William J Grupp

US Patent:

6482089, Nov 19, 2002

Filed:

Mar 7, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/092861

Inventors:

Lawrence E. DeMar - Winnetka IL
Joel R. Jaffe - Evanston IL
Erica R. Frohm - Evanston IL
Scott Slomiany - Streamwood IL
William Grupp - Sleepy Hollow IL
Alfred Thomas - Las Vegas NV

Assignee:

WMS Gaming Inc. - Chicago IL

International Classification:

G07F 1734

US Classification:

463 20, 463 25, 273143 R

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 in which escalating bonuses are awarded for reaching a designated bonus square (e. g. , the âGOâ square); (2) a feature in which bonuses are awarded for completing groups of stations (e. g. , color groups); and (3) a feature in which the gaming machine includes two bonus modes, each entered upon certain symbol combinations in the basic game. The first bonus game provides an award selected from a plurality of fixed values and multipliers, and the second bonus game moves a token identifier on a game board and provides an award determined by the landing station of the token identifier.

US Patent:

6506117, Jan 14, 2003

Filed:

Mar 7, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/093122

Inventors:

Lawrence E. DeMar - Winnetka IL
Joel R. Jaffe - Evanston IL
Erica R. Frohm - Evanston IL
Scott Slomiany - Streamwood IL
William Grupp - Sleepy Hollow IL
Alfred Thomas - Las Vegas NV

Assignee:

WMS Gaming Inc. - Chicago IL

International Classification:

A63F 1300

US Classification:

463 20, 463 16, 273143 R, 2731382

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 âGOâ square); (6) a feature in which bonuses are awarded for completing groups of stations (e. g. , color groups); and (7) a feature in which the gaming machine includes two bonus modes, each entered upon certain symbol combinations in the basic game.

US Patent:

6508707, Jan 21, 2003

Filed:

Aug 27, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/940813

Inventors:

Lawrence E. DeMar - Winnetka IL
Joel R. Jaffe - Evanston IL
Erica R. Frohm - Evanston IL
Scott Slomiany - Streamwood IL
William Grupp - Sleepy Hollow IL
Alfred Thomas - Las Vegas NV

Assignee:

WMS Gaming Inc. - Chicago IL

International Classification:

A63F 1300

US Classification:

463 16, 463 20, 273237, 273194 R, 2731381, 2731382

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 âGOâ square); (6) a feature in which bonuses are awarded for completing groups of stations (e. g. , color groups); and (7) a feature in which the gaming machine includes two bonus modes, each entered upon certain symbol combinations in the basic game.

US Patent:

6520855, Feb 18, 2003

Filed:

Mar 7, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/092817

Inventors:

Lawrence E. DeMar - Winnetka IL
Joel R. Jaffe - Evanston IL
Erica R. Frohm - Evanston IL
Scott Slomiany - Streamwood IL
William Grupp - Sleepy Hollow IL
Alfred Thomas - Las Vegas NV

Assignee:

WMS Gaming Inc. - Chicago IL

International Classification:

A63F 1300

US Classification:

463 20, 463 16, 273143 R, 2731382

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 to 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 âGOâ square); (6) a feature in which bonuses are awarded for completing groups of stations (e. g. , color groups); and (7) a feature in which the gaming machine includes two bonus modes, each entered upon certain symbol combinations in the basic game.

US Patent:

6648757, Nov 18, 2003

Filed:

Nov 9, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/710565

Inventors:

Scott Slomiany - Streamwood IL
William A. Grupp - Sleepy Hollow IL

Assignee:

WMS Gaming Inc. - Chicago IL

International Classification:

A63F 1300

US Classification:

463 20, 463 25

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.

US Patent:

7195560, Mar 27, 2007

Filed:

Apr 30, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/427657

Inventors:

Lawrence E. DeMar - Winnetka IL, US
Erica Frohm - Evanston IL, US
William A. Grupp - Sleepy Hollow IL, US
Joel R. Jaffe - Evanston IL, US
Scott Slomiany - Streamwood IL, US

Assignee:

WMS Gaming Inc. - Waukegan IL

International Classification:

G07F 17/34
A63F 13/00

US Classification:

463 20, 463 16, 463 22, 463 32, 273143 R, 2731381, 2731382, 273145 R

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. , color groups); and (7) a feature in which the gaming machine includes two bonus modes, each entered upon certain symbol combinations in the basic game.

US Patent:

7452271, Nov 18, 2008

Filed:

Mar 3, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/378205

Inventors:

Lawrence E. DeMar - Winnetka IL, US
Erica Frohm - Evanston IL, US
William A. Grupp - Sleepy Hollow IL, US
Joel R. Jaffe - Evanston IL, US
Scott Slomiany - Streamwood IL, US

Assignee:

WMS Gaming Inc. - Waukegan IL

International Classification:

G07F 17/34
A63F 13/00

US Classification:

463 20, 463 16, 463 22, 463 31, 463 32, 463 46, 273143 R, 273237, 2731382

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. , color groups); and (7) a feature in which the gaming machine includes two bonus modes, each entered upon certain symbol combinations in the basic game.

US Patent:

20030199307, Oct 23, 2003

Filed:

Jan 24, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/350606

Inventors:

Lawrence DeMar - Winnetka IL, US
Erica Frohm - Evanston IL, US
William Grupp - Sleepy Hollow IL, US
Joel Jaffe - Evanston IL, US
Scott Slomiany - Streamwood IL, US

International Classification:

A63F013/00
G07F017/34

US Classification:

463/020000, 463/016000, 273/138200, 273/14300R

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., color groups); and (7) a feature in which the gaming machine includes two bonus modes, each entered upon certain symbol combinations in the basic game. The first bonus game provides an award selected from a plurality of fixed values and multipliers, and the second bonus game moves a token identifier on a game board and provides an award determined by the landing station of the token identifier.