Electronic casino gaming system with improved play capacity, authentication and security

Abstract

The electronic casino gaming system consists of several system components, including a microprocessor (12), a main memory unit (13) that is typically a random access memory, and a system boot ROM (14). Also included in the electronic casino gaming system are a non-volatile RAM (17), a mass storage unit (18), a disk subsystem (19), and a PCI bus (20). The disk subsystem (19) preferably supports SCSI-2 with options of fast and wide. A video subsystem (22) is also included in the electronic casino gaming system and is coupled to the PCI bus (20) to provide full color still images and MPEG movies.

Description

[0001]This application is the national stage of International Application No. PCT / US96 / 10463, filed on Jun. 17, 1996, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08 / 497,662, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,086, filed on Jun. 29, 1995.<?delete-end id="DEL-S-00001" ?> <?insert-start id="INS-S-00001" date="20061031" ?>Notice: More than one reissue application has been filed for the reissue of U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,396. The reissue applications are Reissue Application Ser. No. 10 / 225,096 filed Aug. 21, 2002, Reissue Application Ser. No. 10 / 224,680 filed Aug. 21, 2002 (the present application), Reissue Application Ser. No. 10 / 225,116 filed Aug. 21, 2002, Reissue Application Ser. No. 10 / 225,097 filed Aug. 21, 2002 and Reissue Application Ser. No. 10 / 224,699 filed Aug. 21, 2002, all of which are divisional reissues of U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,396, which issued from U.S. Ser. No. 08 / 981,882 which is the U.S. national phase of International Application No. PCT / US96 / 10463 file...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008]The invention comprises an electronic casino gaming system which greatly expands casino game play capability and enhances security and authentication capabilities. More particularly, the invention comprises an electronic casino gaming system and method having greatly expanded mass storage capability for storing a multiplicity of high resolution, high sound quality casino type games, and provides enhanced authentication of the stored game program information with a high security factor.

[0019]Electronic casino game systems incorporating the invention provide a vastly expanded capacity for more sophisticated and attractive casino-style games, while at the same time improving the authentication of the games without compromising security. In addition, casino game systems incorporating the invention provide great flexibility in changing casino game play, since the casino game data sets representing the various games can be stored in alterable media rather than read only memory units as with present casino game systems.

Problems solved by technology

While such electronic casino gaming systems have been found to be useful in promoting casino game play, the restriction requiring that the casino game program be stored in unalterable ROM memory, leads to a number of disadvantageous limitations.

First, due to the limited capacity of the ROM storage media traditionally used to hold the program, the scope of game play available with such systems is severely limited.

However, physical verification of such a large quantity of physical devices is not practical, and has thus far been an impediment to creating sophisticated games with more player appeal.

Second, the authentication check is only conducted on a limited basis (usually after a jackpot) or other significant winning game outcome, and the authentication procedure requires that game play be halted until the ROM contents have been found to be authentic.

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