Contactless player card with improved security

• US 8,162,737 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2009
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Stockdale, James W., Griswold, Chauncey W., Mattice, Harold E., Wilder, Richard L., Gadda, Christian E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coleman, William D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shook, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US12/473,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20100304819A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 21
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/352 Contactless payments by cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/084 Additional components relating to data transfer and storing, e.g. error detection, self-diagnosis

Abstract

A gaming system that is compatible with photonic-powered card devices is described. The gaming system may comprise a number of host devices each coupled to one or more gaming machines. The gaming machines may be operable to provide wagering on an outcome of a game of chance, display the outcome of the game of chance, accept cash or an indicia of credit and dispense an award, such as cash or indicia of credit, to a player utilizing the gaming machine. The gaming machines may be configured to accommodate a photonic-powered card including communicating with these cards via an optical communication interface. One or more transactions on the gaming machine, such as a transfer of cash or indicia of credit on or off the gaming machine or an initiation of a player tracking session, may be enabled using photonic-powered card devices and associated hardware/software.

Claims

1. A gaming machine comprising:

a cabinet;

a master gaming controller, enclosed within said cabinet, designed or configured to;

a) control a wager-based game played on the gaming machine;

b) control a photonic power source configured to provide power to a photonic-powered card coupled to the gaming machine, wherein to provide power to the photonic-powered card, the master gaming controller is configured to provide power to a photovoltaic cell of the photonic-powered card in a directional manner;

c) communicate with the photonic-powered card via an optical communication interface using an optical communication protocol, wherein;

to communicate with the photonic-powered card, the master gaming controller is configured to communicate bi-directionally with a logic device of the photonic-powered card; and

to communicate bi-directionally with the logic device, the master gaming controller is configured to provide at least enough power to the photovoltaic cell to exceed a threshold level of power of the photovoltaic cell to cause the logic device to begin the bi-directional communication with the master gaming controller to transmit and receive gaming information;

d) communicate with one or more remote servers via a network interface;

a display device, coupled to the cabinet, configured to display the wager-based game;

an acceptor mechanism, coupled to an outer surface of the cabinet, configured to receive the photonic-powered card in a position that allows the photonic card to;

1) receive photons emitted from the photonic power source; and

2) communicate with the master gaming controller via the optical communication interface;

wherein;

the photonic power source is located within an interior portion of the cabinet aligned with the acceptor mechanism;

the optical communication interface is coupled to the master gaming controller and aligned with the acceptor mechanism; and

the network interface is coupled to the master gaming controller;

an input mechanism, coupled to the cabinet, for receiving cash or an indicia of credit for making wagers on the wager-based game; and

an output mechanism, coupled to the cabinet, for outputting cash or an indicia of credit.

4. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein dimensions of the photonic-powered card conform to the ISO 7810 international standard for identification cards.

5. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein dimensions of the photonic-powered card conform to the ISO 7813 international standard for identification cards.

6. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the photonic power source is configured to emit light that activates a photovoltaic cell coupled to the photonic-powered card.

7. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the optical communication interface is an IrDA (Infrared Data Association) compatible interface.

8. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the optical communication protocol is an IrDA compatible communication protocol.

9. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the master gaming controller is further designed or configured to communicate with the photonic-powered card via an IrFM (Infrared Financial Messaging) compatible communication protocol.

10. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising a status indicator mechanism configured to indicate successful communications between the master gaming controller and the photonic-powered card via the optical communication interface.

11. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the photonic power source comprises one or more LEDs.

12. The gaming machine of claim 6, wherein the photonic power source is configured to emit light at one or more infrared wavelengths.

13. The gaming machine of claim 6, wherein the photonic power source is configured to emit light at one or more visible wavelengths.

14. The gaming machine of claim 7, further comprising an IrDA to USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface, the interface comprising a USB connector and the IrDA compatible interface.

2. A gaming machine comprising:

a cabinet;

a master gaming controller, enclosed within said cabinet, designed or configured to;

a) control a wager-based game played on the gaming machine;

b) control a photonic power source configured to provide power to a photonic-powered card;

c) communicate with the photonic-powered card via an optical communication interface using an optical communication protocol; and

d) communicate with one or more remote servers via a network interface;

a display device, coupled to the cabinet, configured to display the wager-based game;

an acceptor mechanism, coupled to an outer surface of the cabinet, configured to receive the photonic-powered card in a position that allows the photonic card to;

1) receive photons emitted from the photonic power source; and

2) communicate with the master gaming controller via the optical communication interface;

wherein;

the photonic power source is located within an interior portion of the cabinet aligned with the acceptor mechanism;

the photonic power source is configured to emit light through an aperture in an outer surface of the interior portion of the cabinet;

the optical communication interface is coupled to the master gaming controller and aligned with the acceptor mechanism; and

the network interface is coupled to the master gaming controller;

an input mechanism, coupled to the cabinet, for receiving cash or an indicia of credit for making wagers on the wager-based game; and

an output mechanism, coupled to the cabinet, for outputting cash or an indicia of credit.

15. The gaming machine of claim 2, further comprising a sensor located proximate to said aperture wherein the sensor is used to determine whether the aperture is covered by an object.

16. The gaming machine of claim 2, wherein the master gaming controller is configured to activate the photonic power source to emit light only when it is determined that the aperture is covered by an object.

17. The gaming machine of claim 2, wherein the master gaming controller is configured to enable the optical communication interface for communications only when it is determined that the aperture is covered by an object.

18. The gaming machine of claim 2, wherein after the photonic power source is activated to emit light, the master gaming controller is further designed or configured to deactivate the photonic power source when it is determined that the aperture is only partially covered or not covered by an object.

19. The gaming machine of claim 2, wherein the optical communication interface is located in the interior of the gaming machine and configured to emit communication signals via said aperture.

3. A gaming system comprising:

a gaming machine comprising;

a cabinet;

a master gaming controller, enclosed within said cabinet, designed or configured to;

a) control a wager-based game played on the gaming machine;

b) control a photonic power source configured to provide power to a photonic-powered card;

c) communicate with the photonic-powered card via a first optical communication interface using an optical communication protocol; and

d) communicate with one or more remote servers via a network interface;

a display device, coupled to the cabinet, configured to display the wager-based game;

an acceptor mechanism, coupled to an outer surface of the cabinet, configured to receive the photonic-powered card in a position that allows the photonic card to;

1) receive photons emitted from the photonic power source; and

2) communicate with the master gaming controller via the optical communication interface;

wherein;

the photonic power source is located within an interior portion of the cabinet aligned with the acceptor mechanism;

the first optical communication interface is coupled to the master gaming controller and aligned with the acceptor mechanism; and

the network interface is coupled to the master gaming controller;

an input mechanism, coupled to the cabinet, for receiving cash or an indicia of credit for making wagers on the wager-based game; and

an output mechanism, coupled to the cabinet, for outputting cash or an indicia of credit; and

wherein the photonic-powered card comprises;

a photovoltaic cell;

a second optical communication interface compatible with the first communication interface;

a memory for storing at least gaming information; and

a logic device, coupled to the photovoltaic cell, the second optical communication interface, and the memory, the logic device being designed or configured to;

1) perform bi-directional communications using the optical communication protocol via the second optical communication interface;

2) detect a power level generated by the photovoltaic cell; and

3) determine whether the power level of the photovoltaic cell is above a threshold value and to transmit the gaming information via the second optical communication interface only when the power level of the photovoltaic cell is above the threshold value.

20. The gaming system of claim 3, wherein the photovoltaic cell is configured to generate electrical power in response to receiving photons in primarily an infrared wavelength range, a visible wavelength range, or combinations thereof.

21. The gaming system of claim 3 wherein the logic device is further designed or configured, to enable changes to the gaming information stored in the memory only when the power level of the photovoltaic cell is above a threshold value.

22. The gaming system of claim 3, wherein the photovoltaic cell is configured to provide power to the logic device.

23. The gaming system of claim 3, wherein the logic device is further designed or configured to generate a one-time pin.

24. The gaming system of claim 3, wherein the photonic-powered card includes a front side and a back side and wherein the photovoltaic cell and a receiving/transmitting portion of the second optical communication interface are both located on either the front side or the back side.

25. The gaming system of claim 3, wherein the photonic-powered card further comprises a display.

26. The gaming system of claim 3, further comprising an omni-directional wireless communication interface wherein the photonic-powered card is further configured to receive messages only via the omni-directional wireless communication interface.

27. The gaming system of claim 3, where the photonic-powered card further comprises one or more input mechanisms.

28. The gaming system of claim 23, further comprising a display configured to display the one-time pin.

29. The gaming system of claim 25, wherein the logic device is further designed or configured to display a portion of the gaming information on the display.

30. The gaming system of claim 25, wherein the display includes a bi-stable liquid crystal display (LCD).

31. The gaming system of claim 25, wherein the display is a touch screen display.

32. The gaming system of claim 25, wherein the master gaming controller is further designed or configured to generate a configuration interface for the display on a video display device coupled to the cabinet wherein the configuration interface is designed or configured to allow a selection of one or more components of the gaming information to be made and formatted for output on the display of the photonic-powered card.

33. The gaming system of claim 26, wherein the photonic-powered card further comprises a display and is configured to output a message received via the omni-directional wireless communication interface to the display.