THOMAS MARTIN KOPERA
Pilots in Villa Park, IL

8537023, Sep 17, 2013

May 26, 2011

13/116438

Joseph Christian Ernest - Woodstock IL, US
Sean Edward Callahan - Elmhurst IL, US
Edward Wayted Chen - Chicago IL, US
Thomas Martin Kopera - Villa Park IL, US
Timothy Edward Canzano - Glen Ellyn IL, US

iLight Technologies, Inc. - Chicago IL

G08B 21/00, G01R 31/14

340650, 340649, 340635

An automatic fault detector momentarily interrupts a provision of operating power to a load having a minimal forward-bias voltage requirement to thereby provide a testing window and then applies a test voltage during this window that is less than the minimal forward-bias voltage requirement to the load and monitors for a power-to-ground fault. By one approach the aforementioned momentarily interruption of power is neither frequent enough nor long enough in duration to substantially impair the provision of power to the load. Accordingly, load performance is not noticeably diminished. One can then responsively prohibit subsequent provision of the operating power to the load. One can then continue to monitor for the power-to-ground fault while continuing to prohibit provision of operating power to the load. If and when the fault disappears, these teachings will then accommodate automatically resuming an ordinary provision of power to the load.

2005026, Nov 24, 2005

May 12, 2005

11/127488

Charles Bleich - Cary IL, US
Stephen Canterbury - Antioch IL, US
Bradley Cornell - Chicago IL, US
Peter Dorn - Wood Dale IL, US
Scott Irving - Chicago IL, US
Thomas Kopera - Villa Park IL, US

A63F009/24

463030000

A gaming machine for conducting a wagering game includes a game display and at least one illumination device. The game display is for displaying the wagering game and the illumination device is for presenting artistic elements such as marquee lettering and candle lighting. One aspect of the illumination device is a formed material with at least one LED embedded within. The formed material contains light dispersion particles and is of a nature that allows the light from the embedded LEDs to emit from the surface in an effectively uniform manner. In a different embodiment, an illumination device, comprised of a colored light source, associated electronic components that are enclosed within the gaming machine's housing, and a transparent object, directs light from the light source through the structure of the transparent object positioned over the source, and displays the color and intended intensity of the light on an altered surface on the transparent object.

8162751, Apr 24, 2012

Feb 28, 2007

12/439138

Thomas M. Kopera - Villa Park IL, US
Walter E. Smolucha - Melrose Park IL, US

WMS Gaming Inc. - Waukegan IL

A63F 13/00

463 30

A gaming machine for conducting a wagering game comprises a gaming machine cabinet having one or more colorable or color-changeable exterior sections. The color-changeable exterior sections comprise a translucent material that glows or shines when light is diffused through the material. Sections that are color-changeable include those sections that are visually dominant or affect the overall appearance of the gaming machine. A multi-color lighting assembly having one or more multi-color light sources is present. The multi-color lighting assembly may be operated to direct light having a predetermined color or sequence of colors. The light causes the color-changeable exterior sections to project the predetermined color or sequence of colors, thereby changing the overall appearance of the gaming machine. The predetermined color or sequence of colors may be selected randomly, or they may be based on the outcome of the wagering game.

2013033, Dec 19, 2013

Aug 16, 2013

13/968707

Dion K. Aoki - Chicago IL, US
Jason C. Gilmore - Scottsdale AZ, US
Thomas M. Kopera - Villa Park IL, US
Christy Juinsuk Olson - Henderson NV, US

WMS Gaming Inc. - Waukegan IL

G07F 17/32

463 25

The present invention is directed to a gaming terminal and a method of playing a wagering game at a gaming terminal whereby multiple players make selections and accumulate bonus awards as the game is passed from one player to another. Play continues until a game-terminating object is selected. At that time, each player that participated in the wagering game receives his or her accumulated awards plus any awards won by subsequent players.

