Gaming system with pre-calibrated sensor for detecting chip and finger placement
Gaming tables that support wager-based gaming are provided with input receiving devices that are structured to intuitively message to players what kind of wagers are permitted at which betting positions and when and then to automatically detect timely placement of such wagers at corresponding betting positions. This allows for faster unfolding of gaming action in that player confusion is minimized with respect to which wagers are being called for, when and where. An integrated compact sensor system is provided occupying slightly more table area than that needed for supporting wagering tokens of different denominations. The sensor system includes a large array of full color pixels (e.g., RGB capable pixels) for messaging to the players and proximity detection functionality for detecting 3D player hand gestures.
1. A machine-assisted method of managing a game of chance played by one or more players at a gaming table having plural betting positions, the method comprising:
opening a predetermined first time window for receiving at least a first wager of the game; and
while said predetermined first time window is open, using a three dimensional proximity detector corresponding to a first betting position of the plural betting positions to sense a color coding of a first wager token placed over the three dimensional proximity detector corresponding to the first betting position;
determining that said first wager token has a first value when said color coding comprises a first color and determining that said first wager token has a second value when said color-coding comprises a second color; and
assigning a wager amount of said first value to said first betting position when said first wager token is determined to have said first color of color coding and assigning a wager amount of said second value to said first betting position when said first wager token is determined to have said second color of color coding.
2. The machine-assisted method of claim 1 , wherein the color coding is provided at a rim of the first wager token.
3. The machine-assisted method of claim 1 , wherein the first wager token has a first side and a second side and the color coding is provided at one or both of said sides of the first wager token.
4. The machine-assisted method of claim 1 , wherein the first wager token has a transponder embedded therein.
5. The machine-assisted method of claim 1 , further comprising using a three dimensional proximity detector corresponding to a second betting position of said plural betting positions to sense a color coding of a second wager token placed over the three dimensional proximity detector corresponding to the second betting position;
determining that said second wager token has said first value when said color coding comprises said first color and determining that said second wager token has said second value when said color-coding comprises said second color; and
assigning a wager amount of said first value to said second betting position when said second wager token is determined to have said first color of color coding and assigning a wager amount of said second value to said second betting position when said second wager token is determined to have a second color of color coding.
6. The machine-assisted method of claim 1 , further comprising closing the predetermined first time window, causing a respective plurality of multi-colored light emitters disposed adjacent to the three dimensional proximity detector at the first betting position where placement of the first wager token has been detected by the three dimensional proximity detector to output a respective first of differently colored light patterns, the first light pattern indicating at least to the respective player of the first betting position of placement of said wager amount of said first value.
7. The machine-assisted method of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of multi-colored light emitters are distributed among at least two annular zones adjacent to and surrounding the three dimensional proximity detector such that each annular zone is populated by and thereby substantially defined by a corresponding subset of the respective plurality of multi-colored light emitters respectively distributed within a respective one of the at least two annular zones, and wherein the at least two annular zones are circular and concentric relative to the detector.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of causing a multi-color light emitter adjacent to said three dimensional proximity detector corresponding to said first betting position to illuminate a first color of light when said wager amount is said first value and to illuminate a second color of light when said wager amount is said second value.
9. A non-transitory computer readable storage having machine executable instructions recorded therein for use in managing a game of chance played by one or more players at a gaming table having plural betting positions, the recorded instructions causing a corresponding machine system to perform a method, comprising:
automatically performing detection of an input, the detection occurring while a predetermined first time window is open for receiving at least a first wager of a first round of the game and the detection using a three dimensional proximity detector corresponding to a first betting position of the plural betting positions to sense a color coding of a first wager token placed over the three dimensional proximity detector corresponding to the first betting position to automatically detect if the first wager token has been placed at the first betting position;
determining that said first wager token has a first value when said color coding comprises a first color and determining that said first wager token has a second value when said color coding comprises a second color;
assigning a wager amount of said first value to said first betting position when said first wager token is determined to have said first color of color coding and assigning a wager amount of said second value to said first betting position when said first wager token is determined to have said second color of color coding; and
causing a multi-color light emitter adjacent to said three dimensional proximity detector corresponding to said first betting position to illuminate a first color of light when said wager amount is said first value and to illuminate a second color of light when said wager amount is said second value.
10. The non-transitory computer readable storage of claim 9 , wherein the color coding is provided at a rim of the first wager token.
11. The non-transitory computer readable storage of claim 9 , wherein the first wager token has a first side and a second side and the color coding is provided at one or both sides of the first wager token.
12. The non-transitory computer readable storage of claim 9 , wherein the first wager token has a transponder embedded therein.
13. The non-transitory computer readable storage of claim 9 , wherein said step of using further comprises using the three dimensional proximity detector corresponding to the first betting position to automatically detect if the first wager token has been placed over the three dimensional proximity detector.
14. A system for managing a game of chance played by one or more players at a gaming table having plural betting positions comprising:
a processor and a memory storing non-transitory machine-readable code executable by the processor;
an input device configured to receive input from a user, said machine-readable code when executed by said processor of said server configured to cause said processor to receive said input and open a predetermined first time window for receiving at least a first wager of the game;
a three dimensional proximity detector corresponding to a first betting position of the plural betting positions, the three dimensional proximity detector configured to sense a color coding of a first wager token placed over the three dimensional proximity detector corresponding to the first betting position;
said machine-readable code when executed by said processor of said server configured to cause said processor to determine that said first wager token has a first value when said color coding comprises a first color and determine that said first wager token has a second value when said color-coding comprises a second color; and
said machine-readable code when executed by said processor of said server configured to cause said processor to assign a wager amount of said first value to said first betting position when said first wager token is determined to have said first color of color coding and assign a wager amount of said second value to said first betting position when said first wager token is determined to have said second color of color coding.
15. The system in accordance with claim 14 , wherein said machine-readable code when executed by said processor of said server is configured to cause a multi-color light emitter adjacent to said three dimensional proximity detector corresponding to said first betting position to illuminate a first color of light when said wager amount is said first value and to illuminate a second color of light when said wager amount is said second value.
16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the multi-colored light emitter comprises light emitters which are distributed among at least two annular zones adjacent to and surrounding the three dimensional proximity detector such that each annular zone is populated by and thereby substantially defined by a corresponding subset of the respective plurality of light emitters respectively distributed within a respective one of the at least two annular zones, and wherein the at least two annular zones are circular and concentric relative to the detector.