Card sorting device

Abstract

A card sorting container used in a card sorting device for sorting randomly arranged cards in deck units, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, is disclosed. The card sorting container may include: an upper storage portion having a shell shape with an open front and into which some of the plurality of cards are inserted through a first open opening; a lower storage portion having a shell shape with an open front and into which some of the plurality of cards are inserted through a second open opening; an additional storage portion disposed at the rear of the lower storage portion and having a shell shape with an open top surface, into which cards not included in the decks stored in the upper storage portion and the lower storage portion are stored; and an opening formed between the upper storage portion and the lower storage portion.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a card sorting device, specifically to a card sorting device that sorts randomly arranged cards in deck units. Background Technology

[0002] A deck is a term used in card games, referring to a collection of 52 cards. This collection of cards, the deck, consists of cards of four suits: hearts, diamonds, spades, and clubs.

[0003] Various types of card games are operated in gaming facilities such as casinos, and each game uses one or more decks consisting of multiple cards.

[0004] Traditionally, used cards were either discarded or manually collected by workers, who visually identified and sorted them into decks for reuse. The process of sorting cards by deck varies in time and accuracy depending on the worker's skill level, and manual sorting is highly inefficient, particularly in casino environments where games are played simultaneously at multiple tables. Furthermore, if cards are damaged or mixed up, accurately identifying them and returning them to the original deck is very difficult, and the risk of error is high. Prior art literature

[0005] Republic of Korea Published Patent No. 10-2023-0089864 The problem to be solved

[0006] The present disclosure is conceived in response to the aforementioned background technology and aims to provide a card sorting device that sorts randomly arranged cards in deck units.

[0007] The technical problems of the present disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned technical problems will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below. means of solving the problem

[0008] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure for solving the problem described above, a card sorting container used in a card sorting device for sorting randomly arranged cards in deck units is disclosed. The card sorting container may include: an upper storage portion having a shell shape with an open front and into which some of the plurality of cards are inserted through an open first opening; a lower storage portion having a shell shape with an open front and into which some of the plurality of cards are inserted through an open second opening; an additional storage portion disposed at the rear of the lower storage portion and having a shell shape with an open top surface, into which cards not included in the decks stored in the upper storage portion and the lower storage portion are stored; and an opening formed between the upper storage portion and the lower storage portion.

[0009] In addition, cards not included in the deck stored in the upper storage compartment and the lower storage compartment may fall after passing through the opening and move to the additional storage compartment.

[0010] In addition, the height spacing of the above opening may be smaller than the height spacing of the upper storage portion and the height spacing of the lower storage portion.

[0011] Additionally, the front hole of the opening is located above the rear hole of the opening, and the lower surface of the opening may be formed as a wall inclined from the front to the rear.

[0012] In addition, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure for solving the problem described above, a card sorting device for sorting randomly arranged cards in deck units is disclosed. The card sorting device comprises: a card sorting device for classifying a plurality of cards introduced; and a card sorting container for storing cards classified by the card sorting device. The card sorting container may include: an upper storage portion having a shell shape with an open front and into which some of the plurality of cards are introduced through an open first opening; a lower storage portion having a shell shape with an open front and into which some of the plurality of cards are introduced through an open second opening; an additional storage portion disposed at the rear of the lower storage portion and having a shell shape with an open top surface, into which cards not included in the deck stored in the upper storage portion and the lower storage portion are stored; and an opening formed between the upper storage portion and the lower storage portion.

[0013] Additionally, the card sorting device may include: a body part forming the exterior of the card sorting device; an input part provided above the body part and into which a plurality of cards are inserted; a shooting part that photographs the plurality of cards inserted into the input part; a control part that sorts the plurality of cards based on the image captured by the shooting part; a transfer part that transports the plurality of cards inserted into the input part under the control of the control part; an outlet connected to the transfer part for discharging the plurality of cards; and a driving part that adjusts the position of the card sorting container so that each of the plurality of cards is stored in the card sorting container based on the sorting result in which each of the plurality of cards is sorted.

[0014] In addition, the card sorting device may include a display unit that outputs a sorting result and a user interface in which the plurality of cards are sorted by the control unit.

