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: 20130084988
    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
  • Publication number: 20130084989
    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
  • Publication number: 20130084939
    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
  • Publication number: 20130084952
    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
  • Publication number: 20130084954
    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
  • Publication number: 20130084953
    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
  • Publication number: 20130084938
    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
  • Publication number: 20130084966
    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: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventor: Mark C. Nicely
  • Publication number: 20130084941
    Abstract: Gaming systems and methods providing a community selection game providing bonus game selection. In one embodiment, for each gaming device in the gaming system, when a triggering event occurs, the gaming system provides a player of that gaming device with a player identifier that uniquely identifies that player. The community selection game includes a plurality of bonus game identifiers each identifying a bonus game. The bonus game identifiers each include a limited quantity of bonus game player identifier display areas. The gaming system enables the players to place earned or received player identifiers at the bonus game player identifier display areas. When each bonus game player identifier display area of one of the displayed bonus game identifiers displays a player identifier, the players associated with those player identifiers are provided with one or more plays of the bonus game identified by that bonus game identifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Scott A. Caputo, Mark C. Nicely, Bryan D. Wolf, Kelsy J. Grace, Anthony J. Baerlocher
  • Publication number: 20130084947
    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: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventor: Mark C. Nicely
  • Patent number: 8408993
    Abstract: A method of gaming is disclosed wherein progressive award values may be increased in response to certain pre-established game outcomes, wager amounts or random events. The increased progressive award values may be based on a primary game or secondary game outcome. Another innovation is the resetting of progressive awards upon completion of a bonus event whether or not award actually won in said bonus event. Player tracking systems permit progressive award values to be linked to a particular player such that the progressive award values remain personal to the player. Re-setting increased progressive award values is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Ernie M. Lafky, Mark C. Nicely
  • Publication number: 20130079100
    Abstract: System and method providing reel sets for subsequent plays. A user playing a user device wagers a wager amount on a play of a game. The user device displays a base reel set spinning. A server determines 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 second reel set data and outcome data to the user device. The reels are stopped in accordance with the determined outcome. When the user wagers that same wager amount on another play of that game, the user device displays the second play of that game using the second reel set, 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: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventor: Mark C. Nicely
  • Publication number: 20130079123
    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: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Mark C. Nicely, Carmen Tan, Allen R. Weiss
  • Publication number: 20130079110
    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: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Mark C. Nicely, Carmen Tan, Allen R. Weiss
  • Publication number: 20130079112
    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: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Mark C. Nicely, Carmen Tan, Alan R. Weiss
  • Publication number: 20130079097
    Abstract: A gaming system, gaming device, and method which provide a display of one or more missed awards based on one or more numbers generated by a random number generator (“RNG”) for possible use in determining a randomly generated outcome for a play of a game, but which are not used to determine any outcome for the play of the game. The unused or unemployed RNG numbers: (a) may be the numbers generated by the RNG before the numbers which are actually used or employed for that play of the game (i.e., the employed numbers); (b) may be the numbers generated by the RNG after the numbers which are used or employed for that play of the game; or (c) if no plays of the game are occurring, the numbers unused numbers generated by the RNG at one or more points in time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventor: Mark C. Nicely
  • Publication number: 20130079109
    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: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Ernest M. Lafky, Carmen Tan, Mark C. Nicely
  • Publication number: 20130079111
    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: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Mark C. Nicely, Carmen Tan, Allen R. Weiss
  • Publication number: 20130079102
    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: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventor: Mark C. Nicely
  • Publication number: 20130079103
    Abstract: System and method providing reel sets for subsequent plays. A user playing a user device wagers a wager amount on a play of a game. The user device displays a base reel set spinning. A server determines 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 second reel set data and outcome data to the user device. The reels are stopped in accordance with the determined outcome. When the user wagers that same wager amount on another play of that game, the user device displays the second play of that game using the second reel set, 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: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventor: Mark C. Nicely