HK1239605B - Table game system - Google Patents

Description

Board Game System

This application is a divisional application of the prior application with application date of May 30, 2013, application number 201310213631.7, and name “Board 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 referred to as "cards").

Background Art

In poker, baccarat, bridge, blackjack and other card games, the dealer places one or more decks of game cards in a card shoe or similar device and distributes the cards to the players one by one by extracting them from the card shoe. In order to ensure fairness in the game, the cards need to be distributed randomly. Therefore, the dealer must fully shuffle the cards at will to ensure that the cards are arranged in a random order before being placed in the card shoe. If eight decks of cards are used, the shuffled game cards used in various card games, such as poker, baccarat, bridge or blackjack, will generally include 416 cards.

A conventional shuffling device for shuffling cards is disclosed, for example, in Patent Document 1. After the cards are shuffled into a unique sequence by the shuffling device, each shuffled playing card set is provided with a uniquely identifiable shuffled card ID affixed to its packaging box or the like as a barcode.

List of cited documents

Patent document 1: WO 2009/069708.

Summary of the Invention

Technical issues

Cut cards are used to prevent any player from counting the points of the cards issued during the game, so as to predict the points of the cards when the number of cards not issued becomes smaller. Usually, before the first game starts, the cut cards are inserted into the shuffled playing cards, and the cards are dealt to the game table one by one by the dealer. When the cut cards are extracted from the card shoe device, the currently used playing card set is no longer used and is replaced. This makes it impossible to identify the shuffled playing card set currently in use on the game table because the shuffled playing card set is often replaced by a new one. Therefore, if any problem occurs with the card shoe device, or if any irregular playing cards are inserted, it is difficult to investigate the cause or take countermeasures, which is a problem.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and is directed to providing a table game system that is capable of identifying the shuffled playing card set currently in use on a game table, and if any problem occurs with a card shoe device or if any irregular cards are found to have been inserted, is also capable of identifying the shuffled playing card set that was used when these situations occurred, thereby enabling investigation of the cause or taking countermeasures.

Technical Solution

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

shuffled playing cards comprising a plurality of decks of playing cards shuffled into a unique arrangement sequence, a uniquely identifiable shuffled card ID attached to the shuffled playing cards as an ID code; and

A card shoe device includes a barcode reader or an input tool capable of identifying the ID of shuffled playing cards, and contains shuffled playing cards so that the contained shuffled playing cards are manually dealt to the gaming table one by one.

The card shoe assembly includes:

A card accommodating unit for accommodating shuffled game cards;

a cover to enable access/removal of shuffled playing cards;

Opening the card receiving unit to draw out the cards one by one;

A card reading unit for reading information about the points of a card drawn from the card holding unit onto the game table;

a control unit that stores the 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 points of the cards read by the card reading unit; and

a display unit that outputs the winner/loser result determined by the winner/loser determination unit,

wherein the control unit has the functions of storing a uniquely identifiable shuffled card ID read by a barcode reader or input means, identifying the shuffled playing cards in conjunction with the shuffled card ID when the card set is to be used in a current game, and storing each specific event that occurs during use of the identified shuffled playing cards at the gaming table, and

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

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

(2) the end of the game, which is caused by operating the end button to end the use of the shuffled game cards currently placed in the card shoe device, or to remove the cut cards from the shuffled game cards currently placed in the card shoe device;

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

(4) attempting to move or insert a card into the opening in a direction opposite to the direction in which the card was withdrawn; and

(5) A preset irregular operation occurs and is determined to be irregular by the card shoe device.

Beneficial effects

By using the present invention, it is possible to provide a table game system that, if any problem occurs in a card shoe device or if any irregular card is found to have been inserted, can identify the shuffled playing card set used when the above situation occurred, thereby enabling investigation of the cause or taking countermeasures by identifying the shuffled playing card set used when the above situation occurred.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

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

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

FIG3 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a card shoe device.

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

FIG5 is an enlarged plan view showing a main portion of a card guide of the card shoe device, in which the card guide is partially interrupted.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the relationship between the output wave of the sensor and the mark of the card shoe device.

7( a ) is an enlarged sectional view of a card entry/exit restricting tool that restricts entry/exit of cards into/from a card housing unit of a card shoe device, and FIG. 7( b ) is an enlarged sectional view of a modification of the card entry/exit restricting tool.

