ON-THE-FLY ENCRYPTION ON A GAMING MACHINE

• US 20090220078A1
• Filed: 08/15/2006
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Campbell, Steven M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,705,739 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/251
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/12 Protecting executable software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/121 Restricting unauthorised execution of programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2109 Game systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00

Abstract

Systems, apparatus and methods for on-the-fly encryption of data storage on a computerized wagering gaming machine are described herein. In some embodiments, a method includes accessing, using an on-the-fly encryption operation, data from a nonvolatile data storage in a computerized wagering gaming machine.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

accessing, using an on-the-fly encryption operation, data from a nonvolatile data storage in a computerized wagering gaming machine.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing, using the on-the-fly encryption operation, data comprises retrieving and decrypting a gaming component from the nonvolatile data storage.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising executing a gaming application on the computerized wagering gaming machine, wherein executing the gaming application is based at least in part on the gaming component.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the gaming component includes a video component.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing, using the on-the-fly encryption operation, data comprises encrypting and storing the data in the nonvolatile data storage.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing, using the on-the-fly encryption operation, data, comprises retrieving an individually encrypted file from the nonvolatile data storage and decrypting the individually encrypted file.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein accessing, using the on-the-fly encryption operation, data, comprises verifying the data, wherein the computerized wagering gaming machine is moved to an inoperative state upon determination that the data is not verified.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is stored into a number of files oil the nonvolatile data storage, and wherein the method further comprises initializing the computerized wagering gaming machine prior to accessing, using on-the-fly encryption operation, the data, wherein the initializing comprises authenticating N percent of each of the number of files.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein N is different for at least two different files of the number of files and wherein N is dependent on a size of the number of files.

9. The method of claim 9, wherein N is less than 100.

11. A method comprising:

conducting a wagering game on a computerized wagering gaming machine, wherein the conducting includes,

accessing a file from a secondary storage of the computerized wagering gaming machine, wherein the accessing comprises decrypting the file; and

presenting wagering gaming information for the computerized wagering gaming machine based at least in part on data in the file.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein presenting wagering gaming information comprises displaying a video symbol for a reel of the computerized wagering gaming machine.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein presenting wagering gaming information comprises outputting audio from an audio speaker of the computerized wagering gaming machine.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein presenting wagering gaming information comprises computing a monetary amount for a win on the computerized wagering gaming machine.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the secondary storage is encrypted as a container file, wherein the conducting further includes opening the container file prior to accessing the file from the secondary storage.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a secondary storage to store a number of encrypted files in an encrypted container file; and

a processor to execute instructions that includes a wagering game, wherein the instructions include a retrieval and decryption of at least one encrypted file of the number of encrypted files from the secondary storage.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the instructions include an open operation for the encrypted container file to access the at least one encrypted file.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one encrypted file includes video content, wherein the instructions are to display the video content as part of the wagering game.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processor is to execute instructions to initialize the apparatus prior to the execution of the instructions that includes the wagering game, wherein the instructions to initialize comprises an authentication of N percent of each of the number of encrypted files.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein N is different for at least two different files of the number of encrypted files and wherein N is dependent on a size of the number of encrypted files.