Distributed Promotional Coupon System for Casino Gaming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cash-less enabled gaming systems lack an efficient mechanism for promoting and tracking promotional coupons across a network of gaming machines, leading to inconsistencies and inefficiencies in voucher printing and redemption processes.
Innovation Solution
A centralized Promotional Coupon System (PCS) coupled with Gaming Machine Installed Voucher Printers (GVPs) via dedicated networks, enabling unique address configuration, synchronization, and encryption for correlating gaming machine identifiers and managing promotional award coupons based on player activity metrics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a centralized Promotional Coupon System is implemented with dedicated networks connecting to multiple voucher printers, then promotional coupon issuance accuracy and tracking efficiency are improved, but device complexity and network infrastructure requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the promotional coupon management function into a centralized Promotional Coupon System (PCS) for control and tracking, and distributed Gaming Machine Installed Voucher Printers (GVPs) for execution. This segmentation allows centralized coordination for accuracy while distributing printing operations across multiple independent units.
Solution Approach 2:
A dedicated auxiliary communication network acts as an intermediary between the PCS and GVPs, enabling reliable signal transmission for promotional coupon control. This separate communication channel ensures accurate coordination without interfering with the primary cash-out voucher communication path.
2Productivity
If unique address configuration and synchronization mechanisms are implemented across the gaming network, then voucher printing coordination is improved, but communication overhead and system resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The auxiliary communication network serves multiple functions: it provides unique address configuration for GVPs, transmits synchronization signals for coordinated printing, and enables promotional coupon control. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate communication channels for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary address configuration and synchronization setup during system initialization or idle periods, rather than during active promotional coupon distribution. This preliminary action reduces communication overhead during high-traffic operational periods.
3Reliability
If encryption and synchronization protocols are implemented for promotional coupon signals, then security and tracking reliability are improved, but processing time and computational requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses standardized signal formats and protocols for promotional coupon transmission, allowing receiving GVPs to quickly parse and process incoming signals without requiring complex decryption algorithms. The auxiliary network carries dedicated control signals that are simpler to process than general-purpose encrypted data.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatuses for a distributed promotional coupon system for use within a casino which has cash-less gaming machines involving a plurality of game installed cash-out Voucher Printers networked to a central server. A central coupon server harnesses the processing power of the plurality of printers, tasking each one to analyze the player activity of the game into which it is installed. Handshaking and signaling between the server and the plurality of printers ensure that the server was system master, approving the issuance of all coupons. One advantage of the system is the simplification of the server whose real-time processing requirements become more of data routing than analysis.