Amusement devices: games – Chance devices – Electric or magnetic
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-30
2001-03-20
Layno, Benjamin H. (Department: 3711)
Amusement devices: games
Chance devices
Electric or magnetic
C273S139000, C463S017000, C283S901000, C283S903000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06203011
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to transactions and, more specifically, to interactive transactions such as games and tests.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Interactive transactions, as used herein, are transactions between a controlling authority and a user. A typical interactive transaction involves the user participating in a game, test, or the like, and transmitting information, regarding, e.g., play of a game or answers to questions on a test, to the controlling authority. The controlling authority then transmits information to the user related to the user's information that is used in the transaction. For example, the controlling authority could transmit to the user information necessary for the user to receive a prize or information as to the scoring of a test. Examples of interactive transactions include games played over a communications network (such as the Internet and telephone networks) and tests that are taken at one location and scored remotely via a communications network.
One type of interactive game is a player-activated lottery, in which a player purchases a lottery ticket and then interacts with the lottery controlling authority to activate the ticket. This type of game offers the advantage of allowing the player to purchase a ticket at one time and then activate the ticket at a later time. For example, the user could purchase a ticket at a time when the lines are relatively short and then wait until a lottery jackpot has accumulated a substantial prize to activate a ticket. To play the game, the user purchases a ticket and communicates with a controlling authority to activate the ticket. In the communication, the user indicates the date on which he wishes to play the ticket and the numbers that he wishes to play.
Existing systems for interactive lottery have several disadvantages, including the disadvantage of being unpopular with lottery ticket retailers. This is because the retailer is unnecessary to play the ticket so that the retailer may be bypassed in the lottery process. Also, most existing systems for interactive lottery require the user to purchase the ticket with a credit card. However, such purchases are illegal in most states.
Another type of interactive game is an interactive game of skill. Most existing interactive games have the disadvantage of lacking efficient mechanisms for administering the games. Furthermore, existing systems have the disadvantage of not having an effective method of distributing interactive games via retailers and the disadvantage of not being able to award prizes through local retailers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention which, in one aspect, is a method of administering an interactive transaction. A plurality of play spots is printed on each ticket of a plurality of tickets. Each play spot has a value selected from a set of values and the values of the play spots are distributed randomly on the tickets. Thus, the distribution makes it impossible to predict the values of the play spots on a given ticket of the plurality of tickets based on knowledge of the values of play spots of other tickets of the plurality of tickets. Each of the plurality of play spots is covered with a removable medium and a unique identifier is placed on each ticket. A record of the unique identifier and of the values of the play spots for each ticket are stored in a database. If a determination has been made indicating that a user has properly obtained a distributed ticket, then the record of the unique identifier corresponding to the distributed ticket is flagged to indicate that the distributed ticket may be activated. If a communication has been received from the user that identifies the distributed ticket, then interactive data is received from the user; the user is instructed to uncover a preselected set of play spots by removing the removable medium; and the record of the unique identifier corresponding to the distributed ticket is flagged to indicate that the distributed ticket has been activated.
In another aspect, the invention is a ticket for administering an interactive lottery game. The ticket includes a substrate and a first plurality of play spots printed on the substrate. Each play spot shows one of a plurality of lottery play values and is covered with a removable covering. Each removable covering includes a symbol that is not related to the lottery play value being covered and that uniquely identifies the play spot. The ticket also includes a second plurality of play spots printed on the substrate wherein each shows one component of a date so that each of a plurality of combinations of play spots of the second plurality of play spots identifies a different date. The second plurality of play spots includes sufficient play spots to identify each date included in a preselected range of dates. The ticket also includes a scanable identifier that uniquely identifies the ticket.
Yet another aspect of the invention is a ticket for administering an interactive game. The ticket includes a plurality of play spots printed on a substrate. Each play spot shows a result of a user's play of a game and is covered with a removable covering. Each removable covering includes a symbol that is not related to the result being covered and uniquely identifies the play spot. The ticket also includes a scanable identifier that uniquely identifies the ticket and an electronic address printed on the substrate that indicates a point of contact that a user would access to participate in an interactive game.
Yet another aspect of the invention is a method of authenticating a ticket. A plurality of verification spots is printed on each of a plurality of tickets. Each verification spot has a value and the values of the verification spots are randomly distributed on the plurality of tickets, thereby making it impossible to predict the values of verification spots on a given ticket based on knowledge of the verification spots on other tickets of the plurality of tickets. Each of the plurality of verification spots is covered with a removable medium and a unique identifier is placed on each ticket. A first record of the unique identifier on each ticket and a second record of each of a selected set of values of the verification spots on each ticket are stored in a database. The second record is associated with the first record for each ticket. A selected ticket is distributed to a user and the user is instructed to remove the removable medium covering a set of verification spots on the selected ticket corresponding to a verification code. The unique identifier on the selected ticket and the exposed verification code on the ticket are input into a computer as part of a verification process. The verification code is compared to the second record of the selected set of values of the verification spots associated with the first record of the unique identifier corresponding to the unique identifier on the selected ticket. If the comparing step indicates that the verification code is identical to the selected set of values, then the it is indicated that the selected ticket has been successfully authenticated, otherwise it is indicated that the selected ticket has not been successfully authenticated.
These and other aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings. As would be obvious to one skilled in the art, many variations and modifications of the invention may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the disclosure.
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pa
Layno Benjamin H.
Scientific Games Inc.
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