U.S. patent application number 12/651795 was filed with the patent office on 2010-09-02 for lottery transaction device, system and method with paperless wagering and payment of winnings.
Invention is credited to James R. Breindel, Robert Corvese, Richard G. Finocchio, Richard S. Meehan, Robert S. Melesko, Frank Metayer, Timothy B. Nyman, Thomas K. Oram.
Application Number | 20100222125 12/651795 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42667408 |
Filed Date | 2010-09-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100222125 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Nyman; Timothy B. ; et
al. |
September 2, 2010 |
Lottery Transaction Device, System and Method with Paperless
Wagering and Payment of Winnings
Abstract
A lottery device, system and method incorporate lottery and
non-lottery transaction capabilities within a single device that
also provides for paperless wagering and payment of winnings. As
part of the present invention, a transaction instrument facilitates
typical consumer transactions as well as transactions related to
lottery offerings and can use a reader terminal component to
associate lottery tickets with the transaction instrument.
Inventors: |
Nyman; Timothy B.; (Bristol,
RI) ; Finocchio; Richard G.; (Everett, MA) ;
Meehan; Richard S.; (South Kingstown, RI) ; Oram;
Thomas K.; (Hudson, MA) ; Melesko; Robert S.;
(West Kingston, RI) ; Breindel; James R.;
(Covertry, RI) ; Corvese; Robert; (Warwick,
RI) ; Metayer; Frank; (Westerly, RI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Thomas F. Bergert;c/o WILLIAMS MULLEN IP docketing
222 CENTRAL PARK AVENUE, SUITE 1700
VIRGINIA BEACH
VA
23462
US
|
Family ID: |
42667408 |
Appl. No.: |
12/651795 |
Filed: |
January 4, 2010 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10801098 |
Mar 15, 2004 |
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12651795 |
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60454530 |
Mar 13, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
463/17 ; 463/25;
463/42 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/32 20130101;
G07F 17/329 20130101; G07F 17/323 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/17 ; 463/25;
463/42 |
International
Class: |
A63F 9/24 20060101
A63F009/24 |
Claims
1. A retail POS device, comprising: a reader terminal component for
reading a transaction card and reading indicia on one or more
lottery tickets; and a computer processor in communication with the
reader terminal component and operable to execute instructions for:
conducting lottery transactions and non-lottery transactions;
associating a transaction amount with a transaction instrument; and
associating the one or more lottery tickets with the transaction
instrument.
2. The device of claim I wherein the computer processor is further
operable to execute instructions for displaying an interface
associated with at least one non-lottery-related retailer function
and for displaying an interface associated with at least one
lottery-related retailer function.
3. The device of claim 1 wherein the computer processor is operable
to execute instructions for controlling lottery game selection.
4. The device of claim 1 wherein the computer processor is operable
to execute instructions for communicating with a financial
institution data processing system having programming for
initiating the opening of a financial account associated with the
transaction instrument, wherein the financial institution account
is funded with a balance in the amount of a funding amount.
5. The device of claim 4 wherein the reader terminal component is
capable of reading at least a portion of the transaction instrument
and the computer processor is operable to execute instructions for
communicating a transaction amount to the financial institution
data processing system that changes the balance in the financial
institution account associated with the transaction instrument.
6. The device of claim 1 wherein the computer processor is operable
to execute instructions for applying winnings associated with one
or more read lottery tickets with the read transaction
instrument.
7. A method, comprising: communicating, from a lottery data
processing system, a funding amount to a financial institution
account associated with a transaction instrument based on winnings
from a lottery offering; and providing a retail POS device having:
a reader terminal component for reading the transaction instrument
and reading indicia on one or more lottery tickets, and a computer
processor in communication with the reader terminal component and
operable to execute instructions for associating the one or more
lottery tickets with the transaction instrument.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer processor is
operable to execute instructions for applying winnings associated
with one or more read lottery tickets with the read transaction
instrument.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer processor is operable
to execute instructions for conducting lottery transactions and
non-lottery transactions.
10. A retail POS device, comprising: a reader terminal component
for reading a transaction instrument; and a computer processor in
communication with the reader terminal component and operable to
execute instructions for: conducting lottery transactions and
non-lottery transactions; associating a transaction amount
associated with a winning lottery event with a financial
institution account associated with the transaction instrument.
11. The device of claim 10 wherein the executable instructions can
display an interface associated with at least one
non-lottery-related retailer function and can further display an
interface associated with at least one lottery-related retailer
function.
12. The device of claim 10 wherein the computer processor is
operable to execute instructions for controlling lottery game
selection.
13. The device of claim 10 wherein the computer processor is
operable to execute instructions for communicating with a financial
institution data processing system having programming for
initiating the opening of a financial account associated with the
transaction instrument, wherein the financial institution account
is funded with a balance in the amount of a funding amount.
14. The device of claim 13 wherein the reader terminal is capable
of reading at least a portion of the transaction instrument and the
computer processor is operable to execute instructions that
communicate a transaction amount to the financial institution data
processing system that changes the balance in the financial
institution account associated with the transaction instrument.
15. The device of claim 10 wherein the computer processor is
operable to execute instructions for applying winnings associated
with one or more read lottery tickets with the read transaction
instrument.
16. A method, comprising: providing a retail POS device having: a
reader terminal component for reading a transaction instrument used
with lottery transactions, and a computer processor in
communication with the reader terminal component and operable to
execute instructions for conducting lottery and non-lottery
transactions, and for applying funds to a financial institution
account associated with the transaction instrument.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the computer processor is
operable to execute instructions for applying winnings associated
with one or more read lottery tickets with the read transaction
instrument.
18. A transaction processing system, comprising: a POS terminal
having a processor and a display, wherein the processor is
operative to: display a first interface associated with at least
one non-lottery-related retailer function on the POS terminal
display; and display a second interface associated with at least
one lottery-related retailer function on the POS terminal display;
and a lottery management and transaction processor in communication
with the POS terminal processor and one or more third party game
application providers, wherein the lottery management and
transaction processor hosts a plurality of available lottery games
selectable by a user of the POS terminal, and wherein the available
lottery games include third party game applications provided from
the one or more third party application providers.
19. A method, comprising: providing a POS terminal having a
processor and a display, wherein the processor is operative to:
display a first interface associated with at least one
non-lottery-related retailer function on the POS terminal display;
and display a second interface associated with at least one
lottery-related retailer function on the POS terminal display; and
providing a lottery management and transaction processor in
communication with the POS terminal processor and one or more third
party game application providers, wherein the lottery management
and transaction processor hosts a plurality of available lottery
games selectable by a user of the POS terminal, and wherein the
available lottery games include third party game applications
provided from the one or more third party application
providers.
20. A computer readable medium including instructions that, when
executed on a processor, perform a method for processing lottery
and non-lottery transactions, the method comprising: providing a
POS terminal having a CPU and a display, wherein the CPU is
operative to: display a first interface associated with at least
one non-lottery-related retailer function on the POS terminal
display; and display a second interface associated with at least
one lottery-related retailer function on the POS terminal display;
and providing a lottery management and transaction processor in
communication with the POS terminal CPU and one or more third party
game application providers, wherein the lottery management and
transaction processor hosts a plurality of available lottery games
selectable by a user of the POS terminal, and wherein the available
lottery games include third party game applications provided from
the one or more third party application providers.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Application Ser
No. 10/801,098, filed Mar. 15, 2004 and entitled "Lottery
Transaction Device, System and Method", which claims the benefit of
U.S. Ser. No. 60/454,530, filed Mar. 13, 2003 and entitled "Lottery
Inside System", the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by
reference. This application further claims the benefit of U.S.
