Patents by Inventor Andrea C. Hughs-Baird

Andrea C. Hughs-Baird 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).

  • Patent number: 6875108
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a gaming device having a multiple selection large award bonus scheme. The gaming device includes a plurality of selections, a plurality of credit symbols associated with said selections, a plurality of awards symbols associated with selections, a winning combination of award symbols and a display device connected to the controller and adapted to display the selections, credit symbols and award symbols. A player is awarded credits when the player selects a selection having an associated credit symbol. The player accumulates award symbols when the player selects a selection associated with an award symbol. The player wins a preferably large award when the player accumulates said winning combination of award symbols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: Andrea C. Hughs-Baird
  • Patent number: 6852027
    Abstract: The present invention provides a gaming device having a game that may be implemented in a primary or bonus game. More specifically, the present invention provides a processor controlled gaming device that presents a plurality of masked value choices to the player, provides a time period in which the player can elect to accept a masked choice and reveals and provides a value associated with the choice to the player if the player accepts in time. If the player does not accept in time or decides not to accept the choice, the gaming device, in one preferred embodiment, reveals the value the player could have accepted when the time period lapses or times out. When the player has successfully accepted a predefined number of masked choices, the game adds or multiplies the values yielded by the choices to form an award for the player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Joseph E. Kaminkow, Andrea C. Hughs-Baird
  • Publication number: 20040204218
    Abstract: A gaming device with a bonus scheme which includes at least one input value; a plurality of selections and at least one modifier associated with a selection. The gaming device enables a player to apply input values to desired selections and depending upon which modifiers are associated with the selections, the player can gain a relatively high or low output value. This type of bonus scheme adds excitement to bonus rounds and increases player entertainment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2004
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Inventor: Andrea C. Hughs-Baird
  • Patent number: 6786819
    Abstract: The present invention includes a gaming device and a method for operating the gaming device. The gaming device of the present invention includes: (i) a central game in which a player picks at least one masked central game outcome, including a transfer; (ii) at least one peripheral game that begins after the player's pick of the transfer, wherein the player picks at least one masked peripheral game outcome, including a return; (iii) whereby the game enables the player to return to the central game and pick at least one more masked central game outcome after the player picks the return in the peripheral game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Anthony J. Baerlocher, Andrea C. Hughs-Baird, Chester E. Stites, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6783457
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a bonus scheme for a gaming device which presents a plurality of selections to the player in one or more rounds. After a players chooses each selection, a processor, using predetermined probabilities, generates various outcomes. Depending upon which types of outcomes are generated, the player may advance to different rounds where the player can choose other selections, or instead the bonus round can terminate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Andrea C. Hughs-Baird, Ryan William Cuddy, Brian Daniel Swift, Anthony J. Baerlocher, Cari L. Blomquist, Lance R. Peterson
  • Patent number: 6780103
    Abstract: The present provides a gaming device, wherein a player's skill at an action or event determines the player's success or failure in the round. The game is readily adaptable to becoming a pseudo-skill game that would be required in most gaming jurisdictions. In one pseudo-skill embodiment, the skill game is converted to a game employing skill, but which is controlled by a set number of successful outcomes. That is, the player keeps playing until the player's skill produces the set number of successful outcomes. In another pseudo-skill embodiment, the game only appears to the player as involving skill. Instead, the gaming device randomly determines when and how many times to produce a successful outcome and increase the player's award.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Mark W. Bansemer, James G. Nolz, Anthony J. Baerlocher, Andrea C. Hughs-Baird
  • Publication number: 20040121838
    Abstract: A gaming device having a game which displays an award distributor and a sequence of groups to a player. A processor causes the award distributor to indicate an award. Furthermore, the gaming device enables the player to pick one of the groups in the sequence. The processor reveals at least one element associated with the picked group in the sequence. A multiplier provided to the player changes based on the number of elements revealed in the sequence. The processor provides an activation award to the player, which equals the indicated award multiplied by the multiplier. The player continues to play the game until all of the groups are picked in the sequence. In another embodiment, at least one risk symbol is associated with the award distributor wherein the risk symbols modify one or more game components in the game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Publication date: June 24, 2004
