Game-winner selection based on verifiable event outcomes

• US 8,016,662 B1
• Filed: 11/22/2002
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2002
• 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): Coburn; Corbett B
• Application Number:
  US10/303,097
• Time in Patent Office: 3,217 Days
• Field of Search: 463/17, 463/22
• US Class Current: 463/22
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

A gaming system includes a game server and a client device. The game server accepts the publicly-verifiable outcome of a non-deterministic event as an input. The game server creates a seed from the outcome and inputs the seed into a random number generator to generate a random number. The game server generates a winner using the random number and communicates the winner to the client device.

Claims

1. A method for determining a winner of a game of chance, comprising:

identifying a plurality of events prior to occurrence of the events, wherein the outcomes of the plurality of events are publicly-verifiable;

defining one or more parameters for a game prior to occurrence of the plurality of events;

determining a seed for a random number generator using the outcomes of the plurality of events;

generating at least one random number using the seed; and

selecting at least one winner of the game using the random number and the parameters.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameters identify a number of prize levels to be awarded and a number of winners for each prize level, and the method further comprises generating an ordered list of a plurality of winners.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameters identify an algorithm for determining the seed from the outcomes of the plurality of events and an algorithm for generating the random number from the seed.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameters identify the plurality of events.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein defining parameters comprises:

generating a parameter file containing the parameters;

signing the parameter file digitally;

communicating the parameter file to a trusted third party; and

receiving a certificate from the trusted third party indicating the time at which the trusted third party received the parameter file.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one random number comprises a first random number and a second random number, and wherein generating at least one random number comprises:

generating the first random number using the seed; and

generating the second random number using the first random number.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting at least one winner comprises choosing a winner from a list of players determined prior to occurrence of the plurality of events.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a player file, the player file comprising records identifying players of the game;

signing the player file digitally;

communicating the player file to a trusted third party; and

receiving a certificate from the trusted third party indicating the time at which the trusted third party received the player file.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the events are public lotteries.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

generating at least one random number comprises generating a plurality of random numbers using the outcomes of the plurality of events; and

selecting at least one winner comprises selecting at least one winner of the game using the plurality of random numbers and the parameters.

11. A method for running a game, comprising:

selecting a plurality of events prior to occurrence of the events, wherein the outcomes of the plurality of events are publicly verifiable;

receiving a parameter file prior to occurrence of the selected plurality of events, the parameter file containing one or more game parameters for a game;

recording the parameter file prior to occurrence of the selected plurality of events;

receiving a player file prior to occurrence of the selected plurality of events, the player file comprising a plurality of records, each record representing a player of the game;

recording the player file prior to occurrence of the selected plurality of events;

receiving the outcomes of the plurality of events;

creating a seed for a random number generator using the outcomes of the plurality of events;

generating at least one random number from the seed;

selecting at least one winner from the player file based on the random number and the game parameters recorded in the parameter file;

generating a winner file identifying a winner of the game; and

communicating the winner file to a game sponsor.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the player file comprises a plurality of records, each record including unique personal information sufficient to independently identify the player represented by the record.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein selecting at least one winner comprises reading a plurality of prize levels from the parameter file, and wherein generating a winner file comprises generating a list identifying winners and corresponding prize levels associated with the winners.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the parameters comprise information identifying the selected plurality of events.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the parameters comprise:

an algorithm to calculate the seed; and

an algorithm to generate the random number.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the events are public lotteries.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

signing the parameter file and the player file with a digital signature;

communicating the parameter file and the player file to a trusted third party;

receiving a digital certificate from the trusted third party indicating the time at which the trusted third party received the parameter file and the player file; and

storing the digital certificate.

18. A system for selecting the winner of a game, comprising:

a seed generator operable to generate a seed based on the outcomes of a plurality of events, wherein the plurality of events are selected prior to occurrence of the plurality of events and wherein the outcomes of the plurality of events are publicly verifiable;

a parameter file created prior to occurrence of the plurality of events;

a player file created prior to occurrence of the plurality of events, the player file comprising a plurality of records, each record representing a player of a game;

a random number generator operable to receive the seed and generate one or more random numbers; and

an evaluator operable to select a winner from the player file using the parameter file and the random numbers.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein each record of the player file includes information sufficient to uniquely identify the player represented by the record.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the parameter file comprises information defining a plurality of prize levels to be awarded.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the parameter file comprises information identifying the plurality of events.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the parameter file comprises an algorithm for generating the seed and an algorithm for generating the random number.

23. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

a hash generator operable to generate a parameter hash from the parameter file and a player hash from the player file;

an interface operable to communicate the parameter hash and the player hash to an authentication server and operable to receive an authentication certificate from the authentication server indicating the time at which the authentication server received the parameter hash and the player hash; and

a memory operable to store the authentication certificate.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the events are public lotteries.