HK1209076B - Table game system - Google Patents

Description

Table game system

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a table game system having a security function in a card game such as baccarat using playing cards (hereinafter simply referred to as "cards").

Background

In poker, baccarat, bridge, blackjack and other card games, the dealer sets one or more decks of playing cards in a card shoe or the like and deals the cards to the game players by drawing the cards, one by one, from the card shoe. In doing so, cards need to be dealt randomly in order to ensure fairness in the game. Accordingly, the game host must randomly shuffle the playing cards sufficiently to ensure that the playing cards have a random ordering before being placed in the card shoe. The shuffled playing cards used in various card games such as poker, baccarat, bridge, blackjack, etc. if 8 decks of cards are used, typically include 416 cards.

A conventional card shuffling apparatus for shuffling playing cards is disclosed in patent document 1, for example. After being shuffled in a unique order by a shuffling device, each shuffled playing card set is provided with a uniquely identifiable shuffled card ID attached to its packing box or the like as a barcode.

Reference list

Patent document

PTL 1:WO2009/069708

Disclosure of Invention

Technical problem

The cut card is used to prevent any player from counting the number of dealt cards during the game to predict the number of cards as the number of unseated cards becomes smaller. Generally, before the first game starts, a cut card is inserted into shuffled playing cards, and the cards are dealt one by a dealer or the like onto a game table. When the cut cards are drawn from the card shoe device, the currently used card set is no longer used and is replaced. This makes it impossible to identify the shuffled playing card set currently in use at the gaming table because the shuffled playing card set is often replaced with a new one. For this reason, if any problem occurs in the card shoe device, or if any irregular cards are inserted, it is difficult to investigate the cause thereof or take countermeasures, which is a problem.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a table game system capable of identifying a shuffled playing card set currently used on a game table, and also capable of identifying a shuffled playing card set used when any problem occurs in a card shoe device or if it is found that any irregular cards are inserted, thereby enabling investigation of the cause or taking of countermeasures.

Technical scheme

In order to solve the above conventional problems, the present invention provides a board game system comprising:

shuffled playing cards including playing cards composed of a plurality of card decks shuffled to have a unique arrangement order, a uniquely identifiable shuffled card ID being attached to the shuffled playing cards as an ID code; and

a card shoe apparatus including a bar code reader or an input tool capable of recognizing the shuffled-playing cards ID, and housing the shuffled playing cards so that the housed shuffled playing cards are manually dealt to a game table one by one,

card shoe apparatus comprising:

a card accommodation unit that accommodates shuffled playing cards;

a cover for allowing entry/removal of the shuffled playing cards;

an opening through which the cards are drawn one by one from the card housing unit;

a card reading unit that reads information on the number of cards contained in the cards drawn from the card containing unit to the game table;

a control unit that stores rules of the card game and includes a winner/loser determination unit that determines a winner/loser of the card game based on the information on the rank of the cards read by the card reading unit; and

a display unit outputting the result of the winner/loser determined by the winner/loser determination unit,

wherein the control unit has a function of storing a uniquely identifiable shuffled card ID read by a bar code reader or an input means, identifying the shuffled playing cards in combination with the shuffled card ID when the card set is to be used in the current game, and storing each specific event occurring during the use of said identified shuffled playing cards on the game table, and

the specific event item stored in combination with the shuffled card ID includes at least one of:

(1) a card reading error in which the card reading unit reads the cards in the identified shuffled playing cards;

(2) ending the game by ending the use of the shuffled playing cards currently placed in the card shoe device or drawing cut cards from the shuffled playing cards currently placed in the card shoe device as a result of operating an end button;

(3) attempting to draw a card when the card should not be drawn according to rules of the card game;

(4) attempting to move or insert the card in the opening in a direction opposite to the direction of withdrawal of the card; and

(5) the occurrence of the predetermined irregular operation is determined to be irregular by the card shoe apparatus.

Advantageous effects

With the present invention, it is possible to provide a table game system capable of identifying a shuffled playing card set used when the above-described situation occurs if any problem occurs in the card shoe apparatus or if any irregular card is found to be inserted, thereby enabling investigation of the cause or taking of countermeasures by identifying the shuffled playing card set used when the above-described situation occurs.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a board game system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of shuffled playing cards used in the table game system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of the card shoe apparatus.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a card according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 is an enlarged plan view showing the major portions of the card guide of the card shoe device with the card guide partially interrupted.

