Abstract:
A networked casino game rules violation alert system that captures game data from numerous game security systems/devices in real time, integrates the data, and compiles the integrated data. The system interprets the compiled data, associates the interpreted data with game rules, analyzes and compares the data to determine if there have been invalid actions (i.e., cheating by the player and/or dealer), detects any game anomalies, categorizes the anomalies, generates alerts based on the anomalies and the priority assigned to the anomaly, and dispatches alerts to various systems and alert mechanisms linked to the network. The system can also be used to collect game statistics, per player and dealer, and can determine and respond to historical anomalies as deemed appropriate.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application is related to concurrently filed applications bearing the attorney docket numbers [PA1735.ap.US, PA1701.ap.US and PA1700.ap.US]. The specifications of these applications are incorporated by reference herein. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    Embodiments of the invention relate generally to an automated security monitoring system for a casino table game such as e.g., baccarat and blackjack, and more particularly to an automated security monitoring system that can capture game data, detect anomalies, generate alerts, and dispatch alerts to various data sinks and electronic devices in real time. 
         [0004]    2. Background of the Art 
         [0005]    Security within a casino is focused upon a number of different areas of concern. Those areas include, among others, counterfeiting of currency or tokens, counterfeiting of gaming implements (cards or dice), artificial manipulation of gaming implements (marking cards, weighting dice, weighting roulette wheels or balls, etc.), altering bet amounts or bet types during play, switching cards between players, dealer conspiracy with players, and wagering based upon a degree of intelligence of foreknowledge of cards in play. Each of these different issues requires distinct attention and different implementation of security to be able to control crimes being committed against the casino. The use of totally mechanical or totally electronic gaming systems tends to eliminate the majority of these potential issues, but game players tend to play as much for the social interaction of live games with live players and dealers as they do for the enjoyment of game play. It is therefore necessary for systems, methods and apparatus to be developed that can assist in reducing the potential for these criminal actions being taken at casinos without destroying the live ambiance of a casino table game. 
         [0006]    One particular casino table game that would benefit from monitoring is baccarat. Baccarat is often a high stakes game. In addition, players may touch the cards during play. Thus, there is a particular need to monitor the game of baccarat. The basic play of the casino table card game of baccarat is relatively simple and relatively inflexible. The player may feel comfortable relying solely upon the luck of the draw or his/her own luck in playing the game, as opposed to feeling that, as in some other casino games, there is a level of skill needed that is intimidating to the player. Those rules are summarized below. 
         [0007]    Baccarat or “Punto Banco” is usually played in a separate casino area. The playing table is about the size of a craps table with three casino dealers and up to 12 or 14 players.  FIG. 1  shows a portion of a conventional casino table  10  suitable for playing baccarat. The table  10  includes a card shoe  12 , player hand positions  14 ,  16 , banker hand positions  18 ,  20  and three player wagering positions  22 ,  24 ,  26 . Each player wagering position  22 ,  24 ,  26  includes a position P for wagering on the player hand (comprising cards dealt to the player hand positions  14 ,  16 ), a position B for wagering on the banker hand (comprising cards dealt to the player hand positions  14 ,  16 ) and a position T for wagering that there will be a tie (also known as a standoff) between the player and banker hands. 
         [0008]    Baccarat is typically played from a six-deck or an eight-deck card shoe  12 . All face cards and tens have no value. Cards less than ten are counted at face value, Aces are worth 1. Suits do not matter. Only single digit values are valid. Any count that reaches a double digit value drops the left-most digit. For example, a 15 is counted as 5 while a total of 25 is also counted as 5. The object of the game is to bet on the hand that you think will have the highest total value. The goal of the game is to obtain a hand value of 8 or 9. 
         [0009]    Some casinos let the players deal the cards in turn and others have a casino dealer deal the cards. Each player, including the player dealing (sometimes referred to as the banker), may place a bet on the player, also known as Punto, by placing at least one casino chip on wagering position P, the banker, also known as Banco, by placing at least one casino chip on wagering position B, or a tie/standoff by placing at least one casino chip on wagering position T. It is customary, but not required, for the player dealing the game to bet on the banker hand. Players may opt not to deal, passing the shoe  12  to the next player. The shoe  12  remains with one player as long as the bank wins. If the player hand wins, the shoe  12  passes on to the next player. 
         [0010]    The player&#39;s bets are made before any one of the cards in either hand is displayed. The betting in baccarat is similar to betting on black or red at a roulette table, and the payoff is even money (i.e., 1:1), except for a tie, which typically pays out at 8:1 or 9:1. The only difference between the banker bet (B) and the player bet (P) is that a winning banker bet will cost the player a commission or tax levied by the casino, since it is known that the odds favor the banker hand. 
         [0011]    Each hand consists of a minimum of two and a maximum of three cards. The person dealing will deal two cards, face down, and will deal to the player with the largest bet on the player hand the other two cards, face down. The player with the largest player bet looks at the cards and gives them back to the player/dealer. Then, the player who is dealing will turn over the cards of both hands while one of the casino dealers announces the results and the winner. If either hand has a total of 8 or 9 (nine is the highest), known in the art as a “natural,” no more cards are dealt. If there are no naturals, then depending on the value of each hand the casino dealer may instruct the card player/dealer to deal a third card. The decision of when to deal a third card follows precise rules used by all casinos and are summarized below. Once dealing is completed, the hand with the highest count (9 being the highest possible count, with first digits in two-digit totals being dropped e.g., an 18 becoming a count of 8) wins. The casino&#39;s dealer will collect the losing bets first and then pay out the winning ones. 
         [0012]    As stated above, once the two cards in the player/banker hands have been uncovered, the rules of baccarat will dictate whether a third must be dealt to the player and/or the banker based on the following “three-card” rules. In practice, it is not necessary for the players to learn these rules to play the game, as the rules are compulsory and automatically enforced. Starting with the player&#39;s hand total, if the player&#39;s hand total is less than or equal to 5, the player&#39;s hand draws a third card. If the player&#39;s hand does not draw a third card, then the banker&#39;s hand stands on a 6 or more, but takes a third card on a total of 5 or less. If the player&#39;s hand takes a third card, then the following banker&#39;s hand third-card-rules determine if the banker&#39;s hand takes a third card. 
         [0013]    If the banker&#39;s hand is a 2 or less, then banker&#39;s hand draws a third card. If the banker&#39;s hand totals to a 3, then the banker&#39;s hand draws a third card unless the player&#39;s hand third card was an 8. If the banker&#39;s hand total is 4, then the banker&#39;s hand draws a third card unless the player&#39;s hand third card is a 0, 1, 8, or 9. If the banker&#39;s hand total is 5, then the banker&#39;s hand draws a third card if the player&#39;s hand third card is a 4, 5, 6, or 7. If the banker&#39;s hand total is 6, then the banker&#39;s hand draws a third card if the player&#39;s hand third card is a 6 or 7. If the banker&#39;s hand total is 7, then the banker stands. 
         [0014]    As is apparent, there are many security concerns with a hands-on game such as baccarat. These concerns include a phenomenon known as “first card cheating,” which is a statistical method of cheating allowing a player to alter his/her betting based on the player&#39;s impermissible knowledge of the first card to-be-dealt by the dealer. The theory behind first card cheating is described in U.S. application Ser. No. 11/394,055, filed on Mar. 29, 2006, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Other concerns associated with baccarat, as well as other casino table games, include: pinching and/or capping of bets, card switching, and card reversal. 
         [0015]    Pinching is the illegal act of removing chips that were wagered from the player&#39;s bet after a round/game has begun. Capping is the illegal act of adding chips to those previously wagered from the player&#39;s bet after the round has begun. These acts are respectively designed to reduce the amount of money the casino receives (on player losing bets) or increase the amount of money the casino pays out (on player winning bets). Card switching is the act of switching out cards that were dealt from the shoe with other cards in order to modify one or both of the dealt hands. Card reversal is a special case of card switching, which is the act of moving cards that have been dealt to different areas of the table, which results in modifying the dealt hands. The acts are designed to influence the outcome of the game in a manner beneficial to the cheater(s). 
         [0016]    Moreover, the casino must also look out for discrepancies in the casino table&#39;s chip trays and its payouts of winning bets. That is, the casino must be aware of the chips at the table and must also be aware of any discrepancies between expected payouts and actual payouts. 
         [0017]      FIG. 2  illustrates a portion of a casino table  10 ′ suitable for playing blackjack. The table  10 ′ includes a card shoe  12 , chip rack  13 , game indicia  15  and a plurality of player wagering positions  17 ,  19 ,  21 ,  23 ,  25 ,  27 ,  29 . In  FIG. 2 , the indicia  15  is an inscription for an “insurance” bet, which is a unique wagering feature of the game of blackjack (described below). Other indicia  15  could include pay-out odds, house rules and/or the rules of the game. 
         [0018]    Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games. Unlike baccarat, blackjack requires some level of skill and game decisions in order to be successful. The object of blackjack is to obtain a card hand with a rank numerical value of twenty-one. All face cards (i.e., kings, queens and jacks) have a rank value of ten. Aces can have a value of one or eleven, depending on the value needed by the player/dealer (as dictated by the other cards in the hand). The remaining cards retain their rank values (i.e., a 2 has a value of two, 3 has a value of three, etc.). The card suits do not matter in blackjack. 
         [0019]    After the players place their wagers, the dealer deals two cards to each player. The dealer also deals herself two cards. All player cards are dealt face down. The dealer&#39;s hand, however, includes one card dealt face up (i.e., the “up card”) and the second card dealt face down (i.e., the “hole” card). Typically, the last card dealt is the down card. The object of the game is to beat the dealer&#39;s hand with a hand having a value of twenty-one, or as close to twenty-one as possible without busting. After the players view their hands and the dealer&#39;s up card, each player may decide to draw an extra card (i.e., a “hit”) to bring her total closer to twenty-one. A skilled player uses the odds to decide whether to “hit” or “stand” (i.e., not receive additional cards) based on the present information about her cards and the dealer&#39;s up card. There is no limit to the number of hits a player can take as long as the player&#39;s hand total does not exceed twenty-one. On rare occasions, the player may take five hit cards without busting. This event is known as “Seven Card Charlie” and is often awarded a bonus payout. 
