Patent Application
20110165933
The present invention relates to random draw games having a plurality of tickets for play. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus and methods for players of random draw games to check a status of game tickets in the random draw game to assist the game players in recognizing a winning game ticket.
Random draw games involve selecting randomly a ticket from a plurality of tickets in the game, so that a person having possession of a matching ticket to the selected ticket wins a prize. Tickets are typically sold for a nominal value, and each ticket potentially has a greater future value (or prize) based on at least one ticket being selected randomly as a winner.
There are a number of types of random draw games. Terminal generated lottery games are popular point-of-purchase activities for many people. These involve drawing/numbers games marketed as Powerball, Mega Millions, Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5, Pick 6, and Lotto games. In such games, a lottery consumer picks a sequence of numbers, or alternatively, the lottery consumer directs the generating terminal to randomly select a sequence of numbers. The terminal generates a lottery ticket that displays the sequence of numbers. In addition, the lottery ticket includes a printed barcode or identifier. These barcodes identify the date the ticket was purchased, the location of the purchase, the numbers selected and a validation number for lottery validation purposes.
After a drawing for the particular game, if all or some of the numbers match, the lottery player holding the lottery ticket wins a prize. The lottery player can compare the published results of the game drawing to determine if the lottery ticket is a winning ticket. Alternatively, the lottery consumer can present the lottery ticket to a lottery ticket vendor for evaluation. Typically, the evaluation is made using a barcode or identifier printed on the lottery ticket. The vendor uses an electronic scanner to scan the barcode. The scanned barcode information is communicated to a central database of lottery number winners, and the response enables the vendor to determine whether the scanned ticket is a winning ticket.
Millions of dollars in unclaimed prizes are accumulated by lotteries across the country. Some prizes are unclaimed because of lost or damaged tickets, but the majority of unclaimed prizes come from lack of player awareness. The game players sometimes fail to recognize the ticket was selected as a winning ticket and some game players do not realize that in jackpot draw games, a player can win prizes for matching a few of the selected numbers; for example, picking 5 of 6 selected numbers, picking 4 of 6 selected numbers, or even 3 of 6 selected numbers in a drawing event of the game, can result in winning a prize albeit of a lesser value than picking all of the numbers selected. Some players are unaware that the ticket being held is a winning ticket and discard.
Oftentimes, a lottery player fails to realize that the lottery ticket is a winning ticket, because the player missed the drawing, did not check the numbers on the lottery ticket, mis-read (and thus mis-compared) the winning numbers and the numbers on the ticket, or did not realize a winning ticket may be based on matching fewer than all of the numbers in the drawing. From time-to-time, winning lottery tickets are merely discarded. As noted above, a player could return any lottery ticket to the vendor for scanning to determine its status. However, there is an inconvenience in having to return to the retail location of the vendor just to check a lottery ticket for winning combinations. Also, in some instances, a clerk improperly tells the lottery player that the scanned lottery ticket is not a winning ticket, only to palm the winning ticket and then redeem the ticket after the lottery player leaves.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved method and apparatus by which a player of a random draw game checks the winning status of a ticket held by the player. It is to such that the present invention is directed.
The present invention meets the need in the art by providing a method for checking a results status of a ticket held by a player from a random draw game having a plurality of tickets each ticket associated with selected game numbers and bearing a unique identifier, which selected game numbers when matching to numbers selected at random as winning numbers during play of the random draw game define the ticket as a winning ticket by which the player in possession thereof wins a prize, comprising the steps of:
(a) imaging a code printed on a ticket from a random draw game, which ticket is associated with selected one or more game numbers and the code encapsulating at least a game identifier and the game numbers, with an imager of a mobile computer device;
(b) creating a digital representation of the code;
(c) communicating the digital representation with a communications device connected to the mobile computer device to a remote computer that maintains a database of random draw games and the numbers selected at random during a play of the random draw game as winning numbers;
(d) interrogating the database as to the status of the ticket by comparing the game numbers of the ticket with the wining numbers for the random draw game;
(e) receiving from the remote computer a response indicating the status of the ticket based on the interrogation; and
(f) displaying the response on a display screen of the mobile computer device.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a system for checking the results status of a ticket held by a player from a random draw game having a plurality of tickets. Each ticket has a plurality of associated selected numbers for play in the random draw game. If the selected numbers match numbers selected at random during a drawing event of the random draw game as winning numbers, the player in possession thereof wins a prize. The system comprises a remote computer server and at least one mobile computer device. The remote computer server maintains a database of a winning numbers associated with a random draw game having a plurality of tickets each having selected numbers for play during the random draw game. If the selected numbers of the ticket match numbers selected randomly as winning numbers during play of the random draw game, the player in possession of the ticket wins a prize. The mobile computer device includes an imaging device for imaging, a communicator for communicating with at least the remote computer server, and a display screen for displaying a response from the remote computer server. The mobile computer device is configured with a computer application having a sequence of instructions for being executed by the mobile computer device to image the identifier of a ticket in the possession of a player of a random draw game, convert the imaged identifier to a representative number, communicate the representative number to the remote computer server for interrogating the database as to the status of the ticket, and displaying on the display screen a response from the remote computer server indicating the status of the ticket.
