Secured virtual network in a gaming environment

• US 20020071557A1
• Filed: 12/07/2000
• Published: 06/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Binh T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,127,069 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/251
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/401 Secure communication, e.g. using encryption or authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/532 using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2109 Game systems
• 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 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed
• 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 17/3281 wherein game attributes are transferred between players, e.g. points, weapons, avatars
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0435 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply symmetric encryption, i.e. same key used for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for symmetric key encryption H04L9/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/045 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply hybrid encryption, i.e. combination of symmetric and asymmetric encryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements using a plurality of keys or algorithms H04L9/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

A disclosed gaming machine may securely communicate with devices over a public network such as the Internet. The gaming machine utilizes a combination of symmetric and asymmetric encryption that allows a single gaming machine to securely communicate with a remote server using a public network. A wireless or wired communication gateway on the gaming machine may be used to access the public network. Using the encryption scheme, methods are described for providing game licenses, data acquisition and other gaming transactions, such as gaming machine software version management, gaming machine diagnostics and gaming machine configuration management, between a gaming machine and a remote server.

Claims

1. A method of sharing transaction data between a gaming machine and one or more remote servers, the method comprising:

performing one or more gaming transactions on the gaming machine;

symmetrically encrypting gaming transaction data generated from said one or more gaming transactions using a symmetric encryption key;

asymmetrically encrypting the symmetric encryption key using a public encryption key; and

sending a message including the encrypted gaming transaction data and the encrypted symmetric encryption key to said one or more remote servers.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising,

prior to sending the encrypted gaming transaction data,

contacting a local ISP and sending the message via the local ISP.

3. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising,

looking up an IP address of said one or more remote servers.

4. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising,

encapsulating said encrypted transaction data and said encrypted symmetric encryption key in multiple information packets.

5. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising,

generating a message signature allowing the message to be unambiguously identified as being from the gaming machine and appending said message signature to the message.

6. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that an acknowledgement message from said one or more remote servers acknowledging the message from the gaming machine is not received; and

resending the message to said one or more remote servers.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote server is a selected from the group consisting of a license server and a report server.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming transaction data is accounting data, game usage data, game configuration data, software version data, a casino identification, a machine status data, a time stamp, service priority data, licensing information, billing data, diagnostic data and maintenance data.

9. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the symmetric key is selected from a pool of symmetric keys.

10. The gaming machine of claim 9, wherein a first gaming transaction data is encrypted using a first symmetric encryption key and a second gaming transaction data is encrypted using a second symmetric encryption key and wherein said first encryption key and said second encryption key are selected from the pool of symmetric keys.

11. A method of obtaining a game license on a gaming machine providing game play of one or more games, the method comprising:

encrypting game license request data;

generating a game license request message including the encrypted game license request data;

sending the game license request message to a remote server;

receiving a game license reply message from the remote server; and

when the game license reply message includes a game license, updating the license data on the gaming machine.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising,

prior to sending the game license request message,

contacting a local ISP and sending the game license request message via the local ISP.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising,

looking up an IP address of said remote server and sending the game license request message to the IP address of said remote server.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising,

encapsulating said encrypted game license data in multiple information packets.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising,

generating a message signature allowing the game license reply message to be unambiguously identified as being from the gaming machine and appending said message signature to the game license request message.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the game license data is symmetrically encrypted using a symmetric encryption key and the symmetric encryption key is encrypted using a public key.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the game license data includes a license expiration data, a game ID number, game usage data, software version data, operator identification data, time data, data date and machine identification information.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

authenticating the game license reply message.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein said one or more games are selected from the group consisting of a video slot game, a mechanical slot game, a lottery game, a video poker game, a video black jack game, a video lottery game, and a video pachinko game.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the game license is selected from the group consisting of a site license, an annual license, a monthly license, a daily license or a per-use license.

21. A method of obtaining a gaming report on a gaming machine providing game play of one or more games, the method comprising:

encrypting gaming report request data;

generating a gaming report request message including the encrypted game gaming report request data;

sending the gaming report request message to a remote server;

receiving a gaming report reply message from the remote server; and

when the gaming report reply message includes a gaming report, displaying said gaming report on the gaming machine.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising,

prior to sending the gaming report request message,

establishing communications with a local ISP and sending the gaming report request message via the local ISP.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising,

receiving the gaming report reply message via the local ISP.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising,

looking up the IP address of said remote server and sending the gaming report request message to the IP address of said remote server.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising,

determining a gaming machine owner;

generating a billing request message; and

sending the billing request message to the gaming machine owner.

27. The gaming machine of claim 25, further comprising,

encrypting the game license reply data wherein the game license reply data is symmetrically encrypted using a symmetric encryption key and the symmetric encryption key is encrypted using a public key.

28. The gaming machine of claim 25, further comprising,

storing the license request data and storing the license reply data.

29. The gaming machine of claim 25, further comprising,

authenticating the game license request message.

30. The gaming machine of claim 25, wherein the game license request message includes an IP address for the gaming machine.

31. The gaming machine of claim 25, wherein a symmetric key included in the game license request data is decrypted using a private key and game license request data is decrypted using the symmetric key.

25. In a remote server, a method of providing a game licenses to one or more gaming machines in communication with the remote server, the method comprising,

receiving a game license request message from a gaming machine;

decrypting game license request data included in the game license request message;

identifying the gaming machine;

when a game license is allowed on the gaming machine, generating a game license reply message wherein the game license reply message include game license reply data; and

sending the game license reply message to the gaming machine.

32. A gaming machine comprising:

a master gaming controller that controls a game played on the gaming machine and that communicates with one or more remote servers;

a network interface connected to the master gaming controller allowing communications between the master gaming controller and the one or more remote servers;

a memory storing a public encryption key and machine identification information for encrypting and authenticating communications between the master gaming controller and said one or more remote servers; and

processor logic that

(i) symmetrically encrypts at least one of gaming transaction data and gaming transaction requests using a symmetric encryption key,

(ii) asymmetrically encrypts said symmetric encryption key with said public encryption key.

33. The gaming machine of claim 32, wherein the network interface is selected from the group consisting of a wireless interface and a wireline interface.

34. The gaming machine of claim 33, further comprising:

an antenna for transmitting and receiving communications over the wireless interface.

35. The gaming machine of claim 33, further comprising:

a modem for transmitting and receiving communications over the wireline interface or wireless interface.

36. The gaming machine of claim 32, further comprising:

a firewall for filtering communications received at the network interface.

37. The gaming machine of claim 32, wherein the game played on the gaming machine is at least one of a video slot game, a mechanical slot game, a lottery game, a video poker game, a video black jack game, a video lottery game, and a video pachinko game.

38. The gaming machine of claim 32, wherein at least one of a TCP/IP communication protocol, ATM communication protocol and a frame relay communication protocol is used for the communications between the master gaming controller and said one or more remote servers.

39. The gaming machine of claim 32, wherein the memory is selected from the group consisting of an EPROM, a flash memory a ROM, a RAM, a CD, a DVD, a tape drive, a hard drive and a non-volatile memory.

40. The gaming machine of claim 32, wherein the gaming transaction data is accounting data, game usage data, game configuration data, software version data, a casino identification, a machine status data, a time stamp, service priority data, game licensing information, billing data, diagnostic data, digital signature data, identification data, fund transfer data, configuration data and maintenance data.

41. The gaming machine of claim 32, wherein the gaming transaction request is a game license request, a report request, a maintenance request, a software version request, a billing request a digital signature request, an identification request, a fund transfer request, a configuration request and a diagnostic request.

42. The gaming machine of claim 41, further comprising,

a display for displaying a report received in reply to the report request.

43. The gaming machine of claim 32, wherein the remote server is a selected from the group consisting of a game license server, a report server a public key server, a game server, a software update server, a diagnostic server, a billing server, a gaming machine and a maintenance server.

44. The gaming machine of claim 32, wherein the memory stores IP addresses of said one or more remote servers.

45. The gaming machine of claim 32, wherein the memory stores a private key for decrypting encrypted data.

46. The gaming machine of claim 32, further comprising processor logic that

(i) asymmetrically decrypts said symmetric encryption key with a private encryption key,

(ii) symmetrically decrypts at least one of gaming transaction data and gaming transaction replies using said symmetric encryption key.

47. The gaming machine of claim 46, wherein the gaming transaction reply is a game license reply, a report reply, a maintenance reply, a software version reply, a billing reply, a digital signature authenication reply, an identification reply, a fund transfer reply, a configuration reply and a diagnostic reply.

48. The gaming machine of claim 46, wherein the memory stores said private encryption key.

49. The gaming machine of claim 32, wherein the symmetric key is selected from a pool of symmetric keys.

50. The gaming machine of claim 49, wherein a first gaming transaction data is encrypted using a first symmetric encryption key and a second gaming transaction data is encrypted using a second symmetric encryption key and wherein said first encryption key and said second encryption key are selected from the pool of symmetric keys.