Authentication of lottery tickets, game machine credit vouchers, and other items

• US 8,135,648 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2008
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GTECH Corporation (GTECH SpA)
• Original Assignee: GTECH Corporation (GTECH SpA)
• Inventors: Oram, Thomas K., Luo, Chenghui, Berg, Johan
• Primary Examiner(s): Hewitt, II, Calvin L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Steven
• Application Number:
  US12/264,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20090117997A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,226 Days
• Field of Search: 463/17, 463/25, 463/29, 705/44, 705/67
• US Class Current: 705/67
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards

Abstract

Credit vouchers from a wagering game machine can be authenticated. This may be accomplished by receiving credit information at a server, the credit information including information indicating a player'"'"'s balance at the wagering game machine. A security key may be created for the credit voucher. A secured document token may be created by encrypting a document token including the credit information with the security key. This document token may sent to a server which supplies a credit response. A modified security key may be created by combining the credit response with the security key. The credit voucher may be provided, the credit vouchers including the credit information, the credit response and the modified security key.

Claims

1. A method of authenticating a document from a wagering game machine, comprising:

receiving credit information by a server, the credit information including information indicating a player'"'"'s balance at the wagering game machine;

creating, by the wagering game machine, a security key for the document, wherein the document is a wagering receipt, lottery ticket, or wagering machine credit voucher;

creating, by the wagering game machine, a secured document token by encrypting a document token including the credit information with the security key;

sending, by the wagering game machine, the secured document token to the server;

sending, by the wagering game machine, a credit response from the server;

creating, by the wagering game machine, a modified security key by combining the credit response with the security key;

providing, by the wagering game machine, the document including the credit information, the credit response and the modified security key;

receiving, by a redemption device, a request to redeem the document for at least one of cash or game credit;

receiving, by the redemption device, the modified security key from the document;

retrieving, by the redemption device, the credit information, the secured document token, the document token and the credit response corresponding to the document;

obtaining, by the redemption device, a candidate security key from the modified security key received from the document by removing the retrieved credit response from the modified security key received from the document;

obtaining, by the redemption device, a candidate secured document token by encrypting the retrieved document token using the candidate security key;

determining, by the redemption device, whether the obtained candidate secured document token matches the retrieved secured document token; and

indicating, by the redemption device, the document is authentic based on the determination of the matching.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the credit information is transmitted from the wagering game machine to the server via a network;

the security key is at least one of a random or pseudo-random number generated at the wagering game machine;

the credit response is generated at the server and transmitted via the network to the wagering game machine; and

the modified security key is created at the wagering game machine.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of providing the document includes printing a document with a machine-readable code including the modified security key.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the machine-readable code is a two-dimensional bar code.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the credit information and the credit response are also printed on the document.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein providing the document includes storing a machine readable code including the modified security key on a memory in the document.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the credit information and the credit response are also stored on the document.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the encrypting includes at least one of a symmetric encryption algorithm or a cryptographic hash of the combination.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the encrypting includes at least one of DES, Triple DES, AES, MD5, SHA-1, or HMAC.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the wagering game machine is a video slot machine.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the wagering game machine is a video lottery terminal.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the wagering game machine is at least one of a personal computer, mobile phone, or personal digital assistant.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the redemption device is a dedicated redemption terminal, the method further comprising:

in response to the indication that the document is authentic, paying the document holder cash equivalent to the value of the document.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the redemption device is a second gaming machine, the method further comprising:

in response to the indication that the document is authentic, providing game credit at the second gaming machine equivalent to the value of the document.