Patents Examined by John M Hotaling
  • Patent number: 7828651
    Abstract: A gaming machine includes at least one security data collection device. In one embodiment, the security data collection device is a camera mounted to the gaming machine and adapted to collect image information regarding events associated with or adjacent to the gaming machine, such as the image of a player. In one embodiment, a player's image is stored in data form on a player card. When the player plays a gaming machine, the player's image is capture and compared to the image stored on the player card for authentication purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: David Matthew Oles, Steven G. LeMay, Bhakta Rakesh
  • Patent number: 7828649
    Abstract: A gaming system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming machines. Upon a suitable triggering event at a triggering gaming device in the gaming system a bonus event occurs. When the bonus event occurs, the players actively playing each auxiliary gaming device in the gaming system are each provided a chance to participate in the bonus event as well. Each remaining gaming device's chance of participating in the bonus event is based on the individual accumulated bonus event pool for that gaming device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Ryan W. Cuddy, Anthony J. Baerlocher, Carl V. Kniesteadt, Dov Randall
  • Patent number: 7824264
    Abstract: A default bonus award and a set of non-default bonus awards are determined for a type of gaming machine. A criterion for qualifying for a bonus award is also determined. Then, if a bonus session is active and a player meets the criterion, a bonus award is randomly selected for the player. In one embodiment, the random bonus award is selected immediately after the player is identified at the gaming machine, before he has begun play.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Robert P. Bartholomew, Erik B. Petersen, Lawrence R. Pitman, Michael B. Shelby
  • Patent number: 7824262
    Abstract: A gaming device including a primary game having one or more symbol generators and one or more secondary games associated with the symbol generators. The gaming device activates the symbol generators for a number of activations. When the symbol generator generates one or more predetermined symbols, the gaming device operates one or more of the secondary games associated with the symbol generators. In one embodiment, the gaming device continues to activate the symbol generators until at least one of the symbol generators generates one or more termination symbols, or until there are no activations remaining in the primary game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Bayard S. Webb, Anthony J. Baerlocher
  • Patent number: 7819745
    Abstract: A gaming system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming machines. Upon a suitable triggering event at a triggering gaming device in the gaming system a bonus event occurs. When the bonus event occurs, the players actively playing each auxiliary gaming device in the gaming system are each provided a chance to participate in the bonus event as well. Each remaining gaming device's chance of participating in the bonus event is based on the individual accumulated bonus event pool for that gaming device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Ryan W. Cuddy, Anthony J. Baerlocher
  • Patent number: 7819743
    Abstract: A wager manipulation feature for a wagering game is provided. The feature may be implemented after the player's wager is set but before game play takes place, after game play takes place or both simultaneously. If before game play, the feature enables the player to undo or nullify the wager, for example, if the player changes his or her mind or enters a wager incorrectly. If after game play, the feature provides a bonus to the player in which the player may nullify a bet after an unsuccessful outcome or increase the bet to enhance a favorable outcome. In any case, the redo feature can be accumulated in one embodiment and stored and/or restored on a gaming device ticket, player tracking card or promotion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Consuelo Olivas, Binh T. Nguyen, Craig P. Paulsen, Richard E. Michaelson, Bryan D. Wolf
  • Patent number: 7819741
    Abstract: A multiple game-of-chance that occupies the same floor space as a traditional slot machine but has a spinning reel game mounted below a spinning wheel game. The game is also an outcome bank for storing outcomes from the spinning wheel game. The spinning wheel game may provide an outcome that activates the upper spinning wheel game, and the outcomes in the spinning wheel game can alter the outcome of the lower spinning reel game and also provide a bank of outcomes in the outcome bank, which can also be utilized to alter the outcome, or likely future outcomes, in the spinning wheel game. The game also utilizes a flexible, resilient, Z-shaped radial drive gear to drive each of the three wheels in the upper wheel game independently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert A. Luciano
  • Patent number: 7819739
    Abstract: Described is a player activated game system, particularly adapted for playing instant lottery type games, that includes a game device having a computer containing at least one game, an electronic display and a card interface adapted to receive a game card having data that represents a particular game outcome such that connection of the card to the interface can result the game being played by the device with the particular outcome displayed on the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Scientific Game International, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth E. Irwin, Jr., Gary R. Streeter, William F. Behm, Mark Tevis
  • Patent number: 7815525
    Abstract: Disclosed are a ball for use in a sporting activity, and a tracking system for tracking the ball. The ball comprises a microchip embedded in the ball. The microchip is adapted to transmit an information specific to a location of the ball to the tracking system. The tracking system is configured to locate the ball based on the information specific to the spatial location of the ball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Inventor: Calvin Small
  • Patent number: 7811170
    Abstract: A disclosed thin light-emitting interface displays may be mounted to a surface on the gaming machine. The light-emitting elements used in the interface displays may be provided from electro-luminescent elements, organic light emitting diode (OLED) elements and combinations thereof. The thin light-emitting interface displays may be used to input and output gaming information on the gaming machine. The gaming information that is input and output via the interface display may be used to provide: 1) a game of chance played on the gaming machine, 2) player tracking services, 3) game services available on the gaming machine and 4) attract features. In one embodiment, a game input interface display is provided with a plurality of input buttons where a number and a format of the input buttons are dynamically configurable for different types of games of chance played on the gaming machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Ron Winans, Richard Ollins
  • Patent number: 7811172
