Direction interfaces and services on a gaming machine

Abstract

A disclosed a player tracking unit provides a touch screen display with a touch screen controller integrated into the touch screen sensor assembly. Game service interfaces may be presented on the touch screen display that allow a user to obtain one or more game services. With the touch screen sensor, a user may navigate through the game service interface and supply information required to obtain a game service. Types of interfaces provided with the gaming machine include a directions interface for directing the player to a location of interest and providing status information regarding services at a location of interest.

1 . A gaming machine comprising: 
 a master gaming controller designed or configured to generate and to control a game of chance played on the gaming machine;    an input mechanism under control of the master gaming controller for receiving cash or an indicia of credit for making wagers on an outcome of the game of chance;    an output mechanism under control of the master gaming controller for outputting the cash or the indicia of credit wherein the indicia of credit is redeemable for cash;    a memory for storing software instructions for generating a directions interface wherein the directions interface is for directing a player to a location within a casino complex wherein at the location one or more activities or services of interest to the player are available; and    a first display for displaying a game service interface including the directions interface.    
   
   
       2 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more services or activities are selected from the group consisting of a gaming activity, a food service, an entertainment service, a hotel service, a concierge service and a shopping activity.  
   
   
       3 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , wherein directions interface is adapted to receive a search criteria that describes one or more features of the location and to provide directions to one or more locations that satisfy the search criteria.  
   
   
       4 . The gaming machine of  claim 3 , wherein, when multiple locations satisfy the search criterion, the interface is operable to display the locations that are closest to the player's current location.  
   
   
       5 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , wherein the directions interface is adapted to display status information for the activity or the service at the location.  
   
   
       6 . The gaming machine of  claim 5 , wherein the status information indicates an availability of the activity or the service.  
   
   
       7 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , further comprising: a printer for printing the directions on a media.  
   
   
       8 . The gaming machine of  claim 7 , wherein the media includes a coupon or a promotion for use with the activity or the service at the location.  
   
   
       9 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , further comprising: an output interface for downloading the directions to a portable device carried by the player.  
   
   
       10 . The gaming machine of  claim 9 , wherein the portable device is a cell phone or a hand-held computing device.  
   
   
       11 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , wherein the directions are provided as a map, textual information or audio information.  
   
   
       12 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , wherein the directions interface is adapted to display a list of the one or more services or activities.  
   
   
       13 . The gaming machine of  claim 12 , wherein the list is grouped according to one or more categories or themes.  
   
   
       14 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , wherein the software instructions for generating the directions interface are executed by the master gaming controller.  
   
   
       15 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , wherein the first display is further for displaying the game of chance.  
   
   
       16 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , further comprising a second display for displaying the game of chance.  
   
   
       17 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , further comprising a player tracking unit coupled to the gaming machine, said player tracking unit comprising a logic device separate from the master gaming controller, a network interface for communicating with a player tracking server and a communication interface for communicating with the master gaming controller.  
   
   
       18 . The gaming machine of  claim 17 , wherein the software instructions for generating the directions interface are executed by the logic device.  
   
   
       19 . The gaming machine of  claim 17 , wherein the first display is under control of the logic device.  
   
   
       20 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , further comprising a device interface for communicating with a hand-held computing device comprising a hand-held display, a logic device separate from the master gaming controller and one or more hand-held input mechanisms.  
   
   
       21 . The gaming machine of  claim 20 , wherein the hand-held computing device is adapted for one or more of controlling or providing input to the game service interface generated on the first display.  
   
   
       22 . The gaming machine of  claim 20 , wherein the logic device executes software instructions for generating and displaying the directions interface on the hand-held display.  
   
   
       23 . The gaming machine of  claim 20 , wherein the logic device executes software instructions for generating and displaying the directions interface on the first display.  
   
   
       24 . The gaming machine of  claim 20 , wherein the game service interface is displayed on the hand-held display.  
   
   
       25 . The gaming machine of  claim 20 , wherein the device interface is a wired or wireless interface.  
   
   
       26 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , further comprising an output port on an outside surface of the gaming machine for providing one of a communication interface, a power interface or combinations thereof to a portable device.  
   
   
       27 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , wherein the game of chance is selected from the group consisting of video slot games, mechanical slot games, video black jack games, video poker games, video keno games, video pachinko games, video card games, video games of chance, bingo games, lottery games, dice games, keno games and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       28 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , further comprising: a touch screen coupled to the first display.  
   
   
       29 . A method of providing a game of chance on a gaming machine, the method comprising: 
 generating a directions interface wherein the directions interface is for directing a player to a location within a casino complex wherein at the location one or more activities or services of interest to the player are available;    receiving a wager on the game of chance;    determining an outcome for the game of chance; and    displaying the outcome for the game of chance.    
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the one or more services or activities are selected from the group consisting of a gaming activity, a food service, an entertainment service, a hotel service, a concierge service and a shopping activity.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising receiving a search criteria that describes one or more features of the location and providing directions to one or more locations that satisfy the search criteria.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein, when multiple locations satisfy the search criteria, displaying the locations that are closest to the player's current location.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 29 , displaying status information for the activity or the service provided at the location.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the status information indicates an availability of the activity or the service.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising: providing a printer and printing the directions on a media.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the media includes a coupon or a promotion for use with the activity or the service at the location.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising: providing an output interface and downloading the directions to a portable device carried by the player via the output interface.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the portable device is a cell phone or a hand-held computing device.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising outputting the directions as a map, textual information, audio information or combinations thereof on the gaming machine.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising displaying a list of the one or more services or activities.  
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the list is grouped according to one or more categories or themes.  
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising receiving a selection from the list.