U.S. patent application number 10/458560 was filed with the patent office on 2003-12-11 for lottery management system.
Invention is credited to Jawaharlal, Sridhar, Koppel, Richard, Kula, Miroslaw, Mallin, Timothy, Oram, Thomas K., Rogers, Robert, Silvia, Michael, Smith, Larry Roger.
Application Number | 20030228910 10/458560 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29736204 |
Filed Date | 2003-12-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030228910 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Jawaharlal, Sridhar ; et
al. |
December 11, 2003 |
Lottery management system
Abstract
A lottery management system provides the ability to integrate
various lottery system types into a single lottery management
solution so as to allow the customized deployment of various
lottery system attributes. In one embodiment, lottery system
attributes include game types, reporting functions, system
administration, point-of-sale integration, device and
network-specific interfaces and retail management. The present
invention can include a lottery transaction server, a message
exchange component, thin client components, thick client components
and software development kits.
Inventors: |
Jawaharlal, Sridhar;
(Warwick, RI) ; Oram, Thomas K.; (Hudson, MA)
; Kula, Miroslaw; (Cranston, RI) ; Mallin,
Timothy; (Cranston, RI) ; Rogers, Robert;
(North Kingstown, RI) ; Smith, Larry Roger;
(Georgetown, KY) ; Silvia, Michael; (Somerset,
MA) ; Koppel, Richard; (Old Greenwich, CT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Thomas F. Bergert
Williams Mullen PC
Suite 700
8270 Greensboro Drive
McLean
VA
22102
US
|
Family ID: |
29736204 |
Appl. No.: |
10/458560 |
Filed: |
June 10, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60386740 |
Jun 10, 2002 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/42 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/06 20130101;
G07F 17/32 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/42 |
International
Class: |
A63F 009/24 |
Claims
What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:
1. A lottery management system, comprising: at least one
point-of-contact (POC) device for processing end user sales and end
user lottery activity information; at least one channel processing
component in two-way communication with said at least one POC
device, for receiving and validating at least one request from said
at least one device, said request including information identifying
a request type, requester's identity and request terms; a
transaction processing engine in two-way communication with said at
least one channel processing component, including at least one
acquirer for retrieving and processing said requests; at least one
non-gaming transaction processor for managing and accounting for
non-gaming transactions; a commerce services component in two-way
communication with said at least one channel processing component
and said transaction processing engine for non-lottery monitoring
and processing, said commerce services component including a
financial services component in two-way communication with a fund
transfer component; a message exchange component in two-way
communication with transaction processing engine and commerce
services component; a host system in two-way communication with
message exchange component, for external monitoring and processing;
and a system services component in two-way communication with
channel processing component, transaction processing engine,
commerce services component and host system.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein said transaction processing engine
includes at least one gaming transaction processor for managing and
accounting for at least one gaming transaction.
3. The system of claim 2 wherein said at least one gaming
transaction is taken from the group consisting of: buying a ticket,
canceling a ticket, validating a ticket, inquiring as to results,
processing winners.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein said POC device is taken from the
group consisting of: a point-of-sale (POS) device, a kiosk, a
lottery-enabled terminal, a wireless phone, a personal digital
assistant (PDA).
5. The system of claim 1 wherein said commerce services component
includes a user profile component, a device profile component, an
account component, a product catalog component, an order/ticket
component, an e-wallet component, and a fund transfer
component.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein said host system is capable of
monitoring at least one of: video lottery operations, instant game
operations, draw-based game operations.
7. A lottery management platform, comprising: online central
service transaction processors providing a plurality of dissimilar
secure computerized lottery services including transaction
acquisition, transaction processing, game application management,
game application delivery and commerce services; at least one game
participant interface device capable of two-way communication with
said online processors; at least one lottery distributor interface
capable of two-way communication with said online processors; at
least one lottery provider interface capable of two-way
communication with said online processors; and means in connection
with each of said at least one interfaces for selection of at least
one game application for delivery to said at least one game
participant interface device.
8. The lottery management platform of claim 7 including means in
connection with said at least one lottery distributor interface for
selection of at least one commerce service.
9. The lottery management platform of claim 7 including means in
connection with said at least one lottery provider interface for
selection of at least one commerce service.
10. The lottery management platform of claim 7 wherein said game
application management includes the ability to provide draw and
instant-type lottery games.
11. The lottery management platform of claim 10 wherein said game
application management further includes the ability of said at
least one game participant to pre-populate and save forms for
playing said draw lottery games.
12. The lottery management platform of claim 7 wherein said
interfaces can be a web browser interface.
13. The lottery management platform of claim 7 further including at
least one lottery retailer interface capable of two-way
communication with said online processors.
14. The lottery management platform of claim 7 wherein said game
application management includes the determination of an outcome to
at least one game selected by said at least one game participant,
and wherein said game application delivery includes the revealing
of the results of said determined outcome to said game participant
via said game participant interface device without operating the
game management on said game participant interface device.
15. The lottery management platform of claim 7 further including at
least one testing interface device for testing the operation of at
least one of: said game management, said commerce services, said
transaction processing, and said game application delivery.
16. A lottery management platform, comprising: a player management
component for managing information about game players; a game
management component for managing gaming applications for use by
said players; a purchasing component for managing lottery game
purchases by said players; a payment component for managing
financial institution transaction processing in connection with
said lottery game purchases; and at least one global management
component for managing said player, game, purchasing and payment
components.
17. The platform of claim 16 wherein said at least one global
management component includes a first management component for
allowing access by a lottery distributor and a second management
component for allowing access by a lottery provider.
18. A method for processing a lottery-related electronic message,
comprising the steps of: providing at least one channel processor
for receiving said lottery-related electronic message from at least
one of the devices consisting of: a point-of-sale device, a
wireless device, a non-point-of-sale personal computer; providing a
transaction engine having at least one acquirer component
corresponding to said at least one channel processor, said
transaction engine further having at least one transaction
processing component; delivering said lottery-related electronic
message from said channel processor to said transaction engine;
providing a host processing system for processing at least one of:
on-line lottery transaction messages, video lottery messages and
instant ticket lottery messages; providing a message exchange
component for two-way electronic communication between said
transaction engine and said host processing system; delivering said
message from said transaction engine to said host processing system
via said message exchange component; processing said message via
said host processing system; and delivering a response message to
said at least one device.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein said lottery-related electronic
message is a game play determination.
20. The method of claim 18 wherein said lottery-related electronic
message is a commerce services request.
21. The method of claim 18 wherein said lottery-related electronic
message is received from a mobile phone.
