Patents Represented by Attorney Bell, Boyd & Lloyd
  • Patent number: 7507155
    Abstract: A gaming device that enables a player to pick at least one of a plurality of selections, wherein at least one of the selections is associated with a terminator. The gaming device determines if the picked selection is associated with a terminator. If the picked selection is not associated with a terminator, the gaming device places the picked selection to occupy a position of a selection group. The gaming device enables the player to pick another one of the selections and again determines if the picked selection is associated with a terminator. If the picked selection is associated with a terminator, the gaming device modifies the position of at least one of the picked selections. After modifying the positions of one or more of the picked selections, the gaming device determines the modified award based on the awards or values associated with the modified positions of the picked selections. The gaming device provides the determined modified award to the player and ends the game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Randall D. Mead, Amy J. Hale, Eric S. Nelson
  • Patent number: 7507156
    Abstract: The disclosed device and method comprise configuring a gaming device to offer one or more “As Is” prizes when a bet at a threshold limit less than a maximum bet is placed without apparently or actually reducing the expected return to player (“ERTP”) on bets larger than the threshold limit. In one version, one or more standard awards are sweetened for bets less than the maximum amount. In an alternative version, multiple “As Is” prizes are provided. Players are eligible for each “As Is” prize based on an amount of their wager. Consequently, to be eligible for a first “As Is” prize the player may need to place a first wager amount and to be eligible for a second “As Is” prize the player may need to place a second wager amount greater than the first amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: Mark C. Nicely
  • Patent number: 7503847
    Abstract: A gaming device wherein when a certain symbol is displayed on a certain reel in a certain combination of symbols, the symbol is adapted to be changed or modified to at least one other symbol. That is, when at least two flanking symbols are displayed on the reels but the two flanking symbols are separated by at least one convertible symbol, the convertible symbol is changed or modified to a flanking symbol. The player is provided an award, if any, based on the combination of the flanking symbols and the changed convertible symbol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: Anthony J. Baerlocher
  • Patent number: 7505241
    Abstract: An integrated fuse device (1) includes a varistor stack (11), a thermal fuse (12), and a current fuse (13) within an enclosure (2) having device terminals (3). The varistor stack (11) is connected to the thermal fuse (12) by a Cu terminal (20) and is connected to the device terminal (3) by steel terminal (10) of smaller cross-sectional area. Being of Cu material and having a greater cross-sectional area, the terminal (20) connected to the thermal fuse (12) has greater thermal conductivity than the steel terminal (10) to the end cap (3). The thermal fuse (12) comprises a plurality of links having a melting point to melt with sustained overvoltage, the links having a diameter in the range of about 2 mm to about 3 mm. The links pass through an elastomer plug (15), which exerts physical pressure on them to assist with opening during sustained overvoltage. Hot melt (18) around solder (17) of the thermal fuse limits heat conduction to back-fill sand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Littelfuse Ireland Limited
    Inventors: Neil McLoughlin, Michael O'Donovan, Thomas Novak, Nathan Siegwald, Brian Walaszczyk, John Kennedy, John Foster
  • Patent number: 7505579
    Abstract: Disclosed present invention is a shortened dialing device and phone combined with a frame. More particularly, the present invention relates to the shortened dialing device and phone combined with a frame which can be used to make a phone call in such a manner that sensors for shortened dialing are attached to specific positions in a picture of a frame such that a calling party applies pressure to or touches his or her finger to one of the specific positions, a calling signal corresponding to a predefined telephone number is transmitted in a wired or wireless manner through a shortened dialing device or phone operative to the sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Inventor: Byung-Deuk Choi
  • Patent number: 7503850
    Abstract: A bonus scheme for a gaming device which involves multiple award levels for any game scenario having one or more events. Several award levels can be included in a single bonus round. Preferably, various game events are associated with various award levels for a variety of purposes. When an event occurs, the game derives a bonus value from an award level specifically designated for that event. Accordingly, a game can award a player with relatively high or low bonus values, depending upon which event occurs in a game. For example for consolation purposes, the game can award the player with a relatively low bonus value when a bonus round terminates. This type of bonus scheme increases player excitement and enjoyment and generally decreases player frustration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Anthony J. Baerlocher, Paulina Glavich
  • Patent number: 7504376
    Abstract: The invention provides compositions comprising beta-alanylhistidine peptides and beta-alanines, and methods for administering these peptides and amino acids. In one aspect, the compositions and methods cause an increase in the blood plasma concentrations of beta-alanine and/or creatine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Natural Alternatives International
    Inventors: Roger Harris, Mark Dunnett
  • Patent number: 7503848
    Abstract: A system and method for facilitating participation by a player in a bonus event of a slot machine. A reel configuration associated with the slot machine is presented, and symbols are presented in each of the active reel segments. At least some of the symbols are discontinue symbols which, if presented in an active reel segment, causes that reel segment to be deactivated, thereby eliminating it from the bonus event. The presentation of symbols and subsequent deactivation of symbols associated with discontinue symbols continues until a predetermined number of the active reel segments have been deactivated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Bradley Berman, Chad H. Shapiro, Jason Malkovich
  • Patent number: 7502294
    Abstract: Information recording and playback apparatus, content management method, and content management program. When data of copyright-protected content is recorded in a general-purpose HDD, illegal copying of the content is prevented. Each time when content is recorded in the HDD and when content recorded in the HDD is moved to a Blu-ray disc (BD), a random number output section outputs unique verification information (a random number) and overwrites the unique verification information in the corresponding verification files of the HDD and an EEPROM. Then, when the content recorded in the HDD is to be moved to the BD, a verification section verifies the verification information (random number) recorded in the verification file of the HDD against the verification information (the random number) recorded in the verification file of the EEPROM, and permits the movement of the associated content only when they match.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Susumu Senshu, Shigeharu Sato
  • Patent number: 7502250
    Abstract: A memory device includes a memory element, a first wiring and a second wiring. The memory element includes a memory layer retaining information based on a magnetization state of a magnetic material and a magnetization pinned layer in which a magnetization direction is pinned and which is provided for the memory layer through a non-magnetic layer, in which current flows in a stacking direction to change a magnetization direction of the memory layer. The first wiring supplies current flowing in the stacking direction of the memory element, and the second wiring supplies current to apply a current magnetic field to the memory element. When information is recorded in the memory device, a first pulse current is supplied to the first wiring, a second pulse current is supplied to the second wiring, and the second pulse current falls at least 10 picoseconds after the first pulse current falls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Minoru Ikarashi
  • Patent number: 7501663
    Abstract: A semiconductor light-emitting device is provided. The semiconductor light-emitting device includes: a substrate having a substrate surface oriented along a substrate surface plane; a first grown layer including a first grown layer conductivity type formed on the substrate; a masking layer formed on the first grown layer; a second grown layer of a second grown layer conductivity type formed by selective growth through an opening in the masking layer and including a crystal surface oriented along a crystal surface plane; a first cladding layer including a first cladding layer conductivity type formed along at least a portion of the crystal surface plane; an active layer; and a second cladding layer including a second cladding layer conductivity type. At least one of the first cladding layer, the active layer, and the second cladding layer cover the masking layer surrounding the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Okuyama, Masato Doi, Goshi Biwa, Toyoharu Oohata, Tomoyuki Kikutani
  • Patent number: 7501752
    Abstract: Light emitting devices formed in an array on a first substrate are transferred to an insulating material, to form a sheet-shaped device substrate. The sheet-shaped device substrate is cut along an array direction of the light emitting devices into long-sized line-shaped device substrates. The line-shaped device substrates are arrayed on a second substrate such that the line-shaped device substrates are enlargedly spaced from each other. The line-shaped device substrates divided from the second substrate are arrayed on a third substrate such as to be enlargedly spaced from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hisashi Ohba, Kunihiko Hayashi
  • Patent number: 7500962
    Abstract: A medical fluid machine includes a housing providing a first wall and a second wall, the first and second walls at least partially defining a pump chamber. A fluid receptacle is located within the pump chamber, the fluid receptacle including first and second flexible membranes configured to be moved apart to accept a medical fluid and moved together to dispel the fluid. A medical fluid outlet is in communication with the fluid receptacle. A first valve arrangement is configured to enable medical fluid in a sufficiently air-free condition to be delivered from the receptacle through the medical fluid outlet to a patient. A second valve arrangement is configured to enable medical fluid with entrained air to be delivered instead from the receptacle through the medical fluid outlet to an entrained air destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignees: Baxter International Inc., Baxter Healthcare S.A.
    Inventors: Robert Childers, Peter Hopping
  • Patent number: 7500915
    Abstract: A gaming apparatus and method is provided that is capable of rewarding a distributed jackpot to players using gaming units that are electronically linked to one another. The distributed jackpot may be shared among non-winning players when a winning result is achieved by a winning player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Bryan Wolf, Greg Schlottman, Bill Brosnan
  • Patent number: 7503005
    Abstract: The management of files, folders, and other data is facilitated. When a user inputs a character string (tag), which is desired to be retrieved, to a retrieval character input space and operates a retrieval button on a screen, retrieval is started, and a screen (file) corresponding to the input character string is displayed. This makes it possible for the user to fetch a desired file as required. That is, the user is able to manage and control files without using folders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Junichi Rekimoto
  • Patent number: 7502818
    Abstract: A data communications system is provided to dynamically change the error processing between an ARQ function and an FEC function in accordance with the network status, thus enabling high-quality data playback. In packet transmission, error correction control is performed on the basis of the network status monitored by a network monitoring unit. The error control mode is switched between FEC-based error control and ARQ-based error control (retransmission request processing) in accordance with packet loss or error occurrence on the network, and packet transmission is performed. If the RTT is short, error correction based on ARQ is selected. If the RTT is long, error correction not based on ARQ but on FEC is selected. Such dynamic error correction control is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Michinari Kohno, Eisaburo Itakura
  • Patent number: 7500913
    Abstract: A gaming system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming machines. Upon a suitable triggering event at a triggering gaming device in the gaming system a bonus event occurs. When the bonus event occurs, the players actively playing each auxiliary gaming device in the gaming system are each provided a chance to participate in the bonus event as well. Each remaining gaming device's chance of participating in the bonus event is based on the individual accumulated bonus event pool for that gaming device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: Anthony J. Baerlocher
  • Patent number: 7500914
    Abstract: A gaming device including at least one award generator which is operable to indicate and provide a player one or more awards associated with the award generator. In one embodiment, based on one or more selections picked by a player, the gaming device is operable to indicate one or more activator symbols from one or more sets of activator symbols. Each activator symbol set includes at least one and preferably a plurality of activator symbols. The award generator is activated and based on the indicated activator symbol, the activated award generator generates one or more awards which are provided to the player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Paulina Rodgers, Hans Elias, Zeke Brill
  • Patent number: D588200
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: PharMEDium Services, LLC
    Inventors: Amy E. Langan, Richard J. Kruzynski, John A. Kollar, Patricia L. Miyake, Monique L. Kruk, Mark F. Wagner
  • Patent number: D588855
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle S.A.
    Inventors: Remy Jacquet, Sebastien Dassi, Pierre Struzka