Author: claimsbot

1. A gaming system comprising:
at least one input device;
at least one display device;
at least one processor; and
at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with said at least one display device, and said at least one input device to:
(a) enable a player to place a wager on a play of a primary game;
(b) randomly generate a primary game outcome from a plurality of different primary game outcomes, at least one of the primary game outcomes associated with at least one bonus trigger condition and at least one, but not all, of the primary game outcomes associated with at least one progressive award increase condition for a progressive award;
(c) automatically increase a value of the progressive award if the randomly generated primary game outcome corresponds to the at least one progressive award increase condition, an amount of said increase based on said randomly generated primary game outcome;
(d) if the randomly generated primary game outcome corresponds to one of a plurality of different winning primary game outcomes:
(i) provide the player an award associated with the randomly generated primary game outcome, and
(ii) if the provided award associated with the randomly generated primary game outcome is the progressive award, reset the progressive award to an initial value; and

(e) if the randomly generated primary game outcome corresponds to the at least one bonus trigger condition, for a play of a bonus game:
(i) randomly generate a bonus game outcome from a plurality of different bonus game outcomes, at least one of the bonus game outcomes associated with the at least one progressive award increase condition for the progressive award,
(ii) automatically increase the value of the progressive award if the randomly generated bonus game outcome corresponds to the at least one progressive award increase condition, the amount of said increase based on the randomly generated bonus game outcome,
(iii) provide the player any award associated with the randomly generated bonus game outcome, and
(iv) reset the progressive award to the initial value upon concluding play of the bonus game.
2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to reset the progressive award to the initial value if, prior to concluding play of the bonus game, the provided award associated with the randomly generated bonus game outcome is the progressive award.
3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to increase the value of the progressive award by an amount based, at least in part, on an amount of the placed wager.
4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to increase the value of the progressive award based on a plurality of plays of a plurality of primary games.
5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to cause a plurality of reels to display the randomly generated primary game outcome.
6. A gaming system comprising:
at least one input device;
at least one display device;
at least one processor; and
at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with said at least one display device, and said at least one input device to:
(a) maintain a plurality of progressive awards, each of said progressive awards having an initial progressive award value;
(b) enable a player to place a wager on a play of a primary game;
(c) if the placed wager is at least a designated wager level, increase a progressive award value of at least one of said progressive awards;
(d) cause a plurality of reels to display a randomly generated primary game outcome;
(e) automatically increase the progressive award value of at least one of said progressive awards if the displayed randomly generated primary game outcome corresponds to an award increase condition for said at least one progressive award, an amount of said increase is based on the randomly generated primary game outcome;
(f) if the displayed randomly generated primary game outcome corresponds to one of a plurality of different winning primary game outcomes, provide an award associated with the displayed generated primary game outcome;
(g) if any of the progressive awards are provided to the player, reset said progressive award value of said provided progressive award to said initial progressive award value associated with said provided progressive award; and
(h) in response to the randomly generated primary game outcome corresponding to a bonus event triggering game outcome:
(i) initiate a bonus round,
(ii) provide any award associated with a bonus round outcome; and
(iii) upon concluding play of the initiated bonus round, for each of the progressive awards, reset the progressive award value of said progressive award to the initial progressive award value associated with said progressive award.
7. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein the primary game outcome includes a plurality of symbols.
8. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to automatically increase the progressive award value of one of the progressive awards if a designated one of the symbols is displayed in association with the randomly generated game outcome, an amount of said increase is based on the displayed designated symbol.
9. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to increase the progressive award value of at least one of the progressive awards based, at least in part, on an amount of the wager.
10. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to increase at least one of progressive award values of at least one of the progressive awards when the bonus round is triggered but before the bonus round is played.
11. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:
(a) enable a player to place a wager on a play of a primary game;
(b) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to randomly generate a primary game outcome from a plurality of different primary game outcomes, at least one of the primary game outcomes associated with at least one bonus trigger condition and at least one, but not all, of the primary game outcomes associated with at least one progressive award increase condition for a progressive award;
(c) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to automatically increase a value of the progressive award if the randomly generated primary game outcome corresponds to the at least one progressive award increase condition, an amount of said increase based on said randomly generated primary game outcome;
(d) if the randomly generated primary game outcome corresponds to one of a plurality of different winning primary game outcomes:
(i) providing the player an award associated with the randomly generated primary game outcome, and
(ii) if the provided award associated with the randomly generated primary game outcome is the progressive award, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to reset the progressive award to an initial value; and

(e) if the randomly generated primary game outcome corresponds to the at least one bonus trigger condition, for a play of a bonus game:
(i) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to randomly generate a bonus game outcome from a plurality of different bonus game outcomes, at least one of the bonus game outcomes associated with the at least one progressive award increase condition for the progressive award,
(ii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to automatically increase the value of the progressive award if the randomly generated bonus game outcome corresponds to the at least one progressive award increase condition, the amount of said increase based on the randomly generated bonus game outcome,
(iii) providing the player any award associated with the randomly generated bonus game outcome, and
(iv) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to reset the progressive award to the initial value upon concluding play of the bonus game.
12. The method of claim 11, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to reset the progressive award to the initial value if, prior to concluding play of the bonus game, the provided award associated with the randomly generated bonus game outcome is the progressive award.
13. The method of claim 11, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to increase the value of the progressive award by an amount based, at least in part, on amount of the placed wager.
14. The method of claim 11, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to increase the value of the progressive award based on a plurality of plays of a plurality of primary games.
15. The method of claim 11, which includes causing a plurality of reels to display the randomly generated primary game outcome.
16. The method of claim 11, which is provided through a data network.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the data network is an internet.
18. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:
(a) maintaining a plurality of progressive awards, each of said progressive awards associated with an initial progressive award value;
(b) enabling a player to place a wager on a play of a primary game;
(c) if the placed wager is at least a designated wager level, causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to increase a progressive award value of at least one of said progressive awards;
(d) causing a plurality of reels to display a randomly generated primary game outcome;
(e) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to automatically increase the progressive award value of at least one of said progressive awards if the displayed randomly generated primary game outcome corresponds to an award increase condition for said at least one progressive award, an amount of said increase is based on the randomly generated primary game outcome;
(f) if the displayed randomly generated primary game outcome corresponds to one of a plurality of different winning primary game outcomes, providing an award associated with the displayed generated primary game outcome;
(g) if any of the progressive awards are provided to the player, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to reset said progressive award value of said provided progressive award to said initial progressive award value associated with said provided progressive award; and
(h) in response to the displayed randomly generated primary game outcome corresponding to a bonus event triggering game outcome:
(i) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to initiate a bonus round,
(ii) providing any award associated with a bonus round outcome; and
(iii) upon concluding play of the initiated bonus round, for each of the progressive awards, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to reset the progressive award value of said progressive award to the initial progressive award value associated with said progressive award.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the primary game outcome includes a plurality of symbols.
20. The method of claim 19, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to automatically increase the progressive award value of one of the progressive awards if a designated one of the symbols is displayed in association with the randomly generated game outcome, an amount of said increase is based on the displayed designated symbol.
21. The method of claim 18, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to increase the progressive award value of at least one of the progressive awards based, at least in part, on an amount of the wager.
22. The method of claim 18, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to increase at least one of progressive award values of at least one of the progressive awards when the bonus round is triggered but before the bonus round is played.
23. The method of claim 18, which is provided through a data network.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the data network is an internet.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

We claim,

1. A recording medium conveying device for an ink jet printing device, said ink jet printing device having a housing, said recording medium conveying device comprising:
an active roller;
a starwheel, said starwheel having a set of teeth for contacting a recording medium just printed, so that when said starwheel presses said recording medium against said active roller, said recording medium being conveyed due to the rolling of the active roller; and
an elastic cantilever beam for supporting said starwheel, said elastic cantilever beam having a fixed end and a free end, said fixed end being firmly connected with the housing of said ink jet printing device, and said free end having a mount thereon, said starwheel connected with said mount;
wherein the free end of said elastic cantilever beam is allowed to move up and down, so that when said starwheel rotates, the free end of said elastic cantilever beam moving according to the thickness of said recording medium and the set of teeth on said starwheel remaining in substantially appropriate contact with said recording medium without damaging said recording medium.
