INTERACTIVE COMPUTER GAMING SYSTEM WITH AUDIO RESPONSE

• US 20010003100A1
• Filed: 09/08/1998
• Published: 06/07/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1997
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Unistar Entertainment, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Unistar Entertainment, Inc.
• Inventors: YACENDA, MICHAEL W.
• Application Number:
  US09/150,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20010003100A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/41
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/081 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens

Abstract

A remotely accessed lottery system in accordance with the present invention, includes at least one gaming location including a plurality of terminals, each terminal including a display and an input device, the terminals being connected on a local area network. A dedicated transmission link is coupled to the local area network. A central station is remotely disposed relative to the at least one gaming location, the central station coupled to the local area network by the dedicated transmission link. The central station further includes at least one computer for generating tickets to be sent to the terminals pursuant to requests by players to participate, wherein the tickets are digitally rendered on a display of the terminals and have outcomes predetermined at the central station prior to the request for purchase and also includes a device for updating player accounts responsive to requests for participation and winning results as determined at the central station. A method for playing virtual scratch off games is also included.

Claims

1. A remotely accessed lottery system comprising:

at least one gaming location including a plurality of terminals, each terminal including a display and an input device, the terminals being connected on a local area network;

a dedicated transmission link coupled to the local area network;

a central station remotely disposed relative to the at least one gaming location, the central station coupled to the local area network by the dedicated transmission link;

the central station further comprising;

at least one computer for generating tickets to be sent to the terminals pursuant to requests by players to participate, wherein the tickets are digitally rendered on a display of the terminals and have outcomes predetermined at the central station prior to the request for purchase; and

means for updating player accounts responsive to requests for participation and winning results as determined at the central station.

2. The remotely accessed lottery system as recited in

claim 1

, wherein the terminals further comprise a printer device for providing a printout of tickets displayed on the display.

3. The remotely accessed lottery system as recited in

claim 1

, wherein the dedicated link includes a wide area network.

4. The remotely accessed lottery system as recited in

claim 1

, wherein the terminals are arranged in a kiosk at the gaming location.

5. The remotely accessed lottery system as recited in

claim 1

, wherein the tickets include obscured regions having a result invisible to the player wherein the player indicates obscured regions to be revealed thereby revealing a winning or a losing ticket.

6. The remotely accessed lottery system as recited in

claim 5

, wherein the terminal includes a mouse input device for controlling a location of an on-screen cursor, the mouse input device for indicating by the player which obscured regions to reveal.

7. The remotely accessed lottery system as recited in

claim 6

, further including means for detecting and revealing only portions of the obscured region selected by the mouse.

8. The remotely accessed lottery system as recited in

claim 5

, wherein the display is a touch screen display and the obscured regions are revealed by the player touching the obscured regions to be revealed.

9. The remotely accessed lottery system as recited in

claim 1

, wherein the central station further comprises means for accessing a state sponsored lottery computer for providing state sponsored lottery games to players.

10. A remotely accessed lottery system for playing virtual scratch off games comprising:

at least one gaming location including a plurality of terminals, each terminal including a display and an input device, the terminals being connected on a local area network;

the input device including a card reader for reading an identification card having memory storage thereon, the card having identification information, account balance information and statistical information stored thereon;

a dedicated transmission link coupled to the local area network;

a central station remotely disposed relative to the at least one gaming location, the central station coupled to the local area network by the dedicated transmission link;

the central station further comprising;

at least one computer for generating tickets to be sent to the terminals pursuant to requests by players to participate, wherein the tickets are digitally rendered on a display of the terminals and have outcomes predetermined at the central station prior to the request for purchase; and

means for updating player accounts responsive to requests for participation and winning results as determined at the central station, updates determined at the central station being transmitted and stored on the card.

11. The remotely accessed lottery system as recited in

claim 10

, wherein the terminals further comprise a printer device for providing a printout of tickets displayed on the display.

12. The remotely accessed lottery system as recited in

claim 10

, wherein the dedicated link includes a wide area network.

13. The remotely accessed lottery system as recited in

claim 10

, wherein the terminals are arranged in a kiosk at the gaming location.

14. The remotely accessed lottery system as recited in

claim 10

, wherein the tickets include obscured regions having a result invisible to the player wherein the player indicates obscured regions to be revealed thereby revealing a winning or a losing ticket.

15. The remotely accessed lottery system as recited in

claim 14

, wherein the terminal includes a mouse input device for controlling a location of an on-screen cursor, the mouse input device for indicating by the player which obscured regions to reveal.

16. The remotely accessed lottery system as recited in

claim 14

, wherein the display is a touch screen display and the obscured regions are revealed by the player touching the obscured regions to be revealed.

17. The remotely accessed lottery system as recited in

claim 10

, wherein the card includes a magnetic strip for memory storage.

18. A method for playing a scratch off lottery game with virtual tickets comprising the steps of:

providing terminals each having a display and an input device, the terminals being linked to a remotely disposed central station by a dedicated link;

generating tickets at the central station prior to player requests for tickets such that winning tickets are predetermined at the central station prior to player participation;

transmitting tickets to be displayed on the displays, the tickets having obscured regions for obscuring ticket information regarding winning status; and

revealing obscured regions on the tickets by a player to determine if the player has a winning ticket.

19. The method as recited in

claim 18

, wherein the step of revealing obscured regions includes providing a mouse input device for controlling a location of an on-screen cursor, the mouse input device for indicating by the player which obscured regions to reveal.

20. The method as recited in

claim 18

, wherein the display is a touch screen display and further comprising the step of touching the display by the player to indicate the obscured regions to be revealed.

21. The method as recited in

claim 18

, further comprises the step of accessing the central station by inserting a card into the input device, the card including personal information, account balance information and statistical information about the player.