AU2007201804A1 - Server-less cashless gaming systems and methods - Google Patents

Description

24-04-'07 15:08 FROM-DCC SYDNEY +61292621080 T-742 P005035 F-732 0 0 Our Ref:20206613 P/00/011 Regulation 3:2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Applicant(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: Cyberscan Technology, Inc.

Two Palo Alto Square Suite 500 Palo Alto California 94306-2122 United States of America DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Trade Mark Attorneys 255 Elizabeth Street Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 2000 Server-less cashless gaming systems and methods The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- 5951 COMS ID No: SBMI-07116918 Received by IP Australia: Time 15:25 Date 2007-04-24 24-04-'07 15:08 FROM-DCC SYDNEY +61292621080 T-742 P06/035 F-732 0 0 C- -1- SERVER-LESS CASHLESS GAMING Ci SYSTEMS AND METHODS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of he Invention 00 This invention relates generally to the field of pay computer-controlled games, (c either games of skills or games of chance, and more particularly to the field of cashless o gaming systems and methods.

0 2. Description of the Related Art Conventional cashless methods and systems typically rely on centralized accounts (player accounts, anonymous game session accounts, voucher verification accounts, smartcard reconciliation accounts) that are managed by a complex central system controlled or coupled to a central server). Such systems require the services of highly trained professionals and the maintenance of stringent security procedures. This leads to high operational costs that are not acceptable for small to medium sized gaming operators.

Centralized systems of the prior art are described in US6,280,328, US5,265,874 and US6,048,269.

What are needed, therefore, are cashless gaming methods and systems that overcome the complexity, cost and manpower of conventional gaming methods and systems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention, therefore, seeks to offer gaming terminals and network architectures, systems and methods that overcome the complexity, cost and manpower inherent in conventional gaming terminals, network architectures, methodologies and systems.

According to embodiments of the present invention, each networked gaming terminal comprises a highly secure enclosure because of the strict regulations that are imposed in gaming jurisdictions. The compute modules thereof are carefully partitioned with multiple locking mechanisms and alarm systems. Strict procedures must be followed to access various parts and functions. Furthermore, the computer architecture COMS ID No: SBMI-07116918 Received by IP Australia: Time 15:25 Date 2007-04-24 24-04-'07 15:09 FROM-DCC SYDNEY +61292621080 T-742 P007/035 F-732 0 ci and components of motherboards used in gaming machines are becoming enormously powerful and extrenmely reliable due to the technology advancements; they are identical to those used in computer servers that constitute complex central systems. Therefore, networked gaming terminals may offer an exceptionally secure and exceedingly powerful O computing environment.

00 00 In the present invention, the gaming terminals are advantageously configured to Ssupport functions traditionally implemented by centralized systems. Gaming terminal Ssoftware is adapted to support, in addition to the local terminal game session metering o (including, for example, tracking of winning and available credits), the game session 'r 10 metering of one or a plurality of peer gaming terminals. A patron may deposit funds in cash or using any other financial instrument (including, for example, any form of electronic money) to a cashier or an automated network cashier, or alternatively a gaming terminal equipped with cash acceptors or other financial instrument acceptors.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the amount of money deposited by is the patron is credited by the cashier, or gaming terminal or using a basic stateless not managing the session context) entry terminal, into a peer gaming terminal or alternatively, the equivalent operation may be automatically performed by the automated network cashier: In the case of a gaming terminal equipped with financial instrument acceptors, the credit is entered directly into the local meters not stored in memory prior to being transferred to the local meters of the gaming tnnrminal). The patron may be issued an identification (ID) instrument that may be accepted by any gaming terminal in the network. Each time the patron submits his ID instrument (or is otherwise authenticated) to a new gaming terminal on the network, the new gaming terminal may broadcast a network message to request the previously used gaming terminal to transfer to the new terminal the game session meters corresponding to the ID instrument. That is, the request may be broadcast to all gaming terminals on the network and only the gaming terminal owning the requested game session meters will respond to the broadcast request.

Consequently, the patron may play on any gaming terminal within the network and change gaming tenuinal at any time as long as his game session credit is not exhausted.

so The transfer of meters preferably occurs directly between the networked gaming terminals, without the intermediary of an intervening terminal or storage.

The patron may redeem his winnings or remaining credits by submitting his ID COMS ID No: SBMI-07116918 Received by IP Australia: Time 15:25 Date 2007-04-24 24-04-'07 15:09 FROM-DCC SYDNEY +61292621080 T-742 P08/35 F-32 0 o3 instrument to an automated cashier, to a cashier equipped with a network entry terminal c- or to a gaming terminal equipped with a coin dispenser or a bank note dispenser. For the payment operation, payment authorization may be obtained via the network from the last gaming terminal on which the patron last played.

Ss For fault tolerance, each game session meter may be mirrored on one or a plurality of peer gaming terminals on the network.

