Networked gaming system including a location monitor and dispatcher using personal data keys

Abstract

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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An improved 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, said improvement comprising:
 a plurality of reader-decoder circuit (RDC) devices located in said one or more casino venues, each RDC device having a known location within said one or more casino venues and each RDC in communication over said communication network with a location tracking server;   a set of personal data keys (PDKs) each associated and transported with a player or employee, said RDCs configured to wirelessly detect the presence of a PDK in proximity of one or more of said RDCs;   a video display;   a 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 RDCs and (iii) to control said GUI to indicate in said geographical representation the positions of said detected PDKs in said venues.   
     
     
         2 . The improved gaming system of  claim 1  comprising a proximity detector associated with one or more RDKs to determine the location proximity of a PDK to said one or more RDKs, said location proximity provided by one of said proximity detector and RDK through the network to said processor. 
     
     
         3 . The improved gaming system of  claim 1  comprising said RDC devices are located in each of a plurality of gaming machines. 
     
     
         4 . The improved gaming system of  claim 3  comprising a device including an RDC retrofit into one or more existing gaming machines. 
     
     
         5 . The improved gaming system of  claim 1  comprising said set of PDKs includes a plurality of subsets of PDKs associated with different player or employee characteristics, said processor configured to control said display to color code said detected PDKs to distinguish between PDKs of different subsets. 
     
     
         6 . The improved gaming system of  claim 1  comprising one or more of said network servers includes player or employee information, said processor in communication with said one or more network servers and configured to display for a PDK at least a portion of said player or employee information. 
     
     
         7 . The improved gaming machine of  claim 6  comprising said processor configured to provide said GUI for selection of a PDK located and displayed in said geographical representation, said selection controlling said display to display at least said portion of said player or employee information associated with said selected PDK. 
     
     
         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 reader-decoder circuit (RDC) devices located in a plurality of said gaming machines, each RDC device having a known location within said one or more casino venues and each RDC in communication over said communication network with a location tracking server;   a set of personal data keys (PDKs) each associated and transported with a player or employee, said RDCs configured to wirelessly detect the presence of a PDK in proximity of one or more of said RDCs;   a video display;   a 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 RDCs and (iii) to control said GUI to indicate in said geographical representation the positions of said PDKs in said venues.   
     
     
         9 . A method for locating the position of one or more players or employees within one or more casino venues comprising:
 connecting a plurality of reader-decoder circuit (RDC) devices to a communication network, said RDCs distributed about said one or more casino venues and each RDC device having a known location within said one or more casino venues;   providing for personal data keys (PDKs) to players and/or employees, configuring said RDCs to wirelessly detect the presence of a PDK in proximity of one or more of said RDCs and sent detection signals through the communication network;   processing signals from said RDCs to (i) control a video 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 RDCs and (iii) to control said GUI to indicate in said geographical representation the positions of said PDKs in said venues.   
     
     
         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 RDCs to control said GUI to display a color code associated with at least one PDK to indicate a characteristic of the player data file associated with the PDK. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  comprising processing said signals from said RDCs to control said GUI to display selected data of the player data file associated with the PDK selected in the display.