Shuffled playing cards and manufacturing method thereof

• US 9,814,964 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2014
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Angel Group Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Angel Playing Cards Co Ltd (Angel Group Company Limited)
• Inventors: Shigeta, Yasushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Berdichevsky, Aarti B
• Assistant Examiner(s): COLLINS, DOLORES R
• Application Number:
  US14/490,546
• Publication Number:
  US 20150081063A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,153 Days
• Field of Search: 273293
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/00 Card games aspects of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions showing representations related to the game A63F13/00; card games played on a gaming machine G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/02 Cards; Special shapes of cards card-printing methods B41K, B41M
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/062 Boxes or cases for cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/10 Card holders
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/12 Card shufflers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/18 Score computers; Miscellaneous indicators time-testing devices G07C
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 11/00 Game accessories of general use , e.g. score counters, boxes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2001/022 Manufacturing of cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/58 Antifraud or preventing misuse

Abstract

The present invention provides shuffled playing cards which eliminate the need for a game host to shuffle cards before games by taking a lot of time as well as eliminate the possibility of cheating. A shuffled playing cards (1) obtained by shuffling a predetermined number of decks of playing cards (12) using a shuffling machine is packaged as an individual pack. The shuffled playing cards (1) is individually packaged and sealed with an adhesive label (13). A bar code (13a) which represents a unique shuffled card ID has been printed on the adhesive label (13). The shuffled card ID is registered in a database by being associated with information which allows identification of a shuffling machine used to shuffle the playing card set.

Claims

1. A card inspection device configured to:

automatically detect, using one or more processors, at least a rank and a suit of each card of one or more shuffled decks of playing cards;

inspect, using the one or more processors, the one or more shuffled decks of playing cards one by one sequentially after shuffling;

determine whether the one or more shuffled decks of playing cards is defective based on a group of information comprising the rank and the suit of the playing cards detected, and upon a condition that the decks of playing cards is determined to be defective, treating or handling a set of playing cards which is determined to be defective as a defective item;

generate a signal indicating the result of the inspection wherein the condition that the decks of playing cards is defective comprises at least one of;

1) an excess or deficiency in the predetermined number of the playing cards, and

2) a defect in the arrangement of the playing cards.

2. The card inspection device according to claim 1, wherein a shuffled card ID is associated with the one or more shuffled decks of playing cards.

3. The card inspection device according to claim 2, wherein a different shuffled card ID is associated with each of the one or more shuffled decks of playing cards.

4. The card inspection device according to claim 2, wherein the shuffled card ID identifies a shuffling machine or a group of shuffling machines used to shuffle the one or more shuffled decks of playing cards.

5. The card inspection device according to claim 2, wherein the shuffled card ID comprises information about the one or more shuffled decks of playing cards comprising a serial number, a product number, a product name, a color, a date of manufacture, a time of manufacture, a lot number of a base paper, a card type ID, or a customer ID.

6. The card inspection device according to claim 2, wherein the shuffled card ID comprises an ID of a printing machine involved in printing the one or more shuffled decks of playing cards, an ID of a cutting machine involved in the cutting of the one or more shuffled decks of playing cards, or an ID of a packing machine involved in the packaging of the one or more shuffled decks of playing cards.

7. The card inspection device according to claim 2, wherein the shuffled card ID comprises a bar code.

8. The card inspection device according to claim 2, wherein the shuffled card ID comprises a PFID or a RFID.

9. The card inspection device according to claim 2, wherein the shuffled card ID is printed on an adhesive label.

10. The card inspection device according to claim 2, wherein the shuffled card ID is printed by laser irradiation.

11. The card inspection device according to claim 9, wherein the adhesive label is placed on a package containing the one or more shuffled decks of playing cards.

12. The card inspection device according to claim 7, wherein the bar code is a two-dimensional matrix code.

13. The card inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the defect in the arrangement of the playing cards comprises a defect in the rank and suit combinations.

14. The card inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the condition that the decks of playing cards is defective further comprises noncompliance with predetermined standards.

15. The card inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the treating or handling a set of playing cards which is determined to be defective as a defective item comprises discarding the defective item.

16. The card inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the condition that the decks of playing cards is defective further comprises a smudge, improper back design pattern, or improper cut.

17. The card inspection device according to claim 1, wherein a manufacturing line ID is associated with the one or more shuffled deck of playing cards.

18. The card inspection device according to claim 1, wherein a carton ID is associated with one or more cartons containing the one or more shuffled deck of playing cards.