Wide area table gaming monitor and control system

Abstract

Systems and methods for tracking and communicating data regarding table game activities across multiple gaming establishments are disclosed. A single local system or multiple systems networked over a wide area can be implemented. A WAN of automated table game tracking units can be associated with a centralized server and a centralized tracking database. Each electronic gaming activity tracking unit tracks player information and table activity and forwards this data to the centralized server. Data collected at a first gaming establishment can be made available in real time at a second separate gaming establishment. Cameras capture visual images and RFID readers capture RFID chip data from subject gaming tables, and these images and data are forwarded to the centralized server. Analysis and modification of different data sets and correlation from visual images and RFID data to respective data sets can be performed and stored at a system database.

1 . A system adapted for use in conjunction with live table games, comprising: 
 a plurality of electronic gaming activity tracking units distributed across multiple gaming establishments, wherein each of said electronic gaming activity tracking units is adapted to facilitate the tracking of player information, player activities, gaming table information, or a combination thereof at one or more live gaming tables, said live gaming tables being used to host table games involving the acceptance of monetary wagers and granting of monetary awards, and wherein each of said electronic gaming activity tracking units is also adapted to forward tracking data regarding said tracked player information, player activities, gaming table information or a combination thereof;    one or more cameras adapted to capture visual information from said one or more live gaming tables, wherein said one or more cameras are also adapted to forward data regarding said captured visual information;    one or more RFID reading devices adapted to capture gaming chip RFID data from said one or more live gaming tables, wherein said one or more RFID reading devices are also adapted to forward at least a portion of said captured RFID data;    a centralized computer server adapted to receive and process said forwarded tracking data from at least two of said plurality of electronic gaming activity tracking units and said forwarded visual data from at least one of said one or more cameras, said centralized computer server being located remotely from at least one of said plurality of electronic gaming activity tracking units;    at least one centralized database in communication with said centralized computer server, said at least one centralized database being adapted to store and provide on demand said forwarded tracking data, said forwarded visual data, said forwarded RFID data or any combination thereof;    a communication link or path between each of said plurality of electronic gaming activity tracking units and said centralized computer server;    a communication link or path between each of said one or more cameras and said centralized computer server; and    a communication link or path between each of said one or more RFID reading devices and said centralized computer server.    
   
   
       2 . A system adapted for use in conjunction with table games, comprising: 
 a plurality of electronic gaming activity tracking units, wherein each of said electronic gaming activity tracking units is adapted to facilitate the tracking of player information, player activities, gaming table information, or a combination thereof at one or more gaming tables, said gaming tables being used to host table games involving the acceptance of monetary wagers and granting of monetary awards, and wherein each of said electronic gaming activity tracking units is also adapted to forward data regarding said tracked player information, player activities, gaming table information or a combination thereof;    a centralized computer server adapted to receive and process said forwarded data from at least two of said plurality of electronic gaming activity tracking units, said centralized computer server being located remotely from at least one of said plurality of electronic gaming activity tracking units; and    a communication link or path between each of said plurality of electronic gaming activity tracking units and said centralized computer server.    
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said system comprises a wide area network situated across multiple gaming establishments.  
   
   
       4 . The wide area network of  claim 3 , wherein a first unit of said plurality of electronic gaming activity tracking units is located at a first gaming establishment, while a second unit of said plurality of electronic gaming activity tracking units is located at a second gaming establishment, said second gaming establishment being separate from said first gaming establishment.  
   
   
       5 . The wide area network of  claim 4 , wherein data collected by said first unit is made available in real time to a user at said second unit.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 2 , further including: 
 a centralized database containing files on one or more players, one or more gaming tables, or a combination thereof tracked by said plurality of electronic gaming activity tracking units.    
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of said table games is a live table game including at least one live player and at least one live employee of the gaming establishment hosting said live table game.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of said plurality of electronic gaming activity tracking units comprises a table game calculator, said table game calculator adapted to accept input regarding the play of a game and present a game outcome according to the rules of that game.  
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of said plurality of electronic gaming activity tracking units comprises a basic user interface having a plurality of features, wherein at least one of said plurality of features is selected from the group consisting of real-time data collection, real-time graphical floor representation, real-time cage transaction requests, real-time comp requests, player profiling, player ratings editing, employee data entry, and system interfacing.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of said plurality of electronic gaming activity tracking units comprises a basic user interface having every feature selected from the group consisting of real-time data collection, real-time graphical floor representation, real-time cage transaction requests, real-time comp requests, player profiling, player ratings editing, employee data entry, and system interfacing.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of said plurality of electronic gaming activity tracking units comprises one or more modules selected from the group consisting of staff alerts, cage communications, comp requests, host notifications, marker tracking, headcount tracking and activity surveillance.  
   
   
       12 . A wide area gaming network adapted for use in conjunction with table games across multiple gaming establishments, said table games involving the acceptance of monetary wagers and granting of monetary awards, the wide area gaming network comprising: 
 a first electronic gaming activity tracking unit located at a first gaming establishment and adapted to facilitate the tracking of player information, player activities, gaming table information, or a combination thereof at one or more gaming tables located at said first gaming establishment;    a second electronic gaming activity tracking unit located at a second gaming establishment and adapted to facilitate the tracking of player information, player activities, gaming table information, or a combination thereof at one or more gaming tables located at said second gaming establishment, wherein said second gaming establishment is separate from said first gaming establishment;    a centralized computer server adapted to receive and process data tracked by said first electronic gaming activity tracking unit and said second electronic gaming activity tracking unit, said centralized computer server being located remotely from one or both of said first and second electronic gaming activity tracking units;    a first communication link or path between said first electronic gaming activity tracking unit and said centralized computer server;    a second communication link or path between said second electronic gaming activity tracking unit and said centralized computer server; and    a centralized database in communication with said centralized computer, said centralized database containing files on one or more players, one or more gaming tables, or a combination thereof tracked by said first electronic gaming activity tracking unit; said second electronic gaming activity tracking unit, or both.    
   
   
       13 . The wide area gaming network of  claim 12 , wherein data collected by said first electronic gaming activity tracking unit is made available to a user at said second electronic gaming activity tracking unit via transmission from said centralized computer server.  
   
   
       14 . A method of tracking table game information, comprising: 
 receiving at a first automated electronic unit a first set of tracking data regarding player information, player activities, gaming table information, or a combination thereof from a first live table game at a first gaming establishment;    forwarding electronically from said first automated electronic unit said first set of tracking data to a central computer server adapted to analyze tracking data;    receiving at a second automated electronic unit a second set of tracking data regarding player information, player activities, gaming table information, or a combination thereof from a second live table game at a second gaming establishment;    forwarding electronically from said second automated electronic unit said second set of tracking data to said central computer server;    analyzing said first set of tracking data and said second set of tracking data with respect to each other at said central computer server; and    displaying information resulting from said analyzing step at one or more displays associated with said first automated electronic unit, said second automated electronic unit, said central computer server, a separate terminal at a remote location or any combination thereof.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , further including the step of: 
 storing said first set of tracking data and said second set of tracking data at a central database in communication with said central computer server.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said analyzing step includes producing a set of modified data derived from said first set of tracking data, said second set of tracking data, or a combination thereof, further including the step of: 
 storing said set of modified data at a central database in communication with said central computer server.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14 , further including the step of: 
 capturing with a camera one or more visual images of at least one player, at least one activity or a combination thereof at said first live table game.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , further including the step of: 
 forwarding electronically from said camera said one or more visual images to said central computer server.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further including the step of: 
 associating one of said one or more visual images with at least a portion of said first set of tracking data.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said associating step includes associating a picture of a player with tracked data regarding table game activity of said player.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 14 , further including the step of: 
 capturing with an RFID reading device gaming chip RFID data of at least one player, at least one activity or a combination thereof at said first live table game.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , further including the step of: 
 forwarding electronically from said first gaming table said captured gaming chip RFID data to said central computer server.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , further including the step of: 
 associating at least a portion of said captured gaming chip RFID data with at least a portion of said first set of tracking data.