Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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METHOD, APPARATUS AND ARTICLE FOR VERIFYING CARD GAMES, SUCH
AS PLAYING CARD DISTRIBUTION
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Technical Field
This invention is generally related to games of skill and chance, and in
particular to playing card games.
Description of the Related Art
Card games are a well-known form of recreation and entertainment.
Games are typically played with one or more decks of cards, where each deck
typically
includes 52 cards. Each deck of cards will typically include four suits of
cards,
including: hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades, each suit including fourteen
cards
having rank: 2-10, Jack, Queen, King and Ace. Card games may, or may not,
include
wagering based on the game's outcome.
One popular card game is known as blackjack. In blackjack, one or
more players each compete against a dealer. The players attempt to collect a
hand
having a total point value equal to, or as close to twenty-one, without going
over. The
point value of the hand is determined by the rank of the card. Thus, cards
having rank
2-10 have the point value 2-10, respectively. Face cards (i.e., Jack, Queen,
King) have
the point value 10, while Aces can have the point value 1 or 10 at the
player's
discretion. An initial hand of two cards having a point value of twenty-one
(i.e., an Ace
plus a ten or a face card) is referred to as a natural "21", or blackjack, and
beats other
hands with the point value of twenty-one. Suits have no bearing on the game of
blackjack.
In blackjack, the dealer initially deals two cards to each of the players in
two passes around the table, starting with the player at the dealer's far left
(i.e., first
base), extending through the player at the dealer's far right (i.e., third
base) and finally
to the dealer's self. The players' cards are dealt face up in games where the
cards are
dealt from a shoe, and face down in hand-held games (i.e., games dealt by
hand). The
rules of play for the dealer are strictly dictated, leaving almost no
decisions up to the
dealer. Thus, the dealer, and other players, can see the other player's hands
without
effecting the outcome of the game.
The dealer turns over or is dealt one of the dealer's first two cards face
up (i.e., top card), the rank of the card visible to the players at the table.
The dealer
leaves or is dealt the second card face down (i.e., hole card), the rank of
the card not
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visible to the players at the table. In some variations of blackjack, the
dealer will
immediately determine the point value of the hole card, while in other
variations of the
game the dealer waits until all players have played their hands before
checking the point
value of the hole card.
The dealer then offers each player, in succession from the dealer's left to
right, the opportunity to accept additional cards. Each player's hand is
completed
before the dealer offers the next player the opportunity to receive additional
cards.
Accepting cards is commonly referred to as "hitting" or taking a "hit." At
each player's
turn, the player may accept cards, one at a time, trying to build a hand with
a point
value as close to twenty-one as possible, without going over twenty-one. The
player
may decline further cards at anytime, which is commonly referred to as
"standing."
The player's hand is immediately terminated if its point value exceeds twenty-
one,
which is commonly referred to as a "bust" or "busted." If the player busts, or
has a
natural twenty-one (i.e., blackjack), the dealer completes the player's hand
and place
that player's cards into a discard holder. Before receiving a third card after
the initial
hands are dealt, a player can split the player's initial hand. This is
commonly referred
to as splitting. The player uses one of the initial cards to form a new hand,
placing a
wager for the new hand, and retains the other of the initial cards as a part
of the original
hand.
After each player in turn has declined to accept further cards, the dealer
may accept further cards from the deck. Casinos have rules based on the point
value of
the dealer's hand that dictate when the dealer must take an additional card
from the
deck (i.e., hit) and when the player must decline further additional cards
(i.e., stand).
For example, many casinos require the dealer to stand if the dealer's hand has
a point
value of seventeen or more. Some, casinos permit the dealer to take an
additional card
if the point value of the dealer's hand is a soft seventeen, that is, if the
point value of the
dealer's hand is seventeen by counting an Ace held by the dealer as eleven.
If the dealer busts, players who have not also busted win. If the dealer
does not bust, all remaining players and the dealer must display their hands
to allow the
dealer to compare each of the player's hands to the dealer's hand. Those
players having
a hand with a higher point value than the dealer's hand, and who have not
exceed
twenty-one win. The winning players are paid based on the size of their wager
and the
odds. The wagers of losing players are collected, and the dealer collects the
cards
remaining on the table in a particular order. Blackjack includes additional
rules such as
"doubling down" and "insurance" bets, and other variations that are commonly
known
by those who play blackjack, and will not be further described in the interest
of brevity.
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Card games, such as twenty-one, are particularly popular in casinos and
other gaming establishments. Players wager large sums of money while playing.
Thus,
it is important to ensure that those playing the game are not cheating. It is
also
important to monitor the game in a relatively unobtrusive manner to allow
casino
customers to feel comfortable in their surroundings.
Decks of playing cards must be periodically shuffled to prevent the cards
from continually reappearing in the same order. Shuffling may also interfere
with, and
even prevent, a player from gaining an unfair advantage by counting cards.
Numerous
card counting systems are known, and typically rely on a player keeping a
mental count
of some or all of the cards which have been played. For example, in the game
of
twenty-one it is beneficial to determine when all cards with a rank of 5 have
been dealt
(i.e., fives strategy). Since cards with a value of ten favor the player over
the house, it
is also beneficial to determine the number of cards remaining in the deck(s)
having a
point value of ten (i.e., Tens strategy). Other variations of card counting
are well
known in the art. Shuffling may take place after every card in the deck or
decks has
been dealt, for example after several hands have been played, or may take
place more
frequently.
Manual shuffling tends to slow play down, so the gaming industry now
employs mechanical shufflers to speed up play and to more thoroughly shuffle
the
cards. The cards are typically shuffled several cards before the end of the
deck(s), in an
effort to hinder card counting, which is particularly effective when only a
few hands of
cards remain (i.e., end game strategy). The ratio of the number of cards dealt
to the
total number of cards remaining in the deck(s) is commonly known as the deck
penetration. The gaming industry is now introducing continuous shufflers in a
further
attempt to frustrate attempts at card counting. As the name implies,
continuous
shufflers mechanically shuffle the cards remaining to be dealt while one or
more hands
are being played.
While mechanical shufflers increase the speed of play and produce a
more thorough shuffle than manual methods, mechanical shuffling is subject to
incomplete shuffles due to the inherently consistent operation of mechanical
devices
and are limited in the total number of decks they can manipulate.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Under one aspect, a method of verifying playing card games includes
automatically determining an identity of each of a number of playing cards
forming a
player's completed hand; comparing the identity of each of the number of
playing cards
from the player's completed hand to an expected set of playing cards for the
player's
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completed hand; and producing a notification if the identity of each of the
number of
playing card the player's completed hand does not match a respective playing
card in
the expected set of playing cards for the player's completed hand. In a
related aspect, a
computer-readable media can store instructions for causing a computer to
verify playing
card games by the method.
Under another aspect, a method of verifying playing card games
employs a computationally generated pseudo-random sequence of playing card
values.
The method includes determining an expected set of playing card values for the
playing
card hand based on the computationally generated pseudo-random sequence of
playing
card values, a number of hands dealt and a relative position of the playing
card hand in
an order of dealing; and determining whether the identifiers read from each of
the
number of playing cards forming the hand of playing cards correspond to the
expected
set of playing card values for the playing card hand. The method can include
generating the pseudo-random sequence of playing card values, or can include
receiving
a generated pseudo-random sequence of playing card values. The method can
include
reading an identifier from each of a number of playing cards forming a hand of
playing
cards, or can include receiving the read identifiers. In a related aspect, a
computer-
readable media can store instructions for causing a computer to verify playing
card
games by the method.
In another aspect, a method of verifying playing card games employs a
read sequence of playing card values. The method includes determining an
expected set
of playing card values for the playing card hand based on the deck sequence of
playing
card values, a number of hands dealt and a relative position of the playing
card hand in
an order of dealing; and determining whether the identifiers read from each of
the
number of playing cards forming the hand of playing cards correspond to the
expected
set of playing card values for the playing card hand. The method can include
reading in
sequence an identifier from each of a number of playing cards from which a
card game
will be dealt, or can include receiving a read sequence of playing card values
corresponding to playing cards from which the card game will be dealt. The
method
can include reading an identifier from each of a number of playing cards
forming a
hand of playing cards; or can include receiving an a collected sequence of
playing card
values corresponding to the completed hands of playing cards collected from
the
players and/or dealer. In a related aspect, a computer-readable media can
store
instructions for causing a computer to verify playing card games by the
method.
In a further aspect, a system for verifying playing card games includes a
card interface device for reading, writing and/or printing markings on playing
cards.
The card interface device can be a stand alone device, or can be networked to
a host
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computing system, server, and/or other electronic components. The card
interface
device can include a reader such as an optical scanner, optical imager or
magnetic
sensor for reading identifying markings from playing cards. In some aspects,
the card
interface device can include one or more printing heads, and/or magnetic or
other write
heads for printing identifying markings on playing cards. The reader and the
printing or
writing heads can be located in one housing or in separate housings. In some
aspects,
the card interface device can include a processor configured to generate a
pseudo-
random sequence of playing card values, and/or a print head controller for
printing or
writing markings on the playing cards corresponding to the pseudo-random
sequence of
playing card values.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings, identical reference numbers identify similar elements or
acts. The sizes and relative positions of elements in the drawings are not
necessarily
drawn to scale. For example, the shapes of various elements and angles are not
drawn
to scale, and some of these elements are arbitrarily enlarged and positioned
to improve
drawing legibility. Further, the particular shapes of the elements as drawn,
are not
intended to convey any information regarding the actual shape of the
particular
elements, and have been solely selected for ease of recognition in the
drawings.
Figure 1 is an isometric view of a networked automatic wager
monitoring system in a gaming environment, including a networked playing card
interface device according to one illustrated embodiment of the invention.
Figure 2 is an isometric view of a gaming table, including a standalone
playing card interface device including a playing card printing device and an
associated
playing card reading device according to another illustrated embodiment of the
invention.
