Background technology
Card shuffling machine is to be designed in Ka Xinuo (casino) Card Games, to secondary or a electromechanical assembly that how secondary game card is resequenced.Recently, developed such recreation, the single secondary playing cards of requirement general obtain order at random by shuffling, and provide each delivery of hands of cards to each player.From machine, remove these delivery of hands of cards and give each player by the operator.Some tactics of the game require to provide to the player according to selected recreation each delivery of hands of cards of varying number.For example, in each different recreation, every Yarborough has 3,5,7 or more playing cards.Because safety, some card shuffling machine is all counted the number of the playing cards in these pair playing cards when a kind of recreation of each processing.
Along with the player participates in live card games at numerous remote sites,, there is a safety problem and becomes very important owing to there is the substantial risk of deception and/or playing cards counting.Therefore, have the demand of creating a security context, it allows to provide significant security when carrying out operation of live card games, so that prevent deception and counting.
Pfeiffer etc. (United States Patent (USP) the 4th, 667, No. 959) disclose a kind of device that is used to store and select playing cards.Described device comprises a rotatably mounted conveyer belt, and it is distributed to game card with cylinder the groove of output port.With the prior mark playing cards of known mark (such as bar code), make described device can follow the tracks of which groove and preserve which playing cards.Sensor is read the identification marking on the playing cards.
Soules etc. (United States Patent (USP) the 5th, 067, No. 713) have lectured the game card of coding and the device that is used to handle one group of playing cards.The one secondary playing cards of encoding with bar code invisible to the human eye are provided.Use a kind ofly to be essentially sightless bar code playing cards are encoded, can read above-mentioned sightless bar code by means of the photoelectricity read-out device that uses the light in infrared or the ultraviolet range.Lecturing content in fact, the purpose of this device is the game card that allows dealer's distribution to encode.
The patent (United States Patent (USP) the 5th, 374, No. 061) of authorizing Albrecht discloses a playing cards distribution slide rail (shoe) and a using method thereof with counting device.A system has been described, secondary playing cards of the numerical value of its use expression playing cards and the special coding of pattern.Described system relates to the special playing cards of use one pair, and above-mentioned playing cards are encoded with the information of carrying two types data (numerical value numeral and alphabetic character).Numerical information is corresponding to the numerical value of playing cards, and alphabetical information is represented the sequence of these pair playing cards simultaneously.This information is taked the form of bar code, perhaps some other machine-readable form.Along with playing cards are distributed, the code on each playing cards of sensor senses.
People such as Hill (United States Patent (USP) the 5th, 722, No. 893) disclose a kind of card scanner distribution slide rail that has.Along with playing cards move down and are sent from slide rail, each opens playing cards described scanner perception.Described scanner can be the infrared laser scanner that can read the bar code that is imprinted on the playing cards.The optical scanner that people such as Hill also disclose described playing cards forms a high-resolution array, and it is stored in the memory, so that be converted to the word vector.Subsequently, these vectors are used as the input of a feedforward neural network, return with makeing mistakes to propagate feedforward neural network is trained, so that perception and possible playing cards pattern and the playing cards numerical value of identification.
The method that people such as Meissner (United States Patent (USP) the 5th, 779, No. 546) have lectured an automated gaming and played automatically.Automatically handle slide rail for one and automatically advance and explain the numerical value of a game card, and provide to the interface of a computer system.Optical pickocff is used to write down counts and their spatial relationships separately, comes to determine the numerical value of playing cards thus.
McCrea, Jr. have a series of patent, and these patents have been lectured a card distribution device with image capture apparatus.These United States Patent (USP)s: 5,605,334; 5,707,287; 5,735,525; 6,093,103 and 6,117,012 disclose need each player position be received that each pattern and numerical value of opening playing cards carries out game control by accurately collecting and storing.Described game control is stored in this information in the memory, makes the history of handled each playing cards all go on record.Therefore, described game control can detect and win progress and automatically send prize signal.
In above-mentioned these patents, do not have one lecture or suggestion can according to random sequence to game card shuffle, before output, catch game card image, handle the image of playing cards and show the shuffler device of the image (in above all every scopes that all are in card shuffling machine) of playing cards.Because image directly is forwarded to the display on the described card distribution device, so do not need complicated playing cards identification software, be the word vector perhaps with image transitions, perhaps other number of cards Value Data is represented.