Figure 6 is a diagram showing the relationship between the output wave from the sensor and the indicia in the card shoe apparatus.

Fig. 7(a) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a card entrance/exit restriction device that restricts entrance/exit of cards from a card housing unit of the card shoe device, and 7(b) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a modification of the card entrance/exit restriction device.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a card according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 9 is an enlarged plan view showing the major portions of the card guide of the card shoe device with the card guide partially interrupted.

Detailed Description

An embodiment of the board game system of the present invention will be described below. Fig. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing the entirety of a board game system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a perspective view of shuffled playing cards used in the table game system according to the embodiment of the present invention. Although the shuffled playing card set 1s is packaged in the table game system of the present embodiment, when the shuffled playing card set 1s is to be used in a game, after the package is unpacked so that the cards 1 of the shuffled playing card set 1s can be dealt one by one, it is housed in the card shoe device 2. During the game, the dealer deals cards 1 from the card shoe device 2 to the game table. The cards 1 of each shuffled playing card set 1s made up of a predetermined number of decks (typically, 6, 8, 9, or 10 decks) are shuffled to be arranged in a unique and randomly arranged order and packaged with a uniquely identifiable shuffled card ID attached as a barcode 3 (as an ID code) to a packing box 4 (RFID or RF tag may be used instead).

In the assembled state, the packing box 4 of the shuffled playing card set 1s has the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped enclosing the shuffled playing card set 1s as shown in fig. 2. The packing box 4 has zippers 5 disposed at two positions spaced apart by a predetermined interval, each zipper having zipper-shaped cut lines arranged in a longitudinal direction parallel to the rectangular parallelepiped shape, and has a central strip 6 located in a central portion defined by the zippers 5 disposed at the two positions. The central strip 6 is coloured so as to be easily distinguishable from the other parts (the central strip 6 in figure 2 is not coloured). The configuration achieved is that by removing the two zippers 5 along the cut lines, the left and right side faces of the packing box 4 are removed so that the side faces of the shuffled playing card set 1s can be exposed (fig. 1). Circled numbers 1-3, representing the sequence of the process of removing the zipper 5, are printed on each zipper 5 as shown in figure 2.

The cut card 1c is inserted into the shuffled playing card set 1s before the shuffled playing card set 1s is set in the card shoe apparatus 2. Cut cards 1c are inserted anywhere within the back half of the shuffled playing card set 1s used in the game (the back quarter or fifth of the shuffled playing card set 1 s). The cut card 1c is used to finish the game at the game table, leaving about 20-40 cards 1 in the card shoe device 2 to prevent any player or anyone from counting the number of cards 1 dealt during the game to predict the number of cards when the number of cards not yet dealt becomes small. In general, when the cut card 1s is drawn during the game, the use of the shuffled playing card set 1s currently used is stopped after the game or some subsequent games, and the game is ended. The shuffled playing card set 1s in the card shoe device 2 is replaced with a new set and a new game is started.

In fig. 1, the table game system of the present embodiment includes a shuffled playing card set 1s including cards 1 made up of a predetermined number of decks shuffled to have a unique arrangement order and having a shuffled card ID uniquely identifiable attached as a barcode 3, and a card shoe device 2 for housing the shuffled playing card set 1s therein to allow the housed cards 1 to be manually dealt to a game table one by one, and which has a barcode reader 100 or an input device 200 capable of identifying the shuffled card ID.

In fig. 3, the card shoe device 2 of the table game system of the present embodiment is provided with a cover 2f, and the cover 2f enables insertion and removal of the shuffled playing card set 1 s. A sensor S for detecting the opening/closing of the lid 2f is provided below the lid 2f, which detects the opening/closing of the lid 2f and therefore also detects the replacement of the shuffled playing card set 1S. The card shoe device 2 has a card guide unit 7 that guides the cards 1 manually drawn one by one from the card housing unit 2C onto a game table, a code reading unit 8 that reads a code C indicating the number (number), the rank) of the card 1 when the dealer or the like of the casino manually draws the card 1 from the card housing unit 2C, a winner/loser determining unit 10 that determines the winner/loser of the card game based on the numbers (ranks) of the cards 1 sequentially read by the code reading unit 8, and an output device 11 that outputs the result determined by the winner/loser determining unit 10.

