Patents by Inventor William R. Wells
William R. Wells 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).
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Patent number: 8715058Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus are provided for displaying game related information on gaming machines. The gaming machines include two or more game presentation devices such as rotating reels, video display screens, touch screens, etc. One or more of these game presentation devices can be moved into and out of position with respect to other game presentation devices. This may allow, among other things, flexibility in presenting different types of games or different game features within a single game.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2008Date of Patent: May 6, 2014Assignee: IGTInventors: Richard M. Pennington, Chauncey W. Griswold, William R. Wells, Harold E. Mattice, Richard L. Wilder
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Patent number: 8708820Abstract: A gaming machine includes a rotating object that has at least one configurable surface that may be configured electronically. The rotating object may be synchronized with a video display. Configurable surfaces can use bistable materials, electroluminescent materials, LCDs, LEDs, OLEDs, projection, or other techniques. The appearance of the rotating object is changed without physically changing the rotating object.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2009Date of Patent: April 29, 2014Assignee: IGTInventors: Harold E. Mattice, William R. Wells, Chauncey W. Griswold, Christian E. Gadda, Richard L. Wilder, James W. Stockdale
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Patent number: 8696430Abstract: A gaming peripheral for a gaming machine is described. The gaming peripheral can be configured to emulate the functions of a lighting device, such as a candle. The gaming peripheral can be configured to provide enhanced gaming features such as 1) enhanced networking capabilities, 2) enhanced peripheral device monitoring and upgrade capabilities, 3) enhanced player monitoring and security capabilities 4) enhanced gaming function capabilities and 5) enhanced player reward capabilities. The enhanced gaming features can be provided in a non-intrusive manner such that regulated software executed on a gaming machine does not have to be altered.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2013Date of Patent: April 15, 2014Assignee: Leap Forward Gaming, Inc.Inventor: William R. Wells
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Patent number: 8696449Abstract: A gaming peripheral for a gaming machine is described. The gaming peripheral can be configured to emulate the functions of a lighting device, such as a candle. The gaming peripheral can be configured to provide enhanced gaming features such as 1) enhanced networking capabilities, 2) enhanced peripheral device monitoring and upgrade capabilities, 3) enhanced player monitoring and security capabilities 4) enhanced gaming function capabilities and 5) enhanced player reward capabilities. The enhanced gaming features can be provided in a non-intrusive manner such that regulated software executed on a gaming machine does not have to be altered.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2013Date of Patent: April 15, 2014Assignee: Leap Forward Gaming, Inc.Inventor: William R. Wells
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Publication number: 20140087849Abstract: A gaming machine including a secondary processor coupled to a player tracking system for tracking game play of a patron using a virtual player loyalty card is described. A virtual player loyalty card can be created by associating an existing physical player loyalty card with a newly created mobile loyalty card account. The mobile card can be virtually inserted into an electronic gaming machine when a portable electronic device with an associated mobile application is in the vicinity of an electronic gaming machine. Once the mobile card is virtually inserted into the gaming machine, the patron's game play at the gaming machine can be tracked.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 1, 2013Publication date: March 27, 2014Applicant: Leap Forward GamingInventors: Timothy Allan Page, Christopher T. Lundy, William R. Wells
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Patent number: 8668584Abstract: For a user having a user input actuator, a virtual interface device, such as for a gaming machine, for determining actuation of a virtual input by the input actuator is disclosed. The device comprises a position sensing device for determining a location of the user input actuator and a controller coupled to the position sensing device, the controller determining whether a portion of the user input actuator is within a virtual input location in space defining the virtual input.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2012Date of Patent: March 11, 2014Assignee: IGTInventor: William R. Wells
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Publication number: 20140031125Abstract: An electronic gaming machine including a candle mount for securing a candle device to the gaming machine and providing wireless communication capabilities to the gaming machine is described. The candle device can include a number of stages that when activated alone or in combination with other stages convey information about the status of the gaming machine. A gaming machine with an existing candle device can be retrofitted with a candle mount that includes a wireless radio device that is operably coupled to the gaming machine.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2013Publication date: January 30, 2014Applicant: Leap Forward GamingInventors: William R. Wells, Ali Saffari, Christopher Lundy, Craig A. Paulsen, Andrew George Novotak, JR., Thomas Quick