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

FIG. 9 is an enlarged plan view showing a main portion of a card guide of the card shoe device, wherein the card guide is partially interrupted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An embodiment of a table game system according to the present invention will be described below. FIG1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the entirety of a table game system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG2 is a perspective view of shuffled playing cards used in the table game system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Although the shuffled playing card set 1s is installed in the table game system of this embodiment, when the shuffled playing card set 1s is to be used in a game, it is removed from its packaging and placed in a card shoe device 2, allowing the cards 1 in the shuffled playing card set 1s to be dealt one by one. During the game, the dealer deals the cards 1 from the card shoe device 2 onto the gaming table. The cards 1 in each shuffled playing card set 1s, consisting of a predetermined number of decks (typically 6, 8, or 10 decks), are shuffled into a unique, random arrangement sequence and packaged with a uniquely identifiable shuffled card ID attached to the packaging box 4 as a barcode 3 (as an ID code).

In the assembled state, the packaging box 4 of the shuffled playing card set 1s has the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, encapsulating the shuffled playing card set 1s as shown in Figure 2. The packaging box 4 has a zipper 5 set at two positions at predetermined intervals, each zipper having a zipper-shaped cutting line arranged longitudinally parallel to the rectangular parallelepiped shape, and has a center band 6 in the center portion defined by the zippers 5 set at two positions. The center band 6 is colored so that it can be easily distinguished from other parts (the center band 6 in Figure 2 is colorless). By removing the two zippers 5 along the cutting line, such a structure is achieved: the left and right sides of the packaging box 4 are removed so that the sides of the shuffled playing card set 1s (Figure 1) are exposed. Circle numbers 1 to 3 indicating the process order of removing the zippers 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 it is placed in the card shoe device 2. The cut card 1c is inserted anywhere within the second half of the shuffled playing card set 1s (the last quarter or fifth of the shuffled playing card set 1s) used in the game. The cut card 1c is used to end the game on the table, leaving approximately 20 to 40 playing cards 1 in the card shoe device 2. This prevents any player or anyone else from counting the rank of the dealt playing cards 1 during the game and thus predicting the rank of the cards when the number of undealt cards decreases. Typically, when the cut card 1c is removed during a game, the currently used shuffled playing card set 1s is discontinued after that game or after a number of games, and the game ends. The shuffled playing card set 1s in the card shoe device 2 is replaced with a new set, and a new game begins.

In FIG1 , the table game system of the present embodiment includes: a shuffled playing card set 1s having a predetermined number of decks of playing cards 1 shuffled into a unique arrangement sequence and having a uniquely identifiable shuffled card ID attached thereto as a barcode 3; and a card shoe device 2 for housing the shuffled playing card set 1s therein to allow the housed playing cards 1 to be manually dealt one by one to a gaming table, the card shoe device having a barcode reader 100 or an input tool 200 capable of identifying the shuffled card ID.

In FIG3 , the card shoe device 2 of the table game system of this embodiment is equipped with a cover 2f that enables the insertion and removal of a shuffled playing card set 1s. A sensor S is provided below the cover 2f to detect the opening and closing of the cover 2f. This sensor S detects the opening and closing of the cover 2f, thereby also detecting the replacement of the shuffled playing card set 1s. The card shoe device 2 includes a card guide unit 7 that guides playing cards 1 manually drawn one by one from a card storage unit 2C onto the gaming table; a code reading unit 8 that reads a code C indicating the figure (number, rank) of a playing card 1 when a dealer or other person in a casino manually draws the card 1 from the card storage unit 2C; a winner/loser determination unit 10 that determines the winner/loser of the card game based on the numbers (ranks) of the playing cards 1 sequentially read by the code reading unit 8; and an output device 11 that outputs the results determined by the winner/loser determination unit 10.

FIG4 shows the playing cards 1 that make up a shuffled playing card set 1s. Numbers are encoded and printed on each playing card 1 used in a table game (e.g., baccarat) as a mark M using UV ink or the like, which is invisible under normal conditions. Codes C are arranged symmetrically on the upper and lower sides of the playing cards 1, each code C being configured with a mark M. Preferably, the codes C are printed using a coating that becomes visible when irradiated with UV light, in a position that does not overlap with the card type or index indication.

