Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Neal, Gerber and Eisenberg LLP
  • Gaming system having multiple adjacently arranged gaming machines which each provide a component for a multi-component game
    Patent number: 8216065
    Abstract: A gaming system including a plurality of adjacently arranged gaming machines which are linked by a multi-component game. Each of the gaming machines includes a base or primary game which is operable upon a wager by a player. Upon the occurrence of a component triggering event at one of the gaming machines, that gaming machine generates one or more components of the multi-component game. Upon an evaluation triggering event at one of the gaming machines, that gaming machine determines a multi-component game outcome to provide to the player based on that generated components of other gaming machines. The gaming system determines an award, if any, for that player based on the multi-component game outcome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Joseph E. Kaminkow, Michael MacVittie, Anthony J. Baerlocher
  • Gaming system and method for providing an additional gaming currency
    Patent number: 8216062
    Abstract: A gaming system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming machines. The gaming system includes a point or count based system to provide one or more awards to one or more players. Such points are accumulated by a player based on one or more events associated with the player's gaming experience. The points or counts utilized in the gaming system are selectively redeemed by the player in exchange for one or more opportunities to win an award. It should be appreciated that in one embodiment, the equalizing units disclosed herein are different, separate and independent from any monetary based points or credits, any promotional based points or credits, or any player tracking points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Anthony J. Baerlocher, Alexander Casey Naglestad Cohen, Arram Bekarian, Daniel DeWaal
  • Dual pump apparatus with power take off
    Patent number: 8215109
    Abstract: A drive apparatus includes a pair of axial piston pump assemblies in an inline relationship, each pump assembly having an end cap mounted to a pump housing to form a sump. The pump assemblies are mounted to a gearbox at one end thereof, and an input shaft extends into both pump housings and the gearbox to drive the axial piston pumps and one of the gears. A power take off mechanism is also engaged to the gearbox at another end thereof and includes a drive shaft at least partially disposed in the gearbox and driven by one of the transmission gears, and an output shaft extending in the opposite direction from the drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Hydro-Gear Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Raymond Hauser, Michael L. Bennett
  • Drive apparatus
    Patent number: 8215110
    Abstract: A hydraulic drive apparatus having a center section assembly for mounting inside a housing is disclosed. The center section includes generally flat side edge surfaces formed adjacent and perpendicular to a cylinder block running surface, and shaped to engage a channel formed in an internal surface of the housing to secure the center section to the housing. The assembly may also include a filter using a connection member to permit the filter to slide on and engage the peripheral edge of a flange formed on the center section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Hydro-Gear Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Michael L. Bennett, Scott W. Keller
  • Gaming system having multiple gaming machines which provide bonus awards
    Patent number: 8216060
    Abstract: A gaming system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming machines and a plurality of bonus awards. The central server monitors wagers on the gaming machines. Based at least in part on the wagers the central server determines when bonus events will occur and which gaming machine(s) will provide the bonus awards. In one embodiment, the central server determines which gaming machine will provide a primary bonus award and any secondary bonus awards. In one embodiment, the number of secondary bonus awards is determined based on the number of active gaming machines. The selected gaming machine then determines a component of or the amount of the bonus award to be provided to the gaming machine selected by the central server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Anthony J. Baerlocher, James A. Vasquez, Tonja M. Peterson, Erick T. Ching
  • Targeted product distribution system and method
    Patent number: 8219241
    Abstract: A targeted product distribution system is described herein with respect to an exemplary management of product flow through a distribution center. Specifically, the system and method described herein is directed to the management and display of direct and easily-understood instructions, such that average individuals, as well as those with mental disabilities, will be able to contribute equally to the overall process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Walgreen Co.
