MULTIPLE PASS SHUFFLER/SORTER AND METHOD OF OPERATION THEREOF

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to methods and devices for shuffling cards, and more particularly, multiple pass methods and devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Numerous mechanical and electro-mechanical devices have been designed for use in shuffling cards, such as one or more decks of playing cards. Generally, such devices may be referred to as a card shuffler or shuffler. Such devices may be used in the randomization (shuffling) of a deck of playing cards. The resultant deck, having undergone the necessary gyrations, will be sufficiently randomized for reliable statistical outcomes in subsequent gameplay. Upon fully utilizing the deck, or according to the rules of the game, the deck is again shuffled to prepare for each round. Alternatively, or in addition, such devices may be used in the ordering of the cards in the deck of cards in a predetermined order (which may be random).

Typically, shufflers are suitable for either single or multi-deck use. Those shufflers optimized for single deck games are rarely capable of accommodating additional decks. Whilst those shufflers optimized for a plurality of decks (a shoe) typically lack game specific characteristics and simply randomize the shoe sufficiently for any randomized game scenario.

In a modern digital device, randomness is typically the function of a Random Number Generator or RNG which provides reliable pseudorandom values used to determine how the cards should be shuffled. Typically, each incoming card is mapped to a slot. Each card will be sent to a predetermined slot to ensure that the final sequence of cards is consistent with that requested by the RNG.

As the number of decks increases, the required mechanisms internal to the shuffler become necessarily more complex and larger. As size increases, so also do mass and momentum of the internal moving parts. As one approaches 8 decks of cards (a typical scenario in blackjack), the scale and forces involved become significant factors in overall product design.

The present invention is aimed to one or more of the problems identified above.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Multi-Pass Shufflers

In example, a scenario where 8 decks (416 cards) are to be randomized (shuffled). All of the cards to be shuffled are loaded into the machine in the first step. The cards are drawn inside the shuffler, where they are processed and ultimately ejected once finally randomized. The cards in this scenario can be envisioned arrayed in several ways. One possible arrangement is a single stack of 416 cards. This arrangement is a straightforward approach and precisely what leads to the scaling issues described above. However, the arrangement of cards can also be viewed as a matrix (multi-dimensional array of numbers) rather than a single column of numbers.

If one envisions using a plurality of stacks for the cards, the height of each stack decreases rapidly as the number of stacks grows. Two stacks, 208 cards high, four stacks, 104 cards high, etc. An optimal value can be determined for a given number of cards and passes.

In the case of 8 decks in 2 passes, this optimal value is 21. Basically, a size which, when squared, is equal to or greater than the number of cards to be shuffled. Simply take the nth root of the number of cards, where n is the number of passes, and round up to the nearest whole number if the nth root is not an integer.

This value represents both the required X dimension (#columns) and the Y dimension (#rows) in the square array. This maximum dimension is used to determine the number of slots or shelves which will be required to properly sequence the cards.

So, in our example, the physical shuttle would have at least 21 shelves for cards with each shelf being capable of holding at least 21 cards each.

To begin the shuffle, the RNG delivers the desired card sequence as a series of numbers. This numeric series is placed into an array sized as determined previously (e.g., 21 columns across×21 rows tall).

Multi-Pass Shuffling

The number of passes required to fully sequence a plurality of cards is determined by the number of dimensions associated with the matrix used. In our example, we are using a 2-dimensional array (columns & rows), thus we will require two passes to fully sequence the cards.

For reference, this is why shufflers to date are single pass, as they generally all use single dimension arrays. In some cases, the internal card shuttles provide a mechanism for sequencing inserted cards, thereby reducing the number of slots required, but the process utilized is still a single dimensional sort.

“Multiple passes” means that every card is processed multiple times before the sequencing is completed. Internally, having processed each card once, the stack of processed cards is repositioned back to the infeed to be processed again for any additional passes. Alternatively, if no further passes are required, the cards are ejected having been sequenced as in accordance with the RNG.

The advantage of a multi-pass approach is smaller scale of design, requiring fewer slots or shelves and experiencing less mass-based kinetic challenge. The disadvantage is equally obvious, each card must be processed more than once. A process which may take 2 seconds per card, may require at least 4 seconds per card in a two-pass scenario.

Thus, a balance between scale and number of passes is sought. This balance is typically determined using the comparison of concept models, seeking the smallest size whilst achieving the quickest processing time.

The process for each pass first is straight forward: identify each card (either by sequence or markings), and then direct it toward an appropriate slot or shelf. Continue until all cards are shelved, then if required perform additional passes.

Matrix Transformation

The overall process of repositioning each card, resulting in a target arrangement, can be viewed as a transformation from one matrix sequence to another.

The cards being fed into the shuffler are in no particular order. Previous game outcomes and shuffles play a role in the incoming sequence of cards. Just as the RNG sequence was reformatted into a matrix, so also the infeed sequence. The operations undertaken are then to take the infeed matrix arrangement and reorganize the cards so as to result in the desired RNG outfeed sequence.

This transformation can take place using a sorting process in each pass, where the first pass organizes the cards into the desired columns (1^stdimension) and the second pass organizes the cards into the target rows (2nd dimension), resulting in the final target matrix arrangement.

In one aspect of the present invention, a shuffling device including a frame, a first card receiving area, a shuffling mechanism, a card reader, and a controller is provided. The first card receiving area receives a set of cards. The shuffling mechanism is coupled to the frame and is associated with the first card receiving area. The shuffling mechanism is configured to receive cards from the cards receiving area and to controllably place the cards into respective card receiving pockets. The card reader is coupled to the frame and is associated with the shuffling mechanism, the card reader configured to read card information from the cards as the cards pass through the shuffling mechanism. The controller is connected to the card reader and the shuffling mechanism. The controller configured to perform the steps of establishing a virtual deck structure and performing first and second passes. The virtual deck structure defines a virtual card assignment for a plurality of cards. The virtual deck structure is a matrix having a plurality of cells organized in a predetermined number of rows and a predetermined number of columns. Each card of the plurality of cards is associated with one of plurality of cells within the matrix. The number of card receiving card receiving pockets being equal to or greater than the predetermined number of rows and columns in the matrix. The first pass includes the steps of using the shuffling mechanism, feeding cards one at a time from the set of cards in the first card receiving area of the shuffling device into the shuffling mechanism, using the card reader, reading card information from each of the cards fed from the first card receiving area, generating information regarding a first assigned card receiving pocket for each of the cards fed from the first card receiving area based on the associated card information and the virtual deck structure, and using the shuffling mechanism, delivering the cards, into the associated first assigned card receiving pockets forming a partially shuffled set of cards. The second pass includes the steps of performing using the shuffling mechanism, placing the partially shuffled set of cards into the first card receiving area of the shuffling device, using the shuffling mechanism, feeding cards one at a time from the partially shuffled set of cards in the first card receiving area into the shuffling device, using the card reader, establishing card information for each of the cards fed from the first card receiving area, generating information regarding a second assigned card receiving pocket for each of the cards fed from the first card receiving area based on the associated card information, and using the shuffling mechanism, delivering the cards, into the associated second assigned card receiving pockets forming a shuffled set of cards.

In a second aspect of the present invention, a shuffling device including a frame, a first card receiving area, a shuffling mechanism, a card reader, a controller, an infeed elevator, a transport mechanism, a pusher mechanism, and a card stack moving mechanism is provided is provided. The first card receiving area receives a set of cards. The card receiver is movably coupled to the frame and has a plurality of card receiving pockets. The shuffling mechanism is coupled to the frame and is associated with the first card receiving area. The shuffling mechanism is configured to receive cards from the cards receiving area and to controllably place the cards into respective card receiving pockets. The card reader is coupled to the frame and is associated with the shuffling mechanism. The card reader is configured to read card information from the cards as the cards pass through the shuffling mechanism. The controller is connected to the card reader and the shuffling mechanism and configured to perform first and second passes on the set of cards.

The infeed elevator defines the first card receiving area and is connected to the controller. The controller is configured to controllably raise and lower the infeed elevator relative to a top of the shuffling device. The transport mechanism controllably moves cards from the first card receiving area into the shuffling mechanism. The transport mechanism includes a first set of rollers and a second set of rollers. The first set of rollers are configured to transport cards from the first card receiving area to an intermediate position. The card reader is positioned adjacent the intermediate position. The second set of rollers are configured to transport cards from the intermediate position into the card receiver. The first and second set of rollers are controllably driven by respective motors controlled by the controller. The first set of rollers are driven at a first speed and the second set of rollers are driven at a second speed. The second speed is greater than the first speed. The pusher mechanism configured to push cards from each of the pockets of the card receiver into a second card receiving area at the end of the first pass. The card stack moving mechanism is configured to move the cards in the second card receiving area to the first card receiving area after the pusher mechanism pushes the cards from the card receiver into the second card receiving area.

The controller configured to perform the steps of establishing a virtual deck structure and performing first and second passes. The virtual deck structure defines a virtual card assignment for a plurality of cards. The virtual deck structure is a matrix having a plurality of cells organized in a predetermined number of rows and a predetermined number of columns. Each card of the plurality of cards is associated with one of plurality of cells within the matrix. The number of card receiving pockets being equal to or greater than the predetermined number of rows and columns in the matrix. The first pass includes the steps of using the shuffling mechanism, feeding cards one at a time from the set of cards in the first card receiving area of the shuffling device into the shuffling mechanism, using the card reader, reading card information from each of the cards fed from the first card receiving area, generating information regarding a first assigned card receiving pocket for each of the cards fed from the first card receiving area based on the associated card information and the virtual deck structure, and using the shuffling mechanism, delivering the cards, into the associated first assigned card receiving pockets forming a partially shuffled set of cards. The second pass includes the steps of performing using the shuffling mechanism, placing the partially shuffled set of cards into the first card receiving area of the shuffling device, using the shuffling mechanism, feeding cards one at a time from the partially shuffled set of cards in the first card receiving area into the shuffling device, using the card reader, establishing card information for each of the cards fed from the first card receiving area, generating information regarding a second assigned card receiving pocket for each of the cards fed from the first card receiving area based on the associated card information, and using the shuffling mechanism, delivering the cards, into the associated second assigned card receiving pockets forming a shuffled set of cards.

In a third aspect of the present invention, a method of shuffling cards using a shuffling device is provided. The shuffling device includes a card receiving area, a shuffling mechanism, and a card receiver having a plurality of card receiving pockets, The method includes the steps of establishing a virtual deck structure. The virtual deck structure defines a virtual card assignment for a plurality of cards. The virtual deck structure is a matrix having a plurality of cells organized in a predetermined number of rows and a predetermined number of columns. Each card of the plurality of cards being associated with one of plurality of cells within the matrix. The number of card receiving card receiving pockets being equal to or greater than the predetermined number of rows and columns in the matrix. The method includes a first pass and a second passes. The first pass includes the steps of placing a set of cards into the card receiving area of the shuffling device. feeding cards one at a time from the card receiving area of the shuffling device into the shuffling mechanism, reading card information from each of the cards fed from the card receiving area, generating information regarding a first assigned card receiving pocket for each of the cards fed from the card receiving area based on the associated card information and the virtual deck structure, and delivering the cards, using the shuffling device, into the associated first assigned card receiving pockets forming a partially shuffled set of cards. The second pass includes the steps of placing the partially shuffled set of cards into the card receiving area of the shuffling device, feeding cards one at a time from partially shuffled set of cards in the card receiving area of the shuffling device, reading card information from each of the cards fed from the card receiving area; generating information regarding a second assigned card receiving pocket for each of the cards fed from the card receiving area based on the associated card information, and delivering the cards, using the shuffling device, into the associated second assigned card receiving pockets forming a shuffled set of cards.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily appreciated when considered in connection with the following detailed description and appended drawings.

FIG. 1A is a block diagram of a multi-pass shuffler according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1B is a first flow diagram associated with the multi-pass shuffler of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 1C is a second flow diagram associated with the multi-pass shuffler of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 1D is a third flow diagram associated with the multi-pass shuffler of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 1E is an exemplary virtual deck structure in the form of a two-dimensional matrix according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a front perspective view of a shuffler in accordance with examples of the subject disclosure.

FIG. 2B is a rear perspective view of the shuffler illustrated in FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3 is a front plan view of the shuffler illustrated in FIG. 2A.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the shuffler illustrated in FIG. 2A, with portions of a top cover thereof removed.

FIG. 5 is a first plan side view of the shuffler illustrated in FIG. 2A.

FIG. 6 is a rear plan view of the shuffler illustrated in FIG. 2A.

FIG. 7 is a perspective rear view of the shuffler illustrated in FIG. 2A.

FIG. 8A longitudinal cross-sectional side view of the shuffler illustrated in FIG. 4 taken in the direction of line 8A/8A therein and with portions of a housing thereof not illustrated.

