Abstract:
A method recognizing dice dots comprises the steps: projecting at least one dice with a plurality of different angle light sources; capturing a plurality of images of the dice according to the projecting times of the light sources on the dice; and recognizing dice dots based on the images through calculation methods. When recognized results obtained through the calculation methods are judged same by the recognizing module the dice dots are confirmed and accepted. If the recognized results done through the calculation methods are different, the dice is rolled anew.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a method to recognize dice dots and particularly to a method to recognize dice dots through a plurality of recognition and calculation methods. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     These days people increasingly treasure leisure activities. As a result recreational businesses are flourishing. Among them gambling is very popular. Throwing or rolling dice is one of the widely loved games. It is almost ubiquitous, and can be seen in houses, outdoors and business environments. One of the common rules of the game of rolling dice is: players place bets first and guess the total dots; the dealer rolls the dice and counts the total dots when moving of the dice stops to determine win and loss. 
     In the conventional game playing rolling of the dice is done manually. The rectitude or fairness of the dealer who rolls the dice often is suspected by the players. As the force or angle of throwing the dice could affect the dot number and outcome. Some even resort to cheating schemes such as crooked dice or loaded dice to take the advantages of the ignorance of the players. This spoils the pleasure of playing dice games. 
     To remedy the aforesaid problem, automatic dice rolling machines have been developed that have a recognition means to confirm dice dots. The recognition means usually performs recognition by detecting the dots through electric signals such as picture signals. However, such a method is easily compromised by control of people and produces fake results. This creates concerns of the players and affects their willingness and interests in playing the game. Hence the automatic dice rolling machine is not well accepted in legitimate recreational sites. 
     Moreover, even if the dealer does not tamper the dice and affect the fairness of the dice games, the automatic dice rolling machine is prone to recognition errors due to deficiency of recognition techniques, such as starting recognition process while the dice are still moving, impact of environmental factors such as light and angles of image capturing and the like. 
     Therefore how to provide an accurate method to recognize dice dots to improve the efficiency and fairness of dice rolling game is an issue remained to be resolved in the industry. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary object of the present invention is to provide a method for recognizing dice dots. The method includes the following steps: projecting at least one dice with a plurality of different angle light sources; capturing a plurality of images of the dice according to the projecting times of the light sources on the dice; and recognizing dice dots based on the images through a plurality of calculation methods. 
     By means of the method set forth above, if recognized results of the calculation methods are the same, the dice dots are confirmed and accepted. If the recognized results of the calculation methods are different, the dice is rolled again. The light sources are generated by a light source module. The images of the dice are captured by a capturing module. The calculations are stored in a recognizing module. The method set forth above may be built in an application program stored in a computer accessible recording medium. 
     The invention, by projecting multiple light sources to the dice to get images of varying angles and through multiple calculation methods, achieves recognition of the dice dots. The recognition result of dice dots of the automatic dice rolling machine equipped with the features of the invention is more accurate. Operation efficiency of dice rolling improves and fairness of the game is enhanced. 
     The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of the structure of the invention 
         FIG. 2  is a sectional view of the dice cup of the invention. 
