Method for retrieving an identity card associated with an electronic gaming machine

• US 9,367,991 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2015
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acres Technology
• Original Assignee: Patent Investment & Licensing Company
• Inventors: Acres, John F., McCurry, Andrea, Parker, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): TORIMIRO, ADETOKUNBO OLUSEGUN
• Application Number:
  US14/755,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20150302694A1
• Time in Patent Office: 350 Days
• Field of Search: 463/9, 463/20, 463/22, 463/25, 463/39, 463/42, 463/43
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3218 wherein at least part of the system is portable
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3234 about the performance of a gaming system, e.g. revenue, diagnosis of the gaming system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3272 Games involving multiple players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method for creating an electronic log for documenting entries into electronic gaming machines on a network. The network is monitored by a network computing device. People who enter the machines carry mobile computing devices that communicate over a normally operating wireless network. Cooperating among the network computing device and the wireless network results in creating an entry that includes the identify of a person entering one of the gaming machines, the identity of the gaming machine entered, and the reason for entry. The entry is stored in an electronic log.

Claims

1. A method for dispatching a person to retrieve a machine access card that is received in a card reader associated with one of a plurality of electronic gaming devices on a network of electronic gaming devices, the method comprising:

defining a plurality of floor areas in the casino, each floor area including a predefined number of electronic gaming machines;

storing the plurality of floor areas in a database;

creating a list of persons each having at least one associated floor area and who is qualified to enter the electronic gaming device;

storing the list in a memory connected to the network;

associating a machine access card with each of at least some of the persons on the list;

monitoring the network of electronic gaming devices via a network computing device;

detecting a communication on the network indicating that an identified electronic gaming device needs service that requires entering the identified electronic gaming device;

automatically assigning a first person qualified to enter the identified electronic gaming devices to provide the service;

generating a call to provide the required service to the identified electronic gaming device;

automatically sending a call signal via a wireless network to a mobile computing device carried by the first person, the signal including data indicating the identified electronic gaming device;

receiving a call-acceptance signal responsive to an input on the mobile computing device carried by the first person indicating that he or she has accepted the call;

determining that the first person has inserted his or her machine access card into a card reader associated with the identified electronic gaming device;

determining that the machine access card is received in the card reader for longer than a predefined length of time;

automatically assigning a second person to retrieve the machine access card;

generating a call to retrieve the machine access card;

automatically sending a call signal via a wireless network to a mobile computing device carried by the second person, the signal including data indicating the identified electronic gaming device;

receiving a call-acceptance signal responsive to an input on the mobile computing device carried by the second person indicating that he or she has accepted the call; and

determining that the machine access card is removed from the card reader.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a signal at the network computing device in response to removing the card from the card reader.

3. A method for dispatching a person to retrieve a player tracking card that is received in a card reader associated with one of a plurality of electronic gaming devices on a network of electronic gaming devices, the method comprising:

defining a plurality of floor areas in the casino, each floor area including a predefined number of electronic gaming machines;

storing the plurality of floor areas in a database;

creating a list of persons each having at least one associated floor area and who is qualified to enter the electronic gaming device;

storing the list in a memory connected to the network;

monitoring the network of electronic gaming devices via a network computing device;

determining that a player has inserted his or her player tracking card into a card reader associated with one of the electronic gaming device;

determining that the player tracking card is received in the card reader for longer than a predefined length of time;

automatically assigning a person to retrieve the player tracking card;

generating a call to retrieve the player tracking card;

automatically sending a call signal via a wireless network to a mobile computing device carried by the person, the signal including data indicating the one electronic gaming device;

receiving a call-acceptance signal responsive to an input on the mobile computing device carried by the person indicating that he or she has accepted the call; and

determining that the player tracking card is removed from the card reader.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein receiving the call-acceptance signal is in response to a signal generated on the wireless network as a result of the input on the mobile computing device.

5. The method of clam 3 wherein the method further comprises determining that the player tracking card is received in the card reader for longer than a predefined length of time during which the network detects no activity on the one electronic gaming machine.

6. A method for dispatching a person to retrieve an identity card received in a card reader that is associated with an electronic gaming device on a network of electronic gaming devices, the method comprising:

defining a plurality of floor areas in the casino, each floor area including a predefined number of electronic gaming machines and a card reader associated with each electronic gaming machine;

storing the plurality of floor areas in a database;

creating a list of persons each having at least one associated floor area;

storing the list in a memory connected to the network;

monitoring the network of electronic gaming devices via a network computing device;

determining that a card reader associated with one of the electronic gaming devices has an identity card received therein for longer than a predefined length of time;

automatically assigning a person to retrieve the card;

generating a call to retrieve the card;

automatically sending a call signal via a wireless network to a mobile computing device carried by the assigned person, the signal including data indicating the one electronic gaming device;

receiving a call-acceptance signal responsive to an input on the mobile computing device carried by the assigned person indicating that he or she has accepted the call; and

determining that the card is removed from the card reader.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the identity card is a player tracking card issued to a player of the electronic gaming devices.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the person is an agent of an operator of the electronic gaming devices and the identity card is a machine access card issued to the agent.