U.S. patent application number 14/286997 was filed with the patent office on 2016-11-03 for card shuffler.
This patent application is currently assigned to DIGIDEAL CORPORATION. The applicant listed for this patent is DIGIDEAL CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Tyler Kuhn, Eric Miesch, Jeremy Walters.
Application Number | 20160317905 14/286997 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 53881272 |
Filed Date | 2016-11-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160317905 |
Kind Code |
A9 |
Kuhn; Tyler ; et
al. |
November 3, 2016 |
Card Shuffler
Abstract
Systems, apparatuses and methods are described for shuffling a
deck, group, stack or pile of cards. The cards are placed into a
shuffler. The shuffler may be accessed under a lid, or via a slot
or tray. Buttons, switches, or a touch screen and the like serve as
an interface to access and control the shuffler. Cards are
introduced into a substantially vertical shuffling chute. Cards are
counted or audited. Sensors provide information as to the location
of the cards. Static barriers and agitators encourage cards to
remain in proper orientation and location. An elevator lifts cards
from the shuffling chute. Sweeper arms or other mechanism
manipulates the cards and returns the cards to a substantially
horizontal orientation and exit position. Manual override is
possible when errors are detected. Rubber-coated commodity rollers
mountable to cantilevered axles engage and launch cards into the
air when shuffled in the shuffling chute. Cards settle back into
the stack of cards under the influence of gravity. The shuffler is
mounted inside a simple enclosure. Maintenance and interface
features provide convenience when working with the shuffler.
Authentication may be employed to correlate user or dealer with
operation of the shuffler.
Inventors: |
Kuhn; Tyler; (Spokane,
WA) ; Miesch; Eric; (Spokane, WA) ; Walters;
Jeremy; (Spokane, WA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
DIGIDEAL CORPORATION |
SPOKANE VALLEY |
WA |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
DIGIDEAL CORPORATION
Spokane Valley
WA
|
Prior
Publication: |
|
Document Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20150238848 A1 |
August 27, 2015 |
|
|
Family ID: |
53881272 |
Appl. No.: |
14/286997 |
Filed: |
May 24, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61944514 |
Feb 25, 2014 |
|
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|
61833405 |
Jun 10, 2013 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 1/067 20130101;
A63F 2009/2442 20130101; A63F 1/12 20130101; A63F 2250/58
20130101 |
International
Class: |
A63F 1/12 20060101
A63F001/12 |
Claims
1. A device for shuffling cards, the device comprising: a
compartment having at least four sides and a compartment height,
and wherein the compartment is sized to receive a plurality of
cards at a receiving place at a first end of the compartment, and
wherein each card of the plurality of cards has a first edge that
includes a width dimension parallel to a face thereof, and wherein
each card of the plurality of cards has a second edge that includes
a length dimension parallel to the face thereof, and wherein each
card includes a thickness dimension orthogonal to the face thereof,
and wherein the compartment height is at least two times the
dimension of the card parallel to a gravity vector; a transport
mechanism adapted to transport the plurality of cards substantially
vertically during at least a portion of their travel within the
compartment; a forcer positioned so as to apply a force to a face
of the cards within the shuffling region located within the
compartment so as to shuffle the cards substantially vertically in
an upward direction substantially parallel to a direction of the
gravity vector; and a contact reducer present on each of two
opposing sides of the compartment, and wherein the two opposing
sides are parallel to the face of the cards, and wherein the
contact reducer is present to reduce contact between surface area
of a card and surfaces in the compartment.
2. The device of claim 1, and wherein the device further comprises:
another transport mechanism that is configured to transfer the
plurality of cards to a delivery place within the device; a tilting
element configured to operate in coordination with a motion of the
transport mechanism, and wherein the tilting element is configured
to tilt the plurality of cards prior to the cards being changed
from a substantially vertical orientation to a substantially
horizontal orientation by the another transport mechanism.
3. The device of claim 1, and wherein the device further comprises:
a sensor mounted adjacent to and exposed to the compartment and
mounted at least two times a card width dimension substantially
parallel to the gravity vector above the forcer, and wherein the
sensor is configured to detect a presence of cards forced by the
forcer; a processor in electronic communication with the device;
and a memory in electronic communication with the device, and
wherein the memory is configured with instructions to: obtain
information from the sensor about the detected forced cards;
determine whether a sufficient amount of shuffling occurred based
on the obtained information; and make available in the memory an
outcome of the said determining whether a sufficient amount of
shuffling occurred.
4. The device of claim 1, and wherein the compartment includes a
first dimension greater than a length dimension of a card, a second
dimension greater than a thickness dimension of the plurality of
cards, and a third dimension greater than twice a width dimension
of a card; and wherein the device further comprises: a series of
sensors mounted adjacent to and along a dimension of the
compartment, wherein the distance between the sensors is less than
the card dimension which is substantially parallel to the gravity
vector, a processor in electronic communication with the device;
and a memory in electronic communication with the device, and
wherein the memory is configured with instructions to: detect a
presence of a card statically located adjacent to at least one
sensor of the series of sensors during a portion of time that the
plurality of cards is in the device.
5. The device of claim 1, and wherein the device further comprises:
a user interface element in electronic communication with the
device; a processor in electronic communication with the device;
and a memory in electronic communication with the device and the
user interface element, and wherein the memory is configured with
instructions to: upon detecting an error state, enable a manual
override for the transport mechanism; and operate the transport
mechanism within the compartment based on a signal detectable from
the user interface element.
6. A card shuffler for shuffling a stack of cards, the card
shuffler comprising: a first pair of opposing walls that form a
pair of opposing sides of a shuffling chute, the pair of opposing
sides forming a first side and a second side of the shuffling
chute, and wherein the cards when positioned in the shuffling chute
are positioned in an orientation such that card edges are adjacent
to the first pair of opposing walls; a third wall and a fourth wall
that opposes the third wall, and wherein the third wall and the
fourth wall form a third side and a fourth side of the shuffling
chute, respectively, and wherein each of the third wall and the
fourth wall includes at least one mechanical formation to reduce an
amount of surface area contactable by an adjacent card when the
card is within the shuffling chute; and a card kicker configured to
provide a lifting force to a card proximal to a first side of the
stack of cards as the cards are vertically located in the card
shuffler, and wherein the lifting force is applied to the cards
over a period of time, and wherein the lifting force is sufficient
to lift the proximal card at least above the stack of cards in a
substantially vertical direction.
7. The card shuffler of claim 6, and wherein a mechanical formation
is a rail that forms a raised portion along at least a portion of
the third wall and the fourth wall, respectively, and wherein at
least a portion of each rail rises at least 0.005 inches from the
respective wall.
8. The card shuffler of claim 6, and wherein the mechanical
formations are rounded mounds that are formed in the third wall and
the fourth wall, and wherein the rounded mounds are raised above a
plane defined by the respective third wall and fourth wall, and
wherein a contactable surface area available to an adjacent card is
less than approximately fifty percent of the surface area of the
adjacent card.
9. The card shuffler of claim 6, and wherein the card shuffler
further comprises: a sensor mounted adjacent to and exposed to the
compartment along either the third wall or fourth wall, and wherein
the sensor is above the card kicker; a processor in electronic
communication with the card shuffler; and a memory in electronic
communication with the card shuffler, and wherein the memory is
configured with instructions to: detect over time a signal from the
sensor as the card kicker operates, and wherein the signal
indicates the presence of a card proximate to the sensor; determine
whether a sufficient amount of shuffling has occurred based on the
detected signal from the sensor and based on a threshold value; and
provide a signal to the card shuffler based on the determination of
the sufficient amount of shuffling.
10. The card shuffler of claim 6, and wherein the card shuffler
further comprises: a series of sensors mounted adjacent to and
along the shuffling chute along a path traveled by kicked cards in
the shuffling chute; and a memory in electronic communication with
the card shuffler, and wherein the memory is configured with
instructions to: detect a presence of a card statically located
adjacent to at least one sensor of the series of sensors during at
least a portion of time that the stack of cards are in the card
shuffler.
11. The card shuffler of claim 6, and wherein the first side and
the second side of the shuffling chute include a material applied
thereto to reduce one or more of the list consisting of: sound as
cards impact surfaces in the card shuffler, damage to a card from
impact with surfaces in the card shuffler, and abrasion to a
card.
12. A card shuffler for shuffling a plurality of cards placed at a
shuffling location such that the card faces are substantially
parallel to a gravity vector, the card shuffler comprising: a card
kicker configured to provide a lifting force to a one or more
proximal cards, and wherein the cards are oriented substantially
vertically, and wherein the lifting force is applied to the cards
over a period of time, and wherein the lifting force is sufficient
to lift one or more of the proximal cards at least above the
remaining cards; a shuffling chute that includes the shuffling
location at which to shuffle the cards; a sensor mounted above the
shuffling location, and wherein the sensor is mounted proximate to
the shuffling chute and configured to detect a presence of kicked
cards within the chute; a processor in electronic communication
with the card shuffler; and a memory in electronic communication
with the card shuffler, and wherein the memory is configured with
instructions to: process information from the sensor about the
sensed kicked cards; and determine whether a sufficient amount of
shuffling occurred based on the processed information.
13. The card shuffler of claim 12, and wherein the memory is
further configured with instructions to: make available in the
memory an outcome of the said determining whether a sufficient
amount of shuffling occurred.
14. The card shuffler of claim 12, and wherein the memory is
further configured with instructions to: provide a signal based on
the said determining whether a sufficient amount of shuffling
occurred.
15. The card shuffler of claim 12, and wherein the instructions to
process information about the sensed kicked cards includes
instructions to determine a cumulative number of samples associated
with the detection of kicked cards, and wherein the said sufficient
amount of shuffling is based on the determined cumulative number of
samples.
16. The card shuffler of claim 12, and wherein the instructions to
accumulate information about the sensed kicked cards includes
instructions to determine a cumulative number of impacts of kicked
cards with a surface near the sensor mounted above the shuffling
location, and wherein the said sufficient amount of shuffling is
based on the determined cumulative number of impacts.
17. The card shuffler of claim 12, and wherein the card shuffler
further comprises: a settler that is configured to provide a
settling motion to the plurality of cards, and wherein the settling
motion facilitates settling of the playing cards into the stack of
cards under the influence of gravity.
18. The card shuffler of claim 12, and wherein the cards are placed
in a substantially vertical orientation at the shuffling location,
and wherein the card shuffler further comprises: a transferring
component configured to transfer the cards, after being shuffled,
to a retrieval location associated with the card shuffler.
19. The card shuffler of claim 12, and wherein the card kicker
includes a rotatable component, and wherein the card kicker is
configured to contact the proximal card with an outer surface of
the rotatable component.
20. The card shuffler of claim 12, and wherein the card kicker
includes a mechanical element configured to provide an oscillatory
motion to the card kicker relative to a surface of the proximal
card to facilitate contact between the card kicker and card.
21. The card shuffler of claim 12, and wherein the instructions to
accumulate information about the detected kicked cards includes
instructions to: persist a value based on information from the
sensor.
22. The card shuffler of claim 12, and wherein the instructions to
accumulate information about the sensed kicked cards includes
instructions to: persist a cumulative value associated with
interruption of the sensor by kicked cards, and wherein a
sufficient amount of shuffling is based on comparing the cumulative
value against a pre-defined threshold value.
23. The card shuffler of claim 12, and wherein the sensor includes
a light-based sensor, and wherein the detecting of the presence of
kicked cards includes detecting interference of light by the
presence of one or more cards.
24. The card shuffler of claim 12, and wherein the instructions
further cause the card shuffler to: determine a start for providing
the lifting force; persist a cumulative value based on the detected
presence of kicked cards thrown within a detection range of the
sensor since the determined start for providing the lifting force;
and based on the persisted cumulative value exceeding a
pre-determined threshold value, adjust the pre-determined time for
providing the lifting force to kick cards, or cease shuffling by
the card shuffler, or continue to provide the lifting force until
the cumulative value meets the pre-determined threshold value.
25-30. (canceled)
31. A card shuffling device comprising: a housing placed into an
aperture of and below a top surface of a gaming table; a top
surface mounted to the housing, and wherein the top surface forms a
lip that protrudes outside a profile of the housing, and wherein
the lip includes a bottom surface from which the card shuffling
device is suspended from the table by the lip such that the bottom
surface of the lip contacts a surface of the gaming table; walls
forming a shuffling compartment inside the housing, and wherein the
shuffling compartment is sized to receive a plurality of cards at a
receiving portion of the shuffling compartment, and wherein each
card has a first edge that includes a width, and wherein each card
has a second edge that includes a length that is substantially
perpendicular to the width thereof, and wherein each card includes
a thickness that is orthogonal to a face thereof; a shuffling
forcer configured to apply a force to the cards so as to shuffle
the cards in the device at a shuffling location in the compartment
while the cards rest in a substantially vertical orientation, the
cards being shuffled in an upward direction that is substantially
parallel to a direction of a gravity vector; a card tray located
inside the card shuffling device and proximate to the receiving
portion of the compartment, and wherein the card tray is shaped to
accommodate the plurality of cards; and a movable lid mounted to
the device and forming part of the top surface, and wherein the
movable lid, when opened, provides access to the interior of the
card shuffling device and the card tray.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is related to, and claims the
benefit of, the earliest available effective filing date(s) from
the following application(s) (the "Related Application(s)") (e.g.,
claims earliest available priority dates for other than provisional
patent application(s), for any and all parent, grandparent, etc.
applications of the Related Application(s)).
[0002] For purposes of the USPTO extra-statutory requirements, the
present application constitutes a continuation-in-part of U.S.
Patent Application No. 61/944,514, titled Automated Card Shuffler,
and naming at least Tyler Kuhn as inventor, filed 25 Feb. 2014,
which is currently co-pending, or is an application of which a
currently co-pending application is entitled to the benefit of the
filing date.
[0003] The United States Patent Office (USPTO) has published a
notice to the effect that the USPTO's computer programs require
that patent applicants reference both a serial number and indicate
whether an application is a continuation or continuation-in-part.
Stephen G. Kunin, Benefit of Prior-Filed Application, USPTO
Official Gazette 18 Mar. 2003. The present Applicant Entity
(hereinafter "Applicant") has provided above a specific reference
to the application(s) from which priority is being claimed as
recited by statute. The statute is unambiguous in its specific
reference language and does not require either a serial number or
any characterization, such as "continuation" or
"continuation-in-part," for claiming priority to U.S. patent
applications.
[0004] Notwithstanding the foregoing, Applicant understands that
the USPTO's computer programs have certain data entry requirements.
Hence, Applicant is designating the present application as a
continuation-in-part of its parent applications as set forth above,
but expressly points out that such designations are not to be
construed in any way as any type of commentary and/or admission as
to whether or not the present application contains any new matter
in addition to the matter of its parent application(s). All subject
matter of the Related Applications and of any and all parent,
grandparent, great-grandparent, etc. applications of the Related
Applications is incorporated herein by reference to the extent such
subject matter is not inconsistent herewith. If there is any
conflict, the descriptions contained herein govern.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0005] 1. Field
[0006] The present invention relates to systems, apparatuses and
methods for shuffling a collection of playing cards. In particular,
the invention relates to introducing a stack of cards such as one
or more decks of cards into a vertical or substantially vertical
chute, lifting one or more cards at a time into the air and letting
the lifted cards settle back into the remaining corpus of cards.
After a time, number of throws, etc., a shuffled stack of cards is
made available for play or accessible to a user.
[0007] 2. Related Art
[0008] Various games use playing cards. A typical game uses one or
more decks of cards--with reference to a standard deck of 52
playing cards having four suits of thirteen cards each, where the
cards of each suit have one of a series of values. Examples of
popular cards games in the United States include: blackjack, poker,
bridge, and canasta. These and other card games are popular in
other countries. Players of card games have an interest in ensuring
that the playing cards are dispensed and stacked for the game in a
randomized order, giving no one player an unfair advantage.
[0009] Preparing a group of cards for play may be accomplished
either manually or automatically. In the case of manual
preparation, the cards may be cut, riffled and stripped. The
process is performed multiple times. Performing a cut-riffle
process approximately six to seven times usually results in a
sufficiently random distribution of cards within a collection of
cards. Manual shuffling of cards is time consuming and it is common
to perform the process only 3-4 times. Card shuffling machines are
available for performing the task of shuffling. However, existing
machines suffer from a variety of shortcomings including
prohibitive initial expense, frequent breakdowns in the equipment
and in the shuffling process, expense of maintenance, and
impractical duration of time needed for shuffling.
[0010] The most popular styles of playing cards intended for bridge
or poker are of two relatively standardized shapes. The most common
sizes for playing cards are poker size corresponding to 2.5 inches
by 3.5 inches (63 mm by 88 mm, or B8 size according to ISO 216) and
bridge size corresponding to 2.25 inches by 3.5 inches
(approximately 56 mm by 88 mm). Cards are typically fabricated of a
paper or a plastic, or a combination of paper and a plastic or
coating. Cards may have a surface texture. Various companies
currently manufacture and distribute cards of various weights and
flexing properties. The instant invention may be used with any of
various types of cards.
SUMMARY
[0011] Embodiments and techniques described herein include improved
systems, apparatuses and methods for performing shuffling so as to
provide a substantially randomized deck, group, stack or collection
of cards. Broadly, the process can be described as follows. A group
of cards is placed in a machine, the machine performs a shuffling
of the cards, and returns the group of shuffled cards to a user or
operator. Various components and procedures ensure that this
process is reliably and efficiently performed.
[0012] Card access. According to an illustrative implementation, a
shuffling apparatus is installed below a table surface and is
accessible via a cover or lid, or via a slot into which or from
which cards may be taken. A lid may include a window that allows
the operator to see indicators for various states of a shuffle
sequence. One indicator communicates that the group of cards has
been shuffled and is currently ready for use. The lid then may be
opened and the shuffled cards obtained. The use of a touch
screen--with or without a window in the cover or lid--provides
functionality and interaction with the shuffler; inclusion of a
touch screen may eliminate the need for mechanical buttons for
interacting with the shuffler.
[0013] Presentation tray. According to another illustrative
implementation, after a group of cards has been shuffled, the cards
are returned to the operator in a presentation tray. The
presentation tray is movably mounted under a lid. The presentation
tray is accessed by opening a movable lid. The presentation tray
may be mechanically coupled to the movable lid. The presentation
tray may move up and down relative to and in response to manually
moving (e.g., opening and closing) the lid. Such movement is for
convenience in working with a stack of cards. Alternatively, the
lid is opened programmatically with the assistance of an actuator
and thereby providing immediate access to the group of cards in the
presentation tray. The lid may be programmatically opened upon
completion of shuffling of the group of cards. In having the
presentation tray coupled to the lid, removal of the group of cards
is easier. Having a single motor or mechanical mechanism to both
operate internal movement of cards and operation of the lid reduces
the number of failure points in the apparatus.
[0014] Card auditing. According to another illustrative
implementation, a group of cards is audited as a single stack of
cards. After and optionally before shuffling occurs, a camera
captures an image of the side of the stack of cards. This step is a
capture of information from the profile of the group of cards or
stack of cards. The cards, the spaces between the cards, or the
cards and the spaces between them are programmatically counted by
analysis of the picture of the group of cards. According to an
illustrative implementation, a count of the spacing is used to
determine the number of cards present in the group of cards. After
each image of the group of cards is processed, and the number of
cards verified, the shuffler displays or makes an appropriate
signal. For example, if the card count is deficient by one or more
cards, it is best to alert the operator of the device. A signal to
the operator may take the form of illuminating a button, making a
pre-designated audible signal, or displaying a cue on an LCD
screen. The counting method to verify the number of cards in a
group may be accomplished via a camera, CCD type scanner, bar code
scanner, fingerprint reader, laser, or ultra sonic sensor paired
with appropriate analysis software and hardware.
[0015] Sensors. According to an illustrative implementation, the
group of cards is placed into a vertical or substantially vertical
chute. Sensors along the chute ensure proper placement of the cards
at any given time during the shuffling and handling processes.
Sensors ensure the movement of cards within specified parameters
during shuffling process. For example, a sensor is mounted to
monitor a high point the cards are expected to reach within the
field of motion for the cards when the shuffler is operating
correctly. When this sensor and related logic confirm that a
sufficient number of thrown cards are not reaching this point, the
system (e.g., a processing board or display) may provide a visual
or other notification to the operator.
[0016] Static barriers. Elements in the shuffler assist to mitigate
static attraction forces between a card and a shuffler surface. The
presence of a static attractive force can cause a card to be stuck
in the shuffling machine such as long a portion of a wall of a
shuffling chute. According to an illustrative implementation, ribs,
rails, bumps or the like (raised features, apertures or the like)
are formed in surfaces likely to contact a front side or back side
of a card. These features assist to minimize the contact surface
area between a card surface and a shuffler surface thereby reducing
the overall magnitude of attractive forces between a card and a
surface. By minimizing the contact surface area between a card and
the shuffler surfaces, the chance for a sufficient static
attractive charge to develop is substantively reduced, and thereby
the chance to lose a card during the shuffling process is
substantially reduced.
[0017] Multiple deck shuffling. The shuffler and methods described
herein accommodate shuffling of a few cards, a full deck or an even
larger group of cards making up multiple decks. According to an
illustrative implementation, one or more pins or guides constrain
the cards so that a card cannot rotate 90 degrees or 180 degrees
about an axis orthogonal to the plane of the card when the cards
are in the shuffler when the shuffler is sized and configured to
shuffle a substantial amount of cards. These pins or guides also
prevent a card from rotating 180 degrees about an in-plane card
axis and prevent a car from flipping over thereby preventing a card
from re-entering the remaining group of cards in a face-up
orientation. A flipped card eventually exposes its value side
improperly during game play. Upon extracting the shuffled group of
cards from the device, all card faces remain in a same orientation
as inserted.
[0018] According to another illustrative implementation, the
dimensions of a shuffling shoot are selected or constrained to
minimize the opportunity for card rotation about card axes. In a
preferred implementation, the chute width is limited to
approximately two decks of cards (104 cards) because any more cards
in a group of cards would require a shuffling chute wider than the
width of a typical card (typically 2.25 inches or 2.5 inches) and
would likely allow for a significant chance for a card to flip 180
degrees and expose the card face by inserting a flipped card in the
improper orientation in the group of cards. The result of an
excessively wide chute would be one or more cards inserted face up
in the shuffled deck or group of shuffled cards. Using a tapered
chute and guide pins or guides, a device can be build to shuffle
more than one deck of cards using the described shuffle
methodology.
