NL192893C - Casino table game. - Google Patents

Description

1 192893

Casino table game

The invention relates to a casino table game comprising a gaming table with a number of player seats and a dealer location. Such a casino table game is known from US Patent 4,531,187. The system described therein is provided with electronic means for monitoring the game.

The object of the invention is to provide a casino table game that has been extended with the possibility of adding a progressive jackpot part to it. In order to achieve this, the casino table game is characterized by a) means for accepting a partial coin added to each player's place, with which one can participate in a jactpot part of the game, 10 b) means for displaying the amount in the jackpot on a jackpot meter, c) means for increasing the amount displayed on the jackpot meter by a predetermined amount for each bet bet, and d) means for decreasing the amount displayed on the jackpot meter by a player won amount.

It has become common practice in playhouses to make a progressive jackpot part available in electronic or mechanical gaming devices, such as coin-operated, video poker or keno machines. Usually a number or "group" of machines is electronically connected to a common progressive jackpot meter. When playing coins are thrown into each machine, the amount displayed on the jackpot meter increases incrementally, until a player with luck forms the winning combination, such as three or four sevens on the same row of a coin machine.In video poker, a generous flush usually wins the jackpot, although some variations require a player to reach a royal flush in a certain order, such as AKQJ-10 from left to right or in a given color, such as spades.

In video token, a player usually has to match 15 out of 15 digits to win the progressive jackpot.

According to the invention, a progressive jackpot meter is electronically connected to one or more 25 gaming tables, so that any player in his playground can participate in the progressive jackpot part by betting a play coin, which automatically activates an indicator, which indicates the participation of the player and automatically increment the progressive jackpot meter.

This advantageously achieves that it is easy for any player to participate in the progressive jackpot part of the game.

The described device can be used anywhere in order to add a progressive jackpot part to a conventional casino or card room game.

For example, while playing a twenty one game, a player has the option of making an additional bet in addition to his normal bet, which will become part of the progressive jackpot and entitle the player to win it. If the cards of a twenty one entrant comprise a certain, predetermined set of cards, the player will win all or part of the amount shown on the progressive jackpot meter. It is also possible to play at any other casino or card room game with such a progressive jackpot, for example in Draw poker, Stud poker, Lo-Ball poker or Caribbean Stud poker.

The device includes a gaming table as used, for example, for twenty one or poker, 40 to which is added a coin acceptor electronically connected to a progressive jackpot meter. When a player throws a coin into the coin acceptor, a lamp is activated at the player's place, indicating that he is participating in the progressive jackpot portion of the game during this hand. Also, a signal from the coin acceptor is sent to the progressive meter to increase the amount displayed on the progressive meter 45. After completing the running game, the coin acceptor for the next hand is reset. When a player wins all or part of the progressive jackpot, the displayed amount is reduced by the amount won by the player. Any number of gaming tables can be connected to a single progressive jackpot meter.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing, in which an embodiment of the device according to the invention is shown.

Figure 1 shows a casino gaming table with coin acceptors at each playground electronically connected to a progressive jackpot meter.

Figure 2 shows an alternative embodiment using a card room gaming table with 55 coin acceptors at each playground electronically connected to a progressive jackpot meter.

Figure 3 shows the operation of the device in a block diagram.

192893 2

Figure 4 is a schematic of the electronic circuitry of the device.

According to Figure 1, a casino gaming table 10 is provided with a number of playgrounds 12 for players participating in the game played at this table, for example twenty one. A dealer is located at 5 dealer location 14 near a chip rack 16. At each player location 12 there is a coin acceptor 20. Each coin acceptor 20 is electronically connected to a main control card 40, to which a number of counters 42 corresponding to the number playgrounds 12 of the odometer type gaming table 10 is connected. As shown in Figure 1, preferably seven playgrounds 12 are provided, although this number may be larger or smaller. A reset switch 50 is located adjacent to the giver location 14 and is electronically connected to the main control card 40 and provides a means by which the giver can reset the coin acceptors 20 before each hand is started. In addition, next to the giver location 14, an exclusion switch 55 is provided, which is operated by the giver to prevent subsequent insertion, as will be explained in more detail below.

