System for and method of dispensing lottery tickets
First Claim
1. A lottery ticket dispensing system for lottery tickets of the type which include a front sheet having a plurality of windows which are normally closed, a rear sheet, means for bonding the front sheet and the rear sheet together, a plurality of play symbols on one side of the rear sheet toward the front sheet, at least some of the play symbols capable of being winning symbols, each of the play symbols being respectively aligned with one of the windows, and each of the plurality of windows for being selectively opened to reveal the play symbol thereunder, said lottery ticket dispensing system comprising:
- bar code markings on each of the lottery tickets including ticket information for indicating each of the play symbols as aligned with its respective window;
a lottery ticket dispensing machine including a housing and a front panel;
ticket storage means in said housing for storing an plurality of the lottery tickets;
ticket dispensing initiation means in said housing;
electronic control means in said housing for responding to activation of said ticket dispensing initiation means and for dispensing a lottery ticket from said ticket storage means to said front panel;
a bar code reading device in said housing operably connected to said electronic control means for reading and identifying said bar code markings of each lottery ticket and for storing said ticket information in said electronic control means regarding each of the play symbols as aligned with its respective window as the lottery ticket is being dispensed from said ticket storage means;
said front panel including a plurality of display areas which directly correspond to the plurality of windows of the lottery ticket;
each of said display areas being operably connected to said electronic control means for receiving display signals therefrom;
said front panel having switch means associated with said each of said display areas;
each of said switch means being operably connected to said electronic control means;
said switch means for being selectively actuated to provide an actuation signal to said electronic control means to cause said electronic control means to generate said display signal for said display area associated with said switch means;
said display signal producing a display symbol in said display area; and
,for each lottery ticket having been dispensed from said ticket storage means, said display symbol in said each display area being directly indicative of the play symbol aligned with the window which corresponds to said display area associated with said each switch means which has been selectively actuated.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A lottery ticket dispensing system is for pull-tab lottery tickets of the type that include a plurality of normally closed windows that can be opened to reveal play symbols thereunder with some of the play symbols being winning symbols. Each of the lottery tickets is provided bar code markings including ticket information for indicating each of the play symbols as aligned with its respective window. A lottery ticket dispensing machine includes a ticket storage area and means for initiating the dispensing of the ticket from the storage area to the front panel of the machine. When the ticket is being dispensed, it is aligned with a bar code reading device that is operably connected to electronic control circuitry of the machine that receives and stores the ticket information included in the bar code markings of the dispensed ticket. The front panel of the machine includes a plurality of display areas and associated switches that correspond to the windows of the ticket. Selective activation of each switch causes the electronic control circuitry to generate a display symbol in the corresponding display area which indicates the play symbol that is under the selected window of the ticket. The ticket information also includes winning information and the electronic control circuitry will receive and store the winning information in order to generate a winning indication in a separate winning display area on the front panel when any of the play symbols are winning symbols.
148 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A lottery ticket dispensing system for lottery tickets of the type which include a front sheet having a plurality of windows which are normally closed, a rear sheet, means for bonding the front sheet and the rear sheet together, a plurality of play symbols on one side of the rear sheet toward the front sheet, at least some of the play symbols capable of being winning symbols, each of the play symbols being respectively aligned with one of the windows, and each of the plurality of windows for being selectively opened to reveal the play symbol thereunder, said lottery ticket dispensing system comprising:
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bar code markings on each of the lottery tickets including ticket information for indicating each of the play symbols as aligned with its respective window; a lottery ticket dispensing machine including a housing and a front panel; ticket storage means in said housing for storing an plurality of the lottery tickets; ticket dispensing initiation means in said housing; electronic control means in said housing for responding to activation of said ticket dispensing initiation means and for dispensing a lottery ticket from said ticket storage means to said front panel; a bar code reading device in said housing operably connected to said electronic control means for reading and identifying said bar code markings of each lottery ticket and for storing said ticket information in said electronic control means regarding each of the play symbols as aligned with its respective window as the lottery ticket is being dispensed from said ticket storage means; said front panel including a plurality of display areas which directly correspond to the plurality of windows of the lottery ticket; each of said display areas being operably connected to said electronic control means for receiving display signals therefrom; said front panel having switch means associated with said each of said display areas; each of said switch means being operably connected to said electronic control means; said switch means for being selectively actuated to provide an actuation signal to said electronic control means to cause said electronic control means to generate said display signal for said display area associated with said switch means; said display signal producing a display symbol in said display area; and
