Granted Patent B1

US 8,376,840 · App. 13/288,510 · Granted Feb 19, 2013

Abstract

Claims (73)

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining, at a wagering game machine of a wagering game system, to initiate a wagering game session for a player account associated with a player in response to detecting a login indication including a player identifier associated with the player account;

presenting one or more base wagering games and one or more secondary wagering games at the wagering game machine during the wagering game session associated with the player account;

monitoring, at the wagering game machine, base wagering game activity associated with the one or more base wagering games that are presented during the wagering game session;

generating and transmitting one or more activity notification messages comprising at least an indication of the base wagering game activity associated with the one or more base wagering games presented during the wagering game session, the player identifier, and a wagering game machine identifier associated with the wagering game machine to a player tracking server of the wagering game system to cause the player tracking server to reward the base wagering game activity associated with the player account; and

generating and transmitting login and logout notification messages comprising at least a timestamp, the player identifier, and the wagering game machine identifier to a secondary game server of the wagering game system to cause the secondary game server to determine secondary wagering game activity associated with the one or more secondary wagering games presented during the wagering game session, wherein the secondary wagering game activity is to be used by the player tracking server to reward the secondary wagering game activity associated with the player account.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said monitoring the base wagering game activity associated with the one or more base wagering games that are presented during the wagering game session, and said determining and transmitting one or more activity notification messages to the player tracking server comprise:

in response to detecting the login indication, determining login base game meter readings associated with base game meters that track the base wagering game activity at the wagering game machine associated with the player account;

generating and transmitting a base game login notification message comprising at least the login base game meter readings, a login timestamp, the player identifier, and the wagering game machine identifier to the player tracking server;

in response to detecting a logout indication, determining logout base game meter readings associated with the base game meters; and

generating and transmitting a base game logout notification message comprising at least the logout base game meter readings, a logout timestamp, the player identifier, and the wagering game machine identifier to the player tracking server to cause the player tracking server to reward the base wagering game activity associated with the player account.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said generating and transmitting the login and logout notification messages to the secondary game server comprises:

in response to detecting the base game login notification message, generating and transmitting a secondary game login notification message comprising at least the login timestamp, the player identifier, and the wagering game machine identifier to the secondary game server; and

in response to detecting the base game logout notification message, generating and transmitting a secondary game logout notification message comprising at least the logout timestamp, the player identifier, and the wagering game machine identifier to the secondary game server to cause the secondary game server to determine secondary wagering game activity associated with the one or more secondary wagering games presented during the wagering game session, wherein the secondary wagering game activity is to be used by the player tracking server to reward the secondary wagering game activity associated with the player account.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the base wagering game activity comprises wagers and wins associated with the one or more base wagering games that are presented during the wagering game session, and the secondary wagering game activity comprises wagers and wins associated with the one or more secondary wagering games that are presented during the wagering game session.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said monitoring the base wagering game activity associated with the one or more base wagering games that are presented during the wagering game session, and said generating and transmitting one or more activity notification messages to the player tracking server comprise:

in response to detecting the login indication, determining login base game meter readings associated with base game meters that track the base wagering game activity at the wagering game machine associated with the player account;

in response to detecting a logout indication, determining logout base game meter readings associated with the base game meters;

determining the base wagering game activity associated with the player account based on a difference between the login base game meter readings and the logout base game meter readings of the base game meters; and

generating and transmitting a base wagering game activity notification message comprising at least an indication of the base wagering game activity, the player identifier, and the wagering game machine identifier to the player tracking server to cause the player tracking server to reward the base wagering game activity associated with the player account.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said detecting the login indication including the player identifier associated with the player account comprises detecting an indication from a card reader of the wagering game machine indicating that a player card has been inserted into the card reader and detecting the player identifier associated with the player from the player card.

7. A wagering game machine comprising:

a game management unit configured to determine to initiate a wagering game session for a player account associated with a player in response to detecting a login indication including a player identifier associated with the player account;

an interface unit configured, in response to detecting the login indication, to determine login base game meter readings associated with base game meters used to track base wagering game activity associated with one or more base wagering games that are presented during the wagering game session, and configured to,

generate and transmit a base game login notification message comprising at least the login base game meter readings, a login timestamp, the player identifier, and a wagering game machine identifier associated with the wagering game machine to a player tracking server;

in response to detecting a logout indication to end the wagering game session, determine logout base game meter readings associated with the base game meters; and

