Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MULTI-FACTOR
LOCATION-BASED DEVICE VERIFICATION
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Patent
Application no. 17/073,971 filed on October 19, 2020, entitled "SYSTEMS AND
METHODS FOR MULTI-FACTOR LOCATION-BASED DEVICE VERIFICATION"
which is a continuation-in-part of and claims the benefit of and priority to
U.S.
Application No. 15/632,789, filed on June 26, 2017 and entitled SYSTEMS AND
METHODS FOR TWO-FACTOR LOCATION-BASED DEVICE VERIFICATION, the
disclosures of both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their
entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The subject matter disclosed herein relates to systems and
methods for device verification and, more particularly, to systems and methods
for multi-
factor location-based device verification, in which a physical location of a
device, such as
a mobile communications device within a casino sports book, is verified based
upon a
plurality of location factors.
[0003] Multi-factor authentication systems, such as two-factor
authentication systems, have been developed to authenticate a user's identity,
such as, for
example, based upon at least two pieces of information. For example, a
traditional two-
factor authentication system may authenticate the user based upon a password
provided to
the system by the user and a second piece of information known only to the
user, such as
a one-time verification code, generated by the system and delivered to the
user for the
purpose of authenticating the user to the system at the time the user requests
access. Such
two-factor authentication processes have not, however, been implemented for
verification
purposes, such as, for example, for the purpose of verifying the location of a
user or of a
device of the user. Rather, as described herein, most conventional two-factor
systems are
merely configured for the purpose of authenticating the identity of a user.
[0004] In addition, in the casino gaming industry, the proliferation of
mobile communication devices, such as smartphones, has led to the development
of
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technologies and systems for the implementation of casino games that may be
played on
mobile communications devices. To
implement a casino game on a mobile
communications device, however, many gaming jurisdictions within the United
States
require some form of verification that the user of the mobile communications
device is
physically located on the casino property. To satisfy this requirement, some
known
systems include a mobile communications device that is temporarily issued to a
user by
the casino. The presence of the user (as well as the mobile communications
device) on
the casino property is thus ensured by the casino's control over, and
ownership of, the
mobile communications device.
[0005] Such conventional systems are deficient, however, in that many
casino patrons would prefer to play casino games, or to place wagers, from
their personal
mobile communications devices (e.g., from their personal smartphones).
Traditionally,
such systems have been difficult to implement, particularly where it is
necessary to ensure
that the casino patron is physically located within a particular casino
property. For
example, the verification processes implemented by many conventional location-
based
verification systems can be circumvented by users, such as, for example, by
spoofing a
device location, such that the device appears to be located within a
particular casino
property irrespective of the actual device location.
[0006] In addition, at least some drawbacks associated with traditional
location-based verification techniques are exacerbated under circumstances
that require
more precise location-based verification of a mobile communications device
within a
casino. For example, in order to permit a user to place wagers within a casino
sports
book from a mobile communications device, it may be necessary to verify that
the user is
within the casino itself and that the user is within the area of the sports
book. Thus, under
certain circumstances, a more precise verification of a user's location within
a casino may
be necessary.
[0007] Systems and methods for more reliably verifying the physical
location of a mobile communications device are therefore desirable. More
specifically,
systems and methods for multi-factor verification of a device location are
desirable,
particularly systems and methods capable of multi-factor verification of a
physical
location of a mobile communications device within a predetermined location,
such as a
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predetermined location configured within software and pushed out to a mobile
application
executing on the mobile communications device. In some
instances, such a
predetermined location may include a sports book of a casino.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
[0008] In one aspect, a system for multi-factor location-based device
verification is provided. The system includes a processor and a non-
transitory, tangible,
computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, in
response to
execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations
including: (i)
receiving, from a client device of a user, a request to register for a new
wagering account;
(ii) receiving, from the client device, a first location factor, the first
location factor
including global positioning system (GPS) data received from a source device
located
outside a predefined area, the first location factor being used to provide map
directions to
the predefined area; (iii) receiving, from the client device, a second
location factor, the
second location factor including information received from a first wireless
beacon located
within the predefined area; (iv) receiving, from the client device, a third
location factor,
the third location factor including information received from a second
wireless beacon
located within the predefined area; (v) determining, based at least upon the
second
location factor and the third location factor, that the client device is
within the predefined
area; and (vi) creating, in response to the determining, the new wagering
account for the
user of the client device.
[0009] In another aspect, a method for multi-factor location-based device
verification is provided. The method includes: (i) receiving, from a client
device of a
user, a request to register for a new wagering account; (ii) receiving, from
the client
device, a first location factor, the first location factor including global
positioning system
(GPS) data received from a source device located outside a predefined area;
(iii)
receiving, from the client device, a second location factor, the second
location factor
including information received from a first wireless beacon located within the
predefined
area; (iv) receiving, from the client device, a third location factor, the
third location factor
including information received from a second wireless beacon located within
the
predefined area; (v) determining, based at least upon the second location
factor and the
third location factor, that the client device is within the predefined area;
and (vi) creating,
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in response to the determining, the new wagering account for the user of the
client device.