Figure 4 shows cards 1 that make up a shuffled playing card set 1 s. Numbers are encoded and printed on each card 1 used in a board game (e.g., baccarat) as indicia M of UV ink or the like, which is not visible under ordinary conditions. Codes C, each of which is configured with a mark M, are disposed on the upper and lower sides of the card 1 in a point-symmetric manner. Preferably, the code C is printed in a position not overlapping with the indication of the card type or index by a paint which becomes visible when illuminated with UV light.

Next, the code reading unit 8 will be described in detail with reference to fig. 5, and when the card 1 is manually drawn out from the card housing unit 2C, the code reading unit 8 reads the code C indicating the number (number, rank) of the card 1 from the card 1. Figure 5 is a plan view of the main parts of the card shoe apparatus 2. In fig. 5, the code reading unit 8 is provided in the card guide unit 7 that guides the cards 1 manually drawn one by one from the opening 13 of the card housing unit 2C onto the game table, and the opening 13 is provided in the front portion of the card housing unit 2C. The card guide unit 7 is an inclined surface, and a card guide cover 14 is attached to a part of the edge of each of both sides of the card guide unit 7, the card guide cover 14 also serving as a sensor cover. Also, both card guide covers 14 are configured to be attachable/detachable with screws or the like (not shown). When the card guide cover 14 is removed, the sensor group 15 of the code reading section 8 is exposed. The sensor group 15 is composed of four sensors including two ultraviolet reaction sensors (UV sensors) 20, 21 and object detection sensors 22, 23.

The object detection sensors 22, 23 are optical fiber sensors, each capable of detecting the presence and movement of the card 1. The object detection sensor 22 is located on the upstream side of the card guide unit 7 in the flow direction (arrow F) of the card 1, and the object detection sensor 23 is located on the downstream side of the card guide unit 7 in the flow direction of the card 1. As shown in fig. 5, the object detection sensors 22, 23 are disposed on the upstream side and the downstream side of the UV sensors 20, 21, respectively. Each UV sensor 22, 21 comprises an ultraviolet emitting led (UV led) and a detector. The indicia M is printed on the playing card 1 with UV luminescent ink that emits a color upon application of UV light. The card 1 is irradiated with UV light (black light), and the detector detects light reflected by the mark M of the code C of the card 1. The UV sensors 20, 21 are connected via cables to the control unit 12 of the code reading unit 8. In the code reading unit 8, the arrangement pattern of the marks M is determined based on the output signals of the detectors of the UV sensors 20, 21, and the number (number of dots) corresponding to the code C is also determined.

In the code reading unit 8, the start and end of reading performed by the UV sensors 20, 21 are controlled by the control unit 12 based on detection signals from the object detection sensors 22, 23. Further, the control unit 12 determines whether the card 1 has passed the card guide unit 7 properly based on the detection signals from the object detection sensors 22, 23. As shown in fig. 4, rectangular marks M are provided in a frame of two rows and four columns on each of the upper and lower edges of the card 1, the arrangement of such marks M indicating the rank (number) and suit (heart, spade, etc.) of the card 1. If the UV sensor 20 and/or 21 detects the marker M, the UV sensor will issue a switch-on signal. The code reading unit 8 determines the relative relationship between the signals received by the two UV sensors 20, 21. This enables the code reading unit 8 to identify the code based on the relative difference or the like between the two marks M detected by the two UV sensors 20, 21, thereby identifying the number (rank) and type (suit) of the corresponding card 1.

Fig. 6 shows the relationship between the code C and the output of the on signals of the two UV sensors 20, 21. The predetermined arrangement pattern of the marks M can be identified based on comparison of the results of the relative changes in the outputs of the on signals of the UV sensors 20, 21. Therefore, in two rows (upper row and lower row), the mark M can have four arrangement patterns, and because the patterns are printed in four columns, 256 kinds of codes (4 × 4 × 4 × 4) can be formed. Fifty-two (52) different playing cards are each assigned one of 256 codes, and the association of such assignments is stored in memory or as an association table stored as a program. By the identification code C, the card reading unit 8 can identify the number (rank) and the type (suit) of the card 1 based on a predetermined association table (not shown). Also, 52 cards can be freely associated with 52 codes among the 256 codes stored in the association table, and thus there are various associations between them. Therefore, the association between the 256 codes C and the suit and the point count of the 52 cards may be changed depending on the time or the position. Preferably, the code C is printed with paint that becomes visible upon irradiation with UV light in a position that does not overlap with the indication of the card type or index.

