Method and system for ensuring the securing of computer servers of games

• US 6,904,520 B1
• Filed: 09/25/1997
• Issued: 06/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fintel SA
• Original Assignee: Fintel SA
• Inventors: Moulin, Jean, Rosset, Franck, Gayet, Alain
• Primary Examiner(s): Moise, Emmanuel L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Arani, Taghi T.
• Application Number:
  US09/269,349
• Time in Patent Office: 2,812 Days
• Field of Search: 713/151, 380/27, 380/277, 379/123, 379/130, 379/144.05, 379/144, 705/39
• US Class Current: 713/151
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4097 using mutual authentication between devices and transaction partners
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3234 involving additional secure or trusted devices, e.g. TPM, smartcard, USB or software token network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using an additional device in a packet data network H04L63/0853

Abstract

The invention concerns a method and a system enabling gamesters (11) of a virtual casino to accede safely and rapidly, by means of a microphone (17) connected to a communication network (15), to the different games that the virtual casino (12) offers to its gamesters (11). The method comprises the following steps: the virtual casino provides each of its gamesters (11) with a card (10), formatted like a credit card, personalised by specific identifiers for each card and each gamester; said card (10) emits brief identifying sound signals (20), of the DTMF type, at least partly encrypted, varying with each operation, when it is actuated (14) by the gamester (11); said identifying sound signals are received by the microphone (17) and transmitted by the communication network (15) to the computer service (18) of the virtual casino; the transmitted signals and the identification data of the gamester and the card in the possession (23) of the computer service (18), are electronically processed (24) and compared (25) by the computer service (18) of the virtual casino, such that in the event of coincidence, the gamester (11) can immediately be put through to the services (30) which the virtual casino offers to the gamesters.

Claims

1. A method enabling the gamblers (11) of a virtual casino to access, securely and rapidly, by mean of a microphone (17) linked to a communication network (15), the different games the virtual casino (12) offers to its gamblers (11), said method comprising the following steps:

the virtual casino (12) supplies to each of its gamblers (11) a credit-card sized card (10), customized with specific identifiers for each card and each gambler,

said card (10) issues short ID audio signals, of DTMF type, encrypted at least partially, varying for each transaction, when it is activated through element (14) by the gambler (11),

said card (10);

further counts (105) the number of times C(p,n) (242) it is activated by the element (14) and issues said ID audio signals (20), wherein C(p,n) takes account of all activations, including activations at a wrong time,

issues audio signals (20) representative of the number of times C(p,n) (242) it has been activated,

encrypts (103) the ID audio signals (20) into a function S(p,n) as a function of said number of times C(p,n) (242) the said card has issued said ID audio signals and as a function of said specific identifiers of each card and each gambler,

said ID audio signals are received through the microphone (17) and transmitted via the communication network (15) to the computer facility (18) of the virtual casino,

the signals transmitted to the computer facility (18) and the specific identifiers of the gambler and the card, held by the computer facility (18), are processed (24) and compared (25) electronically by the computer facility (18) of the virtual casino (12), by computer means (21) which;

store (230) the number of times C(p,m) (246) the card has been used at a time of a last validation operation,

compare (245) the number of times C(p,n) (242) the card has been activated, at the time of the current transaction, to the number of times stored C(p,m) (246),

reject the current transaction if C(p,n) (242) is less than or equal to C(p,m) (246) and continue with the verification of the current transaction if C(p,n) (242) is greater than C(p,m) (246),

recalculate (239) the ID audio signals (20) into a function S′

(p,n) as a function of said number of times C(p,n) (242) that said card has issued said ID audio signals (20) and as a function of said specific identifies of each card and each gambler,

then compare S′

(p,n) to S(p,n), so that in case of a match, the games of the virtual casino are immediately accessible to the gambler.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the following step:

the gambler (11) issues a confidential code using a keyboard (27) linked to the microphone and/or card (10), after transmission to the computer facility (18) of the virtual casino, via the communication network (15), this confidential code is processed and compared (26) to the gambler'"'"'s personal confidential code held by the computer facility of the virtual casino.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the following step:

the gambler (11) places orders with the virtual casino,

the orders the gambler (11) placed with the virtual casino are validated by the gambler activating (14) the card (10) so that it issues an encrypted validation audio signal,

said validation signal is recorded (21b) by the computer facility of the virtual casino.

4. A method according to claim 3, further comprising the following step:

an acknowledgment of receipt (29) of the validation signal is sent to the gambler.

5. A system enabling the gamblers (11) of a virtual casino to access, securely and rapidly, the different games that the virtual casino offers to its gamblers, said system comprising:

a credit-card sized card (10), customized with specific identifiers for each card and each gambler, supplied to them, said card comprising;

a means for issuing (13) short ID audio signals, of DTMF type, activated by the gambler of the virtual casino by means of an element (14) accessible from outside the card (10),

an incremental counter (105) interconnected with the issuing means (13) and an encrypting means (103), incrementing at least by one unit as a function of the number of times C(p,n) (242) said element (14) has been actuated and that said card (10) bas issued said ID audio signals (20), wherein C(p,n) takes account of all activations, including activations at a wrong time,

an encrypting means (103) interconnected with the incremental counter (105) and the issuing means (13) for encrypting at least partially and varying the ID audio signals into a function S(p,n) as a function of said number of times C(p,n) (242) that said card has issued said ID audio signals (20) and as a function of said specific identifiers of each card and each gambler,

a means for receiving and converting ID audio signal, namely a microphone (17) of a handset (16), into electronic signals that can be remote transmitted via a communication network (15),

a computer means (21), part of the computer ability of the virtual casino, connected to the communication network and located at a distance of the means for receiving the ID audio signals in the form of said electronic signal, said computer means comprising;

a database (23) containing references of the cards (10) and the gamblers (11) and said specific identifiers of each card and each gambler,

a means for processing (24) and a means for comparing (25) the electronic signals and said specific identifies of each card and each gambler contained in the database,

a means for storing (230) the number of times C(p,m) (246) the card has been used at a time of a last validation operation,

a means for comparing (245) the number of times C(p,n) (242) the card has been activated, at the time of the current transaction, to the number of times stored C(p,m) (246), so that the verification of the current transaction is rejected if C(p,n) (242) is less than or equal to C(p,m) (246) and continues if C(p,n) (242) is strictly greater than C(p,m) (246),

a means for recalculating (239) the ID audio signals (20) into a function S′

(p,n) as a function of said number of times C(p,n) (242) that said card has issued said audio signals (20) and as a function of said specific identifiers of the subscribers en the cards, and

a means for comparing S′

(p,n) to S(p,n) so that in case of a match, the games of the virtual casino are immediately accessible to the gamblers.

6. A system according to claim 5, said computer means further comprising:

a second means for comparing (26) a gambler'"'"'s personal confidential code, contained in the database, to a confidential code issued by the gambler by means of a keyboard (27) linked to the handset and/or the card and transmitted to the computer means (21) of the virtual casino, via the communication network (15).

7. A system according to claim 5,

said card (10) further issuing, when it is activated by the gambler of the virtual casino, an encrypted audio signal validating orders placed by the gambler,

said computer means further comprising:

a means for detecting (21a) and a means for recording (21b) the validation signal.

8. A system according to claim 7,

said computer means further comprising:

a means for issuing (28) an acknowledgement of receipt of the orders placed, to be sent to the gambler.