Card shuffler with user game selection input

An automatic card shuffler comprising:

• a card infeed area, the area accepting a group of cards to be randomized;
• a card feeder capable of moving cards from the card infeed area to a shuffling mechanism;
• a card shuffling mechanism, whereby an order of fed cards is randomized, and at least a partial random hand of cards is provided to a single card delivery tray;
• the delivery tray;
• a microprocessor programmable to control operation of the shuffler;
• and
• a user input device for selecting game information on the basis of the name of a game displayed on the user input device.

A method of delivering hands of cards to a card game, comprising:

• providing a computer controlled card-shuffling device capable of randomizing cards and forming at least one hand of randomized cards, wherein the device further comprises a user input for selecting at least one of an identity of a game and a number of cards per hand and a user display capable of displaying at least alpha-numeric information;
• loading a group of cards into the card-shuffling device;
• selecting a game from a set of displayed alphanumeric game name identifiers;
• displaying at least one of the selected game identifiers or a number of cards per hand based on the selected game;
• and
• automatically delivering at least one hand of cards based on selecting a game identifier or a number of cards per band displayed.

An automatic card shuffler comprising:

• a card infeed area;
• a card shuffling apparatus;
• a feed mechanism capable of moving cards from the card infeed area to the shuffling apparatus;
• a game selection device capable of being set to operate in one of a plurality of selected game modes;
• a user display capable of displaying a selected game mode in alpha-numeric form;
• and
• a microprocessor capable of controlling the operation of the shuffler, controlling numbers of cards dealt upon selection of a game mode provided as an alphanumeric display and the user display.

A method of delivering cards, the method comprising:

• inputting on a user input device external to a shuffler a variable, user-selectable number of cards per hand by selecting a name of a game that requires a specific number of cards to be dealt to hands;
• moving a first card from a group of cards to a card receiver;
• delivering the inputted number of cards from the card receiver;
• sensing a removal of the number of cards;
• and
• moving at least a second card from the group of cards to the card receiver.

A card randomizing and delivery apparatus comprising:

• a display showing game selection information;
• a selector allowing input of a choice from displayed game selection information;
• a card input area;
• a first card feeder moving cards one at a time from the card input area into a card receiver;
• a motor tat is able to create a displacement between the input area and the card receiver;
• a delivery tray;
• a second card feeder capable of providing cards from the card receiver one at a time to said delivery tray to form a hand of cards;
• a sensor able to sense removal of a hand of cards from said delivery tray to trigger delivery of cards one at a time to form another hand in the same delivery tray;
• and
• a microprocessor programmed to control the operation of the apparatus including to provide for (a) delivery of a hand of cards after sensed removal of a hand of cards from the delivery tray, (b) display of alphanumeric game selection information;
• (c) control the motor;
• and (d) acceptance of same selection choices inputted with the selector.

A method of delivering successive hands of cards from a single output tray of an apparatus comprising:

• providing at least one deck of playing cards to an input area;
• displaying user selectable alphanumeric information relating to a card game;
• inputting a selection from the displayed alphanumeric information;
• inserting cards into the apparatus from the input area in accordance with information provided by a random number generator to provide randomized cards in the apparatus;
• providing cards from randomized cards in the apparatus to the output fray to form a first at least partial hand of cards in the output fray in accordance with the selection inputted;
• removing the first hand of cards from the output tray;
• sensing the absence of cards in the output tray;
• and
• providing cards from randomized cards in the apparatus to form a second at least partial hand of cards in the same output tray.

A method of delivering successive hands of cards from a single output fray of an apparatus comprising:

• providing at least one deck of playing cards to an input area of the apparatus;
• displaying alphanumeric, user selectable information on the apparatus relating to a card game on an alphanumeric display;
• inputting a selection into the apparatus from the displayed information;
• inserting cards into the apparatus from the input area in accordance with information provided by a random number generator to provide randomized cards;
• providing randomized cards to the output tray to form a first hand of cards in the output tray in accordance with the selection inputted;
• removing the first hand of cards from the output tray;
• sensing the absence of cards in the output tray;
• and
• providing randomized cards to form a second hand of cards in the same output tray.

A card randomizing and delivery apparatus comprising:

• a display showing alphanumeric game selection information for a plurality of games;
• a selector allowing input of a choice from displayed game selection information;
• a card input area;
• a first card feeder moving cards one at a time from the card input;
• a motor;
• a delivery tray;
• the card feeder capable of providing cards from the card receiver one at a time to said delivery tray to form a hand of cards;
• a sensor able to sense removal of a hand of cards from said delivery tray to trigger delivery of cards one at a time to form another hand in the same delivery tray;
• and
• a microprocessor programmed to control the operation of the apparatus including to provide for (a) delivery of a hand of cards after sensed removal of a hand of cards from the delivery tray, (b) display of game selection information;
• and (c) acceptance of game selection choices inputted with the selector.