Remote authentication of gaming software in a gaming system environment

Abstract

In one embodiment, a secure gaming system includes at least one gaming terminal and at least one gaming system server. The terminal(s) and server(s) communicate over a communication network. In one embodiment, a gaming system server is capable of performing an authentication routine of an executable gaming software program, by exchanging messages with a gaming terminal over the communication network. The authentication routine results in a determination of whether a copy of the executable gaming software program stored at the gaming terminal is substantially identical to a copy of the executable gaming software program accessible by the gaming system server.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method, performed by a gaming system server, comprising: 
 performing an authentication routine of an executable gaming software program, by exchanging messages with a gaming terminal over a communication network, wherein the authentication routine results in a determination of whether a copy of the executable gaming software program stored at a gaming terminal is substantially identical to a copy of the executable gaming software program accessible by the gaming system server.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein performing the authentication routine comprises: 
 forming a first message digest, which includes an encrypted version of a first software program component combined with a seed value;    transmitting the seed value over a communication network to a gaming terminal;    receiving, from the gaming terminal, a second message digest, which includes an encrypted version of a second software program component and the seed value;    comparing the second message digest to the first message digest; and    authenticating the second software program component if the first message digest is substantially identical to the second message digest.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein forming the first message digest comprises: 
 generating the seed value by a random number generator;    appending the seed value to the first software program component to form a combined first software program, the first software program component assumed to be substantially equivalent to the second software program component; and    applying a cryptographic method to the combined first software program to form the first message digest.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein transmitting the seed value comprises transmitting the seed value over a virtual private network.  
     
     
         5 . A method, performed by a gaming terminal, comprising: 
 receiving one or more authentication-related messages from a gaming system server over a communication network; and    sending at least one responsive message to the gaming system server, in response to receiving the one or more authentication-related messages, in order to enable the gaming system server to authenticate a copy of an executable gaming software program stored at the gaming terminal.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein receiving the one or more authentication-related messages comprises: 
 receiving a seed value over the communication network from the gaming system server.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 forming a first message digest, which includes an encrypted version of the seed value combined with a first software program component within the gaming terminal; and    wherein sending the at least one responsive message includes transmitting the first message digest over the communication network to the gaming system server.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein forming the first message digest comprises: 
 appending the seed value to the first software program component to form a combined first software program; and    applying a cryptographic method to the combined first software program to form the first message digest.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein transmitting the first message digest comprises transmitting the first message digest over a virtual private network.  
     
     
         10 . A method comprising: 
 a gaming system server forming a first message digest, which includes an encrypted version of a first software program component combined with a seed value;    transmitting the seed value over a communication network to a gaming terminal;    receiving, from the gaming terminal, a second message digest, which includes an encrypted version of a second software program component and the seed value;    comparing the second message digest to the first message digest; and    authenticating the second software program component if the first message digest is substantially identical to the second message digest.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein forming the first message digest comprises: 
 generating the seed value by a random number generator;    appending the seed value to the first software program component to form a combined first software program, the first software program component assumed to be substantially equivalent to the second software program component; and    applying a cryptographic method to the combined first software program to form the first message digest.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein transmitting the seed value comprises transmitting the seed value over a virtual private network.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the gaming system server initiates taking the gaming terminal out of service when the first message digest is not substantially identical to the second message digest.  
     
     
         14 . A method comprising: 
 receiving, by a gaming terminal, a seed value over a communication network from a gaming system server;    forming a first message digest, which includes an encrypted version of the seed value combined with a first software program component within the gaming terminal; and    transmitting the first message digest over the communication network to the gaming system server.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein forming the first message digest comprises: 
 appending the seed value to the first software program component to form a combined first software program; and    applying a cryptographic method to the combined first software program to form the first message digest.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein transmitting the first message digest comprises transmitting the first message digest over a virtual private network.  
     
     
         17 . In a gaming system having a plurality of gaming devices interconnected by a communication network, a method comprising: 
 a first gaming device remotely authenticating a first software program component within a second gaming device that is remotely located from the first gaming device, wherein remote authentication is performed by selecting a seed value generated by a random number generator;    appending the seed value to a second software program component to form a combined second software program, the second software program component substantially equivalent to the first software program component;    applying a cryptographic method to the combined second software program to form a first message digest;    transmitting the seed value to the second gaming device having the first software program component;    receiving a second message digest from the second gaming device, the second message digest formed by applying the cryptographic method to a combined first software program component, the combined first software program component formed by appending the seed value to the first software program component;    comparing the second message digest to the first message digest; and    authenticating the first software program component if the first message digest is substantially identical to the second message digest.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first gaming device includes a server in a jurisdictional data center, and wherein the second gaming device includes a gaming terminal in a casino customer network.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first gaming device includes a server in a casino customer corporate center, and wherein the second gaming device includes a gaming terminal in a casino customer network associated with the casino customer corporate center.  
     
     
         20 . A gaming system comprising: 
 a gaming system server, which performs an authentication routine of an executable gaming software program, by exchanging messages with a gaming terminal over a communication network, wherein the authentication routine results in a determination of whether a copy of the executable gaming software program stored at a gaming terminal is substantially identical to a copy of the executable gaming software program accessible by the gaming system server; and    one or more gaming terminals, interconnected with the at least one gaming system server over the communication network.    
     
     
         21 . A computer-readable medium having program instructions stored thereon to perform a method, which when executed within an electronic device, result in: 
 a gaming system server performing an authentication routine of an executable gaming software program, by exchanging messages with a gaming terminal over a communication network, wherein the authentication routine results in a determination of whether a copy of the executable gaming software program stored at a gaming terminal is substantially identical to a copy of the executable gaming software program accessible by the gaming system server.    
     
     
         22 . A computer-readable medium having program instructions stored thereon to perform a method, which when executed within an electronic device, result in: 
 a gaming terminal receiving one or more authentication-related messages from a gaming system server over a communication network; and    sending at least one responsive message to the gaming system server, in response to receiving the one or more authentication-related messages, in order to enable the gaming system server to authenticate a copy of an executable gaming software program stored at the gaming terminal.