Player operable lottery machine with system for automatically identifying spheres

• US 5,088,737 A
• Filed: 09/12/1990
• Issued: 02/18/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lottery Games, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lottery Games, Inc.
• Inventors: Frank, Diane, Schiavon, Cindy B., Frank, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Coven, Edward M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US07/581,051
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 273/138 R, 273/138 A, 273/139, 273/144 R, 273/144 A, 273/144 B, 273/145 R, 273/144 E
• US Class Current: 463/18
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/242 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 7/048 used for generating random numbers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 15/001 with balls or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played

Abstract

A completely automatic, player operable, currency accepting instant lottery machine including a random number generator containing air-mixed balls which are marked on their surfaces with commonly recognized digits and also marked with a uniform pattern of bar code markings arranged in tall and narrow strips. After a mixing process, the balls which have randomly settled into the lower settlement pockets of the transparent random number generator are caused to rotate by jets of compressed air directed tangentially at their surfaces in opposite directions. Bar code scanning light pens located adjacent the settlement pockets and in close proximity to the rotating, randomly selected balls read the bar codes and transmit electronic signals to a computer in the machine which compares the randomly generated number to the player'"'"'s previously selected number to determine if a successful match has occurred, in which case, a redeemable ticket is dispensed.

Claims

1. A player operable instant lottery machine comprising:

an enclosure containing computer means therein, said enclosure further having external control means by which a player may designate an amount the player desires to wager, select numbers, and activate random number generating means also included within said enclosure, said random number generating means having a plurality of indicia bearing balls which are visible from outside said enclosure, said indicia comprising patterns of light reflective lines and spaces therebetween, the light reflectivity of said lines differing from the light reflectivity of said spaces,

said random number generating means further including means for causing said balls to come to rest at the bottom thereof in proximity to stationary means for emitting light to and receiving light reflected from said patterns of lines and spaces,

said random number generating means also including non-coaxial streams of fluid directed generally tangentially against said balls for rotating said balls while they are in proximity to said stationary means; and

means for automatically identifying said patterns of lines and spaces and thereafter generating and transmitting electronic signals to said computer means, said computer means then receiving, processing, generating and storing signals indicative of said indicia.

2. The lottery machine of claim 1 and additionally including means for dispensing a redeemable ticket from said enclosure.

3. The lottery machine of claim 1 wherein said lines and spaces comprise bar code patterns.

4. The lottery machine of claim 1 wherein said stationary means further comprises charge coupled means and image processing means coupled thereto for measuring reflected light from said patterns of lines and spaces.

5. Random number generating and opto-electronic identification means comprising:

an enclosure containing a plurality of indicia bearing fluid suspendable balls which are visible from outside said enclosure, said balls being marked with light reflective patterns of lines and spaces, the light reflectivity of said lines differing from the light reflectivity of the spaces between said lines;

means for mixing said balls by upward flowing streams of fluid;

stationary means located adjacent said enclosure for emitting light to and for receiving light reflected from said patterns of lines and spaces;

means for causing a randomly selected number of said balls in said enclosure to come to rest in proximity to said stationary means, said means stationary further including means for being responsive to said patterns of lines and spaces and generating electronic signals therefrom corresponding to said indicia; and

means comprising non-coaxial streams of fluid directed generally tangentially against said randomly selected balls, for rotating said randomly selected balls upon coming to rest in said enclosure, whereby said indicia can be readily identified irrespective of the manner in which said balls come to rest in said enclosure.

6. The means of claim 5 wherein said patterns of lines and spaces comprise a plurality of sets of uniformly located bar code patterns on an outer surface of each ball.

7. The means of claim 6 wherein each bar code pattern corresponds to a predetermined number.

8. The means of claim 7 wherein said means for being responsive to said patterns of lines and spaces comprises bar code reader means.

9. The means of claim 8 wherein each said number comprises a mutually different number.

10. The means of claim 8 wherein each ball additionally includes analog indicia of said number on the outer surface thereof.

11. Means for identifying a plurality of spheres in gaming apparatus comprising:

a plurality of spheres randomly located in an enclosure;

a pattern of identical bar code segments, corresponding to respective different numbers, applied uniformly to an outer surface of each sphere;

stationary bar code reader means located adjacent said enclosure for reading the bar code patterns on a selected number of said spheres and generating electrical signals corresponding to each bar code pattern read;

means for rotating said selected number of spheres in proximity to said bar code reader means, said rotating means comprising non-coaxial streams of fluid directed generally tangentially against each sphere, said bar code reader means generating electronic signals which correspond to each said bar code pattern; and

means for utilizing said electrical signals in a gaming apparatus for providing an indication of the numbers on said selected number of spheres.

12. The means of claim 11, wherein said bar code reader means includes charge coupled means and image processing means for identifying the light reflectivity characteristics of said bar code segments.

13. The means of claim 12 wherein each of said plurality of spheres additionally includes analog indicia of the respective different numbers.