Patents Examined by Eric M. Thomas
  • Patent number: 11389736
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, from a client system of a first user, a request for a games tab on an application of the messaging network running on the client system; providing, to the client system in response to the request, instructions for presenting the games tab comprising an initial list of games on the application of the messaging network based on one or more criteria; receiving game data associated with one or more games interacted with by the first user; determining whether the first user has satisfied a threshold level of gaming activity for updating the games tab; and providing, to the client system in response to determining that the first user has satisfied the threshold level of gaming activity, instructions for updating the games tab to re-sort the initial list of games based on the one or more games interacted with by the first user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrea Vaccari, Pooya Karimian, Lei Guang
  • Patent number: 11369882
    Abstract: A server in conjunction with a terminal device detects a status of a non-time element differing from a time element among game elements; executes area setting processing for setting a game field to a first game area and a second game area that differs from the first game area in accordance with the detected status of the non-time element; executes, at least when the second game area has been set by the area setting processing, constraint setting processing of setting a given constraint in the game on a player character belonging to the second game area; and providing the terminal device with information for controlling a player character on which the given constraint in the game has been imposed as a player character belonging to the second game area and controlling a player character belonging to the first game area without imposing the given constraint in the game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: BANDAI NAMCO ENTERTAINMENT INC.
    Inventors: Kazuaki Shoji, Akio Onda
  • Patent number: 11373486
    Abstract: A gaming machine produces boosted feature areas of different sizes and/or shapes and/or locations based on chance and alerts players and bystanders of such changes when they happen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: AGS LLC
    Inventor: Paul Luke Lombardo
  • Patent number: 11358052
    Abstract: A method includes acquiring position information of a user. The method further includes receiving an input operation designating a position range that enables configuring a game parameter in map data usable in a game. The method further includes advancing a game such that, when the acquired position information is in the position range based on the game parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: COLOPL, INC.
    Inventor: Naruatsu Baba
  • Patent number: 11351462
    Abstract: An example of an information processing system displays on a display device two or more selection candidates each corresponding to a game character in a draw mode. In the draw mode, a game character corresponding to a selected selection candidate is granted to the user in exchange for decreasing a predetermined parameter. When a cumulative grant count becomes equal to or greater than a reference count, the information processing system permits execution of a designated mode. In the designated mode, a game character designated by the user is granted to the user. In the draw mode, the information processing system accepts a selection instruction until an end process is performed even after the cumulative grant count becomes equal to or greater than the reference count.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shingo Matsushita
  • Patent number: 11344805
    Abstract: Information handling systems, methods, and computer-readable media enable gameplay event detection and gameplay enhancement operations. One or more in-game events may be detected by monitoring audio content, by monitoring video content, by monitoring user input, by monitoring other information, or a combination thereof. The one or more in-game events (and information related to the one or more in-game events) may be stored at a database. Information of the database may be accessed to trigger one or more gameplay enhancement operations. The one or more gameplay enhancement operations may include an automatic highlight capture operation, a dynamic screen aggregation operation, a dynamic position switch operation, a dynamic player switch operation, a gameplay enhancement operation using one or more peripheral devices (e.g., a lighting effect or a haptic feedback event), one or more other gameplay enhancement operations, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Ryan Nicholas Comer, Erik Summa, Lindsey Everett-Lawrence
  • Patent number: 11344808
    Abstract: The application describes methods and systems for dynamically generating a music clip for rendering at client devices in a multi-player gaming network. Player data and event data are acquired and classified into two or more profiles. The music clip is then generated by identifying a mood based on one of the two or more event profiles and one of the two or more player profiles and modulating one or more music elements of a segment of audio data based on the identified mood.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Activision Publishing, Inc.
