Multiple mode card shuffler and card reading device

• US 20050104290A1
• Filed: 09/29/2004
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: SHFL Entertainment Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bourbour, Feraidoon, Scheper, Paul K., Schubert, Oliver M., Grauzer, Atilla, Kelly, James V., Stasson, James B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,753,373 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 273/149.R
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/12 Card shufflers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/14 Card dealers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/18 Score computers; Miscellaneous indicators time-testing devices G07C
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2457 Display screens, e.g. monitors, video displays
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/58 Antifraud or preventing misuse
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00157 Casino or betting games horse races A63F3/00082
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3216 Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects
• 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 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack

Abstract

A multiple mode card shuffling and/or card verification device includes a top surface, a card receiving area for receiving an initial set of playing cards, a randomizing or arranging system for the initial set of playing cards that can be disabled, a collection surface in a card collection area for receiving randomized playing cards, the collection surface receiving cards positioned so that all cards collected are below the top surface of the device, a card imaging system and an elevator for raising the collection surface so that at least some randomized cards are elevated above the top surface of the device. The processor is programmed such that cards can be verified without changing an order of cards present in the card feeder, verified during randomization, and randomized without card verification.

Claims

1. A multiple mode device for performing at least one operation selected from the group consisting of verifying cards and randomizing an order of cards comprising:

a top surface and a bottom surface of said device;

a single card receiving area for receiving an initial set of playing cards;

a randomizing system for randomizing the order of an initial set of playing cards, wherein at least a portion of the randomizing system can be disabled in a verifying mode;

a collection surface in a card collection area for receiving playing cards one at a time into the card collection area, the collection surface receiving cards so that all cards are received below the top surface of the device;

an image capture device that reads the rank and suit of each card before being received on the card collection surface;

an elevator for raising the collection surface so that at least some cards are elevated at least to the top surface of the device; and

at least one processor programmed to perform at least one of the following functions;

a) compare stored card values to stored values to verify the cards, b) to randomize an order of cards, and b) both to verify the cards and to randomize the cards.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein during a randomizing mode cards are placed on the elevator in a random order, and further comprising a moveable cover over the elevator.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein at least one pick-off roller removes cards one at a time from the card receiving area and moves cards one at a time towards the elevator and the image capture device can read a card only after it has been moved by the at least one pick-off roller.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein at least one pair of rollers receives each card from the at least one pick-off roller before the image capture device can read each card.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein a microprocessor controls movement of the pick-off roller and the at least one pair of rollers.

6. The device of claim 4 wherein when a first card being moved by the pick-off roller is being moved by the at least one pair of rollers, movement of the pick-off roller is altered so that no card other than the first card is moved by either the pick-off roller or the at least one pair of rollers.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the randomization system moves one card at a time into an area overlying the collection surface after the one card has been read for suit and rank.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein one card at a time is positioned into a randomized set of playing cards over the collection surface.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the collection area is bordered on two opposed sides by two movable card gripping elements.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein an insertion point to the card collection area is located below a bottom edge of the two movable card gripping elements.

11. The device of claim 9 wherein the card collection surface is vertically positionable within the card collection area.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein the card collection surface is moved by a motivator that is able to move incremental vertical distances that are less than the thickness of a playing card.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the motor is a stepper motor or an analog motor.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein a sensor is present along a line of movement of cards in the device within the single card receiving area or adjacent the single card receiving area and after the image capture device, the sensor indicating a trigger position of a moving card to initiate a timed capture of an image by the image capture device.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein at least one microprocessor is present in the device and the at least one microprocessor controls vertical movement of the card collection surface and camera triggering.

16. The device of claim 14 wherein at least a second sensor identifies the position of the card collection surface so as to place a top card in the collection area at a position that is level with or above the bottom of at least one card gripping element that is movable from at least one side of the collection area towards playing cards within the card collection area.

17. The device of claim 15 wherein the processor is programmed to determine a distance that the card collection surface must be vertically moved to position at least one specific card at a bottom edge of the at least one card gripping element when the card gripping element moves to contact cards within the card collection area.

18. The device of claim 16 wherein the at least one card gripping element comprises at least two gripping elements, at least one of which moves from a side of the collection area towards playing cards within the card collection area.

19. The device of claim 1 wherein the processor directs movement of an individual card into a gap in cards in the collection area between two segments of cards created by support of cards by at least one card gripping element.

20. The device of claim 17 wherein the processor is programmed to lower the card collection surface within the card collection area after the at least one element has contacted and supported cards within the card collection area, creating two segments of cards and a gap between the segments.

21. The device of claim 20 wherein the processor directs movement of an individual card into the gap, between the two segments of cards.

22. The device of claim 1 wherein the processor is controllably connected to the device, the processor directing movement of playing card moving elements within the device, the processor randomly assigning potential positions for each card within the initial set of playing cards, and then directing the device to arrange the initial set of playing cards into those randomly assigned potential positions to form a randomized final set of playing cards with each card in the randomized set having been read for at least rank.

29. The device of claim 1 wherein a program is embedded in memory in the at least one processor that can be activated to move cards from the card receiving area to the card collection area without randomization, the rank and suit of each card being read between the card receiving area and the card collection area to verify the content of a complete set of cards placed into the card receiving area.

23. A device for verifying groups of cards and for forming a random set of playing cards comprising:

a top surface and a bottom surface of said device;

a single card receiving area for receiving an initial set of playing cards;

a randomizing system for randomizing the order of an initial set of playing cards, wherein at least a portion of the randomizing system is deactivated when the device is used only for verification;

a collection surface in a card collection area for receiving randomized playing cards one at a time into the card collection area, the collection surface receiving cards so that all cards are received below the top surface of the device, and when the device is being used only for verification, cards received on the collection surface are in a same order as when the cards were in the single card receiving area;

an image capture device that reads the rank and suit of each card after it has begun leaving the single card receiving area and before being received on the card collection surface;

an elevator for raising the collection surface so that at least some randomized cards are elevated at least to the top surface of the device.

24. A method of processing a group of cards, comprising the steps of:

placing a group of cards to be processed into a card in-feed tray;

providing a multiple-mode card-handling device;

selecting a mode of operation of the multiple-mode device selected from the group consisting of card verification, randomization and simultaneous card verification and randomization;

removing cards individually from the card in-feed tray and delivering the cards into a card collection area, the card collection area having a moveable lower surface, and a stationary opening for receiving cards from the in-feed tray;

imaging cards prior to the cards entering the card collection area during verification;

elevating the moveable lower surface to a randomly determined height during randomization;

grasping at least one edge of a group of cards in the card collection area at a point just above the stationary opening during randomization;

lowering the moveable lower surface to create an opening in a stack of cards formed on the lower surface, the opening located just beneath a lowermost point where the cards are grasped during randomization;

inserting a card removed from the in-feed tray into the opening;

after processing the cards, elevating a collection of cards; and

when the cards have been imaged, comparing the read values with stored values to verify the cards.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein during randomization, after a card has been inserted, and when a presence of at least one additional card in the card in-feed tray is sensed, the elevator moves to another randomly determined height, creating another opening.

26. A device for forming a random set of playing cards comprising:

a top surface and a bottom surface of said device;

a single card receiving area for receiving an initial set of playing cards;

a randomizing system for randomizing the order of an initial set of playing cards, wherein the randomizing system can be disabled during operation;

a single collection surface in a card collection area for receiving randomized playing cards one at a time into the single card collection area to form a single randomized set of playing cards, the single collection surface receiving cards so that all playing cards from the initial set of playing cards are received below the top surface of the device;

an image capture device that reads the rank and suit of each card after it has begun leaving the single card receiving area and before being received on the single card collection surface; and

access for removal of the single randomized set of playing cards as a complete set.

27. The device of claim 26 wherein the playing card collection surface comprises a surface that is moved by an elevator.

28. The device of claim 27 wherein an elevator for raising the playing card collection surface so that at least some randomized cards are elevated above to the top surface of the device for removal from the access.

30. A multiple mode card handling device for shuffling cards and verifying groups of cards comprising:

a card receiving area for receiving an initial set of unshuffled cards;

a card randomizing system for randomizing an order of the cards, wherein the card randomization system can be deactivated during use;

a first sensor for sensing a position of cards between the card receiving area and the card randomizing system;

a second sensor for sensing rank and/or suit or each card; and

a microprocessor that activates the second sensor upon receiving a card present signal from the first sensor.

31. A card handling device, comprising:

a support structure for suspending an upper surface of the device with a recess in a gaming table top;

an upper surface substantially flush mounted with a gaming table surface;

wherein a handle is flush mounted into the upper surface that is extendible to aid in removing the card-handling device from the gaming table.

32. (canceled)

33. A device for handling playing cards having at least two modes of operation, comprising:

a card infeed tray;

a card shuffling mechanism;

a first card transfer mechanism for moving cards from the card infeed tray to the card shuffling mechanism;

an imager for reading cards within the device;

a second card transfer mechanism capable of moving cards out of the card shuffling mechanism; and

,

at least one processor capable of operating the device in a first shuffling mode and a second card verification mode;

wherein the card shuffling mechanism is disabled in the second card verification mode.

36. The device of claim 33, wherein the imager is a camera.

37. The device of claim 33, wherein the imager is positioned such that cards are imaged between the card infeed tray and the card shuffling mechanism.

38. The device of claim 33, wherein the at least one processor is internal to the device and further comprising an external processor capable of interpreting imaged cards.

39. The device of claim 33, and further comprising an external computer, wherein the computer has memory and within the memory is stored information regarding the composition of a complete at least one deck of cards.

40. The device of claim 33, wherein the processor is programmed to compare read-card information to stored information and provide an output of one or more of at least a) cards present, b) cards missing, c) extra cards, d) an indication that the group of cards is complete.

43. The device of claim 40, and further comprising a user interface.

44. The device of claim 43, wherein the interface is selected from the group consisting of:

a keyboard, a touch screen;

a joystick and a button panel.

34. (canceled)

35. (canceled)

41. (canceled)

42. (canceled)