Passive biometric customer identification and tracking system

• US 20020132663A1
• Filed: 02/22/2002
• Published: 09/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biometric Recognition LLC
• Original Assignee: Biometric Recognition LLC
• Inventors: Cumbers, Blake
• Granted Patent: US 6,783,459 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0209 Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/172 Classification, e.g. identification
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/18 Eye characteristics, e.g. of the iris
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players

Abstract

A computer-based customer tracking system passively identifies customers. Acquired biometric identification information is sent to a computer processor, which searches files in a library for matching biometric data. If no match is found, the processor opens a new file in the library. If a match is found, said processor stores in the file that a repeat identification has occurred. If said processor is only able to reduce the number of possible matches to two or more files, personnel determines if a match certain has occurred.

If prior activity information stored in the file exceeds a predetermined level, the prior activity information is retrieved from the file and sent to a terminal, preferably at the location of the transaction. New information from the transaction is stored for future access. The processor scans the files periodically, and deletes files which include activity level below a predetermined level over a preselected time period.

Claims

1. A method for identifying and tracking customers of an establishment who have not previously registered or identified themselves to the establishment, which comprises:

obtaining biometric identification information from the customer,

transmitting acquired biometric data to a data processor memory,

maintaining a library of files of anonymous customers and their corresponding biometric identification data in the data processor memory,

said processor comparing the received biometric data identifying the customer to identification data in the files of said library to determine if the acquired biometric data match stored biometric identification data of anonymous customers,

if said processor determines that said biometric data match stored identification data of a prior customer in said library, said processor storing in the memory of said customer'"'"'s file that a repeat identification has been made,

said processor storing in the memory of the customer'"'"'s file information relating to the customer'"'"'s current transaction,

if said processor is only able to reduce the identity of the customer to two or more of said library of files of anonymous customers and their corresponding biometric identification data in the data processor memory, a human being compares the received biometric data identifying the customer to the identification data in the two or more files of said library to determine which one of the two or more files of said library correspond to the anonymous customer, and

said human being manually inputting into said processor which of the two or more files of said library correspond to the anonymous customer causing said processor to store in the memory of said customer'"'"'s file that a repeat identification has been made and causing said processor to store in the memory of the customer'"'"'s file information relating to the customer'"'"'s current transaction.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the biometric identification information is obtained from the customer passively, without entry of customer data at the time of a customer'"'"'s engaging in a transaction at the establishment by either the customer or establishment personnel.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein if said received biometric data do not match stored identification data of a prior customer in said library, said processor opening a new library file and storing said received biometric data and information with respect to the transaction in the memory of said new library file.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein if said human being compares the received biometric data identifying the customer to the identification data in the two or more files of said library and determines the received biometric data do not match stored identification data of a prior customer in said library, said human being manually opening a new library file and causing said processor to store in the memory of said new library file the received biometric data and information with respect to the transaction.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein if the received biometric data matches stored biometric data in an existing library file, the processor retrieving information relating to prior activity of the customer from said library file and sending said information to a terminal in the location of the transaction.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein if the received biometric data match stored biometric data in an existing library file, and the existing library file contains prior activity information regarding the customer which has been characterized as negative, said processor sending information relating to the transaction and relating to prior activity from the file to a predetermined destination.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the processor sends information relating to prior activity only if said prior activity exceeds a predetermined level.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the processor sends information to the terminal only if the prior activity is less than a second predetermined level.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the processor periodically scans all library files, and deletes files wherein no match has been found within a predetermined minimum time period.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the processor periodically scans all library files, and deletes files wherein the level of customer activity in the file is less than a minimum preselected level.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the method is used for identifying and tracking the play of a player playing a wagering game, and information stored in the customer'"'"'s file is used to track the frequency and level of play of the player.

12. The method of claim 1 also comprising maintaining a second library of files of known customers and their corresponding biometric identification data in the data processor memory, said processor comparing received biometric data with files of the library of anonymous customers and the second library of known customers.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the biometric identification information relates to physical features of the customer'"'"'s face.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the biometric identification information is obtained by scanning an iris of the customer'"'"'s eye.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein if the received biometric identification information matches biometric identification information in a file of anonymous players, said processor retrieving information relating to prior activity from said library file and sending said information to a predetermined terminal.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein if said human being compares the received biometric data identifying the customer to the identification data in the two or more files of said library and determines the received biometric data does match stored identification data of a prior customer in said library, said human being manually causing said processor to store in the memory of said player'"'"'s file that a repeat identification has been made.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein if said human being compares the received biometric data identifying the customer to the identification data in the two or more files of said library and determines the received biometric data do not match stored identification data of a prior customer in said library, said human being manually causing said processor to open a new library file and store said received biometric data and information with respect to the transaction in the memory of said new library file.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the processor sends information relating to prior activity only if said prior activity exceeds a predetermined level.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the processor periodically scans all library files, and deletes files wherein no match has been found within a predetermined minimum period of time.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein the processor periodically scans all library files, and deletes files wherein the level of customer activity in the file is less than a minimum preselected level.

22. The method claim 15 also comprising maintaining a second library of files of known customers and their corresponding biometric identification information in the data processor memory, said processor comparing received biometric information with the files of the library of anonymous customers and the second library of known customers.

23. The method of claim 15 wherein the biometric identification information relates to physical features of the customer'"'"'s face.

24. The method of claim 15 wherein the biometric identification information is obtained by scanning an iris of the customer'"'"'s eye.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein if said human being compares the received biometric data identifying the customer to the identification data in the two or more files of said library and determines the received biometric data does match stored identification data of a prior customer in said library, said human being manually causing said processor to store in the memory of said player'"'"'s file that a repeat identification has been made.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein if said human being compares the received biometric data identifying the customer to the identification data in the two or more files of said library and determines the received biometric data do not match stored identification data of a prior customer in said library, said human being manually causing said processor to open a new library file and store said received biometric data and information with respect to the transaction in the memory of said new library file.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein the biometric identification information relates to physical features of the customer'"'"'s face.

29. The method of claim 25 wherein the biometric identification information is obtained by scanning an iris of the customer'"'"'s eye.

15. An identification method for identifying and tracking the play of a player playing a wagering game comprised of:

acquiring passively, without active entry of player identification data by a player or establishment personnel at the time of play, biometric identification information related to the player,

transmitting acquired biometric identification information to a data processor memory,

maintaining a library of files of anonymous players and their corresponding biometric identification information in the data processor memory,

said processor comparing the received biometric identification information identifying the customer to information in the files of said library to determine if the acquired information matches stored biometric identification information of an anonymous player,

if said processor is only able to reduce the identity of the customer to two or more of said library of files of anonymous customers and their corresponding biometric identification data in the data processor memory, a human being compares the received biometric data identifying the customer to the identification data in the two or more files of said library to determine if the acquired information matches stored biometric identification information of an anonymous player,

if said received biometric identification information matches stored identification information of a prior anonymous player in said library, said processor storing in the memory of said player'"'"'s file that a repeat identification has been made, and

if said received biometric information does not match stored identification information of a prior customer in said library, said processor opening a new anonymous file for said player and storing in the memory of said processor file biometric identification information of said player and at least one parameter of play of the identified game.

25. An identification method for identifying and tracking the play of a player playing a wagering game comprised of:

acquiring passively, without active entry of player identification data by a player or establishment personnel at the time of play, biometric information related to the customer,

transmitting acquired biometric identification information to a data processor memory,

maintaining a library of files of anonymous players and their corresponding biometric identification information in the data processor memory,

said processor comparing the received biometric identification information identifying the customer to information in the files of said library to determine if the acquired biometric identification information matches stored biometric identification information of an anonymous player,

if said processor is only able to reduce the identity of the customer to two or more of said library of files of anonymous customers and their corresponding biometric identification data in the data processor memory, a human being compares the received biometric data identifying the customer to the identification data in the two or more files of said library to determine if the acquired biometric identification information matches stored biometric identification information of an anonymous player,

if said received biometric information matches stored identification information of a prior anonymous player in said library, said processor storing in the memory of said player'"'"'s file that a repeat identification has been made,

if said received biometric information does not match stored identification information of a prior customer in said library, said processor opening a new anonymous file for said player and storing in the memory of said processor file biometric identification information of said player and at least one parameter of play of the identified game,

if said received biometric information matches identification information of a prior anonymous player in said library, sending at least one parameter of play of the identified game to said processor, said processor storing the parameter in the player'"'"'s file, and said processor sending information from the file relating to the player'"'"'s activity to a predetermined terminal if the level of said player'"'"'s activity exceeds a predetermined minimum level.