Figure 3 is a functional block diagram of the networked automatic wager
monitoring system of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a partial cross-sectional diagram of the playing card interface
device of Figure 2 showing various components of the playing card printing
device.
Figure 5 is a front elevational view of a face of an exemplary playing
card.
Figure 6 is perspective view of selected components of the card reading
device of Figure 2, showing an optical lens assembly, imager, reflector,
illumination
assembly and connector.
Figure 7 is a side elevational view of the selected components of the card
reading device of Figure 6.
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Figure 8 is a partial side elevational view of the card interface device of
Figure 1 in the form of a combined card printing and reading device.
Figure 9 is a partial side elevational view of an alternative card reading
device, including a magnetic reading head for reading magnetic markings on
playing
cards.
Figures IOA-IOB are a flow diagram showing a method of operating the
host computing system of Figure 1 and the card distribution device of Figure
6.
Figure 11 is a flow diagram showing a method of operating the card
distribution device of Figure 4.
Figure 12 is a flow diagram of a method of operating the card game
evaluation system 9.
Figure 13 is a flow diagram of a method of verifying completed hands of
playing cards.
Figure 14 is a schematic view of a generated sequence of playing card
values, illustrated in the form of an ordered sequence of playing cards.
Figure 15 is a schematic view of playing cards collected after an
example round of twenty-one with four players including the dealer.
Figure 16 is a schematic view contrasting a first player's complete hand
in a game dealt from a card shoe with a game dealt by hand.
Figure 17 is side elevational cross-sectional view of a card deck reader in
a card shoe housing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In the following description, certain specific details are set forth in order
to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments of the invention.
However, one skilled in the art will understand that the invention may be
practiced
without these details. In other instances, well-known structures associated
with
computers, servers, networks, imagers, and gaming or wagering apparatus have
not
been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring
descriptions of the
embodiments of the invention.
Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the specification and
claims which follow, the word "comprise" and variations thereof, such as,
"comprises"
and "comprising" are to be construed in an open, inclusive sense, that is as
"including,
but not limited to."
The headings provided herein are for convenience only and do not
interpret the scope or meaning of the claimed invention.
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Wagering Environment Overview
Figure 1 shows a networked automated wager monitoring system 10
including a host computing system 12, a server 14 and a network 16. The server
14 and
network 16 couple the host computing system 12 to various gaming sensors,
gaming
actuators and/or gaming processors at a number of different wagering or gaming
tables,
such as a twenty-one or blackjack table 18, only one gaming table 18 being
shown for
clarity of presentation.
In one embodiment, the host computing system 12 acts as a central
computing system, interconnecting the gaming tables of one or more casinos. In
an
alternative embodiment, the host computing system 12 is associated with a
single
gaming table, or a small group of gaming tables. In a further alternative, the
host
computing system 12 is associated with a single gaming table or group of
gaming tables
and is interconnected with other host computing systems.
The gaming sensors, gaming actuators and/or gaming processors and
other electronics can be located in the gaming table 18, and/or various
devices on the
gaming table 18 such as a chip tray 22 and/or a card interface device 24 such
as a
combined card printing and reading device 24A for printing and reading
markings on
playing cards. The chip tray 22 can include a card hand reader 25 for reading
the
dealer's initial hand, or a separately housed card hand reader can be located
on or in the
gaming table. The structure and operation of the card hand reader is described
in
commonly assigned U.S. patent applications listed at the end of this
specification.
Examples of some suitable hardware and software for automating the monitoring
and
playing of playing card based games, such as twenty-one, are described in
commonly
assigned pending U.S. patent applications identified at the end of this
specification.
A player 26 can place a wager on the outcome of the gaming event, such
as the outcome of a hand of playing cards 28 dealt by a dealer 30 in a game of
twenty-
one, for example, by locating wagering pieces such as one or more chips 32 at
an
appropriate location on the blackjack table 18.
Figure 2 shows an alternative embodiment of the gaming table 18. This
alternative embodiment, and those alternative embodiments and other
alternatives
described herein, are substantially similar to previously described
embodiments, and
common acts and structures are identified by the same reference numbers. Only
significant differences in operation and structure are described below.
In Figure 2, the gaming table 18 includes a standalone version of the
card interface device 24 which is not networked to a host computing system 12
or
server 14. As represented in Figure 2, the card interface 24 may include a
card printing
device 24B and a separate card reading device 24C communicatingly coupled to
the
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card printing device 24B. The gaming table 18 does not otherwise employ the
electronics of Figure 1. Thus, the dealer and/or a pit boss manually monitors
the game
play and wagering.
Alternatively, the networked version (Figure 1) can employ separately
housed card printing and card reading devices, while the standalone version
(Figure 2)
can employ integrally housed card printing and card reading devices.
System Hardware
Figure 3 and the following discussion provide a brief, general
description of a suitable computing environment in which embodiments of the
invention can be implemented, particularly those of Figure 1. Although not
required,
embodiments of the invention will be described in the general context of
computer-
executable instructions, such as program application modules, objects, or
macros being
executed by a computer. Those skilled in the relevant art will appreciate that
the
invention can be practiced with other computer system configurations,
including hand-
held devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable
consumer electronics, personal computers ("PCs"), network PCs, mini computers,
mainframe computers, and the like. The invention can be practiced in
distributed
computing environments where tasks or modules are performed by remote
processing
devices, which are linked through a communications network. In a distributed
computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote
memory storage devices.
Referring to Figure 3, a conventional mainframe or mini-computer,
referred to herein as the host computing system 12, includes a processing unit
34, a
system memory 36 and a system bus 38 that couples various system components
including the system memory 36 to the processing unit 34. The host computing
system
12 will at times be referred to in the singular herein, but this is not
intended to limit the
application of the invention to a single host computer since in typical
embodiments,
there will be more than one host computer or other device involved. The
automated
wager monitoring system 10 may employ other computers, such as conventional
personal computers, where the size or scale of the system allows. The
processing unit
34 may be any logic processing unit, such as one or more central processing
units
(CPUs), digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated
circuits
(ASICs), etc. Unless described otherwise, the construction and operation of
the various
blocks shown in Figure 3 are of conventional design. As a result, such blocks
need not
be described in further detail herein, as they will be understood by those
skilled in the
relevant art.
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The system bus 38 can employ any known bus structures or
architectures, including a memory bus with memory controller, a peripheral
bus, and a
local bus. The system memory 36 includes read-only memory ("ROM") 40 and
random
access memory ("RAM") 42. A basic input/output system ("BIOS") 44, which can
form part of the ROM 40, contains basic routines that help transfer
information between
elements within the host computing system 12, such as during start-up.
The host computing system 12 also includes a hard disk drive 46 for
reading from and writing to a hard disk 48, and an optical disk drive 50 and a
magnetic
disk drive 52 for reading from and writing to removable optical disks 54 and
magnetic
disks 56, respectively. The optical disk 54 can be a CD-ROM, while the
magnetic disk
56 can be a magnetic floppy disk or diskette. The hard disk drive 46, optical
disk drive
50 and magnetic disk drive 52 communicate with the processing unit 34 via the
bus 38.
The hard disk drive 46, optical disk drive 50 and magnetic disk drive 52 may
include
interfaces or controllers (not shown) coupled between such drives and the bus
38, as is
known by those skilled in the relevant art. The drives 46, 50 and 52, and
their associated
computer-readable media, provide nonvolatile storage of computer readable
instructions,
data structures, program modules and other data for the host computing system
12.
Although the depicted host computing system 12 employs hard disk 46, optical
disk 50
and magnetic disk 52, those skilled in the relevant art will appreciate that
other types of
computer-readable media that can store data accessible by a computer may be
employed,
such as magnetic cassettes, flash memory cards, digital video disks ("DVD"),
Bernoulli
cartridges, RAMs, ROMs, smart cards, etc.
Program modules can be stored in the system memory 36, such as an
operating system 58, one or more application programs 60, other programs or
modules
62 and program data 64. The system memory 36 may also include a Web client or
browser 66 for permitting the host computing system 12 to access and exchange
data
with sources such as Web sites of the Internet, corporate intranets, or other
networks as
described below, as well as other server applications on server computers such
as those
further discussed below. The browser 66 in the depicted embodiment is markup
language based, such as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Extensible Markup
Language (XML) or Wireless Markup Language (WML), and operates with markup
languages that use syntactically delimited characters added to the data of a
document to
represent the structure of the document. A number of Web clients or browsers
are
commercially available such as NETSCAPE NAVIGATOR from America Online, and
INTERNET EXPLORER available from Microsoft of Redmond, Washington
While shown in Figure 3 as being stored in the system memory 36, the
operating system 58, application programs 60, other programs/modules 62,
program data
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64 and browser 66 can be stored on the hard disk 48 of the hard disk drive 46,
the optical
disk 54 of the optical disk drive 50 and/or the magnetic disk 56 of the
magnetic disk drive
52. An operator, such as authorized casino personnel, can enter commands and
information into the host computing system 12 through input devices such as a
keyboard
68 and a pointing device such as a mouse 70. Other input devices can include a
microphone, joystick, game pad, scanner, etc. These and other input devices
are
connected to the processing unit 34 through an interface 72 such as a serial
port interface
that couples to the bus 38, although other interfaces such as a parallel port,
a game port or
a wireless interface or a universal serial bus ("USB") can be used. A monitor
74 or other
display device is coupled to the bus 38 via a video interface 76, such as a
video adapter.
The host computing system 12 can include other output devices, such as
speakers,
printers, etc.
The host computing system 12 can operate in a networked environment
using logical connections to one or more remote computers, such as the server
computer
14. The server computer 14 can be another personal computer, a server, another
type of
computer, or a collection of more than one computer communicatively linked
together
and typically includes many or all of the elements described above for the
host
computing system 12. The server computer 14 is logically connected to one or
more of
the host computing systems 12 under any known method of permitting computers
to
communicate, such as through a local area network ("LAN") 78, or a wide area
network
("WAN") or the Internet 80. Such networking environments are well known in
wired
and wireless enterprise-wide computer networks, intranets, extranets, and the
Internet.
