Localized remote gaming

• US 10,198,902 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2016
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Walkingstick, Paul B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuff, Michael
• Application Number:
  US15/297,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20170039804A1
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 20, 463 42
• 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

Abstract

A gaming machine, such as a video slot or video poker machine located in a casino or other gaming environment, may be configured to provide simultaneous play by both an in-person player and one or more remote players. Session identifiers may be assigned to the gaming machine that correspond to the game session of the in-person player and the game session of any remote players.

Claims

1. An electronic gaming machine comprising:

an electronic gaming machine cabinet including a door and configured to support a player tracking unit associated with a loyalty account system;

a security sensor attached to the door of the electronic gaming machine cabinet and configured to detect an opening of the door;

at least one display device supported by the electronic gaming machine cabinet;

at least one processor; and

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

identify a player via received player loyalty account data from the loyalty account system,

responsive to the identification of the player occurring during a first time window;

determine a first prior gameplay activity associated with the identified player which occurred during the first time window, and

in addition to any play of a first game displayed via the at least one display device during the first time window, cause the at least one display device to display a first listing of available second games to be played, wherein a first one of the available second games of the first listing is visually emphasized based on the determined first prior gameplay activity, and

responsive to the identification of the player occurring during a second, different time window;

determine a second, different prior gameplay activity associated with the identified player which occurred during the second time window, and

in addition to any play of the first game displayed via the at least one display device during the second time window, cause the at least one display device to display a second listing of available second games to be played, wherein a second, different one of the available second games of the second listing is visually emphasized based on the determined second prior gameplay activity.

2. The electronic gaming machine of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor responsive to the identification of the player occurring during the first time window, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to cause the at least one display device to visually deemphasize a third available second game of the first listing, said deemphasization being based on the determined first prior gameplay activity.

3. The electronic gaming machine of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor responsive to the identification of the player occurring during the first time window, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to cause the at least one display device to visually emphasize the first one of the available second games by displaying said first one of the available second games in at least one of:

a font larger than a font used for the first listing of at least another one of the available second games to be played, and a different color than a color used for the first listing of at least another one of the available second games to be played.

4. The electronic gaming machine of claim 1, which includes a plurality of input devices including an acceptor supported by the electronic gaming machine cabinet, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the plurality of input devices to:

responsive to a physical item being received via the acceptor, establish a credit balance based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item, and responsive to a cashout input being received, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance.

5. The electronic gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the determined first prior gameplay activity is selected from the group consisting of:

at least one game played by the identified player during the first time window, at least one game frequently played by the identified player during the first time window, at least one game in which the identified player has wagered, during the first time window, a designated amount, and at least one game similar to a game played by the identified player during the first time window.

6. The electronic gaming machine of claim 5, wherein the determined second prior gameplay activity is selected from the group consisting of:

at least another game played by the identified player during the second time window, at least another game frequently played by the identified player during the second time window, at least another game in which the identified player has wagered, during the second time window, the designated amount, and at least another game similar to a game played by the identified player during the second time window.

7. A gaming system server comprising:

at least one processor; and

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

identify a player via player loyalty account data received from a player tracking unit associated with a loyalty account system,

responsive to the identification of the player occurring during a first time window;

determine a first prior gameplay activity associated with the identified player which occurred during the first time window, and

in addition to communicating data which results in a display device displaying any play of a first game during the first time window, communicate data which results in the display device displaying a first listing of available second games to be played, wherein a first one of the available second games of the first listing is visually emphasized based on the determined first prior gameplay activity, and

responsive to the identification of the player occurring during a second, different time window;

determine a second, different prior gameplay activity associated with the identified player which occurred during the second time window, and

in addition to communicating data which results in the display device displaying any play of the first game during the second time window, communicate data which results in the display device displaying a second listing of available second games to be played, wherein a second, different one of the available second games of the second listing is visually emphasized based on the determined second prior gameplay activity.

8. The gaming system server of claim 7, wherein when executed by the at least one processor responsive to the identification of the player occurring during the first time window, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to communicate data which results in the display device visually deemphasizing a third available second game of the first listing, said deemphasization being based on the determined first prior gameplay activity.

9. The gaming system server of claim 7, wherein when executed by the at least one processor responsive to the identification of the player occurring during the first time window, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to communicate data which results in the display device visually emphasizing the first one of the available second games of the first listing by displaying the first one of the available second games in at least one of:

a font larger than a font used for the first listing of at least another one of the available second games to be played, and a different color than a color used for the first listing of at least another one of the available second games to be played.

10. The gaming system server of claim 7, wherein a credit balance is increasable based on any awards associated with any plays of the first game displayed via the at least one display device, said credit balance being increasable via an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and said credit balance being decreasable via a cashout device.

11. The gaming system server of claim 7, wherein the determined first prior gameplay activity is selected from the group consisting of:

at least one game played by the identified player during the first time window, at least one game frequently played by the identified player during the first time window, at least one game in which the identified player has wagered, during the first time window, a designated amount, and at least one game similar to a game played by the identified player during the first time window.

12. The gaming system server of claim 11, wherein the determined second prior gameplay activity is selected from the group consisting of:

at least another game played by the identified player during the second time window, at least another game frequently played by the identified player during the second time window, at least another game in which the identified player has wagered, during the second time window, the designated amount, and at least another game similar to a game played by the identified player during the second time window.

13. A method of operating an electronic gaming machine, said method comprising:

identifying a player via player loyalty account data received from a player tracking unit associated with a loyalty account system,

responsive to the identification of the player occurring during a first time window;

determining, by a processor, a first prior gameplay activity associated with the identified player which occurred during the first time window, and

in addition to displaying, by a display device, any play of a first game during the first time window, displaying, by the display device, a first listing of available second games to be played, wherein a first one of the available second games is visually emphasized based on the determined first prior gameplay activity, and

responsive to the identification of the player occurring during a second, different time window;

determining, by the processor, a second, different prior gameplay activity associated with the identified player which occurred during the first time window, and

in addition to displaying, by the display device, any play of the first game during the second time window, displaying, by the display device, a second listing of available second games to be played, wherein a second, different one of the available second games of the second listing is visually emphasized based on the determined second prior gameplay activity.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying, by the display device, a visual deemphasization of a third available second game of the first listing, said visual deemphasization being based on the at least one determined prior gameplay activity.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein visually emphasizing the first one of the available second games of the first listing comprises displaying, by the display device, said first one of the available second games in at least one of:

a font larger than a font used for the first listing of at least another one of the available second games to be played, and a different color than a color used for the first listing of at least another one of the available second games to be played.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein a credit balance is increasable based on any awards associated with any plays of the first game displayed via the at least one display device, said credit balance being increasable via an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and said credit balance being decreasable via a cashout device.

17. The method of claim 13, which is provided through a data network.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the data network is an internet.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the determined first prior gameplay activity is selected from the group consisting of:

at least one game played by the identified player during the first time window, at least one game frequently played by the identified player during the first time window, at least one game in which the identified player has wagered, during the first time window, a designated amount, and at least one game similar to a game played by the identified player during the first time window.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the determined second prior gameplay activity is selected from the group consisting of:

at least another game played by the identified player during the second time window, at least another game frequently played by the identified player during the second time window, at least another game in which the identified player has wagered, during the second time window, the designated amount, and at least another game similar to a game played by the identified player during the second time window.