NZ744708B2 - Table game system - Google Patents
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- NZ744708B2 NZ744708B2 NZ744708A NZ74470814A NZ744708B2 NZ 744708 B2 NZ744708 B2 NZ 744708B2 NZ 744708 A NZ744708 A NZ 744708A NZ 74470814 A NZ74470814 A NZ 74470814A NZ 744708 B2 NZ744708 B2 NZ 744708B2
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- 238000005259 measurement Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 49
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- 230000000875 corresponding Effects 0.000 claims description 11
- 230000002123 temporal effect Effects 0.000 claims description 4
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a table game system for improving the efficiency of managing card games at entertainment facilities such as casinos. The table game system comprising: shuffle playing cards that are playing cards formed of a multiple number of decks and shuffled and packaged or set; a card shoe; a management control section that measures, based on points of time when specific items in a card game occur, a period between points of time when at least two of the specific items occur; and a package exchange detecting section that detects start and end of in-shoe package exchange operation of exchanging the playing cards accommodated in the card accommodating section. An item of the measurement of the period between the points of time when the at least two specific items occur includes measurement of a period for which shuffle playing cards on a package basis or a set basis are used, the period starting at: a point of time when a signal representing the end of the in-shoe package exchange operation is received from the package exchange detecting section; or a point of time when the card shoe is powered on, and the period ending at: a point of time when a signal representing the start of the in-shoe package exchange operation is received from the package exchange detecting section; or a point of time when the card shoe is powered off. The card shoe includes: a card accommodating section; an opening; a card sensor; a card reading section; a win/loss evaluating section; a win/loss evaluation result output section; and a result output start control section. The management-control section is configured to be capable of receiving, from the card sensor, a signal representing that a card has been drawn and sensed and further measuring how many cards have been drawn in each game, and capable of receiving a signal from the result output start control section and memorizing time when the win/loss evaluation result output starts. a card shoe; a management control section that measures, based on points of time when specific items in a card game occur, a period between points of time when at least two of the specific items occur; and a package exchange detecting section that detects start and end of in-shoe package exchange operation of exchanging the playing cards accommodated in the card accommodating section. An item of the measurement of the period between the points of time when the at least two specific items occur includes measurement of a period for which shuffle playing cards on a package basis or a set basis are used, the period starting at: a point of time when a signal representing the end of the in-shoe package exchange operation is received from the package exchange detecting section; or a point of time when the card shoe is powered on, and the period ending at: a point of time when a signal representing the start of the in-shoe package exchange operation is received from the package exchange detecting section; or a point of time when the card shoe is powered off. The card shoe includes: a card accommodating section; an opening; a card sensor; a card reading section; a win/loss evaluating section; a win/loss evaluation result output section; and a result output start control section. The management-control section is configured to be capable of receiving, from the card sensor, a signal representing that a card has been drawn and sensed and further measuring how many cards have been drawn in each game, and capable of receiving a signal from the result output start control section and memorizing time when the win/loss evaluation result output starts.
Description
Description
[Title of Invention] TABLE GAME SYSTEM
[Technical Field]
The present invention relates to a system that
allows grasp of progress of a card game, particularly,
baccarat, and particularly to a table game system having
the function of analyzing a variety of periods on a
single game basis or over a plurality of games.
[Background Art]
Baccarat is a table game played in a casino and
other places. In baccarat, in which a standard deck
formed of 52 playing cards is typically used, a plurality
of decks (6 to 9 or 10 decks) of playing cards are
randomly shuffled in advance and accommodated in a card
shoe, the playing cards are drawn one by one from the
card shoe onto a table, and the game progresses on the
basis of the rank (number) of the drawn card. Two or
three of the cards are dealt to each of the player and
the banker on the basis the rules of baccarat, and the
player or the banker who has the sum of the ranks
(numbers) of the dealt cards that is closer to 9 wins. A
bet is placed on whether the player wins, the banker wins,
or they tie. Handling bet placement, drawing cards from
the card shoe, and bet settlement after win/loss is
determined (payment to winning punter (player) and
collection of bets from losing punter (player) are done,
for example), by a dealer who is responsible for the game
table.
For example, in each game table, how many games can
be played per day greatly affects the profit of the day
earned by the casino. It is therefore required to
develop a technology for measuring how many games per
unit period are played on a table basis or a dealer basis
or how long it takes to play one game on a detailed step
basis in each game. A technology for measuring periods
in a table game, such as baccarat, is disclosed, for
example, in (Patent Literature 1).
Patent Literature 1 describes that the table game
system senses that a cut-card is drawn from a card shoe
in a table game, stops using the cards accommodated in
the card shoe, and times the timing at which the current
cards are exchanged by a new set or package of cards.
The table game system, however, cannot measure details of
the dealer's ability of handling progress of a game.
[Citation List]
[Patent Literature]
Patent Literature 1: International Publication No. WO
2014/064872
[Summary of Invention]
[Technical Problem]
The present invention has been made under the
background described above and provides a system that
uses a card shoe used in a table game to measure, as
periods in the course of a game handled by a dealer,
particularly, a game play period from the time when a
card is drawn from a card accommodating section to the
time when a result of the game is displayed, and periods
other than the play period including periods spent for
bet placement and bet settlement.
Further, in addition to the measurement of the
detailed periods in a single game, measurement of the
detailed periods over a plurality of games allows grasp
of the sum and average of the detailed periods and
dispersion and progress tendencies thereof, whereby
countermeasures can be examined.
Another object of the present invention is to
provide a system that measures a period required to stop
using cards accommodated in the card shoe and replace the
cards with a new set or package of cards.
[Solution to Problem]
To solve the problem of related art described above,
the present invention provides
a table game system comprising:
shuffle playing cards that are playing cards formed
of a multiple number of decks and shuffled and packaged
or set;
a card shoe including
a card accommodating section that accommodates the
shuffle playing cards, and
an opening through which the cards are drawn one
by one from the card accommodating section onto a game
table; and
a management control section that measures, based on
points of time when specific items in a card game occur,
a period between points of time when at least two of the
specific items occur,
wherein the card shoe includes
a card sensor that senses that one of the cards is
drawn and outputs a signal,
a card reading section that reads at least a rank of
the drawn card,
a win/loss evaluating section that performs win/loss
evaluation of the card game based on information on the
rank of the card read by the card reading section,
a win/loss evaluation result output section that
outputs a result of the win/loss evaluation performed by
the win/loss evaluating section, and
a result output start control section that controls
start of the win/loss evaluation result output performed
by the win/loss evaluation result output section for an
instruction to start of the output,
the management control section is configured to be
capable of receiving, from the card sensor, a signal
representing that a card has been drawn and sensed and
further measuring how many cards have been drawn in each
game, and
capable of receiving a signal from the result output
start control section and memorizing time when the
win/loss evaluation result output starts, and
as an item of the measurement of the period between
the points of time when the at least two specific items
occur, a period from time when a first card is drawn to
time when the win/loss evaluation result output starts is
measured as a play period.
To solve the problem of related art described above,
the present invention provides
a table game system comprising:
shuffle playing cards that are playing cards formed
of a multiple number of decks and shuffled and packaged
or set;
a card shoe including
a card accommodating section that accommodates the
shuffle playing cards, and
an opening through which the cards are drawn one
by one from the card accommodating section onto a game
table; and
a management control section that measures, based on
points of time when specific items in a card game occur,
a period between points of time when at least two of the
specific items occur,
wherein the card shoe includes
a card sensor that senses that one of the cards is
drawn and outputs a signal,
a card reading section that reads at least a rank of
the drawn card,
a win/loss evaluating section that performs win/loss
evaluation of the card game based on information on the
rank of the card read by the card reading section,
a win/loss evaluation result output section that
outputs a result of the win/loss evaluation performed by
the win/loss evaluating section, and
a result output start control section that controls
start of the win/loss evaluation result output performed
by the win/loss evaluation result output section for an
instruction to start of the output,
the management control section is configured to be
capable of receiving, from the card sensor, a signal
representing that a card has been drawn and sensed and
further measuring how many cards have been drawn in each
game, and
capable of receiving a signal from the result output
start control section and memorizing time when the
win/loss evaluation result output starts,
the table game system further comprises a package
exchange detecting section that detects start and end of
in-shoe package exchange operation of exchanging the
playing cards accommodated in the card accommodating
section, and
an item of the measurement of the period between the
points of time when the at least two specific items occur
includes
measurement of a period for which shuffle playing
cards on a package basis or a set basis are used
the period starting at a point of time when a signal
representing the end of the in-shoe package exchange
operation is received from the package exchange detecting
section or a point of time when the card shoe is powered
on, and
the period ending at a point of time when a signal
representing the start of the in-shoe package exchange
operation is received from the package exchange detecting
section or a point of time when the card shoe is powered
off, and
measurement of an in-shoe package exchange period
with the in-shoe package exchange operation starting
at the point of time when the signal representing the
start of the in-shoe package exchange operation is
received from the package exchange detecting section or
the point of time when the card shoe is powered off, and
the in-shoe package exchange operation ending at the
point of time when the signal representing the end of the
in-shoe package exchange operation is received from the
package exchange detecting section or the point of time
when the card shoe is powered on.
To solve the problem of related art described above,
the present invention provides
a table game system comprising:
shuffle playing cards that are playing cards formed
of a multiple number of decks and shuffled and packaged
or set;
a card shoe including
a card accommodating section that accommodates the
shuffle playing cards, and
an opening through which the cards are drawn one
by one from the card accommodating section onto a game
table; and
a management control section that measures, based on
points of time when specific items in a card game occur,
a period between points of time when at least two of the
specific items occur,
wherein the card shoe includes
a card sensor that senses that one of the cards is
drawn and outputs a signal,
a card reading section that reads at least a rank of
the drawn card,
a win/loss evaluating section that performs win/loss
evaluation of the card game based on information on the
rank of the card read by the card reading section,
a win/loss evaluation result output section that
outputs a result of the win/loss evaluation performed by
the win/loss evaluating section, and
a result output start control section that controls
start of the win/loss evaluation result output performed
by the win/loss evaluation result output section for an
instruction to start of the output,
the management control section is configured to be
capable of receiving, from the card sensor, a signal
representing that a card has been drawn and sensed and
further measuring how many cards have been drawn in each
game, and
capable of receiving a signal from the result output
start control section and memorizing time when the
win/loss evaluation result output starts,
the table game system further comprises a package
exchange detecting section that detects start and end of
in-shoe package exchange operation of exchanging the
playing cards accommodated in the card accommodating
section, and
an item of the measurement of the period between the
points of time when the at least two specific items occur
includes
measurement of a period for which shuffle playing
cards on a package basis or a set basis are used,
the period starting at a point of time when a signal
representing the end of the in-shoe package exchange
operation is received from the package exchange detecting
section or a point of time when the card shoe is powered
on, and
the period ending at a point of time when a signal
representing the start of the in-shoe package exchange
operation is received from the package exchange detecting
section or a point of time when the card shoe is powered
off.