Other embodiments include other types of communication networks including
telecommunications networks, cellular networks, paging networks, and other
mobile
networks.
When used in a LAN networking environment, the host computing
system 12 is connected to the LAN 78 through an adapter or network interface
82
(communicatively linked to the bus 38). When used in a WAN networking
environment, the host computing system 12 may include a modem 84 or other
device,
such as the network interface 82, for establishing communications over the
WAN/Internet 80. The modem 84 is shown in Figure 3 as communicatively linked
between the interface 72 and the WAN/Internet 80. In a networked environment,
program modules, application programs, or data, or portions thereof, can be
stored in
the server computer 14. In the depicted embodiment, the host computing system
12 is
communicatively linked to the server computer 14 through the LAN 78 or the
WAN/Internet 80 with TCP/IP middle layer network protocols; however, other
similar
network protocol layers are used in other embodiments, such as User Datagram
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Protocol ("UDP"). Those skilled in the relevant art will readily recognize
that the
network connections shown in Figure 3 are only some examples of establishing
communication links between computers, and other links may be used, including
wireless links.
The server computer 14 is communicatively linked to the sensors,
actuators, and gaming processors 86 of one or more gaming tables 18, typically
through
the LAN 78 or the WAN/Internet 80 or other networking configuration such as a
direct
asynchronous connection (not shown). The server computer 14 is also
communicatively linked to the card interface device 24, typically through the
LAN 78
or the WAN/Internet 80 or other networking configuration such as a direct
asynchronous connection (not shown).
The server computer 14 includes server applications 88 for the routing of
instructions, programs, data and agents between the gaming processors 86 and
the host
computing system 12. For example the server applications 88 may include
conventional server applications such as WINDOWS NT 4.0 Server, and/or
WINDOWS 2000 Server, available from Microsoft Corporation or Redmond,
Washington. Additionally, or alternatively, the server applications 88 can
include any
of a number of commercially available Web servers, such as INTERNET
INFORMATION SERVICE from Microsoft Corporation and/or IPLANET from
Netscape.
The gaming processor 86 can include gaming applications 90 and
gaming data 92. The gaming applications 90 can include instructions for
acquiring
wagering and gaming event information from the live gaming at the game
position,
such as instructions for acquiring an image of the wagers and identifiers on
playing
cards. The gaming applications 90 can also include instructions for
processing, at least
partially, the acquired wagering and gaming event information, for example,
identifying
the position and size of each wager, the value of each hand of playing cards
and/or
verifying that the playing cards were dealt in the correct order. Suitable
applications
are described in one or more of commonly assigned U.S. patent applications
listed at
the end of this specification.
Additionally, the gaming applications 90 may include statistical
packages for producing statistical information regarding the play at a
particular gaming
table, the performance of one or more players, and/or the performance of the
dealer 30
and/or game operator. The gaming applications 90 can also include instructions
for
providing a video feed of some or all of the gaming position. Gaming data may
include
outcomes of games, amounts of wagers, average wager, player identity
information,
complimentary benefits information ("comps"), player performance data, dealer
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performance data, chip tray accounting information, playing card sequences,
etc. The
gaming applications 90 can further include instructions for handling security
such as
password or other access protection and communications encryption. Thus, the
server
12 can route wagering related information between the gaming tables and the
host
computing system 12.
Card Interface Devices
Figure 4 shows one embodiment of the card interface device 24
represented in Figure 2, in the form of the card printing device 24B and
separately
housed card reading device 24C communicatingly coupled to the card printing
device
24B.
The card printing device 24B includes a housing 100 having a card
receiver 102 for receiving playing card blanks 104, a card holder 106 for
holding
printed playing cards 108, and a card path identified by arrow 110 extending
between
the card receiver 102 and card holder 106. While shown as separate receptacles
102,
106, some embodiments of the card printing device 24B may employ a single
receptacle
for both receiving the playing card blanks 104 and the printed playing cards
108. The
card printing device 24B generally includes a drive mechanism 112, a print
mechanism
114 and a control mechanism 116.
As illustrated in Figure 4, the drive mechanism 112 includes a drive
roller 118 rotatably mounted at the end of a pivot arm 120 and driven by a
motor 122
via a drive belt 124. The motor drive the drive roller 118, For example, a
stepper
motor 122, can drive the drive roller 118 in small increments or steps, such
that the card
blank 104 is propelled incrementally or stepped through the card path 110 of
the card
printing device 24B, pausing slightly between each step. Stepper motors and
their
operation are well-known. A spring 126 biases the pivot arm 120 toward the
card
blanks 104 to maintain contact between the drive roller 118 and an outer most
one 128
of the card blanks 104 in the card receiver 102. Thus, as the drive roller 118
rotates
(counterclockwise with respect to the Figure),. the outer most card blank 128
is
propelled along the card path 110.
Additionally, or alternatively, a card support 130 positioned behind the
card blanks 104 is supported along an inclined plane such as a guide channel
132 by
one or more rollers 134. The weight of the card support 130 and or an
additional
attached weight (not shown) biases the card support 130 and the card blanks
104 toward
the card path 110. The drive mechanism 112 also includes a number of guide
rollers
136 to guide the card blank 104 along the card path 110. Typically the guide
rollers
136 are not driven, although in some embodiments one or more of the guide
rollers 136
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can be driven where suitable. For example, one or more guide rollers 136 may
be
driven where the card path 110 is longer than the length of the card blank
104. While a
particular drive mechanism 112 is illustrated, many other suitable drive
mechanisms
will be apparent to those skilled in the art of printing, such as the numerous
examples of
drive mechanisms used in impact and/or non-impact printers.
The printing mechanism 114 includes a print head 138 and a platen 140.
The print head 138 can take any of a variety of forms, such as a thermal print
head, ink
jet print head, electrostatic print head, or impact print head. The platen
140, by itself or
with one or more of the guide rollers 136 (i.e., "bail rollers"), provides a
flat printing
surface on a card blank 104 positioned under the print head 138. While
illustrated as a
platen roller 140, the card printing device 24B can alternatively employ a
stationary
platen where suitable for the particular card stock and print head 138. In an
alternative
embodiment, the platen roller 140 may be driven by the motor 122, or by a
separate
motor.
The control mechanism 116 includes a microprocessor 142, volatile
memory such as a Random Access Memory ("RAM") 144, and a persistent memory
such as a Read Only Memory ("ROM") 146. The microprocessor 142 executes
instructions stored in RAM 144, ROM 146 and/or the microprocessor's 142 own
onboard registers (not shown) for generating a random playing card sequence,
and
printing the appropriate markings on the playing cards in the order of the
random
playing card sequence. The control mechanism 116 also includes a motor
controller
148 for controlling the stepper motor 112 in response to motor control signals
from the
microprocessor 142, and a print controller 150 for controlling the print head
138 in
response to print control signals from the microprocessor 142, thus
synchronizing the
operation of the stepper motor 112 and print head 138.
The control mechanism 116 may further include a card level detector
152 for detecting a level or number of playing cards in the playing card
holder 106.
The card level detector 152 can include a light source and receiver pair and a
reflector
spaced across the playing card holder from the light source and receiver pair.
Thus,
when the level of playing cards 108 in the card holder 106 drops below the
path of the
light, the card level detector 152 detects light reflected by the reflector,
and provides a
signal to the microprocessor 142 indicating that additional playing cards 108
should be
printed. The card printing device 24B can employ other level detectors, such
as
mechanical detectors.
In operation the microprocessor 142 executes instructions stored in the
RAM 144, ROM 146 and/or microprocessor's registers to computationally generate
a
random playing card sequence from a set of playing card values. As used herein
and in
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the claims, the term "playing card values" refers to computational values
identifying
individual playing cards. For example, each playing card in one or more decks
of
playing cards may be uniquely defined by a serial number, which may be
represented in
decimal form for ease of recognition by humans, but typically takes a binary
form for
use by the various computational devices of the automated wager monitoring
system
10. While each playing card has a rank and thus a point value, this point
value is
typically not the playing card value as used herein, although a point value is
directly or
indirectly associated with each playing card value. Also, as used herein the
term "deck"
or "playing card deck" refers to any collection of playing cards from which a
game will
be dealt, including but not limited to conventional decks of 52 cards of four
suits and
ranks 2-10, Jack, Queen, King and Ace.
Random number generation on computers is well known in the
computing arts. Mathematicians do not generally consider computer generated
random
numbers to be truly random, and thus commonly refer to such numbers as being
pseudo-random. However such numbers are sufficiently random for most practical
purposes, such as randomly distributing playing cards to players. Hence, while
we
denominate the computer generated values as being "pseudo-random," such term
as
used herein and in the claims should include any values having a suitable
random
distribution, whether truly mathematically random or not.
The microprocessor 142 generates print data based on the
computationally generated random playing card sequence. The print data
consists of
instructions for printing markings on respective ones of the playing card
blanks 104 that
correspond to respective playing card values from the random playing card
sequence.
For example, the print data can identify which elements of the print head 138
to activate
at each step of the stepper motor 122 to print a desired image. During each
pause
between steps of the motor 122, a small portion of the card blank 104 is
aligned with
the print head 138 and selected elements of the print head 138 are activated
to produce a
portion of an image on the portion of the card blank 104 aligned with the
print head
138. The image portion is a small portion of an entire image to be printed.
The entire
image typically is produced by stepping the card blank 104 past the print head
138,
pausing the card blank 104 after each step, determining the portion of the
image
corresponding to the step number, determining which elements of the print head
138 to
activate to produce the determined portion of the image, and activating the
determined
elements to produce the determined portion of the image on the card blank 104.
The
microprocessor 142 provides the print data as motor commands to the motor
controller
148 and as print commands to the print controller 150, for respectively
synchronizing
and controlling the motor 122 and print head 138. The card printing device 24B
can
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include additionally print heads to print in multiple colors, including
printing that is not
typically visible under conventional "white" light sources.
