System for administering an interactive transaction in a lottery game

• US 6,203,011 B1
• Filed: 03/30/1999
• Issued: 03/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Scientific Games Corporation
• Original Assignee: Scientific Games Corporation
• Inventors: Nulph, James L.
• Primary Examiner(s): LAYNO, BENJAMIN
• Application Number:
  US09/282,044
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 273/138.2, 273/139, 463/17, 463/42, 283/901, 283/903
• US Class Current: 273/138.2
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/086 played via telephone, e.g. using a modem
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/242 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2425 Scanners, e.g. for scanning regular characters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/065 Tickets or accessories for use therewith A63F3/0625 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/081 electric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 283/901 Concealed data
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 283/903 Lottery ticket

Abstract

In a method of administering an interactive transaction in a lottery game, a plurality of play spots is printed on each lottery ticket of a plurality of lottery tickets. Each play spot has a value selected from a set of values and the values of the play spots are distributed randomly on the tickets. Thus, the distribution makes it impossible to predict the values of the play spots on a given ticket of the plurality of tickets based on knowledge of the values of play spots of other tickets of the plurality of tickets. Each of the plurality of play spots is covered with a removable medium and a unique identifier is placed on each ticket. A record of the unique identifier and of the values of the play spots for each ticket are stored in a database. If a first communication has been received from a distributor indicating that a user has properly obtained a distributed ticket, then the record of the unique identifier corresponding to the distributed ticket is flagged to indicate that the distributed ticket may be activated and if a second communication has been received from the user that identifies the distributed ticket, then interactive data is received from the user; the user is instructed to uncover a preselected set of play spots by removing the removable medium; and the record of the unique identifier corresponding to the distributed ticket is flagged to indicate that the distributed ticket has been activated.

Claims

1. A method of administering an interactive transaction, comprising the steps of:

a. printing a plurality of play spots on each ticket of a plurality of tickets, each play spot having a value selected from a set of values, the values of the play spots being distributed randomly on the plurality of tickets, thereby making it impossible to predict the values of the play spots on a given ticket of the plurality of tickets based on knowledge of the values of play spots of other tickets of the plurality of tickets;

b. covering each of the plurality of play spots with a removable medium;

c. placing a unique identifier on each ticket;

d. storing a record of the unique identifier and of the values of the play spots for each ticket in a database;

e. if a determination indicating that a user has properly obtained a distributed ticket has been made, then performing the following steps;

i. flagging the record of the unique identifier corresponding to the distributed ticket to indicate that the distributed ticket may be activated; and

ii. if a communication has been received from the user that identifies the distributed ticket, then performing the following steps;

receiving interactive data from the user;

instructing the user to uncover a preselected set of play spots by removing the removable medium covering the preselected set of play spots; and

flagging the record of the unique identifier corresponding to the distributed ticket to indicate that the distributed ticket has been activated.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of modifying the record of the unique identifier corresponding to the distributed ticket to record the interactive data received from the user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

a. printing on each of the tickets a plurality of verification spots, each verification spot having a value, the values of the verification spots being randomly distributed on the plurality of tickets thereby making it impossible to predict the values of verification spots on a given ticket based on knowledge of the verification spots on other tickets of the plurality of tickets;

b. covering each of the plurality of verification spots with a removable medium;

c. storing in a database a first record of the unique identifier on each ticket and a second record of each of a selected set of values of the verification spots on each ticket and associating the second record with the first record for each ticket;

d. instructing the user to remove the removable medium covering a set of verification spots on the selected ticket corresponding to a verification code;

e. as part of a verification process, inputting into a computer the unique identifier on the selected ticket and the verification code on the ticket exposed as a result of the instructing step;

f. comparing the verification code to the first record of the selected set of values of the verification spots associated with the first record of the unique identifier corresponding to the unique identifier on the selected ticket; and

g. if the comparing step indicates that the verification code is identical to the selected set of values, then indicating that the selected ticket has been successfully authenticated, otherwise indicating that the selected ticket has not been successfully authenticated.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of delivering a preselected number of tickets to a distributor.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of printing a unique identifier occurs prior to the step of delivering the tickets to a distributor.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of printing a unique identifier is performed by the distributor.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the tickets are issued as part of a lottery.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the receiving interactive data from the user step comprises the following steps:

a. receiving from the user a desired activation date, indicating a date on which the user desires to play the lottery; and

b. receiving from the user a plurality of desired lottery play numbers, indicating numbers that the user has chosen for a ticket.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of indicating to the user a preselected set of play spots that the user is to uncover comprises indicating to the user play spots corresponding to the plurality of desired lottery play numbers received from the user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the tickets are issued as part of a sweepstakes.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the tickets are issued as scorecards in an interactive game of skill.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the receiving interactive data from the user step comprises receiving data that indicates a desired action to be taken as part of playing a game of skill.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of indicating to the user a preselected set of play spots that the user is to uncover by removing the removable medium comprises indicating to the user play spots that indicate results of a game of skill.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the tickets are issued as scorecards in conjunction with an interactive test.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the receiving interactive data from the user step comprises receiving data corresponding to answers to questions on a test.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving interactive data from the user step comprises receiving data via a computer network.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving interactive data from the user step comprises receiving data via a telephone network.

18. A ticket for administering an interactive lottery game, comprising:

a. a substrate;

b. a first plurality of play spots printed on the substrate, each play spot showing one of a plurality of lottery play values, each play spot covered with a removable covering, each removable covering including a symbol that is not related to the lottery play value being covered and that uniquely identifies the play spot;

c. a second plurality of play spots printed on the substrate, each play spot of the second plurality showing one component of a date so that each of a plurality of combinations of play spots of the second plurality of play spots identify a different date, the second plurality of play spots including sufficient play spots to identify each date included in a preselected range of dates; and

d. a scanable identifier that uniquely identifies the ticket.

19. The ticket of claim 18, wherein each of the second plurality of play spots is covered with a removable covering.

20. The ticket of claim 18, further comprising an electronic address printed on the substrate that indicates a point of contact that a user would access to activate the ticket.

21. The ticket of claim 20, wherein the electronic address comprises a telephone number.

22. The ticket of claim 20, wherein the electronic address comprises a computer network address.

23. A method of authenticating a ticket, comprising the steps of:

a. printing on each of a plurality of tickets a plurality of verification spots, each verification spot having a value, the values of the verification spots being randomly distributed on the plurality of tickets thereby making it impossible to predict the values of verification spots on a given ticket based on knowledge of the verification spots on other tickets of the plurality of tickets;

b. covering each of the plurality of verification spots with a removable medium;

c. placing a unique identifier on each ticket;

d. storing in a database a record of the unique identifier on each ticket;

e. distributing a selected ticket to a user;

f. instructing the user to remove the removable medium covering a set of verification spots on the selected ticket corresponding to a verification code associated with the unique identifier on a ticket;

g. as part of a verification process, inputting the unique identifier and the exposed verification spots on the selected ticket;

h. comparing the exposed verification spots to a verification code associated with the unique identifier corresponding to the selected ticket; and

i. if the comparing step indicates that the exposed verification spots are identical to the verification code, then indicating that the selected ticket has been successfully authenticated, otherwise indicating that the selected ticket has not been successfully authenticated.