Patent Application
20190060738
The embodiments of the present invention relate to an automatic card shuffler configured for use with modified playing cards to allow detection of advantage players and cheat.
Automatic card shufflers have been used by casinos since the 1980s and have helped revolutionize the gaming industry. Automatic card shufflers speed up play of casino games and may reduce cheating and advantage play. Automated shufflers may be configured to sit on a casino table or be incorporated therein.
The automatic shuffler industry is currently dominated by automatic shufflers which utilize rollers, elevators and bins to separate and randomly reorganize the cards. The shuffler described herein utilizes a method of separating a deck of cards into a lower portion and an upper portion at a pre-established deck position and grabbing and transporting the bottommost card from the upper portion into a post shuffle bin. This process occurs until all playing cards are randomly organized in the post shuffle bin.
The playing cards being randomly organized by the automatic shufflers have long been known to include asymmetrical rather than symmetrical backs as desired. That is, manufacturing tolerances during the printing, punching and cutting processes of 1/32″ are considered acceptable. Unfortunately, skilled players and cheaters can discern such differences in symmetry and use it to take advantage of the casino. Attempts have been made by card manufacturers to improve the tolerances but have not been successful. Card manufacturers have also attempted to create card backs which conceal or otherwise obfuscate the asymmetries. Again, such efforts have been futile.
Edge sorting is a method of advantage play that uses natural irregularities in the cut on the backs of cards to be able to identify certain groups of cards. By being able to identify critical cards, advantage players can improve their betting and playing decisions. During play of a game, an advantage player (or team of advantage players) turns cards to be able to distinguish important cards from the other cards. For example, using a card with left/right diamond asymmetry, an advantage player may align the cards so that full diamonds along the left edge correspond to an important card, and half-diamonds on the left edge corresponds to the other cards. An advantage player attempts to turn most cards in the deck or shoe to identify its group. After the cards are sorted, an advantage player observes the appropriate edge during play of a hand. By knowing the card's group, an advantage player can make decisions shifting the edge in his or her favor. Cheaters can accomplish the same objective by colluding with a casino supervisor who turns the appropriate cards before the decks are brought to a live game, or by a dealer during a live game.
For example, in Baccarat the important cards are 6s, 7s, 8s and 9s. If an advantage player knows that the first card to be dealt is from this group, the advantage player bets on the player hand. If the first card is not in this group, the advantage player bets on the banker hand. Such a strategy can provide a significant player edge. The embodiments of the present invention solve edge sorting using the modified cards and automatic playing card shuffler configured to read the same and determine card and deck orientation.
It would be advantageous to develop an automatic shuffler and playing card system configured to identify advantage players and cheats. It would be further advantageous to render the system suitable for use with most automatic card shufflers including those disclosed herein.
Identifying exploitable card back asymmetries can be difficult since the best advantage players and cheaters can discern manufacturing variances as small as 1/200th of an inch. Increasing the challenge are the thousands of card back designs used in the casino market. Despite the discernable variances and countless card back designs, one constant remains—some cards must be turned or aligned relative to other cards to exploit the asymmetries (e.g., edge-sorting).
A first embodiment of the present invention relates to a deck of modified playing cards wherein said modification relates to an asymmetrical marking on each card face for identifying playing card orientation. The asymmetrical markings are discernable by a sensor or reader device associated with an automatic card shuffler. Accordingly, the orientation of the playing cards may be monitored by the automatic card shuffler. The orientation data can be analyzed by the automatic card shuffler to determine unusual patterns indicative of advantage play or cheats.
The analysis of the deck orientation involves identifying unusual situations indicative of advantage players and cheats. For edge-sorters surreptitiously turning cards in games wherein all players can touch cards, the turning process is accumulative and must be repeated until the deck's orientation is exploitable, after which the deck remains in an exploitable orientation as players continue to turn cards maintaining the orientation. In the context of the first time the deck or decks are shuffled, any exploitable deck orientation will be immediately and easily detected because some cards will not be in the new-deck orientation—an obvious indicator of foul play. Conversely, should the exploitable deck orientation be a random occurrence, it is unlikely to remain in that same orientation while exploitable orientations persist. Thus, should three consecutive shuffles result in the identification of exploitable deck orientations, edge sorters or cheaters are likely present in the game. In conclusion, manipulated orientations persist while random orientations come and go.
