Patents by Inventor Thomas J. Humphrey

Thomas J. Humphrey 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).

  • Publication number: 20240138824
    Abstract: Vascular closure assembly device and method embodiments may be used to provide hemostasis at vascular puncture site or the like. Such vascular puncture or access sites may be created during a variety of percutaneous or minimally invasive medical procedures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventors: Brian HAUCK, Thomas LARZON, Joseph W. HUMPHREY, Robert G. WHIRLEY, Robert L. CARTER, Dion J. THUROW
  • Publication number: 20190392675
    Abstract: In various embodiments, the present disclosure relates generally to gaming systems and methods for overlappingly providing each of a first game utilizing a set of mechanical reels and a second game utilizing a video display device. In these embodiments, upon a displayed event associated with one or more of the mechanical reels of the first game, the gaming system triggers one or more features of the second game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventors: Thomas J. Humphrey, William J. Bussick
  • Patent number: 10373423
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a gaming system and method providing a multiplayer secondary game having an outcome determined based on play of a primary game of at least one, but not all, of the secondary game players. In various embodiments, play of a primary game of a designated one of a plurality of players of a secondary game controls play of the secondary game independent of any play of any primary games of the other players of the secondary game. Put differently, play of the secondary game depends on play of the primary game of the designated player and does not depend on any play of any primary games of the other. Thus, while multiple players participate in the secondary game and may concurrently play individual primary games, play of the primary game of one, but not all, of those players controls play of the secondary game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Thomas J. Humphrey, Thomas W. Allen, II, Dylan B. Selegue, Ross D. Wenker
  • Publication number: 20180374300
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a gaming system and method providing a multiplayer secondary game having an outcome determined based on play of a primary game of at least one, but not all, of the secondary game players. In various embodiments, play of a primary game of a designated one of a plurality of players of a secondary game controls play of the secondary game independent of any play of any primary games of the other players of the secondary game. Put differently, play of the secondary game depends on play of the primary game of the designated player and does not depend on any play of any primary games of the other. Thus, while multiple players participate in the secondary game and may concurrently play individual primary games, play of the primary game of one, but not all, of those players controls play of the secondary game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas J. Humphrey, Thomas W. Allen, II, Dylan B. Selegue, Ross D. Wenker
  • Patent number: 10068415
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a gaming system and method providing a multiplayer secondary game having an outcome determined based on play of a primary game of at least one, but not all, of the secondary game players. In various embodiments, play of a primary game of a designated one of a plurality of players of a secondary game controls play of the secondary game independent of any play of any primary games of the other players of the secondary game. Put differently, play of the secondary game depends on play of the primary game of the designated player and does not depend on any play of any primary games of the other. Thus, while multiple players participate in the secondary game and may concurrently play individual primary games, play of the primary game of one, but not all, of those players controls play of the secondary game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Thomas J. Humphrey, Thomas W. Allen, II, Dylan B. Selegue, Ross D. Wenker
  • Patent number: 10002496
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gaming system and method providing a keno game including an object removal feature that may trigger a secondary award. In one embodiment, the keno game is associated with a plurality of keno numbers and a plurality of sets of objects. Each object is associated with one of the keno numbers. The gaming system displays the sets of objects in different layers stacked one atop the other. If an object removal event occurs during play of the keno game, the gaming system removes (at least) one of the displayed objects such that the object is no longer displayed, and determines if a secondary award triggering event occurred based on the removal of the object. If so, the gaming system determines and provides a secondary award. The occurrence of the object removal event thus provides an opportunity for the secondary award triggering event to occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Thomas J. Humphrey, Dylan B. Selegue, Ross D. Wenker, Thomas W. Allen, II
  • Patent number: 9761086
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a gaming system and method providing a game having a plurality of activatable award indicators. Generally, in various embodiments, the gaming system enables a player to play any of a plurality of different games, each of which is associated with a different activatable award indicator of an award generator that is associated with a plurality of awards. For each different game, when a particular award indicator activation event occurs during play of that game, the gaming system activates the award indicator associated with that game. When an award determination triggering event occurs, the gaming system indicates a different award of the award generator for each active award indicator and provides the indicated awards to the player. The gaming system of the present disclosure thus enables the player to activate different award indicators through play of different games.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Benjamin R. Holsclaw, Thomas J. Humphrey, Bradford D. Brown
