Granted Patent B2

US 7,390,256 · App. 10/017,276 · Granted Jun 24, 2008

Abstract

Claims (110)

1. A method of distributing playing cards, comprising:

computationally generating a first pseudo-random playing card sequence from a first set of playing card values, wherein the pseudo-random playing card sequence is generated before a first card in the sequence is printed; and

printing a plurality of playing cards having markings corresponding to respective ones of the playing card values in an order matching at least a portion of the generated first pseudo-random playing card sequence.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein computationally generating a first pseudo-random playing card sequence from a first set of playing card values includes executing a pseudo-random number generation algorithm on a processor.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

removing an ordered stack of the playing cards from a card shoe.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

removing the playing cards in order one-by-one from a card shoe.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein printing a plurality of playing cards having markings corresponding to respective ones of the playing card values in the order matching at least the portion of the generated first pseudo-random playing card sequence includes printing the playing cards from a front-to-back direction of the first pseudo-random playing card sequence.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein printing a plurality of playing cards having markings corresponding to respective ones of the playing card values in the order matching at least the portion of the generated first pseudo-random playing card sequence includes printing the playing cards from a back-to-front direction of the first pseudo-random playing card sequence.

7. A method of ordering playing cards, comprising:

generating a pseudo-random playing card sequence in a memory device from a set of playing card values; and

printing markings on a set of playing cards in an order matching at least a portion of the generated first pseudo-random playing card sequence following the computational generation of the first pseudo-random playing card sequence.

8. A method of dealing a playing card game, comprising:

computationally generating a first pseudo-random playing card sequence; and

printing markings on each of a plurality of playing cards in an order matching at least a portion of the generated first pseudo-random playing card sequence following the computational generation of the first pseudo-random playing card sequence.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein printing markings on each of a plurality of playing cards in an order matching at least a portion of the first generated pseudo-random playing card sequence includes selectively depositing ink on each of the plurality of playing cards.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein printing markings on each of a plurality of playing cards in an order matching at least a portion of the generated first pseudo-random playing card sequence includes selectively activating portions of each of the plurality of the playing cards.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein selectively activating portions of each of the plurality of the playing cards includes applying a charge to each of the plurality of the playing cards to produce a human readable marking.

12. A method of distributing playing cards, comprising:

computationally generating a first pseudo-random playing card sequence from a first set of playing card values;

printing at least three playing cards having markings corresponding to respective ones of the playing card values in the first set of playing card values in an order matching at least a portion of the generated first pseudo-random playing card sequence wherein the printing occurs after computational generation of the first pseudo-random playing card sequence;

creating successive sets of playing card values without playing card values corresponding to the previously printed playing cards;

computationally generating successive pseudo-random playing card sequences from respective ones of the successive sets of playing card values; and

successively printing at least three playing cards having markings corresponding to respective ones of the playing card values in respective ones of the successive sets of playing cards values in respective orders matching at least a portion of respective ones of the successive generated pseudo-random playing card sequences after computationally generating the respective successive pseudo-random playing card sequence.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

distributing the playing cards having the markings corresponding to the respective ones of the playing card values in the first set of playing card values in an order matching at least the portion of the generated first pseudo-random playing card sequence; and

distributing the playing cards having markings corresponding to the respective ones of the playing card values in respective ones of the successive sets of playing cards values in respective orders matching at least a portion of respective ones of the successive generated pseudo-random playing card sequences.

14. A playing card delivery device, comprising:

a processor programmed to generate a pseudo-random playing card sequence of at least three playing card values from a set of playing card values before a first card in the sequence is printed; and

means responsive to the generated pseudo-random playing card sequence for printing a number of playing cards having respective ones of the playing card values to match at least a portion of the pseudo-random playing card sequence of the playing card values.

15. The playing card delivery device of claim 14 wherein the printing means includes:

a print head for printing on playing card blanks fed from a card receiver; and

a print head controller for controlling the print head to print card markings on each of the playing card blanks corresponding to the respective playing card values in the pseudo-random sequence of playing card values.

16. A computer-readable media bearing instructions for causing a playing card delivery device to provide a number of playing cards, by:

generating a pseudo-random playing card sequence of at least three playing card values from a set of playing card values; and

printing markings on each of a set of playing cards in an order matching at least a subset of the generated pseudo-random playing card sequence wherein the printing on a first one of the set of playing cards occurs after generating the pseudo-random playing card sequence.

17. The computer-readable media of claim 16 , bearing instructions for causing a playing card delivery device to provide a number of playing cards, further by:

generating print data at a host computing system; and

transmitting the print data from the host computing system to a print head remote from the host computing system.

18. The computer-readable media of claim 16 , bearing instructions for causing a playing card delivery device to provide a number of playing cards, further by:

generating print data at a processor at the playing card delivery device; and

transmitting the print data from the processor to a print head at the playing card delivery device.

19. A method of generating a playing card deck for a card game, comprising:

computationally generating a pseudo-random playing card sequence; and

printing a number of playing cards, each playing card having markings corresponding to a respective one of the playing card values in at least a portion the pseudo-random playing card sequence wherein the printing on a first card of the number of playing cards occurs after generating the pseudo-random playing card sequence.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

dealing the printed playing cards in the order of the pseudo-random sequence.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein printing a number of playing cards includes printing the playing cards in an order matching a front-to-back direction of the pseudo-random playing card sequence.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein printing a number of playing cards includes printing the playing cards in an order matching a back-to-front direction of the pseudo-random playing card sequence.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein the number of playing cards values for which the playing card is printed is less than a total number of the playing card values in the playing card value sequence.

