Method and system for secure cashless gaming

• US 6,577,733 B1
• Filed: 12/03/1999
• Issued: 06/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Smart Card Integrators, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Smart Card Integrators, Inc.
• Inventors: Charrin, Philippe A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barron, Gilberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): CALLAHAN, PAUL E
• Application Number:
  US09/456,021
• Time in Patent Office: 1,285 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 380/251, 380/44, 713/169, 235/380
• US Class Current: 380/251
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3234 about the performance of a gaming system, e.g. revenue, diagnosis of the gaming system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• 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 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens

Abstract

A secure cashless gaming system comprises a plurality of gaming devices which may or may not be connected to a central host network. Each gaming device includes an intelligent data device reader which is uniquely associated with a security module interposed between the intelligent data device reader and the gaming device processor. A portable data device bearing credits is used to allow players to play the various gaming devices. When a portable data device is presented to the gaming device, it is authenticated before a gaming session is allowed to begin. The intelligent data device reader in each gaming device monitors gaming transactions and stores the results for later readout in a secure format by a portable data extraction unit, or else for transfer to a central host network. Gaming transaction data may be aggregated by the portable data extraction unit from a number of different gaming devices, and may be transferred to a central accounting and processing system for tracking the number of remaining gaming credits for each portable data unit and/or player. Individual player habits can be monitored and tracked using the aggregated data. The intelligent data device reader may be programmed to automatically transfer gaming credits from a portable data device the gaming device, and continually refresh the credits each time they drop below a certain minimum level, thus alleviating the need for the player to manually enter an amount of gaming credits to transfer to the gaming device.

Claims

1. An intelligent data reader for use in a gaming device, said gaming device having a processor for controlling basic functions or components of the gaming device including a mechanism for accepting cash to be used during gaming sessions, a mechanism for dispensing cash, an interface to a host computer if any, and a mechanism for receiving and responding to handle pulls or initiating games in response to player activity, the intelligent data reader comprising:

a data device interface adapted to receive and read portable data devices, each of said portable data devices associated with a player;

a gaming device interface for connection to the gaming device;

a memory; and

a processor connected to said memory, said data device interface and said gaming device interface, said processor configured to communicate with the gaming device over said gaming device interface, to determine whether the gaming device should be switched between a cash mode of operation and a cashless mode of operation, and to send a command over the gaming device interface instructing the gaming device to switch between the cash mode of operation and the cashless mode of operation.

2. The intelligent data reader of claim 1, wherein each portable data device stores a credit amount allowing the player associated with the portable data device to utilize the gaming device.

3. The intelligent data reader of claim 2, wherein predetermined, equal portions of said credit amount are automatically and incrementally conveyed to the gaming device over said gaming device interface under control of said processor, a first portion of said credit amount being conveyed to the gaming device upon presentation of said portable data device to said data device interface, and subsequent portions of said credit amount being conveyed to the gaming device thereafter as a credit balance of the gaming machine drops below a threshold level.

4. The intelligent data reader of claim 2, wherein said external security module allows communications to pass through unimpeded between said intelligent data reader and said gaming device after a successful cross-authentication check between said internal security access module with said external security module but blocks communications between said intelligent data reader and said gaming device if the cross-authentication check is unsuccessful.

5. The intelligent data reader of claim 4, wherein said external security module is configured to perform periodic authentication of said intelligent data reader after said cross-authentication check between said internal security access module with said external security module, and to prevent communication between said intelligent data reader and said gaming device if said periodic authentication fails.

6. The intelligent data reader of claim 4, wherein said second cross-authentication check is carried out when said internal security access module generates a first random number, enciphers said first random number using a common key to generate a first enciphered random number, sends said first enciphered random number to said external security module over said gaming device interface, receives a second enciphered random number from said external security module over said gaming device interface, deciphers said second enciphered random number using said common key to generate a second random number, generates a session key from said first random number and said second random number, receives a third enciphered number from said external security module over said data device reader interface, deciphers said third enciphered number using said session key to generate an authentication test value, and verifies that said authentication test value matches said second random number.

