Abstract:
In an exemplary embodiment, a system for parimutuel gaming includes a tote system, a gateway, and at least one voice recognition unit. Each voice recognition unit is communicatably connected to a public telephone network, and is communicatably connected to the tote system through the gateway. Each voice recognition unit is configured to receive wagers from a bettor by bettor speech utterances, to convert the bettor speech utterances into commands, to transmit the commands to the tote system through the gateway, to receive responses from the tote system to said commands, to convert the responses to audio messages, and to transmit the audio messages to the bettor. The system also includes a first high speed network communicatably connecting the tote system and the gateway; and a second high speed network communicatably connecting the gateway and each voice recognition unit.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/129,555, filed Apr. 16, 1999. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is generally related to gaming devices and more specifically, to a gaming device which enables parimutuel betting on events such as dog races, horse races, or jai alai games. 
     Parimutuel racetrack systems, known as “totalisators” or “tote systems” commonly offer the ability for a racetrack patron to open a financial account and deposit funds in the account for the purposes of placing wagers. The cost of a wager is debited from the account balance. Winning wager proceeds are credited to the account balance. Account wagers are generally, but not specifically, placed by the patron using a telephone to communicate the wager to a terminal operator. The terminal operator accesses the account housed in the tote system to place the wager on behalf of the patron. 
     Although the above described method provides the racing patron with an elevated level of convenience, over the years, the racing industry has seen an increase in labor costs for terminal operators while experiencing a reduction in revenue because of gaming competition. Racetrack owners would like to maintain the level of convenience for patrons while reducing the racetrack operating costs. 
     It would then be desirable to provide an automated telephone based account wagering device which incorporates the services of a terminal operator without requiring the presence of a terminal operator. 
     Known automated telephone account betting devices employ the process of prompting the patron for a wager component and waiting for the patron to respond by touching one or several keys on a touch tone telephone to signal the patrons choice. This type of automated telephone account betting device is known as a “touch tone” betting system. This type of system tends to be slow and confusing because the patron must wait for the device to direct the patron as to which wager component is being collected. 
     It would be desirable to improve the interface between the patron and the automated device such that, the patron may speak to the device using natural language and have the device recognize the speech utterances and take the appropriate actions. An automated speech recognition telephone betting device would improve the patron device interface by eliminating the need for touch tone telephones and more closely emulating the terminal operator. The automated speech recognition telephone betting device would further reduce operating costs at racetracks by increasing transaction rates and thereby reducing the number of telephone lines employed to collect the same number of transactions per hour as collected by touch tone devices. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect the present invention is a wagering device which enables telephone account wagering without terminal operators. The device, in one embodiment, includes a plurality of telephone lines. Many devices may be connected to a single tote system. The automated speech recognition telephone betting device is a multi-function device which enables the patron to open the account for betting, enter a wager, review past wagers, retrieve information about the racing products being offered on the tote system, and close the account when the patron hangs up the telephone. The device is a computer system configured to manage the entire telephone conversation with the patron. For example, the device answers the telephones, greets the patrons with an audio message, prompts the patrons as to available options with another audio message, listens to patron speech utterances, converts the patrons speech utterances into commands, transmits the commands to the tote system, receives responses to the commands from the tote system, and converts the responses to audio messages for the patrons to hear. 
     Generally, and in operation, the device will present audio messages to relate command options and process the patron spoken utterances to carry out those commands. At any time during the telephone call, the patron may speak the word “operator” and be referred to a terminal operator. Also, at any time during the telephone call, the patron may speak the word “help” and receive context sensitive audio messages relating to how to proceed with the conversation. The patron selects from an audio menu to place a bet, review previous bets, or review racing information. To place a bet, the patron speaks “place a bet”. The patron then speaks each wager component as prompt by the device. Alternatively, the patron elects to speak the entire bet in a natural language utterance. The patron speech is converted to a bet command and forwarded to the tote system for validation. To review previous bets, the patron speaks “review bets” and the device provides audio messages detailing the bets made during this telephone call reciting the most recent bet first and the first bet last. To review racing information the patron says “racing information” after opening the account. The device presents an audio message asking the patron to select “Win Odds”, “Previous Results”, or “Scratched Runners”. The patron speaks the racing information option to be processed. To hear the Win Odds for a specific race, the patron speaks the track name and race number to be queried. The win odds command is sent to the tote system and it responds by returning the win odds for each selection in the race. The device will present an audio message to the patron detailing the win odds for the requested race. To hear the results of a previous race, the patron speaks the track name and race number to be queried. The results command is sent to the tote system and it responds by returning a list of results. Each result in the list of results consists of a selection, a bet type, and a price. For example, Horse  1 , Win, paid $3.60. Each result in the result list is presented to the patron as an audio message. To hear the scratched runners for a specified track, the patron speaks the track name. The scratched runner command is sent to the tote system and it responds by returning a list of scratched runners by race. For example, race  1 ,  3  is scratched, race  2 , no scratches. The list of scratched runners by race is presented to the patron as an audio message. 
