Conditional biometric access in a gaming environment

• US 8,510,567 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2006
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CFPH LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Original Assignee: CFPH LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Inventors: Alderucci, Dean P., Asher, Joseph M., Papageorgiou, Antonio
• Primary Examiner(s): Orgad, Edan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kabir, Jahangir
• Application Number:
  US11/559,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20080113785A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,464 Days
• Field of Search: 713/186, 713/182, 713/185, 463/29, 463/36, 463/1
• US Class Current: 713/186
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/212 using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/73 Authorising game programs or game devices, e.g. checking authenticity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3206 Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00

Abstract

The present application provides methods and corresponding systems for accessing services in a gaming or other environment based on conditional biometric identity verification. In one aspect, this includes the step or steps of determining a location of a gaming device having a display and at least one biometric sensor associated therewith; prompting a user of the gaming device for at least one item of physical biometric data with the biometric sensor based at least on the location of the gaming device; receiving the at least one item of physical biometric data; and enabling at least one service on the gaming device based on a match between the at least one item of physical biometric data received and at least one authenticated item of physical biometric data associated with the user.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining that a mobile gaming device is located in a first area of a plurality of service areas;

in which each area of the plurality of service areas has a respective associated surveillance level of a plurality of surveillance levels such that a first area of the plurality of service areas has an associated first surveillance level, a second area of the plurality of service areas has an associated second surveillance level, and a third area of the plurality of service areas has an associated third surveillance level;

in which the first surveillance level exceeds the second surveillance level, the first surveillance level exceeds the third surveillance level, and the second surveillance level exceeds the third surveillance level; and

in which, for each area of the plurality of service areas, the respective associated surveillance level defines a respective amount of identity verification data, if any, required to enable a service on the mobile gaming device in the area;

determining the first surveillance level associated with the first area;

enabling the service on the mobile gaming device in the first area without prompting a user of the mobile gaming device for physical biometric data based on at least the first surveillance level, in which the service comprises a wager-type game;

determining that the mobile gaming device is located in the second area of the plurality of service areas;

determining the second surveillance level associated with the second area;

prompting the user of the mobile gaming device for a first item of physical biometric data based on at least the second surveillance level;

receiving the first item of physical biometric data;

enabling the service on the mobile gaming device in the second area based on a match between the first item of physical biometric data and another item of physical biometric data, and in which the another item of physical biometric data is associated with the user and was obtained previously to receiving the first item of physical biometric data;

determining that the mobile gaming device is located in the third area of the plurality of service areas;

determining the third surveillance level associated with the third area;

prompting the user of the mobile gaming device for a second item of physical biometric data and a third item of physical biometric data based on at least the third surveillance level;

receiving the second item of physical biometric data;

receiving the third item of physical biometric data; and

enabling the service on the mobile gaming device in the third area based on at least one of;

a match between the second item of physical biometric data and the another item of physical biometric data,

in which the another item of physical biometric data was obtained and authenticated previously to receiving the second item of physical biometric data,

and

a match between the third item of physical biometric data and still another item of physical biometric data,

in which the still another item of physical biometric data is associated with the user and was obtained and authenticated previously to receiving the third item of physical biometric data.

2. The method of claim 1,

in which the second surveillance level comprises an initial surveillance level associated with the second area;

and

in which prompting the user of the mobile gaming device for the first item of physical biometric data comprises;

increasing the initial surveillance level of the second area to a desired surveillance level by prompting the user for the first item of physical biometric data.

3. The method of claim 1,

in which the third surveillance level comprises an initial surveillance level associated with the third area;

and

in which prompting the user of the mobile gaming device for the second item of physical biometric data and the third item of physical biometric data comprises;

increasing the initial surveillance level of the third area to a desired surveillance level by prompting the user for the second item of physical biometric data and the third item of physical biometric data.

4. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to;

determine that a mobile gaming device is located in a first area of a plurality of service areas;

in which each area of the plurality of service areas has a respective associated surveillance level of a plurality of surveillance levels such that a first area of the plurality of service areas has an associated first surveillance level, a second area of the plurality of service areas has an associated second surveillance level, and a third area of the plurality of service areas has an associated third surveillance level;

in which the first surveillance level exceeds the second surveillance level, the first surveillance level exceeds the third surveillance level, and the second surveillance level exceeds the third surveillance level; and

in which, for each area of the plurality of service areas, the respective associated surveillance level defines a respective amount of identity verification data, if any, required to enable a service on the mobile gaming device in the area;

determine the first surveillance level associated with the first area;

enable the service on the mobile gaming device in the first area without prompting a user of the mobile gaming device for physical biometric data based on at least the first surveillance level, in which the service comprises a wager-type game;

determine that the mobile gaming device is located in the second area of the plurality of service areas;

determine the second surveillance level associated with the second area;

prompt the user of the mobile gaming device for a first item of physical biometric data based on at least the second surveillance level;

receive the first item of physical biometric data;

enable the service on the mobile gaming device in the second area based on a match between the first item of physical biometric data and another item of physical biometric data, and in which the another item of physical biometric data is associated with the user and was obtained previously to receiving the first item of physical biometric data;

determine that the mobile gaming device is located in the third area of the plurality of service areas;

determine the third surveillance level associated with the third area;

prompt the user of the mobile gaming device for a second item of physical biometric data and a third item of physical biometric data based on at least the third surveillance level;

receive the second item of physical biometric data;

receive the third item of physical biometric data; and

enable the service on the mobile gaming device in the third area based on at least one of;

a match between the second item of physical biometric data and the another item of physical biometric data,

in which the another item of physical biometric data was obtained and authenticated previously to receiving the second item of physical biometric data,

and

a match between the third item of physical biometric data and still another item of physical biometric data,

in which the still another item of physical biometric data is associated with the user and was obtained and authenticated previously to receiving the third item of physical biometric data.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, in which the computer readable storage medium comprises a memory.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, in which the computer readable storage medium comprises flash memory.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, in which the computer readable storage medium comprises at least one of an optical medium and a magnetic medium.

8. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to;

determine that a mobile gaming device is located in a first area of a plurality of service areas;

in which each area of the plurality of service areas has a respective associated surveillance level of a plurality of surveillance levels such that a first area of the plurality of service areas has an associated first surveillance level, a second area of the plurality of service areas has an associated second surveillance level, and a third area of the plurality of service areas has an associated third surveillance level;

in which the first surveillance level exceeds the second surveillance level, the first surveillance level exceeds the third surveillance level, and the second surveillance level exceeds the third surveillance level; and

in which, for each area of the plurality of service areas, the respective associated surveillance level defines a respective amount of identity verification data, if any, required to enable a service on the mobile gaming device in the area;

determine the first surveillance level associated with the first area;

enable the service on the mobile gaming device in the first area without prompting a user of the mobile gaming device for physical biometric data based on at least the first surveillance level, in which the service comprises a wager-type game;

determine that the mobile gaming device is located in the second area of the plurality of service areas;

determine the second surveillance level associated with the second area;

prompt the user of the mobile gaming device for a first item of physical biometric data based on at least the second surveillance level;

receive the first item of physical biometric data;

enable the service on the mobile gaming device in the second area based on a match between the first item of physical biometric data and another item of physical biometric data, and in which the another item of physical biometric data is associated with the user and was obtained previously to receiving the first item of physical biometric data;

determine that the mobile gaming device is located in the third area of the plurality of service areas;

determine the third surveillance level associated with the third area;

prompt the user of the mobile gaming device for a second item of physical biometric data and a third item of physical biometric data based on at least the third surveillance level;

receive the second item of physical biometric data;

receive the third item of physical biometric data; and

enable the service on the mobile gaming device in the third area based on at least one of;

a match between the second item of physical biometric data and the another item of physical biometric data,

in which the another item of physical biometric data was obtained and authenticated previously to receiving the second item of physical biometric data,

and

a match between the third item of physical biometric data and still another item of physical biometric data,

in which the still another item of physical biometric data is associated with the user and was obtained and authenticated previously to receiving the third item of physical biometric data.