Abstract: Competitions involving video game players may include competitions subsidiary to a purpose of video game play, and may be bounded in time, either across play of multiple video games or within play of a particular video game.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for providing coaching, training, or equipment specification information to individual golfers based on data generated during their individual golf swings. Additionally, data hubs are described that provide information and services to individuals based on data collected for a community of multiple golfers. Such community data hub systems and methods may provide one or more of the following: (a) storage of scoring data, swing data, ball flight data, and/or equipment data for multiple golfers; (b) at least some level of individual access to the stored data for the community; and/or (c) electronic interaction between golfers within the community.

Abstract: Various embodiments that may generally relate to one or more competitions. Such competitions may include a plurality of rounds. A round may include a player attempting to choose a winner of an event on which a round is based. A surviving player after a number of rounds may be a winner of a competition. Various apparatus and methods are described.

Abstract: Systems and methods for an interactive game using a multi-functional hand-held personal mobile device, such as a smart phone or entertainment device use the smart phone or other mobile device to find and/or activate various effects and items in the real world, then connect those items and effects together to provide a purpose to finding the effects/items consistent with the game theme. Embodiments include themes related to a treasure hunt with items that may or may not respond to the player detecting or finding them. In other embodiments, the mobile device may trigger and activate multiple layers of videos, phone calls, internet access, texts, voiceovers, puzzles and numerous other actions and results tied into a complex gaming adventure.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system to authorize a mobile electronic device to play games of chance includes a gaming system manager and a portable docking station configured to: (i) detect whether the mobile electronic device is connected to a receiver of the portable docking station; (ii) receive device information from the mobile electronic device if it is detected that the mobile electronic device is connected to the receiver; (iii) determine whether the games of chance can be played on the mobile electronic device based on the received device information; (iv) authorize the mobile electronic device to play the games of chance; and (v) transmit gaming data to the mobile electronic device if it is determined that the games of chance can be played on the mobile electronic device and if the mobile electronic device is authorized.

Abstract: The gaming system, gaming device and method provides a reel game that includes stacks of symbols configured on the reels to provide a large number of winning symbol combinations. The gaming device includes a plurality of reels wherein each reel includes a reel-strip and a plurality of symbols. Each of the plurality of reels is configured to include one or more stacks of symbols wherein a stack of symbols is formed by placing a plurality of identical symbols adjacent to each other on a single reel. If two non-adjacent reels each generated a stack of identical symbols and at least one reel positioned between the two non-adjacent reels generated symbols different from the symbols used to form the stack of identical symbols, at least one symbol on the at least one reel positioned between the two non-adjacent reels is modified into the symbol that forms the stacks of identical symbols.

Abstract: An in-game advertising system that provides benefits to gamers, game publishers and casinos by offering in-game awards as part of the electronic game plot that the gamer is playing on the gamer's mobile device.

Abstract: The subject disclosure includes a method for detecting a transferee gaming accessory, presenting a user interface providing a plurality of selectable gaming configurations, detecting a selection of a gaming configuration from the plurality of selectable gaming configurations, accessing the gaming configuration, facilitating a peer-to-peer communication session with the transferee gaming accessory, and transmitting the gaming configuration to the transferee gaming accessory to configure the transferee gaming accessory. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein for locally capturing the identity of the actual executable file required to set system configuration upon indirect launching of a computer game or other type of indirectly-launched file. Such a captured identity of an executable file may be added to a locally and dynamically created and updated local white list which then may be used to determine when to set the desired game mode configuration upon indirect launching of a game so that the desired game mode configuration may remain active for as long as the game is open and running, or for as long as the game is in-focus within an active window.

Abstract: An object control device includes an action control unit configured to control an action of a first object, an action of a second object, and an action of an item, in a virtual space. The object control device also includes an item/object storing unit configured to store first object identification information and item identification information in association with each other, when the action control unit controls the first object to possess the item. The object control device also includes a collision determining unit configured to determine whether the item and the second object have collided. When the collision determining unit determines that the item and the second object have collided, the action control unit acquires the first object identification information stored in association with the item identification information and controls the second object to perform a first action based on the first object identification information.

Abstract: A method including the steps of receiving signals indicating movement of a physical ball relative to a strike zone during a pitch, retrieving a batting characteristic of a simulated batter corresponding to the indicated movement of the physical ball relative to the strike zone during the pitch, and displaying on a computing device a simulated pitch result for the pitch based on the retrieved batting characteristic of the simulated batter for the indicated movement.

