Magnetic Pigment for Use in the Gaming Industry

Abstract

A gaming accessory, gaming currency or gaming table comprising a surface and a magnetic pigment incorporated into the body or surface thereof is disclosed. The pigment is configured to be affected by the introduction of a magnetic field from a source such that the pigment appears to change from the first appearance to a second appearance when the accessory is placed in the vicinity of the magnetic field. The first appearance may be a color, opacity, color effect, pattern or shape and the second appearance may be one or more of a different color, opacity, color effect, pattern or shape.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A gaming currency, comprising:
 a currency body; and   a magnetic pigment incorporated into the currency body, the magnetic pigment having a first appearance in absence of a first magnetic field, the magnetic pigment being configured to be affected by the introduction of the first magnetic field from a source such that the magnetic pigment appears to change from the first appearance to a second appearance when the gaming currency is placed in a vicinity of the first magnetic field.   
     
     
         2 . The gaming currency of  claim 1 , wherein the gaming currency is chosen from the group consisting of a jeton, a plaque and a chip. 
     
     
         3 . The gaming currency of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic pigment is mixed into a material used to form the currency body. 
     
     
         4 . The gaming currency of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic pigment is applied to a surface of the currency body. 
     
     
         5 . The gaming currency of  claim 1 , wherein the first appearance includes a first color and the second appearance includes a second color. 
     
     
         6 . The gaming currency of  claim 5 , wherein the first color is opaque and the second color is translucent or transparent. 
     
     
         7 . The gaming currency of  claim 5 , wherein the first color is translucent or transparent and the second color is opaque. 
     
     
         8 . The gaming currency of  claim 5 , wherein the first appearance includes a first color effect and the second appearance includes a second color effect. 
     
     
         9 . The gaming currency of  claim 8 , wherein the first appearance includes a first pattern and the second appearance includes a second pattern. 
     
     
         10 . The gaming currency of  claim 9 , wherein the first appearance includes a first shape and the second appearance includes a second shape. 
     
     
         11 . The gaming currency of  claim 5 , wherein the first appearance includes a first pattern and the second appearance includes a second pattern. 
     
     
         12 . The gaming currency of  claim 11 , wherein the first appearance includes a first shape and the second appearance includes a second shape. 
     
     
         13 . The gaming currency of  claim 5 , wherein the first appearance includes a first shape and the second appearance includes a second shape. 
     
     
         14 . The gaming currency of  claim 1 , wherein the first appearance includes a first color effect and the second appearance includes a second color effect. 
     
     
         15 . The gaming currency of  claim 14 , wherein the first appearance includes a first pattern and the second appearance includes a second pattern. 
     
     
         16 . The gaming currency of  claim 15 , wherein the first appearance includes a first shape and the second appearance includes a second shape. 
     
     
         17 . The gaming currency of  claim 1 , wherein the first appearance includes a first pattern and the second appearance includes a second pattern. 
     
     
         18 . The gaming currency of  claim 17 , wherein the first appearance includes a first shape and the second appearance includes a second shape. 
     
     
         19 . The gaming currency of  claim 15 , wherein the first appearance includes a first shape and the second appearance includes a second shape. 
     
     
         20 . The gaming currency of  claim 19 , wherein the first appearance includes a first color effect and the second appearance includes a second color effect. 
     
     
         21 . The gaming currency of  claim 1 , wherein the gaming currency includes one or more surface spots and one or more edge spots and wherein the magnetic pigment is limited within the currency body to the one or more surface spots and the one or more edge spots. 
     
     
         22 . The gaming currency of  claim 21 , wherein some, but not all of the one or more surface spots and some, but not all of the one or more edge spots include the magnetic pigment. 
     
     
         23 . The gaming currency of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic pigment has the first appearance in absence of a second magnetic field, the magnetic pigment being configured to be affected by the introduction of the second magnetic field from the source such that the magnetic pigment appears to change from the first appearance to a third appearance when the gaming currency is placed in a vicinity of the second magnetic field. 
     
     
         24 . The gaming currency of  claim 23 , wherein the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field differ by magnetic field strength. 
     
     
         25 . The gaming currency of  claim 23 , wherein the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field differ by magnetic field frequency. 
     
