Method and system for dispatching casino personnel and tracking interactions with players

Abstract

The present embodiment includes a dispatch system and method in which a casino agent is equipped with mobile computing devices that receive a dispatch notification. The notification includes the identity of an electronic gaming device at which an identified player has started a gaming session and the identity of the player. The player's record is displayed on the mobile computing device and includes the number of times the casino agent has been dispatched to a gaming device at which the player is identified as well as descriptions of prior calls.

1 . A method for dispatching a casino agent to an identified player of an electronic gaming device on a network of electronic gaming devices in a casino, the method comprising:
 enrolling players in a player-tracking club;   associating each player with a physical object that is used by the player to associate him or herself with an identified gaming device selected by the player for tracking the player's play on the gaming device;   creating a list of casino agents;   providing at least some of the casino agents with a mobile computing device that is in communication with a wireless network operatively connected to the network of electronic gaming devices;   storing the list in a memory connected to the network;   receiving the physical object at a gaming device selected by one of the players;   detecting a communication on the network indicating receipt of the physical object at an identified electronic gaming device;   establishing a new gaming session for the player in response to the communication;   determining when the last gaming session for the one player was established;   if the time between the two gaming sessions is greater than a predefined duration, generating a call to dispatch one of the casino agents to the gaming device selected by the one player;   automatically sending a call signal via the wireless network to the mobile computing device carried by the one casino agent, the signal including data indicating the identified electronic gaming device selected by the one player;   receiving a call-acceptance signal responsive to an input on the mobile computing device carried by the casino agent indicating that he or she has accepted the call;   receiving a call-arrival signal responsive to an input on the mobile computing device carried by the casino agent indicating that he or she has arrived at the identified gaming device;   providing information from the player-tracking record for the one player on the mobile computing device;   logging each call that the casino agent has completed in which the one player was associated with the gaming device to which the casino agent was dispatched;   displaying information about the prior calls on the mobile computing device; and   receiving a call-completion signal responsive to an input on the mobile computing device carried by the casino agent indicating that he or she has interacted with the one player and finished the call.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising receiving a description of the call from the one casino agent via the mobile computing device and storing the description in a memory operatively connected to the network of gaming devices. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising retrieving at least one description of a prior call for the one player and displaying it on the mobile computing device during a later call. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising displaying the same description on a plurality of mobile computing devices each of which is carried by a different casino agent. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising determining a call acceptance time comprising the time between the call signal and the call-acceptance signal, storing each call acceptance time for the one casino agent, and calculating an average call acceptance time using at least some of the stored call acceptance times. 
     
     
         6 . A method for dispatching a casino agent on a call to an electronic gaming device on a network and to log information regarding the call, the method comprising:
 storing a list in of casino agents in a memory connected to the network;   storing records for each of a plurality of players in a memory connected to the network, each record including information about one of the players;   monitoring the network of electronic gaming devices via a network computing device;   detecting at the network computing device a communication on the network indicating that a player has actuated a circuit at one of the electronic gaming devices that associates the player's record with the one electronic gaming device;   generating a call to dispatch one of the casino agents to the one electronic gaming device;   transmitting a call signal to a mobile computing device carried by one of the casino agents via a wireless network that is operatively connected to the network computing device;   receiving an arrival signal at the network computing device in response to action taken by the one casino agent via the mobile computing device indicating that the one casino agent has arrived at the identified electronic gaming device;   tracking the time between receipt of the arrival signal and receive of a finish signal in response to action taken by the one casino agent via the mobile computing device indicating that the one casino agent has finished the call;   tracking the number of times the casino agent is dispatched on a call to the player;   storing the number of times in the memory operatively connected to the network computing device; and   displaying the number of times on the casino agent's mobile computing device.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising automatically sending a signal via the wireless network to the mobile computing device carried by the casino agent, the signal including data that identifies the one electronic gaming device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  wherein receiving a signal at the network computing device in response to action taken by the one casino agent indicating that the one casino agent has arrived at the identified electronic gaming device is in response to a signal generated on the wireless network as a result of an input received at a user interface of the mobile computing device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising receiving a description of the call from the one casino agent via the mobile computing device and storing the description in a memory operatively connected to the network of gaming devices. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising retrieving at least one description of a prior call to one of the gaming devices having the player's record associated with it and displaying it on the mobile computing device during a later call. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising displaying the same description of a prior call on a plurality of mobile computing devices each of which is carried by a different casino agent. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising determining a call time comprising the time between the call-arrival signal and the call-finish signal, storing each call time for the one casino agent, and calculating an average call time using at least some of the stored call times. 
     
     
         13 . A method for dispatching a casino agent on a call to an electronic gaming device on a network and to log information regarding the call, the method comprising:
 storing a plurality of player records in a memory operatively connected to the network;   populating each record with information related to a different one of a plurality of players;   storing a unique code in a physical object associated with each player;   associating one of the electronic gaming devices with a player whose code is detected on the network at a selected one of the gaming devices at which the physical object is presented by the player;   tracking the player's play at the one gaming device and storing information about the tracked play in the player's record;   monitoring the network of electronic gaming devices via a network computing device;   generating a call to dispatch one of the casino agents to the one gaming device when the code is detected on the network;   transmitting a call signal via a wireless network to a mobile computing device carried by one of the casino agents;   tracking the time between the call signal and a call acceptance signal that is generated in response to an action taken by the casino agent at a user interface on the mobile computing device;   tracking the time between the call acceptance signal and a call arrival signal that is generated in response to an action taken by the casino agent at the user interface on the mobile computing device when the agent arrives at the one gaming device;   tracking the time between the call arrival signal and a call finish signal that is generated in response to an action taken by the casino agent at the user interface on the mobile computing device;   storing the tracked times in a memory operatively connected to the network computing device;   tracking the number of times a call signal has been generated for the one casino agent in response to detecting the unique code for the player; and   displaying the number on the mobile computing device.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the call signal includes data that identifies the one electronic gaming device. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising receiving data at the network computing device via the wireless network that includes a comment generated on the mobile computing device related to an interaction with the one player. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising storing the comment in an electronic log. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising receiving a description of the call from the one casino agent via the mobile computing device and storing the description in a memory operatively connected to the network of gaming devices. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising retrieving at least one description of a prior call for the one player and displaying it on the mobile computing device during a later call. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising displaying the same description on a plurality of mobile computing devices each of which is carried by a different casino agent. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising determining a call-arrival time comprising the time between the call-acceptance signal and the call-arrival signal, storing each call-arrival time for the one casino agent, and calculating an average call time using at least some of the stored call acceptance times.