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: 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
  • Publication number: 20130252724
    Abstract: A gaming system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming machines. The gaming system includes at least one and preferably a plurality of progressive awards which are each associated with a supplemental fund or pool. If the gaming system determines that the progressive award is not growing at a designated incremental rate (due to a lack of wagers placed on gaming devices associated with the progressive award), the gaming system utilizes part or all of the amount in the supplemental fund to make up for this lack of wager based growth. Such a configuration provides that even if players are not actively playing gaming devices associated with the progressive award, the progressive award will still increment at a designated rate to at least a desirable value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Mark C. Nicely, Paul D. Miltenberger
  • Publication number: 20130252723
    Abstract: A gaming system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming machines. The gaming system includes at least one and preferably a plurality of progressive awards which are each associated with a supplemental fund or pool. If the gaming system determines that the progressive award is not growing at a designated incremental rate (due to a lack of wagers placed on gaming devices associated with the progressive award), the gaming system utilizes part or all of the amount in the supplemental fund to make up for this lack of wager based growth. Such a configuration provides that even if players are not actively playing gaming devices associated with the progressive award, the progressive award will still increment at a designated rate to at least a desirable value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Mark C. Nicely, Paul D. Miltenberger
  • Patent number: 8534671
    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 players 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 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: November 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Mark C. Nicely, Scott A. Caputo, Paul B. Stroube
  • Patent number: 8529345
    Abstract: One aspect is directed to a system whereby a live gaming table system is provided with one or more handheld user input devices which, for example, may allow multiple different players to simultaneously or concurrently provide wager input data and/or other data to the gaming table system. In at least one embodiment, the handheld user input devices may form part of a multi-player touch input interface system which is operable to identify or determine where, who, and what transactions are taking place at a multi-player gaming table and/or multi-player gaming system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Binh T. Nguyen, Richard E. Rowe, Mark C. Nicely, Bryan D. Wolf, Brian Underdahl
  • Patent number: 8517381
    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: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: David K. Bontempo, Mark C. Nicely, Benjamin J. Zoltewicz
  • Patent number: 8517818
    Abstract: A gaming system and method for exchanging one or more triggered individual bonus games for one or more current plays of a community game or one or more future plays of a community game. If an individual bonus game is triggered in association with an individual gaming device, the gaming system enables the player to: (i) play the triggered individual bonus game, (ii) skip the individual bonus game and play or participate in a community or group game, or (iii) skip the individual bonus game and save an entry to play or participate in a future community or group game. In these embodiments, the gaming system determines one or more features or attributes of the available community game (which the player may play or defer play of) based, at least in part, on which of a plurality of different individual bonus games are triggered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Mark C. Nicely, Carmen Tan, Alan R. Weiss
  • Patent number: 8517824
    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: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: John H. Zielinski, Mark C. Nicely, Kevin N. Taylor
  • Patent number: 8517827
    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: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Scott A. Caputo, Mark C. Nicely
  • Patent number: 8512132
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques and equipment for providing a multi-currency progressive jackpot system. In addition to a primary jackpot currency, other currencies may participate in the jackpot as well. If any currency wins the jackpot, the jackpot resets for all currencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: Mark C. Nicely
  • Publication number: 20130203482
    Abstract: Various embodiments of gaming systems, gaming devices, and methods of the present disclosure provide one or more alternative wagering propositions to a player when the player's credit balance is less than (or, in certain embodiments, less than or equal to) a designated wager amount. If the player accepts one of the alternative wager propositions, the player risks an amount of the player's remaining credit balance for a chance to win an alternative award. If the player wins the alternative award, the gaming system enables the player to play one or more plays of the wagering game at the designated wager amount. If the player does not win the alternative award, the gaming system reduces the player's credit balance by the amount risked.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Adam M. Singer, Mark C. Nicely
  • Patent number: 8496520
    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: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Mark C. Nicely, Bryan D. Wolf
  • Patent number: 8491381
    Abstract: A gaming system and method for exchanging one or more triggered individual bonus games for one or more current plays of a community game or one or more future plays of a community game. If an individual bonus game is triggered in association with an individual gaming device, the gaming system enables the player to: (i) play the triggered individual bonus game, (ii) skip the individual bonus game and play or participate in a community or group game, or (iii) skip the individual bonus game and save an entry to play or participate in a future community or group game. In these embodiments, the gaming system determines one or more features or attributes of the available community game (which the player may play or defer play of) based, at least in part, on which of a plurality of different individual bonus games are triggered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Mark C. Nicely, Carmen Tan, Alan R. Weiss
  • Patent number: 8485880
    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: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: Mark C. Nicely
  • Patent number: 8475265
    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: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Ernest M. Lafky, Carmen Tan, Mark C. Nicely
  • Patent number: 8449363
    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: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Anthony J. Baerlocher, Mark C. Nicely
  • Patent number: 8449388
    Abstract: A gaming system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming machines. The gaming system includes at least one and preferably a plurality of progressive awards which are each associated with a supplemental fund or pool. If the gaming system determines that the progressive award is not growing at a designated incremental rate (due to a lack of wagers placed on gaming devices associated with the progressive award), the gaming system utilizes part or all of the amount in the supplemental fund to make up for this lack of wager based growth. Such a configuration provides that even if players are not actively playing gaming devices associated with the progressive award, the progressive award will still increment at a designated rate to at least a desirable value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Mark C. Nicely, Paul D Miltenberger
  • Patent number: 8419525
    Abstract: A gaming device provides a free spins game wherein a plurality of modifiers are each associated with one of a plurality of paylines. During the free spins game, each modifier modifies awards won on the particular payline with which it is associated. In one embodiment, the payline multipliers increase in each of the free spins depending on whether a given payline scores a win or not in the free spin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Scott A. Caputo, Mark C. Nicely, Ryan M. Griffin
  • Patent number: 8414379
    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: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Mark C. Nicely, Kathleen Bolich
  • Publication number: 20130084990
    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: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventor: Mark C. Nicely