Inspection system, inspecting device and gaming chip

• US 10,403,090 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2017
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Angel Group Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Angel Playing Cards Co Ltd
• Inventors: Shigeta, Yasushi
• Primary Examiner(s): D'Agostino, Paul A
• Application Number:
  US15/816,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20180144579A1
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/50 using electric radiation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10024 Color image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10048 Infrared image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30221 Sports video; Sports image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0002 Inspection of images, e.g. flaw detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/001 using an image reference approach
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/90 Determination of colour characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 2205/00 Coin testing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 5/08 Testing the magnetic or electric properties
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3204 Player-machine interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/322 Casino tables, e.g. tables having integrated screens, chip detection means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens

Abstract

An inspection system inspects gaming chips each having a color or a display indicating a value on an outer surface in a state where the gaming chips are stored in a case in which a maximum number of gaming chips to be stored is limited, and a radio tag storing gaming chip information is embedded in each of the gaming chips. The gaming chips are stored in the case capable of containing a row of gaming chips stacked in a thickness direction, and the inspection system includes a reading device that reads the radio tag of the gaming chip in the case and acquires gaming chip information of the gaming chip and a determining unit that compares the gaming chip information with a maximum number of gaming chips storable in the case and determines an abnormality of the gaming chip in the case when the number of gaming chips obtained from the gaming chip information is different from a maximum number of storable gaming chips.

Claims

1. An inspection system for inspecting a gaming chip having at least first gaming chip information and second gaming chip information, wherein the second gaming chip information is arranged on a side surface of the gaming chip in an optically readable form, the inspection system comprising:

a case in which a plurality of gaming chips, including the gaming chip having the first gaming chip information and the second gaming chip information, can be contained in a stacked manner; and

an inspecting device that is configured to inspect the gaming chip contained in the case, wherein the inspecting device includes;

a first reading device that is configured to acquire the first gaming chip information of the gaming chip contained in the case;

a second reading device that is configured to optically read the side surface of the gaming chip contained in the case and acquire the second gaming chip information; and

a determining unit that is configured to use the first gaming chip information acquired by the first reading device and the second gaming chip information acquired by the second reading device to determine whether the plurality of gaming chips contained in the case are pass or fail by determining (a) an authenticity or damage of all the gaming chips contained in the case or (b) a respective number of gaming chips for each of a plurality of values.

2. The inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the determining unit is configured to determine that the plurality of gaming chips contained in the case are fail when common information portions of a plurality of pieces of first gaming chip information acquired by the first reading device do not coincide, by inclusion of common information, with common information portions of a plurality of pieces of second gaming chip information acquired by the second reading device.

3. The inspection system according to claim 1, wherein both or either of the first gaming chip information and the second gaming chip information includes individual identification information individually identifying the gaming chip.

4. The inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the second gaming chip information includes a respective one of the values for the gaming chip indicated by a respective color designated for the respective value.

5. The inspection system according to claim 3, wherein both the first gaming chip information and the second gaming chip information include individual identification information, and a plurality of gaming chips contained in the case are determined to be fail when the individual identification information of a plurality of pieces of first gaming chip information acquired by the first reading device does not coincide with the individual identification information of a plurality of pieces of second gaming chip information acquired by the second reading device.

6. The inspection system according to claim 3, further comprising a storage unit that is configured to store the individual identification information of at least the first gaming chip information or the second gaming chip information of a plurality of gaming chips to be contained in the case, wherein the determining unit is configured to determine that a plurality of gaming chips contained in the case are fail when the individual identification information of a plurality of pieces of first gaming chip information acquired by the first reading device or a plurality of pieces of second gaming chip information acquired by the second reading device does not coincide with the individual identification information of the first gaming chip information or the second gaming chip information stored in the storage unit.

7. The inspection system according to claim 1, further comprising a storage unit that is configured to store a correspondence relation between the first gaming chip information and the second gaming chip information, wherein the determining unit is configured to determine that the plurality of gaming chips contained in the case are fail when a plurality of pieces of first gaming chip information acquired by the first reading device and a plurality of pieces of second gaming chip information acquired by the second reading device do not coincide with the correspondence relation stored in the storage unit.

8. The inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the determining unit is configured to determine that a plurality of gaming chips contained in the case are fail when a number of pieces of the first gaming chip information acquired by the first reading device and a number of pieces of the second gaming chip information acquired by the second reading device are not a predetermined number.

