Abstract:
Email content, email lottery ticket and methods that emulate a scratch ticket effect using DHTML programming code. As DHTML execution code is permitted in HTML enabled email software without fearing the introduction of malicious virus code, the method can advantageously be applied for sending emails containing scratch tickets enabling email recipients to win prizes. The method proposed emulates efficiently the necessary interactive image manipulation in DHTML code to provide a scratch ticket effect. The resulting email message is extremely compact in size and is well suited for mass emailing of very large quantities of scratch tickets. Additionally, the ticket may have multiple layers such as virtual latex layer ( 200 ) and secret layers ( 100 ). A selected number of such secret layers may reveal symbol sets ( 102 ) that correspond to prizes that may be claimed by the email recipient.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED CASES  
       [0001]    This invention is related in subject matter to commonly assigned and co-pending PCT application PCT/US01/______, which claims priority of U.S. provisional application serial No. 60/219,511 filed on Jul. 20, 2000. The present application claims priority of commonly assigned U.S. provisional application serial No. 60/224,072 filed on Aug. 9, 2000. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The invention pertains to the field of electronic gaming. More particularly, the present invention relates to electronic lottery tickets that may be delivered to recipients by email.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0005]    Traditional lottery organizations earn significant revenues from the selling of email tickets, in which a specially formulated latex layer hides a set of secret symbols printed on a small piece of cardboard. The player then scratches the latex layer to reveal the hidden symbols. Predetermined sets of symbols correspond to winning prizes. Extreme security is applied in the formulation of paper, ink and latex, in the preparation process, in the distribution process and in the prize claiming process to avoid fraud.  
           [0006]    The recent popularization of the Internet has given rise to a widespread proliferation of electronic games played on PCs (personal computers) via a standard World Wide Web (hereafter “Web”) browser and Internet connection. There are now numerous sites on the Web offering casino and lottery games. Not surprisingly, Internet gaming has met with significant success. Free gaming on the Web has proved to be especially popular, such that offered at www.FreeLotto.com. At FreeLotto.com, players need not pay or wager to enter a drawing or play, but are instead exposed to advertising in return for entering the drawing, playing the game or winning prizes. Web browser based email tickets may be played on Web sites such as www.prizes.com and www.realtimemedia.com. Depending on the game provider&#39;s business model, the pool of money from which prizes are paid is supplied either by direct payments from players and/or from advertisers, promoters or sponsors.  
           [0007]    With attractive static or polished animated graphics, email ticket games can help build a strong connection between a target audience and promotion objectives. Scratch-off tickets, both on the Web and on paper, actively involve the players and offer instant gratification. Excitement builds as players expose hidden images and reveal winnings. On the Web, hyperlinks may be used to automatically draw a potential player to a promotional Web page. This process multiplies the effect of a promotion and can help achieve the stated objectives thereof better and faster than any other type of promotion.  
           [0008]    Web browser-based gaming requires players to take the initiative to establish a connection with the web site that offers the game. Very quickly, however, the novelty of such gaming Web sites wears thin. Typically, as the initial excitement passes, the number of repeat visits to such sites decreases significantly.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    The present invention, according to an embodiment thereof, is an electronic email lottery ticket, comprising a first layer; a plurality of second layers stacked on top of the first layer, each of the plurality of second layers being initially transparent to show the first layer therethrough, a region of each of the plurality of second layers being configured to become opaque to reveal an image collectively formed by the opaque region of each of the plurality of second layers.  
           [0010]    The region of each of the plurality of second layers may be configured to become opaque following a predetermined action by a recipient of the email ticket, such as moving and/or activating a pointer over the region. The first layer may be opaque. The first layer may include a bitmap. The bitmap may be configured to resemble a latex layer of a cardboard scratch lottery ticket, for example. The bitmap may be configured to include a promotional message. The second layer may include a bitmap. The bitmap may include an image of a combination of symbols. One or more of the plurality of second layers may include authentication information. A DHTML CLIP attribute (for example) may be used to selectively render each of the plurality of second layers transparent and to selectively render the region of each of the plurality of second layers opaque. The region of each of the plurality of second layers may be rectangular in shape. The region of each of the plurality of second layers may occupy an area that does not overlap with other regions of other ones of the plurality of second layers when the plurality of second layers are stacked on top of the first layer.  
