Patents by Inventor Kevin Higgins

Kevin Higgins 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: 11915549
    Abstract: A system that synchronizes data between multiple accounts associated with a gaming establishment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Kevin Higgins, Jeffery Shepherd
  • Patent number: 11908270
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to a system that enables a mobile device running a mobile device application to communicate with different gaming establishment components and modify the mobile device application functionality and/or the mobile device application appearance based on different data received from different gaming establishment components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Kevin Higgins, Erik Petersen, Christopher M. Levin
  • Patent number: 11908284
    Abstract: A system, computer-implemented method and gaming device are provided. A method includes receiving, by a synchronization server, broadcast event data that is displayed on an electronic display and that is generated by a television broadcasting system, receiving, by the synchronization server, sports wagering system data that is generated by a sports wagering system and that corresponds to a broadcast event, generating synchronized wager data that includes broadcast event data and the sports wagering system data and causing the sports wagering system data to be displayed on the electronic display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Dwayne Nelson, Kevin Higgins
  • Publication number: 20240054858
    Abstract: A system configured to manage progressive pools can include a processor circuit and a memory coupled to the processor circuit. The memory includes machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor circuit, cause the system to perform operations. The operations include determining to cease operation of a first progressive game on a first electronic gaming machines (“EGM”). The first progressive game can be associated with a first progressive pool. The operations can further include, allocating a portion of the first progressive pool to a second progressive pool associated with a second progressive game based on a characteristic of the first progressive game and a characteristic of the second progressive game. The operations further include, responsive to determining to cease operation of the first progressive game, transmitting a message to the first EGM, the message including instructions to cease operation of the first progressive game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2022
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Inventors: Dwayne NELSON, Kevin HIGGINS, Christopher LEVIN
  • Patent number: 11900766
    Abstract: Systems and methods that associate zero, one or more redemption attributes with a ticket voucher, wherein the associated redemption attribute determines one or more channels by which the ticket voucher may be redeemed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Jeffery Shepherd, Kevin Higgins
  • Publication number: 20240046754
    Abstract: A system can be capable of receiving electronic ticket issuance information from a first gaming device, where the electronic ticket issuance information includes an identifier of the first gaming device that issued an electronic ticket, a time that the electronic ticket was issued, and an electronic ticket value associated with an issued state of the electronic ticket. The system may further be capable of tracking a status of the electronic ticket to determine that the electronic ticket has transitioned from the issued state to a redeemable state, determining that the electronic ticket has been presented for redemption and, in response thereto, causing the electronic ticket value to change to a second electronic ticket value associated with a redeemed state of the electronic ticket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Inventors: Kevin Higgins, Jeffery Shepherd
  • Publication number: 20240046757
    Abstract: Systems and methods that utilize a host system to convert cashable credits to non-cashable credits independent of an electronic gaming machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2022
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Inventors: Dwayne Nelson, Kevin Higgins
  • Publication number: 20240046753
    Abstract: Systems and methods that provides zero, one or more non-fungible tokens to a player in addition to any awards provided to that player in association with a play of a game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Inventors: Dwayne R. Nelson, Kevin Higgins, Ethan Edsall
  • Publication number: 20240046755
    Abstract: Systems and methods that provides zero, one or more non-fungible tokens to a player in addition to any awards provided to that player in association with a play of a game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Inventors: Dwayne R. Nelson, Kevin Higgins, Ethan Edsall
  • Publication number: 20240038021
    Abstract: Provided is a gaming system includes a progressive award. Typically, a progressive award includes an initial amount and an additional amount funded through a portion of each wager placed to initiate a play of a primary game. When one or more triggering events occurs, the gaming system provides at least a portion of the progressive award. After the gaming system provides the progressive award, an amount of the progressive award is reset to the initial amount and a portion of each subsequent wager is allocated to the next progressive award.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2022
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventors: Kevin HIGGINS, Jeffery SHEPHERD
  • Patent number: 11881082
    Abstract: A system that utilizes a lighted bezel of a player tracking unit to indicate to a player different wireless connection statuses of a mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Erik B. Petersen, Kevin Higgins
  • Publication number: 20240021042
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to a gaming table system and method that identifies a shuffle event based on one or more of a position of a next eligible virtual card in a plurality of virtual playing cards, a position in the plurality of virtual cards of a shuffle card relative to the position of the next eligible virtual card, a counter value indicating a number of ineligible virtual cards, and a counter value indicating a number of remaining eligible virtual cards and in response to identifying a shuffle event, shuffles the plurality of virtual playing cards to form a shuffled plurality of virtual playing cards for assignment to a plurality of physical playing cards, each physical playing card comprising an on-board power source, microprocessor, memory, and digital display to receive and render a value of a corresponding assigned virtual playing card.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2022
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventors: Kevin Higgins, Dwayne Nelson
  • Patent number: 11875646
    Abstract: A system may manage a first prize pool based on a plurality of wagers placed at a plurality of electronic gaming machines (EGMs) for a game of chance or skill. A second prize pool may be managed based on a plurality of back-bet wagers placed at the plurality of user computational devices for an outcome of the game of chance or skill. An award can be distributed from the first prize pool in connection with the game of chance or skill to a player at one of the plurality EGMs and an award from the second prize pool can be automatically distributed to a player at one of the user computational devices in response to distributing the award from the first prize pool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Kevin Higgins, Christopher Levin, Jeffery Shepherd
  • Publication number: 20240005736
    Abstract: Systems and methods that modify one or more parameters associated with a progressive award based on one or more parameters of a gaming device associated with the progressive award.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2023
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Inventors: Erik Petersen, Kevin Higgins
  • Publication number: 20240005322
    Abstract: Systems and methods that utilize funds accessed from a gaming establishment front money handling system to provide an overdraft protection feature to one or more gaming establishment accounts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2022
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Inventors: Jeffery Shepherd, Kevin Higgins
  • Publication number: 20240005735
    Abstract: Systems and methods that modify one or more parameters associated with a progressive award based on one or more parameters of a gaming device associated with the progressive award.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2023
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Inventors: Erik Petersen, Kevin Higgins
  • Publication number: 20240005731
    Abstract: Systems and methods that utilize funds accessed from a gaming establishment credit system to provide an overdraft protection feature to one or more gaming establishment accounts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2022
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Inventors: Jeffery Shepherd, Kevin Higgins
  • Publication number: 20230421401
    Abstract: A gaming system and method selects a subset of gaming devices to operate in a digital ledger validation mode to validate a set of data records defining a digital ledger, allocates, to each gaming device, a respective work unit, receives, at an electronic address associated with the gaming server, an electronic record defining a reward, tracks play activity at each of the plurality of gaming devices, and, based on the tracked play activity, selects a player from among multiple players to receive the reward.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventors: Dwayne Nelson, Kevin Higgins
  • Publication number: 20230419783
    Abstract: Systems and methods that modify one or more parameters associated with a progressive award based on one or more parameters of a gaming device associated with the progressive award.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventors: Erik Petersen, Kevin Higgins
  • Publication number: 20230421400
    Abstract: A gaming system and method selects a subset of gaming devices to operate in a digital ledger validation mode to validate a set of data records defining a digital ledger, allocates, to each gaming device, a respective work unit, receives, at an electronic address associated with the gaming server, an electronic record defining a reward, tracks play activity at each of the plurality of gaming devices, and, based on the tracked play activity, selects a player from among multiple players to receive the reward.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventors: Dwayne Nelson, Kevin Higgins