# US 9,039,523 B2 · Avatar as security measure for mobile device use with electronic gaming machine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,039,523 B2 - Document ID: US9039523B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/531,441 - Filed: 2012-06-22 - Published: 2013-12-26 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2012-06-22 - Assignees: Igt - Applicants: Derrick Price; Dwayne R. Nelson; Dennis Thomas Kleppen - Inventors: Derrick Price; Dwayne R. Nelson; Dennis Thomas Kleppen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9039523B2 ## CPC - G07F 17/3241: {Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance (computer security G06F21/00)} - A63F 13/71: using secure communication between game devices and game servers, e.g. by encrypting game data or authenticating players - A63F 13/792: for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions - G06F 21/30: Authentication, i.e. establishing the identity or authorisation of security principals - G06F 21/31: User authentication - G06F 21/34: involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards - G06F 21/35: communicating wirelessly - G06F 21/36: by graphic or iconic representation - G06Q 20/4014: {Identity check for transactions} - G07F 17/3209: {Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen} - G07F 17/3211: {Display means} - G07F 17/3218: {wherein at least part of the system is portable} - G07F 17/3225: {Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users} - G07F 17/3237: {about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players} - G07F 17/3244: {Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes} - G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00}) - A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A gaming system compatible with patron-controlled portable electronic devices, such as smart phones or tablet computers, is described. The gaming system is configured to establish a secure communication session between an electronic gaming machine and a portable electronic device. The system can confirm that a communication session is secure by displaying pre-selected content unique to the portable electronic device. The content can be continuously displayed on the EGM during the active communication session to indicate that the session is secure. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of operating a gaming machine, the method comprising: detecting, at an electronic gaming machine, a request for initiating a secure communication session between a portable electronic device of a player in a wager-based gaming environment and the electronic gaming machine; receiving, at the electronic gaming machine and from the portable electronic device of the player, content selected by the player for confirming security of the secure communication session; initiating, by the electronic gaming machine, the secure communication session between the portable electronic device of the player and the electronic gaming machine; after initiating the secure communication session and receiving the player-selected content from the portable electronic device of the player, confirming, by the electronic gaming machine, that the secure communication session is between the portable electronic device of the player and the electronic gaming machine and not between any portable electronic devices of any other players and the electronic gaming machine by displaying the player-selected content on a display of the electronic gaming machine; and accepting, via an acceptor of the electronic gaming machine, a first physical item associated with a first monetary value and identifying, via a validator of the electronic gaming machine, the received first physical item. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the wager based gaming environment is a casino. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising requesting, via the electronic gaming machine, confirmation from the portable electronic device that the secure communication session is desired. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising receiving, at the electronic gaming machine and from the portable electronic device of the player, confirmation that the secure communication session is established and, thereafter, initiating, by the electronic gaming machine, the secure communication session between the portable electronic device of the player and the electronic gaming machine. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising receiving, at the electronic gaming machine and from the portable electronic device of the player, a cancellation request and, thereafter, terminating, via the electronic gaming device, the secure communication session between the portable electronic device of the player and the electronic gaming machine. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the steps in the method is performed by an application executing on the electronic gaming machine or on the portable electronic device of the player. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the player-selected content includes player-selected text. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the player-selected content includes a player-selected photo. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising continuously displaying the player-selected content on the display of the electronic gaming machine until the secure communication session is terminated. ### Claim 10 A method of operating a gaming machine, the method comprising: detecting, at an electronic gaming machine, a request for initiating a secure communication session between a portable electronic device of a player and the electronic gaming machine in a gaming environment; receiving, at the electronic gaming machine and from the portable electronic device, content selected by the player for confirming security of the secure communication session; determining, at the electronic gaming machine, whether the player-selected content is appropriate in the gaming environment; if the player-selected content is appropriate, initiating, by the electronic gaming machine, the secure communication session between the portable electronic device of the player and the electronic gaming machine and confirming, by the electronic gaming machine, that the secure communication session is between the portable electronic device of the player and the electronic gaming machine and not between any portable electronic devices of any other players and the electronic gaming machine by displaying the player-selected content on a display of the electronic gaming machine; and accepting, via an acceptor of the electronic gaming machine, a first physical item associated with a first monetary value and identifying, via a validator of the electronic gaming machine, the received first physical item. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising, if the player-selected content is not appropriate in the gaming environment, transmitting, via the electronic gaming machine and to the portable electronic device of the player, a request for different player-selected content. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising, if the player-selected content is not appropriate, displaying a message on the electronic gaming machine indicating that the player-selected content is not appropriate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving, at the electronic gaming machine, different content from the portable electronic device of the player and determining, at the electronic gaming machine, whether the different content is appropriate in the gaming environment. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein one or more of the steps in the method is performed by an application executing on the electronic gaming machine or on the portable electronic device of the player. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the player-selected content is displayed as a banner. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the player-selected content is displayed in a window separate from and in addition to a game window. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising continuously displaying the player-selected content on the display of the electronic gaming machine until the secure communication session is terminated. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising, after initiating the secure communication session, receiving, at the electronic gaming machine, information representing an input made to the portable device and providing, by the electronic gaming machine an indication representing the input made to the portable electronic device. ### Claim 19 A method of operating in a gaming machine, the method comprising: receiving, at an electronic gaming machine, a request from a portable electronic device of a player to establish a wireless communication link between the portable electronic device and the electronic gaming machine; transmitting, by the electronic gaming machine, a request to the portable electronic device of the player for content selected by the player for confirming security of the wireless communication link; receiving the player-selected content at the electronic gaming machine from the portable electronic device of the player; establishing a secure wireless communication session between the electronic gaming machine and the portable electronic device of the player and confirming, by the electronic gaming machine, that the secure wireless communication session is between the portable electronic device of the player and the electronic gaming machine and not between any portable electronic devices of any other players and the electronic gaming machine by displaying the player-selected content on a display of the electronic gaming machine; and accepting, via an acceptor of the electronic gaming machine, a first physical item associated with a first monetary value and identifying, via a validator of the electronic gaming machine, the received first physical item. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein establishing the secure wireless communication session is performed by a secondary controller on the electronic gaming machine that is separate from a game controller on the electronic gaming machine. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein the secondary controller is located in one of a player tracking unit, the validator, a card reader, and a printer coupled to the electronic gaming machine. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising continuously displaying the player-selected content on the display of the electronic gaming machine until the secure wireless communication session is terminated.