         [0020]    A hand total that exceeds twenty-one is known as a bust. Players that bust are out of the game, must reveal all of their cards and indicate to the dealer that they busted. The dealer removes the player&#39;s cards and the player&#39;s wagers are forfeited to the house. At any point during the game, the players may decide not to be dealt any more additional cards and hope that their hand total will exceed the dealer&#39;s hand total, or hope that the dealer busts out of the game. After all the players have finished making their game decisions, the dealer reveals the hole card and plays out its hand. House rules may require the dealer to hit until its hand reaches at least seventeen, regardless of what the players have. 
         [0021]    In blackjack, there is a special event when players are offered an option to purchase “insurance”. Insurance is a separate wager designed to protect the player from losing her initial wager when the dealer is dealt a twenty-one (i.e., blackjack). When the dealer&#39;s up card is an Ace, the players are offered an opportunity to place an insurance wager. The amount of the insurance wager may be up to one half of the player&#39;s initial wager. For example, if a player&#39;s initial wager was $10, then that player may make a $5 insurance wager. The insurance bet is typically placed on the insurance indicia  15  on the table  10 ′. The purpose of the insurance bet is to allow players to “protect” their initial wager when the dealer&#39;s odds of reaching a twenty-one are high such as in the case when the dealer is showing an Ace. 
         [0022]    After a player responds to the offer to place an insurance bet, the dealer peeks at her hole card to determine if the dealer&#39;s hand is a twenty-one (i.e., blackjack). This is a mandatory procedure. If the dealer&#39;s hole card has a rank value of ten, then the player that placed an insurance bet, wins the insurance bet, but loses the initial wager. If the player&#39;s insurance bet was one half the initial wager, the player&#39;s insurance bet, which pays off at 2:1 odds, essentially returns the players initial wager. If, however, the dealer&#39;s hole card does not have a rank value of ten, the player loses the insurance bet, but the player remains in the game in a pursuit of wining the initial bet. As can be appreciated, during the dealer&#39;s peeking of the hole card, the dealer can inadvertently or intentionally reveal the rank of the hole card. Insurance betting also provides the players with an opportunity to illegally change wagers or cards when the dealer is not looking. 
         [0023]    The game of blackjack has other wagering and dealing scenarios as is known in the art. These scenarios include a “double down” wager or “split” of the player&#39;s hand. Double down allows the player to double its initial wager at the cost of receiving only one more card from the dealer. Splitting of a hand allows the player to double its wager, but to use each initial card as a first card in what becomes two new hands. Splitting is only available when the initial cards have the same value. House rules may place restrictions on when a player may double down or split. The scenarios also provide the players with opportunities to illegally change wagers or swap cards. 
         [0024]    There are many security issues in high stakes games with rules that permit players to touch/handle the cards that eventually determine the outcome of the wagers placed by the players. Likewise, there are many security issues in games in which multiple cards may be dealt and multiple wagers may be made during the course of the game. Today, there are many types of surveillance systems available, but these systems require vast amounts of manpower to implement. These systems typically rely on overhead video cameras and security personnel to view the video on numerous monitors. Other systems utilize radio frequency identifiers (RFID) in casino chips to determine the value of chips wagered during a game. Card shoes can be equipped with image sensors to determine the card dealt from the shoe. All of these systems also require personnel to walk the casino floor and investigate matters in person, rather than on video. 
         [0025]    An example of a surveillance system for the casino game of blackjack is described in patent application publication 2005/0272501 (the “&#39;0272501 publication”), which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The &#39;0272501 publication discloses a video system and image processing method for monitoring players in a game of blackjack. Video image data is generally retrieved through a series of cameras that capture images of game play from different angles. The cameras or a computer system can have an engine for processing the images into data. The system extracts player and game data, and processes the data to determine game events (i.e., a card being dealt, player placing a bet, etc.). The video images are processed and presented to security personnel to aid in game security and to track player/dealer progress and history. 
         [0026]    Conventional security systems, however, are not equipped to handle all of the above potential cheating mechanisms, which are particularly troublesome for the games of baccarat and blackjack. Moreover, there is no system that exists today that can capture and analyze game data in real time and also react to anomalies when need (i.e., issue alerts) in real time. 
         [0027]    Accordingly, there is a need and desire for an automated data acquisition and security system that can capture game data, detect anomalies, generate an alert, and dispatch the alert to various source and electronic devices in real time. Moreover, there is a desire for a networked alert system that is integrated with an automated game data tracking system capable of associating compiled data from an image data system and associating integrated peripheral systems with the rules of baccarat and/or blackjack. It is also desirable that the system is capable of detecting game anomalies, interpreting the anomalies, correlating the anomalies, categorizing the anomalies, generating an alert relative to an anomaly&#39;s level of security infringement, and dispatching the alert to various remote computer systems linked to a network as well as wired and wireless communication devices. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0028]    Embodiments of the invention provide novel combinations of data acquisition equipment and a networked casino game rules violation alert system that captures game data from numerous game security systems/devices in real time, integrates the data, and compiles the integrated data. The system interprets the compiled data, associates the interpreted data with game rules, analyzes and compares the data to detect invalid actions (i.e., cheating by the player and/or dealer), detects any game anomalies, categorizes the anomalies, generates alerts based on the anomalies and the priority assigned to the anomaly, and dispatches alerts to various systems and alert mechanisms linked to the network. The system can also be used to collect game statistics, per player and dealer, and can determine and respond to historical anomalies as deemed appropriate. 
         [0029]    In one example embodiment, the system is used to monitor a game of baccarat at a baccarat table. In yet another example embodiment, the system is used to monitor a game of blackjack at a blackjack table. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0030]      FIG. 1  illustrates a conventional baccarat table. 
           [0031]      FIG. 2  illustrates a conventional blackjack table. 
           [0032]      FIG. 3  illustrates a monitoring system used to monitor gaming at a casino table such as a blackjack table. 
           [0033]      FIG. 4  illustrates an integrated monitoring system used to monitor gaming at a baccarat table in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0034]      FIGS. 5A-5C  illustrate processing performed by the system illustrated in  FIG. 4  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0035]      FIG. 6  illustrates an integrated monitoring system used to monitor gaming at a blackjack table in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0036]      FIG. 3  illustrates a surveillance system  40  suitable for monitoring a game of blackjack. In system  40 , a blackjack table  10 ′ is equipped with a card shoe  12  and chip rack  13  as described above. The system  40  also includes overhead cameras  44 ,  46  connected to a ceiling  70  of the casino, and other cameras  42 ,  48  either mounted to or in the vicinity of the table  10 ′. These cameras  42 ,  44 ,  46 ,  48  communicate with a computer system  50  that is responsible for image processing (if necessary) and automatically monitoring game play by gathering table data. Dealt card values and table activity can be verified using this system  50 . Typically, the components of the system  40  are connected to each other by one gigabyte/sec network cabling  52 ,  54 . 
         [0037]    As an optional feature, a form of chip recognition may also be implemented into the system  40  using the cameras  42 ,  44 ,  46 ,  48  and evaluation software in the computer system  50 . As such, the computer system  50  should be able to process chip images and values on the gaming table  10 ′. The imaging system (either in the cameras  42 ,  44 ,  46 ,  48  or the computer system  50 ) requires at least ten clean frames a second to provide the system  40  with the optimal number of images. The number of pixels in an image translates to the identity of an object. The information is transmitted to a local processor equipped with an optical recognition circuit/integrated circuit chip to speed up the pixel translation. Image processing software continues the pixel translation. The pixel density/mass is analyzed and compared to stored pixel densities and stored relative shape data in the system  50 . The software detects relative features and performs a shape comparison analysis. The system  50  utilizes a coordinate system to locate the objects and determine the proper identification of the object. The system  50  also has programmed table coordinates that give the probable location of a specific object on the table  10 ′ and the object&#39;s relative shape according to pixel density. The new object&#39;s analysis information and coordinates are compared with the stored data and identification of the object is confirmed. The software is sophisticated enough to recognize the rank and suit of playing cards, recognize monetary denominations, and the relative value of chips based on color or black and white. 
         [0038]    As can been seen, the cameras  42 ,  44 ,  46 ,  48  are placed to achieve a full view of the gaming table surface, and are positioned to give the best vantage point for the desired application. The cameras  42 ,  44 ,  46 ,  48  can be mounted to the ceiling  70  or on a pole/post adjacent the table  10 ′. Every image is analyzed to determine if it contains an expected object or game event. An example of such as system for the casino game of blackjack is described in patent application publication 2005/0272501. 
         [0039]    The typical operation of the  FIG. 3  system is as follows. The cameras  42 ,  44 ,  46 ,  48  and image acquisition systems are activated. An image or images are captured and the pixels in the digitized data are analyzed. Objects are identified, indexed, and compared with stored relative shape indexes. The location of the object is determined by calculating the object&#39;s coordinates on the gaming surface. The coordinates and shape of the object are compared with the stored data to confirm the objects location on the table, and to verify that an object of that pixel density and relative shape is normally present at the determined coordinates. The rank and suit of cards positioned face up on the gaming table will be determined. Information is transmitted via communication links to the computer system  50  to see if the rules of the game have been followed. A security decision must be made by security personnel. As described earlier, it is desirable to obtain more automated information and to process and react to the information in real time. 
