Virtual player tracking and related services

• US 8,057,298 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2007
• Issued: 11/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Binh, LeMay, Steven G., Wolf, Bryan D., Underdahl, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo; Peter DungBa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim; Kevin Y
• Application Number:
  US11/881,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20070270213A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,574 Days
• Field of Search: 463/42, 463/25
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3281 wherein game attributes are transferred between players, e.g. points, weapons, avatars

Abstract

Various gaming-related services are provided, including but not limited to security services, harm minimization services, player identification services, bonusing/progressive services, accounting services, financial/banking services, network tunneling services, cheating detection services, etc. Such services may be provided, at least in part, by software agents that can be configured for different platforms and/or operating systems. Some software-based player tracking methods of the invention can aggregate data from multiple devices used by a player for gaming.

Claims

1. A gaming system, comprising:

a first gaming device;

a second gaming device; and

a server, said server configured to

obtain first gaming information regarding a first player'"'"'s Internet wagering games from a first software agent executing on the first gaming device;

obtain second gaming information regarding the first player'"'"'s Internet wagering games from a second software agent executing on the second gaming device;

combine at least some components of the first gaming information and the second gaming information;

credit a player tracking account of the first player based on the combination of at least some components of the first gaming information and the second gaming information;

determine consistency of game play reaction time of the first player;

determine whether the first or the second device is being played according to the consistency of game play reaction time; and

invoke one or more countermeasures affecting game play when it is determined that the first or the second device is not being played according to the consistency of game play reaction time.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the server is configured to obtain first gaming information from a memory of the first gaming device having first tracking software stored thereon.

3. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein the first tracking software comprises a player tracking software agent.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the second gaming device is disposed within a gaming machine of a gaming establishment.

5. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the second gaming device is a wireless device.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first gaming device and the second gaming device are in locations other than gaming establishments.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the one or more countermeasures comprise at least one of an investigation by a casino employee, a communication to the player, requiring a proper response to a challenge, disabling one or both of the first gaming device and the second gaming device, and sending a message to a game administrator.

8. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having software recorded thereon, the software comprising instructions for controlling at least one device in a gaming network to perform the following tasks:

obtaining first gaming information regarding a first player'"'"'s Internet wagering games on a first device;

obtaining second gaming information regarding the first player'"'"'s Internet wagering games on a second device;

combining at least some components of the first gaming information and the second gaming information; and

crediting a player tracking account of the first player based on a combination of at least some components of the first gaming information and the second gaming information;

determining consistency of game play reaction time of the first player;

determining whether the first or the second device is being played according to the consistency of game play reaction time; and

invoking one or more countermeasures affecting game play when it is determined that the first or the second device is not being played according to the consistency of game play reaction time.

9. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the one or more countermeasures comprise at least one of an investigation by a casino employee, a communication to the player, requiring a proper response to a challenge, disabling one or both of the first gaming device and the second gaming device, and sending a message to a game administrator.

10. A server, configured to:

obtain first gaming information regarding a first player'"'"'s Internet wagering games from a first software agent executing on a first host device;

obtain second gaming information regarding the first player'"'"'s Internet wagering games from a second software agent executing on a second host device;

credit a player tracking account of the first player based on the first gaming information and the second gaming information;

determine consistency of game play reaction time of the first player;

determine whether the first or second device is being played according to the consistency of game play reaction time; and

invoke one or more countermeasures affecting game play when it is determined that the first or the second device is not being played according to the consistency of game play reaction time.

11. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having software recorded thereon, the software comprising instructions for controlling at least one device in a gaming network to perform the following tasks:

obtaining first gaming information regarding a first player'"'"'s Internet wagering games from a first software agent executing on a first host device;

obtaining second gaming information regarding the first player'"'"'s Internet wagering games from a second software agent executing on a second host device; and

crediting a player tracking account of the first player based on the first gaming information and the second gaming information;

determining consistency of game play reaction time of the first player;

determining whether the first or the second device is being played according to the consistency of game play reaction time; and

invoking one or more countermeasures affecting game play when it is determined that the first or the second device is not being played according to the consistency of game play reaction time.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising instructions for controlling at least one device in a gaming network to monitor a heartbeat from a third software agent.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 12, further comprising instructions for controlling at least one device in a gaming network to initiate countermeasures when an expected heartbeat is not received from the third software agent.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the one or more countermeasures comprise at least one of an investigation by a casino employee, a communication to the player, requiring a proper response to a challenge, disabling one or both of the first gaming device and the second gaming device, and sending a message to a game administrator.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one network interface; and

at least one logic device configured for the following;

receiving, via a network interface, first gaming information regarding a first player'"'"'s Internet wagering games from first software executing on a first host device and second gaming information regarding the first player'"'"'s Internet wagering games from second software executing on a second host device;

crediting a player tracking account of the first player based on the first gaming information and the second gaming information;

determining consistency of game play reaction time of the first player;

determining whether the first or second device is being played according to the consistency of game play reaction time; and

invoking one or more countermeasures affecting game play when it is determined that the first or the second device is not being played according to the consistency of game play reaction time.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein at least one logic device is further configured to monitor a heartbeat.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein at least one logic device is further configured to initiate countermeasures when an expected heartbeat is not received.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein at least one logic device is further configured to determine third gaming information regarding a second player'"'"'s wagering games on a third device.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein at least one logic device is further configured to monitor the first or second gaming information for indicia of game play by an imposter.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the one or more countermeasures comprise at least one of an investigation by a casino employee, a communication to the player, requiring a proper response to a challenge, disabling one or both of the first gaming device and the second gaming device, and sending a message to a game administrator.