Card game cheat detector

Abstract

A fraud detection device 10 is provided at a table 1 , and it detects a fraud in a card game that is played on the table 1 . The fraud detection device 10 obtains entering card information to identify an entering card that is a card entering each game. The entering card information is stored while a game is being played. The fraud detection device 10 also obtains leaving card information to identify a leaving card that is a card leaving a game. Whether an entering card and a leaving card are identical or not is judged by comparing the entering card information and the leaving card information. The judgment result is outputted using an indicator. A fraud in a card game can be detected on the spot.

1 . A card game fraud detection device for detecting a fraud in a card game that is continuously played, said device comprising: 
 an entering card information obtaining means for obtaining entering card information to identify an entering card that is a card entering each game;    an entering card information storage means for storing said entering card information while a game is being played;    a leaving card information obtaining means for obtaining leaving card information to identify a leaving card that is a card leaving a game;    a judgment means for judging whether said entering card and said leaving card are identical or not based on said entering card information and said leaving card information; and    an output means for outputting a judgment result.    
     
     
         2 . The card game fraud detection device according to  claim 1 , having a reading means for reading information from a card, wherein said entering card information obtaining means and said leaving card information obtaining means obtain information that is read by said reading means.  
     
     
         3 . The card game fraud detection device according to  claim 2 , wherein said reading means reads a code that can identify each card, said code being given to each card.  
     
     
         4 . The card game fraud detection device according to  claim 3 , wherein said reading means reads from a card a code that is invisible to a naked human eye under normal use conditions.  
     
     
         5 . The card game fraud detection device according to  claim 4 , wherein said reading means reads a code that becomes visible when irradiated by prescribed light.  
     
     
         6 . The card game fraud detection device according to  claim 3 , wherein said reading means reads a code that is set up so as not to correspond to a mark on a card.  
     
     
         7 . The card game fraud detection device according to  claim 2 , wherein said reading means reads a mark on each card.  
     
     
         8 . The card game fraud detection device according to  claim 7 , wherein said reading means detects a mark in at least two mark rows of three longitudinal mark rows of a card, said at least two mark rows being a central mark row and one of mark rows on both sides.  
     
     
         9 . The card game fraud detection device according to  claim 7 , wherein said reading means detects a mark in at least five mark rows of nine transverse mark rows of a card, said at least five mark rows being a central mark row, one of mark rows on both edges, two mark rows on both sides of a center of an Eight card, and one of two mark rows on both sides of a center of a Ten card.  
     
     
         10 . The card game fraud detection device according to  claim 2 , wherein said reading means is embedded in a table and includes a sensor for reading information from a card that slides on said table.  
     
     
         11 . The card game fraud detection device according to  claim 10 , wherein information is read from said entering card and said leaving card by a common sensor.  
     
     
         12 . The card game fraud detection device according to  claim 10 , comprising a rail for guiding a card when said card slides, said rail being provided to protrude from said table, wherein a positional relationship between said sensor and said rail is set up in such a way that information on a card passes through said sensor when said card slides with a side of said card being in contact with said rail.  
     
     
         13 . The card game fraud detection device according to  claim 2 , wherein said reading means includes: an entering reading means for reading information from an entering card, said entering reading means being provided at a shooter or at a path through which a card enters from a shooter; and a leaving reading means for reading information from a leaving card, said leaving reading means being provided at a card recovery opening or at a path through which a card leaves through a card recovery opening.  
     
     
         14 . The card game fraud detection device according to  claim 1 , comprising: an information attachment means for attaching a code to a card when said card enters; and a reading means for reading a code when a card leaves, said code being attached by said information attachment means, wherein said entering card information obtaining means obtains as said entering card information information that is attached by said information attachment means, and wherein said leaving card information obtaining means obtains as said leaving card information information that is read by said reading means.  
     
     
         15 . The card game fraud detection device according to  claim 14 , wherein said information attachment means prints a code on a card.  
     
     
         16 . The card game fraud detection device according to  claim 1 , wherein said output means outputs a judgment result in such a way that whether entering card information and leaving card information of each of a plurality of players are identical or not can be distinguished.  
     
     
         17 . A card game fraud detection device for detecting a fraud in a card game that is played on a table, said device comprising: 
 a reader for reading information on a card, said reader being provided at or near said table; and    a judgment means for judging whether an entering card that is a card entering a game and a leaving card that is a card leaving a game are identical or not based on information that is read by said reader.    
     
     
         18 . A card game fraud detection device for detecting a fraud in a card game that is played on a table, said device comprising: 
 a reader for reading information on a card that passes through a base section which forms a part of said table and through which a card sliding on said table passes, said reader being provided at said base section; and    a judgment means for judging whether an entering card that is a card entering a game and a leaving card that is a card leaving a game are identical or not based on information that is read by said reader.    
     
     
         19 . The card game fraud detection device according to  claim 17  or  18 , comprising a guide means for guiding a card so as to make said card pass through a path where said reader can read information.  
     
     
         20 . The card game fraud detection device according to  claim 19 , wherein said guide means comprises a rail for guiding a card when said card slides, said rail being provided to protrude from said table, and wherein said rail is provided in such a way that information on a card passes through said reader when said card slides with a side of said card being in contact with said rail.  
     
