Gaming machine having targeted run-time software authentication
First Claim
1. A method of authenticating memory devices'"'"' data within a gaming machine while said gaming machine is operating, said memory devices'"'"' data being authenticated substantially in parallel, said method of authenticating comprising:
- reading a next predetermined amount of data from a first memory device storing executable code for operating a wagering game on said gaming machine and graphic data accessed by said executable code to display graphics of said wagering game on a display of said gaming machine;
determining if the next predetermined amount of data is executable code or graphic data;
if said next predetermined amount of data is graphic data, then reading a next predetermined amount of data, without authenticating the graphic data;
if said next predetermined amount of data is executable code, then authenticating said executable code; and
wherein the above steps are repeated substantially continuously while said gaming machine is operating.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A gaming machine that authenticates its gaming software substantially continuously and repetitiously while the gaming machine is powered on. A processor, while running the gaming machine'"'"'s gaming program, determines whether the data in each of a plurality of memories is authentic. The processor may read multiple memories in a parallel fashion while making memory contents authenticity determinations. The processor may also read multiple memories in a serial fashion while making memory contents authenticity determinations. The processor may also read same memories in a parallel fashion and read other memories in a serial fashion while determining the authenticity of each memory'"'"'s contents. Furthermore, the contents of a memory may be analyzed to decipher between executable data and graphics data such that the executable data'"'"'s authenticity is determined more often than the graphics data'"'"'s authenticity.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of authenticating memory devices'"'"' data within a gaming machine while said gaming machine is operating, said memory devices'"'"' data being authenticated substantially in parallel, said method of authenticating comprising:
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reading a next predetermined amount of data from a first memory device storing executable code for operating a wagering game on said gaming machine and graphic data accessed by said executable code to display graphics of said wagering game on a display of said gaming machine; determining if the next predetermined amount of data is executable code or graphic data; if said next predetermined amount of data is graphic data, then reading a next predetermined amount of data, without authenticating the graphic data; if said next predetermined amount of data is executable code, then authenticating said executable code; and wherein the above steps are repeated substantially continuously while said gaming machine is operating. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of authenticating data within at least one memory of a gaming machine while the gaming machine is executing a wagering game, said at least one memory storing executable code for operating said wagering game and graphics data accessed by said executable code to display graphics of said wagering game on a display of said gaming machine, said method comprising:
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(a) determining if a next predetermined amount of data from said memory is executable code or graphics data; (b) if said next predetermined amount of data is executable code, then authenticating said executable code and returning to step (a); and (c) if said next predetermined amount of data is graphics data and a predetermined condition has been met, then authenticating said graphics data and returning to step (a); and
if said next predetermined amount of data is graphics data and said predetermined condition has not been met, then returning to step (a) without authenticating said graphics data. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of authenticating data within at least one memory of a gaming machine, said at least one memory storing executable code for operating a wagering game on said gaming machine and graphics data accessed by said executable code to display graphics of said wagering game on a display of said gaming machine, said method comprising:
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(a) while said gaming machine is booting up, authenticating both the executable code and the graphics data; and (b) while said gaming machine is executing said a wagering game after booting up; (i) determining if a next predetermined amount of data from said memory is executable code or graphics data; (ii) if said next predetermined amount of data is executable code, then authenticating said executable code and returning to step (i); and (iii) if said next predetermined amount of data is graphics data and a predetermined condition has been met, then authenticating said graphics data and returning to step (i); and
if said next predetermined amount of data is graphics data and said predetermined condition has not been met, then returning to step (i) without authenticating said graphics data. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of authenticating data within at least one memory of a gaming machine, said at least one memory storing executable code for operating a wagering game on said gaming machine and graphics data accessed by said executable code to display graphics of said wagering game on a display of said gaming machine, said method comprising:
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(a) while said gaming machine is booting up, authenticating both the executable code and the graphics data; and (b) while said gaming machine is executing said a wagering game after booting up, authenticating said executable code at a first frequency and authenticating said graphics data at a second frequency, said first frequency being greater than said second frequency. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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Specification