Methods and apparatus for controlling casino game machines

• US 10,134,226 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2013
• Issued: 11/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Igt Canada Solutions Ulc (GTECH SpA)
• Original Assignee: Igt Canada Solutions Ulc (GTECH SpA)
• Inventors: Keilwert, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Torimiro, Adetokunbo O
• Application Number:
  US14/074,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20150126268A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,839 Days
• Field of Search: 463 20, 463 23, 463 29, 463 36, 463 39, 463 41, 463 43, 600300, 600544, 600546, 600595, 434128, 434129
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3206 Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/326 Game play aspects of gaming systems

Abstract

Techniques for controlling a casino game machine include detecting, via one or more muscle activity sensors worn by a player of a wagering game played on the casino game machine, voluntary muscle activity of the player while playing the wagering game on the casino game machine. The detected voluntary muscle activity of the player may be analyzed to infer a state of the player indicative of the player'"'"'s level of interest while playing the wagering game. The inferred state of the player may be mapped to one or more game adjustments appropriate for increasing a likelihood that the player in the inferred state will continue to play the wagering game or another wagering game. The game adjustments may be applied by changing one or more operating parameters of the casino game machine controlling one or more aspects of the wagering game while the player is playing the wagering game.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a casino game machine, the method comprising:

receiving credit information corresponding to cashless gaming;

detecting, via a voluntary muscle activity sensor corresponding to a player of a wagering game played on the casino game machine, voluntary muscle activity of the player while playing the wagering game on the casino game machine, the voluntary muscle activity comprising a control gesture made by the player to input a command to the casino game machine;

analyzing, by a processor, the detected voluntary muscle activity of the player to infer a state of the player indicative of the player'"'"'s level of interest while playing the wagering game;

determining, by the processor, that the player'"'"'s level of interest with the wagering game has decreased based on the detected voluntary muscle activity of the player;

changing, by the processor, an operating parameter of the wagering game to increase the interest of the player while the player is playing the wagering game;

collecting detected voluntary muscle activity information from multiple muscle activity sensors worn by multiple players of one or more wagering games; and

analyzing the collected information to identify patterns of emotional responses to the one or more wagering games across players.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the voluntary muscle activity of the player comprises receiving from the muscle activity sensor, at a cabinet housing the casino game machine, a wireless signal encoding the voluntary muscle activity of the player while playing the wagering game.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising analyzing the detected voluntary muscle activity of the player to identify the control gesture made by the player to input the command to the casino game machine.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the detected voluntary muscle activity of the player to infer the state of the player comprises an intensity parameter of the detected muscle activity corresponding to the control gesture.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising analyzing unconscious movement by the player to infer the state of the player.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein changing, by the processor, an operating parameter of the wagering game further comprises providing one or more tactile stimuli to the player via a device comprising the voluntary muscle activity sensor worn by the player.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more tactile stimuli comprise electrical and/or vibration stimuli.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the operating parameters of the game based on the patterns of emotional responses identified from the collected information.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising mapping the inferred state of the player to one or more environmental adjustments appropriate for increasing the likelihood that the player in the inferred state will continue to play the wagering game or another wagering game.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising mapping the inferred state of the player to one or more promotional offerings appropriate for increasing the likelihood that the player in the inferred state will continue to play the wagering game or another wagering game.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein inferring the player'"'"'s state comprises inferring an emotional state of the player from the detected voluntary muscle activity.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

collecting detected voluntary muscle activity information from multiple muscle activity sensors worn by at least one spectator of the one or more wagering games; and

analyzing the collected information to identify patterns of emotional responses to the one or more wagering games across players and the at least one spectator.

13. At least one non-transitory processor-readable storage medium storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the processor to perform the following operations for controlling a casino game machine:

detecting, via a muscle activity sensor corresponding to a player of a wagering game played on the casino game machine, voluntary muscle activity of the player while playing the wagering game on the casino game machine, the voluntary muscle activity comprising a control gesture made by the player to input a command to the casino game machine;

analyzing the detected voluntary muscle activity of the player, including the control gesture made by the player to input the command to the casino game machine, to infer a state of the player indicative of the player'"'"'s level of interest while playing the wagering game;

mapping the inferred state of the player to a game adjustment appropriate for increasing a likelihood that the player in the inferred state will continue to play the wagering game or another wagering game; and

applying the game adjustment by changing an operating parameter of the casino game machine controlling an aspect of the wagering game while the player is playing the wagering game,

wherein the operations performed by the processor further comprise collecting detected voluntary muscle activity information from multiple muscle activity sensors worn by multiple players of one or more wagering games, and analyzing the collected information to identify patterns of emotional responses to the one or more wagering games across players, and

wherein analyzing the detected voluntary muscle activity of the player to infer the state of the player comprises analyzing an intensity parameter of the detected muscle activity corresponding to the control gesture.

