Patents by Inventor James E. Oatman

James E. Oatman 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: 20160314657
    Abstract: Capping single or multiple progressive wins subject to a maximum jurisdictional limit. Each progressive level(s) can be configured up to the maximum limit. The sum of all reset values for all levels does not exceed the maximum limit. The progressive award cannot exceed the maximum limit, and is funded first by the reset values of all progressive levels that triggered an award, followed by the increment values from the most rare to the least rare progressive levels up to the maximum limit. Any excess increment value is saved as short-term overflow and possibly long-term overflow. For the next play cycle, each progressive level is raised by its initial reset value plus its short-term overflow for that level, resulting in a higher reset value. Any increment that exceeds the maximum limit is stored as long-term overflow and is available to fund a subsequent play cycle following the next play cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Inventors: Dale R. Buchholz, Jacek Grabiec, James E. Oatman, Gary J. Oswald, Douglas P. Reichmuth
  • Patent number: 9240097
    Abstract: A gaming machine includes a cabinet having a topbox frame attached thereto and facing a player position in front of the gaming machine, and one or more display devices within the cabinet and configured to display a wagering game. The gaming machine further includes a tower light for indicating a status condition, and a conduit for mounting the tower light to the topbox frame. The conduit has a fixed end attached to the topbox frame and an adjustable end attached to the tower light. The adjustable end is movable to different positions to provide a line of sight for viewing the tower light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley D. Cornell, Miguel A. Vega, James E. Oatman, Jesus O. Cervantes, Jr., Kristopher A. Kopriva
  • Patent number: 9202334
    Abstract: A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In some embodiments, the operations can include monitoring, at a wagering game machine, base wagering game activity associated with one or more base wagering games that are presented during a wagering game session. The operations can also include generating and transmitting one or more activity notification messages comprising at least an indication of the base wagering game activity to a player tracking server to cause the player tracking server to reward the base wagering game activity. The operations can further include generating and transmitting login and logout notification messages to a secondary game server to cause the secondary game server to determine secondary wagering game activity associated with one or more secondary wagering games presented during the wagering game session. The secondary wagering game activity can be used by the player tracking server to reward the secondary wagering game activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Srinivyasa M. Adiraju, Daniel P. Louie, James E. Oatman, Mark C. Pace, Erhard W. Rathsack, Craig J. Sylla, Matthew J. Ward
  • Publication number: 20140274374
    Abstract: A gaming machine includes a cabinet having a topbox frame attached thereto and facing a player position in front of the gaming machine, and one or more display devices within the cabinet and configured to display a wagering game. The gaming machine further includes a tower light for indicating a status condition, and a conduit for mounting the tower light to the topbox frame. The conduit has a fixed end attached to the topbox frame and an adjustable end attached to the tower light. The adjustable end is movable to different positions to provide a line of sight for viewing the tower light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley D. Cornell, Miguel A. Vega, James E. Oatman, Jesus O. Cervantes, JR., Kristopher A. Kopriva
  • Patent number: 8579702
    Abstract: A method of operating a wagering game comprises receiving one or more configuration inputs to create at least one wagering game configuration. The at least one wagering game configuration comprises at least one base game and at least one portal game. The at least one base game is operable in response to receipt of a primary wager, the primary wager being within a range of allowable wagers. The range includes minimum and maximum allowable wagers. The at least one portal game having a set of eligibility criteria. The method further comprises creating a plurality of wager categories based upon the set of eligibility criteria and a size of the primary wager, activating participation in the at least one portal game if the set of eligibility criteria is satisfied, and metering the entire primary wager to a single wager category.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventors: James E. Oatman, Mark J. Saletnik, Jason A. Smith
  • Patent number: 8376840
    Abstract: A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In some embodiments, the operations can include monitoring, at a wagering game machine, base wagering game activity associated with one or more base wagering games that are presented during a wagering game session. The operations can also include generating and transmitting one or more activity notification messages comprising at least an indication of the base wagering game activity to a player tracking server to cause the player tracking server to reward the base wagering game activity. The operations can further include generating and transmitting login and logout notification messages to a secondary game server to cause the secondary game server to determine secondary wagering game activity associated with one or more secondary wagering games presented during the wagering game session. The secondary wagering game activity can be used by the player tracking server to reward the secondary wagering game activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: WMS Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Srinivyasa M. Adiraju, Daniel P. Louie, James E. Oatman, Mark C. Pace, Erhard W. Rathsack, Craig J. Sylla, Matthew J. Ward
  • Patent number: 8308574
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the inventive subject matter include one or more machine readable media including instructions which when executed by a machine cause the machine to perform operations comprising: loading, into a main memory of the machine, a wagering game software program configured to, upon execution, determine results for wagering games and to provide the results to remote wagering game terminals; executing the wagering game software program in the machine; deactivating the wagering game software program, wherein the deactivating includes, for each one of the wagering game terminals, determining that the one of the wagering game terminals has been idle for a specified time period; discontinuing determination of the results and provision of the results to the one of the wagering game terminals; and ceasing execution of the wagering game software.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: WMS Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Mary M. Burke, James E. Oatman, Jacqueline F. Parra
  • Publication number: 20110224002
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the inventive subject matter include one or more machine readable media including instructions which when executed by a machine cause the machine to perform operations comprising: loading, into a main memory of the machine, a wagering game software program configured to, upon execution, determine results for wagering games and to provide the results to remote wagering game terminals; executing the wagering game software program in the machine; deactivating the wagering game software program, wherein the deactivating includes, for each one of the wagering game terminals, determining that the one of the wagering game terminals has been idle for a specified time period; discontinuing determination of the results and provision of the results to the one of the wagering game terminals; and ceasing execution of the wagering game software.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: WMS Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Mary M. Burke, James E. Oatman, Jacqueline F. Parra
  • Publication number: 20100261521
    Abstract: A method of operating a wagering game comprises receiving one or more configuration inputs to create at least one wagering game configuration. The at least one wagering game configuration comprises at least one base game and at least one portal game. The at least one base game is operable in response to receipt of a primary wager, the primary wager being within a range of allowable wagers. The range includes minimum and maximum allowable wagers. The at least one portal game having a set of eligibility criteria. The method further comprises creating a plurality of wager categories based upon the set of eligibility criteria and a size of the primary wager, activating participation in the at least one portal game if the set of eligibility criteria is satisfied, and metering the entire primary wager to a single wager category.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Applicant: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventors: James E. Oatman, Mark J. Saletnik, Jason A. Smith