METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COMMUNICATING INFORMATION ABOUT NETWORKED GAMING MACHINES TO PROSPECTIVE PLAYERS

• US 20180232988A1
• Filed: 04/11/2018
• Published: 08/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acres Technology
• Original Assignee: Patent Investment & Licensing Company
• Inventors: ACRES, JOHN F.
• Granted Patent: US 10,229,554 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3234 about the performance of a gaming system, e.g. revenue, diagnosis of the gaming system
• 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 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3269 Timing aspects of game play, e.g. blocking/halting the operation of a gaming machine
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3272 Games involving multiple players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

On a network of electronic gaming machines, data regarding the performance of the machines or the players of the machines is collected and processed to make predictions of future jackpots and recommendations of games to play. The predictions and recommendations are delivered via at least one virtual persona that communicates with players or potential players via displays in a casino or on a web browser, via smartphone. Players can conduct conversations with the persona using cellular telephone, text messaging, or other types of Internet communications.

Claims

1. A method for promoting play of electronic gaming machines that when played generate random game outcomes, some of which result in an award, the electronic gaming machines being on a network, the method comprising:

receiving wagers via the electronic gaming machines from players playing games on the electronic gaming machines responsive to actuation of a wager input device by the player, the wager input device being associated with each electronic gaming machine;

making awards to players of the electronic gaming machines when the game outcome results in an award;

tracking at least some of the play on at least some of the electronic gaming machines via at least one meter associated with each of the electronic gaming machines on which play is tracked;

communicating the meter data over the network from each of the electronic gaming machines on which at least some of the play is tracked to a database that is operatively connected to the network;

accessing the database;

generating information including at least one of a forecast related to future awards and information regarding previously awarded amounts as a function of the information in the database;

presenting a virtual persona on an electronic display that is operatively connected to the network; and

causing the persona to communicate the generated information to at least one player.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the forecast comprises a prediction.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the forecast comprises a recommendation.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic display is not associated with any one of the electronic gaming machines and is viewable by a plurality of people.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic display comprises a display of a mobile computing device.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

counting the awards in a plurality of predefined time periods;

averaging the awards in each time period; and

generating the at least one forecast based on the average.

7. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of electronic gaming machines, each of which includes;

a non-transitory memory device configured to store computer-readable instructions to facilitate play of the electronic gaming machine,

an accepting device configured to engage a physical item associated with a monetary value, the monetary value establishing a credit balance that is decreasable based on at least wagering activity, and

at least one meter to track the amount of play on the gaming machine;

a network operatively connecting the gaming machines on which data from the meters is transmitted to a database;

an electronic display operatively connected to the network; and

at least one computing processor connected to the network, the at least one processor configured to;

access the database,

generate information including at least one of a forecast related to future awards and information regarding previously awarded amounts as a function of the information in the database,

present a virtual persona on the electronic display, and

cause the persona to communicate the generated information to at least one player.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the forecast comprises a prediction.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the forecast comprises a recommendation.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the electronic display is not associated with any one of the electronic gaming machines and is viewable by a plurality of people.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the electronic display comprises a display of a mobile computing device.

12. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

counting the awards in a plurality of predefined time periods;

averaging the awards in each time period; and

generating the at least one forecast based on the average.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium that stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by at least one processor causes the at least one processor to:

track at least some of the play on at least some of a plurality of electronic gaming machines via a meter associated with each of the electronic gaming machines on which at least some of the play is tracked;

communicate the meter data over a network from each of the electronic gaming machines on which at least some of the play is tracked to a database that is operatively connected to the network;

access the database;

generate information including at least one of a forecast related to future awards and information regarding previously awarded amounts as a function of the information in the database;

present a virtual persona on an electronic display that is operatively connected to the network; and

cause the persona to communicate the generated information to at least one player.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the forecast comprises a prediction.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the forecast comprises a recommendation.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to present the virtual persona on a display of a mobile computing device.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

count the awards in a plurality of predefined time periods;

average the awards in each time period; and

generate the at least one recommendation based on the average.