Patents Examined by Justin Myhr
  • Patent number: 9238165
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus related to improving player performance for trajectory-based sports are described. In particular, sporting devices are described that can be utilized to improve player performance in basketball. The sporting devices can include a camera-based system configured to capture and analyze the trajectory of a shot taken by a player. The camera-based system can be configured to provide feedback that allows a player to optimize the trajectory mechanics associated with shooting a basketball. In one embodiment, the camera-based system can be used in conjunction with a training aid that is attached to a basketball rim. The training aid can be configured to improve the trajectory mechanics of individuals utilizing the modified basketball rim to practice their shooting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Pillar Vision, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan W. Marty, Thomas A. Edwards, John Carter
  • Patent number: 9230398
    Abstract: An electronic gaming table adapted to host table games involving wagers includes a physical surface adapted for the play of live table games that include live players and the use of a live dealer and physical game components, multiple player terminals having separate processors, a master table controller in communication with each of the player terminal processors and adapted to control a plurality of electronic gaming table functions, and at least one interface in communication with the master table controller and one or more additional electronic gaming tables remotely located from the electronic gaming table. Each player terminal allows for a live player stationed thereat to participate in a first live table game directly at the electronic gaming table and also a second live table game remotely at a remotely located table. The first and second live table games can be different games, and can be played simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Fresh Idea Global Limited
    Inventor: Jay Chun
  • Patent number: 9224271
    Abstract: A slot game and systems and methods for administering the slot game wherein the slot administrator defines game parameters that in turn define the contours of the slot game. Game play consists of wagers made on plays of alphanumeric combinations that a player tries to successfully match with the characters on spinning slot wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: LC Gaming, LLC
    Inventors: Gary F. Kadlec, Craig R. Sedoris
  • Patent number: 9218723
    Abstract: A method including providing a lottery terminal that includes a graphical user interface and a motion capture device to facilitate a user to play in a lottery. The method further includes displaying, on the graphical user interface, a first image with content that includes drawing lottery tickets, instant lottery tickets, lottery games, dynamically-generated animations, and advertisements and detecting, by the motion capture device, a gesture of the user in a three dimensional space surrounding the lottery terminal. The method may further includes displaying, on the graphical user interface, a second image with content based, at least in part, on the gesture of the user; receiving, by the lottery terminal, a payment from the user for playing the lottery; and distributing, by the lottery terminal, a lottery ticket, based, at least in part, on the gesture of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Intralot S.A.—Integrated Lottery Systems and Services
    Inventor: Ilias Alexopoulos
  • Patent number: 9214070
    Abstract: A gaming machine randomly determines symbols to be rearranged on a reel unit in a game in a normal mode, based on a predetermined probability. The gaming machine determines whether the determined symbols include a chance symbol. When it is determined that the symbols include a chance symbol, the gaming machine randomly determines an expecting degree and conducts the shifting to a chance mode. In the game in the chance mode, the gaming machine randomly determines the symbols to be rearranged on the reel unit based on the probability corresponding to the determined expecting degree. When the game is run for a predetermined number of times, the gaming machine ends the chance mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Kenta Kitamura, Tatsuya Teranishi, Akira Osawa
  • Patent number: 9183700
    Abstract: The disclosure includes a game of chance in which profile data for social contacts in a social networking system is used to determine whether a player wins or loses the game of chance. An indication that a first player desires to be included in a game provided on a social network system is stored. The game randomly selects a subset of a plurality of social contacts of a second player. In response to determining that the first player is included in the randomly selected subset of the plurality of social contacts, an award is provided to the first player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Allen, Andrew C. Guinn, Damon E. Gura, Robert L. Kyte, Harry C. Lang, Richard B. Robbins, Pamela S. Smith, Danijel Stankovic
  • Patent number: 9164625
    Abstract: A proximity sensor including a housing, a plurality of light pulse emitters for projecting light out of the housing along a detection plane, a plurality of primary light detectors for detecting reflections of the light projected by the emitters, by a reflective object in the detection plane, a plurality of primary lenses oriented relative to the emitters and primary detectors in such a manner that for each emitter-detector pair, light emitted by the emitter of that pair passes through one of the primary lenses and is reflected by the object back through one of the primary lenses to the detector of that pair when the object is located at a position, from among a primary set of positions in the detection plane, that position being associated with that emitter-detector pair, and a processor for co-activating emitter-detector pairs, and configured to calculate a location of the object in the detection plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Neonode Inc.
