Patents Examined by Shahid Kamal
  • Patent number: 8602871
    Abstract: A gaming device including at least a first reel in a first reel set linked to at least a first reel in a second reel set and at least a second reel in the first reel set not linked to any reel in any second reel set. In a play of the game, symbols are independently generated for each reel set. After an award evaluation, the gaming device removes zero, one, or more symbols from the reels in the reel sets. If any empty symbol positions are formed on the first reel in the second reel set, the gaming device transfers one or more symbols from the first reel of the first reel set to the linked first reel of the second reel set to occupy the empty symbol positions. The gaming device generates symbols to fill the empty symbol positions and provides any awards for any winning symbol combinations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: William R. Wadleigh, Erick T. Ching
  • Patent number: 8602870
    Abstract: To provide a gaming machine which can carry out a lizhi effect rich in impact without giving a feeling of boredom. A gaming machine being provided with a display device, which can display an image and can be switched to a transmissive condition or a non-transmissive condition, in front of a plurality of symbols which can be variably displayed, in the event that a combination of the plurality of symbols reaches a lizhi, as well as portions in front of the plurality of symbols taking on the non-transmissive condition, a symbol image corresponding to a last stop displayed symbol is variably displayed on the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
    Inventor: Hideaki Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 8597124
    Abstract: The Fair-Ordering Service delivers action messages to the server as soon as it is feasible. Because action messages from different players exhibit different reaction times with respect to an update message, the Fair-Ordering Service executed at the server dynamically enforces a sufficient waiting period on each action message to guarantee the fair processing of all action messages. The Fair-Ordering Service takes into consideration delayed and out-of-order action messages. When action messages corresponding to multiple update messages are interleaved, the Fair-Ordering Service matches the action message to the appropriate update message by maintaining a window of update messages and using the reaction times for an action message for each of the update messages in the window. This enables state changes at the game server to be performed with fairness to all the players. The Fair-Ordering Service is based on a framework that uses a proxy architecture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventors: Katherine H. Guo, Sarit Mukherjee, Sanjoy Paul, Sampath Rangarajan
  • Patent number: 8585487
    Abstract: The gaming system, gaming device and method provides a reel game that includes stacks of symbols configured on the reels to provide a large number of winning symbol combinations. The gaming device includes a plurality of reels wherein each reel includes a reel-strip and a plurality of symbols. Each of the plurality of reels is configured to include one or more stacks of symbols wherein a stack of symbols is formed by placing a plurality of identical symbols adjacent to each other on a single reel. If two non-adjacent reels each generated a stack of identical symbols and at least one reel positioned between the two non-adjacent reels generated symbols different from the symbols used to form the stack of identical symbols, at least one symbol on the at least one reel positioned between the two non-adjacent reels is modified into the symbol that forms the stacks of identical symbols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Paulina Rodgers, Karen Michelle Cregan, Benjamin C. Hoffman
  • Patent number: 8579699
    Abstract: An embodiment of a gaming device includes a game having at least three choices, wherein each of the choices either trumps or is trumped by one of the other choices, and a processor programmed to determine if an outcome enhancing condition is satisfied, enable a player to elect to enhance an outcome if an outcome enhancing condition is satisfied, enable the player to select one of said choices, select one of said choices, determine an outcome based on a comparison of the player's choice with the processor's choice, provide a win outcome if the player elected to enhance an outcome and the comparison of the player's choice with the processor's choice results in a draw determination, provide a draw outcome if the player elected to enhance an outcome and the comparison of the player's choice with the processor's choice results in a lose determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Robert F. Bigelow, Jr., Damien C. Ennis, Michael P. Khamis
  • Patent number: 8574078
    Abstract: A technology of realizing wireless communication between a parent station and child stations with efficiency. In a game system according to the present invention, a game apparatus sets the maximum number of times of transmission for wireless game controllers, in accordance with the number of wireless game controllers that are communicating at a predetermined communication cycle. Here, time for establishing connection with a new wireless game controller is reserved within each communication cycle, thereby allowing new users to join the game. The maximum number of times of transmission is re-set when the number of wireless game controllers connected changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshio Miyazaki, Takanori Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8568240
    Abstract: The present invention conducts, monitors, and regulates the sporting-event that takes place over an extended geographic area, during an extended time period, with intermediate event-based stages occurring before arriving at the finish line. The sporting competition will require the participants to demonstrate a multitude of skills with each participant having to complete a task or tasks at each intermediate stage in the competition prior to proceeding to the next stage, and ultimately, to finish the race. To finish, a contestant, or team of contestants, must have accomplished a task or set of tasks at each intermediate stage for each of the designated segments along the course route of the contest. In that way, the present invention will conduct an endurance race that is more akin to marathon foot race with intermediate event-based stages, as opposed to a modern fishing competition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Inventor: Roy Neves
  • Patent number: 8568229
    Abstract: In a network game, player characters manipulated by individual players of video game apparatuses belong to the same party to battle with an opponent character. When a player character making a special move is not present in the party, the display screen of each video game apparatus becomes a screen focusing on the player character of the player who uses this video game apparatus. When one of the player characters makes a special move, not only the display screen of the video game apparatus corresponding to this player, but also the display screens of the video game apparatuses corresponding to the other player characters in the party become screens focusing on the player character which makes the special move.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Square Enix
    Inventors: Jin Fujisawa, Takashi Anzai
  • Patent number: 8562426
    Abstract: There is provided a system where usage charge of a facility can be paid by virtual money. A card ID and a consumption amount of virtual money are transmitted from a game terminal as charging-target terminal apparatus, the card ID being recorded in a card possessed by a user (step S31). The server apparatus replaces the card ID with a user ID unique to each user (step S32), and specifies a virtual money account managed by the server apparatus in association with the user ID. When the balance of the account is not less than the consumption amount, the consumption amount is subtracted from the balance of the account, and when the balance is less than the consumption amount, the subtraction of the consumption amount is stopped (stepS34). Transaction result information including information indicating whether the subtraction of consumption amount has succeeded is transmitted to the game terminal (3) as a response (steps S35, S36).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keina Kanisawa, Yasuyuki Nagatomo, Yusuke Kitakaze, Koji Makino, Jiro Hotta, Masahiko Kami, Tadanobu Otaki, Kazutaka Kubota
  • Patent number: 8556717
    Abstract: A user can move the position of a pan flute in a horizontal direction on a screen by sliding a touch position in the horizontal direction on the screen while touching a touch panel with a stick. Moreover, when the user blows on a microphone hole, a musical sound of a pitch corresponding to a pipe of the pan flute which is displayed in an overlapping manner with a valid position display image at this time is outputted via a sound hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Yamada, Junya Osada, Arisa Hosaka, Eiji Aonuma, Toru Minegishi, Daiki Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 8545309
    Abstract: In accordance with one or more embodiments, an apparatus and system is provided for determining whether a player requires attention as a problem gambler. The apparatus and system are further operable to dispatch an event, the event for interacting with the problem gambler. The interaction may be targeted, for example, at curbing a player's inappropriate or potentially problematic gambling behavior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Jay S. Walker, James A. Jorasch, Magdalena M. Fincham
  • Patent number: 8535152
    Abstract: A personal mobility vehicle, such as a wheelchair system, includes a user interface that includes a user input and a display for displaying information to the user and a control unit that includes a data processor and a memory. The data processor is responsive to the user entering information into the personal mobility vehicle, where the information indicates a user selection of a game function integrated into the personal mobility vehicle, to enable the user play a game via the user interface. The operation of playing the game includes a preliminary step of switching at least a portion of the user interface from a normal mode of controlling some function, such as mobility, of the personal mobility vehicle to a game playing function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Curtis Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthias Holenweg, Kurt Stump, Stuart E. Marwell
  • Patent number: 8506369
    Abstract: Various systems, game controllers, and methods for simulating various objects such as weapons are provided. For example, a game controller may include a trigger, a processor within the body that receives a trigger signal when the trigger is activated by the user. The processor may communicate with a computer running a software program such as a gaming application, and an actuator coupled to the trigger, the actuator configured to output a haptic effect to the trigger in response to receiving a control signal from the processor. The game controller may simulate a gun and generate a recoil effect. In some embodiments, the recoil effect may be generated by impacting a moving mass from a discharge end of the gun to a handle end of the gun. In some embodiments, the recoil effect may be generated by using a body part of a user as a tether.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Immersion Corporation
    Inventors: Danny A. Grant, Erin Ramsay, Ali Modarres, David M. Birnbaum, Juan Manuel Cruz-Hernandez, Robert W. Heubel, Hendrik Bartel