         [0040]      FIG. 4  illustrates an integrated monitoring system  100  used to monitor gaming activities at a baccarat table  110  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The system  100  contains many components designed to capture various forms of information about the game being played at the table  110  (e.g., baccarat), the players playing the game, wager amounts and payouts, and the dealer responsible for the game. As is described below in more detail, the information is captured, processed and acted upon (e.g., generation of alerts) in real time. 
         [0041]    In system  100 , the baccarat table  110  is equipped with a card shoe  112  providing card rank and suit recognition capabilities. That is, the shoe  112  contains optical character recognition (OCR) capabilities (or other ways for determine card rank and suit such as e.g., barcode reader to read barcodes on the cards in the shoe  112 ) to determine the rank and suit of each card dealt from the shoe. In addition, in a preferred embodiment, the card shoe  112  also contains a baccarat rules module (not shown), which allows the shoe  112  to determine the outcome of the game based on the cards dealt out of the shoe  112 . One known device that may be used as the shoe  112  is the Shuffle Master, Inc. iShoe™ intelligent shoe device. Other examples of devices that are suitable for use as shoe  112  are described in patent application publication 2005/0242500 (U.S. application Ser. No. 11/152,475, filed on Jun. 13, 2005), U.S. application Ser. No. 10/915,914, filed Aug. 10, 2004, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,029,009, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. 
         [0042]    The card shoe  112  is in two-way communication with a system table manager  180  (described in more detail below), and transmits the card shoe information and expected game results over a communication medium  113  to the system table manager  180 , which inputs and processes the card shoe  112  information to determine if there have been any anomalies during a round of the game (described below in more detail). The medium  113  may be a wireless or wired network communication medium. The card shoe  112 , e.g., the iShoe™, may also include a display region to provide dealer instruction and game results to the dealer. The shoe  112  may also include a dealer interface such that the dealer may reset the shoe  112 , call for information and initiate a new round of play. 
         [0043]    Also shown on the table  110  are game chip wagering areas in the player specific wagering areas  22 ,  24 ,  26 . In a preferred embodiment of the invention, RFID tagged chips  130   a  are used in conjunction with RFID antennas/transmitters  162 ,  164 ,  166  located within or underneath the table  110 . The RFID antennas/transmitters  162 ,  164 ,  166  respectively pick up the values of the game chips  130   a  using RFID or similar technology and then transmit the chip information to the system table manager  180  via a communication medium  168 . U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,651,548 and 5,735,742 describe RFID chips and chip reading systems that may be used in connection with game chip areas and game chips  130   a  and RFID antennas/transmitters  162 ,  164 ,  166 . Although the illustrated system shows one antenna per player position, in another embodiment, separate antennas are provided to distinguish between player, banker and the bets. In the illustrated system, proximity sensors (not shown) at wager positions (B, P, T) are used to distinguish between wagers within a single antenna. 
         [0044]    The medium  168  may be a wireless or wired network communication medium. As is described below in more detail, the system table manager  180  will use the chip information to determine the presence of and the amounts wagered by the players before and after the round (to see if there has been capping or pinching of bets) and may also use the chip information to determine if there have been any payouts anomalies at the end of the round. As can be appreciated, it is desirable to combine the a card reading shoe  112  and RFID chip sensing system at the same table as these components of the system can be used to track the status of the game, invalid player/dealer actions and payouts in a fast and reliable real time manner. Alerts can be sent right to the table via the shoe without the aid of any security personnel. 
         [0045]    The system  100  also includes overhead cameras  44 ,  46  connected to a ceiling  70  of the casino, and at least one other camera  42  either mounted to or in the vicinity of the table  110 . These cameras  42 ,  44 ,  46  respectively communicate with a video interface  170  over communication media  158 ,  156 ,  154  (via video switch or multiplexer  179 ). The cameras  42 ,  44 ,  46  may also communicate with a surveillance computer system  150  over a communication medium  152  and a plasma screen/monitor  177  (via video switch or multiplexer  179 ) so that the video may be monitored by casino or security personnel. It should be appreciated that although only one connection to the surveillance computer system  150  from the cameras  42 ,  44 ,  46  is shown, video from all of the cameras may be sent to the system  150  if desired. As with the other communication media used in the system  100 , the communication media  152 ,  154 ,  156 ,  158  may be wired, wireless or a combination of wireless and wired connections. 
         [0046]    The video interface  170  (e.g., a computer system) is responsible for image processing, interpretation of game state, and transmission of the items viewed by the cameras  42 ,  44 ,  46  in real time. Dealt card values, wagers and other table activity can be imaged using the cameras  42 ,  44 ,  46  and video interface  170 . The video interface  170  may be implemented in a general purpose computer system, a network server or other processor system as is generally known in the art. 
         [0047]    As an optional feature, a form of optical chip recognition may also be implemented using the cameras  42 ,  44 ,  46  and evaluation software in the video interface  170 . The system is best equipped to detect the presence of a wager, but if cameras are positioned proximate the gaming table, it is possible to extract wager amount data also. As such, the video interface  170  may process chip images and values on the gaming table  110 . The video interface  170  processes the video images to create table data that is sent to the system table manager  180 . The video interface  170  is sophisticated enough to recognize the rank and suit of playing cards, recognize monetary denominations, and the relative value of the chips. In one example, the video interface  170  does not contain any logic or game rule software and cannot evaluate whether there have been any anomalies. In another example embodiment, the video interface contains game rules. In the illustrated embodiment, the determination of anomalies is performed by the system table manager  180  (described in more detail below). It should be appreciated that using video imaging for object sensing and RFID information for value sensing of wagers is more reliable then using either technique alone. Moreover, the overlap in information provides inherent redundancy to the system. 
         [0048]    As can been seen, the cameras  42 ,  44 ,  46  are placed to achieve a full view of the gaming table surface, and are positioned to give the best vantage point for the desired application. The cameras  42 ,  44 ,  46  can be mounted to the ceiling  70  or on a pole/post adjacent or on the table  110 . An optical or magnetic synchronizing sensor  33  can be used to detect the presence of an object on the gaming surface of the table  110 . The sensor, if used, may activate the cameras  42 ,  44 ,  46  and trigger image acquisition. Every image is processed and extracted data is transmitted to the system table manager  180 . 
         [0049]    The remainder of the system  100  comprises a network  101  of components that may be at the gaming table or in a back office or other room of the casino. Part of this network  101  is the video interface  170  described above, the other parts of the network include the table manager  180 , a central server  190 , and the surveillance system  150 . Optional components of the network  101  may also include a baccarat tracker  185  and/or a games management system  175 . The components of the network  101  may be connected by wireless and/or wired communication media. 
         [0050]    The system table manager  180  may be implemented in a general purpose computer system, a network server or other processor system as is generally known in the art. The table manager  180  will contain computer implemented processing (i.e., process  200  illustrated in  FIGS. 5A-5C ) that may be stored on a computer readable medium of the general purpose computer system. As such, the processing and functions of the table manager  180  may be stored as a computer program on a computer readable medium, or downloaded from a computer server over a network to the general purpose computer. The table manager  180  will receive the real time card and game data from the card shoe  112  over the wired/wireless communication medium  113 . The table manager  180  will receive the real time chip data from antennas  162 ,  164 ,  166  over the wired/wireless communication medium  168 . The table manager  180  will also receive the card, chip and other data from the video interface  170  over the network connection between the table manager  180  and video interface  170 . It should be appreciated that the combination of video, card shoe and RFID information makes the system more robust and error proof. Overlap in information (e.g., wager values or card data) provides inherent redundancy not found in prior systems. In addition, the use of optional sensor  33  provides another means to initiate security measures and begin monitoring of activities at a table. 
         [0051]    As is described below in more detail with reference to  FIGS. 5A-5C , the table manager  180  contains deviation analysis software that integrates the various forms of input data, compiles, interprets and associates the data with known anomaly references or specific conditions that equate to baccarat game rule violations. The table manager  180  analyzes and compares the data to determine whether valid or invalid actions have occurred during and after a round of the game, detects and categorizes any anomalies, and generates alerts. The anomalies can be prioritized. Because some of the data may overlap (e.g., card rank and suit data may be obtained from the shoe  112  and the video data, wager data may be obtained from the RFID information and the video data), the table manager  180  has redundancy. This way, if one of the sources of information is malfunctioning or if it misses a card, chip, etc., the table manager  180  can still detect anomalies. The redundancy of the system also allows the operator to detect changes in the number of cards card composition, wager placement, etc. and provides the means to perform security checks unknown and unachievable prior to this invention. Alerts are generated and distributed by the table manager  180  to the central server  190 . In one embodiment, the table manager  180  can send the alerts to the games management system  175 , if included in the system  100 . In another embodiment, the alerts are sent to both the central server  190  and the games management system  175 . The table manager  180  operates in real time, something the prior art security monitoring systems could not do. 
         [0052]    In one embodiment, the table manager  180  tags game deviations/anomalies with one of five sequential priority levels illustrated in Table I below. The levels are used to determine what type of alert to generate. The table manager  180  is capable of detecting pinching and/or capping of bets, card switching, and card reversal, as well as discrepancies in the casino table&#39;s chip trays and its payouts of winning bets. All of these anomalies, as well as others, may be assigned to any one of the levels illustrated in Table I. In a desired embodiment, the casino personnel can set the priority levels for all of the anomalies through a user interface (not shown) to the table manager  180  or through a connection to the network  101  (e.g., system  150 ). Alerts may be ranked numerically, color coded, associated with unique sounds or otherwise configured to attract the appropriate response from pit personnel. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE I 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Alert Priority Index 
               
