Scan based configuration control in a gaming environment

• US 8,323,103 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2009
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Fabbri, Frederic C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed, Masud
• Application Number:
  US12/371,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20090149245A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• Field of Search: 463 25- 42, 463/43
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for facilitating configuration of a gaming machine, and for facilitating authentication testing of selected components of a gaming machine. In at least one embodiment, configuration of the gaming machine may be effected via the use of a gaming machine configuration device. When the presence of a gaming machine configuration device is detected, configuration indicia stored on the configuration device may be accessed and used to determine at least one configuration parameter relating to configuration of the gaming machine. Configuration or reconfiguration of the gaming machine may then be implemented using the at least one configuration parameter. In at least one embodiment, authentication of the gaming machine component may be effected via the use of a gaming machine authentication device. When the presence of a gaming machine authentication device is detected, authentication information stored on the authentication device may be accessed and used to generate authentication output data relating to the component being authenticated. The authentication output data may then be provided to an external entity for verifying the results of the authentication test.

Claims

1. A gaming device in a gaming network, comprising:

a master gaming controller;

memory;

a first display;

at least one interface for communicating with at least one other device in the gaming network; and

the master gaming controller of the gaming device being operable to;

control a wager-based game played at the gaming device,

detect a presence of a gaming component authentication ticket,

receive an input for changing an operating mode of the gaming device to an authentication mode of operation and change the operating mode of the gaming device to the authentication mode of operation in response to the input,

read authentication information stored on the gaming component authentication ticket, the authentication information including an identification of an algorithm to perform a first authentication test and parameters to use as input for the algorithm,

perform, using at least a portion of the authentication information, the first authentication test on a first selected component of a plurality of components located within a housing of the gaming device in order to test whether the first selected component is authentic,

generate, in response to the first authentication test, authentication output data relating to the first selected component, and

provide the authentication output data to an external entity.

2. The gaming device of claim 1 further comprising an input mechanism for receiving cash or an indicia of credit.

3. The gaming device of claim 1 being further operable to:

disable game play on the gaming device while the gaming device is in the authentication mode of operation.

4. The gaming device of claim 1 being further operable to:

accept information provided by the gaming component authentication ticket while the gaming device is in the authentication mode of operation; and

reject information provided by the gaming component authentication ticket while the gaming device is in a game play mode of operation.

5. The gaming device of claim 1 wherein the housing defines an interior cavity, the first component being located within the interior cavity, the gaming device being further operable to:

enable a user to perform the first authentication test of the first component of the gaming device using the gaming component authentication ticket without allowing physical access to the interior cavity.

6. The gaming device of claim 1 the gaming device being further operable to:

enable a user to perform the first authentication test on the first component of the gaming device without physically removing any of the plurality of components from the gaming device.

7. The gaming device of claim 1 wherein the first component corresponds to a component selected from a group consisting of:

an unalterable memory component;

a firmware component associated with the gaming device;

a software component stored within the memory of the gaming device; and

a peripheral device associated with the gaming device.

8. The gaming device of claim 1 wherein the external entity corresponds to a human operator performing the first authentication test of the first component, and wherein the gaming device includes a display, the gaming device being further operable to:

display the authentication output data to the human operator via the gaming device display.

9. The gaming device of claim 1 wherein the gaming device includes a ticket print module, the gaming device being further operable to:

print, using the ticket print module, an authentication output ticket which includes authentication output data.

10. The gaming device of claim 1 wherein the gaming device includes a ticket print module, the gaming device being further operable to:

print, using the ticket print module, an authentication output ticket which includes authentication output data;

read the authentication output data from the authentication output ticket;

compare the authentication output data to predetermined data; and

determine an outcome of the first authentication test of the first component based at least in part on the comparison of the authentication output data with the predetermined data, the outcome including information of whether the first selected component is authentic.

11. The gaming device of claim 1 wherein the external entity corresponds to a remote computer system.

12. The gaming device of claim 1

wherein the identification of the algorithm includes hash algorithm information relating to a selected hash algorithm;

and

wherein the parameters include seed information relating to a selected randomization seed value;

wherein the authentication output data is generated using the selected hash algorithm and randomization seed value.

13. The gaming device of claim 1 wherein the first component corresponds to game code stored in memory of the gaming device, the gaming device being further operable to:

apply a selected hash algorithm to at least a portion of the game code to thereby generate a hash code value; and

wherein the authentication output data corresponds to the hash code value.

14. The gaming device of claim 1 wherein the first component corresponds to an unalterable memory device associated with the gaming device, the gaming device being further operable to:

apply a selected hash algorithm to at least a portion of data stored in the unalterable memory device to thereby generate a hash code value;

wherein the authentication output data corresponds to the hash code value;

compare the authentication output data to predetermined data; and

determine an outcome of the authentication test of the first component based at least in part on the comparison of the authentication output data with the predetermined data.

15. The gaming device of claim 1:

wherein the first component includes at least one component selected from a group consisting of;

a portion of executable code stored in the memory of the gaming device, and an operating system component associated with gaming device;

the gaming device being further operable to;

apply a selected hash algorithm to at least a portion of the first component to thereby generate a hash code value;

wherein the authentication output data corresponds to the hash code value;

compare the authentication output data to predetermined data; and

determine an outcome of the authentication test of the first component based at least in part on the comparison of the authentication output data with the predetermined data.