FIG. 8B is an enlarged view of the indicated portion of FIG. 8A.

FIG. 8C illustrates the portion of FIG. 8A as viewed from the perspective indicated in FIG. 8A.

FIG. 9 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the shuffler illustrated in FIG. 4 taken in the direction of line 9/9 therein.

FIG. 10 is a second longitudinal cross-sectional side view of the shuffler illustrated in FIG. 4 taken in the direction of line 10/10 therein and with portions of a housing thereof not illustrated.

FIG. 11A is a longitudinal cross-sectional side view of the shuffler illustrated in FIG. 4 taken in the direction of line 11A/11A therein and with portions of a housing thereof not illustrated.

FIG. 11B is an enlarged view of the indicated portion of FIG. 11A.

FIG. 11C is an enlarged view of the indicated portion of FIG. 11A.

FIG. 11D is a cross-sectional view of the indicated portion of FIG. 11C.

FIG. 12 is a view of the shuffler illustrated in FIG. 2B shown with portions of a housing removed.

FIG. 13 is a longitudinal perspective cross-sectional view of the shuffler illustrated in FIG. 1 taken in the direction of line 13/13 therein;

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the shuffler illustrated in FIG. 2A taken in the direction of line 14-14 therein.

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram of a controller and associated components of the shuffler illustrated in FIG. 2A.

FIG. 16 is a flow diagram of a method of operation of the shuffler illustrated in FIG. 2A.

FIG. 17 illustrates aspects of a method of operation of the shuffler illustrated in FIG. 2A including creation of data sets by different controllers thereof.

FIG. 18A is graphic representation of a multi-pass card shuffler or shuffler device, including an infeed elevator, according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18B is a first perspective view of the multi-ass card shuffler of FIG. 18A.

FIG. 18C is a second perspective view of the multi-ass card shuffler of FIG. 18A.

FIG. 18D is a perspective view of a portion of a multi-pass card shuffler or shuffler device, including an infeed elevator, according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a first interior view of the multi-pass card shuffler of FIG. 18A.

FIG. 20A is a first partial interior view of the multi-pass card shuffler of FIG. 18A illustrating a shuffling mechanism having a set of infeed rollers and a shuttle, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 20B is a second partial interior view of the multi-pass card shuffler of FIG. 18A.

FIG. 21 is a second partial interior view of the multi-pass card shuffler of FIG. 18A illustrating a card ejector mechanism.

FIG. 22 is a third partial interior view of the multi-pass card shuffler of FIG. 18A illustrating a card stack moving mechanism.

FIG. 23A is a fourth partial interior view of the multi-pass car shuffler including the card stack moving mechanism of FIG. 22. card shuffler of FIG. 18A.

FIG. 23B is a fifth partial interior view of the multi-pass car shuffler including the card stack moving mechanism of FIG. 22. card shuffler of FIG. 18A.

FIG. 24 is a sixth partial interior view of the multi-pass card shuffler of FIG. 18A.

FIG. 25 is a seventh partial interior view of the multi-pass card shuffler of FIG. 18A.

FIG. 26 is a second interior view of the multi-pass card shuffler of FIG. 18A including an outfeed elevator.

FIG. 27 is a second perspective of the multi-pass card shuffler of FIG. 18A illustrating the outfeed elevator of FIG. 26 in a raised position.

FIG. 28A is a front view of a card receiver or shuttle of the multi-pass card shuffler of FIG. 18, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 28B is a perspective view of the card receiver of FIG. 28A.

FIG. 29A is a first side view of the multi-pass card shuffler of FIG. 18, including the shuttle and card ejector mechanism.

FIG. 29B is a second view of the multi-pass card shuffler of FIG. 18, including the shuttle and card ejector mechanism.

FIG. 30A is first perspective view of the card stacking moving mechanism of FIG. 22.

FIG. 30B is a second perspective view of the card stacking moving mechanism of FIG. 22.

FIG. 31A is a first opposite side view of the multi-pass card shuffler of FIG. 18, including the shuttle and card ejector mechanism.

FIG. 31B is a second opposite side view of the multi-pass card shuffler of FIG. 18, including the shuttle and card ejector mechanism.

FIG. 32A is a first perspective view of the multi-pass card shuffler of FIG. 18 illustrating the infeed and outfeed elevators.

FIG. 32B is a second perspective view of the multi-pass card shuffler of FIG. 18 illustrating the infeed and outfeed elevators.

FIG. 33A is a first side view of the shuttle and the card ejector mechanism.

FIG. 33B is a second side view of the shuttle and the card ejector mechanism.

FIGS. 34A-34H are diagrammatic illustrations associated with an exemplary shuffling or sorting operation, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 35A-35B and 36 are perspective views of a card stack pusher mechanism, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 37A is a side view of a card shuttle lifting mechanism with a counterweight in a first position, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 37B is a second side view of the card shuttle lifting mechanism of FIG. 35A with the counterweight in a second position.

FIG. 37C is a third side view of the card shuttle lifting mechanism of FIG. 35A with the counterweight in a third position.

FIG. 37D is a enlarged perspective view of the counterweight of FIG. 35A.

FIG. 37E is a second enlarged perspective view of the counterweight of FIG. 35A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the drawings, and in operation, devices 10 and methods for shuffling cards, such as multiple decks of standard playing cards, are provided. In particular, the present invention relates to devices 10 and methods for shuffling a set of playing cards into a desired order. Generally, the desired order is randomly determined prior to the shuffling operation. However, it should be noted that the desired order may be any desired order, e.g., not necessarily randomly determined.

As discussed below, the desired order may be randomly determined using a random number generator (RNG). The present invention may be configured, for example, to shuffle eight decks of a playing cards. Each deck of cards may or typically include 52 cards consisting of an Ace card, cards 2-10, and three face cards (Jack, Queen, and King) each in four suits (hearts, diamonds, spades and clubs). This results in a total of 416 cards. The desired order places each card from the set of 416 cards in an order from 1 to 416 defining a set of shuffled cards.

As discussed in more detail below, the device 10 and methods of the present invention provides a two-pass shuffling operation to place a set of cards consisting of 8 decks of cards in which the cards are in any order into the desired order. To facilitate the two-pass shuffling operation, the desired order is converted into a two-dimension matrix having a predetermined number of rows and columns.

In the illustrated embodiment, the predetermined number of rows is equal to the predetermined number of columns. The predetermined number of rows and columns may be calculated by taking the square root of the total number of cards (416) and rounding up to the next whole number. The square root of 416 is ˜20.40, so in the illustrated the matrix has 21 rows and columns.

An exemplary matrix 9 is shown in FIG. 1E. The exemplary matrix 9 includes 441 cells arranged in 21 rows and 21 columns. Each of the cards in the desired order is assigned to a respective cell in the matrix. In FIG. 1E, each card is presented by a two-character code. The first character represents the value of the card, and the second character represents the suit of the card (h=hearts, d=diamonds, s=spades and c=clubs). The matrix 9 represents the desired order when stacked together.

For example, in the illustrated embodiment, each row represents a sub-stack of cards with the card in the first column on top of the sub-stack and the card in the twenty-first column on the bottom of the sub-stack. When the sub-stacks are stacked together with the sub-stack represented by the first row on top of the sub-stack represented by the second row, and so forth, the sub-stacks represent the set of cards in the desired order.

With reference to FIG. 1A, the device, or shuffling device, 10 includes a card receiving area 4, a card reader 5, a shuffling mechanism 6, a card receiver or shuttle 8, and a controller 7. The card receiving area 4 is configured to receive an unshuffled set of physical playing cards. The card receiver 8 includes a plurality of card receiving pockets 8A. In the illustrated embodiment, the number of card receiving pockets 8A is equal to or greater than the number of rows or columns in the matrix 9.

The shuffling mechanism 6 is associated with the card receiving area 4 for receiving physical cards from the cards receiving area 4 and controllably placing the cards into respective card receiving pockets 8A of the card receiver 8. The card reader 5 is associated with the shuffling mechanism 6 for reading card information from the cards as the cards pass through the shuffling mechanism 6. In one embodiment, the card reader 5 may be a camera. The controller 7 is connected to the card reader 5 and the shuffling mechanism 6.

With reference to FIGS. 1B, 1C and 1D, in one embodiment, the controller 7 implements and is configured to perform a method M10 for shuffling the cards received in the card receiving area 4 by placing the cards into the desired order defined by the matrix 9. With specific reference to FIG. 1B, in a first step S10A, a virtual deck structure is established. In the illustrated embodiment, the virtual deck structure is defined by the matrix 9. As discussed above, the matrix 9 defines or provides a virtual card assignment for a plurality of cards. In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of cards includes the cards in a predetermined number, for example, 8, of decks of cards. The matrix 9 has a plurality of cells organized in a predetermined number of rows and a predetermined number of columns. Each card of the plurality of cards is associated with one of plurality of cells within the matrix 9. The step of establishing the virtual deck structure may include randomly assigned a virtual card to each cell matrix 9. Alternatively, step of establishing the virtual deck structure may include the step of reading a pre-established or predetermined virtual deck structure from a set of stored virtual deck structures.

In a second step S10B, a first pass or first shuffling pass operation is performed on the set of cards received in the card receiving area 4 to form a partially shuffled set of cards (see below). In a third step S10C, a second pass or first shuffling pass operation is performed on the set of partially shuffled set of cards to form a shuffled set of cards.

With reference to FIG. 1C, a method M20 associated with the first pass or first shuffling pass operation according to an embodiment of the present invention. In a first step S20A, a set of physical playing cards are received into the card receiving area 4. In one embodiment, the set of physical playing cards may be placed into the card receiving area 4 by a user. In a second step S20B, the cards are fed, for example, one by one, from the card receiving area 4 into the card shuffling mechanism 6. In a third step S20C, as the cards are transported by, and within, the card shuffling mechanism, the card reader 5 is used to capture card information from each card. For example, the card reader 5 may be a camera that captures an image of each card which is then used by the controller 7 to identify the card. In another example, card reader 5 may be a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader configured to read RFID tags within playing cards. In a further example, card reader 5 may be a bard code reader configured to read specialized bar codes displayed on plying cards.

In a fourth step S20D, the card information from the card reader 5 and the matrix 9 (or virtual deck structure) is used to generate information regarding a first assigned card receiving pocket 8A for each of the cards fed from the card receiving area 4.

In the illustrated embodiment, each pocket 8A of the card receiver 8 is able to hold or accommodate at least the number of cards in each row or column of the matrix 9, for example 21 cards. In the first pass, once each card is identified, the column of the matrix 9 in which the identified card belongs is established. In the illustrated embodiment, the cards in each column represent the ith card in each sub-stack which corresponds to the position of each card in the associated sub-stack. In other words, during the first pass the set of cards are organized or shuffled such that each card is placed in a pocket 8A corresponding to the associated column in the matrix 9 which corresponds to the position of each card in the associated sub-stack. Thus, at the end of the first pass, each card is in the pocket 8A corresponding the associated column in the matrix 9 which corresponds to the position in the sub-stack. It should be noted after the first pass, the order of the cards in each pocket 8A does not necessarily correspond to the associated row in the matrix 9.

Returning to FIG. 1C in a fifth step S20E, the cards are delivered, via the shuffling mechanism 6, into the associated first assigned card receiving pockets forming a partially shuffled set of cards.

When the partially shuffled cards are removed from the card receiver 8 and received back into the card receiving area, the cards in each pocket 8A (or sub-stack) are placed on top of each other. In the illustrated embodiment, the cards in the twenty-first pocket 8A are at the bottom of the partially shuffled set of cards and the cards in the first pocket 8A are at the top of the partially shuffled set of cards.

With reference to FIG. 1D, a method M30 associated with the second pass or second shuffling pass operation according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. In a first step S30A, the partially shuffled set of cards are received into the card receiving area 4 of the shuffling device 10. As discussed above, in one embodiment a user may remove the partially shuffled set of cards from the shuffling mechanism 6 and place the card back into the card receiving area 4. Alternatively, the shuffling mechanism 6 may be configured to automatically place the partially shuffled set of cards back into the card receiving area 4.

In a second step S30B, the cards are fed back, one at a time, into the shuffling mechanism 6 from the card receive area. In a third step S30C, the card information, e.g., value and suit, are established for each of the cards fed from the card receiving area 4. In one embodiment, the card information may be established using the card reader 5. Alternatively, the card information and position in the set of partially shuffled cards after the first pass may be stored in memory associated with or otherwise in communication with controller 7.

In a fourth step S30D, information regarding a second assigned card receiving pocket for each of the cards fed from the card receiving area based on the associated card information and the matrix 9 is established. After the first pass, the card information for each of the cards in each pocket may be stored in memory. Alternatively, the card information for each of the cards may be read again by the card reader 5 as the card passes through the shuffling mechanism 6.

