Patents by Inventor Christopher T. Brune

Christopher T. Brune 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: 9472051
    Abstract: A gaming system and method enables a player to assign at least one amplifier to at least one accumulator. In one embodiment, the amplifier causes an increase in the rate of advancement for the accumulator. In one embodiment, the gaming system provides the player any awards associated with the level of one or more of the accumulators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Gregory F. Frank, Christopher T. Brune, Ryan W. Cuddy
  • Patent number: 9406202
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a gaming system and method providing a card game with one or more decay value cards having a decay value. The decay value represents a quantity of plays of the card game that the decay value card will remain or be provided for a player. Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a gaming session with one or more plays of a card game, wherein for a play of a card game, the gaming system: (1) designates one or more cards within a set of cards to be decay value cards; (2) determines a decay value for each decay value card; (3) determines whether to provide a decay value card during the play of the game; and (4) holds each decay value card having at least a minimum decay value for a subsequent play of the game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Mark W. Bansemer, Christopher T. Brune, Bradford D. Brown, John E. Grime
  • Publication number: 20160140805
    Abstract: A gaming system and method enables a player to assign at least one amplifier to at least one accumulator. In one embodiment, the amplifier causes an increase in the rate of advancement for the accumulator. In one embodiment, the gaming system provides the player any awards associated with the level of one or more of the accumulators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Gregory F. Frank, Christopher T. Brune, Ryan W. Cuddy
  • Patent number: 9275520
    Abstract: A gaming system and method enables a player to assign at least one amplifier to at least one accumulator. In one embodiment, the amplifier causes an increase in the rate of advancement for the accumulator. In one embodiment, the gaming system provides the player any awards associated with the level of one or more of the accumulators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Gregory F. Frank, Christopher T. Brune, Ryan W. Cuddy
  • Publication number: 20150279162
    Abstract: A gaming system and method enables a player to assign at least one amplifier to at least one accumulator. In one embodiment, the amplifier causes an increase in the rate of advancement for the accumulator. In one embodiment, the gaming system provides the player any awards associated with the level of one or more of the accumulators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2015
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventors: Gregory F. Frank, Christopher T. Brune, Ryan W. Cuddy
  • Patent number: 9142095
    Abstract: A gaming system and method enables a player to assign at least one amplifier to at least one accumulator. In one embodiment, the amplifier causes an increase in the rate of advancement for the accumulator. In one embodiment, the gaming system provides the player any awards associated with the level of one or more of the accumulators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Gregory F. Frank, Christopher T. Brune, Ryan W. Cuddy
  • Patent number: 9105161
    Abstract: A gaming system provides a bonus gaming session that is activated during a play of a five-card draw poker base game when a predetermined plurality of the first set of five cards dealt meets a predetermined criteria, for example at least four of the five cards dealt and held by the player share a common suit. When activated, the gaming system repeats plays of the game in the bonus gaming session until a winning draw poker outcome has been generated. In the bonus gaming session, the card that is not co-suited with the plurality of the held first set of cards is discarded and randomly replaced until a winning five-card hand is generated, upon which the gaming device provides an award. The gaming system provides a correspondingly larger award for a winning flush hand for each additional re-drawn fifth card required to achieve a winning five-card flush hand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Jason P. Pawloski, Christopher T. Brune
  • Publication number: 20150206398
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a gaming system and method providing a card game with one or more decay value cards having a decay value. The decay value represents a quantity of plays of the card game that the decay value card will remain or be provided for a player. Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a gaming session with one or more plays of a card game, wherein for a play of a card game, the gaming system: (1) designates one or more cards within a set of cards to be decay value cards; (2) determines a decay value for each decay value card; (3) determines whether to provide a decay value card during the play of the game; and (4) holds each decay value card having at least a minimum decay value for a subsequent play of the game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Inventors: Mark W. Bansemer, Christopher T. Brune, Bradford D. Brown, John E. Grime
  • Patent number: 8911292
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the gaming system of the present disclosure enable a player to play a secondary or bonus game, in which the player has the chance to play for a designated award in the triggered secondary or bonus game. The probability of triggering the secondary or bonus game varies based on the player's primary game wager. Additionally, the probability of winning a designated award in the triggered secondary or bonus game varies based on the player's primary game wager. In one embodiment, as the primary game wager increases, the odds of triggering the secondary or bonus game increase, but not in direct proportion to the wager. Similarly, the odds of winning the designated award in the triggered secondary or bonus game increases, but not in direct proportion to the wager.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: Christopher T. Brune
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20140243074
    Abstract: A gaming system and method enables a player to assign at least one amplifier to at least one accumulator. In one embodiment, the amplifier causes an increase in the rate of advancement for the accumulator. In one embodiment, the gaming system provides the player any awards associated with the level of one or more of the accumulators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Gregory F. Frank, Christopher T. Brune, Ryan W. Cuddy
  • Patent number: 8795053