  • Patent number: 9691228
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for keno game play. A keno board is displayed having a plurality of spots. A player selection of a plurality of player spots is received. One or more modifications to a three-dimensional structure of the keno board are determined, with the one or more modifications including changes in position of one or more spots from the plurality of spots. The display of the keno board is updated with the one or more modifications to the three-dimensional structure of the keno board. A plurality of draws are determined and displayed on the keno board. Three dimensional movement of a draw, from the plurality of draws, landing on a spot included in the one or more spots whose positions changed is displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Ross D. Wenker, Thomas W. Allen, II, Thomas J. Humphrey
  • Patent number: 9682311
    Abstract: In various embodiments, the gaming system and method disclosed herein provides a primary game in which the gaming system provides monetary awards to a player and a secondary game in which the gaming system provides non-monetary skill units to the player. In one such embodiment, the gaming system initiates the play of the skill-based secondary game in response to a triggering even associated with a primary game of the gaming system, and forms a score for the player based on zero, one or more inputs made by the player during the play of the skill-based secondary game. The gaming system determines an amount of non-monetary skill units to provide the player based on the score, and provides the player with the non-monetary skill units. The player redeems any amount of non-monetary skill units for one or more virtual goods offered via a virtual marketplace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Sean M. Gilliland, Thomas Billings, Jeremy Bryan, Salvador A. Castellon, Shavon Gardner, Thomas J. Humphrey, Christian Lopez, James T. McGlone, Maria J. Nepomuceno, Kyu Shin, Jun Yi
  • Patent number: 9600975
    Abstract: Gaming systems and methods for providing a keno game during which matches from a previous keno game are carried over to the keno game are described herein. A keno board is displayed having a set of available numbers and a first set of one or more matches identified between player selected numbers and drawn numbers from a previous keno game. A first set of drawn numbers from the set of available numbers is selected. The number of the first set of drawn numbers is modified by number of matches in the first set of matches. The payout to the player is calculated based on the first set of matches and a second set of matches between the first set of drawn numbers and the player selected numbers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Bradford D. Brown, Benjamin R. Holsclaw, Thomas J. Humphrey, David R. Lark, Ronald P. Papson
  • Patent number: 9460585
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided keno game play. A keno board is displayed showing a set of available spots. A player selection of a plurality of player selected spots is received. A set of removed spots to be removed from play is determined from the set of available spots. A plurality of drawn spots is selected from at least some of the set of available spots, where the plurality of drawn spots exclude the set of removed spots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Ross D. Wenker, Thomas W. Allen, II, Thomas J. Humphrey, Bryan D. Wolf
  • Publication number: 20160267741
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gaming system and method providing a keno game including an object removal feature that may trigger a secondary award. In one embodiment, the keno game is associated with a plurality of keno numbers and a plurality of sets of objects. Each object is associated with one of the keno numbers. The gaming system displays the sets of objects in different layers stacked one atop the other. If an object removal event occurs during play of the keno game, the gaming system removes (at least) one of the displayed objects such that the object is no longer displayed, and determines if a secondary award triggering event occurred based on the removal of the object. If so, the gaming system determines and provides a secondary award. The occurrence of the object removal event thus provides an opportunity for the secondary award triggering event to occur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Inventors: Thomas J. Humphrey, Dylan B. Selegue, Ross D. Wenker, Thomas W. Allen, II
  • Publication number: 20160125694
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a gaming system and method providing a game having a plurality of activatable award indicators. Generally, in various embodiments, the gaming system enables a player to play any of a plurality of different games, each of which is associated with a different activatable award indicator of an award generator that is associated with a plurality of awards. For each different game, when a particular award indicator activation event occurs during play of that game, the gaming system activates the award indicator associated with that game. When an award determination triggering event occurs, the gaming system indicates a different award of the award generator for each active award indicator and provides the indicated awards to the player. The gaming system of the present disclosure thus enables the player to activate different award indicators through play of different games.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2016
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: Benjamin R. Holsclaw, Thomas J. Humphrey, Bradford D. Brown
  • Patent number: 9245412
