Patron tracking system

• US 20030187736A1
• Filed: 04/02/2002
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Isle of Capri Casinos Incorporated (Caesars Entertainment, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Isle of Capri Casinos Incorporated (Caesars Entertainment, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ezell, Steve, McMackin, Lester III, Salter, Stanley, Teague, David, Abraham, Christopher, Bodenstab, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US10/114,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20030187736A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0227 Frequent usage incentive value reconciliation between diverse systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0231 Awarding of a frequent usage incentive independent of the monetary value of a good or service purchased, or distance travelled

Abstract

A patron tracking system for tracking patron activity in a casino enterprise, wherein the casino enterprise comprises a home casino and one or more non-home casinos, the patron tracking system comprising: a home local casino management system at the home casino; one or more non-home casino management systems at the one or more non-home casinos; wherein the local casino management systems contain customer data related to patron activity; a message router for transmitting customer data between the home and non-home local casino management systems; and wherein certain customer data residing on the home local casino management system is not shared with the one or more non-home local casino management systems.

Claims

1. A patron tracking system for tracking patron activity in a casino enterprise, wherein the casino enterprise comprises a home casino and one or more non-home casinos, the patron tracking system comprising:

a home local casino management system at the home casino;

one or more non-home casino management systems at the one or more non-home casinos;

wherein the local casino management systems contain customer data related to patron activity;

a message router for transmitting customer data between the home and non-home local casino management systems; and

wherein certain customer data residing on the home local casino management system is not shared with the one or more non-home local casino management systems.

2. The patron tracking system of claim 1 further comprising an enterprise server connected to the local casino management systems.

3. The patron tracking system of claim 2 wherein the message router transmits customer data from the home local casino management system to one or more non-home local casino management systems through the enterprise server.

4. The patron tracking system of claim 3 wherein a summary of the customer data residing on the home local casino management system resides on the enterprise server.

5. The patron tracking system of claim 4 wherein the summary of customer data is shared between the enterprise server and the one or more non-home local casino management systems.

6. A method for tracking patron activity for a patron of a casino enterprise comprised of a home casino and one or more non-home casinos, the method comprising:

maintaining customer data relating to the patron activity at a home local casino management system at the home casino, the customer data comprising at least a point balance;

transmitting the point balance to a non-home local casino management system when the patron commences patron activity at the non-home casino to create a non-home temporary point balance;

debiting or crediting the non-home temporary point balance as a result of patron activity at the non-home casino;

transmitting the non-home temporary point balance to the home local casino management system when the patron completes patron activity at the non-home casino; and

recalculating the patron'"'"'s point balance in the home local casino management system based upon the non-home temporary point balance.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

providing a summary of the customer data from the home local casino management system to an enterprise server, the summary comprising at least the patron'"'"'s point balance; and

requesting the summary of the customer data from the enterprise server at the non-home casino when the patron commences patron activity at the non-home casino.

8. A method for tracking loyalty rewards related to a patron based upon patron activity for a patron of a casino enterprise, the casino enterprise comprising a home casino having a home local casino management system and one or more non-home casinos, each having a non-home local casino management system, the method comprising:

storing an offer of a loyalty reward at the home casino local casino management system;

making the offer available at the non-home local casino management system at the non-home casino in which the patron commences patron activity;

if the patron redeems the offer at the non-home casino, sending redemption information to the home local casino management system wherein the offer is removed from the home local casino management system; and

if the patron does not redeem the offer at the non-home casino, removing the offer from the non-home local casino management system.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising storing the offer of a loyalty reward at an enterprise server.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step for making the offer available at the non-home local casino management system comprises requesting and receiving outstanding offers from the enterprise server.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein if the patron redeems the offer at the non-home casino, sending redemption information to the enterprise server wherein the offer is removed from the enterprise server.