Electronic gaming machine with architecture supporting a virtual dealer and virtual cards

1 . An automated gaming system comprising a gaming table and an upright video display panel comprising:

an upright video display panel, the panel displaying a virtual image of a dealer;

a table having an upper surface, the upper surface having a substantially horizontal video display surface that provides a continuous field of video display and at least two different player positions; and

at least one main game processor and optionally at least one additional game display processor in information communication with the upright video display panel and the video display surface, the main processor or at least one display processor directing video display on both the upright video display panel and the video display surface, and the main game processor providing game rules for the play of at least one casino table card game without the use of physical cards on the table.

2 . The automated gaming system of claim 1 wherein each player position has an individual player processing board dedicated to that position.

3 . The automated gaming system of claim 2 wherein each individual player processing board communicates directly with the main game processor.

4 . The automated gaming system of claim 2 wherein each individual player processing board communicates directly with a single Dealer game engine processor.

5 . The automated gaming system of claim 4 wherein the single Dealer game engine processor communicates directly with the display processor.

6 . The automated gaming system of claim 1 wherein the main game processor contains data enabling the play of at least three different casino table games wherein cards are used in the play of each of the games.

7 . The automated gaming system of claim 1 wherein the video display surface has changeable light filtering that can screen displayed images from various angles.

8 . The automated gaming system of claim 7 wherein the light filtering can be changed upon command by the processor.

9 . The automated gaming system of claim 7 wherein the light filtering can be changed upon external command.

10 . The automated gaming system of claim 1 wherein player input is provided at least in part by controls in the video display surface.

11 . The automated gaming system of claim 10 wherein the controls comprise touch screen controls.

12 . The automated gaming system of claim 10 wherein the controls comprise a panel embedded into the video display surface.

13 . The automated gaming system of claim 10 wherein additional player input can be provided from player input provided on a surface below the video display surface and facing a position where players are to be seated.

14 . The automated gaming system of claim 11 wherein additional player input can be provided from player input provided on a surface below the video display surface and facing a position where players are to be seated.

15 . The automated gaming system of claim 12 wherein additional player input can be provided from player input provided on a surface below the video display surface and facing a position where players are to be seated.

16 . The automated gaming system of claim 2 wherein communication between the main game processor and the individual player processor is performed through a transaction-based protocol.

17 . The automated gaming system of claim 16 wherein either the main game processor or the individual player processor can start a transaction.

18 . The automated gaming system of claim 4 wherein communication between the main game processor and the individual player processor is performed through a transaction-based protocol.

19 . The automated gaming system of claim 18 wherein either the main game processor or the individual player processor can start a transaction.

20 . The automated gaming system of claim 10 wherein each player position has an individual player processing board dedicated to that position and communication between the main game processor and the individual player processor is performed through a transaction-based protocol.

21 . The automated gaming system of claim 20 wherein either the main game processor or the individual player processor can start a transaction.

22 . An automated gaming system comprising a gaming table and an upright video display panel comprising:

an upright video display panel, the panel displaying a virtual image of a dealer;

a table having an upper surface, the upper surface having a substantially horizontal video display surface that provides a continuous field of video display and at least two different player positions; and

at least one main game processor and optionally at least one additional game display processor in information communication with the upright video display panel and the video display surface, the main processor or at least one display processor directing video display on both the upright video display panel and the video display surface, and the main game processor providing game rules for the play of at least one casino table card game without the use of physical cards on the table

and a plurality of player stations, each player station having its own intelligence.

23 . The device of claim 22 wherein each player station and the main game processor are in communication.

24 . The device of claim 23 wherein the communication is event driven.

25 . The device of claim 24 wherein information communicated is included in an information packet.

26 . An automated gaming system comprising a gaming table and an upright video display panel comprising:

an upright video display panel, the panel displaying a virtual image of a dealer;

a table having an upper surface, the upper surface having a substantially horizontal video display surface that provides a continuous field of video display and at least two different player positions, each player position having an intelligent board; and

at least one main game processor and optionally at least one additional game display processor in information communication with the upright video display panel and the video display surface, the main processor or at least one display processor directing video display on both the

upright video display panel and the video display surface, and the main game processor providing

game rules for the play of at least one casino table card game without the use of physical cards on the table;

wherein the intelligent boards are in communication with the main game processor, sending packets of information from player positions as events occur.

27 . The automated gaming system of claim 26 wherein the communication between the intelligent boards and the main game processor comprises communication of player input.

28 . The automated gaming system of claim 27 wherein there is a dealer game engine intermediate the intelligent boards and the main game processor.

29 . The automated gaming system of claim 26 wherein there is a direct line of communication between the intelligent boards and the main game processor for communication of player input.

30 . The automated gaming system of claim 26 wherein packets of information are sent from the main game processor to the player position intelligent boards.

31 . A method of playing an automated game having an upright video display panel, the panel displaying a virtual image of a dealer, a table having an upper surface, the upper surface having a substantially horizontal video display surface that provides a continuous field of video display and at least two different player positions, each of the at least two player positions having an intelligent board, and a main game processor, the method comprising sending packets of information from intelligent boards at player positions to the main game processor as events occur at player positions.

32 . The method of claim 31 wherein player input initiates the communication between the intelligent boards and the main game processor.

33 . The method of claim 32 wherein there is a dealer game engine intermediate the communication path between the intelligent boards and the main game processor.

34 . The method of claim 26 wherein there the packets of information are sent directly from the intelligence boards to the main game processor for communication of player input.

35 . The method of claim 30 wherein the communication is event driven.

36 . The method of claim 30 wherein the communication comprises a cyclic redundancy check.

37 . The method of claim 30 wherein the communication is transaction based.

38 . The method of claim 26 wherein the communication is event driven.

39 . The method of claim 26 herein the communication comprises a cyclic redundancy check.

40 . The method of claim 26 herein the communication is transaction based.