2. The recording medium conveying device as depicted in claim 1, wherein said elastic cantilever beam is a board-like structure perpendicular to said housing, the joint of the fixed end and said housing having multiple supporting devices to fortify the fixed end of said elastic cantilever beam.
3. The recording medium conveying device as depicted in claim 2, wherein said elastic cantilever beam further comprises a stress concentration area, said stress concentration area located between the free end and the fixed end, the stress concentration area having thickness thereof smaller than the thickness of other areas of the elastic cantilever beam, and said multiple supporting devices not extending into said stress concentration area.
4. A recording medium conveying device for an ink jet printing device, said ink jet printing device having a housing, said recording medium conveying device comprising:
an active roller;
a frame connected with said housing of the ink jet printing device;
a rolling shaft located on the frame;
a star ring, said star ring having a set of teeth for contacting a recording medium just printed, so that when said star ring presses said recording medium against said active roller, said recording medium being conveyed due to the rolling of the active roller; and
an elastic connective for connecting said rolling shaft and said star ring, forming a starwheel rotatable around the axis of said star ring;
wherein said elastic connective, responsive to stress deforms when bearing stress, so that said star ring moving relative to said rolling shaft according to the thickness of said recording medium, when said starwheel rotates, said set of teeth remaining in substantially appropriate contact with said recording medium without damaging the recording medium.
5. The recording medium conveying device as depicted in claim 4, wherein said frame is an elastic cantilever beam, said elastic cantilever beam having a fixed end and a free end, said fixed end being firmly connected with the housing of said ink jet printing device, and said free end having a mount thereon for holding said starwheel, said elastic cantilever beam being allowed to move up and down, so that when said starwheel rotates, the free end of said elastic cantilever beam moving according to the thickness of said recording medium and the set of teeth on said starwheel remaining in substantially appropriate contact with said recording medium without damaging said recording medium.
6. The recording medium conveying device as depicted in claim 5, wherein said elastic cantilever beam is a board-like structure perpendicular to said housing, the joint of the fixed end and said housing having multiple supporting devices to fortify the fixed end of said elastic cantilever beam.
7. The recording medium conveying device as depicted in claim 6, wherein said elastic cantilever beam further comprises a stress concentration area, said stress concentration area located between the free end and the fixed end, the stress concentration area having thickness thereof smaller than the thickness of other areas of the elastic cantilever beam, and said multiple supporting devices not extending into the said stress concentration area.
8. The recording medium conveying device as depicted in claim 4, wherein said elastic connective has a radial lateral and two circular axial surfaces, in the middle of said radial lateral having in the middle a fillister for wedging said star ring, a hole passing through said two circular axial surfaces for accomodating said rolling shaft.
9. The recording medium conveying device as depicted in claim 8, wherein said elastic connective is made of rubber.
10. An ink jet printing device comprising a recording medium conveying device, said ink jet printing device having a housing, said recording medium conveying device comprising:
an active roller;
a starwheel, said starwheel having a set of teeth for contacting a recording medium just printed, so that when said starwheel presses said recording medium against said active roller, said recording medium being conveyed due to the rolling of the active roller; and
an elastic cantilever beam for supporting said starwheel, said elastic cantilever beam having a fixed end and a free end, said fixed end being connected with the housing of said ink jet printing device in a fixed fashion, and said free end having a mount thereon, said starwheel connected with said mount;
wherein the free end of said elastic cantilever beam is allowed to move up and down, so that when said starwheel rotates, the free end of said elastic cantilever beam moving according to the thickness of said recording medium and the set of teeth on said starwheel remaining in substantially appropriate contact with said recording medium without damaging said recording medium.
