U.S. patent application number 10/880410 was filed with the patent office on 2005-12-29 for casino table gaming system with round counting system.
This patent application is currently assigned to Shuffle Master, Inc.. Invention is credited to Schubert, Oliver M..
Application Number | 20050288084 10/880410 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35506650 |
Filed Date | 2005-12-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050288084 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Schubert, Oliver M. |
December 29, 2005 |
Casino table gaming system with round counting system
Abstract
Casino table card games are provided with sensors for detection
of an indicator initiated by a dealer to indicate approximate
beginning of or final completion of a round of play of a casino
table card game. The signal is read by a table subcomponent that
has a time or time/dating capability. The signal is time/date
stamped (referred to herein as "Date Stamping" or "date stamping"
for simplicity. The date stamped signal is then transmitted from
the subcomponent to a processor (e.g., gaming table processor or
pit processor or main casino processor and/or central processor for
multiple casinos). The data retains its date stamping at least
through storage, analysis, data entry or other treatment of the
data after transmission away from the table, and the date stamping
may or may not be provided by the sensor itself. The system also
allows for the date stamping or other status information to be sent
to a data bank or repository of information (e.g., security bank or
security room) for storage of the information, without necessarily
any game-play related function. The data may be processed in real
time at this bank or repository, or may me reviewed and analyzed at
a later time.
Inventors: |
Schubert, Oliver M.; (Las
Vegas, NV) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Mark A. Litman & Associates, P.A.
York Business Center
Suite 205
3209 West 76th Street
Edina
MN
55435
US
|
Assignee: |
Shuffle Master, Inc.
|
Family ID: |
35506650 |
Appl. No.: |
10/880410 |
Filed: |
June 28, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/11 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/32 20130101;
G07F 17/3211 20130101; G07F 17/3206 20130101; A63F 3/00157
20130101; A63F 1/18 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/011 |
International
Class: |
A63F 009/24 |
Claims
What is claimed:
1. A casino table card gaming system in which a message is
communicated from a sensor without date stamping to a first
component that date stamps the signal and forwards the date stamped
signal to a memory component that stores the date stamped signal,
the system comprising a casino table, a sensor that sends an
undated signal, and the first component.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensor is a light sensor.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first component comprises a
chipboard.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein the first component does not store
signals or data contained in the signals after date stamping and
forwarding the signals.
5. The system of claim 2 wherein the first component does not store
signals.
6. The system of claim 3 wherein the first component does not store
signals.
7. The system of claim 2 wherein the sensor detects ambient
light.
8. The system of claim 1 wherein date stamped signals are received
by a central computer that creates data relating to counting of
rounds and a rate of rounds for at least one of a table and a
dealer.
9. A method of counting rounds of cards played at a casino wagering
table comprising automatically providing an original signal
indicative of an end of a round or beginning of the round, sending
that signal without date stamping thereon to a first component on
the table, the component date stamping the signal and then
forwarding a date stamped signal to a memory component.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the memory component provides
stored signal information to a processor that interprets received
date stamped signals to compute a number of rounds played over a
period of time, the time being based upon use of the date stamping
received.
11. The method of claim 9 wherein the original signal contains no
indication of date or time thereon.
12. The method of claim 9 wherein the original signal is provided
by an ambient light detector indicating relative amounts of light
detected.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein the relative amount of light
relates to light blockage or light availability to the
detector.
14. The method of claim 10 wherein the processor determines end of
round events based at least in part upon evaluation of a time
component in date stamped data it receives.
15. A hardware component on a casino card able that receives
signals without time stamped information thereon, adds time stamped
information to the signals, and forwards the time stamped signal to
a memory storage component.
16. The hardware component of claim 15 wherein the hardware
component is constructed so that it cannot store time stamped
signals after forwarding the time stamped signals.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1 Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to the field of gaming
systems, particularly gaming systems that have elements of play,
reward, monetary/credit transactions and/or monitoring that are
performed by processing systems, and including casino table card
games.
[0003] 2. Background of the Art
[0004] Wagering games, such as those played in casinos and card
clubs, have traditionally been played with only mechanical
implements such as cards, dice, wheels, balls and the like. One of
the reasons for this is to make the wagering game open for
inspection, including the implements that are used to provide the
chance occurrences upon which the wagers are made.
[0005] The creative mind of players and wagering institutions have
devised ways of manipulating implements or calculating
probabilities of events that have affected the odds in the favor of
the manipulator. Cards have been marked, `sleeved` for timed use,
stacked in a deal, bottom dealt, or otherwise altered in
characteristics or location to enable cheating. Sophisticated
players are able to read decks by counting cards, and have been
able to calculate changes in the probability of success at
different times in the game of blackjack, altering overall odds
more in favor of the player. The use of limited portions of decks,
efficient card shuffling devices, restrictions on players' handling
of cards, and continuous shuffling devices have alleviated some of
the card problems.