     As explained above, one aspect of the present invention is to enable parimutuel account wager through the use of speech recognition. No known wagering device places wagers, reviews wagers, or reviews racing information by use of speech commands. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the wagering system. 
     FIG. 2 is a flow chart of the log in process. 
     FIG. 3 is a flow chart of the main menu process. 
     FIG. 4 is a flow chart of the wagering process. 
     FIG. 5 is a flow chart of the account information process. 
     FIG. 6 is a flow chart of the racing information process. 
     FIG. 7 is a flow chart of the preferences process. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Set forth below is a detailed description of an exemplary embodiment of a wagering system. Many variations of such system are possible. For example, the present invention is not limited to being practiced in connection with the system architecture described below and many other system architectures could be utilized. 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a wagering system  10  which includes a tote system  12 , coupled by a high speed network  14 , for example, a “100BaseT Eitherner” network to a gateway  16 . A separate high speed network  18 , for example, a “100BaseT Eithernet” network couples a plurality of voice recognition units  20  and gateway  16 . Voice recognition units  20 , are connected to a local telephone switch  22  by a high speed telecommunication circuit, for example, a “T1 connection.” Local telephone switch  22  is connected to a public switching telephone network (PSTN)  24  by a plurality of high speed telecommunication circuits, for example, “T1 connections.” Local telephone switch  22  is also connected to a plurality of terminal operators  26 , using individual telephone circuits and telephones. PSTN  24 , allows a plurality of individual telephone account bettors  28 , to connect to the local telephone switch  22 , using public telephone circuits. 
     Tote system  12 , gateway  16 , and voice recognition units  20 , for example, may be business file server computers commercially available from Compaq Computer Corporation, Houston, Tex. 77269-2000. Local telephone switch  22 , for example, may be a telephone switch commercially available from Rolm, A Siemens Company, 4900 Old Ironsides Drive, Santa Clara, Calif. 95052-8075. Voice recognition units  20  include commercially available telephonic interface devices available, for example, from Dialogic Corporation, 1515 Route 10, Parsippany, N.J. 07054-4596. Voice recognition units  20  also contain software to perform speech recognition. Such software is commercially available, for example, from Speech Works International, 695 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, Mass. 02111. 
     Tote system  12  manages wagering system  10 . Specifically, tote system  12  maintains databases, controls and accounts for the transactions with gateway  16 , manages the wagers by collating pools from all sources and computing winnings, manages the wagering accounts by accounting for all debits and credits by account, and provides detailed statistics for the disbursement of funds. 
     Tote system  12  includes multiple databases including a wager profile and control database, a liability database, an account bettor database, and a network profile and control database. With respect to the wager profile and control database, such database contains data relating to which wagers are currently in use and the status of the wager. The hierarchy of wager definitions is as follows: 
     Wager Type 
     Wager Rules Table 
     Wager Definition 
     Wager Group 
     Wager type defines a kind of wager, including such attributes as the number of selections in a bet, the number of winning positions to consider, and the method of matching winning positions to bet selections. 
     Wager rules table contain data relating to variations in the rules for a basic wager type which the operator may alter. These options include, for example, the percentages of sales which are allotted to the tiers of major and minor progressive pools and to commissions (take-outs), denomination of a basic wager and minimum payment levels. 
     In the wager definition database, data is stored to define each instance of a wager type upon which wagers can be placed. Attributes include, for example, wager type, wager rule table selections, current status such as “betting open”, “open time”, and “final close time”, and amounts in the bet pool. 
     The wager group database defines a set of races at a specific race track or set of race tracks in which a collection of wager types may be offered. Telephone bettors  28 , using PSTN  24 , local telephone switch  22 , voice recognition unit  20 , and gateway  16 , are allowed to wager on wager groups defined in this database. There may be a network of regional tote systems  12  collating pools into one master system, for example, a host tote system  12 . 
     The liability database contains several tables for the reporting of financial liabilities. These tables include commissions, cooperating industry entitlements, account payments, breakage, and minimum payments. 
