Abstract:
In a method of a method of linking a unique identifier to an instant game ticket, a user is instructed to enter or provide a unique identifier. The unique identifier is received from the user via input into the identifier entry mechanism. The unique identifier is stored in a computer-readable memory. A representation of the unique identifier and at least one game result is printed on an instant win game ticket. The user is instructed not to accept the instant win game ticket unless the representation of the unique identifier printed thereon corresponds to the unique identifier that the user provided. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 C. F. R. 1.72(b).

Description:
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 09/358,144, filed Jul. 20, 1999 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,899, which is incorporated herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to electronic games and, more specifically, to a system for administering electronic instant win on-line games. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Instant win games, such as those sponsored by state lotteries, often come in the form of “scratch-and-play” games, in which an instant win game ticket is sold to a user and the user removes a removable cover from a play area to indicate whether or not the ticket is a “winner.” 
     One type of instant win game ticket is an on-line instant win game, in which the user fills out a playslip so as to indicate a selection of numbers. The playslip is read via a scanner at the point of sale and a game ticket, including information as to whether or not the user won a prize, is printed and delivered to the user. The game ticket printing usually occurs shortly after the playslip is scanned and is usually part of the same transaction. 
     Because the game ticket includes information as to whether the game ticket is a “winner,” dishonest clerks sometimes attempt to “palm” a winning game ticket and give the user a substitute game ticket that is not a winner. Although instant win games may use security systems, (e.g., security cameras aimed at the clerks) such systems are not completely reliable and the user (who has the incentive to ensure that he receives the proper ticket) is not provided with a mechanism to verify the correspondence of the game ticket to the playslip. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention which, in one aspect, is a method of linking a unique identifier to an instant game ticket. A user is instructed to enter or provide a unique identifier on an identifier entry mechanism. An image of the unique identifier is received or inputted via the identifier entry mechanism. The unique identifier is stored in a computer-readable memory. A representation of the unique identifier and at least one game result is printed on an instant win game ticket. The user is instructed not to accept the instant win game ticket unless the representation of the unique identifier printed thereon corresponds to the unique identifier that the user entered on the identifier entry mechanism. 
     Another aspect of the invention is a method of linking a playslip to an instant win game ticket. A user is instructed to enter a playslip identifier on a first predetermined area of a playslip. The user may be instructed to mark a plurality of marks on the first predetermined area of the playslip to indicate selection of a sub-set of characters from a set of characters preprinted on the playslip (the sub-set of characters forming the playslip identifier). The playslip is read with a playslip reader. The system determines if the user included a playslip identifier on the first predetermined area of the playslip. If the user included the playslip identifier on the first predetermined area, then the playslip identifier is stored in a computer-readable memory, a representation of the playslip identifier and at least one game result is printed on an instant win game ticket, and the user is instructed not to accept the instant win game ticket unless the representation of the playslip identifier printed thereon corresponds to the playslip identifier that the user entered on the playslip. If the user did not include the playslip identifier on the first predetermined area, then the playslip is rejected from the playslip reader. The user may also be instructed that the instant win game ticket may be redeemed for a prize if at least one of the game results, which are printed as game result characters, matches at least one of the sub-set of characters, selected by the user, that form the playslip identifier. 
     Another aspect of the invention is an apparatus for generating instant game tickets. The apparatus includes a scanner that is capable of reading information from a playslip, a printer that is capable of printing an instant game ticket, and a computer. The computer is programmed to instruct the scanner to read the playslip and read a playslip identifier on the playslip. If a playslip identifier is detected on the playslip, then the computer instructs the printer to print an instant win game ticket that includes at least one game result and the playslip identifier. If a playslip identifier is not detected on the playslip, then the computer rejects the playslip. 
     In an alternative embodiment, the apparatus for generating instant game tickets includes a unique identifier entry mechanism, a printer that is capable of printing an instant game ticket, and a computer. The computer is programmed to detect the unique identifier entered on the unique identifier entry mechanism. If a unique identifier is detected, then the computer instructs the printer to print an instant win game ticket that includes at least one game result and the unique identifier. If a unique identifier is not detected or is in an improper format, then the computer will not print the instant win game ticket. 
