Patent Application

App. No. 10/940,420

Abstract

Claims (62)

1 . A shuffling device for playing cards in which cards are moved within the device to form a randomized second group of cards, the device comprising:

moving parts that assist in the movement of cards within the shuffling device;

a processor in informational connection with the shuffling device;

a sensor that detects at least one of speed, distance and force of at least one moving part and provides a signal to the processor regarding detection of at least one of speed, distance and force;

the processor containing a program that interprets the signal to detect significant variations in at least one of speed, distance and force of the moving part.

2 . The shuffling device of claim 1 wherein the program interprets the signal as an indication of whether or not a deficiency in the performance of the shuffling device has occurred.

3 . The shuffling device of claim 1 wherein the program interprets the signal as an indication of whether or not a card jam has occurred within the shuffling device.

4 . The device of claim 3 further comprising a program that automatically reverses a direction of movement of cards in response to sensing of a jam.

5 . The shuffling device of claim 1 wherein the at least one moving part comprises a shaft or roller.

6 . The shuffling device of claim 2 wherein the at least one moving part comprises a shaft or roller.

7 . The shuffling device of claim 3 wherein the at least one moving part comprises a shaft or roller.

8 . The shuffling device of claim 2 wherein the shuffler further comprises a carousel or fan having multiple compartments into which at least one card is randomly placed from the first group of cards.

9 . The shuffling device of claim 2 wherein the signal is initiated by sensing of a magnetic field.

10 . The shuffling device of claim 3 wherein the shuffler further comprises a carousel or fan having multiple compartments into which at least one card is randomly placed from the first group of cards.

11 . The shuffling device of claim 2 wherein the shuffler further comprises a carousel or fan having multiple compartments into which at least two cards are randomly placed, one at a time, from the first group of cards.

12 . The shuffling device of claim 3 wherein the shuffler further comprises a carousel or fan having multiple compartments into which at least two cards are randomly placed, one at a time, from the first group of cards.

13 . The shuffling device of claim 2 wherein the shuffler further comprises an elevator comprising a single card mixing compartment into which one card at a time is randomly placed from the first group of cards into an increasing collection of cards in the mixing compartment.

14 . The shuffling device of claim 2 wherein the shuffler further comprises an elevator comprising a single card mixing compartment into which one card at a time is randomly placed from the first group of cards into an increasing collection of cards in the mixing compartment.

15 . The shuffling device of claim 2 wherein the shuffler further comprises a stack of multiple compartments into which at least two cards are randomly placed, one at a time, from the first group of cards.

16 . The shuffling device of claim 3 wherein the shuffler further comprises a stack of multiple compartments into which at least two cards are randomly placed, one at a time, from the first group of cards.

17 . The shuffling device of claim 2 wherein speed, distance or force are detected by a component selected from the group consisting of electromechanical components, magnetic detection components, mechanical components, opto-mechanical components and opto-electrical components.

18 . The shuffling device of claim 3 wherein speed, distance or force are detected by a component selected from the group consisting of electromechanical components, magnetic detection components, mechanical components, opto-mechanical components and opto-electrical components.

19 . The shuffling device of claim 5 wherein speed, distance or force are detected by a component selected from the group consisting of electromechanical components, magnetic detection components, mechanical components, opto-mechanical components and opto-electrical components.

20 . The shuffling device of claim 6 wherein speed, distance or force are detected by a component selected from the group consisting of electromechanical components, magnetic detection components, mechanical components, opto-mechanical components and opto-electrical components.

21 . A method of detecting deficiencies in the operation of a shuffling device comprising moving parts, the method comprising:

moving cards within the shuffling device;

detecting at least one of speed, distance and force of at least one moving part and providing a signal to a processor regarding detection of at least one of speed, distance and force;

the processor interpreting the signal to detect significant variations in at least one of speed, distance and force of the moving part.

22 . The method of claim 21 wherein the processor interprets the signal as an indication of whether or not a deficiency in the performance of the shuffling device has occurred.

23 . The method of claim 21 wherein the processor interprets the signal as an indication of whether or not a card jam has occurred within the shuffling device.

24 . The method of claim 21 wherein the at least one moving part comprises a shaft or roller.

25 . The method of claim 22 wherein the at least one moving part comprises a shaft or roller.

26 . The method of claim 23 wherein the at least one moving part comprises a shaft or roller.

27 . The method of claim 21 wherein speed, distance or force are detected by a component selected from the group consisting of electromechanical components, magnetic detection components, mechanical components, opto-mechanical components and opto-electrical components.

