METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING HOTEL TRANSACTIONS FROM A GAMING DEVICE
A customer may be permitted to use a gaming device such as a slot machine to manage various transactions related to a hotel, such as checking in and/or checking out of the customer's room at the hotel. A customer may receive a benefit in exchange for using a gaming device for a transaction.
1 . A method comprising:
receiving a player identifier at a gaming device;
assigning a hotel room to a player identified by the player identifier; and
using the gaming device to communicate to the player information regarding the assigning of the hotel room.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving step includes reading the player identifier from a player tracking card interfaced to the gaming device.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving step includes reading the player identifier from a credit or debit card interfaced to the gaming device.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the communicated information includes a room number which corresponds to the assigned hotel room.
5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting the player identifier to an electronic door lock mechanism associated with the assigned hotel room.
6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating a room access code.
7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
transmitting the room access code to an electronic door lock mechanism associated with the assigned hotel room.
8 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
magnetically writing the room access code on a player tracking card interfaced to the gaming device.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the gaming device is located at a hotel that includes the assigned hotel room.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the gaming device is a slot machine.
11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
accessing a hotel reservation database on the basis of the received player identifier.
12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
associating the received player identifier with a room identifier that corresponds to the assigned hotel room.
13 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
using the gaming device to present hotel room preferences information to the player.
14 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
using the gaming device to present a reservation confirmation page to the player.
15 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving at the gaming device information regarding a hotel stay desired by the player.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the information regarding the hotel stay includes a desired check-out date.
17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the information regarding the hotel stay includes a desired type of room.
18 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
using the gaming device to communicate to the player an offer for the player to relinquish the assigned room.
19 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
using the gaming device to communicate to the player an offer for the player to delay occupying the assigned room.
20 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
applying to payment for the assigned room gaming credits won via the gaming device.
21 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
awarding free use of the assigned room based on a game outcome provided by the gaming device.
22 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
offering a benefit to the player in exchange for using the gaming device to check in.
23 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
awarding gaming credit at the gaming device in response to the player using the gaming device to check in to a hotel that includes the assigned hotel room.
24 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
using the gaming device to inform the player concerning a telephone message for the player.
25 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
allowing the player to use the gaming device to access or send an electronic mail message.
26 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
retrieving a credit card number for the player in response to receiving the player identifier.
27 . The method of claim 26 , further comprising:
charging payment for the assigned hotel room to a credit card account associated with the retrieved credit card number.
28 . A method comprising:
receiving a player identifier at a gaming device; and
accessing a hotel reservation database on the basis of the received player identifier.
29 . The method of claim 28 , further comprising:
using the gaming device to present hotel room preferences information to a player identified by the player identifier.
30 . The method of claim 28 , further comprising:
using the gaming device to present a reservation confirmation page to a player identified by the player identifier.
31 . The method of claim 28 , further comprising:
assigning a hotel room to a player identified by the player identifier.
32 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the receiving step includes reading the player identifier from a player tracking card interfaced to the gaming device.
33 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the receiving step includes reading the player identifier from a credit or debit card interfaced to the gaming device.
34 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the gaming device is a slot machine.
35 . The method of claim 28 , further comprising:
offering a benefit to the player in exchange for using the gaming device to check in.
36 . A method comprising:
receiving a player identifier at a gaming device;
associating the received player identifier with a room identifier;
presenting to a player identified by the player identifier at least one of a reservation confirmation page and hotel room preferences information; and
generating a room access code associated with the room identifier.
37 . The method of claim 36 , wherein the gaming device is a slot machine.
38 . The method of claim 36 , wherein the receiving step includes reading the player identifier from a player tracking card interfaced to the gaming device.
39 . The method of claim 36 , wherein the receiving step includes reading the player identifier from a credit or debit card interfaced to the gaming device.
40 . The method of claim 36 , further comprising:
magnetically writing the room access code on a player tracking card interfaced to the gaming device.
41 . The method of claim 36 , further comprising:
transmitting the received player identifier to an electronic door lock mechanism.
42 . The method of claim 36 , further comprising:
transmitting the room access code to an electronic door lock mechanism.
43 . The method of claim 36 , wherein the gaming device is located at a hotel that includes a room associated with the room identifier.
44 . The method of claim 36 , wherein the at least one of a reservation confirmation page and the hotel room preferences information is presented to the player via the gaming device.
