Patents Examined by Dolores Collins
  • Patent number: 9878233
    Abstract: A dice and board game. The game may comprise: a game board, a set of indicator cubes, and four or more saucers. The game board may comprise: a primary playing surface, cubbies, colored sections, an inner wall, and an outer wall. The primary playing surface may comprise a marking and may be surrounded and defined by an inner wall. The cubbies and the colored sections may be located on an outer perimeter of the game board and may be in between the inner wall and the outer wall. The cubbies and the colored sections may alternate along the outer perimeter of the game board and may be separated by partitions. The set of indicator cubes may comprise: color indicator cubes, number indicator cubes, and five sets of colored dice. Each of the color indicator cubes may comprise five colored sides and one symbol side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Inventor: Dianne Elizabeth MacIntyre
  • Patent number: 9873035
    Abstract: Embodiments of various games are described. One example embodiment includes a plurality of wheels on which players may place a bet. A different number of wheels may be used from game to game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: CFPH, LLC
    Inventors: Mark A. Miller, Dean P. Alderucci
  • Patent number: 9861879
    Abstract: A card game includes a deck of cards used, for example, to play craps, poker, or any combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: CFPH, LLC
    Inventors: Howard W. Lutnick, Dean P. Alderucci, Geoffrey M. Gelman
  • Patent number: 9861880
    Abstract: Methods of handling cards using card-handling devices may involve transferring a set of playing cards into a card storage device of a card-handling device using a card input mechanism by distributing the set of playing cards among compartments of the card storage device. Cards may be simultaneously removed from at least two of the compartments to form a stack of cards using a movable ejector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: James B. Stasson, Attila Grauzer, Robert J. Rynda, Paul K. Scheper, Ronald R. Swanson
  • Patent number: 9858831
    Abstract: A flow rate timing apparatus including a chute, planar surface, or tube with a first portion and a second portion enabling a flowable substance to flow between the first portion and the second portion. A first liquid detector located proximate the first portion for detecting when a flowable substance passes by the first liquid sensor, and a second liquid sensor located proximate the second portion for detecting when a flowable substance passes by the second liquid sensor. A timing circuit is connected to the first liquid sensor and the second liquid sensor, wherein the timing circuit determines amount of time for a flowable substance to flow between the first liquid sensor and the second liquid sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Inventor: Cheryl L. Evans
  • Patent number: 9855491
    Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring shuffled playing cards. A shuffled card ID is associated with the one or more shuffled decks of playing cards. Each card delivered by a card feeder from the one or more shuffled decks of playing cards is inspected. It is determined whether there is a defect in the arrangement of the one or more shuffled decks of playing cards. Upon a condition that a shuffled deck of playing cards is determined to be defective, at least one of discarding the defective shuffled deck of playing cards or preventing a recurrence of a defect found within the defective shuffled deck of playing cards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: ANGEL PLAYING CARDS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yasushi Shigeta
  • Patent number: 9849368
    Abstract: Automatic card shufflers 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 movable rack configured to move vertically within the card shuffler. The movable rack may have a plurality of card storage compartments therein, each of which may be sized and configured to hold two cards therein. The card output mechanism includes a movable ejector configured to simultaneously eject cards out from two or more card storage compartments of the movable rack. Related methods include methods of fabricating such card shufflers, and methods of using such card shufflers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: James B. Stasson, Robert J. Rynda, Paul K. Scheper, Ronald R. Swanson, Attila Grauzer
  • Patent number: 9839837
    Abstract: Integrated blackjack hole card readers and chip racks, and novel locking cover assemblies, are disclosed. In one embodiment, a chip rack of standard configuration is provided, and defines a cutout into which the reader can be placed. In another embodiment, the chip rack and reader are molded as a single unit. A removable locking cover is also disclosed which can be used to cover chip racks any time they are not in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Tech Art, Inc.