     
         26 . A gaming accessory, comprising:
 an accessory body; and   a magnetic pigment incorporated into the accessory body, the magnetic pigment having a first appearance in absence of a first magnetic field, the magnetic pigment being configured to be affected by the introduction of the first magnetic field from a source such that the magnetic pigment appears to change from the first appearance to a second appearance when the gaming accessory is placed in a vicinity of the first magnetic field.   
     
     
         27 . The gaming accessory of  claim 26 , wherein the gaming accessory is chosen from the group consisting of a die, a playing card and a layout. 
     
     
         28 . The gaming accessory of  claim 27 , wherein the magnetic pigment is limited to the pips of the die. 
     
     
         29 . The gaming accessory of  claim 27 , wherein the magnetic pigment is mixed into a material used to form the die. 
     
     
         30 . The gaming accessory of  claim 27 , wherein the magnetic pigment is limited to a design on a surface of the playing card. 
     
     
         31 . The gaming accessory of  claim 27 , wherein the magnetic pigment is mixed into a material used to form the playing card. 
     
     
         32 . The gaming accessory of  claim 27 , wherein the magnetic pigment is limited to one or more surface areas of the layout. 
     
     
         33 . The gaming accessory of  claim 27 , wherein the magnetic pigment is mixed into a material used to form the layout. 
     
     
         34 . The gaming accessory of  claim 26 , wherein the first appearance includes a first color and the second appearance includes a second color. 
     
     
         35 . The gaming accessory of  claim 34 , wherein the first color is opaque and the second color is translucent or transparent. 
     
     
         36 . The gaming accessory of  claim 34 , wherein the first color is translucent or transparent and the second color is opaque. 
     
     
         37 . The gaming accessory of  claim 34 , wherein the first appearance includes a first color effect and the second appearance includes a second color effect. 
     
     
         38 . The gaming accessory of  claim 37 , wherein the first appearance includes a first pattern and the second appearance includes a second pattern. 
     
     
         39 . The gaming accessory of  claim 38 , wherein the first appearance includes a first shape and the second appearance includes a second shape. 
     
     
         40 . The gaming accessory of  claim 34 , wherein the first appearance includes a first pattern and the second appearance includes a second pattern. 
     
     
         41 . The gaming accessory of  claim 40 , wherein the first appearance includes a first shape and the second appearance includes a second shape. 
     
     
         42 . The gaming accessory of  claim 34 , wherein the first appearance includes a first shape and the second appearance includes a second shape. 
     
     
         43 . The gaming accessory of  claim 26 , wherein the first appearance includes a first color effect and the second appearance includes a second color effect. 
     
     
         44 . The gaming accessory of  claim 43 , wherein the first appearance includes a first pattern and the second appearance includes a second pattern. 
     
     
         45 . The gaming accessory of  claim 44 , wherein the first appearance includes a first shape and the second appearance includes a second shape. 
     
     
         46 . The gaming accessory of  claim 26 , wherein the first appearance includes a first pattern and the second appearance includes a second pattern. 
     
     
         47 . The gaming accessory of  claim 46 , wherein the first appearance includes a first shape and the second appearance includes a second shape. 
     
     
         48 . The gaming accessory of  claim 44 , wherein the first appearance includes a first shape and the second appearance includes a second shape. 
     
     
         49 . The gaming accessory of  claim 48 , wherein the first appearance includes a first color effect and the second appearance includes a second color effect. 
     
     
         50 . The gaming accessory of  claim 26 , wherein the gaming accessory is chosen from the group consisting of a die, a playing card and a layout, and wherein all or part of the gaming accessory is highlighted during or at the conclusion of a game or hand to provide information to a user by introduction of the first magnetic field so as to change the first appearance to the second appearance. 
     
     
         51 . The gaming accessory of  claim 50 , wherein the information includes the result of the game or hand. 
     
     
         52 . The gaming accessory of  claim 51 , wherein the first appearance is not visible and the second appearance is visible, and wherein one or more pips of the die are highlighted. 
     
     
         53 . The gaming accessory of  claim 51 , wherein the first appearance is not visible and the second appearance is visible, and wherein one or more areas of the layout are highlighted. 
     
     
         54 . The gaming accessory of  claim 53 , wherein the first appearance is not visible and the second appearance is visible, and wherein the one or more areas includes a winning number. 
     
     
         55 . The gaming accessory of  claim 53 , wherein the first appearance is not visible and the second appearance is visible, and wherein a design on one or more playing cards are highlighted. 
     
