Bet sensing apparatuses and related devices and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9940776-B2
Application number	US-201615332652-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 24, 2016
Priority date	Jan 11, 2013
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

A bet sensor for sensing values of gaming tokens may include a bet placement surface configured and oriented to support a stack of gaming tokens thereon and an image sensor located and oriented to capture an image of a lateral side surface of at least one gaming token located on the bet placement surface. The image may depict the lateral side surface in a radial format. The bet sensor may include a processor in communication with the image sensor. The processor is configured to acquire image data from the image and analyze the image data to determine a wager value of the at least one gaming token. A gaming table may include such a bet sensor. The disclosure includes methods of operating such a gaming table.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bet sensor, comprising:
a bet placement surface configured and oriented to support a stack of gaming tokens;
an image sensor located and oriented to capture at least one image of a lateral side surface of at least one gaming token of the stack of gaming tokens located on the bet placement surface, wherein the image sensor is configured to capture the at least one image depicting the lateral side surface of the at least one gaming token in a radial format about a majority of a circumference of the at least one gaming token; and
a processor in communication with the image sensor, the processor configured to acquire image data from the at least one image and analyze the image data to determine a wager value of the at least one gaming token.

2. The bet sensor of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine the wager value of the at least one gaming token where the wager value is the same as a wager value of at least another gaming token of the stack of gaming tokens.

3. The bet sensor of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine the wager value of the at least one gaming token where the wager value of the at least one gaming token is the same as a wager value of each gaming token of the stack of gaming tokens.

4. The bet sensor of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
acquire image data from the at least one image and analyze the image data to determine wager values from each gaming token of the stack of gaming tokens; and
sum the wager values to determine a total wager value of the stack of gaming tokens.

5. The bet sensor of claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine the wager values from each gaming token of the stack of gaming tokens where the wager values comprise a common wager value.

6. The bet sensor of claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine the wager values from each gaming token of the stack of gaming tokens where the wager values comprise differing wager values.

7. The bet sensor of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to individually determine a wager value of each gaming token of the stack of gaming tokens utilizing the at least one image.

8. The bet sensor of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to display the wager value of the at least one gaming token to a user.

9. The bet sensor of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine the wager value of the at least one gaming token based one at least one indicia on the lateral side surface of the at least one gaming token.

10. The bet sensor of claim 9 , further comprising memory associated with the processor, the memory containing stored values of indicia of a plurality of gaming tokens, wherein the processor is configured to compare the at least one indicia on the lateral side surface of the at least one gaming token with the stored values of indicia of the plurality of gaming tokens.

11. A bet sensor, comprising:
an image sensor configured to capture at least one image of a lateral side surface of at least one gaming token of a stack of gaming tokens from a position below the stack of gaming tokens, wherein the image sensor is configured to depict the lateral side surface of the at least one gaming token about a majority of a circumference of the at least one gaming token; and
a processor in communication with the image sensor, the processor configured to acquire image data from the at least one image and analyze the image data to determine a wager value of the at least one gaming token.

12. The bet sensor of claim 11 , further comprising memory associated with the processor, the memory containing a plurality of template match candidates, the memory containing color content histograms of substantially each of the plurality of template match candidates, each of the plurality of template match candidates comprising a depiction of at least a portion of a lateral side surface of an associated template gaming token, each associated template gaming token having an associated wager value stored in the memory.

13. The bet sensor of claim 11 , further comprising a surface configured and oriented to support the stack of gaming tokens.

14. The bet sensor of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a wager value of another gaming token of the stack of gaming tokens where the wager value of the another gaming token is the same as the wager value of the at least one gaming token.

15. The bet sensor of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a wager value of each gaming token of the stack of gaming tokens where the wager value of each gaming token is the same as the wager value of the at least one gaming token.

16. A gaming device, comprising:
a gaming device having a surface for performing at least one gaming-related act; and
at least one bet sensor located proximate the surface of the gaming device, the at least one bet sensor comprising the bet sensor of claim 1 .

17. A method of operating a bet sensor, the method comprising:
capturing, with an image sensor, an image of a lateral side surface of at least one gaming token, wherein the lateral side surface is depicted in a radial format showing the lateral side surface of the at least one gaming token about a majority of an outermost lateral boundary of the at least one gaming token;
analyzing image data of the image with at least one processor; and
determining a wager value of the at least one gaming token with the at least one processor.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein determining a wager value of the at least one gaming token with the at least one processor comprises determining a wager value of the at least one gaming token in a stack of gaming tokens with the at least one processor where a wagering value of at least one gaming token of the stack of gaming tokens is the same as the wager value of the at least one gaming token.

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising determining a wager value of the at least another gaming token with the at least one processor, wherein the wager value of at least another gaming token is the same as the wager value of the at least one gaming token.

20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising determining a wager value of each gaming token of a stack of gaming tokens with the at least one processor, wherein the wager value of each gaming token of the stack of gaming tokens is the same as the wager value of the at least one gaming token.

Assignees

• Bally Gaming Inc

Inventors

• Czyzewski Zbigniew
• Wadds Nathan J
• Bajorins David
• Fox Daniel
• Jakuc Maciej

Classifications

• H04N23/90

  Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums · CPC title

• G07F17/3232

  wherein the operator is informed · CPC title

• G07F17/3288

  Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking · CPC title

• G07F17/3248

  involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title