Gaming table token sensing apparatus and related systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025356721-A1
Application number	US-202519205239-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 12, 2025
Priority date	May 15, 2024
Publication date	Nov 20, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A token sensor for a gaming table and a related system and method are provided. In a typical configuration, multiple token sensors are positioned at respective locations of a game layout installed above a cushioning layer of the gaming table that covers a support surface (top) of the gaming table. In accordance with some embodiments, each token sensor includes an electronic display for displaying a randomly selected potential award. Each potential award may be won when a token has been detected by its associated sensor and a qualifying hand occurs at its respective location. In some embodiments, a qualifying hand is not required for the displayed award to be won. The potential awards may include progressive awards and award modifiers such as multipliers. The token sensor may include one or more gesture sensor subassemblies to detect and signal movement of hands or objects above the token sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A plurality of token sensor assemblies mountable to an upper surface at respective locations of a gaming table and communicatively coupled to an electronic table controller of the gaming table, each of the plurality of token sensor assemblies comprising:
a top surface including a respective electronic display device upon which text or graphics related to a respective potential award of a game is displayed by the respective electronic display device, the respective potential award independently and randomly selected by the electronic table controller for each of the plurality of token sensor assemblies; logic circuitry comprising one or more processors; and at least one light emitter paired with a light detector, the at least one light emitter positioned to transmit light above the top surface to its paired light detector, the at least one light emitter and its paired light detector positioned such that light transmitted by the at least one light emitter is detectable by its paired light detector; wherein, via the logic circuitry, each of the plurality of token sensors communicates to the electronic table controller the presence of a token on its respective top surface when the light transmitted by its at least one light emitter is blocked by the token from being detected by its paired light detector.

2 . The plurality of token sensor assemblies of claim 1 , wherein the random selection of each potential award is based on how many tokens are detected by the plurality of token sensor assemblies.

3 . The plurality of token sensor assemblies of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the potential awards comprises a progressive award.

4 . The plurality of token sensor assemblies of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the potential awards comprises an award modifier.

5 . The plurality of token sensor assemblies of claim 4 , wherein the award modifier comprises a multiplier.

6 . The plurality of token sensor assemblies of claim 1 , wherein the electronic display devices further display attract animations, celebratory animations, or instructions to players of the game played at the gaming table.

7 . The plurality of token sensor assemblies of claim 1 , wherein each token sensor assembly further comprises one or more gesture sensor subassemblies for providing separate input to the electronic table controller.

8 . The plurality of token sensor assemblies of claim 7 , wherein each of the one or more gesture sensor subassemblies comprises a printed circuit board, a gesture light emitter and a gesture light detector.

9 . The plurality of token sensor assemblies of claim 8 , wherein the gesture light emitter comprises a vertical cavity surface emitting laser.

10 . The plurality of token sensor assemblies of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of token sensor assemblies comprises more than one gesture sensor subassembly and wherein velocity and direction of an object passed above each gesture sensor subassembly is determined according to when the gesture light detector of each gesture subassembly detects presence of the object.

11 . A method of detecting a token placed on one of a plurality of token sensor assemblies mounted to an upper surface of a gaming table, the plurality of token sensor assemblies communicatively coupled to an electronic table controller of the gaming table, each of the plurality of token sensor assemblies comprising a top surface including a respective electronic display device upon which text or graphics related to a respective potential award of a game is displayed by the respective electronic display device, the respective potential award independently and randomly selected by the electronic table controller for each of the plurality of token sensor assemblies, each of the plurality of token sensor assemblies further comprising logic circuitry and at least one light emitter paired with a light detector, the logic circuitry comprising one or more processors, the at least one light emitter positioned to transmit light above the top surface of its respective token sensor assembly to its respective light detector, the at least one light emitter and its paired light detector positioned such that light transmitted by the at least one light emitter is detectable by its respective paired light detector, the method comprising:
transmitting light from the at least one light emitter; and communicating to the electronic table controller, via the logic circuitry, the presence of a token on the top surface when the transmitted light emitter is blocked by the token from being detected by its paired light detector.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the random selection of each potential award is based on how many tokens are detected by the plurality of token sensor assemblies.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the potential awards comprises a progressive award.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the potential awards comprises an award modifier.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the award modifier comprises a multiplier.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the electronic display devices further display attract animations, celebratory animations, or instructions to players of the game played at the gaming table.

17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein each token sensor assembly further comprises one or more gesture sensor subassemblies for providing input separate from that of the token sensor assembly to the electronic table controller.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein each of the one or more gesture sensor subassemblies comprises a printed circuit board, a gesture light emitter and a gesture light detector.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the gesture light emitter comprises a vertical cavity surface emitting laser.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein each of the plurality of token sensor assemblies comprises more than one gesture sensor subassembly and wherein velocity and direction of an object passed above each gesture sensor subassembly is determined according to when the gesture light detector of each gesture subassembly detects presence of the object.

Assignees

• Lnw Gaming Inc

Inventors

• Hilbert Scott
• Hedrick Joseph R
• Scarpa Jr Frank A
• Moses Matt
• Moore Collin Patrick
• Vega Miguel A
• Shah Dhaval
• Lucchetti Matthew J
• Pizer Kristofer
• Ambrose Daniel
• Booth Matthew

Classifications

• G07F17/3293

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

• G07F17/3209

  Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen · CPC title

• G07F17/3223

  Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, leader-follower, wireless communication · CPC title

• G07F17/3211

  Display means · CPC title

• G07F17/3206

  Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics · CPC title