Device for producing sets of playing cards

Abstract

An apparatus for producing a set of playing cards is provided, the apparatus comprising: a printing device for printing randomly ordered playing cards; an identification device for identifying one or more defective playing cards, the identification device comprising a feedback unit for instructing the printing device to reprint the defective playing cards; and an exclusion device for excluding one or more defective playing cards.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for producing sets of playing cards, and a method for producing an apparatus for producing sets of playing cards. Background Art

[0002] The game of poker is now well known. Typically, the game is based on the unpredictability of the order in which cards are dealt or drawn from a randomly ordered deck or set of playing cards, wherein a set of playing cards comprises more than one deck of playing cards randomly ordered at a set level.

[0003] For example, for some games, once a card is drawn from the set, the drawn card cannot be used again in this way because the order in which the drawn cards are drawn and set aside can be monitored. Players can turn over the cards themselves, which can cause the cards to be damaged, destroyed or destroyed. Reusing used cards may be easily predictable or sequenced, thereby leading to cheating.

[0004] Given the high stakes involved, virtually any source of fraudulent play or behavior must be avoided. The processing time between the production of a set of playing cards and the use of that set at the table needs to be as short as possible to largely eliminate the possibility of fraudulent behavior. Summary of the invention

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method capable of printing a randomly ordered set of playing cards. An advantage of some embodiments of the apparatus and method is that the apparatus and method reduces the amount of waste during the production of a set of playing cards. Some embodiments may allow for the reuse of playing cards that have been drawn from a set of playing cards. In addition, some embodiments of the apparatus provide for a relatively small size of the apparatus, making it possible to place the apparatus in a small production hall or in an office of a casino or gaming hall.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for producing a set of playing cards. The apparatus comprises:

[0007] · Printing equipment for printing randomly ordered playing cards;

[0008] A device for identifying one or more defective playing cards, the device comprising:

[0009] a feedback unit for instructing the printing device to reprint the defective playing cards;

[0010] A rejection device for rejecting one or more defective playing cards.

[0011] The printing device may be instructed to continuously print multiple sets of randomly ordered playing cards, each set of randomly ordered playing cards comprising a given number of decks. The printing device may print the sets of cards as multiple groups of a given number of playing cards, such as a matrix of x×y playing cards. The feedback unit may instruct the printing device to add the defective playing card to the next set or group of cards to be printed.

[0012] A set of playing cards refers to multiple decks of playing cards. A randomly ordered set of playing cards means that the cards of all the decks are randomly ordered in the set, also known as a shuffled set of playing cards. A deck of cards includes thirteen cards (A, K, Q, J, and 10 to 2) of four suits (hearts, spades, clubs, and diamonds). A set of playing cards may also include other playing cards that play a role in the game to be played.

[0013] Each set of cards may include multiple decks of cards, such as 1 to 10 decks, for example 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 decks.

[0014] To avoid fraud, the time between making the cards and playing them in the casino is kept as short as possible, both in time and location. Therefore, the device according to the invention is preferably located in a small production hall or office in the casino, although it can also be located in the card production site.

[0015] The printing device prints a set of cards being printed one by one. The printing device will include a randomizer that defines the random order of the playing cards in each set of playing cards to be printed. The randomization can be done at a set level, i.e. the randomization of a given number of decks of cards in the set.

[0016] The apparatus according to the invention comprises an identification device for identifying defective playing cards. The cards may be defective, for example, due to defective or incorrect cutting, printing defects (such as ink stains or insufficient or excessive use of ink), or due to defects in the paper or board used. It may therefore be appropriate that the quality check comprises an inspection of the printing on the cards, an inspection of the paper or board for defects and a quality inspection of the cutting operation. These inspections may be performed in one operating step or may be divided into two separate quality checks, thus having two separate devices, namely one device for inspecting the paper / board and printing defects and another device for inspecting cutting defects.

[0017] The recognition device recognizes at least defectively printed playing cards and paper and / or cardboard defects. If the cutting operation is after the printing operation or the printing device, the recognition device can also recognize defectively cut playing cards. Defective playing cards are therefore to be understood as cards that are defectively printed and / or comprise paper / cardboard defects, and optionally defectively cut cards, or both defectively printed or comprise paper / cardboard defects and defectively cut cards.

[0018] The printing device prints the front of the playing card, revealing the rank and suit of the playing card. The back of the card may be provided with a decorative appearance. The printing device may print the front on a blank card of a page or strip of paper or cardboard, and provide a decorative appearance on the back.

[0019] However, starting with a blank card, a strip or sheets of paper or cardboard on both sides of the card, a page or strip of paper or cardboard, and during printing, the playing cards may also be printed on the back to give the back of the card a decorative appearance. The recognition device can recognize cards that are defectively printed on at least the front or obverse side (revealing the rank and suit) but may also be defectively printed on the back side.

[0020] The feedback unit instructs the printing device to add an additional card of the same rank and suit as one or more defectively printed playing cards to the set of playing cards being printed or to be printed. The identification device may be located behind a cutting device that cuts the cards from a larger page or strip of paper or cardboard and may be used to identify the defectively cut playing cards. The feedback unit may instruct the printing device to add an additional card of the same rank and suit as one or more defectively cut playing cards to the set of playing cards being printed or to be printed.

[0021] According to some embodiments, the printing device may be a digital printer.

[0022] Although other printing techniques should not be excluded, the playing cards are preferably printed with a digital printer having a randomizing unit that defines a random order for printing the playing cards for a set of cards comprising a given number of decks and possibly other playing cards.

[0023] The printing device prints playing cards. The printing device may continuously print cards one after another on pre-cut blank cards. Defectively cut blank cards may have been removed from the stack for printing.

[0024] According to some embodiments, the apparatus may further include a stacking device for stacking the printed playing cards into a plurality of stacks of playing cards.

