Patents by Inventor Peter Gerrard

Peter Gerrard 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: 7297057
    Abstract: A gaming device having a poker game with multiple options for the player to purchase extra cards. In one embodiment a stud five card hand is dealt to the player. The player can keep the five cards or purchase an extra card at a first cost. If the player purchases the first card, the player can thereafter keep the six card hand or purchase a second card at a second higher cost. This cycle is repeated for up to a predetermined number of cards such as five additional cards in one embodiment. When five additional cards are purchased, the game provides any accrued award to the player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Peter Gerrard, Dov L. Randall
  • Patent number: 7270604
    Abstract: A primary or secondary game for a gaming device. In one embodiment, the player is provided up to three picks, i.e., picks three contestants. The first two contestants both form potential award offers. The game then provides the greater of the two potential award offers to the player as an initial offer. This initial sequence alternatives includes more than two picks, contestants and potential offers. The offer acceptance feature arises after the initial offer. The player must decide whether to keep the initial offer or forego that offer for a final offer. If the player keeps the offer the game provides that initial offer to the player and ends if the player rejects that initial offer, the game proceeds to build a third and final offer, which is then provided to the player automatically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Peter Gerrard, Michael Evans, Dov L. Randall, Aaron T. Jones
  • Publication number: 20070213119
    Abstract: A gaming device having a bonus scheme, wherein the player may choose when to play a bonus scheme, so long as the player is qualified to do so. The method of qualifying the player to enter the bonus round connects or links the base game operation of the gaming device with the bonus scheme. The reels of the base game contain symbols which alone or in combination with other symbols yield one or more bonus awards to a player. The bonus awards are escrowed and displayed a bonus award escrow display. Once the player obtains a single bonus award, the player becomes eligible or qualified to play the bonus round and the player may choose to do so at any time. The player can accumulate bonus awards and use multiple bonus awards at one time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Publication date: September 13, 2007
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Anthony Baerlocher, Peter Gerrard
  • Patent number: 7250001
    Abstract: The apparatus and method of the present invention provides a gaming device having a separately changeable value and multiplier bonus scheme. The bonus scheme begins when a triggering event occurs during normal operation of the gaming device. Initially, the game displays a value and a multiplier to the player, which form an offer. The game enables the player to keep the offer or change either the value or the multiplier. If the player changes either, the game changes the value or multiplier selected by the player, and yields a new offer. In the preferred embodiment of the bonus scheme, the player can keep the new offer or change the value or multiplier and obtain a final new offer. After the player can no longer change the value or multiplier or if at any time the player keeps an offer, the bonus scheme ends by adding the amount of the offer to the player's gaming device credit, and the player resumes normal play.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Anthony J. Baerlocher, Peter Gerrard
  • Patent number: 7235011
    Abstract: A gaming device and method having a game with multiple player selectable award opportunities. In one embodiment, the gaming device displays a plurality of groups to a player. Each of the groups include related award opportunities. An indicator simultaneously indicates at least two of the award opportunities in one of the groups. In an alternative embodiment, components of an award opportunity are accumulated in an accumulated award opportunity. The accumulated award opportunity is indicated along with at least one other award opportunity. The player chooses one of the indicated award opportunities and receives the outcome which results from the indicated award opportunity picked by the player. In one embodiment, the average expected values of the outcomes which result from the indicated award opportunities in each group are approximately equal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Dov L. Randall, Peter Gerrard, Anthony J. Baerlocher, Peter J. A. Marsh, Tonja M. Peterson
  • Patent number: 7223172
    Abstract: A gaming device having a bonus scheme, wherein the player may choose when to play a bonus scheme, so long as the player is qualified to do so. The method of qualifying the player to enter the bonus round connects or links the base game operation of the gaming device with the bonus scheme. The reels of the base game contain symbols which alone or in combination with other symbols yield one or more bonus awards to a player. The bonus awards are escrowed and displayed a bonus award escrow display. Once the player obtains a single bonus award, the player becomes eligible or qualified to play the bonus round and the player may choose to do so at any time. The player can accumulate bonus awards and use multiple bonus awards at one time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Anthony J. Baerlocher, Peter Gerrard
  • Publication number: 20060142077
