Patents by Inventor K. Aoki

K. Aoki 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: 7775873
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a gaming terminal and a method of playing a wagering game at a gaming terminal whereby multiple players make selections and accumulate bonus awards as the game is passed from one player to another. Play continues until a game-terminating object is selected. At that time, each player that participated in the wagering game receives his or her accumulated awards plus any awards won by subsequent players.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: WMS Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Dion K. Aoki, Jason C. Gilmore, Thomas M. Kopera, Christy Juinsuk Olsen
  • Publication number: 20100197377
    Abstract: A gaming system for conducting a wagering game comprises a display including a plurality of symbol-bearing reels having a plurality of symbol locations and symbols that indicate a randomly selected outcome of the wagering game. In response to a certain event, at least one symbol on the reels in a particular one of the plurality of symbol locations is altered to produce an altered function of the symbol. The altered function of the altered symbol location is maintained for subsequent plays of the wagering game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicant: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventors: Dion K. Aoki, Jamie W. Vann
  • Publication number: 20100197385
    Abstract: Multi-player games that foster cooperation or competition between players. A multi-player wagering game system includes a first display to display a first wagering game; a first input device corresponding to the first display to accept input from a first player; a second display to display a second wagering game, the second display being adjacent to the first display; a second input device corresponding to the second display to accept input from a second player; and a bonus display to display a bonus game. The bonus game receiving input from both the first and the second input devices. Computer software causes the first wagering game and the second wagering game to be executed. A multi-person seating device is configured to permit the first player and the second player to sit side-by-side in front of the first display and the second display, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2008
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Inventors: Dion K. Aoki, Benjamin T. Gomez, Joel R. Jaffe, Daniel Louie, Jamie W. Vann
  • Patent number: 7749073
    Abstract: The present invention is a method of conducting a wagering game having a plurality of symbol-bearing reels, comprising allowing a player to select one or more of a plurality of basic paylines (70) to define active paylines and, in response to the player meeting certain criteria, allowing a player to activate an enhanced payline (75). The method further includes randomly selecting a game outcome from a plurality of outcomes in response to a wager input, and displaying the game outcome as symbols aligned along the active paylines and the enhanced payline. Symbol combinations appearing along the active payline indicate awards according to a first paytable, while symbol combinations appearing along the enhanced payline (75) indicate awards according to a second paytable. The second paytable includes at least one winning symbol combination that is different from symbol combinations within the first paytable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventors: Alfred Thomas, Dion K. Aoki
  • Publication number: 20100113131
    Abstract: A gaming system for conducting a wagering game includes a wager input device for receiving a wager. The gaming system further comprises a display for displaying a plurality of symbols that indicates a randomly selected outcome of a wagering game. The plurality of symbols includes more than one type of symbol. In response to collecting a predetermined amount of a first type of symbol during the wagering game, a progressive jackpot associated with the first type of symbol is triggered. The progressive jackpot is funded by at least a portion of the wager.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2007
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: WMS GAMING INC.
    Inventors: Dion K. Aoki, Alfred Thomas
  • Publication number: 20100075741
    Abstract: A gaming system for conducting a wagering game includes a wager input device for receiving a wager, The gaming system further includes at least one display for displaying an array of symbols indicating a randomly selected outcome. The array of symbols include a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns. The symbols include directional indicators. The randomly selected outcome is indicated by at least one sequence of symbols formed based on directions associated with the directional indicators. In response to the sequence of symbols including a predetermined symbol, an award associated with the predetermined symbol is awarded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: WMS Garming Inc.
    Inventors: Dion K. Aoki, Allon G. Englman, Benjamin T. Gomez
  • Publication number: 20090239631
    Abstract: A gaming system for conducting a wagering game includes an input device for receiving a wager to play a wagering game. The gaming system further includes a primary display (14) for displaying a first array of symbols (173) that indicates a randomly selected outcome of the wagering game. The gaming system further includes a secondary display (16) for displaying a secondary array of symbols (181) that indicates a secondary outcome of the wagering game. In response to a predetermined criterion, at least one winning symbol (175a, 175c) is moved from a first position in the first array to a second position in the secondary array to create a modified secondary array that indicates a winning outcome.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2007
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: WMS Gaming inc.
