Remote wager gaming system using a video game console

• US 20080108426A1
• Filed: 11/06/2006
• Published: 05/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Binh T., Underdahl, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,079,905 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/532 using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication
• 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 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions

Abstract

Novel gaming systems, devices, and methods are described for enabling wager gaming with a gaming operator using a game cartridge, such as a USB key, and game storage medium, such as a DVD. The cartridge and disc are inserted into a video game console and a connection with the gaming operator is made via the Internet. Once a connection is made and the identity of the game cartridge user has been verified and authenticated using, for example, a biometric data sample such as a fingerprint scan, the user can begin wager game play using the video game console and controller. Game play data are transmitted between the console and the gaming operator in an encrypted format using a public and private keys belonging to the game cartridge. The public key is transmitted to the gaming operator via a digital certificate stored on the cartridge which has the corresponding private key. The game cartridge is capable of capturing a biometric sample of the user which is compared to a sample provided when the cartridge was issued to the user. The use of advanced graphic and audio processing of video game consoles enable play of wagering games in a “virtual” casino that provides the user with an immersive and realistic wager gaming experience while not having to be in an actual casino.

Claims

1. A wager gaming system comprising:

a wager game storage medium having a pre-defined format defined by a first entity for storing data, the storage medium storing a unique identification number defined by a second entity and wager game code for executing a wager game defined by a third entity; and

a wager game cartridge containing a digital certificate issued by the second entity, game cartridge operating system code enabling execution of wager game code, and wager game state data.

2. The wager gaming system of claim 1 wherein the second entity is a certificate authority that issues the digital certificate.

3. The wager gaming system of claim 1 wherein the third entity is a game content manufacturer.

4. The wager gaming system of claim 1 wherein the second entity is the same as the third entity.

5. The wager gaming system of claim 1 further comprising:

a wager gaming server under control of the second entity for storing game play data for use by the wager game cartridge.

6. The wager gaming system of claim 5 wherein the wager gaming server stores game cartridge data.

7. The wager gaming system of claim 1, further comprising:

a video game console operable with the wager game storage medium and the wager game cartridge to enable communication over a network with a gaming operator for remote wager game play.

8. The wager gaming system of claim 7 wherein the video game console is manufactured by the first entity and recognizes the pre-defined format of the storage medium.

9. The wager gaming system of claim 8 wherein the wager game storage medium contains video game console operating system code defined by the first entity.

10. The wager gaming system of claim 1 wherein the game cartridge further comprises a biometric sensor component.

11. The wager gaming system of claim 10 wherein the biometric sensor component is a fingerprint scanner.

12. The wager gaming system of claim 1 wherein the digital certificate contains a public key.

13. The wager gaming system of claim 1 wherein the digital certificate contains a game cartridge identifier.

14. The wager gaming system of claim 1 wherein the game cartridge operating system code is created by the third entity.

15. The wager gaming system of claim 1 wherein the game cartridge stores wagering game state data.

16. The wager gaming system of claim 1 wherein the game cartridge stores wagering game state data in non-volatile memory.

17. The wager gaming system of claim 1 wherein the game cartridge has a unique identifier.

18. The wager gaming system of claim 17 wherein the unique identifier is stored in a secure unique identifier storage component provided by the second entity.

19. The wager gaming system of claim 1 wherein the game cartridge has a cryptographic co-processor.

20. The wager gaming system of claim 1 wherein the wager game storage medium is a DVD.

21. The wager gaming system of claim 1 wherein the wager game storage medium is a flash memory device.

22. The wager gaming system of claim 1 wherein the wager game cartridge is a USB device.

23. The wager gaming system of claim 1 further comprising a digital certificate data repository under control of the second entity.

24. The wager gaming system of claim 1 further comprising a user biometric data repository under control of the second entity.

