Gaming service automation machine with drop box services

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11836685-B2
Application number	US-202117212617-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 25, 2021
Priority date	Mar 27, 2020
Publication date	Dec 5, 2023
Grant date	Dec 5, 2023

Abstract

A robot includes a secure storage area, a camera, a propulsion system, a memory device, and a processor. The processor is configured to receive a request for drop box services within a casino, the request including a pickup location and a requestor, control the propulsion system to navigate the robot to the pickup location within the casino, and authenticate an identity of the requestor in response to arriving at the pickup location. The processor is also configured to provide the requestor access to the secure storage area in response to authenticating the identity of the requestor, detect receipt, from the requestor, of at least one value instrument within the secure storage area, lock the secure storage area, and provide a receipt to the requestor in response to receiving the at least one value instrument within the secure storage area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A robot comprising:
a secure storage area;
a camera;
a propulsion system;
a memory device; and
a processor configured to execute instructions stored in the memory device, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to at least:
receive a request for drop box services within a casino including a casino floor, the request including a pickup location associated with a gaming device on the casino floor;
determine a navigation path from a current location of the robot to the pickup location, wherein the navigation path is determined based upon a stored map of the casino floor comprising a plurality of gaming devices identified as areas the robot may not navigate across;
control the propulsion system to navigate the robot to the pickup location within the casino by navigating across the navigation path and avoiding contact with the plurality of gaming devices;
control the robot to open a door of the gaming device upon arrival at the gaming device;
control the robot to remove at least one value instrument from within the gaming device;
control the robot to place the at least one value instrument within the secure storage area;
detect receipt of the at least one value instrument within the secure storage area;
lock the secure storage area; and
store data associated with receipt of the at least one value instrument within the secure storage area.

2. The robot of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to at least control the camera to monitor the gaming device during transfer of the value instrument to the secure storage area.

3. The robot of claim 1 , wherein the value instrument is at least one of: i) monetary currency, or ii) a printed ticket associated with a monetary value.

4. The robot of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to at least:
receive, from a robot management system (RMS), the pickup location and the navigation path; and
unlock the secure storage area when the robot arrives at the pickup location to permit transfer of the at least one value instrument into the secure storage area.

5. The robot of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to at least:
receive, from a robot management system (RMS), a deposit location;
in response to receiving the deposit location, control the propulsion system to navigate the robot to the deposit location; and
unlock the secure storage area when the robot arrives at the deposit location to permit removal of the at least one value instrument from the secure storage area.

6. The robot of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to at least:
receive, from a robot management system (RMS), a monitoring location;
in response to receiving the monitoring location, control the propulsion system to navigate the robot to the monitoring location; and
control the camera to acquire at least one image of the monitoring location.

7. The robot of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to at least:
receive, via an input device, a request to escort a requestor; and
in response to receiving the request:
control the propulsion system to cause the robot to escort the requestor; and
control the camera to monitor the requestor while the robot escorts the requestor.

8. The robot of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to record gaming device data associated with the gaming device, the gaming device data comprising at least one of play meter data, coin-in data, or credit-in data.

9. The robot of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
determine that the gaming device is occupied by a person based on a scan of the gaming device; and
control the robot to open the door after a delay, the delay based on the gaming device being occupied by the person.

10. The robot of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to control the robot to place an empty at least one value instrument within the gaming device in response to removing the at least one value instrument from within the gaming device.

11. A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium for use with a robot, the computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to at least:
receive a request for drop box services within a casino including a casino floor, the request including a pickup location associated with a gaming device on the casino floor;
determine a navigation path from a current location of the robot to the pickup location, wherein the navigation path is determined based upon a stored map of the casino floor comprising a plurality of gaming devices identified as areas the robot may not navigate across;
control a propulsion system of the robot to navigate the robot to the pickup location within the casino by navigating across the navigation path and avoiding contact with the plurality of gaming devices;
control the robot to open a door of the gaming device upon arrival at the gaming device;
control the robot to remove at least one value instrument from within the gaming device;
control the robot to place the at least one value instrument within a secure storage area of the robot;
detect receipt of the at least one value instrument within the secure storage area;
lock the secure storage area; and
store data associated with receipt of the at least one value instrument within the secure storage area.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to at least control a camera of the robot to monitor the gaming device during transfer of the value instrument to the secure storage area.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the value instrument is at least one of: i) monetary currency, or ii) a printed ticket associated with a monetary value.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to at least:
receive, from a robot management system (RMS), the pickup location; and
unlock the secure storage area when the robot arrives at the pickup location to permit transfer of the at least one value instrument into the secure storage area.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to at least:
receive, from a robot management system (RMS), a deposit location;
in response to receiving the deposit location, control the propulsion system of the robot to navigate the robot to the deposit location; and
unlock the secure storage area when the robot arrives at the deposit location to permit removal of the at least one value instrument from the secure storage area.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to at least:
receive, from a robot management system (RMS), a monitoring location;
in response to receiving the monitoring location, control the propulsion system of the robot to navigate the robot to the monitoring location; and
control a camera of the robot to acquire at least one image of the monitoring location.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to at least:
receive, via an input device, a request to escort a requestor; and
in response to

Assignees

• Aristocrat Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Cupersmith Michelle
• Blanco Victor
• Scott Ryan

Classifications

• G06Q10/20 Primary

  Administration of product repair or maintenance · CPC title

• B25J9/1664

  characterised by motion, path, trajectory planning · CPC title

• B25J9/1676

  Avoiding collision or forbidden zones · CPC title

• B25J9/1697

  Vision controlled systems · CPC title

• B25J11/0005

  Manipulators having means for high-level communication with users, e.g. speech generator, face recognition means · CPC title