[0015] Additionally, the control unit can determine a first storage unit connected to the discharge port among the plurality of storage units, classify the first card based on a first image of the first card among the plurality of cards, determine whether the first card is a card required for the first storage unit to form a predetermined deck based on the classification result of the first card, and if it is determined that the first card is a card required for the first storage unit, control the transfer unit so that the first card is transferred to the first storage unit.

[0016] Additionally, the control unit may determine whether the first card is a card required in the second storage unit to form a predetermined deck when it is determined that the first card is a card not required in the first storage unit, and when it is determined that the first card is a card required in the second storage unit, control the driving unit so that the second storage unit is connected to the discharge port, and control the transfer unit so that the first card is transferred to the second storage unit.

[0017] Additionally, if the control unit determines that the first card is not a card required in the second storage unit, it can control the drive unit so that the additional storage unit is connected to the discharge port, and control the transfer unit so that the first card is transferred to the additional storage unit.

[0018] Additionally, the control unit may determine a target storage unit connected to the discharge port among the upper storage unit and the lower storage unit based on the classification result of the first card, classify the second card based on a second image in which the second card following the first card is photographed, and determine whether the second card is a card required for the target storage unit to form a predetermined deck based on the classification result of the second card.

[0019] The technical solutions obtainable in this disclosure are not limited to the solutions mentioned above, and other solutions not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which this disclosure belongs from the description below. Effects of the invention

[0020] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a card sorting device can be provided that allows a user to conveniently sort cards in deck units.

[0021] The effects obtainable from the present disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned effects will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure belongs from the description below. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0022] Various aspects are now described with reference to the drawings, wherein similar reference numbers are used to collectively refer to similar components. In the following embodiments, for illustrative purposes, a number of specific details are presented to provide a comprehensive understanding of one or more aspects. However, it will be apparent that such aspect(s) may be practiced without these specific details. In other examples, known structures and devices are illustrated in block diagram form to facilitate the description of one or more aspects. FIG. 1 is a drawing for illustrating an example of a card sorting device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a drawing for explaining an example of a card sorting container according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is another drawing for illustrating an example of a card sorting container according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a drawing for illustrating an example of a card sorting device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a card sorting device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method in which a control unit selects randomly arranged cards in deck units according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is a drawing for explaining an example of how a card sorting device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is operated. FIG. 8 is another drawing for explaining an example of how a card sorting device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is operated. FIG. 9 is another drawing for illustrating an example of operation of a card sorting device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 10 is another drawing for illustrating an example of operation of a card sorting device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0023] The present invention is susceptible to various modifications and may have various embodiments; specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the detailed description. However, this is not intended to limit the invention to specific embodiments, and it should be understood that the invention includes all modifications, equivalents, and substitutions that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention. Similar reference numerals have been used for similar components in the description of each drawing.

[0024] Terms such as first, second, A, B, etc., may be used to describe various components, but said components should not be limited by said terms. These terms are used solely for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the first component may be named the second component, and similarly, the second component may be named the first component. The term "and / or" includes a combination of a plurality of related described items or any of a plurality of related described items.

[0025] When it is stated that one component is "connected" or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that while it may be directly connected or connected to that other component, there may also be other components in between. On the other hand, when it is stated that one component is "directly connected" or "directly connected" to another component, it should be understood that there are no other components in between.

[0026] The terms used in this application are used merely to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this application, terms such as "comprising" or "having" are intended to specify the presence of the features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and should be understood as not precluding the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0027] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant technology, and should not be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined in this application.

[0028] In the present disclosure, a card sorting device can sort randomly arranged cards in deck units. A deck is a term used in card games and refers to a collection of 52 cards. This collection of cards, the deck, consists of cards of four suits: hearts, diamonds, spades, and clubs. The card sorting device is composed of a card sorting device and a card sorting container, and can sort randomly arranged cards in deck units. The card sorting device can sort randomly shuffled cards fed into the card sorting device in deck units and feed them into the card sorting container. Accordingly, the user can conveniently organize the cards. Hereinafter, a card sorting device according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10.

