Group Play of a Lottery Game

• US 20110059786A1
• Filed: 05/16/2008
• Published: 03/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Inventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Palumbo, Nancy, Tulley, Stephen C., Patterson, Michael W., Walker, Jay S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,500,537 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/17
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards

Abstract

Methods and systems for facilitating play of group lottery games are described. In an embodiment, a process includes establishing at least two groups for play of a group lottery game, wherein each group includes a plurality of players. The method also includes determining at least one winning player from each group of a first round of the multiplayer lottery game, and advancing each of the winning players to a second round.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

establishing at least two groups for play of a group lottery game, wherein each group comprises a plurality of players;

determining at least one winning player from each group of a first round of the multiplayer lottery game; and

advancing each of the winning players to a second round.

2. The method of claim 1, in which determining at least one winning player for each group for the first round comprises comparing lottery entry data for each player of each group to at least one winning lottery ticket criteria.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing a plurality of second groups that comprise the winning players for the second round of the multiplayer lottery game.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining at least one winning player from each of the plurality of the second groups; and

awarding a prize to each winning player of the second round.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

awarding a prize to each player of the plurality of groups of the first round associated with each winning player of the second round.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining at least one winning player from each of the plurality of the second groups; and

advancing each of the winning players of the plurality of second groups to a third round of the group lottery game.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising awarding a group performance bonus for each player of a group that meets predetermined criteria.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the predetermined criteria comprises at least one of a number of players in the group, a number of participating players of the group in a predetermined time period, or an amount of money spent by the group playing group lottery games in a predetermine time period.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising awarding a grand prize to a winning player of a subsequent round.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising awarding a prize to each member of the group associated with the grand prize winning player.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting group lottery game status information to at least one player of at least one group.

12. The method of claim 1, in which determining at least one winning player comprises basing a winning outcome for the winning player on events that occur during group lottery game play.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving player identification data and group identification data from at least one of a retailer device or a player device.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving player preferences data from at least one player of a group, the player preferences data including at least one of a selection of a token or a selection of a game board.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing group play lottery data in a group play ticket status database.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the group play lottery data comprises at least one of a group identifier, a group play game identifier, a group play game instance identifier, group member ticket identifiers, group member ticket indicia, or group member ticket status data.

17. The method of claim 1, in which advancing the winning players to the second round comprises awarding a prize to each winning player.

18. The method of claim 1, in which establishing at least two groups for play comprises receiving a group activation number for at least two groups.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising receiving a player number from each of a plurality of players of the at least two groups.

20. A computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a processor to:

establish at least two groups for play of a group lottery game, wherein each group comprises a plurality of players;

determine at least one winning player from each group of a first round of the multiplayer lottery game; and

advance each of the winning players to a second round.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 20, in which the instructions for determining at least one winning player for each group for the first round comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to compare lottery entry data for each player of each group to at least one winning lottery ticket criteria.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 20, which further comprises instructions configured to direct the processor to establish a plurality of second groups comprising the winning players for the second round of the multiplayer lottery game.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 22, which further comprises instructions configured to direct the processor to:

determine at least one winning player from each of the plurality of the second groups; and

award a prize to each winning player of the second round.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 23, which further comprises instructions configured to direct the processor to:

award a prize to each player of the plurality of groups of the first round associated with each winning player of the second round.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 22, which further comprises instructions configured to direct the processor to:

determine at least one winning player from each of the plurality of the second groups; and

advance each of the winning players of the plurality of second groups to a third round of the group lottery game.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 20, which further comprises instructions configured to direct the processor to award a group performance bonus for each player of a group that meets predetermined criteria.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 26, in which the instructions for awarding a group performance bonus comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to determine at least one of that a number of players in the group satisfies the criteria, that a number of players of the group participated in the group lottery games within a predetermined time period satisfies the criteria, or that an amount of money spent by the group playing group lottery games in a predetermine time period satisfies the criteria.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 20, which further comprises instructions configured to direct the processor to award a grand prize to a winning player of a subsequent round.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 28, which further comprises instructions configured to direct the processor to award a prize to each member of the group associated with the grand prize winning player.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 20, which further comprises instructions configured to direct the processor to transmit group lottery game status information to at least one player of at least one group.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 20, in which the instructions for determining at least one winning player comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to determine a winning outcome for the winning player based on events that occur during group lottery game play.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 20, which further comprises instructions configured to direct the processor to receive player identification data and group identification data from at least one of a retailer device or a player device.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 20, in which the instructions for receiving player identification data comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to receive player preferences data from at least one player of a group, the player preferences data including at least one of a selection of a token or a selection of a game board.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 20, which further comprises instructions configured to direct the processor to store group play lottery ticket data in a group play ticket status database.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 34, in which the instructions for storing group play lottery ticket data comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to store at least one of a group identifier, a group play game identifier, a group play game instance identifier, group member ticket identifiers, group member ticket indicia, or group member ticket status data.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 20, in which the instructions for advancing the winning players to the second round comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to award a prize to each winning player.

