US5224712A — Card mark sensor and methods for blackjack

Claim 1

Independent Claim 79 words

A plurality of blackjack playing cards comprising a group of sixteen, each card of the group having a blackjack value of ten and each card of the group comprising additional face indicia at at least one specific otherwise unoccupied site on the face of each card representative of only the blackjack numerical value of ten, without regard to its suit accommodating face down inspection of the face site using components of an inspection device during a game of blackjack.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 79 words

A plurality of blackjack playing cards comprising a group of sixteen, each card of the group having a blackjack value of ten and each card of the group comprising additional face indicia at at least one specific otherwise unoccupied site on the face of each card representative of only the blackjack numerical value of ten, without regard to its suit accommodating face down inspection of the face site using components of an inspection device during a game of blackjack.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 101 words

In combination: a device mounted to a blackjack table comprising a plurality of components by which indicia selectively disposed at a specific otherwise unoccupied site on the face of a blackjack card is ascertained while face down and while aligned with at least one component of the device; a deck of blackjack playing cards, the deck comprising a group of sixteen of said blackjack playing cards, each card of the group having a blackjack value of ten and each card of the group comprising said face indicia at an otherwise unoccupied specific site representative of only the blackjack value of ten.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 101 words

In combination: a device mounted to a blackjack table comprising a plurality of components by which indicia selectively disposed at a specific otherwise unoccupied site on the face of a blackjack card is ascertained while face down and while aligned with at least one component of the device; a deck of blackjack playing cards, the deck comprising a group of sixteen of said blackjack playing cards, each card of the group having a blackjack value of ten and each card of the group comprising said face indicia at an otherwise unoccupied specific site representative of only the blackjack value of ten.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 51 words

The combination of claim 2 wherein the deck of blackjack playing cards further comprises a second group of four blackjack cards, each card of the second group comprising an ace and having said face indicia at a different otherwise unoccupied specific site representative of only the blackjack value of an ace.

Claim 6

Independent Claim 111 words

A method of playing a game of blackjack, comprising the steps of: providing a deck of blackjack playing cards comprising a group of sixteen cards each of the sixteen blackjack cards having a blackjack value of ten and each comprising face indicia at an otherwise unoccupied specific site representative of only the blackjack value of ten; inserting, during a game of blackjack, a down card of the deck face down into a device mounted to a blackjack table and comprising interior components; inspecting, during a game of blackjack, using the interior components of the device, the specific site of the inserted down card to ascertain when said face indicia is present.

Claim 7

Independent Claim 111 words

A method of playing a game of blackjack, comprising the steps of: providing a deck of blackjack playing cards comprising a group of sixteen cards each of the sixteen blackjack cards having a blackjack value of ten and each comprising face indicia at an otherwise unoccupied specific site representative of only the blackjack value of ten; inserting, during a game of blackjack, a down card of the deck face down into a device mounted to a blackjack table and comprising interior components; inspecting, during a game of blackjack, using the interior components of the device, the specific site of the inserted down card to ascertain when said face indicia is present.

Claim 8

Independent Claim 142 words

A method of playing a game of blackjack, comprising the steps of: providing a deck of blackjack playing cards comprising a first group of sixteen cards each having a blackjack value of ten and comprising face indicia at first otherwise unoccupied specific site representative of only the blackjack value of ten, the deck further comprising a second group of four cards each having a blackjack value of eleven and having face indicia at a second otherwise unoccupied, specific site representative of the blackjack value of eleven; inserting, during a game of blackjack, a down card of the deck face down into a device mounted to a blackjack table and comprising interior components; inspecting, during a game of blackjack, using the interior components of the device, the inserted down cards to ascertain from either site when the first or second indicia is present.

