Patents Examined by Damon Pierce
  • Patent number: 10137347
    Abstract: A golf club having a sensor that is removably connected at one or more positions of the golf club where the sensor comprises an inertial measurement unit including an accelerometer capable of measuring linear accelerations in three orthogonal axes and a gyroscope capable of measuring an angular rate of rotation around the same axes. The sensor may further comprise a processor which may perform instructions to detect the impact of the golf club with a golf ball and determine the start of the golf swing without any additional input from the user. The sensor may further have a power management system to extend the life of the power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas A. Thornton, Jeffrey A. Hadden, Bradley C. Glenn
  • Patent number: 10139999
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing multimedia highlight segments featuring real-life action related to fantasy sports competition. Links to highlight segments are provided in conjunction with fantasy sports contest information. A Highlight Center is provided with links to compilations of highlight segments featuring the best action culled from a pool of highlight segments. The user may be alerted of newly available highlight segments affecting fantasy scoring while the user watches a fantasy sports related television broadcast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick J. Hughes, David Barber
  • Patent number: 10137362
    Abstract: Motion capture and haptic glove systems/methods and devices are provided in this invention. In one embodiment of the invention a motion capture and haptic glove system is described, comprising: A glove portion to be worn on top of a user's hand, the glove having finger portions for the fingers and thumb of the user; a plurality of anchoring finger caps circumscribed around the extremities of the finger portions; a plurality of anchor points configured to generate sensor data identifying a flexion/extension and an abduction/adduction of the finger portions; a plurality of tendon-like cables configured to transmit the flexion/extension and the abduction/adduction data to a plurality of measuring devices for processing; a plurality of return force providers to ensure flexion and tension in the tendon-like cable elements; and a housing structure residing on the forearm and connected to the glove portion via the plurality of tendon-like cables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas F Buchanan, IV, Timothy Meyer
  • Patent number: 10130875
    Abstract: A handheld controller including a main body having a thumb surface and a thumbstick extending from the thumb surface. A trigger button is positioned on the main body and a handle extends from the main body on a side opposite the trigger button, wherein the handle has a palm side and a finger side. A third-finger button is positioned on the finger side of the handle and includes a magnet mounted thereon. A sensor operative to detect the magnet is positioned inside the handle adjacent the magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Oculus VR, LLC
    Inventor: Clare Regimbal Long
  • Patent number: 10134234
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for integrating player tracking and cash access in a casino or other gaming environment. One aspect of the invention allows for fund access and management wherein gaming machines, such as slot machines or on-line virtual gaming machines, receive playable credits directly from a patron's banking or credit card account. Another aspect of the present invention relates to integrating player tracking and cash access transactions by allowing the players to provide a player tracking card for each financial transaction conducted in a gaming environment. In return, the casino issues gaming or bonus points to the players for allowing their transactions to be tracked. Yet another aspect of the present invention consolidates the players' financial account information into a single casino database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Everi Payments Inc.
    Inventors: Mike LeStrange, Richard Beer, Craig Potts, Tim Richards
  • Patent number: 10134243
    Abstract: A gaming machine providing a game that spins a plurality of reels with each reel including a plurality of symbols and thereafter stops the reels, determines a win based on arrangement of the symbols after stop, and provides an award in accordance with a win result. The gaming machine includes a display unit configured to display the game, and a controller configured to determine contents of the game to be displayed on the display unit. The controller determines application of a special event when a predetermined condition is satisfied, and determines a timing to apply the special event based on an award acquired by application of the special event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Konami Gaming, Incorporated
    Inventor: Daisuke Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10121316
    Abstract: The gaming system, gaming device, and gaming method disclosed herein provide an opportunity for a player to place a replay wager for a group or set of a plurality of plays of a wagering game. In one embodiment, the replay wager activates a replay feature which the player can use a designated number of times (such as one time) over the plurality of plays of the wagering game. The player's use of the replay feature causes the gaming system to redisplay the previous play of the wagering game, and provide any awards associated with the previous play of the wagering game. After the player uses the replay feature over each of the designated number (such as one) of the plurality of plays of the wagering game, the player cannot use the replay feature for any of the remaining plays of the plurality of plays of the wagering game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Daniel J. De Waal, Anthony J. Baerlocher
  • Patent number: 10121323
    Abstract: A gaming machine comprises a terminal device which runs a game, and a storage device which stores a point value generated in games run in the terminal device and a game play count. The gaming machine stores, in a game play count storage area, a total game play count incremented in each game; accumulatively stores a portion of a total point value in a first storage area; accumulatively stores the remaining portion of the total point value in a second storage area of the storage device; adds the point value stored in the first storage area to the point value stored in the second storage area, when the total game play count reaches a certain value; and awards a benefit to the terminal device, when a total point value stored in the second storage area reaches a certain value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING (HONG KONG) LIMITED
    Inventors: Hiroki Munakata, Tatsuya Teranishi, Kensaku Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 10112113
    Abstract: A video game console, a video game system, and a computer-implemented method are described. Generally, a video game and video game assistance are adapted to a player. For example, a narrative of the video game is personalized to an experience level of the player. Similarly, assistance in interacting with a particular context of the video game is also personalized. The personalization learns from historical interactions of players with the video game and, optionally, other video games. In an example, a deep learning neural network is implemented to generate knowledge from the historical interactions. The personalization is set according to the knowledge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
    Inventor: Sudha Krishnamurthy
  • Patent number: 10105607
    Abstract: Methods, systems, articles, and the like related to fantasy sports games are described. In various aspects, a selection of a fantasy roster for a first game period can be received from a fantasy sports participant. The fantasy roster can include one or more selected real players selected by the fantasy sports participant from a pool of eligible real players who are eligible for use by the fantasy sports participant during the first game period. Statistics representative of performance of the selected real players during the first game period can be recorded and a total season score for the fantasy sports participant can be adjusted based on the recorded statistics. The pool of eligible real players for use by the fantasy sports participant during a second game period that follows the first period can be updated by deleting the selected real players from the pool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Suicide Fantasy Sports, LLC
    Inventors: James F. Butz, Jr., Eric L. Butz
  • Patent number: 10105595
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for situational substitutions in fantasy sports. A server maintains personnel packages received from a client device operated by a user owning a fantasy team that includes a default personnel package and zero or more situational personnel packages of fantasy players. Each situational personnel package includes fantasy players and is associated with a specific situation that might occur within a real life sports game. The server detects a specific real life sports game situation matching the specific situation associated with a situational personnel package. Based on this detection, the server substitutes the fantasy player(s) in the situational personnel package for one or more of the fantasy players in the default package. The server determines a score for the fantasy team based on points accrued by fantasy players in the default personnel package and the substituted one or more fantasy players in the personnel package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: OATH INC.
    Inventor: Ronny Lempel
  • Patent number: 10099145
    Abstract: A system and method for recording and playback of game data is provided. A recording engine may be configured to record and playback game data, including broadcast data received over a network. The recording engine may be included in a game console or at other network-enabled devices, such as a desktop computer. The recording engine may be configured to record the game data in a buffer memory, an archival memory, and to assist in the display of the game (e.g., interacting with a graphics processing unit). Game data stored in the buffer memory may later be transferred to the archival memory. Playback commands may be operable when a portion of the game broadcast has been recorded. When a playback command is received, the game recording engine may access a portion of the game data from buffer or archival memory and displays a selected portion and may be subject to certain seek functions (e.g., fast forward and rewind). Spectators may be able to independently archive and playback game data using local memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT AMERICA LLC
    Inventors: Aaron Brunstetter, Gary M. Zalewski
  • Patent number: 10099122
    Abstract: A virtual reality (VR) head-mounted display (HMD), a computer-implemented method, and a VR tracking system are described. Generally, a VR HMD includes an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and an optical sensor. When a second VR HMD is located in a same physical environment, the VR HMD can be operated to track a motion of the second VR HMD in the physical environment. For example, image data captured by the VR HMD in addition to inertial data of both VR HMDs are used to determine a three dimensional (3D) physical position of the second VR HMD and to track the 3D physical position over time. Three degrees of freedom (DOF) or six DOF for the motion are derived from the tracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventor: Glenn T. Black
  • Patent number: 10099136
    Abstract: A gaming system includes a non-transitory computer readable medium for storing a game program; and a computer connected to the non-transitory computer readable medium. The computer is configured to execute the game program for building a competition game space to be shared by a plurality of users including a first user and a second user through a network. The computer is further for updating a game point, which is associated with a predetermined user and a game object associated with the predetermined user, based on arranging of the game object in the competition game space. The computer is further for conducting processing so as to inhibit the game object from being arranged in the competition game space after a competition time period has elapsed since the competition game space is built. The computer is further for comparing the game points associated with each user to select a winner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: COLOPL, INC.
