Patents Examined by Jasson Yoo
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Patent number: 8777708Abstract: Targeting control may be facilitated in a simulated environment. In an example embodiment, a method includes acts of monitoring, generating, moving, and firing. A button input and a directional input are monitored. If a press and hold of the button input is detected, a fine aiming mode is generated. If movement of the directional input is detected during the fine aiming mode, a location of a target indicator is moved responsive to the detected movement. When a release of the button input is detected, a ranged weapon is fired based on the location of the target indicator.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2008Date of Patent: July 15, 2014Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventor: Adam J. Langridge
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Patent number: 8777740Abstract: A gaming apparatus having a housing defining a display area on which immoveable display characters and moveable symbol displays are used to present a game outcome, is disclosed. Typically, the immoveable display characters provide background for the moveable symbol displays. A controller is used to cause movement of the moveable symbol displays so that at least one symbol corresponding to the game outcome is displayed. A method of playing a game using the aforementioned gaming apparatus is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2010Date of Patent: July 15, 2014Assignee: IGTInventors: Jerald C. Seelig, Lawrence M. Henshaw
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Patent number: 8764564Abstract: An example game device arranges, in a game space, a plurality of first characters corresponding to a plurality of controllers and a second character corresponding to a portable display device. The second character is caused to move in the game space based on an input operation performed on an analog stick. An orientation of the second character is changed based on an input operation performed on the analog stick and an input operation performed on a change in an attitude of the portable display device. On the other hand, the first character is caused to normally automatically move along a predetermined path, and to move toward an enemy character when the enemy character is present within a predetermined range.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2012Date of Patent: July 1, 2014Assignee: Ninendo Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiromasa Shikata, Kenta Sato
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Patent number: 8753207Abstract: In an example game device, a second character is caused to rotate based on an input operation performed on a stick of a terminal device and a change in an attitude of the terminal device. In the game device, when an enemy character is present behind the second character, a rotation angle based on an input operation performed on the stick is adjusted so that the second character is easily caused to face the enemy character. In the game device, when an orientation of the second character is changed based on the change in the attitude of the terminal device, a rotation angle based on the change in the attitude of the terminal device is adjusted so that the second character is easily caused to face the enemy character. In the game device, the second character is caused to rotate based the adjusted rotation angle.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2012Date of Patent: June 17, 2014Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiromasa Shikata, Kenta Sato
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Patent number: 8740684Abstract: A plurality of first team player game pieces, a plurality of second team player game pieces, a football designation device, and a game board are provided for playing a football board game. At least one of the player game pieces may have an advantage over one or more of the other player game pieces. One or more of the player game pieces, may be allowed to move twice as fast as one or more other player game pieces, when a first designation is associated with the one or more player game pieces that are given the advantage. The player game pieces given the advantage may move from a “fast” space, marked with a graphic, to another “fast” space, marked with the same graphic, located a predetermined number of spaces away, such as two spaces away, in any direction.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2011Date of Patent: June 3, 2014Inventor: Walter J. Tencza, Jr.
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Patent number: 8740687Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a gaming system and method providing a Keno game providing an additional award if a predicted quantity of symbols matches an actual quantity of symbols associated with one of a plurality of characteristics. In one embodiment, for one of a plurality of characteristics, the gaming system receives an indication of a predicted quantity of symbols. The gaming system forms a gaming system symbol set including a plurality of randomly selected symbols, each of which is randomly associated with one of the characteristics. The gaming system determines any primary awards by comparing a player symbol set with the gaming system symbol set, and any additional awards by comparing the predicted quantity of symbols with the randomly determined actual quantity of symbols associated with the characteristic associated with the predicted quantity of symbols.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2013Date of Patent: June 3, 2014Assignee: IGTInventors: Bradford D. Brown, Benjamin R. Holsclaw, Robert W. Ruymann, Thomas J. Humphrey
