Processing of a mobile device game-playing transaction conducted between the mobile device and a bluetooth terminal

• US 9,672,697 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2015
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: e2Interactive Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Linq3 Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Leach, Roy, Cage, Daniel, Minutaglio, John, Tashjian, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US14/958,720
• Publication Number:
  US 20160086453A1
• Time in Patent Office: 551 Days
• Field of Search: 463 25, 463 29
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/73 Authorising game programs or game devices, e.g. checking authenticity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/326 Payment applications installed on the mobile devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3276 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3218 wherein at least part of the system is portable
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• 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 17/3255 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

Abstract

An exemplary method comprises receiving information associated with a game-playing transaction conducted, via a Bluetooth interface (e.g., a Bluetooth Low Energy interface), between a user device and a game-playing terminal, wherein the game-playing transaction is associated with a request for playing a game; determining a location of the user device associated with the game; determining the user device is located in an approved location associated with the game; and processing the game-playing transaction based on determining the user device is located in the approved location associated with the game. The game-playing transaction is conducted on a first communication interface, and the information associated with the game-playing transaction is received on a second communication interface.

Claims

1. A method for processing game-playing transactions, comprising:

receiving information associated with a game-playing transaction conducted on a first communication interface between a user device and a game-playing terminal, wherein the game-playing transaction is associated with a request for playing a game;

determining a location of the user device associated with the game;

determining the user device is located in an approved location associated with the game;

processing the game-playing transaction based on determining the user device is located in the approved location associated with the game;

determining a period of validity associated with the information has not expired, and processing the game-playing request based on determining the period of validity associated with the information has not expired;

wherein the first communication interface comprises a Bluetooth interface, and

wherein the information associated with the game-playing transaction is received on a second communication interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user device comprises a game-playing application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the game comprises a lottery game.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising processing the game-playing transaction based on:

determining a merchant associated with the location of the user device or the game-playing terminal;

cross-referencing a list of approved merchants associated with the location of the user device or the game-playing terminal; and

determining the merchant is present on the list of approved merchants.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the game-playing terminal comprises either an electronic game-playing terminal or a non-electronic game playing terminal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the user device or the game-playing terminal comprises at least one of a pump, an ATM, a servicing station, a retail station, a local computing system, or a remote computing system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the Bluetooth interface comprises a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) interface.

8. A system for processing game-playing transactions, the system configured for:

receiving or sending information associated with a game-playing transaction conducted between a user device and a game-playing terminal, wherein the game-playing transaction is associated with a game;

determining a location of the user device or the game-playing terminal associated with the game-playing transaction;

determining the user device or the game-playing terminal is located in an approved location associated with the game;

processing or enabling conduction of the game-playing transaction based on at least one of;

determining the user device or the game-playing terminal is located in the approved location associated with the game based on cross-referencing a list of approved merchants or locations, and determining the location is present on the list of approved merchants or locations, or

determining a period of validity associated with the information has not expired,

wherein the game-playing transaction is conducted on a first communication interface, and

wherein the information associated with the game-playing transaction is received or sent on the first communication interface or a second communication interface.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the game-playing terminal comprises a beacon, wherein the system is further configured for prompting a user of the user device to play the game in response to determining the user device is within a threshold distance of the beacon.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the second communication interface comprises a Wi-Fi or cellular interface.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the user device is comprised in or part of a motor vehicle.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the location is determined based on global positioning system (GPS) coordinates of the user device or location information or identification information of the game-playing terminal.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the first communication interface comprises a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) interface.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the location is determined based on input received at the user device or the game-playing terminal.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the second communication interface is associated with longer range communication compared to the first communication interface.

16. The system of claim 8, wherein the user device or the game-playing terminal comprises at least one of a pump, an ATM, a servicing station, a retail station, a local computing system, a remote computing system, or the system.

17. The system of claim 8, wherein the game comprises a lottery game.

18. The system of claim 8, wherein the first communication interface comprises a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) interface.

19. A method for processing game-playing transactions, comprising:

receiving information associated with a game-playing transaction conducted between a user device and a game-playing terminal, wherein the game-playing transaction is associated with a game;

determining a location of the user device or the game-playing terminal associated with the game-playing transaction;

determining the user device or the game-playing terminal is located in an approved location associated with the game;

processing or enabling conduction of the game-playing transaction based on determining the user device or the game-playing terminal is located in the approved location associated with the game, wherein the determining the user device or the game-playing terminal is located in the approved location comprises;

determining a merchant associated with the location of the user device or the game-playing terminal,

cross-referencing a list of approved merchants associated with the location of the user device or the game-playing terminal, and

determining the merchant is present on the list of approved merchants,

wherein the game-playing transaction is conducted on a first communication interface, and

wherein the information associated with the game-playing transaction is received on a second communication interface.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first communication interface comprises a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) interface.

21. An apparatus for processing game-playing transactions, the apparatus comprising means for:

receiving or sending information associated with a game-playing transaction conducted between a user device and a game-playing terminal, wherein the game-playing transaction is associated with a game;

determining a location of the user device or the game-playing terminal associated with the game-playing transaction;

determining the user device or the game-playing terminal is located in an approved location associated with the game;

processing or enabling conduction of the game-playing transaction based on at least one of;

determining the user device or the game-playing terminal is located in the approved location associated with the game based on cross-referencing a list of approved merchants or locations, and determining the location is present on the list of approved merchants or locations, or

determining a period of validity associated with the information has not expired,

wherein the game-playing transaction is conducted on a first communication interface, and

wherein the information associated with the game-playing transaction is received or sent on the first communication interface or a second communication interface.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the game comprises a lottery game.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first communication interface comprises a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) interface.