Transmissive Reel Display for Fillable Multiplier Symbol Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic gaming machines lack innovative ways to enhance player engagement and visibility of multiplier images in relation to reel symbols, particularly in the alignment and filling of fillable sub-symbols, which can lead to a less engaging and less clear display experience.
Innovation Solution
The integration of a transmissive display device positioned in front of physical reels, which displays multiplier images that start at a prominent size and sequentially shrink to align with fillable sub-symbols on the reels, providing a clear and engaging visual effect.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a transmissive display device is positioned in front of physical reels to display multiplier images, then player engagement and visibility of multiplier images are enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the physical reel mechanism with a transmissive display device positioned in front of it. The display device shows multiplier images that can be seen through the reel assembly, merging the traditional mechanical reel display with an enhanced electronic overlay. This integration allows the multiplier image to be displayed prominently and dynamically without requiring a complete replacement of the physical reel structure, thus improving player engagement while managing the increase in device complexity through selective integration rather than full replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The transmissive display device acts as an intermediary between the physical reel and the player's view. It positions itself in front of the reel assembly and uses a see-through window design that allows the physical reel to remain visible while overlaying multiplier images. This intermediary approach enables enhanced visual information delivery without completely eliminating the physical reel mechanism, thereby improving ease of operation (player engagement) while the intermediary nature helps manage complexity by maintaining the existing physical structure.
2Illumination intensity
If the multiplier image is displayed at a prominent size before shrinking to align with the fillable sub-symbol, then visibility and player engagement are improved, but the display sequence complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic display sequence where the multiplier image changes its characteristics over time. The image starts at a prominent size for high visibility, then progressively shrinks while moving into alignment with the fillable sub-symbol on the reel. This dynamic behavior is achieved through controlled image rendering in the transmissive display device, allowing the same physical hardware to present different visual states at different moments, thereby improving visibility during the initial display phase while the programmed sequence manages the complexity of the transition.
Solution Approach 2:
The display sequence is pre-programmed to first show the multiplier image at a prominent size before transitioning to the aligned position. This preliminary action ensures that the multiplier information is immediately visible and engaging to the player before the more subtle alignment animation occurs. The pre-planned sequence allows the system to manage display complexity by breaking the overall animation into distinct phases (prominent display phase, transition phase, alignment phase), making the complex visual effect achievable through systematic progression rather than simultaneous execution of all display requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A gaming system including a housing and a reel assembly including a rotatable reel having a reel strip including a symbol and an associated fillable sub-symbol, and a transmissive display device defining a see-through window aligned with the rotatable reel and configured to display an image in the window of an initial size and initial position and display the image shrinking and moving into a final size and final position in alignment with and filling the fillable sub-symbol.