Patents by Inventor Mark C. Nicely

Mark C. Nicely 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).

  • Publication number: 20140128141
    Abstract: A gaming table, method and device including a plurality of rotors interchangeably operable in a decoupled mode and a coupled mode. The system includes a rotor coupler and a coupler actuator. The system provides an award associated with an indication of a combination of symbols of the rotors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: David K. Bontempo, Mark C. Nicely, Benjamin J. Zoltewicz
  • Publication number: 20140113710
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing an award based on a multiplicity of game outcomes. In one implementation the invention provides a method for providing a game. The method includes placing a bet by a player, playing of a game to produce a game outcome, evaluating a primary game outcome, paying a direct award if the primary outcome merits it, advancing a bonus accumulator if the primary outcome merits it, and if the bonus accumulator has advanced sufficiently, paying a bonus award to the player and clearing the bonus accumulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Mark C. Nicely, Kathleen Bolich
  • Publication number: 20140106875
    Abstract: Intelligent gaming tables and methods of providing game play through the gaming tables are described herein. The gaming table includes a table having a table surface, a plurality of player stations, and a common display configured to display gaming content to a plurality of players. The gaming table further includes an interface configured to communicate with a plurality of user input devices. The gaming table includes a gaming controller. The gaming controller is configured to communicate with the plurality of user input devices through the interface, receive location information relating to touches or contacts detected on the table surface, analyze the information relating to the touches or contacts, identify a user performing each of the touches or contacts with the table surface, and implement player input instructions contained within the information relating to the touches or contacts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Binh T. Nguyen, Richard E. Rowe, Mark C. Nicely, Bryan D. Wolf, Brian Underdahl
  • Publication number: 20140106868
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the gaming system enables a player to place one or more side bets on one or more outcomes associated with one or more bonus events, wherein the player participates in each of such bonus event(s) regardless of when that bonus event is triggered and regardless of which gaming device(s) in the gaming system is associated with the triggering of that bonus event. In another embodiment, the gaming system enables a player to place a side bet which is associated with an eligibility period, such as a designated period of time or a designated quantity of games played. If no bonus events are triggered during the associated eligibility period, the placed side bet is lost and the gaming system does not provide the player any bonus event awards in association with the placed side bet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: John H. Zielinski, Mark C. Nicely, Kevin N. Taylor
  • Patent number: 8695984
    Abstract: A gaming device having a primary Three Card Poker game is provided. The Three Card Poker game includes three cards dealt to the player and the dealer, where all cards are dealt face-up. First, the player has an option to replace one card from the player's hand. Then, the dealer may replace one card according to a set of predetermined rules. The player makes a primary wager and an optional secondary wager. A primary award is provided if the player's hand beats the dealer's hand. In the secondary wager is placed, a secondary is award is provided if the either the player's or the dealer's hand is of a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Mark C. Nicely, Scott A. Caputo, Paul B. Stroube
  • Patent number: 8696424
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a gaming system and method providing a Pai Cow draw poker game. For a play of a card game, the gaming system provides a player set of cards to a player and a dealer set of cards to a dealer. The gaming system enables the player and the dealer to each discard a card from their respective sets of cards. If the player discards a card from the player set, the gaming system adds a draw card to the player set. If the dealer discards a card from the dealer set, the gaming system adds a draw card to the dealer set. The gaming system then enables the player and the dealer to each form two hands using their respective sets of cards, and determines any awards based on a comparison of the player and dealer hands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: Mark C. Nicely
  • Publication number: 20140100016
    Abstract: The gaming system receives a wager from a player for a play of a game including a plurality of multi-component symbols. Each of the multi-component symbols includes a plurality of symbol component locations. A plurality of the multi-component symbols include at least one of the symbol components in at least one of the symbol component locations. The gaming system randomly generates and displays a plurality of the multi-component symbols. The gaming system determines, for a first one of a designated number of the displayed multi-component symbols, a quantity of symbol component locations of the first one of the displayed multi-component symbols that display one of the symbol components and that correspond to a symbol component location of each of the other displayed multi-component symbols of the designated number of the displayed multi-component symbols that each display one of the symbol components. Any awards are determined based on the determined quantity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Mark C. Nicely, Bryan D. Wolf
  • Publication number: 20140094293
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques and equipment for providing a multi-stake, multi-level progressive jackpot ladder with overlapping eligibility bands. In such a jackpot ladder, multiple wager sizes may be eligible to participate, with each wager size associated with a grouping of jackpot levels in the jackpot ladder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventor: Mark C. Nicely
  • Publication number: 20140087821
    Abstract: In various embodiments, the present disclosure generally relates to gaming systems and methods which utilize a symbol matrix or symbol field in conjunction with a movable symbol display window to randomly select different subsets of symbols from the symbol matrix and provide different awards to players based on such selected symbol subsets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Benjamin J. Zoltewicz, Mark C. Nicely, Ernest M. Lafky
  • Publication number: 20140087798
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to gaming systems and methods for providing a card game that employs multiple-sided playing cards. In various embodiments, the gaming system enables a player to play one or more games which utilize one or more sets or decks of multiple-sided playing cards or multiple-sided tiles. In such embodiments, a first side of each multiple-sided playing card is associated with one of a plurality of playing cards from a first set or deck of playing cards for a first game and a second side of each multiple-sided playing card is associated with one of a plurality of playing cards from a second, different set or deck of playing cards for a second, different game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Mark C. Nicely, Ana Rollins, Colin Ferris, John Grime, Bryan D. Wolf
  • Publication number: 20140087832
    Abstract: In various embodiments, the present disclosure generally relates to gaming systems and methods which utilize a symbol matrix or symbol field in conjunction with a movable symbol display window to randomly select different subsets of symbols from the symbol matrix and provide different awards to players based on such selected symbol subsets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Benjamin J. Zoltewicz, Mark C. Nicely, Ernest M. Lafky
