System, Device and Method for Incorporating Randomly Selected Prizes with Transactions

• US 20100153194A1
• Filed: 03/11/2009
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GTECH Corporation (GTECH SpA)
• Original Assignee: GTECH Corporation (GTECH SpA)
• Inventors: Oram, Thomas K.
• Application Number:
  US12/401,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20100153194A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards

Abstract

The present invention provides a system, method and device for issuing random benefits to users of transaction cards and other personally identifying transaction instruments. The present invention provides a network accessible by various input devices or terminals, wherein the devices can receive a personally identifying transaction instrument and determine a user account associated therewith. When the personally identifying transaction instrument is presented as part of a transaction, the system of the present invention determines whether the user is to receive a benefit. If so, the system of the present invention selects a benefit at random from a pool of benefits and presents it to the user.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

at least one terminal adapted to identify an individual via a personally identifying transaction instrument;

a rewards network in communication with the at least one terminal; and

a rewards processing component in communication with the rewards network for generating and storing a pool of prizes, and further for generating a random index into the pool of prizes and retrieving a prize upon receiving an indication from the rewards network that the personally identifying transaction instrument has been employed coincident with a transaction.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the prize pool is depleting.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the prize pool is fixed.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the retrieved prize is issued to an account associated with the personally identifying transaction instrument.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the retrieved prize is a cash amount and wherein the cash amount is added to a financial account balance associated with the personally identifying transaction instrument.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the personally identifying transaction instrument is a multi-purpose transaction card having indicia thereupon for initiating lottery and non-lottery transactions.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the transaction card indicia includes first indicia for initiating a lottery transaction and second indicia for initiating a non-lottery transaction.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the first and second indicia are the same.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein the at least one terminal reads the indicia on the transaction card and communicates instructions to the rewards processing component to generate a random index into the pool of prizes.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the retrieved prize is at least one virtual lottery ticket, and wherein the terminal is employed to play the at least one lottery ticket.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the play of the at least one lottery ticket results in cash winnings that are applied to a financial account associated with the personally identifying transaction instrument.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the rewards processing component determines whether a prize is to be issued before generating the random index into the pool of prizes.

13. A method for issuing rewards in connection with transactions, comprising:

issuing a personally identifying transaction instrument to a user;

generating, by a rewards processing component, a pool of prizes capable of being won by a user of the transaction instrument;

receiving an indication from a terminal that the transaction instrument has been employed coincident with a transaction;

generating, by the rewards processing component, a random index into the pool of prizes; and

retrieving, by the rewards processing component, a prize that is issued to the user.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the retrieved prize is issued to the user without paper or cash.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the retrieved prize is a cash amount and wherein the cash amount is added to a financial account balance associated with the transaction instrument.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the transaction instrument is a multi-purpose transaction card having indicia thereupon for initiating lottery and non-lottery transactions.

17. A terminal, comprising:

a reader element capable of identifying a user via a personally identifying transaction instrument; and

a communications component for communicating with a rewards processing component, with the rewards processing component capable of generating a pool of prizes and further capable of generating a random index into the pool of prizes and retrieving a prize to be issued to the user.

18. A system, comprising:

at least one terminal adapted for reading a transaction instrument;

a lottery rewards network in communication with the at least one terminal; and

a rewards processing component in communication with the lottery rewards network for generating a pool of lottery prizes, receiving an indication that the transaction instrument has been employed coincident with a transaction and, upon determining that a prize is to be issued, generating a random index into the pool of prizes and retrieving a lottery prize to be issued through the terminal.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the transaction instrument is read without revealing personally identifying information of a user.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the transaction instrument is a personally identifying transaction instrument that reveals personally identifying information when it is read.