           [0011]    According to another embodiment thereof, the present invention is an electronic email lottery ticket, comprising a first layer, the first layer including an image; and a plurality of second layers stacked on top of the first layer, each of the plurality of second layers including an initially opaque region that masks a corresponding underlying portion of the image, each of the plurality of second layers being configured to become transparent to reveal the corresponding underlying portion of the image.  
           [0012]    The opaque region of each of the plurality of second layers may be configured to become transparent following a predetermined action by a recipient of the email ticket. The predetermined action may include moving and/or activating a pointer over the region. The first layer may be opaque. The image may include a bitmap. The bitmap may show a combination of symbols. At least the first layer may include authentication information. A DHTML CLIP attribute (for example) may be used to selectively render the region of each of the second layers opaque and to selectively render each of the plurality of second layers transparent. The opaque region of each of the plurality of second layers may be rectangular in shape. The opaque region of each of the plurality of second layers may occupy an area that does not overlap with other opaque regions of other ones of the plurality of second layers when the plurality of second layers are stacked on top of the first layer.  
           [0013]    The present invention is also a method of making content for an electronic email lottery ticket, comprising the steps of providing a first layer; and providing a plurality of second layers and staking the plurality of second layers on top of the first layer, each of the plurality of second layers being initially transparent to show the first layer therethrough, a region of each of the plurality of second layers being configured to become opaque to reveal an image collectively formed by the opaque region of each of the plurality of second layers.  
           [0014]    The region of each of the plurality of second layers may be configured to become opaque following a predetermined action by a recipient of the email ticket. The predetermined action may include moving and/or activating a pointer over the region, for example. The first layer may be opaque and may include a bitmap. The bitmap may be configured to resemble a latex layer of a cardboard scratch lottery ticket, for example, or may be configured to include a promotional message. The second layer may include a bitmap of an image of a combination of symbols. One or more of the plurality of second layers may include authentication information. A DHTML CLIP attribute may be used to selectively render each of the plurality of second layers transparent and to selectively render the region of each of the plurality of second layers opaque. The region of each of the plurality of second layers may be rectangular in shape. The region of each of the plurality of second layers may occupy an area that does not overlap with other regions of other ones of the plurality of second layers when the plurality of second layers are stacked on top of the first layer.  
           [0015]    The present invention is also a method of making content for an electronic email lottery ticket, comprising the steps of providing a first layer, the first layer including an image; providing a plurality of second layers and stacking the plurality of second layers on top of the first layer, each of the plurality of second layers including an opaque region that initially masks a corresponding underlying portion of the image, each of the plurality of second layers being configured to become transparent to reveal the corresponding underlying portion of the image.  
           [0016]    The opaque region of each of the plurality of second layers may be configured to become transparent following a predetermined action by a recipient of the email ticket, such as moving and/or activating a pointer over the region, for example. The first layer may be opaque and may include a bitmap. The bitmap may show a combination of symbols. At least the first layer may include authentication information. A DHTML CLIP attribute may be used to selectively render the region of each of the second layers opaque and to selectively render each of the plurality of second layers transparent. The opaque region of each of the plurality of second layers may be rectangular in shape. The opaque region of each of the plurality of second layers may occupy an area that does not overlap with other opaque regions of other ones of the plurality of second layers when the plurality of second layers are stacked on top of the first layer.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is a representation of a secret layer of an email ticket, according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is a representation of a virtual latex layer of an email ticket, according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is an illustration of secret layer stacking on top of a virtual latex layer, according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 shows the clipping region defined by a rectangle, according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5 shows a grid and coordinate system for 9 clipping regions, according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 6 illustrates methods for dynamic clipping of secret layers or virtual latex layers for an illustrative 300×300 pixel bitmap, according to embodiments of the present invention.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 7 shows a secret layer in which the center clipping region has been revealed, according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a first method for the creation and initialization of content for an email ticket that includes 9 instances of a secret layer, according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a first method for the revealing the underlying and initially hidden symbols of an email ticket according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 10 is an illustration of the stacking of a plurality of virtual latex layers on top of a secret layer, according to another embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 11 illustrates a second method for dynamic clipping of virtual latex layers for an illustrative 300×300 pixel bitmap, according to another embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a second method for the creation and initialization of content for an email ticket that includes 9 instances of a virtual latex layer, according to another embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a second method for the revealing the underlying and initially hidden symbols of an email ticket according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 14 shows a secret layer in which the center region has been revealed, according to another embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 15 shows a grid and coordinate systems for  25 ,  81  and  144  clipping regions, according to further embodiments of the present invention.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 16 shows a grid and coordinate system that produces rectangular clipping regions, according to still further embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0033]    The present invention offers another dimension in the Internet gaming whereby players can receive an electronic counterpart of traditional scratch paper tickets via email and win prizes without having to make the effort of connecting to a Web site to play. According to the present invention, an email ticket includes one or more virtual latex layers and one or more secret layers. The virtual latex layer is that which is seen by the player on his or her screen before a set of secret symbols is gradually revealed. The secret layers may advantageously be smaller than the virtual latex layer(s) and may be selectively revealed at some place under the virtual latex layer(s). According to the present invention, the virtual latex layer(s) and the secret layer(s) are combined in an email ticket such that the virtual latex layer(s) is shown first, and then the secret symbols on the secret layer(s) are revealed after some interaction with the email recipient (the player).  