24. The method of claim 19 wherein the number of playing card values for which the playing card is printed is equal to at least fifty-two.

25. A method of generating a playing card deck for a card game, comprising:

generating a pseudo-random playing card sequence from a set of playing card values, wherein the pseudo-random playing card sequence is generated before a first card in the sequence is printed; and

for each of at least three of the playing card values in an order of the playing card values in at least a portion of the pseudo-random playing card sequence, printing markings on a respective playing card, the markings corresponding to the respective playing card value.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the printed playing cards are stored in a card shoe and markings are printed on at least 52 playing cards before a first playing card is removed from the card shoe.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein printing markings on a respective playing card includes printing a rank and a suit on a face of the playing card.

28. A method of generating a playing card deck for a card game, comprising:

generating a pseudo-random playing card sequence from a set of playing card values;

for each of at least three of the playing card values in an order of the playing card values in at least a portion of the pseudo-random playing card sequence, printing markings on a respective playing card, the markings corresponding to the respective playing card values;

determining when the number of printed playing cards in a card shoe falls below a threshold value; and

in response to the number of printed playing cards in the card shoe falling below the threshold value, printing markings on an additional number of playing cards.

29. A method of generating a playing card deck for a card game, comprising:

generating a first pseudo-random playing card sequence from a first set of playing card values, wherein the first pseudo-random playing card sequence is generated before a first card in the sequence is printed;

printing markings on a respective playing card for each of a number of the playing card values in the first set of playing card values, the markings corresponding to respective ones of the playing card values;

creating successive sets of playing card values without playing card values corresponding to the previously printed playing cards;

generating successive pseudo-random playing card sequences from respective ones of the successive sets of playing card values; and

printing markings on a respective playing card for each of a number of the playing card values in respective ones of the successive sets of playing card values, the markings corresponding to respective ones of the playing card values.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the first set of playing card values includes the playing card values corresponding to at least one deck of fifty-two playing cards.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein the first set of playing card values includes the playing card values corresponding to at least two decks of fifty-two playing cards each.

32. A playing card delivery device, comprising:

a card receiver sized to hold a plurality of card blanks;

a print head for printing on each of a number of playing card blanks fed from the card receiver; and

a print head controller for controlling the print head to print card markings on each of a number of playing card blanks in a pseudo-random sequence of at least three playing card values, the pseudo-random sequence being defined before printing a first card marking corresponding to a first one of the playing card values in the pseudo-random sequence.

33. The playing card delivery device of claim 32 , further comprising:

a processor programmed to determine the pseudo-random sequence for each successive set of playing cards.

34. The playing card delivery device of claim 32 wherein the print head controller is coupled to a remote processor for receiving data defining the pseudo-random sequence, where the pseudo-random sequence is different for each successive set of playing cards.

35. The playing card delivery device of claim 34 wherein each successive set includes fifty-two playing cards.

36. The playing card delivery device of claim 32 , further comprising:

a read head for reading at least a portion of the card markings from each of a number of playing cards returned to the card receiver.

37. The playing card delivery device of claim 32 , further comprising:

a read head for reading at least a portion of the card markings from each of a number of playing cards returned to the card receiver at a same time.

38. A playing card game system, comprising:

a playing card receiver;

means for producing a pseudo-random sequence of at least three playing card values;

means for receiving the pseudo-random sequence of playing card values;

means for receiving and printing markings corresponding to the playing card values on playing cards according to the pseudo-random sequence after the sequence of the at least three playing card values has been produced.

39. The playing card game system of claim 38 , further comprising:

means for tracking wagers on a gaming table.

40. The playing card game system of claim 38 , further comprising:

a chip tray on a gaming table for holding chips; and

means for tracking values of chips in the chip tray.

41. The playing card game system of claim 38 , further comprising:

wager tracking means for tracking wagers on a gaming table;

a chip tray on the gaming table for holding chips;

chip tray tracking means for tracking the value of chips in the chip tray; and

computing means for receiving signals from at least the wager tracking means and the chip tray tracking means, and for providing signals to at least the printing means.

42. The playing card game system of claim 38 , further comprising:

discard reading means for reading the markings on each playing card that is collected from a at least one player after completion of a hand of the playing cards.

43. A computer-readable media bearing instructions for causing a computer to produce a number of playing cards, by:

computationally generating a pseudo-random sequence of playing card values, wherein the pseudo-random sequence is generated before a first card in the sequence is printed; and

printing markings corresponding to respective playing card values on a respective playing card for each of at least three of the playing card values in an order matching at least a portion of the generated first pseudo-random playing card sequence.

44. The computer-readable media of claim 43 wherein the order is in a front-to-back direction of the pseudo-random sequence.

45. The computer-readable media of claim 43 wherein the order is in a back-to-front direction of the pseudo-random sequence.

46. A computer-readable media bearing instructions for causing a computer to produce a number of playing cards, by:

generating a first pseudo-random playing card sequence from a first set of playing card values, wherein the pseudo-random playing card sequence is generated before a first card in the sequence is printed;

printing markings on a respective playing card for each of a number of the playing card values in the first set of playing card values, the markings corresponding to respective ones of the playing card values;

creating successive sets of playing card values without playing card values corresponding to the previously printed playing cards;

generating successive pseudo-random playing card sequences from respective ones of the successive sets of playing card values;

printing markings on a respective playing card for each of a number of the playing card values in respective ones of the successive sets of playing card values, the markings corresponding to respective ones of the playing card values.

Assignments (9)