    Abstract: A gaming machine symbol-bearing reels which are used to play a main game involving, the selection and display of a symbol combination. Bonus events or modifiers are also selected and displayed. This may be an automatic machine function, or the player may have the opportunity to operate a further selection reel, or control buttons. The selected bonus event or modifier may be applied to features associated with or separate from the main game, such as a feature game display to which play can transfer from the main game, or may be applied to subsequent main games which may consist of free spins of the reels, or may be paid for by the player.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Publication date: June 29, 2006
    Inventors: Michael Miles, Dov Randall, Peter Gerrard
  • Patent number: 6971954
    Abstract: The present invention provides an interactive, ongoing bonus game that operates at the same time as a base game of a gaming device and thereby enhances a player's award. The present invention provides one or more graduating multiplier or modifier displays, wherein the displays designate a position of value for each modifier. When certain symbols or combinations of symbols appear on the reels of the gaming device, the present invention modifies either the player's base game wager or a base game payout by the designated value of one of the modifiers. When certain other symbols or combinations of symbols appear on the reels of the gaming device, the present invention increases the designated value position for one or more of the modifiers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Dov L. Randall, Peter Gerrard
  • Patent number: 6971953
    Abstract: A gaming device having a plurality of goals, at least one destination goal, a player goal indicator, an award associated with the destination goal which is provided to the player if the player goal indicator reaches the destination goal, a setback condition associated with one of the goals, wherein when the player goal indicator moves to the goal having the associated setback condition, the player goal indicator is relocated to one of the goals further from the destination goal based on the setback condition, an advance condition associated with one of the goals, wherein when the player goal indicator moves to the goal having the advance condition, the player goal indicator is relocated to one of the goals closer to the destination goal based on the advance condition, and a plurality of offers associated with the goals, wherein the player is enabled to accept or reject the offer associated with goal of the player goal indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Peter Gerrard, Anthony J. Baerlocher, Dov L. Randall
  • Publication number: 20050233796
    Abstract: A gaming device which involves a symbol marker which advances along one or more paths. The paths include a plurality of symbols and one or more path change conditions. If a path change condition occurs, the symbol marker moves from one path to a different path. While advancing along certain paths, the player has the opportunity to gain bonus value depending upon which symbol the symbol marker visits. This type of bonus scheme increases player excitement for gaming devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2005
    Publication date: October 20, 2005
    Inventors: Anthony Baerlocher, Peter Gerrard, Dov Randall
  • Patent number: 6908383
    Abstract: A bonus scheme for a gaming device which involves a symbol marker which advances along one or more paths. The paths include a plurality of symbols and one or more path change conditions. If a path change condition occurs, the symbol marker moves from one path to a different path. While advancing along certain paths, the player has the opportunity to gain bonus value depending upon which symbol the symbol marker visits. This type of bonus scheme increases player excitement for gaming devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Anthony J. Baerlocher, Peter Gerrard, Dov L. Randall
  • Publication number: 20050059462
    Abstract: A gaming device and method having a bonus round, where the bonus round forms a plurality of sets of symbols from a plurality of symbols, and enables the player to predict which set of symbols will include a randomly determined symbol. If the player predicts correctly, the player receives a bonus and the bonus round continues. If the player is wrong, the bonus round terminates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2004
    Publication date: March 17, 2005
    Inventor: Peter Gerrard
  • Publication number: 20050059455
    Abstract: A gaming device including a display device having a plurality of award groups and an indicator generator. Each of the award groups includes at least one indicator and at least one award. The indicator generator generates a number of indicators for each of the award groups. The gaming device then indicates the corresponding number of indicators in each of the award columns based on the number of indicators associated with those award columns by the indicator generator. When all of the indicators are accumulated in one or more of the award columns, the gaming device provides the awards associated with those award columns to the player and determines whether to end the game. If the gaming device determines not to end the game, the gaming device resets the indicators in the award columns including the provided wards and enables the player to continue playing the game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2003
    Publication date: March 17, 2005
    Inventors: Peter Gerrard, Dov Randall, Michael Evans
  • Publication number: 20050054413