Objects, advantages, and features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings and the appended claims.
With reference to the drawings, in which like parts have like reference numerals,
The illustrated mobile computer device 10 is a mobile or cellular telephone configured for executing an application having a set of computer instructions (shown schematically as 15) for determining the status of a lottery ticket 14 having an identifier or barcode 16. The status of the lottery ticket 14 can be “win”, for a ticket that was selected randomly as a winning ticket from a pool or plurality of tickets (or from a pool of prizes) in the random draw game; “no-win”, for a ticket not selected as a winning ticket; or “undetermined”, for a game that has not yet selected a winning ticket. In an alternate embodiment, the mobile computer device 10 comprises a computer-based intelligent telephone, a computerized personal data assistant (PDA) device, a personal computer, or other similar portable computer device, configured with an imager and a data communications device, as discussed below.
The application is provided to the mobile computer device 10 in a conventional manner. For cellular telephones, for example, the application is provided by downloading the application 15 from a web site via a mobile network data service, which application is configured for the particular operating system of the mobile computer device.
The application 15 of the present invention can be programmed for multiple device formats and/or operating systems. For example, the iPhone®, Blackberry® and Motorola® telephones each have their own development platforms for mobile applications. It is noted that some such mobile computer devices support J2ME (Java Mobile edition) or other application drivers.
An illustrated embodiment of the application 15 uses an open source application ZXING (provided by Zebra Crossing) and licensed under the Apache License v2.0 for the executable code that implements the illustrated embodiment, and particularly, to capture an image of a barcode 16 on the lottery ticket 14 using the built-in camera of the mobile computer device 10 and convert the barcode image to a numerical representation for interrogation of the lottery ticket database, as discussed below. The lottery ticket 14 displays the lottery numbers generally 18, the name of the lottery game 20, the date of the game and the drawing of winning numbers 22, the purchase cash value 24 of the lottery ticket, the date of purchase 26, and the barcode 16. In
With reference to
With reference to
As discussed below, the mobile computer device 10 also communicates a unique mobile identification number 50 associated the particular device 10 to the remote computer 38. The mobile identification number 50 is used to communicate the return message to the player using the mobile computer device 10. As illustrated in
In the illustrated embodiment, the string number representing the information about the lottery ticket 14 is encrypted and embedded as a parameter in a SQL string. The string queries specific information about that purchased lottery ticket. Each terminal generated lottery ticket is assigned specific information designed to determine the outcome of a lottery drawing. As noted above, this information includes: location of purchase, retailer id number, date/time of purchase, numbers selected for ticket, dollar amount paid for ticket, drawing date for the ticket, and game type. This data about the lottery ticket sold by a vendor to a lottery consumer is recorded and maintained in a central computerized database either with the lottery provider or with the contracted lottery ticket vendor.
It is to be appreciated that illustrated embodiment of the present invention is not designed to validate tickets for redemption. Validation must still occur through the closed network lottery terminals operated by the lottery provider and the lottery retail locations selling lottery tickets. It is to be appreciated that results of the interrogation may not be accurate, but the present apparatus and methods provides an alternative method of determining win/loss outcome of a lottery ticket. The present invention thus supplements current methods by which players determine win/loss by a) watching the drawing live, b) checking publications following the drawing, c) visiting the lottery website to pull up a historical list of winning numbers or d) visiting one of the retail lottery vendors to check the lottery ticket against the system.