Summary of the invention
Aspect the essence of safety, the present invention expands to a higher level with game security.By using image capture apparatus, for example, a little digital camera is taken the image of the face amount of each playing cards, and it is stored in the computer storage.Store this image with the form of bitmap images.The operator of machine can call the image of playing cards by using keyboard, is included in each the hand board in previous or the multinomial recreation.This feature will allow after finishing described recreation, the Yarborough that checking is won.
One of maximum game security problem is that two adjacent players exchange playing cards so that be one among them generation win hand.The present invention will allow before paying to a win hand each hand board to be reexamined fast.These card images will be stored in the memory that is used for the archives visit, for use in the randomness that monitors recreation, and definite number of winning hand.In the process of management game, such information is very valuable.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is, a kind of card chute apparatus that game card is shuffled and dealt out the cards is provided, and be provided a kind of being used to catch by the device of the image of the playing cards of sending out, for use in checking, improve the safe matters that relate to the casino Card Games thus.
Another object of the present invention is, a kind of card shuffling machine is provided, it can be selectively for different Card Games and/or the different operating mode of shuffling, game card is shuffled, and can catch by the image of the playing cards of sending out.
Another purpose of the present invention is, a kind of card shuffling machine is provided, and it can show the image of game card to the operator, so that hand is respectively won in checking.
An additional purpose of the present invention is, a kind of card shuffling machine is provided, shuffle for having the difference at least two kinds of different Card Games that require of shuffling selectively, and between at least two kinds of optional modes of operation of can be by at least two kinds different Card Games definition, shuffle, have for each game station catch and transmit card images increase security.
A further object of the present invention is, a kind of card chute apparatus is provided, and it is simplified, and manufacturing cost is not expensive, and shows for being provided image to catch with image scene by the playing cards of sending out.
To one skilled in the art, by following detailed description, will make other purpose of the present invention, feature and advantage become more obvious.Yet, it will be appreciated that in expression the preferred embodiments of the present invention, provide detailed explanation and specific example by means of diagram, this is not in order to limit.Under the prerequisite of not leaving spiritual essence of the present invention, and within the scope of the invention, can make many changes and modification, and the present invention includes all such modifications.
The specific embodiment
Disclosure of the present invention is to submit to down in the promotion of the purpose of legislation of united states patent law " advance science and application technology progress " (article one, the 8th section).
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, describe a kind of card shuffling machine here, it can be eliminated by changing board and cheat so most important safety problem.Specific Card Games (such as but be not limited to Pai Gow playing card) in, these safety problems are more general.The character of these recreation provides between Card Games person and/or playing cards counter carries out mutual possibility, thereby handles the final result of victory or defeat.Owing to need to strengthen the new method of game security, () feature solves this demand usually as shown in Figure 1 so the present invention is by the image giving card distribution device 100 and can catch the game card of sending out.
Fig. 1 usually represents the graphic or schematic description of shuffler system 100 of the present invention.System 100 comprises 6 main workpieces: controller 10, card distribution device 20, image-capture portion part 30, control panel 40, playing cards input pod 50 and playing cards delivery casing 60.
Preferably, shell 15 is made by metal (such as aluminium) plate, durable plastics or other solid durable metal.Key 45 on the keyboard 44 is the tactile feedback key preferably, and contains markedness thereon, is used to identify the order that described key is sent to microprocessor 12 (Fig. 2).These keys also can be made with silicon rubber one carbon that typically is applicable to these keys, and perhaps described keyboard can be a membrane keyboard.Controller 10 (and being microprocessor 12 at last) is by the input data of acceptance from control panel 40, and data are exported in demonstration on display 42, control the operation of shuffler system 100.Yet, should be appreciated that in the industry cycle in other known Display Technique, for example, the light emitting diode of vacuum fluorescence, FPD and segmentation also is in the scope of the present invention.
Controller 10 is systems, and the motion of playing cards by shuffler system 100 controlled in the operation of its control card distribution device 20, image-capture portion part 30 and display unit 40 simultaneously.Controller 10 comprises a suitable microprocessor, in order to the operation of all parts of coordinating shuffler system 100.