28 . The method of claim 22 wherein speed, distance or force are detected by a component selected from the group consisting of electromechanical components, magnetic detection components, mechanical components, opto-mechanical components and opto-electrical components.

29 . The method of claim 23 wherein speed, distance or force are detected by a component selected from the group consisting of electromechanical components, magnetic detection components, mechanical components, opto-mechanical components and opto-electrical components.

30 . The method of claim 24 wherein speed, distance or force are detected by a component selected from the group consisting of electromechanical components, magnetic detection components, mechanical components, opto-mechanical components and opto-electrical components.

31 . The method of claim 25 wherein speed, distance or force are detected by a component selected from the group consisting of electromechanical components, magnetic detection components, mechanical components, opto-mechanical components and opto-electrical components.

32 . A playing card shuffling device comprising:

a card input portion for receiving cards to be shuffled;

a card shuffling portion for receiving cards from the card input portion and outputting shuffled cards to a card outlet portion with at least one moving part; and

the card outlet portion being adapted for coupling to a first output card receiver when it is desired to remove shuffled cards one at a time from the shuffling device, and the card outlet portion being adapted for coupling to a second output card receiver when it is desired to remove a group of shuffled cards at a time from the shuffling device;

a processor in informational connection with the shuffling device;

a sensor that detects at least one of speed, distance and force of at least one moving part and provides a signal to the processor regarding detection of at least one of speed, distance and force;

the processor containing a program that interprets the signal to detect significant variations in at least one of speed, distance and force of the at least one moving part.

33 . The device of claim 32 wherein the card outlet portion comprises first alignment features for aligning with corresponding second alignment features on the first output card receiver and the second output card receiver.

34 . The shuffling device of claim 32 wherein the program interprets the signal as an indication of whether or not a deficiency in the performance of the shuffling device has occurred.

35 . The shuffling device of claim 32 wherein the program interprets the signal as an indication of whether or not a card jam has occurred within the shuffling device.

36 . The shuffling device of claim 32 wherein the at least one moving part comprises a shaft or roller.

37 . The shuffling device of claim 33 wherein the at least one moving part comprises a shaft or roller.

38 . The shuffling device of claim 35 wherein the at least one moving part comprises a shaft or roller.

39 . The shuffling device of claim 33 wherein the shuffler further comprises a carousel or fan having multiple compartments into which at least one card is randomly placed from the first group of cards.

40 . The shuffling device of claim 33 wherein the shuffler further comprises a carousel or fan having multiple compartments into which at least two cards are randomly placed, one at a time, from the first group of cards.

41 . The shuffling device of claim 33 wherein speed, distance or force are detected by a component selected from the group consisting of electromechanical components, magnetic detection components, mechanical components, opto-mechanical components and opto-electrical components.

42 . The shuffling device of claim 34 wherein speed, distance or force are detected by a component selected from the group consisting of electromechanical components, magnetic detection components, mechanical components, opto-mechanical components and opto-electrical components.

43 . A method performed on a shuffling device, comprising the steps of: providing a shuffling device comprising a card input portion for receiving cards to be shuffled; providing a card shuffling portion with at least one moving part for receiving cards from the card input portion and outputting shuffled cards to a card outlet portion; providing a first output card receiver wherein the card outlet portion is adapted for coupling to the first output card receiver when it is desired to remove shuffled cards one at a time from the shuffling device and providing a second output card receive wherein the card outlet portion is adapted for coupling to the second output card receiver it is desired to remove a group of shuffled cards at a time from the shuffling device;

coupling either the first output card receiver or the second card output receiver to a coupling mechanism on the card outlet portion depending on whether it is desired to remove shuffled cards one at a time from the shuffling device or remove a group of shuffled cards at a time from the shuffling device;

moving cards within the shuffling device;

detecting at least one of speed, distance and force of the at least one moving part and providing a signal to a processor regarding detection of at least one of speed, distance and force;

the processor interpreting the signal to detect significant variations in at least one of speed, distance and force of the moving part.

44 . The shuffling device of claim 1 in which cards are randomly ejected out of a first set of cards, transported to a card receiving area, and collected on the card receiving area as a randomized set of cards.

45 . The shuffling device of claim 1 in which cards from a first group of cards are randomly inserted into an accumulating randomized set of cards by randomly separating the randomized set of cards into at least two segments and inserting one card at a time from the first group of cards into a space between the two segments.

Assignments (8)