Patent US6663490B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6663490B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for monitoring casinos and gaming
Assignee: Walker Digital Table Systems LLC
•
Filing: 2001-12-13
•
Granted: 2003-12-16
•
Expires: 2021-12-13
Abstract
Abstract A system automatically monitors playing and wagering of a game, including the gaming habits of players and the performance of employees. A table monitor automatically images the activity occurring at a gaming table, including the placement of wagers. The system detects, among other things wins and losses, and the amounts won and lost by a player. The system provides a basis for automatically allocating complimentary player benefits, for example based on the amounts won/lost or wagered.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard Soltys
- 👤 Richard Huizinga
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 19:21
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F17/00; G07F17/32; G07F17/3241; G06; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/06; G06Q10/063; G06Q10/0639; G07F17/3202; G07F17/3216; G07F17/322; G07F17/3225; G07F17/3232; G07F17/3237; G07F17/3244; G07F17/3251; A; A63; A63F; A63F9/00; A63F9/24; A63F2009/2401; A63F2009/2411; A63F2009/2419; A63F2009/242; A63F3/00; A63F3/00003; A63F3/00157
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
104 words
A method of tracking customer activity in a casino, comprising; identifying a customer at a gaming table wherein identifying a customer includes: reading a unique serial number from a wagering piece each time the wagering piece is placed as a wager; tracing a path of the wagering piece between the casino and a plurality of customers including the customer; and matching the unique serial number to a customer identifier; automatically determining an amount won or lost by the customer at the gaming table; and determining a level of complimentary benefits to be provided to the customer based on the determined won or lost amount.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
104 words
A method of tracking customer activity in a casino, comprising; identifying a customer at a gaming table wherein identifying a customer includes: reading a unique serial number from a wagering piece each time the wagering piece is placed as a wager; tracing a path of the wagering piece between the casino and a plurality of customers including the customer; and matching the unique serial number to a customer identifier; automatically determining an amount won or lost by the customer at the gaming table; and determining a level of complimentary benefits to be provided to the customer based on the determined won or lost amount.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
75 words
A method of tracking a player in a gaming environment, comprising: issuing a wagering piece having a unique serial number to a player having a unique player identifier; storing a relationship between the unique serial number of the wagering piece and unique player identifier; automatically monitoring at least one gaming station for an appearance of the wagering piece placed as a wager by the player; and matching the unique serial number to a customer identifier.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
75 words
A method of tracking a player in a gaming environment, comprising: issuing a wagering piece having a unique serial number to a player having a unique player identifier; storing a relationship between the unique serial number of the wagering piece and unique player identifier; automatically monitoring at least one gaming station for an appearance of the wagering piece placed as a wager by the player; and matching the unique serial number to a customer identifier.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 2 , further comprising: automatically determining a won/lost amount for the wager.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 2 , further comprising: automatically determining a won/lost amount for the wager; and tracking a won/lost amount for the player.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 2 , further comprising: automatically determining a won/lost amount for the wager; tracking a cumulative won/lost amount for the player; awarding complimentary benefits based on the cumulative won/lost amount for the player.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 2 wherein automatically monitoring at least one gaming station for an appearance of the wagering piece placed as a wager by the player includes imaging at least a portion of a gaming station and identifying the image of the gaming station.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of tracking players in a gaming environment, comprising: associating a unique serial number from a wagering piece with a first player; reading the unique serial number from the wagering piece each time the wagering piece is placed as a wager; determining whether the player won the wager; continuing to associate the unique serial number with the first player if the first player has won the wager; and discontinuing the association between the unique serial number and the first player if the first player has lost the wager.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of tracking players in a gaming environment, comprising: associating a unique serial number from a wagering piece with a first player; reading the unique serial number from the wagering piece each time the wagering piece is placed as a wager; determining whether the player won the wager; continuing to associate the unique serial number with the first player if the first player has won the wager; and discontinuing the association between the unique serial number and the first player if the first player has lost the wager.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 7 , further comprising: reading the unique serial number from the wagering piece each time the wagering piece is placed in a bank tray; and reading a unique serial number from the wagering piece each time the wagering piece is returned to a cashier.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
73 words
The method of claim 7 , further comprising: reading the unique serial number from the wagering piece each time the wagering piece is placed in a bank tray; determining when the wagering piece is removed from the bank tray; and associating the unique serial number with at least one of a number of players having winning wagers when the wagering piece associated with the unique serial number is removed from the bank tray.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
103 words
A method of tracking players in a gaming environment, comprising: associating a unique serial number from a wagering piece with a first player identifier; reading the unique serial number from the wagering piece each time the wagering piece is placed as a wager; maintaining the association between the unique serial number and the player identifier each time the player associated with the player identifier wins a wager; discontinuing the association between the unique serial number and the player identifier each time the player associated with the player identifier loses a wager; and tracking a path of the wagering piece between various gaming tables.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
103 words
A method of tracking players in a gaming environment, comprising: associating a unique serial number from a wagering piece with a first player identifier; reading the unique serial number from the wagering piece each time the wagering piece is placed as a wager; maintaining the association between the unique serial number and the player identifier each time the player associated with the player identifier wins a wager; discontinuing the association between the unique serial number and the player identifier each time the player associated with the player identifier loses a wager; and tracking a path of the wagering piece between various gaming tables.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3787660A
Cited
US4135663A
Cited
US4108361A
Cited
US4531187A
Cited
US4534562A
Cited
US4662637A
Cited
US4667959A
Cited
US4755941A
Cited
US4822050A
Cited
US5283422A
Cited
US5548110A
Cited
US4814589A
Cited
US5283422B1
Cited
US4750743A
Cited
US4951950A
Cited
US5067713A
Cited
US5103081A
Cited
US5114153A
Cited
US5121921A
Cited
US5186464A
Cited
US5199710A
Cited
US5319181A
Cited
US5343028A
Cited
US5374061A
Cited
US5397133A
Cited
US5801766A
Cited
US5431399A
Cited
US5505461A
Cited
US5770533A
Cited
US5809482A
Cited
US5586936A
Cited
US5941769A
Cited
US5613912A
Cited
US5698839A
Cited
US5735525A
Cited
US5911626A
Cited
US5605334A
Cited
WO1996036253A1
Cited
US5613680A
Cited
US5669816A
Cited
US5780831A
Cited
US5957776A
Cited
US5803808A
Cited
US5755618A
Cited
US5919090A
Cited
US5735742A
Cited
US5785321A
Cited
US5781647A
Cited
US6299536B1
Cited
US5722893A
Cited
US6039650A
Cited
US6183362B1
Cited
US6003013A
Cited
US5813912A
Cited
US5766075A
Cited
US6126166A
Cited
US5989122A
Cited
US5779546A
Cited
US5757876A
Cited
US6113493A
Cited
US6106395A
Cited
US6165071A
Cited
US6029891A
Cited
US6142876A
Cited
US6186895B1
Cited
US5909876A
Cited
US6267671B1
Cited
US6313871B1
Cited
US6357746B1
Cited
US6425817B1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-12-15 | 2007-06-16 | 2007-12-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-12-15 | 2011-06-16 | 2011-12-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-12-15 | 2015-06-16 | 2015-12-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |