Abstract

A system for playing card games remotely includes both a multimedia communication system that allows players located remotely from each other to see and hear each other, and a "card toaster" and associated image recognition system at each game site which receives and manages a physical deck of cards at every site at which the game is being played. The toaster has the capability of (1) reading cards, for example, by scanning them, (2) finding particular cards, and, if necessary, sorting them, and (3) distributing cards, such as by dealing them. The system enables the players to deal and then play a game, such as the game of bridge, in a manner which closely approximates the manner in which a game is played when all players are co-located. Thus, once play is started, the image recognition system reads the cards played on a table at any site, and transmits information regarding those cards to the other sites. At the other sites, the card toaster is signaled and arranged to distribute the same cards, face up on the table.