             
          
           
               
                 Priority 
                   
               
               
                 Level 
                 Description 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 1 
                 Lowest level. Basic deviation alert regarding an action that has 
               
               
                   
                 little or no potential for influencing a game outcome. 
               
               
                 2 
                 Alert regarding an action that warrants the attention of pit 
               
               
                   
                 personnel. 
               
               
                 3 
                 Alert regarding an action that warrants the attention of pit and 
               
               
                   
                 surveillance personnel. 
               
               
                 4 
                 Alert regarding an action that warrants the attention of pit and 
               
               
                   
                 surveillance personnel and an immediate investigation 
               
               
                   
                 by supervisors. 
               
               
                 5 
                 Highest level. Gross deviation alert regarding an action with a 
               
               
                   
                 crisis status. The anomaly warrants an immediate “stop game” 
               
               
                   
                 alert dispatched to all wired and wireless devices of the 
               
               
                   
                 security network. 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0053]    The central server  190  is connected to the table manager  180 . The central server  190  may be implemented in a general purpose computer system, a network server or other processor system as is generally known in the art. Although shown as separate components, in one embodiment, the table manager  180  is implemented as an application on the central server  190 . That is, the functions of the table manager  180  and the central server  190  may reside in one piece of hardware (e.g., a server or computer system). The central server  190  is responsible for distributing the prioritized alerts throughout the network  101  and outside the network (if desired) over wired or wireless communications path  192 . The alerts are routed to various data sinks (i.e., destinations) based on the alert priority. The higher the priority, the greater number of data sinks the alert information is routed to. Alert transmissions may be routed directly to the table  110  (via communications path  192  to a device at the table or on the dealer), across the network  101  to remote viewing stations (e.g., system  150 ), databases, and any wired/wireless communication device that communicates with the network  101 . In one embodiment, the shoe  112  contains a display, speaker or other alert notification device and an optional communication path  113   a  from the table manager  180  to the shoe is used to transmit an alert to the table via the shoe  112 . One such suitable shoe having an alert notification mechanism and two way communications with a table manager  180  is disclosed in application serial no. (reference PA1735.AP.us), filed on the same date as the present application, which is incorporated by reference herein. In one embodiment, the alert information can be projected onto one or more plasma televisions/monitors/screens  177  used to view image data from the cameras  42 ,  44 ,  46  and the video interface  170 . The central server  190  stores relevant gaming information (both real time and historical information). The central server  190  may also process alert information received from the table manager  180  if needed. The central server  190  can email or otherwise transmit any relevant information or reports using communications path  192  or any connection to the network  101 . The central server  190  may generate and distribute reports based on the information received from the table manager  180 . 
         [0054]    In a preferred embodiment, the central server  190  may interface with and drive the baccarat tracker  185 . The baccarat tracker  185  is a statistical-based system that sequences through a live game of baccarat (based on the data received from the central server  190 ) to process actions taken during the round and over numerous rounds. The tracker  185  is capable of compiling the data to statistically determine anomalies that can only be detected by a players betting habits using a larger sample set of data and typically occurs over a time period. One such anomaly that may be detected is first card cheating, described in U.S. application Ser. No. 11/394,055, filed on Mar. 29, 2006. The baccarat tracker  185  may use the processing described in U.S. application Ser. No. 11/394,055. It should also be appreciated that the baccarat tracker  185  may be implemented as part of the central server  190 , thus alleviating the need for an additional server/computer system dedicated solely to the baccarat tracking functions. It is advantageous to locate the baccarat tracker  185  near the source of the stored data. 
         [0055]    In another embodiment, alerts are dispatched to a games management system  175 . The games management system  175  is a touch screen table games application allowing for additional real time bet tracking, clear views of the dealer rack count, quick assessment of wins and losses at each table. The information can be used to determine if a gambler&#39;s gambling habits are worthy of a free room for the evening (known as comping). A system suitable for use as the games management system  175  is the Table Touch™ product sold by IGT. The games management system  175  includes an intelligent alert package, which alerts pit personnel and surveillance teams using a color coded alert system corresponding to alert priority levels. The system management system  175  may also dispatch the alerts across the network  101  to remote viewing stations (e.g., system  150 ), databases, and any wired/wireless communication device that communicates with the network  101 . Player profiling is also included in the games management system  175  so that specific player bet attributes may be recorded and tracked. The games management system  175  allows pit personnel more time to do their jobs without being tied to a cumbersome data entry system. 
         [0056]    Referring to  FIGS. 5A-5C , the flowcharts illustrate processing  200  performed by the table manager  180 . As mentioned above, the process  200  may be a computer implemented method that runs on a general purpose computer. As such, the process  200  may be stored as a computer program on a computer readable storage medium and/or downloaded to a computer over the network  101 . At step  202 , the table manager  180  inputs/collects game/table information from a predetermined source or sources within the system  100 . This initial game state information (described below) is used to determine if a new game or round of a game of baccarat is beginning (step  204 ). Since the initial game state information is only being used for this limited purpose, only one of the sources of game state and game data (e.g., video data from the cameras  42 ,  44 ,  46 , signals from the shoe  112 , signal from the antennas  162 ,  164 ,  166 ) need be used. 
         [0057]    In one embodiment, the initial game state information is received from the shoe  112  after the dealer presses a new game key or otherwise initiates a new game at the shoe  112  (e.g., resets a game completion message, deals a new card, etc.). In other examples, the shoe includes a time-out circuit that automatically detects the beginning and end of each round. Other methods of round counting are known in the art and could be used as an additional data source. The shoe  112  has a games rule module and is capable of setting a game state to a new game state and transmitting this information to the table manager  180 . In response, the shoe  112  transmits data to the table manager  180  indicating the start of a new game. In another embodiment, video information from the cameras  42 ,  44 ,  46  and the video interface  170  can be used to indicate a new game state corresponding to a new game (i.e., the dealing of the new cards or the placement of new bets at the table  110 ). In another embodiment, RFID chip data (i.e., initial wager) or a combination of data from one or more of the sources is used. In another embodiment, the sensor  33  can be used to determine the dealing of a new hand or the placement of new wagers. 
         [0058]    At step  204 , the table manager  180  determines if a new game has been started. If not, then there is an error or other anomaly, which is processed and reported across the network  101  (if necessary based on the priority level assigned to this “false start” of the game). If at step  204 , the table manager  180  determines that a new game has been started, the table manager  180  collects game/table data from all sources (step  206 ) i.e., the video interface  170 , antennas  162 ,  164 ,  166 , and card shoe  112 . At step  208 , the table manager  180  makes a series of real time, game in progress (i.e., in-game) comparisons/investigations of the input data. Non-limiting examples of these comparisons include a comparison of: (1) game state versus player/dealer actions; (2) cards on the table versus the cards dealt; (3) cards positions on table versus the position on the table when dealt; and (4) the values of chips wagered versus the value of the chips on table (and on a per player basis). 
       EXAMPLE 1  
     Misdeal 
       [0059]    For example, for the comparison of game state versus player/dealer actions, the process  200  determines if a third card has been dealt to one or both of the player and banker positions at the table. The process  200  then determines, using the baccarat third card rules whether the dealer should have dealt the third card or not. If the dealer has dealt a third card to a position in which the rules dictate that a card should not have been dealt, then an anomaly has be found. Likewise, the process  200  determines if a third card has not been dealt to the player and banker positions at the table. The process  200  then determines, using the baccarat third card rules whether the dealer should have dealt the third card or not. If the dealer has not dealt a third card to a position in which the rules dictate that a card should have been dealt, then an anomaly has be found. 
       EXAMPLE 2  
     Card Switching 
       [0060]    A comparison of the cards dealt versus the cards currently at the table (e.g., via displayed or processed video information) can be used to determine if there has been card switching. In a desired embodiment, there will be dealt card information from both the shoe  1   12  and the video interface  170 . This provides built-in error processing and redundancy that is not achievable in prior art systems. The process  200  determines whether the cards that were dealt are in different positions. If any of the cards are out of position, then an anomaly has be found. 
