Universal player tracking system

• US 6,722,985 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2001
• Issued: 04/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Criss-Puszkiewicz, Cynthia, LeMay, Steven G., Rowe, Richard E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wallberg, Teresa
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHERUBIN, YVESTE GILBERTE
• Application Number:
  US09/838,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20020155887A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: 463/29, 463/16, 463/42, 463/1, 463/11-12, 463/13, 463/17, 463/18-20, 463/25, 463/30, 463/40, 463/41, 463/46, 463/47, 235/380, 235/375, 235/382, 700/90, 700/92, 700/97, 273/138.1, 273/138.2, 273/139, 273/143.R, 273/292, 273/293, 382/100, 382/115, 382/118
• US Class Current: 463/29
• 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 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

A disclosed player tracking unit utilizes a memory arranged to store a plurality of different communication protocols allowing the player tracking unit to communicate with a plurality of different types of gaming machines and a plurality of different types of player tracking servers. The player tracking unit may contain many different types of player tracking peripheral devices such as card readers, key pads, displays, bonus buttons and biometric input mechanisms. The peripheral devices contained in the player tracking unit may be accessible to the master gaming controller on a gaming machine and may be utilized by the master gaming controller for other gaming applications. The player tracking unit may be designed with a standard housing and standard device layout allowing the player tracking unit to fit in many different types of gaming machines with minimal modifications to the gaming machine or the player tracking unit.

Claims

1. A player tracking unit comprising:

one or more of the following peripheral devices;

a card reader, a display, a key pad, a bonus button, a sound device and a biometric input device;

a logic device designed or configured

     1) to collect player tracking information from the peripheral devices,

     2) to collect gaming information from a master gaming controller that controls a game played on a gaming machine and

     3) to send the player tracking information and accounting information to a player tracking server; and

a memory arranged to store a plurality of different communication protocols allowing the logic device to communicate with a plurality of different types of gaming machines using different communication protocols to communicate with the player tracking unit and a plurality of different types of player tracking servers using different communication protocols to communicate with the player tracking unit; and

a standard housing for the player tracking unit, enclosing the logic device and the peripheral devices, designed or configured to fit in one of a plurality of different types of gaming machines wherein the standard housing conforms to at least one of standard dimensions and a standard layout of the peripheral devices.

2. The player tracking unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory arranged to store a plurality of device drivers for each type of peripheral device.

3. The player tracking unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a standard mounting means designed or configured to mount one of a plurality of different types of card readers in the player tracking unit.

4. The player tracking unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a standard mounting means designed or configured to mount one of a plurality of different types of displays in the player tracking unit.

5. The player tracking unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a standard mounting means designed or configured to mount one of a plurality of different types of key pads in the player tracking unit.

6. The player tracking unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a standard device housing, enclosing the one or more peripheral devices and separate from a housing enclosing the logic device, designed or configured to fit in one of a plurality of different types of gaming machines wherein the standard housing conforms to at least one of standard dimensions and a standard layout of the peripheral devices.

7. The player tracking unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a standard logic device housing, enclosing the logic device and separate from a housing enclosing the one or more peripheral devices, designed or configured to fit in one of a plurality of different types of gaming machines.

8. The player tracking unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a network interface.

9. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein the network interface is a wireless interface or a wired interface.

10. The player tracking unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a firewall.

11. The player tracking unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a peripheral communications connection.

12. The player tracking unit of claim 11, wherein the logic device is designed or configured to communicate with the master gaming controller via the peripheral communication connection using a standard communication protocol.

13. The player tracking unit of claim 12, wherein the standard communication protocol is USB.

14. The player tracking unit of claim 11, further comprising:

a hub connected to the peripheral communications connection and containing a plurality of peripheral communications connections.

15. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein the logic device may be designed or configured to receive from the master gaming controller operation instructions for one or more peripheral devices.

16. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein the card reader is designed or configured to read a smart card or write to the smart card.

17. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein the biometric input device is a finger print device.

18. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein the logic device is a microcontroller or a microprocessor.

19. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein the logic device is designed or configured to send information to a peripheral device.

20. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein the memory is selected from the group consisting of a flash memory, a hard drive, a CD/DVD.

21. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein the logic device is designed or configured to employ one or more application program interfaces.

22. The player tracking unit of claim 21, wherein the one or more application program interfaces are described using a mark-up language.

23. The player tracking unit of claim 22, wherein the mark-up language is selected from the group consisting of a hyper text mark-up language, an extensible markup language, a wireless mark-up language, and a hand-held device markup language.

24. A gaming machine comprising:

a master gaming controller designed or configured to control one or more games on the gaming machine; and

a player tracking unit comprising;

one or more of the following peripheral devices;

a card reader, a display, a key pad, a bonus button and a biometric input device;

a logic device, separate from the master gaming controller, designed or configured to collect player tracking information from the peripheral devices and to collect accounting information from a master gaming controller on a gaming machine and send the player tracking information and the accounting information to a player tracking server; and

a memory arranged to store a plurality of different communication protocols allowing the logic device to communicate with a plurality of different types of gaming machines using different communication protocols to communicate with the player tracking unit and a plurality of different types of player tracking servers using different communication protocols to communicate with the player tracking unit; and

a standard logic device housing, enclosing the logic device and separate from a housing adapted for coupling the one or more peripheral devices to the gaming machine, designed or configured to fit in one of a plurality of different types of gaming machines.

25. The gaming machine of claim 24, wherein the game is a video bingo game, a video lottery game, a video blackjack game, a video slot game, a mechanical slot game, a video poker game, a video keno game, a video pachinko game, a video game of chance and a video card game.

26. The gaming machine of claim 24, wherein the gaming machine includes mounting means designed to mount a player tracking unit enclosed in a standard housing.

27. The gaming machine of claim 24, wherein the master gaming controller includes a memory arranged to store software that allows the master gaming controller to detect gaming events on the one or more peripheral devices.

28. The gaming machine of claim 24, further comprising:

a peripheral communication connection.

29. The gaming machine of claim 28, wherein the master gaming controller includes a memory arranged to store software for a communication protocol that allows communication with the player tracking unit via the peripheral communication connection.

30. The gaming machine of claim 29, wherein the communication protocol is USB.

31. The gaming machine of claim 24, wherein the logic device on said player tracking unit is designed or configured to receive instructions from the master gaming controller controlling the operation of one or more of said peripheral devices.

32. The gaming machine of claim 24, wherein the master gaming controller executes player tracking software allowing the master gaming controller to perform one or more player tracking functions.

33. The gaming machine of claim 24, wherein the logic device on said player tracking unit is designed or configured to send information to one or more of said peripheral devices.

34. The gaming machine of claim 24, wherein the logic device on said player tracking unit is designed or configured to send operating instructions to one or more of said peripheral devices.

35. The gaming machine of claim 24, wherein the logic device is designed or configured to employ one or more application program interfaces.

36. The gaming machine of claim 35, wherein the one or more application program interfaces are described using a mark-up language.

37. The gaming machine of claim 36, wherein the mark-up language is selected from the group consisting of a hyper text mark-up language, an extensible markup language, a wireless mark-up language, and a hand-held device markup language.

38. The gaming machine of claim 24, wherein the master gaming controller is designed or configured to employ one or more application program interfaces.

39. The gaming machine of claim 38, wherein the one or more application program interfaces are described using a mark-up language.

40. The gaming machine of claim 39, wherein the mark-up language is selected from the group consisting of a hyper text mark-up language, an extensible markup language, a wireless mark-up language, and a hand-held device markup language.

41. A player tracking gaming peripheral comprising:

a peripheral communication connection;

a peripheral controller configured or designed to control communications with a master gaming controller that controls a game played on a gaming machine and to receive instructions from the master gaming controller for one or more of the following peripheral devices;

a card reader, a display, a key pad, a bonus button and a biometric input device wherein the instructions from the master gaming controller allow the player tracking gaming peripheral to operate on player tracking events; and

a standard housing for the player tracking gaming peripheral designed or configured to fit in one of a plurality of different types of gaming machines wherein the standard housing conforms to at least one of standard dimensions and a standard layout of the one or more peripheral devices.

