the processor, the first value based on a percentage of an amount of interest accrued on the first amount of funds maintained in the gaming establishment account for the first amount of time.

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 Apr 1, 2021
From: HIGGINS, KEVIN; SHEPHERD, JEFFERY; MIRI, SINA; DAVIS, DWAYNE A.; PETERSEN, ERIK; LEVIN, CHRISTOPHER
To: IGT
Reel/Frame 055800/0880 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 15956169 · Apr 18, 2018
Related Publication 20210217274A1 · Jul 15, 2021