ACCESSING KNOWN INFORMATION VIA A DEVICVE TO DETERMINE IF THE DEVICE IS COMMUNICATING WITH A SERVER

• US 20080113806A1
• Filed: 11/15/2006
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CFPH LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Original Assignee: CFPH LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Inventors: Alderucci, Dean P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,942,741 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/445 by mutual authentication, e.g. between devices or programs
• 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 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• 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 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0869 for achieving mutual authentication cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for mutual authentication H04L9/3273

Abstract

A server provides activities and/or services to a player through a device. In response to a request from the device, information known to a player is determined and sent to the device via the server. In this fashion, verification can be made that the device is communicating with the server.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving from a gaming device a request to verify that the gaming device is in communications with a gaming server;

in response to the request, determining an indicator; and

sending the indicator via the gaming server to the gaming device.

2. The method of claim 1, in which the gaming device comprises a device operable to provide at least one gaming activity to a player using the gaming device.

3. The method of claim 2, in which the gaming device is operable to provide the at least one gaming activity together with the gaming server.

4. The method of claim 3, in which the at least one gaming activity comprises at least one of:

a gambling activity,

wagering on an event,

a lottery activity, and

a non-gambling activity.

5. The method of claim 3, in which the gaming device is also operable to provide to the player at least one convenience service.

6. The method of claim 5, in which the at least one convenience service comprises at least one of:

a restaurant service,

an entertainment service,

a hotel service,

a money management service,

a news service, and

a financial exchange service.

7. The method of claim 1, in which the gaming server comprises a computing device operable to provide through the gaming device at least one gaming activity to a player using the gaming device.

8. The method of claim 7, in which the gaming server is also operable to provide through the gaming device at least one convenience service to the player.

9. The method of claim 1, in which the indicator comprises at least one of:

an alphanumeric text value,

a plurality of alphanumeric text values,

an audible signal,

an audible tone,

an audible text value, and

a plurality of audible text values.

10. The method of claim 1, in which the indicator comprises personal information associated with a player using the gaming device.

11. The method of claim 1, in which the indicator comprises a common question and an answer to the common question, and in which the answer comprises personal information associated with a player using the gaming device.

12. The method of claim 1, in which the indicator comprises an unfinished statement and a completion to the unfinished statement, and in which the completion to the unfinished statement comprises personal information associated with a player using the gaming device.

13. The method of claim 1, in which the indicator comprises a value specified by a player using the gaming device.

14. The method of claim 13, in which the value is specified by the player during a registration period.

15. The method of claim 1, in which the indicator is know to a player using the gaming device prior to the receiving of the request.

16. The method of claim 1, in which determining the indicator comprises using identification information to determine the indicator.

17. The method of claim 16, in which using the identification information to determine the indicator comprises accessing a database based on the identification information to determine the indicator.

18. The method of claim 17, in which the database is populated with the indictor during a registration period.

19. The method of claim 16, in which the identification information comprises at least one of:

a name of a player using the gaming device,

security information associated with the player using the gaming device,

a tracking value assigned to the gaming device, and

a name assigned to the gaming device.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising receiving the identification information from the gaming device.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining the identification information based on communications with the gaming device.

22. The method of claim 1, in which determining the indicator comprises:

receiving from the gaming device a selection as to a type of indicator; and

using identification information and the selection to determine the indicator.

23. An apparatus comprising a computing device operable to perform the method of claim 1.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, in which the computing device comprises the gaming server.

25. A method comprising:

receiving from a gaming device a request;

in response to the request, using identification information to determine an indicator, in which the indicator is known to a player of the gaming device; and

sending the indicator via a gaming server to the gaming device, in which the gaming device together with the gaming server is operable to provide at least one gaming activity to the player.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

receiving from the gaming device a selection as to a type of indicator; and

using the identification information and the selection to determine the indicator.