Method and apparatus for monitoring casinos and gaming

• US 6,663,490 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2001
• Issued: 12/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Walker Digital Table Systems LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: MindPlay LLC (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Soltys, Richard, Huizinga, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): ONEILL, MICHAEL W
• Application Number:
  US10/015,364
• Publication Number:
  US 20020045480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16-20, 463/25-27, 463/29, 463/40-42
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/242 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00157 Casino or betting games horse races A63F3/00082
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/322 Casino tables, e.g. tables having integrated screens, chip detection means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens

Abstract

A system automatically monitors playing and wagering of a game, including the gaming habits of players and the performance of employees. A table monitor automatically images the activity occurring at a gaming table, including the placement of wagers. The system detects, among other things wins and losses, and the amounts won and lost by a player. The system provides a basis for automatically allocating complimentary player benefits, for example based on the amounts won/lost or wagered.

Claims

1. A method of tracking customer activity in a casino, comprising;

identifying a customer at a gaming table wherein identifying a customer includes;

reading a unique serial number from a wagering piece each time the wagering piece is placed as a wager;

tracing a path of the wagering piece between the casino and a plurality of customers including the customer; and

matching the unique serial number to a customer identifier;

automatically determining an amount won or lost by the customer at the gaming table; and

determining a level of complimentary benefits to be provided to the customer based on the determined won or lost amount.

2. A method of tracking a player in a gaming environment, comprising:

issuing a wagering piece having a unique serial number to a player having a unique player identifier;

storing a relationship between the unique serial number of the wagering piece and unique player identifier;

automatically monitoring at least one gaming station for an appearance of the wagering piece placed as a wager by the player; and

matching the unique serial number to a customer identifier.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

automatically determining a won/lost amount for the wager.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

automatically determining a won/lost amount for the wager; and

tracking a won/lost amount for the player.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

automatically determining a won/lost amount for the wager;

tracking a cumulative won/lost amount for the player;

awarding complimentary benefits based on the cumulative won/lost amount for the player.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein automatically monitoring at least one gaming station for an appearance of the wagering piece placed as a wager by the player includes imaging at least a portion of a gaming station and identifying the image of the gaming station.

7. A method of tracking players in a gaming environment, comprising:

associating a unique serial number from a wagering piece with a first player;

reading the unique serial number from the wagering piece each time the wagering piece is placed as a wager;

determining whether the player won the wager;

continuing to associate the unique serial number with the first player if the first player has won the wager; and

discontinuing the association between the unique serial number and the first player if the first player has lost the wager.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

reading the unique serial number from the wagering piece each time the wagering piece is placed in a bank tray; and

reading a unique serial number from the wagering piece each time the wagering piece is returned to a cashier.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

reading the unique serial number from the wagering piece each time the wagering piece is placed in a bank tray;

determining when the wagering piece is removed from the bank tray; and

associating the unique serial number with at least one of a number of players having winning wagers when the wagering piece associated with the unique serial number is removed from the bank tray.

10. A method of tracking players in a gaming environment, comprising:

associating a unique serial number from a wagering piece with a first player identifier;

reading the unique serial number from the wagering piece each time the wagering piece is placed as a wager;

maintaining the association between the unique serial number and the player identifier each time the player associated with the player identifier wins a wager;

discontinuing the association between the unique serial number and the player identifier each time the player associated with the player identifier loses a wager; and

tracking a path of the wagering piece between various gaming tables.