Patent ID: 7962751

Claim:
A method of verifying the source and authenticity of modified computer gaming data used within a computer gaming network, comprising: creating a computer game, wherein the game is created by a first computer gaming device having a processor, an input device and a display device; defining a data object that creates a data set for the game, wherein the data object is defined by the first computer gaming device; creating a set of rules for game play which permits the creation of valid, verifiable data objects by a second computer gaming device having a processor, an input device and a display device, wherein the set of rules are created by the first computer gaming device, and the first computer gaming device and the second computer gaming device interact via a communications network; establishing an authentication code system by the first computer gaming device to verify the relationship between the first computer gaming device and a second computer gaming device; establishing a valid authentication code for the first computer gaming device and the second computer gaming device, wherein the valid authentication code is established by the first computer gaming device in accordance with the authentication code system; modifying the data set by the second computer gaming device; signing the modified data set by the second computer gaming device using the authentication code established for the second computer gaming device; submitting the modified data set to the first computer gaming device for verification, wherein the modified data set is submitted by the second computer gaming device; determining by the first computer gaming device whether the second computer gaming device was authorized to modify the data set by verifying the authentication code used to sign the data set; signing the modified data set by the first computer gaming device using the authentication code established for the first computer gaming device; and allowing use of the modified data set by the first computer gaming device if the modified data set has been signed by the first computer gaming device and the second computer gaming device with a valid authentication code.