System and method for connecting gaming devices to a network for remote play

• US 10,102,713 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Inventors: Saunders, Michael W., Carlson, Rolf E., Miller, William D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coburn, Corbett B
• Application Number:
  US13/831,604
• Publication Number:
  US 20130260880A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,041 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0221 Re-usable coupons
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/00 Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism healthcare informatics G16H
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/34 Betting or bookmaking, e.g. Internet betting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 dummy group

Abstract

Software for a gaming system receives a password over a network from a user of a remote player device for a gaming system for a gambling game. The software authenticates the user using the password. The software also receives an age from the user and determines that the user is of age to gamble on the gambling game, based on data stored in a database for the gaming system. Then software transmits a program to the remote player device. When executed, the program interactively presents the gambling game through a remote player interface and causes media associated with the gambling game to be presented on the remote player device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising operations of:

authenticating a user of a remote player device for a gaming system for a gambling game using a biometric identity device that includes a facial recognition device, wherein the gambling system includes a random number generator regulated by a gaming authority with a jurisdiction;

determining that the user is of age to gamble on the gambling game, based on data received from the biometric identity device and records stored in a database for the gaming system;

determining that the remote player device is at a geographic location within the jurisdiction using a global positioning system (GPS);

streaming, across a network to the remote player device following the authentication, media associated with the gambling game to be presented on the remote player device;

creating an auditable gaming session record including each gaming transaction;

sending the auditable gaming session record over the network to the gaming authority for auditing using standard accounting practices;

recording a gaming state of the gambling game following the authentication, wherein the gaming state of the gambling game is configured to be encrypted as an encrypted block of data and transferred to an additional remote player device for resuming of the gambling game after interruption of the gambling game;

in response to an interruption of the gambling game, transferring the encrypted block of data over the network from the gaming system to the additional remote player device for resuming of the gambling game, the encrypted block of data includes the gaming state of the gambling game prior to the interruption and wagering data associated with the gambling game; and

authenticating the user and the additional remote player device such that the additional remote player device decrypts the encrypted block of data into a decrypted block of data and validating, by a central gaming controller, the decrypted block of data before allowing the resuming of the gambling game,

wherein each operation is executed by one or more processors.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

delivering, to the remote player device, game information by a packet based network protocol, the game information including image and sound data for presentation on the remote player device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the network includes the Internet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the media includes video.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the media uses a streaming media protocol.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote player device is a handheld computer, a personal computer, or a mobile or wireless telephone headset.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the information received from the user is received at least in part through the use of a keyboard coupled to the remote player device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the information received from the user is received at least in part through the use of a touch screen coupled to the remote player device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the interruption is caused by a system failure that includes a failure of one or more of the gaming system, the remote player device, or the network.

10. One or more computer-readable media, that are non-transitory, storing a program which when executed, instructs a processor to perform the following operations:

authenticate a user of a remote player device for a gaming system for a gambling game using a biometric identity device that includes a facial recognition device, wherein the gambling system includes a random number generator regulated by a gaming authority with a jurisdiction;

determining that the user is of age to gamble on the gambling game, based on data received from the biometric identity device and records stored in a database for the gaming system;

determine that the remote player device is at a geographic location within the jurisdiction using a global positioning system (GPS);

stream, across a network to the remote player device following the authentication, media associated with the gambling game to be presented on the remote player device;

create an auditable gaming session record including each gaming transaction;

send the auditable gaming session record over the network to the gaming authority for auditing using standard accounting practices;

record a gaming state of the gambling game following the authentication, wherein the gaming state of the gambling game is configured to be encrypted as an encrypted block of data and transferred to an additional remote player device for resuming of the gambling game after interruption of the gambling game;

responsive to an interruption of the gambling game, transfer the encrypted block of data over the network from the game system to the additional remote player device for resuming of the gambling game, the encrypted block of data includes the gaming state of the gambling game prior to the interruption and wagering data; and

authenticate the user and the additional remote player device such that the additional remote player device decrypts the encrypted block of data into a decrypted block of data, the decrypted block of data is validated by a central gaming controller before allowing resuming of the gambling game.

11. The computer-readable media of claim 10, further comprising the following operation:

delivering, to the remote player device, game information by a packet based network protocol, the game information including image and sound data for presentation on the remote player device.

12. The computer-readable media of claim 10, wherein the network includes the Internet.

13. The computer-readable media of claim 10, wherein the media includes video.

14. The computer-readable media of claim 10, wherein the media uses a streaming media protocol.

15. The computer-readable media of claim 10, wherein the remote player device is a handheld computer, a personal computer, or a mobile or wireless telephone headset.

16. The computer-readable media of claim 10, wherein the interruption is cause by a system failure that includes a failure of one or more of the gaming system, the remote player device, or the network.

17. A method, comprising operations of:

authenticating a user of a remote player device for a gaming system for a gambling game using a biometric identity device that is a facial recognition, wherein the gambling system includes a random number generator regulated by a gaming authority with a jurisdiction;

determining that the user is of age to gamble on the gambling game, based on data received from the biometric identity device and records stored in a database for the gaming system;

determining that the remote player device is at a geographic location within the jurisdiction using a global positioning system (GPS);

streaming, from a host gaming device to the remote player device following the authentication, game information associated with the gambling game to be presented on the remote player device, the game information including image and sound data;

creating an auditable gaming session record including each gaming transaction;

sending the auditable gaming session record over the network to the gaming authority for auditing using standard accounting practices;

generating, by the remote player device, an encrypted block of data representing a gaming state of the gambling game following the authentication, the encrypted block of data representing the gaming state of the gambling game configured to be transferred to the host gaming device, the encrypted block of data includes wagering data associated with the gambling game;

in response to an interruption of the gambling game, transferring the encrypted block of data representing the gaming state of the gambling game over the network from the game system to an additional remote player device after the interruption of the gambling game; and

authenticating the user and the additional remote player device such that the additional remote player device decrypts the encrypted block of data into a decrypted block of data and validating, by a central gaming controller, the decrypted block of data before allowing the resuming of the gambling game, wherein each operation is executed by one or more processors.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the remote player device is a handheld computer.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the interruption is caused by a system failure that includes a failure of one or more of the gaming system, the remote player device, or the network.