Game Chip, Game Chip Writer/Reader, and Game Chip Monitoring System

• US 20090104981A1
• Filed: 09/15/2008
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
• Original Assignee: Aruze Corp.
• Inventors: KOYAMA, Toshimi
• Granted Patent: US 8,172,674 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 11/00 Game accessories of general use , e.g. score counters, boxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/322 Casino tables, e.g. tables having integrated screens, chip detection means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens

Abstract

A game chip writer for writing at least identification information in a game chip used for a game includes an encryption unit for encrypting at least part of recording-information with use of a private key and a writing unit for writing the encrypted information. A game chip reader includes a reading unit for reading the encrypted information from the game chip and a decryption unit for decrypting the read information with use of a public key.

Claims

1. A game chip used for a game, and recording recording-information including at least identification information, wherein:

the game chip records the recording-information at least partially encrypted with use of a private key.

2. The game chip according to claim 1, wherein:

original data of the information to be encrypted is at least partially compressed by a hash function.

3. A game chip writer for writing recording-information including at least identification information in a game chip used for a game, the game chip writer comprising:

an encryption unit for encrypting at least partially the recording-information with use of a private key; and

a writing unit for writing the encrypted information in the game chip.

4. The game chip writer according to claim 3, further comprising:

a compression unit for at least partially compressing, by a hash function, original data of the information to be encrypted, the compression unit for passing the information on to the encryption unit.

5. A game chip reader for reading out recording-information at least partially encrypted with use of a private key, from a game chip used for a game, the game chip reader comprising:

a reading unit for reading out the encrypted information from the game chip; and

a decryption unit for decrypting the read information with use of a public key.

6. The game chip reader according to claim 5, further comprising:

an original data downloading unit for downloading original data used for a digital signature, from an outside;

an outside original data compression unit for compressing, by a hash function, the original data downloaded from the outside; and

a signature verification unit for collating the original data after being compressed by the outside original data compression unit with compressed original data set in the decrypted information.

7. A game chip monitoring system, comprising:

(i) a game chip for recording recording-information including identification information, the recording-information at least partially encrypted with use of a private key;

(ii) a game chip writer including;

an encryption unit for encrypting at least partially the recording-information of the game chip with use of the private key; and

a writing unit for writing in the game chip the information encrypted by the encryption unit; and

(iii) a game chip reader including;

a reading unit for reading out the encrypted information from the game chip; and

a decryption unit for decrypting, with use of a public key, the information read out by the reading unit.

8. The game chip monitoring system according to claim 7, wherein:

original data of the information to be encrypted, the information being recorded in the game chip in the itemized (i), is compressed at least partially, by a hash function;

the game chip writer in the itemized (ii) further includes;

a compression unit for compressing at least partially by a hash function, the original data of the information to be encrypted, the compression unit for passing the information on to the encryption unit; and

the game chip reader in the itemized (iii) further includes;

an original data downloading unit for downloading original data used for a digital signature from an outside;

an outside original data compression unit for compressing at least partially, by a hash function, the original data downloaded from the outside; and

a signature verification unit for checking the original data after being compressed by the outside original data compression unit against compressed original data set in the decrypted information.

9. A game chip monitoring system, comprising:

a card for storing player'"'"'s information;

a game chip for compressing the player'"'"'s information stored in the card by a predetermined function, the game chip for storing the compressed player'"'"'s information in an encrypted condition with use of a private key;

a gaming table capable of reading the player'"'"'s information stored in the card and the compressed/encrypted information stored in the game chip; and

a controller for receiving the information read from the gaming table, the controller being configured to;

(i) compress, by the predetermined function, the player'"'"'s information stored in the card, received from the gaming table;

(ii) decrypt, with use of a public key, the compressed/encrypted player'"'"'s information of the game chip, received from the gaming table;

(iii) judge whether the player'"'"'s information compressed in the itemized (i) and the player'"'"'s information compressed/encrypted in the game chip in the itemized (ii) correspond to each other; and

(iv) execute a predetermined notification process based on a judgment result in the itemized (iii).

10. The game chip monitoring system according to claim 9, wherein:

the game chip stores chip unique information in an encrypted condition with use of the private key;

the gaming table is capable of reading the encrypted chip unique information of the game chip; and

the controller receives the chip unique information read from the gaming table;

decrypts, with use of the public key, the received chip unique information of the game chip, in the encrypted condition;

detects fraudulent of the game chip based on the decrypted chip unique information; and

executes the predetermined notification process based on a detection result.

11. The game chip monitoring system according to claim 9, further comprising:

a writer for storing the player'"'"'s information of the card in the game chip, wherein;

the writer is configured to;

(i) compress the player'"'"'s information stored in the card, by the predetermined function;

(ii) encrypt, with use of the private key, the player'"'"'s information compressed in the itemized (i); and

(iii) write in the game chip, the player'"'"'s information compressed/encrypted in the itemized (ii).

12. The game chip monitoring system according to claim 11, wherein:

the writer executes a process in the itemized (iii) after initialization of the compressed/encrypted player'"'"'s information stored in the game chip.