Slot machine advertising/sales system and method

• US 6,390,917 B1
• Filed: 03/08/2000
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Sparico, Thomas M., Walker, Jay S.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US09/521,869
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/16-20, 463/11-13, 463/25, 463/29-30, 463/36, 463/40-42, 700/91, 700/93, 705/14, 705/16-18, 705/26-27
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players

Abstract

A network server provides control functions for gambling devices of the type which provide intermittent monetary payments to players at a point-of-play. The point-of-play includes an interactive display device for displaying messages to the player and for receiving player responses which are then transmitted to a network server. Memory at the network server stores product and product purchase information and customer profile data. The network server causes transmission of product and product purchase information to the interactive display device and monitors each of the gambling devices to detect an occurrence of a player win that requires a monetary payout. The network server is responsive to the detection of the player win and to an entry from the player which indicates the purchase of a product (as offered by a locally displayed advertisement), to credit the purchase price of the product against the anticipated monetary payout. The network server is also controlled to display selected subsets of product and product purchase information in accord with player characteristic data that is input by the player at the gambling device.

Claims

1. A network server for providing control functions for connected gambling devices which provide intermittent monetary payments to players at a point of play, said point of play further including means for displaying messages to a player and means for receiving responses from said player which are transmitted to said network server, said network server comprising:

memory means for storing product and product purchase information;

processor means operating in conjunction with software control for

i) providing to said means for displaying, product information and product purchase information from said memory means;

ii) monitoring each of said gambling devices to detect an occurrence of a player win requiring a monetary payout to said player; and

iii) responding to detection of said player win and to an entry from said player indicating purchase of a product offered by said means for displaying, for crediting a purchase price of said product against said monetary payment.

2. The network server as recited in claim 1, wherein the player accepts a product switch offer and said processor means, in response to an indication that said player accepts the product switch offer, authorizes issuance of a payment to said player.

3. The network server as recited in claim 1, wherein said processor means, in response to indication of purchase of a product, authorizes issuance of said monetary payment to said player, less the purchase price of said product.

4. The network server as recited in claim 1, wherein said processor means selects product and purchase information for transmission to said means for displaying in accordance with an amount of said monetary payment.

5. The network server as recited in claim 1, wherein said processor means causes said means for displaying to display said product and product purchase information during play of said gambling device.

6. The network server as recited in claim 5, wherein said processor means causes a means for displaying associated with a specific gambling device to display a selected subset of product and product purchase information in response to receipt of data from said specific gambling device that a player fitting a determined criteria is playing said gambling device.

7. The network server as recited in claim 6, wherein said data from said specific gambling device is derived from a player-inserted identity card.

8. A method for enabling network server means to provide control functions for connected gambling devices which provide intermittent monetary payments to players at a point of play, said network server means including memory for storing product and product purchase information, said point of play further including means for displaying messages to a player and for receiving responses from said player which are transmitted to said network server means, said method comprising the steps of:

a) providing to said means for displaying, product information and product purchase information from said memory;

b) monitoring each of said gambling devices to detect an occurrence of a player win requiring a monetary payout to said player; and

c) in response to detection of said player win and to an entry from said player indicating purchase of a product offered by said means for displaying, crediting a purchase price of said product against said monetary payment.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the player accepts a product switch offer, said method comprising the further step of:

d) responding to an indication that said player accepts the product switch offer by authorizing issuance of a payment to said player.

10. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein step c) additionally authorizes a issuance of a monetary payment to said player that is less the purchase price of said product.

11. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein step a) further selects product and purchase information for transmission to said means for displaying in accordance with an amount of said monetary payment.

12. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein step a) further causes said means for displaying to display said product and product purchase information during play of said gambling device.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein step a) further causes a means for displaying associated with a specific gambling device to display a selected subset of product and product purchase information in response to receipt of data from said specific gambling device that a player fitting a determined criteria is playing said gambling device.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein said data from said specific gambling device is derived from a player inserted identity card.

15. A memory media for operation in conjunction with a network server to provide control functions for connected gambling devices which provide intermittent monetary payments to players at a point of play, said network server including memory for storing product and product purchase information, said point of play further including means for displaying messages to a player and for receiving responses from said player which are transmitted to said network server, said memory media comprising:

a) means operating in conjunction with said network server for providing to said means for displaying, product information and product purchase information from said memory;

b) means operating in conjunction with said network server for monitoring each of said gambling devices to detect an occurrence of a player win requiring a monetary payout to said player; and

c) means operating in conjunction with said network server and responsive to detection of said player win and to an entry from said player indicating purchase of an offered product, for crediting a purchase price of said offered product against said monetary payment.