[0010] In yet another aspect, an article of manufacture is provided. The
article of manufacture includes a tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable
storage
medium having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a processor
for
multi-factor location-based device verification, cause the processor to
perform operations
comprising: (i) receiving, from a client device of a user, a request to
register for a new
wagering account; (ii) receiving, from the client device, a first location
factor, the first
location factor including global positioning system (GPS) data received from a
source
device located outside a predefined area; (iii) receiving, from the client
device, a second
location factor, the second location factor including information received
from a first
wireless beacon located within the predefined area; (iv) receiving, from the
client device,
a third location factor, the third location factor including information
received from a
second wireless beacon located within the predefined area; (v) determining,
based at least
upon the second location factor and the third location factor, that the client
device is
within the predefined area; and (vi) creating, in response to the determining,
the new
wagering account for the user of the client device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0011] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present
disclosure will become better understood when the following detailed
description is read
with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent
like parts
throughout the drawings, wherein:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an exemplary multi-factor location-
based device verification system;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an exemplary client device, such as
the client device shown in FIG 1;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an exemplary server, such as one of
the servers shown in FIG 1;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for multi-
factor location-based device verification; and
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[0016] FIG. 5 is an interaction diagram illustrating an exemplary process
for multi-factor location-based device verification.
[0017] Unless otherwise indicated, the drawings provided herein are
meant to illustrate features of embodiments of the disclosure. These features
are believed
to be applicable in a wide variety of systems comprising one or more
embodiments of the
disclosure. As such, the drawings are not meant to include all conventional
features
known by those of ordinary skill in the art to be required for the practice of
the
embodiments disclosed herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] In the following specification and the claims, reference will be
made to a number of terms, which shall be defined to have the following
meanings.
[0019] The singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural references
unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
[0020] "Optional" or "optionally" means that the subsequently described
event or circumstance may or may not occur, and that the description includes
instances
where the event occurs and instances where it does not.
[0021] Approximating language, as used herein throughout the
specification and claims, may be applied to modify any quantitative
representation that
could permissibly vary without resulting in a change in the basic function to
which it is
related. Accordingly, a value modified by a term or terms, such as "about" and
"substantially", are not to be limited to the precise value specified. In at
least some
instances, the approximating language may correspond to the precision of an
instrument
for measuring the value. Here and throughout the specification and claims,
range
limitations may be combined and/or interchanged, such ranges are identified
and include
all the sub-ranges contained therein unless context or language indicates
otherwise.
[0022] As used herein, the terms "processor" and "computer" and related
terms, e. g. ,
"processing device," "computing device", and "controller"
are not limited to just those integrated circuits referred to in the art as a
computer, but
broadly refers to a microcontroller, a microcomputer, a programmable logic
controller
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(PLC), an application specific integrated circuit, and other programmable
circuits, and
these terms are used interchangeably herein. In the embodiments described
herein,
memory includes, but is not limited to, a computer-readable medium, such as a
random
access memory (RAM), and a computer-readable non-volatile medium, such as
flash
memory. Alternatively, a floppy disk, a compact disc ¨ read only memory (CD-
ROM), a
magneto-optical disk (MOD), and/or a digital versatile disc (DVD) may also be
used.
Also, in the embodiments described herein, additional input channels may be,
but are not
limited to, computer peripherals associated with a user interface such as a
mouse and a
keyboard. Alternatively, other computer peripherals may also be used that may
include,
for example, but not be limited to, a scanner. Furthermore, in the exemplary
embodiment, additional output channels may include, but not be limited to, a
user
interface monitor.
[0023] Further, as used herein, the terms "software" and "firmware" are
interchangeable, and include any computer program stored in memory for
execution by
personal computers, workstations, clients and servers.
[0024] As used herein, terms like "non-transitory computer-readable
storage media" are intended to be representative of any tangible computer-
based device
implemented in any method or technology for short-term and long-term storage
of
information, such as, computer-readable instructions, data structures, program
modules
and sub-modules, or other data in any device. Therefore, the methods described
herein
may be encoded as executable instructions embodied in a tangible, non-
transitory,
computer readable medium, including, without limitation, a storage device
and/or a
memory device. Such instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the
processor to
perform at least a portion of the methods described herein. Moreover, as used
herein, the
term "non-transitory computer-readable storage media" includes all tangible,
computer-
readable media, including, without limitation, non-transitory computer storage
devices,
including, without limitation, volatile and nonvolatile media, and removable
and non-
removable media such as a firmware, physical and virtual storage, CD-ROMs,
DVDs, and
any other digital source such as a network or the Internet, as well as yet to
be developed
digital means, with the sole exception being a transitory, propagating signal.
[0025] As used herein, a "location factor" or a "verification factor" may
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include any data that may be used to determine a physical location of a client
device
and/or any data that may be used in a process, as described herein, for
verifying a
physical location of a device. For example, a location factor may include
global
positioning system (GPS) data and/or data broadcast by and/or received from a
wireless
beacon, such as an identifier (e.g., a universally unique identifier or UUID)
broadcast by
and/or received from a wireless beacon.
[0026] In addition, as used herein, a "first location factor" may, in some
cases, refer to GPS data. Likewise, as used herein, a "second location factor"
and/or a
"third location factor" may, in some cases, refer to data broadcast by and/or
received from
a first wireless beacon and a second wireless beacon, respectively. However,
the
ordinals, "first," "second," "third," and so on should not be construed as
limiting. Rather,
where they occur, such ordinals are used merely for the purpose of
distinguishing one
location factor from another location factor. Further, although the examples
described
herein may incorporate first, second, and/or third components, such as first
and second
wireless beacons and first, second, and third location factors, it will be
appreciated that
any suitable number of wireless beacons may be implemented in accordance with
the
present disclosure as well as that any suitable number of location factors may
be used to
determine and/or verify a location of a client device.
[0027] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a multi-factor
location-based device verification system. In some examples, two-factors may
be used to
verify a device location, such as GPS data and a wireless beacon data. In
other
embodiments, three or more factors may be used to verify a device location,
such as GPS
data and wireless beacon data broadcast by two or more wireless beacons
and/or, in at
least some embodiments, a device location may be verified indoors (e.g.,
within a sports
book) using two or more location factors received from wireless beacons
positioned
within the sports book.
