Patents by Inventor Stephanie Johns
Stephanie Johns 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: 11113925Abstract: Systems, methods, and articles of manufacture for electronic gaming are disclosed. In a first aspect, a method of electronic gaming includes selecting a plurality of primary game symbols, displaying the plurality of primary game symbols, initiating, based upon the plurality of primary game symbols, a secondary game, displaying a trigger symbol in association with the secondary game, displaying a trigger symbol action associated with the trigger symbol, selecting a plurality of secondary game symbols in association with the secondary game (where one of the secondary game symbols comprising the trigger symbol), displaying the plurality of secondary game symbols, and performing the trigger symbol action based upon the trigger symbol.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2019Date of Patent: September 7, 2021Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty LimitedInventors: Ryan Hawkins, Robert Honeycutt, Stephanie Johns
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Publication number: 20210201629Abstract: The present invention relates to gaming machines, systems and methods of gaming. There are a number of different ways available for determining an award by current gaming machines and systems. In this embodiment, a game controller is arranged to determine an award depending on the number of columns spanned by a cluster of symbols and the number of symbol positions in the cluster.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2021Publication date: July 1, 2021Inventors: Ryan Paul Hawkins, Yanis Tsombanidis, Stephanie Johns, Robert Honeycutt
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Patent number: 10964173Abstract: The present invention relates to gaming machines, systems and methods of gaming. There are a number of different ways available for determining an award by current gaming machines and systems. In this embodiment, a game controller is arranged to determine an award depending on the number of columns spanned by a cluster of symbols and the number of symbol positions in the cluster.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2015Date of Patent: March 30, 2021Assignee: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITEDInventors: Ryan Paul Hawkins, Yanis Tsombanidis, Stephanie Johns, Robert Honeycutt
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Publication number: 20210056807Abstract: The disclosed technology describes various embodiments for providing a non-standard progressive jackpot mechanic, which can be used to control an electronic gaming machine (“EGM”). Certain embodiments, for example, comprise inputting wager data identifying a wager selected by a player of a reel game offered by the EGM, wherein the reel game includes one or more progressive jackpot awards; and in response to the inputting, computing updated values of the one or more progressive jackpot awards, wherein the updated values are computed based at least in part on a multiplier value that alters a first set of the one or more progressive jackpot awards into a second set of the one or more progressive jackpot awards different than the first set.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2020Publication date: February 25, 2021Applicant: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty LimitedInventors: Ryan Hawkins, Stephanie Johns, Yanis Tsombanidis, Robert Honeycutt
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Publication number: 20210043034Abstract: An electronic gaming machine is provided, including a player interface, a meter, a game display, and a game controller. The player interface is configured to receive a wager for a round of the wagering game. The meter is configured to record a wager amount for the round. The game display is configured to display a matrix of symbols. The game controller is coupled to the meter and the game display. The game controller is configured to conduct the round of the wagering game, including selecting the matrix of symbols. The game controller is further configured to detect a trigger symbol among the matrix of symbols. The trigger symbol corresponds to a multiplier feature. The game controller is further configured to award a multiple of the wager amount according to the multiplier feature.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 27, 2020Publication date: February 11, 2021Inventors: Ryan Hawkins, Robert Honeycutt, Stephanie Johns
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Publication number: 20210019983Abstract: After determining that a player has won a base game, an electronic gaming machine may award one or more free instances of a game as a bonus game or a round of bonus games. If the EGM determines that a player has won a bonus game, the EGM may present a bonus wheel. The bonus wheel may be partitioned into segments, one of which corresponds to a top-level progressive award. Other segments may correspond to multipliers of an amount won in the bonus game. A player may have a chance to win the top-level progressive award during each spin of the bonus wheel, even if the player has already won the top-level progressive award during a prior spin of the bonus wheel during the same round of bonus games. The bonus wheel may be a “weighted” wheel.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2020Publication date: January 21, 2021Inventors: Ryan Hawkins, Stephanie Johns, Yanis Tsombanidis, Robert Honeycutt
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Publication number: 20200364972Abstract: A gaming machine may be configured for supporting games that include use of pay modalities, which are overlaid on selected symbols. The gaming machine includes a credit input mechanism configured for establishing a credit balance that is increasable and decreasable based on wagering activities, a display having a plurality of display positions, and a game controller to select a plurality of symbols, to cause the display to display the selected symbols, to determine if the selected symbols associated with at least one of one or more predetermined reels of the plurality of reels include a special symbol, and if so, to determine one or more special values associated with the special symbol, and to overlay a particular one of the one or more special values on each displayed instance of the special symbol. The game controller determines a payout based on assigned special values associated with the displayed special symbol.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2020Publication date: November 19, 2020Inventors: Ryan Hawkins, Stephanie Johns, Yanis Tsombanidis, Robert Honeycutt