       EXAMPLE 3 
     Capping/Pinching 
       [0061]    Capping and/or pinching can be determined by comparing initial wager information to current wager information. The information can be determined solely from the RFID information. In another embodiment, the wager information can be determined through video images via the video interface  170  in addition to, or instead of the RFID information. Using more than one mechanism is always preferred, however. As with the other comparisons, anomalies may be determined when any current wager amounts do not match initial wager amounts. 
       EXAMPLE 4 
     Bet Moved from P to B Positions (or vice versa) 
       [0062]    Movement of player wagers between the B and P positions (and T when wagered) can be monitored by comparing the wager information contained in the video images (via the video interface  170 ) with the wager information contained in the RFID information. The wager amounts are still the same, but they have been moved. This is a unique situation that may be monitored by the illustrated embodiment of the invention which uses two systems to determine if there is an anomaly in the wagering areas. 
       EXAMPLE 5  
     New Card Added 
       [0063]    The process  200  makes a comparison of the cards dealt versus the cards currently at the table (e.g., via displayed or processed video information). In a desired embodiment, there will be dealt card information from both the shoe  112  and the video interface  170 . This provides built-in error processing and redundancy that is not achievable in prior art systems. The process  200  determines whether there are new cards on the table that were not dealt from the shoe. If any of the cards on the table do not match the cards that were dealt, then an anomaly has be found. This is another unique situation that may be monitored by the illustrated embodiment of the invention, which uses two systems to determine if cards have been added/removed from the table. 
         [0064]    At step  210 , the table manager  180  determines from the various real time comparisons, whether there is an anomaly. The table manager  180  can also determine if there have been any invalid actions, by the player or dealer, based on the state of the game at that time. One non-limiting example includes late wagering. If the table manager  180  determines from the various real time comparisons that there was at least one anomaly, then the process  200  continues at step  240  ( FIG. 5C ) for anomaly processing (described below). 
         [0065]    If the table manager  180  determines from the various real time comparisons that there was no anomaly, then the process  200  continues at step  212  where the table manager  180  determines if the round has been completed. If the round has not been completed, the process  200  continues at step  206  for further real time, in-game processing of the game/table information from the numerous data sources in the system  100 . If, at step  212 , the table manager determines that the round has been completed, the process  200  continues at step  214  where the table manager  180  collects game/table data from all of the sources in the system  100 . 
         [0066]    At step  214 , after a round of the game has ended, the table manager  180  makes a series of real time, post game comparisons/investigations of the input data. Some of these non-limiting comparisons include a comparison of: (1) cards on the table versus the cards dealt; (2) cards positions on table versus the position on the table when dealt; (3) the values of chips wagered versus the value of the chips on table (and on a per player basis); and (4) the amount and values of the chips paid out versus any expected payouts. At step  218 , the table manager  180  determines from the various real time comparisons, whether there is an anomaly. For example, the table manager  180  can determine if there has been any capping or pinching of bets, or if there has been any card reversal or card switching. The table manager  180  can also determine if there are any deviations in individual or total player payouts. If the table manager  180  determines from the various real time comparisons that there was at least one anomaly, then the process  200  continues at step  240  for anomaly processing (described below). 
         [0067]    If the table manager  180  determines from the various real time comparisons that there was no anomaly, then the process  200  continues at step  220  where the table manager  180  performs history-based/statistical comparisons. History-based comparisons can be made to track individual player performance (i.e., amount of winning and losing bets) and gaming habits (types of wagers and when made), and actions by the dealer. Alternatively, the history-based comparisons maybe performed by the games management system  175 , tracker  185  or server  190 . These comparisons can determine if there have been several minor anomalies, that when tallied amount to a much larger/major anomaly. Almost any time of comparisons can be made at this time. If the table manager  180  determines from the comparisons that there was at least one anomaly, then the process  200  continues at step  240  for anomaly processing (described below). If the table manager  180  determines from the comparisons that there is no anomaly, then the process  200  continues at step  202  to prepare for and initiate a new round of the game. 
         [0068]    If the table manager  180  determines from the various real time comparisons that there was an anomaly at either steps  210  (in-game anomaly),  218  (post-game anomaly) or  222  (history-based anomaly), then the process  200  continues at step  240 , where the anomaly is processed. At step  240 , the table manager  180  determines the priority index for the anomaly. Sample indexes which may be used to assign priorities are illustrated above with respect to table I, above. At step  242 , the table manager  180  generates an alert based on the anomaly and the priority index of the anomaly. The alert is then output to the central server  190  for appropriate dispersal throughout the network  101  (as described above). In a preferred embodiment, particularly one in which historical information is tracked and historical anomalies are to be reported, the table manager  180  may output the alerts to the games management system  175  in addition to, or instead of, outputting the alerts to the central server  190 . 
         [0069]    Once the alerts are output, the table manager  180  determines if it should be the end of the round (e.g., if the anomaly was a level 5 anomaly, the game should be stopped regardless of the state of the game). The table manager  180  can use the game state information to allow the game to continue from the point at which the anomaly was detected, assuming the anomaly has a low-level priority index. However, the table manager  180  can determine that the game should be terminated (i.e., the anomaly has a high-level priority index). If it is determined that the game should continue, the process  200  continues at step  206 . Otherwise, the process  200  continues at step  202  to prepare for and initiate a new round of the game. 
         [0070]      FIG. 6  illustrates another embodiment of system  300  that is suitable for use with a blackjack casino table  310 . Components of the system  300 , which are the same or substantially similar to components within system  100  ( FIG. 4 ) are labeled with the same reference numbers. Similar to system  100 , system  300  contains many components designed to capture various forms of information about the game being played at the table  310  (e.g., blackjack), the players playing the game, wager amounts and payouts, and the dealer responsible for the game. As is described below in more detail, the information is captured, processed and acted upon (e.g., generation of alerts) in real time. This system is necessarily more complex as a variety of actions can be taken by players to play the game. The game also requires the player to make strategic decisions that can be unpredictable. It is therefore advantageous to use monitoring equipment to track this type of game in particular. 
         [0071]    In system  300 , the blackjack table  310  is equipped with a card shoe  312  providing card rank and suit recognition capabilities. That is, the shoe  312  contains optical character recognition (OCR) capabilities to determine the rank and suit of each card dealt from the shoe. In one embodiment, the shoe  312  will be equipped with a button and is programmed to display on a display screen on the shoe  312  the rank and suit of the last card drawn from the shoe  312 . In another embodiment, the shoe  312  is programmed to receive communications (via optional communication medium  313   a ) from a table manager  380 . One such communication includes the detection that the dealer has dealt a twenty-one to the dealer hand (i.e., an alert that the dealer has a blackjack). One exemplary shoe  312  contains a display for displaying the alert and/or a sound system for generating an audible dealer blackjack alert. Suitable shoes, and means for operating the shoes, having the button and/or alert notification mechanism and two way communications with a table manager  380  are disclosed in co-pending application serial no. (reference PA1735.AP.us), filed on the same date as the present application. The shoe  312  is suitable for use in implementing a no-peek blackjack determination that prevents a player from seeing the dealer&#39;s hole card. 
         [0072]    The card shoe  312  is in communication with the system table manager  380  (described in more detail below), and transmits the card shoe information over a communication medium  313  to the system table manager  380 , which inputs and processes the card shoe  312  information to determine if there have been any anomalies during a round of the game (described below in more detail). The game rules may reside in the video interface  370  and the table manager  380  uses data from both sources to detect anomalies. The data transmission mediums  313 ,  313   a  may be wireless or wired network communications medium. The card shoe  312  may also include a display region to provide dealer instruction and game results to the dealer. The shoe  312  may also include a dealer interface such that the dealer may reset the shoe  312  and begin a new round of play. 