It is a further object of this invention supports all forms of cashless instruments such as: O a player account whereby primary meters are the monetary credit balance 1o associated to a patron.ID; San anonymous game session account whereby primary meters are the monetary credit balance associated to a game session ID; a voucher verification account whereby the primary meters are the monetary value and the hash associated to the value amount and the encrypted signature printed or Is encoded on the voucher; Sa tirae gaming account whereby the primary meters are the time-to-play balance and the total of the winnings associated to a patron ID or to a game session ID; a smartcard reconciliation account whereby the primary meters are a mirrored copy of the meters managed in the secure electronic module of the smancard.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is ani overview diagram of an exemplary server-less cashless gaming system, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view depicting an exemplary cashless game terminal in accordance 2s with an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a view depicting an exemplary automated cashier in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a diagram depicting a server-less cashless game session in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

0 Figure 5 is a diagram depicting the cashless meters in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a view depicting an exemplary cashier network entry terminal in COMS ID No: SBMI-07116918 Received by IP Australia: Time 15:25 Date 2007-04-24 24-04-'07 15:09 FROM-DCC SYDNEY +61292621080 T-742 P009/035 F-732 0 0 accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

c Figure 7 is a flowchart depicting the cashless ineters in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

O DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Reference will now be made in detail to the construction and operation of 0 C preferred implementations of the present invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The following description of the preferred implementations of the present O invention is only exemplary of the invention. Indeed, the present invention is not limited io to thse implementations, but may be realized by other implementations.

Figure 1 is an overview diagram of an exemplary server-less cashless gaming system, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown therein, a server-less gaming system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a plurality of gaming terminals 104, a cashier terminal 106 or an automated is cashier 108, all communicating via a wired and/or wireless network 102. Wireless entry devices such ar laptops 110 using 802.11 (for example), palmtops 112 using Bluetooth or 802.11 (for example), or Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) phones (for example) may advantageously be used in some premises for operators to consult and credit the game session meters. Advantageously, there is no central system central server) controlling the gaming system 100.

Figure 2 illustrates an exemplary cashless gaming machine 200 that does not accept or redeem cash. It is to be understood that the gaming machine 200 is but one possible implementation of such a cashless gaming machine and that the present invention is not limited thereto. For cashless operation, the gaming terminal is equipped zs with means of capturing the encoded information associated with a cashless instrument submitted. The cashless instrument may be a physical portable instrument such as: a paper voucher comprising printed codes; a strong paper ticket comprising printed codes and encoded magnetic codes; a rigid D card comprising printed codes, magnetic codes or optical codes; a secure contact or contact-css electronic ID device comprising 0o sophisticated electronic.(a smart card or a smart dongle); or alternatively, a user ID and password to be typed or spoken, or alternativey again advanced biometric features (finger print, voice recognition, face recognition). The information captured from a COMS ID No: SBMI-07116918 Received by IP Australia: Time 15:25 Date 2007-04-24 24-04-'07 15:10 FROM-DCC SYDNEY +61292621080 T-742 P010/035 F-732 0 o cashless instrument is processed in order to derive a pointer to a location containing the necessary computer data to identify and validate the cashless instrument. The information captured from a cashless instrument may contain an encrypted signature (or hash) to ensure that the information has not been maliciously modified. In fine, the cashless instrument allows to derive a valid "identifier code" that is used by the software 00 to execute the appropriate transactions to emulate the use of real cash for the cashless instrument submitted. The cashless instrument is thus denoted "ID instrument" hereafter.

The ID instrument may be capable of storing additional information when accessed by a O device, or alternatively be replaced by a new one a newly printed ticket). The gaming machine ID device(s) accepting the ID instrument submitted may include a magnetic card reader 204, a SmartCard reader and writer 206, a barcode reader 210, a ticket printer 212, a biometric reader (finger print, voice identification, head identification, etc.), a touchscreen 202, keyboard or keypad to enable players to enter a PIN (Personal Identification Number). The gaming machine identification device(s)may frther include an ID token is reader to read other forms of advanced ID devices such as ID buttons, ID key-chains (such as disclo ed, for example in commonly assigned US design patent entitled "Personal Communicator and Secure ID Device" patent number D441,765 issued on May 8, 2001).as well as secure communication means for securely communicating with, for example, personal wallets, hand held computers or computer wrist-watch via infra red, magnetic field, capacitive charges or RF (Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11, etc.) for player identification purposes. A printer 212 may print bar-coded tickets 214 that can be read by a barcode reader 210.

Figure 6 illustrates an example of a networked cashier terminal 600, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The terminal may include a computer 602 connected via wired or wireless link 603 to the network 102 with the gaming machines 104 and a ticket printer 604. The ticket printer 604 may include an integrated printer for printing tickets or receipts 606 that include a human and/or machine readable code imprinted thereon and code reader 608 for reading the code(s) imprinted on the ticket 606. The cashier terminal may also include, for example, a magnetic card reader 610, a so SmartCaid reader 612, a biometric reader 614 (such as a fingerprint reader, for example), a display 620 and input devices such as a keyboard 618 and/or a mouse 616. The cashier terminal may be controlled by an operating system capable of secure network COMS ID No: SBMI-07116918 Received by IP Australia: Time 15:25 Date 2007-04-24 24-04-'07 15:10 FROM-DCC SYDNEY +61292621080 T-742 P011/35 F-732 0 6 ci communication such as Microsoft Windows, embedded XP or Linux, for example.

c1 Figure 3 illustrates an embodiment of an automated cashier 300, which dispenses with the need for a human cashier. The automated cashier 300 may include an internal computer connected to the network 102 with the gaming terminals 104, a coin acceptor 00 s 322, a note acceptor 320, a coin dispenser/hopper 318, a SmartCard or magnetic card dispenser 304, a note dispenser 314, a ticket printer 310 for printing a ticket 312, a c magnetic card reader 302. a SmartCard reader/writer 306, a barcode reader 308, display with touch-screen 326, a keypad 324, a video camera 328 and/or a UL 291 certified cash Ssafe 316, for example. The UL 291 certified cash safe 316 prevents or deters robbery of ID the cash stored inside the automated cashier 300. The automated cashier 300 may further includt biometric ID readers, ID token readers to read other forms of advanced ID devices such as ID buttons, ID key-chains, etc., as well as secure communications means for communicating with personal wallets, hand held PCs or computer wristwatch via infrared, magnetic field, capacitive charges or RF (Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11, etc.) for is identification p rposes.