    Abstract: A gaming device that selects one or more offer components and forms an initial offer based on the selected offer components. The gaming device enables the player to accept or reject the initial offer. If the player rejects the initial offer (and the player has at least one offer remaining), then a component number modifier generator selects one of a plurality of component number modifiers. The selected component number modifier alters or changes the number of selected offer components by either adding or subtracting at least one offer component to or from the previously selected offer components. If the selected component number modifier is associated with a negative number or value, then the gaming device deselects at least one of the previously selected offer components. The remaining selected offer components form a subsequent offer which the gaming device enables the player to accept or reject.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2003
    Publication date: March 10, 2005
    Inventors: Dov Randall, Peter Gerrard
  • Publication number: 20050055115
    Abstract: A primary or secondary game for a gaming device. In one embodiment, the player is provided up to three picks, i.e., picks three contestants. The first two contestants both form potential award offers. The game then provides the greater of the two potential award offers to the player as an initial offer. This initial sequence alternatives includes more than two picks, contestants and potential offers. The offer acceptance feature arises after the initial offer. The player must decide whether to keep the initial offer or forego that offer for a final offer. If the player keeps the offer the game provides that initial offer to the player and ends if the player rejects that initial offer, the game proceeds to build a third and final offer, which is then provided to the player automatically.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Publication date: March 10, 2005
    Inventors: Peter Gerrard, Michael Evans, Dov Randall, Aaron Jones
  • Patent number: 6863607
    Abstract: A gaming device and method having a bonus round, where the bonus round forms a plurality of sets of symbols from a plurality of symbols, and enables the player to predict which set of symbols will include a randomly determined symbol. If the player predicts correctly, the player receives a bonus and the bonus round continues. If the player is wrong, the bonus round terminates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: Peter Gerrard
  • Publication number: 20050033461
    Abstract: A gaming device and a method for operating the gaming device including several groups displayed by a display device and at least one component associated with each group. Several selections are displayed by the display device having multiple components of the groups associated with the selections. A player completes a group and receives a prize for that group when the player picks selections and generates each component associated with a group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2003
    Publication date: February 10, 2005
    Inventors: Peter Gerrard, Dov Randall, Anthony Baerlocher
  • Publication number: 20050026665
    Abstract: A gaming device having a poker game with multiple options for the player to purchase extra cards. In one embodiment a stud five card hand is dealt to the player. The player can keep the five cards or purchase an extra card at a first cost. If the player purchases the first card, the player can thereafter keep the six card hand or purchase a second card at a second higher cost. This cycle is repeated for up to a predetermined number of cards such as five additional cards in one embodiment. When five additional cards are purchased, the game provides any accrued award to the player.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Publication date: February 3, 2005
    Inventors: Peter Gerrard, Dov Randall
  • Publication number: 20050020343
    Abstract: A gaming device having a plurality of goals, at least one destination goal, a player goal indicator, an award associated with the destination goal which is provided to the player if the player goal indicator reaches the destination goal, a setback condition associated with one of the goals, wherein when the player goal indicator moves to the goal having the associated setback condition, the player goal indicator is relocated to one of the goals further from the destination goal based on the setback condition, an advance condition associated with one of the goals, wherein when the player goal indicator moves to the goal having the advance condition, the player goal indicator is relocated to one of the goals closer to the destination goal based on the advance condition, and a plurality of offers associated with the goals, wherein the player is enabled to accept or reject the offer associated with goal of the player goal indicator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2004
    Publication date: January 27, 2005
    Inventors: Peter Gerrard, Anthony Baerlocher, Dov Randall
  • Publication number: 20050014549
    Abstract: A gaming device that randomly generates and displays a set of different amounts on a display device. In one embodiment, the game generates three amounts. The game asks the player to pick one of the amounts for which the player thinks that the game will generate a comparison amount having a higher value. That is, the game asks the player to pick an amount that will be less than the generated comparison amount. Or, the game can ask the player to pick an amount that will be higher than the generated comparison amount. Alternatively, the game can ask the player to pick, for one of the displayed amounts, whether a generated comparison amount will be higher or lower than the displayed amount. In any of these three embodiments, if the player is correct, the game provides an award to the player.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2004
    Publication date: January 20, 2005
    Inventors: Anthony Baerlocher, Cari Blomquist, Peter Gerrard, Joseph Kaminkow