The present invention includes a kind of new method that is used to carry out the automatic card shuffling of game card.Described method comprises according to a kind of relation in the face of the back of the body shuffles, and above-mentioned relation will cause a kind of order at random.In the face of the relation of carrying on the back refers to a kind of like this standard state, sell game card therein in such a way, wherein, the front of a piece of paper board is adjacent with the back side of next adjacent playing cards.Here, the present invention has eliminated the needs to prior mark game card.Usually, can easily use unlabelled game card.
New shuffling method also comprises to shuffle more than a kind of mode and to be used for the ability of desirable multiple Card Games.In the technology of shuffling, introduced two types card shuffling machine.A kind of is batch mode shuffler, and another kind is the continuation mode card shuffling machine.
Batch mode shuffler is a kind of like this equipment, and it washes into random sequence with a pair or how secondary game card.A described pair or how secondary game card are loaded in the input pod 50 usually by the shuffler system 100 of once packing into.Preface is washed or be rearranged to these playing cards, and be sent to delivery casing 60.All remove described each secondary board immediately by a people (dealer), he divides playing cards in heaps, record (completing a business transaction) they, and the markd playing cards of completing a business transaction are placed on a random site in this pair board.Then, the dealer puts into the slide rail of dealing out the cards with these playing cards, so that individually be distributed to each player in the Card Games.
In the end of each recreation, each delivery of hands of cards of being played by the player is collected from each game station, and by the dealer these playing cards is faced down and to be discarded into one and to abandon in the slide rail (not shown).Then, each secondary board is put into input pod 50, and it is sent to card distribution device 20, reshuffled to begin a new game.This kind method can comprise two groups of decks of different color card backs.To be shuffled for one group, another group is used for playing simultaneously.So just having shortened stops recreation shuffles the required time, allows the recreation of dealer and the more hands of player's object for appreciation.
The continuation mode card shuffling machine is a kind of like this device, it with one secondary or how secondary game card wash or reorder and be random sequence.In the use of this mechanism, constantly shuffle by shuffler system 100.In the end of each recreation, these playing cards directly are discarded in the input pod 50 of card shuffling machine 100.Usually in the delivery casing 60 of card shuffling machine 100, set up the slide rail (not shown) of dealing out the cards.Play games as long as playing games or preparing, the operation of shuffling just stops never.
The preferably ejection by game card and move and force them to enter delivery casing 60 and carry out of the distribution process of game card, for example described in detail in No. 167 as at United States Patent (USP) the 6th, 299, above-mentioned patent is here by with reference to incorporating into.By using a removable withdrawal device to come the edge of the selected mobile playing cards of interlock, finish the extraction of playing cards.Preferably by using one or more extraction cylinder (not shown), this step is finished at the edge of the selected playing cards that roll.Further these playing cards are directed to delivery casing via an output roller.Image capture apparatus 30 can be placed between (respectively) extraction cylinder and the delivery casing 60 (Fig. 1).
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, image capture apparatus 30 can be a digital camera.Can use traditional digital camera, the latter adopts charge-coupled image sensor (CCD, charge-coupled device) technology to obtain the optical information of captive image.CCD is made up of the semiconductor array of the optical receiving set of embarking on journey of close packing, and optical receiving set can detect the variation of light intensity and frequency.
As shown in Figure 2, controller 10 has an image processor 16, and it carries out digitlization to the collected optical information of digital camera.By being the image transitions that has write down the digitlization that bitmap carries out information.Then, these bitmaps will represent to utilize described digital information by digital information being converted to the image that is made of the row and column of putting.The present invention includes an image scene processor 16, it is a pixel with bitmap-converted further, so that show on display unit 42.
Alternately, image-capture portion part 30 can comprise the digital camera (not shown) that adopts complementary metal oxide semiconductors (CMOS) (CMOS, complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) technology.Here, the CMOS chip has the benefit of the use power demand lower than CCD.In addition, cmos sensor can be loaded by the main frame of other task, and above-mentioned task can be converted into the operation of controller, handles such as analog-digital conversion, Load Signal, handles white balance and more video camera control.For example, the CMOS chip is the high resolution sensor with space efficiency ability, and it has Sensor Design to increase density and bit depth and increases the possibility of cost indistinctively.
