Patents Examined by Bach Hoang
  • Patent number: 9011236
    Abstract: A gaming system compatible with patron-controlled mobile devices, such as smart phones or tablet computers, is described. The gaming system can be configured to convert a presentation of an outcome of a wager-based game played on an electronic gaming machine (EGM) into a social media presentation that can be uploaded to a social media site. In one embodiment, a copy of an image showing the outcome of the wager-based that is output on an EGM can be incorporated into the social media presentation. Then, the social media presentation can be uploaded from the EGM to a player's mobile device or directly to a social media site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Dwayne R. Nelson, Steven G. Lemay
  • Patent number: 9005018
    Abstract: A gaming system identifies, from a gaming network having a cluster of electronic gaming machines (EGMs), those of the EGMs having an availability and unavailability for use. Those of the EGMs having the availability for use are organized. A user selects one of the organized EGMs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: Durga S. Maddhali
  • Patent number: 8998692
    Abstract: A system and method may provide sets or packets of playing cards for forming part or all of a hand of playing cards. Each set or packet may be formed before starting to form another set or packet. Sets or packets may be formed in respective playing card receiving compartments. The playing cards may be withdrawn from a plurality of playing card receiving compartments of an intermediary playing card receiver in random or pseudo-random fashion, which may, or may not, be based at least in part on the selected payout or house odds and/or house advantage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Soltys
  • Patent number: 8961296
    Abstract: A gaming table allows late bets and bet re-characterizations to increase the action available to the player during a single game instance. Such late bets and bet re-characterizations are tracked through the use of an additional token associated with the wager stack of the player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Walker Digital Table Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Jay S. Walker
  • Patent number: 8961324
    Abstract: Methods and system for encoded information processing are described. In one embodiment, an encoded pattern may be optically detected from source media. Gaming data and associated synchronization data may be decoded from the encoded pattern. The gaming data may be synchronized for use during gaming based on the synchronization data. Additional methods and systems are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Koplar Interactive Systems International, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Edward J. Koplar
  • Patent number: 8951119
    Abstract: An input device implemented as two-dimensional sensor mat, wherein the two-dimensional sensor mat is divided into a plurality of sensor fields that can be activated by touch, wherein, in a multiple-occupancy operating mode, at least part of the sensor fields each have several different sensor field occupancies, and wherein the different sensor field occupancies of a sensor field are associated with a different number of times this sensor field is touched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Martina Lucht, Swen Gaudl
  • Patent number: 8944932
    Abstract: A calculating unit of a swing analyzer calculates, assuming that a golf club is in a uniform circular motion about a virtual center of rotation O during a swing, a virtual speed Vh at a central point R of a golf club head, based on a distance between first and second acceleration sensors, a distance between the first acceleration sensor and the central point R of a golf club head and outputs from the first and second acceleration sensors, and calculates the speed of central point R of a golf club head utilizing the virtual speed Vh.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Mizuno Corporation
    Inventors: Fuminobu Sato, Hiroshi Nagao, Takashi Kimura
  • Patent number: 8944909
    Abstract: The invention provides a prize redemption system for use with one or more game apparatuses. A game is provided on a game apparatus for a player to play in exchange for monetary input, and prize credits are credited to the player based on the game outcome. A prize selection menu is then displayed by the game apparatus, the menu including one or more prizes, where the player may select a prize that has a prize cost within the player's prize credit amount. The player is dispensed a specific prize ticket that is redeemable for the selected prize. The game apparatus can also provide specific prizes and tournament games played for a tournament prize contributed to by multiple players. An operator can adjust prizes and payout percentages of the system to achieve a desired profitability for game apparatuses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Bryan M. Kelly, Matthew F. Kelly, John G. Kroeckel, John E. Link, Norman P. Petermeier
  • Patent number: 8939840
    Abstract: There is provided a system and method for playsets using tracked objects and corresponding virtual worlds. There is provided an object for use with a physical environment and connectable to a virtual world corresponding to the physical environment, the object including a processor and a plurality of sensors including a position sensor. The processor is configured to establish a first connection with the virtual world, wherein the virtual world contains a virtual object corresponding to the object, determine a position of the object using the position sensor, and send the position of the object using the first connection. There is also provided a physical environment having similar capabilities as the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher W. Heatherly, Christopher K. Shin, Natasha Berling, Robert Saygan, Leonard J. Mazzocco, Tara Cortner Hefter
  • Patent number: 8851475
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a gaming system for providing a random number, comprising a touch screen, and a control unit connected to the touch screen, wherein the control unit is configured to identify a user movement on the touch screen corresponding to an activation signal for generating a random number, provide the activation signal to a random number generator, receive a random number from the random number generator, and display the random number on the touch screen, wherein the random number generator is an externally arranged hardware random number generator configured to receive a gambling device for generating the random number. Advantages with the invention include for example increased security in relation to manual operation of a dice game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Tangiamo AB
    Inventors: Mats Nordahl, Jimmy Eiterjord
  • Patent number: 8845442
    Abstract: A method of determining spin parameters of a spot ball, such as spin axis and rotation velocity of a golf ball. The spin axis is determined solely from the trajectory of the flying ball, and the rotational velocity is determined from a frequency analysis of a signal provided by a radar, which signal comprises spectrum traces positioned equidistantly in frequency, which frequency distance relates to the spin velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Trackman A/S