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Patent number: 10839638Abstract: An electronic gaming machine is provided, including a player interface, a meter, a game display, and a game controller. The player interface is configured to receive a wager for a round of the wagering game. The meter is configured to record a wager amount for the round. The game display is configured to display a matrix of symbols. The game controller is coupled to the meter and the game display. The game controller is configured to conduct the round of the wagering game, including selecting the matrix of symbols. The game controller is further configured to detect a trigger symbol among the matrix of symbols. The trigger symbol corresponds to a multiplier feature. The game controller is further configured to award a multiple of the wager amount according to the multiplier feature.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2018Date of Patent: November 17, 2020Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty LimitedInventors: Ryan Hawkins, Robert Honeycutt, Stephanie Johns
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Patent number: 10832524Abstract: The disclosed technology describes various embodiments for providing a non-standard progressive jackpot mechanic, which can be used to control an electronic gaming machine (“EGM”). Certain embodiments, for example, comprise inputting wager data identifying a wager selected by a player of a reel game offered by the EGM, wherein the reel game includes one or more progressive jackpot awards; and in response to the inputting, computing updated values of the one or more progressive jackpot awards, wherein the updated values are computed based at least in part on a multiplier value that alters a first set of the one or more progressive jackpot awards into a second set of the one or more progressive jackpot awards different than the first set.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2018Date of Patent: November 10, 2020Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty LimitedInventors: Ryan Hawkins, Stephanie Johns, Yanis Tsombanidis, Robert Honeycutt
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Patent number: 10818128Abstract: After determining that a player has won a base game, an electronic gaming machine may award one or more free instances of a game as a bonus game or a round of bonus games. If the EGM determines that a player has won a bonus game, the EGM may present a bonus wheel. The bonus wheel may be partitioned into segments, one of which corresponds to a top-level progressive award. Other segments may correspond to multipliers of an amount won in the bonus game. A player may have a chance to win the top-level progressive award during each spin of the bonus wheel, even if the player has already won the top-level progressive award during a prior spin of the bonus wheel during the same round of bonus games. The bonus wheel may be a “weighted” wheel.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2018Date of Patent: October 27, 2020Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty LimitedInventors: Ryan Hawkins, Stephanie Johns, Yanis Tsombanidis, Robert Honeycutt
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Patent number: 10720007Abstract: A gaming machine may be configured for supporting games that include use of pay modalities, which are overlaid on selected symbols. The gaming machine includes a credit input mechanism configured for establishing a credit balance that is increasable and decreasable based on wagering activities, a display having a plurality of display positions, and a game controller to select a plurality of symbols, to cause the display to display the selected symbols, to determine if the selected symbols associated with at least one of one or more predetermined reels of the plurality of reels include a special symbol, and if so, to determine one or more special values associated with the special symbol, and to overlay a particular one of the one or more special values on each displayed instance of the special symbol. The game controller determines a payout based on assigned special values associated with the displayed special symbol.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2018Date of Patent: July 21, 2020Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty LImitedInventors: Ryan Hawkins, Stephanie Johns, Yanis Tsombanidis, Robert Honeycutt
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Publication number: 20200090460Abstract: Systems, methods, and articles of manufacture for electronic gaming are disclosed. In a first aspect, a method of electronic gaming includes selecting a plurality of primary game symbols, displaying the plurality of primary game symbols, initiating, based upon the plurality of primary game symbols, a secondary game, displaying a trigger symbol in association with the secondary game, displaying a trigger symbol action associated with the trigger symbol, selecting a plurality of secondary game symbols in association with the secondary game (where one of the secondary game symbols comprising the trigger symbol), displaying the plurality of secondary game symbols, and performing the trigger symbol action based upon the trigger symbol.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 18, 2019Publication date: March 19, 2020Inventors: Ryan Hawkins, Robert Honeycutt, Stephanie Johns
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Publication number: 20190392674Abstract: After determining that a player has won a base game, an electronic gaming machine may award one or more free instances of a game as a bonus game or a round of bonus games. If the EGM determines that a player has won a bonus game, the EGM may present a bonus wheel. The bonus wheel may be partitioned into segments, one of which corresponds to a top-level progressive award. Other segments may correspond to multipliers of an amount won in the bonus game. A player may have a chance to win the top-level progressive award during each spin of the bonus wheel, even if the player has already won the top-level progressive award during a prior spin of the bonus wheel during the same round of bonus games. The bonus wheel may be a “weighted” wheel.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2018Publication date: December 26, 2019Inventors: Ryan Hawkins, Stephanie Johns, Yanis Tsombanidis, Robert Honeycutt