To solve the problem of related art described above,
the present invention provides
a table game system comprising:
shuffle playing cards that are playing cards formed
of a multiple number of decks and shuffled and packaged
or set;
a card shoe including
a card accommodating section that accommodates the
shuffle playing cards, and
an opening through which the cards are drawn one
by one from the card accommodating section onto a game
table; and
a management control section that measures, based on
points of time when specific items in a card game occur,
a period between points of time when at least two of the
specific items occur,
wherein the card shoe includes
a card sensor that senses that one of the cards is
drawn and outputs a signal,
a card reading section that reads at least a rank of
the drawn card,
a win/loss evaluating section that performs win/loss
evaluation of the card game based on information on the
rank of the card read by the card reading section,
a win/loss evaluation result output section that
outputs a result of the win/loss evaluation performed by
the win/loss evaluating section, and
a result output stop control section that controls
stop of the win/loss evaluation result output performed
by the win/loss evaluation result output section for an
instruction to stop of the output,
the management control section is configured to be
capable of receiving a signal from the result output stop
control section and memorizing time when the win/loss
evaluation result output stops,
the table game system further comprises a package
exchange detecting section that detects start and end of
in-shoe package exchange operation of exchanging the
playing cards accommodated in the card accommodating
section, and
an item of the measurement of the period between the
points of time when the at least two specific items occur
includes
measurement of a period for which shuffle playing
cards on a package basis or a set basis are used,
the period starting at a point of time when a signal
representing the end of the in-shoe package exchange
operation is received from the package exchange detecting
section or a point of time when the card shoe is powered
on, and
the period ending at a point of time when a signal
representing the start of the in-shoe package exchange
operation is received from the package exchange detecting
section or a point of time when the card shoe is powered
off,
measurement of an in-shoe package exchange period,
the period starting at the point of time when the
signal representing the start of the in-shoe package
exchange operation is received from the package exchange
detecting section or the point of time when the card shoe
is powered off, and
the period ending at the point of time when the
signal representing the end of the in-shoe package
exchange operation is received from the package exchange
detecting section or the point of time when the card shoe
is powered on,
measurement of a game period that starts at a point
of time when the win/loss evaluation result output in a
preceding game stops and ends at a point of time when the
win/loss evaluation result output in a current game stops,
calculation of a sum, an average, or dispersion of
the game periods in a plurality of games in the period
for which the shuffle playing cards on a package basis or
a set basis are used.
To solve the problem of related art described above,
the present invention provides
a card shoe comprising:
a card accommodating section that accommodates
shuffle playing cards that are playing cards formed of a
multiple number of decks and shuffled and packaged or
set; and
an opening through which the cards are drawn one by
one from the card accommodating section onto a game table,
wherein the card shoe further includes
a management control section that measures, based on
points of time when specific items in a card game occur,
a period between points of time when at least two of the
specific items occur,
a card sensor that senses that one of the cards is
drawn and outputs a signal,
a card reading section that reads at least a rank of
the drawn card,
a win/loss evaluating section that performs win/loss
evaluation of the card game based on information on the
rank of the card read by the card reading section,
a win/loss evaluation result output section that
outputs a result of the win/loss evaluation performed by
the win/loss evaluating section, and
a result output stop control section that controls
stop of the win/loss evaluation result output performed
by the win/loss evaluation result output section for an
instruction to stop of the output,
the management control section is configured to be
capable of receiving a signal from the result output stop
control section and memorizing time when the win/loss
evaluation result output stops,
the card shoe further includes a package exchange
detecting section that detects start and end of in-shoe
package exchange operation of exchanging the playing
cards accommodated in the card accommodating section, and
an item of the measurement of the period between the
points of time when the at least two specific items occur
includes
measurement of a period for which shuffle playing
cards on a package basis or a set basis are used,
the period starting at a point of time when a signal
representing the end of the in-shoe package exchange
operation is received from the package exchange detecting
section or a point of time when the card shoe is powered
on, and
the period ending at a point of time when a signal
representing the start of the in-shoe package exchange
operation is received from the package exchange detecting
section or a point of time when the card shoe is powered
off, and
measurement of an in-shoe package exchange period,
the period starting at the point of time when the
signal representing the start of the in-shoe package
exchange operation is received from the package exchange
detecting section or the point of time when the card shoe
is powered off, and
the period ending at the point of time when the
signal representing the end of the in-shoe package
exchange operation is received from the package exchange
detecting section or the point of time when the card shoe
is powered on.
[Advantageous Effects of Invention]
According to the table game system of the present
invention, the card shoe used in a table game can be used
to perform detailed analysis of a period particularly
from the time when a card is drawn from a card
accommodating section to the time when a result of the
game is displayed, as periods associated with the
progress of the game handled by a dealer, and grasp of
the sum and average of the periods and dispersion and
progress tendencies thereof, whereby countermeasures can
be examined.
[Brief Description of Drawings]
[Figure 1] Figure 1 is a side view of a card shoe and a
management control section connected to the card shoe in
an embodiment of the present invention.
[Figure 2] Figure 2 shows an overview of an entire casino
in the embodiment of the present invention.
[Figure 3] Figure 3 shows an overview of a game of
baccarat on a game table in the embodiment of the present
invention.
[Figure 4] Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the
progress of baccarat in the embodiment of the present
invention.
[Figure 5] Figure 5 is a perspective view of a package
used with the card shoe and shuffle playing cards with
the package removed in the embodiment of the present
invention.
[Figure 6] Figure 6 is a side view of the package of
shuffle playing cards into which a cut-card is inserted
in the embodiment of the present invention.
[Figure 7] Figure 7 is a schematic view showing temporal
analysis on a game basis in the embodiment of the present
invention.
[Figure 8] Figure 8 is a schematic view showing temporal
analysis on a shoe basis in the embodiment of the present
invention.
[Figure 9] Figure 9 is a schematic view showing temporal
analysis on a game basis and on a shoe basis in the
embodiment of the present invention.
[Figure 10] Figure 10 is a side view of the card shoe and
the management control section connected to the card shoe
in the embodiment of the present invention.
[Figure 11] Figure 11 is a plan view of a shuffle playing
card and a cut-card in the embodiment of the present
invention.
[Figure 12] Figure 12 is an enlarged perspective view
with part of a card guiding section of the card shoe cut
in the embodiment of the present invention.
[Figure 13] Figure 13 is a table showing the relationship
between the waveforms outputted from sensors and marks on
a card in the embodiment of the present invention.
[Description of Embodiments]
Before a detailed description of embodiments, an
overview of use and management of a package or set of
cards in a casino will be described.
A package PA of cards 1 used in a casino 206 is
given a barcode BC as a unique ID code I, and a plurality
of packages PA are supplied to a backyard 208 in the
casino 206, as shown in Figure 2. The ID codes I of all
packages PA transported to the backyard 208 are
registered in a database 207b (such as memory) in a
management section 207 (as a registration step of
registering all the ID codes I in the database). In this
stage, all the ID codes I (barcodes BC (each of which may
instead be two-dimensional code, such as QR code)) of the
packages PA transported to the backyard 208 are
registered to create a basic database. Instead of
reading all the barcodes BC of the packages PA supplied
to the casino 206, to register all the ID codes I of the
packages PA, data from a factory 205 or data on a carton
ID code of each carton CA containing packages PA or a
palette ID code (not shown) of a palette on which the
carton CA is loaded may be used. In implementation of
the present invention, to register or read the ID codes I,
cameras 212 or RFID tag reading devices (not shown) may
be used in place of barcode readers R (not shown). The
packages PA may be transported from the factory 205 or
any other place in the form of a carton CA that
accommodates 18 packages each of which contains shuffle
playing cards 1s (see Figure 2) (several cartons CA may
be placed on the palette). The carton ID code or the
palette ID code may be used to register the ID codes I of
the packages PA transported from the factory 205 to the
backyard 208.
During the period for which the packages PA with the
barcodes BC are transported to the casino 206, the
packages PA are stored in a carton CA, and the carton CA
is placed on a palette and stored in the backyard 208
(see Figure 2). A unique carton ID code is put on each
carton CA, and a unique palette ID is put on each palette.
Each carton ID code is registered in advance in the
database 207b in the management section 207 with the
carton ID code related to the ID codes I of the packages
contained in the carton CA. Each palette ID code is
registered in advance in the database 207b in the
management section 207 with the palette ID code related
to the corresponding carton ID code on the palette and
the ID codes of the packages PA stored in the carton CA.
The ID code of each package PA is related to the carton
ID code of the carton in which the package PA is stored
and the palette ID of the palette on which the package PA
is stored.
The packages PA are typically remain stored in the
cartons CA and transported by a plurality of vehicles 209
from the backyard 208 to cabinets 210 under game tables 4.
The packages PA are stored for fixed duration in the
cabinets 210 under the game tables 4, and the cards are
then taken out in the form of the packages PA manually by
dealers D or any other persons from the cabinets 210
under the game tables 4, placed on the game tables 4, and
used. All the packages PA present in the casino 206 (or
cartons CA that store packages PA) are so monitored that
the ID codes I of all the packages each formed of shuffle
playing cards (or carton ID codes of cartons CA that
store packages PA) are read at predetermined locations by
the cameras 212 or the barcode readers R. The monitoring
cameras 212 are so installed or equipped as to be capable
of reading the barcodes BC (as ID codes I) of all the
packages PA in each of which shuffle playing cards are
present and which are transported from the backyard 208
and placed in the cabinets 210 under the game tables 4
(or carton ID codes of cartons CA that store packages PA).
In the embodiment, the vehicles 209 transport the
packages PA, each of which is formed of shuffle playing
cards 1s to be used in the games, from the backyard 208
to the cabinets 210 under the game tables 4. A plurality
of AGVs (automatic guided vehicles) may be used as the
vehicles 209. The packages PA are typically transported
from the backyard 208 to the cabinets 210 under the game
tables 4 with the packages PA stored in the cartons CA,
but not necessarily, and the packages PA can instead be
simply loaded on the vehicles 209 and transported. A
plurality of the packages PA (at least 18 or 36 packages)
are stored in the cabinet 210 under each of the game
tables 4 and manually transported from the cabinet 210
onto the game table 4. The vehicles 209 transport a
plurality of cartons CA or packages PA from the backyard
208 to the cabinet 210 under each of the game tables 4
along a programmed delivery route 213 in the casino 206.
In this process, the cameras 212 or other components are
used to allow the management section 207 to monitor the
vehicles 209 that hold the cartons CA or the packages PA
at locations specified in advance on the delivery route
213 in the casino 206. Instead, an ID code reader
(another reading device may be used) that reads the
carton ID code of the carton CA containing packages PA or
the barcodes of the packages PA (as ID codes) at a
predetermined timing may be installed in each of the
vehicles 209, so that the packages PA or the carton CA
loaded in the vehicles 209 can be monitored. Further,
the vehicles 209 may each have a structure having
transmission means for reading the carton ID code of the
carton CA containing packages PA or the barcodes of the
packages PA (as ID codes) and transmitting or
communicating a result of the reading to an external
apparatus at a predetermined timing. A plurality of
readers are installed in scan means in each of the
vehicles 209, and the scan means moves in the X and Y
directions to move the readers in the X and Y directions
so that the readers keep reading the carton ID codes of
all cartons CA or the barcodes of the packages PA stored
in the vehicle 209. A lid of each of the vehicles 209 is
provided with a lock, and locking the lid can prevent the
cartons CA or the packages PA in the vehicle from being
illicitly taken out.
