US6579181B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for monitoring casinos and gaming
Assignee: Walker Digital Table Systems LLC
•
Filing: 2002-01-22
•
Granted: 2003-06-17
•
Expires: 2022-01-22
Abstract
Abstract A system automatically monitors playing and wagering of a game. A chip tray reader automatically images the contents of a chip tray, periodically determining the number and value of chips in the chip tray. The chip tray reader may compare a change in contents of the chip tray to game play outcomes for verifying that the proper amounts have been paid and collected. The chip tray reader also may automatically track the number and/or value of the contents of the chip tray, requesting additional chips when necessary.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard Soltys
- 👤 Richard Huizinga
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 02:28
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F17/00; G07F17/32; G07F17/3241; G06; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/06; G06Q10/063; G06Q10/0639; G07F17/3202; G07F17/3216; G07F17/322; G07F17/3225; G07F17/3232; G07F17/3237; G07F17/3244; G07F17/3251; A; A63; A63F; A63F9/00; A63F9/24; A63F2009/2401; A63F2009/2411; A63F2009/2419; A63F2009/242; A63F3/00; A63F3/00003; A63F3/00157
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
76 words
A method of reading chips in a chip tray, comprising: locating a plurality of chips in a first well of a chip tray, each of the chips having an information encoding pattern on a respective circumference of the chip; receiving light reflected from the circumference of the plurality of chips through a first window formed in the first well at a reading head; and producing a signal corresponding to a modulation pattern of the reflected light.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
76 words
A method of reading chips in a chip tray, comprising: locating a plurality of chips in a first well of a chip tray, each of the chips having an information encoding pattern on a respective circumference of the chip; receiving light reflected from the circumference of the plurality of chips through a first window formed in the first well at a reading head; and producing a signal corresponding to a modulation pattern of the reflected light.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising: processing the signal to decode the read information encoding patterns.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising: processing the signal to decode the read information encoding patterns; and comparing at least a portion of the decoded information encoding patterns to at least one authentication code.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising: processing the signal to decode the read information encoding patterns; and storing an amount corresponding to a value of the chip, wherein the value of the chip is encoded in at least a portion of the information encoding pattern.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising: processing the signal to decode the read information encoding patterns; and comparing at least a portion of each of the decoded information encoding patterns to an authentication code; and identifying the chip if the respective information encoding pattern does not match the authentication code.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising: processing the signal to decode the read information encoding patterns; and summing a respective amount corresponding to a value of each of the chips, the values each of the chips being encoded in at least a portion of the respective information encoding patterns.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
83 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising: processing the signal to decode the read information encoding patterns; and comparing at least a first portion of each of the decoded information encoding patterns to an authentication code; identifying the chip if the respective information encoding pattern does not match the authentication code; and summing a respective amount corresponding to a value of each of the non-identified chips, the values being encoded in at least a second portion of the respective information encoding patterns.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising: moving the reading head between a first position aligned with the first well and a second position aligned with a second well laterally spaced from the first well to read the information encoding patterns on each of a plurality of chips in the second well.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising: determining a total number of chips in the chip tray at a gaming table; and automatically providing notification to a casino bank when the total number of chips in the chip tray is less than a defined minimum value.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising: determining a value of all of the chips in the chip tray at a gaming table; and automatically providing notification to a casino bank when the total value of chips in the chip tray is less than a defined minimum value.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising: determining a total number of chips of each of a number of denominations in the chip tray at a gaming table; and automatically providing notification to a casino bank when the total number of chips in the chip tray of any one of the number of denominations is less than a defined minimum value.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
99 words
A method of reading chips in a chip tray, the chip tray having a number of wells, each well sized to hold a plurality of stacked chips and having at least one window exposing a portion of a circumference of any chips stored in the well, the circumference of the chips bearing machine-readable identification information, the method comprising: receiving light reflected from at least two chips in the chip tray at a single reading head at a same time; capturing the received light as electronic data; decoding the captured electronic data into an identifier for each of the chips.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
99 words
A method of reading chips in a chip tray, the chip tray having a number of wells, each well sized to hold a plurality of stacked chips and having at least one window exposing a portion of a circumference of any chips stored in the well, the circumference of the chips bearing machine-readable identification information, the method comprising: receiving light reflected from at least two chips in the chip tray at a single reading head at a same time; capturing the received light as electronic data; decoding the captured electronic data into an identifier for each of the chips.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 12 , further comprising: moving the reading head between a number of successive positions with respect to the windows in the chip tray; receiving light reflected through each of the windows at each of the successive positions of the reading head.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 12 , further comprising: determining a total number of chips in the chip tray at a gaming table; and automatically providing notification to a central controller bank when the total number of chips in the chip tray is less than a defined minimum number.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 12 , further comprising: determining a value of all of the chips in the chip tray at a gaming table; and automatically providing notification to a central controller when the total value of chips in the chip tray is less than a defined minimum value.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 12 , further comprising: determining a total number of chips of each of a number of denominations in the chip tray at a gaming table; and automatically providing notification to a central controller when the total number of chips in the chip tray of any one of the number of denominations is less than a defined minimum value.