    Inventors: Dion K. Aoki, Allon G. Englman, Joel R. Jaffe, Shridhar P. Joshi, Larry J. Pacey, Alfred Thomas
  • Publication number: 20090181749
    Abstract: A gaming machine (10) for conducting a wagering game comprises a value input device (16) for receiving a wager from a player and a display (26) for displaying a first plurality of locations in a first formation and a second plurality of locations in a second formation. The second plurality of locations is associated with the first plurality of locations. A processor is operative to select at least one first location from the first plurality of locations to yield a first outcome, select at least one second location from the second plurality of locations to yield a second outcome, combine the first and second outcomes to yield a combined outcome, and provide an award based on the combined outcome.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2005
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Inventor: Dion K. Aoki
  • Publication number: 20090162341
    Abstract: A non-cytotoxic protein conjugate for inhibition or reduction of exocytic fusion in a nociceptive sensory afferent cell, comprising: (i) a Targeting Moiety (TM), wherein said TM is an agonist of a receptor present on said nociceptive sensory afferent cell, and wherein said receptor undergoes endocytosis to be incorporated into an endosome within the nociceptive sensory afferent cell; (ii) a non-cytotoxic protease or a fragment thereof, wherein the protease or protease fragment is capable of cleaving a protein of the exocytic fusion apparatus of said nociceptive sensory afferent cell; and (iii) a Translocation Domain, wherein the Translocation Domain translocates the protease or protease fragment from within the endosome, across the endosomal membrane, and into the cytosol of the nociceptive sensory afferent cell. Nucleic acid sequences encoding the protein conjugates, methods of preparing same and uses thereof are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2005
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Inventors: Keith Foster, John Chaddock, Charles Penn, Roger K. Aoki, Joseph Francis, Lance Steward
  • Publication number: 20090131145
    Abstract: A gaming machine for conducting a wagering game includes a game display. A transmissive display is positioned in front of the game display directly in the player's line of sight including game-play regions at which symbols appear and regions above, below, between, and to the sides the game-play regions. The transmissive display is operable to selectively display transparent, translucent and opaque video images over the game display. The transparent, translucent and opaque video images may be used to change, for example, a play mechanic associated with the wagering game and any reel symbols associated with wagering game. The transmissive display may also be used to provide interactive player control and player selection elements for the wagering game and to facilitate player inputs to the gaming machine. The transmissive display may be further used to provide bonus features associated with a bonus game played at the gaming machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Inventors: Dion K. Aoki, John D. Flint, Philip B. Gelber, Benjamin T. Gomez, Jeremy M. Hornik, Joel R. Jaffe, Shridhar P. Joshi, Larry J. Pacey, Jamie W. Vann
  • Publication number: 20090124366
    Abstract: A method of conducting a plurality of wagering games on a group of gaming machines includes receiving wagers from players at the group of gaming machines. In response to a triggering condition associated with a gaming machine of the group of gaming machines, the method further includes presenting a special event on the gaming machine, and changing a set of wagering game symbols required to achieve a known award on at least another one of the group of gaming machines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Inventors: Dion K. Aoki, Jeremy M. Hornik
  • Publication number: 20090104967
    Abstract: A gaming machine for conducting a wagering game includes a value input device for receiving a wager, an array of positions for displaying respective randomly selected symbols, and a controller. The displayed symbols include a special symbol and a chain of adjacent symbols at least partially encompassing the special symbol. The controller is operative to progressively move and stop the chain of adjacent symbols at each of a plurality of locations and evaluate the array for any winning combinations of the displayed symbols when the chain of adjacent symbols is stopped at each location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2006
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Applicant: WMS GAMING INC.