Thus, the card printing device 24B of Figure 4 provides a standalone
card distribution device for printing playing cards in a pseudo-random
sequence, which
may be used at any gaming position. Since the card printing device 24B
includes a
microprocessor 142, the card printing device 24B is particularly suited for
the manually
monitored gaming table 18 of Figure 2, where the card interface device 24
operates in a
standalone mode. However, the card printing device 24B can operate as an
integral
portion of the automated wager monitoring system 10, or in conjunction with
such a
system 10.
As shown in Figure 5, the markings on the playing cards 108 (Figure 4)
may include the conventional symbols representing a rank (i.e., 2-10, Jack,
Queen,
King, Ace) 154 and a suit (i.e., Diamonds, Hearts, Spades and Clubs) 156 of
the playing
card (shown in Figure 5). The markings can also include indicia such as the
images of
Jacks, Queens and Kings 158 commonly found on playing cards.
The markings may also include an identifier, for example a serial
number that uniquely defines the particular playing, and/or playing card deck
to which
the playing card belongs. The identifier can take the form of a bar code, area
code or
stack code symbol 160 selected from a suitable machine-readable symbology, to
allow
easy machine recognition using standard readers. While visible in the
illustration, the
bar code symbols 160 can be printed with an ink that is only visible under a
specific
frequency of light, such as the UV range of the electromagnetic spectrum. This
prevents players 26 from viewing the serial numbers during game play. The bar
code
symbol 160 can be positioned along the edges of the playing card 108 to permit
reading
of more than one symbol 160 at a time.
The markings can optionally include additional indicia such as
advertising messages 162. The advertising messages 162 may be player or game
specific, and may be provide to only specific players, to random players,
and/or to all
players. The advertising message 162 may take the form of promotions, for
example,
informing the player that the card may be redeemed for meals, beverages,
accommodations, souvenirs, goods and/or services at casino facilities or other
facilities.
The inclusion of a serial number on the playing card, particularly a serial
number
encoded in machine-readable form 160 allows a promotional playing card 164 of
the
playing cards 108 to be easily verified using standard automatic data
collection
("ADC") devices when presented for redemption.
Figures 6 and 7 show the structure of the card reader 24C which can be
housed separately from the card printing device 24B. The card reader 24C reads
an
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identifier such as the machine-readable symbol 160 from the cards 61
constituting one
or more completed hands collected from the players and/or dealer.
A housing 500 includes a card guide 502 that holds the cards 504 and
ensures that the cards 504 are properly positioned with respect to a set of
reading
components, such as electronics and optical components, described below. The
card
guide 502 includes a card support surface 506. The card support surface 506 is
sloped
with respect to a base of the housing 500 to hold the cards 504 in the card
guide 502
such that the cards 504 are slightly shifted or staggered with respect to
adjacent cards
when the discard shoe 500 is on the horizontal playing surface 26 of the
gaming table
18 (Figures 1 and 2). A bottom end wall 508 supports the cards 504 on the
sloped card
support surface 506, and forms an acute angle 510 therewith. An angle 510 of
approximately 45 degrees is suitable. A top end wall 512 is transparent, or
has a
window formed therein, to expose the ends 54 of the faces 56 of the cards 504
in the
card guide 502. Side walls 514 help ensure the cards 504 are properly aligned
to form a
stack within the card guide 502.
The reading electronics and optics can include an optical lens assembly
516, a reflector 518, and an imager 520 aligned along an optical path
illustrated by
broken line arrow 522. The optical lens assembly 516 can include one or more
optical
lenses and filters. For example, a 9.9 FL lens assembly available from Sunex
Inc.,
Carlsbad, California, part number DSL900, can serve as a suitable optical
lens. Also
for example, the optical lens assembly 516 can include a narrow band pass
filter that
passes light having a wavelength of approximately 450 nanometers, while
stopping
other light, such as light coming directly from an illumination source 524. A
suitable
filter is available from Edmond Scientific, of Barrington, New Jersey, as part
number
00151-11859.
The imager 520 includes photo-sensitive elements, such as charged-
coupled devices ("CCDs") and suitable electronics for producing a digital
representation of a captured image. A CMOS color sensor, such as the CMOS
color
sensor available from Photobit Corporation, Pasadena, California, part number
PB300,
can serve as a suitable imager 520. The card reader 24C is particularly suited
for
reading up to two decks of cards, the imager 520 typically having a field of
view
encompassing up to two decks.
The reflector 518 can be positioned at an angle, such as a 45 degree
angle, to the top end wall 512 and the imager 520 to pass an image of the ends
54 of the
cards 504 to the imager 520. The card reader 24C can include additional
optical
components, such as reflectors, defractors, splitters, polarizers, filters and
lenses, where
such would be suitable to the particular application. For example, the card
reader 24C
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can include an aperture 526 between the reflector 518 and the top end wall
512, which
can improve the field of depth of the imager 520. The optical path 522 is
defined by the
optical properties and position of the optical components, and thus does not
necessarily
have to be a straight line. Many of the components can be housed in an arm
528,
formed from a pair of molded plastic halves.
The card reader 24C includes an illumination system having one or more
illumination sources 524 that provide low intensity illumination for the cards
504. The
illumination sources 524 can take the form of one or more lamps. The
illumination
sources 524 produce light suitable to the particular embodiment. For example,
the card
reader 24C can employ illumination sources 524 that produce predominately UV
light
where the machine-readable symbols are only visible under UV illumination.
Suitable
lamps can include ultraviolet ("UV") lamps available from JKL Components
Corporation of Pacoima, California, as part number BF350-UV 1, having a
diameter of
3 millimeters and a length of 50 millimeters. The illumination sources 524 are
located
proximate the top end wall 512 of the card guide 502. The illumination sources
524
receive power from a high voltage power inverter 530 via a printed circuit
board 532
that receives power from a 5V power source 534. A suitable high voltage power
inverter is available from JKL Components Corporation as part number BXA 501A.
The card reader 24C is coupled to the card printing device 24B, such as a
FIREWIRE connector or Universal Serial Bus ("USB") connector. Additionally or
alternatively, the card reader 24C is coupled to the network 18 or host
computer 12 by
way of the connector 536. Suitable connectors 536 may include a FIREWIRE
connector available from Molex Electronics, Ltd. of Canada, part number 524502-
05041. The connector 536 can deliver the digital representation of the
captured image
to the microprocessor 142 or appropriate client computing system 12 for image
processing and card validation.
Figure 8 shows another embodiment of the card interface device 24, in.
the form of the a card printing and reading device 24A combined in a single
housing
165. The combined card printing and reading device 24A generally includes a
read
mechanism 166, an erase mechanism 168, a drive mechanism 170, a print
mechanism
172, and a control mechanism 174.
A set of playing cards 108 located in the card receiver 102 includes
identifying markings previously printed on playing card blanks. The
identifying
markings include a markings 154 corresponding to a rank, markings 156
corresponding
to a suit, and markings 160 in the form of machine-readable bar code symbols
160
encoding a unique serial number identifying the particular card and/or deck of
playing
cards. While visible in the illustration, the bar code symbols 160 may be
printed with
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an ink that is only visible under a specific frequency of light, such as the
UV range of
the electromagnetic spectrum to prevent identification by the player 26.
The read mechanism 166 includes a light source 176 and a reader head
178 for imaging the identifying markings 154, 156, 160 on the playing cards.
The read
mechanism 166 may also include optical components such as mirrors, reflectors,
lenses,
filters and the like.
The light source 176 may be selectively operated in response to a read
command received from the host computing system 12, and/or in response to the
presence of playing cards 108 in the card receiver 102. The read mechanism 166
may
include a card presence detector 180 that determines when there is one or more
playing
cards 108 in the card receiver 102. The card presence detector 180 may take
the form
of a light source directing light to a reflector across the card receiver 102,
and a light
detector to receive the reflected light. The presence of playing cards 108 in
the card
receiver 102 interrupts the light, which can trigger the light source 176
directly, and/or
send an appropriate signal to the host computing system 12 which may transmit
a return
signal to trigger the light source 176. Likewise, the reader head 178 may also
be
triggered directly by the card presence detector 180, or indirectly via the
host
computing system 12. Alternatively, in certain embodiments, the reader head
178 may
remain in an ON or active state, relying on the activation of the light source
176 to
capture images of the playing cards 108 in the card receiver 102.
In one embodiment, the reader head 178 includes an area imager capable
of imaging a two-dimensional area encompassing the machine-readable symbols
160 on
each of the playing cards in a single image. For example the reader head 178
may
include a two-dimensional array of charge coupled devices ("CCDs").
In another embodiment the reader head 178 can take the form of a linear
imager having a field-of-view that can be swept across the machine-readable
symbols
160 on each of the playing cards 108 in succession. The read mechanism 166 may
employ any of a variety of methods and structures for sweeping the field-of-
view of the
reader head 178. For example, the reader head 178 can be pivotally mounted for
movement with respect to the playing cards 108. Alternatively, a mirror or
other optical
component (not shown) can be pivotally mounted for movement with respect to
the
reader head 178 and the playing cards 108. Alternatively, the light source 176
can be
pivotally mounted for movement with respect to the playing cards 108.
Alternatively, a
mirror or other optical component (not shown) can be pivotally mounted for
movement
with respect to the light source 176 and the playing cards 108.
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In yet another embodiment, the reader head 178 and field-of-view of the
reader head 178 may remained fixed while the playing cards 108 are transported
past
the field-of-view of the reader head 178.
In a further embodiment, the reader head 178 can take the form of a
scanner, such as a laser scanner, for acquiring the machine-readable symbols
160. In
such an embodiment the reader head 178 would include a laser light source,
photo-
detector, amplifier and wave shaper. Laser scanners typically do not employ
additional
light sources, such as the light source 176.
The construction and operation of imagers and scanners for reading
machine-readable symbols is generally known in the field of automatic data
collection
("ADC"), so will not be described in further detail in the interest of
brevity. The
structure and operation of machine-readable symbol readers is generally
discussed in
The Bar Code Book, Palmer, Roger, C., Helmers Publishing, Inc., Peterborough,
New
Hampshire (Third Edition).
