Method and system for providing dynamic casino game signage with selectable messaging timed to play of a table game

• US 9,524,606 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NRT Technology Corp.
• Original Assignee: VisuaLimits, LLC
• Inventors: Stasi, Perry Brian, McClellan, Ryan Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Milap
• Assistant Examiner(s): Henry, Thomas H
• Application Number:
  US11/904,778
• Time in Patent Office: 3,371 Days
• Field of Search: 463/31, 404/63
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/40 for devices for accepting orders, advertisements, or the like

Abstract

A methodology and apparatus for providing casino game signage for a casino game which incorporates display information that is dynamically interchangeable between game specific and game non-specific information responsive to automatic detection of game play status at the game table. At least one electronic display is provided at respective casino game tables, and selected display information is wirelessly transmitted, and/or manually delivered, thereto. The display information which is displayed is dynamically selected based upon a sensor automatically detecting the status of play of the game, being game specific during play and selectively game specific and game non-specific during game play inactivity.

Claims

1. A method for providing dynamic casino game signage, comprising:

providing an electronic display at a table of a game which is a live table game utilizing a dealer;

providing display information on the electronic display comprising a table betting minimum and maximum which is related to the game wherein the table betting minimum is a minimum bet required to play the game at the table and the table betting maximum is a maximum bet permitted on the game at the table and providing advertisements unrelated to the game, wherein players at the table are permitted to bet amounts including and between the minimum and the maximum to play the game;

providing a game closed key on the electronic display which is configured to set a current status of the table to a closed mode,

providing adjustment keys on the electronic display configured to enable adjustment of the table betting minimum and maximum;

wherein the current status of the table is variable from a set comprising at least closed, active, and two inactive types, comprising inactive paused, and inactive idle, wherein closed represents that the table is closed for play, inactive paused represents that the game at the table is currently undergoing shuffling, inactive idle represents that the table is open but the game is not currently in play due to no players being at the table;

automatically detecting at the table, using an electronic detector, between a presence and absence of a tangible moveable game play article at a predetermined location associated with the table, said game play article being physically moved by a casino personnel who is not a player, and

determining the current status using circuitry which provides that except when the current status is closed determines that the current status is active when the game play article is present and determines that the current status is inactive paused when the game play article is absent and determines that the current status is inactive idle instead of inactive paused when the game play article is absent for more than a predetermined period of time;

providing programming for the electronic display comprising;

(a) upon the current status being inactive of either type, displaying both the table betting minimum and maximum bet and displaying the advertisements;

(b) upon the current status going from inactive of either type to active, displaying the table betting minimum and maximum and terminating display of the advertisements;

(c) upon the current status being closed, displaying the advertisements and not the table betting minimum and maximum; and

(d) upon the current status being inactive idle for a predetermined amount of time then automatically reducing the table betting minimum; and

implementing the programming on the electronic display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the terminating display of the advertisements terminates a currently displaying advertisement.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the terminating display of the advertisements allows a currently displaying advertisement to finish playing before displaying the table betting minimum and maximum without the advertisements.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the terminating the display of the advertisements comprises:

determining a percent a currently playing display block that has already been played;

completing play of the currently playing display block if the percent is more than a predetermined percentage otherwise immediately stopping play of the currently playing display block.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the currently playing display bock is a single advertisement.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting advertisements for displaying based on the table betting minimum.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising

wirelessly transmitting at least one of the advertisements and the table betting minimum and maximum to the display.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of wireless transmitting comprises transmission over the internet to a local area network.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising changing the table betting minimum and maximum from presses of the adjustment keys located on the electronic display.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

providing a plurality of display segments comprising the advertisements;

allocating the display segments into display blocks;

determining a paused time of the game, said paused time comprising game play inactivity which is due to the game being shuffled; and

allocating a length of the display segments into a division of the pause time, wherein any display block composed thereof is equal to the paused time.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

Gathering at the electronic display statistical information pertaining to the game.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising

providing a discard rack comprising the electronic detector located on a base of the discard rack, wherein the detector detects presence and absence of a card placed in the discard rack, wherein the game play article is the card.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the detector comprises a light sensitive device configured to detect light in the discard rack, and configured such that when no light is detected in the discard rack then it is determined there is the presence of the card in the discard rack, and when light is detected in the discard rack then it is determined that there is the absence of the card in the discard rack.

14. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the game is blackjack, the table is a blackjack table.

15. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

triggering a change in the current status from active to inactive paused, wherein the electronic display is not currently displaying advertisements; and

in response to the change in the current status, initiating a display of advertisements on the display.

16. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

triggering a change in the current status from inactive of either type to active, wherein the electronic display is currently displaying an advertisement; and

in response to the change in the current status, terminating display of advertisements on the display.

17. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

providing a first block comprising a plurality of advertisements and a second block comprising a plurality of advertisements, the first block being selected to display when the current status is closed and the second block being selected to display when the current status is inactive idle, the first block being different from the second block;

providing advertising rules comprising when the current status is closed the first block is displayed on the electronic display and when the current status is inactive idle the second block is displayed on the electronic display; and

implementing the advertising rules.

18. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the game is blackjack, the game play article is a card, and the predetermined location is inside a discard rack on the table.

19. A method for providing dynamic casino game signage, comprising:

providing display information comprising a table betting minimum and maximum related to a live casino game at a table wherein the table betting minimum is a minimum bet required to play the game at the table and the table betting maximum is a maximum bet permitted on the game at the table and providing advertisements unrelated to the game, wherein players at the table are permitted to bet amounts including and between the minimum and the maximum to play the live casino game;

providing an electronic display at the table;

providing a game closed key on the electronic display which is configured to set a status of play to closed when pressed;

automatically detecting the status of play between active and inactive of the game at the table, and

automatically displaying on the electronic display the table betting minimum and maximum without advertisements when the status of play of the game is active and displaying on the electronic display the advertisements when the status of play is inactive, wherein the selections are at least in part responsive to the automatically detected status of play of the game;

wherein said operation of automatically detecting comprises automatic detection of at least one presence and absence of a tangible physically movable game play article of the game having been physically moved with respect to a predetermined location at the table, said game play article being physically moved by a live dealer of the game who is other than a player of the game, wherein presence of the tangible physically movable game play article in the predetermined location determines that the status of play of the game is active and absence of the tangible physically movable game play article in the predetermined location determines that the status of play of the game is inactive,

wherein there are two types of inactive statuses comprising inactive paused when the table is undergoing shuffling and inactive idle due to no players being at the table;

determining that the status of play is inactive paused due to the absence of the tangible physically movable game play article;

after a predetermined amount of time that the tangible physically movable game play article is continuously absent then determining that the status of play is inactive idle instead of inactive paused;

after a predetermined amount of time that the status of play is inactive idle, then automatically reducing the table betting minimum;

receiving a press of the game closed key and then automatically displaying on the electronic display the advertisements without displaying the table betting minimum and maximum.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the game play article is a card,

wherein said step of automatically detecting comprises automatic detection of presence and absence of the card at a predetermined location associated with the table,

wherein detected presence of the card causes the status of play of the game at the table to be active;

and

wherein detected absence of the card causes the status of play of the game at the table to be inactive.

21. The method as recited in claim 19, further comprising:

providing a discard rack comprising an electronic detector located on a base of the discard rack, wherein the detector detects presence and absence of a card placed in the discard rack, wherein the game play article is the card, wherein the automatically detecting utilizes the detector.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, further comprising:

triggering a change in the status of play from active to inactive paused, wherein the display is not currently displaying advertisements; and

in response to the change in the status of play, initiating a display of advertisements on the display.

23. The method as recited in claim 21, further comprising:

triggering a change in the status of play from inactive to active, wherein the display is currently displaying an advertisement; and

in response to the change in the status of play, terminating display of advertisements on the display.

24. A system for providing dynamic casino game signage, comprising:

an electronic display located at a table for a live casino table game, the electronic display comprising a game closed key;

display information comprising game betting minimum and maximum which is related to the game and advertisements which is unrelated to the game;

a detector which automatically detects a status of play of the game between active and inactive; and

display electronics programmed to selectively display at said electronic display the game betting minimum and maximum without the advertisements when the status of play is active and selectively displaying at said electronic display the advertisements when the status of play is inactive, wherein what is selectively displayed is dependent upon the status of play determined by the detector;

wherein said detector comprises a sensor connected with said electronic display electronics, said sensor detecting at least one of presence and absence of a tangible physically movable game play article having been moved with respect to a predetermined location of the table, said game play article limited to physical movement by a live dealer of the game who is other than a player of the game, wherein presence of the tangible physically movable game play article in the predetermined location determines that the status of play of the game is active and absence of the tangible physically movable game play article in the predetermined location determines that the status of play of the game is inactive,

