FUTURELOGIC, INC. Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20130190073 | NETWORKLESS TICKETING SOLUTION - Methods and apparatus for networkless vouchering or ticketing. A Networkless Ticketing Solution (NTS) includes an NTS system control card connected to a gaming machine controller of a gaming machine. The NTS system control card receives cashout information from the gaming machine controller and instructs an NTS printer to print encrypted cashout vouchers or tickets. A redemption device scans the encrypted vouchers or tickets and provides a display to a cashier for cashing out the vouchers or tickets. | 07-25-2013 |
20120262735 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GAMING PROMOTIONAL PRINTER - A method and apparatus for a promotional module for use within a cashless enabled gaming machine or vending machine are disclosed. A promotional module includes a coupon database describing a stack of coupons that are specified using a template based couponing printer language. A coupon is selected for creation and issued to a user or player or user based on a matrix of event-based triggers involving factors or parameters known to the promotional module directly or supplied by a master promotional controller. Triggers may include the time of day, the date or amount of a cash out voucher to be issued to the user or player, the duration of play on a gaming machine, a player classification, the amount of money or credits added to a game, or a random frequency of coupon issuance having satisfied any or all of the aforementioned factors. | 10-18-2012 |
20120173321 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR A PROMOTIONAL COUPONING SYSTEM - A promotional couponing system for the creation and management of promotional coupons, coupon templates, promotions, promotional campaigns, and triggers using a host system and a graphical front-end for use in a gaming, vending, or other business environment. A promotional couponing system runs on its own network though can connect to other host systems, and directly or indirectly to games such as slot machines and game tables and a printer of a game using a third port or interface. The promotional couponing system monitors play and other metrics to use triggers based on game and other data. The printer connection to a game only receives information which can be sent to the promotional couponing system. | 07-05-2012 |
20110309577 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FORPLAYER TRACKING AND GAMING TABLE SETUP USING A GAMING TABLE DEVICE - A gaming table device for player tracking and gaming table setup. The gaming table device connects a gaming table to host systems such as a Player Tracking System and Gaming Table System. A user interface provides visual representation of the gaming table and seat locations to configure a table layout and assign a player to a seat. A card reader/writer scans a player's card for tracking. Player and seating data allows for player tracking for issuance and redemption of incentives based on game play activity. | 12-22-2011 |
20110244948 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR MATCH PLAY CREDITS - Methods and apparatus for offering incentives, awards, and rewards to players and patrons in the form of match play credits and other rewards related to patron play, such as among others, bonus play and free play. The system uses thresholds to identify and notify eligible players and patrons and issue the credits. The system monitors the match play activity as well as identifies the games where the match play credits can be used. | 10-06-2011 |
20110161948 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CHANGING FIRMWARE IN A GAMING PRINTER - Methods and apparatuses for changing firmware in a gaming printer. The printer containing computer memory, internal and/or external to the printer, with the memory divided logically into multiple parts; a first section containing computer codes, a second section containing the data describing the format of gaming vouchers, and a third section containing data describing the format of promotional coupons. A mathematically unique identifier is created as an individual signature for each section of the memory, with each signature being independent of the other signatures, thus allowing for the changing the contents of one or more sections of the memory without affecting the contents of the unchanged sections of the memory. | 06-30-2011 |
20110101084 | MODULAR GAMING TRANSACTION PRINTER - A modular gaming transaction printer for grayscale printing which may interface with multiple host systems and multiple gaming machine protocols, download application code or code patches, receive printer maintenance instructions, arbitrate print jobs received from various communication interfaces, support worldwide languages, and utilize firmware version consolidation. The printer further includes security features and memory protection. The printer further includes segmented memory for content related to each communication interface, gaming machine, or host system, among others. Additionally, the printer supports Unicode, configuration to worldwide languages, configuration to multiple protocols, and configuration to prior firmware versions for backward compatibility, among others. The printer may include a plurality of paper trays to hold media of the same size, but different characteristics. | 05-05-2011 |