Claim 9

Independent Claim 142 words

A method of playing a game of blackjack, comprising the steps of: providing a deck of blackjack playing cards comprising a first group of sixteen cards each having a blackjack value of ten and comprising face indicia at first otherwise unoccupied specific site representative of only the blackjack value of ten, the deck further comprising a second group of four cards each having a blackjack value of eleven and having face indicia at a second otherwise unoccupied, specific site representative of the blackjack value of eleven; inserting, during a game of blackjack, a down card of the deck face down into a device mounted to a blackjack table and comprising interior components; inspecting, during a game of blackjack, using the interior components of the device, the inserted down cards to ascertain from either site when the first or second indicia is present.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 133 words

A deck of blackjack playing cards which are selectively marked with special face indicia comprising: a first group of blackjack playing cards comprising sixteen cards each having a blackjack value of ten and each comprising unique face indicia representative of only the blackjack numerical value of ten; a second group of blackjack playing cards comprising all cards having blackjack values within the range of two through nine, each card of the second group comprising a normal face without unique face indicia; a third group of blackjack playing cards comprising four cards each having a blackjack value of eleven and each comprising unique face indicia representative, in a location different from the location of the face indicia on each of the cards of the first group, of only the blackjack numerical value of eleven.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 133 words

A deck of blackjack playing cards which are selectively marked with special face indicia comprising: a first group of blackjack playing cards comprising sixteen cards each having a blackjack value of ten and each comprising unique face indicia representative of only the blackjack numerical value of ten; a second group of blackjack playing cards comprising all cards having blackjack values within the range of two through nine, each card of the second group comprising a normal face without unique face indicia; a third group of blackjack playing cards comprising four cards each having a blackjack value of eleven and each comprising unique face indicia representative, in a location different from the location of the face indicia on each of the cards of the first group, of only the blackjack numerical value of eleven.

Claim 12

Independent Claim 90 words

A method of playing a game of twenty-one comprising the steps of: during a game of blackjack, inserting the dealer's down card while face down into a device mounted to a blackjack table and comprising interior components; ascertaining via the interior components of the device when the down card has a value of ten; when it is so ascertained that the value of the dealer's down card is ten, declaring immediately the game to be ended if the dealer's up card is a card having a blackjack value of eleven.

Claim 13

Independent Claim 90 words

A method of playing a game of twenty-one comprising the steps of: during a game of blackjack, inserting the dealer's down card while face down into a device mounted to a blackjack table and comprising interior components; ascertaining via the interior components of the device when the down card has a value of ten; when it is so ascertained that the value of the dealer's down card is ten, declaring immediately the game to be ended if the dealer's up card is a card having a blackjack value of eleven.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 157 words

A method of playing a game of twenty-one comprising the steps of: during a game of blackjack, inserting the dealer's down card while face down into a device carried by a blackjack table and comprising interior components; ascertaining via the interior components of the device when the down card has a value of ten; when it is so ascertained that the value of the dealer's down card is ten, declaring immediately the game to be ended if the dealer's up card is an ace; during a game of blackjack, inserting the dealer's down card while face down into the device; ascertaining via the interior components of the device when the down card is a card having a blackjack value of eleven; when it is so ascertained that the dealer's down card is a card having a blackjack value of eleven, declaring immediately the game to be ended if the dealer's up card has a value of ten.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 157 words

A method of playing a game of twenty-one comprising the steps of: during a game of blackjack, inserting the dealer's down card while face down into a device carried by a blackjack table and comprising interior components; ascertaining via the interior components of the device when the down card has a value of ten; when it is so ascertained that the value of the dealer's down card is ten, declaring immediately the game to be ended if the dealer's up card is an ace; during a game of blackjack, inserting the dealer's down card while face down into the device; ascertaining via the interior components of the device when the down card is a card having a blackjack value of eleven; when it is so ascertained that the dealer's down card is a card having a blackjack value of eleven, declaring immediately the game to be ended if the dealer's up card has a value of ten.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 105 words

A method of accelerating play of a game of blackjack comprising the steps of: dealing an up card and a down card to each player and to the dealer; ascertaining the blackjack value of the up card of the dealer; if the dealer's up card has a blackjack value of eleven, inserting at least the face down card of the dealer into a device comprising interior components in a first orientation; ascertaining via the interior components of the device if the inserted down card has a blackjack value of ten; and ending the game, without additional dealing steps, when the inserted card is a ten.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 105 words

A method of accelerating play of a game of blackjack comprising the steps of: dealing an up card and a down card to each player and to the dealer; ascertaining the blackjack value of the up card of the dealer; if the dealer's up card has a blackjack value of eleven, inserting at least the face down card of the dealer into a device comprising interior components in a first orientation; ascertaining via the interior components of the device if the inserted down card has a blackjack value of ten; and ending the game, without additional dealing steps, when the inserted card is a ten.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 76 words

The method according to claim 9, comprising in a later game of blackjack the following steps: inserting a face down card of the dealer into the device in a second orientation when the dealer's up card has a ten value; ascertaining via the interior components of the device if the inserted down card has a blackjack value of eleven; and ending the game, without additional dealing steps when the inserted card has a value of eleven.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 138 words

A method of conserving cards dealt from a deck of cards and, thereby, time taken to play a game of blackjack comprising the steps of: dealing two down cards to each player other than the dealer and an up card and a down card to the dealer; ascertaining the blackjack value of the up card of the dealer; when the dealer's up card has a blackjack value of eleven, inserting at least the face down card of the dealer into a device comprising interior components in a first orientation; ascertaining via the interior components of the device if the inserted down card has a blackjack value of ten; and ending the game, without additional dealing steps, when the inserted card has a ten value, thereby preserving cards yet undealt in the deck for use in an ensuing hand.

Claim 20

Independent Claim 138 words

A method of conserving cards dealt from a deck of cards and, thereby, time taken to play a game of blackjack comprising the steps of: dealing two down cards to each player other than the dealer and an up card and a down card to the dealer; ascertaining the blackjack value of the up card of the dealer; when the dealer's up card has a blackjack value of eleven, inserting at least the face down card of the dealer into a device comprising interior components in a first orientation; ascertaining via the interior components of the device if the inserted down card has a blackjack value of ten; and ending the game, without additional dealing steps, when the inserted card has a ten value, thereby preserving cards yet undealt in the deck for use in an ensuing hand.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 90 words

The method according to claim 11 comprising in a later game of blackjack the following steps: inserting a face down card of the dealer into the device in a second orientation when the dealer's up card has a ten value; ascertaining via the interior components of the device if the inserted down card has a blackjack value of eleven; and ending the game, without additional dealing steps when the inserted card has a value of eleven, thereby preserving cards yet undealt in the deck for use in an ensuing hand.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 159 words

A plurality of blackjack playing cards each having a blackjack value of ten or eleven, all ten value cards of the plurality each comprising at least one mark in at least one first predetermined viewable face location representative of the blackjack numerical value of ten without regard to suit and all eleven value cards of the plurality each comprising at least one mark in at least one second predetermined viewable face location representative of the blackjack numerical value of eleven without regard to suit, the mark at the at least one first predetermined viewable face location being viewable face down by use of at least one component of a multi-component blackjack reader in a first playing card orientation in the reader and the mark at the at least one second predetermined viewable face location being viewable face down by use of at least the one component of the multi-component blackjack reader in a second playing orientation in the reader.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 159 words

A plurality of blackjack playing cards each having a blackjack value of ten or eleven, all ten value cards of the plurality each comprising at least one mark in at least one first predetermined viewable face location representative of the blackjack numerical value of ten without regard to suit and all eleven value cards of the plurality each comprising at least one mark in at least one second predetermined viewable face location representative of the blackjack numerical value of eleven without regard to suit, the mark at the at least one first predetermined viewable face location being viewable face down by use of at least one component of a multi-component blackjack reader in a first playing card orientation in the reader and the mark at the at least one second predetermined viewable face location being viewable face down by use of at least the one component of the multi-component blackjack reader in a second playing orientation in the reader.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 84 words

A plurality of blackjack playing cards each having a blackjack value of ten or eleven, each ten value card of the plurality comprising at least one mark in at least one first predetermined face location representative in intelligible form of the blackjack numerical value of ten independent of suit and each eleven value card of the plurality comprising at least one mark in at least one second predetermined face location representative in intelligible form of the blackjack numerical value of eleven independent of suit.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 84 words

A plurality of blackjack playing cards each having a blackjack value of ten or eleven, each ten value card of the plurality comprising at least one mark in at least one first predetermined face location representative in intelligible form of the blackjack numerical value of ten independent of suit and each eleven value card of the plurality comprising at least one mark in at least one second predetermined face location representative in intelligible form of the blackjack numerical value of eleven independent of suit.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 24 words

A plurality of blackjack playing cards according to claim 14 wherein each mark is disposed on the face near a corner of the card.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 57 words

A plurality of blackjack playing cards according to claim 14 wherein each mark representative of a ten value is located in at least one specific corner face location of each ten value card and each mark representative of an eleven value is located in at least one other specific corner face location of each eleven value card.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 28 words

A plurality of blackjack playing cards according to claim 14 wherein the at least one mark of each of the plurality of cards comprise an opaque face mark.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 120 words

A deck of blackjack playing cards which are selectively value-detectable comprising: a first plurality of twenty blackjack playing cards each card having a blackjack value of ten or eleven, each of the sixteen ten value cards of the first plurality comprising at least one additional face indicia in a first face location representative of only the blackjack numerical value of ten independent of suit and each of the four eleven value cards of the first plurality comprising at least one additional face indicia in a second face location representative of only the blackjack value of eleven independent of suit; a second plurality of blackjack playing cards comprising the remainder of the deck, excluding the first plurality, comprising normal playing cards.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 120 words

A deck of blackjack playing cards which are selectively value-detectable comprising: a first plurality of twenty blackjack playing cards each card having a blackjack value of ten or eleven, each of the sixteen ten value cards of the first plurality comprising at least one additional face indicia in a first face location representative of only the blackjack numerical value of ten independent of suit and each of the four eleven value cards of the first plurality comprising at least one additional face indicia in a second face location representative of only the blackjack value of eleven independent of suit; a second plurality of blackjack playing cards comprising the remainder of the deck, excluding the first plurality, comprising normal playing cards.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 175 words

A blackjack detection system by which the game of blackjack is accelerated comprising: a head adapted for use at a blackjack table comprising means for manually receiving a dealer's down card in a face down position in either of two orientations; card numerical value ascertaining means disposed below the head comprising means (a) by which a card value of eleven is ascertained, when the down card has said value and is in one of said orientations within the head, from special indicia carried at a specific location on the face of each ace card and (b) by which a card value often is ascertained, when the down card has said value and is in the other of said orientations within the head, from special indicia carried at a second specific location on the face of each ten value card and (c) by which an absence of specific indicia on the face of all cards having a numerical value less than ten is ascertained; notification means by which the ascertained card values (a), (b) and (c).

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 175 words

A blackjack detection system by which the game of blackjack is accelerated comprising: a head adapted for use at a blackjack table comprising means for manually receiving a dealer's down card in a face down position in either of two orientations; card numerical value ascertaining means disposed below the head comprising means (a) by which a card value of eleven is ascertained, when the down card has said value and is in one of said orientations within the head, from special indicia carried at a specific location on the face of each ace card and (b) by which a card value often is ascertained, when the down card has said value and is in the other of said orientations within the head, from special indicia carried at a second specific location on the face of each ten value card and (c) by which an absence of specific indicia on the face of all cards having a numerical value less than ten is ascertained; notification means by which the ascertained card values (a), (b) and (c).

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 16 words

A system according to claim 19 wherein the card numerical value ascertaining means comprise illumination means.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 16 words

A system according to claim 20 comprising switch means for enabling and disabling the illumination means.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 48 words

A system according to claim 19 wherein the head is to the left of the dealer above a blackjack table and the means for accepting are adapted to receive the dealer's down card in either a direction away from the dealer or right-to-left as viewed by the dealer.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 113 words

A full deck of blackjack playing cards, a portion of said blackjack playing cards in the blackjack deck comprising exactly twenty cards, each card having a blackjack value within the range of ten to eleven, four cards of the twenty cards comprising both normal ace indicia conventionally disposed on the face of each and additional face indicia in a first predetermined location representative in readable form of the blackjack numerical value of eleven only, sixteen of the twenty cards comprising both normal ten value indicia conventionally disposed on the face of each and additional face indicia in a second predetermined location representative in readable form of the blackjack numerical value of ten only.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 113 words