22. The method of claim 18 wherein said channel processor is
capable of receiving said lottery-related electronic message from
at least one of: a lottery distributor, a lottery provider, a
lottery retailer, a lottery game player.
23. A customizable lottery management platform, comprising: a
lottery-enabled network comprising online central service
transaction processors providing a plurality of dissimilar secure
computerized lottery services to online-enabled input and output
devices, including transaction acquisition, transaction processing,
game application management, game application delivery and commerce
services; a game management interface for selecting game
applications for end user participation; a commerce application
management interface for selecting business and system management
software applications for use with said platform; a device
management interface for selecting input and output devices for
receiving lottery related messages; and a host management interface
for selecting at least one transaction processing host type for
processing said lottery related messages.
24. A method of providing interactive lottery services in a secure
lottery communications network, comprising the steps of: providing
online central service transaction processors capable of providing
a plurality of dissimilar secure computerized lottery services
including transaction acquisition, transaction processing, game
application management, game application distribution and commerce
services; providing a plurality of lottery distribution input and
output device types, a plurality of game applications, a plurality
of business applications, and a plurality of host processor types;
and receiving a selection from a user of at least one input and at
least one output device type, at least one game application, and at
least one host processor type; and configuring a lottery platform
based on said selection for delivery of said services.
25. A lottery transaction system, comprising: means for receiving
transaction and non-transaction messages; means for classifying
each of said received transaction messages as a lottery type or a
non-lottery type; a lottery transaction engine for processing each
of said received lottery-type transaction messages; and a commerce
services engine for processing said non-lottery type transaction
messages and said non-transaction messages.
26. The lottery transaction system of claim 25, wherein said means
for receiving lottery transaction messages includes means for
receiving said messages via wireless device, personal computer,
point-of-sale register and lottery kiosk.
27. The lottery transaction system of claim 25 further including a
first processing subsystem for processing said lottery transaction
messages and delivering response messages to at least one of a
wireless device, personal computer, point-of-sale register and
lottery kiosk.
28. The lottery transaction system of claim 27 further including a
second processing subsystem for processing said non-transactional
messages.
29. A method for delivering a specialized interactive interface to
a lottery network user, comprising the steps of: providing a
computer program application having specialized functionality; and
providing an interface for said application, said interface capable
of allowing said application to be accessed via a network having
online central service transaction processors capable of providing
a plurality of dissimilar secure computerized lottery services
including transaction acquisition, transaction processing, game
application management, game application distribution and commerce
services.
30. The method of claim 29 wherein said lottery network user is a
lottery game player and said application is a gaming
application.
31. The method of claim 29 wherein said lottery network user is a
lottery system provider and said application is a business
application.
32. A method for validating lottery tickets, comprising the steps
of: receiving lottery ticket information from a lottery ticket
holder at a lottery ticket redemption location; processing said
lottery ticket information via a network having online central
service transaction processors capable of providing a plurality of
dissimilar secure computerized lottery services including
transaction acquisition, transaction processing, game application
management, game application distribution and commerce services;
and upon said lottery ticket being deemed valid, providing to said
lottery ticket holder the winning value of said lottery ticket.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims priority of U.S. patent
application No. 60/386,740, filed Jun. 10, 2002, entitled "Lottery
Management System".
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to lottery systems, and more
particularly to a lottery management system and platform for
distributing dynamic lottery system services and functionality
across an open communications network.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
[0003] Lottery ticket sales generate large revenues for
government-run programs. Typically, the state lottery organization
will authorize lottery sales agents to sell lottery tickets in
exchange for a commission on overall sales and winning ticket
sales. Lottery sales agents include common retailers, such as gas
station and convenience store operators, who are typically provided
with one or more of a variety of lottery-dispensing technologies
covering various types of lottery games. For example, a 24-hour
convenience store may have a point-of-sale (POS) lottery terminal
behind the counter for management by a clerk, as well as a
self-service lottery kiosk available to customers elsewhere in the
store. The method of purchase and delivery usually depends on the
type of purchase being made. For example, the purchaser of an
instant scratch ticket, for example, may pay for the ticket at the
POS counter, or through a self-service kiosk. Since instant win
scratch tickets can be pre-printed and issued in bulk to the
lottery sales agents, no formal registration of the ticket purchase
is necessary. Validation of a winning ticket occurs when the ticket
bearer provides the ticket to an attending clerk, who can scan the
ticket serial number for authentication.
[0004] Alternatively, for large lottery pools such as the BIG
GAME.TM. or POWER BALL.TM., where purchasers pick a series of
numbers for a chance to win a large jackpot, the numbers must be
recorded with the centralized lottery operators. In this case, a
lottery form can be filled out by the purchaser and presented to
the clerk or self-service kiosk. The form is then read by a
computer reader and the selected numbers sent over a network
connection to a central transaction processor, which records the
numbers and sends acceptance information back to the POS terminal
or kiosk. The local lottery machine then prints the now-registered
lottery ticket for the purchaser.
[0005] The advantages to having an electronic network to receive
and issue lottery information are many. First, the registration of
purchased tickets ensures the lottery service provider knows
important information, such as the exact number of winning tickets
and their location of purchase, for example. Second, the lottery
service provider can print special codes or provide elements of
authentication to prevent unauthorized forgery or copying of
lottery tickets. Third, the information recorded can provide
valuable business management insight, such as what games are
selling well in which locations and at which times, for
example.
[0006] Past lottery systems have employed proprietary system
architectures communicating over a "closed network." While such
systems fulfill the requirements of high-performance lottery
transaction engines, they do not allow for easy integration with
outside networks. Such systems typically include applications and
operating systems written in procedural languages, tightly
integrated with their hardware platforms. Efforts to port current
software applications to alternative hardware platforms have proven
costly and time-consuming. Thus, current lottery systems have
difficulty communicating with external networks and non-lottery
applications.
[0007] What is needed is a networked lottery system that can enable
existing and future lottery service providers and sales agents with
a simple means for incorporating lottery retail services and
related management functionality. Such a lottery system would
enable the lottery service providers to immediately address system
management needs, such as activating or deactivating a lottery
sales agent, initiating or discontinuing a particular lottery game,
and isolating system network or fraud problems. The system would
further provide enhanced business management information, at the
lottery service provider level as well as the lottery sales agent
level. The system would operate using network communication and
programming standards so as to enable simple scalability and
expansion. These and other features are addressed by the present
invention.
