Patents Examined by Justin Myhr
  • Patent number: 8597094
    Abstract: To provide a game device capable of improving operability for a user when a player character of an opponent team holds a moving object in a sport game to be played by a user team and the opponent team. A first marker control unit (72d) controls the position of a marker player character selected from among the player characters of the user team, based on the position of a marking target player character selected from among the player characters of the opponent team and a predetermined position. A second marker control unit (72e) controls the position of the marker player character, based on the position of the marking target player character and the position of a moving object or the position of a player character holding the moving object. The marker control switching unit (72g) switches between the first marker control unit (72d) and the second marker control unit (72e), based on a result of determination as to whether or not a predetermined switching condition is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Junichi Taya
  • Patent number: 8597097
    Abstract: A gaming machine for conducting a wagering game includes a display for displaying a bonus game triggered by a start-bonus outcome and for presenting a plurality of player-selectable elements. Each of the player-selectable elements has a predetermined random outcome associated therewith. A game feature associated with the bonus game is configured to introduce a computer-generated player on the display. The computer-generated player randomly selects at least one player-selectable element from the plurality of player-selectable elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy M. Hornik, Benjamin T. Gomez, Allon G. Englman
  • Patent number: 8591356
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for facilitating baseball strike zone detection. In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, a method includes transmitting radar pulses by a phased-array of transmitting antennas in a radar beam pattern, detecting reflected radar pulses of the transmitted radar pulses at multiple receiving antennas, calculating multiple positions of a projectile based on detecting the reflected radar pulses, determining whether an incursion through a three-dimensional strike zone characterized by batter-specific settings has occurred based on the multiple positions, and providing an indication of the incursion determination for presentation to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: William Walker
  • Patent number: 8579688
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer readable storage medium to provide a variation of a video poker game. The video poker game offers the player an ability to view “reveal cards” after the initial deal of five cards. The reveal card(s) show the values of some of the card(s) that are on top of the deck which would be dealt as replacement cards. The player, being able to view these reveal cards, can select his or her cards to hold using a more careful strategy than if the player had no such information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Inventor: Geoff Hall
  • Patent number: 8579702
    Abstract: A method of operating a wagering game comprises receiving one or more configuration inputs to create at least one wagering game configuration. The at least one wagering game configuration comprises at least one base game and at least one portal game. The at least one base game is operable in response to receipt of a primary wager, the primary wager being within a range of allowable wagers. The range includes minimum and maximum allowable wagers. The at least one portal game having a set of eligibility criteria. The method further comprises creating a plurality of wager categories based upon the set of eligibility criteria and a size of the primary wager, activating participation in the at least one portal game if the set of eligibility criteria is satisfied, and metering the entire primary wager to a single wager category.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventors: James E. Oatman, Mark J. Saletnik, Jason A. Smith
  • Patent number: 8568214
    Abstract: An arcade type amusement game is disclosed having a housing with a playing field therein, the game further comprising a turntable and a counter rotating pointer. A pair of motors control the rotation and counter rotation of the turntable and pointer, initiated and stopped by player controls. The coincidence of the pointer over the turntable's sectors determine a reward for the player, modified by a quadrant of the playing field to which the pointer comes to rest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Inventor: Stephen P. Shoemaker, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8545322
    Abstract: A device for providing a proximity sensing touchless display to a gaming machine is provided. The device includes a processor, a display coupled to the processor, and a touchless input interface coupled to the processor and being implemented by the display for receiving input from the player. The input interface employs proximity sensing technology, such as but not limited to proximity button activation. For example, the display can be operable to sense a player's approaching finger entering an electrical field (e.g., corresponding to one or more electrodes) such that a particular button or function on the interface can be activated without the player's finger having to ever physically contact a button, push pad, keypad, touch screen, and/or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Konami Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey George, Edward Sepich, Thomas E. Soukup
  • Patent number: 8535170
    Abstract: Golf club telemetry equipment sends signals to a receiver in a golf round data system. The signals uniquely identify the particular club a player has selected for a stroke and the fact that a stroke has been taken. The club identification can occur either before or during a stroke. Automatic detection of clubs and strokes simplifies round data collection for the player. Club identification before a stroke permits a forecast of the result of the stroke to be presented to then player prior to the stroke. The signals can be either acoustic or electromagnetic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Appalachian Technology, LLC
    Inventor: Goodwyn George Reeves
  • Patent number: 8535151
    Abstract: A method includes receiving a multimedia data stream at a device and sending data of a first channel of the multimedia data stream to a display device to generate a presentation of available video games. The method includes receiving user input selecting a first video game of the available video games and sending an identification of the device and a channel indicator corresponding to an encrypted second channel having video game data associated with the first video game to a content provider. The method includes receiving a decryption key for the encrypted second channel in response to verification of the identification of the device. The method also includes decrypting the encrypted second channel, beginning storage of the video game data in response to detecting a starting byte of the video game data, and ending storage of the video game data when the starting byte is redetected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Edward Walter
  • Patent number: 8529345
    Abstract: One aspect is directed to a system whereby a live gaming table system is provided with one or more handheld user input devices which, for example, may allow multiple different players to simultaneously or concurrently provide wager input data and/or other data to the gaming table system. In at least one embodiment, the handheld user input devices may form part of a multi-player touch input interface system which is operable to identify or determine where, who, and what transactions are taking place at a multi-player gaming table and/or multi-player gaming system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Binh T. Nguyen, Richard E. Rowe, Mark C. Nicely, Bryan D. Wolf, Brian Underdahl
