Slot Machine Mark Symbols for Progressive Bonus Triggers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gaming machines lack innovative features to enhance player engagement and entertainment, particularly in providing progressive awards based on symbol combinations and mark displays.
Innovation Solution
A gaming machine with a processor and display that shows symbols, including a first symbol and a second symbol with a mark, where a progressive chance game is triggered and awards are provided based on the number of displayed marks, enhancing entertainment and attracting players.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional gaming machines use standard symbol combinations for awards, then the game mechanism remains simple, but player engagement and entertainment value are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The symbol system is segmented into base symbols and mark elements. Each symbol can independently contain marks, allowing modular combination of basic symbols with bonus indicators. This segmentation enables complex award structures while maintaining relatively simple base symbol design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a temporal dimension to symbol evaluation by introducing progressive mark accumulation across multiple spins. Instead of evaluating only the final symbol configuration, the system tracks mark accumulation over time, creating a multi-stage evaluation process that enhances engagement without requiring fundamentally new symbol mechanics.
2Adaptability or versatility
If gaming machines provide fixed awards for symbol combinations, then the payout structure is simple, but player attraction and entertainment aspect are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The award structure transitions from static fixed payouts to dynamic progressive awards. The mark accumulation mechanism creates a dynamic system where potential awards increase over time based on continued play and mark collection, allowing the payout structure to adapt to player performance and engagement level.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by accumulating marks during base gameplay before triggering the progressive chance game. This preliminary mark collection phase builds anticipation and sets up the subsequent award determination, separating the accumulation phase from the resolution phase to enhance player engagement.
3Adaptability or versatility
If gaming machines use traditional bonus triggers, then the game flow is straightforward, but entertainment value and player attraction are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The mark symbol serves multiple functions: it acts as a regular symbol in base gameplay, a bonus indicator for trigger conditions, and a progress tracker for progressive awards. This multi-functionality allows a single symbol type to drive multiple game mechanics without requiring separate specialized symbols for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The progressive chance game acts as an intermediary mechanism between base gameplay and final award determination. Rather than directly transitioning from symbol match to payout, the system introduces this intermediate stage where players can accumulate additional marks and influence their potential awards, adding strategic depth and entertainment value.
Data Source
AI summary
A gaming environment is described. If a predetermined number or more marks are displayed, one of progressive chance games will be executed. Also, the progressive chance game to be executed is determined based on the displayed mark. If a progressive bonus is realized in the progressive chance game, jackpot amount corresponding to the progressive bonus will be provided.


