AUTOMATED TRACKING OF PLAYING CARDS
First Claim
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1. A method of monitoring the progress of a game on a game table by efficiently establishing game states achieved during said progress, wherein each one of said states is defined by a plurality of state parameters, comprising:
- acquiring game data while said game is in progress;
determining values of some of said parameters from at least said data and rules of said game to establish an unresolved state of said game; and
updating values of at least some of said parameters from said data, said rules, and said values defining said unresolved state to establish a subsequent state of said game.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a method of tracking playing cards on a game table. More specifically, it provides for detecting and recognizing partially visible playing cards within overhead images of a gaming table. Furthermore, it provides for processing a set of game data, a set of game rules, as well as a current, unresolved, game state to derive a subsequent state of the game. Finally, it provides for the detection of game events that alter tracking operations.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of monitoring the progress of a game on a game table by efficiently establishing game states achieved during said progress, wherein each one of said states is defined by a plurality of state parameters, comprising:
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acquiring game data while said game is in progress;
determining values of some of said parameters from at least said data and rules of said game to establish an unresolved state of said game; and
updating values of at least some of said parameters from said data, said rules, and said values defining said unresolved state to establish a subsequent state of said game. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of establishing boundaries of a visible portion of one of two overlapping playing cards within an image of a gaming region comprising:
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locating positioning features of each of said cards within said image;
establishing a position order of said cards with respect to a reference point according to said features;
determining whether said one playing card is overlapped according to said order and a set of rules for laying said cards;
projecting edges of said one playing card, and those of the other of said cards if said one is overlapped according to results of said determining;
establishing said boundaries according to said edges; and
applying said boundaries for the purpose of recognizing said one playing card. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of determining an identity of a partially visible playing card within an overhead image of a gaming region comprising:
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delimiting a visible portion of said card within said image;
searching for pips within said portion;
establishing a pip profile according to results of said searching; and
determining said identity according to said profile. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of generating a control signal on a game table comprising:
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provoking a predetermined object placement on said table;
capturing an overhead image of said placement;
detecting said placement within said image; and
providing a control signal in response to said detecting for monitoring purposes. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of managing parameters for tracking playing cards dealt from a card deck on a game table comprising:
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placing a cut card within said deck;
dealing some playing cards of said deck on said table;
recognizing said cards as they are dealt on said table;
recording card tracking parameter values as said cards are recognized;
dealing said cut card;
recognizing said cut card as it is dealt on said table;
resetting said values in response to said recognizing said cut card; and
shuffling said deck in response to said recognizing said cut card, whereby said values are seamlessly recorded and reset according to game procedures for the purpose of determining game statistics. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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Specification