Virtual players card

• US 10,102,714 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2017
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Page, Timothy Allan, Lundy, Christopher T., Wells, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Larsen, Carl V
• Application Number:
  US15/424,471
• Publication Number:
  US 20170148269A1
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3246 involving coins and/or banknotes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty

Abstract

A gaming machine including a secondary processor coupled to a player tracking system for tracking game play of a patron using a virtual player loyalty card is described. A virtual player loyalty card can be created by associating an existing physical player loyalty card with a newly created mobile loyalty card account. The mobile card can be virtually inserted into an electronic gaming machine when a portable electronic device with an associated mobile application is in the vicinity of an electronic gaming machine. Once the mobile card is virtually inserted into the gaming machine, the patron'"'"'s game play at the gaming machine can be tracked.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

responsive to a wireless receipt, from a mobile device, of data associated with a mobile player tracking card associated with a player tracking account being virtually inserted;

block data communicated from a card reader of a gaming machine to a component of a player tracking system, the blocked data being associated with an indication that no physical player tracking card is inserted into the card reader of the gaming machine, and

send data to the component of the player tracking system which results in the component of the player tracking system interfacing with a processor of the gaming machine to cause an association of a gaming session with the player tracking account, and

responsive to an activity reporting event occurring prior to the mobile player tracking card being virtually removed, interface with the component of the player tracking system to report data associated with the gaming session.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to wirelessly interface with the component of the player tracking system.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the data associated with the player tracking account is associated with a mobile application executed on the mobile device.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the component of the player tracking system is selected from the group consisting of:

a player tracking server, and a gaming machine interface board in communication with the player tracking server.

5. A method of operating a device, said method comprising:

responsive to wirelessly receiving, from a mobile device, data associated with a mobile player tracking card associated with a player tracking account being virtually inserted;

blocking data communicated from a card reader of a gaming machine to a component of a player tracking system, the blocked data being associated with an indication that no physical player tracking card is inserted into the card reader of the gaming machine, and

sending data to the component of the player tracking system which results in the component of the player tracking system interfacing with a processor of the gaming machine to cause an association of a gaming session with the player tracking account, and

responsive to an activity reporting event occurring prior to the mobile player tracking card being virtually removed, causing a processor to interface with the component of the player tracking system to report data associated with the gaming session.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising causing the processor to wirelessly interface with the component of the player tracking system.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the data associated with the player tracking account is associated with a mobile application executed on the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the component of the player tracking system is selected from the group consisting of:

a player tracking server, and a gaming machine interface board in communication with the player tracking server.

9. The method of claim 5, which is provided via a data network.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the data network comprises an internet.