Methods and devices for authentication and licensing in a gaming network

• US 20070026942A1
• Filed: 09/12/2005
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Kinsley, Michael, LeMay, Steven, Orner, Lance
• Granted Patent: US 8,152,628 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/105 Arrangements for software license management or administration, e.g. for managing licenses at corporate level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/121 Restricting unauthorised execution of programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2109 Game systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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 17/3269 Timing aspects of game play, e.g. blocking/halting the operation of a gaming machine
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/603 Digital right managament [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3213 using tickets or tokens, e.g. Kerberos network architectures or network communication protocols for entities authentication using tickets in a packet data network H04L63/0807
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3271 using challenge-response

Abstract

Methods and devices are provided for managing licenses in gaming networks. Some aspects of the invention are provided as a license manager module that operates as part of a server-based system for provisioning and configuring gaming machines. Security and authentication techniques are provided to prevent unauthorized gaming software usage. Such gaming software may be, for example, downloaded to gaming machines in the network under the control of a gaming establishment'"'"'s game management server that is in communication with a license manager device. In preferred implementations, a gaming machine is prevented from executing software for a game of chance unless the license for that game is valid and has not expired.

Claims

1. A method of managing licenses for games of chance, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a customer for at least one license for a game of chance;

initializing a server authentication token for a license manager device;

registering the server authentication token for the license manager device;

initializing a license ordering authentication token;

registering the license ordering authentication token;

preparing a license document, the license document comprising information indicating licenses provided to the customer, a server authentication token ID and an encrypted server authentication token password;

configuring license management software with instructions for controlling a license manager device to retrieve and decrypt the encrypted server authentication token password; and

providing the server authentication token, the license ordering authentication token, the license document and the license management software to the customer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using a private key to sign the license document; and

including a signature in the license document.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the license document further comprises license expiration dates for licenses provided to the customer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the license document further comprises a license document expiration date that supercedes all expiration dates for licenses provided to the customer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the license document further comprises a standalone grace period that specifies how long a gaming machine may be configured to execute a game of chance without receiving further permission.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

including a public key, a server authentication token certificate, licensing information, challenge request instructions and challenge response instructions with gaming software for the game of chance; and

providing the gaming software to the customer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the license manager software is provided with an obfuscated symmetric key to decrypt the encrypted server authentication token password in the license document.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the license manager device comprises a license management server, further comprising:

coupling the server authentication token with the license management server; and

loading the license management software on the license management server.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the server authentication token password is encrypted using a symmetric key.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the license manager software includes instructions for authenticating the license document according to the signature in the license document.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein the license manager is further configured to periodically cause a gaming machine'"'"'s standalone grace period to be reset.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of providing the gaming software to the customer comprises downloading the gaming software from a central server to a customer'"'"'s gaming management server.

13. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

loading the gaming machine software on a gaming machine;

coupling the server authentication token with the license manager device; and

loading the license management software on the license manager device.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of determining whether to grant permission for the gaming machine to continue being configured to execute a game of chance.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

forming a challenge request according to the challenge request instructions; and

sending the challenge request from the gaming machine to the license manager device.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein it is determined to grant permission, further comprising causing a permission granted configuration message with a non-zero standalone grace period to be sent to the gaming machine, the permission granted configuration message causing the gaming machine to reset a grace period timer according to the non-zero standalone grace period and to continue being configured to execute the game of chance.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein it is determined not to grant permission, further comprising causing a permission denied configuration message with a zero standalone grace period to be sent to the gaming machine, the permission denied configuration message causing the gaming machine to stop being configured to execute the game of chance.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the license manager device receives the challenge request, signs the challenge request using the server authentication token and returns a signed challenge request to the gaming machine as a challenge response.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the gaming machine receives the challenge response and verifies authenticity of the challenge response via the server authentication token certificate.

20. A licensing management method for gaming, the method comprising:

receiving a request for a first permission to execute a game of chance on a gaming machine;

determining that a corresponding license is available and not expired;

granting permission to execute the game of chance; and

specifying a grace period during which a gaming machine may be configured to execute the game of chance without receiving a second permission to execute the game of chance.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising sending a configuration message to the gaming machine specifying the grace period, the configuration message comprising information to enable the gaming machine to be configured to execute the game of chance.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the request is received from a gaming management server.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the request and the first permission pertain to a specific gaming machine, further comprising associating the specific gaming machine with the corresponding license.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising setting a grace period timer of the gaming machine.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising informing the gaming management server of a new state of license usage.

26. Licensing management software embodied in a machine-readable medium, the software method for gaming, the licensing management software comprising instructions for controlling a least one device in a gaming network to do the following:

receive a request for a first permission to execute a game of chance on a gaming machine;

determine whether a corresponding license is available and not expired;

grant permission to execute the game of chance when the corresponding license is available and not expired; and

specify a grace period during which a gaming machine may be configured to execute the game of chance without receiving a second permission to execute the game of chance.

27. The licensing management software of claim 26, further comprising instructions for authorizing a least one device in a gaming network to send a configuration message to the gaming machine specifying the grace period, the configuration message comprising information to enable the gaming machine to be configured to execute the game of chance.

28. The licensing management software of claim 26, wherein the request and the first permission pertain to a specific gaming machine, further comprising instructions for controlling a least one device in a gaming network to associate the specific gaming machine with the corresponding license.

29. A licensing management device for gaming, the method comprising:

means for receiving a request for a first permission to execute a game of chance on a gaming machine;

means for determining whether a corresponding license is available and not expired;

means for associating the gaming machine with the corresponding license;

means for granting permission to execute the game of chance when a corresponding license is available and not expired; and

means for specifying a grace period during which the gaming machine may be configured to execute the game of chance without receiving a second permission to execute the game of chance.

30. The license management device of claim 29, wherein the license management device comprises a server.