Gaming network environment providing a cashless gaming service

Abstract

A gaming network including gaming machines and gaming services further includes a cashless gaming service that provides systems and methods for funds transfer in and out of a users account between clients in the gaming network. The gaming services framework comprises a set of services, protocols, XML schemas, and methods for providing gaming system functionality in a distributed, network based architecture that includes gaming machines and servers. The systems and methods provide a service-oriented framework for gaming and property management based upon internetworking technology and web services concepts.

1 . A method for providing a cashless gaming service in a gaming network including gaming machines, the method comprising: 
 publishing an availability of the cashless gaming service on the gaming network;    receiving a discovery request for the cashless gaming service;    registering by a gaming client with the cashless gaming service; and    processing one or more service requests between the gaming client and the cashless gaming service, said service requests conforming to an internetworking protocol.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cashless gaming service comprises a web service.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the service request is formatted according to a service description language.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the service description language is a Web Services Description Language (WSDL).  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the cashless gaming service is registered in a UDDI registry.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the gaming client comprises a gaming machine.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the gaming client comprises a service provider.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the service request comprises an HTTP request encapsulating an OFX message.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the service request comprises a request to establish a new account.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the service request comprises a request to modify details for an account.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the service request comprises a request to close an account.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the service request comprises a request to provide details for an account.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the service request comprises a request to obtain an account balance.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the service request comprises a request to obtain a list of transactions associated with an account.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the service request comprises a request to deposit funds into an account.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising electronically transferring funds from an external account into the account.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising obtaining authorization prior to electronically transferring funds.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the service request comprises a request to withdraw funds from an account.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising transferring the withdrawn funds as a playable credit on a gaming machine.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the service request comprises a request to deposit promotional credits into an account.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the service request comprises a request to withdraw promotional credits from an account.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising authenticating the gaming client to determine if the gaming client is authorized to receive cashless gaming services.  
   
   
       23 . A gaming network system, the gaming network system comprising: 
 a gaming client communicably coupled to the gaming network; and    a cashless gaming service communicably coupled to the gaming network and operable to:    publish an availability of the cashless gaming service on the gaming network;    register a gaming client with the cashless gaming service; and    process one or more service requests between the gaming client and the cashless gaming service, said service requests conforming to an internetworking protocol.    
   
   
       24 . The gaming network system of  claim 23 , wherein the cashless gaming service comprises a web service.  
   
   
       25 . The gaming network system of  claim 23 , wherein the service request is formatted according to a service description language.  
   
   
       26 . The gaming network system of  claim 25 , wherein the service description language is a Web Services Description Language (WSDL).  
   
   
       27 . The gaming network system of  claim 23 , wherein the cashless gaming service is registered in a UDDI registry.  
   
   
       28 . The gaming network system of  claim 23 , wherein the gaming client comprises a gaming machine.  
   
   
       29 . The gaming network system of  claim 23 , wherein the gaming client comprises a service provider in the gaming network.  
   
   
       30 . The gaming network system of  claim 23 , wherein the service request comprises an HTTP request encapsulating an OFX message.  
   
   
       31 . The gaming network system of  claim 23 , wherein the service request comprises a request to establish a new account.  
   
   
       32 . The gaming network system of  claim 23 , wherein the service request comprises a request to modify details for an account.  
   
   
       33 . The gaming network system of  claim 23 , wherein the service request comprises a request to close an account.  
   
   
       34 . The gaming network system of  claim 23 , wherein the service request comprises a request to provide details for an account.  
   
   
       35 . The gaming network system of  claim 23 , wherein the service request comprises a request to obtain an account balance.  
   
   
       36 . The gaming network system of  claim 23 , wherein the service request comprises a request to obtain a list of transactions associated with an account.  
   
   
       37 . The gaming network system of  claim 23 , wherein the service request comprises a request to deposit finds into an account.  
   
   
       38 . The gaming network system of  claim 23 , wherein the cashless gaming service is further operable to electronically transfer funds from an external account into an account.  
   
   
       39 . The network system of  claim 38 , wherein the cashless gaming service is further operable to obtain authorization prior to electronically transferring funds.  
   
   
       40 . The gaming network system of  claim 23 , wherein the service request comprises a request to withdraw funds from an account.  
   
   
       41 . The gaming network system of  claim 23 , wherein the service request comprises a request to deposit promotional credits into an account.  
   
   
       42 . The gaming network system of  claim 23 , wherein the service request comprises a request to withdraw promotional credits from an account.  
   
   
       43 . The gaming network system of  claim 23 , further comprising an authentication service operable to authenticate the gaming client to determine if the gaming client is authorized to receive cashless gaming services.  
   
   
       44 . The gaming system of  claim 43 , wherein the authentication service includes an LDAP authentication service.