Claims
- 1. A method of initializing a player tracking unit on a gaming machine, the method comprising:
establishing communications with a player tracking server; loading a player tracking protocol for communicating with said player tracking server from among a plurality of different player tracking protocols; establishing communications with a master gaming controller on a gaming machine; loading a gaming machine protocol for communicating with a master gaming controller on said gaming machine from among a plurality of different gaming machine protocols; and performing one or more player tracking functions.
- 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
sending said gaming information to the player tracking server.
- 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining the player tracking server type.
- 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining the gaming machine type.
- 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining one or more peripheral device types.
- 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining a plurality of player tracking functions to execute on the player tracking unit and configuring the player tracking unit to execute said plurality of player tracking functions.
- 7. A method of designing a player tracking unit:
selecting a gaming machine type; selecting one or more peripheral device types; consulting a table of standard dimensions and a table of standard layout types for designing a housing enclosing the player tracking unit that conforms to the gaming machine type and the peripheral device types; selecting housing dimensions and a housing layout type for said housing; consulting a table of standard dimensions and standard attachment means for mounting each peripheral device type to said housing; and selecting a standard dimension and standard attachment means for each peripheral device type.
- 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:
consulting a table of standard dimensions and a standard layout types for designing a housing enclosing a logic device designed or configured to collect data from the gaming machine type and selecting a logic device housing dimension and a logic device layout type conforming to the gaming machine type.
- 9. A method of designing and producing a player tracking unit for installation in a gaming machine, the method comprising:
identifying one or more components to be included in the player tracking unit; defining a housing for the player tracking unit, which housing is designed having dimensions conforming to dimensions specified in a standard for player tracking units in gaming machines; and producing the player tracking unit having the defined housing and one or more components.
- 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:
defining an arrangement of the one or more components with respect to one another in housing, wherein the arrangement conforms to said standard for player tracking units in gaming machines.
- 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the player tracking unit is an after market unit for the gaming machine.
- 12. A method of configuring a player tracking device, the method comprising:
Loading initial player tracking software; establishing a communication connection with a remote server; downloading at least one of additional player tracking software or player tracking software settings from said remote server; and modifying the initial player tracking software using the additional player tracking software or the player tracking settings; performing one or more player tracking functions using said modified player tracking software.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED U.S. PATENT APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §120 from co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/838,033, filed Apr. 19, 2001 and titled “UNIVERSAL PLAYER TRACKING SYSTEM” which is incorporate herein by reference in its entirety and for all purposes.
[0002] This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/414,659 entitled STANDARD PERIPHERAL COMMUNICATION, filed Oct. 6, 1999 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/642,192 entitled GAMING MACHINE VIRTUAL PLAYER TRACKING AND RELATED SERVICES, filed Aug. 18, 2000 each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09838033 |
Apr 2001 |
US |
Child |
10789302 |
Feb 2004 |
US |