Attract based on mobile device

• US 9,336,647 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2011
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nelson, Dwayne R., LeMay, Steven G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Deodhar, Omkar
• Assistant Examiner(s): LI, WEI
• Application Number:
  US13/220,430
• Publication Number:
  US 20130053148A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,716 Days
• Field of Search: 463/20, 463/25, 463/42
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/85 Providing additional services to players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• 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 gaming system compatible with patron-controlled portable electronic devices, such as smart phones or tablet computers, is described. The gaming system is configured to detect the presence of portable electronic devices and determine their locations in a casino environment and determine whether to initiate an attract feature. Based on the determined location of the portable electronic device, nearby gaming devices, such as electronic gaming machines can be selected for use in generating an attract feature for a patron. The generated attract feature can include outputting content to one or more EGMs and/or a patron'"'"'s portable electronic device. The gaming devices selected for use in an attract feature and/or the content associated with the attract feature can be affected by patron specified preferences. In one embodiment, the patron specified preferences can be entered and stored using an application executed on their portable electronic device.

Claims

1. A method of operating a gaming system server including a processor, a memory, and a network interface, said method comprising:

receiving via the network interface detection information indicating a location of a portable electronic device in a gaming environment;

determining, via the processor and for each of a plurality of the plurality of electronic gaming machines in the gaming environment, a relative distance between the location of the portable electronic device and a location of said electronic gaming machine;

identifying a direction of travel of the portable electronic device in the gaming environment;

determining via the processor and based on the relative distance and the direction of travel a line of sight of the patron associated with the portable electronic device;

selecting via the processor one or more electronic gaming machines from among the plurality of electronic gaming machines on which to initiate an attract feature based on;

(a) a determination that said one or more gaming machines are within the line of sight of the patron, and (b) gaming preference information of the patron; and

sending via the network interface a command to the one or more selected electronic gaming machines to initiate the attract feature on the one or more electronic gaming machines.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detection information indicating the location of the portable electronic device in the gaming environment corresponds to two or more location estimates obtained from different types of wireless signals used by the portable electronic device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining via the processor one of the two location estimates as being more accurate; and

determining via the processor the location of the portable electronic device to be the more accurate location estimate.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining via the processor the location of the portable electronic device to be an average of the two or more location estimates.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining via the processor that the patron is not engaged in an active game play session based in part on a comparison between a rate of change of movement of the portable electronic device and a threshold value.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the location of the portable electronic device is self-determined by the portable electronic device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the direction of travel of the portable electronic device is self-determined by the portable electronic device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting via the processor the one or more electronic gaming machines based in part on a determination that the portable electronic device is moving towards the selected one or more electronic gaming machines.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving accelerometer data from the portable electronic device and determining via the processor whether the patron associated with the portable electronic device is engaged in an active game play session using the accelerometer data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more electronic gaming machines are selected based in part on a determination that the patron associated with the portable electronic device is not engaged in an active game play session.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the determination that the patron is not engaged in an active game play session is based in part on data indicative of the portable electronic device being coupled to one of the plurality of electronic gaming machines.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the determination that the patron is not engaged in an active game play session is based in part on a determination that the relative distance between the location of the portable electronic device and the locations of each of the plurality of electronic gaming machines are greater than a threshold value.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the gaming preference information from the portable electronic device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming preference information is received from a loyalty account of the patron associated with the portable electronic device.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a velocity of the portable electronic device in the direction of travel, wherein the one or more electronic gaming devices selected to initiate the attract feature are selected based in part on the velocity of the portable electronic device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the selected one or more electronic gaming devices differ depending on whether the velocity corresponds to a slow pace or a moderate pace.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

excluding via the processor one or more of the plurality of electronic gaming machines from selection based on a determination that the portable gaming machine is moving away from the one or more excluded electronic gaming machines.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more electronic gaming machines are selected to provide spacing between other electronic gaming devices engaged in active game play sessions and the one or more selected electronic gaming machines.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more electronic gaming machines are selected to provide spacing between other portable electronic devices and the one or more selected electronic gaming machines.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing in the memory a first time that the attract feature is initiated on the one or more selected electronic gaming machines, receiving via the network interface detection information indicating the presence of the portable electronic device at a second location at a second time, determining via the processor a change in time between the second time and the first time and determining via the processor not to initiate a second attract feature near the second location when the change in time is below a threshold value.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the attract feature includes an offer redeemable on the one or more selected electronic gaming machines.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the offer is redeemable at a table game.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the offer is redeemable only on a particular electronic gaming machine.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the offer is redeemable only for a limited time period.

25. A method of operating a gaming system server including a processor, a memory, and a network interface, said method comprising:

receiving via the network interface detection information indicating a presence of a portable electronic device in a gaming environment, the portable electronic device including a unique portable electronic device identifier;

determining via the processor whether a patron associated with the portable electronic device is engaged in an active game play session at one of a plurality of electronic gaming machines in the gaming environment;

if the patron is not engaged in an active game play session at one of the plurality of electronic gaming machines in the gaming environment;

(a) selecting via the processor a designated one of the plurality of gaming machines based on a determination that the designated gaming machine is within a line of sight of the patron based on a direction of travel associated with the portable electronic device and a relative distance between the designated gaming machine and the portable electronic device;

(b) sending via the network interface at least one of instructions and data for initiating an attract feature on the portable electronic device, wherein the attract feature includes an offer redeemable on the designated electronic gaming machine;

(c) sending via the network interface offer information to the portable electronic device, wherein the offer information includes a unique offer identifier and a description of the offer;

(d) storing the unique offer identifier, the description of the offer and the unique portable electronic device identifier to the memory,

(e) receiving information associated with the offer from the designated electronic gaming machine including an offer identifier and the portable electronic device identifier,

(f) validating via the processor the offer when a) the unique offer identifier matches the received offer identifier, b) the unique portable electronic device identifier matches the received portable electronic device identifier, and c) the offer has not been previously redeemed, and

(g) sending via the network interface and to the designated electronic gaming machine information indicating the offer is valid; and

if the patron is engaged in an active game play session at one of the plurality of electronic gaming machines in the gaming environment, not sending any instructions or data for initiating an offer for said patron.

26. The method of claim 25, which includes, after validating the offer, storing information to the memory indicating the offer has been redeemed.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the at least one of instructions and data for initiating the attract feature include at least one of instructions and data for generating a bonus game on the portable electronic device, wherein the offer is revealed on the portable electronic device during the bonus game generated on the portable electronic device.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising determining via the processor that the offer is invalid when at least one of a) the unique offer identifier does not match the received offer identifier, b) the unique portable electronic device identifier does not match the received portable electronic device identifier, and c) the offer has been previously redeemed, and sending via the network interface information to the designated electronic gaming machine indicating the offer is not valid.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising sending via the network interface a time period during which the offer can be redeemed to the portable electronic device.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising receiving the information from the designated electronic gaming machine after the time period is exceeded and determining via the processor the offer is no longer valid.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein the information associated with the offer is received from a game controller on the designated electronic gaming machine.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein the information associated with the offer is received from a secondary controller on the designated electronic gaming machine that is separate from a game controller.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the secondary controller is located in one of a player tracking unit, a bill validator, a card reader, and a printer coupled to the designated electronic gaming machine.