Patents Examined by Justin Myhr
  • Patent number: 9044682
    Abstract: Some embodiments present systems and methods for electronic commerce within video game environments. Some embodiments perform displaying within a video game environment a representation of a merchant outlet, receiving input originating from a video game player indicating acceptance of one or more offers of items for sale, and, responsive at least in part to the input originating from the video game player indicating acceptance of one or more offers of items for sale, preparing an order for one or more item corresponding to one or more of the offers of items for sale to be physically delivered to the video game player. Within the video game environment, the merchant outlet presents one or more offers of items for sale. The offers of items for sale comprise one or more offers of items for sale having physical existence outside of the video game environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Inventor: Matthew B. Rappaport
  • Patent number: 9028331
    Abstract: A game system is provided with a communication mode using communication and a task mode in which a player selects one task from a plurality of tasks (operations), and plays a game with an aim to achieve the task, and operates operation management data 111 so that it is changed by following a predetermined condition whether the status of task is permission or forbiddance. The game system allows the player to select at least one task achieved by the player, and communicates data 112s, 112r in association with the game-play of communication mode between the game apparatuses, the data 112s, 112r being for permitting the selection of task specified by each player. And, the game system operates the operation management data 111 so that the selection of task corresponding to the data 112r received gets permitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Uchiyama, Daisuke Chiba
  • Patent number: 9011234
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein allow the users to influence various aspects of a game by selecting digital objects associated with a user's digital object collection to be integrated into customized digital object holders to provide a slot machine like functionality. Each of the digital object holders can have a number of positions, and each position can have a digital object associated with it. The user can choose which digital objects are associated with each digital object holder, in accordance with a rule set which can control which digital object can be associated with the digital object holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Electronic Arts Inc.
    Inventor: Steven Conard
  • Patent number: 9011250
    Abstract: A gaming system for enabling three-dimensional game play of remote-control craft controlled by a controller, each craft including a communication system with both radio frequency (RF) and infrared (IR) capabilities. The system can include a plurality of hovering remote-control flying craft each controlled by a handheld controller, and further may include at least one additional game accessory elements, such as a puck, a ground station or a gun. Each pairing of craft and controllers communicate via an RF protocol that transmits at least control communications between the controller and the craft based on pair identification information in an RF communication protocol. The craft and game-accessory elements also communicate via at least an IR protocol that communicates game-play information. Selectable pairs of craft and controllers may be assigned to different teams for playing multiplayer team games based on team identification information in the RF communication protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: QFO Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: John Paul Condon, James Edward Fairman, Bradley Dean Pedersen
  • Patent number: 9005030
    Abstract: A system for sharing score experiences includes one or more devices on which one or more games are played, a gameplay experience service arrangement and a communication arrangement for communicatively coupling the devices to the gameplay experience service arrangement. The devices include computing hardware for executing one or more games software products for implementing the one or more games when executed upon the computing hardware. The devices are operable to record a gameplay experience (GEV) played thereupon including an associated score, wherein the one or more devices are operable to upload their recorded gameplay experiences (GEV) and associated score to the gameplay experience service arrangement which maintains a score list corresponding to the uploaded gameplay experiences. The score list is accessible to the devices for identifying relative gameplay performances of users of the devices, for example via replaying of the recorded gameplay experiences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Applifier Oy
    Inventors: Jussi Laakkonen, Olli Sinerma
  • Patent number: 9005036
    Abstract: Users are arranged to employ gameplay terminals which including computing hardware for executing one or more software products The users share gameplay experiences by including in the one or more software products a host game software application for implementing one or more games on one or more of the terminals, and appending one or more software components to the host game software application for providing control of the host game software application on a real-time basis for recording gameplay experiences for sharing amongst the users based upon one or more of: game view, sub-game view, sensor data employed to control the game, video camera views of one or more users playing the game, game events occurring during playing the game. A software development kit is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Applifier Oy
    Inventors: Jussi Laakkonen, Olli Sinerma
  • Patent number: 8968092
    Abstract: A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In embodiments, the operations can include detecting characteristics of at least one environmental condition in an external environment that is external to a wagering game machine in a casino (e.g., detect activity that occurs in the casino, detect appearance of people and objects in the casino, detect light and sound events, etc.). The operations can further include generating an animated wagering game effect in a wagering game animation, using the detected characteristics of the environmental condition. The animated wagering game effect can affect one or more wagering game objects within the wagering game animation in a way that emulates the environmental condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: WMS Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin T. Gomez, Timothy T. Gronkowski, Scott A. Massing, Robert W. Morgan, III, Alfred Thomas
  • Patent number: 8968088
