CONDITIONAL BIOMETRIC ACCESS IN A GAMING ENVIRONMENT

• US 20080113785A1
• Filed: 11/14/2006
• Published: 05/15/2008
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 8,510,567 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/29
• 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 comprising:

determining a location of a gaming device having a display and at least one biometric sensor associated therewith;

prompting, based at least on the location of the gaming device, a user of the gaming device for at least one item of physical biometric data with the biometric sensor;

receiving the at least one item of physical biometric data;

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, the at least one service comprising a wager-type game; and

displaying an interface screen comprising graphic objects associated with the wager-type game and at least one selectable element for the user to submit a gaming command and a wagering command during game play.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one item of physical 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.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one service comprises at least one wager-type game selected from the group consisting of slots, poker, craps, roulette, blackjack, and baccarat.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising determining the location of the gaming device from a plurality of service areas and prompting the user of the gaming device for at least a first item of physical biometric data when the gaming device is located in a first area of the plurality of service areas.

6. The method of claim 5, comprising determining that the gaming device is located in a second area of the plurality of service areas, the user not prompted for physical biometric data when in the second area, the at least one service enabled in the second area without the at least one item of physical biometric data.

7. The method of claim 5, comprising determining that the gaming device is located in a second area of the plurality of service areas and prompting the user for at least a second item of physical biometric data when in the second area.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising prompting the user for the first and the second item of physical biometric data when in the second area.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising determining a surveillance level associated with the location of the gaming device and prompting the user for at least a first item of physical biometric data based on the surveillance level of the location.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising determining the location of the gaming device from a plurality of service areas, each of the plurality of service areas having a surveillance level associated therewith, the user not prompted for physical biometric data when in a second area of the plurality of service areas based on a surveillance level associated with the second area, the at least one service enabled in the second area without the at least one item of physical biometric data.

11. The method of claim 9, comprising determining the location of the gaming device from a plurality of service areas, each of the plurality of service areas having a surveillance level associated therewith, and prompting the user for a second item of physical biometric data when in a second area of the plurality of service areas based on a surveillance level associated with the second area.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising prompting the user for the first and second item of physical biometric data when in the second area based on the surveillance level associated with the second area.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the surveillance level is based on a subjective confidence associated with a surveillance measure implemented in the location.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the surveillance level is based on reliability associated with a surveillance measure implemented at the location.

15. The method of claim 1, comprising determining a desired surveillance level and supplementing a surveillance level at the location to achieve at least the desired surveillance level.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising prompting the user for at least a second item of physical biometric data to achieve at least the desired surveillance level.

17. The method of claim 1, comprising obtaining at least one item of user change data and prompting the user for at least one item of identity verification data when a user change is suspected based on the at least one item of user change data.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one item of user change data comprises behavioral biometric data.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one item of user change data comprises proficiency data.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one item of user change data comprises playing pattern data.

27. An apparatus comprising:

a processor, and

a computer-readable medium that stores instructions,

in which the processor is operable to receive the instructions from the computer-readable medium,

in which the processor is operable to execute the instructions to perform the method of claim 1.

2. A method comprising:

determining a location of a gaming device;

prompting a user of the gaming device for at least one item of physical biometric data 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 item of physical biometric data associated with the user obtained previously.

28. An apparatus comprising:

a processor, and

a computer-readable medium that stores instructions,

in which the processor is operable to receive the instructions from the computer-readable medium,

in which the processor is operable to execute the instructions to perform the method of claim 2.

21. A method comprising:

determining that a gaming device is located in a first area of a plurality of service areas;

prompting a user of the gaming device for at least one item of physical biometric data based on the gaming device being located in the first area, the user not prompted for physical biometric data when the gaming device is located in a second area of the plurality of service areas;

receiving 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 item of physical biometric data associated with the user obtained previously.

22. A method comprising:

determining a location of a gaming device from a plurality of service areas;

prompting a user of the gaming device for at least a first item of physical biometric data based on the gaming device being located in a first area of the plurality of service areas;

prompting the user of the gaming device for at least a second item of physical biometric data based on the gaming device being located in a second area of the plurality of service areas;

receiving the first or the second item of physical biometric data; and

enabling at least one service on the gaming device based on a match between the physical biometric data received and at least one authenticated item of physical biometric data associated with the user.

23. The method of claim 22, comprising prompting the user for the first and the second item of physical biometric data when in the second area.

24. The method of claim 22, comprising prompting the user for the second and a third item of physical biometric data when in the second area.

25. A method comprising:

determining a location of a gaming device from a plurality of service areas;

determining a surveillance level associated with the location of the gaming device;

prompting a user of the gaming device for at least a first item of physical biometric data when it is determined that the gaming device is located in a first of the plurality of service areas, the user not prompted for physical biometric data when in a second area of the plurality of service areas, the second area having a surveillance level associated therewith higher than a surveillance level associated with the first area;

receiving 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.

26. A method comprising:

determining a location of a gaming device from a plurality of service areas, each of the plurality of service areas having a surveillance level associated therewith;

prompting a user of the gaming device for at least a first item of physical biometric data when located in a first area of the plurality of service areas;

prompting the user of the gaming device for at least a second item of physical biometric data when located in a second area of the plurality of service areas, wherein the first area has a surveillance level higher than a surveillance level of the second area, and wherein the second item of physical biometric data has a higher surveillance level than a surveillance level of the first service area;

receiving 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.