Cashless Interface for Gaming Machine Fund Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gaming machines that present wager-based games are limited in their ability to accept and transfer funds, as they often rely on coin acceptors or paper currency, and do not easily integrate with newer payment methods like credit card readers or electronic wallets, making it difficult to facilitate cashless transactions.
Innovation Solution
A cashless interface system that enables fund transfers between a gaming machine and an electronic wallet via a mobile communication device, using a cashless controller and gateway to communicate with a financial system, allowing players to initiate transactions using their smartphones and maintaining compatibility with existing gaming machine systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If gaming machines use traditional coin acceptors or bill validators for receiving funds, then the machines can reliably process physical currency, but the system lacks adaptability to modern cashless payment methods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cashless interface as an intermediary component that mediates between the existing gaming machine communication port and modern cashless payment systems. This interface board translates between traditional gaming machine protocols and cashless payment protocols, enabling payment versatility without requiring fundamental changes to the core gaming machine architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The cashless interface is designed to support multiple payment methods including mobile devices, contactless cards, and other electronic payment forms through a single unified interface. This multi-functional design allows the gaming machine to accept various modern payment types while maintaining compatibility with existing systems.
2Adaptability or versatility
If gaming machines are equipped with credit card readers or mobile payment interfaces, then cashless transactions become possible, but existing gaming machines cannot easily integrate these features
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the cashless payment functionality into a separate, modular interface board that can be independently installed and configured. This segmentation allows the cashless interface to be added as a distinct component rather than requiring integration into the core gaming machine manufacturing process, facilitating easier retrofitting of existing machines.
Solution Approach 2:
The cashless interface board serves as an intermediary layer between the existing gaming machine infrastructure and modern payment systems. By positioning this interface as a separate component that communicates through standard communication ports, the system enables electronic payment integration without requiring modifications to the core gaming machine hardware or software.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a cashless interface is added to gaming machines, then cashless transactions are enabled, but there is a risk of interrupting standard communications with casino management systems
Solution Approach 1:
The cashless interface is designed as an intermediary component that sits between the gaming machine and external systems, including both cashless payment systems and casino management systems. This architecture allows the interface to handle cashless transactions while routing standard communications unchanged to the casino management system, preventing interference and maintaining communication reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication handling is segmented into separate pathways: one for cashless transactions and another for standard casino management communications. This segmentation ensures that cashless interface operations do not interfere with or disrupt the stability of communications between the gaming machine and the casino management system.
Data Source
AI summary
An interface, such as a cashless interface, is interposed between a communication port of a gaming machine and one or more external devices and systems, such as a slot machine interface board and a slot management system. The cashless interface may further communicate with a financial system, such as via a controller and a gateway. The cashless interface may be used to facilitate the transfer of funds between a player's e-wallet associated with the financial system and a gaming machine, such as initiated via a player via their mobile communication device.