IP Library Granted Patent US 12,374,194
Granted Patent B2
US 12,374,194 · App. 18/658,150 · Granted Jul 29, 2025

Dynamic game flow modification in electronic wagering games

Inventor: Fayez Idris (Dieppe, CA)
Assignee: IGT
G07F17/3267G07F17/3223G07F17/3227G07F17/3237G07F17/3244G07F17/3262G07F17/34
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,374,194
App. No.
18/658,150
Granted
Jul 29, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A wagering game operates according to a set of game rules including game flow rules that define a sequence of game events that are presented to a player in a course of operation of the wagering game, a math engine that governs probabilities of pseudorandom events that can occur in the course of operation of the wagering game, and a pay table that defines winning events that can occur in the course of operation of the wagering game and corresponding payouts that are made to the player upon occurrence of the wining events. The method determines a player game play preference of the player associated with playing the wagering game on the EGM, and adjusts the game flow rules in response to the determined player game play preference.

Claims (48)

1. An electronic gaming machine (EGM) comprising:

a processor circuit; and

a memory coupled to the processor circuit, the memory comprising machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor circuit cause the processor circuit to:

initiate a wagering game on the EGM, wherein the wagering game operates according to a set of game rules comprising game flow rules that define a sequence of game events that are presented to a player in a course of operation of the wagering game, a math engine that governs probabilities of pseudorandom events that can occur in the course of operation of the wagering game, and a pay table that defines winning events that can occur in the course of operation of the wagering game and corresponding payouts that are made to the player upon occurrence of the winning events, wherein the pay table, the math engine and the game flow rules provide payouts having a return to player (RTP), over time, that falls within a predetermined window;

adjust the game flow rules from a first set of game flow rules to a second set of game flow rules in response to a determined player game play preference;

present the wagering game to the player using the second set of game flow rules while maintaining the RTP within the predetermined window;

receive an initial player game play preference from a remote server, the initial player game play preference being associated with an additional set of data for an additional period of game play separate from the wagering game; and

determine the player game play preference based on the initial player game play preference and the player game play preference of the player associated with playing the wagering game on the EGM,

responsive to initiating the wagering game, present the wagering game to the player using the first set of game flow rules;

responsive to presenting the wagering game to the player using the first set of game flow rules, collect a first set of player game play preference data related to play of the wagering game by the player; and

analyze the first set of player game play preference data to determine the game play preference of the player based on analysis of the first set of player game play preference data,

wherein the first set of player game play preference data represents wagering behavior of the player during play of the wagering game.

2. The EGM of claim 1 , the memory further comprising machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor circuit, cause the processor circuit to:

maintain the RTP within the predetermined window by adjusting the math engine to compensate for changes in the game flow rules.

3. The EGM of claim 1 , the memory further comprising machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor circuit, cause the processor circuit to:

maintain the RTP within the predetermined window by adjusting the pay table to compensate for changes in the game flow rules.

4. The EGM of claim 1 , wherein the player game play preference comprises a preference for playing bonus games, and wherein the game flow rules are adjusted to present an increased number of bonus games to the player.

5. The EGM of claim 1 , wherein the player game play preference comprises a preference for maximizing playing time.

6. The EGM of claim 5 , wherein the game flow rules are adjusted to cause the game play to last longer.

7. The EGM of claim 1 , wherein the player game play preference comprises a preference for achieving in-game goals.

8. The EGM of claim 7 , wherein the game flow rules are adjusted to provide more in-game goal completion opportunities to the player.

9. The EGM of claim 1 , wherein the player game play preference comprises a preference for playing the same game.

10. The EGM of claim 9 , wherein the game flow rules are adjusted to reduce bonus game opportunities.

11. The EGM of claim 1 , the memory further comprising machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor circuit, cause the processor circuit to:

collect the player game play preference data from a moment the player begins to play the wagering game or indicates a desire to play the wagering game on the EGM.

12. The EGM of claim 1 , the memory further comprising machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor circuit, cause the processor circuit to collect player game play preference data for a predetermined length of time.

13. A method, comprising:

initiating a wagering game on an electronic gaming machine (EGM), wherein the wagering game operates according to a set of game rules including game flow rules that define a sequence of game events that are presented to a player in a course of operation of the wagering game, a math engine that governs probabilities of pseudorandom events that can occur in the course of operation of the wagering game, and a pay table that defines winning events that can occur in the course of operation of the wagering game and corresponding payouts that are made to the player upon occurrence of the wining events, wherein the pay table, the math engine and the game flow rules provide payouts having a return to player (RTP), over time, that falls within a predetermined window;

responsive to initiating the wagering game on the EGM, determining a player game play preference of the player associated with playing the wagering game on the EGM based on play of the wagering game by the player;

adjusting the game flow rules from a first set of game flow rules to a second set of game flow rules in response to the determined player game play preference;

presenting the wagering game to the player using the second set of game flow rules while maintaining the RTP within the predetermined window; and

receiving an initial player game play preference from a remote server, the initial player game play preference being associated with an additional set of data for an additional period of game play separate from the wagering game;

responsive to initiating the wagering game, present the wagering game to the player using the first set of game flow rules;

responsive to presenting the wagering game to the player using the first set of game flow rules, collecting a first set of player game play preference data related to play of the wagering game by the player; and

analyzing the first set of data to determine the game play preference of the player based on analysis of the first set of player game play preference data.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising maintaining the RTP within the predetermined window by adjusting the math engine to compensate for changes in the game flow rules.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

maintaining the RTP within the predetermined window by adjusting the pay table to compensate for changes in the game flow rules.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the player game play preference comprises a preference for playing bonus games, a preference for maximizing playing time, a preference for achieving in-game goals, and/or a preference for playing the same game.

17. An electronic gaming machine (EGM) comprising:

a processor circuit; and

a memory coupled to the processor circuit, the memory comprising machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor circuit cause the processor circuit to:

initiate a game on the EGM, wherein the game operates according to a set of game rules including comprising game flow rules that define a sequence of game events that are presented to a player in a course of operation of the game, a math engine that governs probabilities of pseudorandom events that can occur in the course of operation of the game, and a win table that defines winning events that can occur in the course of operation of the game and corresponding rewards that are made to the player upon occurrence of the winning events;

adjust the game flow rules from a first set of game flow rules to a second set of game flow rules in response to the determined player game play preference;

adjust the math engine to compensate for changes in the game flow rules;

present the game to the player using the second set of game flow rules;

receive an initial player game play preference from a remote server, the initial player game play preference being associated with an additional set of data for an additional period of game play separate from the wagering game; and

determine the player game play preference based on the initial player game play preference and the player game play preference of the player associated with playing the wagering game on the EGM, cause the processor circuit to collect player game play preference data for a predetermined length of time.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 16, 2026
From: IDRIS, FAYEZ
To: IGT
Reel/Frame 073794/0680 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 3, 2025
From: IGT
To: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 071817/0394 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 17710117 · Mar 31, 2022
Continuation 16936626 · Jul 23, 2020
Continuation 16203539 · Nov 28, 2018
Related Publication 20240290173A1 · Aug 29, 2024
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