Game card, game card system, game card reader and method of authentication and fraud prevention

Abstract

There is provided a game card, game card system, game card reader and method of authentication and fraud prevention. Machine-readable codes are provided on game cards. The code on a game card is read by a game card reader employing two code readers. One code reader uses visible light to read the code, or in the alternative to merely detect the presence of the code. The other code reader uses infrared to read the code. A fraudulent game card, copied or reproduced by photocopiers, scanners and digital cameras available to the general public, is detected based on the absence of a code reading from the second code reader. The presence of code information on a game card that is detectable using visible light, also indicates that the game card is not authentic.

1 . 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 said substrate, said overlay reflecting infrared; and   a machine-readable code imaged on top of said overlay for storing instructions for the game, said code being absorptive of infrared, said code being readable by the game card reader;   wherein a visible contrast between said code and said overlay is low; and   wherein said instructions are for instructing the game to provide the advantage to the player.   
   
   
       2 . The game card of  claim 1 , wherein said overlay is imaged using a combination of cyan, magenta and yellow inks and said machine-readable code is imaged using a carbon-based ink. 
   
   
       3 . 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 said housing for reading the code on at least one of the game cards adjacent to said housing, said first code reader comprising a visible light detector, said second code reader comprising an infrared detector;   an emitter in said housing for emitting visible light,   an emitter in said housing for emitting infrared; and   a connection for providing readings of the code by said first code reader and said second code reader to the game.   
   
   
       4 . The game card reader of  claim 3 , wherein said reading of the code by said first code reader comprises an indication of whether the code was detected by said first code reader. 
   
   
       5 . 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 said reading of the code using infrared and said reading of the code using visible light to the computer implemented game;   determining authenticity of the game card based on an analysis of said reading of the code using infrared and said reading of the code using visible light; and   executing said instructions if said game card is authentic.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said reading of the code using visible light comprises only an indication whether the code was detected using visible light. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said game card is authentic if:
 said reading of the code using infrared contains valid instructions for the game, and   said indication whether the code was detected using visible light indicates that the code was not detected.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said step of determining authenticity of the game card comprises the step of determining whether said reading of the code using infrared indicates that the code should be detectable by the step of reading the code using visible light. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the game card is authentic if:
 said reading of the code using infrared contains valid instructions for the game;   said reading of the code using visible light comprises of an indication that the code was detected; and   said reading of the code using infrared indicates that the code should be detectable by the step of reading the code using visible light.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the game card is authentic if:
 said reading of the code using infrared contains valid instructions for the game, and   said reading of the code using visible light does not contain valid instructions for the game.   
   
   
       11 . A game card system for authenticating game cards and preventing fraud comprising:
 a computer-implemented game;   a game card reader connected to said game; and   game cards;   wherein at least one of said game cards comprises:
 a) an overlay imaged on a substrate, said overlay reflecting infrared; 
 b) a machine-readable code imaged on said overlay for storing instructions for said game, said code being absorptive of infrared, said code being readable by said game card reader; 
   wherein a visible contrast between said code and said overlay is low,   wherein said game card reader comprises:
 a) a housing; 
 b) a first code reader and a second code reader in said housing for reading said code on said at least one of said game cards adjacent said housing, said first code reader comprising a visible light detector, said second code reader comprising an infrared detector; 
 c) an emitter in said housing for emitting visible light, 
 d) an emitter in said housing for emitting infrared; 
   wherein said game card reader is adapted to provide to said game over said connection:
 a) a reading of said code on said at least one of said game cards adjacent said housing by said first code reader; and 
 b) a reading of said code on said at least one of said game cards adjacent said housing by said second code reader; 
   wherein said game is adapted to determine the authenticity of said at least one of said game cards adjacent said housing based on an analysis of said readings of said code by said first and second code readers; and   wherein said game is adapted to execute said instructions stored in said code on said at least one of said game cards adjacent said housing if said at least one of said game cards is authentic.   
   
   
       12 . The game card system of  claim 11 , wherein said reading of said code by said first code reader comprises an indication whether said code was detected by said first code reader. 
   
   
       13 . The game card system of  claim 12 , wherein said game is adapted to determine that said at least one of said game cards adjacent said housing is authentic if:
 said reading of said code by said second code reader contains valid instructions for said game, and   said indication whether the code was detected by said first code reader indicates that the code was not detected.   
   
   
       14 . The game card system of  claim 11 , wherein said game is adapted to determine that said at least one of said game cards adjacent said housing is authentic if:
 said reading of said code by said second code reader contains valid instructions for said game, and   said reading of said code by said first code reader does not contain valid instructions for said game.   
   
   
       15 . The game card system of  claim 11 , wherein said overlay is imaged using a combination of cyan, magenta and yellow inks and said machine-readable code is imaged using a carbon-based ink.