Patent Publication Number: US-8109832-B2

Title: Sic-bo automated dice-cage and method of implementing the same

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates to an automated dice-cage, and more particularly to a Sic-bo automated dice-cage and method of implementing the same. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Sic-bo is an old and very popular Chinese dice game. Players can bet on a wide variety of results with odds ranging from 190 to 1 to even. Three dice are rolled and covered then each player places a bet on a variety of things including: dice sum (4-17), a range of dice sums, a combination of two dice, a pair, a triple, a specific triple or whether the dice sum is big (11-17) or small (4-10). Once bets are placed, the dice are shown and a bank pays out. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , a conventional automated dice-cage comprises a base, a dice container ( 62 ), an image sensor ( 66 ), a rail ( 67 ) and two covers ( 64 ). The dice container ( 62 ) is mounted movably on the base and has a transparent cover, multiple dice disposed movably inside the dice container ( 62 ) and is shaken by a croupier. The image sensor ( 66 ) is mounted on the transparent cover of the dice container ( 62 ) to record dice images and display the images to players. The rail ( 67 ) is formed in the base, adjacent to the dice container ( 62 ). The two covers ( 64 ) are slidably mounted respectively on the rail ( 67 ), are slid along the rail ( 67 ) by the croupier to cover the dice container ( 62 ) before shaking the dice, and slid away from the dice container ( 62 ) after bets have been placed to display the dice images. 
     However dice inside the dice container ( 62 ) are hidden from some viewing angles by the covers ( 64 ) when the covers ( 64 ) are open. Secondly, the dice are shaken inside a covered dice container ( 62 ) players may feel bored of, unexcited by and mistrustful of the dice shaking thereby deterring players from placing low-odds bets. 
     Furthermore, another conventional Sic-bo automated dice-cage has a controller, a dice container, a plunger, a cover and an actuator. The dice container is transparent and has a bottom opening and multiple dice disposed movably inside. The plunger is movably mounted in the dice container through the bottom opening and abuts the dice inside the dice container and is connected to and controlled by the controller to shake the dice. The cover corresponds to and is larger than the dice container, is connected to the controller, is raised by the controller to display the dice inside the dice container to the players and is lowered to cover the dice container before the dice are shaken. The actuator is electronically connected to the controller and is activated by a croupier to signal the controller to lower the cover, to shake dice and to raise the cover. 
     Although the dice in the Sic-bo automated dice-cage are visible from all viewing angles other problems remain. Since, the dice are hidden when betting, the croupier may skip to shake the dice before raising the cover to allow accomplices to place bets on a known outcome. 
     Moreover, players cannot see the dice rolling when using the Sic-bo automated dice-cage and this deters people from placing low-odd bets. 
     The present invention provides a Sic-bo automated dice-cage to obviate or mitigate the shortcomings of the conventional Sic-bo automated dice-cage. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a Sic-bo automated dice-cage and method of shaking dice in the dice-cage to raise enjoyment and prevent a croupier cheating. 
     The Sic-bo automated dice-cage has a control module, a dice module and a switch module. The dice module is connected to the control module and has a base, a dice container, multiple dice, a shaker and a cover. The dice container is pellucid and is mounted on the base. The dice are placed in the dice container. The shaker is mounted movably inside the dice container and is controlled by the control module to shake the dice at a variable frequency. The cover selectively covers the dice container and is controlled by the control module to cover and uncover the dice container. The switch module is electronically connected to the control module and comprises actuator to activate the control module to shake the dice, to cover and uncover the cover. The variable frequency of movement of the shaker may further change according to a position of the cover. 
     Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a first embodiment of a Sic-bo automated dice-cage in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the Sic-bo automated dice-cage in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged view in partial section of the Sic-bo automated dice-cage in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an operational perspective view of the Sic-bo automated dice-cage in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged perspective view of the Sic-bo automated dice-cage in  FIG. 1 , implemented with an optical reader; 
         FIG. 6  is a flow chart of a Sic-bo shaking method in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a conventional automated dice-cage in accordance with the prior art; and 
         FIG. 8  is an operational top view of the automated dice-cage in  FIG. 7 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3  and  5 , a Sic-bo automated dice-cage comprises a control module ( 10 ), a dice module ( 20 ), a switch module ( 30 ) and an optional sensor ( 29 ). 
     The control module ( 10 ) is an electrical module for controlling connected apparatuses. 
     The dice module ( 20 ) is connected to the control module ( 10 ) and has a base ( 21 ), a dice container ( 24 ), a shaker ( 28 ), multiple dice ( 26 ), a frame ( 27 ) and a cover ( 22 ). 
     The base ( 21 ) may be a disc, has a top surface and may be attached to a tabletop. 
     The dice container ( 24 ) is a pellucid container, may be a domed cylinder and has an opening and an inner surface. The opening of the dice container ( 24 ) is mounted on the top surface of the base ( 21 ). 
     The shaker ( 28 ) has a shaft. The shaft has a distal end and a proximal end and may further have a plunger formed on the distal end and mounted slidably against the inner surface of the dice container ( 24 ) or a bar formed on and protruding from the distal end of the shaft being rotated. The proximal end of the shaft is controlled to move under a variable frequency, is movably connected to the control module ( 10 ) and the shaft may rotate or reciprocate. The distal end of the shaker ( 28 ) is mounted through the base ( 21 ) and disposed in the dice container ( 24 ) and is controlled by the control module ( 10 ) to move inside the inner cup ( 24 ) under the variable frequency. 
     The variable frequency is a number of cycles, rotations or the like that the shaker ( 28 ) is moved in a given time. 
     The multiple dice ( 26 ) are mounted in the dice container ( 24 ) and movably mounted adjacent to the distal end of the shaker ( 28 ), are shaken by the shaker ( 28 ) when the shaker ( 28 ) is moving, and may be changeably shaken according to the variable frequency to provide a random result. 
     The frame ( 27 ) comprises at least one rod and is mounted slidably through the base ( 21 ) and is connected to and moved by the control module ( 10 ) and has a mounting end. In a preferred embodiment of the prevent invention, the frame ( 27 ) comprises three parallel rods. 
     The cover ( 22 ) corresponds to and is selectively mounted slidably around the dice container ( 24 ), is opaque, connected to the mounting end of the frame ( 27 ) and has an opening. The cover ( 22 ) selectively covers the dice container ( 24 ) and is raised above the dice container ( 24 ) by the frame ( 27 ) when the control module ( 10 ) changes position of the frame ( 27 ). 
     The switch module ( 30 ) is electronically connected to the control module ( 10 ), is activated to drive the control module ( 10 ) to adjust position of the cover ( 22 ) and to shake the dice ( 26 ), may activate the control module ( 10 ) to shake dice ( 26 ) in a Sic-Bo shaking method, and may have actuators comprising covering the dice container with shaking the dice actuator ( 32 ) and uncovering the cover actuator ( 34 ). 
     The covering the dice container with shaking the dice actuator ( 32 ) may be an electrical push bottom, selectively activates the control module ( 10 ) to gradually move the frame ( 27 ) to cover the dice container ( 24 ) when the shaker ( 28 ) is activated to shake the dice ( 26 ). 
     The uncovering the dice container actuator ( 34 ) may be an electrical push bottom, selectively activates the control module ( 10 ) to move the frame ( 27 ) to uncover the dice module. 
     The sensor ( 29 ) is mounted on the inner surface of the dice container ( 24 ), is electronically connected to the control module ( 10 ) and detects a position of the cover ( 22 ) and transmits the position of the cover ( 22 ) to the control module ( 10 ) to change the variable frequency of the shaker ( 28 ). The sensor ( 29 ) may detect height of the cover ( 22 ) relative to the base ( 21 ), brightness inside the dice container ( 24 ) or the like, may further capture images of the dice ( 26 ) and be an optical distance sensor, a brightness sensor, an image sensor with a brightness sensor or the like. The sensor ( 29 ) transmits the height or brightness to the control module ( 10 ) and the variable frequency may be changed by the control module ( 10 ) by a direct ratio to the height or brightness. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the sensor ( 29 ) is an image sensor with a brightness sensor ( 29 ), the sensor ( 29 ) detects the brightness inside the cover ( 22 ), and the control module ( 10 ) to change the variable frequency of the shaker ( 28 ) in direct ratio to the brightness. Therefore, as the cover ( 22 ) covers the dice container ( 24 ), the frequency of the shaker ( 28 ) slows down. 
     With further reference to  FIG. 4 , the base ( 21 ) and the switch module ( 30 ) may be mounted on a croupier table. A croupier activates the shaking process by pressing the shaking process actuator ( 32 ) thereby activating the control module ( 10 ) to activate the shaker ( 28 ) and the shaker ( 28 ) shakes the dice ( 26 ) at the variable frequency, then the control module ( 10 ) activates the frame ( 27 ) and the cover ( 22 ) moves to gradually cover the dice container ( 24 ). As the dice container ( 24 ) is covered, the variable frequency of the shaker may decrease and slow down movement of the dice ( 26 ). When the cover ( 22 ) completely covers the dice container ( 24 ), the variable frequency of the shaker ( 28 ) slows to a stop and the dice also stop. All players seated around the croupier table can see the rolling dice slow down and once the dice ( 26 ) are completely covered may bet on the Sic-bo game. Then the frame ( 27 ) is activated by the control module ( 10 ) to move the cover ( 22 ) and reveal the dice ( 26 ) to all players. Because the players see the dice ( 26 ) moving they may be enticed to bet more money on riskier bets, especially when they see the dice ( 26 ) slowing down and may see a certain number combination face up. 
     With reference to  FIG. 6 , the Sic-bo shaking method comprises steps of obtaining a Sic-bo automated dice cage ( 70 ), resetting ( 71 ), covering the dice ( 72 ), shaking and covering ( 73 ), determining complete coverage ( 74 ), stopping shaking and opening betting ( 75 ) and uncovering the dice ( 76 ). 
     In the step of resetting ( 71 ), the control module ( 10 ) moves the cover ( 22 ) to a highest position. 
     In the step of covering the dice ( 72 ), the control module ( 10 ) is activated to gradually move the cover ( 22 ) to cover the dice container ( 24 ). 
     In the step of shaking and covering ( 73 ), the control module ( 10 ) moves the shaker ( 28 ) in a variable frequency to shake the dice inside the dice container ( 24 ) at a changeable speed while moving the cover ( 22 ) over the dice container ( 24 ). The variable frequency corresponds to the position of the cover ( 72 ) and may be changed by the control module ( 10 ) by a direct ratio to the height or brightness. 
     In the step of determining complete coverage ( 74 ), the control module ( 10 ) determines whether the cover ( 22 ) has covered the dice container ( 24 ) completely by receiving transmission from the sensor ( 29 ). If the cover ( 22 ) does not completely cover the dice container ( 24 ), then the step of shaking and covering ( 73 ) is repeated, if the cover ( 22 ) completely covers the dice container ( 24 ), the step of stopping shaking and opening betting ( 75 ) is activated. 
     In the step of stopping shaking and opening betting ( 75 ), the control module ( 10 ) stops shaking the dice ( 26 ) and players are allowed to bet on the dice ( 26 ). 
     In the step of uncovering the dice ( 76 ), the control module ( 10 ) uncovers the dice ( 26 ) for players and a bank may pay out. 
     Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.