Gaming systems and methods for operating gaming systems

• US 9,836,919 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2016
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Abbott, Eric L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Milap
• Assistant Examiner(s): HENRY, THOMAS HAYNES
• Application Number:
  US15/263,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20160379443A1
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3206 Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• 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 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3269 Timing aspects of game play, e.g. blocking/halting the operation of a gaming machine

Abstract

A gaming system is provided that includes at least one payment acceptor for funding a players account, a master server and a processor device configured to communicate with a mobile device. The gaming system establishes one or more authorized elevations that correspond to areas where mobile gaming is permitted, compares a mobile device elevation at which a mobile device is located to the one or more authorized elevations that correspond to areas where mobile gaming is permitted. The gaming system, responsive to the comparing, permits gaming using the mobile device when the mobile device elevation is within the one or more adjusted authorized elevations. The gaming system does not permit gaming using the mobile device when the mobile device elevation is outside the one or more adjusted authorized elevations.

Claims

1. A method of operating a gaming system having at least one payment acceptor for funding a players account, having a master server and a processor device configured to communicate with a mobile device, the method executed by the processor device, comprising:

establishing one or more authorized elevations that correspond to areas where mobile gaming is permitted;

adjusting the one or more authorized elevations according to a height of a user of the mobile device;

comparing a mobile device elevation at which the mobile device is located to the one or more adjusted authorized elevations that correspond to areas where mobile gaming is permitted;

responsive to the comparing, permitting gaming using the mobile device when the mobile device elevation is within the one or more adjusted authorized elevations, and not permitting gaming using the mobile device when the mobile device elevation is outside the one or more adjusted authorized elevations; and

tracking a location of the user when the user is using the mobile device, wherein the mobile device is enabled to present a wagering game via a display screen on the mobile device using funds from the player account according to the permitting.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising permitting non-gaming operations using the mobile device regardless of whether the mobile device elevation is within or outside the one or more authorized elevations, wherein the non-gaming operations are concierge, non-wagering advertising, or non-wagering entertainment operations.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of transmitting information related to the gaming to the mobile device, wherein the mobile device is in communication with the master server that manages the players account.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving information relating to an account of the user of the mobile device, wherein the mobile device is enable to present a wagering game via a display screen on the mobile device according to the permitting.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of tracking a location of the user when the user is using the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of not permitting gaming using the mobile device includes:

receiving information obtained from the step of comparing; and

processing the received information to determine whether to present a wagering game to the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of not permitting gaming using the mobile device includes:

determining whether to disable gaming on the mobile device.

8. A gaming system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory configured to process operations provided by;

a master server configured to communicate with a mobile device and a payment acceptor for funding a players account, the master server including;

a player tracking server adapted for;

establishing one or more authorized elevations that correspond to areas where mobile gaming is permitted;

adjusting the one or more authorized elevations according to a height of a user of the mobile device;

comparing a mobile device elevation at which the mobile device is located to one or more adjusted authorized elevations;

responsive to the comparing, permitting gaming using the mobile device when the mobile device elevation is within the one or more adjusted authorized elevations, and not permitting gaming using the mobile device when the mobile device elevation is outside the one or more adjusted authorized elevations; and

tracking a location of the user when the user is using the mobile device, wherein the mobile device is enabled to present a wagering game via a display screen on the mobile device using funds from the player account according to the permitting.

9. The gaming system of claim 8, further including another server adapted for:

permitting non-gaming operations using the mobile device regardless of whether the mobile device elevation is within or outside the one or more authorized elevations, wherein the non-gaming operations are concierge, non-wagering advertising, or non-wagering entertainment operations.

10. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein the mobile device is in communication with the master server that manages the players account, wherein the master server further comprises a gaming server adapted for facilitating operation of games accessed by the user on the mobile device.

11. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein the master server is further adapted for transmitting information related to individual games available to the user.

12. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein the player tracking server is further adapted for, when not permitting gaming using the mobile device:

receiving information obtained from the comparing; and

processing the received information to determine whether to present a wagering game to the user.

13. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the other server includes an accounting server adapted for receiving storing and transmitting information relating to an account of the user of the mobile device.

14. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the other server includes an administrative server adapted for tracking non-gaming related activity of the user of the mobile device during a stay at a casino complex.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium including a plurality of instructions, which when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

establish one or more authorized elevations that correspond to areas where mobile gaming is permitted;

adjust the one or more authorized elevations according to a height of a user of a mobile device;

compare a mobile device elevation at which the mobile device is located to the one or more adjusted authorized elevations that correspond to areas where mobile gaming is permitted, wherein the mobile device is in communication with a payment acceptor for funding a players account;

responsive to the comparing, permit gaming using the mobile device when the mobile device elevation is within the one or more adjusted authorized elevations, and not permit gaming using the mobile device when the mobile device elevation is outside the one or more adjusted authorized elevations;

transmit information related to the gaming to the mobile device wherein the mobile device is enabled to present a wagering game via a display screen on the mobile device using funds from the player account according to the permitting.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to permit non-gaming operations using the mobile device regardless of whether the mobile device elevation is within or outside the one or more authorized elevations, wherein the non-gaming operations are concierge, non-wagering advertising, or non-wagering entertainment operations, wherein the mobile device is in communication with a master server that manages the players account.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to receive information relating to an account of the user of the mobile device.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor, when not permitting gaming using the mobile device, to receive information obtained from the comparing, and processing the received information to determine whether to present a wagering game to the user.