42. The player tracking gaming peripheral of claim 41, further comprising:

a peripheral interface that directly connects to the one or more peripheral devices.

43. The player tracking gaming peripheral of claim 41, further comprising:

a hub connected to the peripheral communications connection and containing a plurality of peripheral communications connections.

44. The player tracking gaming peripheral of claim 41, wherein the peripheral controller includes a control microprocessor, separate from the master gaming controller, designed or configured to communicate over the peripheral communications connection.

45. The player tracking gaming peripheral of claim 41, wherein the peripheral controller includes a non-volatile memory arranged to store at least one of a) configuration parameters specific to the player tracking gaming peripheral and b) state history information of the player tracking gaming peripheral.

46. The player tracking gaming peripheral of claim 41, wherein the peripheral controller includes a non-volatile memory arranged to store operating code for the gaming peripheral.

47. The player tracking gaming peripheral of claim 41, wherein the peripheral controller includes a memory arranged to store a plurality of device drivers for each type of peripheral device.

48. The player tracking gaming peripheral of claim 41, wherein the peripheral controller includes a memory arranged to store software for a communication protocol that allows communication with the master gaming controller.

49. The player tracking gaming peripheral of claim 41, wherein the communication protocol is USB.

50. The player tracking gaming peripheral of claim 41, wherein the card reader is designed or configured to read a smart card or write to the smart card.

51. The player tracking gaming peripheral of claim 41, wherein the biometric input device is a finger print device.

52. The player tracking gaming peripheral of claim 41, further comprising:

a standard mounting means designed or configured to mount one of a plurality of different types of card readers in the player tracking gaming peripheral.

53. The player tracking gaming peripheral of claim 41, further comprising:

a standard mounting means designed or configured to mount one of a plurality of different types of displays in the player tracking gaming peripheral.

54. The player tracking gaming peripheral of claim 41, further comprising:

a standard mounting means designed or configured to mount one of a plurality of different types of key pads in the player tracking gaming peripheral.

55. The player tracking gaming peripheral of claim 41, wherein the peripheral controller is designed or configured to employ one or more application program interfaces.

56. The player tracking gaming peripheral of claim 55, wherein the one or more application program interfaces are described using a mark-up language.

57. The player tracking gaming peripheral of claim 56, wherein the mark-up language is selected from the group consisting of a hyper text mark-up language, an extensible markup language, a wireless mark-up language, and a hand-held device markup language.

58. A gaming machine comprising:

a master gaming controller designed or configured to control one or more games on the gaming machine;

a network interface for communicating with a player tracking server; and

a player tracking gaming peripheral, the player tracking gaming peripheral comprising;

a peripheral communication connection;

a peripheral controller configured or designed to control communications with the master gaming controller and to receive instructions from the master gaming controller for one or more of the following peripheral devices;

a card reader, a display, a key pad, a bonus button and a biometric input device wherein the instructions from the master gaming controller allow the player tracking gaming peripheral to operate on player tracking events; and

a standard housing for the player tracking gaming peripheral designed or configured to fit in one of a plurality of different types of gaming machines wherein the standard housing conforms to at least one of standard dimensions and a standard layout of the one or more peripheral devices.

59. The gaming machine of claim 58, wherein the gaming machine wherein the game is a video bingo game, a video lottery game, a video black jack game, a video slot game, a mechanical slot game, a video poker game, a video keno game, a video pachinko game, a video game of chance and a video card game.

60. The gaming machine of claim 58, wherein the master gaming controller includes a memory arranged to store software for a standard device identification protocol for the player tracking gaming peripheral and the one or more peripheral devices.

61. The gaming machine of claim 58, wherein the master gaming controller includes a memory arranged to store a plurality of device drivers for at least some of each different type of peripheral device.

62. The gaming machine of claim 58, wherein the master gaming controller is designed or configured to send player tracking information and accounting information using the network interface to the player tracking server.

63. The gaming machine of claim 58, wherein the master gaming controller is designed or configured to receive player tracking information from the player tracking server using the network interface.

64. The gaming machine of claim 58, wherein the network interface is a wireless interface or a wired interface.

65. The gaming machine of claim 58, wherein the master gaming controller includes a memory arranged to store software that allows the master gaming controller to detect gaming events on the one or more peripheral devices.

