U.S. patent application number 12/407433 was filed with the patent office on 2009-09-24 for method for surveying a player of a gaming device.
This patent application is currently assigned to Acres-Fiore Patents. Invention is credited to John F. Acres.
Application Number | 20090239661 12/407433 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41089470 |
Filed Date | 2009-09-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090239661 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Acres; John F. |
September 24, 2009 |
METHOD FOR SURVEYING A PLAYER OF A GAMING DEVICE
Abstract
An incentive survey system can be used to enhance player
enjoyment by presenting the player with a survey at a time when the
gameplay experience is fresh in the player's mind, or at other
times when the player is willing to provide feedback information.
Changes may be made to the player's profile stored on the gaming
network in response to the survey answers, which can be used to
tailor future games. Incentives may be provided to the player to
encourage participation in the survey.
Inventors: |
Acres; John F.; (Corvallis,
OR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MARGER JOHNSON & MCCOLLOM, P.C.
210 SW MORRISON STREET, SUITE 400
PORTLAND
OR
97204
US
|
Assignee: |
Acres-Fiore Patents
Las Vegas
NV
|
Family ID: |
41089470 |
Appl. No.: |
12/407433 |
Filed: |
March 19, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61038548 |
Mar 21, 2008 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/25 ;
463/42 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/32 20130101;
G07F 17/3255 20130101; G07F 17/3227 20130101; G07F 17/3237
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/25 ;
463/42 |
International
Class: |
A63F 9/24 20060101
A63F009/24 |
Claims
1. A method for surveying a player of a gaming device comprising:
selecting a player of a gaming device; presenting at least one
survey question to the player at the gaming device; and receiving a
response from the player at the gaming device.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising presenting at least one
survey question to the player at the gaming device in response to
play of substantially all credits on a credit meter at the gaming
device.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising presenting at least one
survey question to the player at the gaming device in response to
the player cashing out substantially all of the credits on a credit
meter at the gaming device.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising presenting at least one
survey question to the player at the gaming device in response to a
winning outcome on the gaming device.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising presenting at least one
survey question to the player at the gaming device in response to a
losing outcome on the gaming device.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising presenting at least one
survey question to the player at the gaming device in response to a
credit balance on the gaming machine rising above a predefined
threshold.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising presenting at least one
survey question to the player at the gaming device in response to a
credit balance on the gaming machine falling below a predefined
threshold.
8. The method of claim 1 further including: tracking the player's
play; and presenting at least one survey question to the player at
the gaming device in response to at least one predefined criterion
related to the tracked play.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the survey question relates to
game play experienced by the player.
10. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing an incentive
for the player to respond to the at least one survey question.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the incentive comprises
discounted game play on at least one of the gaming device being
played by the player and a different gaming device.
12. The method of claim 10 wherein the gaming device is associated
with a player-tracking network and wherein the incentive comprises
player-tracking points added to an account associated with the
player of the gaming device.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises
modifying at least one of a game played on the gaming device and a
game played on a different gaming device based at least in part on
the response received from the player at the gaming device.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein a first game is played on the
gaming device and wherein the method further comprises recommending
a second game to the player based at least in part on the response
received from the player at the gaming device.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein the recommendation is made via
at least one of a portable electronic communicator, a computing
device connected to a computer network, a screen associated with
the gaming device, a cell phone associated with the player, and a
ticket printed at the gaming device.
16. The method of claim 14 wherein the method further comprises
providing an incentive for the player to play the recommended
game.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein the incentive comprises
discounted game play on at least one of the gaming device being
played by the player and a different gaming device.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the incentive is valid only
during a predefined period of time.
19. The method of claim 16 wherein the gaming device is associated
with a player-tracking network and wherein the incentive comprises
player-tracking points added to an account associated with the
player of the gaming device.
20. A method for surveying a player of a gaming device on a network
of gaming devices comprising: identifying a player of a gaming
device; presenting at least one survey question to the player at
the gaming device; receiving a response from the player at the
gaming device; tracking the player's play on gaming devices on the
network; and modifying a game on at least one of the gaming devices
based at least in part on the response received from the
player.
21. The method of claim 20 further comprising presenting at least
one survey question to the player at the gaming device in response
to play of substantially all of the credits on a credit meter at
the gaming device.
22. The method of claim 20 further comprising presenting at least
one survey question to the player at the gaming device in response
to the player cashing out substantially all of the credits on a
credit meter at the gaming device.
23. The method of claim 20 wherein the survey question relates to
game play experienced by the player.
24. The method of claim 20 further comprising providing an
incentive for the player to respond to the at least one survey
question.
25. The method of claim 24 wherein the incentive comprises
discounted game play on at least one of the gaming device being
played by the player and a different gaming device.
26. The method of claim 24 wherein the gaming device is associated
with a player-tracking network and wherein the incentive comprises
player-tracking points added to an account associated with the
player of the gaming device.
27. A method for surveying a player of a gaming device on a network
of gaming devices comprising: identifying a player of a first game
on a gaming device; presenting at least one survey question to the
player at the gaming device; receiving a response from the player
at the gaming device; tracking the player's play on gaming devices
on the network; and recommending a second game to the player based
at least in part on the response received from the player at the
gaming device.
28. The method of claim 27 further comprising presenting at least
one survey question to the player at the gaming device in response
to play of substantially all credits on a credit meter at the
gaming device.
29. The method of claim 27 further comprising presenting at least
one survey question to the player at the gaming device in response
to the player cashing out substantially all of the credits on a
credit meter at the gaming device.
30. The method of claim 27 wherein the survey question relates to
game play experienced by the player.
31. The method of claim 27 further comprising providing an
incentive for the player to respond to the at least one survey
question.
32. The method of claim 31 wherein the incentive comprises
discounted game play on at least one of the gaming device being
played by the player and a different gaming device.
