Nolan K Bushnell

US Patent:

42445744, Jan 13, 1981

Filed:

Mar 29, 1979

Appl. No.:

6/025123

Inventors:

Ronald E. Milner - Grass Valley CA
Nolan K. Bushnell - Woodside CA

Assignee:

Atari, Inc. - Sunnyvale CA

International Classification:

A63F 700

US Classification:

273121A

Abstract:

A pinball machine having a main body with a circular upper margin and a conical playing surface extending downwardly from said upper margin and inwardly toward the center of the body. The body has a ball-actuating plunger and curved track near said upper margin so that a ball can be propelled in a circular path along said upper margin and away from the track so that the ball can follow a spiral path and strike one or more targets as it moves over the surface toward the lower extremity thereof. A bumper is mounted on the body near the lower extremity of the conical surface, and the bumper has a shiftable element which is manually actuated by a push-button switch to cause an outward force to be exerted on a ball as the ball approaches the bumper near the lower extremity of the conical surface. The element applies a force to the ball in a certain direction to cause the ball to move upwardly on the conical surface and to strike one or more targets on the conical surface. A display means coupled with the targets receives and displays numerical or other scores associated with the striking of the targets.

US Patent:

41046250, Aug 1, 1978

Filed:

Jan 12, 1977

Appl. No.:

5/758714

Inventors:

Stephen D. Bristow - Los Altos Hills CA
Nolan K. Bushnell - Woodside CA

Assignee:

Atari, Inc. - Sunnyvale CA

International Classification:

G06K 1518

US Classification:

340324R

Abstract:

An image animation apparatus includes a rotating disk having film negatives mounted around its periphery each film negative having a different facial expression on it. By use of an associated microprocessor which responds to certain control inputs the sequence of facial expressions can be selected by activating a flash tube at the proper time to project the image on the face of a featureless mannequin to cause the sequence of facial expressions to correspond to spoken phonemes which are synchronized with the facial expressions. Alternatively, instead of a rotating disk a matrix of optical cells can be selectively flashed. In addition, the image forming film negative associated with each optical cell can either contain a complete facial expression or a portion such as the eyes, mouth or eyebrows with the simultaneous activation of, for example, three cells producing a complete facial expression.

US Patent:

40716970, Jan 31, 1978

Filed:

Oct 18, 1976

Appl. No.:

5/724013

Inventors:

Nolan K. Bushnell - Los Gatos CA
Joseph F. Keenan - San Jose CA

Assignee:

Atari, Inc. - Sunnyvale CA

International Classification:

H04M 1100

US Classification:

179 2TV

Abstract:

An interactive purchasing system employs a station transmitting signals adapted to be received by a plurality of television receivers at a number of viewing stations via a given television channel. In one application, the signals represent information relating to associated merchandise in various stores. A viewer uses keyboard controls to scan the "pages" of advertising on a video display and to indicate a selected purchase. A telephone coupling arrangement provided at each viewing station is adapted to cooperate with a telephone in placing a call via the telephone selectively to one of a plurality of stores. Means are further provided at each viewing station for selecting merchandise to be purchased including means serving to operate a conventional telephone at the viewing station to call the particular stores related to the selected merchandise and to register a request to purchase the selected merchandise.

US Patent:

45891389, May 13, 1986

Filed:

Apr 22, 1985

Appl. No.:

6/725953

Inventors:

Ronald E. Milner - Grass Valley CA
Nolan K. Bushnell - Woodside CA

Assignee:

Axlon, Incorporated - Sunnyvale CA

International Classification:

A63H 333

US Classification:

381110

Abstract:

A voice emulation device, operation of which is initiated by a person's voice, is disclosed. The device includes detector circuitry that responds to a voice to produce a binary indication of the voice that is delayed by a serial shift register. The delayed binary indication is coupled to a digital-to-analog converter where the rising and falling edges of the binary indication are "shaved" to provide the delayed binary indication with attack and decay characteristics to form an amplitude envelope. The amplitude envelope is modulated by a modulation signal of a pseudo-randomly varying (audio) frequency to generate an output signal which, when converted to aural form, produces a pseudo-articulate sound (i. e. , voice emulation).

