DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONTINUOUSLY SHUFFLING AND MONITORING CARDS

• US 20100320685A1
• Filed: 08/30/2010
• Published: 12/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SHFL Entertainment Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Swanson, Ronald R., Bourbour, Feraidoon, Grauzer, Attila, Nelson, Troy D., Rynda, Robert J., Scheper, Paul K., Stasson, James B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,210,535 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 273/149R
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/06 Card games appurtenances
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/12 Card shufflers
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/07 Line spectrum pair [LSP] vocoders
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2019/0001 Codebooks

Abstract

The present invention provides an apparatus and method for moving playing cards from a first group of cards into a second group of cards, wherein the second group of cards is randomly arranged or shuffled. The apparatus comprises a card receiver for receiving the first group of cards, a single stack of card-receiving compartments generally adjacent to the card receiver, the stack generally vertically movable, an elevator for moving the stack, a card-moving mechanism between the card receiver and the stack for moving cards one at a time into a selected one of the compartments, another card moving mechanism for moving cards from one of the compartments to a second card receiver and a microprocessor that controls the card-moving mechanisms and the elevator. A count of cards within specified areas of the card handling system is maintained and card handling is halted and all cards counted by adding a count of all cards not within the specified areas to the total of cards counted within the specified areas.

Claims

1. An apparatus for continuously supplying shuffled playing cards, said apparatus comprising:

a card receiver for receiving a first group of shuffled cards;

a plurality of adjacent card-receiving compartments generally adjacent to the card receiver, and means for moving the plurality of adjacent compartments;

a card-moving mechanism between the card receiver and the plurality of adjacent compartments;

a processing unit that controls the card-moving mechanism and the means for relatively moving the plurality of adjacent compartments with respect to the card receiver so that cards placed in the card receiver are moved into a randomly selected compartment;

a second card-moving mechanism between the adjacent compartments and the second card receiver; and

a second card receiver for receiving cards from the compartments.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second card receiver is adapted for dispensing individual cards.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a first group of cards comprises multiple decks of cards, wherein each deck is selected from the group consisting of a standard 52 card deck, a standard deck with one or more jokers, a special deck, and a standard deck with an extra card or cards added.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a card present sensor operably coupled to the second card receiver.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein cards are moved from the compartments into the second card receiver in response to a signal from the card present sensor.

6. A card handler comprising:

a card staging area for receiving cards to be handled;

a plurality of card-receiving compartments, the card staging area and the compartments are relatively movable;

a first card mover generally between the staging area and the compartments for moving a card from the staging area into one of the compartments;

a microprocessor programmed to identify at least a presence of a card in the card staging area and to actuate the card mover to move an identified card to a randomly selected compartment, wherein the microprocessor is programmable to deliver a selected number of cards to a compartment;

a card receiver, a second card mover that moves cards from a compartment to the card receiver;

a drive system responsive to the microprocessor for providing relative motion between the card mover and the compartments; and

wherein the microprocessor controls the second card mover and moves groups of cards to the card receiver.

7. The card handler according to claim 6, further comprising inputs operably coupled to the microprocessor for inputting information into the microprocessor.

8. The card handler of claim 6, and further comprising a card sensor proximate the card receiver capable of sending a signal to the microprocessor which causes the microprocessor to direct the card handler to transfer additional cards to the card receiver.

9. The card handler of claim 8, wherein the microprocessor instructs the second card mover to transfer additional cards to the card receiver when the card sensor generates a signal.

10. A method of substantially continuously resupplying randomly arranged cards in a card handling device, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a card receiver for receiving cards to be processed;

providing a plurality of adjacent card-receiving compartments generally adjacent to the card receiver and means for moving the adjacent compartments relative to a card moving mechanism;

providing a card-moving mechanism between the card receiver and the plurality of adjacent compartments and moving cards from the card receiver to the card-receiving compartments;

providing a second card receiver for receiving processed cards;

providing a second card moving mechanism for moving cards from the compartments to the second card receiver; and

wherein an operation of components of the card handling device is controlled by a microprocessor, and wherein at least one additional group of cards is supplied to the second card receiver when a signal indicating insufficient cards are present in the second card receiver is received by the microprocessor.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising using the microprocessor to designate each card and select a compartment for receiving each designated card.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the designation and selection is performed before card moving operations begin.

13. A device for delivering shuffled cards comprising:

a first card receiver for receiving at least one stack of unshuffled cards;

a plurality of individual compartments;

a first card mover for moving each card in the stack individually from the card receiver to a selected compartment;

a second card mover for moving cards from a compartment to a second card receiver on demand; and

a second card receiver, the second card receiver including a card sensor, and

a processing unit programmed to control the first card mover and the second card mover, wherein the processing unit randomly assigns each card in the stack to a compartment, and controls the first card mover and the second card movers on demand.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the sensor is activated when an insufficient number of cards are present, and the processing unit causes the second card mover to deliver cards to the second card receiver.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the at least one stack of unshuffled cards comprises one or more decks of cards selected from the group consisting of a standard 52 card deck, a standard deck with one or more wild cards, a standard deck with one or more jokers, a special deck and a partial deck.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein every card in the group is assigned to a compartment before the first card is delivered.

17. A card shuffling apparatus capable of delivering a continuous supply of shuffled cards on demand, the apparatus comprising:

a card shuffling apparatus for randomizing cards;

a first card receiver;

a feed mechanism for feeding unshuffled cards from the first card receiver into the shuffling chamber;

a second card moving mechanism removing shuffled cards from the shuffling chamber;

a second card receiver for receiving shuffled groups of cards;

a microprocessor for controlling the operation of the apparatus;

and a card sensor in the second card receiver for generating a signal when a predetermined minimum number of shuffled cards is not present in the second card receiver;

wherein the microprocessor causes the second card moving mechanism to deliver additional cards in response to a signal received by the card sensor.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the shuffling chamber comprises a plurality of mixing compartments, wherein the mixing compartments move relative to the card feed mechanism.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the second card receiver comprises a shoe.