...that several people are credited with the invention of the flush toilet? Most people have heard of Thomas Crapper (1837-1910), the sanitary engineer who invented the valve-and-siphon arrangement that made the modern toilet possible. Another claimant to "the throne" was British inventor Alexander Cumming who patented a toilet in 1775. Then there's a nameless Minoan (a native of ancient Crete) who lived 4,000 years ago who supposedly was ahead of his time and created the first flush toilet!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8187085 | Collectable card-based game in a massively multiplayer role-playing game that processes card-based events This disclosure generally describes a massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG) or, more specifically, a card-based MMORPG that enables characters in a virtual world to collect cards representing specified actions or powers and presents three-dimension... | 05/29/2012 |
| 8142277 | Program, game system, and movement control method for assisting a user to position a game object A game system receives special command input information input by the player when a moving object and a target have a predetermined positional relationship, and moves the moving object to a position at which bullets fired from the moving object can hit the target ir... | 03/27/2012 |
| 8105152 | Game system, game system control method and information storage medium To provide a game system that enables a degree of difficulty of an occurrence of a predetermined game event to be changed depending on a degree of proficiency of a player in a game in which the predetermined event is made to occur when a controller is operated accor... | 01/31/2012 |
| 8105153 | Method and system for dynamically leveling game play in electronic gaming environments Methods and systems for automatically determining game content based upon dynamically adjusted individual skill levels are provided. Example embodiments provide an Electronic Gaming Engine (“EGE”), which includes a Dynamic Challenge Level Adjuster for supporting... | 01/31/2012 |
| 8100756 | Dynamic problem solving for games A system that facilitates enhancing a game, game play or playability of a game may include an experience component, a game component and an alteration component. The experience component can collect a portion of data related to a game in which the portion of data in... | 01/24/2012 |
| 8100757 | Game-based apparatus, system, and method for lifestyle goal achievement An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed in which players achieve various lifestyle goals through interactive game-playing. A plurality of game elements is provided, wherein information regarding an activity in pursuit of a lifestyle improvement goal is displa... | 01/24/2012 |
| 8092300 | Game server device, game management system and rating management method A game server device, which can communicate with a plurality of game terminal devices through which registered players can play a competitive game, is provided with a rating calculation unit for calculating ratings of players for each competition; a comparison unit ... | 01/10/2012 |
| 8087995 | Wagering game with persistent state of game assets affecting other players A gaming system includes a plurality of linked gaming machines, each gaming machine including a display for displaying a plurality of symbols that indicates a randomly selected outcome of a wagering game. The randomly selected outcome is selected from a plurality of... | 01/03/2012 |
| 8043156 | Interactive installation for interactive gaming The subject matter disclosed herein relates to systems for providing an interactive experience to game participants. ... | 10/25/2011 |
| 8025565 | System and logic for establishing a wager for a game In a particular embodiment of the present invention, a system for establishing a wager associated with a game comprises a processor that receives information about a wager offer, wherein the wager offer is associated with an online game. The processor also receives ... | 09/27/2011 |
| 8016664 | Systems and methods for simulating a particular user in an interactive computer system The field of the invention relates to interactive computer systems and more particularly to systems and methods for simulating a particular user's behavior in an interactive computer system. In one embodiment, a computer program product includes a simulator configur... | 09/13/2011 |
| 7985132 | System and method for facilitating play of a video game via a web site A method and system for operating a video game or video game tournament (e.g., via a Web site) is disclosed. In accordance with the method and system a bonus is provided to a player playing the video game or participating in the video game tournament. In some embodi... | 07/26/2011 |
| 7976380 | System and method for using wavelet analysis of a user interface signal for program control Advantage is taken of the fact that as a player tires, the high frequency components of the player's movement typically decreases in comparison with the low frequency components of the player's movement. By analyzing the frequency components of the player's motion, ... | 07/12/2011 |
| 7878899 | Method and system for providing a tournament handicap feature A tournament feature is herein disclosed. In an embodiment, a method of providing the tournament feature comprises receiving a tournament participation authorization for a player to participate in said tournament feature; assigning a handicap to a tournament partici... | 02/01/2011 |
| 7837552 | Computer program product An object of the present invention is to propose image processing technology whereby even a player with a low skill level can enjoy a shooting game with more excitement. To achieve this object, according to the present invention, if a player outputs a slow regenerat... | 11/23/2010 |
| 7794321 | Video game processing apparatus, video game processing method and video game processing program An on-line video game video game control server serves to read out a mini-game score information generated every player, in which three scores used for determining parameter of a summoned beast used for a main story in sub-game scores having no relation to a main st... | 09/14/2010 |
| 7708637 | Game program and game apparatus Each time a player character performs a boom triggering act, “1” is added to the corresponding act number counter provided for each non-player character. The value of each act number counter is periodically added to a boom value provided for each non-player char... | 05/04/2010 |
| 7690988 | Information processing method A method is disclosed for controlling a character object in a virtual space by means of an information processing program. When a specific event occurs in the execution of the information processing program, a passing rate of time of the character object in the virt... | 04/06/2010 |
| 7682243 | Method for providing online game which changes pilot data and unit data in gear and system thereof Disclosed are an online game providing method including the steps of: maintaining a unit information database recording unit information on at least one unit, in which the unit information includes at least one piece of unit ability information and sync point inform... | 03/23/2010 |
| 7530895 | Method for advancing network game by group competition A world map includes multiple regions. Each region includes one or multiple areas. A player causes his/her player character to belong to any nation. As a task given to the player character, a battle with an enemy character is provided on the map of each area (the ba... | 05/12/2009 |
