Processing of a user device game-playing transaction based on location

• US 10,127,764 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2017
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: e2Interactive Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Linq3 Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Cage, Daniel, Leach, Roy, Tashjian, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US15/818,041
• Publication Number:
  US 20180075693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 358 Days
• Field of Search: 463 25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3218 wherein at least part of the system is portable
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards

Abstract

An exemplary method comprises receiving information associated with a game-playing transaction conducted between a user device and a game-playing terminal, wherein the game-playing transaction is associated with a request for playing a game; determining a location of the user device associated with the game; determining the user device is located in an approved location associated with the game; and processing the game-playing transaction based on determining the user device is located in the approved location associated with the game. The game-playing transaction is conducted on a first communication interface, and the information associated with the game-playing transaction is received on a first or second communication interface.

Claims

1. A method for processing, or enabling initiation or conduction of, game-playing transactions, the method comprising:

receiving information associated with a game-playing transaction between a user device and a game-playing apparatus configured for operations associated with game-playing transactions, wherein the game-playing transaction is associated with a game, wherein the game is associated with or comprises game information, wherein the game-playing transaction or the information comprises or is based on a game-play created on a mobile device in communication with a game-playing interface device, wherein the game-playing interface device is in communication with the user device;

determining, using one or more computing device processors, location information or identification information associated with the user device or the game-playing apparatus associated with the game-playing transaction, the user device or the game-playing apparatus being located in an approved location associated with the game, the location information or the identification information comprising approved location information or approved identification information, respectively;

processing the information or the game-playing transaction, or enabling initiation or conduction of the game-playing transaction, based on at least one of;

cross-referencing, using the one or more computing device processors, second information or second identification information, and determining, using the one or more computing device processors, the location information or the identification information is at least partially consistent with or mappable to the second information or the second identification information, or

determining, using the one or more computing device processors, a period of validity associated with the information or the game information has not expired,

wherein the game-playing transaction is conducted or is to be conducted on a first communication interface, and

wherein the information associated with the game-playing transaction is received on the first communication interface or a second communication interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user device is located in the approved location associated with the game, and wherein the location information or the identification information comprises the location information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification information comprises merchant information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the location information comprises or is determined based on:

global positioning system (GPS) coordinates of the user device or the game-playing apparatus, or

the identification information associated with the user device or the game-playing apparatus.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising initiating, by at least one of the user device or the game-playing apparatus, printing of an instrument associated with the game at a printer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the game-playing transaction comprises at least one of game-playing request information, pre game-playing transaction information, post game-playing transaction information, in-game information, the game information, user information, the location information, second location information, the identification information, game-related information, game-playing apparatus information, or game-playing apparatus identification information, or wherein the game-playing transaction comprises at least one of a gaming transaction, a game initiation transaction, a game completing transaction, a pre-game transaction, a post-game transaction, an in-game transaction, a game-related transaction, an identification transaction, an information processing transaction, a location determining transaction, a user identification transaction, a user device identifying transaction, a game-play creation transaction, a game-play scanning or communication transaction, a game-playing apparatus-related transaction, a game-playing interface device-related transaction, or a game-playing apparatus identifying transaction.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second information comprises second location information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the user device comprises a local computing device configured for second operations associated with the game-playing transactions, and wherein the game-playing apparatus comprises a remote computing apparatus configured for the operations associated with the game-playing transactions.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the user device comprises a retail terminal configured for second operations associated with the game-playing transactions.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile telecommunication device configured for second operations associated with the game-playing transactions or a mobile computing device configured for the second operations associated with the game-playing transactions.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the game-playing interface device comprises a scanner configured for scanning the game-play created on the mobile device, and communicating the game-play to at least one of the user device or the game-playing apparatus.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the game-play is comprised in a code presented on a display of the mobile device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the game-playing interface device is comprised in or integrated into the mobile device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the game-playing interface device is comprised in or integrated into the user device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the game-play is stored on the mobile device.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the game-play is stored on a remote computing apparatus.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the game-playing transaction is received or sent on the first communication interface.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the user device comprises a fuel pump, and wherein the game-playing apparatus comprises a remote computing apparatus.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying the user device or the game-playing apparatus based on determining, using the one or more computing device processors, the period of validity associated with the information or the game information has not expired.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the game-playing transaction is received or sent on the second communication interface.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the second communication interface is located between the user device and the game-playing apparatus.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the second communication interface is located between the game-playing apparatus and a remote computing apparatus.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication interface is located between the user device and the game-playing apparatus.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the second communication interface is located at least one of between the user device and the game-playing apparatus, or between the game-playing apparatus and a remote computing apparatus.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the game-playing apparatus comprises a specialized gaming facilitator, wherein the specialized gaming facilitator comprises a firewall, logging security, core logic, and customized transaction logic.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the game-playing apparatus comprises a specialized communications exchange server.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the game comprises a lottery game.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the game comprises a non-lottery game.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein the game information comprises expiration information.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining, using the one or more computing device processors, the location information or the identification information is at least partially consistent with or mappable to the second information or the second identification information comprises determining, using the one or more computing device processors, the location information or the identification information matches the second information or the second identification information.

31. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying the user device or the game-playing apparatus based on determining, using the one or more computing device processors, the location information or the identification information is at least partially consistent with or mappable to the second information or the second identification information.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing the information or the game-playing transaction, or enabling the initiation or the conduction of the game-playing transaction, is based on validating, using the one or more computing device processors, an age of a user associated with the user device, the game-playing apparatus, the mobile device, or the game-playing interface device.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein the game information is comprised in the information.

34. The method of claim 1, wherein the information is comprised in the game information.

35. The method of claim 1, wherein the game-playing transaction comprises a gaming operation.

36. The method of claim 1, wherein the game-playing transaction comprises a specialized game-related operation.

37. The method of claim 1, wherein the cross-referencing, using the one or more computing device processors, the second information or the second identification information, and determining, using the one or more computing device processors, the location information or the identification information is at least partially consistent with or mappable to the second information or the second identification information, or determining, using the one or more computing device processors, the period of validity associated with the information or the game information has not expired, comprises cross-referencing, using the one or more computing device processors, the second information or the second identification information, and determining, using the one or more computing device processors, the location information or the identification information is at least partially consistent with or mappable to the second information or the second identification information.

38. The method of claim 1, wherein the cross-referencing, using the one or more computing device processors, the second information or the second identification information, and determining, using the one or more computing device processors, the location information or the identification information is at least partially consistent with or mappable to the second information or the second identification information, or determining, using the one or more computing device processors, the period of validity associated with the information or the game information has not expired, comprises determining, using the one or more computing device processors, the period of validity associated with the information or the game information has not expired.

39. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the information is executed before the game-playing transaction is conducted between the user device and the game-playing apparatus.

40. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the information is executed after the game-playing transaction is conducted between the user device and the game-playing apparatus.

41. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the information is part of the game-playing transaction or executed substantially simultaneously with the game-playing transaction between the user device and the game-playing apparatus.

42. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication interface or the second communication interface comprises at least one of a Bluetooth interface, a near-field communication (NFC) interface, a code-based interface, a Wi-Fi interface, a cellular interface, or a wired interface.

43. The method of claim 1, wherein the game-play is communicated from the mobile device to the game-play interface device on at least one of a Bluetooth interface, a near-field communication (NFC) interface, a code-based interface, a Wi-Fi interface, a cellular interface, or a wired interface.

44. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication interface and the second communication interface are the same communication interface.

45. The method of claim 1, wherein the user device comprises a non-electronic user device or wherein the game-playing apparatus comprises a non-electronic game-playing apparatus.

46. The method of claim 1, wherein the user device or the game-playing apparatus comprises or is integrated with or comprised in at least one of a pump, an ATM, a servicing station, a retail apparatus, an entity, a local computing apparatus, or a remote computing apparatus.