Next, the code reading unit 8 will be described in detail with reference to FIG5 . When a card 1 is manually withdrawn from the card accommodating unit 2C, the code reading unit 8 reads a code C indicating the number (number, rank) of the card 1 from the card 1. FIG5 is a plan view of the main components of the card shoe device 2. In FIG5 , the code reading unit 8 is disposed within the card guide unit 7, which guides the cards 1 manually withdrawn one by one from the opening 13 of the card accommodating unit 2C onto the gaming table. The opening 13 is located at the front of the card accommodating unit 2C. The card guide unit 7 is an inclined surface, and a card guide cover 14 is attached to a portion of the edge of each side of the card guide unit 7. The card guide cover 14 also serves as a sensor cover. Furthermore, both card guide covers 14 are configured to be attachable and detachable using screws or similar tools (not shown). When the card guide covers 14 are removed, the sensor group 15 of the code reading unit 8 is exposed. The sensor group 15 is composed of four sensors, including two ultraviolet responsive sensors (UV sensors) 20 and 21 and object detection sensors 22 and 23 .

Object detection sensors 22 and 23 are fiber optic sensors, each capable of detecting the presence and movement of a card 1. Object detection sensor 22 is located upstream of the card guide unit 7 along the flow direction of the cards 1 (arrow F), while object detection sensor 23 is located downstream of the card guide unit 7 along the flow direction of the cards 1. As shown in FIG5 , object detection sensors 22 and 23 are respectively positioned upstream and downstream of UV sensors 20 and 21. Each UV sensor 22 and 21 includes an ultraviolet-emitting LED (UV LED) and a detector. Markings M are printed on the card 1 using UV luminescent ink, which emits color when UV light is applied. When UV light (black light) is applied to the card 1, the detector detects light reflected from the markings M on the card 1's code C. UV sensors 20 and 21 are connected to the control unit 12 of the code reading unit 8 via a cable. In the code reading unit 8, the arrangement pattern of the markings M is determined based on the output signals of the detectors of the UV sensors 20 and 21, and the number (rank) 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 and 21 are controlled by the control unit 12 based on detection signals from the object detection sensors 22 and 23. Furthermore, the control unit 12 determines whether the playing card 1 has properly passed through the card guide unit 7 based on the detection signals from the object detection sensors 22 and 23. As shown in FIG4 , rectangular marks M are arranged within a two-row, four-column frame on each upper and lower edge of the playing card 1. The arrangement of these marks M indicates the rank (number) and suit (hearts, spades, etc.) of the playing card 1. If the UV sensors 20 and/or 21 detect a mark M, the UV sensors will issue an on signal. The code reading unit 8 determines the relative relationship between the signals received by the two UV sensors 20 and 21. This enables the code reading unit 8 to recognize the code based on, for example, the relative difference between the two marks M detected by the two UV sensors 20 and 21, thereby identifying the number (rank) and type (suit) of the corresponding playing card 1.

FIG6 shows the relationship between the code C and the output of the on-signal of the two UV sensors 20, 21. The predetermined arrangement pattern of the mark M can be identified based on the comparison of the relative change results of the output of the on-signal of the UV sensors 20, 21. Therefore, in two rows (the upper row and the lower row), the mark M can have four arrangement patterns, and because the pattern is printed in four columns, 256 codes (4×4×4×4) can be formed. Each of the fifty-two (52) different playing cards is assigned one of the 256 codes, and this assigned association is stored in the memory or stored as an association table in the program. By identifying the code C, the card reading unit 8 can identify the number (rank) and type (suit) of the card 1 based on a predetermined association table (not shown). Moreover, the 52 cards can be freely associated with 52 of the 256 codes stored in the association table, so there are various associations between them. Therefore, the association between the 256 codes C and the suits and ranks of the 52 cards can be changed according to time or location. Preferably, the code C is printed with a coating that becomes visible when exposed to UV light at a location 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 the winner/loser of a game. This processing function (in the control unit 12) is implemented by installing a program for determining winners/losers in the computer, which is executed by the computer processor. Furthermore, the control unit 12 reads a shuffled card ID, which uniquely identifies the shuffled playing card set 1s, from the barcode 3 read by the barcode reader 100, and stores the shuffled card ID in the read memory 12M. The control unit 12 uses the barcode reader 100 to read the barcode 3 and store the uniquely identifiable shuffled card ID. The control unit 12 then identifies the shuffled playing card set 1s currently being used in the game and the current time, and stores these 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 gaming table to be stored in the memory 12M, along with the time of occurrence. Furthermore, the sequence number of the card subject in which the relevant event occurs within the shuffled game card set 1s currently set in the card shoe device, or the sequence number of the game subject in which the relevant event occurs in each game played with such shuffled game cards (each individual game determines the winner (player or banker), and after the bet is placed, the next individual game starts).

