Configurable and stand-alone verification module

• US 20030125973A1
• Filed: 10/24/2002
• Published: 07/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Wagerworks Incorporated (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Cheng, Theodore Y., Sinha, Ajit Kumar, Mathews, Paul D.
• Granted Patent: US 6,853,973 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• 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 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players

Abstract

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for verifying a player'"'"'s eligibility for participation in on-line gaming. A method for verifying a player'"'"'s eligibility to participate in on-line gaming includes performing one or more verification checks for the player. The method includes, for each verification check, requesting data about the player from one or more data source providers. The method includes receiving the data from the one or more data source providers. The method includes, for each verification check, calculating a check score based on received data from the one or more data source providers. The method includes calculating a verification score that is based on the check scores.

Claims

1. A method implemented in a computer program application for verifying a player'"'"'s eligibility to participate in on-line gaming, the method comprising:

performing one or more verification checks for the player;

for each verification check, requesting data about the player from one or more data source providers;

receiving the data from the one or more data source providers;

for each verification check, calculating a check score based on received data from the one or more data source providers; and

calculating a verification score that is based on the check scores.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving data provided by the player; and

determining, based on the data provided by the player, which verification check will be performed for the player.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

translating the data provided by the one or more data source providers, and basing the check score on the translated data.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

weighting at least one of the check scores, and calculating the verification score using the weighted check scores.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if a calculated check score satisfies a threshold; and

stopping the verification checks when the calculated check score fails to satisfy the threshold.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

specifying criteria for verifying the player'"'"'s eligibility.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein specifying criteria includes:

specifying rules for determining which verification check will be performed, the rules being based on a jurisdiction to which the player is subject.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein specifying criteria includes:

specifying weighting factors for weighting the check scores.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein specifying criteria includes:

specifying which data source providers will be used for a particular verification check.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein specifying criteria includes:

specifying a verification check priority, wherein the verification checks are performed in order of priority.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein specifying criteria includes:

fine tuning a check score that is mapped to a check score of a particular data source provider.

12. A computer program product, tangibly stored on a machine-readable medium, for verifying a player'"'"'s eligibility for participating in on-line gaming, comprising instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

receive information about the player;

select one or more verification checks that will be performed to verify the player'"'"'s eligibility, the selection being based on the received information and on configurable criteria;

determine the order in which the verification checks is to be performed, the determination being based on the configurable criteria;

for a selected verification check, select one or more data sources from which additional information about the player is to be obtained, the selection being based on the configurable criteria;

calculate a check score for each verification check, the calculation being based on the additional information received;

weight the check scores, the weighting being based on the configurable criteria; and

calculate a verification score, the calculation being based on the weighted check scores.

13. The product of claim 12, further comprising instructions to:

determine if a check score satisfies a threshold; and

stop the verification checks when the check score fails to satisfy the threshold.

14. The product of claim 13, wherein the configurable criteria include:

rules that specify which data source is to be used for a verification check.

15. The product of claim 14, wherein the configurable criteria include:

rules that specify which verification check is to be performed for a jurisdiction.

16. The product of claim 15, wherein the configurable criteria include:

rules that specify which countries are included in a jurisdiction.

17. The product of claim 16, wherein the configurable criteria include:

rules that specify which data source are to be used in a jurisdiction.

18. The product of claim 17, wherein the configurable criteria include:

rules that specify a priority for the data sources, the usage priority determining the order in which the data sources are used.

19. The product of claim 18, further comprising instructions to:

for the current verification check, obtain additional information from a data source having the next highest priority when the data source having the highest priority does not provide sufficient additional information.

20. The product of claim 19, wherein the configurable criteria include rules that specify different actions for different ranges of verification score, the product further comprising instructions to:

determine a verification action, the determination being based on configurable criteria.