Patents Examined by Anh Vo V Nguyen
  • Patent number: 9943744
    Abstract: A location-aware device includes a position determination sensor that determines a position of the location-aware device. A receiver receives, from a tag coupled to a golf club, data corresponding to an output of a sensor included in the tag. A processor associates the data received from the tag with the determined position, and processes the data received from the tag to determine whether to register a golf shot as having occurred at the determined position. A memory stores a golf shot determined to be registered by the processor along with the determined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: SkyHawke Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: James W. Meadows, Richard L. Root
  • Patent number: 9919215
    Abstract: Various systems and methods for sharing electronic media are disclosed herein. According to particular embodiments, the system enables a user to select media (e.g., an image, a video, a gif, etc.) and compose a phrase to be associated with the media. In some embodiments, the system creates a post from the media and the phrase and enables the user to transmit the post to one or more other users to play (e.g., guess the phrase).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: BLUEBOARD MEDIA, LLC
    Inventor: Christopher J. DeCoufle
  • Patent number: 9916717
    Abstract: A virtual entertainment system supports holographic display for multiple players. The system has multiple viewing screens, each screen displaying thematic events. Multiple carriages have seating supporting multiple audience members. A track system supports and directs the multiple carriages through a sequence of the multiple viewing screens. A processor accesses memory of more than one theme and multiple holographic data content related to a single theme to each of the video display screens. A theme selecting input system provides a signal identifying a single theme for display to a single carriage as it moves along the track system. The processor identifies location of individual carriages with respect to individual viewing screens. The processor provides thematic content of the single identified theme to the at least two players in the individual respective ones of the multiple carriages. The theme may be gaming activity and include gaming input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Inventor: Joze Pececnik
  • Patent number: 9901776
    Abstract: A system for a racket comprises an inertial sensor for coupling to the racket, a processor connected to the inertial sensor, and a memory device connected to the processor. The inertial sensor includes an accelerometer array with three degrees of freedom in acceleration and a gyro array with three degrees of freedom in rotation. The processor is configured to generate stroke profiles describing acceleration and rotation of the racket based on signals from the accelerometer and the gyro arrays, and the memory device is configured to store the stroke profiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: ICUEMOTION LLC
    Inventor: Bérénice Mettler
  • Patent number: 9873045
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a system comprises game state information, a first user device, a second user device, and a processing server. The first and second user devices may include a first and second user interface modules configured to receive first and second user selections, respectively, associated with gameplay of a multiplayer game. The processing server may include a communication module, a simulation module, and rendering module. The communication module may be configured to receive the first and second user selections. The simulation module may be configured to generate simulation results based on the game state information, game rules, and the first and second user selections. The rendering module may be configured to render a first video based on the simulation results and render a second video based on the simulation results, the first and second video to be displayed by the first and second user devices, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: ELECTRONIC ARTS, INC.
    Inventors: Roy Harvey, Neil Do
  • Patent number: 9858767
    Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, systems, methods and articles of manufacture (e.g., non-transitory computer readable medium) provide for outputting a status (or progress in) betting for a hand (or round of a hand) of an electronic card game. For example, a betting progress indicator may comprise a visual indicator of betting for the hand and may progress from player to player during a hand (or round of a hand) as players Call or Fold but may be reset once a player Raises, thus efficiently indicating to all players that the player who Raised has re-opened betting for the hand (or round of a hand) and that any player after that player who has not previously Folded will need to make another betting decision in the current hand (or round of a hand).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Gamesys, Ltd.
    Inventors: Darse Raymond Billings, William Wing Kuei Hong
  • Patent number: 9849369
    Abstract: A board game comprises one or more game objects such as a game board and game pieces, at least one memory device and at least one controller. Each of the game objects comprise a globally unique identifier and dynamic characteristic values associated with the unique identifier, stored in the memory device, that define the characteristics/attributes of the corresponding game object when used in the game. A user is able to play the game by utilizing the game objects according to their characteristic values. During the course of game play, the events of the game are able to dynamically change the characteristic values of each game object affected by the event. Similarly, outside of game play, external events are also able to dynamically change the characteristic values of a game object. These characteristic values are able to be kept and updated during and in between games.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: TWEEDLETECH, LLC
    Inventors: Michel Martin Maharbiz, Steve Jaqua, Theodore Morichau-Beauchant
  • Patent number: 9827492
    Abstract: Instead of using an operation inputted by a player, a series of operation data for continuously moving a player character for a predetermined time period of a game is previously stored as automatic operation data. Automatic control means moves the player character based on the automatic operation data. Furthermore, the automatic control means receives a play start operation indicating that the player starts to play the game while the automatic control means moves the player character. A movement of the player character controlled based on the automatic operation data is finished at a time when the play start operation is received, and the movement of the player character starts to be controlled based on an operation of the player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi Yamada, Hidemaro Fujibayashi, Eiji Aonuma
  • Patent number: 9808721
    Abstract: A video game includes conditional access to areas of the game. An area may be unlocked when particular game characters are at an entrance to the area. An area may be unlocked for a particular character, for all characters, or for categories of characters. Categories of characters may include characters of a particular type, characters of a particular skill level, characters controlled by a particular game player, and characters previously played in the video game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Activision Publishing, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Reiche
  • Patent number: 9808706
    Abstract: An multi-dimensional game comprises a physical component including a game board and game pieces and a virtual component including a virtual environment displayed on a display device. A user is able to play the game by interacting with the virtual or physical component, wherein in order to complete tasks in the game the user must transition between interacting with the virtual component and the physical component. The physical component comprises game blocks, which are able to couple to each other and form objects that are then represented in the virtual component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: TWEEDLETECH, LLC