    Inventors: Arthur C. Miller, Russell D. Isaacs, Dean A. Isaacs
  • Patent number: 9833691
    Abstract: A card dealing shoe with card reading capability for facilitating play of card games includes a control system configured to detect the existence of an alarm condition and a card restraining apparatus mounted on the elongated housing and configured for alternating between a non-restraining condition and a restraining condition, wherein the restraining condition includes activation of a physical restraint that prevents cards from being added to and removed from the card receiving or staging area in the card dealing shoe, wherein the card restraining apparatus is in communication with the control system and actuated from the non-restraining condition to the restraining condition responsive to the detection of an alarm condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Réal Bérubé, Guillaume Pouliot, Patryck Rouleau
  • Patent number: 9830773
    Abstract: A gaming apparatus which, for each of a plurality of plays of a primary game: randomly generates one of a plurality of different primary game outcomes, displays the generated primary game outcome, and displays any award associated with the displayed primary game outcome. If a bonus triggering event occurs, the gaming apparatus: determines a first part of a constant value, causes the determined first part of the constant value to be provided to a first player, determines a second part of the constant value, wherein the determined first part of the constant value and the determined second part of the constant value form the constant value, and causes the determined second part of the constant value to fund a designated award.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Olaf Vancura, Terrance William Oliver
  • Patent number: 9827507
    Abstract: A toy construction system comprising toy construction elements, the toy construction elements comprising coupling means for releasably interconnecting the toy construction elements, comprising one or more marker construction elements comprising such coupling means and each having a visual appearance recognizable by an image processing means, and a data processing system comprising image capturing means, image processing means, and display means, wherein the data processing system is adapted to capture an image of a toy construction model constructed from the toy construction elements, to process the captured image to detect at least a presence of at least one of the marker construction elements within the captured image; responsive to the detected marker construction element, to generate a computer-generated image; and to display on said display means a composite image comprising the captured image having superimposed the generated computer-generated image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: LEGO A/S
    Inventors: Siddharth Muthyala, Harm Jan Van Beek, Nicolas David Alain Guyon, Frantz Lasorne, Mikkel Holm Jensen
  • Patent number: 9821242
    Abstract: A toy construction system comprising a set of toy construction elements with coupling means for releasably interconnecting the toy construction elements; and a data processing system comprising image capturing means, processing means, and display means, wherein the data processing system is adapted to capture an image of a partial toy construction model constructed from a subset of the toy construction elements; process the captured image to detect at least a position and an orientation of the partial toy construction model; identify a user selection indicative of a user selection of at least one of a set of subsequent construction elements, each subsequent construction element being connectable to the partial toy construction model; responsive to the detected position and orientation of the partial toy construction model, display on said display means a composite image comprising the captured image having superimposed an image of at least the selected subsequent construction element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: LEGO A/S
    Inventors: Siddharth Muthyala, Harm Jan Van Beek, Nicolas David Alain Guyon, Frantz Lasorne, Mikkel Holm Jensen
  • Patent number: 9814964
    Abstract: The present invention provides shuffled playing cards which eliminate the need for a game host to shuffle cards before games by taking a lot of time as well as eliminate the possibility of cheating. A shuffled playing cards (1) obtained by shuffling a predetermined number of decks of playing cards (12) using a shuffling machine is packaged as an individual pack. The shuffled playing cards (1) is individually packaged and sealed with an adhesive label (13). A bar code (13a) which represents a unique shuffled card ID has been printed on the adhesive label (13). The shuffled card ID is registered in a database by being associated with information which allows identification of a shuffling machine used to shuffle the playing card set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: ANGEL PLAYING CARDS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yasushi Shigeta
  • Patent number: 9808707
    Abstract: A magnetic dominos game set with pieces that magnetically connect end to end, side to side and side to end, and methods for manufacturing and playing magnetic dominos.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: XTRIZAK LLC
    Inventors: Isaac Estrada, Zakkery D. Estrada
  • Patent number: 9802113
