AU2014248653A1 - Intelligent markers and card distribution error reduction system - Google Patents

Abstract

Intelligent markers and a card distribution error reduction system are disclosed. In one embodiment, the invention includes intelligent markers which are effectively "player acknowledgement" indicators. The markers preferably include a mechanism for signaling the receiving bettor to acknowledge receipt of the marker, which acknowledgement may turn off the indicating mechanism. The method of indication could be visual, audible or otherwise which would signal a bettor to interact with the marker. The intelligent markers communicate with table sensors and a shoe to monitor the status of games, and to signal alerts when a mistake occurs.

Description

WO 2014/165133 PCT/US2014/024525 INTELLIGENT MARKERS AND CARD DISTRIBUTION ERROR REDUCTION SYSTEM FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally relates to intelligent markers and a card distribution error reduction system. More specifically, the present invention relates to game markers which can alert players and dealers to the mistaken placement thereof, and a system which utilizes such markers to prompt and receive acknowledgements from players to help ensure correct placement. BACKGROUND OF TH INVENTION In many casino card games, acrylic markers are used. For example, Fig. 1 shows a prior art exemplary Baccarat table 100, which includes a chip case 105 and a shoe 110. In the game of Baccarat, acrylic markers are used to designate the highest bettor for Player and Banker hands. The markers are of two different colors and reside in front of the appropriate bettor(s) to mark the correct spot that the cards should go to for each hand. Also, there is an outline or colored spot that represents the "home" spot for each marker on the table, typically directly in front of the dealer. This outline is where the markers reside at certain times, cards for each marker are typically placed in these spots (or immediately adjacent to these spots) at different times during the game. As shown in Fig. 1, the Banker marker 125 is visible in the Banker outlined spot 115, and the Player marker 130 is visible in the Player outlined spot 120. The number of better shown in the Baccarat table of Fig. 1 is only exemplary, and can include additional number of between, for example 6, 7, 8, 9 etc bettors.

