Gaming software authentication

Abstract

A method for run-time authentication of memory contents of a gaming machine includes the acts of conducting a wagering game on the gaming machine and, during the conducting step, authenticating a high capacity memory in a first authentication cycle. The high capacity memory contains program code for operating a wagering game at the gaming machine and the first authentication cycle includes the acts of reading data from the high capacity memory, generating first authentication data corresponding to the data files, and verifying the first authentication data. The method also includes, during the conducting step, authenticating at least one other memory in the gaming machine in a second authentication cycle, including processing second authentication data of a data file within the at least one other memory.

1 . A method for run-time authentication of memory contents of a gaming machine, comprising: 
 conducting a wagering game on the gaming machine;    during said conducting step, authenticating a high capacity memory in a first authentication cycle, the high capacity memory containing program code for operating a wagering game at the gaming machine, the first authentication cycle including reading data from the high capacity memory, generating first authentication data corresponding to the data files, and verifying the first authentication data; and    during said conducting step, authenticating at least one other memory in the gaming machine in a second authentication cycle, including processing second authentication data of a data file within the at least one other memory.    
   
   
       2 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the first authentication data is a first message digest and the second authentication data is a second message digest.  
   
   
       3 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the first authentication data is a first signature and the second authentication data is a second signature.  
   
   
       4 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the program code stored in the first memory is a game data set and wherein files stored in the at least one other memory include at least one of boot code, jurisdiction specific data, data identifying the gaming machine, and authentication data.  
   
   
       5 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said first authentication cycle and said second authentication cycle are conducted repeatedly.  
   
   
       6 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said second authentication cycle further comprises verifying a non-volatile random access memory (RAM) of the gaming machine that is used to store authentication data.  
   
   
       7 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said second authentication cycle comprises authenticating a serial memory of the gaming machine, authenticating a boot memory of the gaming machine and authenticating files that are executing from system random access memory (RAM) of the gaming machine.  
   
   
       8 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein verifying the first authentication data is accomplished by applying a DSA verify operation.  
   
   
       9 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein processing the second authentication data is accomplished by comparing the second authentication data to corresponding authentication data stored in non-volatile random access memory (RAM).  
   
   
       10 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said first authentication cycle comprises authenticating the contents of the high capacity memory as a whole.  
   
   
       11 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said second authentication cycle comprises authenticating one or more individual files stored in the at least one other memory device.  
   
   
       12 . A method as recited in  claim 1  wherein said first authentication cycle and said second authentication cycle occur concurrently.  
   
   
       13 . A method for run-time authentication of contents of a high capacity memory of a gaming machine, comprising: 
 conducting a wagering game on the gaming machine by executing, with a processor, program code stored on a high capacity memory of the gaming machine;    authenticating the high capacity memory of the gaming machine in a first authentication cycle during said step of conducting; and    authenticating at least one other memory in the gaming machine in a second authentication cycle during said step of conducting.    
   
   
       14 . A method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said step of authenticating a high capacity memory comprises reading data files from the high capacity memory, generating first authentication data corresponding to the data files, and verifying the first authentication data, and wherein said step of authenticating at least one other memory in the gaming machine comprises processing second authentication data of a data file within the at least one other memory.  
   
   
       15 . A method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the first authentication data is a first message digest and the second authentication data is a second message digest.  
   
   
       16 . A method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the first authentication data is a first signature and the second authentication data is a second signature.  
   
   
       17 . A method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the program code stored in the first memory is a game data set and wherein files stored in the at least one other memory include at least one of boot code, jurisdiction specific data, data identifying the gaming machine, and authentication data.  
   
   
       18 . A method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said first authentication cycle and said second authentication cycle are conducted repeatedly.  
   
   
       19 . A method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said second authentication cycle further comprises verifying a non-volatile random access memory (RAM) of the gaming machine that is used to store authentication data.  
   
   
       20 . A method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said second authentication cycle comprises authenticating a serial memory of the gaming machine, authenticating a boot memory of the gaming machine and authenticating files that are executing from system random access memory (RAM) of the gaming machine.  
   
   
       21 . A method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein verifying the first authentication data is accomplished by applying a DSA verify operation.  
   
   
       22 . A method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein processing the second authentication data is accomplished by comparing the second authentication data to corresponding authentication data stored in non-volatile random access memory (RAM).  
   
   
       23 . A method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said first authentication cycle comprises authenticating the contents of the high capacity memory as a whole.  
   
   
       24 . A method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said second authentication cycle comprises authenticating one or more individual files stored in the at least one other memory device.  
   
   
       25 . A method as recited in  claim 12  wherein said first authentication cycle and said second authentication cycle occur concurrently.  
   
   
       26 . A gaming machine for conducting a wagering game, said gaming machine comprising: 
 a high capacity memory having program code stored thereon;    a processor for executing the program code to conduct a wagering game on the gaming machine;    at least one other memory; and    a boot memory having an authentication routine stored thereon, said authentication routine being operative, while said gaming machine is conducting a wagering game, to authenticate the high capacity memory in a first authentication cycle and to authenticate said at least one other memory in a second authentication cycle.    
   
   
       27 . A gaming machine as recited in  claim 26 , wherein said authentication routine is operative to read data files from the high capacity memory, generate first authentication data corresponding to the data files, and verify the first authentication data, and wherein said authentication routine is operative to process second authentication data of a data file within said at least one other memory.  
   
   
       28 . A gaming machine as recited in  claim 27 , wherein said first authentication data is a first message digest and said second authentication data is a second message digest.  
   
   
       29 . A gaming machine as recited in  claim 27 , wherein said first authentication data is a first signature and said second authentication data is a second signature.  
   
   
       30 . A gaming machine as recited in  claim 27 , wherein the program code stored in the first memory is a game data set and the wherein files stored in said at least one other memory include at least one of boot code, jurisdiction specific data, data identifying the gaming machine, and authentication data.  
   
   
       31 . A gaming machine as recited in  claim 27 , wherein said first authentication cycle and said second cycle are conducted repeatedly.  
   
   
       32 . A gaming machine as recited in  claim 27 , wherein said second authentication cycle further comprises verifying a non-volatile random access memory (RAM) of the gaming machine that is used to store authentication data.  
   
   
       33 . A gaming machine as recited in  claim 27 , wherein said second authentication cycle comprises authenticating a serial memory of the gaming machine, authenticating a boot memory of the gaming machine, and authenticating files that are executing from system random access memory (RAM) of the gaming machine.  
   
   
       34 . A gaming machine as recited in  claim 27 , wherein the verify function of the first authentication data is accomplished by applying a DSA verify operation to the first authentication data.  
   
   
       35 . A gaming machine as recited in  claim 27 , wherein processing second authentication data is accomplished by comparing second authentication data to corresponding authentication data stored in non-volatile RAM.  
   
   
       36 . A method as recited in  claim 26 , wherein said first authentication cycle comprises authenticating one or more individual files stored in the at least one other memory device.  
   
   
       37 . A method as recited in  claim 27 , wherein said authentication second cycle comprises authenticating the contents of said high capacity memory as a whole.  
   
   
       38 . A gaming machine as recited in  claim 26 , wherein the first authentication cycle and the second authentication cycle occur concurrently.