Patents by Inventor Jay Roper

Jay Roper 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: 8974285
    Abstract: One or more instances of a bonus game (e.g., Class II games such as Bingo games) may be provided to players of another wagering game (e.g., a Class III game such as a slot game, a poker game, etc.). Some implementations of the invention allow players to exchange indicia of credit (e.g., money, game credits, or player loyalty points) for bonus opportunities. For example, players may be able to purchase one or more Bingo cards for Bingo bonus games. Some implementations award bonus opportunities to players based on wager levels, game results, a player's level in a player loyalty program and/or other criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Jay Roper, Cara Iddings, Craig A. Paulsen
  • Publication number: 20140011571
    Abstract: One or more instances of a bonus game (e.g., Class II games such as Bingo games) may be provided to players of another wagering game (e.g., a Class III game such as a slot game, a poker game, etc.). Some implementations of the invention allow players to exchange indicia of credit (e.g., money, game credits, or player loyalty points) for bonus opportunities. For example, players may be able to purchase one or more Bingo cards for Bingo bonus games. Some implementations award bonus opportunities to players based on wager levels, game results, a player's level in a player loyalty program and/or other criteria.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Jay Roper, Cara Iddings, Craig A. Paulsen
  • Patent number: 8616961
    Abstract: Disclosed is a gaming system for awarding a bonus to a player of a wager-based game of chance. The gaming system includes one or more gaming devices in communication with one or more host devices over a network. The host device(s) are configured to: i) receive an indication of a bonus award to be provided to a player of the gaming device, ii) receive a selection parameter, and iii) select one of a plurality of weighted pay tables stored in a storage medium using the selection parameter. Each weighted pay table includes a plurality of awards and a plurality of probabilities. The host device(s) are further configured to: iv) randomly determine one of the plurality of awards in the selected weighted pay table in accordance with the plurality of probabilities, and v) provide the randomly determined award as the bonus award for the player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Scott A. Boyd, Vincent S. Manfredi, Jay Roper
  • Patent number: 8540562
    Abstract: One or more instances of a bonus game (e.g., Class II games such as Bingo games) may be provided to players of another wagering game (e.g., a Class III game such as a slot game, a poker game, etc.). Some implementations of the invention allow players to exchange indicia of credit (e.g., money, game credits, or player loyalty points) for bonus opportunities. For example, players may be able to purchase one or more Bingo cards for Bingo bonus games. Some implementations award bonus opportunities to players based on wager levels, game results, a player's level in a player loyalty program and/or other criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Jay Roper, Cara Iddings, Craig A. Paulsen
  • Publication number: 20120178524
    Abstract: Disclosed is a gaming system for awarding a bonus to a player of a wager-based game of chance. The gaming system includes one or more gaming devices in communication with one or more host devices over a network. The host device(s) are configured to: i) receive an indication of a bonus award to be provided to a player of the gaming device, ii) receive a selection parameter, and iii) select one of a plurality of weighted pay tables stored in a storage medium using the selection parameter. Each weighted pay table includes a plurality of awards and a plurality of probabilities. The host device(s) are further configured to: iv) randomly determine one of the plurality of awards in the selected weighted pay table in accordance with the plurality of probabilities, and v) provide the randomly determined award as the bonus award for the player.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Scott A. Boyd, Vincent S. Manfredi, Jay Roper
  • Patent number: 8157644
    Abstract: Disclosed is a gaming system for awarding a bonus to a player of a wager-based game of chance. The gaming system includes one or more gaming devices configured to play games of chance and one or more host devices in communication with the gaming devices over a network. The host device(s) are configured to: i) receive an indication of a bonus award to be provided to a player of the gaming device, ii) receive or retrieve a selection parameter, and iii) select one of a plurality of weighted pay tables stored in a storage medium using the selection parameter. Each weighted pay table includes a plurality of awards and a plurality of probabilities, where each award has an associated one of the probabilities. The host device(s) are further configured to: iv) randomly determine one of the plurality of awards in the selected weighted pay table in accordance with the plurality of probabilities, and v) provide the randomly determined award as the bonus award for the player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Scott A. Boyd, Vincent S. Manfredi, Jay Roper
  • Publication number: 20100216541
    Abstract: Disclosed is a gaming system for awarding a bonus to a player of a wager-based game of chance. The gaming system includes one or more gaming devices configured to play games of chance and one or more host devices in communication with the gaming devices over a network. The host device(s) are configured to: i) receive an indication of a bonus award to be provided to a player of the gaming device, ii) receive or retrieve a selection parameter, and iii) select one of a plurality of weighted pay tables stored in a storage medium using the selection parameter. Each weighted pay table includes a plurality of awards and a plurality of probabilities, where each award has an associated one of the probabilities. The host device(s) are further configured to: iv) randomly determine one of the plurality of awards in the selected weighted pay table in accordance with the plurality of probabilities, and v) provide the randomly determined award as the bonus award for the player.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2010
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Scott A. Boyd, Vincent S. Manfredi, Jay Roper
  • Publication number: 20070298873
    Abstract: Systems and methods using multiple gaming tables, tracking devices and a bonus server adapted to provide progressive bonuses are provided. The bonus server provides eligibility to a singular progressive table game bonus simultaneously to multiple table game players at multiple gaming tables of multiple gaming table types. Funding and player eligibility for the progressive table game bonus are based on main wagers made on main table games, with separate bonus side wagers or funding not being needed. The bonus server or system can determine all patrons eligible for the bonus, track wagering information, award an appropriate number of entries to the bonus for each eligible player, and determine a bonus outcome based on the number of entries. The number of entries awarded to a given player can be weighted based on the size of a wager and its associated expectation value to the gaming operator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Binh T. Nguyen, Richard E. Michaelson, Craig A. Paulsen, Jay Roper
  • Publication number: 20070117608
    Abstract: One or more instances of a bonus game (e.g., Class II games such as Bingo games) may be provided to players of another wagering game (e.g., a Class III game such as a slot game, a poker game, etc.). Some implementations of the invention allow players to exchange indicia of credit (e.g., money, game credits, or player loyalty points) for bonus opportunities. For example, players may be able to purchase one or more Bingo cards for Bingo bonus games. Some implementations award bonus opportunities to players based on wager levels, game results, a player's level in a player loyalty program and/or other criteria.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Publication date: May 24, 2007
    Inventors: Jay Roper, Cara Iddings, Craig Paulsen
  • Publication number: 20050282626
    Abstract: A gaming machine award system acts over a gaming machine network having a plurality of gaming devices coupled thereto. The award system includes a bonus server coupled to the network and having stored thereon a trigger condition. A game play tracker tracks game play across the network of gaming devices and detects an occurrence of the trigger condition. The bonus server sends out a selection signal over the network to a selected gaming machine responsive to the detected trigger condition. A printer associated with the selected gaming machine is structured to generate a mystery ticket printed output responsive to receipt of said selection signal including machine-readable indicia corresponding to a record of value stored at the bonus server, and human readable indicia that indicates only a range of possible values of the ticket but not a specific value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Publication date: December 22, 2005
    Inventors: Vincent Manfredi, Jay Roper