A full deck of blackjack playing cards, a portion of said blackjack playing cards in the blackjack deck comprising exactly twenty cards, each card having a blackjack value within the range of ten to eleven, four cards of the twenty cards comprising both normal ace indicia conventionally disposed on the face of each and additional face indicia in a first predetermined location representative in readable form of the blackjack numerical value of eleven only, sixteen of the twenty cards comprising both normal ten value indicia conventionally disposed on the face of each and additional face indicia in a second predetermined location representative in readable form of the blackjack numerical value of ten only.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 36 words

A full deck of blackjack playing cards according to claim 23 wherein the additional face indicia of each of the twenty cards comprises a mark disposed in a corner area of each of the twenty cards.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 93 words

A full deck of blackjack playing cards, a portion of said blackjack playing cards in the blackjack deck comprising exactly twenty cards, each card having a blackjack value within the range of ten and eleven, sixteen cards of the twenty cards comprising additional face indicia disposed in at least one specific corner location of each card having a blackjack value of ten and four cards of the twenty cards comprising addition of each indicia disposed in at least one other different specific corner location of each card having a blackjack value of eleven.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 93 words

A full deck of blackjack playing cards, a portion of said blackjack playing cards in the blackjack deck comprising exactly twenty cards, each card having a blackjack value within the range of ten and eleven, sixteen cards of the twenty cards comprising additional face indicia disposed in at least one specific corner location of each card having a blackjack value of ten and four cards of the twenty cards comprising addition of each indicia disposed in at least one other different specific corner location of each card having a blackjack value of eleven.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 28 words

A full deck of blackjack playing cards according to claim 25 wherein the additional face indicia of each of the twenty cards comprise at least one opaque mark.

Claim 42

Independent Claim 80 words

A method of playing a game of twenty-one at a more rapid pace comprising the steps of: during the game, visually ascertaining when a dealer's up card is an ace; thereafter inserting the dealer's down card while face down into a reading device; ascertaining via the reading device if the dealer's down card has a value of ten; when it is so ascertained that the value of the dealer's down card is ten, declaring immediately the game to be over.

Claim 43

Independent Claim 80 words

A method of playing a game of twenty-one at a more rapid pace comprising the steps of: during the game, visually ascertaining when a dealer's up card is an ace; thereafter inserting the dealer's down card while face down into a reading device; ascertaining via the reading device if the dealer's down card has a value of ten; when it is so ascertained that the value of the dealer's down card is ten, declaring immediately the game to be over.

Claim 44

Independent Claim 142 words

A method of playing a game of twenty-one at a more rapid pace comprising the steps of: during the game, visually ascertaining when a dealer's up card is an ace; thereafter, inserting the dealer's down card while face down into a reading device; ascertaining via the reading device if the dealer's down card has a value of ten; when it is so ascertained that the value of the dealer's down card is ten, declaring immediately the game to be over; during a game of twenty-one, ascertaining when the dealer's up card has a value of ten; thereafter, inserting the dealer's down card while face down into the reading device; ascertaining via the reading device if the dealer's down card is an ace; when it is so ascertained that the dealer's down card is an ace, declaring immediately the game to be over.

Claim 45

Independent Claim 142 words

A method of playing a game of twenty-one at a more rapid pace comprising the steps of: during the game, visually ascertaining when a dealer's up card is an ace; thereafter, inserting the dealer's down card while face down into a reading device; ascertaining via the reading device if the dealer's down card has a value of ten; when it is so ascertained that the value of the dealer's down card is ten, declaring immediately the game to be over; during a game of twenty-one, ascertaining when the dealer's up card has a value of ten; thereafter, inserting the dealer's down card while face down into the reading device; ascertaining via the reading device if the dealer's down card is an ace; when it is so ascertained that the dealer's down card is an ace, declaring immediately the game to be over.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1996-07-05	1997-01-04	1997-07-06	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2000-07-05	2001-01-04	2001-07-06	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2004-07-05	2005-01-04	2005-07-06	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Card mark sensor and methods for blackjack

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