Timothy W Durham

US Patent:

7654899, Feb 2, 2010

Filed:

Aug 30, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/847560

Inventors:

Timothy J. Durham - Oak Park IL, US
Mark B. Gagner - West Chicago IL, US
James M. Rasmussen - Chicago IL, US
Alfred Thomas - Las Vegas NV, US
Vladimir I. Arezina - Chicago IL, US
Stephen A. Canterbury - Antioch IL, US
Victor Mercado - Berwyn IL, US
Samuel D. Ralston - Chicago IL, US
Matthew R. Fitzsimons - Lake in the Hills IL, US

Assignee:

WMS Gaming Inc. - Waukegan IL

International Classification:

A63F 13/00

US Classification:

463 30, 463 20, 463 31, 463 34, 463 46, 312 72

Abstract:

A gaming machine for playing a wagering game includes a housing having a display region, a controller for conducting the wagering game, and a video projector coupled to the controller. The display region includes a plurality of projection surfaces secured to floating screen assemblies. The video projector simulates mechanical reels of a slot machine in the display region. The video projector displays images of a plurality of symbols that indicate a randomly selected outcome of said wagering game. The images are projected onto the projection surfaces within the display region.

US Patent:

8038525, Oct 18, 2011

Filed:

Feb 18, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/032947

Inventors:

Timothy John Durham - Oak Park IL, US
Niclas Jouko Antti - Naperville IL, US

Assignee:

WMS Gaming Inc. - Waukegan IL

International Classification:

A63F 9/24

US Classification:

463 20, 463 43, 273142 R, 273143 R

Abstract:

A gaming machine having spinning reels and methods for operating the gaming machine use a reel controller that controls motion of the spinning reels according to spin profiles for each reel. Each spin profile may be provided by the game play design and may be realized using curve fitting techniques, such as Bezier curves, splines, or approximations with line segments.

US Patent:

8096878, Jan 17, 2012

Filed:

Jun 29, 2007

Appl. No.:

12/306510

Inventors:

Timothy J. Durham - Oak Park IL, US
Mark B. Gagner - West Chicago IL, US
James M. Rasmussen - Chicago IL, US
Alfred Thomas - Las Vegas NV, US
Vladimir I. Arezina - Chicago IL, US
Stephen A. Canterbury - Antioch IL, US
Victor Mercado - Berwyn IL, US
Samuel D. Ralston - Chicago IL, US
Matthew R. Fitzsimons - Lake in the Hills IL, US

Assignee:

WMS Gaming Inc. - Waukegan IL

International Classification:

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

US Classification:

463 31, 463 20, 463 30, 463 32

Abstract:

A gaming machine for playing a wagering game includes a housing having a display region, a curved transparent layer located in the display region, and a video display. The video display is located behind the transparent layer for projecting moving images onto the transparent layer. The images including a plurality of symbols that indicate a randomly selected outcome of the wagering game. The curved transparent layer can be moving as well. Environmental mapping may be used to sense the location of the player and/or the ambient lighting surrounding the gaming machine and alter the images based on the sensing. The altering may include spectral highlights, shading, and the parallax effect. The video images may further include imperfections normally found in mechanical reel strips. The gaming machine provides video images that more closely simulate the look of traditional mechanical reels.

US Patent:

8128477, Mar 6, 2012

Filed:

Jun 29, 2007

Appl. No.:

12/306586

Inventors:

Timothy J. Durham - Oak Park IL, US
Mark B. Gagner - West Chicago IL, US
James M. Rasmussen - Chicago IL, US
Alfred Thomas - Las Vegas NV, US
Vladimir I. Arezina - Chicago IL, US
Stephen A. Canterbury - Antioch IL, US
Victor Mercado - Berwyn IL, US
Samuel D. Ralston - Chicago IL, US
Matthew R. Fitzsimons - Lake in the Hills IL, US

Assignee:

WMS Gaming, Inc. - Waukegan IL

International Classification:

A63F 9/24

US Classification:

463 17, 463 20

Abstract:

A gaming machine for playing a wagering game includes a housing having a display region, a curved transparent layer located in the display region, and a video display. The video display is located behind the transparent layer for projecting moving images onto the transparent layer. The images including a plurality of symbols that indicate a randomly selected outcome of the wagering game. The curved transparent layer can be moving as well. Environmental mapping may be used to sense the location of the player and/or the ambient lighting surrounding the gaming machine and alter the images based on the sensing. The altering may include spectral highlights, shading, and the parallax effect. The video images may further include imperfections normally found in mechanical reel strips. The gaming machine provides video images that more closely simulate the look of traditional mechanical reels.

