Universal system mediation within gaming environments

• US 20050261058A1
• Filed: 06/17/2005
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Binh T., Stockdale, James W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,780,526 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/40
• 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 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements

Abstract

Gaming machines and networks capable of providing universal mediation between multiple disparate gaming systems are disclosed. In particular, multiple disparate gaming systems providing different services and features can be accessed by a player throughout a gaming session at a gaming device as a result of a single player transaction using a universal indicia of identification by the player. Such an indicia can include a card, token, PIN, biometric identifier and/or other identification source. A player identification device at the gaming device can accept such indicia, and can also facilitate protocol mediation and hardware mediation between the gaming device and each of the multiple disparate gaming systems. Enhanced DCUs may also be used to facilitate such mediations, and also to provide redundant communication paths between a LAN containing the gaming device and a WAN including the multiple disparate gaming systems.

Claims

1. A gaming machine adapted for accepting a wager, playing a game based on the wager and granting a payout based on the result of the game, comprising:

an exterior housing arranged to contain a plurality of internal gaming machine components therein;

a master gaming controller in communication with at least one of said plurality of internal gaming machine components and adapted to control one or more aspects of said game;

at least one link adapted to connect said gaming machine to a plurality of disparate gaming systems or at least one gateway thereto, said at least one link permitting data to be transmitted between said gaming machine and each of said plurality of disparate gaming systems; and

a player identification device in communication with said master gaming controller and said at least one link, located within, about or in proximity to said exterior housing and configured to accept a universal indicia of identification from a player, wherein said player identification device is adapted to;

facilitate protocol mediation between said gaming machine and the software of each of said plurality of disparate gaming systems,

facilitate hardware mediation between said gaming machine and the hardware of each of said plurality of disparate gaming systems,

facilitate eligibility mediation with respect to said player, said gaming machine, or both being eligible to receive one or more games, services or presentations from said plurality of disparate gaming systems, and

facilitate the ability of said player to log in to more than one of said plurality of disparate gaming systems for a gaming session at said gaming machine via a single transaction using said universal indicia of identification by said player.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein said universal indicia of identification comprises at least one item belonging to or assigned to said player.

3. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein at least a part of said universal indicia of identification is assigned to said player by the gaming establishment where said gaming machine is located.

4. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein said universal indicia of identification comprises at least one item selected from the group consisting of:

a credit card, a debit card, a smart card, a magnetic striped card, a printed ticket, a room key, a keychain, a bracelet, a wristwatch, a lucky token, a portable wireless device, an RFID tag, a bar code, a thermal print, an infrared ink print, an electronic ink print, a personal identification number, a fingerprint, a retinal scan, a voiceprint and a digitized personal signature.

5. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein said link is adapted to connect said gaming machine to said plurality of disparate gaming systems through a plurality of gateways thereto.

6. The gaming machine of claim 5, wherein at least two of said plurality of gateways comprise redundant gateway devices adapted to connect a local area network including said gaming machine and a plurality of other gaming machines to a wide area network including one or more host servers for said plurality of disparate gaming systems.

7. The gaming machine of claim 5, wherein said redundant gateway devices comprise enhanced data collection units located at an interface between said local area network and said wide area network.

8. The gaming machine of claim 6, wherein said redundant gateway devices comprise a first gateway device connected to said player identification device via a first transmission path and a second gateway device connected to said player identification device via a second transmission path and to said first gateway device via a third transmission path.

9. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein said single transaction using said universal indicia of identification by said player includes providing to said player identification device both an assigned object and a secondary personal identifier within the same approximate time frame.

10. The gaming machine of claim 9, wherein said secondary personal identifier is selected from the group consisting of:

a personal identification number, a fingerprint, a retinal scan, a voiceprint and a digitized personal signature.

11. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein said universal indicia of identification is adapted to differentiate said player from all other players, but does not affirmatively provide the true identity of said player.

12. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein said player identification device is adapted to facilitate access to only a subset of said plurality of disparate gaming systems for said player, wherein said subset is fewer than the entirety of said plurality of disparate gaming systems.

13. The gaming machine of claim 12, wherein at least a portion of said subset of disparate gaming systems available to said player is determined as a result of an affirmative selection of services or features by said player.

14. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein said player identification device is adapted to facilitate access to only a subset of services provided by said plurality of disparate gaming systems for said player, wherein said subset of services is fewer than the entirety of services provided by said plurality of disparate gaming systems.

15. The gaming machine of claim 14, wherein at least a portion of said subset of services available to said player is determined as a result of an affirmative selection of services or features by said player.

16. The gaming machine of claim 14, wherein at least a portion of said subset of services available to said player is determined based on the physical location of said gaming machine and the legal jurisdiction resulting therefrom.

17. The gaming machine of claim 14, wherein at least a portion of said subset of services available to said player is determined based on one or more particular eligibility factors of said player.

18. A gaming system adapted for accepting wagers, playing games based on the wagers and granting payouts based on the results of the games, comprising:

a) a wide area network including a plurality of disparate servers hosting disparate gaming systems, wherein at least two of said plurality of disparate servers are not designed to communicate with each other;

b) a local area network including;

a plurality of input and output devices adapted to accept wagers, play games and grant payouts based on the results of the games,

a master gaming controller in communication with one or more of said plurality of input and output devices, said master gaming controller adapted to control one or more aspects of said games, and

a player identification device in communication with said master gaming controller and configured to accept a universal indicia of identification from a player, wherein said player identification device is adapted to facilitate service mediation between said local area network and each of said plurality of disparate servers, and wherein said player identification device is adapted to facilitate the ability of said player to access more than one of said plurality of disparate servers for a gaming session at said gaming machine via a single transaction using said universal indicia of identification by said player; and

c) a first gateway device adapted to connect said wide area network to said local area network, wherein said first gateway device is adapted to facilitate the transmission of data between said wide area network and said player identification device of said local area network.

