Patents Examined by Eric M. Thomas
  • Software-application initiation
    Patent number: 9630095
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for triggering (i.e., initiating, launching, or running) a software application (e.g., an interactive game application) or other computer program or application on a user device (e.g., a computer, etc.) based on multimedia content being provided to (e.g., displayed on) a different user device (e.g., a different computer, a television, etc.). The methods may comprise displaying, using a first device, multimedia content. A multimedia-analysis process may then be performed to determine an attribute of the multimedia content being displayed. These attributes may be used to acquire (e.g., select or produce) a software application comprising one or more elements that relate to the multimedia content. The software application may then be launched (i.e., triggered, initiated, or run) on a second device, the second device being different from the first device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Jehan Wickramasuriya, Venugopal Vasudevan, Joseph F. Wodka
  • Dynamic game generation for delivery of targeted content
    Patent number: 9623325
    Abstract: One or more first devices may determine a first content file associated with viewing history information of a particular user account; determine one or more second content files that are related to the particular content file; generate a game that includes elements from the particular content file and the one or more second content files; provide the game for display on a second device within a user interface associated with a gaming application; and provide information associated with the particular content file based on providing the game for display on the second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventor: Fred Scheer
  • Gaming system and method for providing a group event eligibility sequence and a group event
    Patent number: 9623321
    Abstract: A gaming system including one or more group event eligibility sequences. Each group event eligibility sequence is associated with a set duration. In these embodiments, if one or more players at one or more gaming machines collectively satisfy a group event eligibility threshold within the set duration of an initiated or triggered group event eligibility sequence, the gaming system determines that such players are eligible to participate in a group event. For the group event, the gaming system provides one or more group event awards to such participating players.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Vincent P. Smith, Cameron A. Filipour, Mark S. Ross, Joseph Masinter, Shara C. Miller
  • Providing video gaming action via communications in a social network
    Patent number: 9597586
    Abstract: The present technology is directed to a flexible gaming architecture associated or linked with social networks. In some implementations, the flexible architecture facilitates play in a virtual gaming environment associated or linked with a social network, based on actions by users within the social network. The architecture facilitates access to video gaming applications either associated with or linked with social networks in various ways, including 1) directly via social networks or sites, for example, accessed via personal computers; 2) via wall posts or via an online social networking service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts; 3) via mobile devices used to access gaming sites associated with or linked to social networks; and 4) via game consoles configured to access gaming sites either associates with or linked to social networks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: CP Studios Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Joseph Wiklem, Carrie Ann Cowan
  • Method of gaming and a gaming system
    Patent number: 9576435
    Abstract: A gaming method including conducting a first game at a first gaming device for a first player; conducting a second game at a second gaming device for a second player; modifying play of the first game based on play of the second game; and modifying play of the second game based on play of the first game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited
    Inventors: Chi We Chim, Damien Burczyk, Yanis Tsombanidis
  • Game system, game device control method, program, and information storage medium
    Patent number: 9566519
    Abstract: Provided is a game system capable of discriminating types of action performed by a game character in more detail. A reproduction data acquiring section (46) saves a game situation obtained within a reproduction subject period as reproduction data if a shooting action is performed, an action determining section (48) determines based on the reproduction data whether or not a dummy action was performed by an operation subject object other than an operation subject object that performed the shooting action, and a playback video outputting section (50) performs an output based on a determination result by the action determining section (48) in accordance with outputting of a playback video based on the reproduction data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Otomo, Takeshi Okubo, Yoshinori Shiigi
  • Gaming machine with interactive bonusing
    Patent number: 9564005
