Lottery and gaming systems with electronic instant win games

• US 20060166729A1
• Filed: 01/27/2005
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Wolf, Bryan, Saffari, Ali
• Application Number:
  US11/044,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20060166729A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/17
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played

Abstract

The invention is directed to a gaming network and method for conducting an electronic wagering game, such as an instant win game, at the gaming network. The electronic wagering game may include selecting at least one outcome record from a finite pool of outcome records for the wagering game stored in the gaming network, storing the selected outcome records on a portable storage device, and distributing the portable storage device to a player. The electronic wagering game may further include receiving the portable storage device from the player at a redemption device of the gaming network, reading at least one outcome record from the portable storage device, determining an outcome for the wagering game based on the information contained in the outcome record, and dispensing value to the player in response to determining that at least one of the outcomes from the outcome records is a winning outcome.

Claims

1. A gaming network for conducting an electronic wagering game wherein each player may purchase at least one outcome from a finite pool of outcomes for the wagering game, the gaming network comprising:

a plurality of sales terminals, each sales terminal comprising;

a first input device for inputting a plurality of input selections,

a second input device for receiving a portable storage device, the second input device being capable of reading data from the portable storage device and writing data to the portable storage device,

a currency-accepting mechanism that is capable of allowing a player to deposit a medium of currency, and

a sales terminal controller operatively coupled to the first input device, the second input device, and the currency-accepting mechanism; and

a plurality of redemption terminals operatively coupled to the sales terminals, each redemption terminal comprising;

a first redemption input device for inputting a plurality of input selections,

a second redemption input device for receiving the portable storage device, the second redemption input device being capable of reading data from the portable storage device and writing data to the portable storage device,

a display device,

a currency-dispensing mechanism that is capable of dispensing a medium of currency, and

a redemption terminal controller operatively coupled to the first redemption input device, the second redemption input device, the display device, and the currency-dispensing mechanism;

the sales terminal controller being programmed to allow the currency-accepting mechanism to accept a deposit of an amount of a medium of currency by a player at the sales terminal,

the sales terminal controller being programmed to allow the first input device to receive input for a player'"'"'s selections to purchase at least one outcome for the wagering game,

the sales terminal controller being programmed to cause a selection device of the gaming network to select at least one outcome corresponding to the number of outcomes purchased by the player from the finite pool of outcomes,

the sales terminal controller being programmed to cause the second input device to store the selected outcomes on the portable storage device,

the redemption terminal controller being programmed to allow the first redemption input device to receive input for a player'"'"'s request to redeem at least one outcome of the wagering game stored on the portable storage device,

the redemption terminal controller being programmed to cause the second redemption input device to read the outcomes requested by the player from the portable storage device in response to receiving the request by the player at the first redemption input device,

the redemption terminal controller being programmed to display the outcomes read from the portable storage device at the display device,

the redemption terminal controller being programmed to determine whether any of the outcomes from the portable storage device are winning outcomes, and

the redemption terminal controller being programmed to cause the currency-dispensing mechanism to dispense a game award to the player in response to determining that any of the outcomes from the portable storage device are winning outcomes.

2. A gaming network for conducting an electronic wagering game according to claim 1, wherein the sales terminal controller is programmed to cause the second input device to dispense the portable storage device to the player after storing the outcome records on the portable storage device.

3. A gaming network for conducting an electronic wagering game according to claim 1, wherein the sales terminal and the redemption terminal are the same device.

4. A gaming network for conducting an electronic wagering game according to claim 1, wherein the portable storage device has portable storage device identification information stored thereon,

the sales terminal controller being programmed to cause the selection device of the gaming network to store the portable storage device identification information with the outcome record in the finite pool corresponding to an outcome record selected and stored on the portable storage device,

the redemption terminal controller being programmed to cause the selection device of the gaming network to compare the portable storage device identification information stored on the portable storage device to the portable storage device identification information stored in the corresponding outcome record in the finite pool in response to reading an outcome record from the portable storage device, and

the redemption terminal controller being programmed to determine whether the outcome from the portable storage device is a winning outcome in response to determining that the portable storage device identification information stored on the portable storage device matches the portable storage device identification information stored in the corresponding outcome record in the finite pool.

