Automatic region of interest detection for casino tables
A method, system, and computer readable storage for identifying regions of interest on a casino gaming table. Regions of interest are locations on an image where relevant actions are typically going to occur. For example, locations of betting area region of interest and card area regions of interest are determined so that these areas can be analyzed on a video camera. The analyzed areas can then be used for things such as determining and tracking player betting amounts, determining if the game is being dealt properly (by analyzing the cards dealt to determine if the proper cards are dealt and/or the proper payouts are made).
1. A method for identifying a region of interest on a casino table, the method, comprising:
defining template meta-data that quantitatively defines a region of interest on a template image of the casino table, wherein the region of interest defines an area of the casino table where activity occurs on the casino table;
capturing with a camera a table image of the casino table, wherein a gaming object is placed on the casino table;
identifying a location of the gaming object on the casino table;
generating camera meta-data for the region of interest based upon the identifying of the location of the gaming object;
defining a homography between the template meta-data and the camera meta-data for the region of interest based on the identifying of the gaming object in the region of interest; and
generating camera meta-data for another region of interest based upon the homography.
2. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
distributing the template image and the template meta-data to casinos.
3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the template meta-data is distributed to a casino server at a casino subsequent to the template meta-data being updated.
4. The method as recited in claim 3 , further comprising:
distributing the template meta-data from the casino server to a table computer at a casino table.
5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein identifying the location of the gaming object on the casino table comprises capturing an image of the casino table with no gaming object present on it, and capturing an image of the casino table with the gaming object present on it, and subtracting the image of the casino table with no gaming object present on it from the image of the casino table with gaming object present on it.
6. The method as recited in claim 5 , further comprising receiving approval from a technician that the identification of the gaming object on the casino table is identified correctly.
7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the region of interest comprises any of a betting region of interest defining a betting area areas and a card area region of interest defining an area where cards are dealt.
8. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising defining template meta-data for a plurality of different regions of interest, wherein different types of regions of interest on the template image are identified by different colors.
9. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising defining template meta-data for a plurality of different regions of interest, wherein different regions of interest of a same type on the template image are identified by different colors.
10. An apparatus comprising an electronic processor connected to at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon which when executed by a processor cause the processor to:
define template meta-data that quantitatively defines template regions of interest on a template image of a casino table, wherein the template regions of interest define areas of the casino table where activity occurs on the casino table;
capture with a camera a table image of the casino table, wherein objects are placed on the casino table;
identify locations of the objects on the casino table;
generate camera meta-data locating a first regions of interest on the at least one table image;
define a homography between the template meta-data and the camera meta-data for the template regions of interest based on the identifying of the objects on the casino table; and
generate camera meta-data for a second region of interest based upon the homography.
11. The apparatus as recited in claim 10 , wherein the computer readable instructions are further programmed to cause the at least one electronic processor to:
distribute the template meta-data to casinos.
12. The apparatus as recited in claim 11 , wherein the computer readable instructions are further programmed to cause the at least one electronic processor to distribute the template meta-data to a casino server at a casino subsequent to the template meta-data being updated.
13. The apparatus as recited in claim 12 , wherein the computer readable instructions are further programmed to cause the at least one electronic processor to:
distribute the meta-data from the casino server to a table computer at a casino table.
14. The apparatus as recited in claim 10 , wherein the computer readable instructions are further programmed such that the locations of the objects on the casino table are identified through a capture of an an image of the casino table with no objects present on it, a capture an image of the casino table with objects present on it, and a subtraction of the image of the casino table with no objects present on it from the image of the casino table with objects present on it.
15. The apparatus as recited in claim 14 , wherein the computer readable instructions are further programmed to cause the at least one electronic processor to receive approval from a technician that the identifications of the objects on the casino table are identified correctly.
16. The apparatus as recited in claim 10 , wherein the computer readable instructions are further programmed such that the regions of interest comprise betting regions of interest defining betting areas and card area regions of interest defining areas where cards are dealt.
17. The apparatus as recited in claim 10 , wherein the computer readable instructions are further programmed such that different types of regions of interest on the template image are identified by different colors.
18. The apparatus as recited in claim 10 , wherein the computer readable instructions are further programmed such that different regions of interest of a same type on the template image are identified by different colors.