[0008] It is thus one object of the present invention to provide a
substantially open standard, electronic lottery platform, which
enables current and future lottery service providers to easily
integrate with and establish a customized package of lottery system
features.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0009] The system of the present invention ensures lottery service
providers can provide a highly reliable, extremely secure, fast and
standardized system enabling all their mission-critical business
needs. In addition, through plug-and-play architecture, the system
of the present invention ensures a high degree of re-usability,
thereby ensuring shorter time to market and providing a
cost-effective solution to support the lottery community. In one
embodiment of the invention, the system of the present invention
can employ the Internet for providing a new range of on-line
customer services. The system of the present invention is
platform-, operating system- and database-independent and allows
for easy integration of third party applications.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing one conceptual architectural
layout of the present invention.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing information flow between a third
party terminal and the system of the present invention.
[0012] FIG. 3 shows a diagram illustrating the different device
types and access methods in accordance with one embodiment of the
present invention.
[0013] FIG. 4 is a simplified block diagram of the lottery platform
architecture layers in connection with one embodiment of the
present invention.
[0014] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the operational components of
one embodiment of the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating the implementation steps
associated with a lottery service provider in accordance with the
present invention.
[0016] FIGS. 7 and 8 are detailed architectural diagrams showing
example logical architectures in connection with thin and thick
client embodiments, respectively, of the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the various actors and
interactive capabilities in accordance with one embodiment of the
present invention.
[0018] FIG. 10 shows a diagram of the components involved in
connection with an interactive component of the present
invention.
PREFERRED MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0019] As shown in FIGS. 1 through 10, there is provided a lottery
management and delivery system 10, which can integrate legacy
lotteries as well as new lottery systems so as to allow
customization of lottery system attributes. The lottery management
system of the present invention can be used to enable various
lottery service providers (e.g., state lotteries), to implement
their lottery network. In one embodiment, the lottery management
service is an isolated provider of the necessary hardware,
software, and network components to enable lottery operations,
while in another embodiment, the lottery management system provides
and supports such components electronically, to the extent possible
over network connections. Among other things, the present platform
assists in lottery system administration, network management,
transaction processing for multi-state games, reporting, and
integration and communication with lottery service providers and
third party application developers.
[0020] As shown in FIG. 1, the lottery management system of the
present invention can include at least one lottery engine or host
component (indicated generally at 20), a message exchange component
30, a transaction processing component 40, a commerce services
component 60, a system services component 80, and a channel
processing component 90. In one embodiment, the platform of the
present invention is based on the Model-View-Controller (MVC)
architecture, known to those skilled in the art. MVC is the core
architectural model for any Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition.TM.
(J2EE) based system. The channel component 90 represents the
"View", the commerce services component 60 represents the "Model",
and the transaction processing component 40 represents the
"Controller" of the system.
[0021] In one embodiment, the lottery management system and the
lottery service provider processing components include a series of
PC servers which individually handle transaction processing,
communications, data storage, game management and network
management functions. For example, the transaction processing
engine 40 processes, logs, and stores all transactions on a
real-time basis. The transaction processing engine can communicate
using Internet protocol (IP) over one or more secure local area
networks (LANs) or wide area networks. In one embodiment, the
communications servers can integrate the variety of communications
networks (POTS, dial-up, frame relay, x.25, Internet) used by the
lottery service provider and provide the interface to the lottery
terminals. The gaming platform services (200 in FIG. 5) connect to
the transaction processing engines over LANs or WANs and host all
instant and online game validation, retailer management,
accounting, instant ticket distribution management and reporting
functions. This is the lottery service provider's direct interface
into the lottery system. In one embodiment, games are stored
locally in a fat client arrangement. In another embodiment,
terminals are thin clients provided with browsers for accessing
game applications via a web server/application server combination,
as shown in FIG. 1 and described in more detail hereafter.
[0022] Access to the system of the present invention can occur via
a private or public network 35 through a variety of network-enabled
user interfaces. For example, the lottery system of the present
invention may be accessed by a chain store 11 for retailer
management purposes, a "point of lottery" (POL) device 12 (e.g., a
lottery terminal or kiosk at a convenience store), a retail
checkout terminal 13 adapted with programming and network
connectivity to enable lottery system processing activities (e.g.,
a "Lottery Inside".TM. terminal), a user or player's personal
computer 14, a user's mobile device 15, and a lottery director's
personal computer 16. Devices 11-16 access the lottery system of
the present invention via a respective channel 91-96, as shown in
FIG. 1, so as to facilitate execution of various lottery and
non-lottery transaction types.
[0023] The lottery sales agent POS devices or other lottery
terminals can be "thin" client or "thick" client terminals. In a
thin client implementation, a web browser such as Microsoft
Internet Explorer.TM. resides on the POS device and accesses
appropriate gaming applications available on the network from an
application server (or combination web server and application
server). The POS device can be a PC, electronic cash register, web
appliance or lottery terminal, such as an Altura.TM. combination
lottery reader/printer commercially available from GTECH
Corporation, West Greenwich, R.I. When a transaction occurs, inputs
from the thin client are transmitted to the application server
where they are processed and transmitted to the lottery central
system for logging. The serial number is then transferred back to
the IP printer at the agent location, where the lottery ticket is
printed. In a thick client implementation, a complete lottery
application resides on the lottery terminal and the data can be
communicated throughout the network such as from the lottery
terminal to the central system. It will be appreciated that the
present invention can be used by current lottery service providers
having an existing thin or thick client topology in place. It will
further be appreciated that the present invention can accommodate a
variety of input and output devices.
[0024] As shown in FIG. 2, third party software applications 18 or
a standard Internet browser 19b can provide the user interface for
lottery activities. In either case, the third party terminal 13 can
additionally integrate a transaction handler 19a and a peripheral
server 19c. The purpose of the transaction handler 19a is to
abstract system communications and security details from the third
party application 18, which is necessary to keep future updates or
modifications to system communications and/or security isolated to
one controllable component. To do this, the transaction handler 19a
provides an interface that the third party application 18 must
conform to, by defining how and what data will be exchanged with
the transaction handler 19a. The transaction handler exchanges data
with the retailer channel 93 in a defined format, as will be
understood in the art.
[0025] The transaction handler 19a can have different functionality
depending upon the user interface used. In one embodiment, the
transaction handler can provide methods for passing sales
information only, while in another embodiment, methods for
exchanging data for all lottery activities can be provided. The
peripheral server 19c provides services to devices such as
printers. The peripheral server can be local to the printer and can
be running in the device itself, in the POS or in a "black box"
type of device separate from device 13. The server can provide
security and services for printing tickets, for example.