  • Publication number: 20140087801
    Abstract: In various embodiments, the gaming system of the present disclosure is configured to operate a card game. For a play of the card game, the gaming system receives a wager, determines a plurality of player cards from a plurality of cards, displays the player cards face up, determines a plurality of dealer cards from the plurality of cards, and displays at least one of the dealer cards face up. The gaming system determines an outcome of the play by comparing the player and the dealer cards. If the outcome is a designated outcome, the gaming system funds a supplemental pool with the received wager. If a supplemental pool payout condition is met, the gaming system provides the supplemental pool to a player. If a supplemental pool reset condition other than the player winning the supplemental pool is met, the gaming system resets the supplemental pool to an initial value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Mark C. Nicely, Leandro Basallo, Timothy L. Isaacson, Ricky J. Lew
  • Publication number: 20140087855
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a gaming system and method for permanently increasing the average expected payback percentage of a game for a player. The gaming system is configured to operate a game associated with one or more designated point thresholds, each of which is associated with a quantity of points. The gaming system maintains a point balance for the player for the game. Upon an occurrence of a point accumulation event, the gaming system adds a quantity of points to the player's point balance for the game. When the player's point balance for the game reaches one of the designated point thresholds, the gaming system permanently modifies a feature of the game and/or adds a new feature to the game. In various embodiments, the modification to the feature and/or the new feature permanently increases the average expected payback percentage for the game for that player.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Scott A. Caputo, Mark C. Nicely
  • Publication number: 20140087827
    Abstract: A gaming system including a cascading symbol or tumbling reel game which utilizes a plurality of multiple sided symbols or multiple sided game elements. Each multiple sided symbol or multiple sided game element includes a separate or distinct symbol displayed on each of one or more of the sides or faces of that multiple sided symbol. As the gaming system displays such multiple sided symbols at different symbol display positions, the gaming system differs or modifies which sides of which multiple sided symbols are displayed to the player (and thus differs or modifies which separate or distinct symbols of which sides or faces of the multiple sided symbols are displayed to the player).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Mark C. Nicely, Brian F. Saunders
  • Publication number: 20140087809
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a gaming system and method providing a selection game associated with a plurality of different sets of pickable selections. For a play of the game, the gaming system displays a first set of selections and a second set of selections, and initiates a selection round. If a designated selection of the first set remains unpicked, the gaming system enables the player to pick a selection of the first set. If a designated selection of the second set remains unpicked, the gaming system enables the player to pick a selection of the second set. If the designated ones of the first and second sets of selections have both been picked, the gaming system determines an award based on a total quantity of initiated selection rounds. If not, the gaming system ends the selection round, initiates a subsequent selection round, and repeats the above process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Jon M. Leupp, Mark C. Nicely, Timothy L. Isaacson
  • Publication number: 20140087825
    Abstract: A gaming system including a cascading symbol or tumbling reel game which utilizes a plurality of multiple sided symbols or multiple sided game elements. Each multiple sided symbol or multiple sided game element includes a separate or distinct symbol displayed on each of one or more of the sides or faces of that multiple sided symbol. As the gaming system displays such multiple sided symbols at different symbol display positions, the gaming system differs or modifies which sides of which multiple sided symbols are displayed to the player (and thus differs or modifies which separate or distinct symbols of which sides or faces of the multiple sided symbols are displayed to the player).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Mark C. Nicely, Brian F. Saunders
  • Patent number: 8678908
    Abstract: A gaming system, gaming device, and method providing a game providing modifiers for symbol display areas. Symbols are generated at symbol display areas. If a symbol display area displaying a symbol included in a displayed designated winning symbol combination is associated with an existing modifier, the gaming system modifies any award associated with that displayed designated winning symbol combination using the existing modifier and associates another different modifier with that symbol display area for a subsequent play of the game. In one embodiment the different modifier is a more favorable modifier. If none of the symbol display areas displaying the symbols included in a displayed designated winning symbol combination are associated with an existing modifier, the gaming system associates a modifier with a symbol display area for a subsequent play of the game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: Mark C. Nicely
  • Patent number: 8678921
    Abstract: A gaming system, device, and method providing player selectable card dealing attributes. The system enables a player to play a dealer-based game and includes a plurality of different card dealing attributes. In one embodiment, the system includes a plurality of predetermined dealers each associated with one or more of the card dealing attributes. The system enables the player to select one of the dealers for use in a play of the dealer-based game. During the play of the dealer-based game, the selected dealer deals the dealer-based game according to that dealer's card dealing attributes. In another embodiment, the system enables the player to create a custom dealer for use in a play of the dealer-based game by selecting one or more of the card dealing attributes. During that of the dealer-based game, the created custom dealer deals the dealer-based game according to that created custom dealer's card dealing attributes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: Mark C. Nicely
  • Patent number: 8672736
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a gaming system and method providing a Pai Gow draw poker game. For a play of a card game, the gaming system provides a player set of cards to a player and a dealer set of cards to a dealer. The gaming system enables the player and the dealer to each discard a card from their respective sets of cards. If the player discards a card from the player set, the gaming system adds a draw card to the player set. If the dealer discards a card from the dealer set, the gaming system adds a draw card to the dealer set. The gaming system then enables the player and the dealer to each form two hands using their respective sets of cards, and determines any awards based on a comparison of the player and dealer hands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: Mark C. Nicely
  • Patent number: 8672740
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques and equipment for providing state-based power-ups to a wagering game player. The state-based power-ups may be reused by the player until a game outcome condition is not met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: Mark C. Nicely