Off-line remote system for lotteries and games of skill

• US 6,942,570 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2003
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1995
• 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: Schneier, Bruce, Walker, Jay S., Jorasch, James
• Primary Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US10/620,260
• Publication Number:
  US 20040038723A1
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463 9- 13, 463 16- 20, 463 25- 30, 463/36, 463 39- 48, 273/269, 273236-237, 273292-293, 273/138.1, 273/138.2, 273/139, 379/90.01, 379/93.01, 379/93.13, 700 91- 93
• US Class Current: 463/17
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/086 played via telephone, e.g. using a modem
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/081 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3218 wherein at least part of the system is portable
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards

Abstract

An off-line remote lottery system which enables players to purchase instant-type lottery game outcomes from a randomized prize data stream in a central computer, and view the outcomes on remotely disposed gaming computers which do not require an on-line connection during play.

Claims

1. A computer comprising:

means for receiving from a user an encoded message containing at least one lottery game outcome;

means for decoding the encoded message to reveal the at least one lottery game outcome; and

means for displaying the at least one lottery game outcome at a gaming computer, the gaming computer being off-line with respect to a remote computer.

2. The method of claim 1, in which the encoded message is generated by the remote computer.

3. The method of claim 1, in which the encoded message further contains a code that identifies the gaming computer.

4. A storage device storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving from a user an encoded message containing at least one lottery game outcome;

decoding the encoded message to reveal the at least one lottery game outcome; and

displaying, at a gaming computer, the at least one lottery game outcome, the gaming computer being off-line with respect to a remote computer.

5. The storage device of claim 4, in which the encoded message further contains a code that identifies the gaming computer.

6. The storage device of claim 4, in which the at least one lottery game outcome corresponds to an aggregation of a plurality of lottery game outcomes.

7. The storage device of claim 4, in which receiving the encoded message comprises:

receiving the encoded message from the user via a memory medium.

8. The storage device of claim 7, in which the memory medium is a smart card.

9. The storage device of claim 4, the method further comprising:

receiving an indication of at least one offer for a play of a lottery game.

10. The storage device of claim 9, the method further comprising:

displaying the at least one offer at the gaming computer.

11. The storage device of claim 9, in which the encoded message includes the indication of the at least one offer.

12. The storage device of claim 4, in which the gaming computer is a handheld device.

13. The storage device of claim 4, in which the gaming computer comprises a GPS receiver.

14. The storage device of claim 4, in which displaying comprises:

displaying the at least one lottery game outcome only if the gaming computer is located in a predetermined venue.

15. The storage device of claim 4, in which decoding comprises:

decoding the encoded message only if the gaming computer is located in a predetermined venue.

16. The storage device of claim 4, in which receiving the encoded message comprises:

receiving the encoded message via a microphone.

17. The storage device of claim 4, in which displaying comprises:

generating at least one game that corresponds to the at least one lottery game outcome.

18. The storage device of claim 17, in which each at least one game comprises at least one chance.

19. The storage device of claim 4, in which each at least one lottery game outcome is associated with a respective price.

20. The storage device of claim 4, in which the encoded message further contains at least one standby outcome.

21. The storage device of claim 20, in which decoding comprises:

decoding the encoded message to reveal the at least one lottery game outcome and the at least one standby outcome.

22. The storage device of claim 20, in which displaying comprises:

displaying the at least one standby outcome.

23. The storage device of claim 4, in which the encoded message is generated by the remote computer.

24. A device for facilitating play of a game, the device comprising:

a processor; and

the storage device of claim 4 in communication with the processor.

25. A method comprising:

receiving from a user an encoded message that is generated by a remote computer, the encoded message including at least one game outcome;

decoding the encoded message to reveal the at least one game outcome; and

displaying, at a gaming computer, the at least one game outcome,

in which at least one of the steps of receiving, decoding, and displaying is performed while the gaming computer is not in communication with the remote computer.

26. A method comprising:

receiving data that is generated by a remote computer, the data indicating a net payout that corresponds to at least one game outcome;

generating at least one game based on the net payout; and

enabling a user to play the at least one game at a gaming computer, the gaming computer being off-line with respect to the remote computer.

27. The method of claim 26, in which generating comprises:

generating a plurality of games, each game having a respective payout, in which a sum of the plurality of respective payouts is equal to the net payout.

28. A method comprising:

receiving a message indicating at least one game outcome that is encoded and at least one standby outcome that is encoded;

generating at a gaming device at least one game that is based on the at least one game outcome;

determining a payout amount associated with the at least one game;

displaying an offer for the at least one standby outcome in exchange for an amount that is not greater than the payout amount;

receiving an indication of acceptance of the offer; and

generating at least one game that is based on the at least one standby outcome.

29. A method comprising:

receiving data that indicates at least one game outcome and that indicates a plurality of standby outcomes;

generating at least one game that is based on the at least one game outcome;

determining a payout based at least on the at least one game;

receiving a request to redeem the payout;

determining at least one unused standby outcome of the plurality of standby outcomes; and

voiding the at least one unused standby outcome.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

generating at least one second game based on at least one standby outcome of the plurality of standby outcomes; and

in which determining the payout comprises;

determining the payout based on the at least one game and the at least one second game.

31. A method comprising:

receiving a code that corresponds to at least one game outcome;

receiving data comprising a game program from a memory medium;

generating at least one game based on the at least one game outcome and the game program;

displaying, at a gaming computer, the at least one game outcome to a user, the gaming computer being off-line with respect to a remote computer.

32. The method of claim 31, in which the memory medium is a smart card.