REMOTE WAGER GAMING SYSTEM USING A VIDEO GAME CONSOLE

• US 20120115584A1
• Filed: 11/21/2011
• Published: 05/10/2012
• 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 8,764,572 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

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, the user can begin wager game play. Game play data are transmitted between the console and the gaming operator in an encrypted format. An encryption 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.

Claims

1. 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 through 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;

verifying the wager game system data; and

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

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of verifying wager game system data further comprises:

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

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of transmitting further comprises:

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

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the wager game play data includes wager game results using a random number generator.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of locating user-specific data further comprises accessing a user monetary account.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of locating user-specific data further comprises accessing user player tracking data.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving further comprises receiving user wager gaming input created during wager game play on the video game console.

8. 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.

9. The programmable data storage component of claim 8 further comprising a private key for use in a public key infrastructure.

10. The programmable data storage component of claim 8 further comprising a cryptographic engine.

11. The programmable data storage component of claim 8 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.

12. The programmable data storage component of claim 8 wherein the biometric sensor component is a fingerprint scanner.

13. The programmable data storage component of claim 8 further comprising an input/output interface.

14. 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; and

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

15. The method of claim 14 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.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

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

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the sample biometric data is a fingerprint, a retinal scan, or a voiceprint.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising storing user data in a user data repository.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising verifying the accuracy of the user data.

20. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

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

21. 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; and

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.

22. The wager game cartridge data repository of claim 21 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.

23. The wager game cartridge data repository of claim 22 wherein a digital certificate contains a game cartridge identifier.

24. The wager game cartridge data repository of claim 22 wherein a digital certificate contains a certificate authority identifier and signature.

25. The wager game cartridge data repository of claim 21 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.

26. The wager game cartridge data repository of claim 21 wherein

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.