WO 2014/165133 PCT/US2014/024525 After bets are placed, but before cards are dealt, one or both of the markers should be passed by the dealer to bettor(s) who bet the highest amount on Player and /or Banker. As can be seen in Fig. 1, each bettor sits at a portion of the table which is often labeled with both a "Player" area 135 and a "Banker" area 140, as any bettor could bet on the Player or the Banker on any given hand. Depending on the pre-deal betting, the Banker marker 125 is moved to the Banker area 140 of the bettor having the highest Banker bet, while the Player marker 130 is moved to the Player area 135 of the bettor having the highest Player bet. As the first 4 cards are dealt from the shoe 110, they are placed alternately by the dealer at the Player and Banker spots 145, 150 on the table 100 until all of the four cards are drawn. After all of the four cards are dealt from the shoe 110, one or both hands should be pushed to the bettors holding the respective markers 125, 130 for that hand. However, sometimes the wrong marker is passed to the wrong bettor, or the better who should be the Banker gets the Player marker 130 or vice versa. This is a known and highly likely place in the process where human errors are made. Also, the dealer can make mistakes in passing the wrong set of dealt cards following an incorrect marker distribution. Dealer attentiveness can help prevent but does not fully prevent such mistakes, and at present there is no mechanism that helps reducing the human error. More effective devices and systems are needed to further prevent such mistakes in passing out the Player and Banker markers 125, 130, and the resulting cards as dealt. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to intelligent markers and a card distribution error reduction system. In one embodiment, the invention includes intelligent markers which are 2 WO 2014/165133 PCT/US2014/024525 effectively "player acknowledgement" indicators. The markers preferably include a mechanism for signaling the receiving bettor to acknowledge receipt of the marker, which acknowledgement may turn off the indicating mechanism. The method of indication could be visual, audible or otherwise which would signal a bettor to interact with the marker. For example, the bettor may have to press a button on the marker (or the marker itself) which preferably causes a visible or audible change in the marker that is perceptible to all at the table. For example, a light may go from "on" to "off or "off to "on," or may switch from one color to another, or may vibrate until acknowledged by the bettor. The markers may each include a motion/location/vibration sensor, accelerometer, touch sensor, microphone, or combination of different sensing technologies for obtaining feedback from movement of or interaction with the marker during the game. The method of acknowledgement could therefore be a simple touch from the bettor, activating or pushing a button or touch screen, tapping, or any other method where physical contact with the device by the player or dealer is necessary. Verbal or gesture-based acknowledgement is also envisioned. Alternatively, acknowledgement may not come from the user, but may instead come simply from monitoring positional/location information relating to the marker, and determining that the marker has been placed in the correct location. Such acknowledgement may be recorded and saved by the markers and/or related equipment, such as overhead cameras, to prevent disputes. Any sensors in the markers preferably communicate with the system and/or shoe using wireless technology (such as RF). The player acknowledgement may be communicated back to the shoe, which would then be used to control the continuation of the game. For example, if the shoe doesn't receive the bettor's acknowledgement regarding correct marker distribution, it would 3 WO 2014/165133 PCT/US2014/024525 prevent the game from continuing by triggering an alarm or an alert, or by engaging a blocking mechanism such as by closing a gate of the shoe. In another embodiment, the system may utilize different sensing technologies for tracking movement of the cards during the game. For example, the various spots on the table where the cards are to be placed during the game (e.g., Player and Banker sports 145, 150) can include embedded sensors or sensing pads. Such sensors may be utilized to track placement of cards, and may include optical cameras, proximity sensors, barcode readers, touch sensors or the like that are capable of determining or decoding the card value and/or detecting the cards presence when the cards are placed during the game. Further, rather than having fixed spots on the table for each hand, the spots can be variable by having an electronic display embedded into the table or the pad. In such an embodiment, the name of the hand to be displayed may be controlled by the position of markers on the table. The table sensors or the sensor pad will send feedback to the shoe through wired or wireless technologies. In one embodiment, a system for reducing card distribution errors comprises a shoe and an intelligent marker. The intelligent marker includes at least one position sensor for determining the position of the intelligent maker, and a communications unit for electronically communicating with the shoe. The intelligent marker also preferably includes an acknowledgement detector for detecting an acknowledgement from a bettor, an indicator, and a processor for receiving position data from the position sensor. The processor is preferably in communication with the shoe via the communications unit. Preferably, the indicator is enabled when the intelligent marker is to be given to a bettor, and is disabled upon detection of an acknowledgement from the bettor. 4 WO 2014/165133 PCT/US2014/024525 In another embodiment, a method for reducing card distribution errors comprising several steps. In a first step, a dealer is allowed to distribute at least one marker to at least one bettor. In a second step, the indicator in the marker is enabled, and a gate of the associated shoe is closed. In a third step, the marker accepts an acknowledgement from a bettor. In a fourth step, the indicator in the marker is disabled, and the gate of the shoe is opened upon recognition of the acknowledgement from the bettor. Other and further objects of the invention, together with the features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear in the course of the following description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith: Fig. 1 illustrates an example prior art Baccarat table. Fig. 2 illustrates a block diagram of an example system according to an embodiment. Fig. 3 illustrates a block diagram of an example intelligent marker according to an embodiment. Fig. 4 illustrates a block diagram of an example table according to an embodiment. Fig. 5 illustrates a flow chart of a process for using markers to require acknowledgement from bettors, according to an embodiment. Fig. 6 illustrates a flow chart of an example process 600 during a game of Baccarat. 