Patents by Inventor Michael Ernest Thorson

Michael Ernest Thorson 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).

  • Shape control of magentic fields for table games
    Patent number: 8690678
    Abstract: A gaming table with an upper surface that includes a gaming chip placement area and a lower surface opposite the upper surface is provided. The gaming table also includes a housing coupled to one of the upper surface and the lower surface of the gaming table, an antenna coupled to the housing, wherein the antenna is configured to form an electromagnetic field that defines a zone of communication in which a gaming chip including a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag can be read.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Michael Ernest Thorson, John Laurence Minck, Jr.
  • Shape control of magentic fields for table games
    Patent number: 8353759
    Abstract: A gaming table with an upper surface that includes a gaming chip placement area and a lower surface opposite the upper surface is provided. The gaming table also includes a housing coupled to one of the upper surface and the lower surface of the gaming table, an antenna coupled to the housing, wherein the antenna is configured to form an electromagnetic field that defines a zone of communication in which a gaming chip including a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag can be read.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Michael Ernest Thorson, John Laurence Minck, Jr.
  • SHAPE CONTROL OF MAGENTIC FIELDS FOR TABLE GAMES
    Publication number: 20110089634
    Abstract: A gaming table with an upper surface that includes a gaming chip placement area and a lower surface opposite the upper surface is provided. The gaming table also includes a housing coupled to one of the upper surface and the lower surface of the gaming table, an antenna coupled to the housing, wherein the antenna is configured to form an electromagnetic field that defines a zone of communication in which a gaming chip including a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag can be read.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Inventors: Michael Ernest Thorson, John Laurence Minck, JR.