Method and apparatus for machine location
First Claim
1. A method for locating a gaming machine that is operable by a player to provide a gaming experience or aid in gaming on a gaming environment floor, the method comprising:
- receiving one or more tracking signals from one or more tracking devices;
processing the one or more tracking signals to determine location data for the gaming machine;
processing the location data in relation to gaming environment floor information to determine a location of the gaming machine on the gaming environment floor;
generating a graphical map of the gaming environment floor; and
indicating the determined location of the gaming machine on the graphical map of the gaming environment floor; and
providing a configuration signal to the gaming machine based on said gaming machine location comprising an operational parameter defining one or more rules or instructions that govern the operation of said gaming machine comprising sound volume, sound timing, video timing, a sound/video selection, game denomination, payout rate, winning event action, machine synchronization time, event center activity, promotion, network identification, game selection, game theme, game maximum bet, game minimum bet, game payout rate, or game payout limit;
whereby the providing of said configuration signal to the gaming machine modifies the configuration of said gaming machine in accordance with said operational parameter.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for tracking and determining a location of a gaming machine or other item within a casino or hotel is disclosed. In one embodiment the method and apparatus utilizes a transmitter or emitter to provide a tracking signal that may be tracked by one or more receivers or detectors. It is contemplated that the transmitter or emitter connect to a gaming machine. As the gaming machine is relocated within the casino its location is monitored. The one or more receivers may communicate with a host computer or other data processing system to generate location data regarding the gaming machine in relation to other aspects of the casino. Based on the location information generated by the location monitoring and tracking system, other aspects of machine operation may be controlled and additional features dependant on the machine location information may be enabled.
96 Citations
47 Claims
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1. A method for locating a gaming machine that is operable by a player to provide a gaming experience or aid in gaming on a gaming environment floor, the method comprising:
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receiving one or more tracking signals from one or more tracking devices; processing the one or more tracking signals to determine location data for the gaming machine; processing the location data in relation to gaming environment floor information to determine a location of the gaming machine on the gaming environment floor; generating a graphical map of the gaming environment floor; and indicating the determined location of the gaming machine on the graphical map of the gaming environment floor; and providing a configuration signal to the gaming machine based on said gaming machine location comprising an operational parameter defining one or more rules or instructions that govern the operation of said gaming machine comprising sound volume, sound timing, video timing, a sound/video selection, game denomination, payout rate, winning event action, machine synchronization time, event center activity, promotion, network identification, game selection, game theme, game maximum bet, game minimum bet, game payout rate, or game payout limit; whereby the providing of said configuration signal to the gaming machine modifies the configuration of said gaming machine in accordance with said operational parameter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. In a host device, a method for locating a gaming machine that is operable by a player to provide a gaming experience or aid in gaming on a gaming environment floor, the method comprising:
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receiving, at the host device, one or more tracking signals over a communications network from one or more tracking devices; processing the one or more tracking signals to determine location data for the gaming machine; processing the location data in relation to gaming environment floor information to determine a location of the gaming machine on the gaming environment floor; generating a graphical map of the gaming environment floor; indicating the determined location of the gaming machine on the graphical map of the gaming environment floor; and sending a configuration signal to the gaming machine based on said gaming machine location comprising an operational parameter defining one or more rules or instructions that govern the operation of said gaming machine comprising sound volume, sound timing, video timing, a sound/video selection, game denomination, payout rate, winning event action, machine synchronization time, event center activity, promotion, network identification, game selection, game theme, game maximum bet, game minimum bet, game payout rate, or game payout limit;
said rules or instructions modifying the configuration of said gaming machine in accordance with said operational parameter. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for locating a gaming machine that is operable by a player to provide a gaming experience or aid in gaming on a gaming environment floor, the gaming machine having a receiver, the method comprising:
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receiving a first signal at a first receipt time at the receiver, the first signal sent from a first transmitter at a first transmission time; receiving a second signal at a second receipt time at the receiver, the second signal sent from a second transmitter at a second transmission time; receiving a third signal at a third receipt time at the receiver, the third signal sent from a third transmitter at a third transmission time; calculating a first time difference between the first receipt time and the first transmission time, a second time difference between the second receipt time and the second transmission time, and a third time difference between the third receipt time and the third transmission time; calculating a first distance between the receiver and the first transmitter based on the first time difference, a second distance between the receiver and the second transmitter based on the second time difference, and a third distance between the receiver and the third transmitter based on the third time difference; determining a location of the gaming machine at an intersection of at least the first distance, the second distance and the third distance; generating a graphical map of the gaming environment floor; and indicating the determined location of the gaming machine on the graphical map of the gaming environment floor; and providing a configuration signal to the gaming machine based on said gaming machine location comprising an operational parameter defining one or more rules or instructions that govern the operation of said gaming machine comprising sound volume, sound timing, video timing, a sound/video selection, game denomination, payout rate, winning event action, machine synchronization time, event center activity, promotion, network identification, game selection, game theme, game maximum bet, game minimum bet, game payout rate, or game payout limit;
said rules or instructions modifying the configuration of said gaming machine in accordance with said operational parameter. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A method for locating a gaming machine that is operable by a player to provide a gaming experience or aid in gaming on a gaming environment floor, the gaming machine having a receiver, the receiver receiving a first signal at a first receipt time, the first signal sent from a first transmitter at a first transmission time, the receiver receiving a second signal at a second receipt time, the second signal sent from a second transmitter at a second transmission time, the receiver receiving a third signal at a third receipt time, the third signal sent from a third transmitter at a third transmission time, the method comprising:
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receiving the receipt times and the transmission times over a communications network; calculating a first time difference between the first receipt time and the first transmission time, a second time difference between the second receipt time and the second transmission time, and a third time difference between the third receipt time and the third transmission time; calculating a first distance between the receiver and the first transmitter based on the first time difference, a second distance between the receiver and the second transmitter based on the second time difference, and a third distance between the receiver and the third transmitter based on the third time difference; determining a location of the gaming machine at an intersection of at least the first distance, the second distance and the third distance; generating a graphical map of the gaming environment floor; and indicating the determined location of the gaming machine on the graphical map of the gaming environment floor; and sending a configuration signal to the gaming machine based on said gaming machine location comprising an operational parameter defining one or more rules or instructions that govern the operation of said gaming machine comprising sound volume, sound timing, video timing, a sound/video selection, game denomination, payout rate, winning event action, machine synchronization time, event center activity, promotion, network identification, game selection, game theme, game maximum bet, game minimum bet, game payout rate, or game payout limit;
said rules or instructions modifying the configuration of said gaming machine in accordance with said operational parameter. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A method for locating a gaming machine that is operable by a player to provide a gaming experience or aid in gaming on a gaming environment floor, the gaming machine having a transmitter, the transmitter sending a first signal at a first transmission time to a first receiver at a first receipt time, the transmitter sending a second signal at a second transmission time to a second receiver at a second receipt time, the transmitter sending a third signal at a third transmission time to a third receiver at a third receipt time, the method comprising:
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receiving the receipt times and the transmission times over a communications network; calculating a first time difference between the first receipt time and the first transmission time, a second time difference between the second receipt time and the second transmission time, and a third time difference between the third receipt time and the third transmission time; calculating a first distance between the transmitter and the first receiver based on the first time difference, a second distance between the transmitter and the second receiver based on the second time difference, and a third distance between the transmitter and the third receiver based on the third time difference; determining a location of the gaming machine at an intersection of at least the first distance, the second distance and the third distance; generating a graphical map of the gaming environment floor; and indicating the determined location of the gaming machine on the graphical map of the gaming environment floor; and providing a configuration signal to the gaming machine based on said gaming machine location comprising an operational parameter defining one or more rules or instructions that govern the operation of said gaming machine comprising sound volume, sound timing, video timing, a sound/video selection, game denomination, payout rate, winning event action, machine synchronization time, event center activity, promotion, network identification, game selection, game theme, game maximum bet, game minimum bet, game payout rate, or game payout limit;
said rules or instructions modifying the configuration of said gaming machine in accordance with said operational parameter. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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25. An apparatus for locating a gaming machine that is operable by a player to provide a gaming experience or aid in gaming on a gaming environment floor, the apparatus comprising:
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an interface configured to receive one or more tracking signals from one or more tracking devices; a processor configured to; i) process the one or more tracking signals to determine location data for the gaming machine, ii) process the location data in relation to gaming environment floor information to determine a location of the gaming machine on the gaming environment floor, iii) send a configuration signal to the gaming machine based on said gaming machine location comprising an operational parameter defining one or more rules or instructions that govern the operation of said gaming machine comprising sound volume, sound timing, video timing, a sound/video selection, game denomination, payout rate, winning event action, machine synchronization time, event center activity, promotion, network identification, game selection, game theme, game maximum bet, game minimum bet, game payout rate, or game payout limit;
said rules or instructions modifying the configuration of said gaming machine in accordance with said operational parameter;iv) generate a graphical map of the gaming environment floor; and
a display device configured to;i) display the graphical map, and ii) display the determined location of the gaming machine on the graphical map of the gaming environment floor. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. An apparatus for locating a gaming machine that is operable by a player to provide a gaming experience or aid in gaming on a gaming environment floor, the apparatus in communication with the gaming machine over a communications network, the apparatus comprising:
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an interface configured to receive one or more tracking signals over a path of the communications network from one or more tracking devices; a processor configured to load program code from a memory and execute the program code to; i) process the one or more tracking signals to determine location data for the gaming machine, ii) process the location data in relation to gaming environment floor information to determine a location of the gaming machine on the gaming environment floor, iii) send a configuration signal to the gaming machine based on said gaming machine location comprising an operational parameter defining one or more rules or instructions that govern the operation of said gaming machine comprising sound volume, sound timing, video timing, a sound/video selection, game denomination, payout rate, winning event action, machine synchronization time, event center activity, promotion, network identification, game selection, game theme, game maximum bet, game minimum bet, game payout rate, or game payout limit;
said rules or instructions modifying the configuration of said gaming machine in accordance with said operational parameter; andiv) generate a graphical map of the gaming environment floor; and
a display device configured to;i) display the graphical map, and ii) display the determined location of the gaming machine on the graphical map of the gaming environment floor. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method for locating and configuring a gaming machine that is operable by a player to provide a gaming experience or aid in gaming on a gaming environment floor, the method comprising:
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receiving one or more tracking signals from one or more tracking devices; processing the one or more tracking signals to determine location data for the gaming machine; processing the location data in relation to gaming environment floor information to determine a location of the gaming machine on the gaming environment floor; configuring the located gaming machine by sending a configuration signal to the gaming machine based on said gaming machine location comprising an operational parameter defining one or more rules or instructions that govern the operation of said gaming machine comprising sound volume, sound timing, video timing, a sound/video selection, game denomination, payout rate, winning event action, machine synchronization time, event center activity, promotion, network identification, game selection, game theme, game maximum bet, game minimum bet, game payout rate, or game payout limit;
said rules or instructions modifying the configuration of said gaming machine in accordance with said operational parameter. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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Specification