Beacon-to-Patron Wireless Communication for Gaming Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing gaming technologies face challenges in efficiently utilizing wireless communication to enhance the gaming experience, particularly in crowded casino environments where wireless resources are congested, and battery life is a concern. Additionally, security concerns limit the communication between patron devices and electronic gaming devices.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a one-way wireless communication channel, specifically using Bluetooth beacons, to establish connections between electronic gaming devices and patron devices. This allows for localized communication, low power consumption, and simplified protocols, enabling features like proximity-based digital interactions and promotion dissemination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If two-way wireless communication is implemented between patron devices and electronic gaming devices, then interactivity and gaming experience are enhanced, but wireless resource congestion increases and battery consumption rises
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the communication function into two distinct channels: a one-way beacon channel for broadcasting gaming information and promotions, and a separate request channel for patron device communications. This segmentation allows the system to maintain enhanced interactivity while minimizing bidirectional communication overhead, thereby reducing battery consumption and wireless resource usage.
Solution Approach 2:
The beacon transmitter operates periodically, broadcasting information at predetermined intervals rather than continuously. This periodic action reduces the overall communication load on wireless resources and decreases the energy consumption of both the transmitter and receiving patron devices, while still maintaining effective information delivery.
2Adaptability or versatility
If bidirectional wireless communication is enabled, then patron-device to gaming-device communication is possible, but security risks and protocol complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The communication architecture is segmented into a simplified one-way beacon transmission channel and a controlled request-response channel. The beacon channel uses a straightforward broadcast protocol without requiring complex acknowledgment or error-handling mechanisms, thereby reducing protocol complexity while maintaining communication capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary that mediates communication between patron devices and electronic gaming devices. The server receives requests from patron devices, processes them, and sends appropriate responses, thereby simplifying the direct communication protocol requirements between gaming devices and patron devices while maintaining secure and controlled bidirectional communication.
3Reliability
If wireless communication resources are increased to support more devices, then connectivity is improved, but resource congestion in crowded casino environments worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the communication load by using dedicated beacon transmission channels that operate independently from the request-response channels. This segmentation allows beacon broadcasts to occur without interfering with patron device communications, improving overall connectivity reliability while minimizing resource congestion through efficient channel utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
By implementing periodic beacon transmissions at optimized intervals, the system reduces the total volume of wireless communications required while maintaining effective information delivery. This periodic approach decreases wireless resource congestion in crowded environments while preserving connectivity reliability for all devices.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for proximity-based digital interactions includes a beacon transmitter configured to wirelessly broadcast a first interaction prompt message that includes a first interaction event code. A system server is configured to: receive an event activation message that includes the first interaction event code; identify and perform a first pre-programmed action; identify proximity between a mobile computing device and the beacon transmitter based on receipt of the first interaction event code from the mobile computing device; create a second interaction event code that is targeted to be performed by the mobile computing device; and transmit a configuration message to the beacon transmitter that includes the second interaction event code, causing the beacon transmitter to begin broadcasting a second interaction prompt message including the second interaction event code together with the first interaction prompt message, where the first interaction event code is different than the second interaction even code.