Methods and systems for facilitating table games

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9262885-B2
Application number	US-201113513994-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 7, 2011
Priority date	Jun 7, 2010
Publication date	Feb 16, 2016
Grant date	Feb 16, 2016

Abstract

A gaming table provides for use of RFID technology to track chip movement on a table game and to infer an association between a wager and a player position based on a chip identifier of a chip placed on a particular position of the table. In some embodiments, previous position history of the chip is also taken into account in determining a player position associated with a wager.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for facilitating a card game, comprising:
a table, the table having positioned thereon
a first antenna associated with a dealer position of the table;
at least one second antenna associated with a first player position of the table; and
at least one third antenna associated with a second player position of the table, wherein each of the first, second and third antennas is operable to determine an RFID-enabled chip within a predetermined range of the respective antenna;
a processor that is a component of the table and is operable to communicate with each of the first, second and third antennas; and
a memory of the table that is accessible to the processor, the memory storing (i) information about RFID-enabled chips used on the table for a card game; and (ii) a program,
wherein the processor is operable with the program to:
receive an indication that an RFID-enabled chip has been acquired at one of the second or third antennas, the indication including an identifier of the antenna that acquired the RFID-enabled chip and a unique identifier of the RFID-enabled chip, thereby determining a specific RFID-enabled chip and an acquiring antenna;
determine a player identifier associated with the specific RFID-enabled chip;
determine a period of time during which the RFID-enabled chip has been located within a predetermined range of the acquiring antenna;
determine whether the specific RFID-enabled chip has been located within the predetermined range of the acquiring antenna for a period of time that is not less than a predetermined minimum period of time by comparing the period of time to the predetermined minimum period of time;
store in the memory the unique identifier of the specific RFID-enabled chip in association with the identifier of the acquiring antenna, thereby associating the specific RFID-enabled chip with the player position associated with the acquiring antenna; and
register a wager for the player identifier based on the specific RFID-enabled chip only if it is determined that the specific RFID-enabled chip has been located within a predetermined range of the acquiring antenna for a period of time that is not less than the predetermined minimum period of time.

2. The system of claim 1 , the table further comprising:
at least one fourth antenna associated with a shared player position, the shared player position for placement of chips previously associated with either or both the first player position and the second player position.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further operable with the program to:
receive an indication that the specific RFID-enabled chip has been acquired at the fourth antenna;
retrieve from the memory, based on the unique chip identifier of the specific RFID-enabled chip, a position history associated with the specific RFID-enabled chip, wherein the position history stores, for the specific RFID-enabled chip, an indication of player positions the specific RFID-enabled chip has been associated with during a current game by storing, in association with the unique identifier of the RFID-enabled chip, an identifier of each antenna that acquired the specific RFID-enabled chip and a time at which the specific RFID-enabled chip was acquired by the antenna;
determine a most recent player position associated with the specific RFID-enabled chip; and
register a wager for the most recent player position associated with the specific RFID-enabled chip based on the specific RFID-enabled chip and the position history.

4. The system of claim 3 , further comprising:
a monitor associated with the dealer position, the monitor for displaying to the dealer wagers placed on the table, wherein the processor is further operable with the program to:
display on the monitor the wager registered for the most recent player position.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the processor is further operable with the program to:
receive, after a predetermined point in a game, an indication that a second RFID-enabled chip has been acquired at the fourth antenna, the indication including an identifier of the acquiring antenna and a unique identifier of the second RFID-enabled chip, thereby determining a second acquiring antenna and a second specific RFID-enabled chip;
retrieve from the memory, based on the unique chip identifier, a position history associated with the second specific RFID-enabled chip, wherein the position history stores, for the specific RFID-enabled chip, an indication of player positions with which the second specific RFID-enabled chip has been associated during a current game by storing, in association with the unique identifier of the second specific RFID-enabled chip, an identifier of each antenna that acquired the second specific RFID-enabled chip and a time at which the second specific RFID-enabled chip was acquired by the antenna;
determine a most recent player position with which the second specific RFID-enabled chip has been associated;
determine a currently outstanding wager previously registered with the most recent player position;
recognize a re-characterization wager for the most recent player position based on the previously registered wager and the indication of the second RFID-enabled chip; and
register the re-characterization wager for the player position.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a monitor associated with the dealer position, the monitor for displaying to the dealer wagers placed on the table, wherein the processor is further operable with the program to:
display on the monitor the wager registered for the player position.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further operable with the program to:
receive, after a predetermined point in a game, an indication that a second RFID-enabled chip has been acquired at one of the second antenna or the third antenna, the indication including an identifier of the acquiring antenna and a unique identifier of the second RFID-enabled chip, thereby determining a second acquiring antenna and a second specific RFID-enabled chip;
determine the player position associated with the second acquiring antenna;
determine a previously registered wager associated with the determined player position associated with the second acquiring antenna for the current game;
recognize a re-characterization wager for the player position based on the previously registered wager and the indication of the second RFID-enabled chip; and
register the re-characterization wager for the player position.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further operable with the program to:
receive an indication from one of the second antenna and the third antenna that the specific RFID-enabled chip is no longer located within a predetermined range of the one of the second antenna and the third antenna, the indication including an identifier of the one of the second antenna and the third antenna providing the indication and the unique identifier of the specific RFID-enabled chip; and
update, in the memory, a position history associated with the specific RFID-enabled chip, wherein the position history stores, for the specific RFID-enabled chip, an indication of player positions the specific RFID-enabled chip has been associated with during a current game by storing, in association with the unique identifier of the specific RFID-enabled chip, an identifier of each antenna that acquired the specific RFID-enabled chip and a time at which the specific RFID-enabled chip was acquired by the one of the second antenna and the third antenna.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further operable with the program to:
remove an indication of the acquiring antenna from a po

Assignees

• Moore Stephen
• Besterman Brian
• Bischoff Jeff
• Walker Digital Table Systems Llc

Inventors

• Moore Stephen
• Besterman Brian
• Bischoff Jeff

Classifications

• G07F17/3237

  about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players · CPC title

• G07F17/322 Primary

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

• A63F2009/2489

  by radio transmitters, e.g. using RFID · CPC title

• A63F2009/2429

  IC card, chip card, smart card · CPC title

• A63F2003/00164

  Casino tables · CPC title