# US 6,293,867 B1 · Gaming machine payout system and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,293,867 B1 - Document ID: US6293867B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 09/041,282 - Filed: 1998-03-11 - Granted: 2001-09-25 - Earliest claimed: 1998-03-11 - Assignees: Bally Gaming, Inc. - Inventors: Raymond J. Heidel; Rodney Hill; Thomas N. Taxon; Lawrence McAllister - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6293867B1 ## CPC - G07F 17/3246: {involving coins and/or banknotes} - G07D 11/12: Containers for valuable papers - G07F 17/32: for games, toys, sports, or amusements - 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}) - G07D: HANDLING OF COINS OR VALUABLE PAPERS, e.g. TESTING, SORTING BY DENOMINATIONS, COUNTING, DISPENSING, CHANGING OR DEPOSITING ## Abstract In a system and method for a payout in the form of paper tokens from a gaming machine, the system includes a hopper for dispensing the paper tokens, a cassette for containing the paper tokens, and software for controlling the operations of the payout of the paper tokens from the gaming machine. The cassette and hopper are located in the gaming machine in plain view of a player, and are locked for security purposes. Each paper token is transported through a payout path by mechanisms in the cassette and the hopper which interact to dispense a paper token. A plurality of sensors sense the transport of the paper token through the payout path, the operation of the transport mechanism, and the status of the paper token supply. An escrow area is provided in the cassette for rejected paper tokens, as sensed by sensors and diverted by a diverting mechanism into the escrow area. A memory element in the cassette stores operational information regarding dispensing of the paper tokens. A communicating device in the gaming machine sends messages to a central monitoring system regarding the gaming machine operations. Monitoring devices monitor security and accounting functions of the gaming machines, including security cameras which monitor the payout of the paper tokens from a gaming machine after being signalled by the system that the payout is about to begin. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for dispensing a payout from a gaming machine, comprising: a gaming machine including a housing with a front panel; means for dispensing a payout in the form of paper tokens, wherein the dispensing means are adapted to be installed in the gaming machine, and wherein the dispensing means include means for conveying the paper tokens therethrough, and wherein the dispensing means are located in the housing adjacent the front panel in plain view of a player; and means for containing the paper tokens to be dispensed by the dispensing means, wherein the containing means are adapted to be installed in and interface with the dispensing means, and wherein the containing means include means for moving the paper tokens from the containing means to the dispensing means, and wherein the conveying means interface with the moving means to facilitate the dispensing of paper tokens. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the dispensing means are further adapted to enable installation of the paper tokens in the dispensing means prior to installation of the dispensing means in the gaming machine. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the dispensing means are located proximate the top of the housing front panel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the dispensing means are located in the right side of the housing front panel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the gaming machine includes a game play display, and the dispensing means are located proximate the game play display. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the gaming machine further includes means for accepting a wager, and the dispensing means are located above the accepting means in the gaming machine housing. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the gaming machine further includes means for accepting a wager, and the dispensing means are aligned with the accepting means. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the gaming machine further includes means for accepting a wager, and the dispensing means are adapted to be located relative to the accepting means in the gaming machine housing such that a central line of a paper token dispensed by the dispensing means is in line with a central line of a wager accepted by the accepting means. ### Claim 9 A system for dispensing a payout from a gaming machine, comprising: means for dispensing a payout in the form of paper tokens, wherein the dispensing means are adapted to be installed in a gaming machine, and wherein the dispensing means include means for conveying the paper tokens therethrough; means for containing the paper tokens to be dispensed by the dispensing means, wherein the containing means are adapted to be installed in and interface with the dispensing means, and wherein the containing means include means for moving the paper tokens from the containing means to the dispensing means, and wherein the conveying means interface with the moving means to facilitate the dispensing of paper tokens; and means for locking the paper tokens in the containing means. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, further comprising means for locking the containing means in the dispensing means. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the locking means comprise a lock. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the locking means comprise a plurality of locks. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the locking means further comprise a key for locking the lock. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the locking means further comprise a plurality of keys for locking the plurality of locks. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of keys comprise two keys. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of locks comprise two locks. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the locking means comprise a lock. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the locking means comprise a plurality of locks. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the locking means further comprise a key for locking the lock. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the locking means further comprise a plurality of keys for locking the plurality of locks. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The system of claim 20, wherein the plurality of keys comprise two keys. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the plurality of locks comprise two locks. ### Claim 23 A system for dispensing a payout from a gaming machine, comprising: means for dispensing a payout in the form of paper tokens, wherein the dispensing means are adapted to be installed in a gaming machine, and wherein the dispensing means include means for conveying the paper tokens therethrough; and means for containing the paper tokens to be dispensed by the dispensing means, wherein the containing means are adapted to be installed in and interface with the dispensing means, and wherein the containing means include means for moving the paper tokens from the containing means to the dispensing means, and wherein the conveying means interface with the moving means to facilitate the dispensing of paper tokens, and wherein the containing means include means for storing data therein. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The system of claim 23, wherein the storing means comprise a memory device which includes memory therein. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The system of claim 24, wherein the memory device further includes means for checking the integrity of the data stored in memory therein. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The system of claim 24, further comprising means for docking the containing means, adapted to read data from, and write data to, the memory in the memory device in the containing means. ### Claim 27 A system for dispensing a payout from a gaming machine, comprising: means for dispensing a payout in the form of paper tokens, wherein the dispensing means are adapted to be installed in a gaming machine; and means for containig the paper tokens to be dispensed by the dispensing means, wherein the containing means are adapted to be installed in the dispensing means, and the containing means includes means for moving the paper tokens from the containing means to the dispensing means, and the containin means include means for storing data therein, wherein the storing means comprise a memory device which includes memory therein, and wherein the memory device further includes means for checking the integrity of the data stored in memory therein, and wherein the data integrity checking means comprise a cyclic redundancy check. ### Claim 28 A system for dispensing a payout from a gaming machine, comprising: means for dispensing a payout in the form of paper tokens, wherein the dispensing means are adapted to be installed in a gaming machine, and include means for sensing the performance of the operations of the dispensing means, and wherein the dispensing means include means for conveying the paper tokens therethrough; and means for containing the paper tokens to be dispensed by the dispensing means, wherein the containing means are adapted to be installed in and interface with the dispensing means, and wherein the containing means include means for moving the paper tokens from the containing means to the dispensing means, and wherein the conveying means interface with the moving means to facilitate the dispensing of paper tokens. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The system of claim 28, further comprising a timer for timing the dispensing of a paper token, which timer is adapted to start at a time when the sensing means sense the beginning of the dispensing of a paper token, and to continue until a set period of time expires, stopping prior to the set period of time if the sensing means sense the completed dispensing of the paper token. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The system of claim 29, wherein the set period of time for the timer is about three seconds. ### Claim 31 (depends on 28) The system of claim 28, wherein the sensing means are adapted to sense that a paper token has been dispensed from the dispensing means. ### Claim 32 (depends on 28) The system of claim 28, wherein the sensing means are adapted to sense that a paper token has not been dispensed from the dispensing means. ### Claim 33 (depends on 28) The system of claim 28, wherein the sensing means are adapted to sense that the dispensing means are about to start dispensing. ### Claim 34 (depends on 28) The system of claim 28, wherein the sensing means are adapted to sense that a person has removed a paper token from the dispensing means. ### Claim 35 (depends on 28) The system of claim 28, wherein the paper tokens comprise paper money comprising a multiplicity of bills, and the sensing means are adapted to sense that the dispensing means have dispensed a bill. ### Claim 36 (depends on 28) The system of claim 28, wherein the sensing means are adapted to sense that the dispensing means have been prevented from dispensing the paper tokens. ### Claim 37 (depends on 28) The system of claim 28, wherein the sensing means are adapted to sense that the dispensing means continue to dispense paper tokens after paying