[0026] Device 13 can be designed with a browser interface that
accesses the appropriate channel server when lottery functionality
is desired. The channel server then provides the lottery user
screens that are displayed on the POS device. In one embodiment,
the POS device can be provided with touch screen input
capabilities, allowing the retailer to perform the normal lottery
sales transaction by touching areas on the screen. The lottery
transaction is then processed through the IP network, channel
server 93 and the transaction processing engine 43. The transaction
is processed and logged in the same secure manner (e.g., through
processor 50, the message exchange component 30 and to the host
processor 20), and then sent back through the secure system
directly to the secure lottery printer where the ticket is
presented to the retailer.
[0027] A channel (e.g., 91) is the interface to the system of the
present invention from a user-device access perspective. The
channel operates based on the system actor, the device being used
and the communication method. Upon receiving requests from the
point of contact device, the channel identifies the type of
request, validates the input, and routes the request to the
appropriate acquirer. The channel is also responsible for managing
user session data and will pass any errors back to the point of
contact device. In one example implementation, each channel can
comprise an application server for performing the required
programmatic functions and a web server for providing the
appropriate user interfaces for data input and output.
[0028] The lottery engine or host 20 can comprise one or more
different types of lottery hosts. Lottery hosts such as the
AlphaGOLS.TM., EuroGOLS.TM. and ProSyS.TM. systems are examples of
hosts for use with the present invention. EuroGOLS.TM.,
AlphaGOLS.TM. and ProSys.TM. are commercially available from GTECH
Corporation, West Greenwich, R.I., USA. EuroGOLS.TM. and
AlphaGOLS.TM. hosts provide online and instant ticket processing
functions, and ProSyS.TM. provides video lottery processing
functions for lottery games such as bingo, blackjack, poker and
keno, for example.
[0029] The hosts can operate using a multitude of stored
procedures. In one embodiment, the stored procedures are sets of
SQL statements that perform a logical group of database operations.
For example, the Video ProSys system uses the stored procedures
extensively to maintain and manage the video games, video lottery
terminals (VLTs) and VMTs. The Video ProSys (VPS) management
application use these stored procedures to access, display and
update the data on the database. Thus, in one embodiment, the VPS
management application communicates with the database server using
stored procedures. The Video Lottery System (VLS) database server
processes the stored procedures using an SQL server. The
definitions for the stored procedures are kept in the database
server and accessed through the SQL server. The results of the
request are returned to VPS management application.
[0030] The transaction processing engine 40 ensures the integrity
of the system of the present invention by automating the transfer
of data between the back-end lottery host and storage components
and the front end point-of-contact devices. In part, the
transaction engine can cache and asynchronously send requests when
the host is unavailable, and can also cache responses. As shown in
FIG. 1, the transaction engine includes a series of acquirers 41-46
corresponding to respective channel components 91-96. A transaction
acquirer (e.g., 41-46) acquires transactions and processes them
with a suitable processor (e.g., 51-59). The acquirer is
responsible for identifying the message request from the channel
and forwarding the message to the appropriate processor. In one
embodiment, the acquirer exists in the form of a command and is the
placeholder for the business logic for authentication and
coordination of game play. The command locates the correct game
processor for the request and forwards the game option information
to that processor. The acquirers can also pre-process some of the
acquirer transactions, such as performing the management and
accounting functions for the actors, for example. As shown in FIG.
1, the acquirers communicate with each other, within the system and
across multiple systems. The acquirers are in communication with
the commerce services component 60, as well as transaction
processors 51-59.
[0031] A transaction processor manages and account for the products
used in accordance with the present invention. The role of
processors is product management. In one embodiment of the present
invention, the games use a transaction processor, which is the
placeholder for the business logic for wagers, validations, and
cancellations. The current generation of processors is lightweight
and most of the transaction processing is done at an external host
that is connected to the system of the present invention. These
processors delegate their processing functions to external systems
through message exchange. For example, lightweight processors can
delegate their processing functions to external systems through
message exchange component 30. In one embodiment, processors can
include a sports processor 51, numbers processor 53, lotto
processor 55, PowerBall processor 57 and Instant game processor
59.
[0032] Message Exchange (MX) 30 provides the interface between the
internal processing in accordance with the present invention and
the external processing systems such as provided by hosts 20. MX
can be based on an application programming interface/service
provider interface (API/SPI) model. SPI is the programming
interface for interfacing with the external processing systems. In
one embodiment, a product routing code can direct the system to
route the transaction to the transaction engine via Message
Exchange (MX), for example, whereupon a timer can be set for
transaction timeout while waiting on the transaction engine.
Message Exchange (MX) is a communications protocol that enables the
transaction engine to communicate with a lottery host. In one
embodiment, the MX resides partially on the lottery host 20 and
partially on the transaction engine 40. The MX can take data
received via Internet protocol (IP) and makes it interpretable by
the lottery host 20 and vice versa. The MX client/server
architecture supports both push and pull message flow models,
allowing both client and server systems to initiate message traffic
and act as senders and receivers of messages. The client and server
side processes implemented via MX are well-known in the art and do
not necessitate detailed explanation.
[0033] As shown in FIG. 1, system services component 80 can include
system database 82, e-mail server 84, Java naming and directory
interface (JNDI) server 86, and business object repository 88, as
well as other system services elements such as policy server and
database management programming. The database tables used by the
present invention can include the retailer profile, game
parameters, and device profile, for example. Retailer profile can
contain values for agent, teller, terminal number, wager units,
validation units, and CDC date, for example. Game parameters can
contain values specific to each game and device profile contains
information about the terminals connected to the system.
[0034] As part of the commerce services 60 in connection with the
present invention, the system of the present invention provides for
a claims and settlement system 61 in connection with the acquiring
processor or transaction engine. The claims and settlement system
61 provides transaction settlement, auto-reconciliation, and claims
management for retail operators and service providers. The system
also performs adjustments processing, transaction fee processing,
and balancing, monitoring and reporting functions, while further
supporting multiple settlement entity types 68, such as
institutions, interchanges, banks, merchants, operators and
terminals. The commerce services component further provides for the
management of user and device profiles 62, accounts 63, product
catalogs 64, electronic wallet functionality 65 and electronic fund
transfer 66, as shown in FIG. 1.