[0028] The system thus facilitates multi-factor verification of a physical
location of a client device, such as a mobile communications device, within a
predetermined location, such as a casino sports book. The system may ensure
that the
client device is physically located within the sports book based upon one or
more of a
first location or verification factor, such as at least one GPS coordinate, a
second location
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or verification factor, such as a unique identifier broadcast by and received
from a
wireless beacon disposed within the casino sports book, and/or a third
location or
verification factor, such as another (different) unique identifier broadcast
by and received
from a different wireless beacon within the sports book. In various
embodiments, and as
described herein, any suitable combination of these three location factors may
be used.
[0029] The system may further register a user to a new wagering account
based upon a comparison of a self-photograph of a user of the client device
taken from
the client device to a driver's license photograph. In some embodiments, the
system may
permit the user to initiate a registration process from a location that is
outside of a sports
book, but may require that the user enter the sports book to complete the
registration
process. In various embodiments, once a user has successfully registered for a
wagering
account, the user may be permitted by the system to place wagers on sporting
events from
within and/or from without the sports book.
[0030] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary two-factor location-
based verification system 100. In the exemplary embodiment, system 100
includes a
client device 102, a first wireless beacon 104a, a second wireless beacon
104b, a
computer network 106, a web server 108, a database server 110, and/or a
database 112.
As described below, client device 102 may be a mobile communications device,
such as a
smartphone or a tablet. Accordingly, client device 102 may be transported by a
user from
location to location. However, as shown, and as described herein, during
operation, client
device 102 may be physically located within or physically transported to an
area of a
sports book 114 within a casino 116. As used herein, and for simplicity, first
wireless
beacon 104a and second wireless beacon 104b may be collectively referred to as
wireless
beacons 104 or wireless beacons 104a-b.
[0031] Accordingly, in the exemplary embodiment, client device 102
may be any personal computing device and/or any mobile communications device
of a
user, such as a personal computer, a tablet computer, a smartphone, and the
like. Client
device 102 may be configured to present an application (e.g., a smartphone
"app") or a
webpage, such as webpage or an app for authenticating a user to system 100
and/or an a
webpage or app for registering for account access. To this end, client device
102 may
include or execute software for viewing and interacting with a webpage and/or
an app.
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[0032] Wireless beacons 104a and 104b may be located within casino
116 and/or within sports book 114 and may be any suitable electronic device
capable of
wirelessly transmitting and/or receiving data via one or more communications
protocols.
In the exemplary embodiment, wireless beacons 104a and 104b are located within
sports
book 114. For example, in some embodiments, wireless beacons 104a-b may be
configured to transmit and/or receive a low energy BLUETOOTH signal and/or a
WiFi
signal. More particularly, in some embodiments, wireless beacons 104a-b
include
APPLE iBEACON and/or a GOOGLE EDDYSTONE beacons. Wireless beacons 104a-b
may, in addition, be configured to transmit location factors, such as
universally unique
identifiers (or UUIDs), which may include, in some embodiments, rotating
combinations
of hexadecimal digits. These location factors may uniquely identify wireless
beacons
104a-b, and to transmit the location factors, wireless beacons 104a-b may
communicate
with a backend server, such as web server 108, which may provide the location
factors
(e.g., rotating UUIDs) to wireless beacons 104a-b for broadcast.
[0033] The location factors broadcast by wireless beacons 104a-b may
be received by client device 102 and used, as described herein, for the
purpose of
verifying that client device 102 is physically located within sports book 114.
In addition,
in some embodiments, wireless beacons 104a-b may independently generate
location
factors, in which case, wireless beacons 104a-b may provide the independently
generated
location factors to web server 108 at substantially the same time that they
are broadcast
for reception by client device 102. Accordingly, location factors may be
generated by
web server 108 and/or by wireless beacons 104a-b themselves.
[0034] Network 106 may be any electronic communications system,
such as any computer network or collection of computer networks, and may
incorporate
various hardware and/or software. Communication over network 106 may be
accomplished via any suitable communication channels, such as, for example,
one or
more telephone networks, one or more extranets, one or more intranets, the
Internet, one
or more point of interaction devices (e.g., point of sale devices, smart
phones, cellular
phones), one or more electronic gaming machines, such as one or more
electronic gaming
machines located within casino 116, various online and/or offline
communications
systems, such as various local area and wide area networks, and the like.
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[0035] Web server 108 may be any computer or computer system that is
configured to receive and process requests made via HTTP. Web server 108 may
be
coupled between client device 102 and database server 110. More particularly,
web
server 108 may be communicatively coupled to client device 102 via network
106. In
various embodiments, web server 108 may be directly coupled to database server
110
and/or communicatively coupled to database server 110 via a network, such as
network
106. In some embodiments, communications between web server 108 and client
device
102 may be implemented by way of a secure encrypted connection and/or
communications protocol, such as an HTTPS connection and/or any other secure
encrypted connection and/or communications protocol. Web server 108 may, in
addition,
function to store, process, and/or deliver one or more web pages and/or any
other suitable
content to client device 102. Web server 108 may, in addition, receive data,
such as data
provided to the app and/or webpage (as described herein) from client device
102 for
subsequent transmission to database server 110.
[0036] In various embodiments, web server 108 may implement various
hardware and/or software, such as, for example, one or more communication
protocols,
one or more message brokers, one or more data processing engines, one or more
servlets,
one or more application servers, and the like. For instance, in various
embodiments, web
server 108 may implement a message broker program module configured to
translate a
message or communications from a messaging protocol of a sending device to a
messaging protocol of a receiving device (e.g., RABBITTMQ, KAFKA, ACTIVEMQ,
KESTREL). Further still, in some embodiments, web server 108 may implement a
data
processing engine, such as a cluster computing framework like APACHE SPARK. In
addition, in various embodiments, web server 108 may implement servlet and/or
JSP
server, such as APACHE TOMCAT. In some embodiments, web server 108 may
function to process data received from client device 102, such as
authentication and/or
location verification data, which may include, for example, a first location
factor (e.g.,
GPS data), and/or second and/or third location factors (e.g., wireless beacon
data).
[0037] Database server 110 may be any computer or computer program
that provides database services to one or more other computers or computer
programs. In
various embodiments, database server 110 may be communicatively coupled
between
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web server 108 and database 112. Database server 110 may, in addition,
function to
process data received from web server 108, such as authentication and/or
location
verification data, which may include, for example, a first location factor
(e.g., GPS data)
and/or one or more location factors (e.g., wireless beacon data).
[0038] Database 112 may be any organized collection of data, such as,
for example, any data organized as part of a relational data structure, any
data organized
as part of a flat file, and the like. Database 112 may be communicatively
coupled to
database server 110 and may receive data from, and provide data to, database
server 110,
such as in response to one or more requests for data, which may be provided
via a
database management system (DBMS) implemented on database server 110. In
various
embodiments, database 112 may be a non-relational database, such as an APACHE
HADOOP database.
[0039] Although components of system 100 are described below and
depicted at Figure 1 as being interconnected in a particular configuration, it
is
contemplated that the systems, subsystems, hardware and software components,
various
network components, and database systems described herein may be variously
configured
and interconnected and may communicate with one another within system 100 to
facilitate the processes and advantages described herein. For example,
although two
wireless beacons 104a-b, a single web server 108, a single database server
110, and a
single database 112 are described above, it will be appreciated that system
100 may
include any suitable number of interconnected, communicatively coupled,
wireless
beacons, web servers, database servers, and/or databases. For example, a
predefined area,
as described herein (e.g., a sports book) may include a plurality of wireless
beacons 104,
such as, for example, depending upon a wireless range of the wireless beacons
104 being
used and a square footage of the sports book, the number of wireless beacons
104 being
selected in this example to ensure that a client device 102 anywhere within
the sports
book is within wireless range of at least one (and in some cases more than
one) wireless
beacon 104a-b. Further, although certain functions, processes, and operations
are
described herein with respect to one or more system components, it is
contemplated that
one or more other system components may perform the functions, processes, and
operations described herein.
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[0040] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an exemplary client device 202,
such as, for example, client device 102 (shown in FIG 1). Accordingly, in
various
embodiments, client device 202 may be operated by a user 201. Client device
202 may
include a processor 205 for executing instructions. In some embodiments,
executable
instructions may be stored in a memory area 210. Processor 205 may include one
or
more processing units (e.g., in a multi-core configuration). Memory area 210
may be any
device allowing information such as executable instructions and/or transaction
data to be
stored and retrieved. Memory area 210 may include one or more computer
readable
media.
[0041] Client device 202 may also include at least one media output
component 215 for presenting information to user 201. Media output component
215
may be any component capable of conveying information to user 201. In some
embodiments, media output component 215 may include an output adapter (not
shown)
such as a video adapter and/or an audio adapter. An output adapter may be
operatively
coupled to processor 205 and adapted to operatively couple to an output device
such as a
display device (e.g., a cathode ray tube (CRT), liquid crystal display (LCD),
light
emitting diode (LED) display, or "electronic ink" display) or an audio output
device (e.g.,
a speaker or headphones).
[0042] In some embodiments, media output component 215 may be
configured to present a graphical user interface (e.g., a web browser and/or a
client
application) to user 201. A graphical user interface may include, for example,
an online
store interface for viewing and/or purchasing items, and/or a wallet
application for
managing payment information. In some embodiments, client device 202 may
include an
input device 220 for receiving input from user 201. User 201 may use input
device 220
to, without limitation, select and/or enter data, such as, for example, one or
more report
criteria or report filters.
[0043] Input device 220 may include, for example, a keyboard, a
pointing device, a mouse, a stylus, a touch sensitive panel (e.g., a touch pad
or a touch
screen), a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a position detector, a biometric input
device,
and/or an audio input device. A single component such as a touch screen may
function as
both an output device of media output component 215 and input device 220.
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[0044] Client device 202 may also include a communication interface
225, communicatively coupled via network 106 to web server 108 and/or database
server
110 (shown in Figure 1). Communication interface 225 may include, for example,
a
wired or wireless network adapter and/or a wireless data transceiver for use
with a mobile
telecommunications network. In some embodiments, communication interface 225
may
be configured to communicate with and/or receive data, such as one or more
location
factors, from one or more wireless beacons 104a-104b. More generally, however,
any
suitable communication interface, such as any suitable radio frequency, Wi-Fi,
or
BLUETOOTH transceiver and/or receive may be included to communicate or receive
communications from wireless beacons 104a-104b.
[0045] Stored in memory area 210 are, for example, computer readable
instructions for providing a user interface to user 201 via media output
component 215
and, optionally, receiving and processing input from input device 220. A user
interface
may include, among other possibilities, a web browser and/or a client
application. Web
browsers enable users, such as user 201, to display and interact with media
and other
information typically embedded on a web page or a website.
[0046] In some embodiments, client device 202 may include a global
positioning system (GPS) receiver 230 communicatively coupled to processor
205. GPS
receiver 230 may include any suitable GPS receiver that may be implemented
within
client device 202 and that may be configured to receive GPS data, such as one
or more
GPS coordinates, from one or more GPS satellites. In some embodiments, GPS
receiver
230 may also communicate with one or more cellular system towers to
triangulate or
otherwise obtain a physical location of client device 202.
