Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Game Card, Game Card System, Game Card Reader and
Method of Authentication and Fraud Prevention
Field
This irrvention relates in general to game cards, game card systems, game card
readers and
methods of authentication and fraud prevention and in particular to game
cards, game card
systems, game card readers and methods of game card authentication and fraud
prevention
for computer implemented games.
Background
Computer implemented games, such as video games and the like, and trading card
games
are well known in the art. U.S. Patent Application No. 2005/0020337 to Simmons
combiries elements of these two types of games and describes a barcode used to
store a
"cheat code" which confers some gaming advantage to the player of an
interactive computer
game.
U.S. Patent No. 6,119,943 to Christy discloses a barcode reader having two
scanner
heads, one for reading barcodes with IR ("infrared") light and the other for
reading visible
barcodes. Both barcodes are read at the same time. The main purpose of the
invention is
to increase the amount of information capable of being stored in the barcode
area by
overprinting barcodes one on top of the other.
U.S. Patent No. 6,269,169 to Funk et al. describes a document reader for
reading
documents such as passports. The reader uses a number of different light
sources and
wavelengths of light to sequentially scan the document to obtain multiple
images. The
document is first classified as to type by comparing the results of a first
scan to a database
of docuiment types. Once classified, the anti-counterfeiting information read
out of the
library is used to analyze the multiple scans for evidence of counterfeiting.
The above references do not disclose game card systems and methods that employ
IR and
visible codes to authenticate genuine game cards for a computer implemented
game and
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reject fraudulent cards. The references also do not disclose authentication
systems which
reject game cards based on the presence of visible barcode information.
Summary
The game card, game card system, game card reader and method of authentication
and
fraud prevention described herein seek to overcome the above disadvantages.
This is accomplished by providing machine-readable codes on game cards. The
codes are
read by a game card reader employing two code readers. One code reader uses
visible
light to at least detect the presence of the codes. The other code reader uses
infrared to
read the codes. A fraudulent code, copied or reproduced by photocopiers,
scanners and
digital cameras available to the general public, is detected based on an
analysis the output
from the two code readers. If the presence of a code on a game card is
detected by the
code reader using visible light, the game card is not authentic. If the code
is not readable by
the infrared code reader, the game care is not authentic.
Accordingly, there is described herein embodiments of the applicant's game
cards, game
card systems, game card readers and methods of authentication and fraud
prevention.
In particular, in one aspect, there is provided a game card for providing an
advantage to a
player of a computer implemented game including a game card reader for
providing
readings of the game card to the game, the game card comprising: a substrate;
an overlay
imaged on the substrate, the overlay reflecting infrared; and a machine-
readable code
imaged on top of the overlay for storing instructions for the game, the code
being absorptive
of infrared, the code being readable by the game card reader; wherein a
visible contrast
between the code and the overlay is low; and wherein the instructions are for
instructing the
game to provide the advantage to the player.
In another aspect, there is provided a game card reader for providing
instructions to a
computer implemented game including game cards, the game cards including a
machine-
readable code for storing the instructions, the game card reader comprising: a
housing; a
first code reader and a second code reader in the housing for reading the code
on at least
one of the game cards adjacent to the housing, the first code reader
comprising a visible
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light detector, the second code reader comprising an infrared detector; an
emitter in the
housing for emitting visible light, an emitter in the housing for emitting
infrared; and
a connection for providing readings of the code by the first code reader and
the second code
reader to the game.
In a further aspect, there is provided a method of authentication and fraud
prevention for a
game card, the game card for providing an advantage to a player of a computer
implemented game, the game card including a machine-readable code for storing
instructions for the game, the method comprising the steps of: reading the
code using
infrared; reading the code using visible light; providing the reading of the
code using infrared
and the reading of the code using visible light to the computer implemented
game;
determining authenticity of the game card based on an analysis of the reading
of the code
using infrared and the reading of the code using visible light; and executing
the instructions
if the game card is authentic.
