US Patent No: 7,993,197

Number of patents in Portfolio can not be more than 2000

Flexible loyalty points programs

2 Status Updates

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ALSO PUBLISHED AS: 20030032474
ATTORNEY / AGENT: (SPONSORED)
 

Importance

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Abstract

A disclosed a loyalty program transaction network provides a plurality of loyalty program instrument generation sites that award loyalty points. The loyalty points may be stored on loyalty point instruments such as printed tickets, magnetic-striped cards, room keys, portable wireless devices and smart cards. The loyalty program instruments may be issued to a patron of a gaming establishment without receiving identification information from the patron. At a loyalty program validation site, the loyalty program instruments may be used to redeem loyalty points for goods and services or the loyalty program instruments may be used to add loyalty points to an existing loyalty program account. Loyalty points may be earned by the patron during a number of activities such as playing a gaming machine, playing a game of chance, a food purchase, an entertainment purchase, a transportation purchase, a lodging purchase, a merchandise purchase and a service purchase.

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First Claim

Related Publications

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Patent Owner(s)

Patent OwnerAddressTotal Patents
IGTRENO, NV, US1558

International Classification(s)

  • [Classification Symbol]
  • [Patents Count]

Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Kaminkow, Joseph E Reno, NV 218 5667

Cited Art

Patent Info (Count) # Cites Year
 
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5,655,961 Method for operating networked gaming devices 717 1994
5,722,891 Slot machine having two distinct sets of reels 543 1995
5,702,304 Method and apparatus for operating networked gaming devices 273 1995
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6,162,122 Method and apparatus for operating networked gaming devices 279 1997
6,358,149 Dynamic threshold for pool-based bonus promotions in electronic gaming systems 185 1999
6,210,279 Gaming machine and method using touch screen 276 1999
6,409,595 Lighted keypad assembly and method for a player tracking system 82 1999
6,431,983 Method for providing incentive to play gaming devices connected by a network to a host computer 197 2001
2003/0032,474 Flexible loyalty points programs 108 2001
2003/0162,593 Contactless card reading in a gaming machine 20 2002
2002/0187,834 System, method and interface for monitoring player game play in real time 81 2002
7,311,605 Player tracking assembly for complete patron tracking for both gaming and non-gaming casino activity 46 2002
2003/0036,425 Flexible loyalty points programs 144 2002
2003/0078,101 Player specific game system 95 2002
7,025,674 Method and apparatus for awarding and redeeming promotional points at an electronic game 87 2002
7,083,518 Bonus system and method of awarding a bonus without playing a game 13 2003
2005/0012,818 Security camera interface 36 2003
2005/0054,439 Wide area gaming and retail player tracking 35 2004
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IGT (23)
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6,641,484 Gaming machine including security data collection device 59 2001
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2006/0258,427 Wide area table gaming monitor and control system 34 2005
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SIERRA DESIGN GROUP (6)
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WALKER DIGITAL, LLC (6)
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WALKER ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED PARTNERSHIP (4)
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ACRES GAMING INCORPORATED (2)
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AMUSEMENT SOFT, LLC (2)
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TANGAM TECHNOLOGIES INC. (2)
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WMS GAMING INC. (2)
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AUCTNYC 10 LLC (1)
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EMERSON, DAVID (1)
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FORTUNET, INC. (1)
2003/0104,865 Wireless wagering system 100 2001
 
FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC. (1)
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GAMET TECHNOLOGY (1)
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4,764,666 On-line wagering system with programmable game entry cards 415 1987
 
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MICROSOFT CORPORATION (1)
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5,257,179 Audit and pricing system for coin-operated games 120 1991
 
NP IP HOLDINGS LLC (1)
6,302,793 Multi-property player tracking system 244 1998
 
NSM AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT (1)
5,557,086 Game machine system with money-processing station 75 1994
 
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VT TECH CORP. (1)
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WEDGES/LEDGES (1)
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ZYNGA INC. (1)
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OTHER [CHECK PATENT PROFILE FOR ASSIGNMENT INFORMATION] (10)
4,359,633 Spectrally-limited bar-code label and identification card 83 1980
4,669,730 Automated sweepstakes-type game 317 1984
5,129,652 Casino drawing/lottery game and case/prize management system 125 1991
5,290,033 Gaming machine and coupons 259 1992
5,770,533 Open architecture casino operating system 656 1994
6,193,156 Method and apparatus for patterning cards, instruments and documents 26 1998
6,419,190 Airborne cleaning and painting robot 6 2000
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2005/0255,919 Method and apparatus for machine location 24 2005
2006/0258,442 MULTI-PURPOSE CASINO CHIPS 35 2006

Patent Citation Ranking

Forward Cites

Patent Info (Count) # Cites Year
 
IGT (2)
8,430,749 Dynamic casino tracking and optimization 0 2007
8,425,313 Dynamic casino tracking and optimization 0 2007
 
AMERANTH, INC. (1)
8,393,969 Products and processes for operations management of casino, leisure and hospitality industry 0 2011
 
SYMANTEC CORPORATION (1)
8,321,360 Method and system for weighting transactions in a fraud detection system 2009

Maintenance Fees

Fee Large entity fee small entity fee micro entity fee due date
3.5 Year Payment $1600.00 $800.00 $400.00 Feb 9, 2015
7.5 Year Payment $3600.00 $1800.00 $900.00 Feb 9, 2019
11.5 Year Payment $7400.00 $3700.00 $1850.00 Feb 9, 2023
Fee Large entity fee small entity fee micro entity fee
Surcharge - 3.5 year - Late payment within 6 months $160.00 $80.00 $40.00
Surcharge - 7.5 year - Late payment within 6 months $160.00 $80.00 $40.00
Surcharge - 11.5 year - Late payment within 6 months $160.00 $80.00 $40.00
Surcharge after expiration - Late payment is unavoidable $700.00 $350.00 $175.00
Surcharge after expiration - Late payment is unintentional $1,640.00 $820.00 $410.00