Verifying whether a gaming device is communicating with a gaming server

• US 8,012,015 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2006
• Issued: 09/06/2011
• 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:
  US11/560,358
• Publication Number:
  US 20080113808A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,756 Days
• Field of Search: 463/42, 705/26, 370229-231, 370/235, 455410-411
• US Class Current: 463/29
• 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: 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 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1433 Vulnerability analysis

Abstract

A gaming server provides activities and/or services to a player through a gaming device. To verify whether the gaming device is communicating with the gaming server, a verification server may send an indicator to the gaming device, via the gaming server, and also send the indicator to a verification device. Alternatively, the verification server may send an indicator, via the gaming server, to the gaming device, for example, which indicator may then be sent back to the verification server from a verification device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving from a verification device, by a processor of a verification server, a request from a player of a mobile gaming device to verify that the mobile gaming device is in communication with a gaming server, 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 at least the verification server, the mobile gaming device, and the gaming server, and wherein the verification server is a separate entity from at least the gaming server;

determining, by the processor, 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 communication with the gaming server via a third network, and wherein the mobile gaming device is a separate entity from at least the verification server, the mobile gaming device, and the gaming server;

determining, by the processor, an indicator; and

providing a verification to the player of the mobile gaming device that the mobile gaming device is in communication with the gaming server, wherein providing the verification comprises;

sending, by the processor, the indicator to the verification device via the first network; and

sending, by the processor, the indicator to the mobile gaming device via the second network, the gaming server, and the third network.

2. An apparatus, comprising:

a verification server, the verification server comprising a processor operable to;

receive from a verification device a request from a player of a mobile gaming device to verify that the mobile gaming device is in communication with a gaming server, 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 at least the verification server, the mobile gaming device, and the gaming server, and wherein the verification server is a separate entity from at least the gaming server;

determine 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 communication with the gaming server via a third network, and wherein the mobile gaming device is a separate entity from at least the verification server, the mobile gaming device, and the gaming server;

determine an indicator; and

provide a verification to the player of the mobile gaming device that the mobile gaming device is in communication with the gaming server, wherein providing the verification comprises;

sending the indicator to the verification device via the first network; and

sending the indicator to the mobile gaming device via the second network, the gaming server, and the third network.

3. 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 communication 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;

determining, by the processor of the verification server, an indicator, wherein determining the indicator comprises;

determining, by the processor of the verification server, a random value;

providing a verification to the player of the mobile gaming device that the mobile gaming device is in communication with the gaming server, wherein providing the verification comprises;

sending, by the processor of the verification server, the indicator to the verification device via the first network; and

sending, by the processor of the verification server, the indicator to the mobile gaming device via the second network, the gaming server, and the third network.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the random value is unknown to the player of the mobile gaming device prior to the indicator being sent to the mobile gaming device.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein sending the indicator to both the verification device and to the mobile gaming device is indicative to the player that the mobile gaming device is in communication with the gaming server.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the gaming facility comprises at least one of a casino and a casino-hotel.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the gaming facility comprises a racino.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

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

9. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

prior to sending the indicator to the verification device;

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 3, wherein the gaming server comprises a licensed gaming server.

12. The method of claim 3, wherein the first and second networks are the same network.

13. The method of claim 3, wherein the first and second networks are interconnected.

14. The method of claim 3, wherein the first and second networks share common resources.

15. The method of claim 3, wherein the first and second networks are different networks.

16. The method of claim 3, wherein the indicator comprises 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.

17. The method of claim 3, 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.

18. The method of claim 3, wherein the mobile gaming device, together with the gaming server, is further operable to provide to the player at least one convenience service.

19. The method of claim 18, 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.

20. 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 communication 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;

determining, by the processor of the verification server, an indicator, wherein determining the indicator comprises;

determining, by the processor of the verification server, a random value;

providing a verification to the player of the mobile gaming device that the mobile gaming device is in communication with the gaming server, wherein providing the verification comprises;

sending, by the processor of the verification server, the indicator to the verification device via the first network; and

sending, by the processor of the verification server, the indicator to the mobile gaming device via the second network, the gaming server, and the third network.

21. 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 communication 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;

determining, by the processor of the verification server, an indicator, wherein determining the indicator comprises;

determining, by the processor of the verification server, a random value;

providing a verification to the player of the mobile gaming device that the mobile gaming device is in communication with the gaming server, wherein providing the verification comprises;

sending, by the processor of the verification server, the indicator to the verification device via the first network; and

sending, by the processor of the verification server, the indicator to the mobile gaming device via the second network, the gaming server, and the third network.