37. The computer readable medium of claim 20, in which the instructions for establishing at least two groups for play comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to receive a group activation number for at least two groups.

38. The computer readable medium of claim 37, which further comprises instructions configured to direct the processor to receive a player number from each of a plurality of players of the at least two groups.

39. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

a communication device operatively coupled to the processor; and

a data storage device operatively coupled to the processor and containing instructions configured to direct the processor to;

establish at least two groups for play of a group lottery game, wherein each group comprises a plurality of players;

determine at least one winning player from each group of a first round of the multiplayer lottery game; and

advance each of the winning players to a second round.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, further comprising a printer configured for producing a group play lottery ticket.

41. A method, comprising:

establishing a plurality of groups for play of a group lottery game, wherein each group includes a plurality of players;

determining an aggregate performance value for each group; and

determining, based on the aggregate performance values, that at least one group satisfied group play prize criteria.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising providing a prize to the at least one group that satisfied the group play prize criteria.

43. The method of claim 41, in which determining an aggregate performance value comprises determining at least one of a group score, that a group satisfied at least one predetermined condition, or that a group satisfied a predetermined condition within a predetermined period of time.

44. The method of claim 41, further comprising awarding a group performance bonus for each player of a group that meets predetermined criteria.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the predetermined criteria comprises at least one of a number of players in the group, a number of participating players of the group in a predetermined time period, or an amount of money spent by the group playing group lottery games in a predetermine time period.

46. The method of claim 41, further comprising transmitting group lottery game status information to at least one player of at least one group.

47. The method of claim 41, in which establishing at least two groups for play comprises receiving a group activation number for at least two groups.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising receiving a player number from each of a plurality of players of the at least two groups.

49. The method of claim 41, further comprising receiving player identification data and group identification data from at least one of a retailer device or a player device.

50. The method of claim 49, in which receiving the player identification data further comprises receiving player preferences data from at least one player of a group, the player preferences data including at least one of a selection of a token or a selection of a game board.

51. The method of claim 41, further comprising storing group play lottery data in a group play ticket status database.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the group play lottery data stored in the group play ticket status database comprises at least one of a group identifier, a group play game identifier, a group play game instance identifier, group member ticket identifiers, group member ticket indicia, or group member ticket status data.

53. A computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a processor to:

establish a plurality of groups for play of a group lottery game, wherein each group includes a plurality of players;

determine an aggregate performance value for each group; and

determine, based on the aggregate performance values, that at least one group satisfied group play prize criteria.

54. The computer readable medium of claim 53, which further comprises instructions configured to direct the processor to provide a prize to the at least one group that satisfied the group play prize criteria.

55. The computer readable medium of claim 53, in which the instructions for determining an aggregate performance value comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to determine at least one of a group score, that a group satisfied at least one predetermined condition, or that a group satisfied a predetermined condition within a predetermined period of time.

56. The computer readable medium of claim 53, which further comprises instructions configured to direct the processor to award a group performance bonus for each player of a group that meets predetermined criteria.

57. The computer readable medium of claim 56, in which the instructions for awarding a group performance bonus comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to determine at least one of that a number of players in the group satisfies the criteria, that a number of players of the group participated in the group lottery games within a predetermined time period satisfies the criteria, or that an amount of money spent by the group playing group lottery games in a predetermine time period satisfies the criteria.

58. The computer readable medium of claim 53, which further comprises instructions configured to direct the processor to transmit group lottery game status information to at least one player of at least one group.

59. The computer readable medium of claim 53, in which the instructions for establishing at least two groups for play comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to receive a group activation number for at least two groups.

60. The computer readable medium of claim 53, which further comprises instructions configured to direct the processor to receive a player number from each of a plurality of players of the at least two groups.

61. The computer readable medium of claim 53, which further comprises instructions configured to direct the processor to receive player identification data and group identification data from at least one of a retailer device or a player device.

62. The computer readable medium of claim 61, in which the instructions for receiving player identification data comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to receive player preferences data from at least one player of a group, the player preferences data including at least one of a selection of a token or a selection of a game board.

63. The computer readable medium of claim 53, which further comprises instructions configured to direct the processor to store group play lottery data in a group play ticket status database.

64. The computer readable medium of claim 63, in which the instructions for storing group play lottery data comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to store at least one of a group identifier, a group play game identifier, a group play game instance identifier, group member ticket identifiers, group member ticket indicia, or group member ticket status data.

65. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

a communication device operatively coupled to the processor; and

a data storage device operatively coupled to the processor and containing instructions configured to direct the processor to;

establish a plurality of groups for play of a group lottery game, wherein each group includes a plurality of players;

determine an aggregate performance value for each group; and

determine, based on the aggregate performance values, that at least one group satisfied group play prize criteria.

66. The apparatus of claim 65, further comprising a printer configured for producing a group play lottery ticket.