Game token tray, table game management system, game token tray system, and game token management method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10922594-B2
Application number	US-202016997099-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 19, 2020
Priority date	Feb 13, 2017
Publication date	Feb 16, 2021
Grant date	Feb 16, 2021

Abstract

A game token tray system includes a game token tray having a dual tray structure in which a game token is stored. The game token tray system includes a double tray including a lower tray and an upper tray stacked on the lower tray to store a game token provided with an RF tag in which tag information is stored, a camera that acquires tray image data by imaging the game token stored in the upper tray, an RFID reading device that reads the tag information from the RF tag of the game token stored in the lower tray, and a game recording device that records the tray image data and/or an image analysis result of the tray image data about the game token stored in the upper tray and records the tag information read by the RFID reading device about the game token stored in the upper tray.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A game token tray system comprising:
a game token tray comprising:
an upper tray, wherein game tokens, in which respective radio frequency (RF) tags are embedded and to which respective identification information is assigned, can be placed onto and removed from the upper tray during settlement of a game; and
a lower tray in which the game tokens are storable;

a first reader, wherein the first reader is configured to read the identification information assigned to the game tokens from the RF tags of the game tokens while the game tokens are on the lower tray;
a second reader that is a different reader from the first reader, wherein the second reader is configured to read the identification information of the game tokens while the game tokens are on the upper tray; and
a controller, wherein:
the controller is configured to determine a total amount of the game tokens placed on the game token tray by using the identification information read by the first reader and the identification information read by the second reader;
the upper tray and the lower tray are configured to be in a stacked state in which the upper tray is stacked on the lower tray and in an open state in which the game tokens can be placed onto and removed from the lower tray; and
the first reader is configured so that the RF tags of the game tokens placed on the upper tray are not readable by the first reader when the upper and lower trays are in the stacked state, and/or the second reader is configured so that the identification information of the game tokens placed on the lower tray are not readable by the second reader when the upper and lower trays are in the stacked state.

2. The game token tray system according to claim 1 , wherein the second reader is configured so that the identification information of the game tokens placed on the lower tray are not readable by the second reader when the upper and lower trays are in the stacked state.

3. The game token tray system according to claim 1 , wherein the first reader is configured so that the RF tags of the game tokens placed on the upper tray are not readable by the first reader when the upper and lower trays are in the stacked state.

4. The game token system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to detect a movement of one or more of the game tokens between the upper tray and the lower tray based on the identification information read by the first reader and the identification information read by the second reader.

5. The game token system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine respective total amounts of the game tokens on each of the upper tray and the lower tray, respectively, based on the identification information read by the first reader and the identification information read by the second reader.

6. A game token tray system comprising:
a game token tray comprising:
an upper tray, wherein game tokens, in which respective radio frequency (RF) tags are embedded and to which respective identification information is assigned, can be placed onto and removed from the upper tray during settlement of a game; and
a lower tray in which the game tokens are storable;

a first reader, wherein the first reader is configured to read the identification information assigned to the game tokens from the RF tags of the game tokens while the game tokens are on the lower tray;
a second reader that is a different reader from the first reader, wherein the second reader is configured to read the identification information of the game tokens while the game tokens are on the upper tray; and
a controller, wherein:
the controller is configured to determine a total amount of the game tokens placed on the game token tray by using the identification information read by the first reader and the identification information read by the second reader;
the upper tray and the lower tray are configured to be in a stacked state in which the upper tray is stacked on the lower tray and in an open state in which the game tokens can be placed onto and removed from the lower tray; and
the first reader is configured so that the RF tags of the game tokens placed on the upper tray are not readable by the first reader when the upper and lower trays are in the open state, and/or the second reader is configured so that the identification information of the game tokens placed on the lower tray are not readable by the second reader when the upper and lower trays are in the open state.

7. The game token tray system according to claim 6 , wherein the second reader is configured so that the identification information of the game tokens placed on the lower tray are not readable by the second reader when the upper and lower trays are in the open state.

8. The game token tray system according to claim 6 , wherein the first reader is configured so that the RF tags of the game tokens placed on the upper tray are not readable by the first reader when the upper and lower trays are in the open state.

9. The game token system according to claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to detect a movement of one or more of the game tokens between the upper tray and the lower tray based on the identification information read by the first reader and the identification information read by the second reader.

10. The game token system according to claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to determine respective total amounts of the game tokens on each of the upper tray and the lower tray, respectively, based on the identification information read by the first reader and the identification information read by the second reader.

11. A game token tray system comprising:
a game token tray comprising:
an upper tray, wherein game tokens, in which respective radio frequency (RF) tags are embedded and to which respective identification information is assigned, can be placed onto and removed from the upper tray during settlement of a game; and
a lower tray in which the game tokens are storable;

a first reader, wherein the first reader is configured to read the identification information assigned to the game tokens from the RF tags of the game tokens while the game tokens are on the lower tray;
a second reader that is a different reader from the first reader, wherein the second reader is configured to read the identification information of the game tokens while the game tokens are on the upper tray; and
a controller, wherein:
the controller is configured to determine a total amount of the game tokens placed on the game token tray by using the identification information read by the first reader and the identification information read by the second reader;
the upper tray and the lower tray are configured to be in a stacked state in which the upper tray is stacked on the lower tray and in an open state in which the game tokens can be placed onto and removed from the lower tray; and
the first reader is configured so that the RF tags of the game tokens placed on the upper tray are not readable by the first reader when the upper and lower trays are in at least one of the stacked state and the open state, and/or the second reader is configured so that the identification information of the game tokens placed on the lower tray are not readable by the second reader when the upper and lower trays are in at least one of the stacked state and the open state.

12. The game token tray system according to claim 11 , wherein the second reader is configured so that the identification information of the game tokens placed on the lower tray are not readable by the second reader when the upper and lower trays are in at least one of the

Assignees

• Angel Playing Cards Co Ltd

Inventors

• Shigeta Yasushi

Classifications

• A63F2011/0006

  adapted for chips · CPC title

• G07F1/00

  Coin inlet arrangements; Coins specially adapted to operate coin-freed mechanisms · CPC title

• G07F17/322 Primary

  Casino tables, e.g. tables having integrated screens, chip detection means · CPC title

• A63F11/0002 Primary

  Dispensing or collecting devices for tokens or chips (dispensers for game pieces in chain reaction games A63F9/28; coin freed apparatus for games G07F17/32) · CPC title

• A63F2003/00164

  Casino tables · CPC title