Did You Know...
...that one person who claimed to be the inventor of the television is Russian emigre Vladimir Zworykin? In 1929 David Sarnoff, founder of RCA, asked Zworykin what it would take to develop TV for commercial use. He said: a year and a half and $100,000. In reality, it took 20 years and $50 million! Before his death in 1982 at the age of 92, Zworykin said of his invention: "The technique is wonderful. It is beyond my expectations. But the programs! I would never let my children even come close to this thing."
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8187067 | Automatic transformation of inventory items in a virtual universe An approach that automatically transforms an inventory item of an avatar that is online in a virtual universe without requiring manual changes is described. In one embodiment, there is an avatar locator component configured to locate an avatar that is online in the ... | 05/29/2012 |
| 8187068 | System and method of an interactive multiple participant game A plurality of linked gaming machines are disclosed that enhance the community participation and enjoyment of a game on multiple gaming machines. Players participate in an interactive game, either simultaneously, alternatively or in a systematic sequence, as a group... | 05/29/2012 |
| 8177612 | System and method for playing a game involving the conversion of a communicated message to a text message This invention is directed to amusement devices wherein players attempt to rapidly convert target messages into a “text message” using a conventional keypad arrangement such as that provided on a push button phone. The target message is the message that is inten... | 05/15/2012 |
| 8177613 | Trivia question wagering system A method and system for providing a pari-mutuel wagering environment is presented. The method includes receiving a wager amount at a server from each of a plurality of players, allocating a portion of each wager amount to a payout pool, and allocating a second porti... | 05/15/2012 |
| 8172659 | Electronic game that is not limited in the number of players or length of play The invention is an electronic game that can have an unlimited number of players and length of play, where in one variation the game includes an electronic scratch card that stipulates either an amount of g-money or a partial electronic image piece that is a member ... | 05/08/2012 |
| 8167695 | Casino games Apparatus and methods related to multi-player casino games are described. An electronic gaming device is provided that allows a live player to compete against a virtual player in a multi-player wager-based game. The electronic gaming device can comprise a multi-play... | 05/01/2012 |
| 8157630 | Game of skill and chance and system and method for playing games of skill and chance A game of skill and chance is provided in which a random element selection device is used to indicate an element a player or computer is to remove from a grid of objects. When a predetermined outcome in the game is obtained, then the player is a winner if the outcom... | 04/17/2012 |
| 8152613 | Tiled objects in digital environments Methods and systems for damaging objects in digital environments are provided. The objects may be defined by a number of tiles. Tiles may be joined together to form objects of various sizes, shapes, and facades. The tiles may be broken up or divided into smaller til... | 04/10/2012 |
| 8147306 | Method for dynamic content generation in a role-playing game The invention provides a role-playing game environment wherein the nature of various NPCs within the game may be varied over time within the game. The goals of various NPCs within the game may be dynamically and automatically changed within the game. At certain in-g... | 04/03/2012 |
| 8142270 | Game system and game control method A game system for executing a competition game in which a plurality of players compete. The game system comprises a competition score storing unit; a handicap information storing unit; a matching control unit; a rank deciding unit; a handicap selecting unit; a handi... | 03/27/2012 |
| 8137172 | System and method for programming tournaments This invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing a coding competition. In one embodiment, a method for providing a coding competition includes transmitting a coding problem to contestants, receiving computer code created by a contestant, determining a ... | 03/20/2012 |
| 8118654 | Financial game with combined assets The disclosure includes a method for a financial forecasting game wherein players can take positions on specific very high leverage option-type products. It includes related mathematical modeling methods which can be used to operate these option-type products under ... | 02/21/2012 |
| 8113931 | Video game processing apparatus, video game processing method and video game processing program A controller executes a special effect selection representation using a slot representation representing a slot machine when a fever accumulative value, which is accumulated by a player character doing damage to an enemy character, reaches a predetermined value, and... | 02/14/2012 |
| 8109818 | Home city for a real-time strategy video game A strategy video game may include a persistent home city that gains experience as the player plays in more game sessions. The experience gained may lead to the unlocking of additional game features and options for use in future games. Players may assemble, prior to ... | 02/07/2012 |
| 8109819 | Internet contest In general, the invention relates to providing infrastructure, process controls, and software to design, advertise, and implement an on-line contest in which participants in the contest search the Internet for a target in order to earn a reward. Hints and/or hidden ... | 02/07/2012 |
| 8105143 | Puzzle elements displaying game apparatus and storage medium storing puzzle elements displaying game program A game machine includes an LCD. The LCD displays a plurality of puzzle elements of different kinds. When a player uses an input means such as an operating key and a touch panel to designate some puzzle elements consecutively in the manner of one-stroke drawing, the ... | 01/31/2012 |
| 8100747 | System and method of conducting an auction based game A system and method for conducting a game including a first question and answer round (or alternatively, a physical challenge round) where a contestant can accumulate points and a second auction round where the contestant can bid on lots/prizes with the accumulated ... | 01/24/2012 |
| 8070573 | Video game apparatus and video game program A video game apparatus has a memory for storing two or more tasks which a player character can get instructed character(s) to execute according to a scenario development of a game, means for displaying tasks at a time when a scenario development of a game reaches a ... | 12/06/2011 |
| 8062113 | Information processing program and information processing apparatus Of a region in a tabular form having a plurality of entries and squares related to the entries, a portion thereof including a square designated by a player is displayed on a screen. Next, information about an entry related to the designated square is obtained. The o... | 11/22/2011 |