20110099056 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GAMING PROMOTIONAL PRINTER - A method and apparatus for a promotional printer for use within a cashless enabled gaming machine or vending machine are disclosed. A promotional printer includes a coupon database describing a stack of coupons that are specified using a template based couponing printer language. A coupon is selected for creation and issued to a user or player based on a matrix of event-based triggers involving factors or parameters known to the promotional printer directly or supplied by a master promotional controller. Triggers may include the time of day, the date or amount of a cash-out voucher to be issued to the user or player, the duration of play on a gaming machine, a player classification, the amount of money or credits added to a game, or a random frequency of coupon issuance having satisfied any or all of the aforementioned factors. The promotional printer may further include the ability to store all of the coupons, trigger conditions, and related information resident in the promotional printer in a non-volatile fashion thus enabling a host system to download a promotional environment into the promotional printer which will run promotional campaigns on behalf of the hosting system. | 04-28-2011 |
20110098104 | DISTRIBUTED PROMOTIONAL COUPON SYSTEM FOR A GAMING ENVIRONMENT - Methods and apparatuses for a distributed promotional coupon system for use within a casino which has cash-less gaming machines involving a plurality of game installed cash-out Voucher Printers networked to a central server. A central coupon server harnesses the processing power of the plurality of printers, tasking each one to analyze the player activity of the game into which it is installed. Handshaking and signaling between the server and the plurality of printers ensure that the server was system master, approving the issuance of all coupons. One advantage of the system is the simplification of the server whose real-time processing requirements become more of data routing than analysis. | 04-28-2011 |
20100328713 | MODULAR TRANSACTION PRINTER - A modular transaction printer for generating financial transaction records such as gaming vouchers and coupons. The printer uses self-contained expansion modules that plug into a printer port for easy in-field upgradeability. The printer includes a mechanical package to allow modules to be inserted from the printer exterior, an electrical interface to allow modules to communicate with the printer electronics, and a latching mechanism to secure the modules to the printer for easy connect and disconnect from the printer body. Each module includes dynamic memory, non-volatile memory, processor circuitry necessary to accomplish a port or an interface with an outside host device, and a standard bus style interface method for interchangeable expansion modules. By using interchangeable expansion modules, a printer can be configured as a base or basic model. Then depending on configuration requirements, the interchangeable modules can be securely attached to the printer. | 12-30-2010 |
20100296119 | MODULAR TRANSACTION PRINTER - A modular transaction printer for generating financial transaction records such as gaming vouchers and coupons. The printer uses expansion modules which are self-contained devices to allow for modular expansion and open system architecture of the printer where an expansion module can be plugged into a port of the printer for easy in-field upgradeability, to expand the printer's main controller functionality, and to share the printer resources. Each module snaps in, is hot swappable, and prepackaged to perform certain functions such as promotional printing. | 11-25-2010 |
20100291995 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR A PROMOTIONAL COUPONING SYSTEM - The present invention identifies a promotional coupon system (PCS) for use with cash-less slot machines and games to perform promotional couponing using patron recognition while maintaining patron anonymity, to perform promotional couponing on one or more segments of a gaming establishment floor, and to perform promotional couponing to direct patrons to a particular location or service in a gaming establishment such as a restaurant or show, among others. | 11-18-2010 |
20100291994 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR CASHLESS GAMING CREDIT TRANSFER - A gaming table device which allows casinos and other types of gambling establishments to link gaming tables and point of sale terminals in or associated with a casino to connect and use systems. The systems may include a TITO (Ticket In Ticket Out) host system for credit transfer from cash, RFID chips, non-RFID chips, gaming vouchers, and promotional coupons to gaming vouchers, promotional coupons, chips and rewritable cards, among others, thereby expanding the use of credit transfer within a gaming establishment and or associated gaming establishments and their slot machines, change machines, and cashier cages to include gaming tables. | 11-18-2010 |
20100253973 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A VENDING PROMOTIONAL PRINTER - A method and apparatus for a vending promotional printer for use within a vending machine are disclosed. A vending promotional printer includes a coupon database describing a stack of coupons that are specified using a template based couponing printer language. A coupon is selected for creation and issued to the customer based on a matrix of event-based triggers involving factors or parameters known to the vending promotional printer directly or supplied by master promotional controller. Triggers may include the time of day, the date or amount of a cash-out voucher to be issued to a customer, the duration of play on a vending machine, a customer classification, the amount of money or credits added to a game, or a random frequency of coupon issuance having satisfied any or all of the aforementioned factors. The vending promotional printer may further include the ability to store all of the coupons, trigger conditions, and related information resident in the vending promotional printer in a non-volatile fashion thus enabling a host system to download a promotional environment into the vending promotional printer which will run promotional campaigns on behalf of the hosting system. | 10-07-2010 |