  • Patent number: 8506370
    Abstract: Aspects of this disclosure relate to systems and methods for conducting sport-specific activities. Illustrated systems may be adjustable to permit a performance of different sport-specific activities. Further aspects relate to using sensor data to evaluate a user's performance and determine sport-specific fitness parameters. Various fitness parameters may measure reactive agility and/or the physiological state of the user, such as when in an exhausted state. Illustrated systems may have structures with an output device and a sensor. The structure may include a vertically-arranged planar surface to form a wall. Several structures may be configured to form a boundary. The boundary may be automatically adjustable, for example, depending on one or more specific fitness routines to be implemented. Calculated fitness parameters may be visually mapped on the structures of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventor: Kristopher L. Homsi
  • Patent number: 8491378
    Abstract: A wagering server system provides pari-mutuel wagering on a large number of entrants. The wagering server system has a wagering application which is configured for administration of pari-mutuel wagering. The application has a first tournament object which is configured to initialize into at least one first tournament component. The first tournament component represents in one embodiment a real world contested event which may have a large number of entrants. A sensory application interoperates with sensors located at the event. The sensors generate readable data digital signals when interoperating with readable data components. The wagering application also has a game play component which is configured to receive readable data digital signals, where real-time wagering may occur on the first real world contested event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Inventor: Harry Platis
  • Patent number: 8494665
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a method for processing move information obtained from a board game move-recording device in order to produce an accurate record of the moves of the game. In particular, the present invention is intended for use with board games such as chess in which the game pieces move between fixed locations. Further, the present invention is intended for use with a simpler and less expensive class of board game move-recording devices that are capable of detecting the presence or absence of a game piece on any one of the game board's fixed locations, but which are not further capable of determining the identity of the detected piece. The objective of the present invention is to resolve any ambiguities found in the move information produced by those devices and, thereby, enable those devices to produce complete and accurate game records.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Inventor: John Arthur Griffin
  • Patent number: 8480465
    Abstract: A method for playing a card game between a dealer and each of at least one players includes dealing by the dealer, from a deck of cards, a hand of cards to the dealer and to each of the at least one players. At least one card of the dealer's hand is exposed. Each of the players' hands is arranged into a high hand and a low hand. The low hand has fewer player cards than the high hand. The dealer's hand is arranged into a high hand and a low hand. The low hand has fewer player cards than the high hand. An outcome of the card game is determined by comparing the arranged dealer's low hand and the arranged dealer's high hand with the corresponding arranged low and high hands of each of the at least one players.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Inventors: Orville Allen Ennis, Lieng Hong Vang
  • Patent number: 8475277
    Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments described herein relate to gaming machines and/or table games having interfaces provided thereto so as to allow players to control their participation in base games and random rewards scenarios. More particularly, an interface provided to the gaming machines and/or table games enables separate and/or separable credit meters to be maintained such that players may determine whether, and to what extent, to allocate credits to base games and one or more random rewards scenarios. This advantageously provides players with further control over their gaming opportunities. Also, certain exemplary embodiments may enable players to wager credits in excess of those capped by a particular gaming machine or table game. This advantageously provides additional revenue possibilities for gaming operators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Paltronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Angelo Palmisano, Sam Johnson
  • Patent number: 8469785
    Abstract: Games related to the provision of information are described. Games may be formulated to exploit biases such as long shot bias and favorite bias. Games related to the provision of information are described. Games may be formulated to exploit biases relating to the Monty Hall paradox. Games related to the provision of information are described. Games may include wagering on hands of cards, e.g., poker wagering games.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: CFPH, LLC
    Inventors: Dean P. Alderucci, Charles Plott, Mark Miller
  • Patent number: 8460087
    Abstract: A gaming system for conducting a wagering game includes a plurality of linked gaming machines for receiving multiple player selections in a community bonus game. The community bonus game may be displayed to all players at the linked gaming machines on a community display. Upon receiving multiple player selections in the community bonus game, players are awarded bonus awards based on the respective player selections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey E Michel