Patents Examined by Eric M. Thomas
  • Patent number: 11235252
    Abstract: A first user device is provided. Via the user interface a first computer implemented game within a messaging application can be selected. The first computer implemented game is related, but different, to second computer implemented game. Game play in one of the first and second computer implemented game is dependent on game play in the other of the first and second computer implemented games.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: KING.COM LTD.
    Inventors: Kim Ahlstrom, Patrik Stymne, Joakim Brunnestom
  • Patent number: 11229848
    Abstract: Systems and methods to providing gated media access based on collections and/or combinations of unique digital articles in an online gaming platform are disclosed. Exemplary implementations may execute instances of a game; manage user accounts associated with the users, including a first and a second user account associated with a first and a second user; receive, from the first user, a first access request to access particular media content, wherein the access requires ownership of a first and a second (type of) unique digital article (as recorded on an immutable ledger); permit the first access request (and other similar requests) as long as the first user is the registered owner of the first and second (type of) unique digital articles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Inventor: Rudy Koch
  • Patent number: 11232674
    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 is included. 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: November 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: ANGEL GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yasushi Shigeta
  • Patent number: 11185753
    Abstract: A wrist worn muscle movement monitoring device includes a wrist strap; a sensor that responds to muscle movement at a wrist wearing the wrist strap; and monitoring circuitry connected to the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Inventor: Theodore Weissenburger Caldwell
  • Patent number: 11179638
    Abstract: Systems and methods to enable administrators to incentivize one or both of particular in-game user behaviors and particular in-game user activities via group agreements that govern user groups within an online game are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Mythical, Inc.
    Inventors: John Linden, Rudy Koch
  • Patent number: 11176781
    Abstract: Systems and computer-implemented methods for a bet exchange. The bet exchange receives bet orders from users and matches bet-for orders with bet-against orders to generate instances of standardized bet contracts. The bet-for orders are bets on a bet event occurring, and bet-against orders are bets on a bet event not occurring. The bet events have a standardized payout amount, which is used to determine a value to transfer to the trader that made the bet-for order when the bet event occurs, or to the trader that made the bet-against order when the bet event does not occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: THE BET EXCHANGE LLC
    Inventor: Robert J. Cullen
  • Patent number: 11130055
    Abstract: Systems for granting remote access to, and methods of playing, a video game executing on a video game console coupled to a computer network or video games executing on hosting clients of a computer network. One embodiment of the system includes: (1) a stream distributor configured to receive a video stream conveying a view of a gamespace of the video game from the video game console via the computer network and transmit the video stream toward a remote client via the computer network and (2) a response receiver associated with the stream distributor and configured to receive a response stream from the remote client via the computer network and transmit the response stream toward the video game console.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Nvidia Corporation
    Inventor: Andrew Fear
  • Patent number: 11123638
    Abstract: A game device includes: a first determination unit which determines a first condition that the NPC inside a virtual space is present in the azimuth range set using the PC as the reference inside the virtual space; a second determination unit which determines a second condition that the NPC inside the virtual space has a predetermined positional relationship with the PC; a processing target decision unit which decides an NPC as a processing target when there is the NPC that satisfies both the first condition and the second condition and decides an NPC that satisfies the second condition as the processing target when there is no NPC that satisfies both the first condition and the second condition; and an information processing unit which performs information processing with respect to the decided NPC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yusuke Kitazono, Yasuhiko Matsuzaki
  • Patent number: 11128972
    Abstract: [Object] To provide an information processing device, control method, and program that are capable of showing presence of a virtual object in a real space. [Solution] The information processing device includes: a calculation unit configured to calculate a localization position of a sound source of a virtual object relative to a user on the basis of information on the virtual object and information on a state of the user, the virtual object causing the user to feel as if the virtual object exists in a real space through sound image localization; and a sound image localization unit configured to perform a sound signal process of the sound source such that a sound image is localized at the calculated localization position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kentaro Kimura, Tomohiko Gotoh, Shunsuke Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 11113926
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to a system that utilizes an application running on a mobile device to collect game-based data regarding a player's experience at a gaming establishment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Sina Miri, Dwayne A. Davis, Kevin Higgins, Matt Christopher Levin, Erik Petersen
  • Patent number: 11103779
    Abstract: A computer game program obtains data input by a player. Puzzle display information is output to cause number of puzzle elements forming part of a puzzle to be displayed in a game field so that at least one puzzle element among the number of puzzle elements is selectable. Outputting object display information causes an object to be displayed on a screen on which the number of puzzle elements are displayed. Puzzle attribute information and/or puzzle arrangement information associated with the selected puzzle element may be updated and a determination is made as to whether or not the updated puzzle attribute information and/or the puzzle arrangement information satisfies a predetermined condition. An object displayed on or around the puzzle element associated with the puzzle attribute information and/or the puzzle arrangement information may be moved to produce a predetermined effect in a game when the predetermined condition is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: GREE, Inc.