[0035] FIG. 3 illustrates the various device types and access
methods used in connection with one embodiment of the system of the
present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, device types capable of
accessing the system 210 of the present invention can include a
retailer terminal 212, an in-store cash register or kiosk 213
(including those provided with internal lottery processing
capabilities), a wireless phone 215, a home computer 214, an
interactive television 217 and a management terminal 216, for
example. Retailer terminal 212 can access the system 210 via
private or virtual private IP network 231, for example. In-store
register 213 can access the system via in-store network 232 and the
private IP network 231, for example. Wireless device 215 (which can
be a personal digital assistant (PDA) in one embodiment) can access
the system via cellular network 233 which can ultimately connect to
the system 210 via the public Internet 335, for example. It will be
appreciated that the present invention can accommodate wireless
access by a number of devices using a variety of communications
protocols. For example, the present invention can transmit
communications via short-messaging service (SMS), multimedia
messaging service (MMS), I-Mode.TM., wireless access protocol
(WAP), unstructured supplementary service data (USSD), and
interactive voice response (IVR), among others. Home computer 214
can also connect to the system via the Internet. Interactive
television 217 can access the system via the Internet 235 and a
cable service provider network 234, for example. Management
terminal 216 can access the system 210 via an intra-site local area
network (LAN) 236, for example.
[0036] Upon access, the system 210 of the present invention can
provide system and commerce services 260 as well as gaming and
other applications 270. System and commerce services can include
programming for device management, retailer management, other user
management, general accounting, e-commerce components, file
transfer, transaction acquisition, security implementations, static
web pages, player management, presentation primitives, wallet
management, electronic funds transfer, batch report repository,
general repository and a product catalog, for example. Such
programming may be designated as accessible only to particular user
types, in one embodiment. Applications 270 can include, for
example, game presentation, retailer invoicing, check printing,
wagering games (instant and draw-based), and a report manager. The
system and commerce services and other applications can further
communicate with a host processor as previously described. In one
embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, hosts 221 and 222 represent a
primary hosting site, and host 229 represents a backup site in case
of failover. Hosts 221 and 222 can perform a multitude of
functions, including providing batch reports, product information,
traditional game processing, and storing the business object
repository, for example.
[0037] As shown in FIG. 4, the system is logically comprised of
three separate software layers. The base layer 150 (Layer 1) is the
system interface layer, which defines the communication and
hardware functions and other system components. The base layer can
comprise a network of servers 152 which facilitates communication
between PC-based client terminals and a transaction processing
engine. In one embodiment, the base or network layer can include a
proprietary IP (Internet protocol) network 155. In an IP-based
network, a server on the network logically and dynamically supplies
POS device addresses. Data packets are routed/switched within the
network based upon source and destination information contained
within each packet. An IP network such as can be used in the
present invention provides inherent flexibility in deploying client
terminals and routing transactions throughout the network. Full
redundancy of the network, advanced recovery mechanisms, and
network operations and customer support services ensure the
continuous network availability necessary for lottery service
providers. In one embodiment of the invention, the core network can
be a virtual private network (VPN).
[0038] At the base or network layer, security can be implemented in
order to provide authentication, authorization, and integrity
services for data carried on the network. Such security can assist
in protecting the network and its users from network-based attacks,
which may be conducted by outsiders attempting to read data, modify
data, deny service such as by exhausting network resources, and
probe network configurations. Such protection against external
attacks can be provided, for example, by firewalls, IP filtering,
IP tunneling, hub authentication and line encryption, as well as by
the physical and logical protection of the associated servers and
routers within the lottery sales agent and lottery service provider
equipment.
[0039] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the middle layer 200 (Layer 2) is
the gaming platform services layer, which resides above the base or
network layer. With a secure, reliable network in place, the
present invention provides for the reliable, secure information
transfer required by lottery service providers. The gaming platform
services layer is the middleware layer that provides the most
commonly needed middleware services for a lottery system.
[0040] This includes the transaction processing engine 40, network
management 210, sales agent management 220, communication services
230, game management 240, reporting 250, security 260 and other
management functions such as system administration, hotline
application administration, point of sale administration, and
retail management functionality. As shown in FIG. 5, for the
lottery service provider, gaming platform services can include
adding and removing lottery sales agents, adding and removing game
applications, adding and removing back-office business
applications, restoring faulty network connections, and monitoring
the security and efficiency of the lottery system. The lottery
transaction processing engine can host traditional lottery
applications and can process, log, and store lottery transactions
from each lottery sales agent for the lottery service provider. In
one embodiment of the present invention, the transaction processing
engine can be a ProSys.TM. or AlphaGOLS.TM. transaction processing
engine. In a further embodiment of the invention, electronic funds
transfer (EFT) applications can be accommodated, as described
elsewhere herein.
[0041] The middle layer for each lottery service provider can
include a web server, an application server, a message exchange
component and a lottery engine or transaction processing engine 40.
The application server and web server can comprise a channel
component as described earlier. The message exchange component
takes data delivered via Internet protocol and makes it
interpretable by the lottery transaction engine component. The web
server can act as an HTTP server, thereby serving as a conduit for
devices (e.g., 12) containing browsers for accessing applications
as provided by the present invention. The application server
provides the applications for use with the present invention,
including lottery game applications in the thin client embodiment
of the present invention. Lottery game applications can
alternatively be stored on a separate lottery server. In one
embodiment of the invention, the application server functions are
allocated across numerous application servers.
[0042] As described earlier, the application server is, in one
embodiment, J2EE (Java 2 Enterprise Edition) compliant. Typically,
the application server can interface with system databases in order
to retrieve and store transaction information. The web servers and
application servers can operate in a variety of operating systems,
including Windows.TM., LinUX.TM. or Unix.TM. operating systems, and
can interface with various types of commercially available
databases, including Sybase.TM., Oracle.TM., Informix.TM., IBM.TM.
and Microsoft SQL.TM..
[0043] As shown in FIG. 4, the top layer (Layer 3) is the
application or gaming platform API layer 300. The top layer 300
provides the communication methods for accessing the gaming
platform services layer. It is at this layer that third party
developer applications 350 can communicate and be integrated with
the system of the present invention.
[0044] At the lottery sales agent level, the system administration
capabilities depend upon the sales agent and the types of lottery
dispensing technologies employed. For example, a particular
retailer may have stores in multiple locations and may desire to
centrally manage the lottery operations of each store. Such a
lottery sales agent can be provided with system and network
management capabilities, reporting and interfaces for non-lottery
third party applications.
[0045] Lottery sales agents can communicate directly with their
particular state lottery via private network or over a public
network such as the Internet. The communications between the state
lottery service provider and the lottery sales agent generally
pertain to the purchase and recordation of lottery drawing tickets.