5 WO 2014/165133 PCT/US2014/024525 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In the following detailed description of example embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific example embodiments in which the inventive subject matter may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the inventive subject matter, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical, mechanical, electrical and other changes may be made without departing from the scope of the inventive subject matter. Some portions of the detailed descriptions which follow are presented in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on data bits within a computer memory. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are the ways used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. An algorithm is here, and generally, conceived to be a self-consistent sequence of steps leading to a desired result. The steps are those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. It has proven convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or the like. It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the following discussions, terms such as "processing" or "computing" or "calculating" or "determining" or "displaying" or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or similar computing device, that manipulates 6 WO 2014/165133 PCT/US2014/024525 and transforms data represented as physical (e.g., electronic) quantities within the computer system's registers and memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices. In the Figures, the same reference number is used throughout to refer to an identical component that appears in multiple Figures. Signals and connections may be referred to by the same reference number or label, and the actual meaning will be clear from its use in the context of the description. Also, please note that the first digit(s) of the reference number for a given item or part of the example embodiments should correspond to the Figure number in which the item or part is first identified. The description of the various embodiments is to be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possible instance of the inventive subject matter. Numerous alternatives can be implemented, using combinations of current or future technologies, which would still fall within the scope of the claims. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the inventive subject matter is defined only by the appended claims. Fig. 2 illustrates a block diagram of an example system 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, a shoe 210 is in communication with at least one marker 220. Such communication is preferably wireless, as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The shoe 210 may also be in communication with table sensors 230, when present, and such communication may be wired or wireless. In any case, some or all of the shoe 210, marker 220, and table sensors 230 may also be in communication with a central processor 240. Although such a central processor 240 is not necessary, as any of the individual 7 WO 2014/165133 PCT/US2014/024525 components 210, 220, 230 may include sufficient processing power to accomplish the tasks hereof, many casinos utilize central processors 240 and servers and the like to monitor and/or process data from various tables. In this regard, the central processor 240 may be built into any of the above discussed components, or into the table itself, or may be included in a stand-alone computer system as would be understood. For the purposes hereof, it will be understood that substantive processing may be handled at a table, e.g., by the shoe 210 or by a processor built into or associated with the table, such that the central processor 240 merely monitors actions at the table and/or is alerted to problems at the table. Alternatively, substantive processing may be offloaded to the central processor 240, or there may be a combination of substantive processing in various locations. Fig. 3 illustrates a block diagram of an example intelligent marker 220, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Marker 220 may include a processor 310, which may be a central processing unit or merely a microcontroller, as would be understood. Processor 310 is preferably in electrical communication with a power source 320, as well a sensor 330. The power source 32 can include a battery, or other type of standalone power source. Sensor 330 may include various sensors, such as an accelerometer, a proximity sensor, a sensor for tracking the exact position of the marker 220, an auditory sensor, etc. An acknowledgement detector 340 such as a push-button switch may also be in communication with the processor 310. Acknowledgement detector 340 may be separate from sensor 330, or sensor 330 could serve as an acknowledgement detector 340 as well. Marker 220 may also include a communications unit 350, which is preferably a wireless communication unit capable of communication via WIFI, Bluetooth, or the like. Communications unit 350 may also be a hardwired communications unit, although wireless communication is preferred, as discussed above. Marker 220 may also include 8 WO 2014/165133 PCT/US2014/024525 indicators 360, such as LEDs 365 and a speaker 370, and/or other mechanisms for signaling an alert to players and the dealer such as via vibration. In a non-limiting embodiment, the above mentioned components may be interconnected via one or more circuit boards in marker 220. In one example embodiment, the circuit board may include six LEDs 365, with two visible from the top of the marker 220 and four visible from the bottom of the marker 220. Marker 220 may have a frosted middle section which houses the circuit board and components, and thinned or transparent top and bottom sections which allow the LEDs to be visible. Various portions of the marker 220 may be composed of materials such as plastic, metal, porcelain, wood, composite materials, or any other desired material. The LEDs 365 can be programmed to blink or remain solid on activation, and can be programmed for different color options. LEDs 365 may also be programmed to indicate that the batteries 320 are low. In one non-limiting embodiment, the marker 220 may include one or two push-button switches 340 and/or an accelerometer 330 which can all be used to enable and disable the LEDs 365. For example, the push-button switches 340 may be used by the dealer before passing out the markers 220 to enable the LEDs 365 and cause them to signal for an acknowledgement from the appropriate bettor, and may disable the LEDs 365 when the bettor acknowledges the marker 220 by pressing it. Further, the marker 220 may be flipped upside down to indicate a winning hand, such that the accelerometer 330 enables the LEDs 365 upon flipping to celebrate the winning hand. In such an arrangement, as the game begins, dealer must push the button 340 to activate