Lighted keypad assembly and method for a player tracking system

• US 6,409,595 B1
• Filed: 10/29/1999
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: International Game Technology
• Inventors: Powell, Tracy, Uihlein, Mark, Carson, Robert H. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sager, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): ASHBURN, STEVEN L
• Application Number:
  US09/430,242
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 463/29, 463/25, 463/36, D14/383-400, 235/382, 235/382.5, 235/380, 235/375, 340/825.36, 340/5.1, 340/5.3, 340/5.4, 340/5.8, 340/286.1, 340/323.R, 446/141, 446/143, 702/1, 702/2, 705/1, 705/14, 705/16, 705/17, 705/39-44, 705/64, 705/67, 700/90-93, 273/148.R, 273/148.B
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/23 by means of a password
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/201 Accessories of ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/205 Housing aspects of ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/10 together with a coded signal , e.g. in the form of personal identification information, like personal identification number [PIN] or biometric data

Abstract

A keypad assembly and method for use with a card reader adapted to receive and read a player identification card therein. The keypad assembly includes a keypad mechanism having a plurality of keys to input data, and a feedback mechanism coupled to the keypad. A validation device is provided which is adapted to determine the validation of information relating to the identification card upon reading thereof in the card reader. The validation device is further operably coupled to the feedback mechanism to visually inform the Player that the information relating to identification card has been validated.

Claims

1. A keypad assembly for use with a card reader configured to read a player identification card therein, said keypad assembly comprising:

a keypad mechanism having a plurality of keys to input data, said keys being translucent for back lighting thereof;

a card reader feedback mechanism coupled to the keypad mechanism, said feedback mechanism including a plurality of illumination devices for selective illumination a respective key thereof; and

a validation device coupled to the feedback mechanism, and adapted to determine the validation of information relating to the identification card upon cooperation thereof with the card reader, said validation device further being operably, coupled to the illumination devices for collective illumination of the keys in a first lighting mode to visually inform the Player that the information relating to the identification card has been validated, and a second lighting mode to visually inform the Player that the information relating to the identification card has not been validated.

2. The keypad assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein

each said illumination devices is provided by a Light Emitting Diode (LED).

3. The keypad assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein

each said LED is a multi-color LED illuminating one color in the first lighting mode, and illuminating another color in the second lighting mode.

4. The keypad assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein,

said validation device includes a microcontroller to control the animation of each light emitting diode in the first lighting mode and the second lighting mode.

5. The keypad assembly as defined in claim 4, wherein,

said microcontroller further includes an attract mode which operates each light emitting diode in an attract sequence when no identification card is positioned in the card reader opening.

6. The keypad assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein

said information relating to the identification card includes the validation of an identification code input through the key components by the Player.

7. The keypad assembly as defined in claim 6, wherein

said keys of the keypad mechanisms are arranged in a matrix,

said first lighting mode includes a first illumination pattern of illuminated keys of said matrix upon validation of the identification code, and said second lighting mode includes a second illumination pattern of illuminated keys of said matrix upon the invalidation of the identification code.

8. The keypad assembly as defined in claim 7, wherein

said first illumination pattern is in the form of an “

”

symbol, and said second illumination pattern is in the form of a “

X”

symbol.

9. The keypad assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein

said information relating to the identification card includes the proper insertion into a card reader opening of the card reader for reading thereof.

10. The keypad assembly as defined in claim 9, wherein,

said validation device includes a sensing device cooperating with the card reader to detect the proper insertion of the identification card in said card reader opening.

11. The keypad assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein

said information relating to the identification card includes gaming establishment code information to verify use at selected establishments.

12. A player tracking system for tracking Players of a plurality of gaming machines interconnected to a host computer comprising:

a player tracking device adapted to monitor the game play of a Player;

a card reader for reading a player identification card inserted in a card reader opening of the card reader;

a keypad mechanism having a plurality of keys to input data for use in the player tracking device, each of said keys being translucent for back lighting thereof;

a plurality of illumination devices each corresponding to a respective key;

a validation device coupled to the feedback mechanism, and adapted to determine the validation of information, said validation device further being operably coupled to the illumination devices for collective illumination of the keys in a first lighting mode to visually inform the Player that the information relating to the identification card has been validated, and a second lighting mode to visually inform the Player that the information relating to the identification card has not been validated.

