Off-line remote system for lotteries and games of skill

• US 7,008,318 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2005
• Issued: 03/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Schneier, Bruce, Walker, Jay S., Jorasch, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Sager, Mark
• Application Number:
  US11/057,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20050143162A1
• Time in Patent Office: 386 Days
• Field of Search: 463 9- 13, 463 16- 20, 463 25- 30, 463/36, 463 40- 42, 273236-237, 273292-293, 273/269, 273/139, 273/138.1, 273/138.2, 379/90.01, 379/93.13, 700 91- 93
• US Class Current: 463/17
• 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 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3218 wherein at least part of the system is portable
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards

Abstract

An off-line remote lottery system which enables players to purchase instant-type lottery game outcomes from a randomized prize data stream in a central computer, and view the outcomes on remotely disposed gaming computers which do not require an on-line connection during play.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a payment from a player at an agent terminal;

generating a plurality of game outcomes;

generating a receipt at the agent terminal,

the receipt indicating a game authorization message associated with the plurality of game outcomes;

receiving the game authorization message from the player via a player device;

in response to receiving the game authorization message,

enabling game play by the player via the player device; and

in response to game play by the player,

communicating information corresponding to at least one of the plurality of game outcomes via the player device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating at least one game that corresponds to the at least one of the plurality of game outcomes.

3. The method of claim 1, in which generating the plurality of game outcomes comprises:

selecting the plurality of game outcomes from a set of predetermined game outcomes.

4. The method of claim 1, in which generating the plurality of game outcomes comprises:

generating the plurality of game outcomes before generating the receipt.

5. The method of claim 1, in which generating the plurality of game outcomes comprises:

generating a plurality of random game outcomes.

6. The method of claim 1, in which generating the plurality of game outcomes comprises:

generating the plurality of game outcomes in response to receiving the payment.

7. The method of claim 1, in which generating the plurality of game outcomes comprises:

generating the plurality of game outcomes before receiving the game authorization message from the player.

8. The method of claim 1, in which the receipt further includes an indication of a number of game outcomes purchased by the player.

9. The method of claim 1, in which the receipt further includes an indication of a price of at least one of the plurality of game outcomes.

10. The method of claim 1, in which the plurality of game outcomes is associated with a net payout amount.

11. The method of claim 1, in which the game authorization message represents a net payout amount.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a net payout amount associated with the game authorization message;

storing an indication of the net payout amount in a database; and

in response to receiving the game authorization message,

accessing the database to determine the net payout amount.

13. The method of claim 12,

in which the plurality of game outcomes is associated with a net payout amount;

and

in which communicating information comprises;

generating a plurality of games, each game having a respective payout amount, in which a sum of the plurality of respective payouts is equal to the net payout amount.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing an indication of the plurality of game outcomes in a database; and

in response to receiving the game authorization message, accessing the database to determine the plurality of game outcomes.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to purchase the plurality of game outcomes from the player at the agent terminal.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, via the player device, at least one of the plurality of game outcomes.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, via the player device, an indication of a net payout amount associated with the plurality of game outcomes.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

decoding the game authorization message to reveal at least one of the plurality of game outcomes.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rendering at least one game on the player device, in which play of the game by the player reveals at least one of the plurality of game outcomes.

20. The method of claim 1, in which communicating information comprises:

revealing at least one of the plurality of game outcomes.

21. The method of claim 1, in which communicating information comprises:

determining one of the plurality of game outcomes; and

revealing via the player device whether the determined game outcome is a winning game outcome.

22. The method of claim 1, in which receiving the game authorization message comprises:

receiving the game authorization message while the player device is not in communication with the agent terminal.

23. The method of claim 1, in which generating the plurality of game outcomes comprises:

generating the plurality of game outcomes by a central computer.

24. The method of claim 23, in which at least one of the steps of generating the plurality of game outcomes and communicating information is performed while the player device is not in communication with the central computer.

25. A method comprising:

receiving a message from a user, the message comprising a code that represents a plurality of lottery game outcomes, the message being generated at a terminal of a retailer;

in response to receiving the code at a gaming computer,

enabling the gaming computer to reveal the at least one lottery game outcome,

the gaming computer being off-line with respect to the terminal; and

displaying an indication of the at least one lottery game outcome to the user via the gaming computer.

26. The method of claim 25, in which the message is printed at the terminal.

27. The method of claim 25, in which the message is included on a receipt.

28. The method of claim 25, in which the message further comprises a code that identifies the gaming computer.

29. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first terminal, a code representing a plurality of lottery game outcomes generated by a central computer,

in which the plurality of lottery game outcomes is associated with a net payout amount;

receiving a payment from a player for the plurality of lottery game outcomes;

after receiving the payment, printing for the player a receipt that includes the code,

in which the code authorizes the player to play at least one game based on the generated plurality of lottery game outcomes via a gaming computer while the gaming computer is not in communication with the first terminal;

after printing the receipt, receiving, at a second terminal, a request by the player to receive the net payout amount; and

providing the net payout amount to the player.

30. The method of claim 29, in which the second terminal is not the first terminal.