Walker Digital
Encyclopedia
Walker Digital is a privately held American research and development
lab based in Stamford
, Connecticut
. It was founded in 1994 by Jay S. Walker, who also holds the position of chairman as of 2011. The company specializes in creating applications and business solutions that work with large-scale networks such as cell phones and the Internet
. Walker Digital and its principals partner with Fortune 500
firms such as Time Warner
and International Game Technology
to bring its inventions to market. It also licenses other companies to do so.
Walker Digital LLC is the parent company of Walker Digital Management, Walker Digital Lottery, Walker Digital Gaming and Walker Digital Table Systems.
Synapse sells magazine subscriptions chiefly through marketing relationships with credit card issuers, consumer catalog companies, airlines with frequent flier programs, retailers and Internet businesses.
In 2001, Time Warner purchased a controlling stake in Synapse for a sum in excess of $500 million, completing that transaction in 2006.
in 1998, partially self-funding the startup company. Additional funds came from investors including Microsoft
co-founder Paul Allen
, financier George Soros
, Lotus Development Corp. CEO Jim Manzi; and cable TV magnate John C. Malone
.
Priceline caught public attention with its "name your own price" advertising campaign, using actor William Shatner
as its celebrity spokesman: users agree in advance to purchase a service or product “blind”—without knowing precisely which provider would supply the product or service. They might be required to be flexible about travel dates and times, airports and cities.
Sellers could remain anonymous while using the system, to move inventory at discounted prices without appearing to break their publicly-advertised price structure. Consumers do not learn from which company they have purchased until after the sale is completed.
Priceline sold an estimated 40,000 tickets in its first quarter of operation. In 1999, Priceline went public. Walker left Priceline in late 2000 to focus on new ventures with Walker Digital.
s would be installed nationwide at security-sensitive sites including border crossings, water reservoirs, chemical plants, nuclear power generators, airports, etc. Observers would report any suspicious activity to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security within 30 seconds. Wired
magazine called the idea "intriguing".
The Atlantic reported that Walker Digital invested several million dollars developing a prototype, offering the sell the system to the U.S. government for $1. Estimating that a test would cost $40 million, Walker said he was prepared to raise private funds for this purpose. On the recommendation of then-Rep. Christopher Shays
(R-Conn.), Walker held numerous meetings with White House and DHS officials but the U.S. declined to go forward with the project.
In 2006 CNNMoney
cited U.S. HomeGuard as the inspiration for a similar public-private partnership when Texas
Gov. Rick Perry
announced plans for a webcam-based "virtual border patrol". By late 2008 the result was Texas Virtual Border Watch
(www.texasborderwatch.com). In its first four months, the program experienced technical challenges and political controversy; its 43,000 "virtual deputies" were credited with four drug busts and with preventing 30 illegal immigrant crossings.
field with the goal of revolutionizing the vending industry through enabling smart vending technology.
In 2007 Walker Digital exclusively licensed the patents for these innovations to Vendmore Systems, which launched its smart-technology-enabled platform in 2007 under the name QuickStore24TM.
(IGT), the world’s largest manufacturer of casino games. He worked with IGT to develop innovative concepts and technologies for dozens of networked slot machines and other gaming devices, initially under a comprehensive license agreement.
The first result of the partnership was Guaranteed Play, a new method for casino game players to purchase game play. Customers receive a fixed number of slot machine spins or blackjack hands, known as a "session" of play, at a discounted price, by paying in advance. Guaranteed Play has enjoyed a limited but successful introduction at such casinos as the Red Rock Casino in Las Vegas
, Nevada
.
In 2010 Walker Digital sold approximately 100 patents to IGT, concluding the partnership.
table and Smart Table Network, supporting Elite Baccarat. Industry business journals reported that Perfect Pay utilizes RFID technology to track baccarat wagers, hand outcomes, payouts and player ratings in real time while eliminating losses from dealer mis-pays, counterfeit chips and other problems.