[0006] Dice have been weighted or counterfeited to influence the
occurrence of specific values, chips have been switched or amounts
altered on the tables in carps. This has been addressed by the
presence of many persons in the pit crew that supervise elements of
the game and the close surveillance of activities on the table by
proximal personnel at the table or distal personnel watching
cameras or tapes of activities.
[0007] Processing equipment and computers have become an
increasingly important part of the gaming industry, but the
introduction of the technology has been sporadic, inconsistent, and
often ill designed. In addition, the direction of improvement in
the processing apparatus used in casinos has consistently been
heading in the direction that bigger and more powerful is better,
attempting to mimic the home computer market. The original
processors introduced into the market were hardwired, unique
designs that performed all command functions from a central
controlling processor or actually performed within a single
computer that sent signals to all mechanical operating
elements.
[0008] Traditional gaming devices are based around a main processor
unit (which may include a random number generator), an accounting
function operatively coupled to the main processor or embedded in
the main processor, and more recently a processor or EPROM having
stored therein the important gaming functions. In addition, these
gaming devices include gaming displays, coin acceptors, player
identity recognition, bill validation functions, ticket-in-ticket
out controls and the like operatively coupled to the main
processor. These casino table gaming devices and systems have been
relatively simple and limited in scope, usually consisting of a few
executing programs utilizing straight forward interrupt schemes and
detection loops for asynchronous events for simple evaluation.
There have been a simple external program validation devices that
can be coupled to the EPROM or main processor (through a line
connection or port) for providing effective regulatory validation
of critical gaming functions to preclude unauthorized tampering or
modification of the system through software. In addition, an
external device validation process for suspicious results or
disputes may be validated by simply reading the stored data that
has been generated from the table gaming systems and associated
with the main processor.
[0009] Today's trend in gaming devices is towards automation and an
increasing utilization of LINUX or personal computer based gaming
platforms. Personal computer based platforms are being employed by
designers to make use of real time operating systems which allow
for multi-threaded/multi-tasking processes and the use of many "off
the shelf" device drivers.
[0010] There are a wide variety of associated devices that can be
connected to or serve as part of a gaming machine such as a casino
table gaming system. These devices provide gaming features that
define or augrnent the game(s) played on the gaming machine. Some
examples of these devices are player location or player order
indicators, lights, ticket printers, card readers, speakers, bill
validators, coin acceptors, display panels, key pads, and button
pads. Many of these devices are built into the table or into
associated components carried on the table. Often, a number of
devices are grouped together in a separate box that is placed on
top of the gaming table.
[0011] U.S. Pat. No. 6,071,190 (Weiss) describes a gaming device
security system is disclosed which includes two processing areas
linked together and communicating critical gaming functions via a
security protocol wherein each transmitted gaming function includes
a specific encrypted signature to be decoded and validated before
being processed by either processing area. The two processing areas
include a first processing area having a dynamic RAM and an open
architecture design which is expandable without interfering or
accessing critical gaming functions and a second "secure"
processing area having a non-alterable memory for the storage of
critical gaming functions therein.
[0012] Casino Table Games (such as blackjack, poker, varietal poker
such as Let It Ride.RTM. poker, Three Card.TM. poker and
Four-Card.TM. poker, baccarat, Casino War.TM. game, also require
some security control, and more highly automated systems are being
described in the literature and introduced to the marketplace.
There are, for example, numerous U.S. Patents assigned to MindPlay
LLC (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,712,696; 6,688,979; 6,685,568;
6,663,490; 6,652,379; 6,638,161; 6,595,857; 6,579,181; 6,579,180;
6,533,662; 6,530,837; 6,530,836; 6,527,271; 6,520,857; 6,517,436;
6,517,435; and 6,460,848) describe systems and components of
systems that are used to more fully automate casino table card
games, and especially blackjack. These systems include card
recognition devices, bet sensing devices (e.g., chip sensors and
counters), software to evaluate the games as and after they are
played, and the like.
[0013] U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,808 (Strisower) describes a device to be
utilized in casino gaming that will count the number of "hands"
(read "rounds") of a given card game played per given period of
time. The information is used by a database system within the
casino to determine theoretical win/loss based upon historical and
theoretical outcome data related to probability of winning/losing
any given hand and then factoring in the number of hands (rounds)
played. Preferably this device is polled by a database system to
collect this information. In a preferred embodiment, the device
could be utilized with an automatic tracking and information
management system. The automatic tracking and information
management system (ATMS) automatically determines various player
transactions associated with a device in a gaming establishment.
