Methods and systems for presenting a gaming-related message to a gamer in an area proximate to a beacon associated with a casino

• US 10,157,518 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2014
• Issued: 12/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Video Gaming Technologies Incorporated (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Original Assignee: Video Gaming Technologies Incorporated (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Inventors: Johnson, Ryan Christopher, Hysler, III, Lawrence Acosta
• Primary Examiner(s): Alrobaye, Idriss N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Franklin, Richard B
• Application Number:
  US14/493,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20160086436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,547 Days
• 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 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• 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: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• 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 communication device presents a targeted message to a user associated with a communication device. The communication device includes a sensor configured to receive a first signal from a first beacon, and a computing device programmed to determine a plurality of first parameters associated with the communication device based on the first signal, and determine a message for presentation on the communication device based on at least one of the plurality of first parameters. The plurality of first parameters include a first zone associated with the communication device and a first state associated with the communication device.

Claims

1. A method for presenting a targeted gaming-related message to a gamer associated with a communication device, the gamer in an area proximate to at least one beacon associated with a casino, the method implemented using a computing device, the method comprising:

receiving a first signal from a first beacon associated with the casino;

identifying an immediate zone defined concentrically about the first beacon, a near zone defined concentrically about the immediate zone, and a far zone defined concentrically about the near zone;

determining, based on the first signal, a first zone associated with the communication device, wherein the first zone is one of a plurality of first parameters associated with the communication device, and is one of i) the immediate zone, ii) the near zone, and iii) the far zone

determining a first state of the communication device based on a movement of the communication device relative to the first beacon, wherein the first state is another one of the plurality of first parameters associated with the communication device, and wherein;

the first state of the communication device is an incoming state if the movement of the communication device is from the far zone towards the near zone or from the near zone towards the immediate zone;

the first state of the communication device is an outgoing state if the movement of the communication device is from the immediate zone towards the near zone or from the near zone towards the far zone; and

the first state of the communication device is an idle state if the movement of the communication device remains only within the first zone;

determining a gaming-related message for presentation on the communication device based on at least one of the plurality of first parameters; and

adjusting a footprint associated with the first zone based upon a triggering event comprising at least one of;

(i) a quantity of communication devices proximate to the first beacon, and (ii) a number of signals received from the first beacon.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

uniquely identifying the first beacon based on at least one of the plurality of first parameters;

generating a user interface for the communication device based on the unique identification of the first beacon; and

presenting the message on the user interface.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising identifying a previous message presented on the communication device, wherein determining a message further comprises determining the message based on the previous message.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising generating a user profile based on at least one of the plurality of first parameters and the message, wherein determining a message further comprises determining the message based on the user profile.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a second signal from a second beacon; and

determining a plurality of second parameters associated with the communication device based on the second signal, the plurality of second parameters including a second zone associated with the communication device and a second state associated with the communication device, wherein determining a message further comprises determining the message based on at least one of the plurality of second parameters.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising generating a heat map based on at least one of the plurality of first parameters.

7. A communication device for presenting a targeted message to a user associated with the communication device, the communication device comprising:

a sensor configured to receive a first signal from a first beacon; and

a computing device programmed to;

identify an immediate zone defined concentrically about the first beacon, a near zone defined concentrically about the immediate zone, and a far zone defined concentrically about the near zone;

determine, based on the first signal, a first zone associated with the communication device, wherein the first zone is one of a plurality of first parameters associated with the communication device, and is one of i) the immediate zone, ii) the near zone, and iii) the far zone;

determine a first state of the communication device based on a movement of the communication device relative to the first beacon, wherein the first state is another one of the plurality of first parameters associated with the communication device, and wherein;

the first state of the communication device is an incoming state if the movement of the communication device is from the far zone towards the near zone or from the near zone towards the immediate zone;

the first state of the communication device is an outgoing state if the movement of the communication device is from the immediate zone towards the near zone or from the near zone towards the far zone; and

the first state of the communication device is an idle state if the movement of the communication device remains only within the first zone;

determine a message for presentation on the communication device based on at least one of the plurality of first parameters; and

adjust a footprint associated with the first zone based upon a triggering event comprising at least one of;

(i) a quantity of communication devices proximate to the first beacon, and (ii) a number of signals received from the first beacon.

8. A communication device in accordance with claim 7, wherein the computing device is further programmed to:

uniquely identify the first beacon based on at least one of the plurality of first parameters;

generate a user interface for the communication device based on the unique identification of the first beacon; and

present the message on the user interface.

9. A communication device in accordance with claim 7, wherein the computing device is further programmed to:

identify a previous message presented on the communication device; and

determine the message based on the previous message.