US Patent:

47207892, Jan 19, 1988

Filed:

Oct 31, 1985

Appl. No.:

6/794161

Inventors:

Roger D. Hector - Saratoga CA
Nolan K. Bushnell - Woodside CA
Howard Delman - San Jose CA
Edward Rotberg - Los Altos CA
Jon Kinsting - San Jose CA

Assignee:

Bally Manufacturing Corporation - Chicago IL

International Classification:

G06F 1544
A63B 2304

US Classification:

364410

Abstract:

Operation of a video game or an exercise system utilizing a video display is enhanced by a floor controller utilizing weight sensitive pads that allows an operator to input information into the system by locating his feet in specific portions of the floor controller. The system includes an interface circuit which obtains foot location signals from the floor controller and transmits this information to a system microprocessor which in turn is used to control the video display. The system can also include light segments that are under control of the microprocessor and which are associated with each of the weight sensitive pads.

US Patent:

20200286341, Sep 10, 2020

Filed:

Jan 16, 2020

Appl. No.:

16/745183

Inventors:

- Las Vegas CA, US
Nolan K. BUSHNELL - Los Angeles CA, US

International Classification:

G07F 17/32
G06Q 50/34

Abstract:

A game, configured for execution in a regulated gaming machine, may require skillful actions by a player to achieve an objective of the game. The game may be further configured such that outcomes are partially determined by randomness and partially determined by inputs to the regulated gaming machine from the player. A computer-implemented method may comprise, iteratively, during game play of the game: receiving inputs from the player via a player interface; generating a skillful action within the game based upon the received player inputs, and generating an outcome of the skillful action that is partially determined by randomness and partially determined by the generated skillful action based upon the player inputs. A reward may be selectively provided to the player according to the generated outcome and according to a predetermined target Return to Player (RTP) percentage for the game. The degree to which the randomness affects the generated outcome and the degree to which the skillful action based upon inputs from the player affect the generated outcome may then be changed such that a later-generated outcome is differently affected by the randomness and by inputs from the player than a prior-generated outcome.

US Patent:

20200184775, Jun 11, 2020

Filed:

Jan 16, 2020

Appl. No.:

16/745135

Inventors:

- Las Vegas CA, US
Nolan K. Bushnell - Los Angeles CA, US

International Classification:

G07F 17/32

Abstract:

A computer-implemented method may comprise providing, retrieving or otherwise accessing an electronic game in which skilled players most often achieve greater success than less-skilled players. The game may be configured to generate in-game assets configured such that interaction therewith by players during game play selectively triggers wagers. Before the player inputs are used to interact with the in-game assets, random perturbations are introduced in one or more characteristics thereof, the random perturbations being configured such that the selectively triggered wagers, in the aggregate, reward both the skilled players and the less-skilled players according to a predetermined target Return-to-Player (RTP) percentage for the game. The randomly-perturbed player inputs may then be used to interact with the plurality of in-game assets to generate outcomes. Depending upon the generated outcomes, rewards may be provided to and displayed for the players, according to the predetermined target RTP percentage of the game.

US Patent:

20190355216, Nov 21, 2019

Filed:

Jun 12, 2019

Appl. No.:

16/439347

Inventors:

- Palm Springs CA, US
Nolan K. Bushnell - Los Angeles CA, US

International Classification:

G07F 17/32

Abstract:

A computer-implemented method may comprise providing a regulated gaming machine and a game in which skilled players most often achieve greater success than less-skilled players. The game may be configured to generate in-game assets configured such that interaction therewith by players during game play selectively triggers wagers. Before the player inputs are used to interact with the in-game assets, random perturbations are introduced in one or more characteristics thereof, the random perturbations being configured such that the selectively triggered wagers, in the aggregate, reward both the skilled players and the less-skilled players according to a predetermined target Return-to-Player (RTP) percentage for the game. The randomly-perturbed player inputs may then be used to interact with the plurality of in-game assets to generate outcomes. Depending upon the generated outcomes, rewards may be provided to and displayed for the players, according to the predetermined target RTP percentage of the game.