wherein the electronic display electronics are further programmed such that there are two types of inactive statuses comprising inactive paused when the table is undergoing shuffling and inactive idle due to no players being at the table, wherein absence of the tangible physically movable game play article in the predetermined location results in the status of play of the game being inactive paused, and absence of the tangible physically movable game play article in the predetermined location after a predetermined period of time results in the status of play changing from inactive paused to inactive idle,

wherein the electronic display electronics are further programmed such that after a predetermined period of time that the status of play is inactive idle, then automatically reducing the game betting minimum,

wherein the electronic display electronics are further programmed such that upon receiving a press of the game closed key then setting the status of play to closed and display the advertisements without the game betting minimum and maximum.

25. The system of claim 24, further comprising a wireless delivery system which delivers the display information to said electronic display.

26. The system of claim 24, further comprising a data storage device which delivers the display information to said electronic display.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein said detector comprises:

a discard rack;

the sensor located with respect to said discard rack, wherein said sensor senses presence and absence of a card placed in said discard rack, wherein the game play article is the card; and

an interconnection between said sensor and said display electronics.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein said sensor comprises an electro-optical sensor located at a base of said discard rack.

29. An apparatus, comprising:

an electronic display located at a table for a live game, the electronic display configured to display information, the information comprising a table betting minimum and maximum which is related to the game and advertisements unrelated to the game;

a game closed key on the electronic display configured to set a current status of the table into a closed mode;

adjustment keys on the electronic display configured to enable adjustment of the table betting minimum and maximum,

wherein the current status of the table is variable from a set comprising at least closed, active, and two inactive types, comprising inactive paused and inactive idle, wherein closed represents that the table is closed for play, active represents that the game at the table is currently in play, inactive paused represents that the table is open but the game not currently available for play due to shuffling, and inactive idle represents that the table is open but the game is not currently in play due to no players being at the table;

an electronic detector configured to detect between a presence and absence of a tangible moveable game play article at a predetermined location associated with the table; and

a microprocessor programmed to determine the current status, unless the current status is closed, between active, inactive paused and inactive idle based on the presence/absence of the game play article at the predetermined location using the detector, the microprocessor in communication with the electronic display, wherein the current status is determined to be inactive paused upon the absence of the game play article, and the current status is determined to be inactive idle instead of inactive paused upon the absence of the game play article after a predetermined amount of time, and the current status is determined to be active upon the presence of the game play article,

wherein the microprocessor is further programmed to (a) upon the current status being inactive of either type, display on the electronic display both the table betting minimum and maximum bet and display the advertisements;

(b) upon the current status going from inactive of either type to active, display on the electronic display the table betting minimum and maximum and terminate display of the advertisements;

(c) upon the current status being closed, display on the electronic display the advertisements and not the table betting minimum and maximum; and

(d) after a predetermined amount of time that the current status is inactive idle, then automatically reducing the game betting minimum.

30. The apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the microprocessor is further programmed such that the terminate display of the advertisements terminates a currently displaying advertisement.

31. The apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the microprocessor is further programmed such that the terminate display of the advertisements allows a currently displaying advertisement to finish playing before displaying the table betting minimum and maximum without the advertisements.

32. The apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the microprocessor is further programmed such that the terminate the display of the advertisements performs operations to:

determine a percent a currently playing display block that has already been played;

complete play of the currently playing display block if the percent is more than a predetermined percentage otherwise immediately stopping play of the currently playing display block.

33. The apparatus as recited in claim 32, wherein the currently playing display block is a single advertisement.

34. The apparatus as recited in claim 29, further comprising

a discard rack comprising the electronic detector located on a base of the discard rack, wherein the detector is configured to detect presence and absence of a card placed in the discard rack, wherein the game play article is the card,

wherein the microprocessor is further programmed such that presence of the card in the discard rack triggers the current status to be active and the absence of the card in the discard rack triggers the current status to be inactive.

35. The apparatus as recited in claim 34, wherein the detector comprises a light sensitive device configured to detect light in the discard rack, and configured such that when no light is detected in the discard rack then it is determined there is the presence of the card in the discard rack, and when light is detected in the discard rack then it is determined that there is the absence of the card in the discard rack.

