Dual tip tray system

Abstract

This invention provides a system, chip tray, and method for changing the storage capacity of various types of gaming chips. [Solution] The chip tray system may include a plurality of chip tube components. The first chip tube component in the chip tray may include a plurality of gaming chip storage rows corresponding to a first size of gaming chips. The second chip tube component in the chip tray may include a plurality of gaming chip storage rows corresponding to a second size of gaming chips. The first end of the first chip tube component may be coupled to the second end of the second chip tube component.

Description

Cross - reference to related applications

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 743,451, filed October 9, 2018, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference. Field

[0002] This disclosure relates to a novel system having a gaming chip storage column, a chip tray, and a method for storing gaming chips. Background

[0003] A chip tray can be used to store gaming chips used by dealers in gambling games. The chip tray can store gaming chips of different denominations in a safe place. The chip tray can be made from various materials including plastic and metal.

[0004] Over the past 20 years, the casino industry has used RFID technology to protect and track currency products, also called plaques and chips, which are tokens with a face value that enable gambling and payouts. RFID tags provide a unique identifier for each item and typically include ROM memory for storing specific information about the currency product. The chips are stored in some trays on the gaming table. For large gambling games such as baccarat, casinos use two - stage chip trays. By using RFID in the tags, casinos can have a live inventory of these floats. The opening and closing mechanism of these two - stage floats is generally based on two handles and is difficult to open when there are a large number of chips in the float (up to 2000 chips) without assistance. Summary

[0005] The present disclosure aims to provide a system, a chip tray, and a method for changing the storage capacity of various types of gaming chips.

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure is a system comprising a first chip tube component consisting of at least one first gaming chip storage row corresponding to a first size of gaming chips, and a second chip tube component consisting of at least one second gaming chip storage row corresponding to a second size of gaming chips, wherein the first end of the first chip tube component is coupled to the second end of the second chip tube component.

[0007] One aspect of the present disclosure is a chip tray comprising a first chip tube component consisting of at least one first gaming chip storage row corresponding to a first size of gaming chips, and a second chip tube component consisting of at least one second gaming chip storage row corresponding to a second size of gaming chips, wherein the first edge of the first chip tube component is coupled to the second edge of the second chip tube component.

[0008] One aspect of this disclosure is a method comprising: coupling a first chip tube component to a second chip tube component; coupling a third chip tube component to the second chip tube component to form a plurality of coupled chip components; and arranging the plurality of coupled chip components within a housing.

[0009] With two handles, the openings are not synchronized. The present invention provides a mechanism to assist in the opening of the upper tray in a guided manner without creating the risk of maintenance problems.

[0010] This mechanism is based on three principles. - A single bar connects the left and right sides of the tray to open it. The important thing is that it has a mechanism to connect the left and right sides to create a guided opening. - A lever mechanism to reduce the effort required to open it. - A spring connected to the lever system to assist in initiating the operation when opening and closing the tray.

[0011] In this type of system, the tray can be opened with one hand, and chips can be retrieved from the bottom tray with the other. This feature saves the dealer time while keeping high-value chips in a protected area of ​​the bottom tray.

[0012] The present invention can also have multiple compartments within the tray, thus allowing for the possibility of opening only a portion of the upper tray. In this way, access to some compartments can also be blocked by an access control device.

[0013] Integrating sensors enables software control of the opening, traceability, and ensures the safety of the float's contents. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] To better understand the embodiments and advantages of the present invention, the following description will be made by reference, along with the attached figures which are briefly described below.

[0015] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows drawings of gaming tables according to various exemplary embodiments.

[0016] [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a diagram of a networked environment according to various exemplary embodiments.

[0017] [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows a chip tray according to various exemplary embodiments.

[0018] [Figure 4] Figure 4 is an exploded view of components of a chip tray according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0019] [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows exploded views of the components of a chip tray according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0020] [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows the components of the chip tube according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0021] [Figure 7] Figure 7 illustrates a part of the gaming chip storage row according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0022] [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a schematic block diagram showing an exemplary computing device employed in the networked environment of FIG. 2 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0023] [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a perspective view of a chip tray according to the second embodiment.

[0024] [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the lower tray of the chip tray 104 according to the second embodiment in an open state.

[0025] [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of the chip tray according to the second embodiment with the upper tray accommodated in the lower tray.

[0026] [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a perspective view of a chip tube part (for small circular chips) according to the second embodiment.

[0027] [Figure 13] Figure 13 is a perspective view of a chip tube part (for large circular chips) according to the second embodiment.

[0028] [Figure 14] Figure 14 is a perspective view of a chip tube part (for plaques) according to the second embodiment.

[0029] [Figure 15] Figure 15 is a perspective view of a chip tray according to the third embodiment.

[0030] [Figure 16] Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view of a tip tray according to the third embodiment.

[0031] [Figure 17] Figure 17 is a perspective view of a recovery chip tube component according to the third embodiment.

[0032] [Figure 18] Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view of a recovery chip tube component according to the third embodiment.

[0033] [Figure 19] Figure 19 is a perspective view of a chip tube component (for gaming chips) according to the third embodiment.

[0034] [Figure 20] Figure 20 is a perspective view of a tip tube component (for plaque) according to the third embodiment.

[0035] [Figure 21] Figure 21 is a perspective view of a spacer component according to the third embodiment. Detailed explanation

[0036] The drawings show only exemplary embodiments and should not be considered to limit the scope described herein, as other equally valid embodiments fall within the scope and spirit of this disclosure. The elements and features shown in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, but rather the emphasis is on clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Furthermore, certain dimensions may be exaggerated to help visually convey specific principles. In the drawings, similar reference figures between figures indicate elements that are similar or corresponding, but not necessarily identical.

[0037] In the following paragraphs, embodiments are described in more detail illustratively with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description, well-known components, methods, and / or processing techniques are omitted or described concisely so as not to obscure the embodiments. As used herein, “this disclosure” means any one of the embodiments described herein and any equivalent thereof. Furthermore, reference to various features of “embodiments of this disclosure” does not imply that all embodiments must include the referenced features.

[0038] Some aspects of the embodiments of this disclosure are implemented by computer programs executed by one or more processors, as described and illustrated. As will be apparent to those with the ordinary art, one or more embodiments may be implemented at least in part by various forms of computer-readable instructions, and this disclosure is not intended to be limited to any particular set or sequence of instructions executed by a processor.

[0039] The embodiments described herein apply to the details described below, or are not limited to the details illustrated in the drawings. The disclosed subject matter can be carried out in other embodiments, and may be carried out in a variety of ways. Furthermore, the expressions and terms used herein are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered limiting. The use of “includes,” “constitutes,” or “has” as used herein, and variations thereof, means to include the items, additional items, and their equivalents described therein. The terms “connected” and “coupled” are used broadly and include both direct and indirect connections and couplings. Furthermore, the terms “connected” and “coupled” are not limited to electrical, physical, or mechanical connections or couplings. As used herein, the terms “machine,” “computer,” “server,” and “workstation” are not limited to devices having a single processor, but may include multiple linked devices in a system (e.g., computers), devices having multiple processors, special-purpose devices, devices having various peripherals and input / output devices, software functioning as a computer or server, and combinations thereof.

[0040] As used herein, the term "gaming chip" may include any chip, plaque, jeton, or other gaming currency that may be used in a casino, gaming room, or digital game. Each gaming chip may represent a predetermined value or an undetermined value. Gaming chips may be made from rigid plastic material or clay to obtain a structure that is robust enough to withstand the conditions of use in a casino. Gaming chips may be used throughout a casino. For example, at a gaming table, gaming chips may be received at the end of a play or hand, bought in with cash, and paid out during play. In a cashier area, gaming chips may be received and cash paid out (cash out). Alternatively, cash may be received and gaming chips paid out (buy in).

[0041] <First Embodiment> Next, looking at the drawings, exemplary embodiments are described in detail. Referring to Figure 1, shown is a gaming table 100 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. The gaming table 100 includes a chip tray 103 among other components. The chip tray 103 may include one or more chip tube components 106, for example, chip tube components 106a, 106b, and 106c. The housing of the chip tray 103 may include a lockable lid 109.

[0042] The enclosure of the chip tray 103 may include a lockable lid 109 to restrict access to the chip tray 103. When the gambling game is in operation, the lid 109 may be completely removed. Similarly, when the gambling table is open, the lid 109 may be unlocked so that an employee can lift the lid if desired. When the gambling game is closed, the lid 109 may be locked.

[0043] Referring to Figure 2, various embodiments of the networked environment 103 are shown. The networked environment 103 includes a computing environment 203, one or more gaming table devices 206 located within one or more gaming tables 100, and one or more cameras 209 communicating data with each other via a network 212. The network 212 includes, for example, the internet, intranet, extranet, wide area network (WAN), local area network (LAN), wired network, wireless network, or other suitable network, or any combination thereof. For example, such a network may consist of a satellite network, cable network, Ethernet network, and other types of networks.

[0044] The computing environment 203 may include, for example, a server computer or any other system that provides computing power. Alternatively, the computing environment 203 may employ multiple computing devices, for example, which may be located in one or more server banks or computer banks or other arrangements. Such computing devices may be located in a single location or distributed across many different geographical locations. For example, the computing environment 203 may include multiple computing devices that together constitute a host computing resource, a grid computing resource, and / or any other distributed computing arrangement. In some embodiments, the computing environment 203 may accommodate resilient computing resources, where the allocated capacity of processing, networking, storage, or other computing-related resources changes over time.

[0045] Depending on the various embodiments, various applications and / or other functions may be executed in the computing environment 203. Various data are also stored in a data store 215 accessible to the computing environment 203. The data store 215 may be representative of several data stores 215, as can be understood. The data stored in the data store 215 is associated, for example, with the operation of various applications and / or functional entities described below. The data store 215 may also contain other data, such as currency data 218 and gaming data 221.

[0046] Components running on the computing environment 203 include, for example, a gaming service 227 and other applications, services, processes, systems, engines, or functions not discussed in detail herein. The gaming service 227 is run to recognize gaming chips used on one or more tables 206. For example, during a gambling game, stacks of gaming chips can be placed at various locations on the gaming table 100. One or more images of the gaming table 100 can be taken, and the gaming service 227 can identify one or more stacks of gaming chips in the images, count the gaming chips in each stack, and evaluate the denomination of the gaming chips. It will be understood that some or all of the functions described in relation to the gaming service 227 may be run on the gaming table device 206, which includes the computing device for the gaming table 100.

[0047] The currency data 218 may include a list of all active gaming chips, including any identifiers associated with the gaming chip, such as RFID tag identifiers, barcode identifiers, visual features including color information, and other identifiers. The gaming data 221 may store the history of received sensor inputs and any configuration, calibration, and control settings.

[0048] The gaming table 100 is representative of multiple gaming tables that may be connected to the network 212. The gaming table device 206 may include one or more computing devices having a processor-based system, such as a computer system. Such a computer system may be embodied in the form of an embedded computing device or other device having similar capabilities. The gaming table 100 may include one or more cameras 230, one or more sensors 233, a chip tray 103, one or more bet spots 239, a chip recycling device 242, and a bill validator 245.

[0049] Similar to camera 209, camera 230 can capture images of the surface of the gaming table 100. The gaming table device 206 or camera 230 can transmit images to the gaming service 227 via the network 212. The images can be transmitted to the gaming service 227 as a video stream of the surface of the gaming table 100. The gaming service 227 can receive images from cameras 209 and 230 from various angles. Sensor 233 may include an RFID antenna, a video barcode scanner, a weighing scale, etc. Sensor 233 can be used to identify gaming chips played on the gaming table.

[0050] The gaming service 227 can verify RFID currency based on information read from the sensor 233, which is an RFID antenna. The RFID antenna can be placed in the chip tray 103, each of the bet spots 239, the chip recycling device 242, and other locations. The gaming table device 206 can use the RFID antenna to read RFID tags from RFID-enabled gaming chips. The information from the RFID tags can be stored along with data related to the RFID antenna reading the RFID tags. For example, identifiers from one or more RFID-enabled gaming chips can be read by the RFID antenna at a specific bet spot 239.

[0051] Referring to Figure 3, the chip tray 103 is shown according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. The chip tray 103 may include a storage rack for storing gaming chips. The chip tray 103 can be placed on a gaming table to securely store casino gaming chips. The chip tray 103 can be used by employees such as dealers and managers.

[0052] Gaming chips can have different shapes and sizes for different reasons. For example, the size and shape of a gaming chip can vary based on denomination. The target population category of a gaming chip can also influence its size and shape. For instance, gaming chips targeting mass market, VIPs, premium users, and other categories can have a variety of sizes and shapes.

[0053] Casino operators may have preferences regarding the layout of the chip trays 103 used. These preferences can depend on various factors, including the casino's history and location. Most casinos adapt or customize the chip trays 103 according to the needs of the gambling games and the specific currency of the location. In the case of injection-molded chip trays 103, if these customizations involve changes to the layout of the storage areas within the chip tray, new injection molds may be required, which can significantly increase manufacturing costs.

[0054] For a casino, knowing the current amount and number of gaming chips in the chip tray 103 can be important for managing the turnover rate of gaming tables, fills and credits at gaming tables, and opening and closing gaming tables. Casino operators can visually check the number of gaming chips; however, this is impractical and can be time-consuming. In other embodiments, if RFID-enabled chips and plaques are used, casino operators can use an RFID chip tray.

[0055] Whether or not it is equipped with RFID, the required customization for the chip tray 103 may include the number of rows and the configuration of each row, and may include new designs and specific manufacturing tools such as molds to accommodate the customized design. The customized configuration may include defining the overall capacity of the chip tray, defining the diameter of the gaming chips to be stored in different rows, and defining the shape of the gaming chips. The shape of the gaming chips may be rectangular if the casino operator wants to accommodate larger rectangular plaques.

[0056] Casino operators may store high-denomination chips in the middle row of the chip tray 103 and low-denomination chips in the outer row of the chip tray 103. Gaming chips with higher denominations may have larger diameters, for example, 45 mm or 48 mm. Gaming chips with lower denominations may have smaller diameters, such as 39 mm or 40 mm. Such variation in diameter helps to differentiate the gaming chips and prevent errors when stacking them.

[0057] To facilitate customization of the chip tray 103, the configuration of the chip tube component 106 can be changed. This chip tube component system can reduce design and tooling costs and provide a solution for easily and quickly changing the configuration of trays on a group of tables. The chip tray 103 is designed to be scalable and modular. In some embodiments, the chip tray 103 is RFID-enabled.

[0058] The chip tray 103 may have a fixed width. Fixed-size housings can also be used. In some embodiments, a set of fixed-width and fixed-size housings can be used to allow for larger and smaller chip trays 103, based on preference. The chip tray 103 can be assembled using a chip tube component 106 which may include tubes 303. Each of the tubes 303 may be configured to hold a specific shape and size of gaming chips, which may include, for example, round, rectangular, or other shaped gaming chips.

[0059] The tip tray 103 may include a base structure 306 for providing support for the tip tube component 106 and a trim cover 309. In some embodiments, the trim cover 309 may be detachably coupled to the base structure 306 to secure the tip tube component 106 in place. For example, tabs on the trim cover 309 may click into slots on the base structure 306 to hold the trim cover 309 in place. The trim cover 309 may cover the outer edge of the tip tube component 106 to hold the tip tube component 106 in place.

[0060] The chip tube component 106 may have one or more tubes 303, each tube 303 being called a gaming chip storage row. Casino operators can assemble the chip tube component 106 to fill available space. The chip tray can be customized based on the casino's current needs. In some embodiments, the weight of the gaming chips can be used to hold the chip tube component 106 in place. The ends of the chip tube component 106 can be joined to secure the chip tube component 106 in place. In some embodiments, the edges of adjacent chip tube components 106 can be locked together based on the shape of the edges.

[0061] In one embodiment, each chip tube component 106 has 2 to 3 gaming chip storage rows 303, and the chip tray 100 can have a total of 12 to 16 gaming chip storage rows 303 by assembling one or more chip tube components 106. The gaming chip storage rows can be configured to hold round gaming chips of 35mm, 40mm, 41mm, 45mm, or other diameter sizes. The gaming chip storage rows can be configured to hold rectangular gaming chips of 85mm or other diameter sizes. Different gaming tables 100 on the casino floor can have chip tube components 106 with different configurations on their respective chip trays 103. Furthermore, the chip trays 103 of each gaming table 100 can be quickly and easily changed to accommodate different chip tube components 106.

[0062] Referring to Figure 4, an exploded view of selected components 400 of an exemplary chip tray 103 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The components 400 include chip tube components 106a, 106b, and 106c, spacer components 403 and 406, RFID antenna 409, base 412, and potentially other components.

[0063] The chip tube components 106a-c can be assembled together to span the fixed width of the chip tray 103. Spacer components 403 and 406 can be used to fill the remaining space to span the entire fixed width. The width of each chip tube component 106 may be based on the size of the gaming chips to be housed in each chip tube and the number of chip tubes. In various embodiments, various chip tube components 106 of various fixed sizes are selectable, so the span of the assembled chip tube components 106 may not be precisely set to fit within the fixed span of the chip tray 103. Therefore, a gap may exist between the sides of the chip tray 103 and the chip tube components 106. Spacer members 403 and 406 can be coupled to the sides of the chip tube components 106 to facilitate precise fitting.

[0064] One or more RFID antennas 409 can be positioned beneath the chip tube component 106. In some embodiments, the RFID antennas 409 are installed inside the gaming table 100 beneath the base 412 of the housing for the chip tray 103. The RFID antennas 409 can be covered to protect them from damage when the chip tray 103 is inserted into the gaming table 100. Alternatively, the RFID antennas 409 may be locked to the gaming table 100 for security reasons to prevent tampering.

[0065] The RFID antenna 409 can be configured to read gaming chips located within the chip tube component 106 via the gaming service 227 (Figure 2). The reading results can be displayed to the dealer on a display showing the quantity and value of gaming chips in the chip tray 103. The display may also include an authentication result indicating whether all of the read gaming chips were successfully authenticated. In some embodiments, the display may include one or more indicators on the table, such as LED indicators, to indicate success or failure of reading or authentication. In some embodiments, the chip tray 103 may include a shield when one or more RFID antennas are used.

[0066] Referring to Figure 5, an exploded view of selected components 500 of an exemplary tip tray 103 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The components 500 include tip tube components 106d, 106e, and 106f, spacer components 403 and 406, and potentially other components. The tip tube components 106 may have a coupling edge on a first side and a coupling edge on a second side opposite to the first side. The coupling edges may be configured to mate with each other in the coupling 503. In some embodiments, the coupling edges can prevent cutting of adjacent tip tube components 106 unless the tip tube components 106 slide in opposite directions along the coupling edges facing each other. The shown coupling edges correspond to a hook mechanism, but in other embodiments, other types of edge joints may be used, such as a tong-and-glove joint, a finger joint, or other types of edge joints. As shown, the spacer members 403, 406 may also include coupling edges for edge coupling with adjacent tip tube components 106.

[0067] Referring to Figure 6, exemplary tip tube components 106 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure are shown. The tip tube component 106 may include one or more tubes 303a to 303c. The tip tube component 106 may have a first coupling edge 603 and a second coupling edge 606 opposite the first coupling edge. In some embodiments, the leading edge 609 and / or trailing edge (not shown) may have coupling edges for coupling to the front and rear spacer components, similar to spacer components 403 and 406.

[0068] The tip tube component 106 can be created using a 3D printer or any other manufacturing process for plastic and metal materials. For example, material removal or machining can be used to form the tip tube component 106. Alternatively, the tip tube component 106 may be molded or injection molded.

[0069] To facilitate the configuration of each chip tray 103, a catalog of chip tube components 106 can be provided to the casino operator. If RFID is used, one or more RFID antennas and potentially shielding plates can be placed beneath the chip tube component 106. Regardless of the configuration of the chip tube component 106, the RFID antennas and shielding plates can be arranged to cover the full width away from the tray.

[0070] Referring to Figure 7, a top view of a portion 700 of an exemplary gaming chip storage row 303d according to various embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The chip tube component 106 may include one or more gaming chip storage rows 303d. The gaming chip storage row 303d can hold one or more rectangular plaques within the space 703. The edges 706 can provide horizontal support for the plaques while providing space for fingers to reach and grasp the plaques.

[0071] Looking at Figure 8, an exemplary hardware diagram of computing device 800 is shown. The gaming service 227 may be partially implemented using one or more elements of computing device 800. Computing device 800 may include one or more of the following: processor 810, random access memory ("RAM") 820, read-only memory ("ROM") 830, memory device 840, network interface 850, and input / output ("I / O") interface 860. The elements of computing device 800 are communicatively coupled via bus 802.

[0072] The processor 810 may include an arithmetic processor, an application-specific integrated circuit ("ASIC"), or other types of hardware or software processors. The RAM and ROM 820 and 830 may include memories that store computer-readable instructions executed by the processor 810. The memory device 830 stores therein computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor 810, instruct the processor 810 to perform various aspects of the disclosure described herein. If the processor 810 includes an ASIC, the processes described herein may be executed by the ASIC, by the firmware of the ASIC, or by both the embedded circuit design and the firmware of the ASIC, according to the embedded circuit design of the ASIC. As a non-limiting exemplary group, the storage device 830 constitutes one or more of the optical disks, magnetic disks, semiconductor memory (i.e., semiconductor, floating-gate, or similar flash-based memory), magnetic tape memory, removable memory, combinations thereof, or any other known storage means for storing computer-readable instructions. The network interface 850 may include a hardware interface for communication over a data network. The I / O interface 860 may include device input / output interfaces such as keyboards, pointing devices, displays, communications, and other interfaces. The bus 802 can electrically and communicatively connect the processor 810, RAM 820, ROM 830, memory device 840, network interface 850, and I / O interface 860, allowing data and instructions to be communicated between them.

[0073] In operation, the processor 810 is configured to retrieve computer-readable instructions stored in memory device 840, RAM 820, ROM 830, or another storage means, and to copy the computer-readable instructions to, for example, RAM 820 or ROM 830 for execution. The processor 810 is further configured to execute computer-readable instructions in order to implement various aspects and features of this disclosure. For example, the processor 810 may be adapted and configured to execute the processes described above with reference to Figure 2, including the processes described as being executed by the gaming service 227. The storage device 840 may also store data stored in the database 215.

[0074] <Second Embodiment> Figure 9 is a perspective view of the chip tray 104 according to the second embodiment. The chip tray 1004 is a double chip tray composed of an upper tray 1041 and a lower tray 1042. Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the chip tray 104 with the lower tray 1042 open, and Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of the chip tray 104 with the upper tray 1041 housed in the lower tray 1042.

[0075] The lower chip tray 1042 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape with an open top, and chip tube components 106 are arranged in a row on its lower interior surface. The upper chip tray 1041 has a tray shape with an open top, and chip tube components 106 are arranged in a row on its lower interior surface. The upper chip tray 1041 can be loaded onto the lower chip tray 1042 from above the chips stored in the lower chip tray 1042.

[0076] The upper tray 1041 is movably connected to the lower tray 1042 via a link mechanism 1043. By lifting the handle 1044, the upper tray 1041 can be moved diagonally upward from the lower tray 1042 while maintaining its position, thereby opening the top surface of the lower tray 1042.

