All The Claims

1. A method for a multi-reel game to be played on a single regulated gaming machine by two players, the method comprising the steps of:
assigning a predetermined number of reels of the multi-reel gaming machine to a first player and a predetermined number of reels of the multi-reel gaming machine to a second player, at least one of the reels assigned to the first player being different from any of the reels assigned to the second player, at least one of the reels assigned to the second player being different from any of the reels assigned to the first player and at least one of the reels being assigned to both the first and second players;
maintaining game performance meters for each player;
consolidating the game performance meters into regulatory meters;
providing a random outcome upon player interaction and displaying the symbols associated with the random outcome; and
awarding credits to the first player if a winning symbol combination of symbols is displayed on the reels assigned to the first player and awarding credits to the second player if a winning symbol combination is displayed on the reels assigned to the second player.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the consolidating step is carried out with the regulatory meters in each gaming machine providing metering for one player, one game and one gaming machine.
3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of awarding credits to be shared amongst both players when a predetermined winning symbol combination is obtained across all reels.
4. The method of claim 2, further comprising a step of enabling selection of a single-player mode or in two-player mode and enabling game play accordingly.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the awarding step is carried out with only one of the first and second players being awarded credits.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the awarding step is carried out with both the first and second players being awarded credits.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the awarding step is carried out with one of the first and second players being awarded a greater number of credits than the other one of the first and second players.
8. A method, comprising:
providing a regulated game, the regulated game including a plurality of symbols disposed so as to define at least a first symbol region and a second symbol region, at least a first one of the plurality of symbols being disposed only in the first symbol region, at least a second one of the plurality of symbols being disposed only in the second region and at least a third one of the plurality of symbols being disposed in both the first and second regions;
assigning at least the first symbol region to a first player and assigning at least the second symbol region to a second player;
maintaining separate game performance meters for the first player and for the second player;
consolidating the separate game performance meters maintained for the first and second players into regulatory meters;
providing an outcome across the at least first and second symbol regions upon each player interaction and providing a combination of the plurality of symbols associated with the outcome; and
awarding credits to the first player at least when the symbol combination associated with the outcome includes a winning symbol combination in the first symbol region and awarding credits to the second player at least when the symbol combination associated with the outcome includes a winning symbol combination in the second symbol region.
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of awarding credits to be shared amongst at least the first and second players when a predetermined winning symbol combination is obtained spanning across the at least first and second symbol regions.
10. The method of claim 8, further comprising selecting whether the game is played in single-player mode or in multi-player mode.
11. The method of claim 8, wherein the consolidating step is carried out with the regulatory meters providing metering for one player, one game on one gaming machine.
12. The method of claim 8, wherein the providing step is carried out with the providing step being carried out with the game being a slot game including a plurality of spinning reels having the plurality of symbols provided thereon.
13. The method of claim 8, wherein the awarding step is carried out with only one of the fast and second players being awarded credits.
14. The method of claim 8, wherein the awarding step is carried out with both the first and second players being awarded credits.
15. The method of claim 8, wherein the awarding step is carried out with one of the first and second players being awarded a greater number of credits than the other one of the first and second players.

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 loading device, comprising:
a housing (600) slideably disposed to a bed (500);
a dolly slide (460) slideably disposed to said housing (600); and
a ramp (40) slideably disposed to said dolly slide (460);
whereby said housing (600) can slide relative to said bed (500).
2. The loading device of claim 1, wherein said housing (600) is defined by a platform (20) having a side (222) on opposed sides.
3. The loading device of claim 1, further comprising:
a front hinge plate (380) pivotally disposed to said housing (600) whereby said front hinge plate (380) can fold forwardly.
4. The loading device of claim 1, further comprising:
a front hinge plate (380) pivotally disposed to said housing (600) whereby said front hinge plate (380) can fold rearwardly.
5. The loading device of claim 1, further comprising:
a rear hinge plate (50) removably and pivotally disposed on said ramp (40).
6. The loading device of claim 1, further comprising:
a ramp extender (150) is pivotally secured to the ramp (40);
a leg (140) that extends downwardly from said ramp (40).
7. The loading device of claim 1, further comprising:
a leg (140) that extends downwardly from said ramp (40).
8. The loading device of claim 1, further comprising:
a base frame (420) secured to a bed (500); said base frame having a sliding block (250) secured to a sliding block extension (255);
side (222) slideably disposed on said sliding block (250);
a stop member secured in said side channel (240) to limit the displacement of the platform side (222) when pulled rearwardly;
said sliding block (250) slideably disposed within said sliding channel (240).