    Abstract: A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In some embodiments, the operations can include receiving emotive light presentation data from a variety of emotive light control sources and determining presentation priorities for the emotive light presentation data. The operations can further include controlling the emotive light presentation data, from the variety of emotive light control sources, based on prioritization of the presentation priorities. In some embodiments, the operations can include controlling priorities based on locations of emotive lighting devices on a wagering game machine. In other embodiments, the operations can include assigning priorities based on wagering game types and other classifications. In yet other embodiments, the operations can utilize priority values to determine lighting prominence, which in conjunction with transparency values, can generate blended, or composite lighting effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: WMS Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward G. Brunell, Jacob C. Greenberg, Timothy T. Gronkowski, John Michael Holmes, Timothy C. Loose, Paul J. Radek, Martin R. Ugarte, Muthu Velu
  • Patent number: 8961306
    Abstract: A gaming system compatible with patron-controlled portable electronic devices, such as smart phones or tablet computers, is described. Electronic gaming machines (EGMs) within the gaming system can be configured to allow play of wager-based games and interact with portable electronic devices. The EGMs can be configured with one or more of mechanisms that enable a user to establish and then determine a status of a communication session between a portable electronic device and the EGM. In addition, the EGMs can be configured with one or more mechanisms that enable a user to determine a status of a transaction or application involving a portable electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Steven G. LeMay, Dwayne R. Nelson
  • Patent number: 8951120
    Abstract: Systems and methods for calibration and biasing are described herein. In one example, a method for determining a playing height of a user is described. The method includes receiving an identification of a first corner of a display screen from the user by associating a first position of a tracked object with the first corner using image data from a capture device, receiving an identification of a second corner of the display screen from the user by associating a second position of the tracked object with the second corner using image data from the capture device, and triangulating between the first and second corners and the tracked object to define a range of movement made by the user. The tracked object is held by the user. The method further includes defining a height at which the tracked object is held by the user based on the range of movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC
    Inventors: Michael Seegers, Mark Ming-lun Tsai, Jeff Scott Dixon, Sean Hyde-Moyer, Deborah Mars, Nathan Gary
  • Patent number: 8944903
    Abstract: A system according to an embodiment includes a game progress control unit configured to control progress of a game, a screen output unit configured to output a game screen containing a path area in which a path of a puzzle game is formed to a terminal device, a placement unit configured to place a path object that functions as part of the path on the basis of advancement of turns in the path area according to an instruction from the player, a moving unit configured to advance the turns to move the moving object according to a predetermined rule, and a determination unit configured to determine whether the moving object has reached a goal point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: DeNA Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuki Machida, Ryosuke Abe, Seiichiro Sumiyoshi, Hikaru Baba, Yudai Moteki, Shinya Kasahara
  • Patent number: 8926454
    Abstract: In one example, a system for fitting golf equipment for an individual can be configured to be used with an electronic device comprising a fitting processor module and a camera. The system can comprise an image analysis module configured to receive image data of at least a portion of the individual and one or more physical indicia proximate to the individual, where the image data can be captured by the camera. The image analysis module can also be configured to recognize one or more reference features of the individual from the image data, and to calculate one or more fitting dimensions between the one or more reference features in the image data. Other examples, devices, and related methods are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: John K. Solheim, Roger J. Cottam
  • Patent number: 8920241
    Abstract: A computing system translates a world space position of a hand of a human target to a screen space position of a user interface and locks the hand to a handle of the user interface if world space parameters of the hand overcome a grab threshold of the handle. When the hand is locked to the handle, the computing system translates a world space position of the hand to a screen space handle position that is constrained along one or more interface guides. The hand is unlocked from the handle at a release position of the handle if world space parameters of the hand overcome a release threshold of the handle. The handle is retained at the release position after the hand is unlocked from the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Brendan Reville, Jack Bridges, Andy Mattingly, Jordan Andersen, Christian Klein, Arjun Dayal
  • Patent number: 8920243
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for providing an in-game offer to one or more players of an online game. The offer is provided to players that have newly joined the game and/or to players that have not yet made a purchase. In some implementations, the offer may be meant to incentivize purchase upon entry into the game. The in-game offer may comprise an offer to one or more items and a bonus comprising one or more bonus items provided to the player responsive to the offered items being purchased. The in-game offer may only be made available to a qualifying player for a certain amount of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Kabam, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Curtis, Kellen Christopher Smalley, Christopher Pitz, Michael C. Caldarone
  • Patent number: 8894485
    Abstract: Examples disclosed herein relate to systems and methods for validating the authenticity of one or more media associated with a gaming system. The systems and methods may utilize a public key in association with a ROM-based algorithm to validate such media. The systems and methods may: decrypt the encrypted game assets media signature; determine a verified game assets hash signature from the decrypted game assets media signature; determine a game assets verification range from the decrypted game assets media signature; calculate a game assets hash signature based on the game assets verification range; and/or determine if the game assets verified hash signature matches the game assets calculated hash signature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Cadillac Jack, Inc.
