Biometric enabled casino gaming system

• US 6,743,098 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2002
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Game and Technology Co., Ltd
• Original Assignee: Game and Technology Co., Ltd
• Inventors: Martin, Braun, Urie, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIM T
• Application Number:
  US10/133,506
• Publication Number:
  US 20020160834A1
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 463/12-13, 463/16-20, 463/22, 463/25, 463/29-30, 463/36-38, 463/40-43, 463/47, 902/3-6, 902/23
• US Class Current: 463/29
• 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 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value

Abstract

A system for tracking game play frequency in a casino game, said system including a central server networked to a game unit, and a kiosk associated with the game unit. The central server stores personal information and registration biometric data of a player, wherein the personal information includes accrued comp point information. The kiosk includes a biometric reader for receiving a biometric identifier of a player, at least one of the central server and the kiosk compares the registration biometric data with game unit biometric data extracted from the biometric identifier to determine comp points based on game play on the game unit.

Claims

1. A system for game play in a casino game, said system including:

a central server networked to a game unit, said central server storing personal information and registration biometric data of a player, said personal information including accrued comp point information;

a kiosk associated with said game unit, said kiosk including a biometric reader for receiving a biometric identifier of the player, at least one of said central server and said kiosk comparing said registration biometric data with game unit biometric data extracted from said biometric identifier to determine comp paints based on game play on said game unit; and

a bank remote from said game unit, wherein said player is provided with access to a financial account of said bank based on the comparison of said registration biometric data with said game unit biometric data at said kiosk.

2. The system of claim 1 further including an account chip card, said account chip card storing account information and card biometric data of said player, said kiosk including a card reader for receiving said account chip card, said kiosk comparing said game unit biometric data and said card biometric data to determine access to said account information.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said game unit is at least one of a slot, video poker, keno, bingo, blackjack, roulette and craps unit.

4. The system of claim 1 further including a bank networked with said central server, at least one of said central sewer and said kiosk comparing said registration biometric data with said game unit biometric data extracted from said biometric identifier to determine access to funds deposited in said bank.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said central server transmits comp point information to said kiosk when said registration biometric data and said game unit biometric data match.

6. The system of claim 1 further including a plurality of casinos, wherein said central server is networked to plurality of casinos, said central server communicating with said plurality of casinos.

7. The system of claim 1 further including a game provider, said game provider networked to said central server, at least one of said central server and said game provider updating games on said game unit.

8. The system of claim 1 further including a plurality of game units and a plurality of kiosks associated with said game units.

9. An improved method of game play in a casino gaming system, said method including:

registering a first set of biometric data;

associating the first set of biometric data with personal information including comp information and user financial account information at a remote bank;

inputting a second set of biometric data into a kiosk that is associated with a game unit;

said kiosk comparing the first set of biometric data with the second set of biometric data; and

determining access to the personal information based on whether the first set of biometric data matches the second set of biometric data.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said associating step includes associating account information with said first set of biometric data;

and wherein said determining step includes determining access to the account information based on whether the first set of biometric data matches the second set of biometric data.

11. The method of claim 9 further including storing the first set of biometric data on an account chip card.

12. The method of claim 9 further including accruing comp points based on at least the quantity and frequency of game play.

13. The method of claim 9 further including playing at least one of video poker, slots, roulette, blackjack, craps, keno, and bingo on the game unit.

14. The method of claim 9 further including displaying comp information at the kiosk when the first set of biometric data matches the second set of biometric data.

15. The method of claim 9 further including networking a plurality of gaming facilities, cach having a plurality of game units, together.

16. The method of claim 9 further including updating casino games on the game unit at predetermined times.

17. A system for game play in a casino game, said system including:

a central server networked to a game unit, said central server storing personal information and first biometric data of a player, said personal information including accrued camp point information and user financial account information at a remote bank;

an account chip card storing at least said first biometric data;

a kiosk associated with said game unit, said kiosk including a biometric reader for receiving a biometric identifier of the player and a card reader for receiving said account chip card, at least one of said central server and said kiosk comparing said first biometric data with second biometric data extracted from said biometric identifier to determine comp points based on game play on said game unit, and at least one of said kiosk and said central server comparing said second biometric data and said first biometric data to determine access to said user financial account information.

18. The system of claim 17 further including a bank networked with said central server, at least one of said central server and said kiosk comparing said first biometric data with said second biometric data extracted from said biometric identifier to determine access to funds deposited in said bank.

19. The system of claim 17 further including a plurality of game units and a plurality of kiosks associated with said game units.

20. The system of claim 17 further including a plurality of game locations, each of said game locations including at least one server and a plurality of game units.