[0077] Although not shown in the diagram, the lower surface of the upper tray 1041 is provided with an RFID antenna for reading RFID tags embedded in gaming chips stored in the upper tray 1041, and the lower surface of the lower tray 1042 is also provided with an RFID antenna for reading RFID tags embedded in gaming chips stored in the lower tray 1042. In addition, to prevent the RFID antenna of the upper tray 1041 from reading the RFID tags of gaming chips stored in the lower tray 1042, or the RFID antenna of the lower tray 1042 from reading the RFID tags of gaming chips stored in the upper tray 1041, a shield to block electromagnetic waves from the RFID antenna or a jamming antenna that generates electromagnetic waves to partially cancel out or weaken the electromagnetic waves from the RFID antenna may be used.

[0078] Figure 12 is a perspective view of the chip tube component (for small circular chips) according to this embodiment, Figure 13 is a perspective view of the chip tube component (for large circular chips) according to this embodiment, and Figure 14 is a perspective view of the chip tube component (for plaques) according to this embodiment. Each chip tube component consists of one row of gaming chip storage. The chip tube component 106 for small circular chips, the chip tube component 106 for large circular chips, and the chip tube component 106 for plaques each have different widths corresponding to the size of the gaming chips stored therein.

[0079] One side surface of each chip tube component 106 is a flat surface, and when the chip tube components 106 are joined together, these flat surfaces come into contact with each other, so no gaps are formed between the sides. As described above, when adjacent chip tube components 106 are joined together at their right and left ends, the structure is such that the vertically adjacent chip tube components 106 do not overlap each other at the joining portion. Therefore, by removing the fixed L-shaped angle 1051 described later, each chip tube component 106 can be independently attached to and detached from the upper tray 1041 or lower tray 1042 separately from other chip tube components 106, and each chip tube component 106 can be attached to and detached from the upper tray 1041 or lower tray 1042.

[0080] In both the upper tray 1041 and the lower tray 1042, the tip tube components 106 are arranged in a slightly inclined position, with their front ends facing upwards and their rear ends facing downwards. Furthermore, the tip tube components 106 for the upper tray 1041 are formed to be shorter in the longitudinal direction than the tip tube components for the lower tray 1042.

[0081] Retaining flanges 1061 and 1062 are formed at the longitudinal front and rear ends of the tip tube component 106, respectively. The rear retaining flange 1062 fits into lock grooves 1045 and 1046 formed in the upper tray 1041 and lower tray 1042, respectively. The front end of the tip tube component 106 is fixed to the upper tray 1041 and lower tray 1042 by a fixed L-shaped angle 1051 that holds the front end flange 1061 from above. The fixed L-shaped angle 1051 is also fixed to the upper tray 1041 and lower tray 1042 by screws 1052, respectively.

[0082] The front and rear ends of the chip tube component 106 are open. When the chip tube component 106 is mounted on the upper tray 1041 or the lower tray 1042, the upper tray 1041 and the lower tray 1042 support the plane of the gaming chip in an inclined direction.

[0083] <Third Embodiment> Figure 15 is a perspective view of the chip tray 108 according to the third embodiment. The chip tray 108 of this embodiment, like the second embodiment, is a double chip tray including an upper tray 1081 and a lower tray 1082. The chip tray 108 further comprises a chip tube component 107. The chip tube component 107 is a type of chip tube component 106 and has a plurality of (two) tubes 303. The chip tube component 107 is a tray for temporarily storing chips recovered from players who have lost a game.

[0084] Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view of the chip tray 108. As shown in Figure 16, the recovered chip tube component 107 is fitted into the lower tray 1082 so as to be horizontal with the upper tray 1081 which is housed in the lower tray 1082. A space is provided below the recovered chip tube component 107, and a camera (not shown) is positioned within this space.

[0085] As shown in Figure 16, spacer members 407 are provided at both ends of the lower tray 1041 in the direction of arrangement of the chip tube components 106. By using these spacer members 407, any number of chip tube components 106 with different widths, such as circular gaming chip chip components 106 and plaque chip tube components 106, can be combined and arranged in the lower tray 1081. Similarly, in the upper tray 1081, by using spacer members 407, any number of circular gaming chip chip components 106 and plaque chip tube components 106 can be combined and arranged in the same manner.

[0086] Figure 17 is a perspective view of the recovery chip tube component 107, and Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view of the recovery chip tube component 107. Each tube 303 of the recovery chip tube component 107 has a slit 1071 formed in the longitudinal direction of the tube (i.e., the stacking direction of the gaming chips). A camera positioned below the recovery chip tube component 107 photographs the side of the gaming chip exposed through the slit 1071. Multiple mirrors are provided between the camera and the slit 1071, and illumination light is also provided to illuminate the slit 1071. The multiple mirrors guide the reflected light from the slit 1071, illuminated by the illumination light, to the camera lens.