33. The method of claim 31 wherein the gaming device is associated
with a player-tracking network and wherein the incentive comprises
player-tracking points added to an account associated with the
player of the gaming device.
34. The method of claim 27 wherein the recommendation is made via
at least one of a screen associated with the gaming device, a cell
phone associated with the player, and a ticket printed at the
gaming device.
35. The method of claim 27 wherein the method further comprises
providing an incentive for the player to play the recommended
second game.
36. The method of claim 35 wherein the incentive comprises
discounted game play on at least one of the gaming device being
played by the player and a different gaming device.
37. The method of claim 36 wherein the incentive is valid only
during a predefined period of time.
38. The method of claim 35 wherein the gaming device is associated
with a player-tracking network and wherein the incentive comprises
player-tracking points added to an account associated with the
player of the gaming device.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to provisional application
61/038,548 filed Mar. 21, 2008, entitled Gaming Systems and
Methods, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by
reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This disclosure relates generally to personalized gaming,
and more particularly to acquiring information about a player by
survey.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Players play at gaming machines for a variety of reasons.
Casinos and other game operators attempt to determine what a player
likes and dislikes about the gaming experience, then make changes
to make the experience more enjoyable. Marketing managers dream up
promotions and evaluate the results of such promotions. The link
between a promotion and results may be difficult to ascertain,
however, because of the multitude of factors that may influence the
results. For instance, a promotion may appear as though it
"failed," because overall play rates went down across a gaming
floor, when in actuality the promotion was well received but the
rate of play decreased due to another factor, such as weather.
[0004] Embodiments of the invention address these and other
limitations of the prior art.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] FIG. 1A is a functional block diagram that illustrates a
gaming device according to embodiments of the invention.
[0006] FIG. 1B is an isometric view of the gaming device
illustrated in FIG. 1A.
[0007] FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C are detail diagrams of exemplary types
of gaming devices according to embodiments of the invention.
[0008] FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of networked gaming
devices according to embodiments of the invention.
[0009] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example
communication system between a gaming network and a player separate
from the standard gaming network.
[0010] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example method of
making a survey request to a player at a gaming device and carrying
out the survey according to embodiments of the invention.
[0011] FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating components in an
example survey system for a gaming network.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate example gaming devices according
to embodiments of the invention.
[0013] Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, a gaming device 10 is an
electronic gaming machine. Although an electronic gaming machine or
"slot" machine is illustrated, various other types of devices may
be used to wager monetarily based credits on a game of chance in
accordance with principles of the invention. The term "electronic
gaming device" is meant to include various devices such as
electromechanical spinning-reel type slot machines, video slot
machines, and video poker machines, for instance. Other gaming
devices may include computer-based gaming machines, wireless gaming
devices, multi-player gaming stations, modified personal electronic
gaming devices (such as cell phones), personal computers,
server-based gaming terminals, and other similar devices. Although
embodiments of the invention will work with all of the gaming types
mentioned, for ease of illustration the present embodiments will be
described in reference to the electronic gaming machine 10 shown in
FIGS. 1A and 1B.
[0014] The gaming device 10 includes a cabinet 15 housing
components to operate the gaming device 10. The cabinet 15 may
include a gaming display 20, a base portion 13, a top box 18, and a
player interface panel 30. The gaming display 20 may include
mechanical spinning reels (FIG. 2A), a video display (FIGS. 2B and
2C), or a combination of both spinning reels and a video display
(not shown). The gaming cabinet 15 may also include a credit meter
27 and a coin-in or bet meter 28. The credit meter 27 may indicate
the total number of credits remaining on the gaming device 10 that
are eligible to be wagered. In some embodiments, the credit meter
27 may reflect a monetary unit, such as dollars. However, it is
often preferable to have the credit meter 27 reflect a number of
`credits,` rather than a monetary unit. The bet meter 28 may
indicate the amount of credits to be wagered on a particular game.
Thus, for each game, the player transfers the amount that he or she
wants to wager from the credit meter 27 to the bet meter 28. In
some embodiments, various other meters may be present, such as
meters reflecting amounts won, amounts paid, or the like. In
embodiments where the gaming display 20 is a video monitor, the
information indicated on the credit meters may be shown on the
gaming display itself 20 (FIG. 2B).
[0015] The base portion 13 may include a lighted panel 14, a coin
return (not shown), and a gaming handle 12 operable on a partially
rotating pivot joint 11. The game handle 12 is traditionally
included on mechanical spinning-reel games, where the handle may be
pulled toward a player to initiate the spinning of reels 22 after
placement of a wager. The top box 18 may include a lighted panel
17, a video display (such as an LCD monitor), a mechanical bonus
device (not shown), and a candle light indicator 19. The player
interface panel 30 may include various devices so that a player can
interact with the gaming device 10.
[0016] The player interface panel 30 may include one or more game
buttons 32 that can be actuated by the player to cause the gaming
device 10 to perform a specific action. For example, some of the
game buttons 32 may cause the gaming device 10 to bet a credit to
be wagered during the next game, change the number of lines being
played on a multi-line game, cash out the credits remaining on the
gaming device (as indicated on the credit meter 27), or request
assistance from casino personnel, such as by lighting the candle
19. In addition, the player interface panel 30 may include one or
more game actuating buttons 33. The game actuating buttons 33 may
initiate a game with a pre-specified amount of credits. On some
gaming devices 10 a "Max Bet" game actuating button 33 may be
included that places the maximum credit wager on a game and
initiates the game. The player interface panel 30 may further
include a bill acceptor 37 and a ticket printer 38. The bill
acceptor 37 may accept and validate paper money or previously
printed tickets with a credit balance. The ticket printer 38 may
print out tickets reflecting the balance of the credits that remain
on the gaming device 10 when a player cashes out by pressing one of
the game buttons 32 programmed to cause a `cashout.` These tickets
may be inserted into other gaming machines or redeemed at a cashier
station or kiosk for cash.
