IP Library Granted Patent US 12,340,658
Granted Patent B2
US 12,340,658 · App. 18/624,427 · Granted Jun 24, 2025

Communicating information about networked gaming machines to prospective players

Inventor: John F. Acres (Las Vegas, NV)
Assignee: Acres Technology
G07F17/323G07F17/3213G07F17/3234G07F17/3237G07F17/3239G07F17/3251G07F17/3258G07F17/3269G07F17/3272G07F17/3288G07F17/3293G07F17/34
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,340,658
App. No.
18/624,427
Granted
Jun 24, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

On a network of electronic gaming machines, data regarding the performance of the machines or the players of the machines is collected and processed to make predictions of future jackpots and recommendations of games to play. The predictions and recommendations are delivered via at least one virtual persona that communicates with players or potential players via displays in a casino or on a web browser, via smartphone. Players can conduct conversations with the persona using cellular telephone, text messaging, or other types of Internet communications.

Claims (42)

1. A method comprising:

determining, by a computing device, based on gambling data associated with one or more gaming machines and player data associated with at least one player, one or more hold variances associated with the one or more gaming machines;

determining, based on the one or more hold variances associated with the one or more gaming machines and the player data associated with the at least one player, one or more attract effects associated with the one or more gaming machines; and

outputting, via the one or more gaming machines, the one or more attract effects.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gambling data associated with the one or more gaming machines comprises one or more of: coin in data, coin out data, a jackpot number, one or more jackpot values, or combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the player data comprises a player profile, one or more player characteristics, one or more risk profiles, one or more account values, one or more loyalty program identifiers, or combinations thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the one or more hold variances comprises determining a difference between a theoretical hold and an actual hold of the one or more gaming machines.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining one or more recommendation categories by ranking the one or more gaming machines according to an amount held relative to a configured hold amount.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein outputting the one or attract effects comprises displaying, via a display device associated with the one or more gaming machines, one or more personas, one or more visual effects, one or more audio effects, or a recommendation category of one or more recommendation categories.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a player identifier;

determining, based on the player identifier, a risk profile associated with the player identifier; and

updating, based on the risk profile associated with the player identifier, one or more recommendation categories associated with the one or more gaming machines.

8. A system comprising:

a computing device configured to:

determine, based on gambling data associated with one or more gaming machines and player data associated with at least one player, one or more hold variances associated with the one or more gaming machines;

determine, based on the one or more hold variances associated with the one or more gaming machines and the player data associated with the at least one player, one or more attract effects associated with the one or more gaming machines; and

a display device configured to:

output, via the one or more gaming machines, the one or more attract effects.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the gambling data associated with the one or more gaming machines comprises one or more of: coin in data, coin out data, a jackpot number, one or more jackpot values, or combinations thereof.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the player data comprises a player profile, one or more player characteristics, one or more risk profiles, one or more account values, one or more loyalty program identifiers, or combinations thereof.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the computing device is configured to determine the one or more hold variances by determining a difference between a theoretical hold and an actual hold of the one or more gaming machines.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the computing device is further configured to determine one or more recommendation categories by ranking the one or more gaming machines according to an amount held relative to a configured hold amount.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more attract effects comprise one or more of: one or more personas, one or more lighting effects, or one or more audio effects.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the computing device is further configured to:

determine a player identifier;

determine, based on the player identifier, a risk profile associated with the player identifier; and

update, based on the risk profile associated with the player identifier, one or more recommendation categories associated with the one or more gaming machines.

15. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:

determine, based on gambling data associated with one or more gaming machines and player data associated with at least one player, one or more hold variances associated with the one or more gaming machines;

determine, based on the one or more hold variances associated with the one or more gaming machines and the player data associated with the at least one player, one or more attract effects associated with the one or more gaming machines; and

output, via the one or more gaming machines, the one or more attract effects.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the gambling data associated with the one or more gaming machines comprises one or more of: coin in data, coin out data, a jackpot number, one or more jackpot values, or combinations thereof.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the player data comprises a player profile, one or more player characteristics, one or more risk profiles, one or more account values, one or more loyalty program identifiers, or combinations thereof.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to determine a difference between a theoretical hold and an actual hold of the one or more gaming machines.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to rank the one or more gaming machines according to an amount held relative to a configured hold amount.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to:

determine a player identifier;

determine, based on the player identifier, a risk profile associated with the player identifier; and

update, based on the risk profile associated with the player identifier, one or more recommendation categories associated with the one or more gaming machines.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 2, 2024
From: ACRES, JOHN F.
To: PATENT INVESTMENT & LICENSING COMPANY
Reel/Frame 066979/0393 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 2, 2024
From: PATENT INVESTMENT & LICENSING COMPANY
To: ACRES TECHNOLOGY
Reel/Frame 066979/0463 →
Continuity (10)
Continuation 18309401 · Apr 28, 2023
Continuation 17752469 · May 24, 2022
Continuation 17069984 · Oct 14, 2020
Continuation 16261705 · Jan 30, 2019
Continuation 15950396 · Apr 11, 2018
Continuation 15471804 · Mar 28, 2017
Continuation 15271615 · Sep 21, 2016
Continuation 14935674 · Nov 9, 2015
Continuation 13445355 · Apr 12, 2012
Related Publication 20240249589A1 · Jul 25, 2024
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