Bingo Game Award Pool Management via Sleep Reversion

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Solution Overview

Problem

In multi-player Bingo games, the dynamic nature of player participation and card numbers complicates achieving a consistent award structure and payout rate, as the odds of awarding interim pattern awards vary with the number of Bingo cards played, making it challenging to maintain a desired payout rate and player experience.

Innovation Solution

A method for conducting a wagering game with a progressive jackpot, where each player has a unique game array of indicia, and individual game indicia are sequentially selected, allowing for interim pattern awards to be added to a progressive jackpot pool if not claimed within a specified time, thereby smoothing the impact of player numbers on award structures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the number of Bingo cards is fixed to achieve a desired interim award payout rate, then the payout rate consistency is improved, but the adaptability to varying player participation is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepayout rate consistencyVSAvoidadaptability to player participation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic adjustment of the number of Bingo cards played based on actual player participation. The system calculates the desired number of cards to maintain target payout rates, then adjusts the actual number of cards played accordingly. This dynamic approach allows the game to adapt to varying player numbers while maintaining consistent payout rates, resolving the contradiction between reliability and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If more Bingo cards are played to accommodate more players, then the player service capability is improved, but the interim award payout rate increases beyond the desired rate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplayer service capabilityVSAvoidpayout rate control

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameter of the number of Bingo cards played to control the interim award payout rate. By calculating the optimal number of cards based on player participation and adjusting this parameter dynamically, the system can accommodate more players (improving productivity) while maintaining the desired payout rate (maintaining reliability).

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If fewer Bingo cards are played when player participation is low, then the payout rate control is improved, but the player service capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepayout rate controlVSAvoidplayer service capability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the number of Bingo cards played based on actual player participation levels. When player participation is low, it reduces the number of cards to maintain desired payout rates, and when participation is high, it increases the number of cards to serve more players. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between payout rate control and player service capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Ease of operation

If interim awards are awarded immediately to players, then the player satisfaction is improved, but the progressive jackpot pool growth is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improve player satisfactionVSAvoidprogressive jackpot pool

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a periodic action mechanism where interim awards are not immediately paid out but are instead added to the progressive jackpot pool. This creates a delayed reward system that allows the jackpot pool to grow while still providing players with the opportunity to win larger amounts later, balancing player satisfaction with pool growth.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system converts the potential harm of reduced immediate player satisfaction into the benefit of a growing progressive jackpot pool. By delaying interim award payments and adding them to the jackpot pool instead, the system creates larger potential winnings that ultimately enhance player satisfaction while building a substantial prize pool.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Data Source

PatentUS7614948B2Multi-player bingo with slept awards reverting to progressive jackpot pool

Publication Date: 2009.11.10 INTERNATIONAL GAME TECHNOLOGY INC

AI summary

The invention is directed to methods and gaming units for conducting a wagering game and an associated progressive jackpot, wherein each player has a unique game array of game indicia for the occurrence of the wagering game and individual game indicia are sequentially selected from a range of available game indicia. Players may win the wagering game, interim pattern awards and/or progressive jackpot awards by matching predetermined patterns with patterns formed on their unique game array with indicia matching selected indicia. The players may sleep interim pattern awards and progressive jackpot awards by failing to claim the awards by acknowledging the awards at the gaming unit within a finite sleep time period. The slept interim pattern awards and slept progressive jackpot awards may be added to a progressive jackpot pool.