Bet sensors, gaming tables with one or more bet sensors, and related methods
A bet sensor for determining the value of a wager includes a transparent cover having a bet placement surface configured and oriented to support a stack of gaming tokens thereon. A minor arrangement is disposed on an opposing side of the transparent cover from the bet placement surface. The bet sensor also includes an image sensor. The minor arrangement is located and configured to direct an image of a lateral side surface of a stack of gaming tokens supported on the bet placement surface onto the image sensor. A gaming table may incorporate such a bet sensor. Methods of forming such bet sensors include disposing a mirror arrangement on an opposing side of a transparent cover from a bet placement surface, and locating an image sensor such that the mirror arrangement directs an image of a lateral side surface of a stack of gaming tokens onto the image sensor.
1. A bet sensor, comprising:
an at least partially transparent cover having a bet placement surface configured and oriented to support a stack of gaming tokens thereon;
a mirror arrangement disposed on an opposing side of the at least partially transparent cover from the bet placement surface, the mirror arrangement comprising:
a first mirror having an annular, inward-facing reflective surface about a longitudinal axis of the mirror arrangement; and
a second mirror located concentrically within the first mirror, the second mirror having an outward-facing reflective surface extending 360 degrees around the longitudinal axis of the mirror arrangement, wherein the outward-facing reflective surface of the second mirror substantially faces the annular, inward-facing reflective surface of the first mirror; and
an image sensor, the mirror arrangement located and configured to direct an image of at least substantially an entire circumference of a lateral side surface of a stack of gaming tokens supported on the bet placement surface of the at least partially transparent cover onto the image sensor.
2. The bet sensor of claim 1 , wherein the outward-facing reflective surface of the second mirror is conical in shape.
3. The bet sensor of claim 1 , wherein the annular, inward-facing reflective surface of the first mirror has a concave, arcuate profile in a cross-sectional plane containing the longitudinal axis of the mirror arrangement.
4. The bet sensor of claim 1 , further comprising a light source located and configured to illuminate at least substantially an entire circumference of a lateral side surface of a stack of gaming tokens supported on the bet placement surface of the at least partially transparent cover.
5. The bet sensor of claim 4 , further comprising:
a processor in communication with the light source and the image sensor, the processor configured under control of a computer program to determine a sum value of a stack of gaming tokens supported on the bet placement surface of the at least partially transparent cover using the image; and
a display device in communication with the processor, the display device configured to display the sum value to a player.
6. The bet sensor of claim 5 , wherein the image sensor comprises a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor.
7. The bet sensor of claim 5 , wherein the display device comprises a liquid crystal display (LCD).
8. The bet sensor of claim 4 , wherein the light source comprises a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and wherein the processor is configured under control of a computer program to send and receive an electronic signal to or from each LED of the plurality of LEDs.
9. The bet sensor of claim 8 , wherein the light source further comprises at least one indicator light located and configured to emit light that is visible by a player, and wherein the processor is configured under control of a computer program to selectively alter a color of light emitted by the indicator light responsive to a state of the game.
10. The bet sensor of claim 9 , wherein the at least one indicator light is an LED of the plurality of LEDs.
11. The bet sensor of claim 9 , further comprising an optical element configured to transmit the visible light emitted by the indicator light to a player.
12. The bet sensor of claim 11 , wherein the optical element comprises a textured portion of the at least partially transparent cover.
13. The bet sensor of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the at least partially transparent cover is adjacent a reflective structure, the reflective structure selectively configured to redirect light rays emitted from at least one LED of the plurality of LEDs and to cause the redirected light rays to pass through the at least partially transparent cover and onto a lateral side surface of a stack of gaming tokens supported on the bet placement surface of the at least partially transparent cover.
14. A gaming table, comprising:
a table having an upper surface and at least one aperture extending through the upper surface; and
a bet sensor mounted to the table proximate the at least one aperture extending through the upper surface of the table, the bet sensor comprising:
a cover being at least one of transparent and semi-transparent, the cover covering the aperture, and the cover having a bet placement surface configured and oriented to support a stack of gaming tokens thereon;
a mirror arrangement disposed on an opposing side of the cover from the bet placement surface, the mirror arrangement comprising:
a first mirror having an annular, inward-facing reflective surface about a longitudinal axis of the mirror arrangement; and
a second mirror located concentrically within the first mirror, the second mirror having an outward-facing reflective surface extending 360 degrees around the longitudinal axis of the mirror arrangement, wherein the outward-facing reflective surface of the second mirror substantially faces the annular, inward-facing reflective surface of the first mirror; and
an image sensor, the mirror arrangement located and configured to direct an image of at least substantially an entire circumference of a lateral side surface of a stack of gaming tokens supported on the bet placement surface of the cover onto the image sensor.
15. The bet sensor of claim 14 , wherein the outward-facing reflective surface of the second mirror is conical in shape.
16. The bet sensor of claim 14 , wherein the annular, inward-facing reflective surface of the first mirror has a concave, arcuate profile in a cross-sectional plane containing the longitudinal axis of the mirror arrangement.
17. The gaming table of claim 14 , further comprising: a controller in communication with the bet sensor, the controller including a processor configured under control of a computer program to control a light source and the image sensor, the processor further configured under control of the computer program to determine a sum value of a stack of gaming tokens supported on the bet placement surface of the cover using the image, the controller further comprising a display device configured to display the sum value to a player.
18. The gaming table of claim 17 , wherein the light source further comprises at least one indicator light, the at least one indicator light located and configured to emit light visible to the player.
19. The gaming table of claim 17 , wherein the display device comprises at least a portion of the cover, wherein the at least a portion of the cover is configured to display information visible to the player.
20. A method of forming a bet sensor, comprising:
orienting a transparent cover to provide a bet placement surface configured to support a stack of gaming tokens thereon;
disposing a mirror arrangement on an opposing side of the transparent cover from the bet placement surface, the mirror arrangement including:
a first mirror having an annular, inward-facing reflective surface about a longitudinal axis of the mirror arrangement; and
a second mirror located concentrically within the first mirror, the second mirror having an outward-facing reflective surface extending 360 degrees around the longitudinal axis of the mirror arrangement, wherein the outward-facing reflective surface of the second mirror substantially faces the annular, inward-facing reflective surface of the first mirror; and
locating an image sensor relative to the mirror arrangement and the transparent cover such that the mirror arrangement directs an image of at least substantially an entire circumference of a lateral side surface of a stack of gaming tokens supported on the bet placement surface of the transparent cover onto the image sensor.
21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising selecting the image sensor to comprise a ceramic metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor.
22. The method of claim 20 , further comprising providing a light source having a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs).
23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising:
providing a controller proximate the table coupling the controller with the light source and the image sensor, the controller including a processor configured under control of a computer program to control the light source and the image sensor, the processor further configured under control of the computer program to determine a sum value of a stack of gaming tokens supported on the bet placement surface of the transparent cover using the image; and
coupling a display device to the controller, the display device configured to display the sum value to a player.
24. The method of claim 23 , further comprising configuring the controller to transmit one or more visible signals to a player using the light source responsive to a state of the game.
25. The method of claim 20 , further comprising disposing a light source proximate the transparent cover, the light source located and configured to illuminate at least substantially an entire circumference of a lateral side surface of a stack of gaming tokens supported on the bet placement surface.