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).

  • Patent number: 8672741
    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
  • Patent number: 8668574
    Abstract: A user playing a user device wagers a wager amount on a play of a game. A server determines a first reel set for the current play, an outcome for the current play, and a second reel set for the next play of that game on which the user wagers that same wager amount. The server communicates first reel set data, second reel set data, and outcome data to the user device. The user device spins and stops the first reel set in accordance with the determined outcome. When the user wagers that same wager amount on another play of that game, the user device displays that play of that game using the second reel set, and the server determines a third reel set for the next play of that game on which the user wagers that same wager amount and communicates third reel set data to the user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: Mark C. Nicely
  • Publication number: 20140066162
    Abstract: In various embodiments, the gaming system disclosed herein provides streaming symbols game which utilizes a single continuous series or chain of symbols and a plurality of symbol display positions which form a path. Specifically, in various embodiments, the gaming system displays the chain of symbols continuously moving through the path of symbol display positions wherein which symbols are evaluated for any awards corresponds to when the chain of symbols stops moving along the path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Leandro Basallo, Rachael A. Bristol, Scott A. Caputo, Mark C. Nicely
  • Patent number: 8662980
    Abstract: A gaming system including a multiple player persistent game, such as an ongoing community game. This ongoing community game includes a community game matrix which is continuously displayed to at least each of the players. The community game matrix includes a plurality of displayed positions which may be associated with an award or an award opportunity. In operation, at least each of the players playing the gaming devices of the gaming system are associated with a displayed participant that moves (either randomly or based on the player's control) to different of the displayed positions of the community game matrix. If a player moves their associated participant to a displayed position that is associated with an award or an award opportunity, the gaming system provides the player any associated award or enables the player to participate in any associated award opportunity to potentially win an award.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Ernest M. Lafky, Carmen Tan, Mark C. Nicely
  • Patent number: 8651947
    Abstract: A gaming system and method including a plurality of gaming devices that may participate in a shared secondary or bonus game and a controller operable to communicate with said plurality of gaming devices. At least one of the plurality of gaming devices is programmed to generate and accumulate collectors upon an occurrence of a first triggering event. Upon an occurrence of a second triggering event at one of the gaming devices, the controller enables a player of said gaming device to redeem a quantity of accumulated collectors in a bonus event. The controller also enables the player to invite other gaming devices from the plurality of gaming devices to redeem accumulated collectors and participate in said bonus event. The odds of each player earning a higher-valued total award in the bonus event increases with the total number of accumulated collectors redeemed in the bonus event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Scott A Caputo, Mark C Nicely, Greg Parrott
  • Publication number: 20140038687
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a gaming system providing a multiple streak game associated with a base or primary wagering game. The multiple streak game includes a multiple streak having a multiple streak continuation condition and a single streak having a single streak continuation condition. The multiple streak is initially the active streak. If an outcome a play of the base or primary wagering game satisfies the multiple streak continuation condition, the multiple streak remains the active streak and the player may win an award. If the outcome does not satisfy the multiple streak continuation condition but satisfies the single streak continuation condition, the multiple streak ends, the at least one single streak is set as the active streak, and the player may win an award. If the outcome does not satisfy either the multiple streak continuation condition or the at least one single streak continuation condition, the multiple streak game ends.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventor: Mark C. Nicely
  • Patent number: 8641509
    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: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Mark C. Nicely, Kathleen Bolich
  • Patent number: 8641515
    Abstract: A gaming system and method that enables players to sequentially wager in a casino-style table tournament on gaming machines. The gaming system provides real-time wagering information and bankroll information of each player to the other players of the tournament so that players may determine their wagers based on what other players wager. The gaming system enables players to make one or more secret wagers during the tournament that are not immediately indicated or displayed to other players to try to gain an advantage in the tournament. All normal wagers are displayed to the players in real-time but the secret wagers are not displayed to players until after the close of wagering creating excitement in the tournament.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Mark C. Nicely, Timothy B. Richards, Anthony J. Baerlocher
  • Patent number: 8628412
    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: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: John H. Zielinski, Mark C. Nicely, Kevin N. Taylor
  • Publication number: 20140011570
    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 players hand peals 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: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Mark C. Nicely, Scott A. Caputo, Paul B. Stroube
  • Patent number: 8622391
    Abstract: The disclosure relates generally to different devices, methods, systems, and computer program products for a self-contained dice shaker assembly. The self-contained dice shaker assembly may include a container device defining an opening into an interior configured for receipt of one or more dice and a sensor assembly in communication with the container interior. The sensor assembly may be configured to monitor, in accordance with one or more predetermined parameters, the shake quality of the dice in the container during a shaking event. The self-contained dice shaker assembly may include an identification assembly operable to identify the outcome of a respective outcome face of each die associated with the outcome of a shaking event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Mark C. Nicely, William R. Wells
