Patent Document ID: 20030228898
Application ID: 09733490
Patent Status: 0

Claim One:
1. A casino gambling system in which a credit item may be utilized as a medium of value, the casino gambling system comprising: a server computer; a first clerk validation terminal operatively coupled to said server computer, said first clerk validation terminal comprising: a credit-input device that is capable of accepting a credit item representing a medium of value from a customer; a value dispenser that is capable of dispensing an item representing a medium of value; and a validation controller operatively coupled to said credit-input device and said value dispenser, said validation controller comprising a microprocessor and a memory, said validation controller being programmed to determine whether a credit item accepted by said credit-input device is valid, said validation controller being programmed to cause said value dispenser to dispense a medium of value to the customer if said validation controller determines that said credit item is valid; a second clerk validation terminal operatively coupled to said server computer, said second clerk validation terminal comprising: a credit-input device that is capable of accepting a credit item representing a medium of value from a customer; a value dispenser that is capable of dispensing an item representing a medium of value; and a validation controller operatively coupled to said credit-input device of said second clerk validation terminal and said value dispenser of said second clerk validation terminal, said validation controller of said second clerk validation terminal comprising a microprocessor and a memory, said validation controller of said second clerk validation terminal being programmed to determine whether a credit item accepted by said credit-input device of said second clerk validation terminal is valid, said validation controller of said second clerk validation terminal being programmed to cause said value dispenser of said second clerk validation terminal to dispense a medium of value to the customer if said validation controller of said second clerk validation terminal determines that said credit item is valid; a plurality of first casino gambling units operatively coupled to said first clerk validation terminal; a plurality of second casino gambling units operatively coupled to said second clerk validation terminal, one of said casino gambling units comprising: a display unit that is capable of generating color images; an input device that allows a player to make an input selection; a value-input device that is capable of allowing the player to deposit a medium of value; and a gambling unit controller operatively coupled to said display unit, said input device, and said value-input device, said gambling unit controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor, said gambling unit controller being programmed to allow the player to make a wager; said gambling unit controller being programmed to cause a video image to be generated on said display unit, said video image representing a video gambling game selected from the group of video gambling games consisting of video poker, video blackjack, video slots, video keno and video bingo, said video image comprising an image of at least five playing cards if said video gambling game is video poker, said video image comprising an image of a plurality of simulated slot machine reels if said video gambling game is video slots, said video image comprising an image of a plurality of playing cards if said video gambling game is video blackjack, said video image comprising an image of a plurality of keno numbers if said video gambling game is video keno, said video image comprising an image of a bingo grid if said video gambling game is video bingo, and said gambling unit controller being programmed to determine, after said video image has been displayed, an outcome of said video gambling game represented by said video image and to determine a value payout associated with said outcome of said video gambling game; and a cashier computer operatively coupled to said server computer, said cashier computer comprising: a cashier credit-input device that is capable of accepting a credit item representing a medium of value; a cashier dispenser that is capable of dispensing an item representing a medium of value; a biometric input apparatus capable of generating digital data representing a unique physical characteristic of a cashier; a cashier controller operatively coupled to said cashier credit-input device, said cashier dispenser, and said biometric input apparatus, said cashier controller comprising a microprocessor and a memory, said cashier controller being programmed to control access to said cashier computer based upon digital data generated by said biometric input apparatus; and said cashier controller being programmed to determine whether a credit item accepted by said cashier credit-input device is valid.