Intelligent casino management system and method for managing real-time networked interactive gaming systems

• US 20030003997A1
• Filed: 06/25/2002
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: VT Tech Corporation
• Original Assignee: VT Tech Corporation
• Inventors: Vuong, Liem Thanh, Vuong, Binh Thanh, Shinners, Craig Edward, Vuong, Vinh Thanh, Vuong, Son Thanh
• Application Number:
  US10/179,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20030003997A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements

Abstract

A system and method for intelligent management of an interactive gaming system and casino games played by both local and remote players is described. The present invention tracks the play of local and remote players and dealers, provides a real-time inventory of wagers and players stakes, and provides casino management and regulators visibility of real-time play throughout the casino. The present invention also enables casinos to identify and reward loyal players regardless of whether the player is on-site or remote or playing a table game or a slot machine.

Claims

1. A method for conducting interactive gaming where a plurality of local and remote players may participate in at least one selected casino game conducted by a casino staff member, said method comprising the steps of:

Establishing a stake for said remote players who are participating in said selected casino game;

Accepting a wager from each of said local and remote players;

Detecting the value of at least one gaming object associated with said selected casino game to determine winning and losing wagers for each of said local and remote players who are participating in said selected casino game;

Remotely monitoring a series of plays of said selected casino game, said remote monitoring including monitoring the rate of play, the wagered amount and the results of each play of said selected casino game; and

Maintaining a historical database for each play of said casino game, said historical database having a time stamp, the value of all gaming objects for completion of said play, associating a wager determination with each of said participating players, associating a video signal displaying the play of said casino game with said time stamp.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of determining when at least one of said participating player qualifies for a casino comp.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of maintaining a player profile up-dated in real-time for each of said local and remote players.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of establishing a stake for at least one of said local players.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of determining whether said local and remote players owe income taxes based on a change in said stake.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of determining whether said remote players owe income taxes based on a change in said stake.

7. A method for conducting an interactive casino game having a plurality of local and remote players, said method comprising the steps of:

Establishing a communication link between a smart table and a network manager;

Initiating play of said interactive casino game;

Transmitting a request for wagers to each remote player to initiate a period for placing wagers;

Determining and announcing the end of said wager period; and

Detecting the value of said gaming object associated with each player;

Determining the result of said play;

Communicating the result of said play to each remote player; and

Retaining a historical record of each player'"'"'s wager, the gaming objects associated with each player and the result of said play.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of:

Transmitting a request for an intermediate decision from at least one of said remote players;

Initiating a response period;

Detecting whether a response to said request is received;

If said response is timely received, continue play of said game; and

If said response is not received, determining the end of said response period and invoking a rules engine for generating a response for said remote player.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said recording step further comprises the step of retaining a historical record of from said at least one of said remote player'"'"'s intermediate decision;

said historical record associated with said at least one said remote player.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein said rules engine invoking step includes the step of determining a profile for from at least one of said remote player.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of generating an alarm in response to an alert condition.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said alert condition includes an increase in the amount wagered, a wager settlement above a selected threshold, a request for credit, winning wagers in excess of a selected threshold or a security concern.

13. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of monitoring a plurality of casino games;

Collecting statistics for said plurality of monitored casino games; and

Verifying the odds and payouts for said monitored casino games.

14. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of providing a communication network for exchange of video, text and audio signals between said plurality of remote players.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of:

Providing a communication network for the exchange of video, text and audio signals between said plurality of remote players; and

Distributing said collected statistics to said plurality of remote players.

16. The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of:

Transferring an amount from said stake to an account associated with said casino employee, said amount selected by said player as a gratuity for said casino employee; and

Displaying said gratuity to said casino employee.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein video date is transmitted as a series of discrete frames of video.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein said rules engines comprises an executable module of computer code executed in response to a selected operational event.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said rules engine is coupled to said casino game server;

said rules engine invoked when status information from said casino game server indicates a non-responsive remote player.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein said rules engine withdraws said non-responsive remote player'"'"'s pending wager.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein said rules engine completes the play for said non-responsive remote player using a set rules to determine a response.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein said remote player may define a personalized set of rules.

24. The system of claim 17 wherein said remote player may place a plurality of wagers on more than one of said games of chance and said rules engine determines the outcome.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein said remote player may communicate a request to said floor manager to display the results of said plurality of wagers.

26. The system of claim 17 wherein said network manager further comprises means for monitoring the operation of said network management system, monitoring the total value of the wagers at each of said plurality of casino games and assigning new players to a selected one of said plurality of casino games.

27. The system of claim 17 further comprising a second network, independent from said first network, coupling said floor manager with said plurality of casino game servers.

17. In a casino environment, a casino network management system for monitoring the play of casino games by local and remote players, said system comprising:

A network manager coupled to a public communication network for establishing a secure communication link with remotely located players;

A first level network coupled to said network manager;

A backend manager coupled to said network manager by said first level network, said backend manager adapted to maintaining a log file of all communication between said network manager and said floor manager and a rules engine to detect and resolve problems encountered in playing said game of chance in accordance with a set of rules;

A video manager coupled to said network manager by said first level network for managing a stream of video data captured by a plurality of video cameras distributed throughout said casino environment;

said video manager adapted to transmit selected video data to said floor manager, said selected video data associated with wagers placed by said remote players.

A plurality of casino game servers; and

A floor manager coupled to said network manger by said first level network for conveying communications between said network manager and a selected one of said casino game servers;

said floor manager adapted to associate wager information for said remote players with said video data.