The main control card 40 is connected to a progressive jackpot control block 60, which receives 15 signals from each coin acceptor 20 and increments the progressive jackpot meter 70 in response to these signals. Furthermore, a jackpot reset controller 80 is connected to the control block 60, with which the amount can be reset on the progressive jackpot meter when a player wins all or part of the amount displayed on the progressive jackpot meter 70.

20 The device operates as follows. At the gaming table 10, a usual twenty one game is played. At the beginning of each hand, in addition to the usual stake for playing this hand, each player can make an additional stake, which entitles them to participate in the progressive jackpot portion of the game during this hand. To this end, the player places a play coin in the coin acceptor 20, which belongs to his playground 12. As will be explained below, the coin acceptor 20 recognizes that a play coin has been thrown in and an indicator signal 22, preferably a light, is activated next to the coin acceptor 20, indicating that the player in question is participating in the progressive jackpot -part of the game, while playing that hand.

In addition to activating the indicator signal 22, the coin acceptor 20 also sends an electronic signal to the main control card 40. This signal is passed from the control card 40 to the counter 42 associated with the particular playground to maintain a sequential count. of the number of play coins put into the respective coin acceptor 20.

The main control card 40 also activates the control block 60, which in turn controls the progressive jackpot meter 70. Each play coin, which is inserted into a coin acceptor 20, has the effect of increasing the displayed amount by a predetermined amount. For example, if each play coin has a value of one dollar, the amount displayed on the progressive jackpot meter can be increased by any amount up to one dollar for each play coin placed in a coin acceptor 20. Preferably, the progressive jackpot is increased by 93% to 97% of the amount of each bet bet, with the remainder being the portion of the bet amount for the house to provide the progressive jackpot portion of the game.

When each player has had reasonable opportunity to make a bet on the progressive jackpot, the dealer actuates the lockout switch 55 which overrides each coin acceptor 20. If coins are put into a coin acceptor 20 after actuation of the lockout switch 55, they are not recorded. This prevents late betting after the cards have been dealt.

The amount displayed on the progressive jackpot meter will continue to increase with every 45 bets bet, until a player receives a winning hand. Pre-selected winning hands will earn a player all or part of the amount shown on the progressive jackpot meter. For example, the pre-selected winning hands and the payouts in the twenty one game are as follows: 50 winning hand amount of jackpot four 5's and an ace 100% ace, two, three, four five and six 4% 55 six, seven and eight of the same color 100 coins 3 192893 winning hand amount of jackpot 5 ~ ~ three 7's 50 coins

When a player reaches a winning hand, the jackpot reset controller 80 is activated manually by pressing a button corresponding to the type of hand the player has obtained. The amount won by the player is then electronically subtracted from the amount displayed on the progressive jackpot meter.

When a particular hand is completed at the gaming table 101, the dealer depresses the reset switch 50, which turns off the indicator signal 22. Furthermore, the lockout switch 55 is also manually turned off by the encoder. Hereby, the coin acceptor 20 is made ready to receive a play coin for the next hand.

The progressive jackpot part can also be applied to other types of casino games, for example Caribbean Stud poker. Caribbean Stud poker is a variation of the usual 5-card Stud poker. Each player makes a bet and a dealer deals five cards to each player and to himself. The players' cards are dealt face down and four of the dealer's cards are dealt face down and one face up. Each player looks at his hand and then decides whether to continue playing by making or stopping an extra bet, in which case he loses his bet. The giver then shows his entire hand; if the hand of the dealer does not have a poker value of at least Ace-King, the dealer may not continue playing. In that case, the dealer pays an equal amount to the remaining bets of the players and returns their bet. When the hand of the dealer has a poker value of Ace-King or better 25, the dealer compares his hand to each player's hand and pays them or collects the bet depending on the result. The dealer pays even more than the amount wagered on each winning hand of a player of two pairs or better on a bonus payment schedule. This game can be played using the gaming table shown in Figure 1. Each player makes a progressive jackpot bet by putting a play coin into the coin acceptor 20, entitling the player to participate in the progressive jackpot amount, displayed on the meter 70. The winning hands and amounts for Caribbean Stud poker are preferably as follows:

Hand Amount 35 Royal flush 100%

Straight Flush 10%

Four of a Kind 1%

Full House 50 coins

Flush 25 coins 40 -

Other hand combinations or payouts can also be used.

