Patents Examined by Jay Trent Liddle
  • Patent number: 11338208
    Abstract: Provided is an information processing program for causing a computer to realize: a joint-event generation management unit that consumes a first parameter and generates a joint event; a number-of-players determination unit that determines an upper-limit number of players allowed to participate in the joint event; a joint-event participation management unit that consumes a second parameter and that permits other players to participate in the joint event; a privilege management unit that grants an execution privilege for the joint event to a player; a joint-event execution control unit that starts the execution of the joint event when replies have been accepted from all the players except the player who has been granted the execution privilege; a reward providing unit that provides a reward to each player; and a joint-event number-of-times checking unit that checks whether the number of times for execution of the joint event has reached the upper-limit number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: CYGAMES, INC.
    Inventors: Eiji Nakanishi, Yu Hinai
  • Patent number: 11331583
    Abstract: A method and a system for recommending a teammate for a team game are provided. The method includes the following: searching game data, where the game data includes a plurality of game evaluation parameters; choosing a target parameter from the game evaluation parameters, where a correlation between the target parameter and at least one game experience index is greater than a correlation between remaining parameters and the at least one game experience index; automatically selecting a target role position according to the target parameter and a first game role position of a chosen game role; automatically selecting a target game role according to the target role position; and recommending a player to be teamed up who plans to use the target game role to play the game as a teammate according to the target game role.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Acer Incorporated
    Inventors: Pin-Cyuan Lin, Sheng-Wei Chu, Chun-Hsien Li, Jun-Hong Chen, Te-Chung Huang, Tsung-Hsien Tsai, Yueh-Yarng Tsai
  • Patent number: 11331569
    Abstract: To provide an information processing device, an information processing method, a program, and an information storage medium that make it possible to reproduce vibration of a controller according to conditions of execution of a program. A play time vibration control section (44) performs control to vibrate a controller according to conditions of execution of a program. A capture control section (46) performs control to capture a moving image showing executed contents of the program. An associating section (48) associates vibration information indicating a vibration of the controller with at least part of the captured moving image, the at least part of the captured moving image being associated with an image displayed on a display section in timing in which the controller is controlled to vibrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
    Inventor: Masaaki Sakata
  • Patent number: 11335159
    Abstract: A roulette system provides an enhanced gaming experience with: a) a wheel assembly of a bowl accommodating a roulette ball and an inner diameter of the wheel assembly; b) raised deflection elements are disposed within an annular lower track; and c) at least 37 randomly numbered receptors are on the wheel. Attached to the wheel assembly above the upper track is a panel of multicolor light elements with a direction of light emission of individual light emitting elements in the light panel oriented to direct emitted light towards the receptors, the panel circumscribing the bowl and providing at least two different color light elements. At least some of the multicolor light emitting elements varying individual light intensity of individual ones of the multicolor light emitting elements to variably color the wheel assembly. An audio system also replicates gaming sounds of roulette.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: INTERBLOCK D.D.
    Inventor: Joze Pececnik
  • Patent number: 11331570
    Abstract: An example of an operation device includes an inertial sensor and a vibrator, transmits inertia data based on an output of the inertial sensor to an information processing apparatus, and vibrates the vibrator based on a vibration control signal received from the information processing apparatus. One or more processors of the information processing apparatus execute game processing, and in a predetermined situation in the game processing, cause the vibration control signal for vibrating the vibrator to be output from the information processing apparatus. The one or more processors, based on the inertia data from the operation device, determine whether or not the operation device is moving, and at least under the condition that it is determined that the operation device is not moving, limit the vibration so that the vibrator of the operation device is not vibrated or the vibration is weakened in the predetermined situation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Suzuki, Misaki Hiraga
  • Patent number: 11325045
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for acquiring a merged map, a storage medium, a processor, and a terminal are provided. The method includes that: a configuration file and a thumbnail are acquired in an off-line state; and maps corresponding to model components contained in each game scene are loaded during game run, and the maps corresponding to the model components contained in each game scene and the thumbnail are merged according to the configuration file to obtain a merged map corresponding to at least one game scene. The present disclosure solves technical problems in the related art that a processing efficiency of a provided map merging scheme used aiming at a game scene is lower and too much storage space is required to be occupied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: NETEASE (HANGZHOU) NETWORK CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kunyu Cai
  • Patent number: 11325039