9. The inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the gaming chip includes color information indicating one of the values for the gaming chip as the second gaming chip information, and includes value information identifying the value of the gaming chip as the first gaming chip information, and wherein the determining unit is configured to determine that a plurality of gaming chips contained in the case are fail when the color information does not coincide with the value information of the first gaming chip information.

10. The inspection system according to claim 9, wherein the second gaming chip information further includes value information of the gaming chip in addition to the color information, and wherein the determining unit is configured to determine that a plurality of gaming chips contained in the case are fail when the value of the gaming chip indicated by the color information in the second gaming chip information does not coincide with both or either of the value information of the second gaming chip information and the value information of the first gaming chip information.

11. The inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the determining unit is configured to use the first gaming chip information where the first gaming chip information is included in a radio tag included in the gaming chip.

12. The inspection system according to claim 1, wherein at least either or both of the first gaming chip information and the second gaming chip information include group information indicating a group to which the gaming chip belongs, and wherein the group is a group classified in accordance with the value of the gaming chip, a manufacturing time, a manufacturer, and/or a use game hall.

13. The inspection system according to claim 10, wherein the determining unit is configured to determine that a plurality of gaming chips contained in the case are fail when the color information does not coincide with at least one of the value information or common information of the first gaming chip information and the second gaming chip information, and individual identification information.

14. The inspection system according to claim 10, wherein the determining unit is configured to determine the respective number of the plurality of gaming chips contained in the case for each of the plurality of values or a total amount of the values of all the gaming chips on the basis of the color information or the value information of the first gaming chip information or the second gaming chip information.

15. The inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the second gaming chip information includes a respective one of the values for the gaming chip indicated by a respective color designated for the respective value of the gaming chip on a side surface of the gaming chip, and wherein the second reading device comprises:

a camera that is configured to photograph the side surfaces of the plurality of gaming chips contained in the case and an identifying unit that is configured to analyze an image captured by the camera, specify specifies the designated color of each of the plurality of gaming chips, and specify the values of the plurality of gaming chips in accordance with the specified designated colors.

16. The inspection system according to claim 15, wherein the color of the second gaming chip information is interposed, on a side surface of the gaming chip and in a thickness direction of the gaming chip, between common colors which are commonly assigned to gaming chips having different values.

17. The inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the second gaming chip information is notation information which is inscribed on the side surface to be optically readable, and wherein the second reading device comprises:

a camera that is configured to photograph the side surfaces of the plurality of gaming chips stacked and contained in the case and an identifying unit that is configured to analyze an image captured by the camera, specifies the notation information of each of the plurality of gaming chips, and specify the second gaming chip information of each of the plurality of gaming chips in accordance with the specified notation information.

18. The inspection system according to claim 17, wherein the notation information is inscribed using infrared reaction ink which emits in response to infrared rays or infrared absorption ink which absorbs infrared rays, and wherein the camera is an infrared camera.

19. The inspection system according to claim 17, wherein the notation information is inscribed using ink that emits light in response to ultraviolet rays, and wherein the inspecting device includes an ultraviolet irradiating unit that is configured to irradiate the side surfaces of the plurality of gaming chips contained in the case with ultraviolet rays.

20. The inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the case has a seal which is broken when the case is opened to allow the contained gaming chip to be withdrawn, wherein the inspecting device further comprises a detecting unit that is configured to detect an unbroken seal, and wherein the determining unit is configured to determine that the plurality of gaming chips contained in the case are fail when the unbroken seal is not detected by the detecting unit.

21. The inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the case includes a light transmitting portion, and wherein the second reading device is configured to optically read the side surface of the gaming chip contained in the case through the light transmitting portion.

22. The inspection system according to claim 21, wherein the light transmission portion is configured with a transparent member.

23. The inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the inspecting device comprises a case receiving portion that receives the case.

24. The inspection system according to claim 21, wherein the case is portable.

25. The inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the case is a two- stage chip float or chip tray holding the gaming chips in the game table.

33. A case that contains a plurality of gaming chips in a stacked manner, wherein the case is used in the inspection system according to claim 1.

26. An inspection system for inspecting gaming chips to each of which are assigned (a) a respective designated color on a side surface and indicating a respective value and (b) respective notation information inscribed to be optically readable, the inspection system comprising:

a case in which a plurality of the gaming chips can be contained in a stacked manner; and

an inspecting device that is configured to inspect the gaming chips contained in the case, wherein the inspecting device comprises;

a camera that is configured to photograph the side surfaces of the gaming chips contained in the case;

an identifying unit that is configured to analyze an image captured by the camera and specify the designated color and the notation information of each of the plurality of gaming chips; and

a determining unit that is configured to determine whether the gaming chips in the case are pass or fail on the basis of the designated color and the notation information specified by the identifying unit.