An erase mechanism 168 includes an erase head 182 positionable to
erase selected markings on a playing card 108. In a simple embodiment, the
erase head
182 includes a rotatably mounted eraser 184 and a motor 186 coupled to rotate
the
eraser 184 while the eraser is in contact with the playing card 108. The
eraser 184 may
have a cylindrical shape, with a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the card
path 110.
The drive mechanism 170 includes a motor 122 coupled to directly drive
a platen roller for advancing playing cards 108 along the playing card path
110. The
drive mechanism 170 may also include guide rollers 136 for orienting and
guiding the
playing cards 108 along the playing card path 110.
The print mechanism 172 includes a first print head 188 and a second
print head 190. The first print head 188 can print visible markings on the
playing card,
while the second print head 190 prints invisible markings (e.g., marking only
visible
under UV light) on the playing card. Two print heads 188, 190 may be
particularly
suitable where the print heads 188, 190 are ink jet print heads, requiring
separate
reservoirs of ink for printing visible and invisible markings. The print
mechanism 172
may include additional or fewer print heads depending on the particular
printing
requirements. For example, the print mechanism 172 may employ separate print
heads
for red and black ink, or may employ additional print heads for other colors
that make
up the graphics on the playing cards. Alternatively, the print mechanism 172
may
employ a single print head capable of handling multiple colors (e.g., color
thermal
printing, dye sublimation printing). The print heads 188, 190 receive print
control
signals from the control mechanism 174, such as signals identifying which
print
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elements (not shown) of the print heads 188, 190 to activate at a particular
time or
position.
The control mechanism 174 includes a controller 192 that couples the
various other components to a communications port 194 via an Input/Output
("I/O")
buffer 196. The communications port 194 can take the form of any of a variety
of
communications ports, such as a FIREWIRE connector, Universal Serial Bus
("USB")
connector and/or a D9 connector employing an RS232 protocol. The
communications
port 194 can allow communications with the host computing system 12 via the
LAN 78
and/or WAN 80. The I/O buffer 196 serves as a holding area for data coming
into and
going out of the communications port 194. The controller 192 routes data, and
can
perform simple control functions. While the combined card printing and reading
device
24A may employ a microprocessor such as the microprocessor 142 (Figure 4), a
controller 192 provides a less expensive alternative, particularly where the
network
environment permits much of the processing to be distributed to other devices,
for
example to the host computing system 12.
The control mechanism 174 may also include a card level detector 152
for detecting a level or number of playing cards in the playing card holder
106. The
card level detector 152 can include a light source and receiver 198 and a
reflector 200
spaced across the playing card holder 106 from the light source and receiver
198. Thus,
when the level of playing cards drops below the path of the light, the light
sources and
receiver 198 detects light reflected by the reflector 200, and the card level
detector 152
provides a signal to the host computing system 12 via the controller 192
indicating that
additional playing cards should be printed. The combined card printing and
reading
device 24A can employ other card level detectors, such as mechanical
detectors.
The control mechanism 174 includes a printing controller 202 coupled to
control the motor 122 and the print heads 188, 190.
In the embodiment of Figure 8, the host computing system 12 determines
the playing card values and generates the pseudo-random playing card sequence.
The
host computing system 12 also generates the print data and provides the print
data to the
printing controller 202 via the controller 192 to control and synchronize the
operation
of the motor 122 and print heads 188, 190. The print data consists of
instructions for
printing markings on respective ones of the playing cards 108, after the
playing cards
have been erased, that correspond to respective playing card values from the
random
playing card sequence generated by the host computing system 12.
Alternatively, the
host computing system 12 can provide motor control signals and print control
signals
directly to the motor 122 and print heads 188, 190 via the controller 192. In
a further
alternative, the controller 192 can be configured to also serve as a printing
controller,
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receiving the print data and providing the motor control signals and print
control signals
the motor 122 and print heads 188, 190. In yet a further alternative, the host
computing
system 12 can provide print data to a motor controller and print controller,
such as the
motor controller 148 and print controller 150 shown in Figure 4, for
controlling the
motor 122 and print heads 188, 190, respectively.
Since the card printing and reading device 24A receives data such as a
random playing card sequence from the host computing system 12 and/or print
data, the
combined card printing and reading device 24A of Figure 8 may be a relatively
low cost
device, employing a simple controller 192 and/or print controller 202 rather
than a
relatively more expensive microprocessor. Thus, the combined card printing and
reading device 24A is particularly suited for use with the networked automated
wager
monitoring system 10 of Figure 1. Thus, the combined card printing and reading
device
24A provides an integrated networked device for printing playing cards in a
pseudo-
random sequence.
The combined card printing and reading device 24A also reads the
playing cards 108 in the card receiver 102, allowing the tracking of playing
and
wagering according to methods described in commonly assigned U.S. patent
applications listed at the end of this specification. Additionally, the
combined card
printing and reading device 24A reuses playing cards 108, erasing previous
markings
after reading the playing cards 108 and before printing new markings on the
playing
cards 108.
Real-time, or almost real time playing card printing may realize a
number of distinct advantages over mechanical shufflers. For example, the
playing card
printing devices 24A, 24B can employ an unlimited number of "virtual" card
decks
(i.e., playing card values) in creating the random playing card sequence, only
printing
the limited number of physical playing cards required for playing a game. For
example,
the playing card printing device 24A, 24B can receive or generate,
respectively, the
random playing card sequence from 500 decks of cards or more, yet print only
one or
two decks of playing cards, or as few hands of playing cards, as needed. The
playing
card printing device 24A, 24B may also produce a more truly random sequence
than a
mechanical shuffler, which is prone to incomplete shuffling due to the
inherent
consistencies of mechanical systems. The card printing devices 24A, 24B may
also
increase the speed of play since the card printing devices 24A, 24B eliminate
the need
for repeated mechanical manipulations of the playing cards.
Figure 9 illustrates a further alternative embodiment for use with
magnetically encoded identifying data, for example, identifying data encoded
in
magnetic strips carried by the cards. As above, similar acts and elements are
identified
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with the same reference numerals, and only significant differences in
structure and
operation will be discussed.
A card printing and writing device 24D includes many of the same or
similar components as the card printing devices 24A, 24B such a motor 122,
motor
controller 148, print head 138 and print head controller 150. However, the
card printing
and writing device 24D also includes a magnetic write head 560 and a write
head
controller 562 coupled to the magnetic write head 560. Magnetic write heads
and
controllers are commonly known in the relevant art. While not illustrated, the
card
printing and writing device 24E may also include a magnetic erase head
positioned
before the magnetic write head 560 in the card path 110 to erase data
previously
encoded on the playing cards.
The card reading device 24E includes one or more magnetic read heads
564 for reading the data encoded in the magnetic strips (not shown) from cards
collected after play. A read head controller 566 controls the magnetic read
heads 564
and provides the read information to the microprocessor 142 in the card
printing and
writing device 24D. Thus, the card reading device 24F can provide the
microprocessor
142 with a set of card identifiers in a sequence determined by the play of the
game and
the order of collection of the completed hands. The microprocessor 142 can
recreate or
evaluate the game based on the starting and ending card sequences in a similar
manner
to the machine-readable symbol embodiments (Figures 1-8). In a further
alternative,
the card printing and writing device 24D can provide the reader 24E with the
generated
pseudo-random sequence, where the card reading device 24E contains suitable
electronics for processing the information.
Operation
Figures IOA-IOB show a method 300 of operation for the combined card
printing and reading device 24A of Figure 8, starting in step 302. While
discussed
below in terms of remote operation by the host computing system 12, an
appropriately
configured card printing and reading device 24A could execute some or all of
those
functions. Portions of the method 300 are also applicable to the non-integral
embodiments having separately housed card printing and reading devices 24B,
24C,
24D of Figures 4 and 6, 7 and 9.
In step 304, the combined card printing and reading device 24A reads
machine-readable symbols 160 from the playing cards 108 in the card receiver
102
employing the reader head 178, as generally described above. One skilled in
the art
will recognize the rank and suit markings 154, 156 could be read, however the
machine-
readable symbols are typically easier to process with existing hardware and
software.
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In step 306, the host computing system 12 processes the previous hands based
on the
identifiers encoded in the read machine-readable symbols 160. The host
computing
system 12 can employ methods and apparatus taught in commonly assigned U.S.
patent
applications listed at the end of this specification. For example, where the
reader head
178 (Figure 8) includes an imager, the imager captures a digitized image of
the symbol
160 on each playing card 108. The digitized image is sent to either the server
computing system 14 (Figure 1) or one of the client computing systems 12 for
processing. The server computing system 14 or one of the client computing
systems 12
resolves the digitized image into machine-readable symbols. The server
computing
system 14, or one of the client computing systems 12 then converts the machine-
readable symbols into respective serial numbers and/or card ranks.
Alternatively, some
or all of the processing can be performed by an appropriately configured
processor
housed in the card interface device 24.
In step 308, the host computing system 12 determines the casino
advantage for the game. Typically, the casino advantage is dependent on a
number of
factors, including the type of card game, the particular rules employed by the
casino for
the type of card game, and the number of decks or cards from which the cards
are dealt.
In an alternative embodiment, the casino advantage may also depend on the
composition of those playing card decks where, for example, certain playing
cards are
removed or added to the card decks (e.g., 5 Aces in one or more card decks;
and/or only
3 Kings in one or more card decks). The host computing system 12 may rely on a
previously defined game type, game rules and number of decks, or may allow the
dealer
30, or even the player 26, to select one or more of the parameters. For
example, the
dealer 30 may select the desired advantage and provide suitable house odds to
the
player 26 based on the advantage. Alternatively, the player 26 may select a
set of
desired house odds, and rely on the host computing system 12 to select the
appropriate
casino advantage corresponding to those house odds. Thus, the casino can offer
the
player 26 higher odds where the player 26 is willing to play against a hand
dealt from a
larger number of playing cards 108. The casino can also offer the player 26
higher odds
where certain playing cards are omitted from one or more card decks.