    Inventors: Steve Jaqua, Michel Martin Maharbiz, Theodore Morichau-Beaucchant
  • Patent number: 9802130
    Abstract: The invention disclosed herein relates to a video game system comprising a video game console and an object or toy used in connection with the video game console, wherein the object or toy has a rewritable data storage device, and wherein the video game console stores information in the rewritable data storage device in response to game play events occurring in a first gaming session. The stored information is subsequently retrieved by the video game console in a second gaming session, and the retrieved information is used to conduct the game play of the second gaming session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Activision Publishing, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Reiche, Ray West, Robert Leyland, Daniel Neil, Kern Corrigan
  • Patent number: 9764229
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a system configured to unlock digital content related to toys associated with users. The digital content may be unlocked based on the associations between the toys and the users, and presence of objects associated with user accounts at predetermined geographic locations. The predetermined geographic locations may be locations within theme parks, restaurants, stores, and/or hotels. The toys associated with the users may include, for example, toys owned by the users. The toys may include physical toys and/or virtual toys in a virtual space. The objects associated with user accounts may include, for example, a mobile phone belonging to the user. The user accounts may be electronic accounts associated with individual users that include information related to the toys associated with users and information related to the objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: C. Matthew Dawson
  • Patent number: 9751011
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a system comprises game state information, a first user device, a second user device, and a processing server. The first and second user devices may include a first and second user interface modules configured to receive first and second user selections, respectively, associated with gameplay of a multiplayer game. The processing server may include a communication module, a simulation module, and rendering module. The communication module may be configured to receive the first and second user selections. The simulation module may be configured to generate simulation results based on the game state information, game rules, and the first and second user selections. The rendering module may be configured to render a first video based on the simulation results and render a second video based on the simulation results, the first and second video to be displayed by the first and second user devices, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: ELECTRONICS ARTS, INC.
    Inventors: Roy Harvey, Neil Do
  • Patent number: 9744463
    Abstract: The APPARATUS, METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CREW MECHANICS IN MULTIPLAYER GAMES (hereinafter “CMMG”) the CMMG platform transforms in game status of a user's social content item via CMMG components into a content item with layered integration of additional content indicative of status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Zynga Inc.
    Inventor: Andres Cantor
  • Patent number: 9656119
    Abstract: An exercise information display system of the present invention includes a sensor device which obtains data associated with a motion status of a human body during an exercise, a data processing device which generates plural types of exercise information based on the data obtained by the sensor device, and a viewing device which displays, from among the plural types of exercise information, at least first information indicating a posture of the human body during the exercise and second information associated with the first information in a display format where the first information and the second information are displayed in conjunction with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuo Ura, Masao Sambongi
  • Patent number: 9489803
    Abstract: A system and method for operating gaming systems, such as casino gaming systems and methods, is provided with increasing or improving odds of winning. A display device displays a play area or game board having a plurality of interactive regions some of which are winning regions with others being losing regions. A player may select a region for wagering a fixed wager amount. When the player selects a winning region, the player may elect to take the payout or play at least one additional round of play with the payout. The probability of winning in each additional round of play is increased while increasing the payout by the fixed wager amount. When a losing region is selected, the payout accumulated from the rounds of play is lost. The game mechanic provides for long sequences of wins, or winning streaks, to attract players while reducing variance caused by large jackpot payouts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Inventor: Justin Wald
  • Patent number: 9489793
    Abstract: Various embodiments that may generally relate to mobile gaming, location determination, mobile devices, authentication, and so on are described. Various methods are described. Various apparatus are described. Further embodiments are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: CFPH, LLC
    Inventors: Paul Williams, Matthew Morrissette, Stephane Minisini
  • Patent number: 9430910
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system and methods of conducting a lottery, the system comprising a gaming server in communication with a wireless communication device associated with a wireless network, wherein the gaming server in response to receiving a request from a lottery subscriber, generates chance units by debiting an amount from a billing system associated with the wireless network, quantifies the debited amount into chance units and credits the chance units into a chance unit account. The chance units are used thereof by the lottery subscriber to submit entries in lotteries. The invention further provides for methods of registering lottery subscribers, submitting entries in lotteries and performing a lottery draw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Inventor: Ndonye Mackenzie
  • Patent number: 9381430
    Abstract: A video game includes a peripheral device that senses the presence and identity of toys near or on the peripheral. Each of the toys includes an identification device such as an RFID tag. Each of the toys is also associated with a corresponding game character or object. The interactive video game presents a play pattern such that when a toy is detected in a detection area of the peripheral, the virtual game system may process the placement of the toy so as to effectuate a video game control action such as an attack or a maneuver to evade an enemy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Activision Publishing, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Reiche, Daniel Gerstein
  • Patent number: 9355524
    Abstract: The present invention is a gaming machine, including a display which displays a plurality of cells for presenting a plurality of symbols in a game, a processor which executes the game, chooses at least two cells from the plurality of cells and a symbol from the plurality of symbols and presents the chosen symbol in the chosen cells, and a payout device which awards a reward according to an symbol arrangement on the cells, wherein each of the plurality of cells displays a symbol independently from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: KONAMI GAMING, INC.
    Inventors: Satoshi Suda, Deven Hubbard