Patents by Inventor Stephen A. Canterbury
Stephen A. Canterbury 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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Publication number: 20120115564Abstract: Systems described herein include wagering game machines having a cabinet memory mounted or affixed to a cabinet or cabinet component. The cabinet memory provides configuration data and manufacturing data for the cabinet and cabinet components. The configuration data may be used during operation of the wagering game machine to properly configure the components and operation of the wagering game machine.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 8, 2010Publication date: May 10, 2012Inventors: Stephen A. Canterbury, Victor Mercado, Charles R. Bleich, Timothy C. Loose, Jorge Luis Shimabukuro
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Publication number: 20120115589Abstract: A gaming chair for use with a gaming machine that conducts a wagering game, the chair includes a seat and a tactile device for providing tactile sensations via the seat according to at least one of events occurring in the wagering game, and player input through an input device.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 11, 2012Publication date: May 10, 2012Inventors: Stephen A. Canterbury, Jacob C. Greenberg, Timothy C. Loose, Eric M. Pryzby, Norman R. Wurz
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Patent number: 8172677Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention, a gaming system is disclosed including at least one community display and a plurality of personal media terminals. The at least one community display is adapted to display a community event thereon. The plurality of personal media terminals has a player positioning device and a plurality of speakers. At least two of the plurality of speakers are positioned to provide frontal audio to the player positioning device and at least two of the plurality of speakers are positioned to provide rear audio to the player positioning device. The plurality of speakers is positioned so as to provide a 360-degree sound field relative to the player positioning device. The 360-degree sound field for each of the plurality of personal media terminals differs based on the location of the personal media terminal in relation to the community display.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2007Date of Patent: May 8, 2012Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.Inventors: Charles R Bleich, Stephen A Canterbury, Eric M Pryzby, James M Rasmussen, Norman R Wurz
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Patent number: 8137181Abstract: The present invention is a gaming machine having a player time-selectable bonus award scheme whereby the player may redeem, at a time of the player's choosing winning outcomes accrued during base game play. Redemption of each of the accrued winning outcomes is accomplished when a player selects an option to display a winning symbol combination associated with the winning outcome. Selection of the option to display the winning symbol combination associated with the winning outcome always yields an award and sometimes yields another winning outcome, again redeemable at a time of the player's choosing. A counter display on an intelligent button of the gaming machine increments a number as each winning outcome is accrued, and decrements the number as each winning outcome is redeemed. Thus, a second game may be initiated before a first game is complete.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2007Date of Patent: March 20, 2012Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.Inventors: Charles R. Bleich, Stephen A. Canterbury, John W. Skalon, Alfred Thomas
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Patent number: 8128477Abstract: A gaming machine for playing a wagering game includes a housing having a display region, a curved transparent layer located in the display region, and a video display. The video display is located behind the transparent layer for projecting moving images onto the transparent layer. The images including a plurality of symbols that indicate a randomly selected outcome of the wagering game. The curved transparent layer can be moving as well. Environmental mapping may be used to sense the location of the player and/or the ambient lighting surrounding the gaming machine and alter the images based on the sensing. The altering may include spectral highlights, shading, and the parallax effect. The video images may further include imperfections normally found in mechanical reel strips. The gaming machine provides video images that more closely simulate the look of traditional mechanical reels.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2007Date of Patent: March 6, 2012Assignee: WMS Gaming, Inc.Inventors: Timothy J. Durham, Mark B. Gagner, James M. Rasmussen, Alfred Thomas, Vladimir I. Arezina, Stephen A. Canterbury, Victor Mercado, Samuel D. Ralston, Matthew R. Fitzsimons
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Patent number: 8113517Abstract: A gaming chair for use with a gaming machine that conducts a wagering game, the chair includes a seat and a tactile device for providing tactile sensations via the seat according to at least one of events occurring in the wagering game, and player input through an input device.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2005Date of Patent: February 14, 2012Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.Inventors: Stephen A. Canterbury, Jacob C. Greenberg, Timothy C. Loose, Eric M. Pryzby, Norman R. Wurz