Perfect Pay and Elite Baccarat both won Gold Awards from Casino Journal at the 2009 Gaming Technology Summit.
Genting Berhad
, the Malaysia-based owner and operator of the world’s largest casino, the Genting Highlands
, has ordered 100 Perfect Pay tables for that facility.
s.
In January 2001, the State of Connecticut Attorney General filed suit against Walker Digital. Faced with mounting financial losses, Jay Walker fired 106 of his 125 employees, violating Federal employment law requiring 60 days notice when laying off more than 33% of the workforce. On September 4, 2002, Walker Digital settles for $275,000 to be split amongst the laid off employees.
In October 15, 2009 Walker Digital, LLC filed its first patent infringement
action. The suit against Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, and Dell, Inc., was decided on January 3, 2011 as non-infringed.
In November 2010 Walker Digital LLC sued Facebook
for friending, or "Method and system for establishing and maintaining user-controlled anonymous communications".
On April 11, 2011 Walker Digital filed 15 lawsuits against more than 100 defendants including Amazon, Google and Microsoft for unauthorized use of its intellectual properties.
Research and development
The phrase research and development , according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, refers to "creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of...
lab based in Stamford
Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. It was founded in 1994 by Jay S. Walker, who also holds the position of chairman as of 2011. The company specializes in creating applications and business solutions that work with large-scale networks such as cell phones and the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
. Walker Digital and its principals partner with Fortune 500
Fortune 500
The Fortune 500 is an annual list compiled and published by Fortune magazine that ranks the top 500 U.S. closely held and public corporations as ranked by their gross revenue after adjustments made by Fortune to exclude the impact of excise taxes companies collect. The list includes publicly and...
firms such as Time Warner
Time Warner
Time Warner is one of the world's largest media companies, headquartered in the Time Warner Center in New York City. Formerly two separate companies, Warner Communications, Inc...
and International Game Technology
International Game Technology
International Game Technology is a Nevada based company specializing in the design, development, manufacturing, sales and distribution of gaming machines and network system products internationally, as well as online and mobile gaming solutions for regulated markets. The company's main offices are...
to bring its inventions to market. It also licenses other companies to do so.
Walker Digital LLC is the parent company of Walker Digital Management, Walker Digital Lottery, Walker Digital Gaming and Walker Digital Table Systems.
Synapse
In 1999, a U.S. patent was issued to Walker Digital for a business solution, which was then assigned to Synapse Group Inc.Synapse sells magazine subscriptions chiefly through marketing relationships with credit card issuers, consumer catalog companies, airlines with frequent flier programs, retailers and Internet businesses.
In 2001, Time Warner purchased a controlling stake in Synapse for a sum in excess of $500 million, completing that transaction in 2006.
Priceline
Walker Digital launched Priceline.comPriceline.com
Priceline.com is a company and a commercial website that helps users obtain discount rates for travel-related purchases such as airline tickets and hotel stays. The company is not a direct supplier of these services; instead it facilitates the provision of travel services by its suppliers to its...
in 1998, partially self-funding the startup company. Additional funds came from investors including Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
co-founder Paul Allen
Paul Allen
Paul Gardner Allen is an American business magnate, investor, and philanthropist. Allen co-founded Microsoft with Bill Gates...
, financier George Soros
George Soros
George Soros is a Hungarian-American business magnate, investor, philosopher, and philanthropist. He is the chairman of Soros Fund Management. Soros supports progressive-liberal causes...
, Lotus Development Corp. CEO Jim Manzi; and cable TV magnate John C. Malone
John C. Malone
John C. Malone is an American businessman and philanthropist. He served as chief executive officer of cable and media giant, Tele-Communications Inc. , for twenty-four years from 1973–1996. Malone is now chairman of Liberty Media and CEO of Discovery Holding Company. He was the interim CEO...
.
