System for adapting gaming devices to playing preferences

• US 6,293,866 B1
• Filed: 01/11/2000
• Issued: 09/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Inventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Sparico, Thomas M., Jorasch, James A., Walker, Jay S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Peter
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARADISO, JOHN ROGER
• Application Number:
  US09/481,204
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 463/12, 463/13, 463/16, 463/20, 463/40, 463/41, 463/42, 463/29, 463/25, 463/26, 463/27, 463/28, 273/143.R, 273/292, 273/293, 273/139, 273/138.2, 364/410.1, 364/411.1, 364/412.1
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• 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 slot machine networked to a central server receives preference data corresponding to a player from the central server and configures the game to match the received preference data. The player inserts his player tracking card into the slot machine, which transmits player identification data to the central server. The central server transmits player preference data and casino preference data for that player to the slot machine for configuration. While the player plays the slot machine, the slot machine transmits data about the player'"'"'s performance to the central server. The central server determines appropriate casino preference values based upon the player'"'"'s performance and transmits those values to the slot machine for configuration.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a slot machine including;

an interface operative to receive preference data representing a preferred operation, of the slot machine relative to a specific player, and

a processor operative to configure the slot machine to operate according to the preference data; and

a server coupled to the slot machine including;

a data storage device operative to store a collection of data representing various operations of the slot machine; and

a processor operative to selectively transmit a portion of the collection of data to the slot machine as preference data in response to receiving player identification data.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the slot machine further comprises:

an input device operable to receive the player identification data; and

a transmission device operable to transmit the player identification data to the server.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the data storage device includes means for indexing, the collection of data, and wherein the processor operative to selectively transmit includes processor instructions executable on the processor to select a portion of the collection of data corresponding to the player identification data and processor instructions executable on the processor to transmit the selected portion as the player preference data.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein the server further includes a data structure and processor instructions executable on the processor to accumulate player reward points associated with the player identification data based on at least player wagers and the preference data.

5. The system according to, claim 4, wherein the server further includes processor instructions executable on the processor to transmit an indication of the player reward points to the slot machine, and wherein the slot machine further includes processor instructions executable on the processor to receive the indication of the player reward points and a display to indicate the player reward points.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further operative to determine casino preferences based upon the player identification data.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the processor is further operative to update casino preferences based upon at least one of the player'"'"'s amount of play, the skill of the player, and the player'"'"'s rate of play.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further operative to calculate comp awards due to the player based upon at least one of the player'"'"'s amount of play, the skill of the player, and the player'"'"'s rate of play.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the slot machine is operative to encode player preferences.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the server is operative to decode encoded player preferences.

11. A gaming system comprising:

a gaming device including;

an interface operative to receive preference data representing a preferred operation of the gaming device relative to a specific player, and

a processor operative to configure the gaming device to operate according to the preference data; and

a server coupled to the gaming device including;

a data storage device operative to store a collection of data representing various operations of the gaming device; and

a processor operative to selectively transmit a portion of the collection of data to the gaming device as preference data in response to receiving player identification data.

12. The gaming system of claim 11 wherein the gaming device is at least one of a craps gaming device, a video poker gaming device, a video roulette gaming device, a video keno gaming device, an arcade video game, and a video baccarat gaming device.