Gaming Machine Power Control via Motion Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The gaming industry faces significant energy consumption challenges due to the constant operation of electronic gaming machines, leading to high operational costs and environmental impact, as these machines are typically kept 'always on' to attract users and maintain a flashy image, despite opportunities for energy savings through more intelligent power management.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a power consumption control system that allows for automatic remote power control of gaming machines using a master gaming controller, network interface, and Web server, enabling TCP/IP connections to receive HTTP messages for powering on or off based on triggering events such as activity levels or motion detection, without human intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If gaming machines are kept always on to attract users and maintain flashy image, then user attraction and operational availability are improved, but energy consumption and operational costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the operational state of gaming machines based on real-time detection of user presence. Motion sensors and proximity detectors monitor the environment, and the controller automatically transitions machines between powered-on and powered-off states, creating a dynamic power management system that adapts to changing conditions rather than maintaining a static always-on or always-off state
Solution Approach 2:
The gaming machine system serves itself by automatically detecting when it needs to be powered on or off through integrated motion sensors and controllers. The system eliminates the need for manual operator intervention by autonomously monitoring its environment and making power state decisions based on detected user presence, enabling self-managed energy conservation while maintaining operational readiness
2Loss of time
If components and peripherals are powered at all times to eliminate wait time for users, then user patience and service speed are improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of user approach using motion sensors and proximity detectors before the user actually reaches the gaming machine. This advance detection allows the controller to initiate power-up sequences in advance, ensuring the machine is fully operational by the time the user arrives, thereby eliminating perceived wait time while avoiding continuous powering
3Adaptability or versatility
If gaming machines operate continuously to maintain flashy image and attract users, then marketing effectiveness and user attraction are improved, but heat generation and climate control costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic operation cycles where gaming machines alternate between active flashy states that attract users and powered-off states that minimize heat generation. Motion-activated triggering ensures machines display their attractive features only during periods when users are present, creating a periodic pattern of high-visibility operation followed by low-power states, thereby reducing overall heat generation while maintaining marketing effectiveness
Data Source
AI summary
A wager gaming machine having software and components allowing for automatic powering on and off (also referred to as remote out-of-band power control) bypassing the need for human operator intervention is described. The gaming machine has a master gaming controller and a network interface. The interface includes an input port supporting a TCP/IP connection which can be used by another network component having the gaming machine's IP address. The gaming machine may also include a Web server operating on the input port. The Web server may receive HTTP messages on the input port even when the gaming machine is powered off. Thus, the machine is capable of receiving an HTTP message at the input port instructing the machine to power on. The gaming machine may also contain a manageability engine processor for executing an active management system software component. This component implements the Web server on the gaming machine.