Furthermore, the device can be adapted to other casino or card room poker games, such as Stud poker, Draw poker or Lo-Ball poker. The gaming table 100 used for each of these games has been modified 45 in the manner shown in Figure 2 by adding coin acceptors 120 and indicator signals 122 at each player location 112. The electronics correspond to those of Figure 1 and include a main control board 140, an odometer type counter 142, a progressive jackpot control block 160, a progressive jackpot meter 170, and a jackpot reset control 180. A reset switch 150 and a release switch 155 are disposed near the donor location 114 adjacent to the 50 chip rack. 116.

The progressive jackpot meter 170 is incremented in the same manner as described with reference to Figure 1 when a player rolls a play coin into the coin acceptor 120.

The winning hands and payouts are pre-selected according to the type of game being played. Preferably, the winning hands and payouts are as follows: 192893 4 I. Draw Poker with five cards

Hand Amount 5 Royal flush 100%

Straight Flush 1 o%

Four of a Kind 100 coins

Full House 25 coins 10 II. Stud Poker with five cards

Hand Amount 15 Royal flush 100%

Straight Flush 10%

Four of a Kind 100 coins

Full House 25 coins 20 III. Stud Poker with seven cards

Hand Amount 25 Royal flush 100%

Straight Flush 10%

Four of a Kind 100 coins

Full House 25 coins 30 IV. Lo-Ball Poker

Hand Amount 35 5-4-3-2 Ace 100% 6-4-3-2 Ace 5% 6- 5-3-2 Ace 100 Coins 7-4-3-2 Ace 25 Coins 40

These winning hands and payouts are just examples. Any other appropriate combination of winning hands and payouts may also be used.

According to an alternative embodiment, the progressive jackpot part of the game can be used as a consolation payout for a player, who otherwise loses in regular play. For example, suppose 45 that the regular game being played is five-card Stud poker. Players A and B are both entitled to the progressive jackpot amount as they each put a playing coin into the coin acceptor before playing the hand. Player A has a hand with Four of a Kind. Player B has a Full House. Since player A's hand is higher according to the usual poker rankings, player A wins the pot bet for the game. As a consolation, however, player B receives a payout from the progressive 50 jackpot for his Full House, for example 25 coins. Player A does not receive a payout from the progressive jackpot because he has already won the regular poker game pot. According to this embodiment, a player will only receive a payout from the progressive jackpot if the player has a predetermined hand and loses from a higher hand in the game being played.

In another embodiment, two players can split into the progressive jackpot amount, with the 55 player with the pre-selected hand receiving a percentage of the progressive jackpot amount and the player with the higher poker hand receiving the remainder of the amount. In the above case, player B would receive 80% of the amount for a Full House and player A would receive 20% of the amount for Full House 5 192893.

Figure 3 shows the operation of the device in a bio-scheme. Each playground includes a coin acceptor 210 into which a player puts a play coin to participate in the progressive jackpot. When all players have had ample opportunity to decide if they wish to participate in the jackpot for this hand, the dealer operates the lockout switch 220, preventing late betting. Each play coin, which is inserted into a coin acceptor 210, powers the progressive output controller 230, which in turn operates three separate devices. An integrated circuit timer is energized, causing an indicator light 250 to illuminate at the player's coin acceptor. This visually indicates to the dealer that that player 10 is participating in the progressive jackpot while playing this hand.

The signal from the progressive jackpot controller 230 further operates an odometer type counter 255, which is incremented by one unit for each play coin deployed through the coin acceptor. This allows the playhouse to accurately keep track of how many times the progressive jackpot is wagered.

The third signal from the progressive jackpot controller 230 goes directly to the progressive jackpot meter 270. This meter 270 shows the total amount that can be won by a player who receives one of the pre-selected winning hands. The amount on the progressive jackpot meter 270 automatically increases by a predetermined value for each playing coin placed in a coin acceptor. The progressive jackpot meter 270 is programmed to increase by a certain percentage of the amount put into the coin acceptor 210. Preferably, the meter will increase by 93% to 97% of the amount put into the coin acceptor 210.

Then the dealer gives the cards to each player and according to block 280 the hand is played. If a player has a pre-selected winning hand, the player is paid the amount corresponding to the type of winning hand the player has. The jackpot reset controller 290 is operated by hand, automatically subtracting the amount paid from the amount displayed on the progressive jackpot meter 270.