13. The player tracking system as defined in claim 12, wherein

each said illumination device is provided by a multi-color Light Emitting Diode (LED) illuminating one color in a first lighting mode to visually inform the Player that the information has been properly validated, and illuminating another color in a second lighting mode to visually inform the Player that the information has not been properly validated.

14. The player tracking system as defined in claim 13, wherein

said validation device includes a sensing device cooperating with the card reader to detect the proper insertion of the identification card in said card reader opening.

15. The player tracking system as defined in claim 13, wherein,

said validation device includes a microcontroller to control the animation of each LED in the first lighting mode and the second lighting mode.

16. The player tracking system as defined in claim 15, wherein,

said microcontroller further includes an attract mode which operates each LED in an attract sequence during non-use of the card reader.

17. The player tracking system as defined in claim 12, wherein

said information includes the validation of an identification code input through the keys by the Player.

18. The player tracking system as defined in claim 17, wherein

said keys of the keypad mechanisms are arranged in a matrix,

said first lighting mode includes a first illumination pattern of illuminated keys of said matrix upon validation of the identification code, and said second lighting mode includes a second illumination pattern of illuminated keys of said matrix upon the invalidation of the identification code.

19. The player tracking system as defined in claim 18, wherein

said first illumination pattern is in the form of an “

”

symbol, and said second illumination pattern is in the form of a “

X”

symbol.

20. A method of validating information relating to a player identification card inserted into a card reader of a gaming device comprising:

providing a keypad mechanism having a plurality of keys for the input of data, each of said keys being translucent for back lighting thereof;

validating information relating to the identification card upon insertion of the card into the card reader opening for reading thereof; and

illuminating an illumination device to illuminate the at least one key to visually inform the Player that the information relating to identification card has been validated;

validating information relating to the identification card upon insertion of the card into the card reader opening for reading thereof; and

collectively illuminating a plurality of illumination devices, each corresponding to a respective key, in a first lighting mode to visually inform the Player that the information relating to the identification card has been validated, and in a second lighting mode to visually inform the Player that the information relating to the identification card has not been validated.

21. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein

said information relating to the identification card includes the proper insertion into a card reader opening of the card reader for reading thereof.

22. The method as defined in claim 21, wherein,

the validating information includes sensing the proper insertion of the identification card in said card reader opening for reading thereof.

23. The method as defined in claim 20, further including:

tracking the Player'"'"'s game play on the gaming device upon validation of the information.

24. The method as defined in claim 20, further including:

collectively back lighting each key in a third lighting mode when no identification card is positioned in the card reader opening.

25. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein,

said validating information includes reading an identification code encoded on said identification card, and further including:

comparing said identification code to a predetermined code to determine the validation.

26. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein

said illuminating includes illuminating a first illumination pattern of keys upon validation of the information relating to the identification card, and illuminating a second illumination pattern of keys upon invalidation of the information relating to the identification card.

27. A method of validating information relating to a player identification card inserted into a card reader of one of a plurality of gaming device interconnected to a host computer, the method comprising:

receiving the identification card in a card reader opening of a card reader of one of the gaming devices;

validating information relating to the identification card upon insertion of the card into the card reader opening for reading thereof; and

collectively illuminating a plurality of illumination devices, each corresponding to a respective key of a keypad mechanism for the input of player tracking data and each said key being translucent for back lighting thereof by the respective illumination device, in a first lighting mode to visually inform the Player that the information relating to the identification card has been validated, and in a second lighting mode to visually inform the Player that the information relating to the identification card has not been validated.

28. The method as defined in claim 27, further including:

after validating the information, enabling the Player to input player tracking data through the keys of said keypad mechanism.

29. The method as defined in claim 27, further including:

after the validating the information, tracking the Player'"'"'s game play on the gaming device.

30. The method as defined in claim 27, wherein

each illumination device is provided by a multi-Light Emitting Diode (LED), and

the back lighting of the keys include illuminating the multi-color LED in one color in the first lighting mode, and illuminating the multi-color LED in another color in the second first lighting mode.

31. The method as defined in claim 30, further including:

after validating the information, enabling the Player to input player tracking data through the keys of said keypad mechanism.

32. The method as defined in claim 31, further including:

after the validating the information, tracking the Player'"'"'s game play on the gaming device.

33. The method as defined in claim 27, wherein,

the validating information includes sensing the proper insertion of the identification card in said card reader opening for reading thereof.

