Patents Examined by Chase Leichliter
  • Patent number: 9884250
    Abstract: The invention has for object a game controller having an actuator (2, 102) mobile in rotation in relation to a fixed part (3, 103), in such a way as to simulate a control of the rotation of a steering column of a simulated vehicle. According to the invention, the game controller implements means for detecting the displacement in rotation of the actuator (2, 102) comprising at least one Hall effect or magnetoresistive effect detecting unit, constituted of at least two elements, of which a permanent magnet and a magnetic sensor (24, 124). At least during the rotation of the actuator (2, 102), a first element is integral in rotation with the actuator (2, 102) and a second element is integral in rotation with said fixed part (3, 103).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Guillemot Corporation S.A.
    Inventor: Jean-Yves Jaouen
  • Patent number: 9868055
    Abstract: A system and method for generating individual player bases in a virtual space using markup information are disclosed. Player base definitions specific individual players may be managed. The player base definitions may indicate boundaries of player bases in the virtual space, a base type for the player bases, and/or any other information related to the player bases. Player base markup information may be obtained for a given player base type. The obtained player base markup information may indicate, in a markup language format, building information regarding one or more default buildings within a player base having the given base type. Individual player bases may be generated in the virtual space base on the boundaries of the player bases as indicated in the player base definitions associated with the individual players and further based on the player base markup information for the base type of the player bases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Aftershock Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Justin Rhinesmith, Christopher Vukicevich
  • Patent number: 9844704
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a non-transitory computer-readable medium to direct a processor to: receive signals indicating a made basketball shot or a missed basketball shot of a basketball by a person during a basketball shooting session, receive signals indicating a location from which each made basketball shot is made, and determine and output a user cumulative score for the person for the basketball shooting session, the cumulative score being based upon the location of each made basketball shot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Robert T. Thurman, Kevin L. Krysiak, David J. Proeber, Allen G. Wagner
  • Patent number: 9848106
    Abstract: Implementations for identifying, capturing, and presenting high-quality photo-representations of acts occurring during play of a game that employs motion tracking input technology are disclosed. As one example, a method is disclosed that includes capturing via an optical interface, a plurality of photographs of a player in a capture volume during play of the electronic game. The method further includes for each captured photograph of the plurality of captured photographs, comparing an event-based scoring parameter to an event depicted by or corresponding to the captured photograph. The method further includes assigning respective scores to the plurality of captured photographs based, at least in part, on the comparison to the even-based scoring parameter. The method further includes associating the captured photographs at an electronic storage media with the respective scores assigned to the captured photographs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Mike Scavezze, Arthur Tomlin, Relja Markovic, Stephen Latta, Kevin Geisner
  • Patent number: 9839839
    Abstract: An information processing system includes an information processing device, at least one wireless controller which can wirelessly be connected to the information processing device, and at least one portable terminal which can execute any application and display a result of execution thereof and has a wireless communication function. The wireless controller establishes wireless connection to the information processing device in accordance with a first procedure and transmits first operation information representing an input operation onto the wireless controller to the information processing device. The portable terminal establishes wireless connection to the information processing device in accordance with a second procedure different from the first procedure and transmits second operation information representing an input operation onto the portable terminal to the information processing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiharu Izuno, Shinya Saito, Masahiro Sakurai
  • Patent number: 9836923
    Abstract: A mobile application or mobile website allows a user of a mobile device to make player selections associated with the order of a lottery ticket. The mobile device then displays a machine-readable code image. When a lottery retailer scans the image, the code conveys the lottery ticket order to the retail system, allowing the retailer to sell lottery tickets corresponding with the order. The mobile application or website may record player selections for reuse, record purchased tickets to report lottery status to the player, and assist the player in locating a lottery retailer. Further, a lottery image ticket may be transmitted to the user's mobile device or to an account which can be accessed through the user's mobile device. The lottery image ticket can then be presented to the retailer equipment for winnings check and redemption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Intralot S.A. Integrated Lottery Systems and Services
    Inventors: Georgios Kolios, Stamatios Sarlis
  • Patent number: 9827493
    Abstract: A method of assisting a first player of a videogame is provided. The method includes making a game state of the first player accessible to a second player. The game state describes a state of the videogame as played by the first player. The method also includes executing the videogame for the second player using the game state of the first player to define the initial state of the videogame for the second player, allowing the second player to play the videogame based upon the game state of the first player until a first predetermined criterion is met, and providing to the first player data for updating their game state in response to the play of the second player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe Limited
    Inventors: Mark Denzil Green, Douglas Ralph Ealey
  • Patent number: 9821210
    Abstract: A portable electronic device is disclosed. The portable electronic device comprises memory for storing instructions that are executed by a processor to perform the operations of analyzing data with the portable electronic device related to the position and motion of a putter at least one of before, during and after at least one putting stroke performed with the putter. The portable electronic device analyzes the data by utilizing a plurality of sensors within the portable electronic device including accelerometers configured to measure accelerations and gyroscopes to identify an angle of the putter during the at least one putting stroke. The portable electronic device is attached to the putter. A putting stroke characteristic can be determined based on the data generated from the sensors of the portable electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Roger J. Cottam, Paul D. Wood, Erik M. Henrikson
  • Patent number: 9824531
    Abstract: A device, system and method are set forth which provides for auto-configuration of progressive jackpot gaming linkages. Gaming terminals may be provided with jackpot controller software modules available to be unlocked when a licensed security device is attached. The progressive jackpot controller receives game attribute data and determines which games can be associated with which mystery or symbol based progressive jackpots. Reporting and logging functions are provided as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Sreekanth Iyer, Andrew St. Martin, Kalpesh Panara, Robert Crowder, Don Stefanich, Jason Cunningham, Tony Green, Nathan Harvey
