Patents Examined by Scott E. Jones
  • Patent number: 6638164
    Abstract: The present invention provides an interactive, ongoing bonus game that operates at the same time as a base game of a gaming device and thereby enhances a player's award. The present invention provides one or more graduating multiplier or modifier displays, wherein the displays designate a position of value for each modifier. When certain symbols or combinations of symbols appear on the reels of the gaming device, the present invention modifies either the player's base game wager or a base game payout by the designated value of one of the modifiers. When certain other symbols or combinations of symbols appear on the reels of the gaming device, the present invention increases the designated value position for one or more of the modifiers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Dov L. Randall, Peter Gerrard
  • Patent number: 6638175
    Abstract: A diagnostic golf club system having a diagnostic golf club, an interface means and a computing means is disclosed herein. The diagnostic golf club includes a plurality of strain gauges, an internal power supply, and a non-volatile memory for capturing data relating to a golf swing. The interface means is capable of transferring data from the diagnostic golf club to the computing means for processing the data and presenting the data in a useful and informative format. The data may be used to determine a shaft flex profile for a particular golfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Nathan J. Lee, Aaron Linsdau, Jan N. Houshar, Nigel Simmons, Peter Matthewson, Ian Ansell
  • Patent number: 6638160
    Abstract: A game system allows timing adjustment for reducing inaccuracy in timing evaluation of an operation performed by a player. The game system includes a storage device for storing reference data defining timing of at least one operation to be performed by a player on an input device associated with an elapsed time from a predetermined position serving as a reference, and an operation instruction device for instructing the player operation timing based on the reference data. An operation detection device detects actual timing of an operation performed on the input device by the player, and an evaluation device evaluates the detected operation by comparing the timing of the operation defined in the reference data and the detected timing. An adjustment value setting device allows the player to correct an evaluation result, and an adjustment execution device changes the operation timing with the predetermined position being used as a reference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Konami Corporation
    Inventor: Kensuke Yoshitomi
  • Patent number: 6632137
    Abstract: A portable game machine electronically executes target games and has an input unit, a game processing unit, and a display unit in a housing. A plurality of targets to be hit are displayed on the display unit. First pitching data concerning the vertical displacement of a ball and second pitching data concerning the horizontal displacement of a ball are successively input by a game player through operation keys provided for the input unit. By using the information of the first pitching data and the second pitching data, the game processing unit determines whether the ball has hit one of the targets. Based on the determination result, an image of the target after the ball has been thrown is displayed on the display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Konami Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akihiko Nagata
  • Patent number: 6620042
    Abstract: A portable game machine electronically executes target games and has an input unit, a game processing unit, and a display unit in a housing. A plurality of targets to be hit are displayed on the display unit. First kicking data concerning an X coordinate when a ball reaches one of the targets and second kicking data concerning a Y coordinate when the ball reaches one of the targets are successively input by the game player through one of the operation keys provided for the input unit. By using the information of the first kicking data and the second kicking data, the game processing unit determines whether the ball hits one of the targets defined by the X coordinate and the Y coordinate. Based on the determination result, an image of the target after the ball has been kicked is displayed on the display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Konami Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akihiko Nagata
  • Patent number: 6616529
    Abstract: A reality-based sports gaming network includes a hierarchical event model, a gaming engine, and an event synthesis engine. The event synthesis engine and the hierarchical event model work together to predict events in a sports match using a probabilistic inferential technique such as Bayesian networks. The Bayesian network is trained based on semantic events detected from a real version of the sports match.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Richard J. Qian, Jeffery S. McVeigh
  • Patent number: 6609969
    Abstract: A device for dispensing awards includes a housing having a set of compartments, the contents of which are visible from the outside. Each compartment contains a small but valuable award, such as a diamond. The housing is part of, or connected to, a gaming machine. When a player wins a game which entitles the player to select a tangible award, the device signals this fact to the player. The player then selects a compartment by pressing a input device located on the housing. An attendant opens an external door, and inserts an electronic key into a receptacle associated with the selected compartment, and enters a required code into the key. The compartment then opens, and the player obtains the award. The device provides enhanced security, because the compartment will not open unless the player has won the required game and has pressed the input device, and the attendant has properly opened the external door and has entered the correct code with the electronic key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Sierra Design Group
    Inventors: Robert A. Luciano, Michael Souza
  • Patent number: 6595851
    Abstract: In a game system having inherent identification data assigned to each of memory card devices, novel cards can be generated by comparing the inherent identification data with a password given as an input signal. Thus, the inherent identification data can have functions other than a product identification function. Specifically, when a predetermined correlation is obtained as a result of this comparison between the inherent identification data and the password, a specific card determined by the correlation is generated as the novel card in a lottery style. The specific card can be used in a card game implemented by a game device main unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Konami Corporation
    Inventors: Morikuni Kubo, Tsutomu Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6585596
    Abstract: A wireless control unit includes a controller having wireless transmitter circuitry for transmitting game information, and a console interface/adapter for converting one of the communication ports of the game console into a wireless receiver/transmitter. The console interface/adapter also includes an additional communication port so as to provide the user with access to the used communication port while the interface/adapter is operably disposed within the communication port of the game console.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Arista Enterprises Inc.
    Inventors: Alan E. Leifer, Richard Leifer, Chi-Fu Peng
  • Patent number: 6575830
    Abstract: The present invention provides a bonus round of gaming device in which the player either wins that which the player does not select or the player selectively replaces one award with another award with the hopes of maximizing an ultimate award. In the embodiment wherein the player wins that which the player does not select, one or more selections are made from the plurality of symbols, and the game provides awards assigned to the unselected choices or symbols. In the replacement embodiment, the game replaces the award of a selected symbol with an alternative type of award. In one example, the awards assigned to the unselected symbols are gaming device credits, while the converted or replaced awards assigned to selected symbols are multipliers. After replacement, the game sums the credits, sums the multipliers and multiplies the credits by the multipliers to produce an ultimate award.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Anthony J. Baerlocher, Lance R. Peterson
  • Patent number: 6575828
    Abstract: A device and method for playing a card game where four game cards are selected. To win, a fifth, outcome card must have either a higher or lower value than any same suited game card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Inventor: Mitchell J. NewDelman
  • Patent number: 6572474
    Abstract: This invention provides a method of paying winning bets against the house in a casino game such as Roulette. According to this method the casino provides a player's VDU display to display those bets of a player which are normally combined mentally by a croupier to provide a payout but which instead are entered through a keyboard or the like of data-input means by a croupier to provide an automatic calculation of the player's winnings. The player's VDU display also displays the total payout which is computed as being the amount payable to the player. In addition the data-input means has a display which the croupier can read without taking their attention from the table. This display enables the croupier to check the accuracy of the amounts entered and the total payout while maintaining surveillance of the table to ensure that bets are not shifted after close of play. At the same time the players can readily check the player's VDU display to ensure their wins are paid correctly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Inventor: Clarence Rudd
  • Patent number: 6572473
    Abstract: The present invention involves a gaming device with a bonus scheme which includes a plurality of parent regions and sub-regions. The gaming device moves at least one symbol with respect to the sub-regions and enables the player to use his/her skill to stop the symbol and indicate a sub-region within a parent region. Which sub-region the symbol will indicate within such parent region is determined by the gaming device, preferably unbeknownst to the player. The gaming device preferably awards the player with value associated with the sub-region which is indicated by the stopped symbol. This type of game provides players with skill-based activities thereby adding excitement to gaming devices and increasing player entertainment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: Anthony J. Baerlocher
  • Patent number: 6571143
    Abstract: The present invention includes a golf scoring system for at least one golf competition, wherein at least one participant plays at a first geographic location with a set of results and at least one participant plays at a second geographic location with another set of results. This system includes determining at least one normalizing factor for each of the geographic locations relative to each other; compiling results from each of the participants; applying the normalizing factor to each of the results; and determining a final score for each of the participants. The normalizing factor can be stored in a data source; wherein the results are compiled also stored in the data source. The final score for each of the participants may also be stored in the data source and users can access the data source to view the final score for each of the participants. Moreover, participants can communicate with each other using email or chat rooms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Inventor: James Mallamo
  • Patent number: 6565433
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a gaming device feature which involves one or more symbols which travel from one location to a randomly determined location on one or more reels. The travel can occur at any time during a primary game or bonus round, however it preferably occurs to accompany an outcome such as a value award. This travel feature provides players with engaging entertainment and increases player enjoyment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Anthony J. Baerlocher, Cari L. Blomquist, Joseph E. Kaminkow, Lance R. Peterson, Bayard S. Webb
  • Patent number: 6561900
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a gaming device feature which involves one or more symbols which travel from location to location on one or more reels. The travel can occur at any time during a primary game or bonus round, however it preferably occurs to accompany an outcome such as a value award. This travel feature provides players with engaging entertainment and increases player enjoyment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Anthony J. Baerlocher, Cari L. Blomquist, Joseph E. Kaminkow, Lance R. Peterson, Bayard S. Webb
  • Patent number: 6554703
    Abstract: The present invention is a gaming device that provides a gaming device that displays a plurality of related symbols, wherein each symbol has a different exhibition associated with it. The gaming device includes a display adapted to display the symbols and the exhibitions, whereby when a symbol is selected, the display provides the associated exhibition. In one preferred embodiment, the gaming device includes an exhibition library that stores a plurality of exhibitions. Each time a symbol is selected, the gaming device selects an exhibition from the exhibition library, associates it with that symbol, and displays it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: William J. Bussick, Lance R. Peterson, Anthony J. Baerlocher, Garrett M. Olson, James A. Vasquez, Joseph E. Kaminkow, Aaron T. Jones
  • Patent number: 6537149
    Abstract: A game system includes: a display device for displaying images; an input device for receiving manipulation by a user and for outputting a signal corresponding to the manipulation; and a control device for controlling progress of a horse breeding game with monitoring the signal outputted from the input device and displaying images corresponding to the progress of the game on a screen of the display device. The control device includes: an evaluation value storage unit for storing evaluation values for a plurality of sires; a control unit for controlling the progress of the game based on the evaluation values; and an evaluation value updating unit for updating the evaluation values for the sires in every predetermined period during the progress of the game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignee: Konami Corporation
    Inventor: Daisuke Sogabe
  • Patent number: 6511378
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an operating system may assign a product ID to the game controller that matches the product ID provided with or for the game controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Dhiraj Bhatt, Lynette A. Castlevetro, Wells A. Brimhall, Venkat U. Yellepeddy, John L. Reid
  • Patent number: 6475086
    Abstract: The necessity for spontaneously transmitting each individual wager from a remote terminal or terminals to a host computer in a computerized lottery system is completely eliminated. As a result, the total amount of data transmitted between the remote terminals and the host computer is substantially reduced. This reduces the consequent cost of transmission and enhances the number of economically viable transmission alternatives. A total number of sequential plays is conveyed from the remote terminal or terminals to the host computer. Pseudo-random wager numbers and serial numbers associated with each of the plays is reconstructed at the host computer from the total number of sequential plays. The reduced data exchange facilitates novel methods of data transfer, such as satellite packet transmission and cellular service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Inventor: Robert W. Zach