5. A gaming network for conducting an electronic wagering game according to claim 1, the sales terminal controller being programmed to allow the first input device to receive player identification information from the player,

the sales terminal controller being programmed to cause the selection device of the gaming network to store the player identification information with the outcome record in the finite pool corresponding to an outcome record selected and stored on the portable storage device,

the redemption terminal controller being programmed to allow the first redemption input device to receive player identification information from the player,

the redemption terminal controller being programmed to cause the selection device of the gaming network to compare player identification information input by the player at the first redemption input device to the player identification information stored in the corresponding outcome record in the finite pool in response to reading an outcome record from the portable storage device, and

the redemption terminal controller being programmed to determine whether the outcome from the portable storage device is a winning outcome in response to determining that the player identification information input by the player matches the player identification information stored in the corresponding outcome record in the finite pool.

6. A gaming network for conducting an electronic wagering game according to claim 1, wherein each sales terminal comprises an output device operatively coupled to the sales terminal controller,

the sales terminal controller being programmed to encrypt the selected outcomes prior to causing the second input device to store the selected outcomes on the portable storage device,

the sales terminal controller being programmed to cause the output device to provide the player with a decryption key,

the redemption terminal controller being programmed to allow the first redemption input device to receive input of the decryption key by the player, and

the redemption terminal controller being programmed to decrypt the outcomes read from the portable storage device using the decryption key input by the player.

7. A gaming network for conducting an electronic wagering game according to claim 1, wherein the gaming network provides a plurality of electronic wagering games each having a finite pool of outcome records, the sales terminal controller being programmed to cause the selection by the gaming network of at least one outcome from at least one of the finite pools of outcomes based on the player'"'"'s selections.

8. A gaming network for conducting an electronic wagering game according to claim 1, wherein the selection device of the gaming network is the sales terminal.

9. A method for conducting an electronic wagering game at a gaming network, comprising:

selecting at least one outcome record from a finite pool of outcome records for the wagering game stored in the gaming network;

storing the selected outcome records on a portable storage device;

distributing the portable storage device to a player;

receiving the portable storage device from the player at a redemption device of the gaming network;

reading at least one outcome record from the portable storage device;

determining an outcome for the wagering game based on the information contained in the outcome record; and

dispensing value to the player in response to determining that at least one of the outcomes from the outcome records is a winning outcome.

10. A method for conducting an electronic wagering game according to claim 9, wherein the storing the outcome records comprises:

receiving the portable storage device from the player at a sales device of the gaming network;

downloading the selected outcome records from the sales device to the portable storage device;

dispensing the portable storage device from the sales device to the player.

11. A method for conducting an electronic wagering game according to claim 10, comprising receiving value from the player at the sales device in exchange for the outcome records downloaded to the portable storage device.

12. A method for conducting an electronic wagering game according to claim 10, wherein the sales device and the redemption device are the same device.

13. A method for conducting an electronic wagering game according to claim 9, comprising:

selecting and storing the outcome records on the portable storage device at a first time; and

receiving value from the player in exchange for the stored outcome records and distributing the portable storage device to the player at a later time.

14. A method for conducting an electronic wagering game according to claim 9, comprising:

receiving game option selection information from the player; and

selecting outcome records from the finite pool of outcome records based on the game option selection information.

15. A method for conducting an electronic wagering game according to claim 9, comprising:

storing portable storage device identification information on the portable storage device;

storing the portable storage device identification information with the outcome record in the finite pool corresponding to an outcome record selected and stored on the portable storage device;

comparing the portable storage device identification information stored on the portable storage device to the portable storage device identification information stored in the corresponding outcome record in the finite pool in response to reading an outcome record from the portable storage device; and

determining the outcome for the wagering game based on the information contained in the outcome record in response to determining that the portable storage device identification information stored on the portable storage device matches the portable storage device identification information stored in the corresponding outcome record in the finite pool.

16. A method for conducting an electronic wagering game according to claim 9, comprising:

receiving player identification information from the player at the time of distributing the portable storage device to the player;

storing the player identification information with the outcome record in the finite pool corresponding to an outcome record selected and stored on the portable storage device;

comparing player identification information input by the player at the redemption device to the player identification information stored in the corresponding outcome record in the finite pool in response to reading an outcome record from the portable storage device; and

determining the outcome for the wagering game based on the information contained in the outcome record in response to determining that the player identification information input by the player matches the player identification information stored in the corresponding outcome record in the finite pool.

17. A method for conducting an electronic wagering game according to claim 9, comprising:

encrypting the outcome records prior to storing the outcome records on the portable storage device;

providing the player with a decryption key at the time of distributing the portable storage device to the player; and

decrypting the outcome records read from the portable storage device using the decryption key input by the player at the redemption device.

