Avatar as security measure for mobile device use with electronic gaming machine

• US 9,039,523 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2012
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Price, Derrick, Nelson, Dwayne R., Kleppen, Dennis Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Hylinski, Steven J
• Application Number:
  US13/531,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20130344942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: 463/29, 463 39- 41
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/71 using secure communication between game devices and game servers, e.g. by encrypting game data or authenticating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/30 Authentication, i.e. establishing the identity or authorisation of security principals
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3218 wherein at least part of the system is portable
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

A gaming system compatible with patron-controlled portable electronic devices, such as smart phones or tablet computers, is described. The gaming system is configured to establish a secure communication session between an electronic gaming machine and a portable electronic device. The system can confirm that a communication session is secure by displaying pre-selected content unique to the portable electronic device. The content can be continuously displayed on the EGM during the active communication session to indicate that the session is secure.

Claims

1. A method of operating a gaming machine, the method comprising:

detecting, at an electronic gaming machine, a request for initiating a secure communication session between a portable electronic device of a player in a wager-based gaming environment and the electronic gaming machine;

receiving, at the electronic gaming machine and from the portable electronic device of the player, content selected by the player for confirming security of the secure communication session;

initiating, by the electronic gaming machine, the secure communication session between the portable electronic device of the player and the electronic gaming machine;

after initiating the secure communication session and receiving the player-selected content from the portable electronic device of the player, confirming, by the electronic gaming machine, that the secure communication session is between the portable electronic device of the player and the electronic gaming machine and not between any portable electronic devices of any other players and the electronic gaming machine by displaying the player-selected content on a display of the electronic gaming machine; and

accepting, via an acceptor of the electronic gaming machine, a first physical item associated with a first monetary value and identifying, via a validator of the electronic gaming machine, the received first physical item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wager based gaming environment is a casino.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising requesting, via the electronic gaming machine, confirmation from the portable electronic device that the secure communication session is desired.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising receiving, at the electronic gaming machine and from the portable electronic device of the player, confirmation that the secure communication session is established and, thereafter, initiating, by the electronic gaming machine, the secure communication session between the portable electronic device of the player and the electronic gaming machine.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising receiving, at the electronic gaming machine and from the portable electronic device of the player, a cancellation request and, thereafter, terminating, via the electronic gaming device, the secure communication session between the portable electronic device of the player and the electronic gaming machine.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the steps in the method is performed by an application executing on the electronic gaming machine or on the portable electronic device of the player.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the player-selected content includes player-selected text.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the player-selected content includes a player-selected photo.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising continuously displaying the player-selected content on the display of the electronic gaming machine until the secure communication session is terminated.

10. A method of operating a gaming machine, the method comprising:

detecting, at an electronic gaming machine, a request for initiating a secure communication session between a portable electronic device of a player and the electronic gaming machine in a gaming environment;

receiving, at the electronic gaming machine and from the portable electronic device, content selected by the player for confirming security of the secure communication session;

determining, at the electronic gaming machine, whether the player-selected content is appropriate in the gaming environment;

if the player-selected content is appropriate, initiating, by the electronic gaming machine, the secure communication session between the portable electronic device of the player and the electronic gaming machine and confirming, by the electronic gaming machine, that the secure communication session is between the portable electronic device of the player and the electronic gaming machine and not between any portable electronic devices of any other players and the electronic gaming machine by displaying the player-selected content on a display of the electronic gaming machine; and

accepting, via an acceptor of the electronic gaming machine, a first physical item associated with a first monetary value and identifying, via a validator of the electronic gaming machine, the received first physical item.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising, if the player-selected content is not appropriate in the gaming environment, transmitting, via the electronic gaming machine and to the portable electronic device of the player, a request for different player-selected content.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising, if the player-selected content is not appropriate, displaying a message on the electronic gaming machine indicating that the player-selected content is not appropriate.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving, at the electronic gaming machine, different content from the portable electronic device of the player and determining, at the electronic gaming machine, whether the different content is appropriate in the gaming environment.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein one or more of the steps in the method is performed by an application executing on the electronic gaming machine or on the portable electronic device of the player.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the player-selected content is displayed as a banner.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the player-selected content is displayed in a window separate from and in addition to a game window.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising continuously displaying the player-selected content on the display of the electronic gaming machine until the secure communication session is terminated.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising, after initiating the secure communication session, receiving, at the electronic gaming machine, information representing an input made to the portable device and providing, by the electronic gaming machine an indication representing the input made to the portable electronic device.

19. A method of operating in a gaming machine, the method comprising:

receiving, at an electronic gaming machine, a request from a portable electronic device of a player to establish a wireless communication link between the portable electronic device and the electronic gaming machine;

transmitting, by the electronic gaming machine, a request to the portable electronic device of the player for content selected by the player for confirming security of the wireless communication link;

receiving the player-selected content at the electronic gaming machine from the portable electronic device of the player;

establishing a secure wireless communication session between the electronic gaming machine and the portable electronic device of the player and confirming, by the electronic gaming machine, that the secure wireless communication session is between the portable electronic device of the player and the electronic gaming machine and not between any portable electronic devices of any other players and the electronic gaming machine by displaying the player-selected content on a display of the electronic gaming machine; and

accepting, via an acceptor of the electronic gaming machine, a first physical item associated with a first monetary value and identifying, via a validator of the electronic gaming machine, the received first physical item.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein establishing the secure wireless communication session is performed by a secondary controller on the electronic gaming machine that is separate from a game controller on the electronic gaming machine.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the secondary controller is located in one of a player tracking unit, the validator, a card reader, and a printer coupled to the electronic gaming machine.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising continuously displaying the player-selected content on the display of the electronic gaming machine until the secure wireless communication session is terminated.