Conditional lottery system

• US 6,146,272 A
• Filed: 08/15/1997
• Issued: 11/14/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Inventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Sparico, Thomas M., Walker, Jay S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin-Wallace, Valencia
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOTALING, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US08/912,185
• Time in Patent Office: 1,187 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/16-19, 463/29, 463/40-42, 273/138.1, 273/269, 283/903, 379/93.13, 705/1, 705/14
• US Class Current: 463/17
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/065 Tickets or accessories for use therewith A63F3/0625 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/081 electric

Abstract

A conditional lottery ticket system is disclosed to process conditional lottery ticket transactions, including the acceptance and validation of play entries. The conditional lottery ticket system preferably includes a central lottery server and one or more remote lottery terminals. The conditional lottery ticket system permits a player to purchase conditional lottery tickets that are not activated until one or more player-defined activation conditions are satisfied. The player-defined activation conditions may include a minimum lottery jackpot, a particular future date of activation, or the occurrence of a particular external event. Conditional lottery tickets may be purchased (i) individually and activated the next time the player-specified activation conditions are satisfied; (ii) on a subscription basis for a predefined number of times when the player-specified activation conditions are satisfied; or (iii) on a perpetual subscription basis, until the subscription is cancelled. The conditional lottery ticket system permits the player to specify the numbers to be played for each game, as well as any activation conditions. After the selected lottery numbers and any activation conditions have been stored, the lottery terminal preferably prints and issues the official lottery ticket, indicating the lottery numbers to be played, as well as any specified activation conditions. The conditional lottery ticket system preferably evaluates pending conditional lottery tickets to determine if the player-defined activation conditions of any conditional lottery tickets are satisfied on a periodic basis, or at some predefined time period before each lottery drawing.

Claims

1. A method for selectively entering lottery selections into a lottery drawing, said method comprising the steps of receiving a lottery record associated with a sale of a lottery ticket from a player, said lottery record including a lottery selection and a condition precedent to entry of said lottery selection into a lottery drawing, wherein said condition precedent includes a size of a payout associated with said lottery drawing;

determining if said condition precedent is met prior to execution of said lottery drawing; and

entering said lottery selection into said lottery drawing if said condition precedent is met.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of storing said lottery selection for consideration in a future lottery drawing if said condition precedent is not met.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said condition precedent includes a particular future date of activation.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said condition precedent includes the occurrence of a particular external event.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said lottery ticket is activated the next time said condition precedent is met.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said lottery ticket is automatically activated a predefined number of times when said condition precedent is satisfied.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said lottery ticket is automatically activated each time said condition precedent is satisfied until said lottery ticket is cancelled.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said lottery ticket indicates the lottery numbers to be played and said condition precedent.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said determining step is performed on a periodic basis.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said determining step is performed at a predefined time period before each lottery drawing.

11. A system for selectively entering lottery selections into a lottery drawing, comprising:

a memory containing a plurality of lottery records each corresponding to a lottery ticket, each of said lottery records including a lottery selection and a condition precedent to entry of said lottery selection into said lottery drawing, wherein said condition precedent includes a size of a payout associated with said lottery drawing; and

a processing system operative to determine if said condition precedent is met prior to execution of said lottery drawing and to enter said lottery selection into said lottery drawing if said condition precedent is met.

12. The system according to claim 11, further comprising means for storing said lottery selection for consideration in a future lottery drawing if said processing system determines said condition precedent is not met.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein said condition precedent includes a particular future date of activation.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein said condition precedent includes the occurrence of a particular external event.

15. A system for generating conditional lottery tickets, comprising:

a processing system operative to receive from a player a lottery selection and a condition precedent to entry of said lottery selection into a lottery drawing, wherein said condition precedent includes a size of a payout associated with said lottery drawing;

communication means to provide said lottery selection and said condition precedent to a lottery server and to receive a validation of said lottery selection and said condition precedent from said lottery server; and

means for generating a lottery ticket indicating said lottery selection and said condition precedent and entitling said player to be entered into said lottery drawing if said condition precedent is met.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein said condition precedent includes a particular future date of activation.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein said condition precedent includes the occurrence of a particular external event.

18. The system according to claim 15, wherein said lottery ticket is activated the next time said condition precedent is met.

19. The system according to claim 15, wherein said lottery ticket is automatically activated a predefined number of times when said condition precedent is satisfied.

20. The system according to claim 15, wherein said lottery ticket is automatically activated each time said condition precedent is satisfied until said lottery ticket is cancelled.

21. A method of generating a conditional lottery ticket, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving from a player a lottery selection and a condition precedent to entry of said lottery selection into a lottery drawing, wherein said condition precedent includes a size of a payout associated with said lottery drawing;

providing said lottery selection and said condition precedent to a lottery server;

obtaining a validation of said lottery selection and said condition precedent from said lottery server; and

generating a lottery ticket indicating said lottery selection and said condition precedent and entitling said player to be entered into said lottery drawing if said condition precedent is met.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein said condition precedent includes a particular future date of activation.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein said condition precedent includes the occurrence of a particular external event.

24. The method according to claim 21, wherein said lottery ticket is activated the next time said condition precedent is met.

25. The method according to claim 21, wherein said lottery ticket is automatically activated a predefined number of times when said condition precedent is satisfied.