One suitable automatic card shuffler of the type suitable for embodiments of the present invention comprises broadly a pre-shuffle bin, card-selector assembly, drive wheel and post-shuffle bin. The pre-shuffle bin is configured to accept a single deck of cards (e.g., standard 52-card deck of playing cards). While in the pre-shuffle bin, a modest downward force may be applied to the single deck of cards. A weight, spring, roller or other physical article may be used to apply the modest downward force. Modest as used herein means a force that maintains the deck of cards substantially flat and square during the shuffling process. Any weight or other article in contact with the cards should have a soft padding between the weight or other article and the cards to prevent damage to the cards. A base or floor of the pre-shuffle bin is an independent member that may be selectively raised and lowered to position the deck of cards pursuant to a randomly-selected card number (e.g., 1-52). Two jokers may also be used such that a deck of playing cards includes 54 playing cards rather than 52. Once positioned correctly based on the randomly-selected card number, an upper body of the card-selector assembly moves a number of cards corresponding to the randomly-selected card number off the top of the deck thereby exposing a bottom card (i.e., the randomly-selected card) to a drive wheel. The drive wheel propels the bottom card from the pre-shuffle bin between offset lower and upper walls defining a passageway into the post-shuffle bin. The process is repeated 51 times until all cards in the deck in the pre-shuffle bin have been propelled into the post-shuffle bin
In one embodiment, a photoelectric sensor integrated into the automatic card shuffler described above detects the asymmetrical markings based on an amount of reflected light. The photoelectric sensor may be positioned proximate to the post-shuffle bin such that the photoelectric sensor can analyze card faces as individual cards are propelled from the pre-shuffle bin to the post-shuffle bin. The collected data is then used to develop a model of the orientation of the shuffled cards. The models of deck orientations over consecutive shuffles may be used to uncover edge-sorters and cheaters.
Another embodiment of the present invention comprises an automatic card shuffler configured to shuffle eight decks of cards (or less) and deal a round of Baccarat. A round being a number of cards sufficient to deal a Baccarat hand in a traditional manner (i.e., one card at a time from left to right). In this embodiment, the automatic shuffler comprises two pre-shuffle bins, each configured to receive approximately four decks of cards wherein the pre-shuffle bins are adjacent to one another, each near a card slide leading to a card-receiving area. Cards are randomly selected from the cards in each of the pre-shuffle bins and propelled against a respective card slide directing the cards to the post-shuffle card-receiving area. Once a sufficient number of buffer cards (e.g., seven) have been deposited into the card-receiving area, a card flipper moves the seven cards against a face plate of an integral dealing shoe. A buffer-holder device maintains the buffer cards against the face plate for dealing as the card flipper returns to a home position to receive more shuffled cards. In this manner, while cards are being dealt in a round of Baccarat, new cards are being shuffled for the next round. Again, a photoelectric sensor proximate to the post-shuffle card-receiving area analyzes card faces as individual cards are propelled from the pre-shuffle bin to the post-shuffle card-receiving area.
Other variations, embodiments and features of the present invention will become evident from the following detailed description, drawings and claims.
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles in accordance with the embodiments of the present invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended. Any alterations and further modifications of the inventive feature illustrated herein, and any additional applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated herein, which would normally occur to one skilled in the relevant art and having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered within the scope of the invention claimed.
As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, the embodiments of the present invention combine software and hardware. Furthermore, aspects of the present invention may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer readable medium(s) having computer readable program code embodied thereon.
Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may be utilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readable storage medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), and optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.
Computer program code for carrying out operations for embodiments of the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like or conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language, AJAX, PHP, HTML, XHTML, Ruby, CSS or similar programming languages. The programming code may be configured in an application, an operating system, as part of a system firmware, or any suitable combination thereof.