     Commissions: taxes and other fixed percentage of sales which are removed before determination of the pari-mutuel pool. 
     Cooperating industry entitlements: distributions to the racing industry or other such interest groups, such as race tracks, horse/dog owners, jockey&#39;s and horseman&#39;s groups. 
     Account payments: total amounts paid to winning patron&#39;s accounts and a history of such payments. 
     Breakage: if any of the price round-off is not distributed, the amounts, including separation of the regulated round-off and any higher actual round-off. 
     Minimum payments: if any minimum payments levels have been used, the amounts, including separation of the regulated minimum and any higher actual payments. 
     The account bettor database, stores data unique to each patron that has established a wagering account with the race track operator. The database contain patron information such as name, address, and social security number. The database is organized by account numbers assigned to individual patrons. Each patron is also assigned a personal identification number (PIN) to secure the account. The account bettor database also stores the account balance, all wager transaction history, and all deposit and withdrawal transaction history. 
     The network profile and control database contains tables which define the communications network. The network is a hierarchy of nodes, which is set forth below. 
     Gateway 
     Voice recognition unit 
     Gateway  16 , contains intermediate nodes for line multiplexing and protocol conversion. Voice recognition unit  20 , connected to gateway  16  is a set of terminal nodes. Configuration of the nodes is under direct control of the system operator. Each voice recognition unit  20 , includes  24  terminal nodes to gateway  16 , and tote system  12 . 
     Gateway  16  also includes a database of personal information by account number. Personal information includes the prompt level, most frequent track, most frequent bet type, and number of times the patron has logged on. Personal information is used by the speech recognition engine to favor tracks and bet types often wagered by a patron. 
     FIG. 2 is a flow chart describing a log on process  30 . Voice recognition unit  20  welcomes  32  a patron by answering the telephone and greeting the patron. Voice recognition unit  20  obtains  34  account identification number (CIN) and obtains  36  personal identification number (PIN), by prompting the patron for a CIN and a PIN respectively. The patron speaks the CIN and the PIN associated with the account to open the account for wagering activity. Voice recognition unit  20  checks  38  the CIN and PIN by transmitting the account number and PIN to wager system  20 , via gateway  16 , for validation. If the CIN and PIN do not match  40  a valid account, the patron is again prompted for the CIN and PIN. If after a predetermined number of times that the CIN and PIN offered by the patron do not match  40  a valid account, voice recognition unit  20  transfers the telephone call to an operator  26 . If the CIN and PIN are from the same account and valid, the patron is logged onto the system and the patron&#39;s knowledge level is checked  42 . If the patron is calling for the first time, a first call message is played  44 . Based on the patron&#39;s knowledge level (stored in the personal database), a system usage tip may be played  46  or some other system message may be played  48 . The account balance is transmitted to voice recognition unit  20 , and announced  50  via audio message to the patron. The patron is then passed to a main menu process  52 . 
     FIG. 3 is a flowchart of main menu process  52 . Main menu  54  includes place a bet  56 , get today&#39;s program  58 , account information  60 , and preferences  62  sub-menus. After the patron has successfully logged into the system, voice recognition unit  20 , plays the prompts for main menu  54 . The patron speaks “Place a bet”, “Get today&#39;s program”, “Account information”, or “Preferences”. Upon recognition of one of these phrases, voice recognition unit  20 , advances the call flow to the appropriate sub-menu,  56 ,  58 ,  60 , and  62 . If the patron speaks “read again”, voice recognition unit  20  repeats the prompts for main menu  54 . A patron logs off system  10  anytime by speaking “goodbye”. Also, a patron is connected to operator  26  for help anytime by speaking “operator”. Additionally, if the patron has placed a bet during the current call, voice recognition unit  20  asks if the patron wants to place a bet for the same race and track  64  as the last bet placed in the current call. If the patron replies no, place a bet  56  prompts the patron for the track. If the patron replies yes, the patron is passed to the place a wagering process  66 . 
     FIG. 4 is a flow chart of wagering process  66 . The patron places a bet through voice recognition unit  20 . A natural language short cut allows the patron to speak all of the wager components in a single sentence. For example, “USA Downs, race two, five dollars to win on the six.” Once all of the wager components have been recognized by voice recognition unit  20 , the track and race wager components may be reused to place additional wagers on the same track and race. If voice recognition unit  20  fails to recognize a wager component, voice recognition unit  20  prompts for individual wager components using directed dialog. Failing to recognize a spoken wager component, voice recognition unit  20  prompts the patron to use the touch tone keys of the telephone to enter the wager component. The completely recognized wager is played back to the patron for verification. Upon receiving an affirmative confirmation, voice recognition unit  20  transmits the wager to tote system  12 , via gateway  16 , for validation. The valid wager is registered in tote system  12 . The patron&#39;s account balance is debited by the cost of the wager. The new account balance is then announced to the patron. 
