Patents Examined by Ronald Laneau
  • Patent number: 11373480
    Abstract: A blockchain system provides progressive jackpots within a blockchain network of participating electronic devices. The blockchain system includes an electronic gaming machine storing a local blockchain and a system blockchain. The EGM is configured to identify a plurality of transactions for the first progressive jackpot account, each transaction of the plurality of transactions are deposit transactions from the first plurality of electronic gaming devices adding value to the first progressive jackpot account within the local blockchain. The EGM also determines a total sum amount of the plurality of transactions and creates a first deposit blockchain transaction including a first progressive jackpot account identifier and the total sum amount. The EGM transmits the first deposit blockchain transaction to one or more nodes of the second plurality of electronic gaming devices for addition to the system blockchain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Taylor, Nimish Purohit, Thomas Rizos
  • Patent number: 11361611
    Abstract: A gaming machine including a display device and game controller is provided. The display device includes reels having display positions for presenting symbols that include non-blank symbols and blank symbols. The game controller is configured to spin the reels horizontally to obtain a first game outcome including a first arrangement of the symbols at the display positions. In response to a determination that the first arrangement includes blank symbols, the game controller is configured to determine whether horizontally shifting non-blank symbols in either direction with respect to the blank symbols in each reel results in an optimal win. The game controller horizontally shifts the non-blank symbols with respect to the blank symbols in each reel to obtain a second game outcome in response to a determination that the shifting results in the optimal win. The game controller increases a credit balance by an award associated with the optimal win.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited
    Inventors: Gary Joseph Penacho, Thomas Tuomey
  • Patent number: 11354971
    Abstract: An gaming system includes a display device, an input device, and a game controller. When the game controller determines that a condition is met, the game controller modifies a plurality of symbols selected for display to include a prize awarding symbol. When the game controller determines that a designated condition is met, the game controller modifies the prize awarding symbol to reveal an award. The game controller evaluates the plurality of symbols to determine an award amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited
    Inventors: Billy Tam, Liam Sanders, Alessandro Sidoti
  • Patent number: 11351451
    Abstract: In accordance with the present disclosure a system for providing feedback in response to a video game is provided. The system includes: a game controller configured to receive signal(s) from a video game indicating first and second feedback response(s) and a vest configured to provide feedback in response to receiving a communication from the game controller. The game controller includes a first and a second transmitter configured to transmit a first and a second signal indicating the first and second feedback response, respectively. The vest includes: a first and a second receiver configured to receive the first and second signal from the first and second transmitter, a first feedback and second device that provides feedback in response to the first and second signal, the first and second feedback device being disposed on a first and second portion of the vest, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Inventor: Abdul Hotaki
  • Patent number: 11351437
    Abstract: A conductive material of a plurality of separate conductive materials are coupled to a first participant, the conductive material configured to move when the first participant delivers an impact to a second participant. An impedance-based impact sensing mechanism including an impedance changing mechanism that changes impedance as the conductive material is moved towards and away from the impedance changing mechanism as the first participant delivers the impact. An impedance-based impact measuring scoring system determines that the impact occurred based on a change in impedance in the impedance changing mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Inventor: Jin Song
  • Patent number: 11348403
    Abstract: The game table reading system comprises reading antennas for each of a plurality of reading areas of a game table, read-restriction antennas for each of the plurality of the reading areas, the read-restriction antennas restricting the RFID tag embedded in a game token placed in the corresponding reading area from being read by the reading antenna corresponding to the other adjacent reading areas, a reading control device that controls the reading antennas, and a read-restriction control device that controls the read-restriction antennas. The read-restriction control device causes the read-restriction antennas corresponding to the reading areas adjacent to the reading areas corresponding to the reading antenna that the reading control device causes to read, in synchronization with the reading control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: ANGEL GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naoya Takine, Satoru Monji
