Patents Examined by William H McCulloch, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11069192
    Abstract: A system and method for play of a community game in a casino establishment or on a network with general purpose computing devices for offering at least two players an opportunity to work cooperatively to achieve a community jackpot. The community jackpot may be awarded based on the outcome of a base game, or an outcome on a sub-game or a bonus game that involves a sequence of movements among the players. A system and method for providing hybrid jackpot funding technique is also described in which alternating funding schemes are used to fund the community jackpot and at least one other game jackpot simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Novomatic AG
    Inventors: Roman Czubak, Anna Chyla, Anastasia Pekina
  • Patent number: 11058946
    Abstract: Implementations of the present disclosure are directed to a computer-implemented method, a system, and an article for managing event data in a multi-player online game. The method can include, for example, receiving user input at a plurality of client devices for a multi-player online game that includes a virtual environment; generating user-initiated events for the online game on the client devices based on the user input; distributing any user-initiated events generated on each client device to other client devices from the plurality of client devices; determining at each client device a plurality of derived game events based on the user-initiated events; storing on each client device the user-initiated events and the derived game events in one or more event queues; and determining at each client device a state of the virtual environment over time, according to the stored user-initiated events and the derived game events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: MZ IP HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: John O'Connor, Nathan Spencer, Garth Gillespie, Timothy Wong
  • Patent number: 11058949
    Abstract: A system and method of pausing a game in a cloud gaming system including playing a game on a first game computer included in the cloud gaming system, pausing the game at a selected point in the game and capturing game state data for the paused game. The paused game can be resumed by retrieving the game state data and applying the game state data to a selected game computer and resuming the game at the selected point in the game on the selected game computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC
    Inventor: Roelof Roderick Colenbrander
  • Patent number: 11045688
    Abstract: A golf tracking system including a tag coupled to a golf club. The tag includes a plurality of sensors, each which output a signal based on a detected movement of the golf club, a microcontroller that compares each of the plurality of sensor outputs to stored reference sensor output values, and a transceiver that transmits data corresponding to the sensor outputs to a device remote from the tag based on the comparison performed by the microcontroller. The location-aware device then processes the information received from the tag to determine whether a shot should be registered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Inventors: James W Meadows, Richard L Root, Richard C Edmonson
  • Patent number: 11040281
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for generating demonstration gameplay streaming via a cloud gaming system. The method includes executing a game from a library of games managed by the cloud gaming system. The executing causing the game to launch and progress to a gaming session where modules of the game are pre-loaded and waiting for interactive input of the game. The method includes advancing, by the cloud gaming system, in the game from a level to a later level in the game. Then pausing the game on the cloud gaming system and generating a post that is indicative of the game and the later level. The post being displayed on a website, and wherein the executing of the game, the advancing and the pausing being processed by the cloud gaming system without user input. In some embodiments, other users can advance the gameplay, and other users can resume play from where they left off, without needed to re-load the game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC
    Inventors: David Perry, Jee Yoon Choi
  • Patent number: 11037399
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to generating and displaying a score related to the results of wagering by a player on an electronic gaming machine. In one embodiment, a method for generating a score related to play on at least one electronic gaming device includes tracking the amount wagered on the gaming device, tracking the amount awarded by the gaming device, and generating a score related to the tracked amounts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: ACRES TECHNOLOGY
    Inventor: John F. Acres
  • Patent number: 11020671
    Abstract: Session participation in online content streams or activities like multiplayer games is enhanced through management of session tracking and automated queuing of players via a central system between host/streamer client device and guest player client devices. Spectators viewing a content stream or waiting to join a multiplayer activity over a network via a game/streaming service request to be placed in a queue to participate in a session of the content stream or activity as guest players with the host/streaming user. Sessions are tracked to determine start and end events. Sets of prior guest players are removed from sessions when the sessions end, and sets of queued spectators are automatically added to the start of a new session of the content stream or activity as guest players. Queuing may be automatically prioritized for users based on user characteristics, and guest players removed at the end of sessions may be automatically re-queued.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Ruben Omar Cardona Cruz, Keith R. Kline, Warren Alpert
  • Patent number: 11014010
    Abstract: A broadcast computing device broadcasts an audiovisual stream via a computer network to a plurality of viewing computers. The broadcast computing device stores production information according to a hybrid data type. The broadcasting program receives a request to update the stored production information from a viewing computer, and updates the production information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Gershom L. Payzer, Richard Michael Fox, Gregory M. Smith, Connor Peet
  • Patent number: 11013976
    Abstract: A golf system includes a striking area; a target area including a plurality of physical targets positioned at different locations relative to the striking area; and at least one sensing device for sensing parameters regarding the travel of a physical golf ball. A processor is configured to: access a database including golf hole data, the golf hole data defining relative positions of a tee-off location and a pin location for a virtual golf hole; based on the one or more parameters regarding the travel of the physical golf ball struck from the striking area, update a virtual location of a virtual golf ball on the virtual golf hole; and generate signals to provide an indication of which of the plurality of physical targets represents a direction of the pin location based on the virtual location of the virtual golf ball and the locations of the physical targets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: ANK PARTNERS INC.
    Inventor: Arthur Neil Korpach
  • Patent number: 11014003
    Abstract: Balancing an exercise intensity level and a fun factor of a game is non-trivial and challenging. Disclosed herein are aspects and embodiments of an optimization-based approach to address this challenge. The approach can be applied to synthesize a game level with a desired exercise intensity level. By formulating the design problem as an optimization, a level designer can easily balance factors concerning the exercise intensity level of the game as well as other design factors and constraints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS
    Inventors: Lap-Fai Yu, Yongqi Zhang, Biao Xie
  • Patent number: 11014011
    Abstract: A method comprises electronically communicating with a game program executing on a broadcaster computer configured to stream a broadcast of the game program, the game program supporting a set of game program methods and not a set of viewer program methods. The method further comprises electronically communicating with a viewer program executing on an audience computer configured to remotely present the broadcast, the viewer program supporting the set of viewer program methods and not the set of game program methods. The method further comprises receiving, from the viewer program, an indication of an invoked viewer program method. The method further comprises translating the indication into a corresponding indication of a game program method, and electronically communicating the indication of the game program method to the game program to effectuate output of the game program corresponding to the indicated game program method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Gershom L. Payzer, Richard Michael Fox, Gregory M. Smith, Connor Peet
  • Patent number: 11014008
    Abstract: Systems and methods to facilitate game profile development based on virtual and real activities of users are described herein. A user may perform virtual and/or real activities in order to develop a game profile so that the user can play one or more games where the game profile may be implemented. Users may be motivated to perform the virtual and/or real activities to develop the game profiles and show off and/or test their developed game profiles. The one or more games where the game profile may be implemented may be specific to one or more geo-graphic locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael P. Goslin, Jonathan R. Hsu, Corey D. Drake, Tritia Medrano
  • Patent number: 11011015
    Abstract: Various embodiments are provided for personalized acoustical optimization in gaming system. The gaming system facilitates creation of a personal audio preference profile for a player and stores that profile. Responsive to the player initiating game play at an electronic gaming machine, the gaming system communicates the personal audio preference profile to the electronic gaming machine for use during the game play at the electronic gaming machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Klaus Achmueller, David Small, David Froy, Stefan Keilwert
  • Patent number: 11004301
    Abstract: A gaming machine includes a cabinet, a display coupled to the cabinet, and a display transition system comprising a guide rail coupled to the cabinet and a slider coupled to the display, the slider slideable within the guide rail to move the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Video Gaming Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Ryan Priddy
  • Patent number: 11004310
    Abstract: A method of generating a graphical user interface for horse race betting includes displaying a first list of horses scheduled to run a first race from among a plurality of horses, displaying, in association with each horse of the first list of horses, a win selection element by which a user of the graphical user interface may mark the horse as selected to win the first race, displaying an automatic ticket generation button by which a user may request an automatic selection of horses, and, in response to a user interaction with the automatic ticket generation button, marking one or more horses of the first list of horses as selected to win the first race based on predicted win percentages of the horses of the first list. The method may include displaying, in association with each horse of the first list of horses, the predicted win percentage of the horse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: EquinEdge, LLC
    Inventors: Scott McKeever, Wei-Che Tseng, Michael Maiorana
  • Patent number: 10994192
    Abstract: A gaming machine receives a first play input at a first gaming machine, determines a first quantity of play areas based on a first wager, generates at least one first play area based on the determined first quantity, and determines whether the at least one first play area satisfies a predetermined first threshold. At least a portion of the first wager associated with the first play input is allocated to a progressive jackpot. At least a first portion of the progressive jackpot is allocated to the first gaming machine when the at least one first play area satisfies the predetermined first threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Video Gaming Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jon Yarbrough, Ryan Cuddy, Mike Oberberger
  • Patent number: 10994209
    Abstract: Shadow banning a participant within a social VR system includes: receiving and forwarding an identity of the participant, who may be shadow banned; recognizing and tracking inappropriate behaviors including inappropriate language and comments, inappropriate gestures, and inappropriate movements; receiving and processing the recognized and tracked inappropriate behaviors of the participant; generating a safety rating based on the processed inappropriate behaviors; comparing the safety rating to a threshold value; and outputting a signal to label the participant as a griefer and shadow ban the griefer when the safety rating is greater than the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment America LLC
    Inventor: Ken Miyaki
  • Patent number: 10994216
    Abstract: Methods and systems for simulating motion in a virtual reality system without external motors or similar machinery are described herein. A mechanical seat may be mounted to a base such that the seat is moveable in at least two dimensions (e.g., roll and pitch). A human occupant of the seat may use a control yoke fixed in relation to the base to cause the chair to move in a direction opposite of the force exerted on the control yoke. An extended reality (XR) motion controller may be mounted in a fixed relationship to the seat. Motion may then be simulated in an XR environment by depicting acceleration that would yield a similar experience on the user's vestibular senses as gravity exerts on the user's vestibular senses based on motion of the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Board Media Group LLC
    Inventor: David Board
  • Patent number: 10994213
    Abstract: An information processing device running a game program offering an improved level of strategy in a game in which a plurality of game content divided into two or more groups participate. The program may include starting a game part game content featuring the two or more groups, and a plurality of areas in a virtual space. When no area exists that does not belong to a first group on a route from an area belonging to the first group to a specific area belonging to the first group, a first parameter of a first game medium, which may be located on the area and may belong to the first group, may be changed. If another area belonging to the first group and having a second state different from a first state exists on the route, the first parameter of the first game medium may change less or not at all.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: GREE, Inc.
    Inventor: Yuya Komaba
  • Patent number: 10987597
    Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method are described for managing audio chat for an online video game or application. For example, a system according to one embodiment comprises: an online video game or application execution engine to execute an online video game or application in response to input from one or more users of the video game or application and to responsively generate audio and video of the video game or application; and a chat subsystem to establish audio chat sessions with the one or more users and one or more spectators to the video game or application, the chat subsystem establishing a plurality of audio chat channels including a spectator channel over which the spectators participate in audio chat and a user channel over which the users participate in audio chat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC
    Inventors: David R. Sullivan, Robert McCool, Stephen G. Perlman