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The ice cream cone was invented at the St. Louis Worlds Fair by Ernest Hamwi in 1904. His waffle booth was next to an ice cream vendor who ran short of dishes. Hamwi rolled a waffle to hold ice cream and the cone was born.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8113935 | System and method for presenting payout ranges and audiovisual clips at a gaming device A gaming device presents a paytable with entries showing a range of outcome values. When the outcome displayed by the gaming device matches an entry on the paytable showing a range of outcome values, an audiovisual clip is played and the player is informed as to whi... | 02/14/2012 |
| 8113946 | Method and apparatus for providing a time based payment from a gaming device A method is provided for providing payments at a gaming device, where the payments may occur at predictable times and are of predictable amounts. In one or more embodiments, a gaming device may provide a guaranteed payment every hour on the hour, so long as a player... | 02/14/2012 |
| 8109438 | Game presentation in a retail establishment According to one embodiment, a game presentation such as a virtual slot machine may be displayed by a display device associated with a point of sale (POS) terminal. ... | 02/07/2012 |
| 8112359 | Pre-sale data broadcast system and method In one embodiment, a method for promoting the sale of a substitute product at the point of sale (POS). Upon the presentation of an original product for purchase by a consumer at a POS terminal, various manufacturers may decide to offer a substitute product to the co... | 02/07/2012 |
| 8105156 | Method and apparatus for bonus round play Methods and apparatus are provided for enabling a player to take a tour of a secondary game at a game machine. In one embodiment, a method is provided that includes offering to enable entry of a player into a bonus round of a game machine in exchange for a fee, rece... | 01/31/2012 |
| 8105157 | Systems and methods for determining a level of reward In accordance with one or more embodiments, a method comprises associating, with a casino patron, a benefit of a first value. The benefit of the first value is determined based on a first algorithm and based on the patron's activity during a first portion of a perio... | 01/31/2012 |
| 8100749 | System and method for conducting and playing a supplemental lottery game A system and method is provided by which players participating in a primary lottery drawing may elect to participate in a second, or derivative lottery drawing (a “meta-game”). In one embodiment, a meta-game is conducted by first registering a plurality of lotte... | 01/24/2012 |
| 8100758 | System to determine casino offers A system to determine a product to be offered to a casino player based on player data and on an approximate maximum price for which the product may be sold through a retail channel. Advantageously, a potential increase in a casino's profit due to a product offer can... | 01/24/2012 |
| 8099360 | Method and apparatus for issuing and managing gift certificates The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for issuing and redeeming a gift certificate drawn on a credit card or other financial account. In some aspects, issuing a gift certificate may comprise receiving a request for a gift certificate, determining a... | 01/17/2012 |
| RE43114 | Electronic amusement device and method for operating same An electronic amusement device and a method for operating the device are disclosed. The device conducts a game of chance that preferably incorporates game elements that change and expire during the game. The device performs the steps of generating and displaying a s... | 01/17/2012 |
| 8096872 | Method and apparatus for providing electronic credits at a gaming device without first requiring payment therefor In accordance with some embodiments, apparatus and methods are disclosed for providing electronic credits to a player of a gaming device. The electronic credits are provided in response to an occurrence of an event other than an outcome of a game play. Further, the ... | 01/17/2012 |
| 8095450 | Method and apparatus for facilitating a transaction between a buyer and one seller A seller server receives an offer which specifies a type of product (e.g. a seat on a flight), at least one condition (e.g. destination and date of departure), and an offer price specified by a buyer. The seller server also receives an associated payment identifier ... | 01/10/2012 |
| 8092224 | Systems and methods for improved health care compliance According to some embodiments, systems, apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture may provide for improved health care compliance. Embodiments may comprise, for example, identifying an occurrence of an event associated with the taking of a substance by a patie... | 01/10/2012 |
| 8087996 | Method and apparatus for providing a complimentary service to a player Systems and methods are provided for providing a service to a player using a player device. A indication of a player identifier which corresponds to a player of a gaming device is received. A player device is provided to the player. A service to provide the player i... | 01/03/2012 |
| 8086167 | Method and apparatus for educational testing Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for computer-based evaluation of a test-taker's performance with respect to a reward threshold. A performance assessment of the test taker can be standardized or customized, as well as relative or absolute. The system allows a p... | 12/27/2011 |
| 8086653 | Conditional purchase offer management system A conditional purchase offer (CPO) management system is disclosed for receiving CPOs from one or more customers, such as airline passengers, and for evaluating the received CPOs against a number of CPO rules defined by a plurality of sellers, such as airlines, to de... | 12/27/2011 |
| 8082180 | Conditional purchase offer management system A conditional purchase offer (CPO) management system is disclosed for receiving CPOs from one or more customers, such as airline passengers, and for evaluating the received CPOs against a number of CPO rules defined by a plurality of sellers, such as airlines, to de... | 12/20/2011 |
| 8082221 | Conditional purchase offer management system A conditional purchase offer (CPO) management system is disclosed for receiving CPOs from one or more customers, such as airline passengers, and for evaluating the received CPOs against a number of CPO rules defined by a plurality of sellers, such as airlines, to de... | 12/20/2011 |
| RE43037 | Gaming device for operating in a reverse payout mode and a method of operating same A gaming device of the type wherein a play generates one of multiple possible outcomes having reverse payout information. The gaming device comprises a memory device containing a first set of data correlating possible outcomes to a first set of payouts and a second ... | 12/20/2011 |
| 8081817 | Systems and methods for remote work sessions Disclosed herein are systems and methods for facilitating the usage of an online workforce to remotely monitor security-sensitive sites and report potential security breaches. In some embodiments, cameras are configured to monitor critical civilian infrastruc... | 12/20/2011 |
| 8075390 | Method and apparatus for setting game parameters The present invention allows gaming devices to set or modify game parameters through the use of random events such as spinning slot machine reels or random number generators. In some embodiments, game parameters may be established with various initial values, and th... | 12/13/2011 |
| 8070577 | Gaming method and apparatus for employing negative outcomes Systems and methods are provided for providing a negative outcome at a gaming device. The system determines that a player of a gaming device has equity which may be debited. An outcome of the gaming device is determined, and it is also determined that the outcome is... | 12/06/2011 |
| 8068933 | Products and processes for vending a plurality of products via defined groups Products and processes are disclosed for defining at least one inventory group. This at least one inventory group includes at least two products that are available for sale by a vending machine. The vending machine outputs an indication of products that the at least... | 11/29/2011 |
| 8069056 | Methods and apparatus for increasing and/or for monitoring a party's compliance with a schedule for taking medicines Methods and apparatus are provided for increasing and/or monitoring a party's compliance with a schedule for taking medicines. In a first embodiment, a method is provided for use by a first container that is adapted to store a first medicine. The method includes sto... | 11/29/2011 |
| 8062122 | Method and apparatus for employing flat rate play Systems and methods are provided allowing a player to play a gaming device and receive a predetermined number of outcomes in exchange for a payment. The gaming device generates at least the predetermined number of outcomes, and adjusts a balance of the player device... | 11/22/2011 |
| 8052053 | Apparatus and methods for enforcing purchase agreements Systems, apparatus, articles of manufacture and methods are provided for establishing (e.g., online) a buyer price for a first plurality of products. In one embodiment, the buyer price is lower than a retail price of the first plurality of products. A second plurali... | 11/08/2011 |
| 8055509 | Methods and apparatus for increasing and/or for monitoring a party's compliance with a schedule for taking medicines Methods and apparatus are provided for increasing and/or monitoring a party's compliance with a schedule for taking medicines. In a first embodiment, a method is provided for use by a first container that is adapted to store a first medicine. The method includes sto... | 11/08/2011 |
| 8047909 | Method and apparatus for linked play gaming with combined outcomes and shared indicia The invention includes a system and method for providing linked play via gaming and other devices wherein players may share and combine outcomes or parts thereof. In some embodiments, a casino server registers a group for linked play and a group objective and format... | 11/01/2011 |
| 8047908 | Methods and systems for determining and selling wagering game outcomes for a plurality of players In accordance with some embodiments, a plurality of outcomes are generated and used to create a video presentation of representative outcomes for one or more players. The video presentation is recorded onto a tangible medium (e.g., DVD or CD-ROM) or otherwise provid... | 11/01/2011 |
| RE42893 | Method and apparatus for verifying secure document timestamping According to one embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for receiving a timestamp from a caller via a telephone connection; receiving a device identifier from the caller, in which the device identifier identifies a device; determining a cryptographic key ... | 11/01/2011 |
| 8042809 | Lottery game card and method for conducting a lottery game A lottery game incorporates player direction in determining the outcome of the game and allows a player to reveal one or more elements in a lottery game area according to rules associated with the lottery game. According to one embodiment of the invention, the playe... | 10/25/2011 |
| 8043152 | Methods and system for providing paper-based outcomes Gaming devices may generate outcomes to be sold in printed form. Representations of the outcomes, corresponding payouts, and other information are printed on sheets of paper. Multiple printed outcomes are assembled into books, wrapped, and sold to consumers. Consume... | 10/25/2011 |
| 8046247 | System and method for reselling a previously sold product A seller, having previously sold a product to an original purchaser subject to a buyout-provision condition, determines if the buyout-provision condition is satisfied. If the buy-out provision condition is satisfied, the seller retakes the product from the original ... | 10/25/2011 |
| 8038520 | Methods and systems for determining and selling wagering game outcomes to be viewed remotely In accordance with some embodiments, a plurality of outcomes are generated and used to create a video presentation of representative outcomes. The video presentation is recorded onto a tangible medium (e.g., DVD or CD-ROM) or otherwise provided to a player (e.g., pl... | 10/18/2011 |
| 8038527 | Method and system for managing game confirmations In accordance with one or more embodiments, a method for outputting a confirmation message at a gaming device is presented. The method comprises determining whether a trigger condition has occurred, outputting a confirmation message at a gaming device, determining a... | 10/18/2011 |
| 8038523 | Methods and systems for determining and selling wagering game outcomes to be viewed remotely In accordance with some embodiments, a plurality of outcomes are generated and used to create a video presentation of representative outcomes. The video presentation is recorded onto a tangible medium (e.g., DVD or CD-ROM) or otherwise provided to a player (e.g., pl... | 10/18/2011 |
| 8041453 | Method and apparatus for defining and utilizing product location in a vending machine In accordance with one embodiment, a vending machine comprises a plurality of receptacles for holding units of products, each receptacle operable to hold a respective plurality of units in a series. The vending machine further comprises a dispensing mechanism operab... | 10/18/2011 |
| 8041711 | Method and system for providing a link in an electronic file being presented to a user A method for providing a link in an electronic file being presented to a user which includes defining a customized viewpoint for the user. The viewpoint includes a preference for the user that provides an association between a data pattern and a computer network res... | 10/18/2011 |
| 8036943 | Systems and methods for providing transferable item prices Systems and methods are provided to associate a transferable item price with a first consumer and to determine that a second consumer is entitled to purchase an item in exchange for payment of an amount based on the transferable item price. In one embodiment, the fi... | 10/11/2011 |
| 8037321 | Method and apparatus for the secure storage of audio signals In one embodiment, a method, system and apparatus for recording audio is provided so that the recording can be authenticated. The system may be implemented as a central server that is accessed via one or more lines for audio communication, or as a stand-alone unit. ... | 10/11/2011 |