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gaming system and method providing one or more indications associated with a player-selected winning symbol combination for a play of a Pachisuro-style slot game. The gaming system includes a plurality of reels, each of which includes a plurality of symbols, and a separate stop input device associated with each reel. While each reel is spinning, the gaming system enables the player to activate the associated stop input device to cause the gaming system to stop that reel from spinning. For a play of the game, the gaming system enables a player to select a desired winning symbol combination. The gaming system spins the reels and, while the reels are spinning, indicates when the player should activate the stop input devices to cause the gaming system to stop the reels such that a probability of the desired winning symbol combination being displayed is maximized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Christopher T. Brune, Ross D. Wenker, Meng Yang Oh
  • 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
  • Patent number: 8734224
    Abstract: A gaming system and method enables a player to assign at least one amplifier to at least one accumulator. In one embodiment, the amplifier causes an increase in the rate of advancement for the accumulator. In one embodiment, the gaming system provides the player any awards associated with the level of one or more of the accumulators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Gregory F. Frank, Christopher T. Brune, Ryan W. Cuddy
  • Publication number: 20140087820
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gaming system and method providing one or more indications associated with a player-selected winning symbol combination for a play of a Pachisuro-style slot game. The gaming system includes a plurality of reels, each of which includes a plurality of symbols, and a separate stop input device associated with each reel. While each reel is spinning, the gaming system enables the player to activate the associated stop input device to cause the gaming system to stop that reel from spinning. For a play of the game, the gaming system enables a player to select a desired winning symbol combination. The gaming system spins the reels and, while the reels are spinning, indicates when the player should activate the stop input devices to cause the gaming system to stop the reels such that a probability of the desired winning symbol combination being displayed is maximized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Christopher T. Brune, Ross D. Wenker, Meng Yang Oh
  • Patent number: 8651928
    Abstract: A plurality of symbols are provided to a player wherein one or more of the provided symbols are based on the predetermined game outcome. The player is enabled to select one or more of the initially dealt symbols to hold. If a symbol combination with an associated payout equal to the value associated with the predetermined game outcome may be obtained based on the held cards, the gaming device utilizes one or more backfill algorithms, to determine which card or cards, if any, need to be dealt to the player. The determined cards are provided to the player to replace the symbols designated by the player not to hold and the selected predetermined game outcome which is associated with a value equal to the payout of the player's symbol combination is provided to the player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Mark W. Bansemer, Bryan D. Wolf, Christopher T. Brune, Anthony J. Baerlocher, John M. Montross
  • Publication number: 20140011558
    Abstract: A gaming system provides a bonus gaming session that is activated during a play of a five-card draw poker base game when a predetermined plurality of the first set of five cards dealt meets a predetermined criteria, for example at least for of the five carts dealt and held by the player share a common suit. When activated, the gaming system repeats plays of the game in the bonus gaming session until a winning draw poker outcome has been generated. In the bonus gaming session, the card that is not co-suited with the plurality of the held first set of cards is discarded and randomly replaced until a winning five-card hand is generated, upon which the gaming device provides an award. The gaming system provides a correspondingly larger award for a winning flush hand for each additional redrawn fifth card required to achieve a winning five-card flush hand.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Jason P. Pawloski, Christopher T. Brune
  • Publication number: 20130331171
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the gaming system of the present disclosure enable a player to play a secondary or bonus game, in which the player has the chance to play for a designated award in the triggered secondary or bonus game. The probability of triggering the secondary or bonus game varies based on the player's primary game wager. Additionally, the probability of winning a designated award in the triggered secondary or bonus game varies based on the player's primary game wager. In one embodiment, as the primary game wager increases, the odds of triggering the secondary or bonus game increase, but not in direct :proportion to the wager. Similarly, the odds of winning the designated award in the triggered secondary or bonus game increases, but not in direct proportion to the wager.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Inventor: Christopher T. Brune
  • Patent number: 8535135
    Abstract: A gaming system provides a bonus gaming session that is activated during a play of a five-card draw poker base game when a predetermined plurality of the first set of five cards dealt meets a predetermined criteria, for example at least four of the five cards dealt and held by the player share a common suit. When activated, the gaming system repeats plays of the game in the bonus gaming session until a winning draw poker outcome has been generated. In the bonus gaming session, the card that is not co-suited with the plurality of the held first set of cards is discarded and randomly replaced until a winning five-card hand is generated, upon which the gaming device provides an award. The gaming system provides a correspondingly larger award for a wining flush hand for each additional re-drawn fifth card required to achieve a winning five-card flush hand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Jason P. Pawloski, Christopher T. Brune
  • Patent number: 8523662
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the gaming system of the present disclosure enable a player to play a secondary or bonus game, in which the player has the chance to play for a designated award in the triggered secondary or bonus game. The probability of triggering the secondary or bonus game varies based on the player's primary game wager. Additionally, the probability of winning a designated award in the triggered secondary or bonus game varies based on the player's primary game wager. In one embodiment, as the primary game wager increases, the odds of triggering the secondary or bonus game increase, but not in direct proportion to the wager. Similarly, the odds of winning the designated award in the triggered secondary or bonus game increases, but not in direct proportion to the wager.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: Christopher T. Brune