,for each lottery ticket having been dispensed from said ticket storage means, said display symbol in said each display area being directly indicative of the play symbol aligned with the window which corresponds to said display area associated with said each switch means which has been selectively actuated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A lottery ticket dispensing system for lottery tickets of the type which include a front sheet having window means which are normally closed, a rear sheet, means for bonding the front sheet and the rear sheet together, a plurality of play symbols on one side of the rear sheet toward the front sheet, at least some of the play symbols capable of being winning symbols, the play symbols being respectively located in various regions of the one side aligned with the window means, and the window means for being selectively opened to reveal the play symbols in the various regions thereunder, said lottery ticket dispensing system comprising:
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bar code markings on each lottery ticket including ticket information for indicating each of the play symbols in the various regions; a lottery ticket dispensing machine including a housing and a front panel; ticket storage means in said housing for storing an plurality of the lottery tickets; ticket dispensing initiation means in said housing; electronic control means in said housing for responding to activation of said ticket dispensing initiation means and for dispensing a lottery ticket from said ticket storage means to said front panel; a bar code reading device in said housing operably connected to said electronic control means for reading and identifying the bar code markings of each lottery ticket and for storing the ticket information in said electronic control means regarding each of the play symbols as located in the various regions as the ticket is being dispensed from said ticket storage means; a front panel having a plurality of display areas which directly correspond to the various regions of the lottery ticket; each of said display areas being operably connected to said electronic control means for receiving display signals therefrom; said front panel having switch means associated with said each of said display areas; each of said switch means being operably connected to said electronic control means; said switch means for being selectively actuated to provide an actuation signal to said electronic control means to cause said electronic control means to generate said display signal for said display area associated with said switch means; said display signal producing a display symbol in said display area; and
,for each lottery ticket having been dispensed from said ticket storage means, said display symbol in said each display area being directly indicative of the play symbols of each of the various regions which corresponds to said display area associated with said each switch means which has been selectively actuated. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A lottery ticket dispensing machine for dispensing lottery tickets of the type which include a base sheet having a plurality of play symbols respectively disposed within a plurality of regions on one side of the base sheet, at least some of the play symbols capable of being winning symbols, and bar code markings on each lottery ticket including ticket information for indicating each of the play symbols as arranged in the plurality of regions on the one side of the base sheet, said lottery ticket dispensing machine comprising:
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ticket storage means for storing an plurality of the lottery tickets; ticket dispensing initiation means in said housing; electronic control means in said housing for responding to activation of said ticket dispensing initiation means and for dispensing a lottery ticket from said ticket storage means to said front panel; a bar code reading device operably connected to said electronic control means for reading and identifying the bar code markings of each lottery ticket and for storing the ticket information in said electronic control means regarding each of the play symbols as arranged in the plurality of regions on the one side of the base sheet as the lottery ticket is being dispensed from said ticket storage means; a front panel having a plurality of display areas which directly correspond to the plurality of regions having the play symbols; each of said display areas being operably connected to said electronic control means for receiving display signals therefrom; said front panel having switch means associated with said each of said display areas; each of said switch means being operably connected to said electronic control means; said switch means for being selectively actuated to provide an actuation signal to said electronic control means to cause said electronic control means to generate said display signal for said display area associated with said switch means; said display signal producing a display symbol in said display area; and
,for each lottery ticket having been dispensed from said ticket storage means, said display symbol in said each display area being directly indicative of the play symbols of each region which corresponds to said display area associated with said each switch means which has been selectively actuated. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A method of dispensing lottery tickets of the type which include a base sheet having a plurality of play symbols respectively disposed within a plurality of regions on one side of the base sheet, and at least some of the play symbols capable of being winning symbols, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing bar code markings on each lottery ticket which include ticket information for indicating each of the play symbols as arranged in the plurality of regions on the one side of the base sheet; providing a machine having a housing and a front panel; storing a plurality of the lottery tickets in said housing; providing ticket dispensing initiation means in said housing; determining when said ticket dispensing initiation means is actuated and dispensing a lottery ticket from said housing to said front panel; reading said bar code markings to identify said ticket information and storing said ticket information regarding each of the play symbols as arranged in said plurality of regions on the one side of the base sheet as the lottery ticket is dispensed from said housing; providing a plurality of display areas on said front panel which directly correspond to the plurality of regions having play symbols; providing switch means on said front panel for each of said display areas; and separately actuating each of said switch means respectively associated with each of said regions and displaying a display symbol in said display area which is directly indicative of the play symbol of each of said regions on the one side of the base sheet of the lottery ticket that has been dispensed from said housing. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification