Poker chips and methods of reading the same

• US 8,576,078 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2010
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dominic Kotab
• Original Assignee: Dominic Kotab
• Inventors: Stewart, Roger Green
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US12/732,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20100182130A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,321 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.7, 3405721-5726, 3405728-5729, 340/568.1, 340/10.1, 340/10.2, 340/539.1, 340/531, 340/567, 3405685-5686, 340/825
• US Class Current: 340/572.7
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/047 the record carrier being shaped as a coin or a gambling token
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0702 the arrangement including a battery
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07773 Antenna details antennas for wireless devices, e.g. RFID tags, in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10316 using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers antennas in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal

Abstract

A method for reading poker chips according to one embodiment includes sending out an interrogation signal; receiving responses from poker chips in response to the interrogation signal, each of the poker chips comprising a circuit and an antenna coupled to the circuit, wherein the antenna minimally affects electromagnetic RF fields surrounding the antenna even in the vicinity of the antenna; and determining a value of the poker chips from which responses are received. A poker chip according to another embodiment includes a circuit on or within a substrate; and an antenna coupled to the circuit, wherein the antenna minimally affects electromagnetic RF fields surrounding the antenna even in the vicinity of the antenna. Additional systems and methods are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for reading poker chips, the method comprising:

sending out an interrogation signal;

receiving responses from poker chips in response to the interrogation signal, each of the poker chips comprising a circuit and an antenna coupled to the circuit, wherein the antenna minimally affects electromagnetic RF fields surrounding the antenna even in the vicinity of the antenna; and

determining a value of the poker chips from which responses are received.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the poker chips are stacked.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the RF carrier wave must pass through an antenna of the at least one of the poker chips to reach the at least one other of the poker chips.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a reader sending out the interrogation signal is near an exit.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a reader sending out the interrogation signal is near a table.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a reader sending out the interrogation signal is near a cage.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising tracking a flow of the poker chips in and out of a tray of a table.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining at least one of a value of the poker chips on a table and a value of the poker chips in a tray of the table.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising alerting to either add poker chips to a tray of a table or remove poker chips from the tray.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing a value of a stack of the poker chips to a value of the stack of the poker chips generated by a visual chip count.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein each poker chip further comprises a battery coupled to the circuit, the battery being semi-transparent to an RF carrier signal used in communications with the poker chip.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein each poker chip further comprises a battery coupled to the circuit, the battery having a size smaller than a wavelength of an RF carrier signal used in communications with the poker chip.

13. A method for reading poker chips, the method comprising:

sending out an interrogation signal;

receiving responses from the poker chips; and

determining a value of the poker chips from which responses are received, wherein each of the poker chips comprises;

a circuit; and

an antenna coupled to the circuit, wherein the antenna minimally affects electromagnetic RF fields surrounding the antenna even in the vicinity of the antenna,

wherein the antenna has a sheet resistivity of at least about 1 Ω

/sq,

wherein at least 50% of the RF energy striking the antenna passes through the antenna.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein at least some of the poker chips are stacked.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the RF carrier wave must pass through an antenna of the at least one of the poker chips to reach the at least one other of the poker chips.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein a reader sending out the interrogation signal is near an exit.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein a reader sending out the interrogation signal is near a table.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein a reader sending out the interrogation signal is near a cage.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising tracking a flow of the poker chips in and out of a tray of a table.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining at least one of a value of the poker chips on a table and a value of the poker chips in a tray of the table.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising alerting to either add poker chips to a tray of a table or remove poker chips from the tray.

22. The method of claim 13, further comprising comparing a value of a stack of the poker chips to a value of the stack of the poker chips generated by a visual chip count.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein each poker chip further comprises a battery coupled to the circuit, the battery being semi-transparent to an RF carrier signal used in communications with the poker chip.

24. The method of claim 13, wherein each poker chip further comprises a battery coupled to the circuit, the battery having a size smaller than a wavelength of an RF carrier signal used in communications with the poker chip.