18. A method for conducting an electronic wagering game according to claim 9, wherein the gaming network provides a plurality of electronic wagering games each having a finite pool of outcome records, the method comprising:

receiving game option selection information from the player; and

selecting outcome records from at least one of the finite pools of outcome records based on the game option selection information.

19. A gaming network for conducting an electronic wagering game wherein each player may purchase at least one outcome from a finite pool of outcomes for the wagering game, the gaming network comprising:

an outcome selection terminal operatively connected to the gaming network, the outcome selection terminal being configured to receive a portable storage device, and to read information from and to write information to a portable storage device received at the outcome selection terminal, and wherein the outcome selection terminal is configured to store outcome records selected from the finite pool of outcome records for the wagering game on a portable storage device received at the outcome selection terminal; and

an outcome redemption terminal operatively connected to the gaming network, the outcome redemption terminal being configured to receive a portable storage device, and to read information from and to write information to a portable storage device received at the outcome redemption terminal, and wherein the outcome selection terminal is configured to read outcome records selected from the finite pool of outcome records for the wagering game stored on a portable storage device received at the outcome selection terminal, to determine outcomes for the wagering game based on the information contained in the outcome records read from a portable storage device, and to dispense value to a player in response to determining that at least one of the outcome records is a winning outcome.

20. A gaming network for conducting an electronic wagering game according to claim 19, wherein the outcome selection terminal is configured to receive value from the player at the sales device, and to store the outcome records in response to receiving value from the player.

21. A gaming network for conducting an electronic wagering game according to claim 19, wherein the outcome selection terminal and the outcome redemption terminal are the same device.

22. A gaming network for conducting an electronic wagering game according to claim 19, wherein the outcome selection terminal is configured to receive game option selection information input by the player, and wherein the outcome records are selected by a device of the gaming network based on the game option selection information.

23. A gaming network for conducting an electronic wagering game according to claim 22, wherein the device of the gaming network selection the outcome records is the outcome selection terminal.

24. A gaming network for conducting an electronic wagering game according to claim 19, wherein portable storage device identification information is stored on the portable storage device,

wherein the outcome selection terminal is configured to cause a device of the gaming network to store the portable storage device identification information with the outcome record in the finite pool corresponding to an outcome record selected and stored on the portable storage device,

wherein the outcome redemption terminal is configured to cause the device of the gaming network to compare the portable storage device identification information stored on the portable storage device to the portable storage device identification information stored in the corresponding outcome record in the finite pool in response to reading an outcome record from the portable storage device, and

wherein the outcome redemption terminal is configured to determine the outcome for the wagering game based on the information contained in the outcome record in response a determination that the portable storage device identification information stored on the portable storage device matches the portable storage device identification information stored in the corresponding outcome record in the finite pool.

25. A gaming network for conducting an electronic wagering game according to claim 19, wherein the outcome selection terminal is configured to receive player identification information input by the player,

wherein the outcome selection terminal is configured to cause a device of the gaming network to store the player identification information with the outcome record in the finite pool corresponding to an outcome record selected and stored on the portable storage device,

wherein the outcome redemption terminal is configured to receive player identification information input by the player,

wherein the outcome redemption terminal is configured to cause the device of the gaming network to compare the player identification information input by the player at the outcome redemption terminal to the player identification information stored in the corresponding outcome record in the finite pool in response to reading an outcome record from the portable storage device, and

wherein the outcome redemption terminal is configured to determine the outcome for the wagering game based on the information contained in the outcome record in response a determination that the player identification information input by the player matches the player identification information stored in the corresponding outcome record in the finite pool.

26. A gaming network for conducting an electronic wagering game according to claim 19, wherein the outcome selection terminal is configured to encrypt the outcome records prior to storing the outcome records on the portable storage device,

wherein the outcome selection terminal is configured to output a decryption key to the player when the encrypted outcome records are stored on the portable storage device,

wherein the outcome redemption terminal is configured to allow the player to input the decryption key, and

wherein the outcome redemption terminal is configured to decrypt the encrypted outcome records read from the portable storage device using the decryption key input by the player at the outcome redemption terminal.

27. A gaming network for conducting an electronic wagering game according to claim 19, wherein the gaming network provides a plurality of electronic wagering games each having a finite pool of outcome records,

wherein the outcome selection terminal is configured to receive game option selection information input by the player, and

wherein the outcome records are selected from at least one of the finite pools of outcome records based on the game option selection information.

28. A gaming network for conducting an electronic wagering game according to claim 19, wherein the outcome selection terminal is configured to dispense the portable storage device to the player after storing the outcome records on the portable storage device.