[0025] According to some embodiments, a printing device may print multiple pages of playing cards, each page of playing cards including a matrix of playing cards.

[0026] The printing device may print the playing cards one by one, or may print the playing cards on a page or roll of paper or cardboard so that the playing cards are positioned in a matrix on the page or roll of paper or cardboard. This matrix may be a matrix with only one row; thus, the printing device prints a strip of paper or cardboard on which the cards are printed in sequence and from which the cards need to be cut. Alternatively, the printing device may print multiple pages of playing cards on which the playing cards are distributed in a matrix of two or more rows and two or more columns. By way of example only, the printing device may print multiple pages of playing cards on which a matrix of 7×8 or 8×7 playing cards is depicted.

[0027] In both cases, the playing cards need to be individualized from a strip or page of paper or cardboard.

[0028] According to some embodiments, the apparatus may include a cutting device for cutting individual playing cards from a strip or page of printed paper or cardboard depicting the printed playing cards.

[0029] Preferably, this is accomplished by a known playing card cutting machine such as a cutter, slitter, die cutter or perforator.

[0030] The identification device may be positioned behind the cutting device and may be used to identify the defectively cut playing cards and provide feedback to the printing device regarding the defectively cut playing cards. The feedback unit may instruct the printing device to add additional cards of the same rank and suit as one or more defectively cut playing cards to the set of playing cards being printed or to be printed.

[0031] Alternatively, the cutting device has a quality inspection device for identifying defectively cut cards (such as the presence of non-standard edges or edges, non-rectangular cut cards, etc.). This quality inspection device can be part of the identification device, or can be used as a separate device. Optionally, this quality inspection device can provide feedback about defectively cut playing cards to the printing device. It can instruct the printing device to add additional cards with the same points and suits as one or more defectively printed playing cards to multiple groups of cards (such as a deck of cards) being printed or to be printed. It can also remove defectively cut cards or the entire group of playing cards (such as a whole deck of playing cards) to which the defectively cut cards belong from the production process. For this purpose, it can have its own removal device for removing at least defectively cut cards. If the entire group (such as a whole deck) of playing cards is removed, feedback can be given to the printing device to reprint each card in the group of playing cards (such as the deck of playing cards).

[0032] Optionally, the apparatus may include a coating device, such as a varnishing unit, for providing a coating of lacquer resin on at least the front side of the playing cards.

[0033] This painting unit can be positioned, for example, in front of the identification device.

[0034] According to some embodiments, the apparatus may include a card arrangement device for arranging playing cards into a series of playing cards.

[0035] Once the playing cards have been individualized, optionally from a strip or sheet of paper or cardboard, they can be placed one by one in a series of playing cards. Preferably, the cards do not overlap, but are arranged side by side. The playing cards can be moved on a flat belt or by means of a roller chain or a conveyor belt.

[0036] As will be further elaborated more extensively, the print may include a visible or invisible card identity (also referred to as a card identification or card identification string), which is different from the rank and suit and may even be a unique card identity or card identification or card identification string. The card identity may be printed using an invisible ink, such as an ultraviolet reflecting ink that provides a visible image when illuminated with appropriate ultraviolet light. Checking for print defects may include checking for the presence and correctness of this card identity. To this end, the recognition device may include an ultraviolet light source for illuminating the card with ultraviolet light.

[0037] Typically, the printing device of the printing device will include its own quality inspection device for checking print defects and paper or paperboard defects. Thus, the identification device may include this print quality inspection device. It may optionally include a first camera.

[0038] Thus, according to some embodiments, the identification device may include a first camera.

[0039] The first camera inspects the playing cards for printing and paper or cardboard defects and optionally for cutting defects. The first camera is preferably positioned after the bunch of cards has been formed.

[0040] As mentioned above, the printing device of the printing device can also perform playing card inspection for printing and paper or board defects. The feedback unit of the recognition device will optionally collect information about defective cards by combining information from the camera and the printing device itself, and feed back feedback signals to the printing device which cards are defective and need to be reprinted. It can set the rank and suit of the defective card as feedback, or if the card identification is printed, it can provide the card identification together with the rank and suit, or only the card identification as feedback to the printing device.

[0041] Thus, the printing device knows which card (rank and suit or rank and suit and card identification) needs to be reprinted. The printing device, which itself defines the random order of the cards to be printed, will add and include the cards to be reprinted in one of its next printing actions.

[0042] The printing device may add the card to be reprinted to the sequence of cards it is currently printing, or it may add the card to be reprinted to the next set of playing cards where it needs to replenish the random sequence or playing cards present in that set.

[0043] Once the defective card has been identified and feedback has been given to the printing device, the defective card needs to be removed from the set. This can be done with an exclusion device.

[0044] This exclusion device may be a separate device, or may be part of a stacked device.

[0045] The rejection system as a separate device can obtain information about the cards to be rejected. This can be information from the recognition device about the number of cards between the recognition device and the rejection position in the rejection device. The rejection device counts the cards and rejects the cards after a given number of cards have been counted. Defective playing cards can be conveyed to a waste basket that collects defective playing cards.

[0046] Alternatively, when the cards have unique card identities or card identifiers, the exclusion device can obtain the card identifiers of the cards to be excluded, and once the card identifiers are detected, the cards can be excluded. To perform such detection, the exclusion device can include a second camera optionally with a suitable light source (such as an ultraviolet light source).

[0047] Optionally, the rejection system is part of a card stacking device, where defective cards are "stacked" in a waste basket.

[0048] The playing cards, optionally provided as a series of cards, need to be stacked into a complete set.

[0049] According to some embodiments, the stacking device may include

[0050] Multiple card stacking baskets;

[0051] a dispensing unit for dispensing said identified playing cards into one of the card stacking baskets;

[0052] ·For counting the playing cards stored in each basket in the card stacking basket according to suit and rank

[0053] The counting unit of a number;

[0054] A removal unit for removing complete sets of cards from the card stacking basket.