         FIGS. 3A ,  3 B and  3 C are schematic views of the invention in operating conditions. 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 1 and 2  for an apparatus to recognize dice dots according to the invention. It includes a dice cup  1  for holding at least one dice  15 , a light source module  12 , a capturing module  13  and a recognizing module  14 . The dice cup  1  has a base  11  to hold the dice  15  and a hood  10  made from an opaque material to be fastened to the base  11 . The light source module  12  is located in the hood  10  to generate a plurality of light sources  121 ,  122  and  123  to project lights to the dice  15  at different angles. The capturing module  13  also is located in the hood  10  to capture images of the dice  15  at a number of times according to the light projecting times of the light sources  121 ,  122  and  123  onto the dice  15  to generate a plurality of corresponding images information S 1 , S 2  and S 3  (referring to  FIGS. 3A ,  3 B and  3 C). The recognizing module  14  receives the image information S 1 , S 2  and S 3  from the capturing module  13  through a wired or wireless transmission means and also stores a plurality of calculation methods to recognize dots on the dice  15  based on the image information S 1 , S 2  and S 3 . In an embodiment of the invention, the capturing module  13  is a dynamic image capturing device such as a video camera consisting of CCDs or CMOS, or may include a static image capturing device such as a camera. The techniques and devices for capturing the images of the dice  15  are known in the art, thus details are omitted herein. Furthermore, the numbers of the dice  15  and light sources  121 ,  122  and  123  are not limited to those shown in the drawings, and can be increased or decreased as required when in use. The recognizing module  14  is a computer equipped with an image capturing adapter card to execute two or more calculation methods to recognize the dot on the dice  15  based on the captured image information S 1 , S 2  and S 3 . 
     Refer to  FIGS. 3A through 4  for the process flow and method for recognizing the dot of the dice  15  according to the invention. After the dice  15  is rolled, the light sources  121 ,  122  and  123  project light to the dice  15  for three times (step  201 ), and the hood  10  prevents external light from interfering the projection of the light sources  121 ,  122  and  123 . The capturing module  13  captures images of the dice  15  resulting from the projection of the light sources  121 ,  122  and  123  to generate the image information S 1 , S 2  and S 3  (step  202 ). More specifically, the light source  121  projects light to the dice  15  and the capturing module  13  captures the image of the dice  15  and transmit the image information S 1  to the recognizing module  14 . Next, the light source  122  projects light to the dice  15  and the capturing module  13  captures another image of the dice  15  and transmits the another image information S 2  to the recognizing module  14 . Finally, the light source  123  projects light to the dice  15  and the capturing module  13  captures yet another image of the dice  15  and transmit the yet another image information S 3  to the recognizing module  14 . The recognizing module  14  processes the received image information S 1 , S 2  and S 3  through the calculation methods to do recognition of the dice  15  (step  203 ). Then a recognition result is determined after processing of the calculation methods is finished (step  204 ). 
     In the event that the calculation results show that the dots of the dice  15  are the equal, the results indicate that the captured images of the capturing module  13  are correct, and the recognizing module  14  displays the dots of the dice  15  (step  205 ). If the calculation results show different dots of the dice  15 , problems could occur to the captured images of the capturing module  13 , the recognizing module  14  issues a command to redo rolling of the dice  15  (step  206 ), and the recognition process for the dots of the dice  15  is executed anew. 
     It is to be noted that the number and types of calculation methods stored in the recognizing module  14  are not limited to two as previously discussed. Image recognition of the dice  15  can be performed through varying numbers of calculation methods. This technique is known in the art and can be easily adapted to the process of the recognizing module  14 , thus details are omitted. 
     The method for recognizing dice dots of the invention can be implemented through an application program to control various modules of the apparatus previously discussed. The application program may be stored in a computer accessible recording medium such as a ROM (read only memory), flash memory, floppy diskette, hard disk, optical disk, portable disk, magnetic tape, database accessible through networks, or other storage media of the same function. 
     As a conclusion, the invention provides a hood  10  made from opaque material to prevent the light source module  12  held in the hood  10  from being interfered by the external light. By providing different angle light sources  121 ,  122  and  123 , the capturing module  13  can capture a plurality of images of the dice  15  to generate a plurality of image information S 1 , S 2  and S 3 . Through multiple calculation methods provided by the recognizing module  14  the image information S 1 , S 2  and S 3  are compared and recognized, therefore accuracy of recognizing the dots of the dice  15  improves. In the event that the recognized results are different or the dots of the dice  15  cannot be determined, rolling of the dice  15  is redone to restart recognizing of the dots of the dice  15  to maintain fairness of the game. 
     While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiments of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.