Patents by Inventor M. Ali Saffari
M. Ali Saffari 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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Patent number: 9721434Abstract: After the main ball drop of a bingo game, a player may be given a free extra bingo number. A probability of awarding a free ball may be determined, at least in part, according to a desired paytable percentage for the bingo game. In some implementations providing multi-card bingo games, a player is required to hit a predetermined pattern on more than one bingo card in order to obtain a progressive award. The number of hits in the pattern(s) and/or the number of bingo cards involved may be determined according to a desired progressive award size and/or a desired probability of obtaining the progressive award. Players may have an opportunity to purchase an additional bingo number or a block of a plurality of additional bingo numbers after the main ball drop. The block may be offered at a discount compared to the price of an individual additional bingo number.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2016Date of Patent: August 1, 2017Assignee: IGTInventors: James Coleman, M. Ali Saffari, Mark Bansemer, Bryan D. Wolf
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Publication number: 20170004672Abstract: After the main ball drop of a bingo game, a player may be given a free extra bingo number. A probability of awarding a free ball may be determined, at least in part, according to a desired paytable percentage for the bingo game. In some implementations providing multi-card bingo games, a player is required to hit a predetermined pattern on more than one bingo card in order to obtain a progressive award. The number of hits in the pattern(s) and/or the number of bingo cards involved may be determined according to a desired progressive award size and/or a desired probability of obtaining the progressive award. Players may have an opportunity to purchase an additional bingo number or a block of a plurality of additional bingo numbers after the main ball drop. The block may be offered at a discount compared to the price of an individual additional bingo number.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2016Publication date: January 5, 2017Inventors: James Coleman, M. Ali Saffari, Mark Bansemer, Bryan D. Wolf
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Patent number: 9449468Abstract: After the main ball drop of a bingo game, a player may be given a free extra bingo number. A probability of awarding a free ball may be determined, at least in part, according to a desired paytable percentage for the bingo game. In some implementations providing multi-card bingo games, a player is required to hit a predetermined pattern on more than one bingo card in order to obtain a progressive award. The number of hits in the pattern(s) and/or the number of bingo cards involved may be determined according to a desired progressive award size and/or a desired probability of obtaining the progressive award. Players may have an opportunity to purchase an additional bingo number or a block of a plurality of additional bingo numbers after the main ball drop. The block may be offered at a discount compared to the price of an individual additional bingo number.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2013Date of Patent: September 20, 2016Assignee: IGTInventors: James Coleman, M. Ali Saffari, Mark Bansemer, Bryan D. Wolf
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Patent number: 8641513Abstract: A gaming machine connected in a gaming network or operating as a stand-alone machine, is capable of accepting two or more currencies for wager game play. The machine operates internally using a native monetary type and converts non-monetary bills to native amounts in the form of restricted or cashable credits. The multiple currency capability of the machine is utilized to encourage the use of restricted credits by adjusting conversion rates, payback tables, and the like. These features, combined with the use of restricted credits, also enable ways to monitor abuse and illegal activity on the gaming machine and implement ways to limit losses by a player. Certain post-conversion processes are used to ensure that the player is returned non-converted amounts. The gaming machine has additional hard and soft meters to process multiple monetary types.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2007Date of Patent: February 4, 2014Assignee: IGTInventors: William R. Brosnan, Bryan D. Wolf, Stephen W. Morro, Terrence Lee McCreary, Jr., M. Ali Saffari, John W. Chamberlain
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Publication number: 20130316784Abstract: After the main ball drop of a bingo game, a player may be given a free extra bingo number. A probability of awarding a free ball may be determined, at least in part, according to a desired paytable percentage for the bingo game. In some implementations providing multi-card bingo games, a player is required to hit a predetermined pattern on more than one bingo card in order to obtain a progressive award. The number of hits in the pattern(s) and/or the number of bingo cards involved may be determined according to a desired progressive award size and/or a desired probability of obtaining the progressive award. Players may have an opportunity to purchase an additional bingo number or a block of a plurality of additional bingo numbers after the main ball drop. The block may be offered at a discount compared to the price of an individual additional bingo number.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2013Publication date: November 28, 2013Applicant: IGTInventors: James Coleman, M. Ali Saffari, Mark Bansemer, Bryan D. Wolf
