Patents by Inventor Nicholas Luke Bennett
Nicholas Luke Bennett 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: 10922925Abstract: A gaming machine has a display and a game controller arranged to control images displayed on the display. The game controller is arranged to play a spinning reel game wherein one or more random events are caused to be displayed on the display and, if a predefined winning event occurs, the machine awards a prize. When at least one special symbol appears on the display, the special symbol is held in a superimposed representation in that position for at least one further game while at least that reel carrying the special symbol is re-spun for the at least one further game.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2019Date of Patent: February 16, 2021Assignee: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITEDInventors: Nicholas Luke Bennett, Natalie Bryant
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Patent number: 10878653Abstract: A gaming machine 10 has a display 14 and a game controller arranged to control images of symbols displayed on the display 14. The game controller is arranged to play a game 16 wherein at least one random event is caused to be displayed on the display and, if a predefined winning event occurs, the machine 10 awards a prize. The gaming machine 10 comprises a bonus feature that is triggered when a trigger condition occurs in a base game and an indicator incorporated in the bonus feature indicates to the player that the chance of winning during the bonus feature is higher than in the base game that triggered the bonus feature.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2018Date of Patent: December 29, 2020Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty LimitedInventor: Nicholas Luke Bennett
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Publication number: 20190304257Abstract: A gaming machine has a display and a game controller arranged to control images displayed on the display. The game controller is arranged to play a spinning reel game wherein one or more random events are caused to be displayed on the display and, if a predefined winning event occurs, the machine awards a prize. When at least one special symbol appears on the display, the special symbol is held in a superimposed representation in that position for at least one further game while at least that reel carrying the special symbol is re-spun for the at least one further game.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 19, 2019Publication date: October 3, 2019Inventors: Nicholas Luke Bennett, Natalie Bryant
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Patent number: 10373446Abstract: A gaming machine including a display, a game controller, and a selector. A player operates the selector to enable the player to place one of a plurality of possible wagers on a play of the game comprising at least a first wager consisting of a base wager, and second and third wagers each consisting of a base wager portion and an additional wager portion. There is no guarantee that the at least one added feature will eventuate in a specific play of the game as a result of the player having staked the additional wager portion.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2016Date of Patent: August 6, 2019Assignee: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITEDInventors: Natalie Bryant, Nicholas Luke Bennett, Peter Leslie Walker
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Patent number: 10332352Abstract: A gaming machine has a display and a game controller arranged to control images displayed on the display. The game controller is arranged to play a spinning reel game wherein one or more random events are caused to be displayed on the display and, if a predefined winning event occurs, the machine awards a prize. When at least one special symbol appears on the display, the special symbol is held in a superimposed representation in that position for at least one further game while at least that reel carrying the special symbol is re-spun for the at least one further game.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2017Date of Patent: June 25, 2019Assignee: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITEDInventors: Nicholas Luke Bennett, Natalie Bryant
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Publication number: 20180374296Abstract: A gaming machine 10 has a display 14 and a game controller arranged to control images of symbols displayed on the display 14. The game controller is arranged to play a game 16 wherein at least one random event is caused to be displayed on the display and, if a predefined winning event occurs, the machine 10 awards a prize. The gaming machine 10 comprises a bonus feature that is triggered when a trigger condition occurs in a base game and an indicator incorporated in the bonus feature indicates to the player that the chance of winning during the bonus feature is higher than in the base game that triggered the bonus feature.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2018Publication date: December 27, 2018Inventor: Nicholas Luke Bennett
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Publication number: 20180211488Abstract: A gaming machine has a display and a game controller arranged to control images displayed on the display. The game controller is arranged to play a spinning reel game wherein one or more random events are caused to be displayed on the display and, if a predefined winning event occurs, the machine awards a prize. When at least one special symbol appears on the display, the special symbol is held in a superimposed representation in that position for at least one further game while at least that reel carrying the special symbol is re-spun for the at least one further game.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2017Publication date: July 26, 2018Inventors: Nicholas Luke Bennett, Natalie Bryant
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Patent number: 9978208Abstract: A method of triggering a multi-player game, comprising: determining a current number of eligible gaming machines; communicating current hit rate data based on the current number of eligible gaming machines to at least each eligible gaming machine; determining at each eligible gaming machine whether to trigger the multi-player game at a hit rate based on the current hit rate data.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2016Date of Patent: May 22, 2018Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty LimitedInventors: Nicholas Luke Bennett, Philippa Alice Graham
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Patent number: 9947168Abstract: A gaming machine is disclosed that provides a game in which a player of the gaming machine stakes a wager on one or more outcomes of the game that are represented as symbols arranged in an array of symbol display positions. The player controls the number of outcomes on which a wager is staked by operating a user interface. During play of the game the gaming machine causes a display to display indicia representative of the total number of outcomes selected but not display indicia representative of every available outcome and not display indicia of every selected outcome. Indicia representative of an individual outcome is displayed when that outcome defines a winning combination. A method of providing a graphical user interface for a gaming machine is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2012Date of Patent: April 17, 2018Assignee: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LTDInventors: Nicholas Luke Bennett, Marijan Jon Kovacic, Lloyd Gilbert Sefton
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Patent number: 9916724Abstract: A gaming machine (10) has a display (14) and a game controller arranged to control images displayed on the display (14). The game controller is arranged to play a game wherein one or more random events arc caused to be displayed on the display (14) and, if a predefined winning event results, the machine (10) awards a prize which is credited to a credit meter of the machine (10). The credit meter includes two meter displays, a first meter display (42.1) indicating credit which is available for expenditure in the machine (10) to play at least one game and a second meter display (42.2) indicating credit set aside by at least one of a player and the game controller and which credit is unavailable to the player for wagering on a game but which is only available by termination of a playing session.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2016Date of Patent: March 13, 2018Assignee: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LTDInventors: Nicholas Luke Bennett, Natalie Bryant, Peter Stathis
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Patent number: 9865122Abstract: Systems and methods for determining a plurality of outcomes of a game of chance are provided. In a spinning reel game, for example, a first game event may be provided in which a plurality of symbols are spun up on a plurality of spinning reels to form an array of symbols, each spinning reel spinning up at least three symbols and at least one of the spinning reels being defined so that at least two feature symbols can be simultaneously spun up on that reel. A result of the spin is evaluated to assess whether two or more feature symbols have been spun up on the same reel. If so, a second game event is provided in which the two or more feature symbols and all other symbols spun up on the same reel are converted to special symbols. The special symbols have an enhanced play characteristic in comparison to the other symbols, and the outcome of the game is re-evaluated to establish whether any outcomes exist which define a winning combination. A prize or an award is awarded if one or more winning combinations exist.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2016Date of Patent: January 9, 2018Assignee: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITEDInventor: Nicholas Luke Bennett
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Patent number: 9858762Abstract: A gaming machine has a display and a game controller arranged to control images displayed on the display. The game controller is arranged to play a spinning reel game wherein one or more random events are caused to be displayed on the display and, if a predefined winning event occurs, the machine awards a prize. When at least one special symbol appears on the display, the special symbol is held in a superimposed representation in that position for at least one further game while at least that reel carrying the special symbol is re-spun for the at least one further game.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2013Date of Patent: January 2, 2018Assignee: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITEDInventors: Nicholas Luke Bennett, Natalie Bryant
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Patent number: 9842461Abstract: A console is described, having display means, and game control means arranged to control images displayed on the display means, the game control means being arranged to play a game in which one or more symbols are randomly selected as a combination of symbols and displayed on the display means. If a winning combination results, the machine awards a prize. In some circumstances, the console will display an animated character to communicate information to the player. The character is independent of and appears asynchronously with respect to the game being played and is arranged to appear super imposed over any game screen currently displayed at the time the character is displayed.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2015Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Assignee: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LTD.Inventors: Nicholas Luke Bennett, Natalie Bryant, Stephen Byng