    Abstract: A gaming machine has a display and a game controller arranged to control images on the display. The game controller is arranged to playa game wherein one or more random events are caused to be displayed on the display and, if a predefined winning event of combination of events results, the machine awards a prize. A predetermined symbol from a set of symbols of the game is selected as a bonus symbol. The display is an interactive display means such that, when at least one of the bonus symbols appears then, by a player touching a part of the display overlying the, or each, occurrence of the bonus symbol, a bonus prize is revealed in respect of the, or each, bonus symbol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED
    Inventor: Nicholas Luke Bennett
  • Gaming device having pay-table awards modification feature
    Patent number: 9564020
    Abstract: A gaming device displays at least one set of game outcomes and a plurality of pay-tables. Each pay-table has a plurality of awards. Each award corresponds to one game outcome. The pay-tables are arranged in ascending order based on the awards. The pay-table having the lowest awards is the base pay-table and the pay-table having the highest awards is the top pay-table. The cumulative amount of wagers made by the player determines how many pay-tables for which the player may play. If the player qualifies to play for only the base pay-table, then the awards in the base pay-table are not modified. If the player is qualified to play for a next, succeeding pay-table, then the player plays for both the base pay-table and next succeeding pay-table simultaneously and some or all of the awards of the base pay-table are modified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Inventor: Graziano A. D'Aquilante
  • Gaming system
    Patent number: 9558621
    Abstract: A method of operating a gaming system including a plurality of gaming machines and at least one server system. The method includes providing at least a first gaming service to each gaming machine by way of one or more first software processes and providing at least one second service common to a subset of the plurality of gaming machines, the second service implemented by one or more second software processes. The method also includes enabling inter-process interaction between at least one software process of the first service and at least one software process of the second service to enable interaction between the services. A server system, gaming machine and gaming system is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited
    Inventor: Stephen Byng
  • Electronic gaming device with card tournament functionality
    Patent number: 9558632
    Abstract: Examples disclosed herein relate to systems and methods, which may receive wagers on one or more paylines. The systems and methods may utilize one or more tournament game structures. The systems and methods may utilize one or more power-up cards in the one or more tournament game structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Cadillac Jack, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Andrew Melnick, Carmen DiMichele
  • Urinal gaming system
    Patent number: 9550115
    Abstract: A gaming system installable in a urinal or toilet in which a removably attached pressure and location sensor assembly can be wirelessly coupled to a data server. The data server can include a user interface allowing the user to initiate a gaming session, such as through a touch screen monitor positioned above or nearby the urinal. The data server can collect and store data from the pressure and location sensor. The data server can be coupled to a plurality of touch screen monitors and pressure and location sensor assemblies for providing a multi-user gaming environment. Collected and processed data can be presented in real time on the touch screen monitors and can be stored in a database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Inventor: Christopher Anthony Silva
  • System and method for dynamically determining paths between destinations in a virtual space
    Patent number: 9550122
    Abstract: A system may be configured to host a virtual space for access by users. The virtual space may be a game space in which users control one or more characters (or sets of characters) to achieve game objectives. The system may be configured such that the travel paths within the virtual world are determined dynamically. This may provide for travel which may have dynamic aspects at a lower cost than providing full interactivity between destinations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: MASLOW SIX ENTERTAINMENT, INC.
    Inventors: Derek Harp, Bengt Gregory-Brown, Pat N. Savelli, James J. Hooker
  • Online, real-time game playing with distributed Bad Beat progressive jackpot
    Patent number: 9547953
    Abstract: Wagering methods, devices, and systems that allow individual participants in a game of poker to opt-in or opt-out of a bad beat feature are presented. For each hand played at a given table, a participant may activate the bad beat feature. Once the feature is activated, the participant is eligible for winning at least part of a bad beat progressive jackpot. This jackpot may be funded by tokens purchased by the participant, a rake taken from the hand's wagers, or by some other means. Apportionment of the bad beat progressive jackpot may be triggered by the participant losing the hand despite having cards that provide the participant with a significant likelihood of winning the hand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Cork Group Trading Ltd.
