Device for automatic detection of the number of spots on the top side of a dice for use on a professional basis

• US 6,609,710 B1
• Filed: 05/30/2001
• Issued: 08/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michail Order
• Original Assignee: Michail Order
• Inventors: Order, Michail
• Primary Examiner(s): ONEILL, MICHAEL W
• Application Number:
  US09/787,151
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 463/29, 463/17, 463/42, 463/16, 463/20, 273/148.R
• US Class Current: 273/148.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/04 Dice dice tops A63F5/04 D; Dice-boxes; Mechanical dice-throwing devices casino or betting games played on boards A63F3/00157
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/145 Illumination specially adapted for pattern recognition, e.g. using gratings

Abstract

A gaming apparatus for execution of table games using playing dice and chips is described, which automatically monitors, records and analyzes all the game proceedings. This gaming apparatus includes a device for automatically detecting the state of movement of playing dice and counting pips on upper-facing sides of the playing dice. This device includes at least one camera, connected with a digital image processor, and a computer with an EDP-program for determining a total number of pips on the upper-facing sides of the dice. It cooperates with devices for automatically detecting the location and amount of the bets placed by transponder chips. The computer with the EDP program also analyses the movements of the dice to determine that they have been played in accordance with the rules of the game, e.g. that they have struck the cushion on the gaming table and have rebounded into the playing area on the gaming table.

Claims

1. An apparatus for automatically counting pips on an upper-facing side or sides of at least one playing die, said apparatus comprising

at least one camera consisting of at least one TV camera or at least one CCD image converter,

a digital image processor (DIP) connected with said at least one camera for processing output signals from said at least one camera, and

a computer receiving image data from said digital image processor, said computer having an EDP program comprising means for determining a movement state of the at least one playing die over a playing area and means for determining a total number of said pips on the upper-facing side or sides of the at least one playing die when said at least one playing die comes to rest on the playing area.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one playing die consists of playing dice and said means for determining a movement state of the playing dice over said playing area comprises means for determining whether or not said playing dice have been thrown simultaneously along a longitudinal side of a gaming table providing the playing area, whether or not one die of said playing dice has left the playing area and means for determining whether or not said playing dice have come to rest on the playing area.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 1, further comprising a spectral filter, placed in front of said at least one camera, for absorbing coloured light reflected by the at least one playing die.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said gaming table has a cushion, bounding the playing area, and a plurality of impact sensors arranged in the cushion for detecting an impact of the playing dice against the cushion.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said EDP program comprises means for activation of said at least one camera for discontinuous camera recording action in response to an impact signal from at least one of the impact sensors and said impact signal is generated in response to said impact of said playing dice on said cushion.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one camera consists of a plurality of cameras arranged above the playing area for observing respective sections or portions of the playing area.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a flash lamp, controllable by the EDP program, arranged in the vicinity of each of said at least one camera.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising means for detecting white spots acting as said pips arranged on respective bases of recesses and wherein said recesses are provided in corresponding sides of the at least one playing die, in order to prevent or reduce detectability from specific tangential viewing angles.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising means for detecting respective refractive prisms on said at least one die and wherein said respective refractive prisms act as said pips or comprise said pips.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising means for detecting a hologram on said at least one die and wherein said hologram acts as said pips.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising an interference mirror covering said pips of the at least one playing die.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising means for detecting at least one of corners and edges of said at least one playing die and wherein said at least one playing die is equipped with reflectors at least one of said corners and said edges to facilitate said detecting.

13. A gaming apparatus for professional execution of table games using playing dice and chips, said gaming apparatus comprising:

a gaming table with a game cloth and sections, lines, areas or zones, predefined on the game cloth, for placement of said chips for said table games

playing dice for said table games;

means for automatically counting pips on upper-facing sides of said playing dice including at least one camera and a digital image processor (DIP) connected with said at least one camera for processing output signals from said at least one camera, said at least one camera consisting of at least one TV camera or at least one CCD image converter;

means for detecting, analysing, displaying and storing sequences and data of game events;

wherein said means for detecting analysing, displaying and storing includes

detectors arranged under the game cloth of the gaming table for detecting which of said sections, said lines, said areas or said zones said chips occupy,

means for automatically detecting locations at which stakes in the form of the chips are placed and thus the type of bets placed,

means for detecting values of the stakes detected by the means for automatically detecting, and

a computer with an EDP program, created in accordance with game rules, comprising means for analysing image data from the digital image processor in order to determine a movement state of said playing dice on a playing area and in order to determine a total number of the pips on the upper-facing sides of the playing dice when the playing dice come to rest on the playing area, means for analysing signals from the means for detecting the locations and the value of the stakes placed and optionally means for analysing signals from other signal generators; and

at least one display device for displaying analysed game course data relating to game play supplied to said at least one display device from said computer.

14. The gaming apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said at least one display device has a display screen.

15. The gaming apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said detectors, arranged under the game cloth, for determining occupation or non-occupation of the sections, lines, areas or the zones provided for placement of the chips are light-sensitive sensors for recording light passing through the game cloth.

16. The gaming apparatus as defined in claim 13, further comprising respective chips with corresponding integrated transponders and a radio frequency identification (RFID) device for detecting the location and the value of the stakes placed in the form of the chips, and wherein said radio frequency identification device comprises a transmitting and receiving station and said integrated transponders cooperate with said transmitting and receiving station, so that, in response to high-frequency data signals from the transmitting and receiving station, the transponders send back data characteristic of a play value of the chips by radio transmission to the transmitting and receiving station, and wherein the transmitting and receiving station includes means for analysing said data characteristic of said play value.

17. The gaming apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said table games include craps.

18. The gaming apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said means for analysing image data from the digital image processor in order to determine said movement state of said playing dice comprises means for determining whether or not said playing dice have been thrown simultaneously along a longitudinal side of a gaming table providing the playing area, whether or not one die of said playing dice has left the playing area and means for determining whether or not said playing dice have come to rest on the playing area.

19. The gaming apparatus defined in claim 13, wherein said means for automatically counting said pips on said upper-facing sides of said playing dice includes a spectral filter, placed in front of said at least one camera, for absorbing coloured light reflected by the playing dice.

20. The gaming apparatus as defined in claim 13, further comprising a cushion, bounding the playing area, and a plurality of impact sensors arranged in the cushion for detecting an impact of the playing dice against the cushion.

21. The gaming apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said EDP program comprises means for activation of said at least one camera for discontinuous camera recording action in response to an impact signal from at least one of the impact sensors and said impact signal is generated in response to said impact of said playing dice on said cushion.

22. The gaming apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said means for automatically counting said pips on said upper-facing sides of said playing dice comprises a flash lamp, controllable by the EDP program, arranged in the vicinity of said at least one camera.

23. The gaming apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said playing dice each have white spots arranged on respective bases of recesses acting as said pips and said recesses are provided in corresponding sides of each of said playing dice, in order to prevent or reduce detectability from specific tangential viewing angles.

24. The gaming apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said playing dice each have respective refractive prisms thereon acting as said pips.

25. The gaming apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said playing dice each have at least one hologram thereon acting as said pips.

26. The gaming apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said playing dice each have an interference mirror covering said pips.

27. The gaming apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said playing dice each have reflectors at at least one of corners and edges thereof to facilitate detection.