Player verification method and system for remote gaming terminals

• US 7,828,652 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2004
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Binh T., Paulsen, Craig A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo; Peter DungBa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hall; Arthur O.
• Application Number:
  US10/708,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20050181870A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,462 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 23, 463 25- 33, 463 39- 43, 463/47, 273/138.1, 273/139, 273/138.2, 273/141.A, 273454-456, 273/460, 713/1, 713/100, 713/150, 713/300, 713/375, 713/400, 713/500, 713/600, 713/155, 713/170, 713/176, 713182-184, 713186-189, 705 56- 57, 705/64, 705/67, 705/72, 705 74- 75, 705 78- 79, 902 2- 3, 902/23, 902/38, 902/40, 709203-207, 709/FOR.113
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0855 involving a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4012 Verifying personal identification numbers [PIN]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication

Abstract

Various methods and systems for providing a reliable verification of a player at a remote gaming terminal are disclosed. This is done by providing gaming events remotely via a first mode of communication, establishing criteria for verifying the identity of a player, receiving a player request to participate in a gaming event remotely, obtaining personal information for that player via a second mode of communication, verifying that the obtained personal information is adequate, and permitting the requested gaming event to commence. Additional features can include a subsequent repetition of the steps of obtaining and verifying personal information, and permitting the gaming event to commence or continue. Personal information can include pictures and/or the geographic location of the player. A cellular telephone can be used to take pictures and determine the geographic location of the player, and both of these items can be transmitted via a cellular telephone call.

Claims

1. A method of providing player verification for a remote gaming terminal, the method comprising:

providing one or more gaming events from one or more servers, said one or more servers operated by a gaming operator, to said remote gaming terminal via a first communication link;

establishing one or more criteria for verifying the identity or eligibility of a player, wherein said one or more criteria includes an appropriate age of said player;

receiving a request from said remote gaming terminal to participate in at least one particular gaming event selected from said one or more gaming events;

determining that player verification is required;

receiving, at said one or more servers, when it is determined that player verification is required, personal information regarding a specific player from a verification device, wherein said verification device is independent from said remote gaming terminal such that said verification device is configured to be used in the same location as said remote gaming terminal, wherein said personal information is received via a second communication link during or immediately prior to the play of a wager-based game at said remote gaming terminal, wherein said second communication link is different than said first communication link and uses a different communication medium than said first communication link, said personal information including at least two of the following;

a) one or more visual images of the specific player,

b) a current geographic location of the specific player, and

c) one or more voice samples of the specific player;

transmitting said personal information from said one or more servers to a player authentication system operated by a third party, said third party being a separate entity from said gaming operator, wherein said one or more servers are located at a different location from said authentication system;

receiving verification at said one or more servers from said player authentication system when said personal information regarding said specific player is acceptable; and

permitting, using said one or more servers, when said personal information is verified, said at least one particular gaming event to commence or continue on said remote gaming terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said remote gaming terminal comprises a gaming machine.

3. The method of claim 1, further including the step of:

associating said request with a particular player account.

4. The method of claim 1, further including the subsequently repeated steps of:

receiving, at said one or more servers, personal information regarding said specific player from said verification device, wherein said personal information is received via said second communication link;

transmitting said personal information from said one or more servers to said player authentication system;

receiving verification at said one or more servers from said player authentication system when said personal information regarding said specific player is acceptable; and

permitting, using said one or more servers, when said personal information is verified, said at least one particular gaming event to continue on said remote gaming terminal.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said subsequently repeated steps are continuously performed.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said subsequently repeated steps are performed at regular periodic intervals.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said subsequently repeated steps are performed at random intervals.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said one or more visual images of the specific player is a digitized picture.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said one or more visual images of the specific player is a visual image created after said receiving said request from said remote gaming terminal.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one of said one or more visual images of the specific player is a live visual image.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said current geographic location of the specific player is determined by a global positioning system.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said current geographic location of the specific player is determined by a cellular telephone network.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said second communication link comprises a cellular telephone call.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said one or more visual images of the specific player are received via said cellular telephone call.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of said one or more visual images of the player is taken by a camera built into a cellular phone used for said cellular telephone call.

16. The method of claim 15, further including the subsequently repeated steps of:

receiving, at said one or more servers, an updated visual image of the specific player via a cellular telephone call;

transmitting said updated visual image from said one or more servers to said player authentication system;

receiving verification at said one or more servers from said player authentication system when said updated visual image is acceptable; and

permitting, using said one or more servers, when said updated visual image is verified, said at least one particular gaming event to continue on said remote gaming terminal.

17. A remote gaming system configured for accepting wagers and granting monetary awards at a remote gaming terminal, comprising:

an electronic device configured to provide and to control one or more gaming events, the electronic device configured to be operated by a gaming operator;

a logic device configured to determine when player verification is required;

a first communication device configured to communicate with said remote gaming terminal via a first communication link and to provide at least one of said one or more gaming events at said remote gaming terminal;

a second communication device configured to communicate with said remote gaming terminal via a second communication link, said second communication link configured to use a different communication medium than said first communication link, said second communication link being different than said first communication link, and said second communication link configured to obtain personal information regarding a specific player at said remote gaming terminal during or immediately prior to the play of a wager-based game at said remote gaming terminal, said personal information regarding said specific player including at least two of the following;

a) one or more visual images of the specific player,

b) a current geographic location of the specific player, and

c) one or more voice samples of the specific player; and

a player verification program configured to verify whether said personal information regarding said specific player is acceptable according to one or more criteria for verifying the identity or eligibility of a player, wherein said one or more criteria includes an appropriate age of said player, wherein said player verification program is configured to receive an authorization signal from a player authentication system configured to be operated by a third party, the third party being a separate entity from said gaming operator, wherein said electronic device is located at a different location from said authentication system.

18. The remote gaming system of claim 17, wherein said electronic device comprises a gaming server.

19. The remote gaming system of claim 17, wherein said electronic device comprises a gaming machine having a master gaming controller.

20. The remote gaming system of claim 17, wherein said electronic device is configured to deny the initiation or continuation of a particular gaming event when said player verification program determines that said personal information is not acceptable.

21. The remote gaming system of claim 17, wherein said player verification program is configured to verify multiple submissions of said personal information regarding said specific player during the progress of or between one or more gaming events.

22. The remote gaming system of claim 21, wherein said player verification program is configured to require continuous additional submissions of said personal information regarding said specific player during the progress of or between one or more gaming events.

23. The remote gaming system of claim 17, wherein said current geographic location of the specific player is configured to be determined by a global positioning system.

24. The remote gaming system of claim 17, wherein said current geographic location of the specific player is configured to be determined by a cellular telephone network.

25. The remote gaming system of claim 17, wherein said second communication link comprises a cellular telephone call.

26. The remote gaming system of claim 25, wherein said one or more visual images of the specific player are configured to be received via said cellular telephone call and are configured to be taken by a camera built into the cellular phone used for the cellular telephone call.

27. A remote gaming terminal player verification system, comprising:

at least one computer server, said at least one computer server configured to be operated by a gaming operator, said at least one computer server having a player verification program configured to verify when personal information regarding a specific player obtained at a remote gaming terminal is acceptable according to one or more criteria for verifying the identity or eligibility of a player, wherein said one or more criteria includes an appropriate age of said player, wherein said player verification program is configured to receive an authorization signal from a player authentication system configured to be operated by a third party, the third party being a separate entity from said gaming operator, wherein said at least one computer server is located at a different location from said authentication system;

a logic device configured to determine when player verification is required;

one or more gaming devices configured to communicate with said at least one computer server, wherein at least one of said one or more gaming devices is further configured to provide and control one or more gaming events;

a first communication device, said first communication device configured to communicate with said at least one computer server via a first communication link and to provide at least one of said one or more gaming events at said remote gaming terminal; and

a second communication device, said second communication device configured to communicate with said at least one computer server via a second communication link and to obtain personal information regarding a specific player at said remote gaming terminal during or immediately prior to the play of a wager-based game at said remote gaming terminal, said second communication link configured to use a different communication medium than said first communication link, said second communication link being different than said first communication link, and said personal information regarding said specific player including at least two of the following;

a) one or more visual images of the specific player,

b) a current geographic location of the specific player, and

c) one or more voice samples of the specific player.

28. The remote gaming terminal player verification system of claim 27, wherein at least one of said one or more gaming devices comprises a gaming machine.

29. The remote gaming terminal player verification system of claim 27, wherein said at least one computer server is configured to deny the initiation or continuation of a particular gaming event when said player verification program determines that said personal information is not acceptable.

30. The remote gaming terminal player verification system of claim 27, wherein said player verification program is configured to verify multiple submissions of said personal information regarding said specific player during the progress of or between one or more gaming events.

31. The remote gaming terminal player verification system of claim 30, wherein said player verification program is configured to require continuous additional submissions of personal information regarding said specific player during the progress of or between one or more gaming events.

32. The remote gaming terminal player verification system of claim 27, wherein said current geographic location of the specific player is configured to be determined by a global positioning system.

33. The remote gaming terminal player verification system of claim 27, wherein said current geographic location of the specific player is configured to be determined by a cellular telephone network.

34. The remote gaming terminal player verification system of claim 27, wherein said second communication link comprises a cellular telephone call.

35. The remote gaming terminal player verification system of claim 34, wherein said one or more visual images of the specific player are configured to be received via said cellular telephone call and are configured to be taken by a camera built into the cellular phone used for the cellular telephone call.

36. The remote gaming terminal player verification system of claim 27, further comprising:

at least one database, said at least one database containing specific personal information data with respect to a plurality of players.

37. The remote gaming terminal player verification system of claim 36, wherein said player verification program is configured to compare personal information regarding a specific player obtained at said remote gaming terminal to specific personal information data corresponding to that specific player that is contained within said at least one database.

38. The remote gaming terminal player verification system of claim 27, wherein access to a gaming event is denied or restricted with respect to said specific player due to an implemented harm minimization measure.

39. The remote gaming terminal player verification system of claim 27, wherein said system is configured to provide one or more harm minimization measures at said remote gaming terminal.