Progressive Controller with Modular Protocol Handlers for Legacy EGMs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Different gaming devices supporting varying communication protocols hinder the implementation of advanced progressive game features, excluding older and competitor EGMs from participating in progressive games with modern features, and pose challenges in auditing and awarding prizes across diverse protocols.
Innovation Solution
A progressive controller that supports multiple protocols, such as SAS and eIPP, manages progressive games by determining the protocol capability of each device, awarding appropriate prizes, and enabling legacy devices to display or receive mapped awards, while facilitating remote configuration and hybrid auditing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a progressive controller supports only modern communication protocols (e.g., eIPP), then advanced progressive game features can be implemented, but legacy gaming devices (e.g., SAS protocol devices) are excluded from participating
Solution Approach 1:
The progressive controller is designed to support multiple communication protocols (eIPP, SAS, and future protocols) simultaneously, allowing it to serve both modern and legacy gaming devices. The controller includes separate protocol handlers that can independently process communications in different protocols, enabling a single controller to manage diverse device types without requiring separate controllers for each protocol type.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a progressive controller supports multiple communication protocols, then both legacy and modern gaming devices can participate, but the complexity of managing different protocol capabilities increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller architecture is segmented into independent protocol handlers, where each handler is responsible for a specific communication protocol. This modular approach allows the system to manage multiple protocols without creating complex interdependencies. Each protocol handler can be independently configured, maintained, and updated, reducing the overall management complexity despite supporting multiple protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The protocol handler acts as an intermediary layer between the gaming devices and the progressive game logic. Rather than having the progressive game logic directly handle multiple protocols, the protocol handlers mediate the communications, translating protocol-specific messages into a unified internal format that the progressive game logic can process uniformly, thereby simplifying protocol management.
3Productivity
If advanced progressive game features are implemented using modern protocols, then enhanced player engagement is achieved, but legacy devices cannot access these features
Solution Approach 1:
The progressive controller provides universal access to advanced progressive game features by supporting multiple communication protocols. Modern devices using eIPP can access all advanced features, while legacy SAS devices are also included through the SAS protocol handler, which translates their communications into the unified internal format required for feature access. This ensures all device types can participate in enhanced progressive games.
4Reliability
If a single progressive prize pool is maintained for all devices, then fairness and consistency are ensured, but devices with different protocol capabilities may experience award delivery issues
Solution Approach 1:
The protocol handler serves as an intermediary that ensures reliable prize award delivery across different protocol types. When a progressive win occurs, the protocol handler receives the award request, determines the appropriate protocol for the winning device, and delivers the prize through the correct protocol interface. This mediation layer maintains a single unified prize pool while ensuring each device receives its award through its native protocol, preventing delivery issues.
Data Source
AI summary
A progressive controller determines that a gaming device has triggered a progressive win for a progressive wagering game. The controller determines whether the first gaming device is in a first subset of gaming devices having a first communication protocol compatibility. In response to a determination that the first gaming device is not in the first subset of gaming devices, the controller determines whether the first gaming device is in a second subset of gaming devices having a second communication protocol compatibility. In response to a determination that the gaming device is in the first subset, the gaming device awards a first progressive prize corresponding to the progressive win. In response to a determination that the gaming device is in the second subset and that the gaming device is not in the first subset, the gaming device awards a second progressive prize corresponding to the progressive win.