In another aspect, there is provided a game card system for authenticating
game cards and
preveriting fraud comprising: a computer-implemented game; a game card reader
connected to the game; and game cards; wherein at least one of the game cards
comprises:
a) an overlay imaged on a substrate, the overlay reflecting infrared; b) a
machine-readable
code imaged on the overlay for storing instructions for the game, the code
being absorptive
of infrared, the code being readable by the game card reader; wherein a
visible contrast
between the code and the overlay is low, wherein the game card reader
comprises: a) a
housing; b) a first code reader and a second code reader in the housing for
reading the code
on the at least one of the game cards adjacent the housing, the first code
reader comprising
a visible light detector, the second code reader comprising an infrared
detector; c) an emitter
in the housing for emitting visible light, d) an emitter in the housing for
emitting infrared;
wherein the game card reader is adapted to provide to the game over the
connection: a) a
reading of the code on the at least one of the game cards adjacent the housing
by the first
code reader; and b) a reading of the code on the at least one of the game
cards adjacent
the housing b) the second code reader; wherein the game is adapted to
determine the
authenticity of the at least one of the game cards adjacent the housing based
on an analysis
of the readings of the code by the first and second code readers; and wherein
the game is
adapted to execute the instructions stored in the code on the at least one of
the game cards
adjacent the housing if the at least one of the game cards is authentic.
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Brief Description of the Drawings
Embodiments of the applicant's game cards, game card systems, game card
readers and
methods of authentication and fraud prevention will now be described by way of
example
and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 shows a simplified block diagram of one of the applicant's game card
systems.
FIG. 2 shows a front view of the game card of FIG. 1 when viewed under
infrared.
FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of one of the applicant's methods of authentication
and fraud
preverition.
FIG. 4 shows a detailed flowchart of one embodiment of step 408 of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 shows a detailed flowchart of another embodiment of the step 408 of
FIG. 3.
Detailed Description
The applicant's game cards, game card systems, game card readers and methods
of
authentication and fraud prevention are herein described in detail.
Machine-readable codes, for example barcodes, comprise a series of alternating
dark
portions and spaces. A code reader features a light emitter and a light
detector, for example
a photodiode sensor, that are generally placed next to each other. To read a
code, a reader
can be passed over the code in a relatively steady motion or the reader
remains stationary
and the code is "swiped" against it in a relatively steady motion. The
detector measures the
intensiity of the light reflected back from the code. Dark portions in the
code absorb light and
spaces reflect light. In order for a code to be read reliably, the amount of
light reflected by
the dark portions must be significantly lower than the amount of light
reflected by the
spaces, i.e. a sufficient contrast must exist between the dark bars and blank
spaces. If the
contrast between the bars and the spaces is low, the code will not be
readable.
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Most imaging processes produce various colors by combining appropriate
percentages of
three primary colors of the "subtractive" or "reflected light" color model:
Cyan (C), Magenta
(M) and Yellow (Y), with a carbon-based Black (K) added for density and
contrast. This
process is also known as the CMYK process.
Certain imaging processes, for example modern digital printing processes, are
capable of
printing exceptionally dark areas using the three CMY colours only. A black
color, using
carbon-based "K" ink, printed on top of this CMY background will have a very
low visible
contrast with respect to the CMY background and will not be readable using
ordinary visible-
light b,arcode readers. However, the carbon-based black "K" ink remains highly
absorptive
(that is non-reflective) in the infrared spectrum, whereas the CMY-printed
background area,
however dark under visible light, will reflect a significant amount of
infrared. Therefore, a
barcode printed using carbon-based black "K" ink on a saturated CMY background
will
provide sufficient contrast for reliable reading when illuminated and viewed
with infrared.
The applicant's game cards have a code that is absorptive of infrared printed
on a
background that is infrared-reflective, for example a black barcode of carbon-
based "K" ink
printed on a CMY-based dark purple background. When viewed in visible light,
the black-
on-purple code has a very low contrast, and indeed will not be readable or
detectable by an
ordinary barcode reader using visible light. However, if the code is
illuminated by infrared,
the code will have a high contrast when viewed by a barcode reader sensitive
to infrared,
since the black "K" bars absorb infrared and the CMY-based background is
highly reflective
to infrared. The applicant's code will be readable by an infrared barcode
reader, but not by
a barcode reader using visible light only.
Photocopiers, scanners and digital cameras available to the general public
capture images
utilizing the "additive" or "emitted light" color model, with Red (R), Green
(G) and Blue (B) as
primary colours. They are, therefore, unable to distinguish very well between
carbon-based
"K" and CMY-based dark areas of the code image. When the captured RGB image is
converted back into the CMYK color model in order to be duplicated, the
barcode will no
longer be black "K" overprinted on the CMY-based background. Instead, both the
barcode
and background will comprise significant percentages of all four colors (C, M,
Y and K) and
will not be capable of providing sufficient contrast under either visible or
infrared for the code
to be successfully read. Thus, the applicant's game card system protects
against fraudulent
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duplication of game cards by photocopying or by printing a scanned or
digitally
photographed image of a genuine game card.