[0029] FIG. 1 is a drawing for illustrating an example of a card sorting device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0030] Referring to FIG. 1, the card sorting device (1000) may include a card sorting container (100) and a card sorting device (200).

[0031] The card sorting device (200) can sort multiple cards fed into the card sorting device (200).

[0032] Specifically, the card sorting device (200) can photograph a card inserted into the card sorting device (200) through a photographing unit. The card sorting device (200) can sort multiple cards based on the image captured by the photographing unit. The card sorting device (200) can discharge the sorted multiple cards. The card sorting device (200) discharges multiple cards, and can adjust the position of the card sorting container (100) so that each of the multiple cards is stored in one of the storage units included in the card sorting container according to the sorting result.

[0033] For example, the card sorting container (100) may include an upper storage section, a lower storage section, and an additional storage section. The card sorting device (200) may adjust the position of the card sorting container so that each of the plurality of cards is stored in one of the upper storage section, the lower storage section, or the additional storage section, depending on the sorting result. The card sorting device (200) may adjust the position of the card sorting container so that cards are stored in the upper storage section or the lower storage section in deck units.

[0034] The card sorting container (100) can store cards sorted by the card sorting device (200). The card sorting container (100) may include an upper storage section, a lower storage section, and an additional storage section. Cards can be sorted and inserted in deck units into each of the upper storage section and the lower storage section of the card sorting container (100).

[0035] For example, the card sorting device (200) can sort multiple cards based on an image captured by a shooting unit. The card sorting device (200) can adjust the position of the card sorting container (100) so that one deck is inserted into each of the upper storage portion and the lower storage portion of the card sorting container (100).

[0036] In another example, the card sorting device (200) can sort multiple cards based on an image captured by a shooting unit. The card sorting device (200) can adjust the position of the card sorting container (100) so that two decks are inserted into each of the upper storage and lower storage portions of the card sorting container (100).

[0037] According to an embodiment, the card sorting device (200) can receive input from the user regarding the number of decks to be inserted into the upper storage section and the lower storage section, respectively, of the card sorting container (100).

[0038] Hereinafter, a card sorting container (100) according to the present disclosure is described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. And, a card sorting device (200) according to the present disclosure is described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 6.

[0039] FIG. 2 is a drawing for illustrating an example of a card sorting container according to some embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is another drawing for illustrating an example of a card sorting container according to some embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the card sorting container (100) may include an upper storage section (110), a lower storage section (120), an additional storage section (130), and an opening (140).

[0041] The upper storage section (110) may have a shell shape with an open front. Here, the front may be the surface into which a card is inserted. The front may be the surface where the card sorting container (100) and the card sorting device (200) meet in FIG. 1. Some of the cards among the plurality of cards may be inserted into the upper storage section (110) through the open first opening (111).

[0042] According to one embodiment, the lower surface of the upper storage unit (110) may be formed to be inclined from the front to the rear. The rear may be a surface located opposite the front. In other words, the lower surface of the upper storage unit (110) may have a higher front direction than the rear direction. Accordingly, even if the user separates the card sorting container (100) from the card sorting device (200), the cards inserted into the upper storage unit (110) do not flow out to the outside and remain in a loaded state within the upper storage unit (110). Additionally, grooves may be provided on the lower surface and the upper surface of the upper storage unit (110) to allow the user's finger to enter. The user can conveniently take out multiple cards through the grooves provided on the lower surface and the upper surface of the upper storage unit (110).

[0043] The lower storage section (120) may have a shell shape with an open front. Here, the front may be the surface into which a card is inserted. The front may be the surface where the card sorting container (100) and the card sorting device (200) meet in FIG. 1. Some of the cards among the plurality of cards may be inserted into the lower storage section (120) through the open second opening (121).

[0044] According to one embodiment, the lower surface of the lower storage unit (120) may be formed to be inclined from the front to the rear. The rear may be a surface located opposite the front. In other words, the lower surface of the lower storage unit (120) may have a higher front direction than the rear direction. Accordingly, even if the user separates the card sorting container (100) from the card sorting device (200), the cards inserted into the lower storage unit (120) do not flow out and remain in a loaded state within the lower storage unit (120). Additionally, grooves may be provided on the lower surface and the upper surface of the lower storage unit (120) to allow the user's finger to enter. The user can conveniently take out multiple cards through the grooves provided on the lower surface and the upper surface of the lower storage unit (120).