For example, a particular state lottery may offer instant scratch
tickets as well as various types of lottery drawing games,
including a Pick-3 game, a Pick-4 game, a Super Lotto game, and a
multi-state game. For the lottery drawing games, it is necessary to
record different fields of information to determine the ultimate
cash prize distributions. Thus, the communication from a particular
sales agent may include the purchaser's selected numbers, the store
in which the purchase was made, the game related to the purchase,
and the date and time of purchase. Once sent to the lottery service
provider, this information is processed by the game's transaction
processing engine and stored in a database, and information is sent
back to the lottery sales agent for the printing of a lottery
ticket receipt.
[0046] As shown in the method 600 in FIG. 6, in operation, the
system of the present invention can be used to integrate new or
legacy lottery systems as follows. First, the lottery service
provider is registered with the lottery distributor or management
system as at 605. The lottery service provider is then provided
with necessary hardware and networking equipment to support
network, client and server functions, as at 610. For each lottery
sales agent, the appropriate number and type of POS devices are
determined and are configured as at 620 so as to be a thin or thick
client implementation. The lottery service provider is also
provided with the appropriate network of servers to support IP
communications, appropriate security, lottery game applications, a
lottery transaction processing engine, network management and
reporting functions, as at 625. Next, the management services can
be established and the types of lottery game applications can be
selected by the lottery service, as at 630. The lottery service
provider may choose games based upon various business
strategies.
[0047] As at 635, the lottery service provider may also choose to
integrate third party applications, which can be lottery-related or
non-lottery related. Such non-lottery applications may include
business applications designed to mine the lottery service
provider's collected data to determine which game applications are
most profitable, for example. Because of the open nature of the
system architecture of the present invention, interfacing with
third party applications is readily achievable while preserving
data integrity, volume and speed. In one embodiment of the
invention, third party applications can be provided as plug and
play web services, enabling the lottery management service, lottery
service provider, or lottery sales agent to select the most
appropriate or desirable lottery or non-lottery application to
assist with appropriate level business operations. As examples, a
lottery sales agent can be enabled for inter-agent communications
for consumables exchange, or the lottery sales agent can be enabled
to view motion video using its POS web browser, such as might be
useful in reporting and displaying winning ticket numbers.
[0048] Through these capabilities, it can be appreciated that the
present invention provides an enhanced platform for lottery
integration. In one embodiment, the platform of the present
invention can be based upon the Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition
(J2EE), and can allow lottery service providers to integrate their
internal information systems with those of partners, suppliers, and
distributors, while further enabling the placement and tracking of
orders, the reporting of problems, and manipulation of account
information. This may include, for example, connectivity to other
internal or external data sources for increased business
intelligence.
[0049] FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate sample thin and thick client
implementations, respectively, of the system of the present
invention. In the thin retail terminal example implementation 500
shown in FIG. 7, there is provided a POS terminal (indicated
generally at 502) which can be a non-browser based terminal 505 or
a browser based terminal 510. Examples of a non-browser based
terminal can include kiosks and retail convenience store POS
devices. Browser-based terminals can operate using a standard
Internet browser, such as Mozilla 1.0.TM., Netscape Navigator.TM.,
or Microsoft Internet Explorer.TM. version 5.0 or later, for
example. Terminal 505 can access retail channel 590 via SOAP
(simple object access protocol) request and a POS servlet 515. In
this embodiment, the retail channel 590 is shown as part of the MVC
architecture described earlier. The POS servlet can access an
action servlet 522 with the instructions from the terminal 505,
which may be to sign on or perform a lottery activity, for example.
Based on the instruction, the POS servlet can return the
appropriate instruction to the terminal 505. Terminal 510 can send
an HTTP (hypertext transfer protocol) request to action servlet 522
which can-initiate action 525 and action form bean 532 so as to
return a Java server page implemented HTTP response for display on
the terminal 510 browser. Such SOAP and HTTP communications will be
well understood to those of skill in the art.
[0050] As further shown in FIG. 7, lottery transactions initiated
by the terminals 505, 510 are acquired by the acquirer 540,
including the specific acquirer 540a-h for which the lottery
transaction or message is designed. For example, acquirers 540a-h
can include acquirers for processing sign-on commands, Lotto
commands, validation commands, cancellation commands, reprint
commands, wager cost commands, home commands and print commands.
The acquirer processes according to the message and delivers the
message to the appropriate processor represented generally as 550
for further processing. Processors 550 communicate with system host
520 via message exchange component 530 as previously described.
[0051] Acquirers 540 and processors 550 are also in communication
with other system and commerce services 560. The commerce services
used by the retail channel and POS channel are the retail profile
562, game parameters 564 and the device profile 566. The retail
profile provides a placeholder for the terminals state and services
available to that particular retailer. This information is stored
in the database. A sign on retail bean 542 can be created in the
retail channel 590 so as to allow the retail channel application to
access the profile of a retailer. Similarly, a sales bean 545 can
allow the retail channel application to access a player's sales
list or grand total of winnings. The game parameters is the
placeholder for managing the product parameters for all games. This
information is stored in the database and can be updated by the
message exchange. The device profile is the placeholder properties
specific to the devices like printers, signs, readers etc. This
information is stored in the database. Upon the system receiving a
print request, such as may be entered by a lottery terminal upon a
player's purchase of a lottery ticket. The acquirer associated with
the print function can communicate with a peripheral server 519 at
the retailer location, which can instruct a local printer 521 to
print the ordered ticket.
[0052] As shown in FIG. 8, in the thick client embodiment, the
terminal 312 may be an Altura.TM. or other similar terminal, which
can access the system via IP network 335 or other known means, such
as via satellite connection 333, for example. The retailer channel
390 receives the communication from the terminal (e.g., thick
client retail channel 394 or a "satellite optimized" thick client
retail channel 392, in FIG. 8). The channel 390 communicates with
commerce 360 and system 380 services, and further communicates with
acquirer 340 (specifically thick client transaction acquirer 342)
and processor 350 (specifically thick client transaction processor
352) as previously described. Acquirer 340 and processor 350 are in
communication with commerce 360 and system 380 services as well as
with message exchange component 330. Message exchange component
translates and delivers the processed messages between processor
350 and host 320, which can be a ProSyS.TM. or AlphaGOLS.TM. host
as previously described.
[0053] In this embodiment, commerce services 360 can include, for
example, query management system component 361 for handling
queries, marketing component 362, user profile component 363,
account management component 364, product catalog 365, ticket/order
processing component 366 and electronic wallet component 367.
