Entertainment monitoring system and method

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.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An entertainment monitoring system for a gaming environment, comprising: 
 an electronic gaming machine for play by a player;    a computer based module coupled to the electronic gaming machine and being adapted to sense electronic gaming data related to the player and the electronic gaming machine during the player's play of the electronic gaming machine;    a table game for play by a plurality of table players;    a computer workstation being adapted to be operated by a user and adapted to receive table data input by the user, relating to the play at the least one table game; and,    a computer network coupled to the computer based module and the computer workstation for receiving the electronic gaming data and the table data and storing the data in a database.    
     
     
         2 . An entertainment monitoring system, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the computer workstation is situated near the table game.  
     
     
         3 . An entertainment monitoring system, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the computer workstation includes a video camera situated near the table game and a video screen, wherein play at the least one table game is in view of the camera and observable by the user at the workstation.  
     
     
         4 . An entertainment monitoring system, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the computer network includes a middle server and a database computer.  
     
     
         5 . An entertainment monitoring system, as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the middleware server and the database computer are coupled by an Ethernet switch.  
     
     
         6 . An entertainment monitoring system, as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the computer based module and the computer workstation are coupled to the Ethernet switch by Ethernet hubs.  
     
     
         7 . An entertainment monitoring system, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the middleware server is adapted to run computer software modules related to operation of the gaming environment.  
     
     
         8 . An entertainment monitoring system, as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the computer software modules includes at least one of an asset management module, an accounting module, a finance module, a human resources modules, a marketing module, and a patron tracking module.  
     
     
         9 . An entertainment monitoring system, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the computer network is coupled to the computer workstation and the computer based module by Ethernet hubs.  
     
     
         10 . An entertainment monitoring system, as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a machine for determining an amount of one of currency and cash and generating an amount signal; and    a second computer workstation coupled to the computer network and the machine and adapted to receive the amount signal, wherein the computer network is, adapted to store the amount signal in the database.    
     
     
         11 . An entertainment system, as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the machine is a coin scale.  
     
     
         12 . An entertainment system, as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the machine is a coin counter.  
     
     
         13 . An entertainment system, as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the machine is a currency counter.  
     
     
         14 . An entertainment system, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the electronic gaming information includes at least one of game play, transactions, and player identification.  
     
     
         15 . An entertainment system, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the table data includes at least one of game play, transactions, player identification and seat occupation.  
     
     
         16 . A method for monitoring a gaming environment having an electronic gaming machine for play by a player and a table game for play by a plurality of table players, including the steps of: 
 sensing electronic gaming data related to the player and the electronic gaming machine during the player's play of the electronic gaming machine;    receiving table data at a computer workstation input by a user, the table data relating to the play at the least one table game; and,    receiving the electronic gaming data and the table data by a computer network and storing the data in a database.    
     
     
         17 . A method, as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the computer workstation is situated near the table game.  
     
     
         18 . A method, as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the computer workstation includes a video camera situated near the table game and a video screen, wherein play at the least one table game is in view of the camera and observable by the user at the workstation.  
     
     
         19 . A method, wherein the computer network includes a middleware server and a database computer.  
     
     
         20 . A method, as set forth in  claim 19 , wherein the middleware server and the database computer are coupled by an Ethernet switch.  
     
     
         21 . A method, as set forth in  claim 20 , wherein the computer based module and the computer workstation are coupled to the Ethernet switch by Ethernet hubs.  
     
     
         22 . A method, as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the middle server is adapted to run computer software modules related to operation of the gaming environment.  
     
     
         23 . A method, as set forth in  claim 22 , wherein the computer software modules includes at least one of an asset management module, an accounting module, a finance module, a human resources modules, a marketing module, and a patron tracking module.  
     
     
         24 . A method, as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the computer network is coupled to the computer workstation and the computer based module by Ethernet hubs.  
     
     
         25 . A method, as set forth in  claim 16 , further including the steps of: 
 determining an amount of at least one of currency and cash and generating an amount signal; and    receiving the amount signal at the computer network and storing the amount signal in the database.    
     
     
         26 . A method, as set forth in  claim 25 , wherein the step of determining an amount includes the step of using a coin scale.  
     
     
         27 . A method, as set forth in  claim 25 , wherein the step of determining an amount includes the step of using a coin counter.  
     
     
         28 . A method, as set forth in  claim 25 , wherein the step of determining an amount includes the step of using a currency counter.  
     
     
         29 . A method, as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the electronic gaming information includes at least one of game play, transactions, and player identification.  
     
     
         30 . A method, as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the table data includes at least one of game play, transactions, player identification and seat occupation.  
     
     
         31 . A progressive gaming system, comprising: 
 a data object;    a plurality of gaming devices in operative communication with the data object and configured to communicate game data bi-directionally with the data object; and,    a database application acting in cooperation with the data and the data object to manage at least one progressive jackpot.    
     
     
         32 . An electronic fund accounting system for a gaming environment, comprising: 
 a data object;    a plurality of devices in a gaming environment configured to communicate player credit and debit data from said devices to said data object; and    account objects within said data object, said data objects configured to both store said data and act on said data to facilitate funds accounting and transfer.