Using player information in wagering game environments

• US 8,235,811 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2008
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Joshi, Shridhar P., Lucas, Candace, Thomas, Alfred
• Primary Examiner(s): McClellan, James S
• Application Number:
  US12/530,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20100087247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,600 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 463/29, 463/42, 705/14, 705/26
• US Class Current: 463/29
• 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 17/3234 about the performance of a gaming system, e.g. revenue, diagnosis of the gaming system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players
• 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 for using player information in wagering game environments are described herein. In one embodiment a method includes receiving a first set of player information, where the first set of player information indicates casino activities of a player. The method can also include analyzing the first set of player information and a second set of player information to determine preferences and tendencies associated with the player. The method can also include providing an indication of the preferences and tendencies to wagering game network devices.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for electronically disseminating player information in a wagering game network, the method comprising:

receiving, in a player information server, a first set of player information indicating wagering game activities in a real-world casino, wherein the wagering game activities are associated with a player;

storing the first set of player information in a database in the player information server;

analyzing the first set of player information and a second set of player information to determine preferences and tendencies associated with the player, wherein the second set of player information indicates the player'"'"'s non-gaming activities in a virtual community; and

providing an indication of the preferences and tendencies to devices in the wagering game network.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the non-gaming activities include monitoring social contacts in real-world casinos.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising

analyzing the first set to determine that the player has an acquaintance relationship with another player.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, further comprising:

awarding a transferable promotional offer to the player, wherein the promotional offer is redeemable only if transferred to the other player.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the analyzing uses one or more of the group consisting of factor analysis, regression analysis, and cluster analysis.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first set of player information is received from a wagering game machine residing in the real-world casino.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the devices include one or more of a promotions server, a wagering game server, a management server, and a community server.

8. A wagering game network comprising:

wagering game machines configured to provide a first set of player information, wherein the first set of player information indicates choices made by players during wagering games in one or more casinos;

a community server configured to host social networks comprising the players, and to provide a second set of player information, wherein the second set of player information indicates the players'"'"' activities in virtual communities and relationships between the players; and

a player information server configured to determine, based on the first and second sets of player information, wagering game preferences associated with the players and relationships between certain of the players, and to distribute, to one or more other devices on the wagering game network, a third set of player information indicating the wagering game preferences and the relationships between certain of the players; and

a promotions server configured to receive the third set of information and to create promotions for the players based on the third set of player information, wherein the promotions include offers redeemable by playing more wagering games in the one or more casinos.

9. The wagering game network of claim 8, wherein the second set of player information further indicates influence relationships between the players.

10. The wagering game network of claim 8 further comprising:

a player service device configured to

provide additional player information to the player information server; and

present a player information dashboard showing real-time player information about one or more of the players at one or more of the wagering game machines, wherein the real-time player information indicates preferences of the one or more of the players.

11. The wagering game network of claim 8 further comprising:

a wagering game server configured to provide wagering game content to the wagering game machines based on the preferences and relationships.

12. The wagering game network of claim 8, wherein the promotions include one or more of electronic coupons, wagering game betting options, and in-person casino services.

13. The wagering game network of claim 8, wherein the relationships include one or more of friend relationships and influence relationships.

14. The wagering game network of claim 8, wherein the first set of player information also indicated movements of one or more of the players in the one or more casinos.

15. A machine readable storage device including instructions executable by a machine, the instructions to electronically disseminate player information in a wagering game network, the instructions comprising:

instructions to receive, in a player information server, a first set of player information indicating wagering game activities in a real-world casino, wherein the wagering game activities are associated with a player;

instructions to store the first set of player information in a database in the player information server;

instructions to analyze the first set of player information and a second set of player information to determine preferences and tendencies associated with the player, wherein the second set of player information indicates the player'"'"'s game-playing activities in a virtual community; and

instructions to provide an indication of the preferences and tendencies to devices in the wagering game network.

16. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the non-gaming activities include one or more of responding to promotional offers in the virtual community, communicating to social contacts in the virtual community, and monitoring social contacts in real-world casinos.

17. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

instructions to analyze the first and second sets to determine that the player has an influence relationship with another player.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising:

instructions to award a transferable promotional offer to the player, wherein the promotional offer is redeemable only if transferred to the other player.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions to analyze perform one or more of factor analysis, regression analysis, and cluster analysis.

20. A computer-implemented method for analyzing information about players in a wagering game network, the method comprising:

receiving, in a player information server on the wagering game network, a first group of information indicating the players'"'"' wagering game activities in a real-world casino, and a second group of information indicating the players'"'"' activities in a virtual community;

analyzing, in the player information server, the first and second groups of information to identify influence relationships between the players, and to identify aspirations of the players;

transmitting other groups of information indicating the influence relationships between the players and the aspirations of the players.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 20, further comprising:

determining that certain of the players are playing wagering games in the real-world casino;

receiving one or more of the other groups of information;

presenting, based on the one or more other groups of information, graphics indicating the influence relationships and aspirations associated with the certain of the players.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 20, wherein the influence relationships indicate how some of the players influence others of the players to deviate from typical behavior.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 20, wherein the aspirations indicate types of wagering game jackpots the players want to win.