Patent Publication Number: US-2003232641-A1

Title: Wire/wireless internet lottery system using random-number generator

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] The present invention relates to a technique for enhancing the participation of clients in an Internet lottery event while achieving an improvement in the reliability of the lottery. In particular, the present invention relates to a wire or wireless Internet lottery system using a random-number generator, which is capable of allowing a user to optionally select a desired lottery number on an Internet lottery site, and displaying the scene of determining a winning number using a random-number generator in real time.  
       [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art  
       [0004] Recently, use of Internet services has been greatly increased. In pace with such an increase, various Internet games have been developed. In particular, Internet lottery games have been highlighted.  
       [0005] In a conventional Internet lottery game, authorized users are allowed to select desired lottery numbers on an Internet lottery site. Whenever a predetermined period of time (for example, one week) elapses, a winning number is determined. Only the result of the winning number determination is simply informed to the users.  
       [0006] That is, the winning number is determined using an internal probability program without being open to the users participating in the Internet lottery game. The determined winning number is published on an associated web page.  
       [0007] However, the above described conventional Internet lottery game has a problem in that the users may doubt the result of the lottery game because the winning number is determined using an internal probability program without being open to the users, and only the determined winning number is published on an associated web page.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008] Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide a wire or wireless Internet lottery system using a random-number generator, which is capable of allowing a user to optionally select a desired lottery number on an Internet lottery site, and displaying the scene of determining a winning number using a random-number generator in real time, thereby allowing a plurality of users participating in the same lottery game to view the same result of the lottery game in real time.  
       [0009] In accordance with the present invention, this object is accomplished by providing a wire/wireless Internet lottery system comprising: at least one random-number generator for rotating a transparent case containing a die, sensing the number of points on an upper surface of the die after the rotation of the case, and outputting the sensed point number as one digit of a winning number; a relay camera for picking up an image of the upper surface of the die after the rotation of the die in order to allow a user to directly identify the number of points shown on the die based on the picked-up image; a plurality of terminals each for displaying a window for allowing the user to select a desired lottery number, transmitting the selected lottery number to an associated one of game servers, and displaying an image signal representing a procedure of determining the winning number using the random-number generator, along with the winning number; a master server for outputting a drive control signal at a predetermined point of time at which the determination of the winning number is to begin, transmitting, to the game servers, the winning number determined by the random-number generator, and the image signal acquired by the relay camera; and the game servers each selectively connected to the terminals via the Internet, each of the game servers managing the progress of a lottery game in association with the connected terminals, and managing personal histories of users associated with the connected terminals, and a database.  
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0010] The above objects, and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent after a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:  
     [0011]FIG. 1 is a view illustrating the entire configuration of a wire/wireless Internet lottery system using a random-number generator in accordance with the present invention;  
     [0012]FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the random-number generator according to the present invention;  
     [0013]FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a rotating device according to the present invention;  
     [0014]FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating the rotating device;  
     [0015]FIG. 5 is a view illustrating a pop-up window for selection of a lottery number;  
     [0016]FIG. 6 is a view illustrating a window for displaying the scene of determining a winning number in real time, along with the winning number;  
     [0017]FIG. 7 a  is a flow chart illustrating a lottery game processing procedure executed in a terminal;  
     [0018]FIG. 7 b  is a flow chart illustrating a lottery game processing procedure executed in a master server;  
     [0019]FIG. 7 c  is a flow chart illustrating a lottery game processing procedure executed in a game server;  
     [0020]FIG. 7 d  is a flow chart illustrating a lottery game processing procedure executed in a common server;  
     [0021]FIG. 7 e  is a flow chart illustrating a lottery game processing procedure executed in a database server; and  
