Telephone lotto number system and service

• US 4,969,183 A
• Filed: 08/28/1989
• Issued: 11/06/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Morris Reese
• Original Assignee: Morris Reese
• Inventors: Reese, Morris
• Primary Examiner(s): Coven, Edward M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Small, Dean
• Application Number:
  US07/399,242
• Time in Patent Office: 435 Days
• Field of Search: 273/138 A, 273/85 G, 273/1 E, 273/269, 273/139, 273/138 R, 273/238, 273/237, 364/412, 402/23, 379/88, 379/89, 379/90, 379/91, 379/106, 379/112, 379/92
• US Class Current: 463/18
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/086 played via telephone, e.g. using a modem
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/081 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 15/006 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1066 Game playing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals

Abstract

A process for a telephone lotto number system and service is disclosed which allows a lotto player to use a touchtone phone, which is connected directly or indirectly via a RJ11 jack and telephone lines to telephone company central office equipment, to dial a conventional and dedicated inward calling phone number, e.g. "213-XXX-XXXX", to access and interact with a lotto computer, which is connected via a modem and telephone lines to telephone company central office equipment, to purchase and automatic or manual select a lotto selection ("6" lotto numbers) from a plurality of lotto numbers which are stored in the lotto computer'"'"'s memory, and charge the dollar amount for the purchase of the lotto selection to a credit card. If the touchtone phone is used to dial an enhanced service phone number, i.e. a dedicated 900 inward calling phone number, to access and interact with the lotto computer to purchase and automatic or manual select the lotto selection, the telephone company to which the lotto player'"'"'s touchtone phone is connected is permitted to bill and collect from the lotto player, via the lotto player'"'"'s office or residence monthly telephone statement, a fixed dollar amount for the purchase of the lotto selection and a fixed telephone company line fee for use of the 900 phone number.

Claims

1. A telephone system for playing a lotto game by a lotto player, said telephone system comprises a touchtone phone which is connected via telephone lines to a telephone company central office, wherein the touchtone phone allows said lotto player from an office, home, car, pay phone or any other location to dial an inward calling conventional 213-type phone number or an enhanced inward calling 900-type service to access and interact with said telephone system to purchase and automatically or manually select a lotto selection from a plurality of lotto numbers, said telephone system selectively charges the dollar amount for said purchase of said lotto selection to a credit card or a 900-type service, said telephone system comprising:

(a) lotto computer means;

(b) memory means for storing a plurality of lotto numbers which designate a range of possible numbers, e.g. 1 to 53, said memory means being attached to and used by the lotto computer means;

(c) multi-frequency receiver and decoder means for receiving and decoding data information input on said touchtone phone by said lotto player in response to said recorded operating instructions, and for receiving and decoding said data information from said credit card authorization and processing facilities;

(d) voice synthesizer means for vocally communicating said lotto selection and an associated confirmation number to said lotto player;

(e) means for providing said lotto player with said inward calling 213-type phone number and said 900-type service to dial to access the lotto computer;

(f) means for the player to access said lotto computer by dialing said 213-type phone number from said touchtone phone;

(g) means for the player to access said lotto computer by dialing said 900-type service from said touchtone phone;

(h) means for answering said lotto player'"'"'s incoming call and for providing recorded vocal operating instructions to the lotto player, said operating instructions instruct the player to selectively input a predetermined first digit to indicate the use of said 900-type service or a predetermined second digit to indicate the use of said credit card to charge said dollar amount for the purchase of said lotto selection;

(i) first means for responding to said predetermined first digit input by instructing the player to input a game-type selection digit to chose the desired type of game between an automatic and manual type lotto selections;

(j) second means for responding to said predetermined second digit input by instructing the player to input a credit card account number and a dollar amount to be charged to said account number;

(k) means for receiving the account number and dollar amount and means for determining whether said account number and dollar amount conform to a predetermined format;

(l) means for instructing the player to re-input the account number and dollar amount if the determining means concludes the previously input account number and dollar amount do not conform to the format;

(m) means for automatically dialling a credit card authorization and processing facility and for communicating said account number and dollar amount to said credit card authorization and processing facility for card approval;

(n) means for receiving a predetermined code number from said facility approving or denying said dollar amount;

(o) means for responding to said code number approval of said dollar amount by enabling a recorded message which instructs the player to input the game-type selection digit to chose the desired type of game between the automatic and manual type lotto selections;

(p) means for responding to said code number denial of said dollar amount by enabling a recorded message which informs the player that the credit card has been denied;

(q) random number generating means for randomly selecting each lotto selection;

(r) means for actuating the lotto computer means for automatically and randomly selecting the lotto selection from said plurality of lotto numbers stored in the memory means in response to the game-type selection digit corresponding to the automatic lotto selection game;

(s) means for generating said confirmation number and for vocally communicating the confirmation number and lotto selection to the player and for storing the confirmation number and lotto selection in the memory means;

(t) means for enabling the recorded message to instruct the player to manually input a predetermined number of lotto numbers, in response to the game-type selection digit corresponding to the manual lotto selection game;

(u) means for comparing each lotto number input by the player to the plurality of lotto numbers stored in the memory means to determine if the players selection is within the possible range and for initiating said confirmation number generation means if the players selections are within the possible range;

(v) means for allowing said player to input the lotto numbers again if the comparison means determines the players lotto number does not match any of the plurality of lotto numbers within the possible range;

(w) means for permitting the telephone company central office to bill and collect from the player by a telephone monthly statement, said monthly statement comprising a flat billing fee for using said 900-type service and the dollar amount for the purchase of the lotto selection.