36. The apparatus as recited in claim 34, wherein the game is blackjack and the table is a blackjack table.

37. The apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the microprocessor is further programmed such that a first block of a plurality of advertisements is displayed when the current status is closed and a second block of plurality of advertisements is displayed when the current status is inactive idle, the first block being different from the second block.

38. The apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the microprocessor is further programmed to determine the current status such that the presence of the game play article at the predetermined location results in the current status being active and the absence of the tangible moveable game play article at the predetermined location results in the current status being inactive of either type.

39. The apparatus as recited in claim 38, further comprising a discard rack housing the detector which is configured to detect whether a card is present in the discard rack, the detector being in communication with the microprocessor such that when the card is present in the discard rack the game play article is present at the predetermined location and when the card is not present in the discard rack the game play article is not present at the predetermined location, wherein the game is blackjack, the game play article is the card, and the predetermined location is inside the discard rack on the table.

40. A method, comprising:

providing an electronic display at a casino game table of a casino table game;

providing display information comprising game specific information which comprises a bet minimum which is a minimum amount that a player must bet to play at the casino table game and a bet maximum which is a maximum amount that the player is permitted to bet at the casino table game and game non-specific information comprising an advertisements which is unrelated to the casino table game;

a) determining a current status of play of the casino table game to be closed by receiving a corresponding status of play key press activated by casino personnel;

b) automatically displaying at the electronic display the game non-specific information but not displaying the game specific information when the current status of play of the casino table game is closed, wherein closed means the casino table game is unavailable for play;

c) determining the current status of play of the casino table game to be active by receiving a corresponding status of play key press activated by casino personnel, and automatically displaying at the electronic display the game specific information when the current status of play of the casino table game is active;

d) determining the current status of play of the casino table game to be paused by receiving a corresponding status of play key press activated by casino personnel, and automatically displaying at the electronic display both the game specific information and the game non-specific information when the current status of play of the casino table game is paused, wherein the paused status is due to shuffling;

e) determining the current status of play of the casino table to be idle by receiving a corresponding status of play key press activated by casino personnel, wherein the idle status means the casino table game is not currently in play due to no players being at the game table; and

f) automatically, after a predetermined amount of time elapses when the status of play is idle, reducing the bet minimum.

41. The method as recited in claim 40, further comprising providing keys on the electronic display enabling adjustment of the bet minimum.

42. The method as recited in claim 41, further comprising receiving keypresses on keys provided on the electronic display thereby causing an adjustment of the bet minimum.

43. An apparatus, comprising:

a gaming table enabled to accommodate a casino game;

status input keys configured to receive a current status of the casino game, the current status being in a set of different potential statuses comprising closed, active, inactive paused and inactive idle, each of the potential statuses being individually selectable;

an electronic display located at the gaming table, the electronic display storing a bet minimum and a bet maximum, the bet minimum being a minimum bet permitted at the gaming table and the bet maximum being a maximum bet permitted at the gaming table, the electronic display comprising a display screen;

the electronic display also programmed to display stored advertisements unrelated to the casino game;

the electronic display programmed to continuously perform;

detect any change in the current status by receiving presses of the status input keys;

when the current status is the closed status then display on the electronic display screen the advertisements and not display on the electronic display screen the bet minimum and the bet maximum;

when the current status is the active status, then display on the electronic display screen the bet minimum and the bet maximum;

when the current status is the inactive paused status then display on the electronic display screen the advertisements;

when the current status is the inactive idle status then display on the electronic display screen the advertisements; and

when the current status is the inactive idle status after a predetermined period of time, then automatically reducing the bet minimum.

44. The apparatus as recited in claim 43, wherein the electronic display is further programmed such that when the current status is the inactive paused status then display on the electronic display screen both the advertisements and the bet minimum and the bet maximum.

45. The apparatus as recited in claim 44, wherein the electronic display is further programmed such that when the current status is the inactive idle status, then display on the electronic display screen both the advertisements and the bet minimum and the bet maximum.

46. The apparatus as recited in claim 43, wherein the electronic display is further programmed such that when the current status is the inactive idle status, then display on the electronic display screen both the advertisements and the bet minimum and the bet maximum.

47. The apparatus as recited in claim 43, wherein the electronic display is further programmed such that a first block of a plurality of advertisements is displayed when the current status is the closed status and a second block of plurality of advertisements is displayed when the current status is the inactive idle status, the first block being different from the second block.