Player tracking communication mechanisms in a gaming machine

• US 6,908,387 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2001
• Issued: 06/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Hedrick, Joseph R., Nguyen, Binh T.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIM T
• Application Number:
  US09/921,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20030027631A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,418 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 20, 463 25- 31, 463/35, 463/40, 463/42, 463/47, 463/37, 463/39, 463/46, 273/148.R, 273/148.B, 273/157.A
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players

Abstract

A disclosed a player tracking unit provides a display, one or more illumination devices adjacent to the display and a logic device designed to control illumination of the illumination devices in a manner that visually conveys gaming information to an individual viewing the devices. A speaker may be also provided on the player tracking unit to aurally convey gaming information such as voice messages designed to inform or instruct the player in some manner. The player tracking unit may include a wireless interface device designed or configured to allow player tracking information to be automatically downloaded from a portable wireless device carried by the player or player status information to be communicated to a casino service representative carrying a portable wireless device.

Claims

1. A player tracking unit comprising:

a front panel;

a display coupled to the front panel for dynamically displaying at least player tracking information;

one or more of illumination devices coupled to the front panel and adjacent to said display for conveying information related to functions of the player tracking unit wherein the one or more illumination devices are operable to convey information for a game player on a gaming machine and wherein the one or more illumination devices surround a portion of a perimeter of the display;

one or more of the following player tracking interface devices coupled to the front panel;

a card reader, a keypad, a bonus button, a function button, a microphone, a sound projection device, a camera, a wireless interface device, a proximity sensor and a finger print reader; and

a logic device designed or configured

     1) to communicate with the display, the one or more player tracking interface devices, a master gaming controller that controls a game played on a gaming machine and a player tracking server and

     2) to control illumination of said illumination devices in a manner visually communicating gaming information.

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

a translucent cover over said illumination devices.

3. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein the translucent cover is one or more colors.

4. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein said one or more illumination devices are provided by light emitting diodes.

5. The player tracking unit of claim 4, wherein said one or more illumination devices are multi-color light emitting diodes.

6. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein the one or more illumination devices substantially surround the display.

7. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein there are multiple illumination devices and the logic device is designed or configured to independently illuminate each individual illumination device.

8. The player tracking unit of claim 7, wherein each of the illumination devices is illuminated in a time varying pattern to visually communicate the gaming information.

9. The player tracking unit of claim 1. further comprising a lamp controller designed or configured to provide voltage signals to said one or more of illumination devices.

10. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein said one or more of the illumination devices is illuminated in response to a game event generated from at least one of a) the game played on the gaining machine, b) the game played on one or more gaming machines connected to the gaming machine, c) a remote gaming device.

11. The player tracking unit of claim 10, wherein the one or more player tracking interface devices comprises the sound projection device and wherein a sound is projected from the sound projection device in response to the game event.

12. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein one or more of the illumination devices is illuminated in response to a bonus game event generated from at least one of a) the game played on the gaming machine, b) a game played on one or more gaming machines connected to the gaming machine, c) a remote gaming device.

13. The player tracking unit of claim 12, wherein the one or more player tracking interface device comprises the sound projection device and wherein a sound is projected from the sound projection device in response to the bonus game event.

14. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein the one or more player tracking interface devices comprises the proximity sensor and wherein the one or more of the illumination devices is illuminated in response to a signal generated from the proximity sensor.

15. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein one or more of the illumination devices is illuminated to indicate a status of a card inserted in the card reader.

16. The player tracking unit of claim 15, wherein the one or mere player tracking interface devices comprises the sound projection device and wherein a sound is projected from the sound projection device to indicate the status of a card inserted in the card reader.

17. The player tracking unit of claim 16, wherein the sound is a voice message.

18. The player tracking unit of claim 16, wherein the card status is an invalid card, an abandoned card or an incorrectly inserted card.

19. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein one or more of the illumination devices is illuminated to indicate a special status, of a player.

20. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein the one or more player tracking interface devices comprises the sound projection device and wherein a sound is projected from the sound projection to indicate a special status of a player.

21. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein one or more the illumination devices is illuminated to indicate at least one of 1) an amount of credits earned by a player during a game play session on the gaming machine or 2) a level earned by the player during a game play session on the gaming machine.

22. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein one or more of the illumination devices is illuminated to indicate a service request by a player.

23. The player tracking unit of claim 22, wherein the service request is a drink request.

24. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein one or more of the illumination devices is illuminated to indicate a status of a gaming device located on the gaming machine.

25. The player tracking unit of claim 24, wherein the gaming device is a hopper, a drop door or a printer.

26. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein one or more of the illumination devices is illuminate to indicate a status one or more of the player tracking interface devices located on said player tracking unit.

27. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein one or more of the illumination is illuminated to indicate that a jackpot is pending.

28. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein one or more of the illumination devices is illuminated to indicate an error condition on the gaming machine.

29. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein the player tracking unit comprises gaming information that has been downloaded from the player tracking server or the master gaming controller on the gaming machine.

30. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein the one or more player tracking interface devices comprises the sound projection device and wherein a sound is projected from the sound projection device in a manner to aurally communicate gaming information to a game player.

31. The player tracking unit of claim 30, wherein the sound is a voice message.

32. The player tracking unit of claim 30, wherein the voice message is in a language selected by a game player.

33. The player tracking unit of claim 32, wherein the language selected by the game player is determined from a user profile for the game player.

34. The player tracking unit of claim 32, wherein the language selected by the gaming player is stored as player tracking information on a player tracking card.

35. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein the one or more player tracking interface devices comprises the sound projection device and wherein a sound is projected from the sound projection device and one or more of the illumination devices is illuminated in some manner to simultaneously communicate gaming information visually and aurally.

36. The player tracking unit of claim 35, wherein a first gaming information is communicated aurally and a second gaming information different from said first gaming information is communicated visually.

37. The player tracking unit of claim 35, wherein a first illumination device is illuminated to indicate a first gaming information and a second illumination device is illuminated to indicate a second gaming information different from said first gaming information.

38. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein the one or more player tracking interface devices comprises the microphone and wherein the logic device is designed or configured to recognize and execute voice commands input using the microphone.

39. The player tracking unit of claim 38, wherein the voice commands are used to request player tracking services.

40. The player tracking unit of claim 38, further comprising:

a memory designed or configured to store voice recognition software executed by said logic device.

41. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein the logic device is designed or configured to communicate with a portable wireless device.

42. The player tracking unit of claim 41, wherein the player tracking unit sends player tracking information to the portable wireless device and receives player tracking information from the portable wireless device.

43. The player tracking unit of claim 41, wherein the one or more player tracking interface devices comprises the wireless interface device and wherein the logic device communicates with the portable wireless device using the wireless interface device.

44. The player tracking unit of claim 41, wherein the portable wireless device is worn by a game player.

45. The player tracking unit of claim 41, wherein the portable wireless device is a personal digital assistant.

46. The player tracking unit of claim 41, wherein the player tracking unit communicates with a portable wireless device using a wireless communication standard selected from the group consisting of Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11a, IEE802.11b, IEEEE 802.11x, hiperlan/2, and HomeRF.

47. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein a sound is projected from the sound projection device in response to a signal generated from the proximity sensor.

48. The player tracking unit of claim 47, wherein the sound is a voice message designed to attract the attention of a game player.

49. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein one or more of the illumination devices is illuminated in response to an error condition generated by the player tracking unit.

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

at least one of a software firewall and a hardware firewall.

51. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein the illumination devices are electroluminescent lighting devices.

52. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein the camera, the microphone and the finger print reader are used as biometric input devices.

53. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein the logic device is designed or configured to communicate with the one or more player tracking interface devices using at least one of a USB communication standard, an IEEE 1394 communication standard or a Firewire communication standard.

54. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein one or more of the illumination devices is illuminated in response to a game event generated from a game played on a second gaming machine.

55. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein one or more the illumination devices is illuminated to indicate at least one of 1) a range of credits earned by the player during a game play session on the gaming machine or 2) a level earned by the player during a game play session on the gaming machine.

56. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein at least one of the logic device and the master gaming controller is designed or configured to communicate with a portable wireless device.

57. The gaming machine of claim 56, wherein the player tracking unit sends player tracking information to the portable wireless device and receives player tracking information from the portable wireless device.

58. The gaming machine of claim 56, wherein the one or more player tracking interface devices comprises the wireless interface device and wherein at least one of the logic device and the master gaming controller communicates with the portable wireless device using the wireless interface device.

59. The gaming machine of claim 56, wherein the portable wireless device is worn by a game player.

60. The gaming machine of claim 56, wherein the portable wireless device is a personal digital assistant.

61. The gaming machine of claim 56, wherein at least one of the logic device and the master gaming controller communicate with a portable wireless device using a wireless communication standard selected from the group consisting of Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11a, IEEE802.11b, IEEE802.11x, hiperlan/2, and HomeRF.

62. The gaming machine of claim 56, further comprising:

an antenna for transmitting and receiving wireless communications.

63. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein one or more of the illumination devices is illuminated to indicate a special promotion is being offered.

64. A gaming machine comprising:

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

a player tracking unit, said player tracking unit comprising;

a front panel;

a display coupled to the front panel for dynamically displaying at least player tracking information;

one or more of illumination devices coupled to the front panel and adjacent to said display for conveying information related to functions of the player tracking unit wherein the one or more illumination devices are operable to convey information for a game player on the gaming machine and wherein the one or more illumination devices surround a portion of a perimeter of the display;

one or more of the following player tracking interface devices coupled to the front panel;

a card reader, a key pad, a bonus button, a function button, a microphone, a sound projection device, a camera, a wireless interface device, a proximity sensor and a finger print reader; and

a logic device designed or configured

     1) to communicate with the display, the one or more player tracking interface devices, the master gaming controller and a player tracking server and

     2) to control illumination of said illumination devices in a manner visually communicating gaming information.

65. The gaming machine of claim 64, wherein the master gaming controller is designed or configured to operate one or more of the player tracking interface devices, the display and the one or more of illumination devices.

66. The gaming machine of claim 64, wherein the one or more games is selected from the group consisting of video slot games, mechanical slot games, video black jack games, video poker games, video keno games, video pachinko games, video card games, video games of chance and combinations thereof.

67. The gaming machine of claim 64, wherein there are multiple illumination devices and wherein at least one of the master gaming controller and the logic device is designed or configured to independently illuminate each individual illumination device.

68. The gaming machine of claim 67, wherein each of the illumination devices is illuminated in a time varying pattern to visually communicate the gaming information.

69. The gaming machine of claim 64, wherein one or more of the illumination devices is illuminated in response to a game event generated from at least one of a) the game played on the gaming machine, b) a game played on one or more gaming machines connected to the gaming machine, c) a remote gaming device.

70. The gaming machine of claim 69, wherein the one or more player tracking interface devices comprises the sound projection device and wherein a sound is projected from the sound projection device in response to the game event.

71. The gaming machine of claim 64, wherein one or more of the illumination devices is illuminated in response to a bonus game event generated from at least one of a) the game played on the gaming machine, b) a game played on one or more gaming machines connected to the gaming machine, c) a remote gaming device.

72. The gaming machine of claim 71, wherein the one or more player tracking interface devices comprises the sound projection device and wherein a sound is projected from the sound projection device in response to the bonus game event.

73. The gaming machine of claim 64, wherein one or more of the illumination devices is illuminated to indicate an error condition on the gaming machine.

