Patents by Inventor Michael B. Shelby
Michael B. Shelby 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: 8425311Abstract: By awarding bonuses during predetermined bonus periods, gaming establishments can exercise greater control over bonus wins and, in doing so, can create player excitement and increase play during historically off-peak times, realizing greater revenue for the casino. The time based bonus begins when a maximum time for the bonus period is selected and divided into time increments, with each time increment having its own weight. A winning increment is randomly selected and a bonus is awarded when the time increment has been reached.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2011Date of Patent: April 23, 2013Assignee: IGTInventors: Richard J. Schneider, Lawrence R. Pitman, Michael B. Shelby
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Patent number: 8246451Abstract: Players are selected to celebrate the win. A portion of the bonus pool is divided among the celebrating players. The amount to be received by each player can be verified to meet minimum and maximum amount requirements. The celebration pay is delivered to the gaming machines used by the celebrating players.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2004Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Assignee: IGT, a Nevada CorporationInventors: Lawrence R. Pitman, Michael B. Shelby
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Publication number: 20110201412Abstract: By awarding bonuses during predetermined bonus periods, gaming establishments can exercise greater control over bonus wins and, in doing so, can create player excitement and increase play during historically off-peak times, realizing greater revenue for the casino. The time based bonus begins when a maximum time for the bonus period is selected and divided into time increments, with each time increment having its own weight. A winning increment is randomly selected and a bonus is awarded when the time increment has been reached.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2011Publication date: August 18, 2011Inventors: Richard J. Schneider, Lawrence R. Pitman, Michael B. Shelby
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Patent number: 7976390Abstract: By awarding bonuses during predetermined bonus periods, gaming establishments can exercise greater control over bonus wins and, in doing so, can create player excitement and increase play during historically off-peak times, realizing greater revenue for the casino. The time based bonus begins when a maximum time for the bonus period is selected and divided into time increments, with each time increment having its own weight. A winning increment is randomly selected and a bonus is awarded when the time increment has been reached.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2005Date of Patent: July 12, 2011Assignee: IGTInventors: Richard J. Schneider, Lawrence R. Pitman, Michael B. Shelby
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Patent number: 7824264Abstract: A default bonus award and a set of non-default bonus awards are determined for a type of gaming machine. A criterion for qualifying for a bonus award is also determined. Then, if a bonus session is active and a player meets the criterion, a bonus award is randomly selected for the player. In one embodiment, the random bonus award is selected immediately after the player is identified at the gaming machine, before he has begun play.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2003Date of Patent: November 2, 2010Assignee: IGTInventors: Robert P. Bartholomew, Erik B. Petersen, Lawrence R. Pitman, Michael B. Shelby
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Patent number: 7819746Abstract: A method for awarding a bonus to a player of an electronic gaming device at one of a plurality of casino properties is implemented with a slave server networked with gaming devices at each property. The slave servers are networked with a master server that accumulates a pool comprising a percentage of play on the gaming devices. The pool is initiated with a starting value, which defines the lower end of a range having a predetermined maximum number at the upper end. A number is randomly selected from within the range. As play progresses, the pool increases until it hits the random number. As a result, a slave server is randomly selected. The randomly selected slave server then awards the bonus to a randomly selected one of its associated gaming devices.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2003Date of Patent: October 26, 2010Assignee: IGTInventors: Richard J. Schneider, Michael B. Shelby, Lawrence R. Pitman, Carrie D. Porterfield, Erik B. Petersen
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Patent number: 7794322Abstract: A method for awarding a bonus to a player of an electronic gaming device at one of a plurality of casino properties is implemented with a slave server networked with gaming devices at each property. The slave servers are networked with a master server that accumulates a pool comprising a percentage of play on the gaming devices. The pool is initiated with a starting value, which defines the lower end of a range having a predetermined maximum number at the upper end. A number is randomly selected from within the range. As play progresses, the pool increases until it hits the random number. As a result, a slave server is randomly selected. The randomly selected slave server then awards the bonus to a randomly selected one of its associated gaming devices.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2002Date of Patent: September 14, 2010Assignee: IGTInventors: Richard J. Schneider, Michael B. Shelby, Lawrence R. Pitman, Carrie D. Porterfield, Erik B. Petersen