In a fifth step S30E, the cards are delivered, using the shuffling mechanism, into the associated second assigned card receiving pockets forming a shuffled set of cards. As mentioned above, in the partially shuffled set of card, each sub-stack of cards (from the first pass) consists of cards in the same (ith) position in the desired order. In the second pass, the cards may then be delivered into the correct pocket 8A based on the matrix 9. In other words, in the partially shuffled set of cards, the twenty-first cards at the bottom all belong in the twenty-first position of each sub-stack in the desired order. As these cards are fed into the shuffling mechanism 6, the cards are identified and delivered into the (now-empty) pockets 8A of the card receiver 8. After the first twenty-one cards are sorted, the next twenty-one cards are sorted and delivered. These cards are the twentieth cards in the sub-stacks of the desired order and are delivered into the correct pocket 8A on top of the twenty-first card. Once all cards from the set of partially shuffled cards in the card receiving area 4 have been identified and sorted into the correct pocket 8A, the set of shuffled cards may be assembled by removing the cards from the pockets 8A and stacked on top of each other.

It should be noted that the steps in the methods FIGS. 1B-1D may be performed in any order. Further, as stated above, the present invention may be used to shuffle a set of playing cards into a desired order which may be random or predetermined. For instance, the desired order may form sets of predetermined hands of cards for use in a specific game of cards.

First Embodiment of a Shuffler

One example of a card shuffler of the disclosure will be described first with reference to FIGS. 2A-15. Generally, the card shuffler 20 is designed to sort or shuffle a single deck of cards into a predetermined order (which may be a predetermined random order). However, the card shuffler 20 may be adapted to, and operated, in a manner to shuffle into a predetermined order (which may be random) using two passes (see above).

As illustrated, the shuffler 20 may comprise a housing 22 which contains, supports or otherwise defines one or more features of the shuffler 20. As illustrated, the housing 22 generally has an upper portion 24 and a lower portion 26. As further illustrated, the shuffler 20 has a front or first end 28, a rear or second end 30, a first side 32, a second side 34, a top 36 which is defined by the upper portion 24 of the housing 22 and a bottom 38 which is defined by the lower portion 26 of the housing 22. In the illustrated example, the housing 22 has a length along a line extending through the front or first end 28 and the rear or second end 30, and width along a line extending through the first and second sides 32, 34, wherein the length is greater than the width.

In certain examples, the lower portion 26 of the housing 22 comprises a generally closed space or enclosure for various components of the shuffler 20. The lower portion 26 may, as illustrated in FIG. 7, have a base portion that generally defines the bottom 38 of the shuffler 20, and then an upwardly extending wall that defines a portion of each side 32, 34 and the front 28 and rear 30 of the shuffler 20. The upper portion 24 is positioned above the lower portion 26 of the housing 22. In certain examples, as better illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the upper portion 24 defines a card receiving and dispensing area 40 and a raised containment area or console 42 which also defines or supports a control panel 44.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, the bottom 38 of the shuffler 20 may be generally planar. In certain examples, one or more feet 46 may extend downwardly therefrom, such as to support the shuffler 20 when it rests on a surface.

Referring to FIG. 6, In certain examples, the rear 30 of the shuffler 20 may be defined in part by the wall of the lower portion 26 of the housing 22. As illustrated, one or more intake vents 48 may be located at the rear 30 of the shuffler 20. An electrically powered and motor driven fan 50 may be used to draw air through the intake vent 48 into the interior of the shuffler 20.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 7, one or more air exhaust vents 52 may be provided, such as by being located at the front 28 of the shuffler 20, such as in the lower portion 26 of the housing 22. Air that is drawn into the interior of the shuffler 20 (via the intake vent 48) may be exhausted via these exhaust vents 52. In certain examples, one or more interfaces are provided, such as located at the front 28 of the shuffler 20. As illustrated, these interfaces may comprise a power cable port 54 (such as defining a male power coupler for receiving the female end of a power cord), a power switch 56 for turning power on and off to the unit, and one or more communication interfaces 58. Such communication interfaces 58 might comprise one or more of a CAT 6, CAT 5/5e, USB, Firewire, or other communication ports, such as for receiving an associated communication cable.

In certain examples, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the lower portion 26 of the housing 22 may define an inset 60. This inset 60 may be configured, along with an adjacent portion of the housing 22, to form a handle. This handle may be used, for example, by an installer to pick up the shuffler 20, such as during transport and/or installation.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, the lower portion 26 of the housing 22 may define an outwardly extending flange 62, such as an intersection of the lower portion 26 with the upper portion 24 of the housing. The flange 62 may extend around the entire shuffler 20, or might be in one or more locations. As described in more detail below, the flange 62 may define a mounting location for one or more features of the shuffler 20, and may also serve as a supporting surface or stop for mounting the shuffler 20. For example, when the shuffler 20 is mounted to a gaming table, the shuffler 20 may be lowered into an opening in a supporting surface of the table, with the lower portion 26 of the housing 22 located under the gaming table surface and the flange 62 resting upon the surface and thus generally supporting the shuffler 20.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, the raised or console area 42 of the upper portion 24 of the housing 22 extends upwardly at the front 28 of the shuffler 20. As indicated, a control panel 44 may be associated with the raised area 42. In certain examples, the control panel 44 generally faces towards the front 28 of the shuffler 20. The control panel 44 may comprise one or more input and output devices, such as one or more video displays 64 for displaying information, and at least one indicator 170 (as illustrated, two indicators might be provided). Each indicator 170 might comprise, for example, an LED light.

The raised area 42 may be defined by a body or cover that is connected to the lower portion 26 of the housing 22. One or more features of the control panel 44 may be connected to that body or cover. As detailed below, the body or cover may extend over internal features of the shuffler 20, such as a moving card receiver, a card ejector and the like.

The card receiving and dispensing area 40 is located rearwardly of the raised area 42, between the raised area 42 and the rear 30 of the shuffler. In certain examples, the card area 40 comprises a card receiving or infeed area 70 and a card dispensing area 72. The card receiving area 70 may comprise a recessed or depressed area in the upper portion 24 of the housing 22. In certain examples, the card receiving area 70 is card shaped, e.g. generally rectangular in shape, such as having first and second opposing side walls and first and second opposing end walls which extend between the side walls, a generally open top and a generally closed bottom. The length of the side walls and the width of the end walls are configured to define a card receiving area 70 which is slightly larger in dimension than the cards of a standard card deck. As illustrated, the card receiving area 70 may be oriented so that its longer sides (corresponding to the height of a playing card from a top end to a bottom end thereof) extend generally parallel to a line through the sides 32, 34 of the shuffler 20, and so that its shorter sides (corresponding to the width of a playing card from side to side thereof) extend generally parallel to a line through the front 28 and rear 30 of the shuffler 20. As described below, in this orientation, the card receiving area 70 is configured to receive cards and deliver them into the shuffler 20 in a “sideways” orientation. The sidewalls and end walls may extend generally vertically upward from the bottom (at 90 degrees thereto, or in other examples, at angles slightly greater than 90 degrees, whereby the walls generally tilt slightly outward such that a dimension of the open top of the card receiving area 70 is larger than the dimension of the bottom, whereby the slight slope in the walls tends to guide cards placed in the card receiving area 70 towards the bottom thereof).

In certain examples, as best illustrated in FIG. 4, a finger recess 74 is located at a top and a bottom of (or in other words, at or in the end walls of) the card receiving area 70. The finger recesses 74 are sized to receive one or more fingers of a user who is gripping the top and bottom ends of one or more stacked cards that are being placed into or being removed from the card receiving area 70. In certain examples, as best illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 13, the finger recesses 74 may extend downwardly below the card supporting bottom of the card receiving area 70 (e.g. below the plane that the bottom card lies in when cards are located in the card receiving area 70). As illustrated, this configuration may be facilitated by the finger recesses 74 being located at both ends of the card receiving area 70 and outside (laterally) of card feed rollers (described below). A particular advantage to this configuration is that in order to securely grip a set of cards a user may place their fingers so that they extend beyond or below the bottom card of a set of cards. In the configuration described, the user's fingers are then accommodated in this position as the cards are being placed into (or removed from) the card receiving area 70.

In the illustrated example, the card dispensing area 72 is located between the card receiving area 70 and the raised area 42 of the upper portion 24 of the housing 22, whereby the card receiving area 70 is located at the rear 30 of the housing, the card dispensing area 72 is located adjacent to the card receiving area 70 towards the front 28, and the raised area 42 is located adjacent to the card dispensing area 72 towards the front 28, generally along a longitudinal line through the housing 22 through the front 28 and rear 30. In this manner, as described in more detail below, the card dispensing area 72 can receive cards which are ejected or dispensed outwardly from the shuffler 20 at the raised area 42 thereof.

Like the card receiving area 70, the card dispensing area 72 comprises a recessed or depressed area of the housing 22. The card dispensing area 72 may similarly comprise a generally rectangular-shaped area which is sized to receive one or more cards in a “sideways” orientation (e.g. with the cards oriented such that a line running through them lengthwise from top to bottom extends generally perpendicular to a line running through the shuffler 20 from the front 28 to the rear 30). The card dispensing area 72 may also comprise one or more finger recesses 76, such as at a location corresponding to a top and bottom or the ends of the card dispensing area 72, and thus the top and bottom of cards located therein.

As best illustrated in FIG. 8A, in certain examples, a top of the card receiving area 70 is generally coplanar with (e.g. at approximately the same elevation as) the top of the lower portion 26 of the housing 22, and thus the flange 62 thereof (thus, when the flange 62 is positioned on a supporting surface, the top of the card receiving area 70 is positioned above the supporting surface). On the other hand, a top of the card dispensing area 72 is generally higher than the top of the card receiving area 70. As illustrated, the top of the card dispensing area 72 is generally defined by a card ramp 158 and the top of a divider 78 (both described in more detail below), which are positioned higher than the flange 62 and the top of the card receiving area 70 (whereby a top of the card dispensing area 72 is in a plane which is higher than a plane containing the top of the card receiving area 70).

Both the card receiving area 70 and card dispensing area 72 extend downwardly below the flange 62, and thus downwardly into the lower portion 26 of the housing 22. When the flange 62 is resting upon a surface of a gaming table, this means that at least the bottom of the card receiving area 70 and the bottom of the card dispensing area 72 are generally located below the table surface.

As illustrated, the card receiving area 70 and the card dispensing area 72 are separated, such as by an upwardly extending divider 78. In certain examples, the divider 78 effectively forms one of the sidewalls of the card receiving area 70 and one of the sides of the card dispensing area 72. In certain examples, the divider 78 extends upwardly above the card receiving area 70 and the card dispensing area 72, such as to a height where a top thereof is located above the flange 62 and thus above a gaming table surface when the shuffler 20 is mounted therein. In certain examples, the divider 78 not only serves to divide the card receiving area 70 from the card dispensing area 72, but also accommodates a moveable side wall 80 which is associated with the card receiving area 70, and serves as a stop for cards which are ejected onto and sliding down the card ramp 158 of the card dispensing area 72.

In one example, the bottom of the card dispensing area 72 slopes, such as downwardly in the direction of the card receiving area 70. As described below, this allows cards which are ejected from the shuffler 70 and sliding down the card ramp 158 to be directed towards the divider 78 and position where they are easily retrieved for dealing.

Additional details of the shuffler 20, including the operation thereof, will now be described, primarily with reference to FIGS. 8A-14.

Card Infeed

In certain examples, the shuffler 20 includes a card infeed mechanism. The card infeed mechanism is configured to retrieve or take cards from the card receiving area 70 and deliver them to a card shuffling mechanism (which is described below and may comprise a card receiver) in the shuffler 20. In certain examples, the card infeed mechanism thus comprises means for moving cards from the card receiving area 70 to the card shuffling mechanism.

As described in more detail below, a user of the shuffler 20 places one or more cards, such as one or more decks of cards, into the card receiving area 70. In certain examples, the card infeed mechanism is configured to grab or retrieve cards from the bottom of the stack or deck of cards that is located in the card receiving area 70.

In certain examples, one wall, or at least a portion thereof, which defines the card receiving area 70 is movable. The wall may comprise a moveable side wall 80 which comprises a generally planar body that is movable from a first position to a second position. The first position may comprise a raised or retracted position, such as where the moveable side wall 80 is generally vertically extending (and generally extends approximately 90 degrees relative to the bottom of the card receiving area 70 and generally parallel to the other side wall and the end walls). In the first position, the movable side wall 80, or at least a face or surface thereof, defines part of a peripheral boundary of the card receiving area for cards located therein. The second position may comprise a tilted or extended position where the moveable side wall 80 extends into the card receiving area 70. In this position the moveable side wall 80 may extend at an angle, such as to a horizontal or other substantially non-vertical position. In the second position, the movable side wall 80 is configured to engage one or more cards in the card receiving area 70, such as by contacting a top card in the card receiving area 70 (where there may be one or more cards in the card receiving area 70).

