Method and apparatus for securing electronic games

• US 6,450,885 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2001
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Inventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Schneier, Bruce, Walker, Jay S., Jorasch, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin-Wallace, Valencia
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Binh-An
• Application Number:
  US09/895,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20020002076A1
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 463/29, 463/10, 463/11, 463/12, 463/13, 463/16, 463/17, 463/22, 463/25, 463/40, 463/41, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/401 Secure communication, e.g. using encryption or authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• 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 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

A system for playing electronic games includes a game server and one or more player terminals. Game results are based on a random number generated in each of the game server and the player terminals. The game server and the player terminals cooperate to ensure that the random numbers are generated independently. As a result, game players and the game host, such as a casino, can be confident that play results are not fraudulent. In one embodiment, the random numbers are transmitted between the game server and the player terminals at substantially the same time. In other embodiments, the random numbers are encoded and exchanged between the game server and the player terminals. Then, keys to decode the random numbers are exchanged.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating a first random number;

encoding the first random number to generate an encoded first random number;

transmitting the encoded first random number to a game server;

receiving a second random number from the game server;

transmitting a decoding key to the game server after receiving the second random number, the decoding key enabling the game server to determine the first random number based on the encoded first random number and the decoding key.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a game result that is based on the first random number and the second random number.

3. The method of claim 1, in which receiving comprises:

receiving the second random number in an encoded format.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a game result that is based on the first random number and the second random number, in which the game result corresponds to at least one of;

a blackjack game,

a craps game,

a roulette game,

a baccarat game,

a slot machine game,

a lottery game, and

a poker game.

5. A player terminal, comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable medium storing a program, the program being operative to instruct the processor to perform a method comprising;

generating a first random number;

encoding the first random number to generate an encoded first random number;

transmitting the encoded first random number;

receiving a second random number;

transmitting a decoding key after receiving the second random number, the decoding key enabling a game server to determine the first random number based on the encoded first random number and the decoding key.

6. The player terminal of claim 5, further comprising:

a communication port coupled to the processor and adapted to communicate with at least one game server.

7. A method comprising:

receiving an encoded first random number from a game server, in which the encoded first random number comprises a first random number that is encoded;

generating a second random number;

transmitting the second random number to the game server;

receiving a decoding key from the game server after transmitting the second random number; and

determining the first random number based on the encoded first random number and the decoding key.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a game result that is based on the first random number and the second random number.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

encoding the second random number to generate an encoded second random number,

in which transmitting the second random number comprises;

transmitting the second random number in an encoded format.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a game result that is based on the first random number and the second random number, in which the game result corresponds to at least one of;

a blackjack game,

a craps game,

a roulette game,

a baccarat game,

a slot machine game,

a lottery game, and

a poker game.

11. A method comprising:

transmitting a player identifier that identifies a player to a game server;

transmitting an indication of a game selection to the game server;

transmitting an indication of a wager to the game server;

generating a first random number;

encoding the first random number to generate an encoded first random number;

transmitting the encoded first random number to the game server;

receiving an encoded second random number from the game server, in which the encoded second random number comprises a second random number that is encoded;

transmitting a first decoding key to the game server, the first decoding key enabling the game server to determine the first random number;

receiving a second decoding key from the game server;

receiving an indication of a game result from the game server, in which the game result is based on the first random number and the second random number.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining the second encoded random number based on the encoded second random number and the second decoding key.

13. The method of claim 11, in which transmitting the first decoding key comprises:

transmitting the first decoding key after receiving the encoded second random number.