10. A communication device in accordance with claim 7 wherein the computing device is further programmed to:

generate a user profile based on at least one of the plurality of first parameters and the message; and

determine the message based on the user profile.

11. A communication device in accordance with claim 7, wherein the sensor is further configured to receive a second signal from a second beacon, and the computing device is further configured to:

determine a plurality of second parameters associated with the communication device based on the second signal, the plurality of second parameters including a second zone associated with the communication device and a second state associated with the communication device; and

determine the message based on at least one of the plurality of second parameters.

12. A communication device in accordance with claim 7, wherein the computing device is further configured to generate a heat map based on at least one of the plurality of first parameters.

13. One or more tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, wherein, when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:

receive a first signal from a first beacon;

identify, an immediate zone defined concentrically about the first beacon, a near zone defined concentrically about the immediate zone, and a far zone defined concentrically about the near zone;

determine, based on the first signal, a first zone associated with a communication device, wherein the first zone is one of a plurality of first parameters associated with the communication device, and is one of i) the immediate zone, ii) the near zone, and iii) the far zone;

determine a first state of the communication device based on a movement of the communication device relative to the first beacon, wherein the first state is another one of the plurality of first parameters associated with the communication device, and wherein;

the first state of the communication device is an incoming state if the movement of the communication device is from the far zone towards the near zone or from the near zone towards the immediate zone;

the first state of the communication device is an outgoing state if the movement of the communication device is from the immediate zone towards the near zone or from the near zone towards the far zone; and

the first state of the communication device is an idle state if the movement of the communication device remains only within the first zone;

determine a message for presentation on the communication device based on at least one of the plurality of first parameters; and

adjust a footprint associated with the first zone based upon a triggering event comprising at least one of;

(i) a quantity of communication devices proximate to the first beacon, and (ii) a number of signals received from the first beacon.

14. One or more computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 13, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to:

uniquely identify the first beacon based on at least one of the plurality of first parameters;

generate a user interface for the communication device based on the unique identification of the first beacon; and

present the message on the user interface.

15. One or more computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 13, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to:

identify a previous message presented on the communication device; and

determine the message based on the previous message.

16. One or more computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 13, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to:

generate a user profile based on at least one of the plurality of first parameters and the message; and

determine the message based on the user profile.

17. One or more computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 13, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to:

determine a plurality of second parameters associated with the communication device based on a second signal, the plurality of second parameters including a second zone associated with the communication device and a second state associated with the communication device; and

determine the message based on at least one of the plurality of second parameters.

18. One or more computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 13, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to generate a heat map based on at least one of the plurality of first parameters.

19. A system comprising:

a first beacon configured to transmit a first signal;

a communication device comprising a sensor configured to receive the first signal; and

a computing device programmed to;

identify an immediate zone defined concentrically about the first beacon, a near zone defined concentrically about the immediate zone, and a far zone defined concentrically about the near zone;

determine, based on the first signal, a first zone associated with the communication device, wherein the first zone is one of a plurality of first parameters associated with the communication device, and is one of i) the immediate zone, ii) the near zone, and iii) the far zone;

determine a first state of the communication device based upon a movement of the communication device relative to the first beacon, wherein the first state is another one of the plurality of first parameters associated with the communication device, and wherein;

the first state of the communication device is an incoming state if the movement of the communication device is from the far zone towards the near zone or from the near zone towards the immediate zone;

the first state of the communication device is an outgoing state if the movement of the communication device is from the immediate zone towards the near zone or from the near zone towards the far zone; and

the first state of the communication device is an idle state if the movement of the communication device remains only within the first zone;

determine a message for presentation on the communication device based on at least one of the plurality of first parameters; and

adjust a footprint associated with the first zone based upon a triggering event comprising at least one of;

(i) a quantity of communication devices proximate to the first beacon, and (ii) a number of signals received from the first beacon.

20. A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein the computing device is further programmed to:

uniquely identify the first beacon based on at least one of the plurality of first parameters;

generate a user interface for the communication device based on the unique identification of the first beacon; and

present the message on the user interface.

21. A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein the computing device is further programmed to:

identify a previous message presented on the communication device; and

determine the message based on the previous message.

22. A system in accordance with claim 19 wherein the computing device is further programmed to:

generate a user profile based on at least one of the plurality of first parameters and the message; and

determine the message based on the user profile.

23. A system in accordance with claim 19 further comprising a second beacon configured to transmit a second signal, wherein the sensor is further configured to receive the second signal, and the computing device is further configured to determine a plurality of second parameters associated with the communication device based on the second signal, and determine the message based on at least one of the plurality of second parameters, the plurality of second parameters including a second zone associated with the communication device and a second state associated with the communication device.

24. A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein the computing device is further configured to generate a heat map based on at least one of the plurality of first parameters.