Patent ID: 7454385

Claim:
A cashless system for validating the use of cashless instruments, the cashless system comprising: a cashless instrument transaction server comprising: a network interface allowing the cashless instrument transaction server to communicate with a plurality of gaming devices; and a database for storing records of cashless instrument transactions generated on the plurality of gaming device; a processor configured or designed to i) receive a plurality of transaction information elements for each of the cashless instrument transactions from the plurality of gaming devices wherein said transaction information elements are at least for describing a value associated with each of the cashless instrument transactions; ii) generate a first transaction signature from at least one of the plurality of transaction information elements; iii) record the plurality of transaction information elements and the first transaction signature in the database wherein a portion of the plurality of transaction information elements is also stored on a cashless instrument separate from the database; iv) generate a second transaction signature upon a request to access the recorded plurality of transaction information elements, wherein the second transaction signature is generated from at least one of the plurality of transaction information elements recorded in the database as it exists when the request is made; and v) verifying the contents of the database by comparing the first transaction signature, generated when the plurality of transaction elements are recorded in the database, with the second transaction signature, generated after the request is made to access the recorded plurality of transaction elements, to determine whether the contents of the database have been altered; the plurality of gaming devices including a first gaming device adapted to provide a first cashless instrument transaction wherein first transaction information elements from the first cashless instrument transaction are stored in the database and including a second gaming device adapted to initiate a second cashless instrument transaction wherein in response to the second cashless instrument transaction the first transaction information elements in the database are accessed.