[0087] The gaming chip used in this embodiment has a stripe-like pattern formed on its side surface in the thickness direction. The stripe pattern is formed by sandwiching a colored layer between common color layers. The color of the colored layer is set for each denomination (value) of the gaming chip. More specifically, the color of the colored layer represents the denomination of the gaming chip. The common color is used in common for chips having different denominations. With this configuration, when gaming chips are stacked, the colored layers for determining denomination are not adjacent to each other, and the denomination of each gaming chip can be determined individually.

[0088] The computing unit 800 identifies the denomination of each gaming chip housed in the recovery chip tube component 107 by performing image analysis on the images captured by the camera. Alternatively, an RFID antenna may be provided on the recovery chip tube component 107, and the RFID tags of the gaming chips housed in the recovery chip tube component 107 may be read by the RFID antenna. In this case, the computing unit 800 may compare the denomination obtained from the images captured by the camera with the denomination obtained by reading the RFID tags to inspect the gaming chips housed in the recovery chip tube component 107.

[0089] Figure 19 is a perspective view of a chip tube component (for circular gaming chips) according to this embodiment, and Figure 20 is a perspective view of a chip tube component (for plaques) according to this embodiment. Each chip tube component consists of one row of gaming chip storage. The chip tube component 106 for small circular chips and the chip tube component 106 for plaques have different widths corresponding to the size of the gaming chips.

[0090] The chip tube component 106 according to this embodiment has an open front end but a rear end wall 1063 that supports the gaming chip. As a result, even if the chip tube component 106 is removed from the upper tray 1081 or the lower tray 1082 while the gaming chip is housed in the chip tube component 106, the gaming chip can be stably held in the chip tube component 106.

[0091] Figure 21 is a perspective view of a spacer member according to this embodiment. Flanges 4071 and 4072 are formed at the front and rear ends of the spacer member 407, similar to the tip tube component 106. As a result, the spacer member 407 is also fixed to the upper tray 1081 or lower tray 1082 by an L-shaped angle 1081 (see Figure 15), similar to the tip tube component 106. Although Figure 20 shows an example of the spacer member 407, multiple types of spacer members 407 with different widths may be prepared and used in accordance with the type and number of tip tube components 106 used.

[0092] The camera installed beneath the recovered chip tube component 107 may be a visible light camera or an infrared camera used only to detect the number of gaming chips inside the recovered chip tube component 107.

[0093] If recognition by a camera installed beneath the recovery chip tube component 107 is not required, the camera may be omitted, and the recovery chip may be detected independently of other chips in the chip tube component 106 using only RFID.

[0094] To make the chip tray thinner, an RFID antenna may be provided only on the underside of the upper tray 1041. In this case, the RFID antenna may be configured to read both the RFID tags embedded in the circular gaming chip or plaque housed in the upper tray 1041 and the RFID tags embedded in the circular gaming chip or plaque housed in the lower tray 1042. Furthermore, when the upper tray 1041 is housed in the lower tray 1042, all RFID tags housed in both the upper tray 1041 and the lower tray 1042 may be read by a single RFID antenna, and when the upper tray 1041 is detached from the lower tray 1042, the RFID tags housed in the upper tray 1041 may be read by a single RFID antenna. In this case, it is preferable to design the lower tray 1042 such that the distance between the RFID tags in the gaming chip and the RFID antenna provided on the underside of the upper tray 1041 remains constant.

[0095] If RFID antennas are provided on the underside of the upper tray 1041 and the underside of the lower tray 1042, the upper antenna may be configured to read only the gaming chips in the upper tray 1041, and the lower antenna may be configured to read some or all of the gaming chips in the lower tray 1042 and the upper tray 1041. Alternatively, the upper antenna may be configured to read some or all of the gaming chips in the upper tray 1041, and the lower antenna may be configured to read only the gaming chips in the lower tray 1042. In either case, by verifying the collective relationship of the reading results from the upper and lower antennas, it is possible to determine the gaming chips in the upper tray 1041 and the gaming chips in the lower tray 1042, respectively.

[0096] Unless otherwise specified, phrases such as "at least one of X, Y, or Z" should be understood in the context of general usage to indicate that an item, term, etc., may be any one of X, Y, or Z, or any combination thereof (e.g., X, Y, and / or Z). Similarly, unless otherwise specified, "at least one of X, Y, and Z" should be understood to indicate that an item, term, etc., may be any one of X, Y, and Z, or any combination thereof (e.g., X, Y, and / or Z). Therefore, as used herein, such phrasing should not imply that, in particular embodiments, it is necessary that at least one of X, Y, or Z be present, but not, for example, that one X and one Y be present, nor should such phrasing imply that, in particular embodiments, it is necessary that each of X, Y, and Z be present.

