Method and Apparatus for Synchronization of Proximate RFID Readers in a Gaming Environment

• US 20080143485A1
• Filed: 02/19/2008
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Incorporated (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Original Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Incorporated (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Inventors: Frerking, Gary
• Granted Patent: US 8,403,204 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10039 interrogator driven, i.e. synchronous
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10079 the collision being resolved in the spatial domain, e.g. temporary shields for blindfolding the interrogator in specific directions
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10356 using a plurality of antennas, e.g. configurations including means to resolve interference between the plurality of antennas
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method for an improved player tracking in a gaming environment. Certain embodiments include a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) readers for detecting a response signal from an RFID tag, an RFID tag generating a response signal including identification data in response to an interrogation signal transmitted by one of the plurality of RFID readers, and a location manager controlling transmission by the plurality of RFID readers according to at least one collision-avoidance scheme. The collision-avoidance scheme may include one or more of the following schemes: localized RFID reader managers coordinating electrical operation of the plurality of RFID readers, an active RFID reader transmitting the interrogation signal and a plurality of passive RFID readers listening for the response signal, an RFID reader multiplexed through a plurality of antennas, TDMA, CDMA, and/or quasi-random synchronization for the RFID readers, for example.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. An improved player tracking system for a gaming environment, said system comprising:

a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) readers positioned in the gaming environment for detecting a response signal from an RFID tag;

an RFID tag generating a response signal including identification data in response to an interrogation signal transmitted by one of said plurality of RFID readers, said RFID tag and identification data identifying a player; and

a location manager controlling transmission by said plurality of RFID readers according to at least one reader collision-avoidance scheme.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said at least one reader collision-avoidance scheme further includes at least one of:

localized RFID reader managers coordinating electrical operation of said plurality of RFID readers;

an active RFID reader transmitting said interrogation signal and a plurality of passive RFID readers listening for said response signal; and

an RFID reader multiplexed through a plurality of antennas.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein said at least one reader collision-avoidance scheme further includes a carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) synchronization scheme for said plurality of RFID readers.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein said location manager communicates with a plurality of localized RFID reader managers to control said plurality of RFID readers.

25. An improved player tracking system for a gaming environment, said system comprising:

a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) readers positioned in the gaming environment, each of the plurality of RFID readers adapted to transmit an interrogation signal according to a reader collision-avoidance scheme and to receive a response signal generated in response to the interrogation signal, wherein the response signal comprises identification information for an RFID tag, the RFID tag identifying a player; and

a location manager adapted to coordinate said plurality of RFID readers according to the reader collision-avoidance scheme.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the location manager is adapted to track the RFID tag in the gaming environment based on the identification information.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein said at least one reader collision-avoidance scheme further includes at least one of:

localized RFID reader managers coordinating electrical operation of said plurality of RFID readers;

an active RFID reader transmitting said interrogation signal and a plurality of passive RFID readers listening for said response signal; and

an RFID reader multiplexed through a plurality of antennas.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein said at least one reader collision-avoidance scheme further includes a carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) synchronization scheme for said plurality of RFID readers.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein said location manager communicates with a plurality of localized RFID reader managers to control said plurality of RFID readers.

30. A player tracking system, the system comprising:

a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) readers positioned in a gaming environment, wherein each of the plurality of RFID readers is adapted to receive a response signal generated in response to an interrogation signal, wherein the response signal comprises identification information for an RFID tag identifying a player;

a local manager in communication with the plurality of RFID readers, wherein the local manager is adapted to manage the electrical operation of the RFID readers according to a reader collision-avoidance scheme; and

a location manager in communication with the RFID readers, wherein the location manager is adapted process the response signal.

31. The system of claim 31, wherein the local manager and the location manager communicate with the RFID readers over the same network.

32. The system of claim 31, further including a second local manager, wherein the local manager and the second local manager are adapted to coordinate operations of adjacent groups of RFID readers.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the location manager is adapted to process the response signal to track the player.

34. A player tracking system, the system comprising:

a plurality of passive radio frequency identification (RFID) readers positioned in a gaming environment, wherein each of the plurality of passive RFID readers is adapted to receive a response signal generated in response to an interrogation signal, wherein the response signal comprises identification information for an RFID tag identifying a player;

an active RFID reader positioned in the gaming environment, wherein the active RFID reader is adapted to receive the response signal from the RFID tag, wherein the active RFID reader is adapted to transmit the interrogation signal; and

a location manager in communication with the plurality of passive RFID readers and the active RFID reader, wherein the location manager is adapted to process a received response signal.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the plurality of passive RFID readers is located in a bank of electronic gaming machines.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the active RFID reader is located in the bank of electronic gaming machines.

37. The system of claim 34, wherein the active RFID reader is positioned such that an active volume of the active RFID reader covers the plurality of passive RFID readers.

38. The system of claim 34, further including a second active RFID reader, wherein the active RFID reader and the second active RFID reader are adapted to transmit the interrogation signal according to a reader collision-avoidance scheme.

39. The system of claim 34, wherein the location manager is adapted to process the response signal to track the player.

40. A player tracking system, the system comprising:

a plurality of antennas positioned in a gaming environment, wherein each antenna in the plurality of antennas is adapted to receive a response signal generated in response to an interrogation signal, wherein the response signal comprises identification information for a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag identifying a player;

a multiplexer in communication with the plurality of antennas, wherein the multiplexer is adapted to switch between one or more of the plurality of antennas;

an RFID reader in communication with the plurality of antennas through the multiplexer, wherein the RFID reader is adapted to transmit the interrogation signal using at least one antenna in the plurality of antennas through the multiplexer; and

a location manager in communication with the RFID reader, wherein the location manager is adapted to process the response signal.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the multiplexer is adapted to switch on a rotating basis.

42. The system of claim 40, wherein the multiplexer is adapted to switch after a complete transmit and receive cycle.

43. The system of claim 40, wherein the RFID reader is adapted to communicate the response signal and an identifier of the antenna that received the response signal to the location manager.

44. The system of claim 40, wherein the location manager is adapted to process the response signal to track the player.

45. A method for improved player tracking in a gaming environment, said method comprising:

coordinating a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) readers positioned in a gaming environment to transmit a plurality of interrogation signals according to a reader collision-avoidance scheme; and

tracking at least one RFID tag in said gaming environment based on a response by said RFID tag to at least one of said plurality of interrogation signals, said RFID tag identifying a player.