    Inventor: Hiroki Kamobayashi
  • Patent number: 11103783
    Abstract: A sports simulation system comprises a projectile tracking apparatus configured to detect a projectile traveling through a projectile tracking region towards a display surface, a controller comprising one or more actuatable buttons, each actuatable button configured to communicate one or more control signals in response to actuation thereof, and at least one processing stage configured to receive data from the projectile tracking apparatus and determine three-dimensional positions, velocity and acceleration of a detected launched projectile traveling through said projectile tracking region, the three-dimensional positions, velocity and acceleration used by said at least one processing stage to calculate a trajectory of said launched projectile into a three-dimensional sports scene, receive one or more control signals from the controller and determine one or more control commands of one or more animated objects based on the one or more control signals, and use said calculated trajectory and said one or more co
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: INTERACTIVE SPORTS TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Wayne Dawe, Silviu Druma, Aaron Fritz, Zuqiang Zhao, Yijun Tang
  • Patent number: 11097194
    Abstract: Described herein is a system and method for sharing an AR game within a shared coordinate space created between devices with initially disjoint relative coordinate spaces. Once the shared coordinate space is created, an AR video game can provide a first mode in which the users engage in game play action that have consequences according to pre-established game rules. The AR video game can provide a second mode (“sandbox mode”) in which users engage in non-destructive game play actions that do not have consequences once the second mode has been terminated. Further described herein is a system and method of using geolocation information within an AR session in which a virtual action can be initiated by a user that causes a corresponding virtual action to be displayed on a map of a virtual environment that parallels a physical environment displayed on a user gaming device of another user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Jason Matthew Cahill, Jesse Dylan Merriam, Torfi Frans Olafsson, Timothy James Schutz, Michael Meincke Persson
  • Patent number: 11097190
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for enabling a user of an online game to assemble a crew of additional crew members for accessing a content item after completing a goal with the crew. One example method includes sending, from the one or more servers to a client of a user, data for displaying a crew assembly dialog that includes a graphical user interface (GUI). The crew assembly dialog allowing the user to select crew members for assembling the crew for the online game. Sending, from the one or more servers in response to a selection made at the GUI, a help request directed to the at least one crew member for response from the at least one crew member. The method further includes assembling the crew based on the selection of the user for the at least one crew member and response of the at least one crew member to the help request. The assembling of the crew enables the user to make progress in the online game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Zynga Inc.
    Inventor: Andres Cantor
  • Patent number: 11080969
    Abstract: A scratch-off lottery ticket game system and method include lottery tickets contain a first set of play characters and instructions for receiving a second set of predetermined play characters assigned to the lottery ticket via a mobile smart device. At time of purchase of the lottery ticket, the system activates the ticket in a computer file at a central server. Upon receiving a request from the player that identifies the lottery ticket, the server verifies the activated status of the lottery ticket and downloads the second set of predetermined play characters to the mobile smart device. The player removes the scratch-off coating from the first set of play characters on the lottery ticket and compares them second set of play characters to reveal a predetermined outcome of the lottery ticket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Scientific Games International, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey D. Martineck, Sr.
  • Patent number: 11080962
    Abstract: When awarding of a locally-incremented prize or a jackpot prize takes place in a chance-based gaming system, first there may be joy for the player who won but then there is a sense of lost opportunity for remaining other players as they come to realize at that moment that they have lost the opportunity to win that same prize and instead they must start all over in re-building a comparable prize amount. The notion of having to start from ground zero and build all the way up again may discourage some and induce them to walk away from the gaming machines. Methods are disclosed where the post-award prize reset amounts displayed to the remaining other players are not easily recognizable or attention attracting patterns that may induce the remaining other players to immediately recognize that a reset event has occurred, become disheartened and walk away.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: AGS LLC
    Inventor: Alexander Christoph Albert Bitterlin
  • Patent number: 11074776
    Abstract: In various embodiments, the gaming system and method provide The present disclosure relates generally to gaming systems and methods that concurrently display one or more aspects of a primary game and a play of a secondary game within the limited display space available of an electronic gaming machine with a single display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Bradford Brown, David Howe
  • Patent number: 11071915
    Abstract: Systems and methods for processing operations for delivering spectator feedback content to a head mounted display (HMD) of an HMD user are provided. A computer-implemented method includes providing a VR scene to an HMD user and capturing images of one or more spectators usable to detect a presence and emotional state of the one or more spectators. The method also includes displaying within the VR scene of the HMD user one or more avatars representing the presence of the one or more spectators. Further, the method includes delivering an indication of the detected emotional state of the one or more spectators via the one or more avatars, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn T. Black, Michael G. Taylor, Todd Tokubo
  • Patent number: 11074780
    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 is included. 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: October 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: ANGEL PLAYING CARDS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yasushi Shigeta
  • Patent number: 11055958
    Abstract: Systems and methods for verifying the eligibility of players attempting to participate in gaming events are disclosed. Communication objects having RFID tags and closed electrical circuits are individually assigned to and worn by players within a gaming player verification system. These RFID tags may communicate with associated player tracking units attached to gaming machines and other devices via radio frequency waves, and each communication object may alter its communication pattern in response to any break of its closed electrical circuit. In some embodiments, a communications object may emit a signal that conveys a privilege of the player wearing the communications object. Bracelets, wristwatches or collars can be used as communication objects, such that the removal of such an object from a player cannot be accomplished without breaking the closed electrical circuit contained therein, thereby disabling or de-authenticating the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: CFPH, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph M. Asher, Ron Rushin, Dean P. Alderucci, Geoffrey M. Gelman