    Inventors: Vinayak Pandit, Brian Amend, Louie Chin, Jeffrey Elliott, Kathy Emery, Gaurav Hasija, Maureen Isidoro, Lionel Ng, Doug Peterson, Todd Steffen, Patrick Sullivan
  • Gaming device method and apparatus employing modified payouts
    Patent number: 8210928
    Abstract: The invention includes a system and method for a gaming device to determine when to offer a player an opportunity to play using a “jackpot only” pay table. The player may choose to accept the gaming device's offer to switch from using a conventional pay table to using a pay table that only pays top payout amounts. Play with a jackpot only pay table may only require a small wager amount as compared to play with a conventional pay table. Play with a jackpot only pay table may be automated to generate outcomes quickly to allow a player to relatively inexpensively avoid spending time playing a gaming device perceived to be in a “cold period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Jay S. Walker, James A. Jorasch, Scott T. Friesen
  • Gaming system having display device with changeable wheel
    Patent number: 8210944
    Abstract: A gaming device having a display device including one or more display screens and a blank physical mechanical rotatable wheel mounted behind the display screen(s). Each display screen is capable of showing one or more images in a coordinated manner with the blank mechanical wheel. The display device is particularly suited for a server based gaming environment as discussed below, where the symbols on the mechanical wheel may need to be different for different games caused to be displayed by a central server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: Dennis K. Mead
  • Gaming system, gaming device and method for providing draw poker game
    Patent number: 8210532
    Abstract: A gaming system having a five card draw poker game is provided. An initial five card hand is dealt and a first draw card is revealed. The player may keep or discard the first draw card. After the player decides whether to keep or discard the first draw card, the player may replace cards in the initial hand. If the player selects to discard the first draw card, this card is not used as a replacement card to form a final hand. In certain implementations, the player first selects cards in the initial hand to replace. If the player elects to keep the first draw card, the gaming system displays a second draw card and the player may keep or discard the second draw card. This process continues until all discarded cards in the initial hand have been replaced or the player elects to discard one of the draw cards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Anthony M. Evans, Mark C. Nicely, John F. Daley, Bryan D. Wolf, Scott A. Caputo
  • Gaming device having an award level determination competition
    Patent number: 8210929
    Abstract: A gaming device including a game having a plurality of different award levels. In one embodiment, the gaming device displays a plurality of ranked components. The gaming device determines and reveals a first and second component to a player. The gaming device improves one of the award levels when the rank of the first component is more favorable than the rank of the second component. In another embodiment, the gaming device displays a plurality of components and a plurality of selections, wherein one of the components is associated with each of the selections. The player picks and reveals a first component associated with one of the selections. The processor picks and reveals a second component associated with another of the selections. The processor improves the award level for the player in the game when the rank of the first component is more favorable than the rank of the second component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: Anthony J. Baerlocher
  • Gaming system, gaming device and method for providing draw poker game
    Patent number: 8210533
    Abstract: A gaming system having a five card draw poker game is provided. An initial five card hand is dealt and a first draw card is revealed. The player may keep or discard the first draw card. After the player decides whether to keep or discard the first draw card, the player may replace cards in the initial hand. If the player selects to discard the first draw card, this card is not used as a replacement card to form a final hand. In certain implementations, the player first selects cards in the initial hand to replace. If the player elects to keep the first draw card, the gaming system displays a second draw card and the player may keep or discard the second draw card. This process continues until all discarded cards in the initial hand have been replaced or the player elects to discard one of the draw cards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Anthony M. Evans, Mark C. Nicely, John F. Daley, Bryan D. Wolf, Scott A. Caputo
  • Server based gaming system having system triggered loyalty award sequences
    Patent number: 8210930
    Abstract: A gaming system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming machines. In one embodiment, the gaming system provides players with one or more loyalty incentives, such as one or more loyalty awards, utilizing one or more loyalty incentive award sequences. In one embodiment, the gaming system determines a loyalty award to provide to a player and then determines an appropriate loyalty award sequence to utilize to provide the player the determined loyalty award, wherein the loyalty award sequence is determined based on the individual gaming device that the player is currently playing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Jacob Graham, Greg Schlottmann, Michael N. Low, Anthony J. Baerlocher, Richard J. Schneider, Cara L. Iddings