         [0034]    Two illustrative embodiments of the present invention are described herein and in the accompanying figures. FIG. 1 is a representation of a secret layer  100  of an email ticket, according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the secret layer  100  includes a plurality of symbols  102  that collectively constitute a symbol set. The secret layer  100  and the symbols  102  may be rendered as a bitmapped matrix of pixels, for example. Various symbols  102  are possible as are various combinations thereof. Indeed, it is understood that the symbols shown herein are illustrative only and are not intended to limit the present invention. A selected number of such secret layers may reveal symbol sets that correspond to a prize that may be claimed by the email recipient. The symbols  102  may be rendered against a random unobtrusive background  106 . Such a random unobtrusive background may be composed of small dots, small stars, small symbols, fine waving lines as found on banknotes or any other non obtrusive patterns. Authentication information  104  may be included in the secret layer  100 , to enable the authentication of the validity of a potentially winning email ticket presented for payment by a prize claimant. Such authentication information  104  may include, for example, a Transaction Serial Number (TSN), which is a serial number denoting the order in which the email ticket was created and/or sent to its intended recipient. Such information may be suitably scrambled and/or encrypted to prevent fraud. Aspects of the email ticket creation, distribution and validation procedures detailed in the above-referenced PCT/US01/______ application may be advantageously used herein.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 2 is a representation of a virtual latex layer  200  of an email ticket, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The virtual latex layer  200  is preferably opaque and may resemble the latex layer on a conventional cardboard scratch ticket or may incorporate or reference code that is configured to deliver rich content such as images, video, sound effects and/or music. The design of the virtual latex layer  200  may include, for example, a promotional message, as disclosed in the aforementioned application PCT/US01/______. The following, however, assumes that the virtual latex layer  200  is an opaque layer of a single color, as indicated by reference numeral  202 . The opaque virtual latex layer(s)  200  is shaped and dimensioned to mask the secret layer(s)  100  when the secret layer(s)  100  and the virtual latex layer(s)  200  are stacked on top of one another. For example, the virtual latex layer(s)  200  may be the same size and shape as the secret layer(s)  100  or the same or different shape and larger than the secret layer(s)  100 .  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 3 is an illustration of the structure of the content of an email ticket according to the present invention, showing an illustrative embodiment thereof in which a plurality of secret layers  100  are stacked on top of the virtual latex layer  200 , according to a first embodiment of the present invention. According to the present invention, content suitable for inclusion in an email ticket includes a virtual latex layer  200 , and a plurality of stacked secret layers  100 . Each of the secret layers  100  may be identical, and may be initially rendered transparent such that, when stacked, only the virtual latex layer  200  is visible, as shown in the bottom portion of FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3, each of the secret layers may include the same secret symbol set and optionally the unobtrusive random pattern  106 , although the secret symbol set and the pattern  106  are not visible in FIG. 3, as each of the secret layers  100  have been rendered transparent (although the secret layers  100  in FIG. 3 are shown with white fill for ease of illustration only). According to one embodiment of the present invention, the secret layers  100  may be rendered transparent using the DHTML CLIP attribute to set a clipping region (usually rectangular) of size zero. DHTML is described, for example, in  Dynamic HTML, The Definitive Reference , Danny Goodman, O&#39;Reilly &amp; Associates, Inc. ©(1998, which is incorporated herein in its entirety. As noted in this reference, a clipping region is a geometric area though which positioned content is visible. As the CLIP attribute causes any area that is beyond the clipping region to become transparent, specifying a clipping region of zero size for each of the secret layers  100  causes the entire area of each secret layer  100  to become transparent, as shown in FIG. 3. According to one implementation thereof, the CLIP attribute includes a shape and four numeric values delimiting the top, right, bottom and left of the clipping region and has the following format: clip:rect(toppx rightpx bottompx leftpx), where “px” denotes pixel. A clipping region is shown in FIG. 4. The area  