Co-located lottery game for a gaming device

• US 20050192077A1
• Filed: 02/27/2004
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AIM Management, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Douglas M. Okuniewicz
• Inventors: Okuniewicz, Douglas M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,985,129 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/17
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2001/008 adapted for being playable on a screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/081 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards

Abstract

A lottery system/electronic gaming device interface and gambling game includes at least one detection device operative to detect selected event occurrences of an electronic gaming device and output event occurrence signals upon detection of an event or series of events occurring on an electronic gaming device and an interface device in information transmission connection with the detection device, the interface device operative to detect and receive event occurrence signals from the detection device, analyze and translate the event occurrence signals and output lottery entry dispensing commands. Finally, a lottery entry device is in information transmission connection with the interface device and in information transmission connection with a central lottery system, the lottery entry device operative to receive the lottery entry dispensing commands output by the interface device and output at least one entry ticket into a lottery event via and in connection with the central lottery system.

Claims

1. A lottery system/electronic device operative for gaming purposes interface comprising;

a detection means operative to detect selected event occurrences on an electronic device operative for gaming purposes and output event occurrence notification signals upon detection of said selected event occurrences;

interface means operative to detect event occurrence notification signals from said detection means, analyze said event occurrence notification signals and output lottery operation commands; and

lottery entry means operative to receive said lottery operation commands from said interface means and output an entry into a lottery event.

2. The lottery system/electronic device for gaming purposes interface of claim 1 wherein said detection means further comprises software programming in at least one of said electronic device operative for gaming purposes, said interface means, said lottery entry means, the central computer system for said electronic device operative for gaming purposes and said central lottery system operative to detect selected event occurrences on an electronic device operative for gaming purposes and output event occurrence signals upon detection of an event.

3. The lottery system/electronic device operative for gaming purposes interface of claim 1 wherein said detection means further comprises firmware and hardware in at least one of said electronic device operative for gaming purposes, said interface means, said lottery entry means, the central computer system for said electronic device operative for gaming purposes and said central lottery system operative to detect selected event occurrences on an electronic device operative for gaming purposes and output event occurrence signals upon detection of an event.

4. The lottery system/electronic device operative for gaming purposes interface of claim 1 wherein said detection means comprises an activity monitoring unit connected to said electronic device operative for gaming purposes for monitoring selected event occurrences in said electronic device operative for gaming purposes, the activity monitoring unit comprising;

a programmable electronic activity detector and command generator, said programmable electronic activity detector and command generator including at least one detection device adapted to be connected to said electronic device operative for gaming purposes in information transmission connection therewith,

an event detection sampling device in information transmission connection with the detection device; and

a programmable event occurrence information signal computing device connected to the event detection sampling device operative to output command signals therefrom for commanding said interface means to generate lottery entry dispensing commands to said lottery entry means to output a lottery entry in response to a specific occurrence or occurrences in said electronic device operative for gaming purposes.

5. The lottery system/electronic device operative for gaming purposes interface of claim 1 wherein said interface means comprises a lottery interface board (LIB) including a circuit board having at least one programmable microchip programmed to receive, analyze and translate said event occurrence signals from said detection means and output lottery entry dispensing commands to said lottery entry means.

6. The lottery system/electronic device operative for gaming purposes interface of claim 1 wherein said interface means comprises software programming programmed to receive, analyze and translate said event occurrence signals from said detection means and output lottery entry dispensing commands to said lottery entry means.

7. The lottery system/electronic device operative for gaming purposes interface of claim 1 wherein said lottery entry means further comprises a manual input means operative to permit entry of lottery-specific characters.

8. The lottery system/electronic device operative for gaming purposes interface of claim 1 wherein said lottery entry means further comprises a printing unit operative to output lottery tickets in response to lottery entry dispensing commands received from said interface means via said lottery entry means.

9. The lottery system/electronic device operative for gaming purposes interface of claim 7 wherein said manual input means is selected from the group consisting of a keypad, a touch screen, a touch pad, a joystick, a mouse, a trackball and a voice data entry device.