    Abstract: A shuffling device (1) includes cards (2) containing information for determination of proper/improper, card set trays (3) for placing the cards (2), and a common card stocker (4) for stocking cards drawn out from the card set trays (3). Drawing rollers (5,6) are provided below the card set trays (3) to draw out the cards (2) from the card set trays (3) to the card stocker (4). A control device (8) includes number-of-cards determining means for determining a number of cards to be drawn out by randomly changing, each time, the number of cards to be drawn out at one time within a range of a predetermined value, and controlling the drawing means, where the cards (2) are drawn out from only one of the card set trays (3) such that the cards (2) are not simultaneously drawn out from more than one of the card set trays (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: ANGEL PLAYING CARDS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yasushi Shigeta
  • Patent number: 9802114
    Abstract: Card handling systems include shuffling devices, shoe devices, and a card transfer system for automatically transferring cards from the shuffling device into the shoe device. Shuffling devices may include a divider configured to contact at least one card positioned within a compartment of the shuffling device. Shoe devices may include a card loading system for loading cards into a card storage area through an opening in a base of the shoe device. Methods of providing cards during a casino table game play include identifying card information including a rank and a suit of each card in a shuffling device and a shoe device and transporting cards from the shuffling device to the shoe device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Shuffle Master GmbH & Co KG
    Inventor: Peter Krenn
  • Patent number: 9802112
    Abstract: A table game system is provided that includes a plurality of association tables, each of which makes it possible to obtain the correlation between codes attached to shuffled playing cards and the ranks thereof, and prevents the correlation between the codes of the shuffled playing cards and the ranks thereof from being known by a person who intends to commit cheating by changing the association table used as appropriate. A card shoe apparatus 2 of the table game system of the present invention includes a barcode reader 100 that reads a barcode 3 attached to a shuffled playing card set 1s, and thereby reads a shuffled card ID that can uniquely identify the shuffled playing card set 1s. The shuffled card ID of the shuffled playing cards to be used is subjected to a process of association to identify one of association table numbers (T1 to T10) or database numbers, and the rank and the suit of a card 1 that are attached to the card 1 are identified based on a code C with an association table (T3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Angel Playing Cards Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasushi Shigeta
  • Patent number: 9795869
    Abstract: Apparatus comprising a set of shapes, the shapes derived from a hexagonal footprint, and wherein for each of the shapes, at least some of the vertices of the hexagon joined with straight lines to define a perimeter of a respective shape of the set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: HEXCEL DESIGNS LIMITED
    Inventor: Stephen William Cruwys Brazier
  • Patent number: 9776097
    Abstract: An artificial eye for use with an animatronic figure or a robot. The artificial eye includes an outer shell formed with a wall defining a spherical inner void space. The outer shell includes a transparent outer or forward portion or half joined with a rear portion or half. The artificial eye includes an inner eye or sphere including a hollow, semi-spherical shell, and the inner eye is positioned in the inner void space of the outer shell. The artificial eye includes an electromagnetic drive positioned within the hollow, semi-spherical shell of the inner eye. The electromagnetic drive supports the inner eye a distance from inner surfaces of the outer shell wall, and the drive includes a pivot joint such as a gimbal operable to pivot the inner eye. The inner eye is supported by a central pivot joint and driven by components centrally located and hidden within the inner eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Lanny S. Smoot, Peter Anastasios Chevako, Eli Joseph Romaire
  • Patent number: 9764221
    Abstract: A card-feeding device for feeding cards into a card-handling device is disclosed. Examples of card-handling devices include shufflers, card sorters, card delivery devices and card verification devices. The device includes a card infeed area that supports a stack of cards. The card infeed area has a card support surface. Included in the device is a card-removing system that removes cards individually from the bottom of the stack. A pivoting arm presses against a card at the top of the stack. At least one sensor is provided that detects at least one of a position of the arm and a presence of a card in the card infeed area. A method of shuffling cards is also disclosed. The method includes the steps of providing cards to be shuffled into a card infeed area as a stack with a top and bottom and removing cards one at a time from the bottom of the stack and moving the removed cards to a shuffling zone. Cards are then shuffled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald R. Swanson