26. The method according to claim 21, wherein said lottery ticket is automatically activated each time said condition precedent is satisfied until said lottery ticket is cancelled.

27. A method of obtaining a conditional lottery ticket, comprising the steps of:

providing a lottery selection and a condition precedent to entry of said lottery selection into a lottery drawing, wherein said condition precedent includes a size of a payout associated with said lottery drawing; and

obtaining a lottery ticket indicating said lottery selection and said condition precedent and entitling entry into said lottery drawing if said condition precedent is met.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein said condition precedent includes a particular future date of activation.

29. The method according to claim 27, wherein said condition precedent includes the occurrence of a particular external event.

30. The method according to claim 27, wherein said lottery ticket is activated the next time said condition precedent is met.

31. The method according to claim 27, wherein said lottery ticket is automatically activated a predefined number of times when said condition precedent is satisfied.

32. The method according to claim 27, wherein said lottery ticket is automatically activated each time said condition precedent is satisfied until said lottery ticket is cancelled.

33. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer readable medium having computer readable code means embodied thereon, said computer readable program code means comprising;

a step to receive a lottery record associated with the sale of a lottery ticket from a player, said lottery record including a lottery selection and a condition precedent to entry of said lottery selection into a lottery drawing, wherein said condition precedent includes a size of a payout associated with said lottery drawing;

a step to determine if said condition precedent is met prior to execution of said lottery drawing; and

a step to enter said lottery selection into said lottery drawing if said condition precedent is met.

34. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer readable medium having computer readable code means embodied thereon, said computer readable program code means comprising;

a step to receive from a player a lottery selection and a condition precedent to entry of said lottery selection into a lottery drawing, wherein said condition precedent includes a size of a payout associated with said lottery drawing;

a step to provide said lottery selection and said condition precedent to a lottery server;

a step to obtain a validation of said lottery selection and said condition precedent from said lottery server; and

a step to generate a lottery ticket indicating said lottery selection and said condition precedent and entitling said player to be entered into said lottery drawing if said condition precedent is met.

35. A method for selectively entering lottery selections into a lottery drawing, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a lottery record associated with a sale of a lottery ticket from a player, said lottery record including a lottery selection, a condition precedent to entry of said lottery selection into a lottery drawing and a side-bet related to said lottery drawing;

determining if said condition precedent is met prior to execution of said lottery drawing; and

entering said lottery selection into said lottery drawing if said condition precedent is met.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein said side-bet is placed on the number of winners of a jackpot of said lottery drawing.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein said side-bet is placed on particular characteristics of one or more winners of a jackpot of said lottery drawing.

38. A system for selectively entering lottery selections into a lottery drawing, comprising:

a memory containing a plurality of lottery records each corresponding to a lottery ticket, each of said lottery records including a lottery selection and a condition precedent to entry of said lottery selection into said lottery drawing; and

a processing system operative to determine if said condition precedent is met prior to the execution of said lottery drawing and to enter said lottery selection into said lottery drawing if said condition precedent is met, wherein said processing system includes means for storing said lottery selection for consideration in a future lottery drawing if said condition precedent is met.

39. A method for selectively entering lottery selections into a lottery drawing, said method comprising the steps of receiving a lottery record associated with a sale of a lottery ticket from a player, said lottery record including a lottery selection, a condition precedent to entry of said lottery selection into a lottery drawing, and a side-bet related to said lottery drawing;

determining if said condition precedent is met prior to execution of said lottery drawing; and

entering said lottery selection into said lottery drawing if said condition precedent is met.

40. A system for selectively entering lottery selections into a lottery drawing, comprising:

a memory containing a plurality of lottery records each corresponding to a lottery ticket, each of said lottery records including a lottery selection, a condition precedent to entry of said lottery selection into said lottery drawing, and a side-bet related to said lottery drawing; and

a processing system operative to determine if said condition precedent is met prior to execution of said lottery drawing and to enter said lottery selection into said lottery drawing if said condition precedent is met.

41. A system for generating conditional lottery tickets, comprising:

a processing system operative to receive from a player a lottery selection, a condition precedent to entry of said lottery selection into a lottery drawing, and a side-bet related to said lottery drawing;

communication means to provide said lottery selection and said condition precedent to a lottery server and to receive a validation of said lottery selection and said condition precedent from said lottery server; and

means for generating a lottery ticket indicating said lottery selection, said condition precedent, and said side-bet and entitling said player to be entered into said lottery drawing if said condition precedent is met.

42. A method of generating a conditional lottery ticket, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving from a player a lottery selection, a condition precedent to entry of said lottery selection into a lottery drawing, and a side-bet related to said lottery drawing;

providing said lottery selection and said condition precedent to a lottery server;

obtaining a validation of said lottery selection and said condition precedent from said lottery server; and

generating a lottery ticket indicating said lottery selection, said condition precedent, and said side-bet and entitling said player to be entered into said lottery drawing if said condition precedent is met.

43. A method of obtaining a conditional lottery ticket, comprising the steps of:

providing a lottery selection, said lottery selection having an associated condition precedent to entry of said lottery selection into a lottery drawing and an associated side bet; and

obtaining a lottery ticket indicating said lottery selection, said condition precedent and said side bet and entitling entry into said lottery drawing if said condition precedent is met.