Patents by Inventor Bryan D. Wolf

Bryan D. Wolf has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8900052
    Abstract: The gaming system disclosed herein accounts for game play over a gaming session in determining a bonus game attribute for a triggered bonus game. The gaming system maintains a plurality of different bonus game attributes. Each different bonus game attribute is associated with a different bonus game attribute modification event and an initial probability of that bonus game attribute being selected for a play of a bonus game. For each bonus game attribute modification event that occurs, the gaming system modifies the probability that the associated bonus game attribute will be selected for a play of a bonus game. Upon an occurrence of a bonus game triggering event, the gaming system randomly selects one of the maintained bonus game attributes. The gaming system then displays a bonus game and determines a bonus game award utilizing the selected bonus game attribute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Alexander Casey Naglestad Cohen, Bryan D. Wolf
  • Publication number: 20140342816
    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: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Inventors: Bryan D. Wolf, Ryan W. Cuddy, Eric D. Satterlie
  • Patent number: 8888577
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a gaming system and method providing a draw poker game with auto-hold functionality that takes multiple progressive awards into account and recommends the optimal cards to hold from an initial hand. The draw poker game includes different winning outcomes, different awards associated with the different winning outcomes, and includes a first progressive award associated with a first one of the outcomes and a second progressive award associated with a second one of the outcomes. For each play of the draw poker game, the gaming system displays a first auto-hold recommendation if the first progressive award is greater than the second progressive award, and the gaming system displays a second different auto-hold recommendation if the second progressive award is greater than the first progressive award.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Bryan D. Wolf, Christopher T. Brune
  • Patent number: 8858318
    Abstract: Gaming systems, gaming devices and methods that provide games that control volatility. In one embodiment, the gaming system disclosed herein enables a player to select values, or cells associated with values, that are displayed in a particular arrangement. The player selected values are distributed to other values or cells according to one or more predefined rules. In one embodiment, one or more of the player selectable values are progressive award values. At some point during the game, the gaming system randomly picks one of the remaining values that have not been selected and provides an award to the player based at least in part on the selected value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Scott A. Caputo, Ernie M. Lafky, Bryan D. Wolf, Paulina Rodgers, Cameron A. Filipour, Adam M. Meyer, Adam M. Singer
  • Patent number: 8821273
    Abstract: A gaming machine includes a display device and a processor coupled to the display device. The processor is configured to monitor at least one display property of a media display on the display device, detect that the at least one display property is equal or greater than a preselected threshold, and generate an alert in response to the detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Warner R. Cockerille, Bryan D. Wolf
  • Patent number: 8814661
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide an electronic gaming machine having a default mode in which the electronic gaming machine provides a default average expected payback percentage for each play of a wagering game, and a different second hot mode in which the electronic gaming machine provides an increased average expected payback percentage for each play that wagering game. In The electronic gaming machine is in the default mode for certain periods of play, and is in the hot mode for certain periods of play when, in certain embodiments, a random determination is made that the hot mode will be employed. In various embodiments, players are not informed that the electronic gaming machine is in the hot mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Michael R. Thorne, Bryan D. Wolf
  • Patent number: 8814652
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and devices for providing a bingo game having aspects of a non-bingo game such as a Class III game, preferably on a network of gaming machines. Some implementations of the invention provide a bingo game having aspects of a card game, such as a poker game. Some such implementations include a bingo card display in which areas of a bingo card correspond with playing cards. Some implementations of the invention provide bingo cards having more than one bingo number associated with an area of the bingo card. Other implementations of the invention allow a winning pattern, such as an interim win pattern, to be formed from hits on more than one bingo card. For example, a winning pattern may be formed by hits along a corresponding line of multiple bingo cards being played by a single player. Alternatively, a winning pattern may be formed by hits on the same corresponding area of multiple bingo cards being played by a single player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Lisa G. Harkins, Bryan D. Wolf
  • 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
