Interactive telephone lottery system with a verification code

• US 5,083,272 A
• Filed: 11/02/1988
• Issued: 01/21/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Britcanus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Britcanus Corporation
• Inventors: Walker, Robert W., Hayter, John S., Karp, Ricki S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, Gail O.
• Application Number:
  US07/266,103
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 364/412, 364/410, 235/379-380, 379/97, 273/138 A, 273/139, 273/269, 273/85 R
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/086 played via telephone, e.g. using a modem
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/081 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/34 Betting or bookmaking, e.g. Internet betting
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 15/006 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/903 Password

Abstract

An interactive transaction system is provided. A user interacts with the system by means of a telephone which delivers output signals from the user and receives input signals from the system. The telephone is interfaced to a communication network through a switching unit. An account is provided from which the amount of the transaction is debited. A transaction microprocessor is interfaced to receive the input signals from the telephone which identify the transaction, the amount of the transaction and the user'"'"'s personal identification code. The transaction microprocessor then communicates with the account microprocessor to authorize and complete the transaction.

Claims

1. An interactive telephone lottery system for playing a lottery game comprising:

a telephone disposed at a user'"'"'s location, said telephone including a touchtone keypad operative to generate dual tone multi-frequency output signals and said telephone operative to transmit voice signals and receive an input signal;

switching means operatively connected to said telephone for interfacing said input and output signals from said telephone to a telephone communication network;

money access account means having an account processor for processing transactions involving a user'"'"'s account, said account having a pre-established source of funds;

a lottery game processor operatively connected to said switching means and to said account processor through said communication network, said access processor including a program including logic means for a) receiving a dual tone multi-frequency signal from said telephone, said signal identifying a lottery transaction and the amount of said lottery transaction, b) communicating with said money access account processor to authorize said transaction, c) upon receiving authorization from said money access account processor, debiting the amount of said transaction from said account, d) completing said lottery transaction, and

     3) generating a status signal indicating the status of said lottery transaction;

means for communicating said status signal to said telephone; and

interactive validation means for verifying data associated with the lottery transaction entered by the user, said interactive validation means including means for checking said data entered by the user, means for generating a validation code corresponding to said data means for prompting said user to enter said validation code on said keyboard, and means for comparing the validation code entered by the user with said lottery transaction entered by the user;

means for preventing completion of said lottery transaction.

2. The interactive telephone lottery system of claim 1 wherein said telephone output signals comprise voice input signals and wherein said switching means includes a speech recognizer.

3. The interactive telephone lottery system of claim 1 wherein said program further includes logic means for communicating with said money access account means to determine whether said amount of said transaction exceeds a predetermined limit for said account means and to generate a signal indicating that said transaction is unauthorized if said limit is exceeded.

4. The interactive telephone lottery system of claim 3 wherein said program further includes logic means for allowing a user to query the status of said money access account means, obtain information about said transaction, and to modify said transaction.

5. The interactive telephone lottery system of claim 1 wherein means for communicating said status signal to said telephone comprises audio storage means for providing a voice signal to said telephone.

6. The interactive telephone lottery system of claim 1 further comprising master control means operatively connected in said communication network for directing call processing functions associated with said transaction.

7. The interactive telephone lottery system of claim 1 wherein said money access account means comprises means for accessing a credit card account.

8. The interactive telephone lottery system of claim 1 wherein said money access account means comprises means for accessing a bank account.

9. The interactive telephone lottery system of claim 8 wherein said bank account comprises a bank account accessed through an automatic teller machine.

10. The interactive telephone lottery system of claim 1 wherein said account processor includes a predetermined identification code for authorizing a transaction from said user'"'"'s account.