Patent ID: 9552693
Date: 2017-01-24
CPC Classifications: G07F

Claim:
1. A method of using a mobile device as an input/output device for a player tracking system for gaming machines, each gaming machine having a unique identifier, each gaming machine also having a credit meter and wherein the funds in the account of the player are movable to and from the balance of the credit meter during a play session, each player having a unique identifier that is associated with an account of the player, the method comprising: (a) electronically communicating player credentials, via the mobile device, directly to the player tracking system, wherein each player credential is associated with a player's unique identifier that is maintained by the player tracking system; (b) electronically communicating directly to the player tracking system, using the mobile device, a gaming machine that the player wishes to play; (c) prior to initiation of game play on a gaming machine, the player tracking system associating the unique identifier of a player with the unique identifier of a gaming machine that the player wishes to play; (d) initiating a play session at the gaming machine and associating game play at the gaming machine with the account of the player, wherein activity from the play session is captured by the player tracking system; (e) electronically communicating information from the player tracking system directly to the mobile device during the play session, the information including data regarding the player that is maintained in the player tracking system; (f) displaying the information on a display screen of the mobile device during the play session; wherein steps (a), (b) and (f) are performed using a mobile app executing on the mobile device; and (g) electronically requesting, via the mobile app, to move funds in the account of the player to the balance of the credit meter during the play session.