Game access device with privileges

• US 8,581,721 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2007
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CFPH LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Original Assignee: CFPH LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Inventors: Asher, Joseph M., Rushin, Ron, Alderucci, Dean P., Gelman, Geoffrey M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ghayour, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILSON, BRIAN P
• Application Number:
  US11/683,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20080218312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,441 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07762 the adhering arrangement making the record carrier wearable, e.g. having the form of a ring, watch, glove or bracelet record carriers for insertion in the human body for medical purposes A61B90/00; record carriers adapted for attachment to animals A01K11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3218 wherein at least part of the system is portable
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00
• 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 verifying the eligibility of players attempting to participate in gaming events are disclosed. Communication objects having RFID tags and closed electrical circuits are individually assigned to and worn by players within a gaming player verification system, which can be administered by a casino desk, hotel concierge, or other operating entity. These RFID tags are adapted to communicate with associated player tracking units attached to gaming machines and other devices via radio frequency waves, and each communication object is adapted to alter its communication pattern in response to any break of its closed electrical circuit. In some embodiments, a communications object may emit a signal that conveys a privilege of the player wearing the communications object. Such a privilege may include a privilege to bypass a line at a restaurant or to otherwise receive priority seating. Bracelets, wristwatches or collars can be used as communication objects, such that the removal of such an object from a player cannot be accomplished without breaking the closed electrical circuit contained therein, thereby disabling or de-authenticating the device. A computer server having a player verification program and database may also be used.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a player tracking device adopted to obtain verification information regarding a respective player from at least one communication object;

at least one merchant communication device;

at least one computer server comprising;

(i) a player verification program that when executed by the at least one computer server, configures the at least one server to;

verify that the obtained verification information regarding the respective player meets one or more pre-determined verification criteria,

deny initiation or continuation of a particular gaming event at a gaming device when accessed by the respective player when the at least one computer server determines that the obtained verification information regarding the respective player does not meet the one or more pre-determined verification criteria or when the obtained verification information regarding the respective player is insufficient;

(ii) a communication object distribution program that, when executed by the at least one computer server, configures the at least one computer server to;

maintain an inventory of communication objects;

maintain an inventory of available privileges conferred by merchants;

determine a status of a first player and a second player, wherein the status of the first player does not match the status of the second player;

determine at least one preference of the first player and the second player, wherein the at least one preference of the first player does not match the at least one preference of the second player;

based on the status of the first player, determine a first type of a communication object to be assigned to the first player;

based on the status of the second player, determine a second type of a communication object to be assigned to the second player;

in response to determining that the inventory of available communication objects comprises at least one of the first type of communication objects, assign a communication object of the first type to the first player, the communication object assigned to the first player being a first communication object;

in response to determining that the inventory of available communication objects comprises at least one of the second type of communication objects, assign a communication object of the second type to the second player, the communication object assigned to the second player being a second communication object;

based on the status and the at least one preference of the first player, determine a first privilege to be assigned to the first player;

based on the status and the at least one preference of the second player, determine a second privilege to be assigned to the second player, wherein the first privilege does not match the second privilege;

in response to determining that the inventory of the available privileges comprises at least one of the first privileges, configure the first communication object for the at least one of the first privileges;

in response to determining that the inventory of the available privileges comprises at least one of the second privileges, configure the second communication object for the at least one of the second privileges;

update the inventory of communication objects in response to assigning the first communication object to the first player;

update the inventory of communication objects in response to assigning the second communication object to the second player; and

update the inventory of available privileges in response to configuring each of the first communication objects and the second communication objects; and

wherein the first communication object comprises;

(i) an RFID tag and (ii) an electrical strip adapted to form a closed electrical circuit when the first communication object is worn by the first player,

wherein the second communication object comprises;

(i) an RFID tag and (ii) an electrical strip adapted to form a closed electrical circuit when the second communication object is worn by the second player,

wherein the first communication object is further configured to;

(i) store first privilege information indicating the assigned privileges for the first player and first verification information regarding the first player, (ii) communicate the first verification information regarding the first player to the player tracking device when the first player is wearing the first communication object in a proximity of the player tracking device, (iii) communicate the first privilege information indicating the assigned privileges for the first player to the at least one merchant communication device when the first player is wearing the first communication object in a proximity of the at least one merchant communication device, and (iv) alter communication of the first verification information and the first privilege information indicating the assigned privileges for the first player in response to any break of the respective closed electrical circuit, and

wherein the second communication object is further configured to;

