Abstract: In a first aspect, there is described an optical system for monitoring a ball play volume of a roulette wheel. The optical system comprises an electronic image detector and a reflector arranged to reflect light from a ball play volume of a roulette wheel onto the electronic image detector. The electronic image detector is configured to form an image of the ball play volume from the reflected light. In a second aspect, there is described a method of monitoring a ball play volume of a roulette wheel. The method comprises the steps of using a reflector to reflect light from the ball play volume, and forming an image of the ball play volume from the reflected light. In a third aspect, there is described a method of manufacturing an optical system for monitoring a ball play volume of a roulette wheel. The method comprises the steps of providing an electronic image detector, and providing a reflector arranged to reflect light from a ball play volume of a roulette wheel onto the electronic image detector.

Abstract: In a first aspect, there is described an optical system for monitoring a ball play volume of a roulette wheel. The optical system comprises an electronic image detector and a reflector arranged to reflect light from a ball play volume of a roulette wheel onto the electronic image detector. The electronic image detector is configured to form an image of the ball play volume from the reflected light. In a second aspect, there is described a method of monitoring a ball play volume of a roulette wheel. The method comprises the steps of using a reflector to reflect light from the ball play volume, and forming an image of the ball play volume from the reflected light. In a third aspect, there is described a method of manufacturing an optical system for monitoring a ball play volume of a roulette wheel. The method comprises the steps of providing an electronic image detector, and providing a reflector arranged to reflect light from a ball play volume of a roulette wheel onto the electronic image detector.

Abstract: A method of recognizing and detecting colors is disclosed, to allow recognition and sorting of objects. Pixels of a color image of an object to be recognized are received, the hue, intensity and/or saturation of each pixel is determined, the hue, intensity and/or saturation of each received pixel is allocated to a plurality of predetermined hue, intensity and/or saturation bands respectively to obtain hue, intensity and/or saturation distribution values respectively for the color image, and the distribution values for the color image are compared with the distribution values from one or more reference objects to determine if the object is recognized as a said reference object. This method of object recognition is independent of the image complexity and the number of colors on the object to be recognized. The method operates to compare a hue signature of the object to be recognized with a hue signature of a reference object.

Abstract: Disclosed is a detection system for detecting a winning number in a roulette game played on a roulette wheel having pockets for receiving a ball and having colored pocket number regions corresponding to the respective pockets, including a video camera for generating a video image of the roulette wheel including at least one colored pocket number region and a corresponding pocket. The video data at an array of points in a first specified area of the color video image corresponding to a region through which the color pocket number region will pass are sampled when the cylinder of the roulette wheel is spun. The identity of the colored pocket number regions are determined from the sampled video data provided by the array of points. The video data is also sampled at a plurality of points in a second specified area in which the ball can be expected to be when in the pocket corresponding to the identified colored pocket number region.

Abstract: Disclosed is a detection system for detecting a winning number in a roulette game played on a roulette wheel having pockets for receiving a ball and having colored pocket number regions corresponding to the respective pockets, including a video camera for generating a video image of the roulette wheel including at least one colored pocket number region and a corresponding pocket. The video data at an array of points in a first specified area of the color video image corresponding to a region through which the color pocket number region will pass are sampled when the cylinder of the roulette wheel is spun. The identity of the colored pocket number regions are determined from the sampled video data provided by the array of points. The video data is also sampled at a plurality of points in a second specified area in which the ball can be expected to be when in the pocket corresponding to the identified colored pocket number region.