[0019] Agitators. Described herein are agitation components that
enable methods for ensuring cards are rectified or settled together
into a unified stack. Agitating the group of cards allows them to
settle squarely or flush to a bottom surface or to one or more pins
or floor members that make up a settling place against which cards
rest together in a stack. Agitation can be achieved via cams
attached directly or indirectly to a rotary shaft of a rotary
motor. According to an illustrative implementation, sensors can be
positioned to ensure the deck has been rectified by placing, for
example, an optical sensor just above the height of a dimension of
a card. A properly rectified deck or group of cards is recognized
when the sensor detects that it is not blocked by a partially
settled card. This dimension could be just greater than a width of
a card (typically 2.25 inches or 2.5 inches) or the length of a
card (typically 3.5 inches) depending on the orientation of the
deck. If the settle sensor detects one or more cards that are not
rectified, the agitation process continues until achieving settling
or for a default time. If proper settling cannot be detected within
a predetermined time, an alarm protocol could be followed. The
settling process ensures a properly settled deck. Otherwise, card
damage is possible in other processes of the shuffler device.
[0020] Agitating floor. Alternative to a set of pins or floor
members, a surface or set of surfaces at the bottom of the shuffle
compartment acts as a floor of the shuffling compartment. The
surface or other elements serve as a means for agitation of the
cards during shuffling, after shuffling, or during and after
shuffling. The agitation provides rectifying of the cards. There
may be one or more cycles of rectifying. The cycles of rectifying
may be predetermined or may be determined dynamically as cards are
settled. According to an illustrative implementation, one or more
vibrating plates are driven by an eccentric load on the shaft of a
rotary motor. Other means may be used to generate vibration.
Vibration can also be achieved by pivoting arms driven by cams, a
solenoid, or a linear actuator. If multiple arms or surfaces are
present, the arms can be driven in or out of phase relative to one
another. The arms can be padded for protection of the card edges
and noise suppression.
[0021] Authentication. According to an illustrative implementation,
a fingerprint reader or radio frequency ID (RFID) component
connected to the shuffler enables a dealer to authenticate with a
particular shuffler. Successful authentication can be used to
correlate when a dealer arrives at a work shift. A casino owner
could then more easily track employee attendance and performance
with information provided by the components of the shuffler.
Authentication also enables auditing of game play based on
information gathered by the shuffler when in operation. According
to an illustrative implementation, a fingerprint scanner can be
mounted in, on, or near the shuffling device. This would enable a
user to check in or check out of the table when a shift begins or
ends. Each dealer can be assigned a unique or semi-unique RFID tag.
With the appropriate receiver, the shuffler stores logs associated
with each dealer and the corresponding data such as number of hands
played per unit time, the amount of time to shuffle each group of
cards, etc. Management can then make more informed and objective
decisions based on performance metrics of the games played at card
tables. Such metrics are of interest to casino operators. An
automated card shuffling device as described herein aids in this
process by gathering information that has high value to casino
operators, shuffler owner, etc. Furthermore, data from each card
shuffler can be passed to a separate system for security and table
metric purposes.
[0022] Sweeper arms. Depending on the implementation of a shuffler,
one of more of several possible mechanisms are provided for
removing cards from the shuffling device. According to an
illustrative implementation, a group of cards is swept out of the
device and onto a surface for access by a user by one or more
sweeper arms. One or more sweeper arms activate a trap door either
directly or indirectly so that the trap door opens as the group of
shuffled cards approaches. The shuffled cards are swept entirely
out of the shuffling device. Alternatively, the shuffled cards are
partially swept out of the unit, enabling the user to access the
cards.
[0023] Sweeper balance. In addition to the sweep device that is
directly mounted to the step motor to allow the sweeper arms to be
balanced in any position a weight may be mounted on an opposing
side of the sweep arms to allow the arms to balance in position
when the step motor is inactive. The weight prevents a step motor,
when inactive, from rotating in the presence of gravity or
vibrations.
[0024] Pushers. Card guides are the components that push the cards
over upon movement of cards to the output tray. The pushers are
retractable to allow cards to be placed in the card inlet.
According to an illustrative implementation, upon opening of the
shuffler lid, a mechanical contact is achieved to raise an arm up
thereby allowing the pushers to be retracted giving a clear entry
for the cards to be placed into the shuffler. As the cards are
lowered, the mechanical contact is removed and the guides are
forced into the chute providing a curved surface to push the cards
over on their side so that the cards are in the proper position to
be moved onto the output tray. Pushers are effective for a
configuration where the input slot to introduce a group of cards
into the shuffler is directly above the shuffling chute. If the
guides were of a fixed type, the input slot would be obstructed and
the user could not insert the deck of cards. Another function of
pushers is to ensure that the cards get biased in a particular
fashion so that movement of the cards onto the output tray is
possible. Although there is a chance the cards will naturally bias
to this needed position by chance and chance alone, these guides
ensure proper operation every time.
[0025] Direct stepper. A mechanical element directly attached to
the shaft of one or more step motors (double shaft and single shaft
motors) eliminate the use of conventional gearbox assemblies.
Direct attachment to a shaft allows movement of the cards based on
operation of a step motor without the conventional use of a gear,
gearbox assembly, or belt and pulley assembly to move the cards
from one region of the shuffler to another. A speed control of the
mechanism may be combined with the step motor or motors to smoothly
move the cards.
[0026] Chute sensors. According to an illustrative implementation,
sensors are placed along a length of the shuffler chute to detect a
static charged, wet, or damaged card that becomes stuck to a
surface or wedged inappropriately in the group of cards. Logic
associated with a programmable component of the shuffler provides
signals and interprets readings provided by the sensors. Based on
information gather from the sensors, errors in the shuffling
process are detected. Detection of inappropriate positioning of one
or more cards allows the shuffler to take corrective action to
rectify the stuck card and to notify the operator of a current
condition as the cards are processed by the shuffler Corrective
action can be taken before proceeding to a next step in the shuffle
sequence.
[0027] Elevator control. Manual operation of the shuffler may be
needed when an error or malfunction occurs. According to an
illustrative implementation, a user interface (UI) or one or more
buttons to allow interaction and control of the shuffler. One or
more functions may be manually triggered. For example, one of these
functions enables an operator to manipulate the vertical movement
of a linear actuator to remove a jammed card by bringing the entire
group of cards up from the bottom settling region of the card
shuffler. A shuffling operation may be re-initiated once a jammed
card is corrected. According to an implementation, a series of UI
buttons is provided where one button corresponds to a particular
function. Actions may be initiated by the user. In another example,
maintenance functions may be triggered by the buttons or
interaction with software-based buttons on a touch screen. For
example, manual correction of the shuffler may be performed by
actuating a first button to control an up movement of a linear
actuator, while a second button controls a down movement of the
linear actuator to return the shuffler to its automated sequence of
steps to shuffle a group of cards. An elevator control and other
controls Allow users to override automatic functions of the linear
actuator and the shuffler. Manual controls facilitate operation of
the shuffler and providing such controls avoids the necessity for
offline maintenance or some kind of hard reset of the entire
machine.
[0028] Progressive cam. According to an illustrative
implementation, a progressive cam is provided for a roller
assembly. The progressive cam is used in association with a roller
that grips either a top or bottom card of a stack or group of cards
at the bottom of the shuffling chute. An asymmetric cam is driven
by a motor to oscillate a position of the roller assembly of the
shuffler. The cam is shaped in such a way that the roller assembly
is fed into the deck of cards at a slower rate than it is
retracted. This concept can be extended to include any mechanism or
actuator that changes the power required and speed of the extension
versus refraction oscillating cycles of the roller assembly.
Decreasing the speed of the extension stroke for the roller
assembly decreases the power required to lift each card and this
allows for a smaller motor to be used. The progressive cam also
increases the duration that the cards are in contact with the
roller during the extension cycle, improving the shuffling action.
The increased speed during the retraction stroke decreases the time
required to retract the roller assembly, decreasing the overall
shuffle time for a given number of throws of cards. Retracting the
assembly quickly also provides less time for the airborne cards to
settle on top of the wheel while the roller retracts.
[0029] Quick release rollers. The act of shuffling may be performed
by any of a variety of ways. According to an illustrative
implementation, a roller in the form of axel-type-fitting, a
printer-style part acts as a kicker to project or launch cards into
the shuffling chute. An axel-type-fitting kicker is a rubber-coated
cylinder and is analogous to a roller used to grab paper and move
it through a printer. This implementation is available as a
commodity and is readily available in the market place. The rubber
of the roller is tacky enough to grab and propel a card into the
air with very little contact with the card. Very little resistive
force or pressure is needed. One roller acts on each end of the
group of cards. That is, one roller launches cards from a top side
of the group of cards while a second roller launches cards from the
bottom side of the group of cards. This component may be
susceptible to wear as the rollers are repeatedly contacting cards
during the shuffling process. The roller and spindle include an
easy locking feature that supports easy and rapid replacement by a
field technician.
[0030] Enclosure. According to a preferred implementation, a
shuffler is enclosed in a single cabinet or enclosure. A hook bar
latch serves as a means of securing the enclosure. The hook bar
latch can be operated by a common flat-tipped screwdriver or other
easily operated hand tool for easy separation of the shuffler from
its enclosure. The enclosure of the shuffler may include access
cutouts for external connections, ventilation holes to aid in the
natural convection of heat generated by components of the shuffler,
and a lining for the internal surfaces to help reduce noise. The
inner surface or configuration of the enclosure preferably includes
elements to facilitate self-centering of the shuffler inside its
enclosure. According to an illustrative implementation, the
enclosure is a cuboid with five substantially solid sides with a
lock bar forming or mounted inside the enclosure. The remaining
sixth side is substantially open to receive the shuffler. The lock
bar works in conjunction with a hook mechanism on the bottom of the
shuffler such that when the screwdriver access point is turned, the
hook grabs the enclosure and forces it into proper position and
thereby mounting the enclosure to the shuffler. Within this action
the hook provides a tension force to allow it to lock into place so
that the hook cannot retract on its own. The cutouts on the
enclosure are strategically placed to aide in the use of internal
connections and access for heat to escape. Additionally, the motion
of the hook mechanism can be interrupted by the cam of a simple cam
lock, allowing the possibility of locking (via a key and cam lock)
the enclosure onto the unit to prevent access from unauthorized
personnel. These and other features make removing and installation
of the enclosure easy. Preferably, no specialty tool is needed to
install, service or remove a shuffler. Some cutouts formed in the
enclosure may be necessary for proper ventilation of heat producing
elements and certain cutouts may be needed to grant access to
internal connections without the need to remove or adjust
components. A service person may only need to remove the shuffler
still assembled to the enclosure from a tabletop or other gaming
location.
[0031] External interface. According to an illustrative embodiment,
external-accessible leads are provided for interfacing with third
party systems. The leads can be provided via an industry standard
or acceptable bulk mount fitting (i.e., a Molex connector, db9
connector, or the like). According to an illustrative
implementation, a simple and readily available open/closed type
switch can be triggered by a portion of the shuffle sequence. The
shuffling unit and related control circuitry has no stored status
related to the status (open or closed) of the switch. The switch
would be a function of the third party or external system connected
to the leads of this switch to interpret the state of the switch
and its meaning via logic built into the third party system. There
are increasing numbers of products coming into the market with the
function of managing or gathering data from felt type poker tables
and pit tables. The described simple interface provides a means for
virtually any management or metrics gathering system to have
information from the shuffler. For example, the successful number
of shuffled groups of cards could be detected, recorded and used to
estimate by a third party system to calculate a number of hands
played per hour, per shift, etc.
[0032] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of
concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in
the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify
key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, and thus
the Summary is not intended to be used to limit the scope of the
claimed subject matter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0033] While the appended claims set forth the features of the
present invention with particularity, the invention, together with
its objects and advantages, will be more readily appreciated from
the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings. Throughout, like numerals refer to like
parts. Unless indicated to the contrary, the drawings and
components therein are not drawn to scale overall and relative to
one another.
[0034] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a card shuffler
illustrating a first embodiment.
[0035] FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the card shuffler
illustrated in FIG. 1A with a top or door of the shuffler
closed.
[0036] FIG. 2A illustrates a perspective view of an alternative
embodiment to the one shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B.
[0037] FIG. 2B illustrates a perspective view of yet another
alternative embodiment to the one shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B.
[0038] FIG. 3 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of a portion
of the internal components of the card shuffler shown in FIGS. 1A
and 1B.
[0039] FIG. 4 illustrates components that coordinate to return
cards to a presentation tray.
[0040] FIG. 5 shows an alternative mechanism to return shuffled
cards to a presentation tray.
[0041] FIG. 6 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of the
shuffling chute of the card shuffler shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B.
[0042] FIG. 7 illustrates the view of the shuffling chute shown in
FIG. 6 at a specific instance of time during a shuffling operation
with cards thrown into the air in the chute.
[0043] FIG. 8A illustrates a portion of the shuffler including the
shuffling chute at a moment in time before and after a stack of
cards has been shuffled.
[0044] FIG. 8B illustrates a portion of the shuffler including the
shuffling chute at a moment in time and showing an elevator
mechanism as an alternative to the one shown in FIG. 8A.
[0045] FIG. 9 illustrates a photograph and analysis related to
counting cards in the card shuffler.
[0046] FIG. 10 illustrates a stack of cards that may be introduced
into the card shuffler.
[0047] FIG. 11 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of a
shuffler including a pushing mechanism to transition cards in the
shuffler from a vertical position to a horizontal position, and a
pushing element in a first position.
[0048] FIG. 12 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of a
shuffler including cards transitioning from a vertical position to
a horizontal position, and a pushing element in a second
position.
[0049] FIG. 13 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of a
shuffler with cards transitioned to a horizontal position, and the
shuffler is in a position to accept a new stack of cards.
[0050] FIG. 14 is a graph that illustrates a position of a card
kicker over time relative to a side of a stack of cards being
shuffled.
[0051] FIG. 15A is an overhead view of an elevator mechanism for
moving cards within a card shuffler according to an illustrative
implementation and as viewed from line A'-A' in FIG. 11.
[0052] FIG. 15B is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 15A that
illustrates a rail of a wall of a shuffling chute.
[0053] FIG. 16 is an overhead view of an elevator mechanism for
moving cards within a card shuffler according to an illustrative
implementation and as viewed from line B'-B' in FIG. 11.
[0054] FIG. 17A is an illustrative example of a wall section of a
shuffling chute according to a first illustrated
implementation.
[0055] FIG. 17B is another illustrative example of a wall section
of a shuffling chute according to a second illustrated
implementation.
[0056] FIG. 18 is a side view of a portion of an elevator mechanism
according to a first implementation.
[0057] FIG. 19 is an overhead view of a portion of an elevator
mechanism according to a second implementation.
[0058] FIG. 20 is a side view of a portion of an elevator mechanism
according to a third implementation.
[0059] FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a kicker, kicker mechanism
and adjacent card according to a first illustrative
implementation.
[0060] FIG. 22 is an overhead view of three illustrative
implementations of a wall and panel and accompanying rails for
preventing a card from sticking to a wall of a shuffling chute.
[0061] FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a portion of another
illustrative implementation of a wall or panel for preventing a
card from sticking to a wall of a shuffling chute.
[0062] FIG. 24 is a perspective view of a portion of yet another
illustrative implementation of a wall or panel for preventing a
card from sticking to a wall of a shuffling chute and a card placed
adjacent thereto.
[0063] FIG. 25 is a side cross-sectional view of an elevator
mechanism, a portion of a shuffling chute, electronic components
and a switch for communicating with other devices.
[0064] FIG. 26 is a schematic view of an illustrative
implementation of a computing component to control the card
shuffler, perform computations, etc.
[0065] FIG. 27 illustrates a flowchart of illustrative events or
steps for shuffling.
[0066] FIG. 28 illustrates another flowchart of illustrative events
or steps for shuffling.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0067] Embodiments and techniques described herein include improved
systems, apparatuses and methods for performing shuffling so as to
provide a substantially randomized deck, group, stack or collection
of cards. The shuffling described herein are those processes
whereby cards are not held or subjected to a constant mechanical
force when being shuffled. Instead, cards are ejected, thrown or
kicked, and then settle under the influence of gravity back into
the stack, body or group of cards. Broadly, the process can be
described as follows. A group of cards is placed in a machine, the
machine performs a shuffling of the cards, and returns the group of
shuffled cards to a user. In theory, this is a simple process.
Various components and procedures ensure that this process is
reliably and efficiently performed.
[0068] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a card shuffler
illustrating a first embodiment or implementation. Generally,
reference is made to a shuffler and is labeled as the device 10.
With reference to FIG. 1A, a shuffler 10 is installed in a table 1
such as a gaming table. The shuffler 10 may take other embodiments
and may be installed in other configurations such as on the side of
the table 1 or above the table 1. The shuffler 10 includes a
generally smooth or planar top surface 9 in which is included a lid
2 by which to access other components of the shuffler 10 as
explained in more detail herein. The components generally lie flush
with the table 1 or below the table's surface. One of the
components is a shuffling chute 3 or compartment having at least
four sides. The shuffling chute 3 is preferably substantially
vertical and extends downward into the body of the shuffler 10. The
shuffler is contained in a housing 7. The housing protects the
shuffler 10. While not shown, the lid 2 may include a window
through which an operator (not shown) may observe various states of
the shuffler 10. The shuffler 10 includes a presentation tray 4 on
which cards (not shown) are returned to the operator after a
shuffling action has been performed. The presentation tray 4 may be
fixed inside the shuffler 10, or may be removable or separable such
that the tray may be pushed onto the surface above the table 1.
[0069] One or more buttons or indicators 5 are provided in the top
surface 9 of the shuffler 10. A messaging panel 6 also may be
provided in the top surface 9. Generally, buttons 5, messaging
panel 6 and the like are user interface elements through which a
user is able to interact with and control operation of the shuffler
10. The indicators 5 and messaging panel 6 may be changed in color
to indicate states of the shuffler 10. Further, text-based messages
may be shown on the messaging panel 6, which may take the form of
an LCD or other type of panel capable of displaying or conveying
text-based information. The lid 2, buttons 5 and messaging panel 6
preferably lie co-planar with the top surface 9 and the table 1 so
as to facilitate working with cards on the gaming table. Other
elements may be included in the top surface 9 such as an
authentication component 8, vents 11 to allow heat or sound to
escape, and one or more security or lock components 12 that
facilitate securing of the shuffler 10.
[0070] Card access and shuffler operation. The following scenario
illustrates one example of interacting with the shuffler 10. An
operator actuates a button 5 which triggers release of the lid 2.
Actuation of the button 5 communicates to the shuffler 10 that a
group of cards is to be introduced in the shuffler 10. The shuffler
10 may acknowledge actuation of the button 5 by flashing a light
such as light associated with the button 5 that was actuated. The
shuffler 10 may acknowledge actuation of the button 5 by taking
another action such as making a sound, displaying a message on the
messaging panel 6, or partially raising or releasing the lid 2 from
a latched state. The operator places a group of unsorted cards on
the presentation tray 4. The operator closes the lid 2. FIG. 1B
illustrates the shuffler 10 with the lid 2 closed. The shuffler 10
may proceed, or it may wait for a cue from the operator such as the
pressing of a button (e.g., first or second button 5) or other
indication that shuffling should be performed. After the lid 2 is
closed, the shuffler 10, via movement of the presentation tray 4,
introduces the group of cards vertically into the shuffling chute
3. Only the top-most portion of the chute 3 is shown in FIGS. 1A
and 1B. As shown and described in more detail below, the tray 4
moves the cards by tilting and allowing gravity to direct the cards
into the chute 3. Once in the chute 3, the cards are shuffled by
launching cards into the air from one or both ends of the group of
cards. The cards settle into a random position in the group of
cards under the influence of gravity. The mechanisms and processing
of shuffling are shown and described in more detail below. Once
shuffled, the cards are lifted up the chute 3 and returned to the
tray 4. Once in the tray 4, the shuffler 10 releases the closed lid
2 and the lid 2 may automatically be lifted or may require an
operator to lift the lid 2 to access the tray 4. The operator is
then free to gather the group of cards duly shuffled into a
substantially randomized order.
[0071] Preferably, the process of lowering the cards into the chute
3, shuffling the cards and returning the cards to the tray 4
happens within the space of a few seconds. During the various
portions of the shuffling process, an indicator (e.g., light, sound
generator) of the shuffler 10 may be actuated which communicates
the stage or state of the shuffler at any given time. For example,
one indicator 5 communicates that the group of cards has been
shuffled and is currently ready for use by flashing a light.
According to one mode of playing, a dealer plays with a first stack
of cards (e.g., blue-backed cards) while a second stack of cards
(e.g., red-backed cards) are being shuffled by the shuffler 10.
While a stack of cards is being shuffled, the lid 2 is in a closed
configuration as shown in FIG. 1B. That way, a second stack of
cards may be shuffled while a first stack of cards may be in play
with a dealer and/or set of players.
[0072] Although not shown, according to an alternative embodiment,
the buttons 5 and messaging panel 6 (e.g., LCD panel, LED panel)
may take the form of a touch screen display. Use of a touch screen
may eliminate the need for some or all mechanical buttons for
interacting with the shuffler 10.
[0073] The shuffler 10 shown in FIG. 1A returns the cards in the
tray 4 such that the cards lie substantially co-planar with the
table 1. This mode of delivery meets the needs of an operator who
needs to avoid exposing the face of the bottom card of the group of
cards to ensure the integrity of the card game.
[0074] Other embodiments of a card shuffler are possible. With
other embodiments, other ways of interfacing and interacting with
the card shuffler 10 are possible. FIG. 2A illustrates a
perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a card shuffler
20. With reference to FIG. 2A, the shuffler 20 includes a top
surface 9 that is mounted co-planar with the table surface 1. The
shuffler 20 includes a first chute access 23 and a second chute
access 24. The first chute access 23 is an ingress, and the second
chute access is an egress where shuffled cards 21 exit the shuffler
20.