    Abstract: A method of providing an enhanced gaming experience includes steps of sensing environmental audio with at least one microphone of an earpiece, combining a game sound with the environmental audio to provide a composite audio signal, and transducing the composite audio signal at the earpiece. The game sound may be positioned within a three-dimensional audio environment. The composite audio signal may be transduced to provide a three-dimensional audio experience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: BRAGI GmbH
    Inventors: Maximilian Ilse, Peter Vincent Boesen
  • Patent number: 11318388
    Abstract: Computer implemented systems and methods for cross-platform spoiler blocking are provided herein. An example method includes ascertaining by a data platform data potentially available to a user of a service having a media object; identifying by the data platform at least one object revealed by the media object, the at least one object being associated with an application; receiving by the data platform metadata associated with the at least one object, the metadata indicative of whether the at least one object should be hidden from the user; determining by the data platform, based on the metadata, the at least one object is a potential spoiler; and blocking by the data platform, the user from interacting with the media object through the service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC
    Inventors: Adil Sherwani, Warren Benedetto, Landon Noss, Benedikt Neuenfeldt, Yohei Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 11311798
    Abstract: A game processing apparatus displays an image of virtual space on a display that displays an image by using a sensor for identifying the position and direction of a certain body part of a player and the display. A controller in the game processing apparatus displays the image of the virtual space on the display in accordance with the position and direction of the certain body part of the player, and, when an information providing condition regarding the position and direction of the certain body part of the player is satisfied, outputs to-be-provided information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: GREE, Inc.
    Inventor: Masashi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11298614
    Abstract: A method for providing gameplay of a cloud video game, including: executing a session of the cloud video game by a cloud gaming machine; establishing, over a network, a peer-to-peer connection between a streaming server and a remote client browser, the peer-to-peer connection being established in accordance with a WebRTC protocol; transmitting, over the peer-to-peer connection from the streaming server to the client browser, gameplay video generated from the executing session of the cloud video game, wherein the gameplay video is encoded in a compressed format, and wherein the gameplay video is rendered for display by the client browser, the gameplay video being rendered in substantial real-time to enable real-time gameplay of the session of the cloud video game through the client browser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC
    Inventor: David Posin
  • Patent number: 11291918
    Abstract: A collaborative diplomacy mechanics system for an online game is described. A player selects an ally to be engaged in a combat mode of an online social game against an enemy. The profile of the selected ally is retrieved. An ally power up weapon is generated based on the profile of the selected ally. The ally power up weapon is applied against a combat unit of an enemy of a player in the combat mode. The ally power up weapon can also be applied on a combat unit of the player in the combat mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Zynga Inc.
    Inventors: Amer Ajami, Hans C. Yang, Michael John Goodwin, Gregory Anthony Black
  • Patent number: 11285378
    Abstract: A business-simulation board game kit and/or associated computer systems allow users to play a business-simulation board game simulating a business and/or economy comprising multiple business segments. A board game kit comprises multiple collections of playing pieces, a game board, game currency pieces, and game-specific dice. Each player's collection of playing pieces comprises playing pieces representing business segments. Each playing piece represents one business segment, and a business segment is represented by multiple playing pieces. The game board defines a grid of game board areas arranged along one axis by business complexity and along another axis by value. Players place, move and remove playing pieces to/from the board during expansion, restructuring, and conclusion game phases. An alignment of a player's playing pieces along the board yields a game currency bonus for the player. Industry- and/or scenario-specific transparent scenario layers may be added to the board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Inventor: Cristian Mitreanu
  • Patent number: 11278814
    Abstract: A game system, a game method, and a game program, which allow the user to enjoy a game with peace of mind even if a bias is provided in predetermined parameters. The game system is configured to acquire, as available environment information indicating an available environment for a game to be executed on a user terminal used by the user, information indicating a type of an operating system (OS); and determine a parameter to be used to provide a content to the user each time the user performs an input operation on the basis of the information indicating the type of the OS associated with the user at the time of the input operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: THE POKEMON COMPANY
    Inventors: Takuya Hashimoto, Satoki Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11260306
    Abstract: A matchmaking system matches players for online gaming, when some of the players may be human players and others may be simulated players. The matchmaking system may determine a first skill score associated with a first player for an online game, determine a behavior simulation model for a simulated player is available for the online game, determine a second skill score associated with the behavior simulation model for the online game, and determine the behavior simulation model matches with the first player based at on the first skill score being within a threshold of the second skill score. The matchmaking system may then instantiate a simulated player based on the behavior simulation model and instantiate the online game with the first player and the simulated player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Electronic Arts Inc.