| 8057291 | Fantasy sports confidence scores Methods, systems, and interfaces are provided for enabling a user to adjust confidence rankings of predictions of outcomes of fantasy sports games. The methods include causing display in a graphical user interface of an ordered list of at least two confidence score ... | 11/15/2011 |
| 8052512 | Jukebox entertainment system having multiple choice games relating to music Entertainment system based on multiple choice competition games, characterized in that it comprises at least one terminal including connection means to a dedicated remote server (1), the system also comprising means of playing an extract of a recording with a... | 11/08/2011 |
| 8021221 | System and method for conducting programming competitions using aliases This invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing a coding competition. In one embodiment, a method for providing a coding competition includes transmitting a coding problem to contestants, receiving computer code created by a contestant, determining a ... | 09/20/2011 |
| 8002618 | Method of and system for conducting multiple contests of skill with a single performance A method of and system for conducting multiple competitions of skill for a single performance are described herein. User generated competition groups and system generated competition groups allow users to participate in multiple competitions at once based on answeri... | 08/23/2011 |
| 7997970 | Interactive three dimensional gaming device with recessed chambers A puzzle or gaming device is provided with a polyhedron housing having a plurality of substantially planar faces, each face includes a plurality of tiles and at least one opening. A plurality of response units are secured separately about each opening such that a to... | 08/16/2011 |
| 7997969 | System and method for implementing a game for financial data extraction A system and method of implementing a financial data extraction process including receiving information associated with a user, providing the user a game to play, the game being associated with a financial service environment, acquiring one or more responses from th... | 08/16/2011 |
| 7988546 | Media containing puzzles in the form of clips A media game that employs a method for randomly shuffling through a large set of video and/or audio clips stored on readable media using a media player, such as a DVD player, is disclosed. In addition to the readable media, the game also includes a game board, movea... | 08/02/2011 |
| 7980931 | Social networking methods using color pair personality profiles Methods are implemented in a computer system with one or more processors configured to execute one or more computer program modules in which one or more computer program modules configured to communicate with electronic storage media that stores a set of at least si... | 07/19/2011 |
| 7980930 | On-line game based on words, making use of a search engine A game session of the invention comprises, contained within a very short time lapse, the following successive stages: a) selecting a headword that is communicated to the player; b) for each of the N players, determining a first candidate word presenting semantic pro... | 07/19/2011 |
| 7972205 | Search engine crossword puzzle A grid game, such as crossword, operable on a networked computer or internet enabled device, which employs pre-designed clues and searching and search engine retrieval functions to aid the user in ascertaining the answers. The results generated by the search engine ... | 07/05/2011 |
| 7963835 | GNOSI games Educational materials are presented in the format of games such as role-playing where participants progress through game storylines within a game environment. Each game participant is assigned a game character having attributes that can be modified as the character ... | 06/21/2011 |
| 7950991 | Game performing method, storage medium, game apparatus, data signal and program A game performing method for executing a given sports game which is proceeded by performing match-ups by a plurality of teams arranged for every game owning a plurality of player characters a plurality of times during a virtual competition period, involves varying a... | 05/31/2011 |
| 7946910 | Substantially simultaneous intermittent contest Provided, inter alia, is a type of contest in which, at various intervals, geographically dispersed players attempt to answer the identical problem at substantially the same time. In representative embodiments, problems (typically, questions) are made available at s... | 05/24/2011 |
| 7892079 | Detect-point-click (DPC) based gaming systems and techniques Disclosed are a unique DPC (detect point click) based game system and method. The DPC based game system involves generating one or a plurality of DPC images, presenting them to a game participant, and collecting the participant's clicks (that identify which object i... | 02/22/2011 |
| 7878891 | Generating polyomino video game pieces and puzzle pieces from digital photos to create photominoes Generation of video game photominoes is provided by constructing polyomino game pieces from the salient parts of digital photographic images. Further, generation of jigsaw puzzle photominoes is provided by constructing polyomino puzzle pieces from the salient parts ... | 02/01/2011 |
| 7874900 | Displaying 3D characters in gaming machines Embodiments of the invention include a method of performing a bonus event in a gaming machine that produces a gaming outcome. The method for performing a bonus event includes displaying a three-dimensional character; modifying the character based on one or more user... | 01/25/2011 |
| 7871322 | Game program and game device A game device provides a question to a plurality of players. The game device counts the number of players each having provided an answer to the question or each having provided a correct answer to the question. When the counted number of players reaches a predetermi... | 01/18/2011 |
| 7862415 | Method and apparatus for electronic puzzle device An electronic game, method and apparatus, is disclosed which includes a playfield that is subdivided into a plurality of sectors. Each sector includes one or a plurality of playing positions, and each playing position has an indicator. The device incorporates a plur... | 01/04/2011 |
| 7857692 | Media containing puzzles in the form of clips A media game that employs a method for randomly shuffling through a large set of video and/or audio clips stored on readable media using a media player, such as a DVD player, is disclosed. In addition to the readable media, the game also includes a game board, movea... | 12/28/2010 |
| 7854653 | System and method for playing a role-playing game A method and apparatus for playing role-playing game is provided that involves wagering. In one example game, players subscribe to multiple game sessions and eliminate other players to become the sole survivor of the game. The players may accrue points by eliminatin... | 12/21/2010 |
| 7846014 | Electronic investment and trading game with entertainment and educational purpose A system and method for a computer-implemented educational investment and trading game comprising a player interface for display on player computer comprising a computer-usable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for continuous display of current valu... | 12/07/2010 |