The ATMS includes an automatic tracking and management unit (ATMU)
which transmits and receives information between all gaming tables
in all pit areas and the gaming establishment database system. The
ATMU provides for the interactive determination of various
transactions within the pit area. Through the automatic tracking
and management system the manual paper tracking, activities
associated with the pit area are eliminated, thereby freeing pit
personnel for other tasks. The device could also be generically
connected to any tracking and information system through any
standard serial interface.
[0014] Crown Casinos in Australia has recently provided a device
that assists in counting rounds of play by using a card sensing
component on a table that responds to the blockage of ambient light
into a hole and the forwarding of the sensed data to a central
computer. The data is logged in as it is received to indicate a
time element associated with each piece of data received.
[0015] Various other U.S. Patents that include automation enhancing
technology for casino table card games include U.S. Pat. Nos.
6,582,301; 6,299,536; 6,165,069; 6,117,012; 6,093,103; 6,039,650;
5,722,893; 5,605,334. As can be seen from these disclosure, the
computing structural and component structures of gaming systems
follows the traditional format of a main processor driving
peripherals, and where one feature demands a significant amount of
computing power, two processors may be added, with one processor
still tending to be the dominant main processor sending commands to
the peripherals. In proposed table systems, peripheral devices
(such as a hand sensor or round counter or bet sensor provides the
signal and sends the signal to the gaming table processor and/or to
a main processor. These signals are sometimes logged in with a time
stamp for noting when it was received and/or logged in. The systems
in gaming table operations tend to be structured in the same
manner, with systems described as comprising a main computer,
central computer or the like, and various peripherals such as card
readers, chip readers, cameras, lighting elements, shufflers, bet
sensors, movement sensors, motion sensors, jackpot
incrementers/decrementers, game status indicators (e.g., jackpot
registers, blackjack indicators, symbol indicators and the like)
and any other elements of the table game. Examples of such systems
include method, apparatus and article for verifying card games,
such as playing card distribution as described in U.S. Pat. Nos.
6,638,161; 6,595,857; 6,5,79,181; 6,579,180; 6,533,275; 6,530,837;
6,530,836; 6,527,271; 6,520,857; 6,517,436; 6,517,535; and
6,460,848 (the Soltys' patents). Other gaming table systems that
operate on the basis of a central programmer commanding peripheral
devices (that may or may not have some processing capability of
their own) include U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,299,536 and 6,039,650 (Hill);
U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,546 (Meissner) which describes touch screens
and player entry features at each player position, U.S. Pat. Nos.
6,093,103 and 6,117,012 (McCrea) which describes card sensing
systems at each player location as well a card reading shoes; and
U.S. Pat. No. 6,126,166 (Lorson) describing a card control and
recognition system and method, as represented by claim 1, which is
shown directly below. U.S. Pat. No. 6,629,894 (Purton, Dolphin
Advanced Technologies, Ltd.) describes a card inspection device
including a first loading area adapted to receive one or more decks
of playing cards. A drive roller is located adjacent the loading
area and positioned to impinge on a card if a card were present in
the loading area. The loading area has an exit through which cards
are urged, one at a time, by a feed roller. A transport path
extends from the loading area exit to a card accumulation area. The
transport path is further defined by two pairs of transport
rollers, one roller of each pair above the transport path and one
roller of each pair below the transport path. A camera is located
between the two pairs of transport rollers, and a processor governs
the operation of a digital camera and the rollers. A printer
produces a record of the device's operation based on an output of
the processor, and a portion of the transport path is illuminated
by one or more blue LEDs. A printer is also provided as part of the
system driven by a central computer.
[0016] Applicants have found that there are potential issues
involved in the method of date stamping provided for and taught by
these references and as known to be used in the art. When signals
are stamped in by the main computer, this is merely indicative of
when the signal arrived. Also by providing the stamping function at
the receipt site (such as the main processor, or central gaming
location), the information is more easily subject to manipulation
or change by an operator. Also, when there is a line breakdown
(e.g., some casinos may still use telephone line connections which
can be busy or interrupted, or the communication system to the main
computer breaks down), the accuracy of the stamping is adversely
affected. The value of the data decreases in some necessary
transactions and casino oversight if the time data is inaccurate. A
gaming system with different architectural structure and
informational structure would be desirable if it could reduce these
issues.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0017] Casino table card games are provided with sensors for
detection of an indicator initiated by a dealer to indicate
approximate or final completion or beginning of a round of play of
a casino table card game. The signal is read by a table
subcomponent that has a time/dating capability. The signal is
time/date stamped (referred to herein as "Date Stamping" or "date
stamping" for simplicity. The date stamped signal is then
transmitted from the subcomponent to a processor (e.g., gaming
table processor or pit processor or main casino processor and/or
central processor for multiple casinos). The data retains its date
stamping at least through storage, analysis, data entry or other
treatment of the data after transmission away from the table, and
the date stamping may or may not be provided by the sensor itself.
