Patent Publication Number: US-2010120512-A1

Title: Rfid shuffler system for game pieces

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a device for a game in which game pieces are randomly shuffled by randomly activating a radio frequency identification tag (RFID) associated with the game piece or activating a game device receiving a game piece. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Conventional card shuffling devices are known. U.S. Pat. No. 6,299,167 describes a playing card shuffler for shuffling a stack of playing cards with random distribution. An infeed playing card stack holder supports an unshuffled playing card stack and discharges playing cards from incremental positions of the unshuffled playing card stack to a shuffled card receiver. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,889,979 disclose a card shuffler with a drivable shuffling storage means which is provided with compartments for receiving cards and which is associated with an input apparatus for inserting cards into the compartments one by one and an output storage means which is spaced from the same for the shuffled cards, with the drive of the shuffling storage means, the input apparatus and the output storage means being controlled by an electronic control system. The card shuffler is capable of continually displaying the number of playing cards situated in the card shuffler and thus of providing the operator with the opportunity to have at all times certainty about the complete number of playing cards by an input apparatus being provided with a draw-in zone whose height corresponds substantially to the thickness of a card and a first detection means and a second detection means is provided which detects the cards inserted into and removed from the shuffling storage means. 
     It is desirable to provide a simple device for randomly shuffling game pieces or cards. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a RFID shuffler system in which a radio frequency identification (RFID) is associated with each game piece. The game pieces can be, for example, revealer devices, cards, and dice or Mah Jongg tiles. A random number generator selects an identification value and sends an activation signal to the RFID tag of the game piece matching the identification value. For example, a RFID reader can read the RFID tag including the selected identification value. After the activation signal is received at the RFID tag of the game piece, the game piece can be activated, for example, by having activation of an associated light or activation of a vibration or sound. In one embodiment, the game pieces can be held in a housing moved by a mechanical arm to appear to be shuffling the game pieces. Alternatively, a housing or game board can activate received game pieces for selection of the game pieces. 
     The invention will be more fully described by reference to the following drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a RFID shuffler system in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a RFID shuffler system in an alternate embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of a RFID shuffler system in an alternate embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of a game piece of a revealer device in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of the revealer device upon movement of movable doors in a horizontal direction. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram of the revealer device upon movement of movable doors in a vertical direction. 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram of a rear of the revealer device. 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic diagram of an alternate embodiment of the revealer device upon movement of movable doors in a horizontal direction. 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram of an alternate embodiment of the revealer device upon movement of movable doors in a vertical direction. 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic diagram of a rear of the revealer device shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 11  is a schematic diagram of an alternate embodiment of a revealer device. 
         FIG. 12A  is a schematic diagram of an alternate embodiment of a revealer device. 
         FIG. 12B  is a schematic diagram of a game piece which can be used with the revealer device of  FIG. 12A . 
         FIG. 12C  is a schematic diagram of the revealer device and game piece during play. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in greater detail to a preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts. 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a RFID shuffler system  100  for game pieces in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. Game pieces  14   a - 14   n  can be, for example, cards, dice, Mah Jongg tiles, or revealer devices. Any number of game pieces can be used in RFID shuffler system  100  as is appropriate for a particular game. Game pieces  14   a - 14   n  include associated radio frequency identification (RFID) tag  114 . Game pieces  14   a - 14   n  can be held in container  111  or alternately can be placed directly on a gaming surface. RFID tag  114  can be attached to or integral with game pieces  14   a - 14   n.    
     RFID tag  114  can be an active or passive tag or other types of sensors and reader for providing identification of a game piece. Game piece activation device  116  can be coupled to or integral with game piece  14   a - 14   n . Game piece activation device  116  can be a visual or audio activation device for alerting a player when a particular game piece  14   a - 14   n  has been selected. For example, game piece activation device  116  can include light, vibration, or sound activation. Alternatively, game piece activation device  116  can be a mechanical arm  109  activated by motor  110  for lifting a selected game piece  14   a - 14   n  from housing  102 . 