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

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

(2) End of the game, by operating the end button 53 to end the use of the shuffled playing card set 1s currently placed in the card shoe device 2, or to extract the cut cards 1c from the shuffled playing card set 1s currently placed in the card shoe device 2;

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

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

(5) A predetermined irregular operation occurs and is determined to be irregular by the card shoe device.

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

Memory 12M stores the occurrence of any security item associated with the shuffled card ID read from the barcode 3. When a security item is stored, it also stores the time at which the security item occurred. For this purpose, memory 12M includes a clock 12t. It also includes an external transmission device 300 for externally transmitting the security item and the shuffled card ID. The occurrence of the shuffled card ID security item and the time of its occurrence are communicated to the casino management or trading floor via the external transmission device 300, in association with the relevant shuffled card ID. Casino management stores these transmitted items in conjunction with the relevant shuffled card ID and records them in database 400. The dealer or the like is also notified of the occurrence of the security item via a display composed of a lamp 51 and a liquid crystal display unit 52.

Next, a variation will be described in which an input device 200 is provided in place of the barcode reader 100 capable of identifying the shuffled card ID. Instead of using the barcode reader 100 to read the barcode 3 to identify the shuffled card ID of the currently used card set, a configuration is possible in which a barcode reader is provided in a separate device installed at the gaming table (e.g., a device that handles the cards 1 or a device that confirms the handled cards 1), and the shuffled card ID of the set to be used is obtained by this barcode reader, and the shuffled card ID is input into the card shoe device 2 through communication 201 with this device. In this case, the separate device having the barcode reader serves as an input device capable of identifying the shuffled card ID.

Next, referring to FIG. 7( a ), the card entry/exit restriction tool 30 for restricting the entry/exit of cards 1 into and out of the card accommodating unit 2C will be described. The card guide unit 7 is provided with the card entry/exit restriction tool 30 to restrict the entry/exit of cards 1 through the card accommodating unit 2C. In FIG. 7( a ), the card entry/exit restriction tool 30 is disposed within the card guide cover 14 of the card guide unit 7. It guides the withdrawn cards 1 one by one onto the gaming table through an opening 13 provided at the front of the card accommodating unit 2C. The card entry/exit restriction tool 30 has a structure such that, when a card 1 passes through a slot 33 between the card guide unit 7 and the card guide cover 14, a locking member 34 presses down on the card 1, thereby blocking its entry/exit within the slot 33. The locking member 34 can be moved in the direction indicated by the arrow Mo by a drive unit 35, which is composed of an electromagnetic solenoid, a piezoelectric device, or the like, so that the locking member 34 can occupy two positions: a position that presses down the playing card 1 (a restricting position) and a position that allows the playing card 1 to pass through. The drive unit 35 is controlled by the control device 12 and moves the locking member 34 to the two positions: a position that presses down the playing card 1 and a position that allows the playing card 1 to pass through. The rules of the baccarat game are pre-programmed and stored in the control device 12.

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

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

(1) A function to prevent the insertion of a card 1 that is inserted or moved in the direction opposite to the direction of arrow F (i.e., from the outside toward the card accommodating unit 2C through 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 arrow F in FIG. 3 ) is detected based on the detection signals of the target detection sensors 22 and 23, and due to the program of the control device 12, the drive units 35 and 37 move their corresponding locking members 34 and 36 to their respective positions that press down or block the card 1. In this case, the control unit 12 determines that this situation falls under safety item (4), i.e., an attempt is made to move or insert the card in the reverse direction through the opening.