    Inventor: Martin Paul Moshal
  • Method and system for renewing screen using mechanics information
    Patent number: 9545577
    Abstract: A screen update method and system is provided. The game server performs the steps of: receiving dynamics information from a first gamer's terminal; and transmitting the received dynamics information to at least one second gamer's terminal. The first gamer's terminal performs the steps of: performing dynamics computation by using the dynamics information; and updating a display screen displayed on a display unit of the first gamer's terminal provided by the game server by using result information of the dynamics computation. The second gamer's terminal performs the steps of: performing dynamics computation by using the received dynamics information; and updating a display screen displayed on a display unit of the second gamer's terminal provided by the game server by using result information of the dynamics computation performed in the second gamer's terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: NHN Entertainment Corporation
    Inventor: Dae Il Kim
  • Method and system for simulations of dynamic motion and position
    Patent number: 9539513
    Abstract: Methods and systems for simulating dynamic motion and position. The methods and systems are particularly well-suited for use in sports simulation video games (e.g., a basketball simulation) and gaming systems. Using a simplified model of mass and structure and a physics engine, realistic movement can be mimicked by simulation/game entities. For each entity a sense of balance may be measured that affects the entities ability to achieve objectives. The entities are projected onto an n-dimensional space, the properties of which affect the probability that an entity will succeed with respect to a given objective. The methods and systems may be used to generate a visual representation of simulation, such as in a video game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Inventor: Jerome Hubert Wei
  • Gaming machine systems and methods for accepting various currencies
    Patent number: 9536387
    Abstract: A system including a bill or note validator of a gaming machine, a host computer, and a game credit meter. The bill or note validator is adapted to receive and recognize at least a first currency and a second currency, each issued by a different jurisdiction, and is further adapted to encode a monetary denomination of the second currency. The host computer is adapted to receive the encoded monetary denomination of the secondary currency, to decode the encoded monetary denomination and to determine an amount of game credit to be credited to the player. The game credit meter is adapted to store a total amount of game credit purchased by the player of the gaming machine including game credit purchased by the player in response to the player inserting one or more bills or notes of either or both currencies into the gaming machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignees: SHFL ENTERTAINMENT, INC., ARCADE PLANET, INC., BALLY GAMING, INC., BALLY GAMING INTERNATIONAL, INC., BALLY TECHNOLOGIES, INC., SIERRA DESIGN GROUP
    Inventors: Thomas P. Doyle, Ronald C. Gallaway
  • Gaming system and method for providing plays of multiple games
    Patent number: 9533214
    Abstract: In various embodiments, the gaming system and method disclosed herein enables a player to allocate portions of a selected predetermined wager amount amongst a plurality of linked games. In one such embodiment, the player selects allocation percentages such that the total of the allocated portions according to the allocation percentages equals the selected predetermined wager amount. For each of the plurality of linked games, the gaming system determines and displays a game outcome, and determines and displays an award associated with the determined game outcome. The gaming system further provides the determined award for each of the plurality of linked games to the player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Shannon L. Council, Paul S. Heenan, Shawn A. Hupp, Gilbert F. Leiker, Kimberley K. Maya, Alejandro Parrilla Pereira, Adam C. Rud, Oscar E. Salgado, Corey E. Stisser, Shenea A. Strader, Jae M. Yi
  • Gaming system and method for providing a multiple player game
    Patent number: 9533216
    Abstract: A gaming system including one or more community game triggering events which function to both: (i) trigger a play of a community game and (ii) determine which players participate in the triggered community game. If a community game triggering event occurs, the gaming system causes a player playing a primary game associated with the occurrence of the community game triggering event to participate in a play of a community game. The gaming system additionally causes zero, one or more other players (i.e., players different from the player playing the primary game associated with the occurrence of the community game triggering event) to also participate in the play of the community game. The gaming system determines which other players participate in the play of the community game based on the specific community game triggering event which occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Scott A. Caputo, Leandro Basallo
  • Device identification
    Patent number: 9530274
    Abstract: The system provides the capability of identifying the presence and location of network devices. During start-up, a device sends its MAC address out on the network. A local switch collects MAC and IP addresses for the devices connected to it. Periodically, the switch transmits raw Ethernet frames, USB packets, or TCP packets containing tables of devices and associated MAC/IP addresses. When a device receives information about another device, the device may attempt communication with that device. First, a verification procedure is used to validate the devices. Subsequently, communication is possible between the devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Bally Gaming International, Inc.
    Inventor: Harold K. Robb
  • Gaming system and method providing one of a plurality of different versions of a game based on a player selected skill level
    Patent number: 9530281
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a gaming system and method providing one of a plurality of different versions of a game based on a player selected skill level. The gaming system displays an indication of a plurality of different skill levels. Each of the skill levels is associated with a different version of a game. The gaming system receives a player selection of one of the skill levels, displays a play of the version of the game associated with the selected skill level, and determines an outcome for the play. If the selected skill level is a designated skill level, the gaming system randomly determines the outcome. If the selected skill level is greater than the designated skill level, the gaming system receives a quantifiable skill input from the player in association with the play, and determines the outcome based in part on the received quantifiable skill input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Leandro Basallo, Timothy L. Isaacson