System services component can include database component 381,
repository component 382, naming and directory component 383,
policy server 384, e-mail component 385, business object repository
386 and electronic fund transfer component 387. It will be
appreciated that networks 333, 335 can also provide direct
connection to system broadcast services 375, which can include
network management 371, device management 372 and commercial
value-added services management 373, for example. It will further
be appreciated that the various components described facilitate the
ease of implementation, management, communication and transaction
processing of the lottery system of the present invention.
[0054] Operation
[0055] In operation, the system of the present invention allows
interaction by game participants, lottery distributors, lottery
providers (e.g., states), lottery retailers and third party
application developers. These actors can interact with game
selection and delivery, game management, system setup and commerce
services. An example diagram showing the various actors and
interactive capabilities in one embodiment of the invention is
shown in FIG. 9. As shown therein, a lottery system distributor 905
such as GTECH Corporation provides new system infrastructure 907 in
the form of system hardware, software, network connectivity and
related services to establish a network-enabled lottery system 910.
It will be appreciated that components of the present invention can
be adapted for use with existing lottery systems to enable desired
functionality and access features. Distributor 905 also can
interact with system services, game selection and commerce services
as indicated at 915.
[0056] A lottery provider 925, such as a state, for example, can
also interact with system services, game selection and commerce
services as at 930 in providing one or more lottery games for
retail distribution. A third party application provider 940 can
interact with the system 910 by providing business or gaming
software applications 945, for example, to expand the management
capabilities and game selection capabilities for other users of the
system. Example third party applications and functionality include:
(1) authentication service software, such as Experian.TM., which is
especially advantageous in environments where there is no national
authentication or identification scheme; (2) electronic fund
transfer linking software, such as SolvSE.TM. which provides a link
to the Royal Bank of Scotland; (3) high tier wagering and claims
software, such as IPS.TM.; (4) various lottery and draw-based game
applications.
[0057] A commissioned lottery retailer 950 can interact with game
selection and commerce services as at 955 and, in one embodiment,
the level of interaction permitted by a specific retailer can be
determined by the lottery provider 925 commissioning the specific
retailer. Lottery or game players 965 can interact as at 970 with
the game selection and commerce services of the present invention
to enjoy the game offerings and track winnings, account information
and other player information.
[0058] It will be appreciated that one aspect of the present
invention enhances the interactivity of the lottery system. The
interactivity of the present invention provides the ability to play
electronic instant style and draw based games via the Internet. In
one embodiment, Internet capabilities include providing an
informational web site having programming to provide results-based
services such as the broadcast of winning numbers by way of email
and/or short messaging service-based (SMS-based) text messages to
personal computers or mobile phones, for example, as is well known
in the art. In another embodiment, the system of the present
invention provides a fully interactive system and wagering engine
with a web-based front end and the capability to wager on
electronic instant tickets. This embodiment can comprise two
applications, a player application and a full administration
application, both of which have a web based front end. In a further
embodiment, connectivity is provided to a host wagering system 21
such as AlphaGolS.TM. using message exchange component 30, thereby
providing the ability to play a suite of draw based games.
[0059] In one embodiment, the framework for providing instant games
can de-couple the game play and presentation from the mechanics of
the game and how it is recorded. This can be achieved by separating
the presentation of the game at the front end (browser), from the
system and the data generation programming (e.g., XML) at the
backend, by clearly defined interfaces. This means that the range
of games that can be developed is endless and will not require a
change to the system itself, thereby allowing independent game
developers to interact with the system of the present
invention.
[0060] In one embodiment, the instant game framework operates such
that the presentation layer, the game processor and the ticket
generator are de-coupled. A predefined generic API can be defined
that allows any number of instant game types to be added with ease.
In one embodiment, the present invention can make use of Macromedia
Flash.TM. for the presentation layer and XML can be used as a
standard conduit. Additionally, the draw game framework can support
Lotto games, including for example, Lotto.TM., Lotto Extra.TM.,
Thunderball.TM., Hotpicks.TM. and Big Draw.TM.. The framework will
also handle other game types (e.g. numbers) together with the
handling of draw-based promotional tickets. Wallet management
provides the ability to load, unload and adjust wallet balances.
Both the player and administrative personnel have the ability to
view financial (e.g., loads, wins, adjustments) transactions.
Additionally, both the player and administrative personnel have the
ability to view game (wager and winning) transactions. The
application has a separate site that provides administration
functions for both accounts and the application itself. Further
administrative facilities provided by the-present invention can
include such features as checking system availability, searching
for user or prospect, managing user accounts and games, and
creating/editing authorized users, for example.
[0061] It will be appreciated that the present system allows
players and administrative personnel to create accounts. Account
management includes the ability to log in, log out, reset
passwords, provide for inactivity timeouts, access bookmarks,
close, suspend and reinstate accounts, for example. There are a
number of facilities provided by the system that allow
appropriately privileged individuals to load, disable, re-enable or
expire a game. Before an individual registers with the system and
accesses the site they are known as prospects. Registration can be
a long process. The system tracks the information being entered by
a prospect and allows administrative staff to view details to give
support during the registration process if required. The life cycle
of both instant and draw tickets is carefully managed by the
interactive system to ensure integrity and for repudiation
reasons.
[0062] To encourage prospects to register and become familiar with
the game offerings, the present invention incorporates a facility
which present instant games that can be played without the need to
be registered or wager using funds from a wallet. Similarly for
draw games, players can fill in and save a playslip without the
requirement to be registered. This extremely important facility has
been added to ensure the integrity of the system and protect the
player. The system saves details of the unfinished plays and
presents them to the player for completion on next log in.
[0063] For draw-based games the rules of cancellation can mimic
those present at the retailer terminal. In one embodiment,
cancellations can only be executed by a suitably privileged person
at the contact center. Cancelled tickets can be shown in the
financial and game histories of the player. The interactive
component of the present system provides extensive configurable
logging capabilities. The system provides the ability for a user to
create favorites (e.g., playslips) for Lotto.TM. and
Thunderball.TM., for example, and save them under unique names.
Once the favorites have been saved, the user can then recall them
based on name in order to pre-populate or edit playslips in the
future.
[0064] Upon completion of a winning ticket, the system can either
a) credit the winnings to the user's wallet b) credit the winnings
to the user's debit card or c) allow the user to arrange an
appointment at a regional center to pick up a check (e.g., for high
tier wins). Prior to the check being printed, a suitably privileged
person can be required to log the claim in the interactive system,
which then sends the necessary information to host (e.g., IPS) for
check processing. The host can then send confirmation of the check
payment back to the interactive component, which logs this to
complete the cycle.