Priceline caught public attention with its "name your own price" advertising campaign, using actor William Shatner
William Shatner
William Alan Shatner is a Canadian actor, musician, recording artist, and author. He gained worldwide fame and became a cultural icon for his portrayal of James T...
as its celebrity spokesman: users agree in advance to purchase a service or product “blind”—without knowing precisely which provider would supply the product or service. They might be required to be flexible about travel dates and times, airports and cities.
Sellers could remain anonymous while using the system, to move inventory at discounted prices without appearing to break their publicly-advertised price structure. Consumers do not learn from which company they have purchased until after the sale is completed.
Priceline sold an estimated 40,000 tickets in its first quarter of operation. In 1999, Priceline went public. Walker left Priceline in late 2000 to focus on new ventures with Walker Digital.
U.S. HomeGuard
In 2003 Walker Digital devised an Internet–based surveillance system called U.S. HomeGuard. The basic concept was to hire 1 million work-at-home employees who would log in over the Internet to provide constant surveillance of image feeds from some 47,000 security cameras. These webcamWebcam
A webcam is a video camera that feeds its images in real time to a computer or computer network, often via USB, ethernet, or Wi-Fi.Their most popular use is the establishment of video links, permitting computers to act as videophones or videoconference stations. This common use as a video camera...
s would be installed nationwide at security-sensitive sites including border crossings, water reservoirs, chemical plants, nuclear power generators, airports, etc. Observers would report any suspicious activity to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security within 30 seconds. Wired
Wired (magazine)
Wired is a full-color monthly American magazine and on-line periodical, published since January 1993, that reports on how new and developing technology affects culture, the economy, and politics...
magazine called the idea "intriguing".
The Atlantic reported that Walker Digital invested several million dollars developing a prototype, offering the sell the system to the U.S. government for $1. Estimating that a test would cost $40 million, Walker said he was prepared to raise private funds for this purpose. On the recommendation of then-Rep. Christopher Shays
Christopher Shays
Christopher H. Shays is an American politician. He was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives and represented the 4th District of Connecticut....
(R-Conn.), Walker held numerous meetings with White House and DHS officials but the U.S. declined to go forward with the project.
In 2006 CNNMoney
CNNMoney.com
CNNMoney.com is the world's largest business website. The site is the online home of Fortune and Money, and serves as CNN.com's exclusive business site. The site, edited by Chris Peacock, together with the three titles, is part of the Fortune|Money Group, and attracts more than 10.8 million unique...
cited U.S. HomeGuard as the inspiration for a similar public-private partnership when Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
Gov. Rick Perry
Rick Perry
James Richard "Rick" Perry is the 47th and current Governor of Texas. A Republican, Perry was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998 and assumed the governorship in December 2000 when then-governor George W. Bush resigned to become President of the United States. Perry was elected to full...
announced plans for a webcam-based "virtual border patrol". By late 2008 the result was Texas Virtual Border Watch
Texas Virtual Border Watch
The Texas Virtual Border Watch is a pilot program created by the State of Texas that allows individuals with internet access to observe and report on the Texas-Mexico border via their computers...
(www.texasborderwatch.com). In its first four months, the program experienced technical challenges and political controversy; its 43,000 "virtual deputies" were credited with four drug busts and with preventing 30 illegal immigrant crossings.
QuickStore 24
In 2003 Walker Digital began patenting inventions in the vending machineVending machine
A vending machine is a machine which dispenses items such as snacks, beverages, alcohol, cigarettes, lottery tickets, consumer products and even gold and gems to customers automatically, after the customer inserts currency or credit into the machine....
field with the goal of revolutionizing the vending industry through enabling smart vending technology.
In 2007 Walker Digital exclusively licensed the patents for these innovations to Vendmore Systems, which launched its smart-technology-enabled platform in 2007 under the name QuickStore24TM.