14. The at least one non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein detecting the voluntary muscle activity of the player comprises detecting electrical muscle activity of the player while playing the wagering game.

15. The at least one non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein detecting the voluntary muscle activity of the player comprises receiving from the muscle activity sensor, at a cabinet housing the casino game machine, one or more wireless signals encoding the voluntary muscle activity of the player while playing the wagering game.

16. The at least one non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises analyzing the detected voluntary muscle activity of the player to identify the control gesture made by the player to input the command to the casino game machine.

17. The at least one non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the operations performed by the processor further comprise analyzing unconscious movement by the player to infer the state of the player.

18. The at least one non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein applying the game adjustment further comprises providing a tactile stimuli to the player via a device comprising a muscle activity sensor worn by the player.

19. The at least one non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the tactile stimuli comprise electrical and/or vibration stimuli.

20. The at least one non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the operations performed by the processor further comprise updating the one or more game adjustments based on the patterns of emotional responses identified from the collected information.

21. The at least one non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the operations performed by the processor further comprise mapping the inferred state of the player to one or more environmental adjustments appropriate for increasing the likelihood that the player in the inferred state will continue to play the wagering game or another wagering game.

22. The at least one non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the operations performed by the processor further comprise mapping the inferred state of the player to one or more promotional offerings appropriate for increasing the likelihood that the player in the inferred state will continue to play the wagering game or another wagering game.

23. The at least one non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein inferring the player'"'"'s state comprises inferring an emotional state of the player from the detected voluntary muscle activity.

24. A casino game machine comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one storage medium storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the processor to perform the following operations for controlling the casino gaming machine;

receiving credit information corresponding to cashless gaming;

detecting, via a muscle activity sensor corresponding to a player of a wagering game played on the casino game machine, voluntary muscle activity of the player while playing the wagering game on the casino game machine, the voluntary muscle activity comprising a control gesture made by the player to input a command to the casino game machine;

analyzing the detected voluntary muscle activity of the player to infer a state of the player indicative of the player'"'"'s level of interest while playing the wagering game;

mapping the inferred state of the player to a game adjustment that is appropriate for increasing a likelihood that the player in the inferred state will continue to play the wagering game or another wagering game;

applying the game adjustment by changing an operating parameter of the casino game machine controlling an aspect of the wagering game while the player is playing the wagering game;

collecting detected voluntary muscle activity information from multiple muscle activity sensors worn by multiple players of one or more wagering games; and

analyzing the collected information to identify patterns of emotional responses to the one or more wagering games across players,

wherein analyzing the detected voluntary muscle activity of the player to infer the emotional state of the player comprises analyzing an intensity parameter of the detected voluntary muscle activity corresponding to the one or more control gestures.

25. The casino game machine of claim 24, wherein detecting the voluntary muscle activity of the player comprises detecting electrical muscle activity of the player while playing the wagering game.

26. The casino game machine of claim 24, wherein detecting the voluntary muscle activity of the player comprises receiving from the muscle activity sensor, at a cabinet housing the casino game machine, a wireless signal encoding the voluntary muscle activity of the player while playing the wagering game.

27. The casino game machine of claim 24, wherein the operations performed by the processor further comprise analyzing the detected voluntary muscle activity of the player to identify the control gesture made by the player to input the command to the casino game machine.

28. The casino game machine of claim 24, wherein the operations performed by the processor further comprise analyzing unconscious movement by the player to infer the state of the player.

29. The casino game machine of claim 24, wherein applying the game adjustment further comprises providing a tactile stimuli to the player via a device comprising a muscle activity sensor worn by the player.

30. The casino game machine of claim 29, wherein the tactile stimuli comprise electrical and/or vibration stimuli.

31. The casino game machine of claim 24, wherein the operations performed by the processor further comprise updating the game adjustment based on the patterns of emotional responses identified from the collected information.

32. The casino game machine of claim 24, wherein the operations performed by the processor further comprise mapping the inferred state of the player to an environmental adjustment appropriate for increasing the likelihood that the player in the inferred state will continue to play the wagering game or another wagering game.

33. The casino game machine of claim 24, wherein the operations performed by the processor further comprise mapping the inferred state of the player to one or more promotional offerings appropriate for increasing the likelihood that the player in the inferred state will continue to play the wagering game or another wagering game.

34. The casino game machine of claim 24, wherein inferring the player'"'"'s state comprises inferring an emotional state of the player from the detected voluntary muscle activity.