Patents Examined by Jason Skaarup
  • Patent number: 9384631
    Abstract: Methods and systems for enhanced head-to-head hybrid gaming are provided. An enhanced head-to-head hybrid game has a gambling game with a real world engine that provides a randomly generated payout for the gambling game, an entertainment software engine that executes an entertainment game providing outcomes upon a player's execution of the entertainment game, and a game world engine that manages the entertainment software engine and communicates gameplay gambling event occurrences based upon a player's execution of the entertainment game that trigger the gambling game. A global betting manager receives player performance measurements from the game world engine, determines tournament eligibility, assigns a tournament handicap based at least in part upon the performance measurements from the game world engine and sends information concerning these parameters to the game world engine which is configured to implement each assigned handicap and tournament eligibility within the enhanced head-to-head hybrid game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Gamblit Gaming, LLC
    Inventors: Miles Arnone, Frank Cire, Caitlyn Ross
  • Patent number: 9378626
    Abstract: A method of providing a slot game to a player is described herein. The slot game includes a plurality of reels. Each reel includes a plurality of symbol positions and a plurality of game symbols that are displayed in each of the symbol positions in a predetermined order. The method includes allowing the player to make a wager on the game, initiating a primary game and responsively spinning the reels, randomly determining an outcome of the primary game and responsively stopping the reels to display the outcome of the primary game in a grid, and awarding a first award to the player based on the primary game outcome. The method also includes detecting if a triggering condition occurs in the primary game outcome, and responsively modifying a reel function of at least one of the reels to generate an outcome of a secondary game including the modified reel function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: KONAMI GAMING, INC.
    Inventors: Eiji Aida, Satoshi Suda
  • Patent number: 9373225
    Abstract: A gaming device is described herein. The gaming device includes a display unit and a controller that is coupled to the display unit. The display unit is configured to display a game including a plurality of reels being displayed in a display grid. Each reel is adapted to display one of a plurality of symbols. The controller is configured to randomly determine an outcome of the game, select a reel configuration including a plurality of reel groups, determine, for each reel group, a single random symbol being displayed in each reel of the corresponding reel group in the determined outcome, spin and stop each reel of the corresponding reel groups to display the outcome including displaying the same symbols in each reel of the corresponding reel group during rotation, and provide an award to the player as a function of the determined outcome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: KONAMI GAMING, INC.
    Inventors: Arthur Lee, Bradley Johnson
  • Patent number: 9370716
    Abstract: A gaming machine includes a control lever that is gripped by a player, a display configured to display an effect image, and a controller programmed to execute a predetermined process. The control lever includes a rotation axis, a reel handle configured to rotate the rotation axis, a rotation sensor configured to detect the number of rotation of the rotation axis, and a rotation resistance imparting unit configured to impart resistance to the rotation axis such that the torque increases in accordance with the rotational speed in one direction of the rotation axis. In accordance with the game status of the game, the controller causes the rotation sensor to detect the number of rotation of the rotation axis which is rotated as the reel handle of the control lever is rotated, and changes the content of the effect image displayed on the display in accordance with the detected number of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Hiroki Munakata, Gou Miyamoto, Daisyun Okamoto, Kensaku Yoshikawa, Kazuo Okada
  • Patent number: 9367985
    Abstract: A device for providing an interface to a gaming machine. The device includes a processor, an ID Card reader coupled to the processor, a display coupled to the processor for displaying a bezel and information within the bezel. The device also including a keypad coupled to the processor for receiving input. The processor instructing the display to display media according to a predetermined set of rules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: KONAMI GAMING, INC.
    Inventors: Martin Dempsey, Jeffrey George, Edward Sepich, Thomas E. Soukup
  • Patent number: 9367996
    Abstract: Various embodiments described herein provide systems and methods for betting contests relating to sports matches and, in particular, relating to fantasy sports associated with sports matches. For some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein establish and conduct one or more betting contests based on the performance of individual real-world sports players. Additionally, for some embodiments, the performance of an individual real-world sports player is determined using fantasy sports points (hereafter, fantasy points) attributed to the individual real-life sports player by one or more fantasy sports systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Inventor: Russell Scalise
  • Patent number: 9364760
    Abstract: Script injection in game clients used to access an online, interactive game may be detected. This detection may be performed on behalf of the entity operating the game in order to reduce cheating by users that relies on client modification through script injection. Detection of script injection may be performed on a recurring basis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: KABAM, INC.