The system also allows for the date stamping or other status
information to be sent to a data bank or repository of information
(e.g., security bank or security room) for storage of the
information, without necessarily any game-play related function.
The data may be processed in real time at this bank or repository,
or may me reviewed and analyzed at a later time.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0018] FIG. 1 shows a schematic of casino table card game
arrangement with sensor, intermediate date stamping component and
subsequent information flow in a casino table card gaming
apparatus.
[0019] FIG. 2 shows a schematic of data transmission in the system
of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0020] FIG. 1 shows a casino card gaming table 2. The Table 2 has a
surface 4 with seven player positions 6 (three positions labeled
6), 8 10, 12 and 14 thereon. A hand sensor 16 is provided for the
dealer cards 18. The sensor 16 is connected by a communication
system (preferably a wire system, but RF or other wireless systems
could be used) to a rabbit 22 for the table 2. The rabbit 22 is on
a communication line 24 to a data collector (not shown).
[0021] FIG. 2 shows a schematic of data transmission in the system
of FIG. 1.
[0022] A concept of operative control among processing units should
be appreciated to appreciate the performance of the present
technology. It is believed that existing systems perform by a
single main processor sending commands to peripherals to perform
specific functions, and that date stamping is usually done at point
of receipt of the data by a gaming processor, especially the main
processor. For purposes of discussion, the initial main emphasis of
the description will be directed towards the performance of casino
table card games with a live dealer, but the system is equally
applicable to the use of a fully automated (live dealer-less)
gaming apparatus. This emphasis is not intended to narrow the scope
of the invention, but is rather intended to simplify the
description.
[0023] In a standard casino table card game, different events are
sensed (usually visually by a live dealer and/or combinations of
video cameras and personnel who review images from the video
cameras and the system provides information from these
observations. Where there is automated review of information
(provided by manual or automatic input), a central processor
evaluates this information and commands another element to perform
a procedure or initiates a sequential event, including an analytic
review of data or providing an alarm or message/report relating to
analysis of the data or in response to identification of meaningful
data. For example, a coin or token or chip is deposited in the coin
receptor or in a bet sensing region viewed by cameras or detectors,
the coin is sensed in the coin acceptor and a signal is sent to the
main processor that a coin has been received. The main processor
receives this information and sends a signal to the credit display
or other accounting function to indicate that one credit should be
displayed or provides ongoing information on playing wagering that
Player X has wagered Y tokens. An additional signal is sent to any
wager award control that identifies what wagers have been made, how
much has been wagered, and what the theoretic awards could be based
on that wager. Prior to this command from the main processor, the
game play capability for that player was inactive. When a second
token or coin is inserted, the same event happens between the coin
acceptor, the processor and the credit display and award tracking,
with the command now being to display two available credits. The
processor knows not to send a separate activation notice to the
Start button. When the player performs a task that indicates that a
wager has been placed and the system identifies this task
performance, a signal may be sent to the game control function
within the main processor to register the amount of the wager. When
the a start button is pressed or a start function initiated by a
dealer or automated virtual dealer, a signal is sent to the main
processor which then sends a signal to the game processor to
initiate play of a game. Signals are sent from the main processor
to the table game control system and the game play (which may in
more automated systems be driven by a random number generator) to
perform the tasks necessary to effect a play event. This could be
as little as indicating to a dealer that the game is ready for
dealing. The cards or the random number generator provides the
results to or within the main processor (or a more local game table
controller or pit game controller) and the main processor or other
processor identifies the cards or other symbols to be provided in
the play of the game (or which symbols have been dealt, by reading
values, suits, ranks, etc. of cards dealt) and determines the
existence of the status of the wager (win, lose or draw). In the
event that the processor is used to determine whether a winning
event has occurred, the processor then signals the credit display
to indicate the total amount of credits won and commands the system
to display or otherwise identify any winning alerts and the like.
