Methods of making and using hand-forming card shufflers

• US 10,864,431 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2019
• Issued: 12/15/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Stasson, James B., Rynda, Robert J., Helgesen, James P., Nelson, Troy D., Scheper, Paul K., Swanson, Ronald R., Helsen, Colin A., Wadds, Nathan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Simms, Jr., John E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Collins, Dolores R
• Application Number:
  US16/256,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20190151746A1
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 273149 R
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/12 Card shufflers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/00 Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game

Abstract

Methods of using automatic card shufflers may involve causing playing cards to be moved from a card input area to a temporary card storage utilizing a card input mechanism. A first number of playing card hands may be formed in a corresponding first number of designated card storage compartments of the temporary card storage when a control system of the automatic card shuffler is in a first operational mode. A second, different number of playing card hands may be formed in a corresponding second number of designated card storage compartments of the temporary card storage when the control system is in a second operational mode. The card storage compartments of the second number of designated card storage compartments may be distinct from the card storage compartments of the first number of designated card storage compartments.

Claims

1. A method of using an automatic card shuffler, comprising:

causing, utilizing a card input mechanism, playing cards to be moved from a card input area to a temporary card storage;

forming a first number of playing card hands in a corresponding first number of designated card storage compartments of the temporary card storage when a control system of the automatic card shuffler is in a first operational mode; and

forming a second, different number of playing card hands in a corresponding second number of designated card storage compartments of the temporary card storage when the control system is in a second operational mode, the card storage compartments of the second number of designated card storage compartments being distinct from the card storage compartments of the first number of designated card storage compartments.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the second number of playing card hands in the second number of designated card storage compartments of the temporary card storage when the control system is in the second operational mode comprises refraining from forming playing card hands in any other card storage compartments of the temporary card storage.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

placing the control system in the first operational mode when a number of playing card hands to be formed is greater than or equal to a predefined threshold; and

placing the control system in the second operational mode when the number of playing card hands to be formed is less than the predefined threshold.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing, utilizing a card output mechanism, the first number of playing card hands to be moved from the corresponding first number of designated card storage compartments of the temporary card storage to a card delivery tray when the control system is in the first operational mode; and

causing, utilizing the card output mechanism, the second number of playing card hands to be moved from the corresponding second number of designated card storage compartments of the temporary card storage to the card delivery tray when the control system is in the second operational mode.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising maintaining an orientation of each playing card in the first number of playing card hands and the second number of playing card hands at a downward angle of between about 2°

and about 15°

relative to a horizontal plane at all times as each playing card moves from the temporary card storage into the card delivery tray.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forming the first number of playing card hands in the corresponding first number of designated card storage compartments of the temporary card storage over a first period of time when the control system is in the first operational mode; and

forming the second, different number of playing card hands in the corresponding second number of designated card storage compartments of the temporary card storage over a second, shorter period of time when the control system is in the second operational mode.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing, utilizing the card input mechanism, the playing cards to be moved from the card input area to the temporary card storage over a first period of time when the control system is in the first operational mode; and

causing, utilizing the card input mechanism, the playing cards to be moved from the card input area to the temporary card storage over a second, shorter period of time when the control system is in the second operational mode.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising accepting at the control system a user-input number of playing card hands to be formed, entering the first operational mode or the second operational mode, and forming the first number of playing card hands or the second number of playing card hands in an amount equal to the user-input number of playing card hands accepted at the control system.

9. A method of using a card shuffler, comprising:

inputting playing cards into the card shuffler utilizing a card input mechanism;

placing the playing cards into a temporary card storage within the card shuffler;

outputting at least one playing card from the temporary card storage into an output compartment utilizing a card output mechanism; and

maintaining an orientation of the at least one playing card at a downward angle of between about 2° and

about 15°

relative to a horizontal plane at all times as the at least one playing card moves from the temporary card storage into the output compartment.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising maintaining the orientation of the at least one playing card at the downward angle of between about 2°

and about 15°

relative to the horizontal plane when the at least one playing card is in the output compartment.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising maintaining the orientation of the at least one playing card at a downward angle of between about 2°

and about 5°

relative to the horizontal plane at all times as the at least one playing card moves from the temporary card storage into the output compartment.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

forming a first number of playing card hands in a corresponding first number of designated card storage compartments of the temporary card storage when a control system of the card shuffler is in a first operational mode; and

forming a second, different number of playing card hands in a corresponding second number of designated card storage compartments of the temporary card storage when the control system is in a second operational mode, the card storage compartments of the second number of designated card storage compartments being distinct from the card storage compartments of the first number of designated card storage compartments.

13. A method of operating an automatic card shuffler, comprising:

causing, utilizing a card input mechanism, playing cards to be moved from a card input area to a temporary card storage;

forming, in response to placing a control system of the automatic card shuffler in a first operational mode, a first number of playing card hands in a corresponding first number of designated card storage compartments of the temporary card storage responsive to placing the control system in the first operational mode; and

forming, in response to placing the control system of the automatic card shuffler in a second operational mode, a second, different number of playing card hands in a corresponding second number of designated card storage compartments of the temporary card storage responsive to placing the control system in the second operational mode, the card storage compartments of the second number of designated card storage compartments being distinct from the card storage compartments of the first number of designated card storage compartments.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the forming the second number of playing card hands in the second number of designated card storage compartments of the temporary card storage responsive to placing the control system in the second operational mode comprises refraining from forming playing card hands in any other card storage compartments of the temporary card storage.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

placing the control system in the first operational mode when a number of playing card hands to be formed is greater than or equal to a predefined threshold; and

placing the control system in the second operational mode when the number of playing card hands to be formed is less than the predefined threshold.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

placing the control system in the first operational mode when a number of playing card hands to be formed is greater than or equal to four; and

placing the control system in the second operational mode when the number of playing card hands to be formed is less than four.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising maintaining an orientation of each playing card in the first number of playing card hands and the second number of playing card hands at a downward angle of between about 2°

and about 15°

relative to a horizontal plane at all times while moving each playing card from the temporary card storage into a card delivery tray.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

forming the first number of playing card hands in the corresponding first number of designated card storage compartments of the temporary card storage over a first period of time responsive to placing the control system in the first operational mode; and

forming the second, different number of playing card hands in the corresponding second number of designated card storage compartments of the temporary card storage over a second, shorter period of time responsive to placing the control system in the second operational mode.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein placing the control system in the first operational mode or the second operational mode comprises accepting at the control system a user-input number of playing card hands to be formed, entering the first operational mode or the second operational mode responsive to accepting the user-input number of playing card hands to be formed, and forming the first number of playing card hands or the second number of playing card hands in an amount equal to the user-input number of playing card hands accepted at the control system.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the forming the first number of playing card hands in the corresponding first number of designated card storage compartments of the temporary card storage responsive to placing the control system in the first operational mode comprises forming the first number of playing card hands in a corresponding first number of designated, mutually adjacent card storage compartments of the temporary card storage responsive to placing the control system in the first operational mode and wherein the forming the second number of playing card hands in the corresponding second number of designated card storage compartments of the temporary card storage responsive to placing the control system in the second operational mode comprises forming the second number of playing card hands in a corresponding second number of designated, mutually adjacent card storage compartments of the temporary card storage responsive to placing the control system in the second operational mode.