Reconfigurable chair-based electronic gaming machines and methods

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional gaming machine cabinets are inflexible and costly to customize for new display technologies and multiple games, requiring extensive development and customization, limiting their ability to accommodate emerging technologies and multiple game options.

Innovation Solution

A gaming machine system integrated into a gaming chair with self-contained player interface hardware and a local power supply, allowing for modular configurations with secondary gaming elements like main displays, virtual reality, and augmented reality, reducing the need for custom cabinets and enabling easier updates and game changes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional gaming machine cabinets are used with custom designs for new display technologies and multiple games, then game presentation capability is improved, but development time and costs increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegame presentation capabilityVSAvoiddevelopment time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The gaming chair is designed as a universal platform that can accommodate multiple different display technologies (slot machine reels, video displays, virtual reality, augmented reality, holographic displays) and multiple games through software configuration rather than hardware redesign. The chair structure with integrated player interface hardware serves as a multi-functional base that adapts to different game presentations without requiring custom cabinet designs for each technology or game type.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The gaming system is segmented into modular components: the chair structure with integrated player interface hardware serves as the core platform, while display elements (reels, video displays, VR/AR components) are separate modular additions that can be configured as needed. This segmentation allows the core chair platform to remain unchanged while only the display components need to be updated for new games or technologies, significantly reducing development time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If conventional gaming machine cabinets are customized for new display technologies and multiple games, then game variety is improved, but manufacturing complexity and costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegame varietyVSAvoidcabinet customization complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The chair structure with integrated player interface hardware serves as a universal platform that can support multiple games and display technologies without requiring custom cabinet designs. The same chair platform can be configured for slot machine reels, video displays, virtual reality, augmented reality, or holographic displays through software and modular component changes, eliminating the need for complex custom cabinet manufacturing for each game variety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If conventional gaming machine cabinets are redesigned for emerging technologies, then technological adaptability is improved, but manufacturing costs increase by 50-75%

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetechnological adaptabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The player interface hardware is pre-integrated into the chair structure during manufacturing, creating a ready-to-adapt platform before new games or technologies are introduced. This preliminary integration of core components (speakers, video displays, input/output elements, card readers, printers, bill acceptors, coin mechanisms) into the chair eliminates the need for expensive custom cabinet manufacturing when emerging technologies are adopted, as only modular display components need to be added or updated.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Stability of the object's composition

If conventional gaming machine cabinets are used, then structural stability is maintained, but reconfigurability for different games is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidreconfigurability

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system is divided into a stable core (chair structure with integrated player interface hardware) and modular可变 components (display elements like reels, video displays, VR/AR components). The chair structure maintains structural stability while the modular display components can be reconfigured for different games and technologies, achieving both stability and reconfigurability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS11948420B2Reconfigurable chair-based electronic gaming machines and methods

Publication Date: 2024.04.02 ARISTOCRAT TECH AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

AI summary

Gaming machines, methods, and systems include gaming chairs integrated with player interface hardware elements in a chair structure and in communication with a game controller. The gaming chairs allow modular assembly and reconfigurability of gaming machines and systems without customized gaming machine cabinetry. Modular pedestals and secondary gaming elements supported on the pedestals may also be provided in combination with the gaming chairs for assembly into different game bank configurations.