Patents Assigned to Konami Gaming, Inc.
  • System and method of allowing a player to play gaming machines having expanding symbol and column replication
    Patent number: 9542796
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a gaming machine and method of providing a game. The game machine comprises a display and a controller. The display is configured to display a plurality of symbol positions displayed in a grid, the grid defining a plurality of columns. The controller is configured to: initiate a game; determine at least one symbol associated with each of the plurality of symbol positions along at least one of the columns and display the symbols in the at least one column; evaluate the symbols displayed within the at least one column to determine a highest ranked symbol; replace all remaining symbols displayed within the at least one column with the highest ranked symbol; and insert the highest ranked symbol into the symbol positions of at least one other column within the grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: KONAMI GAMING, INC.
    Inventors: Bradley A. Johnson, Jason Gilmore
  • Game machine, method of controlling computer, and storage medium
    Patent number: 9524608
    Abstract: A game machine uses a lottery region having cell columns and symbol columns for providing a game opportunity, causes a special symbol column to appear in it, determines by lottery symbols of the special symbol column, causes the special symbol column containing the symbols obtained by a lottery result to appear and moves and stops the special symbol column so that the symbols of the special symbol column are arranged on the cells to be changed, and determines whether the symbols arranged in a cell group of a determination target form a prize winning pattern based on the symbols arranged by the special symbol column. Further, the game machine moves the special symbol column along each cell so that at least a direction crossing a movement direction of each symbol column is included as a movement direction of the special symbol column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: KONAMI GAMING, INC.
    Inventor: Daisuke Nakamura
  • System and method of allowing a player to play gaming machines having reel overlays
    Patent number: 9520016
    Abstract: A game machine is provided. The machine comprises a display and a controller. The display is configured to display a plurality of symbol cells displayed in a grid. The controller is configured to: establish a first reel layout and a second reel layout, the second reel layout having a blank symbol in a plurality of consecutive symbol positions and at least one identical symbol in a plurality of consecutive symbol positions; randomly shift the second reel layout by a number of symbol positions in relation to the first reel layout; combine the second reel layout with the first reel layout to create a combined reel layout; and assign the combined reel layout to one of the reel strips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: KONAMI GAMING, INC.
    Inventors: Scott Delekta, Keith Rucker, Satoshi Suda
  • Gaming device for determining a re-drawing group for following games
    Patent number: 9520017
    Abstract: To display a plurality of symbols in a plurality of display regions, upon starting a game, and in a case where trigger symbols are stop displayed in any of the plurality of display regions, to draw for specific display regions where trigger symbols are displayed, from a plurality of types of symbols so that the symbols are displayed having a predetermined relationship among the symbols in at least game units, and at the same time, to draw for general display regions that have symbols other than the trigger symbol displayed, from a plurality of types of symbols so that arbitrary symbols are independently displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: KONAMI GAMING, INC.
    Inventor: Eiji Aida
  • Gaming system and method of operation
    Patent number: 9508217
    Abstract: A system for conducting gaming includes at least one gaming machine communicating with an award server. Optionally, the gaming machine communicates with the award server via a network server. A game is conducted at the gaming machine. A determination is made whether to issue an award from the award server. In an optional embodiment, the determination is random; in another optional embodiment, the determination is based on the outcome of the game. The award is issued from the award server, at least in part, based on data communicated between the gaming machine and the award server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: KONAMI GAMING, INC.
    Inventors: Jason Mayeroff, Peter Lyons
  • Gaming machine and methods of allowing a player to play a gaming machine having multiple games with the same reel
    Patent number: 9508230
    Abstract: A gaming machine for providing multiple games to a player with the same reel is described herein. The gaming machine displays a first game that includes a first portion of a reel in a first display area and concurrently displays a second game that includes a second portion of the reel being displayed in a second display area. The gaming machine randomly generates an outcome of the first game and spins and stops the at least one reel to display the first game outcome in the first display area and awards the player an award as a function of the first game outcome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: KONAMI GAMING, INC.
    Inventor: Satoshi Suda
  • System and method of awarding a community award
    Patent number: 9495840
    Abstract: A system providing a community award to player is disclosed. The system comprises a plurality of gaming machines and a system controller. Each gaming machine is configured receive a wager from a respective player and responsively initiate a game. The system controller is coupled to each of the gaming machines and includes a database with a community awards list including a plurality of total award amounts, each total award amount associated with a corresponding number of players. The system controller is then configured to detect a triggering condition; responsively determine a number of players playing the plurality of gaming machines; determine a total award as a function of the determined number of players and the community award list; and provide a community award to at least one of the plurality of players as a function of the determined total award.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: KONAMI GAMING, INC.
    Inventors: Akihiko Naito, Michael Ratner, Edward Sepich, Thomas Soukup, Yuji Taniguchi
  • System and method of awarding a community award
    Patent number: 9495841
    Abstract: A system providing a community award to player is disclosed. The system comprises a plurality of gaming machines and a system controller. Each gaming machine is configured receive a wager from a respective player and responsively initiate a game. The system controller is coupled to each of the gaming machines and includes a database with a community awards list including a plurality of total award probabilities, each total award probability associated with a corresponding number of players. The system controller is then configured to detect a triggering condition; responsively determine a number of players playing the plurality of gaming machines; determine a total award probability as a function of the determined number of players and the community award list; and provide a community award to at least one of the plurality of players as a function of the determined total award probability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: KONAMI GAMING, INC.
    Inventors: Yuji Taniguchi, Michael Ratner, Akihiko Naito, Edward Sepich, Thomas Soukup
  • Game machine, and control method of controlling computer and computer program used therefor
    Patent number: 9478107
    Abstract: A game machine includes a display device that displays a game screen in which virtual reels formed by symbols are arranged so as to correspond one-to-one to cells as symbol stop positions. And, a game machine determines the symbol to stop in each cell through drawing, and controls a movement to change the symbol and a stop of the movement for each virtual reel based on a drawing result. Furthermore, a game machine determines a number of specific symbols that stop in the cells, and controls a movement of each virtual reel, which causes the specific symbols to appear in the cells, as one virtual reel group and a stop of the movement in units of virtual reel group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: KONAMI GAMING, INC.
    Inventors: Daisuke Nakamura, Hidetomo Yamashita, Hayato Mizue, Hiromitsu Negishi
  • Gaming machine with proximity sensing touchless display
    Patent number: 9452351
    Abstract: A device for providing a proximity sensing touchless display to a gaming machine is provided. The device includes a processor, a display coupled to the processor, and a touchless input interface coupled to the processor and being implemented by the display for receiving input from the player. The input interface employs proximity sensing technology, such as but not limited to proximity button activation. For example, the display can be operable to sense a player's approaching finger entering an electrical field (e.g., corresponding to one or more electrodes) such that a particular button or function on the interface can be activated without the player's finger having to ever physically contact a button, push pad, keypad, touch screen, and/or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: KONAMI GAMING, INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey George, Edward Sepich, Thomas E. Soukup
  • Multipurpose EGM/player tracking device and system
    Patent number: 9452359
    Abstract: A system and method provides gaming related and player/gaming attendant related services to a plurality EGM. Each EGM has an associated multipurpose EGM/player tracking device. Each multipurpose EGM/player tracking device has first and second ports. The first port couples the respective multipurpose EGM/player tracking device to the respective EGM using a communications link. The first port of one of the multipurpose EGM/player tracking devices may utilize a different communications protocol than another one of the advance player tracking device. A server computer is coupled the multipurpose EGM/player tracking devices using a system communications protocol through system communications links. The server computer provides gaming and player/gaming attendant services to users of the EGMs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: KONAMI GAMING, INC.
    Inventors: Edward Sepich, Norio Tone
  • Gaming machine and methods of allowing a player to play gaming machines having selectable reel strips
    Patent number: 9430914
    Abstract: A method of allowing a player to play a gaming machine is described herein. The method includes displaying a game including at least one reel and a plurality of reel strips for display with the at least one reel. Each reel strip includes a plurality of normal symbol positions and a plurality of special symbol positions. The plurality of reel strips includes a first reel strip having a first number of special symbol positions and a second reel strip having a second number of special symbol positions that is different than the first number of special symbol positions. The method also includes randomly generating an outcome of the game and displaying the game outcome on the display device. One of the first reel strip and the second reel strip is randomly selected for display with the at least one reel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: KONAMI GAMING, INC.
    Inventor: Scott Delekta
  • Gaming machine and methods of allowing a player to play gaming machines having modifiable reel features
    Patent number: 9424720
    Abstract: A gaming machine is described herein. The gaming machine includes a display device for displaying a game and a controller connected to the display device. The game includes a plurality of reels, each reel having a reel strip including a plurality of symbol positions and a plurality of game symbols displayed in each of the symbol positions in a predetermined order. The controller is configured to determine an outcome of the primary game, responsively spin and stop the reels to display the outcome of the primary game, and provide a first award to the player based on the primary game outcome. The controller detects if a triggering graphic is being displayed with the primary game outcome and is associated with at least one reel, modifies a reel feature of a reel strip associated with the reel, and generates an outcome of a secondary game including the modified reel strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: KONAMI GAMING, INC
    Inventor: Satoshi Suda
  • Game machine, method of controlling computer, and storage medium
    Patent number: 9401076
    Abstract: A game machine uses a lottery region containing the cells, provides a game opportunity that changes symbols on the cells by causing the symbols of a symbol group to appear on the portion of the cells, determines by lottery, at least a portion of the symbols which should constitute the symbol group, causes at least the portion of the symbols constituting the symbol group to appear in the lottery region based on a lottery result so as to change at least the portion of the symbols arranged on the cells by moving the symbol group including the symbol determined by the lottery result on a movement path containing two directions and stopping the symbol group so that at least the portion of the symbols of the symbol group is arranged on the cells, and determines a prize winning based on the symbols arranged on the cells by the symbol group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: KONAMI GAMING, INC.
