Method and apparatus for providing a complimentary service to a player

• US 8,087,996 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2003
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Walker, Jay S., Jorasch, James A., Sammon, Russell P., Sparico, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Peter DungBa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Kevin Y
• Application Number:
  US10/655,154
• Publication Number:
  US 20040106454A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,043 Days
• Field of Search: 463/13, 463/20, 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 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for providing a service to a player using a player device. A indication of a player identifier which corresponds to a player of a gaming device is received. A player device is provided to the player. A service to provide the player is determined based on a gaming activity of the player, and the service is then provided to the player using the player device.

Claims

1. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

enabling a player to place at least one wager on at least one play of a game at a gaming device located on a gaming floor in a gaming establishment;

in response to the placement of the at least one wager;

(i) causing a display device to display an outcome of the game; and

(ii) causing any awards associated with the displayed outcome of the game to be provided;

enabling the gaming device to receive an indication of an identifier, said identifier corresponding to the player of the gaming device;

causing a first processor to determine a non-monetary code to provide to the player based on;

(i) the identifier; and

(ii) a gaming activity of the player;

wherein;

(a) if the gaming activity of the player is a first amount of gaming activity, the determined non-monetary code is a first non-monetary code; and

(b) if the gaming activity of the player is a second, different amount of gaming activity, the determined non-monetary code is a second, different non-monetary code;

providing the determined non-monetary code to the player, said determined non-monetary code not being associated with an amount of cash or credits and not being redeemable for cash or credits;

enabling the player to input the determined non-monetary code at a player device, the player device being an electronic device separate from any wagering gaming device located on the gaming floor in the gaming establishment and the player device being located at a location remote from the gaming floor of the gaming establishment;

causing a second processor to determine a service to provide to the player, said service being based, at least in part, on the inputted non-monetary code; and

causing the player device to enable the player to access the determined service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming activity comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

an amount of play of the gaming device,

a rate of play of the gaming device, and

a duration of play of the gaming device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the service comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

an amount of telephone service,

an amount of Internet access service,

receiving audio content, and

receiving video content.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising evaluating whether a condition is satisfied prior to causing the second processor to determine the service to provide to the player.

5. The method of claim 4, in which causing the player device to enable the player to access the determined service comprises causing the player device to enable the player to access the service if the condition is satisfied.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing the gaming device to display an indication of the determined code to the player.

7. The method of claim 1, the first processor being a gaming server processor of a gaming server, and the second processor being a player device processor of the player device.

8. The method of claim 1, in which causing the second processor to determine the service to provide to the player comprises sending the determined non-monetary code to a gaming server and receiving data indicative of the service to provide to the player from the gaming server in response to the sent non-monetary code.

9. The method of claim 1, which includes providing the player device to the player prior to enabling the gaming device to receive the indication of the identifier.

10. The method of claim 1, which includes providing the player device to the player in response to receiving consideration from the player.

11. The method of claim 10, the consideration including a rental fee.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing compensation to the player in exchange for the player returning the player device.

13. The method of claim 10, the consideration including a security deposit.

14. The method of claim 13, which includes refunding the security deposit to the player in exchange for the player returning the player device.

15. The method of claim 10, which includes determining an amount of the consideration.

16. The method of claim 15, which includes determining the amount of the consideration based, at least in part, on a gaming history of the player.

17. The method of claim 16, the gaming history of the player including an average rate of play.

18. The method of claim 16, the gaming history of the player including an indication of whether at least one offer was accepted by the player.

19. The method of claim 15, which includes determining the amount of the consideration based at least in part on a gaming history of a third party different from the player.

20. The method of claim 15, in which providing the player device to the player comprises selling the player device to the player, and the consideration comprises an acceptance by the player of an offer.

21. The method of claim 20, in which the player device comprises a telephone.

22. The method of claim 21, in which the offer comprises a proposed contract for service on the telephone.

23. The method of claim 1, the non-monetary code including the player identifier.

24. The method of claim 23, in which the gaming device includes the first processor, the gaming device thereby being adapted to determine the code.