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Patent number: 8740680Abstract: A photographing device is implemented with a gaming function in which a win/loss of a game occurs, which is provided with a first condition obtainer is configured to obtain a first condition which is used to generate a first image file, a second condition obtainer is configured to obtain a second condition which is used to generate a second image file, a score calculator is configured to calculate a first score of the first image file and a second score of the second image file in accordance with the first condition and the second condition, respectively, a judger is configured to judge a win/loss of the game with respect to the first file and the second file based on the first score and the second score, and a display is configured to display the win/loss of the game with respect to the first file and the second file.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2011Date of Patent: June 3, 2014Assignee: Pentax Ricoh Imaging Company, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroyasu Uehara, Shigenori Fujio
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Patent number: 8734240Abstract: In a method for administering a lottery in combination with a pari-mutuel pool, tickets are generated at point-of-purchase terminals, each ticket including a series of randomly generated or user-selected numbers. A portion of the purchase price of each ticket is allocated to the pari-mutuel pool and is treated as a wager in the pari-mutuel pool, while another portion of the purchase price may be allocated to other pools, including a supplemental payout pool. If the ticket is a winning ticket, a preliminary amount of a payout from the wager in the pari-mutuel pool is determined. In some cases, this preliminary amount is supplemented from monies in the supplemental payout pool.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2012Date of Patent: May 27, 2014Assignee: Equilottery LLCInventor: Bradford Cummings
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Patent number: 8727852Abstract: A programmed computer for executing a poker game including transmitting draws of cards to players; receiving from each player a location of each card from the draws in one of three rows for each player, the first row holding a maximum of three cards, and the second and third rows each holding a maximum of five cards; displaying the cards from the draws such that the suit and rank of cards and card locations for one player are visible to another player; comparing the corresponding rows of each player and generating a score for each player; and determining whether any player is eligible for bonus treatment in the following round.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2013Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: Project Pineapple, LLCInventors: Chamath Palihapitiya, Diego Berdakin
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Patent number: 8727873Abstract: Gaming machines and methods providing for control of gaming machines and gaming networks via a wireless device. A gaming machine includes a one or more cabinets enclosing interior components of the gaming machine. Access to each cabinet may be controlled with a locking mechanism. A communication interface of the gaming machine communicates with the wireless device and a network server. One or more processors of the gaming machine are configured to receive requests from the wireless device for access to a cabinet, facilitate verifying by the network server whether a user associated with the wireless device has access to the cabinet, and upon obtaining verification from the network server that the user has access to the main cabinet, unlock the appropriate locking mechanism. In some implementations, different cabinets require different security levels for the user.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2012Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: IGTInventor: Jamison Frady
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Patent number: 8721431Abstract: A gaming machine is configured to selectively provide instances of a primary game and instances of a secondary game. Instances of the secondary game may be provided based at least on outcomes of primary games. The gaming machine may provide instances of the secondary game based at least on a number of secondary game credits. The number of secondary game credits may be associated with a player of the gaming machine. The number of secondary game credits may be awarded to a player of the gaming machine based at least on an outcome of the primary game and/or an outcome of the secondary game. The gaming machine may provide instances of the secondary game based at least on a number of available secondary game credits. The number of available secondary game credits may be based at least on a number of secondary game credits and/or a number of other credits.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2008Date of Patent: May 13, 2014Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.Inventors: Joseph Kisenwether, Jeff Mincey, Loren Nelson
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Patent number: 8721433Abstract: An account is established for a player of a gaming device. The balance of the account is increased if a predetermined condition is satisfied. Disbursements from the account may be made if a predetermined condition is satisfied. A disbursement may be in the form of a payout, bonus, or other benefit.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2011Date of Patent: May 13, 2014Assignee: IGTInventors: Jay S. Walker, James A. Jorasch, Stephen C. Tulley, Geoffrey M. Gelman, Magdalena M. Fincham
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Patent number: 8715082Abstract: Systems and methods for IPTV network game control. Exemplary embodiments include a game system, including a communications device, a game controller functionally coupled to the communications device and a process for establishing communication between the communications device and the game controller for manipulating game content, the process including instructions to receive game content from a network, the content being displayed on the communications device and interactively controlled by the game controller via communication with the communications device.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2007Date of Patent: May 6, 2014Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.Inventor: James Carlton Bedingfield, Sr.