    Inventor: Jon Ray Estanislao
  • Patent number: 11344812
    Abstract: A method of performing operations for executing a progressive interactive augmented reality (AR) advertisement display during execution of a running application is disclosed. based on a receiving of a first trigger event from the running application, a first aspect of the progressive AR advertisement is executed within a display window while the application is executing. The first aspect includes an interactive advertisement. Based on a receiving of a second trigger event from within the first aspect of the progressive AR advertisement, a second aspect of the progressive AR advertisement is executed in the display window while the application is executing. The second aspect includes an interactive AR advertisement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Unity Technologies SF
    Inventors: Anthony Salvatore Parisi, Katrina Rose Stagg
  • Patent number: 11338206
    Abstract: A plurality of content groups are stored in a memory, and some of the content groups are determined as selectable target groups by a selection. One content group is selected from among the selectable target groups on the basis of a user's operation, and a selection process is executed for the one content group. A content selected is given to the user, and a given status of each content is stored in the memory such that this given content is excluded. In addition, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, selectable target groups are selected again. At this time, the given status of each content in each content group is retained regardless of which content groups are set as the selectable target groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Sensui, Masaki Yasuhara
  • Patent number: 11338200
    Abstract: Methods and systems for provisioning resources for games executed by a cloud gaming system includes accessing online interactions of a plurality of users in relation to a game. The online interactions are processed to classify discussion features obtained from online social communications. A model is generated to predict game use, using the classified discussion features. The model is updated with online interactions received over time. Resources for the game are provisioned at a data center. The provisioning is done by accessing the model and identifying adjustments in the provisioning for an anticipated usage spike that is to occur by a plurality of users, based on current online interactions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventor: Geoff Norton
  • Patent number: 11318372
    Abstract: A game processing device includes a scene determination portion, a sound recognition portion, a conformity determination portion, and an action controller. The scene determination portion determines whether a scene is an input scene in which sound input information can be input. The sound recognition portion, at an input scene, recognizes sound that is input as the sound input information. The conformity determination portion determines a degree of conformity between (a) the sound input information that is recognized and (b) reference information. The action controller changes an action effect according to the degree of conformity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: GREE, INC.
    Inventor: Masato Nozaki
  • Patent number: 11318387
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to unlocking game content for users of an online game based on amounts of collaborative gameplay. Groups of users interacting with the online game cooperatively are identified and amounts of cooperative gameplay engaged in by the individual groups are quantified. Content in the online game is made available to the groups of users based on the quantified amounts of cooperative gameplay. In implementations, the quantification of the amount of cooperative gameplay engaged in by the groups is made independent from achievement and/or successful accomplishment of any game objective in the online game by the groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Kabam, Inc.
    Inventors: Clifford J. Harrington, Kent Wakeford
  • Patent number: 11305197
    Abstract: A system and method for drafting and managing a fantasy sports team. A method for managing a fantasy sports leagues, tournaments or contests on a plurality of remote devices having instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, the devices being communicatively connected to a network, comprising pairing user-ranked lists to draft for each position independently. A system for managing a fantasy sports team, comprising a plurality of remote devices having instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, the devices being communicatively connected to a database over a network, wherein the system is configured to draft players for each position from user-ranked lists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Inventor: Mitchell Frazier
  • Patent number: 11298613
    Abstract: An information processing device connected to a wireless LAN constituted by an access point, the information processing device acquiring application data from another information processing device connected to the wireless LAN. The information processing device includes a device detection section and a recording processing section. The device detecting section detects the other information processing device connected to the wireless LAN. The recording processing section, after the device detecting section has detected the other information processing device connected to the wireless LAN, acquires the application data from the other information processing device via a cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
    Inventors: Akitsugu Tsuchiya, Masaki Takahashi, Shigeru Enomoto
  • Patent number: 11278802
    Abstract: An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a display screen and a computing hardware.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Supercell Oy
    Inventors: Jon Franzas, Timur Haussila, Touko Tahkokallio
  • Patent number: 11270554
    Abstract: A detection system including a control device detecting fraud performed in a game table by using a result of an image analysis performed by an image analyzing device. A substitute currency for gaming used for this detection system has a multi-layer structure in which a plurality of plastic layers having different colors are stacked, a coloring layer is included at least in the middle, and white layers or thin-color layers (may be layers having a color thinner than that of the coloring layer; not illustrated in the drawing) are stacked on both sides of the coloring layer disposed in the middle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: ANGEL GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yasushi Shigeta
  • Patent number: 11250672
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide gaming systems and methods that provide a keno game with a lottery game feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Bradford Brown, Ronald Papson, Christina Harmon, Mark Bansemer, David Daniels
  • Patent number: 11250670
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to gaming systems and methods of operating such gaming systems that provide multi-player elimination tournaments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Raymond Dickenson, Daniel Lund
  • Patent number: 11241628
    Abstract: A system and methods for augmented gaming with item gifting and online gameplay, that combines physical games and objects with online functionality to produce an augmented-reality gaming experience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Inventor: Chad Sterling Millard
  • Patent number: 11238693
    Abstract: A modular electronic gaming machine is provided. The modular electronic gaming machine includes a structural core including a gaming controller and a plurality of coupling mechanisms including a first coupling mechanism. The first coupling mechanism comprises an electrical connector. The first coupling mechanism is configured to couple to a first peripheral device to provide electrical power and structural support to the first peripheral device. The first coupling mechanism is configured to releasably couple to the first peripheral device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Rodriguez, Bruce Urban, Dominic DeMarco, James Stair, Martin Holland, Martin Mirakhour