Encryption in a secure computerized gaming system

• US 7,203,841 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2001
• Issued: 04/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Jackson, Mark D., Martinek, Michael G.
• Primary Examiner(s): REVAK, CHRISTOPHER A
• Application Number:
  US10/182,534
• Publication Number:
  US 20030014639A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,224 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 713/187
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2109 Game systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3242 involving keyed hash functions, e.g. message authentication codes [MACs], CBC-MAC or HMAC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures

Abstract

The present invention provides an architecture and method for a gaming-specific platform that features secure storage (354) and verification (366) of game code and other data, provides the ability to securely exchange data with a computerized wagering gaming system, and does so in a manner that is straightforward and easy to manage. Some embodiments of the invention provide the ability to identify game program code as certified or approved, such as by the Nevada Gaming Regulations Commission or other regulatory agency. The invention provides these and other functions by use of encryption (216), including digital signatures (220) and hash functions (210) as well as other encryption methods.

Claims

1. A method of authentication in a gaming system, including a network storage device and a computerized wagering apparatus operable to communicate with each other via a network, comprising:

providing a game data set;

determining a message authentication code unique to the game data set; and

storing the game data set and the message authentication code in a non-volatile memory on a network storage device;

transferring, via the network, the game data set to a volatile memory on the computerized wagering apparatus;

generating a computerized game on the computerized wagering apparatus wherein the game data set stored in the volatile memory is verified during execution and play of a computerized wagering game on the computerized wagering apparatus by generating a complementary message authentication code that is compared to the message authentication code using a continuously executing program thread executing on the computerized wagering apparatus during play of the computerized wagering game to continuously ensure that the game data stored in the volatile memory has not changed since calculation of the message authentication code.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

defining a key; and

using the key to determine the message authentication code unique to the game data set wherein the key is only valid for a particular time period.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

writing data to an unused portion of the volatile memory to prevent misuse of the unused portion of the volatile memory.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

defining the game data set to include a set of program files, and wherein determining the message authentication code unique to the game data set includes determining a message authentication code unique to each program file in the program file set.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the message authentication code and the complementary message code don'"'"'t match on the computerized wagering apparatus and sending a message from the computerized wagering apparatus to a device coupled to the network.

6. A method of claim 1, wherein the message authentication code includes an expiration date after which the message authentication code is no longer valid.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining the message authentication code is no longer valid;

modifying the game data set and

generating a new message authentication code for the modified game data set.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein to game data set includes game license data for the computerized wagering game and wherein the game license data includes an expiration date for to game license.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining a current date;

comparing the expiration date to the current date to determine whether the game license is still valid.

10. A method of authenticating a game used in a gaming systems, including a network storage device and a computerized watering apparatus operable to communicate with each other via a network, the method comprising:

receiving an encrypted control file at the computerized wagering apparatus from the network storage device,

decrypting the encrypted control file at the computerized wagering apparatus to provide a control file, the control file including a set of program files for generating the game, a set of message authentication codes including a message authentication code unique to each program file, and a message authentication code key,

loading the program files to a volatile memory for execution on the computerized gaming apparatus; and

using the original control file to verify authentication of the game wherein the program files stored in the volatile memory are verified during execution and play of the game on the computerized wagering apparatus using a continuously executing program thread executing on the computerized wagering apparatus during play of the game to continuously ensure that the program files stored in the volatile memory have not changed since calculation of the message authentication codes.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of using the control file to verify authentication of the game comprises:

determining a complimentary message authentication code set including a complementary message authentication code unique to each program file in the set of program files using the set of program files and the message authentication code key; and

comparing the message authentication code set to the complimentary message authentication code set to verify authentication of the game.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein if the message authentication code set and the complimentary message authentication code set match, further comprising indicating that the game is verified authentic.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein if the message authentication code set and the complimentary message authentication code set do not match, indicating that the game is not verified authentic.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

receiving the control file, including the set of program files, the set of message authentication codes including the message authentication code unique to each program file, and the message authentication code key;

encrypting the control file to provide the encrypted central file;

storing the encrypted control file.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising using a private key to encrypt the control file.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising using a public key to encrypt the control file.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising decrypting the encrypted control file using a public key.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising generating the control file including:

providing a game data set including the set of program files;

defining the message authentication code key;

determining the message authentication code unique to the game data set using the game data set and the message authentication code key, including determining the message authentication code unique to each program file; and

storing the set of program files, the message authentication codes, and the message authentication code key as the control file.

19. A gaming system comprising:

a network storage device comprising;

a first network interface for communicating with one or more gaming devices;

a nonvolatile memory wherein a control file is stored in the nonvolatile memory, the control file including a game data set, a message authentication code unique to the game data set, and a message authentication code key; and

a computerized gaming apparatus comprising;

a game controller, wherein the game controller is operable to receive the control file from the networked storage device;

load in the game data set into a volatile memory to selectively authenticate the game data set using the message authentication code unique to the game data set during operation of the gaming system and control a computerized wagering game played on the computerized gaming apparatus using the game data set wherein the game data set is verified during execution and play of the computerized wagering game by generating a complementary message authentication code that is compared to the message authentication code using a continuously executing program thread executing on the computerized wagering apparatus during play of the computerized wagering game to continuously ensure that the game data set stored in the volatile memory has not changed since calculation of the message authentication code;

a second network interface for communicating with at least the networked storage device.

20. The gaming system of claim 19, wherein the control file is an encrypted control file, and wherein the game controller is operable to decrypt the encrypted control file to provide the control file.

21. The gaming system of claim 20, wherein the control file is decrypted using a key and wherein the key is valid only for a particular time period.

22. A gaming system for providing a computerized wagering game comprising:

a network device comprising;

a gaming system interface for communicating with a plurality of gaming system devices;

a nonvolatile memory wherein an encrypted control file is stored in the nonvolatile memory, the encrypted control file including a set of program files, a message authentication code unique to each program file, and a message authentication code key;

a gaming controller, wherein the gaming controller is operable to decrypt the encrypted control file, authenticate the program files during operation of the gaming system, load the program files into a volatile memory for execution, and control the computerized wagering game played on the gaming system using the program files wherein the program files are verified during execution and play of the computerized wagering game by generating a complementary message authentication code that is compared to the message authentication code using a continuously executing program thread executing on the network device during the play of the computerized wagering game to continuously ensure that the program files stored in the volatile memory have not changed since calculation of the message authentication code; and

the plurality of gaming system devices in communication with the gaming controller via the gaming system interface.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the control file is decrypted using a key and wherein the key is valid only for a particular time period.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the message authentication process is stored in read only memory.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the nonvolatile memory is writeable memory.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the nonvolatile memory is flash memory.