Electronic casino gaming system with improved play capacity, authentication and security

Abstract

The electronic casino gaming system consists of several system components, including a microprocessor (12), a main memory unit (13) that is typically a random access memory, and a system boot ROM (14). Also included in the electronic casino gaming system are a non-volatile RAM (17), a mass storage unit (18), a disk subsystem (19), and a PCI bus (20). The disk subsystem (19) preferably supports SCSI-2 with options of fast and wide. A video subsystem (22) is also included in the electronic casino gaming system and is coupled to the PCI bus (20) to provide full color still images and MPEG movies.

Description

[0001]This application is the national stage of International Application No. PCT / US96 / 10463, filed on Jun. 17, 1996, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08 / 497,662, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,086, filed on Jun. 29, 1995.[0002]Notice: More than one reissue application has been filed for the reissue of U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,396. The reissue applications are Reissue application Ser. No. 10 / 225,096 filed Aug. 21, 2002, Reissue application Ser. No. 10 / 224,680 filed Aug. 21, 2002, Reissue application Ser. No. 10 / 225,116 filed Aug. 21, 2002, Reissue application Ser. No. 10 / 225,097 filed Aug. 21, 2002 (the present application) and Reissue application Ser. No. 10 / 224,699 filed Aug. 21, 2002, all of which are divisional reissues of U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,396, which issued from U.S. Ser. No. 08 / 981,882 which is the U.S. national phase of International Application No. PCT / US96 / 10463 filed Jun. 17, 1996, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 08 / 497,662 filed Jun. 29,...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0023]Electronic casino game systems incorporating the invention provide a vastly expanded capacity for more sophisticated and attractive casino-style games, while at the same time improving the authentication of the games without compromising security. In addition, casino game systems incorporating the invention provide great flexibility in changing casino game play, since the casino game data sets representing the various games can be stored in alterable media rather than read only memory units as with present casino game systems.

[0024]By separating the authentication process from the casino game data set storage, the invention affords secure distribution and execution of program code and data, regardless of the particular distribution or storage technique employed. More specifically, the invention allows the casino game data set to reside in any form of secondary storage media, such as the traditional ROM storage, hard magnetic disk drives and CD-ROM drives, or networked file systems. So long as the authentication procedure conducted on the game data set is performed using the authentication program stored in an unalterable ROM, and so long as that ROM can be verified reliably, any casino game data set can be loaded from any source and can be verified by the system at any time: either prior to use, during run-time, periodically during run-time or upon demand. The large quantities of storage that can be made available in a secure fashion using the invention, facilitates the creation of casino gaming systems offering both an increased diversity of games, and individual games of superior quality. In addition, the authentication of all casino game program and fixed data software ensures the integrity of all system software both prior to game play and thereafter at periodic or random intervals.

Problems solved by technology

While such electronic casino gaming systems have been found to be useful in promoting casino game play, the restriction requiring that the casino game program be stored in unalterable ROM memory, leads to a number of disadvantageous limitations.

First, due to the limited capacity of the ROM storage media traditionally used to hold the program, the scope of game play available with such systems is severely limited.

However, physical verification of such a large quantity of physical devices is not practical, and has thus far been an impediment to creating sophisticated games with more player appeal.

Second, the authentication check is only conducted on a limited basis (usually after a jackpot) or other significant winning game outcome, and the authentication procedure requires that game play be halted until the ROM contents have been found to be authentic.

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