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Publication number: 20140031119Abstract: A gaming system used in a wager-based electronic gaming machine is described. The gaming system is configured to provide picture in a picture capabilities on the electronic gaming machine. In one embodiment, the gaming system can include a first gaming device and a second gaming device where the first gaming device controls the second gaming device. The first gaming device can be configured to receive data and/or communicate with an electronic gaming machine controller, a value input device and value output device. The second gaming device can be configured to receive touchscreen data from a touchscreen display and first video data from the first gaming device and second video data from the EGM controller. Under control of the first gaming device, the first video data and second video data can be output in various sizes and locations on the touchscreen display.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2013Publication date: January 30, 2014Applicant: Leap Forward GamingInventors: William R. Wells, Ali Saffari, Christopher Lundy, Craig A. Paulsen, Andrew George Novotak, JR., Thomas Quick
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Publication number: 20140018150Abstract: A gaming machine includes a cabinet defining an interior region of the gaming machine. The cabinet is adapted to house a plurality of gaming machine components within or about the interior region. A curved display is disposed within or about the interior region and configured to display game data. The gaming machine also includes a touchscreen. The touchscreen is transparent or translucent. The gaming machine also includes a panel having an opening that is significantly transparent or translucent, and a peripheral portion, wherein the peripheral portion is configured to display game information. The panel is positioned between the touchscreen and the curved display such that a common line of sight passes through the touchscreen, the panel and the curved display. Game data is visible through the panel and the touchscreen, and game information is visible through the touchscreen.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2013Publication date: January 16, 2014Applicant: IGTInventors: William R. Wells, Chauncey W. Griswald
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Patent number: 8622391Abstract: The disclosure relates generally to different devices, methods, systems, and computer program products for a self-contained dice shaker assembly. The self-contained dice shaker assembly may include a container device defining an opening into an interior configured for receipt of one or more dice and a sensor assembly in communication with the container interior. The sensor assembly may be configured to monitor, in accordance with one or more predetermined parameters, the shake quality of the dice in the container during a shaking event. The self-contained dice shaker assembly may include an identification assembly operable to identify the outcome of a respective outcome face of each die associated with the outcome of a shaking event.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2013Date of Patent: January 7, 2014Assignee: IGTInventors: Mark C. Nicely, William R. Wells
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Publication number: 20130252712Abstract: A gaming device for a gaming machine is described. The gaming device can be configured to implement commands related to performing maintenance operations on the gaming machine. The commands can be initiated from a remote device, such as mobile device, separate from the gaming machine and the gaming device. In one embodiment, the gaming peripheral can be coupled to a power switching device on the gaming machine. A number of devices on the gaming machine, such as game controller, can be configured to receive power that is routed through the power switching device. The gaming device can be configured to receive a command from a remote device to cycle power on the gaming machine using the power switching device. In one example, the power can be cycled on the gaming machine to clear an error condition.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 9, 2013Publication date: September 26, 2013Applicant: Leap Forward GamingInventors: William R. WELLS, Ali Saffari
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Publication number: 20130244756Abstract: A gaming peripheral for a gaming machine is described. The gaming peripheral can be configured to emulate the functions of a lighting device, such as a candle. The gaming peripheral can be configured to provide enhanced gaming features such as 1) enhanced networking capabilities, 2) enhanced peripheral device monitoring and upgrade capabilities, 3) enhanced player monitoring and security capabilities 4) enhanced gaming function capabilities and 5) enhanced player reward capabilities. The enhanced gaming features can be provided in a non-intrusive manner such that regulated software executed on a gaming machine does not have to be altered.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 9, 2013Publication date: September 19, 2013Applicant: Leap Forward GamingInventor: William R. WELLS
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Patent number: 8523664Abstract: A machine having a card processing assembly. The machine has a plurality of card holders connectable to the card processing assembly. One card holder is configured to hold data cards associated with one condition. At least one other card holder is configured to hold data cards associated with another condition.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2011Date of Patent: September 3, 2013Assignee: IGTInventors: Joseph R. Hedrick, William R. Wells, Franco Crivelli, Greg Parrott