Application Ser. No. 12/578,320, filed Oct. 13, 2009 and entitled,
"System, Device and Method for Paperless Wagering and Payment of
Winnings", which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application
Ser. No. 61/104,828, filed Oct. 13, 2008, entitled "System and
Method for Paperless Wagering and Payment of Winnings," U.S.
Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/122,179, filed Dec. 12, 2008,
entitled "System, Device and Method for Paperless Wagering and
Payment of Winnings," and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No.
61/207,866, filed Dec. 29, 2008, entitled "System, Device and
Method for Paperless Wagering and Payment of Winnings," the
disclosures of which are also incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to lottery systems, and more
particularly to a system, method and device for conducting lottery
and non-lottery transactions with paperless wagering and payment of
winnings.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Past and modern lottery and gaming systems are beset with
problems. Gaming with physical tickets exposes lottery operators
and system providers to losses due to theft of tickets and fraud.
Physical tickets also require dispensers and/or kiosks within
retail environments, which can overburden retailers in their
efforts to free up space for saleable merchandise. Kiosks and other
physical devices are also expensive and contribute to high
infrastructure costs for retailers and lottery and/or gaming
service providers who must buy, install and manage these devices.
In addition, lottery service providers must build, maintain and
upgrade proprietary networks in order to service their
customers.
[0004] The processing of lottery purchases and winnings is also an
arcane function. When playslips and/or cash are used in the
purchase of lottery offerings, the participating retailer must
generally provide a manned POS terminal. If a given ticket is a
winner and associated with a "low tier" jackpot, the participating
retailer must be prepared to make payment to the player presenting
the ticket for redemption, even if the ticket was not purchased at
the retailer's location. While the redeeming retailer is reimbursed
by the lottery operator (e.g., the state running the lottery), and
further while the redeeming retailer can net its lottery proceeds
against payouts during a given week or other time period, it is
possible that the retailer can be temporarily out-of-pocket for the
difference between paid winnings and lottery sales. Further, the
retailer must staff the POS to handle the redemption transactions.
For high tier winnings, a player must fill out paperwork at a
lottery claim center, where the lottery operator performs various
background checks to confirm the winner, taxes and other
withholdings are optionally deducted, and the winner is then issued
a check. Such steps are inconvenient to the winner, and add to the
cost and oversight requirements of lottery operators.
[0005] In addition to the above, lottery and gaming systems
generally involve anonymous players. Not only does this facilitate
undesirable behaviors (e.g., addiction, tax evasion), but it does
not allow the lottery operator or retailer to know anything
meaningful about their market. If demographic and other information
could be collected about their players, lotteries and retail
distributors could more efficiently and profitably manage their
operations.
[0006] Lottery systems are known whereby customers can purchase
tickets at a dedicated lottery terminal in a convenience store or
similar establishment. Each dedicated lottery terminal communicates
with a central lottery server to exchange information and
instructions associated with a given lottery transaction.
[0007] In the draw lottery ticket example, users can select one or
more numbers actively or have the central lottery server randomly
select numbers for them in what is sometimes referred to as a
"quick pick" transaction. The dedicated terminal sends selected
numbers to the central server to be stored and then receives
directions from the central server to print the associated lottery
ticket locally for the consumer. The lottery ticket can contain a
barcode, serial number or other identifying feature unique to the
ticket for validation and fraud prevention purposes.
[0008] In the typical lottery ticket distribution arrangement,
convenience stores, liquor stores, grocery and drug stores, among
others, act as agents for the lottery system provider, which is
usually a governmental body. In such stores, lottery kiosks or
terminals are typically physically separated from the main
point-of-sale (POS) area where merchandise sales are transacted.
Such separation facilitates check-out line movement and the
separation of respective merchandise and lottery transactions for
accounting purposes.
[0009] Despite the revenue and increased foot traffic received,
lottery distributors are finding that they often cannot support the
floor or counter space requirements for dedicated lottery
terminals. They also find it more difficult to train staff on
multiple machines, or to satisfy customers who wish to minimize
check-out line waiting while being able to purchase both
merchandise and lottery tickets together. Further, governments are
finding it more difficult to fund and maintain dedicated lottery
terminals, and feel they may be foregoing revenue opportunities
because would-be lottery distributors do not have the physical and
personnel resources to operate dedicated lottery terminals.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0010] The present invention, in part, solves the above problems by
providing a lottery device, system and method which incorporates
lottery and non-lottery transaction capabilities within a single,
network-connected device, whereby the device communicates lottery
transaction information to a central lottery server, while
separately managing non-lottery transaction information, and
further permitting paperless wagering and payment of winnings. The
system of the present invention provides a lottery network within
which one or more devices of the invention can operate. The lottery
network includes a back-end transaction processor and an interface
for introducing new game types into the lottery system. In this
way, a lottery distributor can not only offer a range of games that
changes over time, but the distributor can choose which games to
offer from an ever-changing menu of game options over different
device types. The present invention also allows for the
incorporation of phone card, gift card, loyalty card, player card,
transaction card or other desirable retailer processing and
delivery capabilities via the POS device.
[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, a POS device is
provided that is capable of conducting lottery and non-lottery
transactions, a lottery data processing system is part of, or
operatively connected to, the POS device, wherein the lottery data
processing system can store and process lottery transaction
information, and a lottery gaming server is provided for offering
various lottery games to be played and displayed on the POS device.
Lottery and non-lottery software for enabling the POS device to
conduct lottery and non-lottery transactions and select one or more
lottery games for use is also provided. The POS devices include
CPUs and monitors or displays to enable touch-screen or keyboard
entry of menu selections in typically a browser-based
environment.
[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, each POS device
is also in communication with a POS server, which can filter
lottery transaction information for the lottery server and can
retain merchandise transaction information for local or regional
processing depending on the business preferences of the lottery
distributor.
[0013] In one aspect, the present invention further provides a
claims management system and process whereby a lottery system
provider (LSP) such as GTECH Corporation, for example, can interact
with a lottery operator (LO), such as a state lottery, and use
funds that are pre-paid by the LO and held in an LSP account to pay
winnings to a lottery player. In one embodiment of the present
invention, winnings can be paid via a transaction instrument such
as a debit or other transaction card, which can be a MasterCard.TM.
or Visa.TM.-branded debit card or a privately labeled debit card,
for example. The winning funds are transferred by the LO to the LSP
at the time of the winner selection process. The LSP pays out the
winning amount upon presentment, reconciliation and settlement, and
the funds are made accessible to the player on the transaction
instrument. In one embodiment of the present invention, winnings
can be applied to a previously issued transaction instrument that
initially had no payment transaction capabilities. For example, a
lottery player can be issued a player loyalty card that stores
favorite wagers and other personal playing information, and once a
player wins on a play, the winnings can be applied to a financial
account that is established and associated with the previously
issued loyalty card. In this way, the loyalty card is converted to
a transaction instrument that can be used for lottery and
non-lottery purchases.
[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, interest on the
funds begins to accumulate when the winner selection is made and
the monies are transferred from the LO to the LSP. The interest can
be divided among entities pursuant to given requirements for the
jurisdiction or as the situation dictates. A player is free to use
the winnings that are credited onto his or her debit card anywhere,
including for purchases of standard consumer (e.g., non-lottery)
products and offerings as well as for purchases of lottery
offerings. For purposes of the present disclosure, the term
"lottery offering" means a government-sponsored lottery or public
gaming offering, including traditional lottery games such as
instant lottery tickets and online or draw-type lottery tickets,
video lottery games and other casino-type games that may be
government sponsored, games of chance and games of skill, for
example. Also, a lottery transaction means a transaction related to
a lottery offering, a lottery player means a player of a lottery
offering, and a lottery wager means a wager in connection with a
lottery offering.
