Abstract: In electronic video poker games, the contents of the deck after the deal of an initial set of cards may be modified to increase or decrease the likelihood of awards when compared to an unmodified deck. Cards may be added, removed, or reordered to alter winning probabilities after an initial set of cards are dealt. In a video poker game embodiment dealt from a standard 52-card deck, when the player holds cards of a single rank (a pair, three-of-a-kind, or four-of-a-kind), the game dynamically adds one or more cards of the held rank to the deck to enable the player to potentially achieve five-of-a-kind.

Abstract: A setting device for a claw machine is disclosed. The setting device includes: a cabinet, containing therein prizes; a movable gantry assembly, being installed at a top of the cabinet; a claw member, attached to the gantry assembly from below through a string; and a control device, installed outside the cabinet. The control device has a control circuit module, a joystick, a color liquid crystal display, a music player, and a button. After putting one or more coins, a player is allowed to operate the joystick of the control device to displace the gantry assembly and the claw member. The cabinet has a collection hole communicating with the exterior. The color liquid crystal display displays a setting interface. The disclosed device allows a machine owner to easily set relevant setting items through the setting interface so as to provide players with variable playing experiences and in turn increasing revenues of the claw machine.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to emulate a toy are disclosed. An example server includes a processor and memory including machine readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations including requesting a confirmation code in response to a request to download model data associated with a toy, and if the confirmation code is valid, (1) providing the model data to a mobile communication device, and (2) transmitting toy-identifying data associated with the toy to a secure storage of the mobile communication device which provided the valid code.

Abstract: A multilayer hybrid game system with a real world engine connected by a communication link to a game world engine wherein the real world engine comprises a real world credit meter, a random number generator, and a real world credit pay table, wherein the real world engine is configured to receive a trigger of a wager, determine a gambling outcome, and communicate the gambling outcome, an entertainment software engine connected to the game world engine configured to execute a multilayer entertainment game, generate a user interface display that depicts a representation of the multilayer entertainment game, a game world engine that communicate a wager trigger to the real world engine, modifies the multilayer entertainment game gameplay based a plurality of players' execution of the multilayer entertainment game and a global betting manager constructed to: manage multilayer wagers.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a gaming system and method providing a multi-hand poker wagering game with an award modifier bonus feature, and wherein in various embodiments the award modifiers are multipliers.

Abstract: A gameplay notification system receives gameplay indications and notification configuration information from a gameplay system. The gameplay indications and configuration information are stored in a platform queue corresponding to a client device platform type. Further configuration information may be received from various gameplay devices of a user. The notification configuration information is analyzed by the gameplay notification system to schedule transmission of gameplay notifications to various client device platform types. The notifications are sent to the corresponding client devices according to frequency, day of the week, and notification states, among other configuration settings, that pertain to a user and the user's corresponding client devices.

Abstract: Sports simulations may include sports nodes providing a user interface for players to participate in a sports simulation. A user interface for a player to interact with a sports service may be hosted on a computing device. The sports service providing the sports simulation game may be hosted on a server. The user at the user interface of the computing device may interact with the sports service via a network and/or the Internet. Multiple players may interact on their computing devices with the sports service. The multiple players may interact in one simulation, or may interact in multiple simulations, or may each interact with the sports service in solo simulations. Players may be matched in pairs where each pair plays a simulation to determine a winner.

Abstract: A network game system includes a server apparatus and a plurality of video game apparatuses connected to the server apparatus. A party includes player characters of a plurality of players. When the party battles with an opponent character, the server apparatus simultaneously transmits movie playback information to each video game apparatus for starting playback of a movie. Each of the players can skip the movie at a desired timing. A screen is displayed on each video game apparatus that has skipped the movie until the battle starts. When information is received from each video game apparatus that indicates playback of the movie has ended, the server apparatus simultaneously transmits battle start information to each video game apparatus.

Abstract: A sports training aid comprising a body unit, attachable to a person's body or the person's sports implement, is provided with a positioning sensor module; a feedback stimulator; and a processor. The sports training aid is configured to provide instantaneous feedback on motion faults of a studied sports motion, and the body unit is intended to be attached to a person's body (or a person's sports implement) at a representative location, the location being bound to travel a path representative of the studied sports motion, and the positioning sensor module comprises acceleration sensors and gyro sensors, and the processor is configured to determine a still position corresponding to an event wherein the body unit is determined to be still, to keep track of the sensor module's movements relative to the still position, and to activate the feedback stimulator in real time, upon detection of a sports motion fault.

Abstract: A computing system wirelessly receives data from an ear-wearable device and determines, based on the data received from the ear-wearable device, a current position of the ear-wearable device. Additionally, the computing system determines, based on the current position of the ear-wearable device and data regarding a golf course, golf advice data that provides a recommendation regarding play of the golf course. Furthermore, the computing system wirelessly sends audio data to the ear-wearable device. The audio data represents soundwaves of a vocalization of the golf advice data.

