Intelligent wagering token and wagering token tracking techniques

• US 8,608,548 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2009
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Mattice, Harold E., Harris, Roger William, Moser, Timothy W., Schneider, Richard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): GARNER, WERNER G
• Application Number:
  US12/414,468
• Publication Number:
  US 20100093428A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,723 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 463/29, 463/40, 463 42- 43, 463/47
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens

Abstract

Wireless communications among devices in a wager-based gaming environment are provided, including between a number of RFID-enabled player tracking cards (or “smart cards”) and an electronic wagering token. The electronic wagering token periodically samples and stores updated information received from the smart cards; periodically acquires updated wagering token ownership information relating to an identity of a current owner of the wagering token, based on the sampled and stored updated information; stores, in a memory of the wagering token, at least a portion of the updated token ownership information; and provides, to at least one external device, wireless access to a first selected portion of the updated token ownership information stored in the memory.

Claims

1. A wagering token adapted for use in a betting environment involving placement of wagers during wager-based game play, the wagering token comprising:

an outer body having a center portion, a rim portion, and a specific monetary denomination and amount designated on an outer surface thereof;

a first processor disposed within the outer body;

at least one transceiver including a first transceiver disposed within the outer body;

at least two antennas disposed within the outer body including a first antenna and a second antenna;

a rechargeable, portable power source disposed within the outer body;

memory disposed within the outer body; and

a charging circuit disposed within the outer body and electrically coupled to the rechargeable, portable power source, the charging circuit being operable to recharge the rechargeable, portable power source by distributing power acquired from an external source;

wherein

the wagering token is configured to;

periodically sample and store updated information received from a plurality of RFID enabled smart cards, which have communicated directly with the wagering token, the updated information relating to identities of the smart cards, as well as associated signal strength information;

periodically acquire updated wagering token ownership information relating to an identity of a current owner of the wagering token, based on the sampled and stored updated information;

store, in the memory, at least a portion of the updated wagering token ownership information;

provide, to at least one external device, wireless access to a first selected portion of the updated wagering token ownership information stored in the memory.

2. The wagering token of claim 1:

wherein the first antenna is configured as a magnetic energy pickup antenna which is operable to receive wireless signals for use in performing magnetic induction, the magnetic energy pickup antenna being electrically coupled to the charging circuit;

wherein the magnetic energy pickup antenna is further operable to receive distribution of wireless power provided from the external source; and

wherein the second antenna is configured as an EH antenna which is operable receive and transmit wireless signals associated with the selected frequency bands of an electromagnetic spectrum.

3. The wagering token of claim 1, wherein

the wagering token is further configured to:

periodically acquire updated signal strength information relating to one or more detected wireless signals originating from one or more external devices;

store at least a portion of the updated signal strength information in the memory; and

provide, to the at least one external device, wireless access to a first selected portion of the updated signal strength information stored in the memory.

4. The wagering token of claim 1, wherein

the wagering token is further configured to:

detect wireless signals originating from one or more external device;

acquire external device identifier information relating to identities of the one or more external devices which have engaged in wireless communication with the wagering token;

store at least a portion of the external device identifier information in the memory; and

provide, to the at least one external device, wireless access to a first selected portion of the external device identifier information stored in the memory.

5. The wagering token of claim 1, wherein

the wagering token is further configured to:

periodically acquire updated wagering token ownership information relating to an identity of a current owner of the wagering token;

store at least a portion of the updated wagering token ownership information in the memory; and

provide, to the at least one external device, wireless access to a first selected portion of the updated wagering token ownership information stored in the memory.

6. The wagering token of claim 1, wherein:

the updated wagering token ownership information includes timestamp data representing at least one first time when the updated wagering token ownership information was acquired by the wagering token;

and the wagering token is further configured to;

store, in the memory, token ownership history information relating to at least one identity of at least one previous owner of the wagering token, wherein the token ownership information history includes timestamp data representing at least one second time when the at least one previous owner of the wagering token was the current owner of the wagering token; and

provide, to the at least one external device, wireless access to a first selected portion of the token ownership history information stored in the memory.

7. The wagering token of claim 1, wherein the wagering token is further configured to:

detect a first event or condition relating to a possible occurrence of a wagering token signal transmission collision; and

automatically initiate, at the wagering token and in response to detection of the first event or condition, at least one first action relating to initiation of a first signal collision avoidance procedure at the wagering token.

8. The wagering token of claim 1, wherein the wagering token is further configured to:

operate in a first operating mode during a first time interval, wherein the first operating mode corresponds to a non-collision avoidance mode of operation;

engage in a first wireless communication with a first external device during the first time interval, wherein the first wireless communication is performed by the wagering token without use of a wireless signal collision avoidance mechanism;

detect a first event or condition relating to a possible occurrence of a wagering token signal transmission collision;

automatically initiate, at the wagering token and in response to detection of the first event or condition, at least one first action relating to initiation of a first signal collision avoidance procedure at the wagering token;

operate in a second operating mode during a second time interval, wherein the second operating mode corresponds to a collision avoidance mode of operation; and

engage in second wireless communication with a second external device during the second time interval, wherein the second wireless communication is performed by the wagering token using the wireless signal collision avoidance mechanism.

9. The wagering token of claim 8, wherein the wagering token is further configured to provide, during the second time interval, an intentionally delayed answer signal in response to an interrogation signal from an outside RFID source.

