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 gaming system comprising:
 a network of electronic gaming machines;
 a plurality of mobile computing devices, each of which is associated with a casino agent; 
   a wireless network operatively connected to the network for communicating with the mobile computing devices;
 a physical object or a code for identifying a player of the electronic gaming machines; 
 at least one processor; and 
 at least one non-transitory memory device that stores a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
 store a list of the casino agents in a computer memory; 
 
 detect a communication on the network indicating receipt of the physical object or code at one of the gaming machines; 
 establish a gaming session for the player in response to the communication; 
 generate a call; 
 automatically transmit a call signal via the wireless computing network to a mobile computing device associated with one of the agents to dispatch the one casino agent to the gaming device; 
 include data in the call signal indicating the location of the one gaming machine; 
 receive a call-arrival signal responsive to an input on the mobile computing device carried by the one casino agent indicating that he or she has arrived at the one gaming machine; 
 receive an input at the mobile computing device from the player; 
 initiate a game on the mobile computing device responsive to the received input; 
 generate an award of at least one gaming credit based on an outcome of the game on the mobile computing device; and 
 automatically deliver the award over the network of electronic gaming machines to the one gaming machine. 
   
     
     
         2 . The at least one non-transitory memory device of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to receive a description of the call, including an evaluation of the quality of the interaction between the one casino agent and the player, 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 at least one non-transitory memory device of  claim 2  wherein the plurality of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to retrieve at least one description of a prior completed call for the player and display it on the mobile computing device during a later call. 
     
     
         4 . The at least one non-transitory memory device of  claim 3  wherein the plurality of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to display the time between the prior call and the later call. 
     
     
         5 . The at least one non-transitory memory device of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to select the award based on a gaming history of the player. 
     
     
         6 . The at least one non-transitory memory device of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to determine the performance of the one casino agent based on at least one of an average call-commute time, an average call-completion time, deferred calls, quitted calls, or completed calls of the one casino agent. 
     
     
         7 . A method for providing a game on a mobile computing device:
 associating a player with at least one of a physical object or a code that is used by the player to associate him or herself with one of the electronic gaming machine on a network of electronic gaming machines;   storing a list of casino agents;   detecting a communication on the network indicating receipt of the physical object or code at the one electronic gaming machine;   establishing a gaming session for the player in response to the communication;   generating a call under control of computer code stored in a memory associated with a processor that is operatively connected to the network;   automatically transmitting a call signal via a wireless computing network to a mobile computing device associated with one of the agents to dispatch the one casino agent to the one gaming machine;   including data in the call signal indicating location of the one gaming machine;   receiving a call-arrival signal responsive to an input on the mobile computing device carried by the one casino agent indicating that he or she has arrived at the one gaming machine;   receiving an input at the mobile computing device from the player;   initiating a game on the mobile computing device responsive to the received input;   generating an award of at least one gaming credit based on an outcome of the game on the mobile computing device; and   automatically delivering the award over the network of electronic gaming machines to the one gaming machine.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising receiving a description of the call, including an evaluation of the quality of the interaction between the one casino agent and the player, 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. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising retrieving at least one description of a prior completed call for the player and display it on the mobile computing device during a later call. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising displaying the time between the at least one description of the prior call and the later call. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising selecting the award based on a gaming history of the player. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising:
 determining a call acceptance time comprising the time between each call signal and a call-acceptance signal generated by the one casino agent responsive to an input on the mobile computing device carried by the one casino agent indicating that he or she has accepted the call; 
 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. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising determining the performance of the one casino agent based on at least one of an average call-commute time, an average call-completion time, deferred calls, quitted calls, or completed calls of the one casino agent. 
     
     
         14 . At least one non-transitory memory device that stores a plurality of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
 associate a player with at least one of a physical object or a code that is used by the player to associate him or herself with a gaming machine for tracking the player's play on a network of electronic gaming machines;   store a list of casino agents;   receive the at least one physical object or code at one of the gaming machines;   detect a communication on the network indicating receipt of the physical object at the one gaming machine;   establish a gaming session for the player in response to the communication;   generate a call under control of computer code stored in a memory associated with a processor that is operatively connected to the network;   automatically transmit a call signal via a wireless computing network to a mobile computing device associated with one of the agents to dispatch one of the casino agents to the gaming machine;   include data in the call signal indicating the electronic gaming machine at which the physical object was received;   receive a call-arrival signal responsive to an input on the mobile computing device carried by the one casino agent indicating that he or she has arrived at the one gaming machine;   receive an input at the mobile computing device from the player;   initiate a game on the mobile computing device responsive to the received input;   generate an award of at least one gaming credit based on an outcome of the game on the mobile computing device; and   automatically deliver the award to the one gaming machine over the network of electronic gaming machines.   
     
     
         15 . The at least one non-transitory memory device of  claim 14  wherein the plurality of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to receive a description of the call, including an evaluation of the quality of the interaction between the one casino agent and the player, from the one casino agent via the mobile computing device and store the description in a memory operatively connected to the network of gaming devices. 
     
     
         16 . The at least one non-transitory memory device of  claim 15  wherein the plurality of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to retrieve at least one description of a prior completed call for the player and display it on the mobile computing device during a later call. 
     
     
         17 . The at least one non-transitory memory device of  claim 16  wherein the plurality of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to displaying the time between the prior call and the later call. 
     
     
         18 . The at least one non-transitory memory device of  claim 14  wherein the plurality of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to select the award based on a gaming history of the player. 
     
     
         19 . The at least one non-transitory memory device of  claim 14  wherein the plurality of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to:
 determine a call acceptance time comprising the time between each call signal and a call-acceptance signal generated by the one casino agent responsive to an input on the mobile computing device carried by the one casino agent indicating that he or she has accepted the call; 
 store each call acceptance time for the one casino agent; and 
 calculate an average call acceptance time using at least some of the stored call acceptance times. 
 
     
     
         20 . The at least one non-transitory memory device of  claim 14  wherein the plurality of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to determine the performance of the one casino agent based on at least one of an average call-commute time, an average call-completion time, deferred calls, quitted calls, or completed calls of the one casino agent.