System to facilitate communication with casino employees and players and to log data related to employee work

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method for dispatching a person to a location in a casino to respond to a request for service at the location. A listing of persons who may be dispatched to various locations is stored on in a database. At least some of the persons are associated with a primary qualification for the type of service that he or she may provide. A communication on a network of gaming devices is received indicating that service is required a particular location. A signal is automatically sent to a wireless device carried by a person having an appropriate qualification to provide the service. Player tracking data is also sent to permit the provider to personalize the service.

1 . A method for dispatching a person to a location in a casino to respond to a request for service at the location comprising:
 creating a listing of persons who may be dispatched to various locations to provide service;   associating with at least some of the persons a primary qualification for the type of service that he or she may provide;   monitoring a network of electronic gaming machines;   detecting a communication on the network indicating that service is required at the location;   automatically assigning a person having an appropriate qualification to provide the service; and   automatically sending a signal notifying the person of the need for service.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising receiving a signal indicating whether or not the person will provide the service. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising automatically assigning another person having an appropriate qualification to provide the service if the signal indicates that the first person will not provide the service. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising receiving a second signal from the after he or she arrives at the location. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the second signal indicates that the person is requesting another person to help with the service. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the method further comprises associating with at least some of the persons a primary section of the casino where the person is normally located. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the method further comprises associating with at least some of the persons a secondary qualification for the type of service he or she may provide. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the method further comprises associating with at least some of the persons a primary section of the casino where the person is normally located. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the method further comprises associating a nearby secondary section with at least some of the primary sections. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the method further comprises determining the availability of a person having a primary qualification in the primary section. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the method further comprises determining the availability of a person having a primary qualification in the secondary section. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the method further comprises determining the availability of a person having a secondary qualification in the primary section. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the method further comprises determining the availability of a person having a secondary qualification in the secondary section. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 storing a plurality of qualified positions associated with certain types of service; and 
 automatically sending a signal to a plurality of people having the qualified positions notifying them of the need for service. 
 
     
     
         15 . A method of automatically dispatching a person to provide service at one of a plurality of electronic gaming machines on a network of gaming machines:
 populating a database on the network with a list of people;   associating each person with at least one type of service that he or she is qualified to provide;   associating each person with a plurality of the gaming machines located in a primary section;   associating each primary section with a secondary section located relatively near the primary section;   receiving a signal on the network indicating a type of service is required in the primary section;   automatically sending a first wireless signal to a device carried by persons in the primary section to determine their availability to provide service; and   if not available, automatically sending a second wireless signal to a person in the secondary section to determine their availability to provide the service.   
     
     
         16 . A method of assigning tasks to people working in a casino comprising:
 creating a list of tasks;   broadcasting the list of tasks via a wireless network to each of a plurality of such people who are qualified to do the work;   receiving a first wireless communication from one of the people that he or she is initiating work on the task;   receiving a second wireless communication from the person who initiated work on the task indicating that the task is complete; and   removing the task from the list.