Game systems and methods for remote card games using physical playing cards

Abstract

Game systems and methods facilitate remote card games. A game system can include a game table, a card reader, a processing system, and a plurality of state indicators. The game table can receive a plurality of playing cards during a card game. The game table can have a plurality of player regions, and a first player region on the game table can comprise a card sensor for detecting a presence of one or more of the plurality of playing cards in the first player region. The card reader can detect identities of the plurality of playing cards. The processing system can automatically detect a game state of the card game based at least partially on data received from the card sensor in the first player region. The plurality of state indicators can be in communication with the processing system and can direct game play based on the detected game state.

1 . A game system comprising:
 a game table for receiving a plurality of playing cards during a card game, the game table having a plurality of player regions, and a first player region of the game table comprising a player card sensor for detecting a presence of a subset of the playing cards in the first player region;   a card reader for detecting identities of the plurality of playing cards;   a processing system configured to automatically detect a game state of the game system based at least partially on data received from the player card sensor in the first player region; and   a plurality of state indicators for directing game play on the game table based on the detected game state.   
   
   
       2 . The game system of  claim 1 , further comprising a first camera, and a window through the game table in the first player region, the first camera being configured to capture an image of the subset of the playing cards through the window. 
   
   
       3 . The game system of  claim 2 , further comprising a network device configured to transmit the image of the subset of the playing cards to a first remote computing device. 
   
   
       4 . The game system of  claim 3 , the first player region being associated with a first player in a first card game at the first remote computing device, and further being associated with a second player in a second card game a second remote computing device, wherein the network device transmits the image of the subset of the playing cards to both the first player and the second player. 
   
   
       5 . The game system of  claim 1 , the game table further comprising a dealer region comprising a dealer card sensor for detecting a presence of one or more of the plurality of playing cards in the dealer region. 
   
   
       6 . The game system of  claim 1 , the processing system configured to detect a misdeal of the plurality of playing cards based at least partially on data received from the player card sensor. 
   
   
       7 . The game system of  claim 1 , the state indicators being configured to indicate when a dealer should deal. 
   
   
       8 . The game system of  claim 1 , the state indicators being lights imbedding in the game table. 
   
   
       9 . The game system of  claim 1 , the player card sensor comprising a pressure sensor. 
   
   
       10 . A game system comprising:
 a game table system comprising a plurality of card detecting regions for detecting positions of a plurality of playing cards dealt in a card game;   a processing system in communication with the game table system and configured to identify a transitioning event based at least partially on the detected positions of the playing cards, the processing system implementing a state machine having a plurality of states representative of the card game, and the state machine transitioning from a previous state to a current state based on the transitioning event; and   a plurality of state indicators in communication with the processing system, and being configured to automatically indicate the current state of the state machine.   
   
   
       11 . The game system of  claim 10 , the processing system being physically attached to the game table system. 
   
   
       12 . The game system of  claim 10 , the plurality of card detecting regions comprising a player region for receiving a subset of the playing cards representative of playing cards dealt to a player in the card game. 
   
   
       13 . The game system of  claim 12 , further comprising a camera for capturing an image of the subset of the playing cards in the player region. 
   
   
       14 . The game system of  claim 12 , further comprising a card reader for detecting identities of the subset of the playing cards in the player region. 
   
   
       15 . The game system of  claim 14 , further comprising a camera for capturing an image of the subset of the playing cards in the player region, and a network device for transmitting the image and the identities of the subset of the playing cards to a remote computing device. 
   
   
       16 . The game system of  claim 10 , the state machine transitioning to a misdeal state when at least of the playing cards is positioned in an incorrect card detecting region 
   
   
       17 . A game system comprising:
 a game table having a first player region for receiving a first set of playing cards;   a network device for transmitting a representation of the first set of playing cards to a first player at a first remote location, and to a second player at a second remote location, and for receiving a first game decision from the first remote location, and a second game decision from the second remote location; and   a processing system for applying the first game decision to a first card game, and for applying the second game decision to a second card game.   
   
   
       18 . The game system of  claim 17 , further comprising a plurality of state indicators in communication with the processing system, wherein the processing system implements a state machine, and the state indicators indicate a current state of the state machine. 
   
   
       19 . The game system of  claim 17 , further comprising a camera configured to capture an image of the first set of playing cards, wherein the network device is further configured to transmit the image to the first player at the first remote location. 
   
   
       20 . The game system of  claim 19 , the processing system being further configured to delay transmission of the image to the second player at the second remote location. 
   
   
       21 . A method for facilitating one or more card games associated with a game table, the game table comprising a plurality of card detecting regions, the method comprising:
 activating one or more state indicators in a first configuration to prompt a dealer to deal a first playing card into a first card detecting region of the game table; and   detecting receipt of the first playing card in one of the card detecting regions of the game table.   
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising selecting the first configuration for the state indicators based at least partially on data received from the card detecting regions. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising determining an updated status of the card games based on the detected receipt of the first playing card. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising activating the state indicators in a second configuration based on the updated status of the card games. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 detecting receipt of the first playing card in a second card detecting region; and   determining that the first card game is in a misdeal state based on the first playing card being delivered into an incorrect card detecting region.   
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 detecting receipt of the first playing card in the first card detecting region; and   determining that the first playing card is positioned correctly on the game table.   
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 21 , the game table further comprising a card reader configured to detect an identity of the first playing card. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claims 21 , further comprising providing a camera configured to capture an image of one or more of the playing cards in the first card detecting region. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising simultaneously virtualizing two or more card games based on the a plurality of playing cards dealt onto the game table. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising associating playing cards in the first card detecting region with a player in each of the plurality of card games. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising virtualizing a first card game based on a plurality of playing cards dealt on the game table. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising virtualizing a second card game based on the plurality of playing cards dealt on the game table, wherein a first player in the first card game and a second player in the second card game receive the same private playing cards. 
   
   
       33 . A method for facilitating one or more card games associated with a game table, the game table comprising a plurality of card detecting regions, the method comprising:
 activating one or more state indicators in a first configuration to prompt a dealer to deal a first playing card;   identifying the first playing card;   detecting receipt of the first playing card in the first card detecting region of the game table;   associating the first playing card with a first player of a first card game;   identifying a second playing card;   detecting receipt of the second playing card in a second card detecting region of the game table;   associating the second playing card with a second player of the first card game;   receiving game decisions from the first player and the second player during a betting cycle;   activating the state indicators in a second configuration to indicate that the betting cycle has ended; and   determining a winner of the first card game.   
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising:
 associating the first playing card with a third player in a second card game;   associating the second playing card with a fourth player in the second card game;   receiving game decisions from the third player and the fourth player; and   determining a winner of the second card game.   
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34 , the second card game being a virtual card game that uses the playing cards dealt in the first card game. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 34 , the third player participating in the second card game remotely over a network. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising transmitting an image of the first playing card to the third player.