Systems and methods for interactive wagering using multiple types of user interfaces

• US 8,419,544 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2008
• Issued: 04/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ODS Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ODS Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: McNutt, Richard Earl, Aronson, Thomas Lazzlo, Garahi, Masood, Courtney, Alice June, Springborn, Ben, Ramsey, Douglas Vaughn, Stimmel, Eric Frank, Olsen, Erik Thomas Russell, Darr, James Howard, Gaidies, Rodney John, Marshall, Connie T., Zaring, Jon Charles, Satterfield, Kevin Dwight
• Primary Examiner(s): McClellan, James S
• Application Number:
  US12/077,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20080234051A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,856 Days
• Field of Search: 463/6, 463/17, 463/25, 463/41, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/42
• 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 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking

Abstract

The present invention is systems and methods for interactive wagering using multiple types of user interfaces. Preferred embodiments of these systems and methods incorporate a wagering data hub which controls the flow of data relating to wagers, wagering events, and wagering account and facilitates the use of a variety of user interfaces such as graphical user interfaces and interactive voice response interfaces. For example, a user of the present invention may use a television set-top box, a computer, a telephone, and/or any other suitable device. To communicate with the wagering data hub, television set-top boxes preferably use a two-way cable system, computers preferably use a computer network, and telephones preferably use a telephone network, although each may use any suitable mechanism or combination of mechanisms to communicate with wagering data hub.

Claims

1. A system for interactive wagering, comprising:

a centralized wagering data hub in communication with a plurality of types of user devices, the centralized data hub comprising;

a centralized wagering events database that stores;

wagering data associated with a plurality of wagering events; and

handicapping data associated with the plurality of wagering events;

a subscriber management system that stores data relating to a plurality of wagering accounts, wherein said wagering accounts data is received from one or more wagering data sources; and

a first and second wagering user interface servers associated with a respective first and second user interface types, the first and second wagering user interface servers located in the centralized wagering data hub and the first user interface type being different from the second user interface type, wherein the first wagering user interface server is configured to;

receive a wagering user request associated with placing a wager for one of the plurality of wagering events from a user associated with a first one of the plurality of wagering accounts via a first user device, the first user device having the first user interface type;

authorize the wagering user request; and

provide an outcome of the wagering user request received at the first user device to a second user device having the second user interface type and being accessed from the first wagering account, wherein the first and second wagering user interface servers are in communication in the centralized wagering data hub, the first wagering user interface server provides a user interface of the first type to the first device and the second wagering user interface server provides a user interface of the second type to the second device, and wherein the user interface of the first type provided by the first wagering user interface server is automatically customized to be one of a first kind or a second kind depending on an attribute of the first wagering account.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the first and second wagering user interface servers is a television wagering control system that provides at least one of the data relating to the first wagering account, the wagering data, and the handicapping data to a television distribution system and that receives information for the wager from a television wagering terminal.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the television wagering control system receives the wager information from the television wagering terminal via one of a telephone system connection, a cable system connection, and a computer network connection.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein at least another one of the first and second wagering user interface servers is an interactive voice response control system that:

receives a telephone call from an external source,

provides, to the external source through the telephone call, voice prompts that correspond to at least one of the data relating to the first wagering account, the wagering data, and the handicapping data; and

receives the wager information from the external source through the telephone call.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the interactive voice response control system receives the wager information as one of the group consisting of signals generated in response to one or more telephone key depressions and verbal commands that are spoken by a caller.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein at least another one of the first and second wagering user interface servers is a computer wagering control system that provides at least one of the data relating to the first wagering account, the wagering data, and the handicapping data to an external computer and that receives the wager information from the external computer.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the computer wagering control system provides the at least one of the data relating to the first wagering account, the wagering data, and the handicapping data to the external computer and receives the wager information from the external computer, through one of an Internet connection to the external computer, a telephone connection to the external computer, and a wireless connection to the external computer.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first device is a portable wireless device; and

the second device is one of a television wagering terminal and a computer wagering system configured to provide the wager outcome corresponding to the wager information received at the portable wireless device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first wagering user interface server is further configured to:

send a wagering authorization request to the subscriber management system to place the wager by the user;

receive a wagering authorization response from the subscriber management system to place the wager;

determine a target wagering data source from the one or more wagering data sources; and

send the authorized wager to the target wagering data source.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first wagering user interface server is further configured to:

determine a target wagering data source from the one or more wagering data sources;

send a wagering authorization request to the target wagering data source to place the wager by the user;

receive a wagering authorization response from the target wagering data source; and

send the authorized wager to the target wagering data source.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the wagering user interface servers provide a customizable user interface on each of the first and second user devices depending on an attribute of the wagering account.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of wagering data sources comprises at least one of one or more tote companies, one or more racing data providers, and one or more handicapping data providers.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the first wagering user interface server provides first access capabilities to the centralized wagering data hub from the first user device and wherein the second wagering user interface server provides second access capabilities to the second user device, wherein the second access capabilities are a subset of the first access capabilities.

14. A method for interactive wagering using a centralized wagering data hub in communication with a plurality of types of user devices, the method comprising:

storing, in a centralized wagering events database in the centralized wagering data hub;

wagering data associated with a plurality of wagering events; and

handicapping data associated with the plurality of wagering events;

storing, in a subscriber management system in the centralized wagering data hub, data relating to a plurality of wagering accounts, wherein said wagering accounts data is received from one or more wagering data sources;

receiving, using a centralized wagering control system in the centralized wagering data hub a wagering user request associated with placing a wager for one of the plurality of wagering events from a user associated with a first one of the plurality of wagering accounts via a first user device, wherein the centralized wagering control system comprises a first and second wagering user interface servers associated with a respective first and second user interface types, the first and second wagering user interface servers located in the centralized wagering data hub and the first user interface type being different from the second user interface type, the first user device having the first user interface type;

authorizing the wagering user request using the first wagering user interface server; and

providing an outcome of the wagering user request received at the first user device to a second user device having the second user interface type, wherein the first and second wagering user interface servers are in communication in the centralized wagering data hub, the first wagering user interface server provides a user interface of the first type to the first device and the second wagering user interface server provides a user interface of the second type to the second device, and wherein the user interface of the first type provided by the first wagering user interface server is automatically customized to be one of a first kind or a second kind depending on an attribute of the first wagering account.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the providing comprises providing at least one of the data relating to the first wagering account, the wagering data, and the handicapping data to a television distribution system, and the receiving comprises receiving information for the wager from a television wagering terminal.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the television wagering terminal is one of a cable television set-top box and a satellite television receiver.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the wager information from the television wagering terminal via one of a telephone system connection, a cable system connection, and a computer network connection.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a telephone call from an external source;

providing, to the external source through the telephone call, voice prompts that correspond to at least one of the data relating to the first wagering account, the wagering data, and the handicapping data; and

receiving the wager information from the external source through the telephone call.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the wager information as one of the group consisting of signals generated in response to one or more telephone key depressions and verbal commands that are spoken by a caller.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the providing comprises providing the at least one of the data relating to the first wagering account, the wagering data, and the handicapping data to an external computer and the receiving comprises receiving the wager information from the external computer.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the providing comprises providing at least one of the data relating to the first wagering account, the wagering data, and the handicapping data to an external computer and the receiving comprises receiving the wager information from the external computer, through one of an Internet connection to the external computer, a telephone connection to the external computer, and a wireless connection to the external computer.