SERVING PATRONS IN A WAGERING GAME ENVIRONMENT

• US 20110045908A1
• Filed: 02/12/2008
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Ehrlich, Dean A., Holmes, Kate H., Petras, Peter, Pacey, Larry J., Fowler, Andrew, Gagner, Mark B., Jaffe, Joel R., Green, Christopher, Pace, Mark C., Joshi, Shridhar P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,536,390 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• 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

Systems and methods for serving patrons in a wagering game environment are described herein. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving patron service information, wherein the patron service information indicates activities of a patron in a casino. The method can also include selecting, based on the patron service information, a service for the patron, wherein the patron has not requested the service. Additionally, the method can include presenting a service order instructing a service attendant to deliver the service.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving patron service information, wherein the patron service information indicates activities of a patron in a casino;

selecting, based on the patron service information, a service for the patron, wherein the patron has not requested the service; and

dispatching a service attendant to deliver the service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the activities include movements of the patron in the casino.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the activities include playing wagering games.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the patron service information includes wagering game information indicating one or more of the group consisting of wagering games played by the patron, number of wagering games played by the patron, amount wagered by the patron in a period of time, and time spent in the casino by the patron.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the patron service information is received over a wireless connection from a handheld wagering game machine.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the service is selected from the group consisting of drink service, food service, reservations service, technical support, and casino information service.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

releasing a device to the patron, wherein the device is configured to submit the patron service information.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting a multimedia stream that includes communications from the service attendant.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the multimedia stream is prerecorded.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a service information configured to receive patron service information, wherein the patron service information indicates activities of a patron in a casino;

a service selection controller configured to select, based on the patron service information, a service for the patron, wherein the patron has not requested the service; and

a dispatch controller configured to dispatch a service attendant to deliver the service.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

a media controller configured to transmit a multimedia stream that includes communications from a service attendant.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the activities include movements of the patron in the casino.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the activities include playing wagering games.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the patron service information includes wagering game information indicating one or more of the group consisting of wagering games played by the patron, number of wagering games played by the patron, amount wagered by the patron in a period of time, and time spent in the casino by the patron.

15. A wagering game machine comprising:

a wagering game unit configured to present wagering games to a patron;

a location unit configured to generate location information indicating movements of the wagering game machine in a casino; and

a service information controller configured to submit service information for use in selecting a service for the patron, wherein the service information includes the location information and information about the wagering games.

16. The wagering game machine of claim 15, wherein the service is selected from the group consisting of drink service, food service, reservations service, technical support, and casino information service.

17. The wagering game machine of claim 15, wherein the information about the wagering games includes one or more selected from the group consisting of type of wagering games played, number of wagering games played, amount wagered in a period of time, and duration of wagering game session.

18. The wagering game machine of claim 15, wherein the location unit includes a global positioning system receiver.

19. The wagering game machine of claim 15, wherein the location unit includes a radio frequency identifier tag.

20. The wagering game machine of claim 15, further comprising:

a display device configured to present an indication of the service and communications from a service attendant.

21. A wagering game system comprising:

a wagering game machine configured to present wagering games and to submit service information associated with a patron, wherein the service information includes information about the wagering games;

a patron services server configured to obtain the service information and to select, based at least in part on the service information, a service for the patron.

22. The wagering game system of claim 21, wherein the patron has not requested the service.

23. The wagering game system of claim 21, wherein the service information includes information about where the gaming machine is located in a casino.

24. The wagering game system of claim 21 further comprising:

a patron services terminal configured to present a service order instructing a service attendant to deliver the selected service to the patron.

25. The wagering game system of claim 21 further comprising:

an awards server configured to award the patron a promotional item, to associate the promotional item with an account of the patron, and to reveal the promotional item during a future wagering game session.

26. A method comprising:

receiving a plurality of page request messages, wherein each page request message requests notification when one or more of a group of wagering game machines is available;

receiving status messages from the group of wagering game machines, the status messages indicating which of the group are available and which of the group are in-use;

determining, for each of the page request messages, that one of the group of wagering game machines is available, wherein the determining is based on the status messages; and

transmitting, for each of the plurality of page request messages, a notification indicating that the one or more of the group of wagering machines is available.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein one or more of the page request messages indicate whether the notification is to be a text message, telephone call, or email.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein one or more of the page request messages indicate a time period after which no notification should be sent.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the notification is a text message to a mobile telephone.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the notification includes directions to the one or more of the group of wagering game machines.