Casino table game monitoring system

Abstract

A networked casino game rules violation alert system that captures game data from numerous game security systems/devices in real time, integrates the data, and compiles the integrated data. The system interprets the compiled data, associates the interpreted data with game rules, analyzes and compares the data to determine if there have been invalid actions (i.e., cheating by the player and/or dealer), detects any game anomalies, categorizes the anomalies, generates alerts based on the anomalies and the priority assigned to the anomaly, and dispatches alerts to various systems and alert mechanisms linked to the network. The system can also be used to collect game statistics, per player and dealer, and can determine and respond to historical anomalies as deemed appropriate.

1 . A casino game table monitoring system comprising:
 at least one video camera for outputting images of objects at the table;   a video interface for inputting the images from the at least one camera and processing the images into first game data;   a game device comprising a rules module to track game states, said game device outputting game state data and second game data;   at least one monetary sensing system for obtaining and outputting monetary information at positions at the table; and   a table manager unit for inputting the first and second game data, the game state data and the monetary information, said table manager unit determining if there have been any game anomalies based on the input data and monetary information.   
     
     
         2 . The monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein said table manager unit generates an alert based on the determined anomaly. 
     
     
         3 . The monitoring system of  claim 2 , further comprising a server connected to receive the game state data, first and second game data, monetary information and alert from the table manager unit, said server outputting the alert to at least one surveillance device based on the priority of the alert. 
     
     
         4 . The monitoring system of  claim 3 , wherein the game is baccarat and the server outputs the alert to a baccarat tracker unit, which tracks results of the game over a period of time. 
     
     
         5 . The monitoring system of  claim 3 , wherein the server outputs the alert to a wireless device over a wireless communication medium. 
     
     
         6 . The monitoring system of  claim 3 , wherein the server outputs the alert to a game management system that alerts casino personnel of the anomaly. 
     
     
         7 . The monitoring system of  claim 3 , wherein the server outputs the alert over a network to a plurality of data sinks. 
     
     
         8 . The monitoring system of  claim 3 , wherein the server stores the first and second game data, monetary information and alert for further processing. 
     
     
         9 . The monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein the game is baccarat, the game device is a card shoe, and the second game data corresponds to a rank and suit of cards dealt from the shoe. 
     
     
         10 . The monitoring system of  claim 9 , wherein the first game data comprises data corresponding to a rank and suit of cards on the table and monetary data corresponding to chips wagered at the table. 
     
     
         11 . The monitoring system of  claim 10 , wherein the monetary sensing system comprises:
 a plurality of game chips having RFID information corresponding to a monetary value of each chip; and   at least one antenna corresponding to each player position for receiving the RFID information and transmitting the information to the table manager unit.   
     
     
         12 . The monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein said table manager unit comprises a priority system for detected anomalies. 
     
     
         13 . The monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein said table manager unit performs a statistical analysis of the input first and second game data, game state data and the monetary information. 
     
     
         14 . The monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein said table manager unit determines wins and losses based on the input first and second game data, game state data and the monetary information. 
     
     
         15 . A casino game data collection system comprising:
 at least one video camera, said at least one camera adapted to output images of objects at the table;   a video interface adapted to input the images from the at least one camera and process the images into game data;   at least one monetary sensing system adapted to obtain and output monetary data corresponding to game chips at a plurality of positions at the table; and   a processor unit, said processor unit adapted to input the game data and the monetary data, said unit being further adapted to correlate the game data and monetary data.   
     
     
         16 . The collection system of  claim 15 , wherein the input game data comprises data corresponding to a rank and suit of cards on the table. 
     
     
         17 . The collection system of  claim 16 , wherein the input game data further comprises monetary data corresponding to images of chips wagered at the table. 
     
     
         18 . The collection system of  claim 15 , wherein the input game data can be used to determine game state information. 
     
     
         19 . The collection system of  claim 15 , wherein the processor unit is further adapted to determine if there have been any game anomalies based on the correlated data and to associate an anomaly with a priority level. 
     
     
         20 . The collection system of  claim 19 , wherein the anomalies correspond to one of card switching, card reversal, capping of bets and pinching of bets. 
     
     
         21 . The collection system of  claim 20 , wherein the game is baccarat. 
     
     
         22 . The collection system of  claim 20 , wherein the game is blackjack and the anomalies further correspond to one of improperly dealt cards, improper insurance wagering, improper splitting of cards, and improper double down wagering and card dealing. 
     
     
         23 . A casino game data collection system comprising:
 a game device comprising a rules module to track game states during a game based on cards dealt from the device, said game device outputting game state data and game data;   at least one monetary sensing system for obtaining and outputting monetary data corresponding to game chips located at positions at the table; and   a processor unit, said processor unit adapted to input the game data, game state data and the monetary data, said unit being further adapted to correlate the game data, game state data and monetary data.   
     
     
         24 . The collection system of  claim 23 , wherein the input game data comprises data corresponding to a rank and suit of cards dealt from the gaming device and the game state information corresponds to a state of a baccarat game as determined by the cards dealt from the device. 
     
     
         25 . The collection system of  claim 23 , wherein the monetary data corresponds to chips wagered and paid out at the table. 
     
     
         26 . The collection system of  claim 23 , wherein the processor unit is further adapted to determine if there have been any game anomalies based on the correlated data and to associate an anomaly with a priority level. 
     
     
         27 . The collection system of  claim 26 , wherein the anomalies comprise one of invalid actions taken during the game, capping of bets and pinching of bets. 
     
     
         28 . A casino game data collection system comprising:
 at least one video camera, said at least one camera adapted to output images of objects at the table;   a video interface adapted to input the images from the at least one camera and process the images into first game data;   a game device comprising a rules module to track game states during a game based on cards dealt from the device, said game device outputting game state data and second game data; and   a processor unit, said processor unit adapted to input the first and second game data, and the game state data, said unit being further adapted to correlate the first and second game data and game state data to detect game anomalies.   
     