[0075] The following scenario illustrates one example of
interacting with the shuffler 20. An operator (not shown) actuates
a button 25 which indicates to the shuffler 20 to accept an
unshuffled group of cards placed into the entrance of the ingress
23. The group of cards are subsequently accepted into the shuffler
20, shuffled and returned to the top 1 of the playing surface.
During card playing, a lid 22 covers the entrance to the ingress 23
and prevents players and the operator from accidentally losing
cards down the ingress 23 during a round of cards. When the
operator is ready for a card shuffle, she places the group of cards
vertically into the ingress 23 and the lid 22 swings downward along
the path 28 shown. The cards are lodged with a portion of the group
of cards 21 remaining perpendicularly positioned up and out of the
top surface 9. This stage of shuffling (interacting with the
shuffler 20) is not shown in FIG. 2A. Although not illustrated, a
platform or elevator rests below the ingress 23. When cards are
inserted into the ingress 23, the elevator prevents the group of
cards 21 from falling into the shuffling chute that is inside the
cabinet 7. While an elevator (a first transport mechanism) is
described, the elevator may take one of various forms that do not
necessarily imply a solid surface. A set of fork tines may
effectively form an elevator on which cards may be accepted in the
ingress 23.
[0076] After placing the cards in the ingress 23, the operator
actuates a button 25 which communicates to the shuffler 20 that a
group of cards is properly placed and ready to be shuffled. The
shuffler 20 may acknowledge actuation of the button 25 by flashing
a light or triggering a sound. Once activated, the shuffler 20
lowers the cards 21 into the shuffling chute and shuffles the
cards. Once finished, an elevator (not illustrated) raises the
cards 21 into the egress 24. A second lid 27 (lid for the egress)
opens and allows the group of cards to be taken from the shuffler
20. The second lid 27 covers the face of the bottom card. Once the
cards 21 are taken, the second lid 27 swings shut and lies flat in
a co-planar fashion so as to restore an unfettered playing surface
1 of the table. This alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 2A
introduces some elements and features that are not present in FIGS.
1A and 1B. The components and operation of the shuffler 20 shown in
FIG. 2A may be more advantageous in certain circumstances than the
components and operation of the shuffler 10 shown in FIGS. 1A and
1B.
[0077] Yet other embodiments of a card shuffler are possible. With
other embodiments, other ways of interfacing and interacting with a
card shuffler are possible. FIG. 2B illustrates a perspective view
of another alternative embodiment of a card shuffler 20. With
reference to FIG. 2B, the shuffler 29 includes a top surface 9 that
is mounted co-planar with the table surface 1. The shuffler 29
includes a first chute access 23 and a second chute access 24--both
of which lie below the planar top of the table surface 1 by
recesses sculpted into the table top 1. The first chute access 23
is an ingress, and the second chute access is an egress covered by
a flap 27. Shuffled cards 21 exit the shuffler 29 as a stack in a
substantially horizontal manner.
[0078] The following scenario illustrates one example of
interacting with the shuffler 29 shown in FIG. 2B. An operator (not
shown) actuates a button 5 which indicates to the shuffler 29 to
accept an unshuffled group of cards placed into the entrance of the
ingress 23, or just inserts cards into the ingress 23. The group of
cards are subsequently accepted into the shuffler 29, shuffled and
returned to the top 1 of the playing surface. Internal to the
shuffler, the cards are rotated from a horizontal orientation to a
vertical orientation. The cards are shuffled while in a generally
vertical orientation to allow kicked cards (explained further
below) to settle under the influence of gravity back into the stack
of cards. After the cards are shuffled, the cards are again
rotated--taken from a vertical orientation and placed horizontally
into a stack at the egress of the shuffler 29. During card playing,
players have to take care to avoid cards sliding into the scalloped
recess of the ingress and egress. The shuffler 29 illustrated in
FIG. 2B has the advantage of accepting the cards in a horizontal
fashion and returning the shuffled cards in a horizontal
fashion--in a more traditional fashion than accepting cards
oriented vertically and risking exposure of the value face of the
bottom most card.
[0079] This alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 2B introduces
elements and features that are not present in FIGS. 1A, 1B and 2A.
For example, cards never have to be placed into a vertical
orientation. No lid is required to be lifted such as the lid 2
shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. The internal components of shuffling are
next explained--components which are present below the surface 1 of
the table and below the top surface 9 of a shuffler 10, 20 like
those illustrated in perspective view in FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2A and
2B.
[0080] Presentation tray. One embodiment of a presentation tray is
shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. FIG. 3 illustrates components that can be
used to operate such a presentation tray 4. With reference to FIG.
3, a tray 4 is shown in three positions--such as for use inside the
shuffler 10 of FIG. 1A for sake of illustration. The mechanisms and
components shown in FIG. 3 may be used in any card shuffler of the
types described herein.
[0081] With reference to FIG. 3, the tray 4 and other components
lie below the table surface 1. A tray 4 may be loaded with an
unshuffled group of cards 21. A drive belt 30 causes the tray 4 and
cards 21 to move laterally toward the left. The drive belt 30 is
operated by a drive wheel 31 and electrical motor (not shown).
According to an illustrative embodiment, the electric motor is
powered by a standard alternating current power source or by direct
current provided by a battery or other source. A power source and
wiring is not shown in FIG. 3 for sake of simplicity of
illustration.
[0082] With reference to FIG. 3, the tray 4 is affixed to the belt
30 via one or more connectors 33. As the tray 4 moves, the tray 4
first orients itself consistent with an inclined plane 39 due to
the positioning of the drive belt 30 and non-drive wheels 32. At
this point, the drive belt 30 and tray 4 may stop. The cards 21 are
carried left to this point by a closed side 36A. When the tray 4
stops, or as the cards 21 are exposed to sufficient vertical
freedom and lose grip with the inside surface 38, the cards 21 fall
out the open side 36B and into the shuffling chute 3.
Alternatively, the open side 36B may include a trap door 36C that
pivots open as the tray 4 is tilted; the trap door 36C allows the
cards 21 to enter and exit the tray 4 as needed. Tray 4 also
includes a bottom exterior surface 37. A top portion of the sides
35 of the shuffling chute 3 is illustrated in FIG. 3.
[0083] Alternatively, the tray 4 may continue further toward the
chute 3 by traveling further counter-clockwise with the belt 30 by
rotating and orientating itself into a more vertical position
consistent with the vertical plane 40 shown. At this point, no card
21 should be in the tray. After the cards 21 have been shuffled
further down in the chute 3, the cards 21 are returned to the
presentation tray 4.
[0084] FIG. 4 illustrates components that coordinate to return
cards 21 to the presentation tray. FIG. 4 illustrates components
not shown in FIG. 3, and not all of the components of FIG. 3 are
illustrated in FIG. 4 for sake of simplicity of illustration. With
reference to FIG. 4, after the cards 21 have been shuffled in the
shuffling chute 3, an elevator 50 lifts the cards 21 while the
cards are in a substantially vertical position; the motion of the
elevator 50 is illustrated with a partial range of motion 51. The
cards 21 are lifted from the elevator 50 by one or more sweeper
arms or forks 41. The arms 41 pivot about a pivot point or axis 42
along the range of motion 43 indicated. The arms 41 include a pad
41A along a portion of its lower edge. The pad 41A prevents damage
to cards 21 as cards are kicked upward (as explained further
below). The arms 41 may include a first counter balance (weight)
41B or a second counter balance (weight) 41C so that when power is
removed from an arm 41 directly mounted to an axle 42 of a motor
(not shown), the arm or arms 41 remain in a desired
configuration--either in a first configuration or a second
configuration depending on a current position of the arm 41 when
the power is removed. The step of cutting the power to the motor
provides several benefits including, for example, reducing heat
generation, reducing power consumption, reducing noise,
facilitating manual operation of the shuffler (e.g., manual
delivery of cards to the shuffler), and facilitating automatic
operation of the shuffler. While a single arm 41 is illustrated
(visible) in FIG. 4, two arms 41 are preferable in order to provide
(define) a plane on which to rest the side of a stack of cards 21
and for manipulating the cards 21 or tray 4. Use of a single (e.g.,
narrow) arm 41 causes excessive wear to cards 21 and would allow
cards 21 to possibly rotate around an axis defined by the single
arm 41, and would allow a card to escape or enable another
malfunction. Such malfunction is undesirable.
[0085] With reference again to FIG. 4, the cards 21 re-enter the
tray 4 via the tray's open end 36B. The arms 41 rotate clockwise
and press against or travel next to the open end 36B as the tray 4
travels from a second position B toward a first position A from
which an operator may obtained the shuffled group of cards 21. The
arms 41 rotate to a predetermined point at which there is
substantial likelihood that the cards 21 will not move in the tray
4 as the tray 4 travels clockwise to a first position A. The arms
41 may subsequently be moved to a location within the shuffler 10
that allows unfettered access to the elevator 50 and shuffling
chute 3 at the start of another (subsequent) shuffling cycle.
[0086] Optionally, a horizontal biasing member 44 may be installed
and programmed to actuate when the cards 21 have been lifted to a
position adjacent to the tray 4. (An alternative embodiment to
member 44 is described in reference to FIG. 11 below.) The
horizontal biasing member 44 operates in coordination with the
elevator 50 and the one or more arms 41. More than one arm 41 may
be needed depending on the configuration of the size and
configuration of other components such as the drive belt 30 and
wheels 31, 32. The biasing member 44 travels in the range of motion
45 indicated. Once the cards 21 are tilted, the biasing member 44
may disengage and returns to a starting configuration outside of
the shuffling chute 3. According to one embodiment, the biasing
member 44 is programmed to actuate once during the shuffling cycle
at the time of return of the shuffled cards 21 to the tray 4. The
biasing member 44 ensures that each of the cards 21 of the group of
cards leans over in the proper direction and rest in the
presentation tray 4 appropriately. When the tray 4 travels
clockwise and transitions from an inclined position B to a
substantially horizontal position A, the arms 41 may disengage and
may then swing to a resting position (not shown) where they are
programmatically positioned to wait for another shuffling
operation. The resting position may depend partially or fully on
one or more counter weights 41B, 41C.
[0087] FIG. 5 illustrates an alternative mechanism for operating a
tray and one or more sweeper arms--an alternative mechanism to
return shuffled cards to a presentation tray. With reference to
FIG. 5, one or more sweeper arms 52 are affixed to a belt 30. The
sweeper arms 52 travel along the range of motion 53 shown which, in
this illustrative implementation, is over a range of motion. For
example, the arms 52 may travel from a third position C, to a
second position B and to first position A as the shuffled cards 21
are transported to a substantially horizontal position. The belt 30
travels over a drive wheel 31 and one or more non-drive wheels 32,
pins, tracks, or positional elements.
[0088] An illustrative operational scenario may be as follows. The
shuffling chute 3 and other components lie below the top surface 1
of the shuffler 10. The cards 21 are constrained in the shuffling
chute by the chute walls 35. After being shuffled, an elevator (not
shown in FIG. 5 for simplicity) lifts the cards 21 into position C;
the cards are lifted or placed into an open side 36B of the tray 4.
The sweeper arm 52 travels clockwise programmatically and engage
the cards 21 and thereby keep the card 21 from falling out of the
tray 4. The cards 21 may be pressed against the closed side 36A of
the tray 4. The elevator is then free to be lowered back to the
floor of the shuffler or other initial position to await initiation
of another shuffling cycle. The arm 52 then lifts the tray 4 and
cards 21 upward from a position C past a position B and to a
position A. Although not illustrated in FIG. 5, the tray 4 is
moveably mounted in a track such that the tray 4 is free to travel
between positions A, B and C.
[0089] At the beginning of a shuffling cycle, unshuffled cards 21
may be delivered from the tray 4 into the shuffling chute 3 by an
actuator 54 that travels along the range of motion 55. The actuator
54 provides an impulse of motion to the tray 4. The tray 4 is free
to travel from position A to position B and to position C as the
tray 4 is moveably mounted to rails such that wheels, pegs or other
elements cooperate with the rails to allow the cards 21 to fall
vertically into the chute 3. One or more sensors may also be
mounted in various places within the range of motion 53 to detect
the presence of cards 21, the tray 4 or other component of the
system.
[0090] FIG. 6 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of the
shuffling chute 3 of the card shuffler 10 shown in FIG. 1 prior to
throwing or shuffling any cards 21. The cards 21 have been lowered
on an elevator platform 60 that sits atop an elevator rod 61. The
elevator rod 61 may be a threaded screw, or may form part of a more
elaborate elevator mechanism such as with tracks, wheels, tracks,
screw motors and the like. Other examples of elevator mechanisms
are shown and described herein.
[0091] With reference to FIG. 6, the cards 21 are shown at a
starting and ending position on the platform 60 at the bottom 62 of
the chute 3. After the cards 21 are shuffled and re-settled, the
cards 21 are ready to be lifted back to the top of the shuffling
chute 3. The stack of cards 21 extends a substantial distance
across the width 63 of the bottom or floor 62 of the chute 3. A
first roller or kicker 64 engages a first side 81 of the stack of
the cards 21. While a roller or kicker 64 is shown, other forms of
lifting cards are possible. Generally, a forcer can apply a lifting
or kicking force to one or more cards in the stack of cards 21.
[0092] In FIG. 6, for shuffling, the kicker 64 is caused to rotate
in a counter-clockwise direction. When in contact with a top-most
card 81, the kicker 64 throws the top-most card 81 toward a top
region 83 of the chute 3. The kicker 64 imparts a lifting, kinetic
energy to the top-most card 81. The kicker 64 is held in place by a
rod, arm, base or other body 67. In the implementation shown, the
base 67 and arm attached to the kicker 64 are substantially
stationary, but may be spring-loaded or movable so as to press with
a certain predictable amount of force against a top-most card 81
and so as to facilitate movement or removal of the kicker 64 from
the chute 3 as desired or needed for transportation of the cards
21.
[0093] Another or second kicker 65 may be used. The second kicker
65 is spring-loaded or movable and effectively holds the cards 21
in place. The second kicker 65 may be primarily horizontally
movable. The cards 21 are pinched or held substantially vertical
between the first kicker 64 and second kicker 65 at most or all
times during the shuffling operation. The kickers 64, 65 operate on
both working sides 81, 82 of the stack of cards 21. The kickers 64,
65 are shown entirely within the chute 3, but the shuffler may be
configured such that only a small portion of each kicker 64, 65
enters the chute 3. With reference to FIG. 6, the second kicker 65
rotates clockwise and throws a bottom-most card 82 upward toward
the top region 83 of the chute 3. The second kicker 65 is mounted
to a spring-loaded or movable post 66 (or other movement mechanism,
such as a pivotable body) and operated from a base 68. The base 68
is shown generically as a block and may include other components
that allow the second kicker 65 to move in a horizontal range of
motion 68 such as through an oscillatory motion with vertical and
horizontal components of motion.
[0094] During a shuffling operation, the top-most card 81 travels
upward toward a top region 83 of the chute 3. The top-most card 81
may impact an inner surface 70 of the sidewall 35 of the chute 3
which may alter the path or orientation of the top-most card 81
such as deflecting the card 81 horizontally. The surface area of
the inner surface 70 may be reduced with use of certain features
formed thereto or formed therein. During card flight, a card 81 may
impact a cushion 41A attached to the arms 41. One or more cushions
41A or other buffers or dampening components may be added to either
the arms 41 or other portions of the chute 3 so as to prevent
damage to lifted or kicked cards and to reduce noise generated
during shuffling of the cards 21. After reaching its zenith, a
kicked card 81 falls toward a middle region 84 of the chute 3 and
settles back into the stack 21 in the bottom region 62. If the
flung top-most card 81 does not impact the inside surface 70 of the
chute wall 35, or another flung card, the upward travel of the
top-most card 81 may be free of any impact. The flung top-most card
81 travels a vertical distance up the vertical range 69 of the
shuffling chute 3 and then settles under the influence of gravity
into the remaining portion of the stack of card 21 at the bottom 62
of the chute 3. After a first top-most card 81 is thrown, in
sequence, a next top-most card is contacted and thrown vertically
into the air in the chute 3. One or more top-most cards 81 may be
traveling in the chute 3 during shuffling at any one instance in
time. A second or third top-most card 81 may be thrown before a
first top-most card 81 arrives and settles into the stack 21. A
substantial fraction of the stack of cards 21 may be in motion at
any given instant of time when a substantial rate of shuffling is
applied to the cards 21. A rapid shuffling preferably occurs so
that a sufficient amount of shuffling is done in a set amount of
time. A slow or protracted shuffling time is not desirable to a
dealer, users or players who are presumably waiting for the stack
of cards to be shuffled by the shuffler 10.
[0095] With reference to FIG. 6, the top-most card 81 passes
(either on its upward trajectory or on its downward trajectory) by
one or more sensors 72 that lie flush with an inner wall 70 of the
chute 3. While the sensors 72 are shown in the wall perpendicular
to the orientation of the cards 21, the sensors are preferably
mounted to the walls that are substantially parallel to the plane
of the cards 21. The shuffler 10 is able to sense if the successive
top-most cards 81 travel sufficiently upward in the chute 3 such as
to a top-located sensor 72A. A single or multiple cards may be
blocking a sensor 72A at any given time and thus it may not be
possible to distinguish of a single card or multiple cards have
reached a top-most position in the chute at any given time. A
sufficient travel up the vertical chute range 69 enables the
top-most card 81 to settle downward into a sufficiently random
place in the remainder of the stack 21.
[0096] Alternatively, the shuffler 10 may be able to sense a
fraction of the cards actually thrown at the top-located sensor 72A
or may be able to mark the presence of thrown cards in front of the
sensor 72A over time. Based on such sensing, the shuffler 10, based
on one or more empirical evaluations and stored benchmarks, may be
able to compare a measurement of a value for the current shuffling
operation against one or more benchmark or threshold values and the
shuffler may determine if sufficient shuffling has occurred for a
particular stack of cards 21 and its shuffling operation. For
example, if not enough top-most cards 81 transiently block or
activate a top-most sensor 72A, the shuffler may be programmed to
reject a current shuffling of the cards 21 because not enough
movement or shuffling of the cards 21 has likely occurred and a
malfunction may be at hand. Perhaps, for example, a single card has
blocked the trajectory of thrown cards and has prevented thrown
cards from settling at random into the remainder of the stack of
cards. Alternatively, perhaps without a sufficient count of cards
passing a top-most sensor 72A or other one or more sensors 72, 72B,
a surface of the kicker 64 has become too slippery and is not able
to sufficiently grip each top-most card 81 and consequently is not
able to throw the top-most card 81 sufficiently high into the chute
3. These and other types of checks enable a determination that a
sufficient shuffle has occurred for the stack of cards 21. The same
can be said for cards thrown by the second kicker 65. A number of
cards should be thrown sufficiently by the second kicker 65 if the
second kicker 65 is present or used in the particular embodiment of
the shuffler. Shuffling performed at both the top-most side 81 and
bottom-most side 82 is desirable and enables faster shuffling than
shuffling generated by just a single kicker. Thus, it is preferable
to throw cards by the first kicker 64 and the second kicker 65.
[0097] During shuffling, a falling top-most card 81 travels
downward in a sufficiently vertical orientation so that it may
settle back into the remainder of the stack 21. Once back in the
stack 21, a first top-most card 81 may eventually reach the top of
the stack 21 and may be thrown a second, third or more times during
the shuffling operation. Because a card may settle into a variety
of places in the remainder of the stack 21, an exact number of
throws of any particular card may not be known with certainty by
detection or predictability.
[0098] To assist in properly orienting falling cards, one or more
pins 73 may be mounted or placed into the chute 3 at one or more
places in the vertical pathway of the falling cards. These pins 73
may be pushed into the path traveled by the elevator 60 after the
elevator 60 has passed the area where the pins 73 are located
during shuffling. Such pins 73 are then retracted so as to avoid
the platform 60 as it returns the cards back toward the top of the
chute 3. Alternatively, pins 73 may be mounted only outside the
path of the elevator 60 and elevator shaft 61. In yet an
alternative implementation, pins may pass through gaps formed in
the elevator such that fixedly mounted pins do not interfere with
operation of the elevator and delivery of the cards 21 up and down
in the shuffling chute 3.
[0099] In FIG. 6, a certain number of pins 73 are shown. However,
any number of pins 73 may be used, or no pins may be used,
depending on the size of the chute 3 and other factors. The number
of pins 73 used or pushed into the chute 3 may depend on the number
of cards 21 to be shuffled. Often, the number of cards 21 is fixed
for given gaming table, and the shuffler 10 may be configured to
include a certain number of pins 73 in the chute 3 one time when
the shuffler 10 is first installed into a gaming table. For
example, a shuffler 10 may be configured to shuffle 52 cards. The
pins 73 may be placed in the chute 3 in a variety of configurations
depending on the size of the cards, the material of construction of
the cards, on the number of cards to be shuffled, etc. These pins
73 assist in preventing falling cards from turning or rotating into
a horizontal orientation. These pins 73 assist in orienting each
falling card into a sufficiently vertical orientation so that the
falling card can settle back into the stack 21. Additionally, one
or more fins 71 may be placed in the chute 3. One fin 71 is shown
in FIG. 6 near the top 83 of the shuffling region.
[0100] To further assist in obtaining and maintaining a
sufficiently settled stack of cards 21, a vibrating component 90
may be installed and operated during, after, or during and after
shuffling. In an illustrative implementation, an ovoid cam is shown
in FIG. 6. Other components of the vibrating component 90 may
include a lever, wheel or other part. The vibrating component 90
imparts a vibratory action or motion to the cards 21, the platform
60 (shown), elevator rod 61, kickers 64, 65 or shuffling wall 35.
Preferably, the vibratory force is not delivered to the cards 21
directly so as to prevent wear to the cards 21 by the shuffler 10.
The vibrating component 90 facilitates an evenly settled stack of
cards 21 that reside below a bottom row 72B of sensors. During
shuffling, the shuffler 10 is able to monitor the health of the
stack 21 with this row 72B of sensors. While multiple sensors 72B
are shown, these sensors 72B may be a single sensor that can detect
a proper configuration of cards in the bottom 62 of the chute
3.
