Gaming machines players' communications

摘要

Communication networks are established involving gaming machines, preferably slot machines. Each gaming machine has a card reader for obtaining player identity-related information using player identification cards and also has a number of communication related devices including a video screen. In forming a network, identity-related information from two or more player identification cards are accessed using the card reader of one of the machines. A menu and a number of screens are displayable using the machine's video screen to facilitate the establishment of communication networks, as well as control elements being displayed for use in controlling communications using the communication-related devices.

主权项

1. A system for use in communicating using a first communications network, involving gaming machines, comprising: a plurality of gaming machines including at least first and second gaming machines, each of said plurality of gaming machines including: a card reader, a camera, a video screen, a microphone, at least one audio speaker and a control; and a plurality of cards including first and second cards for storing identity-related information, said first card being associated with a first player and said second card being associated with a second player and in which said first card has identity-related information associated with the first player and does not have identity related information associated with the second player, and in which said second card has identity-related information associated with the second player and does not have identity related information associated with the first player; wherein said card reader of said first gaming machine and said control of said first gaming machine are used to obtain said identity-related information associated with the first player when said first card is positioned in said card reader of said first gaming machine, with an initial first player display being initially displayed using said video screen of said first gaming machine when said card reader and said control of said first gaming machine are used to obtain said identity-related information associated with the first player and in which said first gaming machine is unable to be used to communicate while said first card is positioned therein, wherein said control of said first gaming machine is used in obtaining said identity-related information associated with the second player after said identity-related information associated with the first player is obtained, after said initial first player display, and after removal of said first card from said card reader of said first gaming machine, with an initial second player display being initially displayed using said video screen of said first gaming machine when said control of said first gaming machine is used in obtaining said identity-related information associated with the second player, said initial second player display being different than said initial first player display, and wherein a first communications network list is generated and stored when said control of said first gaming machine is used in obtaining said identity-related information associated with the second player in response to said initial second player display, with said first communications network list being related to the second player being part of said first communications network with the first player; and wherein, after said initial first player display is displayed, an initial second player join display is initially displayed using a video screen of said second gaming machine when said second card is held in said card reader of said second gaming machine, said initial second player join display being different than each of said initial first player display and said initial second player display and in which at least portions of said stored first communications network list is displayed, using at least one of: (i) said video screen of said first gaming machine in response to said first card being re-inserted in said card reader of said first gaming machine and (ii) said video screen of said second gaming machine in response to said second card being inserted in said card reader of said second gaming, for use in initially establishing said first communications network.