The procedure of baccarat will next be described.
On each of the baccarat tables 4, punters (players) C
each sit on a seat in such a way that they face a dealer
D, as shown in Figure 3. The punters (players) C place
bets a result of win/loss of a game of baccarat, whether
the player wins, the banker wins, or they tie, by placing
chips W in a bet area BA in front of the punters
(players) C (hereinafter referred to as "bet"). The
dealer D then times the timing at which the punters
(players) C are caused to stop placing bets, declares "no
more bet" (stop accepting bet), and moves a hand, for
example, laterally. The dealer D then draws cards one by
one from a card shoe S onto the game table 4. A first
card forms the player's hand, a second card forms the
banker's hand, a third card forms the player's hand, and
a fourth card forms the banker's hand, as shown in Figure
4, (drawing first to fourth cards is hereinafter referred
to as "dealing").
Since the cards are drawn from the card shoe S with
the rear sides of the cards facing upward, the dealer D
or the punters (players) C cannot see the rank (number)
or the suit (heart, diamond, spade, or club) of each of
the cards. After the fourth card is drawn, a punter
(player) C who has placed a bet on PLAYER (in a case
where a plurality of punters have placed bets on the
player, the punter C who has placed the highest bet or in
a case where no punter has placed a bet on the player,
the dealer D) turns over the first and third cards, the
rear sides of which face upward, so that the front sides
of the cards face upward, and a punter (player) C who has
placed a bet on the banker (in a case where a plurality
of punters have placed bets on the banker, the punter C
who has placed the highest bet or in a case where no
punter has placed a bet on BANKER, the dealer D) turns
over the second and fourth cards so that the front sides
of the cards face upward (turning over a card the rear
side of which faces upward so that the front side of the
card faces upward is typically called "squeezing"). On
the basis of the ranks (numbers) of the first to fourth
cards and the detailed rules of baccarat, the dealer D
draws a fifth card and further a sixth card, which form
the player's hand and the banker's hand, respectively.
Similarly, the punter (player) C who has placed a bet on
the player squeezes the card that forms the player's hand,
and the punter (player) who has placed a bet on the
banker squeezes the card that forms the banker's hand
(the period that elapses after the first to fourth cards
are drawn and the fifth and sixth cards are squeezed to
determine a result of the win/loss is a period for which
the punters (players) C enjoy the real thrill. The
period is hereinafter referred to as a "player's period").
Further, the win/loss is determined by the time when
the first to fourth cards are drawn depending on the
ranks (numbers) thereof in some cases, and the win/loss
is determined in other cases finally at the time when the
fifth and sixth cards are drawn. The dealer D grasps
that win/loss has been determined and a result of the
win/loss on the basis of the ranks (numbers) of the
squeezed cards and, for example, presses a win/loss
result display button on the card shoe S to display the
result of win/loss on a monitor so that the punters
(players) C are notified of the result. At the same time,
a win/loss evaluating section 9 of the card shoe S
evaluates the result of win/loss of the game. If the
result of win/loss is not displayed although the win/loss
has been determined and an attempt to further draw a card
is made, an error occurs. The card shoe S senses the
error and outputs an error signal. Finally, the dealer
settles the bet placed by the punter (player), pays a bet
to a winning punter (player) C, and collects a bet from a
losing punter (player) C during the period for which the
win/loss result is displayed. After the bet settlement
is completed, the display of the win/loss result is
terminated (the period for which the dealer performs bet
settlement is hereinafter referred to as a "bet
settlement period"), and the punters (players) C start
placing bets in the following game.
The procedure of baccarat described above is widely
practiced in typical casinos, and the card shoe S
described above is an existing card shoe having a
structure in which the dealer manually draws cards,
configured to read the drawn cards, further having a
result display button and a result display section, and
having the function of evaluating win/loss and displaying
a result of the win/loss evaluation. As described above,
on a typical casino floor, the card shoe, the monitor,
and other devices are placed on each of a plurality of
baccarat tables 4 arranged on the floor, and cards to be
used are, on a package or set basis or even on a carton
basis, supplied to each of the game tables 4 or the
cabinet 210 under each of the tables 4. The thus
supplied cards are then used.
An embodiment of the card shoe S used in the table
game system according to the present invention will be
described below with reference to Figure 1. The card
shoe S includes a card accommodating section 2, which
accommodates a plurality of shuffle playing cards 1s, a
lid 3, which is provided in an upper portion of the
accommodating section 2, a card guiding section 5, which
guides the shuffle playing cards 1 when they are manually
drawn by the dealer D or any other person in the casino
one by one from the card accommodating section 2 toward
the game table 4, an opening 6, through which each of the
cards 1 guided by the card guiding section 5 is taken out,
a card sensing section (card sensor) 7, which senses that
any of the shuffle playing cards 1 has been drawn, a card
reading section 8, which reads information representing
at least the number (rank) of the shuffle playing card 1
(the card sensing section 7 and the card reading section
8 may each have a structure in which a UV sensor that
will be described later is used to read the code of a
card, a structure in which a camera or any other device
is used to read information printed on a shuffle playing
card 1, or the combination thereof), a win/loss
evaluating section 9, which evaluates win/loss of the
card game on the basis of the numbers (ranks) of shuffle
playing cards 1 sequentially read by the card reading
section 8, a control section 10, which includes the
win/loss evaluating section 9 and a memory 10M, an output
section 11, which outputs a result of the evaluation
performed by the win/loss evaluating section 9, a result
output control section 12, which controls the start and
end of the output operation performed by the output
section (as the result output control section 12, which
controls the start and stop of the result output
operation, a result output start control section for
starting the result output operation and a result output
stop control section for stopping the result output
operation may be separately provided, or a single output
start/stop control section for starting/stopping the
result output operation may be provided. Further, for
example, the result output control section 12 may be so
provided that part thereof has the shape of a button
(win/loss result display button) and is exposed to the
outside of the card shoe S. The win/loss result display
button may also be formed of separate buttons for
starting and stopping the result display operation or a
single button for starting/stopping the result display
operation. For example, the following configuration may
be employed: When the win/loss result display button is
pressed once, the control section 10 of the card shoe S
senses that the button has been pressed and starts
outputting a result of the win/loss evaluation; and when
the win/loss result display button is pressed again, the
control section 10 similarly senses that the button has
been pressed and stops the result output operation), and
a side-surface monitor 13, which is provided on the side
surface of the card shoe S. Further, the card shoe S is
mechanically or electrically connected in a wired or
wireless manner to a management control section 14, which
has the function of calculating a variety of periods in
the course of a game of baccarat on a game basis or over
a plurality of games. The variety of periods will be
described later.
The set of shuffle playing cards 1s is formed of a
predetermined number of decks (typically formed of 4, 6,
8, 10, or 12 decks, and in the case of 8 decks, for
example, 52 cards × 8 decks = 416 cards), shuffled by a
shuffler in advance in a manufacturing stage into a
randomly arranged cards, packed into a package PA in
which the entire circumference of the cards is wrapped,
then sealed with a sealing material or a shrinkable
packing material, and supplied to a casino and other
places, as shown in Figure 5. In this process, for
example, 18 packages PA are packed in a carton CA, as
described above, and the packages PA are supplied in the
form of the carton and placed in the vicinity of a game
table 4 in some cases. Instead, the following cases are
conceivable: The playing cards are not shuffled in the
manufacturing stage but shuffled by using a shuffler
after the playing cards are supplied to a casino or any
other place; shuffled playing cards are supplied and then
shuffled again; shuffle playing cards 1s having been used
once are shuffled and used again; or shuffled shuffle
playing cards 1s are set in an enclosure made, for
example, of a plastic material in advance. The barcodes
BC (which also serve as stickers) representing different
ID codes I are attached to the packages PA and plastic
enclosures (not shown). The set of shuffle playing cards
1s are so shuffled that the decks have different card
arrangements and are therefore unique with respect to one
another, and the ID codes I are expressed in the form of
the barcodes BC (which also serve as stickers), the QR
codes, or any other form for identification of the decks
of shuffle playing cards 1s.
To accommodate a set of shuffle playing cards 1s
packed in the form of the package PA described above in
the card shoe S, after side surfaces of the package PA
are removed along a cutting line Z provided on the
package PA so that part of the set of shuffle playing
cards 1s is exposed, the set of the shuffle playing cards
1s is grabbed, lifted, and accommodated in the card
accommodating section 2 of the card shoe S, as shown in
Figure 5. Instead, after part of the set of shuffle
playing cards 1s is exposed, a cut-card 1c for stopping
use of the set of shuffle playing cards 1s in the middle
of any of the following card games may be inserted (see
Figure 6). After the set of shuffle playing cards 1s is
accommodated in the card accommodating section 2, part of
the remainder of the package PA is removed from the card
accommodating section 2, and only the set of shuffle
playing cards 1s is left in the card accommodating
section 2. The accommodation of the cards is thus
completed.
The cut-card 1c described above is a card inserted,
before the set of shuffle playing cards 1s is used in a
game, into the second half of the set of shuffle playing
cards 1s (the remainder behind the cut-card is about one-
fourth or one-fifth the set of shuffle playing cards 1s).
When the shuffle playing cards 1 in the set of shuffle
playing cards 1s accommodated in the card shoe S are
drawn one by one and then used in a game, the cut-card 1c
is used to finish the game with about 20 to 40 cards left
in the card shoe S to prevent the players from counting
the numbers (ranks) of the dealt cards and predicting the
numbers (ranks) of a small number of left shuffle playing
cards 1. Typically, when the cut-card 1c is drawn, the
dealer stops using the set of shuffle playing cards 1s
accommodated in the card shoe S when the current game
ends, when the game in which the cut-card 1c has been
drawn ends and the following game ends, or when the game
in which the cut-card 1c has been drawn ends and the
following predetermined number of games end, and the
shuffle playing cards 1 left in the card shoe S are
replaced with a new set of shuffle playing cards 1s
(hereinafter referred to as "in-shoe package exchange
operation").
To perform the in-shoe package exchange operation,
the lid 3, provided in an upper portion of the card
accommodating section 2, is opened and closed, and the
card accommodating section 2 or any other portion may
further be provided with a lid open/close sensor 3s,
which senses the open/close states of the lid 3. An
input interface (not shown) that shows the end of use of
the shuffle playing cards 1, the start of use of new
shuffle playing cards 1, and the start and end of the
shoe exchange operation may be separately provided.
