Patents by Inventor James W. Vann

James W. Vann 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: 10460565
    Abstract: A gaming system comprising a regulated gaming machine primarily dedicated to playing at least one casino wagering game. The gaming machine includes an electronic display device and one or more electronic input devices and game-logic circuitry configured to detect and accept a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance. The game-logic circuitry initiates the casino wagering game in response to an input indicative of a wager covered by the credit balance, increments one or more progressive jackpots associated with the wagering game, conducts a skill-based bonus game that awards portions of the incremented progressive jackpot based on skillful inputs of a player and receives a cashout input that initiates a payout from the credit balance. The game-logic circuitry is further configured to alter one or more aspects of the skill-based bonus game to maintain the average return to player (RTP) within an acceptable range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.
    Inventor: James W. Vann
  • Patent number: 10089822
    Abstract: In at least some aspects, the present concepts include a wearable haptic device including one or more input devices, one or more haptic output devices, one or more processors, and a communication device, wherein the one or more processors are configured to cause the one or more haptic output devices to output a haptic output, of a plurality of haptic outputs, responsive to an event in a game, of a plurality of possible game events, in accord with a mapping of haptic outputs to game events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.
    Inventor: James W. Vann
  • Publication number: 20180047253
    Abstract: A gaming system comprising a regulated gaming machine primarily dedicated to playing at least one casino wagering game. The gaming machine includes an electronic display device and one or more electronic input devices and game-logic circuitry configured to detect and accept a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance. The game-logic circuitry initiates the casino wagering game in response to an input indicative of a wager covered by the credit balance, increments one or more progressive jackpots associated with the wagering game, conducts a skill-based bonus game that awards portions of the incremented progressive jackpot based on skillful inputs of a player and receives a cashout input that initiates a payout from the credit balance. The game-logic circuitry is further configured to alter one or more aspects of the skill-based bonus game to maintain the average return to player (RTP) within an acceptable range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Inventor: James W. VANN
  • Publication number: 20180033253
    Abstract: A gaming system for performing at least one wagering game includes a regulated electronic wagering game machine comprising one or more input devices and one or more display devices. An initial set of active array elements is determined on a playfield for the wagering game and a symbol is randomly determined for each of the active array elements. As symbols create or expand predetermined symbol combinations in the playfield, the symbols of the predetermined symbol combination are fixed and an expansion set of additional array elements are activated adjacent to new symbols that expand the symbol combination. A random symbol is determined for each expansion set array element. A repeated process of symbol combination expansion and array element activation occurs until the symbol combination expansion stops and a playfield outcome is determined. An evaluation is performed to determine a corresponding award for the playfield outcome.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: James W. VANN, Anthony J. BAERLOCHER, CHRISTOPHER K. GUERRERO, Jeremy M. HORNIK, JEFFRY L. NAUMAN, KENNETH SHAWN SOONG
  • Publication number: 20170103600
    Abstract: In at least some aspects, the present concepts include a wearable haptic device including one or more input devices, one or more haptic output devices, one or more processors, and a communication device, wherein the one or more processors are configured to cause the one or more haptic output devices to output a haptic output, of a plurality of haptic outputs, responsive to an event in a game, of a plurality of possible game events, in accord with a mapping of haptic outputs to game events.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Inventor: James W. Vann
  • Publication number: 20170084129
    Abstract: Presented herein are electronic gaming machines, gaming systems, and logic circuitry for executing wagering game applications. A gaming system is disclosed which includes game-logic circuitry and a regulated gaming machine. The gaming machine includes one or more electronic display devices and one or more electronic input devices coupled to a gaming cabinet. The wagering game includes a skill-based game element and a non-skill based game element. The game-logic circuitry: detects, via an electronic input device, a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance; initiates the wagering game in response to a wager input covered by the credit balance; directs an electronic display device to display an outcome of the casino wagering game, the outcome being influenced by the skill-based game element and/or the non-skill based game element; and receives, via an electronic input device, a cashout input that initiates a payout from the credit balance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Inventors: Anthony J. Baerlocher, Elizabeth A. Carter, Jeremy M. Hornik, Keith M. Kruczynski, Jeffry L. Nauman, Kenneth Shawn Soong, James W. Vann
  • Patent number: 9542801
    Abstract: In at least some aspects, the present concepts include a wearable haptic device including one or more input devices, one or more haptic output devices, one or more processors, and a communication device, wherein the one or more processors are configured to cause the one or more haptic output devices to output a haptic output, of a plurality of haptic outputs, responsive to an event in a game, of a plurality of possible game events, in accord with a mapping of haptic outputs to game events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.
    Inventor: James W. Vann