Patents by Inventor William Keith Hughes

William Keith Hughes 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: 11735005
    Abstract: A gaming system including one or more progressive awards. Each progressive award is associated with a plurality of different progressive award reset values. Upon a progressive award triggering event occurring and the progressive award being provided to one or more players, the gaming system resets the progressive award to a randomly selected one of the plurality of different progressive award reset values associated with the provided progressive award. Thus, upon a determination to provide a progressive award to a player, that progressive award is reset to a randomly selected value which may be above the reset value historically associated with such a progressive award.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: William Keith Hughes, Timothy Kennedy, Robin S. Heenan
  • Publication number: 20220292925
    Abstract: A gaming system including one or more progressive awards. Each progressive award is associated with a plurality of different progressive award reset values. Upon a progressive award triggering event occurring and the progressive award being provided to one or more players, the gaming system resets the progressive award to a randomly selected one of the plurality of different progressive award reset values associated with the provided progressive award. Thus, upon a determination to provide a progressive award to a player, that progressive award is reset to a randomly selected value which may be above the reset value historically associated with such a progressive award.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Inventors: William Keith Hughes, Timothy Kennedy, Robin S. Heenan
  • Publication number: 20220284766
    Abstract: A gaming system including one or more progressive awards. Each progressive award is associated with a plurality of different progressive award reset values. Upon a progressive award triggering event occurring and the progressive award being provided to one or more players, the gaming system resets the progressive award to a randomly selected one of the plurality of different progressive award reset values associated with the provided progressive award. Thus, upon a determination to provide a progressive award to a player, that progressive award is reset to a randomly selected value which may be above the reset value historically associated with such a progressive award.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2022
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Inventors: William Keith Hughes, Timothy Kennedy, Robin S. Heenan
  • Patent number: 11380164
    Abstract: A gaming system including one or more progressive awards. Each progressive award is associated with a plurality of different progressive award reset values. Upon a progressive award triggering event occurring and the progressive award being provided to one or more players, the gaming system resets the progressive award to a randomly selected one of the plurality of different progressive award reset values associated with the provided progressive award. Thus, upon a determination to provide a progressive award to a player, that progressive award is reset to a randomly selected value which may be above the reset value historically associated with such a progressive award.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: William Keith Hughes, Timothy Kennedy, Robin S. Heenan
  • Publication number: 20200402361
    Abstract: A gaming system including one or more progressive awards. Each progressive award is associated with a plurality of different progressive award reset values. Upon a progressive award triggering event occurring and the progressive award being provided to one or more players, the gaming system resets the progressive award to a randomly selected one of the plurality of different progressive award reset values associated with the provided progressive award. Thus, upon a determination to provide a progressive award to a player, that progressive award is reset to a randomly selected value which may be above the reset value historically associated with such a progressive award.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Inventors: William Keith Hughes, Timothy Kennedy, Robin S. Heenan
  • Patent number: 10325445
    Abstract: A gaming system including a game which utilizes one or more designated symbols. In these embodiments, if at least one single individual designated symbol is generated and displayed at at least one single symbol display position, the gaming system modifies the single individual designated symbol into one or more individual designated symbols at the same single symbol display position. This modification of an individual designated symbol into a plurality of individual designated symbols is associated with one or more benefits, such as the availability of one or more awards not previously available prior to the modification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: William Keith Hughes, Kelsy J. Grace
  • Patent number: 10186106
    Abstract: In various embodiments, the present disclosure relates generally to gaming systems and methods for providing an interacting symbol game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: William Keith Hughes, Christian Gerchak, Cameron Filipour, Kimberly K. Maya, Timothy Kennedy
  • Publication number: 20180082519
    Abstract: In various embodiments, the present disclosure relates generally to gaming systems and methods for providing an interacting symbol game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Inventors: William Keith Hughes, Christian Gerchak, Cameron Filipour, Kimberly K. Maya, Timothy Kennedy
  • Publication number: 20180068519
    Abstract: A gaming system including a game which utilizes one or more designated symbols. In these embodiments, if at least one single individual designated symbol is generated and displayed at at least one single symbol display position, the gaming system modifies the single individual designated symbol into one or more individual designated symbols at the same single symbol display position. This modification of an individual designated symbol into a plurality of individual designated symbols is associated with one or more benefits, such as the availability of one or more awards not previously available prior to the modification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Inventors: William Keith Hughes, Kelsy J. Grace
  • Patent number: 9824526
