Patents Examined by William H McCulloch
  • Patent number: 12364930
    Abstract: Provided is a method for controlling a computer, etc., which makes it possible to improve the usability of city building games. The computer is provided with a storage unit configured to store game contents arranged within a game space, positions of the game contents, and a template defining positions of one or more of game contents, and progresses a game by arranging the game contents within the game space based on a command by a player. The method includes when the template is applied to a predetermined area within the game space based on the command by the player, moving, by the computer, the game contents arranged within the game space to the positions of the game contents defined by the template.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2025
    Assignee: GREE, INC.
    Inventor: Taiki Eda
  • Patent number: 12361782
    Abstract: An electronic gaming machine according to some embodiments includes a processing circuit, a display screen coupled to the processing circuit, and a transceiver coupled to the processing circuit and providing wireless communications with an augmented reality (AR) display device that is separate from the electronic gaming machine. The processing circuit displays a game element in a first screen area of the display screen, and transmits, via the transceiver, screen location data to the AR display device identifying a second screen area on the display screen, other than the first screen area, that is available for the AR display device to overlay AR graphics in a field of view of a user of the AR display device without overlaying the game element displayed in the first screen area of the display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2025
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: Dwayne Nelson
  • Patent number: 12357919
    Abstract: A system that incorporates the subject disclosure may include, for example, a processor that facilitates a performance of operations. The operations may include obtaining an identification of an action to monitor during a gameplay associated with a game, storing a representation of a sliding window of the gameplay in a first storage medium, monitoring, by the system, for the identification of the action during the gameplay, detecting the identification of the action during the gameplay responsive to the monitoring, and responsive to the detecting, storing the representation of the sliding window of the gameplay in a second storage medium that is different from the first storage medium. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2025
    Assignee: GN Audio A/S
    Inventors: Jeffrey Nicholas Mahlmeister, Thomas J. Panfil, Thane Kurt Woidan, Michael John Lelli, Joel Wood Hunsley, Jason Robert Christian, Tino Soelberg
  • Patent number: 12354432
    Abstract: In various embodiments, motion is used to control games played on a mobile gaming device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: CFPH, LLC
    Inventors: Dean P. Alderucci, Geoffrey M. Gelman
  • Patent number: 12347279
    Abstract: A method of utilizing vehicle telematics to create a vehicle wagering network by connecting vehicles to mapping and traffic data. Connected vehicles transmitting real-time telemetric data form the basis for wagers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Inventor: Todd Christopher Robinson
  • Patent number: 12343635
    Abstract: An in-game object is changed from a first state to a second state on the basis of elapse of a first period. When the in-game object is in the second state, an in-game reward is given to a user. When a first condition is satisfied by the in-game reward being given, the in-game object is changed from the second state to a third state. The in-game object is changed from the third state to the first state in accordance with elapse of a second period. A remaining period of the second period is shortened in accordance with a parameter regarding an exercise amount of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeru Miyamoto, Motoki Yano, Chihiro Kanno, Ruofan Ye
  • Patent number: 12343636
    Abstract: The present invention integrates physical reality and virtual reality in a single gamified application. In physical reality the player constructs a three-dimensional toy structured model of interlocking plastic-brick components, serving as a physical prototype for the environment in a virtual reality stage. In the virtual reality stage a photo-realistic exterior and interior comprise a virtual reality playground for the gamified application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Inventor: Reuven Bakalash
  • Patent number: 12343641
    Abstract: Data specifying a first segment of a set of clients and first configuration parameters can be received. The first configuration parameters can specify operation of a first interface. The first interface can be integrated into an application. The first segment, including a first subset of the set of clients, can be determined. A request for initiation of operation can be received from the first interface. The first segment can be determined to include a first client. The first configuration parameters can be transmitted. The first configuration parameters can cause the first client to modify operation of the first interface in response to receiving the transmitted configuration parameters. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: Skillz Platform Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Paradise, Miriam Aguirre
  • Patent number: 12343632
    Abstract: An example method of simulating dribbling ball behavior in interactive videogames includes: determining, a current spatial position of a simulated ball rolling on a surface of a simulated terrain; determining, based on a slope of the surface of the simulated terrain, a likelihood of ball dribbling; identifying a segment of a path of the simulated ball over the surface from the current spatial position of the simulated ball, such that a dribbling criterion based on the likelihood of ball dribbling is satisfied on the segment of the path; determining, based on a speed of the simulated ball, a dribble-simulating surface angle adjustment range; choosing a dribble-simulating surface angle adjustment value from the dribble-simulating surface angle adjustment range; adjusting, based on the dribble-simulating surface angle adjustment value, a surface normal of a segment of the surface on the path; and determining, based on the adjusted surface normal, a next spatial position of the simulated ball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: Electronic Arts Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Penner, Justin Patel
  • Patent number: 12343642
    Abstract: When, on the basis of an operation input by a user, due to a predetermined action by an operation character of a first team, the operation character has collided with a teammate character of the first team, the teammate character is moved in a collision direction. When the teammate character having been moved in the collision direction has collided with an opponent character, the opponent character is stopped or moved in a collision direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshihito Ikebata
  • Patent number: 12330057
    Abstract: Described herein is a cloud-based gaming system in which graphics processing operations of a cloud-based game can be performed on a client device. Client-based graphics processing can be enabled in response to a determination that the client includes a graphics processor having a performance that exceeds a minimum threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Makarand Dharmapurikar, Rajabali Koduri
  • Patent number: 12330065
    Abstract: A role capable of being designated and determined on the basis of an aptitude information piece set for an operation character, among a plurality of roles for which usable item types are determined, respectively, is presented and designated. In addition, a special character with which any of a plurality of aptitude information pieces is associated is associated with the operation character. A game event is advanced using an item designated by a user from among aptitude items corresponding to the role of the operation character among owned items owned by the operation character. A parameter set for a combination of the operation character and the special character is updated on the basis of progress of a game, and when the parameter satisfies an aptitude information addition condition, an aptitude information piece of the special character is added to the operation character.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuya Ishii, Susumu Ishihara, Yusuke Shibata
  • Patent number: 12322255
    Abstract: An electronic gaming system is capable of forming a multi-player group to play a game; receiving, from a first gaming device, first game play information for a first game played by a first player member of the multi-player group on the first gaming device; determining that the first game play information comprises a first winning outcome corresponding to a first winning outcome; in response, allocating the first winning outcome among the first and second player members; and notifying a second gaming device of the second player member that the second player member has received the second portion of the first winning outcome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2025
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Fei Yi, Wei Gong
  • Patent number: 12318693
    Abstract: Machine learning is used to transform screen renders from the viewpoint of the player's character to be from the viewpoint of other non-player characters (NPC) in the room. One or more neural networks are trained using game images captured during a human play session, and then subsequently the neural networks are used to create realistic video from the NPC viewpoints. To avoid rendering multiple viewpoints simultaneously, a single viewpoint is rendered, and neural networks are used to transform it for the viewpoints of other NPCs in the area. A group of NPCs may be treated as a batch and a single viewpoint transformed to multiple viewpoints in a single inference pass. For cloud gaming the game video can be rendered/sent immediately for the player but the actions of the NPCs are delayed for a frame while the neural network generates the behavior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2025
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Taylor, Glenn Black, Celeste Bean, Sergey Bashkirov
  • Patent number: 12318695
    Abstract: An item selected by a user is set as a first owned item. A state change item which changes a state of an operation character from a first state to a second state is associated with the operation character, and the operation character is caused to own a second owned item associated with the state change item. During a game, when a state change condition is satisfied, the state of the operation character is changed from the first state to the second state. When the operation character is in the first state, use item candidates not including the second owned item are presented to the user, and when the operation character is in the second state, use item candidates including the second owned item are presented and a game event is advanced using an item designated by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2025
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuya Ishii, Susumu Ishihara, Yusuke Shibata
  • Patent number: 12296258
    Abstract: The present invention relates to provisioning of cloud based software gaming services. The systems and methods of the present invention enable users who are presented with targeted content relating to cloud based software games to be able to experience the targeted content in an efficient, interactive and user friendly manner—while simultaneously restricting the user experience only to the targeted content, and avoiding having the user navigate the entire game play interface or the entire game play flow in chronological order. The invention offers solutions for using embedded links and/or deep links within targeted content delivered to client terminals, for the purposes of implementing fine grained gaming session control between a cloud gaming server and the client control for cloud based delivery of software gaming services to the client terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: NOW.GG, INC.
    Inventors: Lokesh Setia, Nitin Kalra, Ravi Prakash, Ashish Pathak
  • Patent number: 12296259
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method that includes receiving, by a processing system in communication with a client device, a signal from the client device according to a session description protocol (SDP); the signal comprises a capability parameter regarding streaming of video frames to the client device, a first focus area parameter and a second focus area parameter indicating respectively a first resolution for a high focus area and a second resolution for a low focus area of the video frame, a bandwidth parameter indicating a bandwidth availability for a streaming video session, and a streaming method parameter regarding the streaming of the video frames. The system calculates the high focus area and the low focus area of the video frame, and delivers, subsequent to receiving the signal, a plurality of video frames to the client device. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Rohit Abhishek
  • Patent number: 12290747
    Abstract: A method of rendering a virtual environment is disclosed. First application data is received. The first application data includes first graph data. The first graph data corresponds to a first state of an application. Second application data is received after the first application data. The second application data corresponds to a second state of the application. The first application data and the second application data are analyzed to determine a change in the first graph data associated with the second application data. An island subgraph within the first graph data that includes the change is determined. Second graph data is generated for the second state. The generating of the second graph data includes partially reconstructing the first graph data. The partial reconstructing includes rebuilding the determined island subgraph. The generated second graph data is communicated for rendering of the virtual environment in the second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: Unity IPR ApS
    Inventors: Janus Lynggaard Thorborg, Toulouse de Margerie, Wayne Johnson
  • Patent number: 12274939
    Abstract: A computer that provides a game virtual space in which a game object is placed in a predetermined plane is caused to function as: a generation unit that generates the game virtual space, which is a spherical coordinate space; an acquisition unit that acquires information related to a cartesian coordinate system including the position of a target to be displayed in the game virtual space; a conversion unit that converts the cartesian coordinate system into a polar coordinate system on the basis of the information; and a display control unit that displays the target at a position in the game virtual space corresponding to the position in the cartesian coordinate system on the basis of information related to the polar coordinate system. The display control unit controls a display form of the target in the game virtual space on the basis of a predetermined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: CYGAMES, INC.
    Inventor: Masahiko Koyama
  • Patent number: 12274936
    Abstract: A method for providing a multiplayer game to a player in a computer network. The method includes connecting a player to a first game server, providing the player with a game, and monitoring the game. The method includes detecting a predetermined event in the game, and in response to the detecting, disconnecting the player from the game server and providing the game to the player. The method includes monitoring the game servers and selecting a second game server with suitable game state data. The method includes providing server information for the second game server to the game client, and connecting the game client to the second game server and providing the second server game from the second game server to the player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: UNORDINAL AB
    Inventor: Erik Åkerfeldt