Patent ID: 9324210
Filing Date: 2016-04-26
CPC Classification: A63F,G07F

Claim Text:
1. A system for performing gaming points redemption transactions for a customer within a gaming environment, the system comprising: a customer tracking card associated with the customer, wherein the customer tracking card is issued by a first entity and includes a unique identifier and does not contain financial account information; a customer tracking database operated by the first entity for electronically storing gaming activity information, gaming points accrued by the customer at a gaming station, monetary transactions within the gaming environment, gaming points redemption transactions, and a customer profile of one or more customer determined redemption characteristics which affect a redemption value of a redemption transaction, wherein said redemption characteristics may be different for each customer and thus cause different redemption values for different customers, wherein the customer tracking database electronically receives the unique customer identifier and a number of points accrued by the customer during a gaming session, and the customer tracking database associates the number of points, gaming activity information, monetary transactions, and gaming points redemption transactions with the unique customer identifier; and a multi-function ATM located within the gaming environment adapted to electronically accept the customer tracking card and read the unique identifier thereon, electronically communicate with the customer tracking database to determine the number of points associated with the unique identifier, and transfer to the customer an award equal to a monetary value, wherein the monetary value is derived from the number of points associated with the unique identifier based on a point-to-monetary conversion ratio of the gaming points stored within the customer tracking database; wherein the point-to-monetary conversion ratio is calculated during each gaming points redemption transaction utilizing at least said player determined redemption characteristics which are associated with the customer and stored within the customer tracking database; wherein the transfer is selected by the user within the multi-function ATM from each selectable option of directly dispensing cash, electronically crediting to a third party account of the customer, and electronically depositing to a third party account of the customer; wherein the multi-function ATM electronically communicates with an authorization center operated by a second entity to authorize the electronic transfer of funds in an amount equal to the monetary value from the multi-function ATM to the third party account when electronically crediting or depositing to the third party account of the customer; and wherein the multi-function ATM further performs cash withdrawal transactions and credit/debit transactions in addition to the gaming points redemption transactions.