Patents Assigned to WMS Gaming
  • Patent number: 8251795
    Abstract: A gaming machine for playing a wagering game includes a housing having a display region, a curved transparent layer located in the display region, and a video display. The video display is located behind the transparent layer for projecting moving images onto the transparent layer. The images including a plurality of symbols that indicate a randomly selected outcome of the wagering game. The curved transparent layer can be moving as well. Environmental mapping may be used to sense the location of the player and/or the ambient lighting surrounding the gaming machine and alter the images based on the sensing. The altering may include spectral highlights, shading, and the parallax effect. The video images may further include imperfections normally found in mechanical reel strips. The gaming machine provides video images that more closely simulate the look of traditional mechanical reels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy J. Durham, Mark B. Gagner, James M. Rasmussen, Alfred Thomas, Vladimir I. Arezina, Stephen A. Canterbury, Victor Mercado, Samuel D. Ralston, Matthew R. Fitzsimons
  • Patent number: 8251825
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing programs on wagering game machine peripherals are described. The programs may be shader programs for execution by one or more programmable shaders on a graphics processing unit. The programs may provide a graphical result, e.g. an output on a display, or may provide a non-graphical result of a computation to a general purpose processor on the wagering game machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventor: Craig J. Sylla
  • Patent number: 8251805
    Abstract: A method of operating a wagering game comprises receiving a primary wager, displaying a randomly selected outcome of a primary wagering game, and displaying at least one progressive jackpot. A first portion of the primary wager is allocated to fund the at least one progressive jackpot. An increment amount to be added to the at least one progressive jackpot is randomly determined, the at least one progressive jackpot is incremented by the increment amount, and in response to a triggering event, the at least one progressive jackpot is awarded. Alternatively, a random determination is made whether to increase the at least one progressive jackpot by a predetermined increment amount and, in response to a determination to increase the at least one progressive jackpot, the at least one progressive jackpot is incremented by the predetermined increment amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventors: Allon G. Englman, Robert L. Kyte, Michael W. Mastropietro
  • Publication number: 20120214581
    Abstract: Method and system are disclosed for allowing players at wagering game terminals to select entire sets of bonus games instead of a single bonus game upon occurrence of a certain randomly selected basic game outcome. One or more of the bonus games or sets of bonus games may be temporarily unavailable or “locked” to the player. The player may unlock the bonus games or sets of bonus games by acquiring certain game assets, reaching certain game milestones, and/or exceeding certain wagering levels. The unlocked games may reveal credits, prizes, progressives, basic and/or bonus game updates, or additional bonus games, some of which may also be locked. The updates and additions may already be present in the wagering game terminals or they may be downloaded from a central location. The player may retain the locked and unlocked statuses of the bonus games across multiple wagering game sessions and/or wagering game terminals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventor: Larry J. Pacey
  • Publication number: 20120214564
    Abstract: A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In some embodiments, the operations can include determining a player account logged on to a wagering game network, determining a chat session initiated by the player account via the wagering game network; and determining wagering game news events to present via a gaming chat console for the chat session. The operations can also include automatically adjusting presentation requirements for the wagering game news events based on quantifiable player factors. In some embodiments, the operations can also include presenting an interactive game bot via the gaming chat console as a social contact, receiving textual chat game commands communicated to the interactive game bot, and controlling a wagering game via the textual chat game commands. In some embodiments, the operations can also include following chat activity for the selected chat social-contact groups and integrating chat activity with client applications and devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: WMS Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian J. Barclay, Andrew C. Guinn, Richard B. Robbins, Richard T. Schwartz
  • Publication number: 20120214578
    Abstract: A gaming system for conducting a wagering game includes an input device for receiving a wager to play a wagering game. The gaming system further includes at least one display for displaying a plurality of game elements. The at least one display is adapted to display a first three-dimensional view of the plurality of game elements from a first viewpoint and a second three-dimensional view of at least one of the plurality of game elements indicating a randomly-selected outcome from a second viewpoint. The first three-dimensional view and the second three-dimensional view are rendered in real-time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventor: Donald F. Dixon
  • Patent number: 8246468
    Abstract: A network browser and wagering game toolbar (“toolbar”) are described herein. The network browser has a main display area that can display content. The toolbar can be in, or a part of, the network browser. The network browser and the toolbar can receive and display content. Specifically, the toolbar can receive and display wagering game content from a wagering game network as the main display area can receive and display content originating outside the wagering game network. In some embodiments, the toolbar can present content originating from one or more wagering game player accounts that provide audience participation in, or related to, wagering game activity presented on the toolbar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: WMS Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter R. Anderson, Brian J. Barclay, Allon G. Englman, Andrew C. Guinn, Daniel P. Louie, Brian D. Manning, Larry J. Pacey, Richard T. Schwartz, Alfred Thomas