Aspects of the present invention are described below with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readable medium produce an article of manufacture including instructions which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
The components of the embodiments of the present invention may be fabricated of any suitable materials, including, but not limited to, plastics, alloys, composites, resins and metals, and may be fabricated using suitable techniques, including, but not limited to, molding, casting, machining and rapid prototyping.
Detailed below is a single deck automatic card shuffler configured to insert into a poker table. In one embodiment, the single deck automatic card shuffler inserts into the chip tray cut-out in the poker table proximate to the poker game dealer. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the shuffler technology disclosed herein may be used with multi-deck shufflers which insert into a gaming table or secure to a gaming table top or bottom. The automatic card shuffler may be used to shuffle paper and plastic cards.
The single deck shuffler detailed herein comprises broadly a (i) pre-shuffle bin, (ii) card-selector assembly, (iii) drive wheel and (iv) post-shuffle bin.
While
The base or floor 122 of the pre-shuffle bin 120 is free to raise and lower relative to an upper body 131 and lower body 132 of the card-selector assembly 130 thereby selectively positioning the deck of cards 102 into 1 of at least 52 vertical positions. In one embodiment, best seen in
As seen in
In one embodiment, the processor 103 is configured to place the shuffler 100 in a short-cycle mode. Responsive to one or more sensors detecting a time below a pre-established threshold time (e.g., 20 seconds) between cuts of successive shuffled decks of cards by the dealer, the processor 103 places the shuffler 100 into short-cycle mode wherein, the shuffler randomly selects a pre-established number of cards (e.g., 35) for shuffling as described herein and then moves consecutively in order the remaining cards from the pre-shuffle bin 120 to the post-shuffle bin 200 on top of the previously shuffled cards. When the deck is removed from the post-shuffle bin 200, the dealer cuts the deck such that the consecutively-moved cards are moved to the bottom of the deck prior to dealing. The consecutively-moved cards are those remaining after the shuffling of the pre-established number of cards so even if some on the consecutively-moved card end up in play, they have been adequately shuffled. The short cycle mode is advantageous for fast-paced games (i.e., heads-up).
In one embodiment, an automatic calibration system is premised on card or deck thicknesses as measured by sensors proximate to the pre-shuffle and/or post-shuffle bin. Sensors 104, 105 may measure card thicknesses or additional sensors may be installed for the specific purpose. Given the tendency of playing cards (paper and plastic) to expand during use, it is beneficial to calibrate the automatic card shuffler so that the stepper motor 124 is moved at accurate tolerances to ensure that the randomly-selected card is the card propelled by the drive wheel 160 to the post-shuffle bin 200. Responsive to detecting the thicknesses of cards expanding, the automatic calibration system, via processor 103, communicates to the stepper motor 124 to alter the distance the stepper motor 124 raises and lowers for each card position.
In another embodiment, a card-counting sensor 106 may be used to sense each card moving from the pre-shuffle bin 120 to the post-shuffle bin 200 so the deck count may be verified. The card-counting sensor 106 may be positioned between the pre-shuffle bin 120 and post-shuffle bin 200. In an alternative embodiment, the automatic card shuffler 100 may incorporate a card reading system (e.g., image capturing technology) to identify the rank and suit of each card thereby verifying the exactness of the deck of cards.
The processor 103, as described above, also controls the doors 437, 447, 457 and plunger 458, or other article, pursuant to sensor feedback indicating the deck of cards has been shuffled and is ready for game play.
One or more LEDs may be integrated into the automatic card shuffler to indicate shuffler status. With an LED, different colors and/or blinking speeds are indicative of shuffler status including ready to load status, ready to remove shuffled cards status, card jam status, missing card status, etc.
While the shuffler 100 has been detailed relative to a poker game, it should be understood that the shuffler 100 may be suitable for any number of cards games with modification. As described herein, the shuffler 100 can be used for a single blackjack game. A two-deck blackjack game requires that the shuffler 100 have a slightly increased profile (<1″ more than a single deck) to accommodate the additional deck of cards.
With carnival games or novelty games (e.g., Three Card Poker) the hands are dealt by a dealing module forming part of the shuffler. Each hand is then provided to the player by the dealer. Given the design of the shuffler 100, the process of dealing hands is very simple and efficient as the shuffler 100 may pause after each hand is formed and re-start after each hand is dealt. In one embodiment, a blocking wall is attached to sides of the shuffler 100 (with the post-shuffle bin 200 removed or re-configured to allow cards to exit the shuffler 100) so that cards propelled from the pre-shuffle bin 120 strike the blocking wall landing on the table surface or previous propelled cards. The blocking wall may be modest in height/width serving only to stop propelled cards so that the card 1s stack on top of one another. Once a hand is formed, the shuffler 100 pauses. An arm or lever then moves part or all of the formed hand away from the blocking wall allowing the dealer to grab and deal the hand. One or more sensors proximate to the blocking wall detect when the formed hand has been removed and trigger the shuffler 100 to begin again and deal a next hand. The process continues until a button or other input device, used by the dealer, alerts the shuffler 100 that the next hand is the final hand (i.e., dealer hand) to be dealt which causes the shuffler 100 to handle the remaining cards in the shuffler in one of several ways.
In a dual deck embodiment (i.e., batch), once each of the hands has been dealt, the shuffler 100 consecutively propels the remaining cards against the blocking wall thereby emptying the shuffler of cards for the second deck to be inserted. In another embodiment, the remaining cards may be pushed together from the shuffler 100 by a mechanical device (e.g., arm) or similar article. With such an embodiment, wall 137 of upper body 131 may rotate open allowing the remaining cards to be collectively pushed from the shuffler 100 by the mechanical device. In a single deck embodiment where only one deck is used, the remaining cards may be maintained in the pre-shuffle bin 120 until the played cards are inserted back on top so that the shuffling process may begin again.
To minimize movement and maximize dealing speed, the shuffler 100 may not propel the selected cards in the order they are randomly selected. For example, if the three randomly selected cards for a Three Card Poker game are numbers 1, 52 and 2 in that order, rather than deal the cards in the selected order, the shuffler 100 may deal the hand by propelling cards 52, 2 and 1 to minimize shuffler movement while increasing the deal pace. With a single player hand, the order of the cards in the hand is irrelevant.
Another embodiment of the present invention involves an automated rake drop device 300. During live poker games, dealers rake (i.e., collect) a portion of each pot for the house. The rake acts as a fee for the house operating the game. The normal rake procedure involves the dealer taking chips from the poker pot and placing them onto a drop slot covered by a slidable lever. After the hand ends and the pot is pushed to the winning player(s), the dealer opens the slot using the slidable lever allowing the chips to fall through an opening in the poker table into a drop box connected to an underside of the poker table. As shown in
The shuffler technology detailed herein may be used for a multi-deck shuffler (e.g., 4-8 decks) as well. In one embodiment, a multi-deck shuffler comprises a single unit having two shuffler components and a shared post-shuffle bin into which both shuffler components propel cards from bins of each shuffler. A vertical pre-shuffle bin accepts, for example, six decks of cards comprising 312 cards (6×52). A mechanism (e.g., rollers, pusher, etc.) separates the six decks in two substantially equivalent stacks with one stack being deposited into a bin of one shuffler component and a second stack being deposited into a bin of the other shuffler component. Selected random numbers then cause the shuffler component to propel cards into a common post-shuffle bin. In one embodiment, the random number generator selects a number from 1-312 and the shuffler component holding the selected card propels the card into the shared post-shuffle bin. Alternatively, each shuffler component may have its own random number generator such that each shuffle component may act independently. Regardless of the process, the result is six decks of shuffled cards requiring only a single shuffle. As the post-shuffle bin is vertically oriented, once the shuffle process concludes, a mechanism tips the post-shuffle bin into a horizontal position such that the shuffled cards are made available to the dealer. In one embodiment, a shallow frame associated with the post-shuffle bin maintains the decks in an orderly arrangement. A sensor detects when the post-shuffle bin is empty causing the post-shuffle bin to close.
Depending on the embodiment, the two shuffle apparatuses may have a different, unknown number of cards. For example, if a pusher is used to separate the 312 cards into two separate stacks, the number of cards in each shuffler apparatus may be unequal. The system firmware is configured to assume an equal number of cards in each shuffler apparatus so that the shuffling process continues in a normal fashion until it is determined that such is not the case. If one of the shuffler apparatuses attempts to shuffle a card but no card exists at the selected location, the bin base continually raises one spot until a card is located. From this exercise, the shuffler firmware can determine a number of cards in each shuffler apparatus and continue the shuffle normally until complete.
A multi-deck shuffler is ideal for handling a Baccarat game. The concept of shuffling and dealing simultaneously is only possible with a random-selection shuffler. In a game wherein players and a dealer each receive three cards, three cards are randomly selected and moved to the gaming table ready for dealing to the player or dealer. This occurs after only three cards have been moved from the unshuffled deck. Contrarily, random-position shufflers require each card to be moved to a random position, shelf or slot before they can be dispensed as complete, individual hands. That is, random-position shufflers require all unshuffled cards to be moved before the dealing phase.
In one embodiment, a Baccarat shuffler 400 is configured to randomly select and shuffle enough cards to complete a round of play as opposed to enough cards to fill a hand. In this manner, the round of cards may be used to deal cards in the traditional fashion (i.e., one card at a time to each player position). With current market shufflers, novelty game hands are dealt such that players and the dealer receive hands in a single group of cards rather than one at a time.
Besides providing a smaller profile, the use of two shuffler devices 410-1, 410-2 inherently results in a faster shuffling process. The speed of the two shuffler devices 410-1, 410-2 is further increased when the next two random cards are selected from different shuffle devices 410-1, 410-2, as the first shuffler device 410-1 moves to select the card in its pre-shuffle bin, the second shuffle device 410-2 can begin moving to locate the card in its pre-shuffle bin.
Loading the Baccarat shuffler 400 begins with a dealer dividing eight decks of cards into two piles of approximately equal cards. Given the operation of the two shuffler devices 410-1, 410-2, the two piles of cards do not have to be equal. Once the two piles are created, a two-step loading process begins. The Baccarat shuffler 400 is configured, responsive to a dealer “Load” input (e.g., button, touch screen interface, etc.), one of the pre-shuffle bins of one of the shuffler devices 410-1 raises to an upper-most position while the pre-shuffle bin of the other shuffler device 410-2 remains at a lowest-most position. Once the first pre-shuffle bin is loaded with one pile of cards, the dealer may utilize a “Loaded” input to cause the first pre-shuffle bin to move to a home position while the other pre-shuffle bin moves to a highest-most position. Alternatively, one or more sensors located in the pre-shuffle bins may automatically trigger the raising and lowering of the pre-shuffle bins upon cards being loaded into the first pre-shuffle bin. Once the second pre-shuffle bin raises to the upper-most position, the second pile of cards is loaded. The dealer may complete the loading process by utilizing the “Loaded” input again or sensors may trigger an automatic movement whereby the second pre-shuffle bin returns to a home position.
The shuffler operation is set forth above and the only difference is that the two shuffler devices 410-1, 410-2 operate individually to randomly select and propel cards 413 from the respective piles of cards into the common card-receiving area 420 and on to the card flipper 425.
Conducting a Baccarat game includes two procedures for burning cards. The first procedure involves burning a single card. The second procedure turns the top card face up and burns an additional number of cards equal to the face-up cards value. For example, if the top card is a seven, seven cards are burned whereas if the top card is a ten, ten cards are burned. Casinos may also implement other burn card procedures which the Baccarat shuffler 400 can be configured to shuffle and deal.
