System and method for retrieving player information in a player tracking system

• US 20040092303A1
• Filed: 09/12/2003
• Published: 05/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Konami Gaming Incorporated (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Gaming Incorporated (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: George, Jeffrey, Huber, Doug, Huang, Zhiguo, Pochin, John-Paul
• Application Number:
  US10/661,131
• Publication Number:
  US 20040092303A1
• 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 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3234 about the performance of a gaming system, e.g. revenue, diagnosis of the gaming system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players

Abstract

A remote system and method retrieves player information from a player tracking system implemented. A gaming system implements the player tracking system and has at least one electronic gaming machine playable by a player. A host computer is coupled to the at least one electronic gaming machine by a network and includes a database for maintaining the player tracking system. A remote device receives identification information input by a user. A remote network interface is coupled to the remote device for receiving the identification information from the remote device, retrieving player information from the database as a function of the identification information, and returning the player information to the remote device.

Claims

1. A remote system for use with a gaming system, the gaming system for implementing a player tracking system and having at least one electronic gaming machine playable by a player, a host computer coupled to the at least one electronic gaming machine by a network, the host computer including a database for maintaining the player tracking system, the remote system comprising:

a remote device for receiving identification information input by a user; and

,

a remote network interface coupled to the remote device for receiving the identification information from the remote device, retrieving player information from the database as a function of the identification information, and returning the player information to the remote device.

2. A remote system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the remote device is coupled to the remote network interface by a wireless connection.

3. A remote system, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the wireless connection uses an IEEE 802.11 standard.

4. A remote system, as set forth in claim 3, wherein the wireless connection is IEEE 802.11b.

5. A remote system, as set forth in claim 3, wherein the wireless connection is IEEE 802.11g.

6. A remote system, as set forth in claim 1, the remote device having a processor and a web client for interaction with the user.

7. A remote system, as set forth in claim 6, the web client for acquiring input from the user and formatting and presenting data to the user.

8. A remote system, as set forth in claim 1, the remote network interface for sending a request form to the remote device.

9. A remote system, as set forth in claim 8, the request form being fillable with the identification information by the user.

10. A remote system, as set forth in claim 9, the remote device having a processor and a web client for interaction with a user, the request form being accessible through the web client.

11. A remote system, as set forth in claim 10, the request form accepting the identification information.

12. A remote system, as set forth in claim 11, the identification information including one of an identification card number and a device number associated with the electronic gaming machine.

13. A remote system, as set forth in claim 11, the identification information including an identification card number, the remote network interface for receiving the identification card number and determining if the identification card number is valid.

14. A remote system, as set forth in claim 13, the remote network interface for retrieving the player information from the database if the identification card number is valid.

15. A remote system as set forth in claim 13, further comprising a card reader connected to the remote device, the card reader for reading the identification card number from a player identification card.

16. A remote system, as set forth in claim 11, the identification information including a device identification number associated with the electronic gaming machine.

17. A remote system, as set forth in claim 16, the remote network interface for receiving the device identification number and retrieving player information from the database as a function of the device identification number, the player information associated with the player playing the electronic gaming machine.

18. A remote system, as set forth in claim 1, the remote network interface coupled to the database for retrieving and storing data therein.

19. A remote system, as set forth in claim 18, the database for storing data in database tables.

20. A remote system, as set forth in claim 19, further comprising a plurality of first data object coupled to the database tables for retrieving and storing data in the database tables.

21. A remote system, as set forth in claim 20, further comprising at least one second data object coupled to the first data objects for assembling multiple first data objects into a third data object.

22. A remote system, as set forth in claim 21, the third object coupled to the remote network interface for receiving queries from the remote network interface, retrieving responsive data from the database, formatting the responsive data and returning the responsive data to the remote network interface.

23. A remote system, as set forth in claim 22, the remote network interface for receiving the responsive data and transmitting the responsive data to the remote device.

24. A remote system, as set forth in claim 23, the remote device having a processor and a web client for interaction with a user, the remote network interface for formatting the responsive data into a hyper text mark-up language response for display by the web client.

25. A remote system, as set forth in claim 6, the web client including a plurality of servlets for providing functionality to a user.

26. A remote system, as set forth in claim 25, the web client including a login layer for identifying the user.

27. A remote system, as set forth in claim 26, the web client including a menu layer for allowing the user to navigate to and access the servlets.

28. A remote system, as set forth in claim 27, the user having an assigned type, the menu layer for allowing accessing to servlets and restricting access to servlets as a function of the assigned type.

29. A remote system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the player information includes a player name.

30. A remote system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the player information includes a player address.