(2) When the card 1 is not allowed to be drawn out from the card accommodating unit 2C based on the information of the suit and rank of the card 1 read by the card reading unit, a function of preventing the card 1 from being drawn out from the card accommodating unit 2C (this means that when the card 1 is drawn out from the card accommodating unit 2C, the code reading unit 8 reads the code C indicating the number (number, rank) of the card 1 from the card 1). In this case, as described above, the rules of the baccarat game are pre-programmed in the control device 12. In the baccarat game, whether each dealer and player should draw two or more cards 1 is uniquely determined based on the total rank (number) of the two cards dealt to each dealer and player. Therefore, if the dealer on the table attempts to deal out the card 1 when the third card should not be drawn (which is a violation of the rules), the movement of the card 1 will be restricted. If an attempt is made to extract a card 1 at a time or state in which card extraction is not permitted, the movement of the card 1 is detected based on the signal regarding the detection of the card 1 given by the target detection sensor 22. Due to the program of the control unit 12, the drive units 35, 37 move their corresponding locking members 34, 36 to positions in which they respectively depress or block the card 1. Thus, the locking members 34, 36 move to positions in which they respectively depress or block the card 1, preventing the additional card 1 from being drawn (the positions shown in Figures 7(a) and 7(b)). In this case, the control unit 12 determines that this situation falls under safety item 3, i.e., an attempt to extract a card when it is not permitted to extract a card according to the rules of the card game. This corresponds to the above-mentioned item (3) of the specific event stored in conjunction with the shuffled card ID. That is, with respect to the above-mentioned item (3), the attempt to extract a card when it is not permitted to extract a card according to the rules of the card game is recorded in the control unit 12.

For each shuffled card ID in the shuffled playing card set 1s, when an event that falls under any specific event (security item) occurs, the casino's management or dealer is notified of the fact and time of the occurrence of the relevant shuffled card ID via the external transmission device 300, and this information is transferred to and stored in the database 400. In addition, a display made up of the lamp 51 and the liquid crystal display unit 52 notifies the dealer or the like of the occurrence of the security item. These transmitted items are recorded in the casino's management database 400, so that items that fall under at least one of the following are combined with the shuffled card ID record for the set used in the current game, thereby providing overall control or efficient operation of the casino's operations.

For overall control or efficient operation of the casino's operations, the casino's management records and uses data items such as those described below in a database.

(1) The game table used;

(2) The dealer (the person who draws the cards) of the gaming table in use;

(3) the time at which the identified shuffled playing card set was started;

(4) the time at which use of the identified shuffled playing card set ends;

(5) the period of time during which the cards of the identified shuffled playing card set were on the gaming table;

(6) information regarding the pit or card room that manages the identified shuffled playing card sets before they are delivered to the associated gaming tables;

(7) information regarding the process of handling the identified shuffled playing card set after the identified shuffled playing card set is used 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 the dealing pit or card room that manages pre-identified shuffled playing card sets before they are delivered to the associated gaming tables;

(10) information regarding wins and losses at a gaming table using the identified shuffled gaming card set;

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

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

(13) Information regarding the purchase or procurement of an identified set of shuffled playing cards.

The group code SC will be described in more detail. As shown in Figure 8, the playing cards 1 are provided with a group code SC. The group code SC is formed by encoding information representing the group of playing cards and is invisible under normal conditions (for example, UV ink). This group code SC is set in the same position on at least the playing cards of the same set. As a code, the group code SC is a substance or material that emits light of different wavelength spectra when illuminated by light of different wavelengths, and is configured so that when illuminated by light of different wavelengths, it emits light of different wavelengths. Whether the group code SC identified by the control unit 12 matches the group code SC read by the code reading unit 8 depends on whether the predetermined wavelength of the light matches the read group code SC. At the start of the game, the ID of the shuffled playing card set 1s to be used in the playing card shoe device 2 is identified by reading the bar code 3 (as the ID code) with the barcode reader 100. The shuffled card ID and the group code SC are associated 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 playing cards 1 to be used 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, it is possible to know from the outside how the group code SC is determined.

