Distributed Gaming Voucher Validation via Peer-to-Peer Communication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Centralized gaming systems are costly and time-consuming to maintain and update, especially for smaller operations, requiring significant investments in infrastructure and programming for introducing new features and validating tickets.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a peer-to-peer communication system between input/output devices that allows direct communication and validation of tickets or vouchers without a centralized database, using unique machine identifiers and codes printed on tangible media for verification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a centralized database and server are used for ticket validation, then ticket validation reliability is improved, but system cost and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the centralized database and server components from the system, eliminating them entirely. Each gaming machine maintains its own copy of player account information and validation logic locally, removing the need for centralized infrastructure while maintaining validation reliability through direct peer-to-peer communication.
Solution Approach 2:
Each gaming machine performs self-validation by accessing its own stored player account information and applying local validation rules. The system eliminates dependency on centralized services, allowing each node to independently validate tickets using its cached data and logic.
2Measurement precision
If a centralized database is used for ticket validation, then validation accuracy is improved, but maintenance cost and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the centralized validation function into distributed copies at each gaming machine. Each machine maintains its own validation logic and player data cache independently, allowing parallel maintenance operations without system-wide downtime and reducing overall maintenance time through localized updates.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically updates local player account information and validation rules at each gaming machine without requiring centralized database changes. This dynamic, distributed approach allows maintenance to occur at individual nodes without affecting the entire system, reducing total maintenance time.
3Adaptability or versatility
If new capabilities are introduced at each gaming machine and centralized server, then system functionality is improved, but programming and configuration cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal validation protocol that operates consistently across all gaming machines without requiring machine-specific programming. The standardized peer-to-peer communication framework and unified validation logic enable new capabilities to be deployed system-wide through single-point updates to the protocol rather than individual machine reprogramming.
Data Source
AI summary
A system that includes a first input/output (I/O) device configured to generate a code based at least in part on a unique machine identifier of the first I/O device, and a second I/O device communicatively coupled to the first I/O device via a network. The second I/O device is configured to read the code from a tangible medium, parse the code to determine the machine identifier, transmit a validation request directly to the first I/O device via the network, and receive a response message directly from the first I/O device, wherein the response message indicates a number of credits available to a user at the second I/O device.