Mobile Device Remote Input for Electronic Gaming Machines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic gaming machines (EGMs) in public environments often become unsanitary due to direct player interaction, discouraging players from touching them despite regular cleaning and disinfection.
Innovation Solution
A system that allows mobile devices to provide remote input to EGMs by modifying signal strength thresholds for transceivers, enabling wireless communication at greater distances while ensuring authorization and security through validation requests and tokens.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If players directly touch and interact with EGM components and surfaces, then ease of operation is improved, but hygiene and sanitation deteriorate due to contamination with dirt, oil, bacteria, and other substances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a mobile device as an intermediary between the player and the EGM. The mobile device communicates wirelessly with the EGM via a transceiver, allowing players to input commands and control the game without physically touching the EGM's buttons, screen, or other components. This mediator approach maintains ease of operation while eliminating direct contact and associated hygiene issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical interaction (physical buttons, levers, and touch surfaces) with wireless electronic communication. The transceiver system substitutes for traditional mechanical input devices, allowing the EGM to receive commands wirelessly from the mobile device. This substitution eliminates the need for players to touch physical components while maintaining full game control capability.
2Ease of operation
If signal strength threshold is increased to allow greater distance between transceiver and mobile device, then ease of operation is improved, but security and authorization reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary authorization through validation requests before enabling remote control. When a mobile device first approaches the EGM, it must send a validation request that is verified by the EGM's processor. Only after successful verification is the mobile device authorized to control the game. This preliminary action ensures security is established before operational convenience is enabled.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the signal strength threshold dynamic rather than fixed. The threshold adjusts based on the authorization state: a first (stricter) threshold when unauthorized, and a second (more permissive) threshold after successful validation. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to maintain security requirements initially, then provide operational convenience once authorization is confirmed.
Data Source
AI summary
Based on receipt of a validation request by a transceiver from a mobile device, a determination that a mobile device is authorized to provide remote input to a gaming device is made. A signal strength threshold for the transceiver is modified from a first signal strength threshold associated with a first distance between the transceiver and the mobile device to a second signal strength threshold associated with a second larger distance between the transceiver and the mobile device, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance. Based on receipt of a remote connection request from the mobile device, a determination whether the remote connection request meets the second signal strength threshold is made. In response to determining that the remote connection request meets the second signal strength threshold, the mobile device is allowed to provide remote input instructions to the gaming device.