    Inventor: Daisuke Nakamura
  • Gaming machine and method of allowing players to play gaming machines
    Patent number: 9396614
    Abstract: A gaming machine and method are provided which allow a player to play a gaming machine. The gaming machine and method allow a player to make a wager on a first primary game and randomly generate an outcome of the first primary game. The gaming machine determines if an anticipation event triggering condition has occurred based at least in part on an anticipation event probability associated with the first primary game, displays an anticipation event on the display device if the anticipation event triggering condition has occurred, and displays the first primary game outcome on the display device. A number of anticipation events that have occurred during the first gaming session is calculated, and the anticipation event probability is modifying based at least in part on the number of anticipation events that have occurred. The player is awarded an award if the first primary game outcome is a winning outcome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: KONAMI GAMING, INC.
    Inventor: Arthur Lee
  • Game machine, control method of controlling computer and computer program used therein
    Patent number: 9381437
    Abstract: A game machine gives a predetermined favor when at least one ball moves on a table and the ball arrives at a ditch. And, the game machine includes a camera that acquires object information for distinguishing a state of the ball on the table, distinguishes the state of the ball on the table, based on the object information acquired by the camera, evaluates the state of the ball on the table based on a result of the distinguishing, and gives a change to the state of the ball on the table based on an evaluation result so that the evaluation result changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: KONAMI GAMING, INC.
    Inventors: Masato Okuaki, Tomoaki Hirai, Toshiaki Shimizu
  • System and method of allowing a player to play gaming machines having expanding symbol and column replication
    Patent number: 9378628
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a gaming machine and method of providing a game. The game machine comprises a display and a controller. The display is configured to display a plurality of symbol positions displayed in a grid, the grid defining a plurality of columns. The controller is configured to: initiate a game; determine at least one symbol associated with each of the plurality of symbol positions along at least one of the columns and display the symbols in the at least one column; evaluate the symbols displayed within the at least one column to determine a highest ranked symbol; replace all remaining symbols displayed within the at least one column with the highest ranked symbol; and insert the highest ranked symbol into the symbol positions of at least one other column within the grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: KONAMI GAMING, INC.
    Inventors: Bradley A. Johnson, Jason Gilmore
  • Gaming machine having modifiable reel features
    Patent number: 9378626
    Abstract: A method of providing a slot game to a player is described herein. The slot game includes a plurality of reels. Each reel includes a plurality of symbol positions and a plurality of game symbols that are displayed in each of the symbol positions in a predetermined order. The method includes allowing the player to make a wager on the game, initiating a primary game and responsively spinning the reels, randomly determining an outcome of the primary game and responsively stopping the reels to display the outcome of the primary game in a grid, and awarding a first award to the player based on the primary game outcome. The method also includes detecting if a triggering condition occurs in the primary game outcome, and responsively modifying a reel function of at least one of the reels to generate an outcome of a secondary game including the modified reel function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: KONAMI GAMING, INC.
    Inventors: Eiji Aida, Satoshi Suda
  • Gaming machine and methods of allowing a player to play gaming machines having selectable reel configurations
    Patent number: 9373225
    Abstract: A gaming device is described herein. The gaming device includes a display unit and a controller that is coupled to the display unit. The display unit is configured to display a game including a plurality of reels being displayed in a display grid. Each reel is adapted to display one of a plurality of symbols. The controller is configured to randomly determine an outcome of the game, select a reel configuration including a plurality of reel groups, determine, for each reel group, a single random symbol being displayed in each reel of the corresponding reel group in the determined outcome, spin and stop each reel of the corresponding reel groups to display the outcome including displaying the same symbols in each reel of the corresponding reel group during rotation, and provide an award to the player as a function of the determined outcome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: KONAMI GAMING, INC.
    Inventors: Arthur Lee, Bradley Johnson
  • System for providing an interface for a gaming device
    Patent number: 9367985
    Abstract: A device for providing an interface to a gaming machine. The device includes a processor, an ID Card reader coupled to the processor, a display coupled to the processor for displaying a bezel and information within the bezel. The device also including a keypad coupled to the processor for receiving input. The processor instructing the display to display media according to a predetermined set of rules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: KONAMI GAMING, INC.
    Inventors: Martin Dempsey, Jeffrey George, Edward Sepich, Thomas E. Soukup