Secure offline interactive gambling
View Patent ↗A secure offline interactive gambling system includes a subscriber unit operative, through interaction with a user, to execute an offline interactive gambling application, a secure processor operatively associated with the subscriber unit and a central gambling facility. The secure processor includes a random gambling input generator operative to randomly or pseudo-randomly generate gambling input to the offline interactive gambling application during execution of the offline interactive gambling application, and a secure memory operatively associated with the random gambling input generator and operative to securely store information related to the execution of the offline interactive gambling application. The information, that is securely stored and the user cannot modify, typically includes the gambling input and user selections made in response to the gambling input and can be used to derive at least one result of the offline interactive gambling application. The information is transmitted to the central gambling facility that re-executes the offline interactive gambling application with the information replacing the gambling input actually generated and the user selections actually entered. By re-executing the offline interactive gambling application at the central gambling facility the at least one result is derived and validated and the user may be credited or debited based on the at least one result. Related apparatus and method are also described.
1. A secure offline interactive gambling system comprising:
a subscriber unit operative to insecurely store an offline interactive gambling application including all rules governing execution of the offline interactive gambling application, and, through interaction with a user, to execute the offline interactive gambling application; and
a secure processor in or removably insertable in the subscriber unit so as to be operatively associated with the subscriber unit, the secure processor comprising:
a random gambling input generator operative to randomly or pseudo-randomly generate a gambling input to the offline interactive gambling application during execution of the offline interactive gambling application, and
a secure memory operatively associated with the random gambling input generator, the secure memory being operative to securely store information related to the execution of the offline interactive gambling application, said information comprising information from which at least one result of the offline interactive gambling application can be derived, said information related to the execution of the offline interactive gambling application comprising:
a log of the gambling input generated during the execution of the offline interactive gambling application; and
a log of at least some of the user selections made in response to the gambling input during the execution of the offline interactive gambling application; and
a communication interface operatively associated with the subscriber unit and the secure processor, the communication interface being operative to securely transmit the information related to the execution of the offline interactive gambling application.
2. The system according to claim 1 and wherein said information related to the execution of the offline interactive gambling application comprises a log of all user selections made in response to said gambling input during execution of the offline interactive gambling application.
3. The system according to claim 1 and wherein said communication interface is also operative to receive indications of credit or debit.
4. The system according to claim 1 and wherein the subscriber unit comprises a set-top box (STB) and the secure processor is comprised in a removable security element.
5. The system according to claim 4 and wherein the removable security element comprises a smart card.
6. The system according to claim 1 and wherein the offline interactive gambling application comprises a game that is at least partially based on chance.
7. The system according to claim 6 and wherein the game comprises at least one of the following: a game of Poker; a game of Blackjack; and a Roulette game.
8. The system according to claim 1 and also comprising a central gambling facility operative to check said information and to decide said at least one result of the offline interactive gambling application.
9. The system according to claim 8 and wherein said central gambling facility is operative to check said information and to decide said at least one result by re-executing the offline interactive gambling application with said information replacing said gambling input and user selections made in response to said gambling input.
10. The system according to claim 9 and wherein said central gambling facility re-executes the offline interactive gambling application by performing at least one of the following: a repeated execution of a portion of the offline interactive gambling application; a repeated execution of the entire offline interactive gambling application; and execution of a corresponding verification application that provides results substantially identical to results obtained by execution of the offline interactive gambling application.
11. The system according to claim 9 and wherein said central gambling facility re-executes the offline interactive gambling application in a secure mode.
12. A secure offline interactive gambling method comprising performing the following steps at a location at which a user is present:
insecurely storing an offline interactive gambling application including all rules governing execution of the offline interactive gambling application;
executing the offline interactive gambling application through interaction with the user;
randomly or pseudo-randomly generating gambling input to the offline interactive gambling application during execution of the offline interactive gambling application;
securely storing information related to the execution of the offline interactive gambling application, said information comprising information from which at least one result of the offline interactive gambling application can be derived, said information related to the execution of the offline interactive gambling application comprising:
a log of the gambling input generated during the execution of the offline interactive gambling application; and
a log of at least some of the user selections made in response to the gambling input during the execution of the offline interactive gambling application; and
securely transmitting the information related to the execution of the offline interactive gambling application.
13. The method according to claim 12 and wherein said securely storing comprises securely storing a log of all user selections made in response to said gambling input during execution of the offline interactive gambling application.
14. The method according to claim 12 and also comprising receiving indications of credit or debit.
15. The method according to claim 12 and wherein the offline interactive gambling application comprises a game that is at least partially based on chance.
16. The method according to claim 15 and wherein the game comprises at least one of the following: a game of Poker; a game of Blackjack; and a Roulette game.
17. The method according to claim 12 and also comprising checking said information and deciding said at least one result of the offline interactive gambling application at a central gambling facility.
18. The method according to claim 17 and wherein said checking and said deciding comprise re-executing the offline interactive gambling application with said information replacing said gambling input and user selections made in response to said gambling input.
19. The method according to claim 18 and wherein said re-executing comprises at least one of the following: repeating execution of a portion of the offline interactive gambling application; repeating execution of the entire offline interactive gambling application; and executing a corresponding verification application that provides results substantially identical to results obtained by execution of the offline interactive gambling application.
20. The method according to claim 18 and wherein said re-executing comprises re-executing the offline interactive gambling application in a secure mode.
21. A secure offline interactive gambling system comprising:
subscriber unit means for insecurely storing an offline interactive gambling application including all rules governing execution of the offline interactive gambling application, and for executing the offline interactive gambling application through interaction with a user;
means in or insertable in the subscriber unit means for securely processing which comprise:
means for randomly or pseudo-randomly generating gambling input to the offline interactive gambling application during execution of the offline interactive gambling application, and
means for securely storing information related to the execution of the offline interactive gambling application, said information comprising information from which at least one result of the offline interactive gambling application can be derived, said information related to the execution of the offline interactive gambling application comprising:
a log of the gambling input generated during the execution of the offline interactive gambling application; and
a log of at least some of the user selections made in response to the gambling input during the execution of the offline interactive gambling application; and
means for securely transmitting the information related to the execution of the offline interactive gambling application.