Methods and apparatus for advertising in gaming device

• US 7,485,040 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2004
• Issued: 02/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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., Tulley, Stephen C., Downs, Michael D., Walker, Jay S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thai; Xuan M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ahmed; Masud
• Application Number:
  US11/026,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20050261053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,496 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• 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 17/3255 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

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a method provides for determining data associated with a player of a gaming device; determining whether the data meets at least one established criterion; and providing an offer to the player if the data meets the at least one established criterion, the offer including a condition and a description of a product to be provided to the player in exchange for the player agreeing to the condition.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining an advertisement for display at a slot machine, wherein the advertisement is not an advertisement for play at the slot machine;

determining whether a player of a slot machine agrees to allow advertisements to be displayed via the slot machine; and

displaying, in the case that it is determined that the player agrees to allow advertisements at the slot machine, and based at least in part on the determination, the advertisement via the slot machine.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

preventing, in the case that it is determined that the player does not agree to allow advertisements at the slot machine, and based at least in part on the determination, a display of the advertisement via the slot machine.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining whether the player agrees to allow advertisements at the slot machine comprises:

determining that the player has opted out of allowing advertisements to be displayed via the slot machine.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, in the case that it is determined that the player agrees to allow advertisements at the slot machine, and based at least in part on the determination, an incremental benefit to the player.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the incremental benefit comprises a higher payout.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the incremental benefit comprises a free slot pull.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving, from the player, a request for the incremental benefit.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the advertisement for display at the slot machine comprises:

determining a preference associated with the player; and

selecting, based on the determining of the preference associated with the player, the advertisement from a plurality of available advertisements.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a subset of a plurality of slot machines via which the advertisement should be displayed; and

determining that the slot machine is one of the subset of slot machines.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the displaying is further based at least in part on the determining that the slot machine is one of the subset of slot machines.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the advertisement comprises an offer to purchase a product at via the slot machine.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, from the player, an indication of an acceptance of the offer; and

selling the product to the player for a price.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the selling comprises:

charging the price to a credit card associated with the player.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the selling comprises:

debiting the price from a debit account associated with the player.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the selling comprises:

charging the price to a hotel room associated with the player.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the selling comprises:

debiting the price from a balance of complimentary points associated with the player.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining of the advertisement is based at least in part on an available inventory of the product.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining of the advertisement is based at least in part on a history of acceptance of the offer.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining of the advertisement is based at least in part on a history of acceptance of offers by the player.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the advertisement is based at least in part on a preference associated with the player.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the advertisement is based at least in part on a status of the player.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the advertisement is based at least in part on a statistic associated with the player.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the advertisement is based at least in part on an inventory level of a product associated with the advertisement.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the advertisement is based at least in part on current level of utilization of a service associated with the advertisement.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the advertisement comprises one of a first advertisement for a product and a second advertisement for the product, wherein the first and second advertisements are different.

26. A computer-readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a processor to perform the method of:

determining an advertisement for display at a slot machine;

determining whether a player of a slot machine agrees to allow advertisements to be displayed via the slot machine; and

displaying, in the case that it is determined that the player agrees to allow advertisements at the slot machine, and based at least in part on the determination, the advertisement via the slot machine.

27. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable medium in communication with the processor and storing instructions configured to direct a processor to;

determine an advertisement for display at a slot machine;

determine whether a player of a slot machine agrees to allow advertisements to be displayed via the slot machine; and

display, in the case that it is determined that the player agrees to allow advertisements at the slot machine, and based at least in part on the determination, the advertisement via the slot machine.