Further, at the start of use of new shuffle playing cards
1, drawing first a predetermined number of cards and
discarding the drawn cards without using them is
typically called burning, and the control section 10
described above may be configured to set parameters of
the burning and sense that the burning is performed.
Moreover, to perform the shoe exchange operation, the
card shoe S is powered on and/or off, the control section
may sense the powering on and/or off operation.
The management control section 14, which is used in
the table game system according to the present invention,
will be described with reference to Figure 1. The
management control section 14 receives, when a shuffle
playing card 1 is drawn from the card shoe S, a signal
sent from the card sensing section 7 and representing
that the shuffle playing card 1 has been drawn and
determines that how many cards have been drawn in each
game on the basis of the received signal. The management
control section 14 further receives a signal representing
that the result output control section 12 has started
outputting a result of game win/loss evaluation of a game
and/or a signal representing that the result output
control section 12 stops outputting the result.
The management control section 14 may further be
configured to receive, in association with the in-shoe
package exchange operation, a signal sent from the card
sensing section 7 and representing that the cut-card 1c
and a predetermined number of burning cards have been
drawn, receive a signal sent from the sensor 3s, which
senses the open/close states of the lid 3, which is
provided in an upper portion of the card accommodating
section 2, and representing that the state of the lid 3
has transitioned from the closed state to the open state,
then receive a signal sent from the sensor 3s and
representing that the state of the lid 3 has transitioned
from the open state to the closed state, and further
receive input signals sent from the separately provided
input interface and representing the end of use of the
current shuffle playing cards 1 and the start of use of
new shuffle playing cards 1, the start or end of the in-
shoe package exchange operation, and the start of bets in
a new game. The management control section 14 may still
further be configured to sense that the card shoe S has
been powered on and/or off. The management control
section 14 may further include a package exchange
detecting section (not shown) that receives a signal
relating to the in-shoe package exchange operation, and
the management control section 14 may be configured to
receive a signal sent from the package exchange detecting
section and representing the start or end of the in-shoe
package exchange operation. Further, the package
exchange detecting section may be so provided as to be
external to the management control section 14.
The management control section 14 is configured to
be capable of recording the time (date and time) when
each of the signals described above is received as the
time when the corresponding specific item has occurred
and memorizing the time along with the content of the
signal, and the management control section 1
automatically measures the period between at least two of
the points of time described above when the corresponding
two memorized specific items have occurred. A
description will be made of periods measured or
calculated by the management control section 14 in one or
more games and in the duration to points of time before
and after the in-shoe package exchange operation, and a
description will be further made of the contents of
analysis performed on the basis of the measured or
calculated periods. The measured or calculated periods
and the contents of the signals described above are
recorded in a memory 14M in the management control
section 14, transmitted from a transmitter 14o to the
backyard 208, and used to examine countermeasures and
otherwise processed. The periods and contents can be
outputted to the output section 11 and the side-surface
monitor 13 of the card shoe S, which is connected to the
management control section 14 in a wired or wireless
manner, and to a separately provided monitor (not shown).
The management control section 14 measures the
periods described below in each game, as shown in Figure
(1) A "dealing period Ax" is measured based on the fact
that the "dealing period Ax" starts at the time when a
first card is drawn and ends at the time when a fourth
card is drawn, and which is measured on the basis of the
signal received from the card sensing section 7 and
representing that the first and fourth of the shuffle
playing cards 1 have been drawn.
(2) A "player's period Ay" is measured based on the fact
that the "player's period Ay" starts at the time when the
fourth card is drawn, and that the "player's period Ay"
ends at the time when the output of a result of win/loss
evaluation of the game starts and which is measured on
the basis of a signal received from the result output
control section 12 and representing the start of the
output of a result of win/loss evaluation of the game.
(The result output control section 12, which controls
start and stop of the result output operation, may be
formed of a result output start control section that
controls the start of the result output operation and a
result output stop control section that controls the stop
of the result output operation or may be formed of a
single result output control section that control both
the start and stop of the output of the result output
operation.)
(3) A "bet settlement period By" is measured based on the
fact that the "bet settlement period By" starts at the
time when the output of a result of win/loss evaluation
starts and which is measured on the basis of the signal
received from the result output control section 12 and
representing the start of the output of a result of
win/loss evaluation, and that the "bet settlement period
By" ends at the time when the output of a result of
win/loss evaluation stops and which is measured on the
basis of a signal representing the stop of the output of
a result of win/loss evaluation.
(4) A "bet period Bx" is measured based on the fact that
the "bet period Bx" starts at the time when the output of
a result of win/loss evaluation stops and which is
measured on the basis of the signal received from the
result output control section 12 and representing the
stop of the output of a result of win/loss evaluation in
the preceding game, and that the "bet period Bx" ends at
the time when a first card is drawn in the current game.
The dealing period Ax and the player's period Ay
differ from the other periods, the bet settlement period
By and the bet period Bx, in that the former two periods
do not greatly relates to the number of punters (players)
but can be important in evaluating the dealer D's
performance. The former two periods and the latter two
periods are therefore considered differently as follows:
The sum of the former two periods, the dealing period Ax
and player's period Ay, is hereinafter referred to as a
"play period A (Ax+Ay);" and the sum of the latter two
periods, the bet settlement period By and the bet period
Bx, is hereinafter referred to as a "period excluding the
play B (Bx+By)." Further, the period from the start to
the end of a single game, that is, the sum of the dealing
period Ax, the player's period Ay, the bet settlement
period By, and the bet period Bx is referred to as a
"game period G." The management control section 14 can
further measure or calculate the "play period A (Ax+Ay),"
the "period excluding the play B (Bx+By)," and the "game
period G," as will be described below.
(5) The "play period A (Ax+Ay)" is measured based on the
fact that the "play period A (Ax+Ay)" starts at the time
when a first card is drawn and which is measured on the
basis of a signal received from the card sensing section
7 and representing that the first of the shuffle playing
cards 1 is drawn, and that "play period A (Ax+Ay)" ends
at the time when the output of a result of win/loss
evaluation starts and which is measured on the basis of
the signal received from the result output control
section 12 and representing the start of the output of a
result of win/loss evaluation of the game.
(6) The measured "dealing period Ax" and "player's period
Ay" are added to each other to calculate the "play period
A (Ax+Ay)."
(7) The measured "bet settlement period By" and "bet
period Bx" are added to each other to calculate the
"period excluding the play B (Bx+By)."
(8) The "game period G" is measured on the basis of the
fact that the "game period G" starts at the time when the
output of a result of win/loss evaluation stops and which
is measured on the basis of the signal received from the
result output control section 12 and representing the
stop of the output of a result of win/loss evaluation in
the preceding game, and that "game period G" ends at the
time when the output of a result of win/loss evaluation
stops and which is measured on the basis of a signal
representing the stop of the output of a result of
win/loss evaluation in the current game.
(9) The measured "play period A (Ax+Ay)" and "period
excluding the play B (Bx+By)" are added to each other to
calculate the "game period G."
(10) The measured "dealing period Ax," "player's period
Ay," "bet settlement period By," and "bet period Bx" are
summed to calculate the "game period G."
(11) Further, the management control section 14 may be
configured to measure the "period excluding the play B
(Bx+By)" based on the fact that the "period excluding the
play B (Bx+By)" starts at the time when the output of a
result of win/loss evaluation starts and which is
measured on the basis of the signal received from the
result output control section 12 and representing the
start of the output of a result of win/loss evaluation,
and that the "period excluding the play B (Bx+By)" ends
at the time when a first card is drawn in the following
game.
The "dealing period Ax," the "player's period Ay,"
the "bet settlement period By," the "bet period Bx," the
"play period A (Ax+Ay)," the "period excluding the play B
(Bx+By)," and the "game period G" measured in games by
the management control section 14 can be used to
calculate and analyze the ratio between a plurality of
the items described above (ratio of one of the periods to
another of the other periods). For example, when a
dealer spends a long "dealing period" as compared with
the "game period," an instruction on "dealing" can be
given to the dealer or any other countermeasure can be
taken. Further, the "dealing period Ax," the "player's
period Ay," the "bet settlement period By," the "bet
period Bx," the "play period A (Ax+Ay)," the "period
excluding the play B (Bx+By)," and the "game period G"
can be measured over a plurality of games for calculation
of the average of the periods of each of the types (the
sum of the periods of each of the types over a plurality
of games divided by the number of games). The number of
games described above can be found, for example, by
calculating the number of start or end actions of games
sensed by a counter (not shown) with which the management
control section 14 is provided. Further, in addition to
calculating the sum and average of periods spent by each
dealer D, calculating the sum and average of periods
spent by a plurality of dealers D and comparing results
of the calculation with one another, for example, on a
casino floor basis and on a time frame basis allow
acquisition of information, for example, on a floor where
the bet settlement period tends to be long. Moreover, it
is expected that a daytime game period and a nighttime
game period differ from each other due, for example, to
fatigue of the dealer D and the punters (players) C, and
the cause of the difference can be analyzed in detail.
For example, the cause may come from a longer "bet period
Bx" spent in the nighttime by the punters (players) C and
the tendency of the dealer D to spend a longer "dealing
period Ax." Further, on the basis of data recognized by
the casino based on past experiences and performance and
representing how long each of the "dealing period Ax,"
the " player's period Ay," the "bet settlement period
By," the "bet period Bx," the "play period A (Ax+Ay),"
the "period excluding the play B (Bx+By)," and the "game
period G" takes, the management control section 14 can
set a corresponding standard guideline period. When any
of the periods described above exceeds the corresponding
set standard guideline period, the management control
section 14 can transmit a signal to the card shoe S and
the backyard 208 to cause the output section 11 and the
side-surface monitor 13 of the card shoe S to display
that the period has exceeded the standard guideline
period and further record the fact that the period has
exceeded the standard guideline period in the memory 14M.
