Biometric Verification for Preventing Parallel Gaming Machine Use
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for preventing parallel use of gaming and entertainment devices fail to ensure secure and efficient detection and prevention of simultaneous usage while maintaining user anonymity, leading to high operational effort and potential unauthorized use.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that utilize a clearly identifiable biometric identification feature for user data entry, comparing it with stored data across devices to ensure unique identification, allowing only single device access and maintaining anonymity by storing and deleting data as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If device-specific identification devices are used for unlocking entertainment devices, then each device can be securely unlocked by authorized users, but the simultaneous parallel use of multiple devices cannot be prevented and service staff workload increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a universal biometric identification system that can be used across multiple entertainment devices simultaneously. Instead of device-specific identification tokens, the system uses a common biometric template (fingerprint, facial recognition, or iris scan) that works universally across all devices in the network, eliminating the need for service staff to manage device-specific tokens while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a central control unit or server as an intermediary that manages biometric data and authorization across multiple devices. This intermediary receives biometric data from users, verifies it against stored templates, and grants authorization to specific devices, thereby preventing parallel use without requiring service staff intervention.
2Ease of operation
If biometric data is stored for user identification, then user verification is simplified, but user anonymity and data protection are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the biometric data into a non-reversible mathematical hash or template that cannot be used to reconstruct the original biometric information. This parameter transformation ensures that even if the stored data is compromised, user anonymity is preserved while still enabling accurate verification by comparing the transformed parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements different data handling approaches for different purposes: biometric templates are stored centrally for verification, but personally identifiable information is kept separate and minimized. The system processes and stores only the essential verification data locally at devices while maintaining user anonymity through selective data retention.
3Measurement precision
If complex registration and data storage processes are implemented, then user identification accuracy improves, but system complexity and data protection requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs biometric verification in real-time without requiring prior complex registration. The system captures biometric data during the verification process itself, compares it against stored templates, and makes authorization decisions immediately, eliminating separate registration steps while maintaining high identification accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses mathematical templates or hash copies of biometric data instead of storing actual biometric images or detailed personal information. These simplified representations retain sufficient information for accurate verification while significantly reducing system complexity and data protection requirements.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus (100; 200; 300; 400) for checking parallel use of gaming and/or entertainment machines (110; 210, 230, 250; 310, 330, 350; 410, 430, 450), particularly in the form of slot machines and/or gambling machines operable on a cash value basis. These gaming or entertainment machines (110; 210, 230, 250; 310, 330, 350; 410, 430, 450) are usually disabled and can be enabled for active use by means of the input of biometric user data. In this case, an explicitly identifiable identification feature is first of all stipulated for the biometric user data that are to be input. Biometric user data are then captured (a) for an entertainment machine (110; 210; 310; 410) by a capture unit (101; 201; 301; 401) of the apparatus (100; 200; 300; 400). These captured user data are then checked by a checking unit (102; 202; 302; 402) for the presence of the explicitly identifiable identification feature and are compared (b) by the enabling unit (103; 203; 303; 403) of the apparatus (100; 200; 300; 400) with biometric user data that are captured when further entertainment machines (230, 250; 330, 350; 430, 450) are enabled and that are stored at the time of an enabling check on the entertainment machine (110; 210; 310; 410). In the absence of a match between the captured biometric user data and the already stored user data and in the presence of the explicitly identifiable identification feature for the captured biometric user data, the entertainment machine (110; 210; 310; 410) is enabled (c) by the enabling unit (103; 203; 303; 403). The captured biometric user data are stored (d) in a local or central memory unit (104; 204; 304; 404).