Customer worth differentiation by selective activation of physical instrumentalities within the casino

• US 6,003,013 A
• Filed: 05/29/1998
• Issued: 12/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Harrah's Operating Company Incorporated (Caesars Entertainment, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harrah's Operating Company Incorporated (Caesars Entertainment, Inc.)
• Inventors: Boushy, John M., Sevigny, Jayme D., Rowe, Bruce C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel Todd
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hayes, John W
• Application Number:
  US09/087,619
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/14, 705/17, 463/16, 463/17, 463/18, 463/19, 463/20, 463/25, 463/29, 463/12, 463/26
• US Class Current: 705/7.33
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06375 Prediction of business process outcome or impact based on a proposed change
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0204 Market segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0209 Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0215 Including financial accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• 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
• 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 differentiating customers according to their worth to the casino. Customer information is accumulated at each affiliated casino through one or more LAN-based management systems, updated to a central patron database (CPDB) that is coupled to each casino LAN through a WAN, and made available to each affiliated casino property as needed. Customer accounts are automatically activated and provided with data from the CPDB when a customer from one casino property first visits an affiliated casino property. Customer accounts are updated with status information based on the customer'"'"'s worth to the casino. Customer accounts are updated with new activity data whenever a management system associated with the casino receives customer data from input devices, such as card readers, workstations, and dumb terminals, located at various venues throughout the casino. Customers are awarded points, based on their tracked activity at all affiliated casino properties. Customers also have theoretical win profiles. Customer status may be based on accumulated points or the theoretical win profile. When the customer is recognized at a gaming machine, or any location having a suitable card reader, the customer'"'"'s status is determined in the customer account. For a special status customer, a physical instrumentality is activated for the benefit of the customer, such as a telephone, light, lockable cabinet, or the like. Distinguished services may also be provided once the special status customer is recognized.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for differentiating a customer from other customers at any of a plurality of casino properties, the method comprising:

monitoring betting activity of the customer at any of a plurality of the casino properties;

accumulating points for the customer according to a monetary value of the monitored betting activity of the customer at the plurality of casino properties;

establishing a status of the customer as a function of the accumulated points, the status selected from a group including at least a special status and a non-special status;

detecting the customer at a physical instrumentality at any one of the casino properties;

determining the status of the customer; and

responsive to the status of the customer being a special status, activating the physical instrumentality for the benefit of the customer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to the status of the customer being a special status, providing a distinguished service to the customer, the distinguished service limited to customers having the special status.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

periodically updating a theoretical win profile for the customer as a function of estimated winnings from the monitored betting activity of the customer at the plurality of casino properties over a time period, the theoretical win profile for subsequently determining complementaries or services to be provided to the customer; and

establishing the status of the customer as a function of the theoretical win profile of the customer.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

responsive to the status of the customer being a special status, providing a distinguished service to the customer, the distinguished service limited to customers having the special status.

11. The method as in any one of claims 1-10, wherein detecting the customer at a physical instrumentality comprises:

detecting a customer identity card storing data identifying a customer account of the customer.

12. The method as in any one of claims 1-10, further comprising:

providing a gaming machine and light coupled to the gaming machine, the light being selectively activatable; and

wherein activating the physical instrumentality for the benefit of the customer comprises activating the light.

13. The method as in any one of claims 1-10, further comprising:

providing a gaming machine and telephone adjacent to the gaming machine, the telephone being activatable; and

wherein activating the physical instrumentality for the benefit of the customer comprises activating the telephone.

14. The method as in any one of claims 1-10, further comprising:

providing a gaming machine and a cabinet adjacent to the gaming machine, the cabinet having an interior compartment with a selectively activatable lock; and

wherein activating the physical instrumentality for the benefit of the customer comprises enabling the lock of the compartment of the cabinet.