402  inside the clipping region bounded by the toppx, rightpx, bottompx and leftpx delimiters is visible and the entire area  404  of the layer outside the clipping region is transparent. Returning now to FIG. 3, by specifying the top, right, bottom and left pixel delimiters of the CLIP attribute as being zero, no area of the secret layer  100  is visible and the entire secret layer  100  is rendered transparent. By stacking a plurality of such secret layers  100  and specifying a clipping region of zero, the entire stack of the plurality of secret layers  100  is made transparent, thereby rendering visible only the underlying virtual latex layer  200 , for which no CLIP attribute is set (or for which the clipping region specifies the entire surface area thereof). An email ticket, according to the present invention, may include such a stacked virtual latex layer  200  and secret layers  100  construct, configured such that the plurality of secret layers  100  are initially transparent and only the underlying virtual latex layer  200  is visible therethrough.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 5 shows a grid and coordinate system  500  for 9 clipping regions, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The grid and coordinate system  500  divides each of the plurality of secret layers  100  into nine distinct clipping regions. As shown, each clipping region is a square 100 pixels on a side, although other dimensions may be chosen. Therefore, for a secret layer  100  that is dimensioned as a square 300 pixels on a side,  9  such square clipping regions of 100 pixels on a side may be defined. As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, other grid and coordinate systems may be defined. For example, as shown in FIG. 15, reference numeral  1502  shows a 5×5 grid defining  25  clipping regions. Each clipping region, according to the present invention, is associated with one of the plurality of secret layers  100  or with one of the plurality of virtual latex layers  200 . In the same manner that each of the 9 clipping regions the 3×3 grid  500  of FIG. 5 is associated with one of the 9 stacked duplicate secret layers  100  of FIG. 3, each of the 25 clipping regions of the grid  1502  may be associated with one of  25  duplicate secret layers  100 , each stacked on top of a single virtual latex layer  200 . Alternatively, each of the 25 clipping regions of the grid  1502  may be associated with one of the 25 duplicate virtual latex layers, each stacked on top of a single secret layer  100 . Similarly, each of the 81 clipping regions the 9×9 grid  1504  may be associated with one of 81 duplicate secret layers  100 , each stacked on top of a single virtual latex layer  200  in the manner shown in FIG. 3 or may be associated with one of 81 duplicate virtual latex layers  200 , each stacked on top of a single secret layer  100 . Likewise, each of the 144 clipping regions the 12×12 grid  1506  may be associated with one of 144 duplicate secret layers  100 , each stacked on top of a single virtual latex layer  200 . Alternatively, each of the 144 clipping regions may be associated with one of  144  duplicate virtual latex layers  200 , each stacked on top of a single secret layer  100 . The clipping regions need not be square, as shown at FIG. 16. Indeed, each of the 150 clipping regions the 10×15 grid  1602  may be associated with one of  150  duplicate secret layers  100 , each stacked on top of a single virtual latex layer  200 , as shown in FIG. 16, or may be associated with one of  150  virtual latex layers  200 , each stacked on top of a single secret layer  100 . According to the present invention, the clipping regions need not be rectangular, but may have any predetermined shape. However, current implementations of the DHTML CLIP attribute allow only rectangular clipping regions. The present invention, however, is not so limited.  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 6 illustrates aspects of a first method for dynamic clipping of layers for an illustrative 300×300 pixel bitmap, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The illustrative secret layer  100  of FIG. 1 is reproduced in FIG. 6 for reference purposes. FIG. 6 shows the manner in which a selected region of each of the 9 stacked and initially transparent secret layers  100  of FIG. 3 may be rendered opaque (i.e., visible), according to an embodiment of the present invention. The secret layer  1  may be the top-most secret layer and the secret layer  9  may the bottom-most secret layer, directly overlying the virtual latex layer  200  (see FIG. 3). As shown, following a predetermined action by the email ticket recipient, the clipping region  1  may be rendered visible. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the clipping regions may be selectively rendered visible to the email ticket recipient using the DHTM CLIP attribute. For example, to render the portion of the bitmapped secret layer defined as clipping region  1  visible, a DHTML CLIP attribute may be set, formatted as follows: clip:rect(0 100 100 0). According to an embodiment of the present invention, the predetermined action by the email recipient that selectively renders the clipping regions visible may include, for example, moving a cursor on the screen of the personal computer, computing or mobile device having received the email ticket over an area of the stacked secret layers  100  corresponding to a clipping region. Indeed, the present email ticket is configured such that when the cursor is dragged over an area of the stacked secret layers  100  corresponding to clipping region  1 , the four numeric clipping region delimiters of the DHTML CLIP instruction are reset from (0 0 0 0) to (0 100 100 0), which renders the clipping region  1  visible, while maintaining the remaining portion of the secret layer  1  (and of the other secret layers  2 - 9  in the case wherein  9  secret layers are stacked on top of a virtual latex layer  200 ) transparent. Likewise, should the email recipient move his or her cursor over an area of the stacked secret layers  100  corresponding to the clipping region  5 , the clipping region  5  (identified in FIG. 7 by reference  702 ) will appear as shown in FIG. 7, as the four numeric clipping region attributes specify that a rectangle bounded by the top pixel  100 , the right pixel  200 , the bottom pixel  200  and the left pixel  100  is to be rendered visible, while maintaining all other regions of secret layer  5  transparent. By moving the cursor or other pointer by means of a pointing device, the email recipient may gradually render all of the clipping regions  1 - 9  visible and reveal the entire symbol set of secret symbols  102  on the underlying bitmapped secret layers  100 . Therefore, as the email recipient moves his or her cursor over the surface of the stacked and duplicated secret layers  100 , the symbols  102  are gradually revealed and the virtual latex layer  200  is correspondingly and gradually masked by the clipping regions, until the complete secret layer  100  is re-constituted and the entire virtual latex layer  200  is completely masked by a mosaic of  9  clipping regions that together reveal the entire set of symbols  102  shown in the representative secret layer  100 . If the revealed symbol set is a winning combination of symbols  102 , the email recipient may claim a prize that corresponds to the revealed combination of symbols  102 . Any means of selectively rendering the clipping regions visible may be implemented within the context of the present invention. Indeed, the present inventions are not to be limited to the embodiment detailed above using the DHTML CLIP attribute.  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a first method for the creation and initialization of content for an email ticket that includes 9 instances of a secret layer, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The method starts at S 81 , wherein a virtual latex layer  200  is provided, as shown at S 81 . The virtual latex layer  200 , for example, may be or include a bitmap that, when rendered on a screen, displays a surface resembling a latex layer of a cardboard scratch ticket or displays some promotional message, advertising, etc. The virtual latex layer  200 , as shown at S 83 , is made to be the bottom layer. Step S 84  calls for the provision of a secret layer  100 . The secret layer  100 , for example, may be or include a bitmap that, when rendered on a screen, displays a set of secret symbols, such as those shown at  102  in FIG. 1. The secret layer provided in step S 84  may then be assigned a secret layer number. In the illustrated case of a 3×3 grid and  9  stacked duplicate secret layers, the secret layer provided in step S 84  is assigned as the secret layer number  9 . A new instance of the secret layer is then provided, as shown at S 86 . For example, the secret layer provided in step S 84  may be duplicated. The new instance of the secret layer is then initialized and made transparent. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the secret layers are made initially transparent by using the DHTML CLIP attribute and setting the numeric clipping region delimiters to (0 0 0 0), as shown at S 87 , although other means may be employed. The number of the secret layer is then tested to determine if it is equal to 9 (for a 3×3 grid of clipping regions and  9  stacked duplicated secret layers). If not, the secret layer number is decremented, as shown at S 89  and steps S 86 , S 87  and S 88  are repeated until the test at S 88  is true; that is, until the last instance of the secret layer has been provided and rendered transparent. The method ends at S 810 .  