    Inventor: Hajime Kurebayashi
  • Patent number: 10092827
    Abstract: Systems, methods and articles of manufacture for controlling electronic devices in an interactive gaming environment. Embodiments detect a first interactive game is playing within the physical environment using one or more electronic devices. User movement is monitored using at least one sensor device within the physical environment and user speech is monitored using one or more microphone sensor devices within the physical environment. Upon determining that the user movement matches a predefined series of user actions and that the user speech matches a corresponding predefined speech pattern, embodiments determine a gameplay action corresponding to both the predefined series of user actions and the predefined speech pattern and transmit an instruction, to at least one of the one or more electronic devices within the physical environment, instructing the electronic device to perform the determined gameplay action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael P. Goslin, Blade A. Olson
  • Patent number: 10092813
    Abstract: A golf playing statistics capture system is provided including a plurality of near field communication tags, each attached to a respective golf club within a golfer's set of clubs, an external electronic device operating statistics capture software, and a golf accessory including a near field communication reader mechanism, wireless communication device associated with the near field communication reader mechanism to receive information from the near field communication reader mechanism and transmit information to the external electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Inventor: Brendan Robert Osborne
  • Patent number: 10078940
    Abstract: In accordance with a method and system for facilitating redemption of monetary value gaming tickets, such as issued by a gaming device upon cash-out, a ticket is presented to a redemption kiosk. If the ticket is validated or approved for payment and has a monetary value which includes a fractional currency value, then the player is offered the opportunity to place a wager which includes the fractional currency value in order to play a wagering game. If the player elects to play the game, the game is presented. If the outcome of the game is losing, then the player is paid a first whole currency value comprising the monetary value less the wager via currency dispensed from the kiosk and when an outcome of the wagering game is winning, then the player is paid a second whole currency value which is greater than the monetary value (such as by including a winning amount) via currency dispensed from said currency dispensing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: Everi Games Inc.
    Inventors: Jim McHugh, William Ramsour, Travis Bussey, Timothy Richards, Michael Aughney
  • Patent number: 10068422
    Abstract: While a player is playing one game on a gaming machine using a mobile gaming device, the systems and methods described herein recommend other games to the player based on the player's real time game play. An export data set is generated using parsing rules and used for recommendations. The game recommendations are provided to the mobile gaming device for selection by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: IGT CANADA SOLUTIONS ULC
    Inventors: Bharat Gadher, Fayez Idris, Dragan Pleskonjic, Peter Post, Andrew McIntyre
  • Patent number: 10052555
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an information processing device for accessing a file included in game data, the game data having a correspondence file associating a hash value of full path information of the file with information for identifying a recording location of the file. The information processing device includes: a receiving section receiving a readout request including the full path information of the file from a game; a deriving section deriving the hash value of the full path information; an obtaining section referring to the correspondence file, and obtaining the information for identifying the recording location of the file using the hash value; and a file access section accessing the file on a basis of the obtained information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventor: Naoto Okino
  • Patent number: 10046234
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an interactive movement detection system applicable to articles of clothing that allows a user to interact with virtualized controllable environments such as the graphical programming environments of personal computers and/or those generated by video game consoles. Similarly, the system of example implementations of the present disclosure allows feedback of actions to the system in the form of impulses that generate pressure and/or vibration sensations that simulate interaction with elements of the controllable interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: OBE Gaming Inc.
    Inventors: Angelo Antonio Perdigón Rodriguez, Linda Paola Lobato Franco, Juan Pedro Gil Alonso, Daniel Fernández de Cordova Shore, Henry Serrano Echeverria, Frederic Zoller Chesler