Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • A63F1/00—Card games
  • A63F1/06—Card games appurtenances
  • A63F1/18—Score computers; Miscellaneous indicators
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • A63F9/00—Games not otherwise provided for
  • A63F9/24—Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for
  • A63F2009/2401—Detail of input, input devices
  • A63F2009/2411—Input form cards, tapes, discs
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • A63F9/00—Games not otherwise provided for
  • A63F9/24—Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for
  • A63F2009/2483—Other characteristics
  • A63F2009/2488—Remotely playable
  • A63F2009/2489—Remotely playable by radio transmitters, e.g. using RFID

Definitions

• the present invention relates to the field of automatic recognition, data storage, hand ranking, and/or statistical analysis of playing card ranks and suits for playing table playing card games. More specifically, an embodiment of the invention relates to games which use playing cards and are played at a casino, card room or other gaming table with live human participants.
• the camera crews record the game as it progresses, including manually recording each card dealt, the amount or amounts of each bet made, and each individual player's action. These recordings are sent to a production studio for post-production processing.
• the production studio generates graphic images representing various aspects of the game, such as the cards held by each player, the amount bet, and the win percentage for each player's hand.
• the present invention is directed to an automated playing card identification system for games using playing cards that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
• the invention addresses the limitations present in the prior art and provides a means of automatically determining the rank and suit of all cards dealt or discarded. This allows accurate calculation of potential win percentages and the generation of virtually instantaneous graphics images and statistical information for use in live television broadcasts.
• An object of the present invention is to provide systems and methods for the automatic recognition of playing cards for casino-type card games. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
• an automatic card-recognition system an electronic card data processor or processors which allow automatic collection, storage and hand ranking of historic and current card and player information, and statistical entry, analysis and retrieval systems.
• embedded radio-frequency identification tags or other wirelessly pollable tags to provide a unique identification serial number for each card in the playing card deck or decks, or computer-generated barcode information printed on the back of each playing card; and a plurality of radio-frequency identification readers, built into the game playing surface, and being controlled to provide automatic identification of playing cards dealt or played, or at least one barcode scanner to provide the same function
• An embodiment of the invention includes both internal and external graphics generator interfaces which allow television broadcasters to immediately display graphics related to the game or hand in progress. Statistical data on cards and player hands, as well as bet amounts, summary totals and individual player actions are available from the system for use as computer printouts, statistical analysis screens on locally-connected personal computers, as television broadcast graphics, or for other such purposes.
• FIG. la and FIG. lb are top views of playing cards containing radio-frequency identification chips, the back of the playing cards having been removed for clarity.
• FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a card identification system embodiment, including a television graphics output, utilizing a single radio-frequency identification reader.
• FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a card identification system embodiment, including a television graphics output, utilizing a plurality of radio-frequency identification readers.
• FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of a playing surface embodiment.
• FIG. la represents laminated playing card 200 incorporating a self-adhesive radio- frequency identification tag consisting of a microchip transceiver 203 and associated antenna 202 mounted on a thin polyvinyl chloride carrier 204.
• the complete assembly incorporates a front substrate that includes the playing card face, the radio-frequency identification tag, and a rear substrate that includes the playing card back, which are bonded together to form a complete playing card assembly.
• the playing card back has been removed for clarity.
• FIG. lb represents an alternative configuration of a laminated playing card assembly, utilizing a self adhesive radio-frequency identification (“RFID”) tag consisting of a microchip transceiver 203 and associated antennas 202, mounted directly on a playing card surface 200.
• RFID radio-frequency identification
• the complete assembly incorporates a front substrate that includes the playing card face, the radio-frequency identification tag and a rear substrate that includes the playing card back, which are bonded together to form a complete playing card assembly.
• the playing card back has been removed for clarity.
• FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a single-sensor automatic playing card identification system, including an optional graphics generator output for television.
• the playing cards used as part of the game include at least one RFLD tag, with each card assigned a unique identifier.
• Each card dealt at card table 100 is passed over antenna 101 during the dealing process, and may also pass over antenna 101 during game play.
• the card transmits its unique identification number.
• the transmitted identification number is received and decoded by radio-frequency identification reader 102.
• the identification number data is transmitted to game processor 103 by means of RS232 or RS485 serial communications link 114.
• alternative communications means such as, but not limited to, a communication means employing BlueToothTM technology, may be substituted therefor without departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention.
• Game processor 103 validates the radio-frequency identification tag data, searches an internal database to determine the rank and suit of the card, and assigns that card to the appropriate player depending on the rules of the game in play. This card and player information can be displayed on one or more system console monitors 106.
• the game processor transmits the hand information for all players, plus information on any dead or discarded cards, to Win Percentage processor 104. Such transmission may occur via Ethernet link 115 or other wired or wireless communication means.
• Win Percentage processor 104 performs an analysis of every possible hand for each player based on the cards remaining in the deck and returns an estimate of the percentage of hands that could be won using the cards currently held by each player. This information is relayed to game processor 103 and can also be made available on system console monitor 106. The win percentage information is also available to graphics generator 105 for output to a television truck or other transmission source.