     [0022]FIG. 8 is a front view illustrating a terminal according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     [0023]FIG. 1 is a view of the entire configuration of a wire/wireless Internet lottery system using a random-number generator in accordance with the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the Internet lottery system includes a random-number generator  101  for periodically rotating a case containing a die for a number of times corresponding to the number of digits of a lottery number at desired intervals of time, sensing the number of points on an upper surface of the die after every rotation of the case using a sensor, and sending, to a master server  104 , the resultant point numbers sensed as respective digits of a winning number. The Internet lottery system also includes a relay camera  102  for picking up an image of the upper surface of the die after every rotation of the case, and sending the picked-up image in the form of an image signal to the master server  104 , in order to allow the user to directly identify the number of points shown on the die based on the picked-up image. The Internet lottery system further includes terminals  103 A to  103 C each for displaying a pop-up window for allowing the user to select a desired lottery number, transmitting the selected lottery number to the game server  105 A, and displaying the image signal and the winning number transmitted from the game server  105 A in order to allow the user to directly identify the procedure of determining the winning number using the random-number generator  101 . The master server  104 , which is also included in the Internet lottery system, outputs a drive control signal at a predetermined point of time at which the lottery is to begin, in order to determine a winner using the random-number generator  101 . The master server  104  transmits, to the game server  105 A, the winning number determined by the random-number generator  101 , and the image signal generated from the relay camera  102 . The game server  105 A is also included in the Internet lottery system. This game server  105 A is selectively connected to the terminals  103 A to  103 C, in order to manage the progress of a lottery game to which the participating terminals  103 A to  103 C are connected. The game server  105 A also manages the personal histories of the users, and a database  108 . The Internet lottery system also includes game servers  105 B and  105 C having the same functions as those of the game server  105 A. A common server  106  is also included in the Internet lottery system. The common server  106  performs a user log-in test in association with each terminal, and then links the terminal to a selected one of the game servers  105 A to  105 C. The Internet lottery system further includes a database server  107  for receiving lottery numbers selected by respective users, and the winning number via the game servers  105 A to  105 C, recording the received lottery numbers and winning number, settling a premium based on the result of the lottery game, and updating the database  108 , while performing collection of or search for desired information using the database  108 .  
     [0024] Each of the terminals  103 A to  103 C may include a personal computer (PC) having access to the Internet via a LAN or dedicated line, a portable phone enabling wireless Internet communications, or a personal digital assistant (PDA) enabling wireless Internet communications. Diverse examples of pop-up windows described hereinafter are based on the PC which can display diverse windows. Where such a pop-up window is displayed on the portable phone or PDA, only the kernel of the content in the pop-up window is displayed in the form of text.  
     [0025] As shown in FIGS.  2  to  4 , the random-number generator  101  includes a body  1  provided with a manipulation panel  1 A, a case  2  for containing a die  3  therein, and applying a rotating force to the die  3  in order to rotate the die  3  in random directions, a rotating device  4  for rotating the case  2 , a sensing unit  5  for recognizing the number of points formed on an upper surface of the die  3  seated on the bottom surface of the case  2  in a state in which the rotation of the case  2  is stopped, based on the combination of magnets attached to a lower surface of the die  3 , and a display  6  for displaying the point number recognized by the sensing unit  5 .  
     [0026] The case  2  is made of a transparent acryl so as to allow the user to identify movement of the die  3  in the case  2  with the naked eye. The case  2  has a polygonal structure having an upper case portion  2 A and a lower case portion  2 B. A plurality of protrusions  2 C are formed on an inner surface of the case  2  in order to make the die  3  move in random directions during rotation of the case  2 . The case  2  is provided at its opposite lateral ends with mounting portions  2 D, respectively.  
     [0027] The rotating device  4  includes a base plate  7 , a bracket  9  mounted to the base plate  7 , a pair of support members  4 A and  4 B mounted to the bracket  9  such that they extend vertically while being parallel to each other, and a shaft  10  including a drive shaft  10 A and a driven shaft  10 B respectively journalled in the support members  4 A and  4 B. A bevel gear  11 A is fixedly mounted to the drive shaft  10 A, whereas an encoder  12  is coupled to the driven shaft  10 B. A motor M is fixedly mounted to a selected one of the support members, that is, the support member  4 A. A bevel gear  11  is axially mounted to the motor M so that it is engaged with the bevel gear  11 A. An RPM sensor  13  is mounted to the other support member  4 B in order to sense the RPM of the encoder  12 .  
     [0028] The sensing unit  5  includes a vertical moving member  14  configured to be vertically movable through a through hole centrally formed at the bracket  9 , and provided with a magnetic field sensor  14 A at an upper surface thereof in order to sense the combination of magnets attached to a lower surface of the die  3 , and a solenoid  8  fixedly mounted to the bracket  9 , and adapted to vertically move the vertical moving member  14 .  
     [0029] Now, the operation of the Internet lottery system having the above described configuration according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.  5  to  7 .  
     [0030] First, the operation of the random-number generator  101  will be described with reference to FIGS.  2  to  4 .  
     [0031] The master server  104  outputs a drive control signal to the random-number generator  101  at every point of time at which an Internet lottery is to begin, for example, at intervals of one minute. In response to the drive control signal, the motor M is driven. The drive force of the motor M is transmitted to the case  2  containing the die  3  via the bevel gears  11  and  11 A, thereby causing the case  2  to rotate. In accordance with the rotation of the case, the die  3  is rotated in random directions while being struck against the protrusions  2 C formed at the inner surface of the case  2 . At this time, the RPM sensor  13  senses the RPM of the case  2  in cooperation with the encoder  12  mounted to the driven shaft  10 B, and transmits the sensed RPM to the master server  104 .  
     [0032] When the rotation of the case  2  is stopped, the die  3  stops its rotation, and then falls to the bottom surface of the case  2 . At this time, the vertical moving member  14  is upwardly moved in accordance with an activation of the solenoid  8 , so that the magnetic field sensor  14 A comes into contact with the lower surface of the case  2 .  
     [0033] A plurality of magnets are arranged at each surface of the die  3  in such a fashion that their arrangement corresponds to the number of points indicated on a surface of the die  3  opposite to the die surface on which the magnets are arranged. That is, the die  3  has different magnet arrangements at respective surfaces thereof using different combinations of magnets. For example, where “H” represents an S-polarity, “L” represents an N-polarity, and “X” represents a non-polarity, the die surface with one point has a magnet arrangement “XHLH”, the die surface with two points has a magnet arrangement “XHHL”, the die surface with three points has a magnet arrangement “XHHX”, the die surface with four points has a magnet arrangement “LLLL”, the die surface with five points has a magnet arrangement “XLHL”, and the die surface with six points has a magnet arrangement “XLLH”.  
     [0034] Accordingly, when the magnetic sensor  14 A senses the magnet arrangement “XHLH” of the die surface with one point, the number “6” is displayed on the display  6  because the upper die surface opposite to the sensed die surface has six points. The magnetic sensor  14 A also sends the point number information of the upper die surface to the master server  104 . In such a manner, the point number of the upper surface of the die  3  is sensed, and the sensed result is displayed on the display  6  while being transmitted to the master server  104 .  
     [0035] The scene of determining the winning number using the random-number generator  101  is shot by the relay camera  102  which, in turn, transmits the shot scene to the user terminals  103 A to  103 C in real time.  
     [0036] Although the above description has been given to determine one digit of the winning number using one random-number generator  101 , it may be possible to determine the winning number using various methods because the lottery number practically has several digits.  
     [0037] For example, where the lottery number has 8 digits, the winning number can be determined using only one random-number generator  101 . In this case, the random-number generator  101  is driven 8 times in the above described manner to determine the 8 digits of the winning number.  
     [0038] Alternatively, the determination of the winning number having 8 digits may be achieved using 8 random-number generators  101  aligned with one another. In this case, the random-number generators  101  are sequentially driven to determine respective digits of the winning number. The sequential scenes of determining the winning number by the random-number generators  101  may be shot by one relay camera  102 . In this case, the shooting of the sequential scenes may be carried out by horizontally moving the relay camera  102  above and along the random-number generators  101 . Alternatively, the shooting of the sequential scenes may be achieved using 8 relay cameras. In this case, the relay cameras are sequentially driven to shoot respective scenes associated with the 8 digits of the winning number.  
