Products and processes for operations management of casino, leisure and hospitality industry

• US 7,878,909 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2008
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ameranth, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ameranth, Inc.
• Inventors: Kessman, Mark D., McCauley, Sean P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo; Peter DungBa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ahmed; Masud
• Application Number:
  US12/043,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20080281666A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: 463 25- 42, 463 17- 20, 705/14.12, 705/14.41, 705/30, 703/1, 701/300, 726/5, 273/236
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1097 Task assignment
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed
• 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

Abstract

In various embodiments of this invention, a suite of customized computer software applications, a linked or wireless computer network and accessory components cooperate to enhance and extend customer and employee resource management in the casino/gaming environment.

Claims

1. A system for real time operational support of casino dealer coordinator functions comprising:

a suite of computerized dealer coordinator application software programs linked together to provide real time operational support for casino dealer coordinator gaming functions, said suite including programs configured to facilitate electronic scheduling and dealer rotation functions in support of casino dealer coordinator functions;

a central database for storing said suite of dealer coordinator application software programs and other data;

an application software program server for facilitating execution of said dealer coordinator application software programs;

at least one client computing or display device on which said dealer coordinator application software programs or data are configured to be executed, linked or displayed; and

at least one user interface associated with the at least one client computing or display device, said user interface being configured to display and/or enable initiation, execution, and interaction with the application software programs and data stored on the central database;

wherein said application software program server enables communication and transmission of data between the central database and the at least one client computing or display device;

wherein the central database, application software program server, at least one client computing or display device and application software programs are configured to facilitate integrated real time operational support for casino dealer coordinator functions and wherein information generated by or associated with a particular application software program is configured to be used during execution of another related gaming application software program.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the application software programs of the suite of programs is configured to facilitate public display of dealer information.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the application software programs of the suite of programs is configured to facilitate the creation, modification or display of dealer schedules.

4. The system of claim 1 further configured to facilitate creation, modification, generation or display of dealer schedules and breaks based on dealer preferences or other criteria.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one client computing or display device is configured to communicate wirelessly with the application program server.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the system components are configured to communicate with each other and with other applications, data and systems via the internet or other computer network.

7. The system of claim 1 further configured to facilitate monitoring of the system via the internet or other network connection.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the system is configured to link to and interact with special purpose casino devices.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said devices include at the table shuffling machines.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the application programs is configured to facilitate generation of a report from information stored on the central database.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the user interface is configured to receive and operate in response to verbal commands or inquiries and to provide automated verbal responses to such verbal commands or inquiries.

12. The system of claim 1 further configured to facilitate synchronization of the central database with another database.

13. The system of claim 1 further configured to communicate with another casino management system such as a legacy player tracking system or other system or database.

14. A system for real time operational support of casino dealer coordinator functions comprising:

a suite of computerized dealer coordinator application software programs linked together to provide real time operational support for casino dealer coordinator gaming functions, said suite including programs configured to facilitate electronic scheduling and dealer rotation functions in support of casino dealer coordinator functions;

a central database for storing said suite of dealer coordinator application software programs and other data;

an application software program server for facilitating execution of said dealer coordinator application software programs;

at least one client computing or display device on which said dealer coordinator application software programs or data are configured to be executed, or linked or displayed; and

at least one user interface associated with the at least one client computing or display device, said user interface being configured to display and/or enable initiation, execution, and interaction with the application software programs and data stored on the central database;

wherein said application software program server enables communication and transmission of data between the central database and the at least one client computing or display device;

wherein the central database, application software program server, at least one client computing or display device and application software programs are configured to facilitate integrated real time operational support for casino dealer coordinator functions;

wherein information generated by or associated with a particular application software program is configured to be used during execution of another related application software program and wherein said system is configured to facilitate automatic generation of dealer schedules and rotations based on predetermined criteria.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein at least one of the application software programs of the suite of programs is configured to facilitate public display of dealer information.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein at least one of the application software programs of the suite of programs is configured to facilitate the creation, modification or display of dealer schedules.

17. The system of claim 14 further configured to facilitate creation, modification, generation or display of dealer schedules and breaks based on dealer preferences or other criteria.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein the at least one client computing or display device is configured to communicate wirelessly with the application program server.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein the system components are configured to communicate with each other and with other applications, data and systems via the internet or other computer network.

20. The system of claim 14 further configured to facilitate monitoring of the system via the internet or other network connection.

21. The system of claim 14 wherein the system is configured to link to and interact with special purpose casino devices.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein said devices include at the table shuffling machines.

23. The system of claim 14 wherein at least one of the application programs is configured to facilitate generation of a report from information stored on the central database.

24. The system of claim 14 wherein the user interface is configured to receive and operate in response to verbal commands or inquiries and to provide automated verbal responses to such verbal commands or inquiries.

25. The system of claim 14 further configured to facilitate synchronization of the central database with another database.

26. The system of claim 14 further configured to communicate with another casino management system such as a legacy player tracking system or other system or database.