System and method for downloading electronic information to a video lottery

• US 8,769,254 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2013
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Igt Canada Solutions Ulc (GTECH SpA)
• Original Assignee: GTECH Canada ULC
• Inventors: Gordon, Timothy Alexander, Kelly, Bartholmew Matthew, Cormier, Joseph Emile
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, ELLEN C
• Application Number:
  US13/896,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20130326231A1
• Time in Patent Office: 410 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/189, 380/251, 380/278, 463/29, 463/42
• US Class Current: 713/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/24 Resetting means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/602 Providing cryptographic facilities or services
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00

Abstract

This invention relates to reprogramming of in-circuit programmable chips installed in video lottery terminals (VLTs) by downloading electronic information (software) to such chips. Encrypted electronic information is downloaded from a host device to a gaming terminal through a communications link. The terminal comprises a decryption component configured for decrypting the encrypted electronic information using at least two security keys, at least one said key being resident in the terminal and at least another said key being delivered to the terminal at the time of the downloading (the downloading facilitating a replacement of existing software in terminal with corresponding decrypted software obtained from decrypting the encrypted information). The encrypted information transmitted to the terminal comprises at least one next version key for later use by the decryption component in decrypting a next version of encrypted electronic information. The non-resident key may be provided to the terminal by means of an electronic plug-in security key or provided through a secure network.

Claims

1. A gaming terminal comprising:

a memory configured to store an encrypted master reset component;

a receiving component configured to receive a non-resident security key;

a decrypting component is configured to decrypt the encrypted master reset component into a decrypted master reset component; and

a processor configured to reset the gaming terminal to an initial state by executing the decrypted master reset component and effecting a master reset of the gaming terminal.

2. The gaming terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

an interface configured to receive the non-resident security key from a removable storage.

3. The gaming terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

a communications link in communication with the receiving component, the encrypted master reset component received over the communications link before being stored in memory.

4. The gaming terminal of claim 1, wherein the decrypting component is further configured to decrypt an encrypted electronic information with at least the non-resident security key and a resident security key.

5. The gaming terminal of claim 1, wherein the receiving component is further configured to receive a non-resident security key identifier, wherein the non-resident security key identifier identifies the gaming terminal to be reset.

6. The gaming terminal of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to extract the non-resident security key from a received bit stream using a known bit order assignment.

7. The gaming terminal of claim 1, wherein the initial state includes a game state and an accounting state.

8. A method for resetting a gaming terminal comprising:

receiving a non-resident security key at the gaming terminal;

decrypting an encrypted master reset component with the received non-resident security key into a decrypted master reset component, wherein the encrypted master reset component is stored in the gaming terminal; and

resetting the gaming terminal to an initial state by executing the decrypted master reset component to effect a master reset of the gaming terminal.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the non-resident security key is received from a removable storage removably attached to the gaming terminal.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving the encrypted master reset component over a communications link.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

decrypting an encrypted electronic information with at least the non-resident security key and a resident security key.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

verifying a non-resident security key identifier before decrypting the encrypted master reset component.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

extracting the non-resident security key from a received bit stream using a known bit order assignment.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the initial state includes a game state and an accounting state.