Patent ID: 6712698
Filing Date: 2004-03-30
Classification: G06F,G07F

Abstract:
A player tracking unit comprising:a display for displaying video images; a touch screen including; a touch screen sensor mounted over the display; a touch screen controller for detecting an activation of the touch screen sensor and for sending input signals with information indicating an activated location on the touch screen sensor; a sound projection device wherein the sound projection device is adapted for outputting sound messages in response to operations performed on the player tracking unit by a user; a card reader for reading a player tracking card storing player tracking information; a logic device adapted for; a) communicating with the display, the touch screen, the card reader, the sound projection device, a master gaming controller that controls a game played on a gaming machine and a player tracking server, b) receiving input signals from the touch screen controller with the information indicating the activated location on the touch screen sensor; c) executing gaming logic wherein the gaming logic comprises: i) providing video images on the display for a list of game services available on the player tracking unit ii) generating video images for a plurality game surface interfaces on the display, each game service interface including at least one input area and corresponding to one of the game services available on the player tracking unit, wherein the plurality of game service interfaces includes a key pad interface for entering alpha-numeric data; iii) generating input data corresponding to touches in the input area; iv) generating one or more of: 1) a bonus game interface on the display and receiving input signals from the touch screen corresponding to input areas on the bonus game interface wherein the bonus game interface is used to present a bonus game, 2) a loyalty program account interface on the display and receiving input signals from the touch screen corresponding to input areas on the loyalty program account interface wherein the loyalty program account interface is used to view loyalty program account information, and 3) a loyalty program registration interface on the display and receiving input signals from the touch screen corresponding to input areas on the loyalty program registration interface wherein the loyalty program registration interface is used to register a person in a loyalty program; and a housing for securing the display, the sound projection device, the card reader and the logic device.