[0101] FIG. 7 illustrates the view of the shuffling chute shown in
FIG. 6 at a particular instance in time during a shuffling
operation with cards 85, 86 and 87 thrown into the air in the chute
3. With reference to FIG. 7, a first air-born card 85 has been
thrown upward on the right-hand side of the chute 3. As shown by
the arrow, the first card 85 is on an upward trajectory. The second
kicker wheel 65 has imparted an upward force to the first air-born
card 85. In operation, according to a first illustrative
implementation, the movable post 66 and second kicker 65 oscillate
horizontally. During each oscillation, as the second kicker 65
comes into contact with a bottom-most card 82, the card 82 is
thrown upward and shuffled into the remaining stack of cards 21.
More than one card 82 may be thrown upward for each oscillation of
the second kicker 65 based on one or more factors including a
rotational speed at which the kicker 65 is operating, speed of
oscillation, amount of travel during oscillation, and material of
which the cards 21 are made. A second air-born card 86 is
illustrated and appears to be on a downward trajectory as indicated
by the arrow. This second air-born card 86 has been thrown by the
first kicker 64. The second air-born card 86 may or may not have
come into contact with the side wall 35 of the shuffler. Depending
on the particular implementation of the invention, the first kicker
64 may or may not be moveable in a horizontal fashion. The first
kicker 64 is shown as stationary in FIG. 7. That is, the first
kicker 64, according to the illustrated implementation in FIG. 7,
rotates in a counter clockwise fashion and relies on the horizontal
motion of the second kicker 65 and post 66 to push the stack of
cards 21 left toward first kicker 64 after a top-most card 81 has
been thrown.
[0102] The second thrown card 86 is shown eclipsing a top-most
sensor 72A which communicates to the shuffler 10 that the second
card 86 has successfully reached at least the top-most sensor 72A.
When a card is thrown sufficiently high up and into the chute 3,
the thrown card stands a fair chance to settle into a substantially
random place in the stack of cards 21 lying at the bottom region 62
of the shuffling chute 3. A sufficiently high distance may or may
not coincide with a top-most sensor 72A but may be to a location
closer to the stack of cards 21 such as in a mid region 84 of the
shuffling chute 3. The same sensor 72A or another sensor 72 may be
placed there and used there to determine a sufficient amount of
shuffling. Further, the sensors 72, 72A are shown in FIG. 7 as in
the walls that lie perpendicular to a plane of the face of the
cards 21. However, in a preferred implementation, the sensors 72,
72A are placed in, mounted to or exposed to apertures in the
lateral walls 35. The sensors 72, 72A are shown of a particular
size, but may be of any size, shape or design.
[0103] A third air-born card 87 is shown partially inserted into
the stack of cards 21. The stack of cards 21 is shown loosely
resting on the platform 60 and gaps are shown between successive
cards to emphasize the positions that are available for a falling
card 85, 86 and 87 to lodge back into the stack of cards 21. Pins
73 assist falling cards 86, 87 to remain in a proper orientation
and facilitate proper return of the falling cards 86, 87 to the
stack of cards 21.
[0104] A sufficient amount of shuffling may be measured in a
variety of ways. Several of those ways are described here. For
example, a sufficient amount of shuffling may be determined based
on a cumulative value determined based on detection at one or more
sensors 72, 72A. In another example, a sufficient amount of
shuffling may be determined based on a cumulative time that one or
more cards are detected by one or more sensors 72, 72A. In another
example, a sufficient amount of shuffling may be determined by a
cumulative position of a pointer in a computer memory based on one
or more cards detected by one or more sensors 72, 72A. In another
example, a sufficient amount of shuffling may be determined by
summing up a value in a structure in a computer memory based on
detection of one or more cards at one or more sensors 72, 72A. In
this example, instructions in a computer memory may record either a
one or zero based on whether a card is detected by a sensor 72A,
and then after a pre-determined time, a computer instruction may
sum all ones in the array of values to see whether a sufficient
summation is greater than a threshold value indicative of a
sufficient amount of shuffling for a particular number of cards in
the shuffler. In yet another example, a sufficient amount of
shuffling may be determined by sampling at the sensor 72 or 72A and
estimating a time that cards have been detectable by the sensor 72
or 72A. In this example, if an electronic sampling of a signal at a
sensor 72A indicates a card, then for the entire sampling time, it
can be assumed that a card was present. According to one
illustration, if the device is configured to sample once every
millisecond, then it can be assumed by the instructions in the
memory that during the entire millisecond that one or more cards
were within detection of the sensor 72A. A sum of all of the
milliseconds at which cards were present over a pre-determined time
at which samples were taken may indicate that a sufficient amount
of shuffling has occurred. Or, a running total of milliseconds may
reach a pre-determined threshold that indicates that a sufficient
amount of shuffling has occurred.
[0105] Having a sensor 72 or 72A and monitoring actual shuffling of
cards (by throwing or kicking cards sufficiently upward) provides
an improvement over conventional shuffling designs and devices.
Several advantages are provided by the disclosed componentry and
computer instructions to control the device. One such advantage is
to substantially reduce the number of system checks needed. Some
checking is eliminated altogether. For example, there is no longer
a need for checking and monitoring the health of various
sub-systems for shuffling of cards. Specifically, making a
determination of whether a sufficient amount of shuffling occurred
(via a sensor 72 or 72A) removes a need to check or monitor: (1)
revolution or RPM of a kicker wheel, (2) sufficient gripping or
rubber surface of the kicker wheel, (3) whether any oscillatory
motion is occurring by a kicker, and (4) jamming of cards. If there
is on and off detection at a sensor 72 or 72A, there is sufficient
motion of the cards and such determination removes the need to
monitor whether the parts of the shuffler are working Previous
designs and devices did not monitor the presence of kicked cards,
but instead monitored various sub-systems and components.
[0106] One or more values related to shuffling may be persisted in
a computer memory or a computer storage about sufficient shuffling
for use in the same shuffling cycle, or for use with past and
future information about shuffling and for future operation of the
shuffler. Thus, historical data about shuffling may be generated
and stored for use by the shuffler or for operators, servicemen or
owners of the shuffler. For example, data may be persisted so that
a statistical determination or calculation can be performed for the
particular device. According to one illustrative determination,
values and information generated and derived from persisted values
may be used to correlate with or confirm a sufficient level of
shuffling for the pre-programmed and extant conditions and
shuffling parameters of the shuffler 10. Such determination may be
done according to an approved standard or methodology such as the
Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) Standard number 29, chapter
2. Such determination may confirm that the shuffler 10 meets or
exceeds a shuffling or randomization standard or test such as one
or more of the following tests: Chi-square test, overlaps test,
poker test, coupon collector's test, permutation test, adjacency
criterion test, runs test, interplay correlation test and serial
correlation test potency.
[0107] FIG. 8A illustrates a portion of the shuffler 10 including
the shuffling chute 3 at a moment in time before and after the
stack of cards 21 has been shuffled when the cards 21 are traveling
on the elevator 60. A shuffled stack of cards 21 can be returned
from a shuffling position 91 upward toward the presentation tray 4
on the elevator 60. According to the illustrated implementation,
the elevator shaft 61 lifts the elevator 60 up and down. Other
mechanisms for lifting the elevator 60 are possible such as
mounting the elevator 60 within a track or to a belt (not shown).
The outer edges of the elevator 60 may be upturned or contoured so
as to encourage the stack of cards 21 to remain on the elevator 60
as the elevator 60 is lifted. Alternatively, the width of the
shuffling chute 3 may be sufficiently narrow and may include rails
to keep the cards properly aligned and susceptible to movement by
the elevator 60. After shuffling, the top-most card 81 may or may
not be the same as when the stack of cards 21 was first introduced
into the shuffling chute 3 for shuffling. The walls 35 and other
elements of the shuffling chute 3 are not necessarily drawn to
scale or proportion. The shuffling chute 3 is shown substantially
wider than the stack of cards 21 but this may not necessarily be
true for every implementation. A stack of cards 21 may be
substantially similar in size to the width 63 of the chute 3. The
first kicker 64 and second kicker 65 may be withdrawn free from the
outer profile of the elevator 60 by retracting the posts 66 on
which the kickers 64, 65 are connected, or the kickers 64, 65 may
only partially lie within the chute 3. The posts 66 may be
controlled by actuators which are shown for simplicity as bases 67.
Alternative mechanisms for moving and controlling the kickers 64,
65 are possible.
[0108] FIG. 8B shows an alternative lifting mechanism for the
elevator 60. With reference to FIG. 8B, the cards 21 may be taken
to and removed from the tray 4 by a scissor lift 61A. The scissor
lift 61A may be affixed to the bottom of the elevator 60 on its top
end and may be mounted inside the shuffler 10 below the kickers 64,
65. The scissor lift 61A is operated programmatically to place the
cards near the kickers 64, 65 for shuffling and to lift them back
out of the shuffling chute 3 after shuffling.
[0109] FIG. 9 illustrates components used in an analysis of
counting cards in a stack of cards 21 shown in FIGS. 6-7 and FIGS.
8A and 8B. It is not desirable to lose cards in the shuffler 10
during a card shuffling operation. Changing the expected or proper
number of cards substantially alters game play and is generally
against the rules and intent of most card games. Further, a
misplaced card can prevent the shuffler 10 from operating correctly
during a subsequent shuffling operation. According to the described
embodiments, one way to count cards is to capture an electronic
image of the stack of cards 21 and count the cards in the image.
With reference to FIG. 9, a frame or image 92 is captured of a
profile of the stack of cards 21. That is, the edges of the cards
are imaged so as to distinguish one card from a next card.
According to a first implementation, the image 92 corresponds
substantially with the shuffling position 91. Note, for simplicity
in illustration, a camera or other detector is not shown in FIGS.
6-7, 8A, 8B and 9. The image 92 may be captured by a camera that is
fixed in place or by a camera or other detecting element that is
movable within range of the cards within the shuffler, near the
shuffler, within the shuffling chute, or over the width of the
stack of cards while the cards are proximate to or in the shuffler.
Generally, an image may be generated at any time during the
shuffling operation and at any place within or proximate to the
shuffler 10. According to one implementation, the image 92 is
generated while the cards are in the shuffling chute such as in a
shuffling location at the bottom of the shuffling chute and
adjacent to one or more kickers. According to another
implementation, the image 92 is generated prior to the cards being
removed from an egress 24 as shown in FIG. 2A.
[0110] With reference to FIG. 9, the image 92 has a vertical
dimension 93 and a horizontal dimension 94. Card counting is
generally done by capturing an image 92 of the profile of the stack
of cards 21, and detecting the presence of gaps and cards in the
image 92 across the horizontal dimension 94. Detection can occur at
a first location 95 outside of the stack of cards 21 to detect the
presence of a rotated card 99. Detection can occur at a second
location 96 across the width of the stack of cards 21. The image 94
may be cropped to an area of interest indicated by the dotted
lines. The portion of the image for detection 96 includes cards 21
and gaps 97. Detection can be reduced into a conversion of the
second location 96 in the image 94 into a series of 0's and 1's of
a black-and-white image. A portion of an exemplary conversion is
shown as the series 98 of 0's and 1's. For example, a gap or lack
of light corresponds to a sequence of 2-4 zeros between cards 21
which, when converted, correspond to a series of three 1's. In the
image, the space between successive cards 21 may vary in size, but
the size of a card width is generally about the same--in this
example, three 1's. Alternatively, the image may be captured by an
infrared camera, a fingerprint scanner, an x-ray camera, or an
ultraviolet detector, etc.
[0111] The image 92 may be captured by the combination of one or
more flash components that operate in coordination with a camera or
detector. Generally, it is dark inside the shuffler 10 because the
shuffler 10 is enclosed and flash components may be necessary to
capture an image of sufficient quality for use for card counting.
Counting cards in this manner is fast and does not require any
knowledge of the identity of each card.
[0112] An analysis of a stack of cards 21 may include both a
counting of the cards 21 and an evaluation of whether there is one
or more outliers; an outlier may be a rotated card 99 or a card
that has been torn and wedged onto one or more other cards. A
rotated card 99 is explained further herein in more detail in
reference to FIG. 10. Several images 92 may be captured over time
during a shuffling operation. Each captured image may be evaluated
and may provide usable information to the shuffler. If all
evaluations of some or all of the captured images meet pre-approved
conditions, then a finished, shuffled stack of cards may be
returned for use without an error notification.
[0113] FIG. 10 illustrates a stack of cards 21 that may be
introduced into the card shuffler 10, 20 and 29. With reference to
FIG. 10, each card includes a first side 81 or edge and a second
side 82 or edge. For example, a first side 81 of the top card 101
may be a back of a card; the back of the card illustrated shows a
hatched pattern. The cards 21 are shown face down in FIG. 10. The
cards 21 include a first (short) edge 102 and a second (long) edge
103. The cards have a length dimension, a width dimension and a
thickness dimension.
[0114] It is desirable for cards not to rotate while in a shuffler.
Cards may possibly, and most easily, rotate around a first axis 105
because the first axis 105 runs in the plane of the cards 21 and
perpendicular through the middle of the first edge 102, and because
the cards 21 are generally shuffled while resting on their long
side or edge 103 while in the shuffler. However, such orientation
is not required for shuffling. The cards 21 also include a second
axis of rotation 106 and a third axis of rotation 107. The cards 21
can rotate around the third axis of rotation without turning over a
card 101 and exposing its face value on its second side 82.
[0115] Shuffling occurs when a card 101 is removed from the stack
of cards and is placed into a gap 104 between cards at a
randomly-selected location within the stack. When the stack of
cards 21 is shuffled in a shuffling chute, placement of a kicked or
displaced card falls under the influence of gravity and generally
finds its way back into the stack of cards at a gap 104 in the
cards at a substantially random place in the stack based on one or
more factors. One of the factors is due to the influence of air as
a kicked card falls in the chute under the influence of gravity.
Another factor is the interplay and positioning of the card as the
card contacts the various surfaces inside the shuffling chute. It
is an object of the invention to throw or kick each card into the
air to a sufficient distance to allow the card to have variability
in its positioning while keeping its orientation relative to the
rest of the cards in the stack of cards. Rotation about any of the
axes of rotation 105, 106 and 107 is not desired.
[0116] FIG. 11 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of a
shuffler including a pushing mechanism to laterally transition
cards in the shuffler from a vertical position to a horizontal
position, and a pushing element in a first position. With reference
to FIG. 11, a top surface 1 of a card table is visible. A movable
door 2 is in a closed position. The door 2 includes a roller 114
that is configured to contact and travel across a generally flat
surface of a corresponding actuator 113. The actuator 113 forms
part of an elevator arm 110. The elevator arm 110 and elevator 160
travel vertically in response to turning of an elevator screw 111.
The elevator screw 111 is shown without any housing or protecting
railing for simplicity of illustration; other elements associated
with an elevator 160, an elevator arm 110 and an elevator screw 111
may be present in certain embodiments of the shuffler. While a
single elevator screw 111 is shown, more than one elevator screw
111 or other vertical actuator may be used to transport cards in
the shuffling chute. For example, rotating arms or a scissor lift
may be used. Cards 21 rest atop a cushioning layer 161 on the
elevator 160. The cushioning layer 161 provides at least two
benefits: the cushioning layer 161 damps any sounds that result
between an impact between cards 21 and the elevator (floor) 160.
The cushioning layer 161 may be of any of a variety of materials
including: rubber matting, cork, a soft plastic, a cardboard or an
expanded foam material. A properly selected and applied cushioning
layer 161 also prevents or reduces damage to the cards as the cards
contact or make impact with the elevator 160 or floor of the
shuffling chute 3. While a single cushioning layer 161 and single
elevator 160 are shown, it is possible for the elevator 160 and
cushioning layer 161 to take the form of two arms of a fork that
lift transport the cards 21 up and down in the shuffling chute 3.
Any agitation or settling force applied to the cards is preferably
applied to the elevator floor 160 or the cushioning layer 161 so as
to prevent damage to the cards 21 by direct contact between the
agitator (not shown) and the cards 21.
[0117] In FIG. 11, the elevator 160 is shown overlapping the
shuffling chute walls 35. This is due to the formation of one or
more vertical gaps or slots in the chute walls 35 to accommodate
the elevator 160. The elevator 160 overlaps the shuffling chute
walls 35 to, inter alia, prevent the formation of gaps between the
chute walls 35 and elevator that would allow a card 21 to fall into
the shuffler 10 and become lost during a shuffling operation.
[0118] A single lateral card pusher 117 or tilting element is shown
in FIG. 11 for sake of simplicity in illustration. Preferably, two
lateral pushers are used for a stack of cards 21 so as to impact
the cards 21 at two places as an elevator 160 is raised. FIGS.
12-13 show the lateral pusher 117 in two other configurations. It
is to be understood that the lateral pusher 117 operates along a
range of motion as defined by a fixed rotational pin 118 and a
translational (movable) pin 116. The movable pin 116 moves
substantially vertically in parallel with the shuffling chute wall
35. The movable pin 116 travels upward in response to being
impacted by a pushing bar 112 that is fixed to or forms part of the
elevator arm 110. With reference to FIGS. 11-13, as the elevator
arm 110 travels upward from the position shown, the pushing bar 112
impacts the receiver 115 that is mechanically connected to the
movable pin 116. The lateral card pusher 117 rotates effectively
clockwise as the pin 116 travels upward. The elevator screw 111
generally operates at a single, constant speed. The elevator screw
111 may be operated by an electric motor (not shown). The pin 116
travels within the race or path 119 formed in the interior of the
lateral card pusher 117. The first end 121 of the pusher 117 stays
generally stationary while the second end 122 of the pusher 117
travels generally toward the left as illustrated in FIG. 11. The
shape of the pusher 117 is generally curvilinear to effect a
graduate change in orientation of the cards 21 from a generally
vertical orientation (shown in FIG. 11) to a generally horizontal
orientation (shown in FIG. 13). As the cards 21 are lifted, the top
edge of the cards 21 impact the outer surface 120 of the pusher
117.
[0119] The shape of the pusher 117 may be varied as desired and
according to the various elements used in the shuffler. A single
mechanical operational element--the rotatable elevator screw
111--effects (1) delivery of the cards to a presentation tray 4,
(2) operation of the pusher 117, and (3) operation of the movable
door 2. A single mechanical element reduces the complexity of
operation of the card shuffler. Two lines (A'-A' and B'-B') are
indicated and views from these lines are illustrated in FIGS. 15A
and 16.
[0120] The presence of a pusher 117 facilitates a simpler operation
by a card dealer. Specifically, only two motions are needed by a
card dealer (user of the card shuffler) instead of three or more
motions when using instant invention. The pusher 117 allows
unshuffled cards to be introduced directly above or in the
shuffling chute--a first of two places for the cards. Next, the lid
is closed. The cards are then shuffled by the shuffler 10. After
the cards are shuffled, a user or dealer obtains the shuffled cards
from another location--the second of two places for the cards. Such
arrangement of the cards allows for fewer opportunities for the
face value of one or more of the cards to be exposed to view by a
card player. Previous designs have not used the two-position
configuration. One previous design provides for receiving
unshuffled cards in a same place (e.g., presentation tray) as for
retrieving shuffled cards. Thus, the instant invention provides for
a more streamlined and efficient use by a card dealer.
[0121] FIG. 12 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of a
shuffler including cards 21 transitioning from a vertical position
to a horizontal position, and a pushing element 117 in a second
position. The cards 21 are tipping over toward the right and are
transitioning toward the presentation tray 4 which is connected to,
for example, a chute wall 35 via a connector 33 so that the
presentation tray 4 remains at a particular location within the
shuffler. Alternatively, the presentation tray 4 may be movable in
the shuffler.
[0122] With reference to FIG. 12, a top surface 1 of a card table
is visible. A movable door 2 is in a closed position. The door 2
includes a roller 114 that is configured to contact and travel
across a generally flat surface of a corresponding actuator 113.
The actuator 113 forms part of the elevator arm 110. In FIG. 12,
the actuator 113 has just started to impact the roller 114 as the
elevator screw 111 is turned and the elevator arm 110 has been
raised vertically. The elevator arm 110 and elevator 160 have
traveled vertically relative to the first position shown in FIG.
11. In FIG. 12, the pushing bar 112 has already impacted the
receiver 115, which is mechanically connected to the movable pin
116, and has traveled a short distance vertically upward. The
movable pin 116 has already caused the card pusher 117 to rotate
clockwise about a fixed axis and pin 118. The movable pin 116 has
already traveled a partial distance vertically and traveled another
partial distance in the race 119. The card pusher 117 has already
contacted the cards 21 at a place of contact 120. The cards 21 rest
atop a cushioning surface 161. The cushioning surface 161, besides
providing the benefits already described, can provide a gripping
function to the cards 21 so that the bottom edge of each card 21
does not slide laterally left or right on the elevator 160.
[0123] A pair of sweeper arms 41 has rotated to begin lifting the
cards 21 from the elevator 160 and will eventually place the cards
21 in the presentation tray 4. The arms 41 pivot about a pivot
point or axle 42 of an electric motor. The arms 41 may be directly
mounted to, for example, a stepper motor (not shown) so as to
reduce a number of mechanical elements needed to operate the
shuffler. By reducing the number of mechanical elements, operation
of the shuffler is quieter and includes fewer components that may
break down and cause a malfunction or require maintenance. A
counter weight 41C may be mounted to the sweeper arms 41. A cushion
41A may be added to the bottom edge of the sweeper arms 41 to
assist in preventing damage to cards that are kicked upward in the
shuffling chute 3. A sensor (not shown) may be added to or
associated with the sweeper arms 41 or the cushion 41A so as to
facilitate and enable detection or sensing of impacts of cards with
the upper end of the shuffling chute. Accordingly, such sensor may
facilitate counting of a number of card impacts associated with
cards that are kicked or thrown upward.
[0124] A first roller or kicker 64 is visible toward the bottom
portion of the shuffling chute 3. The first kicker 64 is
substantially stationary and rotates clockwise to provide a lifting
force to a proximate card to facilitate shuffling of the cards 21
when the cards 21 are in a shuffling position (such as is shown in
FIG. 11). With reference to FIG. 12, a second kicker 65 is present.
The second kicker 65 operates by rotating counterclockwise. A
progressive cam 133 is mounted to an axle 133A of a motor (not
shown). Operation of the progressive cam 133, such as in
counterclockwise fashion, effects a lateral motion of the second
kicker 65 along the range of motion 134A indicated. Translational
movement of the ovoid body 131 mounted and rotatable about the
pivot axis 130 causes the lateral motion. The ovoid body 131 is
responsive to the progressive cam 133 via a roller 132 mounted to
the ovoid body 131. The ovoid body 131 and second kicker 65 are
shown in a first position in FIG. 12 and in a second position in
FIG. 13.
