System and method for game players to achieve multiple status levels in a game account from visits to authorized locations

• US 9,928,683 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2015
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scientific Games Corporation
• Original Assignee: Scientific Games International Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Mound, Andrew Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Kevin Y
• Application Number:
  US14/949,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20160155292A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3206 Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3286 Type of games
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A system and method are provided for game players to accumulate points in their personal game account and achieve different hierarchy status levels. Authorized communication-enabled locations are configured with a transmitter device that broadcasts an ID signal unique to the location or a receiver that receives an ID signal unique to a particular player. The players are provided with capability to receive the unique ID signals emitted by the transmitter devices, or to broadcast the ID signal unique to the player for receipt by the receiver in the locations. Point values are assigned to different game-related activities performed by the players at the locations. A game server automatically identifies the player and the particular location upon receipt of a transmission of one of the unique ID signals and automatically credits the player'"'"'s account with the points assigned to the activities.

Claims

1. A method wherein game of chance players have a personal player'"'"'s account and accumulate points or credit in the account to achieve different status levels, the method comprising:

designating a plurality of set physical locations as authorized communication-enabled locations, each physical location being a knowing and pre-authorized participant in the game to carry out game activities related to the method, wherein each location is configured with a transmitter device that is located at the location and broadcasts an ID signal within a limited range that encompasses public areas of the location accessible to the players, the ID signal unique to the communication-enabled location, or each location configured with a receiver that receives an ID signal unique to a particular player in the public areas of the location;

providing the identity and location of all of the communication-enabled participating locations to all of the players before the players commence the game, wherein each player is free to choose any one of the participating locations to commence the game regardless of the player'"'"'s actual starting location;

providing the players with capability to receive the unique ID signals emitted by the transmitter devices within the communication-enabled locations on a mobile smart device, or to broadcast the ID signal unique to the player for receipt by the receiver in the communication-enabled locations;

assigning point values to different game-related activities that can be performed by the players at the communication-enabled locations and before the game commences, identifying to the players a relationship between the game-related activities at each of the different communication-enabled locations and the point values so that the player is able to base a decision on which of the communication-enabled locations to visit based on the identified relationships;

providing a game server that is common to the communication-enabled locations, wherein when the player is in one of the communication-enabled locations, the game server automatically identifies the player and the particular communication-enabled location upon receipt of a transmission that includes at least part of the ID signal unique to the communication-enabled location or the ID signal unique to the player;

the game server verifying activities performed by the player at the communication-enabled location and automatically crediting the player'"'"'s account with the points assigned to the activities,

providing a personalized message to the player regarding the points assigned to their respective player account; and

wherein the player advances in a status level hierarchy as points are accumulated, with gaming-related privileges or benefits of increasing value associated with the hierarchy of status levels.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein the personalized message informs the player how many points were awarded for a particular activity conducted in the communication-enabled location, and the number of points needed to achieve the next status level.

3. The method as in claim 1, wherein a minimum number of points are awarded to the player for visiting the communication-enabled location without further activity.

4. The method as in claim 3, wherein the personalized message encourages the player to view merchandise in the communication-enabled location for possible purchase.

5. The method as in claim 1, wherein functional components are provided in the communication-enabled locations to allow the players to perform the game-related activities, the functional components including any combination of a ticket checker, interactive game console, audio-video display, and game terminal, and wherein the transmitter or the receiver is configured in one of the functional components located in the communication-enabled.

6. The method as in claim 1, wherein the identity and location of the communication-enabled locations are published to the players via an electronic map provided on a website.

7. The method as in claim 6, wherein the players are required to collect a set of tokens from a plurality of the communication-enabled locations before the assigned point value for the activity is credited to their account, each of the communication-enabled locations having a unique one of the tokens assigned thereto, the electronic map also identifying the token assigned to each of the communication-enabled locations.

8. The method as in claim 7, wherein the tokens are Bingo numbers and the players are required to collect tokens to satisfy a Bingo pattern on a Bingo card.

9. The method as in claim 1, wherein the players are provided one or more of:

(1) an application for download to a mobile smart device carried by the player, the application enabling receipt and recognition by the mobile smart device of the unique ID signals emitted by the transmitter devices within the communication-enabled locations;

(2) an application for download to a mobile smart device that causes the mobile smart device to transmit the ID signal unique to the player for receipt by the receiver in the communication-enabled locations;

or (3) a personal broadcast device that broadcasts the ID signal unique to the player.

10. The method as in claim 9, wherein the game server is in secure communication with one or all of:

the player'"'"'s mobile smart device;

the receiver at the communication-enabled location;

or a functional component at the communication-enabled location for communicating with the player.

11. The method as in claim 9, wherein the transmitter device is a Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) beacon that emits a unique BTLE ID signal, and the application downloaded to the player'"'"'s mobile smart device receives the BTLE ID signal and transmits all or a portion of the BTLE ID signal to the game server.

12. The method as in claim 11, wherein the BTLE beacon is incorporated with a functional component display in the BTLE-enabled location, the game server communicating the personalized message to the player via the display.

13. The method as in claim 12, wherein the functional component is one of a ticket checker device that scans game tickets presented by the player and communicates with the game server to verify or authenticate the game tickets, or a game console wherein the player can interactively engage with the game server to perform game-related functions.

14. The method as in claim 9, wherein the game server communicates the personalized message to the player via the player'"'"'s mobile smart device.