The memory 14M in the management control section 14
further memorizes the rules of baccarat and a pre-
specified item to be sensed as an error, and the
management control section 14 can sense an error state
that is against the rules of the game or has been
specified in advance, transmit a signal to the card shoe
S and the backyard 208 to cause the output section 11 and
the side-surface monitor 13 of the card shoe S to display
that the error state has been detected, and further
record the fact that the error state has been detected in
the memory 14M. The error state includes, for example,
the follow states:
(a) A case where in each game, after the win/loss
evaluating section 9 performs the win/loss evaluation,
but before the output section 11 starts outputting the
result of the win/loss evaluation, another of the shuffle
playing cards 1 is or has been drawn from the card shoe S
(b) A case where in each game, after the output section
11 starts outputting a result of the win/loss evaluation,
but before the output section 11 stops outputting the
result of the win/loss evaluation, another of the shuffle
playing cards 1 is or has been drawn from the card shoe S
(c) A case where when one of the shuffle playing cards 1
is drawn from the card shoe S, the shuffle playing card 1
stays for a predetermined period or longer in the
vicinity of the opening 6, or the shuffle playing card 1
moves in the direction opposite the direction F in which
the shuffle playing card 1 is drawn (see Figure 12)
(d) A case where when one of the shuffle playing cards 1
is drawn from the card shoe S, a result of the reading of
the shuffle playing card 1 performed by the card reading
section 8 does not satisfy a pre-specified reference, or
the shuffle playing card 1 has not been read by the card
reading section 8
The management control section 14 can sense that the
system has recovered from the error state, further
calculate an error recovery period from the time when the
error state has been sensed to the time when the
management control section 14 senses that the system has
recovered from the error state, and further record a
result of the calculation in the memory 14M. The
recovery from the error states is, for example, any of
the following states:
(a) A state in which (in correspondence with the error in
the case where in each game, after the win/loss
evaluating section 9 performs the win/loss evaluation,
but before the output section 11 starts outputting the
result of the win/loss evaluation, another of the shuffle
playing cards 1 is or has been drawn from the card shoe
S) the output section 11 starts outputting the result of
win/loss evaluation
(b) A state in which (in correspondence with the error in
the case where in each game, after the output section 11
starts outputting a result of the win/loss evaluation,
but before the output section 11 stops outputting the
result of the win/loss evaluation, another of the shuffle
playing cards 1 is or has been drawn from the card shoe
S) the output section 11 stops outputting the result of
the win/loss evaluation
(c) A state in which (in correspondence with the error in
the case where when one of the shuffle playing cards 1 is
drawn from the card shoe S, the shuffle playing card 1
stays for a predetermined period or longer in the
vicinity of the opening 6 or the shuffle playing card 1
moves in the direction opposite the direction F in which
the shuffle playing card 1 is drawn (see Figure 12), or
in correspondence with the error in the case where when
the shuffle playing card 1 is drawn from the card shoe S,
a result of the reading of the shuffle playing card 1
performed by the card reading section 8 does not satisfy
a pre-specified reference or the shuffle playing card 1
has not been read by the card reading section 8) the
following shuffle playing card 1 has been drawn from the
card shoe S in the course of the game
(d) A state in which an input signal representing that
the system has recovered from the error state has been
received from a reset switch (not shown) provided in the
card shoe S or the management control section 14 or a
reset switch (not shown) provided separately therefrom
The management control section 14 is further
provided with a mode switcher 14s, which receives a
signal and switches the mode in accordance with which the
management control section 14 operates to a period
measurement omission mode in which the period between the
points of time when the memorized specific items occur is
not measured. The period after the dealer D or any other
person performs operation of switching the operation mode
to the period measurement omission mode and while the
period measurement omission mode is maintained, that is,
the period from the time when the mode switcher 14s has
switched the operation mode to the period measurement
omission mode to the time when the period measurement
omission mode is changed to the normal mode is calculated
as a period measurement omission period that is a period
excluding the "dealing period Ax," the "player's period
Ay," the "bet settlement period By," the "bet period Bx,"
the "play period A (Ax+Ay)," the "period excluding the
play B (Bx+By)," the "game period G," and the "error
recovery period" described above. For example, in a
period for which no punter (player) C is present and no
game is therefore initiated (which is "waiting-for-punter
period EX" or a period after the preceding game including
the bet settlement has ended and the management control
section 14, if no action is made, starts measuring a
period as the bet period in the following game), the
dealer D can avoid a situation in which the "waiting-for-
punter period EX" is undesirably contained in the "bet
period Bx," the "period excluding the play B (Bx+By),"
and the "game period G" described above by operating the
mode switcher 14s to switch the operation mode to the
period measurement omission mode. The mode switcher 14s
may be provided on the card shoe S or may be provided
separately therefrom.
A description will next be made of a period measured
by the management control section 14 in the period from
the point of time when the "in-shoe package exchange
operation" described above ends, that is, the point of
time when use of a new set of shuffle playing cards 1s
starts to the point of time when the use of the set of
shuffle playing cards 1s ends and the "in-shoe package
exchange operation" is performed again and completed (see
Figure 8).
(1) A "period GT for which shuffle playing cards on a
package basis or on a set basis are used" is measured on
the basis of the fact that the "shuffle playing card use
period GT" starts at the time measured on the basis of
reception of the signal representing the end of the in-
shoe package exchange operation or the state in which the
card shoe S has been powered on, and that the "shuffle
playing card use period GT" ends at the time measured on
the basis of reception of the signal representing the
start of the in-shoe package exchange operation or the
state in which the card shoe S has been powered off.
(2) A "in-shoe package exchange period SC" is measured on
the basis of the fact that the "in-shoe package exchange
period SC" starts at the time measured on the basis of
reception of the signal representing the start of the in-
shoe package exchange operation or the state in which the
card shoe S has been powered off, and that the "in-shoe
package exchange period SC" ends at the time measured on
the basis of reception of the signal representing the end
of the in-shoe package exchange operation or the state in
which the card shoe S has been powered on.
The signal representing the start of the in-shoe
package exchange operation is, for example, any of the
following signals:
(a) A signal received from the sensor 3s, which detects
the open/close states of the lid 3 provided in an upper
portion of the card accommodating section 2 of the card
shoe S, and representing that the state of the lid 3 has
transitioned from the closed state to the open state
(b) A signal representing the end of the output of a
result of win/loss evaluation of a game in which the cut-
card 1c inserted into the shuffle playing cards 1s
accommodated in the card accommodating section 2 has been
drawn or the last game of a predetermined number of games
that follow the game in which the cut-card 1c has been
drawn
(c) A signal received from the lid open/close sensor 3s
and representing that the state of the lid 3, which is
provided in an upper portion of the card accommodating
section 2, has transitioned from the closed state to the
open state after the cut-card 1c has been drawn
(d) An input signal received from the separately provided
input interface (not shown) and representing the end of
use of the shuffle playing cards or the start of the in-
shoe package exchange operation
Further, the signal representing the end of the in-
shoe package exchange operation is, for example, any of
the following signals:
(e) A signal received from the sensor 3s, which detects
the open/closed states of the lid 3 provided in an upper
portion of the card accommodating section 2 of the card
shoe S, and representing that the state of the lid 3 has
transitioned from the open state to the closed state
(f) A signal representing that a predetermined number of
the shuffle playing cards 1 (burning cards) have been
drawn from the card shoe S
(g) A signal representing the start of bets in a game
(h) An input signal received from the separately provided
input interface (not shown) and representing the start of
use of shuffle playing cards or the end of the in-shoe
package exchange operation
The "period GT for which shuffle playing cards on a
package basis or on a set basis are used" and the "in-
shoe package exchange period SC" measured by the
management control section 14 can be used to calculate
and analyze the ratio between the periods described above
(ratio of one of the periods to the other period). For
example, when a dealer D spends a long "in-shoe package
exchange period SC" as compared with the "period GT for
which shuffle playing cards on a package basis or on a
set basis are used," an instruction on "in-shoe package
exchange operation" can be given to the dealer or any
other countermeasure can be taken.
Further, a description will be made of detailed
periods further measured and calculated by the management
control section 14 in the period from the point of time
of the end of the "in-shoe package exchange operation",
that is, the point of time of the start of use of a new
set of shuffle playing cards 1s to the point of time the
end of the use of the set of shuffle playing cards 1s and
the start of the "in-shoe package exchange operation"
again (see Figure 9).
(1) The "period GT for which shuffle playing cards on a
package basis or on a set basis are used" is measured on
the basis of the fact that the "shuffle playing card use
period GT" starts at the time measured on the basis
reception of the signal representing the end of the in-
shoe package exchange operation or the state in which the
card shoe S has been powered on, and that the "shuffle
playing card use period GT" ends at the time measured on
the basis of reception of the signal representing the
start of the in-shoe package exchange operation or the
state in which the card shoe S has been powered off.
The signal representing the start of the in-shoe
package exchange operation is, for example, any of the
following signals:
(a) The signal received from the sensor 3s, which detects
the open/close states of the lid 3 provided in an upper
portion of the card accommodating section 2 of the card
shoe S, and representing that the state of the lid 3 has
transitioned from the closed state to the open state
(b) The signal representing the end of the output of a
result of win/loss evaluation of a game in which the cut-
card 1c inserted into the shuffle playing cards 1s
accommodated in the card accommodating section 2 has been
drawn or the last game of a predetermined number of games
that follow the game in which the cut-card 1c has been
drawn
(c) The signal received from the lid open/close sensor 3s
and representing that the state of the lid 3, which is
provided in an upper portion of the card accommodating
section 2, has transitioned from the closed state to the
open state after the cut-card 1c has been drawn
(d) The input signal received from the separately
provided input interface (not shown) and representing the
end of use of the shuffle playing cards or the start of
the in-shoe package exchange operation
Further, the signal representing the end of the in-
shoe package exchange operation is, for example, any of
the following signals:
(e) The signal received from the sensor 3s, which detects
the open/closed states of the lid 3 provided in an upper
portion of the card accommodating section 2 of the card
shoe S, and representing that the state of the lid 3 has
transitioned from the open state to the closed state
(f) The signal representing that a predetermined number
of the shuffle playing cards 1 (burning cards) have been
drawn from the card shoe S
(g) The signal representing the start of bets in a game
(h) The input signal received from the separately
provided input interface (not shown) and representing the
start of use of shuffle playing cards or the end of the
in-shoe package exchange operation
(2) The "dealing period Ax," which starts at the time
when a first card is drawn and ends at the time when a
fourth card is drawn, is measured on the basis of the
signal received from the card sensing section 7 and
representing that the first and fourth of the shuffle
playing cards 1 have been drawn, and the sum, average,
and dispersion (value representing variation in data) of
the "dealing periods Ax" in games in the "period GT for
which shuffle playing cards on a package basis or on a
set basis are used" are calculated. The sum of the
periods is the sum of the "dealing periods Ax" in all
games played in the "period GT for which shuffle playing
cards on a package basis or on a set basis are used"
(games 1 to 73 in Figure 9, for example), and the average
of the periods is the sum of the periods divided by the
number of games ("73 games" in Figure 9, for example).
The number of games described above can be found, for
example, by calculating the number of start or end
actions of games sensed by a counter (not shown) with
which the management control section 14 is provided or
calculating the number measurement actions of the
"dealing periods Ax." Further, the dispersion is a value
representing variation in data on the "dealing periods
Ax" and calculated by using the difference between the
"dealing period Ax" in each game and the average period.
Further, these values are used to display how the
"dealing period Ax" in each game changes as the number of
games increases in the form of a graph or a table,
whereby the progress and distribution of the "dealing
period Ax" can be grasped.
(3) The "player's period Ay" is measured based on the
fact that the "player's period Ay" starts at the time
when the fourth card is drawn, and that the "player's
period Ay" ends at the time when the output of a result
of win/loss evaluation of the game starts and which is
measured on the basis of the signal received from the
result output control section 12 and representing the
start of the output of a result of win/loss evaluation,
and the sum, average, and dispersion of the "player's
periods Ay" in the games in the "period for which the
shuffle playing cards on a package basis or on a set
basis are used" are similarly calculated. Results of the
calculation are used to perform detailed analysis (such
as grasp of progress and distribution of "player's period
Ay") and examination of countermeasures.