[0045] An additional storage section (130) may be positioned at the rear of the lower storage section (120). The additional storage section (130) may have a shell shape with an open top surface. The additional storage section (130) may store cards that are not included in the deck stored in the upper storage section (110) and the lower storage section (120). The additional storage section (130) may drop into which cards that are not included in the deck stored in the upper storage section (110) and the lower storage section (120) are inserted after passing through the opening (140).

[0046] The additional storage compartment (130) may include a third opening (131). The user can retrieve a card inserted into the additional storage compartment (130) through the third opening (131).

[0047] According to one embodiment, the additional storage unit (130) may include a cover plate (132) to prevent a card inserted through the opening (140) from being discharged to the opposite side. Additionally, a groove may be provided on the lower surface of the additional storage unit (130) to allow a user's finger to enter. The user can conveniently take out multiple cards through the groove provided on the lower surface of the additional storage unit (130).

[0048] The opening (140) may be formed between the upper storage section (110) and the lower storage section (120). The opening (140) may provide a path for cards classified by the card sorting device (200) to be fed into the additional storage section (130).

[0049] According to one embodiment, the height spacing (D3) of the opening (140) may be smaller than the height spacing (D1) of the upper storage section (110) and the height spacing (D2) of the lower storage section (120). The card sorting container (100) may be moved up and down by the card sorting device (200). By moving the card sorting container (100) up and down, cards may be fed into the upper storage section (110), the lower storage section (120), or the additional storage section (130).

[0050] Specifically, the card sorting device (200) may include an outlet through which a plurality of cards are discharged. The card sorting container (100) may be moved in an up-and-down direction so that any one of the upper storage section (110), the lower storage section (120), or the additional storage section (130) is connected to the outlet. The larger the height-direction gap (D3) of the opening (140), the longer the distance the card sorting container (100) must move in the up-and-down direction. Accordingly, the height-direction gap (D3) of the opening (140) may be smaller than the height-direction gap (D1) of the upper storage section (110) and the height-direction gap (D2) of the lower storage section (120).

[0051] According to one embodiment, the front hole of the opening (140) may be located above the rear hole of the opening (140). The lower surface of the opening (140) may be formed as a wall inclined from the front to the rear. Here, the front may be the surface into which a card is inserted. The front may be the surface in contact with the card sorting device (200) in FIG. 1. The front may be the surface where the opening (140) is visible in FIG. 3. The rear may be the surface where the opening (140) is visible in FIG. 2. Accordingly, a card inserted into the opening (140) may be stored in an additional storage unit (130) via a ramp inclined from the front to the rear.

[0052] FIG. 4 is a drawing for illustrating an example of a card sorting device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a block diagram for illustrating an example of a card sorting device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0053] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the card sorting device (200) may include a body part (210), an input part (220), a shooting part (230), a transfer part (240), an output part (250), a driving part (260), a display part (270), and a control part (280).

[0054] The body part (210) can form the exterior of the card sorting device (200).

[0055] The input section (220) may be provided above the body section (210). Multiple cards may be inserted into the input section (220). The user may insert multiple cards into the card sorting device (200) through the input section (220).

[0056] The shooting unit (230) can photograph multiple cards inserted into the input unit (220). The transfer unit (240) can transfer multiple cards inserted into the input unit (220) under the control of the control unit (280). The transfer unit (240) may be a conveyor capable of transferring cards. The discharge port (250) is connected to the transfer unit (240) so that multiple cards can be discharged. The discharge port (250) is provided on the side of the body unit (210) and can be connected to one end of the transfer unit (240).

[0057] A card inserted into the input section (220) can fall and settle on the transfer section (240). The photographing section (230) can photograph the card settled on the transfer section (240). The transfer section (240) can transport the card so that the settled card is discharged through the discharge port (250).