| 7399225 | Gaming device having transformable wild symbols or cards with wild signal indicators A gaming device having a transformable wild symbol or card on a set of reels or a transformable wild card in a set of cards, wherein the transformable wild symbol or card provides a signal to a player through a wild indicator or a non-wild indicator. The wild indica... | 07/15/2008 |
| 7390255 | System and method for facilitating play of a video game via a web site A method and system for operating a video game or video game tournament (e.g., via a Web site) is disclosed. In accordance with the method and system a bonus is provided to a player playing the video game or participating in the video game tournament. In some embodi... | 06/24/2008 |
| 7371170 | Gaming device having a multiple symbol swapping game A gaming device and a method for operating a gaming device which increases the possibility of obtaining a winning combination of symbols on reels. In one embodiment, the gaming device rearranges one or more sets of indicated symbols on the reels to potentially gener... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7367886 | Gaming system with surround sound An electronic gaming system comprises a gaming terminal and a speaker arrangement. The gaming terminal conducts a wagering game. The speaker arrangement emits audio associated with the wagering game in surround sound relative to a player in front of the gaming termi... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7367882 | Game system and computer program for permitting user selection of game difficulty and setting of control character ability parameter The preset invention provides a game system wherein data is prepared for each stage to execute plural stages separately. When a user has made a predetermined result in one stage, the user progresses to the next stage. The game executes each stage in a predetermined ... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7364510 | Apparatus and method for facilitating team play of slot machines A method for team play of slot machines, including determining a first result corresponding to a first player on a team, determining a second result corresponding to a second player, determining whether the second player is on the team, and determining a result base... | 04/29/2008 |
| 7364508 | Gaming machine environment having controlled audio and visual media presentation A gaming machine system comprises a game cabinet, a processor, and an audio/visual effects system. The game cabinet receives inputs and displays outputs. The processor is located within the cabinet and randomly selects a game outcome in response to a wager. The proc... | 04/29/2008 |
| 7364509 | Systems and methods for facilitating a wager Methods and systems of facilitating a wager include, a computer implemented method of facilitating a wager between players. The method may include receiving an initial offer from an initial player and a challenging offer from a challenging player. The initial and ch... | 04/29/2008 |
| 7362213 | Method and apparatus for remotely controlling a plurality of devices Disclosed is a method for controlling usage times for at least one device, including the steps of: (a) identifying a device to be controlled; (b) utilizing the device by a user; (c) tracking a device usage value for the device as the user utilizes the device; and (d... | 04/22/2008 |
| 7361091 | Player skill equalizer for video games The present invention senses a player's coordination and reaction time levels while operating a video game, or a video game of chance, and automatically adjusts various parameters affecting the game play, to minimize or eliminate the effect that said player's skill ... | 04/22/2008 |
| 7357712 | Method and gaming device of operating a multiple round game that includes diminishing selection sets A method of controlling a gaming device is provided in which a set of a plurality of selections is displayed. The player is enabled to pick one of the selections. After one of the selections is picked by the player, an award is generated and provided from an award p... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7351147 | Standard peripheral communication A disclosed gaming machine has a plurality of “gaming peripherals,” each communicating with a master gaming controller via a standard peripheral interface such as the USB (Universal Serial Bus). Further, the gaming peripherals employ a standard peripheral contro... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7351148 | Electronic sequence matching game and method of game play using same The present invention is directed to an apparatus and a method of game play for an electronic sequence matching game the may include a pair of elongated stick member that may be operatively coupled together by an electrical cord so the game play for the electronic m... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7347775 | Gaming machines with communication links configured to present bonus games Gaming machines include telecommunication devices, such as telephones, so that calls may be placed to the player of the machine and/or so that calls may be placed from the machine to a remote location. A game includes the opportunity to involve a third party partici... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7347781 | Method and system for reality gaming on wireless devices A system, method and computer readable medium are provided for facilitating a multiplayer game over a wireless network. According to the method, a request to transfer information between two of the wireless devices is received during the multiplayer game (e.g., 8... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7341518 | Cashless slot machine and/or amusement device with special features A slot machine gaming device and method which targets a monetary ticket to operate in selected gaming devices. A video poker game can also provide a player with an improved paytable. The slot machine can also pay a player using a special ticket instead of cash. ... | 03/11/2008 |
| 7335099 | Method for playing wagering games The embodiments of present invention provide a method for playing wagering games with dominoes. According to a first embodiment of the present invention, a player first places a wager and a dealer then deals three dominoes each to the player and the dealer. The play... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7335105 | Soccer game apparatus A soccer game apparatus includes a game processor, and the game processor allows at least a character of a soccer ball to be displayed on a television monitor screen. An signal outputting device is attached to a player's leg, and when the player moves the leg, an ac... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7331870 | Multiplayer biofeedback interactive gaming environment The present invention provides a method and apparatus in which a biometric information relating to a player is used to facilitate game play in multiplayer game environments. In particular, the present invention provides a game platform, a biofeedback sensor, and a b... | 02/19/2008 |
| 7331857 | Gaming system A gaming system for use with a media player and one or more output devices, where the media player is configured to receive user signals, to read and execute information from a game medium, and to present portions of the information on the one or more output devices... | 02/19/2008 |