Gaming System Memory Management for Nested Bonus Games
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic gaming machines face challenges in maintaining contextual information for large numbers of gaming events, particularly in nested bonus games, due to limited memory capacity, leading to data loss and difficulties in recording and verifying gameplay for regulatory purposes.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method for a gaming system that detects physical items for credit balances, initiates casino wagering games, and conducts multi-level bonus games, storing summary and replay data in memory when play steps exceed a predetermined number to maintain contextual information and facilitate dispute resolution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the number of play steps is increased to record more gaming events, then the completeness of game history recording is improved, but the memory capacity is exceeded causing data loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments game event data into two distinct types: summary data (aggregated statistics like total plays, wins, losses) and detailed play step data (individual event records). This segmentation allows the system to store comprehensive game history information without exceeding memory capacity, as summary data requires minimal storage while detailed data is stored selectively for the most recent events.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a hierarchical dimension to data storage by organizing game events into multiple levels: base game events, bonus game events, and nested bonus game events. This multi-level structure allows the system to maintain contextual information about nested games while managing memory through selective recording of play steps at different hierarchical levels.
2Measurement precision
If detailed information for all play steps is stored, then the accuracy of game verification is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by storing detailed play step data selectively for specific portions of game history (most recent events and critical bonus game triggers) while using summary data for other portions. This approach maintains verification accuracy for recent and important events without the complexity of storing identical detail levels for all historical data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of data representation from uniform detailed records to a mixed format combining summary statistics and selective detailed records. This parameter change allows the system to adjust the level of detail stored based on memory availability and verification requirements, reducing overall system complexity.
3Quantity of substance
If summary data is stored to reduce memory usage, then the memory efficiency is improved, but the ability to reproduce specific game outcomes is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by storing summary data in advance for all game events, which requires minimal memory. When verification or playback is needed, the system retrieves these summaries and supplements them with detailed play step data for the most recent events, ensuring specific outcome details are available when needed without requiring full detailed storage from the outset.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where summary data serves as a bridge between memory constraints and verification requirements. The summary data provides a condensed overview that preserves essential game outcome information, while the system can retrieve supplementary detailed data for specific events when verification or playback is requested, thus maintaining both memory efficiency and information completeness.
Data Source
AI summary
A gaming system includes game-logic circuitry that primarily performs a casino wagering game. The casino wagering game includes gaming events (play steps) having outcomes that may trigger and perpetuate a multi-level bonus game. As the wagering game is performed, a game cycle data record is created containing game cycle data related to the outcome of the play steps. A predetermined number of the most recent game cycle data records are stored in non-volatile memory. Each game cycle data record includes a predetermined number of play step data records for the base-game, bonus-game-triggering, and bonus-game play steps, as performed in chronological order. When the predetermined number of play step data records is exceeded, the oldest non-triggering play step data record is removed from the game cycle data and accrued into summary data specific to a nested-depth of the play step for the game cycle.