  • Patent number: 8500549
    Abstract: A slot machine executes rescue pay when a value Ta of a unit game counter reaches Ta max.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Fujimoto, Yukinori Inamura
  • Patent number: 8500541
    Abstract: A gaming machine includes a wager-input device for receiving a wager from a player to play a wagering game. A display displays a plurality of moveable reels having symbols located thereon during the wagering game. The symbols indicate a randomly selected outcome selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to the wager. The plurality of outcomes include at least a first winning outcome along a first active payline and a second winning outcome along a second active payline. In response to the first winning outcome and the second winning outcome being achieved, the first active payline and the second active payline are successively displayed to the player before the first winning outcome and the second winning outcome are indicated to the player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Veenker
  • Patent number: 8491386
    Abstract: Methods and Systems for providing multiple audio streams, such as a Game Audio stream and Network Chat audio stream, to a headset of a user of a game console are described. The methods and systems include receiving, by a game console controller in communication with a game console and a portable audio mixing module, Network Chat from a game console; receiving, by a portable audio mixing module in communication with a game console controller, Network Chat; receiving, by a base station in communication with the game console and the portable audio mixing module, the Game Audio; receiving, by the portable audio mixing module, the Game Audio; mixing, by the portable audio mixing module, the Network Chat and Game Audio to produce a blended audio output stream; and transmitting, by the portable audio mixing module, the blended audio output stream to a headset in communication with the portable audio mixing module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Astro Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Jordan Reiss, Lars Gilstrom, Robert Jetter, Adam Barry, Brett Lovelady
  • Patent number: 8491374
    Abstract: A gaming apparatus and a game controller for a gaming apparatus is provided. A game provided on the gaming apparatus under the control of the game controller is arranged to play a first game in the form of a wheel game having a number of outcome indicating parts. It is also arranged to play a further game, in the form of a symbol game, a function of which is based on an outcome of the wheel game. In one embodiment, a function of one or more symbols in the symbol game is determined by an outcome of the wheel game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited
    Inventor: Nicholas Luke Bennett
  • Patent number: 8485886
    Abstract: A gaming device including a plurality of symbol generators with a plurality of symbols associated with each symbol generator. In operation, after providing the player any award based on the symbols generated on any wagered on paylines, the gaming device determines if at least one designated symbol is generated on at least one of the wagered on paylines. If at least one designated symbol is generated on at least one of the wagered on paylines, the gaming device forms a supplemental payline in association with the generated designated symbol. The gaming device determines if an award is associated with any of the symbols or symbol combinations generated on the supplemental payline and provides any determined award to the player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: David H. Muir
  • Patent number: 8460095
    Abstract: An apparatus and method providing at least one input device which enables a player to deposit an amount of money into a gaming device and a memory device configured to store the deposited amount of money. The gaming device displays the deposited amount of money on a credit display. The gaming device includes a wagering game and at least one input device configured to enable the player to initiate a play of the game by inputting a wager using the deposited amount of money. The game includes a plurality of award opportunities. The gaming device determines which of the award opportunities to employ based on the deposited amount of money. In one embodiment, the gaming device provides an enhanced award opportunity if the deposited amount of money is at least a designated amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: Carmen Atienza Tan
  • Patent number: 8460078
    Abstract: A fantasy sports game device includes a memory configured to store a set of instructions and a processor configured to execute the set of instructions. The set of instructions cause the processor to receive a first fantasy lineup for a fantasy team. The fantasy lineup includes one or more players. The instructions further cause the processor to receive statistical information relating to each one of the players whereby the processor calculates a player point total for each player based at least in part on the received statistics. A fantasy team score for the first fantasy lineup may then be calculated by adding together the player point total for each player. The instructions further cause the processor to receive a subsequent fantasy lineup for a fantasy team where the subsequent lineup comprises one or more players, wherein none of the players of the first lineup are included in the subsequent lineup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Inventors: Gearoid E. Moore, Vito Anthony Favazza, III., Andrew J. Norman
  • Patent number: 8460084
    Abstract: A gaming device including a first and second indicator plate which are adjacent to each other and on the same axis where the second plate overlaps at least a portion of the first plate and the first and second plates are in different planes. In one embodiment, the first plate includes at least one symbol where one or more awards are associated with the symbol. The second plate is composed at least in part of a substantially transparent material, which enables a player to see through at least a portion of the second plate to view one or more symbols on the first plate. The second plate also includes a plurality of sections, which indicate one or more symbols on the first plate. In one embodiment, the second plate includes at least one transparent section and at least one non-transparent section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Joseph E. Kaminkow, Jamie J. Goins
  • Patent number: 8449381
    Abstract: A slot machine executes rescue pay when a value Ta of a unit game counter reaches Ta max.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Fujimoto, Yukinori Inamura
  • Patent number: 8449370
    Abstract: A plurality of readers (antennas ANT1 through ANT3) that are each disposed at each of a plurality of laying positions (betting positions) provided on a game table 2 and are used to read the identification information (RFID) from game media (game chips Pa through Pi) placed at any of the laying positions (betting positions), controller (an antenna controller 4) that performs the process of reading the identification information from the game medium by individually driving and controlling the readers and causing predetermined electromagnetic waves radiated from the readers in the direction passing through the laying position while changing the power level thereof, storage unit (antenna controller) that stores the identification information that has been read as the data of each reader while relating the data to the power level of the electromagnetic wave, and collating unit (antenna controller) that identifies the game medium by using the data of the different readers stored in the storage unit in order to coll
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
    Inventors: Toshimi Koyama, Jun Fujimoto