[0097] While embodiments have been described in detail herein, these descriptions are illustrative. The features of the embodiments described herein are representative, and in alternative embodiments, certain features and elements may be added or omitted. Furthermore, modifications to aspects of the embodiments described herein can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure as defined in the following claims, the scope of which should be given the broadest possible interpretation to encompass modifications and equivalent structures.

Claims

1. A dual chip tray system for use with gaming tables, The lower tray contains one or more gaming chips, each with an embedded RFID tag, An upper tray is stacked on top of the lower tray and contains a second set of one or more gaming chips, each with an embedded RFID tag. One or more RFID readers that use at least one RFID antenna to read one or more RFID tags of the first set of one or more gaming chips housed in the lower tray and one or more RFID tags of the second set of one or more gaming chips housed in the upper tray, A dual tip tray system equipped with this system.

2. The dual-chip tray system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more RFID readers determine the first set of gaming chips housed in the lower tray by reading the one or more RFID tags of the first set of gaming chips.

3. The dual-chip tray system according to claim 2, wherein the one or more RFID readers determine the second set of one or more gaming chips housed in the upper tray by reading the one or more RFID tags of the second set of one or more gaming chips.

4. The dual chip tray system according to claim 1, wherein the lower tray and the upper tray accommodate a plurality of gaming chips, including a first set of one or more gaming chips and a second set of one or more gaming chips.

5. The dual chip tray system according to claim 1, wherein when the upper tray is stacked on the lower tray, the upper tray and the lower tray form a cavity in which the first set of one or more gaming chips is housed.

6. The dual-chip tray system according to claim 5, wherein when the upper tray is stacked on the lower tray, the one or more RFID readers read the one or more RFID tags of the first set of one or more gaming chips housed in the lower tray and the one or more RFID tags of the second set of one or more gaming chips housed in the upper tray.

7. The dual chip tray system according to claim 1, wherein when the upper tray is displaced from the lower tray, the first set of one or more gaming chips housed in the lower tray is movable from the lower tray.

8. The dual-chip tray system according to claim 7, wherein the one or more RFID readers read at least a portion of a plurality of gaming chips when the upper tray is displaced from the lower tray, and the plurality of gaming chips includes the first set of one or more gaming chips and the second set of one or more gaming chips.

9. The dual-chip tray system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one RFID antenna is a single RFID antenna.

10. The dual chip tray system according to claim 9, further comprising the single RFID antenna.

11. The dual chip tray system according to claim 9, wherein the single RFID antenna is included in the lower tray.

12. The dual chip tray system according to claim 9, wherein the single RFID antenna is included in the upper tray.

13. The dual chip tray system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one RFID antenna includes a first antenna and a second antenna.

14. The one or more RFID readers mentioned above are: Using the first antenna, read the one or more RFID tags of the second set of one or more gaming chips housed in the upper tray. The dual-chip tray system according to claim 13, wherein the second antenna is used to read at least a portion of a plurality of RFID tags, including the one or more RFID tags of the first set of one or more gaming chips housed in the lower tray and the one or more RFID tags of the second set of one or more gaming chips housed in the upper tray.

15. The one or more RFID readers mentioned above are: Using the first antenna, read the one or more RFID tags of the second set of one or more gaming chips housed in the upper tray. The dual-chip tray system according to claim 14, wherein the second antenna is used to read the one or more RFID tags of the first set of one or more gaming chips housed in the lower tray and the one or more RFID tags of the second set of one or more gaming chips housed in the upper tray.

16. The one or more RFID readers mentioned above are: Using the first antenna, read at least one of the one or more RFID tags of the first set of one or more gaming chips housed in the lower tray, and read the one or more RFID tags of the second set of one or more gaming chips housed in the upper tray. The dual-chip tray system according to claim 13, wherein the second antenna is used to read the one or more RFID tags of the first set of one or more gaming chips housed in the lower tray.

17. The dual-chip tray system according to claim 13, wherein the one or more RFID readers determine the first set of one or more gaming chips housed in the lower tray and the second set of one or more gaming chips housed in the upper tray based on the collective relationship between the first reading result via the first antenna and the second reading result via the second antenna.

18. The dual-chip tray system according to claim 13, wherein the one or more RFID readers use the first antenna to read the one or more RFID tags of the second set of one or more gaming chips housed in the upper tray, and use the second antenna to read the one or more RFID tags of the first set of one or more gaming chips housed in the lower tray.

19. The dual chip tray system according to claim 13, further comprising a shield for shielding electromagnetic waves from the first antenna or the second antenna.

20. The dual-chip tray system according to claim 13, further comprising a jamming antenna that generates electromagnetic waves to at least partially cancel out or weaken electromagnetic waves from the first antenna or the second antenna so that one or more RFID readers do not read one or more RFID tags of the first set of one or more gaming chips housed in the lower tray via the first antenna, or so that they do not read one or more RFID tags of the second set of one or more gaming chips housed in the upper tray via the second antenna.

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