  • Patent number: 8795063
    Abstract: A gaming system including a multiple player game, such as a community game associated with a plurality of gaming devices. This community game includes a community game area or matrix, such as a redemption area or redemption environment which is displayed to at least the players of the gaming devices. The community game matrix includes a plurality of displayed positions, spots or spaces. At least each of the players playing the primary games of the gaming devices of the gaming system are associated with a displayed participant or avatar that occupies or is otherwise positioned at one of the displayed positions, spots or spaces of the community game matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Scott A. Caputo, Bryan D. Wolf
  • Publication number: 20140213336
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a gaming system and method providing a draw poker game with auto-hold functionality that takes multiple progressive awards into account and recommends the optimal cards to hold from an initial hand. The draw poker game includes different winning outcomes, different awards associated with the different winning outcomes, and includes a first progressive award associated with a first one of the outcomes and a second progressive award associated with a second one of the outcomes. For each play of the draw poker game, the gaming system displays a first auto-hold recommendation if the first progressive award is greater than the second progressive award, and the gaming system displays a second different auto-hold recommendation if the second progressive award is greater than the first progressive award.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Bryan D. Wolf, Christopher T. Brune
  • Publication number: 20140206429
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the disclosed gaming device include a housing which supports a plurality of mechanical reels and a plurality of stop input devices which are configured to provide a Pachisuro-style slot game. Each of the plurality of reels is associated with a different one of the plurality of stop input devices. Each stop input device enables a player to stop the respective reel when the reel is spinning by activating the stop input device. Each reel includes a plurality of stop positions and each stop position includes a symbol. The gaming device also includes a processor and a memory device. For each reel, the processor randomly determines the stop position at which the reel ultimately stops based on a virtual map stored in the memory device for an initiating stop position of that reel which is selected by the player's activation of the stop input device for that reel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Anthony J. Baerlocher, Bryan D. Wolf
  • Patent number: 8764552
    Abstract: In various embodiments, the gaming system, gaming device, and method disclosed herein maintains a designated award which is associated with a variable score for a skill-based game. In one such embodiment, the gaming system enables a player to play a game, wherein the gaming system forms a score for the player. The player's formed score is based on zero, one or more inputs made by the player during the play of the skill-based game (i.e., which tends to measure one or more aspects of that player's skills). If the player's score does not reach the variable score associated with the designated award, the gaming system modifies the variable score associated with the designated award of that skill-based game. If the player's score reaches or exceeds the variable score associated with the designated award, the gaming system provides the player a designated quantity of opportunities to win the maintained designated award.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Bryan D. Wolf, Adam Singer, Alexander Popovich, Cameron A. Filipour
  • Patent number: 8764548
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a gaming system which may randomly generate a plurality of directional symbols. Each directional symbol may have an input direction and an output direction. The gaming system may analyze the generated directional symbols to determine whether any formed sets, chains or sequences of compatible directional symbols are associated with any awards. More specifically, the gaming system may determine whether to form any sets of compatible directional symbols based on if one or more input directions of one or more of the generated directional symbols are compatible with one or more output directions of one or more of the generated directional symbols. The gaming system then may determine and may provide a player an award based on one or more of any formed sets of compatible directional symbols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: George Spark-Stahl, Bryan D. Wolf
  • Patent number: 8758106
    Abstract: A gaming system which provides the player a plurality of playing cards to form an initial primary card hand and also displays one or more other card hands. The player selects one or more of the initially dealt cards in the primary card hand to hold or to discard. The held cards are also held in one, more or each of the other simultaneously displayed hands. The gaming device evaluates the held cards and determines which card game outcomes are possible based on the held cards and the remaining cards in the deck. The gaming device utilizes a stored table of different distributions of card game outcomes which would result in each payout amount and a table regarding which card game outcomes are possible based on the player's held cards to determine a distribution of outcomes that provides a total payout equal to the payout of the predetermined game outcome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Bryan D. Wolf, Lesley S. Swift, Justin M. Krum, John M. Montross, Tracy L. Powell
