Uses of location tracking in mobile devices

• US 8,944,916 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2011
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Abouchar, Thomas S., Biernat, Martin J., Guinn, Andrew C., Gura, Damon E., Lakshmanaperumal, Mahesh, Robbins, Richard B.
• Primary Examiner(s): McCulloch, Jr., William H
• Application Number:
  US13/185,932
• Publication Number:
  US 20120015735A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,295 Days
• Field of Search: 463/41, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/41
• 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 17/3227 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking

Abstract

In some embodiments, a computer-implemented method includes: detecting a plurality of wagering game machines in proximity to the mobile phone, and selecting a first of the plurality of wagering game machines with which to establish a connection. The method can also include requesting the connection with the first of the plurality of wagering game machines, and transmitting, from the mobile phone to the first of the plurality of wagering game machines, player account information for configuring a wagering game. The method can also include receiving, from the first of the plurality of wagering game machines, content indicating a result of the wagering game, and presenting, on the mobile phone, the result of the wagering game.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a wagering game machine including at least one processor, and;

a computer readable storage medium having computer usable code executable on the at least one processor, the computer usable program code including code to;

detect that a mobile device is in proximity to the wagering game machine;

receive, from the mobile device, a request to connect with the wagering game machine;

receive player account information, wherein the player account information corresponds to a player account associated with the mobile device;

determine, based on the player account information, that a player associated with the player account previously played a wagering game on the mobile device;

determine, based on the player account information, that when the player previously played the wagering game on the mobile device, the player unlocked content that can be unlocked only by play of the wagering game on a mobile device;

prepare the wagering game including the unlocked content; and

present, on the wagering game machine, the wagering game including the unlocked content.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer usable program code further includes code to:

transmit, to the mobile device, a result of the wagering game.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

the mobile device, wherein the mobile device is configured to;

connect with the wagering game machine;

transmit the player account information from the mobile device; and

receive the result for the wagering game.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the mobile device is further configured to:

display input buttons and game elements in accordance with the wagering game.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is further configured to present a casino floor map indicating that the wagering game machine is configured to present the wagering game.

6. A method comprising:

detecting that a mobile device is in proximity to a wagering game machine;

receiving, from the mobile device, a request to connect to the wagering game machine;

receiving player account information, wherein the player account information corresponds to a player account associated with the mobile device;

determining, based on the player account information, that a player associated with the player account previously played a wagering game on the mobile device;

determining, based on the player account information, that when the player previously played the wagering game on the mobile device, the player unlocked content that can be unlocked only by play of the wagering game on a mobile device;

preparing the wagering game including the unlocked content; and

presenting, on the wagering game machine, the wagering game including the unlocked content.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

transmitting, to the mobile device, a result of the wagering game.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

transmitting, to the mobile device, input buttons and game elements in accordance with the wagering game.