Patents Examined by Kang Hu
  • Patent number: 9858748
    Abstract: Examples disclosed herein relate to a front-mounted display utilized to enhance the installation of a display on an electronic gaming device. The systems and methods may allow for easier installation of a display on the electronic gaming device via a front-mounted display. One or more electrical interconnection points may be electrically connected with one or more electrical attachment points to form one or more electrical connects between the electronic gaming device and one or more displays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Cadillac Jack Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Andrew Thompson, Prashant L. Shah
  • Patent number: 9849369
    Abstract: A board game comprises one or more game objects such as a game board and game pieces, at least one memory device and at least one controller. Each of the game objects comprise a globally unique identifier and dynamic characteristic values associated with the unique identifier, stored in the memory device, that define the characteristics/attributes of the corresponding game object when used in the game. A user is able to play the game by utilizing the game objects according to their characteristic values. During the course of game play, the events of the game are able to dynamically change the characteristic values of each game object affected by the event. Similarly, outside of game play, external events are also able to dynamically change the characteristic values of a game object. These characteristic values are able to be kept and updated during and in between games.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: TWEEDLETECH, LLC
    Inventors: Michel Martin Maharbiz, Steve Jaqua, Theodore Morichau-Beauchant
  • Patent number: 9852586
    Abstract: A computer system for playing multiplayer games comprises a first gaming server which runs multiple instances of a first game and to which is connected a first plurality of players, there being a minimum number of players and a maximum number of players for any instance of the first game; and a second gaming server which runs multiple instances of a second game and to which is connected a second plurality of players, there being a minimum number of players and a maximum number of players for any instance of the second game. The first gaming server is in communication with the second gaming server and through the second gaming server makes available instances of the first game for players from said second plurality of players to join. Thus, separate gaming servers can pool instances of games and players.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Cork Group Trading Ltd.
    Inventor: Martin Paul Moshal
  • Patent number: 9849361
    Abstract: A method for monitoring the motion of a sport ball that has been impacted by an individual during the course of an athletic activity includes the steps of a portable electronic device wirelessly receiving motion data from the sport ball, and the portable electronic device determining a point of impact based on the motion data, wherein the point of impact includes a location on a surface of the sport ball where the impact occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: adidas AG
    Inventors: Aurel Coza, Christian Dibenedetto
  • Patent number: 9827492
    Abstract: Instead of using an operation inputted by a player, a series of operation data for continuously moving a player character for a predetermined time period of a game is previously stored as automatic operation data. Automatic control means moves the player character based on the automatic operation data. Furthermore, the automatic control means receives a play start operation indicating that the player starts to play the game while the automatic control means moves the player character. A movement of the player character controlled based on the automatic operation data is finished at a time when the play start operation is received, and the movement of the player character starts to be controlled based on an operation of the player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi Yamada, Hidemaro Fujibayashi, Eiji Aonuma
  • Patent number: 9802123
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an audio control apparatus having a game audio port for receiving a gaming audio signal generated by a gaming application, a chat port for receiving a chat signal comprising audio information generated by at least one gamer, and an audio system coupled to the game audio port and the chat port. The audio system can be operable to detect an energy level in the chat signal that exceeds a threshold, reduce a magnitude of the gaming audio signal to a desired audio energy level responsive to the aforementioned detection, generate a mixed audio signal comprising a combination of the gaming audio signal having the reduced magnitude and the chat signal, and transmit the mixed audio signal to a listening apparatus. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: STEELSERIES ApS
    Inventors: Tino Soelberg, Lung-Jen Hsu, Francis Arnold Grever
  • Patent number: 9785321
    Abstract: Briefly stated, technologies are generally described for controlling a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), using a user-interface (UI) selection unit, an action log unit, a pattern detector unit and/or an artificial intelligence (AI) player unit. In various examples, a system is described, where the system may be configured to control the action log unit to record logs of a user's actions input through a UI and associate the actions with status information of the user's character and opponent characters in the MMORPG. The system may control the pattern detector unit to extract correlation rules for the status information and the associated actions. The AI player unit may control a substitute player for the user based on the correlation rules, such that the substitute player can automatically reproduce actions of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: EMPIRE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT LLC
    Inventor: Shuichi Kurabayashi
  • Patent number: 9782681
    Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed herein for a media guidance application that determines a control scheme for a video game and maps the performance of particular media guidance application operations, unrelated to the video game, to the particular user input type already mapped to a video game function such that when the user performs the video game function, the particular media guidance application operation is also performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
    Inventors: Vanessa Wickenkamp, Andrew Fundament, Andy Dustin, William J. Korbecki, Douglas J. Seyller
  • Patent number: 9779581
    Abstract: There is provided an amusement system which expands an opportunity that a user obtains a prize relating to a game. In an amusement system where: the game can be played on a user terminal using a game server portion of a server apparatus; a prize relating to the game is selected by the game server portion in association with an operation by a user to the user terminal; and the user can use the selected prize in the game, a vendor apparatus being constructed as a physical apparatus different from the user terminal is connected to the server apparatus, a prize is selected by the game server portion based on an operation by a user to the vendor operation, and printing-output is performed by a printer of the vendor apparatus as one example of a physical prize corresponding to the selected prize.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: KONAMI DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoaki Fujii, Naoya Osawa, Hiroyuki Muraki, Yoshiko Hojo, Keiichi Nakajima, Kazuya Takahashi, Taku Tateyama
  • Patent number: 9767646
    Abstract: A networked game and method for entry of a non-winning game ticket in a second opportunity random draw game using a computer device that communicates with the game provider, each game player having a unique identifier and a determined balance of chips for selective use during game play shown on a display and at least one control feature selectively operative by the game player to play to an outcome for obtaining additional chips or not, with additional chips awarded to the player upon registering a non-winning ticket of a random draw game in the second opportunity game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Alchemy3, LLC
    Inventors: Paul Francis Guziel, David Jason Schorr
  • Patent number: 9751005
    Abstract: A system and method for facilitating navigation of a map in an online game are disclosed. A navigation mode may be provided to enable user to navigate the map by specifying a type of map features of interest to the user. In such a navigation mode, the user may provide directional control input for navigating the map to a map feature having a map feature type associated with the navigation mode; and the field of view of the map may jump from the present field of view to a new field of view corresponding to the map feature. The map feature may be selected because it is closer to a current location where the present field of view is taken in the direction indicated by the control input provided by the user than any other map features having the map feature type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Aftershock Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Ben Dong, Jun Yu
  • Patent number: 9744442
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for dynamic quality of service (QoS) management for multi-player gaming. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for dynamic QoS management for multi-player gaming is provided. The method includes monitoring a multi-player game and detecting a game moment for a game player in the multi-player game. The method also includes determining a degree of sensitivity for the game moment and enhancing access to a computing resource of the game player in response to determining the game moment to be highly sensitive. In one aspect of the embodiment, the method additionally includes detecting a subsequent game moment for the game player in the multi-player game, determining a degree of sensitivity for the subsequent game moment, and reducing access to the computing resource of the game player in response to determining the game moment to be less sensitive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: LENOVO ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Gary D. Cudak, Christopher J. Hardee, Randall C. Humes, Adam Roberts
  • Patent number: 9744443
    Abstract: A server is connected to a terminal via a network, and manages registration of game information, the terminal performing a first game process that utilizes stored game information, and a second game process that utilizes registered game information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: BANDAI NAMCO ENTERTAINMENT INC.
    Inventors: Koji Tezuka, Masaki Ota, Kentaro Honma
  • Patent number: 9744463
    Abstract: The APPARATUS, METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CREW MECHANICS IN MULTIPLAYER GAMES (hereinafter “CMMG”) the CMMG platform transforms in game status of a user's social content item via CMMG components into a content item with layered integration of additional content indicative of status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Zynga Inc.
    Inventor: Andres Cantor
  • Patent number: 9731208
    Abstract: Video game systems for executing instructions according to a video game contained on an item of first media including: an item of second media containing data defining an aspect of the video game; and a video game console including a housing, a first media device supported by the housing, a second media device supported by the housing, and a control unit supported by the housing and configured to control the first media device to read the item of first media and to control the second media device to read the item of second media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Bradbury, Daniel Stelung
  • Patent number: 9728033
    Abstract: Devices and methods are set forth to perform operations that perform head tracking of a player of a wagering game machine. The operations can further include presenting different auto-stereo content in response to determining the movement of the head of the player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: BALLY GAMING, INC.
    Inventors: Bryan M. Kelly, Stephen Patton, Sean Martin, Martin Lyons, Rod Ang, Randy Hedrick
  • Patent number: 9728041
    Abstract: A layout pattern of a plurality of possible layout patterns for wagering game machines is determined. An input indicating a location of a wagering game machine within the layout patter is received. A mapping of the wagering game machine to the location within the layout pattern is stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: BALLY GAMING, INC.
    Inventors: Peter R. Anderson, David E. Detlefsen, Jacob C. Greenberg, Timothy T. Gronkowski, Victor V. Lerias, III, Timothy D. Wilson
  • Patent number: 9717990
    Abstract: A network game system includes a server apparatus and a plurality of video game apparatuses connected to the server apparatus. A party includes player characters of a plurality of players. When the party battles with an opponent character, the server apparatus simultaneously transmits movie playback information to each video game apparatus for starting playback of a movie. Each of the players can skip the movie at a desired timing. A screen is displayed on each video game apparatus that has skipped the movie until the battle starts. When information is received from each video game apparatus that indicates playback of the movie has ended, the server apparatus simultaneously transmits battle start information to each video game apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA SQUARE ENIX
    Inventors: Yoichi Kuroda, Ryoko Kato
  • Patent number: 9707481
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising one or more servers of a hosting service server center and a RAID that stores geometry for objects of a complex scene. The RAID being coupled to the one or more application or game servers and being operable to interactively stream the geometry on-the-fly during real-time animation associated with running of a game or application on the one or more servers. The geometry is being streamed with substantially no detectable latency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment America LLC
    Inventors: Stephen G. Perlman, Roger van der Laan
  • Patent number: 9711004
    Abstract: A managed credit system and method for managing and processing various types of credits is disclosed. The managed credit system can provide various options for processing cashable credits, restricted credits, and managed credits. Wager account balances can be paid down automatically prior to the disbursement of cash in exchange for managed credits. Cash submissions during wager account sessions can be detected and processed by converting the cash submission to managed credits. Wager account advance requests can be detected during cash game sessions. Managed credits can be converted to cashable credits. Different types of casino credit can be tracked using different meters. Varying disbursement and conversion rules can be applied to different types of credit. Game credit accounts with mixed credit types that include managed credits can be wagered in a fixed order while accommodating cash submissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Inventor: Gary E. Ellis