Gaming system and method for locating an electronic gaming machine with a mobile device

• US 10,591,303 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2018
• Issued: 03/17/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nelson, Dwayne R., LeMay, Steven G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trivedi, Atul
• Application Number:
  US15/925,030
• Publication Number:
  US 20180209794A1
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 701469
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• 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 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

The gaming system and method of the present disclosure leverage casino patrons'"'"' mobile devices to facilitate directing the patrons exactly to their desired electronic gaming machines (EGMs). In various embodiments, the gaming system includes a central controller communicatively connected to a plurality of EGMs. The central controller receives a request from a patron'"'"'s mobile device to find a desired one of the EGMs. The central controller causes the desired EGM and the patron'"'"'s mobile device to output the same patron identifier, such as a patron-created image, and causes the patron'"'"'s mobile device to use GPS to direct the patron to the vicinity of the desired EGM. Once the patron is within the vicinity of the desired EGM, the patron can quickly scan the surrounding EGMs to determine the one outputting the patron identifier, which is the patron'"'"'s desired EGM.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device that stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

communicatively connect, via a network interface, to a mobile device of a patron,

receive, via the network interface and from the mobile device, data representing a request to find a desired location within a gaming establishment, the desired location within the gaming establishment being different from a current location of the mobile device, and

prior to the patron arriving at the desired location within the gaming establishment, cause a display device at the desired location to display a patron identifier.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the processor, the instructions cause the processor to cancel the request responsive to a designated period of time expiring after the display device at the desired location began displaying the patron identifier.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the processor, the instructions cause the processor to cause the display device at the desired location to display the patron identifier at least partially while the mobile device displays the patron identifier.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the processor, the instructions cause the processor to cause the display device at the desired location to display the patron identifier at least partially while the mobile device displays patron directional information relative to the desired location within the gaming establishment.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the processor, the instructions cause the processor to determine the patron identifier.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the processor, the instructions cause the processor to determine that the patron has arrived at the desired location responsive to receiving an indication that the patron has been identified in association with the desired location.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the desired location within the gaming establishment is selected from the group consisting of:

a gaming table, an electronic gaming machine, a restaurant, a bar and a kiosk.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the processor, the instructions cause the processor to communicatively connect, via the network interface, to a plurality of display devices at a plurality of locations within the gaming establishment, the plurality of display devices including the display device at the desired location within the gaming establishment.

9. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device that stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

communicatively connect, via a network interface, to a mobile device of a patron,

receive, via the network interface and from the mobile device, data representing a request to find a desired location, the desired location being selected from the group consisting of;

a gaming table, an electronic gaming machine, a restaurant, a bar and a kiosk,

prior to the patron arriving at the desired location, cause a display device, at the desired location and communicatively connected to the processor, to display a patron identifier, and

responsive to the patron not arriving at the desired location within a designated period of time after the display device at the desired location began displaying the patron identifier, cancel the request and cause the display device at the desired location to cease displaying the patron identifier.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein when executed by the processor, the instructions cause the processor to cause the display device at the desired location to display the patron identifier at least partially while the mobile device displays the patron identifier.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein when executed by the processor, the instructions cause the processor to cause the display device at the desired location to display the patron identifier at least partially while the mobile device displays patron directional information relative to the desired location.

12. A method of operating a system, the method comprising:

communicatively connecting, by a processor and via a network interface, to a mobile device of a patron,

receiving, via the network interface and from the mobile device, data representing a request to find a desired location within a gaming establishment, the desired location within the gaming establishment being different from a current location of the mobile device, and

prior to the patron arriving at the desired location within the gaming establishment, displaying, by a display device at the desired location, a patron identifier.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising cancelling, by the processor, the request responsive to a designated period of time expiring after the display device at the desired location began displaying the patron identifier.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising displaying, by the display device at the desired location, the patron identifier at least partially while the mobile device displays the patron identifier.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising displaying, by the display device at the desired location, the patron identifier at least partially while the mobile device displays patron directional information relative to the desired location within the gaming establishment.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining, by the processor, the patron identifier.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining, by the processor, that the patron has arrived at the desired location responsive to receiving an indication that the patron has been identified in association with the desired location.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the desired location within the gaming establishment is selected from the group consisting of:

a gaming table, an electronic gaming machine, a restaurant, a bar and a kiosk.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising communicatively connecting, by the processor and via the network interface, to a plurality of display devices at a plurality of locations within the gaming establishment, the plurality of display devices including the display device at the desired location within the gaming establishment.