16. The memory media as recited in claim 15, wherein the player accepts a product switch offer and further comprising:

d) means responsive to an indication that said player accepts the product switch offer, for authorizing issuance of a payment to said player.

17. The memory media as recited in claim 15, wherein means c) additionally causes said network server to authorize issuance of a monetary payment to said player that is less the purchase price of said offered product.

18. The memory media as recited in claim 15, wherein means a) additionally causes said network server to select product and purchase information for transmission to said means for displaying in accordance with an amount of said monetary payment.

19. The memory media as recited in claim 15, wherein means a) additionally causes said means for displaying to display said product and product purchase information during play of said gambling device.

20. The memory media as recited in claim 19, wherein means a) controls said network server to cause a means for displaying associated with a specific gambling device to display a selected subset of product and product purchase information associated with a determined criteria, in response to receipt of data from said specific gambling device that a player fitting said determined criteria is playing said gambling device.

21. A gambling device which provides intermittent monetary payments to players at a point of play further including means for displaying messages to a player and means for receiving responses from said player, said gambling device comprising:

means for providing product information and product purchase information to a player;

means for signaling an occurrence of a player win requiring a monetary payout to said player; and

means responsive to said signaling of said player win and to an entry from said player indicating purchase of a product offered by said means for providing, for crediting a purchase price of said product against said monetary payment.

22. The gambling device as recited in claim 21, wherein the player accepts a product switch offer, further comprising:

means responsive to an indication that said player accepts the product switch offer, for authorizing issuance of a payment to said player.

23. The gambling device as recited in claim 21, wherein said means responsive to said signalling responds to an indication of purchase of a product, by issuing a monetary payment to said player that is less the purchase price of said product.

24. The gambling device as recited in claim 21, wherein said means for providing displays product and purchase information in accordance with an amount of said monetary payment.

25. The gambling device as recited in claim 21, wherein said means for providing displays product and purchase information during play of said gambling device.

26. The gambling device as recited in claim 21, wherein said means for providing displays a selected subset of product and product purchase information in response to receipt of data that a player fitting a determined criteria is playing said gambling device.

27. The gambling device as recited in claim 26, wherein said data is derived from a player-inserted identity card.

28. A method for operating a gambling device which provides intermittent monetary payments to players at a point of play, said point of play further including means for displaying messages to a player and means for receiving responses from said player, said method comprising the steps of:

displaying product information and product purchase information to a player;

signaling an occurrence of a player win requiring a monetary payout to said player;

receiving an entry from said player indicating purchase of a displayed product; and

responding to said signaling of said player win and to said entry, by crediting a purchase price of said product against said monetary payment.

29. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein the player accepts a product switch offer, said method comprising the further step of:

responding to an indication that said player accepts the product switch offer by issuing a payment to said player.

30. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein said responding step causes issuance of a monetary payment to said player that is less the purchase price of said product.

31. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein said displaying step displays product and purchase information in accordance with an amount of said monetary payment.

32. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein said displaying step displays a selected subset of product and product purchase information in response to receipt of data that a player fitting a determined criteria is playing said gambling device.

33. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein said data is derived from a player-inserted identity card.

34. A method for playing a gambling device which provides intermittent monetary payments to players at a point of play, said point of play further including means for displaying messages to a player and means for receiving responses from said player, said method comprising the steps of:

reviewing displayed product information and product purchase information at said gambling device,

developing a credit balance usable at least for play of said gambling device;

evidencing a purchase of a displayed product; and

receiving a monetary payout of said credit balance less a purchase price of said displayed product.

35. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein the player accepts a product switch offer, said method comprising the further step of:

responding to an indication that said player accepts the product switch offer by issuing a payment to said player.

36. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein said gambling device is a slot machine.

37. A gambling device which provides intermittent monetary payments to players at a point of play, said point of play further including means for displaying messages to a player and means for receiving responses from said player, said gambling device comprising:

a) means for providing product information and product purchase information to a player;

b) means for evidencing a credit balance for said player; and

c) means responsive to an entry from said player indicating a purchase of a product offered by said means for providing, for crediting a predetermined amount to said credit balance.

38. The gambling device as recited in claim 37, wherein said product is a service offering.

39. The gambling device as recited in claim 38, wherein means c) causes issuance of a monetary payout in an amount of at least said predetermined amount.

40. A gambling device which provides intermittent monetary payments to players at a point of play, said point of play farther including means for displaying messages to a player and means for receiving responses from said player, said gambling device comprising:

a) means for providing product information and product purchase information to a player;

b) means for evidencing a credit balance for said player; and

c) means responsive to an entry from said player indicating a purchase of a product offered by said means for providing, for debiting said credit balance by an amount of the purchase price of said product.