[0125] FIG. 13 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of a
shuffler with cards 21 completely transitioned to a horizontal
position. The shuffler is in a position to accept a new stack of
cards and presents a stack of cards 21 that have been shuffled. The
cards 21 are lying in a horizontal orientation in the presentation
tray 4 which is connected to, for example, a horizontal portion of
a chute wall 35 via a connector 33.
[0126] A top surface 1 of a card table is visible. A movable door 2
is in an open position. The door 2 includes a roller 114 that is
configured to contact and travel across a generally flat surface of
a corresponding actuator 113. The elevator screw 111 has operated
and caused the elevator arm 110 to travel to a top-most position
along the elevator screw 111. The actuator 113 has lifted the door
2 and placed the door into the open position. Alternatively, or
additionally, the actuator 113 has triggered a latch (not shown)
and allowed an operator to open the door 2. According to an
alternative embodiment, the door 2 is mechanically in connection
with a lifting mechanism for the presentation tray 4. Upon lifting
the door 2 from a closed position to an open position, the
presentation tray 4 is raised from the position shown in FIG. 13 to
a place substantially co-planar with the top surface 1 of the card
table.
[0127] The elevator arm 110 and elevator 160 have traveled
vertically to a third position relative to a first position shown
in FIG. 11 and a second position shown in FIG. 12. In FIG. 13, the
pushing bar 112 has already impacted the receiver 115 and moved the
movable pin 116. The movable pin 116 has moved to a farthest
position in the race 119. The movable pin 116 has caused the card
pusher 117 to rotate clockwise about a fixed axis and pin 118 to a
final location that has moved the pusher 117 free from obstructing
the substantially vertical shuffling chute 3. The shuffler now has
a receiving place 140 for accepting a new unshuffled stack of card
(not shown in FIG. 13). A new stack of cards is held in the
receiving place 140 on the elevator 60 by vertical portions of the
shuffling chute walls 35. The elevator 60 prevents a new batch or
stack of cards from falling directly into the bottom of the
shuffling chute 3. While not shown, a mechanical connection between
the door 2 and the elevator 60 lowers the elevator 60 as the door
is closed 2 so as to prevent the door 2 from impacting the top of a
newly submitted stack of cards in the substantially vertical
shuffling chute 3. In FIG. 13, the card pusher 117 has already
performed one of its functions to transition the cards 21 to a
substantially horizontal orientation. The cards 21 rest in the
presentation tray 4.
[0128] A pair of sweeper arms 41 has rotated to be free from
obstructing the shuffling chute 3 and free from preventing travel
of the elevator down into the shuffling chute 3. The arms 41 pivot
about a pivot point or axle 42 of an electric motor. A counter
weight 41C may be mounted to one or more of the sweeper arms 41. A
cushion 41A is shown on the bottom edge of the sweeper arms 41.
[0129] The first kicker 64 is visible toward the bottom portion of
the shuffling chute 3. The first kicker 64 is mounted so as to
operate substantially stationarily and rotates clockwise to provide
a lifting force to a proximate card to facilitate shuffling of the
cards 21 when the cards 21 are in a shuffling position (such as is
shown in FIG. 11). With reference to FIG. 13, the second kicker 65
operates by rotating counterclockwise. The second kicker 65 is
shown in a second position as the progressive cam 133 has rotated.
A second portion 135 of the progressive cam 133 is in contact with
the roller 132 of the ovoid body 131. A first portion 134 of the
progressive cam 133 would place the second kicker 65 in the
position shown in FIG. 12. With reference to FIG. 13, an electric
motor (not shown) operates the progressive cam 133. The electric
motor may also simultaneously operate the second kicker 65 through
using belts, gears or the like (additional "mechanical elements")
to connect operation of the axle of the second kicker 65 with
operation of the progressive cam 133. Such additional mechanical
elements are omitted from FIG. 13 for sake of simplicity of
illustration only. Translational movement of the ovoid body 131
mounted and rotatable about the pivot axis 130 causes lateral
motion of the second kicker 65. The lateral motion causes the
second kicker 65 to impact a proximal card in a stack of cards. The
lateral motion at least partially provides sufficient friction
between a surface of the second kicker 65 and a surface of a
proximal card to be kicked into the shuffling chute 3.
[0130] FIG. 14 is a graph 150 that illustrates a position 159 of a
card kicker (such as the second kicker 65 shown in FIG. 13) over
time relative to a side of a stack of cards being shuffled. FIG. 14
may be a somewhat idealized graph as compared to actual data
gathered from some actual shufflers. The graph of FIG. 14 also
illustrates a time and position in which a card is kicked into the
air in a shuffling chute.
[0131] With reference to FIG. 14, a position 159 varies vertically
and indicates a position as measured along a positional axis 152
between a first location 153 and a second location 154 as measured
over time along a time axis 151. The position 159 of the kicker
varies cyclically over time. A first position of the kicker 65 is
represented as position 155 along the timeline 151. The first
position 155 shows when the kicker 65 is farthest physically from a
proximate card in the stack of cards. As time progresses, the
position 159 of the kicker gradually, and at a constant velocity,
approaches a second position 157 along the timeline 151
corresponding to a second location 154 along the positional axis
152. Over the period represented by area 158, the second kicker 65
impacts a proximal card and kicks the card upward and into the
shuffling chute. Next, the position 159 of the kicker more quickly
transitions from a second position 157 to a third position 156
along the timeline 151. The third position 156 corresponds to the
first location 153. The pattern is repeated as the kicker 65
oscillates in the shuffler. The shape of the graph of position 159
of the kicker depends directly on the shape of, for example, a
progressive cam such as the progressive cam 133 shown in FIGS.
11-13.
[0132] FIG. 15A is an overhead view of an elevator mechanism for
moving cards within a card shuffler according to an illustrative
implementation and as viewed from line A'-A' in FIG. 11. Attached
to, or forming part of an elevator arm 110 is a threaded block 163A
for engaging with an elevator screw 111 (not shown in FIG. 15A).
The threaded block 163A cooperates with an elevator screw to
facilitate movement of the elevator arm 110 and elevator floor
161A, 161B. The threaded block 163A is formed with a passage 163B
through the block 163A through which the elevator screw passes. In
the embodiment shown, the lid-lifting actuator 113 is mounted on or
forms part of the top of threaded block 163A. The pushing bar 112
of FIG. 11 includes a horizontal portion 112A and a vertical
portion 112B as shown in FIG. 15A. The vertical portion 112B may be
capped with a cushioning element (e.g., rubberized end, metal
roller, plastic end). The elevator 160 and cushioning layer 161 of
FIG. 11 are visible as two laterally-extending fork portions 161A
and 161B. The top surface of each of these fork portions 161A, 161B
include a cushioning layer to provide a protective surface to cards
(a single card 21 is shown) that ride on the elevator in the
shuffling chute 3. The cards lie across both elevator fork portions
161A, 161B. The shuffling walls are visible as several wall
portions, 35A, 35B and 35C. The fork portions 161A, 161B travel in
slots formed in the chute walls 35.
[0133] FIG. 15B is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 15A that
illustrates further details of a rail 164 of a wall 35C of a
shuffling chute 3. According to one illustrative implementation, a
wall panel includes a substrate 165 formed with a rail 164 that
projects substantially perpendicular to the plane defining the wall
35. According to one illustrative implementation, each rail 164 is
formed or placed on the wall such that it rises at least about
0.003 inches above the surface of its respective wall 35C. In
another implementation, each rail 164 is at least 0.005 inches
above the surface of its respective wall 35C. Mounted, formed or
coated on the substrate is a dampening material 166. While the
dampening material 166 is shown uniformly across the entire
substrate 165, other implementations only have panels of dampening
material 166 attached to portions of a panel 35. On top of the
dampening material 166 is protective coating or layer 167. The
protective layer 167 lies next to the cards and protects the cards
from damage. According to an illustrative embodiment, the
protective layer 167 is a plastic, PVC, polyfluorinated compound,
ultra-high molecular weight (UHMW) plastic, metal or other material
that provides a slick surface to a flat portion 174 of the rail
164. A perpendicular height of the rail 164 is sufficient to raise
a portion of a card away from becoming attracted from the shuffling
chute wall so as to prevent static electric charge from persisting
or statically locating a card in the shuffling chute during and
after shuffling of cards. Generally, a rail 164 is one embodiment
of a contact reducer that reduces an amount of area that is
contactable by a substantially planar card.
[0134] FIG. 16 is an overhead view of an elevator mechanism for
moving cards within a card shuffler according to an illustrative
implementation and as viewed from line B'-B' in FIG. 11. Attached
to, or forming part of an elevator arm 110 is a threaded block 163A
for engaging with an elevator screw 111 (not shown in FIG. 16). The
threaded block 163A cooperates with the elevator screw to
facilitate movement of the elevator arm 110 and elevator floor
161A, 161B. The threaded block 163A is formed with a passage 163B
through the block 163A through which the elevator screw passes. In
the embodiment shown, the lid-lifting actuator 113 is mounted on or
forms part of the top of threaded block 163A. The pushing bar 112
of FIG. 11 includes a horizontal portion 112A and a vertical
portion 112B. The elevator 160 and cushioning layer 161 of FIG. 11
are visible as two laterally-extending fork portions 161A and 161B.
The top surface of each of these fork portions 161A, 161B include a
cushioning layer to provide a protective surface to cards (not
shown in FIG. 16) that ride on the elevator in the shuffling chute
3. The cards lie across both elevator fork portions 161A, 161B. One
shuffling wall 35C includes or forms a pair of cutouts 169 for
accepting elevator arms such as elevator arms 41 shown in FIG. 12.
Another shuffling wall 35A is solid across its width as shown in
FIG. 16. A single lateral pusher 117 is shown. A side view of the
lateral pusher 117 is shown in FIGS. 11-13. The fork portions 161A,
161B travel in slots formed in the chute walls 35.
[0135] FIG. 17A is an illustrative example of a wall section of a
shuffling chute according to a first illustrated implementation.
FIG. 17A shows a front view of a panel 35C. The panel forms
apertures 168 for accepting screws or other fasteners for mounting
the panel 35C to the inside of a shuffler. The panel 35C includes a
front surface 174 and a rear surface 175. The front surface 174 may
include or have mounted thereto a dampening layer and a protective
layer. Substantially vertical rails 164 are formed in or are
mounted to the panel 35C. Cutouts 170 are formed to allow elevator
arms 161A, 161B or other portions of the elevator mechanism to
travel vertically within the shuffling chute within the indicated
range of motion 173 of the elevator. Illustration lines A'-A' and
B'-B' are shown for illustrative purposes only. A cutout or
aperture 172 is formed in a shuffling region of the panel 35C. A
kicker (not shown) may protrude through the aperture 172 to contact
cards placed in the shuffling chute. One or more sensor cutouts or
sensor apertures 171 are formed in the panel 35C. According to an
illustrative embodiment, a series of sensor apertures 171 are
formed along a vertical line along the flight path of shuffled
cards so as to detect the presence of any card stuck to the panel
35C during operation of the shuffler. Cutouts or apertures 169 are
formed in the panel to accommodate one or more lifting arms such as
an arm 41 shown in FIG. 8A. A sweeper arm such as 41 can be
considered a second transport mechanism, and an elevator can be
considered a first transportation mechanism for the cards.
[0136] FIG. 17B is another illustrative example of a wall section
of a shuffling chute. FIG. 17B shows a front view of a panel 35C.
The panel 35C forms apertures 168 for accepting screws or other
fasteners for mounting the panel 35C to the inside of a shuffler.
The front surface may include or have mounted thereto a dampening
layer and a protective layer. Rails 164 are formed in or are
mounted to the panel 35C. The rails 164 are mounted in a skewed or
diagonal fashion to show that rails 164 may be formed in or mounted
to any shuffling chute surface in any orientation or form as
desired. Cutouts 170 are formed to allow elevator arms 161A, 161B
or other portions of the elevator mechanism to travel vertically
within the shuffling chute. A cutout or aperture 172 is formed in a
shuffling region of the panel 35C to allow operation of a kicker
(not shown) such that the kicker may contact cards placed in the
shuffling chute. One or more sensor cutouts or sensor apertures 171
are formed in the panel 35C. According to an illustrative
embodiment, a series of sensor apertures 171 are formed along a
vertical line along the flight path of shuffled cards so as to
detect the presence of any card stuck to the panel 35C during
operation of the shuffler. An outline of a card 176 is indicated by
dashed lines. The outline of the card 176 shows that a card would
be lifted off a top surface 174 of the panel 35C at at least two
places by the rails 164. Further, the outline of the card 176 shows
that a card would obscure or block at least one sensor (indicated
by the obscured aperture 171A). Cutouts or apertures 169 are formed
in the panel to accommodate one or more lifting arms such as an arm
41 shown in FIG. 8A.
[0137] FIG. 18 is a side view of a portion of an elevator mechanism
according to a first implementation showing further features of an
elevator. With reference to FIG. 18, two independently attached
arms 160A and 160B are each attached to the elevator arm 110 at its
own pivot point 160C. An agitation force applied to the arms 160A,
160B may cause slight movement of one or more of the arms 160A,
160B when a settling force is desired to assist in keeping shuffled
cards in a settled configuration in a shuffling position in the
shuffler. An actuator 113 is shown and the actuator 113 forms part
of or is attached to a threaded block 163A of the elevator arm
110.
[0138] FIG. 19 is an overhead view of a portion of an elevator
mechanism according to a second implementation distinct from the
one shown in other figures. An actuator 113 is shown and the
actuator 113 forms part of or is attached to a threaded block 163A
of the elevator arm 110. FIG. 19 illustrates an elevator floor
comprised of two panels 171A, 171B that extend substantially across
the entire elevator floor. The panels 171A, 171B are mounted to a
portion of the elevator arm 110. According to an illustrative
embodiment, the floor (panels 171A, 171B) are formed of a flexible
material such as a plastic or thin metal. Formed in the panels
171A, 171B may be one or more cutouts or apertures 172 to
accommodate arms such arms 41. The arms 41 facilitate movement and
manipulation of the cards in the shuffler. Optionally, the elevator
arm 110 may include a horizontal portion 112A and a vertical
portion 112B of a pushing bar as explained further in reference to
other figures.
[0139] FIG. 20 is a side view of a portion of an elevator mechanism
according to an implementation similar to the one shown in FIG. 19.
With reference to FIG. 20, an actuator 113 is shown and the
actuator 113 forms part of or is attached to a threaded block 163A
of the elevator arm 110 as shown in other figures. In FIG. 20, a
thin floor 181 has been exposed to a settling force. The floor 181
has experienced flexing which shows how the cards 21 are affected
in a vertical direction and facilitates slipping of the cards and
forming gaps between successive cards. The flexing has been
accentuated to illustrate certain teachings and principles. The
gaps allow a falling card (after being shuffled or kicked upward
into the shuffling chute) to slip into one of these gaps. The gaps
allow falling cards to re-join the stack of cards 21. The floor 181
is connected to the elevator arm 110 by one or more components such
as via a connecting member 182 and a screw.
[0140] FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a kicker 65, kicker
mechanism and an adjacent card 21 according to a first illustrative
implementation. A spring-loaded or movable post 66A, shown in FIG.
6 for example, takes the form of an ovoid body 131 in FIG. 21. The
ovoid body 131 rotates around a pivot point or axis 130. The ovoid
body 131 may take any form according to the geometries and
configurations of a particular embodiment of a card shuffler. A
cantilevered post or axle 183 is mounted to the ovoid body 131. The
axle 183 operates by actuation of an electric motor which may be
attached to or in mechanical connection to the axle 183. The kicker
65 is preferably a commodity part such as from a commercially
available printer supplier or other part manufacturer. A kicker 65
may be removably attached to the axle 183 by engaging with a lock
mechanism or feature 184 formed in the axle 183. A mating or
corresponding engaging or lock feature may be found on the inside
of a longitudinal aperture 188 formed through the axis of the
kicker 65. Preferably, the kicker 65 may be assembled to and
removed from the axle 183 without tools making maintenance and
servicing of a shuffler an inexpensive and efficient undertaking A
kicker includes an outer surface 185. A coating or sleeve 186 may
be formed on or attached to the kicker 65. The sleeve 186 includes
a top surface for engaging with a surface 82 of a proximal card
21.
[0141] FIG. 22 is an overhead view of three illustrative
implementations of a shuffling chute wall 35 and panel and
accompanying rails 164 for preventing a card 21 from sticking to a
wall 35 of the shuffling chute. With reference to FIG. 22, a first
panel or wall 35 includes a rail 164 that is shown as a rectangular
form with a coating 193 attached. The rail 35 is a generally
uniform width 192 that is as small as possible according to an
illustrative embodiment so as to reduce the chance of a card 21
from sticking to the wall 35. However, a rail 164 may include a
coating 193 to prevent damage to any proximal card 21 that contacts
the rail 164. The coating 193 may increase or decrease friction
between the wall or 35 and the card surface 81. The coating 193 is
designed to prevent cards 21 from persisting in the shuffling
chute; however the coating may serve many purposes. According to an
illustrative example, a rail 164 is about 0.060 inches in height
191 above a surface of the wall 35.
[0142] According to a second embodiment, a shuffling chute wall 194
may include rails 195 that are formed as rounded indents formed in
the wall. Manufacturing could be easier than the first embodiment.
According to a third embodiment, the rails may not run a length of
the panel 196 but may take the form of single peaks or rounded
cones 197, 198 formed in or attached to the panel 196. The peaks
197, 198 may be made of a same or a different material than the
material used to form the panel 196.
[0143] FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a portion of another
illustrative implementation of a wall or panel 35 for preventing a
card from sticking to a wall of a shuffling chute. With reference
to FIG. 23, a panel 35 includes a series of ridges or bumps 199,
200 formed in or attached to the panel. The ridges or bumps may
take the form of a vertical set of ridges 199 or a horizontal set
of ridges 200. Alternatively, the ridges or bumps 199, 200 may be
random patterns in a material that is glued to the panel. Such
material could be carpet-like material that prevents cards from
adhering to the panel 35 as cards are shuffled in the shuffling
chute. In yet another illustrative implementation, the wall or
panel 35 may take the form of a chain-linked fence or other form
where apertures or voids are formed in the wall (instead of rails
or raised protrusions) so as to reduce the surface area available
for a card to adhere or get stuck to a surface while in the
shuffler.
[0144] FIG. 24 is a perspective view of a portion of yet another
illustrative implementation of a wall or panel 35 for preventing a
card 21 from sticking to a wall of a shuffling chute and a card
placed adjacent thereto. FIG. 24 illustrates peaks 201 similar to
those peaks 197, 198 shown in the third example in FIG. 22. The
peaks 201 in FIG. 24 are rounded at their top. The peaks 201 are
spaced over the surface of the panel 35 so that at least 2 peaks
201 are positioned under a card 21 that may be positioned at a
position 202 anywhere within the shuffling chute and adjacent to
one of the walls 35. In FIG. 24, two peaks 201A, 201B are shown
under the card 21. Whether the edge 81 is a short edge or long edge
(in a horizontal or vertical orientation) the card 21 is adjacent
to two or more of the peaks 201. Other arrangements of the peaks
are possible including application of the peaks in a uniform set of
locations on a panel. Yet other embodiments are possible for a wall
or panel 35. For example, a panel 35 may take the form of a
honeycombed (open) design, or may look more like a chain-linked
fence. Such would reduce available surface area and thereby the
potential for a card to adhere to the panel 35 based on static
electricity forces.
[0145] FIG. 25 is a side cross-sectional view of an elevator
mechanism, a portion of a shuffling chute, electronic components
and a switch for communicating with other devices according to a
first illustrative embodiment of the shuffler. With reference to
FIG. 25, an electronic controller or device 213 provides the logic
and instructions to control the various components of a shuffler
such as shuffler 10, 20. For example, the controller 213 is in
electronic communication with an electric elevator motor 210 that
turns the elevator screw 111 and facilitates vertical movement of
the elevator 60 up and down in the shuffling chute 3. The
controller 213 may include a bus or connector 212 that connects
with a corresponding connector 211 of the wire or cable 206 of the
electric elevator motor. Similarly, the controller 213 may provide
a bus or connector 212 that is in electronic communication with
buttons 5 via wires 206 or other means.
[0146] The shuffling chute walls 35 are visible. An actuator 113 on
the elevator arm 110 is configured to open the door 2 near the top
surface 1 of the shuffler when the elevator assembly reaches the
top of the elevator screw 111. When the elevator assembly is
operated and reaches the bottom of the shuffling chute, according
to one implementation, the elevator arm 110 mechanically makes
contact with a top portion 205 of a switch or detector 209. The
switch or detector 209 is in electronic communication via a wire or
cable 206 with a connector or bus 207 mounted to and made available
to the external chassis 7 of the shuffler. The connector or bus 207
includes one or more pins or other connecting means 208 for
interfacing with another electronic device or connector. The switch
or detector 209 is mechanically and electrically separate from the
controller 213 and provides an independently (mechanically)
verifiable means to detect operation and number of cycles of
shuffling of the shuffler. According to one implementation, an
external device may be a device that provides information from
operation of the elevator to an external database or computerized
system. Such external database or system may be a Bravo.RTM.-brand
gaming system manufactured by Genesis Gaming Solutions, Inc. of
Spring, Tex.
[0147] FIG. 26 illustrates an illustrative computing operating
environment or device 213 that is capable of (fully or partially)
implementing at least one approach, method, or process for enabling
card shuffling and the card shuffler as described herein. The
computing environment or device 213 may be used as described
below.
[0148] The illustrative computing operating environment or device
213 is only one example of a computing environment and is not
intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or
functionality of the applicable computer (including general
electronic device) and network architectures. Neither should
computing environment 213 be interpreted as having any dependency
or requirement relating to any one or any combination of components
as illustrated in FIG. 26.
[0149] Computing system operations and control operations may be
implemented with numerous other general purpose or special purpose
computing system environments or configurations. Examples of well
known computing systems, environments, and configurations that may
be suitable for use include, but are not limited to: personal
computers, server computers, thin clients, thick clients, personal
digital assistants (PDAs) or mobile telephones, hand-held or laptop
devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, set
top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, video game machines,
network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and distributed
computing environments that include any of the above systems or
devices, and so forth.