  • Patent number: 8246453
    Abstract: A wagering game machine uses a single character set for displaying text in multiple languages. The character set may also be used for printing materials, such as ticket printing. In one embodiment, the character set comprises Unicode standard characters, where each character in the font is represented by a unique number, which maps to the Unicode standard, regardless of platform. This allows programs that conform to the Unicode standard to deal with text in multiple languages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Norman St. John, Mark J. Saletnik, Vikram Swamy
  • Patent number: 8246456
    Abstract: A computerized wagering game system includes a gaming module comprising gaming code which is operable to present a wagering game on which monetary value can be wagered, and a virtual input device. The virtual input device is operable to receive input from a user by detecting a position of a user input object such as a finger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventors: Jim Motyl, Peerapong Thumutok
  • Patent number: 8246441
    Abstract: A gaming system for conducting a wagering game includes a display, a reel mounted for rotation relative to the display, the reel having a plurality of display symbols thereon, a plurality of light cups stationary relative to the display for illuminating symbols on the reel in the direction of the display, a sensor to detect the position of the light cups relative to the display and generate position information, and a controller in communication with the sensor operative to receive the position information from the sensor and determine the position of the light cups relative to the reel from the position information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventors: Charles R. Bleich, Bruce H. Blair, Anticio T. Duke, James P. Krol, Eric T. Miner, James M. Rasmussen
  • Publication number: 20120208619
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a wagering game machine includes: a carrier board comprising a first network port and a second network port, the first network port having a first network address and the second network port having a second network address; a processor located on the carrier board; a first nonvolatile memory located on the carrier board and communicatively coupled to the first network port, the first nonvolatile memory configured to store the first network address; and a second nonvolatile memory located on the carrier board, wherein the second nonvolatile memory is configured to store Basic Input and Output System (BIOS) code that includes a system BIOS code and an application BIOS code, wherein the BIOS code is hardware write-protected, wherein the processor is configured to derive the second network address from the first network address during execution of boot-up operations of the apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: WMS Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen A. Canterbury, Vernon W. Hamlin, Scot W. Salzman, Jorge L. Shimabukuro, Craig J. Sylla
  • Publication number: 20120208625
    Abstract: A method of funding features of a wagering game, comprises receiving a first sum of money generated from extra-casino activity associated with at least one person and depositing the first sum into a feature fund. The method further comprises allocating the first sum to at least one account of the feature fund in accordance with a first rule set. The method further comprises, in response to a triggering event, withdrawing a second sum of money from the at least one account. The method further comprises funding at least one feature associated with the wagering game from the second sum of money and activating the funded feature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventors: Peter R. Anderson, Jeremy M. Hornik, Shridhar P. Joshi, Larry J. Pacey
  • Publication number: 20120208645
    Abstract: Gaming terminals, gaming systems, display device support assemblies, and methods of mounting a display device to a gaming terminal are presented herein. A gaming terminal for playing a wagering game is disclosed. The gaming terminal includes a cabinet, an input device for receiving wagers to play the wagering game, and a display device for displaying information related to the wagering game. The gaming terminal also includes a mounting assembly which affixes the display device proximate the top of the cabinet. The mounting assembly pivotably supports the display device such that a lateral side of the display device can be selectively swung from a first position over the top of the cabinet to a second position over a front of the cabinet where the display device is removable from the cabinet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventors: Frank E. Rodriguez, Scott Minch, Jacob C. Greenberg, Jeremy K. Gill, Edward J. Redd
  • Publication number: 20120208633
    Abstract: Embodiments include a method for configuring basic input/output system (BIOS) of a wagering game machine. The method can include: initializing a processor and chipset residing on an embedded computer module residing in the wagering game machine, wherein the BIOS resides on a carrier board connected to the embedded computer module; identifying, under control of code in the BIOS, the embedded computer module as a particular one of a plurality of embedded computer modules, wherein the BIOS includes code for configuring each of the plurality of embedded computer modules; initializing, using code of the BIOS configured for the particular one of the plurality of embedded computer modules, input/output devices connected to the carrier board and embedded computer module; launching, under control of the BIOS, an operating system in the wagering game machine; presenting a wagering game on the wagering game machine, wherein the presenting utilizes information received from the input/output devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: WMS Gaming, Inc.
