Method and apparatus for providing a complimentary service to a player

• US 9,159,186 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2013
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Walker, Jay S., Jorasch, James A., Sammon, Russell P., Sparico, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Kevin Y
• Application Number:
  US14/095,249
• Publication Number:
  US 20140094288A1
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 463/42
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for providing a service to a player using a player device. A indication of a player identifier which corresponds to a player of a gaming device is received. A player device is provided to the player. A service to provide the player is determined based on a gaming activity of the player, and the service is then provided to the player using the player device.

Claims

1. A method of operating a system, said method comprising:

(a) for each of at least one play of a game;

(i) causing at least one processor to determine a game outcome, and

(ii) causing a display of the determined game outcome; and

(b) providing a non-monetary award in association with said at least one play of the game, said non-monetary award being usable to cause a free download of data to a portable handheld electronic device through a data network, said portable handheld electronic device being separate from the system and including a processor, a memory device, a display device, and an input device including a touch screen.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the downloadable data includes purchasable data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data network includes an internet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-monetary award is a non-monetary code usable by the portable handheld electronic device to obtain the free download of the downloadable data.

5. The method of claim 4, which includes wirelessly sending the non-monetary code to the portable handheld electronic device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the downloadable data is one of audio content and video content.

7. The method of claim 1, which includes determining the non-monetary award based on at least one of:

(a) a quantity of plays of the game;

(b) a rate of play; and

(c) an amount of time spent playing the game.

8. The method of claim 1, which includes determining the non-monetary award based on whether a designated condition is satisfied.

9. A system comprising:

at least one display device

at least one input device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and at least one input device to;

(a) for each of at least one play of a game;

(i) determine a game outcome, and

(ii) cause a display of the determined game outcome; and

(b) provide a non-monetary award in association with said at least one play of the game, said non-monetary award being usable to cause a free download of data to a portable handheld electronic device through a data network, said portable handheld electronic device being separate from the system and including a processor, a memory device, a display device, and an input device including a touch screen.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the downloadable data includes purchasable data.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the data network includes an internet.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the non-monetary award is a non-monetary code usable by the portable handheld electronic device to obtain the free download of the downloadable data.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the downloadable data is one of audio content and video content.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the non-monetary award is determined based on at least one of:

(a) a quantity of plays of the game;

(b) a rate of play; and

(c) an amount of time spent playing the game.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the non-monetary award is determined based on whether a designated condition is satisfied.

16. A method of operating a system including at least one display device, at least one input device including a touch screen, at least one processor, and at least one memory device, said method comprising:

causing the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to;

for each of at least one play of a game;

(i) determine a game outcome, and

(ii) display the determined game outcome; and

causing the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to;

display an indication of a non-monetary award in association with said at least one play of the game, said non-monetary award being usable to cause a free download of data through a data network to the at least one memory device, said downloadable data being distinct from any data associated with said play of the game.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the downloadable data includes purchasable data.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the data network includes an internet.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the non-monetary award is a non-monetary code usable to obtain the free download of the downloadable data.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the downloadable data is one of audio content and video content.

21. The method of claim 16, which includes causing the at least one processor determine the non-monetary award based on at least one of:

(a) a quantity of plays of the game;

(b) a rate of play; and

(c) an amount of time spent playing the game.

22. The method of claim 16, which includes causing the at least one processor determine the non-monetary award based on whether a designated condition is satisfied.

23. A system comprising:

at least one display device

at least one input device including a touch screen;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to;

(a) for each of at least one play of a game;

(i) determine a game outcome, and

(ii) display the determined game outcome; and

(b) display an indication of a non-monetary award in association with said at least one play of the game, said non-monetary award being usable to cause a free download of data through a data network to the at least one memory device, said data being distinct from said play of the game.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the downloadable data includes purchasable data.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the data network includes an internet.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the non-monetary award is a non-monetary code usable to obtain the free download of the data.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the downloadable data is one of audio content and video content.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to cause a determination of the non-monetary award based on at least one of:

(a) a quantity of plays of the game;

(b) a rate of play; and

(c) an amount of time spent playing the game.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to cause a determination of the non-monetary award based on whether a designated condition is satisfied.