As can be seen from this analysis, the individual peripherals send
signals to the main processor and the main processor provides
specific commands to the various peripherals that specific
functions are to be performed. There are a couple of concepts that
are of interest to consider in this performance. First, a fairly
sophisticated and powerful processor is needed to control all of
the peripherals, such as a PC grade processor. Second, the
processor must order events to send out separate signals to each of
the peripherals, slowing down game performance. Any slow down in
receipt of data may affect the value and treatment of data,
including round counting functions.
[0024] As noted above, there are many different elements of the
gaming system that can be considered as peripherals. Another
listing of these components would include 9 in addition to those
described above) are multimedia processing, stepper motor control,
random number generation, card reading, hand reading (ranking),
player strategy review/analysis, I/O detection and response, audio
signals, video signals, currency handling, coin acceptors, bill
acceptors, paperless transactions, ticket-in and ticket-out
crediting, security systems, player accounting functions, door
locks, player input (e.g., button controls, joy sticks, touch
screens, service calls, etc.) and any other functions that my be
provided on the table gaming apparatus.
[0025] The units or subcomponents on the gaming table or within the
table gaming system can be operated substantially independently of
each other, although some interdependencies may exist. In most
systems substantially all performance of the peripheries is done
only at the command of the gaming control processor or central
computer.
[0026] Some game devices such as motors, player identification
acceptors, etc., require a real time (RT) operating system (OS) to
handle events in a timely fashion. An RTOS operation often
adversely effects more traditional OS needs such as multimedia
requirements. Ideally, separating the RTOS from the multimedia
frees the multimedia system resources. Additionally, separating the
multimedia control from the RTOS will eliminate the version
dependencies created by coupling unique RTOS to the multimedia
OS.
[0027] As noted earlier, round counting is one service or data
component that can be important to a table. For example, round
completion can be important for evaluating rates of play at tables,
player rate performance, dealer rate performance, and even disputes
over time of completion of hands at different tables or different
casinos where priority might be an issue (as in competitive events
or qualifying events).
[0028] Round counting requires some form of signal generation at a
table that is indicative of approximate completion of a round and
preferably absolute completion of a round. This can be done in a
number of ways for signal generation. For example, video cameras
can be placed to observe the dealer's hand. When the motions of a
dealer or the dealer's cards indicate that the dealer's cards have
been removed from the playing area, a signal is sent "round
completed" or "dealer's hand removed" or some functional
equivalent. A sensor can be placed on the table over which the
dealer's cards are placed. It is preferred that this sensor not be
as movement limiting as the sensor in U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,808,
where cards appear to have to be specifically fitted into at least
a right angle abutment with a card reading ability. Upright
extensions on the card table can interfere with card movement, can
interfere with chip movement, can cause accidental disclosure of
cards, and are generally undesirable. A sensing system with a
relatively flat or slightly indented or slightly raised surface is
more desirable. The system could comprise a transparent or
translucent panel approximately flush with the table surface that
allows light (e.g., ambient light or specially directed wavelengths
of light for which a sensor is particularly sensitive) to pass to a
sensor. The absence of light in the sensor for a predetermined
period of time and/or intervals of time can be the original signals
themselves, which are interpreted by an intermediary intelligence
on the table that has the time sensing capability for evaluating
the signal. The original signals are then time stamped before being
forwarded to the gaming intelligence (e.g., game table computer,
pit computer, main or central computer so that the signals
themselves are time stamped and the receiving intelligence
interprets the signals (light sensed/light not sensed and the
accompanying time stamping) to determine if a round should be
counted.
[0029] For example, before the dealer's hand is dealt, the signal
being sent by the sensor is that light is being received. When the
dealer's hand has been dealt or during the process of dealing the
dealer's hand one-card-at-a-time, the dealer places the dealer's
cards over the hole. A signal or state is then sent that light is
not being received. If the lack of light signal is of too short a
duration (e.g., 1-2 seconds), the receiving intelligence, based on
the time stamp for a light admission signal changing to a light
blocking signal and back again, will be programmed to interpret
this as a non-round event, such as a dealer leaning on the table or
a player throwing away cards, or some article being misplaced over
the light-sensing system. Similarly, if the light blocking event is
too long (10-15 minutes), the intelligence will be programmed to
interpret this as a non-round event, such as an inactive table with
cards spread over the table and the sensor. The processor receiving
the time stamped signal will be programmed to interpret the data on
this basis. The processor can poll the signal stamping component on
a regular basis or wait for a signal or state change information to
be received before it acts. By having the date stamping on the
original signals at the table before being sent to any computer
that analyzes or tabulates or permanently stores the information, a
good level of quality information is maintained.
