Method of drawing cards and table game system

Abstract

To provide a card chuting apparatus capable of preventing fraud.SOLUTION: A card chuting apparatus (4) includes: a card guide section (7) that guides cards (1) drawn one by one from a card storage section (5) onto a game table (6); a code reading section (8) that reads a code (2) representing the numerals (number, rank) of the card (1) from the card (1) when the card (1) is drawn from the card storage section (5); an authenticity determination section (9) that determines the authenticity of the card from information regarding the authenticity of the card; a win / lose determination section (10) that determines the win / lose of the card game on the basis of the numbers of cards (1) read in sequence by the code reading section (8); and an output section (11) that outputs the determination result of the win / lose determination section (10). The card guide section (7) is provided with card entry / exit restriction sections (30), (40) that restrict the entry / exit of the card (1) from the card storage section (5).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a card shooter device and method having a cheating prevention function in card games such as baccarat that use playing cards (hereinafter simply referred to as cards). [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, card shooter devices suitable for use in card games at casinos and the like have been proposed. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a card shooter device. In the device of Patent Document 1, a CCD image sensor and related optical components are built into the card shooter. Also, a card reading window is provided at the exit of the card shooter. Then, when a card passes through the shooter exit, the suit (type) and rank (number) of the card are read through the reading window. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] Patent Document 1: JP-T-10-508236 (page 12, Figure 1) DISCLOSURE OF THEINVENTION [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, such devices cannot prevent fraudulent acts such as inserting a counterfeit card through the exit of the card shooter.

[0005] The present invention has been made against the above background, and its object is to provide a card shooter device and method that can prevent the insertion or distribution of illegal cards into a card shooter used in a card game, and can also prevent cards that should not be distributed from being distributed to the game table. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the card shooter device of the present invention includes a card storage section that stores a plurality of cards, an opening for manually removing cards one by one from the card storage section, a card reading section that reads information about a card that is manually drawn from the card storage section onto a game table from the card, a control section that stores the rules of a card game and determines the outcome of a card game in accordance with the rules of the card game based on the information about the card read by the card reading section, a display section that outputs the outcome determined by the control section, and a card entry / exit restriction section that is provided at the opening and restricts the entry and exit of a card from the card storage section, wherein the card storage section, the card reading section, the control section, the display section and the card entry / exit restriction section are integrated, and the card entry / exit restriction section has 1) a function of preventing the insertion of a card that is inserted in the opposite direction toward the card storage section through the opening from the outside, and 2) a function of preventing the card from being further drawn out from the card storage section when it should not be drawn out, based on the information about the card read by the card reading section. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a card shooter device and method that can immediately prevent fraudulent acts such as the unauthorized insertion of cards into the card shooter device and the unauthorized or inappropriate distribution of cards. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of a card shooter device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a card according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway plan view of a main portion of a card guide of the card shooter device according to the embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4](a) A side cross-sectional view of a key portion showing a card input / output restricting section that restricts the input / output of a card from a card storage section of a card shooter device of an embodiment of the present invention; (b) A side cross-sectional view of a key portion showing a modified card input / output restricting section that restricts the input / output of a card from a card storage section of a card shooter device of an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] 5A and 5B are diagrams showing the relationship between output waveforms of sensors and marks in the card shooter device according to the embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] An embodiment of the table game system of the present invention will be described in detail below. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the entire card shooter device used in the table game system of this embodiment. FIG. 2 shows a card 1 used in the table game system of this embodiment. Cards 1 used in table games such as baccarat have codes 2 consisting of normally invisible marks M provided point-symmetrically on the upper and lower sides of the card 1. The numbers (number, rank) of the card 1 are coded by these codes 2. Also, the card 1 has an authenticity determination code 3 which is coded with information showing the authenticity of the card and is arranged by printing or the like in a normally invisible state (for example, with ultraviolet-sensitive ink).

