Methods and arrangements for realising betting with off-line terminals

• US 20040015442A1
• Filed: 07/10/2003
• Published: 01/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Igt Canada Solutions Ulc (GTECH SpA)
• Original Assignee: Innoka Oy (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Hämäläinen, Timo D, Rekonius, Janne, Rautee, Risto, Hännikäinen, Marko
• Granted Patent: US 7,543,152 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/50
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/04 Dice dice tops A63F5/04 D; Dice-boxes; Mechanical dice-throwing devices casino or betting games played on boards A63F3/00157
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/34 Betting or bookmaking, e.g. Internet betting
• 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 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/065 using timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/405 Competitive bidding for work items

Abstract

Methods and arrangements are provided for handling, within a communications system comprising a distributed domain (301) and a central domain (303), electronic records that contain predictions of the outcome of a certain incident. Within the distributed domain (301) there is generated (304), before the outcome of the incident is known, a multitude of electronic records that contain predictions of the outcome of the incident. The electronic records are conveyed (305) from the distributed domain (301) to the central domain (303). After the outcome of the incident is known, the central domain (303) finds out (306) which of the electronic records, if any, contain correct predictions of the outcome of the incident. Each of the electronic records is furnished (304, 401, 502, 902, 1202, 1911), within the distributed domain (301), with a cryptographically protected proof of a certain moment of time associated with the generation of the electronic record. The central domain (303) accepts (306, 1430, 2011) only those of the electronic records conveyed thereto as valid for which the cryptographically protected proof of a certain moment of time associated with the generation of the electronic record shows that said certain moment of time was not later in time than a certain time limit.

Claims

1. A method for handling, within a communications system comprising a distributed domain (301) and a central domain (303), electronic records that contain predictions of the outcome of a certain incident, comprising the steps of:

generating (304), within the distributed domain (301) and before the outcome of the incident is known, a multitude of electronic records that contain predictions of the outcome of the incident,

conveying (305) the electronic records from the distributed domain (301) to the central domain (303) and

within the central domain (303) and after the outcome of the incident is known, finding out (306) which of the electronic records, if any, contain correct predictions of the outcome of the incident, characterised in that it comprises the steps of;

furnishing (304, 401, 502, 902, 1202, 1911), within the distributed domain (301), each of the electronic records with a cryptographically protected proof of a certain moment of time associated with the generation of the electronic record and

accepting (306, 1430, 2011), within the central domain (303), only those of the electronic records conveyed thereto as valid for which the cryptographically protected proof of a certain moment of time associated with the generation of the electronic record shows that said certain moment of time was not later in time than a certain time limit.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterised in that the step of furnishing each of the electronic records with a cryptographically protected proof of a certain moment of time associated with the generation of the electronic record comprises the step of generating a time-stamped electronic record through the application of an algorithm (401) which uses the plaintext contents of the electronic record and a clock signal as input information.

3. A method according to claim 2, characterised in that it comprises the steps of authenticating and encrypting the electronic record by using also a private key of the party generating the electronic record and a public key of an intended recipient of the time-stamped, authenticated, encrypted electronic record as input information to said algorithm (401).

4. A method according to claim 1, characterised in that the step of furnishing each of the electronic records with a cryptographically protected proof of a certain moment of time associated with the generation of the electronic record comprises the steps of:

generating an authenticated and encrypted electronic record through the application of a first algorithm (501) which uses the plaintext contents of the electronic record, a private key of the party generating the electronic record and a public key of an intended recipient of the time-stamped, authenticated, encrypted electronic record as input information to said first algorithm and

time-stamping the authenticated and encrypted electronic record generated by said first algorithm through the application of a second algorithm (502) which additionally uses a clock signal and a private key of the party performing the time-stamping as input information.

5. A method according to claim 4, characterised in that it comprises, between the steps of generating an authenticated and encrypted electronic record and time-stamping the authenticated and encrypted electronic record, the step of conveying the authenticated and encrypted electronic record from a first device which generated (501) the authenticated and encrypted electronic record to a second device which performs the time-stamping (502).

6. A method according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises the steps of:

generating (603), within a certain device (600) belonging to the distributed domain, an electronic record that contains a prediction of the outcome of the incident,

furnishing (605), within said certain device (600) belonging to the distributed domain, the generated electronic record with a cryptographically protected proof of a certain moment of time associated with the generation of the electronic record, thus producing a time-stamped electronic record,

conveying (602, 612) the generated and time-stamped electronic record from said certain device (600) belonging to the distributed domain to the central domain (610),

accepting (613), within the central domain (610), the generated and time-stamped electronic record as valid on the condition that the cryptographically protected proof of a certain moment of time shows that said certain moment of time was not later in time than a certain time limit, and

within the central domain and after the outcome of the incident is known, if the generated and time-stamped electronic record was accepted as valid, finding out (613) whether the generated and time-stamped electronic record contains a correct prediction of the outcome of the incident.

7. A method according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises the steps of:

generating (603′

), within a certain first device (700) belonging to the distributed domain, an electronic record that contains a prediction of the outcome of the incident,

conveying (602′

, 711) the generated electronic record from said first device (700) belonging to the distributed domain to a second device (710) belonging to the distributed domain,

furnishing (713), within said second device (710) belonging to the distributed domain, the generated electronic record with a cryptographically protected proof of a certain moment of time associated with the generation of the electronic record, thus producing a time-stamped electronic record,

conveying (811, 612) the generated and time-stamped electronic record from said second device (710) belonging to the distributed domain to the central domain (610),

accepting (613), within the central domain (610), the generated and time-stamped electronic record as valid on the condition that the cryptographically protected proof of a certain moment of time shows that said certain moment of time was not later in time than a certain time limit, and

within the central domain (610) and after the outcome of the incident is known, if the generated and time-stamped electronic record was accepted as valid, finding out (613) whether the generated and time-stamped electronic record contains a correct prediction of the outcome of the incident.

8. A method according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises the steps of:

generating (603′

, 603″

), within a certain first device (700, 800) belonging to the distributed domain, an electronic record that contains a prediction of the outcome of the incident,

conveying (602′

, 801, 811, 814) the generated electronic record from said first device (700, 800) belonging to the distributed domain to a second device (810, 810′

) belonging to the distributed domain,

furnishing (813), within said second device (810, 810′

) belonging to the distributed domain, the generated electronic record with a cryptographically protected proof of a certain moment of time associated with the generation of the electronic record, thus producing a time-stamped electronic record,

conveying (602′

, 801, 811, 814) the generated and time-stamped electronic record from said second device (810, 810′

) belonging to the distributed domain back to said first device (700, 800) belonging to the distributed domain,

conveying (602, 602′

, 612) the generated and time-stamped electronic record from said first device (700, 800) belonging to the distributed domain to the central domain (610),

accepting (613), within the central domain (610), the generated and time-stamped electronic record as valid on the condition that the cryptographically protected proof of a certain moment of time shows that said certain moment of time was not later in time than a certain time limit, and

within the central domain (610) and after the outcome of the incident is known, if the generated and time-stamped electronic record was accepted as valid, finding out (613) whether the generated and time-stamped electronic record contains a correct prediction of the outcome of the incident.

9. A method according to claim 1, characterised in that the step of furnishing each of the electronic records with a cryptographically protected proof of a certain moment of time associated with the generation of the electronic record comprises the substeps of:

generating a clock signal (903) within a protected integrated circuit (901),

receiving an electronic record into said protected integrated circuit (901),

furnishing (902) said electronic record with a cryptographically protected proof of a certain moment of time through the application of an algorithm read from a storage location (904) within said protected integrated circuit (901) and using said clock signal (903) generated within said protected integrated circuit, and

outputting the electronic record furnished with a cryptographically protected proof of a certain moment of time from said protected integrated circuit (902).

10. A method according to claim 1, characterised in that the step of furnishing each of the electronic records with a cryptographically protected proof of a certain moment of time associated with the generation of the electronic record comprises the substeps of:

receiving an external clock signal into a protected integrated circuit (1201),

receiving an electronic record into said protected integrated circuit (1201),

furnishing (1202) said electronic record with a cryptographically protected proof of a certain moment of time through the application of an algorithm read from a storage location (1204) within said protected integrated circuit (1201) and using said clock signal received into said protected integrated circuit (1201), and

outputting the electronic record furnished with a cryptographically protected proof of a certain moment of time from said protected integrated circuit (1201).

11. A method according to claim 10, characterised in that it additionally comprises the step of receiving a local real time clock signal (1203) into said protected integrated circuit (1201), so that said step of furnishing (1202) said electronic record with a cryptographically protected proof of a certain moment of time takes place through the application of an algorithm read from a storage location (1204) within said protected integrated circuit (1201) and using both said external clock signal received into said protected integrated circuit (1201) and said local real time clock signal (1203) received into said protected integrated circuit (1201).

12. A method according to claim 11, characterised in that the step of receiving a local real time clock signal (1203) into said protected integrated circuit (1201) comprises the step of receiving into said protected integrated circuit (1201) a clock signal that is simultaneously used for synchronising at least one operation belonging to a category of Media Access Control operations.

13. A method according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises the steps of:

a) transmitting a begin signal (1411) from the central domain to the distributed domain,

b) generating (1419, 1421), within the distributed domain, a number of electronic records each furnished with a cryptographically protected proof of a certain moment of time associated with the generation of the electronic record,

c) transmitting an end signal (1422) from the central domain to the distributed domain, and

d) transmitting from the distributed domain to the central domain the electronic records (1426, 1428) generated before the reception of said end signal (1422).

14. A method according to claim 13, characterised in that it comprises, after step c) but before step d), the step of:

c1) transmitting an outcome signal (1423) from the central domain to the distributed domain.

15. A method according to claim 14, characterised in that comprises, after step c1), the step of

c2) calculating (1424), within a certain device belonging to the distributed domain, a preliminary betting result on the basis of the received outcome signal and the electronic records generated at step b) in said certain device belonging to the distributed domain.

16. A method according to claim 13, characterised in that it comprises, after step c) but before step d), the step of:

c3) transmitting a game closed signal (1425) from the central domain to the distributed domain;

so that step d) is only performed as a result to receiving said game closed signal (1425) within the distributed domain.

17. A method according to claim 13, characterised in that it comprises, before step a), the steps of registering (1401) a number of users of terminal arrangements belonging to the distributed domain as registered users of a betting system belonging to the central domain and setting up (1402) at the central domain a user account for each registered user.

18. A method according to claim 13, characterised in that it comprises, before step a), the steps of:

transmitting from the central domain to the distributed domain a preliminary announcement (1408) of an oncoming begin signal, and

responding to such a preliminary announcement within the distributed domain by transmitting to the central domain messages (1409) indicating the willingness of reacting to such a begin signal by generation of electronic records.

19. A method for handling, within a terminal arrangement that belongs to the distributed domain of communications system comprising a distributed domain and a central domain, electronic records that contain predictions of the outcome of a certain incident, comprising the steps of:

generating (1911) an electronic record that contains a prediction of the outcome of the incident and

transmitting (1919) the electronic record to the central domain;

characterised in that it comprises the step of;

furnishing (1911) the electronic record, before transmitting it to the central domain, with a cryptographically protected proof of a certain moment of time associated with the generation of the electronic record.

20. A method according to claim 19, characterised in that it comprises the steps of:

locally generating a clock signal (604, 903, 1912),

locally generating an electronic record (603, 1911) and

using the locally generated clock signal (604, 903, 1912), the locally generated electronic record (603, 1911) and a cryptographic algorithm (401, 904) to generate a time-stamped electronic record.

21. A method according to claim 20, characterised in that it additionally comprises the step of using said locally generated clock signal (604, 903, 1912) also for synchronising at least one operation belonging to a category of Media Access Control operations.

22. A method according to claim 19, characterised in that it comprises the steps of:

receiving an external clock signal (1016, 1122),

locally generating an electronic record (603) and

using the received external clock signal (1016, 1122), the locally generated electronic record (603) and a cryptographic algorithm (1204) to generate a time-stamped electronic record.

23. A method according to claim 22, characterised in that it comprises the steps of

receiving an external digital bit stream and

extracting a number of bits from the received external digital bit stream to be used as said received external clock signal.

24. A method according to claim 23, characterised in that the step of receiving an external digital bit stream comprises the step of receiving a digital radio signal of the Digital Audio Broadcasting format.

25. A method according to claim 23, characterised in that the step of receiving an external digital bit stream comprises the step of receiving a digital radio signal of the Digital Video Broadcasting format.

26. A method according to claim 19, characterised in that it comprises the steps of:

a) receiving a preliminary announcement (1408, 1902) of an oncoming begin signal,

b) as a response to a positive response (1904) from a user, transmitting to the central domain a game registration message (1409, 1905) indicating willingness to take part in a certain game the beginning of which is to be marked by said oncoming begin signal,

c) receiving the begin signal (1411, 1908) meant by said preliminary announcement,

d) as a response to a positive response (1910) from the user, generating an electronic record (1419, 1421, 1911) that contains a prediction of the outcome of an incident and furnishing the electronic record with a cryptographically protected proof of a certain moment of time associated with the generation of the electronic record,

e) receiving an end signal (1422, 1913),

f) receiving an outcome signal (1423, 1915),

g) on the basis of the received outcome signal (1423, 1915) and the contents of said prediction of the outcome of the incident, calculating and displaying (1424, 1916) a preliminary result,

h) receiving a game closed signal (1425, 1917),

i) transmitting (1426, 1428, 1919) the electronic record generated at step d) to the central domain,

j) receiving a final results message (1432, 1920) and

k) on the basis of the contents of said final results message, displaying (1433, 1921) a final result.

27. A method according to claim 26, characterised in that step i) comprises the step of transmitting to the central domain, together with the electronic record (1806) generated at step d), copies of said begin signal (1500), said end signal (1600), said outcome signal (1700) and said preliminary result (1807).

28. A computer program product directly loadable into the internal memory of a digital computer, characterised in that it comprises software code portions for performing the steps of claim 19 when said product is run on a computer.

29. A computer program product stored on a computer usable medium, characterised in that it comprises computer readable program means for causing a computer to perform the steps of claim 19 when said product is run on a computer.

30. A method for handling, within a computer system that belongs to the central domain of a communications system comprising a distributed domain and a central domain, electronic records that contain predictions of the outcome of a certain incident, comprising the steps of:

receiving (1426, 1428, 2009) from the distributed domain a multitude of electronic records that contain predictions of the outcome of the incident and

after the outcome of the incident is known, finding out (1430, 2013) which of the electronic records, if any, contain correct predictions of the outcome of the incident, characterised in that it comprises the step of;

accepting (1430, 2011) only those of the electronic records received from the distributed domain as valid for which a cryptographically protected proof of a certain moment of time associated with the generation of the electronic record shows that said certain moment of time was not later in time than a certain time limit.

31. A method according to claim 30, characterised in that it comprises the steps of:

a) transmitting a preliminary announcement (1408, 2001) of an oncoming begin signal,

b) as a response to game registration messages (1409, 2002) received from the distributed domain and indicating willingness to take part in a certain game the beginning of which is to be marked by said oncoming begin signal, registrating each user who transmitted a game registration message as a participant in said game,

c) transmitting the begin signal (1411, 2004) meant by said preliminary announcement,

d) transmitting an end signal (1422, 2005),

e) transmitting an outcome signal (1423, 2006),

f) transmitting a game closed signal (1425, 2008),

g) receiving a number of transmissions (1426, 1428, 2009) from the distributed domain,

h) finding out (1430), which of said transmissions from the distributed domain were electronic records that contained validly placed predictions of the outcome of the incident,

i) of the received electronic records that contained validly placed predictions of the outcome of the incident, finding out (1430, 2013), which of them contained successful predictions,

j) debiting (1431, 2012) the price for participating in said game from certain user accounts of those registered participants in said game from which there were received electronic records that contained validly placed predictions of the outcome of the incident,

k) crediting (1431, 2014, 2015) certain profits to certain user accounts of those registered participants in said game from which there were received electronic records that contained successful and validly placed predictions of the outcome of the incident, and

1) transmitting a final results signal (1432, 2019) that represents the debiting and crediting operations performed at steps j) and k).

32. A method according to claim 31, characterised in that it comprises the steps of

checking (1430), whether transmissions were received at step g) from all those participants from which game registration messages were received at step b), and

indicating as suspicious those participants from which game registration messages were received at step b) but transmissions were not received at step g).

33. A computer program product directly loadable into the internal memory of a digital computer, characterised in that it comprises software code portions for performing the steps of claim 30 when said product is run on a computer.

34. A computer program product stored on a computer usable medium, characterised in that it comprises computer readable program means for causing a computer to perform the steps of claim 30 when said product is run on a computer.

35. A terminal arrangement (600, 700, 800, 1000) for handling electronic records that contain predictions of the outcome of a certain incident, comprising:

bet record generation means (603, 603′

, 603″

) for generating an electronic record that contains a prediction of the outcome of the incident and

transmitter means (602, 602′

, 1002) for transmitting the electronic record to a central domain;

characterised in that it comprises;

means (604, 605, 1004, 1004′

, 1105) for furnishing the electronic record, before transmitting it to the central domain, with a cryptographically protected proof of a certain moment of time associated with the generation of the electronic record.

36. A terminal arrangement according to claim 35, characterised in that it comprises

a protected integrated circuit (901),

within said protected integrated circuit (901) an internal clock signal source (903),

within said protected integrated circuit (901) a memory (904) for storing an algorithm and

within said protected integrated circuit (901) means (902) for using said algorithm to cryptographically combine the output of said internal clock signal source (903) to an electronic record that contains a prediction of the outcome of a certain incident.

37. A terminal arrangement according to claim 35, characterised in that it comprises

a protected integrated circuit (1201),

receiver means (1002, 1105) for receiving an external clock signal, said receiver means being coupled to said protected integrated circuit (1201),

within said protected integrated circuit (1201) a memory (1204) for storing an algorithm and

within said protected integrated circuit (1201) means (1202) for using said algorithm to cryptographically combine said external clock signal to an electronic record that contains a prediction of the outcome of a certain incident.

38. A terminal arrangement according to claim 35, characterised in that it comprises

a protected integrated circuit (1201),

transceiver means (602, 1002, 1105) for communicating with a device belonging to said central domain, said transceiver means being arranged to perform operations belonging to a category of Media Access Control operations and said transceiver means being coupled to said protected integrated circuit (1201) for providing said protected integrated circuit (1201) with a clock signal that said transceiver means is also arranged to use for synchronising at least one operation belonging to said category of Media Access Control operations,

within said protected integrated circuit (1201) a memory (1204) for storing an algorithm and

within said protected integrated circuit (1201) means (1202) for using said algorithm to cryptographically combine a clock signal received from said transceiver means to an electronic record that contains a prediction of the outcome of a certain incident.

39. A computer system (610, 1010) for handling, within the central domain of a communications system comprising a distributed domain and a central domain, electronic records that contain predictions of the outcome of a certain incident, comprising:

receiver means (612, 1012) for receiving from the distributed domain a multitude of electronic records that contain predictions of the outcome of the incident and

processing means (613) for finding out, after the outcome of the incident is known, which of the electronic records, if any, contain correct predictions of the outcome of the incident,

characterised in that it comprises;

discriminating means (613) for accepting only those of the electronic records received from the distributed domain as valid for which a cryptographically protected proof of a certain moment of time associated with the generation of the electronic record shows that said certain moment of time was not later in time than a certain time limit.

40. An arrangement for handling, within a communications system that comprises a distributed domain and a central domain, electronic records that contain predictions of the outcome of a certain incident, comprising:

within the distributed domain means (603, 603′

, 603″

) for generating, before the outcome of the incident is known, a multitude of electronic records that contain predictions of the outcome of the incident,

means (602, 602′

, 612, 710, 711, 1002, 1012) for conveying the electronic records from the distributed domain to the central domain and

within the central domain means (613) for finding out, after the outcome of the incident is known, which of the electronic records, if any, contain correct predictions of the outcome of the incident,

characterised in that it comprises;

within the distributed domain means (604, 605, 712, 713, 812, 813, 1004, 1004′

, 1105) for furnishing each of the electronic records with a cryptographically protected proof of a certain moment of time associated with the generation of the electronic record and

within the central domain means (603) for accepting only those of the electronic records conveyed thereto as valid for which the cryptographically protected proof of a certain moment of time associated with the generation of the electronic record shows that said certain moment of time was not later in time than a certain time limit.

41. An arrangement according to claim 40, characterised in that it comprises

a packet-switched data network (1306) for conveying point-to-point transmissions between the central domain and the distributed domain and

a digital broadcasting network (1307) for conveying point-to-multipoint broadcastings from the central domain to the distributed domain.

42. An arrangement according to claim 41, characterised in that it comprises

within the central domain a central computer system (1301) for handling the transmissions between the central domain and the distributed domain through said packet-switched data network (1306) and

within the central domain, apart from said central computer system (1301) but having a communications connection thereto, a broadcasting arrangement (1302) for handling the point-to-multipoint broadcastings from the central domain to the distributed domain.

43. An arrangement according to claim 42, characterised in that said broadcasting arrangement (1302) is a Digital Audio Broadcasting transmitter arrangement.

44. An arrangement according to claim 42, characterised in that said broadcasting arrangement (1302) is a Digital Video Broadcasting transmitter arrangement.