Player tracking interfaces and services on a gaming machine
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A player tracking unit comprising:
- a display for displaying video images;
a touch screen including;
a touch screen sensor mounted proximate to the display;
a touch screen controller for detecting an activation of the touch screen sensor and for sending input signals with information indicating an activated location on the touch screen sensor;
an input mechanism separate from the display and the touch screen adapted for inputting loyalty program information;
a logic device adapted for;
a) communicating with the display, the touch screen, the input mechanism, a master gaming controller adapted for controlling a game played on a gaming machine and a remote server, b) receiving input signals from the touch screen controller with the information indicating the activated location on the touch screen sensor;
c) detecting an activation of the input mechanism and determining whether to initiate a player tracking session;
d) after the player tracking session has been initiated, providing first video images on the display for a list of game services available on the player tracking unit wherein the first video images defines one or more input areas and wherein each of the input areas corresponds to one of the game services available on the display;
e) detecting a selection of one of the input areas via the input signals received from the touch screen controller wherein the selection is for a first game service;
f) determining whether the first game service requires an input of additional information;
g) when the additional information is required, providing second video images wherein the second video images are for a key pad interface for entering alpha-numeric data, including the additional information, into the player tracking unit and generating input data corresponding to touches detected on the touch screen when the second video images for the keypad interface are displayed;
h) generating third video images for providing the first game service;
one more mounting mechanisms for coupling the player tracking unit to the gaming machine.
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Abstract
A disclosed a player tracking unit provides a touch screen display with a touch screen controller integrated into the touch screen sensor assembly. Game service interfaces may be presented on the touch screen display that allow a user to obtain one or more game services. With the touch screen sensor, a user may navigate through the game service interface and supply information required to obtain a game service.
312 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A player tracking unit comprising:
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a display for displaying video images;
a touch screen including;
a touch screen sensor mounted proximate to the display;
a touch screen controller for detecting an activation of the touch screen sensor and for sending input signals with information indicating an activated location on the touch screen sensor;
an input mechanism separate from the display and the touch screen adapted for inputting loyalty program information;
a logic device adapted for;
a) communicating with the display, the touch screen, the input mechanism, a master gaming controller adapted for controlling a game played on a gaming machine and a remote server, b) receiving input signals from the touch screen controller with the information indicating the activated location on the touch screen sensor;
c) detecting an activation of the input mechanism and determining whether to initiate a player tracking session;
d) after the player tracking session has been initiated, providing first video images on the display for a list of game services available on the player tracking unit wherein the first video images defines one or more input areas and wherein each of the input areas corresponds to one of the game services available on the display;
e) detecting a selection of one of the input areas via the input signals received from the touch screen controller wherein the selection is for a first game service;
f) determining whether the first game service requires an input of additional information;
g) when the additional information is required, providing second video images wherein the second video images are for a key pad interface for entering alpha-numeric data, including the additional information, into the player tracking unit and generating input data corresponding to touches detected on the touch screen when the second video images for the keypad interface are displayed;
h) generating third video images for providing the first game service;
one more mounting mechanisms for coupling the player tracking unit to the gaming machine. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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20. The player tracking unit of claim 20, wherein the logic device is further adapted for displaying the video program streamed from a remote gaming device.
