WO2006124516A1 - Wide area table gaming monitor and control system - Google Patents
Wide area table gaming monitor and control system Download PDFInfo
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- WO2006124516A1 WO2006124516A1 PCT/US2006/018250 US2006018250W WO2006124516A1 WO 2006124516 A1 WO2006124516 A1 WO 2006124516A1 US 2006018250 W US2006018250 W US 2006018250W WO 2006124516 A1 WO2006124516 A1 WO 2006124516A1
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- tracking
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Classifications
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- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
- G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
- G07F17/32—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for games, toys, sports, or amusements
- G07F17/3244—Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
- G07F17/3255—Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
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- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
- G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
- G07F17/32—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for games, toys, sports, or amusements
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- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
- G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
- G07F17/32—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for games, toys, sports, or amusements
- G07F17/3225—Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
- G07F17/3232—Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users wherein the operator is informed
- G07F17/3237—Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users wherein the operator is informed about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players
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- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
- G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
- G07F17/32—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for games, toys, sports, or amusements
- G07F17/3225—Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
- G07F17/3232—Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users wherein the operator is informed
- G07F17/3237—Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users wherein the operator is informed about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players
- G07F17/3239—Tracking of individual players
Definitions
- the present invention relates generally to casino gaming, and more specifically to systems and methods for operating and managing table games and other activities on the floor of a casino or other gaming establishment.
- Casinos and other forms of gaming comprise a growing multi-billion dollar industry that has experienced many changes and innovations in recent years. While gaming machines have become a staple for many casinos and gaming establishments, table games remain an enormous popular form of gaming and a substantial source of revenue for gaming operators. Such table games include poker, blackjack, craps, roulette and other traditional standbys, as well as other more recently introduced games such as pai-gow, Carribean Stud, Spanish 21, and Let It Ride, among others. Under a typical gaming event at a table game, a player places a wager on a game, whereupon a winning may be paid to the player depending on the outcome of the game.
- a wager may involve the use of cash or one or more chips, markers or the like, as well as various forms of gestures or oral claims.
- the game itself may involve the use of, for example, one or more cards, dice, wheels, balls, tokens or the like, with the rules of the game and any payouts or pay tables being established prior to game play.
- possible winnings may be paid in cash, credit, one or more chips, markers, or prizes, or by other forms of payouts, as desired.
- the provided system involves the use of at least a plurality of electronic gaming activity tracking units, a centralized computer server, and a communication link or path between each of the electronic gaming activity tracking units and the centralized computer server.
- Each of the electronic gaming activity tracking units can be adapted to facilitate and forward data regarding the tracking of player information, player activities, gaming table information, or a combination thereof at one or more gaming tables.
- the centralized computer server can be located remotely from at least one electronic gaming activity tracking unit, and can be adapted to receive and process the data forwarded from a plurality of the various electronic gaming activity tracking units.
- gaming tables are of the type used to host table games involving the acceptance of monetary wagers and granting of monetary awards.
- table games can include a live table game including at least one live player and at least one live employee of the gaming establishment hosting the live table game.
- further detailed embodiments can include one or more cameras adapted to capture visual information from the subject live gaming tables. Each such camera can also be adapted to forward visual data regarding this captured visual information to the centralized computer server. A communication link or path between each such cameras and the centralized computer server can also be provided, as appropriate. Further detailed embodiments might also include one or more RFID reading devices adapted to capture gaming chip RFID data from the subject live gaming tables. Each such RFID reading device can also similarly be adapted to forward some or all of the captured gaming chip RFID data to the centralized computer server. A communication link or path between each such RFID reading device and the centralized computer server can also be provided, as appropriate. Such RFID reading devices might be included in systems not having cameras, or could be in addition to those having one or more cameras as noted above.
- At least one centralized database in communication with the centralized computer server can be provided.
- a centralized database can be adapted to store and provide on demand any forwarded tracking data, as well as any forwarded visual or RFID data, if applicable.
- Such a centralized database can also contain files on a variety of different players, a variety of different gaming tables, or any combination thereof, as tracked by the various provided electronic gaming activity tracking units.
- a first electronic gaming activity tracking unit can be located at a first gaming establishment, while a second electronic gaming activity tracking unit can be located at a second gaming establishment separate from the first gaming establishment.
- the data collected by a first unit at a first gaming establishment can be made available in real time to a user at a second unit at a second separate gaming establishment. Such an availability of data can be facilitated via transmission from or through the centralized computer server.
- such unit can provide a variety of items, including a table game calculator adapted to accept input regarding the play of a game and present a game outcome according to the rules of that game.
- Another item included on various electronic gaming activity tracking units can involve a basic user interface having a plurality of features, such as one or more of those involving real-time data collection, real-time graphical floor representation, real-time cage transaction requests, real-time comp requests, player profiling, player ratings editing, employee data entry, and system interfacing, among others.
- modules that can be included in one or more of the provided electronic gaming activity tracking units can include those involving staff alerts, cage communications, comp requests, host notifications, marker tracldng, headcount tracking, chip tracking, bet tracking, player tracking and activity surveillance, among others.
- Pertinent process steps can include receiving at a first automated electronic unit a first set of tracking data, receiving at a second automated electronic unit a second set of tracking data, forwarding both sets of tracking data electronically to a central computer server, analyzing the first set of tracking data and the second set of tracking data with respect to each other, and displaying information resulting from such an analysis.
- Such displays can take place at one or more displays associated with the first automated electronic unit, the second automated electronic unit, the central computer server, a separate terminal at a remote location, or any combination thereof, as desired.
- the first and second sets of tracking data can include data regarding player information, player activities, gaming table information, or a combination thereof, with the first set of data coming from a first live table game at a first gaming establishment and the second set of data coming from a second live table game at a second gaming establishment.
- Additional process steps can include storing the various sets of tracking data at a central database in communication with said central computer server, producing a set of modified data derived from one or more of the original sets of tracking data, storing this set of modified data at the central database, capturing with a camera one or more visual images of a player, a table activity or a combination thereof at a live table game, forwarding such visual images electronically from the camera to the central computer server, and associating one of these visual images with at least a portion of a set of tracking data associated with the respective table corresponding to the images.
- This associating step can include associating a picture of a player with tracked data regarding table game activity of that player.
- Still further process steps can include capturing with an RFID reading device table game chip RFID data of a player, a table activity or a combination thereof at a live table game, forwarding such RFID data electronically to the central computer server, and associating at least a portion of this RFID data with at least a portion of a set of tracking data associated with the respective table corresponding to the RFED data.
- FIG. IA illustrates in front plan view an exemplary electronic gaming activity tracking unit within a table game setting.
- FIG. IB illustrates in block diagram format an exemplary software structure for an electronic gaming activity tracking unit.
- FIG. 2 illustrates in block diagram format an exemplary system having various electronic gaming activity tracking units and associated surveillance cameras and RFID reading devices.
- FIG. 3 illustrates in block diagram format an exemplary database containing player files and other relevant tracked data.
- FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate in block diagram format two different ways of implementing the foregoing electronic gaming activity tracking units and systems over a WAN, according to various embodiments of the present invention.
- FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart of an exemplary method of monitoring and controlling table games across a WAN according to one embodiment of the present invention.
- the present invention relates to systems and methods for monitoring and controlling players and activities across a wide area network of live table games across a plurality of casinos or other gaming establishments, with such live table games possibly including, for example, blackjack, craps, pai-gow, baccarat, Carribean Stud, Spanish 21, Let It Ride and the like.
- live table games possibly including, for example, blackjack, craps, pai-gow, baccarat, Carribean Stud, Spanish 21, Let It Ride and the like.
- any other similar gaming table or area that is used to host table or other live games involving the acceptance of wagers involving money or monetary equivalents and the granting of awards involving money or monetary equivalents can also be included.
- Such monitor and control systems and methods are desirable for a wide variety of reasons, including the ability to provide centralized databases and servers capable of processing, analyzing and storing input from numerous gaming tables across numerous disparate gaming properties.
- Such databases and servers can also be adapted to provide real-time information and analysis across any and all associated gaming properties.
- At least one, and preferably all, of the provided electronic gaming activity tracking units can be adapted to facilitate the tracking and display of various aspects of player information, player activities, gaming table information, and any combination thereof at the various associated live gaming tables or areas.
- each of the electronic gaming activity tracking units can also be adapted to forward and receive tracking data regarding any and all tracked items and other information, including items and information tracked at other system locations.
- Such electronic gaming activity tracking units can include, for example, any of the various models or versions of the IGT Table TouchTM system type units, although any other similarly suitable electronic automated tracking units can also be used, as will be readily appreciated.
- Such electronic gaming activity tracking units can use a touch screen or other convenient input apparatus to enter and edit player rating information, as well as to issue comp requests to a player tracking or other host system, hi some embodiments such units can display a graphical representation of an associated casino floor layout, which can include, for example, color-coded tables that show what is happening at a glance. Such displays can also include opener, closer, fill, and credit information by table as well as drop, need, and hold information either by table, pit, or the entire floor, as well as various other display items, as desired.
- Such electronic tracking units can also allow a gaming operator to easily locate VIP and other notable players, and also provide access to detailed player informational items such as, for example, player history, current trip information, total buy-in amount, theoretical win, stop codes, CTR status, player rank, comments, skill level and typical betting ranges, among others.
- electronic gaming activity tracking units can also be adapted to display the name of the pit boss or supervisor for each section or floor area, indicate which games they are watching, and provides the names of players that they have rated.
- Customized "game rules" menus and screens to display rales for various games as well as in-house game policies can also be provided or user created, hi addition, various game calculators customized to one or more games, as desired, can be used to compute various rule based plays, game outcomes and game payouts, as applicable, and also to customize several different types of reports, as noted in greater detail below, hi one particular embodiment, a suitable electronic gaming activity tracking unit can be implemented using a Microsoft® Windows NT® 4.0 operating system, Microsoft® Windows® 2000 Professional TCP/IP , an SQL Server 2000® database, various customized APIs or other interfaces presently available to slot systems and players club systems, and one or more APIs or other open interfaces to existing cage and credit systems, such as, for example PC, IBM® AS/400®, Tandem®, Stratus®, IBM® RS/6000®, and the like. In addition, pertinent portions of a suitable electronic gaming activity tracking unit can be adapted for wireless communications, such as over one or more radio frequency channels on a wireless network.
- Such other system or network components can include cameras adapted to record visual information and/or RFID reading devices adapted to record gaming chip RFID data at or associated with the subject gaming activities.
- bill validators and/or other monetary or credit input or tracking devices may be included, with such bill validators and/or other related devices being adapted to facilitate recordings of soft drop data, preferably in combination with any gaming chip RFID and/or camera data. Data from any and all of such cameras, RFID reading devices and/or bill validators can be collected at the table and then electronically communicated to a central server.
- Electronic gaming activity tracking unit 10 preferably includes at a minimum at least one form of input and one form of output, such as a monitor 11 including a touch screen 12 and a base or other support item 13.
- a monitor 11 including a touch screen 12 and a base or other support item 13.
- various other input and output items such as a mouse, keyboard, RF transceiver, and/or speakers can also be used, among others.
- Touch screen 12 or other pertinent display can contain a number of selectable items, menus, submenus and the like, as well as a wide variety of logos and other background materials, as will be readily appreciated.
- Each tracking unit 10 can also comprise one or more local processing units, or, alternatively, can simple exist as a "dumb" input-output only terminal that is associated with processing units located elsewhere. As noted above, while tracking unit 10 can be associated with a single gaming table or event, each tracking unit preferably supports a plurality of gaming tables 15. Again, the exact number of gaming tables or areas per tracking unit can be altered as desired, although a suitable number is thought to be six.
- FIG. IB illustrates in block diagram format an exemplary software structure for a typical electronic gaming activity tracking unit.
- the tracking unit can have a basic interface component 20 that is adapted to interact with one or more users, such as through the touch screen 12 of tracking unit 10 above.
- a typical tracking unit can have a number of basic components, which can include, for example, a Casino Reports component 21, a Pit Section component 22, a Ratings Editor component 23 and a Main Floor component 24, among others.
- basic components can include, for example, a Casino Reports component 21, a Pit Section component 22, a Ratings Editor component 23 and a Main Floor component 24, among others.
- an Interface to System Server component 25 is adapted to permit the single tracking unit to be a part of an overall tracking system, such as a wide area table gaming monitor and control system, hi some "wide area" embodiments, a distributed computing architecture is provided. Starting at each gaming table, raw data can be collected, combined and stored at a local table controller and/or storage device.
- Each such device can also communicate its data to a central location within the casino, gaming establishment, or other designated local area network (“LAN”), as appropriate, which central location collects and combines the data from each tracked gaming table.
- This central location within the casino or LAN then communicates this data to a centralized WAN base computer or server, which combines and stores data that is collected from multiple casinos, gaming properties and/or other individual LANs into a single WAN based database or table game data repository.
- LAN local area network
- a basic tracking unit component for "Casino Reports" or other similar reporting component 21 various displays and interactive modules can be provided for a variety of reporting items. Such items can include, for example, recorded player activity, shift and table analysis, and logged table accounting transactions, among others. Such displays or reports can be provided in the form of viewable and exportable HTML files, as well as through printable copies. Other suitable report formats may also be used, as will be readily appreciated.
- Examples of specific reports that can be provided include: Daily Player Reports; Player Inquiry (Detailed) Reports; Player Inquiry (Summary) Reports; Shift Analysis Reports; Table Analysis Reports; Rated Drop and Win Reports; Employee Reports; Ratings Reports; Exceptions Reports; and Credits (and Fills) Reports, among others.
- Daily Player Reports Player Inquiry (Detailed) Reports
- Player Inquiry Player Inquiry (Summary) Reports
- Shift Analysis Reports Table Analysis Reports; Rated Drop and Win Reports
- Employee Reports; Ratings Reports; Exceptions Reports; and Credits (and Fills) Reports among others.
- the exact internal categories, items, terminologies and display arrangements can vary across casinos and systems, as desired, and it is contemplated that these and/or any other suitable reports be included in such a Casino Reports or other reporting component of a tracking unit.
- a "Pit Section” or other similar basic tracking unit component 22 is the primary interface that pit bosses and other floor supervisors use to enter player ratings and table inventory data, such that casino managers or other authorized persons can then view such information.
- Such a component is preferably made available at many or all tracking units across the floor of the casino or other gaming establishment.
- the Pit Section screen is preferably designed such that the time that such bosses supervisors spend performing administrative tasks is reduced, thus enabling them to spend more time with other productive endeavors, such as with customers, protecting games, and training dealers.
- An increase in the accuracy of rating players is one positive result of such a redirection of time and resources.
- potential rating input errors are further reduced through the ability of each tracking unit to upload data to a host system automatically at various intervals, such as a ratings close out or session end is selected.
- the Pit Section tracking unit component 22 can be adapted to perform a number of tasks associated with actual player and transaction tracking and accounting at various gaming tables.
- this component preferably tracks
- the Pit Section component can also be adapted to enable real-time requests for cage transactions to a casino host system, facilitate real-time comp requests via the Cage Communication Module and allow entry of headcount data on a timed or interval basis, among other functions.
- Specific items or functions that can be included within a Pit Section component can be, for example, Open or close a table; View the current rack, need figures, and inventory of a table; Edit an opening, closing, fill, or credit transaction; Issue fill or credit requests and view denomination breakdowns; Change a rack count of a table; Change a minimum bet of a table; Redeem and complete markers; Change shifts; Track dealers; View system messages; Enter or edit player rating information; Cancel, close, or edit player ratings; Designate the table position of a player (e.g., seat 1, table 4); Issue a comp request; Access detailed player information; Enter or edit grind, out, and rim play amounts; "Quick walk" a player or walk a player with "zero” or “chips”; and Access a notepad, game calculators, and the game rules screen, among others.
- various player items, transactions and ratings can also be tracked and entered, including items such as player cash-in, chips-in, markers, average bet, win/loss, comments, and the like
- Various sub-components or modules may be part of Pit Section component 22, such as those for "RFID Chip Tracking” 30, "Calculators” 31 and "Headcount” 32, among other possibilities.
- a specialized radio frequency identification (“RFID”) Chip Tracking sub-component 30 can be used in conjunction with RFID based gaming chips, such as those that may be implemented for use on gaming tables in particular. Where such subject tables are adapted for use with RFID embedded gaming chips, one or more RFID reading devices placed at or about the gaming table can be adapted to read various gaming chip transactions and movements. Details of creating and implementing RFID based gaming chips and RFE) reading devices at gaming tables can be found at, for example, U.S. Patent Nos.
- RFID Chip Tracking subcomponent 30 can be such a specific implementation, a similar independent implementation, or an interface to such an independent table game chip tracking technology. Regardless of the specific implementation, RFID Chip Tracking subcomponent 30 is preferably adapted to forward RFID gaming chip data to one or more locations, such as a central LAN based server and/or database, as well as a centralized WAN based server and/or database or data repository.
- RFID Chip Tracking sub-component 30 can be adapted to work in conjunction with one or more bill acceptors and/or other suitable cash or credit tracking devices at the subject gaming tables or other tracked gaming activity locations.
- cash or other suitable credit instruments can be input to a bill acceptor or other suitable device as part of a regular cash in and/or cash drop procedure at a gaming table or other suitable venue, whereupon a corresponding level of gaming chips are then provided to the player providing the cash or credit.
- An automated check can then be performed between the readings made of the bill acceptor or other suitable credit accepting drop device and the RFID reading devices to ensure that the proper level of gaming chips have been provided to the player. For example, where a player "buys in" at a tracked gaming table by providing a $100 bill, twenty $5 RFID embedded gaming chips might be provided to the player, such as in a manual transaction by the dealer.
- a bill acceptor at the table can register and "drop" the $100 bill, and then provide this information to the RFID Chip Tracking sub-component 30.
- one or more RFH) reading devices at the table can detect that twenty $5 RFID embedded gaming chips have been provided to the player, at which time this information can be correlated with the $100 cash drop information, hi the event that 19 or 21 gaming chips have been inadvertently provided to the player, an alert can be provided.
- a chip calculator can permit entry of chip and denomination, type of bet, result of game and proper payout for select table games.
- Specific calculators designed to function with particular table games can also be used.
- a Roulette Calculator can provide exact definitions, as well as instant odds and payback on all possible placements of chips (i.e. wagers) during game play.
- Such calculators can be particularly useful where house rules have been put in place to dictate house plays for certain games.
- a Pai-Gow Tiles Calculator can automatically set a house or dealer hand for any combination of four tiles, per the rules of the casino or gaming establishment hosting the game.
- a similar Pai-Gow Poker Calculator can similarly be used for setting a house or dealer hand for any combination of seven cards.
- Such calculators can be particularly useful for new or inexperienced dealers, as well as to settle disputes in some cases, if desired.
- a separate "Headcount” or game utilization sub-component 32 can be used to track table usage, such that better decisions can be made regarding staffing, table designations, minimum bet amounts and other floor games considerations.
- Such a sub-component or module can be adapted to automatically record, compare, and relay customer density and table game information, such as table minimums, game types and areas, time of day and table shifts, among other tracked details.
- Presentations can be made in the form of raw data, as well as in the form of graphical charts and detailed or summary reports to key personnel, in order to assist with analysis of table games operation and optimize overall performance over one or a plurality of casinos.
- a "Ratings Editor” or other similar basic tracking unit component 23 can be adapted to permit various manipulations and communications regarding stored player ratings for tracked players.
- the Ratings Editor component preferably allows a user to, for example: Add, edit, or delete a rating; Print or export a rating record; and Merge two player accounts, among other items.
- a "Player Profiling" sub-component or module 33 can be included as a part of the Ratings Editor 23.
- Such a Player Profiling module is preferably adapted to assist in estimating a true win/loss value for a given patron visit or trip by allowing specialized ratings to track specific chip movements.
- Various values, parameters and factors can be customized into a given system for calculating such a win/loss value, with such items varying by casino or gaming establishment, as will be appreciated.
- a "Main Floor” basic tracking unit component 24 can be provided to present a variety of items and data in real time.
- this component can be adapted to provide a real time graphical representation of items and data at a casino floor or across multiple property floors.
- This particular basic tracking unit component preferably provides access to various types of user profiles, such as, for example, Manager 34, Editor 35, Host 36 and Surveillance 37 types of profiles.
- the Main Floor component can also be adapted to configure table games density in conjunction with a "Headcount" 32 or other game utilization type module, as described below.
- the Main Floor sub-component Manager Login 34 can be adapted to allow an authorized user to, for example: Identify tables; View detailed pit information; View detailed table information; Change shifts; Search the floor for a table or a player (such as by name or customer number); Set the screen to automatically refresh at a user-defined time interval; Locate a patron record and view corresponding in-house activity, profile rating, player, credit, trip, and history information; Merge two player accounts; View the names of all in-house players currently being rated; View all ratings that have been closed for the current business day by pit; View ratings that require supervisor authorization (based on user- determined preset criteria) before they can be closed; Send a message to all pits; Search for, add, modify, or delete dealer personnel records; View all fills and credits for the current business day as well as their denomination breakdown; and View the names of all in-house players who meet or exceed a user-specified preferred theoretical value, among other activities and functions.
- the Main Floor sub-component Editor Login 35 can be adapted to allow an operator to, for example: Configure the graphical display by adding, copying, pasting, rotating, flipping, or deleting tables; Turn the graphical display grid on or off; Create passwords; Configure what type of action the system takes after a user-defined number of failed login attempts; Create, edit, or delete system user accounts and user security groups; Add, edit, or delete comp request and terminal configurations; Add, edit, disable, or delete chip set configurations and assign chip sets to tables; Add, edit, disable, or delete denomination, rating type, and game configurations; Enable terminal mode to commandeer another system terminal in case of malfunction; and Configure general system, rating, and interface (communication) options, among other items.
- the Main Floor sub-component Host Login 36 can be adapted to allow an operator certain restricted privileges, such as to, for example, set the player parameters that trigger the display of hosted and nonhosted players. Such player parameters can involve, for example, average bet, win/loss, buy-in, time played, and the like.
- the Host Login can be the component or sub-component associated with a specific "Employees" module 38.
- Such an Employees module can be adapted to allow various electronic gaming activity tracking unit users and their associated information to be easily added, enabled, disabled, or edited via the casino host system.
- the Main Floor sub-component Surveillance Login 37 can be adapted to allow an operator to capture still images and/or video clips from the streaming video outputs of surveillance cameras, particularly those cameras that are able to focus on gaming tables associated with electronic gaming table activity tracking units. Cameras that are associated with the system can capture still and/or video images of various tracked players, as well as associated RFID gaming chip transactions, and the captured pictures and/or clips then be combined with other player profile data, such as that which is recorded in player files, to create a permanent surveillance and/or RFED gaming chip transaction record.
- such recorded data can also include tracked player information, such as average player cash-in, chips-in, markers, average bet, win/loss, comments, and the like.
- the surveillance sub-component or module can be configured for various alerts for games and floor events, as desired.
- the various configured alerts and displays can include surveillance sensitive information over one or a plurality of casino properties, such as table transactions, refused names, celebrities, VIPs and high action patrons, among others.
- This sub-component can be adapted to track and forward such information to casino personnel.
- Casino staff may display all active players and attach still photos to the tracking account or each player to be viewed throughout the system, as desired.
- an "Alerts” feature can be provided in one or more of the foregoing system components.
- Such an Alerts feature might permit notices or messages to casino staff or personnel of important events on the casino floor.
- Specific items can include, for example, customer threshold, casino win/loss, headcount statistics, hosted and unhosted players and system maintenance, among others.
- Another feature can be directed toward "Cage Communication" types of events or transactions.
- Such items can include various table accounting transactions and cage communications, such as, for example, stable fills, credits, openers and closers, and voided table transactions, such as voided table fills and credits, among others.
- Yet another feature or subject item can be directed toward "Comp Requests.”
- Such a feature or module can provide for instantly submitting comp requests to a casino host system, hi combination with the information provided from the various player tracking and rating features, such comp requests can be acted upon more quickly and accurately by those authorized to do so.
- Additional features can include, for example, a "Host Notification” feature or module, whereby casino hosts and designated personnel can be notified of the location and status of host coded patrons via on-screen displays, and a "Marker” feature or module, whereby customer markers, credits and marker redemptions can be requested from the casino host system and relays of marker redemption and void status from the casino host system can be made to table games personnel.
- System 50 includes a plurality of gaming table activity tracking units 10a, 10b, a plurality of cameras 41, 42, and a plurality of RFID reading devices 43, 44 in communication with at least one centralized or remote server 60, 70.
- system 50 can comprise a LAN of tracking units, cameras and RFID reading devices at a single casino or gaming establishment.
- Wall mount camera 41 and ceiling mount camera 42 behind a half- domed one-way glass are shown for purposes of illustration, but it will be understood that a variety of other types of cameras and/or settings might also be used as well.
- each individual gaming table may have its own one, two or more such RFID reading devices, as set forth, for example, in previously noted and incorporated U.S. Patent Nos. 5,651,548 and 5,735,742.
- system 50 contains a plurality of tracking units 10a, 10b, a plurality of cameras 41, 42, and a plurality of RFID reading devices 43, 44 in a plurality of locations, with each system tracking unit, camera and RFID reading device preferably being connected to various system devices through one or more wired or wireless communication links.
- Any suitable communication means can be used to connect the tracking units, cameras and RFID reading devices to the system.
- a common system or network bus 51 can connect some or all of these tracking units, cameras and RFID reading devices with other system components, such as, for example, a general-purpose server 60, one or more special-purpose servers 70, a sub-network of peripheral devices 80, and/or a database 90.
- direct proprietary communication lines can be used.
- any of a variety of secure data encryption methods or systems may be used to preserve the integrity of the transmitted data.
- Separate gaming activity tracking units can also be in direct communication, such as by link 52.
- General-purpose server 60 may be one that is already present within an establishment for one or more other purposes in lieu of or in addition to operations for an electronic table game tracking system and/or surveillance system.
- Other functions for such a networked general-purpose server can include, for example, accounting and payroll functions, Internet and e-mail capabilities, switchboard communications, reservations and other hotel and restaurant operations, and other assorted general establishment operations, hi some instances, table game tracking and/or surveillance functions may also be associated with or performed by such a general-purpose server.
- a server may be linked to one or more tracking units, cameras and/or RFID reading devices within an establishment, and in some cases form a local area network that includes all or substantially all of the tracking units, cameras and RFID reading devices within that establishment.
- system 50 also has at least one special purpose gaming activity tracking host or server 70 used for various functions relating to gaming activity tracking, video surveillance and/or other pertinent events on the various appropriate tracking units, cameras and RFID reading devices in the system.
- special purpose gaming activity tracking host or server 70 used for various functions relating to gaming activity tracking, video surveillance and/or other pertinent events on the various appropriate tracking units, cameras and RFID reading devices in the system.
- Such an additional special purpose server is desirable for a variety of reasons, such as to lessen the burden on the general-purpose server or to isolate or wall off some or all gaming activity tracking information from the general-purpose server and thereby limit the possible modes of access to such information.
- exemplary gaming system 50 can be isolated from any other network at the establishment, such that a general-purpose server 60 is essentially impractical and unnecessary.
- one or more of the special-purpose servers are preferably connected to sub-network 80, which might include, for example, a cashier station or a terminal at an executive office, among others.
- Peripheral devices in this sub-network may include, for example, one or more video displays 81, one or more user terminals 82, one or more printers 83, and one or more other input devices 84, such as a card reader or other security identifier, among others.
- At least the specialized server 70 or another similar component within a general-purpose server 60 preferably includes a connection to a database or other suitable storage medium 90.
- Database 90 can be adapted to store many or all files containing pertinent tracked data or information, as desired. Files, data and other information on database 90 can be stored for backup purposes, and are preferably accessible at one or more system locations, such as at a general-purpose server 60, a special purpose server 70 and/or a cashier station, executive office or other sub-network location 80, as desired.
- system 50 can be a system that is specially designed and created new for use in a casino or gaming establishment, it is also possible that many items in this system can be taken or adopted from an existing gaming system.
- system 50 could represent an existing player tracking system to which one or more of the inventive components or program modules are added.
- new functionality via new software, modules, updates or otherwise can be provided, as needed.
- the methods and systems of the present invention may be practiced at reduced costs by gaming operators that already have existing gaming systems, by simply modifying the existing system. Other modifications to an existing system may also be necessary, as might be readily appreciated.
- new components can also be provided across the system, and an entirely new and independent system can also be created, as desired.
- database 90 can be made accessible to one or more servers, preferably at least central specialized server 70, and can have a connection to a network 80 of one or more peripheral devices.
- Database 90 can contain information or data files related to specific tracked players, as well as other items of information on other tracked items within the system. Although many different arrangements are possible, such files can be classified according to "Patron Files" 91 and "Other Tracked Data” 92, with such other tracked data including, for example, RFID gaming chip transaction data, other data on headcount, drops, fills, staffing and other pertinent tracked items not related to specific patrons.
- An exemplary file for Patron A 91 A is shown for purposes of illustration. While various stored items are provided, it will be understood that not all such items need be associated with any patron files, and that other items may also be included as desired.
- Items that can be recorded in association with a given patron can include, for example, a patron name, number, membership date and level, typical games played, typical betting levels, specific RFED gaming chip transactional data, an establishment value rating assigned to the patron, a current or general comp level, security information, and one or more identification files, such as still images or video clips, among others.
- Specific items that can be tracked, stored and provided for analysis elsewhere on the database or system, such as in Other Tracked Data 92 can include, for example, specific staffing assignments, player counts per table over time, actual table game chip and token transactions, currency and currency-equivalent transactions, overall bet, game play and win/loss data by table, pit, bank, game type, and property, among others.
- FIGS. 4 A and 4B block diagrams of two different ways of implementing the foregoing electronic gaming activity tracking units and systems over a WAN are illustrated.
- WAN 100 is essentially a single system of tracking units across multiple gaming properties 101, 102, 103, 104. As shown, these properties are casinos A, B, C and D, although it will be appreciated that any other suitable gaming property may be substituted.
- Various electronic gaming activity tracking units can be placed at each of the gaming properties 101, 102, 103, 104, and these units are all managed at a centralized location 105, such as a corporate office or multi-property headquarters.
- communications to and from all tracking units are routed directly to a centrally located basic gaming activity tracking system 120, which has an interface 125 to system server 170 having an associated database 190.
- system server 170, database 190 and various other system components not shown can be similar to those discussed above for system 50.
- WAN 200 can be the same or similar to those provided in the system 50 adapted for a single establishment, various other items are preferably added to facilitate scalability issues and communications across multiple gaming properties.
- One possible mode of communication across multiple properties at multiple locations can involve the use of modems and telephone lines, while another could involve access over the Internet through any of a variety of Internet connection modes.
- a proprietary network involving custom wired and/or wireless connections is also possible.
- Added equipment for such an implementation can include additional computers used at each gaming property to cache and regulate the flow of data to the centralized location and other gaming related systems, as well as additional computers at centralized location 105 that can be used to cache and regulate the flow of data to each gaming property and to other gaming related systems.
- an implementation of tracking units and systems across multiple disparate gaming properties can involve the use of several independent systems, such as that which is shown for WAN 200 of FIG. 4B.
- WAN 200 also involves four separate casinos A, B, C and D, although it will be readily appreciated that other types of gaming properties and other numbers of casinos and/or other gaming properties can be included in WAN 200.
- a centralized location 205 such as a corporate office, can be implemented to facilitate communications with and host system wide components for the entire WAN, such as a system wide server 270W and system wide "Central Player Database" 290W.
- a system wide server 270W and system wide "Central Player Database" 290W.
- WAN 200 is made up of one or more independent LANs 201, 202, 203, 204.
- each of casinos A-D has its own independent LAN, each of which can be substantially similar to that of system 50 discussed above.
- each LAN has its own local basic system, server and database.
- casino A has its own local basic system 220A, server 270A and database 290A, as well as an interface 225A to the centralized location 205 having centralized system wide server 270W and system wide database 290W.
- Similar items 220B-D, 270B-D, 290B-D and 225B-D are present for each of casinos B, C and D.
- each WAN property can have its own separate and independent system.
- each property can have its own independent set of computing components, database and data, such that real time access to at least the data at a given property cannot be affected by problems at one or more other locations of WAN 200. Having such separate components can also serve as backup, in case one or more WAN properties 201-204 and/or the centralized location 205 ultimately fails, and can also provide a second source for checking data, if needed.
- any WAN of multiple properties having tracking units can provide further benefits not found in a simple single property system.
- the ability to mom ' tor multiple disparate properties at different locations from a single location in real time can provide an immense advantage to an operator controlling multiple properties.
- a WAN can be adapted to provide a network wide "Headcount” or "corporate utilization" component.
- tracking can be made of items such as customer density, table minimums, game types and areas, time of day and table shifts, among others, only across all WAN properties.
- Comparisons and analysis can then be made across each individual property and across all properties as a whole, such that better decisions can be made regarding staffing, table designations, minimum bet amounts and other floor games considerations across the entire WAN.
- the ability to track in real time can also provide the advantage of quick feedback where an operator decides to tinker with one or more floor details.
- Another example of an added advantage to utilizing the foregoing tracking units across a WAN is the ability to track notable players and other persons more readily and easily.
- video and observed information can be continually noted and recorded for a notable player or person, such as a "high roller," VIP, celebrity, known cheat or the like.
- a notable player or person is leaving one casino and is headed for another, a note or message entered into a tracking unit at one property can notify one or more other properties of such a move.
- such a feature can also be very useful in tracking casino hoppers, such as cheats who hit different casino(s) every night, but usually do not stay in one place for long and who typically do not hit a given casino often or regularly.
- a player who uses an illegal or frowned upon system to take a few hundred dollars from a casino in a typical system may go undetected if he or she does not frequent any particular casino.
- a WAN of many casinos is able to see that this player nets that same few hundred dollars from many casinos in the WAN on a regular or semi- regular basis, then higher scrutiny can be paid to sucba player.
- FIG. 5 a flowchart conveying an exemplary method of monitoring and controlling table games across a WAN according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown. While this flowchart may be comprehensive in some respects, it will be readily understood that not every step provided is necessary, that other steps can be included, and that the order of steps might be rearranged as desired by a given gaming operator or other pertinent party.
- the first pair of process steps involve determining the number of different sets of tracking data that are to be used in a given instance.
- steps 302, 304, 320 and 322 primarily involve determining the number of times that steps 306 through 318 are performed.
- An inquiry can then be made at decision step 308 as to whether a visual image and/or video clip exists or is desired for Data Set N. If no image or clip is present or desired, then the method continues to decision step 312.
- Visual Image N can then be forwarded to a processing unit, such as a central server, at process step 310.
- Visual Image N can also be associated with Data Set N at process step 311, such as by storing the subject visual image or video clip with a file associated with Data Set N, for example.
- a processing unit such as a central server
- Data Set N can also be associated with Data Set N at process step 311, such as by storing the subject visual image or video clip with a file associated with Data Set N, for example.
- more than one image and/or video clip can be involved, and it will be understood that the process can be repeated as suitable for each such image or clip.
- Such items can be denoted as Visual Image Nl, Visual Image N2, and so forth, or by any other suitable approach, as desired.
- the method then moves to decision step 312, where an inquiry is made as to whether gaming chip RFID data exists or is desired for Data Set N. If no gaming chip RFID data is present or desired, then the method continues to process step 316. If such gaming chip RFID data exists or is desired, however, then the method continues to process steps 313 through 315, which are similar in nature to process steps 309 through 311 for visual images above.
- "Gaming Chip RFID Data N" is captured, after which this captured data or at least a portion thereof is forwarded to the central server at step 314.
- Gaming Chip RFID Data N can then be similarly associated with overall Data Set N at step 315, such as by storing or incorporating at least a portion of this RFID data with a file associated with Data Set N. Again, more than one set of RFID data may be involved, and it will be understood that the process can be repeated as suitable for each such additional RFID data set, with further designations of data, data portions, data sets or data subsets where deemed appropriate.
- Data Set N is itself forwarded to a processing unit, such as a central server.
- Data Set N can then be stored at a database, such as a central database associated with a central server. This can be a local database on a given LAN and/or Central Player Database 290W, as noted above.
- a database such as a central database associated with a central server.
- This can be a local database on a given LAN and/or Central Player Database 290W, as noted above.
- the forwarding and storing of Data Set N can occur before or simultaneously with the forwarding, storing and/or associating of one or more visual images and/or video clips, as will be readily appreciated.
- an inquiry is made as to whether the current value of counter "N" is equal to "T," which again is the total number of data sets involved for a given process. If not, then the method continues to process step 322, where N is incremented by 1, after which the method reverts to process step 306 and repeats steps 306 through 320 for the next data
- process step 324 where multiple sets of tracking data are analyzed.
- this would involve only Data Set 1 and Data Set 2, although it will be readily appreciated that any number of data sets could be involved. As noted above, this could thus involve Data Set 1 from a unit at Casino A and Data Set 2 from a unit at Casino B, which could be analyzed at, for example a corporate office or other central or remote location.
- the results are then displayed at process step 326, which might take place at, for example, the same corporate office where the data was analyzed.
- modified data can be produced based on one or more of the received data sets. For example, a modified set of data showing pertinent sums and/or differences between various items from Data Set 1 and the same or similar items from Data Set 2 can be produced. As one particular example, where the average table density for a given hour at the few $10 blackjack tables monitored at Casino A in Data Set 1 is 50%, and the average table density for that same hour at the few $10 blackjack tables monitored at Casino B in Data Set 2 is 80%, then a Modified Data Set can include a "Difference Value" of 30% in average table density for $10 blackjack tables between Casinos A and B for that hour.
- session totals for different playing sessions of a specific player may comprise Data Set 1 and Data Set 2.
- the modified data may then represent differences in trends that are noticed and tracked for this player, depending upon how he plays at different casinos. Of course, many other specifics and types of data can be tracked, analyzed and modified, as desired.
- the modified data is then stored at a database, such as a central database. The method then ends at end step 332. Again, various details and additional steps may similarly be included, not all steps discussed herein may be practiced in a given embodiment, and it is specifically contemplated that many variations of these exemplary methods may also be practiced.
Abstract
Description
Claims
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AU2006247721A AU2006247721A1 (en) | 2005-05-13 | 2006-05-09 | Wide area table gaming monitor and control system |
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CA2606321A1 (en) | 2006-11-23 |
US20060258427A1 (en) | 2006-11-16 |
MX2007014021A (en) | 2008-02-07 |
CN101176126A (en) | 2008-05-07 |
AU2006247721A1 (en) | 2006-11-23 |
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