System and method for utilizing mobile device to provide service window functionality

• US 10,424,151 B1
• Filed: 07/11/2018
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Higgins, Kevin, Petersen, Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US16/032,719
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• Field of Search: 463 42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3204 Player-machine interfaces
• 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

The present disclosure relates generally to a system that utilizes an application running on a mobile device to collect game-based data regarding a player'"'"'s experience at a gaming establishment.

Claims

1. A gaming establishment management system component comprising:

a first interface configured to communicate with a mobile device;

a second interface configured to communicate with a gaming establishment server;

a processor; and

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

wirelessly receive, via the first interface, data associated with a requested action, wherein the data is wirelessly communicated from the mobile device responsive to the mobile device receiving an input following a mobile device application of the mobile device displaying a service window associated with the requested action,

communicate, via the second interface, the data associated with the requested action to the gaming establishment server,

responsive to the gaming establishment server determining to approve the requested action;

receive, via the second interface, requested action approval data from the gaming establishment server, and

wirelessly communicate, via the first interface, the requested action approval data to the mobile device, wherein the wireless communication results in the mobile device application of the mobile device displaying, via the service window, a first message associated with an approval of the requested action, and

responsive to the gaming establishment server determining not to approve the requested action;

receive, via the second interface, requested action denial data from the gaming establishment server, and

wirelessly communicate, via the first interface, the requested action denial data to the mobile device, wherein the wireless communication results in the mobile device application of the mobile device displaying, via the service window, a second message associated with a denial of the requested action.

2. The gaming establishment management system component of claim 1, wherein the requested action comprises a drink order and the gaming establishment server comprises a drink order server.

3. The gaming establishment management system component of claim 2, wherein the drink order server determines to approve the drink order based on at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a price of an ordered drink, a ranking of a player associated with the drink order, an amount wagered the player over a designated period of time, a credit balance of an electronic gaming machine, and a balance of a gaming establishment accounted associated with the player.

4. The gaming establishment management system component of claim 2, wherein responsive to the gaming establishment server determining to approve the requested action, an ordered drink is caused to be delivered to a location of the mobile device.

5. The gaming establishment management system component of claim 1, wherein the requested action comprises a reservation of an electronic gaming machine and the gaming establishment server comprises an electronic gaming machine reservation server.

6. The gaming establishment management system component of claim 5, wherein the electronic gaming machine reservation server determines to approve the reservation of the electronic gaming machine based on at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a ranking of a player associated with the reservation of the electronic gaming machine, an amount wagered by the player associated with the reservation of the electronic gaming machine, a fee paid in association with the reservation of the electronic gaming machine, an amount of time of the reservation of the electronic gaming machine, and a quantity of electronic gaming machines requested to be reserved.

7. The gaming establishment management system component of claim 5, wherein responsive to the gaming establishment server determining to approve the requested action, an electronic gaming machine is caused to be reserved for a player associated with the mobile device.

8. The gaming establishment management system component of claim 1, wherein the processor comprises a processor of a slot machine interface board supported by a housing of an electronic gaming machine.

9. A gaming establishment server comprising:

an interface configured to communicate with a mobile device;

a processor; and

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

wirelessly receive, via the interface, data associated with a requested action, wherein the data is wirelessly communicated from the mobile device responsive to the mobile device receiving an input following a mobile device application of the mobile device displaying a service window associated with the requested action,

determine whether to approve the requested action,

responsive to the determination being to approve the requested action, wirelessly communicate, via the interface, the requested action approval data to the mobile device, wherein the wireless communication results in the mobile device application of the mobile device displaying, via the service window, a first message associated with an approval of the requested action, and

responsive to the determination being not to approve the requested action, wirelessly communicate, via the interface, the requested action denial data to the mobile device, wherein the wireless communication results in the mobile device application of the mobile device displaying, via the service window, a second message associated with a denial of the requested action.

10. The gaming establishment server of claim 9, wherein the requested action comprises a drink order.

11. The gaming establishment server of claim 10, wherein the determination to approve the drink order is based on at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a price of an ordered drink, a ranking of a player associated with the drink order, an amount wagered by the player over a designated period of time, a credit balance of an electronic gaming machine, and a balance of a gaming establishment accounted associated with the player.

12. The gaming establishment server of claim 10, wherein responsive to the determination to approve the requested action, an ordered drink is caused to be delivered to a location of the mobile device.

13. The gaming establishment server of claim 9, wherein the requested action comprises a reservation of an electronic gaming machine.

14. The gaming establishment server of claim 13, wherein the determination to approve the reservation of the electronic gaming machine is based on at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a ranking of a player associated with the reservation of the electronic gaming machine, an amount wagered by the player associated with the reservation of the electronic gaming machine, a fee paid in association with the reservation of the electronic gaming machine, an amount of time of the reservation of the electronic gaming machine, and a quantity of electronic gaming machines requested to be reserved.

15. The gaming establishment server of claim 13, wherein responsive to the determination to approve the requested action, an electronic gaming machine is caused to be reserved for a player associated with the mobile device.

16. A method of operating a gaming establishment management system component, the method comprising:

wirelessly receiving, via a first interface, data associated with a requested action, wherein the data is wirelessly communicated from a mobile device responsive to the mobile device receiving an input following a mobile device application of the mobile device displaying a service window associated with the requested action,

communicating, via a second interface, the data associated with the requested action to a gaming establishment server,

responsive to the gaming establishment server determining to approve the requested action;

receiving, via the second interface, requested action approval data from the gaming establishment server, and

wirelessly communicating, via the first interface, the requested action approval data to the mobile device, wherein the wireless communication results in the mobile device application of the mobile device displaying, via the service window, a first message associated with an approval of the requested action, and

responsive to the gaming establishment server determining not to approve the requested action;

receiving, via the second interface, requested action denial data from the gaming establishment server, and

wirelessly communicating, via the first interface, the requested action denial data to the mobile device, wherein the wireless communication results in the mobile device application of the mobile device displaying, via the service window, a second message associated with a denial of the requested action.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the requested action comprises a drink order and the gaming establishment server comprises a drink order server.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the drink order server determines to approve the drink order based on at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a price of an ordered drink, a ranking of a player associated with the drink order, an amount wagered by the player over a designated period of time, a credit balance of an electronic gaming machine, and a balance of a gaming establishment accounted associated with the player.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein responsive to the gaming establishment server determining to approve the requested action, an ordered drink is caused to be delivered to a location of the mobile device.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the requested action comprises a reservation of an electronic gaming machine and the gaming establishment server comprises an electronic gaming machine reservation server.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the electronic gaming machine reservation server determines to approve the reservation of the electronic gaming machine based on at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a ranking of a player associated with the reservation of the electronic gaming machine, an amount wagered by the player associated with the reservation of the electronic gaming machine, a fee paid in association with the reservation of the electronic gaming machine, an amount of time of the reservation of the electronic gaming machine, and a quantity of electronic gaming machines requested to be reserved.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein responsive to the gaming establishment server determining to approve the requested action, an electronic gaming machine is caused to be reserved for a player associated with the mobile device.