Systems, methods and devices for monitoring game activities

A device for monitoring game activities at gaming tables comprising:

• a sensor array network to detect hand count events, the hand count events comprising hand start events and hand stops events to determine hand durations;
• a microcontroller for running logic level code for checking sensors of the sensors of the sensor array network for pre-defined thresholds defining the detected hand count events and in response generating hand count event data, the pre-defined thresholds including activation events and deactivation events to control detection of the hand count events by the sensors;
• and
• a connection cable for coupling to a server device for transmitting the hand count event data, and receiving threshold data from the server to configure the pre-defined thresholds,
• wherein the game activities include symbolic hand gestures performed by a human dealer before or after a gaming hand is played;
• wherein the hand count event data includes one or more characteristics related to the symbolic hand gestures;
• the one or more characteristics indicative of (i) whether the symbolic hand gestures were performed in association with the gaming hand;
• and (ii) if the symbolic gestures were performed in association with the gaming hand, a quality score associated with performance of the symbolic hand gestures.

A method for monitoring game activities at a plurality of gaming tables comprising:

• detecting, by a processor electronically coupled to an application program, the activation of one or more sensors in a sensor array network for a period of time defined by an activation threshold value;
• generating, by the processor, a hand start event data in response to the detected activation, wherein the hand start event data comprises a start time and a gaming table identifier;
• transmitting, by the processor, the hand start event data to a memory or server;
• detecting, by the processor, the deactivation of one or more sensors in a sensor array network for a period of time defined by a deactivation threshold value;
• generating, by the processor, a hand stop event data in response to the detected deactivation, wherein the hand stop event data comprises a stop time and the gaming table identifier;
• transmitting, by the processor, the hand stop event data to a computer memory;
• and
• processing, by the processor, the hand start event data and the hand stop event data provided via a display device to generate hand count data,
• wherein the game activities include symbolic hand gestures performed by a human dealer before or after a gaming hand is played;
• wherein the hand count event data includes one or more characteristics related to the symbolic hand gestures;
• the one or more characteristics indicative of (i) whether the symbolic hand gestures were performed in association with the gaming hand;
• and (ii) if the symbolic gestures were performed in association with the gaming hand, a quality score associated with performance of the symbolic hand gestures.

A method for monitoring performance of symbolic hand gestures performed by a human dealer at a gaming table comprising:

• generating one or more photographic frames, each one of the one or more photographic frames capturing one or more positions of body parts of the human dealer at a corresponding point in time during the performance of the symbolic hand gestures;
• electronically monitoring the one or more photographic data frames;
• automatically determining whether the performance of the symbolic hand gestures has been initiated;
• upon determining that the performance of the symbolic hand gestures has been initiated, generating a start hand gesture time stamp indicative when the performance of the symbolic hand gestures was initiated;
• automatically extracting position data associated with the one or more positions of the body parts of the human dealer from the one or more photographic data frames generated by the one or more sensors during the performance of the symbolic hand gestures;
• transforming the extracted position data into a quality score associated with the performance of the symbolic hand gestures;
• automatically determining that the performance of the symbolic hand gestures has ceased;
• upon determining that the performance of the symbolic hand gestures has ceased, generating an end hand gesture time stamp indicative when the performance of the symbolic hand gestures has ceased;
• and
• transmitting, to a server as part of hand count data, (i) the start hand gesture time stamp, (ii) the end hand gesture time stamp, and (iii) the quality score associated with the performance of the symbolic hand gestures.