Method and apparatus for securing electronic games

• US 20020002076A1
• Filed: 06/29/2001
• Published: 01/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Schneier, Bruce, Walker, Jay S.
• Granted Patent: US 6,450,885 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/401 Secure communication, e.g. using encryption or authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/532 using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3206 Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• 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: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

A system for playing electronic games includes a game server and one or more player terminals. Game results are based on a random number generated in each of the game server and the player terminals. The game server and the player terminals cooperate to ensure that the random numbers are generated independently. As a result, game players and the game host, such as a casino, can be confident that play results are not fraudulent. In one embodiment, the random numbers are transmitted between the game server and the player terminals at substantially the same time. In other embodiments, the random numbers are encoded and exchanged between the game server and the player terminals. Then, keys to decode the random numbers are exchanged.

Claims

1. An electronic game system comprising:

a first electronic system for generating a first random number;

a second electronic system for generating a second random number;

means for exchanging said first and second random numbers between said first and second electronic systems; and

means for ensuring that said first random number is generated independently of said second random number.

2. An electronic game system comprising a game server and one or more player terminals,

said game server including:

a random number generator; and

first transmitting means for transmitting a first random number to said one or more player terminals;

said one or more player terminals including;

a random number generator; and

second transmitting means for transmitting a second random number to said game server; and

said system including means for ensuring that said first random number is generated independently of said second random number.

3. An electronic game system comprising a game server and one or more player terminals,

wherein said one or more player terminals include:

a first random number generator; and

first transmitting means for transmitting said first random number to said game server; and

wherein said game server includes;

a second random number generator;

second transmitting means for transmitting said second random number to said one or more player terminals; and

said system including means for generating a game result based on said first random number and said second random number.

4. An electronic game system as defined in claim 3, wherein said one or more player terminals further include encoding means for encoding said first random number;

and wherein said game server further includes decoding means for decoding said encoded first random number.

5. An electronic game system as defined in claim 3, wherein said game server further includes encoding means for encoding said second random number.

6. An electronic game system as defined in claim 5, wherein said one or more player terminals further include:

decoding means for decoding said encoded second random number.

7. An electronic game system according to claim 3, wherein said first and second transmitting means includes means for transmitting said first and second random numbers at substantially the same time.

8. An electronic game system according to claim 6, further comprising:

means for exchanging decoding keys between said game server and said player terminal to decode said first and second random numbers.

9. An electronic game system according to claim 4 said player terminal further comprising:

means for generating a decoding key; and

means for transmitting said encoded first random number to said game server before receiving said second random number from said game server and for transmitting said decoding key to said game server after receiving said second random number from said game server.

10. An electronic game system according to claim 5, said game server further comprising:

means for generating a decoding key; and

means for transmitting said encoded second random number to said player terminal before receiving said first random number from said player terminal and for transmitting said decoding key to said player terminal after receiving said first random number from said player terminal.

11. An electronic game system according to claim 3, wherein said player terminal further comprises:

means for generating a hash value of said first random number,

means for transmitting said hash value to said game server before receiving said second random number from said game server; and

means for transmitting said first random number to said game server after receiving said second random number from said game server.

12. An electronic game server according to claim 3, wherein said game server further comprises:

means for generating a hash value of said second random number;

means for transmitting said hash value to said player terminal before receiving said first random number from said player terminal; and

means for transmitting said second random number to said player terminal after receiving said first random number from said player terminal.

13. An electronic game server according to claim 3, further comprising:

means at said player terminal for encrypting said first random number or other player selection data using a first encryption key;

a database at said game server storing at least one decryption key corresponding to said first encryption key; and

means at said game server for decrypting said first random number or said other player selection data using said at least one decryption key.

14. An electronic game server according to claim 3, further comprising:

means at said player terminal for encrypting said first random number or other player selection data using a private encryption key; and

means at said game server for decrypting said first random number or said other player selection data using a public decryption key.

15. A game server for an electronic game system comprising:

means for generating a first random number;

means for receiving a second random number generated at a separate device;

means for generating a game result based on said first and second random numbers; and

means for ensuring that said first and second random numbers are generated independently.

16. A player terminal for an electronic game system comprising:

means for generating a first random number;

means for transmitting said first random number to a separate device;

means for receiving a game result based on said first random number and a second random number generated at said separate device; and

means for ensuring that said first and second random numbers are generated independently.

17. A method of controlling an electronic game played in a system including first and second electronic systems, comprising the steps of:

generating a first random number at said first electronic system;

generating a second random number at said second electronic system;

exchanging said first and second random numbers between said first and second electronic systems; and

ensuring that said first and second random numbers are generated independently.

18. A method of controlling an electronic game played in a system including a game server and one or more player terminals, comprising the steps of:

generating a first random number at said game server;

generating a second random number at said player terminal;

encoding said first random number at said game server;

encoding said second random number at said player terminal;

transmitting a player encoded number from said player terminal to said game server;

transmitting a player decoding key from said player terminal to said game server; and

decoding said player encoded number at said game server to obtain said second random number.

19. A method of controlling an electronic game as defined in claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting a server encoded number from said game server to said player terminal;

transmitting a server decoding key from said game server to said player terminal; and

decoding said server encoded number at said player terminal to obtain said first random number.

20. A method of controlling an electronic game as defined in claim 19, wherein said step of encoding said first random number is performed by encoding said first random number with said game server encoding key to create said server encoded number;

and said step of encoding said second random number is performed by encoding said second random number with said player encoding key to create said player encoded number.

52. A method according to one of claims 18, 21, 26, 28, 32, 33, 35, 37, 43, 36, 47, 49, and 50, further comprising the steps of:

generating a result value based on said first random number and said second random number; and

producing a game result based on said result value.

21. In a game server for a game system including a game server and a player terminal, a method comprising the steps of:

generating a first random number;

encoding said first random number;

receiving a player encoded number from said player terminal;

receiving a player decoding key from said player terminal;

transmitting a server decoding key to said player terminal; and

decoding said player encoded number to obtain a second random number.

22. A method of controlling an electronic game as defined in claim 21, further comprising the step of:

transmitting a server encoded number to said player terminal.

23. In a player terminal for a game system including a game server and a player terminal, a method comprising the steps of:

generating a first random number;

encoding said first random number;

transmitting said encoded first random number to said game server;

transmitting a player decoding key to said game server; and

receiving a game result based on said first random number and a second random number generated at said game server.

24. A method of controlling an electronic game as defined in claim 23, further comprising the step of:

receiving a server encoded number from said game server.

25. A method of controlling an electronic game as defined in claim 24, further comprising the step of:

decoding said server encoded number to obtain said second random number.

26. A method of controlling an electronic game played in a system having a game server and a player terminal, comprising the steps of:

generating a first random number at said game server;

storing said first random number at said game server;

generating a second random number at said player terminal;

encoding said second random number at said player terminal to produce an encoded player number;

transmitting said encoded player number from said player terminal to said game server;

transmitting said first random number from said game server to said player terminal;

transmitting a player decoding key from said player terminal to said server; and

decoding said encoded player number using said player decoding key to obtain said second random number.

27. A method of generating a play result for an electronic game as defined in claim 26, wherein said first random number is transmitted from said game server to said player terminal after or at substantially the same time as the player decoding key is transmitted from said player terminal to said game server.

28. In a game server for an electronic game environment having a game server and a player terminal, a method of controlling an electronic game, comprising the steps of:

generating a first random number;

storing said first random number;

receiving from said player terminal an encoded second random number;

receiving from said player terminal a decoding key; and

decoding said encoded second random number using said decoding key.

29. A method of controlling an electronic game as defined in claim 28, further comprising the step of:

making said first random number available for retrieval by said player terminal or transmitting said first random number to said player terminal.

30. In a player terminal of an electronic game environment having a game server and a player terminal, a method of controlling an electronic game, comprising the steps of:

generating a first random number;

encoding said first random number;

transmitting to said game server said encoded first random number;

transmitting to said game server a decoding key after said game server has generated a second random number; and

receiving from said game server a game result based on said first and second random numbers.

31. A method of obtaining a play result for an electronic game as defined in claim 30, further comprising the step of:

receiving said second random number from said game server before transmitting said decoding key to said game server.

32. A method of controlling an electronic game for a system including a game server and a player terminal, comprising the steps of:

generating a first random number at said game server;

generating a second random number at said player terminal;

encoding said first random number at said game server using a server encoding key to produce a server encoded number;

transmitting said server encoded number from said game server to said player terminal;

transmitting a second random number from said player terminal to said game server;

transmitting said server decoding key from said game server to said player terminal; and

decoding said server encoded number using said server decoding key to obtain said first random number.

33. A method of controlling an electronic game for a system including a game server and a player terminal, comprising the steps of:

generating a first random number at said game server;

generating a second random number at said player terminal;

encoding said first random number at said game server using a server encoding key to produce a server encoded number;

transmitting said server encoded number from said game server to said player terminal;

transmitting a second random number from said player terminal to said game server after or at substantially the same time as said server decoding key is transmitted from said game server to said player terminal; and

decoding said server encoded number using said server decoding key to obtain said first random number.

