Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080203658 | Device and method for continuously shuffling and monitoring cards - The present invention provides an apparatus and method for moving playing cards from a first group of cards into a second group of cards, wherein the second group of cards is randomly arranged or shuffled. The apparatus comprises a card receiver for receiving the first group of cards, a single stack of card-receiving compartments generally adjacent to the card receiver, the stack generally vertically movable, an elevator for moving the stack, a card-moving mechanism between the card receiver and the stack for moving cards one at a time into a selected one of the compartments, another card moving mechanism for moving cards from one of the compartments to a second card receiver and a microprocessor that controls the card-moving mechanisms and the elevator. A count of cards within specified areas of the card handling system is maintained and card handling is halted and all cards counted by adding a count of all cards not within the specified areas to the total of cards counted within the specified areas. | 08-28-2008 |
20100022311 | Smart Discard Rack for Playing Cards - A discard rack moves and reads suit and rank of individual cards. The cards are provided to a card in-feed area and moved to a card collection area. Both suit and rank of each card is read in the card in-feed area or between the card in-feed area and the card collection area. The discard rack comprises a) a card in-feed area with card moving elements that move only a bottom card from a set of cards in the card in-feed area, b) a card collection area that receives cards from the card moving area in the same sense as cards are received in the card in-feed area, c) an image capture device that captures data from a card while the card is between the card in-feed area and the card collection area, d) preferably a communication port to send out captured data to a processor, and e) an elevator that lowers to maintain a level at which cards are received in the card collection area. | 01-28-2010 |
20100213667 | Playing card dealing shoe with automated internal card feeding and card reading - A distinct dealing shoe having no shuffling functionality receives shuffled, randomized or ordered group of cards. The cards may be mechanically moved one at a time from a receiving area for the deck to a buffer area where more than one card is temporarily stored. The cards in the buffer area are then mechanically moved to a card delivery area where the cards may be manually removed, one-at-a-time, by a dealer. The cards are read one-at-a-time inside of the dealing shoe, either before the buffer area or after leaving the buffer area, but preferably before the cards are being manually removed from the card delivery area. The information from the card reading may be used for game tracking, hand tracking, player information, and other security issues at casino table card games. | 08-26-2010 |
20100225056 | CARD SHUFFLER WITH CARD RANK AND VALUE READING CAPABILITY - A card shuffling device includes a top surface, a card receiving area for receiving an initial set of playing cards, a randomizing or arranging system for the initial set of playing cards, a collection surface in a card collection area for receiving randomized playing cards, the collection surface receiving cards positioned so that all cards collected are below the top surface of the device, and an elevator for raising the collection surface so that at least some randomized cards are elevated above the top surface of the device. An automatic card shuffler includes a microprocessor with memory. An automated calibration system is provided that calibrates the precise position of the card supporting platform on the elevator so that precise insertion of cards can be performed during card handling procedures. | 09-09-2010 |
20100276880 | MULTIPLE MODE CARD SHUFFLER AND CARD READING DEVICE - A multiple mode card shuffling and/or card verification device includes a top surface, a card receiving area for receiving an initial set of playing cards, a randomizing or arranging system for the initial set of playing cards that can be disabled, a collection surface in a card collection area for receiving randomized playing cards, the collection surface receiving cards positioned so that all cards collected are below the top surface of the device, a card imaging system and an elevator for raising the collection surface so that at least some randomized cards are elevated above the top surface of the device. The processor is programmed such that cards can be verified without changing an order of cards present in the card feeder, verified during randomization, and randomized without card verification. | 11-04-2010 |
20100314830 | CARD HANDLING DEVICES AND METHODS OF USING THE SAME - A card handling device includes a sensing system for identifying cards handled thereby. A control system may be configured to selectively control an infeed system, a storage system, and/or an output system of the device in response to a signal received from the sensing system, and to enable a user to selectively perform one or more of a shuffling operation, a sorting operation, and a dealing operation using the device. A card handling device may be configured to dispense randomly arranged hands, prearranged hands, randomly arranged decks, or prearranged decks. | 12-16-2010 |
20100320685 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONTINUOUSLY SHUFFLING AND MONITORING CARDS - The present invention provides an apparatus and method for moving playing cards from a first group of cards into a second group of cards, wherein the second group of cards is randomly arranged or shuffled. The apparatus comprises a card receiver for receiving the first group of cards, a single stack of card-receiving compartments generally adjacent to the card receiver, the stack generally vertically movable, an elevator for moving the stack, a card-moving mechanism between the card receiver and the stack for moving cards one at a time into a selected one of the compartments, another card moving mechanism for moving cards from one of the compartments to a second card receiver and a microprocessor that controls the card-moving mechanisms and the elevator. A count of cards within specified areas of the card handling system is maintained and card handling is halted and all cards counted by adding a count of all cards not within the specified areas to the total of cards counted within the specified areas. | 12-23-2010 |