In a first embodiment, the Baccarat shuffler 400 shuffles eight cards and forces them against a dealing shoe face plate (see,
With the single face-down card burn card variation, the Baccarat shuffler 400 first randomly selects and forces eight cards against the dealing shoe face plate (deemed an eight-card buffer) and then seven-card buffers for each subsequent round until a new fresh game shuffle. Dependent upon the number of cards used to play the previous hand of the Baccarat game, the Baccarat shuffler 400 is configured to shuffle a sufficient number of cards to create the seven-card buffer. If the first round requires six cards to play, six more cards are shuffled to maintain the seven-card buffer for the next round; if the first round requires five cards to play, five more cards are shuffled to maintain the seven-card buffer for the next round and if the first round requires four cards to play, four more cards are shuffled to maintain the seven-card buffer for the next round. With the single face-up card plus number of burn cards equal to the top card value (Ace=1) burn card variation, the Baccarat shuffler 400 first randomly selects and forces eighteen cards against the dealing shoe face plate and then seven-card buffers for each subsequent round until a new fresh game shuffle. With the single face-up card plus number of burn cards equal to the top card value (Ace=11) burn card variation, the Baccarat shuffler 400 first randomly selects and forces nineteen cards against the dealing shoe face plate and then seven-card buffers for each subsequent round until a new fresh game shuffle. With the single face-up card plus number of burn cards equal to the top card value (ten value cards=0) burn card variation, the Baccarat shuffler 400 first randomly selects and forces seventeen cards against the dealing shoe face plate and then seven-card buffers for each subsequent round until a new fresh game shuffle.
A buffer-holder member 540 is configured to maintain the shuffled cards 535 (a.k.a. buffer cards) against the face plate 511 once the card flipper 530 returns to the home position. Like the card flipper 530, the buffer-holder member 540 is rotatably attached to the housing 505 (or other internal component). In one embodiment, as best shown in 19G and 19H, the buffer-holder member 540 is U-shaped with two arms 541-1, 541-2 and a support 543 connecting the two arms 541-1, 541-2. A plate 545 may be attached to the support 543 to provide more contact area with the shuffled cards being maintained against the face plate 511. The plate 545 may have a soft covering to prevent damage to the buffer cards 535. Responsive to sensor outputs, a stepper motor, servo or other electromechanical element drives the buffer-holder member 540 to maintain the buffer cards 535 against the face plate 511 and back to a home position.
The buffer-holder member 540 and card flipper 530 operate in concert to move shuffled cards against the face plate 511 and maintain the shuffled cards against the face plate 511. Referring to
In
Sensors in or near the card-receiving area and integral dealing shoe provide the necessary outputs for controlling dealing operations, including movement of the card flipper 530 and buffer-holder member 540, of the Baccarat shufflers 500, 600. The sensors detect the number of cards propelled from the shuffler devices as well as number of cards removed from the dealing shoe. The collected sensor data or outputs is used by the processor to control the card flipper and buffer-holder member.
In another embodiment, the shuffler technology is used in a continuous shuffler 350 as shown in
Certain embodiments of the present invention include a modified deck of playing cards whereby the top of each of the fifty-two playing cards can be identified. The modified deck of playing cards includes the inclusion of new information (e.g., markings, relative position of card face information, etc.) on the face of the cards. The new information may take many forms but tend to fall into three groups comprising (i) independent, foreign marks including ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) marks (naked to the eye); (ii) modifications to the card value, corner pip or regular pip and (iii) modifications to the position of the card value, corner pip or regular pip. Other marks, such as barcodes, magnetic encoding and machine readable code, may be utilized as well to identify card orientation.
While this detailed description focuses on marks on the card faces, in other embodiments the markings (whether visible or invisible) may be on the card backs or card sides. Regardless of position, the purpose of the information (e.g., marks) is to identify card orientation.
Depending on the embodiment, the modifications identified in
In combination with the modified deck of playing cards is an automatic playing card shuffler configured to read the modifications and identify playing card orientations. If the modifications are used on just thirty playing cards without any orientation-defining features, the automatic playing card shuffler is also configured to identify the orientation of the remaining twenty-two playing cards via the integral orientation-defining features discussed above and shown in
Advantageously, most if not all automatic card shufflers, including those detailed herein can be used to practice the embodiments of the present invention. Shuffle Master® is the dominant player in the automatic playing card shuffler market manufacturing and selling the MD3, one2six, ShuffleStar, Deck Mate® to name a few. Automatic playing card shufflers come in many forms from continuous to single deck to multiple deck and so on. To undertake the embodiments of the present invention, the subject shuffler needs to incorporate a sensor and/or image-capturing device positioned to view at least a portion of the face (or back or side) of each playing card so that playing card orientation can be identified from information depicted thereon. Automatic playing card shufflers separate, at some point, individual cards from the plurality of cards placed therein so that a sensor may acquire information from the playing card face (or side or rear). For example, as part of the randomizing process, the single deck shuffler 100 shown herein grabs single cards from the deck of playing cards placed into the shuffler 100. The single cards are propelled from the original deck of playing cards into the post-shuffle bin 200.