    Inventor: Jesse Alan Labate
  • Patent number: 11260305
    Abstract: A method, a computer program product, and a computer system match players in a turn based game based on player activity. The method includes determining first characteristics of a first player activity of a first player. The characteristics are indicative of first active times that the first player historically took turns while playing the turn based game. The method includes identifying a second player having second characteristics of a second player activity. The second characteristics are indicative of second active times that the second player historically took turns while playing the turn based game. The second active times are compatible with the first active times. The method includes generating an indication for a game server hosting the turn based game to match the second player with the first player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Reeves, Aiden J. Gallagher, Sachin Tanna
  • Patent number: 11253784
    Abstract: A terminal device includes a timer that can count a time in a virtual game, a memory that stores item information regarding a special item associated with player identification information identifying a player and a time limit in which the virtual game is executable, and a processor that performs processing for starting counting of an execution time of the virtual game on the basis of the timer when receiving an instruction input of start of the virtual game via the input interface, stopping the counting of the execution time when receiving an instruction input for the special item by the player via the input interface, resuming the counting of the execution time when a predetermined condition is satisfied in the virtual game, and terminating the virtual game when the execution time reaches the time limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Inventor: Kazuki Morishita
  • Patent number: 11257332
    Abstract: A gaming system is disclosed that comprises a game controller that includes at least one processor and at least one memory device that are operably connected. The memory device(s) store computer-readable instructions for controlling the at least one processor to cause prize indicia to be displayed, each prize indicium corresponding to a spot prize awardable to a player, and cause a symbol array to be selected and displayed such that the symbol array and the prize indicia move relative to each other. The instructions also control the processor to select at least one spot prize corresponding to at least one prize indicium, determine at least one prize symbol to be added to the symbol array, corresponding to the respective selected at least one spot prize, and allocate a Wild function to the at least one added prize symbol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited
    Inventor: Colin Fong
  • Patent number: 11247124
    Abstract: A computer system includes a terminal, and a distribution server. The terminal includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire information related to a game played in a player game space, an image processing unit configured to generate second image information based on the information related to the game, a part of or entirety of the second image information being different from first image information that is displayed in the player game space, and a communication unit configured to transmit distribution information that includes the second image information. The distribution server includes a reception unit configured to receive the distribution information that includes the second image information, and a distribution unit configured to distribute distributable information that includes some or all of the second image information viewable on another terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: KOEI TECMO GAMES CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kenji Ota
  • Patent number: 11244542
    Abstract: Innovations in user interface (“UI”) features of an electronic gaming device, and in features of backend processing to implement the UI features, are presented. For example, an electronic gaming machine (“EGM”) can selectively transfer target symbols between multiple windows. Each of the windows uses a set of reels, which spin in the respective windows. When at least a threshold count of target symbols lands for a reel in a window, a stack of target symbols is transferred to a corresponding reel in each of one or more other windows. After target symbols are transferred, a bonus feature, special mode, or other supplemental feature can be triggered depending on the counts of target symbols in the respective windows. As another example, an EGM can selectively start a supplemental feature (such as a bonus feature or special mode) in multiple windows depending on a count of target symbols in the windows, collectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited
    Inventors: Christmas Uberuaga, Allon Englman
  • Patent number: 11235251
    Abstract: In esports a game firm has a game played by a gamer and shown on a third party viewing platform. To the firm, the platform is a middleman. The customer of the platform should be a customer of the firm. The gamer guides a viewer to watch the gamer on a read only copy of the game installed on the viewer's computer. The platform is bypassed. The viewer is now the firm's customer. The firm monetizes with ads and subscriptions. A viewer can be a tour guide of the game to other viewers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Inventor: Wesley John Boudville