Architecture for manufacturing authenticatable gaming systems

• US 7,428,638 B1
• Filed: 01/20/2006
• Issued: 09/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Ling Tony, Multerer, Boyd C.
• Primary Examiner(s): JUNG, DAVID YIUK
• Application Number:
  US11/275,645
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 713/168, 380/282, 380/251, 380/259, 463/36
• US Class Current: 713/168
• 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 13/73 Authorising game programs or game devices, e.g. checking authenticity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/532 using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/33 using certificates
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2109 Game systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user

Abstract

An architecture is described to manufacture console-based gaming systems in a manner that allows them to be authenticated to a remote entity. The architecture involves creating a console public key and a console private key for each console-based gaming system. A digital certificate is created that contains the console public key and additional information about the console-based gaming system. The digital certificate is signed with a factory private key associated with the factory that manufactured the console-based gaming system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

manufacturing a console-based gaming system having at least programmatically accessible memory and network interfacing capability to enable access to a network;

creating a console private key associated with the console-based gaming system;

creating a console public key associated with the console-based gaming system;

storing the console private key and the console public key in the console-based gaming system;

identifying a factory private key associated with the factory manufacturing the console-based gaming system;

identifying a factory public key associated with the factory manufacturing the console-based gaming system;

creating a digital certificate containing the console public key;

signing the digital certificate with the factory private key; and

storing the certificate and the console private key in the console-based gaming system.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the digital certificate further contains a serial number associated with the console-based gaming system.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the digital certificate further contains manufacturing information associated with the console-based gaming system.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising communicating the digital certificate and a proof of console private key knowledge to a device that desires to authenticate the game console.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising communicating the digital certificate and a proof of console private key knowledge to another console-based gaming system.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the console private key is stored in the game console in a manner that prevents the extraction of the key.

7. A method to verify authenticity of saved data from a game console having at least programmatically accessible memory and network interfacing capability to enable access to a network, the method comprising:

obtaining saved data from the game console along with a digital certificate and a one way hash of the saved data signed by a console private key, wherein the digital certificate includes a console public key and a game console serial number, and wherein the digital certificate is signed with a factory private key;

identifying a factory public key associated with the factory private key;

verifying the authenticity of the digital certificate using the factory public key; and

verifying that the one way hash of the saved data is correctly signed by the console private key, wherein the corresponding console public key is contained in the digital certificate.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, further comprising permitting the game console to access the saved data if the saved data is authenticated.

9. A method as recited in claim 7, further comprising preventing the game console from accessing the saved data if the saved data is not authenticated.

10. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the digital certificate further includes manufacturing information associated with the game console.

11. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the method is performed by a device that desires to authenticate the saved data.

12. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the method is performed by a second game console.