[0150] Implementations with computing system components interacting
with shuffling and card manipulation functionality may be described
in the general context of electronically-executable instructions.
Generally, electronically-executable instructions include routines,
programs, objects, components, data structures, etc., that perform
particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types.
[0151] Computing system component described in certain
implementations herein, may also be practiced in distributed
computing environments where tasks are performed by remotely-linked
processing devices that are connected through a communications
network. In a distributed computing environment,
electronically-executable instructions may be located in separate
storage media, executed by different processors, and/or propagated
over transmission media. For example, file system commands may be
called over a network and executed on a remote computing device
that is not directly attached to a computing component such as the
one 213 illustrated and described herein and operating within the
shuffler.
[0152] With reference to FIG. 26, a computing environment includes
a general-purpose computing device 213 such as an
Arduino.RTM.-brand ARM-based microcontroller which may comprise any
electronic device with computing and/or processing capabilities.
The components of computer 213 may include, but are not limited to,
one or more processors or processing units 304, a system memory
306, and a system bus 308 that couples various system components
including one or more processors 304 to one or more system memories
306.
[0153] The system bus 308 represents one or more of any of several
types of bus structures, including a memory bus or memory
controller, a peripheral bus, an accelerated graphics port, and a
processor or local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures.
By way of example, such architectures may include an Industry
Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, a Micro Channel Architecture (MCA)
bus, an Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, a Video Electronics Standards
Association (VESA) local bus, and a Peripheral Component
Interconnects (PCI) bus also known as a Mezzanine bus.
[0154] Computer 213 typically includes a variety of
electronically-accessible media. Such media may be any available
media that is accessible by computer 213 or another electronic
device, and it includes both volatile and non-volatile media,
removable and non-removable media, and storage and transmission
media.
[0155] A system memory 306 includes electronically-accessible media
in the form of volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM)
310, and/or non-volatile memory, such as read only memory (ROM)
312. A basic input/output system (BIOS) 314, containing the basic
routines that help to transfer information between elements within
computer 213, such as during start-up, is stored in ROM 312. RAM
310 typically contains data and/or program modules 330 or
instructions that are immediately accessible to and/or being
presently operated on by processing unit 304.
[0156] Computer 213 may also include other removable/non-removable
and/or volatile/non-volatile electronic storage media. By way of
example, and not shown in FIG. 26, a hard disk drive may be
accessed for reading from and writing to a (typically)
non-removable, non-volatile magnetic media (not separately shown).
While the drive is not shown in FIG. 26, a magnetic or optical disk
drive may be included in the shuffler 10 and such disk drive may be
used for reading from and writing to a (typically) removable,
non-volatile magnetic disk or a (typically) removable, non-volatile
optical disk 320 such as a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or other optical media.
A hard disk drive, magnetic disk drive, and optical disk drive are
each connected to system bus 308 by one or more data media
interfaces 326. Alternatively, a hard disk drive, a magnetic disk
drive, and an optical disk drive may be connected to system bus 308
by one or more other separate or combined interfaces (not
shown).
[0157] The disk drives and their associated
electronically-accessible media provide non-volatile storage of
electronically-executable instructions, such as data structures,
program modules, and other data for the computer 213. Although the
illustrated computer 213 includes possibly a hard disk, a removable
magnetic disk, or a removable optical disk, it is to be appreciated
that other types of electronically-accessible media may store
instructions that are accessible by an electronic device, such as
magnetic cassettes or other magnetic storage devices, flash memory
cards, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical
storage, random access memories (RAM), read only memories (ROM),
electrically erasable programmable read-only memories (EEPROM), and
so forth. In other words, any electronically-accessible media may
be used to realize the storage media of the exemplary computing
system and environment.
[0158] Any number of program modules (or other units or sets of
instructions 316) may be stored on a hard disk, a magnetic disk, an
optical disk 520, a ROM 312, and/or RAM 310, including by way of
example, an operating system 327, one or more application programs
328, other program modules 330, and program data 332. By way of
example only, operating system 327 may include a file system
component; application programs 328 may include programs and/or
applications, and program data 332 may include files and/or
electronic content or data.
[0159] A user may enter commands and information into the computer
213 via input devices such as buttons 5 (shown in other figures), a
keyboard 334 and a pointing device 336 (e.g., a mouse, roller
ball). Other input devices 338 (not shown specifically) may include
a microphone, joystick, game pad, satellite dish, serial port,
scanner, and the like. These and other input devices are connected
to processing unit 304 via input/output interfaces 340 that are
coupled to a system bus 308. However, they may instead be connected
by other interface and bus structures, such as a parallel port, a
game port, a universal serial bus (USB) port, an IEEE 1394
interface, an IEEE 802.11 interface, and so forth.
[0160] A monitor 342 or other type of display device may also be
connected to system bus 308 via an interface, such as a video
adapter 344. In addition to a monitor or graphical display 342,
other output peripheral devices may include components such as
speakers (not shown) and a printer 346, which may be connected to
the computer 213 via input/output interfaces 340.
[0161] Computer 213 may operate in a networked environment using
logical connections to one or more remote computers, such as a
remote computing device (not shown). By way of example, a remote
computing device may be a personal computer, a portable computer
(e.g., laptop computer, tablet computer, PDA, mobile station,
etc.), a server, a router, a network computer, a peer device, other
common network node, or other computer type as listed above, and so
forth. Remote computing device may include many or all of the
elements and features described herein relative to the computer
213.
[0162] Logical connections between a computer 213 and a remote
computer are depicted as reachable via Internet protocols 352 over
a WAN and via a local area network (LAN) 350. Such networking
environments are commonplace in offices, enterprise-wide computer
networks, intranets, the Internet, fixed and mobile telephone
networks, other wireless networks, and so forth.
[0163] When implemented in a LAN networking environment, computer
213 may be connected to a local area network 350 via a network
interface or adapter 354. When implemented in a WAN networking
environment, computer 213 typically includes a modem or other means
for establishing communications over wide area network 352. A modem
may be internal or external to the computer 213, and may be
connected to a system bus 308 via input/output interfaces 340 or
any other appropriate mechanism(s). It is to be appreciated that
the illustrated network connections are exemplary and that other
means of establishing communication link(s) between the computer
213 and another computer may be employed.
[0164] In a networked environment, such as the one illustrated in
FIG. 26, program modules or other instructions that are depicted
relative to the computer 213, or portions thereof, may be fully or
partially stored in a remote memory storage device. By way of
example, remote application programs 358 may reside on a memory
device of a remote computer. Also, for purposes of illustration,
application programs 328 and other executable instructions such as
an operating system 327 are illustrated herein as discrete blocks,
but it is recognized that such programs, components, and other
instructions reside at various times in different storage
components of computing device 213 (and/or on or at a remote
computing device) and are executed by data processor(s) 304 of
computer 213 (and/or those of a remote computing device).
[0165] FIG. 27 illustrates a flowchart 400 of illustrative events
or steps for shuffling. The steps preferably occur in the sequence
shown but may be performed in any order if possible. With reference
to FIG. 27, shuffling is effected by placing unshuffled cards into
a receiving location associated with the shuffler, step 402. The
cards are transferred to a shuffling location, step 404. A
shuffling force is provided to the cards, either sequentially or
individually to a proximate card, or by some other means, step 406.
A settling force is applied either directly or indirectly to the
cards, step 408. Cards, such as cards that are kicked, are detected
at a location above the shuffling location, step 410. The shuffler
provides a signal about shuffling of the cards based on information
noted from detection of cards at the location above the shuffling
location, step 412. The location may be just above a settled stack
of cards, or may be near a top of a trajectory of kicked cards.
After shuffling, the shuffled cards are delivered to a designated
location such as to a presentation tray, step 414.
[0166] According to a similar understanding of the analysis
described in relation to portions of FIG. 9, step 410 of FIG. 27
involves detection of the presence of one or more cards, and signal
processing associated with a signal generated from sensor 72A, for
example. In particular, an illustrative signal may include a series
of zeros and ones detected and/or recorded over time such at a
frequency of one sample per millisecond. Other frequencies are
possible including slower frequencies such as one sample every 5 or
10 milliseconds. Signal processing and interpretation may take one
of various forms. Illustrative signal interpretations are described
next.
[0167] According to a first example of signal processing, detection
of cards includes accumulating or augmenting a value for each time
a sample detects the presence of one or more cards (e.g., the
signal is 1 or greater than 0). Such value may be a time value.
When the time value reaches a pre-determined threshold (e.g., 10
seconds, 15 seconds, 22.2 seconds), one of several actions can be
taken. The shuffler may be programmed to stop after reaching or
exceeding the threshold value. Alternatively, the end time for
shuffling may be reduced such that shuffling may cease soon after
reaching the threshold, and a pre-determined shuffling time may be
adjusted so that a next shuffling cycle is scheduled to take less
time. In yet another alternative implementation, at an end of a
pre-determined shuffle time, if the cumulated value fails to meet
or exceed the pre-determined threshold value, the shuffler may
shuffle for one or more additional shuffle pre-determined intervals
before checking again for meeting or exceeding the pre-determined
threshold value. The shuffling may trigger a failed shuffle if
after one or more shuffling periods do not result in sufficient
throws of the cards to interrupt the sensor.
[0168] According to a second example of signal processing,
detection of cards includes detecting a number of interruptions
(similar to counting a number of cards) from a series of ones and
zeros generated via a sensor 72A. Determining a number of
interruptions in this example is similar to detecting gaps in cards
in an image of a stack of cards. Each place over time where there
are one or more zeros, this would be the end of one interruption of
the sensor and the start of a subsequent interruption. A successful
shuffling could be measured via the sensor based on a cumulated
number of interruptions meeting or exceeding a pre-determined
threshold. The shuffler could be programmed as in the first example
of signal processing on how to interpret an analysis of counting a
number of interruptions. For example, the shuffler may be
programmed to stop after reaching or exceeding the threshold value
for number of interruptions. The threshold value can be determined
empirically or may be set arbitrarily high so long as the cards in
a shuffled stack of cards is sufficiently randomized so as to meet
one or more industry standards for an acceptable level of
randomization. Alternatively, the end time for shuffling may be
reduced such that shuffling may cease soon after reaching the
threshold value for the number of interruptions detected.
[0169] The shuffler may be programmed with logic or instructions
for how to react to an analysis of a sensor signal. For example, a
flag may be set to always pass the stack of cards as sufficiently
shuffled unless the shuffler detects an insufficient shuffle during
the pre-determined time for card shuffling. Alternatively, a flag
may be set to always fail the stack of cards as insufficiently
shuffled unless the shuffler determines that a sufficient shuffle
has occured during the pre-determined time for card shuffling
(e.g., a cumulative time of detected card throws exceeding a
threshold time, a cumulative value meeting or exceeding a
cumulative time threshold). Yet in another alternative, the card
shuffler may be programmed to set a flag of either pass or fail
within one or more pre-determined shuffling times.
[0170] Variations of these and other logical programming examples
may be made as additional sensors or detectors are added. For
example, for an implementation of a series of detectors in the
shuffling chute are added, the logic could be to set a flag of fail
for the shuffling if a static card is detected persisting in the
shuffling chute after the cards have been shuffled and returned to
a dealer. In another example, the logic could be to set a flag of
fail for the shuffling if a count of the cards in the stack of
cards is an incomplete number (as detected in an image of the
stack) after the cards have been shuffled and returned to a
dealer.
[0171] FIG. 28 illustrates another flowchart of illustrative events
or steps for shuffling. The steps preferably occur in the sequence
shown but may be performed in any order if possible. With reference
to FIG. 28, unshuffled cards are placed into or accepted into the
shuffler, step 422. The cards are lowered into a shuffling
position, e.g., at the bottom of a shuffling chute, step 424. An
image of the stack is captured and the cards are counted, step 426.
At this point, it is likely that there should not be any physical
problem with the cards or shuffler--no lost cards, no rotated
cards, no cards fallen into an inappropriate place in the shuffler,
etc. Next, the cards are shuffled according to a set of
pre-programmed instructions as previously explained, step 428. The
cards are shuffled for a set period of time, a number of throws of
the cards (a total detected number of throws from either or both of
the kickers), or shuffled according to another metric or condition.
After shuffling has ceased, another image is captured and the cards
are counted, step 430. If the card count is the same as the count
from step 426, then no card has been lost and likely the stack of
cards has been successfully and adequately shuffled. Next, it is
determined if any error exists, step 432. If no error has occurred,
the shuffled stack of cards are returned to the designated place
such as to the presentation tray, step 434. If an error has been
detected, then the cards are returned (if appropriate for the
error(s) detected), step 436. If an error has been detected, then
an error protocol is activated, step 438. An error protocol may
include making a sound, illuminating a light, displaying an error
code, etc.
[0172] Presentation Tray. According to one implementation, a
presentation tray is movably provided for use under a movable lid.
The movable lid forms part of a playing surface or table. The
presentation tray is accessed by opening a movable lid. The
presentation tray may be mechanically coupled to the movable lid.
The presentation tray moves up and down relative to and in response
to manually moving (e.g., opening and closing) the lid.
Alternatively, the lid is opened programmatically with the
assistance of an actuator and thereby providing immediate access to
the group of cards in the presentation tray. The lid may be
programmatically opened upon completion of shuffling of the group
of cards. In having the presentation tray coupled to the lid,
removal of the group of cards is easier. Having a single motor or
mechanical mechanism reduces the number of failure points in the
apparatus.
[0173] Card auditing. According to another illustrative
implementation, a group of cards is audited as a single stack of
cards. Before and after shuffling occurs, a camera captures an
image of the side of the deck. This step is a capture of the
profile of the group of cards. The cards, the spaces between the
cards, or the cards and the spaces between them are
programmatically counted by analysis of the picture of the group of
cards. According to an illustrative implementation, a count of the
spacing is used to determine the number of cards present in the
group of cards. After each image of the group of cards is
processed, and the number of cards verified, the shuffler displays
or makes an appropriate signal. For example, if the card count is
deficient by one or more cards, it is best to alert the operator of
the device. A signal to the operator may take the form of
illuminating a button, making a pre-designated audible signal, or
displaying a cue on an LCD screen. The counting method to verify
the number of cards in a group may be accomplished via a camera,
CCD type scanner, bar code scanner, fingerprint reader, laser, or
ultra sonic sensor paired with appropriate analysis software and
hardware.
[0174] Sensors. According to an illustrative implementation, the
group of cards is placed into a vertical or substantially vertical
chute. Sensors along the chute ensure proper placement of the cards
at any given time during the shuffling and handling processes.
Sensors ensure the movement of cards within specified parameters
during shuffling process. For example, a sensor is mounted to
monitor a high point the cards are expected to reach within the
field of motion for the cards when the shuffler is operating
correctly. When this sensor and related logic confirm that a
sufficient number of thrown cards are not reaching this point, the
system (e.g., a processing board or display) may provide a visual
or other notification to the operator.
[0175] Static barriers. Elements in the shuffler assist to mitigate
static attraction forces between a card and a shuffler surface. The
presence of a static attractive force can cause a card to be stuck
in the shuffling machine. According to an illustrative
implementation, ribs, rails, bumps or the like (raised features)
are formed in surfaces likely to contact a front side or back side
of a card. These features assist to minimize the contact surface
area between a card surface and a shuffler surface. By minimizing
the contact surface area between a card and the shuffler surfaces,
the chance for a sufficient static attractive charge to develop is
substantively reduced, and thereby the chance to lose a card during
the shuffling process is substantially reduced.
[0176] Multiple deck shuffling. The shuffler described herein
accommodates shuffling of a few cards, a full deck or a group of
cards making up multiple decks using the described shuffling
methodology. According to an illustrative implementation, one or
more pins or guides constrain the cards so that a card cannot
rotate 90 degrees or 180 degrees about an axis orthogonal to the
plane of the card when the cards are in the shuffler. These pins or
guides also prevent a card from rotating 180 degrees about an
in-plane card axis and prevent a car from flipping over thereby
preventing a card from re-entering the remaining group of cards in
a face-up orientation. A flipped card eventually exposes its value
side improperly during game play. Upon extracting the shuffled
group of cards from the device, all card faces remain in a same
orientation as inserted.
[0177] According to another illustrative implementation, the
dimensions of a shuffling shoot are selected or constrained to
minimize the opportunity for card rotation about card axes. In a
preferred implementation, the chute width is limited to
approximately two decks of cards (104 cards) because any more cards
in a group of cards would require a shuffling chute wider than the
width of a typical card (typically 2.25 inches or 2.5 inches) and
would likely allow for a significant chance for a card to flip 180
degrees and expose the card face by inserting a flipped card in the
improper orientation in the group of cards. The result of an
excessively wide chute would be one or more cards inserted face up
in the shuffled deck or group of shuffled cards. Using a tapered
chute and guide pins or guides, a device can be build to shuffle
more than one deck of cards using the described shuffle
methodology.
[0178] Agitators. Described herein are agitation components that
enable methods for ensuring cards are rectified or settled together
into a unified stack. Agitating the group of cards allows them to
settle squarely to a bottom surface or to one or more pins that
make up a settling place against which cards rest together in a
stack. Agitation can be achieved via cams attached directly or
indirectly to a rotary shaft of a rotary motor. According to an
illustrative implementation, sensors can be positioned to ensure
the deck has been rectified by placing, for example, an optical
sensor just above the height of a dimension of a card. A properly
rectified deck or group of cards is recognized when the sensor
detects that it is not blocked by a partially settled card. This
dimension could be just greater than a width of a card (typically
2.25 inches or 2.5 inches) or the length of a card (typically 3.5
inches) depending on the orientation of the deck. If the settle
sensor detects one or more cards that are not rectified, the
agitation process continues until achieving settling or for a
default time. If proper settling cannot be detected within a
predetermined time, an alarm protocol could be followed. The
settling process ensures a properly settled deck. Otherwise, card
damage is possible in other processes of the shuffler device.
[0179] Agitating floor. Alternative to a pin or set of pins, a
surface or set of surfaces at the bottom of the shuffle compartment
acts as a floor of the shuffling compartment. The surface or other
elements serve as a means for agitation of the cards during
shuffling, after shuffling, or during and after shuffling. The
agitation provides rectifying of the cards. There may be one or
more cycles of rectifying. The cycles of rectifying may be
predetermined or may be determined dynamically as cards are
settled. According to an illustrative implementation, one or more
vibrating plates are driven by an eccentric load on the shaft of a
rotary motor. Other means may be used to generate vibration.
Vibration can also be achieved by pivoting arms driven by cams, a
solenoid, or a linear actuator. If multiple arms or surfaces are
present, the arms can be driven in or out of phase relative to one
another. The arms can be padded for protection of the card edges
and noise suppression.
[0180] Authentication. According to an illustrative implementation,
a fingerprint reader or radio frequency ID (RFID) component
connected to the shuffler enables a dealer to authenticate with a
particular shuffler. Successful authentication can be used to
correlate when a dealer arrives at a work shift. A casino owner
could then more easily track employee attendance and performance
with the information provided by the components of the shuffler.
Authentication also enables auditing of game play based on
information gathered by the shuffler when in operation. According
to an illustrative implementation, a fingerprint scanner can be
mounted in, on, or near the shuffling device. This would enable a
user to check in or check out of the table when a shift begins or
ends. Each dealer can be assigned a unique or semi-unique RFID tag.
With the appropriate receiver, the shuffler stores logs associated
with each dealer and the corresponding data such as number of hands
played per unit time, the amount of time to shuffle each group of
cards, etc. Management can then make more informed and objective
decisions based on performance metrics of the games played at card
tables. Such metrics are of interest to casino operators. An
automated card shuffling device as described herein aids in this
process by gathering information that has high value to casino
operators. Furthermore, data from each card shuffler can be passed
to a separate system for security and table metric purposes.
[0181] Sweeper arms. Depending on the implementation of a shuffler,
one of more of several possible mechanisms are provided for
removing cards from the shuffling device. According to an
illustrative implementation, a group of cards is swept out of the
device and onto a surface for access by a user by one or more
sweeper arms. One or more sweeper arms activate a trap door either
directly or indirectly so that the trap door opens as the group of
shuffled cards approaches. The shuffled cards are swept entirely
out of the shuffling device. Alternatively, the shuffled cards are
partially swept out of the unit, enabling the user to access the
cards.
[0182] Sweeper balance. In addition to the sweep device that is
directly mounted to the step motor to allow the sweeper arms to be
balanced in any position a weight may be mounted on an opposing
side of the sweep arms to allow the arms to balance in position
when the step motor is inactive. The weight prevents a step motor,
when inactive, from rotating in the presence of gravity or
vibrations.
[0183] Pushers. Card guides are the components that push the cards
over upon movement of cards to the output tray. The pushers are
retractable to allow cards to be placed in the card inlet.
According to an illustrative implementation, upon opening of the
shuffler lid, a mechanical contact is achieved to raise an arm up
thereby allowing the pushers to be retracted giving a clear entry
for the cards to be placed into the shuffler. As the cards are
lowered, the mechanical contact is removed and the guides are
forced into the chute providing a curved surface to push the cards
over on their side so that the cards are in the proper position to
be moved onto the output tray. Pushers are effective for a
configuration where the input slot to introduce a group of cards
into the shuffler is directly above the shuffling chute. If the
guides were of a fixed type, the input slot would be obstructed and
the user could not insert the deck of cards. Another function of
pushers is to ensure that the cards get biased in a particular
fashion so that movement of the cards onto the output tray is
possible. Although there is a chance the cards will naturally bias
to this needed position by chance and chance alone, these guides
ensure proper operation every time.
[0184] Direct stepper. A mechanical element directly attached to
the shaft of one or more step motors (double shaft and single shaft
motors) eliminate the use of conventional gearbox assemblies.
Direct attachment to a shaft allows movement of the cards based on
operation of a step motor without the conventional use of a gear,
gearbox assembly, or belt and pulley assembly to move the cards
from one region of the shuffler to another. A speed control of the
mechanism may be combined with the step motor or motors to smoothly
move the cards.