         [0073]    Also shown on the table  310  are game chips  130   a  in the player wagering areas  17 ,  19 ,  21 ,  23 ,  25 ,  27 ,  29 . In a preferred embodiment of the invention, RFID tagged chips are used in conjunction with RFID antennas/transmitters  361 ,  362 ,  363 ,  364 ,  365 ,  366 ,  367  located within or underneath the table  310 . The RFID antennas/transmitters  361 ,  362 ,  363 ,  364 ,  365 ,  366 ,  367  respectively pick up the values of the game chips using RFID or similar technology and then transmit the chip information to the system table manager  380  via a communication medium  368 . French U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,651,548 and 5,735,742 describe RFID chips and chip reading systems that may be used as the game chips  130   a  and RFID antennas/transmitters  361 ,  362 ,  363 ,  364 ,  365 ,  366 ,  367 . Although not shown, one RFID antenna/transmitter could be located in the insurance area  15  of the table  310  to obtain the chip values of insurance wagers. In another embodiment, multiple individual antennas connected to medium  368  could be placed in the insurance area  15 , and one associated with each player position. 
         [0074]    The medium  368  may be a wireless or wired network communication medium. As is described below in more detail, the system table manager  380  will use the chip information to determine the amounts wagered by the players before and after the round (to see if there has been capping or pinching of bets) and may also use the chip information to determine if there have been any payouts anomalies at the end of the round. 
         [0075]    The system  300  also includes overhead cameras  44 ,  46  connected to a ceiling  70  of the casino, and at least one other camera  42  either mounted to or in the vicinity of the table  310 . These cameras  42 ,  44 ,  46  respectively communicate with a video interface  370  over communication media  158 ,  156 ,  154  (via video switch or multiplexer  179 ). The cameras  42 ,  44 ,  46  may also communicate with a surveillance computer system  150  over a communication medium  152  and a plasma screen/monitor  177  (via video switch or multiplexer  179 ) so that the video may be monitored by casino or security personnel. It should be appreciated that although only one connection to the surveillance computer system  150  from the cameras  42 ,  44 ,  46  is shown, video from all of the cameras may be sent to the system  150  if desired. As with the other communication media used in the system  300 , the communication media  152 ,  154 ,  156 ,  158  may be wired, wireless or a combination of wireless and wired connections. 
         [0076]    The video interface  370  (e.g., a computer system) is responsible for image processing and transmission of the items viewed by the cameras  42 ,  44 ,  46  in real time. In this example, the system is capable of tracking the progress of play, since the rules of blackjack are stored in its memory. Game states such as (1) active table, (2) dealer dealing, (3) place wagers, (4) close wagers, (5) take hits, (6) double down, (7) insurance, (8) dealer blackjack, (9) player blackjack, (10) player bust, and the like are monitored. Dealt card values, wagers and other table activity can be imaged using the cameras  42 ,  44 ,  46  and video interface  370 . The video interface  370  may be implemented in a general purpose computer system, a network server or other processor system as is generally known in the art. As an optional feature, a form of optical chip recognition may also be implemented using the cameras  42 ,  44 ,  46  and evaluation software in the video interface  370 . As such, the video interface  370  may process chip images and values on the gaming table  310 . The video interface  370  processes the video images to create table data that is sent to the system table manager  380  via communication medium  313   b . The medium  313   b  may be a wireless or wired network communications medium. The video interface  370  is sophisticated enough to recognize the rank and suit of playing cards, recognize monetary denominations, and the relative value of the chips  130   a . It should be appreciated, however, that adding RFID wagering information is desirable and advantageous since video alone could be effected by lighting, shading, player movement, etc. whereas the RFID chip information is not subject to these effects. 
         [0077]    In the illustrated embodiment, the video interface  370  contains game rules software for tracking the state of the blackjack game. In system  100 , the video interface  170  did not have this capability, which is one reason why the card shoe  112  contained a game rules module. In the illustrated embodiment, the video interface  370  transmits, via communication medium  313   b , the game, table and game state data to the table manager  380 , which evaluates whether there have been any pre, post and in-game anomalies. 
         [0078]    As can been seen, the cameras  42 ,  44 ,  46  are placed to achieve a full view of the gaming table surface, and are positioned to give the best vantage point for the desired application. The cameras  42 ,  44 ,  46  can be mounted to the ceiling  70  or on a pole/post adjacent the table  310 . Cameras can also be close to the gaming surface, if it is desired to image chip stacks, for example. An optical or magnetic synchronizing sensor  33  can be used to detect the presence of an object on the gaming surface of the table  310 . The sensor, if used, may activate the cameras  42 ,  44 ,  46  and trigger image acquisition. Every image is processed and transmitted to the system table manager  380 . 
         [0079]    The remainder of the system  300  comprises a network  301  of components that may be at the table or in a back office or other room of the casino. Part of this network  301  is the video interface  370  described above, the other parts of the network include the table manager  380 , a central server  390 , and the surveillance system  150 . Optional components of the network  301  may also include a blackjack tracker  385  and/or a games management system  175  (described above). The components of the network  301  may be connected by wireless and/or wired communication media. The blackjack tracker  385  (as well as the baccarat tracker  185 ) are capable of generating reports and issuing alerts. 
         [0080]    The system table manager  380  may be implemented in a general purpose computer system, a network server or other processor system as is generally known in the art. The table manager  380  will contain computer implemented processing (i.e., process  200  illustrated in  FIGS. 5A-5C  and described above) that may be stored on a computer readable medium of the general purpose computer system. As such, the processing and functions of the table manager  380  may be stored as a computer program on a computer readable medium, or downloaded from a computer server over a network to the general purpose computer. The table manager  380  will receive the real time card data from the card shoe  312  over the wired/wireless communication medium  313 . The table manager  380  will receive the real time chip data from antennas  361 - 367  over the wired/wireless communication medium  368 . The table manager  380  will also receive the card, chip and game state data from the video interface  370  over the network connection between the table manager  380  and video interface  370 . 
         [0081]    As is described above with reference to  FIGS. 5A-5C , the table manager  380  contains deviation analysis software that integrates the various forms of input data, compiles, interprets and associates the data with known anomaly references or specific conditions that equate to blackjack game rule violations. The table manager  380  analyzes and compares the data to determine whether valid or invalid actions have occurred before, during and after a round of the game, detects and categorizes any anomalies, and generates alerts. The anomalies can be prioritized. Because some of the data may overlap (e.g., card rank and suit data may be obtained from the shoe  312  and the video data, chip data may be obtained from the RFID information and the video data), the table manager  380  has built-in redundancy. Certain anomalies can only be detected with redundant systems (i.e., cards dealt v. cards imaged). Redundancy also improves reliability. For example, if one of the sources of information is malfunctioning or if it misses a card, chip, etc., the table manager  380  can still detect anomalies. Alerts are generated and distributed by the table manager  380  to the central server  390 . In one embodiment, the table manager  380  can send the alerts to the games management system  175 , if included in the system  300 . In another embodiment, the alerts are sent to both the central server  390  and the games management system  175 . The table manager  380  operates in real time, something the prior art security monitoring systems could not do. 
         [0082]    In one embodiment, the table manager  380  tags game deviations/anomalies with one of five sequential priority levels illustrated in Table I described above. The levels are used to determine what type of alert to generate. The table manager  380  is capable of detecting pinching and/or capping of bets, card switching, and card reversal, as well as discrepancies in the casino table&#39;s chip trays (if monitored) and its payouts of winning bets. In addition, the table manager  380  contains a plurality of rules-based anomalies, which must also be monitored for a game of blackjack. The table manager  380  would operate process  200  (described above with reference to  FIGS. 5A-5C ) to monitor all possible anomalies. 
         [0083]    It should be noted that the process  200  would input game data, chip image data (if desired) and game state data from the video interface  370  and would only receive card data from the card shoe  312 . In addition, the process  200  could output an alert to the card shoe  312 . In addition, the process  200  performs the same pre, post and in-game monitoring steps to determine bet capping and pinching, card reversal and card switching and payout determinations. In addition, in-game and post-game monitoring steps (i.e., steps  206 - 210  and  214 - 218 ) would make additional comparisons designed to see if there have been any rules-based anomalies (shown below in Table II). A complete description of a process  200  for blackjack has been omitted for convenience purposes. 
         [0084]    Table II below, lists exemplary blackjack rules-based anomalies that are monitored by the table manager  380 . The monitoring of and/or the responses to some anomalies in Table II may be set through system configuration options by casino personnel using a user interface to the table manager  380  (not shown). All of these anomalies, as well as others, may be assigned to any one of the levels illustrated in Table I (described above). In a desired embodiment, the casino personnel can set the priority levels for all of the anomalies through the user interface to the table manager  380  or through a connection to the network  301  (e.g., system  150 ). 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE II 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Blackjack Rules-based Anomalies 
               