27. An inspection system for inspecting gaming chips to each of which a designated color on a side surface and indicating a value is assigned, a radio tag storing gaming chip information being embedded in each of the gaming chips, the inspecting system comprising:

a case in which a plurality of the gaming chips can be contained in a stacked manner; and

an inspecting device that is configured to inspect the gaming chips contained in the case, wherein the inspecting device comprises;

a reading unit that is configured to read the radio tags of the gaming chips contained in the case and acquire the gaming chip information;

a camera that is configured to photograph the side surfaces of the gaming chips contained in the case;

an identifying unit that is configured to analyze an image captured by the camera and specify the designated color of each of the plurality of gaming chips; and

a determining unit that is configured to determine whether the gaming chips in the case are pass or fail on the basis of the gaming chip information acquired by the reading unit and the designated color specified by the identifying unit.

28. An inspecting device for inspecting a plurality of gaming chips contained in a case in a stacked manner, a radio tag storing first gaming chip information being embedded in each of the gaming chips, and optically readable second gaming chip information being assigned to a side surface of the respective gaming chip, the inspecting device comprising:

a first reading device that is configured to read the radio tags of the plurality of gaming chips contained in the case and acquire the first gaming chip information;

a second reading device that is configured to optically read the side surfaces of the plurality of gaming chips contained in the case and acquire the second gaming chip information; and

a determining unit that is configured to determine whether the gaming chips in the case are pass or fail on the basis of the first gaming chip information acquired by the first reading device and the second gaming chip information acquired by the second reading device.

29. An inspecting device for inspecting a plurality of gaming chips that are contained in a case in a stacked manner and to each of which are assigned (a) a designated color on a side surface and indicating a value and (b) optically readable notation information, the inspecting device comprising:

a camera that is configured to photograph the side surfaces of the plurality of gaming chips contained in the case;

an identifying unit that is configured to analyze an image captured by the camera and specify the designated color and the notation information of each of the plurality of gaming chips; and

a determining unit that is configured to whether the gaming chips of the case are pass or fail on the basis of the designated color and the notation information specified by the identifying unit.

30. An inspecting device for inspecting a plurality of gaming chips contained in a case in a stacked manner, a radio tag storing gaming chip information being embedded in each of the gaming chips, and a designated color on a side surface and indicating a value being assigned to each of the gaming chips, the inspecting device comprising:

a reading unit that is configured to read the radio tags of the plurality of gaming chips contained in the case and acquire the gaming chip information;

a camera that is configured to photograph the side surfaces of the plurality of gaming chips contained in the case;

an identifying unit that is configured to analyze an image captured by the camera and specify the designated color of each of the plurality of gaming chips; and

a determining unit that is configured to determine whether the gaming chips of the case are pass or fail on the basis of the gaming chip information acquired by the reading unit and the designated color specified by the identifying unit.

31. An inspection system for inspecting a plurality of gaming chips, a radio tag storing gaming chip information being embedded in each of the gaming chips, the inspection system comprising:

a case in which the plurality of gaming chips can be contained in a stacked manner; and

an inspecting device that is configured to inspect the gaming chips contained in the case, wherein the inspecting device comprises;

a reading unit that is configured to read the radio tags of the gaming chips contained in the case and acquire the gaming chip information;

a storage unit that is configured to store gaming chip information; and

a determining unit that is configured to determine that the plurality of gaming chips contained in the case are fail when a plurality of pieces of the gaming chip information acquired by the reading unit do not coincide with the gaming chip information stored in the storage unit.

32. An inspecting device for inspecting a plurality of gaming chips contained in a case in a stacked manner, a radio tag storing gaming chip information being embedded in each of the gaming chips, the inspecting device comprising:

a reading unit that is configured to read the radio tags of the plurality of gaming chips contained in the case and acquire the gaming chip information; and

a determining unit that is configured to determine whether the gaming chips of the case are pass or fail on the basis of the gaming chip information acquired by the reading unit.

34. A case for containing a plurality of gaming chips in a stacked manner, the case comprising:

a lower portion; and

an upper portion made of transparent resin, wherein;

the case is structured for light to pass through the upper portion, thereby providing for a reading of a designation color representing a value and that is on a side face of one of the contained gaming chips or of optically readable notation information inscribed on the side face;

or

is structured so that an RFID tag embedded in the one of the contained gaming chips is readable with an RFID reader.