the LED's 365 and then pass the markers 220 to the corresponding bettor(s), Player and Banker, or the dealer can pass the marker(s) without activation and the bettor(s) then must activate the 9 WO 2014/165133 PCT/US2014/024525 marker(s) 220 by pushing the button 340. The activated lights 365 would gain the bettor(s) attention as well as that of the dealer, surveillance and other players. The bettor, then, must push the button 340 to deactivate the LED's and to confirm the receipt of correct marker 220. The bettor could alternatively verbally confirm the receipt of correct marker 22 and ask dealer to press the button 354. If the button 340 is not pushed within some predetermined time (e.g. 10 seconds), the LED's 365automatically deactivated. After the game outcome is determined, the dealer turns the winning hand marker upside down to activate the LED's 365 to indicate/ highlight the winning hand. The LED's 365 timeout after some predetermined time (e.g. 10 seconds) if the marker 220 is not turned back to upside position. Dealer must bring the marker(s) 220 back to home position before starting new game. In such uses the marker 220 can be used in conjunction with the shoe 210, or independent of the shoe 210 as a standalone unit. In another non-limiting example, the accelerometer or other internal sensors 330 may detect movement of the marker 220 as the dealer pushes the marker 220 toward the bettor, and may enable the LEDs 365 to signal for an acknowledgement from the bettor. The indicator 360 may also be triggered externally. In such a configuration, after bets are placed, the dealer pushes the marker(s) 220 towards corresponding bettor(s). The accelerometer senses 330 the linear motion of the marker(s) 220 and activates the LED's 265. The activated lights 365 would indicate/ highlight the hand of the marker 220 and gain bettor(s) attention towards the hand of the marker(s) passed. The bettor is asked to double tap on the top surface of the marker 220 to deactivate the LED's 365 and to confirm the receipt of correct marker 220 or the bettor can verbally confirm the receipt of correct marker and ask dealer to tap the marker 220.The accelerometer or other internal sensors 330 detecting the double tap. If the marker 220 is not tapped within some predetermined time (e.g. 10 seconds) the LED's 365 timeout automatically. 10 WO 2014/165133 PCT/US2014/024525 After the game is decided, the dealer turns the winning hand marker 220 upside down to activate the LED's 365 to indicate/ highlight the winning hand. The LED's 365 would timeout after some predetermined time (e.g. 10 seconds) if the marker 220 is not turned back to upside position. Dealer then brings the marker(s) 220 back to home position before starting new game. In such uses the marker 220 can be used in conjunction with the shoe 210, or independent of the shoe 210 as a standalone unit. Fig. 4 illustrates a block diagram of an example table 400 which includes table sensors 230. Table 400 includes a chip case 405, as well as a shoe 410. Preferably, the shoe 410 is in communication with various other components as shown in Fig. 2 above. Rather than mere home locations 412, 414 for markers 220, table 400 may include sensors 415, 420, which may include one or more specialized sensor pads at the home locations for the makers 220. Such sensors 415, 420 are preferably capable of determining when markers 220 have been placed on their respective home locations, and can cause the indicators 360 in the markers 220 to enable when the markers 220 should be located on their home locations but are not. Player area 435 and Banker area 440 in front of each bettor may also include similar sensors and/or specialized pads 437, 442 to determine when the markers 220 have been moved from their home positions to a bettor's Player/Banker area 435, 440, as appropriate. When a bettor's Player/Banker area 435, 440 detects one of the markers 220, a display associated with that bettor may indicate that the bettor received the Player or Banker marker 220. Similarly, the Player and Banker card spots 445, 450, and any other spots at which cards may be placed during a game, may also include such sensors and/or specialized pads. These embedded sensors may determine when cards are present, but preferably are also capable of determining the rank and suit of the placed cards. As such, the sensors at these card spots 445, 11 WO 2014/165133 PCT/US2014/024525 450, etc., may include optical cameras, proximity sensors, barcode readers, touch sensors and the like. Each such sensor and/or specialized pad is considered a table sensor 230, as discussed above in connection with Fig. 2. The system 200, markers 220 and table 400 allow the game to progress without much additional work on the part of the dealer or bettors. During a game of Baccarat, after the bets have been placed, the dealer would give the respective markers 220 to the appropriate highest bettors, wherein the bettor having the highest bet for the Player ( hereafter referred to as the "Player") receives the Player marker, and the bettor having the highest bet for the Bank ( hereafter referred to as the "Banker) receives the Banker marker. After bets are placed, but before cards are dealt, one or both of the markers should be passed by the dealer to bettor(s) who bet the highest amount on Player and /or Banker. The dealer may actively trigger indicators 360, such as LEDs 365 and/or speaker 370 embedded in the markers 220. Alternatively, the dealer may trigger such indicators 360 simply by moving the markers 220 from their respective home positions 415, 120 to the appropriate bettor's positions 435, 440, in which case sensors 330 embedded in the markers 220 and/or sensors 437, 442 in the table may sense movement and/or placement of the markers 220 and activate the indicators 360. The indicators 360 then attract the bettor and/or dealer attention towards the hand to which the markers 220 belong. The recipient bettor of one or both markers 220 would then acknowledge receipt of the marker 220 to stop the indicators 360. For example, the recipient bettor may physically press the marker 220, such that the acknowledgement detector 340, e.g., a push-button switch, recognizes the acknowledgement, and processor 310 ceases the LEDs 365 from blinking or the speakers 370 from emitting an audible noise, vibration, or other signal. 