As best illustrated in FIG. 8C, the card dispensing area 72 may be at least partially defined by a first tray 75. The first tray 75 may, for example, comprise a molded plastic body that is supported by frame elements (described in more detail below) of the shuffler 20 within the lower portion 26 of the housing 20. This first tray 75 may define at least part of the divider 78, such as a front wall or face thereof that faces the card dispensing area 72. Likewise, the card receiving area 70 may at least partially defined by a second tray 71. This second tray 71 may again comprise a molded plastic body that is supported by frame elements of the shuffler 20 (as illustrated, the second tray 71 may define one or more openings, such as for the rollers 84 and card sensor 88, described below). In one embodiment, the first tray 75 and the second tray 71 may be selectively disconnectable from the shuffler 20, such as to access components adjacent to the trays, such as for service.

In one example, the side of the second tray 71 at or facing the divider 78 is open. This side or wall of the card receiving area 70 (which essentially comprises the rear face of the divider 78) may be defined by a base support 73 and the moveable side wall 80. The base support 73 may comprise a supporting or mounting element, such as a metal plate that is associated with the frame structure in the housing 20. The movable side wall 80 may be movably mounted to the base support 73 and thus be movable relative to the base support 73 and the divider 78, such as by pins (such as located at opposing ends of the movable side wall 80 near a bottom portion thereof, whereby the movable side wall 80 is essentially ‘hinged” so that it rotates about the bottom thereof relative to the base support 73). The moveable side wall 80 may thus rotate relative to the base support 73, such as via or about the pins, where as illustrated, the pivot location may be raised from a bottom of the card receiving area 70. When the moveable side wall 80 is moved to its vertical position, it fits within or retracts into a recessed portion of the divider 78, whereby a face of the moveable side wall 80 becomes one side or boundary of the card receiving area 70 (which thus constrains cards located therein), as best illustrated in FIG. 8C.

Still referring to FIGS. 2 and 8A, the moveable side wall 80 may have a length from its pivot point to its opposing or free end which is relatively short (and preferably, of a length that allows the movable side wall 80 to fit within the divider 78 when the movable side wall is in its vertical position). For example, the length of the movable side wall 80 may be such that when it is tilted into the card receiving area 70, it only extends about ⅓ of the way across the card receiving area 70 towards the other side (when the movable side wall 80 is tilted to a generally horizontal position), thus only engaging a portion of one side of the top card in the card receiving area 70. In this regard, in one example, the movable side wall 80 comprises just a portion of one of the sidewalls of the card receiving area 70. The exact size of the movable side wall 80 might vary.

Means are also provided for moving the moveable side wall 80, such as by a motor M1 which drives a pulley P1 which is associated with the moveable side wall 80, via a belt B1, as illustrated in FIG. 11A. As described in more detail below, operation of the moveable side wall 80 may be controlled by a controller, including based upon input from one or more sensors. In particular, in certain examples, at least one sensor 88 may be provided for sensing one or more cards in the card receiving area 70. As illustrated in FIGS. 8A and 13, the card sensor 88 may be located at a bottom of the card receiving area 70, such as where the sensor is located under the bottom of the card receiving area 70 and where the bottom of the card receiving area includes a window or opening. The card sensor 88 may comprise, for example, an IR or other optical sensor which has an emitter which sends a beam of light outwardly through the opening or window and into the card receiving area 70. If one or more cards are located in the card receiving area 70, the light will be reflected back and be detected by a detector of the sensor 88 (and which sensor does not detect the light when no cards are located in the receiving area 70).

As indicated, the operation of the moveable side wall 80 may be controlled by a controller. The controller may control the motor M1, including based upon information obtained by the controller from the card sensor 88. In certain examples, the motor M1 may be configured to drive the moveable side wall 80 with a relatively constant torque (such as by setting the motor to operate at a constant velocity in order to approximate constant torque), thus ensuring constant pressure on the cards in the card receiving area 70.

In certain examples, the controller is, after a short time delay from when the card sensor 88 detects cards in the card area, configured to move the moveable side wall 80 so that it tilts and engages the top of the cards in the card receiving area 70. The moveable side wall 80 is moved back to its vertical position and does not move back into the card area when no cards remain in the card receiving area 70 (as determined by the sensor 88).

In some instances, a user may inadvertently place a second set or deck of cards into the card receiving area 70 when a first set or deck is already located in the receiving area 70 under the moveable side wall 80. In certain examples, the controller is configured to receive information, such as from a card reader/sensor, which allows the controller to determine the number of cards which have been processed by the shuffler. Thus, when the controller determines, based upon a card count, that all cards of a deck have been processed, if the card sensor 88 detects that cards are located in the card receiving area 70, the controller can determine that cards were inadvertently placed into the card receiving area 70 on top of the moveable side wall 80. In such instance, the controller is preferably configured to output an error message to the user that instructs the user to remove the cards. Once the cards are removed (as detected by the card sensor 88), the controller can retract the moveable side wall 80 so that the user can place the cards back into the card receiving area for processing (at which time the moveable side wall 80 is again lowered into position against the top of that next set of cards). The controller will then begin processing (shuffling) that next set of cards, such as instructed by the user.

The card infeed mechanism also comprises means for moving the cards. In certain examples, as best illustrated in FIG. 4, one or more rollers 84 are associated with the card receiving area 70, such as by being positioned at the bottom of the card receiving area 70. One or more, and preferably at least two, of those rollers 84 are preferably driven rollers (e.g. such as driven by a motor M2 via one or more belts B2, as illustrated in FIG. 10). Additional rollers may be provided, such as idler top rollers (not shown). In this manner, one or more of the rollers 84 which are in contact with the bottom-most card in the card receiving area 70, are configured to draw or drive that card from the card receiving area 70 into the interior of the shuffler 20, as best illustrated in FIG. 8A. In certain examples, cards are driven or moved from the card receiving area 70 through a slot in the housing 22 into the interior of the shuffler. In this manner, individual cards are moved, one at a time (e.g. sequentially as they are removed from the bottom of the card receiving area 70), from the card receiving area 70 into the shuffler 20.

As illustrated in FIGS. 8A and 10, one or more additional rollers 84 or other feeding/moving devices are used to move the cards to the card shuffler. For example, as illustrated, multiple pairs of rollers 84 (one or more of which may be driven or idler rollers) may be used to move each card generally horizontally from the card receiving area 70 through the shuffler 20 linearly to the card shuffler.

As illustrated in FIG. 10, one or more motors M3 may be used to drive one or more of the rollers, such as the driven (as opposed to idler). The one or more motors M3 may drive the rollers directly or indirectly, such as by rotating one or more belts B3 (which belts may be driven by pulley which is driven by the motor and which drives a pulley which is associated with the driven roller, such as where the pulley is mounted on an axle of the roller). Of course various drive mechanisms might be used to drive the rollers (including direct drives, gear drives, etc.). As described below, the motors may be controlled by the controller, such to selectively drive the rollers.

Shuffling Mechanism

In certain examples, cards which are delivered from the card receiving area 70 are delivered to a card handler or shuffling mechanism. The card handler is preferably configured to shuffle, e.g. randomly arrange, the cards, and more preferably, randomly arrange the cards into one or more groups, sets or hands (as used herein the term “hand” may mean a complete set of cards which is dealt or provided to a player or dealer, but may also comprise other groups of cards, such as sets of community cards, replacement cards for discarded cards and the like).

In certain examples, as best illustrated in FIGS. 8A and 9, the card handler comprises a movable card receiver 90 having a plurality of card slots or pockets 92, and means for selectively moving the card receiver 90 in order to direct cards into particular pockets 92.

As illustrated, the card receiver 90 comprises a plurality of dividers 94. The dividers 94 are separated from one another, thus defining the plurality of card slots or pockets 92. In one example, the dividers 94 are arranged or stacked vertically, thus defining a plurality of vertically spaced pockets 92. The card receiver 90 may comprise a top or a top divider, a bottom or a bottom divider and a plurality of intermediate dividers therebetween.

For reasons described in more detail below, and as best illustrated in FIG. 9, the card receiver 90 may comprise a first set of dividers and a second set of dividers which are separated by a slot or channel 96, or where the dividers otherwise simply define such a channel 96. This slot or channel 96 causes the card receiver 90 to have a reduced weight as compared to one where the dividers 94 do not include such a slot. In addition, as described below, this channel 96 facilitates passage of a card pusher 152 into the card pockets 92 in order to eject the cards.

As illustrated in FIGS. 8A and B, each card divider 94 preferably defines a generally planar card supporting portion, such as at top thereof, and at least one card receiving ramp 98. The card ramp 98 comprises a sloping surface which leads from a front of the card divider 94 towards the rear thereof at which the generally planar card supporting portion is defined.

As described below, certain card dividers 94 may define only a “top” card ramp 98 (e.g. one associated with the top of the divider), while others define top and bottom card ramps 98 (e.g. one associated with the top of the divider and one associated with the bottom of the divider). In certain examples, each card divider 94 that has only a top card ramp may have a nominal thickness (a thickness or height except at the ramped area) of about 0.11 inches. When a thickness of each playing card which is being shuffled by the shuffler 20 is about 0.011 inches, this causes those dividers 94 to have a thickness of about 10 (and preferably more than 10) times the thickness of each card. The card dividers 94 which have top and bottom ramps may have a thickness of about and 0.2 inches. When a thickness of each playing card which is being shuffled by the shuffler 20 is about 0.011 inches, this causes those dividers 94 to have a thickness of about 20 times the thickness of each card.

A height of each card ramp is about 0.08 to 0.09 inches, such that a ratio of the height of each card ramp to the thickness of the cards is about 7-8 (when the thickness of the cards is about 0.011 inches).

The card dividers 94 are separated from one another a distance H of about 0.125-0.145 inches (between a top surface of one divider and the bottom surface of an adjacent divider), whereby a ratio of the height of each pocket 92 to the thickness of each card is about 11-13 (when the cards have a thickness of about 0.011 inches).

In certain examples, each card ramp 98 slopes at an angle of around 10-11 degrees. When considering the thickness of the card divider 94 noted above, the ramps thus extend rearwardly from the front of each card divider 94 towards the rear thereof a distance of about 0.466 inches.

The term “about”, with respect to the noted dimensions, in one example comprises a variable amount that accounts for manufacturing tolerances and variations and is an amount which does not affect the intended operation of the feature. In one example, the term may comprise an amount such as +/−10% of the indicated dimension.

In certain examples, the card dividers 94 are constructed from metal, such as aluminum, or other material which has a low coefficient of friction, a low wear rate and is not subject to bending or warping (such as plastic), as such characteristics are important in ensuring that the card dividers 94 work properly as described below (including by directing incoming cards into the associated card pockets 92).

As indicated above, certain card dividers 94 define only a top card ramp 98 (e.g. one associated with the top of the divider), while others define top and bottom card ramps 98 (e.g. one associated with the top of the divider and one associated with the bottom of the divider). In certain examples, one or more card pockets 92, those of a first type, are defined between the upper card ramp 98 on one divider 94 and the lower card ramp on another divider. Other card pockets 92, those of a second type, are defined between the lower card ramp 98 on one divider 94 and the generally planar top surface of another divider. In one example, the top divider 94 may only define a bottom card ramp and the bottom divider 94 may only define a top card ramp.

In the example illustrated, the card receiver 90 defines fifteen (15) card pockets 92. In certain examples, twelve (12) of those card pockets 92 are pockets of the first type, and they are located at the top of the card receiver 90. The remaining three (3) card pockets 92, those of the second type, are located at the bottom.

In certain examples, card pockets 92 of the first type are configured to receive cards in a first configuration. In certain examples, this comprises “top stacking” of cards, wherein when more than one card is placed in the pocket, cards are stacked on top of one another (e.g. a first card is delivered to the pocket and then a second card is delivered to the pocket on top of the first card). In certain examples, the card receiver 90 is moved so that the card divider 94 which is above the card pocket 92 to which the card is to be delivered is aligned with the card to be delivered, as illustrated in FIG. 8A. An incoming card is moved horizontally so that it hits the card ramp 98 on the bottom of the divider 94, as best illustrated in FIG. 8B. If the card being delivered to that card pocket 92 is the first card being delivered to that pocket, that card then falls to the bottom of the pocket 92 (e.g. onto the top of the divider below). If the card being delivered to that card pocket 92 is the second card being delivered to that pocket, that card impacts the ramp of the divider and then falls on top of the first card already in the pocket 92. The number of cards which are located in a “top stacking” pocket 92 may vary (such as depending upon the intended use of the cards, such as for discards, etc.).

