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).

  • Patent number: 10176665
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED
    Inventors: Ryan Hawkins, Robert Honeycutt, Stephanie Johns
  • Patent number: 10026257
    Abstract: An electronic gaming machine and method. An initial symbol array of a predetermined size is provided, and reels are used for selecting symbols for display onto the array. There is an active region and a non-active region of the array. At least one reel includes a vertical stack of at least two rows high. If the vertical stack lands in a position overlapping the active and non-active region, the array grows to encompass the vertical stack. The outcome is determined based on the array after it has grown. In addition, a second growing occurs randomly when the vertical stack lands within the active region or overlaps the active and non-active regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited
    Inventors: Ryan Paul Hawkins, Robert Honeycutt, Stephanie Johns
  • Publication number: 20180089931
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2016
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventors: Ryan Hawkins, Robert Honeycutt, Stephanie Johns
  • Publication number: 20180089930
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2016
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventors: Ryan Hawkins, Robert Honeycutt, Stephanie Johns
  • Publication number: 20180089929
    Abstract: An electronic gaming machine and method. An initial symbol array of a predetermined size is provided, and reels are used for selecting symbols for display onto the array. There is an active region and a non-active region of the array. At least one reel includes a vertical stack of at least two rows high. If the vertical stack lands in a position overlapping the active and non-active region, the array grows to encompass the vertical stack. The outcome is determined based on the array after it has grown. In addition, a second growing occurs randomly when the vertical stack lands within the active region or overlaps the active and non-active regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventors: Ryan Paul Hawkins, Robert Honeycutt, Stephanie Johns
  • Publication number: 20160093153
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Inventors: Ryan Paul Hawkins, Yanis Tsombanidis, Stephanie Johns, Robert Honeycutt
  • Publication number: 20160093151
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Inventors: Ryan Paul Hawkins, Yanis Tsombanidis, Stephanie Johns, Robert Honeycutt