System and method for performing lottery ticket transactions utilizing point-of-sale terminals

• US 6,887,153 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2003
• Issued: 05/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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: Jindal, Sanjay K., Walker, Jay S., Jorasch, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): BROCKETTI, JULIE K
• Application Number:
  US10/424,362
• Publication Number:
  US 20030220132A1
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 463/17, 463/16, 463/25, 463/26, 273/269
• US Class Current: 463/17
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/00 Games not otherwise provided for aspects of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions showing representations related to the game A63F13/00 ; miscellaneous sporting games A63B67/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 15/005 with dispensing of lottery tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/24 with change-giving
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/02 Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/04 Means for returning surplus or unused coins
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0036 Checkout procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/12 : electronically operated digital data processing aspects G06Q20/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 5/00 : Receipt-giving machines cash registers giving receipts G07G1/00

Abstract

A system and method for performing integrated lottery ticket and merchandise transactions using a point-of-sale terminal that generates a single sales receipt containing all pertinent lottery ticket and merchandise transaction information. The lottery tickets generated include fractional value and “quick-pick” lottery tickets. A group of point-of-sale terminals are connected to a POS controller which communicates with a lottery data processing system. An encrypted authentication code also printed on the sales receipt allows the lottery player to verify all lottery ticket transaction information, as needed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a purchase price of a purchase;

determining an amount of change based on the purchase price;

establishing a fractional value for a fractional lottery ticket based on the amount of change; and

providing the fractional lottery ticket in exchange for the amount of change.

2. A method comprising:

calculating a change amount that is based on a transaction;

transmitting a request for a lottery ticket, the request including the change amount;

receiving lottery ticket information including an indication of a fractional value that is based on the change amount; and

printing the lottery ticket information on a receipt.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

generating transaction information; and

in which the step of printing comprises;

printing the lottery ticket information and the transaction information on the receipt.

4. The method of claim 2, in which the lottery ticket information comprises at least one of:

a price,

a code, and

a plurality of lottery numbers.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving additional lottery ticket information that comprises at least one of;

a lottery game,

a number of lottery tickets, and

a plurality of lottery numbers.

6. The method of claim 5, in which receiving the additional lottery ticket information comprises:

receiving the additional lottery ticket information from a customer.

7. An apparatus for performing a lottery ticket transaction, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory in communication with the processor,

the memory storing executable program instructions, and

the processor operative with the program instructions to perform a method comprising;

calculating a change amount that is based on a transaction;

transmitting a request for a lottery ticket, the request including the change amount;

receiving lottery ticket information including an indication of a fractional value that is based on the change amount; and

printing the lottery ticket information on a receipt.

8. A method comprising:

determining an amount of change that is based on a purchase;

allocating a portion of a ticket, the portion being based on the amount of change,

in which the portion is less than a full ticket; and

outputting a ticket identifier that identifies the ticket and a portion identifier that identifies the portion of the ticket.

9. A method comprising;

receiving a request for a lottery ticket, the request including a change amount that is based on a transaction; and

transmitting lottery ticket information including an indication of a fractional value that is based on the change amount.

10. The method of claim 9, in which the lottery ticket information comprises at least one of:

a price,

the change amount,

a code, and

a plurality of lottery numbers.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

creating an entry for a lottery ticket after receiving the request.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

creating an entry for a lottery ticket based on the lottery ticket information.

13. The method of claim 9, in which the request further includes at least one of:

a lottery game,

a number of lottery tickets, and

a plurality of lottery numbers.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

generating a plurality of lottery numbers.

15. An apparatus for performing a lottery ticket transaction, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory in communication with the processor,

the memory storing executable program instructions, and

the processor operative with the program instructions to perform a method comprising;

receiving a request for a lottery ticket, the request including a change amount that is based on a transaction; and

transmitting lottery ticket information including an indication of a fractional value that is based on the change amount.

16. A method comprising:

determining a fractional purchase amount,

in which the fractional purchase amount is any fraction of a full price of a lottery ticket and is based on a change amount of a transaction;

generating a fractional lottery ticket based on the fractional purchase amount; and

exchanging the fractional lottery ticket for the fractional purchase amount.

17. The method of claim 16, in which determining the fractional purchase amount comprises:

receiving a request for a lottery ticket, the request indicating the fractional purchase amount.

18. The method of claim 17, in which receiving the request comprises:

receiving the request in a stand-alone transaction.

19. The method of claim 16, in which the fractional purchase amount is less than one dollar.

20. The method of claim 16, in which the full price is a multiple of one dollar.

21. The method of claim 16, in which the fractional purchase amount is a fraction that is not greater than ninety-nine percent of the full price.

22. The method of claim 16, in which the fractional purchase amount is a fraction that is not greater than seventy-five percent of the full price.

23. The method of claim 16, in which the fractional purchase amount is a fraction that is not greater than fifty percent of the full price.

24. The method of claim 16, in which the fractional purchase amount is a fraction that is not greater than twenty-five percent of the full price.

25. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining a fraction of a winning prize based on the fractional purchase amount; and

providing the fraction of the winning prize to a holder of the fractional lottery ticket.

26. A method comprising:

receiving a request for a lottery ticket, the request including a purchase amount that is less than a price of a full lottery ticket;

calculating a fractional amount of the full lottery ticket, the fractional amount being based on the purchase amount and the price of the full lottery ticket; and

storing an indication of the fractional amount and an indication of the full lottery ticket.