Can also use digital video camcorder (DV video camera) to catch digital video image, reduce the step of the little processing of video thus.The output of DV video camera has been in compressed format.Therefore, all need is to transmit directly to catch processing from video camera after document image is used for.
Can use analog video camera (non-numeric) to catch the image of playing cards.Such video camera can comprise the videograph video camera.Can use analogue-to-digital converters to simplify the view data that is used to show output here.The equipment of known any suitable video camera or camera type is caught the image of game card in can using in the industry cycle.
Any proper device of view data is caught in known being used in the industry cycle, such as, but be not limited to, can use lens, speculum, optical fiber, Optical Fiber Transmission pipe, optic sensor array, photodiode and/or their any combination to catch photon information, and be forwarded to any selection of camera system, obtain the image of game card thus.
Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram, a system schema of the operation of expression shuffler system 100.According to after shuffling from the instruction of the controller 10 of shuffling, game card is dropped into motion state by extracting cylinder.In case the leading edge of the playing cards that move by sensor 25 perception, is just taken the image of playing cards by image-capture portion part 30.This view data is forwarded to image processor 16.After carrying out, image processor 16 catches each step of processing.Here, view data can be converted, mapping, sharpening and compression.Controller 10 the image data storage in the memory in non-volatile ram memory 14.
Then,, can call the data of having stored, so that show by graphic alphanumeric display 42 by means of from the prompting message that is positioned at the keyboard 44 on the control panel 40.Fig. 3 provides the exemplary diagram of control panel 40, comprises by the operation of keyboard 44 controls and the image that shows on display 42.
The various functions of microprocessor 12 control shuffler system 100 for example, but are not limited to the mode of shuffling; Shuffle and be in batch mode or continuation mode; Card Games or various recreation that preparation is shuffled or distributed, such as the Pai-Gow playing card, or the like.(also have, should be appreciated that type of card game is not construed as limiting the invention).Microprocessor 12 can be controlled the output of playing cards, the continuous playing cards of one bag of the deck that makes each player all be assigned to control oneself to wash, perhaps control oneself the deck washed whenever N opens playing cards, N adds the number of dealer's (if any) for the player on table limit.
Microprocessor 12 carries out work under the instruction of programming software.This software both can be used as firmware stores in the private memory chip, be stored in the solid state nonvolatile storage device, perhaps be stored on the disk, when connecting power supply, described software can be loaded into the addressable RAM of shuffler system 100 from above-mentioned disk.When shuffler system 100 was connected power supply first, described software carried out initialization and removing to display 42.
The operation of the selected order relevant with the key 45 of control panel 40 is described now.Should be appreciated that in the key 45 any one can be included on the shuffler system 100 Anywhere, and be not limited to control panel 40.In operation, when by push, when switching waits and activates any key, switch or button, will be with electric means to signal of controller 20 transmission.Then, slave controller 20 sends predetermined command.Then, via transmitting device, slave controller 20 sends predetermined command to card shuffling machine 100.Thereafter, card shuffling machine 100 will be carried out and described order function associated.
Control panel 40 also can comprise " recreation " key.Should allow the operator to select the type of card game of preparing to play by " recreation " key (as shown in Figure 3).Different Card Games requires different shuffling and/or playing card dealing method.When " recreation " when key is pressed, the title of Card Games just occurs on display 42.The operator can be by repeatedly pushing " recreation " key, and circulation in the difference recreation in being programmed into the memory of microprocessor is till desired recreation is selected.In an alternative embodiment, control panel 40 can comprise the independent key that is used for each different Card Games, perhaps can use traditional inquiry keyboard.
Can be by " player's number " key input player's number (also being shown in Fig. 3), the hand number that instructs microprocessor 12 distributions to expect thus.If have any ad hoc rules or the out of Memory that can change game play, then can use " program " key to make suitable change.
Keyboard 44 can comprise " checking " key.Provide " checking " key to make the operator can verify playing cards number in the desired time should the pair playing cards.Via microprocessor 12, shuffler system 100 keeps following the tracks of the number of the playing cards of having distributed in the sequence of dealing out the cards.After a recreation, when pressing " checking " key, remaining playing cards are ejected out to delivery casing 60 from card shuffling machine 100, and along with they are counted by ejection.This number is added to the number of the playing cards of having distributed, and with checking correct playing cards number (if use secondary playing cards, then being 52 for example) is arranged in these pair playing cards.If the number of playing cards of counting is incorrect, then for example, by phrase on the display 42 and or via the sound of listening of internal loudspeaker (not shown), notify the dealer.
