Gaming machine including security data collection device

• US 7,828,651 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2003
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Oles, David Matthew, Rakesh, Bhakta, LeMay, Steven G.
• Primary Examiner(s): HOTALING, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US10/660,879
• Publication Number:
  US 20040048661A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,617 Days
• Field of Search: 463 40- 42, 463 30- 38, 463/29, 235379-380, 235/38, 382115-116, 382/209
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
• 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 machine includes at least one security data collection device. In one embodiment, the security data collection device is a camera mounted to the gaming machine and adapted to collect image information regarding events associated with or adjacent to the gaming machine, such as the image of a player. In one embodiment, a player'"'"'s image is stored in data form on a player card. When the player plays a gaming machine, the player'"'"'s image is capture and compared to the image stored on the player card for authentication purposes.

Claims

1. A method of authorizing use of a card in a gaming machine and collecting security data regarding activities associated with the gaming machine, the method comprising:

generating first facial image information regarding a person;

storing said first facial information on a card issued to said person;

reading said first facial image information stored on said card with a peripheral device at said gaming machine in said casino;

obtaining current facial image information of a person using said card at said gaming machine using an image collection device, wherein the image collection device is physically incorporated with the peripheral;

comparing said first facial image information stored on said card with said current facial image information of said person at said gaming machine using said card to confirm that the person using said card is the party to whom the card was issued;

obtaining at least one image using the image collection device; and

obtaining audio information using a microphone associated with the gaming machine, wherein the at least one image and the audio information are stored in response to a triggering event detected by either the image collection device or the microphone.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1 including transmitting said current facial image information of said person to a remote location in the event the current facial image information does not match the first facial image information.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the image collection device is a camera.

4. The method in accordance with claim 3 wherein said gaming machine has a front which said person generally faces when playing games at said machine, said camera located at said front of said gaming machine.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the image collection device is a camera generating analog data which is then converted to digital data.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the image collection device is a camera which generates analog data which is then converted into digital data so that the comparing of the first facial image information stored on said card with the current facial information is a comparison of digital data.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the image collection device is a digital camera.

8. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the image collection device is a digital camera located at said gaming machine.

9. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein obtaining current facial image information comprises:

sensing a second triggering event; and

in response to the second triggering event, capturing said current facial image information.

10. The method in accordance with claim 9 wherein the second triggering event is related to the peripheral device of the gaming machine.

11. The method in accordance with claim 9 wherein the second triggering event is a result of a game operating on the gaming machine.

12. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising controlling the at least one image collection device by a gaming controller for the gaming machine.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the triggering event comprises a loud sound or particular spoken words detected by the microphone.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the triggering event comprises a level of motion represented by the collected images.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored at least one image and audio information are associated with each other.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling the microphone by a gaming controller for the gaming machine.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the peripheral device is a player tracking device.

18. A method of authorizing use of a card in a gaming machine, the method comprising:

sensing a triggering event at the gaming machine, the triggering event being generated by a person interacting with a peripheral of the gaming machine, wherein the peripheral is associated with a communication link to a remote location for communicating user interaction with the peripheral to the remote location, wherein an image collection device is physically incorporated with the peripheral;

in response to the triggering event, attempting to obtain current facial image information of a person using said card at said gaming machine via the image collection device physically incorporated with the peripheral;

in response to obtaining current facial image information, comparing first facial image information stored on said card with said current facial image information of said person at said gaming machine using said card to confirm that the person using said card is the party to whom the card was issued; and

in response to not being able to obtain current facial image information, generating security data indicating an alarm condition for the gaming machine and communicating the security data to a remote location.

19. The method in accordance with claim 18 wherein generating the security data comprises assessing image data from a camera and analyzing the image data.

20. The method in accordance with claim 18 wherein the triggering event comprises inserting the card into the gaming machine.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the peripheral is a player tracking device.

22. A method of authorizing the use of a card in a gaming machine and collecting security data regarding activities associated with the gaming machine, the method comprising:

in response to a user interacting with a peripheral coupled to a remote location through a communication link, generating first facial image information regarding the person;

storing the first facial image information on a card issued to the person;

reading the first facial image information stored on the card with a second peripheral at a gaming machine located in a casino;

obtaining current facial image information of a person using the card at the gaming machine using an image collection device, wherein the image collection device is physically incorporated with the second peripheral;

comparing the first facial image information stored on the card with the current facial image information of the person using the card at the gaming machine to confirm that the person using the card is the party to whom the card was issued;

obtaining at least one image with the image collection device; and

obtaining audio information using a microphone associated with the gaming machine, wherein the at least one image and the audio information are stored in response to a triggering event detected by either the image collection device or the microphone.

23. The method in accordance of claim 22 wherein the image collection device is a camera.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the triggering event comprises a loud sound or particular spoken words detected by the microphone.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the triggering event comprises a level of motion represented by the collected images.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the stored at least one image and audio information are associated with each other.

27. A method of authorizing payout to a user using a gaming machine located in a casino, the method comprising:

in response to a first trigger event occurring prior to or upon initiation of a game on the gaming machine, obtaining first facial image information regarding the user at the gaming machine, wherein the first trigger event is an insertion of a user card into a card reader of a player tracking device associated with the gaming machine, wherein obtaining the first facial image information comprises reading the first facial image information from the user card;

in response to a second trigger event occurring during execution of the game on the gaming machine, obtaining second facial image information of the user at said gaming machine, wherein the second trigger event is a game initiated event, wherein the game initiated event is a game payout event, wherein the second facial image information is obtained using an image collection device physically incorporated with the player tracking device;

comparing said first facial image information with said second facial image information of said user at said gaming machine to confirm that the user using the gaming machine during the first trigger event is the same user using the gaming machine during the second trigger event;

confirming that the first facial image information matches the second facial image information; and

upon confirmation, importing player image data on a payout ticket for the user.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

using the player image data to verify the user when the user presents the payout ticket for payment.