     
         29 . The collection system of  claim 28 , wherein the second game data comprises data corresponding to a rank and suit of cards dealt from the gaming device and the first game data comprises data corresponding to images of the cards. 
     
     
         30 . The collection system of  claim 28 , wherein the game state information corresponds to a state of a baccarat game as determined by the cards dealt from the device. 
     
     
         31 . The collection system of  claim 28 , wherein the processor unit is further adapted to determine if there has been a card switching anomaly from the first and second game data. 
     
     
         32 . A casino game anomaly detection system comprising:
 means for inputting first game data corresponding to video images of objects at a gaming table;   means for inputting second game data and game state information from a gaming device;   means for inputting monetary data corresponding to chips located at different positions at the table;   means for correlating the first and second game data, game state data and the monetary data;   means for determining if there have been any game anomalies based on the correlated data; and   means for associating an anomaly with a priority level and generating an alert based on the anomaly and priority level.   
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the means for inputting first game data comprises means for inputting data corresponding to a rank and suit of cards on the table and monetary data corresponding to chips wagered at the table. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the means for inputting second game data comprises means for inputting data corresponding to the rank and suit of the cards as the cards were dealt from the gaming device and the game state information corresponds to a state of a baccarat game as determined by the cards dealt from the device. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the means for inputting monetary data inputs data corresponding to chips wagered and paid out at the table. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein alerts can be generated for one of invalid game play actions, card switching, card reversal, capping of bets and pinching of bets. 
     
     
         37 . A casino game anomaly detection system comprising:
 means for inputting first game data and game state information corresponding to video images of objects at a gaming table;   means for inputting second game data from a gaming device;   means for inputting monetary data corresponding to chips located at different positions at the table;   means for correlating the first and second game data, game state data and the monetary data;   means for determining if there have been any game anomalies based on the correlated data; and   means for associating an anomaly with a priority level and generating an alert based on the anomaly and priority level.   
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the input first game data comprises data corresponding to a rank and suit of cards on the table and monetary data corresponding to chips wagered at the table. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the input second game data comprises data corresponding to the rank and suit of the cards as the cards were dealt from the gaming device. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein alerts can be generated for one of invalid game play actions, card switching, card reversal, capping of bets and pinching of bets. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the game is blackjack and the invalid game actions comprise improperly dealt cards, improper insurance wagering, improper splitting of cards, and improper double down wagering and card dealing. 
     
     
         42 . A casino game table monitoring system comprising:
 at least one video camera for outputting images of objects at the table;   a video interface for inputting the images from the at least one camera and processing the images into first game data and game state data;   a game device outputting second game data;   at least one monetary sensing system for obtaining and outputting monetary information at positions at the table; and   a table manager unit for inputting the first and second game data, the game state data and the monetary information, said table manager unit determining if there have been any game anomalies based on the input data and monetary information and if there has been an anomaly, associating the anomaly with a priority level and generating an alert based on the anomaly and priority level.   
     
     
         43 . The monitoring system of  claim 42 , further comprising a server connected to receive the game state data, first and second game data, monetary information and alert from the table manager unit, said server outputting the alert to at least one surveillance device based on the priority of the alert. 
     
     
         44 . The monitoring system of  claim 43 , wherein the game is blackjack and the server outputs the alert to a blackjack tracker unit, which tracks results of the game over a period of time. 
     
     
         45 . The monitoring system of  claim 43 , wherein the game is blackjack, the gaming device is a card shoe with an alert notification device, and the server outputs the alert to the card shoe. 
     
     
         46 . The monitoring system of  claim 43 , wherein the server outputs the alert to a game management system that alerts casino personnel of the anomaly. 
     
     
         47 . A casino game table monitoring system comprising:
 at least one data acquisition device proximate a gaming table capable of generating an output signal corresponding to a game event;   a game module, the module receiving data from at least one data acquisition device and generating at least game state data; and   a table manager capable of receiving at least the game state data and detecting anomalies in game play.   
     
     
         48 . The casino game table monitoring system of  claim 47 , wherein the data acquisition device is selected from the group consisting of: a card reader, a card reading shoe, a card reading shuffler, a monetary sensing system, a RFID antenna and chip system, a camera imaging system, a proximity detector, and a magnetic detection device. 
     
     
         49 . The casino game table monitoring system of  claim 48 , wherein at least one data acquisition device is a camera imaging system, and further comprising a video interface for receiving output from the camera imagers and processing the images into first game data. 
     
     
         50 . The casino table game monitoring system of  claim 49 , wherein the video interface and the game module resides on a computer. 
     
     
         51 . The casino table game monitoring system of  claim 48 , wherein at least one data acquisition device is a card reading shoe, the shoe having an internal processor, wherein the game module resides on the internal processor. 
     
     
         52 . The casino table game monitoring system of  claim 48 , wherein at least one data acquisition device is a monetary sensing system. 
     
     
         53 . The casino table game monitoring system of  claim 48 , wherein at least one data acquisition device is a card reading shoe, the shoe having an internal processor, wherein the game module resides outside of the internal processor. 
     
     
         54 . The casino table game monitoring system of  claim 47 , wherein alert signals are generated in response to the detection of an anomaly. 
     
     
         55 . The casino table game monitoring system of  claim 54 , wherein the table manager is programmed to issue multiple levels of alert signal. 
     
     
         56 . The casino table game monitoring system of  claim 54 , wherein alert signals are routed to at least one external data sink. 
     
     
         57 . The casino table game monitoring system of  claim 47 , wherein the game module is programmed to determine the state of a game selected from the group consisting of blackjack and baccarat.