CONTACTLESS PLAYER CARD WITH IMPROVED SECURITY

• US 20100304819A1
• Filed: 05/27/2009
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Griswold, Chauncey W., Wilder, Richard L., Mattice, Harold E., Stockdale, James W., Gadda, Christian E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,162,737 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/352 Contactless payments by cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/084 Additional components relating to data transfer and storing, e.g. error detection, self-diagnosis

Abstract

A gaming system that is compatible with photonic-powered card devices is described. The gaming system may comprise a number of host devices each coupled to one or more gaming machines. The gaming machines may be operable to provide wagering on an outcome of a game of chance, display the outcome of the game of chance, accept cash or an indicia of credit and dispense an award, such as cash or indicia of credit, to a player utilizing the gaming machine. The gaming machines may be configured to accommodate a photonic-powered card including communicating with these cards via an optical communication interface. One or more transactions on the gaming machine, such as a transfer of cash or indicia of credit on or off the gaming machine or an initiation of a player tracking session, may be enabled using photonic-powered card devices and associated hardware/software.

Claims

1. A gaming machine comprising:

a cabinet;

a master gaming controller, enclosed within said cabinet, designed or configured a) to control a wager-based game played on the gaming machine;

b) to control a photonic power source configured to provide power to a photonic-powered card;

c) to communicate with the photonic-powered card via an optical communication interface using an optical communication protocol;

d) to communicate with one or more remote servers via a network interface;

a display device, coupled to the cabinet, configured to display the wager-based game;

an acceptor mechanism, coupled to an outer surface of the cabinet, configured to receive the photonic-powered card in a position that allows the photonic card to

     1) receive photons emitted from the photonic power source and

     2) communicate with the master gaming controller via the optical communication interface;

the photonic power source located within an interior portion of the cabinet aligned with the acceptor mechanism;

the optical communication interface coupled to the master gaming controller and aligned with the acceptor mechanism;

the network interface coupled to the master gaming controller;

an input mechanism, coupled to the cabinet, for receiving cash or an indicia of credit for making wagers on the wager-based game; and

an output mechanism, coupled to the cabinet, for outputting cash or an indicia of credit.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein dimensions of the photonic powered-card conform to ISO 7810.

3. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein dimensions of the photonic powered-card conform to ISO 7813.

4. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein photonic power source is configured to emit light that activates a photovoltaic cell coupled to the photonic-powered card.

5. The gaming machine of claim 4, wherein the photonic power source is configured to emit light at one or more infrared wavelengths.

6. The gaming machine of claim 4, wherein the photonic power source is configured to emit light at one or more visible wavelengths.

7. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the optical communication interface is an IrDA (Infrared Data Association) compatible interface.

8. The gaming machine of claim 7, further comprising:

an IrDA to USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface which comprises a USB connector and the IrDA compatible interface.

9. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the optical communication protocol is an IrDA compatible communication protocol.

10. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the master gaming controller is further designed or configured to communicate with the photonic-powered card via an IrFM (Infrared Financial Messaging) compatible communication protocol.

11. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the photonic power source is configured to emit light through an aperture in an outer surface of the interior of the cabinet.

12. The gaming machine of claim 11, further comprising a sensor located proximate to said aperture wherein the sensor is used to determine whether the aperture is covered by an object.

13. The gaming machine of claim 11, wherein the master gaming controller is configured to only activate the photonic power source to emit light when it is determined that the aperture is covered by an object.

14. The gaming machine of claim 11, wherein the master gaming is configured to only enable the optical communication interface for communications when it is determined that the aperture is covered by an object.

15. The gaming machine of claim 11, wherein after the photonic power source is activated to emit light, the master gaming controller is further designed or configured to deactivate the photonic power source when it is determined that the aperture is only partially covered or not covered by an object.

16. The gaming machine of claim 11, wherein the optical communication interface is located in the interior of the gaming machine and configured to emit communication signals via said aperture.

17. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising a status indicator mechanism configured to indicate successful communications between the master gaming controller and the photonic-powered card via the optical communication interface.

18. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the photonic power source comprises one or more LEDs.

19. A gaming system comprising;

a gaming machine comprising;

a cabinet;

a master gaming controller, enclosed within said cabinet, designed or configured a) to control a wager-based game played on the gaming machine;

b) to control a photonic power source configured to provide power to a photonic-powered card;

c) to communicate with the photonic-powered card via a first optical communication interface using an optical communication protocol;

d) to communicate with one or more remote servers via a network interface;

a display device, coupled to the cabinet, configured to display the wager-based game;

an acceptor mechanism, coupled to an outer surface of the cabinet, configured to receive the photonic-powered card in a position that allows the photonic card to

     1) receive photons emitted from the photonic power source and

     2) communicate with the master gaming controller via the optical communication interface;

the photonic power source located within an interior portion of the cabinet aligned with the acceptor mechanism;

the first optical communication interface coupled to the master gaming controller and aligned with the acceptor mechanism;

the network interface coupled to the master gaming controller;

an input mechanism, coupled to the cabinet, for receiving cash or an indicia of credit for making wagers on the wager-based game; and

an output mechanism, coupled to the cabinet, for outputting cash or an indicia of credit; and

the photonic-powered card comprising;

a photovoltaic cell;

a second optical communication interface compatible with the first communication interface;

a memory for storing at least gaming information; and

a logic device, coupled to the photovoltaic cell, the second optical communication interface and the memory designed or configured to

     1) perform bi-directional communications using the optical communication protocol via the second optical communication interface;

     2) detect a power level generated by the photovoltaic cell and

     3) to determine the power level of the photovoltaic cell is above a threshold value and to only transmit the gaming information via the second optical communication interface when the power level of the photovoltaic cell is above the threshold value.

20. The gaming system of claim 19, wherein the photovoltaic cell is configured to generate electrical power in response to receiving photons in primarily one of an infrared wavelengths, visible wavelengths or combinations thereof.

21. The gaming system of claim 19 wherein the logic device is further designed or configured, to only enable changes to the gaming information stored in the memory when the power level of the photovoltaic cell is above a threshold value.

22. The gaming system of claim 19, wherein the photo voltaic cell is configured to provide power to the logic device.

23. The gaming system of claim 19, wherein the logic device is further designed or configured, to generate a one-time pin.

24. The gaming system of claim 23, further comprising a display configured to display the one-time pin.

25. The gaming system of claim 19, wherein the photonic-powered card includes a front side and a back side and wherein the photovoltaic cell and a receiving/transmitting portion of the second optical communication interface are both located on either the front side or the back side.

26. The gaming system of claim 19, wherein the photonic-powered card further comprises a display.

27. The gaming system of claim 26, wherein the logic device is further designed or configured to display a portion of the gaming information on the display.

28. The gaming system of claim 26, wherein the display includes a bi-stable lcd.

29. The gaming system of claim 26, wherein the display is a touch screen display.

30. The gaming system of claim 26, wherein the master gaming controller is further designed or configured to generate a configuration interface for the display on a video display device coupled to the cabinet wherein the configuration interface is designed or configured to allow a selection of one or more components of the gaming information to be made and formatted for output on the display of the photonic-powered card.

31. The gaming system of claim 19, further comprising an omni-directional wireless communication interface wherein the photonic-powered card is further configured to only receive messages via the omni-directional wireless communication interface.

32. The gaming system of claim 31, wherein the photonic-powered card further comprises a display and is configured to output a message received via the omni-directional wireless communication interface to the display.

33. The gaming system of claim 19, where the photonic-powered card further comprises one or more input mechanisms.