Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – In a chance application
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-10
2001-11-27
Cheng, Joe H. (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
In a chance application
C463S042000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06322446
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a system and a method for playing lottery games via an electronic network, and more particularly to a system and a method for operating or facilitating on-line state lottery games.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In traditional lottery games, lottery players walk into convenience retailers, manually fill out selection slips, and exchange cash or credit with a clerk, who then enters the selections into a lottery terminal. This lottery terminal electronically connects to a central lottery system which manages the lottery games. The central game system then issues a coded lottery ticket, and the lottery ticket is delivered to the lottery players through the local lottery terminal at the retailer. To play conventional lottery games, lottery players are required to travel to retailers and sometimes wait in line to purchase lottery tickets.
Numerous interactive games on the Internet are now available. These include games of wager such as virtual casinos. However, lottery games such as lotteries offered by the states have not been made available on the Internet. One reason may be on the part of the states regarding security and fraud as to forged winning tickets, the age and the state of residence of the players. If state lottery tickets can be purchased by players over publicly accessible electronic or telephonic network such as the Internet, it can be anticipated that many more players will participate in the lottery. Many more tickets will be sold and awards will be much larger.
Therefore, a need exists for a lottery agent system which facilitates lottery play via a electronic network such as through the Internet.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a lottery agent system for facilitating on-line play of state lottery games.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for operating online state lottery games with enhanced security.
To accomplish the above and other objects as well as advantages, a lottery agent system of the present invention comprises an agent server connected via the electronic network to a plurality of player terminals and to a state lottery administrator, wherein the agent server is configured for receiving player and ticket information transmitted from the player terminals, for transmitting the ticket information to the state lottery administrator, and for receiving security or serial numbers associated with each lottery ticket; a database in the agent server for storing the player and ticket information and the security or serial numbers issued by the state lottery administrator in association with each lottery ticket; and a screening unit in the agent server, having criteria required by the state pre-stored therein, for verifying that each player satisfies the criteria prior to transmitting the ticket information to the state lottery administrator. The lottery agent system further includes a verification unit in the agent server for receiving winning numbers drawn by the state and for comparing the winning numbers with the ticket information stored in the database to determine if there are any winning lottery tickets of which numbers match the winning numbers. The verification unit verifies serial numbers of the winning tickets with the serial numbers previously stored in the database. The criteria includes a minimum age and residency within the border of the state. The agent server may further include means for transmitting information of the winning lottery tickets to the state lottery administrator, and for receiving claim validation numbers associated with the winning lottery tickets from the state lottery administrator. The agent server is configured to transmit to the player terminals lottery game data upon confirmation of purchase of a lottery ticket from the state lottery administrator, whereby an image in the form of a lottery ticket including ticket numbers selected by the player and the associated security or serial numbers is displayed on the player terminal of the player.
The lottery agent system further includes a banking server and a banking database for storing player account information, wherein the banking server debits a player's account when the player purchases a lottery ticket and credits the player's account with a winning amount upon a win from the lottery ticket, and the banking server communicates and transmits the debits and credits of money with the state lottery administrator. The banking server also communicates with a credit card provider of the player and debits and credits a credit card account of the player upon purchase of a lottery ticket or a win from a lottery ticket purchased by the player.
The present invention also provides a method for conducting state lottery play over an electronic network, comprising the steps of receiving player and ticket information entered by lottery players, verifying that the lottery players satisfy criteria required by the state, storing the player and ticket information of the verified lottery players, receiving security or serial numbers issued by a state wherein each security or serial number is associated with each lottery ticket, receiving winning numbers from the state, determining winning tickets by comparing the winning numbers with ticket numbers entered by the verified lottery players, and verifying the winning tickets with the security or serial numbers. The method of the present invention further includes the steps of crediting a winning amount of each corresponding winning ticket to an account of each winning player and debiting accounts of the verified players for purchases of the lottery tickets. The step of verifying includes comparing the player information with the criteria. The security or serial numbers are issued by the state upon receiving the ticket information by the state.
The method of the present invention may further include transmitting information of the winning tickets to the state, which includes the serial numbers associated with the winning tickets, and receiving claim validation numbers associated with the winning tickets from the state, wherein the claim validation numbers are issued by and stored in the state.
The method of the present invention may further include providing the claim validation numbers to each winning player, claiming a predetermined winning amount by submitting the claim validation numbers, verifying the submitted claim validation numbers with the claim validation numbers stored in the state, and rewarding the winning amount to the each winning player. The method according to the present invention may further include determining whether the winning amount is over a certain amount of money. The method of the present invention may further include providing a claim form to each winning player via the electronic network, printing and completing the claim form, and submitting the claim form to claim the winning amount.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
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patent: 5398932 (1995-03-01), Eberhardt et al.
patent: 5417424 (1995-05-01), Snowden et al.
patent: 5722890 (1998-03-01), Libby et al.
patent: 6024641 (2000-02-01), Sarno
patent: 6146272 (2000-11-01), Walker et al.
patent: 6154172 (2000-11-01), Piccionelli et al.
Cheng Joe H.
Elot, Inc.
F. Chau & Associates LLP
Nguyen Kim T.
LandOfFree
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