# US 2018/0322730 A1 · Slot Machine With Charging Port for Mobile Phones > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0322730 A1 - Document ID: US20180322730A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/031,757 - Filed: 2018-07-10 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Earliest claimed: 2014-10-02 - Assignees: Greektown Casino LLC - Applicants: Greektown Casino LLC - Inventors: Brian Eby; Hugh Flack; Anthony Williams; Adam Suliman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180322730A1 ## CPC - G07F 17/3216: {Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects} - G07F 17/3237: {about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players} - G07F 17/3241: {Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance (computer security G06F21/00)} - G07F 17/3244: {Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes} - G07F 17/3286: {Type of games} - G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00}) ## Abstract An apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a gaming device and an electronic device interface. The gaming device includes a housing having an least one outer surface. The electronic device interface is removeably-secured to the at least one outer surface of the housing. The electronic device interface includes connection hardware directly connected to the external power source. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-17. (canceled) ### Claim 18 A method, comprising: providing a gaming device including: a housing having at least one outer surface at least partially forming a slot sized for receiving an identification card, and an electronic device interface removably-secured to the at least one outer surface of the housing, wherein the electronic device interface is directly connected to an external power source; connecting to the electronic device at the electronic device interface; determining if the electronic device interface should be granted access to the external power source when the identification card is removably interfaced with the slot; upon determining that the electronic device should be granted access to the power source, permitting the electronic device to receive power from the external power source; and providing power from the power source to the electronic device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the housing includes a cavity configured to receive the electronic device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method according to claim 19, wherein power is provided from the power source to the electronic device when the electronic device is disposed within the cavity. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the determining step includes determining that a patron of the gaming device has logged a predetermined amount of play time with the gaming device. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the determining step includes determining that a patron of the gaming device has met or exceeded a predetermined amount of play time with the gaming device. ### Claim 23 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the determining step includes determining that a patron of the gaming device has wagered or lost a predetermined amount of money with the gaming device. ### Claim 24 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the determining step includes determining that a patron of the gaming device has activated an app or software that is running on the electronic device. ### Claim 25 A gaming device, comprising: a housing having at least one outer surface at least partially forming a slot sized for receiving an identification card and a cavity for receiving an electronic device, an electronic device interface disposed in the housing, wherein the electronic device interface is directly connected to an external power source; data processing hardware disposed within the housing; and memory hardware in communication with the data processing hardware, the memory hardware storing instructions that when executed on the data processing hardware cause the data processing hardware to perform operations comprising: connecting to the electronic device at the electronic device interface; determining if the electronic device interface should be granted access to the external power source when the identification card is removably interfaced with the slot; and providing power from the power source to the electronic device. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The gaming device according to claim 25, wherein power is provided from the power source to the electronic device when the electronic device is disposed within the cavity. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The gaming device according to claim 25, wherein the determining step includes determining that a patron of the gaming device has logged a predetermined amount of play time with the gaming device. ### Claim 28 (depends on 25) The gaming device according to claim 25, wherein the determining step includes determining that a patron of the gaming device has met or exceeded a predetermined amount of play time with the gaming device. ### Claim 29 (depends on 25) The gaming device according to claim 25, wherein the determining step includes determining that a patron of the gaming device has wagered or lost a predetermined amount of money with the gaming device. ### Claim 30 (depends on 25) The gaming device according to claim 25, wherein the determining step includes determining that a patron of the gaming device has activated an app or software that is running on the electronic device. ### Claim 31 A gaming device for providing a game of chance, comprising: a housing having at least one outer surface at least partially forming a slot sized for receiving an identification card and a cavity for receiving an electronic device, an electronic device interface disposed in the housing, wherein the electronic device interface is selectively connected directly an external power source by a switch; a computing resource including data processing hardware in communication with the switch, wherein the computing resource does not include logic or processing associated with the game of chance, and memory hardware in communication with the data processing hardware, the memory hardware storing instructions that when executed on the data processing hardware cause the data processing hardware to perform operations comprising: connecting to the electronic device at the electronic device interface; determining that the electronic device interface should be granted access to the external power source based on an occurrence of a qualifying event not associated with operation of the game of chance; and closing the switch to provide power from the external power source to the electronic device when the computing resource determines that the qualifying event has occurred. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The gaming device according to claim 31, wherein the qualifying event is an identification card being removably interfaced with the slot. ### Claim 33 (depends on 31) The gaming device according to claim 31, wherein power is provided from the power source to the electronic device when the electronic device is disposed within the cavity. ### Claim 34 (depends on 31) The gaming device according to claim 31, wherein the qualifying event is a patron of the gaming device having logged a predetermined amount of play time with the gaming device. ### Claim 35 (depends on 31) The gaming device according to claim 31, wherein the qualifying event is a patron of the gaming device having activated an application or software that is running on the electronic device. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The gaming device according to claim 35, wherein the qualifying event is a handshake between the application or software that is running on the electronic device and the computing resource. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The gaming device according to claim 36, wherein the handshake includes exchanging data using a wireless connection.