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Patent number: 8506384Abstract: After the main ball drop of a bingo game, a player may be given a free extra bingo number. A probability of awarding a free ball may be determined, at least in part, according to a desired paytable percentage for the bingo game (or vice versa). Some implementations of the invention provide multi-card bingo games. A player may be required to hit a predetermined pattern on more than one bingo card in order to obtain a progressive award. The number of hits in the pattern(s) and/or the number of bingo cards involved may be determined according to a desired progressive award size and/or a desired probability of obtaining the progressive award. Players may have an opportunity to purchase one or more additional bingo numbers after the main ball drop of a bingo game. A player may be provided the option of purchasing a block of more than one additional bingo number after the main ball drop.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2008Date of Patent: August 13, 2013Assignee: IGTInventors: James Coleman, M. Ali Saffari, Mark Bansemer, Bryan D. Wolf
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Patent number: 8506387Abstract: A gaming machine connected in a gaming network or operating as a stand-alone machine, is capable of accepting two or more currencies for wager game play. The machine operates internally using a native monetary type and converts non-monetary bills to native amounts in the form of restricted or cashable credits. The multiple currency capability of the machine is utilized to encourage the use of restricted credits by adjusting conversion rates, payback tables, and the like. These features, combined with the use of restricted credits, also enable ways to monitor abuse and illegal activity on the gaming machine and implement ways to limit losses by a player. Certain post-conversion processes are used to ensure that the player is returned non-converted amounts. The gaming machine has additional hard and soft meters to process multiple monetary types.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2011Date of Patent: August 13, 2013Assignee: IGTInventors: William R. Brosnan, Bryan D. Wolf, Stephen W. Morro, Terrence Lee McCreary, Jr., M. Ali Saffari, John W. Chamberlain
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Publication number: 20120094748Abstract: A gaming machine connected in a gaming network or operating as a stand-alone machine, is capable of accepting two or more currencies for wager game play. The machine operates internally using a native monetary type and converts non-monetary bills to native amounts in the form of restricted or cashable credits. The multiple currency capability of the machine is utilized to encourage the use of restricted credits by adjusting conversion rates, payback tables, and the like. These features, combined with the use of restricted credits, also enable ways to monitor abuse and illegal activity on the gaming machine and implement ways to limit losses by a player. Certain post-conversion processes are used to ensure that the player is returned non-converted amounts. The gaming machine has additional hard and soft meters to process multiple monetary types.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2011Publication date: April 19, 2012Applicant: IGTInventors: William R. Brosnan, Bryan D. Wolf, Stephen W. Morro, Terrence Lee McCreary, JR., M. Ali Saffari, John W. Chamberlain
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Publication number: 20090075715Abstract: After the main ball drop of a bingo game, a player may be given a free extra bingo number. A probability of awarding a free ball may be determined, at least in part, according to a desired paytable percentage for the bingo game (or vice versa). Some implementations of the invention provide multi-card bingo games. A player may be required to hit a predetermined pattern on more than one bingo card in order to obtain a progressive award. The number of hits in the pattern(s) and/or the number of bingo cards involved may be determined according to a desired progressive award size and/or a desired probability of obtaining the progressive award. Players may have an opportunity to purchase one or more additional bingo numbers after the main ball drop of a bingo game. A player may be provided the option of purchasing a block of more than one additional bingo number after the main ball drop.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2008Publication date: March 19, 2009Inventors: James Coleman, M. Ali Saffari, Mark Bansemer, Bryan D. Wolf
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Publication number: 20090054149Abstract: A gaming machine connected in a gaming network or operating as a stand-alone machine, is capable of accepting two or more currencies for wager game play. The machine operates internally using a native monetary type and converts non-monetary bills to native amounts in the form of restricted or cashable credits. The multiple currency capability of the machine is utilized to encourage the use of restricted credits by adjusting conversion rates, payback tables, and the like. These features, combined with the use of restricted credits, also enable ways to monitor abuse and illegal activity on the gaming machine and implement ways to limit losses by a player. Certain post-conversion processes are used to ensure that the player is returned non-converted amounts. The gaming machine has additional hard and soft meters to process multiple monetary types.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2007Publication date: February 26, 2009Inventors: William R. Brosnan, Bryan D. Wolf, Stephen W. Morro, Terrence Lee McCreary, JR., M. Ali Saffari, John W. Chamberlain