[0030] Particularly in games where batch shuffling is used, such as
poker or even single deck blackjack, the signal could also be
originated by cards being placed in a shuffler and a shuffling
process initiated, the shuffler sending a start shuffling signal to
the date stamping component on the table. The dealer could even
activate or press a button provided on the table, but this would
tend to leave the results under the control of the dealer, which
could be manipulated by the dealer to improve results on dealer
play, or could suffer from forgetfulness.
[0031] The application of this technology to gaming tables follows
similar architecture and application of design and performance.
Gaming tables would include typical casino tables such as those
used for blackjack (Twenty-One), baccarat, roulette, poker, poker
variants (Let It Ride.RTM. poker, Three-Card Poker.RTM. game,
Caribbean Stud.RTM. poker, etc.), craps, and the like. These latter
systems, unless they are completely electronic without any physical
implementation (such as physical playing cards, dice, spinning
wheel, drop ball, etc.) will need sensing and/or reading equipment
(e.g., card reading for suits and/or rank, bet reading sensors,
ball position sensors, dice reading sensors, player card readers,
dealer input sensors, player input systems, and the like. These
would be the peripherals in the table systems. Also, newer
capabilities are enabled such as moisture detection (e.g., for
spilled drinks), smoke detection, infrared ink detection (to avoid
card marking), shuffler operation, dealer shoe operation, discard
rack operation, jackpot meters, side bet detectors, and the
like.
[0032] The signals and information, when date stamped, do not have
to be sent directly, indirectly or even eventually to a main game
computer. The term "time stamping" is meant any relatable time
entry, such as just time, all the way to time and date. The "time"
does not even have to be actual local or standard time of day, but
can be time from when machines are turned on or when shifts begin,
or when dealing starts at a table, etc. As the date stamping of
some information, such as the counting of rounds, number of
shuffles per hour, number of rounds per shuffle, and the like do
not have any direct and underlying effect on the play of individual
rounds of the game, the information may be sent to a data bank or
information repository directly from each table (e.g., on a network
directly from tables, through a table computer, or central
networked computer, etc.). The information need not even be
directly sent to a specific repository, but can be placed on a
network as information status (as well as a specific signal or data
package) such that when it is received by the data bank or storage
repository, the recipient memory device will appropriately log-in
and/or store the data or signal that is received from each table.
This information can be analyzed and stored in real time or stored
for later analysis upon command or upon regular intervals.
[0033] A G-Mod is a game module that supports specific functions on
the gaming table or associated peripherals (e.g., shuffler). To
understand a G-mod and its function, is desirable to understand the
concept of operative control among processing units. It is believed
that existing systems perform by a single main processor sending
commands to peripherals to perform specific functions, and that
date stamping is usually done at point of receipt of the data by a
gaming processor, especially the main processor. For purposes of
discussion, the initial main emphasis of the description will be
directed towards the performance of casino table card games with a
live dealer, but the system is equally applicable to the use of a
fully automated (live dealer-less) gaming apparatus. This emphasis
is not intended to narrow the scope of the invention, but is rather
intended to simplify the description. A G-Mod is an electronic
hardware element that performs its task independent of direct
control from a main processor. The device may have sufficient
intelligence to read data and make a decision on data, but its
primary task is not to receive and obey commands. For example, it
may receive status signals or status data and determine whether it
is to respond to the signal or data, but is not commanded by the
data. Equally importantly, it is capable of sending out status data
and/or signal data.
[0034] In a standard casino table card game, different events are
sensed (usually visually by a live dealer and/or combinations of
video cameras and personnel who review images from the video
cameras and the system provides information from these
observations. Where there is automated review of information
(provided by manual or automatic input), a central processor
evaluates this information and commands another element to perform
a procedure or initiates a sequential event, including an analytic
review of data or providing an alarm or message/report relating to
analysis of the data or in response to identification of meaningful
data. For example, a coin or token or chip is deposited in the coin
receptor or in a bet sensing region viewed by cameras or detectors,
the coin is sensed in the coin acceptor and a signal is sent to the
main processor that a coin has been received. The main processor
receives this information and sends a signal to the credit display
or other accounting function to indicate that one credit should be
displayed or provides ongoing information on playing wagering that
Player X has wagered Y tokens. An additional signal is sent to any
wager award control that identifies what wagers have been made, how
much has been wagered, and what the theoretic awards could be based
on that wager. Prior to this command from the main processor, the
game play capability for that player was inactive. When a second
token or coin is inserted, the same event happens between the coin
acceptor, the processor and the credit display and award tracking,
with the command now being to display two available credits. The
processor knows not to send a separate activation notice to the
Start button. When the player performs a task that indicates that a
wager has been placed and the system identifies this task
performance, a signal may be sent to the game control function
within the main processor to register the amount of the wager. When
the a start button is pressed or a start function initiated by a
dealer or automated virtual dealer, a signal is sent to the main
processor which then sends a signal to the game processor to
initiate play of a game. Signals are sent from the main processor
to the table game control system and the game play (which may in
more automated systems be driven by a random number generator) to
perform the tasks necessary to effect a play event. This could be
as little as indicating to a dealer that the game is ready for
dealing. The cards or the random number generator provides the
results to or within the main processor (or a more local game table
controller or pit game controller) and the main processor or other
processor identifies the cards or other symbols to be provided in
the play of the game (or which symbols have been dealt, by reading
values, suits, ranks, etc. of cards dealt) and determines the
existence of the status of the wager (win, lose or draw). In the
event that the processor is used to determine whether a winning
event has occurred, the processor then signals the credit display
to indicate the total amount of credits won and commands the system
to display or otherwise identify any winning alerts and the like.
