Dynamic Tournament Funding via Expected Value Accumulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current gaming tournaments have static awards funded by buy-ins or marketing dollars, lacking excitement and dynamic funding mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A gaming system that conducts elimination tournaments by accumulating the average expected payout value of unplayed tournament games from eliminated players, dynamically changing the award and providing players with initial free or paid tournament games, and offering tournament advantages based on non-tournament game play.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If tournament awards are funded with static buy-ins or marketing dollars, then the award amount is predetermined and simple to manage, but the tournament lacks excitement and dynamic funding mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic tournament funding by allowing the award pool to change during tournament play based on player eliminations and unplayed games. The funding mechanism transitions from static (predetermined) to dynamic (adjustable during play), directly resolving the contradiction between adaptability and complexity by introducing controlled variability through established rules.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the funding parameter from a fixed predetermined amount to a variable amount that adjusts based on tournament progression. The award pool is recalculated based on the number of unplayed games remaining for eliminated players, creating a dynamic funding structure that adapts to tournament conditions while maintaining mathematical control through expected value calculations.
2Productivity
If players are eliminated during tournament play, then the tournament progresses with reduced competition, but the unplayed games of eliminated players represent lost value and player engagement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of eliminated players' unplayed games (lost value and engagement) into a beneficial funding mechanism for the tournament award. By calculating the expected value of unplayed games and adding it to the award pool, the system transforms wasted resources into enhanced tournament funding, directly addressing the loss of energy from unplayed games.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring player eliminations and unplayed game counts, then using this information to dynamically adjust the award pool. The feedback loop ensures that the value of unplayed games is captured and redistributed to the award, preventing value loss while maintaining tournament progression efficiency.
3Adaptability or versatility
If tournament awards are dynamically adjusted based on unplayed games, then player engagement and excitement increase, but the calculation and management of award values becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing the expected value of tournament games before the tournament begins. This pre-computed expected value is then used during tournament play to simplify the dynamic award calculation, reducing the complexity of real-time computations while maintaining the adaptability of the dynamic award structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the concept of expected value as an intermediary to bridge the complexity of dynamic adjustments and the simplicity of award management. By introducing expected value calculations as an intermediate step, the patent simplifies the measurement and management of dynamic award values, making the complex adaptability more tractable through mathematical abstraction.
Data Source
AI summary
A gaming system including a central server operable to communicate a plurality of different commands to a plurality of gaming devices to provide non-tournament game play and provide an elimination tournament. The gaming system contributes an average expected payout value of tournament games that were determined to be subsequently played by tournament players but were then not played because the players were eliminated before the end of the tournament to a tournament award. The tournament award is provided to a winner of the tournament.