25. The method of claim 24, in which the player device includes the second processor, the player device thereby being adapted to enable the player to access the service in response to the indication of the non-monetary code.

26. The method of claim 1, in which a controller in communication with the gaming device includes the second processor, the controller thereby being adapted to determine the service to provide to the player.

27. The method of claim 1, in which the gaming device includes the second processor, the gaming device thereby being adapted to determine the service to provide to the player.

28. The method of claim 1, in which the player device includes the second processor, the player device thereby being adapted to determine the service to provide to the player.

29. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing the player device to cease providing the service.

30. The method of claim 29, in which causing the player device to cease providing the service occurs after a predetermined amount of time.

31. The method of claim 29, in which causing the player device to cease providing the service occurs after an occurrence of a designated event.

32. The method of claim 29, further comprising notifying the player of cessation of the service prior to causing the player device to cease providing the service.

33. The method of claim 32, which includes causing the player device to notify the player of the cessation.

34. The method of claim 1, in which the player device includes a tracking device.

35. The method of claim 34, in which the tracking device includes an RFID device.

36. The method of claim 1, in which the player device is a portable device.

37. A gaming system comprising:

at least one input device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one input device to;

(a) enable a player to place at least one wager on at least one play of a game at a gaming device located on a gaming floor in a gaming establishment, and in response to the placement of the at least one wager;

(i) display an outcome of the game, and

(ii) provide any awards associated with the displayed outcome of the game,

(b) receive an indication of an identifier corresponding to the player of the gaming device,

(c) determine a non-monetary code to provide to the player based on;

(i) the identifier, and

(ii) a gaming activity of the player,

wherein;

(1) if the gaming activity of the player is a first amount of gaming activity, the determined non-monetary code is a first non-monetary code, and

(2) if the gaming activity of the player is a second, different amount of gaming activity, the determined non-monetary code is a second, different non-monetary code,

(d) cause a first display device to display the determined non-monetary code to the player, said determined non-monetary code not being associated with an amount of cash or credits and not being redeemable for cash or credits,

(e) after causing the display of the determined non-monetary code, receive an indication of the determined non-monetary code from the player,

(f) determine a service to provide to the player based on the received indication of the determined non-monetary code, and

(g) enable the player to access the determined service via a player device, the player device being an electronic device separate from the first display device and any wagering gaming device located on the gaming floor in the gaming establishment and the player device being located at a location remote from the gaming floor of the gaming establishment.

38. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium which stores a plurality of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform a method comprising:

enabling a player to place a wager on a play of a game at a gaming device located on a gaming floor in a gaming establishment, and in response to the placement of the wager;

(a) causing a display device to display an outcome of the game; and

(b) causing any awards associated with the displayed outcome of the game to be provided;

enabling the gaming device to receive an indication of an identifier corresponding to the player of the gaming device;

determining a non-monetary code to provide to the player based on;

(a) the identifier, and

(b) a gaming activity of the player;

wherein;

(1) if the gaming activity of the player is a first amount of gaming activity, the determined non-monetary code is a first non-monetary code; and

(2) if the gaming activity of the player is a second, different amount of gaming activity, the determined non-monetary code is a second, different non-monetary code;

causing at least one display device to display the determined non-monetary code to the player, said determined non-monetary code not being associated with an amount of cash or credits and not being redeemable for cash or credits;

enabling the player to input the determined non-monetary code at a player device, the player device being an electronic device separate from any wagering gaming device and located at a location remote from the gaming floor of the gaming establishment;

determining a service to provide to the player based on the determined non-monetary code; and

causing the player device to enable the player to access the determined service.

39. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 38, in which the gaming activity comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

an amount of play of the gaming device,

a rate of play of the gaming device, and

a duration of play of the gaming device.

40. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 38, in which the service comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

an amount of telephone service,

an amount of Internet access service,

receiving audio content, and

receiving video content.