System, method, and program using near field communication for gaming machine

1. A networked computer system, comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including a player tracking device including a near field communication (NFC) device configured to receive NFC signals associated with unique NFC IDs; and

a server computer system coupled to each of the plurality of gaming machines, the server computer comprising:

a database server computer including a database server processor coupled to a database memory device, the database server processor is programmed to:

generate and store a program file including a plurality of player account records,

each player account record including a unique player ID, player tracking information, and a unique NFC ID associated with a NFC component; and

an application server computer coupled to the database server computer and to the plurality of gaming machines, the application server computer including an application processor that is programmed to:

receive a first NFC ID from the player tracking device;

access the plurality of player account records and select a player account record having an NFC ID matching the received first NFC ID;

retrieve the player tracking information included in the selected player account record;

display the retrieved player tracking information on the corresponding player tracking device and allow the player to modify player tracking information using the player tracking device;

monitor gaming activity associated with the corresponding gaming machines; and

modify the selected player account record to include information associated with the monitored gaming activity.

2. The networked computer system of claim 1 , wherein the application processor is further programmed to request a personal identification number (PIN) associated with the selected player account record before the application processor displays the retrieved player tracking information.

3. The networked computer system of claim 1 , wherein the database server processor is further programmed to:

generate and store a plurality of temporary player account records in the program file, each temporary player account record including a unique temporary player ID, player tracking information, and a unique NFC ID associated with a NFC component.

4. The networked computer system of claim 3 , wherein the application processor is further programmed to:

receive a second NFC ID form the player tracking device;

create a temporary player account record including a temporary player ID upon determining the plurality of player account records does not include a player account record having an NFC ID matching the received second NFC ID;

associate the temporary player account record with the second NFC ID;

monitor gaming activity associated with the corresponding gaming machine; and

modify the temporary player account record to include information associated with the monitored gaming activity.

5. The networked computer system of claim 1 , wherein the application processor is further programmed to terminate access to the player account once the NFC component is not within the predetermined proximity to the NFC device.

6. The networked computer system of claim 1 , wherein the application processor is further programmed to terminate access to the player account once the gaming machine has not received any gaming activity for a predetermined period of time.

7. The networked computer system of claim 1 , wherein the application processor is further programmed to:

receive a signal from the gaming machine indicating a bonus award;

receive a second NFC signal including a second NFC ID from the player tracking device; and

modify the player tracking account to include information associated with the bonus award upon verifying the second NFC ID is associated with a casino employee data record stored in the database.

8. The networked computer system of claim 1 ,

wherein the player tracking device includes a card reader configured to receive a player tracking card having a unique player ID encoded on a magnetic strip; and

wherein the application processor is further programmed to:

receive a signal associated with the player ID from the player tracking device;

access the plurality of player account records and select a player account record having a player ID matching the received player ID;

retrieve the player tracking information included in the selected player account record;

display the retrieved player tracking information on the corresponding player tracking device;

receive a bonus signal from the gaming machine indicating a bonus award;

receive a second NFC signal including a second NFC ID from the player tracking device; and

modify the player tracking account to include information associated with the bonus award upon verifying the second NFC ID is associated with a casino employee data record stored in the database.

9. The networked computer system of claim 1 , wherein the player tracking device includes a processor programmed to:

display a first indicator on the NFC device before the player tracking device receives the first NFC ID;

determine whether a first NFC component including the first NFC ID is within a predetermined proximity to the NFC device;

display a second indicator on the NFC device in response to matching the received first NFC ID to the player account record; and

display a third indicator on the NFC device in response to the termination of access to the player account record.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage media, having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, wherein when executed by a processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:

generate and store a program file including a plurality of player account records in a database memory device, each player account record including a unique player ID, player tracking information, and a unique near field communication (NFC) ID associated with a NFC component;

receive a first NFC ID from a gaming machine, each gaming machine including a player tracking device including a (NFC) device configured to receive NFC signals associated with unique NFC IDs;

access the plurality of player account records and select a player account record having an NFC ID matching the received first NFC ID;