19. The gaming system of claim 18, further including:

d) a second gateway device adapted to connect said wide area network to said local area network, wherein said second gateway device provides a redundant communication path also adapted to facilitate the transmission of data between said wide area network and said player identification device of said local area network.

20. The gaming system of claim 19, wherein said first and second gateway devices comprise enhanced data collection units located at an interface between said local area network and said wide area network.

21. The gaming system of claim 19, wherein said first gateway device connects to said player identification device via a first transmission path, and said second gateway device connects to said player identification device via a second transmission path and to said first gateway device via a third transmission path.

22. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein said universal indicia of identification is adapted to differentiate said player from all other players, but does not affirmatively provide the true identity of said player.

23. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein said player identification device is adapted to facilitate access to only a subset of said plurality of disparate servers for said player, wherein said subset is fewer than the entirety of said plurality of disparate servers.

24. The gaming system of claim 23, wherein at least a portion of said subset of disparate servers available to said player is determined as a result of an affirmative selection of services or features by said player.

25. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein said player identification device is adapted to facilitate access to only a subset of services provided by said plurality of disparate servers for said player, wherein said subset of services is fewer than the entirety of services provided by said plurality of disparate servers.

26. The gaming system of claim 25, wherein at least a portion of said subset of services available to said player is determined based on the physical location of said player and the legal jurisdiction resulting therefrom.

27. The gaming system of claim 25, wherein at least a portion of said subset of services available to said player is determined based on one or more particular eligibility factors of said player.

28. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein said service mediation includes one or more components selected from the group consisting of protocol mediation, hardware mediation and eligibility mediation.

29. A gaming device adapted for accepting a wager, playing a game based on the wager and granting a payout based on the result of the game, comprising:

a display arranged to present said game to a player of the gaming device;

at least one input device adapted to accept an input from said player;

a master gaming controller in communication with said display and said at least one input device, and adapted to control one or more aspects of said game;

at least one link adapted to connect said gaming device to a plurality of disparate gaming systems and permitting data to be transmitted between said gaming device and each of said plurality of disparate gaming systems; and

a player identification device in communication with said master gaming controller and said at least one link, located within, about or in proximity to said display or said at least one input device, and configured to accept a universal indicia of identification from said player, wherein said player identification device is adapted to facilitate the ability of said player to log in to more than one of said plurality of disparate gaming systems for a gaming session at said gaming device via a single transaction using said universal indicia of identification by said player.

30. The gaming device of claim 29, wherein said universal indicia of identification is adapted to differentiate said player from all other players, but does not affirmatively provide the true identity of said player.

31. The gaming device of claim 29, wherein said player identification device is adapted to facilitate access to only a subset of said plurality of disparate gaming systems for said player, wherein said subset is fewer than the entirety of said plurality of disparate gaming systems.

32. The gaming device of claim 29, wherein said player identification device is adapted to facilitate service mediation between said gaming device and said plurality of disparate gaming systems.

33. The gaming device of claim 32, wherein said service mediation includes one or more components selected from the group consisting of protocol mediation, hardware mediation and eligibility mediation.

34. A method of identifying a player at a gaming device adapted for accepting a wager, playing a game based on the wager and granting a payout based on the result of the game, the method comprising:

providing a gaming device having an exterior housing, a master gaming controller, and a player identification device;

accepting during a single transaction at said player identification device a universal indicia of identification from a player;

transmitting a first set of data regarding one or more activities of said player at said gaming device to a host of a first disparate gaming system separate from said gaming device, wherein said transmitted first set of data includes identifying data regarding said player obtained during said single transaction;

conducting service mediation between said gaming device and said host of said first disparate gaming system; and

transmitting a second set of data regarding one or more activities of said player at said gaming device to a host of a second disparate gaming system separate from said gaming device and said first gaming system without requiring said player to provide any further indicia of identification, wherein said second set of transmitted data also includes identifying data regarding said player obtained during said single transaction.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said universal indicia of identification comprises at least one item selected from the group consisting of:

a credit card, a debit card, a smart card, a magnetic striped card, a printed ticket, a room key, a keychain, a bracelet, a wristwatch, a lucky token, a portable wireless device, an RFID tag, a bar code, a thermal print, an infrared ink print, an electronic ink print, a personal identification number, a fingerprint, a retinal scan, a voiceprint and a digitized personal signature.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein said single transaction using said universal indicia of identification by said player includes providing to said player identification device both an assigned object and a secondary personal identifier within the same approximate time frame.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein said secondary personal identifier is selected from the group consisting of:

a personal identification number, a fingerprint, a retinal scan, a voiceprint and a digitized personal signature.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein said universal indicia of identification is adapted to differentiate said player from all other players, but does not affirmatively provide the true identity of said player.

39. The method of claim 34, further including the step of:

accepting an input from said player indicating that said player desires access to services or features of said second gaming system during the gaming session of said player.

40. The method of claim 34, further including the step of:

offering services or features from multiple optional disparate gaming systems to said player.

41. The method of claim 34, wherein said step of conducting service mediation further includes:

conducting protocol mediation between said gaming device and software of said host of said first disparate gaming system;

conducting hardware mediation between said gaming device and hardware of said host of said first disparate gaming system; and

conducting eligibility mediation with respect to said player, said gaming device, or both being eligible to receive one or more games, services or presentations from said host of said first disparate gaming system.