Entertainment monitoring system and method

• US 7,303,475 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2005
• Issued: 12/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Konami Gaming Incorporated (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Gaming Incorporated (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Perry, Robert, Huber, Doug, Guibord, Mark, George, Jeff, Britt, Tim, Miller, Wayne, Pochin, John-Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIM T
• Application Number:
  US11/094,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20050181864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 463/29, 463/40, 463/42, 463/43, 463/41
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3234 about the performance of a gaming system, e.g. revenue, diagnosis of the gaming system
• 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 17/3239 Tracking of individual players

Abstract

An entertainment management system for the gaming industry provides real-time multi-site, slot accounting, player tracking, cage credit and vault, sports book data collection, and table game accounting.

Claims

1. An entertainment monitoring system, comprising:

any casino including at least one gaming area;

a plurality of electronic gaming machines disposed in the gaming area for play by a plurality of players;

a computer based module coupled to each of the electronic gaming machines for processing electronic gaming data relating to play of the electronic gaming machines by the players, financial transactions between the players and the electronic gaming machines, and identification of the players;

a plurality of gaming tables disposed in the gaming area for play by the plurality of players;

a plurality of computer workstations for processing table data relating to play at the gaming tables by the players, financial transactions between the players and the gaming tables, and identification of the players;

a computer network having a database computer coupled to the computer based modules and the computer workstations for receiving the electronic gaming data and the table data and storing the data in a database;

a player tracking module operable on said computer network for registering the players, issuing a player tracking instrument to each of the players to identify the players at the electronic gaming machines and the gaming tables, evaluating the electronic gaming data and the table data for each of the players, and awarding complimentary points to the players based on the evaluated data; and

a redemption center in electronic communication with the player tracking module, the redemption center being remote from and physically located away from any casino, the players physically relocating from any casino to the redemption center where the players can redeem their awarded complimentary points for products or services and can earn points based on products or services purchased at the redemption center;

wherein the redemption center is implemented at a location selected from the group consisting of a point of sale system, a hotel property system, other point-based redemption systems, and combinations thereof.

2. An entertainment monitoring system as set forth in claim 1 including a progressive jackpot module operable on said computer network for selectively and individually including each of the plurality of electronic gaming machines in a progressive jackpot such that an operator can individually select which of the electronic gaming machines to include in the progressive jackpot and exclude from the progressive jackpot.

3. An entertainment monitoring system as set forth in claim 1 including a video camera situated near each of the plurality of gaming tables for viewing the play at the gaming table and a video screen operatively connected to the video camera for displaying the play at the gaming table such that a user at the computer workstation can observe the play at the gaming table by the players.

4. An entertainment monitoring system as set forth in claim 1 including computer software modules operable on said computer network and including at least one asset management module, accounting module, finance module, human resources module, marketing module, and patron tracking module to manipulate both the electronic gaming data and the table data.

5. A method of monitoring any casino including at least one gaming area having a plurality of electronic gaming machines and a plurality of gaming tables for play by a plurality of players, said method including the steps of:

registering the players in a player tracking module operable on a computer network and issuing a player tracking instrument to each of the registered players;

processing electronic gaming data relating to play of the electronic gaming machines by the registered players, financial transactions between the registered players and the electronic gaming machines, and identification of the registered players using the player tracking instruments;

processing table data relating to play at the gaming tables by the registered players, financial transactions between the registered players and the gaming tables, and identification of the registered players using the player tracking instruments;

storing the electronic gaming data and the table data in a database;

evaluating the electronic gaming data and the table data for the registered players and awarding complimentary points to the registered players based on the evaluated data;

the players physically relocating from any casino to a redemption center; and

redeeming the awarded complimentary points for products or services and earning points based on products or services purchased at the redemption center by the registered players at the redemption center electronically linked to the computer network, the redemption center being remote from and physically located away from any casino;

wherein the redemption center is implemented at a location selected from the group consisting of a point of sale system, a hotel property system, other point-based redemption systems, and combinations thereof.

6. A method as set forth in claim 5 including the step of selectively and individually including each of the plurality of electronic gaming machines in a progressive jackpot such that an operator can individually select which of the electronic gaming machines to include in the progressive jackpot and exclude from the progressive jackpot.

7. A method as set forth in claim 5 including the step of sensing a biometric characteristic of the registered players at the electronic gaming machines and the gaming tables to further identify the registered players.

