Gaming apparatus with encryption and method

• US 7,794,323 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2003
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Cannon, Lee E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo; Peter DungBa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoel; Matthew D.
• Application Number:
  US10/627,515
• Publication Number:
  US 20050020356A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,608 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/25, 463 26- 27, 463/29, 463 40- 42, 463/43, 463/13, 463/15, 463 38- 39, 463/46, 463/47, 380/251, 380 28- 30, 380/54, 705/50, 705/51, 705/54, 705/59
• US Class Current: 463/29
• 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

Abstract

A gaming apparatus may comprise a display unit, a value input device, and a controller having a processor and a memory that stores first gaming data and encrypted gaming data that was generated by doubly encrypting gaming data utilizing an encryption key of a gaming data authoring organization and an encryption key of a gaming regulatory organization. The controller may be programmed to doubly decrypt the encrypted gaming data utilizing an encryption key of the gaming data authoring organization and an encryption key of the gaming regulatory organization to form decrypted gaming data, to check to determine if the first gaming data is authorized based on the decrypted gaming data and the first gaming data, and to cause, if the first gaming data is authorized, the display unit to generate a game display.

Claims

1. A gaming system, comprising:

a first gaming organization computer located at a facility of a gaming data authoring organization;

a network;

a second gaming organization computer located at a facility of a gaming regulatory organization;

a gaming apparatus including;

a display unit;

a value input device;

a controller operatively coupled to the display unit and the value input device, the controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to the processor and having first encrypted gaming data stored in the memory and second encrypted gaming data stored in the memory, the first encrypted gaming data having been generated by encrypting gaming data with a private encryption key of the gaming data authoring organization, and the second encrypted gaming data having been generated by encrypting the gaming data with a private encryption key of the gaming regulatory organization having the second gaming organization computer connected via the network with the first gaming organization computer of the gaming data authoring organization;

the controller being programmed to retrieve the first encrypted gaming data from the memory;

the controller being programmed to decrypt the first encrypted gaming data with a public encryption key of the first gaming data authoring organization to form first decrypted gaming data;

the controller being programmed to retrieve the second encrypted gaming data from the memory;

the controller being programmed to decrypt the second encrypted gaming data with a public encryption key of the gaming regulatory organization to form second decrypted gaming data;

the controller being programmed to determine whether the first decrypted gaming data decrypted by using the public encryption key of the gaming data authoring organization is identical to the second decrypted gaming data decrypted by using the public encryption key of the gaming regulatory organization; and

the controller being programmed to enable a game play operation on the gaming apparatus upon determining that the first decrypted gaming data is identical to the second decrypted gaming data.

2. A gaming system as defined in claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to cause the display unit to generate a game display representing poker, blackjack, slots, keno, or bingo.

3. A gaming system as defined in claim 1, wherein the gaming data comprises substantially all gaming data necessary to facilitate play of a casino game.

4. A gaming system as defined in claim 1, wherein the display unit comprises a video display unit that is capable of generating video images.

5. A gaming system as defined in claim 1, wherein the private encryption key, of the gaming data authoring organization, used to encrypt the gaming data is different than the private encryption key, of the gaming regulatory organization, used to encrypt the gaming data.

6. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

retrieving from a memory first encrypted gaming data generated by encrypting gaming data relating to a casino game with a private encryption key of a gaming data authoring organization having a first gaming organization computer;

decrypting the first encrypted gaming data with a public encryption key of the gaming data authoring organization to form first decrypted gaming data;

retrieving from the memory second encrypted gaming data, the second encrypted gaming data generated by encrypting gaming data relating to a casino game with a private encryption key of a gaming regulatory organization having a second gaming organization computer connected via a network with the first gaming organization computer of the gaming data authoring organization;

decrypting the second encrypted gaming data with a public encryption key, stored within a controller, of the gaming regulatory organization to form second decrypted gaming data;

determining whether the first decrypted gaming data decrypted by using the public encryption key of the gaming data authoring organization is identical to the second decrypted gaming data decrypted by using the public encryption key of the gaming regulatory organization; and

enabling a game play operation on a gaming apparatus upon determining that the first decrypted gaming data is identical to the second decrypted gaming data,

wherein the game play operation includes;

receiving value from a player via a value device;

accepting an input from the player via an input device;

generating, via a processor of the controller, an output of the casino game based on the input;

displaying the output on a display unit upon receiving the value.

7. A method as defined in claim 6, additionally comprising generating a game display representing poker, blackjack, slots, keno, or bingo on the gaming apparatus.

8. A method as defined in claim 6, comprising retrieving from the memory the gaming data that comprises substantially all gaming data necessary to facilitate play of the casino game.