SHFL MD2 CR - Principles of Operation; Card Learning; Card Tuning

4
© 2012 SHFL entertainment, Inc. MD2® CR Service Manual 20121015
Confidential
2.0 Principles of Operation
Principles of Operation
The MD2® CR multi-deck card shuffler shuffles four, six or eight decks of
cards. Two sets of cards are required (usually different color decks) to
utilize the shuffler more effectively for game play: while one set of cards
is in play, the other set is being shuffled. The card recognition function
can be set in the Setup menu of the MD2® CR to read cards during the
shuffle. The MD2® CR shuffler can be configured for a number of
standard games or any number of cards from 208 to 424, depending on
the user setting.
In non-Card Recognition mode the cards are counted as they are shuffled
in. The shuffle is aborted if the number of cards counted is different from
the number of cards selected.
In Card Recognition mode the card decks are identified by optical means
as they are shuffled. The shuffle is aborted if the cards identified during
the shuffle are different from the expected cards for the selected game.
(Missing, Extra or Unknown).
At the beginning of each cycle, the random number generator (RNG)
assigns a location within a virtual rack for each card of the un-shuffled
deck. The cards are loaded into a Feeder. As the cards are feeding in
(from the bottom of the deck), the program executes the outcome
determined by the RNG. A moveable Platform positions the cards in the
shuffling compartment to the correct location. A set of grippers will grip
the cards at that location and the Platform will move down creating a gap
for the next card to be inserted.
When all the cards are inserted, the Platform raises the shuffled deck to
be used by the dealer.
Card Learning
Card learning is the method by which the MD2® CR shuffler reads all
individual cards in a deck of cards and stores images and parameters for
the geometry of the cards (location and size of the suit and rank symbols)
for future optical character recognition.
Card Tuning
Card tuning is the method by which the optical character recognition
parameters are “fine-tuned” after card learning. The camera and
geometric parameters are adjusted based upon manual administrator
inputs. Card tuning is necessary for accurate operation of the MD2® CR
shuffler.