Next, the control unit 12 will be described in more detail. The control unit 12 is implemented by a computer device, and includes a winner/loser determination unit 10 that automatically determines a winner/loser, etc. of a game. This processing function (in the control unit 12) is realized by installing a program for determining the winner/loser in a computer, the program being executed by a computer processor. The control unit 12 reads the shuffled card ID from the barcode 3 read by the barcode reader 100, uniquely identifies the shuffled playing card set 1s, and stores the shuffled card ID in the read memory 12M. The control unit 12 reads the barcode 3 with the barcode reader 100 and stores the uniquely identifiable shuffled card ID. Then, the control unit 12 identifies the shuffled playing card set 1s being used in the game and the current time, and stores them in association with the shuffled card ID. The control unit 12 causes each of the following specific events that occur when the shuffled playing card set 1s identified by the shuffled card ID is used at the game table to be stored in the memory 12M in association with the occurrence time thereof. Also, the ordinal number of the card theme in which the relevant event occurs within the shuffled playing card set 1s currently set in the card shoe device, or the ordinal number of the game theme in which the relevant event occurs in each game played with such shuffled playing cards (each individual game determines a winner (player or banker) and starts the next individual game after betting).

The specific event item stored in combination with the shuffled card ID includes at least one of:

(1) a reading error of the code reading unit 8 reading the cards in the identified shuffled playing card set;

(2) an end of the game, in which the use of the shuffled playing card set 1s currently set in the card shoe device 2 is ended or the cut card 1c is drawn from the shuffled playing card set 1s currently set in the card shoe device 2 as a result of the operation of the end button 53;

(3) attempting to draw a card when the card should not be drawn according to rules of the card game;

(4) attempting to move or insert the card in a direction opposite to the direction of withdrawal of the opening 13; and

(5) the occurrence of the predetermined irregular operation is determined to be irregular by the card shoe apparatus.

Note that the reading error in the above item (1) refers to an error in identifying the card due to the read code being not a predetermined code based on the association table by the code reading unit 8 reading the two marks M of the card 1; or an error in identifying the number (rank) and type (suit) of the card 1 corresponding to the read code. With regard to the above item (2), the end button 53 is pressed to end the use of the shuffled playing card set 1s currently set in the card shoe device 2. After this action, the end game is recorded in the card shoe device 2. Moreover, if the cut card 1c is drawn from the shuffled playing card set 1s currently housed in the card shoe device 2, the game ends at the next game or after some games, and the remaining cards in the shuffled playing card set 1s will no longer be used. An attempt to draw any card when the card should not be drawn according to the rule of the card game described in item (3) above will be described later. Any attempt to insert any card in the opposite direction in the opening 13 as described in the above item (4) refers to a case where the object detection sensors 22, 23 detect a dishonest action, such as a case where any card is inserted in the opposite direction to the moving direction (arrow F) of the card 1 under the relevant conditions, and it is assumed that the object detection sensors 22, 23 detect that the card 1 moves in the opposite direction to the arrow F. Any predetermined irregular situation to be determined by the card shoe device 2 as irregular as described in the above item (5) refers to a situation where, for example, the card 1 remains on the object detection sensors 22, 23 for a longer period of time than a predetermined period of time, and such an irregular situation is previously input and stored in the memory 12M as a program.

The memory 12M stores the occurrence of any security item associated with the associated shuffled card ID read by the barcode 3, and when a security item is stored, it also stores the time at which the security item occurred. To this end, the memory 12M includes a clock 12 t. It further includes an external transmission device 300 for externally transmitting the generated security item and the shuffled card ID. Notification of the occurrence of the shuffled card ID security item and the occurrence time thereof is given to the management department or the trading floor of the casino via the external transmission device 300 in association with the relevant shuffled card ID. The casino management stores and records these transmitted items in the database 400 in association with the associated shuffled card IDs. The dealer or the like is also notified of the occurrence of the security item by a display made of the lamp 51 and the liquid crystal display unit 52.

Next, a modification in which the input tool 200 is provided instead of the barcode reader 100 capable of recognizing the shuffled card ID will be described. Instead of reading the barcode 3 with the barcode reader 100 to identify the shuffled card ID of the card set currently in use, a configuration is possible in which the barcode reader is provided in a separate device (e.g., an apparatus that handles the card 1 or a device that confirms the card 1 being handled) mounted on the game table, and obtains the shuffled card ID of the set of cards to be used by such barcode reader, which is input to the card shoe device 2 through communication 201 with such a device. In this case, a separate device having a barcode reader functions as an input device capable of identifying the shuffled card ID.

