Patents Examined by Benjamin H. Layno
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Patent number: 7857315Abstract: A dominos-style mathematical operation game is provided with a plurality of dominos style type game pieces. Each game piece is defined by a polyhedron with a top and bottom face. Each face is divided into a left and right section with a mathematical operation therebetween.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2008Date of Patent: December 28, 2010Inventor: Leon Ray Hoyt
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Patent number: 7854430Abstract: A device for shuffling a deck of playing cards is described. The cards are placed in a compartment having a shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, and dimensioned so that the cards are constrained in rotation in two of the three axes. The device is oriented so that a thickness dimension of the deck is horizontal, and groups of cards of the deck of cards are ejected in a vertical direction so as to provide a spacing of between a top edge of cards at rest and a bottom edge of the cards being ejected. The time duration of the ejection process is sufficient to effectively randomize the deck of cards. The ejection of cards may be by a plurality of pistons, and the pistons may be actuated by a motor, a solenoid or by air pressure.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2008Date of Patent: December 21, 2010Assignee: Shuffle Tech International LLCInventor: Hirohide Toyama
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Patent number: 7850172Abstract: An apparatus includes a multisurfaced object having at least a first surface and a second surface, with at least a first symbol disposed on the first surface and a second symbol disposed on the second surface. The apparatus also includes a container having an interior compartment and an opening in the container, wherein the multisurfaced object is positioned within the interior compartment, and at least the first surface is visible through the opening. The apparatus further comprises a mechanism associated with the multisurfaced object, adapted to rotate the multisurfaced object such that the second symbol is visible through the opening.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2009Date of Patent: December 14, 2010Inventor: Phillip J. Best
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Patent number: 7845641Abstract: A method of hosting a press-your-luck challenge includes receiving a stake from a player and iteratively beginning phases of the press-your-luck challenge. Each phase of the press-your-luck challenge comprises dealing an active subset of game items from a set of game items. If the active subset of game items is defeated by an immediately previous subset of game items, the press-your-luck challenge is ended. If the active subset of game items is not defeated by an immediately previous subset of game items, the player is offered a return equal to a total value of the active subset of game items. If the player accepts the return, the player is awarded the return and the press-your-luck challenge ends. If the player declines the return, a subsequent phase of the press-your-luck challenge is begun.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2008Date of Patent: December 7, 2010Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: John Miller, Jason York, Benjamin Ellinger
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Patent number: 7845643Abstract: Each of fifty-two playing cards has upper and lower portions when the card is in a selected orientation. Each card has a first face side with two numbers visible on its upper portion and the same two numbers visible on its lower portion. The two numbers are vertically oriented with respect to one another, are arranged in an identical order on the card's upper and lower portions, and are right side up on the card's upper portion and upside down on the card's lower portion. Each the two numbers is between 1 and 13, and is red or black.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2009Date of Patent: December 7, 2010Assignee: Cydewl, LLCInventor: Reed K. Gram, Jr.
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Patent number: 7832732Abstract: A game with interlocking game pieces includes a first set of game pieces each comprising a game surface, a first side surface having a first concave portion and a first convex portion extending from the first concave portion and a second side surface having a second concave portion and a second convex portion extending from the second concave portion. A second set of game pieces are mirror images of and interlock with the first set of game pieces. A game piece face provided on the game surface of each of the first set of game pieces and the second set of game pieces.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2008Date of Patent: November 16, 2010Inventors: Pedro A. Torres, Mary B. Torres
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Patent number: 7832728Abstract: A game of defending statements with persuasive arguments consisting of a tossing bag, a “frequency” block, two equivalent “equation” blocks; three “verb” blocks and ten “noun” blocks, a number of which are shook inside the bag, then tossed onto a table top by a so-called author who then must form and then refine a statement from the words and symbols on the face up topsides of the tossed blocks, then contrive an argument based upon the statement meant to result in the articulation of a discernible concept, challengeable however by non-author players of the game; then requiring a defense of such an argument, resulting in an awarding of playing points or not depending upon the assessment by a majority of such non-author players as to the merits of such an argument or defense whereupon one; once an author-player; then becomes a challenger-player as another player, formerly a challenger then becomes an author.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2006Date of Patent: November 16, 2010Inventor: John Perry
