Device and method for continuously shuffling and monitoring cards
First Claim
1. An apparatus for continuously shuffling playing cards, said apparatus comprising:
- a first card receiver for receiving a first group of cards;
at least one moveable card-receiving compartment(s) generally adjacent to the first card receiver, and a motor for relatively moving the at least one card-receiving compartment(s);
a card-moving mechanism between the first card receiver and the at least one card-receiving compartments that inserts cards randomly into the at least one card-receiving compartment;
a processing unit that controls the card-moving mechanism and the motor for relatively moving the at least one card-receiving compartment(s) with respect to the card receiver so that cards placed in the first card receiver are moved into a selected number of card-receiving compartment(s);
a second card-moving mechanism between the at least one card-receiving compartment(s) and a second card receiver, the second card receiver receiving cards from the card-receiving compartment(s), and a counting system that counts cards when
1) passed from the first card receiver to the card-receiving compartments, and/or
2) passed from the card-receiving compartments to the second card receiver, so that the number of cards in a location between the first card receiver and the second card receiver is known.
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Accused Products
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.
200 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An apparatus for continuously shuffling playing cards, said apparatus comprising:
- a first card receiver for receiving a first group of cards;
at least one moveable card-receiving compartment(s) generally adjacent to the first card receiver, and a motor for relatively moving the at least one card-receiving compartment(s);
a card-moving mechanism between the first card receiver and the at least one card-receiving compartments that inserts cards randomly into the at least one card-receiving compartment;
a processing unit that controls the card-moving mechanism and the motor for relatively moving the at least one card-receiving compartment(s) with respect to the card receiver so that cards placed in the first card receiver are moved into a selected number of card-receiving compartment(s);
a second card-moving mechanism between the at least one card-receiving compartment(s) and a second card receiver, the second card receiver receiving cards from the card-receiving compartment(s), and a counting system that counts cards when
1) passed from the first card receiver to the card-receiving compartments, and/or
2) passed from the card-receiving compartments to the second card receiver, so that the number of cards in a location between the first card receiver and the second card receiver is known. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
- a first card receiver for receiving a first group of cards;
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9. 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 card-receiving compartments arc relatively moveable;
a card mover generally between the staging area and the card-receiving compartments for randomly moving a card from the staging area into one of the card-receiving compartments;
a microprocessor programmed to identify the presence of each card in the card staging area and to actuate the card mover to move an identified card to a selected card-receiving compartment to form a random set of cards, wherein the microprocessor is programmable to deliver selected cards to the selected card-receiving compartment;
a drive system responsive to the microprocessor for providing relative motion between the card mover and the card-receiving compartments;
a second card receiving area that receives groups of cards from the card-receiving compartments; and
a counting system for counting cards within specified areas within the card handler, between the card staging area and the second card-receiving area. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
- a card staging area for receiving cards to be handled;
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14. A playing card handler comprising:
- card-receiving compartments for accumulating cards in at least two compartments;
a microprocessor programmed to randomly select a compartment from the card-receiving compartments which receives each card from a card staging area in a manner sufficient to accomplish randomly arranging the cards in each card-receiving compartment, wherein the microprocessor is programmable to deliver a selected number of cards to a selected number of card-receiving compartments;
the card staging area receiving a stack of cards to be handled, wherein the card-receiving compartments are movable with respect to the card staging area;
card moving means responsive to output signals from the microprocessor for moving between the staging area and the card-receiving compartments;
a card mover for moving cards from the card-receiving compartments to a second card receiver, and the microprocessor performing as a counting system for maintaining a count of cards within specified areas within the card handler where there is no direct access to cards within those specified areas. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
- card-receiving compartments for accumulating cards in at least two compartments;
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19. A device for delivering shuffled cards comprising:
- a first card receiver for receiving at least one stack of unshuffled cards;
card-receiving compartments;
a first card mover for moving each card in the one stack individually from the card receiver randomly to the card-receiving compartments;
a second card mover for emptying all cards from the card-receiving compartments in a single step to a second card receiver upon demand; 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 card-receiving compartment, and controls the first card mover and the second card mover upon demand wherein every card in the group is assigned to a compartment before the first card is delivered.
- a first card receiver for receiving at least one stack of unshuffled cards;
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20. A card shuffling apparatus capable of delivering a continuous supply of shuffled cards on demand, the apparatus comprising:
- a card shuffling chamber for randomizing cards;
a card receiver and a feed mechanism for receiving and feeding unshuffled cards randomly to compartments in the shuffling chamber;
at least one sensor for sensing the presence of a card as the card is being fed into the shuffling chamber;
at least one sensor for sensing the presence of a card as the card is being removed from the shuffling chamber;
a mechanism for removing cards from the shuffling chamber on demand to provide a continuous supply of shuffled cards;
a visual display;
a microprocessor, wherein the microprocessor is programmed to;
receive signals from sensors and count cards entering and being removed from the shuffling chamber and to maintain a count of cards present in the shuffling chamber;
receive instructions from an apparatus user to initiate a card counting process, wherein the card counting process includes a) discontinuing operation of the card removal process, b) pausing until cards outside of the shuffling chamber are loaded into the shuffling chamber, c) receiving an indication from the at least one sensor of;
i) sensing the presence of a card as the card is being fed into the shuffling chamber. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
- a card shuffling chamber for randomizing cards;
Specification