[0047] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an exemplary server computer
device 301, such as, for example, either of web server 108 and/or database
server 110
(shown in FIG. 1). Accordingly, server computer device 301 may include a
processor
305 for executing instructions. Instructions may be stored in a memory area
310.
Processor 305 may include one or more processing units (e.g., in a multi-core
configuration).
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[0048] Processor 305 may be operatively coupled to a communication
interface 315 such that server computer device 301 is capable of communicating
with a
remote computing device, as described above. For example, communication
interface
315 may receive requests from client device 202 via the Internet and/or over a
computer
network.
[0049] Processor 305 may also be operatively coupled to a storage
device 334 (e.g., database 112). Storage device 334 may be any computer-
operated
hardware suitable for storing and/or retrieving data, such as, but not limited
to, data
associated with database 320. In some embodiments, storage device 334 may be
integrated in server computer device 301. For example, server computer device
301 may
include one or more hard disk drives as storage device 334.
[0050] In other embodiments, storage device 334 may be external to
server computer device 301 and may be accessed by a plurality of server
computer
devices 301. For example, storage device 334 may include a storage area
network
(SAN), a network attached storage (NAS) system, and/or multiple storage units
such as
hard disks and/or solid state disks in a redundant array of inexpensive disks
(RAID)
configuration.
[0051] In some embodiments, processor 305 may be operatively coupled
to storage device 334 via a storage interface 320. Storage interface 320 may
be any
component capable of providing processor 305 with access to storage device
334.
Storage interface 320 may include, for example, an Advanced Technology
Attachment
(ATA) adapter, a Serial ATA (SATA) adapter, a Small Computer System Interface
(SCSI) adapter, a RAID controller, a SAN adapter, a network adapter, and/or
any
component providing processor 305 with access to storage device 334.
[0052] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process 400 for
multi-factor location-based device verification. As described herein, multi-
factor location-
based device verification may include two-factor verification as well as three-
factor
verification, and in some embodiments, greater than three factors may be used
to verify
device location. Accordingly, in the exemplary embodiment, web server 108 may
receive
a registration request from client device 102, such as, for example, in the
case that a user
of client device 102 wishes to place a wager on an outcome of a sporting event
within
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sports book 114 (step 402).
[0053] In some embodiments, web server 108 may provide a link to a
registration webpage, which the user may interact with to register for a new
wagering
account. In another embodiment, the user may open an application (or "mobile
app") on
client device 102 to begin registration. The user may also be prompted to use
client
device 102 to enter personal information and/or scan or photograph the user's
driver's
license, such that client device 102 acquires an image of the user's driver's
license
photograph (step 404). The user may also, in some embodiments, be prompted to
enter a
variety of other personally identifying information, such as, for example, a
social security
number, a telephone number associated with client device 102, an email
address, and/or a
password associated with a new wagering account (step 404). However, as
described
below, this data may be collected during any phase of process 400. In various
embodiments, a user may initiate such a registration process from any physical
location,
such as, for example, from a location that is outside of sports book 114.
However, as
described herein, to complete the registration process, in the exemplary
embodiment, the
user may be required to enter or physically travel to the physical location of
sports book
114. Thus, the user may, in some embodiments, provide an image of the user's
driver's
license photograph and/or other personally identifying information from a
location that is
outside of sports book 114.
[0054] In addition, in some embodiments, irrespective of whether web
server 108 has received the data described above, web server 108 may receive a
first
location factor, such as at least one GPS coordinate, associated with client
device 102
(step 406). In response, web server 108 may identify at least one predefined
physical
location, such as sports book 114, within a predefined distance of client
device 102 (step
408). As described herein, the predefined physical location may be any
suitable
predefined physical location, which may be configured and/or stored within
software
executing on client device 102 and/or pushed to a mobile application executing
on client
device 102. Thus, although process 400 is described with reference to sports
book 114, in
various embodiments, any suitable predefined physical location may be selected
or
utilized during an account registration process. Further, in one embodiment,
web server
108 may prompt the user for the driver's license scan and/or other personally
identifying
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information prior to identification of sports book 114.
[0055] Having identified at least one sports book 114 within a predefined
range or physical distance of client device 102, web server 108 may provide a
message to
client device 102 indicating the physical location (e.g., the street address
and/or a map
including a pin drop) of sports book 114 (step 410). In some embodiments, as
described
herein, the user may receive an ordered list of predefined locations. The user
may receive
and/or view the location of sports book 114 and, in response, travel to sports
book 114.
In some embodiments or circumstances, such as, for example, when the user is
already
very near sports book 114 and/or on the premises of sports book 114, web
server 108 may
omit the steps described herein that direct the user to sports book 114.
Likewise, the user
may select an option in the mobile app to indicate that the user has arrived
at sports book
114.
[0056] Web server 108 may, in various embodiments, standby as the
user travels to sports book 114. Once the user has arrived at the physical
location of
sports book 114, however, web server 108 may receive one or more additional
location
factors, such as a second location factor and/or a third location factor, from
client device
102 (step 412). In some embodiments, as described herein, client device may
receive
location factors (e.g., beacon identifiers) from web server 108. As a result,
in various
embodiments, either client device 102 or web server 108 may verify one or more
beacon
identifiers. Stated another way, and as described herein, beacon verification
may be
performed on a front end of system 100 (e.g., by client device 102), on a
backend of
system 100 (e.g., by web server 108), and/or a combination of both.
[0057] As described herein, the second location factor may include a
unique identifier that is received by client device 102 from first wireless
beacon 104a.
