Methods of operating card handling devices of card handling systems

• US 10,722,779 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2017
• Issued: 07/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shuffle Master GMBH & Co KG (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Shuffle Master GMBH & Co KG (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Blaha, Ernst, Krenn, Peter, Haushalter, Todd M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Simms, Jr., John E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Collins, Dolores R
• Application Number:
  US15/792,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20180043241A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,008 Days
• Field of Search: 273149 R
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/12 Card shufflers

Abstract

Card handling systems include shuffling devices, shoe devices, and a card transfer system for automatically transferring cards from the shuffling device into the shoe device. Shuffling devices may include a divider configured to contact at least one card positioned within a compartment of the shuffling device. Shoe devices may include a card loading system for loading cards into a card storage area through an opening in a base of the shoe device. Methods of providing cards during a casino table game play include identifying card information including a rank and a suit of each card in a shuffling device and a shoe device and transporting cards from the shuffling device to the shoe device.

Claims

1. A method of providing cards during casino table game play, the method comprising:

receiving, with a card-handling system, cards into a shuffling device of the card-handling system positioned at least partially below a playing surface of a gaming table;

obtaining, with at least one card sensing device of the card-handling system, card information including a rank and a suit of each card of the cards as the card moves through the shuffling device;

shuffling the loaded cards with the shuffling device;

transporting, with the card-handling system, the cards from the shuffling device to a shoe device positioned over a playing surface of a gaming table;

obtaining, with the at least one card sensing device of the card-handling system, card information including a rank and a suit of each card as the card moves through the shoe device; and

supplying, with the card-handling system, the card to a card output area of the shoe device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing the card information obtained in the shoe device with the card information obtained in the shuffling device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein shuffling the loaded cards comprises:

loading at least one card of the cards into at least one compartment of a carousel comprising a plurality of compartments;

creating an opening with a divider between at least one of the at least one card and at least another card within the at least one compartment or the at least one card and a surface of the carousel forming a portion of the at least one compartment; and

loading at least another card into the opening.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising removably positioning the shoe device over a portion of the shuffling device.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising aligning the shoe device with at least one mounting device provided over the shuffling device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving the cards through a slot extending through a bottom surface of the shoe device.

7. A method of operating a card handling device and a shoe device of a card handling system, the method comprising:

receiving cards into the card handling device of the card handling system;

transporting the cards from the card handling device to a shoe device of the card handling system through an opening in a bottom portion of the shoe device with at least one roller of the card handling system; and

supplying at least one card of the cards to a card output area of the shoe device with the shoe device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising shuffling the cards with the card handling device.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising positioning the card handling device at least partially below a playing surface of a gaming table.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising obtaining card information including at least one indicia of each card of the cards as the card moves through the card handling device with a first card sensing device.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising obtaining card information including at least one indicia of each card of the cards as the card moves through the shoe device with a second card sensing device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising comparing the card information obtained in the shoe device with the card information obtained in the card handling device with a processor of the card handling system.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising removably positioning the shoe device over a portion of the card handling device.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising aligning the shoe device with at least one mounting device provided over the card handling device.

15. The method of claim 7, further comprising automatically transferring cards from the card handling device into a card storage area of the shoe device with the card handling system.

16. The method of claim 7, further comprising interchangeably using the card handling device with a plurality of shoe devices.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

positioning at least one shoe device of the plurality of shoe devices on a playing surface of a gaming table; and

positioning the card handling device external to the playing surface of the gaming table.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising separating the shoe device from the card handling device after the cards are loaded into the shoe device.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising dealing the cards from the shoe device after separating the shoe device from the card handling device.

20. A method of operating card-handling devices of a card-handling system, the method comprising:

receiving, with the card-handling system, cards into a shuffling device of the card-handling system, the shuffling device positioned at least partially below a playing surface of a gaming table;

shuffling the loaded cards with the shuffling device;

transporting the cards from the shuffling device to a shoe device positioned proximate the playing surface of the gaming table with at least one of the shuffling device or the shoe device of the card-handling system; and

supplying, with the card-handling system, the cards to a card output area of the shoe device.