Patents by Inventor Mark Bansemer

Mark Bansemer 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: 11250672
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide gaming systems and methods that provide a keno game with a lottery game feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Bradford Brown, Ronald Papson, Christina Harmon, Mark Bansemer, David Daniels
  • Publication number: 20210142611
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide gaming systems and methods that provide a keno game with a lottery game feature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Inventors: Bradford Brown, Ronald Papson, Christina Harmon, Mark Bansemer, David Daniels
  • Patent number: 10434410
    Abstract: A local gaming machine is in communication with a remote gaming machine over a data network. The local gaming machine may include a storage medium. The local gaming machine may further include an interface for communicating with the remote gaming machine over a network. The local gaming machine may include a controller. The controller is configured to establish communications between the gaming machine and the remote gaming machine through the interface. The controller is further configured to initiate a game streaming session with the remote gaming machine in which output data from an instance of a game application is initiated from the remote gaming machine to the gaming machine. The controller is configured to detect an interrupt in the game streaming session. The controller is further configured to, after the interrupt is detected, determine whether the outcome of the instance of the game application has been received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Binh T. Nguyen, Jamal Benbrahim, Mark Bansemer
  • Patent number: 9721434
    Abstract: After the main ball drop of a bingo game, a player may be given a free extra bingo number. A probability of awarding a free ball may be determined, at least in part, according to a desired paytable percentage for the bingo game. In some implementations providing multi-card bingo games, a player is required to hit a predetermined pattern on more than one bingo card in order to obtain a progressive award. The number of hits in the pattern(s) and/or the number of bingo cards involved may be determined according to a desired progressive award size and/or a desired probability of obtaining the progressive award. Players may have an opportunity to purchase an additional bingo number or a block of a plurality of additional bingo numbers after the main ball drop. The block may be offered at a discount compared to the price of an individual additional bingo number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: James Coleman, M. Ali Saffari, Mark Bansemer, Bryan D. Wolf
  • Publication number: 20170004672
    Abstract: After the main ball drop of a bingo game, a player may be given a free extra bingo number. A probability of awarding a free ball may be determined, at least in part, according to a desired paytable percentage for the bingo game. In some implementations providing multi-card bingo games, a player is required to hit a predetermined pattern on more than one bingo card in order to obtain a progressive award. The number of hits in the pattern(s) and/or the number of bingo cards involved may be determined according to a desired progressive award size and/or a desired probability of obtaining the progressive award. Players may have an opportunity to purchase an additional bingo number or a block of a plurality of additional bingo numbers after the main ball drop. The block may be offered at a discount compared to the price of an individual additional bingo number.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: James Coleman, M. Ali Saffari, Mark Bansemer, Bryan D. Wolf
  • Patent number: 9449468
    Abstract: After the main ball drop of a bingo game, a player may be given a free extra bingo number. A probability of awarding a free ball may be determined, at least in part, according to a desired paytable percentage for the bingo game. In some implementations providing multi-card bingo games, a player is required to hit a predetermined pattern on more than one bingo card in order to obtain a progressive award. The number of hits in the pattern(s) and/or the number of bingo cards involved may be determined according to a desired progressive award size and/or a desired probability of obtaining the progressive award. Players may have an opportunity to purchase an additional bingo number or a block of a plurality of additional bingo numbers after the main ball drop. The block may be offered at a discount compared to the price of an individual additional bingo number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: James Coleman, M. Ali Saffari, Mark Bansemer, Bryan D. Wolf
  • Publication number: 20160225224
    Abstract: A local gaming machine is in communication with a remote gaming machine over a data network. The local gaming machine may include a storage medium. The local gaming machine may further include an interface for communicating with the remote gaming machine over a network. The local gaming machine may include a controller. The controller is configured to establish communications between the gaming machine and the remote gaming machine through the interface. The controller is further configured to initiate a game streaming session with the remote gaming machine in which output data from an instance of a game application is initiated from the remote gaming machine to the gaming machine. The controller is configured to detect an interrupt in the game streaming session. The controller is further configured to, after the interrupt is detected, determine whether the outcome of the instance of the game application has been received.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventors: Binh T. Nguyen, Jamal Benbrahim, Mark Bansemer
