Broadcast lottery

• US 5,112,050 A
• Filed: 01/05/1990
• Issued: 05/12/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John R. Koza
• Original Assignee: John R. Koza
• Inventors: Ferguson, John R., Torneros, Maximiano D., Koza, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coven, Edward M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica J.
• Application Number:
  US07/461,418
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 273/1 E, 273/138 A, 273/138 R, 273/148 R, 273/269, 273/129, 273/439, 235/380, 235/381, 364/410, 364/412, 902/23, 340/323 R, 455/89, 455/11, 370/94.1, 370/85
• US Class Current: 463/17
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/082 with remote participants
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/084 played via radio
• 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: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

A game in which a player of the game acquires a ticket containing some information stored therein for comparison to information broadcasted from a transmitter. The broadcasted information contains a value, such as a number, corresponding to a winning number. The stored information is compared to the broadcasted information and if a match results, then the ticket is deemed to be a winning ticket.

Claims

1. A portable electrical ticket apparatus for a game, comprising:

a radio frequency receiver for receiving a broadcast of a dual-tone multifrequency signal containing a winning variable for the game, wherein the broadcast signal is broadcast over a transmission medium;

a dual-tone multifrequency decoder for decoding the broadcast signal received into a multibit decoded signal;

storage means for storing a first variable;

a central processing unit coupled to the decoder and to the storage means for ascertaining whether the first variable stored in the storage means is the winning variable in view of the multibit decoded signal.

2. The portable electrical ticket apparatus of claim 1, wherein the winning variable is a winning number and the first variable is first number.

3. The portable electrical ticket apparatus of claim 1, wherein the winning variable is a winning word and the first variable is a first word.

4. The portable electrical ticket apparatus of claim 1, wherein the winning variable is a winning outcome of a sporting event and the first variable is a first outcome of the sporting event.

5. The portable electrical ticket apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for generating the first variable.

6. The portable electrical ticket apparatus of claim 5, wherein the means for generating the first variable comprises a pseudo-random generator.

7. The portable electrical ticket apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an address comparator for comparing the broadcast signal to an address stored within the portable electrical ticket apparatus in order to determine whether the broadcast signal is appropriate for the game.

8. The portable electrical ticket apparatus of claim 1, wherein the central processing unit and the storage means are included within a microcontroller.

9. The portable electrical ticket apparatus of claim 1, further comprising indicator means responsive to the central processing unit for providing an indication that the first variable is the winning variable if the first variable is the winning variable.

10. The portable electrical ticket apparatus of claim 9, wherein the indicator means includes a visual indicator for providing a visual indication.

11. The portable electrical ticket apparatus of claim 10, wherein the visual indicator is an alphanumeric display.

12. The portable electrical ticket apparatus of claim 9, wherein the indicator means includes a sound generation device for providing an audio indication.

13. The portable electrical ticket apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for rendering the portable electrical ticket apparatus inoperable if there is an unauthorized alteration of the first variable.

14. A ticket system for a game, comprising:

(a) a transmitter for broadcasting a dual-tone multifrequency signal containing a winning variable for the game over a transmission medium;

(b) a portable electrical ticket apparatus comprising;

(1) a radio frequency receiver for receiving a broadcast of the dual-tone multifrequency signal;

(2) a dual-tone multifrequency decoder for decoding the broadcast signal received into a multibit decoded signal;

(3) storage means for storing a first variable;

(4) a central processing unit coupled to the decoder and tot he storage means for ascertaining whether the first variable stored in the storage means is the winning value in view of the multibit decoded signal.

15. The ticket system of claim 14, wherein the winning variable is a winning number and the first variable is a first number.

16. The ticket system of claim 14, wherein the winning variable is a winning word and the first variable is a first word.

17. The ticket system of claim 14, wherein the winning variable is a winning outcome of a sporting event and the first variable is a first outcome of the sporting event.

18. The ticket system of claim 14, further comprising impregnating means for impregnating the storage means with the first variable.

19. The ticket system of claim 14, further comprising means for generating the first variable.

20. The ticket system of claim 19, wherein the means for generating the first variable comprises a pseudo-random generator.

21. The ticket system of claim 14, wherein the portable electrical ticket apparatus further comprises means for generating the first variable.

22. The ticket system of claim 21, wherein the means for generating the first variable comprises a pseudo-random generator.

23. The ticket system of claim 14, wherein the portable electrical ticket apparatus further comprises an address comparator for comparing the broadcast signal to an address stored within the portable electrical ticket apparatus in order to determine whether the broadcast signal is appropriate for the game.

24. The ticket system of claim 14, wherein the central processing unit and the storage means are included within a microcontroller.

25. The ticket system of claim 14, wherein the portable electrical ticket apparatus further comprises indicator means responsive to the central processing unit for providing an indication that the first value is the winning value if the first value is the winning value.

26. The ticket system of claim 25, wherein the indicator means includes a visual indicator for providing a visual indication.

27. The ticket system of claim 26, wherein the visual indicator is an alphanumeric display.

28. The ticket system of claim 25, wherein the indicator means includes a sound generation device for providing an audio indication.

29. A method of playing a game, comprising the steps of:

generating a word;

storing an electrical representation of the generated word in storage means within a portable electrical ticket apparatus;

broadcasting by radio frequency transmission a signal containing an electrical representation of a winning word for the game;

receiving within the portable electrical ticket apparatus the radio frequency transmission of the broadcast signal containing the electrical representation of the winning word;

comparing within the portable electrical ticket apparatus the stored electrical representation of the generated word with the electrical representation of the winning word;

providing an indication emanating from the portable electrical ticket apparatus that the generated word is the same as the winning word if the generated word is the same as the winning word.

30. The method of claim 29 of playing a game, wherein the step of generating a word comprises having a player of the game select a word.

31. The method of claim 29 of playing a game, further comprising the step of comparing within the portable electrical ticket apparatus the broadcast signal to an address stored within the portable electrical ticket apparatus in order to determined whether the broadcast signal is appropriate for the game.

32. The method of claim 29 of playing a game, wherein the indication emanating from the portable electrical ticket apparatus is a visual indication.

33. The method of claim 29 of playing a game, wherein the indication emanating from the portable electrical ticket apparatus is an audio indication.

34. A method of playing a game, comprising the steps of:

generating a possible outcome of a sporting event;

storing an electrical representation of the generated outcome in storage means within a portable electrical ticket apparatus;

broadcasting by radio frequency transmission a signal containing an electrical representation of a winning outcome for the sporting event;

receiving within the portable electrical ticket apparatus the radio frequency transmission of the broadcast signal containing the electrical representation of the winning outcome;

comparing with the portable electrical ticket apparatus the stored electrical representation of the generated outcome with the electrical representation of the winning outcome;

providing an indication emanating from the portable electrical ticket apparatus that the generated outcome is the same as the winning outcome if the generated outcome is the same as the winning outcome.

35. The method of claim 34 of playing a game, wherein the step of generating a possible outcome of a sporting event comprises having a player of the game select a possible outcome of a sporting event.

36. The method of claim 34 of playing a game, further comprising the step of comparing within the portable electrical ticket apparatus the broadcast signal to an address stored within the portable electrical ticket apparatus in order to determine whether the broadcast signal is appropriate for the game.

37. The method of claim 34 of playing a game, wherein the indication emanating from the portable electrical ticket apparatus is a visual indication.

38. The method of claim 34 of playing a game, wherein the indication emanating from the portable electrical ticket apparatus is an audio indication.