Matching bonusing method using a player tracking card
First Claim
1. A method of providing a bonus award for using a player tracking account associated with a gaming establishment, the method comprising:
- (a) detecting that a player has accessed the player tracking account using at least one server including a processor, memory and a communication interface configured to communicatively couple the at least one server to a gaming machine;
(b) determining whether the player accessed the player tracking account within a limited period of time allotted for awarding the bonus award for using the player tracking account, wherein the determination is made using the at least one server by associating a time stamp with the player'"'"'s access to the player tracking account and wherein determining whether the player accessed the player tracking account within a limited period of time includes comparing the time stamp with the limited period of time;
(c) determining, using the at least one server, whether the player accessed the player tracking account in a manner meeting an additional criterion for awarding the bonus award other than accessing the player tracking account within the limited period of time wherein the additional criterion includes having the player'"'"'s access to the player tracking account match a specified sequence number in a sequence of player tracking account accesses by multiple players;
(d) if the player both accessed the player tracking account in a manner meeting the additional criterion and within the limited period of time, providing the bonus award for using the player tracking account by making a bonus award presentation on a player tracking device associated with a gaming machine; and
(e) prior to providing the bonus award for using the player tracking account, using the at least one the server to determine that the player made a wager on a game.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for providing a bonus award to a gaming player for using a player tracking account associated with a gaming establishment. Provision of a bonus award is based on the access to a player tracking account. Specifically, once a gaming system detects that a gaming player has accessed a player tracking account associated with the gaming establishment, the gaming system can determine whether the player accessed the player tracking account in a manner meeting one or more bonus award criteria. For instance, the bonus award criteria can include accessing a player tracking account within a limited period of time allotted for awarding the bonus award, accessing a player tracking account according to a specified sequence with respect to accesses by other gaming players, or some other criterion. If the player accessed the player tracking account in a manner meeting the bonus award criterion or criteria, then a bonus award is provided to the gaming player for using the player tracking account.
79 Citations
52 Claims
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1. A method of providing a bonus award for using a player tracking account associated with a gaming establishment, the method comprising:
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(a) detecting that a player has accessed the player tracking account using at least one server including a processor, memory and a communication interface configured to communicatively couple the at least one server to a gaming machine; (b) determining whether the player accessed the player tracking account within a limited period of time allotted for awarding the bonus award for using the player tracking account, wherein the determination is made using the at least one server by associating a time stamp with the player'"'"'s access to the player tracking account and wherein determining whether the player accessed the player tracking account within a limited period of time includes comparing the time stamp with the limited period of time; (c) determining, using the at least one server, whether the player accessed the player tracking account in a manner meeting an additional criterion for awarding the bonus award other than accessing the player tracking account within the limited period of time wherein the additional criterion includes having the player'"'"'s access to the player tracking account match a specified sequence number in a sequence of player tracking account accesses by multiple players; (d) if the player both accessed the player tracking account in a manner meeting the additional criterion and within the limited period of time, providing the bonus award for using the player tracking account by making a bonus award presentation on a player tracking device associated with a gaming machine; and (e) prior to providing the bonus award for using the player tracking account, using the at least one the server to determine that the player made a wager on a game. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of providing a bonus award for using a player tracking account associated with a gaming establishment, the method comprising:
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(a) detecting that a gaming player has accessed the player tracking account using a server including a processor, memory and a communication interface configured to communicatively couple the server to a gaming machine; (b) determining, using the server, whether the player'"'"'s access to the player tracking account occurred within a limited time period of time allotted for awarding the bonus award and whether it matches a specified sequence number in a sequence of player tracking account accesses by other players to their respective player tracking accounts; (c) if the player'"'"'s access to the player tracking account matches the specified sequence number and if it occurred within the limited period of time, providing the bonus award for using the player tracking account by making a bonus award presentation on a player tracking device associated with a gaming machine if the bonus award is provided; and (d) prior to providing the bonus award for using the player tracking account, determining, using the server, that the player made a wager on a game. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A gaming machine system comprising:
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a plurality of gaming machines, each comprising; one or more processors controlling game play on the gaming machine, a player tracking device comprising a light bezel, a video display, and a player tracking card reader, and a network interface for communications to and from the player tracking device; and a player tracking server comprising; a server network interface for communicating with said player tracking devices; logic for issuing a bonus award triggered by insertion of a player tracking card in the card reader at one of the gaming machines (i) during a limited period of time allotted for awarding said bonus award, and (ii) when insertion of the player tracking card matches a specified sequence number in a sequence of other player tracking card insertions by other players to access their respective player tracking accounts at the plurality of gaming machines; and logic for determining that a player made a wager on a game prior to providing the bonus award for inserting the player tracking card in the card reader. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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Specification