Abstract: A method for gaming assistance. Information relating to game plays of player for a gaming application is received at a back-end server. A current game context of a first game play of a first player is determined from the information. Historical expert game contexts of expert game plays of experts that have played the gaming application are determined from the information. An assistance query related to the first game play is received. The current game context of the first player is compared to the historical expert game contexts to determine at least one expert having a corresponding historical expert game context that matches the first game context. A first expert is assigned to the first player for obtaining assistance. A communication session is generated between a device of the first expert and a device of the first player to enable the first expert to render assistance to the first player.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for porting locally processed media data with low latency to a remote client device via various wireless links are provided. In one example embodiment, a transceiver module may include a local network interface and a controller that may receive a client control signal from a client device over a wireless local area network via the local network interface, transmit a media control signal based on the client control signal to a media device, receive media data based on the media control signal from the media device, and transmit to the client device over the wireless local area network via the local network interface client data based on the media data and a low-latency compression technique. The receipt of the media data and transmission of the client data may be accomplished with substantially no detectable latency. Additional embodiments are also provided.

Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, a physical game element such as a wagering chip or a playing card may be utilized to implement a promotion scheme on an electronic card table (e.g., using RFID or optical imaging technology). During a game it may be determined whether the element is associated with special functionality (e.g., entitles the player to a payout multiplier, special payout table, bonus prize or other benefit). The special functionality may have been previously associated with the element or associated with the element during the game (e.g., dynamically and/or randomly). In accordance with some embodiments a player is not able to readily discern the special functionality by a physical inspection of the physical game element and is only notified of the special functionality once the physical game element is used in a qualifying action (e.g., during a wager at an electronic card table).

Abstract: An automatic card handling apparatus for use in casino card games possesses a card deck intake portal and a card deck discharge portal which are both accessible by a dealer. The apparatus allows two fully-shuffled, but separated, card decks to be ready for play simultaneously. A first shuffled card deck is independently supported in the card deck discharge portal by a retractable support structure while a second shuffled card deck remains ready for play while independently supported by a slot-less elevator within the footprint of the first shuffled deck. Three separated decks can be automatically routed through the apparatus in order to sustain uninterrupted card play. Also disclosed is a method of randomizing a group of playing cards.

Abstract: A sensor garment for monitoring an individual engaged in an athletic activity includes a garment formed of textile material, and a sensor module inseparably coupled to the textile material of the garment. The sensor module includes a single-purpose sensor configured to sense a single characteristic, and a radio antenna configured to transmit data generated by the single-purpose sensor. The sensor module includes no external port.

Abstract: A light emission control apparatus, an operation device, a light emission control method, and a program are provided that enable richer expression of an execution status of a program based on light emission from the operation device. A particular-light-emitting-area identifying section identifies, on the basis of information corresponding to an execution status of a program, a particular light emitting area that is a part of a light emitting area set on an operation device, the part corresponding to the information. A light emission control section causes at least part of the light emitting area to enable a particular light emitting area to be recognized.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for placing or moving a virtual menu (e.g., virtual object) to an adjusted virtual position within a virtual reality scene based on the ability of a user. The method includes capturing, by a computing system, head mounted display (HMD) interactivity by a user. The HMD presents virtual reality scene to the user. The method includes monitoring, by the computing system, physical actions of the user while the user is wearing the HMD and interacting with the virtual reality scene. The method includes identifying, by the computing system, an attempt by the user to make an input at a virtual object in the virtual reality scene based on the physical actions. The method includes generating, by the computing system, a movement of the virtual object from an initial virtual position in the virtual reality scene to an adjusted virtual position in the virtual reality scene. The adjusted virtual position reduces a difficulty level for the user to make said input with the virtual object.

Abstract: A method implemented by a computing device comprises determining, by an original thread executing at a computing device, a command used to render a frame of a graphics application, the command being a call to a graphics interface, constructing, by the original thread executing at the computing device, a command stream based on the command, the command stream comprising a plurality of commands used to render the frame, and executing, by a command stream thread executing at the computing device, the command stream to render the frame of the graphics application.

Abstract: A computer-implemented American soccer training and evaluation method that includes subjecting a drilling user to predefined drilling protocol(s) of a plurality of American soccer drilling assemblies and obtain, from each pre-defined drilling protocol(s) of the plurality of American soccer drilling assemblies and from at least one sensor on each of the assemblies, at least one user physical characteristic of the drilling user. The user physical characteristic is communicated to an administrative server over a network, where it is stored and used to create a drilling user performance profile having individualized performance comparisons with respect to the at least one user physical characteristic of the drilling user and a performance benchmark. Then, the drilling user performance profile is communicated to at least one of a plurality of electronic computing devices of a plurality of consuming users for evaluation and review.

Abstract: A joystick device including a hollow housing having an endless boundary structure and a ceiling structure with an opening; a control-stick having a head portion and a stem portion, the hollow housing surrounding the stem portion with the head portion outside the hollow housing; and a plurality of biasing curved arm members extending outwardly from the stem portion and movable with the control-stick as a whole relative to the hollow housing along a plane at least substantially perpendicular to the stem portion. Each of the plurality of biasing curved arm members having a curved segment with a convex side directed towards a respective corresponding portion of the endless boundary structure so as to bias the stem portion when the control-stick is being moved towards said portion. The plurality of biasing curved arm members being distributed around the stem portion so as to cooperate with each other to centre the control-stick.

