WO2024184173A1

WO2024184173A1 - Card handling device

Info

Publication number: WO2024184173A1
Application number: PCT/EP2024/055199
Authority: WO
Inventors: Joseph Ralph SOMMA; Florentin GRÖLI
Original assignee: Swiss Shufflers Ag
Current assignee: Swiss Shufflers Ag
Priority date: 2023-03-08
Filing date: 2024-02-29
Publication date: 2024-09-12
Anticipated expiration: 2025-09-08

Abstract

Disclosed is a card handling device (1) for a set of cards, the set of cards including a number of cards, in particular playing cards. The card handling device (1) includes a source receptacle (11) with a proximal source receptacle wall (111p), a distal source receptacle wall (111d) and a source receptacle ground (111g). The card handling device (1) further includes a receiving receptacle (12), wherein the receiving receptacle (12) has a proximal receiving receptacle wall (121p), a distal receiving receptacle wall (121d) and a receiving receptacle ground (121g). The source receptacle (11) and the receiving receptacle (12) extend in each case parallel to a normal axis (N) and are arranged side- by-side along a primary lateral axis (L-1), the primary lateral axis (L-1) being transverse to the normal axis (N). The card handling device further includes a card transfer device (13), the card transfer device (13) being configured for transferring a transfer card (91') from the source receptacle (11) into the receiving receptacle (12). The proximal source receptacle wall (111p) and distal source receptacle wall (111d) are together bidirectional movable parallel to the normal axis (N) with respect to the pusher (131) and the receiving receptacle (12) via a source receptacle moving device (113) of the card handling device (1).

Description

CARD HANDLING DEVICE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to devices and methods for handling, for example shuffling, a set of cards, for example one or more deck(s) of cards used for example, for games of Baccarat, Punto Banco, Blackjack, Bridge, Poker, or Skat. The disclosure relates further to integrity checking devices and integrity checking methods to determine if a set of cards is of the correct composition, for example for a specific card game.

BACKGROUND

When playing card-based games especially in a regulated casino or cardroom, it is crucial that the cards are adequately shuffled, and any accidental or intentional manipulation is excluded. Further, the shuffling should be conducted as quickly and efficiently as possible. To meet these requirements, shuffling devices are known and widely used e.g. in casinos and cardrooms. Shuffling devices according to the state of the art, however, are comparatively large, complex and costly devices that further require frequent routine as well as extraordinary maintenance. Malfunctions of card shuffling devices are highly undesirable since they result in a potentially long and costly interruption of the game. In addition to shuffling, it is often required to bring the cards of a deck into a default order where the cards are generally sorted by suit and rank.

Many Casino card games require different sizes of sets of cards. There are games for which a number of decks of cards are used, for example a number of decks of cards used in the game of Baccarat, that need to be shuffled together as a single set. Such type of shuffling is throughout this document referred to as multi-deck shuffling. In a typical example, a set of cards with the cards of ten individual decks need to be shuffled, with each individual deck consisting of 48 to 56 playing cards, resulting in a total number of 480 to 560 cards to be in particular shuffled. Suited existing shuffling devices are very large and expensive. Therefore, the option for placing respectively installing the device e.g. in relation to a game table are significantly restricted and the total cost of ownership may be too high.

It is the objective of the present disclosure to improve the state of the art regarding handling, in particular shuffling, of cards for example one or multiple decks of cards used in the game of Blackjack or the game of Baccarat. Favorably, one or more of the beforementioned drawbacks of the prior art are prevented at least in part. Particular advantages of different embodiments or design features are mentioned and explained in their respective context as appropriate. While there is in principle no limitation regarding the number of cards and, e.g., shuffling a single deck of cards used in the game of Poker is well possible based on the present disclosure, it is particularly favorable for larger sets of cards, for example a number of decks of cards used in the game of Baccarat. It is noted that reference is throughout this document mainly made to the game of Baccarat as a typical application for the sake of conciseness. The use in the context of further card-based games such as Blackjack, as well as non-gaming applications is equally possible.

SUMMARY OF DISCLOSURE

In a general manner, the overall objective is achieved by the subject of the independent claims, with the dependent claims, the description and the drawings defining exemplary and/or favorable particular embodiments.

In an aspect, the present disclosure concerns a card handling device for handling a set of cards, the set of cards with a number of cards, in particular playing cards. The cards each have a proximal card front and a distal card front, the proximal and the distal card front being parallel to each other and spaced apart with respect to each other by a card thickness. The cards each further have a circumferential card edging, the circumferential card edging extending between and connecting the proximal and the distal card front of the respective card.

Typically, and assumed in the following, the cards, respectively the proximal and distal card front are generally rectangular having two long card sides and two short card sides that define the lateral card dimensions. Therefore, also the circumferential card edging has two long sides and two short sides. In deviation from an ideal rectangular, however, the edges are typically rounded. As playing cards, the cards are typically made from heavy paper, plastic, card stock, thin cardboard, plastic coated paper, or a cotton-paper blend. They are in principle stiff, but somewhat flexible, in particular bendable. In this regard it is noted that any bending or general deformation of cards that may occur during handling of the cards, in particular shuffling, by the card handling device as discussed further below is in any case in the elastic range. In this way, marking, in particular kinking, of cards is prevented, which is of utmost importance.

For playing cards, the long card sides may have a length in a typical range of 87mm to 92mm, and the short card sides may have a length in a typical range of 57mm to 65mm. By way of example, the cards of a deck may have dimensions of 87.5mm x 57mm up to 90.9mm x 65mm for poker cards, or approximate dimensions of 88.9mm x 57.1 mm for bridge cards. The card thickness, corresponding to a distance between the proximal card front and the distal card front, may, e.g., be in a range of 0.24mm to 0.34mm for a single Poker card and 0.26mm to 0.34mm for a single Bridge card, resulting in a thickness of 12.48 to 17.68mm for a deck of 52 Poker cards and 13.52mm to 17.68mm for a deck of 52 Bridge cards. The weight may, e.g. be in a range of 1.4g to 2.8g for a single poker card and 1 ,8g to 2.48 g for a single bridge card, resulting in a weight of 72.8g to 144.56g for a deck of 52 poker cards or 93.6g to 128.96g for a deck of 52 bridge cards.

The expression "set of cards" refers to a compilation of a number of cards. The set of cards may be a deck as generally known and comprises, e.g., 52 cards for the game of Poker or Bridge (respectively 53 or 54 with jokers), 32 cards for the game of Skat, or the like. The set of cards, however, may be - and in the context of the present disclosure typically is - a combination of for example two or more decks, for example ten decks, of for example 48 to 56 cards each. Within normal tolerances, it is assumed that the card dimensions and thickness, as well as characteristic properties, in particular bending characteristics, are identical for all cards of the set of cards. Within a deck of cards, each card generally has a well-defined card position. Each card can accordingly be identified by an identification number, for example from 1 to 52 for a deck of Poker or Bridge cards. The set of cards accordingly be regarded as stack of cards.

In the typical case of the cards being playing cards, either of the proximal front or distal front of each card is a backside of uniform respectively identical appearance, while the other front is a face side that is distinguishable within a deck of cards, e.g. by suit and rank. The card handling device, however, may in principle also be used for sets of cards that are not playing cards. By way of example, the cards of the set may each comprise an identifier for a particular run of a scientific experiment. In the following, however, the cards are generally assumed as being playing cards for exemplary and illustrative purposes.

As discussed further below in more detail, the card order of the receiving subset may in particular be a random card order. The process of bringing a set of cards, in particular one or more decks of cards, into a random card order is generally known as "shuffling". The card handling device may accordingly be or be operated as a shuffling device. Alternatively or additionally, the card handling device may, however, also be operated in a different manner, for example as integrity checking device as discussed further below in more detail.

The card handling device includes a source receptacle. The source receptacle has a proximal source receptacle wall, a distal source receptacle wall and a source receptacle ground. The proximal source receptacle wall, the distal source receptacle wall and the source receptacle ground delimit, in combination, an inner room of the source receptacle, also referred to as source receptacle room. The card handling device further includes a receiving receptacle. The receiving receptacle has a proximal receiving receptacle wall, a distal receiving receptacle wall and a receiving receptacle ground. The proximal receiving receptacle wall, the distal receiving receptacle wall and the receiving receptacle ground delimit, in combination, an inner room of the receiving receptacle, also referred to as receiving receptacle room.

The proximal source receptacle wall, the distal source receptacle wall, the proximal receiving receptacle wall and the distal receiving receptacle wall extend in each case transverse to a normal axis. Further, the source receptacle and the receiving receptacle are arranged in a side-by-side arrangement and spaced apart with respect to a primary lateral axis. The primary lateral axis is transverse to the normal axis.

The normal axis defines a proximal direction and a thereto opposite distal direction. The primary lateral axis defines a first lateral direction and a thereto opposite second lateral direction. The direction in which the receiving receptacle is offset with respect to the source receptacle is the first lateral direction. Further, a secondary lateral axis extends transverse to the normal axis and the primary lateral axis, defining a third lateral direction and a thereto opposite fourth lateral direction. In an operational configuration of the card handling device, the second lateral axis extends generally vertically, and the fourth lateral direction is aligned with the direction of gravity. The normal axis and the primary lateral axis lay, in an operational configuration, in a horizontal respectively levelled plane. The normal axis, the primary lateral axis and the secondary lateral axis may, in combination define a Cartesian coordinate system.

Any reference, to a movement, offset, displacement or the like "parallel to the normal axis" is be understood as a pointing into the in the proximal or distal direction. Similarly, "parallel to the primary lateral axis" is to be understood as pointing into the first lateral direction or the second lateral direction, and "parallel to the secondary lateral axis" is to be understood as pointing into the third or fourth lateral direction.

The receptacle walls extending transverse to the normal axis as mentioned implies that the receptacle walls are in each case generally parallel to each other. The receptacle walls extending transverse to the normal axis respectively parallel to each other specifically refers to their inner surfaces, i.e. an inner surface of the proximal source receptacle wall and a thereto opposite inner surface of the distal source receptacle wall, as well as an inner surface of the proximal receiving receptacle wall and a thereto opposite distal receiving receptacle wall. In a typical design, the receptacle walls are in each case generally plate-shaped, which, however is not decisive. In a viewing direction parallel to the primary lateral axis, the source receptacle and the receiving receptacle, specifically the inner room of the source receptacle and the receiving receptacle, are in each case typically generally U-shaped. The basis of the "U" is formed by the respective receptacle ground and the legs are formed by the respective proximal and distal receptacle wall. It is noted that a normal vector pointing from an inner proximal receptacle wall into the inner room of the receptacle points in distal direction. Similarly, a normal vector pointing from an inner distal receptacle wall into the inner room of the receptacle points in proximal direction. The source receptacle is configured to accommodate a source subset from the set of cards with the circumferential card edging of each card of the source subset resting on the source receptacle ground and the proximal and distal card front extending transverse to the normal axis. Similarly, the receiving receptacle is configured to accommodate a receiving subset from the set of cards with the circumferential card edging of each card of the receiving subset resting on the receiving receptacle ground and the proximal and distal card front extending transverse to the normal axis. Specifically, the cards of the source subset are accommodated in the source receptacle room and the cards of the receiving subset are accommodated in the receiving receptacle room.

As discussed further below in more detail, a source receptacle clearance as distance between the proximal and distal source receptacle wall respectively their opposed inner surfaces is generally variable. The same holds true for the receiving receptacle. The elements forming the source receptacle ground and the receiving receptacle ground are in each case dimensioned for a maximum clearance. Only the portion between the respective source receptacle wall and distal source receptacle wall is used for supporting cards resting thereon.

The cards of the source respectively receiving subset are accommodated in the source respectively receiving receptacle in each case with the proximal card front of a most proximal card facing and typically contact the proximal source respectively receiving receptacle wall. Similarly, the distal card front of a most distal card faces and typically contacts the distal source respectively receiving receptacle wall. The most proximal and most distal card of the source subset and receiving subset are referred to as outermost cards of the respective subset.

It is noted that a card being accommodated in the source receptacle respectively receiving receptacle are to be understood as being accommodated in the receptacle room of the respective receptacle. Therefore, the transfer of a card, in particular a transfer card, from the source receptacle into the receiving receptacle is transferred from the source receptacle room into the receiving receptacle room.

As discussed further below in more detail, in operation, cards are typically transferred from the source receptacle respectively source receptacle room into the receiving receptacle respectively receiving receptacle room in a successive manner respectively one after the other in a card handling procedure. At the beginning of a card handling procedure, for example a shuffling procedure, all cards of the set of cards belong to the source subset, while no cards belong to the receiving subset. Upon completion of the card handling procedure, all cards of the set of cards belong to the receiving subset, while no cards belong to the source subset.

Generally, the cards of the source subset respectively receiving subset are in each case accommodated in the respective receptacle as a compact stack with adjacent cards in each case touching each other. In the interest of stability, the cards are further arranged such that one of the long card sides rests on the source receptacle ground respectively receiving receptacle ground. The side of the card edging that faces a receptacle ground and may rest thereon is also referred to as base section of the card edging.

The orientation of the cards in the source subset and receiving subset is generally identical. While some amount of bending may occur in the process of transferring a card between the receptacles as discussed further below in more detail, the spatial orientation of the cards is not altered in operation, but cards are only moved in a translational manner, in particular parallel to the primary lateral axis. The cards always maintain their orientation with respect to the normal axis. Within the source and receiving receptacle, the cards are generally in each case arranged one after the other, each (with exception of the most proximal card and the most distal card) having a proximal neighbor (also referred to as predecessor card) and a distal neighbor (also referred to as successor card).

The cards of the source subset are accommodated in the source receptacle with the proximal card front of a most proximal card facing the proximal source receptacle wall and the distal card front of a most distal card faces the distal source receptacle wall. Similarly, the cards of the receiving subset are accommodated in the receiving receptacle with the proximal card front of a most proximal card facing the proximal receiving receptacle wall and the distal card front of a most distal card faces the distal receiving receptacle wall.

While other arrangements are in principle possible, it is in the following assumed that the normal axis and a primary lateral axis extend in a horizontal plane, transverse to gravity, while a secondary lateral axis is aligned with respectively parallel to the direction of gravity. The source receptacle ground and the receiving receptacle ground are also horizontal respectively levelled in such configuration.

The proximal and distal receptacle wall of the source receptacle respectively receiving receptacle typically project transversally from the source receptacle ground respectively receiving receptacle ground. For both the source receptacle and the receiving receptacle, the respective proximal and the distal receptacle wall define, together with the respective receptacle ground, a U-shape with the proximal and distal receptacle walls defining the legs and the receptacle ground defining the base of the U-shape. For the before-mentioned typical orientation, the receptacle walls project in each case vertically upwards from the source respectively receiving receptacle ground. The receptacles are generally not closed at all sides. At a top side, the source receptacle and the receiving receptacle are generally open to allow insertion of the set of cards into the source receptacle and removal of the set of cards after shuffling from the receiving receptacle. As explained further below, one or more a doors may however be present to allow or disable access to the receptacles. A separately movable and/or lockable source receptacle door respectively receiving receptacle door may be provided for the source receptacle and the receiving receptacle.

The placing of a set of cards in the source receptacle is also referred to as loading of the set of cards. A removal of the set of cards out of the receiving receptacle is referred to as ejection.

In a typical design, no receptacle side walls are foreseen between the proximal and distal receptacle wall of the source receptacle and receiving receptacle, respectively. However, guide members, e.g. guide walls or guide rails, may be foreseen that extend on either or both of either or both of the source receptacle and extend generally parallel to the normal axis. The distance between guide members on both sides of the source receptacle respectively receiving receptacle generally corresponds to respectively is slightly larger than a long card side, thereby allowing the placement of cards in the receptacles with little play. Such guide members ensure that the cards of the source subset respectively receiving subset are hold respectively retained in their respective receptacle. The guide members are generally fixed to a housing, frame structure or chassis of the card handling device. In particular, guide members may also serve as lateral source receptacle card retainer respectively as lateral receiving receptacle card retainer as discussed further below in more detail. Guide members for the source receptacle are referred to as source receptacle guide members and guide members for the receiving receptacle are referred to as receiving receptacle guide members. Further, the proximal and/or distal receptacle walls as well as receptacle ground of the source receptacle and/or receiving receptacle may be discontinuous and/or have openings, cut-outs, slots, or the like. Also, the proximal and distal receptacle wall do not necessarily have identical dimensions for either or both of the source receptacle and/or receiving receptacle and may further be identical or different for both receptacles.

Other designs for the source receptacle and/or the receiving receptacle, however, are possible as well. An embodiment where the receiving receptacle is generally designed as a container and removable respectively exchangeable or is part of a removable or exchangeable unit is discussed further below.

The card handling device further includes a card transfer device. The card transfer device is configured for transferring a transfer card of the source subset from the source receptacle into the receiving receptacle as most proximal or most distal card the receiving subset. Whether the transfer card is inserted into the receiving subset as most proximal card or most distal card depends on the design of the card handling device. It is noted that each time a card enters the receiving receptacle as transfer card, the previously most proximal card of the receiving subset becomes the second most proximal card of the receiving subset and so forth in embodiments where the transfer card is inserted as most proximal card. Similarly, each time a card enters the receiving receptacle as transfer card, the previously most distal card of the receiving subset becomes the second most distal card of the receiving subset and so forth in embodiments where the transfer card is inserted as most distal card.

The card transfer device includes a pusher and a pusher moving device. The pusher has an extension along the normal axis of less than the card thickness. The pusher is further arranged movable transverse to the normal axis between a retracted pusher configuration and an advanced pusher configuration via the pusher moving device. The pusher does not project into the inner room of the source receptacle respectively into the source receptacle room in the retracted pusher configuration and projects into or through the inner room of the source receptacle respectively into or through the source receptacle room in the advanced pusher configuration. The mentioned movement of the pusher is generally a movement transverse to the normal axis only and does not include a component parallel to the normal axis respectively in the proximal or distal direction.

The movement of the pusher between the retracted and the advanced pusher configuration has a component parallel to the primary lateral axis and may in an embodiment be a linear movement parallel to the primary lateral axis. The pusher is arranged to push the transfer card parallel to the primary lateral axis towards the receiving receptacle.

For pushing the transfer card, the pusher contacts the card edging, in particular a short side of the card edging that faces the pusher respectively points in the fourth lateral direction, away from the receiving receptacle.

In typical embodiments, the pusher is generally plate-shaped, having a proximal and an opposed distal front surface, with the proximal and distal front surface of the pusher extending transverse to the normal axis and accordingly generally parallel to the receptacle walls.

The pusher and the receiving receptacle may be arranged and aligned with respect to each other such that, in a viewing direction parallel to the primary lateral axis respectively in the first lateral direction, the pusher overlaps with or is covered by an opposed side surface of the proximal receiving receptacle wall or alternatively the distal receiving receptacle wall, in particular in proximity to an edge of the inner surface of the proximal source receptacle wall or distal source receptacle wall, respectively. The pusher may in particular be arranged with respect to the inner surface of the proximal or distal receiving receptacle wall with a small offset along the normal axis. In particular, a symmetrical respectively center plane of the pusher that extends parallel to the primary lateral axis in the middle between the proximal and distal front surface of the pusher may be offset with respect to an inner surface of the proximal or distal receiving receptacle wall by a distance in a range of half of the thickness of one card as mentioned before, up to several millimeters. Generally, a small offset is preferable since the offset determines the required deformation, in particular bending, of the transfer card for insertion into the receiving receptacle. On the other hand, a somewhat larger offset is favorable with respect to robustness. In any case, the deformation of the transfer card needs to be safely in the elastic range.

Further in an embodiment, the pusher is arranged such that in a viewing direction parallel to the primary lateral axis respectively in the first lateral direction, an edge of the inner surface of the proximal source receptacle wall or alternatively the distal receiving receptacle wall is covered by the pusher. Such edge extends generally parallel to the secondary lateral axis respectively vertically in an operational configuration.

In an embodiment with a transfer card bending feature as discussed further below, the pusher may be arranged and aligned with the card bending feature such that the transfer card, after being pushed out of the source receptacle by the pusher, contacts the bending feature as discussed below with a side of the card edging, generally a short side of the card edging, that points towards the receiving receptacle.

Further, the card handling device includes a source receptacle moving device. The source receptacle wall moving is configured for bidirectional moving the proximal source receptacle wall and the distal source receptacle wall parallel to the normal axis with respect to the pusher and the receiving receptacle. Combined movement of the proximal and distal source receptacle wall in this manner is in particular used for selecting any one of the cards of the source subset to be transferred into the receiving receptacle as transfer card. In a typical embodiment as generally assumed in the following, the source receptacle moving device is configured for moving the source receptacle as a whole, respectively to move the source receptacle proximal wall, the distal source receptacle wall and source receptacle ground together. Together with the source receptacle, the source subset is moved for this kind of design. In another embodiment, however, the source receptacle moving device is configured for moving the proximal source receptacle wall and the distal source receptacle wall together independent from and relative to the source receptacle ground. For this kind of embodiment, moving the proximal and distal source receptacle wall via the source receptacle moving device will result in the cards of the source subset to slide along the non-moving source receptacle ground. General references to a movement of the source receptacle are therefore understood as a combined movement of the proximal source receptacle wall and the distal source receptacle wall, being it together with or without the source receptacle ground.

The source receptacle moving device may include a gearless drive such as, e.g., a linear motor or a voice coil actuator, but may also include other types of drives, such as a spindle drive. In any case, the source receptacle moving device must allow a moving range of the source receptacle respectively the proximal and distal source receptacle wall corresponding the combined thickness of all cards of the set of cards. Further, the source receptacle moving device must allow positioning with an accuracy that is in any case higher than at least half the thickness of a single card. Further, it favorable for the source receptacle moving device to be as fast as possible since the moving speed is a major factor for overall operation, in particular for the shuffling process. For transferring a card as transfer card from the source receptacle into the receiving receptacle as discussed further below in more detail, the proximal and distal source receptacle wall are displaced parallel to the normal axis such that the pusher is with respect to the normal axis aligned with the transfer card. For displacing the proximal and distal source receptacle wall or the source receptacle as a whole, the pusher is in retracted pusher configuration to allow free movement. Subsequently, the pusher is moved into the advanced pusher configuration, thereby pushing the transfer card along respectively parallel to the primary lateral axis to project at least partly out of the source receptacle towards the receiving receptacle.

The movement distance by which the pusher displaces the transfer card in the first lateral direction when moving from the retracted into the advanced pusher configuration is also referred to as pusher stroke. Since the pusher has an extension along the normal axis of less than the card thickness, it can be ensured that the pusher only contacts the transfer card and does not push or otherwise interfere with thereto adjacent cards.

In an embodiment, the distance by which the pusher is moved by during the pusher stroke is sufficiently large to move the transfer card fully out of the source receptacle and into the receiving receptacle. In such design, however, both the pusher must be comparatively long and a long pusher stroke is required. Specifically, the pusher stroke needs to be somewhat longer than the long card side. In alternative embodiments, the distance by which the transfer card is moved via the pusher stroke is comparatively short. Here, the transfer card is pushed by the pusher into an intermediate position where the transfer card projects out of the source receptacle with a peripheral region while, a major part of the card is still accommodated inside the source receptacle. In such a design, the card transfer device includes further elements as discussed further below for transferring the card from the intermediate position to its final position in the receiving receptacle. When pushing the transfer card into the first lateral direction, an interaction area of the pusher contacts and interacts with the card edging, typically at a short card side. The pusher may be designed to only exert a pushing force onto the transfer card in the first lateral direction and without the card the pusher sliding or generally moving along the card edging. In alternative embodiments, the interaction area of the pusher slides along the card edging when pushing the transfer card in the first lateral direction.

For correct operation, it is essential that the pusher interacts with respectively pushes only the transfer card, but no neighboring cards of the transfer card. Further, the interaction area is favorably centered with the transfer card with respect to the normal and the secondary lateral axis. Given the typical card thickness in a range of some tenth of a millimeter, precise positioning of the proximal and distal source receptacle wall is accordingly required.

It is noted that generally the reference to different drives and/or actuators does not exclude that some drives may be realized integral with each other. The displacement range of the proximal and distal source receptacle wall via the source receptacle moving device corresponds to or is larger than the combined thickness of all cards of the set of cards. In this way, it is ensured that any card of the source subset can be aligned with the pusher.

The card handling device generally includes a control unit that is configured to control and favorably monitor respectively supervise operation of the card handling device. The control unit is typically based on one or more microcontrollers and/or microprocessors that run software and/or firmware code to control all actuators and optionally process sensor feedback. The control unit controls execution of a card transfer procedure, in particular a repeated execution of a card transfer procedure, e.g. in the context of shuffling. The control unit may further include power circuitry for driving the actuators as well as supplementary and auxiliary circuitry, and/or power supply circuitry as generally known in the art. The control unit may have a communication interface, e.g. an USB interface for data exchange with an external computing device, e.g. a laptop. This is useful e.g. for maintenance, fault diagnosis, configuration as well as software authentication.

In an embodiment, the control unit may be configured to communicate with an external device, e.g. the computer system of a casino for security reasons. Such casino computer system may in particular cross check information regarding the game. The casino computer system may request the device to check that the cards as revealed during a game on the game table correspond to the order in which the card shuffler has randomly put them in prior to gameplay.

Generally, visible design features, in particular the design and positioning of the artwork identifying suit and rank of each card as well as the artwork or pattern of the card backsides depends on the brand. Via a camera and/or backside camera as discussed further below, the card handling device may be configured to check the visible design features against the expected type of cards and provide an indication in case of a mismatch. Such mismatch may occur, if cards of different types are accidentally mixed or cards are intentionally exchanged for cheating. Communication may in principle by any suited wired or wireless communication technology and protocol, such as Ethernet, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

The control unit may include or be coupled to a human-machine interface respectively user interface. The human-machine interface may be used to provide commands to the card handing device, in particular power on/off, a starting command, potentially mode switching commands, e.g. for switching between a shuffling, integrity checking or sorting mode, and/or changing into a cleaning mode. The user interface may further output indications, such as status information and information about any exceptional situation that needs to be taken care of, for example a device malfunction, operation statistics or game status.

In an embodiment, the card handling device is configured to execute, in particular repeatedly execute, a card transfer procedure in an autonomous manner. The card transfer procedure may include the steps of:

- displacing the proximal source receptacle wall and the distal source receptacle wall with respect to the pusher parallel to the normal axis such that the pusher is aligned with any of the cards of the source subset as transfer card,

- controlling the card transfer device to transfer the transfer card from the source receptacle into to receiving receptacle, wherein transferring the transfer card from the source receptacle into the receiving receptacle includes moving the pusher from the retracted pusher configuration into the advanced pusher configuration.

As noted before, the displacing the proximal and distal source receptacle respectively be a displacement wall may in an embodiment also include displacing the source receptacle ground respectively be a displacement of the source receptacle wall, the distal source receptacle wall and the source receptacle ground.

The number of repetitions generally corresponds to the total number of cards of the set of cards. As discussed before, the set of cards is in the initial state identical to the source subset and all cards are accordingly accommodated in the source receptacle. One after the other, they are transferred into the receiving receptacle. In the final configuration, the set of cards is identical with the receiving subset. In an embodiment, the card handling device is configured for sequentially transferring all cards of the set of cards from the source receptacle into the receiving receptacle in a random order or generally random order, thereby executing a shuffling procedure.

When operated in this manner, the card handling device is a shuffling device respectively operates as a shuffling device.

When using the card handling device as shuffling device, the card order of the cards when placed in the source receptacle as source subset may either be in a known order (for example a default order where the cards may be sorted by suit and rank) e.g. for fresh and so far unused cards, or may already in a random order. After the shuffling, the card order is in any case a random card order. Often, however, there is in addition a number of specially distinguished cards, in particular cut cards. Cut-cards shall be arranged in the shuffled set of cards at pre-determined or random positions. Typically, up to three cut cards are foreseen. With respect to the set of cards after shuffling, a cut card may be pre-determined as an outermost card, i.e. the first or the last card respectively the most proximal or most distal card. Further, one or more cut cards may be arranged randomly or in equal intervals in the set of cards. A cut card is a typically uniform card of the same size as the other cards, in particular playing cards, that, however, does not carry a suit and rank and has generally simple plain card fronts. Also, the cut card may be colored. As outermost card, a cut card is used to prevent that anyone may identify an outermost card for which relevant information, in particular suit and/or rank or at least a part thereof, may otherwise be visible. Cut cards within the set of cards are placed to facilitate operations for the certain game in play.

In an embodiment, the card handling device is configured for handling cut cards. In particular, the set of cards that is placed in the source receptacle as source subset and may include a number of cut cards at pre-determined positions, typically as the most proximal cards or most distal cards.

The card handling device, in particular when being a shuffling device respectively operated as shuffling device, may handle the cut cards as follows: When transferring the cards one after the other from the source receptacle into the receiving receptacle, the cut cards may, in contrast to all other cards, not be included in a random order for transferring the cards as discussed further below in the context of shuffling, but may be transferred as cards of pre-determined number. A cut card that shall be an outermost card in the set of cards subsequent to shuffling, may, in dependence of its placement as most proximal respectively most distal card in the source subset prior to shuffling and in dependence of the device design, be transferred as first or as last card. Cut cards that shall divide the set of cards after shuffling into blocks of with equal numbers of cards may be transferred according to the total number of cards and the number of cards per block. By way of example, if two cut cards shall be used to divide the set of cards subsequent to shuffling into three blocks with an in each case equal number of cards, a cut card may be transferred after transferring a first third of the cards and another cut card may be transferred after transferring of two thirds of the cards. Cut cards that shall be inserted in random order may be dealt with like any other card. Further embodiments where the card handling device includes an initial card order determination device as discussed further below, cut cards may be arranged in the source sub set at generally arbitrary positions.

The expression "generally random order" accordingly refers to a random order for all cards with the exception of cut cards, respectively a random order for all cards that are playing cards and show suit and rank. As mentioned above, a card handing device in accordance with the present disclosure is particularly suited for handling sets of cards with a large number of cards in an efficient manner. In addition to handling, in particular shuffling cards, for games such as Baccarat that require a large number of cards, a card handling device in accordance with the present disclosure may be used for shuffling a number of generally smaller decks in an efficient manner. Furth this purpose, the cards of a number of decks, e.g. ten decks, with each deck of card having e.g. 48 cards, 52 cards or 56 cards, may in an embodiment be loaded into the source subset such that the cards of each deck are arranged one after the other. The card handling device may transfer the cards from the source subset into the receiving subset such that order of the decks is maintained, while the cards within reach deck are shuffled. Specifically, cards belonging to the first deck and forming the, e.g., most proximal 48 cards, 52 cards or 56 cards, or - alternatively - the most distal 48 cards, 52 cards or 56 cards, may be transferred from the source receptacle into the receiving receptacle first in a random respectively shuffled manner. Next, the cards belonging to the second deck and forming originally the next 48 cards, 52 cards or 56 cards (and becoming the most proximal respectively most distal 48, 52, or 56 cards after the transferring the cards of the first deck is compete) may be transferred from the source receptacle into the receiving receptacle first in a random respectively shuffled manner. In this way, the decks will be shuffled one after the other, but the decks will not be mixed. Obviously, cut cards between the decks can be taken into account in a straight-forward manner in order to maintain separation of the individual decks. Such shuffling where a number of decks is as such maintained and the shuffling is only within the decks may be referred to as deck-wise shuffling.

In some embodiments of a card handling that allows deck wise shuffling, it is necessary to load the cards into the source receptacle with the cards of each deck one after the other. In embodiments as discussed further bellow and that can execute an initial card order determination procedure respectively are configured to determine the initial card order of the cards in the source receptacle, the card handling device may be configured to arrange the cards deck-wise in the receiving receptacle, independent of their order in the source receptacle, respectively if they are loaded into the source receptacle in an intermixed manner.

In an embodiment, a movement of the pusher between the retracted pusher configuration and the advanced pusher configuration is a linear displacement movement parallel to the primary lateral axis. For this type of embodiment, the pusher only exerts a pushing force onto the transfer card in the first lateral direction and without relative movement between the card edging and the pusher as mentioned before.

The pusher moving device generally includes one or more actuators such as rotary and/or linear motors, electromagnets and/or voice coil actuators and may further include components such as one or more reduction gear(s), spindle(s), linear guide(s), springs and the like. It is noted that the pusher stroke is generally carried out in a continuous manner between the retracted and the advanced pusher configuration as end positions. Therefore, continuous position control is not essential, but may be foreseen in some embodiments.

For embodiments where the pusher movement is a linear displacement movement, the pusher moving device is generally configured for moving the pusher in a bidirectional manner between the retracted and the advanced pusher configuration.

The pusher may for example be designed as plate with an e.g. rectangular contour. The pusher may be made from sheet metal, with the thickness of the sheet metal being smaller than the card thickness. To ensure sufficient stiffness, the pusher is favorably made from a material of high rigidity respectively stiffness, in particular bending stiffness, for example Type 304 stainless steel. Other materials, such as titanium or a titanium alloy, are possible as well. For the pusher being plate-shaped and, e.g. formed from sheet metal as mentioned, the parallel proximal and distal front surfaces are transverse to the normal axis.

A linearly displaceable pusher is in principle suited for embodiments where the transfer card is pushed by the pusher only into an intermediate position as explained before, as well as for embodiments where the pusher pushes the transfer card fully into the receiving receptacle. In the latter case, however, the pusher stroke covers a considerably larger distance and the requirements regarding the alignment of the pusher to exclusively move strictly transverse to the normal axis as well the stiffness requirements are more critical and demanding to meet.

For the pusher being, e.g., rectangular as mentioned, the interaction area that contacts the transfer card is given by a side of the circumferential that points towards the source receptacle respectively in the first lateral direction. In alternative embodiments with a linearly displaceable pusher, the pusher is designed fork-shaped, having a number of e.g. three fork arms that point in each case in the first lateral direction. The fork arms are distributed with respect to the secondary lateral axis. For such design, each of the fork arms contacts the transfer card at a different position with respect to the secondary lateral axis (generally aligned with the direction of gravity in an operational configuration), respectively at a different height as measured from the source receptacle ground. The interaction area is for such design given by the combined surface of the fork arm fronts.

In a further type of embodiment, the pusher is a pivoting pusher that is configured for moving between the retracted and the advanced pusher configuration in a rotational manner. In such design, the pivoting pusher may be arranged pivotable around a pusher pivoting axis, the pusher pivoting axis extending parallel to the normal axis and offset with respect to the source receptacle in the second lateral direction respectively at the opposite side of the source receptacle as compared to the receiving receptacle. The pivoting pusher may for example be a circular disc with the pusher pivoting axis extending through the eccentric disk in an eccentric manner or a disk having an elliptical contour. Regarding the thickness as well as material and general design considerations, in principle the same considerations as discussed before for a linearly displaceable pusher hold true.

In dependence of the rotational position of the pivoting pusher, the pivoting pusher disk does or does not project into the source receptacle. In contrast to a linearly displaceable pusher, the interaction area of a pivotable pusher slides along the card edging of the transfer card while pushing the transfer card in the first lateral direction. Due to typical size limitation and design constraints, a pivoting pusher is particularly suited for pushing the transfer card into an intermediate position as discussed before.

In embodiments with a rotating pusher, the pusher moving device may typically be realized as or include a rotatory drive.

The pusher moving device for a pivoting pusher may be for reversible respectively bidirectional or for non-reversible respectively unidirectional pivoting of the pivoting pusher. For bidirectional pivoting, the pivoting pusher pivots bidirectional respectively in an oscillating manner between the retracted and the advanced pusher configuration. For unidirectional pivoting, the pivoting pusher makes full rotations in one and the same pivoting direction.

A pivoting pusher may have a single rotational position that realizes the advanced pusher configuration. This is the case, for example for a circular disk with an eccentric pivoting axis as mentioned before. In alternative designs, the advanced pusher configuration is realized in a number of rotational positions. By way of example, the pusher may be a generally cylindrical disk with a number of, e.g., two, three or four protrusions that are distributed, e.g. equally distributed, around the disc circumference. Each rotational position where either of the protrusions extends into the inner room of the source receptacle is an advanced pusher configuration. The pivoting axis may in such design extend through the center respectively axis of symmetry of the pusher.

In embodiments where the pusher exerts a movement different from a pure linear movement parallel to the primary lateral axis when moving from the retracted into the advanced pusher configuration, a force parallel to the secondary lateral axis is exerted by the pusher in addition to a pushing force parallel to the primary lateral axis respectively in the first lateral axis. Such force parallel to the secondary lateral axis may result in an undesired tilting of the transfer card around a tilting axis parallel to the normal axis, respectively a tilting in a tilting plane extending transverse to the normal axis. To prevent such tilting, an anti-tilting device may be foreseen. The anti-tilting device may extend parallel to the normal axis such as to cover at least the transfer card region and may be arranged offset with respect to the source receptacle ground parallel to the secondary lateral axis such that the anti-tilting device delimits the source receptacle or in other words the source subset is, with respect to the secondary lateral axis, accommodated between source receptacle ground and the anti-tilting device. The anti-tilting device may for example be realized as a bar or rail that extends over the source receptacle and with a short distance to the upper side of the cards of the source subset. The anti-tilting device may be movable, e.g. shiftable or pivotable out of the way for inserting the set of cards into the source receptacle. In typical embodiments where a movable source receptacle door is foreseen to cover the source receptacle in operation, such source receptacle door may also serve as anti-tilting device.

