Patents Examined by Benjamin H. Layno
  • Patent number: 7744088
    Abstract: A automatic dice shaking method includes the step of a) positioning a dice seat of a dice box on a plane, b) joining a dice cup of the dice box to the dice seat, c) shaking the dice box in which a plurality of dice are contained, d) positioning the dice seat with which the dice cup is joined on the plane, and e) separating the dice cup from the dice seat. By means of controlling a computer-controlled mechanical arm to run dice shaking and dice cup separating actions automatically, the automatic dice shaking method improves game fairness and helps reduce the personnel cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Inventor: Tzu-Hsiang Tseng
  • Patent number: 7740244
    Abstract: A card cartridge for shuffling machines has a body and a cover. The body has a longitudinal slot defined in the body in a slantwise manner for receiving cards discharged from the shuffling machine, and at least two stops protrude oppositely from two side edges of the body to define a drawing gap. The cover is mounted detachably on the body and has a tail extending slantwise into the slot and two side panels abutting two side surfaces of the body to ensure the cover is stably positioned on the body. Furthermore, a wedge is movably disposed in the slot, selectively moving toward the second end of the body to press the cards toward the stops. When playing a card game, the body is implemented horizontally and the wedge moves along the slot to press the cards so players can easily draw cards sequentially from the drawing gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Taiwan Fulgent Enterprise Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Cai-Shiang Ho
  • Patent number: 7727065
    Abstract: A gaming system having a centralized controller coupled to an array of game apparatus; a display device, including a plurality of prize object displays, for displaying a bonus event prize for at least one game apparatus in the array; and provision for holding prize objects in an individually controlled manner, is disclosed. In another embodiment, a gaming system including a plurality of game apparatus, each game apparatus having a plurality of prize objects where at least one prize object is a dynamic prize object, the latter being distinguishable from other prize objects; and a central controller in communication with the plurality of game apparatus, the central controller being configured to assign a prize value to a selected prize object if the selected prize object is a dynamic prize object and cause the prize value to be displayed to a player on the associated game apparatus, is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Atlantic City Coin & Slot Service Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Jerald C. Seelig, Lawrence M. Henshaw
  • Patent number: 7722046
    Abstract: A game apparatus having a roulette wheel with a plurality of wheel sections, a pointer for randomly selecting one of the wheel sections, and a playing surface adapted for placing wagers concerning the randomly selected wheel section. Each of the wheel sections has two separate number representations, such as the faces of a pair of dice, which are summed to represent a summation for the wheel section. The playing surface has a plurality of wager sections corresponding to the summations of the wheel sections on the roulette wheel. The roulette wheel can further include a second plurality of wheel sections having representations of the suits of a deck of playing cards thereon and the playing surface can further include one or more wager sections corresponding to the second plurality of wheel sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Inventors: Sidney Robert Lawrence, John Royal Jensen
  • Patent number: 7722048
    Abstract: A playing card wagering game has a player hand compete against another player hand according to three-card poker rank or a player hand compete against a dealer hand. At least one or two players place a first wager on the card wagering game and an optional second side bet wager. The player hand begins with two respective hole cards and all player hands are completed with community playing cards dealt in sets of cards. Relative rank of the players' hands is determined. The first wager is resolved based upon the determined relative rank by determining which player hand(s) wins. The second wager is resolved according to rules that comprise comparing rank of each player's hand to a paytable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Inventors: Ray Smith, Amanda Tears Smith
  • Patent number: 7722047
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of playing a game provides a player with at least one option for playing at least one round of the game in accordance with at least one advantage and/or disadvantage. For example, a player may agree to play a current round of play and/or at least one future round of play in accordance with a revised rule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Jay S. Walker, James A. Jorasch, Peter Kim, Geoffrey M. Gelman, Peter J. Vogel, Michael D. Downs
  • Patent number: 7717429
    Abstract: Various embodiments include determining a value of a statistic describing cards that have been dealt from a deck, and modifying the rules of a game based on the statistic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: CFPH, LLC
    Inventors: Howard W. Lutnick, Stephen M. Merkel
  • Patent number: 7717427
    Abstract: A distinct dealing shoe having no shuffling functionality receives shuffled, randomized or ordered group of cards. The cards may be mechanically moved one at a time from a receiving area for the deck to a buffer area where more than one card is temporarily stored. The cards in the buffer area are then mechanically moved to a card delivery area where the cards may be manually removed, one-at-a-time, by a dealer. The cards are read one-at-a-time inside of the dealing shoe, either before the buffer area or after leaving the buffer area, but preferably before the cards are being manually removed from the card delivery area. The information from the card reading may be used for game tracking, hand tracking, player information, and other security issues at casino table card games.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Shuffle Master, Inc.
    Inventors: Atilla Grauzer, Oliver M. Schubert, James V. Kelly, James B. Stasson, Paul K. Scheper
  • Patent number: 7717426
    Abstract: In one embodiment there is provided a self contained dice tumbler device. The device includes an interior lateral panel positioned within the interior of the device and which separates the interior into a tumbler compartment and a holding compartment. The holding compartment can be used to store playing cards. The device also includes at least one ramp in the tumbler compartment that leads to an exit opening. Dice dropped into the tumbler compartment can get scrambled and will slide out of the exit opening. The cover the top and exit opening on the device, a hinged panel door is included. The hinged panel door has a rear panel to cover the exit opening and a top panel to cover the top of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Fundex Games, Ltd.