However, an infrared barcode reader will read both carbon-based black-on-CMY
barcodes
and also ordinary barcodes printed using any dark color on a light background,
as long as
the dark colour is absorptive of infrared. Therefore, the applicant's game
card reader has a
first detector and a second detector. The first detector is sensitive to
visible light only and
the second detector is sensitive to infrared only. The game card reader has
either a single
emitter that emits both visible light and infrared, or two separate emitters,
one for emitting
visible light and a second for emitting infrared. In the case were the game
card reader has
two separate emitters, the emitters may be combined with the corresponding
detector to
comprise a first sensor that is sensitive to visible light only, and a second
sensor that is
sensitive to infrared only.
The first sensor is included in a first code reader that is sensitive to
visible light only. To
save costs, it is not necessary that the first code reader of applicant's game
card reader
actually be able to read the code. It is sufficient that the first code reader
only be capable of
detecting the presence of a normal visible code on the game card. The second
sensor is
included in a second infrared code reader that is sensitive to infrared only
and is capable of
reading the code.
By determining that the first (visible light) code reader detected the code,
the computer
impleniented game can identify and reject fraudulent cards that may have been
created by
reproducing the pattern of a genuine code in a dark colour on a light-coloured
background.
By determining that the second (infrared) code reader is unable to read a
code, the
computer implemented game can identify and reject fraudulent cards that may
have been
reproduced by photocopying or by printing a scanned or digitally photographed
image of a
genuine game card.
FIG.1 shows a game card system 100 for authenticating game cards and
preventing fraud.
The system includes a computer-implemented game 400, a game card reader 300
connected to the game, and game cards such as game card 200.
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FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the game card 200 viewed under infrared. Game
card 200
includes a substrate 202 and an overlay 204 imaged on the substrate. Imaging
can be
accornplished by a number of processes well known in the art, for example a
digital printing
process. The overlay 204 reflects infrared. The overlay can comprise any
infrared reflecting
material, for example, combinations of CMY inks. A machine-readable code 206,
for
example a barcode, is imaged on top of the overlay 204. The code 206 can
comprise any
infrared absorbing (that is non-reflecting) material, for example a carbon-
based "K" ink. The
code 206 stores instructions for the game. These instructions generally
instruct the game to
give some form of advantage to a game user. The instructions could, for
example, instruct
the game to give a user access to particular game features including access to
the game
itself, access to particular levels, unlimited life for a game character, or
unlimited
ammunition. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that it would be
possible to
include many other game advantages and game features in the instructions.
The visible contrast between the code 206 and the overlay 204 is so slight
that the code 206
cannot be read or detected by code-reading machines using visible light.
However, due to
the high infrared contrast between the code 206, which is absorptive of
infrared, and the
overlay 204, which is highly reflective of infrared, the code 206 can be
easily read by code-
reading machines utilizing infrared. Moreover, when the combination of overlay
204 and
code 206 is reproduced by copying machines utilizing the "additive" or
"emitted light" color
model, for example, photocopiers, scanners and digital cameras available to
the general
public, the resulting visible and infrared contrast between the code 206 and
the overlay 204
is so slight that the code 206 cannot be read by code-reading machines using
infrared or
visible light, and the presence of code 206 cannot be detected by a detector
sensitive to
visible light only.
The game card reader 300 will now be described in more detail. The game card
reader 300
includes a housing 302. A first code reader 304 and a second code reader 306
are
arranged in the housing for reading the code 206 on game card 200 that is
adjacent to the
housing. The first code reader 304 uses only visible light to read the code
and comprises a
visible light emitter and a visible light detector. The second code reader 306
uses only
infrared to view the code and comprises an infrared emitter and an infrared
detector. In the
alternative, as mentioned above, the visible light emitter and infrared
emitter may be
combiried into a single emitter that emits both visible light and infrared. In
that case, first
code reader 304 would comprise only a visible light detector, and second code
reader 306
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would comprise only an infrared detector. In a further alternative, and in
particular, to save
manuifacturing costs, it is only necessary that the first code reader 304 has
the ability to
detect the presence of a visible code on the game card 200 and does not
require the
additional ability to read the code 206. These types of code readers and
detectors are well
known in the art and are not discussed further by the applicant herein.
