Process and equipment for counterfeit-proof operation of gambling machines with chip cards

• US 5,451,756 A
• Filed: 04/05/1994
• Issued: 09/19/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Walter Holzer
• Original Assignee: Walter Holzer
• Inventors: Holzer, Walter, Sausmekat, Ingo
• Primary Examiner(s): PITTS, HAROLD I
• Application Number:
  US08/223,169
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 235/382, 235/375, 235/381, 235/382.5, 364/412
• US Class Current: 235/381
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4037 Remote solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/21 having a variable access code
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence

Abstract

A process and equipment for safeguarding the operation of gambling machines with electronic cards in a manner that protects against counterfeiting and fraud. The microchip cards are numbered and a central computer stores at least the amount paid in for playing under the particular card number upon issuing the card. A card is inserted in a gambling machine, which has a read/write unit that compares the amount available for playing with the credit stored under the respective card number in the central computer before releasing the gambling machine for playing. Only if the two amounts match is the machine released for playing and the prevailing credit balance for the card is transmitted continuously during play to the central computer.

Claims

1. A secure, closed debit card usage system incorporating effective counterfeit protection means, said system comprising:

a debit card adapted to have recorded thereon an identification number and a number representing the amount paid in advance as a credit balance thereon, said identification card and the current credit balance, in combination, comprising a changeable and unique access code for said card;

central processing apparatus having means for assigning and recording on said card the identification number and amount of the initial credit balance paid, the combination comprising the initial access code for said card;

addressable memory means in said central processing apparatus on which is recorded said initial access code, and on which said access code is updated and recorded as the credit balance of said card changes;

at least one credit reducing consumer operating machine coupled to said central processing apparatus and having a read/write unit as an integral element thereof, said read/write unit having means to send to said central processing apparatus the access code of said card upon initial insertion of said card into said read/write unit;

comparator means in said central processing apparatus for comparing the most recently recorded access code stored in said memory means with the access code of said card from said read/write unit in said machine, said central processing apparatus selectively sending an acceptance or rejection signal to said machine representing the results of the comparison process;

means in said machine for releasing said card for use therein by the consumer to reduce the credit balance on said card by means of said read/write unit;

means in said machine for transmitting the reduced credit balance of said card to said central processing apparatus; and

means in said central processing apparatus for revising the access code of said card to provide unique identification of said card at each use thereof.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said machine has a computer with a memory for storing data including the last results of use of said card in said machine .

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the last data stored are not transmitted to the central processing apparatus until the end of use of said card in said machine.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said memory in said machine is configured with sufficient capacity to store a large number of uses of said card therein until an erase command is issued by the central processing apparatus after data safeguarding.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein said read/write unit has a locking device that selectively releases said card for removal or ejects it only after the values posted in said memory of said machine and on said card have been compared.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein said memory means in said central processing apparatus comprises a write once read many times (WORM) memory that can be written only once but can be read as often as desired so that all the essential entries can be stored permanently and are not changeable.

7. The system according to claim 6, and further comprising at least one wireless multiplex data transmission system coupling said machine and said central processing apparatus for the purpose of data transmission.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein said machine may comprise many different devices such as automatic money dispensing and receiving machines, gambling machines, beverage dispensing machines or other service machines each equipped with a read/write unit and a computer with a memory and is coupled to said central processing apparatus.

9. The system according to claim 5, and further comprising at least one wireless multiplex data transmission system coupling said machine and said central processing apparatus for the purpose of data transmission.

10. The system according to claim 5, wherein said machine may comprise many different devices such as automatic money dispensing and receiving machines, gambling machines, beverage dispensing machines or other service machines, each equipped with a read/write unit and a computer with a memory and is coupled to said central processing apparatus.

11. The system according to claim 4, wherein said memory means in said central processing apparatus comprises a write once read many times (WORM) memory that can be written only once but can be read as often as desired so that all the essential entries can be stored permanently and are not changeable.

12. The system according to claim 4, and further comprising at least one wireless multiplex data transmission system coupling said machine and said central processing apparatus for the purpose of data transmission.

13. The system according to claim 4, wherein said machine may comprise many different devices such as automatic money dispensing and receiving machines, gambling machines, beverage dispensing machines or other service machines, each equipped with a read/write unit and a computer with a memory and are coupled to said central processing apparatus.

14. The system according to claim 2, wherein said memory in said machine is configured with sufficient capacity to store a large number of uses of said card therein until an erase command is issued by the central processing apparatus after data safeguarding.

15. The system according to claim 2, wherein said read/write unit has a locking device that selectively releases said card for removal or ejects it only after the values posted in said memory of said machine and on said card have been compared.

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein said memory in said machine is configured with sufficient capacity to store a large number of uses of said card therein until an erase command is issued by the central processing apparatus after data safeguarding.

17. The system according to claim 1, wherein said read/write unit has a locking device that selectively releases said card for removal or ejects it only after the values posted in said memory of said machine and on said card have been compared.

18. The system according to claim 1, wherein said memory means in said central processing apparatus comprises a write once read many times (WORM) memory that can be written only once but can be read as often as desired so that all the essential entries can be stored permanently and are not changeable.

19. The system according to claim 1, and further comprising at least one wireless multiplex data transmission system coupling said machine and said central processing apparatus for the purpose of data transmission.

20. The system according to claim 1, wherein said machine may comprise many different devices such as automatic money dispensing and receiving machines, gambling machines, beverage dispensing machines or other service machines, each equipped with a read/write unit and a computer with a memory and is coupled to said central processing apparatus.

21. A secure method for using a debit card having effective counterfeit protection means, said method comprising the steps of:

entering in a central processing apparatus an amount of money paid in advance as a credit balance for the debit card;

entering on the debit card a unique identification number and signals representing the initial credit balance on the debit card, the combination of the identification number and the credit balance comprising a unique and changeable access code for the debit card;

entering in memory in said central processing apparatus said access code for the debit card, which access code changes as the credit balance is reduced by use;

inserting the debit card into a receiving slot in a credit reducing consumer operating machine coupled to the central processing apparatus, the machine having a read/write unit as an integral element thereof;

reading the access code on the debit card by the read/write unit in the machine;

transmitting the access code for the debit card to the central processing apparatus;

comparing the unique access code recorded in the central processing apparatus with the access code read and transmitted by the machine;

selectively sending an acceptance or rejection signal from the central processing apparatus to the machine, depending upon the results of the comparison between the stored access code and the access code received from the machine;

releasing the debit card for use by the machine when the machine receives an acceptance signal from the central processing apparatus;

reducing the credit balance on the debit card by the read/write unit as the debit card is used in the machine, thereby changing the card'"'"'s unique access code;

transmitting the signal representing the reduced credit balance for the debit card to the central processing apparatus; and

revising the access code for the debit card in the central processing apparatus to change the unique identification of the debit card pursuant to use thereof in the machine.