Television – Special applications – Observation of or from a specific location
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-19
2001-11-06
Britton, Howard (Department: 2713)
Television
Special applications
Observation of or from a specific location
C348S151000, C348S159000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06313871
ABSTRACT:
NOTICE OF COPYRIGHTS AND TRADE DRESS
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document may contain material, which is subject to copyright protection. This patent document may show and/or describe matter, which is or may become trade dress of the owner. The copyright and trade dress owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by any one of the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright and trade dress rights whatsoever.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to casino monitoring systems and, more particularly, to image capture devices for collecting information relating to activities on casino gaming tables.
2. Description of Related Art
Casinos typically use video cameras for asset protection and dispute resolution. Traditionally video cameras are mounted on or near the ceiling. Two types of video cameras commonly used are Pan-Tilt-Zoom video cameras (PTZs) and fixed video cameras. PTZs usually cover multiple gaming tables, due to their high cost. Fixed video cameras are usually installed near the ceiling over each table as backup to the PTZs.
Due to the steep angle of the fixed video cameras, the bets on gaming tables are covered poorly. If a casino installs the fixed video cameras at a flatter angle to the table, to get a better view of the bets, interference with people walking in front of the video camera can be high. In addition, the resolution of video cameras and monitors commonly used today is generally not high enough to accurately recognize all of the bets on a table, when the entire table is in view.
With the zooming capability of PTZs, it is possible to accurately recognize bets on a table, but only a small area can typically be covered, leaving other areas unprotected.
A need exists in the prior art for a system that can allow a casino to efficiently and accurately view and record the bets on a table to aid with asset protection and dispute resolution.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for collecting video information relating to gaming activities includes a gaming table having an upper surface, a lower surface and a perimeter surrounding the upper surface of the gaming table, the upper surface lies in a plane which is substantially parallel to a support surface upon which the gaming table rests. When a plurality of lines are defined along the perimeter of the gaming table, each of the plurality of lines being defined to extend normally to the upper surface and to intersect the perimeter at a different point along the perimeter, the plurality of lines defines a surrounding wall of a volume of space above the upper surface, wherein the volume of space extends upwardly and normally above the upper surface, and wherein the volume of space is defined within the surrounding wall. The apparatus for collecting video information includes at least one video camera. The at least one video camera is adapted to collect video information pertaining to gaming activities being conducted on the upper surface of the gaming table. The video camera is positioned so that the line-of-sight of the video camera forms an acute angle with the plane of the upper surface.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a sensor is disposed in proximity to the gaming table. The sensor is adapted to sense an occurrence of an event on a surface of the gaming table and to output a change-of-state signal. The video camera or video cameras that are disposed in proximity to the gaming table are configured and positioned to be activated to collect the video information relating to activities on the gaming table, and circuitry is adapted to detect the change-of-state signal from the sensor. The circuitry further is adapted to activate the video camera or video cameras to automatically collect the video information upon the detection by the circuitry of the change-of-state signal from the sensor.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of collecting video information relating to activities on a gaming table includes a step of providing at least one sensor in proximity to the gaming table, the sensor being adapted to sense the occurrence of an event on the surface of the gaming table and to output a change-of-state signal. After the sensor is provided, at least one video camera is provided in proximity to the gaming table, the at least one video camera being configured and positioned to be activated to collect the video information relating to activities on the gaming table. The sensor or sensors output a change-of-state signal in response to the sensor or sensors sensing the occurrence of an event on the surface of the gaming table. A microprocessor
50
detects the change-of-state signal from the at least one sensor. As presently embodied, the microprocessor
50
can comprise a conventional
386
,
486
, Pentium based system, or other processor type. The microprocessor
50
subsequently activates the at least one video camera to automatically collect the video information, upon the detection by the circuit of the change-of-state signal from the at least one sensor.
The present invention, together with additional features and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4531187 (1985-07-01), Uhland
patent: 4813675 (1989-03-01), Greenwood
patent: 5757876 (1998-05-01), Dam et al.
patent: 5781647 (1998-07-01), Fishbine et al.
patent: 5831527 (1998-11-01), Jones, II et al.
Britton Howard
Casino Software & Services
Stout, Uxa, Buyan & Mullins. LLP
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