Virtualized magnetic player card

Abstract

A method of implementing a player tracking system in a gaming network includes receiving a virtual player tracking card identifier and a virtual player tracking card password, authenticating the identifier and the password; receiving a virtual player tracking card PIN, identifying a gaming machine that transmitted the virtual player tracking card PIN, and crediting an account associated with the virtual player tracking card PIN based on game play on the gaming machine.

The invention is claimed as follows: 
     
         1 . A gaming system comprising:
 a display device;   a processor; and   a memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 responsive to receiving, from a mobile device, data associated with a virtual player tracking card, cause a bezel of a player tracking unit to indicate receipt of a physical player tracking card when no physical player tracking card is inserted in a card reader associated with the player tracking unit, and 
 thereafter, for a wagered on play of a game tracked in association with the virtual player tracking card:
 determine a game outcome, 
 cause the display device to display the determined game outcome, 
 determine any award associated with the determined game outcome, and 
 cause the display device to display any determined award. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the data is received in association with at least one input received via a service window displayed by the display device. 
     
     
         3 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein when executed by the processor, responsive to a determination of a card out event, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to cause the bezel of the player tracking unit to cease indicating receipt of any physical player tracking card. 
     
     
         4 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the received data comprises at least one of: a virtual player tracking card identifier and a virtual player tracking card password. 
     
     
         5 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the data is received in association with an optical machine readable code displayed by a display device of the mobile device. 
     
     
         6 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , which comprises an acceptor, wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to, responsive to a physical item being received via the acceptor, establish a credit balance based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item. 
     
     
         7 . A player tracking unit comprising:
 a display device;   a card reader;   a bezel;   a processor; and   a memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to responsive to receiving, from a mobile device, data associated with a virtual player tracking card, cause the bezel to indicate receipt of a physical player tracking card when no physical player tracking card is inserted in the card reader.   
     
     
         8 . The player tracking unit of  claim 7 , wherein the data is received in association with at least one input received via a service window displayed by the display device. 
     
     
         9 . The player tracking unit of  claim 7 , wherein when executed by the processor, responsive to a determination of a card out event, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to cause the bezel to cease indicating receipt of any physical player tracking card. 
     
     
         10 . The player tracking unit of  claim 7 , wherein the received data comprises at least one of: a virtual player tracking card identifier and a virtual player tracking card password. 
     
     
         11 . The player tracking unit of  claim 7 , wherein the data is received in association with an optical machine readable code displayed by a display device of the mobile device. 
     
     
         12 . A gaming system comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 responsive to receiving, from a mobile device, data associated with a virtual player tracking card, cause a bezel of a player tracking unit to indicate receipt of a physical player tracking card when no physical player tracking card is inserted in a card reader associated with the player tracking unit, and 
 thereafter, for a wagered on play of a game tracked in association with the virtual player tracking card:
 determine a game outcome, 
 cause a display, via a display device, of the determined game outcome, 
 determine any award associated with the determined game outcome, and 
 cause a display, via the display device, of any determined award. 
 
   
     
     
         13 . The gaming system of  claim 12 , wherein the data is received in association with at least one input received via a service window displayed by the display device. 
     
     
         14 . The gaming system of  claim 12 , wherein when executed by the processor, responsive to a determination of a card out event, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to cause the bezel of the player tracking unit to cease indicating receipt of any physical player tracking card. 
     
     
         15 . The gaming system of  claim 12 , wherein the received data comprises at least one of: a virtual player tracking card identifier and a virtual player tracking card password. 
     
     
         16 . The gaming system of  claim 12 , wherein the data is received in association with an optical machine readable code displayed by a display device of the mobile device. 
     
     
         17 . The gaming system of  claim 12 , wherein a credit balance is increasable based on any determined award, said credit balance being increasable via an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and said credit balance being decreasable responsive to a cashout input. 
     
     
         18 . A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:
 responsive to receiving, from a mobile device, data associated with a virtual player tracking card, causing a bezel of a player tracking unit to indicate receipt of a physical player tracking card when no physical player tracking card is inserted in a card reader associated with the player tracking unit, and   thereafter, for a wagered on play of a game tracked in association with the virtual player tracking card:
 determining, by a processor, a game outcome, 
 causing a display, via a display device, of the determined game outcome, 
 determining, by the processor, any award associated with the determined game outcome, and 
 causing a display, via the display device, of any determined award. 
   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the data is received in association with at least one input received via a service window displayed by the display device. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising, responsive to a determination of a card out event, causing the bezel of the player tracking unit to cease indicating receipt of any physical player tracking card. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the received data comprises at least one of: a virtual player tracking card identifier and a virtual player tracking card password. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the data is received in association with an optical machine readable code displayed by a display device of the mobile device. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein a credit balance is increasable based on any determined award, said credit balance being increasable via an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and said credit balance being decreasable responsive to a cashout input.