[0065] For draw-based games, the interactive component of the
present system accepts a file from the host (e.g., AlphaGOLS.TM.)
that identifies and updates all draw-based tickets with either a
winner or loser status after each draw. The present system also
provides a `rollback` facility in the unlikely event that the host
has produced incorrect details. All draw-based game orders in an
unknown state in the system can be tagged as cancelled in the host.
In order to ensure this, the present system can create and send a
file to the host containing all unknown orders for processing. This
file can be sent regularly (e.g., twice daily).
[0066] In one embodiment, a standalone application can be used by
game developers to test the presentation and ticket generator
without the need for access to the instant game processor of the
present invention. This can assist in helping to speed the delivery
of new instant games, as problems are identified early in the
delivery. Synchronization between the host and the interactive
component of the present invention can be handled by way of a
"heartbeat" message. At a configurable interval, the system can
poll the host to check for any system status changes. If changes
have been made, these can be requested and updated within the
system. An authorized user can turn "throttles" on and off as well
as configure the concurrent user limits used by the throttles.
Throttles are configured per function in the database, and each
function can map to a page or set of pages on the site. When one of
these pages is requested and if the throttle for the function is
turned on, then the number of concurrent users is checked. If the
number of concurrent users is greater than or equal to the
configured number of allowed concurrent users, then a standard
error page is returned. A given player can elect to be a member of
a trial group who will try new games and provide feedback. The
system provides the ability to assign or unassign a player from a
pre-defined trial group. The system provides a very flexible means
of limiting the functional areas available to named groups.
[0067] For wagering users (player) the system can display a number
of different notifications directed specifically to the player.
These notifications inform the player about important issues
regarding their account status and game playing states. The system
allows for the loading and use of tokens as a method of payment for
wagers. The system also allows suitably privileged personnel to
adjust a player's token balance. The system further allows for
player and system limits on instant games. It also provides the
ability for players to elect to exclude themselves from playing an
instant game or all instant games. A suitably privileged person via
the administration interface can reset this setting. In one
embodiment, the system provides the ability for an authorized user
to execute a series of Unix commands to initiate "end of day" and
"end of week" processes. The interactive component can provide a
plurality of reports that cover the system sales, liabilities,
player transactions and game statuses, for example. The system
further allows for limited campaign management such as managing
retail outlets, tokens and promotions, for example.
[0068] The interactive component of the present invention
facilitates access to games on existing OLTP (Online Transaction
Processing) wagering systems (e.g., AlphaGOLS.TM. and ProSys.TM.)
from interactive wagering systems. The term "interactive" in the
present context can apply to any channel that does not include a
retailer. An interactive player-based wagering system could consist
of several channels, such as mobile, Internet, and interactive
television channels, for example. The present invention places no
restrictions on these channels. This interactivity across multiple
channels can be provided in accordance with the present invention
by using application programming interfaces (APIs). In a commercial
implementation, such APIs can be offered as part of a software
development kit (SDK). As seen from FIG. 10, this aspect of the
present invention can incorporate three message exchange
components. First a message exchange interactive component 745 can
introduce the capability for communication from interactive
channels to OLTP Systems. Message exchange client 750 can reside on
the application server 742 and can be part of the software/system
development kit (SDK). In one embodiment, the message exchange
client uses the underlying J2EE connector architecture to
communicate with a message exchange server 760, as is well known in
the art. The message exchange server 760 can reside on the host
system 720 to allow the exchange of messages between the SDK and
the host.
[0069] The transaction processing in accordance with the present
invention is based on the concept that each transaction arrives
from a terminal (e.g., 712) communicating over a network 735. The
retailer places the wagers on behalf of the players and is
accountable for all sales. In an interactive channel, however, the
player can place his wagers directly using a mobile phone (e.g.,
714) or a web browser or any interactive channel and is accountable
only for his wagers. The present invention bridges the gap between
the two systems by creating and managing a pool of virtual
terminals for the wagers coming from the interactive channel. It
then forwards these transactions to the message exchange server 760
and appropriate OLTP host 722, which in one embodiment are
expecting transaction information to come from a terminal.
[0070] When a player places a wager, it passes through the Internet
cloud and reaches the game processor 740 offered by the lottery
system provider or a third party. The game processor application
740 carries out the initial processing and passes the wager on to
the message exchange interactive component 744. The wager is now
allocated a virtual terminal by the present invention, which
subsequently translates the wager, using message exchange client
750, into a format compatible with the host system and passes it to
the host 720. The host processes the wager and sends a response
back to application server 740. The response is translated back
into a format understood by component 740, which de-allocates the
virtual terminal from the response. The response is sent back to
the player across the interactive channel.
[0071] In the thin client embodiment, applications no longer have
to be downloaded to terminals. They reside on an application server
located near the central system. Game parameters no longer have to
be downloaded to a terminal. All application changes are
immediately available to the POS and all game parameter changes are
immediately available to the POS. Nevertheless, application
performance is comparable to a thick client application.
Applications can be run on many thin client devices starting from a
full size POS to a small handle POS. All business logic is shared
and identical at all POS devices. Presentation (GUI) is the only
thing that changes. Thin client implementations reduce the cost of
implementation, reduce the maintenance for each terminal device
type and provide secure transaction and ticket printing. In one
embodiment, third party POS devices can provide their own
presentation (GUI) using the POS channel and still use the same
business logic as the Retail Channel for processing wagers.
[0072] It will be appreciated that the present invention provides
heretofore unavailable communications and revenue opportunities for
lottery retailers servicing a lottery service provider (e.g., a
state). For example, retailers can be provided with
telecommunications network services via the lottery system of the
present invention. While at least part of the network would be
dedicated to the lottery system transaction processing, any
available network bandwidth can be used by the lottery retailer as
it sees fit. Further, the present invention provides lottery
retailers with the opportunity to view its own inventory management
system using an interface in accordance with the present invention.
The integration of lottery product and commercial product inventory
data will enable store or corporate management to run daily
accounting and shift balancing reports from a single source.
[0073] For lottery managers or the lottery director, the present
invention can leverage the present invention's lottery
infrastructure to provide additional management advantages. For
example, retailer reporting functions can be kept separate from the
lottery reports, by providing retailers with secure access to
reports from a separate web site than the lottery controlled web
sites. Additionally, the present invention can enable electronic
distribution of data exported or extracted from the retailer
accounting system and automatically generate and transfer
electronic reports via the NACS-approved standard format for
extensible markup language (XML EDI).
[0074] The invention may be embodied in other specific forms
without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics
thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in
all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the
invention being indicated by the claims of the application rather
than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come
within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are
therefore intended to be embraced therein.
* * * * *