Additionally, or
alternatively, the casino can offer the player higher odds or a bonus for
receiving a
particular hand, such as 5 sevens.
In step 310, the host computing system 12 determines the number of
decks of playing cards required to deal a game having the determined casino
advantage.
In step 312, the host computing system 12 determines a set of playing card
values based
on the determined number of card decks. Typically, the host computing system
12 will
employ one playing card value for every playing card rank and suit combination
for
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each of the determined number of playing card decks (e.g., 52 playing card
values per
card deck). Thus, the host computing system 12 employs "virtual" playing
cards, i.e.,
values representing playing cards in one or more "virtual" decks.
The playing card values can take any of a variety of forms which is
capable of identifying each individual playing card, and which is convenient
for
computational use. For example, each playing card in a conventional deck can
be
assigned an integer value 1-52. Successive integers can be assigned where more
than
one card deck is used. For example, each playing card rank and suit
combination in a
second conventional deck can be assigned a respective integer playing card
value from
53 to 104. The playing card rank and suit combinations in each "virtual" card
deck may
be in a matching predefined sequence. For example, the playing card value
corresponding to the two of hearts combination may be 1 for the first deck and
53 for
the second deck, while the playing card value for the Ace of spades may be 52
for the
first deck and 104 for the second deck. Employing the same sequence for
mapping the
playing card values to the rank and suit combinations in multiple "virtual"
card decks
facilitates later card identification or recognition, while not hindering the
generation of
pseudo-random sequences. Employing longer and non-sequential serial numbers,
and/or encryption can realize a higher degree of security.
In step 314, the host computing system 12 generates a pseudo-random
playing card sequence from the determined playing card values. Methods of
random
number generation are well known in the computer arts so will not be described
in
detail. The random number generation employs a range initially including all
of the
determined playing card values. Thus, the host computing system 12 can
generate a
random sequence that is unaffected by mechanical consistencies of any device,
or
mechanical limitations on the total number of playing cards.
In step 316, the host computing system 12 determines identifiers for the
playing cards 108, such as unique serial numbers. The identifier can uniquely
identify
the particular playing card, and/or the card deck to which the playing card
belongs. A
non-sequential assignment of identifiers may enhance security. In an
alternative
embodiment, discussed below, the machine-readable symbols 160 encoding the
identifiers remain printed on the card blanks, thus new identifiers do not
need to be
determined.
In step 318, the host computing system 12 creates logical associations
between the identifiers and the playing card values. For example, the host
computing
system 12 can store the logical association between playing card values and
respective
identifiers as a database stored in a computer-readable memory. The logical
association
maps the playing card values, and hence the rank and suit markings 154, 156 to
be
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printed on a playing card 108, with the identifier which is to be printed on
the same
playing card 108 in the form of a machine-readable symbol 160.
In step 320, the host computing system 12 determines the print data
based on the playing card values and identifiers. As discussed above, the
print data
includes the specific instructions for printing the various markings 154, 156
and/or 160
on the corresponding playing cards 108. In an alternative embodiment, the
printing
controller 202 can determine the print data based on the playing card values,
identifier
or other information supplied by the host computing system 12. For example, a
computer-readable memory (not shown) in the combined card printing and reading
device 24A can store print data for each of the 52 different playing card
faces in a
typical card deck. A portion or all of the playing card value supplied by the
host
computing system 12 can identify the appropriate print data to the printing
controller
202 for printing the corresponding playing card 108.
Where the host computing system 12 performs steps 316, 318 and/or 320
immediately after the step of determining the random playing card sequence
314, the
host computing system 12 may determine the identifiers, create the logical
associations
and determine the print data for all of the playing card values in the random
card
sequence. Alternatively, the steps 316, 318 and/or 320 can be performed for
smaller
sets of playing cards, or even on a card-by-card basis, for example
immediately before
each playing card is printed. Thus, identifiers will not be assigned for cards
which may
never be used in play with the consequent benefit of conserving unique
identifiers. This
approach may also reduce the load on the host computing system 12, with
consequent
benefits in reduced infrastructure and/or increased operating speed.
The host computing system 12 and/or printing controller 202 initializes
various counters in preparation for printing the physical playing cards 108
according to
the computationally generated pseudo-random playing card sequence of playing
card
values. For example, in step 322 the host computing system 12 and/or printing
controller 202 sets a first counter J equal to 0 (i.e., J = 0). In step 324,
the host
computing system 12 and/or printing controller 202 sets a second counter I
equal to a
number of cards to be burned (e.g., I = 3). Casinos typically skip an initial
number of
playing cards when dealing from a freshly shuffled card deck in a procedure
commonly
reference to as "burning the cards." This hinders a player's ability to
accurately count
cards. Setting the first counter J equal to the number of cards to be burned,
prevents the
card printing and reading device 24A from printing these playing cards,
possibly saving
playing card blanks, ink and/or time. Alternatively, the number of playing
cards to be
burned can be set equal to 0, and the dealer 30 may physically discard an
appropriate
number of playing cards 108 prior to dealing. Casinos may find this method
preferable
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as a visible deterrent to card counting, and/or to make the card game appear
as similar
as possible to conventionally dealt cards games.
In step 326, the host computing system 12 and/or printing controller 202
increments the second counter I (i.e., 1=1+ 1) in preparation for printing the
next playing
card. In step 328, the drive mechanism 170 of the combined card printing and
reading
device 24A transports a playing card 108 along the card path 110, employing
the motor
122 as discussed generally above. In step 330, the erase mechanism 168 of the
combined card printing and reading device 24A erases the markings 154, 156,
from the
face of the playing card employing the erasure head 182 as generally described
above.
In some embodiments, the machine-readable symbol 160 may be erased in
preparation
to providing a new machine-readable symbol 160 encoding a new identifier such
as a
unique serial number. This procedure may provide enhanced security, making it
more
difficult to obtain the identifiers. In other embodiments, the machine-
readable symbol
160 can be left in tact, and a new logical association made between the
identifier or
serial number encoded in the machine-readable symbol 160 and the new playing
card
value and/or the rank and suit markings 154, 156 assigned to the particular
playing card
108.
In step 332, the print mechanism 172 of the card printing and reading
device 24A prints new markings 154, 156, and/or 160 on the playing card 108
employing the printing heads 188, 190.
In step 334, the host computing system 12 and/or printing controller 202
determines whether the second counter I is greater than a set size value. The
set size
value can be set to any convenient size. For example, the set size can be set
to 52
playing cards where playing cards will be dealt from a handheld deck by the
dealer 30.
If the second counter is not greater than the set size, control returns to
step 350, where
the second counter I is incremented in preparation for the next playing card.
If the
second counter is greater than the set size, control passes to step 348.
In step 336, the host computing system 12 and/or printing controller 202
determines whether there are sufficient playing card values remaining in the
playing
card sequence to print the next set of playing cards. Thus, the host computing
system
12 and/or printing controller 202 assesses deck penetration (i.e., how many
cards
remain to be dealt). One way of assessing deck penetration is to determine
whether the
current card count is equal to or greater than the total number of cards
multiplied by a
deck penetration percentage. A suitable mathematical formula for such is given
as: J *
Set Size + I > ((52 * Number of Decks) - Number of Burned Cards) * Percentage.
Alternatively, the penetration can be represented as a number of cards that
are not to be
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dealt. Thus, the mathematical representation would be given as: J * Set Size +
I > ((52
* Number of Decks) - Number of Burned Cards) - Number of Cards To Not Be
Dealt.
If the host computing system 12 and/or printing controller 202 determine
that the deck has been sufficiently penetrated, control passes to step 338
where the
method terminates, although the method 300 may execute in a continuous loop,
or in a
multi-threaded fashion as suits the particular environment. The method 300 can
then be
restarted to produce a new set of playing cards in a pseudo-random sequence.
If the
host computing system 12 and/or printing controller 202 determine that the
card deck
108 has not been sufficiently penetrated, control passes to step 340. In step
340, the
host computing system 12 and/or printing controller 202 determine whether
additional
playing cards 108 should be printed. For example, the host computing system 12
and/or printing controller 202 can check the status of the card level detector
152 to
determine whether a sufficient number of playing cards remain in the card
holder 106.
If there are not sufficient playing cards control passes to step 342. If
there are sufficient playing cards remaining, the controller 192 and/or host
computing
system 12 determines whether a reset has been requested, in step 344. A reset
may be
automatically requested, for example in response to an occurrence of an error
condition,
or may be manually requested. A manual request may occur, for example, by the
dealer
30 selecting a reset or new shuffle switch when the dealer wishes to deal from
a new set
of cards. The dealer 30 or other casino personnel may select this option when,
for
example, the dealer 30 suspects the player 26 of card counting. If a reset
condition has
occurred, control is passed to step 338, where the method ends. If a reset
condition has
not occurred, the host computing system 12 and/or printing controller 202
execute a
wait loop 346, returning control back to step 340.
In step 342, the host computing system 12 and/or printing controller 202
increments the first counter J, and in step 348 initializes the second counter
I (i.e., 1=0),
in preparation for printing the next set of playing cards. The host computing
system 12
and/or printing controller 202 passes control back to step 326 to print the
next playing
card 108.
While the embodiment of Figures 10A-10B employs the host computing
system 12 for the primary portion of the processing, the processing may be
distributed
to other computing systems and/or processors distributed throughout a casino,
or
associated with one or more of the gaming tables 18. Distributing the
processing may
reduce the workload on the host computing system, allowing a smaller processor
to
handle more wagering, and perhaps providing faster results. However, retaining
processing at the host computing system 12 may provide better control over the
software, and may make changes to the software simpler. The above described
system
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may also employ a mix of the above approaches, for example, retaining
processing at
the host computing system 12 for some aspects such as random number
generation,
while distributing the processing to card printing device 24A, 24B for other
aspects
such as generating print data and/or printing.
Figure 11 illustrates a method 400 of operation for the playing card
printing device 24B of Figure 4, starting in step 402. While discussed below
in terms of
remote operation by the microprocessor 142, an appropriately configured card
printing
device 24B could distribute some or all of those functions to an external
computing
system or processor. Portions of the method 400 are similar to the method 300
of
Figures 1OA-1OB, thus common acts and structures will be identified using
similar
reference numbers, differing only in the most significant digit (e. g., 312 is
similar to
412), and only significant difference in operation will be discussed below.
The method 400 starts in step 402. In step 408, the microprocessor 142
determines the casino advantage for the game. Determining the casino advantage
is
been discussed in detail above.
In step 410, the microprocessor 142 determines the number of decks of
playing cards required to deal a game having the determined casino advantage.
In step
412, the microprocessor 142 determines a set of playing card values based on
the
determined number of card decks. In step 414, the microprocessor 142 generates
a
pseudo-random playing card sequence from the determined playing card values.
In step
416, the microprocessor 142 determines identifiers for the playing cards 108,
such as
unique serial numbers. In optional step 418, the microprocessor 142 creates
logical
associations between the identifiers and the playing card values. In step 420,
the
microprocessor 142 determines the print data based on the playing card values
and
identifiers. The steps 416, 418 and/or 420 may be performed for smaller sets
of playing
cards, or even on a card-by-card basis, for example immediately before each
playing
card is printed. In step 424, the microprocessor 142 sets a first counter I
equal to a first
playing card value, including any of a number of cards to be burned (e.g., I =
3). In step
428, the drive mechanism 112 (Figure 4) of the card printing device 24B
transports a
playing card 108 along the card path 110. In step 432, the print mechanism 114
(Figure
4) of the card printing device 24B prints new markings 154, 156, and/or 160 on
the
playing card 108 employing the printing head 138.
In step 434, the microprocessor 142 determines whether there are
additional playing card values in the random sequence of playing cards. For
example,
the microprocessor 142 can determine whether the first counter I is equal to
or greater
than the total number of playing card values minus any burned cards and/or
reserved
cards (e.g., card penetration). If the there are additional playing cards,
control passes to
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step 426, where the first counter I is incremented (I = I + 1) in preparation
for printing
the next playing card. If there are no additional playing card values, the
method 400
terminates in step 438, or alternatively returns to the start 402 to
continuously execute.
Game Verification Operation
Figure 12 shows an overview of an illustrated method 600 of operating
the card game evaluation system 10. Additional flow diagram (Figure 13) and
card
sequences (Figures 14-16) illustrate more detailed aspects of the operation of
the card
game evaluation system 10, as well as actions of the dealer employing the game
evaluation system 10.
The operating method 600 starts at step 602, for example in response to
the insertion of a card blanks into the card printing device 24A, 24B. In step
604, the
card game evaluation system 10 determines the initial sequence of card values.
In step
606, the card printing device 24A, 24B or card printing and writing device 24D
creates
playing cards matching the determined initial sequence of card values.
In step 608, the dealer deals the cards in the conventional fashion to the
players and to the dealer's self. For example, in twenty-one the dealer deals
a first
initial card to each of the players from the dealer's left (i.e., first base)
to the dealer's
right (i.e., third base), then to the dealer's self (i.e., top card), followed
by a second
initial card to each of the players from the dealer's left to right, then to
the dealer's self
(i.e., hole card).
In step 610, the card game evaluation system 10 determines the number
of players including the dealer, playing the particular game. In one
embodiment, the
dealer places the dealer's initial hand (i.e., top card and hole card) into a
card hand
reader (not shown) for reading. The card hand reader 25 reads the dealer's
initial hand
as explained in commonly assigned U.S. patent applications listed below. As
explained
above, the card game evaluation system 10 can rely on a machine-readable
symbol such
as a bar code or magnetic strip encoding a serial number of the suit and rank
of the card
read by the card hand reader 15. The card game evaluation system 10 determines
the
number of players from the number of cards in the initial sequence of card
values
between the cards forming the dealers initial (i.e., top and hole cards).
Since a first card
is dealt to each player before a second card is dealt, the number of cards
between the
dealer's top and hole cards is equal to the number of players in the game
including the
dealer.
In an alternative embodiment, the card game evaluation system 10 can
determine the number of players positions at the gaming table, for example by
detecting
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the location of cards and/or chips, as described in commonly assigned U.S.
patent
application listed at the end of this specification.
In step 612, the dealer completes each hand for each of the players from
the dealer's left to right, then completes the dealer's own hand. For example,
in the
game twenty-one, the dealer determines whether the player's hand is complete.
The
player's hand will only be complete if the player has a total value of twenty
or a
blackjack (i.e., initial hand with value of twenty-one). If the player's hand
is complete
(i.e., blackjack), the dealer may immediately pay the player in step 614, or
may wait to
perform the step 614 until all hands have been played. The dealer then
collects the
player's hand to be placed into the discard shoe. If the player's hand is not
complete,
the dealer offers the player an additional card and determines whether the
player stands.
If the player does not stand the dealer deals another card to the player,
repeating the
process for the player until the player busts or stands. The dealer completes
the hands
of all other players in a similar fashion.
The dealer then determines whether the dealer's own hand is complete
(i.e., twenty-one or blackjack). If the dealer's hand is complete, the dealer
pays
winning wagers and collects losing wagers in step 614. If the dealer's hand is
not
complete, the dealer determines whether to stand or not. The house rules
typically
determine whether the dealer stands or takes another card. For example, the
rule may
require the dealer to stand if the value of the dealer's is 17 or more. Under
some rules,
the dealer may take another card if the value of the dealer's hand is a soft
17 (i.e., Ace
counted as eleven). If the dealer does not stand, the dealer takes an
additional card,
repeating the process until the dealer either busts or stands.
After paying winning wagers and collecting the losing wagers in step
614, the dealer in step 616 collects any remaining hands of cards in the
conventional
manner and places the collected in the discard shoe. In step 618, the
determines the
sequence of the collected playing cards. For example, the read head 178 or
card
reading device 24C, 24E reads identifiers from each of the collected cards.
In step 620, the card game evaluation system 10 automatically verifies
each complete hand of playing cards, ensuring that the cards dealt to each
player
including the dealer match the cards that should have been dealt to the
players based on
the initial sequence of playing card values, the position of the player
relative to the
other players, and the number of hit cards taken by each of the players.
In optional step 622, the card game evaluation system 10 automatically
verifies the game outcome for each complete hand, ensuring that the outcome
determined by the dealer matches the outcome that should have occurred based
on the
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initial sequence of playing card values, the position of the player relative
to the other
players, and the number of hit cards taken by each of the players.
In step 624, the card game evaluation system 10 notifies the dealer, the
casino and/or other authorized personnel regarding the outcome of the hand
verification
and or game outcome verification. The method 600 concludes in step 628.
Figure 13 shows an exemplary method 630 of operating the card game
evaluation system 10 in the gaming environment of blackjack. In particular,
method
630 identifies specific acts by the card game evaluation system 10 in
verifying each
complete hand, starting in step 632. The method 630 is described with
reference to an
example game of twenty-one, illustrated in Figures 14-16.. The example is for
illustrative purposes, and other sequences of card values, collected playing
cards, game
rules and game play are of course possible.
In step 634, the card game evaluation system 10 determines the
theoretical initial hands (i.e., first and second initial cards) for each
player. Since cards
are dealt to players from the dealer's left to right, then to the dealer, the
card game
evaluation system 10 can determine the theoretical initial hands from the
initial
sequence of playing card values 93, represented in Figure 14. The initial
sequence of
playing cards 93 is known since the card game evaluation system 10 generated
the
initial sequence 93.
Each player i from the dealer's left to right, and the dealer should receive
the ith card and the n + ith card, where the two of hearts is the first card
and n is the total
number of players including the dealer. Thus, the theoretical initial hand of
the player
on the dealer's left (i.e., first base) is composed of the first card value
and the n + 1St
card value from the initial sequence of card values 93. The theoretical
initial hand of
the next player to the right is composed of the 2nd and the n + 2nd card
values from the
initial sequence of card values. The dealer's theoretical initial hand is
composed of the
nth and the nth + nth card values from the initial sequence of card values.
The initial hands of the players and dealer in this example are shown in
table 1, below.
Initial Cards
Player 1 2 8
Player 2 9 IO
Player 3 7 7
Dealer A 8
4,9
Table 1: Initial cards
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In the game twenty-one, players may split their initial hand into two
separate hands in certain situations (e.g., two of a kind), each card in the
initial hand
forming a portion of one of the resulting hands. Thus, in step 636 the card
game
evaluation system 10 determines for each player whether the initial hand was
split. The
card game evaluation system 10 can determine split hands by inspecting the
sequence
of collected cards 94, illustrated in Figure 15, based on a knowledge of the
player's
theoretical initial hands. Where a player's initial cards are not immediately
adjacent
one another in the sequence of collected cards 94, the player has split their
initial hand.
In step 638, the card game evaluation system 10 determines the number
of hit cards for each hand of each player. Again, the card game evaluation
system 10
relies on the sequence of collected cards 94 (Figure 15) and a knowledge of
the
theoretical initial cards dealt to the players and the dealer. The hit cards
accepted by the
player lie between the player's initial cards and the next previous set of
initial cards in
the sequence of collected cards 94. Where a hand has been split, there will be
hit cards
associated with each hand. The hit cards for the hand based on the player's
second
initial card will lie between that second initial card and the player's first
initial card,
while the hit cards for the hand based on the player's first initial card will
lie between
that first initial card and the next previous player's initial card. Thus, an
inspection of
the sequence of collected cards 94 (Figure 15) allows the card game evaluation
system
10 to determine the actual number of hit cards take by each player for each
hand. For
example, as illustrated in Figure 15, a first player accepted one hit card, a
second player
accepted no hit cards, a third player accepted two hit cards and a dealer
accepted no hit
cards.