If a source receptacle guide member as generally mentioned before is foreseen at the side of the source receptacle opposite to the receiving receptacle respectively offset in the second lateral direction with respect to the source receptacle, such source receptacle guide member may have an, e.g., slit-shaped pusher aperture that allows the pusher to project through the pusher aperture into the inner room of the source receptacle but retains the cards of the source subset in the source receptacle.

The pusher is favorably arranged such that some small gap is present between the pusher and the cards in the retracted pusher configuration.

In an embodiment, the card transfer device includes at least one transport roller. Each transport roller is arranged pivotally around a respective transport roller axis. Each transport roller axis extends parallel to the secondary lateral axis. At least one transport roller and in an embodiment a number of e.g. two transport rollers is arranged between the source receptacle and the receiving receptacle. As discussed in more detail further below in the context of exemplary embodiments, a number of transport rollers may be distributed respectively offset with respect to each other along the primary lateral axis.

Such arrangement with one or more transport rollers is favorable in embodiments where the transfer card is pushed by the pusher into an intermediate position as explained before. Via the one or more transport rollers, the transfer card is further moved by way of frictional contact with the proximal and/or distal card front.

In an embodiment, a transport roller is arranged as proximal or distal transport roller to contact the transfer card in the intermediate position at either of the proximal or distal card front, respectively. A fixed card abutment may be present to contact the other of the proximal and distal card front, such that the transfer card can pass between the transport roller and the card abutment under frictional contact. In a further embodiment, one or more pairs of transport rollers is present, with a pair of transport rollers including in each case a proximal transport roller and a distal transport roller. The proximal transport roller is arranged to frictionally contact the proximal card front and the distal transport roller being arranged to frictionally contact the distal card front of the transfer card. The proximal and distal transport roller may accordingly be offset with respect to each other parallel to the normal axis to allow the transfer card to frictionally pass between them, but are typically arranged in an aligned manner respectively at a common position with respect to the primary lateral axis.

In embodiments with only proximal or distal transport roller or transport rollers, the transport roller is pivotable by a transport roller drive respectively transport roller rotating device, which typically is or includes a motor. In embodiments with one or more pairs of proximal and a distal transport roller, both may be driven by a common or separate drives to pivot in opposite directions around their respective pivoting axes. In a variant, only one of the transport rollers is driven while the other is freely rotatable.

A transport roller is favorably made from elastic respectively resilient material, in particular rubber, that may elastically deform in particular radially. Thereby, appropriate contact and frictional coupling to the transfer card is ensured over the entire width of the card. Alternatively, or additionally to a transport roller being elastic, it may be biased towards the transfer card by way of a biasing member, such as one or more biasing springs.

A transport roller may in an embodiment contact the transfer card along its complete width respectively over its full extension parallel to the secondary lateral axis. In a variant, a transport roller is arranged to contact the transfer card such that the center of contact is offset with respect to a center line of the transfer card parallel to the primary lateral direction such that the transfer card is subject to a force parallel to the secondary lateral axis, in particular in a downwards direction, thus generally in the direction of force. In such an embodiment, the center of contact is accordingly favorably above the center line of the card.

In a further embodiment, a transport roller has a number of, e.g., two or three, distinct card contact elements that are distributed and spaced apart along the length of the roller. Such design may be realized by the card contact elements, for example card contact protrusions, having a somewhat larger diameter as compared to intermediate sections between the card contact elements. In this way, a substantially even force distribution may be obtained. Favorably, the resulting overall force application point is on the center line of the transfer card that is parallel to the primary lateral axis.

In a further embodiment, a transport roller is further integrated into either of the proximal or distal receiving receptacle wall, in particular the reference receiving receptacle wall. Such transport roller is arranged to contact the transfer card upon being inserted into the receiving receptacle and is favorable for a smooth insertion.

In further embodiments, other arrangements than one or more transport rollers may be used for moving the transfer card from the intermediate position into the receiving receptacle. In an embodiment, the card transfer device is configured to interact with the transfer card by way of suction or electrostatic force. For a suction-based card transfer device, the card transfer device may include one or more force cups or the like in fluidic coupling with a negative pressure device, for example a suction pump.

In an embodiment, a source receptacle clearance between the proximal source receptacle wall and the distal source receptacle wall, and a receiving receptacle clearance between the proximal receiving receptacle wall and the distal receiving receptacle is in each case variable. The source receptacle clearance respectively receiving receptacle clear- ance is measured as respectively corresponds to the distance between the inner surfaces of the proximal source receptacle wall and thereto opposite distal source receptacle wall, respectively between the inner surfaces of the proximal receiving receptacle wall and the thereto opposite distal receiving receptacle, as measured parallel to the normal axis. If the proximal and distal receptacle walls touch each other, the respective receptacle clearance is zero.

In an embodiment, the card handling device is configured to vary, in particular continuously vary, the source receptacle clearance such that a most proximal card of the source subset contacts the proximal source receptacle wall and a most distal card of the source subset contacts the distal source receptacle wall. Similarly, the card handling device may be configured to vary, in particular continuously vary, the receiving receptacle clearance such that a most proximal card of the receiving subset contacts the proximal receiving receptacle wall and a most distal card of the receiving subset contacts the receiving receptacle wall. The contact of the cards with the respective receptacle wall is an aerial contact and is generally always maintained when a source subset respectively receiving subset is present in the respective receptacle.

By way of a variable source receptacle clearance and receiving receptacle clearance, it can be ensured that the source subset and the receiving subset generally form in each case a compact stack as discussed before. Generally, the source receptacle clearance matches at any time the extension of the source subset and the receiving receptacle clearance matches at any time the extension of the receiving subset parallel to the normal axis. Every card has accordingly a well-defined position within the source receptacle respectively the receiving receptacle and is further prevented from unintended tilting.

In an embodiment, either of the proximal source receptacle wall and the distal source receptacle wall is a movable source receptacle wall and the other of the proximal source receptacle wall and the distal source receptacle wall is a reference source receptacle wall. The movable source receptacle wall is movable with respect to both the source receptacle ground and the reference source receptacle wall.

Similarly, either of the proximal receiving receptacle wall and the distal receiving receptacle wall may be a movable receiving receptacle wall and the other of the proximal receiving receptacle wall and the distal receiving receptacle wall is a reference receiving receptacle wall. The movable receiving receptacle wall is movable with respect to both the receiving receptacle ground and the reference receiving receptacle wall.

While moving the movable source receptacle wall with respect to the source receptacle ground and the reference source receptacle wall, the reference source receptacle wall does generally not move with respect to the source receptacle ground. In particular, in embodiments where all of the source receptacle proximal wall, the source receptacle distal wall and the source receptacle ground are - respectively where the source receptacle as a whole is - movable via the source receptacle moving device, the reference source receptacle wall may optionally be permanently fixed with respect to the source receptacle ground. Similarly, while moving the movable receiving receptacle wall with respect to the receiving receptacle ground and the reference receiving receptacle wall, the reference receiving receptacle wall does generally not move with respect to the receiving receptacle ground. Optionally, the reference receiving receptacle wall may optionally be permanently fixed with respect to the receiving receptacle ground.

In an embodiment, the proximal source receptacle wall is the movable source receptacle wall and the proximal receiving receptacle wall is the movable receiving receptacle wall, or, alternatively, the distal source receptacle wall is the movable source receptacle wall and the distal receiving receptacle wall is the movable receiving receptacle wall. Such arrangements are particularly favorable regarding the design and in particular the device compactness. Another type of design where the arrangement of the movable receptacle wall and the reference receptacle wall is revered for the receiving receptacle as compared to the source receptacle is discussed further below in the context of a dropping device.

In an embodiment, the card handling device includes a source receptacle wall moving device and a receiving receptacle wall moving device. The source receptacle wall moving device is configured for moving the movable source receptacle wall independent from the source receptacle ground and the reference source receptacle wall. Similarly, the receiving receptacle wall moving device is configured for moving the movable receiving receptacle wall independent from the receiving receptacle ground and the reference receiving receptacle wall. Via the wall moving devices, the source receptacle clearance and receiving receptacle clearance are adjustable, favorably continuously adjustable. With each card that is transferred from the source receptacle into the receiving receptacle, the source receptacle clearance is reduced via the source receptacle wall moving device and the receiving receptacle clearance is increased via the receiving receptacle wall moving device. The source receptacle wall moving device and the receiving receptacle wall moving device may be designed identically or differently, in particular in each case according to any embodiment as discussed in the following.

A wall moving device may include a controllable and typically electrically energized actuator. By way of example, either or both of the wall moving devices is or includes, e.g., a rotatory or linear motor or a voice coil actuator, and may further include components such as one or more reduction gear(s), spindle(s), linear guide(s), springs and the like.

Generally, a wall moving device may be a part of the respective receptacle or may be mounted to a chassis, housing or support structure of the card handling device which may also serve as abutment. In an embodiment, the source receptacle wall moving device is configured for controlling movement of the movable source receptacle wall in a position controlled and/or force- controlled manner. Similarly, the receiving receptacle wall moving device is configured for controlling movement of the movable receiving receptacle wall in a position controlled and/or force-controlled manner.

Position control and/or force control can be obtained via wall moving devices with an actuator as mentioned before. Since the source receptacle wall clearance generally decreases by the thickness of one card and the receiving receptacle wall clearance increases by the thickness of one card with each card that is transferred, position control may be used for controlling movement of the movable source receptacle wall and distal receptacle wall, respectively. In view of thickness tolerances and effects such as card bending, however, force control is generally favorable.

In an embodiment, the source receptacle wall moving device is configured to bias the movable source receptacle wall towards the reference source receptacle wall. The source receptacle wall moving device may in particular include a movable source receptacle wall biasing spring. Similarly, the receiving receptacle wall moving device may be configured to bias the movable receiving receptacle wall towards the reference receiving receptacle wall. The receiving receptacle wall moving device may in in particular include a movable receiving receptacle wall biasing spring. Alternatively to biasing with a biasing spring, force control as mentioned before can be used.

Via the biasing, the source subset may at any time be clamped between the source receptacle walls and the receiving subset may be clamped between the receiving receptacle wall in each case as a compact stack. The respective biasing forces are referred to as source receptacle biasing force and receiving receptacle biasing force, respectively. Using continuous force control or biasing springs, the wall clearances are automatically and continuously adjusted. Further, it can be ensured that the transfer card can be pushed out of source receptacle by the pusher without excessive friction with the neighboring cards and can be smoothly inserted into the receiving receptacle. The source receptacle biasing force and receiving receptacle biasing force may generically be identical or different.

It is noted that for inserting the set of cards into the source receptacle and removing the set of cards from the receiving receptacle, some clearance is in each case required. In embodiments with controllable actuators, the source receptacle wall clearance respectively receiving receptacle wall clearance may be adjusted accordingly.

In an embodiment with a movable source receptacle wall biasing spring it is generally required to move respectively retract the movable source receptacle wall against the force of the moving source receptacle wall biasing spring, into the respective maximum clearance configuration prior to loading a set of cards into the source subset. For this purpose, a manual source receptacle wall retracting device may be provided in an embodiment. Such manual wall retracting device may be designed, e.g., as wall retraction rod that may project out of a device housing and may be configured to be gripped by hand. In a particular design, the movable source receptacle wall biasing spring is arranged concentrically around the retraction rod. In further embodiments, the card handling device may additionally or alternatively include an automatized, e.g. motorized, source receptacle wall retracting device and/or respective retraction receiving receptacle wall retracting device. As appropriate, a receiving receptacle wall retracting device may also be provided.

In an embodiment, a source receptacle wall locking device is foreseen for locking either of the proximal source receptacle wall and the distal source receptacle wall, in particular the movable source receptacle wall, in position. In an activated state of the source receptacle wall locking device, the movable source receptacle wall is locked in position, independent of the source receptacle ground and the other source receptacle wall (i.e. the proximal source receptacle wall if the distal source receptacle wall is the movable source receptacle wall, and vice versa). The locking of the movable source receptacle wall is a locking with respect to a base structure, for example a chassis respectively housing or frame structure of the card handling device. In an activated state of the source receptacle wall locking device, the reference source receptacle wall can be moved via the source receptacle moving device, while the movable source receptacle wall maintains its position. In this way, the source receptacle clearance can be increased via the source receptacle moving device without any cards being present in the source receptacle that would force the source receptacle walls away from each other. Specifically, if the movable source receptacle wall is the distal source receptacle, the source receptacle clearance can be increased by controlling the source receptacle moving device for a movement in the proximal direction, if the movable source receptacle wall is the proximal source receptacle, the source receptacle clearance can be increased by controlling the source receptacle moving device for a movement in the distal direction.

The source receptacle wall locking device may include an actuator, for example a solenoid or motor, and a locking member, e.g. a locking pin or locking latch, that is movable via the actuator between a retracted and an advanced configuration. In the retracted configuration, the locking member does not interfere with the movable source receptacle wall, corresponding to a non-activated state of the source receptacle wall locking device. In the advanced configuration of the locking member, corresponding to the activated state of the source receptacle wall locking device, the locking member interferes with respectively engages the movable source receptacle wall, thereby locking it in position as mentioned. In a further variant, the source receptacle wall locking device includes a clamping member that is arranged to clamp the movable source receptacle wall with respect to the chassis respectively housing or frame structure of the card handling device in an activated state of the source receptacle wall locking device. The source receptacle wall locking device respectively its actuator is favorably controlled by the control unit of the card handling device. Optionally, the card handling device may additionally or alternatively to a source receptacle wall locking device include a receiving receptacle wall locking device in an analogue manner.

In an embodiment, the receiving receptacle ground is offset relative to the source receptacle ground parallel to the secondary lateral axis, in particular in a direction of gravity in an operational configuration.

The receiving receptacle ground may in particular be offset downwards respectively in the direction of gravity in an operation configuration. Such design has the advantage that the transfer card can fall into place downwards onto the receiving receptacle ground. Otherwise the transfer card may under adverse condition hit an obstacle, in particular a guide member and/or a lateral receiving receptacle card retainer, that is arranged next to the receiving receptacle in first lateral direction. When hitting such obstacle with sufficient kinetic energy, the transfer card may be reflected rather than assuming its desired position in the receiving. In embodiments where the source receptacle ground and/or the receiving receptacle ground are movable via a respective lift with respect to the secondary lateral axis as discussed further below, the mentioned offset is given in particular for executing the card transfer procedures.

In an embodiment, the card handling device includes a lateral source receptacle card retainer. The lateral source receptacle card retainer extends parallel to the normal axis and is arranged between the source receptacle and the receiving receptacle. The lateral source receptacle card retainer forms a lateral delimitation of the source receptacle. The lateral source receptacle card retainer has a typically slit-shaped transfer card aperture. The transfer card aperture is configured to allow the transfer card to pass therethrough when being pushed by the pusher. The lateral source receptacle card retainer retains the further cards of the source subset inside the source receptacle.

The lateral source receptacle card retainer prevents other cards than the transfer card to be pushed in the first lateral direction along with the transfer card due to frictional forces exerted by the transfer card on its neighboring cards. The transfer card aperture is favorably arranged such that the transfer card may pass therethrough in a straight manner and without being deformed, in particular bent. A width of the transfer card aperture generally corresponds to the card thickness or is slightly wider as to allow the transfer card to pass without contact.

Similarly, a lateral receiving receptacle card retainer may extend parallel to the normal axis next to the receiving receptacle. The lateral receiving receptacle card retainer forms a lateral delimitation of the receiving receptacle in the first lateral direction. The lateral receiving receptacle card retainer prevents cards already accommodated in the receiving receptacle from being laterally displaced out of the receiving receptacle by way of frictional force transfer from the transfer card.

In an embodiment, the card handling device includes a transfer card bending feature is configured to bend the transfer card in the normal direction upon being contacted by the transfer card. The bending may in particular be a bending towards the inner room of the receiving receptacle. The transfer card bending feature is arranged such that it is contacted by the transfer card prior to or upon entering the receiving receptacle, thereby bending the transfer card.

The transfer card bending feature ensures that the transfer card does not buckle, but allows opening of a gap by the transfer card, into which the transfer card is smoothly inserted as outermost card, specifically as most proximal or most distal card of the receiving receptacle. If the pusher is arranged such that the transfer card is inserted into the receiving receptacle as most proximal card of the receiving subset, the bending is towards the distal receiving receptacle wall. If the pusher is arranged such that the transfer card is inserted into the receiving receptacle as most distal card of the receiving subset, the bending is towards the proximal receiving receptacle wall.

It is noted that the bending of the transfer card is rather small and in any case in the elastic range.

In embodiments where the transfer card is inserted into the receiving subset as most proximal card, the gap is created between the proximal receiving receptacle wall and the thereto adjacent card as previously most proximal card. Similarly, in embodiments where the transfer card is inserted into the receiving subset as most distal card, the gap is created between the distal receiving receptacle wall and the thereto adjacent card as previously most distal card.

Via the card bending feature, the transfer card is temporarily elastically deformed to assume a an S-shape or Z-shape respectively, with a section of the transfer card pointing towards the source receptacle and a section already located in the receiving receptacle being generally planar and transverse to the normal axis, and an intermediate section being bent by the bending feature.

In a particular embodiment with a transfer card bending feature, the transfer card bending feature includes a chamfer at a side surface of that one of the proximal respectively distal receiving receptacle wall. The chamfer is arranged at a side surface of the proximal receiving receptacle wall if the transfer card is inserted as most proximal card of the re- ceiving subset. Alternatively the chamfer is arranged at a side surface of the distal receiving receptacle wall if the transfer card is inserted as most proximal card of the receiving subset.

In further embodiments, the card bending feature is realized as separate card bending member, for example as post, pillar or roller that extends parallel to the secondary lateral axis and is arranged next to the receiving receptacle and offset with respect to the receiving receptacle towards the source receptacle. The card bending member is accordingly arranged between the source receptacle and the receiving receptacle such that it is hit by the transfer card prior to entering the receiving receptacle. The card bending member should be arranged close to the receiving receptacle.