[0055] Such a stacking device may be present in the apparatus according to the invention.

[0056] Possibly, the stacking device comprises a discrimination unit for identifying the suit and rank of the playing cards;

[0057] Possibly, the authentication unit comprises an additional third camera.

[0058] With the help of this additional camera, the rank and suit of the card passing the camera is identified. The stacking device now compares the rank and suit of the card passing the camera with the list of cards present in each basket it has. It defines to which basket the card needs to be added and instructs the dispensing unit accordingly.

[0059] If the rejection device is integrated into the stacking device, the stacking device will notice that a passing card is defective and will instruct its dispensing unit to place the card in the waste basket. When a camera is used, the second camera and the third camera may be the same camera.

[0060] In this way, a complete set of playing cards will be reassembled. Assume that for a given set, one card is defective and is therefore excluded and reprinted. The cards of this set without defects will be stacked in one of the baskets (hereinafter referred to as the first basket) until the last playing card of this printed set is added to this basket. The counting unit now has the information that all cards are present except for one or more cards (each card is from a given rank and suit) that are defective cards. Unless the next card is the same as the defective card, the next card that passes through the identification unit will not be added to this first basket, because the number of these cards with this rank and suit is complete. The next card will be added to the next basket. The next card of the given rank and suit of the defective card will be added to the almost complete set in the first basket in order to make the set complete. In this way, until the set of the first basket is complete. This complete set can now be removed from the first basket. Reprinting the cards will leave the next set still complete, unless this next set also has one or more defective cards. The approved cards of the set will be stacked in the appropriate baskets, but at the end, again some cards of a given rank and suit may be missing. Again, another basket begins to fill the next set, while the basket with some cards missing awaits the missing cards, which will be taken from the next set. This cycle continues, and finally a complete set is taken from the basket.

[0061] Therefore, the number of discarded cards is limited to the defective cards.

[0062] If the playing cards are given a unique identification, it is easier to facilitate the detection of defective cards by the camera of the stacking device or the camera present in the exclusion device. The camera only needs to check for the card identification that is coded as defective by the recognition device. When a card with this identification is detected, it is necessary to exclude the card, optionally by stacking it in a waste basket.

[0063] According to some embodiments, each card stacking basket may be provided with another camera that identifies cards in the stack of playing cards being added to the basket.

[0064] This additional (possibly fourth) camera is used to track the contents of the basket. Identification may simply be reading the rank and suit of the card added to the basket, or if a unique card identification is printed on each card, identification may include reading the identification of the card being added. A list of the card identifications read, or simply a count of the rank and suit of the cards, may be made and stored in a memory. This count is a double check of the number and type of cards stored in each basket. To double check that all cards in a set are present when a set is excluded from the basket. The list of cards, or even the list and sequence of the rank and suit of the cards, or the list or sequence of the card identifications in the set may be stored on a suitable data storage device. This information may be with the set of playing cards to allow a later check of the presence and order of the cards being dealt. The set of playing cards may also be provided with a given, optionally unique set identification, allowing the set to be monitored and tracked on its further path to the casino table and back.

[0065] In an alternative embodiment, each card stacking basket is provided with sensors which identify which card is added to the stack of playing cards in which said basket. The sensors may obtain their input from either the identification device or the exclusion device.

[0066] In order to control all information flows, the device according to the invention may comprise a processing unit for processing all information and data generated.

[0067] The processing unit may generate a random sequence of playing cards to be printed by the printing device. The processing unit may generate a separate card identification to be printed for each card. The processing unit may process information about defective cards provided by the recognition unit and optionally by the printing device. The processing unit may instruct the printing device regarding the cards to be reprinted. The processing unit may process instructions for the exclusion device. The processing unit may process information from the identification unit, may determine in which basket the identified cards or card identifications are to be stacked, may control the allocation unit, etc. The processing unit may count the cards stacked in each basket according to the card value (rank and suit), and may define the basket in which a given card is to be stacked.

[0068] The device according to the invention has the advantage that it can recover undelivered cards from sets of cards that have already been dealt at a card game table. Likewise, dealt but undamaged cards can be recovered in the same way. Sets with a large number of undelivered cards can be returned to the production hall or casino office where the sets were prepared and / or distributed. Since the sequence of undelivered cards is not exposed to the outside world at all, these cards can be recovered, provided that the sets into which they are recovered have the same appearance.

[0069] According to some embodiments, the apparatus may include a card recovery device.

[0070] This recovery device is preferably located at a position where the recovered card can be incorporated into the string of cards being made. Preferably, the recovery device is located in front of the identification device. Optionally, the card recovery device has an identification device that identifies the rank and suit of the recovered card. This information can be forwarded to the printing device, where, in the next set of playing cards to be printed, the card with this rank and suit will not be printed and will therefore be omitted.

[0071] As previously mentioned, playing cards may be provided with a card identifier, which may be a unique card identifier.

[0072] Here, "unique" means that at that moment, or within a given period of time thereafter, for example within 6 months after the moment when the card identification is first used, it is unlikely that a card with the same card identification will appear in the process. The unique card identification can be a sequence number of a given string (optionally a binary string of 0s and 1s). If the playing cards are printed on a page in the form of a matrix of n×m cards, the unique card identification can be composed of a page sequence number and a position number that links the card to its position in the matrix. As a preferred embodiment, the page sequence number can be a string of more than 5 (for example 6 to 12) characters 0 to 9 (for example 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12 characters), and the position number can be a decimal number between 0 and n×m, with n and m being the row and column in the matrix. Alternatively, the page sequence number may be a string of more than 20 (e.g. 20 to 28) digits, ie, 0s or 1s, such as a string of 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 or 28 digits, and the position number may be a binary number between 0 and n×m, n and m being the row and column in the matrix. The brand logo may be printed as a QR code (two-dimensional code), a barcode, OCR (optical character recognition), a data matrix or any type of visual code.

