CASHLESS RESERVATION SYSTEM

• US 20080039193A1
• Filed: 05/25/2007
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Original Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Inventors: Curry, David, Lui, Louis, Muir, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,998,695 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• 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 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played

Abstract

A gaming system having a server connected to a plurality of gaming machines for playing a game in which a player wagers credits held in a credit meter. The gaming machines having a player tracking apparatus to receive an identifier from a current player of the gaming machine. The gaming machine can be reserved by a player, in which case play of the gaming machine is prevented by any player other than a player with the same identifier for a predetermined period time. The ability to reserve gaming machines may be dependent on eligibility criteria.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising a server system communicably connected to a plurality of gaming machines, the gaming machines providing a game in which a player stakes a wager on the game and a plurality of symbols are selected and displayed on a display, and if a winning combination occurs during play of the game, the gaming machine awards an award, wherein the user interface of the gaming machines comprises means to receive an identifier from a current player of the gaming machine and the gaming machine communicates with the server system to provide access to a player account associated with the identifier and maintained by the server system, wherein upon certain operation of the user interface by the current player, the server system determines eligibility criteria for reservation of the gaming terminal and subject to the eligibility criteria, causes the gaming machine to become reserved for a reserve period.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when the reserve period expires on a said gaming machine, any credits on a credit meter of the gaming machine are automatically communicated by the gaming machine to the server system and associated with the identifier of the current player, and wherein the gaming machine only clears the credit meter and ends the reserve on the gaming machine after the server system has received the communication from the gaming machine.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of gaming machines include a plurality of different classes of gaming machine and wherein the eligibility criteria include at least some player identifiers being eligible to reserve at least one said class of gaming machine but not eligible to reserve at least one other said class of gaming machine.

4. The gaming system of claim 3, wherein the plurality of different classes of gaming machine are classified according to at least one of the physical location of the gaming machine and the denomination of the gaming machine.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the gaming machines is not eligible to be reserved by at least one class of player during a period of time.

6. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein the period of time is preset by an operator of the gaming system.

7. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein the period of time is dynamically determined depending on a level of game play of the gaming machines.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the gaming system determines the current player to be eligible to reserve the gaming machine dependent on a player history of the current player.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the length of the reserve period is variable depending on at least one of the player identifier and data associated with the player identifier.

10. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the data associated with the player identifier comprises tradeable units and wherein the system is operable to trade the tradeable units for reservation of a said gaming machine.

11. The gaming system of claim 10, wherein the system is operable to trade the tradeable units in proportion to the time that the gaming machine remains reserved.

12. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the gaming system further includes a remote display, separate from the gaming machines and wherein the server system causes the remote display to display information indicative of the status of the reservation on one or more of the gaming machines.

13. A gaming system comprising a server system communicably connected to a plurality of gaming machines comprising a display and a user interface in communication with a game controller for providing a game in which a plurality of symbols are selected and displayed on the display, and if a winning combination occurs the game controller causes the award of an award, the player having wagered one or more credits held in a credit meter of the gaming machine to play the game, the gaming machines each further comprising player tracking means that receives an identifier from a current player of the gaming machine and a network communication interface to enable communication with the server system, wherein upon a certain operation of the user interface by the current player when the credit meter has credits on it, the gaming console is reserved by preventing play of the gaming console by any player other than a player with the same identifier for a predetermined period time, the credits on the gaming console are recorded by the server and associated with the current player and the credit meter is cleared, wherein if the predetermined period of time expires the reserve ceases and if a player with the same identifier returns to the gaming console during the predetermined period of time, the gaming console allows play of the game.

14. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein if a player with the same identifier returns to the gaming console during the predetermined period of time, the credits recorded by the server are automatically added to the credit meter.

15. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein the identifier comprises a player card and an associated personal identification number.

16. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein the gaming system determines whether the identifier of the current player indicates that the current player is eligible to reserve the gaming console and the gaming console only becomes reserved following the predetermined action by the current player only if the current player is determined to be eligible.

17. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein the gaming system includes a plurality of different classes of gaming console and wherein at least some player identifiers indicate that the player is eligible to reserve at least one said class of gaming console but not eligible to reserve at least one other said class of gaming console.

18. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of different classes of gaming console are classified according to at least one of the physical location of the gaming console and the denomination of the gaming console.

19. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein at least one said gaming console is not eligible to be reserved by at least one class of player during a period of time.

20. The gaming system of claim 19, wherein the period of time is preset by an operator of the gaming system.

21. The gaming system of claim 19, wherein the period of time is dynamically determined depending on a level of game play of the gaming consoles.

22. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein the gaming system determines the current player to be eligible to reserve the gaming console dependent on a player history of the current player.

23. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein the predetermined period of time is variable depending on at least one of the player identifier and data associated with the player identifier.

24. The gaming system of claim 23, wherein the data associated with the player identifier comprises tradeable units and wherein the system is operable to trade the tradeable units for reservation of a gaming console.

25. The gaming system of claim 24, wherein the system is operable to trade the tradeable units in proportion to the time that the gaming console remains reserved.

