Patents by Inventor Ernest M. Lafky

Ernest M. Lafky 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: 10755526
    Abstract: A gaming system including a multiple player persistent game, such as an ongoing community game. This ongoing community game includes a community game matrix which is continuously displayed to at least each of the players. The community game matrix includes a plurality of displayed positions which may be associated with an award or an award opportunity. In operation, at least each of the players playing the gaming devices of the gaming system are associated with a displayed participant that moves (either randomly or based on the player's control) to different of the displayed positions of the community game matrix. If a player moves their associated participant to a displayed position that is associated with an award or an award opportunity, the gaming system provides the player any associated award or enables the player to participate in any associated award opportunity to potentially win an award.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Ernest M. Lafky, Carmen Tan, Mark C. Nicely
  • Patent number: 10366570
    Abstract: A gaming system which includes a game sequence, such as a free game sequence, which enables a player to selectively apply modifiers after viewing the results of games. For a game associated with an available modifier, following the display of the results of that game, the gaming system enables the player to either utilize the available modifier for that game or accumulate another modifier to be potentially utilized for another game. If the player selects to utilize the available modifier, the gaming system modifies one or more aspects of the play of the game to result in a modified game outcome and/or a modified game award. If the player selects to not utilize the available modifier, the gaming system accumulates another modifier for the player, wherein the other modifier may or may not be subsequently utilized by the player to modify any designated aspects of a subsequent play of the game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Scott A. Caputo, Ernest M. Lafky, Brian F. Saunders, Jon M. Leupp
  • Patent number: 10229562
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a gaming system and method providing a game providing an award if a shape of a symbol displayed at a symbol display area corresponds to a shape of that symbol display area. Other embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a gaming system and method providing a game having a player-adjustable volatility. In certain embodiments, the game is the above-described game, while in other embodiments, the game is a different game. Generally, in certain such embodiments, the gaming system enables a player to tailor the overall volatility of a play of the game to the player's preference by selecting a desired combination of symbol display areas to employ for a play of the game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Brian F. Saunders, Timothy L. Isaacson, Ernest M. Lafky
  • Patent number: 10102711
    Abstract: In various embodiments, the present disclosure generally relates to gaming systems and methods which utilize a symbol matrix or symbol field in conjunction with a movable symbol display window to randomly select different subsets of symbols from the symbol matrix and provide different awards to players based on such selected symbol subsets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Benjamin J. Zoltewicz, Mark C. Nicely, Ernest M. Lafky
  • Patent number: 10068430
    Abstract: A gaming system enables players of a group of gaming devices to wager on progressive or other awards for that group and tracks an amount of player activity at the group. If player activity of the group exceeds an upper reconfiguration threshold, the gaming system disassociates one or more gaming devices from the group to reduce the amount of player activity. If the player activity of the group falls below a lower reconfiguration threshold, the gaming system associates one or more additional gaming devices with that group to increase player activity. Reallocation of gaming devices can occur following a player winning the award for the group. The system can incrementally increase an award reset amount, while reducing the odds of winning the award, to maintain a desired range of gaming experiences. The system can also enable a player to select an initial groups based on a characteristic of that player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Mark C. Nicely, Ernest M. Lafky
  • Publication number: 20180182210
    Abstract: A gaming system including a multiple player persistent game, such as an ongoing community game. This ongoing community game includes a community game matrix which is continuously displayed to at least each of the players. The community game matrix includes a plurality of displayed positions which may be associated with an award or an award opportunity. In operation, at least each of the players playing the gaming devices of the gaming system are associated with a displayed participant that moves (either randomly or based on the player's control) to different of the displayed positions of the community game matrix. If a player moves their associated participant to a displayed position that is associated with an award or an award opportunity, the gaming system provides the player any associated award or enables the player to participate in any associated award opportunity to potentially win an award.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Inventors: Ernest M. Lafky, Carmen Tan, Mark C. Nicely
  • Patent number: 9905080