(4) The "bet settlement period By" is measured based on
the fact that the "bet settlement period By" starts at
the time when the output of a result of win/loss
evaluation starts and which is measured on the basis of
the signal received from the result output control
section 12 and representing the start of the output of a
result of win/loss evaluation, and that the "bet
settlement period By" ends at the time when the output of
a result of win/loss evaluation stops and which is
measured on the basis of the signal representing the stop
of the output of a result of win/loss evaluation, and the
sum, average, and dispersion of the "bet settlement
periods By" in the games in the "period for which the
shuffle playing cards on a package basis or on a set
basis are used" are similarly calculated. Results of the
calculation are used to perform detailed analysis (such
as grasp of progress and distribution of "bet settlement
periods By") and examination of countermeasures.
(5) The "bet period Bx" is measured based on the fact
that the "bet period Bx" starts at the time when the
output of a result of win/loss evaluation stops and which
is measured on the basis of the signal received from the
result output control section 12 and representing the
stop of the output of a result of win/loss evaluation in
the preceding game, and that the "bet period Bx" ends at
the time when a first card is drawn in the current game,
and the sum, average, and dispersion of the "bet periods
Bx" in the games in the "period for which the shuffle
playing cards on a package basis or on a set basis are
used" are similarly calculated. Results of the
calculation are used to perform detailed analysis (such
as grasp of progress and distribution of "bet period Bx")
and examination of countermeasures.
(6) The "play period A (Ax+Ay)" is measured based on the
fact that the "play period A (Ax+Ay)" starts at the time
when a first card is drawn and which is measured on the
basis of the signal received from the card sensing
section 7 and representing that the first of the shuffle
playing cards 1 is drawn, and that "play period A
(Ax+Ay)" ends at the time when the output of a result of
win/loss evaluation starts and which is measured on the
basis of the signal received from the result output
control section 12 and representing the start of the
output of a result of win/loss evaluation of the game,
and the sum, average, and dispersion of the "play periods
A (Ax+Ay)" in the games in the "period for which the
shuffle playing cards on a package basis or on a set
basis are used" are similarly calculated. Results of the
calculation are used to perform detailed analysis (such
as grasp of progress and distribution of "play periods A
(Ax+Ay)") and examination of countermeasures.
(7) The measured "bet settlement period By" and "bet
period Bx" are added to each other to calculate the
"period excluding the play B (Bx+By)," and the sum,
average, and dispersion of the "periods excluding the
play B (Bx+By)" in the games in the "period for which the
shuffle playing cards on a package basis or on a set
basis are used" are similarly calculated. Results of the
calculation are used to perform detailed analysis (such
as grasp of progress and distribution of "period
excluding the play B (Bx+By)") and examination of
countermeasures.
(8) The "game period G" is measured on the basis of the
fact that the "game period G" starts at the time when the
output of a result of win/loss evaluation stops and which
is measured on the basis of the signal received from the
result output control section 12 and representing the
stop of the output of a result of win/loss evaluation in
the preceding game, and that "game period G" ends at the
time when the output of a result of win/loss evaluation
stops and which is measured on the basis of the signal
representing the stop of the output of a result of
win/loss evaluation in the current game, and the sum,
average, and dispersion of the "game periods G" in the
games in the "period for which the shuffle playing cards
on a package basis or on a set basis are used" are
similarly calculated. Results of the calculation are
used to perform detailed analysis (such as grasp of
progress and distribution of "game periods G") and
examination of countermeasures.
The memory 14M in the management control section 14
memorizes the rules of baccarat and a pre-specified item
to be sensed as an error, and the management control
section 14 can sense an error state that is against the
rules of the game or has been specified in advance,
transmit information on the number and contents of sensed
errors in the "period GT for which the shuffle playing
cards on a package basis or on a set basis are used" to
the card shoe S and the backyard 208 to cause the output
section 11 and the side-surface monitor 13 of the card
shoe S to display the information, and further record the
fact that the error states have been detected and the
number and contents of sensed errors in the memory 14M.
The number of errors may be sensed by the counter (not
shown) further provided in the management control section
14. The content of an error state is, for example, any
of the following state:
(a) A case where in each game, after the win/loss
evaluating section 9 performs the win/loss evaluation,
but before the output section 11 starts outputting the
result of the win/loss evaluation, another of the shuffle
playing cards 1 is or has been drawn from the card shoe S
(b) A case where in each game, after the output section
11 starts outputting a result of the win/loss evaluation,
but before the output section 11 stops outputting the
result of the win/loss evaluation, another of the shuffle
playing cards 1 is or has been drawn from the card shoe S
(c) A case where when one of the shuffle playing cards 1
is drawn from the card shoe S, the shuffle playing card 1
stays for a predetermined period or longer in the
vicinity of the opening 6, or the shuffle playing card 1
moves in the direction opposite the direction F in which
the shuffle playing card 1 is drawn (see Figure 12)
(d) A case where when one of the shuffle playing cards 1
is drawn from the card shoe S, a result of the reading of
the shuffle playing card 1 performed by the card reading
section 8 does not satisfy a pre-specified reference, or
the shuffle playing card 1 has not been read by the card
reading section 8
The management control section 14 can sense that the
system has recovered from the error state, further
calculate an error recovery period from the time when the
error state has been sensed to the time when the
management control section 14 senses that the system has
recovered from the error state in the "period GT for
which shuffle playing cards on a package basis or on a
set basis are used", further calculate the sum, average,
and dispersion of the error recovery periods, and further
record results of the calculation in the memory 14M.
Results of the calculation are used to perform detailed
analysis (such as grasp of progress and distribution of
the error recovery period) and examination of
countermeasures. The sum of the periods is the sum of
all the error recovery periods calculated in the "period
GT for which shuffle playing cards on a package basis or
on a set basis are used," and the average period is the
sum of the error recovery periods divided by the number
of errors. Further, the dispersion is a value
representing variation in data on the error recovery
period and calculated by using the difference between
each of the error recovery periods in the case where any
of the error states described above occurs and the
average period. Further, these values are used to
display how the error recovery period changes as the
number of actions of recovery from an error increases in
the form of a graph or a table, whereby the progress and
distribution of the error recovery period can be grasped.
Further, the grasp of how the number and contents of
errors and the error recovery period change as the number
of games increases allows grasp of tendency of the errors
and the degree of contribution of the countermeasures.
The recovery from the error states is, for example, any
of the following states:
(a) The state in which (in correspondence with the error
in the case where in each game, after the win/loss
evaluating section 9 performs the win/loss evaluation,
but before the output section 11 starts outputting the
result of the win/loss evaluation, another of the shuffle
playing cards 1 is or has been drawn from the card shoe
S) the output section 11 starts outputting the result of
win/loss evaluation
(b) The state in which (in correspondence with the error
in the case where in each game, after the output section
11 starts outputting a result of the win/loss evaluation,
but before the output section 11 stops outputting the
result of the win/loss evaluation, another of the shuffle
playing cards 1 is or has been drawn from the card shoe
S) the output section 11 stops outputting the result of
the win/loss evaluation
(c) The state in which (in correspondence with the error
in the case where when one of the shuffle playing cards 1
is drawn from the card shoe S, the shuffle playing card 1
stays for a predetermined period or longer in the
vicinity of the opening 6 or the shuffle playing card 1
moves in the direction opposite the direction F in which
the shuffle playing card 1 is drawn (see Figure 12), or
in correspondence with the error in the case where when
one of the shuffle playing cards 1 is drawn from the card
shoe S, a result of the reading of the shuffle playing
card 1 performed by the card reading section 8 does not
satisfy a pre-specified reference or the shuffle playing
card 1 has not been read by the card reading section 8)
the following shuffle playing card 1 has been drawn from
the card shoe S in the course of the game
(d) The state in which an input signal representing that
the system has recovered from the error state has been
received from a reset switch (not shown) provided in the
card shoe S or the management control section 14 or a
reset switch (not shown) provided separately therefrom
The "sum or average of the dealing periods Ax," the
"sum or average of the player's periods Ay," the "sum or
average of the bet settlement periods By," the "sum or
average of the bet periods Bx," the "sum or average of
the play periods A (Ax+Ay)," the "sum or average of the
periods excluding the play B (Bx+By)," the "sum or
average of the game periods G," the "in-shoe package
exchange period SC," and the "sum or average of the error
recovery periods" measured in games by the management
control section 14 can be used to calculate and analyze
the ratio between a plurality of the items described
above for contribution to countermeasures. For example,
when a dealer D spends a long "average error recovery
period" as compared with the "average game period G," an
instruction and training on the error recovery or any
other measure can be given to the dealer or any other
countermeasure can be taken. Further, measurement of the
game period G on a dealer D basis and comparison of the
results of the measurement with one another can
contribute to evaluation of the performance of the
dealers D on the basis of the length of the "sum or
average of the game periods G." Further, calculation of
the number of errors caused by the dealers D on a dealer
D basis can contribute to countermeasures for error
prevention and performance evaluation.
Further, on the basis of data recognized by the
casino based on past experiences and performance and
representing how long each of the "dealing period Ax,"
the " player's period Ay," the "bet settlement period
By," the "bet period Bx," the "play period A (Ax+Ay),"
the "period excluding the play B (Bx+By)," the "game
period G," the "in-shoe package exchange period SC," and
the "sum or average of the error recovery periods" takes,
the management control section 14 can set a corresponding
standard guideline period. When any of the periods
described above exceeds the corresponding set standard
guideline period, or when the management control section
14 calculates the averages of the periods described above
in a plurality of games and any of the averages exceeds
the corresponding set standard guideline period, the
management control section 14 can transmit a signal to
the card shoe S and the backyard 208 to cause the output
section 11 and the side-surface monitor 13 of the card
shoe S to display that the period or the average has
exceeded the standard guideline period and further record
the fact that the period or the average has exceeded the
standard guideline period in the memory 14M. For example,
when the average of "game periods G" of a certain dealer
exceeds the standard guideline period at the point of
time when 10 games end, the side-surface monitor 14 of
the card shoe S displays that the average of "game
periods G" has exceeded the standard guideline period to
allow the dealer to take countermeasures that shorten the
following game periods. Further, the fact that the
average of "game periods G" has exceeded the standard
guideline period is conveyed to the backyard 208, and a
person in standby in the backyard 208 or any other person
can examine a cause of the exceedance and examine
countermeasures against the cause.
The dealer D can be identified by the management
control section 14 or the card shoe S or dealer ID
sensing means (not shown) provided separately therefrom.
The dealer ID sensing means is configured to read an ID
code provided on the nameplate or any other identifier
plate of a dealer D and identifying the dealer D.
Instead, the dealer ID sensing means may be configured,
as another example, to receive, as an input, a numeral or
an alphabetical letter that identifies a dealer D. The
identification information on a sensed dealer D is
memorized along with the period between the points of
time when specific items occur and which are measured by
the management control section 14 or with the
identification information related to the period.
