Patents by Inventor Russell Pratt Sammon

Russell Pratt Sammon 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: 6877745
    Abstract: A game to be modified in accordance with the invention involves a first random outcome and a second random outcome that are combined according to game rules to produce a game outcome. The game is administered by receiving a player request for a specific entry, the specific entry replacing one of the random outcomes and being selected from a finite set of possibilities not determined by chance. The requested specific entry affects the probable outcome of the game. The specific entry is combined with the remaining one of the random outcomes according to the game rules to determine the game outcome. According to one embodiment, the specific entry may be a score such as 18 which replaces the player's hand in the game of blackjack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Walker Digital, LLC
    Inventors: Jay S. Walker, James A. Jorasch, Peter Kim, Geoffrey M. Gelman, Andrew P. Golden, Russell Pratt Sammon, Norman C. Gilman
  • Patent number: 6848995
    Abstract: A system to determine a product to be offered to a casino player based on player data and on an approximate maximum price for which the product may be sold through a retail channel. Advantageously, a potential increase in a casino's profit due to a product offer can be determined using the player data, and an approximate maximum profit attainable through sale of the product through a retail channel can be determined based on the determined price. As a result, a product to offer can be determined in a manner which maximizes casino profit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Walker Digital, LLC
    Inventors: Jay S. Walker, James A. Jorasch, Geoffrey M. Gelman, Russell Pratt Sammon, Magdalena Mik, Nandu A. Talwalkar
  • Publication number: 20040116176
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to facilitate lottery ticket transactions. A request to purchase a lottery ticket is received, the lottery ticket being associated with a lottery number combination, such as a limited number of lottery tickets or a limited number of players. An indication that the lottery number combination is to be associated with a limited number of occurrences is also received. For example, an indication that the lottery number combination is to be associated with only a single lottery ticket may be received. A price associated with the lottery ticket is determined based on the received indication. According to one embodiment, the price is increased by a predetermined amount based on the received indication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2003
    Publication date: June 17, 2004
    Inventors: Stephen C. Tulley, John M. Packes, James A. Jorasch, Jay S. Walker, Patrick J. Buckley, Peter J. Vogel, Magdalena M. Fincham, Norman C. Gilman, Keith Bemer, Russell Pratt Sammon, William P. Van Vooren, Andrew P. Golden, Michael F. Steib
  • Patent number: 6688976
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to facilitate lottery ticket transactions. A request to purchase a lottery ticket is received, the lottery ticket being associated with a lottery number combination, such as a limited number of lottery tickets or a limited number of players. An indication that the lottery number combination is to be associated with a limited number of occurrences is also received. For example, an indication that the lottery number combination is to be associated with only a single lottery ticket may be received. A price associated with the lottery ticket is determined based on the received indication. According to one embodiment, the price is increased by a predetermined amount based on the received indication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Walker Digital, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen C. Tulley, John M. Packes, Jr., James A. Jorasch, Jay S. Walker, Patrick J. Buckley, Peter J. Vogel, Magdalena M. Fincham, Norman C. Gilman, Keith Beamer, Russell Pratt Sammon, William P. Van Vooren, Andrew P. Golden, Michael F. Steib
  • Publication number: 20030144052
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for facilitating play of a game with user-selected elements. According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, a set of all possible elements of a game is determined. Each of the elements of the set is associated with at least one of a plurality of locations. A representation of the plurality of locations is displayed to a player, defining a set of selectable locations. At least one selection signal is received, with each selection signal indicating a selectable location from the set of selectable locations, indicating at least one selected element. An outcome is determined based on the at least one selected element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2003
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Inventors: Jay S. Walker, James A. Jorasch, Daniel E. Tedesco, Stephen C. Tulley, John M. Packes, Russell Pratt Sammon, Geoffrey M. Gelman
  • Publication number: 20020169664
    Abstract: A billing statement according to one aspect of the invention includes a description of a transaction and an offer pointer associated with the transaction, wherein the offer pointer includes information that may be used to review an offer. In one example of this aspect, the offer pointer is a telephone number printed adjacent to a description of a transaction on a credit card billing statement. The telephone number accesses a voice response system presenting conditional branches through which a consumer can navigate to review an offer. In another example, a hyperlink is positioned adjacent to a total amount owed listed on an electronically-displayed billing statement. The hyperlink may be selected to access a website presenting offers for review by the consumer. The offers reviewed in each of these examples may be customized based on details of the transaction such as the product purchased or the amount of the purchase, the identity of the consumer, and/or on other data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2001
    Publication date: November 14, 2002
    Inventors: Jay S. Walker, James A. Jorasch, Daniel E. Tedesco, Stephen C. Tulley, Timothy A. Palmer, Russell Pratt Sammon, John M. Packes, Geoffrey M. Gelman, Kurt M. Maschoff, Andrew P. Golden, Michiko Kobayashi