(i) store second privilege information indicating the assigned privileges for the second player and second verification information regarding the second player, (ii) communicate the second verification information regarding the second player to the player tracking device when the second player is wearing the second communication object in a proximity of the player tracking device, (iii) communicate the second privilege information indicating the assigned privileges for the second player to the at least one merchant communication device when the second player is wearing the second communication object in a proximity of the at least one merchant communication device, and (iv) alter communication of the second verification information and the second privilege information indicating the assigned privileges for the second player in response to any break of the respective closed electrical circuit;

wherein the player tracking device is configured to obtain the first verification information regarding the first player from the first communication object when the first player is wearing the first communication object in bracelet form in proximity of the player tracking device and is accessing the gaming device, and the player tracking device is further configured to communicate the first verification information regarding the first player to the at least one computer server;

wherein the player tracking device is further configured to obtain the second verification information regarding the second player from the second communication object when the second player is wearing the second communication object in bracelet form in the proximity of the player tracking device and is accessing the gaming device, and the player tracking device is further configured to communicate the second verification information regarding the second player to the at least one computer server;

wherein the at least one merchant communication device is configured to obtain the first privilege information about at least one available privilege conferred by the at least one merchant to be provided to the first player from the first communication object when the first player is wearing the first communication object in bracelet form in the proximity of the at least one merchant communication device; and

wherein the at least one merchant communication device is further configured to obtain the second privilege information about at least one available privilege conferred by the at least one merchant to be provided to the second player from the second communication object when the second player is wearing the second communication object in bracelet form in the proximity of the at least one merchant communication device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the at least first and second communication objects further comprises an object selected from the group consisting of a wrist bracelet, a wristwatch, and an ankle bracelet, and wherein the player verification program further configures the at least one computer server to verify multiple submissions of the obtained verification information regarding the respective player during the progress of or between one or more gaming events.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inventory of communication objects comprises at least two of:

a number of communication objects of each type available for distribution;

a number of communication objects of each type have been distributed; and

a number of communication objects of each type have been discarded.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein maintaining the inventory of the at least one privilege comprises tracking a number of privileges dispensed and tracking a number of privileges available to be dispensed.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the type of the first communication object does not match the type of the second communication object.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the first communication object is configured to confer to the first player a first set of privileges;

the second communication object is configured to confer to the second player a second set of privileges; and

the first set of privileges differs from the second set of privileges.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein updating the inventory of communication objects comprises registering the first communication object and the second communication object as unavailable.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the first communication objects and the second communication objects further comprises:

a visual scheme comprising two or more patterns; and

a temperature sensor adapted to detect the body heat from the player when the communication object is worn by the first player as a bracelet.

9. The apparatus of claim 8,

wherein the visual scheme attributable to the first communication object correlates to the status of the first player;

and

wherein the visual scheme attributable to the second communication object correlates to the status of the second player.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the visual scheme attributable to the first communication object differs from the visual scheme attributable to the second communication object.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein each of the first communication object and the second communication objects are further configured to alter communication of the verification information and the privilege information about at least one available privilege conferred by at least one merchant in response to detection by the temperature sensor of a temperature other than a normal human body temperature.

12. A method comprising:

communicating, by a communication object to a gaming device, verification information regarding a player, wherein the communication object is worn by the player as a bracelet, wherein the communication object comprises an RFID tag and an electrical strip adapted to form a closed electrical circuit when the communication object is worn by the player as a bracelet, wherein the communication object stores privilege information indicating privileges for the player and the verification information, and wherein the communication object is configured to alter its communication of the verification information to gaming devices and alter its communication of the privilege information to merchant communication devices in response to any break of the closed electrical circuit;

receiving, by the gaming device from the communication object, the verification information;

communicating, by the gaming device, the verification information to at least one computer server;

receiving, by the at least one computer server from the gaming device, the verification information;

verifying, by the at least one computer server, that the verification information is acceptable according to one or more pre-determined verification criteria;

permitting, by the at least one computer server, initiation or continuation of a particular gaming event at the gaming device by the player in response to verifying that the obtained verification information is acceptable according to the one or more pre-determined verification criteria;

maintaining, by the at least one computer server, an inventory of communication objects;

maintaining, by the at least one computer server, an inventory of available privileges conferred by merchants;

determining, by the at least one computer server, a status of the player;

determining, by the at least one computer server, at least one preference of the player;

determining a type of a communication object to be assigned to the player based on the status of the player;

assigning a communication object of the determined type to the player in response to determining that the inventory of available communication objects comprises at least one of the determined type of communication objects;

determining a privilege to be assigned to the player based on the status and the at least one preference of the player;

determining that the inventory of the available privileges comprises at least one of the determined privileges, then configuring the communication object for the at least one of the determined privileges;

updating the inventory of communication objects in response to assigning the communication object to the player; and

updating the inventory of available privileges in response to configuring the communication object;

providing at least one merchant communication device;

communicating, by the communication object to a merchant communication device, the privilege information, and;

receiving, by the merchant communication device from the communication object, the privilege information.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

at least a portion of the verification information regarding the player becomes unacceptable according to at least one pre-determined verification criterion when the first communication object is no longer worn by the player.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the communication object is adapted to communicate via radio frequency waves.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the communication object comprises an object selected from the group consisting of a wrist bracelet, a wristwatch, and an ankle bracelet.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining whether the player is authorized to participate in the particular gaming event.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising the subsequently repeated steps of:

obtaining the verification information regarding the player from the communication object;

verifying that the verification information regarding the player is acceptable according to the one or more pre-determined verification criteria; and

permitting the particular gaming event to commence or continue.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the subsequently repeated steps are continuously performed.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the subsequently repeated steps are performed at regular periodic intervals.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the subsequently repeated steps are performed at random intervals.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the communication object comprises a GPS locating component.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein updating the inventory of available communication objects comprises registering the first communication object and the second communication object as unavailable.