Method and Apparatus for Synchronization of Proximate RFID Readers in a Gaming Environment
First Claim
1. An improved player tracking system for a gaming environment, said system comprising:
- 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 said plurality of RFID readers; and
a location manager controlling transmission by said plurality of RFID readers according to at least one collision-avoidance scheme.
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Accused Products
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.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An improved player tracking system for a gaming environment, said system comprising:
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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 said plurality of RFID readers; and a location manager controlling transmission by said plurality of RFID readers according to at least one collision-avoidance scheme. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for synchronizing radio frequency identification readers located in close proximity in a gaming environment, said method comprising:
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coordinating a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) readers according to a synchronization scheme; transmitting an interrogation signal according to said synchronization scheme; and receiving a response signal generated in response to said interrogation signal, said response signal including identification information for an RFID tag, wherein said synchronization scheme includes at least one of; coordinating electrical operation of said plurality of RFID readers using localized RFID reader managers; transmitting said interrogation signal from an active RFID reader and waiting for said response signal at a plurality of passive RFID readers; multiplexing an RFID reader with a plurality of antennas; using time division multiple access (TDMA) to transmit said interrogation signal from one of said plurality of RFID readers; using carrier detect multiple access (CDMA) to transmit said interrogation signal from one of said plurality of RFID readers; and using a quasi-random synchronization scheme to transmit said interrogation signal from one of said plurality of RFID readers. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for improved tracking in a gaming environment, said method comprising:
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positioning a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) readers in a gaming environment; coordinating said plurality of RFID readers according to a collision-avoidance scheme; transmitting an interrogation signal according to said collision-avoidance scheme; receiving a response signal generated in response to said interrogation signal, said response signal including identification information for an RFID tag; and tracking said RFID tag in said gaming environment based on said identification information. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for improved player tracking in a gaming environment, said method comprising:
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coordinating a plurality of readers in a gaming environment to transmit a plurality of interrogation signals according to a collision-avoidance scheme; and tracking at least one tag in said gaming environment based on a response to at least one of said plurality of interrogation signals.
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Specification