             
          
           
               
                 Category 
                 Anomaly/Response 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 Correct initial deal 
                 For all wager locations with a wager placed before start of the round, 
               
               
                   
                 all players receive one face up card, from dealer&#39;s left to dealer&#39;s right. 
               
               
                 Correct initial deal 
                 Dealer gets one face down card after all wagered positions get a face 
               
               
                   
                 up card, but before a second card is dealt to a player. 
               
               
                 Correct initial deal 
                 For all betting spots with a wager placed before start of round, all 
               
               
                   
                 players receive a second face up card after the dealer receives a face 
               
               
                   
                 down card. If cards are dealt out of order, generate an alert. 
               
               
                 Correct initial deal 
                 Dealer gets a second face down card after all wagered positions get a 
               
               
                   
                 2nd face up card, but before any player receives an additional card, or 
               
               
                   
                 any wagers are paid. Dealer flips face up the first card received, and 
               
               
                   
                 places face down the second card under the first card. 
               
               
                 Dealer has 21 
                 Two cards totaling 21 are face up in dealer&#39;s card region. No 
               
               
                   
                 additional cards are dealt to dealer or any wagered positions. 
               
               
                 Insurance 
                 If an insurance bet is paid, and the dealer shows anything but 2 cards 
               
               
                   
                 totaling 21, generate an alert. 
               
               
                 Insurance 
                 If an insurance bet is collected, and the dealer shows exactly 2 cards 
               
               
                   
                 totaling 21, generate an alert. 
               
               
                 Player reneges on 
                 If a pair is split, and a second wager placed, but BEFORE an additional 
               
               
                 split or double down 
                 card is dealt to the table and the second bet removed, if the pair is 
               
               
                   
                 reassembled, NO ALERT. If a second wager is placed, appearing to be 
               
               
                   
                 a double-down, but BEFORE an additional card is dealt to the table, 
               
               
                   
                 and the second bet removed, NO ALERT. If for either condition the 
               
               
                   
                 second bet is removed, after a card has been delivered, or the cards are 
               
               
                   
                 reconfigured into one hand, generate an alert. 
               
               
                 Player split, or resplit 
                 A pair of cards with the same rank ONLY can be split or resplit. A 
               
               
                   
                 corresponding additional bet must be seen to correspond to that split. 
               
               
                   
                 If a split occurs that does not meet these conditions, generate an alert. 
               
               
                 Player double (or 
                 Any hand that receives an additional chip stack, and a card more than 
               
               
                 double after split) 
                 45 degrees off-center to the rest of the hand is a double. If an 
               
               
                   
                 additional chip stack appears for a hand, but the card if not laid down 
               
               
                   
                 as a double, generate an alert. If a card is laid down as a double, but no 
               
               
                   
                 additional chip stack exists, generate an alert. 
               
               
                 Player double 
                 If a double down condition is ascertained, and two or more hit cards 
               
               
                   
                 after the double are detected, generate an alert. 
               
