Patents by Inventor William A. Grupp
William A. Grupp 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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Patent number: 7452271Abstract: Gaming machines are disclosed having a basic mode defining a plurality of reels and a bonus mode defining a plurality of stations about a game board (e.g., MONOPOLY board) traversable by a token identifier. The disclosure describes a plurality of play features for the basic and/or bonus modes including (1) a feature allowing the player to select a game token; (2) a feature allowing the player to predict and wager on landing position(s) of the token identifier; (3) a feature allowing the player to obtain deferred-execution instruction(s) which are exercisable by the processor to override later-issued instruction(s) otherwise to be executed by the processor; (4) a feature in which movements of the token identifier are determined according to movement tables corresponding to the various stations of the game board; (5) a feature in which escalating bonuses are awarded for reaching a designated bonus square (e.g., the ‘GO’ square); (6) a feature in which bonuses are awarded for completing groups of stations (e.g.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2003Date of Patent: November 18, 2008Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.Inventors: Lawrence E. DeMar, Erica Frohm, William A. Grupp, Joel R. Jaffe, Scott Slomiany
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Patent number: 7195560Abstract: Gaming machines are disclosed having a basic mode defining a plurality of reels and a bonus mode defining a plurality of stations about a game board (e.g., MONOPOLY board) traversable by a token identifier. The disclosure describes a plurality of play features for the basic and/or bonus modes including (1) a feature allowing the player to select a game token; (2) a feature allowing the player to predict and wager on landing position(s) of the token identifier; (3) a feature allowing the player to obtain deferred-execution instruction(s) which are exercisable by the processor to override later-issued instruction(s) otherwise to be executed by the processor; (4) a feature in which movements of the token identifier are determined according to movement tables corresponding to the various stations of the game board; (5) a feature in which escalating bonuses are awarded for reaching a designated bonus square (e.g., the ‘GO’ square); (6) a feature in which bonuses are awarded for completing groups of stations (e.g.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2003Date of Patent: March 27, 2007Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.Inventors: Lawrence E. DeMar, Erica Frohm, William A. Grupp, Joel R. Jaffe, Scott Slomiany
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Patent number: 6648757Abstract: A bonus game for a gaming machine with two types of awards. The bonus game includes a plurality of selection elements, a number of which are associated with an award of coin(s) or credit(s) and a number of which are associated with an end-bonus penalty. The game is played by selecting a number of the selection elements, one at a time, until encountering a selection element associated with an end-bonus penalty which ends the bonus game. A first award type in the bonus game is a selection-based award in which the player is credited an amount of coin(s) or credit(s) based on the value (or cumulative value) of the selection elements selected in the bonus game. A second award type in the bonus game is a quantity-based award in which the player is credited an amount of coin(s) or credit(s) based on the number of successful trials of the bonus game.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2000Date of Patent: November 18, 2003Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.Inventors: Scott Slomiany, William A. Grupp
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Publication number: 20030199307Abstract: Gaming machines are disclosed having a basic mode defining a plurality of reels and a bonus mode defining a plurality of stations about a game board (e.g., MONOPOLY board) traversable by a token identifier. The disclosure describes a plurality of play features for the basic and/or bonus modes including (1) a feature allowing the player to select a game token; (2) a feature allowing the player to predict and wager on landing position(s) of the token identifier; (3) a feature allowing the player to obtain deferred-execution instruction(s) which are exercisable by the processor to override later-issued instruction(s) otherwise to be executed by the processor; (4) a feature in which movements of the token identifier are determined according to movement tables corresponding to the various stations of the game board; (5) a feature in which escalating bonuses are awarded for reaching a designated bonus square (e.g.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2003Publication date: October 23, 2003Inventors: Lawrence E. DeMar, Erica Frohm, William A. Grupp, Joel R. Jaffe, Scott Slomiany