Abstract: Certain examples provide systems, methods, and articles of manufacture for gaming. An example method includes displaying columns of symbol display positions, at least some of the columns having differing numbers of symbol display positions; defining winning combinations of symbol display positions having at least one symbol display position from each of said columns; facilitating selection of at least one of said columns by a player for selection of winning combinations to be played in a game, the selected winning combinations to be played comprising all possible winning combinations derivable from all symbol display positions of said selected at least one column and a designated symbol display position from each of said columns which the player did not select; selecting symbols for display in said symbol display positions; and determining a game outcome based on symbols displayed in said selected winning combinations.

Abstract: A method for tracking patronage of a customer in at least one casino property is described. The method comprises monitoring a wireless handset that determines the location of the customer. The method then proceeds to generate a user profile that comprises user preferences and monitored betting activity associated with the customer and accumulated points stored in a customer account according to a monetary value of the monitored betting activity. Complementary goods or services are determined based on the accumulated points associated with the customer account. A message is sent to the wireless handset associated with the complementary goods or services that is consistent with the user preferences.

Abstract: A portable exercise apparatus for use by a user performing push-ups includes: a detection device; and a suspension member adapted to suspend the detection device from the user. When the detection device is suspended from the user by the suspension member, the apparatus is operative to indicate execution of a compliant push-up by the user.

Abstract: A bat selection device includes: a parameter input unit which receives an input of a swing parameter value relevant to swing of a batter, for each of at least two or more bats having moments of inertia different from one another swung by the batter at an object, of a plurality of bats; an estimation unit which estimates the swing parameter value corresponding to each of the plurality of bats based on each received swing parameter value; and a selection unit which calculates an index parameter value indicative of an index for selecting a bat suitable for the batter from the plurality of bats, for each of the plurality of bats, based on the estimated swing parameter value corresponding to the bat, and selects the bat suitable for the batter based on the index parameter values.

Abstract: An apparatus for data processing, according to one or more aspects of the disclosure, includes a processing system configured to communicate with at least one of a plurality of reference nodes worn on body parts to obtain body positioning data relating to relative position between the body parts, and provide body tracking based on the body positioning data. The body positioning data relates to ranging and/or angular position between each of the reference nodes and a reference plane defined by one or more of the reference nodes.

Abstract: A gaming method and system, the method comprising providing one or more reels in a spinning reel game, the reels being displayed as three dimensional and displayed as provided with game symbols along and around the reels, displaying spinning of the reels and thereby sequentially displaying at least some of the game symbols displayed as provided along the reels, displaying rotating of the reels and thereby sequentially displaying at least some of the game symbols displayed as provided around the reels, stopping the spinning and the rotating of each of the reels at a respective stop position, and determining a game outcome based on at least some of the game symbols displayed when each of the reels is in its respective stop position.

Abstract: A solution for managing communicative interactions between network elements is described herein. A system incorporating teachings of the present disclosure may include a processor module that monitors communications between a program resident on a user machine and a server program resident on a computing device remote from the user. The processor module may be utilized to effectively reduce the number of communications actually transmitted between the client program and the server program. For example, the processor module may intercept certain client initiated communications intended for the server program, process those communications without server program involvement, and respond to the client program.

Abstract: A method for verifying a request signal from a client in a Web-based game including sending a start signal of a game mission to a server; sending an acquired score and a completion time of a sub-mission of the game mission to the server, and completing the sum-mission by sending a unique key corresponding to the completion of the sub-mission to the client on the basis of the completion time and the acquired score; and sending a retransmission unique key and reward requesting information corresponding to the completion of the game mission to the server when the sub-mission is completed, and approving the completion of the game mission of the client on the basis of the retransmission unique key and information on the completion of the sub-mission. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the client from abnormally acquiring a point or an item.

Abstract: A method and system to digitally sign a content license associated with content, and to distribute content via a network in a geographically controlled manner, commences when a content requestor requests delivery of the encrypted content. A content delivery system performs a content to determine a geographic location associated with the content requestor. The content requestor authorization process may also determine geographic access criteria associated with the content, and whether the geographic location complies with the geographic access criteria. The content delivery system will release the content for delivery to the content requestor if the content location complies with the geographic access criteria.