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a first method for the revealing the underlying and initially hidden symbols of an email ticket according to an embodiment of the present invention. The method starts at S 91 . At Step S 92 , it is determined whether the pointer (such as a cursor controlled by a pointing device such as a mouse or a trackball, for example) is currently located over (and/or is activated, such as a click of a mouse button, for example) one of the clipping regions of one of the stacked and duplicated secret layers, such as shown in FIG. 3. If the cursor or other pointer is not currently positioned and/or activated over one of the clipping regions of the stack of secret layers  100 , another step S 93  may be carried out and the method may then revert back to step S 92 . Step S 93  may include doing nothing, making a sound, playing music and/or sound effects or any other activity. At S 94 , if the cursor is indeed currently over (and/or activated) over the clipping region of one of the stacked secret layers  100  (such as shown in FIG. 6), that clipping region may be changed from transparent to opaque (i.e., rendered visible to the email recipient or player). This may be done, for example, by appropriately setting the numerical clipping region delimiters of the DHTML CLIP instructions, as detailed above. A sound effect such as a scratching noise, for example) may accompany or follow step S 94 . If all clipping regions have been rendered visible or the email recipient or player has finished scratching (selectively revealing the initially hidden clipping regions to render the clipping regions of the secret layer  100  visible), the method ends at S 97 . Otherwise, the method may revert back to step S 94  until the email recipient or player has finished scratching or until all clipping regions have been revealed. If the revealed symbols  102  correspond to a winning combination, the email recipient or player may claim the prize associated with the combination.  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 10 is an illustration of the stacking of a plurality of duplicate virtual latex layers  200  on top of a single secret layer  100 , according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown therein, instead of stacking a plurality of initially transparent secret layers  100  on top of a single virtual latex layer  200 , the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 10 contemplates stacking a plurality of numbered duplicate virtual latex layers  200  on top of a single secret layer  100 . Separate clipping regions of each of the plurality of stacked and numbered virtual latex layers  200  may be rendered initially opaque using the DHTML CLIP attribute, wherein the numeric clipping region delimiters are all set to render visible only a selected clipping region corresponding to the number of the virtual latex layer. FIG. 11 illustrates a second method for dynamic clipping of virtual latex layers  200  for an illustrative 300×300 pixel bitmap, according to another embodiment of the present invention. The virtual latex layer  200  is also shown in FIG. 11, overlaid with a grid and coordinate system for ease of reference. The numbers within the virtual latex layer correspond to the numbers of the clipping regions. As shown therein, a selected region of each of the numbered and stacked virtual latex layers  200  is initially opaque, the selected regions together forming a stacked mosaic of such regions that, when viewed together, reconstitute the virtual latex layer  200 . The DHTML CLIP attribute may again be used here, to render the 9 clipping regions of the virtual latex layers  200  of the stacked plurality of such layers opaque (i.e., visible). For example, as again shown in FIG. 14, a clip attribute may be reset from clip:rect(100, 200 200 100)—which renders clipping region  5  of the virtual latex layer  5  visible to clip:rect(0 0 0 0), thereby rendering the entire virtual latex layer  5  transparent to reveal the underlying corresponding portion of the secret layer  100 . According to this embodiment of the present invention, when a pointer is moved (and/or activated) over a clipping region, that clipping region is rendered transparent, to enable the corresponding portion of the underlying secret layer  100  to become visible. This may be done, according to the present invention, by resetting the numerical clipping region delimiters to zero. That is, the respective initially opaque clipping regions  1 - 9  of the example of FIGS. 10 and 11 may be rendered transparent by selectively changing the numerical clipping region delimiters to zero. When all clipping regions (and/or the entire area) of the virtual latex layers have been rendered transparent, the entire underlying secret layer  100  is revealed, to reveal the combination of secret symbols  102 .  