Abstract: A system for allowing players to play a bingo-type game is described herein. The system includes a system controller that is coupled to a plurality of user computing devices. The system controller is configured to display the bingo-type game including a plurality of symbol positions being displayed in a grid. Each symbol position is associated with a card symbol. The system controller randomly selects a plurality of player symbols, displays the player symbols in the symbol positions, randomly selects a plurality of bingo symbols, determines if each one of the plurality of bingo symbols matches a corresponding one of the plurality of player symbols, identifies each card symbol associated with each matched player symbol, determines a combination formed by each of the identified card symbols, and provides the player an award if the determined combination of card symbols forms a winning combination.

Abstract: A switch unit has a display part that displays an image in at least one input area, a substrate provided above the display part, the substrate having a contact, and at least one substrate opening configured to allow the image in the at least one input area to be viewed from above, an operating button case that covers the substrate, having at least one button case opening, at least one operating button that has translucency, and that is freely pressed down through the at least one button case opening of the operating button case and causes conduction of the contact by being pressed down, light sources mounted on the substrate, that illuminate an area surrounding the at least one operating button, and a light transmissive water-proof sheet made of an elastic member.

Abstract: Systems and methods for manipulating an object include a display for displaying an object where the object has a geometric shape and is arranged in a first orientation of the geometric shape. The display also displays at least a second orientation of the geometric shape in proximity to the object. The system includes a user interface for receiving a user input to select the second orientation of the geometric shape. A processor, in communication with the display and user interface, determines one or more possible orientations of the object including the second orientation and arranges the orientation of the geometric shape of the object to match the selected second orientation.

Abstract: A game controller operable to control play of a game. The game controller includes a configuration module, a wager determination module and a trigger module. The configuration module configures a secondary event trigger having a hit rate which is fixed over a plurality of games. The wager determination module determines an amount wagered for play of one of the games. The trigger module triggers a secondary game event in which a higher value prize and lower value prize are each eligible to be awarded upon determining the trigger in the game, such that a probability of awarding the higher value prize increases with the amount wagered in the game, while the probability of awarding the lower value prize decreases.

Abstract: A system and method for locating lost golf balls is described. In one embodiment, a plurality of small RFID chips are applied to or embedded in a ball. When the ball is to be located, a user uses a ball finder to receive RF signals from the RFID chips and locate the ball. The ball finder may have useful additional features such as overlaid maps to help and GIS data to help the user find the ball. In an alternative embodiment, a ball is prepared by applying a highly-reflective paint, such as a metallic paint, or a highly-absorbent paint such as a black iron ball paint, to create a characteristic radar signature for the ball. The ball finder may then be configured to locate the ball using the characteristic radar signature.

Abstract: A method directed to operating a plurality of gaming machines in a gaming establishment includes determining that a certain triggering event has occurred in one of the plurality of gaming machines. The triggering event includes a desired game outcome. The method further includes selectively controlling audio output from a plurality of remotely located speakers to operate in conjunction with internal cabinet speakers for creating a desired audio ambience only within a portion of the gaming establishment. The remotely located speakers are located remotely from the plurality of gaming machines. The internal cabinet speakers are located within gaming cabinets of the plurality of gaming machines. The audio output is focused to deliver enhanced audio effects only to the portion of the gaming establishment.

Abstract: A variety of methods and arrangements for facilitating communication between an electronic device and a toy are described. In one aspect, the toy communicates with the electronic device using audio signals and/or conductive touch elements. Some embodiments involve an electronic device that is arranged to use light-based control signals to communicate with a toy. In various implementations, the toy includes a light/motion sensor that allows a user to interact with the toy.

Abstract: A method and system to host a computer-implemented multiplayer game includes functionality to identify and resolve conflicts resulting from asynchronous game play. Client system game state information that changes responsive to in-game actions performed on a client system is intermittently synchronized with authoritative game state information, during which the in-game actions may be validated. Actions that fail a prerequisite check based on the authoritative game state information are analyzed in automated fashion to determine whether they are redundant actions that fail the prerequisite check owing to their having been performed with respect to outdated client system game state information. One or more remedial actions are performed for respective redundant actions, e.g., by allowing the redundant action and modifying the game state, by restoring spent resources to affected players, or by disallowing both the redundant action and an associated preempting action.

Abstract: This disclosure generally relates to systems and methods to provide an in-game friend object in a game instance of a multiplayer online game uniquely associated with a host player. The friend object has a unique association with a player who is a guest player with respect to the host player's game instance. A state of the friend object is automatically altered, for example deteriorating at random intervals, and can be restored subject to performance of a maintenance object by the guest player, performance of the maintenance action being limited only to the guest player. The friend object may be a display object, such as a picture frame, that displays an image associated with the guest player.

Abstract: Systems in accordance with embodiments of the invention operate a controlled entity hybrid game including an entertainment software controller connected by a network to a game world controller, and constructed to: execute an entertainment game; convey actions taken by the player, wherein the actions include the player's instruction of a controlled entity, wherein upon consumption of the enabling element, a wager is triggered in the gambling game; and the game world controller connected to a real world controller and connected by the network to the entertainment software controller, wherein the game world controller is constructed to: receive the actions taken by the player; trigger the wager of the amount of real world credits in the gambling game; accumulate an amount of the enabling element in a reserve enabling element reservoir; and allow access in the entertainment game to the amount of enabling element on passing one or more transport tests.

Abstract: A game system or a method is provided that can create game scenarios based on requests from players. The server may include a player database, a receiver, an analyzer, a scenario creator, a calculator, an update tool and a ranking creator. The server may further include a scenario data base for storing scenarios. The processing unit, a main program stored at the main memory, and the processing units of the server may act as each of the element.

Abstract: Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention include: an entertainment game that provides outcomes based upon skillful execution of the entertainment game by utilizing elements, where elements are a limited resource consumed within an entertainment game to advance entertainment game gameplay; a gambling game constructed to provide a randomly generated payout of elements from a wager of elements; and a transportable variables module constructed to: communicate an entertainment gameplay gambling event occurrence based upon a player's skillful execution of the entertainment game that triggers the wager of elements in the gambling game to the gambling game; associate elements with the player based upon elements accrued during the player's skillful execution of the entertainment game and the randomly generated payout of elements from the gambling game; and determine a cash out value of real world credits for the player based upon elements associated with the player.

Abstract: Systems and methods coordinate requests to display content on one or more windows of a display screen of a wagering game machine. A display control process determines whether or not to honor a request to display content in accordance with an owner status of a window, a lock status of the window, a lock status of the wagering game machine, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A toy play set comprising a master toy member structured to interface with a family of accessory toy members. Each accessory toy member comprises an electronics identification means to be recognized by said master toy member. Each accessory toy member is also programmable to modify the personal characteristics of said accessory toy member according to a game play.

Abstract: A gaming system for conducting a wagering game comprises a display device and an image conduit. The display device develops or includes images of symbols associated with the wagering game. The image conduit is located in front of the display device and has a first end and a second end. The image conduit transmits the images from the second end to the first end of the image conduit. The images of the symbols appear at the first end such that a player perceives the symbols to be located at the first end of the image conduit. The display device can be a physical object with symbol indicia or a video display for displaying video images.

Abstract: A method includes monitoring game outcomes generated for one or more players of a plurality of linked gaming machines. Instances of one or more special symbols occurring in the generated game outcome are identified. A counter for each of the one or more special symbols based on instances of one or more special symbols occurring in the game outcome, is incremented. In response to a trigger condition, one or more special symbols are allocated to one or more of the linked gaming machines for modifying a game outcome generated for a player of the linked gaming machine, to provide a new game outcome for each of the one or more players of linked gaming machines to which the special symbols are allocated. The number of special symbols allocated is based on a value of the accumulating counter.

Abstract: A money dispensing unit, including an electric motor, a control device, which has a storage unit, wherein the electric motor is coupled to the control device of a controllable switch and can be activated with current/voltage of the switch in order to dispense money; and the control device is provided and designed to provide a code. Additionally, a comparison module for receiving the code and comparing the code with a predefined code, wherein if the received code is identical to the predefined code, the switch can be activated in order to supply voltage to the electric motor in order to dispense money is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of processing video information is presented here. The method may begin by executing, with at least one processor, a plurality of concurrent simulation threads for an interactive video application, wherein each of the concurrent simulation threads corresponds to a predicted outcome of the video application. The method may continue by receiving user input intended to control the interactive video application, processing at least one of the concurrent simulation threads in response to the received user input to obtain an intended outcome of the video application, and providing the intended outcome of the video application for presentation to a user.

Abstract: An avatar in a video game is controlled based on input from multiple users. An input composition system receives a first input from a first user. The first user uses a first input source for controlling the avatar. The input composition system receives a second input from a second user. The second user users a second input source for controlling the avatar. The input composition system alters the first input based on a first user performance modifier. The input composition system alters the second input based on a second user performance modifier. The input composition system creates an avatar input value based on the first altered input and the second altered input. The input composition directs the avatar in the video game based on the avatar input value.

Abstract: An interactive toy for interacting with a user while a story is being read aloud from a book or played from a movie/video. The toy includes a speech recognition unit that receives and detects certain triggering phrases as they are read aloud or played from a companion literary work. The triggering phrase read aloud from the book or played in the movie/video may have independent significance or may only have significance when combined with other phrases read aloud from the book or played in the movie/video. In one embodiment, the toy is configured to detect only certain types of triggering prompts in certain states, such as, for example, triggering phrases or triggering terms. In this embodiment, and others, the toy is configured to switch between states such that it can at times respond to triggering terms and at other times respond to triggering phrases.