Shuffler with shuffling completion indicator

• US 20070102879A1
• Filed: 12/27/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SHFL Entertainment Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Stasson, James
• Granted Patent: US 8,011,661 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 273/149.R
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/067 Tables or similar supporting structures
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/12 Card shufflers
• 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

Abstract

A playing card shuffling device has a visual display in information communication with the playing card shuffling device. At least one processor is programmed to provide displayable information to the visual display indicative of an amount of time remaining or time expired in a procedure performed by the shuffling device.

Claims

1. A playing card shuffling device comprising a playing card input area and a playing card removal area;

a playing card shuffling zone through which playing cards move when passing from the playing card input area to the playing card removal area;

a visual display in information communication with the playing card shuffling device; and

at least one processor programmed to provide displayable information to the visual display indicative of an amount of time remaining or time expired in a procedure performed by the shuffling device.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the displayable information is in a form selected from the group consisting of actual time remaining in the procedure, actual time expired in the procedure, percentage of time remaining in a procedure, percentage of time expired in a procedure, symbolic representation of time remaining in a procedure and symbolic time expired during performance of a procedure.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein an alphanumeric display is used to indicate time expired or time remaining in a procedure.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the procedure comprises the randomization of a complete set of playing cards.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the procedure comprises the randomization of a complete set of playing cards and at least one other step performed prior to any randomization of the playing cards.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the at least one other step is selected from the group consisting of calibration of the shuffling device to a set of playing cards and the training of a card reader to a set of playing cards.

7. The device of claim 4 wherein the shuffling device moves one card at a time over a card reading system so that cards are 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 into a playing card collection surface.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein groups of cards are moved at the same time into a playing card collection area.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the playing card shuffling area comprises a random ejection shuffling system.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the playing card shuffling area comprises an array of compartments into which playing cards are randomly inserted.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the playing card shuffling area comprises a carousel.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein a motor is present in the playing card shuffling area that comprises a stepper motor or an analog motor.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein the processor is also 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, and d) an indication that the group of cards is complete.

16. The device of claim 1 wherein the video display is on the playing card shuffler

17. The device of claim 2 wherein the video display is on the playing card shuffler.

18. The device of claim 3 wherein the video display is on the playing card shuffler

14. A device for verifying groups of playing 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;

a collection surface in a playing card collection area for receiving randomized playing cards one at a time into the playing card collection area;

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

a visual display in information communication with the device; and

at least one processor programmed to provide displayable information to the visual display indicative of an amount of time remaining or time expired in a procedure being performed by the device.

19. 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;

a visual display in information communication with the playing card shuffling device; and

at least one processor programmed to provide displayable information to the visual display indicative of an amount of time remaining or time expired in a procedure performed by the shuffling device.

20. The device of claim 19 wherein the processor is also 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, and d) an indication that the group of cards is complete.