47. The method of claim 1, wherein the user device comprises a local computing apparatus and a remote computing apparatus.

48. The method of claim 1, wherein the game-playing apparatus comprises a local computing apparatus and a remote computing apparatus.

49. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the information further comprises at least one of receiving or sending the information between a second user device and the game-playing apparatus, or between the user device and a second game-playing apparatus.

50. The method of claim 1, wherein a location of the user device or the game-playing apparatus comprises or is based on the identification information or the location information associated with the user device or the game-playing apparatus.

51. The method of claim 1, wherein a location of the user device or the game-playing apparatus is determined based on input received at at least one of the user device or the game-playing apparatus.

52. The method of claim 1, wherein the second communication interface is associated with longer range communication compared to the first communication interface.

53. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more computing device processors are comprised in at least one of the user device, the game-playing apparatus, the game-playing interface device, one or more local computing apparatuses, or one or more remote computing apparatuses.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the one or more computing device processors are software-customized for performing specialized operations associated with the game-playing transactions.

55. An apparatus for processing, or enabling initiation or conduction of, game-playing transactions, the apparatus comprising one or more gaming-configured integrated circuits configured for:

receiving information associated with a game-playing transaction between a user device and a game-playing apparatus configured for operations associated with game-playing transactions, wherein the game-playing transaction is associated with a game, wherein the game is associated with or comprises game information;

determining location information or identification information associated with the user device or the game-playing apparatus associated with the game-playing transaction, the user device or the game-playing apparatus being located in an approved location associated with the game, the location information or the identification information comprising approved location information or approved identification information, respectively;

processing the information or the game-playing transaction, or enabling initiation or conduction of the game-playing transaction, based on at least one of;

cross-referencing second information or second identification information, and determining the location information or the identification information is at least partially consistent with or mappable to the second information or the second identification information, or

determining a period of validity associated with the information or the game information has not expired,

wherein the game-playing transaction is conducted or will be conducted on a first communication interface, and

wherein the information associated with the game-playing transaction is received on the first communication interface or a second communication interface.

56. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the game-playing transaction or the information is based on a game-play presented on a mobile device, wherein the mobile device communicates the game-play to a game-playing interface device, and wherein the game-playing interface device communicates the game-play to at least one of the user device or the game-playing apparatus.

57. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein the game-playing interface device comprises a scanner configured for scanning the game-play presented on the mobile device, and communicating the game-play to the at least one of the user device or the game-playing apparatus, wherein the game-play is comprised in a code presented on a display of the mobile device.

58. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the user device, the game-playing interface device, or the game-playing apparatus comprises or is integrated with or comprised in at least one of a pump, an ATM, a servicing station, a retail apparatus, an entity, a local computing apparatus, a remote computing apparatus, or the apparatus.

59. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the game comprises a lottery game.

60. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the game comprises a non-lottery game.

61. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the one or more gaming-configured integrated circuits are specially configured for or customized for processing the information or the game-playing transaction, or enabling the initiation or the conduction of the game-playing transaction.

62. An apparatus for processing, or enabling initiation or conduction of, game-playing transactions, the apparatus comprising one or more software-customized processors configured for:

receiving information associated with a game-playing transaction between a user device and a game-playing apparatus configured for operations associated with game-playing transactions, wherein the game-playing transaction is associated with a game, wherein the game is associated with or comprises game information;

determining location information or identification information associated with the user device or the game-playing apparatus associated with the game-playing transaction;

determining the user device or the game-playing apparatus is associated with approved location information or approved identification information, the user device or the game-playing apparatus being located in an approved location associated with the game;

processing the information or the game-playing transaction, or enabling initiation or conduction of the game-playing transaction, based on at least one of;

cross-referencing second information or second identification information, and determining the location information or the identification information is at least partially consistent with or mappable to the second information or the second identification information, or

determining a period of validity associated with the information or the game information has not expired,

wherein the game-playing transaction is conducted or is to be conducted on a first communication interface, and

wherein the information associated with the game-playing transaction is received on the first communication interface or a second communication interface.

63. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the information is received from a game-playing interface device, wherein the game-playing interface device receives the information from a mobile device, wherein the information is associated with a game-play presented on the mobile device.

64. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein the game-playing interface device comprises a scanner configured for scanning the game-play presented on the mobile device, and communicating the game-play to at least one of the user device or the game-playing apparatus, wherein the game-play presented on the mobile device comprises a code presented on a display of the mobile device.

65. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein the user device, the game-playing apparatus, or the game-playing interface device, comprises or is integrated with or comprised in at least one of a pump, an ATM, a servicing station, a retail apparatus, an entity, a local computing apparatus, a remote computing apparatus, or the apparatus.

66. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the game comprises a lottery game.

67. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the game comprises a non-lottery game.

68. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the one or more software-customized processors are specially configured for processing the information or the game-playing transaction, or enabling the initiation or the conduction of the game-playing transaction.

69. An apparatus for processing, or enabling initiation or conduction of, game-playing transactions, the apparatus comprising one or more computing device processors configured for:

receiving information associated with a game-playing transaction between a user device and a game-playing apparatus configured for operations associated with game-playing transactions, wherein the game-playing transaction is associated with a game, wherein the game is associated with or comprises game information;

determining location information or identification information associated with the user device or the game-playing apparatus associated with the game-playing transaction, the user device or the game-playing apparatus being located in an approved location associated with the game;

modifying or configuring the user device or the game-playing apparatus based on the user device or the game-playing apparatus being associated with approved location information or approved identification;

processing the information or the game-playing transaction, or enabling initiation or conduction of the game-playing transaction, based on at least one of;

cross-referencing second information or second identification information, and determining the location information or the identification information is at least partially consistent with or mappable to the second information or the second identification information, or

determining a period of validity associated with the information or the game information has not expired,

wherein the game-playing transaction is conducted or is to be conducted on a first communication interface, and

wherein the information associated with the game-playing transaction is received on the first communication interface or a second communication interface.

70. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the information is communicated to the user device via a game-playing interface device.

71. The apparatus of claim 70, wherein the apparatus is integrated with or is comprised in at least one of a pump, an ATM, a servicing station, a retail apparatus, a local computing apparatus, a remote computing apparatus, the user device, the game-playing interface device, or the game-playing apparatus.

72. The apparatus of claim 70, wherein the game-playing interface device comprises a scanner configured for scanning the information from a code presented on a mobile device.

73. The apparatus of claim 70, wherein the user device, the game-playing interface device, the mobile device, or the game-playing apparatus comprises or is integrated with or comprised in at least one of a pump, an ATM, a servicing station, a retail apparatus, an entity, a local computing apparatus, a remote computing apparatus, or the apparatus.

74. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the modifying or configuring the user device or the game-playing apparatus comprises modifying or configuring a user interface of the user device or the game-playing apparatus, at least one of the user device or the game-playing apparatus being configured for the operations or second operations associated with the game-playing transactions.

75. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the modifying or configuring the user device or the game-playing apparatus comprises modifying or configuring a software component of the user device or the game-playing apparatus, at least one of the user device or the game-playing apparatus being configured for the operations or second operations associated with the game-playing transactions.

76. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the modifying or configuring the user device or the game-playing apparatus comprises modifying or configuring a hardware component of the user device or the game-playing apparatus, at least one of the user device or the game-playing apparatus being configured for the operations or second operations associated with the game-playing transactions.

77. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the apparatus comprises or is comprised in a software-customized gaming facilitator.

78. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the apparatus comprises or is comprised in a software-customized communications exchange server.

79. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the game comprises a lottery game.

80. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the game comprises a non-lottery game.

81. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the cross-referencing the second information or the second identification information, and determining the location information or the identification information is at least partially consistent with or mappable to the second information or the second identification information, or determining the period of validity associated with the information or the game information has not expired, comprises cross-referencing the second information or the second identification information, and determining the location information or the identification information is at least partially consistent with or mappable to the second information or the second identification information.

82. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the cross-referencing the second information or the second identification information, and determining the location information or the identification information is at least partially consistent with or mappable to the second information or the second identification information, or determining the period of validity associated with the information or the game information has not expired, comprises determining the period of validity associated with the information or the game information has not expired.

83. A method associated with game-playing transactions, the method comprising:

receiving, at a game-playing interface device, first information associated with a game-playing transaction between a user device and a game-playing apparatus configured for operations associated with game-playing transactions, wherein the game-playing transaction is associated with a game, wherein the game is associated with or comprises game information, wherein the first information is compared to second information associated with the game-playing transaction to determine post-game-playing transaction information,

wherein at least one of the user device, the game-playing apparatus, or the game-playing interface device is configured for;

determining, using one or more computing device processors, location information or identification information associated with the user device or the game-playing apparatus associated with the game-playing transaction, the user device or the game-playing apparatus being located in an approved location associated with the game, the location information or the identification information comprising approved location information or approved identification information, respectively;

processing the first information or the game-playing transaction, or enabling initiation or conduction of the game-playing transaction, based on at least one of;

cross-referencing, using the one or more computing device processors, the second information or second identification information, and determining, using the one or more computing device processors, the location information or the identification information is at least partially consistent with or mappable to the second information or the second identification information, or

determining, using the one or more computing device processors, a period of validity associated with the first information or the game information has not expired,

wherein the game-playing transaction is conducted or is to be conducted on a first communication interface, and

wherein the information associated with the game-playing transaction is received on the first communication interface or a second communication interface.

84. The method of claim 83, wherein the user device comprises a local computing device or a mobile computing device configured for second operations associated with the game-playing transactions, and wherein the game-playing apparatus comprises a remote computing apparatus configured for the operations associated with the game-playing transactions.

85. The method of claim 83, wherein the game-playing interface device comprises at least one of a mobile device or a scanner configured for conducting or processing second operations associated with the game-playing transactions.

86. The method of claim 83, wherein the information associated with the game-playing transaction comprises at least one of game-playing request information, pre game-playing transaction information, the post game-playing transaction information, in-game information, the game information, user information, the location information, the identification information, game-related information, game-playing apparatus information, or game-playing apparatus identification information, or wherein the game-playing transaction comprises at least one of a gaming transaction, a game initiation transaction, a game completing transaction, a pre-game transaction, a post-game transaction, an in-game transaction, a game-related transaction, an identification transaction, an information processing transaction, a location determining transaction, a user identification transaction, a user device identifying transaction, a game-play creation transaction, a game-play scanning or communication transaction, a game-playing apparatus-related transaction, a game-playing interface device-related transaction, or a game-playing apparatus identifying transaction.

87. The method of claim 83, wherein the game-playing interface device is comprised in or integrated into the user device.

88. The method of claim 83, wherein the user device, the game-playing interface device, or the game-playing apparatus comprises or is integrated with or comprised in at least one of a pump, an ATM, a servicing station, a retail apparatus, an entity, a local computing apparatus, or a remote computing apparatus.

89. The method of claim 83, wherein the first information comprises ticket information.

90. The method of claim 83, wherein the second information comprises winning ticket information.

91. The method of claim 83, wherein the post-game-playing transaction information is transmitted to the game-playing interface device, and wherein the post-game-playing transaction information informs a user of the game-playing interface device or the user device about an outcome associated with the game-playing transaction.

92. The method of claim 83, wherein the game-playing apparatus comprises or is comprised in a software-customized communications exchange server.

93. The method of claim 83, wherein the one or more computing device processors are comprised in at least one of the user device, the game-playing apparatus, the game-playing interface device, one or more local computing apparatuses, or one or more remote computing apparatuses.

94. The method of claim 93, wherein the one or more computing device processors are customized for performing specialized operations associated with the game-playing transactions.

95. The method of claim 83, wherein the game comprises a lottery game.

96. The method of claim 83, wherein the game comprises a non-lottery game.