11. An ink jet printing device comprising a recording medium conveying device, said ink jet printing device having a housing, said recording medium conveying device comprising:
an active roller;
a frame connected with said housing of the ink jet printing device;
a rolling shaft located on the frame;
a star ring, said star ring having a set of teeth for contacting a recording medium just printed, so that when said star ring presses said recording medium against said active roller, said recording medium being conveyed due to the rolling of the active roller; and
an elastic connective for connecting said rolling shaft and said star ring, forming a starwheel rotatable around the axis of said star ring;
wherein said elastic connective deforms when bearing stress, so that said star ring moving relative to said shaft according to the thickness of said recording medium, when said starwheel rotates, said set of teeth remaining in substantially appropriate contact with said recording medium without damaging the recording medium.

1. A component arrangement comprising:
a semiconductor chip having a first load terminal, a second load terminal and a control terminal, the first load terminal and the second load terminal being arranged on mutually opposite sides of the semiconductor chip;
a chip carrier on which the semiconductor chip is arranged and which is electrically and thermally conductively connected to the first load terminal of the semiconductor chip;
a contact piece arranged on the second load terminal and electrically and thermally conductively connected to the second load terminal; and
a dielectric compound surrounding the semiconductor chip, the chip carrier and the contact piece thereby forming a package with the chip carrier being exposed on a first side of the package, the contact piece being exposed on a second side of the package opposite the first side and the control terminal being electrically conductively connected to a connecting leg which is passed out of the package.
2. The component arrangement of claim 1, wherein the contact piece has a front area that is larger than the area of the second load terminal, on its side facing away from the semiconductor chip.
3. The component arrangement of claim 1, wherein the contact piece has a first section and has a second section that is arranged between the first section and the semiconductor chip.
4. The component arrangement of claim 3, wherein the first section and the second section are arranged in steps on one another.
5. The component arrangement of claim 3, wherein the control terminal is arranged underneath the first section.
6. The component arrangement of claim 3, wherein the second section is in the form of metallization on the second load terminal.
7. The component arrangement of claim 3, wherein the second section is formed from copper or a copper alloy.
8. The component arrangement of claim 1, wherein the chip carrier is recessed with respect to the first side.
9. The component arrangement of claim 1, wherein the chip carrier projects beyond the first side.
10. The component arrangement of claim 1, wherein the contact piece is recessed with respect to the second side.
11. The component arrangement of claim 1, wherein the contact piece projects beyond the second side.
12. The component arrangement of claim 2, wherein depressions or grooves are arranged on the front area.
13. The component arrangement of claim 1, wherein the contact piece has projections that engage in the package.
14. The component arrangement of claim 2, wherein the chip carrier has a rear area on its side facing away from the semiconductor chip whose area is identical to the front area, or differs from it by less than 10%.
15. The component arrangement of claim 1, wherein the package is formed from a molding compound or an encapsulation compound.
16. The component arrangement of claim 1, wherein the contact piece comprises a spring element.
17. A component cascade comprising:
a first component arrangement; and
a second component arrangement stacked on the first component arrangement;
wherein each of the first and second component arrangements each comprise:
a semiconductor chip having a first load terminal, a second load terminal and a control terminal, the first load terminal and the second load terminal being arranged on mutually opposite sides of the semiconductor chip;
a chip carrier on which the semiconductor chip is arranged and which is electrically and thermally conductively connected to the first load terminal of the semiconductor chip;
a contact piece arranged on the second load terminal and electrically and thermally conductively connected to the second load terminal; and
a dielectric compound surrounding the semiconductor chip, the chip carrier and the contact piece thereby forming a package with the chip carrier being exposed on a first side of the package, the contact piece being exposed on a second side of the package opposite the first side and the control terminal being electrically conductively connected to a connecting leg which is passed out of the package; and

wherein the chip carrier of the second component arrangement is electrically conductively connected over an area of the contact piece of the second component arrangement.
18. A component arrangement comprising:
a semiconductor chip having a first and second load terminals and a control terminal;
a chip carrier on which the semiconductor chip is arranged and which is electrically and thermally conductively connected to the first load terminal of the semiconductor chip;
a contact piece arranged on the second load terminal and electrically and thermally conductively connected to the second load terminal; and
a package surrounding the semiconductor chip, the chip carrier and the contact piece, the package formed of a dielectric compound;
means for exposing the chip carrier on a first side of the package and for exposing the contact piece on a second side of the package opposite the first side; and
means for electrically conductively connecting to the control terminal from outside the package.
