Method for retrieving an identity card associated with an electronic gaming machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9367991-B2
Application number	US-201514755268-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2015
Priority date	Aug 6, 2013
Publication date	Jun 14, 2016
Grant date	Jun 14, 2016

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method for creating an electronic log for documenting entries into electronic gaming machines on a network. The network is monitored by a network computing device. People who enter the machines carry mobile computing devices that communicate over a normally operating wireless network. Cooperating among the network computing device and the wireless network results in creating an entry that includes the identify of a person entering one of the gaming machines, the identity of the gaming machine entered, and the reason for entry. The entry is stored in an electronic log.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for dispatching a person to retrieve a machine access card that is received in a card reader associated with one of a plurality of electronic gaming devices on a network of electronic gaming devices, the method comprising:
defining a plurality of floor areas in the casino, each floor area including a predefined number of electronic gaming machines;
storing the plurality of floor areas in a database;
creating a list of persons each having at least one associated floor area and who is qualified to enter the electronic gaming device;
storing the list in a memory connected to the network;
associating a machine access card with each of at least some of the persons on the list;
monitoring the network of electronic gaming devices via a network computing device;
detecting a communication on the network indicating that an identified electronic gaming device needs service that requires entering the identified electronic gaming device;
automatically assigning a first person qualified to enter the identified electronic gaming devices to provide the service;
generating a call to provide the required service to the identified electronic gaming device;
automatically sending a call signal via a wireless network to a mobile computing device carried by the first person, the signal including data indicating the identified electronic gaming device;
receiving a call-acceptance signal responsive to an input on the mobile computing device carried by the first person indicating that he or she has accepted the call;
determining that the first person has inserted his or her machine access card into a card reader associated with the identified electronic gaming device;
determining that the machine access card is received in the card reader for longer than a predefined length of time;
automatically assigning a second person to retrieve the machine access card;
generating a call to retrieve the machine access card;
automatically sending a call signal via a wireless network to a mobile computing device carried by the second person, the signal including data indicating the identified electronic gaming device;
receiving a call-acceptance signal responsive to an input on the mobile computing device carried by the second person indicating that he or she has accepted the call; and
determining that the machine access card is removed from the card reader.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a signal at the network computing device in response to removing the card from the card reader.

3. A method for dispatching a person to retrieve a player tracking card that is received in a card reader associated with one of a plurality of electronic gaming devices on a network of electronic gaming devices, the method comprising:
defining a plurality of floor areas in the casino, each floor area including a predefined number of electronic gaming machines;
storing the plurality of floor areas in a database;
creating a list of persons each having at least one associated floor area and who is qualified to enter the electronic gaming device;
storing the list in a memory connected to the network;
monitoring the network of electronic gaming devices via a network computing device;
determining that a player has inserted his or her player tracking card into a card reader associated with one of the electronic gaming device;
determining that the player tracking card is received in the card reader for longer than a predefined length of time;
automatically assigning a person to retrieve the player tracking card;
generating a call to retrieve the player tracking card;
automatically sending a call signal via a wireless network to a mobile computing device carried by the person, the signal including data indicating the one electronic gaming device;
receiving a call-acceptance signal responsive to an input on the mobile computing device carried by the person indicating that he or she has accepted the call; and
determining that the player tracking card is removed from the card reader.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein receiving the call-acceptance signal is in response to a signal generated on the wireless network as a result of the input on the mobile computing device.

5. The method of clam 3 wherein the method further comprises determining that the player tracking card is received in the card reader for longer than a predefined length of time during which the network detects no activity on the one electronic gaming machine.

6. A method for dispatching a person to retrieve an identity card received in a card reader that is associated with an electronic gaming device on a network of electronic gaming devices, the method comprising:
defining a plurality of floor areas in the casino, each floor area including a predefined number of electronic gaming machines and a card reader associated with each electronic gaming machine;
storing the plurality of floor areas in a database;
creating a list of persons each having at least one associated floor area;
storing the list in a memory connected to the network;
monitoring the network of electronic gaming devices via a network computing device;
determining that a card reader associated with one of the electronic gaming devices has an identity card received therein for longer than a predefined length of time;
automatically assigning a person to retrieve the card;
generating a call to retrieve the card;
automatically sending a call signal via a wireless network to a mobile computing device carried by the assigned person, the signal including data indicating the one electronic gaming device;
receiving a call-acceptance signal responsive to an input on the mobile computing device carried by the assigned person indicating that he or she has accepted the call; and
determining that the card is removed from the card reader.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the identity card is a player tracking card issued to a player of the electronic gaming devices.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the person is an agent of an operator of the electronic gaming devices and the identity card is a machine access card issued to the agent.

Assignees

• Patent Invest & Licensing Co

Inventors

• Acres John F
• Mccurry Andrea
• Parker Kevin

Classifications

• G07F17/3223

  Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, leader-follower, wireless communication · CPC title

• G07F17/3234

  about the performance of a gaming system, e.g. revenue, diagnosis of the gaming system · CPC title

• G07F17/3218

  wherein at least part of the system is portable · CPC title

• G07F17/3227 Primary

  Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters · CPC title

• G07F17/3239 Primary

  Tracking of individual players · CPC title