System for printing advertisements on a ticket

• US 9,076,161 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2012
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lottoads Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Lottoads Incorporated
• Inventors: Landers, Neal Harley
• Primary Examiner(s): FRANKLIN, JAMARA ALZAIDA
• Application Number:
  US13/667,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20130112744A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/380, 705/16
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements

Abstract

Systems and methods for printing tickets are provided. In some embodiments, the printed ticket is a lottery ticket. According to a particular system provided in the present disclosure, the system comprises a server configured to manage the printing of tickets and advertisements. The system also comprises a ticket printing device operating in a predetermined location, the ticket printing device configured to print an advertisement on a ticket. A network is configured to enable communication between the server and the ticket printing device. The ticket printing device is configured to print the advertisement based at least on time parameters, the time parameters including at least a time period when an advertiser intends for the advertisement to be printed.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

at least one server configured to manage the printing of tickets and advertisements;

a ticket printing device operating in a predetermined location, the ticket printing device configured to print an advertisement on a ticket, the ticket including ticket information defining one or more privileges to which a purchaser of the ticket is entitled; and

a network configured to enable communication between the at least one server and the ticket printing device;

wherein the ticket printing device is configured to print the advertisement based at least on time parameters, the time parameters including at least a time period when an advertiser intends for the advertisement to be printed.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the ticket printing device is configured to retrieve the advertisement from at least one of a database associated with the at least one server and a memory device associated with the ticket printing device itself.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of ticket printing devices operating in a plurality of predetermined locations, wherein each ticket printing device is configured to print one or more advertisements.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the one or more advertisements are printed based at least on location parameters, the location parameters including the predetermined locations of one or more of the ticket printing devices where one or more advertisers intend for the one or more advertisements to be printed.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the network is a private network.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the ticket printing device is further configured to combine the ticket information with the advertisement in order to print the ticket information and advertisement on the ticket in a single printing step.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one server includes a lottery server and the ticket is a lottery ticket, the lottery ticket including a lottery section separated from an advertisement section.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the ticket printing device is further configured to print the advertisement based at least on location parameters, the location parameters including at least one selection made by the advertiser, the at least one selection defining one or more predetermined locations from among a plurality of locations where the advertiser intends for the advertisement to be printed.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the time parameters include date parameters and time-of-day parameters.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least one server and the ticket printing device comprises a security module configured to enable secure communications within the network.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least one server and the ticket printing device comprises a security module configured to perform at least one action selected from the group of actions consisting of checking the legitimacy of the advertisement, validating transfer logs, authenticating transfer logs before the advertisement is printed, authenticating transfer logs after the advertisement is printed, and providing verification of successfully printed advertisements.

12. A ticket managing server comprising:

a processing device;

a first database in communication with the processing device, the first database configured to store advertisement information related to one or more advertisements to be printed on one or more tickets by at least one ticket printing device of a plurality of ticket printing devices, the one or more advertisements being printed in accordance with instructions from one or more advertisers;

a first interface device in communication with the processing device, the first interface device configured to communicate with the plurality of ticket printing devices via a network, the first interface device configured to transmit at least a portion of the advertisement information from the first database to the at least one ticket printing device, the first interface device further configured to receive ticket data corresponding to ticket information printed on the one or more tickets by the at least one ticket printing device; and

a second database in communication with the processing device, the second database configured to store the ticket data;

wherein each of the one or more tickets printed by the at least one ticket printing device entitles the bearer of the ticket the right to enter a place, travel by public transport, or participate in an event, lottery, or raffle.

13. The ticket managing server of claim 12, wherein the first interface device is configured to communicate with the plurality of ticket printing devices via a private wide area network.

14. The ticket managing server of claim 13, wherein the plurality of ticket printing devices are configured to print lottery ticket information and advertisement information on lottery tickets.

15. The ticket managing server of claim 12, further comprising a second interface device configured to communicate with a plurality of advertiser devices via a public wide area network.

16. A ticket printing device comprising:

an interface device configured to communicate with a server via a network, the interface device configured to receive advertisement information from the server; and

a print control device configured to print an advertisement associated with at least a portion of the advertisement information on a ticket, the ticket including ticket information that entitles a bearer of the ticket the right to enter a place, travel by public transport, or participate in an event, lottery, or raffle.

17. The ticket printing device of claim 16, wherein the print control device is configured to print the advertisement and ticket information in one printing step.

18. The ticket printing device of claim 16, wherein the ticket information is pre-printed on the ticket with a place holder for the advertisement.

19. The ticket printing device of claim 16, further comprising a memory device configured to store the advertisement information.

20. The ticket printing device of claim 16, wherein the ticket is a lottery ticket.

21. The ticket printing device of claim 20, further comprising a random number generator configured to generate a plurality of lottery numbers to be printed on the lottery ticket.

22. The ticket printing device of claim 16, wherein the print control device is further configured to print at least one of a quick response (QR) code and a barcode enabling additional information related to the advertisement to be obtained.

23. The ticket printing device of claim 16, wherein the ticket includes a perforation separating the ticket information from the advertisement.

24. The ticket printing device of claim 16, wherein the print control device is further configured to print a default image when an error occurs or when there are no advertisements scheduled to be printed.

25. The ticket printing device of claim 16, further comprising a first security module configured to check the legitimacy of the advertisement, validate transfer logs, and authenticate transfer logs before the advertisement is printed.