User interface system and method for creating and verifying signed content

• US 8,568,225 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2005
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Morrow, James W., DiMichele, Carmen, Kopycienski, Daniel D.
• Primary Examiner(s): GALKA, LAWRENCE STEFAN
• Application Number:
  US11/225,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20060100011A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,969 Days
• Field of Search: 463 29- 31, 463/42, 717/101
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00

Abstract

An embedded additional user interface 10 includes a web page display screen 20 and an embedded processor 30, and is incorporated into a gaming machine 40 that in turn includes a gaming screen 50 and a gaming processor 60. Because of security procedures applied for digital signing and certification of user selectable programming elements, the embedded additional user interface 10 employs an interface build application 79 such that the user can select and modify the look and feel of the web page display screen content. The interface build application enables content to be presented on a web page display screen that can track to an individual player. The interface build application also enables a casino user to update current casino promotions for its players in a timely manner, as well as present customized marketing messages, which can even be targeted to individual players. The casino user can customize the look and feel of web page display screen content to make the game player environment more exciting and more conducive to extended player gaming sessions.

Claims

1. A system for creation and verification of video display content for gaming machines that incorporates an embedded user interface, a gaming machine having a display screen for displaying system functions and content, said system comprising:

a computer having at least one processor and in communication with a network;

a content creation component running on the at least one processor in communication with the embedded user interface via the network, wherein the content creation component facilitates creating new content, and wherein the new content customizes and enhances the display screen and the content creation component creates new content that is displayed as an interface overlay;

a configuration creation component running on the at least one processor in communication with the embedded user interface via the network, wherein the configuration creation component facilitates modification of existing content into a new configuration, and wherein the new configuration customizes and enhances the display screen and the configuration component modifies existing content that is displayed as an interface overlay;

a digital signature creation component running on the at least one processor in communication with the embedded user interface via the network, wherein the digital signature creation component creates a new digital signature for verification of the new content and the new configuration to be displayed as an interface overlay on the display screen;

a data log file;

a binding security component for creating a cryptographic signature based at least in part upon a bindings group of at least one hardware component and at least one content component of a gaming machine, wherein said hardware and content components each have associated unique identification codes and at least one of said hardware component unique identification codes is randomly determined and at least one of said content component unique identification codes is randomly determined, said unique identification codes of said at least one hardware component and said at least one content component are concatenated to define said bindings group, said binding security component cryptographically operating upon said concatenated group to generate said signature and to store said signature at said data log file;

and a signature comparing component to compare said signature for each gaming machine log entry, altering of a hardware or content component of a gaming machine bindings group changing said signature indicating a change in of one or more components of said bindings group.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising said binding security component configured for generating said signature by implementing a Public Key Infrastructure.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising said binding security component configured for generating said signature by a Message Authorization Code, wherein the Message Authorization Code is a key-dependent one-way hash function that enables fast authentication of files at a lower security level than a full signature generation and verification.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an interface overlay build subsystem;

a subsystem for storing and managing built interface overlays;

a user verification subsystem;

a system verification subsystem; and

a downloading subsystem, wherein a buildable interface overlay is built, verified, logged, and downloaded to a computer readable storage medium.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a computer readable storage media, wherein data content is stored and published to the computer readable storage media.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the computer readable storage medium is a compact flash card.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein all content on the embedded user interface is authenticated using a gaming machine authentication procedure.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein content on the embedded user interface is authenticated using an electronic bKey, and wherein the bKey is an electronic identifier that is tied to a particular individual.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the configuration component modifies existing content for player oriented display modes or employee oriented display modes.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a display application, wherein the display application forms a video display, and wherein the video display includes buttons.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a video display that includes buttons, wherein the buttons operate by mouse point and click commands.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a video display that includes buttons, wherein the buttons operate by touching a touch-screen.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a button configuration component for activating buttons, wherein buttons are activated through user-selection and the active buttons are added to the display application; and

a button configuration component for arranging buttons, wherein an arranged order of buttons is user-selected and the button arrangement is added to the display application.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a video display with a video displayed logo, wherein the logo is user-selectable; and

a logo addition component, wherein the logo addition component enables a logo version to be displayed at the video display.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an export application, wherein the export application enables building a new instance of a display application that is transferable to a portable memory storage device; and

an integrated marketing component, wherein a selected design layout, selected graphics, and selected text are bundled together and are exported using the export application.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

user-selectable design layouts, user-selectable graphics, and user-selectable text.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

downloadable content, wherein the downloadable content is transferred to the embedded user storage device via a compact flash card.

18. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

downloadable content, wherein a user-created interface overlay is downloaded over a network.

19. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

downloadable content, wherein a user-created interface overlay is downloaded over the Internet.

20. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a management subsystem for buildable interface overlays, wherein buildable interface overlays are enabled by available interface overlay components; and

a storage subsystem for storing buildable interface overlays, wherein the storage subsystem is a computer readable storage medium.

21. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a web page information presentation, wherein the web page information presentation is displayed to a user via the embedded user interface display screen.

22. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a user reconfiguration component, wherein the user reconfiguration component enables reconfiguration of the graphical appearance of displayed views;

a user customization component, wherein the user customization component enables customization of a set of templates;

a user addition component, wherein the user addition component enables user-addition of logos, artwork, and text;

a user rearrangement component, wherein the user rearrangement component enables user-rearrangement of screens buttons;

a user color selection component, wherein the user color selection component enables color selection by a user; and

a user enablement component, wherein the user enablement component facilitates enablement of features by a user.

23. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an application results component, wherein the application results component ensures that application results are sent directly to a server;

an application content signing component, wherein the application content signing component ensures that application content is signed by the server;

an application content certification component, wherein the application content certification component ensures that application content is certified by the server; and

an application contents transfer component, wherein the application contents transfer component ensures that application contents are storably transferred to a computer readable storage medium.

24. A system for creation and verification of content and components for gaming machines of the type including a (i) game display, (ii) hardware and software components for operating the gaming machine, a plurality of hardware and software components each assigned unalterable identification numbers, the system comprising:

embedded additional user interfaces disposed at said gaming machines on one or more of said game display or on a separate user interface display configured to display interface content to a user of each gaming machine;

a computer having at least one processor and in communication with a network;

a content creation component running on the at least one processor in communication with the embedded additional user interfaces via the network, wherein the content creation component facilitates providing content, and wherein the content alters the display of interface content at said one or more of said game displays or separate user interface displays;

a digital signature creation component running on the at least one processor in communication with the embedded additional user interfaces via the network, wherein the digital signature creation component creates a digital signature for verification of the content to be displayed;

a binding security component for creating a cryptographic message based upon a bindings group that includes a group of at least one of said hardware component identification numbers and at least one of said software component identification numbers for each gaming machine combined into said group and said group cryptographically acted upon to generate said message, at least one of said hardware component identification numbers of said bindings group is determined randomly and at least one of said software component identification numbers of said bindings group is determined randomly; and

a message comparing component to compare said messages for each gaming machine, altering of a hardware or software component of a gaming machine bindings group creating a message indicating a change in of one or more components of said bindings group.

25. A method for creation and verification of content and components for gaming machines of the type including a (i) game display, (ii) hardware and software components for operating the gaming machine, a plurality of hardware and software components each assigned unalterable identification numbers, the method comprising:

providing additional user interfaces at said gaming machines, on one or more of said game display or on a separate user interface display configured to display user interface content to a user of each gaming machine;

providing a content creation component executed by a processor in communication with the embedded additional user interfaces via a network, the content creation component facilitates providing content, and wherein the content alters the display of user interface content at said one or more of said game displays or separate user interface display of one or more gaming machines;

providing a digital signature creation component executed by a processor in communication with the embedded additional user interfaces via the network, the digital signature creation component creating a digital signature for verification of the content to be displayed;

furnishing a binding security algorithm for creating a cryptographic message based upon a bindings group that includes a group of at least one of said hardware component identification numbers and at least one software component identification numbers for each gaming machine cryptographically combined to generate said message, at least one of said hardware component identification numbers of said bindings group is randomly determined and at least one of said software component identification numbers of said bindings group is randomly determined; and

providing for a message comparing component to compare said messages for each gaming machine, altering of hardware or software components of a gaming machine bindings group creating an message indicative of a change in of one or more components of said bindings group.