Patents Examined by Werner Garner
  • Patent number: 9679437
    Abstract: A method includes capturing media content of a wagering game machine at a wagering game establishment with a camera of a mobile device. A location of the mobile device is determined when the media content is captured. A direction that a lens of the camera is facing when the media content is captured is determined. The wagering game machine is identified based on the location and the direction. Overlay imagery derived from wagering game activity of the wagering game machine is downloaded into the mobile device from a server. The overlay imagery is composited onto the media content to create a composited media content. The composited media content is displayed on a display of the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: BALLY GAMING, INC.
    Inventors: David E. Detlefsen, Mark B. Gagner, Brian Gamache, Damon E. Gura
  • Patent number: 9666023
    Abstract: A lottery data transfer method for processing lottery ticket data piggybacks on a merchant's existing transaction card interchange system, such as a debit or credit card interchange system. A routing code is assigned to lottery tickets that is unique in the merchant's transaction card exchange, the routing code associated with a lottery data blob also provided on the lottery ticket. The routing code and data blob are entered into the merchant's existing transaction card activation protocol to initiate transfer of the lottery data to a central lottery site via the interchange. At an issuing processor within the exchange, the routing code is recognized and initiates special routing to and further processing of the lottery data blob at the lottery central site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Scientific Games International, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth Earl Irwin, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9662587
    Abstract: Technologies are generally described for matching sponsored game content to location by genre and playability. In some examples, a search system for finding real-environment matched gaming content for a user based at least partially on analyzed properties of potential locations may employ game script/flow information and match against local features from map data to screen content for which a game plot can be executed across appropriate areas and transitions or other physical requirements. Additionally, a broker server system may enable businesses to advertise or sponsor a game in order to get the game set up in their location. A keyword auction or similar process may be used during keyword related game organization that is also within specific geographic locations such that the game is set up with the auction winner's location as a plot related-location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: EMPIRE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT LLC
    Inventor: Ezekiel Kruglick
  • Patent number: 9662573
    Abstract: To enhance motivation of a player to invite another player to a social game, thus activating the social game and a platform that provides the social game, a server device includes incentive giving means that gives an incentive to a player who operates a first terminal device when a player of a second terminal device that receives, from the first terminal device, invitation information including solicitation information to at least suggest participating in the game and specific information to at least specify a landing screen associated with a home screen of the game operates the second terminal device to access the landing screen on a basis of the specific information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: GREE, Inc.
    Inventor: Yuki Ino
  • Patent number: 9636585
    Abstract: A gaming system includes a game console that executes an application that creates and plays soundtracks through the gaming system. The application allows a user to create soundtracks by copying audio tracks from one or more audio sources. A user-created soundtrack can be associated with a particular game such that the user-created soundtrack is played during execution of the game instead of the game's default soundtrack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventor: Victor Keith Blanco
  • Patent number: 9619962
    Abstract: A system for use in providing gaming property services to a player via a gaming device is provided. The system includes a gaming property server, a gaming machine, and gaming tracking device. The gaming property server provides gaming property services to the player. The gaming machine includes a gaming display, a display device that is coupled to the gaming display, and a gaming controller that is coupled to the display device. The gaming controller is configured to randomly generate an outcome of a game and transmit game data indicative of the outcome to the display device. The gaming tracking device also includes a web browser program for displaying gaming property services via a website provided by the gaming property server. The display device configured to display a player interaction screen including the outcome of the game and the gaming property services.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: KONAMI GAMING, INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey D. George, Thomas E. Soukup, Edward Sepich
  • Patent number: 9613488
    Abstract: A gaming table apparatus has a gaming table with a gaming table support surface. At least two token sensors are provided, which are electrically connected in series to a token sensor controller. The at least two token sensor units are physically restrained by the table support surface. The game controller is in communication with the token sensor controller, wherein the game controller is configured to associate player position data with transmitted wager data received from the token sensor controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: James V. Kelly, Troy D. Nelson, Vladislav Zvercov, Attila Grauzer
  • Patent number: 9607476
    Abstract: A gaming system includes a plurality of simulated reels. Each reel has a plurality of symbol positions, including first symbol positions with reel symbols thereon and second symbol positions with initially transparent regions. The gaming system selects one of the reel symbols to serve as a background symbol, displays a game outcome region through which the simulated reels move, and while the simulated reels are moving, reveals the background symbol through the initially transparent regions of the second symbol positions that move through the game outcome region. For each simulated reel that has stopped moving, each of the second symbol positions located within the game outcome region are filled with the reel symbol corresponding to the background symbol. An award is provided based on the symbols in the game outcome region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffry L. Nauman, Dion K. Aoki
  • Patent number: 9597576
    Abstract: Implementations of the present invention provide systems and methods for providing a golfer putting information. Preferred embodiments may provide a golfer with optimal ball trajectory, including the initial path the ball should be stuck on, point to which the ball should be struck and optimal force with which the ball should be struck. In preferred embodiments a golfer utilizes a mobile putting device, which may be placed anywhere on or around a putting surface, where a putting surface may be any suitable environment for striking a golf ball with a putter. Preferred embodiments of the putting device are structured to allow alignment with the cup and/or stationary object, indicate where the ball should be placed, indicate the optimal line on which the ball should be struck and the computed force with which the ball should be struck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Inventors: Jack W. Peterson, Scott B. Ferguson
  • Patent number: 9590965
    Abstract: A gaming server provides activities and/or services to a player through a gaming device. To verify whether the gaming device is communicating with the gaming server, a verification server may send an indicator to the gaming device, via the gaming server, and also send the indicator to a verification device. Alternatively, the verification server may send an indicator, via the gaming server, to the gaming device, for example, which indicator may then be sent back to the verification server from a verification device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: CFPH, LLC
    Inventor: Dean P. Alderucci
  • Patent number: 9589424
    Abstract: A gaming system, a gaming machine and a method is provided having a Five Card Video Draw poker game with a single hand or multiple hands. The gaming system or gaming machine first determines whether a dream card is going to be used in a particular round of play or a dream card is used on every hand. If the dream card is going to be used, then the last card of the initial hand is chosen so that, when the last card is combined with the other randomly selected cards of the initial hand, the initial starting hand will have the highest possible expected value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Ernest W. Moody, Michael W. Wood
  • Patent number: 9582958
    Abstract: Methods and computer programs for providing animation to online roulette game during game play include providing data for enabling an interface on a device used for playing the online roulette game. The interface renders a grid identifying bet entries and a roulette wheel on which a ball is provided to determine outcome of the roulette game. A number on the grid on which a bet has been placed, is identified. A number is randomly generated to determine outcome of the roulette game. The number corresponds with a specific one of the plurality of slots defined in the roulette wheel in which the ball is to land. Graphical animation is provided at the roulette wheel to provide visual indication of the outcome of the roulette game as the ball is caused to move around the roulette wheel toward the specific slot in the roulette wheel corresponding to the generated number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Zynga Inc.
    Inventors: Michael David Pagano, Thomas Arthur Shoenhair, Ibrahim Nabil Rageh, Christopher Mark Karo
  • Patent number: 9576438
    Abstract: A system and machine-implemented method for facilitating simulation of game play for playing a game, the method including receiving one or more wagers from a user on one or more outcomes of the game, the one or more wagers relating to one of a point total of a first hand and second hand or a condition regarding the values of each of the first hand and the second hand, initiating a randomization event to generate an outcome for the game, the randomization event being generated using a spin of a plurality of randomizer units. Determining the outcome of one or more of the plurality of randomizer units to determine an outcome from the one or more wagers and settling the one or more wagers according to the outcome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Las Vegas Sands Corp.
    Inventors: Andrew MacDonald, Kelvin Morin, Wayne Stevens
  • Patent number: 9569914
    Abstract: A slot machine includes a display on which symbols are rearranged in partitioned regions arranged in a matrix pattern including a plurality of columns and rows. The display includes a plurality of display windows corresponding to the respective columns for each unit game. In each of the display windows, for each slot game, executed is video display in which a symbol array having a plurality of symbols arranged therein is scrolled in an arrangement direction of the symbols. By this video display, the symbols arranged in the partitioned regions are rearranged in the slot game. When a feature game trigger is established during the slot game, an additional “WILD” symbol is inserted into the symbol array. The symbols in each symbol array have background images, respectively. The background images of a predetermined number of consecutive symbols immediately upstream of the “WILD” symbol are displayed in a predetermined color, and the background images of the other symbols are displayed in a normal color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Ryohei Kono, Yoshinari Mitani, Toshiaki Ohkubo, Shigeki Hayashi, Hiroki Abe, Takanori Sakata
  • Patent number: 9566500
    Abstract: An electronic gaming table for hosting live table games involving wagers can include a physical surface, a dealer station, a plurality of player terminals, and a table controller. The physical surface permits the play of live table games with a live dealer and physical game components. The dealer station is situated proximate the physical surface and allows the presence of a live dealer who facilitates game play. Player terminals allow live players to play the games and include player terminal processors coupled to player interfaces having input and output devices. A table controller coupled to the player terminals controls various table functions and administers a live table game pitting a first hand against a second hand. Each of multiple live players can make different live game decisions independently based upon the same second hand, wherein resolution of the game varies by player depending upon the different live game decisions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: Jay Chun
  • Patent number: 9569932
    Abstract: A gaming system which provides a persistence game which utilizes predetermined game outcomes. One or more predetermined game outcomes include a persistence game award value. If a predetermined game outcome including such a persistence game award value is selected to be provided to the player in association with a current play of a primary game, the gaming system determines whether to provide this persistence game award value to a player in association with the current play of the primary game, or to store this persistence game award value to be subsequently provided to a player in association with a subsequent play of the primary game. The determination of whether to provide or store the persistence game award value is based on the then current progress of the persistence game (i.e., the current state of an accumulation meter).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Mark C. Nicely, Bryan D. Wolf
  • Patent number: 9569926
    Abstract: In the present embodiments, offering credits for gaming machine play in excess of the cash used to purchase the credits may incentivize various player behaviors. Such behaviors may include remote enrollment in the player-tracking system—and payment for the credits—via a web browser; wagering a minimum amount; and wagering within a predefined time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: PATENT INVESTMENT & LICENSING COMPANY
    Inventor: John F. Acres
  • Patent number: 9558612
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for enabling an augmented reality interaction system and a mobile device to overlay a virtual 3D component over a physical 3D component with which the virtual 3D component interacts. The method includes: enabling a user to capture a live camera image of a gaming machine cabinet via a camera on the mobile device; determining if there are image tags on the gaming machine cabinet in the live camera image; producing a virtual rendering of the gaming machine cabinet; determining virtual 3D components to be displayed over an image of a virtual gaming machine cabinet; comparing a virtual depth rendering of the virtual 3D components to a virtual depth rendering of the virtual gaming machine cabinet; and overlaying virtual 3D components without the subtracted elements onto a live camera image of the virtual gaming machine cabinet on a display of the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin S. Lyons, Roderick Ang, Brett Jackson, Joseph Randy Hedrick
  • Patent number: 9536389
    Abstract: A gaming table apparatus has a gaming table with a gaming table support surface. A token sensor assembly includes a container having a height and side walls that define an inside and outside perimeter of the container, and a top surface and bottom surface, a translucent cover disposed on the top surface of the side walls, a circuit board secured to the inside perimeter of the container, a plurality of lights disposed on a top side of the circuit board, and a passive ambient light sensor disposed on the top side of the circuit board. The passive ambient light sensor and the translucent cover may operate within predetermined wavelength ranges for receiving and passing light, respectively. A condition of the passive ambient light sensor may not be polled if the plurality of lights is emitting light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: James P. Helgesen, Troy D. Nelson, Vladislav Zvercov
  • Patent number: 9536393
    Abstract: A method is described for running a feature on a gaming system comprising a plurality of gaming consoles linked by a communication network. The method comprises running at least one elimination round of the feature. A set of participating gaming consoles are determined for the elimination round and a group of options is displayed on the participating gaming consoles. Selections of options from the group are entered by players at the participating gaming consoles and a winning option is displayed from the group of options. Consoles are eliminated from the set of participating consoles unless the winning option was selected at the respective console; and further elimination rounds are commenced unless termination criteria are met. A flashing sequence of lights and sounds may be exhibited to reveal the winning option.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY, LTD
    Inventor: Clive Evan Davies