Patents by Inventor Rodney L. Willyard

Rodney L. Willyard 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: 8905835
    Abstract: A method for conducting bingo games includes using a server to collect game play requests from a plurality of electronic player stations. The server determines if a group of the collected game play requests meets one or more predefined conditions for establishing a quorum, and if so conducts a game with the group of game play requests. Even after the game is started, the server continues to collect game play requests in preparation for conducting additional games. When enough game play requests are collected, the server starts the next game, even if previous games are still in progress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Multimedia Games, Inc.
    Inventors: Clifton E. Lind, Brendan M. O'Connor, Gary L. Loebig, Rodney L. Willyard, Naveen Malhotra, Martin A. Keane, Joseph R. Enzminger, Jefferson C. Lind, Gordon T. Graves
  • Publication number: 20140004923
    Abstract: A result represented by a matched bingo card representation is displayed to a player in a bingo-type game through a result representation provided at a suitable player station. Each result representation includes a graphical representation unrelated to the bingo-type game. That is, although the game results are simply bingo game results defined by predetermined patterns of matches between the various card designations and the designation set produced or called for a particular bingo-type game, the game results are displayed to the players with a graphical display including a graphic that is not merely a graphical representation or reproduction of a bingo card.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: Multimedia Gemes, Inc.
    Inventors: Clifton Lind, Gordon T. Graves, Gary L. Loebig, Jefferson C. Lind, Joseph R. Enzminger, Rodney L. Willyard, Robert Lannert
  • Publication number: 20130316785
    Abstract: A method for conducting bingo games includes using a server to collect game play requests from a plurality of electronic player stations. The server determines if a group of the collected game play requests meets one or more predefined conditions for establishing a quorum, and if so conducts a game with the group of game play requests. Even after the game is started, the server continues to collect game play requests in preparation for conducting additional games. When enough game play requests are collected, the server starts the next game, even if previous games are still in progress.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: Multimedia Games, Inc.
    Inventors: Clifton E. Lind, Brendan M. O'Connor, Gary L. Loebig, Rodney L. Willyard, Naveen Malhotra, Martin A. Keane, Joseph R. Enzminger, Jefferson C. Lind, Gordon T. Graves
  • Patent number: 8523653
    Abstract: A result represented by a matched bingo card representation is displayed to a player in a bingo-type game through a result representation provided at a suitable player station. Each result representation includes a graphical representation unrelated to the bingo-type game. That is, although the game results are simply bingo game results defined by predetermined patterns of matches between the various card designations and the designation set produced or called for a particular bingo-type game, the game results are displayed to the players with a graphical display including a graphic that is not merely a graphical representation or reproduction of a bingo card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Multimedia Games, Inc.
    Inventors: Clifton Lind, Gordon T. Graves, Gary L. Loebig, Jefferson C. Lind, Joseph R. Enzminger, Rodney L. Willyard, Robert Lannert
  • Patent number: 8419528
    Abstract: A gaming system and method are disclosed that include anonymous and identified player tracking, wherein gaming data is collected over one, two, or more gaming sessions, the data is analyzed to determine whether a selected criterion or selected criteria have been met, and if so, then initiating a response, such as triggering a flag or transmitting a notification to an operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Multimedia Games, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph R. Enzminger, Nimai Malle, Clifton Lind, Brendan O'Connor, Rodney L. Willyard, Troy Jungmann, Frank Roan, Jefferson C. Lind
  • Patent number: 8262454
    Abstract: A gaming system, apparatus, and method are disclosed which provide a player selectable option to manually interact by selecting game elements or initiate an automated mode whereby the gaming apparatus selects game elements in accordance with the rules of the game being played. An example disclosed embodiment includes a player being assigned a bingo card representation and a game designation set is associated with the bingo card representation, such that daubing the bingo card representation may be performed manually by the player at the player's respective player station using a suitable interface at the player station. Alternatively to manual daubing, the present invention includes automatically daubing one or more bingo card representations in response to an automatic daub input made by the player at the player station using a suitable input device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Multimedia Games, Inc.
    Inventors: Clifton Lind, Gordon T. Graves, Gary L. Loebig, Jefferson C. Lind, Joseph R. Enzminger, Rodney L. Willyard, Robert Lannert
  • Publication number: 20120190422
    Abstract: A result represented by a matched bingo card representation is displayed to a player in a bingo-type game through a result representation provided at a suitable player station. Each result representation includes a graphical representation unrelated to the bingo-type game. That is, although the game results are simply bingo game results defined by predetermined patterns of matches between the various card designations and the designation set produced or called for a particular bingo-type game, the game results are displayed to the players with a graphical display including a graphic that is not merely a graphical representation or reproduction of a bingo card.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Inventors: Clifton Lind, Gordon T. Graves, Gary L. Loebig, Jefferson C. Lind, Joseph R. Enzminger, Rodney L. Willyard, Robert Lannert
  • Patent number: 8147314
    Abstract: A result represented by a matched bingo card representation is displayed to a player in a bingo-type game through a result representation provided at a suitable player station. Each result representation includes a graphical representation unrelated to the bingo-type game. That is, although the game results are simply bingo game results defined by predetermined patterns of matches between the various card designations and the designation set produced or called for a particular bingo-type game, the game results are displayed to the players with a graphical display including a graphic that is not merely a graphical representation or reproduction of a bingo card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Multimedia Games, Inc.
    Inventors: Clifton Lind, Gordon T. Graves, Gary L. Loebig, Jefferson C. Lind, Joseph R. Enzminger, Rodney L. Willyard, Robert Lannert
  • Publication number: 20100210363
    Abstract: A gaming system, apparatus, and method are disclosed which provide a player selectable option to manually interact by selecting game elements or initiate an automated mode whereby the gaming apparatus selects game elements in accordance with the rules of the game being played. An example disclosed embodiment includes a player being assigned a bingo card representation and a game designation set is associated with the bingo card representation, such that daubing the bingo card representation may be performed manually by the player at the player's respective player station using a suitable interface at the player station. Alternatively to manual daubing, the present invention includes automatically daubing one or more bingo card representations in response to an automatic daub input made by the player at the player station using a suitable input device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2010
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Inventors: Clifton Lind, Gordon T. Graves, Gary L. Loebig, Jefferson C. Lind, Joseph R. Enzminger, Rodney L. Willyard, Robert Lannert
  • Publication number: 20100203957
    Abstract: A gaming system and method are disclosed that include anonymous and identified player tracking, wherein gaming data is collected over one, two, or more gaming sessions, the data is analyzed to determine whether a selected criterion or selected criteria have been met, and if so, then initiating a response, such as triggering a flag or transmitting a notification to an operator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: Multimedia Games, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph R. Enzminger, Nimai Malle, Clifton Lind, Brendan O'Connor, Rodney L. Willyard, Troy Jungmann, Frank Roan, Jefferson C. Lind
  • Patent number: 7766741
    Abstract: Each bingo card representation matched with a game designation set in a given bingo game (a “matched bingo card representation”) represents a respective game play record providing a result in the bingo game. The result represented by a matched bingo card representation is displayed to a player in the bingo-type game through a result representation provided at a suitable player station. Each result representation is correlated to one or more game results in the bingo-type game so that each game result in the bingo-type game is associated with a result representation. According to the invention, each result representation includes a graphical representation unrelated to the bingo-type game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Multimedia Games, Inc.
    Inventors: Clifton Lind, Gordon T. Graves, Gary L. Loebig, Jefferson C. Lind, Joseph R. Enzminger, Rodney L. Willyard, Robert Lannert
  • Patent number: 7708638
    Abstract: A method for detecting potential money-laundering activities or other illegal activities in the use of a gaming accounting system includes collecting data regarding a player's activity in a gaming system. The gaming system activity data is collected in terms of a gaming activity network, that is, a series of linked activities or events, and/or objects associated with activities or events. In response to a predefined event such as a cash out or credit redemption transaction request initiated by the player, the method includes evaluating the collected data to identify potentially illegal or prohibited activity. In the event illegal activity is indicated, the method includes taking some corrective action such as producing an operator alert to the potential illegal activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Multimedia Games, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph R. Enzminger, Nimai Malle, Clifton Lind, Brendan O'Connor, Rodney L. Willyard, Troy Jungmann, Frank Roan, Jefferson C. Lind
  • Publication number: 20080207302
    Abstract: Each bingo card representation matched with a game designation draw in a given bingo game (a “matched bingo card representation”) represents a respective game play record providing a result in the bingo game. The result represented by a matched bingo card representation is displayed to a player in the bingo-type game through a result representation provided at a suitable player station. Each result representation is correlated to one or more game results in the bingo-type game so that each game result in the bingo-type game is associated with a result representation. Each result representation includes a graphical representation unrelated to the bingo-type game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Inventors: Clifton Lind, Gordon T. Graves, Gary L. Loebig, Jefferson C. Lind, Joseph R. Enzminger, Rodney L. Willyard, Robert Lannert
  • Patent number: 6802776
    Abstract: A gaming system (10) utilizes a game designation generating component (16), a gaming establishment component (11), and a set of predefined bingo card representations. Each bingo card representation is stored in electronic format as a data structure or data record defining a predefined pattern of game designations chosen from a pool of available designations. The game designation generating component (16) generates sets of game designations from a pool of available designations. The method employed in the gaming system (10) includes pre-matching the bingo card representations to a given set of game designations to produce a matched card set. This pre-matching occurs prior to the sale, distribution, or assignment of card representations to players in the game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Multimedia Games, Inc.
    Inventors: Clifton Lind, Gordon T. Graves, Gary L. Loebig, Jefferson C. Lind, Joseph R. Enzminger, Rodney L. Willyard, Robert Lannert
  • Publication number: 20040152499
    Abstract: A method for conducting bingo games includes using a server (101) to collect game play requests (501) from a plurality of electronic player stations (103). The server (101, 102) determines if a group of the collected game play requests meets one or more predefined conditions for establishing a quorum (502), and if so conducts a game with the group of game play requests (506, 507). Even after the game is started, the server continues to collect game play requests in preparation for conducting additional games (506, 500). When enough game play requests are collected (503), the server starts the next game, even if previous games are still in progress (506, 507).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2003
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Inventors: Clifton Lind, Brendan O'Connor, Gary Loebig, Rodney L. Willyard, Naveen Malhotra, Martin Keane, Joseph Richard Enzminger, Jefferson C. Lind
  • Publication number: 20040152508
    Abstract: A method for conducting bingo games includes using a server (101) to collect game play requests (501) from a plurality of electronic player stations (103). The server (101, 102) determines if a group of the collected game play requests meets one or more predefined conditions for establishing a quorum (502), and if so conducts a game with the group of game play requests (506, 507). Even after the game is started, the server continues to collect game play requests in preparation for conducting additional games (506, 500). When enough game play requests are collected (503), the server starts the next game, even if previous games are still in progress (506, 507). Each game play request is associated with a bingo card representation and each such card representation is associated with a respective pay table. Prizes or outcomes of the game are assigned for each bingo card representation according to the respective pay table with which the card representation is associated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2003
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Inventors: Clifton Lind, Brendan O'Connor, Gary Loebig, Rodney L. Willyard, Naveen Malhotra, Martin Keane, Joseph Richard Enzminger, Jefferson C. Lind
  • Publication number: 20020132661
    Abstract: Each bingo card representation matched with a game designation set in a given bingo game (a “matched bingo card representation”) represents a respective game play record providing a result in the bingo game. The result represented by a matched bingo card representation is displayed to a player in the bingo-type game through a result representation provided at a suitable player station. Each result representation is correlated to one or more game results in the bingo-type game so that each game result in the bingo-type game is associated with a result representation. According to the invention, each result representation includes a graphical representation unrelated to the bingo-type game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2002
    Publication date: September 19, 2002
    Inventors: Clifton Lind, Gordon T. Graves, Gary L. Loebig, Jefferson C. Lind, Joseph R. Enzminger, Rodney L. Willyard, Robert Lannert
  • Publication number: 20020111207
    Abstract: A gaming system (10) utilizes a game designation generating component (16), a gaming establishment component (11), and a set of predefined bingo card representations. Each bingo card representation is stored in electronic format as a data structure or data record defining a predefined pattern of game designations chosen from a pool of available designations. The game designation generating component (16) generates sets of game designations from a pool of available designations. The method employed in the gaming system (10) includes pre-matching the bingo card representations to a given set of game designations to produce a matched card set. This pre-matching occurs prior to the sale, distribution, or assignment of card representations to players in the game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Publication date: August 15, 2002
    Inventors: Clifton Lind, Gordon T. Graves, Gary L. Loebig, Jefferson C. Lind, Joseph R. Enzminger, Rodney L. Willyard, Robert Lannert