Embodiments of a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader are provided herein, which include an RFID interrogator; a detection surface for a game piece, the detection surface comprising a plurality of reader antennas in a geometric arrangement; and antenna switching circuitry coupled between the RFID interrogator and the plurality of reader antennas; wherein the antenna switching circuitry is configured to consecutively activate each one of the plurality of reader antennas for at least a detection time window, and wherein the RFID interrogator is configured to: for each reader antenna, detect whether a response signal is received by the reader antenna during the detection time window, and determine a geometric orientation of the game piece based on a subset of reader antennas that received the response signal.

Disclosed is a code detecting system and method associated with moving objects. A light source provides light and sensor detects light as it reflects from a code supported by a moving object. Light from the light source reflects from a first portion of the code as the object moves, and is detected by the light sensor. Light from the light source reflects from at least a second portion of the code as the object moves, and is detected by the light sensor. A processor determines information representing the moving object, a first time when the at least one sensor detects the light reflecting from the first portion of the machine readable code and a second time when the at least one sensor detects the light reflecting from the second portion of the machine readable code. The speed of the moving object is determined thereby and displayed.

A table game system with a card counting apparatus having: an optical sensor that is placed below the bottom of a card storage unit that stores a plurality of cards and receives reflected light of light applied to end surfaces of the plurality of cards stored in the card storage unit; and a playing card counting unit that receives a signal from the optical sensor and counts the number of the plurality of cards stored in the card storage unit. The optical sensor is placed so as to receive reflected light from end surfaces of all of the plurality of cards stored in the card storage unit, or configured to be movable across a predetermined section by a sensor scanning unit so as to receive reflected light from end surfaces of all of the plurality of cards stored in the card storage unit.

A portable system and method for identifying roulette wheel biases includes a frame member rotatably attachable to a roulette wheel proximate a turret support, a ball-drop tube slidably engaged to the frame member and a laser positioned to measure at least a bounce height of a roulette ball dropped through the ball-drop tube onto selective areas of the roulette wheel. One or more sensors may be positioned to trigger the laser responsive to a roulette ball being dropped through said ball-drop tube. Software analyzes the bounce height to determine dead spots and hot spots on the roulette wheel. Sound waves may also be measured to determine dead spots and hot spots.

A table game system with a card counting apparatus having: an optical sensor that is placed below the bottom of a card storage unit that stores a plurality of cards and receives reflected light of light applied to end surfaces of the plurality of cards stored in the card storage unit; and a playing card counting unit that receives a signal from the optical sensor and counts the number of the plurality of cards stored in the card storage unit. The optical sensor is placed so as to receive reflected light from end surfaces of all of the plurality of cards stored in the card storage unit, or configured to be movable across a predetermined section by a sensor scanning unit so as to receive reflected light from end surfaces of all of the plurality of cards stored in the card storage unit.

There is provided systems and methods for performing actions based on light signatures. An exemplary system includes a light source, a light detector, a non-transitory memory storing a plurality of light signatures and a hardware processor. The hardware processor executes an executable code to illuminate, using the light source, a target object with a first light, collect, using the light detector, a second light being a reflection of the first light by the target object, match the second light with one of the plurality of light signatures, and perform an action in response to matching the second light with the one of the plurality of light signatures.

Methods and systems detect markings or flaws on the backs of playing cards. The method includes: providing ambient radiation at a gaming table and reflecting some of that radiation off a back surface of a playing card; capturing reflected radiation with a radiation sensor; the radiation sensor transmitting signals based on the reflected radiation captured by the radiation sensor; the transmitted signals providing data that contains image data of the back of the playing card; and displaying an image of the back of the playing card based on the image data. The transmitted signals provide image data of the back of the playing card and are also received by a processor that evaluates or compares that data. The system may be an installed casino system (with eye-in-the-sky technology), a portable box, or a component within a shuffling device or dealer shoe.

A table game system comprises a predetermined number of decks of game cards (100s) which are shuffled in a random order and individually packaged as one package (406), an unique ID code (404) is attached to the package (406) of shuffled game cards (100s), an ID code reader (R) for obtaining the ID code (404) of the packages (406) at the game table (411) to identify the package (406) which will be used for the next game, a card storage unit (402) that stores the predetermined number of decks of game cards plucked out from the package (406). The system determines whether the quantity of the cards stored in the card storage unit (402) is a predetermined quantity, and outputs the determination with the ID code (404) of the package (406) in which the plurality of cards stored in the card storage unit (402).

A game board device is provided for carrying and identifying game pieces that are divided into different piece types. The game board device includes a board, a plurality of optically identifying modules, and a processing module electrically coupled to the optically identifying modules. The optically identifying modules respectively correspond in position to detection regions of the board. Each of the optically identifying modules includes a light emitter that can emit light toward the corresponding detection region and a light receiver that can receive light reflected by the corresponding detection region. When any one of the detection regions is in an unoccupied mode, the corresponding optically identifying module can emit an unoccupied signal. When any one of the detection regions is in an occupied mode, the corresponding optically identifying module enables an identification signal that corresponds to the piece type of the corresponding game piece to be emitted therefrom.

A roulette wheel reading apparatus is provided for triangulating a roulette ball position in a pocket of a roulette wheel. The apparatus comprises: a triangulation sensor, a roulette wheel position sensor, and a processor; wherein the triangulation sensor comprises: a first signal emitter arranged to emit a first signal toward a location within a pocket of a roulette wheel comprising a plurality of roulette wheel pockets; and a second signal emitter arranged to emit a second signal toward the location; wherein the triangulation sensor further comprises: a signal receiver positioned to receive a first reflection of the first signal at a first receipt time and arranged to output the first receipt time, the signal receiver being further positioned to receive a second reflection of the second signal at a second receipt time and arranged to output the second receipt time; wherein the first reflection and the second reflection originate from said roulette ball; the roulette wheel position sensor being arranged to detect and output a position of one or more of the plurality of roulette wheel pockets relative to the location; the processor being arranged to: receive the first receipt time, the second receipt time and the position; calculate a time difference between the first receipt time and the second receipt time; identify that the time difference is within a predetermined time difference threshold; identify, using the position, the pocket of the roulette wheel; and output the pocket of the roulette wheel as a roulette result. The apparatus of the present invention aims to accurately and reliably identify cessation of a roulette ball in a roulette wheel pocket for the purpose of informing the reporting of a winning roulette result.