Systems, products and processes for conducting instant lottery games

• US 7,909,326 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2006
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2005
• 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., Patterson, Michael W., Jorasch, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): LAYNO, BENJAMIN
• Application Number:
  US11/814,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20090309352A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,581 Days
• Field of Search: 273/139, 273/269, 273/901, 273/903, 283/901, 283/903
• US Class Current: 273/139
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 283/901 Concealed data
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 283/903 Lottery ticket
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49982 Coating

Abstract

Methods, systems and apparatus are described for producing lottery products and conducting lottery games. In one embodiment, a method for producing a lottery product comprises producing a lottery sub-product that includes a concealed indication of a redemption value of a different lottery sub-product. In one embodiment, a storybook allows a player to win by matching words from a paytable to revealable dialog or other story elements on a respective page of the storybook.

Claims

1. A method for producing a lottery product providing a story, the method comprising:

printing a first page that embodies a first instant game, the first page including a first removable covering concealing a first element of a story, and the first page being associated with a first predetermined sub-payout, and the first page indicating a first predetermined running value of the lottery product;

printing a second page that embodies a second instant game, the second page including a second removable covering concealing a second element of the story, and the second page being associated with a second predetermined sub-payout, and the second page indicating a second predetermined running value of the lottery product, the second predetermined running value being based on the first predetermined sub-payout and the second predetermined sub-payout;

printing a table that (1) identifies a third element of the story and indicates a first potential prize for the first instant game if the third element matches the first element and (2) identifies a fourth element of the story and indicates a second potential prize for the second instant game if the fourth element matches the second element; and

assembling the first page, the second page, and the table into a lottery product.

2. The method of claim 1, in which the first element comprises at least one word.

3. The method of claim 1, in which the first removable covering conceals a plurality of text elements.

4. The method of claim 1, in which the first removable covering conceals first dialog for the story.

5. The method of claim 1, in which the first removable covering conceals a representation of at least one character in the story.

6. The method of claim 1, in which the story comprises historical information.

7. The method of claim 1, in which the story comprises educational information.

8. The method of claim 1, in which the story comprises safety information.

9. The method of claim 1, in which the story comprises tourism information.

10. The method of claim 1, in which the first predetermined sub-payout is a negative value, and the second predetermined sub-payout is not a negative value.

11. The method of claim 1, in which the first predetermined subpayout is different than the second predetermined payout.

12. The method of claim 1, in which the first page is embodied in a lottery ticket.

13. The method of claim 1, in which assembling comprises:

packaging the first page, the second page, and the table in a common container.

14. The method of claim 1, in which assembling comprises:

assembling the first page, the second page, and the table as a book.

15. The method of claim 1, in which the lottery product comprises a graphic novel.

16. The method of claim 1, in which the story is at least partially illustrated.

17. The method of claim 1, in which printing the table comprises:

determining a plurality of different tables associated with the story; and

selecting one of the plurality of tables.

18. The method of claim 17, in which selecting comprises:

randomly selecting one of the plurality of tables.

19. The method of claim 17, in which the third element comprises dialog spoken by a specific story character, and in which at least two of the plurality of tables differ with respect to which story character speaks the dialog.

20. The method of claim 17, in which at least two of the plurality of tables differ in the value of the first potential prize.

21. The method of claim 1, in which the third element is the same as the fourth element.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assembling a second lottery product comprising a third page identical to the first page of the lottery product, a fourth page identical to the second page of the lottery product, and a respective table that is different than the table of the lottery product.

23. The method of claim 1,

in which the third element comprises first dialog spoken by a story character, and the table indicates the first potential prize for the first instant game if the first element comprises the first dialog spoken by the story character,

the method further comprising:

assembling a second lottery product comprising (1) a respective first page that is identical to the first page of the lottery product, and (2) a respective table, in which the table indicates a respective third element comprises second dialog spoken by the story character, the second dialog being different than the first dialog.

24. The method of claim 1, in which the lottery product embodies an illustrated story, the illustrated story comprising illustrations and first dialog by a story character,

the method further comprising:

assembling a second lottery product comprising the identical illustrations and second dialog by the story character that is different than the first dialog.

25. The method of claim 1, in which an occurrence of a story element anywhere in the lottery product corresponds to a bonus payout.

26. The method of claim 25, in which the story element comprises at least one of the following types of elements:

a phrase,

a type of phrase,

a prop,

a type of prop, and

an event.

27. The method of claim 1, in which the story comprises at least one of the following:

play of a sports game,

an adventure story,

a plurality of races, and

a journey.

28. A story product comprising:

a plurality of instant scratch-off games assembled as a book, each instant scratch-off game comprising a respective covering element that conceals respective revealable dialog of a story,

in which each instant scratch-off game is embodied in a respective page of the book,

in which at least one page of the book includes a predetermined running value for the story product, the respective running value being based on at least two predetermined running values on respective preceding pages of the book; and

a paytable for the book, the paytable indicating respective winning dialog for each of the plurality of instant scratch-off games.

29. The story product of claim 28, in which the paytable is embodied in the book.

30. The story product of claim 28, in which the paytable is physically separate from the book.

31. The story product of claim 28, in which the paytable is detachably removable from at least one of the instant games.

32. The story product of claim 28, in which the paytable indicates, for each instant scratch-off game, a respective payout redeemable if the respective winning dialog matches the respective revealable dialog for the instant scratch-off game.