    Inventors: Alfred Thomas, Dion K. Aoki
  • Patent number: 7503849
    Abstract: A gaming system for playing a basic wagering game on a gaming terminal. The gaming system includes an input device adapted to receive an input from a player of a basic wagering game and output a signal to a controller. A controller is configured to randomly select a basic wagering game outcome from a plurality of basic wagering game outcomes. A gaming feature is also provided. In this gaming feature, an extra wager may be input in association therewith to increase an award for a selected basic wagering game winning outcome, a plurality of selected basic wagering game winning outcomes, or a selected group and related subgroup of basic wagering game winning outcomes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: WMS Gaming
    Inventors: Jeremy M. Hornik, Dion K. Aoki, Joel R. Jaffe, James J. Poole
  • Publication number: 20090069071
    Abstract: A gaming system comprising an input device for receiving a wager to play a wagering game. The gaming system also includes a display for displaying an array of symbols that indicate a randomly selected outcome of the wagering game. In response to the randomly selected outcome including a winning symbol combination, at least one symbol that is not a part of the winning symbol combination is removed from the array and causes other symbols to move into a position of the array vacated by the at least one removed symbol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2007
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: WMS GAMING, INC.
    Inventors: Dion K. Aoki, Allon G. Englman, Joel R. Jaffe, Shridhar P. Joshi, Larry J. Pacey, Alfred Thomas
  • Publication number: 20080242404
    Abstract: A wagering game in a gaming machine includes symbols that are associated with multiple payoff levels. The symbols may have their payoff levels incremented and decremented based on certain predefined criteria. The criteria may be based on a winning outcome, random selection, the position of the symbols, the configuration of the symbols, and the like. As some symbols have their payoff levels incremented, other symbols have their payoff levels decremented. Each symbol may be graphically rendered in a manner to distinctively indicate the particular payoff level currently assigned to that symbol. In this way, the wagering game maintains a dynamic mix of symbols having different payoff levels and graphical renderings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventor: Dion K. Aoki
  • Publication number: 20080227521
    Abstract: A method of playing a wagering game. The method comprises conducting the wagering game at an electromechanical gaming terminal. The electromechanical gaming terminal has a plurality of electromechanical reels with a plurality of symbols. At least some of the plurality of symbols is displayed on a payline. In response to one of the plurality of symbols causing a winning outcome, the player is awarded an amount corresponding to the winning outcome and a corresponding reel with the one of the plurality of symbols is moved. When the corresponding reel is moved, the player is given another chance at obtaining a second winning outcome.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2006
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Inventors: Dion K. Aoki, Alfred Thomas
  • Patent number: 7371171
    Abstract: Wagering game terminal and method of operating same are disclosed that increases the excitement and entertainment value over existing gaming terminals. The wagering game terminal includes a wagering game that has a set of primary symbols and one or more secondary symbols. During the wagering game, one of the secondary symbols is superimposed on one or more of the primary symbols. These primary symbols may then be given enhanced evaluation in the wagering game, depending on certain conditions being met in the wagering game, or some other predetermined event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventors: Allon Englman, Dion K. Aoki
  • Publication number: 20080096822
    Abstract: A method and composition for treating a patient suffering from a disease, disorder or condition and associated pain include the administration to the patient of a therapeutically effective amount of a neurotoxin selected from a group consisting of Botulinum toxin types A, B, C, D, E, F and G.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Applicant: ALLERGAN, INC
    Inventors: K. Aoki, Michael Grayston, Steven Carlson, Judith Leon
  • Publication number: 20080003318
    Abstract: A method and composition for treating a patient suffering from a disease, disorder or condition and associated pain include the administration to the patient of a therapeutically effective amount of a neurotoxin selected from a group consisting of Botulinum toxin types A, B, C, D, E, F and G.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Publication date: January 3, 2008
    Applicant: ALLERGAN, INC.
    Inventors: K. Aoki, Michael Grayston, Steven Carlson, Judith Leon
  • Publication number: 20080004219
    Abstract: A method and composition for treating a patient suffering from a disease, disorder or condition and associated pain include the administration to the patient of a therapeutically effective amount of a neurotoxin selected from a group consisting of Botulinum toxin types A, B, C, D, E, F and G.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Publication date: January 3, 2008
    Applicant: ALLERGAN, INC.
    Inventors: K. Aoki, Michael Grayston, Steven Carlson, Judith Leon