    Inventors: Stefan Holmgren, Sairam Iyer, Richard Berglind, Karl Erik Patrik Nordström, Lars Sparf, Per Rosengren, Erik Rosengren, John Karlsson, Thomas Eriksson, Alexander Jubner, Remo Behdasht, Simon Fellin, Robin Kjell Aman, Joseph Shain
  • Patent number: 9149724
    Abstract: Processing methods are provided for network game systems without dynamic obstructions. In an exemplary method, when a non-player-controlled character (NPC) role selects a user role as a target of a short-range interaction on a game map, a rotation angle C=N×a can be determined, N being a total number of all NPC roles having the short-range interaction with the user role before the selecting, and “a” being a reference angle. Next, a destination point of the NPC role can be calculated by rotating the NPC role by C from a current point and around the user role. When there is a static obstruction at the destination point, the destination point can be re-calculated by adding a specified angle to the current C. When there is no static obstruction, the NPC role can be moved to the destination point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Lin Liu, Xiaocheng Ding
  • Patent number: 9132342
    Abstract: A multi dynamic environment and location based active augmented/mixed reality (AR) gaming system having means to utilize its surrounding environment and locations of other systems and devices in conjunction with computer based advanced calculation and graphics to dynamically change the gaming environment to any location and environment of a game play.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: SULON TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Dhanushan Balachandreswaran, Kibaya Mungai Njenga
  • Patent number: 9129473
    Abstract: Intelligent gaming tables and methods of providing game play through the gaming tables are described herein. The gaming table includes a table having a table surface, a plurality of player stations, and a common display configured to display gaming content to a plurality of players. The gaming table further includes an interface configured to communicate with a plurality of user input devices. The gaming table includes a gaming controller. The gaming controller is configured to communicate with the plurality of user input devices through the interface, receive location information relating to touches or contacts detected on the table surface, analyze the information relating to the touches or contacts, identify a user performing each of the touches or contacts with the table surface, and implement player input instructions contained within the information relating to the touches or contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Binh T. Nguyen, Richard E. Rowe, Mark C. Nicely, Bryan D. Wolf, Brian Underdahl
  • Patent number: 9098977
    Abstract: The present invention provides a gaming machine employing a free game system which provides an enhanced game element. The gaming machine determines the number of adding free game based on a game number lottery table under the condition that a first symbol is rearranged in the symbol display unit in the free game, and adds a preset number of free game under the condition that a second symbol is rearranged in the symbol display unit in the free game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Kenta Kitamura, Hiromoto Yamauchi, Masumi Fujisawa
  • Patent number: 9098864
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for executing game operations. One method includes an operation for receiving a request from a player to acquire a first game asset to be utilized in the game, the first game asset being associated with a token usable in the real world outside the game. After assigning the first game asset to the player in the game, the player is rewarded in the game with a second asset in response to the request. Further, the method includes an operation for detecting a commercial operation executed outside the game by the player with the token, and the player is rewarded in the game with a third asset in response to the detecting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Zynga Inc.