15. The method as in any one of claims 1-10, further comprising:

providing a privileged facility with a door having a selectively activatable lock to allow customers having the special status into the privileged facility; and

wherein activating the physical instrumentality for the benefit of the customer comprises unlocking the door of a privileged facility to allow a customer having the special status to enter the privileged facility.

19. The method as in any one of claims 3-6, wherein periodically updating the theoretical win profile of the customer comprises:

updating the theoretical win profile for each separate visit of the customer to any of one of the casino properties.

5. A computer-implemented method for differentiating a customer from other customers at any of a plurality of casino properties, the method comprising:

monitoring betting activity of the customer at any of a plurality of the casino properties;

periodically updating a theoretical win profile for the customer as a function of estimated winnings from the monitored betting activity of the customer at the plurality of casino properties over a time period, the theoretical win profile for subsequently determining complementaries or services to be provided to the customer;

establishing a status of the customer as a function of the theoretical win profile, the status selected from a group including at least a special status and a non-special status;

detecting the customer at a physical instrumentality at any of the casino properties;

determining the status of the customer; and

responsive to the status of the customer being a special status, activating the physical instrumentality for the benefit of the customer.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

responsive to the status of the customer being a special status, providing a distinguished service to the customer, the distinguished service limited to customers having the special status.

7. A computer-implemented method for differentiating a customer from other customers at a casino property, the method comprising:

monitoring betting activity of the customer at the casino property;

periodically updating a theoretical win profile for the customer as a function of estimated winnings from the monitored betting activity of the customer at the casino property over a time period, the theoretical win profile for subsequently determining complementaries or services to be provided to the customer;

detecting the customer at a physical instrumentality at the casino property;

determining the status of the customer; and

responsive to the status of the customer being a special status, activating the physical instrumentality for the benefit of the customer.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

responsive to the status of the customer being a special status, providing a distinguished service to the customer, the distinguished service limited to customers having the special status.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

accumulating points of the customer according to a monetary value of the monitored betting activity of the customer at the plurality of casino properties; and

establishing the status of the customer as a function of the accumulated points.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

responsive to the status of the customer being a special status, providing a distinguished service to the customer, the distinguished service limited to customers having the special status.

16. The method as in any one of claims 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10 wherein providing a distinguished service comprises:

providing the customer with an express food or beverage service.

17. The method as in any one of claims 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10, wherein providing a distinguished service comprises:

providing the customer with preferred seating at an entertainment establishment.

18. The method as in any one of claims 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10, wherein providing a distinguished service comprises:

providing the customer with preferred seating at a dining establishment.

20. The method as in any one of claims 7-10, wherein periodically updating the theoretical win profile of the customer comprises:

updating the theoretical win profile for each separate visit of the customer to the casino property.

21. A computer-implemented method for differentiating a customer from other customers at any of a plurality of casino properties, wherein each casino property includes a computer-implemented management system, at least one input device coupled to the management system for transferring activity data of a customer to the management system, and a physical instrumentality proximate the input device, the management system of each casino property being further coupled to a central database server, the method comprising:

at each of the plurality of casino properties, assigning a customer ID and a corresponding customer account to each of a plurality of customers at the casino property, and storing the customer ID and corresponding customer account assigned at the casino property in the management system at the casino property, each customer account at a casino property including an accumulated point balance from betting activity of the customer at that casino property;

forming, from the customer accounts in each of the management systems at the plurality of casino properties, a database of customer accounts in the central database server, each customer account in the database accessible through the corresponding customer ID, each customer account in the central database including a status field indicating the status of the customer as a function of the accumulated point balances at each of the casino properties, the status selected from a group including at least a special status and a non-special status; and

monitoring at least one input device at a casino property for activity data of a customer, including a customer ID, to detect a presence of the customer;

responsive to detecting a customer ID, determining whether the corresponding customer account is activated in the management system of the casino property;

responsive to determining that the corresponding customer account is activated in the management system, updating the corresponding customer account with the activity data of the customer monitored at the input device; and