25. A poker chip, comprising:

a circuit; and

an antenna coupled to the circuit, wherein the antenna minimally affects electromagnetic RF fields surrounding the antenna,

wherein the antenna has a sheet resistivity of at least about 1 Ω

/sq,

wherein at least 50% of the RF energy striking the antenna passes through the antenna.

26. The poker chip of claim 25, wherein the poker chip further comprises a battery coupled to the circuit, the battery being semi-transparent to an RF carrier signal used in communications with the poker chip.

27. The poker chip of claim 25, wherein the poker chip further comprises a battery coupled to the circuit, the battery having a size smaller than a wavelength of an RF carrier signal used in communications with the poker chip.

28. A method for reading poker chips, the method comprising:

using a reader positioned near an exit of a casino to detect a poker chip exiting the casino,

wherein the poker chip comprises;

a circuit; and

an antenna coupled to the circuit, wherein the antenna minimally affects electromagnetic RF fields surrounding the antenna even in the vicinity of the antenna.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the poker chip further comprises a battery coupled to the circuit, the battery being semi-transparent to an RF carrier signal used in communications with the poker chip.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the poker chip further comprises a battery coupled to the circuit, the battery having a size smaller than a wavelength of an RF carrier signal used in communications with the poker chip.

31. A method for reading poker chips, the method comprising:

using a reader positioned near an exit of a casino to detect a poker chip exiting the casino,

wherein the poker chip comprises;

a circuit; and

an antenna coupled to the circuit, wherein the antenna minimally affects electromagnetic RF fields surrounding the antenna even in the vicinity of the antenna,

wherein the antenna has a sheet resistivity of at least about 1 Ω

/sq,

wherein at least 50% of the RF energy striking the antenna passes through the antenna.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the poker chip further comprises a battery coupled to the circuit, the battery being semi-transparent to an RF carrier signal used in communications with the poker chip.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the poker chip further comprises a battery coupled to the circuit, the battery having a size smaller than a wavelength of an RF carrier signal used in communications with the poker chip.

34. A poker chip, comprising:

a circuit on or within a substrate; and

an antenna coupled to the circuit, wherein the antenna minimally affects electromagnetic RF fields surrounding the antenna even in the vicinity of the antenna.

35. The poker chip of claim 34, wherein the circuit has an input impedance greater than an impedance of the antenna.

36. The poker chip of claim 34, wherein the antenna has a sheet resistivity of greater than about 1 Ω

/sq.

37. The poker chip of claim 34, wherein the antenna has a sheet resistivity of greater than about 10 Ω

/sq.

38. The poker chip of claim 34, wherein a total impedance of the poker chip presented to the RF wave is greater than about 1000Ω

.

39. The poker chip of claim 34, wherein a total impedance of the poker chip presented to the RF wave is greater than about 10 KΩ

.

40. The poker chip of claim 34, wherein a total impedance of the poker chip presented to the RF wave is greater than about 100 KΩ

.

41. The poker chip of claim 34, wherein a total impedance of the poker chip presented to the RF wave is greater than about 1000 KΩ

.

42. The poker chip of claim 34, wherein the antenna is non-resonant.

43. The poker chip of claim 34, wherein at least 50% of the RF energy striking the antenna passes through the antenna.

44. The poker chip of claim 34, wherein the antenna is formed from a conducting polymer.

45. The poker chip of claim 34, wherein the antenna is formed from a conductive paste having a sheet resistance of at least about 1 Ω

/sq.

46. The poker chip of claim 34, wherein the antenna is formed from a metal having a sheet resistivity of at least about 1 Ω

sq.

47. The poker chip of claim 34, wherein the poker chip has an average thickness, defined between ends thereof adapted for abutting adjacent objects, of less than about 1/4 inch.

48. A system, comprising:

the poker chip of claim 34; and

a reader in communication with the poker chip.

49. The poker chip of claim 34, wherein the poker chip further comprises a battery coupled to the circuit, the battery being semi-transparent to an RF carrier signal used in communications with the poker chip.

50. The poker chip of claim 34, wherein the poker chip further comprises a battery coupled to the circuit, the battery having a size smaller than a wavelength of an RF carrier signal used in communications with the poker chip.