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Patent number: 7810815Abstract: A new baseball player card is disclosed. A new baseball game is also disclosed. The baseball player cards have game playing indicia on the face of the card.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2008Date of Patent: October 12, 2010Inventor: Casey Connaway
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Patent number: 7802793Abstract: A game of chance playable by two or more players and a method of playing the game, the game of chance comprising a gaming ticket (2) including removable first portions (8) removable by a first player to reveal first indicia and removable second portions (10) removable by a second player to reveal second indicia, wherein the first and second players compete against each other by removing the respective removable first indicia until a winner of the game is determined.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2005Date of Patent: September 28, 2010Assignee: Golden Casket Lottery Corporation LimitedInventors: Nicola Jane Mahar, Rachel King, Lisa Waugh, Ben Allen
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Patent number: 7789393Abstract: A resource component for a game system. The resource component has a game play structure. It also has a linking mechanism. The linking mechanism is arranged about the game play structure. During play of the game, the linking mechanism dictates a gameplay condition. This gameplay condition is the availability of the game play structure to be included into the game system by linking to opposing resource components already present in the game play system. The game system is build around a central component.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2007Date of Patent: September 7, 2010Assignee: Matter Group LLCInventors: Amy E. Tucker, Tyler Bielman
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Patent number: 7784790Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for moving playing cards from a first group of cards into a second group of cards, wherein the second group of cards is randomly arranged or shuffled. The apparatus comprises a card receiver for receiving the first group of cards, a single stack of card-receiving compartments generally adjacent to the card receiver, the stack generally vertically movable, an elevator for moving the stack, a card-moving mechanism between the card receiver and the stack for moving cards one at a time into a selected one of the compartments, another card moving mechanism for moving cards from one of the compartments to a second card receiver and a microprocessor that controls the card-moving mechanisms and the elevator. A count of cards within specified areas of the card handling system is maintained and card handling is halted and all cards counted by adding a count of all cards not within the specified areas to the total of cards counted within the specified areas.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2008Date of Patent: August 31, 2010Assignee: Shuffle Master, IncInventors: Attila Grauzer, Feraidoon Bourbour, Robert J. Rynda, Paul K. Scheper, James B. Stasson, Ronald R. Swanson
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Patent number: 7775521Abstract: Disclosed is a ball blower apparatus for facilitating games of chance. The ball blower apparatus has a motor-driven ball carriage mechanism that captures air-ejected balls from a ball mixing chamber and carries the captured ball to an inlet of a ball return tube that extends downward to a bottom of the ball mixing chamber. Captured balls travel down the tube under air pressure generated by an air blower. The air pressure also prevents the balls from electro-statically clinging to walls of the tube. The balls may be bar-coded and scanned by a barcode reader while being handled by the ball carriage mechanism. A computer interfaced with the barcode reader automatically controls the operation of the ball blower including the operation of the carriage motor, air blower(s) and a solenoid that controls the egress of balls from the ball return tube into the mixing chamber. A TV camera may also be utilized to capture and visually display numbers associated with the balls.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2008Date of Patent: August 17, 2010Assignee: FortuNet, Inc.Inventors: Yuri Itkis, Horia Mihai Preda, Ioan M. Puscas
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Patent number: 7775522Abstract: An automatic dice shaking system includes multiple dice seat holders each having two locating grooves, multiple dice seats selectively attachable to the dice seat holders, each dice seat having an inner thread and locating rods attachable to the locating grooves of one dice seat holder to prohibit rotation of the respective dice seat relative to the respective dice seat holder, a dice cup connectable to one dice seat by threading an outer thread thereof into the inner thread of one dice seat and movable with the connected dice seat away from the dice seat holders to shake the respective set of dice, and a mechanical arm controllable to move the dice cup horizontally and vertically and to rotate the device cup.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2008Date of Patent: August 17, 2010Inventor: Tzu-Hsiang Tseng
