Brevet US7972213 - Method and apparatus for player communication

US007972213B2

(12) Ullltfild SUITES P2116111 (10) Patent N0.: US 7,972,213 B2 Walker et al. (45) Date of Patent: Jul. 5, 2011 (54) METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PLAYER 2 £33: g[°(.3a“hY ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~ ggggg , , raine COMMUNICATION 5,359,182 A * 10/1994 Schilling 235/380 . 5,429,361 A 7/1995 Ra t 1. .. 273/138A Inventors: Jay S. Walker, Ridgefield, A al‘ James A- Jvrasch, Stamford, CT (US); 5,655,961 A 8/1997 Acres et al. ...... .. 463/27 Russell P, Sammon, San Francisco, CA 5,714,741 A * 2/1998 Pieterse et al. 235/380 (US) 5,755,621 A * 5/1998 Marks et al. 463/42 5,770,533 A 6/1998 Franchi ........ .. 463/42 . 5,830,067 A * 11/1998 G tal. .. 463/40 (73) Asslgneei IGT= Ren°= NV (US) 5,839,960 A * ii/1998 Pziilrtieireai. 463/4i _ _ _ _ _ 5,909,486 A 6/1999 Walker et al. .. 379/144 ( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthis 5,971,271 A * 10/1999 Wynn er a1, 235/380 patent 15 extended Q1" adjusted under 35 5,988,346 A 11/1999 T€C1(-ISCO Gt al. 194/217 U_S_C_ 154(1)) by 908 days 6,003,013 A * 12/1999 Boushy et al. 705/10 6,012,983 A * 1/2000 Walker et al. .. 463/20 6,068,552 A * 5/2000 Walk t 1. .. 463/21 (21) APP1~N°~¢ 10/6551969 6,113,495 A * 9/2000 Walk: it :1. .. . 463/42 _ 6,116,597 A 9/2000 Rowe et al. ............. .. 273/143 R (22) Filed: Sep. 4, 2003 (Continued) (65) Pm’ P“b“°*‘“°“ Data FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS US 2004/0082384 A1 Apr. 29, 2004 W0 W096/00950 * 1/1996 Related U.S. Application Data OTHER PUBLICATIONS (60) Provisional application No. 60/408,472, filed on Sep. Finnigan’ David’ “Can Girls WOW ,Em at Gaming Confabnr Las Vegas Business Press, Oct. 7, 1991, vol. 8; N0. 36; Sec 1; p. 1.* 4, 2002. C ' d (51) Int. Cl. ( Ommue ) G06F 17/00 (200601) Primary Examiner — Dmitry Suhol (52) U.S. Cl. ...... .... ...... ... 463/40; 463/16; 463/20; 463/42 Assistant Examiner _ Jay Trent Liddje (58) Field of Classification Search .................. .. 463/40, (74) Attorney) Agent] 0,, Firm _ K&L Gates LLP 463/42, 16,20 See application file for complete search history. (57) ABSTRACT (56) References Cited Systems and methods are provided for monitoring gaming

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

activities of a player at a gaming device. It is detennined, based on the gaming activities, whether to initiate communication between the player and an individual. Communication

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* cited by examiner

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