Patents by Inventor Mark Lam

Mark Lam 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).

  • Electronic game method and apparatus with hierarchy of simulated wheels
    Patent number: 6168520
    Abstract: A computer implemented electronic game includes a wheel of fortune game with odds of a jackpot greatly in excess of the number of indicia on a simulated wheel. In one embodiment, a virtual mapping allows a bonus indicium of the wheel to be given a 1:M chance of being landed on, even though the bonus position is one of N positions on the simulated wheel. A random number L is chosen between 1 and M and this number is mapped to a number between 1 and N. The display of the wheel if controlled to simulate stopping of the wheel at the Ith indicium where L is mapped to I. In one embodiment, by using successive wheel spins, the odds of moving to the next round are multiplied to achieve an overall odds of winning a jackpot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: International Game Technology
    Inventors: Anthony J. Baerlocher, Robert W. Crowder, Jr., Yin Zin Mark Lam
  • Value wheel game method and apparatus
    Patent number: 6162121
    Abstract: A computer-implemented game includes a wheel of fortune portion. The wheel is positioned in a location spaced from the main game housing. In this way even relatively large wheels can be provided without undesirable dimensional enlargement of the main housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: International Game Technology
    Inventors: Stephen W. Morro, Anthony J. Baerlocher, Robert W. Crowder, Jr., Yin Zin Mark Lam