  • Patent number: 9314698
    Abstract: A local gaming machine is in communication with a remote gaming machine over a data network. The local gaming machine may include a storage medium. The local gaming machine may further include an interface for communicating with the remote gaming machine over a network. The local gaming machine may include a controller. The controller is configured to establish communications between the gaming machine and the remote gaming machine through the interface. The controller is further configured to initiate a game streaming session with the remote gaming machine in which output data from an instance of a game application is initiated from the remote gaming machine to the gaming machine. The controller is configured to detect an interrupt in the game streaming session. The controller is further configured to, after the interrupt is detected, determine whether the outcome of the instance of the game application has been received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Binh T. Nguyen, Jamal Benbrahim, Mark Bansemer
  • Publication number: 20140094318
    Abstract: A local gaming machine is in communication with a remote gaming machine over a data network. The local gaming machine may include a storage medium. The local gaming machine may further include an interface for communicating with the remote gaming machine over a network. The local gaming machine may include a controller. The controller is configured to establish communications between the gaming machine and the remote gaming machine through the interface. The controller is further configured to initiate a game streaming session with the remote gaming machine in which output data from an instance of a game application is initiated from the remote gaming machine to the gaming machine. The controller is configured to detect an interrupt in the game streaming session. The controller is further configured to, after the interrupt is detected, determine whether the outcome of the instance of the game application has been received.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Binh T. Nguyen, Jamal Benbrahim, Mark Bansemer
  • Patent number: 8597127
    Abstract: In some implementations, a local gaming machine is in communication with a remote gaming machine over a data network. A player input requesting a game application is received at the local gaming machine. The requested game application may be located at the remote gamine machine. It is determined whether the requested game application is available for execution on the remote gaming machine. In some instances, determining availability of the requested game application includes determining compliance with interface specifications, licensing specifications and/or jurisdictional specifications. When the requested game application is available for execution, an instance of the requested game application is reserved on the remote gaming machine. When the instance is executed on the remote gaming machine, output data is sent to the local gaming machine over the data network. In some instances, one or more game parameters can be captured from the received output data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Binh T. Nguyen, Jamal Benbrahim, Mark Bansemer
  • Publication number: 20130316784
    Abstract: After the main ball drop of a bingo game, a player may be given a free extra bingo number. A probability of awarding a free ball may be determined, at least in part, according to a desired paytable percentage for the bingo game. In some implementations providing multi-card bingo games, a player is required to hit a predetermined pattern on more than one bingo card in order to obtain a progressive award. The number of hits in the pattern(s) and/or the number of bingo cards involved may be determined according to a desired progressive award size and/or a desired probability of obtaining the progressive award. Players may have an opportunity to purchase an additional bingo number or a block of a plurality of additional bingo numbers after the main ball drop. The block may be offered at a discount compared to the price of an individual additional bingo number.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: James Coleman, M. Ali Saffari, Mark Bansemer, Bryan D. Wolf
  • Patent number: 8562415
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and devices for providing a first wagering game (such as a bingo game) that presents a changing pool of displayed game outcomes for a second wagering game (such as a Class III game), preferably on a network of gaming machines. Some implementations of the invention provide a bingo game that presents a changing pool of displayed game outcomes for a slot game or a poker game. In some preferred implementations, game outcomes are generated, e.g., by individual gaming machines, on an ongoing basis and stored in memory. Each of the game outcomes corresponds with a bingo outcome. Preferably, the game outcomes are sorted and stored according to payout amounts for various bingo outcomes. In some implementations, the game outcomes are stored in the form of random number generating (“RNG”) seeds, but in other implementations the game outcomes are stored in a variety of other forms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Ted Gail, Mark Bansemer, Bryan Wolf
  • Patent number: 8506384
