Multi-Layered Award Wheel for Gaming Device Outcome Variability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current gaming devices lack variability in game outcomes without requiring additional reel strips, limiting the number of permutations and potentially affecting fairness and player engagement.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a multi-layered prize award wheel system where each layer has different awards, triggered by a threshold number of defined symbols, using a random number generator to select the award set and visually modify the wheel display before spinning, increasing game outcome variability exponentially without adding reel strip data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional single-layer award wheels are used, then the device complexity is low, but the game outcome variability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a traditional single-layer award wheel to a multi-layered wheel structure with multiple concentric layers, each containing different sets of awards. This dimensional expansion allows the system to provide exponentially more game outcome variability while maintaining the same basic wheel mechanism, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The award wheel is segmented into multiple independent layers, where each layer contains a distinct set of awards. The system can selectively activate different layers based on game conditions, symbol matches, or wager amounts. This segmentation enables high adaptability in award selection without requiring a completely different wheel structure for each scenario.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional reel strips are added to increase game permutations, then the game outcome variability improves, but the device complexity and data requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-layered award wheel serves multiple functions that would traditionally require separate mechanisms. Different layers can be activated based on various game conditions, symbol combinations, or wager levels, providing a universal award determination system that replaces the need for multiple specialized reel strips while achieving the same goal of increased game outcome variability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the number of award options is increased, then player engagement improves, but the difficulty of managing and regulating the game outcomes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system manages the increased complexity of multiple award layers by dynamically changing parameters such as which layer is active, the stopping position on the wheel, and the mapping between symbol matches and specific layers. These parameter changes allow precise control over outcome determination while presenting players with a wide variety of award options, maintaining both engagement and regulatory precision.
Data Source
AI summary
Determining an outcome includes displaying at least one award wheel, the award wheel comprising a plurality of layers, each layer displaying a respective one of a plurality of different sets of wheel awards, selecting, using a random number generator, symbols from the reel strips for display at a plurality of symbol positions, and controlling the display to display the selected symbols at the symbol positions. Upon the selected symbols including at least a threshold number of a defined symbol, a set of wheel awards to be used from the plurality of different sets of wheel awards displayed on the layers of the award wheel are determined based on the number of the at least a threshold number of defined symbols, and a wheel award is selected from the determined set of wheel awards. The outcome is based on the selected wheel award and any winning outcomes.