  • Patent number: 11348400
    Abstract: A presentation assembly for a gaming machine, the presentation assembly comprising a display device, at least one light-emitting device positioned adjacent the display device, and a reflective surface facing the at least one light-emitting device. The reflective surface includes at least one convex surface element extending towards the at least one light-emitting device. The convex surface elements are configured to reflect at least a portion of light emitted by the light-emitting devices towards a predetermined area associated with the gaming machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: SG Gaming. Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Coon, Christian Kulujian
  • Patent number: 11344811
    Abstract: To provide a game program having sufficient strategy and taste. A game program progresses a game by calculating a sequence of actions of the plurality of characters when an action of a character is determined from the plurality of options, receiving determination of the action of the character, and causing the character to execute the action received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoya Asano, Masashi Takahashi, Natsumi Miwa
  • Patent number: 11348407
    Abstract: A computer-based casino gaming system includes a ticket server and a marker server. The ticket server controls generation and redemption of gaming vouchers used for play at gaming machine/tables. The marker server controls granting of non-cashable markers having non-cashable value to casino patrons. When the marker server determines to grant a non-cashable marker requested by a patron, the ticket server generates a first gaming voucher representing a first monetary value corresponding to the non-cashable value. When the patron uses the first gaming voucher for play at a gaming machine/table, the ticket server redeems the first gaming voucher and transmits a message identifying playing credit corresponding to the first monetary value represented by the first gaming voucher and the patron is enabled to play at the gaming machine/table using the identified playing credit. The system ensures that the non-cashable marker is paid back before redeeming any cashable value to the patron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Global Payments Gaming Services Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew J. Schwartz
  • Patent number: 11341821
    Abstract: Methods for providing gaming advice are provided. For example, regarding a blackjack game, one or more first player cards are identified for a first player and one or more second player cards are identified for a second player. The first and second player cards are displayed to the first player. A probability associated with a first one of the plurality of playing options is determined based at least on a set of predetermined statistical blackjack data, the one or more first player cards, and the one or more second player cards. It is then determined, based at least on the determined probability associated with the first playing option, whether to display a first indication corresponding with first advice regarding the first playing option, a second indication corresponding with second advice regarding the first playing option, or a third indication corresponding with third advice regarding the first playing option.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: CANTOR INDEX LLC
    Inventors: Lee M. Amaitis, Joseph M. Asher, James C. Johnson
  • Patent number: 11338189
    Abstract: A method and system for conducting multiple competitions of skill for a single performance are described herein. User generated competition groups and system generated competition groups allow users to participate in multiple competitions at once based on answering the same questions or making the same selections related to a single event. The users are informed of each competition either via email, text message or when logging into the network via a website. The users select which competition groups to join. After joining the desired groups, users then make their selections related to the event which are transmitted to the network where results are tabulated and transmitted back to the users. The results are separated based on each competition group, so that users can continually know where they stand in each separate competition. With multiple competition groups, users are able to have varying success from the same performance in multiple competitions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Winview, Inc.
    Inventor: David B. Lockton
  • Patent number: 11335161
    Abstract: An electronic gaming machine includes a display, a digital camera device, a credit input mechanism, and a processor programmed to perform operations comprising: (i) receiving, from the digital camera device, a digital image of the player; (ii) determining an emotional state of the player by performing facial expression analysis on the digital image; (iii) determining an emotion level of the player by categorizing the emotional state of the player based on the determined emotional state, the categorizing includes a first state representing a positive emotional level and a second state representing another emotional level; (iv) determining that the emotional level is the other emotional level; and (v) automatically initiating a game session action during the game play session, the game session action is configured to cause the player to transition to the positive emotional level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited
    Inventor: Gregory Paul Schwartz
  • Patent number: 11335162
    Abstract: An electronic gaming machine includes a display, a digital camera device, a credit input mechanism, and a processor programmed to perform operations comprising: (i) receiving, from the digital camera device, a digital image of the player; (ii) determining an emotional state of the player by performing facial expression analysis on the digital image; (iii) determining an emotion level of the player by categorizing the emotional state of the player based on the determined emotional state, the categorizing includes a first state representing a positive emotional level and a second state representing another emotional level; (iv) determining that the emotional level is the other emotional level; and (v) automatically initiating a game session action during the game play session, the game session action is configured to cause the player to transition to the positive emotional level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited
    Inventor: Gregory Paul Schwartz
  • Patent number: 11328554
    Abstract: An electronic gaming machine includes a display, a digital camera device, a credit input mechanism, and a processor programmed to perform operations comprising: (i) receiving, from the digital camera device, a digital image of the player; (ii) determining an emotional state of the player by performing facial expression analysis on the digital image; (iii) determining an emotion level of the player by categorizing the emotional state of the player based on the determined emotional state, the categorizing includes a first state representing a positive emotional level and a second state representing another emotional level; (iv) determining that the emotional level is the other emotional level; and (v) automatically initiating a game session action during the game play session, the game session action is configured to cause the player to transition to the positive emotional level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited
    Inventor: Gregory Paul Schwartz
  • Patent number: 11328559
    Abstract: Individual sports event activities are recorded along with metric results of individual or collective results of the activities. The data from these recordings and metrics are provided to a central gaming server. Individual players offer wagers of value to be used in competition against other individual or groups of players. The central gaming server compares the metrics of at least two individual players that have offered wagers of values and determines a winning individual player based on the comparison of metrics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Inventors: William Choung, Daniel Sahl
  • Patent number: 11322240
    Abstract: An athlete tracking system and method for tracking an athlete during training sessions. The system includes a mobile tracking device wearable around a portion of the athlete's head, and a training log server for maintaining an athlete profile that includes a training record updatable by the athlete and a training plan supplied by a coach.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: FINISH TIME HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventor: Todd Martin
  • Patent number: 11315389
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method may comprise providing, retrieving or otherwise accessing an electronic game in which skilled players most often achieve greater success than less-skilled players. The game may be configured to generate in-game assets configured such that interaction therewith by players during game play selectively triggers wagers. Before the player inputs are used to interact with the in-game assets, random perturbations are introduced in one or more characteristics thereof, the random perturbations being configured such that the selectively triggered wagers, in the aggregate, reward both the skilled players and the less-skilled players according to a predetermined target Return-to-Player (RTP) percentage for the game. The randomly-perturbed player inputs may then be used to interact with the plurality of in-game assets to generate outcomes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: AKKADIAN ENTERPRISES
    Inventors: Michael M Oberberger, Nolan K Bushnell
  • Patent number: 11315386
    Abstract: A fraud detection system which detects fraud in a game of performing collection and redemption of chips in accordance with a win or lose result includes a camera which captures an image of chips contained in a chip tray of a dealer, an image analyzing apparatus which analyses the image captured by the camera to detect an amount of the chips contained in the chip tray, a card distribution device which determines a win or lose result of a game, and a control device which compares the win or lose result of the game and the amount of the chips contained in the chip tray before and after collection and redemption of the chips to detect fraud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: ANGEL GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yasushi Shigeta
  • Patent number: 11308758
    Abstract: An electronic gaming machine includes a display, a digital camera device, a credit input mechanism, and a processor programmed to perform operations comprising: (i) receiving, from the digital camera device, a digital image of the player; (ii) determining an emotional state of the player by performing facial expression analysis on the digital image; (iii) determining an emotion level of the player by categorizing the emotional state of the player based on the determined emotional state, the categorizing includes a first state representing a positive emotional level and a second state representing another emotional level; (iv) determining that the emotional level is the other emotional level; and (v) automatically initiating a game session action during the game play session, the game session action is configured to cause the player to transition to the positive emotional level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited
    Inventor: Gregory Paul Schwartz
  • Patent number: 11308756
    Abstract: A system for wagering and viewing the event on the same device while receiving the wagering data on a separate data feed from the video feed. Separate feeds would allow the wagering markets to close in more real-time while not relying on the video latency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: ADRENALINEIP
    Inventor: John Cronin