out the paper tokens to be dispensed to the player. ### Claim 38 (depends on 28) The system of claim 28, further comprising means for containing the paper tokens to be dispensed by the dispensing means, wherein the containing means are adapted to be installed in the dispensing means, and wherein the sensing means are further adapted to sense the performance of the operations of the containing means. ### Claim 39 (depends on 38) The system of claim 38, wherein the sensing means are adapted to sense that the containing means have been installed in the dispensing means. ### Claim 40 (depends on 38) The system of claim 38, wherein the sensing means sense that the containing means have been removed from the dispensing means. ### Claim 41 (depends on 38) The system of claim 38, wherein the sensing means are adapted to enable determination of that the containing means do not have any paper tokens. ### Claim 42 (depends on 38) The system of claim 38, wherein the sensing means are adapted to determine that the paper tokens in the containing means are at or below a preset level. ### Claim 43 A system for dispensing a payout from a gaming machine, comprising: means for dispensing a payout in the form of paper tokens, wherein the dispensing means are adapted to be installed in a gaming machine, and include means for sensing the performance of the operations of the dispensing means, and wherein the dispensing means include means for conveying the paper tokens therethrough; and means for containing the paper tokens to be dispensed by the dispensing means, wheherin the containing means are adapted to be installed in and interface with the dispensing means, and wherein the containing means include means for moving the paper tokens form the containing means to the dispensing means, and wherein the conveying means interface with the moving means to facilitate the dispensing of paper tokens, wherein the sensing means are adapted to sense that the dispensing means have been installed in a gaming machine. ### Claim 44 A system for dispensing a payout form a gaming machine, comprising: means for dispensing a payout in the form of paper tokens, wherein the dispensing means are adapted to be installed in a gaming machine, and include means for sensing the performance of the operations of the dispensing means, and wherein the dispensing means include means for conveying the paper tokens therethrough; and means for containing the paper tokens to be dispensed by the dispensing means, wherein the containing means are adapted to be installed in and interface with the dispensing means, and wherein the containing means include means for moving the paper tokens from the containing means to the dispensing means, and wherein the conveying means interface with the moving means to facilitate the dispensing of paper token, wherein the sensing means are adapted to sense that the dispensing means have been removed from a gaming machine. ### Claim 45 A system for dispensing a payout from a gaming machine, comprising: means for dispensing a payout in the form of paper tokens, wherein the dispensing means are adapted to be installed in a gaming machine, and wherein the dispensing means include means for conveying the paper tokens therethrough; means for containing the paper tokens to be dispensed by the dispensing means, adapted to be installed in and interface with the dispensing means, and wherein the containing means include means for moving the paper tokens from the containing means to the disensing means, and wherein the conveying means interface with the moving means to facilitate the dispensing of paper tokens; and means for monitoring the containing means. ### Claim 46 (depends on 45) The system of claim 45, wherein the monitoring means are adapted to monitor the installation of the containing means. ### Claim 47 (depends on 45) The system of claim 45, wherein the monitoring means are adapted to monitor the monitoring the removal of the containing means. ### Claim 48 A system for dispensing a payout from a gaming machine, comprising: means for dispensing a payout in the form of paper tokens, wherein the dispensing means are adapted to be installed in a gaming machine, and wherein the dispensing means include means for conveying the paper tokens therethrough; means for containing the paper tokens to be dispensed by the dispensing means, adapted to be installed in and interface with the dispensing means; means for monitoring the containing menas, and wherein the containing means include means for moving the paper tokens from the containing means to the dispensing means, and wherein the conveying means interface with the moving means to facilitate the dispensing of paper tokens; and means for generating an alarm if an unauthorized person is installing the containing means. ### Claim 49 A system for dispensing a payout from a gaming machine, comprising: means for dispensing a payout in the form of paper tokens, wherein the dispensing means are adapted to be installed in a gaming machine, and wherein the dispensing means include means for conveying the paper tokens therethrough; means for containing the paper tokens to be dispensed by the dispensing means, adapted to be installed in and interface with the dispensing means; means for monitoring the containing means, and wherein the containing means include means for moving the paper tokens from the containing means to the dispensing means, and wherein the conveying means interface with the moving means to facilitate the dispensing of paper tokens; and means for generating an alarm if an unauthorized person is removing the containing means. ### Claim 50 A system for dispensing a payout from a gaming machine, comprising: means for dispensing a payout in the form of paper tokens, wherein the