[0073] The card identification may be a unique card identification. A unique card identification does not refer to strict uniqueness, but must be understood in the context of the present invention, i.e., playing cards used in a card game such as a casino. The identification is unique if a second playing card with the same card identification cannot be found. The card identification may be said to be unique if the probability of finding a second playing card with the same card identification is 1 / 100,000 or less, such as 1 / 1,000,000 or less, for example 1 / 10,000,000 or less.

[0074] This unique identification, which is preferably not readable by the naked eye and appears one or more times on the face of a playing card, can be used to identify the card as a card that is allowed to appear at a given location and time. For example, a set of playing cards having a card with a given card identification may be located in a given card distribution system (e.g., a shoe of a distribution system).

[0075] This card identification can be used in a production method to monitor the movement of playing cards with a given identification and to create a list and sequence of card identifications in a basket in which the set of playing cards is stacked.

[0076] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for producing a set of playing cards, wherein the apparatus comprises a digital printer for printing playing cards in a set of playing cards.

[0077] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for producing a set of playing cards.

[0078] According to some embodiments, the method for producing a set of playing cards includes the step of printing the playing cards using a digital printer.

[0079] According to some embodiments, the playing cards may be printed in a random order.

[0080] According to some embodiments, the method may include:

[0081] A. Printing sets of playing cards in random order;

[0082] B. Identify defective playing cards;

[0083] C. instructing the digital printer to add the defective card to a randomly ordered set of playing cards being printed or to be printed;

[0084] D. Exclude defective playing cards from the printed playing cards.

[0085] According to some embodiments, the method may further comprise the steps of:

[0086] E. stacking the printed playing cards into a plurality of stacks of printed cards using a stacking device, for each playing card;

[0087] Identifying the playing cards;

[0088] · finding the stack that is missing the identified printed playing card and adding the identified printed playing card to the stack;

[0089] until one of said stacks is a complete set of cards;

[0090] F. Removing the complete set of cards from the stacking device.

[0091] According to some embodiments, steps A to F may be performed by an apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention.

[0092] According to some embodiments, the method may further include:

[0093] ·Provide playing cards recycled from a distributed set;

[0094] Identifying the recovered playing cards;

[0095] Instruct the printing device to remove a random sequence of playing cards from a set of playing cards that is being printed or is about to be printed

[0096] Cards with logos of recycled playing cards;

[0097] ·Add recycled cards to the printed playing cards.

[0098] According to some embodiments, playing cards may be provided with unique card identifiers, and identification of playing cards is accomplished by reading the unique card identifiers.

[0099] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided the use of an apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention for providing sets of playing cards.

[0100] Exactly the same apparatus and method can be used to produce cards other than playing cards. Cards used in board or other games, or collectible cards can be produced with the aid of the same apparatus and / or method.

[0101] Thus, according to a fifth aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for producing playing cards, the method comprising the step of printing the playing cards using a digital printer.

[0102] According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for producing playing cards, the apparatus comprising

[0103] Printing equipment for printing randomly ordered playing cards;

[0104] An identification device for identifying one or more defective playing cards, the identification device comprising an indication of the

[0105] a feedback unit for the printing device to reprint defective game cards;

[0106] · a rejection device for rejecting one or more defective playing cards;

[0107] A stacking device for stacking the printed playing cards into multiple stacks of playing cards.

[0108] It is obvious that in the fifth and sixth aspects of the present invention, the playing cards or collectible cards may be playing cards. Generally, the features of one aspect of the present invention may be combined with the features of another aspect of the present invention, unless such a combination is technically infeasible. According to a seventh independent aspect of the present invention, a playing card is provided.

[0109] The playing cards according to this seventh aspect are provided with a unique and detectable card identification. Optionally, the playing cards according to this seventh aspect are provided with a unique and detectable card identification code, which is an encryption of the card identification.

[0110] A unique card identification does not refer to strict uniqueness, but must be understood in the context of the present invention, i.e., playing cards used in a card game such as in a casino. An identification is unique if it is not feasible to find a second playing card with the same card identification. A card identification is said to be unique if the probability of finding a second playing card with the same card identification is 1 / 100,000 or less, such as 1 / 1,000,000 or less, for example 1 / 10,000,000 or less.

[0111] This very low risk of finding the same card identification is sufficient to consider the card identification to be unique because in casinos and gaming venues, the lifespan of a set of cards is quite short, which further limits the risk of having two cards with the same card identification in the building at the same time. In casinos and gaming venues, cards are typically used only once and then destroyed. The time span from the production of a card to its destruction after use is typically within a few weeks.

[0112] The unique card identification can be converted into a card identification code, such as a barcode or QR code, and this card identification or card identification code is detectable. A detectable card identification or code means that the card identification or code can be detected by a detection unit, which can be present in the device where the cards are located, such as a card box container for holding playing cards, or in a card shoe in which a set of cards or a card box including a set of cards is to be placed. If such a code is used, the detection unit can extract the card identification from the detected card identification code. The card identification is a string of numbers, digits, characters, etc. that together constitute the card identification. It can also be a string of 0s and 1s, that is, a binary data string.

[0113] The detectable card identification or code may be readable, meaning that a simple detection unit can read out the card identification or code, and as described above, the detected card identification may be an encrypted code or image based on the card identification, i.e. a card identification code. From this card identification code the card identification may be read or extracted again, such as by calculating or extracting it using a decoding. This card identification may be used to compare it with data stored on a data storage unit, the data comprising, for example, the card identifications of the cards present in a given set of cards or a list of card identifications.

[0114] Playing cards may be cards suitable for playing a card game.

[0115] The playing card may be a playing card comprising a front side and a back side, the front side being provided with an image of a rank and a suit, the playing card being provided with a unique and detectable (such as readable) card identification different from the rank and suit.

[0116] According to some embodiments, the playing card may be a playing card from a deck of playing cards.