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Patent number: 8096878Abstract: A gaming machine for playing a wagering game includes a housing having a display region, a curved transparent layer located in the display region, and a video display. The video display is located behind the transparent layer for projecting moving images onto the transparent layer. The images including a plurality of symbols that indicate a randomly selected outcome of the wagering game. The curved transparent layer can be moving as well. Environmental mapping may be used to sense the location of the player and/or the ambient lighting surrounding the gaming machine and alter the images based on the sensing. The altering may include spectral highlights, shading, and the parallax effect. The video images may further include imperfections normally found in mechanical reel strips. The gaming machine provides video images that more closely simulate the look of traditional mechanical reels.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2007Date of Patent: January 17, 2012Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.Inventors: Timothy J. Durham, Mark B. Gagner, James M. Rasmussen, Alfred Thomas, Vladimir I. Arezina, Stephen A. Canterbury, Victor Mercado, Samuel D. Ralston, Matthew R. Fitzsimons
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Publication number: 20110053679Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to receive an indication that a wagering game machine is to enter into a service power mode while the game machine is fully operational, and then to enter into the service power mode to disable game play while providing substantially uninterrupted power to a subset of game machine components. These powered components include one or more processors and memory. The service power mode may operate to leave the remainder of the game machine components unpowered, so that later transitioning from the service power mode to full operation does not result in resetting the processors. Other apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 26, 2009Publication date: March 3, 2011Applicant: WMS GAMING INC.Inventors: Stephen A. Canterbury, Victor Mercado
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Publication number: 20100323774Abstract: A gaming machine for conducting a wagering game includes a value input device for receiving a wager and a processor for executing gameplay on the gaming machine. The processor has a plurality of power consumption levels. A power regulator is operative to alter the power consumption level of the processor amongst the plurality of power consumption levels. In an embodiment, the power regulator comprises application software stored on a memory device in communication with the processor.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2010Publication date: December 23, 2010Inventors: Stephen A. Canterbury, Victor Mercado
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Publication number: 20100311500Abstract: In some embodiments, a method includes retrieving a value associated with a nonvolatile machine-readable medium from the nonvolatile machine-readable medium of a wagering game machine. The method also includes retrieving an authentication value from the nonvolatile machine-readable medium. The authentication value is derived from the value. The method includes enabling execution of a wagering game application stored in the nonvolatile machine-readable medium, in response to determining that the authentication value authenticates the wagering game application.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2007Publication date: December 9, 2010Applicant: WMS Gaming Inc.Inventors: Stephen A. Canterbury, Vernon W. Hamlin
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Publication number: 20100292001Abstract: A game button includes an enclosure in which are mounted at least one variable display, a sensor, a memory, and any other components of the game button. The variable display is capable of presenting a plurality of images thereon. The memory is communicatively coupled with the variable display, is adapted to store information for producing the plurality of images presented on the display, and is physically located between the variable display and the sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2010Publication date: November 18, 2010Applicant: WMS Gaming Inc.Inventors: Charles R. Bleich, Stephen A. Canterbury, John W. Skalon, Alfred Thomas
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Publication number: 20100261529Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to physically locate substantially similar or identical universal serial bus (USB) peripherals by receiving matching identification information from a plurality of USB peripherals coupled to a wagering game machine, and associating each one of the USB peripherals having the matching identification information with a corresponding predetermined physical location. Association may occur via automated reading of location indication devices, such as USB hubs having location-specific coupled to the USB peripherals. Other apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2008Publication date: October 14, 2010Applicant: WMS Gaming Inc.Inventors: Charles R. Bleich, Stephen A. Canterbury, Simon E. Sunblade, Muthu Velu
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Publication number: 20100222135Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to load a software program which, when executed by a processor, is associated with presenting a wagering game upon which monetary value may be wagered. The software program may be loaded into a non-volatile memory in the form of phase-change random access memory, nanotube random access memory, or a combination thereof, and executed by the processor to present the wagering game after conducting a first preliminary authentication. Upon entering a reset cycle, a subsequent preliminary authentication of the software program is conducted without reloading the non-volatile memory, and the program is executed from the non-volatile memory by the processor while a background full authentication of the software program stored in mass storage is conducted. Execution out of the non-volatile memory is halted if the background full authentication fails.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 22, 2008Publication date: September 2, 2010Inventors: Craig J. Sylla, Stephen A. Canterbury