    Inventors: Mark Vincent Gorospe Alviar, Cuong Le Ngo, Pascal Aschwanden, Kevin Kang So
  • Patent number: 9361763
    Abstract: A gaming system has a plurality of reels. Each reel has a plurality of symbol locations. The gaming system is in communication with one or more processors. The gaming system involves the selection of a symbol location on a first reel of the plurality of reels. The selected symbol location is associated with a first type of symbol. At least one additional symbol location is added to the first reel at a location adjacent to the selected symbol location. Each additional symbol location is filled with the first type of symbol to create a first clump of the first type of symbols. Alternatively, the gaming system determines a number of additional symbol locations that are added to the first reel adjacent to the selected first symbol location. The gaming system then fills the additional symbol locations with symbols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Dion K. Aoki, Allon G. Englman, Michael W. Mastropietro
  • Patent number: 9361765
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a gaming system and method providing a battling symbol generators game. In various embodiments, each symbol generator of a set of symbol generators employed for the battling symbol generators game is associated with one of a plurality of different characteristics. During play of the battling symbol generators game, the gaming system modifies the set of symbol generators upon the occurrence of various symbol generator set modification events such that more symbol generators of the set are associated with a particular characteristic and/or such that fewer symbol generators of the set are associated with another characteristic. The gaming system provides a bonus when a designated quantity of the symbol generators of the set are each associated with a particular characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: Jason R. Smalley
  • Patent number: 9358461
    Abstract: Methods for managing mini-games created and executed in a game cloud system are provided. One method includes providing a plurality of mini-games stored in the game cloud system. Each mini-game is created based on a video recording of a game play for a game title, and is shared in a social network. The method further includes identifying user interactions for each mini-game and ranking the mini-games based on the identified user interactions associated with each mini-game. Then, some or all of the mini-games are displayed on a game site and/or a social network site in an order that is based on the ranking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment America LLC
    Inventors: David Perry, Victor Octav Suba Miura, Michael Taylor
  • Patent number: 9352215
    Abstract: Provided is an information processing system that enables a user to start playing a game from a game situation corresponding to a play point in a video that shows a play content of the game. A return request receiving unit (52) receives an execution request for a game which is associated with a play point in a video that shows a play content of the game. A game situation data obtaining unit (56) obtains, from a data storage unit (46) for storing pieces of game situation data which indicate situations of the game that are associated with play points in the video, game situation data that is identified based on a play point associated with the execution request. A game executing unit (42) starts executing the game from a situation that is indicated by the game situation data obtained by the game situation data obtaining unit (56).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventor: Toshiya Ikenaga
  • Patent number: 9352225
    Abstract: A system and method for providing a multi-player game experience through a computerized theme-park ride. The system includes a ride control module configured to manage ride control parameters and settings of a computerized theme park ride. The system includes a ride interface module configured to provide an interface to operate and navigate the computerized theme park ride. The ride interface module include a plurality of interface devices. The system includes a ride engine module, including a processor, configured to operate a multi-player game experience. The system includes a communications module configured to bridge communications between the ride engine module, the ride interface module, and the ride control module over a computerized network. The system includes an account module configured to provide player specific information to the ride control module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: GAME NATION, INC.