    Abstract: A lottery system is provided. Lottery tickets may be purchased using a communication device, such as a mobile device. Sales commissions, or other credit, for the purchased tickets may be determined for one or more retailers based at least partially on the location of the communication device, for example, when the purchase is made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: CFPH, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph M. Asher, Robert F. Bahrampour
  • Patent number: 7811163
    Abstract: A transmitter tag for a ball, the tag comprises a transmitter configured to issue a signal for location of the ball, a power source for powering the transmitter, activation means operable for activating the transmitter when the ball is in use, and deactivation means operable for remote manual deactivation of the transmitter after the ball is located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Inventor: Ashley Ratcliffe
  • Patent number: 7811173
    Abstract: An apparatus and methods to provide a game system utilizing a normal household DVD player. The apparatus typically uses multiple remote controls and a game disc to provide an interactive game such as a quiz game. The game disc manipulates the address locations within the DVD to provide movement throughout the disc and the remote controls similarly at an offset to the address locations to source particular media files on the disc to be displayed on an associated television or similar device. The remote controls are also provided with a mechanism to avoid conflict between near simultaneous signals that include receivers within the remote controls to receive the signals, resolve the first remote control operated and only allow an operational code from that remote control to be received by the DVD player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: PC Concepts Limited
    Inventors: Michael P. C. Lau, Francis C. H. So
  • Patent number: 7811174
    Abstract: A gaming system includes a hard disk drive for storing applications and other data. The hard disk drive has multiple regions for storing different types of data. Each application executed on the gaming system has an associated storage area on the hard disk drive. A console application executing on the gaming system prevents a particular application from accessing data in an area of the hard disk drive that is not associated with the particular application. The gaming system also maintains a list of recently used nicknames to simplify entry of nicknames by a user of the gaming system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Jon Marcus Randall Whitten, Christopher M. Pirich
  • Patent number: 7811167
    Abstract: A game of chance involving a progression of events is conducted on one or more gaming machines. After receiving a wager from a player at a gaming machine, play of the game is initiated. If the game is paused, the status of the paused game is stored at a central database linked to and remote from the gaming machine. This game status is associated with a personal identifier of the player. To continue play of the game beginning from a point at which the game was paused, the personal identifier is provided to the central database via the same or another gaming machine and the game status associated with the personal identifier is retrieved from the central database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventors: John J. Giobbi, Larry J. Pacey
  • Patent number: 7806766
    Abstract: A gaming system and method of playing a gaming device by a user. The method includes inserting a voucher having a voucher value into the gaming device and accessing a database having voucher data associated with the voucher. The voucher value is verified. The user is queried for a credit value of a base wagering denomination. Calculations of full game credits and partial game credits are performed based upon the voucher value and the credit value. The full game credits, the partial game credits, and the voucher value are displayed on a game display. The method allows partial or all credits to be played at any time. The method provides for recording of game events to a database. The method also allows for the user to change the base wagering denomination during game play.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. Luciano, Warren R. White
  • Patent number: 7803048
    Abstract: Methods and systems for deceiving other characters in a video game are disclosed. A video game may include a simulated environment in which player and computer controlled characters can monitor each other's positions using radar, e.g., an acoustic radar that detects noise (such as the firing of various weapons) associated with other characters. A character may fire a decoy bullet, which creates noise at the location of impact rather than the location of firing. A character may temporarily jam another character's radar so that the other character's radar does not display character locations. A first character may mimic an enemy character so that the first character appears as a friend to enemy characters on each enemy characters' radar. A special weapon may make all visible characters visually appear as enemies to a first character, thereby confusing the first character. Another special weapon may create a duplicate image of a character, thereby confusing others.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Ian Tilston, Laurence Richard Cheers
  • Patent number: 7803050
    Abstract: A tracking device for use in obtaining information for controlling an execution of a game program by a processor for enabling an interactive game to be played by a user and related apparatus are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Xiadong Mao, Richard L. Marks, Gary M. Zalewski
  • Patent number: 7805151
    Abstract: Provided, inter alia, is a system for generating substantially simultaneous alerts, in which a plurality of user devices is accessible via at least one publicly available network. Each such user device has installed on it an alert-based client. A server is configured to download identical alert information, including a message that has been encrypted, to the plurality of user devices. The alert-based clients are configured to receive the alert information and, in response: (i) to store the message in encrypted form until just prior to a specified delivery time; and (ii) to decrypt and deliver the message substantially at the specified delivery time. By virtue of the foregoing arrangement, substantially simultaneous delivery of the message to the user devices is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Vergence Entertainment LLC
    Inventors: Robert J. Feeney, Brent W. Barkley, Jeff E. Haas, Gregory J. Pinter
  • Patent number: 7803046
    Abstract: An gaming machine for and method of par-mutuel wagering that allows individuals to continuously place multiple casino and lottery styled pari-mutuel wagers on simulcast live and/or recorded pari-mutuel race events. The gaming machine includes a display screen to provide a graphic display of a plurality of pari-mutuel gaming options to a player, and a selection device operable by the player to select at least one of the pari-mutuel gaming options displayed on the screen, the selection device operable by the player to input a wager corresponding to the selected at least one pari-mutuel gaming option. The gaming machine has the ability to be linked to a network of gaming machines in pari-mutuel and/or other wagering venues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Inventors: Kenneth A. Scott, Lawrence A. Krause