[0015] In part, the present invention thus provides the lottery
player with the convenience of a card, such as a debit card, that
can provide a variety of benefits. For example, the user card can
be automatically entered into a Visa.TM. or other branded card
affinity program, lottery wagers can be automatically deducted from
the account and the card can be used anywhere a creditor debit card
is accepted. Further, the player can be entered into a "Player
Club" and use the card as a player card for benefits such as, for
example, having an account accessible via web site for setting up
favorite numbers, developing a syndicate account or accounts,
entering into second chance drawings, associating purchased tickets
with the account, arranging for automatic payments (i.e., never
having to check a hard copy ticket to know if the player is a
winner), receiving automatic alerts via e-mail, receiving an IRS
1099 form identifying all non-winners for tax deduction,
experiencing express transactions at retail, and experiencing new
game content such as fantasy football and other fantasy sports.
Even further, the present invention can facilitate self-monitoring
and independent monitoring of individual behavior to promote
responsible gaming.
[0016] In another aspect, the present invention provides a
transaction instrument (TI) such as a multi-purpose transaction
card (MPTC), bearing one or more indicia that facilitate standard
consumer transactions as well as lottery transactions. For example,
in one embodiment of the invention, the MPTC can be provided with:
(1) a magnetic stripe for "open network" transactions, such as
purchasing groceries, electronics or other consumer items, and (2)
a barcode for being scanned by a retailer in connection with a
lottery offering for "closed network" transactions, wherein the
barcode can be representative of the user's pre-established
account, favorite wager, quick picks, specific numbers, wagering
amounts, discounts, benefits, promotions and so forth. When the
MPTC has value associated with it, it is a value-applied
transaction instrument (VATI).
[0017] In another aspect of the present invention, the MPTC can be
issued at different times to different players. For example, the
MPTC can be issued for high-tier (or low-tier, or both) winners at
the time the winner seeks to redeem a winning play, in which case
the MPTC can be formally registered with the individual winner by
obtaining and recording player information at the time of
redemption. Player information can include name, address, telephone
number, e-mail address and other contact information, in addition
to other relevant information required for legal or future
transactional purposes. The player information can be obtained from
a valid driver's license, for example. Further, the player
information can be stored and accessible via the Internet or other
network to allow the player to access, update and/or change the
player information. The player can select or be provided with a
username and password or other known authentication means for
preventing unauthorized access to the player's account information.
The player can optionally remain anonymous but still record
player-related information such as favorite wagers by having the
account associated with the MPTC or other identifier that does not
reveal the player's identity.
[0018] Separately, the MPTC can be issued to the player at a point
of purchase (POP), whether the player is participating in a lottery
offering or not. The player may then use information on the MPTC,
such as a code or identification information, to formally register
the MPTC in the player's name or with player specific information
online after leaving the POP. The player may fund the MPTC online
or in person at the POP, and may subsequently use the MPTC for
general or lottery transactions, as well as to add credit to the
account through cash or credit deposits, or through winnings from
lottery offerings.
[0019] The form factor of the MPTC can preferably be similar to
that of a standard credit, debit or stored value card, and can
operate similarly thereto. The cards can implement contact
technology such as magnetic stripes, and/or contact-less technology
such as scannable barcodes, radio frequency identification (RFID)
tags or Bluetooth.TM., for example. In one embodiment of the
present invention, mobile communications devices can be employed as
the TI or VATI instead of cards, whereby barcodes may be displayed
on the visual display of the devices and a communication
implementing object other than a magnetic stripe is incorporated
for commercial transactions. In a further aspect of the present
invention, the TI or VATI can be the player themselves or a part of
the player, wherein the player's personal biological information
(e.g., fingerprint, retina scan, voice or other human biologically
unique information) can be recorded and stored with his or her
account as part of his or her player information, and then compared
with the biometric information measured when the user desires to
initiate a transaction using the system of the present
invention.
[0020] In another aspect of the present invention, rewards and
customer relationship management (CRM) features can be
incorporated. Thus, whereas the player has traditionally been
anonymous, the present invention facilitates knowing what the
purchasing and gaming habits are of the card holder, and can allow
the card holder to earn rewards and build credits towards desirable
products and services, for example. In one embodiment of the
present invention, the player can remain anonymous while still
earning monetary prizes and/or non-monetary rewards.
[0021] In providing the above, the present invention facilitates
the operation of a gaming system without kiosks or point of sale
terminals necessarily adapted for lottery transactions.
Point-of-sale terminals are still employed in one implementation of
the present invention, but such terminals can be ordinary retail
terminals provided with reader technology to facilitate reading and
writing of information to the transaction instrument. Costs of
operation for the LSP are lowered, which in turn reduces costs for
lottery operators and retailers. Profits are improved as well, with
the ability to earn interest from winnings managed in a LSP account
as well as the ability to generate revenue through better knowledge
of the lottery customer. In this regard, the present invention
provides a method for a lottery system operator to derive
non-transaction related earnings without providing a fee to the
cardholder.
[0022] In addition to the above, lotteries and players can employ
new lottery offerings using the transaction instrument (e.g., a
lottery-branded card). Further, the present invention improves
tracking of wagering customer sessions. Even further, the present
invention facilitates player convenience and security through the
employment of biometric measures as described below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of
a system of the present invention incorporating a lottery system
backend and a traditional commercial transaction system
backend.
[0024] FIGS. 2A and 2B are flow diagrams illustrating transaction
instrument issuance and transaction instrument usage process steps
in accordance with one aspect of the present invention.
[0025] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing one conceptual architectural
layout of a sample implementation in connection with the present
invention.
[0026] FIG. 4 is a diagram a sample architectural layout of a
lottery network in connection with the system of the present
invention.
[0027] FIGS. 5A through 5D are schematics of sample device layouts
in accordance with several embodiments of the present
invention.
[0028] FIG. 6 is a simplified block diagram of the lottery platform
architecture layers in connection with one embodiment of the
present invention.
[0029] FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the operational components of
one embodiment of the present invention.
[0030] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a sample implementation in
accordance with a particular embodiment of the present
invention.
[0031] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a sample implementation of
the present invention across multiple distributor types in
accordance with one embodiment of the system of the present
invention.
[0032] FIG. 10 shows a series of schematic flow diagrams
illustrating different embodiments of transaction instrument
conversions in accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTIVE ASPECTS OF THE PRESENT
INVENTION
[0033] As used in the present application, the term "transaction
instrument" can include or be associated with, by way of example
and without limitation, a debit card, a credit card, a smart card,
a gift card, a pre-paid card, a stored value card, a bank card, a
"frequent-player" card, indicia such as a bar code or a magnetic
stripe, a human biological identifier, a voucher, a radio frequency
identification (RFID) tag or transmitter, an ATM card, a
combination card, any other coded indicia, Bluetooth.TM.-enhanced
devices, mobile communications devices adapted for use with the
above, or combinations of any of the above. The transaction
instrument is or can represent a personal identifier specific to an
individual person, as exemplified above. The transaction instrument
can be associated with a unique identifier such as a credit or
debit card number, serial number, IP address, or e-mail address,
for example.
[0034] The transaction instrument can be credited through an
account associated with the transaction instrument, such as by
paying cash, transferring funds from another account, and/or
transferring winnings from lottery offerings into the account. The
account associated with the transaction instrument can be, for
example, a debit or credit card account, a bank account, a savings
account, a lottery account, a checking account, and/or another
financial account. The account can be a financial institution
account (e.g., Bank of America.TM. checking, savings or brokerage
account) or a financial account maintained independently of a
financial institution (e.g., lottery account).