Keyboard 44 can also comprise one or more keys, and such as " recreation " key (as shown in Figure 3), its prompting shuffler system 100 removes to distribute the playing cards of some, and people will understand, and any number all is within the scope of the present invention.
Equally, also have " a calling " key on keyboard 44, its prompting shuffler system 100 is called current Yarborough or the many hands board that is distributed to each game station.Here, the image that is stored in the playing cards in the memory 14 is called, so that show on display unit 42.Except the image of the playing cards that are being shown, also show text message, so that correspondingly specify the playing cards of each game station.
For example, phrase " player 1 " can show with the image of the playing cards that are distributed to that specific player, and so on.As shown in Figure 3, can use " memory " key, call each the hand board that is distributed to previous Card Games.Should can have sub-key by " memory " key, so that between each hand board, each recreation and/or each game station, circulate.Can visit the image of recreation in the past from memory 14, and on display unit 42, show.
Keyboard 44 can also comprise other key, such as " mode of shuffling " key, is used to select the mode of card shuffling machine, that is, and and continuation mode, batch mode, one or more recreation of playing, perhaps specific game mode.It only is exemplary that the function of various keys, switch or the button of here being quoted is attempted, and those skilled in the art can make various modifications and interpolation to them and not leave spiritual essence of the present invention.And various keys can be soft keys, and its function provides definition by the most beneath delegation on the display 14.The function of each soft key can, for example, change along with the type of selected recreation.This allows to carry out multiple function, and the number of required key is minimized.
In a preferred embodiment, shuffler system 100 comprises an indicator, is used to indicate a kind of error status.Preferably, display 42 specified portions flicker is to indicate a kind of error status.Such error status can include, but are not limited to, and card shuffling machine is malfunctioning, wash or in card shuffling machine, occur to stop up such as mistake, electronic unit fault, incorrect deck counting, that is, the playing cards in this pair board too much or very little, or the like.When controller 10 received an error signal, controller 10 just was sent to " makeing mistakes " indicator with a signal, activated display 42 thus and indicated error status to the operator.Preferably, display 42 is any error status via a text message that accompanies near " makeing mistakes " indicator to operator's indication.
In a preferred embodiment, shuffler system 100 comprises a device, is used for when detecting a kind of error status, sends the signal that can listen.For example, when detecting a kind of error status, the loudspeaker (not shown) such as electromagnetism or piezoelectric speaker will send beeping sound or buzzer.Preferably, magnetic speaker is communicated by letter and cooperation with " makeing mistakes " indicator on the display 42.Yet, be noted that " makeing mistakes " indicator can be located in the outside of display 42, and can be included on any part of shell 15.
In another embodiment, can programme, make it on display 42, to come display message with different language (such as French, Spanish, Italian etc.) to controller 10.Can comprise a key, be used for circulating in various choice of language.
Display is preferably taked traditional liquid crystal display (LCD, liquid crystal display) form.Display unit 42 can be colored or achromatic LCD display floater.Display floater 42 also can be in many parts display image and text data so that show the information of a plurality of game stations simultaneously.Yet display screen can have scrolling features, so that be presented at the information of the different screen that can't hold in the independent demonstration.Can point out each follow-up screen with " screen " key, as shown in Figure 3.
To one skilled in the art, owing to being conspicuous in order to adapt to that specific operation requirement and environment make various changes and modifications, so the present invention is not considered to be confined to the example selected for open purpose, and it has been contained those and has not been constituted the real spiritual essence of the present invention and all changes and the modification that deviate from of scope.
Abide by rule, the present invention will be described with the technicality language more or less at structure and method feature.Yet, it will be appreciated that, because here disclosed device comprises in order to carrying out preferred form of the present invention, so the present invention is not limited to the special characteristic that illustrates and describe.Therefore, any form of the present invention or revise all drops on according to the principle of equivalent and to make in the proper range of appended claims of proper interpretation.
After the present invention has been made such explanation, in appending claims subsequently, will statement wish to be subjected to the content of written patent protection.