10. The lottery system/electronic device operative for gaming purposes interface of claim 1 wherein said detection means, said interface means and said lottery entry means are cooperatively operative to transfer electronic device operative for gaming purposes-generated character information from said electronic device operative for gaming purposes to said lottery entry means, said character information identifying selected character values used for outputting at least one lottery entry including said selected character values in response to lottery entry dispensing commands received from said interface means into said lottery entry means.

11. The lottery system/electronic device operative for gaming purposes interface of claim 1 wherein said lottery entry means further comprises an automatic input means operative to transfer electronic device operative for gaming purposes-generated event occurrences from said electronic device operative for gaming purposes to said lottery entry means, said event occurrences identifying selected character values used for outputting at least one lottery entry including said selected character values in response to lottery entry dispensing commands received from said interface means into said lottery entry means.

12. The lottery system/electronic device operative for gaming purposes interface of claim 1 wherein at least one of said lottery entry means and said central lottery system further comprises a generally random character value generating device operative to generally randomly select character values for inclusion on at least one lottery entry including said generally randomly selected character values in response to lottery entry dispensing commands received from said interface means into said lottery entry means.

13. The lottery system/electronic device operative for gaming purposes interface of claim 12 wherein said central lottery system periodically generates a pool of entries for dispensing via said lottery entry means at least one entry from said pool of entries to a player such that said pool of entries is usable during a period when said central lottery system is not operatively connected to said lottery entry means to output a lottery entry.

14. The lottery system/electronic device operative for gaming purposes interface of claim 5 wherein said interface means is programmable to include accounting and security tracking functions for electronic device operative for gaming purposes and for central lottery systems, said accounting and security tracking functions selected from the group consisting of tracking coin in, coin out, machine win, door open, jackpots, tilts, game outcomes, power on/off, number of tickets printed, characters on the tickets, time and date functions, paper jams and malfunctions.

15. In combination:

an electronic device operative for gaming purposes; and

a central lottery system operative to accept lottery entries; and

a lottery terminal/electronic device operative for gaming purposes interface including;

a detection means operative to detect selected event occurrences on said electronic device operative for gaming purposes and output event occurrence notification signals upon detection of said selected event occurrences;

an interface means operative to receive event occurrence notification signals from said detection means, translate said event occurrence notification signals and output central lottery system operation commands;

a lottery entry output means operative to receive said central lottery system operation commands and output an entry into a lottery event operated via said central lottery system; and

said central lottery system in information transmission connection with said interface means via said lottery entry output means, said central lottery system operative to receive said central lottery system operation commands output by said interface means and output preselected central lottery system responses corresponding to said central lottery system operation commands.

16. The combination of claim 15 wherein said central lottery system is in information transmission connection with said interface means via said lottery entry output means, said central lottery system operative to receive said central lottery system operation commands output by said interface means and output preselected central lottery system responses corresponding to said central lottery system operation commands.

17. The combination of claim 15 wherein lottery event is operated via said central lottery system whereby an operator/player of said electronic device operative for gaming purposes receives at least one entry into the lottery event.

18. The combination of claim 15 wherein said central lottery system is partially retained within said electronic device operative for gaming purposes.

19. The combination of claim 15 wherein said central lottery system is fully retained within said electronic device operative for gaming purposes.

20. The combination of claim 15 wherein said central lottery system is partially retained within at least one of said interface means and said lottery entry output means.

21. The combination of claim 15 wherein said central lottery system is fully retained within at least one of said interface means and said lottery entry output means.

22. The combination of claim 15 wherein said electronic device operative for gaming purposes is partially retained within at least one of said interface means and said lottery entry output means.

23. The combination of claim 15 wherein said electronic device operative for gaming purposes is fully retained within at least one of said interface means and said lottery entry output means.

24. The combination of claim 15 wherein communication between said electronic device operative for gaming purposes, said central lottery system, and said lottery terminal/electronic device operative for gaming purposes interface comprises a network selected from the group consisting of local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), the Internet, TCP/IP protocol networks, radio-frequency (RF), line-of-sight, fiber-optic, wireless, cellular networks and universal and proprietary connections.

