Player tracking system

• US 8,070,598 B1
• Filed: 03/24/2004
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sartini Gaming, Inc.
• Original Assignee: E-T-T LLC
• Inventors: Guinn, Robert Jr., Schmit, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Champagne, Donald
• Application Number:
  US10/809,536
• Time in Patent Office: 2,813 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 463/16, 463/29
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3206 Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players

Abstract

An embodiment of the invention includes an RF fob with an embedded identifier. The fob transmits a signal that is received by one of a plurality of games which recognizes the identifier and thus identifies the player who holds the fob. Several discrete remote gaming locations are connected to a central location where player information is stored and maintained. When a player scans his fob at a game at any remote location connected to the central location, the identifier is transmitted to the central location and player information is transmitted to the game. The player can begin play, accumulating points on his/her account reflective of his or her gaming activity. The player can also redeem points for cash at the game itself without third-party assistance.

Claims

1. A system for tracking an individual'"'"'s wagering activity before and after said individual has provided information identifying themselves, comprising:

(a) a remote site including;

a plurality of interactive devices that each engage an individual in an interactive activity and collect wagering information for the individual during the interactive activity;

a plurality of RF enclosures, wherein each respective enclosure is coupled to a respective interactive device, and wherein each enclosure includes an RF reader and a display;

(b) a plurality of RF transponders,

wherein each RF transponder includes a unique identifier; and

wherein the RF reader is configured to obtain the unique identifier from one or more of the plurality of RF transponders in proximity to the RF enclosure;

(c) a central site, wherein the central site is in at least periodic communication with the remote site;

the central site including a management module and a database for storing wagering information;

wherein the management module is configured to associate a portable registration form with at least one of the plurality of RF transponders, the registration form comprising one or more open fields labeled to identify requested information and configured to accept insertion of player information including the individual'"'"'s name from the individual and a transponder identifier, the transponder identifier configured to identify at least one of the plurality of RF transponders;

wherein the management module is further configured to subsequently receive the player information from the one or more open fields of the registration form and store the player information in the database;

wherein, prior to receiving the player information from the registration form, the database receives and stores the wagering information and the unique identifier of at least one of the plurality of RF transponders from the remote site, the wagering information being stored associated with the unique identifier; and

wherein, after receiving the player information from the registration form, the management module stores the player information in the database, the player information being stored associated with previously stored wagering information according to the transponder identifier of the registration form.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the wagering information includes information regarding an individual in possession of one of the plurality of RF transponders, including a point balance, and wherein the point balance is reflective of the individual'"'"'s activity at the plurality of interactive devices.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the wagering information includes information regarding an individual in possession of one of the plurality of RF transponders, including a point balance, and wherein the point balance is an accumulation of points based on the individual'"'"'s activity at the plurality of interactive devices and awards from an establishment utilizing the system.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the points have a monetary value and are redeemable only after receiving the player information from the registration form.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of interactive devices collect session activity and communicate the session activity to the database for storage associated with the unique identifier of at least one of the plurality of RF transponders, the session activity comprising the time period from the time at least one of the plurality of RF transponders is placed in proximity to the RF reader until a logout event.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the central site is configured to transmit information to the RF enclosure of at least one of the plurality of interactive machines at the remote site, the information identifying an individual in possession of the respective transponder and a point balance for the individual, wherein the information is displayed to the individual on the display.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of interactive devices include gaming devices, kiosks, and pay stations.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein gaming devices include slot machines and gaming tables.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the RF enclosure further includes a keypad.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the RF enclosure further includes a keypad and a controller.

11. The system of claim 1, including a plurality of remote sites, wherein the central site is in at least periodic communication with each remote site, and wherein the database stores information accumulated from all of the remote sites.

12. A system for tracking an individual'"'"'s wagering activity before and after said individual has provided information identifying themselves, comprising:

an interactive device that engages an individual in an interactive activity and collects wagering information of the individual during the interactive activity;

a plurality of RF transponders, wherein each of the plurality of RF transponders include a unique identifier;

an RF enclosure, wherein the enclosure is coupled to the interactive device, and wherein the enclosure includes an RF reader and a display, wherein the RF reader is configured to obtain the unique identifier from the plurality of RF transponders;

a portable registration form for collecting player information from the individual, the registration form comprising one or more open fields labeled to identify requested information and configured to accept insertion of player information including the individual'"'"'s name and a transponder identifier that identifies at least one of the plurality of RF transponders;

a computing device at a central site remote from the interactive device, the RF enclosure in at least periodic communication with the computing device;

a database coupled to the computing device, the database configured to store the wagering information of the individual, wherein the wagering information is stored associated with the unique identifier of at least one of the plurality of RF transponders; and

a management module coupled to the computing device, the management module configured to receive the player information from the registration form and store the player information in the database, wherein the player information is stored associated with previously stored wagering information according to the transponder identifier of the registration.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the display displays a point balance, the point balance reflective of the individual'"'"'s activity at the interactive device and other interactive devices.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the RF enclosure further includes a keypad.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the display and the keypad are integral.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the RF enclosure further includes a keypad and a controller.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the interactive device is one of a gaming device, a kiosk, and a pay station.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the gaming device is one of a slot machine and a gaming table.

