Secondary Controller Interposed Between Master Gaming Controller and Peripherals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gaming machines are expensive and difficult to replace quickly, making it costly for casinos to maintain a stock of machines with the latest games and features, limiting their ability to offer new or different games and themes.
Innovation Solution
A modified gaming machine configuration that includes a secondary controller interposed between the master gaming controller and peripherals, enabling additional functionality such as advertising, streaming media, and player promotions without altering the master controller, allowing for the implementation of secondary gaming and entertainment functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If gaming machines are custom configured to present specific games with custom facades and elements, then the gaming machines can provide dedicated primary gaming functionality, but the cost per unit increases to $10,000 or more and the machines become difficult to replace quickly
Solution Approach 1:
The gaming machine system is segmented into two independent controllers: a master gaming controller that handles primary gaming functionality and a secondary controller that handles additional functionality. This segmentation allows each controller to be optimized independently, reducing overall system complexity and cost while maintaining reliable dedicated functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The secondary controller provides multi-functional capabilities by handling various additional features such as advertising displays, streaming media, player promotions, and sensor monitoring. This universal approach allows a single controller architecture to support multiple functions that would otherwise require separate custom configurations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If gaming machines are custom configured for specific games, then the machines can offer dedicated gaming themes and features, but it becomes costly and time-consuming to replace machines to present new games or different themes
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables dynamic reconfiguration of gaming content by allowing the secondary controller to load and unload different game software, advertising content, and promotional materials without physical hardware changes. This dynamic approach allows casinos to quickly adapt their gaming offerings by simply updating software rather than replacing entire machines.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of replacing physical machines to introduce new games, the system uses software copying and loading mechanisms. The secondary controller can load copies of different game programs, themes, and content from external sources, allowing rapid deployment of new gaming variations without touching the physical hardware infrastructure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a secondary controller is interposed between the master gaming controller and peripheral devices, then additional functionality can be enabled at existing gaming machines, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The secondary controller acts as an intermediary component that bridges the master gaming controller and various peripheral devices. Rather than requiring direct integration of multiple functions into the master controller, the secondary controller mediates communication and control, simplifying the overall system architecture while enabling extensive additional functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A modified gaming machine includes a plurality of gaming machine peripheral devices for use in implementing one or more games to a player, and a master gaming controller configured to implement primary gaming machine functionality, including generating and transmitting information to the plurality of gaming machine peripherals. The modified gaming machine further comprises a secondary controller interposed between one or more of the plurality of gaming machine peripheral devices and the master gaming controller, whereby the secondary controller may forward information generated by the master gaming controller to the gaming machine peripheral devices and transmit secondary information to the peripheral devices.