In the present table game system, in a position
above each of the game tables 4, the monitoring camera
212, which monitors the bet area BA on the game table 4,
is installed, as shown in Figure 3, and the management
control section 14 is connected in a wired or wireless
manner to bet area sensing means (not shown) for sensing
the chips W placed in the bet area BA on the basis of
information from the monitoring camera 212. The
management control section 14 then determines whether
"the punters (players) C squeeze only the player's hand
(first and third cards, further including fifth and sixth
cards in some cases) or only the banker's hand (second
and fourth cards, further including fifth and sixth cards
in some cases) or the punters (players) C squeeze both
the player's and banker's hands," that is, "the hand to
be squeezed by the punters (players) C is formed of one
type of hand (only player's hand or banker's hand) or two
types of hand (both player's and banker's hands)" on the
basis of the following information on the chips sensed by
the bet area sensing means:
(1) whether a chip W has been bet in the player area of
the bet area BA; and
(2) whether a chip W had been bet in the banker area of
the bet area BA.
Since the squeeze operation is an interesting action for
the punters (players) C who paly baccarat, and some
punters (players) C spend a long time in some cases, the
squeeze period is likely to greatly affect the " player's
period Ay," the "play period A (Ax+Ay)," and the "game
period G." The management control section 14 then
memorize information on the squeeze operation with the
information related to the " player's period Ay," the
"play period A (Ax+Ay)," and the "game period G."
The management control section 14 is further
configured to calculate the number of punters (players) C
who are participating the game out of the punters around
the game table 4 on the basis of the information
representing the chips W placed in the bet area BA and
sensed by the bet area sensing means (not shown). The
number of punters (players) C is likely to greatly affect
the "bet period Bx," the "bet settlement period By," the
"period excluding the play B (Bx+By)," and the "game
period G." For example, the periods required for the
"bet period Bx" and the "bet settlement period By" in a
case where there is one punter (player) C should
inevitably differ from the periods in a case where there
are six punters (players) C. The management control
section 14 therefore memorizes information on the number
of punters (players) C with the information related to
the "bet period Bx," the "bet settlement period By," the
"period excluding the play B (Bx+By)," and the "game
period G." Memorizing the "bet period Bx," the "bet
settlement period By," the "period excluding the play B
(Bx+By)," and the "game period G" for each number of
punters (players) C allows more accurate analysis of the
game period.
Further, the structure of the management control
section 14 will be described. Figure 10 is a side view
of the card shoe S and the management control section 14
connected to the card shoe S in the embodiment of the
present invention. The management control section 14 is
accommodated in a box-shaped apparatus 300, and the box-
shaped apparatus 300 has a structure attachable to and
detachable from the rear of the card shoe S. The
management control section 14 is connected in a wired or
wireless manner to the control section 10 including the
win/loss evaluating section 9, the output section 11, the
result output control section 12, and the side-surface
monitor 13 in the card shoe S. The box-shaped apparatus
300 further includes a barcode reader 301, which reads
the barcode BC provided on the package PA containing the
shuffle playing cards 1 to be used next, a lock button
302, a lock release button 303, and a key switch 304,
which deactivate the management control section 14,
activate the deactivated management control section 14,
and switch the operation mode of the management control
section 14 to another, a power switch 305, which powers
on and off the management control section 14, and a power
connector 306, and each of the components described above
is connected to the management control section 14 in a
wired or wireless manner. The barcode reader 301 may be
configured to also play a role of the dealer ID sensing
means described above, and the power switch 305 and the
power connector 306 preferably also serve as the power
switch and the power connector of the card shoe S. The
configuration in which the power switch 305 and the power
connector 306 also serve as the power switch and the
power connector of the card shoe S can prevent the card
shoe S from being used with the management control
section 14 powered off, whereby security of the card shoe
S can be increased. Further, as another embodiment of
the present invention, the management control section 14
may be formed in the card shoe S or may be part of the
control section 10 of the card shoe S.
Finally, the card sensing section 7 and the card
reading section 8, which read the code C representing the
rank (numeral) of a card 1 from the card 1 when the card
1 is drawn from the card accommodating section 2, will be
described in detail with reference to Figure 12. Figure
12 is a key part enlarged perspective view showing a
state in which the card sensing section 7 and the card
reading section 8 located at the front end of the card
shoe S are exposed. In Figure 12, the card sensing
section 7 and the card reading section 8 are provided in
the card guiding section 5, which guides the cards 1
drawn one by one through the front opening 6 of the card
accommodating section 2 onto the game table 4. The card
guiding section 5 is an inclining surface, and card
guiding covers 114, which also serve as a sensor cover,
are attached to the inclining surface along the edges
thereof on opposite sides. The two card guiding covers
114 can be attachable and detachable by using screws or
any other fasteners (not shown). When the card guides
114 are removed, four sensors, which form the card
sensing section 7 and the card reading section 8, are
exposed. The four sensors are formed of two ultraviolet
responsive sensors (UV sensors) 120 and 121 and target
detecting sensors 122 and 123.
The target detecting sensors 122 and 123 are each an
optical fiber sensor that senses whether or not a card 1
is present and can detect the movement of the card 1.
The target detecting sensor 122 is located on the
upstream side of the card guiding section 5 along the
direction in which the card 1 flows (arrow F), and the
other target detecting sensor or the target detecting
sensor 123 is located on the downstream side of the card
guiding section 5. The target detecting sensors 122 and
123 are provided on the upstream and downstream sides of
the UV sensors 120 and 121, as shown in Figure 12. The
UV sensors 120 and 121 each include an LED that emits
ultraviolet light (ultraviolet LED) and a sensing device.
Marks M, which form the code C, are printed on each card
1 with ultraviolet emitting ink, which develops a color
when irradiated with ultraviolet light. The card 1 is
irradiated with ultraviolet light (black light), and
light reflected off the marks M, which form the code C on
the card 1, is sensed with the sensing devices. The UV
sensors 120 and 121 are connected to the card sensing
section 7 and the card reading section 8 and further to
the control section 10 via cables. The card sensing
section 7 and the card reading section 8 receive signals
outputted from the sensing devices of the UV sensors 120
and 121 and determine the combination of the marks M to
determine the number (rank) corresponding to the code C.
In the card sensing section 7 and the card reading
section 8, the start and end of the reading operation
performed by the UV sensors 120 and 121 are controlled by
the control section 10 on the basis of detection signals
from the target detecting sensors 122 and 123. Further,
the control section 10 evaluates whether or not a card 1
has successfully passed through the card guiding section
on the basis of the detection signals from the target
detecting sensors 122 and 123. The rectangular marks M,
which represent the rank (number) and suit (such as heart
and spade), are arranged along an edge of a card 1 in two
rows and four columns, as shown in Figure 11. The UV
sensors 120 and 121, when they sense the marks M, output
ON signals. The card sensing section 7 and the card
reading section 8 evaluate the relationship between the
two signals inputted from the two UV sensors 120 and 121.
The card sensing section 7 and the card reading section 8
thus identify the code on the basis of the difference
between the two marks M and other factors sensed by the
two UV sensors 120 and 121 to identify the number (rank)
and type (suit) of the corresponding card 1.
Figure 13 shows the relationship between the code C
and the ON signals outputted from the two UV sensors 120,
121. A predetermined combination of the marks M can be
identified on the basis of a result of comparison between
relative changes in the ON signals outputted from the UV
sensors 120 and 121. As a result, four combinations of
the marks M in the upper and lower two rows are obtained,
and printing the four combinations in four rows allows
256 codes, the four types raised to the power of four, to
be achieved. Some of the 256 codes are assigned to the
52 playing cards, and the assignment is memorized as a
cross-reference table in a memory or in the form of a
program. The card sensing section 7 and the card reading
section 8 identify the code C of each card 1 to identify
the number (rank) and the type (suit) of the card 1 on
the basis of the pre-specified cross-reference table (not
shown). Since the 256 codes can be memorized in the form
of a cross-reference table with the codes arbitrarily
related to the 52 cards, complicated combinations can be
achieved, whereby the combination of the 256 codes with
the 52 cards can be changed in accordance with time and
place. The code of a card is desirably printed with
paint visualized when irradiated with ultraviolet light
in positions where the codes do not overlap with the
printed suit and index of the card.
A variety of embodiments of the present invention
have been described above, but the embodiments described
above can, of course, be changed by a person skilled in
the art within the scope of the present invention, and
the apparatus of the present embodiment may be
appropriately changed in accordance with necessities in a
game to which the present invention is applied.
[Reference Sings List]
1 Shuffle playing card
1s Set of shuffle playing card
1c Cut-card
2 Card accommodating section
3 Lid
3s Lid open/close sensor
4 Game table
Card guiding section
6 Opening
7 Card sensing section (card sensor)
8 Card reading section
9 Win/loss evaluating section
Control section
10M Memory
11 Output section
12 Result output control section
13 Side-surface monitor
14 Management control section
14M Memory
14o Transmitter
14s Mode switcher
100 Code
114 Sensor cover
120 Ultraviolet responsive sensor
121 Ultraviolet responsive sensor
122 Target sensor
123 Target sensor
201 Seat
205 Factory
206 Casino
207 Management section
207b Database
208 Backyard
209 Vehicle
210 Cabinet
212 Monitoring camera
260 Monitor display
300 Box-shaped apparatus
301 Barcode reader
302 Lock button
303 Lock release button
304 Key switch
305 Power switch
306 Power connector
BA Bet area
BC Barcode
C Punter (player)
CA Carton
D Dealer
F Card drawing direction
I ID code
M Mark
PA Package
R Barcode reader
S Card shoe
W Bet
Z Cutting line
A Play period
Ax Dealing period
Ay Player's period
B Period excluding the play
Bx Bet period
By Bet settlement period
EX Waiting-for-punter period
G Game period
GT Period for which shuffle playing cards on a package
basis or on a set basis are used
SC In-shoe package exchange period
Claims (16)
- [Claim 1] A table game system comprising: shuffle playing cards that are playing cards formed of a multiple number of decks and shuffled and packaged or set; a card shoe including a card accommodating section that accommodates the shuffle playing cards, and an opening through which the cards are drawn one by one from the card accommodating section onto a game table; and a management control section that measures, based on points of time when specific items in a card game occur, a period between points of time when at least two of the specific items occur, wherein the card shoe includes a card sensor that senses that one of the cards is drawn and outputs a signal, a card reading section that reads at least a rank of the drawn card, a win/loss evaluating section that performs win/loss evaluation of the card game based on information on the rank of the card read by the card reading section, a win/loss evaluation result output section that outputs a result of the win/loss evaluation performed by the win/loss evaluating section, and a result output start control section that controls start of the win/loss evaluation result output performed by the win/loss evaluation result output section for an instruction to start of the output, the management control section is configured to be capable of receiving, from the card sensor, a signal representing that a card has been drawn and sensed and further measuring how many cards have been drawn in each game, and capable of receiving a signal from the result output start control section and memorizing time when the win/loss evaluation result output starts, the table game system further comprises a package exchange detecting section that detects start and end of in- shoe package exchange operation of exchanging the playing cards accommodated in the card accommodating section, and an item of the measurement of the period between the points of time when the at least two specific items occur includes measurement of a period for which shuffle playing cards on a package basis or a set basis are used, the period starting at a point of time when a signal representing the end of the in-shoe package exchange operation is received from the package exchange detecting section, or a point of time when the card shoe is powered on, and the period ending at a point of time when a signal representing the start of the in-shoe package exchange operation is received from the package exchange detecting section, or a point of time when the card shoe is powered off.
