Methods for handling playing cards with a card handling device

• US 9,333,415 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2014
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Hessing, Lynn, Mahoney, Daniel J., Blad, Steven J., Baker, Thompson A.
• Primary Examiner(s): CUFF, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US14/275,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20140246831A1
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 273/149.R, 463/12, 463/42
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/12 Card shufflers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/14 Card dealers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00164 Casino tables
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2404 Keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2419 Optical
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/285 Photographs
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/58 Antifraud or preventing misuse
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

The present invention features a playing card shuffling device, which through the use of a small image capturing means, captures an image of a face value of each card and stores the image in memory. This image is sorted in the format of a bitmap image. An operator of the device would be able to recall, through the use of a keypad, the images of the cards that comprised individual hands in the previous game. This feature allows for verification of a winning hand after a game has been completed. Thereby, a quick recheck of hands before playing a winning hand is performed. The face value of each card is determined by character recognition software. These card values would be stored in memory for archival access for use in monitoring the randomness of the game and determining the number of winnings hands.

Claims

1. A method of handling playing cards with a card handling device, the method comprising:

shuffling playing cards with a shuffling system located within a housing of the card handling device;

capturing image data of at least a portion of each playing card with an image capture device located within the housing, the image data comprising at least a suit and a rank of each playing card;

receiving the image data of the at least a portion of each playing card from the image capture device with a controller located within the housing;

assigning a group of cards for output as a hand of cards utilizing the controller;

outputting the hand of cards from the card handling device; and

collectively storing the image data of the at least a portion of each playing card with associated hand assignment data for each playing card for archival access in memory located within the housing.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising processing the image data with the controller.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein capturing image data of at least a portion of each playing card comprises capturing image data comprising at least a suit and a rank of each playing card.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting one of a batch shuffling mode and a continuous shuffling mode with a control panel in communication with the controller.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein selecting one of a batch shuffling mode and a continuous shuffling mode with a control panel comprises selecting one of a batch shuffling mode and a continuous shuffling mode with a control panel connected to the housing.

6. A method of handling playing cards with a card handling device, the method comprising:

shuffling playing cards with a shuffling system located within a housing of the card handling device;

capturing image data of at least a portion of each playing card assigned to a hand of playing cards with an image capture device located within the housing, the image data comprising at least a suit and a rank of each playing card;

delivering the hand of playing cards to a card delivery area of the card handling device;

receiving the image data of the at least a portion of each playing card of the hand of playing cards from the image capture device with a controller located within the housing;

collectively storing the image data of the at least a portion of each playing card with associated hand assignment data for archival access in memory located within the housing; and

displaying the images corresponding to the captured image data of the at least a portion of each playing card of the hand of playing cards on a graphics display connected to the housing.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising receiving entry of game identification with a control panel in communication with the controller.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein delivering the hand of playing cards to a card delivery area of the card handling device comprises delivering a number of playing cards specific for the game identification entered.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein capturing image data of at least a portion of each playing card assigned to a hand of playing cards comprises capturing image data of data of at least a portion of each playing card assigned to each hand of multiple hands of playing cards.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein delivering the hand of playing cards to a card delivery area of the card handling device comprises delivering the multiple hands of playing cards to the card delivery area.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising, with the controller, associating the image data of at least a portion of each playing card of the multiple hands of playing cards with player stations to receive respective hands of the multiple hands of playing cards.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising storing the image data of the multiple hands of playing cards associated with the player stations in memory located within the housing.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising recalling the image data associated with at least one hand of playing cards to the graphics display.

14. A method of handling playing cards with a card handling device, the method comprising:

shuffling playing cards with a shuffling system located within a housing of the card handling device;

individually moving at least some playing cards shuffled with the shuffling system, and assigned as a group to form a hand, to a card output bin to form the hand for removal from the card handling device;

capturing image data of at least a portion of each playing card of the at least some playing cards with an image capture device located within the housing prior to the at least some playing cards being positioned in the card output bin for removal;

receiving the image data of the at least a portion of each playing card of the at least some playing cards from the image capture device with a controller located within the housing; and

collectively storing the image data of the at least a portion of each playing card with associated hand assignment data for archival access in memory located within the housing.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising displaying images corresponding to the image data of the at least a portion of each playing card of the at least some playing cards with a graphics display connected to the housing.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein individually moving at least some playing cards shuffled with the shuffling system to a card output bin for removal from the card handling device comprises individually moving the at least some playing cards with at least one roller.