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Patent number: 7770892Abstract: A gaming device having a container configured to hold a plurality of display objects, an agitator for moving the plurality of display objects, a prize object holder configured to hold a plurality of prize objects in an individually controlled manner, a prize object display located inside of the container and configured to receive at least one prize object from the prize object holder, and a controller configured to select a prize object from the prize object holder and cause the selected prize object to be displayed in the prize object display, is disclosed. In one embodiment, the prize object display includes a tubular exhibition container. In another embodiment, the display object container of the gaming device is configured to provide a jumbled ball display. In addition, a method for playing a game by providing the prize object display inside of the display object container of the aforementioned gaming device is disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2007Date of Patent: August 10, 2010Assignee: Atlantic City Coin & Slot Service Company, Inc.Inventors: Jerald C. Seelig, Lawrence M. Henshaw
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Patent number: 7770891Abstract: A method for varying the symbols used on a mechanical reel strip are disclosed. A reel strip comprises a plurality of symbols, each of the symbols associated with a symbol group. Each of the symbol groups is associated with a symbol group designation position on the reel strip. By varying the designation position on the reel strip, the symbols used with each reel strip can be modified. When multiple mechanical reels are used in a gaming machine, the symbol designating position for each reel strip can be the same as any other reel strip or can vary from any of the other reel strips. As such, an endless number of games and game variations may be created and deployed.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2008Date of Patent: August 10, 2010Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.Inventor: Stanley Kromydas
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Patent number: 7766333Abstract: A card shuffling system and method operates with four card hoppers arranged into first and second pairs. In the operation of the system, a first pair of card hoppers holds approximately two halves of a deck, which are then selectively interlaced together and supplied to the other pair of hoppers with the cards interlaced first into one of the second pair of hoppers and then into the other. The cards then are selectively interlaced from the hoppers of the second pair of hoppers back to the hoppers of the first pair of hoppers, with the operation being repeated, if desired.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2008Date of Patent: August 3, 2010Inventors: Bob Stardust, Richard L. Maggio
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Patent number: 7762554Abstract: A card output device for a shuffling machine is mounted adjacent to a shuffling wheel of a shuffling device and has a housing and a stacking assembly, a pushing assembly and three sensors being mounted in the housing. When the sensors sense that there are cards on the stacking assembly, the stacking assembly and the pushing assembly begin to push the cards toward an outlet of the housing and the shuffling device stops pushing the cards out of the shuffling wheel. When there are fewer cards being stacked in the outlet of the housing, the shuffling device begins to push the cards out of the shuffling wheel and into the card output device. Therefore, the cards are not scattered around the outlet of the card output device and keep a desk for playing a card game neat and tidy.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2008Date of Patent: July 27, 2010Assignee: Taiwan Fulgent Enterprise Co., Ltd.Inventor: Cai-Shiang Ho
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Patent number: 7762555Abstract: A device for holding and viewing playing cards is herein provided and discloses an apparatus that allows the viewing of playing cards that are placed down on the device for players who have limited use of their hands or would benefit from such a device. The device takes the form of an angled stand, preferably comprising approximate dimensions of four (4) inches by six (6) inches where a portion of this area is used to hold the cards face down, as placed there by a dealer or a player's assistant. The device is shielded so that adjacent players are denied the ability to view the cards. A dual mirror assembly is visible through a viewing window that is used by the player. In such a manner, players with limited or no use of their hands or arms can see their cards in an easy manner without the aid of another person. Alternate embodiments for the present device comprise different sizes to facilitate any number of playing cards required by desired card games.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2008Date of Patent: July 27, 2010Inventors: David A. Hofferber, Christopher P. Farrell
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Patent number: 7753374Abstract: An automatic shuffling machine has a shuffling wheel and a card input mounted adjacent to the shuffling wheel for conveying and inserting cards into slots formed in the shuffling wheel. An insertion panel is mounted securely between the card input and the shuffling wheel, may be a curved shape corresponding to the shuffling wheel and has a tangent surface opposite to the shuffling wheel and an abutting portion disposed between an inlet passage of the card input and one corresponding card slot of the shuffling wheel. Thus, by controlling the rotation of the shuffling wheel, the automatic shuffling machine input the cards in a simple and efficient manner.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2008Date of Patent: July 13, 2010Assignee: Taiwan Fulgent Enterprise Co., Ltd.Inventor: Cai-Shiang Ho
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Patent number: 7744087Abstract: A automatic dice shaking apparatus that uses a mechanical arm to substitute for labor in performing dice cup and dice seat joining, dice shaking and dice cup opening actions automatically, improving game fairness and reducing the personnel cost.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2008Date of Patent: June 29, 2010Inventor: Tzu-Hsiang Tseng