     Particularly, place a bet  56  prompts the patron for a track name, get race number  68  prompts the patron for the number of the race, and get bet amount  70  prompts the patron for the amount of the bet. If in menu process  52 , the patron has responded positively to want to place a bet for the same race and track  64 , the patron is directed to get bet amount  70 . Get  72  bet type prompts the patron for the type of bet and if the bet requires a single winner selection, get  74  single winner selection prompts the patron for the winner selection. If the bet type requires multiple selections, get  76  multi-winner selections prompts the patron for the selections. Wagering process  66  then verifies  78  the bet by repeating the elements of the bet to the patron for verification. The patron then responds to confirm the bet  80 . If the patron confirms the bet, the bet is wrapped-up  82  by debiting the patron&#39;s account balance by the cost of the wager and announcing the new account balance to the patron. The call is then transferred to main menu  54 . If the patron does not confirm the bet, correct  84  bet prompts for the element that is not correct and transfers the patron to the corresponding prompt, correct  86  track name, get  68  race number, get  70  bet amount, get  72  bet type, get  74  single winner selection, or get  76  multi-winner selections. The patron then proceeds through wagering process  66  until the bet is confirmed and wrapped-up, and then the patron is transferred to main menu  54 . 
     FIG. 5 is a flow chart of an account information process  88 . When the patron selects get  60  account information, the patron is prompted for a selection between get  90  balance and recent bets  92 . Upon recognizing the “get balance” speech phrase, voice recognition unit  20  transmits a request to tote system  12 , via gateway  16 , to update the account balance by adding any unposted winning wagers. Tote system  12  responds, via gateway  16 , to voice recognition unit  20 , and voice recognition unit  20  utters the new account balance. 
     If recent bets  92  is chosen, the patron is prompted to review  94  bets or read  96  bet. If the patron asks for specific bets  94 , voice recognition unit  20  plays prompts to collect the specific track and race to be reviewed. The request to review wagers is transmitted from voice recognition unit  20 , via gateway  16 , to tote system  12 . Tote system  12  responds to voice recognition unit  20 , via gateway  16 , with the details of the next wager (in the account bettor database) matching the request criteria. Voice recognition unit  20  speaks the wager details and prompts for whether or not to request another wager. If read  98  bets is chosen, voice recognition unit  20  provides the patron with information for all wagers made that day. 
     FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a racing information process  102 . During the course of placing wagers, the patron may request information to assist making wagers or to ascertain the value of a winning wager. After the patron has asked for “get racing information”, a sub-menu of options is announced by voice recognition unit  20 . The sub-menu prompts for scratched runners  104 , race results  106  or win odds  108 . In each sub-menu choice, voice recognition unit  20  subsequently prompts for the track name and race number. Voice recognition unit  20  transmits the request via gateway  16  to tote system  12 . Tote system  12  transmits a response back to voice recognition unit  20  via gateway  16 , and voice recognition unit  20  announces scratched information  110 , race results information  112 , or win odds information  114 . 
     FIG. 7 is a flow chart of a p references process  116 . Having recognized the speech phrase preferences  62 , voice recognition unit  20  announces a sub-menu to the patron. The sub-menu options are change PIN  118  and change prompts  120 . Using change PIN  118 , the patron is prompted to speak the current PIN  122  and the new PIN  124 . Voice recognition unit  20  transmits to tote system  12 , via gateway  16 , a request to change the account PIN. Tote system  12  responds by transmitting to voice recognition  20 , via gateway  16 , an acknowledgment of the PIN change. If the patron does not want to change the PIN, PIN update canceled  126  transfers the patron to change prompts  120 . 
     If change prompts  120  is chosen, voice recognition unit  20  changes behavior  128  by changing the personal information database from verbose prompts to short prompts or from short prompts to verbose prompts. If the patron chooses not to change the prompts, don&#39;t change behavior  130  is chosen which does not change the prompts and transfers the patron to main menu  54 . 
     The above described gaming system  10  can be utilized in connection with many different types of gaming events such as horse races, dog races, jai alai games. In addition, system  10  can be utilized in connection with other types of events. Importantly, system  10  supports and rewards the racing industry by reducing operational costs. 
     While the invention has been described in terms of various specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims.