Method, apparatus, and system for determining whether a computer is within a particular location

• US 7,353,274 B1
• Filed: 05/09/2000
• Issued: 04/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: EC2 Incorporated, Medisys/Rjb Consulting Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Medisys/Rjb Consulting Incorporated
• Inventors: Rouhi, Ramin Ron, Rouhi, Adam G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dalencourt; Yves
• Application Number:
  US09/568,568
• Time in Patent Office: 2,884 Days
• Field of Search: 709/225, 709/200, 709/217, 709/219, 379/88.17, 379/88.21, 379/142.02, 379/142.1, 379/201.02, 379/201.07, 379/210.02, 379/265.01, 379/265.09, 379/88.13, 379/212.01, 379/142.11, 379/142.04, 340/5.74, 340/5.8, 340/426.1, 713/192
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4016 involving fraud or risk level assessment in transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0209 Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0218 based on score
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0268 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/34 Betting or bookmaking, e.g. Internet betting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards

Abstract

Some embodiments provide a method of determining whether a lottery player or the player'"'"'s computer is within a particular location. The player'"'"'s computer is connected to a computer network. The method transmits, through the computer network, a pass code and a telephone number to the lottery player'"'"'s computer. The method requests the lottery player or the player'"'"'s computer to call the number and provide the pass code within a pre-determined amount of time. The method determines whether the pass code is provided within a predetermined amount of time after the transmission of the pass code from a telephone specified to be within the particular location. The method verifies whether the lottery player or player'"'"'s computer is within the particular location, based on the determination.

Claims

1. A method of determining whether a lottery player or player'"'"'s computer is within a particular location, said player'"'"'s computer is connected to a computer network, the method comprising the steps of:

a) transmitting, through the computer network, a pass code and a telephone number to the lottery player'"'"'s computer;

b) requesting the lottery player or the player'"'"'s computer to call the number and provide the pass code within a pre-determined amount of time;

c) determining whether the pass code is provided within a predetermined amount of time after the transmission of the pass code from a telephone specified to be within the particular location; and

d) verifying whether the lottery player or player'"'"'s computer is within the particular location, based on the determination.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

a) retrieving a caller identification number when the telephone number is dialed;

b) determining whether the caller identification number corresponds to a telephone number within the location;

c) if the identification number is from inside of the location, responding to the telephone call; and

d) if the identification number is from outside of the location, rejecting the telephone call.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein for cases where a telephone line of the dialer of the telephone number has caller-identification block, the method further comprising requesting the dialer to disable the caller identification block.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a telephone company restricts calls from outside of the particular location to the supplied telephone number.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a notice from a telephone company that a call to the supplied telephone number is from outside of the particular location.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising rejecting the pass code when the pass code is not provided within the predetermined amount of time.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the method rejects the pass code permanently.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the method rejects the pass code for a pre-specified duration of time.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said particular location is a state.

10. A computer readable medium storing a computer program for determining whether a lottery player or player'"'"'s computer is within a particular location, said player'"'"'s computer is connected to a computer network, said computer program comprising sets of instructions for:

a) transmitting, through the computer network, a pass code and a telephone number to the player'"'"'s computer;

b) requesting the lottery player or the player'"'"'s computer to call the number and provide the pass code within a pre-determined amount of time;

c) determining whether the pass code is provided within a predetermined amount of time after the transmission of the pass code from a telephone specified to be within the particular location;

d) verifying whether the lottery player or player'"'"'s computer is within the particular location, based on the determination.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10 further comprising sets of instructions for:

a) retrieving a caller identification number when the telephone number is dialed;

b) determining whether the caller identification number corresponds to a telephone number within the location;

c) if the identification number is from inside of the location, responding to the telephone call; and

d) if the identification number is from outside of the location, rejecting the telephone call.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein for cases where a telephone line of the dialer of the telephone number has caller-identification block, said computer program further comprising a set of instructions for requesting the dialer to disable the caller identification block.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein a telephone company restricts calls from outside of the particular location to the supplied telephone number.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 10 further comprising a set of instructions for receiving a notice from a telephone company that a call to the supplied telephone number is from outside of the particular location.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 10 further comprising a set of instructions for rejecting the pass code when the pass code is not provided within the predetermined amount of time.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein said set of instructions rejects the pass code permanently.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein said set of instructions rejects the pass code for a pre-specified duration of time.