Player tracking communication mechanisms in a gaming machine

• US 8,678,912 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2011
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Hedrick, Joseph R., Nguyen, Binh T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brewster, William M.
• Application Number:
  US13/329,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20120088573A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 463/29
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/405 being a wireless ad hoc network, e.g. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Pico net
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• 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 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• 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 17/3239 Tracking of individual players

Abstract

A disclosed player tracking unit provides a display and a player tracking controller designed or configured to provide a web-browser on the display. The player tracking unit may include one or more input devices that can receive selections associated with the web-browser. Furthermore, the player tracking unit can include a multimedia board for processing digitally formatted program files for output on the display.

Claims

1. A player tracking unit comprising:

a display;

a non-volatile memory;

at least one input device configured to receive selections associated with interfaces displayed on the display;

a communication board configured to communicate with one or more remote gaming devices; and

a player tracking controller configured to operate with the display, the non-volatile memory, the at least one input device, and the communication board to;

(a) track wagering activity on a gaming machine enabling wagering on a game of chance;

(b) switch the player tracking unit between at least a first state and a second different state;

(c) before switching the player tracking unit from the first state to the second state, store designated state information for the first state to the non-volatile memory such that the first state may be restored;

(d) before switching the player tracking unit from the second state to the first state, store designated state information for the second state to the non-volatile memory such that the second state may be restored;

(e) when a malfunction occurs when switching the player tracking unit from the first state to the second state, restore the first state using the state information for the first state stored in the non-volatile memory; and

(f) when the malfunction occurs when switching the player tracking unit from the second state to the first state, restore the second state using the state information for the second state stored in the non-volatile memory.

2. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein the first state is associated with the game of chance and the second state is associated with a bonus game.

3. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein the player tracking controller is configured to switch the player tracking unit between a plurality of different states, the plurality of different states including the first state and the second state.

4. The player tracking unit of claim 3, wherein each of the states is associated with one of:

(a) the game of chance, (b) a bonus game, and (c) a game transaction.

5. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein:

(a) the designated state information for the first state includes less than all of the state information for the first state, and (b) the designated state information for the second state includes less than all of the state information for the second state.

6. The player tracking unit of claim 1, wherein the non-volatile memory is in addition to a memory device of the gaming machine and the player tracking controller is in addition to a processor of the gaming machine.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-volatile memory is in addition to a memory device of the gaming machine and the player tracking controller is in addition to a processor of the gaming machine.

7. A gaming system comprising:

a gaming machine including;

(a) at least one gaming machine processor;

(b) at least one gaming machine display device;

(c) at least one gaming machine input device; and

(d) at least one gaming machine memory device that stores a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one gaming machine processor, cause the at least one gaming machine processor to operate with the at least one gaming machine display device and the at least one gaming machine input device to enable a player to wager on at least one play of a game of chance; and

a player tracking unit including;

(a) at least one player tracking unit display device;

(b) at least one player tracking unit memory device;

(c) at least one player tracking unit input device; and

(d) at least one player tracking unit memory device that stores a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one player tracking unit processor, cause the at least one player tracking unit processor to operate with the at least one player tracking unit display device and the at least one player tracking unit input device to;

(i) track wagering activity on the gaming machine,

(ii) switch the player tracking unit between at least a first state and a second different state;

(iii) before switching the player tracking unit from the first state to the second state, store designated state information for the first state to the non-volatile memory such that the first state may be restored;

(iv) before switching the player tracking unit from the second state to the first state, store designated state information for the second state to the non-volatile memory such that the second state may be restored;

(b) when a malfunction occurs when switching the player tracking unit from the first state to the second state, restore the first state using the state information for the first state stored in the non-volatile memory; and

(vi) when the malfunction occurs when switching the player tracking unit from the second state to the first state, restore the second state using the state information for the second state stored in the non-volatile memory.

8. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein the first state is associated with the game of chance and the second state is associated with a bonus game.

9. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein the player tracking controller is configured to switch the player tracking unit between a plurality of different states, the plurality of different states including the first state and the second state.

10. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein each of the states is associated with one of:

(a) the game of chance, (b) a bonus game, and (c) a game transaction.

11. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein:

(a) the designated state information for the first state includes less than all of the state information for the first state, and (b) the designated state information for the second state includes less than all of the state information for the second state.

12. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein the at least one player tracking unit processor is in addition to the at least one gaming machine processor, the at least one player tracking unit display device is in addition to the at least one gaming machine display device, the at least one player tracking unit input device is in addition to the at least one gaming machine input device, and the at least one player tracking unit memory device is in addition to the at least one gaming machine memory device.

13. A method of operating a player tracking unit, said method comprising:

(a) causing at least one player tracking controller to execute a plurality of instructions to track wagering activity on a gaming machine enabling wagering on a game of chance;

(b) causing the at least one player tracking controller to execute the plurality of instructions to switch the player tracking unit between at least a first state and a second different state;

(c) before switching the player tracking unit from the first state to the second state, causing the at least one player tracking controller to execute the plurality of instructions to store designated state information for the first state to the non-volatile memory such that the first state may be restored;

(d) before switching the player tracking unit from the second state to the first state, causing the at least one player tracking controller to execute the plurality of instructions to store designated state information for the second state to the non-volatile memory such that the second state may be restored;

(e) when a malfunction occurs when switching the player tracking unit from the first state to the second state, causing the at least one player tracking controller to execute the plurality of instructions to restore the first state using the state information for the first state stored in the non-volatile memory; and

(f) when the malfunction occurs when switching the player tracking unit from the second state to the first state, causing the at least one player tracking controller to execute the plurality of instructions to restore the second state using the state information for the second state stored in the non-volatile memory.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first state is associated with the game of chance and the second state is associated with a bonus game.

15. The method of claim 13, which includes causing the at least one player tracking controller to execute the plurality of instructions to switch the player tracking unit between a plurality of different states, the plurality of different states including the first state and the second state.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein each of the states is associated with one of:

(a) the game of chance, (b) a bonus game, and (c) a game transaction.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein:

(a) the designated state information for the first state includes less than all of the state information for the first state, and (b) the designated state information for the second state includes less than all of the state information for the second state.