Even though lottery computerized databases can be configured for READ ONLY access, for security reasons, a lottery provider may not allow the SQL script query to be sent directly to the lottery server that stores and maintains the ticket information. In those instances, the lottery provider can supply a regular export/dump of limited ticket information into a third party secure database server for interrogation in accordance with the present invention. Use of such third party database would reduce possible compromise of the lottery ticket database and potential counterfeiting of winning combinations.
It is contemplated that the apparatus and method of the illustrated implementation would limit access to certain information fields of the lottery ticket and protect the transmission of the winning codes. The lottery ticket holder and the lottery database are the only locations of a specific lottery ticket serial (barcode) number. That serial number is the key for securing and validating a winning ticket. By encrypting that number before embedding into the SQL string query, any intercepted communications will be secure. The exported data from the lottery winning ticket server can be a matching encrypted number, rather than the actual serial number. This method would still allow for the query to pull the proper data, without compromising the security of winning ticket data. However, in the event that someone improperly gains access to the database, counterfeit lottery ticket can not be generated without the unique serial number. There are various methods of encryption that can be employed to assure security of the process.
In an alternate embodiment, the lottery ticket terminal prints a separate unique barcode on the terminal lottery ticket for imaging and interrogation in accordance with the present invention. The separate barcode would have its own unique serial number. The lottery ticket would retain the lottery provider barcode 16 assigned by the lottery provider by which the winning ticket is validated for redemption through the secure lottery ticket terminal network.
There are several methods of distribution for the interrogation application of the present invention. For example, an application configured for use with iPhone® telephones would be available for download from the Apple App Store. Each service provider for mobile data networking has a similar application store/site that connects directly through the respective mobile computer device. Further, the lottery provider may elect to distribute application directly or through a remote dedicated download web site. The lottery player would use the camera enabled mobile computer device to download the application from the specific location.
Upon installation on the mobile computer device, the lottery player can run the application. The application initially determines if the mobile computer device has the proper hardware installed. The application detects for the built-in camera and for the open data connection. If either of these elements is missing or inoperative, an error code alerts the user that the application is unable to function.
Once all hardware features are detected and functioning, the lottery player is prompted to capture a ticket. In reference to
If the captured image is illegible or unreadable, a response message will appear asking the lottery player to reimage the barcode. The viewer window with cross-hairs returns and the lottery player realigns the lottery ticket to image the barcode 16 again. If the captured picture is readable, the application then converts the image to the numeric representation, as shown in
Once the numeric representation of the ticket serial number is generated, the application converts that representation to an encrypted string. The encrypted string is embedded as a parameter in an SQL script. With reference to
Once a data connection is made to the remote computer server 38, the query script communicates 36 and the application executing on the mobile computer device 10 waits for a response. If the encrypted serial number does not match a lottery ticket number in the database 40, an error is returned. In such event, the mobile computer device 10 presents a message to the user; for example, “Sorry, your lottery ticket does not match a live lottery ticket in the database. Please check your ticket at an authorized Lottery retailer.” If the interrogation correctly matches the encrypted number, the remote computer returns the information within the database regarding the imaged lottery ticket.
The information in the ticket database 40 uses the drawing date field of the ticket record to reference a table of winning numbers. If the remote computer determines that the drawing date assigned to the lottery ticket has “not yet occurred”, an appropriate message will appear on the mobile computer device inviting the lottery player to check again after that date/time.
In an alternate embodiment, the application can be set to alert the lottery player if any winning numbers are matched with lottery tickets that are scanned and held for evaluation. This embodiment automatically checks the remote database 40 on a periodic schedule until the drawing occurs so the application can return a result. The lottery player does not have to reimage the ticket as the data will be stored until the drawing occurs and the query returns a win/loss result.
The application 15 includes a search feature by which a user can search by date or by game. The date for game events is selected, for example, by entering the date in a date field, using pull-down menus to select a date, or using a date scroll wheel having three columns for month, day, and year. In another alternate embodiment, the player can search by game type. The application displays a selection window of the available games. The display screen includes active links, so the player pushes the link in order to connect through the data connection with the selected game. The selected game displays the price of a ticket in the game, what choices are made in the game, the drawing days and times, and a list of prizes, chances of winning, and current prize amount.