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32. A gaming machine comprising:
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a master gaming controller adapted for controlling a game played on the gaming machine and for communicating with a player tracking unit coupled to the gaming machine; and
the player tracking unit comprising;
a display for displaying video images;
a touch screen including;
a touch screen sensor mounted proximate to the display;
a touch screen controller for detecting an activation of the touch screen sensor and for sending input signals with information indicating an activated location on the touch screen sensor;
an input mechanism separate from the display and the touch screen adapted for inputting loyalty program information;
a logic device adapted for;
a) communicating with the display, the touch screen, the input mechanism, a master gaming controller adapted for controlling a game played on a gaming machine and a remote server, b) receiving input signals from the touch screen controller with the information indicating the activated location on the touch screen sensor;
c) detecting an activation of the input mechanism and determining whether to initiate a player tracking session;
d) after the player tracking session has been initiated, providing first video images on the display for a list of game services available on the player tracking unit wherein the first video images defines one or more input areas and wherein each of the input areas corresponds to one of the game services available on the display;
e) detecting a selection of one of the input areas via the input signals received from the touch screen controller wherein the selection is for a first game service;
f) determining whether the first game service requires an input of additional information;
g) when the additional information is required, providing second video images wherein the second video images are for a key pad interface for entering alpha-numeric data, including the additional information, into the player tracking unit and generating input data corresponding to touches detected on the touch screen when the second video images for the keypad interface are displayed;
h) generating third video images for providing the first game service;
one more mounting mechanisms for coupling the player tracking unit to the gaming machine.
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33. A player tracking system comprising:
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a remote server;
a plurality of gaming machines, said gaming machines each comprising;
a master gaming controller adapted for controlling a game played on the gaming machine and for communicating with a player tracking unit coupled to the gaming machine; and
the player tracking unit comprising;
a display for displaying video images;
a touch screen including;
a touch screen sensor mounted proximate to the display;
a touch screen controller for detecting an activation of the touch screen sensor and for sending input signals with information indicating an activated location on the touch screen sensor;
an input mechanism separate from the display and the touch screen adapted for inputting loyalty program information;
a logic device adapted for;
a) communicating with the display, the touch screen, the input mechanism, a master gaming controller adapted for controlling a game played on a gaming machine and a remote server, b) receiving input signals from the touch screen controller with the information indicating the activated location on the touch screen sensor;
c) detecting an activation of the input mechanism and determining whether to initiate a player tracking session;
d) after the player tracking session has been initiated, providing first video images on the display for a list of game services available on the player tracking unit wherein the first video images defines one or more input areas and wherein each of the input areas corresponds to one of the game services available on the display;
e) detecting a selection of one of the input areas via the input signals received from the touch screen controller wherein the selection is for a first game service;
f) determining whether the first game service requires an input of additional information;
g) when the additional information is required, providing second video images wherein the second video images are for a key pad interface for entering alpha-numeric data, including the additional information, into the player tracking unit and generating input data corresponding to touches detected on the touch screen when the second video images for the keypad interface are displayed;
h) generating third video images for providing the first game service;
one more mounting mechanisms for coupling the player tracking unit to the gaming machine.
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34. A player tracking unit comprising:
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a display for displaying video images;
a touch screen including;
a touch screen sensor mounted proximate to the display;
a touch screen controller for detecting an activation of the touch screen sensor and for sending input signals with information indicating an activated location on the touch screen sensor;
an input mechanism separate from the display and the touch screen adapted for inputting loyalty program information;
a logic device adapted for;
a) communicating with the display, the touch screen, the input mechanism, a master gaming controller adapted for controlling a game played on a gaming machine and a remote server, b) receiving input signals from the touch screen controller with the information indicating the activated location on the touch screen sensor;
c) detecting an activation of the input mechanism and determining whether to initiate a player tracking session;
d) determining an operator is requesting access to the player tracking unit and providing first video images on the display for a key pad interface for entering alpha-numeric data into the player tracking unit wherein the first video images define first input areas and wherein each of the first input areas corresponds to the alpha-numeric data displayed using the first video images;
e) detecting selections of the first input areas for the key pad interface via the input signals received from the touch screen controller and after detecting the selections, providing second video images on the display wherein the second video images are for at least a list of game services available on the player tracking unit to the operator and wherein the second video images define one or more second input areas each of the second input areas corresponding to one of the game services available on the player tracking unit to the operator;
f) detecting a selection of the one or more second input areas;
g) generating third video images for providing a first game service selected from the list of game services available to the operator;
one more mounting mechanisms for coupling the player tracking unit to the gaming machine.
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Specification