Wagering Game Machine Software Snapshot and Rollback Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wagering game machines face challenges in maintaining player interest due to repetitive content, requiring frequent updates and enhanced visual experiences across various platforms with different display characteristics.

Innovation Solution

The system allows for selective snapshotting and rollback of software and data on wagering game machines, enabling the preservation and restoration of previous software configurations, including game themes, bonus events, and visual experiences, facilitating updates and maintaining consistent player engagement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If frequent updates are implemented to maintain player interest, then entertainment value is improved, but system reliability deteriorates due to potential update failures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveentertainment valueVSAvoidsystem reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates a snapshot of the current software state before performing any updates. This preliminary action captures the baseline configuration, allowing the system to restore to this known good state if the update fails, thus maintaining system reliability while enabling frequent updates for entertainment value

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The rollback mechanism acts as a protective cushion against update failures. By preparing the rollback capability in advance, the system can safely attempt updates without risking permanent system degradation, resolving the contradiction between frequent updates and system reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Adaptability or versatility

If software updates are performed to enhance visual game play experience, then player engagement is improved, but operational complexity increases due to update management

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisual game play experienceVSAvoidoperational complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs automatic rollback operations without requiring manual intervention when updates fail. The snapshot and rollback mechanism operates autonomously, comparing update outcomes against the saved baseline and automatically restoring if necessary, thus reducing operational complexity while maintaining enhanced visual experience capabilities

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If rollback capability is implemented to ensure system reliability, then update safety is improved, but additional system resources are consumed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveupdate safetyVSAvoidsystem resources

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts only the essential snapshot data required for rollback operations, storing minimal necessary information (software configuration state) rather than maintaining complete system backups. This selective extraction provides adequate update safety while conserving system resources such as storage and memory

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS8475264B2Wagering game machine upgrade and rollback

Publication Date: 2013.07.02 LNW GAMING INC

AI summary

Systems and methods provide for the selective backup and rollback of software, firmware and data components of a wagering game machine.