In certain examples, card pockets 92 of the second type are configured to receive cards in a second configuration. In certain examples, this comprises “top and bottom stacking”, wherein cards may be stacked from above or below (e.g. cards may be delivered so that they are stacked on top of the cards which are already in the pocket or are placed below the cards that are already in the pocket). In certain examples, if a card is to be delivered to the card pocket 92 from above, the card receiver 90 is moved so that the card divider 94 above the desired pocket 92 is aligned with the card and then the card is delivered in the same manner as described above. If, however, a card is to be delivered to the card pocket 92 from below, the card receiver 90 is moved so that the card divider 94 below the desired pocket 92 is aligned with the card. The card is then delivered, hitting the ramp 98 of the card divider 94 at the bottom of the pocket 92 and then being pressed inwardly under any existing cards in that pocket 92. Again, the number of cards which are placed into a “top and bottom stacking” pocket 92 may vary, such as based upon the intended use of the cards. In one example, the “top and bottom stacking” pockets 92 may be used for randomizing cards, such as for randomizing two cards relative to one another, but might also be used for larger numbers of discard cards, etc.

The total number of card pockets 92 and/or the number of card pockets of the first and second types might vary from the configuration described herein, such as depending upon the particular application (such as the particular game or games for which the shuffler 20 supplies cards). For example, the card receiver 90 might have more card pockets 90 of the second type than the first type. In addition, the size of the pockets 92 might vary in other applications, such as depending upon the total number of cards that might be desirably delivered to a particular pocket 90.

In certain examples, means are provided for retaining cards which are delivered to the pockets 92 in the pockets to which they are delivered. In particular, to prevent the cards which are being delivered to a pocket 92 from passing therethrough (towards the front of the shuffler in FIG. 8A), the card receiver 90 may include, as illustrated in FIG. 8A, a front wall 95, or the dividers 94 may include walls, stops or the like. In addition, the means may also comprise means for preventing a card that is being delivered into one of the card pockets 92 from rebounding back out of the pocket. In particular, the force of a card impacting the front wall or stop may cause the card to rebound and travel back through the pocket (in the direction of the rear of the shuffler 20). In certain examples, as best illustrated in FIGS. 8A and 13, a card stop 110 is provided for this purpose. In certain examples, the card stop 110 comprises an arm 112 or other body which is movably mounted, such as for pivoting movement, and has a stop portion 114. As illustrated, the arm 112 may be somewhat “L” shaped, having a first end which is pivotally mounted to the shuffler and a second end which comprises the stop 114.

Means are provided for moving the arm 112, such as from a retracted position (in which it does not block the card pocket 92 to which cards are being delivered) to an extended position (in which it is positioned adjacent the front or open end of a card pocket 92). As illustrated, this means might comprise a linkage 116 which is driven by a rotating drive 118, such as a crank mechanism which is driven by a motor. As illustrated, forward and/or reverse rotation of the drive causes the linkage 116 to move, such as back and forth about its pivot. In certain examples, this movement is controlled by the controller of the shuffler 20.

As indicated, and as best illustrated in FIGS. 8A and 9, the card receiver 90 is movable, preferably in a vertical linear direction to a plurality of target positions (for delivering the cards to assigned pockets 92). A means is thus provided for moving the card receiver 90. In certain examples, the means comprises an elevator (for elevating—e.g. raising and/or lowering). In one example, the elevator comprises a motorized belt drive. As illustrated, a motor M4 may be configured to rotate belt B4 which rotates about a pulley 122. In one example, the card receiver 90 is coupled to the belt B4, such as by a connector 123. In this manner, as the belt B4 moves up and down, it pulls the card receiver 90 up and down. In one example, the motor M4 may comprise a stepper motor or motors of other types, and the motor might be configured to drive or move the card receiver 90 in other manners (e.g. direct drive, geared drive, etc.).

As described below, the controller of the shuffler 20 may be used to control the operation of the motor M4, thus controlling movement and position of the card receiver 90. This control of the card receiver 90 allows for placement of cards into different card pockets 92.

Card Eject

Once the cards are shuffled by associating them with the pockets 92 of the card receiver 90, they can then be delivered to the card dispensing area 72 for retrieval by the dealer. In certain examples, the shuffler 20 includes a card ejector 150 for moving cards from the card pockets 92 to the card dispensing area 72.

Referring to FIGS. 8A, 12 and 14, in certain examples, the card ejector 150 comprises a pusher 152 and means for moving the pusher 152. The pusher 152 may comprise a body having a face 154. The pusher 152 is preferably movable from a retracted position in which it is positioned behind (in the direction of the front of the shuffler 20) the card receiver 90 so that it does not interfere with movement of the card receiver or placement of cards into the card pockets, and an extended position in which it extends into the channel 96 of the card receiver and can push cards in one of the pockets 92 rearwardly out of that pocket.

In certain examples, when it is desired to eject cards, the controller moves the card receiver 90 into a position in which the pusher 152 is aligned with the desired card pocket 92. The pusher 152 is then extended, causing the face 154 to contact the cards in the aligned card pocket 92 and force them rearwardly.

In certain examples, the face 154 of the pusher 152 has a height which is equal to or greater than a height H of each card pocket 92 (e.g. the distance between the top of one card divider 94 and the bottom of the card divider 94 above it). In certain examples, the height H of each card pocket H is about 0.125-0.145 inches, and the height of the face 154 of the card pusher 152 is about 0.25 inches (whereby the height of the face 154 is greater than the distance between adjacent dividers 94, ensuring that the face 154 will contact and push all cards in a pocket 92 between two dividers 94 out of the card receiver 90, but where the height of the face 154 is not greater than the distance between two adjacent dividers 94, including the thicknesses of the dividers 94, whereby the pusher 152 will not push cards out of more than one pocket 92). As noted above, in one example, the card receiver 90 includes a central channel 96. In certain examples, the width of the pusher 152 is less than the width of the channel 96, thus allowing the pusher 152 to move into the channel 96, and thus between opposing portions of each card divider 94. Thus, when the pusher 152 is in its forward position, it is positioned inside of the card receiver 90, e.g. between the front and back of the card receiver at one of the card pockets 92, and thus forces any cards in that pocket rearwardly and out of the pocket. As noted above, because the height of the face 152 of the card pusher 152 is equal to or greater than the height of the card pocket 92, the card pusher 152 assuredly pushes all of the cards out of the corresponding pocket, no matter how many are in the pocket (e.g. the cards in the pocket cannot ride over the top of the pusher or the stack of cards in the pocket cannot be so high that the pusher does not engage all of them).

In certain examples, the ejected cards move generally horizontally and pass through a gate or opening 156 to the exterior of the shuffler 20 (behind the raised area 42 of the upper portion 24 of the housing 22), and onto a sloping card ramp 158 that leads to the card dispensing area 72. As best illustrated in FIG. 8A, the gate 156 may comprise a hinged or rotating door type structure which opens (to allow cards to pass therethrough) and closes (to obscure the interior of the shuffler from exterior view). The gate 156 may be moved by a means for moving, such as a motor or other drive.

As indicated, the pusher 152 is moved by a means for moving. In certain examples, this comprises belt B5 which is mounted on a first driven pulley 160 and a second idler pulley 161. A motor M5 drives the driven pulley 160, which in turn drives a belt B5. The pusher 152 is connected to the belt B5, such as by a clamp 163, whereby movement of the pulley 160 effectuates direct movement of the pusher 152.

In the example illustrated, and as described above, the cards are ejected at a vertical position of the shuffler 20 which is higher than the elevation or vertical position at which the cards are placed into the card receiving area 70 and delivered from the card receiving area 70 into the shuffler.

Additional features and benefits of the disclosure will now be described.

In certain examples, as illustrated in FIG. 8A, the shuffler 20 may include a card reader 180. The card reader 180 may comprise an image capture device (such as CCD, CMOS or other types now known or later developed), which is configured to capture an image of each card, or in one example, read the card PIPs (the symbols printed on the cards that determine their rank and suit) that is shuffled. In certain examples, the card reader 180 may be configured to read or scan cards as they pass from the card receiving area 70 to the card shuffler, and particularly to capture an image of the bottom or “face” of each card (that bears the card distinguishing indicia, such as rank and suit). In this regard, as noted above, during this process, cards are individually moved in sequence from the card receiving area 70 to the card receiver 90, allowing each of them to be separately read. In other examples, the device might comprise other types of sensors for sensing, reading or otherwise capturing one or more elements of information about the cards, such as the card rank and/or suit or other identifying information of the card. Further, the location of the card reader 180 may vary.

In certain examples, the captured card information, such as the captured card images, is not used in the card shuffling process—e.g. is not used to determine the order or placement of the cards. As indicated above, this is done using an RNG and without regarding to the particular identity of each card. However, by scanning each card, the identity of each card can be matched to its determined location in the card receiver 90 (as determined by the RNG process) and each associated group of cards. In this manner, information is known regarding the cards dealt to each player, the dealer, to the community, etc., which information may be used for a variety of purposes (triggering bonuses, confirming game wins, etc.). In one example, the read card information is stored in association with information regarding the card's location (the assigned pocket), such as in the memory of the shuffler 20. In one example, the read card information and the card location for each card is generated and stored in the memory before each card reaches the card receiver 90. In one example, the stored card information may comprise an image of the read card information, while in others, the read card information might be transformed, such as from an image to data regarding the card (such as instead of an image of the card, the image information could be converted to information such as 8+).

Card Shield

As indicated, in certain examples, cards are ejected through the gate 156 onto the ramp 158 that leads to the card dispensing area 72. As further described, in certain examples, the gate 156 (FIG. 8A) and card ramp 158 are elevated, thus allowing the cards to move down the ramp 158 from the gate 156 to the card dispensing area 72. Because the top of the card dispensing area 72 is generally level with the top of the lower portion 26 of the housing 22, it is thus at approximately the same level as the surface of a gaming table in which the shuffler 20 is installed. This means that the gate 156 is then located above the height of the table surface, raising the potential for persons to see the face of the cards (which are facing downwardly when ejected).

Because this is undesirable, in certain examples, a card shield 190 may be provided. As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, the card shield 190 preferably comprises a wall or barrier that extends upwardly around at least a portion of the card area 40. The card shield 190 may be connected to the flange 62 (see FIG. 7) of the lower portion 26 of the housing 22 and then extend upwardly therefrom. In certain examples, the card shield 190 extends upwardly a sufficient height to prevent viewing of cards being ejected, such as by extending upwardly to approximately the same elevation as the gate 156, as illustrated in FIG. 8A. In certain examples, the card shield 190 is constructed from aluminum, plastic or a similar material, and is opaque to prevent persons from seeing through it. The card shield 190 may also serve additional functionality, such as a protector against spilled drinks or the like (wherein the upwardly extending configuration of the card shield 190 also reduces the potential for spilled liquid or the like from getting into the card area 40).

The card shield 190 may comprise one or more bodies or sections. As illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B, in certain examples, the card shield 190 comprises a first barrier 192 which is located at the first side 32 of the shuffler 20 and extends from generally the raised area 42 of the upper portion 24 of the housing 22 to the rear 30 of the shuffler 20, and a second barrier 192 which is located at the second side 34 of the shuffler 20 and extends from generally the raised area 42 of the upper portion 24 of the housing 22 to the rear 30 of the shuffler 20.

Of course, the card shield 190 might have other configurations, such as comprising a single barrier member or more than two. Further, the card shield 190 may be connected to the flange 62 in manners other than fasteners, such as screws. For example, the card shield 190 might be formed as an integral portion of the housing 20.

When the card shield 190 includes first and second barriers for location at generally opposing sides of the shuffler 20, in some examples, only one of the barriers might be used at a given time, such as depending upon the orientation of the shuffler 20 relative to the dealer and players. For example, only the first barrier 192 might be used or only the second barrier 192 might be used at a given time.

Belt Tensioner

As indicated above, in certain examples of the disclosure, a means for moving the card receiver 90 comprises an elevator, such as in the form a belt drive which is comprised of a motor M4 which drives a belt B4 (to which the card receiver 90 is connected, such as with one or more clamps) which is mounted drive element of the motor and an idler pulley 122. It is important to ensure that the card receiver 90 moves and stops quickly and precisely. Therefore, any deflection of belt B4 is problematic.

In certain examples, the shuffler 20 of the disclosure includes a belt tensioner 200. As illustrated in FIGS. 11A-D, the driven pulley 122 may be movably mounted, such as on a first movable mount 210. The first movable mount 210 is preferably movable linearly towards and away from the motor M4 and/or the element that the motor drives to turn the belt B4 (such as by slidable mounting of the first movable mount 210 to a frame element 312, described in more detail below). In this manner, the tension on the belt B4 may be increased (when the first movable mount 210 is moved upwardly in this example) or decreased (when the first movable mount 210 is moved downwardly in this example). In another examples, the position of the driving pulley might be movably mounted.

