US 4,396,193 AGranted

Roulette wheel directional sensing apparatus

AssigneeImagineering, Inc.

InventorsRichard L. Reinhardt, Billie R. Williams, Michael J. Woodring

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Abstract

A roulette game is modified by electronic circuitry, including a microprocessor, to determine which one of a set of numbered, red or black compartments receives a ball and displays the play results via a lighted, marked roulette table upon which stakes are placed. The invention includes light emitting sensors that are placed beneath the roulette wheel, each compartment of which has an aperture formed therein, to monitor the compartment by detecting light passing through the apertures. Timing marks placed on the wheel are monitored by detector circuitry to determine the direction of rotation and angular rotation of the wheel, relative to a predetermined position. A microprocessor receives the information provided by the sensors and detector circuitry to determine which compartment received the ball, calculates winning wagers, and illuminates the corresponding spaces of the roulette table to inform players of the results.

Claims10

Dependent claims

In a roulette game of the type including a rotatably mounted wheel carrying a plurality of ball receiving compartments, each of said compartments having an aperture formed therein for passing light therethrough, apparatus for determining which one of said compartments receives a game ball and for displaying said determination, said apparatus comprising:

sensor means mounted relative to said wheel so that said apertures are sequentially moved into proximate relation therewith when said wheel is rotated, for producing a first signal in response to sensing light passed through each of the apertures, the sensor means including means for generating a second signal identifying each one of said compartments and means for determining a direction of rotation of said wheel;
processor means coupled to said sensor means and responsive to said first and second signals and to the rotation determining means for determining therefrom which one of said compartments receives the game ball and for computing winning combinations in the form of a multi-bit data word;
display means coupled to said processor means for receiving said data word and in response thereto for providing visual indicia of said winning combinations.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.