    Inventor: Scot W. Salzman
  • Patent number: 8241102
    Abstract: A method of playing a wagering game comprises displaying on at least one display a first plurality of symbols located in an evaluation location, and repeatedly generating a plurality of replacement symbols at a symbol generation point on the at least one display. The method further comprises causing the plurality of replacement symbols to travel from the symbol generation point to the evaluation location along a symbol path, replacing at least one of the first plurality of symbols with at least one of the replacement symbols arriving at the evaluation location, and paying an award for a winning combination of symbols in the evaluation location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventors: Kurt J. Kanellos, Jeremy M. Hornik, Robert A. Rissetto
  • Patent number: 8241912
    Abstract: A gaming system and method for conducting a wagering game includes a primary display that displays a randomly selected outcome. The gaming system includes a multi-touch input system having a multi-touch sensing device, a memory, and a local controller. The multi-touch sensing device includes an array of input sensors that detect a multi-point gesture. Each sensor detects a touch input made by a player of the wagering game. The memory includes gesture classification codes each representing a distinct combination of characteristics relating to the gesture. The local controller receives data indicative of at least two of the characteristics related to the multi-point gesture and determines whether the data corresponds to any of the gesture classification codes. A main controller is coupled to the local controller to receive the gesture classification code responsive to the local controller determining that the data corresponds to a gesture classification code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy C. Loose
  • Patent number: 8241115
    Abstract: A computerized wagering game system includes a gaming module comprising gaming code which is operable when executed on to conduct a wagering game on which monetary value can be wagered, and a security module operable to check the authenticity of a wagering game component using at least one of two or more available encryption keys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventors: Vernon W. Hamlin, Mark J. Saletnik, Jorge Luis Shimabukuro, Anussorn Andy Veradej, Jun Wang
  • Publication number: 20120202588
    Abstract: A wagering game community environment is described herein. In some embodiments, the environment includes a community server to provide services for a wagering game community. In some embodiments, the community server comprises a communications controller configured to receive communications from community terminals and to send the communications to wagering game machines. In some embodiments, the community server also includes a promotions controller configured to award promotional material to members of the virtual community based on their use of the community terminals, the promotional material being for use in wagering games available on the wagering game machines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: WMS Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark B. Gagner, Vernon W. Hamlin, Jeremy M. Hornik, Michael W. Mastropietro, Kathleen J. McJohn, Larry J. Pacey, Alfred Thomas
  • Publication number: 20120202601
    Abstract: A wagering game community environment is described herein. In some embodiments, the environment includes a community server to provide services for a wagering game community. In some embodiments, the community server comprises a communications controller configured to receive communications from community terminals and to send the communications to wagering game machines. In some embodiments, the community server also includes a promotions controller configured to award promotional material to members of the virtual community based on their use of the community terminals, the promotional material being for use in wagering games available on the wagering game machines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: WMS Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark B. Gagner, Vernon W. Hamlin, Jeremy M. Hornik, Michael W. Mastropietro, Kathleen J. McJohn, Larry J. Pacey, Alfred Thomas
  • Patent number: 8235785
    Abstract: A method of conducting a wagering game on a gaming machine comprises selecting a plurality of playable elements from a set of playable elements. The method further comprises displaying an individual outcome having first elements randomly selected from a set of individual elements. The set of individual elements correspond to the set of playable elements. The method further includes displaying a community outcome having second elements randomly selected from a set of community elements. The set of community elements correspond to the set of playable elements. An award is achieved in response to the plurality of playable elements matching the randomly selected first and second elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventor: Alfred Thomas