9. The loading device of claim 1, wherein said housing (600) has a side (222) secured to opposed sides of said ramp (40);
said platform side (222) having a decking channel (218); a ramp channel (220) disposed beneath said decking channel (218);
and a sliding channel (240 disposed beneath said ramp channel (220);
said platform (40) disposed in said decking channel (218);
said dolly slide (460) rollably disposed in said ramp channel (220); said sliding block (250) slideably disposed in said sliding channel (240); and
a handle (510) disposed on said ramp (40) so that the ramp (40) can be pulled out by the handle (510).
10. A loading device (10), comprising:
a platform side (22) secured to opposed sides of a ramp (40);
a mounting bracket (60) secured to said platform side (22) and a bed (500) of a vehicle;
said platform side (22) having a decking channel (118); and a ramp channel (120) disposed under said decking channel (118).
11. The loading device of claim 10, wherein said ramp (40) is slideably disposed to said dolly slide (460).
12. The loading device of claim 10, wherein said housing (600) is defined by a platform (20) having a platform side (222) on opposed sides.
13. The loading device of claim 10, further comprising:
a front hinge plate (380) pivotally disposed to said housing (600) whereby said front hinge plate (380) can fold forwardly.
14. The loading device of claim 10, further comprising:
a front hinge plate (380) pivotally disposed to said housing (600) whereby said front hinge plate (380) can fold rearwardly.
15. The loading device of claim 10, further comprising:
a rear hinge plate (50) removably and pivotally disposed on said ramp (40).
16. The loading device of claim 10, further comprising:
a ramp extender (150) is pivotally secured to the ramp (40);
a leg (140) that extends downwardly from said ramp (40).
17. The loading device of claim 10, further comprising:
a leg (140) that extends downwardly from said ramp (40) so that said ramp (40) can be fixed in a substantially horizontal position.
18. The loading device of claim 10, further comprising:
a base frame (420) secured to a bed (500); said base frame having a sliding block (250) secured to a sliding block extension (255);
a platform side (222) slideably disposed on said sliding block (250);
a stop member secured in said side channel (240) to limit the displacement of the platform side (222) when pulled rearwardly;
said sliding block (250) slideably disposed within said sliding channel (240).
19. The loading device of claim 10, wherein said housing (600) has a platform side (222) secured to opposed sides of said ramp (40);
said platform side (222) having a decking channel (218); a ramp channel (220) disposed beneath said decking channel (218);
and a sliding channel (240 disposed beneath said ramp channel (220);
said platform (40) disposed in said decking channel (218);
said dolly slide (460) rollably disposed in said ramp channel (220); said sliding block (250) slideably disposed in said sliding channel (240); and
a handle (510) disposed on said ramp (40) so that the ramp (40) can be pulled out by the handle (510).

1. A system for facilitating the return of an item, the system comprising:
an item comprising an identification code, the identification code being associated with the item and information for communicating with a computing device of an owner of the item; and
a managing computing device comprising at least one processor and memory and configured to:
receive notification indicating that the item has been found; and
in response to receipt of the information indicating that the item has been found by a finder:
use the information for communicating to send the notification to a computing device of the owner; and
manage communications between the computing device of the owner and a computing device of the finder for facilitating recovery of the item by the owner.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the managing computing device comprises storage configured to record and store the communications between the computing device of the owner and a computing device of the finder.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the managing computing device is configured to:
analyze the communications between the computing device of the owner; and
scan for abusive activity by the owner and finder in the communications by watching for predetermined keywords.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the managing computing device is configured to send and receive information securely.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the managing computing device is configured to manage the communications between the computing device of the owner and a computing device of the finder in private.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the item is a case for an article.
7. The system of claim 5, wherein the article is selected from the group consisting of a mobile communication device and a tool.
8. The system of claim 6, wherein the article comprises the identification code.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the identification code is permanently affixed to the item.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein the item is affixed to an article.
11. The system of claim 1, wherein the identification code comprises at least one of a series of alphanumeric characters and a machine readable code.
12. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing system is further configured to receive a communication from the computing device of the owner that indicates that the item has been recovered.
13. The system of claim 1, further comprising:
the computing device of the owner, and
the computing device of the finder,
wherein each of the computing device of the owner and the computing device of the finder is configured to send and receive communications via the managing computing device.
14. A system for facilitating the return of an item, the system comprising:
an item of an owner;
an identification code associated with the item, the identification code being associated with the item and information for communicating with a computing device of an owner of the item; and
the computing device of the owner configured to:
receive notification indicating that the item has been found; and
communicate with a computing device of a finder of the item via a managing computing device for facilitating recovery of the item by the owner.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein the item is selected from the group consisting of a keytag, a mobile computing device, a tool and a case therefore.
16. The system of claim 14, wherein the identification code is permanently affixed to the item.
17. The system of claim 14, wherein the computing device of the owner is configured to send and receive secured communications with the computing device of the finder via the managing computing device.
18. A system for facilitating the return of an item, the system comprising:
an item comprising an identification code, the identification code being associated with the item and information for communicating with a computing device of an owner of the item; and
a computing device of a finder configured to:
send the identification code to a managing computing device; and
communicate with the computing device of the owner via the managing computing device for facilitating recovery of the item by the owner.
19. The system of claim 18, wherein the item is selected from the group consisting of a keytag, a mobile computing device, a tool, and a case for an article.
20. The system of claim 18, wherein the identification code is permanently affixed to the item.
21. The system of claim 18, wherein the computing device of the finder is configured to send and receive secured communications with the computing device of the owner via the managing computing device.

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 method, comprising:
forming a first film inside at least one trough, said at least one trough integrally disposed on an energetically neutral surface layer of a substrate, said at least one trough comprising a substantially planar first sidewall and a substantially planar second sidewall opposite said first sidewall, wherein said first sidewall and said second sidewall are substantially normal to said surface layer, said first and said second sidewalls being separated by a distance corresponding to a width of a bottom surface of said at least one trough, said first film comprising a first block copolymer;
assembling line-forming microdomains of said first block copolymer within said first film, said microdomains of said first block copolymer forming first self-assembled structures within said first film, said first self-assembled structures oriented substantially normal to said first sidewall and said second sidewall and substantially parallel to said surface layer;
removing at least one microdomain from said first film such that oriented structures remain in said trough, wherein said oriented structures are oriented substantially normal to said first sidewall and said second sidewall and substantially parallel to said surface layer;
forming a second film inside said at least one trough, said second film comprising a second block copolymer; and
assembling line-forming microdomains of said second block copolymer within said second film, said line-forming microdomains of said second block copolymer forming second self-assembled structures within said second film, said second self-assembled structures oriented substantially normal to said oriented structures and substantially parallel to said first sidewall and said second sidewall.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first block copolymer and said second block copolymer are different.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein said first block copolymer is a di-block copolymer comprising a first block of a first polymer, said first block being covalently bonded to a second block of a second polymer to form a repeating unit of said first block copolymer, said first and second polymers being different, further wherein said second block copolymer is a di-block copolymer comprising a first block of a third polymer, said first block of said third polymer being covalently bonded to a second block of a fourth polymer to form a repeating unit of said second block copolymer, said third and fourth polymers being different.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein said first polymer and said third polymer are selected from the group consisting of poly(ethylene oxide), poly(propylene glycol), poly(alkylene oxides), poly(acrylic acids), poly(methacrylic acid), poly(dimethylamino ethylmethacrylate), poly(hydroxyalkyl methacrylates), poly(alkyleneoxide acrylates), poly(alkyleneoxide methacrylates), poly(hydroxyl styrenes), polycarbohydrates, poly(vinyl alcohols), poly(ethylene imines), polyoxazolines, polypeptides, poly(vinyl pyridines), polyacrylamides, poly(methyl vinyl ethers), poly(vinyl carboxylic acid amides), polymethylmethacrylate, and poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamides), wherein said second polymer and said fourth polymer are selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, poly(a-methyl styrene), polynorbornene, polylactones, polylactides, polybutadiene, polyisoprene, polyolefins, polymethacrylates, polysiloxanes, poly(alkyl acrylates), poly(alkyl methacryaltes), polyacrylonitriles, polycarbonates, poly(vinyl acetates), poly(vinyl carbonates), and polyisobutylenes.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein said at least one microdomain from said first film is selected from the group consisting of at least one microdomain of said first polymer block and at least one microdomain of said second polymer block.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein said first film further comprises a first miscible material, wherein said first miscible material is miscible with said first block copolymer, wherein presence of said first miscible material within said first block copolymer induces line-forming microdomains of said first block copolymer to align with respect to said first sidewall and said second sidewall, after said first film is formed inside said at least one trough, and wherein said second film comprises a combination of said second block copolymer and a second miscible material, wherein said second miscible material is miscible with said second block copolymer, wherein presence of said second miscible material with said second block copolymer induces line-forming microdomains of said second block copolymer to align with respect to said oriented structures, after said second film is formed inside said at least one trough.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein said first miscible material and said second miscible material increase the rigidity of line-forming microdomains of said first block of said first polymer and said first block of said third polymer, respectively, wherein said first miscible material and said second miscible material are each selected from the group consisting of organic homopolymers, inorganic homopolymers, crosslinkable homopolymers, inorganic oligomers, and combinations thereof.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein said first sidewall is substantially parallel to said second side wall, wherein said first sidewall and said second sidewall are separated by a distance within a range from about 20 nanometers (nm) to about 2000 nm, wherein said at least one trough has a depth within a range from about 30 nm to about 200 nm.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein said forming first self-assembled structures and said forming second self-assembled structures are selected from the group consisting of forming said film on said substrate, thermal annealing after forming said film on said substrate, vapor annealing after forming said film on said substrate, and combinations thereof.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein said forming said first film and said forming said second film are processes selected from the group consisting of dip coating, spray coating, spin coating, and combinations thereof.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein said first block copolymer and said second block copolymer are amphiphilic organic block copolymers, amphiphilic inorganic block copolymers, or combinations thereof.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein said removing at least one microdomain from said first film comprises using a process selected from the group consisting of thermolysis, UVozone processing, supercritical CO2 processing, solvent extraction, a dry etching process, a wet etching process, reactive ion etching, and combinations thereof.
