Method and apparatus for remotely customizing a gaming device

• US 20020151366A1
• Filed: 04/11/2002
• Published: 10/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Santisi, Steven M., Gelman, Geoffrey M., Walker, Jay S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,040,987 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions

Abstract

The invention includes a system and method for remotely configuring gaming devices. Initially, a central controller receives configuration data from a player at a remote user terminal. A customization code is then determined and associated with the configuration data. The configuration data and the associated customization code are transmitted from the central controller to a casino server. The casino server waits for a configuration request that includes the customization code from the player at the gaming device. Finally, the gaming device is actually configured according to the configuration data associated with a customization code received from a player at the gaming device.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a gaming device;

a server coupled to the gaming device via a local area network; and

a remote controller coupled to the server via a wide area network,

wherein the gaming device is configurable via the remote controller.

2. An apparatus comprising:

a gaming device;

a server coupled to the gaming device via a local area network; and

a remote controller coupled to the server via a wide area network,

wherein the server is operable to;

present at least one configuration option to a player via the remote controller,

receive at least one configuration selection via the remote controller,

provide the player with a configuration identifier corresponding to the configuration selection via the remote controller, and

configure the gaming device based on the configuration selection upon receipt of a configuration request that includes the configuration identifier from the player via the gaming device.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the server is operable to configure the gaming device based on the configuration selection upon receipt of the configuration request at the gaming device.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the server is operable to configure the gaming device based on the configuration selection upon receipt of the configuration request at the server.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the server is further operable to provide the player with information related to the player'"'"'s use of gaming devices.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the remote controller includes at least one of a personal computer, a personal digital assistant, a telephone, a cell phone, a kiosk, an automated teller machine, a gaming device, an arcade game, and a vending machine.

7. A method comprising:

presenting at least one configuration option to a player via a remote controller in communication with a server;

receiving, at the server, at least one configuration selection via the remote controller;

providing the player with a configuration identifier corresponding to the configuration selection via the remote controller; and

configuring a gaming device, in communication with the server, based on the configuration selection upon receipt of a configuration request that includes the configuration identifier from the player via the gaming device.

8. A method comprising:

presenting at least one gaming device configuration option to a player while the player is disposed remotely from a casino;

receiving at least one configuration selection from the player;

providing the player with a configuration identifier corresponding to the configuration selection; and

configuring a gaming device based on the configuration selection upon receipt of a configuration request that includes the configuration identifier from a player while the player is in the casino.

9. A method comprising:

presenting at least one gaming device configuration option to a player while the player is disposed away from a gaming device;

receiving at least one configuration selection from the player;

providing the player with a configuration identifier corresponding to the configuration selection; and

configuring a gaming device based on the configuration selection upon receipt of a configuration request that includes the configuration identifier from a player while the player is disposed proximate to the gaming device.

10. A method comprising:

presenting at least one potential customization option to a player;

receiving customization data from the player; and

providing the player with a customization code corresponding to the customization data,

wherein the customization data includes an indication of at least one selection of the potential customization option, and

wherein the customization code can be entered into a gaming device to configure the gaming device according to the customization data.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein presenting at least one potential customization option further includes presenting at least one game type option.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the game types include at least one of deuces-wild, jacks or better, video reel, three reel, five reel, video poker, and blackjack.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the customization options include setting at least one of a default game denomination, a game starting point, an automatic player decision, a color scheme, a level of help, a bonus frequency, a bonus duration, a speed of reel spin, a font size, a currency type, a sound type, a sound level, a language, a currency, a payout structure, a payout amount, a payout option, a team option, a comp format, and a jackpot probability.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the code is based on the user'"'"'s identity.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the marketing data includes at least one of demographic information, contact information, health information, financial information, credit information, hobby information, personal association information, professional association information, education information, consumer information, and merchant relationship information.

14. A method comprising:

presenting at least one device option to a user;

receiving data from the user; and

providing the user with a code corresponding to the data, wherein the code can be entered into a device to initiate the device to configure itself according to the data.

16. A method comprising:

presenting at least one device option to a user;

receiving data from the user; and

providing the user with a code corresponding to the data, wherein the code can be entered into a device to initiate a server to configure the device according to the data.

17. A method comprising:

receiving a configuration selection from a user;

associating the configuration selection with a code;

storing the code and configuration selection; and

configuring a device upon receipt of the code from the user.

18. A method comprising:

storing information about a consumer;

associating a code with the information; and

providing the consumer with the code,

wherein the consumer can enter the code into a gaming device, and

wherein the gaming device is operable to customize marketing presentations to the consumer based on the information.

19. A method comprising:

presenting a website to a consumer, the website including software operable to request and store information about a consumer, the information including marketing data and gaming device configuration data;

associating a code with the information; and

providing the consumer with the code,

wherein the consumer can enter the code into a gaming device,

wherein a server coupled to the gaming device is operable to customize marketing presentations to the consumer based on the information, and

wherein the server is further operable to customize the gaming device according to the gaming device configuration data.

21. A method comprising:

presenting a website to a consumer, the website including software operable to request and store information about a consumer, the information including marketing data;

associating a code with the information; and

providing the consumer with the code,

wherein the consumer can enter the code into a gaming device, and

wherein a server coupled to the gaming device is operable to make an offer to the consumer based in the information.

22. A method comprising:

storing information about a gaming device configuration for a player;

detecting the player at a gaming device; and

configuring the gaming device based on the information.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the information includes at least one of a comp payout percentage, a comp accumulation rate, game eligibility, comp award rules, a game type, a gaming device hold percentage, and a payout table distribution.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein receiving customization data from a user terminal includes receiving customization data from a personal computer.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein receiving customization data from a user terminal includes receiving customization data from a device that includes a display and an I/O facility.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein receiving customization data from a user terminal includes receiving customization data from at least one of a personal digital assistant, a telephone, a cell phone, a kiosk, an automated teller machine, a gaming device, an arcade game, and a vending machine.

28. The method of claim 24 wherein receiving customization data from a user terminal further includes presenting customization options to a user via the user terminal.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the customization options include at least one of a game type, a default game denomination, a game starting point, an automatic player decision, a color scheme, a level of help, a bonus frequency, a bonus duration, a speed of reel spin, a font size, a currency type, a sound type, a sound level, a language, a currency, a payout structure, a payout amount, a payout option, a team option, a comp format, and a jackpot probability

30. The method of claim 24 wherein receiving customization data from a user terminal further includes presenting a website that displays at least one customization option to a user via the user terminal.

31. The method of claim 24 wherein receiving customization data from a user terminal further includes providing a website to a user that allows the user to indicate a selection of at least one customization option.

32. The method of claim 24 wherein receiving customization data from a user terminal further includes storing at least one customization selection of a user.

33. The method of claim 24 wherein receiving customization data from a user terminal further includes providing software to the user terminal that is operable to display at least one customization option to a user on the user terminal.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein providing software to the user terminal further includes providing software to the user terminal that is further operable to record at least one customization selection.

35. The method of claim 24 wherein receiving customization data from a user terminal further includes:

presenting at least one set of customization options to a user; and

receiving at least one selected set of customization options from the user.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein presenting at least one set of customization options includes presenting at least one performance indicator associated with each set of customization options.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the performance indicator may be in the form of at least one of an amount of dollars won with the associated set of customization options, a number of symbols, a color, a popularity rating, and a number of votes for the associated set of customization options.

38. The method of claim 35 wherein presenting at least one set of customization options includes presenting at least one set of customization options from among a predefined list of sets of customization options.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein presenting at least one set of customization options includes excluding from the presented sets of customization options at least one set of customization options from the predefined list of sets of customization options.

40. The method of claim 38 wherein the predefined list of sets of customization options include customization options that include at least one of a time specification, a date specification, and a location specification.

41. The method of claim 35 wherein receiving at least one selected set of customization options includes receiving a payment for a right to use the selected set of customization options.

42. The method of claim 24 wherein receiving customization data further includes presenting an example of a customization option being considered by a user.

43. The method of claim 24 wherein receiving customization data further includes allowing a user to play a mock version of a game on a simulated gaming device with the customization data applied via the user terminal.

44. The method of claim 24 wherein receiving customization data further includes gathering marketing data related to a user.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein gathering marketing data includes requesting information from the user and wherein the marketing data includes at least one of demographic information, contact information, health information, financial information, credit information, hobby information, personal association information, professional association information, education information, consumer information, and merchant relationship information

46. The method of claim 24 wherein determining an associated customization code includes determining an associated customization code that is easily remembered by a user.

47. The method of claim 24 wherein determining an associated customization code includes associating a customization code specified by a user.

48. The method of claim 24 wherein determining an associated customization code includes retrieving a customization code from a database previously associated with a configuration related to the customization data.

49. The method of claim 24 wherein determining an associated customization code includes generating a unique code and associating the unique code with the customization data.

50. The method of claim 24 wherein determining an associated customization code includes generating a code representative of the customization data.

51. The method of claim 24 wherein determining an associated customization code includes generating a customization code that encodes the customization data.

52. The method of claim 24 wherein determining an associated customization code includes associating a customization code determined based on a unique characteristic of a user.

53. The method of claim 24 wherein determining an associated customization code includes using a player tracking number as the customization code.

54. The method of claim 24 wherein determining an associated customization code includes associating a customization code determined based on an identity of a user.

55. The method of claim 24 wherein transmitting the customization data and customization code includes sending the customization data to a gaming device upon receiving the customization code from a user via the user performing at least one of:

keying in the customization code,

speaking the customization code wherein the spoken customization code is interpreted using voice recognition software,

inserting a bar code representative of the customization code into a gaming device,

inserting into a gaming device a magnetic strip containing the customization code,

inserting into the gaming device a storage medium containing the customization code, and

wirelessly transmitting the customization code to a gaming device using a user communications device.

57. The apparatus of claim 56 wherein the gaming device is configurable by a player via the remote controller.

24. A method of customizing a gaming device comprising:

receiving customization data from a user terminal;

determining an associated customization code; and

transmitting the customization data and customization code to a slot server.

56. An apparatus comprising:

a gaming device; and

a remote controller in communication with the gaming device via a network,

wherein the gaming device is configurable via the remote controller.

58. A method of customizing a gaming device comprising:

receiving a customization code and customization data from a controller;

receiving a customization code from a gaming device; and

transmitting the customization data associated with the received customization code to the gaming device.

59. A method of customizing a gaming device comprising:

receiving a customization code from a player;

transmitting the customization code to a slot server;

receiving customization data from the slot server; and

customizing the gaming device based on the received customization data.