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Patent number: 7785192Abstract: A gaming machine for conducting a wagering game includes a value input device for receiving a wager and a processor for executing gameplay on the gaming machine. The processor has a plurality of power consumption levels. A power regulator is operative to alter the power consumption level of the processor amongst the plurality of power consumption levels. In an embodiment, the power regulator comprises application software stored on a memory device in communication with the processor.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2006Date of Patent: August 31, 2010Assignee: WMS Gaming, Inc.Inventors: Stephen A. Canterbury, Victor Mercado
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Patent number: 7775872Abstract: A game button includes an enclosure in which are mounted at least one variable display, a sensor, a memory, and any other components of the game button. The variable display is capable of presenting a plurality of images thereon. The memory is communicatively coupled with the variable display, is adapted to store information for producing the plurality of images presented on the display, and is physically located between the variable display and the sensor.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2003Date of Patent: August 17, 2010Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.Inventors: Charles R. Bleich, Stephen A. Canterbury, John W. Skalon, Alfred Thomas
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Publication number: 20100099487Abstract: A computerized wagering game system includes a gaming module comprising gaming code which is operable when executed on to conduct a wagering game on which monetary value can be wagered, and includes a cooling module comprising two or more fans and a fan controller operable to control the speed of the two or more fans.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2007Publication date: April 22, 2010Inventors: Stephen A. Canterbury, Victor Mercado
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Publication number: 20100075750Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention, a gaming system is disclosed including at least one community display and a plurality of personal media terminals. The at least one community display is adapted to display a community event thereon. The plurality of personal media terminals has a player positioning device and a plurality of speakers. At least two of the plurality of speakers are positioned to provide frontal audio to the player positioning device and at least two of the plurality of speakers are positioned to provide rear audio to the player positioning device. The plurality of speakers is positioned so as to provide a 360-degree sound field relative to the player positioning device. The 360-degree sound field for each of the plurality of personal media terminals differs based on the location of the personal media terminal in relation to the community display.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2007Publication date: March 25, 2010Applicant: WMS GAMING INC.Inventors: Charles R. Bleich, Stephen A. Canterbury, Eric M. Pryzby, James M. Rasmussen, Norman R. Wurz
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Publication number: 20100048288Abstract: A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In embodiments, the operations can determine different objects and/or portions within a wagering game video image and split the wagering game video image into multiple video streams containing different parts of the wagering game video image. The operations can then present the multiple video streams on multiple displays. The multiple displays can show the different parts of the wagering game video image appearing as separate and distinct video images. In some embodiments, some of the multiple displays can be placed in front of other displays. The operations can generate transparent masks that allow images to be seen through a display.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2009Publication date: February 25, 2010Applicant: WMS Gaming, Inc.Inventors: Stephen A. Canterbury, Timothy C. Loose, Victor Mercado, James M. Rasmussen
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Publication number: 20100048298Abstract: In some embodiments, an apparatus comprises a wagering game machine. The wagering game machine comprises a wagering game unit operable to receive a wager in association with a wagering game. The wagering game machine also comprises a display to display a randomly selected outcome of the wagering game. The wagering game machine comprises a controller to control the display. The controller comprises an electrical component embedded in the display, wherein the electrical component is substantially transparent to a part of the electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to a human eye.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 8, 2007Publication date: February 25, 2010Applicant: WMS Gaming Inc.Inventors: Charles R. Bleich, Stephen A. Canterbury
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Patent number: RE42929Abstract: A gaming device comprising a cabinet, a door, a game control unit, a printed circuit board and an input/output microcontroller. The door is hingedly connected to the cabinet. The game control unit is housed within the cabinet. The printed circuit board is mounted to the door and disposed inside the cabinet. The printed circuit board carries a plurality of light sources and a plurality of switches switchable between an actuated condition and a non-actuated condition. The input/output microcontroller, which performs many of the functions conventionally performed by the game control unit, is mounted to the printed circuit board and connected to the game control unit by a serial link. The microcontroller is coupled to the switches to inform the game control unit of the condition of each of the switches. The microcontroller is coupled to the light sources to turn the light sources on and off.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2002Date of Patent: November 15, 2011Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.Inventors: Stephen A. Canterbury, Timothy C. Loose