- [Claim 2] The table game system according to claim 1, wherein the item of the measurement of the period between the points of time when the at least two specific items occur further includes measurement of an in-shoe package exchange period with the in-shoe package exchange operation starting at the point of time when the signal representing the start of the in-shoe package exchange operation is received from the package exchange detecting section, or the point of time when the card shoe is powered off, and the in-shoe package exchange operation ending at the point of time when the signal representing the end of the in-shoe package exchange operation is received from the package exchange detecting section, or the point of time when the card shoe is powered on.
- [Claim 3] The table game system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the signal representing the start of the in-shoe package exchange operation is at least one of (1) a signal representing that a state of a lid provided in an upper portion of the card accommodating section of the card shoe changes from a closed state to an open state in response to a signal from a sensor that detects the open/close states of the lid, (2) a signal representing stop of the win/loss evaluation result output in a game in which a cut-card inserted into the shuffle playing cards accommodated in the card accommodating section is drawn or in a last of a pre-specified number of games after the cut-card is drawn, (3) a signal representing that the state of the lid provided in the upper portion of the card accommodating section changes from the closed state to the open state after the cut-card is drawn, and (4) an input signal representing end of use of the shuffle playing cards or the start of the in-shoe package exchange operation.
- [Claim 4] The table game system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the signal representing the end of the in-shoe package exchange operation is at least one of (1) a signal representing that a state of a lid provided in an upper portion of the card accommodating section of the card shoe changes from an open state to a closed state in response to a signal from a sensor that detects the open/close states of the lid, (2) a signal representing that a first card is drawn from the card shoe, (3) a signal representing start of bets in the game, and (4) an input signal representing start of use of the shuffle playing cards or the end of the in-shoe package exchange operation.
- [Claim 5] The table game system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the management control section calculates a temporal ratio between the period for which the shuffle playing cards on a package basis or a set basis are used and the in-shoe package exchange period.
- [Claim 6] The table game system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in a plurality of games in the period for which the shuffle playing cards on a package basis or a set basis are used, the management control section is further configured to be capable of measuring a period from time when a first card is drawn in each of the games to time when the win/loss evaluation result output starts as a play period and calculating at least one of a sum of a plurality of play periods in the period for which the shuffle playing cards on a package basis or a set basis are used, an average of the play periods, and dispersion of the play period.
- [Claim 7] The table game system according to any one of claims 1 to wherein the card shoe further includes a result output stop control section that controls stop of the win/loss evaluation result output performed by the win/loss evaluation result output section for an instruction to stop the output, the management control section is configured to be capable of further receiving a signal from the result output stop control section and memorizing time when the win/loss evaluation result output stops, the item of the measurement of the period between the points of time when the at least two specific items occur further includes at least one of an item of measurement of a period from the time when the win/loss evaluation result output starts to the time when the win/loss evaluation result output stops as a bet settlement period, and an item of measurement of a period from time when the win/loss evaluation result output in a preceding game stops to the time when the first card is drawn as a bet period, and the management control section is further configured to be capable of calculating at least one of a sum, an average, and dispersion of the bet settlement periods or the bet periods in a plurality of games in the period for which the shuffle playing cards on a package basis or a set basis are used.
- [Claim 8] The table game system according to claim 7, wherein the management control section adds a result of the measurement of the bet settlement period to a result of the measurement of the bet period into a period excluding play and is further configured to be capable of calculating at least one of a sum, an average, and dispersion of the periods excluding play in the plurality of games in the period for which the shuffle playing cards on a package basis or a set basis are used.
- [Claim 9] The table game system according to claim 8, wherein the management control section adds the play period to a result of the measurement of the period excluding play into a game period and is configured to be capable of calculating at least one of a sum of a plurality of game periods in the period for which the shuffle playing cards on a package basis or a set basis are used, an average of the game periods, and dispersion of the game periods.
- [Claim 10] The table game system according to any one of claims 1 to wherein the item of the measurement of the period between the points of time when the at least two specific items occur includes at least one of an item of measurement of a dealing period that starts when a first card is drawn and ends when a fourth card is drawn in the play period, and an item of measurement of a player's period that starts when the fourth card is drawn and ends when the win/loss evaluation result output starts in the play period, and the management control section is configured to be capable of further calculating at least one of a sum, an average, and dispersion of the dealing periods or the player's periods in a plurality of games in the period for which the shuffle playing cards on a package basis or a set basis are used.
- [Claim 11] The table game system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the management control section is configured to be capable of setting a standard guideline period corresponding to at least one of the measured dealing period, player's period, bet settlement period, bet period, play period, period excluding play, game period, and in-shoe package exchange period and outputs a fact that any of the measured periods exceeds the standard guideline period.
- [Claim 12] The table game system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the management control section is configured to be capable of further calculating a ratio among at least a plurality of the calculated sum of the dealing periods, the player's periods, the bet settlement periods, the bet periods, the play periods, the periods excluding play, and the game periods and the in-shoe package exchange period.
- [Claim 13] The table game system according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the management control section further includes an error sensing section that memorizes a predetermined rule of the card game and senses, based on the rule, a state of an error that is against the rule of the card game, and the error sensing section memorizes or outputs a number of sensed errors or contents of the sensed errors in the period for which the shuffle playing cards on a package basis or a set basis are used.
- [Claim 14] The table game system according to claim 13, wherein the management control section is further configured to be capable of identifying at least one of (1) drawing of a subsequent card from the card shoe in a course of the game, and (2) the win/loss evaluation result output performed by the result output start control section showing that the system has recovered from the error state, measuring an error recovery period required from time when the error sensing section senses the error to time when recovery from the error state is achieved, and calculating at least one a sum, an average, and dispersion of the error recovery period having occurred in the period for which the shuffle playing cards on a package basis or a set basis are used.
- [Claim 15] A table game system comprising: shuffle playing cards that are playing cards formed of a multiple number of decks and shuffled and packaged or set; a card shoe including a card accommodating section that accommodates the shuffle playing cards, and an opening through which the cards are drawn one by one from the card accommodating section onto a game table; and a management control section that measures, based on points of time when specific items in a card game occur, a period between points of time when at least two of the specific items occur, wherein the card shoe includes a card sensor that senses that one of the cards is drawn and outputs a signal, a card reading section that reads at least a rank of the drawn card, a win/loss evaluating section that performs win/loss evaluation of the card game based on information on the rank of the card read by the card reading section, a win/loss evaluation result output section that outputs a result of the win/loss evaluation performed by the win/loss evaluating section, and a result output stop control section that controls stop of the win/loss evaluation result output performed by the win/loss evaluation result output section for an instruction to stop of the output, the management control section is configured to be capable of receiving a signal from the result output stop control section and memorizing time when the win/loss evaluation result output stops, the table game system further comprises a package exchange detecting section that detects start and end of in- shoe package exchange operation of exchanging the playing cards accommodated in the card accommodating section, and an item of the measurement of the period between the points of time when the at least two specific items occur includes measurement of a period for which shuffle playing cards on a package basis or a set basis are used, the period starting at a point of time when a signal representing the end of the in-shoe package exchange operation is received from the package exchange detecting section, or a point of time when the card shoe is powered on, and the period ending at a point of time when a signal representing the start of the in-shoe package exchange operation is received from the package exchange detecting section, or a point of time when the card shoe is powered off, measurement of an in-shoe package exchange period, the period starting at the point of time when the signal representing the start of the in-shoe package exchange operation is received from the package exchange detecting section, or the point of time when the card shoe is powered off, and the period ending at the point of time when the signal representing the end of the in-shoe package exchange operation is received from the package exchange detecting section, or the point of time when the card shoe is powered on, measurement of a game period that starts at a point of time when the win/loss evaluation result output in a preceding game stops and ends at a point of time when the win/loss evaluation result output in a current game stops, and calculation of a sum, an average, or dispersion of the game periods in a plurality of games in the period for which the shuffle playing cards on a package basis or a set basis are used.
- [Claim 16] A card shoe comprising: a card accommodating section that accommodates shuffle playing cards that are playing cards formed of a multiple number of decks and shuffled and packaged or set; and an opening through which the cards are drawn one by one from the card accommodating section onto a game table, wherein the card shoe further includes a management control section that measures, based on points of time when specific items in a card game occur, a period between points of time when at least two of the specific items occur, a card sensor that senses that one of the cards is drawn and outputs a signal, a card reading section that reads at least a rank of the drawn card, a win/loss evaluating section that performs win/loss evaluation of the card game based on information on the rank of the card read by the card reading section, a win/loss evaluation result output section that outputs a result of the win/loss evaluation performed by the win/loss evaluating section, and a result output stop control section that controls stop of the win/loss evaluation result output performed by the win/loss evaluation result output section for an instruction to stop of the output, the management control section is configured to be capable of receiving a signal from the result output stop control section and memorizing time when the win/loss evaluation result output stops, the card shoe further includes a package exchange detecting section that detects start and end of in-shoe package exchange operation of exchanging the playing cards accommodated in the card accommodating section, and an item of the measurement of the period between the points of time when the at least two specific items occur includes measurement of a period for which shuffle playing cards on a package basis or a set basis are used, the period starting at a point of time when a signal representing the end of the in-shoe package exchange operation is received from the package exchange detecting section or a point of time when the card shoe is powered on, and the period ending at a point of time when a signal representing the start of the in-shoe package exchange operation is received from the package exchange detecting section or a point of time when the card shoe is powered off, measurement of an in-shoe package exchange period, the period starting at the point of time when the signal representing the start of the in-shoe package exchange operation is received from the package exchange detecting section or the point of time when the card shoe is powered off, the period ending at the point of time when the signal representing the end of the in-shoe package exchange operation is received from the package exchange detecting section or the point of time when the card shoe is powered on.
Priority Applications (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
NZ744708A NZ744708B2 (en) | 2014-12-12 | Table game system | |
NZ760091A NZ760091B2 (en) | 2014-12-12 | Table game system |
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
NZ744708A NZ744708B2 (en) | 2014-12-12 | Table game system | |
PCT/JP2014/084744 WO2016092711A1 (en) | 2014-12-12 | 2014-12-12 | Table game system |
NZ732645A NZ732645A (en) | 2014-12-12 | 2014-12-12 | Table game system |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
NZ744708A NZ744708A (en) | 2020-12-18 |
NZ744708B2 true NZ744708B2 (en) | 2021-03-19 |
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