[0017] The gaming device 10 may also include one or more speakers
26 to transmit auditory information or sounds to the player. The
auditory information may include specific sounds associated with
particular events that occur during game play on the gaming device
10. For example, a particularly festive sound may be played during
a large win or when a bonus is triggered. The speakers 26 may also
transmit "attract" sounds to entice nearby players when the game is
not currently being played.
[0018] The gaming device 10 may further include a secondary display
25. This secondary display 25 may be a vacuum fluorescent display
(VFD), a liquid crystal display (LCD), a cathode ray tube (CRT), a
plasma screen, or the like. The secondary display 25 may show any
combination of primary game information and ancillary information
to the player. For example, the secondary display 25 may show
player tracking information, secondary bonus information,
advertisements, or player selectable game options.
[0019] The gaming device 10 may include a separate information
window (not shown) dedicated to supplying any combination of
information related to primary game play, secondary bonus
information, player tracking information, secondary bonus
information, advertisements or player selectable game options. This
window may be fixed in size and location or may have its size and
location vary temporally as communication needs change. One example
of such a resizable window is International Game Technology's
"service window". Another example is Las Vegas Gaming
Incorporated's retrofit technology which allows information to be
placed over areas of the game or the secondary display screen at
various times and in various situations.
[0020] The gaming device 10 includes a microprocessor 40 that
controls operation of the gaming device 10. If the gaming device 10
is a standalone gaming device, the microprocessor 40 may control
virtually all of the operations of the gaming devices and attached
equipment, such as operating game logic stored in memory (not
shown) as firmware, controlling the display 20 to represent the
outcome of a game, communicating with the other peripheral devices
(such as the bill acceptor 37), and orchestrating the lighting and
sound emanating from the gaming device 10. In other embodiments
where the gaming device 10 is coupled to a network 50, as described
below, the microprocessor 40 may have different tasks depending on
the setup and function of the gaming device. For example, the
microprocessor 40 may be responsible for running the base game of
the gaming device and executing instructions received over the
network 50 from a bonus server or player tracking server. In a
server-based gaming setup, the microprocessor 40 may act as a
terminal to execute instructions from a remote server that is
running game play on the gaming device.
[0021] The microprocessor 40 may be coupled to a machine
communication interface (MCI) 42 that connects the gaming device 10
to a gaming network 50. The MCI 42 may be coupled to the
microprocessor 40 through a serial connection, a parallel
connection, an optical connection, or in some cases a wireless
connection. The gaming device 10 may include memory 41 (MEM), such
as a random access memory (RAM), coupled to the microprocessor 40
and which can be used to store gaming information, such as storing
total coin-in statistics about a present or past gaming session,
which can be communicated to a remote server or database through
the MCI 42. The MCI 42 may also facilitate communication between
the network 50 and the secondary display 25 or a player tracking
unit 45 housed in the gaming cabinet 15.
[0022] The player tracking unit 45 may include an identification
device 46 and one or more buttons 47 associated with the player
tracking unit 45. The identification device 46 serves to identify a
player, by, for example, reading a player-tracking device, such as
a player tracking card that is issued by the casino to individual
players who choose to have such a card. The identification device
46 may instead, or additionally, identify players through other
methods. Player tracking systems using player tracking cards and
card readers 46 are known in the art. Briefly summarizing such a
system, a player registers with the casino prior to commencing
gaming. The casino issues a unique player-tracking card to the
player and opens a corresponding player account that is stored on a
server or host computer, described below with reference to FIG. 3.
The player account may include the player's name and mailing
address and other information of interest to the casino in
connection with marketing efforts. Prior to playing one of the
gaming devices in the casino, the player inserts the player
tracking card into the identification device 46 thus permitting the
casino to track player activity, such as amounts wagered, credits
won, and rate of play.
[0023] To induce the player to use the card and be an identified
player, the casino may award each player points proportional to the
money or credits wagered by the player. Players typically accrue
points at a rate related to the amount wagered, although other
factors may cause the casino to award the player various amounts.
The points may be displayed on the secondary display 25 or using
other methods. In conventional player tracking systems, the player
may take his or her card to a special desk in the casino where a
casino employee scans the card to determine how many accrued points
are in the player's account. The player may redeem points for
selected merchandise, meals in casino restaurants, or the like,
which each have assigned point values. In some player tracking
systems, the player may use the secondary display 25 to access
their player tracking account, such as to check a total number of
points, redeem points for various services, make changes to their
account, or download promotional credits to the gaming device 10.
In other embodiments, the identification device 46 may read other
identifying cards (such as driver licenses, credit cards, etc.) to
identify a player and match them to a corresponding player tracking
account. Although FIG. 1A shows the player tracking unit 45 with a
card reader as the identification device 46, other embodiments may
include a player tracking unit 45 with a biometric scanner, PIN
code acceptor, or other methods of identifying a player to pair the
player with their player tracking account.
[0024] During typical play on a gaming device 10, a player plays a
game by placing a wager and then initiating a gaming session. The
player may initially insert monetary bills or previously printed
tickets with a credit value into the bill acceptor 37. The player
may also put coins into a coin acceptor (not shown) or a credit,
debit or casino account card into a card reader/authorizer (not
shown). One of skill in the art will readily see that this
invention is useful with all gambling devices, regardless of the
manner in which wager value-input is accomplished.
[0025] The credit meter 27 displays the numeric credit value of the
money inserted dependent on the denomination of the gaming device
10. That is, if the gaming device 10 is a nickel slot machine and a
$20 bill inserted into the bill acceptor 37, the credit meter will
reflect 400 credits or one credit for each nickel of the inserted
twenty dollars. For gaming devices 10 that support multiple
denominations, the credit meter 27 will reflect the amount of
credits relative to the denomination selected. Thus, in the above
example, if a penny denomination is selected after the $20 is
inserted the credit meter will change from 400 credits to 2000
credits.
