Automated gaming table tracking system and method therefor

• US 5,586,936 A
• Filed: 09/22/1994
• Issued: 12/24/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Mikohn Gaming Corporation (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Todoroff, Brian D., Nino, John E., Bennett, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHAAF, JAMES CHARLES
• Application Number:
  US08/310,718
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• Field of Search: 273/309, 273/138 A, 273/143 R, 273/292, 273/85 CP, 463/11, 463/25, 463/29, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

An automated gaming table tracking system for a gaming table, such as blackjack. A sensor located in the dealer'"'"'s card playing area senses the start and end of each game. A unique player identity card is given to each player that contains information on the player. When a player arrives at a player position on the table, the player inserts his player identity card into a player station control at the player position. A central distribution control is connected to each player station control for determining the start and the end of each game and beginning and termination of play by each player at each position. A host computer of the present invention is then interconnected to the central distribution control for storing the player identity information and the player position for each player station control, the start and end of each of the games, and the beginning and termination of play at each player position from the central distribution control. The host computer prints a player tracking card. The floor supervisor observes the player during the game and fills out the in-session gaming information. Once the player leaves the table, the player tracking card with the in-session gaming information filled out is then placed in an automatic reader so that the read in-session gaming information is stored in a data base corresponding to the identity of the player.

Claims

1. An automated gaming table tracking system for a gaming table on which is played a plurality of games for a predetermined type of game, said gaming table including a playing surface, a plurality of player positions, and an operator position, said playing surface having playing areas for the operator and for each of the plurality of player positions, said automated gaming table tracking system comprising:

a sensor located in the playing area of the operator position for sensing when a game is played;

a plurality of player identity cards, each of said player identity cards containing identity information on the player assigned to said player identity card;

a plurality of player station controls, one of said plurality of player station controls located at each of said plurality of player positions, each of said player station controls including;

(a) means for identifying the player position corresponding to the player station control,

(b) means for reading said player identity information from said player identity card when the said player identity card is inserted in said reading means,

(c) means for displaying a plurality of predetermined messages,

(d) means for signaling an indication when said player identity card is inserted in said reading means,

(e) means connected to the identifying means, the reading means, the displaying means, and the signaling means for processing the player position, the player identity information, the plurality of predetermined messages, and the indication, and

(f) means connected to the processing means for providing external communication to and from said player station control,

a central distribution control connected to the external communication providing means of each of said plurality of player station controls, said central distribution control including;

(a) means for identifying the gaming table,

(b) first means connected to the sensor for receiving a game-being-played signal,

(c) second means connected to the external communication providing means for receiving from each of said plurality of player station controls for at least receiving the player position and the player information for each player control station reading an inserted player identity card, and

(d) means connected to the gaming table identifying means and the first and second receiving means for determining the start and end of each of the games and the beginning and termination of play by each player at each player position;

a host computer connected to said central distribution control for storing the player identity information and the player position for each player station control, the start and end of each of the games, and the beginning and termination of play at each player position;

means connected to said host computer for printing a player tracking card for each player having a player identity card inserted into a player station control, including;

(a) the player identity information,

(b) blanks for in-session gaming information; and

means connected to said host computer for reading each said player tracking card when each said player tracking card has the blank in-session gaming information filled in, said host computer storing said read in-session gaming information corresponding to the player identity information.

2. The automated gaming table tracking system of claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of player identity cards has a magnetic stripe containing at least the assigned player'"'"'s identity number and name.

3. The automated gaming table tracking system of claim 2 wherein the reading means in each of said player station controls is a magnetic stripe reader.

4. The automated gaming table tracking system of claim 3 wherein said signaling means in each of said player station controls is a light-emitting device having a first color when said player identity card is inserted into said magnetic stripe reader and a second color when uninserted.

5. The automated gaming table tracking system of claim 1 wherein said sensor is a photocell in the playing area of the operator.

6. The automated gaming table tracking system of claim 1 wherein the first receiving means in the central distribution control includes means for adjusting the sensitivity of the sensor for ambient light conditions.

7. The automated gaming table of claim 1 wherein the printing means is a thermal printer.

8. An automated gaming table tracking system for a gaming table on which is played a plurality of games for a predetermined type of game, said gaming table including a playing surface, a plurality of player positions, and an operator position, said playing surface having playing areas for the operator and for each of the plurality of player positions, said automated gaming table tracking system comprising:

a sensor located in the playing area of the operator on the gaming table for sensing the presence of a game card when played by said operator, said sensor issuing a game-being-played signal as long as said game card is played by said operator in said operator player area, said game-being-played signal terminated when said game card is removed by said operator from said operator playing area;

a plurality of player identity cards, each of said player identity cards containing identity information on the player assigned to said player identity card;

a plurality of player station controls on said gaming table, one of said plurality of player station controls located at each of said plurality of player positions, each of said player station controls at least including;

(a) means for identifying the player position on the gaming table corresponding to the player station control,

(b) means for reading said player identity information from said player identity card when said one of said plurality of player identity cards is inserted in said reading means,

(c) means connected to said identifying means and to said reading means for providing external communication to and from said player station control; and

a central distribution control on said gaming table connected to the external communication providing means of each of said plurality of player station controls, each of said central distribution controls control at least including;

(a) first means connected to the sensor for receiving said game-being-played signal,

(b) second means connected to the external communication providing means of each said plurality of player station controls for receiving from each of said plurality of player station controls at least the identity of the player position and the player information for each player control station reading an inserted player identity card,

(c) means connected to the first and second receiving means for determining the start and end of each of the games from said received game-being-played signal, the beginning and termination of play by each player at each player position when said player identity card is inserted in said reading means and when said player identity card is removed from said reading means and the identity of each player at each player position.

9. The automated gaming table tracking system of claim 8 wherein each of said player identity cards has a magnetic stripe containing at least the assigned player'"'"'s identity number and name.

10. The automated gaming table tracking system of claim 9 wherein the reading means in each of said player station controls is a magnetic stripe reader.

11. An automated gaming table tracking system for a gaming table on which is played a plurality of games for a predetermined type of game, said gaming table including a playing surface, a plurality of player positions, and an operator position, said playing surface having playing areas for the operator and for each of the plurality of player positions, said automated gaming table tracking system comprising:

a photocell in the playing area of the operator on the gaming table for sensing when a game is played;

a plurality of player identity cards, each of said player identity cards containing identity information on the player assigned to said player identity card;

a plurality of player station controls on said gaming table, one of said plurality of player station controls located at each of said plurality of player positions, each of said player station controls at least including;

(a) means for identifying the player position on the gaming table corresponding to the player station control,

(b) means for reading said player identity information from said player identity card when said player identity card is inserted in said reading means,

(c) means connected to said identifying means and to said reading means for providing external communication to and from said player station control; and

a central distribution control on said gaming table connected to the external communication providing means of each of said plurality of player station controls, each of said central distribution controls control at least including;

(a) first means connected to the photocell for receiving a game-being-played signal,

(b) second means connected to the external communication providing means of each said plurality of player station controls for receiving from each of said plurality of player station controls at least the identity of the player position and the player information for each player control station reading an inserted player identity card,

(c) means connected to the first and second receiving means for determining the start and end of each of the games, the beginning and termination of play by each player at each player position.

12. An automated gaming table tracking system for a gaming table on which is played a plurality of games for a predetermined type of game, said gaming table including a playing surface, a plurality of player positions, and an operator position, said playing surface having playing areas for the operator and for each of the plurality of player positions, said automated gaming table tracking system comprising:

a sensor located in the playing area of the operator for sensing the presence of a game card when played by said operator, said sensor issuing a game-being-played signal as long as said game card is played by said operator in said operator playing area, said game-being-played signal terminated when said game card is removed by said operator from said operator playing area;

a plurality of player identity cards, each of said player identity cards containing identity information on the player assigned to said player identity card;

a plurality of player station controls, one of said plurality of player station controls located at each of said plurality of player positions, each of said player station controls at least including;

(a) means for identifying the player position corresponding to the player station control,

(b) means for reading said player identity information from said player identity card when said player identity card is inserted in said reading means,

(c) means for providing external communication to and from said player stations control; and

a central distribution control connected to the external communication providing means of each of said plurality of player station controls, said central distribution control at least including;

(a) first means connected to the sensor for receiving said game-being-played signal, the first receiving means further includes including means for adjusting the sensitivity of the sensor for ambient light conditions;

(b) second means connected to the external communication providing means for receiving from each of said plurality of player station controls at least player position and the player information for each player control station reading an inserted player identity card;

(c) means connected to the first and second receiving means for determining the start and end of each of the games from said received game-being-played signal and the beginning and termination of play by each player at each player position when said player identity card is inserted in said reading means and when said player identity card is removed from said reading means.

13. A method for tracking players at a gaming table comprising the steps of:

providing each player with a player identity card containing player information corresponding to the name of the player and an identity number,

at each player position on the gaming table, reading the player information from the player identity card,

forming a control data base file containing the read player information, the identity of the player position at the gaming table, and the identity of the gaming table,

printing a player tracking card including a portion of the player information printed thereon and a unique identity code associated with the player information,

sensing when a game is being played on the gaming table,

determining for each player at a player position, how many games the player played in response to the aforesaid step of sensing,

reading the player tracking card with in-session information based on the player'"'"'s performance during the time the player was at the gaming table,

providing a data base record on each player based on the player information in the player identity card and containing any combination of the player information, in-session information, identity of the player position, identity of the gaming table, and how many games played.

14. An automated gaming table tracking system for a gaming table on which is played a plurality of games for a predetermined type of game, said gaming table including a playing surface, a plurality of player positions, and an operator position, said playing surface having playing areas for the operator and for each of the plurality of player positions, said automated gaming table tracking system comprising:

a sensor located in the playing area of the operator for sensing when a game is played, said sensor detecting an absence of ambient light;

a plurality of player identity cards, each of said player identity cards containing identity information on the player assigned to said player identity card,

a plurality of player station controls, one of said plurality of player station controls located at each of said plurality of player positions, each of said player station controls including;

(a) means for identifying the player position corresponding to the player station control,

(b) means for reading said player identity information from a player identity card when the aforesaid player identity card is inserted in said reading means,

(c) means for providing external communication to and from said player station control,

a central distribution control connected to the external communication providing means of each of said plurality of player station controls, said central distribution control at least including;

(a) first means connected to the sensor for receiving a game-being-played signal,

(b) second means connected to the external communication providing means for receiving from each of said plurality of player station controls at least the player position and the player information for each player control station reading an inserted player identity card,

(c) means connected to the first and second receiving means for determining the start and end of each of the games and the beginning and termination of play by each player at each player position.

15. The automated gaming table tracking system of claim 14 wherein each of said player identity cards has a magnetic stripe containing at least the assigned player'"'"'s identity number and name.

16. The automated gaming table tracking system of claim 15 wherein the reading means in each of said player station controls is a magnetic stripe reader.

17. The automated gaming table tracking system of claim 14 wherein said sensor is a photocell in the playing area of the operator.

18. The automated gaming table tracking system of claim 14 wherein the first receiving means in the central distribution control includes means for adjusting the sensitivity of the sensor for ambient light conditions.

19. An automated gaming table tracking system for a live card game, said automated gaming table tracking system for a live card game comprising:

a gaming table, said game gaming table including a playing surface, a plurality of player positions, and an operator position, said playing surface having live card playing areas for the operator and for each of the plurality of player positions,

a sensor in the playing area of the operator on the gaming table for sensing the presence of a game card when played by said operator, said sensor issuing a game-being-played signal as long as said game card is played by said operator in said operator playing area, said game-being-played signal terminated when said game is removed by said operator from said operator playing area;

a plurality of player identity cards, each of said player identity cards containing identity information on the player assigned to said player identity card;

a plurality of player station controls on said gaming table, one of said plurality of player station controls located at each of said plurality of player positions, each of said player station controls at least including;

(a) means for identifying the player position on the gaming table corresponding to the player station control,

(b) means for reading said player identity information from said player identity card when said player identity card is inserted in said reading means,

(c) means connected to said identifying means and to said reading means for providing external communication to and from said player station control; and

a central distribution control on said gaming table connected to the external communication providing means of each of said plurality of player station controls, each of said central distribution controls control at least including;

(a) first means connected to the sensor for receiving said game-being-played signal,

(b) second means connected to the external communication providing means of each said plurality of player station controls for receiving from each of said plurality of player station controls at least the identity of the player position and the player information for each player control station reading an inserted player identity card,

(c) means connected to the first and second receiving means for determining the start and end of each of the live card games from said received game-being-played signal, the beginning and termination of play by each player at each player position.