Method and apparatus for identifying symbol bearing gaming balls

摘要

A method for identifying a selected playing ball from a prescribed number of playing balls, wherein each of the playing balls is provided with a different symbol, wherein: a) the selected playing ball is moved from a starting position past an image recording unit pickup, b) the mass center of the depiction of the selected playing ball in the image is kept unaltered for a prescribed, c) the image position and size of the depiction of the playing ball is ascertained, and a check is performed to determine whether portions of the depiction of the playing ball are situated outside a lateral of the image, and d) if portions of the depiction of the playing ball are situated outside said lateral edge, the playing ball is returned to the pickup area of the image recording unit and/or is repositioned and steps b) to d) are repeated.

主权项

1. A method of identifying a selected gaming ball from a predefined number of gaming balls, each of the gaming balls being provided with a symbol, which is different from the symbols of the other gaming balls, the method comprising:
a) acquiring an image of a selected gaming ball moving from a starting position through an acquisition area of an image recording unit, b) determining from the acquired image the center of mass of the selected gaming ball and maintaining the center of mass unaltered in the acquired image in the image recording unit for a predefined period of time and limiting relative movement of the center of mass with respect to the image, c) determining the position and size of the image of the gaming ball and verifying whether parts of the image of the gaming ball are located outside a lateral edge predefined with respect to the image, and, d) if parts of the image of the gaming ball are outside of this lateral edge, the gaming ball is shifted based on the calculated position along or opposite the progressing direction of the path of the gaming ball and brought back to the acquisition area of the image recording unit and repositioned, and steps b) to d) are repeated, and e) based on at least one image recorded with the image recording unit, identifying the symbol which is unambiguously associated with the selected gaming ball.