Game account access device
First Claim
1. An electronic gaming machine adapted for accepting wagers, presenting gaming events thereupon and granting monetary awards, comprising:
- a master gaming controller adapted to provide and control one or more gaming events;
a player tracking device adapted to obtain information regarding a specific player from a communication object worn by said specific player,wherein the information is at least in part indicative of accounts associated with the specific player including a first account and a second account, wherein the first account is useable by the player for gambling related transactions including making wagers, and the second account is useable by the player for non-gambling related transactions including purchasing goods and services, andwherein the player tracking device is further adapted to forward an indication of the first account to the master gaming controller but not forward an indication of the second account to the master gaming controller;
a player verification program adapted to verify whether obtained information regarding said specific player is acceptable according to one or more set criteria;
a communication link or path between said player tracking device and said player verification program; and
a communication link or path between said player verification program and said master gaming controller.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for verifying the eligibility of players attempting to participate in gaming events are disclosed. Communication objects having RFID tags and closed electrical circuits are individually assigned to and worn by players within a gaming player verification system, which can be administered by a casino desk, hotel concierge, or other operating entity. These RFID tags are adapted to communicate with associated player tracking units attached to gaming machines and other devices via radio frequency waves, and each communication object is adapted to alter its communication pattern in response to any break of its closed electrical circuit. Bracelets, wristwatches or collars can be used as communication objects, such that the removal of such an object from a player cannot be accomplished without breaking the closed electrical circuit contained therein, thereby disabling or de-authenticating the device. A communications object may emit a signal which can be tied to one of two or more player accounts. One of the two accounts may be charged for a player transaction depending on the nature of the transaction. A computer server having a player verification program and database may also be used.
703 Citations
32 Claims
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1. An electronic gaming machine adapted for accepting wagers, presenting gaming events thereupon and granting monetary awards, comprising:
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a master gaming controller adapted to provide and control one or more gaming events; a player tracking device adapted to obtain information regarding a specific player from a communication object worn by said specific player, wherein the information is at least in part indicative of accounts associated with the specific player including a first account and a second account, wherein the first account is useable by the player for gambling related transactions including making wagers, and the second account is useable by the player for non-gambling related transactions including purchasing goods and services, and wherein the player tracking device is further adapted to forward an indication of the first account to the master gaming controller but not forward an indication of the second account to the master gaming controller; a player verification program adapted to verify whether obtained information regarding said specific player is acceptable according to one or more set criteria; a communication link or path between said player tracking device and said player verification program; and a communication link or path between said player verification program and said master gaming controller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An apparatus comprising at least one computer server configured to:
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receive an identifier from a gaming device in use by a player, wherein the gaming device is adapted to provide at least one gaming event to the player, wherein the gaming device obtains the identifier from a communication object possessed by the player, and wherein the obtained identifier indicates a first account and a second account, wherein the first account is useable by the player for at least gambling related transactions including making bets, and the second account is useable by the player only for non-gambling related transactions including purchasing goods and services; receive a first transaction from the gaming device, wherein the first transaction comprises a bet; determine that a nature of the first transaction comprises a gambling-related transaction; based at least in part on determining that the nature of the first transaction comprises a gambling-related transaction, charge the first transaction to the first account; receive the identifier from a point-of-sale (POS) terminal, wherein the POS terminal obtains the identifier from the communication object possessed by the player; receive a second transaction from the POS terminal, wherein the second transaction comprises a purchase of a good and/or service; determine that a nature of the second transaction comprises a non-gambling related transaction; and based at least in part on determining that the nature of the second transaction comprises a non-gamblingrelated transaction, charge the second transaction to the second account. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method comprising:
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receiving by at least one computer server an identifier from a gaming device in use by a player, wherein the gaming device is adapted to provide at least one gaming event to the player, wherein the gaming device obtains the identifier from a communication object possessed by the player, and wherein the obtained identifier indicates a first account and a second account, wherein the first account is useable by the player for at least gambling related transactions including making bets, and the second account is useable by the player only for non-gambling related transactions including purchasing goods and services; receiving by the at least one computer server a first transaction from the gaming device, wherein the first transaction comprises a bet; determining by the at least one computer server that a nature of the first transaction comprises a gambling-related transaction; based at least in part on determining that the nature of the first transaction comprises a gambling-related transaction, charging by the at least one computer server the first transaction to the first account; receiving by the at least one computer server the identifier from a point-of-sale (POS) terminal, wherein the POS terminal obtains the identifier from the communication object possessed by the player; receiving by the at least one computer server a second transaction from the POS terminal, wherein the second transaction comprises a purchase of a good and/or service; determining by the at least one computer server that a nature of the second transaction comprises a non-gambling-related transaction; and based at least in part on determining that the nature of the second transaction comprises a non-gambling-related transaction, charging by the at least one computer server the second transaction to the second account. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification