Patents by Inventor Colin A. Helsen

Colin A. Helsen has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 12290745
    Abstract: A card-handling device and related methods may include a card intake, a card rotation device, and a card output. The card rotation device may be configured to rotate at least one of the one or more playing cards about a minor axis of the one or more playing cards to randomly alter an orientation of lateral edges of the one or more playing cards. A card-handling device and related methods may be configured to recognize unreadable cards and move the unreadable cards to a designated position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: SG Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul K. Scheper, Colin A. Helsen, Ronald R. Swanson, Peter Krenn
  • Patent number: 11577151
    Abstract: Card handling devices may include one or more features for detecting a deficiency relating to at least one card. Methods of operating a card handling device may include detecting a deficiency relating to at least one card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Shuffle Master GmbH & Co KG
    Inventors: Colin A. Helsen, Peter Krenn
  • Publication number: 20220314106
    Abstract: A card-handling device and related methods may include a card intake, a card rotation device, and a card output. The card rotation device may be configured to rotate at least one of the one or more playing cards about a minor axis of the one or more playing cards to randomly alter an orientation of lateral edges of the one or more playing cards. A card-handling device and related methods may be configured to recognize unreadable cards and move the unreadable cards to a designated position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Paul K. Scheper, Colin A. Helsen, Ronald R. Swanson, Peter Krenn
  • Patent number: 11376489
    Abstract: A card-handling device and related methods may include a card intake, a card rotation device, and a card output. The card rotation device may be configured to rotate at least one of the one or more playing cards about a minor axis of the one or more playing cards to randomly alter an orientation of lateral edges of the one or more playing cards. A card-handling device and related methods may be configured to recognize unreadable cards and move the unreadable cards to a designated position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: SG Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul K. Scheper, Colin A. Helsen, Ronald R. Swanson, Peter Krenn
  • Publication number: 20210252375
    Abstract: Card handling devices may include one or more features for detecting a deficiency relating to at least one card. Methods of operating a card handling device may include detecting a deficiency relating to at least one card.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Inventors: Colin A. Helsen, Peter Krenn
  • Patent number: 10933300
    Abstract: Card handling devices may include one or more features for detecting a deficiency relating to at least one card. Methods of operating a card handling device may include detecting a deficiency relating to at least one card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Shuffle Master GmbH & Co KG
    Inventors: Colin A. Helsen, Peter Krenn
  • Patent number: 10864431
    Abstract: Methods of using automatic card shufflers may involve causing playing cards to be moved from a card input area to a temporary card storage utilizing a card input mechanism. A first number of playing card hands may be formed in a corresponding first number of designated card storage compartments of the temporary card storage when a control system of the automatic card shuffler is in a first operational mode. A second, different number of playing card hands may be formed in a corresponding second number of designated card storage compartments of the temporary card storage when the control system is in a second operational mode. The card storage compartments of the second number of designated card storage compartments may be distinct from the card storage compartments of the first number of designated card storage compartments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: SG Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: James B. Stasson, Robert J. Rynda, James P. Helgesen, Troy D. Nelson, Paul K. Scheper, Ronald R. Swanson, Colin A. Helsen, Nathan J. Wadds
  • Publication number: 20200086204
    Abstract: A card-handling device and related methods may include a card intake, a card rotation device, and a card output. The card rotation device may be configured to rotate at least one of the one or more playing cards about a minor axis of the one or more playing cards to randomly alter an orientation of lateral edges of the one or more playing cards. A card-handling device and related methods may be configured to recognize unreadable cards and move the unreadable cards to a designated position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Paul K. Scheper, Colin A. Helsen, Ronald R. Swanson, Peter Krenn
  • Publication number: 20190151746
    Abstract: Methods of using automatic card shufflers may involve causing playing cards to be moved from a card input area to a temporary card storage utilizing a card input mechanism. A first number of playing card hands may be formed in a corresponding first number of designated card storage compartments of the temporary card storage when a control system of the automatic card shuffler is in a first operational mode. A second, different number of playing card hands may be formed in a corresponding second number of designated card storage compartments of the temporary card storage when the control system is in a second operational mode. The card storage compartments of the second number of designated card storage compartments may be distinct from the card storage compartments of the first number of designated card storage compartments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: James B. Stasson, Robert J. Rynda, James P. Helgesen, Troy D. Nelson, Paul K. Scheper, Ronald R. Swanson, Colin A. Helsen, Nathan J. Wadds
  • Patent number: 10286291
    Abstract: An automatic card-handling device, having a card-handling device that includes a controller, the card-handling device configured for shuffling an input set of cards and delivering an output set of cards resulting from the shuffling; and a communication module operably coupled to the controller, wherein the communication module is configured for sending and receiving information related to operation of the card-handling device across a communication port configured for operable coupling to a cellular network, wherein the information related to the operation of the automatic card-handling device includes information about the use of the card-handling device; and wherein a factor in a usage fee for the card-handling device is use of the card-handling device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan J. Wadds, Colin A. Helsen, Zbigniew Czyzewski, James P. Helgesen, Russ Marsden
  • Patent number: 10238954
    Abstract: Card shufflers usable in forming and dispensing randomized playing card hands for use in playing card games include a card input mechanism for inputting cards into the card shuffler, a card storage device for receiving cards from the card input mechanism and temporarily storing cards within the card shuffler, and a card output mechanism for outputting shuffled cards from the card shuffler. The card storage device may include a wheel configured to rotate within the card shuffler. The rotatable wheel may have a plurality of card storage compartments therein, each of which may be sized and configured to hold two or more cards therein. Related methods involve the use of such card shufflers in playing card games.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: James B. Stasson, Robert J. Rynda, James P. Helgesen, Troy D. Nelson, Paul K. Scheper, Ronald R. Swanson, Colin A. Helsen, Nathan J. Wadds
  • Publication number: 20180085658
    Abstract: Card handling devices may include one or more features for detecting a deficiency relating to at least one card. Methods of operating a card handling device may include detecting a deficiency relating to at least one card.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventors: Colin A. Helsen, Peter Krenn
  • Publication number: 20170087445
    Abstract: Card shufflers usable in forming and dispensing randomized playing card hands for use in playing card games include a card input mechanism for inputting cards into the card shuffler, a card storage device for receiving cards from the card input mechanism and temporarily storing cards within the card shuffler, and a card output mechanism for outputting shuffled cards from the card shuffler. The card storage device may include a wheel configured to rotate within the card shuffler. The rotatable wheel may have a plurality of card storage compartments therein, each of which may be sized and configured to hold two or more cards therein. Related methods involve the use of such card shufflers in playing card games.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: James B. Stasson, Robert J. Rynda, James P. Helgesen, Troy D. Nelson, Paul K. Scheper, Ronald R. Swanson, Colin A. Helsen, Nathan J. Wadds