In a further embodiment, the card bending feature is formed integrally with a transport roller, in particular a driven transport roller, in combination with a fixed card abutment or by a pair of transport rollers as generally discussed before. In such embodiment, a transport roller or pair of transport rollers is arranged such that the transfer card contacts the circumferential surface of a transport roller in an off-centric manner and is bent respectively deflected by the transport roller.

In an embodiment, the card handling device includes an integrity checking device. The integrity checking device includes a camera and an image processing unit in operative coupling with the camera. The card handling device in such embodiment is configured to execute an integrity checking procedure, the integrity checking procedure including:

- capturing, via the camera, at least one card image of at least part of a captured card front of a checked card and to identify a card identifier on the captured card front, wherein each card of the set of cards sequentially constitutes the checked card, determining whether the card identifier for each card of the set of cards matches an expected set composition of the set of cards, and providing an alert indication if an actual set composition does not correspond to the expected set composition.

In an embodiment with an integrity checking device, the checked card is in each case the transfer card and the integrity checking procedure includes capturing the at least one card image upon the transfer card being transferred from the source receptacle into the receiving receptacle. Here the integrity checking is accordingly done simultaneously with the transfer of the cards from the source receptacle into the receiving receptacle.

Independent from the overall design and the arrangement of the camera, the camera may be an aerial camera that is configured to capture areal images with an arrangement of pixels in an aerial, typically matrix-like arrangement of pixels, or a line scan camera that is configured to capture line images with a single row respectively line of pixels.

The expected set composition is the composition of the set of cards that should be given for a particular application, for example the composition of a deck used for the game of Baccarat, with each card being unique and distinguishable by suit and rank. It is not essential, however, that all cards are distinguishable from all other cards. This is not the case, e.g., if the set of cards is made of six or more decks of cards as used in the game of Baccarat. The expression "set composition", however, does generally not refer to the order of the individual cards within the set of cards.

As further aspect, the set expression "set composition" additionally relates to the orientation of the individual cards within the set of cards, in particular which of the proximal and distal card front of each card corresponds to respectively is the face side respectively the backside of each card. The expected set composition generally requires that all cards are oriented in a common and generally pre-defined way, i.e. the face side is the proximal card front or the distal card front for all cards.

As a further aspect, the expression set composition may refer to the total number of cards of the set of cards corresponding to an expected number of cards, for example 520 cards for a single set of cards used in the game of Baccarat, plus optionally one or more, e.g. three additional cut cards.

A set of cards where the actual set composition meets the expected set composition may in particular be a set of cards that is fit for being used, e.g. for card games. The assessment whether the actual set composition corresponds to the expected set composition is also referred to as integrity check. An integrity check is passed if the actual set composition corresponds to the expected set composition and is failed if the actual set composition does not correspond to the expected set composition. A card handling device with integrity checking device is accordingly configured to execute an integrity checking procedure.

The integrity checking procedure may include respectively the integrity checking device may be configured for counting an actual number of cards of the set of cards and determining whether the actual number of cards corresponds to an expected number of cards. That is, the actual set composition may correspond to the expected set composition if a counted number of cards corresponds to an expected number of cards, for example 52 cards.

The camera typically includes an electronic video and/or still image camera as generally known in the art and typically further includes auxiliary components such as lenses, lighting respectively illumination systems, optical filters etc. The image processing unit is generally implemented fully or partly by software or firmware running on one or more microcontrollers and/or microprocessors which may be dedicated fully or partly integral with a control unit of the card handling device.

A card image is an image of a part of either of the proximal respectively distal card front that carries card identification information that is sufficient to identify a card. For playing cards as generally assumed, the at least one card image is captured from the face side of the transfer card. The card identification information forms a card identifier. The card identifier allows distinguishing the transfer card from all cards of a different type. For the generally assumed case of playing cards, the card identifier may in particular be the suit and rank that is shown on the face side of each card (with exception of a potentially present cut card as mentioned before), typically in proximity to one of the comers.

In an embodiment, a number of card images is captured for each card. While a single card image may be used in principle a number of card images may also be used to increase robustness.

It is noted that the at least one card image does not need to show the full available information, e.g. the full suit and rank, but a sufficient portion thereof that allows identification. The arrangement and the image area of the camera are chosen to show such information.

The integrity checking device is generally configured to check the card identifier against reference data. The reference data reflect an expected set composition of the set of cards.

The reference data may include in an embodiment an image of all card identifiers or a part thereof and optionally the number of cards having this card identifier (i. e. the number of identical cards). The images stored in in the reference data set are also referred to as Checking the card identifier against the reference data may be achieved using a variety of image recognition respectively image processing methods as generally known in the art, for example correlation-based image comparing respectively image recognition algorithms with reference images as mentioned before. Alternatively, however, checking the card identifier against the reference data may be done via a correspondingly trained artificial neural network. Using a trained artificial neural network is favorably in that it is rather robust regarding the card design and especially regarding card identification. Training with a comparable small variety of decks of cards is generally sufficient to enable card identification of a rather large variety of cards, including cards from different manufacturers, featuring different artwork. In such embodiment, the reference data are not explicit stored, e.g. as reference images, but are implicitly stored in the neural network.

As mentioned before, it is generally required that all cards of the set of cards are oriented in the same manner, that is, the face side of each card showing in the same direction, either the proximal or distal direction, i.e. the face side corresponds to the proximal card front or the distal card front for all of the cards. For an embodiment with the integrity checking device, the face side corresponds to the card front from which the at least one card image is captured. If the at least one captured card image of the transfer card cannot be identified in accordance with the reference data, the transfer card is likely to be oriented in reverse direction. In such case, the integrity check fails.

In a particular embodiment with an integrity checking device, the camera is arranged such that an unobstructed field of view of the camera includes at least part of the transfer card.

In an embodiment, the unobstructed field of view includes at least part of the inner room of the receiving receptacle. Further, in an embodiment, the unobstructed field of view includes at least part of a card front in particular the face side, of the transfer card when being or subsequent to being inserted in the receiving receptacle, and/or in an intermediate position while being transferred from the source receptacle into the receiving receptacle. In a particular embodiment, the camera is arranged between the source receptacle and the receiving receptacle. In an embodiment, the unobstructed field of view includes an area where the card identifier is to be expected.

In such embodiment, at least one card image is captured after the transfer card has entered or while the transfer card is entering the receiving receptacle. In an embodiment, the camera is arranged proximal of the receiving receptacle and has a viewing direction from proximal toward distal. For such embodiment, the face side sowing the card identifier, e.g. suit and rank, is the proximal card front for a correct card orientation. In a further embedment, the camera is arranged distal of the receiving receptacle and has a viewing direction from distal toward proximal. For such embodiment, the face side sowing the card identifier, e.g. suit and rank, is the distal card front for a correct card orientation.

The camera is favorably arranged such that a distance to the transfer card is constant, this implies that the viewing direction is from proximal towards distal if the proximal receiving receptacle wall is the reference receiving receptacle wall while the viewing direction is from distal towards proximal if the reference receiving receptacle wall is the distal receiving receptacle wall. In this way, it is ensured that the focus distance is constant, and the card identifier has an identical size in the card images.

In further embodiments, the camera is arranged between the source receptacle and the receiving receptacle with either of the viewing directions as mentioned before. In such embodiments, the at least one card image is captured during the movement of the transfer card from the source receptacle to the receiving receptacle. In an embodiment, with an integrity checking device, the integrity checking device, in particular the image processing unit, is configured to identify defects and/or markings and in case anomalies are detected the card handling device is configured to provide an alert indication in this case.

Further, in an embedment, the integrity checking device is configured to detect if all cards of the set of cards are of an expected card type or card brand as mentioned before, and provide an alert indication if this is not the case.

In a particular embodiment with an integrity checking device, the card handling device includes an backside camera in operative coupling with the image processing unit . The viewing direction of the backside camera is opposite to the viewing direction of the camera as discussed before. The backside camera is configured to capture at least one backside image of the transfer card. The integrity checking device, in particular the image processing unit, is configured to identify defects and/or markings of the transfer card from the at least one backside image and the card handling device is configured to provide an alert indication in this case. Any such markings intentional such as barcodes for card lot identification or unintentional, e.g. color markings, ultraviolet light visible markings kinks scratches or permanent deformations, result in the set of card not being for further use.

{Cl. 17}ln an embodiment, the card handling device includes a dropping device. The dropping device. The dropping device includes a tilting member, the tilting member is configured to project into the source receptacle with a dropping end of the tilting member being positioned within the source receptacle. The dropping device further includes a receptacle tilting member moving device. The receptacle tilting member moving device is configured to vary a relative position of the tilting member to the proximal source re- ceptacle wall and distal source receptacle wall with respect to the normal axis. The receptacle tilting member moving device may in particular be integral with the source receptacle moving device respectively may be formed by the source receptacle moving device. The cards of the source subset may in each case assume a levelled card configuration and an alternative tilted card configuration. A base section of the circumferential card edging of each card of the source subset rests on the source receptacle ground in its levelled card configuration. Each card of the source subset is in its tilted card configuration tilted around a tilting axis parallel to the normal axis with respect to the levelled card configuration by the tilting member pushing against the base section of its circumferential card edging. The card handling device in such embodiment may be configured for executing a dropping procedure. The dropping procedure includes, starting from an initial set configuration where all cards of the source subset are in their respective tilted card configuration, controlling the receptacle tilting member moving device to displace the proximal source receptacle wall and distal source receptacle wall relative to the tilting member parallel to the normal axis such that the cards of the source subset pass the dropping end and lose contact with the tilting member one after the other, thereby moving from their respective tilted card configuration into their respective levelled card configuration.

This type of embodiment that is discussed in more detail in the following enables a different type of procedure for integrity checking and other applications as discussed further below.

In a particular embodiment with an integrity checking device, the integrity checking procedure includes capturing the at least one card image of the checked card while being accommodated in the source receptacle. The at least one card image is captured for all cards of the set of cards prior to transferring any cards from the source receptacle into the receiving receptacle. Such embodiment allows executing the complete integrity check prior to transferring any cards from the source receptacle into the receiving receptacle, e.g. for shuffling. In case of a failing integrity checking, a waring respectively alert may be provided without actually transferring the cards into the receiving receptacle, thereby saving time for table game operations. Further, this design allows determining an initial card order of the cards of the set of cards via the card identifiers, e.g. suit and rank as mentioned. Determining the initial card order in the source receptacle is favorable for a number of applications as also discussed further below.

In a particular embodiment of a card handling device that allows capturing the card image of all cards and doing an integrity check prior to shuffling the cards, the integrity checking procedure includes capturing the at least one card image for each card as checked card before, while, or subsequent to moving from its respective tilted configuration into its respective levelled card configuration. For this type of embodiment, the integrity checking procedure, in particular the image capturing, and the dropping procedure are executed simultaneously respectively the dropping procedure can be considered as part of the integrity checking procedure. It is noted that, when executing the integrity checking procedure in this way, the source subset is identical to the complete set of cards.

The integrity checking procedure may for such embodiment include, starting from an initial set configuration where all cards of the source subset - generally identical with the set of cards as mentioned - are in their respective tilted card configuration, controlling the controlling the receptacle tilting member moving device to displace the proximal source receptacle wall and distal source receptacle wall relative to the tilting member to displace proximal and distal source receptacle wall against the tilting member with respect to the normal axis such that the cards pass the dropping end and lose contact with the tilting member one after the other, thereby moving from their tilted card configuration into their respective levelled card configuration. The initial card order determination procedure may include capturing the at least one image of each card before, in particular directly before, while, and/or subsequent, in particular directly subsequent to moving into its respective levelled card configuration respectively dropping.

As noted before, the source subset is general identical with the set of cards when carrying out the here-discussed embodiment of the integrity checking procedure and in particular the dropping procedure. In the following, the expression "set of cards" is generally used in the context of dropping, with the set of cards being at the same time a source subset.

The cards that are in the tilted card configuration form, in combination, a tilted subset of the set of cards, while the cards that have moved into their respective levelled card configuration form, in combination, a levelled subset of the set of cards. The movement of a card from its tilted card configuration into its levelled card configuration is also referred to as dropping of the respective card. In the initial set configuration, before the first respectively most distal card has been dropped, all cards of the set of cards belong to the tilted subset. When the last card has been dropped, all cards belong to the levelled subset respectively the levelled subset is identical with the set of cards. For transferring cards from the source receptacle into the receiving receptacle, all cards in the source receptacle are in their respective levelled card configuration as it is given after completing the dropping procedure. For an embodiment where the dropping end is a proximal end of the tilting member, the card that is dropped in each step is of the dropping procedure is in each case the most proximal card of the tilted subset. Subsequent to being dropped, this card becomes the most distal card of the levelled subset. For an alternative embodiment where the dropping end is a distal end of the tilting member, the card that is dropped in each step is of the dropping procedure is in each case the most distal card of the tilted subset. Subsequent to being dropped, this card becomes the most proximal card of the levelled subset. The tilting member is typically an elongated member that extends with its main extension direction parallel to the normal axis, and may, be an e.g. cylindrical bar, beam or pin. In the following, such type of tilting member is referred to as tilting pin. The tilting member is sufficiently long to support all cards of the set of cards respectively has a length as measured parallel to the normal axis that corresponds at least to the combined thickness of all cards of the set of cards.

The titling member, for example tilting pin, is favorably arranged with respect to the primary lateral axis with an offset to a longitudinal middle axis of the source receptacle. In this way, the tilting member will also contact the base section of the circumferential card edging in an off-centric member, resulting in the cards being tilted in a defined manner and supported against gravity in a tilted manner by the tilting member and the receptacle ground. The dropping end may in principle be at the proximal or distal end of the tilting member. The other end of the tilting member is generally not located inside the source receptacle respectively between the proximal and distal source receptacle, and the tilting member extends inside the source receptacle from either of the source receptacle wall or the distal source receptacle wall to the dropping end. If the dropping end is a proximal end as generally assumed in the following, the tilting member is configured to extend in the source receptacle, specifically the source receptacle room, from an inner surface of the distal source receptacle wall to the dropping end. In alternative embodiments where the dropping end is a distal end, the tilting member is configured to extend in source receptacle, specifically the source receptacle room, from an inner surface of the proximal source receptacle wall to the dropping end.

In a particular embodiment with a dropping device, the tilting member may be arranged to be movable a retracted tilting member configuration and an advanced tilting member configuration. The tilting member may be configured to not project into the source receptacle respectively source receptacle room in the retracted tilting member configuration and to project into the source receptacle respectively the source receptacle room in the advanced tilting member configuration. Projecting into the source receptacle is to be understood as the tilting member being at least partly positioned inside the source receptacle respectively source receptacle room. For moving the tilting member between the retracted tilting member configuration and the advanced tilting member configuration, a tilting member drive may be foreseen.

In the retracted tilting member configuration the tilting member may be flush with or set back with respect to the source receptacle ground parallel to the secondary lateral axis downwards respectively in the fourth lateral direction. The movement of the tilting member between the retracted tilting member configuration and the advanced tilting member configuration may be a movement parallel to the secondary lateral axis, in particular an upwards movement respectively a movement in the third lateral direction, or be another movement having a component in this direction, for example a swiveling movement on a circular arch-shaped path, with the axis of rotation being parallel to the normal axis. To allow the tilting member to move between the retracted toting member configuration and the advanced tilting member configuration, the source receptacle ground may include a corresponding aperture, e.g. a slit-shaped aperture or cut-out parallel to the normal axis, that allows the tilting member to pass therethrough, and/or may generally designed not to interfere with the tilting member during its movement between the retracted and the advanced tilting member configuration.

In such embodiment with a movably arranged tilting member, the integrity checking procedure and/or the dropping procedure may include a preparatory step of controlling the tilting member drive to move the tilting member from the retracted tilting member configuration into the advanced tilting member configuration, thereby pushing all cards from their respective levelled card configuration into their respective tilted card configuration, thereby establishing the initial set configuration. The preparatory step is generally executed prior to dropping the cards one after and generally capturing the card images as explained before. In alternative embodiments, however, the card handling device may be configured such that the tilting member is already in the advanced tilting member configuration before a set of cards is initially placed respectively loaded into the source receptacle. In such embodiment, all cards are accordingly directly in their respective tilted card configuration. After the dropping the dropping procedure and typically the integrity checking procedure is complete, the tilting member is favorably moved from the advanced tilting member configuration into the retracted tilting member configuration prior to transferring any cards from the source receptacle into the receiving receptacle. In an embodiment of the card handling device with a loading lift as generally discussed further below, the tilting member may at the same time be respectively serve as loading lift member.

Regarding the displacement of the proximal source receptacle wall and distal source receptacle wall relative to the tilting member, it is noted that only the relative movement between the tilting member on the one side and the proximal and distal source receptacle wall on the other side is decisive for the dropping. Consequently, either of the tilting member or the proximal and distal source receptacle wall may be stationary respectively fixed along the normal axis and the other may be movable respectively displaceable. The relative movement of the proximal and distal source receptacle wall relative to the tilting member may be a movement in the proximal direction if the dropping end is a proximal end of the tilting member and may be movement in the distal direction if the dropping end is a distal end of the tilting member. In a particular embodiment where the tilting member is stationary respectively fixed along the normal axis, the tilting member source receptacle moving unit may be the source receptacle moving unit and may for the dropping displace the proximal source receptacle wall and the distal source recepta- cle wall as discussed above. In the following description, this type of embodiment is generally assumed. Alternatively, the position of the proximal source receptacle wall and distal source receptacle wall along the normal axis may be constant respectively may not change, and the receptacle tilting member moving device may displace the tilting member parallel to the normal axis in the opposite direction. That is, if the dropping end is a proximal end of the tilting member, the tilting member may be displaced parallel to the normal axis in distal direction for dropping the cards. If the dropping end is a distal end of the tilting member, the tilting member may be displaced parallel to the normal axis in proximal direction for dropping the cards.

Further, it is noted that the distance between the proximal source receptacle wall and the distal source receptacle wall, respectively the source receptacle clearance, is generally constant for the dropping procedure. In embodiments where the source receptacle wall and the distal source receptacle wall move, they accordingly move together. As discussed before, the source receptacle ground may move together with the source receptacle wall and distal source receptacle wall, or only the source receptacle walls move without the source receptacle ground.

For dropping the cards one after the other, the receptacle tilting member moving device, in particular the source receptacle moving device as mentioned before, may be controlled to displace the source receptacle continuously or substantially continuously. In an embodiment, the source receptacle moving device may be position controlled respectively operate in a position control mode. In such design, the source receptacle moving device may be controlled to move the proximal and distal source receptacle wall into a position that is assumed when all cards have been dropped, while favorably foreseeing a speed limit. Alternatively, speed control is used which may in an embodiment be foreseen in addition to a position control mode and force control mode as source receptacle moving device is controlled to move into a sequence of positions in a number of steps generally corresponding to the number of cards, the positions being spaced by each other by a distance generally corresponding to the card thickness. With each movement step, one of the cards is dropped. The total moving distance for dropping the cards generally corresponds to the set thickness, i.e. the combined card thickness of all cards. In an embodiment where the tilting member moves in the dropping procedure instead of the proximal and distal source receptacle wall, the same generally applies to the displacement of the tilting member in an analogue manner as explained before.

In a particular embodiment of dropping device, the dropping device includes a dropping roller in coupling with a dropping roller drive. The dropping roller may have a dropping roller axis that extends along respectively parallel to the card fronts and may for example extend with its parallel to the primary lateral axis. The dropping roller is arranged to contact and frictionally engage a card front of the card that is to be dropped next. For example in embodiments where the source receptacle is moved in the proximal direction relative to the tilting member for dropping the cards, the dropping roller may contact in each case the proximal card front of the most proximal card of the tilted subset.

Typically, the dropping roller is arranged fixed with respect to the normal axis. For dropping the cards one after the other, the card front that contacts the dropping roller is forced against the dropping roller. In alternative embodiments, the dropping roller may be arranged movable along the normal axis and biased against the tilted subset e.g. by a dropping roller biasing spring.

The dropping roller, more particular its circumferential surface, and the tilting member end are favorably aligned with each other such that, in a top view respectively viewing direction along the secondary lateral axis, they are positioned with respect to each other such that a gap is present between them with a gap width that corresponds to the thickness of a single card. Favorably, the gap width is adjustable respectively tunable, in particular in a calibration process.

While dropping the cards one after the other, the dropping roller drive may be controlled to rotate the dropping roller in a direction such that the card that contacts the dropping roller, e.g. the most proximal card of the tilted subset, is forced by the dropping roller towards its levelled configuration, typically downwards.

While dropping the cards one after the other as explained before may in principle be based on gravity only, providing a dropping roller as mentioned ensures a smooth, properly timed and quick dropping. Further, dirt such as hand cream, fat, oil or food particles, or static electricity may result in cards sticking together, resulting in cards potentially not being dropped separately and one after the other if relying on gravity only. A dropping roller ensures that any undesired sticking force between neighboring cards is overcome.

In a favorable design with a dropping roller, the position of the dropping roller is variable respectively adjustable, typically manually adjustable, along its axis, thereby allow a positioning of the dropping roller in dependence of the card size.

In a favorable embodiment, rotation of the dropping roller is started in a configuration where the dropping roller does not contact the set of cards that is, as explained, at the beginning identical with the tilted subset, i.e. the set of cards does not contact the dropping roller but is spaced apart from the dropping roller. Rotation of the dropping roller may in particular be started before pushing the cards against the dropping roller. In embodiments with a movable source receptacle wall and a reference source wall as explained before, the movable source receptacle wall is favorably in the maximum clearance configuration or a dropping clearance configuration as explained below for dropping the cards one after the other. In such design, the tilted subset may be clamped between the reference source receptacle wall and the dropping roller and forced by the reference source receptacle wall against the dropping roller without interference of the movable source receptacle wall and generally without only little friction.

In particular in embodiments with a movable source receptacle wall biasing spring, the movable source receptacle wall may be lockable in position with respect to the reference source receptacle wall to maintain a constant source receptacle clearance, in particular dropping source receptacle clearance, for the dropping procedure. By way of example, an e.g. solenoid-based movable source receptacle wall retraction device may be foreseen for locking the movable source receptacle wall against the force of the movable source receptacle wall biasing spring in the dropping clearance configuration. In designs where the source receptacle ground is movable together with the proximal and distal source receptacle wall, the movable source receptacle wall may in principle also be lockable in particular in the dropping clearance configuration, with respect to the source receptacle ground. The dropping clearance configuration may generally correspond to the maximum clearance configuration as present before transferring the first card from the source receptacle into the receiving receptacle. Favorably, however, it is somewhat wider to allow the set of cards to have some play in the source receptacle and the receiving receptacle, li particular, some play is advantageous between the tilted subset and the levelled subset in order to avoid undesired friction of the drooped card with an adjacent card of the levelled subset.

Further in an embodiment with a movable source receptacle wall and a reference source receptacle wall, an outermost card of the tilted subset faces the source receptacle wall and an outer most card of the levelled subset faces the movable receptacle wall. In an embodiment where also the receiving receptacle has a reference receiving receptacle wall and movable receiving receptacle wall, the arrangement of the reference wall and the movable wall may be reversed to each other for the source receptacle and the receiving receptacle. That is, if the proximal source receptacle wall is the movable source receptacle wall and the distal source receptacle wall is the reference source receptacle wall, the distal receiving receptacle wall may be the movable receiving receptacle wall and the proximal receiving receptacle wall may be the reference receiving receptacle wall, and vice versa.

By tilting the source subset respectively the set of cards as a whole and subsequently moving respectively returning the cards one after the other into their respective levelled configuration respectively by dropping the cards one after the other, the card identifier or at least a part thereof comes into the field of view of the camera and one or more images are captured by the camera unit for one card after the other.

To enable capturing the images in this manner, the set of cards is loaded into the source receptacle respectively is arranged in the source receptacle such that the face side with the card identifier or card identifiers points, for the tilted subset, away from the levelled subset, respectively away from the dropping end of the tilting member. Specifically, if the dropping end of the tilting member is a proximal end, the face side of the cards correspond to the distal card front, and vice versa. In this way, part of the face side with the card identifier or part thereof is always visible for the dropped card, i.e. , most distal card of the levelled subset if the face side corresponds to the distal card front and the most proximal card of the levelled subset if the face side corresponds to the proximal card front. If the dropping end of the tilting member is a proximal end and the face side of the cards corresponds to the distal card front, the viewing direction of the camera is from distal to proximal, and vice versa. For a favorable design where the integrity checking procedure includes a dropping procedure, the required card identification is carried out in two steps. In a first step, it is detected that a card is available for identification. This may in particular be done based on the images as captured by the camera, in particular determination that a card is nonmoving respectively has assumed the levelled configuration. Alternatively or additionally, one or more levelled card configuration detecting sensors may be provided. A levelled card configuration detecting sensor may, for example be an acoustic sensor with corresponding signal processing that that detects a characteristic noise of a card hitting the receptacle ground. Other type of sensors that may be used as levelled card configuration detecting sensors are a force sensor or pressure sensor that is hit by a card upon assuming the levelled card configuration or an optical sensor that detects non-movement vs movement of the card by sensing laser reflection. In a subsequent second step, an image classification of at least one captured image is carried out, thereby identifying the card. In a favorable implementation, images are continuously captured during the sequential dropping of the cards. The identification of the cards is carried out subsequently, wherein only card images of each card in the levelled configuration subsequent to being dropped are used for the identification, in particular by feeding them into the artificial neural network as mentioned before, and/or using image recognition and classification as generally known in the art.

In an embodiment with integrity checking and dropping as discussed above, the integrity checking device includes an initial card order determination device, respectively the card handling device is configured for executing an initial card order determination procedure. The initial card order refers to an order of the cards within the set of cards prior to transferring any cards into the receiving receptacle, in particular prior to executing a shuffling procedure. The card initial card order determination procedure includes determining, from the at least one captured image for each of the cards, determining a card order of the cards accommodated in the source subset based on their respective card identifier. The initial card order determination precede can be carried out in parallel with respectively as in integral part of the integrity checking procedure. In principle however, only the initial card order determination procedure may be carried out. Initial card order determination is, like integrity checking, based on image processing for the card.

In an embodiment with initial card order determination device, the card handling device is configured to operate as sorting device respectively to execute a sorting procedure. In the sorting procedure, the cards are transferred from the source receptacle into the receiving receptacle such that they are ordered according to a pre-determined target card order, in particular according to suit and rank, in the receiving receptacle. The initial card order in the source receptacle may be arbitrary. If the device can operate alternatively in a shuffling mode or a sorting mode, the mode is favorably clearly indicated via a humanmachine interface as mentioned before. In principle, the card handling device may be a dedicated sorting device. For determining in which order the cards should be transferred from the source receptacle into the receiving receptacle in the sorting procedure may be carried based on the initial and the target card order in a transfer planning procedure.

In an embodiment with a dropping device and image processing unit, the image processing unit is configured to detect cut cards and the card handling device is configured to favorably store the position of cut cards with the set of cards respectively the source subset. It is noted that the detection of cut cards is in principle independent from integrity checking as discussed, but is favorably carried out as part of an integrity checking procedure. Further above, embodiments of the card handling device are discussed that allow the handling of cut cards and to arrange cut cards as outermost cards after shuffling or to device the set of cards into a number of blocks. For the before-discussed embodiments the position of the cut cards in the set of cards as e.g. most proximal or most distal cards when loading it into the source receptacle needs to be known, in order to place them at the desired position in the receiving receptacle. For an embodiment that is configured to execute a dropping procedure as discussed and is configured to detect cut cards and store their position, the card handling device may be configured to transfer, based on the position(s) of the cut card(s) within the set of cards, one or more cut cards from the source receptacle into the receiving receptacle as outermost card(s) and/or at one or more e.g. pre-pre-determined positions within the set of cards respectively the receiving subset, independent of the position(s) of the cut card(s).

In an embodiment where the card handling device is a shuffling device or is operable as shuffling device, the card handling device may include a hardware random number generator for determining the order in which the cards are transferred from the source receptacle into the receiving receptacle respectively selecting, among the cards of the source subset, the transfer card.

Typical shuffling devices according to the state of the art rely on a software-respectively firmware-implemented random number generator as basis for the shuffling, with the respective program code being executed by a control unit, e.g. a microprocessor or microcontroller of the control unit. To ensure a sufficient grade of randomization as required, e.g. in regulated casino and cardroom gaming, it is generally desirable and potentially regulatory required to reset the respective hardware, e.g. microcontroller or microprocessor, prior to each shuffling, to avoid any corruption of the randomization process. By using a hardware random number generator, this drawback can be avoided, while ensuring adequate randomization.

Hardware random number generators are commercially available as dedicated hardware respectively semiconductor components as well as integrated into mother components in particular microcontrollers. They are typically used, e.g. for mobile communication and security applications. The hardware random number generator generates a random bit stream that is subsequently processed respectively scaled via the control unit, typically software/firmware run on a microcomputer or microcontroller of the control unit. In alternative embodiments, however, a software random number generator is used.

The random selection of the transfer card for each repetition of the card handling procedure as discussed before may be carried out in advance before transferring a first card. In such an embodiment, the card handling device is configured to first determine a random order in which the cards shall be transferred, followed by repeatedly executing the card transfer procedure in accordance with the determined order. In an alternative embodiment, the transfer card is, for each execution of the card transfer procedure, in each case randomly selected among the cards of the source subset, i.e. among all cards that have not yet been transferred.

In an embodiment, the transfer card may be randomly selected among the cards of the source subset in each case directly prior to moving the source receptacle to the corresponding position. Alternatively, however, the order in which the cards shall be transferred may be determined in a preparatory step in advance. Further in an embodiment with initial card order determination as discussed before, the following alternative approach may be used: The shuffling procedure may include, prior to transferring any cards from the source receptacle into the receiving receptacle, computing a random target order as discussed before for the cards at the end of the shuffling procedure. Based on the computed random card order and the initial card order of the cards in the source receptacle, the card handling device may be configured to execute a transferring planning procedure. In the transferring planning procedure, the order in which the cards shall be transferred from the source receptacle into the receiving receptacle is computed. As discussed elsewhere, the design may be such that the transfer card becomes in each case either the most proximal card of the receiving subset and the first-transferred card will after completion be the most distal card and the last-transferred card will be the most proximal card, or vice versa.

In an embodiment, the card handling device further includes at least one door for selectively enabling user access to the source receptacle and/or receiving receptacle. In a typical embodiment, two doors are foreseen, namely a source receptacle door and a receiving receptacle door. Since the doors may be generally be designed identically, references to a door in general hold true for a source receptacle door as well as receiving receptacle door, where not stated differently. As mentioned before, in particular a source receptacle door may additionally serve as an anti-tilting device in its closed door configuration. It is noted that instead of a separate source receptacle door and receiving receptacle door, a door may be present that allows or permits access to both the source receptacle and the receiving receptacle.

A door is in each case movable between a respective open door configuration and a respective closed door configuration. In the open door configuration, the source receptacle respectively receiving receptacle is accessible from outside the card handling device for placing a set of cards in the source receptacle or removing a set of cards from the receiving receptacle.

A door may be operatively coupled to a door moving device for moving the door between the closed-door configuration and the open door configuration. The control unit may be configured to control the source receptacle door moving device to move the source receptacle door into the open source receptacle door configuration for loading a set of cards respectively placing the set of cards in the source receptacle, and to move the source receptacle door into the closed source receptacle door potion once the set of cards has been placed in the source receptacle. During this process as well as during the subsequent transfer of the cards from the source receptacle into the receiving receptacle, the receiving receptacle door is closed. The control unit may further be configured to control the receiving receptacle door moving device to move the receiving receptacle door into the open source receptacle door configuration for removing the set of cards from the receiving receptacle. A door moving device may be a dedicated drive, for example a servo drive, or be integral with a further drive of the card handling device. Favorably, a door may be locked in the closed position, thereby preventing a manual opening.

In alternative embodiments, a door does not make a linear movement but, e.g. a pivoting movement. In an embodiment, the pivoting axis of the door extends parallel to the primary lateral axis. Such a design with a pivoting door is especially suited for an arrangement where the door is flush with the tabletop in the closed-door configuration. Other arrangements e.g. with a combined linear and pivoting movement, however, are possible as well.

In a further embodiment, at least one door is manually operable. In such a design, a respective door locking mechanism under control of the control unit is favorably present to safely lock the respective door in the respective locked door configuration. Such door locking mechanism may e.g. include a solenoid and a spring-biased latch arrangement which may in particular be controlled by the control unit of the card handling device.

In an embodiment, the card handling device includes a loading lift and/or an ejecting lift as discussed in the following sections. General references to a lift may hold true for a loading lift as well as an ejecting lift. The card handling device is generally encapsulated in a housing and may be a standalone or be integrated, e.g. into a game table. Without particular measures, access to the source receptacle and receiving receptacle is accordingly difficult if not impossible.

A lift may be movable between a respective retracted lift configuration and a respective advanced lift configuration. A loading lift is configured to support the cards of source subset against gravity in the advanced loading lift configuration and to lower the cards of the source subset in a controlled manner. When operating the loading lift the source subset may in particular be the complete set of card that is loaded into the card handling device, in particular for the purpose of shuffling. An ejecting lift is configured to lift the cards of the receiving subset against gravity in the advanced loading lift configuration in a controlled manner. When operating the ejecting lift, the receiving subset may in particular be the complete set of card that is ejected from the card handling device, in particular upon shuffling being completed. It is noted that in an embodiment the loading lift may also be operated to eject the cards of the source receptacle, e.g. in case of an error condition. In dependence of the overall design, a loading lift and an ejecting lift may be designed identical or differently.

A lift includes a lift member that is configured to support the cards of the source subset respectively receiving subset and is bidirectional movable in the vertical direction respectively with respect to the secondary lateral axis.

An advanced lift configuration is chosen such that cards accommodated in the respective receptacle project beyond respectively out of the card handling device. A retracted lift configuration is chosen such that the respective receptacle and any cards accommodated in the receptacle are located inside the card handling device, especially the device housing and a typically present receptacle door as mentioned can be closed. For executing card handling procedures, in particular card transfer procedures, a loading lift and/or ejecting lift is generally in the respective retracted lift configuration.

A lift may be coupled to the respective receptacle ground to move the receptacle ground and optionally the proximal and/or distal receptacle wall in the third and fourth lateral direction respectively against and in the direction of gravity in an operational configuration. In such design, the respective receptacle ground serves as a lift member. Specifically, the source receptacle ground may serve as a loading lift member and/or the receiving receptacle ground may serve as an ejecting lift member.

Control of the loading lift is favorably such that, for loading a set of cards (as source subset) into the card handling device, a typically present source receptacle door is moved into the open source receptacle door configuration, followed by moving the loading lift into the advanced loading lift configuration. In this configuration, the set of cards may be placed on the source receptacle ground or generally the loading lift member. In dependence of the design, these steps may be reversed. Subsequently, the loading lift member, e.g. the source receptacle ground, is moved into the retracted loading lift configuration. In this way, the set of cards is lowered. Subsequently, the source receptacle door is closed. In dependence of the design, the source receptacle door may already be closed while loading lift is operation, provided that no parts of the source receptacle or the set of cards interferes with the source receptacle door.

While favorable regarding the handling, a loading lift is generally not essential. In particular, a separate loading tool may be used for loading the set of cards (as source subset) into the source receptacle. While different designs may be used, such loading tool may, e.g., be designed in a generally vice like manner and allow clamping the set of cards such that it can be handled and placed into the source receptacle in a compact manner and in one go.

Control of the ejecting lift is favorably such that, for removing respectively ejecting the set of cards (as receiving subset) from respectively out of the card handling device, a typically present receiving receptacle door is moved into the open receiving receptacle door configuration after completing the card handling, for example shuffling. Subsequently, the ejecting lift member, for example the receiving receptacle ground, is moved from the retracted ejecting lift configuration into the advanced ejecting lift configuration. In this way, the set of cards is lifted up and the set of cards projects at least partly out of the card handling device and can be removed.

In an embodiment, a cards container, e.g. a so-called card shoe, is permanently arranged above the receiving receptacle, thus opposite of the direction of gravity, and the cards are subsequently removed and distributed from the cards container.

In another design, the cards container is removable. In such design, the cards container is removed together with the set of cards for distributing the cards. In such design, the card container comprises a card container cover that is removably attachable to the card handling device, in particular a housing thereof. In an attached state, the cards container may be positioned above the receiving receptacle. The card container cover may be open at a lower side respectively a side facing the receiving receptacle. Further, the receiving receptacle ground or generally the ejecting lift member, and a receiving receptacle wall, may be configured for engaging and interlocking with the card container cover. This receiving receptacle wall is also referred to as detachable receiving receptacle wall. The detachable receiving receptacle wall may for example be a movable receiving receptacle wall as mentioned. In such a design, the ejecting lift is configured to move the receptacle ground or generally the ejecting lift member and the detachable receptacle wall together with the set of cards such that the receiving receptacle ground or generally the ejecting lift member and the detachable receiving receptacle wall engage and interlock with the card container cover, thereby forming a card container that comprises the set of cards. The card container can subsequently be detached respectively removed for distributing the cards. In such a design, the receiving receptacle ground or generally the ejecting lift member and the detachable receiving receptacle wall are detachable from the other elements of the card handling device.