    Inventors: Mateo Graziosi, Rishi Sachdeva, Fabio Santini
  • Patent number: 9089779
    Abstract: A game control apparatus includes an operation accepting unit that accepts an operation input from a player; and a game progression unit that, in addition to performing a battle by a game medium based on the operation input accepted by the operation accepting unit, activates, when the operation accepting unit accepts an operation input to perform a sacrifice command based on a predetermined game medium, a predetermined effect based on sacrifice command management information and invalidates a game medium used for the sacrifice command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: DeNA Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mototaka Nakatsu
  • Patent number: 9089776
    Abstract: A game device including: a substituted-for character recognizing unit which recognizes a character to become a substitution object by bringing a finger 107 into contact with the character; a substituted-for character determination unit which determines the recognized character to be a substituted-for character by causing the recognized character to be moved to a substituted-for character determination region (an edge of a monitor 3a); and a candidate character list display unit which displays a candidate character list 109 on an image display unit based on the determination of the substituted-for character, wherein after determining a character who enters the game by bringing the finger 107 into contact with a character on the candidate list, the entering character is displayed on the image display unit in place of the substituted-for character.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masatoshi Yamaoka, Hironobu Mori, Shuichi Myogan, Yuichi Hiruta
  • Patent number: 9082261
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a gaming system and method providing a game employing a player-selected one of a plurality of different features. In one embodiment, the gaming system is configured to operate a game associated with a set of a plurality of different features, and enables a player to select one of the features for a play of the game. In certain instances, the gaming system provides the play of the game in accordance with the selected feature. In other instances, the gaming system provides the play of the game without the selected feature, and uses the selected feature to modify one of the other, non-selected features that has a designated relationship with the selected feature. The gaming system subsequently enables the player to select the modified feature for a subsequent play of the game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Scott A. Caputo, Brian F. Saunders
  • Patent number: 9076304
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer readable storage medium to implement a wagering paradigm in which a player can place a wager amount to wager on a random potential outcome of a series chosen randomly by a computer. The series can be a sporting event such as the World Series, and the random potential outcome can be an electronically randomly picked team. If the randomly picked team turns out to be the actual team that wins the World Series, then the wager would win. The payout on a winning wager can be determined using a number of algorithms, for example each possible team is given an equal payout. The wager can be placed before the series begins, during the series (e.g., after at least one game has been played or has been started), and even after the series has ended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Inventor: Dan Setzman
  • Patent number: 9076290
    Abstract: Various example embodiments are directed to a computer-implemented gaming management system for facilitating applications that support user wagering. The gaming management system may comprise a computer system in communication with a developer computer device. The computer system may be programmed to receive from the developer computer device configuration data for a contingent event to be associated with a user application; determine whether the configuration data meets at least one predetermined standard; and provided that the configuration data meets the at least one predetermined standard, provide the developer computer device with an application program interface (API) credential to be utilized by the user application, wherein the API credential is to give the user application access to an API for resolving the contingent event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: COLLISSE GROUP LIMITED
    Inventor: Christopher E. Griffin
  • Patent number: 9070126
    Abstract: An entitlement validation system for laser tag games having a laser tag vest arranged to be activatable for enabling game play has a ticketing module arranged to issue a ticket with a machine readable identification code upon payment made for a selected game, and to update a game entitlement database having identification codes matched with corresponding selected games, a ticket reader arranged to read the identification code of a ticket presented for game activation, a game controller arranged to receive the identification code transferred from the ticket reader and to activate the game equipment upon verifying of entitlement by matching the received identification code with the corresponding selected game in the database. The system may have a base station arranged as a communications link between the ticket reader and the game controller. The ticket reader may be integrated into the game equipment or installed in a validation activation station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: LASERFORCE INTERNATIONAL PTY LTD.
    Inventors: Leonard Kelly, Christopher Carton
  • Patent number: 9067140
    Abstract: An approach is provided for developing customized games. Customization information is obtained from a user (or someone preparing the game for the user) in response to a menu of options relating to a game, or is automatically collected from customization information already collected. Gaming information, including rules and design layout, is output in response to the customization information for playing the game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Edward Opaluch
  • Patent number: 9056257
    Abstract: A first list of available players is provided to each individual user who then selects a first fantasy lineup, where selections by another individual user does not preclude other individual users from also selecting the same player. First fantasy lineups are received from each individual user, the fantasy lineups comprising one or more players selected from the first list of available players. Each individual user may provide a replacement lineup prior to the end of a game. A subsequent list of available players is provided to each user and does not include players from the first fantasy lineup. Subsequent fantasy lineups from each individual user are received comprising only players selected from the subsequent list of available players. None of the players of the first fantasy lineup for an individual user is included in any subsequent fantasy lineup of the individual user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Inventors: Gearoid E. Moore, Vito Anthony Favazza, III, Andrew J. Norman