[0058] The driving unit (260) can adjust the position of the card sorting container (100) so that each of the plurality of cards is stored in the card sorting container (100) based on the sorting result in which each of the plurality of cards is sorted. The driving unit (260) can cause the positional relationship between the card sorting container (100) and the discharge port (250) to change while moving the card sorting container (100) up and down.

[0059] For example, the driving unit (260) can move the position of the card sorting container (100) so that the first opening (111) of the upper storage unit (110) of the card sorting container (100) is connected to the discharge port (250). The driving unit (260) can make the first opening (111) connect to the discharge port (250) by moving the card sorting container (100) upward within the range in which the card sorting container (100) can move.

[0060] In another example, the driving unit (260) can move the position of the card sorting container (100) so that the second opening (121) of the lower storage portion (120) of the card sorting container (100) is connected to the discharge port (250). The driving unit (260) can make the second opening (121) connect to the discharge port (250) by moving the card sorting container (100) downward within the range in which the card sorting container (100) can move.

[0061] In another example, the driving unit (260) can move the position of the card sorting container (100) so that the opening (140) of the card sorting container (100) is connected to the discharge port (250).

[0062] The drive unit (260) can be driven by a combination of a motor, a pulley, and a belt. The drive unit (260) can move the card sorting container (100) up and down through a combination of a motor, a pulley, and a belt.

[0063] Although not shown in FIG. 4, the above-described input section (220), shooting section (230), transfer section (240), and driving section (260) may be provided inside the body section (210).

[0064] The display unit (270) can output a classification result in which a plurality of cards are classified by the control unit (280). The display unit (270) can output a user interface for receiving user interaction input. The user can determine the number of decks to be classified in the card sorting container (100) through interaction with the user interface.

[0065] For example, the user can input through the user interface to insert one deck into each of the upper storage compartment (110) and the lower storage compartment (120). As another example, the user can input through the user interface to insert two decks into each of the upper storage compartment (110) and the lower storage compartment (120).

[0066] The control unit (280) can typically handle the overall operation of the card sorting device (200). The control unit (280) can provide or process appropriate information or functions to the user by processing signals, data, information, etc. that are input or output through the components of the card sorting device (200) or by running an application program stored in the storage unit.

[0067] The control unit (280) may be composed of one or more cores and may include a processor for data analysis such as a central processing unit (CPU), a general purpose graphics processing unit (GPGPU), or a tensor processing unit (TPU).

[0068] The control unit (280) can classify a plurality of cards based on an image captured by the shooting unit (230). The control unit (280) can control the driving unit (260) based on the classification result. By controlling the driving unit (260), the control unit (280) can change the positional relationship between the card sorting container (100) and the card sorting device (200).

[0069] Specifically, the control unit (280) can classify the first card based on a first image of the first card among a plurality of cards. If the first card is the first card, the control unit (280) can control the drive unit (260) so that either the upper storage unit (110) or the lower storage unit (120) is connected to the discharge port (250). For convenience of explanation, it is assumed that the first card is stored in the lower storage unit (120). The control unit (280) can control the drive unit (260) so that the lower storage unit (120) is connected to the discharge port (250). The control unit (280) can classify the second card based on a second image of the second card among a plurality of cards. The second card may be a card that follows the first card. The control unit (280) can determine whether the second card is a card required in the lower storage unit (120) to form a deck.

[0070] For example, the control unit (280) may need to store one deck in one storage unit according to user interaction. It can be assumed that the first card is Heart 1. As the first card is stored in the lower storage unit (120), the lower storage unit (120) may no longer need Heart 1. If the second card is Heart 1, the control unit (280) may control the drive unit (260) so that the second card is stored in the upper storage unit (110).

[0071] Additionally, the control unit (280) can classify the third card based on the third image in which the third card is captured among the plurality of cards. The third card may be a card that follows the second card. The control unit (280) can determine whether the third card is a card required for the upper storage unit (110) to form a deck. Since the last classified second card is stored in the upper storage unit (110), the control unit (280) can determine whether the third card is a card required for the upper storage unit (110).

[0072] It can be assumed that the third card is Heart 1. As the second card is stored in the upper storage unit (110), the upper storage unit (110) may no longer need Heart 1. If the third card is Heart 1, the control unit (280) can control the drive unit (260) so that the third card is stored in the additional storage unit (130).

