PLAYING CARD HANDLING DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR VERIFYING SETS OF CARDS

• US 20170036098A1
• Filed: 10/24/2016
• Published: 02/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Haushalter, Todd M., Wadds, Nathan J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,092,819 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/12 Card shufflers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/14 Card dealers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/066 using ink jet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/58 Antifraud or preventing misuse

Abstract

Systems include an automatic card shuffler and a shoe. The automatic card shuffler may include a printing device for applying a randomly selected set symbol on each card of a set of cards. The shoe may include a set symbol reader for reading each card for a presence and identity of a set symbol. A shoe processor may be configured to receive a signal from a shuffler processor indicating the selected set symbol to enable the shoe processor to verify that each card belongs to the set of cards. An automatic card shuffler includes a processor programmed to randomly select a card set symbol and a card-marking system for forming the randomly selected set symbol on cards. Methods include forming a randomly determined set symbol on each card of a set of cards and detecting whether cards include a set symbol matching the determined set symbol.

Claims

1. A system for handling and verifying sets of playing cards, the system comprising:

an automatic card shuffler, comprising;

a card-shuffling mechanism configured to shuffle a set of playing cards; and

a printing device for applying a same set symbol to each card in the set of playing cards to uniquely identify the set of playing cards prior to removal of the set of playing cards from the automatic card shuffler;

a card output tray comprising;

a receptacle for receiving playing cards from the set of playing cards in the automatic card shuffler; and

a set symbol reader for reading each card of the set of playing cards for a presence and identity of a set symbol; and

at least one processor programmed to randomly select the set symbol for application to each card in the set of playing cards by the printing device and configured to verify, using data from the set symbol reader, that each playing card of the set of playing cards includes a set symbol matching the randomly selected set symbol.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor comprises a first processor programmed to randomly select the set symbol and a second, different processor configured to verify, using data from the set symbol reader, that each playing card of the set of playing cards includes a set symbol matching the randomly selected set symbol.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first processor is housed within the automatic card shuffler and the second processor is housed within the card output tray.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor consists of a single processor.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the automatic card shuffler and the card output tray are positioned immediately adjacent to each other, the card output tray configured to automatically receive cards directly from the automatic card shuffler.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the card output tray comprises a card-dealing shoe.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the card-dealing shoe is located remote from the card-shuffling mechanism.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one processor comprises a first processor in the card-shuffling mechanism and a second processor in the card-dealing shoe.

9. A method of verifying that playing cards to be removed from a card-handling device belong to a particular set of playing cards, the method comprising:

inserting the particular set of playing cards into a first card-handling device comprising a printing device and a card-moving mechanism;

randomly determining a set symbol to be formed on each card in the particular set of playing cards with at least one processor;

forming the same randomly determined set symbol on each card in the particular set of playing cards with the printing device of the first card-handling device to uniquely identify the set of playing cards;

moving the particular set of playing cards from the first card-handling device to a second card-handling device;

detecting with a card reader of the second card-handling device the presence and identity of a set symbol on each card therein; and

verifying, with the at least one processor and using data from the card reader of the second card-handling device, whether each card in the second card-handling device includes a set symbol matching the randomly determined set symbol.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising, when a card in the second card-handling device does not include a set symbol matching the randomly determined set symbol, providing an indicator that the card does not belong to the particular set of playing cards.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein providing an indicator comprises providing an audible alarm or a visual alert at the second card-handling device.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein providing an indicator comprises causing the second card-handling device to preclude removal of cards therefrom.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein randomly determining a set symbol to be formed on each card in the particular set of playing cards with at least one processor comprises randomly determining the set symbol with a first processor, and wherein verifying, with the at least one processor, whether each card in the second card-handling device includes a set symbol matching the randomly determined set symbol comprises verifying, with a second processor, whether each card in the second card-handling device includes a set symbol matching the randomly determined set symbol.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor consists of a single processor.

15. An automatic card shuffler, comprising:

a card infeed tray configured to receive a set of playing cards to be shuffled;

a card-shuffling mechanism configured to receive and randomize the order of cards from the set of playing cards in the card infeed tray;

a card output tray configured to receive playing cards from the card-shuffling mechanism;

at least one processor programmed to randomly select a set symbol to form on each card in the set of playing cards; and

a card-marking system for forming, prior to delivery of each card to the card output tray, the same randomly selected set symbol on each card received in the card infeed tray.

16. The automatic card shuffler of claim 15, further comprising a card-reading device for reading set symbols on cards delivered to the card output tray, wherein the card-reading device is in information communication with the at least one processor.

17. The automatic card shuffler of claim 16, wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate a signal indicating a delivered card does not include a set symbol matching the randomly selected set symbol.

18. The automatic card shuffler of claim 16, wherein the at least one processor comprises a first processor programmed to randomly select the set symbol to form on each card in the set of playing cards and a second processor in information communication with the card-reading device and with the first processor, the second processor programmed to determine whether set symbols on cards delivered to the card output tray match the set symbol randomly selected by the first processor.

19. The automatic card shuffler of claim 15, further comprising a touch screen configured to receive user inputs for operation of the automatic card shuffler.

20. The automatic card shuffler of claim 19, wherein the at least one processor is programmed to cause a visual alert to be displayed on the touch screen when the at least one processor identifies a card that does not include the randomly selected set symbol.