[0010] 1, the card shooter device 4 includes a card guide section 7 that guides cards 1, which are manually drawn one by one from a card storage section 5, onto a game table 6, a code reading section 8 that reads a code 2 representing a number (number, rank) of the card 1 from the card 1 when the card 1 is manually drawn from the card storage section 5 by a casino dealer or the like, a win / loss determination section 10 that determines the outcome of a card game based on the number of cards 1 sequentially read by the code reading section 8, and an output section 11 that outputs the determination result of the win / loss determination section 10. The card guide section 7 is provided with card entry / exit restriction sections 30, 40 (described later) that restrict the entry / exit of the card 1 from the card storage section 5.

[0011] Next, the details of the code reading unit 8 that reads the code 2 representing the numbers (number, rank) of the card 1 from the card 1 when the card 1 is manually drawn out from the card storage unit 5 will be described with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the main part of the card shooter device 4. In the figure, the code reading unit 8 is provided in the card guide unit 7 that guides the cards 1, which are manually drawn out one by one from the front opening 13 of the card storage unit 5, onto the game table 6. The card guide unit 7 has an inclined surface, and card guides 14 that also serve as sensor covers are attached to the edges on both sides. In addition, each of the two card guides 14 is detachable by screws or the like (not shown). When the card guide 14 is removed, the sensor group 15 of the code reading unit 8 is exposed. The sensor group 15 is made up of four sensors, two ultraviolet ray reaction sensors (UV sensors) 20 and 21, and object detection sensors 22 and 23.

[0012] The object detection sensors 22, 23 are optical fiber type sensors that detect the presence or absence of the card 1 and can detect the movement of the card 1. The object detection sensor 22 is located on the upstream side of the card guide unit 7 along the flow direction of the card 1, and the other object detection sensor 23 is located on the downstream side. As shown in the figure, both object detection sensors 22, 23 are provided on the upstream and downstream sides of the UV sensors 20, 21. The UV sensors 20, 21 are equipped with an LED that emits ultraviolet light (ultraviolet LED) and a detector. On the card 1, a mark M of the code 2 is printed with ultraviolet luminous ink that changes color when exposed to ultraviolet light. The card 1 is irradiated with ultraviolet light (black light), and the reflected light of the mark M of the code 2 on the card 1 is detected by the detector. The UV sensors 20, 21 are connected to the control device 12 of the code reading unit 8 via cables. In the code reading unit 8, the combination of the marks M is determined from the output signals of the detectors of the UV sensors 20 and 21, and the number (rank) corresponding to each code 2 is determined.

[0013] In the code reading unit 8, the start and end of reading by the UV sensors 20 and 21 are controlled by the control device 12 based on the detection signals of the object detection sensors 22 and 23. The control device 12 also determines whether the card 1 has passed through the card guide unit 7 normally based on the detection signals of the object detection sensors 22 and 23. As shown in FIG. 2, rectangular marks M representing the rank (number) and suit (heart, spade, etc.) of the card are arranged in two columns and four rows on the edge of the card 1. When the UV sensors 20 and 21 detect the marks M, they output an ON signal. The code reading unit 8 determines the relative relationship between the two signals input from the two UV sensors 20 and 21. As a result, the code reading unit 8 identifies the code based on the relative difference between the two marks M detected by the two UV sensors 20 and 21, and identifies the number (rank) and type (suit) of the corresponding card 1.

[0014] The relationship between the code 2 and the output of the ON signal of the two UV sensors 20, 21 is shown in FIG. 5. Based on the result of comparing the relative changes in the output of the ON signal of the UV sensors 20, 21, a predetermined combination of the marks M can be specified. As a result, if four combinations of the marks M are printed in two rows, one above the other, and four rows are printed, 256 codes can be configured by the fourth power of four. Each of the 52 types of playing cards is assigned to one of the 256 codes, which are stored in a memory or program as a comparison table, and the code reading unit 8 specifies each code 2, thereby specifying the number (rank) and type (suit) of the card 1 from a predetermined comparison table (not shown). In addition, the 256 codes can be stored in a comparison table in a free combination corresponding to the 52 types of cards, so that the combinations can be made complex, and the combinations of the 256 codes and the 52 types of cards can be changed depending on the time and place. The codes are printed with paint that becomes visible when exposed to ultraviolet light, and are preferably printed in a position that does not overlap with the type notation of the cards or the index 102.

