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`US 6,962,530 132
`(10) Patent N0.:
`(12) Umted States Patent
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`(45) Date of Patent:
`Nov. 8, 2005
`Jackson
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`U3006962530B2
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`(54) AUTHENTICATION IN A SECURE
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`COMPUTERIZED GAMING SYSTEM
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`(75)
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`(73) ASSlgnee'
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`( * ) Notice:
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`Inventor: Mark D. Jackson, Fort Collins, CO
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`(US)
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`IGT’ Reno’ NV (Us)
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`Subjectto any disclaimer, the term of this
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`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
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`U.S.C. 154(b) by 441 days.
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`(65)
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`(21) APPI-N0~1 10/134 663
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`(22) Filed:
`Apr. 25, 2002
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`Prior Publication Data
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`US 2003/0203756 A1 Oct. 30, 2003
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`(51)
`Int. Cl.7 .................................................. G06F 5/00
`(52) US. Cl.
`.............................. 463/29; 463/20; 463/16
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`(58) Field of Search .............................. 463/29, 20, 16,
`463/40, 41, 42, 44, 380/9, 23, 30, 28, 49,
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`50, 59
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`(56)
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`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
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`
`2/1978 Lucero et al.
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`6/1985 Curran 0t al.
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`4/1986 K029 6t al~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 278/138
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`2/1988 Bummer
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`3112:15511:1:1’
`13133:
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`7/1994 Pease et a1
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`2/1996 Goudard et a].
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`4/1996 Reibel a a1.
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`2/1997 Dolan et all.
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`5/1997 Kaliski, Jr.
`................. 380/286
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`7/1997 Alcorn et 211.
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`“1998 0.195011
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`(69/133: Egalc‘lki?’ Jr‘
`0 me
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`10/1998 Adams
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`12/1998 Adams
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`1/1999 Boylan et a1.
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`4,072,930 A
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`4,525,599 A
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`4,582,324 A
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`42727544 A
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`2222’322 2
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`5,326,104 A
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`5,489,095 A
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`5,507,489 A
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`5,604,801 A
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`5,633,929 A *
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`5,643,086 A
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`5707,2536 A
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`2:33:12 2
`2 ,
`, , ,
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`5,823,874 A
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`5,848,932 A
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`5,863,041 A
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`2/1999 Yfantis
`5,871,400 A
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`3/1999 Mengual
`5.879234 A
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`9/1999 Green
`5,954,583 A
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`10(1999 Pascal et al'
`59717851 A
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`5,987,138 A * 11/1999 Gilbert et al.
`6,071,190 A
`6/2000 Weiss et al.
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`6,106,396 A
`8/2000 Alcorn et al.
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`6,115,601 A *
`9/2000 Ferreira ...................... 455/406
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`6,149,522 A * 112000 Al
`l.
`................. 463 29
`t
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`6,203,427 B1
`42001 W313; :t :1.
`/
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`6,264,557 B1
`7/2001 Schncicr ct a1.
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`6,298,441 B1 * 10/2001 Handelman et al.
`........ 713/185
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`6,301,660 B1 * 10/2001 Benson .............
`713/165
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`2002/0186145 A1 * 12/2002 Chainer et al.
`340/870.16
`2003/0195033 A1 * 10/2003 Gazdic et al.
`................ 463/20
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`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
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`
`37 00 86] A1
`7/1988
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`40 14 477 A1
`7/1991
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`2072395 A
`9/1981
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`2202984 A
`9/1981
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`2201821 A
`9/1988
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`................ 380/30
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`DF.
`DE
`GB
`GB
`GB
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`_
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`Clted by examlner
`Primary Examiner—Jason Skaarup
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`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Marshall, Gerstein & Borun
`LLP
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`An architecture and method for a gaming-specific platform]
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`are disclosed that features secure storage and verification of
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`game code and other data, provides the ability to securelv
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`exchange data With a computerized wagering gaming
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`system, and do so in a manner that is straightforward and
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`easy to manage. Some embodiments provide the ability to
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`identify game program code as certified or approved, such as
`by the Nevada Gaming Regulations Commission or other
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`regulatory agency. The disclosed embodiments provides
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`these and other functions by encrypting a random number,
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`storing the encrypted random number, and hashing the
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`random number and a casino game data set to provide a first
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`bit string, and storing the first bit string.
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`*
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`(57)
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`ABSTRACT
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`19 Claims, 6 Drawing Sheets
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`100
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`Page 1 of 20
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`GOOGLE EXHIBIT 1026
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`Page 1 of 20
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`GOOGLE EXHIBIT 1026
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`Page 2 of 20
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`US. Patent
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`Nov. 8, 2005
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`Sheet 2 0f 6
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`US 6,962,530 B2
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`Page 3 of 20
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`Page 3 of 20
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`US. Patent
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`Sheet 3 0f 6
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`US 6,962,530 B2
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`Figure 3. Simple Graph
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`Page 4 of 20
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`Page 4 of 20
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`US. Patent
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`Nov. 8, 2005
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`Sheet 4 0f 6
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`US 6,962,530 B2
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`Figure 4. Random Hash Value
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`Page 5 of 20
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`Page 5 of 20
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`US. Patent
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`Sheet 5 0f 6
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`US 6,962,530 B2
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`FIGURE 5
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`Page 6 of 20
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`Page 6 of 20
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`US. Patent
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`Nov. 8, 2005
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`Sheet 6 0f 6
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`US 6,962,530 B2
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`1
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`AUTHENTICATION IN A SECURE
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`COMPUTERIZED GAMING SYSTEM
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`US 6,962,530 B2
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`2
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`apparatus to play new games such as draw poker and Keno
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`broke the ground for the realization that there were many
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`untapped formats for gaming apparatus. Now casinos may
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`an equal number of significant differences in play. The
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`apparatus may vary from traditional three reel slot machines
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`with a single payout line, Video simulations of three reel
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`video slot machines, to five reel, five column simulated slot
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`machines with a choice of twenty or more distinct pay lines,
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`including randomly placed lines, scatter pays, or single
`image payouts. In addition to the variation in formats for the
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`play of games, bonus plays, bonus awards, and progressive
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`jackpots have been introduced with great success. The
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`bonuses may be associated with the play of games that are
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`quite distinct from the play of the original game, such as the
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`video display of a horse race with bets on the individual
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`horses randomly assigned to players that qualify for a bonus,
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`the spinning of a random wheel with fixed amounts of a
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`bonus payout on the wheel (or simulation thereof), or
`attempting to select a random card that is of higher value
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`than a card exposed on behalf of a virtual dealer.
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`Examples of such gaming apparatus with a distinct bonus
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`feature includes US. Pat. Nos. 5,823,874; 5,848,932; 5,863,
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`041; UK. Patent Nos. 2 201 821 A; 2 202 984 A; and 2 072
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`395A; and German Patent DE 40 14 477 A1. Each of these
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`patents differ in fairly subtle ways as to the manner in which
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`the bonus round is played. British patent 2 201 821 A and DE
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`37 00 861 A1 describe a gaming apparatus in which after a
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`witming outcome is first achieved in a reel-type gaming
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`segment, a second segment is engaged to determine the
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`amount of money or extra games awarded. The second
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`segment gaming play involves a spinning wheel with awards
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`listed thereon (e.g., the number of coins or number of extra
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`plays) and a spinning arrow that will point to segments of the
`wheel with the values of the awards thereon. A player will
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`press a stop button and the arrow will point to one of the
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`values. The specification indicates both that there is a level
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`of skill possibly involved in the stopping of the wheel and
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`the arrow(s), and also that an associated computer operates
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`the random selection of the rotatable numbers and deter—
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`mines the results in the additional winning game, which
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`indicates some level of random selection in the second
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`gaming segment. US. Pat. Nos. 5,823,874 and 5,848,932
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`describe a gaming device comprising: a first, standard gam-
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`ing unit for displaying a randomly selected combination of
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`indicia, said displayed indicia selected from the group
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`consisting of reels, indicia of reels, indicia of playing cards,
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`and combinations thereof; means for generating at least one
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`signal corresponding to at least one select display of indicia
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`by said first, standard gaming unit; means for providing at
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`least one discernible indicia of a mechanical bonus indicator,
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`said discernible indicia indicating at least one of a plurality
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`of possible bonuses, wherein said providing means is opera—
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`tively connected to said first, standard gaming unit and
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`becomes actuatable in response to said signal. In effect, the
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`second gaming event simulates a mechanical bonus indica-
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`tor such as a roulette wheel or wheel with a pointing
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`element.
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`Avideo terminal is another form of gaming device. Video
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`terminals operate in the same manner as conventional slot or
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`Video machines except that a redemption ticket is issued
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`rather than an immediate payout being dispensed.
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`The vast array of electronic video gaming apparatus that
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`is commercially available is not standardized within the
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`industry or necessarily even within the commercial line of
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`apparatus available from a single manufacturer. One of the
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`reasons for this lack of uniformity or standardization is the
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`fact that the operating systems that have been used to date
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`in the industry are primitive. As a result, the programmer
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`must often create code for each and every function per-
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`BACKGROUND OF THE ART
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`1 . Technical Field
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`Computerized wagering game systems, and more specifi—
`cally to the use of authentication techniques using zero
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`knowledge proofs (also referred to here as ZKP) are dis-
`closed as a basis for ensuring security in a computerized
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`wagering game system.
`2. Background of the Related Art
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`Games of chance have been enjoyed by people for thou-
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`sands of years and have enjoyed increased and widespread
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`popularity in recent
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`entertainment, players enjoy playing a wide variety of
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`games and new games. Playing new games adds to the
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`excitement of“gaming.”As is well known in the art and used
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`herein, the term “gaming” and “gaming devices” are used to
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`indicate that some form of wagering is involved, and that
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`players must make wagers of value, whether actual currency
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`or some equivalent of value, e.g., token or credit.
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`One popular game of chance is the slot machine.
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`Conventionally, a slot machine is configured for a player to
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`wager something of value, e.g., currency, house token,
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`established credit or other representation of currency or
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`credit. After the wager has been made, the player activates
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`the slot machine to cause a random event to occur. The
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`player wagers that particular random events will occur that
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`will return value to the player. A standard device causes a
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`plurality of reels to spin and ultimately stop, displaying a
`random combination of some form of indicia, for example,
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`numbers or symbols. If this display contains one of a
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`preselected plurality of winning combinations, the machine
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`releases money into a payout chute or increments a credit
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`meter by the amount won by the player. For example, if a
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`player initially wagered two coins of a specific denomina-
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`tion and that player achieved a payout, that player may
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`receive the same number or multiples of the wager amount
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`in coins of the same denomination as wagered.
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`There are many different formats for generating the
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`random display of events that can occur
`to determine
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`payouts in wagering devices. The standard or original format
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`was the use of three reels with symbols distributed over the
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`face of the reel. When the three reels were spun, they would
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`eventually each stop in turn, displaying a combination of
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`three symbols (e.g., with three reels and the use of a single
`payout line as a row in the middle of the area where the
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`symbols are displayed.) By appropriately distributing and
`varying the symbols on each of the reels,
`the random
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`occurrence of predetermined winning combinations can be
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`provided in mathematically predetermined probabilities. By
`clearly providing for specific probabilities for each of the
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`preselected winning outcomes, precise odds that would
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`control the amount of the payout for any particular combi-
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`nation and the percentage return on wagers for the house
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`could be readily controlled.
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`Other formats of gaming apparatus that have developed in
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`a progression from the pure slot machine with three reels
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`have dramatically increased with the development of video
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`gaming apparatus. Rather than have only mechanical ele-
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`ments such as wheels or reels that turn and stop to randomly
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`display symbols, video gaming apparatus and the rapidly
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`increasing sophistication in hardware and software have
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`enabled an explosion of new and exciting gaming apparatus.
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`The earlier video apparatus merely imitated or simulated the
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`mechanical slot games in the belief that players would want
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`to play only the same games. Early video games therefore
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`were simulated slot machines. The use of video gaming
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`US 6,962,530 B2
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`10
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`15
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`20
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`30
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`35
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`40
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`3
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`formed by each individual apparatus, To date, no manufac-
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`turer prior to the assignee of the present invention is known
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`to have been successful in creating a universal operating
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`system for converting existing equipment (that
`includes
`features such as reusable modules of code) at least in part
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`because of the limitations in utility and compatibility of the
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`operating systems in use. When new games are created, new
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`hardware and software is typically created from the ground
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`up.
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`At least one attempt has been made to create a universal
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`gaming engine that segregates the code associated with
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`random number generation and algorithms applied to the
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`random number string from the balance of the code. Carlson
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`U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,286 describes such a device. This
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`patentee recognized that modular code would be beneficial,
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`but only contemplated making the RNG and transfer algo-
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`rithms modular.
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`The lack of a standard operating system has contributed to
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`maintaining an artificially high price for the systems in the
`market. The use of unique and non-standardized hardware
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`interfaces in the various manufactured video gaming sys-
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`tems is a contributing factor. The different hardware, the
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`different access codes, the different pin couplings, the dif-
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`ferent harnesses for coupling of pins, the different functions
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`provided from the various pins, and the other various and
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`different configurations within the systems has prevented
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`any standard from developing within the technical field. This
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`is advantageous to the apparatus manufacturer, because the
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`games for each system are provided exclusively by a single
`manufacturer, and the entire systems can be readily
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`obsoleted, so that
`the market will have to purchase a
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`complete unit rather than merely replacement software and
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`hardware. Also, competitors cannot easily provide a single
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`game that can be played on different hardware. A solution to
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`this problem is presented in our co—pending application for
`Video Gaming Apparatus for Wagering with Universal
`
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`Computerized Controller and I/O Interface for Unique
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`Architecture, assigned Ser. No. 09/405,921, and filed Sep.
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`the disclosure that
`is incorporated herein by
`24, 1999,
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`reference.
`
`The invention of computerized gaming systems that
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`include a common or universal video wagering game con-
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`troller that can be installed in a broad range of video gaming
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`apparatus without substantial modification to the game con-
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`troller has made possible the standardization of many com-
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`ponents and of corresponding gaming software within gam—
`ing systems. Such systems desirably will have functions and
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`45
`features that are specifically tailored to the unique demands
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`of supporting a variety of games and gaming apparatus
`types, and will do so in a manner that is efficient, secure, and
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`cost-effective.
`
`In addition to making communication between a universal
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`operating system and non-standard machine devices such as
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`coin hoppers, monitors, bill validators and the like possible,
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`it would be desirable to provide security features that enable
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`the operating system to verify that game code and other data
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`has not changed during operation.
`Aleorn et al. US. Pat. No. 5,643,086 describes a gaming
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`system that is capable of authenticating an application or
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`game program stored on a mass media device such as a
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`CD-ROM, RAM, ROM or other device using hashing and
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`encryption techniques. The mass storage device may be
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`located in the gaming machine, or may be external to the
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`gaming machine. This verification technique therefore will
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`not detect any changes that occur in the code that
`is
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`executing because it tests the code residing in mass storage
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`prior to loading into RAM. The authenticating system relies
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`on the use of a digital signature and suggests hashing of the
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`entire data set before the encryption and decryption process.
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`See also,Alcorn et al. US. Pat. No. 6,106,396 and Alcorn et
`
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`al. US. Pat. No. 6,149,522.
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`4
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`US. patent application Ser. No. 09/949,021, filed Sep. 7,
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`2001, and titled “ENCRYPTION INASECURE COMPUT-
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`ERIZED GAMING SYSTEM” discloses an encryption/
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`authentication system wherein a computerized game con-
`troller having a processor, memory, and nonvolatile storage
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`and operable to control the computerized wagering game;
`and game data stored in the nonvolatile storage, wherein the
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`game data stored in nonvolatile storage is verified during
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`operation. Additionally, disclosed is a gaming system com-
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`prising: a nonvolatile memory; an encrypted control file
`stored in the nonvolatile memory, the encrypted control file
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`including a set of program filenames giving order
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`information, a message authentication code unique to each
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`program file, and a message authentication code key;
`a
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`gaming controller, wherein the gaming controller operates to
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`decrypt the encrypted control file and authenticate the gam—
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`ing program files during operation of the gaming system;
`and gaming system devices in communication with the
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`gaming controller via a gaming system interface.
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`That system may further comprise a message authentica-
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`tion code process stored in memory, wherein the game
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`controller authenticates the set of program files by applying
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`the message authentication process using the set of program
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`files and the message authentication code key to provide a
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`set of complementary message authentication codes, and
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`comparing the message authentication codes from the con-
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`trol file to the complementary message authentication codes.
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`Additionally, the system may have the message authentica-
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`tion process stored in read only memory. Also disclosed is
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`a computer-readable medium having computer-executable
`instructions for performing a method of preparing a game
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`data set capable of authentication comprising: providing a
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`game data set; determining a message authentication code
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`unique to the game data set; and storing the game data set
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`and the message authentication code; and a computer-
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`readable medium having computer-executable instructions
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`for performing a method of authenticating a game used in a
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`gaming system comprising: receiving an encrypted control
`file; decrypting the encrypted control
`file to provide a
`
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`
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`control file,
`the control file including a set of program
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`filenames giving ordering information, a set of message
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`authentication codes including a message authentication
`
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`code unique to each program file, and a message authenti-
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`cation code key; and rising the original control file to verify
`
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`authentication of the game.
`
`
`
`What is still desired is alternative architecture and meth-
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`ods of providing a gaming-specific platform that features
`
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`
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`secure storage and verification of game code and other data,
`
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`provides the ability to securely change game code on
`
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`
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`computerized wagering gaming system, and has the ability
`to verify that the code has not changed during operation of
`
`
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`the gaming machine.
`
`
`
`is further
`it
`In the field of gaming apparatus security,
`
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`
`
`desired that
`the game program code be identifiable as
`
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`
`
`certified or approved, such as by the various gaming regu—
`
`
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`
`
`lation commissions such as the Nevada Gaming Regulations
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Commission, New Jersey Gaming Regulations Commission
`
`
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`
`
`or other regulatory agency.
`
`
`
`
`SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
`
`
`
`An architecture and method for a wagering game-specific
`
`
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`
`
`platform are disclosed that features secure storage and
`
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`verification of game code and other data, provides the ability
`
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`to securely exchange data with a computerized wagering
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`gaming system and/or network system, and do so in a
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`manner that is straightforward and easy to manage. Some
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`embodiments provide the ability to identify game program
`
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`code as certified or approved by state Gaming Regulations
`
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`Commission or other regulatory agencies. The disclosed
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`embodiments provides these and other functions by use of
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`Page 9 of 20
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`

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`5
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`encryption, modulo arithmetic, hash functions as well as
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`other cryptographic methods. Together these cryptographic
`building block are used to create a method that provides
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`identification when applied interactively and authenticity to
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`a game data set when applied non-interactively.
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`In mathematic systems, an interactive proof is informally
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`recognized as a protocol between two parties in which one
`party, called the ‘prover,’ tries to prove a certain fact to the
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`other party, called the ‘verifier.’ An interactive proof usually
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`takes the form of a challenge-response protocol, in which the
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`prover and the verifier exchange messages and the verifier
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`outputs either ‘accept’ or ‘reject’ at the end of the protocol.
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`Apart from their theoretical interest, interactive proofs have
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`found some applications in cryptography and computer
`security such as identification and authentication. In these
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`situations, the fact to be proved is usually but not always
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`related to the prover’s identity, such as the prover’s private
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`key.
`It is useful for interactive proofs to have the following
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`properties, especially in cryptographic applications:
`Completeness. The verifier always accepts the proof if the
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`fact is true and both the prover and the verifier follow
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`the protocol.
`Soundness. The verifier always rejects the proof if the fact
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`is false, as long as the verifier follows the protocol.
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`Zero knowledge. The verifier learns nothing about the fact
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`being proved (except that it is correct) from the prover
`that he could not already learn without the prover, even
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`if the verifier does not follow the protocol (as long as
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`the prover does).
`In an interactive zero-knowledge
`proof, the verifier cannot even later prove the fact to
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`anyone else.
`(Not all
`interactive proofs have this
`
`property.)
`A typical round or building block in a zero-knowledge proof
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`consists of a ‘commitment’ message from the prover, fol-
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`lowed by a challenge from the verifier, and then a response
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`to the challenge from the prover. The protocol may be
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`repeated for many rounds. Based on the prover’s responses
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`in all the rounds, the verifier decides whether to accept or
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`reject the proof.
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`In the preferred embodiment, a method of authenticating
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`a game data set stored in a gaming apparatus is provided. By
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`applying an interactive proof method in combination with a
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`one-way hash of both the game data set and the commitment
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`message(s) from the prover,
`the game data set can be
`authenticated as originating from the prover. This is done by
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`interpreting the hash value as a set of random challenges to
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`the prover that are used to complete the interactive proofs
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`without requiring a verifier to be present, This is referred to
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`as a noninteractive zero knowledge proof. It contains all the
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`elements of an interactive proof with the addition of a hash
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`value interpreted in this fashion. Each challenge/response
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`pair is recorded and stored along with the game data set to
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`provide a digital “stamp of authenticity”.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
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`FIG. 1 shows a computerized wagering game apparatus
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`such as may be used to practice some embodiments of the
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`present invention.
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`FIG. 2 shows a diagram of a networked computer con-
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`nected to certain components comprising a portion of a
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`computerized wagering game apparatus, consistent with
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`some embodiments of the present invention.
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`FIG. 3 shows a graph used in the explanation of one of the
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`examples.
`FIG. 4 shows a pinnacle diagram for assisting in the
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`description of zero knowledge proof process.
`FIG. 5 shows a cave diagram for describing zero knowl-
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`edge proof theory.
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`US 6,962,530 B2
`6
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`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
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`PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
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`The following description paraphrases below Bruce
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`Schneier describes zero knowledge proofs in “Applied
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`Cryptography,” Second Edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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`1996. ISBN 0-471-12845-7. The function of zero knowledge
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`proofs is typically discussed in terms of responsive events,
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`and a cave diagram such as that shown in FIG. 5 is a useful
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`tool for the discussion. Assume that the door between the
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`two points labeled C and D can only be unlocked by using
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`a secret key or pass-phrase. It must be assumed that someone
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`(the prover) knows the secret to unlock the door, and that
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`they can convince an observer (the verified) that they know
`this secret without having to actually reveal the secret to the
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`observed by using a zero knowledge proof. (The term zero
`knowledge comes from the fact that no knowledge of the
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`secret is given away by doing the proof, thus the single
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`iterations can go on forever in theory.)
`A single zero knowledge proof can proceed in the fol-
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`lowing manner: the observer and the person with the secret
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`to opening the door start at point A in the diagram. The
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`person with the secret goes into the cave to point C or point
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`D in the diagram. After the person with the secret is in place,
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`they call for the observer to move to point B in the diagram.
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`The observer then chooses either 1 or 0 at random. It has
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`been pre-arranged that if the observer chooses a 0 then the
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`person with the secret will come out on the left hand side of
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`the diagram, while if the observer chooses a 1 the person will
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`come out on the right hand side of the diagram. The observer
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`chooses the number at random after the person with the
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