Method and system for player linked audio

• US 8,821,266 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2011
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nicely, Mark C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): YEN, JASON TAHAI
• Application Number:
  US13/215,638
• Publication Number:
  US 20130053144A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: 370/401, 455/410, 463 16- 20, 463/26, 463/42, 705/72
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• 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

Abstract

A method of linking gaming machine audio content to a player and network-based gaming system are provided. The system may include a gaming machine, a database, and a server system configured to be coupled to the gaming machine and the database. The server system may be associated with a server-based network configured to associate a connection identification (ID) with a listening device, receive an identification of the listening device through the gaming machine, and transmit an audio content generated by the gaming machine to the identified listening device using the connection ID.

Claims

1. A network-based gaming system for linking a gaming machine audio content with a player listening device, the system comprising:

a gaming machine;

a database; and

a server system configured to be coupled to the gaming machine and the database, the server system associated with a server-based network, the server system configured to;

associate two connection identifications (IDs) with a listening device, the two connection IDs including a primary connection identification (ID) and a secondary connection ID;

associate the at least two connection IDs with a player;

receive an indication that the player is playing the gaming machine;

in response to receiving the indication, determine that another player is using the primary connection ID; and

configure the gaming machine to use the secondary connection ID to initiate audio content generated by the gaming machine during game play by the player to be transmitted to the listening device.

2. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the gaming machine further comprises a transmitter configured to wirelessly broadcast the audio content generated by the gaming machine.

3. The system in accordance with claim 2, wherein the transmitter is operable to permit a player to control the audio content generated by the gaming machine during game play.

4. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the server is configured to receive addressing information for the listening device.

5. The system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a kiosk coupled to the server system, and wherein the server system is further configured to receive a player identification through the kiosk.

6. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the server system is further configured to allow a player to communicate with casino personal through the listening device during game play.

7. A method of linking gaming machine audio content to a player, the method comprising:

associating two connection identifications (IDs) with a listening device, the two connection IDs including a primary connection identification (ID) and a secondary connection ID;

associating the two connection IDs with a player;

receiving an indication that the player is playing a gaming machine; and

in response to receiving the indication that the player is playing the gaming machine, determining that another player is using the primary connection ID; and

transmitting an audio content generated by the gaming machine during game play by the player to the listening device using the secondary connection ID.

8. The method in accordance with claim 7 wherein associating the two connection identifications (IDs) with a listening device further comprises associating the two connection identifications (IDs) with a phone number of a cell phone of the player.

9. The method in accordance with claim 7 wherein associating the two connection identifications (IDs) with a listening device further comprises associating a connection identifications (IDs) with an address of a Bluetooth headset of the player.

10. The method in accordance with claim 7 wherein receiving an identification of the listening device further comprises:

initiating a near field radio frequency (RF) field proximate the gaming machine;

reading a near field communication (NFC) tag associated with the listening device when the listening device is positioned in the near field RF field; and

establishing a NFC link between the listening device and the gaming machine using information read from the NFC tag; and

receiving the two connection IDs from the listening device by the gaming machine using the NFC link.

11. The method in accordance with claim 7 wherein transmitting an audio content generated by the gaming machine further comprises transmitting the audio content wirelessly.

12. The method in accordance with claim 7 wherein transmitting an audio content generated by the gaming machine further comprises transmitting the audio content through a network to a server communicatively coupled to the listening device.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising allowing a player to communicate with casino personal through the listening device during game play.

14. The method of claim 7, further comprising stopping the transmitting of the audio content to the listening device upon receiving an indication that the player has stopped playing the gaming machine.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the receiving an indication that the player has stopped playing the gaming machine comprises detecting removal of a player loyalty card or determining that the player has cashed out of the gaming machine.

16. A gaming machine system comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) transmitter;

an audio sound generator device; and

a processor coupled to the RF transmitter and the audio sound generator device and configured to;

receive an indication that a player is playing the gaming machine, wherein the player has an associated listening device having two connection identifications (IDs), the two connection IDs including a primary connection identification (ID) and a secondary connection ID;

receive an identification of the listening device by the gaming machine system;

in response to receiving the indication and the identification, determine that another player is using the primary connection ID; and

transmit an audio content generated by the gaming machine during game play by the player to the listening device using the secondary connection ID.

17. The system in accordance with claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to associate the two connection identifications (IDs) with a phone number of a cell phone of a player.

18. The system in accordance with claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to associate the two connection identifications (IDs) with an address of a Bluetooth headset of the player.

19. The system in accordance with claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to:

initiate a near field radio frequency (RF) field proximate the gaming machine using the RF transmitter;

read a near field communication (NFC) tag associated with the listening device when the listening device is positioned in the near field RF field; and

establish a NFC link between the listening device and the RF transmitter using information read from the NFC tag; and

receive the two connection IDs from the listening device using the NFC link.

20. The system in accordance with claim 16, wherein the RF transmitter further comprises a receiver section configured to receive RF communications wirelessly from the listening device.

21. The system in accordance with claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to allow a player to communicate with casino personal through the listening device during game play.