Next, a card entry/exit restriction means 30 that restricts entry/exit of the card 1 into/from the card housing unit 2C will be described with reference to fig. 7. The card guide unit 7 is provided with a card entry/exit restriction means 30 to restrict entry/exit of the card 1 through the card housing unit 2C. In fig. 7(a), a card entry/exit restriction means 30 is provided in the card guide cover 14 of the card guide unit 7, which guides the cards 1 drawn one by one onto the game table from an opening 13, the opening 13 being provided at the front of the card housing unit 2C. The card entry/exit restriction means 30 has a structure in which, when the card 1 passes through the slot 33 between the card guide unit 7 and the card guide cover 14, the lock member 34 presses the card 1 to block entry/exit thereof in the slot 33. The lock member 34 is movable in the direction indicated by the arrow Mo by a drive unit 35, and the drive unit 35 is composed of an electromagnetic solenoid, a piezoelectric device, or the like, so that the lock member 34 can take two positions, i.e., a position where the card 1 is depressed (restricting position) and a position where the card 1 is allowed to pass. The driving unit 35 is controlled by the control device 12, and moves the lock member 34 to two positions, i.e., a position where the card 1 is depressed and a position where the card 1 is allowed to pass. The rules of the baccarat game are programmed in advance and stored in the control device 12.

Next, a modification of the card entry/exit restriction means 30 will be described with reference to fig. 7 (b). A modification of the card entry/exit restriction means 40 has a structure in which, when the card 1 passes through the slot 33 between the card guide unit 7 and the card guide cover 14, the lock member 36 protrudes into the slot 33 to block the movement of the card 1. The lock member 36 is movable in the direction indicated by the arrow Mo by a drive unit 37, and the drive unit 37 is composed of an electromagnetic solenoid, a piezoelectric device, or the like, so that the lock member 36 can take two positions, i.e., a position (restricting position) in which the movement of the card 1 is blocked and a position in which the card 1 is allowed to pass. The drive unit 37 is controlled by the control device 12, and moves the lock member 36 to two positions, i.e., a position blocking the movement of the card 1 and a position allowing the card 1 to pass.

The card entry/exit restriction means 30(40) is caused to function by the drive unit 35 or 37 controlled by the program of the control device 12 to prevent fraudulent entry/exit of the card 1. The card entry/exit restriction means 30(40) is provided with the object detection sensors 22, 23 as sensors to detect the movement of the card 1, and has a function of detecting the movement of the card 1 with these sensors 22, 23 to restrict such movement. Details of the contents (programmed contents) of the execution of the prevention of the fraudulent entry/exit of the card 1 include at least one of the following:

(1) a function of preventing insertion of the card 1 inserted or moved in a direction opposite to the direction of the arrow F (i.e., from the outside toward the card housing unit 2C via the opening 13). In this case, although the card 1 inserted for cheating passes through the slot 33 between the card guide unit 7 and the card guide cover 14, the movement of the card 1 in the direction opposite to the normal direction (the direction opposite to the arrow F of fig. 3) is detected based on the detection signal of the object detection sensors 22, 23, and the drive units 35, 37 move their corresponding lock members 34, 36 to their respective positions of depressing or blocking the card 1 due to the program of the control device 12. In this case, the control unit 12 determines that the situation falls below the security item (4), i.e. attempts to move or insert the card in the opposite direction through the opening.

(2) When the drawing of the card 1 from the card housing unit 2C is not permitted based on the information of the figure and the rank of the card 1 read by the card reading unit (this means that the code reading unit 8 reads the code C indicating the number (number, rank) of the card 1 from the card 1 when the card 1 is drawn from the card housing unit 2C), the function of drawing the card 1 from the card housing unit 2C is inhibited. In this case, as described above, the rules of the baccarat game are programmed in advance in the control device 12. In the baccarat game, whether each dealer and player should draw two or more cards 1 is uniquely determined according to the total rank (number) of two cards that have been dealt to each dealer and player. Thus, if the dealer at the table attempts to deal card 1 without drawing a third card (which violates the rules), the movement of card 1 will be restricted. If an attempt is made to draw the card 1 at a timing or in a state in which the drawing of the card should not be permitted, the movement of the card 1 is detected based on the signal given by the object detection sensor 22 with respect to the detection of the card 1, and the drive units 35, 37 move their corresponding lock members 34, 36 to their respective positions of pressing or blocking the card 1, due to the program of the control unit 12. The locking members 34, 36 will then move to their respective positions of pressing or blocking the card 1, blocking the issuance of additional cards 1 (the position shown in figure 7). In this case, the control unit 12 determines that the situation falls under the security item 3, i.e., attempts to draw a card when the card should not be drawn according to the rules of the card game. This corresponds to item (3) of the above-described specific event stored in combination with the shuffled card ID. That is, with the above item (3), an attempt to draw a card is recorded in the control unit 12 when a card should not be drawn according to the rules of the card game.

