Gaming machine including security data collection device

• US 20040048661A1
• Filed: 09/10/2003
• Published: 03/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bhakta Rakesh, David Matthew Oles, Steven G. Lemay
• Original Assignee: Bhakta Rakesh, David Matthew Oles, Steven G. Lemay
• Inventors: LeMay, Steven G., Oles, David Matthew, Rakesh, Bhakta
• Granted Patent: US 7,828,651 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00

Abstract

A gaming machine includes at least one security data collection device. In one embodiment, the security data collection device is a camera mounted to the gaming machine and adapted to collect image information regarding events associated with or adjacent to the gaming machine, such as the image of a player. In one embodiment, a player'"'"'s image is stored in data form on a player card. When the player plays a gaming machine, the player'"'"'s image is capture and compared to the image stored on the player card for authentication purposes.

Claims

1. A method of authorizing use of a card in a gaming machine comprising the steps of:

generating image information regarding a person;

storing said information on a card issued to said person;

reading said image information stored on said card at a gaming machine;

obtaining image information of a person using said card at said gaming machine; and

comparing said image information stored on said card with said image information of said person using said card to confirm that the person using said card is the party to whom the card was issued.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1 including transmitting said image information of said person to a remote location in the event the person using said card is not the party to whom the card was issued.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said step of obtaining image information comprises capturing said image information utilizing a camera mounted to said gaming machine.

4. The method in accordance with claim 3 wherein said gaming machine has a front which said person generally faces when playing games at said machine, said camera located at said front of said gaming machine.