Configuration of gaming machines based on gaming machine location

• US 8,235,816 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2007
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nelson, Dwayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rustemeyer, Malina K
• Application Number:
  US11/830,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20080051198A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,835 Days
• Field of Search: 463/40
• US Class Current: 463/40
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• 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

Abstract

A method and apparatus for tracking and determining a location of a gaming machine or other item within a casino or hotel is disclosed. In one embodiment the method and apparatus utilizes a transmitter or emitter to provide a tracking signal that may be tracked by one or more receivers or detectors. It is contemplated that the transmitter or emitter connect to a gaming machine. As the gaming machine is relocated within the casino its location is monitored. The one or more receivers may communicate with a host computer or other data processing system to generate location data regarding the gaming machine in relation to other aspects of the casino. Based on the location information generated by the location monitoring and tracking system, other aspects of machine operation may be controlled and additional features dependant on the machine location information may be enabled.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a gaming machine location system configured to generate, for a plurality of gaming machines on a gaming floor, physical location data of the gaming machines with respect to the gaming floor;

one or more emitters, each emitter being associated with a respective gaming machine or a respective bank of gamine machines on the gaming floor

a gaming machine control module configured to

establish operational parameters of a linked progressive system,

receive, based on the outputs of the one or more emitters, the physical location data from said gaming machine location system,

generate and display a graphical representation of the physical location data,

translate said physical location data to network address data,

select one or more subject gaming machines from said plurality of gaming machines based on the floors physical location data,

associate said one or more subject gaming machines with the linked progressive system,

automatically reconfigure said one or more subject gaming machines from a remote location based upon said established operational parameters and said physical location data, and

communicate information regarding said one or more subject gaming machines to said linked progressive system; and

a communication apparatus configured to communicate the network address of said subject gaming machine information from said gaming machine control module to said linked progressive system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said subject gaming machine information includes network address information for said one or more subject gaming machines.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said operational parameters are provided via user input.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said operational parameters are determined automatically by said gaming machine control module or an associated system module.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said operational parameters include gaming machine physical location parameters that define gaming machines located within a defined area or a maximum or minimum proximity to a specified location.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said gaming machine control module is adapted to select only gaming machines located within said defined area or proximity.

7. A method, comprising:

establishing operational parameters for a linked progressive system;

specifying one or more gaming areas on a gaming floor to be associated with said linked progressive system;

determining physical location data regarding a plurality of gaming machines within or about said one or more gaming areas based on received outputs from one or more emitters, each emitter being associated with a respective gaming machine or a respective bank of gamine machines on the gaming floor;

generating and displaying a graphical representation of the physical location data,

translating said physical location data regarding said plurality of gaming machines to network address data;

selecting one or more subject gaming machines from said plurality of gaming machines, said selecting being based at least in part on gaming machine physical location;

associating said one or more subject gaming machines with said linked progressive;

associating said one or more gaming machines with said linked progressive system by communicating, with a communication apparatus, the network address data of said one or more subject gaming machines to the linked progressive system; and

reconfiguring automatically said one or more subject gaming machines from a remote location based upon said operational parameters of said linked progressive system.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the linked progressive system is linked between different casinos.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more gaming areas are areas located near entrances to a casino.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said translating step comprises converting the physical location of a gaming machine into a gaming machine identification and thereafter translating the gaming machine identification into a computer network address.