Player identification using biometric data in a gaming environment

• US 6,709,333 B1
• Filed: 04/14/2003
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sierra Design Group (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Luciano, Robert Anthony Jr., Marsden, Russ Frederick, Bradford, Russel Tower
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Melvin
• Application Number:
  US10/411,914
• Time in Patent Office: 344 Days
• Field of Search: 453/29, 453/22, 453/16, 453/42
• US Class Current: 463/29
• 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

Abstract

A system and method for using two authenticators to identify a player in a gaming environment is disclosed, where the second authenticator is based on biometric data. The two authenticators allow a two-level authorization process providing very high assurance that a player at a gaming machine is who they claim to be, and where the second authenticator, being based on biometric data, enables a player to quickly and easily authenticate documents and/or authenticate age while continuing to play at game machines.

Claims

1. A system enabling individual player identification usable in a gaming environment and using at least two authenticators, the system comprising:

means for entering a first authenticator in said system;

means for entering at least one more authenticator in the form of biometric data in the system;

means for associating said first authenticator and said at least one more authenticator with an individual player;

means for individual player identification at a game device using a reading means operable with a presented first authenticator and a biometric reading means where said first authenticator is one of;

a magnetic stripe card;

a voucher;

an alpha-numeric sequence;

an RFID tag;

a smart card;

a memory card;

a handheld device having retrievable memory and an RF interface;

a handheld device having retrievable memory and an IR interface;

a magnetic diskette;

or, an optical diskette.

2. A system enabled for the creation of a player identification usable in a gaming environment and having at least two authenticators, the system comprising:

means for creating a first authenticator in said system usable as an initial authenticator for searching for an entry in a player identification database, where said first authenticator is not a biometric authenticator;

means for entering into said player identification database at least one more authenticator in the form of biometric data associated with said initial authenticator;

means for associating said first authenticator and said at least one more authenticator with a player; and

,

means for player identification at a game device using said first authenticator and at least one of said at least one more authenticators.

3. The system of claim 2 where said at least two authenticators further comprises at least three authenticators, and said means for associating said first authenticator further comprises assigning a search sequence indicator for each of said additional authenticators, where said search sequence indicator will be used to determine the order in which the authenticators are used to identify a player.

4. A system having at least two authenticators for identification of a player, where one of the at least two authenticators is identified as a first authenticator, and where at least one of the remaining authenticators is identified as a second authenticator, and further where any authenticator that is not a first authenticator comprises data derived from a biometric measurement, usable at a game device having an associated biometric reader, comprising:

means for reading a first authenticator presented to a game device by a player;

means for reading biometric data from said player using a biometric reader;

means for using said first authenticator to find an associated second authenticator;

means for checking data derived from said biometric reading to said associated second authenticator; and

,

means for indicating results of said check of data.

5. The system of claim 4 where said first authenticator is one of:

a player ID card;

a voucher ID;

or, an APID (anonymous player ID);

a magnetic stripe card;

a voucher;

an alpha-numeric sequence;

an RFID tag;

a smart card;

a memory card;

a handheld device having retrievable memory and an RF interface;

a handheld device having retrievable memory and an IR interface;

a magnetic diskette;

or, an optical diskette.

6. The system of claim 4 where said means for checking data further comprises means for ending the identification process and any actions requiring completion of the identification process if no entry in a player database corresponding to said first authenticator is found.

7. The system of claim 4 where said means for checking data further comprises:

means for checking said biometric data against said second authenticator if there was one entry in said player identification database associated with said first authenticator;

means for indicating a failure to said player if said biometric data does not indicate a match to said second authenticator;

means for checking said biometric data against each identified second authenticator if there was more than one entry in said player database corresponding to said first authenticator; and

,

means for indicating a failure to said player if said biometric data indicates one of;

less than one match;

or, greater than one match, with any of said identified second authenticators if there was more than one entry in said player database corresponding to said first authenticator.

8. The system of claim 4 where said second authenticator comprises fingerprint data.

9. The system of claim 4 where said biometric data is fingerprint data, where said second authenticator comprises fingerprint data, where said biometric reader is a fingerprint reader, and where any authenticator in addition to said first and second authenticators comprises further fingerprint data.

10. The system of claim 4 further comprising:

means for reading additional player biometric data which can be associated with an additional authenticator;

means for checking said additional player biometric data with said additional authenticator; and

,

means for indicating a positive result if said means for checking said additional player biometric data indicates a match.

11. A system usable for verifying age during game play using at least two authenticators where one of the at least two authenticators is identified as a first authenticator and where at least one of the remaining authenticators is identified as a second authenticator and further where any authenticator that is not a first authenticator comprises data derived from a biometric measurement, comprising:

means for associating a first authenticator with a player'"'"'s age;

means for associating a second authenticator with said first authenticator;

means for reading a first authenticator presented by a player at a game device;

means for reading biometric information from said player at said game device;

means for comparing said read biometric data with a second authenticator retrieved using said first authenticator;

means for enabling said player to play a game if said read biometric data matches said second authenticator.

12. The system of claim 11 where said first authenticator is one of:

a voucher ID;

a player'"'"'s card;

an Anonymous Player ID (APID);

a smart card;

a magnetic stripe card;

an alpha-numeric sequence;

an RFID tag;

a handheld device having retrievable memory and an RF interface;

a handheld device having retrievable memory and an IR interface;

a magnetic diskette;

or, an optical diskette.

13. The system of claim 11 where said using said means for reading biometric information from said player occurs before each game play.

14. The system of claim 13 where said means for reading biometric information further comprises a single button having therein a fingerprint reading means and a game play initiation means.

15. A system enabled for form generation using at least two authenticators, where one of the at least two authenticators is identified as a first authenticator, and where at least one of the remaining authenticators is identified as a second authenticator, and further where any authenticator that is not a first authenticator comprises data derived from a biometric reader which measures a biometric measurement, usable at a game device associated having an associated biometric reader, comprising:

means for creating an entry in a player identification database having a first authenticator and having at least a player'"'"'s name;

means for associating a second authenticator with said first authenticator, said second authenticator being a biometric authenticator;

means for associating a player using a game device with an entry in said player identification database;

means for identifying a form-generation event;

means for generating an at least partially completed form using data from said entry in said player identification database; and

,

means for using a biometric authenticator to verify said form.

16. The system of claim 15 where said form generating event is a W2G generating event.

17. The system of claim 16 where said at least partially completed form further comprises a fully completed form using data previously entered into said player identification database.