     Gaming module  118  activates random number generation device  120  to select one or more game pieces for a particular game. Random number generation device  120  randomly selects one or more numbers or characters associated with one REID tag  114 . Upon selection of RFID tag  114 , random number generation device  120  sends activation signal  122  to the selected RFID tag  114  or game piece activation device  116 . Thereafter, game piece activation device  116  is activated to provide a visual or audio signal indicating that the game piece  14   a - 14   n  has been selected. In one embodiment, for example, game piece  14   g  is selected by random number generation device  120  and game piece activation device  116  associated with game piece  14   g  is activated. 
     In one embodiment, mechanical arm  124  is activated by motor  126  to move game pieces  14   a - 14   n  within container  111 . Movement of mechanical arm  124  provides shuffling of game pieces  14   a - 14   n  within container  111 . 
     After game piece  14   a - 14   n  is selected by random number generation device  120 , gaming module  118  activates spot  130  on gaming table  135  to indicate where the selected game piece should be placed by the dealer. Game spot  130  can be activated by game piece placement activation device  132 . Game piece placement activation device  132  can be a visual or audio activation device for alerting a player where a selected game piece  14   a - 14   n  should be placed on gaming table  135 . For example, game piece placement activation device  132  can include light, vibration, or sound activation. For example, a light can be shone on the selected game piece  14   a - 14   n  or the game piece activation device  308  can include a light source. 
     In one embodiment, selected RFID tag  114  sends information of the selected game piece to game module  118 . Thereafter, when a game piece  14  is placed in game spot  130 , game piece placement activation device  132  sends information to gaming module  118  to verify that selected game piece  14   a - 14   n  is put in correct spot  130 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an alternate embodiment of a shuffler system for game pieces  200  in which housing  202  receives game pieces  14   a - 14   n . For example, housing  202  can be tray  201  including lips  203 . One or more sensors  204  within or adjacent housing  202  are used for sensing game pieces  14   a - 14   n . One of one or more sensor  204  can be activated by gaming module  205 . In one embodiment, gaming module  205  can include a random number generator  206  for randomly selecting one of sensors  204 . When sensor  204  is selected game piece  14   a - 14   n  adjacent the sensor is selected. In one embodiment, gaming module  205  can include wireless signaling means for sending signal  207  to activate the sensor  204  selected by random number generator  206 . In one embodiment, sensor  204  can be a RFID tag. Game piece activation device  208  can be associated or integral with sensor  204 . Game piece activation device  208  can be a visual or audio activation device for alerting a player when a particular game piece  14   a - 14   n  has been selected. For example, game piece activation device  208  can include light, vibration, or sound activation. Alternatively, game piece activation device  208  can be a mechanical arm  109  for lifting a selected game piece  14   a - 14   n  from housing  202 . 
     In an alternate embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , housing  300  includes slots  310  for receiving game pieces  14   a - 14   n . The number of slots  310  can be selected to be the number of game pieces  14   a - 14   n  used in the game. Gaming module  305  activates one of slots  310 . In one embodiment, gaming module  305  can include a random number generator  306  for randomly selecting one of slots  310 . In one embodiment, gaming module  305  can include wireless signaling means for sending signal  307  to activate the slot selected by random number generator  306 . Game activation device  308  is associated with each of slots  310 . Game activation device  308  can be a visual or audio activation device for alerting a player when a particular game piece  14   a - 14   n  has been selected. For example, game activation device  308  can include light, vibration, or sound activation. 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of a game piece comprising revealer device  10  for gradually revealing values of a game piece in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. A revealer device is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/190,294, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated into this application. Housing  12  includes slot  13  for receiving game piece  14 . Housing  12  can have a thickness which is slightly thicker than game piece  12 . For example, housing  12  can have a thickness in the range of about 0.05 inches to about 0.25 inches. In one embodiment, one or more conventional decks of 52 cards can be used as game pieces. In an alternate embodiment, an Ace is used in addition to the numeric cards  2  through  10 . In an alternate embodiment, only numeric cards  2  through  10  are used as game pieces. In an alternate embodiment, Mah Jongg tiles can be used as game pieces. A number of Mah Jongg tiles are dealt to a player. Each of the Mah Jongg tiles is assigned the same point value as the values on the face of the Mah Jongg tiles. 
     Housing  12  can have a shape matching game piece  14 . For example, housing  12  can be rectangular, square, round or oval. Alternatively, housing  12  can have a shape which is different from game piece  14 . Housing  12  can include opaque corners  16   a  and  16   b . Opaque corners  16   a  and  16   b  are used to cover respective corners  15   a  and  15   b  of game piece  14 , such as a conventional card. Corners  15   a  and  15   b  of game piece  14  typically include a representation of the value of the card  17  and a representation of a suit  18 . 
     For example, game pieces  14  can be a conventional deck of cards or ten cards or subset thereof, such as an ace, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine or ten. Each game piece  14  can have a representative of a suit  18  located in one or more of outer columns  19   a ,  19   c  or inner column  19   b  of game piece  14 . Alternatively, game piece  14  can include other types of markings located in one or more outer columns  19   a - 19   c  or inner column  19   b.    
     Housing  12  includes opaque center section  21 . Opaque center section  21  covers center section  22  of game piece  14  for covering all representatives of a suit  18  of game piece  14 . Opaque center section  21  can include a pair of movable doors  24   a ,  24   b . Movable doors  24   a ,  24   b  can be retained within tracks  25   a  and  25   b . For example, the distance between track  25   a  and track  25   b  has a length L 1  which is the same as the length L 2  of opaque center section  21 . 
     Protrusion  26  can extend from movable doors  24   a ,  24   b . Protrusion  26  can be pressed against by a user&#39;s finger for moving movable doors  24   a ,  24   b  towards one another in a lateral direction of arrows A 1  and A 2 . Upon moving of movable doors  24   a ,  24   b  toward one another, one of movable doors  24   a ,  24   b  can slide under the other one of movable doors  24   a ,  24   b  and outer columns  19   a  and  19   c  of game piece  14  are revealed, as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     Housing  12  includes pins  27   a ,  27   b  adjacent top portion  28  of movable doors  24   a ,  24   b  and pins  29   a ,  29   b  adjacent bottom portion  30  of movable doors  24   a ,  24   b . Pins  27   a ,  27   b  are received in slot  31  of housing  12 . Pins  29   a ,  29   b  are received in slot  32  of housing  12 . Pins  27   a ,  27   b  and pins  29   a ,  29   b  retain movable doors  24   a ,  24   b  in the closed position. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , during playing of a game, upon movement of movable doors  24   a ,  24   b  toward one another in the lateral direction, pins  27   a ,  27   b  and pins  29   a ,  29   b  are released from respective slots  31  and  32  to allow movable doors  24   a ,  24   b  to slide in a vertical direction of arrow A 3  for gradually revealing representatives of a suit  18  located in inner column  19   b  of game piece  14 . Movable doors  24   a ,  24   b  can slide vertically within track  35  positioned at bottom  34  of housing  12 . Stops  340   a ,  340   b  are positioned at top portion of movable doors  24   a ,  24   b . Upon movement of movable doors  24   a ,  24   b  in the vertical direction to bottom  34  of housing  12 , stops  340   a ,  340   b  contact edge  36   a ,  36   b  of track  35  to prevent movable doors  24   a ,  24   b  from being removed from housing  12 . 
     In one embodiment, a pair of game pieces  14  having the same value can be received in slot  13 . Game pieces  14  are placed back to back to show representatives of a suit  18  on either side of revealer device  10 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . Rear housing  37  is transparent for showing the value of the one of game pieces  18  through rear housing  37 . Accordingly, if a player does not want to gradually reveal game piece  14 , the user can flip over revealer device  10  for revealing game piece  14 . 
     In an alternate embodiment, representative of a suit  18  or markings related to game piece  14  are marked on inner housing  38 . For example, representatives of a suit  18  can be imprinted or stamped on inner housing  38  in columns  39   a - 39   c , as shown in  FIGS. 8-9 . In this embodiment, game piece  14  is not received in housing  12 . Upon moving of movable doors  24   a ,  24   b  toward one another, one of movable doors  24   a ,  24   b  slides under the other one of movable doors  24   a ,  24   b  and outer columns  39   a - 39   c  of inner housing  38  are revealed as shown in  FIG. 8 . Movable doors  24   a ,  24   b  can slide vertically within track  35  positioned at bottom  34  of housing  12  for gradually revealing representatives of a suit  18  located in inner column  39   b  of inner housing  38  as shown in  FIG. 10 . The same representatives of a suit  18  which are coupled to inner housing  38  can be coupled to rear housing  37  as shown in  FIG. 11 . In an alternate embodiment, revealed device includes representative of a suit  18  integral with rear housing  37 . 
     In an alternate embodiment, revealer device  40  can be used with game pieces  14  as shown in  FIG. 11 . For example, game pieces  14  can be cards  2  through  10  and an Ace. During playing of a game, game piece  14  slides into or is placed under revealer device  40 . For example, a dealer can slide game piece  14  into revealer device  40  or place game piece  14  under revealer device  40 . 
     Revealer device  40  can include one or more of opaque portions  45   a - 1  positioned relative to columns  19   a - 19   c  to cover the representation of a suit or markings of game piece  18 . Referring to  FIG. 11 , opaque portions  45   a - 1  can be individually rotated or slid to reveal transparent portions  46   a - 1  positioned respectively directed beneath opaque portions  45   a - 1 . Upon revealing of each transparent portion  46 , the corresponding representative of a suit  18  or marking underneath each transparent portion  46  is shown. The number of opaque portions  45   a - 1  corresponds to the highest number of representative of a suit  18  or markings on the game piece. For example, there can be ten opaque portions  45  to cover ten representative markings of a suit on a game piece having a value of ten. In one embodiment, revealer device  40  can be formed of plastic including opaque plastic discs to form opaque portions  45  which are hinged to transparent plastic portions to form transparent portions  46 . 
     The selection of the order for revealing opaque portions  45   a - 1  can be selected by the player or can be a predetermined order. For example, during play, if opaque portion  45   a  is selected, revealing of transparent portion  46   a  shows whether or not a representative of a suit  18  is shown in column  19   a  underneath transparent portion  46   a  at upper portion  47  of game piece  14 . 
     In an alternate embodiment, revealer device  50  comprises circular housing  52  as shown in  FIG. 12A . Circular housing  52  includes slot  53 . Slot  53  extends radially from edge  51  to center  54  of circular housing  52 . Circular game piece  55  comprises circular body  56 , as shown in  FIG. 12B . Values  57  are formed on circular game piece  55 . Circular game piece  55  includes slot  58 . Slot  58  extends radially from edge  59  to center  60  of circular game piece  55 . During playing, slot  53  of circular housing  52  is received in slot  58  of circular game piece  55  such that circular housing  52  covers circular game piece  55 . Circular housing  52  is rotated to gradually uncover values  57  of circular game piece  55 , as shown in  FIG. 12C . Indentation  61  can be formed in circular housing  52  for receiving a digit or thumb to push against circular housing  52  for rotation of circular housing  52  over circular game piece  55 . 
     For example, circular housing  52  and circular game piece  55  can be formed of plastic, cardboard, laminated cardboard or paper, such as a material used in a conventional card. 
     It is to be understood that the above-described embodiments are illustrative of only a few of the many possible specific embodiments, which can represent applications of the principles of the invention. Numerous and varied other arrangements can be readily devised in accordance with these principles by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.