Interactive game playing preferences

• US 7,918,738 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2001
• Issued: 04/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Paulsen, Craig A.
• Primary Examiner(s): D'AGOSTINO, PAUL ANTHONY
• Application Number:
  US09/819,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20020142846A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,661 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463 12- 13, 463 16- 21, 463/23, 463/25, 463 29- 30, 463 35- 37, 463/39, 463 42- 43, 463/138.1, 463/143.R, 463292-293, 463/121.B
• US Class Current: 463/43
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0209 Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game
• 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 17/3262 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

A disclosed gaming machine may be customized according to one or more player preferences. A player may view and modify player preferences stored in a player preference account as preference account information. The preference account information may include but is not limited to loyalty point account information, loyalty point account settings, promotional opportunities, preferred games, preferred game features for the preferred games, preferred gaming machine settings, preferred bonus games, preferred service options and preferred progressive games. The preference account information may be stored in a plurality of preference accounts on a preference account server. Using a preference account interface which may be compatible with a web-browser, a player may be able to view and modify preference account information stored on the preference account server from a number remote devices such as a gaming machine, a home computer, a hotel room video interface and a casino kiosk.

Claims

1. A gaming machine comprising:

a master gaming controller that is configured

     1) to control a game played on the gaming machine,

     2) to request preference account information from a remote server,

     3) to configure the gaming machine using the preference account information received from the remote server,

     4) to output to a video display a user interface that is customized on the gaming machine according to preference account information stored by the remote server, said customized user interface configured to allow a user to modify the preference account information stored on the remote server;

     5) to receive commands and data from the remote server for generating the customized user interface on the video display,

     6) to send information associated with preference selections entered via the customized user interface to the remote server;

     7) to configure the gaming machine using the preference selections entered via the customized user interface

     8) to receive a wager on an outcome for the game,

     9) to determine the outcome for the game,

     10) to generate a game presentation of the outcome determined for the game on the video display; and

     11) to generate on the video display a simulated game presentation according to the preference selections entered via the customized user interface to allow a player to assess how the preference selections will affect game play;

the video display for outputting the customized user interface hosted on the remote server and for displaying under control of the master gaming controller the game presentation of the outcome;

a memory configured to store gaming software that allows the master gaming controller to request one or more different portions of the preference account information from the remote server, wherein the preference account information includes one or more items selected from the group consisting of loyalty point account information, loyalty point account settings, promotional opportunities, preferred games, preferred game features for said preferred games, preferred gaming machine settings, preferred bonus games, preferred service options and preferred progressive games; and

the customizable user interface configured to display information regarding one or more preferences from a group of available preferences, to receive the preference selections, and to display the simulated game presentation, wherein the simulated game presentation is a) generated on the remote server using the preference selections received at the gaming machine and sent to the remote server from the gaming machine and b) output via the customized user interface in response to commands and data received from the remote server.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein a first portion of the preference account information is requested from a preference account on the remote server and wherein a second portion of the preference account information different from the first portion is requested from the preference account on the remote server.

3. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the loyalty point account information comprises at least one or more records that include an amount of loyalty points rewarded during a particular event.

4. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the loyalty point account settings are selected from the group consisting of a name, an address, contact information, tax information and preferred rewards.

5. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the promotional opportunities are one or more particular events that allow a player participating in said one or more events to earn extra loyalty points.

6. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the preferred games are selected from the group consisting of video slots games, video poker games, video black jack games, video pachinko games, video card games, video keno games and video games of chance.

7. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the preferred gaming features for said preferred games is selected from the group consisting of game versions, game color schemes, game graphical features, a game presentation speed, game pay-out tables and game audio features.

8. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the preferred gaming machine settings are selected from the group consisting of a volume setting, an input interface configuration, a display setting, a denomination setting, a betting preference setting and a beverage setting.

9. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising:

biometric input device designed or configured to receive biometric information from a game player.

10. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the user interface is compatible with a web browser.

11. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more input devices designed or configured to input preference account information.

12. The gaming machine of claim 3, wherein the particular event is selected from the group consisting of a food purchase, an entertainment purchase, a lodging purchase, a merchandise purchase, a transportation purchase and a game play.

13. The gaming machine of claim 9, wherein the biometric input device is selected from the group consisting of a finger print reader, a retina scanner, a camera and a microphone.

14. The gaming machine of claim 11, wherein the one or more input devices are selected from the group consisting of a video touch screen, a button panel, a track ball, a mouse, a microphone, a touch pad, a card reader, a joy stick, a wireless interface, and a key pad.

15. A method of customizing a game play according to one or more player preferences on a gaming machine including a video display, the method comprising:

receiving preference account information;

sending the preference account information to a remote server;

generating on the video display a user interface customized according to preference account information stored by the remote server, said customized user interface configured to allow a user to modify the preference account information stored on the remote server, said customized user interface further configured

     1) to display information regarding one or more preferences in a group of available preferences,

     2) to receive preference selections,

     3) to display a simulated game presentation generated according to the preference selections entered via the customized user interface to allow a player to assess how the preference selections will affect game play, wherein the simulated game presentation is a) generated on the remote server using the preference selections received at the gaming machine and sent to the remote server from the gaming machine and b) output via the customized user interface in response to commands and data received from the remote server;

sending information related to the preference selections received at the gaming machine to the remote server;

receiving the commands and the data for generating the customized user interface on the video display from the remote server;

reconfiguring the gaming machine using said preference account information; and

generating the game play on the reconfigured gaming machine wherein the game play comprises a) receiving a wager on an outcome for a game, b) determining on the gaming machine the outcome for the game and c) displaying on the video display a game presentation generated on the gaming machine of the outcome determined for the game;

wherein the preference account information includes one or more items selected from the group consisting of loyalty point account information, loyalty point account settings, promotional opportunities, preferred games, preferred game features for said preferred games, preferred gaming machine settings, preferred bonus games and preferred progressive games.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the loyalty point account information comprises at least one or more records including an amount of loyalty points rewarded during a particular event.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the loyalty point account settings are selected from the group consisting of a name, an address, contact information, tax information and preferred rewards.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the promotional opportunities are one or more particular events that allow a player participating in said on or more events to earn extra loyalty points.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the preferred games are selected from the group consisting of video slots games, video poker games, video black jack games, video pachinko games, video card games, video keno games and video games of chance.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the preferred gaming features for said preferred games is are selected from the group consisting of game versions, game color schemes, game graphical features, a game presentation speed, game paytables and game audio features.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the preferred gaming machine settings are selected from the group consisting of a volume setting, an input interface configuration, a display setting, a denomination setting, a betting preference settings and a beverage setting.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

sending a message including a request for preference account information to a remote server and receiving preference account information from said remote server.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the preference account information is received from an input device on the gaming machine.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the preview and information regarding one or more preferences is displayed on one or more video displays.

25. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a request to access the preference account and authenticating the request.

26. The method of claim 15, wherein the access request is authenticated using biometric information.

27. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

sending preference account information to an external storage unit wherein said external storage unit is selected from the group consisting of a smart card, a magnetic striped-card, a paper print-out, a remote server and a personal digital assistant.

28. The method of claim 16, wherein the particular event is a food purchase, an entertainment purchase, a lodging purchase, a merchandise purchase, a transportation purchase or a game play.

29. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

sending a first message including a request for a first portion of the preference account information from a preference account on the remote server and sending a second message including a request for a second portion of the preference account information from the preference account on the remote server wherein the second portion is different from the first portion.