8512147, Aug 20, 2013

Aug 4, 2010

12/850388

Dion K. Aoki - Henderson NV, US
Jason C. Gilmore - Scottsdale AZ, US
Thomas M. Kopera - Villa Park IL, US
Christy Juinsuk Olson - Henderson NV, US

WMS Gaming Inc. - Waukegan IL

A63F 13/00

463 42, 463 9, 463 16, 463 17, 463 18, 463 20, 463 25, 463 29, 463 37, 463 39, 463 40

The present invention is directed to a gaming terminal and a method of playing a wagering game at a gaming terminal whereby multiple players make selections and accumulate bonus awards as the game is passed from one player to another. Play continues until a game-terminating object is selected. At that time, each player that participated in the wagering game receives his or her accumulated awards plus any awards won by subsequent players.

2008018, Aug 7, 2008

May 18, 2006

11/914829

James M. Rasmussen - Chicago IL, US
Thomas M. Kopera - Villa Park IL, US
Stephen A. Canterbury - Antioch IL, US

A63F 13/00

463 25, 463 31

A computerized wagering game system includes a gaming module comprising a processor and gaming code which is operable when executed on the processor to present a wagering game on which monetary value can be wagered via at least one mechanical reel and a liquid crystal display (LCD). The liquid crystal display has at least one transparent portion through which the mechanical reel or reels can be observed. A light source is configured to illuminate a back side of the at least one transparent portion of the LCD panel, selectively highlighting images shown on the transparent portion or portions of the LCD display panel.

2006027, Dec 14, 2006

Jun 7, 2006

11/448423

Thomas Kopera - Villa Park IL, US
Wayne Rothschild - Northbrook IL, US

G09F 7/00

040584000

A gaming machine for conducting a wagering game includes a game display and a signage display. The game display is for displaying the wagering game. The signage display includes a standard support member for mounting artwork thereon. The support member may be positioned in a plurality of different orientations to alter the appearance of the signage display, thus simplifying the ability to convert the gaming machine to a new theme.

8235813, Aug 7, 2012

Aug 3, 2006

11/498512

Bradley D. Cornell - LaGrange IL, US
Thomas M. Kopera - Villa Park IL, US
David J. Link - Glen Ellyn IL, US

WMS Gaming Inc. - Waukegan IL

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

463 31, 463 16

A gaming machine for conducting a wagering game comprises a pendant lighting assembly coupled to the gaming machine cabinet. The pendant lighting assembly includes a light source mounted to the gaming machine cabinet and at least one light conduit mounted to the gaming machine cabinet. The at least one light conduit is adjustable to direct and redirect light from the light source to one or more locations external to the gaming machine cabinet. The color and/or timing of the light directed at each location may be synchronized with events occurring in the wagering game.

5806851, Sep 15, 1998

Mar 11, 1997

8/815060

George Gomez - Evanston IL
Thomas M. Kopera - Villa Park IL
Thomas W. Uban - Valdaraiso IN

Williams Electronics Games, Inc. - Chicago IL

A63F 702

273121A

An interactive play feature for a pinball game includes a shooting position on an inclined playfield and a target spaced apart from the shooting position. A shooting mechanism is responsive to input from a player for propelling a game ball from the shooting position toward the target. The game ball normally follows a path of travel from the shooting position to the target when propelled by the shooting mechanism. A blocking member is movable to a blocking position in response to the game ball reaching a desired position, wherein the blocking member obstructs the path of travel of the game ball to prevent the game ball from reaching the target.

2009000, Jan 1, 2009

Jan 11, 2007

12/159299

Vladimir I. Arezina - Chicago IL, US
Thomas M. Kopera - Villa Park IL, US
Larry J. Pacey - Northbrook IL, US
Richard T. Schwartz - Chicago IL, US
David Pryor - Westmont IL, US

A63F 9/24

463 37

A gaming system for playing a wagering game on a handheld gaming machine includes a handheld gaming machine configured to play the wagering game and an external system configured to regulate wagering game play on the handheld gaming machine.