[0073] Meanwhile, the third card may be assumed to be a Heart 2. In this case, the third card may be a card required in the upper storage unit (110) to form a deck. If the third card is a Heart 2, the control unit (280) can control the transfer unit (240) so that the third card is stored in the upper storage unit (110).

[0074] Figure 6 may be referred to for a more specific explanation.

[0075] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method in which a control unit selects randomly arranged cards in deck units according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0076] Referring to FIG. 6, the control unit (280) of the card sorting device (200) can determine a first storage unit connected to the discharge port (250) among a plurality of storage units (S110). The first storage unit may be either an upper storage unit (110) or a lower storage unit (120).

[0077] The control unit (280) can classify the first card based on the first image of the first card among the plurality of cards (S120).

[0078] For example, the control unit (280) can classify the first card into Heart 1, Heart 2, or Clover 3, etc. based on the first image.

[0079] The control unit (280) can determine whether the first card is a card required in the first storage unit to form a predetermined deck based on the classification result of the first card (S130).

[0080] For example, the control unit (280) may store one deck in one storage unit according to user interaction. If the first card is Heart 1 and Heart 1 is inserted into the first storage unit, the control unit (280) may determine that the first card is a card that is not needed in the first storage unit to form a predetermined deck.

[0081] As another example, the control unit (280) may store one deck in one storage unit according to user interaction. If the first card is Heart 1 and Heart 1 is not inserted into the first storage unit, the control unit (280) may determine that the first card is a card required for the first storage unit to form a predetermined deck.

[0082] As another example, the control unit (280) may need to store two decks in one storage unit according to user interaction. If the first card is Heart 1 and two Heart 1s are inserted into the first storage unit, the control unit (280) may determine that the first card is a card that is not needed in the first storage unit to form a predetermined deck.

[0083] As another example, the control unit (280) may need to store two decks in one storage unit according to user interaction. If the first card is Heart 1 and one Heart 1 is inserted into the first storage unit, the control unit (280) may determine that the first card is a card required for the first storage unit to form a predetermined deck.

[0084] If it is determined that the first card is a card required for the first storage unit (S140, Yes), the control unit (280) can control the transfer unit (240) so that the first card is transferred to the first storage unit (S150).

[0085] The first storage unit may be a storage unit connected to the discharge port (250). Accordingly, the control unit (280) can control the transfer unit (240) to transfer the first card, thereby allowing the first card to be inserted into the first storage unit.

[0086] If it is not determined that the first card is a card required for the first storage unit (S140, No), the control unit (280) can determine whether the first card is a card required for the second storage unit to form a predetermined deck (S160). The second storage unit may be either an upper storage unit (110) or a lower storage unit (120). The second storage unit may be a storage unit different from the first storage unit. If the first storage unit is an upper storage unit (110), the second storage unit may be a lower storage unit (120). If the first storage unit is a lower storage unit (120), the second storage unit may be an upper storage unit (110).

[0087] If it is determined that the first card is a card required for the second storage unit (S170, Yes), the control unit (280) can control the drive unit (260) so that the second storage unit is connected to the discharge port (250) (S180).

[0088] For example, if the second storage unit is an upper storage unit (110), the control unit (280) can control the drive unit (260) so that the first opening (111) is connected to the discharge port (250). If the second storage unit is a lower storage unit (120), the control unit (280) can control the drive unit (260) so that the second opening (121) is connected to the discharge port (250).

[0089] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the control unit (280) can adjust the height at which the second storage unit and the discharge port (250) are connected according to the height of the card inserted into the second storage unit.

[0090] Specifically, the upper storage section (110) and the lower storage section (120) may each include an opening. For convenience of explanation, the second storage section is assumed to be the upper storage section (110). The upper storage section (110) may include a first opening (111) with an open front. A plurality of sorted cards may be stored in the upper storage section (110). The stored cards may be loaded from the bottom of the upper storage section (110). As a plurality of cards are stored, it may be difficult to store new cards from the bottom of the upper storage section (110) to the point where cards are loaded. Accordingly, the control unit (280) can adjust the height at which the second storage section and the discharge port (250) are connected according to the height of the card inserted into the second storage section. In the same way, the control unit (280) can also adjust the height at which the first storage section and the discharge port (250) are connected according to the height of the card inserted into the first storage section.