8. A method of tracking a player in any casino including at least one gaming area having a plurality of electronic gaming machines, said method including the steps of:

registering the player in a player tracking module operable on a computer network by creating a player account and issuing a player tracking instrument associated with the player account to the player;

adding funds to player account using the player tracking instrument and retaining the added funds as credits on the computer network;

identifying the registered player at a first electronic gaming machine using the player tracking instrument and transferring the credits from the player account to the first electronic gaming machine;

processing electronic gaming data relating to play of the first electronic gaming machine by the registered player, the credit transfer between the player account and the first electronic gaming machine, and the identification of the registered player using the player tracking instrument;

storing the electronic gaming data in a database on the computer network;

evaluating the stored electronic gaming data and awarding complimentary points to the registered player based on the evaluated electronic gaming data;

the registered player physically relocating from any casino to a redemption center; and

redeeming the awarded complimentary points for products or services and earning points based on products or services purchased at the redemption center by the registered player at the redemption center electronically linked to the computer network, the redemption center being remote from and physically located away from any casino;

wherein the redemption center is implemented at a location selected from the group consisting of a point of sale system, a hotel property system, other point-based redemption systems, and combinations thereof.

9. A method as set forth in claim 8 wherein the step of identifying the registered player at the first electronic gaming machine includes the steps of sensing a biometric characteristic of the registered player at the first electronic gaming machine.

10. A method as set forth in claim 8 including the step of selectively and individually including the first electronic gaming machine in a progressive jackpot whereby an operator can individually select which of the electronic gaming machines to include in the progressive jackpot and exclude from the progressive jackpot.

11. An entertainment monitoring system, comprising:

any casino including at least one gaming area;

a plurality of electronic gaming machines disposed in the gaming area for play by a plurality of players;

a computer based module coupled to each of the electronic gaming machines for processing electronic gaming data relating to play of the electronic gaming machines by the players, financial transactions between the players and the electronic gaming machines, and identification of the players;

a computer network having a database computer coupled to the computer based modules for receiving the electronic gaming data and storing the electronic gaming data in a database;

a player tracking module operable on said computer network for registering the players, issuing a player tracking instrument to each of the players to identify the players at the electronic gaming machines, evaluating the electronic gaming data for each of the players, and awarding complimentary points to the players based on the evaluated electronic gaming data; and

a redemption center in electronic communication with the player tracking module, the redemption center being remote from and physically located away from any casino, the players physically relocating from any casino to the redemption center where the players can redeem their awarded complimentary points for products or services and can earn points based on products or services purchased at the redemption center;

wherein the redemption center is implemented at a location selected from the group consisting of a point of sale system, a hotel property system, other point-based redemption systems, and combinations thereof.

12. An entertainment monitoring system as set forth in claim 11 including a progressive jackpot module operable on said computer network for selectively and individually including each of the plurality of electronic gaming machines in a progressive jackpot such that an operator can individually select which of the electronic gaming machines to include in the progressive jackpot and exclude from the progressive jackpot.

13. A method of monitoring any casino including at least one gaming area having a plurality of electronic gaming machines for play by a plurality of players, said method including the steps of:

registering the players in a player tracking module operable on a computer network and issuing a player tracking instrument to each of the registered players;

processing electronic gaming data relating to play of the electronic gaming machines by the registered players, financial transactions between the registered players and the electronic gaming machines, and identification of the registered players using the player tracking instruments;

storing the electronic gaming data in a database;

evaluating the electronic gaming data and the table data and awarding complimentary points to the registered players based on the evaluated data;

the registered players physically relocating from any casino to a redemption center; and

redeeming the awarded complimentary points for products or services and earning points based on products or services purchased at the redemption center by the registered players at the redemption center electronically linked to the computer network, the redemption center being remote from and physically located away from any casino;

wherein the redemption center is implemented at a location selected from the group consisting of a point of sale system, a hotel property system, other point-based redemption systems, and combinations thereof.

14. A method as set forth in claim 13 including the step of selectively and individually including each of the plurality of electronic gaming machines in a progressive jackpot such that an operator can individually select which of the electronic gaming machines to include in the progressive jackpot and exclude from the progressive jackpot.

15. A method as set forth in claim 13 including the step of sensing a biometric characteristic of the registered players at the electronic gaming machines to further identify the registered players.