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a gaming system and method providing a game having a plurality of activatable award indicators. Generally, in various embodiments, the gaming system enables a player to play any of a plurality of different games, each of which is associated with a different activatable award indicator of an award generator that is associated with a plurality of awards. For each different game, when a particular award indicator activation event occurs during play of that game, the gaming system activates the award indicator associated with that game. When an award determination triggering event occurs, the gaming system indicates a different award of the award generator for each active award indicator and provides the indicated awards to the player. The gaming system of the present disclosure thus enables the player to activate different award indicators through play of different games.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Benjamin R. Holsclaw, Thomas J. Humphrey, Bradford D. Brown
  • Publication number: 20150287276
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a gaming system and method providing a multiplayer secondary game having an outcome determined based on play of a primary game of at least one, but not all, of the secondary game players. In various embodiments, play of a primary game of a designated one of a plurality of players of a secondary game controls play of the secondary game independent of any play of any primary games of the other players of the secondary game. Put differently, play of the secondary game depends on play of the primary game of the designated player and does not depend on any play of any primary games of the other. Thus, while multiple players participate in the secondary game and may concurrently play individual primary games, play of the primary game of one, but not all, of those players controls play of the secondary game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Publication date: October 8, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas J. Humphrey, Thomas W. Allen, II, Dylan B. Selegue, Ross D. Wenker
  • Publication number: 20150254925
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided keno game play. A keno board is displayed showing a set of available spots. A player selection of a plurality of player selected spots is received. A set of removed spots to be removed from play is determined from the set of available spots. A plurality of drawn spots is selected from at least some of the set of available spots, where the plurality of drawn spots exclude the set of removed spots.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Inventors: Ross D. Wenker, Thomas W. Allen, II, Thomas J. Humphrey, Bryan D. Wolf
  • Publication number: 20150254923
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for keno game play. A keno board is displayed having a plurality of spots. A player selection of a plurality of player spots is received. One or more modifications to a three-dimensional structure of the keno board are determined, with the one or more modifications including changes in position of one or more spots from the plurality of spots. The display of the keno board is updated with the one or more modifications to the three-dimensional structure of the keno board. A plurality of draws are determined and displayed on the keno board. Three dimensional movement of a draw, from the plurality of draws, landing on a spot included in the one or more spots whose positions changed is displayed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Inventors: Ross D. Wenker, Thomas W. Allen, II, Thomas J. Humphrey
  • Publication number: 20150087380
    Abstract: Gaming systems and methods for providing a keno game during which matches from a previous keno game are carried over to the keno game are described herein. A keno board is displayed having a set of available numbers and a first set of one or more matches identified between player selected numbers and drawn numbers from a previous keno game. A first set of drawn numbers from the set of available numbers is selected. The number of the first set of drawn numbers is modified by number of matches in the first set of matches. The payout to the player is calculated based on the first set of matches and a second set of matches between the first set of drawn numbers and the player selected numbers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Bradford D. Brown, Benjamin R. Holsclaw, Thomas J. Humphrey, David R. Lark, Ronald P. Papson
  • Publication number: 20150080109
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a gaming system and method providing a game having a plurality of activatable award indicators. Generally, in various embodiments, the gaming system enables a player to play any of a plurality of different games, each of which is associated with a different activatable award indicator of an award generator that is associated with a plurality of awards. For each different game, when a particular award indicator activation event occurs during play of that game, the gaming system activates the award indicator associated with that game. When an award determination triggering event occurs, the gaming system indicates a different award of the award generator for each active award indicator and provides the indicated awards to the player. The gaming system of the present disclosure thus enables the player to activate different award indicators through play of different games.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Benjamin R. Holsclaw, Thomas J. Humphrey, Bradford D. Brown
  • Publication number: 20140256399
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gaming system and method providing a game in which symbols can be selected more than once. In one embodiment, the gaming system initiates a play of the game, displays a plurality of different symbols, and receives a selection of at least one of the symbols to form a player symbol set. The gaming system randomly selects a designated quantity of the symbols to form a gaming system symbol set. Each of the symbols can be selected more than once. The gaming system determines any awards based on a comparison of the player symbol set with the gaming system symbol set, and provides any determined awards. If an additional award opportunity triggering event associated with the gaming system symbol set including a plurality of instances of a same one of the symbols occurs, the gaming system provides an additional award opportunity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Thomas J. Humphrey, James M. Cole, Bradford D. Brown, Ross D. Wenker, Benjamin R. Holsclaw, Robert W. Ruymann