16. The gaming device of claim 1 wherein the gaming component authentication device corresponds to an authentication ticket, and wherein the gaming device includes a bill validator module, the gaming device being further operable to:

detect that the authentication ticket has been inserted into the bill validator module; and

read, using the bill validator module, the authentication information from the authentication ticket.

17. The gaming device of claim 1 wherein the gaming component authentication device corresponds to an authentication ticket, and wherein the gaming device includes a ticket printer module, the gaming device being further operable to:

print, using the ticket printer module, an authentication output ticket which includes the authentication output data.

18. The gaming device of claim 1 wherein the gaming component authentication device corresponds to an authentication ticket, and wherein the gaming device includes a barcode scanner, the gaming device being further operable to:

read, using the barcode scanner, the authentication information from the authentication ticket.

19. The gaming device of claim 1 wherein the gaming component authentication device includes a first wireless communication device, and wherein the gaming device includes a wireless communication interface, the gaming device being further operable to:

receive, via the wireless communication interface, the authentication information from the gaming component authentication device.

20. The gaming device of claim 1 being further operable to:

provide the authentication output information to a remote server; and

receive authentication verification information from the remote server in response to providing the authentication output information to the remote server.

21. The gaming device of claim 1 wherein the authentication information includes:

hash algorithm information relating to a selected hash algorithm; and

seed information relating to a selected randomization seed value;

wherein the authentication output data includes a hash code representing the first component, said hash code being generated using the selected hash algorithm and randomization seed value.

22. A gaming machine comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one interface;

at least one display;

memory; and

the at least one processor of the gaming machine being operable to;

detect a presence of a first instrument comprising authentication information,

receive an input for changing an operating mode of the gaming machine to an authentication mode of operation and change the operating mode of the gaming machine to the authentication mode of operation in response to the input,

read authentication information stored at the first instrument, the authentication information including an identification of an algorithm to perform a first authentication test and parameters to use as input for the algorithm,

determine whether the authentication information is valid;

perform, in response to the determination that the authentication information is valid, a first authentication test on a first selected component of a plurality of components located within a housing of the gaming machine using at least a portion of the authentication information in order to test whether the first selected component is authentic,

generate, in response to performing the first authentication test, authentication output data relating to the first selected component, and

provide the authentication output data to an external entity.

23. The gaming machine of claim 22 wherein the first instrument includes encrypted configuration indicia, and further includes encryption signature information, the gaming machine being further operable to:

read the encryption signature information stored at the first instrument;

read the encrypted configuration indicia stored at the first instrument; and

wherein the determination of whether the authentication information is valid includes validating authenticity of the encrypted configuration indicia using the encryption signature information.

24. The gaming machine of claim 22 wherein the housing defines an interior cavity, the first component being located within the interior cavity, the gaming machine being further operable to:

enable a user to perform the first authentication test of the first component of the gaming machine using the first instrument without allowing physical access to the interior cavity.

25. The gaming machine of claim 22 wherein the first component corresponds to a component selected from a group consisting of:

an unalterable memory component;

a firmware component associated with the gaming machine;

a software component stored within the memory of the gaming machine; and

a peripheral device associated with the gaming machine.

26. The gaming machine of claim 22:

wherein the first component includes at least one component selected from a group consisting of;

a portion of executable code stored in the memory of the gaming machine, and an operating system component associated with gaming device;

the gaming machine being further operable to;

apply a selected hash algorithm to at least a portion of the first gaming device component to thereby generate a hash code value;

wherein the authentication output data corresponds to the hash code value;

compare the authentication output data to predetermined data; and

determine an outcome of the authentication test of the first component based at least in part on the comparison of the authentication output data with the predetermined data.

27. The gaming machine of claim 22 wherein the first instrument corresponds to a physical ticket, and wherein the gaming machine includes a bill validator module, the gaming machine being further operable to:

detect that the physical ticket has been inserted into the bill validator module; and

read, using the bill validator module, the authentication information from the physical ticket.

28. The gaming machine of claim 22 wherein the authentication information includes:

wherein the identification of the algorithm includes hash algorithm information relating to a selected hash algorithm; and

wherein the parameters include seed information relating to a selected randomization seed value;

wherein the authentication output data includes a hash code representing the first component, said hash code being generated using the selected hash algorithm and randomization seed value.

29. A gaming machine comprising:

at least one processor;

memory;

a display;

the at least one processor configured to;

control a wager-based game played on the gaming machine,

detect a presence of a first instrument comprising authentication information, receiving an input for changing an operating mode of the gaming machine to an authentication mode of operation and changing the operating mode of the gaming machine to the authentication mode of operation in response to the input,

read authentication information stored at the first instrument, the authentication information including an identification of an algorithm to perform a first authentication test and parameters to use as input for the algorithm;

perform the first authentication test, according to an algorithm identified by the authentication information, on a first selected component of a plurality of components located within a housing of the gaming machine using at least a portion of the authentication information to test whether the first selected component is authentic,

generate, in response to performing the first authentication test, authentication output data relating to the first selected component,

provide the authentication output data to an external entity, and

receive, from the external entity, an outcome indicating whether the first selected component is authentic based on the authentication output data.