34. The method as defined in claim 33, wherein,

said validating information further includes reading an identification code encoded on said identification card, and further including:

comparing said identification code to a predetermined code to determine the validation.

35. The method as defined in claim 34, further including:

collectively illuminating the illumination devices in a third lighting mode when no identification card is positioned in the card reader opening.

36. The method as defined in claim 27, wherein

said illuminating includes illuminating a first illumination pattern of keys upon validation of the information relating to the identification card, and illuminating a second illumination pattern of keys upon invalidation of the information relating to the identification card.

37. A keypad assembly for use with a card reader configured to read a player identification card therein, said keypad assembly comprising:

a keypad mechanism having a plurality of backlit translucent keys to input data;

a feedback mechanism including a plurality of illumination devices each corresponding to a respective key for selective illumination thereof; and

a validation device coupled to the feedback mechanism, and adapted to determine the validation of information relating to the identification card upon cooperation thereof with the card reader, said validation device further being operably coupled to the feedback mechanism to visually inform the Player in a collective first illumination pattern of illuminated keys that the information relating to the identification card has been validated, and a collective second illumination pattern of illuminated keys that the information relating to the identification card has not been validated.

38. The keypad assembly as defined in claim 37, wherein

each said illumination device is provided by a Light Emitting Diode (LED).

39. The keypad assembly as defined in claim 38, wherein

each said light emitting diode is a multi-color LED illuminating one color in the first illumination pattern and another color in the second illumination pattern.

40. The keypad assembly as defined in claim 37, wherein

said information relating to the identification card includes the validation of an identification code input through the keys by the Player.

41. The keypad assembly as defined in claim 37, wherein

said first illumination pattern is in the form of an “

”

symbol, and said second illumination pattern is in the form of a “

X”

symbol.

42. The keypad assembly as defined in claim 37, wherein

said information relating to the identification card includes the proper insertion into a card reader opening of the card reader for reading thereof.

43. The keypad assembly as defined in claim 37, wherein,

said validation device includes a sensing device cooperating with the card reader to detect the proper insertion of the identification card in said card reader opening.

44. The keypad assembly as defined in claim 37, wherein

said information relating to the identification card includes gaming establishment code information to verify use at selected establishments.

45. The keypad assembly as defined in claim 37, wherein,

said validation device includes a microcontroller to control the animation of each light emitting diode in the first illumination pattern and the second illumination pattern.

46. The keypad assembly as defined in claim 45, wherein,

said microcontroller further includes an attract mode which operates each light emitting diode in an attract sequence when no identification card is positioned in the card reader opening.

47. The keypad assembly as defined in claim 37, wherein

said keys of the keypad mechanisms are arranged in a matrix.

48. A player tracking system for tracking Players of a plurality of gaming machines interconnected to a host computer comprising:

a player tracking device adapted to monitor the game play of a Player;

a card reader for reading a player identification card inserted in a card reader opening of the card reader;

a keypad mechanism having a plurality of backlit translucent keys to a input data for use in the player tracking device;

a plurality of illumination devices each corresponding to a respective key for selective illumination thereof;

a validation device adapted to determine the validation of the information relating to the identification card upon cooperation thereof with the card reader, said validation device further being operably coupled to the plurality of illumination devices to visually inform the Player in a collective first illumination pattern of illuminated keys that the information relating to the identification card has been validated, and a collective second illumination pattern of illuminated keys that the information relating to the identification card has not been validated.

49. The player tracking system as defined in claim 48, wherein

each said illumination device is provided by a multi-color Light Emitting Diode (LED) illuminating one color in the first illumination pattern, and illuminating another color in the second illumination pattern.

50. The player tracking system as defined in claim 49, wherein

said validation device includes a sensing device cooperating with the card reader to detect the proper insertion of the identification card in said card reader opening.

51. The player tracking system as defined in claim 50, wherein,

said validation device includes a microcontroller to control the animation of each LED in the first illumination pattern and the second illumination pattern.

52. The player tracking system as defined in claim 51, wherein,

said microcontroller further includes an attract mode which operates each LED in an attract sequence during non-use of the card reader.

53. The player tracking system as defined in claim 48, wherein

said information includes the validation of an identification code input through the keys by the Player.

54. The player tracking system as defined in claim 48, wherein

said keys of the keypad mechanisms are arranged in a matrix.

55. The player tracking system as defined in claim 48, wherein

said first illumination pattern is in the form of an “

”

symbol, and said second illumination pattern is in the form of a “

X”

symbol.