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Patent number: 7727070Abstract: A method to transmit commands across a gaming network is implemented with digitally signed messages. The command messages are generated upon a triggering event, such as the winning of a bonus. The messages are digitally signed by the transmitting node and transmitted to the subservient device. When the subservient device receives the message, it verifies the signature and executes the command. If the signature does not verify, the subservient device may raise an alarm.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2004Date of Patent: June 1, 2010Assignee: IGTInventors: Michael B. Shelby, Mark N. Dailey
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Patent number: 7270605Abstract: A gaming system is disclosed. The gaming system includes at least two gaming components. Each gaming component includes a controller and a communications interface. The gaming system also includes a communication link to allow the controllers of the gaming components to communicate with other controllers of other gaming components on a peer-to-peer basis through the communication interfaces.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2003Date of Patent: September 18, 2007Assignee: GTInventors: Glen Keith Russell, Michael B. Shelby, R. Jeffrey Jordan, James R. Norton
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Publication number: 20040176161Abstract: A method to transmit commands across a gaming network is implemented with digitally signed messages. The command messages are generated upon a triggering event, such as the winning of a bonus. The messages are digitally signed by the transmitting node and transmitted to the subservient device. When the subservient device receives the message, it verifies the signature and executes the command. If the signature does not verify, the subservient device may raise an alarm.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 19, 2004Publication date: September 9, 2004Inventors: Michael B. Shelby, Mark N. Dailey
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Publication number: 20040072618Abstract: A default bonus award and a set of non-default bonus awards are determined for a type of gaming machine. A criterion for qualifying for a bonus award is also determined. Then, if a bonus session is active and a player meets the criterion, a bonus award is randomly selected for the player. In one embodiment, the random bonus award is selected immediately after the player is identified at the gaming machine, before he has begun play.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 22, 2003Publication date: April 15, 2004Applicant: Acres Gaming IncorporatedInventors: Robert P. Bartholomew, Erik B. Petersen, Lawrence R. Pitman, Michael B. Shelby
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Publication number: 20040063499Abstract: A method for awarding a bonus to a player of an electronic gaming device at one of a plurality of casino properties is implemented with a slave server networked with gaming devices at each property. The slave servers are networked with a master server that accumulates a pool comprising a percentage of play on the gaming devices. The pool is initiated with a starting value, which defines the lower end of a range having a predetermined maximum number at the upper end. A number is randomly selected from within the range. As play progresses, the pool increases until it hits the random number. As a result, a slave server is randomly selected. The randomly selected slave server then awards the bonus to a randomly selected one of its associated gaming devices.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2003Publication date: April 1, 2004Applicant: Acres Gaming IncorporatedInventors: Richard J. Schneider, Michael B. Shelby, Lawrence R. Pitman, Carrie D. Porterfield, Erik B. Petersen
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Publication number: 20030092484Abstract: A method for awarding a bonus to a player of an electronic gaming device at one of a plurality of casino properties is implemented with a slave server networked with gaming devices at each property. The slave servers are networked with a master server that accumulates a pool comprising a percentage of play on the gaming devices. The pool is initiated with a starting value, which defines the lower end of a range having a predetermined maximum number at the upper end. A number is randomly selected from within the range. As play progresses, the pool increases until it hits the random number. As a result, a slave server is randomly selected. The randomly selected slave server then awards the bonus to a randomly selected one of its associated gaming devices.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2002Publication date: May 15, 2003Applicant: Acres Gaming IncorporatedInventors: Richard J. Schneider, Michael B. Shelby, Lawrence R. Pitman, Carrie D. Porterfield, Erik B. Petersen
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Patent number: 6358149Abstract: A method and apparatus for awarding bonuses over a gaming network having a plurality of gaming machines, such as slot machines, interconnected by a network. Play is allowed to occur on a plurality of gaming machines as the bonus pool, common to the gaming machines over the network is incremented responsive to play on the plurality of gaming machines. The total number of eligible gaming machines is detected responsive to play on each of the plurality of gaming machines. A first threshold value is set in consideration of the total number of eligible gaming machines detected. A bonus period would be initiated when the bonus pool satisfies the first threshold value. Accordingly, the threshold necessary to start the bonus period would be low if few players are detected, and high if many players are detected. Bonus amounts are paid from the bonus pool to the eligible gaming machines after which time the bonus period would end.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 1999Date of Patent: March 19, 2002Assignee: Acres Gaming IncorporatedInventors: Richard J. Schneider, Joseph G. Hart, Joseph W. Canon, Robert P. Bartholomew, Michael B. Shelby, Lawrence R. Pitman