dispensing means are adapted to be installed in a gaming machine, and wherein the dispensing means include means for conveying the paper tokens therethrough; and means for containing the paper tokens to be dispensed by the dispensing means, wherein the containing means are adapted to be installed in and interface with the dispensing means, and wherein the containing means include means for moving the paper tokens from the containing means to the dispensing means, and wherein the conveying means interface with the moving means to facilitate the dispensing of paper tokens; and wherein the paper tokens comprise a multiplicity of bills of a denomination, and the containing means include means for enabling a person to determine the denomination of bills therein. ### Claim 51 (depends on 50) The system of claim 50, wherein the denomination determination enabling means comprise indicia on the containing means based on the denomination of paper tokens therein. ### Claim 52 A system for dispensing a payout from a gaming machine, comprising: means for dispensing a payout in the form of paper tokens, wherein the dispensing means are adpated to be installed in a gaming machine, and wherein the dispensing means include means for conveying the paper tokens therethrough; and means for containing the paper tokens to be dispensed by the dispensing means, wherein the containing means are adapted to be installed in and interface with the dispensing means, and wherein the conveying means include means for moving the paper tokens from the containing means to the dispensing means, and wherein the conveying means interface with the moving means to facilitate the dispensing of paper tokens; wherein the paper tokens comprise a multiplicity of bills of a denomination, and the containing means include means for enabling a person to determine the denomination of bills therein, and wherein the denomination determination enabling means comprise an opening in the containing means, adapted to enable visual determination of the denomination of the paper tokens therein. ### Claim 53 A system for dispensing a payout from a gaming machine, comprising: means for dispensing a payout in the form of paper tokens, wherein the dispensing means are adpated to be installed in a gaming machine, and wherein the dispensing means include means for conveying the paper tokens therethrough; and means for containing the paper tokens to be dispensed by the dispensing means, wherein the containing means are adapted to be installed in and interface with the dispensing means, and wherein the containing means include means for moving the paper tokens from the containing means to the dispensing means, and wherein the conveying means interface with the moving means to facilitate the dispensing of paper tokens; wherein the paper tokens comprise a multiplicity of bills of a denomination, and the containing means include means for enabling a person to determine the denomination of bills therein, wherein the denomination determination enabling means comprise indicia on the containing means based on the denomination of paper tokens therein, and wherein the indicia comprise color coding on the containing means. ### Claim 54 A system for dispensing a payout from a gaming machine, comprising: means for dispensing a payout in the form of paper tokens, wherein the dispensing means are adapted to be installed in a gaming machine, and wherein the dispensing means include means for conveying the paper tokens therethrough; means for containing the paper tokens to be dispensed by the dispensing means, wherein the containing means are adapted to be installed in and interface with the dispensing means; and wherein the containing means include means for moving the paper tokens from the containing means to the dispensing means, and wherein the conveying means interface with the moving means to facilitate the dispensing of paper tokens; and a central monitoring system for monitoring the gaming machine, wherein the gaming machine includes means for communicating with the central monitoring system. ### Claim 55 (depends on 54) The system of claim 54, wherein the gaming machine communicating means comprise means for sending a message to the monitoring system. ### Claim 56 (depends on 54) The system of claim 54, wherein the central monitoring system includes means for communicating with the gaming machines. ### Claim 57 A system for dispensing a payout from a gaming machine, comprising: a gaming machine including a housing with a front panel; a dispenser adapted to provide a payout in the form of paper tokens, wherein the dispenser is adapted for use with the gaming machine, and wherein the dispenser includes means for conveying the paper tokens therethrough, and wherein the dispenser is located adjacent the housing front panel in plain view of a player; and means for containing the paper tokens to be dispensed by the dispenser, wherein the containing means are adapted to be installed in and interface with the dispenser, and wherein the containing means include means for moving the paper tokens from the containg means to the dispenser, and wherein the conveying means interface with the moving means to facilitate the dispensing of paper tokens. ### Claim 58 (depends on 57) The system of claim 57, wherein the dispenser is further adapted to dispense a plurality of denominations of the paper tokens. ### Claim 59 (depends on 58) The system of claim 58, wherein the dispenser includes means for separately containing each of the plurality of paper token denominations; means for transporting the paper token denominations from the separately containing means; and means for determining the paper token denomination to be transported by the transporting means from the separately containing