  • Patent number: 8602869
    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: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Mark C. Nicely, Bryan D. Wolf
  • Publication number: 20130316803
    Abstract: A gaming system displays a plurality of emblems in a predefined field. For a play of an accumulator positioning game, the gaming system enables a player to position at least one accumulator in the field based on a set of accumulator positioning criteria. The accumulator positioning criteria define allowable accumulator positions and also define whether a positioned accumulator causes the gaming system to indicate any of the emblems as winning emblems. The gaming system may indicate such winning emblems based on a spatial relationship between that emblem and any accumulator, such as a relationship wherein an accumulator encircles an emblem. The gaming system indicates any such winning emblems and provides an award for the play of the game based on any indicated winning emblems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Scott A. Caputo, Mark C. Nicely
  • Patent number: 8591314
    Abstract: A user playing a user device wagers a wager amount on a play of a game. A server determines a first reel set for the current play, an outcome for the current play, and a second reel set for the next play of that game on which the user wagers that same wager amount. The server communicates first reel set data, second reel set data, and outcome data to the user device. The user device spins and stops the first reel set in accordance with the determined outcome. When the user wagers that same wager amount on another play of that game, the user device displays that play of that game using the second reel set, and the server determines a third reel set for the next play of that game on which the user wagers that same wager amount and communicates third reel set data to the user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: Mark C. Nicely
  • Publication number: 20130303269
    Abstract: A card game includes a plurality of rounds playable upon at least one base wager and at least one supplemental wager. Each one of the rounds results in an outcome, where a base award is associated with at least one of the outcomes. A pattern condition is fulfillable when a pattern of the outcomes corresponds to one of a plurality of designated patterns. Different supplemental awards are provided based on the fulfillment of the pattern condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Inventor: Mark C. Nicely
  • Publication number: 20130303261
    Abstract: A gaming system and method that enables the odds of obtaining a winning outcome or a designated outcome for a play of a game to change without modifying the paytable of the game. The gaming system makes a first determination using a first processor based on a paytable of a game. The gaming system makes a second determination using a second processor, where the second determination may be based, at least in part, on the wager amount. The gaming system displays a single game outcome to the player and either provides the player with the highest award resulting from the determinations or any awards resulting from the determinations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Mark C. Nicely, Bryan D. Wolf
  • Patent number: 8562419
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a gaming system providing a multiple streak game associated with a base or primary wagering game. The multiple streak game includes a multiple streak having a multiple streak continuation condition and a single streak having a single streak continuation condition. The multiple streak is initially the active streak. If an outcome a play of the base or primary wagering game satisfies the multiple streak continuation condition, the multiple streak remains the active streak and the player may win an award. If the outcome does not satisfy the multiple streak continuation condition but satisfies the single streak continuation condition, the multiple streak ends, the at least one single streak is set as the active streak, and the player may win an award. If the outcome does not satisfy either the multiple streak continuation condition or the at least one single streak continuation condition, the multiple streak game ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: Mark C. Nicely
  • Publication number: 20130267292
    Abstract: A gaming device includes a poker game where two cards are dealt face-up to at least one player and to a dealer. The gaming device enables the player to place an optional wager based on the initially dealt two card hand. A pay out for the optional wager is determined based on the probability that the final player hand will outrank the final dealer hand. The pay out is inversely proportional to the probability that the player will win. Therefore, if the player has a high probability of winning, the associated pay out will be relatively small. Also, if the player has a low probability of winning, the associated pay out will be relatively large. The gaming device enables the player to place multiple wagers after each of a plurality of community cards are dealt, where the associated pay out changes according to a revised probability of winning.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2013
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Inventors: Anthony J. Baerlocher, Mark C. Nicely
  • Publication number: 20130260869
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a gaming system and method providing a bonus opportunity when a designated relationship exists between a plurality of randomly determined elements. The gaming system randomly generates a plurality of elements in association with a play of a secondary game. The gaming system determines whether a designated relationship exists between the randomly determined elements. If the designated relationship exists between the randomly determined elements, the gaming system determines a bonus opportunity associated with the randomly determined elements and provides the bonus opportunity to a player.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Leandro Basallo, Rachael A. Bristol, Colin M. Ferris, John Grime, Ana K. Rollins, Timothy L. Isaacson, Mark C. Nicely, Dacotah A. Petermann-Turner, Alex Present
  • Patent number: 8545307
    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: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Mark C. Nicely, Bryan D. Wolf