  • Patent number: 9821224
    Abstract: Depth-image analysis is performed with a device that analyzes a human target within an observed scene by capturing depth-images that include depth information from the observed scene. The human target is modeled with a virtual skeleton including a plurality of joints. The virtual skeleton is used as an input for controlling a driving simulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen Latta, Darren Bennett, Kevin Geisner, Relja Markovic, Kudo Tsunoda, Rhett Mathis, Matthew Monson, David Gierok, William Paul Giese, Darrin Brown, Cam McRae, David Seymour, William Axel Olsen, Matthew Searcy
  • Patent number: 9808717
    Abstract: An example game system includes a controller device, and a game process section for performing a game process based on an operation on the controller device. The controller device includes a plurality of direction input sections, a sensor section for obtaining a physical quantity used for calculating an attitude of the controller device, and a display section for displaying a game image. The game process section first calculates the attitude of the controller device based on the physical quantity obtained by the sensor section. Then, the game process section controls an attitude of a virtual camera in a virtual space based on the attitude of the controller device, and controls a position of the virtual camera based on an input on the direction input section. A game image to be displayed on the display section is generated based on the position and the attitude of the virtual camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Ito, Keizo Ohta
  • Patent number: 9767652
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems, architectures, and methods provide a wagering game machine with instrumentality to enable a wagering game that may be automatically generated from identification of an activation event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Allon Englman, Rob Kyte, Michael W. Mastropietro
  • Patent number: 9764226
    Abstract: Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and apparatuses for dynamically determining and applying a zoom amount when entering a sniper mode are presented. In one or more embodiments, a computing device may provide a user interface that includes a controlled vehicle and a target vehicle. Subsequently, the computing device may receive a request to enter a sniper mode. In response to receiving the request to enter the sniper mode, the computing device may determine a zoom amount based on a size of the target vehicle and a distance from the controlled vehicle to the target vehicle. The computing device then may update the user interface based on the zoom amount to enter the sniper mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Wargaming.net Limited
    Inventors: Alexey Prosin, Andrew Karpiuk
  • Patent number: 9754444
    Abstract: In various embodiments, promotions are featured on mobile gaming devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: CFPH, LLC
    Inventors: Howard W. Lutnick, Kevin Burman, Dean P. Alderucci, Geoffrey M. Gelman, Antonio Papageorgiou, Joseph M. Asher
  • Patent number: 9731191
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for providing a marble game. The system for providing the marble game may provide a game board formed by aligning blocks, support a configuration of an occupied city block group by grouping city blocks in an identical color or city blocks aligned adjacent to each other, when a city block set as the occupied city block group is occupied associated with a first terminal, the system for providing the marble game may increase a toll by applying a weight to the toll of the city block, increase a subtraction with respect to an amount held by a second terminal and an accumulation with respect to an amount held by the first terminal, and provide a tension to a game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignees: NETMARBLE GAMES CORPORATION, NETMARBLE N2 INC.
    Inventors: Lee Ho Moon, Jeong Ho Choi
  • Patent number: 9728043
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present concept provide gaming devices and gaming systems that are configured to implement means for enhancing game play. Here, various embodiments of this concept use game insertion techniques to enhance the game play experience for players. These game insertion techniques include placing bonus spins, free games, or other incentives within traditional game play. In one model, a gaming device may use a bonus spin routine to replace a losing game outcome with a winning game outcome. Here, the player may be shown the initial losing game outcome and then be notified that a bonus spin has been awarded, which ultimately results in the winning game outcome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: PATENT INVESTMENT & LICENSING COMPANY
    Inventor: John F. Acres
  • Patent number: 9721423
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to gaming devices and gaming systems that are configured to implement event-based gaming operations. Here, a gaming device includes a game event list that has game outcomes associated with each entry in the game event list. The game event list is generated before game play on the gaming device by selecting general game outcome types or specific game outcomes for each of the entries in the game event list. During game play, a game counter is incremented to a next entry in the game event list and an associated game outcome is displayed on the gaming device during the gaming event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: PATENT INVESTMENT & LICENSING COMPANY
    Inventor: John F. Acres
  • Patent number: 9715784
    Abstract: A gaming console or system including a video display, and a game control processor arranged to control images displayed on the video display. The game control processor is arranged to play a first game displayed on the video display and, if a winning combination results, the console or system pays a prize. The console or system is characterized in that the game control processor includes a dynamic game feature whereby a feature game occurs upon a first trigger condition of the first game, and wherein a second trigger condition influences one or more gameplay aspects of the feature game such as to alter the likelihood of occurrence of at least one possible outcome of a set of possible outcomes of the feature game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited
    Inventor: Nicholas Luke Bennett
  • Patent number: 9704341
    Abstract: A gaming apparatus and method is provided that is capable of rewarding a distributed jackpot to players using gaming units that are electronically linked to one another. The distributed jackpot may be shared among non-winning players when a winning result is achieved by a winning player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Bryan D. Wolf, Gregory A. Schlottman, William R. Brosnan
  • Patent number: 9704331
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present concept provide means to control the payback percentage of games being played on gaming devices. In one example, a gaming device includes a processor configured to initiate a payback-controlling event and determine a game outcome to display on the game display in response to a gaming event being initiated. Here, the determined game outcome is a payback-controlling outcome when the payback-controlling event satisfies the payback-controlling criterion, and the determined game outcome is a game outcome determined from the base-game paytable when the payback-controlling event does not satisfy the payback-controlling criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: PATENT INVESTMENT & LICENSING COMPANY
    Inventor: John F. Acres