# US 2018/0322731 A1 · Location Detection for Portable Wagering Game Machines > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0322731 A1 - Document ID: US20180322731A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/028,007 - Filed: 2018-07-05 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Earliest claimed: 2006-06-13 - Assignees: Bally Gaming, Inc. - Applicants: Bally Gaming, Inc. - Inventors: Mark B. GAGNER - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180322731A1 ## CPC - G07F 17/3218: {wherein at least part of the system is portable} - G07F 17/32: for games, toys, sports, or amusements - G07F 17/3223: {Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, leader-follower, wireless communication} - G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00}) ## Abstract Systems and methods determine a location for a portable wagering game machine. The system may include a plurality of wireless signal sources, including wireless access points or Bluetooth type devices. The wireless signal sources may be arranged in predetermined locations such as a grid. In addition, a database may provide location information for the plurality of wireless signal sources. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A passive location detection system comprising: a plurality of wireless signal sources arranged in predetermined physical locations in a gaming establishment, each of the plurality being configured to provide a signal that includes at least one of location information or identity information of the respective wireless signal source of the plurality; a location server including one or more processors configured, individually or in combination, to determine a location of a handheld wagering game machine in the gaming establishment, the handheld wagering game machine including a location detection component; and wherein two or more wireless signal sources of the plurality are configured to establish communication with the handheld wagering game machine at a particular location, wherein the handheld wagering game machine, via the location detection component, is configured to receive the respective signals from the two or more wireless signal sources and to transmit, via the location detection component, the location information or the identity information contained in the received signals to the location server, wherein the one or more processors determine the particular location of the handheld wagering game machine based, at least in part, on the location information or the identity information. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The passive location detection system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of wireless signal sources includes wireless access points. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The passive location detection system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of wireless signal sources includes transmitter beacons. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The passive location detection system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined physical locations correspond to a grid coordinate system, and wherein each signal includes coordinate information corresponding to the grid coordinate system. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The passive location detection system of claim 1, wherein location detection component is further configured to receive signals from a plurality of wireless signal source types, and to instantiate a signal monitor for each type of wireless signal source supported by the location detection component. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The passive location detection system of claim 1, wherein the location detection component is configured to analyze signal strengths of received signals and to include signal strength data with the location information or identity information transmitted to the location server for use in determining the particular location of the handheld wagering game machine. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The passive location detection system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of wireless signal sources are further configured to encode the provided signals according to a coding format and wherein instructions for decoding the encoded signals are known only to the location server. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The passive location detection system of claim 7, wherein a coding format for encoding the provided signals is changed frequently in a random or unpredictable manner. ### Claim 9 A method of determining a physical location of a handheld wagering game machine via a system including a location server and a plurality of wireless signal sources arranged in predetermined physical locations in a gaming establishment, the method comprising: providing, via each of the plurality of wireless signal sources, a signal that includes at least one of location information or identity information of the respective wireless signal source; receiving, by the handheld wagering game machine while at a particular location, signals from two or more wireless signal sources of the plurality; transmitting, from the handheld wagering game machine to the location server, the location information or identity information contained in the received signals; and determining, by one or more processors of the location server, the particular location of the handheld wagering game machine based, at least in part, on the location information or identity information. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the location information or identity information transmitted to the location server includes received signal strength, and wherein determining the particular location of the handheld wagering game machine includes using the received signal strength to interpolate the particular location. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising encoding the signals provided by the plurality of wireless signal sources according to a coding format, wherein instructions for decoding the encoded signal are known only to the location server. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the coding format for encoding the signals is changed frequently in a random or unpredictable manner. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the location detection component is configured to analyze arrival times of received signals and to include arrival time data with the location information or identity information transmitted to the location server for use in determining the particular location of the handheld wagering game machine. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the signals provided by each of the wireless signal sources further includes at least one of wagering game-related data, accounting data, or player tracking data. ### Claim 15 A passive location detection system comprising: a plurality of wireless signal sources arranged in predetermined physical locations in a gaming establishment, each of the plurality being configured to provide a signal encoded via a coding format, each encoded signal including at least one of location information or identity information of the respective wireless signal source of the plurality; a location server including one or more processors configured, individually or in combination, to determine a location of a handheld wagering game machine in the gaming establishment, the handheld wagering game machine including a location detection component; and wherein the handheld wagering game machine at a particular location is configured to establish communication with two or more wireless signal sources of the plurality and to receive the encoded signals, via the location detection component, from the two or more wireless signal sources and to transmit, via the location detection component, the received encoded signals to the location server, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to decode the signals and to determine the particular location of the handheld wagering game machine based, at least in part, on the location information or the identity information. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The passive location detection system of claim 15, wherein the coding format for encoding the signals is changed frequently in a random or unpredictable manner. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The passive location detection system of claim 15, wherein the predetermined physical locations correspond to a grid coordinate system, and wherein the each signal includes coordinate information corresponding to the grid coordinate system. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The passive location detection system of claim 15, wherein the predetermined physical locations of the plurality are stored in a database at the location server, and wherein the particular location is determined by reference to the database. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The passive location detection system of claim 15, wherein the location detection component is configured to analyze signal strengths of received signals and to include signal strength data with the location information or identity information transmitted to the location server for use in determining the particular location of the handheld wagering game machine. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The passive location detection system of claim 15, wherein the coded signals provided by each of the wireless signal sources further includes at least one of wagering game-related data, accounting data, or player tracking data.