Automatic funding of paragames on electronic gaming platform

Abstract

The provision of a paragaming event on an electronic gaming machine is provided by intercepting a cashout event, identifying the account balance and presenting an offer to participate in the paragaming event. If the customer agrees, the account balance is appropriately reduced and a voucher in followed by a cashout event is initiated to maintain a record of the transaction. A cash voucher and a transaction receipt are then printed for the customer.

1 . A method for providing paragaming activity on an electronic gaming machine, the method comprising the steps of: 
 detecting a triggering event on the electronic gaming machine;    in response to the triggering event, presenting a paragaming event on the screen of the electronic gaming machine;    funding the paragaming event from the available funds in the electronic gaming machine; and    reconciling the payment of the paragaming event with the accounting system for the electronic gaming machine.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the trigger is a cashout event and the step of detecting the triggering event comprises the step of detecting a slot accounting system command for a cashout and detecting printer commands associated with a cashout process.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the trigger is a cashout event and the step of detecting the triggering event comprises the step of detecting a slot accounting system command for a cashout.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the trigger is a cashout event and the step of detecting the triggering event comprises the step of detecting printer commands associated with a cashout process.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising the step of parsing the printer commands to obtain information about the cashout transaction.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising the step of parsing the printer commands to obtain an asset number, a validation number, a date and a time.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of funding the paragaming event further comprises the step of deducting the cost of the paragaming event from the current electronic gaming machine balance.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the step of reconciling the payment of the paragaming event further comprises the step of sending a voucher in command to the slot accounting system with the new balance, and then sending a slot accounting system cashout command to the accounting system.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of reconciling the payment of the paragaming event further comprises the step of sending a slot accouting system cashout command to the accounting system.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of interfacing to the paragaming server as if a writer station to the paragaming server.  
   
   
       11 . An apparatus for providing paragaming activity on an electronic gaming machine, the apparatus comprising: 
 a control unit having a first input communicatively coupled to an SAS output of the electronic gaming machine, a second input communicatively coupled to a printer output of the electronic gaming machine, an output communicatively coupled to the electronic gaming machine printer and a network interface;    a validation system communicatively coupled to the control unit over the network interface and communicatively coupled to a host accounting system for the electronic gaming machine over an SAS connection to a slot machine interface board;    the control unit being operable to detect the occurrence of a cashout event and in response, presenting a screen to access a paragaming event, receive an election to participate in the paragaming event and notifying the validation system of such election;    the validation system being operable to redeem the funds associated with the electronic gaming machine from the host accounting system, deduct a fee associated with the paragaming event and notifying the control unit; and    the control unit being operable to perform a cashout event with the new funds balance.    
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the control unit is operable to detect the occurrence of a cashout event by detecting a cashout command on the SAS output of the electronic gaming machine and detecting printer commands associated with a cashout event on the printer output of the electronic gaming machine.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the control unit is operable to detect the occurrence of a cashout event by detecting a cashout command on the SAS output of the electronic gaming machine.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the control unit is operable to detect the occurrence of a cashout event by detecting printer commands associated with a cashout event on the printer output of the electronic gaming machine.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the validation system being operable to redeem the funds associated with the electronic gaming machine from the host accounting system and deduct a fee associated with the paragaming event by reducing an account balance by the fee amount, sending a voucher in command with the new balance to the host accounting system and sending a cashout command to the host accounting system.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the control unit is further operative to parse the printer commands to identify a current balance for the electronic gaming machine.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the validation system is operable to redeem the funds associated with the electronic gaming machine from the host accounting system and deduct a fee associated with the paragaming event by reducing the account balance detected by the control unit by the fee amount, sending a voucher in command with the new balance to the host accounting system and sending a cashout command to the host accounting system.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the control unit is operable to print out a voucher ticket and a transaction receipt associated with the paragaming event.  
   
   
       19 . An apparatus for providing paragaming activity on an electronic gaming machine, the apparatus comprising: 
 a control unit having a first input communicatively coupled to an SAS output of the electronic gaming machine, a second input communicatively coupled to a printer output of the electronic gaming machine, an output communicatively coupled to the electronic gaming machine printer and a network interface;    a validation system communicatively coupled to the control unit over the network interface and communicatively coupled to a host accounting system for the electronic gaming machine over an SAS connection to a slot machine interface board;    the control unit being operable to detect printer commands associated with a cashout event on the printer output of the electronic gaming machine and in response, presenting a screen to access a paragaming event, receive an election to participate in the paragaming event and notifying the validation system of such election;    the validation system being operable to redeem the funds associated with the electronic gaming machine from the host accounting system, deduct a fee associated with the paragaming event and notifying the control unit; and    the control unit being operable to perform a cashout event with the new funds balance.    
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the validation system is operable to redeem the funds associated with the electronic gaming machine from the host accounting system and deduct a fee associated with the paragaming event by reducing the account balance detected by the control unit by the fee amount, sending a voucher in command with the new balance to the host accounting system and sending a cashout command to the host accounting system; and 
 the control unit is further operable to print out a voucher and a transaction receipt associated with the paragaming transaction.