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of reading chips in a chip tray, the chip tray having a number of wells, each well sized to hold a plurality of stacked chips and having at least one window exposing a portion of a circumference of any chips stored in the well, the circumference of the chips bearing machine-readable identification information, the method comprising: moving a reading head with respect to a number of the windows in the chip tray; receiving light reflected from the circumference of any chips in the wells at the reading head; capturing the received light as electronic data at a number of successive positions of the reading head; and decoding the captured electronic data.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of reading chips in a chip tray, the chip tray having a number of wells, each well sized to hold a plurality of stacked chips and having at least one window exposing a portion of a circumference of any chips stored in the well, the circumference of the chips bearing machine-readable identification information, the method comprising: moving a reading head with respect to a number of the windows in the chip tray; receiving light reflected from the circumference of any chips in the wells at the reading head; capturing the received light as electronic data at a number of successive positions of the reading head; and decoding the captured electronic data.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 17 wherein capturing electronic data at a number of successive positions of the reading head includes capturing an image of an entire portion of the circumference exposed through the window at each successive position.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 17 , further comprising: comparing at least a portion of the decoded captured electronic information to at least one authentication code; and producing an alert if the portion of the decoded captured electronic information does correspond to the authentication code.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 17 , further comprising: for each of the chips, storing an amount corresponding to a value of the chip, wherein the value of each of the chips is encoded in at least a portion of a respective one of the machine-readable identification information located on the circumference of the chip.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 17 , further comprising: summing a respective amount corresponding to a value of each of the chips, wherein the value of each of the chips is encoded in at least a portion of a respective one of the machine-readable identification information located on the circumference of the chip.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
111 words
A method of reading chips in a chip tray, the chip tray having a number of wells, each well sized to hold a plurality of stacked chips and having at least one window exposing a portion of a circumference of any chips stored in the well, the method comprising: moving a field of view of a reading head with respect to a number of the windows in the chip tray; receiving modulated light reflected from the circumference of any chips in the wells at the reading head; capturing the received modulated light as electronic data at a number of successive positions of the reading head; and decoding the captured electronic data.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
111 words
A method of reading chips in a chip tray, the chip tray having a number of wells, each well sized to hold a plurality of stacked chips and having at least one window exposing a portion of a circumference of any chips stored in the well, the method comprising: moving a field of view of a reading head with respect to a number of the windows in the chip tray; receiving modulated light reflected from the circumference of any chips in the wells at the reading head; capturing the received modulated light as electronic data at a number of successive positions of the reading head; and decoding the captured electronic data.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 22 wherein capturing the received modulated light as electronic data at a number of successive positions of the reading head includes capturing an image of an entire portion of the circumference exposed through the window at each successive position.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 22 , further comprising: comparing at least a portion of the decoded captured electronic information to at least one authentication code; and producing an alert if the portion of the decoded captured electronic information does correspond to the authentication code.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 22 , further comprising: for each of the chips, storing an amount corresponding to a value of the chip, wherein the value of each of the chips is encoded in at least a portion of a respective piece of machine-readable identification information located on the circumference of the chip.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 22 , further comprising: summing a respective amount corresponding to a value of each of the chips, wherein the value of each of the chips is encoded in at least a portion of a respective piece of machine-readable identification information located on the circumference of the chip.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
130 words
A method of reading chips in a chip tray, the chip tray having a number of wells, each well sized to hold a plurality of stacked chips and having at least one window exposing a portion of a circumference of any chips stored in the well, the method comprising: receiving light reflected from a first chip through a first window at a first reading head at a first time; receiving light reflected from a second chip through a second window at the first reading head a second time; capturing the received light at the reading head as electronic data at a number of successive times; and processing the electronic data to decode information stored in a respective symbol extending along at least a portion of the circumferences of the chips.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
130 words
A method of reading chips in a chip tray, the chip tray having a number of wells, each well sized to hold a plurality of stacked chips and having at least one window exposing a portion of a circumference of any chips stored in the well, the method comprising: receiving light reflected from a first chip through a first window at a first reading head at a first time; receiving light reflected from a second chip through a second window at the first reading head a second time; capturing the received light at the reading head as electronic data at a number of successive times; and processing the electronic data to decode information stored in a respective symbol extending along at least a portion of the circumferences of the chips.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 27 , further comprising: moving a field-of-view of the reading head between a number of successive positions with respect to the windows in the chip tray at each of a number of successive times.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 27 , further comprising: successively aligning a field-of-view of the reading head with each of a number of windows in the chip tray.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
96 words
The method of claim 27 , further comprising: for each of the chips, comparing at least a portion of the decoded captured electronic information to at least one authentication code; for each of the chips, producing an alert if the portion of the decoded captured electronic information does correspond to the authentication code; and summing a respective amount corresponding to a value of each of the chips, wherein the value of each of the chips is encoded in a respective one of the symbols extending along at least a portion of the circumferences of the chips.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-06-16 | 2006-12-16 | 2007-06-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-06-16 | 2010-12-16 | 2011-06-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-06-16 | 2014-12-16 | 2015-06-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |