Card-Reading Shoe with Inventory Correction Feature and Methods of Correcting Inventory

• US 20140103606A1
• Filed: 08/08/2013
• Published: 04/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SHFL Entertainment Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Grauzer, Attila, Snow, Roger M., Roberts, James R., Jackson, James P., Wadds, Nathan J., Schubert, Oliver M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,162,138 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 273/149.R
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/14 Card dealers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2419 Optical
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2457 Display screens, e.g. monitors, video displays
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for identifying unexpected cards in a card-handling device are disclosed. The method comprises providing a card-handling device, wherein the card-handling device comprises a card storage area, an output end for the manual removal of cards, a processor with associated memory, and a card recognition system capable of reading at least a rank of a card, wherein the associated memory has a data file of a set of expected card values, reading a value of a card, comparing the read card value to the set of expected card values, and when the card value is not an expected card value, generating an error signal indicative of a card not belonging to the set.

Claims

1. A method for identifying unexpected cards in a card-handling device, comprising:

providing a card-handling device, wherein the card-handling device comprises a card storage area, an output end for manual removal of cards, a processor with associated memory, and a card recognition system configured for reading at least a rank of a card, wherein the associated memory has a data file of a set of expected card values, the method comprising;

reading a value of a card with the card recognition system;

updating a running inventory of read card values of cards removed from the card-handling device in the memory with the value of the card;

comparing with the processor in reference to the data file the running inventory to the set of expected card values, and when the running inventory includes an unexpected card value, generating an error signal indicative of a card not belonging to the set;

receiving a signal at the processor from a user input comprising a user election to remove the card not belonging to the set; and

removing the value of the removed card from the running inventory responsive to the signal using the processor.