Method and apparatus for managing hotel transactions from a gaming device

Abstract

A customer may be permitted to use a gaming device such as a slot machine to manage various transactions related to a hotel, such as checking in and/or checking out of the customer's room at the hotel. A customer may receive a benefit in exchange for using a gaming device for a transaction.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method comprising: 
 receiving a player identifier at a gaming device;    assigning a hotel room to a player identified by the player identifier; and    using the gaming device to communicate to the player information regarding the assigning of the hotel room.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving step includes reading the player identifier from a player tracking card interfaced to the gaming device.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving step includes reading the player identifier from a credit or debit card interfaced to the gaming device.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the communicated information includes a room number which corresponds to the assigned hotel room.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 transmitting the player identifier to an electronic door lock mechanism associated with the assigned hotel room.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 generating a room access code.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 transmitting the room access code to an electronic door lock mechanism associated with the assigned hotel room.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 magnetically writing the room access code on a player tracking card interfaced to the gaming device.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the gaming device is located at a hotel that includes the assigned hotel room.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the gaming device is a slot machine.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 accessing a hotel reservation database on the basis of the received player identifier.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 associating the received player identifier with a room identifier that corresponds to the assigned hotel room.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 using the gaming device to present hotel room preferences information to the player.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 using the gaming device to present a reservation confirmation page to the player.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 receiving at the gaming device information regarding a hotel stay desired by the player.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the information regarding the hotel stay includes a desired check-out date.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the information regarding the hotel stay includes a desired type of room.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 using the gaming device to communicate to the player an offer for the player to relinquish the assigned room.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 using the gaming device to communicate to the player an offer for the player to delay occupying the assigned room.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 applying to payment for the assigned room gaming credits won via the gaming device.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 awarding free use of the assigned room based on a game outcome provided by the gaming device.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 offering a benefit to the player in exchange for using the gaming device to check in.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 awarding gaming credit at the gaming device in response to the player using the gaming device to check in to a hotel that includes the assigned hotel room.    
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 using the gaming device to inform the player concerning a telephone message for the player.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 allowing the player to use the gaming device to access or send an electronic mail message.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 retrieving a credit card number for the player in response to receiving the player identifier.    
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising: 
 charging payment for the assigned hotel room to a credit card account associated with the retrieved credit card number.    
     
     
         28 . A method comprising: 
 receiving a player identifier at a gaming device; and    accessing a hotel reservation database on the basis of the received player identifier.    
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising: 
 using the gaming device to present hotel room preferences information to a player identified by the player identifier.    
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising: 
 using the gaming device to present a reservation confirmation page to a player identified by the player identifier.    
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising: 
 assigning a hotel room to a player identified by the player identifier.    
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the receiving step includes reading the player identifier from a player tracking card interfaced to the gaming device.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the receiving step includes reading the player identifier from a credit or debit card interfaced to the gaming device.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the gaming device is a slot machine.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising: 
 offering a benefit to the player in exchange for using the gaming device to check in.    
     
     
         36 . A method comprising: 
 receiving a player identifier at a gaming device;    associating the received player identifier with a room identifier;    presenting to a player identified by the player identifier at least one of a reservation confirmation page and hotel room preferences information; and    generating a room access code associated with the room identifier.    
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the gaming device is a slot machine.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the receiving step includes reading the player identifier from a player tracking card interfaced to the gaming device.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the receiving step includes reading the player identifier from a credit or debit card interfaced to the gaming device.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising: 
 magnetically writing the room access code on a player tracking card interfaced to the gaming device.    
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising: 
 transmitting the received player identifier to an electronic door lock mechanism.    
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising: 
 transmitting the room access code to an electronic door lock mechanism.    
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the gaming device is located at a hotel that includes a room associated with the room identifier.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the at least one of a reservation confirmation page and the hotel room preferences information is presented to the player via the gaming device.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising: 
 retrieving a credit card number for the player in response to receiving the player identifier.    
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising: 
 offering a benefit to the player in exchange for using the gaming device to check in.    
     