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a second method for the creation and initialization of content for an email ticket that includes 9 instances of a virtual latex layer  200 , according to another embodiment of the present invention. The method begins at S 121 . At S 122 , a secret layer  100  is provided, as shown at FIG. 10. The secret layer  100  is made the bottom layer, as shown at S 123 . Step S 124  calls for the provision of a virtual latex layer  200 , which is then assigned the number  9  in this illustrative embodiment of a 3×3 grid and an email ticket containing 9 stacked virtual latex layers  200 , as shown at S 125 . For a 10×10 grid, the first provided latex layer  200  would be assigned the number  100 , and so on. A new instance (a duplicate) of the provided virtual latex layer  200  is then provided at step S 126 . A region of the provided virtual latex layer  200  corresponding to the number of the virtual latex layer  200  is then rendered opaque (visible) using, for example, the clip attribute. For example and as shown at FIG. 11, region  9  of the virtual layer number  9  is rendered visible by setting the numerical clipping region delimiters so as to render only clipping region  9  visible; i.e., by setting the clip attribute as follows: clip:rect(200 300 300 200). The number of the virtual latex layer  200  is then tested in step S 128  to determine if the last virtual latex layer (virtual latex layer number  1 ) has been provided and processed, as set forth in steps S 126  and S 127 . If not, the number of the virtual latex layer  200  is decremented in step S 129  and the method reverts to step S 126  until the number of the virtual latex layer is equal to 1, whereupon the method ends at S 130 .  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a second method for the revealing the underlying and initially hidden symbols of an email ticket according to an embodiment of the present invention. The method begins at S 131 , whereupon it is determined whether the cursor is currently over (and/or activated) over the opaque clipping region of one of the plurality of stacked virtual latex layers  200 . If the pointer is not over one of the clipping region of one of the virtual latex layers  200 , step S 133  may be carried out, similarly to step S 93  in FIG. 9. If the cursor is currently positioned (and/or activated) over one of the clipping regions shown in FIG. 11, step S 134  is carried out, whereupon the underlying clipping region is rendered transparent to reveal the corresponding portion of the underlying secret layer  100 . This may be carried out by resetting the numerical clipping region delimiters to (0 0 0 0) and rendering the corresponding virtual latex layer transparent. Concurrently with or after step S 134 , a sound effect (such as a scratching noise, for example) may be generated, to further heighten the player&#39;s gaming experience. If the email recipient or player has finished revealing the underlying secret layer  100  as shown at S 136  or if the entire secret layer  100  is revealed, the method ends at S 137 . Otherwise, the method may revert to step S 134  to repeat steps S 134 , S 135  and S 136  until step S 137  is ultimately reached. Should the revealed combination of symbols  102  match a predetermined winning combination of such symbols  102 , the email recipient or player may claim a prize.  
         [0044]    To prevent virus intrusion via email, embedded or attached execution code such as Java or ActiveX is preferably not utilized. HTML enabled email software such as Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express (for example) permits the execution of embedded DHTML code. The DHTML execution code configured to carry out the present invention and to generate the present content for email tickets is embedded in the HTML information of the email message and thus does not appear as an email attachment. As the email recipient is not sent an attachment, he or she is not reticent of opening the received email message, for fear of an email-type virus being embedded in an attachment.  
         [0045]    Alternatively to the Clip attribute, the opacity( ) instruction of the DHTML language may be applied to regions similar to the clipping regions described herein, whereby the opacity of a given virtual latex layer or secret layer bitmap image may be set from a value of 100% (visible) to 0% (transparent), but may be less efficient and less flexible than the clip attribute.  
         [0046]    A clipping region, according to the present invention, is a rectangular view of the full SPAN content. Only content that is within the clipping rectangle can be seen on the page.  
         [0047]    Example: &lt;SPAN STYLE==“clip:rec(0px 50px 50px 0px)”&gt;&lt;IMG SRC=“Mylmage.tif”&gt;&lt;/SPAN&gt; 
         [0048]    Content of the full layer outside the clipping region is transparent.  
         [0049]    Other grid dimensions and thus other clipping region dimensions may readily be defined within the context of the present invention, as described relative to FIGS. 15 and 16. Appendix A includes printouts of two sample email tickets and relevant portions of the corresponding source code.  
         [0050]    While the foregoing detailed description has described preferred embodiments of the present invention, it is to be understood that the above description is illustrative only and not limiting of the disclosed invention. Modifications may occur to those of skill in this art. Thus, the present invention to be limited only by the claims as set forth below.