74. The gaming machine of claim 64, wherein the one or more player tracking interface devices comprises the microphone and wherein at least one of the logic device and the master gaming controller is designed or configured to recognize and execute voice commands input using the microphone.

75. The gaming machine of claim 74, wherein the voice commands are used to request at least one of player tracking services and gaming services.

76. The gaming machine of claim 64, wherein the master gaming controller and the logic device communicate using a wireless communication protocol selected from the group consisting of Bluetooth, EEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11x, hiperlan/2, and HomeRF.

77. The gaming machine of claim 64, wherein the master gaming controller and the logic device communicate using a communication protocol selected from the group consisting of USB, IEE1394 and Firewire.

78. The gaming machine of claim 64, wherein one or more of the illumination devices is illuminated in response to a game event generated from a game played on a second gaming machine.

79. The gaming machine of claim 64, wherein one or more the illumination devices is illuminated to indicate at least one of 1) a range of credits earned by the player during a game play session on the gaming machine or 2) a level earned by the player during a game play session on the gaming machine.

80. A player tracking system comprising:

a player tracking server;

a plurality of gaming machines, said gaming machines each comprising;

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

a player tracking unit, said player tracking unit comprising;

a front panel;

a display coupled to the front panel for dynamically displaying at least player tracking information;

one or more illumination devices coupled to front panel and adjacent to said display for conveying information related to functions of the player tracking unit wherein the one or more illumination devices are operable to convey information for the game player on a gaming machine and wherein the one or more illumination devices surround a portion of a perimeter of the display;

one or more of the following player tracking interface devices coupled to the front panel;

a card reader, a key pad, a bonus button, a function button, a microphone, a sound projection device, a camera, a wireless interface device, a proximity sensor and a finger print reader; and

a logic device designed or configured

     1) to communicate with the display, the one or more player tracking interface devices, the master gaming controller and a player tracking server and

     2) to control illumination of said illumination devices in a manner visually communicating gaming information; and

a network designed or configured to allow communication between the plurality of gaming machines and the player tracking server.

81. A method of providing player tracking services in a player tracking unit in a gaming machine, said method comprising:

in the player tracking unit comprising;

a front panel;

a display coupled to the front panel for dynamically displaying at least player tracking information;

one or more of illumination devices coupled to the front panel and adjacent to said display for conveying information related to functions of the player tracking unit wherein the one or more illumination devices are operable to convey information for a game player on the gaming machine and wherein the one or more illumination devices surround a portion of a perimeter of the display;

one or more of the following player tracking interface devices coupled to the front panel;

a card reader, a key pad, a bonus button, a function button, a microphone, a sound projection device, a camera, a wireless interface device, a proximity sensor and a finger print reader; and

a logic device designed or configured

     1) to communicate with the display, the one or more player tracking interface devices, a master gaming controller that controls a game played on a gaming machine and a player tracking server and

     2) to control illumination of said illumination devices in a manner visually communicating gaming information,

receiving an input signal relating to a game event in the player tracking unit;

determining a visual response to the game event; and

illuminating said one or more illumination devices located adjacent to the display in the player tracking unit to convey a visual response to the game event.

82. The method of claim 81, further comprising:

determining an aural response to the game event; and

projecting sound from a sound projection device in the player tracking unit to convey said aural response to the game event.

83. The method of claim 82, wherein the aural response is a voice message.

84. The method of claim 82, further comprising:

determining a duration of an aural response and

after the duration of the aural response has expired, terminating the aural response to the game event.

85. The method of claim 82, further comprising:

receiving a second input signal relating to the game event and terminating the aural response to the game event.

86. The method of claim 85, wherein the input signal is received by one or more of a master gaming controller on the gaming machine, a player tracking device on the player tracking unit and a player tracking server.

87. The method of claim 82, further comprising:

receiving a second input signal relating to the game event and terminating the visual response to the game event.

88. The method of claim 82, further comprising:

determining a duration of the visual response and

after the duration of the visual response has expired, terminating the visual response to the game event.