     [0039] The operations of the user terminals and servers for Internet lottery games will now be described. First, the operation of the user terminal  103 A will be described with reference to FIG. 7 b.    
     [0040] User terminals are connected to respective game servers  105 A to  105 C. The following description will be given in conjunction with the terminal  103 A. Initialization is executed (Step SA 1 ). At step SA 1 , various parameters of the Internet lottery system and terminal  103 A are initialized. The link of the terminal  103 A to the common server  106  is also initialized.  
     [0041] A log-in window is displayed on the terminal  103 A in order to allow log-in information entered by the user to be transmitted to the common server  106  (Steps SA 2  and SA 3 ). When a successful log-in is made (Step SA 4 ), the terminal  103 A is connected to one of the game servers  105 A to  105 C by the common server  105  (Step SA 5 ). The following description will be given in conjunction with the case in which the terminal  103 A is connected to the game server  105 A.  
     [0042] Subsequently, user information is displayed on the screen of the terminal  103 A (Step SA 6 ). The user information may include residual amount of money, available amount of money, and a countdown to the point of time at which the lottery is to begin. A pop-up window shown in FIG. 5 is also displayed in order to allow the user to select a desired lottery number (Step SA 7 ). The user may select a desired lottery number in a manual fashion or in an automatic fashion. The lottery number manually or automatically selected by the user is recognized by the terminal, and displayed on the screen of the terminal.  
     [0043] When the user clicks a transmission button displayed on the screen of the terminal  103 A under the condition in which he selects all digits (for example, 8 digits) of a desired lottery number (Step SA 8 ), the selected lottery number is transmitted to the game server  105 A (Step SA 9 ). Thereafter, the transmission button is disabled in order to prevent the lottery number from being transmitted again when the transmission button is re-clicked (Step SA 10 ).  
     [0044] A window for displaying the scene of determining a winning number in real time is then displayed (Step SA 11 ). It is then determined whether or not a lottery number transmission prohibiting command from the game server  105 A is received (Step SA 12 ). When the lottery number transmission prohibiting command is received, the transmission button on the screen is disabled in order to prevent the user from transmitting a lottery number for a predetermined period of time (Step SA 13 ). Accordingly, it is possible for a user to avoid unnecessary submission of an unavailable lottery number during the procedure of determining a winning number or preparing the determination of the winning number.  
     [0045] When the winning number is determined using the random-number generator  101  at the point of time when the determination of the winning number is to begin, the scene of determining the winning number is picked up by the relay camera  102  which, in turn, transmits an image signal indicative of the picked-up scene to the terminal  103 A via the master server  104  and the game server  105 A. Simultaneously, the winning number sensed by the magnetic field sensor  14 A is also transmitted through the same channel as that of the image signal. The terminal  103 A processes the received signals, and then displays the processed signals on a window shown in FIG. 6. These procedures are executed at steps SA 14  and SA 15 .  
     [0046] Thus, the user can identify the winning number determining procedure and the determined winning number displayed on the screen of the terminal  103 A with the naked eye in real time.  
     [0047] For instance, when a button P on the window of FIG. 6 is clicked, the lottery number selecting window shown in FIG. 5 is displayed. When the user sequentially clicks buttons horizontally aligned with one another beneath a die picture on the window of FIG. 6, numeric buttons vertically aligned with one another are displayed for every button clicking operation. Using the displayed numeric buttons, the user can select a desired lottery number. For example, when the user clicks the leftmost one of the buttons on the window of FIG. 6, numeric buttons corresponding to “1”, “2”, “3”, “4”, “5”, and “6” are displayed in a vertically-aligned state, as shown in FIG. 5. The user selects a desired one of the displayed numeric buttons, thereby selecting one digit of a desired lottery number. The remaining digits of the desired lottery number may be selected by repeatedly performing the above described numeric button clicking operation. Thus, a desired lottery number of 8 digits can be selected. In FIG. 6, the upper one of two numeric rows displayed over the die picture, that is, the number of “16144653”, represents the winning number, whereas the lower number of “66556511” represents the lottery number selected by the user.  