Depending on the embodiment, a camera may read the card values and suits and a sensor may detect the presence, absence or arrangement of the card marks; two sensors may detect the two distinct marks; or a camera may read the card values and suits and presence, absence or arrangement of the marks. Alternatively, the suits may not need to be read to determine an exploitable orientation as long as the card values are associated with the card orientations. As used herein the term “sensors” may comprise UV readers, IR readers, photoelectric devices, non-imaging capturing devices and any device capable of detecting and/or identifying visible or invisible marks, designs and/or symbols on a face, back and/or side of a playing card. As used herein the term “image capturing device” comprises static and video cameras, scanners, readers and any device capable of obtaining an image of a portion or all of the face, back and/or sides of a playing card.
In one embodiment, the sensor 1325 may be configured to measure the intensity of light reflecting off a card face or portion thereof. Such a sensor may be photoelectric, contrast, color, etc. Relative to playing cards, black/red marks absorb light and white portions reflect light. The automatic playing card shuffler 1305 only requires that the sensor 1325 detect either black/red or white commensurate with the inclusion or absence of a modified marking. Black or red indicates a card in an original new-deck orientation while a white mark or no mark indicates a card in an opposite orientation.
During normal play, the orientation of the cards change from round-to-round based on pickup and discard procedures by the dealer and inadvertent spinning of cards by players and purposeful spinning of cards (e.g., habit, superstition, etc.). Each shuffle produces a two-way combination. The first combination comprises those cards still in new deck orientation while the second group comprises cards that have been turned 180°. For most games, such as Blackjack, the analysis comprises counting the number of significant (i.e., high) cards (e.g., 10s, Jacks, Queens, Kings and Aces) in the same orientation. In Baccarat, the significant cards are the 6s, 7s, 8s and 9s. If the number of significant cards in the same orientation is above a threshold number (e.g., 66%), an alert is logged.
Whether by edge-sorting or a rogue employee, once a deck is in an exploitable orientation, it must remain largely intact to be profitable for the advantage player or cheat. This is the one common feature of all strategies and scams targeting asymmetries from manufacturing variances. Accordingly, in one embodiment, if three consecutive shuffles produce exploitable deck orientations, edge sorters or cheats are present at the game. Of course, if the threshold number from one shuffle is extremely high (e.g., 95% to 100% of all high cards), edge sorters or cheats may be present at the game as well. The automatic playing card shuffler may be configured to send alerts for various single or consecutive shuffle outcomes as detailed below.
There are situations when the system may recognize a scam after as few as one shuffle. For example, with a reader/imaging system disclosed above the shuffler knows when a new deck is being shuffled. Using the random-selection shuffler 100 disclosed herein, if the first three random positions selected are 52, 6 and 2 and the imaging system reads the first shuffled card to be the King of Spades (the 52nd card in new-deck order), six of Hearts (the 6th card in new-deck order) and two of hearts (the 2nd card in new-deck order) the shuffler will quickly determine that the deck started in a new-deck order. Thus, if the reader/imaging systems detects an exploitable orientation on the first shuffler of a new deck, the system will quickly recognize a scam involving a rogue casino supervisor or other employee since players have not had access to the new deck yet.
In an alternative embodiment, each playing card forming a deck or group of cards has one of two distinct marks or alterations (i.e., information). Such a deck modification eliminates the need for identifying cards by card value and suit as detailed in the first embodiment above. Relative to this embodiment, the two most important combinations must be predetermined. For example, in a game of Baccarat, 6s, 7s, 8s and 9s form the first group of cards while all other cards form the second group. In high-card format games (e.g., Blackjack), the first group of cards comprise 10s, Jacks, Queens, Kings and Aces and the second group comprises all other cards. In either instance, each card includes a mark or other information on one end of the card with the marks or other information on the first group of cards being distinct from the marks or other information on the second group of cards.
