Table with Sensors and Smart Card Holder for Automated Gaming System and Gaming Cards

Abstract

Methods and systems for intelligent tracking and/or play and/or management of card gaming use an intelligent card distribution or holding device with detectors for determining the value and unique identity of individual cards and for recording card play. Playing cards are equipped with a read/write data storage connected to a transponder and/or incorporated into electromagnetic writable particles or smart particles (smart dust). A system of the invention records various game play events on the playing cards themselves during game play and optionally also in a database on the system.

1 - 89 . (canceled) 
     
     
         90 . A method of automating game play at a gaming table using a card holder comprising:
 receiving data at said holder indicating a player or dealer position to which cards are being dealt;   detecting at said holder an identity of cards dealt to said player position;   storing at said holder a history of cards dealt to said player position;   totaling cards dealt to said dealer;   determining at said holder one or more game status results;   indicating by said holder one or more game status indications; and   writing data to a playing card indicating one or more of:
 time dealt; 
 player identity; 
 dealer identity; 
 total of hand resulting from that card; 
 information regarding indications prompting deal of that card, such as detection of player hand action, detection of dealer input, detection of card placement, and time of actions; 
 active bet at time of deal; 
 information regarding placement of cards detected on table. 
   
     
     
         91 . The method as recited in  claim 90 , further comprising:
 providing a plurality of wireless player indicators, said indicators optically or electronically communicating a player's desired game play and/or betting actions to said holder.   
     
     
         92 . The method as recited in  claim 90 , further comprising:
 providing one or more wireless interfaced data displays, said displays presenting one or more play status indications and optically or electronically communicating a player's desired game or bet activity to said holder.   
     
     
         93 . A system for tracking one or more of movement, betting, play or identity of gaming pieces using an intelligent card holder comprising:
 a holding compartment in said holder for receiving and holding gaming cards;   a dispensing opening in said holder for distributing or dealing gaming playing cards;   a plurality of electronically readable and writeable gaming pieces;   an electronic control system in said holder for interfacing with other electronic components and receiving, analyzing, and storing data;   at least one electronic component in said holder for reading data from said gaming pieces; and   at least one electronic component in said holder for writing data to said gaming pieces.   
     
     
         94 . The system as recited in  claim 93  wherein said holder is a holder that can be operationally connected with a shuffling machine or mechanism. 
     
     
         95 . The system as recited in  claim 93  further comprising:
 a plurality of table motion indicators for reading motion and/or location of cards at particular dealer and player playing areas; and 
 a plurality of table motion or location indicators for reading motion and/or location of chips at particular dealer and player playing areas. 
 
     
     
         96 . The system as recited in  claim 94  wherein said holder is a holder able to read and write data to gaming chips and gaming cards without needing antenna or electronic components not attached inside or outside of said holder. 
     
     
         97 . The system as recited in  claims 93  wherein said holder contains at least two interfaces for communicating with one or more of game pieces or a gaming table or other electronic components, said two interfaces being two different types of interfaces selected from the group:
 an optical scanning interface able to detect visible or invisible reflected light from one or more of: gaming cards, gaming chips, a gaming table with markings thereon; 
 an RF interface able to one or more of: read or write or send or receive data wirelessly from one or more of: gaming cards, gaming chips, one or more antennas attached to or incorporated in a gaming table; smart cards indicating player or dealer identity and/or player credit cards or bonus cards; one or more other electronic components for data storage, analysis, display, user input; 
 a magnetic head interface able to read or write or both data to devices that included embedded magnetic particles, said devices including one or more of: playing cards, cards indicating player or dealer identity, player credit cards, or bonus cards. 
 
     
     
         98 . The system as recited in  claim 97  wherein said holder uses one type of interface for reading or writing data to a gaming playing card and a different type of interface for determining playing status of the card. 
     
     
         99 . The system as recited in each of  claims 93  wherein data written to at least one of said playing cards comprise two or more of:
 a unique identity of said at least one card, wherein the unique identity differentiates the at least one card from other cards of the same suit and value; 
 identity of a game participant dealt said card; 
 game play history of said card; 
 running total of all cards dealt to a hand receiving said card; 
 a validation code for said card; 
 game play location of said card; 
 betting area that relates to card play; and 
 betting amount related to card play. 
 
     
     
         100 . The system as recited in  claim 93  wherein said holder scans cards that are adjacent or proximate to said holder and can thereby determine a particular player or player betting area associated with a card during game play. 
     
     
         101 . The system as recited in  claim 93  further comprising:
 an electronic control system for interfacing and controlling an antenna at said holder, and for processing information received by said antenna when scanning playing cards during one or more of: 
 a card game; 
 position or status of cards at a player's gaming area; 
 position or status of cards at a dealer's gaming area; 
 position or status of cards at a game table discard area; 
 position or status of cards at an optional or additional gaming area that is activated before or during game play. 
 
     
     
         102 . The system as recited in  claim 93  wherein said electronic control system is capable of maintaining a running inventory of all of the playing cards at a table, by value and by location, and is further capable of identifying and invalidating counterfeit and unauthorized gaming cards. 
     
     
         103 . The system as recited in  claim 93  wherein each movement of a playing card between locations on a gaming table is recorded as the card's transactional history, and said electronic control system is capable of identifying a playing card which is not in a location indicated by the transactional history for that card. 
     
     
         104 . The system as recited in  claim 93  wherein the scanning steps include writing information onto a data bank stored on the card regarding the movement of the card from one location to another at said table, so that the card's table activity, players, dealers, activity, transactional history is maintained in said data bank. 
     
     
         105 . The system as recited in  claim 93  wherein the electronic control system is capable of invalidating a gaming card not found in a location indicated by the card's transactional history and optionally of invalidating and optionally revalidating all scannable playing cards in the casino in the event of an emergency. 
     
     
         106 . The system as recited in  claim 93 , wherein said holder has a two way data interface with playing cards and/or gaming chips and two or more components selected from the group consisting of:
 card dealers;   game operators;   card players;   table displays;   cameras;   gaming chip storage areas;   table chip bank;   gaming chips betting areas;   table and off table data banks;   players gaming chips;   players complimentary cards;   players credit cards;   players identification cards.   
     
     
         107 . A method of tracking movement of playing cards at a gaming table, comprising:
 electronically identifying an electronically identifiable playing card at a first location at said table;   moving said gaming card from said first location to a second location at said table;   electronically identifying said gaming card at a second location within said table; and   recording the movement of the gaming card from said first location to said second location in a data bank so that the transactional and/or game play history of the playing card is preserved for future reference.   
     
     
         108 . The method as recited in  claim 107 , wherein the data bank is disposed in a transponder stored on the gaming card and or magnetic particles, or optical data retaining components. 
     
     
         109 . The method as recited in  claim 107 , wherein the card table includes a card storage area for receiving and storing playing cards, a card distribution location for disbursing and receiving gaming cards, and a plurality of gaming tables, the method further comprising the steps of:
 electronically scanning all playing cards entering and leaving the card storage area of the gaming table;   electronically scanning all gaming cards entering and leaving the card distribution area such as: stationary card holders, (from which cards are dealt to game participants) playing card holders and table components that scan playing cards with under the table-surface antennas;   electronically scanning playing cards utilized in the various steps required to play a specific card game by game participants;   processing the information received from the scanning steps in order to maintain a running playing card inventory within the casino by value and card location.   processing the information received from the scanning steps in order to maintain a running gaming chip inventory within the table game and casino table bank, by value and chip location.