[0026] A wager may be placed by pushing one or more of the game
buttons 32, which may be reflected on the bet meter 28. That is,
the player can generally depress a "bet one" button (one of the
buttons on the player interface panel 30, such as 32), which
transfers one credit from the credit meter 27 to the bet meter 28.
Each time the button 32 is depressed an additional single credit
transfers to the bet meter 28 up to a maximum bet that can be
placed on a single play of the electronic gaming device 10. The
gaming session may be initiated by pulling the gaming handle 12 or
depressing the spin button 33. On some gaming devices 10, a "max
bet" button (another one of the buttons 32 on the player interface
panel 30) may be depressed to wager the maximum number of credits
supported by the gaming device 10 and initiate a gaming
session.
[0027] If the gaming session does not result in any winning
combination, the process of placing a wager may be repeated by the
player. Alternatively, the player may cash out any remaining
credits on the credit meter 27 by depressing the "cash-out" button
(another button 32 on the player interface panel 30), which causes
the credits on the credit meter 27 to be paid out in the form of a
ticket through the ticket printer 38, or may be paid out in the
form of returning coins from a coin hopper (not shown) to a coin
return tray.
[0028] If instead a winning combination (win) appears on the
display 20, the award corresponding to the winning combination is
immediately applied to the credit meter 27. For example, if the
gaming device 10 is a slot machine, a winning combination of
symbols 23 may land on a played payline on reels 22. If any bonus
games are initiated, the gaming device 10 may enter into a bonus
mode or simply award the player with a bonus amount of credits that
are applied to the credit meter 27.
[0029] FIGS. 2A to 2C illustrate exemplary types of gaming devices
according to embodiments of the invention. FIG. 2A illustrates an
example spinning-reel gaming machine 10A, FIG. 2B illustrates an
example video slot machine 10B, and FIG. 2C illustrates an example
video poker machine 10C.
[0030] Referring to FIG. 2A, a spinning-reel gaming machine 10A
includes a gaming display 20A having a plurality of mechanical
spinning reels 22A. Typically, spinning-reel gaming machines 10A
have three to five spinning reels 22A. Each of the spinning reels
22A has multiple symbols 23A that may be separated by blank areas
on the spinning reels 22A, although the presence of blank areas
typically depends on the number of reels 22A present in the gaming
device 10A and the number of different symbols 23A that may appear
on the spinning reels 22A. Each of the symbols 22A or blank areas
makes up a "stop" on the spinning reel 22A where the reel 22A comes
to rest after a spin. Although the spinning reels 22A of various
games 10A may have various numbers of stops, many conventional
spinning-reel gaming devices 10A have reels 22A with twenty two
stops.
[0031] During game play, the spinning reels 22A may be controlled
by stepper motors (not shown) under the direction of the
microprocessor 40 (FIG. 1A). Thus, although the spinning-reel
gaming device 10A has mechanical based spinning reels 22A, the
movement of the reels themselves is electronically controlled to
spin and stop. This electronic control is advantageous because it
allows a virtual reel strip to be stored in the memory 41 of the
gaming device 10A, where various "virtual stops" are mapped to each
physical stop on the physical reel 22A. This mapping allows the
gaming device 10A to establish greater awards and bonuses available
to the player because of the increased number of possible
combinations afforded by the virtual reel strips.
[0032] A gaming session on a spinning reel slot machine 10A
typically includes the player pressing the "bet-one" button (one of
the game buttons 32A) to wager a desired number of credits followed
by pulling the gaming handle 12 (FIGS. 1A, 1B) or pressing the spin
button 33A to spin the reels 22A. Alternatively, the player may
simply press the "max-bet" button (another one of the game buttons
32A) to both wager the maximum number of credits permitted and
initiate the spinning of the reels 22A. The spinning reels 22A may
all stop at the same time or may individually stop one after
another (typically from left to right) to build player
anticipation. Because the display 20A usually cannot be physically
modified, some spinning reel slot machines 10A include an
electronic display screen in the top box 18 (FIG. 1B), a mechanical
bonus mechanism in the top box 18, or a secondary display 25 (FIG.
1A) to execute a bonus.
[0033] Referring to FIG. 2B, a video gaming machine 10B may include
a video display 20B to display virtual spinning reels 22B and
various other gaming information 21B. The video display 20B may be
a CRT, LCD, plasma screen, or the like. It is usually preferable
that the video display 20B be a touchscreen to accept player input.
A number of symbols 23A appear on each of the virtual spinning
reels 22B. Although FIG. 2B shows five virtual spinning reels 22B,
the flexibility of the video display 20B allows for various reel
22B and game configurations. For example, some video slot games 10B
spin reels for each individual symbol position (or stop) that
appears on the video display 20B. That is, each symbol position on
the screen is independent of every other position during the gaming
sessions. In these types of games, very large numbers of pay lines
or multiple super scatter pays can be utilized since similar
symbols could appear at every symbol position on the video display
20B. On the other hand, other video slot games 10B more closely
resemble the mechanical spinning reel games where symbols that are
vertically adjacent to each other are part of the same continuous
virtual spinning reel 22B.
[0034] Because the virtual spinning reels 22B, by virtue of being
computer implemented, can have almost any number of stops on a reel
strip, it is much easier to have a greater variety of displayed
outcomes as compared to spinning-reel slot machines 10A (FIG. 2A)
that have a fixed number of physical stops on each spinning reel
22A.
[0035] With the possible increases in reel 22B numbers and
configurations over the mechanical gaming device 10A, video gaming
devices 10B often have multiple paylines 24 that may be played. By
having more paylines 24 available to play, the player may be more
likely to have a winning combination when the reels 22B stop and
the gaming session ends. However, since the player typically must
wager at least a minimum number of credits to enable each payline
24 to be eligible for winning, the overall odds of winning are not
much different, if at all, than if the player is wagering only on a
single payline. For example, in a five line game, the player may
bet one credit per payline 24 and be eligible for winning symbol
combinations that appear on any of the five played paylines 24.
This gives a total of five credits wagered and five possible
winning paylines 24. If, on the other hand, the player only wagers
one credit on one payline 24, but plays five gaming sessions, the
odds of winning would be identical as above: five credits wagered
and five possible winning paylines 24.
[0036] Because the video display 20B can easily modify the image
output by the video display 20B, bonuses, such as second screen
bonuses are relatively easy to award on the video slot game 10B.
That is, if a bonus is triggered during game play, the video
display 20B may simply store the resulting screen shot in memory
and display a bonus sequence on the video display 20B. After the
bonus sequence is completed, the video display 20B may then
retrieve the previous screen shot and information from memory, and
re-display that image.
[0037] Also, as mentioned above, the video display 20B may allow
various other game information 21B to be displayed. For example, as
shown in FIG. 2B, banner information may be displayed above the
spinning reels 22B to inform the player, perhaps, which symbol
combination is needed to trigger a bonus. Also, instead of
providing a separate credit meter 27 (FIG. 1A) and bet meter 28,
the same information can instead be displayed on the video display
20B. In addition, "soft buttons" 29B such as a "spin" button or
"help/see pays" button may be built using the touch screen video
display 20B. Such customization and ease of changing the image
shown on the display 20B adds to the flexibility of the game
10B.
[0038] Even with the improved flexibility afforded by the video
display 20B, several physical buttons 32B and 33B are usually
provided on video slot machines 10B. These buttons may include game
buttons 32B that allow a player to choose the number of paylines 24
he or she would like to play and the number of credits wagered on
each payline 24. In addition, a max bet button (one of the game
buttons 32B) allows a player to place a maximum credit wager on the
maximum number of available paylines 24 and initiate a gaming
session. A repeat bet or spin button 33B may also be used to
initiate each gaming session when the max bet button is not
used.
[0039] Referring to FIG. 2C, a video poker gaming device 10C may
include a video display 20C that is physically similar to the video
display 20B shown in FIG. 2B. The video display 20C may show a
poker hand of five cards 23C and various other player information
21C including a paytable for various winning hands, as well as a
plurality of player selectable soft buttons 29C. The video display
20C may present a poker hand of five cards 23C and various other
player information 21C including a number of player selectable soft
(touch-screen) buttons 29C and a paytable for various winning
hands. Although the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3C shows only
one hand of poker on the video display 20C, various other video
poker machines 10C may show several poker hands (multi-hand poker).
Typically, video poker machines 10C play "draw" poker in which a
player is dealt a hand of five cards, has the opportunity to hold
any combination of those five cards, and then draws new cards to
replace the discarded ones. All pays are usually given for winning
combinations resulting from the final hand, although some video
poker games 10C may give bonus credits for certain combinations
received on the first hand before the draw. In the example shown in
FIG. 2C a player has been dealt two aces, a three, a six, and a
nine. The video poker game 10C may provide a bonus or payout for
the player having been dealt the pair of aces, even before the
player decides what to discard in the draw. Since pairs, three of a
kind, etc. are typically needed for wins, a player would likely
hold the two aces that have been dealt and draw three cards to
replace the three, six, and nine in the hope of receiving
additional aces or other cards leading to a winning combination
with a higher award amount. After the draw and revealing of the
final hand, the video poker game 10C typically awards any credits
won to the credit meter.
[0040] The player selectable soft buttons 29C appearing on the
screen respectively correspond to each card on the video display
20C. These soft buttons 29C allow players to select specific cards
on the video display 20C such that the card corresponding to the
selected soft button is "held" before the draw. Typically, video
poker machines 10C also include physical game buttons 32C that
correspond to the cards in the hand and may be selected to hold a
corresponding card. A deal/draw button 33C may also be included to
initiate a gaming session after credits have been wagered (with a
bet button 32C, for example) and to draw any cards not held after
the first hand is displayed.
[0041] Although examples of a spinning reel slot machine 10A, a
video slot machine 10B, and a video poker machine 10C have been
illustrated in FIGS. 2A-2C, gaming machines and various other types
of gaming devices known in the art are contemplated and are within
the scope of the invention.
[0042] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating networked gaming
devices according to embodiments of the invention. Referring to
FIG. 3, multiple electronic gaming devices (EGMs) 70, 71, 72, 73,
74, and 75 may be coupled to one another and coupled to a remote
server 80 through a network 50. For ease of understanding, gaming
devices or EGMs 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, and 75 are generically referred
to as EGMs 70-75. The term EGMs 70-75, however, may refer to any
combination of one or more of EGMs 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, and 75.
Additionally, the gaming server 80 may be coupled to one or more
gaming databases 90. These gaming network 50 connections may allow
multiple gaming devices 70-75 to remain in communication with one
another during particular gaming modes such as tournament play or
remote head-to-head play. Although some of the gaming devices 70-75
coupled on the gaming network 50 may resemble the gaming devices
10, 10A, 10B, and 10C shown in FIGS. 1A-1B and 2A-2C, other coupled
gaming devices 70-75 may include differently configured gaming
devices. For example, the gaming devices 70-75 may include
traditional slot machines 75 directly coupled to the network 50,
banks of gaming devices 70 coupled to the network 50, banks of
gaming devices 70 coupled to the network through a bank controller
60, wireless handheld gaming machines 72 and cell phones 73 coupled
to the gaming network 50 through one or more wireless routers or
antennas 61, personal computers 74 coupled to the network 50
through the internet 62, and banks of gaming devices 71 coupled to
the network through one or more optical connection lines 64.
Additionally, some of the traditional gaming devices 70, 71, and 75
may include electronic gaming tables, multi-station gaming devices,
or electronic components operating in conjunction with non-gaming
components, such as automatic card readers, chip readers, and chip
counters, for example.
