1. A method, comprising:
receiving, by a gaming machine and from an entity other than a player, an authenticatable start message defining an initialization parameter for a game;
generating an outcome for the game using a game program and the initialization parameter, in which at least a portion of the game program is stored in a memory of the gaming machine;
generating, via an encryptiondecryption module stored in a secure perimeter associated with the gaming machine, an authenticatable outcome message based on the outcome;
communicating the authenticatable outcome message to a central computer, the central computer being configured to authenticate the authenticatable outcome message;
generating, via the encryptiondecryption module, a value based on at least a portion of the game program; and
verifying the game program based on a comparison of the generated value with a stored value.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
disabling the game program based on the comparison of the generated value and the stored value.
3. The method of claim 1, in which the entity comprises a central server.
4. The method of claim 1, in which the encryptiondecryption module resides within a portion of the memory that is non-alterable.
5. The method of claim 1, in which at least one of a portion of the game program and an encryptiondecryption module resides on a central computer.
6. The method of claim 1, in which the entity comprises a dongle removably coupled to the gaming machine.
7. The method of claim 1, in which the initialization parameter is randomly determined by one or more of a central computer and a dongle removably coupled to the gaming machine.
8. The method of claim 1, in which generating the authenticatable outcome message comprises:
encrypting the outcome with a secret key that is shared with a central computer, in which the central computer is further configured to decrypt the authenticatable outcome message with the secret key.
9. The method of claim 1, in which generating the authenticatable outcome message comprises:
hashing the outcome with a message authentication code and a secret key, in which a central computer is further configured to hash the authenticatable outcome message with the secret key.
10. The method of claim 1, in which generating the authenticatable outcome message comprises:
encrypting the outcome with a private key, in which a central computer is further configured to decrypt the authenticatable outcome message with a public key associated with the gaming machine.
11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
receiving a random number generated by a central computer; and
in which generating the authenticatable outcome message comprises:
incorporating the random number in the authenticatable outcome message.
12. The method of claim 1, in which the generated value is a hash value of the game program.
13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:
signing the hash value using a private key and a digital signature protocol.
14. The method of claim 13, in which the signed hash value is verifiable using a public key.
15. The method of claim 14, in which the public key resides at a central computer.
16. The method of claim 14, in which the public key resides at the gaming machine.
17. The method of claim 13, in which the private key resides in the encryptiondecryption module.
18. The method of claim 12, in which the authenticatable outcome message includes the hash value.
19. The method of claim 1, in which the game comprises a tournament and in which the initialization parameter causes the game to be non-symmetrically varied in accordance with a differential between abilities of players in the tournament.
20. The method of claim 1, in which the game comprises a tournament and in which the initialization parameter is defined by a central computer to equalize playing conditions for players with differing ability within the tournament.
21. The method of claim 1, in which the stored game value is stored within the secure perimeter.
22. The method of claim 1, in which the authenticatable start message is received from a central computer.
23. The method of claim 1, in which the authenticatable start message is received from a handicap device.
24. The method of claim 1, in which verifying comprises:
determining by the gaming machine that the generated value does not match the stored value.
25. The method of claim 1, in which verifying comprises:
determining that the generated value and the stored value do not match.
26. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining that the game program should be disabled.
27. A computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a processor to perform a method, the method comprising:
receiving, by a gaming machine and from an entity other than a player, an authenticatable start message defining an initialization parameter for a game;
generating an outcome for the game using a game program and the initialization parameter;
generating, via an encryptiondecryption module stored in a secure perimeter of the computer readable medium, an authenticatable outcome message based on the outcome;
communicating the authenticatable outcome message to a central computer, the central computer being configured to authenticate the authenticatable outcome message;
generating, via the encryptiondecryption module, a value based on at least a portion of the game program; and
verifying the game program based on a comparison of the generated value with a stored value.
28. A gaming apparatus, comprising:
a processor;
a display device controlled by the processor; and
a memory in communication with the processor, the memory storing software including a game program, the processor being operable with the software to:
receive, by the gaming apparatus and from an entity other than a player, an authenticatable start message defining an initialization parameter for a game;
generate an outcome for the game using the game program and the initialization parameter;
generate, via an encryptiondecryption module stored in a secure perimeter associated with the gaming apparatus an authenticatable outcome message based on the outcome;
communicate the authenticatable outcome message to a central computer, the central computer being configured to authenticate the authenticatable outcome message; and
generate, via the encryptiondecryption module, a value based on at least a portion of the game program.
29. The method of claim 1, in which the game is a game of chance.
30. The method of claim 1, in which the game is a game of slots.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A semiconducting device, comprising:
a select gate formed in a first region;
a first logic gate formed in a second region;
a second logic gate formed in a third region; and
a memory gate formed on a sidewall of the select gate and having a width that is substantially similar to the thickness of the second logic gate.
2. The semiconducting device of claim 1, wherein the select gate and the first logic gate are substantially the same thickness.
3. The semiconducting device of claim 1, further comprising a select gate dielectric formed in the first region and a first logic gate dielectric formed in the second region.
4. The semiconducting device of claim 1, wherein the select gate dielectric is a different thickness than the first logic gate dielectric.
5. The semiconducting device of claim 4, further comprising a second logic gate dielectric formed in the third region, wherein the second logic gate dielectric has a different thickness than one of the select gate dielectric and the first gate dielectric.
6. The semiconducting device of claim 1, further comprising a charge trapping dielectric disposed beneath the memory gate and between the memory gate and the sidewall of the select gate.
7. The semiconducting device of claim 6, wherein the charge trapping dielectric comprises a nitride layer sandwiched between two layers of silicon dioxide.
8. The semiconducting device of claim 1, wherein the second logic gate is thinner than the first logic gate.
9. The semiconducting device of claim 1, wherein the select gate and the first logic gate comprise a first gate conductor layer.
10. The semiconducting device of claim 9, wherein the first gate conductor layer comprises a single layer of poly.
11. The semiconducting device of claim 1, wherein the memory gate and the second logic gate comprise a second gate conductor layer.
12. The semiconducting device of claim 11, wherein the second gate conductor layer comprises a single layer of poly.
13. The semiconducting device of claim 1, wherein the first region comprises a memory core region, the second region comprises a high voltage control logic region, and the third region comprises a low voltage control logic region.