[0117] A deck of cards refers to 52 different playing cards used in traditional card games. It includes four groups of 13 cards, and the four suits are spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs. Each group of 13 cards includes A, J, Q, K, which are called the points of the cards, and 9 cards numbered from 2 to 10.

[0118] According to some embodiments, detectable card identification or card identification codes may be provided on the front sides of playing cards.

[0119] The front side of the card is the side that reveals the rank and suit of the card, and is opposite to the back side of the card. Preferably, the detectable card logo does not interfere with the markings of the rank and suit that are also visible on the front side of the playing card.

[0120] Optionally, the card logo or card logo code appears on the card multiple times at different positions along the front of the card.The card logo may be printed as a card logo code, in which case it is a graphic representation of the card logo.

[0121] According to some embodiments, the detectable brand identification or brand identification code may not be visible to the eye.

[0122] The brand logo or code may be invisible to the naked eye. The brand logo or code may be visible, and therefore detectable, only by UV illumination or radiation of invisible light of a given wavelength or wavelength range. A UV illumination source (such as LED UV illumination) may be used to make the brand logo or code readable using a suitable camera system.

[0123] According to some embodiments, the detectable brand identification code may be a barcode, a QR code or a snap tag, a binary code or a set of characters and / or numbers.

[0124] Characters are understood to be characters selected from the alphabet, the numbers 0 to 9, punctuation marks and special characters (such as &, @, #, §, $, £, €), any other ASCII characters, etc.

[0125] According to some embodiments, the detectable card identification code may be printed using microdot encryption. From US9254435 it is known to use microdots on the front of a card to identify the rank and suit of the card.

[0126] According to some embodiments, the detectable brand identification code may be the result of encrypting a brand identification including at least one of a serial number or a randomly generated number.

[0127] According to an embodiment, the card identification is the result of encrypting at least one of the serial number or the at least randomly generated number and card information including one or more of the following:

[0128] ·Points

[0129] ·Color

[0130] The date the card was printed

[0131] Printing time

[0132] ·Printing company

[0133] Brand

[0134] ·etc.

[0135] The card identification can be a string of characters, numbers and symbols, or can exist as a more complex encrypted type of card identification code (such as a barcode or QR code). The card identification can be based on information about the following: the rank and suit of the card, the printing date and / or time of the card, the place and machine where the card is printed, the unique serial number of the card printed on the machine, the name of the casino where the card is printed and / or used, the manufacturer of the card, the brand name, the table where the card will be used, etc. The card can be part of a set of cards to be inserted into a card box container. Each set of cards and / or each card box can have a unique serial number or its own set identification and / or card box identification, and the card identification of the cards in the set of cards and / or the card box can contain information about the number or identification of this set / or card box.

[0136] Possibly, the card identification cannot be associated with the rank and suit of the playing cards, and is therefore independent of the rank and suit of the playing cards. Alternatively, the card identification data comprises a card type code, i.e. a series of characters and / or numbers based on the rank and suit of the cards, and these characters and / or numbers are encrypted using a given first key to provide an encrypted number and / or number string. In this card type code, a randomly generated number or a sequence number of 3 or more digits may be added. This combination of the number and / or number string and the randomly generated number or the sequence number that together form the card identification data can then be encrypted using a second key or the like to provide the card identification.

[0137] Possibly, the card identification may include information about the printed page of playing cards that the playing card is located on. The card identification may include information about the printed page sequence number and the position where the card appears on the page, for example as an indication of the position in a matrix of cards printed on the page.

[0138] According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a set of playing cards, wherein each of the playing cards is provided with a unique and detectable card identification or card identification code.

[0139] In the set of playing cards, each of the playing cards may be a playing card according to the seventh aspect of the present invention.

[0140] A set of playing cards may be a set of cards wherein the playing cards include a front side and a back side, the front side being provided with an image of a rank and a suit, the playing cards being provided with a unique and detectable (such as a readable) card identification or card identification code that is different from the rank and suit.

[0141] The cards in the deck are preferably random, meaning that the cards present in the deck may be shuffled and have an order that is not ordered in an organized manner from the rank and / or suit of the cards.

[0142] Preferably, the set of playing cards comprises one or more than one deck of cards, such as 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12. Most preferably, the set comprises 6, 8 or 10 decks of cards.

[0143] Beside the playing cards, the deck may include other cards required for playing the card game. Equally, these other cards may include card identifications or card identification codes similar to those of the playing cards.

[0144] According to some embodiments, the playing cards may appear in a random order.

[0145] According to some embodiments, a card identification or card identification code may be provided on the front side of a playing card.

[0146] According to some embodiments, the brand identification or brand identification code may be invisible to the eye.

[0147] According to some embodiments, the brand identification code may be a barcode, a QR code, a quick tag, a binary code, or a set of characters and / or numbers. According to some embodiments, the brand identification code may be printed using micro-dot encryption.

[0148] According to some embodiments, a deck of cards may include one or more decks of playing cards, preferably 2 to 10 decks.

[0149] According to an embodiment, the card identification code is the result of encrypting at least one of the serial number or at least the randomly generated number and card information such as one or more of the following:

[0150] ·Points

[0151] ·Color

[0152] The date the card was printed

[0153] Printing time

[0154] ·Printing company

[0155] the set identifier of the set that the card will be a part of,

[0156] Brand

[0157] ·etc.

[0158] A set of cards may be provided with a set identification and optionally a set identification code (i.e., an encryption of the set identification). According to some embodiments, the set identification code may be a barcode, a QR code, a quick tag, a binary code, or a set of characters and / or numbers. The set identification or set identification code may accompany the set of playing cards. It may be a code printed on the packaging of the set, or may be printed or present on a seal of such packaging. The set identification may include information about the cards and their card identifications, which are present in the set. According to an embodiment, the set identification is the accumulation of the card identifications present in the set. Optionally, the set identification is the accumulation of the card identifications present in the set, which are present in the same order as the order of the cards in the set.