retrieve the player tracking information included in the selected player account record;

display the retrieved player tracking information on the corresponding player tracking device and allow the player to modify player tracking information using the player tracking device;

monitor gaming activity associated with the corresponding gaming machine; and

modify the selected player account record to include information associated with the monitored gaming activity.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further programmed to request a personal identification number (PIN) associated with the selected player account record before the processor displays the retrieved player tracking information.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 10 , wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:

generate and store a plurality of temporary player account records in the program file, each temporary player account record including a unique temporary player ID, player tracking information, and a unique NFC ID associated with a NFC component.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 12 , wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:

receive a second NFC ID form the player tracking device;

create a temporary player account record including a temporary player ID upon determining the plurality of player account records does not include a player account record having an NFC ID matching the received second NFC ID;

associate the temporary player account record with the second NFC ID;

monitor gaming activity associated with the corresponding gaming machine; and

modify the temporary player account record to include information associated with the monitored gaming activity.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 10 , wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to log the first player tracking number out of the gaming machine once the first NFC component is not within the predetermined proximity to the NFC reader.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 10 , wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to terminate access to the player account once the gaming machine has not received any gaming activity for a predetermined period of time.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 10 , wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:

receive a signal from the gaming machine indicating a bonus award;

receive a second NFC signal including a second NFC ID from the player tracking device; and

modify the player tracking account to include information associated with the bonus award upon verifying the second NFC ID is associated with a casino employee data record stored in the database.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 10 , wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:

receive a signal associated with the player ID from the player tracking device, the player tracking device including a card reader configured to receive a player tracking card, the player ID is encoded on a magnetic strip of the player tracking card;

access the plurality of player account records and select a player account record having a player ID matching the received player ID;

retrieve the player tracking information included in the selected player account record;

display the retrieved player tracking information on the corresponding player tracking device;

receive a bonus signal from the gaming machine indicating a bonus award;

receive a second NFC signal including a second NFC ID from the player tracking device; and

modify the player tracking account to include information associated with the bonus award upon verifying the second NFC ID is associated with a casino employee data record stored in the database.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 10 , wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:

display a first indicator on the NFC device before the player tracking device receives the first NFC ID;

determine whether a first NFC component including the first NFC ID is within a predetermined proximity to the NFC device;

display a second indicator on the NFC device in response to matching the received first NFC ID to the player account record; and

display a third indicator on the NFC device in response to the termination of access to the player account record.

19. A method for operating a networked computer system including an application server coupled to a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including a player tracking device including a near field communication (NFC) enabled device, comprising:

generating and storing, by a database computer system, a program file including a plurality of player account records, each player account record including a unique player ID, player tracking information, and a unique NFC ID associated with a NFC component,

receiving, by the application server computer, a first NFC ID from the player tracking device;

accessing, by the application server computer, the plurality of player account records and select a player account record having an NFC ID matching the received first NFC ID;

retrieving, by the application server computer, the player tracking information included in the selected player account record;

displaying, by the application server computer, the retrieved player tracking information on the corresponding player tracking device and allow the player to modify player tracking information using the player tracking device;

monitoring, by the application server computer, gaming activity associated with the corresponding gaming machines; and

modifying, by the application server computer, the selected player account record to include information associated with the monitored gaming activity.

20. The method for operating a networked computer system of claim 19 , further comprising:

generating and storing, by the database computer system, a plurality of temporary player account records in the program file, each temporary player account record including a unique temporary player ID, player tracking information, and a unique NFC ID associated with a NFC component;

receiving, by the application server computer, a second NFC ID form the player tracking device;

creating, by the application server computer, a temporary player account record including a temporary player ID upon determining the plurality of player account records does not include a player account record having an NFC ID matching the received second NFC ID;

associating, by the application server computer, the temporary player account record with the second NFC ID;

monitoring, by the application server computer, gaming activity associated with the corresponding gaming machine; and

modifying, by the application server computer, the temporary player account record to include information associated with the monitored gaming activity.