William Joseph Bussick

US Patent:

7056209, Jun 6, 2006

Filed:

Sep 13, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/243192

Inventors:

Anthony J. Baerlocher - Reno NV, US
William J. Bussick - Reno NV, US
James R. Chance - Carson City NV, US

Assignee:

IGT - Reno NV

International Classification:

A63F 9/24

US Classification:

463 16

Abstract:

A multi-characteristic matching game including a gaming device displaying a plurality of selections including at least two characteristics where one of the selections functions as a base. The gaming device determines and indicates the optimal selection based on the characteristics of the selections. The gaming device enables a player to pick the selections and causes each picked selection to function as the base when the picked selection includes at least one matching characteristic with the selection functioning as the base. The gaming device continues to determine and indicate the optimal selections in the unpicked selections until there are no unpicked selections including at least one matching characteristic with the characteristics of the selection functioning as the base or until there are no selections remaining in the game. The gaming device provides an award to the player based on the number of matching selections picked by the player in the game.

US Patent:

7070502, Jul 4, 2006

Filed:

Oct 13, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/687689

Inventors:

William J. Bussick - Sparks NV, US
Paulina Glavich - Reno NV, US
Anthony J. Baerlocher - Reno NV, US

Assignee:

IGT - Reno NV

International Classification:

A63F 13/00

US Classification:

463 20

Abstract:

The present invention is a method for evaluating a player's award in a game wherein one symbol of the gaming device changes into another. In one embodiment, the present invention provides all awards for predetermined symbols and combinations thereof, including winning combinations produced by a wild symbol. In a second step, the game awards all awards for predetermined symbols and combinations thereof produced after the wild symbol has changed one or more non-wild symbols to a wild symbol. This step includes awarding the player for combinations previously awarded in the first step, which may or may not have been the result of the wild symbol.

US Patent:

7172506, Feb 6, 2007

Filed:

Aug 20, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/933843

Inventors:

Anthony J. Baerlocher - Reno NV, US
Cari L. Blomquist - Reno NV, US
Darren Maya - Reno NV, US
Robert N. Silva - Reno NV, US
William J. Bussick - Reno NV, US

Assignee:

IGT - Reno NV

International Classification:

A63F 13/00
A63F 9/24
G06F 17/00
G06F 19/00

US Classification:

463 25, 463 16, 463 29, 2731381, 273139

Abstract:

The present invention provides a gaming device that has an award modification function for player selectable awards that may be implemented with a primary or bonus game. More specifically, the present invention provides a processor controlled gaming device that randomly generates a plurality of positions or digits of an award and enables the player to pick which position or digit receives a first randomly generated number, which digit receives a second randomly generated number, etc. , until each of the positions have a number, whereby the gaming device determines the player's ultimate award. The present invention further provides a plurality of modification methods for modifying the digits of the award.

US Patent:

7226359, Jun 5, 2007

Filed:

Mar 27, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/277608

Inventors:

William J. Bussick - Reno NV, US
Paulina Glavich - Reno NV, US
Anthony J. Baerlocher - Reno NV, US

Assignee:

IGT - Reno NV

International Classification:

A63F 13/00

US Classification:

463 20

Abstract:

A method for evaluating a player's award in a game wherein one symbol of the gaming device changes into another. In one embodiment, all awards for predetermined symbols and combinations thereof, including winning combinations produced by a wild symbol are provided to the player. In a second step, the game awards all awards for predetermined symbols and combinations thereof produced after the wild symbol has changed one or more non-wild symbols to a wild symbol. This step includes awarding the player for combinations previously awarded in the first step, which may or may not have been the result of the wild symbol.

US Patent:

7294055, Nov 13, 2007

Filed:

Jun 1, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/421689

Inventors:

Anthony J. Baerlocher - Reno NV, US
William J. Bussick - Reno NV, US
James R. Chance - Carson City NV, US

Assignee:

IGT - Reno NV

International Classification:

A63F 9/24

US Classification:

463 16, 273139

Abstract:

A gaming device having a game with a plurality of selections, where each selection has at least two characteristics. The gaming device is controlled by at least one processor to display a plurality of the selections; display an indication of one of the selections functioning as a base; determine at least one optimal selection from the displayed selections for providing a highest obtainable award for the game; display an indication of the optimal selection; and enable a player to input a pick of one of the plurality of displayed selections, other than the selection functioning as the base, where the picked selection has at least one characteristic that matches one of the characteristics of the selection functioning as the base.

US Patent:

7481709, Jan 27, 2009

Filed:

May 30, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/755538

Inventors:

William J. Bussick - Reno NV, US
Paulina Glavich - Reno NV, US
Anthony J. Baerlocher - Reno NV, US

Assignee:

IGT - Reno NV

International Classification:

A63F 13/00

US Classification:

463 20

Abstract:

A method for evaluating a player's award in a game wherein one symbol of the gaming device changes into another. In one embodiment, all awards for predetermined symbols and combinations thereof, including winning combinations produced by a wild symbol are provided to the player. In a second step, the game awards all awards for predetermined symbols and combinations thereof produced after the wild symbol has changed one or more non-wild symbols to a wild symbol. This step includes awarding the player for combinations previously awarded in the first step, which may or may not have been the result of the wild symbol.

US Patent:

7488250, Feb 10, 2009

Filed:

Jan 24, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/626632

Inventors:

Anthony J. Baerlocher - Reno NV, US
Cari L. Blomquist - Reno NV, US
Darren Maya - Reno NV, US
Robert N. Silva - Reno NV, US
William J. Bussick - Reno NV, US

Assignee:

IGT - Reno NV

International Classification:

A63F 13/00
A63F 9/24
G06F 17/00
G06F 19/00

US Classification:

463 25, 463 16, 463 29, 2731381, 273139

Abstract:

A gaming device that has an award modification function for player selectable awards that may be implemented with a primary or bonus game. More specifically, a processor controlled gaming device randomly generates a plurality of positions or digits of an award and enables the player to pick which position or digit receives a first randomly generated number, which digit receives a second randomly generated number, etc. , until each of the positions have a number, whereby the gaming device determines the player's ultimate award. A plurality of modification methods can be employed to individually modify the digits of the award.

US Patent:

7591722, Sep 22, 2009

Filed:

Sep 8, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/657409

Inventors:

Anthony J. Baerlocher - Reno NV, US
William J. Bussick - Reno NV, US
Michael MacVittie - Reno NV, US

Assignee:

IGT - Reno NV

International Classification:

A63F 9/24
A63F 13/00
G06F 17/00
G06F 19/00

US Classification:

463 9, 463 10, 463 14

Abstract:

In the game, instead of filling up an entire board as is done in the known Othello game, a certain amount of moves are made by the game, such as two moves, while the player makes a same amount of moves. The game moves first, followed by the player. The moves flank or bound and convert at least one of the opposing chips to a chip belonging to the entity making the move. For example, upon a game move, at least one player chip is bounded or flanked by game chips and converted to a game chip. Likewise, upon a player move, at least one game chip is converted to a player chip. The game and player go back and forth in that manner until each of the game moves and player moves is exhausted. The player's remaining chips are assigned values that total to an award for the player.