The belt tensioner 200 may include a tensioning adjuster. As best illustrated in FIG. 11D, a second movable mount 212 may also be provided, where the second movable mount 212 may also be configured for sliding/linear movement relative to the frame element 312). As illustrated, a resilient element such as a coil spring 214 is preferably positioned between the second movable mount and the first movable mount 210. Means are provided for adjusting the compression of the coil spring 214, and thus the force applied to the first movable mount 210. This means may comprise, for example, a threaded bolt 211 which passes through the movable mount 210 and engages second movable mount 212.

In use, the user may adjust the force applied to the first movable mount 210 by turning the bolt 211, thus compressing or decompressing the spring, thus changing the upward force on the first movable mount 210 via the spring 214. In order to set the desired tension on the belt, the user may release fasteners 213 which lock the first movable mount 210 in position. The user may then set the desired force on the movable mount 210 by turning the bolt 211 (which changes the distance between the first movable mount 210 and the second movable mount 212, and thus the biasing force generated by the spring 214 therebetween). When the desired upward force is applied to the first movable mount 210 (and thus the amount of tension on the belt B4), the user may lock the first movable mount 210 in position via one or more fasteners 213 (which are associated with the first moveable mount 210 and may move relative to a slot in the frame element 312). Advantageously, if the belt B4 stretches, the user can release the fasteners 213, adjust the force applied to the first movable mount 210, and then re-lock the first movable mount 210 in the newly adjusted position. This adjustment might be performed during designated maintenance on the shuffler 20.

Construction and Calibration

Another aspect of the disclosure comprises a construction of the shuffler 20, including the design and interconnection thereof to accommodate and maintain tight tolerances. As best illustrated in FIG. 12, various components of the shuffler 20 may be associated with a frame. The frame may be located within the housing 22 and the various portions of the housing 22 may thus cover and/or connect to the frame.

In certain examples, the frame may comprise a base or base plate 310, such as a generally planar plate comprising machined aluminum. Elements of the card infeed system, including the motors M1-M3, the rollers 84 and associated features (including, as illustrated, elements of the shuffler 20 that comprise or define the card receiving area 70 and card dispensing area 72) may be associated with first and second vertical supports 312, 314 that extend upwardly from the base plate 310 (and are spaced from one another). Other frame elements, such as an end cap 316 or other elements, may be associated with the base plate 310 and/or first and second vertical supports 312, 314.

In certain examples, the movable card receiver 90 is associated with third and fourth vertical supports 318, 320. The third and fourth vertical supports 318, 320 are also connected to the base plate 310. The first and second vertical supports 312, 314 may also be connected to the third and fourth vertical supports 318, 320.

As illustrated in FIG. 12, the frame may include other elements, such as one or more downwardly extending supports 322, 324, such as for supporting the shuffler 20.

The various elements of the frame may be connected to one another in various manners, such as with fasteners. In certain examples, one or more of the frame elements may be interconnected, such as in a tab and slot arrangement. Such a configuration aids in ensuring that the frame elements are maintained in alignment (because of the rigidity of the frame elements themselves and the contact of the frame elements with one another, rather than merely by fasteners alone, which can loosen and also not adequately counter-act bending forces). Secondarily, fasteners may be used to join the frame members, such as for further counter-acting bending forces.

In certain examples, a means may be provided for adjusting the position of one or more components of the shuffler 20, such as to ensure continued alignment of the components. In certain examples, this means may comprise a means for adjusting the position of the card receiver 90 relative to the card infeed mechanism. As described above, in certain examples, cards are fed in along a generally linear and horizontal path from the card receiving area 70 to the card receiver 90. It is important to maintain alignment of the card receiver 90 relative to the card infeed mechanism in order to ensure that cards are properly fed to the card receiver 90—including so that the cards impact the card ramps 98 of the card dividers 94 and are directed to the proper card pockets 92.

In certain examples, as illustrated in FIG. 11B, a first calibration mark or indicator 326 may be provided on a portion of the frame which supports the card infeed mechanism, such as the first vertical support 312. A second calibration mark or indicator 328 may be provided on a portion of the card receiver 90.

In one example, a user (such as a technician) may calibrate the shuffler 20 by aligning the calibration marks (in that over time, the position of the card receiver 90, etc., may get out of alignment). As one example, the user may access a calibration feature, such as by a menu of the controller (which is described below). The calibration feature may, for example, allow the user to provide up/+ or down/− inputs which the controller uses to cause the motor M4 to move, thereby adjusting the position of the card receiver 90, until the technician confirms that the calibration marks are aligned (by visual inspection and continued adjustment inputs). In other examples, the calibration might be manual, such as by providing one or more adjustment screws or bolts which, when turned, cause the position of one or more of the elements of the shuffler 20 to move.

Controller

As indicated above, operation of the shuffler 20 is preferably controlled by at least one controller. The controller may comprise hardware and/or software, such as a processor which executes machine-readable code (e.g. software) which is stored in a memory. As illustrated in FIG. 8A, one or more of the components of the controller may be associated with a circuit or motherboard.

In one example, the shuffler 20 has a main controller or CPU 175 and a secondary controller or microcontroller 177. As illustrated in FIG. 15, the main controller 175 and the secondary controller 177 may be configured to receive information, including inputs or data from external devices and systems via the one or more communication ports or interfaces 58, one or more buttons 66a,b, the card sensor 88, a card reader 180 (as described below) or other input devices of the shuffler 20. One of the main controller 175 and the secondary controller 177 are also configured to illuminate the indicators 170 and cause information to be displayed on the video display 64, as well as control other elements of the shuffler 20, such as the various motors (including motors M1-M5) or other drive mechanisms, the fan(s) 50, etc.

It will be appreciated that the shuffler 20 may include, and the main controller 175 and/or secondary controller 177 may thus communicate with, a variety of sensors other than those described in detail above. For example, aside from the card infeed sensor 88, other sensors such as motor, card or other sensors might be provided for enabling and/or confirming operation of the shuffler 20. For example, various sensors might be used to detect motor positions, the absence or presence of portions of the housing 22, the presence of one or more cards in the card receiver 90, the presence of cards in the card dispensing area 72 (such as used to determine when to eject another set of cards) and/or the location or movement of cards. For example, one or more sensors may be used to determine the flow of cards through one or more portions of the shuffler 20, such as from the card receiving area 70 to the card receiver 90. In one example, these sensors might comprise “cut-beam” type sensors (where the presence of a card cuts an emitted light beam), and where the one or more sensors may be positioned so that movement of the cards is detected in manner which can be used to determine if the cards are moving at a target rate or speed (where if the beams emitted by the sensors are not cut or triggered at designated times or time intervals so as to indicate normal flow of cards, a fault condition may be triggered). As indicated, the sensors may be of various types, such as beam sensors, Hall-Effect sensors, pressure, contact or other types.

In one example of the disclosure which is described in detail below, aspects of the operation of the shuffler 20 may be separately controlled by the main controller 175 and the secondary controller 177. The main controller 175 and the secondary controller 177 may be in communication with one another, and the secondary controller 177 may be used primarily to generate card pocket information, receive input from the card sensor 88 and buttons 66a, 66b, and control the motors M, such as the motor M4 which is used to move the card receiver 90 to cause incoming cards to be associated with particular assigned/designated pockets 92.

As detailed below, in certain examples, the main controller 175 is configured to generate one or more groups of cards, such as one or more hands or sets of cards. The number of groups or sets and the number of cards of each group of set might be defined by the game which is being played. For example, in a game of stud poker where each player receives five (5) cards and four (4) players are playing the game, the main controller 175 may generate a virtual deck structure for the particular selected game or operation. This virtual deck structure comprises a randomized virtual deck structure, such as generated using a random number generator (RNG). This virtual deck or virtual deck structure may be stored in a first memory 178 which is associated with the main controller 175.

As also detailed below, in one example, the secondary controller 177 is configured to assign physical cards to the pockets 92 of the card receiver 90, such as based upon information regarding the virtual deck structure. The secondary controller 177 may store the card pocket or location information in a memory, such as a second memory 179 (the second memory 179 might comprise a separate memory or data storage device from the first memory 178 which is associated with the main controller 175, or might comprise separate portion or area of a common memory device), separate from the virtual deck information which is generated and stored by the main controller 175. The secondary controller 177 may be configured to move the card receiver 90 (such as via a control signal to the motor M4) for location of each card into its assigned pocket 92.

The main controller 175 may store read card information (such as obtained from the card reader) in correlation to the virtual deck, thereby generating “hand” information (e.g. information regarding each card which is associated with each hand of the game). This correlated card or “hand” information may also be stored in the first memory 178 which is associated with the main controller 175.

In certain examples, the main controller 175 is configured to only cause information to be displayed on the one or more video displays 64 in response to a user input, such as the one or more buttons 66a,b or a touch-device or screen (such as associated with the video display 64) or other input device. In one example, the buttons 66a,b comprise first and second buttons which are located at or adjacent to the card receiving and dispensing area 40. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the buttons 66a,b might be located adjacent to the card receiving area 70, such as near the flange 62. The buttons 66a,b might be of various types which are configured to receive user input, such as via touch or depression. The buttons 66a,b might comprise one or more visual indicators, such as a light or light ring, wherein the visual indicator might be selectively illuminated, such as in different colors.

In certain examples, at least one indicator 170 (such as LEDs) may provide information to the user. The indicators 170 might be provided, for example, at the control panel 44 portion of the shuffler 20. As illustrated, the indicators 170 might be located adjacent to the display 64. However, it might be located in other positions. In one example, the indicators 170 might be illuminated in different colors (such as green (normal operation), yellow (indicating required input by the user to the shuffler) and red (warning condition, such as requiring technician intervention)). In one example, the visual indicators of the buttons 66a,b, may be synchronously illuminated to the indicator(s) 170.

In certain examples, when the main controller 175 is awaiting instructions or input by a user, it may activate the indicators 170 and buttons 66a,b, such as by illuminating the LEDs in yellow. The user is then alerted that they need to provide input to the controller, such as to cause the controller to display certain information to the user, including instructions, options or other information. This input might comprise input to a button 66a,b and/or input to the display 64.

In certain examples, the main controller 175 may, in response to such user input, be configured to display various information in response to user input, such as information regarding options to begin shuffling, create hands for particular games, stop shuffling, display shuffled hand information, or other information. The user may provide input, such as relative to such selections, to cause the shuffler 20 to initiate shuffling, including creating shuffled hands for a particular game.

As indicated, the shuffler 20 is preferably configured to shuffle cards and create one or more groups of cards, such as hands which are required for the play of a game. The main controller 175 may allow the user to select a particular game being played and/or other parameters, so that the controller can control the shuffler 20 to create the correct number of hands (whether player or dealer hands) and/or community card sets, including with the correct or desired number of cards per hand/set. As indicated, the shuffler 20 may also generate information regarding the identity of each shuffled card, such as in relation to the virtual deck, thus enabling the shuffler 20 to store and display “hand” information (e.g. information regarding each particular card in group of cards formed by the shuffler 20).

In some examples, the main controller 175 may be programmable (such as via external connection to another device, such as a laptop or server) in order to reprogram the controller, such as to include information regarding additional or new games, and/or the user may be permitted to similarly program the controller. Game or other information, such as the number of sets of cards, number of cards per set, etc., may be stored in the memory and be used by the processor to generate the required number of sets or hands of cards and/or sets or hands of cards with particular numbers of cards, for different types of games.

FIG. 16 illustrates one example flow of the general operation of the shuffler 20. In a step S1, the shuffler 20 may be powered on, such as by use of the power switch 56, if the shuffler is not already powered on. In a step S2, the dealer may provide input of a particular operation, such as by selecting an option from a menu or list displayed by the display 64, such as via the associated touch-screen. The option may comprise, for example, a shuffling and hand-dealing operation associated with a particular game.

In step S3, the secondary controller 177 may be configured to receive the selected operation input and then check for cards in the card receiving area 70, such as based upon an output of the card sensor 88. If no cards are detected, the operation may repeat until the dealer places cards into the card receiving area 70. At this time, the movable side wall 80 is located in its vertical position.