[0159] According to an embodiment, the set identification is the accumulation of the parts of the card identification present in the set. Optionally, the set identification is the accumulation of the parts of the card identification present in the set, the parts of the card identification present in the same order as the order of the cards in the set. When the card identification is a string of M characters, numbers and symbols, the parts of the card identification can be 1 to R of these M characters, numbers and symbols present at a given position in the string of M characters, numbers and symbols, where R≤M.

[0160] The set identification, including information about the cards present in the set, optionally after decrypting the set identification code, can be used to check to what extent the set has been issued fraudulently. When a card is slid into a set, reading the card identification (optionally by decrypting the card identification code) and comparing it with the set identification can reveal that the card is not part of the original set. If the set identification includes information about the order of the cards in the set, reading the card identification (optionally by decrypting the card identification code) and comparing it with the set identification can reveal that the card has changed its position in the set. All of this can indicate that fraud may have occurred.

[0161] The independent and dependent claims set out particular and preferred features of the invention. Features of the dependent claims may be combined with features of the independent or other dependent claims and / or, where appropriate, with features set out in the above and / or following description.

[0162] The above and other characteristics, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the principles of the present invention by way of example. This description is given for illustrative purposes only and does not limit the scope of the present invention. The reference numbers cited below refer to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0163] Figures 1 to 5 is a schematic diagram of an apparatus for producing sets of playing cards according to the present invention. Figure 6 A playing card according to a first aspect of the invention is shown. Figure 7 A scheme for developing card identification for a group of cards is shown.

[0164] In different drawings, the same reference numbers identify the same, similar or analogous elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0165] The invention will be described with reference to specific embodiments. It should be noted that the term "comprising" used in the claims should not be interpreted as being limited to the devices listed thereafter; other elements or steps are not excluded. Thus, it should be interpreted as specifying the presence of the stated features, steps or components mentioned, but not excluding the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps or components or combinations thereof. Thus, the scope of the expression "a device comprising device A and device B" should not be limited to a device consisting only of component A and component B. This means that for the purposes of the present invention, the only relevant components of the device are A and B.

[0166] Throughout this specification, reference is made to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment." Such reference indicates that a particular feature described in relation to the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, although they may.

[0167] Furthermore, the particular features or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, in one or more embodiments.

[0168] Figure 1 1 shows an apparatus 100 for producing a set of playing cards. The apparatus comprises a paper supply 110, in this case a roll of paper sheets. The roll is unrolled and one end is provided to a printing device, which is a digital printing appliance 120 for printing a randomly ordered set of playing cards. Alternatively, a plurality of sheets of paper may be supplied to the printing device instead of a roll of paper sheets. A plurality of sets of cards, here a matrix of 8×7 cards, i.e. 56 cards, are printed. Each card is provided with a unique card identity or identification, for example in the form of a barcode. Alternatively, the card identification may be provided as a QR code, optical character recognition (OCR), data matrix or any type of visual code. This code may be converted into a number having 9 digits using an appropriate algorithm. The first 7 digits represent the number as a page number, for example, the serial number of the pages being printed during a year, starting from 0000001 and ending at 9999999. The last two digits provide a number between 1 and 56, which represents the position of the card on the page being printed. The paper sheet is then varnished in a varnishing device 130. Thereafter, an identification device 140 identifies one or more defective playing cards. The defect may be a paper defect or a printing defect, such as too much or not enough ink used, misalignment of the image on the card, visual defects in the cardboard, etc. For this purpose, the identification device includes a camera 141 and a device for comparing the captured image with the expected image. A second camera 143 is provided to check the back of the card. If the images do not match within an acceptable tolerance, the feedback unit 142 instructs the printing device 120 via the processing unit 200 to add the detected defective card to the group or set of cards to be printed next. The unique identification of the defective playing card is stored in the memory of the processing unit 200. Although in Figure 1 Not shown, but the identification device 140 may also check the backs of the cards for defects, and if a defect is found on the back, the card is identified as defective.

[0169] The paper sheet on which the matrix of printed playing cards is depicted is cut into individual playing cards by means of a cutting device 150. The quality of the cutting is checked by means of a quality checking device 151. If the cutting is not performed according to standards, the cut set of cards is removed to a waste bin 152. Thereafter, the cards are organized into a series of cards by means of a device 160.

[0170] The cards are now scanned by an exclusion device 170 comprising a camera 171. If the card identification of a card that has passed the exclusion device matches a card identification stored in a memory of the processing unit, the card with this card identification is transferred to a waste bin 172. The remaining cards whose rank and suit have been read by the camera of the exclusion device 170 are now stacked by a stacking device 180 into a series of stacking baskets 181. For each basket, the camera 182 identifies the rank, suit and card identification, which information is sent to the processing unit 200. In this way, a record of the number of cards sent to the basket 181 according to rank and suit is saved. If a set of cards in the basket 181 is complete, the complete set of cards is removed from the basket by the removal device 191. For this set of cards, the processing unit 200 has the content and order of the card identification. When this set of cards is given an identification, the set identification and the data on the content can be saved together. When the set of cards is used during a game, the data on the order of the cards can be used to verify the order of the cards, for example by reading the card identification when it is drawn from the shoe in which the set of cards is located. If the order of reading does not match the order of the data, it is likely that some mistake or fraud has occurred.

[0171] As an alternative, Figure 2 In the apparatus 101, the identification device 140 is integrated in the printing device and detects and identifies defective playing cards before the varnishing device.

[0172] This process may be a continuous process, although the continuous flow may be interrupted by stacking the sheets after the cutting device 150 where the paper roll is cut into sheets. A further cutting device may be provided for cutting each sheet into cards, including a quality inspection device for this second cutting operation.