66. The gaming machine of claim 65, wherein the gaming event is a player tracking event.

67. The gaming machine of claim 58, wherein the master gaming controller includes a memory arranged to store software for a communication protocol that allows communication with the player tracking gaming peripheral via the peripheral communication connection.

68. The gaming machine of claim 67, wherein the communication protocol is USB.

69. The gaming machine of claim 58, wherein the player tracking gaming peripheral is designed or configured to receive high-level instructions from the master gaming controller that do not specify precise control of the operation for one or more of said peripheral devices and wherein the peripheral controller provides low-level instructions, following the high-level instructions, precisely controlling the operation of one or more of said peripheral devices.

70. The gaming machine of claim 58, wherein the master gaming controller includes a memory arranged to store a plurality of different types of communication protocols allowing the gaming machine to communicate with a plurality of different types of player tracking servers using different communication protocols to communicate with the gaming machine.

71. The gaming machine of claim 70, wherein the mark-up language is selected from the group consisting of hyper text mark-up language, extensible markup language, wireless mark-up language, and hand-held device markup language.

72. The gaming machine of claim 58, wherein the gaming machine includes mounting means designed to mount a player tracking gaming peripheral enclosed in a standard housing.

73. The gaming machine of claim 58, wherein the peripheral controller is designed or configured to employ one or more application program interfaces.

74. The gaming machine of claim 73, wherein the one or more application program interfaces are described using a mark-up language.

75. The gaming machine of claim 58, wherein the master gaming controller is designed or configured to employ one or more application program interfaces.

76. The gaming machine of claim 75, wherein the one or more application program interfaces are described using a mark-up language.

77. The gaming machine of claim 76, wherein the mark-up language is selected from the group consisting of hyper text mark-up language, extensible markup language, wireless mark-up language, and hand-held device markup language.

78. The gaming machine of claim 58, wherein the peripheral controller includes a memory arranged to store a plurality of different types of communication protocols allowing the gaming machine to communicate with a plurality of different types of player tracking servers using different communication protocols to communicate with the gaming machine.

79. The gaming machine of claim 58, wherein the peripheral controller is designed or configured to send player tracking information and accounting information using the network interface to the player tracking server.

80. The gaming machine of claim 58, wherein the peripheral controller is designed or configured to receive player tracking information from the player tracking server using the network interface.

81. The gaming machine of claim 58, wherein the peripheral controller and the master gaming controller are designed or configured to execute one or more essentially identical player tracking software applications.

82. A player tracking unit comprising:

one or more of the following peripheral devices;

a card reader, a display, a key pad, a bonus button, a sound device and a biometric input device;

a logic device designed or configured

     1) to collect player tracking information from the peripheral devices,

     2) to collect gaming information from a master gaming controller that controls a game played on a gaming machine and

     3) to send the player tracking information and accounting information to a player tracking server;

a memory arranged to store a plurality of different communication protocols allowing the logic device to communicate with a plurality of different types of gaming machines using different communication protocols to communicate with the player tracking unit and a plurality of different types of player tracking servers using different communication protocols to communicate with the player tracking unit; and

a standard logic device housing, enclosing the logic device and separate from a housing adapted for coupling the one or more peripheral devices to the gaming machine, designed or configured to fit in one of a plurality of different types of gaming machines.

83. The player tracking unit of claim 82, further comprising:

a standard housing for the player tracking unit, enclosing the logic device and the peripheral devices, designed or configured to fit in one of a plurality of different types of gaming machines wherein the standard housing conforms to at least one of standard dimensions and a standard layout of the peripheral devices.

84. The player tracking unit of claim 82, further comprising:

a standard mounting means designed or configured to mount one of a plurality of different types of card readers in the player tracking unit.

85. The player tracking unit of claim 82, further comprising:

a standard mounting means designed or configured to mount one of a plurality of different types of displays in the player tracking unit.

86. The player tracking unit of claim 82, further comprising:

a standard mounting means designed or configured to mount one of a plurality of different types of key pads in the player tracking unit.