     
         47 . A method comprising: 
 receiving a player identifier at a gaming device; and    receiving at the gaming device an indication that a player identified by the player identifier wishes to check out of a hotel room.    
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising: 
 accessing a hotel reservation database on the basis of the received player identifier.    
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising: 
 accessing a hotel room database on the basis of the received player identifier.    
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the receiving step includes reading the player identifier from a player tracking card interfaced to the gaming device.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the gaming device is a slot machine.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising: 
 presenting to the player a billing statement in response to the received indication.    
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , further comprising: 
 receiving from the player an indication that the player approves the billing statement.    
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the indication that the player approves the billing statement is received via the gaming device.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the billing statement is presented to the player via the gaming device.  
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , further comprising: 
 printing the billing statement at the gaming device.    
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising: 
 offering a benefit to the player in exchange for using the gaming device to check out.    
     
     
         58 . A method comprising: 
 receiving at a gaming device an identifier that identifies a customer;    receiving via the gaming device a request by the customer for a hotel room;    associating a hotel room with the customer; and    transmitting to the customer an identifier that identifies the hotel room.    
     
     
         59 . A method comprising: 
 receiving at a gaming device an identifier that identifies a customer;    receiving at the gaming device a request by the customer to check in; and    transmitting a signal to a casino representative, the signal indicating an instruction to assist the customer at the gaming device with check-in.    
     
     
         60 . A method comprising: 
 receiving an identifier that identifies a player at a gaming device;    receiving a wager from the player at the gaming device;    assigning a hotel room to the player; and    transmitting to the player at the gaming device data that indicates the assignment of the hotel room.    
     
     
         61 . An apparatus for handling a hotel transaction, comprising: 
 a processor; and    a storage device coupled to the processor, the storage device storing a program for controlling the processor and the processor operative with the program to: 
 receive a player identifier via a gaming device;  
 assign a hotel room to a player identified by the player identifier; and  
 use the gaming device to communicate to the player information regarding assignment of the hotel room.  
   
     
     
         62 . An apparatus for handling a hotel transaction, comprising: 
 a processor; and    a storage device coupled to the processor, the storage device storing a program for controlling the processor and the processor operative with the program to: 
 receive a player identifier via a gaming device; and  
 access a hotel reservation database on the basis of the received player identifier.  
   
     
     
         63 . An apparatus for handling a hotel transaction, comprising: 
 a processor; and    a storage device coupled to the processor, the storage device storing a program for controlling the processor and the processor operative with the program to: 
 receive a player identifier via a gaming device;  
 associate the received player identifier with a room identifier;  
 present to a player identified by the player identifier at least one of a reservation confirmation page and hotel room preferences information; and  
 generate a room access code associated with the room identifier.  
   
     
     
         64 . An apparatus for handling a hotel transaction, comprising: 
 a processor; and    a storage device coupled to the processor, the storage device storing a program for controlling the processor and the processor operative with the program to: 
 receive a player identifier via a gaming device;  
 receive via the gaming device an indication that a player identified by the player identifier wishes to check out of a hotel room.  
   
     
     
         65 . A computer program product comprising: 
 a medium readable by a computer, the computer readable medium having: 
 program code adapted to receive a player identifier via a gaming device;  
 program code adapted to assign a hotel room to a player identified by the player identifier; and  
 program code adapted to use the gaming device to communicate to the player information regarding the assigning of the hotel room.  
   
     
     
         66 . A computer program product comprising: 
 a medium readable by a computer, the computer readable medium having: 
 program code adapted to receive a player identifier via a gaming device; and  
 program code adapted to access a hotel reservation database on the basis of the received player identifier.  
   
     
     
         67 . A computer program product comprising: 
 a medium readable by a computer, the computer readable medium having: 
 program code adapted to receive a player identifier via a gaming device;  
 program code adapted to associate the received player identifier with a room identifier;  
 program code adapted to present to a player identified by the player identifier at least one of a reservation confirmation page and hotel room preferences information; and  
 program code adapted to generate a room access code associated with the room identifier.  
   
     
     
         68 . A computer program product comprising: 
 a medium readable by a computer, the computer readable medium having: 
 program code adapted to receive a player identifier via a gaming device; and  
 program code adapted to receive via the gaming device an indication that a player identified by the player identifier wishes to check out of a hotel room.