Automated sweepstakes-type game

• US 4,669,730 A
• Filed: 11/05/1984
• Issued: 06/02/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Maynard E. Small
• Original Assignee: Maynard E. Small
• Inventors: Small, Maynard E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lastova, MaryAnn Stoll
• Application Number:
  US06/668,011
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: 273/1 E, 273/138 A, 273/DIG. 28, 364/410-412
• US Class Current: 463/17
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2414 Cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2441 Pin code
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/081 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/34 Betting or bookmaking, e.g. Internet betting
• 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
• 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 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/145 PLU-management

Abstract

An apparatus and method for playing a sweepstakes-type game wherein a player inserts an identification card into an automated remote computer terminal and accesses an account at a subject financial institution. The user identifier provides access to the financial account, and user indicia is compared to a game indicia. A sweepstakes processor compares the user and game indicia to determine whether a selected winning correlation is present between the game indicia and user indicia. The sweepstakes processor communicates with the remote computer terminal to notify the user of the presence or absence of a selected winning correlation, and upon the presence of the winning correlation, the user is notified of the prize awarded to him. The game apparatus is adapted to be used with a network of data processing machines and a transmission facilities device, which provides data processing communication among the data processing machines. A plurality of the remote computer terminals communicate with the network of data processing machines such that a user can access the sweepstakes data processor from any of the plurality of remote computer terminals.

Claims

1. Apparatus for participation of a user in a sweepstakes-type game, said apparatus comprising:

(a) an automated teller machine for communicating with the user wherein said automated teller machine is of the type used by a financial services-type institution;

(b) user identification means for providing user access to said automated teller machine;

(c) means generating user indicia specific to the user;

said user indicia being passively generated without input from said user once said user has obtained access to said automated teller machine;

(d) means generating game indicia; and

(e) processor means communicating with said automated teller machine, receiving said user indicia and receiving said game indicia;

said processor means being adapted to compare said user indicia to said game indicia and determine whether a selected winning correlation exists between same, said processor means completing the comparison of said user game indicia generally contemporaneously with the user effecting an unrelated transaction by means of said automated teller machine, whereby there is no appreciable extra time required to complete said game in addition to said unrelated transaction.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

(a) said game indicia is randomly generated by said processor means.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including:

(a) means for notifying said user of one of the existence and non-existence of the winning correlation.

4. Apparatus for playing a sweepstaketype game by a user, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a plurality of remote computer terminals;

each of said computer terminals being an electronic communication with a financial institution data processing machine;

each of said computer terminals being one of an automated teller machine or a point-of-sale terminal wherein said automated teller machine and point-of-sale terminal are of the type used by a financial services-type institution;

(b) a user identification card having means for identifying a financial account associated with a user at said financial institution;

said identification card being adapted to be inserted into a selected one of said remote computer terminals;

each of said remote computer terminals being adapted to allow said user to access electronically the financial institution account of said user;

(c) a personal identification number being associated with said user identification card and specific thereto;

said personal identification number being adapted to validate user access to the financial account associated with said identification card;

(d) a sweepstakes data processor having means for passively reading an account number associated with said user'"'"'s financial account without input from the user and means for generating a random number and comparing said account number to said random number while the user effects a transaction at said remote computer terminal, said compraing of said account number and said random number being effected to determine whether said account number and random number match, whereby there is no appreciable additional time required to complete said game in addition to said transaction;

(e) said sweepstakes data processor including means for determining a prize to be awarded to the user of an account number determined to match said random number.

5. Apparatus for participation of a user in a sweepstakes-type game, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a network of data processing machine, each of said data processing machines adapted to be associated with said financial institution;

(b) a transmission facilities device for providing data processing communication among said data processing machines;

(c) a plurality of remote interface devices;

wherein said interface devices are of the type used by a financial services-type institution;

each of said interface devices being in data processing communication with a selected financial institution data processing machine through said transmission facilities device;

(d) user identification means for providing user access to a selected one of said interface devices;

(e) means passively generating user indicia adapted to be specific to a user, said user indicia being generated without active input from the user once the user has obtained access to said interface device;

(f) means generating game indicia; and

(g) process mans reading said game indicia and reading said user indicia from said interface device, compraing said user indicia to said game indicia, and determining whether a selected winning correlation exists therebetween.

