Accessing identification information to verify a gaming device is in communications with a server

• US 7,942,742 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2006
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CFPH LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Original Assignee: CFPH LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Inventors: Alderucci, Dean P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis; David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): GARNER, WERNER G
• Application Number:
  US11/560,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20080113807A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,644 Days
• Field of Search: 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1458 by checking the subject access rights
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/105 Arrangements for software license management or administration, e.g. for managing licenses at corporate level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• 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: G07F 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00

Abstract

To verify that a gaming device is in communications with a server that provides activities and/or services to a player through the gaming device and maintains information related to these activities and/or services, a verification server determines one or more pieces of the maintained information and sends the determined information to a verification device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, from a player of a mobile gaming device, by a processor of a verification device, a request to verify that the mobile gaming device is in communication with a gaming server,

wherein the verification device comprises a stationary kiosk located in a gaming area of a gaming facility,

wherein the stationary kiosk comprises a reader, wherein the reader comprises at least one of;

an optical scanner,

a magnetic card reader, and

an RFID transceiver,

and

wherein the verification device is a separate entity from the mobile gaming device;

receiving, by a processor of a verification server located in the gaming area of the gaming facility, from the verification device, the request from the player of the mobile gaming device,

wherein the verification device is in communication with the verification server via a first network and the verification server is in communication with the gaming server via a second network,

wherein the verification device is a separate entity from the verification server and the gaming server,

wherein the verification server is a separate entity from the gaming server and the mobile gaming device,

wherein the mobile gaming device, together with the gaming server, is operable to provide the player of the mobile gaming device with at least one gaming activity,

wherein the mobile gaming device is in a communication session with the gaming server via a third network, and

wherein the mobile gaming device is a separate entity from the verification server, the verification device, and the gaming server;

obtaining, by the processor of the verification device, identification information from the mobile gaming device, wherein obtaining the identification information comprises;

reading, using the reader of the stationary kiosk, a tracking value assigned to the mobile gaming device;

receiving, by the processor of the verification server, the identification information from the verification device;

using, by the processor of the verification server, the identification information to access profile information of the player of the mobile gaming device;

determining, by the processor of the verification server, one or more indicators, wherein determining the one or more indicators comprises;

selecting, by the processor of the verification server, one or more pieces of the profile information of the player of the mobile gaming device wherein the profile information is from the communication session between the mobile gaming device and the gaming server;

and

sending, by the processor of the verification server, the one or more indicators to the verification device as verification that the mobile gaming device is in communication with the gaming server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein using the identification information to access the profile information comprises:

using, by the processor of the verification server, the identification information as an index to access the profile information, wherein the profile information is stored in a database.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the one or more pieces of the profile information comprises:

automatically selecting, by the processor of the verification server, the one or more pieces of the profile information.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, by the processor of the verification device, the player with one or more options for selection of the profile information; and

receiving, by the processor of the verification server, via the verification device, one or more player selections of the profile information.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein selecting the one or more pieces of the profile information comprises:

selecting, by the processor of the verification server, the one or more pieces of the profile information based at least in part on the one or more player selections.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming facility comprises at least one of:

a casino,

a casino-hotel, and

a racino.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification information further comprises at least one of:

identification information associated with the player, and

security information associated with the player.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing, by the processor of the verification server, communications with the verification device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to using the identification information to access the profile information;

confirming, by the processor of the verification server, to the player via the verification device that the verification device is in communication with the verification server.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein confirming to the player comprises:

sending, by the processor of the verification server, verification information to the player via the verification device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming server comprises a licensed gaming server.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second networks are the same network.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second networks are interconnected.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second networks share common resources.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second networks are different networks.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the profile information comprises at least one of:

information related to one or more gaming activities engaged in by the player,

information related to one or more convenience services engaged in by the player, and

credit information associated with the player.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more indicators one or more names of one or more gaming activities engaged in by the player.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more indicators comprise one or more locations at which the player engaged in one or more gaming activities.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more indicators comprise one or more obtained skill levels of one or more gaming activities engaged in by the player.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more indicators comprise one or more amounts wagered in one or more gaming activities engaged in by the player.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more indicators comprise an average volume wagered by the player in connection with one or more gaming activities.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more indicators comprise one or more monetary outcomes in one or more gaming activities engaged in by the player.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more indicators comprise one or more win-lose outcomes in one or more gaming activities engaged in by the player.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more indicators comprise at least one of:

an alphanumeric text value,

a plurality of alphanumeric text values,

an audible signal,

an audible tone,

an audible text value, and

a plurality of audible text values.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more indicators comprise:

a sequence of events in one or more gaming activities engaged in by the player.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more indicators comprise at least one of:

a reservation made by the player,

an appointment made by the player,

an item purchased by the player,

a cost of an item purchased by the player, and

a deposit amount associated with a reservation made by the player.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more indicators comprise at least one of:

a credit amount of the player, and

a transaction history of a credit account of the player.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one gaming activity comprises at least one of:

a gambling activity,

wagering on an event,

a lottery activity, and

a non-gambling activity.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile gaming device, together with the gaming server, is further operable to provide to the player at least one convenience service.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the at least one convenience service comprises at least one of:

a restaurant service,

an entertainment service,

a hotel service,

a money management service,

a news service, and

a financial exchange service.

31. A method, comprising:

receiving, from a player of a mobile gaming device, by a processor of a verification server located in a gaming area of a gaming facility, via a verification device, a request to verify that the mobile gaming device is in communication with a gaming server;

wherein the verification device comprises a stationary kiosk located in the gaming area of the gaming facility,

wherein the stationary kiosk comprises a reader, wherein the reader comprises at least one of;

an optical scanner,

a magnetic card reader, and

an RFID transceiver,

wherein the verification device is in communication with the verification server via a first network and the verification server is in communication with the gaming server via a second network,

wherein the verification device is a separate entity from the mobile gaming device, the verification server and the gaming server,

wherein the verification server is a separate entity from the gaming server and the mobile gaming device,

wherein the mobile gaming device, together with the gaming server, is operable to provide the player of the mobile gaming device with at least one gaming activity,

wherein the mobile gaming device is in a communication session with the gaming server via a third network, and

wherein the mobile gaming device is a separate entity from the verification server, the verification device, and the gaming server;

obtaining, by the processor of the verification server, via the verification device, identification information from the mobile gaming device, wherein the identification information comprises a tracking value assigned to mobile gaming device;

using, by the processor of the verification server, the identification information to access profile information of the player of the mobile gaming device wherein the profile information is from the communication session between the mobile gaming device and the gaming server;

determining, by the processor of the verification server, one or more indicators, wherein determining the one or more indicators comprises;

selecting, by the processor of the verification server, one or more pieces of the profile information of the player of the mobile gaming device; and

sending, by the processor of the verification server, the one or more indicators to the verification device as verification that the mobile gaming device is in communication with the gaming server.

32. A method, comprising:

receiving, from a player of a mobile gaming device, by a processor of a verification device, a request to verify that the mobile gaming device is in communication with a gaming server,

wherein the verification device comprises a stationary kiosk located in a gaming area of a gaming facility, and

wherein the verification device is a separate entity from the mobile gaming device;

receiving, by a processor of a verification server, from the verification device, the request from the player of the mobile gaming device,

wherein the verification device is in communication with the verification server via a first network and the verification server is in communication with the gaming server via a second network,

wherein the verification device is a separate entity from the verification server and the gaming server,

wherein the verification server is a separate entity from the gaming server and the mobile gaming device,

wherein the mobile gaming device, together with the gaming server, is operable to provide the player of the mobile gaming device with at least one gaming activity,

wherein the mobile gaming device is in a communication session with the gaming server via a third network, and

wherein the mobile gaming device is a separate entity from the verification server, the verification device, and the gaming server;

obtaining, by the processor of the verification device, identification information from the mobile gaming device;

receiving, by the processor of the verification server, the identification information from the verification device;

using, by the processor of the verification server, the identification information to access profile information of the player of the mobile gaming device wherein the profile information is from the communication session between the mobile gaming device and the gaming server;

determining, by the processor of the verification server, one or more indicators, wherein determining the one or more indicators comprises;

selecting, by the processor of the verification server, one or more pieces of the profile information of the player of the mobile gaming device; and

sending, by the processor of the verification server, the one or more indicators to the verification device as verification that the mobile gaming device is in communication with the gaming server.