Virtually tracking un-carded or anonymous patron session data

• US 8,876,608 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2008
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Shepherd, Jeffery, Rowe, Richard E., Lewis, Larry C., Ford, Brian, Kiely, Daryn
• Primary Examiner(s): PIERCE, DAMON JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US12/100,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20080188308A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,400 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 463/39, 463/43, 463/16, 463/29, 463 40- 42
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

A system for tracking a player session is provided, having a portable transaction device with an input device for receiving input for player characterization information for the player and a first network interface. A gaming server may have a second network interface configured for communication with the portable transaction device, a logic system, and a storage system. The storage system may be used for storing at least the following according to commands from the logic system: a player identification database including player characterization information received from the portable transaction device via the second network interface, a unique identifier database having a unique identifier assigned to the player, the unique identifier paired with the player characterization information for the player, and a wagering location database having at least one wagering location, the at least one wagering location paired with the unique identifier to track the player session.

Claims

1. A portable transaction device for tracking a gaming session of an anonymous player, comprising:

an input system comprising at least one input device, the input system configured to accept manually entered player characterization data and wagering location data;

an interface system comprising at least one wireless interface configured for communication with a central system;

a display system comprising at least one display device; and

a logic system comprising at least one logic device and configured to do the following;

receive anonymous player characterization data and first wagering location data for the anonymous player at a first wagering location, the anonymous player is not signed in to a player loyalty session, wherein the anonymous player characterization data and the first wagering location data were manually entered into the portable transaction device by a casino representative;

transmit, via the interface system, the anonymous player characterization data to the central system;

receive from the central system, via the interface system, matching player characterization data corresponding to multiple matching accounts for the anonymous player based on the anonymous player characterization data;

control the display system to display the multiple matching accounts for the anonymous player;

transmit, via the interface system, a selection of a first matching account of the multiple matching profiles, the first matching account corresponding to the anonymous player;

transmit, via the interface system, the first wagering location data to the central system for association with the first matching account; and

transmit, via the interface system, an indication that player data contained in a second matching account should be imported into the first matching account;

wherein the portable transaction device is handheld such that a user can provide the anonymous player characterization data and the first wagering location data for the anonymous player from a game playing area that includes the first wagering location.

2. The portable transaction device of claim 1, wherein the anonymous player characterization data are selected from the group consisting of image data, faceprint data, fingerprint data, retinal scan data and at least one keyword associated with a characteristic of a player.

3. A method for tracking a wager gaming session of an anonymous player, the method comprising:

receiving, at a central system located outside of a game playing area of a casino from a handheld portable transaction device located in the game playing area of the casino over a wireless communication link, anonymous player characterization data and first wagering location data for the anonymous player, the anonymous player is not signed into a player loyalty session at a first wagering location, wherein the first wagering location is located within the game playing area, wherein the handheld portable transaction device is configured to accept manually entered first player characterization data and first wagering location data, and wherein the first player characterization data and the first wagering location data were manually entered into the handheld portable transaction device by a casino representative;

searching, at the central system, stored player characterization data to determine whether the anonymous player characterization data matches stored player characterization data, the stored player characterization data having associated player identifiers;

transmitting, over a wireless communication link, multiple matching accounts for the anonymous player based on the anonymous player characterization data to the handheld portable transaction device according to the result of the searching step;

receiving from the portable transaction device a selection of a first matching account of the multiple matching accounts, the first matching account corresponding to the anonymous player;

receive from the portable transaction device a selection of a second matching account of the multiple matching accounts, the second matching account corresponding to the anonymous player;

associating the first wagering location data and player data within the second matching account with the single matching account; and

deleting the second matching account.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

tracking the wager gaming session of the anonymous player at the first wagering location.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving an indication that the anonymous player has moved to a second wagering location, the indication comprising second wagering location data;

associating the first matching account with the second wagering location; and

tracking a wager gaming session of the anonymous player at the second wagering location.

6. A method for tracking a wager gaming session, the method comprising:

identifying an anonymous player who is not participating in a player loyalty session at a first wagering location, wherein the first wagering location is within a game playing area of a casino;

transmitting, from a handheld portable transaction device located within the game playing area over a wireless communication link, first player characterization data for the anonymous player and a first wagering location data to a central system, wherein the handheld portable transaction device is configured to accept manually entered first player characterization data and first wagering location data, and wherein the first player characterization data and the first wagering location data were manually entered into the portable transaction device by a casino representative;

receiving, at the handheld portable transaction device over the wireless communication link, a listing of matching player accounts according to a result of a search, the search comprising a search of stored player characterization data to determine whether the first player characterization data matches stored player characterization data, the stored player characterization data having associated player accounts;

transmitting, from the handheld portable transaction device, a selection of a first matching player account from the listing of matching player accounts, the first matching player account corresponding to the anonymous player; and

transmitting, from the handheld portable transaction device, a selection of a second matching player account from the listing of matching player accounts, the second matching player account corresponding to the anonymous player, wherein the information associated with the second matching player account is imported into the first matching player account and the second matching player account is subsequently deleted.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the listing of matching player accounts include at least one player image.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the first player characterization data are selected from the group consisting of image data, faceprint data, fingerprint data, retinal scan data and at least one keyword associated with a characteristic of the player.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the player accounts comprise at least one of a nickname and a code.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining that the anonymous player has moved to a second wagering location;

transmitting second wagering location data and the first matching player account to a central system; and

associating the first matching player account with the second wagering location.

11. A system for tracking a wager gaming session, comprising:

a memory system comprising at least one memory having player characterization data and corresponding player accounts stored thereon, wherein the memory system is located outside of a gaming area of a casino; and

a logic system comprising at least one logic device configured to do the following;

receive, from a handheld portable transaction device located in the gaming area, first player characterization data for an anonymous player who is not participating in a player loyalty session at a first wagering location located in the gaming area, wherein the handheld portable transaction device is configured to accept manually entered first player characterization data and first wagering location data, and wherein the first player characterization and the first wagering location data were manually entered into the portable transaction device by a casino representative;

search the stored player characterization data to determine whether the first player characterization data matches stored player characterization data;

transmit multiple matching player accounts to the handheld portable transaction device according to the result of the searching step;

receive a selection of a first matching account of the multiple matching player accounts, the first matching account corresponding to the anonymous player;

receive a selection of a second matching account of the multiple matching player accounts, the second matching account corresponding to the anonymous player;

import player data from the second matching account to the first matching account; and

delete the second matching player account.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first wagering location comprises a wager gaming machine location or a table game location.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the logic system is configured to do the following after receiving an indication that the observed player has moved to a second wagering location:

associating the first matching account with the second wagering location; and

tracking a wager gaming session of the anonymous player at the second wagering location.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the second wagering location comprises a wager gaming machine location or a table game location.