    Abstract: A gaming system including a multiple player persistent game, such as an ongoing community game. This ongoing community game includes a community game matrix which is continuously displayed to at least each of the players. The community game matrix includes a plurality of displayed positions which may be associated with an award or an award opportunity. In operation, at least each of the players playing the gaming devices of the gaming system are associated with a displayed participant that moves (either randomly or based on the player's control) to different of the displayed positions of the community game matrix. If a player moves their associated participant to a displayed position that is associated with an award or an award opportunity, the gaming system provides the player any associated award or enables the player to participate in any associated award opportunity to potentially win an award.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Ernest M. Lafky, Carmen Tan, Mark C. Nicely
  • Patent number: 9905083
    Abstract: In various embodiments, the gaming system, gaming device, and gaming method disclosed herein provides a community game having a trail or path. The community game enables a plurality of players to each simultaneously pick one or more directions of movement along the trail or path (i.e., pick or designate a destination position which that player wants to move to). If the picked directions of movement for more than one player result in more than one player each designating the same destination position, the gaming system determines which player is moved to the designated destination position (and is provided a displayed award or outcome associated with that position) and which player is moved to an alternative position (and is provided a displayed award or outcome associated with that alternative position).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Scott A. Caputo, Ernest M. Lafky, Mark C. Nicely
  • Patent number: 9852574
    Abstract: In various embodiments, the present disclosure generally relates to gaming systems and methods which utilize a symbol matrix or symbol field in conjunction with a movable symbol display window to randomly select different subsets of symbols from the symbol matrix and provide different awards to players based on such selected symbol subsets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Benjamin J. Zoltewicz, Mark C. Nicely, Ernest M. Lafky
  • Publication number: 20170294079
    Abstract: A gaming system which includes a game sequence, such as a free game sequence, which enables a player to selectively apply modifiers after viewing the results of games. For a game associated with an available modifier, following the display of the results of that game, the gaming system enables the player to either utilize the available modifier for that game or accumulate another modifier to be potentially utilized for another game. If the player selects to utilize the available modifier, the gaming system modifies one or more aspects of the play of the game to result in a modified game outcome and/or a modified game award. If the player selects to not utilize the available modifier, the gaming system accumulates another modifier for the player, wherein the other modifier may or may not be subsequently utilized by the player to modify any designated aspects of a subsequent play of the game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2017
    Publication date: October 12, 2017
    Inventors: Scott A. Caputo, Ernest M. Lafky, Brian F. Saunders, Jon M. Leupp
  • Publication number: 20170256127
    Abstract: In various embodiments, the present disclosure generally relates to gaming systems and methods which utilize a symbol matrix or symbol field in conjunction with a movable symbol display window to randomly select different subsets of symbols from the symbol matrix and provide different awards to players based on such selected symbol subsets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: Benjamin J. Zoltewicz, Mark C. Nicely, Ernest M. Lafky
  • Publication number: 20170024971
    Abstract: A gaming system including a multiple player persistent game, such as an ongoing community game. This ongoing community game includes a community game matrix which is continuously displayed to at least each of the players. The community game matrix includes a plurality of displayed positions which may be associated with an award or an award opportunity. In operation, at least each of the players playing the gaming devices of the gaming system are associated with a displayed participant that moves (either randomly or based on the player's control) to different of the displayed positions of the community game matrix. If a player moves their associated participant to a displayed position that is associated with an award or an award opportunity, the gaming system provides the player any associated award or enables the player to participate in any associated award opportunity to potentially win an award.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2016
    Publication date: January 26, 2017
    Inventors: Ernest M. Lafky, Carmen Tan, Mark C. Nicely
  • Publication number: 20160364954
    Abstract: In various embodiments, the gaming system, gaming device, and gaming method disclosed herein provides a community game having a trail or path. The community game enables a plurality of players to each simultaneously pick one or more directions of movement along the trail or path (i.e., pick or designate a destination position which that player wants to move to). If the picked directions of movement for more than one player result in more than one player each designating the same destination position, the gaming system determines which player is moved to the designated destination position (and is provided a displayed award or outcome associated with that position) and which player is moved to an alternative position (and is provided a displayed award or outcome associated with that alternative position).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Inventors: Scott A. Caputo, Ernest M. Lafky, Mark C. Nicely
  • Publication number: 20160364945
    Abstract: In various embodiments, the present disclosure generally relates to gaming systems and methods which utilize a symbol matrix or symbol field in conjunction with a movable symbol display window to randomly select different subsets of symbols from the symbol matrix and provide different awards to players based on such selected symbol subsets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Inventors: Benjamin J. Zoltewicz, Mark C. Nicely, Ernest M. Lafky
  • Patent number: 9472065
    Abstract: A gaming system including a cascading symbol game which utilizes a plurality of interacting symbols. In certain embodiments, the cascading symbol game utilizes a plurality of symbol display position matrices or grids. Each symbol display position matrix includes a plurality of symbol display positions. In operation, the gaming system generates and displays a symbol at each symbol display position of each employed symbol display position matrix, wherein the gaming system utilizes a separate set or pool of available symbols for each employed symbol display position matrix. Upon an occurrence of an interacting symbol triggering event, such as the shifting of one or more symbols between symbol display position matrices, the gaming system causes one or more symbols to interact to provide one or more benefits to a player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Mark C. Nicely, Brian F. Saunders, Jon M. Leupp, Ernest M. Lafky, Leandro Basallo
  • Patent number: 9466183
    Abstract: A gaming system including a multiple player persistent game, such as an ongoing community game. This ongoing community game includes a community game matrix which is continuously displayed to at least each of the players. The community game matrix includes a plurality of displayed positions which may be associated with an award or an award opportunity. In operation, at least each of the players playing the gaming devices of the gaming system are associated with a displayed participant that moves (either randomly or based on the player's control) to different of the displayed positions of the community game matrix. If a player moves their associated participant to a displayed position that is associated with an award or an award opportunity, the gaming system provides the player any associated award or enables the player to participate in any associated award opportunity to potentially win an award.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Ernest M. Lafky, Carmen Tan, Mark C. Nicely
  • Patent number: 9430915
    Abstract: In various embodiments, the gaming system, gaming device, and gaming method disclosed herein provides a community game having a trail or path. The community game enables a plurality of players to each simultaneously pick one or more directions of movement along the trail or path (i.e., pick or designate a destination position which that player wants to move to). If the picked directions of movement for more than one player result in more than one player each designating the same destination position, the gaming system determines which player is moved to the designated destination position (and is provided a displayed award or outcome associated with that position) and which player is moved to an alternative position (and is provided a displayed award or outcome associated with that alternative position).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Scott A. Caputo, Ernest M. Lafky, Mark C. Nicely
  • Patent number: 9430900
    Abstract: In various embodiments, the present disclosure generally relates to gaming systems and methods which utilize a symbol matrix or symbol field in conjunction with a movable symbol display window to randomly select different subsets of symbols from the symbol matrix and provide different awards to players based on such selected symbol subsets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Benjamin J. Zoltewicz, Mark C. Nicely, Ernest M. Lafky
  • Publication number: 20160247358
    Abstract: A gaming system enables players of a group of gaming devices to wager on progressive or other awards for that group and tracks an amount of player activity at the group. If player activity of the group exceeds an upper reconfiguration threshold, the gaming system disassociates one or more gaming devices from the group to reduce the amount of player activity. If the player activity of the group falls below a lower reconfiguration threshold, the gaming system associates one or more additional gaming devices with that group to increase player activity. Reallocation of gaming devices can occur following a player winning the award for the group. The system can incrementally increase an award reset amount, while reducing the odds of winning the award, to maintain a desired range of gaming experiences. The system can also enable a player to select an initial groups based on a characteristic of that player.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2016
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Inventors: Mark C. Nicely, Ernest M. Lafky
  • Patent number: 9336654
    Abstract: A gaming system enables players of a group of gaming devices to wager on progressive or other awards for that group and tracks an amount of player activity at the group. If player activity of the group exceeds an upper reconfiguration threshold, the gaming system disassociates one or more gaming devices from the group to reduce the amount of player activity. If the player activity of the group falls below a lower reconfiguration threshold, the gaming system associates one or more additional gaming devices with that group to increase player activity. Reallocation of gaming devices can occur following a player winning the award for the group. The system can incrementally increase an award reset amount, while reducing the odds of winning the award, to maintain a desired range of gaming experiences. The system can also enable a player to select an initial groups based on a characteristic of that player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Mark C. Nicely, Ernest M. Lafky