     
         56 . The gaming accessory of  claim 50 , wherein the first appearance is not visible and the second appearance is visible, and wherein the information includes instructions to the user. 
     
     
         57 . The gaming accessory of  claim 50 , wherein the first appearance is not visible and the second appearance is visible, and wherein the information includes an advertisement. 
     
     
         58 . A gaming table, comprising:
 a stand;   a layout placed on the stand;   a chip tray placed on the stand and adjacent the layout; and   one or more sources configured to generate at least a first magnetic field around one or more locations of the layout, the first magnetic field being configured to cause a magnetic pigment incorporated into one or more objects to change from a first appearance in absence of the first magnetic field and to change from the first appearance to a second appearance when the object is placed in the vicinity of the first magnetic field.   
     
     
         59 . The gaming table as recited in  claim 58 , wherein the one or more sources are placed around bet spots. 
     
     
         60 . The gaming table as recited in  claim 59 , wherein the one or more sources are placed around the chip tray. 
     
     
         61 . The gaming table as recited in  claim 60 , wherein the one or more sources are placed in an area near the chip tray that is not a bet spot. 
     
     
         62 . The gaming table as recited in  claim 61 , further including a layout source configured to generate at least a second magnetic field around at least a portion of the layout, the second magnetic field being configured to cause the magnetic pigment to change from the first appearance in absence of the second magnetic field and to change from the first appearance to a third appearance when the object is placed in the vicinity of the second magnetic field. 
     
     
         63 . The gaming table as recited in  claim 62 , wherein the one or more objects include a surface of the layout, wherein only the surface of the layout changes from the first appearance to the third appearance when placed in the vicinity of the second magnetic field. 
     
     
         64 . The gaming table as recited in  claim 62 , wherein the one or more sources are placed within the second magnetic field. 
     
     
         65 . The gaming table of  claim 62 , wherein the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field differ by magnetic field strength. 
     
     
         66 . The gaming table of  claim 62 , wherein the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field differ by magnetic field frequency. 
     
     
         67 . The gaming table of  claim 58 , wherein the one or more objects include material forming or printing on the layout, wherein all or part of the layout is highlighted during or at the conclusion of a game or hand to provide information to a user by introduction of the first magnetic field so as to change the first appearance to the second appearance. 
     
     
         68 . The gaming table of  claim 58 , wherein the information includes an indication of a result of the game or hand. 
     
     
         69 . The gaming table of  claim 68 , wherein the one or more objects include material forming or printing on the layout, wherein the first appearance is not visible and the second appearance is visible, and wherein one or more areas of the layout are highlighted. 
     
     
         70 . The gaming table of  claim 69 , wherein the one or more areas include a winning number. 
     
     
         71 . The gaming table of  claim 69 , wherein the information includes instructions to the user. 
     
     
         72 . The gaming table of  claim 69 , wherein the information includes an advertisement. 
     
     
         73 . The gaming table of  claim 58 , wherein the one or more objects include material forming or printing on a die, wherein the first appearance is not visible and the second appearance is visible, and wherein all or part of the die is highlighted during or at the conclusion of a game or hand to provide information to a user by introduction of the first magnetic field so as to change the first appearance to the second appearance. 
     
     
         74 . The gaming table of  claim 58 , wherein the one or more objects include material forming or printing on gaming currency, wherein the first appearance is not visible and the second appearance is visible, and wherein all or part of the gaming currency is highlighted during or at the conclusion of a game or hand to provide information to a user by introduction of the first magnetic field so as to change the first appearance to the second appearance. 
     
     
         75 . The gaming table of  claim 58 , wherein the one or more objects include material forming or printing on a playing card, wherein the first appearance is not visible and the second appearance is visible, and wherein all or part of the playing card is highlighted during or at the conclusion of a game or hand to provide information to a user by introduction of the first magnetic field so as to change the first appearance to the second appearance. 
     
     
         76 . The gaming table as recited in  claim 58 , wherein the one or more sources are placed around the chip tray. 
     
     
         77 . The gaming table as recited in  claim 76 , wherein the one or more sources are placed in an area near the chip tray that is not a bet spot. 
     
     
         78 . The gaming table as recited in  claim 58 , wherein the one or more sources are placed in an area near the chip tray that is not a bet spot.