               
                 Player Blackjack 
                 For players showing a 21 total on two cards, and system configuration 
               
               
                   
                 option set to allow pay-outs out of normal pay out of rotation, allow 
               
               
                   
                 pay out. If option is NOT selected, and a player is paid before dealer 
               
               
                   
                 cards are shown, generate an alert. 
               
               
                 Busted hand 
                 If a hand is removed from the table that totals 21 or less before the 
               
               
                   
                 dealer&#39;s cards are both face up, generate an alert. 
               
               
                 Busted hand 
                 If a hand totaling 22 or greater and bet is left on the table after both 
               
               
                   
                 dealer&#39;s cards are face up, OR if another player receives a card, 
               
               
                   
                 generate an alert. 
               
               
                 Dealer hit rules 
                 Allow configuration option for dealer hit rules to specify on what total 
               
               
                   
                 (or higher) a dealer should stand, and if the dealer should hit on a 
               
               
                   
                 “soft” of that total (i.e., soft 17). If dealer fails to hit when he should, 
               
               
                   
                 or fails to stand when he should, generate an alert. 
               
               
                 Dealer has 21 
                 If a dealer dealt a card to any player, and a 21 on exactly 2 cards is 
               
               
                   
                 exposed when the dealer flips his hold card, generate an alert. 
               
               
                 Dealer hole card 
                 If a dealer fails to show at least 2 cards face up in the dealer area of the 
               
               
                   
                 table after player cards are exposed, generate an alert. 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0085]    The central server  390  is connected to the table manager  180 . The central server  390  may be implemented in a general purpose computer system, a network server or other processor system as is generally known in the art. Although shown as separate components, in one embodiment, the table manager  380  is implemented as an application on the central server  390 . That is, the functions of the table manager  380  and the central server  390  may reside in one piece of hardware (e.g., a server or computer system). The central server  390  is responsible for distributing the prioritized alerts throughout the network  301  and outside the network (if desired) over wired or wireless communications path  392 . The alerts are routed to various data sinks based on the alert priority. The higher the priority, the greater number of data sinks the alert information is routed to. Alert transmissions may be routed directly to the table  310  (via communications path  392  to a device at the table or on the dealer), across the network  301  to remote viewing stations (e.g., system  150 ), databases, and any wired/wireless communication device that communicates with the network  301 . 
         [0086]    In one embodiment, the shoe  312  contains a display, speaker or other alert notification device. An optional communication path  313   a  from the table manager  380  to the shoe is used to transmit an alert to the table via the shoe  312 . In one embodiment, the alert information can be projected onto one or more plasma televisions/monitors/screens  177  used to view image data from the cameras  42 ,  44 ,  46  and the video interface  370 . The central server  390  stores relevant gaming information (both real time and historical information). The central server  390  may also process alert information received from the table manager  380  if needed. The central server  390  can generate its own alerts and can email or otherwise transmit any relevant information or reports using communications path  392  or any connection to the network  301 . The central server  390  may generate and distribute reports based on the information received from the table manager  380 . 
         [0087]    In a preferred embodiment, the central server  390  may interface with and drive the blackjack tracker  385 . The blackjack tracker  385  is a statistical-based system that sequences through a live game of blackjack (based on the data received from the central server  390 ) to process actions taken during the round and over numerous rounds. The tracker  385  is capable of compiling the data that can only be obtained by collecting game play information over a time period. One such anomaly that may be detected is card counting, which is of particular concern to a casino administering a game of blackjack. The blackjack tracker  385  may be implemented as part of the central server  390 , thus alleviating the need for an additional server/computer system dedicated solely to the blackjack tracking functions. 
         [0088]    In another embodiment, alerts are dispatched to the games management system  175  (described above). The system management system  175  includes an intelligent alert package, which alerts pit personnel and surveillance teams using a color coded or numerical-based alert system corresponding to alert priority levels. The system management system  175  may also dispatch the alerts across the network  301  to remote viewing stations (e.g., system  150 ), databases, and any wired/wireless communication device that communicates with the network  301 . Player profiling is also included in the system management system  175  so that specific player bet attributes may be recorded and tracked. The games system management system  175  allows pit personnel more time to do their jobs without being tied to a cumbersome data entry system. 
         [0089]    In a desired embodiment, the baccarat tracker  185  may be the Bloodhound™ software product designed to monitor a game of baccarat provided by Shuffle Master, Inc. Likewise, in another desired embodiment, the blackjack tracker  385  may be the Bloodhound™ software product designed to monitor a game of blackjack also provided by Shuffle Master, Inc. The Bloodhound™ products provide real-time and post-game session analysis of game state, game data, player decisions and game outcome to e.g., determine a gambler&#39;s playing habits. For example, the baccarat tracker  185  implementing the Bloodhound™ for baccarat product can determine if the player is placing large bets only during hands that are favorable to the player (i.e., first card cheating). For example, the blackjack tracker  385  implementing the Bloodhound™ for blackjack product can determine if the player is counting cards or otherwise placing large bets with knowledge of the dealer&#39;s hold card. 
         [0090]    Although the embodiments of the invention have been described with reference to a games of baccarat and blackjack, it should be appreciated that they may be applicable to other casino communal or non-communal games. That is, the systems  100 ,  300  and process  200  may be modified to monitor a game of mini-baccarat, or other card games. Games with side bets and large payout odds or progressive payouts would benefit from a monitoring system of the invention. Modifications to the rules and game events in the game rules module in the shoe  112  (if used) and the processing of the table managers  180 ,  380  would be required to implement the different types of card games. The systems  100 ,  300  and process  200  could also be used for dice games (e.g., craps) and roulette, if desired. 
         [0091]    Other embodiments of the present invention include one or more of the components described above in different combinations. For example, a system could be configured to process the output of the camera imagers and video interface as well as output from a dealing shoe or card shuffler capable of determining the rank and suit of dispensed cards. The information may be processed in a manner to correlate the data for subsequent storage and data analysis. An example of a suitable card shuffler that is capable of reading the rank and/or suit of cards and dispensing cards into a card game is included in co-pending application Ser. No. 11/481,407, filed Jul. 5, 2006. The processor may optionally perform a variety of functions including detecting anomalies and issuing alerts. 
         [0092]    The camera imagers and video interface could be combined with wager sensing equipment on the table. Data from the video interface and wager sensing equipment may be inputted into a processor and correlated for storage and data analysis. The processor in this instance may also perform a variety of functions, including detecting anomalies and issuing alerts. 
         [0093]    In some examples of the invention, a card reading shoe and or shuffler is the only device in the system that collects and outputs card information. This information may be combined with wager sensing equipment, such as RFID chips and antennas and inputted into a processor, for correlation, storage and data analysis. The processor may optionally detect anomalies and issue alerts. 
         [0094]    It might be desirable to provide redundant data collection functions and collect the information in a processor capable of correlating the data. For example, a desirable system might include camera imagers, a video interface, a card-reading device such as a card shoe or a shuffler, and also wager sensing equipment. The processor may optionally be configured to detect anomalies and issue alerts. 
         [0095]    When the processor is configured to detect anomalies and issue alerts, it is desirable to provide a game rule module. This module may reside within one or more of the data acquisition devices, may reside within the same computer as the video interface or may be located at a distal computer. It is important to note that some of the anomaly detections are not possible without a game module to monitor game state and the progress of the game. 
         [0096]    When a game module is part of the system, the module preferably resides within the card handling device for a baccarat system, and within the video interface for a blackjack system. In other forms of the invention, the game module resides within the table manager, or in a distal computer. 
         [0097]    For embodiments that include provide the anomaly detection and alert functionality, the systems would include a game rules module and a table manager in combination with one or more of the following: (1) a card handling device with card reading capability; (2) wager sensing equipment; (3) a camera imaging system with video interface; (4) one or more proximity detectors; and (5) other data acquisition devices, such as player identification i.d. card swipe, dealer i.d. card swipe, player tracking equipment, bet present sensors, and the like. 
         [0098]    While the embodiments of the invention have been described in detail in connection with preferred embodiments known at the time, it should be readily understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Rather, the invention can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited by the foregoing description or drawings, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.