Casino card handling system with game play feed

• US 10,008,076 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2017
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Grauzer, Attila, Bourbour, Feraidoon, Yoseloff, Mark L., Haushalter, Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US15/601,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20170256140A1
• Time in Patent Office: 400 Days
• Field of Search: 463 12, 463 13, 463 17, 273149 R
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/12 Card shufflers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/14 Card dealers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/80 Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2001/005 Poker
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3216 Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/322 Casino tables, e.g. tables having integrated screens, chip detection means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/00 ICT specially adapted for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities; ICT specially adapted for the management or operation of medical equipment or devices
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 dummy group

Abstract

A card game monitor manages play of a game with a video feed of casino table game play. A dealer deals a game using a card-handling device that randomizes and dispenses cards, which may be grouped into sets of hands by the card-handling device. A card recognition system recognizes card information including rank and suit of each card dispensed by the card handling device while each card is under control of the card-handling device. A camera captures a video feed of casino table game play, which is transmitted to a computing device operated by a player. A control system receives the card information from the card recognition device and manages control of the game using hand information associated with players. Player action elections from the computing device are displayed to a dealer The player provides a player action through the computing device, which is used to facilitate play of the casino table game.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented card-management system for conducting a casino card game, the card-management system comprising:

a card-handling device configured to randomize and deliver one or more groups of cards for play of the casino card game;

a card recognition system configured to read card information and store the card information in a memory device, the card information including rank and suit information; and

a control system directing operations of the card-handling device and the card recognition system, the control system being user-programmable via input to a mobile phone suitable for communicating with the control system, the control system, under control of a program, being configured to execute user-selected functions including one or more of shuffling operations, sorting operations, dealing operations, or recalling card information related to performed operations.

2. The card-management system of claim 1, further comprising an electronic display device configured to display user-selectable options for one or more of the shuffling operations, sorting operations, dealing operations, and recall operations, and wherein the electronic input device comprises a touch screen connected to the electronic display device.

3. T card-management system of claim 2, wherein the one or more shuffling operations includes a deck shuffle of an entire deck of cards and outputting the shuffled deck to a card output tray of the card-handling device.

4. The card-management system of claim 1, wherein the control system is connected for communication to the card-handling device across an external communication network.

5. The card-management system of claim 1, wherein the card-handling device comprises a carousel including a plurality of compartments, wherein the one or more user-selected functions includes:

randomly rotating and stopping the carousel to position a compartment to receive a card;

sequentially inserting each shuffled card into successive respective compartments;

reading card information of every card inserted into a compartment; and

ejecting cards from the compartments into a card output tray to form individual hands of the casino card game.

6. A computer-implemented method of operating a card-management system to conduct a casino card game;

the card-management system including a user-programmable control system, a card-handling device, and a card recognition system;

the method comprising;

receiving, by the control system via an electronic input device;

user selections that direct the control system to;

direct the card-handling device to randomize and deliver one or more groups of cards for play of the casino card game;

direct the card recognition system to read card information of each card delivered by the card-handling device, the card information including a rank and suit each delivered card; and

store the card information in a memory device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the user selections include pre-programmed sets of executable instructions.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein one or more of the pre-programmed instruction sets are modifiable by user selections.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the user selections include pre-programmed sets of executable instructions for conducting one or more different card games including randomizing cards, dealing hands of cards to one or more players, and reading card information of cards in the dealt hands.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein one or more of the pre-programmed instruction sets are modifiable by user selection to adjust a number of players of the respective card game.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein one or more of the pre-programmed instruction sets are modifiable by user selection to adjust a number of cards dealt for each hand.

12. A card-management apparatus configured to conduct a casino card game, the apparatus comprising:

a card-handling component configured to randomize and deliver one or more groups of cards for play of the casino card game;

a card recognition component configured to read card information and store the card information in a memory device, the card information including rank and suit information;

a controller including one or more processors connected for communication to the card-handling component and the card recognition component, the controller being user-programmable via input to an electronic input device, the controller, under control of a program, being configured to direct the card-handling component and the card recognition component to perform functions including one or more of shuffling operations, sorting operations, dealing operations, and recalling card information related to performed operations.

13. The card-management apparatus of claim 12, further comprising an electronic display device including a touch screen input device, and wherein a user programs the apparatus by making selections and inputting data at the touch screen input device.