[0173] Although in Figure 1 and Figure 2 170 and 180 are shown as separate devices, but the removal device 170 and the stacking device 180 can be formed as one device, in which one of the baskets 181 is used as a waste box 172.

[0174] In this arrangement 101 and 100, as well as in alternative arrangements, it may be advantageous to use air pressure, air guidance or air pressure guidance to deflect the direction of the moving cards in order to deflect the direction of the cards during the process.

[0175] The brand logo can be printed with UV-visible ink. If this is the case, all cameras are also equipped with a UV source.

[0176] exist Figure 3 An alternative apparatus 102 for producing sets of playing cards is shown in FIG. The apparatus comprises a paper supply 110, in this case a roll of paper sheets. The roll is unwound and one end is provided to a printing device, which is a digital printing tool 120 for printing randomly ordered sets of playing cards. Multiple sets of cards are printed, here a matrix of 8×7 cards, i.e. 56 cards. Figure 1 The method and apparatus shown are the same, each card having a unique card identity or identification, for example in the form of a bar code. The paper sheet is then varnished in a varnishing device 130 .

[0177] The paper sheet on which the printed playing card matrix is ​​depicted is cut into individual playing cards by means of a cutting device 150. Thereafter, the cards are organized into a series of cards by means of a device 160.

[0178] The recognition device 140 then identifies one or more defective playing cards. The defects may be paper defects or printing defects (such as too much or not enough ink used, misalignment of the image on the card, visual defects in the paper or cardboard, etc.), as well as cutting defects. For this purpose, the recognition device includes a camera 141, a second camera 143 for checking the back of the card, and a device for comparing the captured image with the expected image. If the image does not match within an acceptable tolerance range, the feedback unit 142 instructs the printing device 120 through the processing unit 200 to add the detected defective card to the group or set of cards to be printed next. The unique identification of the defective playing card is stored in the memory of the processing unit 200.

[0179] The cards are now scanned by an exclusion device 170 comprising a camera 171. If the card identification of a card that has passed the exclusion device matches a card identification stored in a memory of the processing unit, the card with this card identification is transferred to a waste bin 172. The remaining cards whose rank and suit have been read by the camera of the exclusion device 170 are now stacked by a stacking device 180 into a series of stacking baskets 181. For each basket, the camera 182 identifies the rank, suit and card identification, which information is sent to the processing unit 200. In this way, a record of the number of cards sent to the basket 181 according to rank and suit is saved. If a set of cards in the basket 181 is complete, the complete set of cards is removed from the basket by the removal device 191. For this set of cards, the processing unit 200 has the content and order of the card identification. When this set of cards is given an identification, the set identification and the data on the content can be saved together. When the set of cards is used during a game, the data on the order of the cards can be used to verify the order of the cards, for example by reading the card identification when it is drawn from the shoe in which the set of cards is located. If the order of reading does not match the order of the data, there is a good chance that some mistaken fraud has occurred.

[0180] Although in Figure 3 170 and 180 are shown as separate devices, but the removal device 170 and the stacking device 180 can be formed as one device, in which one of the baskets 181 is used as a waste box 172.

[0181] As an alternative, the recognition device and the rejection device may use the same camera.

[0182] Figure 4 Another alternative apparatus 103 for producing sets of playing cards is shown in FIG. The apparatus comprises a paper supply 110, in this case a roll of paper sheets. The roll is unwound and one end is provided to a printing device, which is a digital printing tool 120 for printing randomly ordered sets of playing cards. Multiple sets of cards are printed, here a matrix of 8×7 cards, i.e. 56 cards. Figure 1 The method and apparatus shown are the same, each card being provided with a unique card identity or identification, for example in the form of a bar code. The paper sheet is then varnished in a varnishing device 130 .

[0183] The sheet on which the printed playing card matrix is ​​depicted is cut into individual playing cards by means of a cutting device 150. Thereafter, the cards are organized into a stream of cards by means of a device 160. With the aid of a recycling device, the recycled cards, preferably cards from used sets, and more preferably cards from these sets that have not yet been distributed, are stacked in a recycling device 300. These recycled cards, which also carry the card identification, are added to the newly printed playing card stream. The rank and suit of the recycled cards can be provided to the processing unit 200, which can instruct the printing device to omit the printing of the recycled cards.

[0184] The recognition device 140 then identifies one or more defective playing cards. The defect may be a paper defect or a printing defect (e.g., too much or not enough ink used, misalignment of the image on the card, etc.), as well as a cutting defect or damage to the recovered cards. For this purpose, the recognition device includes a camera 141, a second camera 143 for checking the back of the card, and a device for comparing the captured image with the expected image. If the image does not match within an acceptable tolerance range, the feedback unit 142 instructs the printing device 120 through the processing unit 200 to add the detected defective card to the group or set of cards to be printed next. The unique identification of the defective playing card is stored in the memory of the processing unit 200.

[0185] The cards are now scanned by an exclusion device 170 comprising a camera 171. If the card identification of a card that has passed the exclusion device matches a card identification stored in a memory of the processing unit, the card with the card identification is transferred to a waste bin 172. The remaining cards whose rank and suit have been read by the camera of the exclusion device 170 are now stacked by a stacking device 180 into a series of stacking baskets 181. For each basket, the camera 182 identifies the rank, suit and card identification, which information is sent to the processing unit 200. In this way, a record of the number of cards sent to the basket 181 according to rank and suit is saved. If a set of cards in the basket 181 is complete, the complete set of cards is removed from the basket by the removal device 191. For this set of cards, the processing unit 200 has the content and order of the card identification. When this set of cards is given an identification, the set identification and the data on the content can be saved together. When the set of cards is used during a game, the data on the order of the cards can be used to verify the order of the cards, for example, by reading the card identification when it is drawn from the shoe in which the set of cards is located. If the order of reading does not match the order of the data, it is likely that some mistake or fraud has occurred.

