Distributed Game Delivery System with Hierarchical Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Managing multiple, geographically distributed gaming venues to ensure a consistent and reliable game experience across all venues is challenging due to the complexity of coordinating multimedia equipment and staff oversight.

Innovation Solution

A distributed computer system comprising local units, venue central units, a booking system, and a master central server that automates the delivery of game sessions, allowing for scalable and efficient management of game experiences across venues with minimal human intervention, using multimedia gaming equipment and data communication between central and local units.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a distributed system with multiple central units and local units is implemented to manage geographically distributed gaming venues, then the scalability and coverage of game delivery is improved, but the system complexity and coordination overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovescalabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system is divided into multiple hierarchical levels: master central servers that manage groups of venues, venue central units that manage specific venues, and local units that control individual gameplay areas. This segmentation allows the system to scale by adding more units at appropriate levels without requiring complete system redesign, while each unit operates semi-independently to reduce coordination complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Venue central units act as intermediaries between master central servers and local units within each venue. They receive game sessions from master servers, manage local distribution to multiple gameplay areas, and handle venue-specific operations. This intermediary layer reduces the coordination burden on master servers while maintaining centralized control over game content and licensing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Extent of automation

If automated game session delivery is implemented from master central server to venue central units to local units, then the need for technically skilled staff is reduced, but the reliability and consistency of game delivery across distributed venues must be maintained

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomation levelVSAvoiddelivery consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Game sessions are pre-configured and validated at the master central server before being distributed to venue central units. The system performs preliminary checks on game compatibility, equipment requirements, and venue capabilities before deployment. This preliminary action ensures that automated delivery maintains consistency and reliability without requiring manual verification at each venue.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where venue central units report status information back to master central servers, and local units report gameplay status to venue central units. This feedback loop allows the automated system to detect and correct issues, ensuring consistent game delivery across distributed venues while maintaining high automation levels.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If game sessions are automatically communicated and rendered accessible across multiple levels of the distributed system, then the operational efficiency and productivity are improved, but the potential impact of system disruptions and the need for robustness increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational efficiencyVSAvoidsystem vulnerability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements redundancy at multiple levels: master central servers can backup each other, venue central units can cache game sessions locally, and local units can maintain basic functionality with cached content. This beforehand cushioning ensures that temporary disruptions at any level do not completely halt operations, maintaining productivity while providing robustness against system failures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

4Ease of operation

If minimal human oversight is required for automated game session flow from booking to delivery, then the ease of operation is improved, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring system issues may increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of operationVSAvoidissue detection difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces manual monitoring and troubleshooting with automated digital monitoring tools. Software agents continuously monitor system health, game session delivery status, and equipment functionality across all levels. When issues are detected, the system automatically generates alerts and can even perform self-diagnosis, maintaining ease of operation while improving issue detection capability through automated surveillance rather than manual inspection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS12005348B2Game delivery system

Publication Date: 2024.06.11 IMMERSIVE GAMEBOX LTD

AI summary

Systems and methods are disclosed for delivering a requested game experience at any of multiple distributed venues. Each venue can include respective gameplay areas and multimedia gaming equipment for delivering a game experience in each gameplay area. The system can include a booking system for managing game bookings across the venues and a master central server configured to generate game sessions based on bookings at the booking system.