Patents by Inventor Shigehiko Kitagawa

Shigehiko Kitagawa 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: 11922779
    Abstract: A tournament management device manages tournaments consistently from making promotions to progress a game and configured to encourage a member to participate in each suitable tournament.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shigehiko Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 11837045
    Abstract: Player's obsession to a game is avoided. Whether to take an action for a player is determined based on game information of the player who plays a game at a gaming machine, and when an action is taken for the player, benefit information is output to the gaming machine to allow the player to acquire a specific advantage at a location different from the gaming machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shigehiko Kitagawa
  • Publication number: 20220189252
    Abstract: To provide an information management system and a terminal device allowing an unregistered player to make cashless payment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: Jun HAISHIMA, Shigehiko KITAGAWA
  • Publication number: 20220157129
    Abstract: The present invention is to reduce the probability of occurrence of a mistake regarding the management work for a secret bet. A game system 1 is arranged to execute a game allowing selection of normal betting in which a bet is placed on the game and a content of the bet is public or secret betting in which the content of the bet is private until a game result of the game is determined, and includes a game management device 3 which includes a game management terminal 33 operated from outside and which executes the game and at least one bet management device 2 including a bet management terminal 21 operated from the outside and gaming value reader units 221 capable of reading, in a non-contact manner, gaming value information of a gaming medium used for the bet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Inventor: Shigehiko KITAGAWA
  • Publication number: 20220148387
    Abstract: A tournament management device manages tournaments consistently from making promotions to progress a game and configured to encourage a member to participate in each suitable tournament.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventor: Shigehiko KITAGAWA
  • Publication number: 20200380820
    Abstract: Provided is a player tracking device which is operable to separate voice of a player from surrounding sound including presentation sound outputted from speakers of gaming machines and to effectively and clearly input the voice of a player with microphones. The player tracking device has two directional microphones which are arranged so as to be spaced apart; analyzes difference between sounds from relative positions of said microphones and sound data inputted from said microphones; and executes sound data processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Inventors: Noritoshi KUKITA, Yuya KONNO, Jun HAISHIMA, Shigehiko KITAGAWA
  • Patent number: 10789806
    Abstract: Provided is a player tracking device which is operable to separate voice of a player from surrounding sound including presentation sound outputted from speakers of gaming machines and to effectively and clearly input the voice of a player with microphones. The player tracking device has two directional microphones which are arranged so as to be spaced apart; analyzes difference between sounds from relative positions of said microphones and sound data inputted from said microphones; and executes sound data processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Noritoshi Kukita, Yuya Konno, Jun Haishima, Shigehiko Kitagawa
  • Publication number: 20200211321
    Abstract: Player's obsession to a game is avoided. Whether to take an action for a player is determined based on game information of the player who plays a game at a gaming machine, and when an action is taken for the player, benefit information is output to the gaming machine to allow the player to acquire a specific advantage at a location different from the gaming machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventor: Shigehiko KITAGAWA
  • Patent number: 10657240
    Abstract: The present invention provides an information display device which may simply display a defined information to improve the convenience. The information display device is able to read the member card having the member identification code, and access the member management server storing the plurality of information associated with the user, and display the plurality of information associated with the user. In the member management server, the plurality of information associated with the user is distinguished to be information not requiring to be authenticated and information requiring to be authenticated respectively and then is stored. The information display device acquires the information not requiring to be authenticated from the member management server according to the member identification code under the condition of reading the member card, and directly display the acquired information not requiring to be authenticated without being authenticated by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
    Inventor: Shigehiko Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 10636247
    Abstract: Provided is a player tracking device which is operable, even when an IC card is taken into a gaming machine while a player is playing a game, to read or write information from or to another IC card or the like through a simplified touch operation. The player tracking device includes: a card unit for storing information pertinent to a play outcome on the gaming machine in an IC card through wireless communication; and a touch unit for reading information from another IC card through the wireless communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Noritoshi Kukita, Yuya Konno, Jun Haishima, Shigehiko Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 10540848
    Abstract: Provided is a game system in which when a bonus game or the like is conducted, linkage presentation using player tracking devices (PTS terminals) is performed over a plurality of gaming machines. Upon the occurrence of winning in the bonus game, a bonus server 11 transmits a bonus winning notification to a gaming machine in a bank in which a gaming machine having won therein is included. A PTS terminal of the gaming machine which has received the bonus winning notification transmits a linkage presentation start request to a gaming machine which operates as a presentation control server in the bank. The PTS terminal of the gaming machine which has received the linkage presentation start request broadcasts a linkage presentation execution request to a network segment of the bank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Noritoshi Kukita, Yuya Konno, Jun Haishima, Shigehiko Kitagawa
  • Publication number: 20190266316
    Abstract: The present invention provides an information display device which may simply display a defined information to improve the convenience. The information display device is able to read the member card having the member identification code, and access the member management server storing the plurality of information associated with the user, and display the plurality of information associated with the user. In the member management server, the plurality of information associated with the user is distinguished to be information not requiring to be authenticated and information requiring to be authenticated respectively and then is stored. The information display device acquires the information not requiring to be authenticated from the member management server according to the member identification code under the condition of reading the member card, and directly display the acquired information not requiring to be authenticated without being authenticated by the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventor: Shigehiko KITAGAWA