    Inventors: Marius Caldas, Marc McDermott, Ian Scott, Ted Ohnstad
  • Patent number: 8858334
    Abstract: A racing car steering wheel assembly provides an input/output interface for a participant in a multimedia interactive electronic game. Two primary paddles on the underside of the wheel control throttle and braking functions, respectively. Secondary paddles or buttons may be included on either the side of the wheel for optionally controlling gear selection. Integral accelerometers are included for determining wheel rotation. Steering inputs are caused either by rotation about a fixed point to which the wheel may be affixed or by rotation in free air. A wired or wireless interface to a PC or game console provides communication with game software and optional wired or wireless communication between the user and other individuals. Switches and buttons may be included to emulate controls on real race cars and for inputting game information. A panel display and/or a decorative logo plate may be included on the wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Ignite Game Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Haswell, Jieming Li
  • Patent number: 8845423
    Abstract: A system, computer-readable storage medium storing at least one program, and a computer-implemented method for entering a viewable location on a gameboard having a virtual media object capable of presenting a media item within a media are presented. A game instance of a computer-implemented game is generated, where the game instance is associated with a game state of a player using a virtual gameboard. A graphical user interface displaying an exterior of one or more virtual buildings associated with the game instance is provided. A request to view an interior of a virtual structure is received via a device of the player. In response to the request, the interior of the virtual structure is displayed, including displaying a virtual media object in the interior of the virtual structure. The virtual media object is associated with a media playable to the player upon request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Zynga Inc.
    Inventors: Jay Monahan, Matthew Adam Ocko
  • Patent number: 8845417
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining bad beats in wagering games are disclosed. If the bad beat is determined to be compensable, some form of compensation is provided to the player. The compensation can include providing a free entry into a second wagering game. The second wagering game can be a site-wide wagering game in which a plurality of player may be simultaneously participating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: WMS Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Allon G. Englman, Andrew C. Guinn, Travis N. Nelson, James Palermo, Richard B. Robbins
  • Patent number: 8821288
    Abstract: A preferential winning item that has a high selection probability is set to each user from candidate items 14a to 14e of an event. The preferential winning item is set so that the type of the preferential winning item differs between a reference user 2a and friend users 2b to 2e of the reference user 2a. The type of item that is given to each user as a result of playing an event thus differs between each user. Each user can easily acquire a plurality of preferential winning items, but cannot easily acquire a non-preferential winning item. This urges each user to give an item to another user as a present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Namco Bandai Games Inc.
    Inventor: Masataka Shimono
  • Patent number: 8795058
    Abstract: The gaming system and method disclosed herein provides and tracks bonus event eligibility points accumulated by players playing the gaming devices in the gaming system. Upon a triggering of a bonus event, the gaming system generates, for each bonus event eligibility point accumulated for each player, a random number from a predefined range of numbers. The gaming system determines which one of the accumulated bonus event eligibility points is the designated bonus event eligibility point, such as by determining which bonus event eligibility point is associated with the highest valued random number generated. The gaming system then enables the player that accumulated the designated bonus event eligibility point to participate in the bonus event. In the bonus event, one or more awards are provided to the player that accumulated the designated bonus event eligibility point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Bryan D. Wolf, Ryan W. Cuddy, Eric D. Satterlie