Abstract: An information display method for a virtual object, performed by a terminal on which a virtual object application program is run, is provided. The method includes: obtaining an instruction to display genealogy information corresponding to a target virtual object; obtaining the genealogy information of the target virtual object based on the instruction, the genealogy information of the target virtual object comprising information about n virtual objects having a genetic relationship with the target virtual object, n being a positive integer; and displaying the information about the n virtual objects, the information about the n virtual objects comprising an image of a virtual object determined by genes of the virtual object based on a genetic inheritance rule. Counterpart apparatus, terminal, server, and non-transitory computer-readable medium embodiments are also contemplated.

Abstract: A method of cloud gaming is disclosed. The method including receiving an encoded video frame at a client, wherein a server executes an application to generate a rendered video frame which is then encoded at an encoder at the server as the encoded video frame, wherein the encoded video frame includes one or more encoded slices that are compressed. The method including decoding the one or more encoded slices at a decoder of the client to generate one or more decoded slices. The method including rendering the one or more decoded slices for display at the client. The method including begin displaying the one or more decoded slices that are rendered before fully receiving the one or more encoded slices at the client.

Abstract: In various embodiments described in the present disclosure a game engine subscribes entities within a game environment to topics and provides payloads associated with the topics to entities within the game environment. For example, the game engine registers a first entity to a first topic and provides the first entity with a payload associated with the first topic as a result of the first entity being subscribed to the first topic. In some embodiments, the game engine also registers as an IoT device in order to expose functionality.

Abstract: The management and control device uses the information acquired from the measurement device to detect a total bet amount of the chips placed on the bet area of the game table by the game participants, and uses the information acquired from the card shoe and the measurement device to detect a winning or losing amount for the game organizer. A sales balance management part compares a sales profit ratio that is a ratio of the winning or losing amount for the game organizer to the total bet amount with a theoretical profit ratio or a previous average profit ratio, and outputs a comparison result.

Abstract: A system and method configured to provide limited-time events to users in an online game. The system and method may include executing an instance of an online game and effectuating presentation of offers to users to activate a limited-time event within the online game. Activation of the limited-time event may enable users to perform event runs through the limited-time event for a duration. The execution of event runs through the limited-time event in response to user commands received from a client computing platform associated with the user may deplete the virtual resource in an inventory of the user. The system and method may maintain inventories of the users and recharge the virtual resource as a function of time. The performance of users may be assessed and awards may be distributed to the users based on the assessment of their performance during the event runs. The system and method may include effectuating exchanges by the users of virtual items for the first virtual resource.

Abstract: A plurality of gaming machines to perform an integrated operation in cooperation with one another is provided. A gaming machine constituting a group of gaming machines includes a display that displays a game screen including predetermined computer graphics cooperated with the other gaming machines included in the group of gaming machines, a storage device that stores a gaming machine identifier, common graphic data, and a plurality of virtual camera coordinates associated with identifiers, and a controller, and the controller constructs a three-dimensional model in common with the other gaming machines on the basis of a timer value synchronized by communicating with the other gaming machines and the common graphic data, and configures the predetermined computer graphics by performing perspective transformation on the three-dimensional model using the virtual camera coordinates associated with the identifier as a point of view, and causes the predetermined computer graphics to be displayed on the display.

Abstract: A random output generating, ROG, system comprises a display board and a motion device; the display board comprises: a top portion having a release pocket, a plurality of receiving pockets forming a common row on an, opposite, bottom portion, and a plurality of obstacles arranged in-between top portion and bottom portion; said motion device is arranged that when released from a release pocket, it is transferred partly by gravity to a receiving pocket according to a random route via collisions with said obstacles, said motion device is further arranged to complete the random route within a predetermined time period; the motion device comprises a motion sensor, control circuitry, and an illumination device, the control circuitry is configured to control the illumination device based on at least one of the movement of the motion device and a position of the motion device relative to the display board.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for imparting dynamic, non-linear and realistic movement and look and feel to a player's/virtual character's first-person limbs and hand-held object model, and procedurally animating a first-person virtual camera such that it simulates the movement of a camera handheld by the player/virtual character. To impart chaotic or random motion to the first-person limbs and hand-held object model a first module defines and implements first and second two dimensional mass-spring-damper systems, each of which is linked to the player's/virtual vector's view vector. Procedural animation or rotational shake is implemented by a second module by applying a coherent noise function to each of the six axes of the first-person virtual camera.

Abstract: Data captured during a movement by the user in a real-world environment may be received from a user device associated with a user. A corresponding movement is rendered by a virtual character within a virtual environment based on the data. Video of the corresponding movement within the virtual reality environment is captured and associated with the data. The captured video and the data are provided to a recipient designated by the user. It is then verified that the recipient is performing the movement by comparing data regarding the recipient during play of the captured video to the data associated with the captured video.

Abstract: This specification provides a computer-implemented method, the method comprising obtaining a machine-learning model. The machine-learning model is being trained with expert data comprising a plurality of training examples. Each training example comprises: (i) game state data representing a state of a video game environment, and (ii) scored action data representing an action and a score for that action if performed by a video game entity of the video game environment subsequent to the state of the video game environment. An action is performed by the video game entity based on a prediction for the action generated by the machine-learning model. The method further comprises determining whether the action performed by the video game entity was optimal. In response to determining that the action performed by the video game entity was suboptimal, a healed training example is generated.