26. A gaming machine comprising a display and a user interface in communication with a game controller for providing a game in which a plurality of symbols are selected and displayed on the display and if a winning combination of occurs the game controller causes the award of an award, the player having wagered one or more credits held in a credit meter of the gaming machine to play the game, the gaming console further comprising player tracking apparatus operable to receive an identifier from a current player of the console and a communication interface to enable transmission and reception of information with a remote communication device, wherein upon a predetermined action by the current player when the credit meter has credits on it, the gaming machine becomes reserved by preventing play of the gaming machine by any player other than a player with the same identifier for a predetermined period time, and wherein if the predetermined period of time expires, the gaming machine automatically transmits data onto the communication interface that specifies the amount on the credit meter, clears the credit meter and ceases the reserve and wherein the gaming machine awaits receipt of information on the communication interface that the data that specifies the amount on the credit meter has been received by a device remote from the gaming console before clearing the credit meter and ceasing the reserve.

27. A gaming machine comprising a display and a user interface in communication with a game controller for providing a game in which a plurality of playing elements are selected and a number of outcomes are defined within said plurality of playing elements, and when a winning combination of playing elements occurs in at least one of said outcomes the game controller causes the award of an award, the player having wagered one or more credits held in a credit meter to play the game, wherein the gaming machine is able to be reserved by a player by operating the user interface, wherein both the ability to reserve the gaming machine and the extent to which the console can be reserved is dependent on whether the current player of the gaming console is an eligible player.

28. A gaming machine comprising a display and a user interface in communication with a game controller for providing a game in which a plurality of playing elements are selected and a number of outcomes are defined within said plurality of playing elements, and when a winning combination of playing elements occurs in at least one of said outcomes the game controller causes the award of an award, the player having wagered one or more credits held in a credit meter to play the game, wherein the gaming machine is able to be reserved by a player by operating the user interface, wherein at least one the ability to reserve the gaming machine and the extent to which the console can be reserved is dependent on whether the current player of the gaming console is an eligible player and wherein whether the current player of the gaming console is an eligible player is determined by evaluating a measure of finds held by that player.

29. The gaming machine of claim 28, wherein the measure of funds held is determined solely with reference to the value of funds in the credit meter.

30. The gaming machine of claim 28, wherein the measure of finds is determined with reference to the number of credits in the credit meter.

31. The gaming machine of claim 28, wherein the measure of funds is determined with reference to the equivalent money value of the funds in the credit meter.

32. The gaming machine of claim 28, further comprising player tracking apparatus operable to receive an identifier from a current player of the gaming machine and a communication interface to enable communication with a remote device, wherein the measure of funds held is determined with reference to the stored value of funds in a player account associated with the identifier.

33. The gaming machine of claim 32, wherein the measure of funds is determined as the sum of the value of funds in the player account and a stored value of funds in the credit meter.

34. The gaming machine of claim 28, wherein a player is deemed to be a said current eligible player when the measure of funds exceeds a minimum threshold value.

35. The gaming machine of claim 28, wherein a player is deemed to be a said current eligible player when the measure of funds is between the minimum threshold value and a maximum threshold value.

36. A gaming system comprising a server communicably connected to a plurality of gaming consoles each comprising a display and a user interface in communication with a game controller for providing a game in which a plurality of playing elements are selected and a number of outcomes are defined within said plurality of playing elements, and when a winning combination of playing elements occurs in at least one of said outcomes the game controller causes the award of an award, the player having wagered one or more credits held in a credit meter to play the game, the gaming consoles each further comprising player tracking apparatus operable to receive an identifier from a current player of the console and a network communication interface to enable communication with the server, wherein at least one of the gaming consoles is able to be reserved so as to prevent play of that gaming console by any player other than a player with the same identifier, wherein at least one of the ability to reserve the gaming console and the extent to which the gaming console can be reserved is dependent on whether the current player of the gaming console is an eligible player and wherein the eligibility of the current player is determined by evaluating a measure of funds held by that player in a player account associated with the identifier received from the current player.

37. The gaming system of claim 36, wherein eligibility of a current player is determined based on both the credits held in the credit meter and the funds held in the player account.

38. A gaming system comprising a server system communicably connected to a plurality of gaming machines, the gaming machines providing a game in which a player stakes a wager on the game and a plurality of symbols are selected and displayed on a display, and if a winning combination occurs during play of the game, the gaming machine awards an award, wherein the user interface of the gaming machines comprises means to receive an identifier from a current player of the gaming machine and the gaming machine communicates the identifier with the server system, wherein upon certain operation of the user interface by the current player the gaming machine becomes reserved for a reserve period and wherein when the reserve period expires, the server system causes a message to be sent to a portable device and wherein the gaming machine becomes unreserved in response to receipt of a certain signal from the portable device.

39. The gaming system of claim 38, wherein when one of the gaming machines is reserved, the server system causes a display remote from the gaming machine to display a status of the reservation of the gaming machine, including indicating on the display when the reservation period has expired.

40. The gaming system of claim 39, wherein the display remote from the gaming machine continues to display the status of the reservation of a gaming machine until the gaming machine becomes unreserved.

41. The gaming system of claim 38, wherein the system includes a plurality of remote displays and individual displays selectively display the reserve status of different gaming machines.

42. The gaming system of claim 41, wherein a said remote display displays the reserve status of a gaming machine reserved by a player in response to receipt of a player identifier for that player at an interface associated with the remote display.