System and method for augmented reality using a user-specific card

1. A method of displaying augmented reality information associated with a user-specific card using mobile device in an augmented reality system, the method comprising:

acquiring user-specific identification information from the user-specific card;

sending the user-specific identification information via a network to a server;

retrieving user-specific information from the server using the mobile device; and

displaying the user-specific information in conjunction with the user-specific card when viewing the user-specific card through the display of the mobile device using augmented reality, wherein a user virtually views information associated with the user-specific card using augmented reality graphical representations.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein user-specific information includes messages to the user, available credits, promotional points available to the user, or combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user-specific information is displayed using one or more icons presented in association with user-specific card when viewed through the display of the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein acquiring user-specific identification information from the user-specific card using optical character recognition of information visible on the user-specific card.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising enabling the user to interact with the user-specific information in conjunction with the user-specific card when viewing the user-specific card through the display of the mobile device using augmented reality.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user-specific information is promotional or voucher information.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein promotional or voucher information includes a complementary drink icon, movie ticket icon, restaurant voucher icon, or combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the promotional or voucher information is displayed using one or more icons presented in association with user-specific card when viewed through the display of the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein acquiring user-specific identification information from the user-specific card using optical character recognition of information visible on the user-specific card.

10. The method of claim 6 , further comprising enabling the user to interact with the promotional or voucher information in conjunction with the user-specific card when viewing the user-specific card through the display of the mobile device using augmented reality.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user-specific information is bonus game information.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein bonus game information includes a virtual bonus game, virtual promotional game, virtual base game, or combinations thereof.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the bonus game information is displayed using one or more icons presented in association with user-specific card when viewed through the display of the mobile device.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein acquiring user-specific identification information from the user-specific card using optical character recognition of information visible on the user-specific card.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising enabling the user to interact with the promotional or voucher information in conjunction with the user-specific card when viewing the user-specific card through the display of the mobile device using augmented reality.

16. A method of displaying user-specific augmented reality features at a user's mobile device in association with a user-specific physical instrument having alpha-numerical or graphical information including user-specific identification information associable with the user, the method comprising:

providing for acquisition of the user-specific identification information from the user-specific physical instrument via the mobile device;

sending the user-specific identification information via a network to a server;

configuring the server to identify the user from the user-specific identification information;

retrieving user-specific augmented reality features from the server and providing the features to the user's mobile device over said network; and

enabling a display at the mobile device to present the user-specific augmented reality features in conjunction with the user-specific physical instrument when viewing the user-specific physical instrument at the display of the mobile device.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the user-specific physical instrument is a user-specific card for a user of gaming machines and the user-specific augmented reality features include user-specific information.

18. A system for displaying user-specific augmented reality features at a user's mobile device in association with a user-specific physical instrument having alpha-numerical or graphical information including user-specific identification information associable with the user, the system comprising:

a server storing data representing user-specific augmented reality features; and

a software application to (i) configure the user's mobile device for acquiring the user-specific identification information when viewing a live image of the user-specific physical instrument using the mobile device camera and mobile device display and (ii) transmit through a communication network the acquired user-specific identification information to the server;

the server arranged to (i) identify the user from the user-specific identification information, (ii) access the user-specific augmented reality features and (iii) provide user-specific augmented reality features to a user's mobile device in association with the user-specific physical instrument,

the software application configuring the mobile device to display the user-specific augmented reality features in conjunction with the user-specific physical instrument when viewing the user-specific physical instrument at the display of the mobile device.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the user-specific physical instrument is a user-specific card for a user of gaming machines and the user-specific augmented reality features include user-specific information.