In a particular design with a tilting member as discussed before, the loading lift includes of e.g. two loading lift members and one of the loading lift members may at the same time serve as tilting member. The elongated tilting members may be arranged symmetrically on both sides to a middle axis of the source receptacle and extend in each case parallel to the normal axis. The e.g. two loading lift member may be separately movable to project into respectively be positioned at least partly in the source receptacle in a respective advanced configuration or not to project into respectively be positioned outside the source receptacle in a respective retracted configuration. When moving the loading lift members simultaneously, they serve as loading lift as discussed before. By moving only the loading lift member that serves as tilting member, the cards in the source subset may be tilted as discussed before.

In further embodiments, a lift is not configured for moving a receptacle or receptacle ground, respectively the respective lift member is not formed by the respective receptacle ground. Instead, one or more dedicated lift members may be provided that extend along respectively parallel to the normal axis. In the retracted lift configuration, such lift member or lift members are flush with the receptacle ground or retracted behind the receptacle ground respectively its surface that delimits the inner room of the respective receptacle. When moving into the advanced lift configuration, the lift member or lift members project into the respective receptacle. The cards are lifted from the receptacle ground and are further supported against gravity by the lift member or lift members, rather than the receptacle ground. Such lift member or lift members may be realized, e.g. as rails or pins that may enter the inner room of the receptacle e.g. via corresponding apertures or slits in the receptacle ground, t is noted that such embodiments are favorable for sets of cards with a rather low number of cards, e.g. a single set of cards as used for the game of Poker or the game of Bridge, since they extend over the full receiving receptacle clearance in the extension of the length of the receiving receptacle in the maximum receiving receptacle clearance configuration.

In an embodiment, the receiving receptacle is designed as e.g. closed or closable container. In such embodiments, the receiving receptacle generally has a cover and generally closed receiving receptacle side walls. In such design, the card handling device generally includes a base unit and a removably attachable exchangeable unit. The base unit may include all elements and units of the card handling device with exception of the receiving receptacle, and the receiving receptacle may be the exchangeable unit. The base unit and the exchangeable unit may in each case include a respective coupling interface that is designed mutual releasable engagement, e.g. latching. In an embodiment, the coupling interface is a purely mechanical interface.

The base unit may include the source receptacle with the source receptacle moving device, the card transfer device or part of the transfer device. The base unit may further include the source receptacle wall moving device. The base unit may further include auxiliary elements and devices such as power supply, control unit, user interface and the like. Regarding the card transfer device, the pusher und the pusher moving device are part art of the base device. Further elements, such as transport rollers, may also part of the base device, but may also be part of the exchangeable device, or may be distribute between them. The exchangeable unit includes the receiving receptacle and may optionally include further elements or devices, in particular a receiving receptacle wall moving device. The receiving receptacle side walls of the receiving receptacle are sufficiently long to extend between the proximal and distal receiving receptacle wall in the maximum clearance configuration. In an operational configuration of the card handling device, the receiving receptacle side walls extend parallel to the normal axis and generally vertically. Optionally, an additional back wall may be provided that may be stationary respectively fixed with respect to the receiving receptacle side walls, the receiving receptacle ground and typically the non-movable receiving receptacle wall respectively reference receiving receptacle wall. A movable receiving receptacle wall may be movably arranged between the back wall and the reference receiving receptacle wall. The receiving receptacle side wall pointing towards the source receptacle in an operational configuration has a receiving receptacle transfer card aperture via which the transfer card can be inserted into the receiving receptacle as mentioned before. The receiving receptacle transfer card aperture may be generally closed with an e.g. resilient lid or a shutter that opens when coupling the exchangeable unit with the base unit and closing upon uncoupling respectively detaching.

The receiving receptacle respectively the exchangeable unit may fulfil the functionality of a card shoe respectively serve as a card shoe as mentioned before and generally known in the art. Therefore, the exchangeable unit may include a card dispensing device for dispensing cards individually, in pairs respectively groups of two, or the like.

A card handling set may include a base device and a number of e.g. two or more of exchangeable units. This allows distributing shuffled cards from one exchangeable unit respectively receiving receptacle while at the same time shuffling further sets of cards. It is noted that an ejecting lift is generally not present in an arrangement with base unit and exchangeable unit, since the exchangeable unit is generally as a simply detached and removed by an operator with the set of cards therein.

Additionally to a shuffling device, the card handling device may be configured to operate as dedicated integrity checking device in a corresponding operation mode, or may be a dedicated integrity checking device. As noted before, the integrity checking may be - and typically is - carried out along with shuffling.

As pure integrity checking device or if operated in an integrity checking mode, the card handling device may be configured to repeatedly execute a card transfer procedure as generally discussed before. In contrast to a shuffling, however, the cards may be transferred from the source receptacle into the receiving receptacle sequentially according to their initial respectively original order. In such design, the transfer card is, in each repetition, the most proximal card of the source subset. Alternatively, the transfer card, may, in each repetition, be the most distal card of the source subset. In dependence on the design, the originally most proximal card of the set of cards when accommodated by the source receptacle, i.e. at the beginning, may also be the most proximal card of the set of cards when accommodated in the receiving receptacle after termination of the procedure. Alternatively, the most proximal card may become the most distal card and vice versa, i.e. the card order may be reversed.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description present embodiments, and are intended to provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and character of the disclosure. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding, and are incorporated into and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate various embodiments, and together with the description serve to explain the principles and operation of the concepts disclosed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The herein described invention will be more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings which should not be considered limiting to the invention described in the appended claims. The drawings show:

Fig. 1 an embodiment of a card handling device in accordance with the present disclosure in a schematic top view; Fig. 2 the card handling device of Fig 1 with a set of cards in an initial configuration at the beginning respectively before a card handling procedure;

Fig. 3 the card handling device of Fig 1 during the card handling procedure, subsequent to the configuration of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 the card handling device of Fig 1 during the card handling procedure, subse- quent to the configuration of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 the card handling device of Fig 1 during the card handling procedure, subsequent to the configuration of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 the card handling device of Fig 1 during the card handling procedure, subsequent to the configuration of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 the card handling device of Fig 1 during the card handling procedure, subsequent to the configuration of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 the card handling device of Fig 1 in a final configuration at the end respectively after the card handling procedure;

Fig. 9 a further embodiment of a card handling device in a schematic view;

Fig. 10 the control structure of a card handling device in a schematic view;

Fig. 11 shows a further embodiment of a card handling device in a view and configuration generally corresponding to Figure 1 ;

Fig. 12 schematically shows a view of a configuration in operation of the card handling device of Fig.11 ;

Fig. 13 schematically shows a further view of the configuration of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 schematically shows a view of a further configuration in operation of the card handling device of Fig.11 , subsequent to Fig. 12;

Fig. 15 schematically shows a further view of the configuration of Fig. 14, similar to Fig. 13.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to certain embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all features are shown. Indeed, embodiments disclosed herein may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Whenever possible, like reference numbers will be used to refer to like components or parts. Further, not all reference numbers and signs may be present in each figure.

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a card handling device 1 in accordance with the present disclosure in a schematic structural top view. The card handling device 1 has a chassis 19 as support for the further elements. The chassis 19 also defines a fixed reference.

The card handling device 1 includes a source receptacle 11 and a receiving receptacle 12. Both the source receptacle 11 and the receiving receptacle 12 extended parallel to each other and parallel to a normal axis N. For illustrative purposes, the normal axis N is shown symmetrically with respect to the source receptacle 11 , which, however, is not essential. The source receptacle 11 and the receiving receptacle 12 further include in each case a respective receptacle ground 111 g, 121 g (not referenced in Figure 1 , see Figure 9) on which cards may rest and from which the respective receptacle walls project. In Figure 1, the card handling device 1 is shown without the source receptacle 11 and receiving receptacle 12 accommodating cards.

The normal axis N defines a proximal direction p and a thereto opposite distal direction d. A primary lateral axis L-1 extends transverse to the normal axis N, defining a first lateral direction 1-1 and a thereto opposite second lateral direction I-2. A secondary lateral axis (not indicated as such in Figure 1, see Figure 9) extends transverse to the normal axis N and the primary lateral axis L-1 , defining a third lateral direction I-3 and a thereto opposite fourth lateral direction I-4. In an operational configuration as shown, the second lateral axis extends vertically and the fourth lateral direction I-4 is aligned with the direction of gravity. The normal axis N and the primary lateral axis L-1 lay, in an operational configuration, in a horizontal respectively levelled plane. In an operational configuration also the receptacle grounds (111 g, 121 g) of the source receptacle 11 and the receiving receptacle 12 are levelled.

The source receptacle 11 has a proximal source receptacle wall 111 p and a distal source receptacle wall 111 d. Similarly, the receiving receptacle 12 has a proximal receiving receptacle wall 121 p and a distal receiving receptacle wall 121 d. All four of these receptacle walls 111 p, 111 d, 121 p, 121 d extend parallel to each other and to the axes respectively transverse to the normal axis N.

The receptacle walls of the source receptacle 11 and the receiving receptacle 12 are in each case movable with respect to each other. In the shown design, both distal receptacle walls, i.e. the distal source receptacle wall 111 d and the distal receiving receptacle wall 121 d are movable with respect to the source proximal wall 111 p respectively proximal receiving receptacle wall 121 p as a reference. Consequently, a source receptacle clearance src as distance between the proximal source receptacle wall 111 p and the distal source receptacle wall 111d is variable. The same holds true for the proximal receiving receptacle wall 121 p and the distal receiving receptacle wall 121 d, having a receiving receptacle clearance rrc. For illustrative purposes, the source receptacle 111 is shown in Figure 1 with the source receptacle clearance src being maximal and the receiving receptacle 12 is shown with the receiving receptacle clearance rrc being small, in particular corresponding to the thickness of one card or smaller than the thickness of one card. The proximal receiving receptacle wall 121 p and the distal receiving receptacle wall 121 d, however, could also contact each other with the receiving receptacle clearance rrc being zero.

For moving the movable walls 111 d, 121 d, wall moving devices are foreseen. In the shown design, the wall moving devices are realized by biasing springs, namely a source receptacle wall biasing spring 112 that biases the distal source receptacle wall 111 d towards the proximal source receptacle wall 111 p, and a receiving receptacle wall biasing spring 122 that biases the distal receiving receptacle wall 121 d towards the proximal receiving receptacle wall 121 p. Other types of wall moving devices as mentioned before in the general description could be used as well.

In contrast to the receiving receptacle 12, the source receptacle 11 is movable parallel to the normal axis N in a controlled manner via a source receptacle moving device 113. It is noted that, while the source receptacle 11 is shown in Figure 1 without cards, the cards of a source receptacle will move together with the source reportable 11 as discussed further below. The source receptacle moving device 113 may in the shown design be realized, e.g., as an ironless linear motor. In this design, the source receptacle moving device is configured to move the proximal source receptacle wall 111 p, the distal source receptacle wall 111 d and the source receptacle ground 111 g in combination, respectively to move the source receptacle as a whole. As discussed above, the source receptacle moving device may also be arranged to move together the proximal source receptacle wall 111 p and the distal source receptacle wall 111 d, but not the source receptacle ground 111 g.

A pusher 131 is arranged linearly movable transverse to the normal axis between a nonretracted pusher configuration (in Figure 1) and an advanced pusher configuration (see Figure 4). The pusher 131 is in the shown example realized by a thin plate that may be made, e.g., from Type 304 stainless steel. Further, the pusher 131 may be coated with a coating, e.g. a PTFE coating, to avoid cards being marked. The same holds true for other designs of the pusher 131 , e.g. a pivoting pusher, as discussed above and further below. For moving the pusher 131 between the retracted and the advanced pusher configuration, a pusher moving device 132 is foreseen and coupled to the pusher 131. The pusher moving device 132 may in the shown arrangement, include or be realized as voice coil actuator, electromagnetic actuator or spindle drive. As the moving speed of the pusher 131 is, like the moving speed of the source receptacle 11 , decisive for the overall operational speed, it is desirable for the pusher moving device to be designed for quick operation.

The card handling device 1 further includes a number of transport rollers 133, 133' that are in each case arranged pivotable around a respective transport roller axis (not separately shown). The transport roller axes extend in each case parallel to the secondary lateral axis L-2 respectively vertically in an operational configuration. The transport rollers 133, 133' are pivotable with a common or separate transport roller drive to rotate in each case with the same rotational speed respectively circumferential speed. The direction of rotation is in each case counter-clockwise in the top-view of Figure 1.

Two transport rollers 133 are arranged in the room between the source receptacle 11 and the receiving receptacle 12 and are distributed along the primary lateral axis L-1. The transport roller 133' is integrated into the distal receiving receptacle wall 121 d. As discussed further below in more detail, the arrangement of the transport rollers 133, 133' is such that a transfer card can be pushed by the pusher 131 sufficiently far into the first lateral direction out of the source receptacle 11 such that the transfer card establishes contact to the transport roller 133 closer to the source receptacle 11 (left transport roller 133 in Figure 1). Upon movement of the transfer card in the first lateral direction 1-1 , the transfer card will next be in contact with both transport rollers 133, followed by contact with the transport roller 133 closer to the receiving receptacle 12 (right transport roller 133 in Figure 1), followed by the transport roller 133', and finally with transport roller 133' only. The transport rollers 133 can generally rotate continuously. For the transport roller 133', in contrast, it is favorable if it is rotated only for transferring a transfer card but not to operate otherwise. Therefore, a separate transport roller drive respectively transport roller rotating device, distinct from the transport roller drive for transport rollers 133, may be foreseen for driving transport roller 133'. In a further design, the transport roller 133' may rotate continuously and a clutch may be foreseen for selectively coupling and decoupling the transport roller 133'. Rotation of the transport roller 133' should only occur as needed for the transport of the transfer card, since it would otherwise permanently move relative to a contacting card, resulting in undesired friction, wear and potentially stalling.

With respect to the normal axis N, the transport rollers 133 are in the shown design aligned with each other, while the transport roller 133' is in the shown design slightly offset in the distal direction. Correspondingly, the transfer card will be somewhat bent in a configuration where it contacts the right transport roller 133 and the transport roller 133' as mentioned before.

Further, a for example plate-shaped card abutment 134 is arranged facing the transport rollers 133 and spring-biased towards the transport rollers 133. When transferring a transfer card from the source receptacle 11 into the receiving receptacle 12, the transfer card will pass between the transport rollers 133 and the card abutment 134, with the card abutment 134 forcing the transfer card against the transport rollers 133. In a variation, further e.g. non-driven transport rollers may be foreseen instead of the card abutment 134. Since the transport rollers 133 are arranged such that they contact in each case the proximal front of a transfer card, they are proximal transport rollers. In the shown arrangement, the pusher 131 together with pusher moving device 132, the card abutment 134 and the transport rollers 133, 133' form functional parts of a card transfer device.

Alternatively to the shown arrangement, other transport roller arrangements could be used. For example, the transport rollers 133 do not necessarily need to be arranged aligned with each other with respect to normal axis N but could be arranged somewhat offset with respect to each other. Also, another number of transport rollers may be foreseen as required.

Further, the proximal receiving receptacle wall 121 p has a thin end section 121 p' facing the source receptacle 11 , and a chamfer 126 that connects the thin end section 121d' with the main part (not referenced) of the proximal receiving receptacle wall 121 p. Consequently, a transfer card, upon hitting the chamfer 126, will be deflected in the distal direction d.

Further, in the shown design, exemplary wall-shaped source receptacle guide members 114, 115 extend parallel to the normal axis N and on both sides of the source receptacle 11 with respect to the primary lateral axis L-1 and are fixed to the chassis 19. Similarly, receiving receptacle guide members 124, 125 are arranged on both sides of the receiving receptacle 12. The guide members prevent cards from unintentionally leaving the source receptacle 11 or receiving receptacle 12, respectively. The guide members 114, 124 serve at the same time as lateral source receptacle card retainer and lateral receiving receptacle card retainer, respectively. The guide member 115 that is arranged between the source receptacle 11 and the pusher 131 in the shown retracted pusher configuration has a pusher aperture 115' through which the pusher 131 extends when moving into the advanced pusher configuration. The pusher aperture is 115' is dimensioned and arranged such that pusher 131 can project therethrough into the source receptacle 11 (see Figure 4) without contact, but no cards may exit the source receptacle 11 via the pusher aperture. Similarly, the guide member respectively lateral source receptacle card retainer 114 that is arranged on the other side of the source receptacle 11 has a transfer card aperture 114' that is also aligned with the pusher 131 and allows a transfer card to be pushed out of the source receptacle 11 (see Figure 4). It is noted that the arrangement and positioning of the pusher aperture 115' and transfer card aperture 114' is critical. Optionally, the pusher aperture 115' and/or the transfer card aperture 114' may be selected somewhat wider and provided with deformable respectively resilient sealing lips.

In the shown embodiment, the card handling device 1 further includes an optional camera 141 and backside camera 142 that form part of an integrity checking device. The integrity checking device is configured for integrity checking as described in more detail in the general description above.

The camera 141 has a viewing direction from distal towards proximal. Further, the camera 141 is in the shown design an aerial camera with a two-dimensional sensor and is configured to capture two-dimensional images with a field of view 141 '. Further, the camera 141 is in the shown design arranged such that its field of view 141 extends between the transport rollers 133.

The camera 141 is arranged to capture images of at least part of the distal card front of a transfer card as being transferred from the source receptacle 11 into the receiving receptacle 12. For the shown arrangement, the distal card front is in each case the face side showing suit and rank.

For the shown arrangement of the backside camera 142, the card abutment 134 is favorably made from a transparent material, e.g. Plexiglas, to allow the camera 141 to look through respectively capture images through the card abutment 134. Other setups, however, may be used as well.

The backside camera 142 with field of view 142' has a viewing direction from proximal to distal and is in this design arranged as line camera, with the sensor elements respectively pixels of the backside camera 142 being arranged in a line extending parallel to the second lateral axis L-2 respectively vertically. The backside camera 142 is arranged to capture with its field of view 142' images of the proximal card front as card backside of a transfer card. For the shown arrangement, the proximal card front is in each case the backside with a generally uniform pattern.

