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

• US 7,547,251 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2006
• Issued: 06/16/2009
• 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: Walker, Jay S., Jindal, Sanjay K., Jorasch, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hotaling, II, John M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wert, Joshua
• Application Number:
  US11/425,211
• Publication Number:
  US 20060246992A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/17, 463/25, 705/14, 273/269, 902/23
• 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 system comprising:

a lottery data processing system;

a controller including a storage device storing merchandise information, said controller adapted to transmit to the lottery data processing system a request for a fractional lottery ticket and to receive lottery information from said processing system;

at least one point-of-sale terminal connected to said controller, for performing merchandise transactions and lottery transactions in accordance with the received lottery information,

said lottery transactions comprising the providing of a fractional lottery ticket in exchange for an amount of change due a customer based on a merchandise transaction, the fractional lottery ticket having a fractional value based on the amount of change; and

said point-of-sale terminal including a recorder for recording on a recording medium the merchandise and lottery information.

2. The system of claim 1, in which the controller and one of the at least one point-of-sale terminals are embodied in a stand-alone unit.

3. 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 perform a method, the 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

selling the fractional lottery ticket to a customer in exchange for the amount of change.

4. 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 perform a method, the method comprising;

receiving a request for a lottery ticket, the request including a change

amount that is based on a transaction;

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

storing the lottery ticket information including the indication of the fractional value.

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

a price, the change amount, a code, and a plurality of lottery numbers.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, the instructions being further configured to direct the processor to perform a step of:

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

7. The apparatus of claim 4, the instructions being further configured to direct the processor to perform a step of:

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

8. The apparatus of claim 4, in which the request further includes at least one of:

a lottery game, a number of lottery tickets, and a plurality of lottery numbers.

9. The apparatus of claim 4, the instructions being further configured to direct the processor to perform a step of:

generating a plurality of lottery numbers.

10. The apparatus of claim 4, the instructions being further configured to direct the processor to perform a step of:

selling a lottery ticket to a customer in exchange for the change amount.