  • Patent number: 10289827
    Abstract: The present invention provides an information display device which may simply display a defined information to improve the convenience. The information display device is able to read the member card having the member identification code, and access the member management server storing the plurality of information associated with the user, and display the plurality of information associated with the user. In the member management server, the plurality of information associated with the user is distinguished to be information not requiring to be authenticated and information requiring to be authenticated respectively and then is stored. The information display device acquires the information not requiring to be authenticated from the member management server according to the member identification code under the condition of reading the member card, and directly display the acquired information not requiring to be authenticated without being authenticated by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
    Inventor: Shigehiko Kitagawa
  • Publication number: 20180225920
    Abstract: Provided is a player tracking device which is operable to separate voice of a player from surrounding sound including presentation sound outputted from speakers of gaming machines and to effectively and clearly input the voice of a player with microphones. The player tracking device has two directional microphones which are arranged so as to be spaced apart; analyzes difference between sounds from relative positions of said microphones and sound data inputted from said microphones; and executes sound data processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Inventors: Noritoshi KUKITA, Yuya KONNO, Jun HAISHIMA, Shigehiko KITAGAWA
  • Publication number: 20170286662
    Abstract: The present invention provides an information display device which may simply display a defined information to improve the convenience. The information display device is able to read the member card having the member identification code, and access the member management server storing the plurality of information associated with the user, and display the plurality of information associated with the user. In the member management server, the plurality of information associated with the user is distinguished to be information not requiring to be authenticated and information requiring to be authenticated respectively and then is stored. The information display device acquires the information not requiring to be authenticated from the member management server according to the member identification code under the condition of reading the member card, and directly display the acquired information not requiring to be authenticated without being authenticated by the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventor: Shigehiko KITAGAWA
  • Publication number: 20170278350
    Abstract: Provided is a game system in which when a bonus game or the like is conducted, linkage presentation using player tracking devices (PTS terminals) is performed over a plurality of gaming machines. Upon the occurrence of winning in the bonus game, a bonus server 11 transmits a bonus winning notification to a gaming machine in a bank in which a gaming machine having won therein is included. A PTS terminal of the gaming machine which has received the bonus winning notification transmits a linkage presentation start request to a gaming machine which operates as a presentation control server in the bank. The PTS terminal of the gaming machine which has received the linkage presentation start request broadcasts a linkage presentation execution request to a network segment of the bank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventors: Noritoshi KUKITA, Yuya KONNO, Jun HAISHIMA, Shigehiko KITAGAWA
  • Publication number: 20170278347
    Abstract: Provided is a player tracking device which is operable, even when an IC card is taken into a gaming machine while a player is playing a game, to read or write information from or to another IC card or the like through a simplified touch operation. The player tracking device includes: a card unit for storing information pertinent to a play outcome on the gaming machine in an IC card through wireless communication; and a touch unit for reading information from another IC card through the wireless communication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Applicant: Universal Entertainment Corporation
    Inventors: Noritoshi KUKITA, Yuya KONNO, Jun HAISHIMA, Shigehiko KITAGAWA
  • Patent number: 8597105
    Abstract: A gaming machine is provided, which includes an interface portion, a controller, a memory, a first power supply, and a second power supply. The interface portion is connected with at least one unit used for executing a game. The controller controls the unit connected to the interface portion and detects an occurrence of abnormal operation at the unit. The memory stores identification information for identifying the unit, and further stores historical information that includes information related to the occurrence of abnormal operation detected by the controller in connection with the identification information. The first power supply supplies a voltage required for operation of the controller. The second power supply supplies the voltage required for operation of the controller if a voltage supplied for the controller by the first power supply is less than the voltage required for operation of the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
    Inventors: Shigehiko Kitagawa, Hideaki Kishi, Tatsuhiko Tanimura
  • Publication number: 20090005153
    Abstract: A gaming machine is provided, which includes an interface portion, a controller, a memory, a first power supply, and a second power supply. The interface portion is connected with at least one unit used for executing a game. The controller controls the unit connected to the interface portion and detects an occurrence of abnormal operation at the unit. The memory stores identification information for identifying the unit, and further stores historical information that includes information related to the occurrence of abnormal operation detected by the controller in connection with the identification information. The first power supply supplies a voltage required for operation of the controller. The second power supply supplies the voltage required for operation of the controller if a voltage supplied for the controller by the first power supply is less than the voltage required for operation of the controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: ARUZE CORP.
    Inventors: Shigehiko KITAGAWA, Hideaki KISHI, Tatsuhiko TANIMURA
  • Publication number: 20050208997
    Abstract: In the medal acceptance device 2, the value setting IC medal 66 is inserted and the value data of the game IC medal 65 (credit number added per one game IC medal) stored in the electronic tag 74 embedded in the value setting IC medal 66 is read out by the electronic tag reader 105 (S2). And the value data of the game IC medal 65 stored in the RAM 103 is changed to the value data read out (S8).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2005
    Publication date: September 22, 2005
    Inventors: Hirobumi Toyoda, Kengo Takeda, Shigehiko Kitagawa, Yoshinao Usuki