Patents by Inventor Mark Katz

Mark Katz 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: 6811484
    Abstract: The inventions herein relate to novel games of chance and apparatus and methods for their play. In one embodiment, a multi-level game of chance is played by presenting the player with multiple options, where there is at least one positive option and at least one negative option. By way of example, at each level the player selects one of four boxes, where two have a monetary amount, and one has a strike. Optionally, the fourth box may comprise a ‘mystery box’, which requires a decision within a decision. When presented with the mystery box, the player may elect to open it or not. If they do not open it, game play resumes at the existing game level. If they open it, one of multiple options is presented, including a positive option and a negative option. In the preferred embodiment, the positive option could include: a multiplier of the winnings of the player, e.g., a double of the money in the player's account, or the updating of the safe level for the player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Milestone Entertainment LLC
    Inventors: Randall Mark Katz, Gary Dawson
  • Patent number: 6749198
    Abstract: The inventions herein relate to novel games of chance and apparatus and methods for their play. In one embodiment, a multi-level game of chance is played by presenting the player with multiple options, where there is at least one positive option and at least one negative option. By way of example, at each level the player selects one of four boxes, where two have a monetary amount, and one has a strike. Optionally, the fourth box may comprise a ‘mystery box’, which requires a decision within a decision. When presented with the mystery box, the player may elect to open it or not. If they do not open it, game play resumes at the existing game level. If they open it, one of multiple options is presented, including a positive option and a negative option. In the preferred embodiment, the positive option could include: a multiplier of the winnings of the player, e.g., a double of the money in the player's account, or the updating of the safe level for the player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Milestone Entertainment LLC
    Inventors: Randall Mark Katz, Gary Dawson
  • Publication number: 20030189288
    Abstract: A device for characterizing a cell or particle includes a channel having an inlet and an outlet, the channel containing a moving fluid therein for carrying the cell or particle from the inlet to the outlet. The device includes a detector for detecting the presence of a cell or particle along portion of the channel, the detector including a first detecting position, a second detecting position, and a third detecting position. The device further includes a light source providing an optical gradient disposed within the channel and between the second and third detecting positions. A control system is coupled to the detector to receive and process detected signals from the detector. During operation, the amount of time that a cell or particle takes to flow through a first distance (i.e., its time-off-flight) is measured. The cell or particle is then flowed past a second, downstream distance in the presence of an optical gradient and its time-of-flight is measured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2003
    Publication date: October 9, 2003
    Applicant: Milestone Entertainment LLC
    Inventors: Randal Mark Katz, Gary Dawson, Andrew Felsher
  • Publication number: 20030102625
    Abstract: The inventions herein relate to novel games of chance and apparatus and methods for their play. In one embodiment, a multi-level game of chance is played by presenting the player with multiple options, where there is at least one positive option and at least one negative option. By way of example, at each level the player selects one of four boxes, where two have a monetary amount, and one has a strike. Optionally, the fourth box may comprise a ‘mystery box’, which requires a decision within a decision. When presented with the mystery box, the player may elect to open it or not. If they do not open it, game play resumes at the existing game level. If they open it, one of multiple options is presented, including a positive option and a negative option. In the preferred embodiment, the positive option could include: a multiplier of the winnings of the player, e.g., a double of the money in the player's account, or the updating of the safe level for the player.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2002
    Publication date: June 5, 2003
    Applicant: Milestone Entertainment LLC
    Inventors: Randall Mark Katz, Gary Dawson
  • Patent number: 6565084
    Abstract: A variety of games and methods for enhancing game play are provided. In one aspect, a secondary or ancillary game is played in parallel with a first game, such as a lottery ball draw. Yet another game involves the selection of items which a player or participant believes had been selected by an audience as not being the most popular. In yet another aspect, an interstitial progressive sequencing of programming is provided, such as where a series of short segments are presented at differing times throughout an evening of prime time programming. Audience participation may be enhanced by permitting Internet access to the game system, and to permit remote users to play along as if they were in studio participants or part of the studio audience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Milestone Entertainment
    Inventors: Randall Mark Katz, Gary Dawson, Andrew Felsher
  • Publication number: 20030060261
    Abstract: The inventions herein relate to novel games of chance and apparatus and methods for their play. In certain embodiments, the existing lottery infrastructure is used in conjunction with electronic remote game play. A player receives a ticket identification number (TIN), optionally via lottery game play, and then plays an electronic game based upon the TIN. The remote system contains information associated with the TIN, for example, identification of which game will be played, and in a predetermined context, whether the player is to win or lose, and if they win, the form of the prize. In one embodiment, a multi-level game of chance is played by presenting the player with multiple options, where there is at least one positive option and at least one negative option. By way of example, at each level the player selects one of four boxes, where two have a monetary amount, and one has a strike. Optionally, the fourth box may comprise a ‘mystery box’, which requires a decision within a decision.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2002
    Publication date: March 27, 2003
    Applicant: Milestone Entertainment LLC
    Inventors: Randall Mark Katz, Gary Dawson
  • Publication number: 20030060257
    Abstract: The inventions herein relate to novel games of chance and apparatus and methods for their play. In one embodiment, a multi-level game of chance is played by presenting the player with multiple options, where there is at least one positive option and at least one negative option. By way of example, at each level the player selects one of four boxes, where two have a monetary amount, and one has a strike. Optionally, the fourth box may comprise a ‘mystery box’, which requires a decision within a decision. When presented with the mystery box, the player may elect to open it or not. If they do not open it, game play resumes at the existing game level. If they open it, one of multiple options is presented, including a positive option and a negative option. In the preferred embodiment, the positive option could include: a multiplier of the winnings of the player, e.g., a double of the money in the player's account, or the updating of the safe level for the player.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2001
    Publication date: March 27, 2003
    Applicant: Milestone Entertainment LLC
    Inventors: Randall Mark Katz, Gary Dawson
  • Patent number: 6488280
    Abstract: The inventions herein relate to novel games of chance and apparatus and methods for their play. In one embodiment, a multi-level game of chance is played by presenting the player with multiple options, where there is at least one positive option and at least one negative option. By way of example, at each level the player selects one of four boxes, where two have a monetary amount, and one has a strike. Optionally, the fourth box may comprise a ‘mystery box’, which requires a decision within a decision. When presented with the mystery box, the player may elect to open it or not. If they do not open it, game play resumes at the existing game level. If they open it, one of multiple options is presented, including a positive option and a negative option. In the preferred embodiment, the positive option could include: a multiplier of the winnings of the player, e.g., a double of the money in the player's account, or the updating of the safe level for the player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Milestone Entertainment
    Inventors: Randall Mark Katz, Gary Dawson
  • Patent number: 5983278
    Abstract: In a switch fabric environment, which includes a buffer, packet data of different class-types from different sources is received, stored in the buffer, processed and outputted to its intended destination. As the buffer fills up, transmission from some of the data sources is stopped to avoid dropping of packets. To avoid packet loss, when the occupancy of the buffer reaches a first threshold value, further transmission of a first-class type of data is precluded from the particular source of that data then being received, while transmission from other sources of that same first-class type of data is not precluded from these other data sources until first-class type of data from such other sources is also received. Further, data of a second-class type is not precluded from being transmitted as long as the amount of data stored in the buffer remains below a second threshold, which is greater than the first threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Song Chong, Mark Katz, David A. Morano, Ramesh Nagarajan, Walter Michael Pitio, Donald D. Shugard, Yung-Terng Wang
  • Patent number: D380883
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1997
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Mark Katz, Kevin Scott Laundroche