Patents Examined by Jay Liddle
  • Patent number: 9626396
    Abstract: An information logger records rotation information on a spinning top and outputs the recorded information. A detachment detector detects that the spinning top is attached to the launcher. A rotation-rate detecting unit detects a rotation rate of the spinning top while a rotational force is applied to the spinning top. Rotation information of the spinning top derived from a result detected by a rotation-rate detecting unit is stored in a storage unit. The rotation information stored in the storage unit is sent to an information processor by a communication unit as required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: TOMY COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto Muraki, Takeaki Maeda
  • Patent number: 9626832
    Abstract: A method of implementing a player tracking system in a gaming network includes receiving a virtual player tracking card identifier and a virtual player tracking card password, authenticating the identifier and the password; receiving a virtual player tracking card PIN, identifying a gaming machine that transmitted the virtual player tracking card PIN, and crediting an account associated with the virtual player tracking card PIN based on game play on the gaming machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Miles M. Patceg, Reuven Somberg
  • Patent number: 9616323
    Abstract: A game employing user-modifiable game components, such as cards in a collectable card game, employs various features to provide user-modifiability, including sleeves, transparent cards, stickers, and other elements. Electronic versions of the game and various other features are included, including tracking of history associated with such components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Gilson, Cormac Russell, Paul Sottosanti, Randy Buehler, Ramon Arjona, Karl Robert Gutschera, Brandon Anthony Bozzi, Aaron Joel Forsythe
  • Patent number: 9616324
    Abstract: An automatic card shuffling device for randomizing playing cards is disclosed. The device comprises a processor in informational connection with the shuffling device, and a detection system capable of detecting or predicting a deficiency in operation of at least one component of the shuffling device. The detection system is configured to transmit an indication of a deficiency to a distal location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: BALLY GAMING, INC.
    Inventors: Peter Krenn, Ernst Blaha
  • Patent number: 9616331
    Abstract: A system and method of managing a gaming machine tournament, such as a slot tournament, are described that include organizing a gaming machine tournament that takes place on a set of gaming machines where each gaming machine has an interface into a tournament management system. The tournament game play parameters are configured using the tournament management system. Perks are provided to players, where the perks can be redeemed during tournament play and provide the player an advantage in the tournament play.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited
    Inventor: Richard Jeffrey Jordan
  • Patent number: 9621635
    Abstract: Systems and methods for exchanging information in a distributed computing system implementing an interactive application, such as a location-based parallel reality game, are provided. In particular, the subject matter of the present disclosure provides an alternative approach for providing and processing return results from a remote procedure call (RPC) by which remote computing systems (e.g. a game server and a remote client) send requests and responses to one another. Rather than providing a single return result in response to a single request as in typical remote procedure calls, information about updates to the state of the interactive application, such as updates to game status, can be returned via side channels which are handled generically while passing the main return result of the invoked service directly back to the caller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Niantic, Inc.
    Inventors: Luiz Otavio Zorzella, Alexander Vladimirov, Neal Kanodia, Chris Hibbert, Charles Spirakis
  • Patent number: 9610505
    Abstract: Provided is a game device for executing a game in which a user participates and another user is allowed to join the game in mid-game. The game device obtains stored data from a unit for storing data that indicates a situation of the game being executed and that is updated with progress of the game. A situation determining unit determines whether or not the situation of the game being executed satisfies a given condition. A mid-game joining restricting unit keeps a user who has not joined the game being executed from joining the game in mid-game, based on a result of the determination of the situation determining unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: KONAMI DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kosuke Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 9604147
    Abstract: A system that incorporates the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system having a processor that performs operations including receiving from an accessory device a control signal for controlling a software application, determining that the control signal corresponds to a first action of a plurality of actions for controlling the software application, monitoring a frequency of usage of the first action, and presenting at the accessory device or a display device coupled to the accessory device a measure of the frequency of usage of the first action. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: STEELSERIES ApS
    Inventors: Jeffrey Nicholas Mahlmeister, Keny Chen, Tino Soelberg
  • Patent number: 9597585
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method in a gaming system includes, in response to a participant's search query, conducting, by one or more processors, a search on a search engine through a web browser; and presenting, by at least one of the one or more processors, search engine results including one or more standard indices and one or more incentivized indices, each of the one or more standard indices including a selectable hyperlink for directing the participant to a third-party website, each of the one or more incentivized indices including a selectable hyperlink for playing a game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: BALLY GAMING, INC.
