Automated service scheduling system

• US 20020058550A1
• Filed: 02/12/2001
• Published: 05/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caesars License Company, LLC (Caesars Entertainment, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harrah's Operating Company Incorporated (Caesars Entertainment, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pace, Mark C., Cook, Thomas W.
• Granted Patent: US 6,962,531 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

An automated system uses a decisioning system to schedule service attendants to service events at patron locations. The decisioning system schedules the events for servicing using various factors to establish the priority of different events. Service attendants are paged by the system to inform them of a service to be provided.

Claims

1. A system for providing service to customers at service locations, each service location having a communication device adapted to communicate one or more events pertaining to a service event for a customer at the service location, the system comprising:

a decisioning system communicatively coupled to the communication devices to receive the events, and including a plurality of rules for scheduling the events for service, the decisioning system selecting a primary service attendant for servicing each event;

a communication system communicatively coupled to the decisioning system to transmit a message to the primary service attendant selected for an event, the message indicating the service location at which the event is to be serviced; and

a plurality of message receivers, used by the service attendants, to receive the messages from the communication system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the service locations are gaming machines, and the communication devices are interface boards coupled to the gaming machines, which communicate game events to a gaming machine management system.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the gaming machines are slot machines, and the interface boards communicate slot events to the slot management system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication system is a two-way messaging system and the message receivers are two-way message receivers.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein:

the primary service attendant can accept or decline to service an event using the two-way message receiver, and wherein;

in response to the primary service attendant declining to service an event, the decisioning system selects a secondary service attendant for servicing the event, and the messaging system transmits a message to the secondary service attendant to service the event.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein:

the primary service attendant can accept or decline to service an event using the two-way message receiver, and wherein;

in response to the primary service attendant accepting to service an event, the decisioning system establishes the primary service attendant as being unavailable to service another event until the primary service provider completes service of the accepted event.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the decisioning system monitors the time taken to service each event, and responsive to time taken to service an event exceeding a threshold amount, the decisioning system selects an employee to notify of the incomplete service, and instructs the messaging system to transmit a message to the selected employee.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the rules of the decisioning system for scheduling events include:

at least one rule for scheduling events according to an age of the event.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the rules of the decisioning system for scheduling events include:

at least one rule for scheduling events according to a type of event.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the rules of the decisioning system for scheduling events include:

at least one rule for scheduling events according to a value of the customer at the service location that generated the event.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the customer value is based on potential revenue generated by the customer.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the customer value is based on a theoretical win profile of the customer.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the customer value is based on a room rate of a room occupied by the customer.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the customer value is based on a room type of a room occupied by the customer.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the customer value is based on a number of persons in a party associated with the customer.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the rules of the decisioning system for scheduling events include:

at least one rule for scheduling events according to a location of the service location.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the rules of the decisioning system for scheduling events include:

at least one rule for scheduling events according to a combination of an age of the event and a value of the customer.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the rules of the decisioning system for scheduling events include:

at least one rule for selecting a service attendant for servicing an event based on a location of the service location which generated the event and an assigned location of the service attendant.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the rules of the decisioning system for scheduling events include:

at least one rule for messaging a supervisor of the primary service attendant if the primary service attendant has not completed servicing the event in a certain amount of time.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the rules of the decisioning system for scheduling events include:

at least one rule for scheduling events according to an age of the event;

at least one rule for scheduling events according to a type of event;

at least one rule for scheduling events according to a value of the customer at the service location that generated the event;

at least one rule for scheduling events according to a location of the service location; and

at least one rule for selecting a service attendant for servicing an event based on a location of the service location which generated the event and an assigned location of the service attendant.

21. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a customer database, communicatively coupled to the decisioning system and containing customer records indicating for each customer a measure of the customer'"'"'s value and the customer'"'"'s identification number, the decisioning system receiving from a service location a customer identification number and querying the customer database with the received customer identification number to obtain the measure of the customer'"'"'s value, the decisioning system scheduling the event for service according to the obtained customer value.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein each service location includes a customer identification card reader, for reading a customer identification number from a customer identification card.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the service locations are gaming machines, and the communication devices are interface boards coupled to the gaming machines, which communicate game events to a gaming machine management system.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the gaming machines are slot machines, and the interface boards communicate slot events to the slot management system.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the messaging means is a two-way paging system and the message receiving means are two-way pagers.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein:

the primary service attendant can accept or decline to service an event using the two-way message receiver, and wherein;

in response to the primary service attendant declining to service an event, the decision making means selects a secondary service attendant for servicing the event, and the messaging system transmits a message to the secondary service attendant to service the event.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein:

the primary service attendant can accept or decline to service an event using the two-way message receiver, and wherein;

in response to the primary service attendant accepting to service an event, the decision making means establishes the primary service attendant as being unavailable to service another event until the primary service provider completes service of the accepted event.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein the decision making means monitors the time taken to service each event, and responsive to time taken to service an event exceeding a threshold amount, the decision making means selects an employee to notify of the incomplete service, and instructs the messaging system to transmit a message to the selected employee.

30. The system of claim 23, wherein the rules of the decision making means for scheduling events include:

at least one rule for scheduling events according to an age of the event.

31. The system of claim 23, wherein the rules of the decision making means for scheduling events include:

at least one rule for scheduling events according to a type of event.

32. The system of claim 23, wherein the rules of the decision making means for scheduling events include:

at least one rule for scheduling events according to a value of the customer at the service location that generated the event.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the customer value is based on potential revenue generated by the customer.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the customer value is based on a theoretical win profile of the customer.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein the customer value is based on a room rate of a room occupied by the customer.

36. The system of claim 32, wherein the customer value is based on a room type of a room occupied by the customer.

37. The system of claim 32, wherein the customer value is based on a number of persons in a party associated with the customer.

38. The system of claim 23, wherein the rules of the decision making means for scheduling events include:

at least one rule for scheduling events according to a location of the service location.

39. The system of claim 23, wherein the rules of the decision making means for scheduling events include:

at least one rule for scheduling events according to a combination of an age of the event and a value of the customer.

40. The system of claim 23, wherein the rules of the decision making means for scheduling events include:

at least one rule for selecting a service attendant for servicing an event based on a location of the service location which generated the event and an assigned location of the service attendant.

41. The system of claim 23, wherein the rules of the decision making means for scheduling events include:

at least one rule for messaging a supervisor of the primary service attendant if the primary service attendant has not completed servicing the event in a certain amount of time.

42. The system of claim 23, wherein the rules of the decision making means for scheduling events include:

at least one rule for scheduling events according to an age of the event;

at least one rule for scheduling events according to a type of event;

at least one rule for scheduling events according to a value of the customer at the service location that generated the event;

at least one rule for scheduling events according to a location of the service location; and

at least one rule for selecting a service attendant for servicing an event based on a location of the service location which generated the event and an assigned location of the service attendant.

43. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

a customer database, communicatively coupled to the decision making means and containing customer records indicating for each customer a measure of the customer'"'"'s value and the customer'"'"'s identification number, the decision making means receiving from a service location a customer identification number and querying the customer database with the received customer identification number to obtain the measure of the customer'"'"'s value, the decision making means scheduling the event for service according to the obtained customer value.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein each service location includes a customer identification card reader, for reading a customer identification number from a customer identification card.

47. The method of claim 46, further comprising:

receiving from the first service attendant a message declining to service an event;

selecting a second service attendant to service the event; and

transmitting a message to the second service attendant to service the event.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein:

receiving from the first service attendant a message accepting to service an event; and

establishing the first service attendant as being unavailable to service another event until the first service provider completes service of the accepted event.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the message from the first service attendant is transmitted from a communication device fixed at the service location.

50. The method of claim 46, further comprising:

monitoring the time taken to service the event; and

responsive to the time taken to service an event exceeding a threshold amount, transmitting a message to another employee to notify of the incomplete service.

51. The method of claim 46, further comprising:

monitoring an aggregate performance criteria for servicing the events; and

responsive the aggregate performance criteria exceeding a threshold amount, transmitting a message to supervisor.

52. The method of claim 46, further comprising:

responsive to not receiving, within a predetermined amount of time, an acceptance from the first service attendant of the message to service the event, transmitting a message to a second service attendant to service the event.

53. The method of claim 46, wherein the scheduling rules include:

at least one rule for scheduling events according to an age of the event.

54. The method of claim 46, wherein the scheduling rules include:

at least one rule for scheduling events according to a type of event.

55. The method of claim 46, wherein the scheduling rules include:

at least one rule for scheduling events according to a value of the customer at the service location that generated the event.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the customer value is based on potential revenue generated by the customer.

57. The method of claim 55, wherein the customer value is based on a theoretical win profile of the customer.

58. The method of claim 55, wherein the customer value is based on a room rate of a room occupied by the customer.

59. The method of claim 55, wherein the customer value is based on a room type of a room occupied by the customer.

60. The method of claim 55, wherein the customer value is based on a number of persons in a party associated with the customer.

61. The method of claim 46, wherein the scheduling rules include:

at least one rule for scheduling events according to a location of the service location.

62. The method of claim 46, wherein the scheduling rules include:

at least one rule for scheduling events according to a combination of an age of the event and a value of the customer.

63. The method of claim 46, wherein the scheduling rules include:

at least one rule for selecting a service attendant for servicing an event based on a location of the service location which generated the event and an assigned location of the service attendant.

64. The method of claim 46, wherein the scheduling rules include:

at least one rule for messaging a supervisor of the primary service attendant if the primary service attendant has not completed servicing the event in a certain amount of time.

65. The method of claim 46, wherein the scheduling rules include:

at least one rule for scheduling events according to an age of the event;

at least one rule for scheduling events according to a type of event;

at least one rule for scheduling events according to a value of the customer at the service location that generated the event;

at least one rule for scheduling events according to a location of the service location; and

at least one rule for selecting a service attendant for servicing an event based on a location of the service location which generated the event and an assigned location of the service attendant.

66. The method of claim 46, further comprising:

receiving from the service location a customer identification number;

querying a customer database with the received customer identification number to obtain the measure of the customer'"'"'s value; and

scheduling the event for service according to the obtained customer value.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein each service location includes a customer identification card reader, for reading a customer identification number from a customer identification card.

69. The method of claim 68, wherein scheduling selected events further comprises scheduling the selected events using scheduling rules pertaining to an amount of time an event has been pending, an evaluation of the customer'"'"'s status, and a type of the events.

70. The method of claim 68, wherein the service locations are gaming machines, and the service location events include a jackpot at a gaming machine.

23. A system for providing service to customers at plural service locations, each service location having a communication means for communicating one or more events pertaining to a service event for a customer at the service location the system comprising:

a computer implemented decision making means communicatively coupled to the plurality of communication means for receiving the events, the decision making means scheduling a primary service attendant for servicing each event using a plurality of rules;

a messaging means communicatively coupled to the decision making means for transmitting a message to the primary service attendant selected for an event, the message indicating the service location at which the event is to be serviced; and

a plurality of message receiving means, used by the service attendants, for receiving the messages from the messaging means.

45. A system for servicing customers at service locations, the system comprising:

means for transmitting from a service location a message pertaining to an event at the service location and for which a customer at the service location needs service by a service attendant;

means for receiving the transmitted message;

means, coupled to obtain the transmitted message from the receiving means, for scheduling the event, using a plurality of scheduling rules, for servicing by a service attendant;

means for selecting a first service attendant for servicing the scheduled event; and

means for transmitting a message to the first service attendant identifying the service location to be serviced for the event.

46. A method of servicing customers at service locations, the method comprising:

transmitting from a communication device at a service location a message pertaining to an event at the service location and for which a customer at the service location needs service by a service attendant;

receiving the transmitted message and scheduling the event, using a plurality of scheduling rules, for servicing by a service attendant;

selecting a first service attendant for servicing the scheduled event; and

transmitting a message to the first service attendant identifying the service location to be serviced for the event.

68. A method of servicing customers at service locations, the method comprising:

receiving from the service location, event messages pertaining to service location events;

scheduling selected events for servicing by service attendants using a plurality of scheduling rules;

selecting service attendants for servicing each scheduled event; and

for each scheduled event, transmitting a message to the selected service attendant identifying the service location to be serviced.

71. A system for providing service to customers at service locations, wherein each service location having a communication device adapted to communicate one or more events pertaining to the status of a customer at the service location, the system comprising:

a decisioning system for scheduling the events for service, by receiving the events from the communication devices and using a plurality of rules to select a primary service attendant for servicing each event, to produce a periodically updated event service schedule;

a communication system for transmitting a message to the primary service attendant selected for an event, by way of a two-way communication network, to produce a message indicating to the primary service attendant the service location at which the event is to be serviced; and

a plurality of message receivers, each service attendant having one of the message receivers, for receiving the messages from the communication system, by way of the two-way communication network, to produce to the service attendant to message.