Once a win/loss result set 46 is determined, the application compiles the result information into a graphically appealing display to alert the lottery player, as shown in
It is to be appreciated the display may include a disclaimer, for example, at the bottom of the display. The disclaimer in one embodiment states that “This win information has been determined based on the information provided and does NOT validate your possession of an actual winning ticket. You must still present the physical winning ticket to an authorized lottery retailer for validation and claim of your prize.”
Users of the application can pre-scan and store their ticket information prior to a drawing date. With the automation feature set, the application will send the query after the drawing date and automatically alert the user of the results once verified. Using the Win/Loss chime audio setting, the device will sound based on outcome. The message notification will appear on the player's phone and will indicate a message attached to the application icon.
With reference to
The barcode evaluation software uses an image or photographic representation to interpret the one dimensional or two dimensional barcode identifiers. An alternate embodiment uploads a photographic image of the lottery ticket for storage in the database. This provides additional security for a lottery to resolve disputes and possibly rebuild a lost ticket.
In an alternate embodiment, game sweepstakes offered by commercial establishments to promote business, for example, a fast-food restaurant chain offering a scratch-off or peel-off prize ticket, may gainfully use the present invention as a mechanism for consumers to determine whether the ticket is a winner. Other random draw games similarly may apply the present invention for players to determine ticket status.
In one embodiment of the system, the application provider 82 may maintain a separate database 92 of records 94 of player game tickets 14. The records 94 as discussed below contain the digital representation of code 16 from the ticket 14 communicated to the application provider 82 by the player. Periodically the application provider 82 compares the digital representation record 94 with the game database 84 to determine the status of the player's ticket, as discussed below. The application provider populates the database 92 only with those tickets 14 scanned by a player in accordance with the present invention.
In an alternate embodiment discussed below, the game provider may act as the application provider and the game operator collects the ticket information for the database 92 at time of sale of the game ticket 14. Thus, the database 92 in this embodiment maintains information on each ticket sold for play in the random draw game. Alternatively, the game provider may practice the former embodiment in which the database 92 contains ticket information for player-scanned tickets only.
The databases 84 and 92 maintain records containing digital representations of the winning game information 42, 44 and the player's ticket information held in the ticket code 16, respectively. As discussed above,
The encapsulated code 16 on the ticket 14 represents the unique data relevant to the particular game ticket 14 on which the code is printed such as when the ticket is purchased from a ticket retail vendor or otherwise selected by the player and obtained from the game operator. This data includes, but is not limited to, game type (MegaMillions, Powerball, Lotto, etc), drawing date, multidraw (number of consecutive draws purchased), and numbers selected for each play, as well as the unique identifier assigned to the ticket by the game provider. Such game information may be represented primarily in numeric or alphanumeric (for example, base 16) format. Using a fixed position field string, such pertinent unique ticket data may be represented in a sequence of fewer than 100 characters. Generally, one-dimensional barcodes may not support this volume of characters, while the illustrated two-dimensional codes have a greater capacity.
In accordance with the present invention, the two-dimensional code 16 contains the encapsulated ticket information necessary to determine specific result information and provide a response as to ticket status to the player. The digital representation of the code 16 passes from the mobile computer device 10 directly into the web-accessible database server of the application provider 82. Thus, the player does not require the transfer of that ticket data from the lottery system in order to check the status of the ticket.
In one embodiment of the present system, the game operator is the application provider 82. The game operator collects the game ticket information at time of sale of the ticket to the player. The collected information populates into the data record 94 included in the ticket database 92.
The system employs a software module implemented into the existing lottery terminal software for sales and validation of game tickets. The module collects the required information about the game ticket sold to the player, which information is necessary to return winning results. This information includes the unique number identifier assigned to the game. For example, MegaMillions could be represented as “123456”. The drawing date for play of the ticket purchased by the player may be represented by in a MMDDYYYY (month day year) format. The multidraw code 100 indicates the number of consecutive drawing dates or plays of the random draw game during which the ticket is to be played during the game. Typically multiple plays are referred to as “MultiDraw”. The number of consecutive draws is represented by a two digit number as most random draw games allow a player to play multiple consecutive draws on a single game ticket. For example, a multidraw code of “03” indicates the ticket is playable for three drawings: first on the drawing date and second on the next two drawing dates for the random draw game.
