Authentication of game results

• US 7,892,087 B1
• Filed: 12/02/2002
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SCA Promotions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SCA Promotions, Inc.
• Inventors: Hamman, Robert D., Kennedy, William C. III, Westerlage, Kenneth R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca; Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US10/308,603
• Time in Patent Office: 3,004 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/16, 463/22, 463/25, 463/29, 463 40- 43, 380/1, 380/2, 380/251, 380/255, 380/258, 380/259, 380/264, 380/59, 380/265, 380277-279, 380 44- 46, 380 18- 33, 380/282
• US Class Current: 463/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2103 Challenge-response
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2109 Game systems
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

A gaming system includes a game server and a client server. The client server requests random numeric outcomes from the game server and supplies various state and game information. The game server generates one or more random numeric outcomes. The game server communicates the random numeric outcomes to the client server to be used in making a win determination. For purposes of future authentication, the game server stores a digitally-signed file that includes the random numeric outcomes and the state and game information.

Claims

1. A method for providing numeric outcomes to a game operator, comprising:

receiving a draw request that includes commit data that defines conditions under which random numeric outcomes to be generated will result in a win for a player of a game;

generating, with an electronic processor, a random numeric outcome based on the draw request;

communicating the random numeric outcome to a game operator to be used by the game operator to determine whether a win has occurred in the game;

generating a draw file that includes the random numeric outcome and the commit data;

digitally signing the draw file with a digital signature using a private key;

storing the draw file in an audit log in an electronic memory;

after storing the draw file, retrieving the draw file from the audit log;

verifying that the draw file has not been changed since being stored, wherein verifying that the draw file has not been changed since being stored comprises;

retrieving a public key associated with the private key used to sign the draw file, wherein the public key indicates that the digital signature for the draw file was generated using the associated private key; and

verifying, based on the public key, that the draw file has not been changed since being signed using the private key; and

confirming, based on information in the draw file, that the random numeric outcome resulted in a game win.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein digitally signing the draw file comprises digitally signing the draw file with a private key associated with a current time, and wherein retrieving the public key comprises:

determining a time associated with the draw file; and

retrieving a public key associated with the determined time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the draw file in an audit log comprises storing the draw file in an audit log that includes a plurality of draw files indexed by time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a draw request further comprises receiving a draw request that includes game parameters, wherein the game parameters describe parameters for one or more random numeric outcomes to be generated.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving the draw file comprises:

receiving an indication that a random numeric outcome included in the draw file resulted in a game win; and

in response to receiving the indication, retrieving the draw file from the audit log.

6. A system for providing numeric outcomes to a game operator, comprising:

an interface module operable to receive a draw request that includes commit data defining conditions under which random numeric outcomes to be generated will result in a win for a player of a game from a remote element and transmit one or more random numeric outcomes to the remote element;

a random number generator operable to;

generate the one or more random numeric outcomes based on the draw request; and

generate a draw file that includes the random numeric outcome and the commit data;

a digital signature generator operable to;

generate a digital signature for the draw file using a private key;

store the signed draw file in an audit log memory;

after storing the draw file, retrieve the draw file from the audit log memory; and

verify that the draw file has not been changed since being stored;

a key memory operable to store a public key associated with the private key, wherein the public key indicates that the digital signature generator generated the digital signature for the draw file using the associated private key; and

the audit log memory operable to store an audit log comprising a plurality of signed draw files, wherein each of the signed draw files includes sufficient information to allow an operator of the system to confirm that the one or more random numeric outcomes included in that draw file resulted in a game win.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein:

the digital signature generator is operable to generate a digital signature for the draw file using a private key associated with a current time; and

the key memory is operable to store a plurality of public keys and a plurality of private keys, wherein the public keys are indexed by time and each public key is associated with one of the private keys.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the audit log comprises a plurality of draw files indexed by time.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the interface module is operable to receive a draw request by receiving a draw request that includes game parameters and commit data, wherein the game parameters describe parameters for one or more random numeric outcomes to be generated.