Clearinghouse Server Reconciling Gaming Persistence State Transfers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electronic gaming machines (EGMs) face challenges in reconciling return-to-player (RTP) values when persistence games are played across multiple machines, leading to inaccurate accounting and potential payouts without reimbursement, especially when players transfer values between machines.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a system that includes a logic system with a processor, memory, and a verification interface in EGMs to manage persistence games with recordable states, allowing for the calculation of theoretical coin-out values and RTP, and a network interface for reconciling actual and theoretical coin-outs across multiple machines, using a clearinghouse server to credit or charge machines based on differences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If persistence games are played across multiple machines with transferable states, then player flexibility and entertainment value are improved, but accounting accuracy and RTP reconciliation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a clearinghouse server as an intermediary between multiple EGMs to manage persistence state transfers. The clearinghouse receives notifications of state transfers, calculates the theoretical coin-out values, and reconciles accounts between machines. This mediator resolves the accounting conflicts that arise when players transfer persistence states between machines, maintaining measurement precision while preserving player flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the clearinghouse continuously monitors and reconciles actual coin-out against theoretical coin-out values across the network of EGMs. When discrepancies are detected due to persistence state transfers, the clearinghouse generates reconciliation entries that feedback to the individual machines, ensuring accounting accuracy is maintained despite cross-machine play.
2Ease of operation
If persistence states are transferable between machines, then player convenience is improved, but unauthorized payouts and accounting errors increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by establishing a theoretical coin-out framework before actual persistence state transfers occur. The clearinghouse pre-calculates expected payout values based on persistence state values, creating a baseline for authorization. When transfers happen, the system compares actual payouts against these pre-established theoretical values, preventing unauthorized payouts while maintaining player convenience.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary anti-action through the clearinghouse's reconciliation process that proactively identifies and corrects potential accounting errors before they result in unauthorized payouts. By continuously monitoring the relationship between theoretical and actual coin-out values, the system preemptively prevents payout authorization errors rather than reacting to them after occurrence.
3Reliability
If a network of EGMs reconciles theoretical and actual coin-out values, then accounting integrity is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the reconciliation function into a centralized clearinghouse server that handles multiple EGMs through a single interface. Instead of each machine independently managing complex reconciliation logic, the clearinghouse consolidates these functions, reducing individual machine complexity while maintaining network-wide accounting integrity through centralized coordination.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic gaming system includes a server and a plurality of electronic gaming machines, each machine including a logic system configured for communication with the server, a memory and a theoretical coin-out meter. The memory includes instructions executable by the logic system for running on the gaming machine a persistence game having one or more recordable persistence states leading to a redeemable persistence award. Each persistence state has a persistence value representing a portion of the persistence award. The persistence game is interruptible at a first machine and resumable at a second machine at a recorded persistence state. The theoretical coin-out meter stores unawarded persistence values accumulated by the machine from advancing the persistence game during game play among the one or more persistence states. A persistence award redeemed at one of the machines is reconciled with unawarded persistence values accumulated at another one or more of the machines.