Method, apparatus and system for egregious error mitigation

• US 8,591,305 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2012
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: SHFL Entertainment Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Snow, Roger M., Farrar, Jennifer K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed, Masud
• Application Number:
  US13/623,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20130023317A1
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 43, 273/292, 273/138.R
• US Class Current: 463/13
• 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 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack

Abstract

A playing card gaming system provides a player with an opportunity to withdraw a game play decision that is less advantageous to the player than at least one other play decision. The system includes a player interface that displays a prompt when a less advantageous decision is made. The display may include an area that provides a dealer with a visual indication that the player is being asked to confirm an election. A card delivery system with a playing card information reader provides card information to the system. A game processor determines if player elections are disadvantageous.

Claims

1. A method of playing a card-based game on which wagers are made, comprising:

receiving, at a processor, a play election associable with a player of the game;

determining, using the processor, if the play election meets or exceeds a predetermined level of disadvantage using at least one of data in the form of a look-up table indicating at least one of respective levels of advantage and respective levels of error of at least two play elections and a program to calculate and compare at least one of respective levels of advantage and respective levels of error of at least two play elections;

if the processor determines that a predetermined level of disadvantage has at least been met, causing an indicator to be directed to the associable player;

offering an option to withdraw or confirm the play election;

responsive to a withdrawal of the play election, receiving an alternative play election at the processor; and

responsive to the alternative play election, allowing play of the game to proceed;

or

responsive to confirmation of the play election, allowing play of the game to proceed.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the card-based game on which wagers are made from the group consisting of:

blackjack, poker, a blackjack variant, a poker variant, baccarat, and a baccarat variant.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the play election is selected from the group consisting of a wagering decision, a card hit decision, a card discard decision, a stand decision, and a draw decision.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising indicating all play elections, alternative play elections and play election confirmations to a display associable with a dealer.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising displaying the indicator in the form of a prompt on a display screen.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the indicator in the form of a prompt for only some play elections that are disadvantageous.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising displaying a prompt on at least a display associable with a dealer, and accepting responses to prompts appearing on that display.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the card-based game on which wagers are made is blackjack, the indicator comprises a sensory indication and an option to withdraw a play election is indicated when the play election is to take a hit when real or virtual cards associable with a player having a point count equal to or Greater than a count of a hard 17.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing playing card information to the processor from at least one source selected from the group consisting of:

one of an actual or a virtual delivery shoe with a playing card reader;

one of an actual or a virtual shuffler with a playing card reader; and

, one of an actual or a virtual playing card reader on an actual or virtual gaming table over which playing cards are moved.

10. A gaming system for a card-based game on which wagers are made, the system comprising:

a card handling device including apparatus configured to read at least one playing card information indicia selected from the group consisting of suit and rank;

at least one game controller in communication with the apparatus to receive card information;

a player interface having a display associable with one of a player or a player'"'"'s location, and operable to display cards based on the received card information;

the at least one game controller programmed to, responsive to the received card information for the player interface, identify a play selection made at the player interface that is less advantageous than at least one other play selection available at the player interface, based on the card information;

the at least one game controller containing at least one of

     1) a look-up table of relative advantages of play selections and

     2) a program to calculate relative advantages of play selections available at a same time at the player interface, useable to compare a play selection to identify relative advantage of the play selection;

the at least one game controller programmed to provide, at the player interface, at least one of;

a visual;

an audio; and

, a vibration indicator that a less advantageous play selection has been made; and

the at least one game controller enabling the player interface to one of;

accept withdrawal of the play selection and accept an alternative play selection; and

accept a confirmation of the selection.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the player interface is configured to enable a player position to withdraw the play selection and make an alternative play selection or confirm the play selection through touch-sensitive input structure associated with the player interface.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the card handling device is selected from the group consisting of:

a delivery shoe with a playing card reader;

a shuffler with a playing card reader; and

, a playing card reader on a gaming table over which playing cards are virtually or physically moved.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

an interface associable with a dealer; and

wherein the at least one game controller is programmed to receive the at least one playing card information indicia, determine game outcomes, determine if any received selection at the dealer interface is according to house rules, and display an indicator at the dealer interface if an error in selection is detected.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the card handling device is one of:

a virtual embodiment of a device; and

, a physical device.

15. Apparatus for the play of a card-based game on which wagers are made, comprising:

a system for providing playing card information to at least one player interface and to a processor;

the at least one player interface configured to enable reception, at the at least one player interface, of an indication of at least one strategic decision during the play of the card-based game after at least a partial hand of playing cards is provided to the at least one player interface;

the processor programmed for analyzing a strategic decision to determine if that entered at least one strategic decision is disadvantageous as compared to at least one other strategic decision available at the at least one player interface at that time;

memory containing at least one of;

data in the form of a look-up table of relative advantages of strategic decisions; and

, a program executable by the processor to calculate relative advantages of at least two strategic decisions available at a time in the play of a game where the indication of a strategic decision was received;

the processor using at least one of the data or the program to cause an indicator at the at least one player interface if the at least one strategic decision entered at the at least one player interface is more disadvantageous relative to at least one other strategic decision available at that time; and

the processor programmed to receive input from the at least one player interface indicating withdrawal of the previously received strategic decision and accept an alternative strategic decision, or, to confirm the at least one entered strategic decision previously received by the processor.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor is programmed for blackjack play and the disadvantageous strategic decision is selected from the group consisting of:

a player hitting on a hard 17 to 20,

a player hitting on a two-card 21,

a player doubling down on a hard 12 or greater,

a player hitting on a soft 12 or greater,

a player standing on a soft 16 or less, and

a player standing in an 11.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the system providing playing card information further comprises a physical card handling apparatus, the card handling apparatus being at least one of a card delivery shoe, a card shuffler, and a card reader.

18. A gaming system for a card-based game on which wagers are made, the gaming system, comprising:

a virtual card display including apparatus configured to receive at least one playing card information indicia selected from the group consisting of suit and rank;

at least one game controller in communication with the apparatus to receive the at least one playing card information indicia;

a player interface associable with one of a player and a player'"'"'s location, and, operable to display virtual cards based on the received at least one playing card information indicia;

the at least one game controller programmed to, responsive to the received at least one playing card information indicia, identify a play selection made at the player interface that is less advantageous than at least one other play selection available at the player interface, based on the at least one playing card information indicia displayable at a same time;

the at least one game controller containing at least one of;

a look-up table of relative advantages of play selections; and

, a program to calculate relative advantages of play selections available at a same time at the player interface, useable to compare a play selection to identify relative advantage of the play selection;

the at least one game controller programmed to provide, at the player interface, an indicator that a less advantageous play selection has been made; and

,

the at least one game controller enabling the player interface to receive an indication of;

withdrawal of the play selection and an alternative play selection;

or, a confirmation of the play selection.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the player interface is configured to enable a player position to withdraw the play selection and make an alternative play selection or confirm the play selection through touch-sensitive input structure associated with the player interface.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising a card handling device selected from the group consisting of:

a delivery shoe with a playing card reader;

a shuffler with a playing card reader; and

, a playing card reader on a gaming table over which playing cards are virtually or physically moved.

21. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

an interface associable with a dealer; and

wherein the at least one game controller is programmed to receive the at least one playing card information indicia, determine game outcomes, determine if any received selection at the dealer interface is according to house rules, and display an indicator at the dealer interface if an error in selection is detected.