     [0048] It is then determined whether or not a game-over signal from the game server  105 A is received in accordance with completion of the above described winning number determining procedure (Step SA 16 ). When the game-over signal is received, a game-over message is displayed (Step SA 17 ). The overall procedure is thereby completed. When a log-out is made or the user requests completion of the overall procedure, the overall procedure is also completed (Step SA 18 ).  
     [0049] Now, the operation of the master server  104  will be described with reference to FIG. 7 b.    
     [0050] Initialization is executed (Step SB 1 ). At step SB 1 , the master server  104  initializes various parameters and units thereof. The master server  104  also initializes the link to the game servers  105 A to  105 C. For a real-time image transmission, the master server  104  then starts an image transmission task (Step SB 2 ).  
     [0051] At step SB 3 , the maser server  104  determines whether or not the procedure of determining a winning number is to begin. Where the procedure of determining a winning number is to begin, the master server  104  informs the game servers  105 A to  105   c  of the start of the winning number determination procedure (Step SB 4 ). The master server  104  then sends a winning number determination procedure start command to the random-number generator  101  (Step SB 5 ).  
     [0052] After the random-number generator  101  completes a winning number determining operation for one digit of a winning number executed in accordance with the winning number determination procedure start command (Step SB 6 ), the master server  104  generates another winning number determination procedure start command for the next digit of the winning number. In such a manner, winning number determination procedure beginning commands for respective digits of the winning number are sequentially sent to the random-number generator  101  at predetermined intervals of time (Step SB 7 ). The determination of the winning number may be achieved by repeatedly operating one random-number generator  101  or sequentially operating several random-number generators. The master server  104  receives the number for each digit of the winning number and the corresponding image signal picked up by the relay camera  102 , and transmits the received signals to the game servers  105 A to  105 C. This procedure is executed at steps SB 7  to SB 10 .  
     [0053] After the winning number determining procedure for one lottery event is completed, the master server  104  informs the game servers  105 A to  105 C of this fact (Step SB 11 ), and then stops the operation of the image transmission task (Step SB 12 ). When it is determined that the winning number determining procedure is not completed yet, the master server  104  returns to step SB 5  after waiting for a predetermined period of time at step SB 13 .  
     [0054] The operations of the game servers  105 A to  105 C will now be described with reference to FIGS. 7 c . The following description will be given only in conjunction with the game server  105 A.  
     [0055] Initialization is executed (Step SC 1 ). At step SC 1 , the game server  105 A initializes the link to the master server  104 , common server  106 , and data server  107 . For a real-time image transmission, the game server  105 A then starts an image transmission task (Step SC 2 ).  
     [0056] When the user of an optional one of the terminals  103 A to  103 C requests an access to the game server  105 A (Step SC 3 ), this game server  105 A receives user information from the common server  106  (Step SC 4 ), and adds the user to a list of users for receiving real-time images (Step SC 5 ). Subsequently, the game server  105 A waits for reception of a game start command from the master server  104  (Step SC 6 ).  
     [0057] When the game start command is received, the game server  105 A stores, in the database  108 , the lottery number optionally selected by the user on the lottery number selecting pop-up window and transmitted from the user (Steps SC 7  and SC 8 ). Thereafter, the game server  105 A waits for reception of a stop operation warning command from the master server  104  (SC 9 ).  
     [0058] When the stop operation warning command is received, the game server  105 A informs the terminal  103 A of stopping of a further lottery number selection (Step SC 10 ). The game server  105 A waits for reception of the result of the lottery game from the master server  104  (Step SC 11 ).  
     [0059] When the lottery result from the master server  104  is received, the game server  105 A informs the terminal  103 A of the lottery game result (Step SC 12 ). The game server  105 A settles a premium given to the user based on the result of the lottery game (Step SC 13 ), and updates the database  108  based on the settled premium (Step SC 14 ).  