[0091] The control unit (280) can control the transfer unit (240) so that the first card is transferred to the second storage unit (S190).

[0092] Specifically, the transfer unit (240) may not transfer the first card until the second storage unit is connected to the discharge port (250). The control unit (280) may control the transfer unit (240) so that the first card is transferred to the second storage unit when the second storage unit is connected to the discharge port (250).

[0093] If it is determined that the first card is not needed in the second storage unit (S170, No), the control unit (280) can control the drive unit (260) so that the additional storage unit (130) is connected to the discharge port (250) (S200).

[0094] Since the first card is determined to be a card not needed in the first storage unit through step S140 and is determined to be a card not needed in the second storage unit through step S170, the control unit (280) can control the drive unit (260) so that the additional storage unit, which is the remaining storage unit, is connected to the discharge port (250).

[0095] For example, the control unit (280) can control the drive unit (260) so that the opening (140) is connected to the outlet (250).

[0096] The control unit (280) can control the transfer unit (240) so that the first card is transferred to the additional storage unit (130) (S210).

[0097] Specifically, the transfer unit (240) may not transfer the first card until the additional storage unit (130) is connected to the discharge port (250). The control unit (280) may control the transfer unit (240) so that the first card is transferred to the additional storage unit (130) when the additional storage unit is connected to the discharge port (250).

[0098] When the first card is stored in the first storage unit, the second storage unit, or the additional storage unit (130), the control unit (280) can determine the target storage unit connected to the discharge port (250) among the upper storage unit (110) or the lower storage unit (120) based on the classification result of the first card. If the first card is stored in the additional storage unit (130), the control unit (280) can control the drive unit (260) so that the lower storage unit (120) is connected to the discharge port (250). In this case, the target storage unit may be the lower storage unit (120). Alternatively, if the first card is stored in the additional storage unit (130), the control unit (280) can control the drive unit (260) so that the upper storage unit (110) is connected to the discharge port (250). In this case, the target storage unit may be the lower storage unit (120). The control unit (280) can classify the second card based on a second image in which the second card following the first card is captured. Based on the classification result of the second card, the control unit (280) can determine whether the second card is a card required for a target storage unit to form a predetermined deck. If it is determined that the second card is a card required for the target storage unit, the control unit (280) can control the transfer unit (240) so that the second card is transferred to the target storage unit. If it is determined that the second card is a card not required for the target storage unit, the control unit (280) can cause the second card to be inserted into another storage unit. The control unit (280) can cause the second card to be inserted into another storage unit through the operation of steps S160 to S210.

[0099] According to the above configuration, the card sorting device (1000) can sort multiple inserted cards into deck units and store them in the card sorting container (100). Accordingly, the user can conveniently obtain cards sorted into deck units.

[0100] FIG. 7 is a drawing for illustrating an example of operation of a card sorting device according to some embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is another drawing for illustrating an example of operation of a card sorting device according to some embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0101] Referring to FIG. 7, the card sorting device (1000) can store multiple cards in the card sorting container (100) according to the sorting result of the card classification device (200). In FIG. 7, it can be seen that multiple cards are stored in the lower storage portion (120).

[0102] Referring to FIG. 8, it can be seen that the position of the card sorting container (100) has been moved downward. As previously explained, as a plurality of cards are stored in the lower storage unit (120), it may be difficult to store new cards from the bottom of the lower storage unit (120) to the point where cards are loaded. Accordingly, the control unit (280) can adjust the height at which the lower storage unit (120) and the discharge port (250) are connected according to the height of the cards inserted into the lower storage unit (120).

[0103] FIG. 9 is another drawing for illustrating an example of operation of a card sorting device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0104] In FIG. 9, it can be seen that a plurality of cards are stored in the upper storage portion (110) of the card sorting container (100).

[0105] FIG. 10 is another drawing for illustrating an example of operation of a card sorting device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0106] In FIG. 10, it can be seen that a card (C) is stored in an additional storage section (130) of the card sorting container (100).

