Use of telecommunications systems for lotteries

• US 4,996,705 A
• Filed: 09/01/1987
• Issued: 02/26/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: American Telephone & Telegraph Company (AT&T, Inc.), Bell Telephone Laboratories, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T, Inc.
• Inventors: Entenmann, John K., Posterick, Barry L., Hooke, John A., Kampmeier, Eric E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Jin F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F.
• Application Number:
  US07/091,621
• Time in Patent Office: 1,274 Days
• Field of Search: 364/412, 235/381, 235/380, 235/383, 235/375, 379/104, 379/88, 379/89, 379/93, 379/91, 902/23
• US Class Current: 463/17
• 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 15/005 with dispensing of lottery tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1066 Game playing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/487 Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

A lottery system using a public switched network to enter a lottery and to receive an indication of winning while connected on a lottery call. A lottery customer dials a telephone number to enter the lottery. The customer has his eligibility verified by a credit card number or the telephone number of the calling station. The customer is then prompted to speak or key a lottery entry which may be a full number, partial number, or an indication that a lottery comparison number is to be generated by a lottery processor. From the customer'"'"'s lottery entry, a lottery comparison number is generated. This is compared with a random lottery target number generated by the lottery processor. If the comparison number and target number match, the customer is informed of his winning. Advantageously, lottery customers are quickly notified of their winnings.

Claims

1. Telemarketing apparatus, comprising:

means connectable to a switched common carrier network for requesting a connection over said network to a telephone station;

announcement means, responsive to a continuance of a call-in-progress signal from said telephone station, for announcing a telemarketing message and a lottery prompt to said telephone station;

means for receiving information signals over said connection from said telephone station, said information signals representing data for a lottery entry;

processing means for determining whether said data for said lottery entry represents a winning entry, said processing means comprising means for determining a lottery target number, means for processing said information signals for said lottery entry to form a lottery comparison number, and means for matching said lottery target number and said lottery comparison number to determine whether said lottery entry is a winning entry;

said announcement means further for notifying a customer at said telephone station of the winning entry.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for processing said information signals is responsive only to information signals received after completion of announcement of said telemarketing message.