     These and other aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings. As would be obvious to one skilled in the art, many variations and modifications of the invention may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the disclosure. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the entities and hardware in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a flowchart demonstrating one method of the invention. 
     FIG. 3A is a schematic view of an unused playslip in accordance with a first aspect of the invention. 
     FIG. 3B is a schematic view of the backside of the playslip shown in FIG.  2 A. 
     FIG. 3C is a schematic view of the playslip shown in FIG. 2A, after having been filled in by a user. 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic view of an instant win game ticket corresponding to the playslip shown in FIG.  2 C. 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic view of an unused playslip in accordance with a second aspect of the invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a schematic view of an unused playslip in accordance with a third aspect of the invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a schematic view of an unused playslip in accordance with a fourth aspect of the invention. 
     FIG. 8 is a schematic view of an instant win game ticket having a user-selected or provided unique identifier, corresponding to the playslip shown in FIG. 7, that forms a part of the ticket play method. 
     FIG. 9 is a flowchart demonstrating a second method of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A preferred embodiment of the invention is now described in detail. Referring to the drawings, like numbers indicate like parts throughout the views. As used in the description herein and throughout the claims, the following terms take the meanings explicitly associated herein, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise: the meaning of “a,” “an,” and “the” includes plural referents, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on.” 
     The figures referred to herein include examples of embodiments of the invention that contain depictions that may resemble trademarks or trade names. It is the intention of the inventor that such depictions represent only the idea of such an identifier being used in association with the embodiment, and that such depictions do not resemble any actual trademarks or trade names. Any resemblance of any of the depictions in the figures to any actual trademark or trade name is completely unintentional and merely coincidental. Therefore, none of the depictions in the figures should be interpreted as showing any affiliation with any actual source of goods or services. 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the entities involved in executing the method of the invention include a controlling authority  20 , such as a lottery administration company, and a local game administering entity  30 , such as a lottery ticket retailer. The controlling authority  20  would have control over a central game server  22 , which would communicate with an identifier entry mechanism  34  a game ticket printer  32 , both of which would be located at the site of the local game administering entity  30 . The identifier entry mechanism  34  could comprise a digital capture pad (such as a digital signature capture pad, of the type used in association with many cash registers), a playslip scanner, in the case of embodiments of the invention that require the user to fill out a playslip, a symbol pad, such as a keypad, a keyboard and the like, or a microphone. The symbol pad and the microphone may be used in the case of embodiments of the invention that require the user or a third party, such as a mechanical operator, to enter the unique identifier into the identifier entry mechanism  34 . The server  22  would typically be a computer system, including a computer-readable memory. Both the game ticket printer  32  and the identifier entry mechanism  34  could be embedded into a game administration device  36  (or they could be stand alone devices) that includes a microprocessor, and some of the computational functions of the central game server  22  could be distributed to the local game administering device  36 . The server  22  could communicate with the game administering device  36  via one of many types of electronic communications channels  12  (for example, a dedicated line, a global computer network, or a telephone line). As one will appreciate, if a microphone is used as the identifier entry mechanism  34 , then the server  22  may include voice recognition software so that the server  22  can recognize and translate speech. 
     As shown in FIG. 2, the method  100  employed in one embodiment of the invention involves first issuing a playslip  110  to a user, this would typically be done by the local game administering entity  30 . Typically, the playslips are preprinted. The user is instructed to enter a playslip identifier on a preassigned area of the playslip. Such an identifier could, for example, take the form of the user&#39;s initials or a selection of a group of user-selected characters from a set of characters provided on the playslip. Typically, the instruction to the user comes in the form of instructions printed on the playslip, but could also come from informational brochures and by word of mouth from personnel at the local game administering entity  30 . 