means for dispensing thereof. ### Claim 60 (depends on 58) The system of claim 58, wherein the dispenser includes a plurality of separate containers for separately containing each of the plurality of paper token denominations; and a transporter for transporting the paper token denominations from the separate containers; and a determining element for determining the paper token denomination to be transported by the transporter from the separate containers for dispensing the paper tokens. ### Claim 61 (depends on 57) The system of claim 57, wherein the dispenser includes means for accepting a wager in the form of paper tokens; and means for transporting the paper tokens from the accepting means for dispensing thereof. ### Claim 62 (depends on 57) The system of claim 57, wherein the dispenser includes a wage acceptor for accepting a wager in the form of paper tokens; and a transporter for transporting the paper tokens from the wage acceptor for dispensing the paper tokens. ### Claim 63 A system for dispensing a payout from a gaming machine, comprising: a dispenser adapted to provide a payout in the form of paper tokens, wherein the dispenser is adapted for use with the gaming machine, and wherein the dispenser includes means for conveying the paper tokens therethrough; means for containing the paper tokens to be dispensed by the dispenser, wherein the containing means are adapted to be installed in and interface with the dispenser, and wherein the containing means include means for moving the paper tokens from the containing means to the dispenser, and wherein the conveying means interface with the moving means to facilitate the dispensing of paper tokens; and means for locking the paper tokens in the containing means. ### Claim 64 A system for dispensing a payout from a gaming machine, comprising: a dispenser adapted to provide a payout in the form of paper tokens, wherein the dispenser is adapted for use with the gaming machine, and wherein the dispenser includes means for conveying the paper tokens therethrough; and means for containing the paper tokens to be dispensed by the dispenser, wherein the containing means are adapted to be installed in and interface with the dispenser, and wherein the containing means include means for moving the paper tokens from the containing means to the dispenser, and wherein the conveying means interface with the moving means to facilitate the dispensing of paper tokens, and wherein the containing means include means for storing data therein. ### Claim 65 A system for dispensing a payout from a gaming machine, comprising: a dispenser adapted to provide a payout in the form of paper tokens, wherein the dispenser is, adapted for use with the gaming machine, and wherein the dispenser includes means for conveving the paper tokens therethrough; means for containing the paper tokens to be dispensed by the dispenser, adapted to be installed in and interface with the dispenser, and wherein the containing means include means for moving the paper tokens from the containing means to the dispenser, and wherein the conveying means interface with the moving means to facilitate the dispensing of paper tokens; and means for monitoring the containing means. ### Claim 66 A system for dispensing a payout from a gaming machine, comprising: a dispenser adapted to provide a payout in the form of paper tokens, wherein the dispenser is adapted for use with the gaming machine, and wherein the dispenser includes means for conveying the paper tokens therethrough; and means for containing the paper tokens to be dispensed by the dispenser, wherein the containing means are adapted to be installed in and interface with the dispenser, and wherein the containing means include means for moving the paper tokens from the containing means to the dispenser, and wherein the conveying means interface with the moving means to facilitate the dispensing of paper tokens, and wherein the paper tokens comprise a multiplicity of bills of a denomination, and the containing means include means for enabling a person to determine the denomination of bills therein. ### Claim 67 A system for dispensing a payout from a gaming machine, comprising: a dispenser adapted to provide a payout in the form of paper tokens, wherein the dispenser is adapted for use with the gaming machine, and wherein the dispenser includes means for conveying the paper tokens therethrough; means for containing the paper tokens to be dispensed by the dispenser, wherein the containing means are adapted to be installed in and interface with the dispenser, and wherein the containing means include means for moving the paper tokens from the containing means to the dispensers and wherein the conveying means interface with the moving means to facilitate the dispensing of paper tokens, and a central monitoring system for monitoring the gaming machine, wherein the gaming machine includes means for communicating with the central monitoring system. ### Claim 68 A system for dispensing a payout from a gaming machine, comprising: means for dispensing a payout in the form of paper tokens, wherein the dispensing means are adpated to be installed in a gaming machine, and wherein the dispensing means include means for conveying the paper tokens therethrough; means for containing the paper tokens to be dispensed by the dispensing means, adapted to be installed in and interface with the dispensing means; means for monitoring the containing means, and wherein the containing means include means for moving the paper tokens from the containing means to be dispensing means, and wherein the conveying means interface with the moving means to facilitate the dispensing of paper tokens; and means for generating an alarm if an unauthorized person is accesses the containing means.