Method and apparatus for using upstream communication in a card shuffler

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016196718-A1
Application number	US-201615067850-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 11, 2016
Priority date	Sep 28, 2001
Publication date	Jul 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A security system for a casino table card game has a casino table with i) indicia thereon for the placement of wagers, ii) a data entry system with an associated computer, and iii) sensors that can detect the placement of at least one specific category of wager; a shuffling device with a microprocessor integral to the shuffler for providing information regarding cards or hands; a central table gaming computer that receives information from the shuffler in real time, receives information from the sensors, and receives information from the data entry system, the associated computer, the microprocessor and the central table gaming computer communicating data among each other in real time.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A gaming system, comprising:
a central control computer; and a plurality of gaming tables, each of the plurality of gaming tables including:
a table game control computer configured to communicate with the central control computer;
an automatic card-shuffling device operably coupled to at least one of the table game control computer and the central control computer and configured to:
generate at least one hand for play of a table game; and
transmit data indicating information regarding the at least one hand to at least one of the table game control computer and the central control computer in real time; and

a wager sensor operably coupled to the table game control computer and configured to electronically sense wagers placed by players and transmit wager data indicating information regarding the wagers to the table game control computer in real time.

2 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the table game control computer is configured to transmit the wager data to the central control computer in real time.

3 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the central control computer and the table game control computer is configured to transmit the wager data to the automatic card-shuffling device.

4 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the wager sensor is configured to sense progressive wagers placed by the players, and the wager data is configured to indicate information regarding the progressive wagers.

5 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the automatic card-shuffling device is further configured to engage in two-way communication with at least one of the table game control computer and the central control computer.

6 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the table game control computer of at least one of the plurality of gaming tables is configured to communicate with the table game control computer of at least another of the plurality of gaming tables.

7 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the wager sensor includes at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of a proximity detector, a magnetic card reader, a photo-optic detector, an acoustic detector, an RF sensor, an optical scanner, and a weight sensing device.

8 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the wager sensor is configured to sense side wagers placed by the players, and the wager data is configured to indicate information regarding the side wagers.

9 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the wager sensor is configured to sense base game wagers placed by the players, and the wager data is configured to indicate information regarding the base game wagers.

10 . A gaming table, comprising:
a table game control computer; a communication interface configured to enable the table game control computer to communicate with a central control computer; an automatic card-shuffling device operably coupled to the table game control computer and configured to:
generate at least one hand for play of a table game; and
transmit data indicating information regarding the at least one hand to the table game control computer; and
at least one wager sensor operably coupled to the table game control computer and configured to electronically sense wagers placed by players and transmit wager data indicating information regarding the wagers to the table game control computer in real time.

11 . The gaming table of claim 10 , further comprising at least two player locations, wherein the at least one wager sensor includes a side wager sensor at each of the at least two player locations, the side wager sensor configured to sense side wagers placed by a player at a corresponding player location and transmit the wager data indicating information regarding the side wagers to the table game control computer.

12 . The gaming table of claim 11 , wherein the side wager sensor includes a progressive wager sensor.

13 . The gaming table of claim 10 , further comprising at least two player locations, wherein the at least one wager sensor includes a base game wager sensor at each of the at least two player locations, the base game wager sensor configured to sense base game wagers placed by a player at a corresponding player location and transmit the wager data indicating information regarding the base game wagers to the table game control computer.

14 . The gaming table of claim 10 , wherein the table game control computer is configured to transmit the wager data to the central control computer.

15 . The gaming table of claim 10 , wherein the table game control computer is configured to transmit the wager data to the central control computer in real time.

16 . The gaming table of claim 10 , wherein the table game control computer is configured to transmit the data indicating the information regarding the at least one hand to the central control computer.

17 . The gaming table of claim 10 , wherein the central game control computer is configured to transmit the data indicating the information regarding the at least one hand to the central control computer in real time.

18 . The gaming table of claim 10 , wherein the table game control computer is configured to control the automatic card-shuffling device.

19 . The gaming table of claim 10 , wherein the automatic card-shuffling device includes a processor configured to control the automatic card-shuffling device.

20 . The gaming table of claim 10 , wherein the table game control computer includes an encryption system for encrypting signals transmitted to the central control computer.

Assignees

• Bally Gaming Inc

Inventors

• Grauzer Attila
• Lopez David B

Classifications

• G07F17/3293

  Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack · CPC title

• A63F1/067

  Tables or similar supporting structures · CPC title

• G07F17/3225

  Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users · CPC title

• G07F17/3227 Primary

  Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters · CPC title

• A63F1/12 Primary

  Card shufflers · CPC title