Hold-and-Spin Reel Strip Variants for Controlled Respin Windows
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic gaming machines lack variability and regulatory-compliant mechanisms to enhance game equity and player engagement through hold and spin features, particularly in secondary games or bonus rounds.
Innovation Solution
Implementing configurable symbols that are held in position during a base game, allowing for variable activation of additional game windows based on RNG-determined trigger conditions, with different reel strip variants to introduce new game mechanics and equity-building strategies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional random number generation is used to determine game outcomes, then regulatory compliance and fairness are maintained, but game variability and player engagement are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic reel strips that can change their configuration during gameplay. The reel strips contain multiple sets of symbols with different weights, and the system dynamically selects which symbol sets to display based on trigger conditions. This allows the game to adapt and vary outcomes while maintaining regulated randomness through controlled probability distributions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes parameters of the random number generation by using weighted symbol sets with different probabilities. Instead of uniform random selection, the patent assigns different weights to different symbols and reel strip configurations, allowing variability in game outcomes while maintaining regulatory compliance through controlled probability parameters.
2Adaptability or versatility
If hold and spin features are added to enhance player engagement, then game equity and player interaction improve, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the reel strip into multiple independent sections, each containing different symbol sets. The hold and spin feature operates on specific segments of the reel strip independently, allowing player engagement through interactive elements while maintaining manageable complexity by dividing the overall system into modular components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring multiple sets of reel strips with different symbol combinations and weights before gameplay. This allows the hold and spin feature to be prepared in advance with various configurations, enabling enhanced player engagement without increasing operational complexity during actual play.
3Reliability
If multiple reel strip variants are implemented to create different game versions, then game equity and RTP control improve, but manufacturing and programming complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal reel strip structure that can function in multiple game versions and configurations. The same basic reel strip framework supports different symbol sets, weights, and game modes, allowing RTP control across multiple game variants while reducing programming complexity through code reuse and modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The system controls RTP by changing parameters of the reel strip configurations, such as symbol weights, probabilities, and trigger conditions. Instead of programming entirely different games, the patent adjusts these parameters to create different game equity profiles and RTP levels, simplifying the programming task while maintaining reliable RTP control.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances game variability, complies with regulatory requirements, and improves player engagement by introducing new game mechanics that build equity and maintain desired RTP levels.
Implementation Method 1
The game is designed to return a certain percentage of the amount wagered back to the player (RTP=return to player) over the course of many plays or instances of the game. The RTP and randomness of the RNG are critical to ensuring the fairness of the games and are therefore highly regulated.
Data Source
AI summary
A gaming device includes a display, a processor, and a memory storing a plurality of sets of reel strips which include configurable and non-configurable symbols. The gaming device provides hold and spin feature games that hold the configurable symbols if selected. Additional game windows can be activated enabling configurable symbols to be added. Only one of multiple versions of the hold and spin feature game may be triggered from any base game depending on which set of reel strips is used, and its respective version of triggering symbols. In one example, a fixed number of multiple game windows are always activated if the hold and spin feature is a first version while only one game window is initially active if the hold and spin feature is a second version. In the second version, more game windows can be activated if sufficient configurable symbols are held.