For each shuffled card ID in the shuffled playing card set 1s, when an event falling under any specific event (security item) occurs, the fact and time of the occurrence of the relevant shuffled card ID are notified to the management department of the casino or the trading floor via the external transmission device 300, and these pieces of information are transferred to the database 400 and stored in the database 400. Further, a display made of the lamp 51 and the liquid crystal display unit 52 notifies the dealer or the like of the occurrence of a security item. These transmitted items are recorded in a database 400 of the casino's governing authority such that items falling in at least one of incorporate shuffled card ID records regarding the set of card identifications used in the current game, thereby providing overall control or efficient operation of the casino's operations.

For the overall control or efficient operation of the casino, the management of the casino records and uses, for example, the data items described below in a database.

(1) A game table for use;

(2) the dealer (the person who draws the cards) who is responsible for the gaming table in use;

(3) a time to begin using the identified shuffled playing card set;

(4) ending the time of using the identified shuffled playing card set;

(5) identifying a time period for which the cards of the shuffled playing card set are present at the gaming table;

(6) information regarding managing the trading floor or card room of the identified shuffled playing card set before the identified shuffled playing card set is delivered to an associated gaming table;

(7) information on a process of processing the identified shuffled playing card set after use of the identified shuffled playing card set at the gaming table;

(8) information regarding whether all cards of the identified shuffled playing card set have arrived at the processing device;

(9) information regarding managing a previously identified trading floor or card room of a shuffled playing card set prior to delivery to an associated gaming table;

(10) information regarding a win or a loss of a game table using the identified shuffled playing card set;

(11) a period of time after the end of a game using the identified shuffled playing card set until the start of the next game with a new shuffled playing card set;

(12) a period of time from a start to an end of a game using the identified shuffled playing card set; and

(13) purchasing or purchasing information for the identified shuffled playing card set.

The group code SC will be described in more detail. As shown in fig. 8, the cards 1 are provided with a group code SC that is constituted by encoding information representing the group of cards and is invisible under normal conditions (e.g., UV ink). This group code SC is set at the same position on at least the cards of the same suit. As the code, the group code SC is a substance or material that emits light of a different wavelength spectrum by itself when irradiated with light of a different wavelength, and is configured so as to emit light of a different wavelength when irradiated with light of a different wavelength. Whether the identified group code SC and the group code SC read by the code reading unit 8 match or not is determined by the control unit 12 depending on whether the predetermined wavelength of the light matches or not the read group code SC. At the start of a game, the shuffled card ID of the shuffled playing card set 1s to be used accommodated in the card shoe device 2 is identified by reading a barcode 3 (as an ID code) with a barcode reader 100. The shuffled card ID and the group code SC are correlated with each other so that if the shuffled playing card set 1s to be used is identified, the group code SC attached to the shuffled playing card set 1s is also identified based on the shuffled card ID. When the group code SC attached to the used card 1 is actually read, it is determined whether the group code SC identified by the control unit 12 of the card shoe device 2 matches the group code SC read by the code reading unit 8. Therefore, how the group code SC is determined can be known from the outside.

Polymer materials, DNA materials, and the like having a molecular structure that emits light of a specific wavelength by light irradiation are used as substances or materials that emit light of different wavelength spectra for invisible light of different wavelengths (ultraviolet rays, infrared rays, and the like). A polymer material having a molecular structure that emits light of a specific wavelength by light irradiation is printed on the upper and lower edges of the playing card 1 as a group code SC as shown in fig. 8. The group code SC cannot be recognized by the human eye under normal use conditions (sunlight, natural light or the like). The group code SC is read by the UV sensor 24. When the card 1 is guided by the card guide unit 7 to slide through, the group code SC is read by the UV sensor 24 provided in the card guide 7. Also, as printed, the set code SC may be mixed with an infrared or ultraviolet responsive ink that prints a code C for identifying the number (rank) of the card 1. Each group code SC in the infrared or ultraviolet responsive ink cannot be recognized by the human eye under normal use conditions (sunlight, natural light, or the like). A light source that reads the group code SC is provided integrally with the UV sensor 24. In embodiment 1, an led (uv led) emitting ultraviolet rays of two different wavelengths is used as a light source (not shown).