     
         21 . The card game fraud detection device according to  claim 20 , having a plurality of sensors for detecting the existence of a card, said sensors being provided along said rail, wherein whether a card is sliding with a side of said card being in contact with said rail or not is detected based on whether said plurality of sensors detect a card or not.  
     
     
         22 . A mark reading device for reading a mark from a card, said device comprising: 
 a detection means for detecting a mark in at least two mark rows of three longitudinal mark rows of a card, said at least two mark rows being a central mark row and one of mark rows on both sides; and    a mark number determination means for determining the number of marks on a card based on a detection result of said detection means.    
     
     
         23 . A card mark reading device for reading a mark from a card, said device comprising: 
 a detection means for detecting a mark in at least five mark rows of nine transverse mark rows of a card, said at least five mark rows being a central mark row, one of mark rows on both edges, two mark rows on both sides of a center of an Eight card, and one of two mark rows on both sides of a center of a Ten card; and    a mark number determination means for determining the number of marks on a card based on a detection result of said detection means.    
     
     
         24 . The card mark reading device according to  claim 22  or  23 , wherein said detection means can detect a difference in color between a mark and a part where there is no mark on a card.  
     
     
         25 . The card mark reading device according to  claim 22  or  23 , comprising a guide means for guiding a card so as to make mark rows of said card pass through said detection means.  
     
     
         26 . The card mark reading device according to  claim 25 , wherein said guide means comprises a rail for guiding a card when said card slides, said rail being provided to protrude from a table on which a card game is played, and wherein a positional relationship between said detection means and said rail is set up in such a way that marks rows pass through said detection means when said card slides with a side of said card being in contact with said rail.  
     
     
         27 . A card game fraud detection method of detecting a fraud in a card game that is continuously played, said method comprising the steps of: 
 reading entering card information to identify an entering card that is a card entering each game, and sending said information to a judgment computer;    making a storage means of said judgment computer store said entering card information while a game is being played;    reading leaving card information to identify a leaving card that is a card leaving a game, and sending said information to said judgment computer;    judging by said judgment computer whether said entering card and said leaving card are identical or not based on said entering card information and said leaving card information; and    an output step of outputting a judgment result from said judgment computer.    
     
     
         28 . An information processing method by a judgment computer for detecting a fraud in a card game that is continuously played, said method comprising: 
 an entering card information obtaining step of obtaining entering card information to identify an entering card that is a card entering each game;    making an entering card information storage means store said entering card information while a game is being played;    a leaving card information obtaining step of obtaining leaving card information to identify a leaving card that is a card leaving a game;    a judgment step of judging whether said entering card and said leaving card are identical or not based on said entering card information and said leaving card information; and    an output step of outputting a judgment result.    
     
     
         29 . A program for making a computer perform information processing for detecting a fraud in a card game that is continuously played, said program making said computer perform the steps of: 
 an entering card information obtaining step of obtaining entering card information to identify an entering card that is a card entering each game;    making an entering card information storage means store said entering card information while a game is being played;    a leaving card information obtaining step of obtaining leaving card information to identify a leaving card that is a card leaving a game;    a judgment step of judging whether said entering card and said leaving card are identical or not based on said entering card information and said leaving card information; and    an output step of outputting a judgment result.    
     
     
         30 . A computer-readable storage medium storing the program according to  claim 29 .  
     
     
         31 . A mark reading method of reading a mark from a card, said method comprising the steps of: 
 detecting a mark in at least two mark rows of three longitudinal mark rows of a card and sending a detection signal to a computer, said at least two mark rows being a central mark row and one of mark rows on both sides; and    determining by said computer the number of marks on a card based on a detection signal of a mark in said at least two mark rows.    
     
     
         32 . A mark reading method of reading a mark from a card, said method comprising the steps of: 
 detecting a mark in at least five mark rows of nine transverse mark rows of a card and sending a detection signal to a computer, said at least five mark rows being a central mark row, one of mark rows on both edges, two mark rows on both sides of a center of an Eight card, and one of two mark rows on both sides of a center of a Ten card; and    determining by said computer the number of marks on a card based on a detection signal of a mark in said at least two mark rows.    
     
     
         33 . A program for making a computer perform information processing for reading a mark from a card, said program making said computer perform the steps of: 
 obtaining a detection signal generated when a mark is detected in at least two mark rows of three longitudinal mark rows of a card, said at least two mark rows being a central mark row and one of mark rows on both sides; and    determining the number of marks on a card based on a detection signal of a mark in said at least two mark rows.    
     
     
         34 . A program for making a computer perform information processing for reading a mark from a card, said program making said computer perform the steps of: 
 obtaining a detection signal generated when a mark is detected in at least five mark rows of nine transverse mark rows of a card, said at least five mark rows being a central mark row, one of mark rows on both edges, two mark rows on both sides of a center of an Eight card, and one of two mark rows on both sides of a center of a Ten card; and    determining the number of marks on a card based on a detection signal of a mark in said at least two mark rows.    
     
     
         35 . A computer readable storage medium storing the program according to  claim 33  or  34 .