METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING GAME PLAY AND GENERATING AN AUTHENTICATABLE AUDIT-TRAIL
A remote gaming systems whereby a player can gamble against a wagering establishment or state-run lottery from a remote location on a personal computer or portable computer device where it is unnecessary to establish an on-line connection with a host computer associated with the wagering establishment, the gaming computer having associated gaming software for providing at least one wagering opportunity and enabling the player to obtain gambling credit and cash-out any resulting winnings, the host computer enabling the player to purchase and redeem gambling credit at the remote location in one embodiment of the invention using cryptographic protocols such as through a series of authenticatable message exchanges between the player and the wagering establishment, the gaming computer and the host computer directly on-line, or the gaming computer having a detachable tamper-resistant or tamper-evident credit module associated therewith or for use with a personal computer being provided to the player with preinstalled or preloaded gambling credit, the gaming system also enabling participation in future events of which the outcome is uncertain such as, for example, a lottery whereby the player makes selections on a gaming computer at a remote location.
1 - 39 . (canceled)
40 . A method, comprising the steps of:
executing a computer game program to generate a computer game outcome, wherein generating the computer game outcome comprises
determining an input from a player, the input being provided to a console controlled by a first processor that is not within a secure perimeter and the input comprising a first value for a first variable of a game,
determining a second value for a second game variable, the second value being generated by a second processor that is within a secure perimeter, the value being generated after the input from the player is determined, and
determining the game outcome based on both the first value and the second value;
encoding the computer game outcome to generate an encoded message, wherein the encoding occurs in a dongle removably coupled to the console; and
providing said encoded message to a user.
41 . The method of claim 40 wherein said encoded message contains information selected from the group consisting of (a) a random number generated by a central computer, (b) a number corresponding to a time at which said outcome was generated, (c) a number which is incremented upon each successive outcome of said computer game and (d) an end parameter received from a central computer.
42 . The method of claim 40 , wherein providing the encoded message to the user comprises decoding the message and causing a representation of the computer game outcome to be displayed to the player via a screen.
43 . A system, comprising:
a gaming console, the gaming console comprising
a first processor operable to facilitate a game of skill, and
an input mechanism operable to receive an input from a player; and
a plug-in module operable to interface with the gaming console, the plug-in module comprising a second processor in a secure perimeter,
wherein the plug-in module is operable to
generate, after the input from the player is received by the gaming console, a value for a game variable; and
transmit the value to the gaming console;
wherein the gaming console is further operable to:
determine, based on the input and the value, an outcome for the game of skill.
44 . The system of claim 43 , wherein the plug-in module is further operable to encrypt the value.
45 . The system of claim 44 , wherein the plug-in module being operable to transmit the value comprises the plug-in module being operable to transmit the encrypted value to the gaming console.
46 . The system of claim 44 , wherein the gaming console is further operable to transmit the outcome to the plug-in module and wherein the plug-in module is further operable to store the outcome.
47 . The system of claim 46 , wherein the gaming console is further operable to encrypt the outcome and wherein the gaming console being operable to transmit the outcome to the plug-in module comprises the gaming console being operable to transmit the encrypted outcome to the plug-in module.
48 . The system of claim 47 , wherein the plug-in module being operable to store the outcome comprises the plug-in module being operable to store the encrypted outcome.
49 . The system of claim 43 , wherein the plug-in module is further operable to transmit to the gaming console, along with the value, a hash of the value.
50 . The system of claim 43 , wherein the gaming console is further operable to transmit the input to the plug-in module.
51 . The system of claim 50 , wherein the plug-in module being operable to generate the value comprises the plug-in module being operable to generate the value based on the input.
52 . The system of claim 43 , wherein the plug-in module is further operable to encrypt at least one of the input and the value and store a hash of the encrypted at least one of the input and the value.
53 . The system of claim 43 , wherein the plug-in module is operable to interface with the gaming console via a USB port of the gaming console.
54 . The system of claim 43 , wherein the gaming console is further operable to display a representation of the outcome to the player via a screen.
55 . The system of claim 43 , wherein the plug-in module being operable to generate the value comprises the plug-in module being operable to generate a random number.
56 . The system of claim 43 , wherein the plug-in module being operable to generate the value comprises the plug-in module being operable to use the input as a seed for generating the value.
57 . An apparatus comprising:
an interface for communicating with a gaming console;
a processor external to the gaming console, the processor residing within a secure perimeter; and
a memory operable to store a program for directing the processor to determine an outcome of a game of skill,
the processor being operable with the program to:
receive, from the gaming console, an indication of an input from a player, the input comprising a first value for a first variable of the game of skill;
generate, after receiving the indication, a second value for a second variable of the game of skill;
determine, based on the first value and the second value, an outcome for the game of skill;
encrypt the outcome; and
transmit the encrypted outcome to the gaming console.
58 . The apparatus of claim 57 , wherein the processor being operable with the program to generate the second value comprises the processor being operable with the program to generate a random number.
59 . The apparatus of claim 57 , wherein the processor being operable with the program to generate the second value comprises the processor being operable with the program to generate the second value based on the first value.
60 . The apparatus of claim 57 , wherein the processor is further operable with the program to store the encrypted outcome.
61 . The apparatus of claim 57 , wherein encrypting the outcome comprises generating a hash value, the hash value including an indication of at least one of the first value and the second value.
62 . A gaming console operable to facilitate a game of skill, the gaming console comprising:
a first processor operable to facilitate a game of skill;
an interface for communicating with a second processor external to the gaming console, the second processor residing within a secure perimeter; and
an input device for receiving an input from a player of the game of skill, the input comprising a first value for a first variable of the game;
a memory storing a program for directing the first processor,
the first processor being operable with the program to:
receive through the input device the first value for the first variable;
receive, from the second processor and after receiving the first value, a second value for a second variable of the game;
determine an outcome for the game based on the first and second value; and
encrypt the outcome.
63 . The gaming console of claim 62 , wherein the first processor is further operable with the program to transmit the encrypted outcome to the second processor.
64 . The gaming console of claim 62 , wherein the first processor is further operable receive from the second processor, along with the second value, a hash of the second value.
65 . The gaming console of claim 62 , wherein the first processor is further operable to transmit the first value to the second processor.
66 . The gaming console of claim 65 , wherein the first processor is further operable to display a representation of the outcome via a screen.
67 . The gaming console of claim 62 , wherein the first processor is further operable to transmit to the second processor the outcome and a hash value of the outcome.