    Inventors: Craig Malmloff, Tony Martin, Michael Murphy
  • Patent number: 7717787
    Abstract: A gaming device and method for controlling operating the gaming device is disclosed. The gaming device initiates a paid play, and determines an outcome of the play. The outcome is visually displayed using at least two graphical displays. The graphical displays comprise a first and second visual continuum, without discrete reel stops. The outcome is represented by the relative positions of the first and second visual continuums. The outcome may also be based on the relative position of the first and second continuums to a payline. A payout corresponding to the outcome is determined by the device, and is awarded to the player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Jay S. Walker, James A. Jorasch
  • Patent number: 7712741
    Abstract: A lottery ticket and continuous process of forming the same in which the front and rear surfaces of the lottery ticket and provided with scratch-off lottery games which may be accessed by the player without first having to remove a break-open window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Oberthur Gaming Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Claude Lambert
  • Patent number: 7708630
    Abstract: A gaming device including a game operable upon one or more wagers. The game is operable for a first play and a second play. Each one of the plays involves a spin of a rotor. The rotor has a plurality of symbols and a plurality of ball landings adjacent to the symbols. A first quantity of the ball landings is available for the first play, and a lower, second quantity of the ball landings is available for the second play. The gaming device also includes an indicator that is operable to indicate information relating to the availability of the second quantity of ball landings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: Mark C. Nicely
  • Patent number: 7704140
    Abstract: A method for playing a game of chance and system for facilitating the play of the game are disclosed, in which an initial ticket containing initial game play information is received, a second ticket containing additional game play information is received, and the combination of the initial game play information and the additional game play information determines if the second ticket is a winning ticket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: GTECH Rhode Island Corporation
    Inventor: Richard Finocchio
  • Patent number: 7699316
    Abstract: A gaming system having a container configured to hold a plurality of display objects, an agitator for moving the plurality of display objects, at least one prize object holder configured to hold a plurality of prize objects in an individually controlled manner, a plurality of prize object displays located inside of the container and configured to receive at least one prize object from the prize object holder, a plurality of game apparatus associated with the prize object displays, and a controller configured to select a prize object and cause the selected prize object to be displayed in at least one prize object display, is disclosed. In one embodiment, the prize object displays include a tubular exhibition container. In another embodiment, the display object container of the gaming device is configured to provide a jumbled ball display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Atlantic City Coin & Slot Service Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Jerald C. Seelig, Lawrence M. Henshaw
  • Patent number: 7699318
    Abstract: A method of wagering for games where there can be more than one player hand dealt and each player hand is compared to a Dealer hand. The method of wagering adds an option to wager that the Dealer hand will beat a particular player hand, a wager that the Dealer hand will push with or tie a particular player hand, or both additional wagers. The method of wagering may be supported by a special layout for wagers on the Dealer hand, and this layout may be able to move around the table or it may be stationary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: TAJA Enterprises, LLC
    Inventor: Bernard Chung Bon Ko
  • Patent number: 7694967
    Abstract: A dice cup for use in dice games involving concealment of the dice, including an open top end and an open bottom end, a closed opaque wall extending therebetween, and a longitudinal axis. A plurality of spaced-apart slats are disposed across the bottom end so as to define a plurality of viewing holes. The slats prevent dice from being ejected from the cup when said cup is shaken with said top end covered, and when the cup is inverted to cover dice on a flat surface, the slats provide an impediment to seeing the dice through the viewing holes unless viewed at a sufficiently small angle relative to said longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Inventor: Thierry Denoual
  • Patent number: 7694969
    Abstract: A wagering game simulates competitive events and terminology. The game is played by: a player placing at least one wager to play in the wagering game; casting three dice to generate a random event, the three dice consisting of two dice whose exposed numbers are used to define a numeric result, and the third die used to characterize that numeric result in event result tables or paytables; comparing the random event of the casting of the three dice with the paytables to determine wagering or game events from the random event; and resolving wins or losses based upon the random event; moving a game piece in a continuing of the wagering game; or both resolving wins or losses based upon the random event and moving a game piece in a continuing of the wagering game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Inventor: Jamie Abrahamson
  • Patent number: 7694971
    Abstract: A method for arranging indicia on a game surface and on an associated roulette wheel. Indicia indicating numbers from 1 through 60 are arranged on the game surface in ascending order with half of the numbers associated with a first color and half associated with a second color. The numbers are arranged in three groups of twenty, each group having five even numbers and five odd numbers associated with each of the two colors. Indicia indicating each of the numbers are arranged on a roulette wheel such that no two adjacent numbers on the roulette wheel are associated with a same color, are disposed in a same group, are disposed in a same column, are disposed in a same row, or are disposed adjacent one another on the game surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Inventor: Nicholas Sorge
  • Patent number: 7690655
    Abstract: The player is dealt two hole cards. Each opponent is dealt two hole cards. The player has the option to raise or check. If the player raises, all opponents must raise. If the player checks, all opponents must check. Then three community cards are dealt. If the player raises or checks, all opponents must raise or check likewise. Then the final two community cards are dealt. If the player raises or checks, all opponents must raise or check likewise. All of the opponents hole cards are exposed. Whoever has the highest five card poker hand by category wins the pot. If two or more of the opponents and the player have the same highest five card poker hand by category, the hand is a tie and the pot carries over to the next round of play.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Inventor: Ernest W Moody
  • Patent number: 7686306
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of playing a variation of Roulette, permit a player to place a bet on the outcome of a spin of the Roulette wheel in combination with the outcome of one or more other random events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Inventor: Chi Fat Au-Yeung