Smart casino live card playing system and method

• US 20050054408A1
• Filed: 09/08/2003
• Published: 03/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mikohn Gaming Corporation (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Mikohn Gaming Corporation (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Lord, John Douglas, Steil, Rolland Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US10/657,294
• Publication Number:
  US 20050054408A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/11
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/18 Score computers; Miscellaneous indicators time-testing devices G07C
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2411 Input form cards, tapes, discs
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2489 by radio transmitters, e.g. using RFID

Abstract

A system and method for monitoring playing cards in a live casino game by reading card attributes stored in each playing card at a player position with a radio frequency reading system. Each card has a radio frequency identification tag containing at least value and suit attributes. The tracking of the dealt cards to each player position occurs in sequence and based upon wagers placed monitors play of the live card game according to rules of the live card game.

Claims

1. A method for tracking playing cards in a live casino game played on a game table, the method comprising:

reading with an radio frequency identification system, at selected times during play of the live casino game, attributes of each card at a play position on the game table from a radio frequency identification tag affixed to the aforesaid each card,

storing the attributes for each new card read at each play position in a memory of the radio frequency system in response to reading at each selected time so that the memory contains the attributes of all cards at the play position during play of the live casino game.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein reading comprises:

transmitting a radio frequency power signal and data to the radio frequency identification tag in each card from an antenna located on the game table at each said play position,

receiving a radio frequency data signal from the radio frequency identification tag with an antenna located on the game table at each said player position in response to transmitting.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein reading at said selected times is periodic.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein reading at the selected times is other than periodic.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the attributes at least include rank and suit data for each card.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the attributes further includes deck identification data for each card.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the attributes further includes casino identification data for each card.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the attributes further include a bonus attribute.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein storing comprises:

marking the stored attributes of a card as discarded in memory when a card read and stored is not present at the play position during a subsequent selected time of reading.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

reading with the radio frequency system, at the selected times, during play of the live casino game attributes of each discarded card in a discard rack from the radio frequency identification tag in the aforesaid each card,

verifying that the attributes for each card in the discard rack corresponds to the attributes of a card in memory at a play position marked as discarded.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

issuing an alarm signal when verification fails.

12. A method for tracking playing cards in a live casino game played on a game table, the method comprising:

reading, with a radio frequency system located on the game table, at selected times during play of the live casino game, attributes of each card at a play position on the game table from a radio frequency identification tag affixed to the aforesaid each card,

issuing a bonus signal when a bonus condition exists in the attributes of the cards read at a play position.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the bonus condition is at least based a predetermined identity combination of cards read at the play position.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the bonus condition is at least based on a predetermined sequence of cards read at the play position.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the bonus condition is based on a predetermined identity combination of cards read at the play position read in a predetermined sequence at the play position.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein a bonus condition exists in a separate bonus attribute.

17. A method for monitoring game play in a live casino game played on a game table, the method comprising:

reading with a radio frequency system, at selected times during pay of the live casino game, attributes of each card and each wager placed at a play position on the game table from a radio frequency identification tag affixed to the aforesaid each card and each wager,

storing the attributes for each new card and each new wager read at the play position in a memory of the radio frequency system in response to reading at each selected time so that the memory contains the attributes of all cards and all wagers at the play position during play of the live casino game,

when an additional wager has been made at the player position, reading the attributes of the additional wager,

reading, at the aforesaid player position in response to reading the additional wager, the attributes of any subsequent card or cards dealt to the player position in response to the additional wager,

storing the attributes for the additional wager ad for the new cards or cards dealt to the one player position.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

issuing an alarm when the attributes for the read additional wager is not permitted based upon rules of the live casino card game.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising issuing an alarm when the read subsequent cards are not permitted based upon the ruler of the live casino card game.

20. A system for monitoring game play in a live card game played on a game table, using a plurality of playing cards, the game table having a plurality of play positions, the system comprising:

a radio frequency identification tag in each playing card of said plurality of playing cards, said tag containing attribute data at least identifying the value and suit of the aforesaid playing card,

a radio frequency system at said game table for reading, at selected times, the attribute data in playing cards at each of said plurality of play positions having cards during play of the live card casino card game,

a memory in said radio frequency system for storing the read attribute data for each play position.