SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONNECTING GAMING DEVICES TO A NETWORK FOR REMOTE PLAY

• US 20080254878A1
• Filed: 04/14/2008
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1994
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Legal Igaming Incorporated
• Inventors: Carlson, Rolf E., Miller, William D., Saunders, Michael W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,397,305 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/58 Random or pseudo-random number generators
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/582 Pseudo-random number generators
• 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 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players
• 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 system and method for connecting remote player devices to regulated host gaming devices in a network to provide remote game play. A host gaming device is configured to provide game information to a plurality of remote player devices to allow remote play of the host game device. Whether each remote player device is permitted to receive gaming data is based upon, at least in part, the geographic location of the remote player device.

Claims

1. A method of authenticating a user of a host gaming device comprising:

receiving a security certificate from the smart card;

sending the security certificate to a certificate authority for authentication;

receiving an authentication reply from the authority; and

playing a game in response to the authentication reply.

2. A gaming system comprising:

a reader configured to read a security certificate from a smart card;

a transmitter configured to send the security certificate to a certificate authority for authentication;

a receiver configured to receive an authentication reply from the authority; and

a processor configured to play a game in response to the authentication reply.

3. A gaming system, comprising:

means for receiving a security certificate from the smart card;

means for sending the security certificate to a certificate authority for authentication;

means for receiving an authentication reply from the authority; and

means for playing a game in response to the authentication reply.

4. A method of authenticating a user of a remote player device comprising:

receiving an indicia of identity for a user;

sending the indicia of identity to an authenticator device;

receiving an authentication reply from the authenticator device; and

authorizing use of a host gaming device based on the indicia of identity

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the indicia of identity for a user is provided by a biometric identity device.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the indicia of identity for a user is provided by a password input by the user.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the indicia of identity for a user is provided by a smart card.

8. A gaming system comprising:

a data network;

a remote player device coupled to the data network;

a security device coupled to the remote player device and configured to provide player credentials to a host gaming device;

a transmitter configured to send the player credentials to an authenticator device;

a receiver configured to receive an authentication reply from the authenticator device; and

a processor configured to play a game based, in part, on the authentication reply.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the security device is a smart card reader.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the security device is a biometric device.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the security device is an input device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the player credentials are, at least in part, a password.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the remote player device is authorized to receive game information provided by the host gaming device based, in part, on the player credentials.

14. The system of claim 8, further comprising a central gaming controller configured to create an auditable record of gaming transactions on the host gaming device.

15. The system of claim 8, further comprising a central gaming controller configured to create an auditable record of gaming transactions on each of the plurality of remote player devices.

16. A gaming system comprising:

a data network;

a host gaming machine coupled to the data network;

a receiver configured to receive player credentials;

a processor configured to verify the player credentials; and

a transmitter configured to send an authentication reply to a remote player device;

wherein the remote player device is authorized to receive game information provided by the host gaming device based, in part, on the player credentials.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the player credentials comprises a security certificate.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the player credentials comprises at least one of a fingerprint, a voice print and a retinal scan.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the player credentials comprises at least one of a user name and a password.

20. The system of claim 16, further comprising a central gaming controller configured to create an auditable record of gaming transactions on the host gaming device.

21. The system of claim 16, further comprising a central gaming controller configured to create an auditable record of gaming transactions on each of the plurality of remote player devices.