A sensor in the automatic playing card shuffler is positioned and configured to detect one of three possible articles of information on the card face: (i) a first group mark indicating the original top of a card in the first group; (ii) a second group mark indicating the original top of the second group; and (iii) an absence of a any mark indicating the original bottom of a card from the first or second group.
In one embodiment, the top corner of each playing card in the first group of cards depicts a thin white vertical line while the top corner pip of the second group of cards depicts a pair of thin white vertical lines. The bottom pip on each card is conventional with no vertical white lines.
With this embodiment, each shuffle produces two numbers based on card orientation. For example, in a high-card format game, sensor readings of 15 high-card marks, 15 low-card marks and 22 no marks mean 15 high cards and 15 low cards are in the new deck orientation and 22 cards are in the opposite direction indicative of them being turned 180° for one reason or another. From this data, it can be deduced that of the 22 cards in the opposite direction (i.e., no marks) there are 5 high cards (20−15=5) because each deck starts with 20 high cards in new-deck orientation and 17 low cards (32−15=17) because each deck starts with 32 low cards in the new-deck orientation.
Should the sensor detect 20 high-card marks and no marks on the remaining 32 cards, or vice versa, the deck is in its most vulnerable or exploitable orientation given there are two discernable combinations comprising high cards and low cards. In one embodiment, if 66% of the cards fall into the readable orientation, the deck is deemed exploitable.
In one embodiment, a determination of 95% or more of the cards falling into the readable orientation after two consecutive shuffles causes an alert to be transmitted to casino personnel of a scam in progress. In another embodiment, a sustained determination of 55% or more, for example, of the cards falling into the readable orientation after three consecutive shuffles causes an alert to be transmitted to casino personnel of a scam in progress.
From the data, two models emerge. Reading accuracy increasing round-by-round is indicative of one or more players edge sorting during play whereas a 95%-100% instantaneous reading of exploitable orientated cards is indicative of a scam possibly perpetrated with help of a supervisor. Table 1 below represents the previous ten shuffling results of a shuffler configured to determine card orientation. In one embodiment, the orientation of the high cards is indicative of a strategy or scam (e.g., Blackjack). The final three shuffles (i.e., shuffles 8, 9 and 10) show a sustained higher than normal orientation of high cards of 55%, 65% and 75%. Accordingly, an alert is recorded and/or transmitted to casino personnel. An established normal orientation of high cards is 38.5% (10/26). The shuffler can be set by the casino to establish a desired threshold indicative of a strategy or scam in progress. The first seven shuffles (i.e., shuffles 1-7) show a normal orientation of high cards.
Using the embodiments of the present design creates a versatile, reliable, inexpensive and elegant system and method for identifying exploitable orientations in lieu of detecting minor card imperfections. This is especially true when the vast number of card designs and different types of variances are considered. Thus, the system and method described herein reduce or eliminate the need to even look at card backs for manufacturing asymmetries.
In another embodiment, the system and method determines card orientation via cards utilizing one-way backs as shown in
In an alternative embodiment, the one-way backs may be read by overhead security cameras prevalent in casinos (or any camera proximate to the casino table and/or automatic card shuffler). The overhead security cameras are sensitive enough identify the one-way card backs as the cards are dealt by the dealer to the players at the table. In this embodiment, the automatic card shuffler includes one or more sensors and/or image capturing devices to detect the card values of each shuffled card. The one-way card back information and card values are correlated to one another by the system. In one embodiment, the one-way card back information and card values may be transmitted to a casino server for analysis to determine the deck orientation. The card values may also be transmitted to the automatic card shuffler which is configured to correlate the card values with the one-way card back information to determine the deck orientation.
While automatic card shufflers are detailed herein for determining deck orientation, in other embodiments, card discard racks and dealing shoes may integrate one or more sensors and/or image capturing devices to detect card values and card-orientation information for use in determining deck orientation.
Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to several embodiments, additional variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of the invention as described and defined in the following claims.