Likewise, the third location factor may include a unique identifier that is
received by
client device 102 from second wireless beacon 104b. The third location factor
may be
different from the second location factor for added security (and, e.g.,
because, as
described above, location factors may rotate or change over time and include
unique
and/or randomly generated alphanumeric or hexadecimal digits). In some
embodiments,
client device 102 may "pair" with wireless beacons 104a-b. However, in other
embodiments, client device 102 may simply receive the second and/or third
location
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factors (or a plurality of temporally rotating second and/or third location
factors, as
described herein) from wireless beacons 104a-b.
[0058] In response to receipt of the second and/or third location factors,
web server 108 and/or, in some cases, client device 102, may analyze any of
the first
location factor, the second location factor, and/or the third location factor
to verify that
client device 102 is in fact physically located within sports book 114 (step
414). For
example, web server 108 may verify that client device 102 is physically
located within
sports book 114 based upon the combination of location factors of the GPS
signal (e.g.,
the first location factor) received from client device 102 within sports book
114 and the
unique identifier broadcast by wireless beacon 104a (e.g., the second location
factor)
received from client device 102. Similarly, in at least some embodiments, web
server 108
may verify that client device 102 is physically located within sports book 114
based upon
the combination of location factors of the GPS signal (e.g., the first
location factor)
received from client device 102 within sports book 114, the unique identifier
broadcast by
wireless beacon 104a (e.g., the second location factor) received from client
device 102,
and the unique identifier broadcast by wireless beacon 104b (e.g., the third
location
factor) received from client device 102.
[0059] In yet another embodiment, GPS data (e.g., the first location
factor) may only be used to determine that the user is outside of sports book
114 and to
map the location of one or more predefined locations, such as sports book 114,
for the
user, as described, while the second and/or third location factors (received
from wireless
beacons within the sports book) may be used to determine or verify that the
user is within
sports book 114. For example, in some embodiments, the second and/or third
location
factors received from wireless beacons 104a and 104b, respectively, may be
used to
determine that the user is within sports book 114 by triangulating or
otherwise
determining an indoor position of the user within sports book 114, while the
first location
factor, which includes GPS data, may only be used to determine an outdoor
location of
the user prior to entry by the user within sports book 114. However, in at
least some
embodiments, the first location factor may also be used to determine or verify
an indoor
location (e.g., in conjunction with one or more wireless beacon signals) of
the user, or the
first location factor may be used as a standalone data point for determining
the location of
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the user.
[0060] In some embodiments, the use of at least two location factors
from at least two wireless beacons also allows determining an actual location
of client
device 102 within sports book 114, such as, for example, by triangulating the
location of
the client device 102 relative to a plurality of wireless beacons 104a-b
and/or simply
confirming that client device 102 is within range of the at least two beacons
104a-b. In
some embodiments, one or more wireless beacons 104a-b may also be positioned
near
one or more edges, such as one or more entrances and/or exits, to detect
ingress and/or
egress by users as they enter and exit sports book 114.
[0061] Accordingly, in some embodiments, web server 108 may
compare the received GPS coordinates to the GPS coordinates associated with
sports
book 114 (which may be stored by system 100) to determine the location of
client device
102. Similarly, to complete the multi-factor location-based verification
process, web
server 108 may compare one or more unique identifiers received from client
device 102
to the one or more unique identifiers generated by web server 108 and provided
(as
described above) to wireless beacons 104a-b (e.g., second and third location
factors). If,
in at least one embodiment, the GPS coordinates received from client device
102 match
the GPS coordinates associated with sports book 114 (and/or casino 116, in the
case that
the GPS coordinates are not insufficiently specific to identify sports book
114) and at
least one unique identifier received from client device 102 matches at least
one unique
identifier generated and stored by web server 108 (and/or database server
110), web
server 108 and/or database server 110 may reliably verify that client device
102 is in fact
physically located within sports book 114. In addition, as described herein,
in at least
some embodiments, client device 102 may perform the beacon identifier
verification
process. For example, client device 102 may receive beacon identifiers from
web server
108 and compare these beacon identifiers to beacon identifiers received
wirelessly from
wireless beacons 1045a-b within sports book 114.
[0062] In another embodiment, if at least two unique identifiers (e.g., at
least two location factors received from wireless beacons 104, such as the
second and
third location factors) received from client device 102 match the
corresponding location
factors stored by web server 108, web server 108 (and/or client device 102)
may verify
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that client device 102 is within sports book 114; in this embodiment, GPS data
may be
used, as described herein, for the purpose of determining that the user is
outside of sports
book 114 and/or guiding the user to sports book 114, such as by providing map
directions
to client device 102.
[0063] Accordingly, in various embodiments, if one or both of the GPS
coordinates and/or the unique identifiers provided by wireless beacons 104a-b
do not
match their respective counterparts, a determination may be made that client
device 102 is
not located within sports book 114 (as well as an outdoor or external location
of client
device 102), in which case a message may be provided to and/or displayed by
client
device 102 instructing the user to travel to the location of sports book 114
and/or
indicating the physical location of sports book 114 (step 410). In some
embodiments, if
the user does not travel to the location of sports book 114 within a
predetermined period
of time, web server 108 may time the registration request out and process 400
may
terminate.
[0064] However, in the case that web server 108 is able to verify the
physical location of client device 102 within sports book 114, web server 108
(and/or
client device 102) may prompt the user to use client device 102 to take a self-
photograph
of the user, such as a photograph of the user's face (e.g., a "selfie") for
the purpose of
authenticating the user's identity. The user may, in response, use client
device 102 to
acquire the self-photograph, and client device 102 may transmit the self-
photograph to
web server 108. In response to receiving the self-photograph, web server 108
(and in
some cases another backend system, such as database server 110) may determine
whether
the self-photograph matches a photograph of the user included in the
photograph of the
user's driver's license (described above) (steps 416 and 418).