19. A method for tracking an individual'"'"'s wagering activity before and after said individual has provided information identifying themselves, comprising:

receiving, at an interactive device at a remote site, an RF signal from an RF transponder held by an individual, the signal including a unique identifier identifying the RF transponder;

transmitting the identifier to a computing device at a central site;

tracking activity by the individual until a logout event, wherein information about the activity is stored in a database at the central site associated with the unique identifier of the RF transponder;

providing a registration form comprising a transponder identifier with the RF transponder to the individual, wherein the transponder identifier identifies the RF transponder;

receiving player information including at least the individual'"'"'s name at one or more open fields of the registration form according to one or more labels of the one or more open fields; and

after information about the activity by the individual is stored, storing the player information from the registration form, wherein the player information including the individual'"'"'s name is stored associated with previously stored information about the activity by the individual in the database according to the transponder identifier of the registration form.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

using the unique identifier of the RF transponder at the central site to retrieve information about the individual, and transmitting, by the central site, the information to the interactive device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the information includes a point balance.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein tracking activity by the individual includes accumulating a point balance for the individual reflective of the individual'"'"'s activity.

23. The method of claim 19, further including:

wherein tracking activity by the individual includes accumulating a point balance for the individual reflective of the individual'"'"'s activity; and

permitting the individual to redeem points in the point balance for cash at the interactive device after information about the activity by the individual is stored.

24. The method of claim 19, further including:

receiving, at the interactive device, an enroll signal;

receiving, at an interactive device, the RF signal from the RF transponder held by the individual, the RF signal including a unique identifier identifying the RF transponder;

prompting the individual to enter a PIN; and

transmitting the identifier and PIN to the central site.

25. The method of claim 24, further including:

prior to receiving an RF signal from the RF signal from the RF transponder held by the individual, receiving, at the interactive device, an RF signal from an RF transponder held by an employee, the RF signal including an employee identifier.

26. The method of claim 19, further including:

generating a plurality of reports at the central site relating to activities conducted on a plurality of interactive devices at a plurality of remote sites; and

displaying at least one of the plurality of reports to an authorized individual at least one of the remote sites.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein one of the plurality of reports relates to the current activity of a single individual in real time.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the plurality of reports are displayed to the authorized individual over the internet.

29. A method for tracking an individual'"'"'s wagering activity before and after said individual has provided information identifying themselves, comprising:

receiving, at any one of a plurality of interactive devices at any one of a plurality remote sites, an RF signal from an RF transponder held by an individual, the signal including unique identifier identifying the RF transponder;

transmitting the identifier to a computing device at a central site;

tracking, by the remote site, activity by the individual at the interactive device until a logout event, wherein information about the activity is stored in a database at the central site associated with the unique identifier of the RF transponder;

providing a registration form comprising a transponder identifier with the RF transponder to the individual, wherein the transponder identifier identifies the RF transponder;

receiving player information including at least the individual'"'"'s name at one or more open fields of the registration form according to one or more labels of the one or more open fields;

after information about the activity by the individual is stored, storing player information from the registration form, wherein the player information including the individual'"'"'s name is stored associated with previously stored information about the activity by the individual in the database according to the transponder identifier of the registration form;

generating a plurality of reports at the central site relating to activities conducted on the plurality interactive devices at the plurality remote sites; and

displaying a report to an authorized individual at least one of the plurality of remote sites.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein one of the plurality of reports relates to the activity of a single individual.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the one of the plurality of reports reflects current activity for the single individual in real time.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein one or more of the plurality of reports is displayed to authorized personnel over the internet.

33. A method for tracking an individual'"'"'s wagering activity before and after said individual has provided information identifying themselves, comprising:

receiving, at an interactive device at a remote site, an enroll signal;

receiving, at the interactive device, an RF signal from an RF transponder held by an individual, the signal including a unique identifier identifying the RF transponder;

prompting the individual to enter a PIN;

transmitting the RF identifier and the PIN to a central site;

collecting activity by the individual at the interactive device until a logout event, wherein information about the activity is stored in a database at a central site associated with the unique identifier of the RF transponder;

providing a registration form comprising a transponder identifier with the RF transponder to the player, wherein the transponder identifier identifies the RF transponder;

receiving player information including the individual'"'"'s name at one or more open fields of the registration form according to one or more labels of the one or more open fields; and

after information about the activity by the individual is stored, storing player information from the registration form, wherein the player information including the individual'"'"'s name is stored associated with previously stored information about the activity by the individual in the database according to the transponder identifier of the registration form.

34. The method of claim 33, further including:

prior to receiving an RE signal from a transponder held by an individual, receiving, at the interactive device, an RF signal from an RF transponder held by an employee, the RF signal including an employee identifier.

35. A method for tracking an individual'"'"'s wagering activity before and after said individual has provided information identifying themselves, comprising:

receiving, at an interactive device at a remote site, an RF signal from an RF transponder held by an individual, the signal including a unique identifier identifying the RF transponder;

collecting information comprising a point balance for the individual at the interactive device until a logout event, wherein the information is stored associated with the unique identifier of the RF transponder in a database at a central site;

transmitting the unique identifier to the central site;

using the unique identifier at the central site to retrieve the information comprising a point balance for the individual;

transmitting, by the central site, the information to the interactive device;

displaying, by the interactive device, the point balance;

permitting the individual to redeem points in the point balance for cash at the interactive device without assistance of other persons;

providing a registration form comprising a transponder identifier to the player, the transponder identifier identifying the RF transponder;

associating, by a management module of the central site, the registration form with the RF transponder;

receiving player information including the individual'"'"'s name at one or more open fields of the registration form according to one or more labels of the one or more open fields; and

after the information comprising a point balance for the individual is stored, storing, by the management module, player information from the registration form, wherein the player information including the individual'"'"'s name is stored associated with previously stored information comprising the point balance for the individual in the database according to the transponder identifier of the registration form.