[0043] Gaming devices 71 coupled over an optical line 64 may be
remote gaming devices in a different location or casino. The
optical line 64 may be coupled to the gaming network 50 through an
electronic to optical signal converter 63 and may be coupled to the
gaming devices 71 through an optical to electronic signal converter
65. The banks of gaming devices 70 coupled to the network 50 may be
coupled through a bank controller 60 for compatibility purposes,
for local organization and control, or for signal buffering
purposes. The network 50 may include serial or parallel signal
transmission lines and carry data in accordance with data transfer
protocols such as Ethernet transmission lines, Rs-232 lines,
firewire lines, USB lines, or other communication protocols.
Although not shown in FIG. 3, substantially the entire network 50
may be made of fiber optic lines or may be a wireless network
utilizing a wireless protocol such as IEEE 802.11 a, b, g, or n,
Zigbee, RF protocols, optical transmission, near-field
transmission, or the like.
[0044] As mentioned above, each gaming device 70-75 may have an
individual processor 40 (FIG. 1A) and memory 41 to run and control
game play on the gaming device 70-75, or some of the gaming devices
70-75 may be terminals that are run by a remote server 80 in a
server based gaming environment. Server based gaming environments
may be advantageous to casinos by allowing fast downloading of
particular game types or themes based on casino preference or
player selection. Additionally, tournament based games, linked
games, and certain game types, such as BINGO or keno may benefit
from at least some server 80 based control.
[0045] Thus, in some embodiments, the network 50, server 80, and
database 90 may be dedicated to communications regarding specific
game or tournament play. In other embodiments, however, the network
50, server 80, and database 90 may be part of a player tracking
network. For player tracking capabilities, when a player inserts a
player tracking card in the card reader 46 (FIG. 1A), the player
tracking unit 45 sends player identification information obtained
on the card reader 46 through the MCI 42 over the network 50 to the
player tracking server 80, where the player identification
information is compared to player information records in the player
database 90 to provide the player with information regarding their
player account or other features at the gaming device 10 where the
player is wagering. Additionally, multiple databases 90 and/or
servers 80 may be present and coupled to one or more networks 50 to
provide a variety of gaming services, such as both game/tournament
data and player tracking data.
[0046] The various systems described with reference to FIGS. 1-3
can be used in a number of ways. For instance, the systems can be
used to track data about various players. The tracked data can be
used by the casino to provide additional benefits to players, such
as extra bonuses or extra benefits such as bonus games and other
benefits as described above. These added benefits further entice
the players to play at the casino that provides the benefits.
[0047] This system can be used to enhance player enjoyment by
presenting the player with a survey at a time when the gameplay
experience is fresh in the player's mind, or at other times when
the player is willing to provide feedback information. Changes to
the may be made to the player profile stored on the database 90 or
generated by the gaming server 80 in response to the survey
answers. Incentives may be provided to the player to encourage
participation in the survey.
[0048] As described above, there are multiple ways to communicate
with the player, and embodiments of the invention may use any or
all of them, in any combination. For instance, with reference to
FIG. 1A, communication sent through the gaming network 50 (FIG. 3)
can be presented to the player directly through the gaming display
20, such as by generating a text or graphics window on the display
that contains messages message or the survey itself. In other
embodiments, the messages can be presented on the secondary display
25, or on a display associated with the player tracking system 45.
Still further messages can be printed by the ticket printer 38,
which automatically (or with player action) print directly for the
player. The speaker 26 may be used for announcing messages by
speech or by sounds or series of sounds that indicate to the player
that a message is being presented to them.
[0049] Some embodiments of the invention use a communication
network that is separate from the gaming network 50 to communicate
with a player. With reference to FIG. 4, a player communication
server 110 is coupled to the gaming network 50 and communicates
directly with the gaming network. Stored within the player profile
on the gaming network is contact information for the player, such
as email address, cell phone number, personalized Uniform Resource
Locator, such as for a social network, etc. The player
communication server 110 can generate messages to a player 120 over
a wired player communication network 130, which is likely an
existing network such as a distributed LAN, coax cable or phone
lines and using protocols such as Ethernet, Token Ring, etc.
Additionally the player communication server 110 can send messages
to and receive messages from a wireless communication network 140,
such as a cell phone network, local wi-fi, metropolitan area
network such as wi-max, or 3G or other phone data network or over a
standard cellular phone network.
[0050] In operation the player communication server 110 generates a
message to the player 120 over any one, or several, of the
communication networks. For instance, the player communication
server 110 may simultaneously send an email to the player's email
address over the wired communication network 130 and send a text
message over a wireless phone network 140. If the communication
server 110 receives a response over one of the networks, for
example, a reply text message, it may send future correspondence
over only that communication path. Of course, if the message from
the player 120 specified how the player preferred to communicate
with the communication server 110, then the communication server
would use the chosen network.
[0051] Devices attached to the networks 130, 140 facilitate
communication with the player. For instance a personal computer
(PC) 150 may be coupled to the wired communication network 130
while a cell phone may be coupled to the wireless communication
network 140. It is possible that a single device can communicate
over more than one network. For instance, the PC 150 may include
both an Ethernet card for wired communication over the Internet as
well as a wireless card to communicate over the wireless
communication network 140.
[0052] In some embodiments the survey system may initiate the
survey over the gaming network 50 and the player likewise responds
over the network. In such an example, the survey system generates
questions on the gaming screen 20, preferably a touchscreen, and
the player responds to the questions by providing answers back
directly to the touchscreen. In other embodiments the player may
use inputs on the player tracking unit 45 to communicate answers
back to the survey system. In other embodiments, the player may
print the survey at the ticket printer 38, complete the survey by
writing directly on the printed tickets, then return the completed
survey to a casino representative who inserts them into a scanner
(not illustrated) coupled directly to the gaming network 50 to read
the player's responses. The survey system then processes the survey
results and may make changes to the player's stored profile, or
provide certain benefits stored in the player's profile, as
described in detail below.