25. In combination:

an electronic device operative for gaming purposes; and

a central lottery system operative to accept lottery entries; and

a lottery terminal/electronic device operative for gaming purposes interface including;

a detection means operative to detect selected event occurrences on said electronic device operative for gaming purposes and output event occurrence notification signals upon detection of said selected event occurrences;

an interface means operative to receive event occurrence notification signals from said detection means, translate said event occurrence notification signals and output central lottery system operation commands; and

a lottery entry output means operative to receive said central lottery system operation commands and output an entry into a lottery event.

26. The combination of claim 25 wherein said lottery event includes a lottery outcome.

27. The combination of claim 25 wherein said lottery event is generated by said electronic device operative for gaming purposes.

28. The combination of claim 25 wherein said lottery event is generated by said central lottery system.

29. The combination of claim 25 wherein said lottery event is generated by said lottery terminal/electronic device operative for gaming purposes interface.

30. The combination of claim 25 wherein said lottery event is generated by a combination of said electronic device operative for gaming purposes and said central lottery system.

31. The combination of claim 25 wherein said lottery event is generated by a combination of said electronic device operative for gaming purposes and said lottery terminal/electronic device operative for gaming purposes interface.

32. The combination of claim 25 wherein said lottery event is generated by a combination of said central lottery system and said lottery terminal/electronic device operative for gaming purposes interface.

33. The combination of claim 25 wherein said lottery event is generated by a combination of said electronic device operative for gaming purposes and said central lottery system and said lottery terminal/electronic device operative for gaming purposes interface.

34. The combination of claim 25 wherein generation of a lottery event is initiated by said electronic device operative for gaming purposes.

35. The combination of claim 25 wherein generation of a lottery event is initiated by said central lottery system.

36. The combination of claim 25 wherein generation of a lottery event is initiated by said lottery terminal/electronic device operative for gaming purposes interface.

37. The combination of claim 25 wherein generation of a lottery event is initiated by a combination of said electronic device operative for gaming purposes and said central lottery system.

38. The combination of claim 25 wherein generation of a lottery event is initiated by a combination of said electronic device operative for gaming purposes and said lottery terminal/electronic device operative for gaming purposes interface.

39. The combination of claim 25 wherein generation of a lottery event is initiated by a combination of said central lottery system and said lottery terminal/electronic gaming device operative for gaming purposes interface.

40. The combination of claim 25 wherein generation of a lottery event is initiated by a combination of said electronic device operative for gaming purposes and said central lottery system and said lottery terminal/electronic device operative for gaming purposes interface.

41. The combination of claim 25 wherein said central lottery system is in information transmission connection with said interface means via said lottery entry output means, said central lottery system operative to receive said central lottery system operation commands output by said interface means and output preselected central lottery system responses corresponding to said central lottery system operation commands.

42. The combination of claim 25 wherein lottery event is operated via said central lottery system whereby an operator/player of said electronic device operative for gaming purposes receives at least one entry into the lottery event.

43. The combination of claim 25 wherein said central lottery system is partially retained within said electronic device operative for gaming purposes.

44. The combination of claim 25 wherein said central lottery system is fully retained within said electronic device operative for gaming purposes.

45. The combination of claim 25 wherein said central lottery system is partially retained within at least one of said interface means and said lottery entry output means.

46. The combination of claim 25 wherein said central lottery system is fully retained within at least one of said interface means and said lottery entry output means.

47. The combination of claim 25 wherein said electronic device operative for gaming purposes is partially retained within at least one of said interface means and said lottery entry output means.

48. The combination of claim 25 wherein said electronic device operative for gaming purposes is fully retained within at least one of said interface means and said lottery entry output means.

49. The combination of claim 25 wherein communication between said electronic device operative for gaming purposes, said central lottery system, and said lottery terminal/electronic device operative for gaming purposes interface comprises a network selected from the group consisting of local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), the Internet, TCP/IP protocol networks, radio-frequency (RF), line-of-sight, fiber-optic, wireless, cellular networks and universal and proprietary connections.