When cards are detected in the card receiving area 70, the main controller 175 may, as denoted at step S4, generate virtual deck information or a virtual deck structure for the particular selected game, based upon the particular features of the game-such as based upon the number of player cards, dealer cards, community cards and the like that are needed to present the game. The virtual deck information is created using an RNG which thus “shuffles” the cards of the virtual deck to create a shuffled virtual deck, where the physical cards (each of which is identified by an ordinal number indicative of its position in the physical deck of cards) are each linked to a corresponding virtual deck card (having an associated position for use in the game). This operation may yield, for example, virtual deck information, such as where individual cards of the physical deck which is located in the receiving area 70 are assigned (using respective ordinal numbers indicative of positions in the physical deck which is being shuffled) to virtual deck positions, such as “Physical Deck Card 1: Player Hand 2, Card 1; Physical Deck Card 2: Player Hand 1, Card 1; Physical Deck Card 3: Dealer Hand, Card 1, etc.” In one example, this virtual deck information is created before actual shuffling begins by the main controller 175, and before the read card information (e.g., actual rank and suit) of each of the physical cards is known. This virtual deck information may be stored in the first memory 178 which is associated with the main controller 175. FIG. 17 further illustrates this aspect of the invention, wherein the main controller 175 has created a first data set which comprises random assignment of physical cards to a virtual deck, where the virtual deck is defined by the cards and/or card sets which are necessary to implement the selected game.

In a step S5, the secondary controller 177 receives information about the virtual deck (some or all of the virtual deck information) from the main controller 175 and uses that information to generate card slot or pocket 92 data. For example, upon being provided with information which identifies that the virtual deck provides card sets for 5 player hands, 1 dealer hand and 1 community card set, the processor may elect to route each incoming card that corresponds to a first player hand to slot 2, cards corresponding to the dealer hand to slot 1, the cards corresponding to the community cards to slot 8, etc., and with discards or extra cards routed to other slots. This aspect of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 17, wherein the secondary controller 177 may create a third data set which comprises an assignment of each physical card to one of the card locations (card receiver pockets 92 in this example).

The secondary controller 177 may then activate the movable sidewall 80, such as by activating motor M1, in order to begin processing of the cards, as at step S6. As indicated above, this activation may cause the movable sidewall 80 to move from a vertical position to a tilted position in which it contacts the cards in the card receiving area 70. At the same time, the secondary controller 177 preferably actuates or drives the card infeed mechanism, such as by activating motor M2 and driving the rollers 84, thus drawing cards from the bottom of the card receiving area 80, such as indicated at step S7.

In step S8, each in-fed card may be read by the card reader 180 and that read card information is analyzed and is stored in a read card data structure, such as in the first memory 178 (or a memory associated with the card reader, etc.). In one example, this structure associates each read card (using its ordinal number) with its card information, such as “Physical Deck Card 1: A custom-character ; Physical Deck Card 2: 4♥, etc.). This aspect of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 17, wherein a second data set is created, where the second data set comprises card information for each physical card.

In step S9, each card is routed to the card receiver 90 for placement in a slot or pocket 92—as assigned in step S5 noted above. Importantly, in one example, the placement process is performed by the secondary controller 177 which operates the card receiver 90, which processor is, as noted above, separate from the shuffler's main controller 175. The secondary controller 177 preferably moves the card receiver 90 (such as by activation of motor M4) so that the pocket 92 to which each card is assigned is aligned with the incoming card, allowing each card to be moved to its assigned pocket. In one example, this process of in-feeding cards and directing them to pockets continues (as at step S10) until all cards have been processed from the card receiving area 70 (at which point the infeed mechanism may be deactivated, including by moving the movable sidewall 80 back to its vertical position and turning off the motors M2 and M3 which drive sets of the rollers 84).

In one example, the shuffler 20 is capable of generating information regarding each dealt hand, undealt hand, etc., as in step S11. This information is generated by the main controller 175, which matches the read card information to the virtual deck information. As indicated, because the ordinal number of each card in the physical deck that is being shuffled is mapped to a virtual deck position via the virtual deck information and because the read card information maps the ordinal number of each card to respective read card data via the read card information, mapping of the read card information to the virtual deck information thus accurately maps the read card data to the cards that are dealt in the game, and particularly to each hand or other location. This is done independently of the card receiver or pocket 92 locations where the cards are assigned by the secondary controller 177. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 17, the hand information may be generated by simply linking the card information for each read card to the corresponding card in the virtual deck—e.g. in the example provided, “card 2” is known to be the 4♥, and card 2 was assigned to Player Hand 1 in the virtual deck, so it is then known that the 4♥ is one of the cards of Player Hand 1 as formed and outputted by the shuffler (this information may be generated by linking the first and second data sets, including by forming a new combined data set). The correlation of the read card data to the virtual deck may be performed by the main controller 175 prior to the cards being moved from the card receiver 90 to the card dispensing area 72 for dealing. However, to ensure that this information is not available to the dealer or players before the game is complete (such as for recall or display via the display 44), the correlated information is sequestered in a secure memory (such as first memory 178 or a separate memory) and can't be accessed.

The cards may then be ejected. As indicated, in step S12, the main controller 175 (either directly or via the secondary controller 177) may cause the card receiver 90 to move vertically up and down so that individual pockets 92 are aligned with the card ejector 150. The main controller 175 (either directly or via the secondary controller 177) may then activate the card ejector 150, causing the pusher 152 to push the cards associated with a pocket 92 out of the card receiver 90, as at step S13, so that the cards are dispensed into the card dispensing area, as reflected at step S14, where they may be retrieved by the dealer. As indicated herein, in one example, the main controller 175 is configured to process the cards into one or more groups, such as hands, whereby the hands (whether player hands, a dealer hand, one or more community cards, etc.) are dispensed to the card dispensing area 72 for retrieval by the dealer.

Advantages and Other Aspects of the Design

The shuffler 20 may have various advantages and solve various problems over existing shuffling or card handling devices.

Advantages of the top of the card dispensing area 72 being higher than the top of the card receiving area 70 may be that it facilitates a card receiver 90 (described below) that has numerous card slots or pockets 92, while still permitting the card receiver 90 to have the range of motion (in the vertical direction) which is necessary to both align the pockets thereof with cards being fed into the pockets by the card infeed mechanism of the shuffler, and also to allow the card receiver 90 to move vertically to a position in which the pockets 92 can be aligned with the card ejector 150.

As indicated, another feature of the disclosure is a shuffler 20 having a card receiving area 70 with a moveable sidewall 80. The moveable sidewall 80 forms a portion of the card receiving area 70, such as one sidewall thereof, when in a first or vertical position. At the same time, the movable sidewall 80 can be tilted into the card receiving area 70 to engage the top of the one or more cards therein, thus aiding in forcing the cards downwardly to be drawn from the bottom of the card receiving area 70 into the shuffler 20 by the infeed mechanism. This design is compact and does not require a separate arm or weight that takes up space in the shuffler 20 and requires other components to be relocated.

In one example of the disclosure, the shuffler 20 generates three different data sets or structures: 1) a virtual deck information; 2) read card information and 3) card receiver location information. In this configuration, the processor (e.g. the secondary controller 177) which operates the card receiver generates the card receiver or pocket location information for each card, but is not provided with, and thus does not know and does not need or use, the read card information (rank/suit) of any card in the card receiver 90. Correspondingly, the main controller 175 generates the virtual deck information and is provided with the read card information (rank/suit), but is not provided with, and thus does not know and does need or use, the card receiver or pocket location informing indicating the location where the cards are assigned in the card receiver.

One advantage of such a configuration is that the main controller 175 of the shuffler 20 does not need to be customized to work with a particular shuffling apparatus, such as a particular card receiver. Instead, the main controller 175 only needs to provide a generic virtual deck output, and does not have to generate card location data which is specific to a particular card receiver or be capable of generating specific instructions for moving (e.g., operating) the card receiver. Thus, the main controller 175 could work with various types of card receivers, where the card receiver, including its physical structure and sub-processor, are configured as a “plug and play” unit. Another advantage is that in this configuration, information regarding the compositions of the hands used in the game doesn't rely on where the cards are placed into a carousel, receiver or other structure. Instead, the read card information is mapped directly to the virtual deck, and thus to the actual card hands which are dealt by the dealer.

Second Embodiment of a Shuffler

With reference to FIGS. 18A-18D, 19, 20A-20B, 21, 22, 23A-23B, 24-27, 28A-28B, 29A-29B, 30A-30B, 31A-31B, 32A, 32B, and 33A-33B, a shuffling device or card shuffler 400 according to a second embodiment is shown. The card shuffler 400 is a multi-pass shuffler that automatically performs two pass or two shuffling operations (see above).

With specific reference to FIG. 18A, the card shuffler 400 includes the controller 7, an infeed elevator 410, an outfeed elevator 412, the card shuffling mechanism 6, the card reader 5, the card receiver 8, and a pusher mechanism 14. In the illustrated embodiment, the card shuffling mechanism 6 includes a transport mechanism 18, a card stack moving mechanism 430, and a card receiver lifting mechanism 450.

As shown in FIGS. 18B-D, the card shuffler 400 includes a top 402 with a top surface 404. The card shuffler 400 may be configured to be installed within a cabinet or a table (such as a gaming table) (not shown). The top surface 404 of the top 302 may be configured to be flush with a top of the cabinet or table in which the card shuffler 400 is installed.

The card shuffler 400 may include a user interface 406 with a display 408, an infeed elevator 410 and an outfeed elevator 412. In general, the infeed elevator 410 may rise to the top of the table so that unshuffled cards may be loaded into the infeed elevator 410 and lower the cards to the shuffling mechanism 6 (see below). The outfeed elevator 412 catches or receives ejected cards from the card receiver 8 (see below). The user interface 406 may also include a plurality of user inputs (not shown) which may include a number of mechanical switches, buttons and/or touchscreen buttons (not shown) implemented on the display 408. The user interface 406 is coupled to the controller 7 and allows a user to control the card shuffler 400.

In the illustrated device, the card receiving area 4 is implemented or embodied in the infeed elevator 410. The infeed elevator 410, under the control of the controller 7, may rise, in response to user actuation of the user interface 406 (see FIG. 18). This allows the user to place or insert, in the direction of arrow 414, a set of unshuffled cards into the infeed elevator 410. In the illustrated embodiment, the infeed elevator 410 may accommodate up to eight decks of playing cards.

Once the user has inserted the cards, the infeed elevator 410 may be lowered through the user interface 406. As shown in FIG. 19, card shuffling device 400 includes a frame 416, located below the top 402, in which the other components of the card shuffling device 400 are mounted. With reference to FIG. 19, the infeed elevator 410 may be raised and lowered in directions along arrow 418. In the illustrated embodiment, the infeed elevator 410 may be raised and lowered via a motor (and series of belts and rollers (see below) under control of the controller 7.

The shuffling mechanism 6 may include a serial of infeed rollers 420 for transporting individual cards from the bottom of the infeed elevator 410 towards the card receiver 8. With reference to FIGS. 28A-28B, the card receiver 8 may include a shuttle 422. In the illustrated embodiment, the shuttle 322 includes twenty-two pockets or shelves 424. Twenty-one of the pockets 424 are used in the shuffling process (see above) and one of the pockets 424 may be used for discards. Further, in the illustrated embodiment, each pocket 424 may hold at least twenty-one cards.

The controller 7 controllably moves the shuttle 422, via an appropriate motor (see below) relative to the shuffling mechanism 6 and the infeed rollers 420 to align a respective one of the pockets 424 with the infeed rollers 420. As discussed above, as the physical cards are fed through the shuffling mechanism 6 (in the direction of arrow 444) by the infeed rollers 420, the card reader 5 establishes card information, including value and suit, and the controller determines which pocket 324 in which the card should be deposited. The controller 7 moves the shuttle 422 up or down accordingly such that each card may be deposited into the correct or desired pocket 424.

With specific reference to FIG. 21, the card shuffler 400 may further include a card ejector mechanism 426. As shown, the card ejector 426 may include a pusher 428 for ejecting cards from each pocket 424. The pusher 428 of the card ejector 426 may be configured to push the cards in each pocket 424 into the outfeed elevator 412. In the illustrated embodiment, the cards are ejected into the outfeed elevator 412 at the end of each pass. At the end of each pass, the shuttle 422 is moved to align the shuttle 422 with the card ejector 426 such that each of the pockets 424 of the shuttle 422 is aligned with the pusher 428 in turn. For example, first the twenty-first pocket 424 may be aligned with the pusher 428 and the pusher extended (as shown in FIG. 21) to push the cards in the twenty-first pocket 424 into the bottom of the outfeed elevator 412. Then the shuttle 422 may be moved to align the twentieth pocket 424 with the pusher 428 and the pusher extended to push the cards in the twentieth pocket 424 into the outfeed elevator 412 on top of the cards from twenty-first pocket. This is repeated until all of the pockets 424 have been emptied. In this manner, a set of partially shuffled card is formed at the end of the first pass and a set of shuffled cards is formed at the end of the second pass (see above).