Abstract: A gaming system provides a center control unit and a plurality of gaming stations. The center control unit is provides a main game to a plurality of players. The center control unit is configured to randomly establish an outcome of the main game from a plurality of potential outcomes. The gaming stations accept a wager on the main game from respective players, receives the outcome of the main game and pays an award to one of the players as a function of the outcome of the main game. The center control unit randomly establishes one of the players as eligible for a bonus game, selects one of the potential outcomes of the main game as a bonus game eligible outcome, and if the bonus game eligible outcome is the outcome of the main game, provides a bonus game to the bonus game eligible player.

Abstract: Facilitating entry and/or selection of one or more awards associated with a secondary game to increase the probability of obtaining a more desirable award. Access to a secondary game may be selectively provided, to players of an online game, to facilitate player participations in individual episodes of the secondary game. A set of potential awards may be obtained together with a set of award probabilities for the set of potential awards. Entry and/or selection of one or more of the potential awards in the set of potential awards to be removed from or replaced in the set of potential awards to create an adjusted set of potential awards, may be received from the player. A first potential may be selected based on the award probabilities and distributed to the first player for use within the online game.

Abstract: Techniques for emoji-based communications derived from facial features during game play provide a communication channel accessible by players associated with gameplay hosted by the online game platform and capture an image of a user using a controller that includes a camera. The techniques further determine facial features of the user based on the image, generate an emoji based on the facial features of the user, and transmit the emoji to the players associated with the online game platform over the communication channel.

Abstract: The present invention provides a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing program configured to enable an operation input scheme to be switched for game operation, the program causes a computer to execute processing for selecting to receive operation input by either a first operation input scheme or a second operation input scheme; processing for receiving operation input defined for the selected operation input scheme; processing for, based on the received operation input, controlling the game; and processing for outputting a game screen according to the game, wherein the game screen includes a graphical user interface (GUI), and a GUI arrangement configuration in the game screen differs depending on which of the first operation input scheme or the second operation input scheme the selected operation input scheme is.

Abstract: A matchmaking system and method is provided that facilitates optimization of player matches for multiplayer video games. The system may provide a generalized framework for matchmaking using historical player data and analytics. The framework may facilitate automatic determinations of an optimal mix of players and styles to produce the most satisfying user experiences. The system may dynamically update analytical processes based on statistical or otherwise observed data related to gameplay at any given time. In this manner, the system may continually tune the matchmaking process based on observations of player behavior, gameplay quality, and/or other information.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method assigns one or more trophies to a user. A game is emulated in response to a request from a client device. A trophy trigger is detected during emulation of the game by comparing a current program counter value to a predetermined value and comparing a stored instruction in an instruction storage location to a predetermined instruction when the current program counter value matches the predetermined counter value. The one or more trophies are assigned to a user account that is associated with the user when the current program counter value matches the predetermined value and the instruction in the instruction storage location matches the predetermined instruction.

Abstract: Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention include: an entertainment game that provides outcomes based upon skillful execution of the entertainment game by utilizing elements, where elements are a limited resource consumed within an entertainment game to advance entertainment game gameplay; a gambling game constructed to provide a randomly generated payout of elements from a wager of elements; and a transportable variables module constructed to: communicate an entertainment gameplay gambling event occurrence based upon a player's skillful execution of the entertainment game that triggers the wager of elements in the gambling game to the gambling game; associate elements with the player based upon elements accrued during the player's skillful execution of the entertainment game and the randomly generated payout of elements from the gambling game; and determine a cash out value of real world credits for the player based upon elements associated with the player.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to use of athletic data to generate an output, such as for example, running routes and/or other information useful to runners or other workout participants. Aspects of the disclosure further relate to providing customized workouts to runners by generating routes of interest to a user and modifying the generated routes based on goals and external data.

Abstract: Systems and methods for estimating emotional states, moods, affects of an individual and providing feedback to the individual or others are disclosed. Systems and methods that provide real time detection and monitoring of physical aspects of an individual and/or aspects of the individual's activity and means of estimating that person's emotional state or affect and change to those are also disclosed. Real time feedback to the individual about the person's emotional change, change or potential change is provided to the user, helping the user cope, adjust or appropriately act on their emotions.

Abstract: An electronic device console includes a console body that houses a chip package, and a duct extending from the console body. An interior volume of the duct is in fluid communication with an interior volume of the console body. A first vent is at a distal end of the duct. A second vent is in a wall of the console body. The console may be oriented in a first orientation and a second orientation. The duct functions as a chimney for natural convection cooling of the chip package when the console is oriented in the first orientation. The console body functions as a chimney for natural convection cooling of the chip package when the console is oriented in the second orientation.