The game card reader 300 includes a microprocessor (not shown) for buffering
data
received from the code readers 304, 306, verifying checksums included in the
code, filtering
out gross reading errors, decoding and formatting raw code data into a
predetermined
format that can be used by the computer-implemented game 400. In the
alternative, these
functions can be performed by the computer-implemented game 400. The game card
reader 300 is connected to the computer-implemented game 400 by connection
308. The
connection 308 can be made by via a USB connection, by BluetoothTM technology,
infrared
or the like. When game card 200 is adjacent the game card reader 300, the code
readers
304, 306 read the code 206 and provide two code readings, one from each code
reader, to
the game 400. The code readings can, for example, comprise a unique sequence
of
numbers which can be recognized by the game as valid game instructions to
perform a
certairi action in the game. In the instance when first code reader 304 does
not read the
code 206, but merely detects the presence of a normal visible code, the code
reading from
code rPader 304 comprises only an indication that a visible code has or has
not been
detected. When code readers 304 or 306, are unable to read or detect the code
206 on the
adjacent game card, no reading will be provided to the game or, alternatively,
a reading will
be provided indicating that the code reader was unable to read or detect the
code. In
another aspect of the system 100, the game card reader 300 can provide the two
code
readings to the game 400 in a combined reading. In another aspect of the
system, the
game card reader 300 can provide an indication whether the first code reader
304 using
visible light detected the code.
Based on an analysis of the code readings provided to the game 400, the game
is adapted
to determine the authenticity of the game card 200 adjacent the game card
reader 300. If
the card 200 is determined to be authentic, the game executes the instructions
stored in the
code 206. Generally, the game card 200 is determined to be authentic if the
second code
reader 306 using infrared detects and reads the code 206, the code contains
valid
instructions for the game, and the visible light code reader 304 does not
indicate that the
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code 206 was detected. Thus, when a genuine code is fraudulently reproduced in
visible
ink with high contrast, the fraud will be detected, since the visible light
code reader 304 will
indicate that the code was detected.
Alternatively, the card 200 is determined to be authentic if the second code
reader 306 using
infrared reads the code 206, the code contains valid instructions for the
game, and the
reading of the code by the first code reader 304 using visible light does not
contain valid
instructions for the game. Generally, the reading of the code 206 will not
contain valid
instructions for the game 400 when, for example, the code is not detected on
the game card
200 or the code is detected but the code is not a code that is recognized by
the game as
containing valid game instructions.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing one embodiment of the applicant's method of
authentication
and fraud prevention as employed by game card system 100. It generally
comprises the
steps of:
1) reading the machine-readable code 206 on game card 200 using infrared, step
402;
2) reading the code 206 using visible light, step 404;
3) providing the reading of code using infrared and the reading of code using
visible light to
the computer implemented game 400, step 406;
4) determining authenticity of the game card 200 based on an analysis of the
reading of the
cocie using infrared and the reading of the code using visible light, step
408; and
5) if the game card is authentic, step 410, executing instructions stored in
the code, step
412.
A detailed flowchart of one embodiment of step 408 is shown in FIG. 4. In this
embodiment,
the reading of the code 206 by first code reader 304 using visible light
consists only of an
indication whether the code was detected. A game card is determined to be
authentic if the
second code reader 306 using infrared reads the code 206, the code contains
valid
instructions for the game, and the first code reader 304 using visible light
does not indicate
that the code 206 was detected.
In another embodiment of the method, the game card is determined to be
authentic if the
second code reader 306 using infrared reads the code 206, the code contains
valid
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instructions for the game, and the reading of the code by the first code
reader 304 using
visible light does not contain valid instructions for the game.
A detailed flowchart of another embodiment of step 408 is shown in FIG. 5.
This
embodiment includes the additional step of determining whether the reading of
the code 206
using infrared indicates that there should be a code detectable using visible
light on the
game card 200. This embodiment of the method can identify game cards, for
example
older versions of game cards, which were imaged using conventional barcodes
detectable
using visible light, but which are still authentic. These game cards would be
determined to
be not authentic by the steps shown in FIG. 4, due to the presence of code 206
detectable
using visible light. However, in the embodiment described in FIG. 5, these
game cards
would be determined to be authentic based on an indication, for example a
particular card
series number, in the reading of the code 206 using infrared. In other words,
a game card
is determined to be authentic if the second code reader 306 using infrared
reads the code
206, the code contains valid instructions for the game, the reading of the
code by the first
code reader 304 using visible light consists of an indication that the code
was detected, and
the reaiding of the code by the second code reader 306 using infrared contains
information
that indicates that the code should be detectable by the first code reader
using visible light.
All of the above features provide an illustration of preferred embodiments of
the applicant's
game cards, game card systems, game card readers and methods of authentication
and
fraud prevention, but are not intended to limit the scope of the invention,
which is fully
described in the claims below.
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