As can be seen from this analysis, the individual peripherals send
signals to the main processor and the main processor provides
specific commands to the various peripherals that specific
functions are to be performed. There are a couple of concepts that
are of interest to consider in this performance. First, a fairly
sophisticated and powerful processor is needed to control all of
the peripherals, such as a PC grade processor. Second, the
processor must order events to send out separate signals to each of
the peripherals, slowing down game performance. Any slow down in
receipt of data may affect the value and treatment of data,
including round counting functions.
[0035] As noted above, there are many different elements of the
gaming system that can be considered as peripherals. Another
listing of these components would include 9 in addition to those
described above) are multimedia processing, stepper motor control,
random number generation, card reading, hand reading (ranking),
player strategy review/analysis, I/O detection and response, audio
signals, video signals, currency handling, coin acceptors, bill
acceptors, paperless transactions, ticket-in and ticket-out
crediting, security systems, player accounting functions, door
locks, player input (e.g., button controls, joy sticks, touch
screens, service calls, etc.) and any other functions that my be
provided on the table gaming apparatus. Some of the G-Mods may have
more than one function associated with them, and some may have no
game function to them, but only peripheral function.
[0036] The units or subcomponents on the gaming table or within the
table gaming system can be operated substantially independently of
each other, although some interdependencies may exist. In most
systems substantially all performance of the peripheries is done
only at the command of the gaming control processor or central
computer.
[0037] One such format of use of this information would be for each
table to have a rabbit receive the original signal from the
dealer's card sensor, preferably date stamp the signal and
broadcast that signal over a direct line or network to an
information repository or data bank. The data bank would
periodically (or immediately) evaluate the data in that signal,
determine the frequency of rounds being played (e.g., rounds per
hour) and enter that formal data into a database. There could be an
immediate or periodic review of the data by software so that
anomalies can be identified and reported appropriately.
[0038] Although the present invention has been described largely in
terms of a single round-counting module that sends date-stamped
information to a central database, other modules also could send
data to the same database.
[0039] For example, a blackjack gaming table that is equipped with
a round counting sensor (which may not be a G-Mod) and G-Mod may
also be equipped with a sensor at the output of the dealing shoe
for counting cards dispensed from the shoe. This information can be
used in combination with the round counting information to deduce
the number of cards dealt in a given round of play. If you count
the number (and possibly value) or cards coming out of the shoe,
you can also determine or estimate the number of players at the
table. If there are bet present sensors (and associated or
non-associated G-Mod(s)) for the bet sensors, the number of hands
played per round of play (e.g., the number of players) can be
determined.
[0040] Each G-Mod is collecting, date stamping and transmitting
data as the data is collected from the table to a central database,
but none of the G-Mods are in communication with each other, and
the database does not issue commands to the G-Mods. In effect, each
G-Mod is a freestanding microprocessor that runs independently of
the any other intelligence.
[0041] A card swipe module could be added to the table system, with
an associated G-Mod. This G-Mod could not only transmit
time-stamped data to the data repository, but could also transmit
player I.D. information to the player tracking system residing in
the casino computer system or dealer I.D. to link a specific dealer
to a specific table and to evaluate the specific dealer.
[0042] One or more sensors could sense information transmitted
through an output data port of a shuffler, for example, or a keypad
control used to issue commands to a shuffler. The shuffler would
have its own G-Mod and would be capable of transmitting date
stamped information such as number of cards per hand, number of
hands per hour, number of cards dispensed per unit time, number of
player positions occupied, number of cards re-fed into a continuous
shuffler per unit of time, number of promotional cards dispensed
per unit of time, bonus awards granted at a certain time, and the
like. This information could be collected in a central database,
data bank or information repository (e.g., any electronic memory or
storage system).