6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said remote interface device is an automated teller machine.

7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said remote interface device is a point-of-sale terminal.

8. Apparatus for participation of a user in a sweepstakes-type game, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a network of data processing machines, each of said data processing machines adapted to be associated with a selected financial institution;

(b) a transmission facilities device for providing data processing communication among said data processing machines;

(c) a plurality of remote comptuer terminals;

wherein said computer terminals are of the type used by a financial services-type institution;

each of said computer terminals being in data processing communication with a selected financial institution data processing machine through said transmission facilities device;

(d) a plurality of user identification cards having means for identifying a respective user'"'"'s financial account at said user'"'"'s financial institution;

each of said identification cards being adapted to be inserted into a selected one of said remote computer terminals;

each of said remote computer terminals and said transmission facilities device adapted to allow said user to access the financial institution account of said user;

(e) a personal identification number being associated with each of said user identification cards and specific thereto, and beinga dapted to validate user access to the financial account associated with said identification card;

(f) a sweepstakes data processor having means passively reading an account number associated with said user'"'"'s financial account without active input from the user and means generating a random number and comparing said account number to said random number and determining whether said account number and random number match;

(g) said sweepstakes data processor including means for determining a prize to be awarded to the user of an account number determined to match said random number

(h) means for awarding said prize to said user of said account number determined to match said random number; and

(i) recording means for notifying said user of one of the occurrence and non-occurrence of a correlative match between said account number and random number and of one of the associated awarding and non-awarding of a prize.

9. The apparatus as set forht in claim 8 further including:

(a) means for calculating an amount of a cash prize to be deducted from said prize for federal withholding taxes; and

(b) means for deducting said amount of said prize to be withheld for federal withholding taxes from said cash prize amount.

10. A method of playing a sweepstakes-type game including the steps of:

(a) entering a user identifier into a computerized interface device;

said interface device being one of an automated teller machine or a point-of-sale terminal wherein said automated teller machine and said point-of-sale terminal are of the type used by a financial services-type institution;

(b) accessing a financial account at a financial institution electronically through the interface device uponentry of said user identifier;

(c) passively assigning user indicia specific to said user without prompting from said user

(d) selecting a random game indicia;

(e) reading said user indicia and said game indicia;

(f) camparing said user indicia to said game indicia;

(g) determining whether a winning correlation exists between said game indicia and said user indicia;

(h) awarding a selected prize to said user upon determining that said selected winning correlation exists; and

(i) notifying said user of whether a selected winning correlation exists at generally the same time that said user completes an unrelated transaction with the financial institution.

11. A method of participating in a sweepstakes-type game comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a network of data processing machines associated with selected financial institutions;

(b) providing means for electronic communication among said data processing machines and between said data processing machines and said selected financial institutions;

(c) providing a plurality of remote computer terminals in electronic communication with said network of data processing machines wherein said computer terminals are of the type used by a financial services-type institution;

(d) assigning an account number to said financial institution account;

(e) accessing a selected financial institution account through a selected remote computer terminal, said communication means and a data processor specific to a financial institution associated with said financial institution account;

(f) relaying said account number to a sweepstakes processor means without active input from a user of a selected remote computer terminal;

(g) generating a random game number;

(h) comparing said account number to said game number to determine whether said account number matches said game number;

(i) determining a prize to be associated with said account number upon matching of said account number to said game number;

(j) awarding said prize to said matching account number in a preselected manner; and

(k) notifying said user of one of the occurence and nonoccurence of matching said account number and said game number and determining and awarding of a prize, with the user being so notified at a time generally contemporaneous with the completion of unrelated transactions by the user.

12. Apparatus for participation of a user in a sweepstakes-type game, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a point-of-sale terminal for communicating with the user wherein said point-of-sale terminal is of the type used by a financial services-type institution;

(b) user identification means for providing user access to said point-of-sale terminal;

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(c) means generating user indicia adapted to be specific to the user;

said user indicia being passively generated without input from said user once said user has obtained access to said point-of-sale terminal;

(d) means generating game indicia; and

(e) processor means for communicating with said point-of-sale terminal, receiving said user indicia and receiving said game indicia;

said processor means being adapted to compare said user indicia to said game indicia and determine whether a selected winning correlation exists between same, said processor means completing the comparison of said user game indicia generally contemporaneously with the user effecting unrelated transactions by means of said point-of-sale terminal.

