Biometric enabled casino gaming system

• US 20020160834A1
• Filed: 04/26/2002
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Game and Technology Co., Ltd
• Original Assignee: Game and Technology Co., Ltd
• Inventors: Martin, Braun, Urie, Steve
• Granted Patent: US 6,743,098 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3206 Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value

Abstract

A system for tracking game play frequency in a casino game, said system including a central server networked to a game unit, and a kiosk associated with the game unit. The central server stores personal information and registration biometric data of a player, wherein the personal information includes accrued comp point information. The kiosk includes a biometric reader for receiving a biometric identifier of a player, at least one of the central server and the kiosk compares the registration biometric data with game unit biometric data extracted from the biometric identifier to determine comp points based on game play on the game unit.

Claims

1. A system for tracking game play frequency in a casino game, said system including:

a central server networked to a game unit, said central server storing personal information and registration biometric data of a player, said personal information including accrued comp point information; and

a kiosk associated with said game unit, said kiosk including a biometric reader for receiving a biometric identifier of a player, at least one of said central server and said kiosk comparing said registration biometric data with game unit biometric data extracted from said biometric identifier to determine comp points based on game play on said game unit.

2. The system of claim 1 further including an account chip card, said account chip card storing account information and card biometric data of said player, said kiosk including a card reader for receiving said account card chip, said kiosk comparing said game unit biometric data and said card biometric data to determine access to said account information.

4. The system of claim 1 further including a bank networked with said central server, at least one of said central server and said kiosk comparing said registration biometric data with said game unit biometric data extracted from said biometric identifier to determine access to funds deposited in said bank.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said kiosk transmits comp point information to said kiosk when said registration biometric data and said game biometric data match.

6. The system of claim 1 further including a plurality of casinos, wherein said central server is networked to plurality of casinos, said central server communicating with said plurality of casinos.

7. The system of claim 1 further including a game provider, said game provider networked to said central server, at least one of said central server and said game provider updating games on said game unit.

8. The system of claim 1 further including a plurality of game units and a plurality of kiosks associated with said game units.

3. The system of claim lwherein said game unit is at least one of a slot, video poker, keno, bingo, blackjack, roulette and craps unit.

9. An improved method of tracking game play frequency in a casino gaming system, said method including:

registering a first set of biometric data;

associating the first set of biometric data with personal information including comp information;

inputting a second set of biometric data into a kiosk that is associated with a game unit;

comparing the first set of biometric data with the second set of biometric data; and

determining access to the personal information based on whether the first set of biometric data matches the second set of biometric data.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said associating step includes associating account information with said biometric data;

and wherein said determining step includes determining access to the account information based on whether the first set of biometric data matches the second set of biometric data.

11. The method of claim 9 further including storing the first set of biometric data on an account chip card.

12. The method of claim 9 further including accruing comp points based on at least the quantity and frequency of game play.

13. The method of claim 9 further including playing at least one of video poker, slots, roulette, blackjack, craps, keno, and bingo on the game unit.

14. The method of claim 9 further including displaying comp information at the kiosk when the first set of biometric data matches the second set of biometric data.

15. The method of claim 9 further including networking a plurality of gaming facilities, each having a plurality of game units, together.

16. The method of claim 9 further including updating casino games on the game unit at predetermined times.

18. The system of claim 17 further including a bank networked with said central server, at least one of said central server and said kiosk comparing said first biometric data with said second biometric data extracted from said biometric identifier to determine access to funds deposited in said bank.

19. The system of claim 17 further including a plurality of game units and a plurality of kiosks associated with said game units.

20. The system of claim 17 further including a plurality of game locations, each of said game locations including at least one server and a plurality of game units.

17. A system for tracking game play frequency in a casino game, said system including:

a central server networked to a game unit, said central server storing personal information and first biometric data of a player, said personal information including accrued comp point information;

an account chip card storing at least said first biometric data and account information;

a kiosk associated with said game unit, said kiosk including a biometric reader for receiving a biometric identifier of a player and a card reader for receiving said account chip card, at least one of said central server and said kiosk comparing said first biometric data with second biometric data extracted from said biometric identifier to determine comp points based on game play on said game unit, and at least one of said kiosk and central server comparing said second biometric data and said first biometric data to determine access to said account information.