[0065] In addition, in some embodiments, web server 108 and/or client
device 102 may re-verify the location of client device 102, as described
above, in
response to receiving the self-photograph. For example, in some embodiments,
web
server 108 may request and/or receive a second or follow up first location or
verification
factor and a second or follow up second location or verification factor, such
as a second
set of GPS coordinates and/or one or more additional unique identifiers
received from
wireless beacons 104a-b. Web server 108 may thus re-verify, prior to
registering the user
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for a new wagering account, that the user has not departed sports book 114.
[0066] Web server 108 (or another backend system) may implement a
facial recognition algorithm and/or a computer vision algorithm to determine
whether the
photograph in the user's driver's license matches the self-photograph taken by
the user
from client device 102. In some embodiments, the driver's license photograph
and the
self-photograph may be transmitted to a backend display, such as a display
located within
casino 116 or sports book 114 back office or cage, where a human operator may
view
both photographs for analysis and comparison. Thus, in some embodiments, the
user's
identity may be authenticated or verified by a computer system, such as web
server 108,
while in other embodiments, a human operator may perform the authentication.
Further,
in some embodiments, the authentication of the user may be performed by both
of a
computer system and a human operator, such as, for example, for the purpose of
redundancy or added security.
[0067] Irrespective of the method by which the user's identity is
authenticated, if the self-photograph matches the photograph displayed on the
driver's
license, web server 108 and/or database server 110 may generate or create a
new
wagering account for the user, whereupon the user may login to the wagering
account to
begin placing wagers on sporting events (step 420). For instance, once the
user is logged
in to a newly created/existing wagering account, and the location of client
device 102 is
verified as being within a particular gaming jurisdiction (e.g., within a
particular state
within the United States), web server 108 may grant the user access to the
newly
created/existing wagering account, whereupon the user may proceed to place one
or more
wagers on one or more sporting events in conjunction with sports book 114. For
example, client device 102 may communicate with web server 108 to place wagers
and
receive wager outcomes in association with various sporting events. In
addition, one or
more awards, such as one or more monetary awards or credits associated with
one or
more monetary awards, may be provided to the user via client device 102 (e.g.,
in the
instance that the user places a wager on a sporting event that is associated
with a winning
outcome).
[0068] FIG. 5 is an interaction diagram illustrating an exemplary process
for multi-factor location-based device verification. In the exemplary
embodiment, and as
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described herein, a user may open a mobile app, such as on client device 102,
enter
identifying information, such as a legal name, a user name, an address, a
password, and
the like, and/or take one or more pictures or photographs of their driver's
license (e.g., the
front, the back, or both the front and back of their driver's license) (step
502). In some
embodiments, the mobile app may direct the user to a registration webpage. In
other
embodiments, the mobile app may provide a registration interface on a display
of client
device 102.
[0069] In the example embodiment, client device 102 receives one or
more GPS coordinates of client device 102, as described herein, as well as
beacon
information associated with one or more beacons, from a backend server, such
as web
server 108 (e.g., a locations API running on web server 108) (step 504). In
addition, client
device 102 may receive an array of predefined signup locations, e.g., sports
books, such
as sports book 114, which may be ordered and/or presented on client device 102
in a list
arranged by distance from the user's current GPS location. In at least some
embodiments,
the beacon information received by client device 102 from web server 108 may
include a
beacon identifier (or beacon identifiers) for each beacon within each sports
book in the
list of sports books returned by web server 108 and displayed on the user's
client device
102. In some embodiments, web server 108 may provide information to client
device 102
for the beacons 104a-b inside the sports book 114 selected by the user. As a
result, when
the user enters any of the sports books provided on the list, client device
102 may already
store beacon information for verifying that the user is physically within the
sports book
114. In some embodiments, as described, client device 102 may receive periodic
updates
of beacon identifier information, such as each time a beacon identifier
rotates or changes
to a new beacon identifier. In this manner, client device 102 may obtain and
store an up-
to-date list of beacon identifiers.
[0070] In response to arriving at sports book 114, in at least some
embodiments, the user may interact with the mobile app on client device 102 to
indicate
that the user has arrived at sports book 114, such as by selecting an "I'm
here" option
displayed or provided by the mobile app, and in response, the user's location
within
sports book 114 may be verified using one or more beacon identifiers, as
described herein
(step 506). For example, in at least some embodiments, client device 102 may
detect
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wireless beacon signals of wireless beacons 104a and 104b within sports book
114. In
response to detecting the wireless beacon signals, client device 102 may, in
addition,
compare the beacon identifiers provided by each beacon 104a-b with beacon
identifiers
provided by or received from web server 108 for each of the wireless beacons
104a-b, and
if the identifiers received from web server 108 match those detected within
sports book
114 by client device 102, client device 102 may determine or verify that the
user is
actually physically located within sports book 114.
[0071] As described herein, in at least some embodiments, this phase of
the verification process may also be performed, at least in part, on a backend
portion of
system 100, such as web server 108, where for example, web server 108 may
receive the
beacon identifiers detected by client device 102 and perform the comparison
against
beacon identifiers stored by web server 108 and/or database server 110 for
beacons 104a-
b. Moreover, as described herein, web server 108 may, in at least some
embodiments,
communicate with beacons 104a-b (e.g., via the network) to provide beacon
identifiers
for broadcast by each beacon 104a-b. As a result, in at least some
embodiments, web
server 108 may control the beacon identifiers broadcast by beacons 104a-b. In
other
embodiments, beacons 104a-b may independently generate beacon identifiers, in
which
case, beacons 104a-b may securely provide beacon identifiers to web server 108
for
comparison against the beacon identifiers detected by client device 102, as
variously
described.
