Encryption in a secure computerized gaming system

• US 7,783,040 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2006
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Jackson, Mark D., Martinek, Michael G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen; Shin-Hon
• Application Number:
  US11/524,649
• Publication Number:
  US 20070015590A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,434 Days
• Field of Search: 380/251, 380/25, 380/28, 380/30, 713/161, 713/168, 713/181, 463/29
• US Class Current: 380/251
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/123 by using dedicated hardware, e.g. dongles, smart cards, cryptographic processors, global positioning systems [GPS] devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2109 Game systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• 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: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3242 involving keyed hash functions, e.g. message authentication codes [MACs], CBC-MAC or HMAC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures

Abstract

The present invention provides an architecture and method for a gaming-specific platform that features secure storage and verification of game code and other data, provides the ability to securely exchange data with a computerized wagering gaming system, and does so in a manner that is straightforward and easy to manage. Some embodiments of the invention provide the ability to identify game program code as certified or approved, such as by the Nevada Gaming Regulations Commission or other regulatory agency. The invention provides these and other functions by use of encryption, including digital signatures and hash functions as well as other encryption methods.

Claims

1. A game apparatus comprising:

a game controller comprising;

a processor for executing a game program wherein the game controller is operable to control a wagering game;

a first memory for providing an executable space for the processor;

a second memory for storing game information wherein game controller is operable to copy the game information from the second memory to first the memory and wherein the game controller is operable to compute an abbreviated bit string that is unique to the game information stored in the first memory and to compare the abbreviated bit string to a reference abbreviated bit string using a continuously executing program thread executing on the game controller during play of the wagering game to ensure that the game information copied to the first memory has not changed since it was copied to the first memory, and

wherein the game controller is further operable to track used and unused portions of the first memory and to zero out the unused portions of the first memory.

2. The game apparatus of claim 1, wherein the game apparatus is brought to a tilt state if the abbreviated bit string is not the same as the reference abbreviated bit string.

3. The game apparatus of claim 1, wherein first memory is volatile memory.

4. The game apparatus of claim 1, wherein second memory is non-volatile memory.

5. The game apparatus of claim 4, wherein second memory is one of a flash memory or a disk memory.

6. The game apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reference abbreviated bit string is stored in the second memory.

7. The game apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reference abbreviated bit string is stored in a non-volatile memory separate from the second memory or the first memory.

8. The game apparatus of claim 1, the first memory is a random access memory.

9. The game apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a network interface for communicating with one or more remote devices.

10. The game apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second memory is a remote memory and the game controller is operable to copy the game information from the remote memory via the network interface.

11. The game apparatus of claim 9, wherein the game controller is operable to copy the game information to a remote memory via the network interface.

12. The game apparatus of claim 1, wherein the game information includes game state data.

13. The game apparatus of claim 1, wherein the abbreviated bit string is computed using a hash function.

14. The game apparatus of claim 1, wherein the game information comprises one or more of game code, game data, game sound, game graphics, game configuration files, game operating system code or combinations thereof.

15. A game system comprising:

a second memory for storing game information including executable game code;

a game controller comprising;

a processor for executing a game program wherein the game controller is operable to control a wagering game;

a first memory for providing an executable space for the processor;

an interface for communicating with the memory wherein the game controller is operable to copy the game information including the executable game code from the memory to the first memory and wherein the game controller is operable to compute an abbreviated bit string that is unique to the game information stored in the first memory and to compare the abbreviated bit string to a reference abbreviated bit string using a continuously executing program thread executing on the game controller during play of the wagering game to ensure that the game information copied to the first memory has not changed since it was copied to the first memory; and

wherein the game controller is further operable to track used and unused portions of the first memory and to zero out the unused portions of the first memory.