7. The intelligent data reader of claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to store session gaming data for multiple players in said memory, each session being associated in said memory with a specific individual player.

8. The intelligent data reader of claim 1, wherein said processor switches the gaming device from the cash mode of operation to the cashless mode of operation by sending said command across the gaming device interface in response to reading a portable data device at said data device interface.

9. The intelligent data reader of claim 8, wherein said processor sends a software command to check the mode of operation of the gaming device, and inhibits switching of the gaming device from the cash mode of operation to the cashless mode of operation if credit is still remaining on said gaming device, and inhibits return to the cash mode of operation until a gaming session is terminated.

10. The intelligent data reader of claim 8, wherein switching of the gaming device from the cash mode of operation to the cashless mode of operation is inhibited if said portable data device does not pass an authentication check.

11. The intelligent data reader of claim 10, further comprising an internal security access module, wherein said authentication check includes a first cross-authentication check between said portable data device and said internal security access module of the intelligent data reader to verify the authenticity of the portable data device and the intelligent data reader, and a second cross-authentication check between said internal security access module of the intelligent data reader and an external security module interposed between said gaming device interface and the gaming device to verify the authenticity of the data reader and the external security module.

12. The intelligent data reader of claim 8, wherein the gaming device is connected to a central host computer, and wherein said gaming device acts as an intermediary for communication between the intelligent data reader and the central host computer.

13. The intelligent data reader of claim 8, further comprising cashless meters for storing session gaming data individually for multiple players, including credit information relating to said portable data devices.

14. The intelligent data reader of claim 13, wherein credit information is transmitted from said cashless gaming meters over the data device interface to the portable data device upon termination of a gaming session.

15. The intelligent data reader of claim 1, wherein the commands sent from said processor to said gaming device to switch said gaming device to the cashless mode of operation or the cash mode of operation are software commands based upon a standard gaming device communication protocol.

16. The intelligent data reader of claim 15, wherein said standard gaming device communication protocol is either SDS or SAS.

38. The intelligent data reader of claim 1, wherein the gaming device does not have a cashless meter.

17. A data reader, comprising:

a data device interface adapted to receive and read portable data devices, each of said portable data devices storing credit information;

an external device interface for connection to an external device having a cash input mechanism, said external device comprising an external device processor controlling one or more basic functions of the external device and configured to support a cash mode of operation and a cashless mode of operation of the external device; and

a processor connected to said data device interface and said external device interface, said processor configured to communicate with the external device over said external device interface, to determine whether the gaming device should be switched between a cash mode of operation and a cashless mode of operation, and to send a command over said external device interface instructing the external device to switch between the cash mode of operation and the cashless mode of operation.

18. The data reader of claim 17, wherein said external device comprises an electronic gaming machine, and wherein said external device interface comprises a gaming machine interface.

19. The data reader of claim 18, wherein each portable data device stores a credit amount allowing a player associated with the portable data device to utilize the gaming device.

20. The data reader of claim 19, wherein a portion of said credit amount is automatically conveyed to the gaming device over the gaming device interface upon presentation of said portable data device to said data device interface.

21. The data reader of claim 19, further comprising a memory, wherein said processor is configured to store session gaming data individually for each player in said memory.

22. The data reader of claim 18, wherein credit information is transmitted from said cashless gaming meters over the data device interface to the portable data device upon termination of a gaming session.

23. The data reader of claim 18, wherein the commands sent from said processor to the gaming device to switch the gaming device to the cashless mode of operation or the cash mode of operation are software commands based upon a standard gaming device communication protocol.

24. The data reader of claim 23, wherein said standard gaming device communication protocol is either SDS or SAS.

25. The data reader of claim 17, wherein said processor switches the external device from the cash mode of operation to the cashless mode of operation by sending a command across the external device interface in response to reading a portable data device at said data device interface.

26. The data reader of claim 25, wherein said processor checks the mode of operation of the external device using a software communication protocol to communicate with the external device, inhibits switching of the external device from the cash mode of operation to the cashless mode of operation if credit is still remaining on said external device, and inhibits switching of the external device from the cashless mode of operation to the cash mode of operation until the cashless gaming session is concluded.

27. The data reader of claim 25, wherein switching of the external device from the cash mode of operation to the cashless mode of operation is inhibited if said portable data device does not pass an authentication check.

28. The data reader of claim 27, further comprising an internal security access module, wherein said authentication check includes a first cross-authentication check between said portable data device and said internal security access module to verify the authenticity of the portable data device and the data reader, and a second cross authentication check between said internal security access module of the data reader and an external security module interposed between said external device interface and the external device to verify the authenticity of the data reader and the external security module.

29. The data reader of claim 28, wherein said external security module allows communications to pass through unimpeded between said data device reader and said external device after the cross-authentication check between said internal security access module with said external security module.

30. The data reader of claim 29, wherein said external security module is configured to perform periodic authentication of said data device reader after said cross-authentication check between said internal security access module with said external security module, and to prevent communication between said data device reader and said external device if said periodic authentication fails.

31. The data reader of claim 28, wherein said second cross-authentication check is carried out when said internal security access module generates a first random number, enciphers said first random number using a common key to generate a first enciphered random number, sends said first enciphered random number to said external security module over said external device interface, receives a second enciphered random number from said external security module over said external device interface, deciphers said second enciphered random number using said common key to generate a second random number, generates a session key from said first random number and said second random number, receives a third enciphered number from said external security module over said data device reader interface, deciphers said third enciphered number using said session key to generate an authentication test value, and verifies that said authentication test value matches said second random number.

39. The data reader of claim 21, wherein the external device does not have a cashless meter.

41. The data reader of claim 17, further comprising a memory, said memory comprising cashless meter for storing credit information relating to said portable data devices.

32. A method of controlling operation of a gaming device, said gaming device comprising a cash input mechanism and having a gaming device processor controlling one or more basic functions of the gaming device including a mechanism for accepting cash to be used during gaming sessions, a mechanism for dispensing cash, an interface to a host computer if any, and a mechanism for receiving and responding to handle pulls or initiating games in response to player activity, said gaming device processor configured to support a cash mode of operation and a cashless mode of operation of the gaming device, the method comprising the steps of:

reading portable data devices at a portable data device interface of an intelligent data reader, said portable data device storing credit information;

determining in the intelligent data reader whether the gaming device should be switched between the cash mode of operation and the cashless mode of operation; and

transmitting, according to a software protocol, commands from said intelligent data reader to the gaming device over a gaming device interface instructing the gaming device to switch between the cash mode of operation and the cashless mode of operation.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the step of transmitting commands from said intelligent data reader to the gaming device over the gaming device interface comprises the steps of transmitting a command to switch the gaming device to the cashless mode of operation for the duration of a gaming session each time a portable data device is initially read at said portable data device interface.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein said portable data device are smart cards.

35. The method of claim 32, further comprising the step of cross-authenticating each portable data device with an internal security access module located within the data reader upon initially reading the portable data device to verify the authenticity of the portable data device and the data reader.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising the step of cross-authenticating the internal security access module with an external security module interposed between said gaming device interface and the gaming device, upon initially reading the portable data device, to verify the authenticity of the data reader and the external security module.

37. The method of claim 32, further comprising the step of automatically transferring, without manual intervention, a fixed amount of credit from a portable data device to the gaming device whenever an amount of credit remaining at the gaming device drops below a predetermined threshold amount.

40. The method of claim 32, wherein the gaming device does not have a cashless meter.

42. The method of claim 32, further comprising the step of storing credit information relating to said portable data devices in a memory of said data reader, said memory comprising cashless meters.

43. The method of claim 32, wherein the commands sent from said processor to the gaming device to switch the gaming device between the cash mode of operation and the cashless mode of operation are based upon a standard gaming device communication protocol.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein said standard gaming device communication protocol is either SDS or SAS.