Patents by Inventor A. James Crawford

A. James Crawford has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20060068869
    Abstract: A system and method provides an electronic poker game to a plurality of players using an electronic poker table. The electronic poker table has a table top with a playing surface and a plurality of electronic player interaction areas located around a periphery of the table top. Each electronic player interaction area provides a player interface for interaction with one of the players. The electronic poker table includes at least one device coupled to the electronic poker table for reading tickets having an associated value. A game computer administers the electronic poker game by using electronic cards and electronic chips, associates the value of a first ticket read by the at least one device with one of the players and allows the one player to purchase electronic chips with at least a portion of the value of the first ticket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2005
    Publication date: March 30, 2006
    Applicant: PokerTek, Inc.
    Inventors: Gehrig White, James Crawford
  • Publication number: 20060066052
    Abstract: A system and method for providing an electronic poker game of the present invention includes a table having a table top with a playing surface and a plurality of electronic player interaction areas (EPIAs) located around the playing surface. Each electronic player interaction area is designed to provide a player interface for interaction with one of the players. A seat request button is defined in each EPIA to allow the players to request a new electronic player interaction area. A game computer is coupled to the plurality of EPIAs for administering the electronic poker game and for assigning one of the players to the new electronic player interaction area as one of the electronic player interaction areas becomes available as the player activated the seat request button.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2005
    Publication date: March 30, 2006
    Applicant: PokerTek, Inc.
    Inventors: Gehrig White, James Crawford
  • Publication number: 20060068879
    Abstract: An electronic poker table and method provide an electronic poker game to a plurality of players. A hand of the electronic poker game is administered using electronic cards. The hand of the electronic poker game includes at least one community card displayed face-up on a central display and at least one hole card for each player displayed on a respective electronic player interaction area. The at least one common card being displayed in a larger size than the at least one hole card.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2005
    Publication date: March 30, 2006
    Applicant: PokerTek, Inc.
    Inventors: James Crawford, Gehrig White
  • Publication number: 20060058090
    Abstract: A system provides an electronic card game to a plurality of players on an electronic card table. The electronic card table has a table top with a playing surface and a plurality of electronic player interaction areas located around a periphery of the table top. Each electronic player interaction area provides a player interface for interaction with one of the players. A database maintains a player account for each player. Each player account includes identification information and a monetary amount. A server computer is coupled to the plurality of electronic player interaction areas and the database for administering the electronic card game using electronic cards and electronic chips. The server computer allows each player to log-in to one of the electronic player interaction areas, draw down at least a portion of the monetary amount in their player account, and purchase electronic chips using the drawn down portion of the monetary amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2005
    Publication date: March 16, 2006
    Applicant: PokerTek, Inc.
    Inventors: James Crawford, Gehrig White
  • Publication number: 20060058088
    Abstract: An electronic poker table and method provide an electronic poker game to a plurality of players. The electronic poker table includes a table having a table top with a playing surface, a plurality of electronic player interaction areas located around a periphery of the table top, and a game computer. Each electronic player interaction area provides a player interface for interaction with one of the players. Each player interface has a rabbit button. At least one hand of the electronic poker game is administered using virtual cards. A winner for the at least one hand is determined and a pot is awarded to the winner. The hand includes at least one common card and, after the winner has been determined, a player may view any undealt common cards by actuating the rabbit button.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2004
    Publication date: March 16, 2006
    Applicant: PokerTek, Inc.
    Inventors: James Crawford, Gehrig White
  • Publication number: 20060058083
    Abstract: An electronic card table and method provides a timed electronic card game to a plurality of players. A hand of the electronic card game has at least one betting round. Each remaining player has at least one turn in each betting round. Each turn has an associated response time. If the player does not respond within the associated response time, then a default action is automatically taken.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2005
    Publication date: March 16, 2006
    Applicant: PokerTek, Inc.
    Inventors: James Crawford, Gehrig White
  • Publication number: 20060058084
    Abstract: An electronic card table and method provides an electronic card game to a plurality of players. The electronic card table includes a table, a plurality of electronic player interaction areas, a central display area and a game computer. The table has a table top with a playing surface. The electronic player interaction areas are located around a periphery of the table top. Each electronic player interaction area provides a player interface for interaction with one of the players. The central display area is located in a central location of the table top for displaying information to the players. The game computer is coupled to the plurality of electronic player interaction areas and the central display area for dealing a hand of the electronic card game composed of electronic cards, displaying the electronic cards on the electronic player interaction areas and/or the central display area, and administering the electronic card game using electronic chips and the electronic cards.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2005
    Publication date: March 16, 2006
    Applicant: PokerTek, Inc.