In step 640, the card game evaluation system 10 determines the
composition of each theoretical hand for each player. The card game evaluation
system
10 employs the initial sequence of card values 93 (Figure 14) along with a
knowledge
of the number of cards (initial and hit cards) taken by each player for each
hand to
determine the theoretical hands. For example, the theoretical initial hand for
each
player is easily determined from the initial sequence of card values 93
(Figure 14), a
knowledge of the total number of players including the dealer, and the
relative positions
of the players with respect to one another, as explained above. The card game
evaluation system 10 can employ the order of the players and the number of hit
cards
taken by each player to successively assign hit card values to the theoretical
initial
hands.
For example, in the example illustrated in Figure 14, the first eight card
values form four initial theoretical hands (i.e., two of hearts and eight of
clubs; nine of
spades and ten of spades; seven of clubs and seven of spades; and the ace of
spade and
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the eight of hearts). The ninth card value (i.e., queen of hearts) is the
first hit card.
Where a first player takes a single hit card, the first player's theoretical
hand would
consist of the two of hearts, eight of clubs and the queen of hearts. Where a
second
player takes no hit cards, the second player's theoretical hand is composed of
the nine
and ten of spades. Where a third player follows by taking two hit cards, the
third
player's theoretical hand is composed of the seven of clubs, seven of spades,
ace of
clubs and ten of diamonds. Where a dealer then takes no hit cards, the
dealer's
theoretical hand is composed of the ace of spades and the eight of hearts.
The theoretical hands including initial cards and hit cards, and the
outcome of each hand in this example are shown in table 2, below. The outcome
is
determined by comparing the value of each player's completed hand to the
dealer's
complete hand. The card game evaluation system 10 can automatically determine
the
value of the player's and dealer's hands, and can automatically determine the
outcome
of the games between the various players and the dealer.
Initial Cards Hit Cards Outcome
Player 1 2 8 Q Win
Player 2 9 10 Push
Player 3 7 7 A IO Bust
*,# 4,
Dealer A 8
4, r
Table 2: Round Outcome
In step 642, the card game evaluation system 10 compares the
composition of the theoretical hand to composition of the actual hands for
each player.
The card game evaluation system 10 employs the sequence of collected cards 94
to
determine the actual hands for each player. Where a first player took one hit
card, a
second player took no hit cards, a third player took hit cards and a dealer
took no hit
cards, the sequence of collected cards 94 appears as shown in Figure 15.
In step 644, the card game evaluation system 10 notifies the dealer,
casino, and/or other authorized personnel of discrepancies between the
composition of
the theoretical hand and the composition actual hand.
In optional step 646, the card game evaluation system 10 determines the
theoretical value of each hand for each player. The theoretical value is based
on the
value assigned by rank, to the cards composing the theoretical hands based on
the initial
sequence of card values 93. In optional step 648, the card game evaluation
system 10
determines the actual value for each hand of each player. The actual value is
also based
on the value assigned by rank, to cards composing the actual hands based on
the
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sequence of collected cards 94. In optional step 650, the card game evaluation
system
compares the theoretical value to the actual value for each hand of each
player. In
optional step 652, the card game evaluation system 10 notifies the dealer,
casino and/or
other authorized personnel of discrepancies between the theoretical value and
the actual
5 value. The method 630 terminates in step 654.
Figure 16 shows that the order of cards in a player's completed hand will
differ based on whether the cards are dealt from a shoe or by hand. The cards
are dealt
in the order shown in the table, two of hearts, eight of clubs and Queen of
hearts. In a
shoe dealt game the completed hand 1 has the order two of hearts, eight of
clubs and
10 Queen of hearts. In a hand dealt game the completed hand 2 has the order
Queen of
hearts, two of hearts, and eight of clubs.
Game Verification Without Pseudo-Random Sequence Generation
Card game verification can be achieved using a substantially different
apparatus for determining the initial sequence of playing card values. Figure
17 shows
a card deck reader 700. The card deck reader 700 can be used to determine the
initial or
deck sequence of card values, prior to dealing. Thus, this embodiment is
independent
of the previously described embodiment which employs computational generation
of a
pseudo-random sequence of playing card values. This embodiment permits
verification
in games which are either manually shuffled or machine shuffled using a
preexisting set
of playing cards. Thus, this embodiment may be more readily acceptable to
current
casinos and players. In contrast, the previously discussed embodiment may
achieve
more through random distribution in the playing cards, and may handle a larger
number
of total decks from which the game with be dealt.
As illustrated, the card deck reader 700 takes the form of a card shoe 702
for use in card games dealt from a card shoe generation. Alternatively, the
card deck
reader 700 can take a hand-held form for games dealt by hand. The card shoe
702
includes a housing 704 forming a card receiver 706 for holding one or more
decks of
playing cards, represented by playing cards 708, 710. The housing 704 includes
an
opening 712 for providing access for loading the playing cards 708, 710 into
the card
receiver 706, and includes a slot 714 sized and dimensioned to allow the
dealer to
remove one card at a time, as illustrated by partially withdrawn playing card
710.
The housing 704 includes a sloped card support surface 716 for
supporting the cards in the card receiver 706 such that the cards 708, 710 are
slightly
shifted or staggered with respect to one another, exposing an identifier such
as a bar
code symbol 160 (Figure 5) on each of the playing cards 708, 710 when the card
shoe
702 is on a horizontal playing surface. (The bar code symbol 160 may be
printed along
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the short edges of the playing card as shown in Figure 5 for example for
playing hand
held dealt games. Alternatively, the bar code symbol 160 may be printed along
the long
edges of the playing card, for example for card shoe dealt games.) A portion
718 of the
sloped card support surface 716 aligned with the exposed symbols is
transparent. The
card shoe 702 includes a weighted slide 718 that biases the playing cards 708,
710
toward the slot 714. The weighted slide 718 includes a sloped surface 720 for
further
maintaining the shifted or staggered aspect of the playing cards 708, 710.
The card deck reader 700 has a reading mechanism such as an optical
scanner, one or two-dimensional optical imager, or magnetic sensor capable of
reading
a unique identifier identifying each playing card in the card shoe. For
example, a two-
dimensional optical imager 722 can have a field-of-view aligned with the
transparent
portion 718 of the sloped card support surface 716. The imager 722 can be
mounted on
a circuit board 724, along with other electrical and electronic components
such as a
light source 726 for illuminating the exposed portions of the playing cards
708, 710,
and/or image processing circuitry such a central processing unit (CPU),
digital signal
processors (DSP), and/or application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), etc
728. The
card deck reader 700 can include a data interface 730 for providing
communications
with other electronic components such as the host computing system 12 (Figure
1),
server 14, and/or the various components at the gaming table. The processing
of the
card identification data read from the playing cards 708, 710 can take place
in the deck
reader 700, the host computing system 12 and/or server computing system 14.
Other
card readers are of course possible, such as card readers described in above
in reference
to Figures 6-9, and in commonly assigned U.S. patent applications listed at
the end of
this specification.
Thus, the sequence of the cards from which the game will be dealt is
known to the card game evaluation system 10 at the start of the game, before
the
playing cards are dealt. Once the initial order or deck sequence of playing
card values
is known, the automated wager monitoring system 10 can employ a process
similar the
process described above (Figures 13-16) for verifying the cards.
Although specific embodiments of and examples for the card distribution
device and method of operating the same are described herein for illustrative
purposes,
various equivalent modifications can be made without departing from the spirit
and
scope of the invention, as will be recognized by those skilled in the relevant
art. The
teachings provided herein of the invention can be applied to any networked
systems,
including the World Wide Web portion of the Internet. The teachings can also
employ
standalone systems, and/or to combinations of standalone and networked card
distribution devices 24 in the same gaming environment. The teachings can
apply to
CA 02460850 2012-07-12
WO 02/101631) PCT/US02/15885
any type of card game where a random distribution of playing cards is desired,
such as
baccarat, 5-card stud poker, Caribbean stud poker, Tai Gow poker, Hi/Low, and
Let-It-
RideTM. While the illustrated embodiments show networked and standalone
embodiments, the invention is not limited to such, and one skilled in the art
can easily
adapt the teachings herein to further levels of wagering. The card interface
device 24
can be used with a larger number of players. The card interface device 24 can
be used
in environments other than casinos, such as taverns, betting parlors, and even
homes.
Additionally, the methods described above may include additional steps, omit
some
steps, and perform some steps in a different order than illustrated.
The teachings can also be adapted to employ playing cards formed of
"smart paper," a product developed by Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, of Palo
Alto,
California. The smart paper consists of a flexible polymer containing millions
of small
balls and electronic circuitry. Each ball has a portion of a first color and a
portion of a
second color, each portion having an opposite charge from the other portion.
Applying
a charge causes the balls to rotate within the polymer structure, to display
either the first
or the second color. Charges can be selectively applied to form different ones
or groups
of the balls to from the respective markings 154-160 on the playing cards 108.
The
markings 154-160 remain visible until another charge is applied.
Alternatively, the teachings can be adapted to employ color-changing
inks such as thermochromatic inks (e.g., liquid crystal, leucodyes) which
change color
in response to temperature fluctuations, and photochromatic inks that respond
to
variations in UV light.
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36
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\VO 02/101630 1"CT/US02/15885
Aspects of the invention can be
modified, if necessary, to employ systems, circuits and concepts of the
various patents,
applications and publications to provide yet further embodiments of the
invention.
While the illustrated embodiment typically discusses decks of playing
cards, some embodiments may employ a lesser or greater number of playing
cards, or
can employ playing cards and/or decks other than the conventional playing card
decks
(i.e., 52 cards with ranks 2-10, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace and with four
suits, heats,
diamonds, spades and clubs).
These and other changes can be made to the invention in light of the
above detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms
used should
not be construed to limit the invention to the specific embodiments disclosed
in the
specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all card
distribution
devices and method that operate in accordance with the claims. Accordingly,
the
invention is not limited by the disclosure, but instead its scope is to be
determined
entirely by the following claims.
37