10. The wagering token of claim 1, wherein the wagering token is further configured to:

detect an occurrence of a first event or condition; and

automatically disable or deactivate the wagering token from use in wagering activities and wager-based game play activities in response to detecting the first event or condition.

11. The wagering token of claim 1:

wherein the first antenna is configured as a magnetic energy pickup antenna which is operable to receive wireless signals for use in performing magnetic induction, the magnetic energy pickup antenna being electrically coupled to the charging circuit;

the wagering token being further operable to;

automatically and dynamically electrically decouple the charging circuit from the rechargeable, portable power source in response to detecting a first event or condition;

generate, using the magnetic energy pickup antenna, signal strength information which includes wireless signal voltage data relating to voltage measurements of the wireless signals which are detected by the wagering token; and

determine, using the wireless signal voltage data, received signal strength data corresponding to the wireless signals detected by the wagering token.

12. The wagering token of claim 1, wherein the smart cards are player tracking cards.

13. A method comprising:

periodically sampling and storing, with a wagering token, updated information received from a plurality of RFID enabled smart cards, which have communicated directly with the wagering token, the updated information relating to identities of the smart cards, as well as associated signal strength information, the wagering token comprising an outer body having a center portion, a rim portion, and a specific monetary denomination and amount designated on an outer surface thereof, at least one transceiver including a first transceiver disposed within the outer body, at least two antennas disposed within the outer body including a first antenna and a second antenna, a rechargeable, portable power source disposed within the outer body, a memory disposed within the outer body, and a charging circuit disposed within the outer body and electrically coupled to the rechargeable, portable power source, the charging circuit being operable to recharge the rechargeable, portable power source by distributing power acquired from an external source;

periodically acquiring updated wagering token ownership information relating to an identity of a current owner of the wagering token, based on the sampled and stored updated information;

storing, in the memory, at least a portion of the updated wagering token ownership information;

providing, to at least one external device, wireless access to a first selected portion of the updated wagering token ownership information stored in the memory.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first antenna is configured as a magnetic energy pickup antenna, the magnetic energy pickup antenna being electrically coupled to the charging circuit, the method further comprising:

receiving, via the magnetic energy pickup antenna, wireless signals for use in performing magnetic induction;

acquiring, at the wagering token, wireless power provided from the external source; and

distributing the acquired wireless power to at least one internal component of the wagering token.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

periodically acquiring, at the wagering token, updated signal strength information relating to one or more detected wireless signals originating from one or more external devices;

storing at least a portion of the updated signal strength information in the memory; and

providing, to the at least one external device, wireless access to a first selected portion of the updated signal strength information stored in the memory.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

detecting wireless signals originating from one or more external devices;

acquiring external device identifier information relating to identities of the one or more external devices which have engaged in wireless communication with the wagering token;

storing at least a portion of the external device identifier information in the memory; and

providing, to the at least one external device, wireless access to a first selected portion of the external device identifier information stored in the memory.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

periodically acquiring updated wagering token ownership information relating to an identity of a current owner of the wagering token;

storing at least a portion of the updated wagering token ownership information in the memory, wherein the updated wagering token ownership information includes timestamp data representing at least one first time when the updated wagering token ownership information was acquired by the wagering token;

storing, in the memory, token ownership history information relating to at least one identity of at least one previous owner of the wagering token, wherein the token ownership information history includes timestamp data representing at least one second time when the at least one previous owner of the wagering token was the current owner of the wagering token;

providing, to the at least one external device, wireless access to a first selected portion of the updated wagering token ownership information stored in the memory; and

providing, to at least one external device, wireless access to a first selected portion of the token ownership history information stored in the memory.

18. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

detecting a first event or condition relating to a possible occurrence of a wagering token signal transmission collision; and

automatically initiating, at the wagering token and in response to detection of the first event or condition, at least one first action relating to initiation of a first signal collision avoidance procedure at the wagering token.

19. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

operating in a first operating mode during a first time interval, wherein the first operating mode corresponds to a non-collision avoidance mode of operation;

engaging in a first wireless communication with a first external device during the first time interval, wherein the first wireless communication is performed by the wagering token without use of a wireless signal collision avoidance mechanism;

detecting a first event or condition relating to a possible occurrence of a wagering token signal transmission collision;

automatically initiating, at the wagering token and in response to detection of the first event or condition, at least one first action relating to initiation of a first signal collision avoidance procedure at the wagering token;

operating in a second operating mode during a second time interval, wherein the second operating mode corresponds to a collision avoidance mode of operation; and

engaging in second wireless communication with a second external device during the second time interval, wherein the second wireless communication is performed by the wagering token using the wireless signal collision avoidance mechanism.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

providing, during the second time interval, an intentionally delayed answer signal in response to an interrogation signal from an outside RFID source.

21. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

detecting an occurrence of a first event or condition; and

automatically disabling or deactivating the wagering token from use in wagering activities and wager-based game play activities in response to detecting the first event or condition.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the first antenna is configured as a magnetic energy pickup antenna, the magnetic energy pickup antenna being electrically coupled to the charging circuit, the method further comprising:

automatically and dynamically electrically decoupling the charging circuit from the rechargeable, portable power source in response to detecting a first event or condition;

generating, using the magnetic energy pickup antenna, signal strength information which includes wireless signal voltage data relating to voltage measurements of one or more different wireless signals which are detected by the wagering token; and

determining, using the wireless signal voltage data, received signal strength data corresponding to the one or more of the different wireless signals detected by the wagering token.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein the smart cards are player tracking cards.