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).
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Publication number: 20160314657Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: April 15, 2016Publication date: October 27, 2016Inventors: Dale R. Buchholz, Jacek Grabiec, James E. Oatman, Gary J. Oswald, Douglas P. Reichmuth
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Patent number: 9240097Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: January 19, 2016Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.Inventors: Bradley D. Cornell, Miguel A. Vega, James E. Oatman, Jesus O. Cervantes, Jr., Kristopher A. Kopriva
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Patent number: 9202334Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 15, 2013Date of Patent: December 1, 2015Assignee: 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
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Publication number: 20140274374Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2013Publication date: September 18, 2014Applicant: WMS Gaming Inc.Inventors: Bradley D. Cornell, Miguel A. Vega, James E. Oatman, Jesus O. Cervantes, JR., Kristopher A. Kopriva
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Patent number: 8579702Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 7, 2008Date of Patent: November 12, 2013Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.Inventors: James E. Oatman, Mark J. Saletnik, Jason A. Smith
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Patent number: 8376840Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 3, 2011Date of Patent: February 19, 2013Assignee: 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
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Patent number: 8308574Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 13, 2009Date of Patent: November 13, 2012Assignee: WMS Gaming, Inc.Inventors: Mary M. Burke, James E. Oatman, Jacqueline F. Parra
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Publication number: 20110224002Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2009Publication date: September 15, 2011Applicant: WMS Gaming, Inc.Inventors: Mary M. Burke, James E. Oatman, Jacqueline F. Parra
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Publication number: 20100261521Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 7, 2008Publication date: October 14, 2010Applicant: WMS Gaming Inc.Inventors: James E. Oatman, Mark J. Saletnik, Jason A. Smith