12 WO 2014/165133 PCT/US2014/024525 Such acknowledgement would allow the game to continue. If the bettors don't acknowledge the receipt of the correct marker 220, the shoe 210 may prevent the dealer from drawing additional cards, or may otherwise alert the dealer to the lack of acknowledgement. Once the bettor confirms the receipt of correct marker, the marker(s) would transmit the acknowledgement confirmation, possibly with their respective locations, back to the shoe. Such a process is shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 5 illustrates a flow chart of an example process 500 for using markers 220 to require acknowledgement from bettors. At step 505, before a game has begun, the markers 220 should be placed on their home positions 415, 420. This should deactivate any indicators 360 which remain engaged. At step 510, a check is done to determine whether the markers 220 have actually been placed on their home locations 415, 420. This determination may be made via table sensors 230 capable of detecting whether the markers 220 have been properly placed, or via sensors 330 in the markers 220, or via another tracking system such as overhead cameras or the like. If the markers 220 are still not properly placed, at step 515, the marker 220 enables its indicators 360 to call the dealer's attention to the fact that the marker 220 is misplaced. The process then reverts to step 505. However, at step 510, if the markers 220 are properly placed on their home positions 415, 420, the process continues. At step 520, betting occurs. At step 525, the dealer gives one or both of the markers 220 to the appropriate bettor or bettors, moving the markers 220 to positions 437, 442 with the appropriate bettor. At step 530, sensors 230 detect whether the markers have been appropriately moved. As above, such sensors may be table sensors 230 or sensors 330 in the marker 220. For example, sensor 330 in the marker 220 may include an accelerometer which detects the physical movement of the marker 220. Alternatively, as noted above, table sensors 230 may include a 13 WO 2014/165133 PCT/US2014/024525 specialized pad or other sensor which detect the presence of a marker 220 at positions 437, 442. In any case, once it is detected that the markers 220 have been passed out, at step 535 the indicators 360 in the markers 220 are enabled to signal the need for acknowledgement from the appropriate bettors. As discussed above, preferably bettors may acknowledge the markers by pressing them, such that acknowledgement detector 340 in the marker 220 registers the acknowledgement via a push-button switch. However, other forms of acknowledgement are envisioned, such as verbal acknowledgement or another movement of the marker 220, etc. If the bettors do not acknowledge the markers 220, at step 545 the maker 220 communicates with shoe 210 and the shoe closes its gate to prevent cards from being withdrawn. The process then reverts to step 535 with the indicators remaining enabled. This should grab the attention of the dealer and/or bettors if a marker has been mistakenly passed out, so that the marker position can be corrected. Once the bettors acknowledge the markers 220, the process proceeds to step 550 and the indicators 360 in the markers 220 are disabled. The markers 220 preferably also signal the shoe to unlock the gate, so that the game may proceed. Fig. 6 illustrates a flow chart of an example process 600 during a game of Baccarat, generally after the process 500 of Fig. 5 has concluded and the markers 220 have been appropriately given to the correct bettors. At step 605, the dealer deals four cards, with the first and third going to the Player and the second and fourth going to the Banker. At step 610, the shoe reads the cards as they are drawn, and detects the cards' ranks and suits, according to known methods. At step 615, as the cards are placed on the Player and Banker card spots 415, 420, the table sensors 230 detect the rank and suits of the cards placed. At step 620, a determination is made as to whether the cards drawn match the cards as placed. Where the cards placed do not match the cards drawn (either in rank, suit, or order), at step 625 the indicators 360 14 WO 2014/165133 PCT/US2014/024525 are enabled to signal an alarm, and the gate of shoe 210 is closed. The process then allows the dealer to correct the mistake, and reverts back to step 615 to again check the cards as they are now placed on the Player and Banker card spots 415, 420. Once the cards placed match the cards drawn, the process advances. At step 630, the dealer pushes the cards to the Player and Banker, respectively. At step 635, the indicators 360 on the markers 220 are enabled sequentially to guide the dealer to push the cards to the correct spots. At step 640, table sensors 230 at the Player/Banker positions 437, 442 detect the rank and suits of the cards pushed by the dealer, and at step 645 a determination is made as to whether the cards were pushed to the correct spots. When the cards were pushed to incorrect spots, at step 650 the indicators 360 are enabled to signal an alarm, and the gate of shoe 210 is closed. The process then allows the dealer to correct the mistake, and reverts back to step 640 to again check the cards as they are now placed on the Player and Banker positions 437, 442. Once the cards have been pushed to the correct locations, the process advances. At step 655, the highest better on the Player and Banker hands squeeze the cards revealing the cards' ranks and suits, and return the cards to the dealer. At step 660, the dealer places the cards back onto the Player and Banker card spots 415, 420. As above, at step 665, a determination is made as to whether the cards returned to the dealer and placed on the Player and Banker card spots 415, 420 match the cards as drawn. Where the cards placed do not match the cards drawn (either in rank, suit, or order), at step 670 the indicators 360 are enabled to signal an alarm, and the gate of shoe 210 is closed. The process then allows the dealer to correct the mistake, and reverts back to step 660 to again check the cards as they are now placed on the Player and Banker card spots 415, 420. Once the cards placed match the cards drawn, the process advances. 15 WO 2014/165133 PCT/US2014/024525 At step 675, the system determines whether the Player and/or Banker hands need an additional card. Where additional cards are needed, the process reverts back to step 615 with the drawing and placing of one or two new cards. Once no additional cards are needed, the process advances to step 680 for a determination as to whether the Player wins. If so, at step 685, the Player marker 220 enables its indicators. If not, at step 690 a determination is made as to whether the Banker wins. If so, at step 695 the Banker marker enables its indicators. If not, at 697 there has been a tie (or stand-off). The various system examples shown above illustrate a novel system and method. A user of the present invention may choose any of the above embodiments, or an equivalent thereof, depending upon the desired application. In this regard, it is recognized that various forms of the subject invention could be utilized without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It is also envision that the system of the present invention can be used any card game to designate the distribution of a card hand. From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with the other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure. It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims. Since many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense. 16