responsive to determining that the corresponding customer account is not activated in the management system, copying selected activity data of the customer from the corresponding customer account in the central database server to the management system at the casino property to activate the customer account in the management system at the casino property, the selected activity data including the status field of the customer account;

determining the status of the customer in the customer account; and

responsive to the status of the customer being a special status, activating a physical instrumentality proximate the customer for the benefit of the customer.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

responsive to the status of the customer being a special status, providing a distinguished service to the customer, the distinguished service limited to customers having the special status.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

periodically updating a theoretical win profile for a customer account of the central database server as a function of estimated winnings from the monitored betting activity of the customer at the plurality of casino properties over a time period, the theoretical win profile for subsequently determining complementaries or services to be provided to the customer; and

establishing the status of the customer as a function of the theoretical win profile of the customer.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

responsive to the status of the customer being a special status, providing a distinguished service to the customer, the distinguished service limited to customers having the special status.

25. A computer-implemented method for differentiating a customer from other customers at any of a plurality of casino properties, wherein each casino property includes a computer-implemented management system, at least one input device coupled to the management system for transferring activity data of a customer to the management system, and a physical instrumentality proximate the input device, the management system of each casino property being further coupled to a central database server, the method comprising:

at each of the plurality of casino properties, assigning a customer ID and a corresponding customer account to each of a plurality of customers at the casino property, and storing the customer ID and corresponding customer account assigned at the casino property in the management system at the casino property, each customer account at a casino property including a theoretical win profile for the customer as a function of estimated winnings from the betting activity of the customer at the plurality of casino properties over a time period, the theoretical win profile for subsequently determining complementaries or services to be provided to the customer;

forming, from the customer accounts in each of the management systems at the plurality of casino properties, a database of customer accounts in the central database server, each customer account in the database accessible through the corresponding customer ID, each customer account in the central database including a status field indicating the status of the customer as a function of the theoretical win profiles of the customer at the plurality of casino properties, the status selected from a group including at least a special status and a non-special status;

monitoring at least one input device at a casino property for activity data of a customer, including a customer ID to detect a presence of the customer;

responsive to detecting a customer ID, determining whether the corresponding customer account is activated in the management system of the casino property;

responsive to determining that the corresponding customer account is activated in the management system, updating the corresponding customer account with the activity data of the customer monitored at the input device;

responsive to determining that the corresponding customer account is not activated in the management system, copying selected activity data of the customer from the corresponding customer account in the central database to the management system at the casino property to activate the customer account in the management system at the casino property, the selected activity data including the status field of the customer account;

determining the status of the customer in the customer account; and

responsive to the status of the customer being a special status, activating a physical instrumentality proximate the customer for the benefit of the customer.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

responsive to the status of the customer being a special status, providing a distinguished service to the customer, the distinguished service limited to customers having the special status.

27. A computer-implemented method for differentiating a customer from other customers at a casino property, wherein the casino property includes a computer-implemented management system, at least one input device coupled to the management system for transferring activity data of a customer to the management system, and a physical instrumentality proximate the input device, the management system of the casino property being further coupled to a database server, the method comprising:

assigning a customer ID and a corresponding customer account to each of a plurality of customers at the casino property, and storing the customer ID and corresponding customer account assigned at a casino property in the management system at the casino property, each customer account at the casino property including a theoretical win profile for the customer as a function of estimated winnings from the betting activity of the customer at the casino property over a time period, the theoretical win profile for subsequently determining complementaries or services to be provided to the customer;

establishing a status of the customer in the customer account as a function of the theoretical win profile of the customer, the status selected from a group including at least a special status and a non-special status;

monitoring at least one input device at the casino property for activity data of a customer, including a customer ID to detect a presence of the customer;

responsive to detecting a customer ID, determining whether the corresponding customer account is activated in the management system of the casino property;

responsive to determining that the corresponding customer account is activated in the management system, updating the corresponding customer account with the activity data of the customer monitored at the input device;

determining the status of the customer in the customer account; and

responsive to the status of the customer being a special status, activating a physical instrumentality proximate the customer for the benefit of the customer.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

responsive to the status of the customer being a special status, providing a distinguished service to the customer, the distinguished service limited to customers having the special status.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

accumulating points in a customer account of the customer according to a monetary value of the monitored betting activity of the customer at the casino property; and

establishing the status of the customer in the customer account as a function of the accumulated points.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

responsive to the status of the customer being a special status, providing a distinguished service to the customer, the distinguished service limited to customers having the special status.

31. A system for tracking customer activity at a plurality of casino properties using customer accounts associated with customer IDs, the system comprising:

a local computer system at each of the casino properties;

at least one input device at each casino property, each input device coupled to the local computer system for transmitting to the local computer system, customer betting data and a customer ID received at the input device;

a management system coupled to each of the local computer systems for receiving the customer betting data and customer ID of a customer from an input device, the management system being further coupled to a central database for selectively providing the received customer betting data and customer ID to the central database, and for providing a status signal indicating the status of the customer;

at least one physical instrumentality at each casino property, each physical instrumentality proximate to a gaming machine and to the input device receiving a customer ID, and coupled to a logic unit that receives the status signal from the management system and selectively activates the physical instrumentality in response to the status signal indicating a special status customer; and

the central database comprising;

a plurality of customer accounts for the customers, each customer account of a customer including;

a customer ID;

an accumulated point balance from betting activity at the plurality of casino properties; and

a status field indicating the status of the customer as a function of the accumulated point balance, the status selected from a group including at least a special status and a non-special status;

a database management program for receiving customer betting activity data and a customer ID for a customer from a management system, accumulating points in the customer account as a function of the received betting activity data, and updating the status field of the customer in the customer account in the central database corresponding to the received customer ID as a function of the accumulated point balance.

34. The system as in any one of claims 31-33, wherein the physical instrumentality comprises a light coupled to the gaming machine, the light being selectively activatable in response to an activation signal.

35. The system as in any one of claims 31-33, wherein the at least one physical instrumentality comprises a telephone adjacent to a gaming machine, the telephone being selectively activatable in response to an activation signal.

36. The system as in any one of claims 31-33, wherein the at least one physical instrumentality comprises a cabinet adjacent to the gaming machine, the cabinet having an interior compartment with a lock that is selectively activatable in response to an activation signal.

37. The system as in any one of claims 31-33, wherein at least one physical instrumentality comprises a privileged facility with a door having a lock that is selectively activatable in response to an activation signal to allow a special status customer into the privileged facility.

38. The system as in any one of claims 31-33, further comprising:

a logic unit communicatively coupled to the management system to receive an activation signal therefrom;

a relay unit having a plurality of relays for selectively activating a physical instrumentality coupled to one of the relays in response to the activation signal;

wherein the at least one physical instrumentality comprises either;

a light coupled to a relay, the light being selectively activatable in response to the activation signal; and

a telephone coupled to a relay, the telephone being selectively activatable in response to the activation signal.

32. A system for differentiating a customer from other customers at any of a plurality of casino properties using customer accounts associated with customer IDs, the system comprising:

a local computer system at each of the casino properties;

at least one input device at each casino property, each input device coupled to the local computer system for transmitting to the local computer system, customer betting data and a customer ID received at the input device;

a management system coupled to each of the local computer systems for receiving the customer betting data and customer ID of a customer from an input device, the management system being further coupled to a central database for selectively providing the received customer betting data and customer ID to the central database, and for providing a status signal indicating the status of the customer;

at least one physical instrumentality at each casino property, each physical instrumentality located proximate to a gaming machine and to the input device receiving a customer ID, and coupled to a logic unit that receives the status signal from the management system and selectively activates the physical instrumentality in response to the status signal indicating a special status customer; and

the central database comprising;

a plurality of customer accounts for the customers, each customer account of a customer including;

a customer ID;

a theoretical win profile for the customer as a function of estimated winnings from the betting activity of the customer at the plurality of casino properties over a time period, the theoretical win profile for subsequently determining complementaries or services to be provided to the customer; and

a status field indicating the status of the customer, the status selected from a group including at least a special status and a non-special status;

a database management program for receiving customer betting activity data and a customer ID for a customer from a management system, updating the theoretical win profile as a function of the received betting activity data, and updating the status field of the customer in the customer account in the central database corresponding to the received customer ID as a function of the updated theoretical win profile.

33. A system for differentiating a customer from other customers at a casino property using customer accounts associated with customer IDs, the system comprising:

a local computer system at the casino property;

at least one input device at the casino property, each input device coupled to the local computer system for transmitting to the local computer system, customer betting data and a customer ID received at the input device;

a management system coupled to the local computer system for receiving the customer betting data and customer ID of a customer from an input device, the management system being further coupled to a local database for selectively providing the received customer betting data and customer ID to the local database, and for providing a status signal indicating the status of the customer;

at least one physical instrumentality at the casino property, and proximate to a gaming machine and the input device receiving a customer ID, and coupled to a logic unit that receives the status signal from the management system and selectively activates the physical instrumentality in response to the status signal indicating a special status customer; and

the local database comprising;

a plurality of customer accounts for the customers, each customer account of a customer including;

a customer ID;

a theoretical win profile for the customer as a function of estimated winnings from the betting activity of the customer at the casino property over a time period, the theoretical win profile for subsequently determining complementaries or services to be provided to the customer; and

and status field indicating the status of the customer, the status field for selected customers indicating a special status customer;

a database management program for receiving customer betting activity data and a customer ID for a customer from a management system, and updating the status field of the customer in the customer account in the local database corresponding to the received customer ID as a function of the theoretical win profile.

39. A gaming machine for use in a computer system including a database of customer accounts, each customer account including a status of the customer, the gaming machine comprising:

a card reader coupled to the computer system to read customer identity information from a customer identity card and provide the customer identity information to the computer system;

a logic unit coupled to receive a status signal from a computer system indicating the status of the customer, and to provide an activation signal in response to the status of the customer being a special status customer;

a relay unit having a plurality of relays, and coupled to the logic unit to receive the activation signal and activate at least one of the plurality of relays; and

at least one physical instrumentality coupled to one of the relays.

40. The gaming machine of claim 39, wherein at least one of the physical instrumentalities comprises a light coupled to the gaming machine.

41. The gaming machine of claim 39, wherein at least one of the physical instrumentalities comprises a telephone adjacent to the gaming machine.

42. The gaming machine of claim 39, further comprising:

a cabinet adjacent to the gaming machine, the cabinet having an interior compartment with a lock coupled to one of the relays.

43. A computer-implemented method for differentiating a customer from other customers at a casino property, comprising:

operating a computer system including a database of customer accounts for a plurality of customers, each customer account having;

customer identification data identifying the customer;

a theoretical win profile for the customer as a function of estimated winnings from the betting activity of the customer at the casino property over a time period, the theoretical win profile for subsequently determining complementaries or services to be provided to the customer; and

a status field indicating the status of the customer, the status selected from a group including at least a special status and a non-special status;

providing a gaming machine comprising a card reader and a light;

reading at the card reader of the gaming machine a customer identity card of a customer to obtain customer identity data;

determining in the database a status of the customer account corresponding to the read customer identity data;

responsive to the status of the customer being a special status, activating the light at the gaming machine; and

providing a distinguished service to the customer at the gaming machine, the distinguished service limited to customers having the special status.