[0072] In response to verifying, based on the beacon identifiers, that the
user is physically located within sports book 114, the mobile app on client
device 102
may prompt the user to take a self-photograph, such as using a camera of
client device
102. The user may take one or more self-photographs, and these may be
submitted via the
network to web server 108 (e.g., a registrations API running on web server
108). In
response to submission by the user of the one or more self-photographs, web
server 108
may provide the registration request initiated by the user, including the self-
photograph,
to an image processing system and/or a back office agent for verification or
validation.
For example, in at least some embodiments, an agent may receive the
registration request,
including the identifying and registration information entered by the user as
well as the
self-photograph, and the agent may compare the self-photograph to the
photographs of
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the user's driver's license that were also taken by the user. In some
embodiments, this
process may, as described above, be automated and performed by a computer
implementing image processing and/or machine learning tools. However, in
either case,
the agent (or computer system) may approve or deny the registration request,
and the
results of the photo verification may be provided to client device 102 (step
508). In some
embodiments, the back office agent and/or computer processing the registration
request
may receive a plurality of registration requests, including self-photographs
of a plurality
of users who have initiated registration requests within a given period of
time (e.g., within
several minutes of one another), and these may be provided to the back office
agent
and/or batch processed together.
[0073] In response to approval or denial of a user's request for
registration, the user may be notified, and system 100 may, if the
registration request is
approved, create a wagering account for the user. In response to creation of
the wagering
account, the user may be permitted to login to the wagering account to begin
placing
wagers on sporting events. For instance, once the user is logged in to a newly
created/existing wagering account, and the location of client device 102 is
verified as
being within given sports book 114 and/or in a given gaming jurisdiction, web
server 108
may grant the user access to the newly created/existing wagering account,
whereupon the
user may proceed to place one or more wagers on one or more sporting events in
conjunction with sports book 114. For example, client device 102 may
communicate
with web server 108 to place wagers and receive wager outcomes in association
with
various sporting events. In addition, one or more awards, such as one or more
monetary
awards or credits associated with one or more monetary awards, may be provided
to the
user via client device 102 (e.g., in the instance that the user places a wager
on a sporting
event that is associated with a winning outcome).
[0074] Embodiments of the multi-factor location-based device
verification system therefore enable, as described above, multi-factor
verification of a
physical location of a client device, such as a mobile communications device,
within a
predefined physical location, such as, for example, a casino sports book. In
some
embodiments, two location factors, such as first factor associated with GPS
coordinates
and a second factor associated with a wireless beacon, may be used. In other
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embodiments, two locations factors, each associated with respective wireless
beacons,
may be used. In addition, in some embodiments, a first factor associated with
GPS
coordinates and two location factors associated with wireless beacons may be
used.
Accordingly, in various embodiments, two-factor as well as three-factor
verification
processes are described. In some embodiments, four or more factors, such as
three
locations factors received from three wireless beacons and a GPS coordinate
may be used
to determine and/or verify a location of a user.
[0075] The system may further permit a user to register for a new
wagering account. To this end, the system may ensure that the client device is
physically
located within the sports book during at least part of the account
registration process. For
example, in some embodiments, the system may permit the user to initiate a
registration
process from any physical location, such as any physical location that is
within and/or
without a sports book. However, in at least some embodiments, the system may
require
that the user physically enter a location of a sports book to complete a new
account
registration process. The physical location of the user within the sports book
may be
verified based upon a first location or verification factor, such as at least
one GPS
coordinate, and one or more second and/or third location or verification
factors, such as
unique identifiers broadcast by and received from one or more wireless beacons
disposed
within the casino sports book. The system may further register a user to a new
wagering
account based upon a comparison of a self-photograph of a user of the client
device taken
from the client device to a driver's license photograph.
[0076] Exemplary technical effects of the multi-factor location-based
device verification system described herein include, for example: (a)
determination of a
client device location based upon a first location factor; (b) indication of a
predefined
location, such as a casino sports book, within a predefined distance of the
client device;
(c) verification of the device location based upon the first location factor;
(d)
determination of the client device location based upon a second location
factor and/or a
third location factor broadcast by one or more wireless beacons disposed
within the sports
book; (e) verification of the device location based upon the second and/or
third location
factors; and (0 creation of a new wagering account based upon the multi-factor
location-
based verification and authentication of an identity of a user of the client
device based
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upon a comparison of a self-photograph taken from the client device to a
driver's license
photograph.
[0077] Exemplary embodiments of a multi-factor location-based device
verification system and related components are described above in detail. The
system is
not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, but rather,
components of
systems and/or steps of the methods may be utilized independently and
separately from
other components and/or steps described herein. For example, the configuration
of
components described herein may also be used in combination with other
processes, and
is not limited to practice with the systems and related methods as described
herein.
Rather, the exemplary embodiment can be implemented and utilized in connection
with
many applications where device location verification is desired.
[0078] Although specific features of various embodiments of the present
disclosure may be shown in some drawings and not in others, this is for
convenience
only. In accordance with the principles of the present disclosure, any feature
of a drawing
may be referenced and/or claimed in combination with any feature of any other
drawing.
[0079] This written description uses examples to disclose the
embodiments of the present disclosure, including the best mode, and also to
enable any
person skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, including making and
using any
devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable
scope of
the embodiments described herein is defined by the claims, and may include
other
examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are
intended to be
within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not
differ from the
literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural
elements with
insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.