With specific reference to FIGS. 22-23 and FIGS. 30A-30B, in the illustrated embodiment the card shuffler 400 may further include a card stack moving mechanism 430 configured to move (in the direction of arrow 432) the cards in the outfeed elevator 412 back into the infeed elevator 410 at the end of the first pass. In the illustrated embodiment, the card stack moving mechanism 430 constrains the cards on at least three sides and moves the entire stack of cards in the outfeed elevator 412 to the infeed elevator 410 along a set of tracks (not shown). As shown in FIGS. 30A-30B, the card stacking moving mechanism 430 may include a motor (not shown) and one or more bands 429, under control of the controller 7 to controllably move the card stacking mechanism 430.

Once the cards are back into the infeed elevator 410, the cards may be fed through the shuffling mechanism 6 during the second pass and sorted into the pockets 424 of the shuttle 422 (FIG. 24). Once the second pass has been completed, the cards in the pockets 424 of the shuttle 422 may again be ejected into the outfeed elevator 412 using the card ejector 426 and the pusher 428 (FIG. 25).

Once the cards have been ejected from the shuttle 422, the set of shuffled cards is located within the outfeed elevator 412 and the outfeed elevator 412 may be raised in the direction of arrow 434 (see FIG. 26) such that the shuffled card may be removed (by a user) in the direction of arrow 436 (see FIG. 27).

Generally, with reference to the drawings and in operation, the shuttle 422, card ejector 426, and card stack moving mechanism 430, are moveable under control of the controller 7 using a series of motors and belts.

With specific reference to FIGS. 20A and 20B, in one embodiment, the set of rollers 420 of the transport mechanism 18 includes a first set of rollers 340 and a second set of rollers 342. The first set of rollers 340, under control of the controller 7, controllably moves the cards from the first card receiving area 4 into the shuffling mechanism 6. The second set of rollers 342, under control of the controller 7, controllably moves the cards from intermediate area 344 into the card receiver 8.

With specific reference to FIG. 20A, the first set of rollers 340 are driven by a first motor 346 and a set of belts 348 and the second set of rollers 342 are driven by a second motor 350 and a set of belts 352. The card reader 5 is positioned adjacent the intermediate position 344.

Under control of the controller 7, the first motor 346 drives the first set of rollers 342 at a first speed to grab the bottom-most card in the first card receiving area 4 and transporting the card towards the intermediate position 344. Once the card reaches the intermediate position 344, the first motor 346 and the first set of rollers 340 are paused, allowing the card reader 5 to obtain card information from the card. Thereafter, the second motor 350 drives the second set of rollers 342 at a second speed to transport the card from the intermediate position 344 to, and into, the card receiver 8. The second speed may be greater than the first speed to ensure the card has been moved out of the intermediate area 344 before the next card is transported by the first set of rollers 340 into the intermediate area 344.

With reference to FIGS. 18A, 19, and 21, the card receiver lifting mechanism 450 includes a third motor 354 and a band 356. The third motor 354, under control of the controller 7 raises and lowers the card reader 5.

Card Stack Pusher

As discussed above, in the second embodiment, the card shuffler 400 may include a card stacking moving mechanism or card stack pusher 430 configured to move the partially shuffled cards (after the first pass) from the outfeed elevator 412 back to the infeed elevator 410 (in the direction of arrow 429). With particular reference to FIGS. 35A-35B, in one embodiment the card stack moving mechanism 430 may include a card retention structure 438 configured to surround a stack of cards (represented by box 440 in FIG. 35A).

The card retention structure 438 includes two side plates 442, a rear plate 444, and a bracket 448. The two side plates 442 and rear plate 444 may be machined from any suitable metal or made from any suitable material. In the illustrated embodiment, the side plates 442 are connected to the rear plate 444 may suitable fasteners 446. The bottom of the stack of cards 440 may be supported by, and slid over, a plate (not shown).

The card stack moving mechanism 430 allows the card shuffler device 400 to move the partially shuffled cards from the outfeed elevator 412 back to the infeed elevator 410 to complete the dual pass shuffling process (without requiring the dealer to remove the partially shuffled cards from the outfeed elevator 412 and insert the cards back into the infeed elevator 410).

The bracket 448 may be connected to the stepper motor 431 by a band or belt 429 (see above). The card stacking moving mechanism 430 may be configured to move the stack of cards 440 a predetermined stroke distance, e.g., 7″, from the outfeed elevator to the infeed elevator.

In the illustrated embodiment, the card stack moving mechanism 30 may be configured to move all of the cards being shuffled, for example, up to 8 decks of cards. In alternative embodiments, the card stack moving mechanism 30 may be configured to move less then all of the cards being shuffled in a single stroke, thus requiring multiple strokes or pushes to move all of the cards.

Card Receiver Lifting Mechanism with Counterweight

As discussed above, the card shuffler device 400 may include a card receiver lifting mechanism 450 coupled to the card receiver 8 or shuttle 422 and configured to controllably raise and lower the shuttle 422 relative to the shuffling mechanism 6. With reference to FIGS. 18A, 19, 21, 37A-37E, the card receiver lifting mechanism 450 may include a frame 452, an upper roller 454, a lower roller 456, a belt 458, and a third motor 460.

In the illustrated embodiment, the frame 452 is formed by the card shuffler device 400 and includes an upper end 452A adjacent the top 402 of the card shuffler device 400 and a lower end 452B adjacent or near the bottom of the card shuffler device 400. As shown, the upper roller 454 is positioned or mounted near the top end 452A of the frame 452. The lower roller 456 is positioned or mounted near the bottom end 452B of the frame 452. The belt 458 is suspended between the upper and lower rollers 454, 456. In other words, the belt 458 is positioned around the outer surface of the rollers 454, 456. In one embodiment, the belt 458 is under tension providing a friction interface between the belt 458 and the rollers 454, 456.

In an other embodiment, the rollers 454, 456 may be gears, i.e., or have teeth or ridges and the belt 458 may be complimentary teeth or ridges along an inner surface of the belt 458 forming a friction interface therebetween.

The motor 460 is coupled to one of the upper and lower rollers 454, 456 and is configured to controllably rotate the one of the upper and lower rollers 454, 456. In the illustrated embodiment, the motor 460 is coupled lower roller 456.

As shown, the shuttle 422 is mounted to, or connected to one side of the belt 458.

During operation, the shuttle 422 exerts forces due to the weight and inertia of the shuttle 422 upon the motor 460, the belt 458, the interface therebetween, and associated mechanisms. In the illustrated embodiment a counterweight 462 is coupled to an opposite side of the belt 458. In operation, when the shuttle 422 goes up, the counterweight 462 goes down, and vice versa.

In FIG. 37A, the counterweight 462 is located adjacent the top end 452A of the frame and the shuttle 422 is located adjacent the bottom end 452B of the frame 452. In FIG. 35B, the counterweight 462 is located adjacent the bottom end 452B of the frame and the shuttle 422 is located adjacent the top end 45A of the frame 452. In FIG. 35C, the counterweight 462 and the shuttle 422 are located at or near a mid-point between the top end 452A of the frame and the bottom end 452B of the frame 452.

With reference to FIGS. 37D-37E, in one embodiment the counterweight 462 is connected to the belt 458 via a bracket 464. In the illustrated embodiment, the bracket 464 may be connected to the counterweight 462 via a plurality of fasteners 466.

In one embodiment, the bracket 464 includes a first bracket member 464A and a second bracket member 464B. The first and second bracket members 464A, 464B are fastened together via a plurality of fasteners 468. In the illustrated embodiment, the belt 458 is sandwiched between the first and second bracket members 464A, 464B, creating a friction interface therebetween.

Dual-Pass Shuffling or Sorting Example

With reference to FIGS. 34A-34H, a dual-pass or shuffling or sorting example will now be explained. In this example, a deck of 25 cards will be sorted into a desired card sequence. The desired card sequence may be a random sequence that is predetermined or some other predetermined sequence. In this example, the cards are represented by a double digit using only the digits 1-5, which in this example correlates to five separate shelves. With reference to FIG. 34A, a representation of the entire deck of cards using two digits is shown. In this example, the representation in FIG. 34A represents the desired card sequence, with the left most card in the representation, “11” being the bottom card and the right most card, “55” being the top card in a vertically stacked deck of cards.

A representation of the input or scrambled sequence of cards is shown in FIG. 34B. This scrambled sequence of cards could represent the state of the deck of the cards after having been used. in FIG. 34B, in the illustrated embodiment, the left most card, “52”, represents the first card to be initially sorted by the dual pass shuffler and the right most card, “32” represents the last card to be initially sorted.

As discussed above, the input or scrambled sequence of cards may be fed one at a time into the dual pass card shuffler 400. In this example, in the first pass the cards are sorted or placed into the shelves based on or otherwise correlate to the second digit. Thus with reference to FIG. 34C, the first card from the input sequence, i.e., the “52” card is inserted into the second shelf (sh2). The second card, “33”, is inserted into the third shelf (sh3), and the third card, “24” is inserted into the fourth shelf (sh4).

With reference to FIG. 34D, the rest of the cards are sorted or inserted into one of the shelves (sh1-sh5) accordingly. It should be noted that in the illustrated embodiment, the cards are inserted into the shelves at the top of the shelf. In other words, if the card is the first card inserted into a shelf, it is on the bottom of the shelf. Subsequent cards are inserted on top of the card(s) already in the shelf. This, in the illustrated embodiment, the cards in the first column of each shelf represent the bottom most card in the shelf.

As discussed above, the cards may then be ejected from the shelves. In the illustrated embodiment, the cards in the first shelf, sh1, are ejected first. Then the cards in the second shelf, sh2, are ejected on top of the cards from the first shelf, and so on, resulting in an interim or partially shuffled or sort deck of cards.

With reference to FIG. 34E, a representation of the sequence of the partially shuffled or sorted deck of cards is shown, with the left most card, “11” being the bottom card and the right most card in the sequence, “25” being the top card.

The cards may then be fed one at a time (from the bottom of the stack of cards) back into the dual pass card shuffler 400. In this example, in the second pass the cards are sorted or placed into the shelves based on or otherwise correlate to the first digit. Thus with reference to FIG. 34F, the first card from the bottom of the input sequence, i.e., the “11” card is inserted into the first shelf (sh2). The second card, “31”, is inserted into the third shelf (sh3), and the third card, “41” is inserted into the fourth shelf (sh4). With reference to FIG. 34G, the rest of the cards are sorted or inserted into one of the shelves (sh1-sh5) accordingly.

The cards may then be ejected from the shelves. In the illustrated embodiment, the cards in the first shelf, sh1, are ejected first. Then the cards in the second shelf, sh2, are ejected on top of the cards from the first shelf, and so on, resulting in the desired sequence of cards (see FIG. 34H).

From the example illustrated in FIGS. 34A-34H, and with further reference to FIGS. 1B-1D and FIG. 16, it is illustrated how a typical deck of playing cards can be shuffled by a dual pass shuffler 400. In one embodiment of the present example, a controller assigns an individual card rank to each of the referenced card numbers above, “11” through “55”. In such an example, it could be that the controller determines that the Ace of Hearts (which in this example is included within the twenty-five cards being shuffled) should, at the end of the dual pass shuffling, be positioned in the seventh card position, so the controller assigns card number “22” to the Ace of Hearts, and then proceeds through the shuffling as disclosed in FIGS. 34A-34H.

In another example, where the sample deck has multiple Aces of Hearts, the Controller can assign the first Ace of Hearts sorted to card number “22” and the subsequent Ace of Hearts sorted to the subsequent card number assigned. For instance, if the stack cards to be sorted includes several decks of cards (having the same number of cards with the same face values), the stack of cards will include multiple instances of a card with the same face value. Each of these multiple instances will have a unique card number assigned and can then be sorted or shuffled into the correct location in the desired card sequence.

FIGS. 34A-34H further help illustrate the benefits of the present disclosure, including a reduced number of shelves required to adequately shuffle a number of playing cards. A further benefit is that by utilizing a dual sorting methodology, the first sorting of cards according to the illustrated example (e.g., by correlating the second number to the shelf) ensures that the second sorting of cards according to the illustrated example (e.g., by correlating the first number to the shelf) will result in the desired order of the finally shuffled cars, as determined by the controller. This is managed, in the present example, through the controller mandating that after the first pass the first shelf (s1) (FIG. 24D) is the first shelf to eventually be sorted in the second pass, so that each of the cards assigned with a “1” as the second digit will be the first cards allocated to shelves in the second pass, as illustrated in FIGS. 34F-34G.

It will be understood that the above-described arrangements of apparatus and the method there from are merely illustrative of applications of the principles of this disclosure and many other embodiments and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined in the claims.

The foregoing invention has been described in accordance with the relevant legal standards, thus the description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed embodiment may become apparent to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the invention.

Number	Date	Country
63698939	Sep 2024	US
63698448	Sep 2024	US
63619876	Jan 2024	US

MULTIPLE PASS SHUFFLER/SORTER AND METHOD OF OPERATION THEREOF

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Provisional Applications (3)