19. The component arrangement of claim 18, wherein the first load terminal and the second load terminal are arranged on mutually opposite sides of the semiconductor chip.
20. The component arrangement of claim 18, wherein the control terminal is electrically conductively connected to a connecting leg that is passed out of the package.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A visual voicemail system, comprising:
a personal media storage system configured to store visual voicemail content;
a visual voicemail server communicatively connected to the personal media storage system; the visual voicemail server configured to:
receive the visual voicemail content;
store the visual voicemail content on the personal media storage system;
receive a request for the visual voicemail content; and
retrieve the visual voicemail content from the personal media storage system.
2. The visual voicemail system of claim 1, wherein the request for the visual voicemail content is received from a visual voicemail client.
3. The visual voicemail system of claim 1, wherein the visual voicemail server configured to receive the visual voicemail content comprises the visual voicemail server configured to obtain the visual voicemail content from a remote device.
4. The visual voicemail system of claim 1, wherein the visual voicemail server configured to retrieve the visual voicemail content from the personal media storage system comprises the visual voicemail server configured to:
retrieve visual voicemail content location data from the personal media storage system; and
obtain the visual voicemail content from a remote device based on the visual voicemail content location data.
5. The visual voicemail system of claim 1, wherein the personal media storage system configured to store the visual voicemail content comprises the personal media storage system configured to associate the visual voicemail content with a visual voicemail.
6. The visual voicemail system of claim 1, wherein the visual voicemail server is further configured to: transmit a notification of the visual voicemail content to a visual voicemail client.
7. The visual voicemail system of claim 1, wherein the visual voicemail content comprises at least one of audio content, text content, and video content.
8. The visual voicemail system of claim 1, wherein the visual voicemail server is further configured to:
receive a request from a first user device to transmit the visual voicemail content to a second user device;
retrieve the visual voicemail content from the personal media storage system; and
transmit the visual voicemail content to the second user device.
9. A method of storing and retrieving visual voicemail content, the method comprising:
receiving the visual voicemail content at a visual voicemail server communicatively connected to a personal media storage system;
storing the visual voicemail content at the personal media storage system;
receiving a request for the visual voicemail content; and
retrieving the visual voicemail content from the personal media storage system.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the request for the visual voicemail content is received from a visual voicemail client.
11. The method of claim 9, receiving the visual voicemail content comprises obtaining the visual voicemail content from a remote device.
12. The method of claim 9, retrieving the visual voicemail content from the personal media storage system comprises:
retrieving visual voicemail content location data from the personal media storage system; and
obtaining the visual voicemail content from a remote device based on the visual voicemail content location data.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein storing the visual voicemail content at the personal media storage system comprises associating the visual voicemail content with a visual voicemail.
14. The method of claim 9, further comprising transmitting a notification of the visual voicemail content to a visual voicemail client.
15. The method of claim 9, wherein the visual voicemail content comprises at least one of audio content, text content, and video content.
16. The method of claim 9, further comprising:
receiving a request from a first user device to transmit the visual voicemail content to a second user device;
retrieving the visual voicemail content from the personal media storage system; and
transmitting the visual voicemail content to the second user device.
17. A wireless communications device configured to:
receive a notification of visual voicemail content;
display the notification;
detect the selection of the visual voicemail content;
establish a communications link with a visual voicemail server;
request the visual voicemail content via the communications link;
receive the visual voicemail content via the communications link; and
present the visual voicemail content.
18. The wireless communication device of claim 17, wherein the visual voicemail content comprises video content, and wherein the wireless communications device configured to present the visual voicemail content comprises the wireless communications device configured to render the video content.
19. The wireless communication device of claim 17, wherein the wireless communications device is configured to present the visual voicemail content within a visual voicemail client.
20. The wireless communication device of claim 17, wherein the selection of the visual voicemail content generates an instruction to obtain the visual voicemail content from a remote device.