As mentioned above, the group code SC is printed independently and in the same position at least in the same suit. However, a configuration is also possible in which the group code SC is configured using a certain substance or material serving as a code, and such substance or material is contained in the coating material, anchor coating material, or ink to print a background pattern, mark, index, or code to indicate the number marked on the surface of the card. As a variation of the present embodiment, the group code may be printed on the playing card 1 in a similar manner to the indicia M or the barcode 3. The group information indicating the group code group may be different for each deck 1 or each of the decks 1. The group information may differ for each casino or gaming table or any other unit where cards are used. The set information may be different for each card supply (card shoe or the like). In addition, a different group code may be set for each production lot or each casino using cards.

List of reference numerals

1 playing card

1s shuffled playing card set

2 card shoe device

2C card accommodation unit

3 Bar code

8 code reading unit

10 winner/loser determination unit

12 control unit

13 opening

Claims (4)

1. A board game system comprising:

shuffled playing cards including playing cards composed of a plurality of decks shuffled to have a unique arrangement order, a uniquely identifiable shuffled card ID being attached to the shuffled playing cards as an ID code; and

a card shoe apparatus including a bar code reader or an input device capable of recognizing the shuffled playing cards ID, and housing the shuffled playing cards so that the housed shuffled playing cards are dealt to a game table manually one by one, and

a database, the database being accessibly connected to the card shoe device,

wherein

The card shoe apparatus includes:

a card housing unit for housing the shuffled playing cards;

a cover for allowing entry/removal of the shuffled playing cards;

an opening through which the cards are drawn one by one from the card housing unit;

a card reading unit that reads information on the number of cards contained in the cards drawn from the card containing unit to the game table;

a control unit storing rules of the card game and including a winner/loser determination unit determining a winner/loser of the card game and identifying a specific event based on the information on the rank of the cards read by the card reading unit; and

a display unit outputting the result of the winner/loser determined by the winner/loser determination unit,

the control unit identifies a current card set used in a current game using the shuffled card ID,

the database contains table information indicating with the shuffled card ID one of the tables using the identified current card set and the particular event,

the database contains information about at least one of:

(a) the sequential number of cards drawn from the card shoe device at the occurrence of a particular event;

(b) the sequence number of the game when a specific event occurs; and

(c) the time at which a particular event occurs is,

the specific event includes at least one of:

(1) a card reading error in which the card reading unit reads the cards in the identified shuffled playing cards;

(2) an end of the game, ending the use of the shuffled playing cards currently placed in the card shoe device or drawing cut cards from the shuffled playing cards currently placed in the card shoe device as a result of operating an end button;

(3) attempting to draw a card when the card should not be drawn according to rules of the card game;

(4) attempting to move or insert the card in the opening in a direction opposite to the direction of withdrawal of the card; and

(5) the occurrence of a predetermined irregular operation is determined by the card shoe device to be irregular.

2. The board game system of claim 1, wherein the database contains at least one of the following items of information (1) - (10) relating to the shuffled playing card ID identified as the current card set:

(1) a dealer of a gaming table using the identified shuffled playing cards;

(2) a time to begin using the identified shuffled playing cards;

(3) ending a time of using the identified shuffled playing cards;

(4) a time period during which the identified shuffled playing cards are present on the gaming table;

(5) managing the location of the identified shuffled playing cards before they are delivered to a gaming table;

(6) a process of processing the identified shuffled playing cards after using the identified shuffled playing cards;

(7) whether all of the identified shuffled playing cards have been delivered to a processing device;

(8) the location of the identified shuffled playing cards before the pre-identified shuffled playing cards are delivered to the gaming table;

(9) a win or loss at a gaming table using the identified shuffled playing cards;

and

(10) a purchase of the identified shuffled playing cards.

3. The board game system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the barcode reader or the input device is connected to a control unit through a network to obtain the shuffled card ID.

4. The board game system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a transmission unit for outputting information indicating occurrence of a specific event with the shuffled card ID to an external device.