Technique for secure network transactions
First Claim
1. A system for performing regulated transactions for use with a network that is commonly accessible by a plurality of communication terminals, the system comprising:
- a gatekeeper, coupled to the network, adapted to permit access to the system only if authorization information, as indicated by an authorization signal received by the gatekeeper from a communication terminal via the network, complies with at least one predetermined criterion, the authorization information being associated with the communication terminal and being independent of information supplied by a user of the communication terminal and independent of information indicative of a communication line coupling the communication terminal to the gatekeeper via the network; and
a host, coupled to the gatekeeper, that receives a first signal from the communication terminal through the network and sends a second signal through the network to the communication terminal in response to the first signal.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for performing regulated transactions is used with a network that is commonly accessible by a plurality of communication terminals. A gatekeeper, coupled to the network, permits access to the system only if authorization information, as indicated by an authorization signal received by the gatekeeper from a communication terminal via the network, complies with at least one predetermined criterion. The authorization information includes information independent of information supplied by a communication terminal user and independent of information indicative of a communication line coupled to the user'"'"'s communication terminal. A host, coupled to the gatekeeper, receives a first signal from the user'"'"'s communication terminal through the network and sends a second signal through the network to the user'"'"'s communication terminal in response to the first signal.
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Citations
69 Claims
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1. A system for performing regulated transactions for use with a network that is commonly accessible by a plurality of communication terminals, the system comprising:
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a gatekeeper, coupled to the network, adapted to permit access to the system only if authorization information, as indicated by an authorization signal received by the gatekeeper from a communication terminal via the network, complies with at least one predetermined criterion, the authorization information being associated with the communication terminal and being independent of information supplied by a user of the communication terminal and independent of information indicative of a communication line coupling the communication terminal to the gatekeeper via the network; and
a host, coupled to the gatekeeper, that receives a first signal from the communication terminal through the network and sends a second signal through the network to the communication terminal in response to the first signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A gaming system for use with a network that is commonly accessible by a plurality of communication terminals, the system comprising:
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a host capable of receiving a first signal indicative of a gaming instruction and transmitting a second signal indicative of a result of a gaming operation;
a gatekeeper, coupled to the host and to the network, adapted to analyze data from a source and to permit access to the host only to sources of authorized data associated with the sources; and
a game repository, coupled to the gatekeeper, that stores a plurality of games;
wherein the host is adapted to access a game in the game repository to determine the second signal; and
wherein the gatekeeper and game repository are adapted to permit access to games stored in the game repository only to sources of authorized data associated with the sources and to the host if the host meets at least one authorization requirement. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
a second host;
a second gatekeeper coupled to the second host;
an access controller, coupled to and interposed between the network and the gatekeepers, adapted to control access to the first gatekeeper by a communication terminal user and by the second gatekeeper.
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12. The system of claim 11 wherein the access controller is further coupled to the game repository and adapted to control access to the repository by the gatekeepers.
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13. The system of claim 11 wherein the network comprises a network known as the Internet and the access controller comprises a private network that is accessible through an Internet site.
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14. A computer program product for use with a system including a network that is commonly accessible by a plurality of communication terminals and an access control device coupled to the network, the computer program product comprising:
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a computer-readable memory comprising;
authorization signal code that causes a communication terminal to supply an authorization signal to the access control device via the network, the authorization signal being indicative of authorization information that is associated with the computer program product and that is independent of information supplied by a user of the computer program product and independent of information indicative of a communication line coupling the communication terminal to the access control device via the network. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
code that allows the user to instruct the communication terminal to supply an action signal to the host device; and
code that processes an action response signal indicative of a response to the action signal.
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17. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the computer-readable memory further comprises copy-prevention code that prevents duplication of the authorization signal code.
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18. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein the authorization signal code is original authorization signal code and wherein the copy-prevention code causes an attempted copying of the original authorization code to create new authorization signal code that is different from the original authorization signal code.
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19. The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising alteration code that disables the authorization signal code if a copy of the authorization signal code is attempted to be made.
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20. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the computer-readable memory is adapted for use with multiple software platforms.
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21. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the authorization signal code is written in JAVA programming language.
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22. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the computer-readable memory further comprises code that processes a global positioning signal and instructs the communication terminal to send a location signal indicative of information in the global positioning signal to the access control device.
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23. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the computer-readable memory further comprises code that instructs the communication terminal to send a location signal indicative of a location of the communication terminal to the access control device.
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24. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the computer-readable memory further comprises code that instructs the communication terminal to send user-identification information to the access control device periodically.
