Conditional biometric access in a gaming environment

• US 9,280,648 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 03/08/2016
• 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): Holder, Bradley
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kabir, Jahangir
• Application Number:
  US13/616,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20130165221A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,271 Days
• Field of Search: 713/186, 713/182, 713/185, 463/1, 463/25, 463/29, 463/36, 463/40, 463/43
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 for providing a user access to at least one gaming service via a device, wherein the user is permitted to access the at least one gaming service when the user is located in a first area by submitting two items of identity verification data, the two items of identity verification data comprising an ID and password, wherein the user is permitted to access the at least one gaming service via the device when the user is located in a second area by submitting at least three items of identity verification data, the at least three items of identity verification data comprising an ID, a password, and an item of biometric data, and wherein the first area and the second area are within at least one jurisdiction from which the user is permitted to access the at least one gaming service, there further comprising at least one other jurisdiction from which the user is not permitted to access the at least one gaming service, the method comprising:

receiving from the user a password;

determining that the received password matches a password maintained for the user;

determining that the device in use by the user is located in the first area;

providing the user access to the at least one gaming service in the first area based on determining that the received password matches a password maintained for the user, wherein the user is provided access to the at least one gaming service in the first area without the user submitting an item of biometric data;

determining that the device is located in the second area;

as a result of determining that the device is located in the second area, prompting the user for an item of biometric data;

receiving from the user an item of biometric data;

determining that the received item of biometric data matches an item of biometric data maintained for the user; and

providing the user access to the at least one gaming service in the second area based on determining that the received password matches a password maintained for the user and based on determining that the received item of biometric data matches an item of biometric data maintained for the user,

wherein determining that the device is located in the first area and determining that the device is located in the second area each comprises at least one of;

(i) a use of geo-fencing, (ii) a use of triangulation, (iii) a use of Global Positioning System (GPS), (iv) a use of Long Range Navigation (LORAN), (v) a use of Radio frequency identification (RFID), and (vi) a use of a location of at least one network component in communication with the device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the received item of biometric data comprises at least one of a fingerprint scan, an iris scan, a retina scan, a vascular pattern scan, and a facial image of the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second area is a hotel room.

4. The method of claim 3, where the first area is a casino.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one gaming service comprises games where money is wagered.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one gaming service comprises games where points are wagered.

7. An apparatus for providing a user access to at least one gaming service via a device, wherein the user is permitted to access the at least one gaming service when the user is located in a first area by submitting at least a first item of biometric data, wherein the user is permitted to access the at least one gaming service via the device when the user is located in a second area by submitting at least the first item of biometric data and a second item of biometric data, and wherein the first area and the second area are within at least one jurisdiction from which the user is permitted to access the at least one gaming service, there further comprising at least one other jurisdiction from which the user is not permitted to access the at least one gaming service, the apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

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

receive from the user a first item of biometric data;

determine that the received first item of biometric data matches a first item of biometric data maintained for the user;

determine that the device in use by the user is located in the first area;

provide the user access to the at least one gaming service in the first area based on determining that the received first item of biometric data matches a first item of biometric data maintained for the user, wherein the user is provided access to the at least one gaming service in the first area without the user submitting a second item of biometric data;

determine that the device is located in the second area;

as a result of determining that the device is located in the second area, prompt the user for a second item of biometric data;

receive from the user a second item of biometric data;

determine that the received second item of biometric data matches a second item of biometric data maintained for the user; and

provide the user access to the at least one gaming service in the second area based on determining that the received first item of biometric data matches a first item of biometric data maintained for the user and based on determining that the received second item of biometric data matches a second item of biometric data maintained for the user,

wherein to determine that the device is located in the first area and to determine that the device is located in the second area each comprises at least one of;

(i) a use of geo-fencing, (ii) a use of triangulation, (iii) a use of Global Positioning System (GPS), (iv) a use of Long Range Navigation (LORAN), (v) a use of Radio frequency identification (RFID), and (vi) a use of a location of at least one network component in communication with the device.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the received first and the second items of biometric data each comprises at least one of a fingerprint scan, an iris scan, a retina scan, a vascular pattern scan, and a facial image of the user.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one gaming service comprises non-wagering games.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the second area is a hotel room.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first area is a casino.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one gaming service comprises games where money is wagered.

13. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one gaming service comprises games where points are wagered.

14. An apparatus providing a user access to at least one gaming service via a device, wherein the user is permitted to access the at least one gaming service when the user is located in a first area by submitting two items of identity verification data, the two items of identity verification data comprising an ID and password, wherein the user is permitted to access the at least one gaming service via the device when the user is located in a second area by submitting at least three items of identity verification data, the at least three items of identity verification data comprising an ID, a password, and an item of biometric data, and wherein the first area and the second area are within at least one jurisdiction from which the user is permitted to access the at least one gaming service, there further comprising at least one other jurisdiction from which the user is not permitted to access the at least one gaming service, the apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

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

receive from the user a password;

determine that the received password matches a password maintained for the user;

determine that the device in use by the user is located in the first area;

provide the user access to the at least one gaming service in the first area based on determining that the received password matches a password maintained for the user, wherein the user is provided access to the at least one gaming service in the first area without the user submitting an item of biometric data;

determine that the device is located in the second area;

as a result of determining that the device is located in the second area, prompt the user for an item of biometric data;

receive from the user an item of biometric data;

determine that the received item of biometric data matches an item of biometric data maintained for the user; and

provide the user access to the at least one gaming service in the second area based on determining that the received password matches a password maintained for the user and based on determining that the received item of biometric data matches an item of biometric data maintained for the user,

wherein to determine that the device is located in the first area and to determine that the device is located in the second area each comprises at least one of;

(i) a use of geo-fencing, (ii) a use of triangulation, (iii) a use of Global Positioning System (GPS), (iv) a use of Long Range Navigation (LORAN), (v) a use of Radio frequency identification (RFID), and (vi) a use of a location of at least one network component in communication with the device.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the received item of biometric data comprises at least one of a fingerprint scan, an iris scan, a retina scan, a vascular pattern scan, and a facial image of the user.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the second area is a hotel room.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, where the first area is a casino.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least one gaming service comprises games where money is wagered.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein wherein the at least one gaming service comprises games where points are wagered.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least one gaming service comprises non-wagering games.