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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. A system for automatically rating betting activity of a casino patron at
a gaming table, the system comprising:
a machine-readable card for storing an identity code assigned to a casino
patron;
a card reader associated with a position at a gaming table, for reading the
identity code from the machine-readable card when activated by the machine
readable card:
a communication system coupled to the card reader for transmitting to a
computer system the identity code of the casino patron and a location code
associated with the card reader; and
the computer system including a memory having customer and gaming table
data bases stored therein, for associating a time code with activation of
the card reader and for retrieving information on the casino patron and
the gaming table to generate a casino patron betting record based on the
identity, location, and time codes.
2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a terminal coupled to the
computer system for providing the casino patron betting record to casino
personnel.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the card reader is activated when the
casino patron inserts the machine-readable card into the card reader or
removes the machine-readable card from the card reader.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the location code indicates the gaming
table and the position at the gaming table with which the card reader is
associated.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein the gaming table data base includes
entries indexed according to location codes with each entry comprising a
game type, a current minimum bet, and a gaming table number for the gaming
table identified by the location code.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the gaming table data base further
comprises a data base of average bets having entries indexed to a minimum
bet associated with a location code and the time code.
7. The system of claim 6, wherein the time code used to index average bets
is further indexed according to the day and time of day at which the card
reader is activated.
8. The system of claim 2, further comprising input means coupled to the
terminal and to the computer system for manually entering an average bet
rate at the terminal.
9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a means for altering the
minimum bet entry in the gaming table data base.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein the minimum bet altering means comprises
a machine-readable card on which is stored a bet change code that is
coupled to the computer system through the card reader and communication
system for triggering the computer system to adjust the minimum bet in the
gaming table data base to a value indicated in the bet change code.
11. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for updating the
betting record periodically.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the updating means comprises a
computer-implemented process for periodically polling the card reader to
determine a player status and adjusting the player rating based on a
current average bet and a time code.
13. The system of claim 1, wherein the card readers are mounted in a rail
of the gaming table.
14. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication system is a wireless
communication system.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein the wireless communication system
comprises a transceiver connected to an output of the card reader for
generating radio signals representing the identity and location codes and
a relay transceiver for coupling the radio signals from the transmitter to
the computer system.
16. A method for automatically rating betting activity of a casino patron
at a gaming table, where the casino patron is identified by a
machine-readable card, the method comprising the steps of:
associating a card reader with a player position at the gaming table;
providing a data base including casino patron and gaming table information
in a computer system coupled to the card reader;
retrieving information on the casino patron and the gaming table from the
data base responsive to activation by the machine-readable card of a card
reader at the gaming table; and
determining a rating for the casino patron from the retrieved gaming table
information.
17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of transmitting the
rating and casino patron information to casino personnel through a
terminal coupled to the computer system.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein the providing step comprises the
substeps of:
compiling game type and minimum bet information for the gaming table and
indexing the compiled game type and minimum bet information to a location
code associated with the card reader;
compiling information on casino patrons and indexing the compiled
information to an identity code on the machine readable card of the casino
patron.
19. The method of claim 16, wherein the retrieving step comprises the
substeps of:
accessing the casino patron information with the identity code;
determining the location code from the card reader activated by the
machine-readable card; and
accessing the gaming table information based on the determined location
code.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the determining step comprises the
substeps of:
generating a data base of average bets indexed by a minimum bet and a time
of play;
determining a minimum bet from the retrieved gaming table information;
determining the time of play from a signal provided when the card reader is
activated by the machine readable card; and
retrieving an average bet from the average bet data base using the minimum
bet and time of play.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein the determining step further comprises
the substep of calculating a theoretical win from a product of the average
bet, a rate of play, an elapsed time, and a hold value.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein the rate of play and hold value are
selected according to the type of game being played at the gaming table.
23. The method of claim 21 wherein the substep of calculating a theoretical
win occurs when a signal indicating deactivation of the card reader by the
machine readable card is detected and the elapsed time is determined by a
time difference between receipt of the signals indicating activation and
deactivation by the machine readable card.
24. The method of claim 21, wherein the substep of calculating a
theoretical win further comprises the substeps of:
polling the card readers to determine whether a casino patron is still
playing at the location associated with the card reader;
determining the elapsed time since receipt of the signal indicating of the
card reader by the patron's machine-readable card;
calculating a new theoretical win; and
updating the rating with the new theoretical win.
25. A gaming table for tracking betting activity of casino patrons through
machine-readable cards issued to the casino patrons and a computer system
including data bases of casino patrons and gaming table information, the
gaming table comprising:
a playing surface;
a card reader for reading data from the machine-readable cards, the card
reader having an input for accepting a machine-readable card and an output
for accessing the data read from the machine-readable card, and being
associated with a location at the playing surface to define a playing
position at the gaming table; and
data coupling means electrically connected to the output of the card
reader, for coupling data read from a machine-readable card to the
computer system in order to retrieve casino patron and gaming table
information from the computer system.
26. The gaming table of claim 19, further comprising an associated computer
terminal coupled to the computer system for providing the retrieved casino
patron and gaming table information to casino personnel. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of gaming, and in particular to
systems and methods for monitoring the play of casino patrons at gaming
tables to determine the betting activity of the casino patrons.
2. Background Art
Casinos have long recognized the need to build customer loyalty by
identifying their regular customers and rewarding them for their
patronage. These rewards include complementary drinks, meals, and hotel
rooms, with the value of the reward being determined by the betting
activity of the customer. Customers are keenly aware of this practice and
often consider how well their betting activity is tracked for such rewards
when deciding which casino they will patronize.
Systems for automatically tracking the betting activity of slot machine
players have been available for some time. These tracking systems are
relatively simple to implement since bet amounts are fixed and are already
tracked as part of the slot machine's operation. The tracking systems
typically provide the patron with a magnetic card which is inserted into a
slot machine to identify the patron whose bets are then tracked through
the slot machine.
Tracking the betting activity of table game players poses a very different
problem since bets are made by placing casino chips or cash on the table,
and the croupier monitors the amounts for all patrons. Thus, there is no
automated system for tracking the bets of table game players. Moreover,
beyond meeting the minimum bet level established at a table, the player's
bets are not limited to a few specified values as is the case with slot
machines. Traditionally, the betting activity of these players is tracked
by the croupier or pit manager, who observes a player over a period of
time to estimate the player's betting level. This method is not nearly as
accurate as the automatic system employed for slot machines, since it
relies on the observational skills of casino personnel who are occupied
with a variety of other tasks while on duty. For example, if the pit
manager fails to notice when a player arrives or departs from a table
game, the pit manager will have to estimate these times. More importantly,
there is no convenient way to transfer this information to casino
personnel at other gaming tables where the patron may play. As a result,
casino patrons who are keenly aware of their betting activity may be
disappointed when expected complementary meals or drinks are not
forthcoming. Consequently, they may take their patronage elsewhere.
Thus, there is a need for a system and method for tracking the betting
activity of card players with a reasonable accuracy and without employing
additional personnel to achieve this level of accuracy.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a player-activated system for tracking the betting
activity of table game players in real time and providing this information
to casino personnel. The system allows casino personnel to reward table
game players for their patronage based on up to date information on the
players' betting activity. In accordance with the present invention,
casino patrons are issued machine-readable identity cards such as
magnetically encoded cards to check themselves into the bet tracking
system when they arrive at a gaming table and to check themselves out of
the bet tracking system when they leave the gaming table. Card readers
mounted at each player position of a gaming table read a customer identity
code from an inserted card and transmit it to a computer system along with
location and time codes provided by the card reader. In the preferred
embodiment, a wireless communication system transmits codes from a card
reader to the computer system, although other communication systems,
including hard-wire and fiber optic systems, may be employed for code
transmission.
Customer and gaming table information maintained in data bases in the
computer system is accessed using the transmitted codes, and processed to
generate a record of the customer's betting activity. The processed
information, which includes selected customer information and indications
of betting activity, is made available to casino personnel at the gaming
table where the patron is playing, through terminals coupled to the
computer system. Casino personnel can thus provide more personalized
service to their customers and reward these customers based on up to the
minute records of their betting activity.
The system includes bet tracking means to estimate a rating for the
patron's betting activity based on data specific to the gaming table the
patron has selected. In one embodiment of the invention, the average bet
is estimated from the minimum bet allowed at the gaming table selected by
the player as well as the time period during which the patron is playing.
Bet estimates can thus be tailored to reflect historical data on average
betting levels correlated to the time of day and day of the week on which
the patron is playing. When a customer's betting level varies from the
estimated average bet, casino personnel can enter a more appropriate
average bet through the local terminal of the computer system. The average
bet data is combined with the patron's playing time and certain game
specific parameters to determine a rating for the patron based on the
casino's theoretical win from the patron's play.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1A is a block diagram of an embodiment of the card player bet tracking
system in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 1B is a diagram of a gaming table for use in the system of FIG. 1A.
FIG. 1C is a schematic diagram of a magnetic identity card for use in the
system of FIGS. 1A and 1B.
FIG. 2 is a flow chart of an embodiment of the method for tracking card
player betting activity in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a flow chart of the method used to extract player information
from magnetic cards using the card readers of FIG. 1B.
FIGS. 4A-4B are detailed flow charts showing the flow of information in the
computer system of FIG. 1A.
DETAILED DISCUSSION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to FIG. 1A, there is shown an overview of one embodiment of a bet
tracking system 100 in accordance with the present invention. For
simplicity, bet tracking system 100 is shown comprising first and second
pits 110, 120, although it could easily accommodate all of the pits in a
casino. Each pit 110, 120 includes six gaming tables 112(1)-112(6),
122(1)-122(6), respectively, which are coupled to associated ceiling
transceivers 114, 124 through corresponding table transceivers
116(1)-116(6), 126(1)-126(6). A master transceiver 128 couples data from
ceiling transceivers 114, 124 to a computer system 140 for processing.
Gaming tables 112(1)-112(6), 122(1)-122(6) are shown as blackjack tables
but they could just as easily be any other gaming tables such as craps
tables, roulette tables, or poker tables. In addition, although gaming
tables 112(1)-112(6), 122(1)-122(6) are shown coupled to computer system
140 by radio links, bet tracking system 100 could be implemented using any
of a variety of data links between tables 112(1)-112(6), 122(1)-122(6) and
computer sytem 140, including hard wired and fiber optic connections.
Computer system 140 is shown comprising first and second personal computers
(PCs) 142, 144 which are coupled to a system computer 146 through a token
ring 148. In the disclosed embodiment, system computer 146 supports a
casino management system, which provides a simple means for making
information from pit tracking system 100 available throughout the casino.
PC 142 serves as an interface between master transceiver 128 and computer
system 140, and PC 144 supports the various data bases necessary to
implement pit tracking system 100. First and second PCs 142, 144 are
employed in computer system 140 principally to facilitate trouble shooting
of pit tracking system 100. A simpler configuration could be implemented
using, for example, a single PC and system computer or even a system
computer alone. Local terminals 150, 152 are provided to pit areas 110,
120 to enable casino personnel to access processed information from system
computer 146.
Referring now to FIG. 1B, them is shown a more detailed diagram of a
(blackjack) gaming table 112(i) suitable for use with pit tracking system
100. Here, the index `i` is used to represent any of indices 1-6
corresponding to tables 112(1)-112(6) of FIG. 1A. Gaming table 112(i)
typically has seven playing positions, each of which is indicated by an
associated card reader 113(1)-113(7). The number of positions is a matter
of tradition, and can be increased or decreased as desired without
interfering with the operation of pit tracking system 100. Each card
reader 113(1)-113(7) is connected to a preassigned slot 115(1)-115(7) of
transceiver unit 116(i) in order to associate a specific location code
with each card reader 113(1)-113(7).
Referring again to FIG. 1A, transceiver units 116(1)-116(6) in
corresponding tables 112(1)-112(6) may act as relays to couple a data
signal between a transceiver unit 116(i) and ceiling transceiver 114. For
example, transceiver unit 116(2) associated with table 112(2) is coupled
to ceiling transceiver 114 through radio links provided by transceiver
units 116(3), 116(4), 116(5) of tables 112(3), 112(4), 112(5),
respectively. A redundant path between transceiver unit 116(2) and ceiling
transceiver 114 is provided through transceiver units 116(1), 116(6),
116(5) of tables 112(1), 112(6), 112(5), respectively. These radio links
are flexible and can be readily altered when one or more of transceivers
116(1)-116(6) are not functioning. In the following discussion, indices
will be dropped from reference numbers unless they are necessary to refer
to specific devices.
Referring now to FIG. 1C, there is shown a magnetic identity card 160
suitable for use in the disclosed embodiment of bet tracking system 100.
Magnetic identity card 160 includes a magnetic strip 162 on which is
recorded an identity code 164 representing either a customer account
number or a programming card function, as discussed below. Identity code
164 is preceded by a start sentinel 166 and follow by an end sentinel 168
and a parity check character 169 to make card reading more dependable. Bet
tracking system 100 may be implemented using cards or tokens that support
other machine-readable coding formats, such as optical coding formats, and
suitable card (token) readers 113.
A card player selects a position at an open table 112 and inserts a
magnetic identity card 160 into corresponding card reader 113 to initiate
tracking. Identity code 164 is read from magnetic card 160 and transferred
to transceiver unit 116, which couples code 164 to computer system 140
along with time and location codes through intervening transceiver units
116, ceiling transceiver 114, and master transceiver 128. Received codes
are processed by PCs 142, 144 to generate relevant player information,
which is transferred to system computer 146 and made available to casino
personnel through local terminal 150. In the disclosed embodiment, local
terminal 150 automatically displays player information as it is generated
by computer system 140, although system 100 could also operate by having
casino personnel call up information at terminal 150 as it is required.
Processing of codes by PCs 142, 144 and computer 146 is described in
greater detail below.
Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a flow chart of a bet tracking
process 200 in accordance with the present invention. Process 200 is
initialized when a table 112 is opened 210. This is accomplished in the
disclosed embodiment by inserting a table-open card into one of card
readers 113, as discussed in greater detail below. Card readers 113 at the
opened table are polled 212, and when a card event is detected 214 the
type of event is determined. If the card event is determined 220 to be a
card-insertion, an identity code 164 is read 222 and checked 230 for read
errors. If the card information is invalid or the card read failed,
process 200 indicates 232 an error condition at card reader 113. Detection
280 of a card-removal event causes an open patron record to be closed and
updated, as discussed in greater detail below.
Time and location (table and table position) codes are provided 240 to
computer system 140 along with identity code 164. A location code includes
a table number and table position, determined by which card reader 113 is
transmitting and which slot 115(i) slot of transceiver 116 receives
magnetic card data, respectively. The time code identifies the time of the
card-insertion or card-removal event and may be provided by a clock in
card reader 113 or in any of computers 142, 144, 146.
Computer system 140 uses the customer's identity code 164 and table code to
retrieve 260 customer history information and table information,
respectively, from data bases maintained in computer system 140. The table
information is processed 264 using the time code to determine an average
bet for the customer, and the average bet is transmitted 270 along with
selected customer history and time information as a bet tracking record to
local terminal 150 where it is available for use by casino personnel. The
bet tracking record also includes a player rating which reflects a
theoretical win for the casino that is based on the average bet and
playing time of the patron and selected parameters specific to the game
the patron is playing. The rating, which is used by casino personnel to
determine when a player has earned a complementary drink, meal, or other
reward, is discussed in greater detail below. Card readers 113 are
continually polled 212 and when a card out event is detected 280, the
betting record is closed 290 and the customer history is updated 290 in
the corresponding data base.
In order for system 100 to gain acceptance among casino patrons, it must
operate dependably and seamlessly from the patrons' perspective. One key
to customers' perceptions is the dependability and speed of card readers
113. Ideally, a patron inserts a magnetic identity card 160 into card
reader 113 to initiate tracking and forgets about it until magnetic card
160 is removed, terminating bet tracking. However, casino environments are
very busy and gaming tables are bumped and otherwise disturbed regularly.
For this reason, standard card readers are not sufficiently dependable,
since they may, if bumped, terminate a patron's betting session while the
patron is still playing.
Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a flow chart of card reading
process 300 for stable monitoring of patrons' betting activities. A
microswitch monitors 310 card reader 113 for insertion or removal of a
magnetic card 160. When a card-insertion is detected 320, characters are
read 330 into a buffer from inserted card 160. Characters in the buffer
are tested 334 sequentially until start sentinel 166 is identified among
the read characters or until no characters remain in the buffer. If the
start sentinel is not detected 334, process 300 branches 336 and sets 338
a red LED on card reader 113 indicating a failed read. When a start
character is detected 334, process 300 verifies 340 that each succeeding
character is a digit between 0 and 9 and checks 344 for end sentinel 168.
If end sentinel 168 is not detected 344 and no more characters remain 348
in the buffer, the red LED is set 338 to indicate a failed read. When end
sentinel 168 is detected 344, the read characters between the start and
end sentinels 164, 168 are checked 350 us | | |
