Casino table gaming system with round counting system

Abstract

Casino table card games are provided with sensors for detection of an indicator initiated by a dealer to indicate approximate beginning of or final completion of a round of play of a casino table card game. The signal is read by a table subcomponent that has a time or time/dating capability. The signal is time/date stamped (referred to herein as “Date Stamping” or “date stamping” for simplicity. The date stamped signal is then transmitted from the subcomponent to a processor (e.g., gaming table processor or pit processor or main casino processor and/or central processor for multiple casinos). The data retains its date stamping at least through storage, analysis, data entry or other treatment of the data after transmission away from the table, and the date stamping may or may not be provided by the sensor itself. The system also allows for the date stamping or other status information to be sent to a data bank or repository of information (e.g., security bank or security room) for storage of the information, without necessarily any game-play related function. The data may be processed in real time at this bank or repository, or may me reviewed and analyzed at a later time.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1 Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to the field of gaming systems, particularly gaming systems that have elements of play, reward, monetary / credit transactions and / or monitoring that are performed by processing systems, and including casino table card games. [0003] 2. Background of the Art [0004] Wagering games, such as those played in casinos and card clubs, have traditionally been played with only mechanical implements such as cards, dice, wheels, balls and the like. One of the reasons for this is to make the wagering game open for inspection, including the implements that are used to provide the chance occurrences upon which the wagers are made. [0005] The creative mind of players and wagering institutions have devised ways of manipulating implements or calculating probabilities of events that have affected the odds in the favor of the manipulator. Cards have been marked, ‘sleeved’ for timed use, stacked in a deal, bot...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0017] Casino table card games are provided with sensors for detection of an indicator initiated by a dealer to indicate approximate or final completion or beginning of a round of play of a casino table card game. The signal is read by a table subcomponent that has a time / dating capability. The signal is time / date stamped (referred to herein as “Date Stamping” or “date stamping” for simplicity. The date stamped signal is then transmitted from the subcomponent to a processor (e.g., gaming table processor or pit processor or main casino processor and / or central processor for multiple casinos). The data retains its date stamping at least through storage, analysis, data entry or other treatment of the data after transmission away from the table, and the date stamping may or may not be provided by the sensor itself. The system also allows for the date stamping or other status information to be sent to a data bank or repository of information (e.g., security bank or security room) for storage of the information, without necessarily any game-play related function. The data may be processed in real time at this bank or repository, or may me reviewed and analyzed at a later time.

Problems solved by technology

Processing equipment and computers have become an increasingly important part of the gaming industry, but the introduction of the technology has been sporadic, inconsistent, and often ill designed.

These casino table gaming devices and systems have been relatively simple and limited in scope, usually consisting of a few executing programs utilizing straight forward interrupt schemes and detection loops for asynchronous events for simple evaluation.

Applicants have found that there are potential issues involved in the method of date stamping provided for and taught by these references and as known to be used in the art.

Also, when there is a line breakdown (e.g., some casinos may still use telephone line connections which can be busy or interrupted, or the communication system to the main computer breaks down), the accuracy of the stamping is adversely affected.

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