Granted Patent B2

US 8,317,609 · App. 13/232,890 · Granted Nov 27, 2012

Abstract

Claims (44)

1. A method for verifying the continued presence of a player at a gaming machine during a gaming session, the method comprising:

a first player activating a gaming session on a gaming machine;

triggering a mechanism to obtain verification data samples, wherein a verification data sample relates to one or more physical features of said first player;

designating the first verification data sample as a reference template;

obtaining a second verification data sample at a time period after said reference template was obtained;

comparing the second verification data sample to the reference template to ascertain, regardless of the identification of the first player, if said second verification data sample is substantially similar to the reference template resolving that the first player remains present at the gaming machine during the gaming session and if the second verification data sample is not substantially similar to the reference template resolving that the first player is no longer present; and

if it is resolved that the first player is not longer present suspending the gaming session for said first player.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising notifying a casino representative that the gaming session has been suspended.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein if the second verification data sample is not substantially similar to the reference template, determining that one of a second player or no player is present at the gaming machine.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the verification data sample is one or more of thermal image, image from a camera, image from a video camera, image from an image- capturing device, electronic field imaging data or any combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the verification data sample is a retinal scan, iris scan, voice sample, fingerprint image, or any combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the verification data sample is data from a weight-sensing device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the verification data sample is a data signature comprising one or more of chemical or reflective properties of a player's skin.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the verification data sample is a biometric data sample.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising obtaining subsequent verification data samples at random intervals.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second verification data sample is determined to be substantially similar to the reference template if the second verification data sample is at least 90% similar to the reference template.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second verification data sample is determined to be substantially similar to the reference template if the second verification data sample is at least 80% similar to the reference template.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second verification data sample is determined to be substantially similar to the reference template if the second verification data sample is at least 70% similar to the reference template.

13. A method for verifying the continued presence of a player at a gaming machine during a gaming session, said method not identifying the player, the method comprising:

(i) a player activating a gaming session on a gaming machine;

(ii) obtaining a first verification data sample from said first player at the gaming machine, wherein a verification data sample relates to one or more physical features of the first player;

(iii) obtaining a second verification data sample during the gaming session at the gaming machine;

(iv) analyzing the second verification data sample against the first verification data sample, wherein the analysis comprises determining whether the second verification data sample is substantially similar to the first verification data sample;

(v) if the second verification data sample is substantially similar to the first verification data sample, then determining that the first player continues to be present at the gaming machine during the gaming session and designating the second verification data sample as said first verification data sample; and

(vi) if the second verification data sample is not substantially similar to the first verification data sample, determining that one of (a) a second player or (b) no player is at the gaming machine and suspending said session.

14. A verification device for verifying the continued presence of the same player at one of a plurality of gaming machines, said plurality of gaming machines operatively connected to a communication network, the device comprising:

apparatus at each of said plurality of gaming machines for periodically obtaining verification data samples to verify the continued presence of a first player at a gaming machine, wherein a verification data sample relates to one or more physical features of said first player, a first verification data sample designated as a reference template for said first player;

a processor for determining, without determining the identity of the first player, whether a second verification data sample obtained later in time than said first verification data sample is substantially similar to the reference template, and for designating the second verification data sample as the reference template if the second verification data sample is substantially similar to the reference sample; and

said processor configured to, if said verification data sample is different from said reference sample, determine that said first player is no longer present at said gaming machine and to communicate a message related to that determination to the network.

15. The device of claim 14 where the communication network includes a player tracking system, said processor configured to communicate said message related to that determination to the player tracking system.

16. The device of claim 14 wherein the apparatus for periodically obtaining verification data samples comprises one or more of an infrared camera for obtaining one or more thermal Images, a camera for obtaining one or more images, a video camera for obtaining one or more video image samples, a retinal scanner for obtaining one or more retinal scans, an iris scanner for obtaining one or more iris scans, a voice recorder for obtaining one or more voice samples, a scale for obtaining one or more weight measurements and apparatus obtaining data signatures comprising chemical and reflective properties of a player's skin.

17. The device of claim 14 , further comprising an alarm means for alerting casino personal whenever the processor determines that the first player is no longer present at the gaming machine.

18. A system for verifying the continued presence of a user of a device connected to a network regardless of the identity the user, the system comprising:

(a) apparatus associated with each device for (i) capturing biometric samples of a first user of the device, a first biometric sample designated as a reference template, (ii) comparing a subsequent, second biometric sample, to said reference template and if said second biometric sample is substantially similar to said reference template generating a first signal and designating the second biometric sample as said reference template and if said second biometric sample is not substantially similar to said reference template issue a second signal; and

(b) a transmitter for transmitting at least said second signal to the network to indicate that the user is no longer using said device.

19. The system of claim 15 comprising said device is configured to capture biometric samples including is one or more of a thermal image, image from a camera, image from a video camera, image from an image-capturing device, electronic field imaging data, retinal scan, iris scan, voice sample, fingerprint image, weight measurement or a data signature comprising chemical and reflective properties of a player's skin.

20. The system of claim 19 comprising said apparatus is controlled to obtain subsequent biometric samples at random intervals.

21. A method for verifying the continued static condition of a target area adjacent a gaming machine, the method comprising:

activating a mechanism for passively capturing verification data samples of the target area, wherein a verification data sample relates to one or more features of the target area;

obtaining a first verification data sample of the target area;

obtaining a second verification data sample of the target area;

comparing the second verification data sample to the first verification data sample, wherein the analysis comprises determining whether the second verification data sample is substantially similar to the first verification data sample, said determination ignoring the identity of any person positioned in the target area;

if the second verification data sample is substantially similar to the first verification data sample, determining that the target area continues to be in a static condition, and continuing to obtain subsequent verification data samples, wherein the last obtained verification data sample is analyzed in view of a previously obtained verification data sample; and

if the second verification data sample is not substantially similar to the first verification data sample, determining that a target area feature has changed.

Assignments (11)