Method and apparatus for encoding vouchers in a casino gaming system

A casino gaming machine for use in a casino gaming system, the casino gaming system comprising a plurality of casino gaming machines operatively coupled to a host computer via a network, wherein each of the plurality of casino gaming machines has associated therewith a respective unique machine identification number, the casino gaming machine comprising:

• a network interface circuit to operatively link the casino gaming machine to the host computer via the network;
• a voucher dispenser;
• a controller operatively coupled to the display unit, the network interface circuit, and the voucher dispenser, the controller comprising a microprocessor and a memory operatively coupled to the microprocessor,
• the controller being programmed to determine a sequence number associated with a voucher number to be generated, wherein the sequence number is different from sequence numbers associated with at least some voucher numbers previously generated,
• the controller being programmed to combine the machine identification number associated with the casino gaming machine with the sequence number to form a combined number,
• the controller being programmed to perform a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) operation on at least a portion of the combined number to generate at least one CRC result,
• the controller being programmed to generate a voucher number based on the at least one CRC result, and
• the controller being programmed to cause the voucher dispenser to write the voucher number generated based on the at least one CRC result to a machine readable medium.

A computer readable medium storing a software program for use in a casino gaming system, the casino gaming system comprising a plurality of casino gaming machines operatively coupled to a host computer via a network, wherein each of the plurality of casino gaming machines has associated therewith a respective unique machine identification number, the software program for generating a voucher number at one of the plurality of casino gaming machines, the computer readable medium comprising:

• first code for determining a sequence number associated with a voucher number to be generated, wherein the sequence number is different from sequence numbers associated with at least some voucher numbers previously generated;
• second code for combining the machine identification number associated with the casino gaming machine that is to generate the voucher number with the sequence number to form a combined number;
• third code for performing a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) operation on at least a portion of the combined number to generate at least one CRC result;
• fourth code for generating a voucher number based on the at least one CRC result;
• and
• fifth code for writing the voucher number generated based on the at least one CRC result to a machine readable medium.

A method in a casino gaming system, the casino gaming system comprising a plurality of casino gaming machines and at least one voucher dispensing machine operatively coupled to a host computer via a network, wherein each of the plurality of casino gaming machines and the at least one voucher dispensing machine has associated therewith a respective unique machine identification number, the method comprising:

• determining a sequence number associated with a voucher number to be generated, wherein the sequence number is different from sequence numbers associated with at least some voucher numbers previously generated;
• combining, using a voucher dispensing machine, the machine identification number associated with the casino gaming machine with the sequence number to form a combined number;
• performing a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) operation on at least a portion of the combined number, using the voucher dispensing machine, to generate at least one CRC result;
• generating a voucher number based on the at least one CRC result using the voucher dispensing machine;
• and
• writing the voucher number generated based on the at least one CRC result to a machine readable medium.

A voucher dispensing machine for use in a casino gaming system, the casino gaming system comprising a plurality of casino gaming machines and at least one voucher dispensing machine operatively coupled to a host computer via a network, wherein each of the plurality of casino gaming machines and the at least one voucher dispensing machine has associated therewith a respective unique machine identification number, the voucher dispensing machine comprising:

• a network interface circuit to operatively link the voucher dispensing machine to the host computer via the network;
• a voucher dispenser;
• a controller operatively coupled to the display unit, the network interface circuit, and the voucher dispenser, the controller comprising a microprocessor and a memory operatively coupled to the microprocessor,
• the controller being programmed to determine a sequence number associated with a voucher number to be generated, wherein the sequence number is different from sequence numbers associated with at least some voucher numbers previously generated,
• the controller being programmed to combine the machine identification number associated with the voucher dispensing machine with the sequence number to form a combined number,
• the controller being programmed to perform a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) operation on at least a portion of the combined number to generate at least one CRC result,
• the controller being programmed to generate a voucher number based on the at least one CRC result, and
• the controller being programmed to cause the voucher dispenser to write the voucher number generated based on the at least one CRC result to a machine readable medium.