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).

  • Patent number: 7452271
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence E. DeMar, Erica Frohm, William A. Grupp, Joel R. Jaffe, Scott Slomiany
  • Patent number: 7195560
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence E. DeMar, Erica Frohm, William A. Grupp, Joel R. Jaffe, Scott Slomiany
  • Patent number: 6648757
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Slomiany, William A. Grupp
  • Publication number: 20030199307
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2003
    Publication date: October 23, 2003
    Inventors: Lawrence E. DeMar, Erica Frohm, William A. Grupp, Joel R. Jaffe, Scott Slomiany
  • Publication number: 20030199309
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Publication date: October 23, 2003
    Inventors: Lawrence E. DeMar, Erica Frohm, William A. Grupp, Joel R. Jaffe, Scott Slomiany
  • Publication number: 20030181238
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2003
    Publication date: September 25, 2003
    Inventors: Lawrence E. DeMar, Erica Frohm, William A. Grupp, Joel R. Jaffe, Scott Slomiany
  • Patent number: 6315660
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence E. DeMar, Erica Frohm, William A. Grupp, Joel R. Jaffe, Scott Slomiany, Robert J. Wilson, Jr., Alfred Thomas
  • Patent number: 6203429
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence E. Demar, Erica Frohm, William A. Grupp, Scott Slomiany
  • Patent number: 6159098
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Slomiany, William A. Grupp