    Inventor: Daniel T. Ruke
  • Patent number: 9342737
    Abstract: Analysis of sporting equipment characteristics may be analyzed using dynamic sampling rates. For example, analyzing a golf swing may include the use of one or more sensors providing data at various sampling rates. According to some aspects, the sampling rate may be dynamically modified upon determination of one or more golf equipment characteristics, environmental conditions, player characteristics and the like. In one example, a sampling rate processor may dynamically select a sampling rate at which data is sampled from one or more sensors. In some examples, by dynamically selecting the sampling rate, an analysis may be tailored to various types, and portions of a golf swing, in addition to producing power consumption by the analysis instruments in the golf club system. According to other aspects, triggering conditions for modifying a sampling rate may be determined from a population of one or more previous golf swings performed by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Manan Goel, Mario LaFortune
  • Patent number: 9333425
    Abstract: Users may be incentivized to reduce their overall in-game actions in a game. In-game actions may include actions of a first action type and actions of a second action type. Actions of the second action type may be enhanced versions of actions of the first action type. Actions of the first action type and actions of the second action type may have individual costs in resources that are available in the game. The game may include a plurality of resource types including a first resource type. The amount of resources of the first resource type controlled by a first user may be increased responsive to the first user refraining from inputting action requests for an action of the first action type over one or more time periods. Execution of an action of the second action type may have a cost of resources of the first resource type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: KABAM, INC.
    Inventor: Pascal Aschwanden
  • Patent number: 9333426
    Abstract: Methods and systems for receiving a request for content associated with a game, receiving at least one of a device identifier and at least one of game data, associating the device identifier with the game data to create a document, and retrieving the document to generate relevant content items for display on the web page.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Bachman
  • Patent number: 9327196
    Abstract: A system, computer-readable storage medium storing at least one program, and a computer-implemented method are provided for displaying feed-based information in an online game. Player feeds are received in a game networking system. A specification for displaying information from the player feeds in the game networking system is accessed. A first player profile is accessed for a first player in an online game, the first player profile identifying one or more characteristics of the first player. The first-player profile is used with the specification to determine a first display profile for displaying information from the player feeds to the first player. The feed-based information is generated for the first player by using the first display profile to access the player feeds, and the feed-based information is then displayed to the first player through a user interface of the online game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Zynga Inc.
    Inventors: Dylan Sproule, Timothy J. O. Catlin, Jason Paul Allen, Clayton Rhodes Stark, Shane Hall, Ben Hall
  • Patent number: 9327185
    Abstract: Systems, apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture provide for a bingo game including a representation of a ball queue. In one example, a display for a bingo game represents a queue of one or more upcoming ball calls for the bingo game. In some embodiments, a ball queue may include partial information about an upcoming ball call (e.g., an indication of a corresponding bingo card column but not a bingo number).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Gamesys Ltd.
    Inventor: Hans Elias
  • Patent number: 9324212
    Abstract: A gaming machine 1: variably displays a plurality of symbols on a lower image display panel 141 in response to an external input; randomly determining symbols 501 to be rearranged on the lower image display panel 141; determining one of game results based on the symbols 501 randomly determined; execute a common indication effect common to all the game results; and after common indication effect is executed, executes an individual indication effect according to the game result determined while the symbols are variably displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Masumi Fujisawa, Kenta Kitamura, Kenji Enokido
  • Patent number: 9324214
    Abstract: An outcome of a wagering game is evaluated to determine if it is a winning outcome. In response to the outcome being a winning outcome, it is determined if the winning outcome includes two or more groups of winning symbols. In response to determining that the winning outcome includes two or more groups of winning symbols, each of the two or more groups of winning symbols is visually highlight in a sequential fashion. Further, it is determined if each of the two or more groups includes winning symbols on two or more lines. In response to determining that one of the two or more groups includes winning symbols on two or more lines, the winning symbols on each of the two or more lines is visually highlighted in a sequential fashion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: BALLY GAMING, INC.
    Inventors: Dion K. Aoki, Allon G. Englman, Joel R. Jaffe
  • Patent number: 9317991
    Abstract: Systems, apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture provide for a bingo game including at least one initial ball call and an option for a player to receive at least one additional ball call. In one example, the at least one additional ball call includes one or more of: (i) a ball call locked until a player accepts an option to unlock the locked ball call, and (ii) a ball call provided by another member of a social network (e.g., a friend of the player).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Gamesys Ltd.
    Inventors: Mary Louise Macbeth, Mary Brittney Bean, Daniel Robert Sanderson, Thomas Newton, Justin Kennedy, Adam Scott