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Patent number: 8708808Abstract: Methods and systems for gaming are provided. A transpiring of a collective element in an entertainment game portion of a hybrid game is determined where the collective element is shared by two or more players of the entertainment portion of the hybrid, and where the hybrid game includes a gambling game portion and the entertainment game portion. A wager is triggered in the gambling game portion of the hybrid game based on the transpiring of the collective element in the entertainment game portion of the hybrid game. A real world credit gambling game result is distributed in the gambling game portion of the hybrid game between the two or more players. The distribution may be made on the basis of various parameters of the use of the shared collective element by the players. In addition, an allocation of an amount of a real world credit for the wager may also be based on various parameters of the players use of the shared collective element.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2013Date of Patent: April 29, 2014Assignee: Gamblit Gaming, LLCInventors: Miles Arnone, Eric Meyerhofer
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Patent number: 8702519Abstract: A video gaming device includes a game computer which is connected to a central computer and a plurality of player stations connected to the game computer. Connection of the player stations may be effected using an interface device which includes at least one serial port which has a transmit line for transmitting data to a player station and a receive line for receiving data from a player station, input port means and output port means for communication with the game computer, and processing means for routing data between the said serial port and the input and output port means.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2007Date of Patent: April 22, 2014Assignee: Vegas Amusement, Inc.Inventors: Julian J. Kennedy, Michael A. Morris, Douglas E. Morris
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Patent number: 8690664Abstract: A method and apparatus to implement special features on slot machine games. An additional award indicator, such as a bonus wheel, a perimeter prize wheel, an additional reel, etc., can be used to modify an award of a main game. The additional award indicator can be successively activated while a resultant combination of mains reels of the slot game remain fixed.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2007Date of Patent: April 8, 2014Assignee: Etasse LimitedInventors: Barbara Esses, Matias Montero, Jorge Heymann
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Patent number: 8684826Abstract: A gaming system includes a plurality of linked gaming machines, each gaming machine including a display for displaying a plurality of symbols that indicates a randomly selected outcome of a wagering game. The randomly selected outcome is selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to a wager input. Each gaming machine allows a player to achieve a player level from a plurality of player levels. The gaming system further includes a controller linked to the gaming machines. The controller is adapted to permit a certain community-event game from a plurality of community-game events to be played at two or more of gaming machines in response to a conditional state at the gaming machines. The conditional state is a function of the player levels at the gaming machines.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2012Date of Patent: April 1, 2014Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.Inventors: Allon G. Englman, Larry J. Pacey, Mark B. Gagner, Jeremy M. Hornik
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Patent number: 8684804Abstract: A photographing device having a game function which determines win/loss of photographing devices based on information regarding image files, is provided with a first parameter obtaining unit configured to obtain a first parameter regarding a first image file which was generated by the photographing device, a second parameter obtaining unit configured to obtain a second parameter regarding a second image file which is stored in another photographing device, a score calculating unit configured to calculate scores regarding the first image file and the second image file based on the first parameter and the second parameter, respectively, a win/loss determining unit configured to determine win/loss of the photographing device and the other photographing device, and generate win/loss information, a recording unit configured to store the win/loss information, in accumulated manner, as intrinsic information which is intrinsic to the photographing device, and a notifying unit configured to output the accumulated win/Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2011Date of Patent: April 1, 2014Assignee: Pentax Ricoh Imaging Company, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroyasu Uehara, Shigenori Fujio
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Patent number: 8657687Abstract: Described are one or more embodiments that include a browser application (“browser”) with a first part (e.g., a toolbar, a dropdown, a pop-up, a widget, etc.) that presents first content associated with one or more wagering games and a second part (e.g., a main content display area) that concurrently presents second content independently from presentation of the first content in the first part of the browser. In some embodiments, the first content and second content are from separate content providers. Some embodiments are directed to determining, based on concurrent presentation of the first content and the second content, that one or more awards are available from a first of the content providers conditional upon performance of one or more activities indicated by a second of the content providers, and the browser application presents one or more indicators to indicate the one or more awards and/or the one or more activities.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2012Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: WMS Gaming, Inc.Inventors: Peter R. Anderson, Brian J. Barclay, Allon G. Englman, Andrew C. Guinn, Daniel P. Louie, Brian D. Manning, Larry J. Pacey, Richard T. Schwartz, Alfred Thomas
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Patent number: 8651959Abstract: Described are one or more embodiments that include a browser application (“browser”) with multiple parts. A first part of the browser (e.g., a toolbar, a dropdown, a pop-up, a widget, etc.) presents first content associated with one or more wagering games. Concurrently a second part of the browser (e.g., a main content display area) presents second content independently from presentation of the first content in the first part of the browser. In some embodiments, the first content and second content are from separate content providers with a marketing relationship. In some embodiments, in response to concurrent presentation of the first and second content, the browser application detects the marketing relationship between the content providers and presents one or more indicators. The one or more indicators indicate the marketing relationship. For example, the indicators can indicate cross-marketing, available coupons, and/or awards available via the first or second content.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2012Date of Patent: February 18, 2014Assignee: WMS Gaming, Inc.Inventors: Peter R. Anderson, Brian J. Barclay, Allon G. Englman, Andrew C. Guinn, Daniel P. Louie, Brian D. Manning, Larry J. Pacey, Richard T. Schwartz, Alfred Thomas