Networked gaming system including a location monitor and dispatcher using personal data keys
View Patent ↗A networked gaming system is disclosed that includes location detection and dispatcher servers operative together with one or more wireless personal digital (PDK) devices communicating with receiver/decoders (RDCs) for tracking and communicating with casino employees and patrons throughout the casino. An employee and patron tracking system in a casino is disclosed wherein beverage and other service staff are properly assigned, dispatched to the right patron or location and can be located and tracked throughout various transactions.
1. A networked gaming system for one or more casino venues comprising:
a location tracking server;
a plurality of gaming machines;
a network;
a plurality radio frequency transceivers located in said plurality of gaming machines, each radio frequency transceiver device having a known location within said one or more casino venues and each radio transceiver in communication over said network with said location tracking server;
a set of personal data key devices (PDKs) associated and transported with a player or employee, said radio frequency transceivers configured to wirelessly detect the presence of a PDK in proximity of one or more of said radio frequency transceivers, and
a location monitor including a video display and a processor, said processor connected to said network and configured to (i) control said display to display a graphical user interface (GUI) including a geographical representation of the layout of at least a portion of said one or more casino venues, (ii) to determine the geographical position of one more PDKs detected by said radio frequency transceivers, (iii) to control said GUI to indicate in said geographical representation the positions of said PDKs in said venues, and (iv) to display a layout of a casino floor which include real-time tracking of PDK devices, radio receiver/decoder (RDC) devices and location of several zones of the RDC devices.
2. The networked gaming system of claim 1 comprising a proximity detector associated with one or more radio frequency transceivers to determine the location proximity of PDKs to said one or more radio frequency transceivers, said location proximity provided by one of said proximity detector and radio frequency transceivers through the network to said monitor.
3. The networked gaming system of claim 1 comprising said radio frequency transceiver devices are located in each of said plurality of gaming machines.
4. The networked gaming system of claim 3 comprising a device including a radio frequency transceiver retrofit into one or more existing gaming machines of said plurality of gaming machines.
5. The networked gaming system of claim 1 comprising said PDKs include a plurality of subsets of PDKs associated with different player or employee characteristics, said monitor processor configured to control said display to distinguish between PDKs of said different subsets.
6. The networked gaming system of claim 1 comprising one or more servers including player or employee information, said monitor in communication with said one or more servers over said network and said processor configured to display for a PDK at least a portion of said player or employee information.
7. The networked gaming machine of claim 6 comprising said monitor configured to provide for selection of a PDK located and displayed in said geographical representation, said selection controlling said processor to control said display to display at least said portion of said player or employee information associated with said selected data key devices.
8. In a gaming system of the type having a plurality of gaming machines dispersed throughout one or more casino venues, a communication network to provide communication between said gaming machines and one or more network servers, an improvement comprising:
a plurality of radio frequency transceiver devices located in a plurality of said gaming machines, each radio frequency transceiver device having a known location within said one or more casino venues and each radio frequency transceiver in communication over said communication network with a location tracking server;
a set of personal data keys devices (PDKs) associated and transported with a player or employee, said radio frequency transceivers configured to wirelessly detect the presence of a PDK in proximity of one or more of said radio frequency transceiver;
a location monitor including a video display and a processor, said processor connected to said network and configured to (i) control said display to display a graphical user interface (GUI) including a geographical representation of the layout of at least a portion of said one or more casino venues, (ii) to determine the geographical position of one or more PDKs detected by said radio frequency transceiver, (iii) to control said GUI to indicate in said geographical representation the positions of said PDKs in said venues, and (iv) to display a layout of a casino floor which include real-time tracking of PDK devices, radio receiver/decoder (RDC) devices and location of several zones of the RDC devices.
9. A method for locating a position of one or more players comprising:
connecting a plurality of radio frequency transceiver devices to a communication network, said radio frequency transceiver devices distributed about said one or more venues and each radio frequency transceiver device having a known location within said one or more venues;
providing for personal data keys (PDKs) to said persons, configuring said radio frequency transceiver devices to wirelessly detect the presence of a PDK and sent detection signals through the communication network;
processing signals, by a processor of a location monitor including a video display, from said radio frequency transceiver devices to (i) display a graphical user interface (GUI) including a geographical representation of the layout of at least a portion of said one or more venues, (ii) determine the geographical position of one or more PDKs detected by said radio frequency transceiver devices, (iii) to control said GUI to indicate in said geographical representation the positions of said PDKs in said venues, and (iv) to display a layout of a casino floor which include real-time tracking of PDK devices, radio receiver/decoder (RDC) devices and location of several zones of the RDC devices;
wherein, said processor is connected to said network.
10. The method of claim 9 comprising associating each player PDK with a player data file stored at a server and processing said signals from said radio frequency transceiver devices to control said GUI to display a color code associated with at least one PDK to indicate a characteristic of the player associated with the PDK.
11. The method of claim 9 comprising processing said signals from said radio frequency transceiver devices to control said GUI to display selected data of the player data file associated with the PDK selected in the display.