Transient Meters for Flexible Gaming Machine Analytics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional electronic gaming machines are limited in their ability to flexibly track and store historical data for meters, which restricts the number of meters that can be monitored and analyzed, as they require significant non-volatile storage for regulatory compliance and dispute resolution, leading to a need for innovative solutions to enhance metering capabilities without increasing storage costs.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of transient meters, which are defined using external meter definition files and do not require historical records, allowing for flexible reconfiguration and increased metering capabilities without the need to update the operating system or game software, along with mechanisms for non-traditional data output such as QR codes and steganographic techniques to facilitate data retrieval.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional meters with historical record storage are used for regulatory compliance, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments meters into two distinct types: persistent meters that store historical records for regulatory compliance, and transient meters that do not store historical records. This segmentation allows the system to meet regulatory requirements for critical data while avoiding unnecessary storage overhead for non-critical meter data, thereby reducing overall device complexity and storage requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
Different storage policies are applied to different meter types based on their specific requirements. Persistent meters receive full historical record storage with regulatory-compliant retention periods, while transient meters use minimal or no historical storage. This local quality approach ensures that storage resources are allocated efficiently according to the actual needs of each meter type.
2Measurement precision
If the number of meters is increased to provide more comprehensive game analytics, then measurement precision is improved, but storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the system to implement a large number of transient meters for comprehensive game analytics without proportionally increasing storage requirements. By segmenting meters into transient and persistent categories, the system can track extensive game events with minimal storage overhead, as transient meters do not require historical record retention.
Solution Approach 2:
Transient meters function as disposable measurement entities that provide valuable analytics data during their operational lifetime but do not require long-term storage infrastructure. This approach allows the system to deploy numerous analytics collectors without the heavy storage costs that would be required if all meters needed to retain historical data.
3Device complexity
If transient meters without historical storage are implemented, then device complexity is reduced, but loss of information occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments meters into persistent and transient types, where persistent meters retain historical information for regulatory and analytical purposes, while transient meters operate without historical storage. This segmentation allows the system to achieve simplified meter management for non-critical functions while preserving information where required by regulations or business needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary layer (the meter definition file and meter management system) that determines the storage policy for each meter type. This intermediary enables flexible configuration of information retention policies, allowing the system to balance between information preservation and complexity reduction on a per-meter basis.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and techniques for providing flexibly reconfigurable meters on electronic gaming machines are provided; such meters may be considered to be “transient” with respect to meters that are hard-coded into the electronic gaming machine operating system or platform software or wagering game software and may be reconfigured by updating one or more meter definition files. Some such electronic gaming machines may provide for automated output of meter information.