20110006480 | Card feed mechanism for card handling device - The present invention provides an apparatus and method for moving playing cards from a first group of cards into plural hands of cards, wherein each of the hands contains a random arrangement of cards. The apparatus comprises a card receiver for receiving the first group of cards, a single stack of card-receiving compartments generally adjacent to the card receiver, the stack generally vertically movable, an elevator for moving the stack, a card-moving mechanism between the card receiver and the stack, and a microprocessor that controls the card-moving mechanism and the elevator so that an individual card is moved into an identified compartment. The number of compartments receiving cards and the number of cards moved to each compartment may be selected. An apparatus for feeding cards, comprising a surface for supporting a stack of cards, a feed roller with a frictional outer surface, a drive mechanism for causing rotation of the feed roller, a pair of speed-up rollers to advance the cards out of the feed roller, and a clutch mechanism for disengaging the feed roller from the drive mechanism as the card comes into contact with the speed up rollers. | 01-13-2011 |
20110300951 | SMART DISCARD RACK FOR PLAYING CARDS - A discard rack moves and reads suit and rank of individual cards. The cards are provided to a card in-feed area and moved to a card collection area. Both suit and rank of each card is read in the card in-feed area or between the card in-feed area and the card collection area. The discard rack comprises a) a card in-feed area with card moving elements that move only a bottom card from a set of cards in the card in-feed area, b) a card collection area that receives cards from the card moving area in the same sense as cards are received in the card in-feed area, c) an image capture device that captures data from a card while the card is between the card in-feed area and the card collection area, d) preferably a communication port to send out captured data to a processor, and e) an elevator that lowers to maintain a level at which cards are received in the card collection area. | 12-08-2011 |
20110304098 | CARD SHUFFLER WITH CARD RANK AND VALUE READING CAPABILITY - A device for forming a random set of playing cards is disclosed. The device comprises: a top surface and a bottom surface of said device. A single card receiving area is provided for receiving an initial set of playing cards. A randomizing system for randomizing the order of an initial set of playing cards, is provided. A collection surface in a card collection area for receiving randomized playing cards one at a time into the card collection area, the collection surface receiving cards so that all cards are received below the top surface of the device is also provided. An image capture device reads the rank and suit of each card before being received on the card collection surface. An elevator raises the collection surface so that at least some randomized cards are elevated at least to the top surface of the device. A processor controls operation of the device. A motor drives the elevator, wherein an encoder is provided for communication with the motor, and wherein the encoder provides a signal indicating that a shuffle has occurred. Embodiments include a processor that creates commands and then receives system signals verifying that the commands were properly executed. | 12-15-2011 |
20120146285 | Mechanized Playing Card Dealing Shoe with Automatic Jam Recovery - A distinct dealing shoe having no shuffling functionality receives a shuffled, randomized or ordered group of cards. The cards may be mechanically moved one at a time from a receiving area for the deck to a buffer area where more than one card is temporarily stored. The cards in the buffer area are then mechanically moved to a card delivery area where the cards may be manually removed, one at a time, by a dealer. The cards are read one at a time inside of the dealing shoe, either before the buffer area or after leaving the buffer area, but preferably before the cards are being manually removed from a card delivery area. Information from the card reading may be used for game tracking, hand tracking, player information, and other security issues at casino table card games. | 06-14-2012 |
20120175841 | METHODS OF HANDLING CARDS AND OF SELECTIVELY DELIVERING BONUS CARDS - Methods of delivering groups of cards to a card game and, upon the occurrence of an event, dispensing a bonus card comprise feeding playing cards individually from an infeed area of a card handling device into an intermediate storage compartment designated for receiving playing cards. At least one bonus card may be fed from an infeed area of a card handling device into an intermediate storage compartment designated for receiving bonus cards. Groups of playing cards are selectively delivered. At least one bonus card may be selectively delivered. | 07-12-2012 |
20120181747 | CARD HANDLING DEVICES AND RELATED METHODS - Card handling devices comprise a card handling zone. A card infeed tray is configured to pass cards to the card handling zone and a separate a card output tray is configured to receive cards from the card handling zone. A control system of the card handling device comprises at least one electronic signal processor, at least one memory device in electrical communication with the electronic signal processor, and a computer program stored in memory of the memory device. The computer program is programmed to cause the control system to selectively control at least one of a card infeed system, the card handling zone, and a card output system of the card handling device and to receive an input from a user input to selectively perform at least one of a shuffling operation, a sorting operation, and a dealing operation using the card handling device. | 07-19-2012 |
20120242039 | CARD FEED MECHANISM FOR CARD-HANDLING DEVICE - Apparatuses and methods for moving playing cards from a first group of cards into plural hands of cards, wherein each of the hands contains a random arrangement of cards. The apparatus may comprise a card receiver for receiving the first group of cards, a single stack of card-receiving compartments generally adjacent to the card receiver, the stack generally vertically movable, an elevator for moving the stack, a card-moving mechanism between the card receiver and the stack, and a microprocessor that controls the card-moving mechanism and the elevator so that an individual card is moved into an identified compartment. The number of compartments receiving cards and the number of cards moved to each compartment may be selected. Apparatuses for feeding cards may comprise a surface for supporting a stack of cards, a feed roller with a frictional outer surface, a drive mechanism for causing rotation of the feed roller, a pair of speed-up rollers to advance the cards out of the feed roller, and a clutch mechanism for disengaging the feed roller from the drive mechanism as the card comes into contact with the speed-up rollers. | 09-27-2012 |