Gaming Machine Dice Position Detection and Fairness Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

In dice games, particularly Sic Bo, the issue arises when a device that rolls the dice becomes broken, causing the game to continue without any change in dice position or dots, leading to unfair gameplay.

Innovation Solution

A gaming machine equipped with sensors to capture and process data on the dice's position, classification, and number of dots, which compares these parameters between games to detect if the dice have moved or changed, and a controller to interrupt the game if no change is detected, indicating a broken dice-rolling device.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the dice-rolling device is used continuously without monitoring, then the game can proceed without interruption, but the game fairness deteriorates when the device breaks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegame continuityVSAvoidgame fairness

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the sensor continuously monitors dice position and dot patterns, compares them with previous game data, and provides feedback to the control unit. When no change is detected (indicating device failure), the system automatically interrupts the game, thus maintaining fairness while allowing continuous operation under normal conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual monitoring of dice integrity with an automated optical sensing system. The sensor captures images of the dice, and the control unit processes this visual data to detect whether dice have moved or changed, substituting human judgment with automated image recognition and comparison algorithms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If a sensor system is added to monitor dice changes, then game fairness is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegame fairnessVSAvoidsystem structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor system serves multiple functions: it captures dice position, identifies dot patterns, stores game data, and enables comparison between games. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate monitoring systems and integrates fairness verification into the existing game control architecture, thereby limiting the increase in overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If the game is interrupted frequently to check dice integrity, then game fairness is maintained, but productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegame fairnessVSAvoidgame throughput

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary comparison of dice data with previous game results before interrupting the game. By continuously capturing and storing dice position and dot pattern data, the system is prepared to quickly identify failures when they occur, minimizing interruption time and maintaining high game throughput while ensuring fairness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS8216057B2Gaming machine that prevents game from continuing without dice position and dots changing

Publication Date: 2012.07.10 INTERBLOCK DOO

AI summary

A gaming machine receives capturing data from an infrared camera, determines a position, classification, and number of dots of dice based on the capturing data thus received, stores the position, classification, and number of dots thus determined in RAM for each game, and compares the position, classification, and number of dots for each of the dice stored in the RAM in a previous game with a position, classification, and number of dots for each of the dice stored in the RAM in a present game.