[0185] Chute sensors. According to an illustrative implementation,
sensors are placed along a length of the shuffler chute to detect a
static charged, wet, or damaged card that becomes stuck to a
surface or wedged inappropriately in the group of cards. Logic
associated with a programmable component of the shuffler provides
signals and interprets readings provided by the sensors. Based on
information gather from the sensors, errors in the shuffling
process are detected. Detection of inappropriate positioning of one
or more cards allows the shuffler to take corrective action to
rectify the stuck card and to notify the operator of a current
condition as the cards are processed by the shuffler Corrective
action can be taken before proceeding to a next step in the shuffle
sequence.
[0186] Elevator control. Manual operation of the shuffler may be
needed when an error or malfunction occurs. According to an
illustrative implementation, a user interface (UI) or one or more
buttons to allow interaction and control of the shuffler. One or
more functions may be manually triggered. For example, one of these
functions enables an operator to manipulate the vertical movement
of a linear actuator to remove a jammed card by bringing the entire
group of cards up from the bottom settling region of the card
shuffler. A shuffling operation may be re-initiated once a jammed
card is corrected. According to an implementation, a series of UI
buttons is provided where one button corresponds to a particular
function. Actions may be initiated by the user. In another example,
maintenance functions may be triggered by the buttons or
interaction with software-based buttons on a touch screen. For
example, manual correction of the shuffler may be performed by
actuating a first button to control an up movement of a linear
actuator, while a second button controls a down movement of the
linear actuator to return the shuffler to its automated sequence of
steps to shuffle a group of cards. An elevator control and other
controls Allow users to override automatic functions of the linear
actuator and the shuffler. Manual controls facilitate operation of
the shuffler and providing such controls avoids the necessity for
offline maintenance or some kind of hard reset of the entire
machine.
[0187] Progressive cam. According to an illustrative
implementation, a progressive cam is provided for a roller
assembly. The progressive cam is used in association with a roller
that grips either a top or bottom card of a stack or group of cards
at the bottom of the shuffling chute. An asymmetric cam is driven
by a motor to oscillate a position of the roller assembly of the
shuffler. The cam is shaped in such a way that the roller assembly
is fed into the deck of cards at a slower rate than it is
retracted. This concept can be extended to include any mechanism or
actuator that changes the power required and speed of the extension
versus retraction oscillating cycles of the roller assembly.
Decreasing the speed of the extension stroke for the roller
assembly decreases the power required to lift each card and this
allows for a smaller motor to be used. The progressive cam also
increases the duration that the cards are in contact with the
roller during the extension cycle, improving the shuffling action.
The increased speed during the retraction stroke decreases the time
required to retract the roller assembly, decreasing the overall
shuffle time for a given number of throws of cards. Retracting the
assembly quickly also provides less time for the airborne cards to
settle on top of the wheel while the roller retracts.
[0188] Quick release rollers. The act of shuffling may be performed
by any of a variety of ways. According to an illustrative
implementation, a roller in the form of an axle-type-fitting or a
printer-style part acts as a kicker to project or launch cards into
the shuffling chute. An axel-type-fitting kicker is a rubber-coated
cylinder and is analogous to a roller used to grab paper and move
it through a printer. This implementation is available as a
commodity and is readily available in the market place. The rubber
of the roller is tacky enough to grab and propel a card into the
air with very little contact with the card. Very little resistive
force or pressure is needed. One roller acts on each end of the
group of cards. That is, one roller launches cards from a top side
of the group of cards while a second roller launches cards from the
bottom side of the group of cards. This component may be
susceptible to wear as the rollers are repeatedly contacting cards
during the shuffling process. The roller and spindle include an
easy locking feature that supports easy and rapid replacement by a
field technician.
[0189] Enclosure. According to a preferred implementation, a
shuffler is enclosed in a single cabinet or enclosure. A hook bar
latch serves as a means of securing the enclosure. The hook bar
latch can be operated by a common flat-tipped screwdriver or other
easily operated hand tool for easy separation of the shuffler from
its enclosure. The enclosure of the shuffler may include access
cutouts for external connections, ventilation holes to aid in the
natural convection of heat generated by components of the shuffler,
and a lining for the internal surfaces to help reduce noise. The
inner surface or configuration of the enclosure preferably includes
elements to facilitate self-centering of the shuffler inside its
enclosure. According to an illustrative implementation, the
enclosure is a cuboid with five substantially solid sides with a
lock bar forming or mounted inside the enclosure. The remaining
sixth side is substantially open to receive the shuffler. The lock
bar works in conjunction with a hook mechanism on the bottom of the
shuffler such that when the screwdriver access point is turned, the
hook grabs the enclosure and forces it into proper position and
thereby mounting the enclosure to the shuffler. Within this action
the hook provides a tension force to allow it to lock into place so
that the hook cannot retract on its own. The cutouts on the
enclosure are strategically placed to aide in the use of internal
connections and access for heat to escape. Additionally, the motion
of the hook mechanism can be interrupted by the cam of a simple cam
lock, allowing the possibility of locking (via a key and cam lock)
the enclosure onto the unit to prevent access from unauthorized
personnel. These and other features make removing and installation
of the enclosure easy. Preferably, no specialty tool is needed to
install, service or remove a shuffler. Some cutouts formed in the
enclosure may be necessary for proper ventilation of heat producing
elements and certain cutouts may be needed to grant access to
internal connections without the need to remove or adjust
components. A service person may only need to remove the shuffler
still assembled to the enclosure from a tabletop or other gaming
location.
[0190] External interface. According to an illustrative embodiment,
external-accessible leads are provided for interfacing with third
party systems. The leads can be provided via an industry standard
or acceptable bulk mount fitting (i.e., a Molex connector, db9
connector, or the like). According to an illustrative
implementation, a simple and readily available open/closed type
switch can be triggered by a portion of the shuffle sequence. The
shuffling unit and related control circuitry has no stored status
related to the status (open or closed) of the switch. The switch
would be a function of the third party or external system connected
to the leads of this switch to interpret the state of the switch
and its meaning via logic built into the third party system. There
are increasing numbers of products coming into the market with the
function of managing or gathering data from felt type poker tables
and pit tables. The described simple interface provides a means for
virtually any management or metrics gathering system to have
information from the shuffler. For example, the successful number
of shuffled groups of cards could be detected, recorded and used to
estimate by a third party system to calculate a number of hands
played per hour, per shift, etc.
[0191] The following are illustrative claims to the instant
invention. The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the card
shuffler further comprises: a mechanical elevator configured to
transport cards placed at a receiving place into the shuffling
chute; a communication bus that includes a connector for receiving
a matching connector of another device; an electrical power source
configured to provide energy to operate the card kicker, the
detector, the communication bus and the mechanical elevator; and a
switch mounted proximate to the mechanical elevator and shuffling
chute, and wherein the mechanical elevator is configured to
activate the switch when placing the cards at the shuffling
location and thereby provide a signal at the communication bus for
another device to detect a shuffling operation of the card
shuffler.
[0192] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the card
shuffler further comprises: a second card kicker configured to
provide a lifting force to a card proximal to a second side of the
stack of cards over the pre-determined period of time, and wherein
the lifting force is sufficient to lift the proximal card at least
above the stack of cards.
[0193] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the
instructions further cause the card shuffler to: determine a start
for sequentially providing the lifting force; wherein accumulating
information about the presence of kicked cards includes
accumulating time that the sensor detects the presence of kicked
cards thrown within detection of the sensor since the determined
start; determine an end for providing the lifting force based on
the accumulating time of detection of cards by the sensor exceeding
a pre-determined threshold value; and wherein the instructions to
make available the outcome of the said determining whether a
sufficient amount of shuffling occurred includes instructions to
the card shuffler to terminate the lifting force prior to an end of
the pre-determined time to provide the lifting force based on the
determined end.
[0194] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the
information about the presence of kicked cards includes a series of
values collected over time during the pre-determined period of
time, and wherein a sufficient amount of shuffling is based on a
comparison of a threshold value for a ratio against a calculation
of the ratio, and wherein the ratio is a value based on accumulated
time that the sensor detects the presence of kicked cards relative
to the pre-determined period of time, and wherein the instructions
to make available in the memory the outcome of the said determining
whether a sufficient amount of shuffling occurred includes
instructions to store in the memory an indication that an
insufficient amount of shuffling occurred based on the determining
of the same.
[0195] Further illustrative claims include the following. The card
shuffler of another claim, and wherein the card shuffler further
comprises: a second detector mounted proximate to the shuffling
chute and mounted a distance above the first said detector; and
wherein the memory of the card shuffler is further configured with
instructions to: detect a presence of kicked cards via the second
detector; accumulate information about kicked cards based on the
detected presence of kicked cards near the second detector, and
wherein the instructions to determine whether a sufficient amount
of shuffling occurred is also based on the accumulated information
detected via the second detector.
[0196] Further illustrative claims include the following. The
method of claim 1, and wherein accumulating information about the
presence of kicked cards includes accumulating a cumulative number
of interruptions detected by the sensor during the pre-determined
period of time, and wherein a sufficient amount of shuffling is
based on comparing the cumulative number of interruptions against a
pre-determined threshold value.
[0197] The method of another claim, and wherein accumulating
information about the presence of kicked cards includes determining
a cumulative value associated with interruption of the detector by
the presence of kicked cards proximate to the detector during the
pre-determined period of time, and wherein a sufficient amount of
shuffling is based on comparing the determined cumulative value
against a pre-determined threshold value.
[0198] The method of another claim, and wherein the detector
includes a light-based sensor, and wherein the detecting of the
presence of kicked cards includes detecting interference of light
by the presence of one or more cards.
[0199] The method of another claim, wherein the information about
the presence of kicked cards includes a series of values collected
over time during the pre-determined period of time, and wherein a
sufficient amount of shuffling is based on comparing a threshold
value against a value determined from the series of collected
values.
[0200] The method of another claim, and wherein the method further
comprises: determining a start for providing the lifting force;
accumulating a value over time associated with the sensor detecting
the presence of kicked cards lifted within detection of the sensor
since the determined start for providing the lifting force; and
adjusting the pre-determined time for providing the lifting force
to kick cards based on the accumulated value exceeding a
pre-determined threshold value.
[0201] The method of another claim, and wherein the method further
comprises: determining a start for sequentially providing the
lifting force; wherein accumulating information about the presence
of kicked cards includes determining a cumulative time that the
sensor detects the presence of kicked cards thrown within detection
of the sensor since the determined start; determining an end for
providing the lifting force based on the cumulative time based on
the cumulative time exceeding a pre-determined threshold value; and
making available to the card shuffler an outcome of the determined
end or providing a signal to the card shuffler based on the
determined end.
[0202] The method of another claim, and wherein the method further
comprises: after placing the stack of cards into the shuffling
location, providing a lifting force to a card proximal to a second
side of the stack of cards over the pre-determined period of time,
and wherein the lifting force provided on the second side of the
stack of cards is sufficient to kick the proximal card at least
above the stack of cards.
[0203] Further illustrative claims include the following. The
method of another claim, and wherein the method further comprises:
while providing the lifting force over the pre-determined period of
time, detecting a presence of kicked cards via a second detector
mounted proximate to the shuffling chute and mounted a distance
above the first said detector; accumulating information about
kicked cards based on the detected presence of kicked cards near
the second detector; and wherein the determining whether the
sufficient amount of shuffling occurred is also based on the
accumulated information from the second detector.
[0204] The method of another claim, and wherein the said providing
the lifting force to the card proximal to the first side of the
stack of cards over the pre-determined period of time occurs at a
constant rate over the pre-determined period of time, and wherein
the pre-determined period of time is a duration sufficient to
effectively randomize the cards in the stack of cards.
[0205] The method of another claim, and wherein the pre-determined
period of time is at least 1.2 times a duration sufficient to
effectively randomize the cards in the stack of cards at a rate of
the said sequentially providing the lifting force to the card
proximal to the first side of the stack of cards.
[0206] Further illustrative claims include the following. A card
shuffler comprising: a housing having a top surface, wherein said
top surface forms an aperture, wherein the aperture is dimensioned
so that a stack of cards is insertable into the aperture at a
receiving position, and wherein each of the cards has a first
dimension, a second dimension and a third dimension perpendicular
to a plane defined by the first and second dimensions, and wherein
an edge of a card is defined along either the first dimension or
the second dimension; a shuffling chute that is in connection with
the aperture, and is formed into a generally vertical orientation
below the top surface of the housing for shuffling of the cards; a
transport mechanism adapted to move the stack of cards downward
into the shuffling chute to a shuffling position; a roller mounted
to an axle near the shuffling position, and wherein the roller is
adapted to engage with a card from the stack of cards when the
stack of cards is in the shuffling position, the engaged card being
the card most proximal to the roller, wherein the roller is
actuated by a motor connected to the axle of the roller; a card
detector including a processor and a memory, and wherein the card
detector is configured with instructions to detect and count the
cards by detecting an edge of each of the cards when the cards are
stacked together in the shuffling apparatus; and a user interface
element in electronic communication with the card detector.
[0207] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the card
detector includes a charge-coupled device (CCD)-based camera or a
complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS)-based camera.
[0208] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the card
detector includes an infra-red image detector.
[0209] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the card
detector is mounted adjacent to the receiving position.
[0210] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the card
detector is mounted adjacent to the shuffling position.
[0211] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the card
detector is mounted adjacent to the shuffling chute, and wherein
the card detector is configured to detect and count the cards as
the cards are being transported to or from the shuffling
position.
[0212] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the card
shuffler further comprises a controller or controller logic for
operating the transport mechanism and the roller, and wherein the
card shuffler throws the cards upward in the shuffling chute, and
the cards return to the shuffling position under the force of
gravity.
[0213] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the roller
throws cards in a direction substantially parallel to either the
first dimension or the second dimension.
[0214] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the
shuffling chute includes two pairs of lateral walls, and wherein
each pair of lateral walls may be adjusted to fit a size of the
stack of cards.
[0215] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the card
detector is configured with instructions to communicate with the
user interface element when a card count varies outside of an
expected card count.
[0216] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the card
detector is configured with instructions to: perform a card count
of the cards without having the card shuffler perform a shuffling
operation; and communicate the card count to the user interface
element, and wherein the card shuffler is configured with
instructions to return the stack of cards to the receiving
position.
[0217] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the card
detector is configured with instructions to perform a card count of
the cards before the card shuffler performs a shuffling operation;
and wherein the card shuffler is configured with instructions to
perform a shuffling operation after the card count.
[0218] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the card
shuffler is configured with instructions to perform a shuffling
operation before performing a card count; and wherein the card
detector is configured with instructions to perform a card count of
the cards after the card shuffler performs a shuffling
operation.
[0219] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the card
detector is configured with instructions to perform a first card
count of the cards before the card shuffler performs a shuffling
operation; and wherein the card shuffler is configured with
instructions to perform the shuffling operation after the first
card count; and wherein the card detector is configured with
instructions to perform a second card count of the cards after the
card shuffler performs the shuffling operation.
[0220] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the card
shuffler further comprises: a card detector mounted proximate to
the shuffling chute and adjacent a flight path of cards thrown by
the roller during a shuffling operation, and wherein the card
detector is configured with instructions to: detect a presence of
thrown cards during the shuffling operation; and communicate with
the user interface element when an insufficient amount of detection
is detected during the shuffling operation.
[0221] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the roller
mounted near the shuffling position is a first roller, and wherein
the card shuffler further comprises: a second roller mounted to an
axle near the shuffling position, and wherein the second roller is
adapted to engage with a card from the stack of cards, on a side of
the stack of cards opposing that of the first roller, when the
stack of cards is in the shuffling position, and wherein the
engaged card associated with the second roller is a card most
proximal to the second roller, and wherein the second roller is
actuated by a motor connected to the axle of the second roller.
[0222] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the
transport mechanism includes a presentation tray configured to
deliver the unshuffled stack of cards to the shuffling chute, and
wherein the presentation tray is configured to receive the shuffled
stack of cards after the shuffling operation has been
completed.
[0223] Further illustrative claims include the following. A device
for shuffling a stack of cards, the device comprising: a card
receptacle for receiving the stack of cards; a card thrower capable
of throwing cards to cause a shuffling action for the thrown cards;
an image generator capable of generating an image of the stack of
cards; and a processor and a memory in electronic communication
with the processor, and wherein the memory is configured with
instructions to: actuate the card thrower; actuate the image
generator; trigger generation of an image by the image generator;
count dark and light regions from the image generated by the image
generator; determine a number of cards in the image generated by
the image generator; and communicate to the device a signal based
on the determined number of cards.
[0224] A device as described in claim 1, and wherein the image
generator is placed near the card receptacle, and wherein the image
generated is a first image, and wherein the memory is further
configured with instructions to: trigger generation of a second
image by the image generator; count dark and light regions from the
second image generated by the image generator; determine a number
of cards in the second image generated by the image generator;
compare the number of cards from the second image to the number of
cards determined from the first image; and communicate to the
device a signal based on the comparison of numbers of cards
determined from the first image and second image.
[0225] A device as described in claim 1, and wherein the image
generator is placed near the shuffling chute.
[0226] Further illustrative claims include the following. A card
shuffler for generating a shuffled stack of cards, the card
shuffler comprising: a housing having a top surface, wherein said
top surface forms an aperture, wherein the aperture is dimensioned
so that a stack of cards is insertable into the aperture at a
receiving position, and wherein each of the cards has a first
dimension, a second dimension and a third dimension perpendicular
to a plane defined by the first and second dimensions, and wherein
an edge of a card is defined along either the first dimension or
the second dimension; a shuffling chute that is in connection with
the aperture, and is formed into a generally vertical orientation
below the top surface of the housing for shuffling of the cards; a
transport mechanism adapted to move the stack of cards downward
into the shuffling chute to a shuffling position; a kicker
configured to provide a lifting force to a card positioned most
proximate to the kicker at a first side of the stack, and wherein
the kicker is adapted to engage repeatedly with the stack of cards
to displace cards upward a distance into the shuffling chute when
the kicker is actuated and when stack of cards is in the shuffling
position; and a card settler for facilitating alignment of
displaced cards into the stack when cards are displaced by the
kicker during shuffling, and wherein the card settler, when
actuated, provides a settling motion to a surface adjacent to and
at least partially in contact with the cards of the stack of
cards.
[0227] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the card
shuffler further comprises: a controller in communication with the
kicker and card settler, and wherein the controller includes a
processor and a memory, and wherein the controller is configured
with instructions to programmatically actuate the kicker and
actuate the card settler for a pre-determined amount of time.
[0228] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the card
shuffler further comprises: a controller in communication with the
kicker and the card settler, and wherein the controller includes a
processor and a memory, and wherein the controller is configured
with instructions to programmatically actuate the kicker for a
pre-determined number of card throw cycles.
[0229] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the card
shuffler further comprises: a controller in communication with the
kicker and card settler, and wherein the controller includes a
processor and a memory, and wherein the controller is configured
with instructions to programmatically move the kicker over an
oscillatory motion during the pre-determined amount of time.
[0230] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the kicker
includes a cantilevered axle and a rotating element having a
contact surface for contacting a card to be lifted, and wherein the
kicker is removably mounted to the cantilevered axle, and wherein
the kicker is made of a material suitable to provide a resistive
force between the contact surface of the kicker and the card to be
lifted.
[0231] The card shuffler of the previous claim claim, and wherein
the kicker is a pre-assembled commodity component that is capable
of replacement on the cantilevered axle without use of a tool.
[0232] The card shuffler of another previous claim, and wherein the
cantilevered axle is in mechanical communication with an electric
motor, and wherein the cantilevered axle is mounted to a movable
body, and wherein the card shuffler further comprises a controller
for operating the kicker and the movable body to facilitate contact
between the contact surface of the kicker and the card to be
lifted.
[0233] The card shuffler of another previous claim, and wherein the
cantilevered axle is part of an electric motor, and wherein the
electric motor is located near the shuffling position at a place to
enable the contact surface of the kicker to contact a planar
surface of a card to be lifted as the kicker provides a lifting
force to the contacted card.
[0234] The card shuffler of another previous claim, and wherein the
kicker is a first kicker, and wherein the first kicker further
includes a locking mechanism to removably secure the first kicker
to the axle of the electric motor, and wherein the locking
mechanism is configured to be operated manually without use of a
tool when replaced with a second kicker during a maintenance
operation.
[0235] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the kicker
is a first kicker, and wherein the first kicker includes a contact
surface for contacting a card to be lifted, and wherein the first
kicker is removably mounted to an axle of an electric motor, and
wherein the card shuffler further comprises: a second kicker
configured to provide a lifting force to a card positioned most
proximate to the second kicker at a second side of the stack, and
wherein the second kicker is adapted to engage repeatedly with the
stack of cards to displace cards upward a distance into the
shuffling chute when the second kicker is actuated and when stack
of cards is in the shuffling position.
[0236] The card shuffler of the previous claim, and wherein the
second kicker is removably mounted to a cantilevered axle of a
second electric motor, and wherein the second kicker is operated
independently of the first kicker.
[0237] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the surface
adjacent to the cards is a surface on which the cards rest when
shuffled.
[0238] The card shuffler of the previous claim, and wherein the
surface adjacent to the cards includes a first portion that is
substantially mechanically separated from a second portion, and
wherein the settling motion is applied to the first portion of the
surface.
[0239] The card shuffler of the previous claim, and wherein the
surface adjacent to the cards forms part of the transport
mechanism.
[0240] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the card
settler includes a cam providing the settling motion.
[0241] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the card
settler includes a linear actuator that provides the settling
motion while the cards are in the shuffling position.
[0242] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the
transport mechanism includes an elevator, and wherein shuffling
occurs in the shuffling position while the cards rest on the
elevator, and wherein the card settler includes a linear actuator
configured to apply an oscillating force to a portion of the
elevator during shuffling.
[0243] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the card
shuffler further comprises: a sensor mounted above the stack of
cards when the cards are in the shuffling position; and a
controller that includes a processor and a memory, and wherein the
controller is configured with instructions to: detect, via the
sensor, a card outside of a settle shuffling position; and activate
the card settler to apply a settling force based on a detected card
outside of the shuffling position.
[0244] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the adjacent
surface is made of a flexible material, and wherein the adjacent
surface deforms when exposed to the settling motion.
[0245] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the adjacent
surface includes: a dampening material over at least a portion of
the adjacent surface; and a cushioning material over at least a
portion of the adjacent surface.
