Patents by Inventor William R. Cunningham II

William R. Cunningham II has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11393283
    Abstract: Methods for secure transactions between gaming machines and portable devices are described. A logic device, separate from a master gaming controller on the gaming machine and placed in the gaming machine, may be operable to authenticate a portable device, such as a smart card, and authorize transactions involving transfers of indicia of credit between the portable device and the gaming machine. The logic device may be operable to send authentication information relating to the portable device to a remote host where a value amount of transactions involving the portable device authorized by the logic device may be higher when the logic device and the remote host authenticate the portable device as opposed to when the portable device is only authenticated by the logic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: William R. Cunningham, II, Scott J. MacMillan
  • Publication number: 20200058190
    Abstract: Methods for secure transactions between gaming machines and portable devices are described. A logic device, separate from a master gaming controller on the gaming machine and placed in the gaming machine, may be operable to authenticate a portable device, such as a smart card, and authorize transactions involving transfers of indicia of credit between the portable device and the gaming machine. The logic device may be operable to send authentication information relating to the portable device to a remote host where a value amount of transactions involving the portable device authorized by the logic device may be higher when the logic device and the remote host authenticate the portable device as opposed to when the portable device is only authenticated by the logic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Publication date: February 20, 2020
    Inventors: William R. Cunningham, II, Scott J. MacMillan
  • Patent number: 10460560
    Abstract: Methods for secure transactions between gaming machines and portable devices are described. A logic device, separate from a master gaming controller on the gaming machine and placed in the gaming machine, may be operable to authenticate a portable device, such as a smart card, and authorize transactions involving transfers of indicia of credit between the portable device and the gaming machine. The logic device may be operable to send authentication information relating to the portable device to a remote host where a value amount of transactions involving the portable device authorized by the logic device may be higher when the logic device and the remote host authenticate the portable device as opposed to when the portable device is only authenticated by the logic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: William R. Cunningham, II, Scott J. Macmillan
  • Publication number: 20160217654
    Abstract: Methods for secure transactions between gaming machines and portable devices are described. A logic device, separate from a master gaming controller on the gaming machine and placed in the gaming machine, may be operable to authenticate a portable device, such as a smart card, and authorize transactions involving transfers of indicia of credit between the portable device and the gaming machine. The logic device may be operable to send authentication information relating to the portable device to a remote host where a value amount of transactions involving the portable device authorized by the logic device may be higher when the logic device and the remote host authenticate the portable device as opposed to when the portable device is only authenticated by the logic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2016
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Inventors: William R. Cunningham, II, Scott J. Macmillan
  • Patent number: 9324209
    Abstract: Methods for secure transactions between gaming machines and portable devices are described. A logic device, separate from a master gaming controller on the gaming machine and placed in the gaming machine, may be operable to authenticate a portable device, such as a smart card, and authorize transactions involving transfers of indicia of credit between the portable device and the gaming machine. The logic device may be operable to send authentication information relating to the portable device to a remote host where a value amount of transactions involving the portable device authorized by the logic device may be higher when the logic device and the remote host authenticate the portable device as opposed to when the portable device is only authenticated by the logic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: William R. Cunningham, II, Scott J. MacMillan
  • Publication number: 20150348021
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to facilitating cashless digital transactions. In one embodiment, a gaming machine includes: (1) a memory storing a first credit balance representing an amount of credit available for wagering; (2) a communication interface configured to communicate with a portable electronic device storing a second credit balance representing a second amount of credit available on the portable electronic device; and (3) a secure transaction device configured to: (a) transmit to the portable electronic device a request to update the second credit balance, the request including security authorization information, (b) receive from the portable electronic device an indication that the second amount of credit has been updated in accordance with the request when it is determined that the security authorization information complies with one or more security authorization requirements, and (c) update the first credit balance stored in the first memory device in accordance with the request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2015
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Inventors: Richard Rader, Erik B. Petersen, Robert P. Bartholomew, Marc Espin, William R. Cunningham, II, Scott J. MacMillan
  • Patent number: 9123204
    Abstract: Various embodiments described or referenced herein are directed to different devices, methods, systems, and computer program products for facilitating cashless digital transactions (e.g., in a casino environment). A wager-based gaming machine may include a memory device capable of storing a first credit balance representing an amount of credit available for wagering. The wager-based gaming machine may include a communication interface configured to communicate with a portable electronic device capable of storing a second credit balance representing a second amount of credit available on the portable electronic device. The wager-based gaming machine may include a secure transaction device. The secure transaction device may be operable to transmit to the portable electronic device a request to update the second credit balance, the request including security authorization information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Richard Rader, Erik B. Petersen, Robert P. Bartholomew, Marc Espin, William R. Cunningham, II, Scott J. MacMillan
  • Publication number: 20140148248
    Abstract: Methods for secure transactions between gaming machines and portable devices are described. A logic device, separate from a master gaming controller on the gaming machine and placed in the gaming machine, may be operable to authenticate a portable device, such as a smart card, and authorize transactions involving transfers of indicia of credit between the portable device and the gaming machine. The logic device may be operable to send authentication information relating to the portable device to a remote host where a value amount of transactions involving the portable device authorized by the logic device may be higher when the logic device and the remote host authenticate the portable device as opposed to when the portable device is only authenticated by the logic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: William R. Cunningham, II, Scott J. MacMillan
  • Patent number: 8463711
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for secure transactions between gaming machines and portable devices are described. The secure transactions may include a transfer of an amount of an indicia of credit with a cash value from the portable device to the gaming machine or a transfer of an amount of an indicia of credit with a cash value from the gaming machine to the portable device. A logic device, separate from a master gaming controller on the gaming machine and placed in the gaming machine, may be operable to authenticate a portable device, such as a smart card, and authorize transactions involving transfers of indicia of credit between the portable device and the gaming machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: William R. Cunningham, II, Scott J. MacMillan
  • Publication number: 20100197383
    Abstract: Various embodiments described or referenced herein are directed to different devices, methods, systems, and computer program products for facilitating cashless digital transactions (e.g., in a casino environment). A wager-based gaming machine may include a memory device capable of storing a first credit balance representing an amount of credit available for wagering. The wager-based gaming machine may include a communication interface configured to communicate with a portable electronic device capable of storing a second credit balance representing a second amount of credit available on the portable electronic device. The wager-based gaming machine may include a secure transaction device. The secure transaction device may be operable to transmit to the portable electronic device a request to update the second credit balance, the request including security authorization information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Richard Rader, Erik B. Petersen, Robert P. Bartholomew, Marc Espin, William R. Cunningham II, Scott J. MacMillan
  • Publication number: 20080207307
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for secure transactions between gaming machines and portable devices are described. The secure transactions may include a transfer of an amount of an indicia of credit with a cash value from the portable device to the gaming machine or a transfer of an amount of an indicia of credit with a cash value from the gaming machine to the portable device. A logic device, separate from a master gaming controller on the gaming machine and placed in the gaming machine, may be operable to authenticate a portable device, such as a smart card, and authorize transactions involving transfers of indicia of credit between the portable device and the gaming machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2007
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: William R. Cunningham II, Scott J. MacMillan