     Once the user has filled out the playslip, the playslip is read  112  into the playslip scanner  34  and the server performs a test  114  to determine if the user entered a playslip identifier. If the answer to test  114  is “no,” then the playslip is rejected  122  from the system and the user is instructed that the playslip will not be accepted unless it is properly filled out. 
     If the answer to test  114  is “yes,” then the playslip identifier is stored  116  in a computer readable memory. Such storage could take the form of storing a scanned image of initials entered, storing a record of positions on the playslip that have been marked by the user or transforming initials into corresponding text characters and storing the text characters. 
     Once a playslip has been properly read, the game ticket printer  32  is instructed  118  to print on a game ticket a representation of the playslip identifier and at least one game result. The printed playslip identifier could take the form of a printed image of the originally entered playslip identifier or a plurality of characters corresponding to the original playslip identifier, depending on the type of game ticket printer employed. 
     The printed game ticket is then issued to the user and the user is instructed  120  not to accept the game ticket unless the playslip identifier entered by the user is properly printed on the ticket. This instruction  120  could be printed on the playslip or the game ticket, or both. 
     As shown in FIGS. 3A-3C, a typical playslip  200  would include a game identifier  202  and an area  210  for the user to enter a playslip identifier. The playslip  200  includes a first set of instructions  230  printed thereon that tells the user to enter the user&#39;s initials in the area  210  provided for the playslip identifier. (While the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3A-3C use the user&#39;s initials as the playslip identifier, other types of playslip identifier could be used without departing from the scope of the invention.) A second set of instructions  220  instruct the user not to accept a game ticket unless the playslip identifier appearing in the playslip identifier area  210  also appears on the subsequently printed game ticket. A third set of instructions  240  tells the user that the game ticket will not be printed unless the playslip identifier area  210  is properly filled in. As shown in FIG. 3C, a playslip  200  that is properly filled out would include the playslip identifier  212  (such as the user&#39;s initials) in the playslip identifier area  210 . 
     A play number entry area  250  may also be provided for games that require the user to enter play information (for example, select a subset of numbers from an array of numbers). Instructions  252  on how to play the game may also be provided. 
     As shown in FIG. 3B, the back side  204  of the playslip  200  may be provided with a complete set of instructions  260  on how to fill out the playslip  200  and how to play the game. An example  262  of a typical game ticket could also be printed on the back side  204 . 
     A game ticket  300 , which is printed after the user has filled out the playslip  200  and the playslip  200  has been scanned into the system, is shown in FIG.  4 . Typically, the game ticket  300  would include a game identifier  302 , an indication  354  of the date that the game was played, an indication  350  of user-input play numbers (entered in the play number entry area  250  shown in FIG. 3A, if such play numbers are used in the game), an indication  352  of the game results (such as winning numbers), an area that includes a printed representation  310  of the playslip identifier (as entered by the user on the playslip  200 ) and a set of instructions  320  instructing the user not to accept the game ticket  300  unless the representation  310  of the playslip identifier on the game ticket  300  is the same as the playslip identifier  212  that the user entered on the playslip  200 . 
     In an embodiment where the printer  32  is capable of printing an image of user-entered initials, the representation  310  of the playslip identifier should look exactly like the playslip identifier  212  entered on the playslip  200 . If the printer  32  is not capable of printing a scanned image (e.g., if the printer  32  is an impact printer), then either the game administering device  36  or the server  22  would transform the scanned playslip identifier  212  into a machine character equivalent (e.g., into corresponding ASCII characters) and the representation  310  of the playslip identifier would be a print-out of the characters. 