20100238489 | DISTRIBUTED PROCESSING PRINTER - A distributed processing printer which may include separate controllers and/or separate memory where one controller and/or memory may be used to support legacy applications and another controller and/or memory may be used to support printing promotional materials and/or messages in a manner completely transparent to the legacy applications. The printer is capable of magnetically, electronically, and/or thermally reading, writing, erasing, and/or encoding gaming vouchers, promotional coupons, and rewritable cards. The printer can be integrated into a cashless slot machine and other games and/or a promotional system in a casino that produces gaming vouchers, promotional coupons and messages and/or print on demand player tracking card/vouchers capable of communicating with a game or host. The printer may accept various kinds of media, such as thermally writable media, smart cards, or magnetic strip cards. The printer may include writing, reading, erasing and/or encoding devices within the printer to manage and use the different types of media. In addition, the printer may include control logic and articulated printing mechanisms that prevent the printer from inadvertently manipulating a gaming voucher in an inappropriate manner. | 09-23-2010 |
20100103448 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR VOUCHER AND PROMOTIONAL COUPONING SYSTEM - A method and apparatus are provided for the creation and management of promotional coupons or vouchers. When used in a mixed gaming and promotional couponing system, a printer appends printed indicia to printed output when receiving data on an auxiliary port configured for printing promotional coupons. In addition, the printer, upon receiving data on the auxiliary port, may analyze the received data in order to suppress data for generating certain patterns which are not desirable to appear on the printed output. Suppressed data may include text, barcode, graphic, line, and box data used for printing vouchers but not promotional coupons. | 04-29-2010 |
20100100431 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR A GUEST SERVICES SYSTEM FOR COUPONING AND GAMING - Guest services system for couponing and gaming where guests using an access point such as their room or kiosk select which promotions to view, which incentives and/or coupons to print and request and/or receive play credits. Additionally, secured means include using a PIN, password, and/or a secured card such as a room card or player tracking card to access and view incentives, request play credit, receive incentives and/or play credit, and/or purchase play credit. The system includes a connection to host systems, a controller, a user interface, input device, output device, card reading device as well as personal communication devices such as a computer. | 04-22-2010 |
20100094692 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR A PROMOTIONAL COUPONING SYSTEM - A promotional couponing system for the creation and management of promotional coupons, coupon templates, promotions, promotional campaigns, and triggers using a host system and a graphical front-end for use in a gaming, vending, or other business environment. A promotional couponing system runs on its own network though can connect to other host systems, and directly or indirectly to games such as slot machines and game tables and a printer of a game using a third port or interface. The promotional couponing system monitors play and other metrics to use triggers based on game and other data. The printer connection to a game only receives information which can be sent to the promotional couponing system. | 04-15-2010 |
20100093446 | VOUCHER MANAGEMENT PATH SYSTEM FOR A GAMING MACHINE PRINTER - A gaming machine printer. The gaming machine printer creates printed vouchers, tickets, receipts, etc. for use in gaming applications employing cashless enabled gaming systems. The gaming machine printer includes a voucher management system having a burster bar for separating vouchers and a serpentine voucher guide that may be opened for inspection. The gaming machine printer further includes various electrical features that protect the gaming machine printer from electrostatic discharges. | 04-15-2010 |
20100030635 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GAMING PROMOTIONAL PRINTER - A method and apparatus for a gaming promotional printer for use within a cashless enabled gaming machine are disclosed. A gaming promotional printer includes a coupon database describing a stack of coupons that are specified using a template based couponing printer language. A coupon is selected for creation and issued to the player based on a matrix of event-based triggers involving factors or parameters known to the gaming promotional printer directly or supplied by master promotional controller. Triggers may include the time of day, the date or amount of a cash-out voucher to be issued to a player, the duration of play on a gaming machine, a player classification, the amount of money or credits added to a game, or a random frequency of coupon issuance having satisfied any or all of the aforementioned factors. The gaming promotional printer may further include the ability to store all of the coupons, trigger conditions, and related information resident in the gaming promotional printer in a non-volatile fashion thus enabling a host system to download a promotional environment into the gaming promotional printer which will run promotional campaigns on behalf of the hosting system. | 02-04-2010 |
