Clearinghouse System for Cross-Property Voucher Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the gaming industry, voucher tickets issued by different casino properties are property-specific and cannot be used across facilities, requiring players to cash out before switching locations, which is inconvenient and restrictive.
Innovation Solution
A clearinghouse system that connects back-end voucher servers from multiple properties, allowing for the conversion of voucher tickets issued by one facility to be used at another, enabling seamless transfer of value between gaming facilities without the need for cashing out.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If voucher tickets are encoded with proprietary financial systems specific to each gaming facility, then security and control are improved, but versatility and ease of operation deteriorate as players cannot use tickets across different properties
Solution Approach 1:
A clearinghouse system acts as an intermediary between multiple gaming facilities' proprietary voucher systems. The clearinghouse receives voucher tickets from players, validates them against the issuing facility's encoding, and issues replacement tickets from the destination facility. This mediator enables cross-property transactions while each facility maintains its own security encoding standards.
Solution Approach 2:
The clearinghouse system provides universal functionality by handling multiple proprietary voucher encoding formats from different gaming facilities through a single platform. It performs validation, conversion, and issuance functions across diverse ticket types, making the voucher system universally applicable across property boundaries while preserving individual facility security requirements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a multi-property clearinghouse system is implemented to enable voucher conversion between facilities, then versatility and convenience are improved, but device complexity and system integration requirements worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The clearinghouse serves as a centralized intermediary that manages the complexity of interfacing with multiple proprietary voucher systems. Rather than each facility implementing complex direct integrations with every other facility, the clearinghouse absorbs this complexity, providing a simplified interface for players and individual facilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates digital copies of voucher ticket information during the conversion process. The clearinghouse reads the original voucher data, validates it, and generates a replacement ticket with equivalent value but different facility encoding. This copying mechanism enables seamless conversion without requiring physical ticket manipulation or complex real-time validation across all facilities.
3Reliability
If players must cash out voucher tickets before leaving a gaming facility, then security and control over funds are improved, but ease of operation and convenience deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The clearinghouse intermediary enables players to maintain control over their funds while eliminating the need to cash out. By validating and converting tickets electronically, the system preserves fund security through verified transactions while providing the convenience of direct use at destination facilities without intermediate cash conversion.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces the mechanical process of cashing out (physical ticket exchange for cash) with an electronic validation and conversion process. The clearinghouse digitally verifies voucher authenticity and automatically issues replacement tickets, eliminating the need for manual cash transactions while maintaining security controls through electronic validation protocols.
Data Source
AI summary
A voucher ticket system employing a bill validator installed into any suitable automated machine, including an Automated Teller Machine (ATM), a gaming machine, etc. The bill validator is integrated with a bill reader, a voucher ticket reader, a reader to obtain an electronic voucher ticket from a portable computing device, a printer, and any other supporting peripheral devices. The bill validator communicates with an electronic money account manager through a voucher ticket system interface. The electronic money account manager maintains records associated with the electronic voucher ticket using a master voucher ticket ID, including a financial value, an electronic marker, an expiration, a status, etc. The electronic money account manager enables use of the electronic voucher ticket as common currency at an associated gaming facility, any associated ATM, etc. The electronic marker defines authenticity to maintain integrity of the electronic vouchers tickets.