Polymer materials, such as DNA, that have a molecular structure that emits light of a specific wavelength upon illumination are used as materials or substances that emit light of different wavelengths in response to different wavelengths of invisible light (such as ultraviolet light and infrared light). As shown in FIG8 , the polymer material having a molecular structure that emits light of a specific wavelength upon illumination is printed on the upper and lower edges of a playing card 1 as a code group SC. The code group SC is indiscernible to the human eye under normal use conditions (sunlight, natural light, etc.). The code group SC is read by a UV sensor 24. As the playing card 1 slides through the playing card guide unit 7, the code group SC is read by the UV sensor 24 provided in the playing card guide unit 7. Furthermore, if printed, the code group SC may be mixed with infrared or ultraviolet responsive ink, which prints the code C used to identify the number (rank) of the playing card 1. Each code group SC within the infrared or ultraviolet responsive ink is indiscernible to the human eye under normal use conditions (sunlight, natural light, etc.). The light source for reading the code group SC is integrated with the UV sensor 24. In Example 1, LEDs (UVLEDs) that emit ultraviolet rays of two different wavelengths are used as light sources (not shown).

As mentioned above, group code SC is independently printed and at least in the same suit in the same position.Yet this structure is also feasible, and promptly group code SC uses certain substance or the material configuration that serves as code, and this substance or material are included in coating material, anchoring coating material or ink, with printing background pattern, mark, index or code, thereby indicates the number of mark on the surface of playing card.As the modification of present embodiment, group code can be printed on playing card 1 with the similar mode of mark M or bar code 3.The group information of the group of the indication group code of each deck of cards 1 or many decks of cards 1 can be different.The group information of each entertainment venue or game table or any other unit using playing card can have difference.The group information of each playing card supply source (playing card box or the like) can be different.In addition, different group codes can be set for each production batch or each entertainment venue using playing card.

Reference Signs List

1 playing card

1s Shuffled Playing Card Set

2 Card box device

2C Playing card storage unit

3 barcodes

8 Code reading unit

10 Winner/Loser Determination Unit

12 Control Unit

13 Opening

Claims (5)

1. A board game system, comprising: Shuffled solitaire decks, which include multiple decks of solitaire with a unique arrangement; Shuffled Solitaire ID, which is indicated as an ID code on the shuffled solitaire set, is used to uniquely identify the shuffled solitaire set; ID acquisition device for detecting the ID of the shuffled playing cards; A card cassette device for storing the shuffled game cards and allowing the stored shuffled game cards to be manually dealt one by one to one of the game tables in the casino; and A database that can be accessed and connected to the card box device. in The card box device includes: A card holding unit for storing the shuffled game cards; The game cards are drawn one by one from the card holding unit into the game table through the opening; A card reading unit is used to read information about each game card that is drawn from the card holding unit onto the game table; The control unit has: A winner/loser determination unit, which determines the winner/loser of a card game based on the card information read by the card reading unit; and The display unit is used to show the determination results of the winner/loser determination unit. The control unit will input the shuffled card ID detected by the device, obtained from the ID, into the database. The control unit identifies the current deck used in the current game based on the shuffled card ID. The database contains game table information, specific events, and shuffled card IDs. The game table information indicates one of the game tables on which the identified current deck of cards was used. The specific event includes attempting to draw at least one game card when, according to the rules of the card game, a card should not be drawn. 2. The board game system of claim 1, wherein the database comprises at least one of the following (i) to (vi) combined with the shuffled card ID identified as the current deck: (i) The dealer of the game table using the identified shuffled game cards; (ii) The time when the identified shuffled game cards begin to be used; (iii) The time to end the use of the identified shuffled game cards; (iv) The time period during which the identified shuffled game cards were present on the game table; (v) The location where the identified shuffled game cards are managed before they are delivered to the game table; (vi) The process of processing the identified shuffled game cards after using them; (vii) Whether all identified shuffled game cards have been delivered to the processing device; (viii) The location of the identified shuffled game cards before they are delivered to the game table; (ix) The wins and losses of the game table using the identified shuffled playing cards; and (x) refers to the purchase of shuffled game cards. 3. The board game system according to claim 1, wherein the ID obtaining device is connected to the control unit via a network to obtain the shuffled card ID. 4. The board game system according to any one of claims 1 to 3 further includes a transmission unit for outputting information indicating the occurrence of the specific event and the shuffled card ID to an external device. 5. The board game system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the database contains information about at least one of the following: (a) A game card drawn from the card box device when the specific event occurs; (b) a card game at the time of the specific event; and (c) The time when the specific event occurred.