[0107] Description of the presented embodiments is provided so that a person skilled in the art may use or practice the present disclosure. Various modifications to these embodiments will be apparent to a person skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments presented herein, but should be interpreted in the broadest possible scope consistent with the principles and novel features presented herein.

Claims

Claim 1 A card sorting container used in a card sorting device for sorting randomly arranged cards in deck units, comprising: an upper storage portion having a shell shape with an open front, into which some of the plurality of cards are inserted through an open first opening; a lower storage portion having a shell shape with an open front, into which some of the plurality of cards are inserted through an open second opening; an additional storage portion disposed at the rear of the lower storage portion, having a shell shape with an open top surface, into which cards not included in the deck stored in the upper storage portion and the lower storage portion are stored; and an opening formed between the upper storage portion and the lower storage portion. Claim 2 A card sorting container according to claim 1, wherein cards not included in the deck stored in the upper storage section and the lower storage section fall after passing through the opening and move to the additional storage section. Claim 3 A card sorting container according to claim 1, wherein the height-direction spacing of the opening is smaller than the height-direction spacing of the upper storage portion and the height-direction spacing of the lower storage portion. Claim 4 A card sorting container according to claim 1, wherein the front hole of the opening is located above the rear hole of the opening, and the lower surface of the opening is formed as a wall inclined from the front to the rear. Claim 5 A card sorting device for sorting randomly arranged cards in deck units, comprising: a card sorting device for classifying a plurality of cards input; and a card sorting container for storing cards classified by the card sorting device; wherein the card sorting container comprises: an upper storage portion having a shell shape with an open front, into which some of the plurality of cards are input through an open first opening; a lower storage portion having a shell shape with an open front, into which some of the plurality of cards are input through an open second opening; an additional storage portion disposed at the rear of the lower storage portion, having a shell shape with an open top surface, into which cards not included in the deck stored in the upper storage portion and the lower storage portion are stored; and an opening formed between the upper storage portion and the lower storage portion. Claim 6 In claim 5, the card sorting device comprises: a body part forming the exterior of the card sorting device; an input part provided above the body part and into which a plurality of cards are inserted; a photographing part for photographing the plurality of cards inserted into the input part; a control part for classifying the plurality of cards based on an image captured by the photographing part; a transfer part for transferring the plurality of cards inserted into the input part under the control of the control part; an outlet connected to the transfer part for discharging the plurality of cards; and a driving part for adjusting the position of the card sorting container so that each of the plurality of cards is stored in the card sorting container based on the classification result in which each of the plurality of cards is classified. Claim 7 In claim 6, the card sorting device comprises: a display unit that outputs a sorting result and a user interface in which the plurality of cards are sorted by the control unit. Claim 8 A card sorting device according to claim 6, wherein the control unit determines a first storage unit connected to the discharge port among the plurality of storage units, classifies the first card based on a first image of the first card among the plurality of cards, determines whether the first card is a card required for the first storage unit to form a predetermined deck based on the classification result of the first card, and controls the transfer unit so that the first card is transferred to the first storage unit when it is determined that the first card is a card required for the first storage unit. Claim 9 A card sorting device according to claim 8, wherein the control unit determines whether the first card is a card required in the second storage unit to form a predetermined deck when it is determined that the first card is a card not required in the first storage unit, and when it is determined that the first card is a card required in the second storage unit, controls the driving unit so that the second storage unit is connected to the discharge port, and controls the transfer unit so that the first card is transferred to the second storage unit. Claim 10 A card sorting device according to claim 9, wherein the control unit controls the driving unit so that the additional storage unit is connected to the discharge port when it is determined that the first card is a card not needed in the second storage unit, and controls the transfer unit so that the first card is transferred to the additional storage unit. Claim 11 A card sorting device according to claim 10, wherein the control unit determines a target storage unit connected to the discharge port among the upper storage unit and the lower storage unit based on the classification result of the first card, classifies the second card based on a second image in which the second card following the first card is photographed, and determines whether the second card is a card required for the target storage unit to form a predetermined deck based on the classification result of the second card.

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