• graphics generator 105 provides serial-digital (RS601) outputs for video fill 108 and video key 109 signals required for insertion of the image over standard television pictures, high definition television pictures, or other broadcast data streams.
• the signals can be synchronized to reference signal 110 generated by the television truck or other transmission source.
• An embodiment of the system supports manual entry of wager amounts and player actions through system console terminal 106 or through Manual Bet Recorder station 111. This allows the inputting of card information when such data is unavailable through the automatic system and provides a manual backup for the automatic playing card recognition system. Information entered through system console terminal 106 or Manual Bet Recorder station 111 is stored in Game Processor 103 for use in statistical analysis of the game, tournament, or event, and for the generation of appropriate graphics for the television broadcast.
• An embodiment of the system also provides for a plurality of Statistics Monitoring workstations 113. These workstations can be connected to game processor 103 via Ethernet link 115 or an alternative wired or wireless communication means. By way of example, without intending to limit the present invention, such connectivity allows users to monitor and analyze various aspects of the game, including the current hand, wager amounts, win percentages, player actions, and game results.
• the proposed system can also incorporate a plurality of printers 107, interfaced to game processor 103 via Ethernet link 115 or other wireless or wired communication means, or directly connected to game processor 103 or any of the Statistics Monitor workstations 113. This allows the system to provide hard-copy output of each hand played and other associated statistics.
• FIG. 3 is a block schematic diagram of a multi-sensor automatic playing card identification system, including an optional graphics generator output for television.
• an individual antenna 101 is located at each player position, with an additional antenna and reader located at both the discard area and "community card” area on the playing surface, depending on the type of game being played.
• Each antenna has an associated radio- frequency identification reader 102. All readers can be connected through an RS485 communications link 117 or other wired or wireless communication means to Data Concentrator 116, which can transmit all received radio-frequency tag data to game processor 103 via Ethernet connection 115 or other wired or wireless communication means.
• Game processor 103 validates the radio-frequency identification tag data, searches a database to determine the rank and suit of the card just dealt, and assigns that card to the appropriate player, depending on the rules of the game in play. This card and player information can be displayed on system console monitor 106. When the required minimum number of cards have been dealt (depending on the rules of the game in play and the number of players), game processor 103 transmits the hand information for all players, plus information on any dead or discarded cards, to Win Percentage processor 104 via Ethernet link 115 or an alternative wired or wireless communication means. Win Percentage processor 104 performs an analysis of every possible hand for each player based on the cards available in the deck and returns an estimate of the percentage of hands that could be won using the cards currently held by each player.
• graphics generator 105 provides serial-digital (RS601) outputs for video fill 108 and video key 109 signals required for insertion of the generated images over standard television pictures, high definition television pictures, or other broadcast data streams. These signals can be synchronized to reference signal 110 generated by a television truck or other broadcast source.
• RS601 serial-digital
• Manual entry of wager amounts and player actions is supported through the system console terminal 106 or through Manual Bet Recorder station 111.
• Information entered through system console terminal 106 or Manual Bet Recorder station 111 is stored in game processor 103 for use in statistical analysis of the game, tournament, or event, and for the generation of appropriate graphics for the television broadcast.
• manual card data entry may also be accomplished through system console terminal 106, or through Manual Data Entry station 112. This allows the inputting of card information when such data is unavailable through the automatic system and provides a manual backup for the automatic playing card recognition system.
• the illustrated embodiment provides a plurality of Statistics Monitor workstations 113 which are connected to game processor 103 via Ethernet link 115 or other wired or wireless communication means. These workstations allow monitoring and statistical analysis of various aspects of the game, including the current hand, wager amounts, win percentages, player actions, and game results.
• the illustrated embodiment also incorporates an optional plurality of system printers 107, interfaced to game processor 103 via Ethernet link 115 or other wireless or wired communication means, or directly connected to either game processor 103 or any of the Statistics Monitor workstations 113. This allows the system to provide hard-copy output of each hand played and other associated statistics.
• Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a typical playing surface.
• a groove 301 of suitable size and shape is machined into plywood playing surface 300 and a loop-wire antenna 101 is inserted into the groove.
• the antenna connector (not shown) is routed through a hole in the playing surface, and is mechanically and electrically connected to Radio-frequency Identification reader 102 using a suitable shielded cable. After assembly, the entire playing surface is covered with the standard felt material 303 normally used on playing card gaming surfaces.
• Radio-frequency Identification Reader 102 may be mounted directly to the bottom of the playing surface (as shown), or may alternately be located within a protective housing within the playing table structure or framework.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Multimedia (AREA)
• Management, Administration, Business Operations System, And Electronic Commerce (AREA)
• Studio Circuits (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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ID=35510281

Family Applications (1)

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• 2005
  • 2005-06-15 AU AU2005254570A patent/AU2005254570A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2005-06-15 JP JP2007516700A patent/JP2008502432A/ja active Pending
  • 2005-06-15 WO PCT/US2005/021204 patent/WO2005123203A2/en active Application Filing
  • 2005-06-15 US US11/152,776 patent/US20060001211A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2005-06-15 EP EP05761823A patent/EP1778374A2/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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