Management system of gaming chips and storage box

Abstract

A system that manages a package of shuffled playing cards and gaming chips includes a storage box and a control apparatus. The storage box is provided in association with a game table and stores a plurality of shuffled playing cards and a plurality of chip cases and also includes a card reader that reads playing card ID codes of the shuffled playing cards and a chip reader that reads case ID codes of the chip cases. The control apparatus outputs total numbers of the shuffled playing cards and the chip cases stored in the storage box and the playing card ID codes and case ID codes stored in the storage box by monitoring read playing card ID codes and case ID codes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 an open storage at a game table of a casino and configured to store a plurality of gaming chips, wherein the open storage is open so that, in each of a plurality of games, a dealer is able to (a) insert into the open storage one or more gaming chips that are wagered chips of a losing player that have been collected from the losing player and (b) remove from the open storage one or more gaming chips that are to be paid to a winning player based on wagered chips of the winning player;   a closed storage at the game table including an opening and closing mechanism and in which a plurality of gaming chips can be stored with which to be able to adjust a quantity of gaming chips in the open storage when proceedings of any one or more of the plurality of games result in an excess or a deficiency in the quantity of gaming chips in the open storage, wherein the opening and closing mechanism controls the closed storage to open to enable the adjustment of the quantity of the gaming chips in the open storage and controls the closed storage to otherwise be in a closed state;   at least one chip reader configured to read chip identification (ID) codes of the plurality of gaming chips in the open storage at the game table and the plurality of gaming chips in the closed storage at the game table; and   a controller configured to:
 repeatedly determine at least one total number or amount of gaming chips at the game table using the at least one chip reader, 
 based on the determined at least one total number or amount of gaming chips at the game table, determine whether or how one or more transfers should occur between the game table and a cage at which gaming chips of the casino are managed, such that:
 when the at least one total number or amount of gaming chips at the game table is excessive, at least one gaming chip at the game table is transferred to the cage; and 
 when there is a deficiency in the at least one total number or amount of gaming chips at the game table, at least one gaming chip is transferred from the cage to the game table; and 
 
 output an indication of whether a change in a first total number or amount of gaming chips in the game table, and a change in a second total number or amount of gaming chips in the cage, are consistent with each other. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to output an indication of whether a change in a first total number or amount of gaming chips in the closed storage, and a change in a second total number or amount of gaming chips in the open storage, are consistent with each other. 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the closed storage includes a lock by which removal of the plurality of gaming chips from the closed storage is prevented. 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 monitor the chip ID codes of gaming chips at the game table to determine a change in a first total number or amount of gaming chips in the closed storage; and   output the first total number or amount of gaming chips in response to a determination of an occurrence of the change.   
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the closed storage at the game table is distinct from the cage. 
     
     
         6 . A gaming chip managed by the system of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         7 . A gaming chip management method management of gaming chips used for a game on a game table of a casino, wherein each of the gaming chips has a unique chip identification (ID) code, the gaming chip management method comprising:
 collecting and depositing one or more of the gaming chips that are wagered by one or more losing players to an open storage;   paying one or more of the gaming chips from the open storage to a winning player based on one or more wagered chips of the winning player;   moving one or more of the gaming chips from the open storage to a closed storage in association with proceedings of the game result in an excess of the gaming chips at the open storage;   moving one or more of the gaming chips from the closed storage to the open storage in association with the proceedings of the game result in a deficiency in those of the gaming chips that are in the open storage;   reading, using an ID reader, the unique chip ID codes of one or more of the gaming chips to determine a total number or amount of gaming chips at the game table;   based on the determined total number or amount of gaming chips at the game table, transferring one or more gaming chips:
 from the game table to a cage at which gaming chips of the casino are managed; or 
 from the cage to the closed storage; and 
   outputting an indication of whether a change in a first total number or amount of gaming chips in the game table, and a change in a second total number or amount of gaming chips in the cage, are consistent with each other.   
     
     
         8 . The gaming chip management method according to  claim 7 , wherein the cage is distinct from the closed storage. 
     
     
         9 . A gaming chip management system for management of one or more of a plurality of gaming chips of a casino used for games on a game table, wherein (a) each of the plurality of gaming chips has a chip identification (ID) code, (b) one or more of those of the plurality of gaming chips that are at the game table are transferred to a cage, at which the plurality of gaming chips of the casino are managed, when those of the plurality of gaming chips that are at the game table are excessive, and (c) one or more of the plurality of gaming chips that are in the cage are transferred to the game table when there is a shortage of gaming chips at the game table, the gaming chip management system comprising:
 a chip tray at the game table from which one or more of the plurality of gaming chips can be paid by a dealer to a winning player based on one or more wagered chips of the winning player and into which one or more of the gaming chips, which are wagered by a losing player, can be collected by the dealer;   at least one chip reader configured to read the chip ID codes of those of the plurality of gaming chips that are transferred from the cage when the transferred gaming chips are placed at a predetermined position of the game table before being filled into the chip tray; and   a controller configured to output an indication of whether a change in a first total number or amount of gaming chips in the game table, and a change in a second total number or amount of gaming chips in the cage, are consistent with each other.   
     
     
         10 . The gaming chip management system according to  claim 9 , further comprising a closed storage configured to receive and store one or more of the plurality of gaming chips associated with an outcome of a first game resulting in an excess of gaming chips at the chip tray and to store and provide one or more of the plurality of gaming chips for storage at the chip tray based on an outcome of a second game resulting in a deficiency of gaming chips at the chip tray. 
     
     
         11 . The gaming chip management system according to  claim 10 , wherein the closed storage is located at the game table. 
     
     
         12 . The gaming chip management system according to  claim 10 , wherein the closed storage is remote and distinct from the cage. 
     
     
         13 . A gaming chip management system for management of one or more of a plurality of gaming chips of a casino used for games on a game table, wherein (a) each of the plurality of gaming chips has a chip identification (ID) code, (b) one or more of those of the plurality of gaming chips that are at the game table are transferred to a cage, at which the plurality of gaming chips of the casino are managed, when those of the plurality of gaming chips that are at the game table are excessive, and (c) one or more of the plurality of gaming chips that are in the cage are transferred to the game table when there is a shortage of gaming chips at the game table, the gaming chip management system comprising:
 a chip tray at the game table from which one or more of the plurality of gaming chips can be paid by a dealer to a winning player based on one or more wagered chips of the winning player and into which one or more of the gaming chips, which are wagered by a losing player, can be collected by the dealer; and   at least one chip reader configured to read the chip ID codes of those of the plurality of gaming chips that are housed in the chip case and transferred from the cage when the transferred gaming chips housed in the chip case are placed at a predetermined position of the game table before being filled into the chip tray.