[0043] A bet interface module could also be provided. Known
techniques for measuring wagers include optical and metal detection
type bet present sensors for fixed bets, and camera imaging, radio
frequency/identificatio- n technology and the like for measuring
the amount of the bet, as well as the presence of the bet. Outputs
from these measurement devices are fed through a dedicated G-Mod
and the data is date stamped and delivered to the central data
depository.
[0044] Another possible G-Mod could control a card reading camera
located in either the card shuffler, the dealing shoe, the discard
tray or combinations of the above. Information about the specific
cards dealt to each player could be obtained by feeding
date-stamped information about cards dealt and returned. In one
form of the invention, the G-Mod sends date-stamped information to
the database and an algorithm residing in the same computer or
house computer uses this information as well as round counting and
betting information to determine the composition of a hand of
blackjack, for example.
[0045] Another G-Mod might be in communication with an
identification system for tracking the movement of employees in and
out of the pit, or more preferably when the dealers arrive at and
leave the table. This information could be collected and reported
along with rounds of play per hour to determine which dealers deal
the most hands in a given period of time.
[0046] In a roulette application, a sensor and associated G-Mod can
record the number of spins of the wheel in a unit of time, for
example. This information could be associated with the player swipe
card information from another G-Mod by merely comparing the time
stamping of the data to determine how long a particular player
stayed at a table. A sensor or G-Mod may "listen in" to
communication to the reader board on a roulette table, and send
that information to a data bank, so that a distinct sensor is not
needed to read the position of the ball separate from existing
components.
[0047] It is important to note that none of the G-Mod's are in
communication (e.g., direct communication or command, although data
or signal transmission from one G-Mod may pass through the
communication network of one or more other G-Mods, without the
signal being a command to any other G-Mod) with other G-Mods on the
same gaming table. Also, the data repository does not issue
commands to the G-Mods. The central database merely organizes the
data in a manner that allows for easy access by external or other
associated computers or another application program residing on the
same computer as the database. In this respect, the G-Mod's are
self-executing and do not require central intelligence to perform
their individual functions. The data may be analyzed and used to
make decisions about comping players, promoting pit personnel,
closing and opening tables, determining optimal betting limits for
given periods of time and other important managerial functions.
[0048] Each G-Mod may be in data communication with an interface
device such as one or more specialized circuit boards to allow the
data from multiple G-Mod's to be fed into a standard port of the
computer that serves as the data repository.
[0049] A software interface can be provided to directly access data
in the data repository and to manipulate and organize the data so
that it can be outputted onto a display, written report or data
stream so that the data can be interpreted. In one preferred
software interface program, the operator can obtain reports of
rounds of play per hour per actual table, per pit, or per property,
as determined by the user. The information in the form of a data
stream may be further analyzed. In one example, the data is fed
into a host computer or can be analyzed in the same computer system
where the database and interface resides. For example, the data
from one or more of the round counting module, the shoe sensor, the
card swipe, card reading module, the shuffler data port sensor, and
the bet interfaces can be used to create a report of rounds played
per unit of time, the number of players at the table per unit of
time, the number of hands played at each round, the maximum bet per
player in a given unit of time, the average bet per player in a
unit of time, the number of shuffles per unit of time, the number
of cards removed from and placed into the shuffler in a unit of
time, hand composition and other information considered important
to the casino manager.
[0050] Because all of the G-Mod's work independently, the casino
operator can choose the modules and resulting data that is most
important to them, while saving valuable resources by only
purchasing the sensing/data analysis packages they need. For
example, one casino might want to reconstruct individual hands,
track betting and associate the information with a particular
player in a high stakes game, while tracking only rounds and the
identification of the employees on low-stakes games.
[0051] By using a modular approach to data collection, only the
equipment and reports that are wanted can be provided at the lowest
possible cost. Since none of the G-Mod's are in command
communication with one-another, it is not necessary to rewrite any
code when additional modules are added.
[0052] All of the apparatus, devices and methods disclosed and
claimed herein can be made and executed without undue
experimentation in light of the present disclosure. While the
apparatus, devices and methods of this invention have been
described in terms of both generic descriptions and preferred
embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that
variations may be applied to the apparatus, devices and methods
described herein without departing from the concept and scope of
the invention. More specifically, it will be apparent that certain
elements, components, steps, and sequences that are functionally
related to the preferred embodiments may be substituted for the
elements, components, steps, and sequences described and/or claimed
herein while the same of similar results would be achieved. All
such similar substitutions and modifications apparent to those
skilled in the art are deemed to be within the scope and concept of
the invention as defined by the appended claims.
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