Claims (20)

1. An intelligent marker comprising an acknowledgement detector for detecting an acknowledgement from a bettor; an indicator; and a processor connected to the acknowledgement detector and the indicator; wherein the indicator is enabled when the intelligent marker is to be given to a bettor; wherein upon detection of an acknowledgement from the bettor, the indicator is disabled.

2. The intelligent marker as set forth in claim 1, further comprising at least one position sensor for determining the position of the intelligent maker.

3. The intelligent marker as set forth in claim 2, wherein the indicator is enabled upon the at least one position sensor detecting that the position of the intelligent marker has been moved from a home position for the marker.

4. The intelligent marker as set forth in claim 1, wherein the indicator is enabled by the dealer.

5. The intelligent marker as set forth in claim 4, wherein the indicator is enabled via the acknowledgement detector by the dealer. 17 WO 2014/165133 PCT/US2014/024525

6. The intelligent maker as set forth in claim 1, wherein the acknowledgement detector is at least one button.

7. The intelligent maker as set forth in claim 1, wherein the acknowledgement detector is at least one accelerometer.

8. The intelligent marker as set forth in claim 1, wherein the indicator is at least one of an LED and a speaker.

9. The intelligent marker as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a communication unit connect to the processor

10. A system for reducing card distribution errors comprising: a shoe; an intelligent marker including: at least one position sensor for determining the position of the intelligent maker; a communications unit for electronically communicating with the shoe; an acknowledgement detector for detecting an acknowledgement from a bettor; an indicator; and a processor for receiving position data from the position sensor, said processor communicating with the shoe via the communications unit; 18 WO 2014/165133 PCT/US2014/024525 wherein the indicator is enabled when the intelligent marker is to be given to a bettor; wherein upon detection of an acknowledgement from the bettor, the indicator is disabled.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the indicator is enabled upon the at least one position sensor detecting that the position of the intelligent marker has been moved from a home position for the marker.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the indicator is enabled by the dealer.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the shoe includes a gate.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one position sensor includes an accelerometer.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the indicator is at least one of an LED, a speaker, and a vibration emitter.

16 The system of claim 10, further comprising a table, the table including at least one table sensor.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the table sensor detects the position of the marker on the table. 19 WO 2014/165133 PCT/US2014/024525

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the table sensor detects the rank and suit of cards placed on the table.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the indicator is enabled when a card is placed in an incorrect position on the table.

20 A method for reducing card distribution errors during a playing cards game comprising the steps of: enabling an indicator in at least one marker; distributing the at least one marker to at least one bettor; the at least one better acknowledging receipt of the at least one marker by from the dealer; disabling the indicator. 20