     A shown in FIG. 5, in an alternate embodiment, the playslip  400  could be preprinted with a plurality of characters  410  and the user could be instructed to mark a subset of the characters  410 , with the marked subset serving as the playslip identifier. As shown in FIG. 6, the playslip  500  could be printed with a plurality of character strings  510 , one of which the user would mark as the playslip identifier. The embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6 offer the advantage of facilitating easy machine reading of the playslip identifier and relatively lower memory usage than the embodiment of FIGS. 3A-3C. However, they might be more susceptible to forgery than the embodiment of FIGS. 3A-3C. Selection of the embodiment would depend on the hardware available and the level of security that is required. For example, games with a relatively high pay out might require a higher level of security and, thus, may be subject to more stringent playslip identifier verification requirements. It may be desirable in some applications to use more than one type of playslip identifier. Some applications might require the user to both enter initials and select a set of characters. It is intended that such system fall within the scope of the invention. 
     The selection of a playslip identifier by the user may also be used in combination with a part of a ticket play method. Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the user is instructed to mark, for example, a sub-set of the plurality of characters  700  that are preprinted on a playslip. Alternatively, the user may be instructed to select a character string that is pre-printed on the playslip. The marked characters serve as the playslip identifier  710 . The instant win game ticket will include the playslip identifier  710  and at least one game result  720 . As one will appreciate, each of the printed game result(s)  720  on the printed instant win game ticket are printed in the form of a game result character  730 . The printed game result character  730  forms a part of the ticket play method in that the user may be instructed that the instant win game ticket may be redeemed for a prize if at least one of the printed game result characters  730  match at least one of the characters that the user had selected as the playslip identifier  710 . For example, if at least one of the characters of the sub-set of characters that forms the user-selected playslip identifier  710  match at least one of the game result characters  730 , the ticket may be redeemed for the prize. In an example of the game play, if the lucky numbers “4,” “7,” “19,” and “20” are selected by the user on the playslip shown in FIG. 7 to serve as the playslip identifier  710 , the printed instant win game ticket will include the lucky numbers, i.e., the playslip identifier  710 , and at least one game result. As shown in an exemplified instant win game ticket shown in FIG. 8, the two “lucky” numbers 7 and 19, of the four user-selected numbers forming the playslip identifier  710 , match two of the game result characters  730  and are thus both instant prize winners (of $5 each). 
     As shown in FIG. 8, the method  800  employed in an alternative embodiment of the invention involves first instructing the user to provide a unique identifier  810 . The unique identifier is input into the server  812  via an identifier entry mechanism. The user may entry the unique identifier into the identifier entry mechanism  34  without aid of a third party. However, the instructions may also direct the user to provide the unique identifier to a third party, such as a machine operator of the local game administering entity  30 , so that the third party can input the unique identifier provided by the user on the identifier entry mechanism  34 . The instructions may direct the user to voice the unique identifier to the third party for entry or provide a representation of the unique identifier, such as, for example, a written unique identifier, to the third party for entry. 
     After the unique identifier is input, the server  22  detects a unique identifier entered on the unique entry mechanism  34  and the server performs a test  814  to determine if the unique identifier has been entered in a proper format. If the answer to test  814  is “no,” then the transaction is terminated  822  and the user is instructed that the unique identifier provided was not in proper format and the instant win game ticket cannot be printed until a new unique identifier, in proper format, is received. 
     If the answer to the test  814  is “yes,” then the unique identifier is stored  816  in a computer readable memory. Further, the game ticket printer  32  is instructed  818  to print on a game ticket a representation of the unique identifier and a least one game result. Typically, the printed unique identifier would take the form of a plurality of characters corresponding to the originally provided unique identifier. 
     The printed instant win game ticket is then issued to the user and the user is instructed  820  not to accept the game ticket unless the unique identifier entered and/or provided by the user is properly printed on the ticket. This instruction may be included with the instructions regarding game play or could be printed on the ticket. As one will appreciate, typically the instructions to the user comes in the form of instructions printed on signage on or about the identifier entry mechanism  34 , but could also come from informational brochures and by word of mouth from third parties, such as personnel or the machine operator, at the local game administering entity  30 . 
     The above described embodiments are given as illustrative examples only. It will be readily appreciated that many deviations may be made from the specific embodiments disclosed in this specification without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be determined by the claims below rather than being limited to the specifically described embodiments above.