Patents by Inventor Tracy L. Powell

Tracy L. Powell 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: 9524620
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the disclosed gaming device include a housing which supports a plurality of mechanical reels and a plurality of stop input devices which are configured to provide a Pachisuro-style slot game. Each of the plurality of reels is associated with a different one of the plurality of stop input devices. Each stop input device enables a player to stop the respective reel when the reel is spinning by activating the stop input device. Each reel includes a plurality of stop positions and each stop position includes a symbol. The gaming device also includes a processor and a memory device. For each reel, the processor randomly determines the stop position at which the reel ultimately stops based on a virtual map stored in the memory device for an initiating stop position of that reel which is selected by the player's activation of the stop input device for that reel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Anthony J. Baerlocher, Bryan D. Wolf, Theodore M. Gail, Tracy L. Powell, Ali M. Saffari
  • Publication number: 20150087395
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the disclosed gaming device include a housing which supports a plurality of mechanical reels and a plurality of stop input devices which are configured to provide a Pachisuro-style slot game. Each of the plurality of reels is associated with a different one of the plurality of stop input devices. Each stop input device enables a player to stop the respective reel when the reel is spinning by activating the stop input device. Each reel includes a plurality of stop positions and each stop position includes a symbol. The gaming device also includes a processor and a memory device. For each reel, the processor randomly determines the stop position at which the reel ultimately stops based on a virtual map stored in the memory device for an initiating stop position of that reel which is selected by the player's activation of the stop input device for that reel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Anthony J. Baerlocher, Theodore M. Gail, Tracy L. Powell, Ali M. Saffari
  • Patent number: 8821248
    Abstract: The gaming system and method disclosed herein provides a bingo game wherein a single bingo pattern is associated with a plurality of outcomes. In one such embodiment, a first bingo pattern is associated with a static outcome, such as an award of a designated value, and a second bingo pattern is associated with an open-ended outcome, such as a progressive award. If a bingo pattern associated with a progressive award is covered, the disclosed gaming system and method causes the bingo game to display, a symbol combination associated with the progressive award. In one embodiment, the disclosed gaming system and method selects the symbol combination from a plurality of symbol combinations associated with the progressive award.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Jeremy J. Warner, Justin M. Krum, Tracy L. Powell
  • Patent number: 8758106
    Abstract: A gaming system which provides the player a plurality of playing cards to form an initial primary card hand and also displays one or more other card hands. The player selects one or more of the initially dealt cards in the primary card hand to hold or to discard. The held cards are also held in one, more or each of the other simultaneously displayed hands. The gaming device evaluates the held cards and determines which card game outcomes are possible based on the held cards and the remaining cards in the deck. The gaming device utilizes a stored table of different distributions of card game outcomes which would result in each payout amount and a table regarding which card game outcomes are possible based on the player's held cards to determine a distribution of outcomes that provides a total payout equal to the payout of the predetermined game outcome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Bryan D. Wolf, Lesley S. Swift, Justin M. Krum, John M. Montross, Tracy L. Powell
  • Publication number: 20130316789
    Abstract: The gaming system and method disclosed herein provides a bingo game wherein a single bingo pattern is associated with a plurality of outcomes. In one such embodiment, a first bingo pattern is associated with a static outcome, such as an award of a designated value, and a second bingo pattern is associated with an open-ended outcome, such as a progressive award. If a bingo pattern associated with a progressive award is covered, the disclosed gaming system and method causes the bingo game to display, a symbol combination associated with the progressive award. In one embodiment, the disclosed gaming system and method selects the symbol combination from a plurality of symbol combinations associated with the progressive award.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Jeremy J. Warner, Justin M. Krum, Tracy L. Powell
  • Publication number: 20130273991
    Abstract: A gaming system which provides the player a plurality of playing cards to form an initial primary card hand and also displays one or more other card hands. The player selects one or more of the initially dealt cards in the primary card hand to hold or to discard. The held cards are also held in one, more or each of the other simultaneously displayed hands. The gaming device evaluates the held cards and determines which card game outcomes are possible based on the held cards and the remaining cards in the deck. The gaming device utilizes a stored table of different distributions of card game outcomes which would result in each payout amount and a table regarding which card game outcomes are possible based on the player's held cards to determine a distribution of outcomes that provides a total payout equal to the payout of the predetermined game outcome.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Inventors: Bryan D. Wolf, Lesley S. Swift, Justin M. Krum, John M. Montross, Tracy L. Powell
  • Patent number: 8500538
    Abstract: The gaming system and method disclosed herein provides a bingo game wherein a single bingo pattern is associated with a plurality of outcomes. In one such embodiment, a first bingo pattern is associated with a static outcome, such as an award of a designated value, and a second bingo pattern is associated with an open-ended outcome, such as a progressive award. If a bingo pattern associated with a progressive award is covered, the disclosed gaming system and method causes the bingo game to display a symbol combination associated with the progressive award. In one embodiment, the disclosed gaming system and method selects the symbol combination from a plurality of symbol combinations associated with the progressive award.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Jeremy J. Warner, Justin M. Krum, Tracy L. Powell
  • Patent number: 8475255
    Abstract: A gaming system which provides the player a plurality of playing cards to form an initial primary card hand and also displays one or more other card hands. The player selects one or more of the initially dealt cards in the primary card hand to hold or to discard. The held cards are also held in one, more or each of the other simultaneously displayed hands. The gaming device evaluates the held cards and determines which card game outcomes are possible based on the held cards and the remaining cards in the deck. The gaming device utilizes a stored table of different distributions of card game outcomes which would result in each payout amount and a table regarding which card game outcomes are possible based on the player's held cards to determine a distribution of outcomes that provides a total payout equal to the payout of the predetermined game outcome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Bryan D. Wolf, Lesley S. Swift, Justin M. Krum, John M. Montross, Tracy L. Powell
  • Publication number: 20120244923
    Abstract: A gaming system which provides the player a plurality of playing cards to form an initial primary card hand and also displays one or more other card hands. The player selects one or more of the initially dealt cards in the primary card hand to hold or to discard. The held cards are also held in one, more or each of the other simultaneously displayed hands. The gaming device evaluates the held cards and determines which card game outcomes are possible based on the held cards and the remaining cards in the deck. The gaming device utilizes a stored table of different distributions of card game outcomes which would result in each payout amount and a table regarding which card game outcomes are possible based on the player's held cards to determine a distribution of outcomes that provides a total payout equal to the payout of the predetermined game outcome.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Bryan D. Wolf, Lesley Bienvenue, Justin M. Krum, John M. Montross, Tracy L. Powell
  • Patent number: 8197321
    Abstract: A gaming system which provides the player a plurality of playing cards to form an initial primary poker hand and also displays one or more other poker hands. The player selects one or more of the initially dealt cards in the primary poker hand to hold or to discard. The held cards are also held in one, more or each of the other simultaneously displayed hands. The gaming device evaluates the held cards and determines which poker game outcomes are possible based on the held cards and the remaining cards in the deck. The gaming device utilizes a stored table of different distributions of poker game outcomes which would result in each payout amount and a table regarding which poker game outcomes are possible based on the player's held cards to determine a distribution of outcomes that provides a total payout equal to the payout of the predetermined game outcome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Bryan D. Wolf, Lesley S. Swift, Justin M. Krum, John M. Montross, Tracy L. Powell
  • Publication number: 20110028201
    Abstract: The gaming system and method disclosed herein provides a bingo game wherein a single bingo pattern is associated with a plurality of outcomes. In one such embodiment, a first bingo pattern is associated with a static outcome, such as an award of a designated value, and a second bingo pattern is associated with an open-ended outcome, such as a progressive award. If a bingo pattern associated with a progressive award is covered, the disclosed gaming system and method causes the bingo game to display a symbol combination associated with the progressive award. In one embodiment, the disclosed gaming system and method selects the symbol combination from a plurality of symbol combinations associated with the progressive award.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Jeremy J. Warner, Justin M. Krum, Tracy L. Powell
  • Publication number: 20100144415
    Abstract: A gaming system which provides the player a plurality of playing cards to form an initial primary poker hand and also displays one or more other poker hands. The player selects one or more of the initially dealt cards in the primary poker hand to hold or to discard. The held cards are also held in one, more or each of the other simultaneously displayed hands. The gaming device evaluates the held cards and determines which poker game outcomes are possible based on the held cards and the remaining cards in the deck. The gaming device utilizes a stored table of different distributions of poker game outcomes which would result in each payout amount and a table regarding which poker game outcomes are possible based on the player's held cards to determine a distribution of outcomes that provides a total payout equal to the payout of the predetermined game outcome.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2010
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: Bryan D. Wolf, Lesley S. Swift, Justin M. Krum, John M. Montross, Tracy L. Powell
  • Patent number: 7658672
    Abstract: A gaming system which provides the player a plurality of playing cards to form an initial primary poker hand and also displays one or more other poker hands. The player selects one or more of the initially dealt cards in the primary poker hand to hold or to discard. The held cards are also held in one, more or each of the other simultaneously displayed hands. The gaming device evaluates the held cards and determines which poker game outcomes are possible based on the held cards and the remaining cards in the deck. The gaming device utilizes a stored table of different distributions of poker game outcomes which would result in each payout amount and a table regarding which poker game outcomes are possible based on the player's held cards to determine a distribution of outcomes that provides a total payout equal to the payout of the predetermined game outcome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Bryan D. Wolf, Lesley S. Swift, Justin M. Krum, John M. Montross, Tracy L. Powell