Patents by Inventor Colin Fong

Colin Fong 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: 20080064477
    Abstract: A gaming machine includes a display and a game controller that provides a wagering game in which a plurality of symbol display positions are provided on the display. When a player stakes a wager on the outcome of the wagering game the game controller selects symbols for display sequentially. The set of symbols is dynamic, wherein at least two symbols from the symbol set are changed between at least certain symbol selections depending on a characteristic of a symbol selected in a previous selection. The display positions may be arranged in rows and columns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Publication date: March 13, 2008
    Inventors: Colin Fong, Raymond Maras, David Villa
  • Publication number: 20080058078
    Abstract: Disclosed is gaming apparatus, which may be a gaming system and a method of gaming implemented on gaming apparatus. A plurality of linked gaming machines are monitored for the occurrence of a first event. The number of occurrences of the first event for each gaming machine is recorded. On the occurrence of a second event, a bonus is awarded on each said gaming machine on which at least one monitored occurrence of the first event has occurred, the bonus award being dependent on the number of occurrences of the first event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2007
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Inventor: Colin Fong
  • Publication number: 20070275778
    Abstract: A method for use with a gaming machine. The gaming machine presents symbols on a display in an array of symbol positions and evaluates the selected symbols for winning combinations in pay lines in the array. The symbols are selected for the display positions independently and at least one line in the array is selected by a player using a player interface by selecting individual symbol display positions. One pay line may only trigger feature games and/or the feature game that is awarded may be determined dependent on the symbols presented in another pay line. The game played by the gaming machine may also present first and second game symbols in the same display position and the presented first and second symbols are evaluated for the occurrence of a winning combination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2006
    Publication date: November 29, 2007
    Inventors: Colin Fong, Philippa Graham
  • Publication number: 20070135198
    Abstract: An instant lottery game system (10) includes a game play defining element (12). A symbol display zone (14) is carried on the game play defining element (12), the symbol display zone (14) containing a plurality of symbols related to gaming machine games. A masking medium (20) covers the symbols of the symbol display zone (14) prior to use. A symbol interpretation zone (16) is also carried on the game play defining element (12), the symbol interpretation zone (16) carrying a plurality of indicia with the indicia being used in interpreting symbols revealed after removal of the masking medium (20) to determine a prize outcome.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Publication date: June 14, 2007
    Inventors: Roxanne Costello, Philippa Graham, Colin Fong, Natale Bryant, Nicholas Bennett
  • Patent number: 7192345
    Abstract: A gaming machine having a display and a game controller arranged to control images displayed on the display. The game controller is arranged to play a game wherein at least one random event is caused to be displayed on the display and, if a predetermined winning event occurs, the machine awards a prize. During the playing of a first game, symbols related to the at first game are displayed on the display. When a trigger condition occurs, a feature game is commenced in which an arrangement of at least some of the symbols of the first game are incorporated as part of a larger image which comprises an image of the feature game, the at least some symbols of the first game contributing to an outcome of the feature game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Ltd.
    Inventors: Robert Linley Muir, Colin Fong, Natalie Bryant
  • Patent number: 7014559
    Abstract: A gaming machine includes a display on which a plurality of display of display positions are displayed. A game controller is arranged to control images displayed on the display. The controller also controls playing of a game on the machine wherein a plurality of symbols are randomly selected and displayed on the display such that if a winning combination results, the machine pays a prize. The controller is operable, upon the occurrence of a predetermined triggering event, to generate a bonus symbol which is displayed in a first display position and, thereafter in at least one other display position. In predetermined circumstances, when the bonus symbol moves from a preceding display position, a residual symbol remains at the preceding display position and, when the bonus symbol appears at a subsequent display position, both the original bonus symbol and the residual bonus symbol operates as substitute symbols in their display positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty., Ltd.
    Inventor: Colin Fong
  • Publication number: 20040242317
    Abstract: A gaming machine has a display and a game controller arranged to control images of symbols displayed on the display. The game controller is arranged to play a game wherein at least one random event is caused to be displayed on the display means and, if a predefined winning event occurs, the machine awards a prize. The game comprises a bonus feature in which at least one meter, having a plurality of number positions, is displayed on the display and, by a predetermined selection process, a number from a set of numbers is selected and associated with at least one number position of the at least one meter. A decision as to which number position of the at least one meter is to be filled by which of the numbers from the set is made by the game controller and completion of filling of the number positions of the at least one meter provides an indication of a prize won by a player.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Inventor: Colin Fong
  • Publication number: 20040224746
    Abstract: A gaming machine system includes a system controller. A plurality of gaming machines are linked to the system controller. Each gaming machine has a first display and a game controller arranged to control images of symbols displayed on the first display, the game controller being arranged to play a game wherein at least one random event is caused to be displayed on the first display and, if a predefined winning event occurs, the machine awards a prize; a second display; and a feature game where, during play of the feature, feature images associated with the feature game are displayed on the second display. The system further includes a remote display to which each of the gaming machines is connected. The remote display is visible to a player playing any one of the gaming machines connected to the remote display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2004
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Inventor: Colin Fong
  • Publication number: 20040127281
    Abstract: A gaming machine 10 has a display 14 and a game controller arranged to control images of symbols displayed on the display. The game controller is arranged to play a game 16 wherein at least one random event is caused to be displayed on the display 14 and, if a predefined winning event occurs, the machine 10 awards a prize. When a trigger condition occurs in a base game of the game 16, a special feature is awarded where, prior to commencement of the special feature, an animation occurs, without any player intervention. The animation results in a sequence of images being caused to be revealed serially, at least certain of the images revealing a number of bonuses associated with the special feature. A final set of the bonuses awarded in respect of the special feature only becomes known to a player of the game after all the images have been revealed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Colin Fong, James Hall
  • Patent number: 6755738
    Abstract: A gaming machine 10 has a display 14 and a game controller arranged to control images displayed on the display 14. The game controller is operable to play a game 16 of bingo wherein the display 14 displays a plurality of bingo cards simultaneously, at least one of the bingo cards being selected by a person playing the game in order for that person to play the game of bingo.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Ltd.
    Inventors: Naomi Glasson, Philippa Graham, Amanda Emmett, Colin Fong, Christopher Stevens
  • Patent number: 6676512
    Abstract: A gaming machine having a display and a game controller arranged to control images displayed on the display. The game controller is arranged to play a game wherein at least one random event is caused to be displayed on the display. If a predefined winning event occurs, the machine awards a prize. The display displays a spinning reel game, each reel of which carries a plurality of symbols, at least one of which is a mystery symbol, the identity of which, at least initially, is hidden. When the mystery symbol appears on the display in a predetermined position, it is caused, by the controller and subject to predetermined conditions, to move to a different position whereafter the identity of the mystery symbol is revealed to be another symbol which is a symbol of a set of symbols of the game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY LTD
    Inventors: Colin Fong, Natalie Bryant
  • Publication number: 20020177478
    Abstract: A gaming machine 10 has a display 14 and a game controller arranged to control images displayed on the display 14. The game controller is operable to play a game 16 of bingo wherein the display 14 displays a plurality of bingo cards simultaneously, at least one of the bingo cards being selected by a person playing the game in order for that person to play the game of bingo.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2002
    Publication date: November 28, 2002
    Inventors: Naomi Glasson, Philippa Graham, Amanda Emmett, Colin Fong, Christopher Stevens
  • Publication number: 20020119814
    Abstract: A gaming machine 10 has a display 14 and a game controller means arranged to control images displayed on the display 14. The game controller is arranged to play a game 16 wherein at least one random event is caused to be displayed on the display 14. If a predefined winning event occurs, the machine awards a prize. The display 14 displays a spinning reel game 14, each reel 18 of which carries a plurality of symbols, at least one of which is a mystery symbol, the identity of which, at least initially, is hidden. When the mystery symbol appears on the display 14 in a predetermined position, it is caused, by the controller and subject to predetermined conditions, to move to a different position whereafter the identity of the mystery symbol is revealed to be another symbol which is a symbol of a set of symbols of the game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2002
    Publication date: August 29, 2002
    Inventors: Colin Fong, Natalie Bryant
  • Publication number: 20020115485
    Abstract: A gaming machine 10 has a display 14 and a game controller arranged to control images displayed on the display 14. The game controller is arranged to play a game wherein at least one random event is caused to be displayed on the display 14 and, if a predefined winning event occurs, the machine 10 awards a prize. During the playing of a first game 16, symbols related to that first game are displayed on the display 14. When a trigger condition occurs, a feature game is commenced in which an arrangement of at least some of the symbols of the first game 16 are incorporated as part of a larger image which constitutes an image of the feature game, the at least some symbols of the first game 16 contributing to an outcome of the feature game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2001
    Publication date: August 22, 2002
    Inventors: Robert Linley Muir, Colin Fong, Natalie Bryant
  • Publication number: 20020042294
    Abstract: A gaming machine has display means and a game control means arranged to control images displayed on the display means An underlying game is played in which one or more random events are caused to be displayed on the display means and, if a predefined winning event occurs, the machine awards a prize. On the occurrence of a predefined event, the player is offered a choice of two or more different prize sets. Each set containing a plurality of prize outcomes, from which prize sets a prize is to be drawn and awarded to the player, typically by a random process. The prize is drawn from the prize set or sets selected by the player from the two or more different prize sets. The sets of prizes may be presented on segments of wheels that can spin or simulate spinning before stopping randomly on a segment which defines the prize outcome won by the player.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2001
    Publication date: April 11, 2002
    Inventors: Edgar Pau, Colin Fong