[0186] Although in Figure 4 170 and 180 are shown as separate devices, but the removal device 170 and the stacking device 180 can be formed as one device, in which one of the baskets 181 is used as a waste box 172.

[0187] As an alternative, the recognition device and the rejection device may use the same camera.

[0188] As another alternative, it is possible to provide Figure 5 The process shown in Figure 4A recycling device 300, which is identical to the recycling device shown in FIG. 1 , is positioned in front of the exclusion device 170, and optionally in front of the device 160 for forming a string of cards. Since the recycled cards are typically cards that have never been distributed or handled, it is strictly necessary to check for defects. Therefore, by providing the recycled cards using the recycling device 300, identifying the cards using the exclusion device 170, and sorting the recycled cards by the stacking device 180, a new set of cards can be formed using the stacking device 180. A new set of cards can be formed only from the recycled cards.

[0189] As Figures 1 to 5 Another alternative to the device shown, camera 182 can be replaced by a sensor. Camera 141 or 171 can provide input to the sensor about which card needs to be directed to which basket. The sensor checks whether the correct card is transferred to the correct basket. If the card is directed incorrectly, the device may be set to a pause state.

[0190] Figure 6 Schematically shown in FIG. 1 is a playing card 1000 according to the seventh aspect of the invention. The playing card, in this case the Ace of Diamonds, includes information on the rank and suit on its front side 1001. Next to the rank and suit, the card 1000 also has a card identification code 1003 on its front side 1001, in this case a barcode-like image. This card identification is embossed with UV visible ink. With the naked eye, this card identification 1003 will not be visible.

[0191] like Figure 7 As shown, the brand identification code 1003 is an image representation of the brand identification 2001. The encryption and possible decryption software (2010) converts the brand identification 2001 into an image of the brand identification 1003, here a barcode-like image, which is the brand identification code 1003. When the brand identification code 1003 is detected, suitable decoding software can convert the brand identification code 1003 back to the brand identification 2001.

[0192] Figure 6 An example of how to obtain a card identification is shown in FIG. Each card has a point value (2002) and a suit (2003). This defines a card number (2004) that is a number between 0 and 52. Possible other playing cards necessary to play a given card game may also be present in a set of playing cards. Such other cards are given other card numbers, such as 53, 54, etc.

[0193] With the help of encryption key (2005) and encryption software (2006), a bijective function is used to convert this card number into a card type code (2007) such as a series of 0s and 1s. Therefore, this card type code (2007) is a binary data string. This card type code is not unique because all playing cards with the same rank and suit in a set of playing cards containing more than one deck of playing cards will have the same card identification code.

[0194] A randomly generated number (2008) having 14 digits (numbers 0 to 9) is added to this card type code (2007). The combination of the card type code and the randomly generated number (2008) together form the card identification (2001). This card identification data (2001) is detected, read out and fed to the encryption software (2010) which converts the card identification (2001) into a card identification code (1003) using a bijective function. In this particular embodiment, a bar code reading device is adapted to read the card identification. It will be appreciated that this device uses ultraviolet light to make the bar code "visible" to the bar code reading device.

[0195] These card identifications 2001 and card identification codes 1003 are unique. The risk of a second identical card of a given suit and rank having the same card identification 103 is 1 in 1015 or one in a trillion. The string of characters and numbers that is the card identification 2001 can itself be used as a unique card identification. In order to detect and read the card identification data used as a card identification, a camera system and image analysis software can be used. It should be understood that the camera system uses ultraviolet light to make the bar code "visible" to the bar code reading device.

[0196] It should be understood that although preferred embodiments and / or materials have been discussed for providing embodiments according to the present invention, various modifications or changes may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A device for producing a set of playing cards, the device comprising: Printing equipment for printing randomly ordered sets of playing cards; an identification device for identifying one or more defective playing cards, the identification device including a feedback unit for instructing the printing device to reprint the defective playing card as part of a randomly ordered set of playing cards being or to be printed; A rejection device is provided for rejecting the one or more defective playing cards.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The apparatus also includes a stacking device for stacking the printed playing cards into a plurality of stacks of playing cards.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The apparatus includes a cutting device for cutting individual playing cards from a strip or page of printed paper or cardboard depicting the printed playing cards.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The apparatus includes a card arrangement device for arranging playing cards into a series of playing cards.

5. The device according to claim 2, wherein: The stacking device comprises: Multiple card stacking baskets; a dispensing unit for dispensing the identified playing cards into one of the card stacking baskets; a counting unit for counting the playing cards stored in each of the card stacking baskets according to suit and rank; A removal unit for removing complete sets of cards from the card stacking basket.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The apparatus includes a card recovery device.

7. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The printing device is a digital printer.

8. A method for producing a set of playing cards, the method comprising the step of printing playing cards using a printing device, wherein: The method comprises: A. Printing sets of randomly ordered playing cards; B. Identify defective playing cards; C. instructing the printing device to add the defective card to a randomly ordered set of playing cards being printed or to be printed; D. Exclude defective playing cards from the printed playing cards.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein: The printing device is a digital printer.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein: The method further comprises the steps of: E. stacking the printed playing cards into a plurality of stacks of printed cards using a stacking device, for each playing card identifying the playing card; finding a stack that is missing the identified printed playing card and adding the identified printed playing card to the stack; until one of the piles is a complete set of cards; F. ejecting the complete set of cards from the stacking device.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein: The steps A to F are performed by the device according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein: The method further comprises: Providing playing cards recycled from a distributed set of playing cards; identifying the recovered playing cards; instructing the printing device to remove cards having the identification of the recycled playing card from the randomly ordered set of playing cards being printed or to be printed; The recycled cards are added to the printed playing cards.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein: The playing cards are provided with a unique card identifier, and the playing cards are identified by reading the unique card identifier.

14. Use of a device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 for providing sets of playing cards.

15. Use of the device according to claim 7 for providing sets of playing cards.

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