Configurable Pinball Playfield With Modular Reducer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pinball machines lack configurability and interactivity between physical and virtual elements, limiting gameplay experience and the ability to modify game settings dynamically.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a pinball machine with a hybrid playfield that combines physical and virtual elements, featuring a modular design allowing interchangeable playfield portions and a playfield reducer mechanism that can be electronically activated to change game dynamics based on events or user input, enabling interaction between physical and virtual objects and dynamic game settings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional pinball machine uses a fixed playfield design, then the structure is simple and reliable, but the gameplay lacks configurability and interactivity
Solution Approach 1:
The playfield is divided into multiple interchangeable modules (first playfield portion, second playfield portion, third playfield portion) that can be selectively activated. Each module contains specific game elements and can be independently configured, allowing the system to transition between different game modes without requiring complete redesign of the entire playfield structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The playfield configuration is made dynamic through electronically controllable barriers and playfield reducers that can change position during gameplay. These elements allow the effective playfield area to be adjusted in real-time based on game events, player actions, or stage progression, transforming a static structure into an adaptable gaming environment.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a pinball machine incorporates virtual elements on the playfield, then interactivity between physical and virtual objects is enhanced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges physical pinball elements with virtual display elements into a hybrid playfield system. Physical components such as bumpers, targets, and barriers are integrated with electronic displays that show corresponding virtual representations, creating a unified interactive experience where physical actions produce both tactile feedback and visual confirmation.
Solution Approach 2:
The electronic display system acts as an intermediary between physical ball interactions and game logic processing. When the ball contacts physical elements, sensors detect these interactions and translate them into virtual events displayed on the screen, mediating between the mechanical physics of pinball and the software-based game rules.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If a pinball machine uses interchangeable playfield modules, then the lifespan and reconfigurability are extended, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The playfield is segmented into standardized modules that can be manufactured independently and then assembled into different configurations. Each module contains self-contained game elements and connection interfaces that enable modular assembly, allowing manufacturers to produce modules in batches and assemble different playfield arrangements from the same component library.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular modules are designed with universal interfaces and standardized connection mechanisms that allow the same module to be used in multiple different configurations and game modes. This universality reduces the total number of unique parts needed and simplifies manufacturing while still enabling extensive reconfigurability of the overall playfield system.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a pinball machine implements electronically controllable barriers, then the gameplay dynamics can be changed during play, but the device complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The electronically controllable barriers and playfield reducers operate periodically or event-driven rather than continuously. They are activated only when specific game conditions are met (such as completing a stage, achieving a certain score, or triggering a special event), remaining stationary during normal gameplay to minimize energy consumption while still providing dynamic reconfiguration capability when needed.
Data Source
AI summary
Pinball machines with configurable playfields. A method includes detecting an event during a game played at least in part over a surface of a playfield in a pinball machine, the playfield having a first and a second playfield portions with two outermost lateral edges between which the game takes place, and, in response to the event, electronically activating a playfield reducer located between the first and second portions, the playfield reducer configured to extend between the two outermost lateral edges of the playfield portions in a manner sufficient to prevent the pinball from traveling between the first and second playfield portions. A machine includes a main playfield portion having a set pinball components disposed therein, the components configured to interact with a pinball during a game, the main playfield portion further configured to receive any of a plurality of modular playfields, each of the modular playfields having different sets components.