Directional wireless communication

• US 8,613,668 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2011
• Issued: 12/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nelson, Dwayne R., Lemay, Steven G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hall, Arthur O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOANG, BACH V
• Application Number:
  US13/335,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20130165231A1
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 342104-158, 342350-465, 463/40
• US Class Current: 463/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5375 for graphically or textually suggesting an action, e.g. by displaying an arrow indicating a turn in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3206 Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3218 wherein at least part of the system is portable
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A gaming system compatible with patron-controlled portable electronic devices, such as smart phones or tablet computers, is described. The gaming system is configured to detect the presence of portable electronic devices and to determine whether to initiate a wireless communication session with the portable electronic device based on the strength of the signal received from the portable electronic device. If the signal strength exceeds a minimal threshold level, thereby indicating the portable electronic device is near a gaming device, a wireless communication session can be initiated. The signal strength transmitted from the portable electronic device can be monitored during a game play session to determine whether the wireless communication session should remain active or be terminated.

Claims

1. A wager-based gaming device configured to receive wagers on an outcome to a game of chance, the gaming device comprising:

a directional antenna for receiving wireless signal data transmitted from a portable electronic device, wherein the wireless signal data indicates a presence of the portable electronic device in a wager-based gaming environment;

a processor and a memory, wherein the processor is configured to receive the wireless signal data from the directional antenna and determine a signal strength from the wireless signal data; and

a controller configured to initiate a wireless communication link between the gaming device and the portable electronic device upon detecting that the signal strength has increased, exceeds a predetermined threshold level, and has leveled off for an amount of time exceeding a time threshold after becoming stronger.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, further comprising an omni-directional antenna for detecting the presence of the portable electronic device in a vicinity of the gaming device and sending an attract feature to the portable electronic device.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

detect when the signal strength levels off to a non-zero strength after decreasing;

and determine whether the gaming device is engaged in an active game play session.

4. The gaming device of claim 3, wherein the controller terminates the wireless communication link with the portable electronic device if the signal strength levels off to a non-zero strength after decreasing and the gaming device is not engaged in an active game play session.

5. The gaming device of claim 3, wherein the controller maintains the wireless communication link with the portable electronic device if the signal strength levels off to a non-zero strength after decreasing and the gaming device is engaged in an active game play session.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to receive identification information associated with a patron from the portable electronic device and to retrieve gaming preference information from a loyalty program account using the identification information, wherein the gaming preference information is used to determine whether to initiate the wireless communication link with the portable electronic device.

7. The gaming device of claim 2, wherein the controller generates the attract feature.

8. A gaming device in a gaming system including a server, processor, memory and a network interface, the device comprising:

a directional antenna for detecting a presence of a portable electronic device in a wager-based gaming environment and for receiving wireless signal data transmitted by the portable electronic device;

an omni-directional antenna for detecting a presence of the portable electronic device in the wager-based gaming environment and for sending an attract feature to the portable electronic device;

a processor for determining and monitoring a signal strength from the wireless signal data; and

a controller for

     1) receiving an indication of a wager in a wager-based game conducted by the gaming device,

     2) in response to the wager, presenting an outcome of the wager-based game, and

     3) initiating a wireless communication link between the gaming device and the portable electronic device upon detecting that the signal strength has increased, exceeds a predetermined threshold level, and has leveled off for an amount of time exceeding a time threshold after becoming stronger.

9. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein the controller initiates the wireless communication link at least thirty seconds after the signal leveled off after becoming stronger.

10. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein the controller terminates the wireless communication link after the signal strength falls below the predetermined threshold level.

11. A gaming device in a wager-based gaming environment, the gaming device comprising:

a directional antenna for receiving a wireless signal from a portable electronic device located in front of the gaming device;

a processor for monitoring a signal strength of the wireless signal received by the directional antenna; and

a controller for establishing a wireless communication session between the gaming device and the portable electronic device upon the processor determining that the signal strength has increased and exceeds a predetermined level, and wherein the controller maintains the wireless communication session based on the processor detecting that the signal strength has leveled off to a non-zero strength after decreasing and determining that the gaming device is engaged in an active game play session.

12. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to initiate the wireless communication session if the signal strength increased, exceeded the predetermined threshold level, and levels off after becoming stronger.

13. The gaming device of claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to initiate the wireless communication session if the signal strength has leveled off for an amount of time exceeding a time threshold.

14. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein the processor processes a confirmation by a patron prior to the controller establishing the wireless communication session.

15. The gaming device of claim 11, further comprising an omni-directional antenna for detecting the portable electronic device in a vicinity of the gaming device and sending an attract feature to the portable electronic device.

16. The gaming device of claim 15, wherein the controller generates the attract feature.

17. The gaming device of claim 11, the controller terminates the wireless communication session based on the processor determining that the signal strength has leveled off to a non-zero strength after decreasing and determining that the gaming device is not engaged in an active game play session.

18. The gaming device of claim 15, wherein the omni-directional antenna communicates wirelessly in a sphere around the gaming device.