Automated multiplayer game table with unique image feed of dealer

• US 20050164762A1
• Filed: 01/26/2004
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SHFL Entertainment Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Smith, Philip Stephen, MacKenna, Ezra Christopher, Savage, Daymon B., Bush, Donald T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,272,958 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means

Abstract

A method and apparatus are used to simultaneously display a virtual dealer and a dynamic visual background image in connection with a multi-player video platform simulating and effecting play of a casino table card game. The dealer imagery is in the foreground and the background is behind the dealer. The background is either a live video feed from the casino, live feed from another location or event or pre-recorded image sequences. The various videos are keyed or masked and layered together using known video production technology.

Claims

1. An automated wagering gaming event system comprising:

at least two distinct video displays, a first display for showing a dealer in a card game and at least a second display showing playing cards to individual players;

at least one processor for enabling play of the wagering gaming event;

multiple player positions to enable multiple players to play the game;

wherein at least one processor can feed at least two different multiple video images and merge the at least two multiple video images to form a composite image of a dealer against a background, wherein the background comprises at least one dynamic image.

7. The automated wagering system of claim 1 wherein a multiple number of dynamic background images for the dealer foreground image are stored in the system and are available for feed into the first dealer display.

2. An automated wagering gaming event system comprising:

at least two distinct video displays, a first dealer display for showing a dealer in a card game and at least a second display showing playing cards to individual players;

at least one processor for enabling play of the wagering gaming event;

multiple player positions to enable multiple players to play the game;

wherein at least one processor can feed at least two different multiple video images and merge the at least two multiple video images to form a composite image of a dealer against a background, the processor having a feed from a live video image that can be used to provide a background component for a video feed of the image of the dealer.

5. The automated wagering system of claim 2 wherein a picture-in-picture image may also be positioned into at least one of the dealer display or the second image display.

8. The automated wagering system of claim 2 wherein a multiple number of background images for the dealer foreground image are available for feed into the first dealer display, wherein at least one background image is a dynamic background image.

3. An automated wagering gaming event system comprising:

at least two distinct video displays, a first dealer display for showing a foreground image of a dealer in a card game, and at least a second display showing playing cards to individual players;

at least one processor for enabling play of the wagering gaming event;

multiple player positions to enable multiple players to play the game;

wherein at least one of the processors can feed at least three different sets of video image data and merge the at least three multiple video images to form a composite image of a dealer against a background, the processor feeding at least one set as a mask layer and at least one set as an auxiliary dynamic background image.

4. The automated wagering system of claim 3 wherein the auxiliary image is presented as a picture-in-picture image may also be positioned into at least one of the dealer display or the second image display.

6. The automated wagering system of claim 3 wherein a picture-in-picture image may also be positioned into at least one of the dealer display or the second image display.

9. The automated wagering system of claim 3 wherein a multiple number of background images for the dealer foreground image are available for feed into the first dealer display.

10. The automated wagering system of claim 6 wherein a multiple number of background images for the dealer foreground image are available for feed into the first dealer display.

11. An automated gaming system comprising a gaming table and an upright video display panel comprising:

a table having an upper surface, the upper surface having a video display surface that provides a continuous field of video display and at least two different player positions; and

at least one main game processor in information communication with the upright video display panel and the video display surface, the processor directing video display on both the upright video display panel and the video display surface, and providing game rules for the play of at least one casino table card game without the use of physical cards on the table.

12. The automated gaming system of claim 11 wherein each player position has an individual player processing board dedicated to that position.

13. The automated gaming system of claim 12 wherein each individual player processing board communicates directly with a main game processor.

14. The automated gaming system of claim 12 wherein each individual player processing board communicates directly with a single Dealer game engine processor.

15. The automated gaming system of claim 14 wherein the single Dealer game engine processor communicates directly with the main game processor.

16. The automated gaming system of claim 11 wherein the main game processor is programmable to display and execute different casino table games, wherein cards are used in the play of each of the games.

17. The automated gaming system of claim 11 wherein the video display surface has changeable light filtering that can screen displayed images from various angles.