Patents Examined by Steve Rowland
  • Patent number: 10991202
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method may comprise providing a wager-based electronic gaming device (EGD) comprising at least one processor, memory, a display, an input interface and a money acceptor. The EGD may be configured to accept money from a player via the money acceptor and establish an account balance using the received money; display a game environment configured to enable the player to participate, via the input interface, in a gaming session of a wager-based game comprising a plurality of stages, and enable, for the gaming session, game play and wagers in a current stage of the plurality of stages of the wager-based game. It may then be determined that game play in the current stage has reached a current stage complete state in which all requirements necessary for transitioning game play from the current stage to a next or other stage of the plurality of stages have been met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: SYNERGY BLUE LLC
    Inventors: Michael M Oberberger, Michael Low
  • Patent number: 10991199
    Abstract: Systems and techniques for providing flexibly reconfigurable meters on electronic gaming machines are provided; such meters may be considered to be “transient” with respect to meters that are hard-coded into the electronic gaming machine operating system or platform software or wagering game software and may be reconfigured by updating one or more meter definition files. Some such electronic gaming machines may provide for automated output of meter information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited
    Inventors: Donovan David Meyer, Thomas Rizos
  • Patent number: 10991206
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method of operating a regulated gaming machine may comprise enabling the player to play a wager-based game having a plurality of stages. Game play and wagers may then be enabled in a first stage of the plurality of stages of a game. A determination may be made that game play in the first stage has reached a first stage complete state in which all requirements necessary for transitioning game play from the first stage to a second stage have been completed. The player may be provided with an opportunity to win one of a plurality of prizes, a highest one of which being a first top prize. The player may then be awarded a random one of the plurality of first prizes. Game play and wagers may then be enabled in a second, later stage of the plurality of stages of the game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: SYNERGY BLUE LLC
    Inventors: Michael M Oberberger, Michael Low
  • Patent number: 10981062
    Abstract: An electronic device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface displays an interaction region that includes one or more objects; while displaying the interaction region, the device displays an effect selection panel that includes effect selection affordances that correspond to different predefined effects, and detects a sequence of one or more inputs, including detecting a first contact and movement of the first contact; and when the sequence of one or more inputs meets effect selection criteria with respect to a first effect selection affordance, the device displays a first visual indication that indicates selection of the first effect selection affordance; and when effect adjustment criteria are met with respect to a first effect corresponding to the first effect selection affordance, the device displays a second visual indication to indicate adjustment of an effect position corresponding to the first effect in accordance with the movement of the first contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventor: Min Zhou
  • Patent number: 10984676
    Abstract: A method of facilitating learning of correspondence between one or more letters and one or more speech characteristics, is disclosed. The method may include receiving, using a processing device, at least one letter indicator corresponding to at least one letter. Further, the method may include analyzing, using the processing device, the at least one letter indicator. Further, the method may include identifying, using the processing device, at least one orientation indicator corresponding to the at least one letter indicator based on the analyzing. Further, the method may include displaying, using a display device, the at least one letter with the at least one orientation in relation to a reference axis based on the at least one orientation indicator. Further, the displaying of the at least one letter may be representative of at least one speech characteristic associated with the at least one letter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Inventor: Yoonsung Cho
  • Patent number: 10984678
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to medical training, and more particularly but not exclusively, to training performed for extracorporeal support techniques such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (“ECMO”). In one non-limiting embodiment, a system includes a clamp defining a space to receive a conduit of an ECMO circuit, an articulator operably coupled to the clamp to change a dimension of the space, and a simulator module communicatively coupled to the articulator to transmit control signals. Additional and/or alternative embodiments, forms, features and aspects are disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: CURTIS LIFE RESEARCH LLC
    Inventor: Paul Stewart Curtis
  • Patent number: 10974144
    Abstract: According to various embodiments, a method for emulating a virtual controller device may be provided. The method may include: receiving input from a game controller; determining whether the received input is assigned to a first virtual controller device or to a second virtual controller device; outputting data related to the first virtual controller device if it is determined that the received input is assigned to the first virtual controller device; and outputting data related to the second virtual controller device if it is determined that the received input is assigned to the second virtual controller device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Inventors: Stuart Wells, Anthony P. Casano
  • Patent number: 10967252
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to a games controller for controlling electronic games, input device for a computer program and a trigger mechanism therefor. The trigger mechanism comprises a trigger body having a plurality of walls defining an internal chamber. The plurality of walls include a base wall and an orifice defined in the base wall. A detent is detachably mounted on the trigger body. The detent is at least partially received in the orifice and the detent is rotatable with respect to the trigger body. The detent comprises at least one abutment surface which is eccentrically arranged with respect to the rotational axis of the detent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Ironburg Inventions Limited
    Inventors: Duncan Ironmonger, Carl S. Jeffrey
  • Patent number: 10967261
    Abstract: Modern computer based gaming in contrast to traditional gaming does not present the user/player with “responsibility” in that failure has negligible or no consequences and losing an element or part of the game is now essentially limited to failure of the standalone gaming console or failure to maintain an active account with some premium Internet based gaming applications. However, if the player's character within a game was linked to a physical element that stored their data in a secure manner and was required physically to electronically connect to the gaming system for the player to play then loss of the physical element means loss of the avatar. Similarly, if the securely stored data is written down to zero upon the death of the avatar within the game then the system may prevent the user restoring their game to a prior point to replay and avoid their failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Inventors: Cory William Morrison, Richard Thomas Morrison, Rodrigo Alcides Amador
  • Patent number: 10971031
    Abstract: System and method for identifying, measuring and analyzing food nutritional values and consumer eating behaviors is disclosed. A food container, having weight sensors and food identification sensors, identifies weight, type, and preparation status of the food item being consumed by the user from the food container. Based on the identified information, the nutritional value of the food item is determined and observed. The food container in communication with the system components may provide the user a recommended meal plan to improve the user's health condition. In addition, the food container issues an alert to the user when the user puts too much, too less, or the right amount of food items in the food container or eats the food items too fast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Fitly Inc.
    Inventor: Caonabo Anthony Ortiz
  • Patent number: 10963124
    Abstract: A method implemented on a plurality of client computers in communication with a server is disclosed. The plurality of client computers each display common content on an associated display area. The method includes generating messages representing user input received at one client computer of the plurality of client computers, the user input defining content to be shared with the plurality of client computers. The method includes causing the one client computer to transmit the generated messages to the server to elicit transmission of output messages from the server to each of the plurality of client computers, the output messages including information defining the content to be shared. The method includes, in response to receiving output messages from the server at each of the plurality of client computers, displaying the shared content over the common content on the respective display areas on each of the plurality of client computers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Inventor: Alexander Kropivny
  • Patent number: 10950092
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method of operating a regulated gaming machine may comprise accepting money from a player and providing a game that comprises a plurality of in-game assets, each of which being configured to generate a wagering opportunity when skillfully interacted with by the player. One or more player interactions may be received with at least some of the plurality of in-game assets and, for each generated wagering opportunity, it is determined whether the received player interaction was a skillful or an unskillful interaction with the in-game asset. A wagering event is generated for each skillful interaction and, responsive to the generation of the wagering event, it is determined whether to award money to the player according to a first payout schedule defining a first Return to Player (RTP) percentage or to award the player a free play session of limited duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: SYNERGY BLUE LLC
    Inventors: Michael Oberberger, Michael Low
  • Patent number: 10951736
    Abstract: Aspects described herein include a system and associated AR-capable headset and method. The system includes one or more controller devices and an augmented reality (AR)-capable headset. The AR-capable headset includes one or more visual sensors and one or more computer processors that, while the headset is in an unworn state: receive input from the one or more controller devices, output visual content to an external display, and visually detect the one or more controller devices using the one or more visual sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan D. Nocon, Jason A. Yeung
  • Patent number: 10943437
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a fantasy sports wagering game. A gaming operator may assign real life sporting players into brackets based on their expected performance so that players with similar expected performance are in a same bracket as each other. Participants in a fantasy sports wagering game may be required to select a player from each of a plurality of brackets to form a fantasy sports team for the fantasy sports wagering game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: CFPH, LLC
    Inventors: Lee Amaitis, Matthew Holt, Mike Colbert, Reed Stephens
  • Patent number: 10943434
    Abstract: Methods and systems facilitate the adjustment of probabilities of triggering different bonus games in a slot machine where the probability adjustment is based on supplemental data. Programming and data structure design are provided to implement a bonus trigger probability adjusting arrangement based on supplemental data input. Such supplemental data includes the state a dynamic interactive game theme sequence displayed at the gaming machine. Player interactions with the theme can alter the sequence of the theme display and affect the adjustment of probabilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Everi Games, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven Meyer
  • Patent number: 10943439
    Abstract: Online multi-player poker systems and methods allow a player to continue drawing cards for a side bet award even after folding in the part of the game played against other players. A player may lose an interplayer game against other players by folding, and still win a side bet award determined by the final hand of the player during the round of play. The described systems and methods facilitate maintaining user engagement in multi-player games.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Inventor: Matthew France
  • Patent number: 10912995
    Abstract: A gaming system including a computing arrangement that is connected, when in operation, via a data communication network arrangement to an environmental unit and at least one gaming device that is spatially local to the environmental unit, characterized in that the gaming system is implemented in an environment to emulate an electronic game to play in a physical gaming environment by its one or more users, wherein the gaming system is arranged such that: (i) the at least one gaming device includes a first sensing arrangement for sensing a first information comprising inputs from at least user while playing the electronic game and generating at least one first event by processing the first information, (ii) the environmental unit includes a second sensing arrangement for sensing a second information associated with the at least one gaming device while playing the electronic game and generating at least one second event by processing the second information associated with the at least one gaming device, wherein
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Inventor: Ivan Mauricio Buritica Suarez
  • Patent number: 10916102
    Abstract: A method for conducting a raffle comprising reading an item identifier from an identification tag affixed to an item at an equipment management system, prior to an event related to the item. The raffle notification data is then transmitted to users after the event has occurred. A plurality of raffle ticket purchase requests are then received from the plurality of devices and are processed. The raffle tickets are then delivered to the plurality of devices, such as in electronic form. One of the raffle tickets is then selected, and winning notification data is transmitted to the associated device. The winner can authenticate the winning item by reading the identification tag affixed to the item after the event at the equipment management system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: PROVA GROUP, INC.
    Inventors: Haroon I. Alvi, Charles B. Humphreyson, Richard L. Lackey, Emmitt J. Smith, III
  • Patent number: 10905955
    Abstract: A device may intercept a triggering operation for target positioning in the virtual interactive scene; obtain a location of a triggering point on a screen. The device may determine a plurality of adsorption point locations based on the location of the triggering point and a plurality of adsorption points on a virtual target, the adsorption point locations respectively associated with the adsorption points. The device may generate, in response to the location of the triggering point being within an adsorption range of at least one of the adsorption point locations, a plurality of adsorption point weight values corresponding to the adsorption points. The device may adjust the triggering point to an adsorption point location at which an adsorption point corresponding to a largest adsorption point weight value is located. Flexibility of target positioning in the virtual interactive scene may be effectively enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Xia Lin, Dong Wu
  • Patent number: 10902842
    Abstract: A determination regarding whether to intervene in a dialog to provide system-initiated assistive information involves monitoring a dialog between at least two participants and capturing data from a dialog environment containing at least one of the participants. The captured data represent the content of the dialog and physiological data for one or more participants. Assistive information relevant to the dialog and participants is identified, and the captured data are used to determine an intervention index of delivering the assistive information to one or more participants during the dialog. This intervention index is then used to determine whether or not to intervene in the dialog to deliver the assistive information to one or more participants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Helena Morgado Corelli, Rodrigo Braga Fernandes, Rodrigo Laiola Guimaraes, Rafael Sorana de Matos, Julio Nogima, Rogerio Cesar Barbosa Dos Santos Silva, Thiago Luiz de Barcelos Vital