Patents Examined by Thomas H Henry
  • Patent number: 11568705
    Abstract: A gaming machine includes a base, a columnar pedestal extending vertically from the base, and a button deck adjustably coupled to the pedestal. The button deck includes an upper surface including a transparent touchscreen element, a lower surface opposite the upper surface, and a button deck body extending therebetween. At least one of the lower surface and the body include one or more transparent display elements, the one or more transparent display elements are configured to generate images of gaming machine control actuators viewable on the upper surface. The transparent touchscreen element is configured to receive touches and gestures indicating control inputs. The gaming machine also includes a player tracking card reader positioned within the button deck and accessible through a slot in a front edge of the button deck, the player tracking card reader communicatively coupled to a player tracking display area of the gaming machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: VIDEO GAMING TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: William Douglas Lamb, Daniel William Rice, Victor Brent McClearen, Charles Stanley Curbbun, Arvin Grande Abadilla, Matthew Kranz, Julian Groeli, Blake Chuanlun Wang, Jin Chen, William John Leach
  • Patent number: 11565185
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method is provided of allowing a user to automatically transform domain knowledge into a machine learning model to be used in real-time operation of video games. The method comprises providing a user interface which allows a user to define domain knowledge relating to a video game by specifying one or more labeling functions; transforming the labeling functions into executable code; labeling raw data relating to the video game using the executable code to obtain labeled data; and applying an automated machine learning module to the labeled data to obtain a machine learning model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: ELECTRONIC ARTS INC.
    Inventors: Reza Pourabolghasem, Meredith Trotter, Sundeep Narravula, Navid Aghdaie, Kazi Zaman
  • Patent number: 11565177
    Abstract: A method is provided, including the following operations: executing a cloud video game in a data center; streaming video generated by the executing cloud video game over a network to a client device; deploying a cloud gaming proxy to an edge compute that is proximate to the client device; wherein the cloud gaming proxy buffers the video and retransmits lost packets of the video to the client device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventor: Roelof Roderick Colenbrander
  • Patent number: 11551506
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes providing a real-time environmental model of a shared virtual environment (SVE) that includes a plurality of virtual players. Display data corresponding to the SVE is transmitted to each player device. The data includes user display data that causes a display in the player device to render a portion of the SVE based on a virtual orientation of the player device and a virtual location of the virtual player in the SVE. Sensory feedback data is then transmitted to the plurality of VR devices that causes each VR device to provide a sensory indication associated with the SVE to the respective player. The sensory indication is indicative of a benefit that will be provided to a subset of the plurality of players at a predetermined future time. At the predetermined future time, the benefit is then provided to the subset of the plurality of players.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Scott Caputo, Fayez Idris, Bethany Trainor, Paolo Werbrouck
  • Patent number: 11541318
    Abstract: A method for breeding a virtual pet is provided, including: displaying a mating market interface, the mating market interface including virtual pets in a mating state; selecting a paternal virtual pet from the virtual pets in the mating state via the mating market interface according to a first operation; displaying a pet breeding interface, the pet breeding interface including a paternal pet field and a maternal pet field, and the paternal virtual pet having a first pet image being displayed in the paternal pet field; adding a maternal virtual pet having a second pet image to the maternal pet field according to a second operation; and displaying a breeding result interface comprising a filial virtual pet when breeding succeeds, the filial virtual pet having a third pet image generated based on a genetic inheritance rule according to the first pet image and the second pet image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Tencent Technology (Shenzhen) Company Limited
    Inventors: Yicheng Zhang, Wei Peng, Yanhou Lin, Xingcai Jiang
  • Patent number: 11532213
    Abstract: A game system includes: a typing game apparatus; and a server, wherein: the server includes: a server communication unit for communicating with the typing game apparatus; a clock unit for clocking the time and date; a storage unit for storing game data with a definite usable term for use in the typing game; a time limit judgment unit for judging expired data that an usable term of game data passes; and a command unit for issuing a deletion command for deleting the expired data based on the judgment result to the typing game apparatus; and the typing game apparatus includes: a game communication unit for communicating with the server; a game control unit for controlling a typing game; a data storage unit for storing the game data; and a data management unit for deleting the expired data based on the deletion command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
    Inventor: Junichi Kogo
  • Patent number: 11524242
    Abstract: A system and method for providing customized instances of a game within a virtual space. The system may be configured to obtain values associated with one or more users of the virtual space. The game, which is playable within the virtual space, may initially comprise predefined features and initially undefined features. The customizations may define the initially undefined features to provide custom-defined features. As such, when played, the game may include the predefined features and the custom-defined features. Customizations defining the initially undefined features to provide custom-defined features for a given instance of the game may be determined based on the values associated with a given user. The system may be configured to provide the given instance of the game to the given user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Robert Nelson, Robert Lowe
  • Patent number: 11511193
    Abstract: Systems and methods to facilitate staking of combinations of different types of digital articles on a permanent registry to upgrade player type within an online gaming platform supporting different player types are disclosed. Exemplary implementations may execute instances of a game; control player accounts associated with the players; facilitate usage of multiple different digital articles that are usable to upgrade players from the first player type to a second player type, wherein upgrading unlocks additional utilities; receive an upgrade instruction from the first player, in exchange for staking a combination of a particular amount of a first type of digital article and a second type of digital article; perform an in-game action falling within the additional utilities on behalf of the first player, wherein the in-game action is performed by virtue of the first player having been upgraded to the second player type; and/or other steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Mythical, Inc.
