Off-line remote system for lotteries and games of skill

• US 7,285,045 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2005
• Issued: 10/23/2007
• 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:
  US11/304,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20060160601A1
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 method comprising:

receiving an indication of payment by a player at an agent terminal;

determining a net payout amount associated with a plurality of game outcomes;

providing via the agent terminal a game authorization message associated with the net payout amount;

receiving the game authorization message from the player via a player device;

in response to receiving the game authorization message,

enabling game play by the player via the player device; and

in response to game play by the player,

communicating information corresponding to the net payout amount.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating at least one game based on the net payout amount.

3. The method of claim 1, in which determining the net payout amount comprises:

determining the net payout amount using a central computer.

4. The method of claim 3, in which at least one of the steps of determining the net payout amount and communicating information is performed while the player device is not in communication with the central computer.

5. The method of claim 1, in which determining the net payout amount comprises:

generating the plurality of game outcomes in response to receiving the indication of payment.

6. The method of claim 1, in which determining the net payout amount comprises:

generating the plurality of game outcomes before receiving the indication of payment.

7. The method of claim 1, in which determining the net payout amount comprises:

generating the plurality of game outcomes before receiving the game authorization message from the player.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the plurality of game outcomes.

9. The method of claim 8, in which generating the plurality of game outcomes comprises:

selecting the plurality of game outcomes from a set of predetermined game outcomes.

10. The method of claim 8, in which generating the plurality of game outcomes comprises:

generating the plurality of game outcomes before providing the game authorization message.

11. The method of claim 1, in which providing comprises:

generating a receipt indicating the game authorization message.

12. The method of claim 11, in which the receipt further indicates a number of game outcomes purchased by the player.

13. The method of claim 11, in which the receipt further indicates a price of at least one of the plurality of game outcomes.

14. The method of claim 1, in which the game authorization message represents the net payout amount.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing an indication of the net payout amount in a database in association with the game authorization message; and

in response to receiving the game authorization message,

accessing the database to determine the net payout amount.

16. The method of claim 15, in which communicating information comprises:

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

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing an indication of the plurality of game outcomes in a database; and

in response to receiving the game authorization message, accessing the database to determine the plurality of game outcomes.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to purchase game outcomes from the player at the agent terminal.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, via the player device, at least one of the plurality of game outcomes.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, via the player device, an indication of the net payout amount.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

decoding the game authorization message; and

revealing at least one of the plurality of game outcomes.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rendering at least one game on the player device, in which play of the game by the player reveals at least one of the plurality of game outcomes.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rendering at least one game on the player device, in which play of the game by the player reveals a respective payout for at least one of the plurality of game outcomes.

24. The method of claim 1, in which communicating information comprises:

revealing at least one of the plurality of game outcomes.

25. The method of claim 1, in which communicating information comprises:

determining one of the plurality of game outcomes; and

revealing via the player device whether the determined game outcome is a winning game outcome.

26. The method of claim 1, in which receiving the game authorization message comprises:

receiving the game authorization message while the player device is not in communication with the agent terminal.

27. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable medium in communication with the processor, the computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct the processor to;

receive an indication of payment at an agent terminal;

determine a net payout amount associated with a plurality of game outcomes;

provide via the agent terminal a game authorization message associated with the net payout amount;

receive the game authorization message from a player via a player device;

in response to receiving the game authorization message,

enable game play by the player via the player device; and

in response to game play by the player,

communicate information corresponding to the net payout amount.