[0246] Further illustrative claims include the following. A method
for generating a shuffled stack of cards by a card shuffler, the
method comprising: placing a stack of cards into a shuffling
location in a shuffling chute, and wherein the stack of cards rest
against a settling surface, and wherein the shuffling location is
adjacent to a kicker that is capable of providing a lifting force
to a proximal card, and wherein the cards are placed in a
substantially vertical orientation against the settling surface;
operating the kicker for a pre-determined period of time to provide
the lifting force to the proximal card of the stack of cards, and
wherein the lifting force is sufficient to lift a kicked card at
least above the stack of cards; providing a settling force to the
settling surface while the kicker is operated; and after operating
the kicker, moving the cards to a retrieval location.
[0247] The method of another claim, and wherein the method further
comprises: detecting a signal indicative of cards thrown by the
kicker during operation of the kicker; and determining whether
sufficient shuffling has occurred based on the detected signal.
[0248] The method of the previous claim, and wherein the
determining whether sufficient shuffling has occurred includes
providing a signal to the card shuffler based on the said
determining of sufficient shuffling.
[0249] The method of another claim, and wherein the method further
comprises: detecting a number of cards thrown by the kicker during
operation of the kicker; determining whether sufficient shuffling
has occurred based on the detected number of cards thrown; and
providing a signal to the card shuffler based on said determining
based on the detected number of cards thrown during operation of
the kicker.
[0250] The method of the previous claim, and wherein operating the
kicker includes oscillating the kicker relative to the stack of
cards to facilitate contact between the kicker and a most proximal
card in the stack of cards, and wherein detecting a number of cards
thrown by the kicker is based on counting a number of oscillation
cycles of the kicker during operation of the kicker.
[0251] The method of another claim, and wherein the method further
comprises: detecting blockage of a light-based sensor over time
during operation of the kicker; determining a value associated with
a cumulative amount of time that the light-based sensor is blocked
during operation of the kicker; calculating a proportion of time
that the light-based sensor is blocked relative to the
pre-determined period of time; and providing a signal to the card
shuffler indicative of an acceptable shuffling of the cards based
on the calculated proportion of time that the light-based sensor is
blocked during the pre-determined period of time.
[0252] The method of another claim, and wherein the method further
comprises: detecting a start of the operation of the kicker;
detecting a number of cards thrown by the kicker during operation
of the kicker since the detected start of the operation of the
kicker; and adjusting the pre-determined time for operating the
kicker based on the detected number of cards thrown by the
kicker.
[0253] The method of another claim, and wherein the method further
comprises: detecting a start of the operation of the kicker;
determining an amount of time that the sensor is blocked during
operation of the kicker from the detected start of the operation of
the kicker; calculating a proportion of time that the sensor is
blocked relative to the pre-determined period of time; and
adjusting the pre-determined time for operating the kicker based on
the calculated proportion of time that the sensor is blocked.
[0254] The method of another claim, and wherein the method further
comprises: detecting a start of the operation of the kicker;
determining an amount of time that the sensor is blocked during
operation of the kicker from the detected start of the operation of
the kicker; calculating a proportion of time that the sensor is
blocked relative to the pre-determined period of time; operating
the kicker a second pre-determined time based on the calculated
proportion of time that the sensor is blocked over the
pre-determined period of time; determing an amount of time that the
sensor is blocked during operation of the kicker during the second
pre-determined time; calculating a proportion of time that the
sensor is blocked relative to the second pre-determined period of
time; and providing a signal to the card shuffler indicative of an
acceptable shuffling of the cards based on the calculated
proportion of time that the sensor is blocked during the second
pre-determined period of time.
[0255] The method of another claim 41, and wherein operating the
kicker includes oscillating the kicker at least somewhat
perpendicularly relative to the stack of cards to facilitate
contact between the kicker and a most proximal card in the stack of
cards.
[0256] The method of the previous claim, and wherein oscillating
the kicker includes detecting a card throw and changing a direction
of the kicker based on the detection of the card throw.
[0257] The method of another claim, and wherein operating the
kicker includes placing the kicker adjacent the stack of cards and
allowing contact between the kicker and a most proximal card of the
stack of cards prior to operating the kicker.
[0258] The method of another claim, and wherein the kicker includes
a rotating element, and wherein operating the kicker includes
spinning the rotating element such that rotation of the kicker
imparts the lifting force to a most proximal card, and wherein the
lifting force provides a translational motion generally upward
against gravity to the card, and wherein the method further
comprises allowing each thrown card to settle back into the stack
of cards under the influence of gravity.
[0259] The method of another claim, and wherein the method further
comprises: starting operation of the kicker; determining via a
sensor a cumulative value associated with an amount of time that
cards are adjacent to the sensor based on being thrown by the
kicker during operation of the kicker during the pre-determined
period of time; and providing a signal to the card shuffler
indicating a signal of successful shuffle or malfunction of
shuffling based on the determined cumulative value relative to a
pre-determined threshold value.
[0260] The method of another claim, and wherein the method further
comprises: after placing the stack of cards into the shuffling
location, and while operating the kicker, operating a second kicker
mounted proximate an opposite side of the stack of cards, and
wherein the second kicker provides a lifting force to a card
proximal the second kicker, and wherein the lifting force provided
by the second kicker is sufficient to lift a kicked card at least
above the stack of cards.
[0261] Further illustrative claims include the following. A device
for shuffling cards, the device comprising: a compartment sized and
dimensioned to receive a plurality of cards, each card of the
plurality of cards, each card having edges and having a height
dimension, a width dimension parallel to a face thereof, and a
thickness dimension orthogonal to the face thereof; and wherein the
plurality of cards is received in the compartment oriented in a
specific direction so that a plane coincident with the face of a
card is parallel to a gravity vector; a forcer facing an edge of a
card of the plurality of cards, received in the compartment,
through which an intermittent force is applied to a group of cards
of the plurality of cards so as to eject the cards of the group of
cards in an upward direction substantially parallel to a direction
of the gravity vector; a detector mounted adjacent to and exposed
to the compartment and mounted above the forcer, and wherein the
detector is configured to detect a presence of cards forced by the
forcer; a processor in electronic communication with the detector;
and a memory in electronic communication with the processor, and
wherein the memory is configured with instructions to: accumulate
information from the detector about the detected forced cards;
determine whether a sufficient amount of shuffling occurred based
on the accumulated information; and make available in the memory an
outcome of the said determining whether a sufficient amount of
shuffling occurred.
[0262] The device of another claim, wherein the compartment
includes a first dimension greater than a height dimension of a
card, a second dimension greater than a thickness dimension of the
plurality of cards, and a third dimension greater than twice a
width dimension of a card; and wherein the device further
comprises: a series of detectors mounted adjacent to and along a
dimension of the compartment, and wherein the memory is further
configured with instructions to detect a presence of a card
statically located adjacent to at least one detector of the series
of detectors.
[0263] The device of another claim, and wherein the force applied
to the group of cards is sufficient to urge cards of the group of
cards to a height above a rest position of the group of cards at
least equal to the dimension of the cards along a gravity
vector.
[0264] The device of another claim, and wherein the compartment
includes a set of contact reducers along two sides of the
compartment, and wherein the two sides are parallel to a surface of
the cards.
[0265] Further illustrative claims include the following. A device
for shuffling a deck of cards, the device comprising: a compartment
having the shape of a six-sided polyhedron, sized and dimensioned
to receive a stack of cards, and having first and second dimensions
larger than a first dimension of a face of a card of the stack of
cards, and a thickness of the stack of cards, respectively, and
wherein each card of the stack of cards received in the compartment
is oriented in a specific direction so that a plane coincident with
the face of a card is parallel to a gravity vector, and wherein the
compartment includes a set of contact reducers along two sides of
the compartment, and wherein the two sides are parallel to a
surface of the cards, and wherein the contact reducers are spaced
along a side of the compartment so as to facilitate contact between
a card with at least two contact reducers at any orientation of the
card along the said side of the compartment; and a forcer applying
an impulsive force to a group of cards of the deck of cards
received in the compartment so as to eject the group of cards of
the deck of cards in an upward direction along a gravity vector
into a third dimension, the third dimension being greater than the
twice a second dimension of the face of the card.
[0266] The device of the previous claim, wherein the forcer is
pneumatically actuated.
[0267] Further illustrative claims include the following. A method
for operating a device for shuffling cards, the method comprising:
providing a stack of cards; providing a container having interior
dimensions consistent with those of a rectangular parallelepiped,
sized and dimensioned to accept the stack of cards; receiving the
stack of cards in the container; orienting the container so that a
plane coincident with a face of a card, and an edge of the card,
are parallel to a gravity vector; and providing a forcer adjacent
to the deck of cards in the container, the forcer applying an
impulsive force to a groups of cards of the deck of cards in an
upward direction parallel to the face of the card; accumulating
information from a detector mounted near the container about cards
that have moved under the influence of the impulsive force;
determining whether a sufficient amount of shuffling occurred based
on the accumulated information; and making available an outcome of
the said determining whether a sufficient amount of shuffling
occurred.
[0268] Further illustrative claims include the following. A device
for shuffling a deck of cards, the device comprising: a
compartment, sized and dimensioned to receive a deck of cards, and
having first and second dimensions larger than a first dimension of
a face of a card of the deck of cards, and a thickness of the deck
of cards, respectively, the deck of cards being received in the
compartment; a forcer; wherein the forcer is configured to apply an
impulsive force to cards of the deck of cards when the face of the
card of a deck of cards is oriented in a vertical direction, so as
to eject cards of the deck of cards upwards into a third dimension
of the compartment, the third dimension being greater than the
twice a second dimension of the face of the card; a projection from
a wall of the compartment disposed so as to deflect cards ejected
by the forcer; a detector mounted adjacent to and exposed to the
compartment and mounted above the forcer, and wherein the detector
is configured to detect a presence of cards forced by the forcer; a
processor in electronic communication with the detector; and a
memory in electronic communication with the processor, and wherein
the memory is configured with instructions to: accumulate
information from the detector about the detected forced cards;
determine whether a sufficient amount of shuffling occurred based
on the accumulated information; and make available in the memory an
outcome of the said determining whether a sufficient amount of
shuffling occurred.
[0269] Further illustrative claims include the following. A method
of operating a device for shuffling cards, the method comprising:
providing a shuffling device having a container with interior
dimensions sized and dimensioned to accept a deck of cards;
receiving the deck of cards in the container; orienting the
container so that a plane coincident with a face of a card, and an
edge of the card, are parallel to a gravity vector and the received
deck of cards rests at a bottom portion of the container; providing
a forcer adjacent to the deck of cards; using the forcer to apply
an impulsive force to cards of the deck of cards for a period of
time so as to eject cards of the deck of cards in an upwards
direction parallel to the face of the card, wherein the deck of
cards rests at the bottom portion of the container subsequent to
the period of time when the impulsive force has been applied;
accumulating information from a detector located near the container
about cards that have moved under the influence of the impulsive
force; determining whether a sufficient amount of shuffling
occurred based on the accumulated information; and making available
an outcome of the said determining whether a sufficient amount of
shuffling occurred.
[0270] Further illustrative claims include the following. A card
shuffling apparatus for mounting beneath a surface, the card
shuffling apparatus comprising: a housing having a top surface
adapted to be mountable to the surface; an aperture formed in the
top surface dimensioned so that a deck of cards, oriented with a
card face horizontally disposed, is insertable into the aperture; a
first transport mechanism adapted to move the deck of cards in a
horizontal direction so as to fall into a compartment; a set of
rails mounted to at least two sides of the compartment so as to
reduce an available contact surface area between a compartment side
and a card; a card shuffling device adapted to shuffle cards in the
compartment; a detector located adjacent to and exposed to the
compartment and located above the forcer, and wherein the detector
is configured to detect a presence of cards shuffled by the card
shuffling device; a processor in electronic communication with the
detector; and a memory in electronic communication with the
processor, and wherein the memory is configured with instructions
to: accumulate information from the detector about the detected
shuffled cards; determine whether a sufficient amount of shuffling
occurred based on the accumulated information; and make available
in the memory an outcome of the said determining whether a
sufficient amount of shuffling occurred; a second transport
mechanism adapted to move the deck of cards in a vertical direction
to an upper position in the compartment; and a lift-gate mechanism
adapted to transfer the deck of cards from the upper position in
the compartment to a position on the first transport mechanism.
[0271] Further illustrative claims include the following. A card
shuffler for shuffling a stack of cards, the card shuffler
comprising: a pair of opposing walls that form one pair of sides of
a shuffling chute for the card shuffler, the pair of sides being
the first side and second side, and wherein the cards are loaded
into the shuffling chute in an orientation such that card edges are
adjacent to the first pair of opposing walls when the cards are
shuffled; a first pair of rails that form a third side of the
shuffling chute, and wherein each of the rails runs from a top
portion of the shuffling chute downward to a place adjacent to a
shuffling location from which cards are thrown substantially upward
during shuffling, and wherein the first pair of rails are
positioned so as to be substantially co-planar with the cards when
the cards are in the shuffling chute; a fourth side of the
shuffling chute; and a card kicker configured to provide a lifting
force to a card proximal to a first side of the stack of cards over
a pre-determined period of time, and wherein the lifting force is
sufficient to lift the proximal card at least above the stack of
cards.
[0272] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the card
shuffler further comprises: a second pair of rails that form part
of the fourth side of the shuffling chute, and wherein each of the
rails runs from a top portion of the shuffling chute downward to a
place adjacent to the shuffling location, and wherein the second
pair of rails are positioned so as to be substantially co-planar
with the cards on an opposing side of the cards when the cards are
in the shuffling chute.
[0273] The card shuffler of the previous claim, and wherein each of
the rails of the second pair of rails runs substantially parallel
to each other and to either the first side or second side.
[0274] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein each of the
rails of the first pair of rails runs substantially parallel to
each other.
[0275] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the card
shuffler further comprises: a third wall that is mounted so as to
substantially lie parallel along a third side of the shuffling
chute, and wherein each of the first pair of rails is attached to
the third wall, and wherein the third wall is positioned such that
the first pair of rails lie on the inside of the shuffling
chute.
[0276] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein a sound
dampening material is applied to each of the first pair of
rails.
[0277] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein a friction
reducing material is applied to each of the first pair of
rails.
[0278] Further illustrative claims include the following. A card
shuffler for shuffling a stack of cards, the card shuffler
comprising: a first pair of opposing walls that form a pair of
opposing sides of a shuffling chute, the pair of sides being the
first side and second side of the shuffling chute, and wherein the
cards are loaded into the shuffling chute in an orientation such
that card edges are adjacent to the first pair of opposing walls
when the cards are shuffled; a third wall and a fourth wall that
opposes the third wall, and wherein the third wall and the fourth
wall form a third side and a fourth side of the shuffling chute,
respectively, and wherein each of the third wall and the fourth
wall includes mechanical formations to reduce an amount of surface
area of a wall contactable by an adjacent card when the card is
within the shuffling chute, and wherein the mechanical formations
cause an adjacent card to contact either the third wall or the
fourth wall in at least two places when the card lies substantially
parallel to the wall.
[0279] The card shuffler of the previous claim, and wherein the
mechanical formations are rails that form raised portions of the
third wall and the fourth wall, respectively, and wherein each of
the rails includes a substantially flat surface for contacting a
proximal card.
[0280] The card shuffler of the previous claim, and wherein the
rails are approximately at least 0.020 inches in width along their
length; and wherein the card shuffler further comprises a card
kicker that provides a vertical lifting force to a card, and
wherein each of the rails runs substantially parallel to a vector
defining a motion of a card kicked by the card kicker.
[0281] The card shuffler of another previous claim, and wherein the
mechanical formations are rounded mounds that are formed in the
third wall and the fourth wall, and wherein the rounded mounds are
raised above a plane defined by the respective third wall and
fourth wall.
[0282] The card shuffler of the previous claim, and wherein the
rounded mounds are substantially circular at their base.
[0283] The card shuffler of another previous claim, and wherein the
mechanical formations are raised polygons that are formed in the
third wall and the fourth wall, and wherein the raised polygons
include a substantially flat surface for contacting a proximal
card.
[0284] The card shuffler of another previous claim, and wherein the
mechanical formations are formed from a material that is physically
separate from the third wall and the fourth wall, and wherein the
mechanical formations are affixed to the third wall and the fourth
wall prior to shuffling cards in the card shuffler.
[0285] The card shuffler of another previous claim, and wherein the
contactable surface area available to an adjacent card is less than
approximately fifty percent of the surface area of the adjacent
card.
[0286] The card shuffler of another previous claim, and wherein the
contactable surface area available to an adjacent card is less than
approximately ten percent of the surface area of the adjacent
card.
[0287] The card shuffler of another previous claim, and wherein
either the first wall or the second wall includes a pin that
extends substantially perpendicular from either the first wall or
the second wall at least half of a distance between the first wall
and second wall at the location of the pin, and wherein the pin is
placed so as to contact a card that rotates approximately ninety
degrees while in the shuffling chute and while proximate to the
pin.
[0288] The card shuffler of another previous claim, and wherein the
card shuffler further comprises: a set of detectors along a length
of the shuffling chute from a proximal shuffling position from
which cards are kicked to a distal end of the shuffling chute, and
wherein each of the detectors is mounted adjacent either the third
wall or the fourth wall, and wherein one detector is mounted a
distance from a proximate detector along the length of the
shuffling chute such that at least one detector is capable of
detecting an adjacent card placed anywhere within the shuffling
chute and against either the third wall or fourth wall.
[0289] The card shuffler of the previous claim, and wherein the
card shuffler further comprises: a processor in electronic
communication with the set of detectors; and a memory in electronic
communication with the processor, and wherein the memory is
configured with instructions to: detect a signal from each of the
set of detectors; and provide a signal to the card shuffler based
on the detected signals from each of the set of detectors, and
wherein the signal indicates the presence of a card in the
shuffling chute.
[0290] The card shuffler of the previous claim, and wherein each of
the cards includes a first size dimension along a first edge of the
card and a second size dimension along an edge that is
perpendicular to the first edge of the card, and wherein the first
size dimension is shorter than the second size dimension, and
wherein the third wall and the fourth wall are mounted a distance
between them that is greater than the first card size dimension at
least along a portion of the shuffling chute so as to facilitate
shuffling of a large number of cards in a stack of cards.
[0291] Further illustrative claims include the following. A card
shuffler for shuffling cards, the card shuffler comprising: a
housing that includes walls that enclose a compartment; a door
forming part of the housing when the door is closed, and wherein
the door provides access to a portion of the card shuffler
designated for placing shuffled cards and allowing an operator to
retrieve the shuffled cards when the door is open; a shuffling
chute mounted inside the housing; and a transport mechanism adapted
to transport shuffled cards from the shuffling chute after a
shuffling operation, and wherein the transport mechanism causes the
door to open during operation of the transport mechanism.
[0292] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the
transport mechanism is an elevator, and wherein the elevator is
operated by an arm pivotably mounted in the card shuffler.
[0293] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the card
shuffler further comprises: a presentation tray, and wherein the
transport mechanism is configured to place the shuffled cards into
the presentation tray after the shuffling operation has
occurred.
[0294] The card shuffler of the previous claim, and wherein the
transport mechanism is configured to open the door by moving the
presentation tray from a first position to a second position, and
wherein the card shuffler and presentation tray are configured such
that the presentation tray contacts a portion of the door and
causes the door to open when moved from the first position to the
second position.
[0295] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the
transport mechanism is further adapted to open the door while
transporting the cards from the shuffling chute to the portion of
the card shuffler designated for retrieving the shuffled cards.
[0296] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the
transport mechanism is an elevator and is configured to move from a
first position in the shuffling chute to a second position in the
shuffling chute, and wherein the elevator is adapted to move
unshuffled cards to a shuffling position in the shuffling
chute.
[0297] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the door
provides access to a portion of the shuffling chute designated for
accepting unshuffled cards, and wherein the card shuffler includes
a rotatable arm that prevents cards from moving further into the
shuffling chute while the lid is open.
[0298] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the door is
mounted on a hinge.
[0299] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the card
shuffler further comprises: a kicker mounted proximate to a
shuffling position in the shuffling chute, and wherein the cards
are placed in a stack in the shuffling position, and wherein the
kicker is configured to provide a lifting force to a card
positioned most proximate to the kicker at a first side of the
stack of cards, and wherein the kicker is adapted to engage
repeatedly with the stack of cards, one card at a time, to displace
cards upward a distance into the shuffling chute when the kicker is
actuated; and a card settler for facilitating alignment of
displaced cards into the stack when cards are displaced by the
kicker during shuffling, and wherein the card settler, when
actuated, provides a settling motion to a surface adjacent to the
cards in the stack of cards.
[0300] The card shuffler of another claim, and wherein the
transport mechanism includes an elevator, and wherein shuffling
occurs in the shuffling position while the cards rest as a stack on
the elevator, and wherein the card shuffler includes a card settler
that includes a linear actuator configured to apply an oscillating
force to a portion of the elevator during shuffling.
[0301] Conclusion. In the previous description, for purposes of
explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to
provide an understanding of the invention. It will be apparent,
however, to one skilled in the art that the invention can be
practiced without these specific details. In other instances,
structures, devices, systems and methods are shown only in block
diagram form in order to avoid obscuring the invention.
[0302] Reference is made to a group of cards. A group of cards may
be a few cards or may be one or more decks of cards. Group is used
so as to emphasize that the shuffler is not limited to shuffling of
a single deck of cards. Further, a particular orientation of the
cards may be shown or implied. No such limitation is intended.
[0303] Reference in this specification to "one embodiment", "an
embodiment", or "implementation" means that a particular feature,
structure, or characteristic described in connection with the
embodiment or implementation is included in at least one embodiment
or implementation of the invention. Appearances of the phrase "in
one embodiment" in various places in the specification are not
necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are separate
or alternative embodiments mutually exclusive of other embodiments.
Moreover, various features are described which may be exhibited by
some embodiments and not by others. Similarly, various requirements
are described which may be requirements for some embodiments but
not other embodiments.
[0304] It will be evident that the various modification and changes
can be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader
spirit of the invention. In an area of technology such as this,
where growth is fast and further advancements are not easily
foreseen, the disclosed embodiments may be readily modifiable in
arrangement and detail as facilitated by enabling technological
advancements without departing from the principles of the present
disclosure.
* * * * *