Mobile data access

• US 20040142744A1
• Filed: 11/25/2003
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Acres Gaming Incorporated (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Fiegel, Jeff, Atkinson, Keith W.
• Application Number:
  US10/723,375
• Publication Number:
  US 20040142744A1
• 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 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• 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: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0236 Filtering by address, protocol, port number or service, e.g. IP-address or URL
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1416 Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/162 at the data link layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 above the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention include a secure wireless data access system and ways to use such a system. Data from a game network is accessible over wireless devices that use a variety of security protocols to protect sensitive information of the game network. In addition to long encryption keys and hardware layer addressing, particular wireless devices are only allowed to be connected to the network at certain pre-defined times. Reports of unauthorized access can be generated immediately when any suspicious behavior is detected. One such way to use the described wireless data access system is for redeeming tickets, and for monitoring events of a gaming network as they occur.

Claims

1. A gaming network comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines;

one or more information servers coupled to the plurality of gaming machines, the one or more information servers structured to store data related to the plurality of gaming machines and related to players of the gaming machines, and to generate data for use on the gaming network;

a secure wireless server coupled to the one or more information servers; and

a secure wireless receiver structured to couple to the secure wireless server and to create a secure data channel between the wireless server and the wireless receiver.

2. The gaming network of claim 1 wherein the wireless server is structured to create a session with the secure wireless receiver.

3. The gaming network of claim 2 wherein the session is limited in duration.

4. The gaming network of claim 2 wherein the session can only be established in certain time periods.

5. A system for redeeming tickets comprising:

one or more information servers on a gaming network, the one or more information servers configured to store data related to past play of gaming machines and related to players of the gaming machines, and to generate data for use on the gaming network;

data stored on the one or more information servers relating to transactions previously memorialized by a ticket;

a secure wireless server coupled to the one or more information servers;

a secure wireless receiver structured to couple to the secure wireless server and create a secure data channel between the wireless server and the wireless receiver over which data stored on the one or more information servers can be retrieved.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a session detector configured to determine if the secure wireless receiver has a presently established session with the secure wireless server.

7. The system of claim 5, further comprising a ticket validator configured to determine if a particular ticket identifier correctly identifies a previously memorialized transaction.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein when the ticket identifier correctly identifies a previously memorialized transaction, the one or more information servers are configured to generate redemption data.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the redemption data includes the date and time a ticket was redeemed.

10. A method for securely communicating data over a wireless portion of a gaming network, the method comprising:

establishing a secure data channel between a wireless device and a wireless server;

after the secure data channel established, establishing a data session between a wireless device and a server on the gaming network; and

transmitting data from the gaming network to the wireless device.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein establishing a secure data channel comprises:

sending a privacy code and a hardware address from a wireless device to a wireless server; and

authenticating the privacy code and hardware address.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein establishing a secure data channel further comprises:

ensuring a current time according to the gaming network is within a predetermined valid lease time in which the wireless device is allowed to communicate with the gaming network.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising disabling the secure data channel after the wireless device timeouts from the gaming network.

14. A method for completing a transaction over a secure wireless information network, comprising:

establishing secure communication over a wireless network to a gaming network between a wireless server and a wireless device;

accepting an identification of the transaction at the wireless device;

verifying the identification is valid;

verifying that a portion of the transaction has already occurred;

verifying the transaction has not been completed; and

when the identification is verified as valid, a portion of the transaction is verified as having occurred, and the transaction is verified as having not been completed, generating data memorializing the completion of the transaction.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the portion of the transaction that has already occurred is memorialized by a printed ticket.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein generating data memorializing the completion of the transaction comprises recording a present date, time, and location.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising storing the present date, time, and location on the gaming network.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein generating data memorializing the completion of the transaction comprises recording an identification of the wireless device.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the identification of the transaction is printed on a ticket.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the identification of the transaction is encoded in a bar-code.