[0053] In other embodiments the survey system may initiate the
survey over the gaming network 50 but the player 120 completes the
survey over one of the non-gaming networks 130, 140. In such an
example the survey system invites the player to complete the survey
at a gaming device 10, and gives the player the option of
completing the survey on the device itself, or having the survey
sent to an email address, for example. The player 120 then
completes the survey at a later time, and sends the completed
survey from the player's PC 150 over the communication network 130
to the player communication server 110.
[0054] In yet other embodiments the survey system initiates the
survey over the non-gaming network 130, 140, such as by over the
wireless phone network, and returns it over the same non-gaming
network. Finally, it is possible for the survey system to initiate
the survey over the non-gaming network, such as by inviting the
player to go to a gaming device 10, and the player completes the
survey at the gaming device itself, over the gaming network 50.
[0055] Additionally, the survey system may allow a player 120 to
partially complete a survey using one method and to complete the
survey using another method. This embodiment may be beneficial when
the player started the survey but for some reason cannot complete
it in one sitting.
[0056] An example method of conducting a player survey is
illustrated in FIG. 4. A flow 100 generally describes processes
that the survey system may use, although other methods are equally
acceptable. The flow 200 begins at a process 202, and selects a
time to attempt to survey the player 120. A logical time to offer a
survey is at the end of a gaming session, when either the player
has spent his or her credits to zero, or below the lowest
denomination threshold, or when the player cashes out. At that time
the player may suddenly find himself or herself with extra time and
may be willing to complete a survey. The player's willingness may
be increased by offering the player an incentive to complete the
survey, as described below. Additionally, by selecting the end of a
gaming session for offering the survey it is less likely to
interrupt the player during an enjoyable gaming session.
[0057] Other events may also cause the survey system to initiate
the survey dialogue with the player. For instance the survey system
may generate the invite message after the player has experienced a
winning outcome or a losing outcome. Threshold triggers may be used
as well, such as initiating a survey after a large win occurs or
after a long string of losses. Further, the survey system may use
absolute triggers, such as when the credit meter exceeds a certain
threshold or when it drops below a minimum value. Other survey
triggers may include time spent at the gaming device, hour of day,
day of year, etc. In some embodiments the survey system may
purposely conduct surveys at different events, even with the same
player, to determine if the answers to the survey questions change
based on the particular state of game progress.
[0058] At a process 204, the survey is presented to the player, who
may accept, deny or postpone answering the survey. The survey may
be presented by a graphics or text box on the display 20, or by an
audio message through the speaker 26 giving instructions. In other
embodiments the survey may be presented by automatically printing a
ticket from the ticket printer 38, or in other ways. If the survey
is denied or postponed, at a process 210, the flow 200 loops back
to the process 202 and play continues. The survey system may choose
to represent the survey to the player at a later time, again in the
process 204, if either the player rejected or postponed the first
survey.
[0059] If instead the player accepted the survey, the flow 200
continues to a process 212, which continuously checks to see if the
survey has been completed. If the survey was initially accepted,
but the player changed his or her mind to postpone or cancel the
survey, a process 214 detects this situation and loops back to the
process 202 and re-starts the gaming session. If the player ended
or postponed a partially completed survey, they may be given the
chance to complete the survey later at the gaming device 10, or
through one of the non-gaming networks 130, 140.
[0060] The survey may be general in nature or very specific. The
survey may be relatively long, or very short, such as only one or
two questions. An example short survey presented to a video poker
player could be "you just got a big win with a flush. Do you prefer
fewer big wins or a series of smaller wins that occur more
often?"
[0061] When the survey is completed, the flow 200 continues to a
process 216, where the survey results are analyzed, which is
described with reference to FIG. 6 below. After the analysis is
complete, the survey system may provide a benefit to the player in
a process 222. The benefit may be available immediately, or it may
be stored in the player profile on the gaming network 50 for later
use. If the player does not have a present profile, for example the
player is not an identified player, then the player may be given
the option to open a player account, with the added incentive of
being able to store the benefit for later use. Otherwise, the
benefit, if any, is provided in the process 222, and is only
available immediately. Finally, in a process 224, the existence of
the benefit is communicated to the player, either over the gaming
network 50 or over the non-gaming networks 130, 140 described
above. The benefit communication in the process 224 need not be
immediately at the conclusion of the survey, but may come at a
later time.
[0062] FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an example embodiment of a
survey system. In FIG. 6 a survey system 250 includes multiple
components. Central to the survey system 250 is a survey generator
260, which is coupled to or includes a benefit generator 262. The
benefit generator 262 is the process or sub-system that determines
which benefits, if any, to provide to the player for having
initiated or completed the survey. If the benefit generator 262
determines that the overall survey return rate is too low, it may
globally increase the offer amount until a satisfactory return rate
is realized. Also, if the survey system 250 desires survey feedback
from a particular player, it may increase the benefit to be awarded
until it secures the player's response. The benefit ultimately
awarded may be advertised to the player before the survey begins,
or in conjunction with the survey request, or it may be kept from
the player until after the survey has been completed.
[0063] The survey generator 260 is also coupled to a player history
270, if available, and to a player profile 280. The player history
270 includes all of the information known about a player, including
whether the player is identified to the network or not. The most
information is known about identified players, of course, because
information from multiple past gaming sessions is stored during or
after each session and averages and comparisons to the averages can
be made for each subsequent gaming session. The player history 270
may be available for only those players identified to the network.
In other embodiments the player history is limited to the
particular gaming session during which the survey is offered to the
player.
[0064] The player profile 280 includes information about the
particular likes and dislikes of a player, either based on direct
feedback from the player, such as from a previous survey, or based
on observation. Information such as average budget, wagering
history cashout behavior, volatility preferences, and style of play
can all be used to generate a player profile. The profile is stored
with and becomes part of the player history 280. Real-time
calculations can also be made by the survey generator 260 or player
profile history 280. For instance, if the player typically plays
$80 at an average gaming session, and the player has already played
$240, the survey generator 260 can assume that the player is having
an exceptionally good time and may not be willing to be interrupted
to take a survey. Likewise, if the player typically plays the
credits down to zero but instead cashes out with $45 remaining, the
survey generator 260 may determine that the player had reason to
leave, and the likelihood of any survey being accepted is minimal.