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Publication number: 20190371121Abstract: Described herein is a gaming machine and, a method of gaming thereon, comprising: a symbol selector for selecting a plurality of symbols from a set of symbols during play of a game, the set of symbols including a plurality of function symbols; a display having at least a game area, the selected symbols being displayed in said game area; an outcome evaluator for determining that at least one predefined triggering criterion is satisfied; and a game area expander for expanding said game area in response to said at least one predefined triggering criterion being satisfied, such that at least one additional symbol of the set of symbols is displayed in an expanded game area.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 13, 2019Publication date: December 5, 2019Inventors: Ryan Paul Hawkins, Yanis Tsombanidis, Stephanie Johns, Robert Honeycutt
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Patent number: 10490020Abstract: Systems, methods, and articles of manufacture for electronic gaming are disclosed. In a first aspect, a method of electronic gaming includes selecting a plurality of primary game symbols, displaying the plurality of primary game symbols, initiating, based upon the plurality of primary game symbols, a secondary game, displaying a trigger symbol in association with the secondary game, displaying a trigger symbol action associated with the trigger symbol, selecting a plurality of secondary game symbols in association with the secondary game (where one of the secondary game symbols comprising the trigger symbol), displaying the plurality of secondary game symbols, and performing the trigger symbol action based upon the trigger symbol.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2016Date of Patent: November 26, 2019Assignee: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITEDInventors: Ryan Hawkins, Robert Honeycutt, Stephanie Johns
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Patent number: 10395475Abstract: Described herein is a gaming machine and, a method of gaming thereon, comprising: a symbol selector for selecting a plurality of symbols from a set of symbols during play of a game, the set of symbols including a plurality of function symbols; a display having at least a game area, the selected symbols being displayed in said game area; an outcome evaluator for determining that at least one predefined triggering criterion is satisfied; and a game area expander for expanding said game area in response to said at least one predefined triggering criterion being satisfied, such that at least one additional symbol of the set of symbols is displayed in an expanded game area.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2015Date of Patent: August 27, 2019Assignee: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUDTRALIA PTY LTD.Inventors: Ryan Paul Hawkins, Yanis Tsombanidis, Stephanie Johns, Robert Honeycutt
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Publication number: 20190108719Abstract: An electronic gaming machine is provided, including a player interface, a meter, a game display, and a game controller. The player interface is configured to receive a wager for a round of the wagering game. The meter is configured to record a wager amount for the round. The game display is configured to display a matrix of symbols. The game controller is coupled to the meter and the game display. The game controller is configured to conduct the round of the wagering game, including selecting the matrix of symbols. The game controller is further configured to detect a trigger symbol among the matrix of symbols. The trigger symbol corresponds to a multiplier feature. The game controller is further configured to award a multiple of the wager amount according to the multiplier feature.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2018Publication date: April 11, 2019Inventors: Ryan Hawkins, Robert Honeycutt, Stephanie Johns
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Publication number: 20190102979Abstract: A gaming machine may be configured for supporting games that include use of pay modalities, which are overlaid on selected symbols. The gaming machine includes a credit input mechanism configured for establishing a credit balance that is increasable and decreasable based on wagering activities, a display having a plurality of display positions, and a game controller to select a plurality of symbols, to cause the display to display the selected symbols, to determine if the selected symbols associated with at least one of one or more predetermined reels of the plurality of reels include a special symbol, and if so, to determine one or more special values associated with the special symbol, and to overlay a particular one of the one or more special values on each displayed instance of the special symbol. The game controller determines a payout based on assigned special values associated with the displayed special symbol.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2018Publication date: April 4, 2019Inventors: Ryan Hawkins, Stephanie Johns, Yanis Tsombanidis, Robert Honeycutt
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Publication number: 20190080560Abstract: The disclosed technology describes various embodiments for providing a non-standard progressive jackpot mechanic, which can be used to control an electronic gaming machine (“EGM”). Certain embodiments, for example, comprise inputting wager data identifying a wager selected by a player of a reel game offered by the EGM, wherein the reel game includes one or more progressive jackpot awards; and in response to the inputting, computing updated values of the one or more progressive jackpot awards, wherein the updated values are computed based at least in part on a multiplier value that alters a first set of the one or more progressive jackpot awards into a second set of the one or more progressive jackpot awards different than the first set.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2018Publication date: March 14, 2019Applicant: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty LimitedInventors: Ryan Hawkins, Stephanie Johns, Yanis Tsombanidis, Robert Honeycutt
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Patent number: D839305Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2017Date of Patent: January 29, 2019Assignee: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITEDInventors: Ryan Hawkins, Yanis Tsombanidis, Stephanie Johns