Methods and apparatus for awarding prizes based on authentication of computer generated outcomes using coupons

• US 7,362,862 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2005
• Issued: 04/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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: Jorasch, James A., Schneier, Bruce, Walker, Jay S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moazzami; Nasser
• Assistant Examiner(s): Reza; Mohammad
• Application Number:
  US11/284,309
• Publication Number:
  US 20060093142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 883 Days
• Field of Search: 380/251
• US Class Current: 380/251
• 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 13/71 using secure communication between game devices and game servers, e.g. by encrypting game data or authenticating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/798 for assessing skills or for ranking players, e.g. for generating a hall of fame computing the game score A63F13/46
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/401 Secure communication, e.g. using encryption or authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/513 server hierarchy, e.g. local, regional, national or dedicated for different tasks, e.g. authenticating, billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/532 using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/535 for monitoring, e.g. of user parameters, terminal parameters, application parameters, network parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5513 involving billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/558 by assessing the players' skills or ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3218 wherein at least part of the system is portable
• 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 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 : received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3231 : Biological data, e.g. fingerprint, voice or retina network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using biometrical features in a packet data network H04L63/0861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 : involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3273 : for mutual authentication network architectures or network communication protocols for achieving mutual authentication in a packet data network H04L63/0869

Abstract

The present invention provides authentication of computer generated game or test results (“outcomes”), and a system by which persons who play games or take tests on a game or testing computer, respectively, may submit the outcomes of the games or tests to a central authority having at least one central computer, and have the central computer “certify” those outcomes as being accurately reported and fairly achieved. This certification of the computer generated result constitutes a “remote-auditing” of the activity taking place on the game computer. In one application, the system enables computer generated game tournaments in which players play the games on game computers and compete against each other by submitting the outcomes for those tournament games to the central computer, which certifies the outcomes and rates and ranks the players. In another application, the system provides for players of computer games to obtain a certified ranking and rating without participation in a tournament. In other embodiments, the system provides for self-authentication and certification of outcomes for games played on the game computer itself, or for mutual-authentication and certification of such outcomes on any other game computer in the system.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a gaming machine and from an entity other than a player, an authenticatable start message defining an initialization parameter for a game;

generating an outcome for the game using a game program and the initialization parameter, in which at least a portion of the game program is stored in a memory of the gaming machine;

generating, via an encryption/decryption module stored in a secure perimeter associated with the gaming machine, an authenticatable outcome message based on the outcome;

communicating the authenticatable outcome message to a central computer, the central computer being configured to authenticate the authenticatable outcome message;

generating, via the encryption/decryption module, a value based on at least a portion of the game program; and

verifying the game program based on a comparison of the generated value with a stored value.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

disabling the game program based on the comparison of the generated value and the stored value.

3. The method of claim 1, in which the entity comprises a central server.

4. The method of claim 1, in which the encryption/decryption module resides within a portion of the memory that is non-alterable.

5. The method of claim 1, in which at least one of a portion of the game program and an encryption/decryption module resides on a central computer.

6. The method of claim 1, in which the entity comprises a dongle removably coupled to the gaming machine.

7. The method of claim 1, in which the initialization parameter is randomly determined by one or more of a central computer and a dongle removably coupled to the gaming machine.

8. The method of claim 1, in which generating the authenticatable outcome message comprises:

encrypting the outcome with a secret key that is shared with a central computer, in which the central computer is further configured to decrypt the authenticatable outcome message with the secret key.

9. The method of claim 1, in which generating the authenticatable outcome message comprises:

hashing the outcome with a message authentication code and a secret key, in which a central computer is further configured to hash the authenticatable outcome message with the secret key.

10. The method of claim 1, in which generating the authenticatable outcome message comprises:

encrypting the outcome with a private key, in which a central computer is further configured to decrypt the authenticatable outcome message with a public key associated with the gaming machine.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a random number generated by a central computer; and

in which generating the authenticatable outcome message comprises;

incorporating the random number in the authenticatable outcome message.

12. The method of claim 1, in which the generated value is a hash value of the game program.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

signing the hash value using a private key and a digital signature protocol.

14. The method of claim 13, in which the signed hash value is verifiable using a public key.

15. The method of claim 14, in which the public key resides at a central computer.

16. The method of claim 14, in which the public key resides at the gaming machine.

17. The method of claim 13, in which the private key resides in the encryption/decryption module.

18. The method of claim 12, in which the authenticatable outcome message includes the hash value.

19. The method of claim 1, in which the game comprises a tournament and in which the initialization parameter causes the game to be non-symmetrically varied in accordance with a differential between abilities of players in the tournament.

20. The method of claim 1, in which the game comprises a tournament and in which the initialization parameter is defined by a central computer to equalize playing conditions for players with differing ability within the tournament.

21. The method of claim 1, in which the stored game value is stored within the secure perimeter.

22. The method of claim 1, in which the authenticatable start message is received from a central computer.

23. The method of claim 1, in which the authenticatable start message is received from a handicap device.

24. The method of claim 1, in which verifying comprises:

determining by the gaming machine that the generated value does not match the stored value.

25. The method of claim 1, in which verifying comprises:

determining that the generated value and the stored value do not match.

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the game program should be disabled.

29. The method of claim 1, in which the game is a game of chance.

30. The method of claim 1, in which the game is a game of slots.

27. A computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving, by a gaming machine and from an entity other than a player, an authenticatable start message defining an initialization parameter for a game;

generating an outcome for the game using a game program and the initialization parameter;

generating, via an encryption/decryption module stored in a secure perimeter of the computer readable medium, an authenticatable outcome message based on the outcome;

communicating the authenticatable outcome message to a central computer, the central computer being configured to authenticate the authenticatable outcome message;

generating, via the encryption/decryption module, a value based on at least a portion of the game program; and

verifying the game program based on a comparison of the generated value with a stored value.

28. A gaming apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

a display device controlled by the processor; and

a memory in communication with the processor, the memory storing software including a game program, the processor being operable with the software to;

receive, by the gaming apparatus and from an entity other than a player, an authenticatable start message defining an initialization parameter for a game;

generate an outcome for the game using the game program and the initialization parameter;

generate, via an encryption/decryption module stored in a secure perimeter associated with the gaming apparatus an authenticatable outcome message based on the outcome;

communicate the authenticatable outcome message to a central computer, the central computer being configured to authenticate the authenticatable outcome message; and

generate, via the encryption/decryption module, a value based on at least a portion of the game program.