generate and transmit a base game logout notification message comprising at least the logout base game meter readings, a logout timestamp, the player identifier, and the wagering game machine identifier to the player tracking server to cause the player tracking server to determine and reward the base wagering game activity during the wagering game session associated with the player account; and

a player tracking unit configured to detect the base game login notification message and the base game logout notification message from the interface unit, and configured to,

in response to the player tracking unit detecting the base game login notification message, generate and transmit a secondary game login notification message comprising at least the login timestamp, the player identifier, and the wagering game machine identifier to a secondary game server; and

in response to the player tracking unit detecting the base game logout notification message, generate and transmit a secondary game logout notification message comprising at least the logout timestamp, the player identifier, and the wagering game machine identifier to the secondary game server to cause the secondary game server to determine secondary wagering game activity associated with one or more secondary wagering games presented during the wagering game session, wherein the secondary wagering game activity is to be used by the player tracking server to reward the secondary wagering game activity associated with the player account.

8. The wagering game machine of claim 7 , wherein the base wagering game activity comprises wagers and wins associated with the one or more base wagering games that are presented during the wagering game session, and the secondary wagering game activity comprises wagers and wins associated with the one or more secondary wagering games that are presented during the wagering game session.

9. The wagering game machine of claim 7 , wherein the game management unit configured to determine to initiate the wagering game session for the player account associated with the player in response to detecting the login indication including the player identifier associated with the player account comprises the game management unit configured to determine to initiate the wagering game session for the player account associated with the player in response to detecting an indication from a card reader of the wagering game machine indicating that a player card has been inserted into the card reader and detecting the player identifier associated with the player from the player card.

10. The wagering game machine of claim 7 , wherein the interface unit comprises an interface circuit board and the player tracking unit comprises a player tracking circuit board, wherein the player tracking circuit board is coupled to a housing of the wagering game machine and also coupled to the interface circuit board.

11. The wagering game machine of claim 7 , wherein each of the interface unit and the player tracking unit are implemented in software and/or hardware within one or more circuit boards associated with the game management unit.

12. One or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media, having instructions stored therein, which, when executed by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform operations that comprise:

determining, at a wagering game machine of a wagering game system, to initiate a wagering game session for a player account associated with a player in response to detecting a login indication including a player identifier associated with the player account;

presenting one or more base wagering games and one or more secondary wagering games at the wagering game machine during the wagering game session associated with the player account;

monitoring, at the wagering game machine, base wagering game activity associated with the one or more base wagering games that are presented during the wagering game session;

generating and transmitting one or more activity notification messages comprising at least an indication of the base wagering game activity associated with the one or more base wagering games presented during the wagering game session, the player identifier, and a wagering game machine identifier associated with the wagering game machine to a player tracking server of the wagering game system to cause the player tracking server to reward the base wagering game activity associated with the player account; and

generating and transmitting login and logout notification messages comprising at least a timestamp, the player identifier, and the wagering game machine identifier to a secondary game server of the wagering game system to cause the secondary game server to determine secondary wagering game activity associated with the one or more secondary wagering games presented during the wagering game session, wherein the secondary wagering game activity is to be used by the player tracking server to reward the secondary wagering game activity associated with the player account.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 12 , wherein said operation of monitoring the base wagering game activity associated with the one or more base wagering games that are presented during the wagering game session, and said operation of generating and transmitting one or more activity notification messages to the player tracking server comprise:

in response to detecting the login indication, determining login base game meter readings associated with base game meters that track the base wagering game activity at the wagering game machine associated with the player account;

generating and transmitting a base game login notification message comprising at least the login base game meter readings, a login timestamp, the player identifier, and the wagering game machine identifier to the player tracking server;

in response to detecting a logout indication, determining logout base game meter readings associated with the base game meters; and

generating and transmitting a base game logout notification message comprising at least the logout base game meter readings, a logout timestamp, the player identifier, and the wagering game machine identifier to the player tracking server to cause the player tracking server to reward the base wagering game activity associated with the player account.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 13 , wherein said operation of generating and transmitting the login and logout notification messages to the secondary game server comprises:

in response to detecting the base game login notification message, generating and transmitting a secondary game login notification message comprising at least the login timestamp, the player identifier, and the wagering game machine identifier to the secondary game server; and

in response to detecting the base game logout notification message, generating and transmitting a secondary game logout notification message comprising at least the logout timestamp, the player identifier, and the wagering game machine identifier to the secondary game server to cause the secondary game server to determine secondary wagering game activity associated with the one or more secondary wagering games presented during the wagering game session, wherein the secondary wagering game activity is to be used by the player tracking server to reward the secondary wagering game activity associated with the player account.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 12 , wherein said operation of monitoring the base wagering game activity associated with the one or more base wagering games that are presented during the wagering game session, and said operation of generating and transmitting one or more activity notification messages to the player tracking server comprise:

in response to detecting the login indication, determining login base game meter readings associated with base game meters that track the base wagering game activity at the wagering game machine associated with the player account;

in response to detecting a logout indication, determining logout base game meter readings associated with the base game meters;

determining the base wagering game activity associated with the player account based on a difference between the login base game meter readings and the logout base game meter readings of the base game meters; and

generating and transmitting a base wagering game activity notification message comprising at least an indication of the base wagering game activity, the player identifier, and the wagering game machine identifier to the player tracking server to cause the player tracking server to reward the base wagering game activity associated with the player account.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 12 , wherein said operation of detecting the login indication including the player identifier associated with the player account comprises detecting an indication from a card reader of the wagering game machine indicating that a player card has been inserted into the card reader and detecting the player identifier associated with the player from the player card.

17. A wagering game machine comprising:

means for determining to initiate a wagering game session for a player account associated with a player in response to detecting a login indication including a player identifier associated with the player account;

means for presenting one or more base wagering games and one or more secondary wagering games at the wagering game machine during the wagering game session associated with the player account;

means for monitoring base wagering game activity associated with the one or more base wagering games that are presented during the wagering game session;

means for generating and transmitting one or more activity notification messages comprising at least an indication of the base wagering game activity associated with the one or more base wagering games presented during the wagering game session, the player identifier, and a wagering game machine identifier associated with the wagering game machine to a player tracking server of the wagering game system to cause the player tracking server to reward the base wagering game activity associated with the player account; and

means for generating and transmitting login and logout notification messages comprising at least a timestamp, the player identifier, and the wagering game machine identifier to a secondary game server of the wagering game system to cause the secondary game server to determine secondary wagering game activity associated with the one or more secondary wagering games presented during the wagering game session, wherein the secondary wagering game activity is to be used by the player tracking server to reward the secondary wagering game activity associated with the player account.

18. The wagering game machine of claim 17 , wherein said means for monitoring the base wagering game activity associated with the one or more base wagering games that are presented during the wagering game session, and said means for generating and transmitting one or more activity notification messages to the player tracking server comprise:

in response to detecting the login indication, means for determining login base game meter readings associated with base game meters that track the base wagering game activity at the wagering game machine associated with the player account;

means for generating and transmitting a base game login notification message comprising at least the login base game meter readings, a login timestamp, the player identifier, and the wagering game machine identifier to the player tracking server;

in response to detecting a logout indication, means for determining logout base game meter readings associated with the base game meters; and

means for generating and transmitting a base game logout notification message comprising at least the logout base game meter readings, a logout timestamp, the player identifier, and the wagering game machine identifier to the player tracking server to cause the player tracking server to reward the base wagering game activity associated with the player account.

19. The wagering game machine of claim 18 , wherein said means for generating and transmitting the login and logout notification messages to the secondary game server comprises:

in response to detecting the base game login notification message, means for generating and transmitting a secondary game login notification message comprising at least the login timestamp, the player identifier, and the wagering game machine identifier to the secondary game server; and

in response to detecting the base game logout notification message, means for generating and transmitting a secondary game logout notification message comprising at least the logout timestamp, the player identifier, and the wagering game machine identifier to the secondary game server to cause the secondary game server to determine secondary wagering game activity associated with the one or more secondary wagering games presented during the wagering game session, wherein the secondary wagering game activity is to be used by the player tracking server to reward the secondary wagering game activity associated with the player account.

20. The wagering game machine of claim 17 , wherein said means for monitoring the base wagering game activity associated with the one or more base wagering games that are presented during the wagering game session, and said means for generating and transmitting one or more activity notification messages to the player tracking server comprise:

in response to detecting the login indication, means for determining login base game meter readings associated with base game meters that track the base wagering game activity at the wagering game machine associated with the player account;

in response to detecting a logout indication, means for determining logout base game meter readings associated with the base game meters;

means for determining the base wagering game activity associated with the player account based on a difference between the login base game meter readings and the logout base game meter readings of the base game meters; and

means for generating and transmitting a base wagering game activity notification message comprising at least an indication of the base wagering game activity, the player identifier, and the wagering game machine identifier to the player tracking server to cause the player tracking server to reward the base wagering game activity associated with the player account.

Assignments (7)