System and method for providing dynamic navigation through a property to a selected destination

• US 8,713,437 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2008
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michael Burke
• Original Assignee: Michael Burke
• Inventors: Burke, Michael J., Levine, George J.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHANTANA ANGKOOL, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US12/272,644
• Publication Number:
  US 20100125789A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,989 Days
• Field of Search: 715/706, 715/817, 715/818
• US Class Current: 715/706
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3234 about the performance of a gaming system, e.g. revenue, diagnosis of the gaming system
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/008 Touring maps or guides to public transport networks

Abstract

A system and method for providing navigation for visitors to casinos allows the visitors to select a game, amenity, attraction, or facility as a desired destination, and then have a route provided them to that destination. The route can be drawn on a touch screen display. As an avatar proceeds along the route, it passes landmarks that are highlighted through animation. They may grow as the avatar approaches, then shrink back as it continues beyond the landmark. This is typically repeated several times, allowing the customer to easily remember the series of landmarks, and, thus, the route to the desired destination. He can then follow the route by moving from landmark to landmark across the casino floor. A customized map with the route may also be printed.

Claims

1. A method of providing navigation through a property comprising:

accepting a selection of a destination within the property as a selected destination;

generating a route between a starting location and the selected destination, wherein the route travels by a plurality of landmarks within the property;

providing a display in which an avatar is moved along the route within the property from the starting location to the selected destination; and

increasing within the display the size of at least one of the plurality of landmarks within the property as the avatar moves within the display by the corresponding landmark.

2. The method in claim 1 which further comprises:

repeating the moving the avatar along the route from the starting location to the selected destination and emphasizing each of the plurality of landmarks as the avatar moves by the corresponding landmark.

3. The method in claim 1 further comprising

animating the at least one of the plurality landmarks within the property as the avatar moves within the display by the corresponding landmark.

4. The method in claim 1 which further comprises:

accepting a selection of a game as a selected game; and

selecting a set of games providing the selected game as the selected destination.

5. The method in claim 4 which further comprises:

accepting a choice of another set of games providing the selected game as the selected destination.

6. The method in claim 4 wherein:

the selected game is a gaming machine game; and

the set of games is a bank of gaming machines.

7. The method in claim 4 wherein:

the selected game is a table game.

8. The method in claim 4 wherein:

the selection of the game includes a selection by a denomination of the wagering of the game.

9. The method in claim 4 wherein:

the selection of the game includes a selection by a name of the game.

10. A system for providing navigation through a property comprising:

a means of executing computer instructions;

a means for storing computer instructions, said means for storing computer instructions comprising a set of computer instructions for;

accepting a selection of a destination within the property as a selected destination;

generating a route between a starting location and the selected destination, wherein the route travels by a plurality of landmarks within the property;

providing a display in which an avatar is moved along the route within the property from the starting location to the selected destination; and

increasing within the display the size of at least one of the plurality of landmarks within the property as the avatar moves within the display by the corresponding landmark;

a means for displaying the route; and

a means for accepting the selection of the destination as the selected destination.

11. The system in claim 10 wherein the set of computer instructions further comprises computer instructions for:

repeating the moving the avatar along the route from the starting location to the selected destination and emphasizing each of the plurality of landmarks as the avatar moves by the corresponding landmark.

12. The system in claim 10 further comprising:

animating the at least one of the plurality landmarks within the property as the avatar moves within the display by the corresponding landmark.

13. The system in claim 10 wherein the set of computer instructions further comprises computer instructions for:

accepting a selection of a game as a selected game;

selecting a set of games providing the selected game as the selected destination.

14. The system in claim 13 wherein the set of computer instructions further comprises computer instructions for:

accepting a choice of another set of games providing the selected game as the selected destination.

15. The system in claim 13 wherein:

the selection of the game includes a selection by a denomination of the wagering of the game.

16. The system in claim 13 wherein:

the selection of the game includes a selection by a name of the game.

17. The system in claim 10 wherein:

the means for displaying the route and the means for accepting the selection are a touch screen device.

18. The system in claim 10 wherein:

the means for displaying the route is a mobile device.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing a set of computer instructions executable by a processor for providing navigation through a property, said set of computer instructions comprising computer instructions for:

accepting a selection of a destination within the property as a selected destination;

generating a route between a starting location and the selected destination, wherein the route travels by a plurality of landmarks within the property;

providing a display in which an avatar is moved along the route within the property from the starting location to the selected destination; and

increasing within the display the size of at least one of the plurality of landmarks within the property as the avatar moves within the display by the corresponding landmark.