It is noted that the camera 141 only needs to capture images of a part of the distal card front respectively face side of a transfer card, namely of a part carrying the identification information, specifically, suit and rank and eventual barcodes, and its field of view 14T is selected accordingly. The backside camera 142', in contrast, generally must be able to capture images of the complete proximal card front as backside of the transfer card to allow proper checking for defects, marks, barcodes and the like as discussed before. Therefore a line camera is used with the line defining the viewing direction 142' being vertical respectively parallel with respect to the secondary lateral axis L-2. In this way, all parts of the proximal card front respectively backside are sequentially captured, even though some portions are at all times hidden by obstacles, such as transport rollers 133.

As mentioned, the source receptacle wall biasing spring 112 biases the distal source receptacle wall 111 d in the proximal direction p respectively towards the proximal source receptacle wall 111 p. Without any cards being accommodated in the source receptacle 11 , the source receptacle does accordingly in principle assume a minimum clearance configuration (see Figure 8), with the source receptacle clearance src being minimal or the distal source receptacle wall 111 d even touching the proximal source receptacle wall 111 p. In such configuration, however, it is not possible to load a set of cards into the source receptacle 11. Via the source receptacle wall locking device 118 (only shown in Figure 1), the distal source receptacle wall 111 d can be locked in position with respect to the chassis 19. The source receptacle wall locking device 118 includes in this design a locking pin that is movable between a retracted locking pin configuration (corresponding to a non-activated state of the source receptacle wall locking device) and an advanced locking pin configuration (corresponding to an activated state of the source receptacle wall locking device), and further an e.g. solenoid-based actuator for moving the locking pin between the retracted and the advanced locking pin configuration. In the retracted locking pin configuration, the distal source receptacle wall 111 d is free to move under influence of the source receptacle wall biasing spring 112 as mentioned. In the advanced locking pin configuration, the distal receiving receptacle wall 111 d is locked in position.

For loading a set of cards into the source receptacle 11 , the proximal source receptacle wall 111 p is first moved into a most distal position with respect to the normal axis N, with the locking pin being in the retracted locking pin configuration. In this position, the wall locking pin is moved into the advanced locking pin configuration. Subsequently, the source receptacle moving device 113 is actuated for a movement in the proximal direction p. Because of the distal source receptacle wall 111 d, however, being locked in position, it will not move in the proximal direction p, in contrast to the proximal source receptacle wall 111 p and the source receptacle ground 111 g which will move in the proximal direction. In this way, the source receptacle clearance is increased to the maximum clearance configuration as shown in Figure 1 where the set of cards can be loaded into the source receptacle 11 . Subsequently, after loading of the cards, the locking pin is moved to the retracted configuration. In order to allow a configuration for different numbers of cards in the set of cards, e.g. six to ten decks of cards with 48 to 56 cards per deck, the position of the source receptacle wall locking device 118 with respect to the normal axis N may be adjustable by a user or in factory. It is noted, however, that no adjustment is generally required during regular operation since the card handling device is typically used constantly respectively over a long time for one and the same game.

In addition to the source receptacle wall locking device 118, a source receptacle wall retraction rod 118' is shown in Figure 1 for illustrative purposes. The source receptacle wall retraction rod 118' is fixed to the distal source receptacle wall 111 d and allows manual retraction. The source receptacle wall retraction rod 118' is an alternative to the source receptacle wall locking device 118 and in a typical design not both of them would be present.

In the following, reference is additionally made to Figure 2, showing a configuration of the card handling device 1 at the beginning of a card handling procedure which is here assumed to be a shuffling procedure as described before. A set of cards has been loaded into respectively is accommodated by the source receptacle 11 , while the receiving receptacle 12 is empty. In this initial configuration, the complete set of cards 9 is identical to a source subset 9s, with an individual card being indicated with reference number 91 . Since all cards 91 are in the source receptacle 11 , its source receptacle clearance src (see Figure 1) is maximal while the receiving receptacle 12 is empty with the proximal receiving receptacle wall 121 p and the distal receiving receptacle wall 121 d having a small clearance, corresponding to the thickness of a single card as indicated, but could in principle also contact each other. The source subset 9s is arranged in the source receptacle 11 as a compact stack and clamped between the proximal source receptacle wall 111 p and the distal source receptacle wall 111 d under influence of the source receptacle wall biasing spring 112. In the configuration of Figure 2, It can be seen that the most proximal card 91 ps of the source subset 9s (respectively in this initial configuration of the set of cards 9) contacts in an inner surface of the proximal source receptacle wall 111 p and the most distal card 91 ds of the source subset 9s (respectively in this initial configuration of the set of cards 9) contacts the inner surface of the distal source receptacle wall 111 d.

Starting from the initial configuration shown in Figure 2, the shuffling procedure is executed by repeatedly executing a card transfer procedure as further illustrated with reference to Figure 3 to Figure 8.

In the configuration shown in Figure 3, the source receptacle 11 has been moved via the source receptacle moving device 113 with respect to the normal axis N into a position where an arbitrary respectively randomly selected card as transfer card 9T is aligned with the pusher 131 . Generally, a thickness of the pusher 131 is somewhat smaller than the card thickness and the positioning is such that the pusher 131 is centered with respect to the transfer card 9T with respect to the normal axis N. The pusher 131 is favorably designed to contact the short card side respectively a short side of the card edging with generally the largest feasible area. Therefore, the thickness of the card pusher 131 is, however, as large as feasible in view of the card thickness than the positioning precision of the source receptacle 11. Further, the card pusher 131 should contact the card edging over the largest possible length, ideally substantially the complete length of the side of the card edging facing the pusher 131.

In the configuration shown in Figure 4, the pusher 131 has been moved into the advanced pusher configuration via the pusher moving device 132 and projects via the pusher aperture 115' into the inner room of the he source receptacle 11 , and the transfer card 9T has been partly pushed out of the source receptacle in the first lateral direction 1-1 through the transfer card aperture 114' (both apertures referenced in Figure 1). Further, a peripheral region (not referenced) of the transfer card 9T which points in the first lateral direction 1-1 is seated between the left one of the transport rollers 133 respectively the transport roller 133 closer to the source receptacle 11 and the card abutment 134, with the proximal card front contacting the transport roller 133 and the distal card front contacting the card abutment 134.

In the configuration shown in Figure 5, the transfer card 9T has been further moved into the first lateral direction 1-1 via the transport rollers 133 and now contacts both transport rollers 133 and the card abutment 134. A peripheral region of the transfer card 91 ' in the second lateral direction I-2 is still accommodated in the source receptacle 11 . The pusher 131 is moved back via the pusher moving device 132 into the retracted pusher position.

In the configuration shown in Figure 6, the transfer card 9T has been further moved into the first lateral direction 1-1 via the transport rollers 133 and now transport roller 133'. In this configuration, the transfer card 9T is fully removed from the source receptacle 11 . A region of the transfer card 9T which points in the second lateral direction I-2 is located between and contacts the transport rollers 133 and the card abutment 134, while a peripheral region which points in the first lateral direction 1-1 is now positioned between the proximal receiving receptacle wall 121 p and distal receiving receptacle wall 121 d and accordingly in the receiving receptacle 12. In the movement of the transfer card 9T from the configuration of Figure 5 into the configuration of Figure 6, a transfer card bending region 91 b' of the transfer card 9T that contacts the chamfer 126 is bent towards the distal direction d and exerts a force onto the distal receiving receptacle wall 121d, whereby the transfer card bending region 91 b’ is pushed in the distal direction respectively towards the distal receiving receptacle wall 121 d. The distal receiving receptacle wall is accordingly pushed in the distal direction against the force that is exerted by the receiving receptacle wall biasing spring 122. A gap respectively clearance is accordingly created between the proximal receiving receptacle wall 121 p and the distal receiving receptacle wall 121 d.

Further, as the transfer card 9T leaves the source receptacle 11 , the distal source receptacle wall 111 d is moved via the source receptacle wall biasing spring 112 in the proximal direction p towards the proximal source receptacle wall 111 p, thereby compacting and clamping the source subset 9s - now reduced by one card - between the proximal source receptacle wall 111 p and the distal source receptacle wall 111 d.

In the configuration shown in Figure 7, the transfer card 91 ' has been fully transferred into the receiving receptacle 12. Subsequent to the transfer, the transfer card 91 ' forms part of the receiving subset 9r which consists at this point of a single card only.

As the transfer card 91 ' passes the camera 141 and backside camera 142, one or more card images are taken from at least part of the face side (in the shown design corresponding to the distal card front as mentioned before) and the backside (in the shown design corresponding to the proximal card front as mentioned before) of the transfer card 91 ' and are processed as discussed above in the general description for integrity checking purposes. For reliable and efficient operation and to ensure correct timing of the image capturing, the card handling device 1 respectively its integrity checking device may be configured for tracking a transfer card position especially with respect to the primary lateral axis L-1 . This may be done from the captured images by detecting, e.g., the short card side which points in the first lateral direction 1-1 . Also, the position of the transfer card 9T may be tracked by a rotational encoder of a transport roller 133, respectively the transport roller drive. In this context, it is noted that especially the image processing of the backside camera 142 as a line camera generally requires information regarding the movement speed of the transfer card in the first lateral direction in order to correctly combine and interpret the single captured images. This speed information can favorably be derived from an encoder signal as mentioned. Further, the position of the transfer card 9T may be tracked by one or more dedicated card sensors, such as optical reflex sensors, light barriers and/or capacitive proximity sensors.

The procedure as described with reference to Figure 2 to Figure 7 is repeatedly executed until all cards have been transferred from the source receptacle 11 to the receiving receptacle 12. It is noted that the transfer card 91 ' is inserted into the receiving receptacle 12 in each case as most proximal card of the receiving subset 9r. Further, the receiving subset 9r stays constantly compacted respectively clamped between the proximal receiving receptacle wall 121 p and the distal receiving receptacle wall 121 d due to the force exerted by the receiving receptacle wall biasing spring 122.

The order in which the cards are transferred from the source receptacle 11 into the receiving receptacle is a random order which may, however, exclude cut cards as discussed in more detail in the general description. For the here-described embodiment of the card handling device 1 , the handling of optional cut cards may be as follows: As noted before, the distal card front of the playing cards is the face side showing suit and rank. Further, the transfer card 9T is in each case inserted into the receiving subset 9r as most proximal card, respectively the receiving subset is built up in the receiving receptacle 12 from distal towards proximal. Without cut cards, the card front of the most distal card in the set of cards after shuffling may potentially be visible. To exclude this, a cut card, which may in particular be the most proximal or most distal card of the set of cards 9s when loaded into the source receptacle 11 , may accordingly be the first card to be transferred from the source receptacle 11 into the receiving receptacle. In an embodiment where the face side of the playing cards corresponds to the proximal card front, the cut card may be transferred as last card. Cut cards that shall be placed in the set of cards 9 at other positions to indicate that the set of cards has been shuffled as discussed above in the general description can be transferred as needed. It is noted that by positioning of the source receptacle 11 via the source receptacle moving device 113 as mentioned, the cut cards that are present in the set of cards at a pre-determined position when loaded into the source receptacle 11 , in particular as most proximal or most distal cards, can be selected for transfer into the receiving receptacle 12 by correspondingly positioning of the source receptacle 11 as needed.

Figure 8 shows the final configuration where all cards have been transferred and are now accommodated by the receiving receptacle, with the receiving subset 9r being identical with the set of cards 9. In the configuration of Figure 8, it can be seen that the most proximal card 91 pr of the receiving subset 9r (respectively in this final configuration of the set of cards 9) contacts in an inner surface of the proximal receiving receptacle wall 121 p and the most distal card 91 dr of the receiving subset 9r (respectively in this initial configuration of the set of cards 9) contacts the inner surface of the distal source receptacle wall 121 d.

The positioning of the source receptacle 11 between the transfer of the single cards can be done at the beginning of each card transfer procedure. However, in the interest of operational speed, the positing of the source receptacle 11 via the source receptacle moving device 131 for the next following transfer may already be carried out as a card transfer card 9T has fully left the source receptacle 11 and is being transferred into the receiving receptacle 12 as shown in Figure 6. In such a design, two successive repetitions of the card transfer procedure are in each case executed in an interlaced manner. In any case, the card pusher 131 must be in the retracted pusher configuration when moving the source receptacle 11.

Figure 9 schematically shows elements of a card handling device 1 in accordance with the present disclosure in a viewing direction aligned with the normal axis N (not shown in Figure 9) with a viewing direction from distal towards proximal. Apart from a different design regarding the pusher 131 , the embodiment of Figure 9 generally corresponds to the embodiment as described before with reference to Figure 1 to Figure 8. It is noted that not all elements of the preceding figures are shown in Figure 9 in the interest of clarity.

Regarding the source receptacle 11 and the receiving receptacle 12, only the source receptacle ground 111 g and receiving receptacle ground 121 g are shown. It can be seen that the receiving receptacle ground 121 g is in an operational configuration somewhat below respectively offset in the direction of gravity g as compared to the source receptacle ground 111 g, thereby ensuring that a transfer card 91 ’ safely falls into position in the receiving receptacle 12. Further, a loading lift 117 is coupled to the source receptacle 11 , specifically the source receptacle ground 111 g to allow lifting and lowering the source receptacle 11. Similarly, an ejecting lift 127 is coupled to the receiving receptacle 12, specifically the receiving receptacle ground 121 g to allow lifting and lowering the source receptacle 11 .

Further, in the design depicted in Figure 9, the pusher 131 (and the pusher moving device 132, not shown in Figure 9) is designed differently as compared to the embodiment depicted in Figure 1 to Figure 8. The pusher 131 is here designed as an e.g. circular disk that is arranged pivotable about an eccentric pusher pivoting axis PPA, the pusher pivoting axis extending parallel to the normal axis N. In Figure 9, the pusher 131 is in the retracted pusher configuration and does not project into the source receptacle 11 respectively its inner room. By pivoting around the pusher pivoting axis, the pusher 131 may be brought into the advanced pusher configuration where it projects into the source receptacle 11 respectively its inner room. Further, in Figure 9, a cover 191 is shown which may be part of a housing of the card handling device. The cover 191 is generally coupled to or may be fully or partly integral with other housing elements or the chassis 19 as mentioned before. Optionally, cover 191 may be part of a playing table, specifically the table top thereof.

The cover 191 has a source receptacle access cutout and a receiving receptacle access cutout (not referenced as such), that are aligned with respectively arranged over the source receptacle 11 and receiving receptacle 12, respectively. The source receptacle access cutout is generally covered respectively closed by a source receptacle door 192s and the receiving receptacle access cutout is generally covered respectively closed by a receiving receptacle door 192r. The source receptacle door 192s is moveable between an open source receptacle door configuration and an alternative closed source receptacle door configuration (shown) by way of a source receptacle door source receptacle door moving device 193s. Similarly, the receiving receptacle door 192r is moveable between an open receiving receptacle door configuration and an alternative closed receiving receptacle door configuration (shown) by way of a receiving receptacle door source receptacle door moving device 193r. The door movement may in each case be, e.g., a linear movement parallel respectively tangential to the cover 191 , or a pivoting movement around a respective door pivoting axis (not shown) that extends vertically respectively parallel to the secondary lateral axis. In embodiments where the source receptacle door 192s and receiving receptacle door 192r are manually movable, the elements referenced 193s, 193r may be door locking devices.

Figure 10 shows an exemplary card handling device 1 that may in particular be used as shuffling device in form of a functional block diagram, with major functional links being indicated by dashed lines. It is noted that the separately shown elements and units merely serve illustrative purposes but may not imply any particular technical implementation. In particular electronic units respectively circuits may be realized separately or in a fully or partly integral manner. The card handling device 1 as depicted in Figure 10 may, e.g., correspond to any of the before-discussed embodiments.

The card handling device 1 includes a typically computerized control unit 2 as central control and supervision instance. The control unit 2 generally controls operation of all drives and actuators and process sensor feedback information of sensors, such as light barriers, switches or encoders. For use of the card handling device as shuffling device, the control unit 2 includes in this embodiment a hardware random number generator 21 .

The control unit 2 controls operation of the card transfer device 13 with its sub-devices, in particular the pusher moving device 132 and transport roller drive respectively transport roller rotating device 135. The transport roller drive respectively transport roller rotating device 135 may, e.g., include a single or a number of motors. The control unit 2 further controls operation of the source receptacle moving device 113 and the e.g. solenoid-based source receptacle wall locking device 118. Each of these devices can and generally does include one or more sensors for control and supervision purposes. The same holds true for the loading lift 117, the ejecting lift 127 as well as the source receptacle door moving device 193s and receiving receptacle door moving device 193r that are also controlled by the control unit 2.

The integrity checking device 14 with camera 141 , backside camera 142 and image processing unit 143 is also controlled by the control unit. It is noted that especially the image processing unit is typically realized as an integral part of the control unit. 2.

Further, the control unit 2 may be configured to process and evaluate sensor data of senses such as encoder, light barriers, proximity switches, end switches and the like that may be present to supervised operation of the card handling device 1 and/or coordinate and control operation of the various drives and operations as mentioned. Further, the card handling device 1 includes a user interface 3 in operative coupling with the control unit. The user interface 3 may include one or more input devices, such as pushbuttons, indication devices, such as a display and/or light emitting diodes, and the like.

Figure 11 shows a further embodiment of a card handling device 1 in a view generally corresponding to Figure 1. Since a number of elements and aspects, in particular the card transfer device and the receiving receptacle correspond to the before-discussed embodiment, the following description is focused on the differences. The embodiment of Figure 11 in particular differs regarding the integrity checking and thereto related aspects. In particular, the integrity checking procedure includes a dropping procedure.

In the design of Figure 11, the arrangement of the movable source receptacle wall and the reference source receptacle wall is reversed. The proximal source receptacle wall 111 p is accordingly the movable source receptacle wall and the distal source receptacle wall 111d is the reference source receptacle wall. Note, however, that this is not the case for the receiving receptacle 12 where the arrangement is the same as in Figure 1.

An e.g. solenoid-based movable source receptacle wall retraction device 183 is foreseen to lock the proximal source receptacle wall 112p against the force of the source receptacle wall biasing spring 112 in a dropping clearance configuration that corresponds to the maximum clearance configuration or is somewhat wider as discussed above in the general description.

An elongated, e.g. bar-shaped or pin-shaped tilting member 181 is arranged to extend parallel to the normal axis N offset with respect to a middle axis respectively axis of symmetry of the source receptacle 11. The tilting member 181 is movable by an e.g. motorized tilting member drive 182 between a retracted tilting member configuration where the tilting member 182 does not project into the source receptacle 11 and an advanced tilting member configuration where the tilting member projects into the source receptacle 11. The moving direction of the tilting member 181 between the retracted tilting member configuration and the advanced tilting member configuration may be a linear movement parallel to the secondary lateral axis L-2 or may be a swiveling movement around an axis parallel to the normal axis N. In the retracted tilting member configuration, the tilting member 181 stands back below the source receptacle ground or forms part of the source receptacle ground. The proximal end 18T of the tilting member 181 is the dropping end.