13. Apparatus for playing a game bya user, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a plurality of remote computer terminals;

each of said computer terminals being in electronic communication with a financial institution data processing machine;

each of said computer terminals being one of an automated teller machine or a point-of-sale terminal wherein said automated teller machine and said point-of-sale terminal are of the type used by a financial service-type institution;

(b) user identification means for providing user access to said remote computer terminal;

(c) said remote computer terminal having means for allowing the user to designate an amount of money to be withdrawn from the user'"'"'s financial account and transferred to an account associated with a lottery-type game;

(d) a data processor having means for reading an account number associated with said user'"'"'s financial account to effect the transfer of funds form said user'"'"'s financial account to said lottery accoutn; and

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(e) said data processor having means passively generating user indicia for participation in the lottery-type game without further input from said user, and determining whether said user indicia matches with lottery indicia to result in a winning correlation therebetween.

14. A method of playing a lottery-type game including the steps of:

(a) entering a user identifier into a computerized interface device;

said interface device being one of an automated teller machine or a point-of-sale terminal wherein said automated teller machine and said point-of-sale terminal are of the type used by a financial services-type institution;

(b) accessing a user'"'"'s financial account at a financial institution electronically through said interface device upon entry of said user identifier;

(c) designating an amount of money to be transferred from said user'"'"'s financial account to a lottery account associated with a lottery-type game;

(d) assigning user indicia specific to said user for purposes of participation in said lottery-type game with no active involvement by said user in the assignment of said user indicia;

(e) operating said lottery-type game in a substantially instantaneous manner by comparing said user indicia to game indicia associated with said lottery-type game;

(f) determining whether a winning correlation exists between said game indicia and said user indicia by comparison of said game indicia and said user indicia;

completing the comparison of said user game indicia generally contemporaneously with the user effecting an unrelated transaction by means of said computerized interface device, whereby there is no appreciable extra time required to complete said game in addition to said unrelated transaction; and

(g) providing means for notifying said user of the existence or absence of a winning correlation between said game indicia and said user indicia.

15. Apparatus for participation of a user in a sweepstakestype game, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a remote interface device for communicating with the user, wherein said remote interface device is generally of the type used by a financial servicestype institution and is used to effect transactions with said institution;

(b) user identification means for providing user access to said interfce device;

(c) user indicia specific to the user;

(d) game indicia;

(e) sweepstakes processor means communicating with said interface device, said processor means including means automatically selecting said user indicia following said user obtaining access to said interface device;

(f) said processor means automatically selecting said game indicia following said user obtaining access to said interface device;

(g) means comparing said user indicia to said game indicia and automatically determining whether a selected winning correlation exists betwen said user indicia and said game indicia; and

(h) whereby said game is played without input by the user upon the user obtaining access to said interface device.

16. Apparatus for playing a game by a user, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a plurality of remote computer terminals;

each of said computer terminals being in electronic communication with a financial institution data processing machine;

each of said computer terminals being one of an automated teller machine or a point-of-sale terminal of the type used by financial services-type institutions;

(b) user identification means;

said remote computer terminals being responsive to said user identification means to provide user access to said remote computer terminals;

(c) said remote computer terminals each having means allowing the user to designate an amount of money to be withdrawn from a financial account associated with said user and transferred to an account associated with a lottery-type game;

(d) a data processor having means for reading an account number associated with said user'"'"'s financial account to effect the transfer of funds from said user'"'"'s financial account to said lottery-type game account;

(e) means associated with said data processor for generating user indicia for participation in the lottery-type game;

said means for generating user indicia including means for allowing the user to select one or more lottery numbers for participation in the lottery-type game; and

(f) means associated with said data processor for transmitting said user indicia to processing means associated with the lottery-type game, such that user indicia is entered into said lottery-type game.

17. The apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein:

(a) said data processor records said user indicia and the amount of money transferred from the user'"'"'s financial account to said account associated with the lottery-type game; and

(b) said data processor records the amount of money transferred and the user indicia on the transaction receipt issued to the user.