    Inventor: Cameron Thacker
  • Patent number: 11504631
    Abstract: Systems and methods to provide in-game consequences for unique digital articles, the in-game consequences being based on real-world information, are disclosed. Exemplary implementations may execute instances of a game; manage player accounts associated with the players, including a first and a second player account associated with a first and a second player; record player-configurable sensitivity of player-owned unique digital articles to be exposed to in-game consequences of either receiving distributions of benefits or losing stakes; determine real-world information based on events that have occurred in the real world; evaluate whether to distribute the benefits or seize the stakes, based on the real-world information; and either provide the distributions of benefits or seize the stakes accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Mythical, Inc.
    Inventors: Rudy Koch, John Linden
  • Patent number: 11508208
    Abstract: A system and method for assessing personal preferences and interests of end-users by engaging one or more end-users in a game in which the end-user may be given a chance to win a product item from a collection of product items selected by the end-user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Transform SR Brands LLC
    Inventor: Frederick W. Skoler
  • Patent number: 11497991
    Abstract: An example of an information processing system includes a server capable of communicating with a terminal device. The server stores information representing a choice probability, for each of a plurality of objects in the application, for a draw whereby a user obtains an object. The information processing system accepts an instruction of specifying a relevant object to be associated with the draw. The server alters the choice probability at least for some of the objects depending on the relevant object. In response to a draw instruction, the server chooses at least one object from among the objects that can be obtained through a draw based on the choice probability obtained by altering the choice probability. The server awards one or more of the chosen objects to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shingo Matsushita
  • Patent number: 11484797
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method is provided for enabling virtual gameplay. Access is provided to at least one video game in which a player is able to interact with the video game according to a storyline. A player location is detected and stored. A local element is retrieved from a database based on the player location and the local element is correlated to a local element script actuatable in the video game. This local element script is retrieved and actuated in the video game to supplement or replace the video game's storyline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Imagine AR, Inc.