20100030630 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR A COUPONING SYSTEM - Couponing system including one or more games and/or point of redemption in one or more gaming establishments and/or business entities worldwide. Each game and/or point of redemption includes a printer and bill validator, where each connect to the couponing system using a port or interface for issuance, tracking, and redemption of coupons and/or prizes and using another port or interface to connect to other systems for player tracking or issuance, tracking and redemption of game vouchers. The system offers varying prize levels with coupons issued based on player's participation and/or activity, independent of participation and/or activity of other players. Player receives coupon with value of anything including nonplaying credits. At redemption, coupon is replaced with another or new coupon with additional rewards. | 02-04-2010 |
20100017318 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR A DOWNLOADABLE FINANCIAL TRANSACTION PRINTER - Method and apparatus for a downloadable financial transaction printer supporting multiple interfaces and single encoding for worldwide languages configuration. The financial transaction printer interfaces with multiple host systems and multiple gaming machine protocols, downloads application code or code patches, receives printer maintenance instructions, arbitrates print jobs received from various communication interfaces, supports worldwide languages, and utilizes firmware version consolidation whereby fewer firmware versions are required to support worldwide requirements, such as regional and jurisdictional requirements. The financial transaction printer further includes security features for gaming regulatory requirements, memory protection, and preventing the execution of downloaded code on unauthorized hardware. The financial transaction printer further includes segmented memory for content related to each communication interface, gaming machine, or host system, among others. Additionally, the financial transaction printer supports Unicode, configuration to worldwide languages, configuration to multiple protocols, and configuration to prior firmware versions for backward compatibility, among others. | 01-21-2010 |
20090307069 | PROMOTIONAL COUPON SYSTEM WITH ANONYMOUS PLAYER TRACKING IN A GAMING ENVIRONMENT - Methods and apparatuses for a promotional coupon system which can provide promotions and promotional coupons to all patrons of a casino, specifically to patrons who do not want to provide personal information yet would enjoy receiving promotions. Casinos can track an anonymous player and offer incentives such as promotional coupons to the player to entice them to return to the casino. The system provides a means for the creation and issuance of promotional coupons as well as the tracking of the redemption of such coupons and the tracking of anonymous players, to provide real-time monitoring of a gaming printer's activities; for connecting to other existing systems in a casino, such as an accounting system or point-of-sale system. Additionally, such a system may use existing equipment such as a gaming printer to produce such coupons, however, only after the existing equipment produces a cash-out voucher. | 12-10-2009 |
20090307068 | DISTRIBUTED PROMOTIONAL COUPON SYSTEM WITH REAL-TIME ACTIVITY MONITORING - Methods and apparatuses for a distributed promotional coupon system for use within a casino which has cash-less gaming machines involving a plurality of game installed cash-out vouchers printers networked to a central server. The system can provide promotions to all patrons of a casino, either through player tracking or anonymously. The system provide a means for the creation and issuance of promotional coupons as well as the tracking of the redemption of such coupons, real-time monitoring of a gaming printer's activities, connecting to other existing systems in a casino, such as an accounting system or point-of-sale system. Additionally, such a system may use existing equipment such as a gaming printer to produce such coupons, however, only after the existing equipment produces a cash-out voucher. | 12-10-2009 |
20090299848 | Method and Apparatus for a Promotional Couponing System - A method and apparatus for the creation and management of promotional coupons are provided. Promotional coupon templates are written in a template definition language and promotions, promotional campaigns, and triggers for the generation and issuance of promotional coupons based on the promotional coupon templates are defined. The promotional coupons may be printed either in real time, based on a predetermined date and/or time, or based on other triggers by a printer. Furthermore, the method and apparatus facilitate management of the redemption of promotional coupons for use in a gaming, vending, or other business environment. The system uses a host system and a graphical front-end. The system further includes at least one printer and may include routing devices. The system may interface with other systems such as a point of sale system or slot accounting system. | 12-03-2009 |
