Security zones for casino gaming

• US 7,602,298 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2007
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Thomas, Alfred
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US11/956,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20080096649A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/505, 340/825.49, 340/568.1, 340/571, 340/572.4, 340/572.7, 340/10.1, 340/10.4, 235/385, 235/375, 235/487, 235/382, 235/384, 235/381
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• 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 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3234 about the performance of a gaming system, e.g. revenue, diagnosis of the gaming system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0261 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect trespassing over a fixed physical boundary, e.g. the end of a garden
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0275 Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS] tag technology used for parent or child unit, e.g. same transmission technology, magnetic tag, RF tag, RFID
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0286 Tampering or removal detection of the child unit from child or article

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for monitoring a location of a casino game for use in a gaming establishment wherein at least some of the components of the game include an attached radio frequency-responsive element, such as an RFID tag. In one example, RFID readers are located in stationary positions in gaming establishment to monitor a population of secure zones.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

positioning a plurality of radio frequency identification readers with overlapping operational radiuses at locations associated with a gaming establishment to define a secure zone, the secure zone defined by the outer perimeter created by the operational radiuses;

interrogating a radio frequency-responsive element associated with a component of a casino gaming terminal using a radio frequency identification reader of the plurality radio frequency identification readers;

receiving a signal from the interrogated radio frequency-responsive element with the radio frequency identification reader; and

recording location information about the component based on the received signal relative to the secure zone of the gaming establishment.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

creating expected population data for the secure zone;

comparing the location information from the received signal to the expected population data; and

generating results of the comparison.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising issuing a security notification when the location information deviates from the expected population data.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency-responsive element is a passive element.

5. A method comprising:

positioning a plurality of radio frequency identification readers with overlapping operational radiuses at locations associated with a gaming establishment, each operational radius defining an operational area in a plurality of operational areas;

defining a secure zone using the perimeter of an aggregate of the plurality of operational areas;

reading a radio frequency-responsive element physically located within the secure zone using at least one of the plurality of radio frequency identification readers;

comparing the read radio frequency-responsive element physically located within the secure zone with an inventory list of radio frequency-responsive elements expected to be located within the secure zone; and

issuing a security notice based upon the comparison.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising establishing the inventory list of radio frequency-responsive elements expected to be located within the secure zone.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the secure zone is located proximate to an exit location of the gaming establishment to secure a perimeter of the gaming establishment.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the radio frequency-responsive element includes an antenna and an integrated circuit, the radio frequency-responsive element having information storage and transmission capabilities adapted to enable an interrogation system to obtain information from the radio frequency-responsive element.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the information stored in the radio frequency-responsive element is related to identification of a component of a casino game.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein at least a portion of the radio frequency-responsive element is physically attached to the component.

11. The method of claim 5 wherein the radio frequency-responsive element is a passive element.

12. A method comprising:

interrogating a radio frequency-responsive element associated with a component of a casino gaming terminal using a radio frequency identification reader, the radio frequency identification reader selected from a plurality of radio frequency identification readers positioned with overlapping operational radiuses within a gaming establishment to define a secure zone, the secure zone defined by the outer perimeter created by the operational radiuses;

receiving a signal from the interrogated radio frequency-responsive element with the radio frequency identification reader; and

recording location information about the component based on the received signal relative to the secure zone of the gaming establishment.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

comparing the location information from the received signal to an expected population data for the secure zone; and

issuing a security notification when the location information deviates from the expected population data.

14. A method comprising:

reading a radio frequency-responsive element physically located within the secure zone using at least one of a plurality of radio frequency identification readers, the plurality of radio frequency identification readers being positioned with overlapping operational radiuses within a gaming establishment, each operational radius defining an operational area in a plurality of operational areas;

defining a secure zone using the perimeter of an aggregate of the plurality of operational areas;

comparing the read radio frequency-responsive element with an inventory list of radio frequency-responsive elements expected to be located within the secure zone; and

issuing a security notice based upon the comparison.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

establishing the inventory list of radio frequency-responsive elements expected to be located within the secure zone; and

storing the inventory list.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the storing the inventory list comprises storing the inventory list in at least one of the plurality of radio frequency identification readers.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the storing the inventory list comprises storing the inventory list at a server computer.