    Abstract: A gaming system including a game which utilizes one or more designated symbols. In these embodiments, if at least one single individual designated symbol is generated and displayed at at least one single symbol display position, the gaming system modifies the single individual designated symbol into one or more individual designated symbols at the same single symbol display position. This modification of an individual designated symbol into a plurality of individual designated symbols is associated with one or more benefits, such as the availability of one or more awards not previously available prior to the modification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: William Keith Hughes, Kelsy J. Grace
  • Publication number: 20170221309
    Abstract: A gaming system including one or more progressive awards. Each progressive award is associated with a plurality of different progressive award reset values. Upon a progressive award triggering event occurring and the progressive award being provided to one or more players, the gaming system resets the progressive award to a randomly selected one of the plurality of different progressive award reset values associated with the provided progressive award. Thus, upon a determination to provide a progressive award to a player, that progressive award is reset to a randomly selected value which may be above the reset value historically associated with such a progressive award.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: William Keith Hughes, Timothy Kennedy, Robin S. Heenan
  • Patent number: 9501894
    Abstract: A gaming system and method for enabling a player to select a plurality of games to simultaneously, concurrently or overlappingly play, wherein regardless or independent of which primary games the player selected to play, the secondary games available to be triggered remain the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: William Keith Hughes, Kimberly N. Rogers, Christian D. Gerchak
  • Publication number: 20160171821
    Abstract: A gaming system including a game which utilizes one or more designated symbols. In these embodiments, if at least one single individual designated symbol is generated and displayed at at least one single symbol display position, the gaming system modifies the single individual designated symbol into one or more individual designated symbols at the same single symbol display position. This modification of an individual designated symbol into a plurality of individual designated symbols is associated with one or more benefits, such as the availability of one or more awards not previously available prior to the modification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Inventors: William Keith Hughes, Kelsy J. Grace
  • Patent number: 9342956
    Abstract: A gaming system and method which maintains a plurality of progressive awards. Each progressive award is associated with a progressive award contribution rate wherein at least two of the maintained progressive awards are associated with different progressive award contribution rates. Upon an occurrence of a progressive award contribution rate reconfiguration event, the gaming system shifts, modifies or changes which progressive awards are associated with which progressive award contribution rates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: William Keith Hughes
  • Publication number: 20160086435
    Abstract: A gaming system and method for enabling a player to select a plurality of games to simultaneously, concurrently or overlappingly play, wherein regardless or independent of which primary games the player selected to play, the secondary games available to be triggered remain the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Inventors: William Keith Hughes, Kimberly N. Rogers, Christian D. Gerchak
  • Patent number: 9275523
    Abstract: A gaming system including a game which utilizes one or more designated symbols. In these embodiments, if at least one single individual designated symbol is generated and displayed at at least one single symbol display position, the gaming system modifies the single individual designated symbol into one or more individual designated symbols at the same single symbol display position. This modification of an individual designated symbol into a plurality of individual designated symbols is associated with one or more benefits, such as the availability of one or more awards not previously available prior to the modification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: William Keith Hughes, Kelsy J. Grace
  • Patent number: 9208648
    Abstract: A gaming system and method for enabling a player to select a plurality of games to simultaneously, concurrently or overlappingly play, wherein regardless or independent of which primary games the player selected to play, the secondary games available to be triggered remain the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: William Keith Hughes, Kimberly N. Rogers, Christian D. Gerchak
  • Publication number: 20150072766
    Abstract: A gaming system and method for enabling a player to select a plurality of games to simultaneously, concurrently or overlappingly play, wherein regardless or independent of which primary games the player selected to play, the secondary games available to be triggered remain the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: William Keith Hughes, Kimberly N. Rogers, Christian D. Gerchak
  • Patent number: 8602880
    Abstract: A gaming system including a secondary game which incorporates different types of player decisions which affect different aspects of the play of the secondary game. Specifically, one or more gaming system determinations associated with a play of the primary game coupled with one or more player wagering or purchasing decisions made prior to the play of the secondary game, determine one or more features, attributes or parameters of the secondary game. Additionally, one or more player selections associated with the play of the secondary game, coupled with one or more player strategy decisions pertaining to the continued play of the secondary game, determine the secondary game award provided to the player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Amanda Tremblay, John H. Zielinski, Nicholas Mayne, William Keith Hughes
  • Publication number: 20130225277
    Abstract: A gaming system and method which maintains a plurality of progressive awards. Each progressive award is associated with a progressive award contribution rate wherein at least two of the maintained progressive awards are associated with different progressive award contribution rates. Upon an occurrence of a progressive award contribution rate reconfiguration event, the gaming system shifts, modifies or changes which progressive awards are associated with which progressive award contribution rates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventor: William Keith Hughes