Currency Conversion Display for Gaming Machines

Solution Overview

Problem

Players using gaming machines face difficulty in understanding monetary amounts displayed in currency units different from their accustomed currency, such as converting between pesos and dollars.

Innovation Solution

An information processing apparatus with a reading device for multiple currency types, a display device showing currency amounts based on read currency information, and a control device for converting currency amounts to a specified unit, allowing users to easily input and understand credit values.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the gaming machine displays monetary amounts in a predetermined currency unit (e.g., pesos), then the machine can process games based on that currency, but users accustomed to other currencies (e.g., dollars) find it difficult to understand the displayed amounts

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecurrency handling capabilityVSAvoiduser understanding of displayed amount

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a currency conversion display that acts as an intermediary between the internal predetermined currency unit and the user's familiar currency. The display device shows both the original currency amount and its converted equivalent in the user's preferred currency, allowing users to understand the displayed amounts without changing the machine's internal processing currency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the display parameter from showing only the predetermined currency unit to showing multiple currency units simultaneously. The display device is configured to present the monetary amount in both the original currency and converted currencies, allowing users to select and understand amounts in their familiar currency while the machine continues to process in the predetermined currency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Device complexity

If the machine uses a single predetermined currency unit for all transactions, then the system remains simple, but it cannot accommodate users with different currency preferences

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecurrency processing systemVSAvoidmulti-currency support

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a currency conversion display that acts as an intermediary between the internal predetermined currency unit and the user's familiar currency. The display device shows both the original currency amount and its converted equivalent in the user's preferred currency, allowing users to understand the displayed amounts without changing the machine's internal processing currency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The display device is given multiple functions: it displays the original predetermined currency amount and simultaneously displays converted amounts in multiple other currencies. This allows the machine to maintain its simple single-currency processing while providing universal adaptability to users with different currency preferences through the multi-functional display.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11915557B2Information processing apparatus

Publication Date: 2024.02.27 UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORP

AI summary

The object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus that enables a user to more easily understand a displayed amount. The information processing apparatus is provided with: multiple types of paper stock having currency information that include a currency unit; an insertion slot into which the multiple types of paper stock are inserted; a reading device for reading the multiple types of paper stock inserted into the insertion slot; and a display device for displaying a currency amount, being equivalent of one credit of a credit amount necessary for starting a process, with the currency unit, based on currency information corresponding to each of the multiple types of paper stock read by the reading device.