25. The wager gaming system of claim 1 wherein the first entity is a video game console manufacturer.

26. The wager gaming system of claim 1 wherein the second entity is a wager gaming operator.

27. A method of playing wagering games over a network utilizing a video game console, the method comprising:

receiving wager game system data over the network from a game cartridge operating thorough a video game console, the wager game system data including user biometric data, a digital certificate, and a game cartridge identifier;

locating user-specific data associated with the wager game system data; and

verifying the wager game system data; and

transmitting over the network wager game play data to the game console.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the step of verifying wager game system data further comprises:

comparing the user biometric data with previously-obtained biometric data.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein the step of transmitting further comprises:

encrypting the wager game play data using a public key provided in the digital certificate.

30. The method of claim 27 wherein the wager game play data includes wager game results using a random number generator.

31. The method of claim 27 wherein the step of locating user-specific data further comprises accessing a user monetary account.

32. The method of claim 27 wherein the step of locating user-specific data further comprises accessing user player tracking data.

33. The method of claim 27 wherein the step of receiving further comprises receiving user wager gaming input created during wager game play on the video game console.

34. A programmable data storage component for use with an IP-enabled video game console to facilitate remote wager gaming provided by a gaming operator, the component comprising:

a CPU;

a biometric sensor component capable of processing biometric data for transmission over a network;

an identifier component for uniquely identifying the data storage component; and

a digital certificate for communicating a public key to a third party using a public key infrastructure,

wherein the third party can use the public key to encrypt data transmitted to the data storage component.

35. The programmable data storage component of claim 34 further comprising a private key for use in a public key infrastructure.

36. The programmable data storage component of claim 34 further comprising a cryptographic engine.

37. The programmable data storage component of claim 34 further comprising a storage component operating system enabling the component to operate with one or more external components, including a wager game disc and the video game console.

38. The programmable data storage component of claim 34 wherein the biometric sensor component is a fingerprint scanner.

39. The programmable data storage component of claim 34 further comprising an input/output interface.

40. A method of associating a user with a game cartridge, comprising:

receiving a biometric data sample from the user;

storing the biometric data sample in a data repository;

issuing a game cartridge having a unique identifier to the user having a user name;

storing the unique game cartridge identifier with the user name;

associating the biometric data sample with the unique game cartridge identifier.

41. The method of claim 40 further comprising:

associating a digital certificate with the game cartridge, the digital certificate containing a public key; and

storing a corresponding private key in the game cartridge.

42. The method of claim 41 further comprising:

storing digital certificate data relating to the digital certificate in a digital certificate data repository.

43. The method of claim 40 wherein the sample biometric data is a fingerprint, a retinal scan, or a voiceprint.

44. The method of claim 40 further comprising storing user data in a user data repository.

45. The method of claim 44 further comprising verifying the accuracy of the user data.

46. The method of claim 40 further comprising:

creating a user monetary account associated with the user for use during wagering game play utilizing the game cartridge.

47. A wager game cartridge data repository comprising:

video game console data including one or more data formats corresponding to proprietary data formats created by video game console manufactures;

game cartridge data including a plurality of user records, a user record containing a game cartridge identifier and a user name;

user biometric data containing a plurality of sample user biometric data samples corresponding to a plurality of users who have been issued a game cartridge.

48. The wager game cartridge data repository of claim 47 further comprising:

digital certificate data containing data relating to a plurality of digital certificates, a digital certificate associated with a game cartridge issued to a user.

49. The wager game cartridge data repository of claim 48 wherein a digital certificate contains a game cartridge identifier.

50. The wager game cartridge data repository of claim 48 wherein a digital certificate contains a certificate authority identifier and signature.

51. The wager game cartridge data repository of claim 47 further comprising:

game storage medium data containing data relating to a plurality of storage medium storing wager game code stored in one of the one or more data formats and to be executed in conjunction with a game cartridge on a video game console.

52. The wager game cartridge data repository of claim 47 wherein the

the video game console data, the game cartridge data, and the user biometric data are distributed over a plurality of data repositories in a gaming network.