The sets of numbers 102 include a play code 104 and selected number subfields 106. The play code in the illustrated embodiment is alphabetical and corresponds to the nth game of a multiple game play ticket, where n is the game drawing number ranging from 1 to the number of games selected by the player for play on the single ticket 14.
It is to be appreciated that while not illustrated, the data record 94 may also include information about any exotic combinations or add-on features of the random draw game. For example, some lotteries have draw games called ‘Daily Games’. These are typically “Pick 3” or “Pick 4” number games. Also, these games may have upgrade purchase combinations like “Back Pair” or “Combo” plays that pay off different winnings in the event of specific outcome. These exotics may similarly be represented in 2 digit number codes. Then the actual number selections for each individual play. A lottery ticket may have up to five different plays on a single ticket. Each play is separated by an alpha number.
The final sequence of numbers encapsulated in the two dimensional code will vary based on the specifics of the ticket and the random draw game. The more characters to be encapsulated results in a more dense and complex code. With more complex codes, the printed image needs to be larger in order to be recognized during imaging by the camera in the mobile computer device. The larger the image, however, the more paper consumed by each lottery ticket or space occupied by the code 16 on the ticket. In view of such constraints, the present invention preferably uses the fewest characters possible to create the unique digital sequence.
In one aspect, elimination of unnecessary characters may be accomplished by a defined ‘fixed position’ string or sequence as discussed above. Logic in the application instructions on the back end make the necessary associations between the alphanumeric data and populating the data record 94, rather than using conventional database-friendly strings that rely on delimiters to separate field data. For example, the method uses a fixed position format so the instructions define positions 1-6 to represent the game number. Using ‘if-then-else’ statements the method employs the necessary logic to determine the rest of the positions. For example, in an embodiment of the system, the MegaMillions game is identified by the game number equal to 123456, and the instructions are configured for particular defined record fields for that particular game. In this example, the selection for each draw will contain six 2-digit numbers and the sixth number in each selection set 102 will be the “MegaBall”.
In the embodiment in which the player submits the digital representation of the code 16, the communication also includes a device identifier that uniquely identifies the mobile computer device. This enables the application provider 82 to communicate a ticket status to the player.
In the embodiment in which the application provider 82 maintains the database 92 of player ticket information, the application provider inserts the identifier into the data record 94 maintained on the database 92. Periodically, the application provider 82 compares the player ticket information in the records 94 with the winning game information in the database 84. When ticket information in the record 94 matches with one of the game number and play date 86, the application provider 82 compares the winning numbers 88 in the database 84 with the numbers in the record 94 of the player's ticket. Using the identifier held in the record 94, the application provider 82 returns the status of the ticket 14 to the mobile computer device 10 of the player.
In addition to the code developed for the mobile phone application and the remote server side database, additional code must be created for the lottery system terminal to create the number string and convert to the two-dimensional code. A QR Code generation application can be licensed to convert the string into the QR Code image. But this software add on eliminates the need to transfer all the purchased ticket information to the remote server in order to provide results back to the mobile device.
With reference to
With reference to
In an alternate embodiment, the mobile computer device stores in a memory device a saved selected game play having player-selected game tokens or numbers for one or more plays of the random draw game, as a “fantasy play”. Another patent application of the applicant filed concurrently with the present application discloses an apparatus and method by which a player uses a mobile computer device to select numbers for play in a random draw game and saving such selected play in the memory device. The fantasy play information is not an authenticated ticket. Subsequently, the player may recall the saved selected game play for checking whether such player selected numbers would have matched numbers selected as winning numbers during play of the random draw game. In an alternate embodiment, the mobile computer device is configured for periodic checking the status of such saved game play numbers.
The apparatus and methods disclosed herein can be made and executed without undue experimentation in light of the present disclosure. While the apparatus of this invention have been described in terms of illustrated embodiments, it will be apparent to those of skill in the art that variations may be applied to the apparatus and in the process described herein without departing from the concept, spirit and scope of the invention. All such similar substitutes and modifications apparent to those skilled in the art are deemed to be within the spirit, scope and concept of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
The present application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/756,880, filed Apr. 8, 2010, a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/535,935 filed Aug. 4, 2009.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 12756880 | Apr 2010 | US |
| Child | 13046729 | US | |
| Parent | 12535935 | Aug 2009 | US |
| Child | 12756880 | US |