20090282488 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR A DOWNLOADABLE FINANCIAL TRANSACTION PRINTER - Method and apparatus for a downloadable financial transaction printer supporting multiple interfaces and single encoding for worldwide languages configuration. The financial transaction printer interfaces with multiple host systems and multiple gaming machine protocols, downloads application code or code patches, receives printer maintenance instructions, arbitrates print jobs received from various communication interfaces, supports worldwide languages, and utilizes firmware version consolidation whereby fewer firmware versions are required to support worldwide requirements, such as regional and jurisdictional requirements. The financial transaction printer further includes security features for gaming regulatory requirements, memory protection, and preventing the execution of downloaded code on unauthorized hardware. The financial transaction printer further includes segmented memory for content related to each communication interface, gaming machine, or host system, among others. Additionally, the financial transaction printer supports Unicode, configuration to worldwide languages, configuration to multiple protocols, and configuration to prior firmware versions for backward compatibility, among others. | 11-12-2009 |
20090240588 | Method And Apparatus For A Promotional Couponing System - Methods and apparatus for promotional couponing system where coupons, campaigns, and promotions are designed on central server and issued to network of printing devices and redeemed from redemption devices. The logic that processes input contained within each printer and print and redeem device connected to network so each device independently analyzes its own input and requests permission to print coupon from central server. The system uses coupons to maneuver players to play games least in use or to a specific location. Coupons include map and directions to direct the player. | 09-24-2009 |
20090240369 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RANDOMIZED RECORD STORAGE USING BIDIRECTIONAL SHIFTING - Method and apparatus for randomized record storage using bidirectional shifting wherein a printer is coupled to a conveyor system housed in a temporary storage bin. The conveyor system shifts in a bidirectional fashion to randomize the order of the printouts temporarily stored in the temporary storage bin and prevent the storage of sequentially generated printouts in a storage tray. | 09-24-2009 |
20090239656 | SECURED GAMING TABLE DEVICE - A secured gaming table device that uses TITO and RFID to use and exchange vouchers, winnings from slot machines, promotions, and coupons; provide cashless payout from a gaming table; provide transaction receipts; link gaming tables; and connect and use systems in use, such as the TITO System and Player Tracking System, for credit transfer to and from game vouchers, player tracking cards, promotional coupons, cash, RFID chips, and non-RFID chips, among others, thereby expanding the use of credit transfer to include gaming tables. The secured gaming table device includes a gaming printer, barcode reader or scanner, bill validator, interface, and keypad, among others; and connects to host systems for the issuance and redemption of vouchers and/or promotional coupons at a gaming table. | 09-24-2009 |
20090177539 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DUAL SYSTEM DETECTION - A printer capable of detecting whether the printer is operating within a gaming system to perform gaming voucher printing, or within a promotional system to perform promotional coupon printing, or within both systems. The printer performs the operations of the identified system by providing one firmware that can detect whether the printer is operating within a gaming system to perform gaming voucher printing, or within a promotional system to perform promotional coupon printing, or within both systems. | 07-09-2009 |
20090174907 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RANDOMIZED, BIDIRECTIONAL PRINTING - Method and apparatus for randomized printing of transactions or voting records using a printer with a paper roll supply where after one area is printed, the paper is randomly shifted either in a one or bidirectional fashion to another area not adjacent to the previously printed area thus removing a set print record order and preserving randomness in print. Motorized paper rollers are used for bidirectional paper shifting, an optical sensor is used to check if an area of paper roll is available for printing by reading indicia, and algorithms are used to randomly move the paper roll to prevent printing in continuous motion. | 07-09-2009 |
20090117998 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR A PROMOTIONAL COUPON SYSTEM - A system for communicating with many host systems in use at a gaming establishment and/or associated gaming establishments for the creation, issuance, distribution and redemption of coupons based on data gathered from one or more host systems, games, player activity or anonymous activity, and coupon data, among others where data is gathered in data packets and stored in a database. The system can provide promotions to all patrons of a gaming establishment, either through player tracking or anonymously. | 05-07-2009 |