34. A method of controlling an electronic game as defined in claim 33, wherein said game server encoding key is chosen from a database.

35. In a game server for an electronic game environment having a game server and a player terminal, a method of controlling an electronic game, comprising the steps of:

generating a first random number;

encoding said first random number;

transmitting said encoded first random number to said player terminal;

receiving a second random number from said player terminal; and

transmitting a decoding key to said player terminal after or at substantially the same time as said random number is received from said player terminal.

36. In a player terminal for an electronic game environment having a game server and a player terminal, a method of obtaining a game result, comprising the steps of:

receiving an encoded first random number from said game server;

generating a second random number;

transmitting said second random number to said game server;

receiving from said game server a decoding key after or at substantially the same time as transmitting said second random number to said game server; and

receiving from said game server a game result based on said first and second random numbers.

37. In an electronic game environment having a game server and a player terminal, a method of controlling an electronic game, comprising the steps of:

generating a first random number at said player terminal;

generating a second random number at said game server; and

transmitting said first random number to said game server and transmitting said second random number to said player terminal at substantially the same time.

38. A method according to claim 37, further comprising the step of:

posting said first and second random numbers to an electronic network.

39. A method of according to claim 38, further comprising the step of:

attesting to the veracity of said posted numbers by a third party.

40. A method according to claim 38, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting player identifying information to said game server; and

authenticating at said game server said player identifying information.

41. A method according to claim 40, further comprising the step of:

creating an audit record including said player identifying information, said first random number, said second random number, and said game result.

42. A method according to claim 41, further comprising the step of:

storing said audit record at a location separate from said game server.

43. In a game server for an electronic game environment having a game server and a player terminal, a method of controlling an electronic game, comprising the steps of:

generating a first random number;

receiving a second random number from said player terminal;

transmitting said first random number to said player terminal at substantially the same time that said second random number is received from said player terminal.

44. In a player terminal of an electronic game environment having a game server and a player terminal, a method of obtaining a game result, comprising the steps of:

generating a first random number;

receiving a second random number from said game server;

transmitting said first random number to said gamer server at substantially the same time that said second random number is received from said game server; and

receiving a game result from said game server, said game result being based on said first and second random numbers.

45. In an electronic game environment having a game server and a player terminal, a method of controlling an electronic game, comprising the steps of:

generating a first random number at said game server;

storing said first random number at said game server;

generating a second random number at said player terminal;

hashing said second random number according to a hash algorithm at said player terminal to produce a player hash value;

transmitting said player hash value from said player terminal to said game server;

transmitting said first random number from said game server to said player terminal; and

transmitting said second random number from said player terminal to said server.

47. In a game server for an electronic game environment having a game server and a player terminal, a method of controlling an electronic game, comprising the steps of:

generating a first random number;

storing said first random number;

receiving from said player terminal an encoded second random number;

retrieving a player encoding key from a data base; and

decoding said encoded second random number using said player encoding key.

48. In a player terminal of an electronic game environment having a game server and a player terminal, a method of obtaining a game result random numbers, comprising the steps of:

generating a first random number;

encoding said first random number using an assigned player encoding key;

transmitting to said game server said encoded first random number; and

,

receiving from said game server a game result based on said first and second random numbers.

46. A method according to claim 48, further comprising the step of hashing said second random number according to said hash algorithm at said game server.

49. In an electronic game environment having a game server and a player terminal, a method of controlling an electronic game, comprising the steps of:

generating a first random number at said game server;

storing said first random number at said game server;

generating a second random number at said player terminal;

encoding said second random number using a player encoding key at said player terminal to produce an encoded player number;

transmitting said encoded player number from said player terminal to said game server;

transmitting said first random number from said game server to said player terminal;

retrieving said player encoding key from a player data base at said game server; and

decoding said encoded player number using said player encoding key to obtain said second random number.

50. In a game server for an electronic game environment having a game server and a player terminal, a method of controlling an electronic game, comprising the steps of:

generating a first random number;

storing said first random number;

receiving from said player terminal an encoded second random number;

retrieving a public player encoding key from a database; and

decoding said encoded second random number using said public player encoding key.

51. In a player terminal of an electronic game environment having a game server and a player terminal, a method of obtaining a play result, comprising the steps of:

generating a first random number;

encoding said first random number using a private player encoding key;

transmitting to said game server said encoded first random number; and

receiving from said game server a game result based on said first and second random numbers.