    Inventors: James Crawford, Gehrig White
  • Publication number: 20060058091
    Abstract: A queuing system and method are provided for filling vacancies at electronic card tables in a card room by establishing electronic waiting lists. The queuing system comprises a plurality of electronic player interaction areas (EPIAs), a queue interface, and a server computer networked to the EPIAs and the queue interface. In use, new players are placed on one or more of the electronic waiting lists, while the EPIAs are monitored for vacancies. Upon detecting a vacant EPIA, the server computer automatically assigns the next new player on the corresponding waiting list to the vacant EPIA.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2005
    Publication date: March 16, 2006
    Applicant: PokerTek, Inc.
    Inventors: James Crawford, Gehrig White
  • Publication number: 20060058089
    Abstract: A system and method provides an electronic card game to a plurality of players using an electronic card table. The system includes a player tracking system. The player tracking system is coupled to the electronic card table and stores information related to the players.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2005
    Publication date: March 16, 2006
    Applicant: PokerTek, Inc.
    Inventors: Gehrig White, James Crawford
  • Publication number: 20060058085
    Abstract: A system and method for providing an electronic poker game o includes a table having a table top with a central display area and a plurality of electronic player interaction areas (EPIAs) located around the table top. Each EPIA is designed to provide a player interface for interaction with one of the players. A dealer button and a button indicating a turn of the player in a next round are defined in each EPIA. A game computer is coupled to the plurality of EPIAs for administering the electronic poker game and for indicating a rake amount on the EPIA and the central display area, determining a winner from among the players; awarding a pot to the winner, and the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2005
    Publication date: March 16, 2006
    Applicant: PokerTek, Inc.
    Inventors: Gehrig White, James Crawford
  • Publication number: 20060058086
    Abstract: A system for providing an electronic poker game to a plurality of players at first and second electronic poker tables. Each electronic poker table has a table top, a plurality of electronic player interaction areas, and a server computer. The table top has a playing surface. The plurality of electronic player interaction areas are located around a periphery of the table top. Each electronic player interaction area provides a player interface for interaction with one of a plurality of players. The server computer is coupled to the electronic player interaction areas of the first electronic poker table and to the electronic player interaction areas of the second electronic poker table for administering a first poker game to a first group of the players at the first electronic poker table and a second poker game to a second group of the players at the second electronic poker table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2005
    Publication date: March 16, 2006
    Applicant: PokerTek, Inc.
    Inventors: Gehrig White, James Crawford
  • Publication number: 20060058082
    Abstract: A system and method provides a card tournament on one or more electronic card tables. The card tables have a table top with a playing surface and a plurality of electronic player interaction areas located around a periphery of the table top. Each electronic player interaction area provides a player interface for interaction with one of a plurality of players. A tournament computer is coupled to the electronic player interaction areas of the electronic card table for administering the card tournament. The card tournament includes a series of card hands of a card game played at the electronic card table using electronic cards and electronic chips.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2005
    Publication date: March 16, 2006
    Applicant: PokerTek, Inc.
    Inventors: James Crawford, Gehrig White
  • Publication number: 20060055114
    Abstract: A table game apparatus including a substantially planar table top having an upper surface and a lower surface extending to a border. The table top defines a centrally located electronic display. A plate is attached to the lower surface for supporting the table top. A support frame supports the table top. A hinge is used for pivotal movement of the table top relative to the support frame between a closed position and an open position. The plate presents a plate aperture substantially co-extensive with the electronic display and the plate is connected to the hinge for supporting the table top.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2005
    Publication date: March 16, 2006
    Applicant: PokerTek, Inc.
    Inventors: Gehrig White, James Crawford, Michael Stanford, Daniel Byrd
  • Publication number: 20060058092
    Abstract: An electronic card game provides an electronic card game to a plurality of players on an electronic card table. The electronic card table includes a table top with a playing surface and a plurality of electronic player interaction areas located around a periphery of the table top. Each electronic player interaction area provides a player interface for interaction with one of the players. A server computer administers the electronic card at the electronic card table using electronic cards and electronic chips. The electronic card table reports information regarding play of the electronic card game to the server computer. The server computer stores the information in a database.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2005
    Publication date: March 16, 2006
    Applicant: PokerTek, Inc.
    Inventors: James Crawford, Gehrig White
  • Publication number: 20060058093
    Abstract: An electronic poker table for provides an electronic poker game to a plurality of players. The table include a table top, a plurality of electronic player interaction areas, a video source, a central display area, and a game computer. The table top has a playing surface. The plurality of electronic player interaction areas are located around a periphery of the table top. Each electronic player interaction area provides a player interface for interaction with one of the players. The central display area is located in a central location of the table top for displaying information to the players. The game computer is coupled to the plurality of electronic player interaction areas and the central display for administering the electronic poker game and for determining a winner from among the players and awarding a pot to the winner. The video from the video source may be displayed on the electronic player interaction areas and/or the central display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2005
    Publication date: March 16, 2006
    Applicant: PokerTek, Inc.
    Inventors: Gehrig White, James Crawford
  • Publication number: 20060058087
    Abstract: A system and method provides an electronic poker game to a plurality of players on an electronic poker table. A game computer administers the electronic poker game by dealing one or more hands using electronic cards and electronic chips. Each hand includes one or more betting rounds. The game computer allows the players to make wagers into a pot with the electronic chips during the one or more betting rounds. The game computer dynamically determines a rake amount of a pot and retains the rake amount from the pot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2005
    Publication date: March 16, 2006
    Applicant: PokerTek, Inc.
    Inventors: Gehrig White, James Crawford
  • Publication number: 20060003671
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for the chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) of a surface of a work piece. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention the apparatus comprises a plurality of CMP systems, a plurality of load cups for loading unprocessed work pieces into and unloading processed work pieces from the plurality of CMP systems, a plurality of cleaning stations for cleaning processed work pieces unloaded from the CMP systems, and a single robot configured to transfer unprocessed work pieces to the plurality of load cups and to transfer processed work pieces from the load cups to the plurality of cleaning stations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2004
    Publication date: January 5, 2006
    Inventors: John Stumpf, Franklin Root, Brian Severson, David Marquardt, John Herb, James Crawford, Rand Conner, Jasent Montano, Kevin Bertsch, Robert Stowell, Edmund Minshall, Timothy Cleary
  • Patent number: 6980147
    Abstract: A waveform acquisition system that captures and digitizes a wideband electrical signal through a bank of front end filters, frequency down converters, and conventional digitizers (A/D converters). A software algorithm reconstructs the composite input signal and applies the necessary corrections to remove the effects of hardware impairments. This approach is possible because it uses a class of filters that exhibit the quality of perfect waveform reconstruction, allowing signals whose spectral components overlap multiple filter bands, to be faithfully reconstructed. A calibration generator switched into the input port serves as a reference for quantifying and removing hardware errors. The channelized analog-to-digital converter (ADC) effectively multiplies the bandwidth and sampling rate of the conventional digitizer performance in a single channel by the number of channels in the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Photon Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald F. Mathis, Stephen R. Mathis, Paul N. Huntley, James A. Crawford, Barry L. Dorr, William L. Floyd
  • Patent number: 6965279
    Abstract: A class of modular, double-sided, edge-mounted printed circuit (PC) board modules and an associated modular network architecture for constructing stripline signal processing networks including high-power analog amplifiers and beam forming networks for driving multi-beam antenna systems. The stripline signal processing networks are characterized by network elements constructed from defined-length segments of transmission media configured to exhibit precisely determined phase and impedance characteristics. These circuits may also include conventional passive “lumped” electrical elements, such as resistors, capacitors and inductors; non-linear circuit elements such as diodes; and active electrical elements, such as amplifiers and transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: EMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: James Crawford Carson
  • Patent number: PP16113
    Abstract: Ligularia dentata ‘Britt-Marie Crawford’ is a new and distinct cultivar of Ragwort with very dark purple brown foliage that remains effective throughout the growing season, and effective as a potted plant or landscape specimen or mass for the bold foliage effect and colorful yellow-orange glower display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Inventor: James Crawford