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Patent number: 9836912Abstract: A method of gaming comprising conducting a play of a game for a player, wherein the game comprises a plurality of different game portions and conducting the play of the game comprises conducting at least one of the game portions, determining independently of play of the game whether to trigger a community game, determining upon triggering of the community game, whether the player has an active eligibility in respect of a conducted game portion; and determining, upon the player having an active eligibility, an award to apply in respect of at least one winning outcome of the community game based on at least the identity of the game portion in relation to which the player has an active eligibility.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2013Date of Patent: December 5, 2017Assignee: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITEDInventors: Nicholas Luke Bennett, David Villa, Natalie Bryant
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Patent number: 9715784Abstract: A gaming console or system including a video display, and a game control processor arranged to control images displayed on the video display. The game control processor is arranged to play a first game displayed on the video display and, if a winning combination results, the console or system pays a prize. The console or system is characterized in that the game control processor includes a dynamic game feature whereby a feature game occurs upon a first trigger condition of the first game, and wherein a second trigger condition influences one or more gameplay aspects of the feature game such as to alter the likelihood of occurrence of at least one possible outcome of a set of possible outcomes of the feature game.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2007Date of Patent: July 25, 2017Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty LimitedInventor: Nicholas Luke Bennett
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Patent number: 9715788Abstract: A method of gaming with multiple players comprising: determining a set of eligible multi-player game players; assigning each eligible multi-player game player a number of multi-player game turns depending on a wager amount; and conducting the multi-player game turns with the eligible multi-player game players and determining multi-player game turn outcomes until a multi-player game end condition occurs.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2013Date of Patent: July 25, 2017Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty LimitedInventor: Nicholas Luke Bennett
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Publication number: 20170069160Abstract: A gaming machine 10 has a display 14 and a game controller arranged to control images of symbols displayed on the display 14. The game controller is arranged to play a game 16 wherein at least one random event is caused to be displayed on the display and, if a predefined winning event occurs, the machine 10 awards a prize. The gaming machine 10 comprises a bonus feature that is triggered when a trigger condition occurs in a base game and an indicator incorporated in the bonus feature indicates to the player that the chance of winning during the bonus feature is higher than in the base game that triggered the bonus feature.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 11, 2016Publication date: March 9, 2017Inventor: Nicholas Luke Bennett
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Publication number: 20170053499Abstract: A gaming machine including a display, a game controller, and a selector. A player operates the selector to enable the player to place one of a plurality of possible wagers on a play of the game comprising at least a first wager consisting of a base wager, and second and third wagers each consisting of a base wager portion and an additional wager portion. There is no guarantee that the at least one added feature will eventuate in a specific play of the game as a result of the player having staked the additional wager portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 8, 2016Publication date: February 23, 2017Inventors: Natalie Bryant, Nicholas Luke Bennett, Peter Leslie Walker
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Patent number: 9564005Abstract: A gaming machine has a display and a game controller arranged to control images on the display. The game controller is arranged to playa game wherein one or more random events are caused to be displayed on the display and, if a predefined winning event of combination of events results, the machine awards a prize. A predetermined symbol from a set of symbols of the game is selected as a bonus symbol. The display is an interactive display means such that, when at least one of the bonus symbols appears then, by a player touching a part of the display overlying the, or each, occurrence of the bonus symbol, a bonus prize is revealed in respect of the, or each, bonus symbol.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2011Date of Patent: February 7, 2017Assignee: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITEDInventor: Nicholas Luke Bennett
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Patent number: 9514612Abstract: A method of gaming comprising: a) displaying a plurality of display positions to a player, at least one of the display positions corresponding to a hidden object to be sought by the player; b) determining a selection of a display position; c) revealing whether or not the selected display position corresponds to the hidden object; e) determining whether to allow a selection by conducting at least one trial, each trial comprising seeking to complete a symbol combination; and f) repeating steps b) to e) until either the symbol combination is completed or a designated number of hidden objects is located.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2014Date of Patent: December 6, 2016Assignee: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITEDInventors: George Roukis, Nicholas Luke Bennett