    Inventors: Scott Alan Massing, Andrew Guinn, Richard Robbins, Brian K. Danilo
  • Patent number: 9574454
    Abstract: The invention relates to a full arc admission steam turbine, which includes a plurality of nozzle boxes for inducing steam, and a plurality of nozzle plates for bearing nozzles, one nozzle plate corresponding to each nozzle box. The steam turbine 100 further includes a plurality of spacer plates corresponding to the plurality of nozzle boxes, wherein the spacer plate is disposed between the nozzle plate and the nozzle box, by which a flow path is formed between the plurality of nozzle boxes and the plurality of the nozzle plates through the plurality of spacer plates to achieve a full arc admission. With the solution according to embodiments of the present invention, existing partial arc steam turbine may be easily converted to be a full arc admission steam turbine. This will reduce cost of equipment upgrading. Outage due to onsite conversion may be significantly reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Technology GmbH
    Inventors: Timothy George Shurrock, Robert Cunningham
  • Patent number: 9576439
    Abstract: A gaming machine that is capable of achieving respectively different game patterns at a time of a bonus game is provided. A main CPU displays a selection screen in a case where a feature game trigger is established, and causes a player to select either one of a free game and a roulette game. In a case where the free game is selected, a total of values that correspond to BONUS symbols that correspond to the feature game trigger is determined as the number of free games. The main CPU conducts lottery processing for determination of symbols and lottery processing for determination of BONUS symbol values. The values that correspond to the BONUS symbols are added on one by one basis, and a progress of obtaining the number of free games is displayed as effect on a video display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Masumi Fujisawa, Kenta Kitamura, Susumu Mio, Yoichi Kato, Hiromoto Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 9564062
    Abstract: A device that includes a receiving surface for positioning at least one human body part, multiple capacitive sensor elements disposed within multiple positioning areas on the receiving surface, a sense circuit configured to compare the capacitance measurements of the sensor elements with threshold capacitance values and generate a signal when the capacitance measurements indicate proximity of a human body part on a positioning area, and an indicator configured to generate a notification when the position of the human body part corresponds with at least one location on the receiving surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuanyuan Qin, Hua Liu
  • Patent number: 9550129
    Abstract: A multi-player game platform comprising: at least one mobile electronic device (MED) comprising a processor and configured to execute programmable commands of a control software application; said at least one MED additionally comprising a display configured to provide GUI (Graphical User Interface) means for receiving user input and providing output to a user, a digital camera and communication components configured to communicate with at least one toy, said at least one MED is one of a master MED, wherein said control software application is a master application and a slave MED, wherein said control software application is a slave application; and at least one electro-mechanical toy wirelessly controlled by the control software application, said toy comprising a CPU, a digital memory, a chassis and at least one sensor, said digital memory configured to store a toy software application configured to manage the toy according to commands from the control software application, wherein said digital camera is conf
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Inventor: Tamir Nave
  • Patent number: 9545571
    Abstract: A system for allowing a player to invoke magic or other special powers in a video game is provided. To activate the magic, the player moves a motion detecting controller in accordance with one or more provided instructions. The outcome of the activation of the magic can be determinate on, for example, speed, accuracy, etc. Controllers in one or both hands may be used, and the instructions can be as simple as single direction gestures and as complex as multi-directional symbols which must be traced in the air. A sequence of any type of instructions may also be provided to instruct the activation of the magic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ian Johnson, Dominic Jackson, Nouman Hanif
  • Patent number: 9533220
    Abstract: A first control unit includes a first operation data generation section for generating first operation data in accordance with a motion of a first control unit body included in the first control unit. A second control unit includes a second operation data generation section for generating second operation data in accordance with a direction input operation performed by a player. Further, one of the first control unit and the second control unit includes a transmission section for transmitting the first operation data and the second operation data to a computer at a predetermined timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Akio Ikeda
  • Patent number: 9530279
    Abstract: A wagering playing card game is played by: a dealer providing a set of playing cards; the dealer accepting at least one wager at a player position on an underlying playing card game; the dealer providing a first subset of exactly three random playing cards from the set of playing cards to a player position and dealer position; the dealer evaluates each player hand against the dealer hand as follows: a) a player position hand having all three cards with a rank below a predetermined rank automatically loses; b) a highest rank card from each player hand and the dealer hand play a game of war as a first sub-game, with the highest rank winning; c) a second highest rank card from each player hand and the dealer hand play a game of war as a second sub-game, with the highest rank winning; d) any ties void a sub-game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Inventors: Ray Smith, Amanda Tears Smith
  • Patent number: 9524611
    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 selectable objects. The systems and methods may determine one or more payouts based on the one or more selectable objects. The systems and methods may display one or more presentations based on the one or more selectable objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Cadillac Jack, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher James Weitzen, Eric Michael Lothspeich, Enock Etienne, Steven W. Davis, Dmitry M. Gerenrot
  • Patent number: 9517407
    Abstract: A second game controller includes both of a first detection section provided in a first game controller, and a second detection section provided in an extended controller that is detachably connected to the first game controller. An operation to the second game controller is detectable by the both detection sections, but the result of the detection by the first detection section is not included in transmission data to be transmitted to a game apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yasuda, Naoto Kobe
  • Patent number: 9488057
    Abstract: A micro jet gas film generation apparatus aims to eject a gas to a work object which is desired for cooling or insulating from heat. The micro jet gas film generation apparatus has a spout formed at a diameter of 5-100 ?m to generate a gas film on the work object. As the diameter of the spout of the micro jet gas film generation apparatus is small, the micro jet gas film generated from the spout cannot produce a large eddy due to the lack of sufficient energy, hence can maintain a thin film after a long distance ejection to improve cooling and heat insulation performance. Moreover, due to the small diameter of the spout, it also consumes less gas and can reduce the amount of gas required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: AERONAUTICAL SYSTEMS RESEARCH DIVISION NATIONAL CHUNG SHAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Dun-Zen Jeng, Chao-Ching Wang, Ting-Hua Chien, Chi Kao
  • Patent number: 9485328
    Abstract: The game control device may include a storage unit, a first match-up executing unit, a character ability updating unit, and a second match-up executing unit. The storage unit stores an ability value of each player character. The first match-up executing unit executes a first match-up between two player characters in response to input of a communication terminal, and to determine a result of the first match-up based on the stored ability value of each player character. The character ability updating unit updates, based on the result of the first match-up, the ability values of the two player characters, and causes the storage unit to store the updated ability values. The second match-up executing unit executes a second match-up between player characters independently from the first match-up without input of the communication terminal, and determines a result of the second match-up based on the stored ability value of each player character.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: KONAMI DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yosuke Abe, Minoru Yoneyama, Kenji Suzuki, Yuji Minohoshi, Masaki Morimoto, Kiwamu Takahashi, Mitsuru Kida, Kosuke Shimizu