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Publication number: 20030199309Abstract: Gaining machines are disclosed having a basic mode defining a plurality of reels and a bonus mode defining a plurality of stations about a game board (e.g., MONOPOLY board) traversable by a token identifier. The disclosure describes a plurality of play features for the basic and/or bonus modes including (1) a feature allowing the player to select a game token; (2) a feature allowing the player to predict and wager on landing position(s) of the token identifier; (3) a feature allowing the player to obtain deferred-execution instruction(s) which are exercisable by the processor to override later-issued instruction(s) otherwise to be executed by the processor; (4) a feature in which movements of the token identifier are determined according to movement tables corresponding to the various stations of the game board; (5) a feature in which escalating bonuses are awarded for reaching a designated bonus square (e.g.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2003Publication date: October 23, 2003Inventors: Lawrence E. DeMar, Erica Frohm, William A. Grupp, Joel R. Jaffe, Scott Slomiany
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Publication number: 20030181238Abstract: Gaming machines are disclosed having a basic mode defining a plurality of reels and a bonus mode defining a plurality of stations about a game board (e.g., MONOPOLY board) traversable by a token identifier. The disclosure describes a plurality of play features for the basic and/or bonus modes including (1) a feature allowing the player to select a game token; (2) a feature allowing the player to predict and wager on landing position(s) of the token identifier; (3) a feature allowing the player to obtain deferred-execution instruction(s) which are exercisable by the processor to override later-issued instruction(s) otherwise to be executed by the processor; (4) a feature in which movements of the token identifier are determined according to movement tables corresponding to the various stations of the game board; (5) a feature in which escalating bonuses are awarded for reaching a designated bonus square (e.g.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 3, 2003Publication date: September 25, 2003Inventors: Lawrence E. DeMar, Erica Frohm, William A. Grupp, Joel R. Jaffe, Scott Slomiany
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Patent number: 6315660Abstract: Gaming machines are disclosed having a basic mode defining a plurality of reels and a bonus mode defining a plurality of stations about a game board (e.g., MONOPOLY board) traversable by a token identifier. The disclosure describes a plurality of play features for the basic and/or bonus modes including (1) a feature allowing the player to select a game token; (2) a feature allowing the player to predict and wager on landing position(s) of the token identifier; (3) a feature allowing the player to obtain deferred-execution instruction(s) which are exercisable by the processor to override later-issued instruction(s) otherwise to be executed by the processor; (4) a feature in which movements of the token identifier are determined according to movement tables corresponding to the various stations of the game board; (5) a feature in which escalating bonuses are awarded for reaching a designated bonus square (e.g.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 1999Date of Patent: November 13, 2001Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.Inventors: Lawrence E. DeMar, Erica Frohm, William A. Grupp, Joel R. Jaffe, Scott Slomiany, Robert J. Wilson, Jr., Alfred Thomas
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Patent number: 6203429Abstract: A gaming machine is operated by a programmed micro-processor in which the first mode of operation, a basic gambling game, is implemented such as video poker or reel-type slot machine play. If bonus symbols are selected in the basic mode, a bonus mode is triggered. In the bonus mode the same or a different game is implemented by the micro-processor system employing a variable probability trial procedure in which the player continues to play and receive awards until a losing combination occurs. The hit rate for the bonus mode is often significantly greater than 50% although the overall hold percentage of the game remains below 100%.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 1998Date of Patent: March 20, 2001Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.Inventors: Lawrence E. Demar, Erica Frohm, William A. Grupp, Scott Slomiany
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Patent number: 6159098Abstract: A bonus game for a gaming machine with two types of awards. The bonus game includes a plurality of selection elements, a number of which are associated with an award of coin(s) or credit(s) and a number of which are associated with an end-bonus penalty. The game is played by selecting a number of the selection elements, one at a time, until encountering a selection element associated with an end-bonus penalty which ends the bonus game. A first award type in the bonus game is a selection-based award in which the player is credited an amount of coin(s) or credit(s) based on the value (or cumulative value) of the selection elements selected in the bonus game. A second award type in the bonus game is a quantity-based award in which the player is credited an amount of coin(s) or credit(s) based on the number of successful trials of the bonus game.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 1998Date of Patent: December 12, 2000Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.Inventors: Scott Slomiany, William A. Grupp