87. The player tracking unit of claim 82, further comprising:

a standard device housing, enclosing the one or more peripheral devices and separate from a housing enclosing the logic device, designed or configured to fit in one of a plurality of different types of gaming machines wherein the standard housing conforms to at least one of standard dimensions and a standard layout of the peripheral devices.

88. The player tracking unit of claim 82, further comprising:

a standard logic device housing, enclosing the logic device and separate from a housing enclosing the one or more peripheral devices, designed or configured to fit in one of a plurality of different types of gaming machines.

89. The player tracking unit of claim 82, further comprising:

a network interface.

90. The player tracking unit of claim 82, wherein the network interface is a wireless interface or a wired interface.

91. The player tracking unit of claim 82, further comprising:

a firewall.

92. The player tracking unit of claim 82, further comprising:

a peripheral communications connection.

93. The player tracking unit of claim 92, wherein the logic device is designed or configured to communicate with the master gaming controller via the peripheral communication connection using a standard communication protocol.

94. The player tracking unit of claim 93, wherein the standard communication protocol is USB.

95. The player tracking unit of claim 92, further comprising:

a hub connected to the peripheral communications connection and containing a plurality of peripheral communications connections.

96. The player tracking unit of claim 82 wherein the logic device may be designed or configured to receive from the master gaming controller operation instructions for one or more peripheral devices.

97. A player tracking unit comprising:

one or more of the following peripheral devices;

a card reader, a display, a key pad, a bonus button, a sound device and a biometric input device;

a logic device designed or configured

     1) to collect player tracking information from the peripheral devices,

     2) to collect gaming information from a master gaming controller that controls a game played on a gaming machine and

     3) to send the player tracking information and accounting information to a player tracking server;

a memory arranged to store a plurality of different communication protocols allowing the logic device to communicate with a plurality of different types of gaming machines using different communication protocols to communicate with the player tracking unit and a plurality of different types of player tracking servers using different communication protocols to communicate with the player tracking unit; and

a standard device housing, enclosing the one or more peripheral devices and separate from a housing enclosing the logic device, designed or configured to fit in one of a plurality of different types of gaming machines wherein the standard housing conforms to at least one of standard dimensions and a standard layout of the peripheral devices.

98. The player tracking unit of claim 97, further comprising:

a standard housing for the player tracking unit, enclosing the logic device and the peripheral devices, designed or configured to fit in one of a plurality of different types of gaming machines wherein the standard housing conforms to at least one of standard dimensions and a standard layout of the peripheral devices.

99. The player tracking unit of claim 97, further comprising:

a standard mounting means designed or configured to mount one of a plurality of different types of card readers in the player tracking unit.

100. The player tracking unit of claim 97, further comprising:

a standard mounting means designed or configured to mount one of a plurality of different types of displays in the player tracking unit.

101. The player tracking unit of claim 97, further comprising:

a standard mounting means designed or configured to mount one of a plurality of different types of key pads in the player tracking unit.

102. The player tracking unit of claim 97, further comprising:

a standard logic device housing, enclosing the logic device and separate from a housing enclosing the one or more peripheral devices, designed or configured to fit in one of a plurality of different types of gaming machines.

103. The player tracking unit of claim 97, further comprising:

a standard logic device housing, enclosing the logic device and separate from a housing enclosing the one or more peripheral devices, designed or configured to fit in one of a plurality of different types of gaming machines.

104. The player tracking unit of claim 97, further comprising:

a network interface.

105. The player tracking unit of claim 97, wherein the network interface is a wireless interface or a wired interface.

106. The player tracking unit of claim 97, further comprising:

a firewall.

107. The player tracking unit of claim 97, further comprising:

a peripheral communications connection.

108. The player tracking unit of claim 107, wherein the logic device is designed or configured to communicate with the master gaming controller via the peripheral communication connection using a standard communication protocol.

109. The player tracking unit of claim 108, wherein the standard communication protocol is USB.

110. The player tracking unit of claim 107, further comprising:

a hub connected to the peripheral communications connection and containing a plurality of peripheral communications connections.

111. The player tracking unit of claim 97, wherein the logic device may be designed or configured to receive from the master gaming controller operation instructions for one or more peripheral devices.