    Abstract: After the main ball drop of a bingo game, a player may be given a free extra bingo number. A probability of awarding a free ball may be determined, at least in part, according to a desired paytable percentage for the bingo game (or vice versa). Some implementations of the invention provide multi-card bingo games. A player may be required to hit a predetermined pattern on more than one bingo card in order to obtain a progressive award. The number of hits in the pattern(s) and/or the number of bingo cards involved may be determined according to a desired progressive award size and/or a desired probability of obtaining the progressive award. Players may have an opportunity to purchase one or more additional bingo numbers after the main ball drop of a bingo game. A player may be provided the option of purchasing a block of more than one additional bingo number after the main ball drop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: James Coleman, M. Ali Saffari, Mark Bansemer, Bryan D. Wolf
  • Patent number: 8419542
    Abstract: The present invention provides a novel bonusing system implemented on gaming machines and associated network devices on a network. According to some implementations, a central system qualifies or eliminates sites and/or types of gaming devices for participation based on criteria such as contribution level, games available, date range, location, device manufacturer, denominations available, etc. In some implementations, the qualification or elimination process is performed at a site (e.g., by a site controller) according to criteria obtained from the central system. The methods of the present invention may be de-coupled from player tracking methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Ali Saffari, Chris Reddicks, Mark Bansemer, Anisur Chowdhury, Bryan Wolf
  • Patent number: 8342953
    Abstract: The present invention provides novel method and devices for managing gaming machine networks. In some implementations, switches report the gaming machines that are currently connected to the switch. The report may be made periodically, in response to a query and/or in response to an event (such as the connection of a new gaming machine). The report may be made to a host device or may be used to automatically update a connectivity table. Some implementations provide for a display of the current connectivity of gaming machines and associated switches according to the report. Some implementations also display the prior connectivity of the gaming machines and associated switches according to a previously stored connectivity table. The display may be a graphical user interface (“GUI”) that allows a user to, e.g., resolve discrepancies between the current connectivity and the prior connectivity and update stored connectivity table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Jamal Benbrahim, Mark Bansemer, Chris Reddicks
  • Publication number: 20120322563
    Abstract: In some implementations, a local gaming machine is in communication with a remote gaming machine over a data network. A player input requesting a game application is received at the local gaming machine. The requested game application may be located at the remote gamine machine. It is determined whether the requested game application is available for execution on the remote gaming machine. In some instances, determining availability of the requested game application includes determining compliance with interface specifications, licensing specifications and/or jurisdictional specifications. When the requested game application is available for execution, an instance of the requested game application is reserved on the remote gaming machine. When the instance is executed on the remote gaming machine, output data is sent to the local gaming machine over the data network. In some instances, one or more game parameters can be captured from the received output data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Binh T. Nguyen, Jamal Benbrahim, Mark Bansemer
  • Patent number: 8287379
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods, apparatus, and systems, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for providing a game of chance. A local gaming machine is in communication with a remote gaming machine over a data network. A player input is received at an input terminal of the local gaming machine. The player input requests a game application. The requested game application is located at the remote gamine machine. It is determined whether interface requirements of the requested game application are compatible with an interface of the local gaming machine. It is also determined whether the requested game application is available for execution on the remote gaming machine. In some embodiments, determining availability of the requested game application includes determining compliance with interface requirements, licensing requirements and/or jurisdictional requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Binh T. Nguyen, Jamal Benbrahim, Mark Bansemer
  • Publication number: 20120083333
    Abstract: The present invention provides novel method and devices for managing gaming machine networks. In some implementations, switches report the gaming machines that are currently connected to the switch. The report may be made periodically, in response to a query and/or in response to an event (such as the connection of a new gaming machine). The report may be made to a host device or may be used to automatically update a connectivity table. Some implementations provide for a display of the current connectivity of gaming machines and associated switches according to the report. Some implementations also display the prior connectivity of the gaming machines and associated switches according to a previously stored connectivity table. The display may be a graphical user interface (“GUI”) that allows a user to, e.g., resolve discrepancies between the current connectivity and the prior connectivity and update stored connectivity table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Jamal Benbrahim, Mark Bansemer, Chris Reddicks
  • Patent number: D929502
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Bradford Brown, Ronald Papson, Mark Bansemer
  • Patent number: D947950
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Bradford Brown, Ronald Papson, Mark Bansemer