Method and apparatus for monitoring game play

• US 7,822,641 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2005
• Issued: 10/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Abbott, Eric L., Steil, Rolland N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca; Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US11/132,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20060281537A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,986 Days
• Field of Search: 463/12, 463/13, 463/16, 463/23, 463/25, 463/29, 463/46, 463/47, 273/148.R, 273/309, 273/149.R, 273/292
• US Class Current: 705/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/322 Casino tables, e.g. tables having integrated screens, chip detection means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3234 about the performance of a gaming system, e.g. revenue, diagnosis of the gaming system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens

Abstract

A bet detection system which may execute on a computer based processing device is disclosed for use with DID tokens to detect unwanted or unfair betting patterns by players. The system utilizes a table equipped with DID token detection antenna associated with the one or more bet spots for the player positions. DID token antenna may detect DID tokens at the dealer position, other bet spots, or chip trays. A dealer interface allows the dealer to provide the game data to the detection system. The detection system processes the game data and the bet data, such as bet amount for the players. Based on this processing, bet patterns may be generated for the players and in relation to deck penetration information, deviations in bet patterns may be detected and appropriate notification provided.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring player betting during play of a table game comprising:

one or more bet spots configured to receive a bet;

one or more antenna associated with one or more bet spots, the one or more antenna capable of detecting a bet within a detection zone;

a dealer interface configured to accept input from a dealer to create game data;

a reader configured to receive one or more signals from the one or more antenna;

a processor configured to receive the one or more signals from the reader and the game data, and further configured with memory having machine readable code comprising;

machine readable code configured to determine deck penetration based on the game data from the dealer and an average number of cards dealt dealt per hand, wherein the average number of cards dealt per hand is based on a historical average;

machine readable code configured to determine betting patterns for one or more players based on the one or more signals from the reader;

machine readable code configured to detect changes in betting patterns for one or more players in relation to the deck penetration; and

machine readable code configured to generate a flag in response to changes in betting patterns for one or more players in relation to the deck penetration.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the dealer interface comprises a shuffle button and a new game button operated by the dealer.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the dealer interface further comprises a player tracking interface.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the bet is placed using a token configured with radio frequency identification.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the deck penetration is determined based on a number of players per game multiplied by a number of games since shuffle multiplied by average number of cards dealt per player per game.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the machine readable code rounds a bet to a multiple of a table minimum.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the table game is the game of blackjack.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the dealer interface receives input from an automatic card shuffler.

9. A bet detection system for use with a table game comprising:

one or more antenna for receiving token data from two or more DID equipped tokens;

a dealer interface for generating game data;

a processor configured execute machine readable code to process the token data and the game data, the machine readable code comprising;

machine readable code configured to deck penetration using the game data and an average number of cards dealt per hand, wherein the average number of cards dealt per hand is based on a historical average;

machine readable code configured to track a player'"'"'s bet deviation; and

machine readable code configured to compare a player'"'"'s bet deviation to a threshold value responsive to the deck penetration.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the token data comprise a token value.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the token value has a value in a currency.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more antenna are configured to send an excitation signal and receive a response from the DID equipped tokens.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the deck penetration is based on the mathematical calculation of a number of players per game multiplied by a number of games since shuffle multiplied by the average of the number of cards dealt for each hand.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the player'"'"'s bet deviation comprises variations from the player'"'"'s average bet.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the player'"'"'s bet deviation comprises variations from the player'"'"'s average bet calculated after a predetermined deck penetration.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the game data comprises data indicating a new game and data indicating a shuffle.

17. A method for monitoring for unwanted betting patterns during one or more wagering events on a table game comprising:

detecting one or more bet amounts of one or more bets by one or more players;

receiving game data from the dealer via a dealer interface;

processing the bet amount and the game data via a processor to determine a bet amount pattern for at least one of the one or more players;

processing at least the game data via the processor to determine deck penetration based on the game data and an average number of cards dealt per hand, wherein the average number of cards dealt per hand is based on a historical average; and

processing the bet amount pattern for at least one player in relation to deck the penetration via the processor to detect unwanted betting patterns by at least one player.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein detecting the one or more bet amounts comprises reading data from a RFID equipped token.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the game data comprises data regarding number of hands dealt since last shuffle.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein processing at least the game data to determine the deck penetration comprises processing the following data:

average cards dealt per hand, number of players dealt hands per game, and the number of games.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising generating and sending an electronic alert to signal one or more casino personal about the unwanted betting pattern.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein some game data is received from an input from an automatic card shuffler.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising identifying at least one player.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the method to identify at least one player includes the use of card which contains information identifying at least the player'"'"'s name.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the method to identify at least one player comprises the use of a biometric method of identifying players.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising a method of comparing a player'"'"'s biometric information against biometric information of player'"'"'s whom a casino seeks to exclude from playing table games.

27. A method for monitoring betting during play of wagering events on a table game comprising:

providing a wagering event using DID tokens and a DID token detecting gaming table interfaced to a detection system having machine readable code configured to process signals generated by DID token reading;

tracking DID tokens bet during play via a processor and associating DID tokens bet with a particular player;

calculating via a processor one or more types of player wagering data from the tracking of DID tokens comprising;

total amount bet during game play;

total amount lost during game play;

total amount won during game play;

determining deck penetration using an average number of cards dealt per hand, wherein the average number of cards dealt per hand is based on a historical average;

comparing the player wagering data to one or more thresholds in relation to the determined deck penetration;

responsive to the comparing, generating one or more notifications regarding the player wagering data; and

automatically electronically sending one or more notifications regarding the comparing of player wagering data to the one or more thresholds when the player wagering data meets the one or more thresholds.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein DID tokens comprise tokens equipped with radio frequency identification capability.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein tracking DID tokens provided to a player from a dealer comprises providing DID tokens, from a token tray configured to read DID tokens, to a player.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein automatically electronically sending comprising sending the one or more notifications using e-mail messages sent via a wireless communication link.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the person notified depends on the type of notification.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein for a player identified as poorly skilled, a casino host is notified.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein a gaming regulatory agency has direct access to any notifications.

34. The method of claim 27, wherein automatically electronically sending comprising displaying an alert on a computer screen.

35. The method of claim 27, wherein sending the one or more notifications comprises sending one or more of the following notifications:

a notification of a player with large winnings, a player with large losses, or a player with large bets.

36. The method of claim 27, further comprising a method of tracking DID tokens provided to a player from a dealer.

37. The method of claim 27, further comprising tracking DID tokens collected from the player by the dealer.

38. The method of claim 27, wherein the table game is blackjack.

39. The method of claim 27, wherein the table game is a proprietary table game.