13. A structure, comprising:
a substrate having a surface layer, said surface layer configured to induce a block copolymer to form line-forming microdomains, said surface having at least one trough integrally disposed thereon, said at least one trough comprising a substantially planar first sidewall and a substantially planar second sidewall opposite said first sidewall, wherein said first sidewall and said second sidewall are substantially normal to said surface layer, said first and said second sidewalls being separated by a distance corresponding to a width of a bottom surface of said at least one trough;
at least one oriented inorganic structure disposed inside said at least one trough, said at least one structure oriented substantially normal to said first sidewall and said second sidewall and substantially normal to said surface layer; and
a block copolymer film disposed in said at least one trough, wherein said block copolymer comprises a first block comprising a first polymer, said first block being covalently bonded to a second block comprising a second polymer to form a repeating unit of the block copolymer, said first and second polymers being different, wherein line-forming microdomains of said block copolymer are aligned substantially parallel to said first and second sidewalls and substantially normal to said at least one oriented inorganic structure.
14. The structure of claim 13, wherein said first block copolymer and said second block copolymer are selected from the group consisting of amphiphilic organic block copolymers, amphiphilic inorganic block copolymers, and combinations thereof.
15. The structure of claim 13, wherein a miscible material is dissolved in said first polymer of said first block, wherein said miscible material increases the rigidity of line-forming microdomains of said first block, wherein said miscible material is selected from the group consisting of an organic homopolymer, an inorganic homopolymer, a crosslinkable homopolymer, an inorganic precursor, an inorganic oligomer, and combinations thereof.
16. The method of claim 13, wherein said at least one trough has a shape selected from the group consisting of a line, an arc, an angle, and combinations thereof.
17. A method, comprising:
forming a film in at least one trough, said at least one trough having at least one first oriented structure disposed therein, said at least one trough integrally disposed on a surface layer of a substrate, said surface layer configured to induce a block copolymer to form line-forming microdomains, said at least one trough comprising a substantially planar first sidewall and a substantially planar second sidewall opposite said first sidewall, wherein said first sidewall and said second sidewall are substantially normal to said surface layer, said first and said second sidewalls being separated by a distance corresponding to a width of a bottom surface of said at least one trough, said at least one first oriented structure oriented substantially normal to said first sidewall and said second sidewall and substantially parallel to said surface layer, said film comprising a block copolymer, said block copolymer comprising line-forming microdomains of a first polymer block and lamellar microdomains of a second polymer block; and
removing at least one microdomain from said film such that at least one second oriented structure remains in said at least one trough, wherein said at least one second oriented structure is oriented substantially normal to said at least one first oriented structure and substantially parallel to said first sidewall and said second sidewall.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein said film further comprises a miscible material, wherein said miscible material is miscible with said block copolymer, wherein said miscible material is dissolved within said first polymer block.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein said miscible material is selected from the group consisting of an organic homopolymer, an inorganic homopolymer, a crosslinkable homopolymer, inorganic oligomers, and combinations thereof, wherein said crosslinkable homopolymer, wherein said crosslinkable homopolymer is a silsesquioxane having the formula (RSiO1.5)n, wherein R is selected from the group consisting of a hydrido group and an alkyl group, wherein n is in a range from about 10 to about 500, and wherein said crosslinkable homopolymer has a molecular weight in a range from about 600 gramsmole (gmol) to about 30,000 gmol.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein said miscible material is an inorganic homopolymer, and wherein said removing at least one microdomain from said film comprises removing all organic polymer from said film by heating said film to a temperature between 350\xb0 C. and 600\xb0 C.