In such a case the survey generator 260 may invite the player to
complete the survey at a later time over one of the non-gaming
networks 130, 140.
[0065] The player profile 280 may additionally include a stored
player benefit repository 282, where benefits may be stored over
multiple gaming sessions. In some embodiments the player benefits
are stored until the player uses them, while other benefits expire
according to an expiration schedule, typically measured in time or
number of games played.
[0066] The player history 270 also includes data in real-time from
the casino floor streamed over the gaming network 50. In other
words, if a survey offer has been made to the player and the player
is willing to complete the survey, the survey generator 260 is
informed of this information through the player history 270, which
in turn receives the information directly from the gaming network
50. The survey generator 260 can also receive information directly
from the player over the non-gaming networks 130, 140.
[0067] In operation, as described above, the survey generator 260
uses the player history 270, or other methods to determine an
appropriate time to invite the player to complete the survey. It is
important to know that the survey generator 260 may make survey
requests to a player even if there is no player profile 280 or
player history 270. In such a case the survey generator may not be
well tailored to the particular player. If the player is not
identified, however, it gives the survey system 250 a direct
opportunity to ask the player why they do not play as an identified
player.
[0068] After the survey is completed, the survey generator 260 or
other process in the gaming network 50 analyzes the results, as
illustrated in the process 216 of FIG. 5. The analysis may be
minimal, and serve to only update the player profile 280 based on
exactly what the survey results showed. In other embodiments the
survey generator 260 may review information stored in the player
history 270 and player profile 280 to determine if the survey
response matches a prior survey response or a previously observed
behavior. For instance if the survey response stated that a player
preferred long gaming sessions, but the players' historical record
showed that the player typically only plays short sessions, the
survey answer may be flagged as suspect, or little weight given to
the particular response.
[0069] In the process 222 of FIG. 5, the benefit generator 262 of
FIG. 6 determines what benefit to offer the player to complete the
survey or to award the player for having completed the survey.
Particular benefits may include discounted game play for the same
game the player was playing when the survey was completed, or for
another game. The benefit generator 262 may be used as an
advertising tool by simply awarding free or reduced play to a
particular machine that is not well known or that is the subject of
a current marketing promotion, without regard for player
preference.
[0070] Other benefits may include an immediate award of a certain
number of "player points," which are typically accumulated in the
player profile as is known in the art. Yet other benefits may be
tailored by the player's answers or preferences indicated by the
completed survey. For example if a survey question asked if the
player would prefer a free spin over a direct award made to the
credit meter, then one or more free spins could be added to the
player benefits repository 282.
[0071] As described above, in some cases the benefits awarded by
the benefit generator and stored in the player benefits repository
282 may expire if unused for a period of time or if a number of
games pass without being redeemed.
[0072] Communicating the awarded benefits to the player occurs in
the process 224 of FIG. 5, and may be embodied using any
communication method described above. For example a simple way to
communicate a credit award is to simply increase the credit meter,
or by placing a "free spin" icon on player tracking systems that
support such a feature. Other benefits may be communicated by the
ticket printer 38, such as by printing a free-play coupon, which
may work at the present gaming device 10 or on another device. In
such a case, the award may include directions or an explanation to
the player so that the player can find the second game or location
of the subject of the award. For example, the directions can take
the form of text directions or a map printed on the ticket printer
38 so that the player may find the second game. In some cases the
second game may be in a remote location, such as a second casino.
In such an embodiment the ticket printer 38 could print a
transportation voucher for the player to travel to the second
location.
[0073] In other embodiments the benefits may be communicated to the
player through the non-gaming networks 130, 140. For instance, the
benefit generator 262 or survey generator 260 may send a text
message to the player's cell phone over the wireless network 140
(FIG. 4). The message may include directions to the game as well as
a certain message that the player codes into the gaming device to
retrieve his or her reward. A coded message may also serve as an
invitation to take a survey. Such a message may be in the form of
"take a survey and play 10 games free on us. Use code 00117 on any
gaming device to take the survey and claim the free games." Other
messages may require some commitment from the player as well, such
as "play over 25 games on any video poker game and we'll offer you
a survey. Complete the survey for 10 free games." Other offers may
include monetary commitment, such as "Wager over $25 (total) within
the next three days to qualify to take our survey. Complete the
survey and we will give you 10 free games on any slot."
[0074] Based on the various factors available to the survey
generator 260, such as demographic or other data, offers may vary
between players or even between particular gaming sessions of the
same player. For instance, if the survey generator 260, based on
player history, determines that it is likely that the player is a
highly valued player, an offer to take a survey may be made that is
more generous than to a non-highly valued player. Other offers may
be made to players based on demographics, such as age or hometown,
so that the survey can be tailored to that particular
demographic.
[0075] The survey system described above may increase the enjoyment
of players by introducing them to games or other features/services
that players may be unaware of or by providing them special
benefits for participating. At the same time, the gaming network 50
may receive valuable information in return so that it can tailor
future games to the particular likes and dislikes of the player, to
make a more rewarding player experience.
[0076] Some embodiments of the invention have been described above,
and in addition, some specific details are shown for purposes of
illustrating the inventive principles. However, numerous other
arrangements may be devised in accordance with the inventive
principles of this patent disclosure. Further, well known processes
have not been described in detail in order not to obscure the
invention. Thus, while the invention is described in conjunction
with the specific embodiments illustrated in the drawings, it is
not limited to these embodiments or drawings. Rather, the invention
is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents
that come within the scope and spirit of the inventive principles
set out in the appended claims.
* * * * *