    Inventors: Yousuf Chowdhary, Jeffrey Brunet, Ravinder Sharma
  • Patent number: 11478717
    Abstract: A game system that is a server or the like is configured to repetitively determine, during a match-up game, for each set determination period, participation continuation in the match-up game with respect to each player character according to a determination criterion which is based on acquisition of a specific item set in advance, and when it is determined that the player character does not satisfy the determination criterion at an end timing or before the end timing of the determination period, execute participation-limiting processing for limiting participation by the player character concerned in the match-up game such as loss management that involves causing the player character to suffer a loss from the match-up game in which the player character is participating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Sho Aita, Yuki Mizuhori, Atsushi Nakano
  • Patent number: 11471760
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for enabling users playing online games to create coaching videos of gameplay, and post such coaching videos to a cloud gaming system. In one example, coaching videos include a video clip of the gameplay and a video of the user, guiding and/or explaining how the game was played. A user playing the same game may desire coaching, and the cloud gaming system can identify previously posted coaching videos that correspond to the point in time or action in which the user requesting coaching is currently playing. The cloud system can access a database of coaching options, which are then presented to a user. The coaching options may be videos of gameplay and videos of the user providing coaching. The user can then view the coaching videos, rate them if desired, and then resume with his or her gameplay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC
    Inventor: David Perry
  • Patent number: 11471776
    Abstract: A system for presenting a skill-based game. The system includes at least one server having a processor configured to execute machine-readable code. The processor is configured to cause the server to create and provide a set of 3D advanced choice game to the plurality of presentation devices of the users, which each present the set of 3D advanced choice games on a respective display. Each game of the set having an assigned fixed odds payout based on winning user selections. The server receives, over the wide area network, data from the presentation devices characterizing a set of user-selected winners of the 3D advanced choice games made by the users. The server update the event data pertinent to participants in the actual events associated with the 3D advanced choice games. The server uses the updated data to calculate and assign payoffs to the users based on the fixed payoff odds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Vetnos LLC
    Inventor: Daniel K. Orlow
  • Patent number: 11465048
    Abstract: This application discloses a method of performing an attack operation in a game by a computing device. The computing device determines a target range corresponding to a first attack operation performed by a first controlled object; determines a target attack object from to-be-attacked objects according to attribute values of the to-be-attacked objects in a case that there are the to-be-attacked objects in the target range, the to-be-attacked objects belonging to a second group, and the attribute value of the to-be-attacked object including: a reduced health value of the to-be-attacked object after the first attack operation is performed on the to-be-attacked object, and/or, a reduced health value of an object in the first group after a second attack operation of the to-be-attacked object is performed on the object; and then controls the first controlled object to perform the first attack operation on the target attack object in the virtual scene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Fan Hu, Jie Ou, Jiacheng Wei, Ruihan Yang
  • Patent number: 11465046
    Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable medium including a video game processing program product for causing a server to realize functions to control progress of a video game in response to an operation of a user is provided. The functions include: a motion control function configured to refer to a storing section to cause an object to carry out a motion specified by the user, a series of actions (hereinafter, referred to as a “motion”) being stored in the storing section in advance, the object being to be caused to carry out the series of actions; a stopping function configured to cause the motion, which the object is carrying out, to stop on the way on the basis of an operation of the user; and a proceeding function configured to cause the video game to proceed in a state where the motion of the object is stopped on the way on the basis of the stopping function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA SQUARE ENIX
    Inventors: Hiroaki Ohno, Kei Odagiri
  • Patent number: 11465044
    Abstract: Provided are methods and systems for providing a game based on a video call and object recognition. A game providing method of an electronic device configured as a computer including displaying game content on a video call screen in response to a video call being established between a user of the electronic device and a counterpart through a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) channel, recognizing an object in a call image as motion data with respect to the game content, and controlling a game element corresponding to the game content using a result of the recognizing may be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: LINE Corporation
    Inventors: Keum Ryong Kim, Seeun Kim, Jung Young Lee
  • Patent number: 11465047
    Abstract: To eliminate or simplify routine operations in event processes for battles and the like that occur during a game, without negatively affecting the enjoyability of the game. In the course of advancing a game by sequentially performing repeatedly-occurring routine event processes, an individual input step for accepting individual inputs of user operations for each of a plurality of objects to be processed appearing in a routine event process, and a batch operation input step for accepting a single batch completion operation for processing the plurality of objects to be processed in a batch are executed. When all of the plurality of objects to be processed have been processed by a batch operation input unit, the event process is considered as having been performed and the game is advanced. The batch completion operation is an action such as tilting or shaking an information processing terminal or inputting noise via wind pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Inventors: Kouichi Nakamura, Kazuya Asano
  • Patent number: 11468730
    Abstract: An electronic gaming machine performs operations comprising: (i) simulating a rotating plurality of reels, each reel of the simulated rotating plurality of reels comprising a plurality of symbols including standard symbols and bonus trigger symbols; (ii) stopping a first reel of the simulated rotating plurality of reels, wherein the first reel displays a first plurality of symbols; (iii) determining whether of the first plurality of symbols displayed include i) all standard symbols, or ii) at least one bonus trigger symbol; (iv) on at least one remaining reel of the simulated rotating reels one of: i) modifying at least one bonus trigger symbol with a standard symbol if all standard symbols are displayed, or ii) modifying the at least one standard symbol with at least one bonus trigger symbol; (v) stopping the remaining reels of the simulated rotating plurality of reels, wherein the remaining reels display a plurality of symbols; (vi) evaluating the symbols stopped and displayed from each of the simulated rot
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited
    Inventor: Michael P. Casey