US Patent:

8251792, Aug 28, 2012

Filed:

Aug 9, 2007

Appl. No.:

12/375826

Inventors:

Timothy J. Durham - Oak Park IL, US
Charles R. Bleich - Cary IL, US
Stephen A. Canterbury - Antioch IL, US

Assignee:

WMS Gaming Inc. - Waukegan IL

International Classification:

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

US Classification:

463 16, 463 20, 463 25, 463 40, 463 42

Abstract:

Methods and systems for assigning addresses to peripheral devices in wagering game machines are described herein. In one embodiment, a method includes transmitting a first request in a wagering game machine, wherein the first request is addressed to a configuration address, and wherein the wagering game machine is configured to present wagering games upon which monetary value can be wagered. The method can also include detecting a first response to the first request, the first response originating from a first of a plurality of peripheral devices of the wagering game machine. The method can also include assigning a first address to the first of the plurality of peripheral devices and notifying the first of the peripheral devices about the first address.

US Patent:

8251795, Aug 28, 2012

Filed:

Jun 29, 2007

Appl. No.:

12/306507

Inventors:

Timothy J. Durham - Oak Park IL, US
Mark B. Gagner - West Chicago IL, US
James M. Rasmussen - Chicago IL, US
Alfred Thomas - Las Vegas NV, US
Vladimir I. Arezina - Chicago IL, US
Stephen A. Canterbury - Antioch IL, US
Victor Mercado - Berwyn IL, US
Samuel D. Ralston - Chicago IL, US
Matthew R. Fitzsimons - Lake in the Hills IL, US

Assignee:

WMS Gaming Inc. - Waukegan IL

International Classification:

A63F 9/24

US Classification:

463 20

Abstract:

A gaming machine for playing a wagering game includes a housing having a display region, a curved transparent layer located in the display region, and a video display. The video display is located behind the transparent layer for projecting moving images onto the transparent layer. The images including a plurality of symbols that indicate a randomly selected outcome of the wagering game. The curved transparent layer can be moving as well. Environmental mapping may be used to sense the location of the player and/or the ambient lighting surrounding the gaming machine and alter the images based on the sensing. The altering may include spectral highlights, shading, and the parallax effect. The video images may further include imperfections normally found in mechanical reel strips. The gaming machine provides video images that more closely simulate the look of traditional mechanical reels.

US Patent:

8323099, Dec 4, 2012

Filed:

Aug 20, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/674400

Inventors:

Timothy J. Durham - Oak Park IL, US
Mark B. Gagner - West Chicago IL, US
Larry J. Pacey - Northbrook IL, US
James M. Rasmussen - Chicago IL, US
Craig J. Sylla - Round Lake IL, US

Assignee:

WMS Gaming, Inc. - Waukegan IL

International Classification:

A63F 13/00
A63F 9/24
G06F 17/00
G06F 19/00
A63F 13/12

US Classification:

463 25, 463 16, 463 23, 463 40, 463 42, 2731381, 2731382, 273454, 273460, 705 67, 705 75, 705 78, 709203, 709207, 713155

Abstract:

Embodiments of a portable wagering game machine and a stationary wagering game machine are described herein. In one embodiment, a plurality of portable wagering game machines are associated with a stationary wagering game machine. Group wagering game data is displayed on the stationary wagering game machine. The group wagering game data includes wagering content for viewing by multiple players. At each of the plurality of portable wagering game machines, individual wagering game data is displayed. The individual wagering game data and the group wagering game data relate to a wagering game.

US Patent:

7360761, Apr 22, 2008

Filed:

Jun 23, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/159767

Inventors:

Timothy John Durham - Oak Park IL, US
Niclas Jouko Antti - Naperville IL, US

Assignee:

WMS Gaming Inc. - Waukegan IL

International Classification:

A63B 71/00

US Classification:

2731381, 273143 R

Abstract:

A gaming machine having spinning reels and methods for operating the gaming machine use a reel controller that controls motion of the spinning reels according to spin profiles for each reel. Each spin profile may be provided by the game play design and may be realized using curve fitting techniques, such as Bezier curves, splines, or approximations with line segments.