31. A remote system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the player information includes a patron host name.

32. A remote system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the player information includes at least one anniversary date.

33. A remote system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the player information includes at least one meter for tracking bonus points.

34. A remote system, as set forth in claim 33, wherein the bonus points are one of incentive points and credits.

35. A remote system, as set forth in claim 33 wherein the bonus points are one of cashable and non-cashable.

36. A method using a remote device for retrieving information related to a player in a player tracking system for use with a gaming system, the gaming system including at least one electronic gaming machine playable by the player and a host computer coupled to the at least one electronic gaming machine by a network, the host computer including a database for maintaining the player tracking system, the method including the steps of:

receiving identification information at the remote device;

receiving the identification information from the remote device at the host computer; and

,

retrieving player information from the database as a function of the identification information.

37. A method, as set forth in claim 36, the gaming system having a remote network interface for coupling the remote device to the host computer, the method including the step of providing a wireless connection between the remote device and the remote network interface.

38. A method, as set forth in claim 37, wherein the wireless connection uses an IEEE 802.11 standard.

39. A method, as set forth in claim 38, wherein the wireless connection is IEEE 802.11b.

40. A method, as set forth in claim 38, wherein the wireless connection is IEEE 802.11g.

41. A method, as set forth in claim 36, the remote device having a processor and a web client for interaction with a user, the method including the steps of:

acquiring input via the web client from the user; and

,

formatting and presenting data to the user.

42. A method, as set forth in claim 36, the method including the step of sending a request form by the remote network interface to the remote device.

43. A method, as set forth in claim 42, the request form being fillable with the identification information by a user.

44. A method, as set forth in claim 43, the request form being accessible through a web client.

45. A method, as set forth in claim 44, the method including the step of accepting by the request form the identification information.

46. A method, as set forth in claim 45, the identification information including one of an identification card number and a device number associated with the electronic gaming machine.

47. A method, as set forth in claim 45, the identification information including an identification card number, the method including the steps of receiving the identification card number by the remote network interface and determining if the identification card number is valid.

48. A method, as set forth in claim 47, the method including the steps of retrieving the player information from the database if the identification card number is valid.

49. A method as set forth in claim 47, the remote device having a card reader, the method including the step of reading the identification card number from a player identification card by the card reader.

50. A method, as set forth in claim 47, the identification information including a device identification number associated with the electronic gaming machine.

51. A method, as set forth in claim 50, including the steps of receiving the device identification number at the remote network interface and retrieving player information from the database as a function of the device identification number, the player information associated with the player playing the electronic gaming machine.

52. A method, as set forth in claim 36, the remote network interface coupled to the database for retrieving and storing data therein.

53. A method, as set forth in claim 52, the database for storing data in database tables.

54. A method, as set forth in claim 53, including the step of providing a plurality of first data object coupled to the database tables for retrieving and storing data in the database tables.

55. A method, as set forth in claim 54, including the step of providing at least one second data object coupled to the first data objects for assembling multiple first data objects into a third data object.

56. A method, as set forth in claim 55, the third object coupled to the remote network interface, the method including the step of receiving queries from the remote network interface at the third object, retrieving responsive data from the database, formatting the responsive data and returning the responsive data to the remote network interface.

57. A method, as set forth in claim 56, including the steps of receiving the responsive data and transmitting the responsive data to the remote device.

58. A method, as set forth in claim 57, the remote device having a processor and a web client for interaction with a user, the method including the step of formatting the responsive data, at the remote network interface, into a hyper text mark-up language response for display by the web client.

59. A method, as set forth in claim 41 the web client including a plurality of servlets for providing functionality to a user.

60. A method, as set forth in claim 59, the web client including a login layer for identifying the user.

61. A method, as set forth in claim 60, the web client including a menu layer for allowing the user to navigate to and access the servlets.

62. A method, as set forth in claim 61, the user having an assigned type, the menu layer for allowing accessing to servlets and restricting access to servlets as a function of the assigned type.

63. A method, as set forth in claim 36, wherein the player information includes a player name.

64. A method, as set forth in claim 36, wherein the player information includes a player address.

65. A method, as set forth in claim 36, wherein the player information includes a patron host name.

66. A method, as set forth in claim 36, wherein the player information includes at least one anniversary date.

67. A method, as set forth in claim 36, wherein the player information includes at least one meter for tracking bonus points.

68. A method, as set forth in claim 67, wherein the bonus points are one of incentive points and credits.

69. A method, as set forth in claim 67, wherein the bonus points are one of cashable and non-cashable.