    Inventors: Andrea C. Hughs-Baird, Joseph E. Kaminkow, Anthony J. Baerlocher
  • Patent number: 6749504
    Abstract: A gaming device including a plurality of selections, a plurality of credit symbols associated with the selections, a plurality of awards symbols associated with the selections, and a winning combination of award symbols. A player is awarded credits when the player selects a selection having an associated credit symbol and player accumulates award symbols when the player selects a selection associated with an award symbol. The player wins a preferably large award when the player accumulates said winning combination of award symbols. The number of player selections is determined based on the player's wager in the primary game wherein the player obtains a specified number of player selections which are necessary to achieve the winning combination and thereby win the large award.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: Andrea C. Hughs-Baird
  • Patent number: 6726565
    Abstract: The present invention involves a gaming device with a bonus scheme which includes at least one input value; a plurality of selections and at least one modifier associated with a selection. The gaming device enables a player to apply input values to desired selections and depending upon which modifiers are associated with the selections, the player can gain a relatively high or low output value. This type of bonus scheme adds excitement to bonus rounds and increases player entertainment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: Andrea C. Hughs-Baird
  • Publication number: 20040053677
    Abstract: A gaming device including a plurality of reels having a plurality of symbols. The gaming device provides an award to a player when a triggering event occurs in a game. In one embodiment, the triggering event includes the occurrence of one or more predetermined symbols on the reels If at least one of the predetermined symbols occurs on the reels, the gaming device provides an award to the player for a winning symbol combination occurring in any position on the reels. In one embodiment, the gaming device provides an award for a winning symbol combination including the scatter pay symbols. In another embodiment, the gaming device provides the largest award to the player when multiple symbols combinations occur on the reels. Therefore, the scatter pay symbols enable a player to obtain larger awards and more awards in the game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2002
    Publication date: March 18, 2004
    Inventor: Andrea C. Hughs-Baird
  • Publication number: 20040018873
    Abstract: A gaming device having a bonus round with multiple selection groups. The bonus round does not end upon an “end-bonus” selection; rather, the bonus round ends upon the selection of a predetermined number of selections from the last or final selection group. In one embodiment, the number of selections is determined from a selection group preceding the final selection group. Prior to determining the number of final selection group picks, the game provides the player with at least one selection group in which the player selects award indicators until selecting an indicator that advances the player to the next selection group. Player excitement and enjoyment is enhanced because the present invention provides the player with multiple opportunities to achieve game credits and because the player is guaranteed to have at least one opportunity to select from the final selection group. In one embodiment, the final selection group has larger values than the previous selection groups.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2003
    Publication date: January 29, 2004
    Inventors: Andrea C. Hughs-Baird, Paulina Glavich, Bayard S. Webb, Anthony J. Baerlocher
  • Publication number: 20030162583
    Abstract: The present invention includes a gaming device and a method for operating the gaming device. The gaming device of the present invention includes: (i) a central game in which a player picks at least one masked central game outcome, including a transfer; (ii) at least one peripheral game that begins after the player's pick of the transfer, wherein the player picks at least one masked peripheral game outcome, including a return; (iii) whereby the game enables the player to return to the central game and pick at least one more masked central game outcome after the player picks the return in the peripheral game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Publication date: August 28, 2003
    Inventors: Anthony J. Baerlocher, Andrea C. Hughs-Baird, Chester E. Stites
  • Patent number: 6595854
    Abstract: A gaming device having a bonus round with multiple selection groups. The bonus round does not end upon an “end-bonus” selection; rather, the bonus round ends upon the selection of a predetermined number of selections from the last or final selection group. In one embodiment, the number of selections is determined from a selection group preceding the final selection group. Prior to determining the number of final selection group picks, the game provides the player with at least one selection group in which the player selects award indicators until selecting an indicator that advances the player to the next selection group. Player excitement and enjoyment is enhanced because the present invention provides the player with multiple opportunities to achieve game credits and because the player is guaranteed to have at least one opportunity to select from the final selection group. In one embodiment, the final selection group has larger values than the previous selection groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Andrea C. Hughs-Baird, Paulina Glavich, Bayard S. Webb, Anthony J. Baerlocher
  • Publication number: 20030064790
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a gaming device which includes an award indicator which includes rotating objects. At least one award value and preferably other symbols are displayed on the faces of the objects. The gaming device provides players with certain award values displayed by the objects after the objects have stopped rotating. This type of gaming device provides players with increased entertainment and enjoyment when playing gaming devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Publication date: April 3, 2003
    Inventors: Andrea C. Hughs-Baird, James M. Gray, Michael S. Hoy, Joseph E. Kaminkow, Daniel J. Waller
  • Publication number: 20030064770
    Abstract: The present invention provides a gaming device having a game that may be implemented in a primary or bonus game. More specifically, the present invention provides a processor controlled gaming device that presents a plurality of masked value choices to the player, provides a time period in which the player can elect to accept a masked choice and reveals and provides a value associated with the choice to the player if the player accepts in time. If the player does not accept in time or decides not to accept the choice, the gaming device, in one preferred embodiment, reveals the value the player could have accepted when the time period lapses or times out. When the player has successfully accepted a predefined number of masked choices, the game adds or multiplies the values yielded by the choices to form an award for the player.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Publication date: April 3, 2003
    Inventors: Joseph E. Kaminkow, Andrea C. Hughs-Baird
  • Publication number: 20030060275
    Abstract: The present invention involves a gaming device with a bonus scheme which includes at least one input value; a plurality of selections and at least one modifier associated with a selection. The gaming device enables a player to apply input values to desired selections and depending upon which modifiers are associated with the selections, the player can gain a relatively high or low output value. This type of bonus scheme adds excitement to bonus rounds and increases player entertainment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2001
    Publication date: March 27, 2003
    Inventor: Andrea C. Hughs-Baird
  • Publication number: 20030060252
    Abstract: The present invention includes a gaming device which includes a plurality of game functions for a single game and a probability associated with each game function. After a predetermined event occurs, the processor uses the probabilities to generate a particular game function for a player to use. Preferably, the predetermined event is a game triggering event. The processor can generate different game functions for a single game from predetermined event to predetermined event. This type of gaming device increases the interest and entertainment of gaming device players.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2001
    Publication date: March 27, 2003
    Inventors: Andrea C. Hughs-Baird, Ryan William Cuddy, Brian Daniel Swift
  • Publication number: 20030054876
    Abstract: A gaming device having a bonus round with multiple selection groups. The bonus round does not end upon an “end-bonus” selection; rather, the bonus round ends upon the selection of a predetermined number of selections from the last or final selection group. In one embodiment, the number of selections is determined from a selection group preceding the final selection group. Prior to determining the number of final selection group picks, the game provides the player with at least one selection group in which the player selects award indicators until selecting an indicator that advances the player to the next selection group. Player excitement and enjoyment is enhanced because the present invention provides the player with multiple opportunities to achieve game credits and because the player is guaranteed to have at least one opportunity to select from the final selection group. In one embodiment, the final selection group has larger values than the previous selection groups.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2002
    Publication date: March 20, 2003
    Inventors: Andrea C. Hughs-Baird, Paulina Glavich, Bayard S. Webb, Anthony J. Baerlocher
  • Publication number: 20030045349
    Abstract: A gaming device including a plurality of selections, a plurality of credit symbols associated with the selections, a plurality of awards symbols associated with the selections, and a winning combination of award symbols. A player is awarded credits when the player selects a selection having an associated credit symbol and player accumulates award symbols when the player selects a selection associated with an award symbol. The player wins a preferably large award when the player accumulates said winning combination of award symbols. The number of player selections is determined based on the player's wager in the primary game wherein the player obtains a specified number of player selections which are necessary to achieve the winning combination and thereby win the large award.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2002
    Publication date: March 6, 2003
    Inventor: Andrea C. Hughs-Baird
  • Patent number: 6468156
    Abstract: A method and subsystem for paying awards in a gaming machine having a Bet Module adapted to configure the gaming machine to have a plurality of discrete Bet Values (BV) available to a game user. A Pay Table Module is further included which is configured to provide a plurality of associated payout awards which vary with the bet value wagered, wherein a discrete bonus Bet Value (BVbonus), which commences a maximum bonus pay schedule (Xbonus), may be adjustably selected from at least two of the discrete bet values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Andrea C. Hughs-Baird, Steven G. LeMay