     [0060] When the game server  105 A receives an all-game completion command (for example, for all games for one day) from the master server  104  (Step SC 15 ), it informs the terminal  103 A of this fact (Step SC 16 ), and then stops the operation of the image transmission task (Step SC 17 ).  
     [0061] Now, the operation of the common server  106  will be described with reference to FIG. 7 d.    
     [0062] Initialization is executed (Step SD 1 ). At step SD 1 , the common server  106  initializes various parameters and units thereof. The common server  106  also initializes the link to the game servers  105 A to  105 C.  
     [0063] The common server  106  determines whether or not a user performs a log-in procedure (Step SD 2 ). When it is determined that a user logs in, the common server  106  assigns a selected one of the game servers  105 A to  105 C for the user (Step SD 3 ), and transmits user information to the selected game server (Step SD 4 ). When the common server  106  receives a system completion command, its operation is completed (Step SD 5 ).  
     [0064] Finally, the operation of the database server  107  will be described with reference to FIG. 7 e.    
     [0065] Initialization is executed (Step SE 1 ). At step SE 1 , the database server  107  initializes various parameters and units thereof. The database server  107  identifies whether or not calculation of a total is to be currently made (Step SE 2 ). A database for totals per day and month is constructed (Step SE 3 ). The database is backed up (Step SE 4 ).  
     [0066] When one of the game servers  105 A to  105 C requests personal information of a user (Step SE 5 ), the database server  107  searches the histories of all users for the personal information of the user (Step SE 6 ), and transmits the searched personal information (Step SE 7 ). When a system completion command is generated (Step SE 8 ), the database server  107  cuts off its connection to the database  108  (Step SE 9 ).  
     [0067] Although the winning number is determined using the random-number generator  101  using the die, the same effect as described above can be obtained using other random-number generators widely used, such as game machines for bingo games, or game machines using balls printed with numbers.  
     [0068]FIG. 8 illustrates another embodiment of the terminal  103 A to which the present invention is applied. As shown in FIG. 8, the terminal  103 A is provided with a coin insertion hole  103 A 1  formed at the front wall of a case, and a hopper  103 A 2  communicating with the coin insertion hole  103 A 1 , and adapted to discriminate the value of coins inserted through the coin insertion hole  103 A 1 , and process the discriminated value.  
     [0069] Where the coin insertion hole  103 A 1  is provided at the terminal  103 A, it is possible for users to enjoy lottery games while inserting coins into the terminal  103 A.  
     [0070] For the terminals  103 A to  103 C to which the present invention is applied, wire terminals such as PCs, or wireless terminals such as portable phones or PDAs may be typically used. Accordingly, it is possible for a user to access a game server via a wireless terminal while traveling in a car or subway, in order to enjoy an Internet lottery game.  
     [0071] In particular, the Internet lottery system of the present invention is applicable not only to lottery games, but also to any games which several users enjoy in a simultaneously connected state. For example, the Internet lottery system of the present invention may be applied to betting type games such as taisai.  
     [0072] As apparent from the above description, the present invention provides an Internet lottery game capable of allowing a user to optionally select a desired lottery number on an Internet lottery site, and displaying the scene of determining a winning number using a random-number generator in real time, thereby providing reliability and realism for the winning number determination process.  
     [0073] Since the Internet lottery system is operated in a centrally controlled fashion, all users participating in the same lottery game receive the same result of the lottery game, so that it is impossible to rig the result of the lottery game. By virtue of the features of the Internet lottery system according to the present invention, a plurality of games can be held at desired intervals of time (for example, intervals of several minutes or several hours). Also, the result of the lottery game is immediately released. Accordingly, an increased number of users may participate in the lottery game.  
     [0074] Since the Internet lottery game can be processed using a pop-up window, the user can participate in the Internet lottery game while processing other tasks.  
     [0075] Although the preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.