35. The case according to claim 34, wherein the case is given a case identification information for uniquely specifying the case.

36. The case according to claim 35, wherein the case identification information is related to gaming chip information of the contained gaming chips, which is readable by the RFID reader.

37. The case according to claim 34, wherein a top surface of the upper portion is formed as a flat surface.

38. A case that contains a plurality of gaming chips in a stacked manner, wherein the gaming chips have at least first gaming chip information and second gaming chip information, wherein the case is used in an inspection system that inspects the gaming chips, and wherein an inspecting device used in the inspection system comprises:

a first reading device that acquires the first gaming chip information of the gaming chips contained in the case;

a second reading device that optically reads side surfaces of the gaming chips contained in the case and acquires the second gaming chip information; and

a determining unit that determines whether the gaming chips contained in the case are pass or fail by determining (a) an authenticity or damage of all the gaming chips contained in the case or (b) a respective number of gaming chips for each of a plurality of values, the determination being performed by using the first gaming chip information acquired by the first reading device and the second gaming chip information acquired by the second reading device.

39. A case that contains a plurality of gaming chips in a stacked manner, wherein the game chips each has (a) a designated color on a side surface of the chip and indicating a value and (b) optically readable inscribed notation information, wherein the case is used in an inspection system that inspects the gaming chips, and wherein an inspecting device used in the inspection system comprises:

a camera that photographs the side surfaces of the gaming chips contained in the case;

an identifying unit that analyzes an image captured by the camera and specifies the designated color and the notation information of each of the plurality of gaming chips; and

a determining unit that determines whether the gaming chips of the case are pass or fail on the basis of the designated color and the notation information specified by the identifying unit.

40. A case that contains a plurality of gaming chips in a stacked manner, wherein the gaming chips each has a designated color on a side surface of the chip and has a radio tag that is embedded in the gaming chip and that stores gaming chip information, wherein the case is used in an inspection system that inspects the gaming chips, and wherein an inspecting device used in the inspection system comprises:

a reading unit that reads the radio tags of the gaming chips contained in the case and acquires the gaming chip information;

a camera that photographs the side surfaces of the gaming chips contained in the case;

an identifying unit that analyzes an image captured by the camera and specifies the designated color of each of the plurality of gaming chips; and

a determining unit that determines whether the gaming chips of the case are pass or fail on the basis of the gaming chip information acquired by the reading unit and the designated color specified by the identifying unit.

41. A case that contains a plurality of gaming chips in a stacked manner, wherein the case is used in an inspection system that inspects the gaming chips, wherein a radio tag storing gaming chip information is embedded in each of the gaming chips, and wherein an inspecting device used in the inspection system comprises:

a reading unit that reads the radio tags of the gaming chips contained in the case and acquires the gaming chip information;

a determining unit that determines whether the gaming chips of the case are pass or fail on the basis of the gaming chip information acquired by the reading unit; and

a storage unit that stores gaming chip information of a plurality of gaming chips to be contained in the case.

42. An inspection system for inspecting a gaming chip having at least first gaming chip information and second gaming chip information, wherein the second gaming chip information is arranged on the gaming chip in a manner by which the second gaming chip information is readable by a method different from a method of reading the first gaming chip information, the inspection system comprising:

a case in which a plurality of gaming chips, including the gaming chip having the first gaming chip information and the second gaming chip information, can be contained in a stacked manner;

an inspecting device that is configured to inspect the gaming chip contained in the case;

a first reading device that is configured to acquire the first gaming chip information of the gaming chip contained in the case;

a second reading device that is configured to acquire the second gaming chip information of the gaming chip contained in the case; and

a determining unit that is configured to use the first gaming chip information acquired by the first reading device and the second gaming chip information acquired by the second reading device to determine whether the plurality of gaming chips contained in the case are pass or fail by determining (a) an authenticity or damage of all the gaming chips contained the case or (b) a number of the gaming chips.

43. A case for use with the inspection system according to claim 42, wherein the first gaming chip information is stored in a radio tag of the gaming chip, wherein the case contains, in the stacked manner, the plurality of gaming chips for inspection by the inspection system, the inspection system determining whether the gaming chips of the case are pass or fail on the basis of the first gaming chip information acquired by the first reading device reading the radio tags of the gaming chips contained in the case.

44. A gaming chip to be inspected by the inspection system according to claim 42, wherein the first gaming chip information is stored in a radio tag of the gaming chip and is acquired by the first reading device from the radio tag, and wherein the case contains the plurality of gaming chips in a stacked manner.