VERIFYING A GAMING DEVICE IS IN COMMUNICATIONS WITH A GAMING SERVER BY PASSING AN INDICATOR BETWEEN THE GAMING DEVICE AND A VERIFICATION DEVICE

• US 20110172008A1
• Filed: 03/21/2011
• Published: 07/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dean P. Alderucci
• Original Assignee: Dean P. Alderucci
• Inventors: Alderucci, Dean P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,685,036 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0838 using one-time-passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0846 using time-dependent-passwords, e.g. periodically changing passwords
• 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 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0869 for achieving mutual authentication cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for mutual authentication H04L9/3273
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0884 by delegation of authentication, e.g. a proxy authenticates an entity to be authenticated on behalf of this entity vis-à-vis an authentication entity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0892 by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215

Abstract

A system includes a verification server and a gaming server, which provides gaming activities and possibly other services to a player through a gaming device. The system further includes a verification device in communications with the verification server. The verification server passes an indicator between the verification device and gaming device via the gaming server and in this fashion, verification can be made that the gaming device is in communications with the gaming server.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a gaming device;

receiving from a verification device an indicator; and

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

2. The method of claim 1, in which the verification device comprises a device operable to receive the indicator and to convey the indicator to a computing device.

3. The method of claim 2, in which the verification device comprises at least one of:

a POTS phone,

a cellular phone,

an IP phone,

a personal computing device,

a pocket personal computer,

a PDA,

a kiosk,

a terminal, and

an input device to the computing device.

4. The method of claim 1, in which the verification device is provided by at least one of:

a gaming facility,

a gaming authority, and

a gaming service provider.

5. 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.

6. The method of claim 5, in which the gaming device is operable to provide the at least one gaming activity together with the gaming server.

7. The method of claim 6, 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.

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

9. The method of claim 8, 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.

10. The method of claim 1, in which the verification device and the gaming device are integral.

11. 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.

12. The method of claim 11, in which the gaming server is also operable to provide through the gaming device at least one convenience service to the player.

13. 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.

14. The method of claim 1, in which a form of the indicator as received from the verification device is different from a form of the indicator as sent to the gaming device.

15. The method of claim 1, in which determining the gaming device comprises determining identification information.

16. The method of claim 15, 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.

17. The method of claim 15, in which determining the gaming device further comprises using the identification information to determine the gaming device.

18. The method of claim 15, in which determining the identification information comprises receiving the identification information from the verification device.

19. The method of claim 1, in which sending the indicator via the gaming server to the gaming device comprises using identification information in sending the indicator via the gaming server to the gaming device.

20. The method of claim 1, in which receiving from the verification device the indicator comprises receiving the indicator via at least one of:

a voice communications network, and

a data communications network.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving from the verification device a request to verify that the gaming device is in communications with the gaming server.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending information to a player that is using the verification device such that the player may confirm that the verification device is in communications with a licensed server.

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

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

26. The method of claim 25, in which the gaming server is operable to provide through the gaming device at least one gaming activity to a player using the gaming device.

27. The method of claim 26, in which the gaming server is also operable to provide through the gaming device at least one convenience service to the player.

23. A method comprising:

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

determining the gaming device;

receiving from the gaming device, via the gaming server, an indicator; and

sending the indicator to the verification device.