44. A method for differentiating a customer at a casino property from other customers, the method comprising:

establishing a status of the customer from at least one of an accumulated points of the customer or a theoretical win profile of the customer;

providing at the casino property a gaming machine having a physical instrumentality adjacent thereto, the instrumentality being selectively activatable;

detecting a customer at the gaming machine having the physical instrumentality;

determining the status of the customer; and

responsive to the status of the customer being a special status, activating the physical instrumentality for the benefit of the customer.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising:

responsive to the status of the customer being a special status, providing a distinguished service to the customer, the distinguished service limited to customers having the special status.

46. A method for differentiating a customer from other customers at a casino property, the method comprising:

providing a gaming machine and a telephone adjacent to the gaming machine, the telephone being selectively activatable;

detecting a customer at the gaming machine;

determining the status of the customer; and

responsive to the status of the customer being a special status, activating the telephone for the benefit of the customer.

47. The method of claim 46, further comprising:

establishing a status of the customer from at least one of an accumulated points of the customer or a theoretical win profile of the customer.

48. A method for differentiating a customer from other customers at a casino property, the method comprising:

providing a gaming machine and a cabinet adjacent to the gaming machine, the cabinet having an interior compartment with an electrically activatable lock;

detecting a customer at the gaming machine;

determining the status of the customer; and

responsive to the status of the customer being a special status, activating the lock of the compartment of the cabinet to allow the customer to selectively lock or unlock the compartment.

49. A method for differentiating a customer from other customers at a casino property, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of gaming machines at the casino property;

establishing a status of the customer from the customer'"'"'s use of the gaming machines at the casino property;

providing a privileged facility at a casino property, the facility including a door having a selectively activatable lock;

detecting the customer at the door of the privileged facility;

determining the status of the customer; and

responsive to the status of the customer being a special status, unlocking the door of the privileged facility to allow the customer to enter the privileged facility.

50. The method of claim 49, further comprising:

establishing a status of the customer from at least one of the accumulated points of the customer or a theoretical win profile of the customer.

51. A gaming system for a casino property, the gaming system comprising:

a gaming machine;

a physical instrumentality adjacent to the gaming machine;

identification means, coupled to the gaming machine, for obtaining an identification signal identifying a customer at the gaming machine;

determination means, coupled to the identification means to receive the identification signal, and for determining a status of the customer by providing the identification signal to a computer system storing customer records, each customer record including a status of the customer based on at least one of an accumulated points of the customer or a theoretical win profile of the customer, and receiving a signal of the status of the customer from the computer system; and

activation means, coupled to the determination means and the physical instrumentality, and responsive to the status signal indicating a special status of the identified customer, for activating the physical instrumentality for the customer'"'"'s benefit or use.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein the physical instrumentality is a telephone adjacent to the gaming machine, the telephone coupled to the activation means to be activated in response to the status signal indicating a special status customer.

53. The system of claim 51, wherein the physical instrumentality is a cabinet adjacent to the gaming machine, the cabinet having an interior compartment with an electrically activatable lock coupled to the activation means to be activated in response to the status signal indicating a special status customer to allow the customer to selectively lock and unlock the compartment.

54. A system for differentiating a customer from other customers at a casino property, the system comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine adapted to receive a signal identifying a customer at the gaming machine;

at least one of the gaming machines further having a physical instrumentality adjacent to the gaming machine, the instrumentality being selectively activatable; and

a computer system, communicatively coupled to the gaming machines, and including a database of customer accounts for a plurality of customers, each customer account having customer identification data identifying the customer and a status field indicating the status of the customer, the status selected from a group including at least a special status and a non-special status, the status field for each customer determined by the computer system based upon at least one of an accumulated points of the customer or a theoretical win profile of the customer;

the computer system further responsive to the gaming machine having the physical instrumentality to receive the signal identifying the customer, and to determine from the database the status of the identified customer, the gaming machine responsive to the status of the customer being a special status by activating the physical instrumentality for the benefit of the customer.