  • Machine having a card processing assembly
    Patent number: 8210759
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Eric Meyerhofer, Joseph R. Hedrick, William R. Wells, Franco Crivelli
  • Gaming system, gaming device and method of providing collectors and tokens associated with collectors
    Patent number: 8210935
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the disclosed gaming system, gaming device and method provide a selection game having a plurality of tokens which are assignable to a plurality of token collectors. Each of the token collectors has a designated capacity which may be the same or different for the token collectors. In one embodiment, the designated capacity of one or more token collectors is a number of tokens. In various other embodiments, the designated capacity of one or more token collectors is a total award value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Scott A. Caputo, Mark C. Nicely, Gregory F. Frank, Anthony J. Baerlocher
  • Gaming device having a game with multiple selections and progressive game incrementation
    Patent number: 8210937
    Abstract: A gaming device having a game involving a plurality of selections and at least one progressive game increment associated with at least one of the selections. The gaming device has a progressive award which is displayable if the player picks a selection associated with a progressive game increment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Karen M. Cregan, Paulina Rodgers, Anthony J. Baerlocher
  • Controller assemblies for electric drive utility vehicles
    Patent number: 8207693
    Abstract: Controller assemblies and packaging for electronic control systems of electric motors utilized in utility vehicles or other power equipment. Features of the controller assemblies and packaging described herein allow for, among other things, modularity, scalability, and improved heat transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Hydro-Gear Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Raymond Hauser, Christopher K. Wyatt, Michael Todd, Donald Rousser, Ivan E. Fox, Josh Butler
  • Server based gaming system having system triggered loyalty award sequences
    Patent number: 8206212
    Abstract: A gaming system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming tables. In one embodiment, the gaming system provides players with one or more loyalty incentives, such as one or more loyalty awards, utilizing one or more loyalty incentive award sequences. In one embodiment, the gaming system determines a loyalty award to provide to a player and then determines an appropriate loyalty award sequence to utilize to provide the player the determined loyalty award, wherein the loyalty award sequence is determined based on the individual gaming table at which that the player is currently playing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Cara L. Iddings, Anthony J. Baerlocher, Richard J. Schneider
  • Gaming device having wager dependent bonus game play
    Patent number: 8202153
    Abstract: In one primary embodiment of the present invention, the player must wager a number of paylines to qualify for one of a plurality of bonus games. The highest required number of paylines qualifies the player to play the main or most elaborate bonus game. The main or first bonus game preferably has the highest average payout per credit wagered. This provides an incentive to the player to play the highest required number of paylines. In an embodiment, any number of paylines less than the highest required number or max lines qualifies the player to play a second bonus game. The second bonus game has an average payout per credit wagered that is slightly less than the main bonus game. This allows the incentive or disparity between payouts to be set by the game designer so that the player not wagering max lines or the highest required number is not overly disadvantaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: Anthony J. Baerlocher
  • Gaming system, gaming device, and method for enabling a current bet to be placed on a future play of a wagering game
    Patent number: 8197335
    Abstract: The gaming system, gaming device, and gaming method disclosed herein provide an opportunity for a player to place a replay wager for a group or set of a plurality of plays of a wagering game. In one embodiment, the replay wager activates a replay feature which the player can use a designated number of times (such as one time) over the plurality of plays of the wagering game. The player's use of the replay feature causes the gaming system to redisplay the previous play of the wagering game, and provide any awards associated with the previous play of the wagering game. After the player uses the replay feature over each of the designated number (such as one) of the plurality of plays of the wagering game, the player cannot use the replay feature for any of the remaining plays of the plurality of plays of the wagering game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Daniel J. DeWaal, Anthony J. Baerlocher
  • Perforated void-fill pad
    Patent number: D663201
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Scott Carroll