Alternative player tracking techniques

• US 20030028480A1
• Filed: 08/06/2001
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: International Game Technology
• Inventors: Rowe, Richard E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,617,151 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/227 characterised in that multiple accounts are available, e.g. to the payer
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 Establishing or using transaction specific rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/025 by means, e.g. cards, providing billing information at the time of purchase, e.g. identification of seller or purchaser, quantity of goods delivered or to be delivered

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are described for registering a player with a player tracking system on a gaming network. A player tracking account is created for the player using player information derived from an account card associated with the player. The account card corresponds to a remote account unrelated to the player tracking system.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for registering a player with a player tracking system on a gaming network, comprising creating a player tracking account for the player using player information derived from an account card associated with the player, the account card corresponding to a remote account unrelated to the player tracking system.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising enabling participation by the player in the player tracking system using the account card subsequent to creating the player tracking account.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising deriving the player information from the account card.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein deriving the player information from the account card comprises reading encoded information from the account card.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein deriving the player information from the account card comprises requesting the player information from the remote account identified by the account card.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising effecting an electronic funds transfer from the remote account to the player tracking account.

7. The method of claim 1 further providing a player tracking card to the player subsequent to creating the player tracking account and enabling participation by the player in the player tracking system using the player tracking card.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the account card comprises any of a frequent flyer card, a frequent shopper card, a membership card, a credit card, a debit card, a driver'"'"'s license, and an identification card.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving encoded data from the account card via a card reading device.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving data relating to the account card and manually entered by the player.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining an account card type for the account card.

12. The method of claim 11 where the account card type is determined from encoded information read from the account card.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the account card type is determined from manually entered information.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing additional services associated with the remote account and in response to interaction between the player and the player tracking system.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the gaming network is associated with a single gaming establishment.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the gaming network is associated with multiple gaming establishments.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the gaming network comprises a local area network.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the gaming network comprises a wide area network.

19. A player tracking system in a gaming network, comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines;

a plurality of player tracking units associated with the gaming machines;

a network interconnecting the gaming machines and player tracking units; and

a player tracking server connected to the network for managing the player tracking system by interacting with the player tracking units;

wherein the player tracking system is operable to generate a player tracking account corresponding to a player using player information derived from an account card associated with the player, the account card corresponding to a remote account unrelated to the player tracking system.

20. The player tracking system of claim 19 further being operable to enable participation by the player in the player tracking system using the account card subsequent to generation of the player tracking account.

21. The player tracking system of claim 19 further being operable to derive the player information from the account card.

22. The player tracking system of claim 21 further being operable to derive the player information from the account card by reading encoded information from the account card.

23. The player tracking system of claim 21 further being operable to derive the player information from the account card by requesting the player information from the remote account identified by the account card.

24. The player tracking system of claim 23 further being operable to effect an electronic funds transfer from the remote account to the player tracking account.

25. The player tracking system of claim 29 further being operable to provide a player tracking card to the player subsequent to generation of the player tracking account and to enable participation by the player in the player tracking system using the player tracking card.

26. The player tracking system of claim 19 wherein the account card comprises any of a frequent flyer card, a frequent shopper card, a membership card, a credit card, a debit card, a driver'"'"'s license, and an identification card.

27. The player tracking system of claim 19 further comprising at least one card reading device for receiving encoded data from the account card.

28. The player tracking system of claim 19 further comprising at least one interface for receiving data relating to the account card and manually entered by the player.

29. The player tracking system of claim 19 further being operable to determine an account card type for the account card.

30. The player tracking system of claim 29 further being operable to determine the account card type from encoded information read from the account card.

31. The player tracking system of claim 29 further being operable to determine the account card type from manually entered information.

32. The player tracking system of claim 19 further being operable to provide additional services associated with the remote account and in response to interaction between the player and the player tracking system.

33. The method of claim 19 wherein the network is associated with a single gaming establishment.

34. The method of claim 19 wherein the network is associated with multiple gaming establishments.

35. The method of claim 19 wherein the gaming network comprises a local area network.

36. The method of claim 19 wherein the gaming network comprises a wide area network.

37. At least one computer-readable medium having computer program instructions stored therein for effecting registration of a player with a player tracking system on a gaming network, the computer program instruction being operable to cause at least one computing device to create a player tracking account for the player using player information derived from an account card associated with the player, the account card corresponding to a remote account unrelated to the player tracking system.

38. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 37 wherein the computer program instructions are further operable to enable participation by the player in the player tracking system using the account card subsequent to creating the player tracking account.