Partnership with IGT
In 2006 Walker Digital entered into a strategic partnership with International Game TechnologyInternational Game Technology
International Game Technology is a Nevada based company specializing in the design, development, manufacturing, sales and distribution of gaming machines and network system products internationally, as well as online and mobile gaming solutions for regulated markets. The company's main offices are...
(IGT), the world’s largest manufacturer of casino games. He worked with IGT to develop innovative concepts and technologies for dozens of networked slot machines and other gaming devices, initially under a comprehensive license agreement.
The first result of the partnership was Guaranteed Play, a new method for casino game players to purchase game play. Customers receive a fixed number of slot machine spins or blackjack hands, known as a "session" of play, at a discounted price, by paying in advance. Guaranteed Play has enjoyed a limited but successful introduction at such casinos as the Red Rock Casino in Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
.
In 2010 Walker Digital sold approximately 100 patents to IGT, concluding the partnership.
Perfect Pay Baccarat
In 2009 Walker Digital subsidiary Walker Digital Gaming introduced the Perfect Pay baccaratBaccarat
Baccarat is a card game, played at casinos and by gamblers. It is believed to have been introduced into France from Italy during the reign of King Charles VIII , and it is similar to Faro and Basset...
table and Smart Table Network, supporting Elite Baccarat. Industry business journals reported that Perfect Pay utilizes RFID technology to track baccarat wagers, hand outcomes, payouts and player ratings in real time while eliminating losses from dealer mis-pays, counterfeit chips and other problems.
Perfect Pay and Elite Baccarat both won Gold Awards from Casino Journal at the 2009 Gaming Technology Summit.
Genting Berhad
Genting Group
Genting Group is an Asian conglomerate. It comprises four listed entities Genting Group is an Asian conglomerate. It comprises four listed entities Genting Group is an Asian conglomerate. It comprises four listed entities (namely holding company Genting Berhad (MYX:3182) and its member companies...
, the Malaysia-based owner and operator of the world’s largest casino, the Genting Highlands
Genting Highlands
Genting Highlands otherwise known as Resorts World Genting is the flagship integrated resort developed by Genting Group. It is nestled on a mountain peak within the Titiwangsa Mountains on the border between the states of Pahang and Selangor of Malaysia...
, has ordered 100 Perfect Pay tables for that facility.
Yappr
In 2009 Walker Digital and its partners launched a free website for English-language learning, yappr.com which provides non-English-speakers with a way to learn or improve their English. Viewers watch and listen to short film clips with soundtracks in English. Two sets of simultaneous subtitles are provided, one in English and one in the viewer’s language.Patent lawsuits and disputes
The practice of acquiring patents merely to license them is controversial in the software industry. Companies that have this business model are pejoratively referred to as patent trollPatent troll
Patent troll is a pejorative but questioned term used for a person or company who is a non-practicing inventor, and buys and enforces patents against one or more alleged infringers in a manner considered by the target or observers as unduly aggressive or opportunistic, often with no intention to...
s.
In January 2001, the State of Connecticut Attorney General filed suit against Walker Digital. Faced with mounting financial losses, Jay Walker fired 106 of his 125 employees, violating Federal employment law requiring 60 days notice when laying off more than 33% of the workforce. On September 4, 2002, Walker Digital settles for $275,000 to be split amongst the laid off employees.
In October 15, 2009 Walker Digital, LLC filed its first patent infringement
Patent infringement
Patent infringement is the commission of a prohibited act with respect to a patented invention without permission from the patent holder. Permission may typically be granted in the form of a license. The definition of patent infringement may vary by jurisdiction, but it typically includes using or...
action. The suit against Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, and Dell, Inc., was decided on January 3, 2011 as non-infringed.
In November 2010 Walker Digital LLC sued Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
for friending, or "Method and system for establishing and maintaining user-controlled anonymous communications".
On April 11, 2011 Walker Digital filed 15 lawsuits against more than 100 defendants including Amazon, Google and Microsoft for unauthorized use of its intellectual properties.