[0015] Next, the configuration of the control device 12 will be described. The control device 12, the code reading unit 8, the winning / losing determination unit 10, etc. are computer devices. For example, a processing function (winning / losing determination unit 10) for automatically determining the winning / losing of a game is realized by incorporating a winning / losing determination program into a computer, and this program is executed by a processor of the computer. The code reading unit 8 uses the UV sensors 20 and 21 to obtain the number of cards sequentially taken out to the game table 6, and the obtained number of cards is sequentially stored in memory. At this time, information on which player each card 1 was dealt to is also stored. The number of cards is stored in association with the player to whom it was dealt. In a baccarat game, there are a player and a banker. The rank (number) of cards dealt to each player is stored in memory, the ranks (number) of cards dealt to both players are added up, and it is determined which player has won according to the programmed rules. A draw is also determined.

[0016] Next, the card entry / exit restriction unit 30 that restricts the entry / exit of the card 1 from the card storage unit 5 will be described with reference to FIG. 4. In FIG. 4(a), the card entry / exit restriction unit 30 is provided in the card guide 14 of the card guide unit 7 that guides the cards 1, which are taken out one by one from the front opening 13 of the card storage unit 5, onto the game table 6. The card entry / exit restriction unit 30 has a structure in which, when the card 1 passes through a slot 33 between the card guide unit 7 and the guide cover of the card guide 14, a lock member 34 presses the card 1 to prevent the card 1 from entering or leaving the slot 33. The lock member 34 is moved by a drive unit 35 such as an electromagnetic solenoid or a piezoelectric element as indicated by an arrow M so as to take two states: a position where the card 1 is pressed (restricted position) and a passable position where the card 1 can pass. The drive unit 35 is controlled by the control unit 12 to move the lock member 34 to two states: a position where the card 1 is pressed and a passable position where the card 1 can pass. The control unit 12 includes a locking mechanism for a baccarat game. The rules are pre-programmed and stored.

[0017] Next, a modified example of the card insertion / removal restricting section 30 will be described with reference to Fig. 4(b). The card insertion / removal restricting section 40 in the modified example has a structure in which, when the card 1 passes through the slot 33 between the card guide section 7 and the guide cover of the card guide 14, the locking member 36 protrudes into the slot 33 to prevent the movement of the card 1. The locking member 36 is moved by a driving section 37 such as an electromagnetic solenoid or a piezoelectric element as indicated by an arrow M so as to take two states: a position where the movement of the card 1 is prevented (a restricting position) and a passable position where the card 1 can pass. The driving section 37 is controlled by the control device 12 to move the locking member 36 to two states: a position where the card 1 is pressed and a passable position where the card 1 can pass.

[0018] The program of the control device 12 controls the drive units 35, 37 to prevent unauthorized insertion and removal of the card 1, thereby causing the card insertion and removal restriction unit 30 (40) to function. The card insertion and removal restriction unit 30 (40) is provided with object detection sensors 22, 23 as sensors that detect the movement of the card 1, and has the function of detecting the movement of the card 1 using these sensors and restricting the movement of the card 1. The contents that are subject to control as unauthorized insertion and removal of the card 1 (programmed contents) include at least the following 1) and 2).

[0019] 1) A function of preventing the insertion of the card 1 from being inserted from the outside into the card storage section 5 through the opening 13 in the direction opposite to the direction of the arrow S. In this case, when card 1 is inserted for fraudulent purposes, card 1 passes through slot 33 between card guide section 7 and card guide 14, but based on the detection signals from object detection sensors 22, 23, movement of card 1 in the opposite direction to normal (the opposite direction of arrow S in Figure 3) is detected, and drive sections 35, 37 move locking members 34, 36 to positions where they press or block card 1 according to the program of control device 12.

[0020] 2) A function that prevents card 1 from being drawn from the card storage section 5 at times when it should not be, based on the suit and rank information of card 1 read by the card reading section (meaning the code reading section 8 that reads the code 2 representing the number (number, rank) of card 1 from card 1 when card 1 is drawn from the card storage section 5). In this case, the control device 12 is programmed with the rules of the baccarat game as described above. In the baccarat game, whether the banker and the player should draw two or more cards 1 each is uniquely determined by the sum of the ranks (numbers) of the two cards already dealt to the banker and the player. For this reason, if the dealer at each table tries to deal the card 1 when the third card should not be drawn, it is a violation of the rules, so the movement of the card 1 is restricted. If the card 1 is to be drawn at a timing and situation when it should not be drawn, the movement of the card 1 is detected based on the detection signal of the card 1 from the object detection sensor 22, and the drive units 35 and 37 move the lock members 34 and 36 to positions where they press or block the card 1 according to the program of the control device 12. As a result, the lock members 34 and 36 move to positions where they press or block the card 1, and further distribution of the card 1 is prevented (positions shown in FIG. 4). In this way, the dealer's illegal withdrawal action of the card 1 is detected and the withdrawal of the card 1 is prevented, so that the wear and tear on the device restricting the insertion and removal of the card is less than that caused by locking the cards at the end of each game.

[0021] An error signal output unit 50 is provided to notify the outside (by turning on a lamp and emitting an alarm) when the card entrance / exit restriction unit 30 (40) is activated, and the operation is controlled by the control device 12. [Industrial Applicability]

[0022] As described above, the card shooter device according to the present invention is a device for inserting a card into the card shooter device. This has the effect of immediately preventing fraudulent acts such as illegal insertion or distribution of illegal or inappropriate cards, and is useful for use in card games in casinos and the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0023] 1 Card 2 Code 3. Authenticity check code 4. Card shooter device 5 Card storage section 6 Game Tables 7 Card guide section 8 Code reader 10 Win / Loss Judgment Department 11 Output section 12 Control device 13 Aperture 14 Card Guide 15 Sensor Group 20 Ultraviolet reaction sensor (UV sensor) 21 Ultraviolet reaction sensor (UV sensor) 22 Object detection sensor 23 Object detection sensor 30 Card Access Control Section 33 Slots 34 Locking member 35 Drive unit 36 Locking member 37 Drive unit 40 Card Access Control Section 50 Error signal output section 102 Index

Claims

1. A method for withdrawing a card from a card storage portion in a card game, comprising: The card storage section a card guide portion in which the card is manually drawn out; an opening through which the cards are manually withdrawn one by one; Equipped with The method comprises: automatically detecting an attempt to manually withdraw a card from said opening when a card should not be withdrawn; outputting a signal to restrict improper movement of the card or improper distribution of the card when an attempt to manually withdraw the card from the opening is detected when the card should not be drawn; Including, A method of drawing a card from a card receiving portion, wherein the time when the card should not be drawn is when drawing an additional card would be a violation of the rules.

2. automatically detecting when a card is inserted through the opening; restricting improper movement of the card based on the automatic detection of insertion of the card; The method of claim 1 further comprising:

3. obtaining card information associated with each card manually withdrawn from the opening; restricting improper distribution of said cards based on the obtained information; The method of claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

4. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the card information includes a code indicating at least one of the rank and suit of the card.

5. 5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of comparing the code obtained in the step of obtaining the card information with a predetermined code stored in the memory.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the card information includes an authentication code for each individual card.

7. A method for withdrawing a card from a card storage portion in a card game, comprising: The card storage section is a card guide portion within which the card is manually moved; an opening through which the cards are manually withdrawn one by one; Equipped with The method comprises: A step of determining whether or not it is an inappropriate time based on the suit and rank information of the card read by the card reading unit; automatically detecting an attempt in a card game to manually withdraw a card from an opening at an inappropriate time; outputting a signal when detecting an attempt to manually withdraw a card at an inappropriate time to restrict inappropriate distribution of said card; A method for withdrawing a card, including:

8. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the inappropriate time is when drawing an additional card would be a violation of a rule.

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