Intelligent Table Game System

• US 20140171170A1
• Filed: 02/24/2014
• Published: 06/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dylan Horvath, Scott Bodaly, Venkata Krishnamurty
• Original Assignee: Dylan Horvath, Scott Bodaly, Venkata Krishnamurty
• Inventors: Horvath, Dylan, Bodaly, Scott, Krishnamurty, Venkata
• Granted Patent: US 9,821,217 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/11
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/14 Card dealers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/18 Score computers; Miscellaneous indicators time-testing devices G07C

Abstract

A card dealing system incorporating playing cards with rank and suit information encoded thereon via micro-dots, and a shoe capable of reading such micro dots as a playing card is drawn from the shoe. A game controller unit determines the location of the micro-dots on the playing card, and determines the rank and suit information therefrom. The game controller thereby monitors the progress and status of a card game.

Claims

1. A shoe for holding playing cards, the shoe comprising:

a card cradle for holding playing cards;

a card removal portion for allowing the playing cards to be manually removed from said shoe;

a controller unit;

a card reversal monitor including at least a first and second card sensors for detecting the presence of a playing card, wherein the first and second card sensors are in data communication with the controller unit, and

wherein the controller unit determines that a card reversal has occurred where the second card sensor continues to detect the playing card while the first card sensor detects the playing card after ceasing to detect the playing card.

2. A shoe for holding playing cards as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an image sensor for detecting the presence and location of micro-dots on the face of a playing card in a plurality of regions as the playing card is drawn out of the card removal portion and past a field of view of the image sensor, said micro-dots not being visible to the unaided human eye, and

3. A shoe for holding playing cards as set forth in claim 2, further including at least one light source for illuminating the face of the playing card as the playing card is imaged.

4. A shoe for holding playing cards as set forth in claim 3, wherein the light source produces a colored light against which the micro-dots are contrasted so as to render the micro-dots more easily detectable by the image sensor.

5. A shoe for holding playing cards as set forth in claim 3, wherein the card removal portion includes an image window through which the image sensor can image the micro-dots on a playing card as the playing card is drawn out of the card removal portion and across the image window.

6. A shoe for holding playing cards as set forth in claim 3, wherein the image sensor is one of an area scan CCD or CMOS camera.

7. A shoe for holding playing cards as set forth in claim, 3 further including a card gate for preventing a playing card from being drawn out of the card removal portion.

8. A shoe for holding playing cards as set forth in claim 3 wherein:

the controller unit in data communication with the image sensor, the controller unit including;

a processor for receiving an image from the imaging sensor, determining the location of the micro-dots, and determining the rank and suit of the playing card therefrom; and

a display screen for displaying information relating to a card game being played.

9. A method for detecting the reversal of a playing card in a playing card shoe, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting the presence of a playing card with a first card sensor;

detecting the present of the playing card with a second card sensor;

determining that a card reversal has occurred where the second card sensor continues to detect the playing card while the first card sensor detects the playing card after the first cards sensor had ceased to detect the playing card.

10. A method for detecting the reversal of a playing card in a playing cards shoe as set forth in claim 9, further comprising:

determining that a card reversal has occurred when the first card sensor detects the playing card after the first and second cards sensor had ceased to detect the playing card.