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Patent number: 8500349Abstract: A machine having a card processing assembly. The card processing assembly has a card drive and a heating device. The heating device is operable to cause a human-readable symbol to be viewable on a data card.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2012Date of Patent: August 6, 2013Assignee: IGTInventors: Eric Meyerhofer, Joseph R. Hedrick, William R. Wells, Franco Crivelli
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Patent number: 8479908Abstract: A gaming peripheral for a gaming machine is described. The gaming peripheral can be configured to emulate the functions of a lighting device, such as a candle. The gaming peripheral can be configured to provide enhanced gaming features such as 1) enhanced networking capabilities, 2) enhanced peripheral device monitoring and upgrade capabilities, 3) enhanced player monitoring and security capabilities 4) enhanced gaming function capabilities and 5) enhanced player reward capabilities. The enhanced gaming features can be provided in a non-intrusive manner such that regulated software executed on a gaming machine does not have to be altered.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2012Date of Patent: July 9, 2013Assignee: Leap Forward GamingInventor: William R. Wells
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Patent number: 8460091Abstract: A gaming device for a gaming machine is described. The gaming device can be configured to implement commands related to performing maintenance operations on the gaming machine. The commands can be initiated from a remote device, such as mobile device, separate from the gaming machine and the gaming device. In one embodiment, the gaming peripheral can be coupled to a power switching device on the gaming machine. A number of devices on the gaming machine, such as game controller, can be configured to receive power that is routed through the power switching device. The gaming device can be configured to receive a command from a remote device to cycle power on the gaming machine using the power switching device. In one example, the power can be cycled on the gaming machine to clear an error condition.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2011Date of Patent: June 11, 2013Assignee: Leap Forward GamingInventors: William R. Wells, Ali Saffari
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Patent number: 8398488Abstract: For a user having a user input actuator, a virtual interface device, such as for a gaming machine, for determining actuation of a virtual input by the input actuator is disclosed. The device comprises a position sensing device for determining a location of the user input actuator and a controller coupled to the position sensing device, the controller determining whether a portion of the user input actuator is within a virtual input location in space defining the virtual input.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2011Date of Patent: March 19, 2013Assignee: IGTInventor: William R. Wells
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Patent number: 8376362Abstract: The disclosure relates generally to different devices, methods, systems, and computer program products for a self-contained dice shaker assembly. The self-contained dice shaker assembly may include a container device defining an opening into an interior configured for receipt of one or more dice and a sensor assembly in communication with the container interior. The sensor assembly may be configured to monitor, in accordance with one or more predetermined parameters, the shake quality of the dice in the container during a shaking event. The self-contained dice shaker assembly may include an identification assembly operable to identify the outcome of a respective outcome face of each die associated with the outcome of a shaking event.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2011Date of Patent: February 19, 2013Assignee: IGTInventors: Mark C Nicely, William R Wells
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Patent number: 8371937Abstract: A gaming peripheral for a gaming machine is described. The gaming peripheral can be configured to emulate the functions of a lighting device, such as a candle. The gaming peripheral can be configured to provide enhanced gaming features such as 1) enhanced networking capabilities, 2) enhanced peripheral device monitoring and upgrade capabilities, 3) enhanced player monitoring and security capabilities 4) enhanced gaming function capabilities and 5) enhanced player reward capabilities. The enhanced gaming features can be provided in a non-intrusive manner such that regulated software executed on a gaming machine does not have to be altered.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2011Date of Patent: February 12, 2013Assignee: Leap Forward GamingInventor: William R. Wells
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Publication number: 20130009872Abstract: For a user having a user input actuator, a virtual interface device, such as for a gaming machine, for determining actuation of a virtual input by the input actuator is disclosed. The device comprises a position sensing device for determining a location of the user input actuator and a controller coupled to the position sensing device, the controller determining whether a portion of the user input actuator is within a virtual input location in space defining the virtual input.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2012Publication date: January 10, 2013Applicant: IGTInventor: William R. Wells