    Inventor: Fredrik Tuxen
  • Patent number: 8840462
    Abstract: Various methods for administering a tournament game on a plurality of gaming machines are disclosed herein. According to one method, at least one networked gaming machine is reconfigured into a tournament mode. A gaming system then establishes one or more tournament bonus prizes. The tournament game play is initiated on the networked gaming machine. One or more tournament bonus prizes are awarded if a preselected criteria is achieved during play of the tournament game. At the conclusion of the tournament game, one or more tournament prizes are awarded to one or more winners of the tournament game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Pravinkumar Patel, Joshua D. Larsen
  • Patent number: 8834274
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising one or more servers of a hosting service server center and a RAID that stores geometry for objects of a complex scene. The RAID being coupled to the one or more application or game servers and being operable to interactively stream the geometry on-the-fly during real-time animation associated with running of a game or application on the one or more servers. The geometry is being streamed with substantially no detectable latency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: OL2, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen G. Perlman, Roger van der Laan
  • Patent number: 8827813
    Abstract: A gaming system compatible with patron-controlled mobile devices, such as smart phones or tablet computers, is described. The gaming system can be configured to convert a presentation of an outcome of a wager-based game played on an electronic gaming machine (EGM) into a social media presentation that can be uploaded to a social media site. In one embodiment, a copy of an image showing the outcome of the wager-based that is output on an EGM can be incorporated into the social media presentation. Then, the social media presentation can be uploaded from the EGM to a player's mobile device or directly to a social media site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Steven G. Lemay, Dwayne R. Nelson
  • Patent number: 8827814
    Abstract: A gaming system compatible with patron-controlled mobile devices, such as smart phones or tablet computers, is described. The gaming system can be configured to convert a presentation of an outcome of a wager-based game played on an electronic gaming machine (EGM) into a social media presentation that can be uploaded to a social media site. In one embodiment, a copy of an image showing the outcome of the wager-based that is output on an EGM can be incorporated into the social media presentation. Then, the social media presentation can be uploaded from the EGM to a player's mobile device or directly to a social media site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Steven G. Lemay, Dwayne R. Nelson
  • Patent number: 8814677
    Abstract: Techniques are described for providing a painting and thinning mechanic within a computer-generated environment (e.g., in a video game). The painting and thinning mechanic allows geometry within the computer-generated environment to be “painted” or “thinned.” Painting and thinning refers to a mechanic that involves making parts of the virtual environment visibly and collidably transparent (thinning) or visibly and collidably opaque (painting). The painting/thinning mechanic may be achieved using binary space partitioning (BSP) trees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey N. Grills, Peter J. Shelus, III, Bruce F. Naylor, Matt Baer
  • Patent number: 8801518
    Abstract: Provided in embodiments of the present invention is a method of wagering on a plurality of events. In one embodiment, the method includes accepting a plurality of participants to wager on the events and providing each participant with a fantasy bankroll of money to wager on the events. After the participants have been provided with their respective fantasy bankrolls, wagers from the participants on a first event are received. After the event has been completed, a finishing order of the participants is determined. Next, a portion of the participants is cut based on the finishing order to form a group of finalists. The finalist wager on a second event and a finishing order of the finalists is determined from the outcome of the second event. Prizes are then awarded based on the finishing order of the finalists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Inventors: Steven Lipscomb, Laurence Kalinsky, Jon Kaplowitz, Adam Strohl, Mandy Glogow, Bill Olson, Drew Couto, William Koch, Gary Fenton
  • Patent number: 8795046
    Abstract: In another embodiment of the present invention a computer-implemented method for displaying a draw result is provided, comprising: generating a draw result, wherein the draw result indicates at least a first place winner; rendering with a computer a first video presentation for display at a first terminal, wherein the first video presentation comprises first content and an indication of the draw result; rendering with a computer a second video presentation for display at a second terminal, wherein the second video presentation comprises second content and an indication of the draw result, and wherein the first content is distinct from the second content; transmitting the first video presentation to the first terminal; and transmitting the second video presentation to the second terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Intralot S.A.—Integrated Lottery Systems and Services
    Inventors: Constantinos Antonopoulos, Andreas Boronikolos, Yannis Minadakis
  • Patent number: 8795045
    Abstract: The realm of fantasy sports gaming is expanded beyond the selection of current, active athletes by including former athletes, or former seasons for current athletes, in a selection pool for fantasy sports leagues. This is accomplished by querying databases of sports statistics for the purpose of generating a mock performance that can be fairly compared and incorporated with real-time performances generated by current athletes actively participating in the same sport. The end result is a realistic, yet unpredictable, statistical box score for a former athlete that can be translated via a point system for the purpose of fantasy sports league play.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Four O'Clock Fantasy Sports Concepts LLC
    Inventors: Eric M Sorrells, Jared A Davis
  • Patent number: 8795085
    Abstract: A computer readable medium having a computer program stored thereon for operating a computer system to track golf scores and side games. The computer program may comprise a code segment for receiving with the computer system course information and player information for a round of golf; a code segment for receiving with the computer system side game information for side games to be played by players of the round of golf; a code segment for receiving with the computer system scoring information for the players as they play the round of golf; and a code segment for scoring with the computer system the round of golf and calculating results of the side games based at least partially on the player information and the scoring information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Inventor: Kyle Walter Kryger