Patents Examined by Alex F. R. P. Rada, II
  • Patent number: 9786121
    Abstract: A system for interactive gaming among a plurality of players includes a host computer system and a plurality of player terminals communicably coupled to the host computer system via a network. The plurality of player terminals are located at a plurality of licensed gaming locations. The plurality of player terminals are configured to engage the plurality of players in a common interactive game operated by the host computer system. The plurality of player terminals include means for dispensing player winnings from the player terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: AG 18, LLC
    Inventor: Brian Frenkel
  • Patent number: 9782668
    Abstract: Computer-implemented methods and systems for locating virtual elements that can be used or collected by players of a parallel reality game having a virtual world that parallels at least a portion of the real world are provided. In particular, the location of virtual elements in the virtual world is determined based on data associated with one or more real world conditions. Virtual elements can be located in the virtual world at locations corresponding to locations in the real world that encourage safe and effective game play. Locating virtual elements in the virtual world based on data associated with real world conditions improves the link between the parallel virtual world and the real world, enhancing the illusion that the virtual world is another dimension of the real world that the player can interact with through the parallel reality game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Niantic, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith P. Golden, Mark A. Aubin, John V. Hanke, Phillip Craig Keslin, James Dinkelacker, Charles Spirakis, Alexander Vladimirov
  • Patent number: 9782674
    Abstract: The subject application describes an activity performed with or without a website, such as a game. The game can be played either when in contact with the website or when disconnected from the website. The game playing can be carried out for example on a mobile device. The game can be used to earn virtual cash on the website, when playing from the mobile device. The game can also be played when the mobile device is not attached to the website, in which case the points that are received are saved along with an encryption to avoid a user's improper increasing of the points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: GANZ
    Inventors: Howard Ganz, Karl Joseph Borst, John Alexander Larsen
  • Patent number: 9776072
    Abstract: An automatic playing card shuffler incorporating means for detecting marked cards. One or more light spectrum emitters or variable light spectrum illuminators transmit light at frequencies/wavelengths which is reflected off card backs through one or more spectrum filters causing invisible markings to become visible. A camera may capture images of the now visible markings. A camera and software collaborate to capture images and analyze the same for markings on the card backs such as smudges, nicks and scuffs and edge demarcations. The automatic playing card shufflers are configured to not only detect marked cards but to detect patterns relative to the card markings. The automatic card shufflers are communicatively linked with a casino management system and/or security system such that casino personnel may be alerted in real time to the discovery of marked cards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Shark Trap Gaming & Security Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Earnest Riordan, Louis Wilson DeGregorio, Keith Marty Taft
  • Patent number: 9764233
    Abstract: A system and method for providing offline asynchronous user activity in a player versus player online game is disclosed. A client computing platform associated with a first user may maintain a connection to the game server that hosts a game space at which an online game takes place. The client computing platform may include a game state repository that stores a game space for the game state and a game logic repository that stores game logic for the online game. When the client computing platform disconnects from the game server, an expression of the game space is maintained at the client computing platform. While disconnected, the client computing platform may receive instructions for one or more actions to be taken in the game space and may execute the actions in the online game. When a connection is established with the game server, the executed actions may be verified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Kabam, Inc.
    Inventor: Nathan Pacyga
  • Patent number: 9747756
    Abstract: As a normal game, symbols to be rearranged on a lower image display panel 141 are randomly determined, and the determined symbols are rearranged. When the combination of the rearranged symbols achieves bonus trigger, how many bonus symbol 167 is included in the symbols achieving the bonus trigger is included is determined. For the number of times corresponding the determined number of the bonus symbol 167, random determination is executed based on the bonus game number random determination table 192. The total sum of the numbers of times of execution of the free game having been awarded is awarded as the number of times of execution of the free game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Hiromoto Yamauchi, Hiroki Nakamura, Masumi Fujisawa, Hideko Aoki, Toshitaka Suzuki, Takehisa Itagaki, Yoichi Kato, Yukihiro Kawakami
  • Patent number: 9747757
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention set forth systems, apparatuses and methods for providing conditional reel functionality in gaming devices. Accordingly, a gaming device can be configured to increase the variety of outcomes and sense of anticipation in a video slot game, by varying the composition of symbols on one or more reels based on outcomes of previously determined reels. In some embodiments this varying of composition occurs while the reels are still spinning. The varying of composition may be accomplished by modifying, substituting, generating, or otherwise altering symbols or the order of symbols in the one or more reels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Inventor: Peter Berman
  • Patent number: 9737819
    Abstract: One aspect of the disclosure relates to a multi-prize mystery box that dynamically changes probabilities to ensure payout value in an online game. The multi-prize mystery box which dynamically changes probabilities may provide the ability to arrange multiple items in a mystery box. The probability of acquiring an instance of the second item through Nth item may be dynamically weighted based on the value of the first item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Kabam, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Desanti, Tim Ernst, Travis Hawk, Rick Mendoza, Peter Im
  • Patent number: 9734660
    Abstract: Gaming machines and methods for transmitting hidden elements to a portable electronic device are described. The gaming machine includes a cabinet, a display, and a user input mechanism. The gaming machine further includes an interface, wherein the interface is configured to wirelessly communicate with a portable electronic device. The gaming machine includes a game controller. The game controller is configured to provide game play of a wager-based game, including generating gaming information including a hidden element. The game controller is further configured to display at least a portion of the gaming information to the player through the display, wherein the hidden element is not displayed. The game controller is configured to facilitate a data connection between the gaming machine and the portable electronic device through the interface. The game controller is further configured to transmit the hidden element to the portable electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Daryn G. Kiely, Dwayne R. Nelson, Derek P. McIntyre, Michael B. Gardner, Xuedong Chen
  • Patent number: 9726463
    Abstract: An aspect of the disclosure relates to a multichannel controller for controlling a target in a target system. In one embodiment, a multichannel controller is configured to control a target system and includes a user input interface that receives a user input for the multichannel controller, wherein the user input is a command to control one or more targets in the target system and a processor that generates the command to send to the one or more targets in the target system and a command translation unit that relays the command to the one or more targets, wherein the command comprises a motion sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Robtozone, LLC
    Inventors: Brian T. Pettey, Christopher L. Holt
  • Patent number: 9728037
    Abstract: The invention relates to systems and methods of selecting and placing real world wagers responsive to one or more wager triggers, obtaining outcomes of the real world wagers, facilitating user interactions with various interactive media, and revealing the outcomes of the real world wagers through the interactive media to give an appearance that the outcomes of the real world wagers resulted from the user interactions even though the outcomes resulted from the real world wagers and were determined before the user interactions. The system may reveal a payout resulting from a real world wager, and then “unreveal” the payout (i.e., take the payout away). Such reveals and unreveals may be based on user interactions with interactive media. For example, upon completion of an objective, a payout may be revealed to the user. Upon a subsequent event (which may or may not relate to the objective), the payout may be unrevealed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Game Play Network, Inc.
    Inventors: Russell M. Fine, Jamison Selby
  • Patent number: 9724602
    Abstract: A method, implemented as computer code being executed by one or more processors, in which a computing device displays computer game graphics showing a gameboard with multiple game elements that are removed when matched or switched, such as in a match-3, clicker or switcher game; and in which the processor draws the elements as irregularly arranged columns of colored blocks; and the processor draws small animals are placed on or amongst the blocks; and the processor is programmed such that the object of the game is to enable a target number of the animals to descend to the ground and be rescued, by the player removing blocks from the gameboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: KING.COM LTD.
