Combined biometric/smart-device identification system and method for a gaming environment

Abstract

A gaming machine system and associated method are provided. Initially, biometric information, and smart device and/or personal identifier information are received from a gaming machine user. Such received biometric information, and smart device and/or personal identifier information are then reconciled. Use of the gaming machine and/or a gaming-related transaction is then conditionally allowed based on the reconciliation.

1 . An identification method for a gaming system, comprising: 
 receiving biometric information from a gaming machine user;    receiving smart device information from the gaming machine user;    reconciling the received biometric information and the smart device information; and    conditionally allowing use of the gaming machine based on the reconciliation.    
   
   
       2 . The identification method of  claim 1 , wherein the biometric information includes information relating to a biological aspect of the gaming machine user.  
   
   
       3 . The identification method of  claim 1 , wherein the biometric information includes a fingerprint of the gaming machine user.  
   
   
       4 . The identification method of  claim 1 , wherein the smart device information allows identification of the gaming machine user utilizing a device.  
   
   
       5 . The identification method of  claim 4 , wherein the device includes an RFID device.  
   
   
       6 . The identification method of  claim 1 , wherein the smart device information includes biometric information associated with the gaming machine user.  
   
   
       7 . The identification method of  claim 1 , wherein reconciling the received biometric information and the smart device information further comprises comparing the received biometric information and the smart device information.  
   
   
       8 . The identification method of  claim 1 , wherein reconciling the received biometric information and the smart device information includes determining whether the received biometric information and the smart device information identify the same gaming machine user.  
   
   
       9 . The identification method of  claim 1 , wherein reconciling the received biometric information and the smart device information includes determining whether the received biometric information and the smart device information identify the same gaming machine group of users.  
   
   
       10 . The identification method of  claim 1 , wherein reconciling the received biometric information and the smart device information further comprises identifying a stored biometric identifier in a local database utilizing the smart device information and comparing the stored biometric identifier to the received biometric information.  
   
   
       11 . The identification method of  claim 1 , wherein use of the gaming machine is allowed if it is determined that the received biometric information and the smart device information match.  
   
   
       12 . An identification system, comprising: 
 a game verification unit associated with a gaming machine, the game verification unit capable of receiving device information from a user of the gaming machine via a smart device;    wherein the received device information is reconciled with biometric information received from the gaming machine user, and use of the gaming machine is conditionally allowed based on the reconciliation.    
   
   
       13 . An identification method for a gaming system, comprising: 
 receiving biometric information from a gaming machine user;    receiving smart device information from the gaming machine user;    reconciling the received biometric information and the smart device information; and    conditionally allowing a gaming transaction based on the reconciliation.    
   
   
       14 . An identification method for a gaming system, comprising: 
 receiving biometric information from a gaming machine user;    receiving personal identifier information from the gaming machine user;    reconciling the received biometric information and the personal identifier information; and    conditionally allowing use of the gaming machine based on the reconciliation.    
   
   
       15 . The identification method of  claim 14 , wherein the biometric information includes information relating to a biological aspect of the gaming machine user.  
   
   
       16 . The identification method of  claim 14 , wherein the biometric information includes a fingerprint of the gaming machine user.  
   
   
       17 . The identification method of  claim 14 , wherein the personal identifier information includes a personal identification number (PIN).  
   
   
       18 . The identification method of  claim 14 , wherein reconciling the received biometric information and the personal identifier information includes determining whether the received biometric information and the personal identifier information identify the same gaming machine user.  
   
   
       19 . The identification method of  claim 14 , wherein reconciling the received biometric information and the personal identifier information includes determining whether the received biometric information and the personal identifier information identify the same gaming machine group of users.  
   
   
       20 . An identification method for a gaming system, comprising: 
 receiving biometric information from a gaming machine user;    receiving personal identifier information from the gaming machine user;    reconciling the received biometric information and the personal identifier information; and    conditionally allowing a gaming transaction based on the reconciliation.