45 . The method of claim 36 , further comprising:
retrieving a credit card number for the player in response to receiving the player identifier.
46 . The method of claim 36 , further comprising:
offering a benefit to the player in exchange for using the gaming device to check in.
47 . A method comprising:
receiving a player identifier at a gaming device; and
receiving at the gaming device an indication that a player identified by the player identifier wishes to check out of a hotel room.
48 . The method of claim 47 , further comprising:
accessing a hotel reservation database on the basis of the received player identifier.
49 . The method of claim 47 , further comprising:
accessing a hotel room database on the basis of the received player identifier.
50 . The method of claim 47 , wherein the receiving step includes reading the player identifier from a player tracking card interfaced to the gaming device.
51 . The method of claim 47 , wherein the gaming device is a slot machine.
52 . The method of claim 47 , further comprising:
presenting to the player a billing statement in response to the received indication.
53 . The method of claim 52 , further comprising:
receiving from the player an indication that the player approves the billing statement.
54 . The method of claim 53 , wherein the indication that the player approves the billing statement is received via the gaming device.
55 . The method of claim 52 , wherein the billing statement is presented to the player via the gaming device.
56 . The method of claim 55 , further comprising:
printing the billing statement at the gaming device.
57 . The method of claim 47 , further comprising:
offering a benefit to the player in exchange for using the gaming device to check out.
58 . A method comprising:
receiving at a gaming device an identifier that identifies a customer;
receiving via the gaming device a request by the customer for a hotel room;
associating a hotel room with the customer; and
transmitting to the customer an identifier that identifies the hotel room.
59 . A method comprising:
receiving at a gaming device an identifier that identifies a customer;
receiving at the gaming device a request by the customer to check in; and
transmitting a signal to a casino representative, the signal indicating an instruction to assist the customer at the gaming device with check-in.
60 . A method comprising:
receiving an identifier that identifies a player at a gaming device;
receiving a wager from the player at the gaming device;
assigning a hotel room to the player; and
transmitting to the player at the gaming device data that indicates the assignment of the hotel room.
61 . An apparatus for handling a hotel transaction, comprising:
a processor; and
a storage device coupled to the processor, the storage device storing a program for controlling the processor and the processor operative with the program to:
receive a player identifier via a gaming device;
assign a hotel room to a player identified by the player identifier; and
use the gaming device to communicate to the player information regarding assignment of the hotel room.
62 . An apparatus for handling a hotel transaction, comprising:
a processor; and
a storage device coupled to the processor, the storage device storing a program for controlling the processor and the processor operative with the program to:
receive a player identifier via a gaming device; and
access a hotel reservation database on the basis of the received player identifier.
63 . An apparatus for handling a hotel transaction, comprising:
a processor; and
a storage device coupled to the processor, the storage device storing a program for controlling the processor and the processor operative with the program to:
receive a player identifier via a gaming device;
associate the received player identifier with a room identifier;
present to a player identified by the player identifier at least one of a reservation confirmation page and hotel room preferences information; and
generate a room access code associated with the room identifier.
64 . An apparatus for handling a hotel transaction, comprising:
a processor; and
a storage device coupled to the processor, the storage device storing a program for controlling the processor and the processor operative with the program to:
receive a player identifier via a gaming device;
receive via the gaming device an indication that a player identified by the player identifier wishes to check out of a hotel room.
65 . A computer program product comprising:
a medium readable by a computer, the computer readable medium having:
program code adapted to receive a player identifier via a gaming device;
program code adapted to assign a hotel room to a player identified by the player identifier; and
program code adapted to use the gaming device to communicate to the player information regarding the assigning of the hotel room.
66 . A computer program product comprising:
a medium readable by a computer, the computer readable medium having:
program code adapted to receive a player identifier via a gaming device; and
program code adapted to access a hotel reservation database on the basis of the received player identifier.
67 . A computer program product comprising:
a medium readable by a computer, the computer readable medium having:
program code adapted to receive a player identifier via a gaming device;
program code adapted to associate the received player identifier with a room identifier;
program code adapted to present to a player identified by the player identifier at least one of a reservation confirmation page and hotel room preferences information; and
program code adapted to generate a room access code associated with the room identifier.
68 . A computer program product comprising:
a medium readable by a computer, the computer readable medium having:
program code adapted to receive a player identifier via a gaming device; and
program code adapted to receive via the gaming device an indication that a player identified by the player identifier wishes to check out of a hotel room.