Live casino table game with local and remote betting terminals

• US 9,779,580 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2013
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mark Hamilton Jones And Sheryle Lynn Jones Family Trust
• Original Assignee: Mark Hamilton Jones and Sheryl LYNN Jones Family Trust Dated November 7 2013
• Inventors: Jones, Mark H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Allen
• Application Number:
  US13/789,154
• Publication Number:
  US 20140256392A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,671 Days
• Field of Search: 463 12, 273292, 273293, 273309, 273149 R
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/322 Casino tables, e.g. tables having integrated screens, chip detection means

Abstract

A table game system having a table surface and a shuffling device for holding a set of cards. Each of the cards in the set of cards bears indicia relevant to determining an outcome of a game of chance. A computer is in communication with the set of cards for determining the indicia of each of the plurality of cards. The table system has a plurality of local terminals in communication with a computer and associated with the table surface for receiving wagers adjacent the table surface. A plurality of remote terminals associated with the table surface for receiving a wager from a player located remotely from the table surface. The plurality of remote terminals are each in communication with the computer. The computer is configured to resolve any wagers from the plurality of local terminals and the plurality of remote terminals automatically based on the outcome of the game of chance.

Claims

1. A table game system, comprising:

a table surface;

a shuffling machine for holding a set of cards consisting of a plurality of cards, each of the plurality of cards bearing indicia relevant to determining an outcome of a game of chance, the shuffling machine disposed adjacent the table surface;

a plurality of player positions disposed on the table surface for receipt of a respective player hand consisting of one or more cards as dealt by a live dealer;

a dealer position disposed on the table surface for receipt of a respective dealer hand consisting of one or more cards as dealt by a live dealer;

a RFID card reader for determining the indicia of each of the plurality of cards of the set of cards relevant to the outcome of the game of chance;

a computer configured to receive information about the outcome of the game of chance, including any wagers made on the outcome of the game of chance, the computer configured to automatically resolve any wagers without the need for use of any physical chips, the computer also configured to receive an input representative of the outcome of the game of chance;

a plurality of local electronic terminals associated with the table surface;

each electronic terminal being associated with a respective one of the plurality of player positions;

a currency input device associated with each of the plurality of local terminals and configured to receive money from a player associated with the respective one of the plurality of player positions;

an input screen associated with each of the plurality of local terminals to allow a player to manually input wager on the outcome of the game of chance, the plurality of local terminals being in communication with the computer;

a plurality of wireless remote terminals in communication with the computer which are configured to receive an electronic wager on the outcome of the game of chance from a player located remotely from the table surface; and

a table display associated with the table surface and configured to display the dealer hand and the outcome of the game of chance to allow the plurality of remote players to monitor the game of chance;

wherein the computer is configured to detect any electronic wagers input by the plurality of players at the plurality of local terminals and the plurality of wireless remote terminals and automatically resolve the electronic wagers based on the input representing the outcome of the game of chance.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the RFID card reader is disposed adjacent the table surface.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the RFID card reader is incorporated into the shuffling machine.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of cards includes a mechanism that allows their indicia to be automatically read and communicated to the computer.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of cards includes a unique RFID tag associated therewith.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the RFID reader is disposed adjacent the table surface and configured to read the RFID tag associated with each of the plurality of cards to obtain the indicia information as they are removed from the shuffling machine.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the game of chance has rules akin to one or more of the games of roulette, craps, blackjack or baccarat.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the outcome of the game of chance is manually entered into the computer by the live dealer.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is configured to deal a remote player hand to each of the plurality or remote terminals.

10. A gaming system, comprising:

a table game surface for playing a game of chance;

a shuffling device associated with the table game surface for selecting one or more numbers relevant to determining an outcome of the game of chance;

a plurality of local player terminals associated with the table game surface, the plurality of local player terminals each associated with a player position and configured to receive wagers on the outcome of the game of chance, the plurality of local player terminals including a currency input device for receiving money from a player associated with the respective one of the plurality of player positions and an input screen to allow for electronic input of wagers on the outcome of the game of chance;

an RFID card reader associated with the table game surface and configured to read the identity of the one or more numbers selected from the shuffling device, the reader being in communication with a processor to transmit the identity of the one or more numbers selected from the shuffling for automatic determination of the outcome of the game of chance;

a processor associated with the table surface and configured to determine an outcome of the game of chance and resolve any wagers at the plurality of local player terminals electronically;

at least one remote player mobile terminal in communication with the processor, a remote player associated with the at least one remote player mobile terminal to allow the at least one remote player to place electronic wagers on the outcome of the game of chance despite the remote player not being located at a player position associated with the table surface;

a table display associated with the table surface and configured to display the dealer hand and the outcome of the game of chance to allow the at least one remote player to monitor the game of chance; and

a dealer terminal associated with the dealer position and configured to receive information relevant to the outcome of the game of chance that is input from a live dealer, the dealer terminal further configured to automatically resolve any wagers at the plurality of local terminals and the at least one remote player mobile terminal.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the shuffling device is a card shuffling device for holding a set of cards, with each card bearing indicia relevant to the outcome of the game of chance.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the game of chance is selected from the games of roulette, craps, blackjack or baccarat.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the RFID reader is disposed adjacent the table game surface.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein each of the cards in the set of cards includes a unique RFID tag associated therewith.

15. A gaming method comprising:

providing a table game surface for playing a first game of chance;

shuffling a first set of cards, with each of the cards bearing indicia relevant to an outcome of the first game of chance;

providing a live dealer to deal cards from the first set of cards to a plurality of player positions and a dealer position such that at least one player hand and a dealer hand consisting of a set of number of cards in accordance with rules of the first game of chance are formed;

providing an RFID card reader for obtaining information about the indicia of the cards relevant to the outcome of the first game of chance;

providing a currency input device at each of the player positions for receiving money directly from a player associated with the respective one of the plurality of player positions;

obtaining information about the indicia of the cards with the RFID card reader which comprise the at least one player hand and the dealer hand;

communicating the obtained information from the RFID card reader to a computer for determining an outcome of the first game of chance;

receiving electronic wagers from at least one of a plurality of local terminals disposed adjacent the table game surface;

receiving electronic wagers from at least one player associated with at least one remote terminal disposed away from the table game surface;

displaying on a screen associated with the table game surface information about the dealer hand and the outcome of the game of chance to allow the at least one remote player to monitor the first game of chance; and

automatically resolving wagers from the plurality of local terminals and the at least one remote terminal based on the determined outcome of the game of chance electronically.

16. The gaming method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing a second table game surface for playing a second game of chance; and

allowing the at least one remote terminal to place wagers on an outcome of the second game of chance.

17. The gaming method of claim 16, wherein the first game of chance and the second game of chance are different.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one remote terminal is a hand held terminal that is configured to communicate with the computer through wireless communication.