Patents by Inventor Tonja M. Peterson

Tonja M. Peterson 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: 7326110
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for operating a gaming device that enables a player to obtain an award based upon the number of goals the player is able to achieve during game play. The goals advance in difficulty as the player achieves each goal. The game terminates automatically when the player fails to achieve a goal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Bayard S. Webb, Tonja M. Peterson, Anthony J. Baerlocher, Paulina Rodgers
  • Patent number: 7235011
    Abstract: A gaming device and method having a game with multiple player selectable award opportunities. In one embodiment, the gaming device displays a plurality of groups to a player. Each of the groups include related award opportunities. An indicator simultaneously indicates at least two of the award opportunities in one of the groups. In an alternative embodiment, components of an award opportunity are accumulated in an accumulated award opportunity. The accumulated award opportunity is indicated along with at least one other award opportunity. The player chooses one of the indicated award opportunities and receives the outcome which results from the indicated award opportunity picked by the player. In one embodiment, the average expected values of the outcomes which result from the indicated award opportunities in each group are approximately equal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Dov L. Randall, Peter Gerrard, Anthony J. Baerlocher, Peter J. A. Marsh, Tonja M. Peterson
  • Patent number: 7121943
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for operating a gaming device that enables a player to obtain an award based upon the number of goals the player is able to achieve during game play. The goals advance in difficulty as the player achieves each goal. The game terminates automatically when the player fails to achieve a goal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Bayard S. Webb, Tonja M. Peterson, Anthony J. Baerlocher, Paulina Rodgers
  • Publication number: 20060040732
    Abstract: A gaming system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming machines and a plurality of bonus awards. The central server monitors wagers on the gaming machines. Based at least in part on the wagers the central server determines when bonus events will occur and which gaming machine(s) will provide the bonus awards. In one embodiment, the central server determines which gaming machine will provide a primary bonus award and any secondary bonus awards. In one embodiment, the number of secondary bonus awards is determined based on the number of active gaming machines. The selected gaming machine then determines a component of or the amount of the bonus award to be provided to the gaming machine selected by the central server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2005
    Publication date: February 23, 2006
    Inventors: Anthony J. Baerlocher, James A. Vasquez, Tonja M. Peterson, Erick T. Ching
  • Publication number: 20040147306
    Abstract: A gaming device and method having a game with multiple player selectable award opportunities. In one embodiment, the gaming device displays a plurality of groups to a player. Each of the groups include related award opportunities. An indicator simultaneously indicates at least two of the award opportunities in one of the groups. In an alternative embodiment, components of an award opportunity are accumulated in an accumulated award opportunity. The accumulated award opportunity is indicated along with at least one other award opportunity. The player chooses one of the indicated award opportunities and receives the outcome which results from the indicated award opportunity picked by the player. In one embodiment, the average expected values of the outcomes which result from the indicated award opportunities in each group are approximately equal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2003
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Inventors: Dov L. Randall, Peter Gerrard, Anthony J. Baerlocher, Peter J. A. Marsh, Tonja M. Peterson
  • Publication number: 20040106444
    Abstract: A gaming device having a plurality of locations including a destination location, a player symbol and an award associated with a plurality of the locations. The gaming device includes a setback condition associated with one of the locations, wherein when the player symbol moves to the location having the associated setback condition, the player symbol is relocated based on the setback condition to one of the locations further from the destination location and an advance condition associated with one of the locations, wherein when the player symbol moves to the location having the advance condition, the player symbol is relocated based on the advance condition to one of the locations toward to the destination location. The player symbol is moved to at least one and preferably a plurality of the locations and the player is provided any awards associated with the locations of the player symbol until the player symbol is moved to or beyond the destination location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2003
    Publication date: June 3, 2004
    Inventors: Ryan W. Cuddy, Tonja M. Peterson, Anthony J. Baerlocher
  • Publication number: 20040048649
    Abstract: A gaming device and method having a game with multiple player selectable award opportunities. In one embodiment, the gaming device displays a plurality of groups to a player. Each of the groups include related award opportunities. An indicator simultaneously indicates at least two of the award opportunities in one of the groups. The player chooses one of the indicated award opportunities and receives the outcome which results from the indicated award opportunity picked by the player. In one embodiment, the average expected values of the outcomes which result from the indicated award opportunities in each group are approximately equal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2002
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Inventors: Tonja M. Peterson, Dov L. Randall, Peter Gerrard, Anthony J. Baerlocher, Peter J. A. Marsh
  • Publication number: 20030060277
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for operating a gaming device that enables a player to obtain an award based upon the number of goals the player is able to achieve during game play. The goals advance in difficulty as the player achieves each goal. The game terminates automatically when the player fails to achieve a goal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2002
    Publication date: March 27, 2003
    Inventors: Bayard S. Webb, Tonja M. Peterson, Anthony J. Baerlocher