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25. A computer program product for use with a system including a network that is commonly accessible by a plurality of communication terminals, a host device to which a user desires access, and an access regulator, coupled to the host device and to the network, that regulates access to the host device, the computer program product comprising:
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a computer-readable memory comprising;
code that processes an authorization signal, received from a communication terminal, indicative of authorization information that is associated with the communication terminal and that is independent of information supplied by the user and independent of information indicative of a communication line coupling the communication terminal to the access regulator via the network; and
code that instructs the access regulator to permit the communication terminal to communicate with the host device only if the authorization information meets at least one predetermined criterion. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
code that receives a gaming action signal indicative of a gaming action desired by a user;
code that determines an outcome of the desired gaming action; and
code that causes transmission of an outcome signal to the communication terminal indicative of the outcome of the user'"'"'s desired gaming action.
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29. The computer program product of claim 28 further comprising code that performs a game.
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30. The computer program product of claim 28 for use with a game repository storing a plurality of games, the computer program product further comprising code that instructs the game repository to perform a game.
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31. The computer program product of claim 28 further comprising code that receives outcomes of activities of gaming interest via the network.
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32. A system for performing regulated transactions for use with a network that is commonly accessible by a plurality of communication terminals, the system comprising:
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a repository that stores a plurality of computer programs; and
a transaction controller, coupled to the network and to the repository;
wherein access to a program by the transaction controller is permitted only if appropriate authorization information that is associated with a communication terminal is independent of information supplied by a communication terminal user and independent of information indicative of a communication line coupling the communication terminal to the transaction controller via the network. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method of authenticating a transmission from a communication terminal, the method comprising:
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transmitting an authentication signal from a communication terminal to an access controller, the authentication signal indicative of authorization information that is associated with the communication terminal and that is independent of information supplied by a communication terminal user and independent of information indicative of a communication line that conveys data from the communication terminal to the access controller; and
verifying that the authorization information meets predetermined criteria. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 50, 51, 52, 53)
processing the authorization information according to a predetermined operation; and
comparing results of the operation with predetermined result parameters.
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46. The method of claim 38 further comprising transmitting a gaming instruction to a host if the verifying step is successful.
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47. The method of claim 46 further comprising processing the gaming instruction in the host.
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48. A method of claim 38 further comprising associating authorization information with a qualified person that appears in person at a predetermined location.
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50. The method of claim 48 further comprising downloading a gaming program from the central repository to the first host.
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51. The method of claim 48 further comprising performing a gaming operation in the central repository corresponding to the first request signal.
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52. The method of claim 48 further comprising transmitting information corresponding to the first request signal from the central repository to the first host.
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53. The method of claim 48 wherein the first and second gaming instruction signals are received from at least one communication terminal, the method further comprising verifying, before the receiving and transmitting steps, that authentication information from the at least one terminal meets at least one criterion, the authentication information being associated with the at least one communication terminal and being independent of data entered by a user of the at least one terminal and independent of information indicative of a communication line coupling the at least one terminal to the first and second hosts via the network.
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49. A method of gaming using a network that is commonly accessible by a plurality of gaming terminals, the method comprising:
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receiving a first gaming instruction signal at a first host from a gaming terminal via the network;
verifying whether the first host and the gaming terminal meet at least one authorization requirement for accessing a game corresponding to the first gaming instruction signal;
transmitting a first request signal, corresponding to the first gaming instruction signal, from the first host to a central repository that stores a plurality of games;
receiving a second gaming instruction signal at a second host from a gaming terminal via the network;
verifying whether the second host and the gaming terminal meet at least one authorization requirement for accessing a game corresponding to the second gaming instruction signal; and
transmitting a second request signal, corresponding to the second gaming instruction signal, from the second host to the central repository.
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54. A computer program product for use with a system including a network that is commonly accessible by a plurality of communication terminals and an access control device coupled to the network, the computer program product comprising instructions for causing a computer to:
cause a communication terminal to supply an authorization signal to the access control device via the network, the authorization signal being indicative of authorization information that is associated with the computer program product and that is independent of information supplied by a user of the computer program product and independent of information indicative of a communication line coupling the communication terminal to the access control device via the network. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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65. A computer program product for use with a system including a network that is commonly accessible by a plurality of communication terminals, a host device to which a user desires access, and an access regulator, coupled to the host device and to the network, that regulates access to the host device, the computer program product comprising instructions for causing a computer to:
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process an authorization signal received from a communication terminal indicative of authorization information that is associated with the communication terminal and that is independent of information supplied by the user and independent of information indicative of a communication line coupling the communication terminal to the access regulator via the network; and
permit the communication terminal to communicate with the host device only if the authorization information meets at least one predetermined criterion. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 68, 69)
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Specification