  • Patent number: 8758117
    Abstract: The disclosed gaming system, gaming device and method provide a selection game having a plurality of selectable positions and a plurality of awards interdependently distributed or associated with the selectable positions. For one, a plurality, or all the selectable positions, the award associated with such selectable position is interdependent in that such award has a relationship to one or more of the awards associated with the selectable positions bordering such position. In various embodiments, the value of the award associated with such selectable position has a relationship to one or more of the values of the awards associated with the selectable positions bordering such position. Based on these interdependencies, when each of the selectable positions is selected, the award, or value of the award, associated with the position provides certain information which can be subsequently used to make better informed position selections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Mark C. Nicely, Binh T. Nguyen, Bryan D. Wolf, Paul D. Miltenberger, Scott A. Caputo
  • Patent number: 8708791
    Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for detecting and/or preventing cheating in online gaming. Some implementations provide gaming information in formats that are difficult for a bot to interpret, but which are preferably easy for humans to interpret. Some implementations of the invention involve the tracking and analysis of players' gaming activities. Some implementations of the invention provide a multi-tier approach to data analysis. Some analysis may be performed, for example, by a centralized computing device such as a server, whereas other analysis may be performed by a host device. In some implementations, “challenge and response” measures will be employed. Some implementations of the invention involve detection and prevention of collaboration between players.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Binh T. Nguyen, Bryan D. Wolf, Brian Underdahl
  • Patent number: 8702496
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the disclosed gaming device include a housing which supports a plurality of mechanical reels and a plurality of stop input devices which are configured to provide a Pachisuro-style slot game. Each of the plurality of reels is associated with a different one of the plurality of stop input devices. Each stop input device enables a player to stop the respective reel when the reel is spinning by activating the stop input device. Each reel includes a plurality of stop positions and each stop position includes a symbol. The gaming device also includes a processor and a memory device. For each reel, the processor randomly determines the stop position at which the reel ultimately stops based on a virtual map stored in the memory device for an initiating stop position of that reel which is selected by the player's activation of the stop input device for that reel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Anthony J. Baerlocher, Bryan D. Wolf
  • Publication number: 20140106875
    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: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Binh T. Nguyen, Richard E. Rowe, Mark C. Nicely, Bryan D. Wolf, Brian Underdahl
  • Publication number: 20140108812
    Abstract: Systems and methods enabling parallel processing of hash functions are provided. A data string including a plurality of pieces arranged in an order is hashed using a hash function to determine a plurality of authentication checkpoint hashes associated with the pieces. To authenticate the data string, the pieces are grouped into sets, and the authentication checkpoint hash associated with the piece following all other pieces of that set in the order is associated with that set. The system simultaneously performs a separate hash process on each set. That is, the system hashes the pieces of that set using the hash function to determine a result hash, and compares that result hash with the authentication checkpoint hash associated with that set. The initial input to the hash function for the hash process for each set includes one of the pieces and either a default seed or an authentication checkpoint hash.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventor: Bryan D. Wolf
  • Publication number: 20140106867
    Abstract: The gaming system disclosed herein accounts for game play over a gaming session in determining a bonus game attribute for a triggered bonus game. The gaming system maintains a plurality of different bonus game attributes. Each different bonus game attribute is associated with a different bonus game attribute modification event and an initial probability of that bonus game attribute being selected for a play of a bonus game. For each bonus game attribute modification event that occurs, the gaming system modifies the probability that the associated bonus game attribute will be selected for a play of a bonus game. Upon an occurrence of a bonus game triggering event, the gaming system randomly selects one of the maintained bonus game attributes. The gaming system then displays a bonus game and determines a bonus game award utilizing the selected bonus game attribute.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Alexander Casey Naglestad Cohen, Bryan D. Wolf