After the winning players have been paid out, the dealer actuates the reset switch 295, which disables both the timer 240 and the indicator light 250, and further deactivates the disable switch 297, releasing the coin acceptor 210 for the next hand. will be given.

Figure 4 shows a schematic of the electronic circuitry of the device. The coin acceptor circuit 300 is operated when a play coin is thrown into the slot on the gaming table where the coin acceptor is mounted. The play coin passes between an ultraviolet transmitter DS1 and an optical receiver Q1 (transistor model #MRD 300). As a result, a collector impulse of 35 Q1 is supplied to the base of a receiver Q2. Q2 is a transistor # 2N3906 and operates as an emitter follower and supplies an impulse received by the integrated circuit 322, 324 of the main control board 320. The integrated circuit 322, 324 is a timer # LM-556. The pulse of Q2 is received at pin 325 of the bottom part 324 of the integrated circuit and this pulse causes pin 326 of the part 324 to go high and turn on a diode DS2 (a diode model 40 P367). This diode DS2 forms the indicator light 22 of Figure 1 and this indicator light 22 remains on until the hand play is finished.

The pulse of Q2 is also received at pin 323 of the top part 322 of the integrated circuit and this pulse results in a pulse at pin 327 of the part 322 causing a transistor Q3 (transistor type # T1P120) to conduct during the duration of the pulse on pin 327. Turning transistor Q3 on and off causes the odometer-type counter 42 of Figure 1 to increment by one unit. The odometer type counter 330 is a non-resettable six digit electronic counter with a 12V power supply, WICO model # 31-443400.

The pulse generated on pin 327 also goes to the optical isolator 340 (which consists of an opto-isolator type # H11A16E). The insulator 340 passes this pulse to the base of transistor Q4 50 (transistor type # 2N3906), making transistor Q4 conductive during the duration of the pulse.

When the transistor Q4 becomes conductive, the pulse is passed to the progressive jackpot display meter 350, increasing the displayed amount on the meter 350 by a predetermined percentage of the value of the game coin thrown into the coin acceptor 300. Meter 350 may consist of a Game Technology Model with 7.5 cm LED symbols on a single display 55 cm length of 110 cm.

After all bets have been made, the dealer manually depresses a lockout switch 360, which keeps the output of transistor Q2 at a low level, preventing late bets from being made

Claims (4)

192893 6 the coin acceptor 300. Once the output of the transistor Q2 is fixed at a low level, a play coin plugged into the coin acceptor 300 will not cause an impulse in the circuit. Then, the game is played and when the game is completed, the giver manually presses the reset switch 370, generating a reset pulse, which is delivered to pin 328, resetting the lower portion 324 of the integrated circuit. This reset causes the pin 326 to go low, extinguishing the diode DS2 and thereby the indicator light 22 on the gaming table. The giver also presses the lockout switch 360, which opens the circuit and releases the emitter 10 of the transistor Q2, allowing the next hand to be played. The players begin to play the next hand by throwing play coins into the coin acceptor 300 and the process is repeated. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the circuit is made entirely with different resistors on capacitors. The resistors and capacitors 15 used in the circuit of Figure 4 are the following: Resistors Capacitors R 1 - 68 Ω 0.1 F / 35V 20 R 2 - 3 ΚΩ R 3 - 1 ΚΩ 0.01 F / 35V R 4-200Ω R 5 - 4.7 ΚΩ 0.1 F / 35V R 6- 10 ΚΩ 25 R 7 - 1 ΜΩ 0.1 F / 35V R 8 - 240 Ω R 9 - 1 ΚΩ R10-4.7 ΚΩ R11 - 240 Ω 30 R12 - 1 ΚΩ 35 Casino table game comprising a gaming table with a number of player seats and a dealer, characterized by: a. Means for accepting a share coin added to each player seat, with which one can participate in a jackpot part of the game, 40 b. means for displaying the amount in the jackpot on a jackpot meter, c. means for increasing the amount displayed on the jackpot meter by a predetermined amount for each bet played, and d. means for decreasing the amount displayed on the jackpot meter by the amount won by a player. Device according to claim 1, characterized by an indicator signal member at each player location for indicating that a play coin has been deployed. Device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized by an exclusion switch at the donor location for preventing late insertion. Device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized by a reset switch at the dispenser location for resetting the device at the end of a played hand. Hereby 3 sheets drawing