Further, the card arranging device 1 of Figure 11 includes a dropping roller 184. The dropping roller 184 is arranged rotatably around a dropping roller axis (not referenced) via a dropping roller drive 185 (see Figure 12). The dropping roller axis extends parallel to the inner surface of the source receptacle 111 p and in particular parallel to the primary lateral axis L-1. Further aspects regarding the arrangement and function of the dropping roller 184 are discussed further below. As discussed above in the general description, a distance respectively clearance between the dropping end 18T and the dropping roller 184 along the normal axis N generally corresponds to one card thickness.

The tilting member 181 with the tilting member drive 182, the movable source receptacle wall retraction device 183 and the dropping roller 184 with dropping roller drive 185, together, a dropping device.

The camera 141 is arranged to have a viewing direction from distal towards proximal like in Figure 1. The arrangement of the camera, however, is different. The camera is arranged in the area of the source receptacle 11 and such that it can capture an image of the card identifier of the most distal card of a levelled subset as discussed in the following. Like in the embodiment shown in Figure 1 , the cards are generally arranged with the face side corresponding to the distal card front. It is noted that the optional backside camera 142 is arranged in generally the same way as depicted in Figure 1.

Figure 12 to Figure 15 schematically illustrate the dropping procedure and image capturing for the card handling device 1 of Figure 11. Figure 12, 13 generally show the situation prior to respectively at the beginning of the integrity checking and dropping procedure. Figure 12 shows a viewing direction along the primary lateral axis L-1 with the viewing direction corresponding to the second lateral direction. Figure 13 shows a view along the normal axis with a viewing direction from distal towards proximal.

In this configuration, the tilting member 181 is in the advanced tilting member configuration. All cards of the source subset 91 - generally corresponding to set of cards 9 - are contacted by the tilting member 181 at the base section 91 b of the circumferential card and are accordingly arranged in a tilted respectively skewed manner in the source receptacle 11 (best visible in Figure 13). Via the movable source receptacle wall retraction device 183, the proximal source receptacle wall 111 p as movable source receptacle wall is retracted and locked against the force of the source receptacle wall biasing spring such that the source receptacle 11 is in a dropping clearance configuration where the card of the set of cards are accommodated in the source receptacle 11 with some play with respect to the normal axis N. The play is favorably sufficient to avoid friction but small enough to keep the cards in position and to prevent them from tipping over. In this configuration, the dropping roller 184 starts to rotate as indicated in Figure 12, and the source receptacle 11 is displaced in the proximal direction via the source receptacle moving device 113.

At some point proximal card front of the most proximal card 91 ps of the source subset 9s (as mentioned being in this situation generally identical with the set of cards 9) will come into contact with the dropping roller 184. This is the situation depicted in Figures 12, 13. Because of the clearance between the dropping end 18T of the tilting member 181 and the dropping roller 184 as discussed above, the most proximal card 91 ps of the source subset 9s will lose contact with the tilting member 181 and drop, respectively move, accelerated by the dropping roller 184 and generally supported by gravity, into the levelled card configuration. While moving into the levelled card configuring and or after assuming the levelled card configuration the camera 141 can capture at least one card image of the card identifier or part thereof of the dropped card, as discussed above in the general description.

This process is repeated by further displacing the source receptacle 11 in the proximal direction p, until all cards have been dropped.

Figure 14 and Figure 15 further illustrate the dropping procedure. Figure 14 and Figure 15 generally correspond to Figures 12 and Figure 13 but an intermediate situation of the dropping procedure after dropping part of the cards. The cards that are still supported by respectively contact the tilting member 181 form a tilted subset 9T and the cards that have already dropped form a levelled subset 9L, with the tilted subset 9T and the levelled subset 9L forming in combination, the source subset 9s (corresponding to the complete set of cards 9 as mentioned). In the shown design, the levelled subset 9L is proximal of the tilted subset 9T and the most proximal card of the tilted subset is always the next card to contact the dropping roller 184 and being dropped. REFERENCE SIGNS

I card handling device

I I source receptacle

I I I p proximal source receptacle wall

111 d distal source receptacle wall

111g source receptacle ground

112 source receptacle wall biasing spring (source receptacle wall moving device)

113 source receptacle moving device

114 lateral source receptacle card retainer (source receptacle guide member)

114' transfer card aperture

115 source receptacle guide member

115' pusher aperture

117 loading lift

118 source receptacle wall locking device

118' source receptacle wall retraction rod (source receptacle wall retracting device)

12 receiving receptacle

121 p proximal receiving receptacle wall

121 p' thin end section of proximal receiving receptacle wall

121 d distal receiving receptacle wall

121g receiving receptacle ground

122 receiving receptacle wall biasing spring (receiving receptacle wall moving device)

124 lateral receiving receptacle card retainer (receiving receptacle guide member)

125 receiving receptacle guide member

126 chamfer (transfer card bending feature) 127 ejecting lift

13 card transfer device

131 pusher

132 pusher moving device

133, 133' transport rollers

134 card abutment

135 transport roller drive I transport roller rotating device

14 integrity checking device

141 camera

141' camera field of view

142 backside camera

142' backside camera field of view

143 image processing unit

181 tilting member

181' dropping end

182 tilting member drive

183 movable source receptacle wall retraction device

184 dropping roller

185 dropping roller drive

19 chassis I base structure

191 cover

192s source receptacle door

192r receiving receptacle door

193s source receptacle door moving device I source receptacle door locking device

193r receiving receptacle door moving device I receiving receptacle door locking device

2 control unit 21 hardware random number generator

3 user interface

N normal axis src source receptacle clearance rrc receiving receptacle clearance

L-1 primary lateral axis

L-2 secondary lateral axis

PPA pusher pivoting axis p proximal direction d distal direction g direction of gravity

1-1 first lateral direction

I-2 second lateral direction

I-3 third lateral direction

I-4 fourth lateral direction

9s source subset

9r receiving subset

9T tilted subset

9L levelled subset

91 card

91 b base section of circumferential card edging

91 ps most proximal card of source subset

91 ds most distal card of source subset

91 pr most proximal card of receiving subset

91 dr most distal card of receiving subset

91' transfer card

91 b' transfer card bending region

Claims

1 . Card handling device (1 ) for a set of cards (9), the set of cards (9) with a number of cards (91), in particular playing cards, wherein the cards (91 ) each have a proximal card front and a distal card front, the proximal and the distal card front being parallel to each other and spaced apart with respect to each other by a card thickness, wherein the cards (91 ) each further have a circumferential card edging, the circumferential card edging extending between and connecting the proximal and the distal card front of the respective card (91 ), the card handling device (1) including a source receptacle (11 ), wherein the source receptacle (11 ) has a proximal source receptacle wall (111 p), a distal source receptacle wall (111 d) and a source receptacle ground (111g), the card handling device (1 ) further including a receiving receptacle (12), wherein the receiving receptacle (12) has a proximal receiving receptacle wall (121 p), a distal receiving receptacle wall (121d) and a receiving receptacle ground (121 g), wherein the proximal source receptacle wall (111 p), the distal source receptacle wall (111 d), the proximal receiving receptacle wall (112p) and the distal receiving receptacle wall (112d) extend in each case transverse to a normal axis (N) and wherein the source receptacle (11 ) and the receiving receptacle (12) are arranged in a side-by-side arrangement and spaced apart with respect to a primary lateral axis (L-1), the primary lateral axis (L-1) being transverse to the normal axis (N), wherein the source receptacle (11) is configured to accommodate a source subset (9s) from the set of cards (9) with the circumferential card edging of each card of the source subset (9s) resting on the source receptacle ground (111g) and the proximal and distal card front extending transverse to the normal axis (N), wherein the receiving receptacle (12) is configured to accommodate a receiving subset (9r) from the set of cards (9) with the circumferential card edging of each card of the receiving subset (9r) resting on the receiving receptacle ground (121 g) and the proximal and distal card front extending transverse to the normal axis (N), the card handling device (1) further including a card transfer device (13), the card transfer device (13) being configured for transferring a transfer card (91') of the source subset (9s) from the source receptacle (11 ) into the receiving receptacle (12) as most proximal card or most distal card of the receiving subset (9r), wherein the card transfer device (13) includes a pusher (131 ) and a pusher moving device (132), the pusher (131 ) having an extension along the normal axis (N) of less than the card thickness, wherein the pusher (131 ) is arranged movable transverse to the normal axis (N) between a retracted pusher configuration and an advanced pusher configuration via the pusher moving device (132), wherein the pusher (131 ) does not project into an inner room of the source receptacle (11) in the retracted pusher configuration and projects into or through the inner room of the source receptacle (11 ) in the advanced pusher configuration, wherein the pusher is arranged to push the transfer card (91 ') parallel to the primary lateral axis towards the receiving receptacle, the card handling device further including a source receptacle moving device (113), the source receptacle wall moving device being configured for bidirectional moving the proximal source receptacle wall (111 p) and the distal source receptacle wall (111 d) parallel to the normal axis (N) with respect to the pusher (131 ) and the receiving receptacle (12).

2. Card handling device (1) according to claim 1 , wherein a movement of the pusher (131 ) between the retracted pusher configuration and the advanced pusher configuration is a linear displacement movement parallel to the primary lateral axis (L-

1 ).

3. Card handling device (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the card transfer device (13) includes at least one transport roller (133, 133'), wherein each transport roller (133, 133') is arranged pivotally around a respective transport roller axis, wherein each transport roller axis extends parallel to a secondary lateral axis (L-2), the secondary lateral axis (L-2) extending transverse to the normal axis (N) and the primary lateral axis (L-1 ), the secondary lateral axis (L-

2) extending in particular vertically in an operational configuration, wherein at least one transport roller (133) is arranged between the source receptacle (11 ) and the receiving receptacle (12).

4. Card handling device (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a source receptacle clearance (src) between the proximal source receptacle wall (111 p) and the distal source receptacle wall (111 d), and a receiving receptacle clearance (rrc) between the proximal receiving receptacle wall (121 p) and the distal receiving receptacle wall (121 d) is in each case variable.

5. Card handling device (1) according to claim 4, wherein either of the proximal source receptacle wall (111 p) and the distal source receptacle wall (111 d) is a movable source receptacle wall and the other of the proximal source receptacle wall (111 p) and the distal source receptacle wall (111 d) is a reference source receptacle wall, wherein the movable source receptacle wall is movable with respect to the both source receptacle ground (111g) and the reference source receptacle wall, and wherein either of the proximal receiving receptacle wall (121 p) and the distal receiving receptacle wall (121 d) is a movable receiving receptacle wall and the other of the proximal receiving receptacle wall (121 p) and the distal receiving receptacle wall (121 d) is a reference receiving receptacle wall, wherein the movable receiving receptacle wall is movable with respect to both the receiving receptacle ground (121g) and the reference receiving receptacle wall.

6. Card handling device (1 ) according to claim 5, wherein the proximal source receptacle wall (111 p) is the movable source receptacle wall and the proximal receiving receptacle wall (121 p) is the movable receiving receptacle wall, or, alternatively, the distal source receptacle wall (111 d) is the movable source receptacle wall and the distal receiving receptacle wall (121 d) is the movable receiving receptacle wall.

7. Card handling device (1 ) according to either of claim 5 or claim 6, the card handling device (1 ) including a source receptacle and a receiving receptacle wall moving device, the source receptacle wall moving device being configured for moving the movable source receptacle wall independent from the source receptacle ground (111 g) and the reference source receptacle wall, and the receiving receptacle wall moving device being configured for moving the movable receiving receptacle wall independent from the receiving receptacle ground (121g) and the reference receiving receptacle wall.

8. Card handling device (1 ) according to claim 7, wherein the source receptacle wall moving device is configured for controlling movement of the movable source receptacle wall in a position controlled and/or force controlled manner, and/or the receiving receptacle wall moving device is configured for controlling movement of the movable receiving receptacle wall in a position controlled and/or force controlled manner.

9. Card handling device (1 ) according to any one of claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the source receptacle wall moving device is configured to bias the movable source receptacle wall towards the reference source receptacle wall, wherein the source receptacle wall moving device in particular includes a movable source receptacle wall biasing spring (112), and/or the receiving receptacle wall moving device is configured to bias the movable receiving receptacle wall towards the reference receiving receptacle wall, wherein the receiving receptacle wall moving device in particular includes a movable receiving receptacle wall biasing spring (122).

10. Card handling device (1) according to any one of claims 4 to claim 9, wherein the card handling device is configured to vary, in particular continuously vary, the source receptacle clearance such that a most proximal card of the source subset (9s) contacts the proximal source receptacle wall (111 p) and a most distal card of the source subset (9s) contacts the distal source receptacle wall (111 d), and to vary, in particular continuously vary, the receiving receptacle clearance such that a most proximal card of the receiving subset (9r) contacts the proximal receiving receptacle wall (121 p) and a most distal card of the receiving subset (9r) contacts the receiving receptacle wall (121 d).

1 1. Card handling device (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the receiving receptacle ground (121 g) is offset relative to the source receptacle ground (111 g) parallel to the secondary lateral axis (L-2), in particular in a direction of gravity in an operational configuration.

12. Card handling device (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, the card handling device (1 ) including a lateral source receptacle card retainer (114), the lateral source receptacle card retainer (114) extending parallel to the normal axis (N) and being arranged between the source receptacle (11 ) and the receiving receptacle (12), the lateral source receptacle card retainer (114) forming a lateral delimitation of the source receptacle, the lateral source receptacle card retainer (114) having a transfer card aperture (114'), the transfer card aperture (114') being configured to allow passing of the transfer card (91) therethrough when being pushed by the pusher (131 ) , while retaining further cards of the source subset (9s) inside the source receptacle (11 ).

13. Card handling device (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, the card handling device (1 ) including a transfer card bending feature, the transfer card bending feature being configured to bend the transfer card (91 ') in the normal direction (N) upon being contacted by the transfer card, the bending being in particular a bending towards an inner room of the receiving receptacle (12).

14. Card handling device (1) according to claim 13, wherein the transfer card bending feature includes a chamfer (126), wherein the chamfer (126) is arranged at a side surface of the proximal receiving receptacle wall (121 p) if the transfer card (91 ) is inserted as most proximal card of the receiving subset (9r), or, alternatively, is arranged at a side surface of the distal receiving receptacle wall (121 d) if the transfer card (91 ) is inserted as most proximal card of the receiving subset (9r).

15. Card handling device (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, the card handling device (1 ) being configured to execute, in particular repeatedly execute, a card transfer procedure in an autonomous manner, the card transfer procedure including the steps of: displacing the proximal source receptacle wall (111 p) and the distal source receptacle wall (111 d) with respect to the pusher (131 ) parallel to the normal axis (N) such that the pusher (131 ) is aligned with any of the cards of the source subset (9s) as transfer card (91’), controlling the card transfer device (13) to transfer the transfer card (91 ') from the source receptacle (11 ) into the receiving receptacle (12), wherein transferring the transfer card (91 ') from the source receptacle (11 ) into the receiving receptacle (12) includes moving the pusher (131 ) from the retracted pusher configuration into the advanced pusher configuration.

16. Card handling device (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the card handling device (1) is configured for sequentially transferring all cards of the set of cards from the source receptacle (11 ) into the receiving receptacle (12) in a random order or generally random order, thereby executing a shuffling procedure.

17. Card handling device according to any of the preceding claims, the card handling device (1) including a dropping device, the dropping device including

- a tilting member (181 ), wherein the tilting member (181 ) is configured to project into the source receptacle (9s) with a dropping end (181 ') of the tilting member (181 ) being positioned within the source receptacle (9s),

- a receptacle tilting member moving device, the receptacle tilting member moving device being configured to vary a relative position of the tilting member (181 ) to the proximal source receptacle wall (111 p) and distal source receptacle wall (111 d) with respect to normal axis (N), wherein the receptacle tilting member moving device is in particular integral with the source receptacle moving device (131 ) respectively is formed by the source receptacle moving device (131 ),

- wherein the cards of the source subset (9s) may in each case assume a levelled card confiouration and an alternative tilted card confiouration. wherein a base section (91 b) of the circumferential card edging of each card of the source subset (9s) rests on the source receptacle ground (111 g) in its levelled card configuration, and wherein each card of the source subset (9s) is in its tilted card configuration tilted around a tilting axis parallel to the normal axis (N) with respect to the levelled card configuration by the tilting member (181 ) pushing against the base section (91 b) of its circumferential card edging,

- wherein the card handling device (1 ) is configured for executing a dropping procedure, the procedure including: starting from an initial set configuration where all cards of the source subset (9s) are in their respective tilted card configuration, controlling the receptacle tilting member moving device to displace the proximal source receptacle wall (111 p) and distal source receptacle wall (111 d) relative to the tilting member (181) parallel to the normal axis (N) such that the cards of the source subset (9s) pass the dropping end (18T) and lose contact with the tilting member (181 ) one after the other, thereby moving from their respective tilted card configuration into their respective levelled card configuration.

18. Card handling device (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, the card handling device (1) further including an integrity checking device (14), the integrity checking device (14) including a camera (141 ) and an image processing unit (143) in operative coupling with the camera (141), wherein the card handling device (1) is configured to execute an integrity checking procedure, the integrity checking procedure including capturing, via the camera (141 ), at least one card image of at least part of a captured card front of a checked card and to identify a card identifier on the captured card front, wherein each card (91 ) of the set of cards (9) sequentially constitutes the checked card, determining whether the card identifier for each card (91) of the set of cards (9) matches an expected set composition of the set of cards (9), and providing an alert indication an actual set composition does not correspond to the expected set composition.

19. Card handling device (1) according to claim 18, wherein the integrity checking procedure includes capturing the at least one card image of the checked card while being accommodated in the source receptacle (9s), wherein the at least one card image is captured for all cards (91 ) of the set of cards (9) prior to transferring any cards (91 ) from the source receptacle (11 ) into the receiving receptacle (12).

20. Card handling device (1 ) according to claim 17 and either of claim 18 or claim 19, wherein the integrity checking procedure includes capturing the at least one card image for each card as checked card before, while, and/or subsequent to moving from its respective tilted configuration into its respective levelled card configuration.

21. Card handling device (1) according to claim 18, wherein the checked card is in each case the transfer card (91 ) and the integrity checking procedure includes capturing the at least one card image upon the transfer card (91) being transferred from the source receptacle (9s) into the receiving receptacle (9r).