    Inventor: Sebastian Knutsson
  • Patent number: 9717984
    Abstract: The subject matter discloses in a virtual location in an interactive multiplayer game of an online or mobile environment, modeling a real world area of real estate, wherein operations by players of the interactive game influence development of the real estate, a method comprising: receiving from a plurality of players of the interactive game a plurality of requests for modifying the virtual location; The requests include operation; selecting an operation from the operations included in the requests according to a rule and processing the selected operation for modifying the virtual location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Inventor: Yaacov Barki
  • Patent number: 9707491
    Abstract: A glow-in-the-dark toy kit includes a hand-held light emitting device having a power source, a control circuit, a narrow beam light emitting diode and a wide beam light emitting diode. The power source provides an electrical energy to the control circuit. The control circuit provides the electrical energy to either the narrow or wide beam light emitting diodes. The narrow and wide beam light emitting diodes emit a wavelength of light around 405 nanometers a distance of at least 10 feet. The range of the wavelength of light used could also be plus or minus 50 nanometers. A receiving device includes a phosphorescence layer that reemits light once illuminated with the wavelength of light from the emitting device. The hand-held light emitting device can then be used in a dark environment to react with the phosphorescence layer of the receiving device from the distance of at least 10 feet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Inventor: Randy Wayne Clark
  • Patent number: 9711001
    Abstract: Examples disclosed herein relate to a movement interface utilized to enhance production of the electronic gaming device. The systems, devices, and methods may allow for the movement of the cabinet based on game data. Further, the systems, devices, and methods may allow for the movement of the cabinet based on a player's input. In addition, the systems, devices, and methods may allow for the movement of the cabinet based on a gaming mode, such as, an attraction mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Cadillac Jack, Inc.
    Inventors: Karl Frederick Zedell, Jr., Mark Andrew Thompson
  • Patent number: 9704335
    Abstract: A system for interactive gaming among a plurality of players includes a host computer system and a plurality of player terminals communicably coupled to the host computer system or gaming platform via a network. The plurality of player terminals may be located at a plurality of licensed gaming locations. The plurality of player terminals may be configured to engage the plurality of players in a common interactive game operated by the host computer system. The plurality of player terminals can include means for dispensing player winnings from the player terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: AG 18, LLC
    Inventors: Brian Frenkel, Jordan Simons
  • Patent number: 9704337
    Abstract: A progressive gaming method may be conducted in a distributed fashion without a progressive controller. In such a method game play inputs are received through a respective player input system of each of two or more gaming machines. Each game play input defines a wager for a respective play of a wagering game. A progressive contribution value for each respective wager is calculated and a local progressive register value is incremented by that calculated amount. Calculating the progressive contribution value and incrementing the local progressive register value may each be performed at the gaming machine at which the respective wager is defined, and these calculated progressive contribution values are then communicated to each other gaming machine of the two or more gaming machines. Each gaming machine maintains a total progressive value based on the locally calculated progressive contribution values and the values communicated from other gaming machines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Everi Games Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Riggs, J P Cody
  • Patent number: 9697682
    Abstract: A system for interactive gaming among a plurality of players includes a host computer system and a plurality of player terminals communicably coupled to the host computer system or gaming platform via a network. The plurality of player terminals may be located at a plurality of licensed gaming locations. The plurality of player terminals may be configured to engage the plurality of players in a common interactive game operated by the host computer system. The plurality of player terminals can include means for dispensing player winnings from the player terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: AG 18, LLC
    Inventors: Brian Frenkel, Jordan Simons
  • Patent number: 9685045
    Abstract: A computerized card game management system includes a communications interface, a winning percent module, a dealer module, and a game play module. The communications interface is configured to receive data inputs from client devices. The winning percent module is configured to generate a first set of winning percentages defining each player's likelihood of winning each hand of the play cycle during the first segment. The dealer module is configured to select, for each hand of the play cycle, a set of hole cards to be dealt to each player during the first segment. The dealer module selects the set of hole cards based on each player's likelihood of winning the hand as defined by the first set of winning percentages. The game play module is configured to generate a graphical user interface for each player and to provide the graphical user interfaces to the plurality of client devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Inventor: Christian Gomez
  • Patent number: 9669293
    Abstract: Methods and systems for verifying and/or modifying game data for a location-based game, such as a parallel reality game, are provided. Game data for the location-based game can be verified and/or modified by establishing one or more mini-games to be played within the location-based game. Players can be encouraged to play the mini-game by providing a reward, such as a virtual reward that can be used in the location-based game or by providing another suitable reward. Mini-game data received from a plurality of players of the mini-game can be aggregated and used to update game data for the location-based game. In this manner, game elements, game objectives, and/or game play for all players in the location-based game (even players that do not play in the mini-game) can be adjusted based on the aggregated responses to the mini-game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Niantic, Inc.
    Inventors: David Kornmann, Charles Spirakis, Chris Hibbert, Mark A. Aubin