Accord': g to one embodiment of the present invention, the gaming terminals (GT) 104 are advantageously configured to support functions traditionally implemented by central systems. Figure 4 illustrates an embodiment of a server-less cashless gaming session according to the-present invention. A patron 401 initially interacts with a cashier 402 to establish a cashless session 407 through to 412. The patron 401 initializes a cashless session 408 by handing over an amount of money 407 (in whatever form) to the cashier 402. The cashier 402 initializes the cashless meters 410 located on a predetermined gaming terminal 404 by issuing a credit meters transaction 409 using a cashier terminal 600. The gaming terminal 404 executes a process 410 to initialize in 2s persistent storage. the cashless meters associated with this cashless session. The gaining terminal 404 may then return a session ID 411 for later access and retrieval. The cashier 402 may complete the cashless session 408 by providing the patron 401 with an ID instrument 412 corresponding to session ID 411. The ID instrument 412 may be or include a printed ticket with text and/or encoded barcode, a printed ticket with text and/or embedded encoded magnetic strip (such as a metro ticket, for example), a magnetic ID card, a smart ID card, fingerprint recognition, voice recognition, face recognition, pahn recognition (or any biometric recognition), ID buttons, ID key-chains, a personal COMS ID No: SBMI-07116918 Received by IP Australia: Time 15:25 Date 2007-04-24 24-04-'07 15:10 FROM-DCC SYDNEY +61292621080 T-742 P012/35 F-732 S7 O ci electronic wallet, a secure handheld Computer, a secure mobile phone a secure computer Ci wrist watch, a bar-coded ticket, a bar-coded voucher or any imaginable way to associate identification means with a physical or electronic media. A PIN number may also be given for challenging the ID instrument. The identification of the cashless session may S 5 be entirely anonyiious or alternatively, may be associated with the patron's identity or membership in some group. In the later case, necessary personal identification data may C, be captured by the cashier when money is deposited 407 and are submitted together with o the credit meters 409 for persistent storage in the gaming terminal 404 during the process o 410.

Cil it The exact same cashless session 407 through 412 may be performed by making use of the automated cashier 300 instead of the cashier terminal 600 wherein the role of the cashier 402 is replaced by an automated program executed in the automated cashier.

.Suitable peripherals may be attached to the automated cashier 300 to allow for the deposit of funds, capture of information and dispensing of ID instruments.

The start 413 of a cashless game session 414 maybe identified by the patron 401 receiving the ID instrument 412. The end 436 of the cashless game session 414 may be identified by the patron 401 redeeming the credit balance of money 435 associated with his ID instrument 412, or when the credit associated with his ID is exhausted (null).

The patron 401 (who forms no part of the present invention and whose actions are only described herein to illustrate aspects of the present invention), subsequent to receiving an ID instrument 412, may execute a certain number of cashless operations associated with his ID instrument. The patron may choose any gaming terminal 403; 404, 405 or 406 to play on. In the illustration of Figure 4, the patron first chooses the gaming terminal 403 and submits his ID instrument 415 to the gaming terminal 403. If the gaming terminal 403 does not have ownership of the cashless meters associated with the ID instrument submitted,.it may immediately broadcast on the network 102 a request to acquire the cashless meters associated with the patron's ID instrument. All the gaming terminals on the network 102 intercept the broadcast. The gaming terminal 404 having ownership of the cashless meters initiates at 418 a transfer procedure 419 to transfer o3 ownership and full content of the cashless meters associated with the ID 420 to the gaming terminal 403. Upon receiving ownership and content of the cashless meters, gaming terminal 403 initializes its local game meters with the value of the cashless COMS ID No: SBMI-07116918 Received by IP Australia: Time 15:25 Date 2007-04-24 24-04-'07 15:11 FROM-DCC SYDNEY +61292621080 T-742 P013/35 F-732 0 0 Cl 8 e, meters received and enters a gaming session 421 wherein the patron may play Cl continuousiy until credit is exhausted or until the cash-out signal 422 is activated. Any winning is added to the patron's credit balance.

S. When the cash-out signal 422 is activated by the patron, the player may use the 00 s remaining of his or her credit to play on another gaming terminal or redeem the credit for Scash. A ticket showing the credit remaining may be printed if a printing device is Cl available on gaming terminal 403. In the illustration of Figure 4, patron 401 chooses to O play on gaming terminal 406 and submits his ID instrument 423 to the gaming terminal 0 406. Gaming terminal 406 does not have ownership of the cashless meters associated with the D instrument submitted. Therefore, it may immediately broadcast on the network a request to acquire the cashless meters associated with the ID instrument. All the gaming terminals on the network intercept the broadcast. The gaming terminal 403 having.ownership of the cashless meters initiates a transfer procedure 426 to transfer ownership and full content of the cashless meters associated with the ID 427 to. the is gaming terminal 406. The gaming terminal 403 may deny the transfer of the meters if credit is exhausted or already paid, thus preventing the patron from playing on gaming terminal 406. Upon receiving ownership and content of the cashless meters, gaming terminal 406 initializes its local game meters with the value of the cashless meters received and enters a gaming session 428 wherein the patron may play continuously until credit is exhausted or until the cash-out signal 429 is activated. Any winning is added to the credit balance.

When the cash-out signal 429 is activated, the player may use any remaining credit to play on another gaming terminal or may redeem the credit for cash (or for credit on another payment instrument or account). A ticket showing the credit remaining may be printed if a printing device is available on gaming terminal 406. In the illustration of Figure 4, patron 401 chooses to redeem his credit for cash. The patron submits his ID instrument at 430 to the cashier 402 who initiates a redeem process 431 that may immediately broadcast on the network a request to acquire the cashless meters associated with the ID instrument submitted 430. All the gaming terminals on the network intercept ow the broadcast. The gaming terminal 406 having ownership of the cashless meters authorizes payment by initiating a closure process 433 to terminate ownership of the cashless meters and forward the credit balance amount to pay at 434 to the cashier COMS ID No: SBMI-07116918 Received by IP Australia: Time 15:25 Date 2007-04-24 24-04-'07 15:11 FROM-DCC SYDNEY +61292621080 T-742 P014/035 F-732 0 0 terminal 402. The gaming terminal 406 may deny payment if credit is exhausted. Upon C receiving th authorization from gaming terminal the the cashier 402 then bands over the associated money 435 to the patron 401. The cashless game session associated with the ID instmrment 414 terminates 436 when the patron receives his money 435. It is 0 understood that the actions of the cashier described herein may be readily automated.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the patron may request partial C, payment of the credit available. In that case, the gaming terminal 406 having ownership o of the cashless meters associated with the patron or the patron's ID instrument authorizes O payment and initiates an update process instead of a closure process 433 in order to reflect the amount of payment made. Subsequently, the patron may continue to play on any gaming terminal or later redeem his credits at a cashier using his ID instrument.

SFor clarity of illustration, the server-less gaming session 400 of Figure 4 shows only four game terminals and one cashier operating over a peer-to-peer platform. This is an ideal scenario for small game operators. It should be apparent to those acquainted with modern network architectures that the peer-to-peer architecture disclosed herein is highly scalable and robust and that the scenario 400 can be extended to a large gaming estate comprising tens of thousands of gaming terminals and hundreds of cashier terminals or automated cashiers. Moreover, peer-to-peer mechanisms may be provided by modem operating systems such as Microsoft .NET and secure network protocols may be automatically activated by setting the appropriate security policy such as Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) or Secure Socket Layer (SSL), for example. Furthermore, cashier tenninals 600 and automated cashier 300 only require simple "stateless" .NET client applications or web browser sessions for interacting with the gaming terminals 104. The term "stateless" denotes that the software that executes in the cashier terminal 600 and in the automated cashier 300 is not.responsible for managing and recording the game session implicit state or context. The context of a software session is the ordered sequence of properties of the software objects that defines it at a particular instant in time. The context (or implicit state) of a cashless gaming session is controlled and recordedby the gaming terminal that owns the associated cashless session meters, The context ofa cashless gaming session includes the meters. The gaming terminal may advantageously store the game session context that includes the meters in a non-volatile memory for fault-tolerance.

COMS ID No: SBMI-07116918 Received by IP Australia: Time 15:25 Date 2007-04-24 24-04-'07 15:11 FROM-DCC SYDNEY +61292621080 T-742 P015/35 F-732 0 0 J The method and a server-less gaming session 400 of the present invention and illustrated on Figure 4 is farther illustrated in a flowchart 700 of Figure 7. As shown, a patron remits funds to any of the cashiers at 702, whereupon the cashier initializes meters on a predetermined gaming terminal at 704 and the cashier dispenses and ID instrument s to the patron at 706. At 708, the patron may choose to play on a gaining terminal at 710 00 or go to the cashier 734 to redeem his credit, such as shown at 732.

The patron submits his ID instrument at 712 to the selected gaming terminal that Srequests transfer of mters associated with the ID instrument from a previous gaming Sterminal 714 (the gaming terminal on which the patr6n last played), or alternatively in the case whereby the patron has just remitted funds to a cashier, from the gaming terminal on which the cashier has initialized the meters on. The previous gaming terminal may deny transfer of meters if the credit is exhausted or already paid, thus preventing the patron from playing a game.

Once the transfer of meters from a previous gaming tenrinal is successfully 1s completed, the patron may repetitively play a game at 716 as long as his credit is not exhausted as shown at 718 or the cash-out signal has not been activated 722, 726.. In case credit is exhausted 728, the patron can no longer play and the cashless game session terminates at 730.

After activating the cash-out signal 722, 724, the patron may choose another 2o gaming terminal 708 and proceed as described above. If the patron no longer wishes to play 732, he may go to a cashier 734 to redeem his credit by submitting his ID instrument 736. The cashier may use his network entry terminal to obtain payment authorization from the previous gaming terminal 738. If authorization is given, the credit amount available in the meters of the previous gaming machine may be paid by the cashier 740, and the meters at the previous gaming terminal may be updated to reflect the payment.

Traditionally and in compliance with gaming jurisdictions, gaming terminals may contain a set of highly secure persistent meters comprising essentially the patron's credit balance, the meters associated with a variety of events such as coins inserted and coins given out for a particular game, and an audit log of events for later examination if 3o required. The operation for updating the meters in accordance with the game session activity is commonly referred as metering. Metering also infers that the necessary stoi-age and access means to the meters are available. Applying modem object oriented COMS ID No: SBMI-07116918 Received by IP Australia: Time 15:25 Date 2007-04-24 24-04-'07 15:11 FROM-DCC SYDNEY +61292621080 T-742 P016/035 F-732 0 ci programming and persistent data storage techniques such as structured access to non- F volatile memory, the meters may be defined as a class that is dynamically instantiatd at run time. It may be clear to those acquainted with object programming that a multitude of instantiations of the meters class may be obtained, the only limitation being the memory available. Memory being plentiful on a typical computer unit controlling a 00 gaining terminal, a substantial number of instantiations of the meters class maybe 0 obtained.

Figure 5 illustrates the instantiation of a number of cashless meters 500 that may O be obtained on a gaming terminal 502. The gaming terminal 502 has taken ownership of the cashless meters associated with each of the patrons' submitted ID instrument for ID(x), ID(y) through and the gaming acivity in process on gaming terminal 502 is reflected in the current session cashless meters 504. The credit balance displayed to the patron currently playing corresponds to the credit balance meter 506; the other meters 508 and the audit log 510 may be reserved for use by the game operator. The cashless is meters may be frozen when the patron activates the cash-out signal.

The other meters 512, 514 and 516 are associated with gaming sessions played previously on the gaming temial 502 and are frozen. Alternatively, any of the meters 512, 514 or 516 may be associated with a new cashless session initiated by the cashier when the patron deposit funds as explained relative to steps 407 to 412. Gaming terminal 502 retain ownership of the frozen meters until ownership is requested by another gaming tenninal. If the credit remaining on these meters is exhausted, transfer of ownership to another gaming terminal is denied. If a redeem operation is requested by the cashier terminal or the automated cashier while some credit is available, the gaining terminal 502 authorizes payment, closes the meters and retains ownership of the closed 2s meters. The closed meters may be erased at a later time in order to recover storage space in accordance with the gaming operator's rules for flushing old data.

The peer-to-peer metering method object of the present invention is suitable for supporting all forms of cashless instruments such as: a a player account; an anonymous game session account; a voucher verification account; Sa time gaming account; Sa smartcard reconciliation account.

COMS ID No: SBMI-07116918 Received by IP Australia: Time 15:25 Date 2007-04-24 24-04-'07 15:12 FROM-DCC SYDNEY +61292621080 T-742 P017/35 F-732 0 012 A cashless player account is identified by a unique identifier key assigned to a .i patron that points to a set of records stored in computer memory containing the patron's personal details and the state of the cashless session. The records may be queried and updated by authorized software using the key that may be derived from the ID instrument o s submitted. The state of the cashless session comprises essentially the balance of 00 monetary credit available to the patron (the primary meters) and some auxiliary attributes S (secondary meters) reflecting the games played, the time stamping of various operations.

a flag indicating if the meters are owned by the gaming terminal hosting the meters and a Sflag indicating if available credits have already been paid.

0o An anonymous game session account is identified by a unique identifier key assigned to a game session that points to a set of records stored in computer memory containing the state of the cashless session. The records may be queried and updated by authorized software using the key that may be derived from the ID instrument submitted.

The state of the cashless session comprises essentially (the primary meters) the balance Is of monetary credit available to the anonymous older of the ID instrument and some auxiliary, attributes (secondary meters) reflecting the games played, the time stamping of various operations, a flag indicating if the meters are owned by the gaming terminal hosting the meters and a flag indicating if available credits have already been paid.

A voucher verification account is identified by a unique identifier key assigned to a voucher that points to a set of records stored in computer memory containing the state of the cashless session. The records may be queried and updated by authorized software using the key that may be derived from the voucher submitted. The state of the cashless session comprises essentially (the primary meters) the balance of monetary credit available to the holder of the voucher and verification data, and some auxiliary attributes (secondary meters) reflecting the games played, the time stamping of various operations, a flag indicating if the meters are owned by the gaming terminal hosting the meters, and a flag indicating if available credits have already been paid. In the case of a cash-out at the gaming terminal or alternatively when funds are remitted to a human cashier or an automated cashier, a voucher comprising clear text and machine-readable code representing the monetary value of the credit available and some verification data is dispensed. The clear text may indicate the value of the credit available, or simply said for the holder, "the value of voucher". In the case of a cash-in at the gaming terminal or COMS ID No: SBMI-07116918 Received by IP Australia: Time 15:25 Date 2007-04-24 24-04-'07 15:12 FROM-DCC SYDNEY +61292621080 T-742 P01835 F-732 S13 0 Salternatively when requesting the redeemn of credits to a human cashier or an automated Ccashier, a voucher comprising clear text and machine-readable code representing the monetary value of the credit available and some verification data is read. The unique identifier key is derived from the verification data upon reading the clear text and/or the O machine-readable code. The associated records are then queried in order to authenticate

OO

the value of the voucher by comparing the verification data contained in the records with the verification data read from the voucher. It should be apparent to those acquainted o with secure transactional techniques that the unique identifier key, or alternatively the O verification data, may be a hash or an encrypted signature of all or portion of the clear 0o text and/or the machine-readable code.

A time gaming account may be associated to a patron or be anonymous.

A time gaming player account is identified by a unique identifier key assigned to a patron that points to a set of records stored in computer memory containing the patron's personal details and the state of the cashless session. The records may be queried and s updated by authorized software using the key that may be derived from the ID instrument submitted. The state of the cashless session comprises essentially (the primary meters) the balance of time-to-play and the total of wimnings available to the patron, and some auxiliary attributes (secondary meters) reflecting the games played, the time stamping of various operations, a flag indicating if the meters are owned by the gaming terminal so hosting the meters and a flag indicating if available credits have already been redeeming.

An anonymous time gaming account is identified by a unique identifier key assigned to a gaming session that points to a set of records stored in computer memory containing the state of the cashless session. The records may be queried and updated by authorized software using the key that may be derived from the ID instrument submitted.

is The state of the cashless session comprises esscntially.(the primary meters) the balance of time-to-play and the total of winnings available to the anonymous holder of the ID instrument, and some auxiliary attributes (secondary meters) reflecting the games played, the time stamping of various operations, a flag indicating if the meters are owned by the gaming terminal hosting the meters and a flag indicating if available credits have already been redeeming.

A smarteard reconciliation account is identified by a unique identifier key assigned to a smartcard that points to a set of records stored in computer memory. The COMS ID No: SBMI-07116918 Received by IP Australia: Time 15:25 Date 2007-04-24 24-04-'07 15:12 FROM-DCC SYDNEY +61292621080 T-742 P019/35 F-732 0 14 0 ci records therefor arc a "slave" mirrored copy of same records containing the state of the c-1 cashless session that are maintained in the electronic circuits of the smartcard. The smartcard maintains the "master" copy of the records. The slaved mirrored records may be queried but not updated by authorized software using the key that may be derived os from the smartcard submitted. The state of the cashless session comprises essentially the 00 balance of credit available to the holder of the smartcard (the primary meters) and some 0, .auxiliary attributes (secondary meters) reflecting the games played, the time stamping of various operations, a flag indicating if the meters are owned by the gaming terminal O hosting the meters and a flag indicating if available credits have already been paid. The slaved mirrored records are used to reconcile accounting when the smartcard is used in order to detect possible forgery. Alternatively, the slaved mirrored records are used as a backup repository to pay the holder of the smartcard in case of the failure of the smartcard. When used for backup, the "slave" records may be updated by authorized software using the key that may be derived from the smartcard submitted (embossed code is for example).

The ID instrument used to derive the unique identifier key may be submitted in a variety of ways such as typing a user ID and password, keying-in a code on a keypad, presenting a bar-coded voucher, an encoded card, a secure electronic ID device or recognizing biometric features.

a. The unique identifier keys are commonly called GUI or global unique identifier.

Fault tolerance may be achieved by replicating (mirroring) cashless meters owned by a given gaming terminal to a predetermined number of other peer gaming terminals.

The gaming terminals holding replicated cashless meters are second-level owners that may be solicited in case the primary owner does not respond to the initial transfer request, whether the request is a direct one to an identified gaming terminal or broadcast to all gaming terminals on the network. For example, in case gaming terminal 403 does not obtain any reply subsequent to its transfer request broadcast 417 after a time-out, a new broadcast message explicitly soliciting secondary owners may be sent on the network. Gaming machine 403 would then accept the transfer of cashless meters from a responding secondary owner.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the gaming terminal may be able to encode information on the ID instrument submitted by the patron. The identification COMS ID No: SBMI-07116918 Received by IP Australia: Time 15:25 Date 2007-04-24 24-04-'07 15:13 FROM-DCC SYDNEY +61292621080 T-742 P020/35 F-732 0 0 c1 Sof the gaming machine used by the patron may advantageously be encoded on the ID i instrument such that the next used gaming terminal knows immediately upon reading the ID instrument the identity of the previously used gaming terminal. Consequently, the next used terminal may establish network communication with the previously used gaming terminal without having to rely on network broadcasting techniques to find out 00 which of the connectcd gaming terminals is the last used gaming terminal, thus reducing 0 the time to start transferring the meters and the overall network traffic. In case the last gaming terminal is not contactable, a network broadcast to find a secondary owner of the 0 meters may be initiated.

ci

CONCLUSIONS

The invention offers a simple distributed peer-to-peer metering of cashless game sessions that is secure, robust, scalable and that requires no central system.

All the sensitive operations are carried out by the secure software (preferably -certified by a recognized test laboratory) that executes in each gaming machine. All the access points to any of the gaming terminals such as the cashier terminal or the automated cashier require only basic stateless client applications operating over a secure network protocol such as IPSec or SSL. Moreover, sophisticated relational databases are not required. Wireless laptops or palmtops may be advantageously used as entry or conrol terminals.

The invention supports all forms of cashless instruments such as Sa player account whereby primary meters are the monetary credit balance associated to a patron ID; an anonymous game session account whereby primary meters are tbe 2s monetary credit balance associated to a game session ID; a a voucher verification account whereby the primary meters are the monetary value and the hash associated to the value amount and the encrypted signature printed or encoded on the voucher; a time gaming account whereby the primary meters are the time-to-play balance and the total of.the winnings associated to a patron ID or to a game session ID; a smartcard reconciliation account whereby the primary meters are a mirrored copy of the meters managed in the secure electronic module of the smartcard.

COMS ID No: SBMI-07116918 Received by IP Australia: Time 15:25 Date 2007-04-24 24-04-'07 15:13 FROM-DCC SYDNEY +61292621080 T-742 P021/035 F-732 -16- The invention may be advantageously deployed for small to medium size game operators.

Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context o requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" or 0 0 5 "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group O of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

SThe reference in this specification to any prior publication (or information derived C, from it), or to any matter which is known, is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement or admission or any form of suggestion that that prior publication (or information derived from it) or known matter forms part of the common general knowledge in the field of endeavour to which this specification relates.

Whilst the present invention has been hereinbefore described with reference to a particular embodiment, it will be understood that numerous variations and modifications will be envisaged by persons skilled in art. All such variations and modifications should be considered to fall within the scope of the invention as broadly hereinbefore described and as hereinafter claimed.

COMS ID No: SBMI-07116918 Received by IP Australia: Time 15:25 Date 2007-04-24

Claims (11)

1. 24-04-' 07 15:13 FHOM-DCC SYDNEY 592100T72 P203F-2 -61292621030 T-742 P022/035 F-732 o -17- The claims defining the invention are as follows: I A method for metering games played by a player on a network including a plurality of networked gaming terminals, the method comprising the steps of: 00 s storing meters in a first gaming terminal of the plurality of networked gaming o terminals on which the player initiates a game;, o updating the stored meters according to an outcome of the game on the first gaming terminal; carrying out a direct transfer of the updated stored meters from the first gaming terminal directly to a second gamning terminal of the plurality of networked gaming terminals responsive to the player initiating a game on the second gaming terminal. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the direct transfer in the carrying out step is requested by the second gaming terminal upon the player initiating the game on the second gaining terminal. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the carrying out step is preceded by a step of the second gaming terminal broadcasting a query to the plurality of networked gaming terminals to determine which of the plurality of networked gaming terminals currently stores the meters. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the direct transfer in the carrying out step is a tansaction that is initiated and carried out solely by and between the first and second gaming terminals. COMS ID No: SBMI-07116918 Received by IP Australia: Time 15:25 Date 2007-04-24 24-04-'07 15:14 FHOH-DCC SYDNEY +622200T72 P2/3 -3 +61292621080 T-742 P023/035 F-732 PawPOOCSIA KW'5jcif otiorw2 17OO~I C ,C~f$dC2A20 The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second gaming terminals are the only ones of the plurality of gaming terminals that are involved in a detennination of whether and when to carry out the direct transfer of the meters. 00 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of storing meters in a first gaming terminal includes acceptance of an initial credit received from the player via a direct o payment instrument. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of updating the stored meters includes updating in accordance with further credits received from the player via a direct payment instrument. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of carrying a direct transfer of' the updated meters from the first gaming terminal to a second gaming terminal is followed, if successful, b y a step of canceling the meters on the first gaming terminal, 9. The method of claim 2, wherein the carrying out step is preceded by a step of the second gaming terminal querying an index server on the network that monitors play activity on the network in order to determine which of the plurality of networked gaming terminals currently stores the meters. A method for metering game sessions played by a player on a network including a plurality of networked gaming terminals, the method comprising the steps of- storing meters in a first gaming terminal of the plurality of networked gaming terminals on which the player initiates a game session; COMS ID No: 5BMI-07116918 Received by IP Australia: Time 15:25 Date 2007-04-24 24-04-' 07 15:14 FHOM-DCC SYDNEY 126200T72 0403 F-2 +61292621080 T-742 P024/035 F-732 o -19- updating the stored meters according to an outcome of the game on the first gaming c-i terminal; carrying out a direct transfer of the updated stored meters from the first gaming O terminal directly to a second gaming terminal of the plurality of networked gaming 00 terminals responsive to the player resuming a game session on the second gaming terminal. *11, The method of claim 10 wherein the direct transfer in the carrying out step is requested by the second gaming terminal upon the-player resuming the game session onl the second gaming terminal. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the carrying out step is preceded by a step of the second gaming terminal broadcasting a query to the plurality of networked gaming terminals to determine which of the plurality of networked gaming terminals currently stores the meters associated to the current game session. 13. The method of claim 10, wherein the direct transfer in the carrying out sttp is a transaction that is initiated and carried out solely by and between the first and second iS gaming terminals. 14. The method of claim 10, wherein the first and second gaming terminals are the only ones of the plurality of gaming terminals that are involved in a determination of whether and when to carry out the direct transfer of the meters. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of storing meters in a first gaming terminal includes acceptance of an initial credit received from the player via a direct payment instrument. COMS ID No: SBMI-07116918 Received by IP Australia: Time 15:25 Date 2007-04-24 24-04-' 07 15:14 FROII-DCC SYDNEY 62610 T72P2/5F-3 -61292621080 T-742 P025/035 F-732 o 16. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of updating the stored meters Cl includes updating in accordance with further credits received from the player via a direct payment instrument. 0 17. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of carrying a direct transfer of the updated meters from the first gaming terminal to a second gaming terminal is followed, if o successful, by a step of canceling the meters on the first gaming terminal. 18. The method of claim 11, wherein the carrying out step is preceded by a step of the second gaming terminal querying an index server on the network that monitors play activity on the network in order to determine which of the plurality of networked gaming terminals currently stores the meters for the current game session. 19. A network of gaming terminals, comprising: a network; a first gaming terminal coupled to the network, and configured to store and update meters depending upon an outcome of a game played on the first gaming terminal; is a second gaming terminal coupled to the network, and configured to store and update meters depending upon an outcome of a game played on the second gaming terminal; a third gamning terminal coupled to the network, and configured to store and update meters depending upon an outcome of a game played on the third gaming terminal, wherein each of the gaming terminals is also configured to determine which one of the first, second or third gaming terminals currently stores a player's meters and to obtain COMS ID No: SBMI-071 16918 Received by IP Australia: Time 15:25 Date 2007-04-24 24-04-' 07 15:14 FHOtI-DOC SYDNEY 526130T72 06/5F-2 -61292621080 T-742 P026/035 F-732 o 21 the player's meters through a direct transfer from the determined one of the first, second or Cl third gaming tenminal. The network of gaming terminals of claim 19, wherein each of the gaming 0 terminals is configured to initiate the direct transfer of the player's meters when the player Cl s changes game play from one of the first, second or third gamning terminal to another one of o the first, second or third gaming terminals. 21. The network of gaming terminals of claim 19, wherein each of the first, second and third gaming terminals is configured to broadcast a request for the player's meters to other ones of the first, second and third gaming terminals, and each of the gaming terminals is further Configured to respond to the request only if The player's meters are stored therein. 22- The network of gaming terminals of claim 19, wherein each of the first, second and third gaming terminals is configured to initiate and carry out the direct transfer such that the direct transfer is a transaction that is initiated and carried out solely by and 1s between two of the first, second and third gaming terminals, 23. The network of gaming terminals of claim 19, wherein each of the first, second and third gaming terminals is configured to determine whether and when obtain the player's meters. 24. The network of gaming terminals of claim 19, wherein each of the first, second and third gamning terminals is configured for storing an initial and/or further credit received from the player. COMS ID No: SBMI-07116918 Received by IP Australia: Time 15:25 Date 2007-04-24 24-04-'07 15:15 FROM-DCC SYDNEY +61292621080 T-742 P027/35 F-732 PAWDPOCS AKUIpatpl i °r pi 2L(()202 li di i mI4c-4tl^ 4in 0 o -22- ci u 25. A gaming terminal, comprising: ci communication means for communicating with a network; storage means for storing a player's meters; O user interaction and processing means for enabling game play with a user and for 00 o 5 updating the player's stored meters depending upon an outcome of the game play; means for requesting and obtaining the player's meters stored on an other gaming 0 terminal directly from the other gaming terminal via the communication means, the requesting and obtaining means being configured to activate when the player first initiates the game play.
2. 26. The gaming terminal of claim 25, wherein the requesting and obtaining means are further configured to store newly obtained meters in the storage means.
3. 27. The gaming terminal of claim 25, wherein the requesting and obtaining means are further configured to broadcast over the network a request for the player's meters to other gaming terminals coupled to the network and to selectively respond to requests for meters from other gaming terminals coupled to the network.
4. 28. The gaming terminal of claim 27, wherein the requesting and obtaining means are further configured to only respond to requests for meters if the requested meters are stored in the storage means.
5. 29. The gaming terminal of claim 27, wherein the requesting and obtaining means are further configured for querying an index server on the network that monitors play activity on the network in order to determine which of the plurality of networked gaming terminals to forward the request for meters. COMS ID No: SBMI-07116918 Received by IP Australia: Time 15:25 Date 2007-04-24 24-04-'07 15:15 FROM-DCC SYDNEY +61292621080 T-742 P028/35 F-732 o -23- The gaming terminal of claim 27, wherein the storage means are configured c for accepting initial or further credits received from the player via a direct payment instrument, and updating the meters accordingly. 00 31. A method of metering games played by a player on a network including a c! 5 plurality of networked gaming terminals, the player being provided with an ID instrument, O the method comprising the steps of: reading the ID instrument submitted by the player by one of the plurality of networked gaming terminals; enabling the player to initiate game play on the gaming terminal to which the ID instrument is submitted; encoding an identity of the gaming terminal on which the player initiated game play on the submitted ID instrument; storing meters in the gaming terminal on which the player initiate game play and updating the stored meters depending upon an outcome of the game play, and requesting and obtaining the meters directly from the gaming terminal whose identity is encoded on the player's ID instrument when the player submits the ID instrument to an other one of the plurality of networked gaming terminals.
6. 32. The method of claim 31, wherein the requesting and obtaining step is initiated and carried out by the gaming terminal to which the player lasi submitted the ID instrument.
7. 33. The method of claim 31, wherein the requesting and obtaining step is carried out such that the requested meters are directly transferred between the gaming COMS ID No: SBMI-07116918 Received by IP Australia: Time 15:25 Date 2007-04-24 24-04-'07 15:15 FROM-DCC SYDNEY +61292621080 T-742 P029/0(35 F-732 MitrftfCSIA ewS] clnia lll'l;(B 1; air mLoct.4a N2LmWot 0 o 24- machine in which the meters are stored and the gaming machine to which the player last c submitted the ID instrument.
8. 34. The method of claim 31, further including a broadcasting step to broadcast a o0 request for meters when the gaming terminal whose identity is encoded on the player's ID os instrument does not respond. c o 35. A method for metering games played by a player on a network including a plurality N of networked gaming terminals, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying figures.
9. 36. A network of gaming terminals, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying figures.
10. 37. A gaming terminal, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying figures.
11. 38. A method for metering games played by a player on a network including a plurality of networked gaming terminals, the player being provided with an ID instrument, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying figures. COMS ID No: SBMI-07116918 Received by IP Australia: Time 15:25 Date 2007-04-24