Conditional biometric access in a gaming environment

Abstract

The present application provides methods and corresponding systems for accessing services in a gaming or other environment based on conditional biometric identity verification. In one aspect, this includes the step or steps of determining a location of a gaming device having a display and at least one biometric sensor associated therewith; prompting a user of the gaming device for at least one item of physical biometric data with the biometric sensor based at least on the location of the gaming device; receiving the at least one item of physical biometric data; and enabling at least one service on the gaming device based on a match between the at least one item of physical biometric data received and at least one authenticated item of physical biometric data associated with the user.

1 . An apparatus comprising
 a sensor;   a memory;   a display device;   at least one processor circuit in communication with the sensor, the memory, and the display device, the at least one processor circuit being configured to:
 detect an attempt to access a gaming service session; 
 render on the display device a request for login credentials, in response to detecting the attempt to access the gaming service session; 
 compare the login credentials to credentials stored in the memory, in response to receiving the login credentials; 
 monitor signals received from the sensor during the gaming service session, in response to the login credentials matching the credentials stored in the memory, the signals being representative of biometric data; 
 detect a change in the signals during the gaming service session; 
 determine whether the change in the signals meets a predefined threshold; 
 render on the display device a second request for login credentials, in response to determining that the change in the signals meets a predefined threshold. 
   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus comprising:
 a sensor;   at least one processor to:
 validate an attempt to initiate a gaming service session; 
 monitor biometric data detected by the sensor during the gaming service session, when the gaming service session is authorized; 
 detect a change in the biometric data during the gaming service session; 
 determine whether the change meets a predefined threshold; and 
 revalidate the gaming service session, when the change does not meet the predefined threshold. 
   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to validate the attempt to initiate the gaming service session using a preliminary biometric data item detected by the sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to monitor the biometric data, when the at least one processor detects that the apparatus has moved outside a predefined gaming area during the gaming service session. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to monitor the biometric data, when the apparatus is rebooted during the gaming service session. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the biometric data comprises a heart rate detected by the sensor. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the biometric data comprises a body temperature detected by the sensor. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the gaming service session comprises a wager-type game. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the predefined threshold is based on historical biometric data. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to collect the historical biometric data before the attempt to initiate the gaming service session is validated. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine whether the change in the biometric data that does not meet the predefined threshold occurs within approximately five seconds or less. 
     
     
         12 . A method comprising:
 identifying, by at least one processor of an apparatus, whether an attempt to access a gaming service session is valid;   monitoring, by the at least one processor, biometric data detected by a sensor during the gaming service session, when the attempt to access the gaming service session is valid;   detecting, by the at least one processor, a change in the biometric data during the gaming service session;   determining, by the at least one processor, whether the change in the biometric data is within a predefined threshold; and   revalidating, by the at least one processor, the access to the gaming service session, when the change is not within the predefined threshold.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising validating, by the at least one processor, the attempt to access the gaming service session based on an initial biometric data item detected by the sensor. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein monitoring the biometric data further comprises determining, by the at least one processor, whether the apparatus has moved outside a predefined gaming area during the gaming service session. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein monitoring the biometric data further comprises determining, by the at least one processor, whether the apparatus is rebooted during the gaming service session. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the biometric data comprises a heart rate detected by the sensor. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the biometric data comprises a body temperature detected by the sensor. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the gaming service session comprises a wager-type game. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the predefined threshold is based on historical biometric data. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising collecting, by the at least one processor, the historical biometric data before the attempt to access the gaming service session is validated. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising determining whether the change in the biometric data that is not within the predefined threshold occurs within approximately five seconds or less. 
     
     
         22 . A non-transitory computer readable medium with instructions stored therein which upon execution cause at least one processor of an apparatus to:
 validate an attempt to access a gaming service session;   monitor biometric data detected by a sensor during the gaming service session, when access to the gaming service session is authorized;   detect a change in the biometric data during the authorized gaming service session;   determine whether the change meets a predefined threshold; and   revalidate the access to the gaming service session, when the change does not meet the predefined threshold.   
     
     
         23 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 22 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to validate the attempt to access the gaming service session based on an initial biometric data item detected by the sensor. 
     
     
         24 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 23 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to monitor the biometric data, when the at least one processor detects that the apparatus has moved outside a predefined gaming area during the gaming service session. 
     
     
         25 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 23 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to monitor the biometric data, when the apparatus is rebooted during the gaming service session. 
     
     
         26 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 22 , wherein the biometric data comprises a heart rate detected by the sensor. 
     
     
         27 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 22 , wherein the biometric data comprises a body temperature detected by the sensor. 
     
     
         28 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 22 , wherein the gaming service session comprises a wager-type game. 
     
     
         29 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 22 , wherein the predefined threshold is based on historical biometric data. 
     
     
         30 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 29 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to collect the historical biometric data before the attempt to access the gaming service session is validated. 
     
     
         31 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 22 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to determine whether the change in the biometric data that does not meet the predefined threshold occurs within approximately five seconds or less.