[0035] In one embodiment of the present invention, the transaction
instrument (TI) takes the form of a multi-purpose transaction card
(MPTC) as referenced above. An example such card is shown at 115 in
FIG. 1, with a machine readable barcode 116 on one side of the card
and a machine readable magnetic stripe 117 on the other side. It
will be appreciated that these and other indicia may appear on the
same side of the card in an alternative embodiment of the present
invention. In one embodiment of the present invention, the MPTC
includes indicia in the form of a visible computer chip on one face
of the card, which is employed when the MPTC operates as a "smart
card" capable of being read and written to by a reader or terminal
in accordance with the present invention. The smart card
implementation can employ either a local card memory or a complete
local central processing unit (CPU) for added data storage and
processing capability.
[0036] As further shown in FIG. 1, paperless wagering is
facilitated in the system 110 of the present invention, which can
operate with or without dedicated kiosks or lottery adapted POS
terminals. POS terminal 120 can be a traditional POS terminal with
transaction capabilities, employing a terminal processor (i.e., a
central processing unit or CPU) 122 and a reader component 124,
which, for exemplary purposes, can be in the form of a bar code
scanner. The POS terminal 120 is connected via one or more networks
126 to an association network 150 (such as MasterCard.TM./VISA.TM.
network) and a lottery service provider network 160. In one
embodiment of the present invention, communications intended for
the association network 150 from the terminal 120 travel over
network 160 to lottery host 161 before being sent to the
association network.
[0037] The association network 150 manages transactions unrelated
to lottery offerings in the customary way through communications
between the card issuing bank 152, the transaction acquiring bank
154 and the association 156 (e.g., MasterCard.TM./VISA.TM.). The
card issuing bank can include a bank or financial institution data
processing system 155 for managing account transactions. The
financial institution data processing system includes programming
for, among other things, initiating the opening of a financial
institution account. In one embodiment of the present invention, an
account can be opened and funded with a balance in the amount of
winnings from a lottery offering.
[0038] Lottery service provider network 160 connects to a lottery
data processing system 165, which can incorporate lottery host 161,
and can further coordinate and/or run various lottery service
provider functions such as player and account management component
162, gaming/transaction processing component 164, database 166,
customer relationship management (CRM) component 176, favorite
wagers component 172, quick picks component 174, loyalty rewards
component 170 and sports betting component 168. Lottery host 161
can include, for example, programming for validating winning
tickets, generating ticket data, randomizing winners, benefits and
prizes, managing lottery offerings and communications. The lottery
data processing system 165 can communicate with the financial
institution data processing system. In one embodiment, the lottery
data processing system 165 communicates the winnings from a lottery
offering to the financial institution data processing system in
order to fund a newly created financial institution account, as
described in more detail hereinafter. Third party application
providers 35 are also shown in FIG. 1 in communication with network
126, and such providers can provide additional game offerings for
selection by the retailer and/or user depending upon implementation
of the present invention, as described more completely below.
[0039] In one aspect, the system of the present invention
encompasses the full cycle of transaction card life, from creation
and activation of the card as a multi-purpose transaction card, to
conversion of the card into a value card (e.g., VATI discussed
elsewhere herein) representing winnings from a lottery offering, to
enrollment of the card with player, account, transaction and
customer relationship management features, to redemption and
application of prizes, winnings and other transaction amounts, to
end of card life. Further, it will be appreciated that, while it is
actually a human player or user who is technically enrolled with
the system of the present invention, the player or user is
represented in the system by one or more personal identifiers. The
personal identifiers can be informational or biometric, as
described elsewhere herein. Further, the present invention
contemplates that a transaction instrument may first take the form
of a traditional lottery player card or loyalty card prior to being
converted to a card that can be used to fund lottery and
non-lottery purchases.
[0040] Regarding system architecture, the system of the present
invention can optionally be established so as to operate using a
client-server architecture, a distributed architecture, or a
combination of the two. By way of example, for lottery system
transactions, in the client-server architecture, using FIG. 1 as an
example, the terminal 120 receives information about a transaction
such as by scanning or reading a card, and then queries the lottery
system host 161 regarding the value, game or reward involved. The
data surrounding the transaction is centrally located with the
lottery system in database 166, and the effect of reading the card
is to essentially point to the lottery system maintained data, such
that there is no transaction performed on the card and no value is
stored on the card. Every time the card is used, the lottery host
161 queries the lottery system database 166 to determine if prizes,
rewards or other benefits must be accommodated. In one embodiment
of the present invention, benefits can be in terms of cash (i.e.,
"prizes" such as $20 credit) or can be in terms of non-cash items
(i.e., "rewards" such as coupons, services, physical products,
etc.). For example, upon the reading of a card at the terminal 120,
the host queries the data for the player associated with the card,
and if the player is entitled to a random benefit as a result of
using the card, the host instructs the system to issue the benefit
in the player's favor. In this example, if the benefit is a ten
percent discount reward for a hotel, the player may receive a
message (such as an e-mail to a registered e-mail account
associated with the player's account) indicating what the player
has won. Further, the discount information can be electronically
associated with the player account (by adding an entry in the data
maintained for the player, for example) such that the user need not
maintain paper coupons or other hard copy representations of the
reward. In the case of a cash prize, the amount can be credited to
the player's financial account for later use.
[0041] In an alternative embodiment, the present invention operates
using a distributed system architecture. In this embodiment, the
POS terminal 120 and the MPTC transact value at the point of
transaction without referring back to the lottery host. The
information and the value representation are transferred and
processed in real-time or near real-time as the transaction is
occurring. The terminal (or group of terminals, such as in the
embodiment where a single retailer has multiple terminals) can have
a distributed host (i.e., not the centrally located lottery host
161) which can act to issue rewards, prizes and other benefits
locally. Smart cards and contact-less cards can be employed in this
embodiment, which may increase the cost of deployment, but can also
provide greater flexibility in system operation and the ability to
meet more individual customer needs.
[0042] The present invention may further offer a combination
client-server/distributed system architecture. In this hybrid
architecture, the terminal and the MPTC can transact the value at
the point of transaction as in the distributed system, but the data
collected by the terminal is regularly sent to the lottery host 61
(e.g., in batches) to reconcile the card and central database
information with the locally collected information. Such an
embodiment may be preferred by retailers with multiple locations,
for example, and can deploy smart cards as the preferred MPTC card
type.
[0043] It will be appreciated that the POS terminal can be a
network-connected personal computer in one embodiment of the
present invention, wherein the computer can be located in a retail
establishment or even on the user's person (e.g., a mobile
communications device) or in the user's own home (e.g., a personal
computer). Since electronic commerce permits nearly ubiquitous
transactions, any electronic communications device that can access
the network of the present invention can be considered a POS
terminal for purposes of the present disclosure. In one embodiment,
the terminal is and/or includes a reader terminal component (i.e.,
the terminal is a self-contained processing device or terminal that
is adapted with a reader unit), wherein the reader component is
capable of reading and/or writing to magnetic stripes, chips and/or
barcodes but not capable of reading biological identifiers (i.e.,
biometric signatures). In another embodiment, the terminal is
and/or includes a reader terminal component that can read and/or
write to magnetic stripes, chips and/or barcodes as well as
biological identifiers. In a further embodiment, the terminal is
and/or includes a reader terminal component that has no magnetic
stripe, chip or barcode reading or writing capability but can read
biometric information in order to personally identify a user of the
present invention.
[0044] Reader components that can be employed as and/or with the
terminals of the present invention can include, for example, a
magnetic stripe reader, a barcode scanner, a magnetic stripe or
other smart card writer for writing information to a card, a
fingerprint reader, a retinal eye scanner or the other reader types
discussed elsewhere herein. The reader component can be employed as
and/or with an attended POS terminal in a retail store or other
commercial location, a self-contained kiosk in a retail store or
other commercial location, or the mobile equivalent of the
self-contained kiosk (e.g., a home personal computer or user mobile
communication device). The reader component can be interfaced with
the terminal by any of a variety of known computer interfaces,
including USB port, PCMCIA slot, parallel port, floppy disk slot,
infrared IRDA port, RS232 serial port or keyboard, for example.
[0045] The present invention can accommodate specific card-type
protocols according to the card-type employed. Thus, for example,
the present invention employs barcode and magnetic stripe
communication protocols to enable the implementation of a system
that can handle MPTCs with barcode and magnetic stripe indicia
thereon. Smart card and contactless smart card (e.g., RFID)
communication protocols are also provided by the present invention
for deployments that involve MPTCs with smart card and/or
contactless capabilities. In addition, appropriate memory and
processing power are provided depending upon the card and
processing system requirements for any given deployment. Further,
appropriate security hardware and software measures are employed as
will be appreciated in accordance with typical measures provided
for electronic commerce transactions.
[0046] In one embodiment of the present invention, the terminal
includes a computer processor and reader terminal component,
wherein the computer processor is operable to execute instructions
for conducting lottery transactions and non-lottery transactions,
associating a transaction amount with a transaction card and
associating the one or more lottery tickets with the transaction
card. The computer processor can further be operable to execute
instructions for communicating with a financial institution data
processing system having programming for initiating the opening of
a financial account associated with the transaction card, wherein
the financial institution account is funded with a balance in the
amount of the first funding amount. The computer processor can
further be operable to execute instructions for applying winnings
associated with one or more read lottery tickets with the read
transaction card. The executable instructions can be embodied, for
example, in the form of a physical memory on a hard drive, floppy
disk drive, universal serial bus drive, CD-ROM, downloadable
program stored in physical memory and other known physical memory
forms, and are not embodied as carrier waves. Some or all of the
operations may be performed by one or more processors executing
instructions tangibly embodied in a signal. The processing may be
implemented using analog and/or digital hardware or techniques,
either alone or in cooperation with one or more processors
executing instructions.
[0047] The terminal, in whatever form, acts as the link between the
user of the personally identifying transaction instrument (e.g.,
MPTC or biological identifier) and the computing system that
executes the software of the present invention. The software
provides the programming for executing the various functions and
features of the present invention including, by way of example and
not limitation, communications, security, credit or debit card
processing via financial institution network and data processing
system, benefit operation including rewards and prizes,
randomization, virtual ticket book generation, lottery drawing
operation, account management, transaction management, reporting,
settlement, point-of-sale, player management, lottery offering
management and hardware management. The present invention software
is further adapted appropriately to interface with third party
software that may accompany any third party hardware used in
accordance with the present invention, such as, for example, reader
software associated with a hardware reader component.
[0048] As shown in FIG. 2A, cards are issued and used in one
embodiment of the present invention. In process 180, a card
provider produces the MPTCs as at 182 and distributes them to
lottery claim centers as at 184. When there is a high tier winner
(or optionally any winner) of a lottery offering, a lottery clerk
at the claim center provides a converted MPTC (i.e., making the
MPTC a value-applied transaction instrument, or VATI) to the winner
as at 186 and the player can select a personal identification
number (PIN) for use with the card as at 188. The cards as
initially produced can have more than one transaction-enabling
indicia thereupon, such as the magnetic stripe and barcode
described above. Such indicia can enable both lottery and
non-lottery transactions assuming the cards are active and readable
by machines operated as part of a lottery and non-lottery system,
for example. However, when initially produced, the cards have no
cash value and may not be used for credit, debit or stored value
purchases. In one embodiment of the present invention, the winner
of any lottery offering can be provided with a card.
[0049] When the claims center clerk is notified of the winner of
the lottery offering, such as when the winning ticket holder
appears to claim the prize winnings, the clerk can validate the
ticket through the lottery network as is known in the art, and can
then apply the winning amount (e.g., as sent from the lottery
operator to the lottery system provider) to the card. For purposes
of the present disclosure, applying funds or a funding amount to a
card can mean applying funds to an account associated with the
card, or directly to the card itself. The funds can be prizes
awarded as a result of a gaming event, such as a lottery drawing or
instant ticket win (whether high tier or low tier, and whether a
virtual or a real world ticket). The funds used to fund the account
or the card can optionally be provided through another type of
transaction other than a win from a lottery offering, such as, for
example, when the user wins a prize associated with a non-lottery
purchase as described elsewhere herein (i.e., a non-lottery
offering).
[0050] The account associated with the card can be a financial
institution account established by financial institution data
processing system 155. When the prize claimant appears at the claim
center, the claimant can establish the account for use with the
present invention. The account can be established by a computer
associated with the lottery data processing system sending a
communication over a communication link such as a communications
network, for example, to a financial institution data processing
system to open a new account and/or request the opening of a new
account. In one embodiment of the present invention, the account is
established in the name of the prize claimant. In another
embodiment of the present invention, the account is established in
the name of an account custodian, which can be the lottery service
provider in a specific embodiment. In yet another embodiment of the
present invention, the financial institution account is opened
using a wagering syndicate identifier so as to permit syndicate
wagering as described elsewhere herein. The funds used to open the
account can travel directly from the lottery system operator (e.g.,
the state holding the lottery drawing won by the prize claimant) to
the financial institution, such as by wire or other known method.
Alternatively, the funds can be delivered from the lottery system
operator to the lottery data processing system by wire or other
known method. The lottery data processing system can then fund the
financial account in the amount of the winnings. In one embodiment
of the present invention, the funding amount for the financial
account is less than the actual prize winnings, because taxes,
expenses, fees and any other deductions may be taken prior to the
funds being deposited in the account.
[0051] In one embodiment of this aspect of the present invention, a
request is issued from a lottery data processing system to a
financial institution data processing system to open an
interest-bearing financial institution account associated with
winnings from a lottery or non-lottery offering. A first funding
amount is communicated from the lottery data processing system to
the financial institution data processing system based on the
winnings in order to fund the account, with the account having a
balance initially in the amount of the first funding amount. The
first funding amount can be the amount of the total winnings, or a
different amount based upon any deductions, expenses, fees, taxes
or other deductions having been withdrawn. A card machine as
described herein can associate the account with a multi-purpose
transaction card by scanning or otherwise transferring information
to the card via the card indicia, which enables the card to be used
by a consumer (e.g., the winner) for lottery transactions as well
as non-lottery transactions.
[0052] As the card is used for transactions (e.g., purchases,
wagers, top-ups), the account balance can be increased or reduced
accordingly. Further, interest earned on the account over time can
be applied to a custodian earning account not associated with the
consumer. In this way, the present invention provides for the
derivation of non-transaction related earnings from a winning game
play.
[0053] In one embodiment of the present invention, once the funds
are in the account, the clerk employs a machine to convert the MPTC
to a value-applied transaction instrument (VATI). The machine can
be a card writer that writes information to the MPTC via magnetic
stripe, bar code, chip or other method, wherein the information
associates the financial account with the card to enable the card
to be used for purchase and other transactions (e.g., as a debit
card). This is illustrated, for example, in process diagram 310 in
FIG. 10, where the transaction instrument is shown initially
without a lottery or a non-lottery account, and then after
processing the winnings to the instrument, it can be used for
non-lottery and lottery transactions.
[0054] In another embodiment of the present invention, no financial
institution account is opened, and the funds are essentially
applied directly to the card to enable the card to function as a
pure stored value type of card. In this embodiment of the
invention, the card is converted to a VATI without an associated
financial institution account, and the card acts as a bearer
instrument representing the equivalent of cash. In such an
embodiment, the VATI can be used in a system operating using a
client-server architecture, distributed architecture or combination
architecture described above. Depending upon the desired system
implementation, the converted VATI card can be such that it only
works in a client-server architecture such as described above, or
such that it works equally well in any of the system architectures
described above.
[0055] In another embodiment of the invention where cards are not
employed and one or more of the user's biological identifiers
(e.g., eye scan, fingerprint, voice) is used as the transaction
instrument, the identifier employed becomes the value added
transaction instrument or VATI. In such embodiment, the clerk can
record biometric information from the user at the time of prize
redemption, and instead of issuing a converted card to the user,
the clerk operates the machine to open the financial account and
fund the account in the amount of the winnings, The clerk then
associates the account with the recorded biometric information such
that, whenever the user employs the biological identifier for the
purposes of a transaction, the identifier is, in fact, the VATI,
and is capable of depositing and withdrawing funds from the
account, as well as participating in the other aspects of the
present invention. In one embodiment of the present invention, when
the user appears at the claim center to redeem his or her prize,
the user can be offered the option of receiving a VATI in the form
of a card as the transaction instrument, a mobile communications
device as the VATI, or the user's own biological identifier as the
VATI.
[0056] Once established and activated, the user can use the VATI as
a type of debit or stored value card, as the card has been credited
in the amount of winnings, less any transaction fees, required tax
payments or other fees that might apply at the time of redemption.
At the time of card issuance, age verification for responsible
gaming purposes can occur as well.
[0057] In addition to being activated for transaction purposes, the
VATI can be used by the user to establish favorite numbers,
favorite wagers, and other personally appealing features using the
CRM component of the present invention. In one embodiment, the user
can access a web site using the VATI and the user's PIN for such
purposes, and can establish a lottery system account associated
with the VATI and/or the player's name. The user can also elect for
any future winnings from lottery offerings or other transactions to
be applied to the account.
[0058] With reference to FIG. 2B, on the association network 150,
when the player accesses the non-lottery transaction feature of the
VATI, such as by having the magnetic stripe on the card swiped at
the retail outlet and entering the PIN as at 190, the transaction
is routed on an existing network to an issuing bank as at 191 to
authorize the transaction, and the normal reconciliation and
settlement process occurs as at 192 once the issuing back approves
or denies the transaction.
[0059] On the lottery service provider (LSP) network 160, when the
player accesses the lottery feature of the VATI, such as by having
a barcode on the card scanned at the retail outlet as at 193, the
lottery host sends a payment request to the issuing bank as at 194.
The issuing bank approves or denies the transaction as at 195 and
the reconciliation and settlement process takes place as at
196.
[0060] In one embodiment of the present invention, a single indicia
can be used to conduct lottery and non-lottery transactions (with
appropriate split routing to each network) and the card would
therefore require no other indicia. Thus, as shown in FIG. 2B, for
example, the reading of the bar code 193 can result in lottery
transactions moving through lottery network as described above, and
non-lottery transactions moving through association network 150 via
the dashed arrow. As shown therein, the merchant acquirer routes
the transaction to the association as at step 197, the association
routes to the issuing bank as at step 198 and the issuing bank
approves or denies the transaction as at 199. In an alternative
embodiment of the present invention, the magnetic stripe can be
used to conduct all types of transactions (e.g., lottery and
non-lottery transactions, with appropriate split routing to each
network) and the card would therefore require no barcode. In one
specific embodiment, the swiping of the magnetic stripe on the card
and/or the reading of the barcode on the card would simultaneously
divide non-lottery transactions into the association network and
lottery transactions into the lottery provider network. In a
further embodiment, a single barcode on a mobile communications
device can be employed.
[0061] The split routing of transactions with an MPTC and/or VATI
benefits the lottery service provider, the lottery operator and the
lottery retailer. In one embodiment of the invention, both low tier
and high tier winnings can be managed the same way. Optional
enrollment features may also include player favorite numbers,
auto-pay, loyalty awards and cashless or paperless wager options.
In one embodiment of the present invention, different amounts of
reward points or loyalty points can be awarded for an open loop
transaction versus a closed loop transaction. Thus, for example, if
a user has $100 on his or her MPTC and spends $50 on an open loop
transaction, he or she may receive fifty loyalty points, whereas if
the user spends the other $50 on lottery transactions, he or she
may receive one hundred loyalty points. Such differing rewards
point amounts can be changed by an administrator of the system
based on desired incentives.
[0062] Business rules can determine the revenue distribution from
the system. In one embodiment, the lottery service provider keeps
the interest that is earned on the funds that are held in the
service until they are paid to the winner. In one embodiment of the
present invention, the winner may be given the option at the time
of receiving the VATI card to either have the card registered in a
lottery service provider financial account, whereby the user can
maintain anonymity, or registered in the personal name of the user,
to facilitate better personalization and qualify the user to
receive federal or state tax documentation and recording features
(such as, for example, receiving a United States tax form 1099 to
deduct wagering losses). Further, the transaction processor may
keep any transaction fees that are paid. Service charges are a
further source of potential revenue. Inactive accounts can be
turned over to the government at time periods that vary from
jurisdiction to jurisdiction.
[0063] In a further embodiment of the present invention, some or
all prizes for a particular game can be designated as payable
exclusively via a card as provided in accordance with the present
invention. Further, a prize can be increased if a person puts the
prize on a VATI card rather than asks for cash. (e.g., $100 winner
becomes $105 if payment is made via debit card). Payment via card
reduces the risk of fraud associated with paper tickets and paper
validation receipts.
[0064] In this regard, the present invention contemplates
additional consumer protection and/or fraud prevention measures
that can be employed with or without the VATI described herein.
With regard to online games, an identifier (e.g., a random symbol
generated by the lottery host) can be automatically assigned to a
player at the outset of an online game, and this identifier follows
the physical game ticket (where employed) through the game play
process. According to this aspect of the present invention, a
player receipt would have any type of randomly generated identifier
(such as a three letter sequence (e.g., "ABC")) printed on the top
of the ticket receipt, and a copy of the ticket identifier would be
stored in the transaction record. In one embodiment of this aspect
of the present invention, upon the reader terminal component
reading a transaction card, the terminal can direct a printer to
print the player's name on the wager receipt if his or her name has
been stored in connection with the card account. Further if a
player has stored favorite wagers with the account, he or she can
identify favorite wagers to be played, whereupon the system of the
present invention recalls the favorite wagers upon reading the
card, and further prints the player's name on the ticket receipt.
If the ticket is a winner, the winner selection process would copy
this identifier to the winner's file and the identifier would be
printed on the validation receipt when the customer presented the
ticket for validation. In an alternative embodiment of this aspect
of the present invention, the player could use a single identifier
on their card, which can be scanned by the retailer at the time of
the transaction each time the player purchases an online game
ticket. In this embodiment, the retailer simply scans the card
using a barcode reader, and the personal identifier enables the
player to be sure that the retailer is returning the correct
validation receipt.
[0065] Regarding the presentment and reading of the card at a
point-of-sale or other terminal, the present invention incorporates
reader technology as disclosed above. In one embodiment of the
present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, for example, one or more
reader terminals 120 are provided in communication with the lottery
data processing system and the financial institution data
processing system. The reader terminal is capable of reading at
least a portion of the VATI and communicating a transaction amount
to the financial institution data processing system in order to
change the balance in the financial institution account. For
example, if the user of the VATI is purchasing $50 worth of
merchandise, the reader can scan a barcode or read the magnetic
stripe on the card and communicate with the financial institution
data processing system to deduct $50 from the financial account
balance. Any association and/or other transaction fees accompanying
transactions contemplated by the present invention will be assumed
to be present, but will not be discussed in detail, as such fees
are ordinarily accommodated and understood with credit and debit
transactions. The reader terminal can operate equally well in
handling account deposits (such as where the user wishes to "top
up" his or her account using other funds, which may be cash or
another credit card, for example), account withdrawals, lottery
transactions, non-lottery transactions, application of prize
amounts to the account balance and other transactions. A top-up or
deposit transaction is illustrated in diagram 312 of FIG. 10, where
the instrument is already tied to a lottery and non-lottery
account, and funds are deposited and associated with the lottery or
non-lottery account. When applying prize winnings, the terminal can
first communicate with the lottery data processing system via
lottery network in order to validate the ticket or game identifier
associated with the winnings before crediting the associated
account. Also, in the embodiment where no financial account is
employed but wherein the VATI holds the cash equivalent value of
the balance, the reader terminal can conduct the same types of
operations (i.e., withdrawals, deposits, etc.) through the
VATI.
[0066] With regard to lottery transactions, the reader terminal can
read at least a portion of the VATI in order to associate a wager
with the VATI without paper or cash. This can occur, for example,
by sending a communication over the lottery network to the lottery
data processing system 165, whereupon the wager is noted and
associated with the player's lottery system account. The reader can
further read at least a portion of the VATI in order to initiate a
winning wager redemption process without paper or cash. This can
occur, for example, by communicating a query to the lottery host to
determine whether the winning ticket or wager representation is
valid, and if so, the host can authorize the terminal to
communicate either with the card or the financial account
associated with the card in order to apply the winnings. In one
embodiment of the present invention, the lottery data processing
system communicates the winning amount to be applied to the
financial account directly, without communicating back through the
terminal. In a further embodiment of the present invention, the POS
device 122 incorporates the processing, memory and functionality of
lottery data processing system 165 without the need for network
126.
Employing Biometrics
[0067] In a further aspect of the present invention, biometric
equipment and processes are employed to streamline ticket sales as
well as to promote gaming wager data entry and ticket validation at
the retailer. This aspect of the present invention provides a
method and device for automated entry of wager data and subsequent
validation of the winning data between a player and an online
gaming terminal using an electronic online database and at least
one player-bid biometric sample.
[0068] Biometric techniques and equipment have been employed for
rapid and accurate identification and authentication of individuals
within fields such as border control, building access control, and
identity verification for computer logon privileges and authorizing
electronic transactions, for example. Biometric techniques provide
convenience for the individual by eliminating the need for carrying
a physical form of identification and allowing fast identification
by automated devices. They also provide security due to the
complexity and difficulty involved in trying to replicate biometric
data for live presentation, In some cases, biometric techniques are
combined with other security processes (e.g., informational
processes) to provide a multi-factor authentication/identification
system.
[0069] Within the lottery field, many online lottery games use
pre-printed paper forms or bet slips for the player to manually
record their desired wager data for machine entry prior to a
lottery drawing. These bet slip forms are supplied by the gaming
system provider and represent an incremental expense for each point
of sale transaction. Once the wager data is accepted by the online
lottery system, a receipt or ticket representing the valid entry of
the data to the system is printed by an online terminal printer at
the point of sale. The ticket paper is also preprinted with lottery
messaging and security numbers for tracking. These tickets also
represent an additional incremental expense to the lottery provider
for each transaction.
[0070] According to this aspect of the present invention, a
fingerprint scanner (or other biometric information reader) is
attached as a peripheral to a lottery terminal for the purpose of
capturing a player's fingerprint (or other biometric information)
at the point of sale. Also as an option, an alpha/numeric keypad is
incorporated as either an additional peripheral or as part of the
fingerprint scanner. During the registration process, bet slips are
manually filled out by the player and scanned into the lottery
terminal for assignment to the simultaneously collected fingerprint
sample. The wager entries and resulting fingerprint scan are then
forwarded to a lottery host or middleware server for storage in a
database. It will be appreciated that a fingerprint scanner need
not be the sole operative biometric device used in accordance with
this aspect of the present invention. Other biometric equipment and
techniques employed by the present invention can include, for
example, iris recognition, retinal recognition, hand prints, voice
recognition, facial recognition, signature stroke recognition or
any combination thereof. The stored biometric imprint along with
the stored wager entries allow for automated entry of wager data
and subsequent validation of the winning data.
[0071] In one embodiment, this aspect of the present invention can
employ a process flow as follows:
[0072] [a] In a player registration step, the player registers at a
wagering terminal to an on-line database at least one registration
biometric sample read from a biometric sensor, and at least one set
of wager data. As an option, at least one set of player
identification data (such as a personal identification number
(PIN), password or the last four digits of a phone number, for
example) can also be registered. This step can be part of the
designation of the biological identifier as a VATI as described
above. Alternatively, the step can occur at the time a simple
player card is issued.
[0073] [b] To initiate a wager transaction, a player provides to
the on-line terminal biometric sensor a player bid biometric sample
collected from the player's person and as an option, player bid
identification data, which are electronically forwarded to the
online lottery server or host database.
[0074] [c] On the server or host, a comparator engine (e.g.,
transaction processor) compares the bid biometric sample with at
least one previously registered biometric sample for producing
either a successful or failed identification of the player.
[0075] [d] As an option, the comparator engine also references the
player's bid identification data with a player's registered
identification data for further producing either a successful or
failed identification of the player or to improve the level of
confidence in matching the biometric comparisons.
[0076] [e] Once the on-line database successfully identifies the
player, the database system presents to the terminal the option to
(1) select submission from the previously stored wager entry data
or (2) automatically submit the previously stored wager data as a
transaction to the host wagering system.
[0077] [f] The host wagering system processes the wager entry and
issues at least one set of transaction confirmation data which is
stored in the database as a record for the associated player.
[0078] [g] For validation of the winning data for a prize claim by
a player, the player bid biometric sample is collected from the
player's person and electronically forwarded to the online
database. As an option, player bid identification data (e.g., as
represented on the card) is also electronically forwarded to the
online database.
[0079] [h] The comparator engine or transaction processor attempts
to identify the player's biometric signature and, if successful,
submits to the host any associated and previously stored
transaction receipt data for the purpose of winning validation by
the host wagering system.
[0080] It will be appreciated that, where appropriate, use of
modern data encryption and digital signature techniques such as
those used by the public/private key infrastructure (PKI) can be
used throughout all the transaction paths to ensure complete
end-to-end data integrity and security and protection of privacy.
Further, the player's actual identity (such as name, age, or
address) can remain completely anonymous to the system for the
purposes of these applications. As an option, the player's age can
be registered to the system to ensure age eligibility for wagering
with online agents and self service gaming machines. Account based
wagering, where the player has a financial account on the wagering
system can also be tied to this method of play for payment
transactions.
[0081] A further aspect of the present invention permits a player
to associate purchased lottery tickets with his or her transaction
instrument during a customer session. In this process, the player's
instrument is scanned at a reader terminal or otherwise identified
by the system of the present invention, and then the player's
desired ticket purchases are also scanned at a reader terminal or
otherwise identified by the system of the present invention. The
identified tickets are then associated with the player's instrument
and therefore, the player's account. The tickets can be paid for
via automatic deduction of the funds in the player's account as
described above. Further, the player can be credited for having
purchased the tickets for purposes of receiving benefits, points,
rewards, eligibility for other jackpots and related benefits as
identified herein. Once the purchase activity is over, the customer
session can then be terminated by the player or a POS operator
where appropriate. Further, the player can then track his account
and activity using the system of the present invention, and can
optionally request that the system of the present invention
generate a 1099 form for tax purposes at a designated time during
the year. In another embodiment of this aspect of the present
invention, the player can bring the tickets purchased in this
manner to a lottery service provider terminal for instant
validation. While the tickets in this embodiment can be played in
the traditional physical sense (e.g., by the player scratching off
areas of the ticket), the payment of winnings is handled
electronically and without paper.
[0082] In one embodiment of the present invention, winnings can be
applied to a previously issued transaction instrument that
initially had no payment transaction capabilities. For example, a
lottery player can be issued a player loyalty card that stores
favorite wagers and other personal playing information, and once a
player wins on a play, the winnings can be applied to a financial
account that is established and associated with the previously
issued loyalty card. In this way, the loyalty card is converted to
a transaction instrument that can be used for lottery and
non-lottery purchases.
[0083] As shown in FIGS. 3 through 9, another embodiment of the
lottery system 10 of the present invention can be used to enable
various lottery service providers (e.g., state lotteries) to
implement their lottery network and to enable distributors to
better handle lottery transactions. In part, the present invention
assists in the implementation of a platform for lottery system
administration, lottery retailer or distributor transaction
management, reporting, and integration and communication with
lottery service providers and third party application
developers.
[0084] As shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of POS terminals 15 such as
might be found in a retail establishment 12 are operatively
connected to a POS network 20, which can be a wireless or wired
network operating using TCP/IP protocol, for example. The POS
terminals include processors that can execute instructions
programmed into memory for conducting lottery and non-lottery
transactions. The POS network 20 can include a POS server 25 for
managing information transfer pertaining to all transactions for
accounting and reconciliation purposes. The POS server also filters
or separates non-lottery transactions from lottery transactions,
and forwards lottery-specific information to lottery data
processing system 165. Lottery data processing system 165 can be a
separate computing facility apart from POS server 25 and/or POS
devices 15 as shown, or lottery data processing system 165 can be
integrated within POS server 25 and/or a POS device (not
shown).
[0085] The POS server 25 is linked to a retail management system 33
and a lottery management system 30 via network 35 in accordance
with one aspect of the present invention. Network 35 can be any of
a number of network-types capable of data communications, including
public switched data network (PSDN), integrated services digital
network (ISDN), packet-switched network (e.g., TCP/IP), private
data communication network, wireless network or other suitable
network. Retail management system 33 allows lottery distributor
management personnel to view and account for transactions processed
at the POS devices and is operable for all types of retail trade
styles, including single store as well as multiple store trade
styles, for example.
[0086] It will be understood that the POS server 25 and lottery
data processing system 165 each include a central processor/CPU,
database, RAM and ROM for processing and storage of data and
programs. They further include respective communication ports for
communicating with the POS devices, between each other, and with
external devices such as a lottery printer or combined receipt and
lottery ticket printer, as will be described hereinafter. Further,
the POS devices can communicate over networks 20 and 35 with
association network (not shown) as described above in connection
with FIG. 1.
[0087] POS devices 15 are also provided with a central
processor/CPU, database, ROM, RAM, and communications port. It will
be appreciated that POS devices can be those operated behind a
traditional retail counter as well as self-service kiosks and other
devices not operated behind the retail counter. The POS device 15
includes a monitor or display screen for displaying information to
the cashier or device operator. In some cases, as in self-service
kiosks, the device operator can be the lottery player. Several
display devices well-known in the art, including LCD, LED, flat
screen, plasma, CRT and others can be incorporated into the display
device of the present invention. The POS device is also adapted to
receive input via several methods, including keyboard,
touch-screens and touch-screen overlays, mouse, barcode scanners,
buttons and similar input mechanisms. Transaction processor
instructions are stored by the device database and read and
executed by the POS device processor to process the transaction
types involved in the present invention. At least one printer can
also be provided in communication with the POS device of the
present invention, to allow purchased lottery tickets to be
printed.
[0088] As shown in FIG. 4, the lottery POS device 15 of the present
invention is integrated with the lottery data processing system 165
which can include, in this embodiment, a lottery engine or host
component (indicated generally at 161), a message exchange
component 44, a transaction processing component 164, an acquirer
component 48, a commerce services component 60, a system services
component 80, and a channel processing component 90. In one
embodiment, the platform used in association with 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 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 164 represents the "Controller" of the system.
In addition to serving lottery-integrated retailer point-of-sale
(POS) devices as described herein, the present platform provides a
common architecture and channel components for such other actors as
Internet users/players, thick or thin client retailer POS devices,
interactive televisions, and non-gaming transaction processors.
[0089] The POS devices 15 can be implemented using specific
hardware as described, or using existing in-store POS devices and
servers. For establishments with existing computerized POS devices
in communication with an in-store or store-centralized POS server,
the existing devices may be programmed to incorporate the system
and functionality of the present invention. In one embodiment, such
incorporation can involve ensuring a browser software program such
as Microsoft Internet Explorer.TM. is capable of running on a
software operating system such as Linux.TM. or Windows XP.TM., for
example, so that the operator can view and execute programs stored
either locally or in a centralized file server accessible via
network 35.
[0090] 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). 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. Optionally, the
lottery ticket serial number can be associated with a transaction
instrument as described elsewhere herein. In a thick client
implementation, a complete lottery application resides on the POS
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.
[0091] FIGS. 5A through 5D show example hardware and software
implementations, 15a through 15d, associated with the POS device of
the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 5A through 5D, third party
software applications 18 or a standard Internet browser 19b can
provide the user interface for lottery activities. In either case,
the POS terminal 15 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. The
interface defines how and what data will be exchanged with the
transaction handler 19a. The transaction handler exchanges data
with the retailer channel 90 in a defined format, as will be
understood in the art. The transaction handler 19a, browser 19b and
peripheral server 19c can all communicate with the channel 90 shown
in FIG. 4. In the present invention, the channel 90 will typically
be a retailer channel from the retailer operating POS terminals in
accordance with the present invention.
[0092] 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 printer
19d. 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 15, as shown in examples 15a and 15b
in FIGS. 5A and 5B, respectively. The server can provide security
and services for printing tickets, for example. The peripheral
server 19c can communicate with devices 15 using a space serial
(e.g., RS232) port and does not require any interaction with the
third party application 18.
[0093] Device 15 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 35, channel
server 90, acquirer 48 and the transaction processing engine 164.
The transaction is processed and logged in the same secure manner,
and then sent back through the secure system directly to the secure
lottery printer where the ticket is presented to the retailer.
[0094] In one embodiment of the present invention, the lottery data
processing system 165 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 164 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.
[0095] FIGS. 6 and 7 are diagrams illustrating an example specific
lottery data processing system 165 for use in connection with the
present invention. As shown in FIG. 6, this system 165 can be
logically comprised of three separate software layers. The base
layer 140 (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 142
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 145. 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).
[0096] 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.
[0097] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, 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 can securely transfer information for lottery
service providers. The gaming platform services layer is the
middleware layer that provides the most commonly needed middleware
services for a lottery system. This includes the transaction
processing engine 164 and can further include capabilities for
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. Gaming platform services 200
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. 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.
[0098] 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 as
described. The application server and web server can comprise a
channel component 90 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., 15) 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.
[0099] 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..
[0100] As further shown in FIG. 6, 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.
[0101] 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
cent-ally manage the lottery operations of each store. As shown at
33 in FIG. 4, such a lottery sales agent can be provided with
system and network management capabilities, reporting and
interfaces for non-lottery third party applications.
[0102] 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.
[0103] A channel (e.g., 90) is the interface to the lottery backend
in connection with 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.
[0104] The lottery engine or host 161 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.
[0105] The transaction processing engine 164 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. The
transaction engine includes a series of acquirers 48 corresponding
to a respective channel component 90. A transaction acquirer
acquires transactions and processes them with a suitable processor
164. 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. 5, the acquirers are in communication
with the commerce services component 60, as well as transaction
processor 164.
[0106] A transaction processor 164 manages and account for the
products used in accordance with the present invention. The role of
transaction 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 44. In one embodiment,
processors can include a sports processor, numbers processor, lotto
processor, PowerBall processor and Instant game processor.
[0107] Message Exchange (MX) 44 provides the interface between the
internal processing in accordance with the present invention and
the external processing systems such as provided by hosts 161. 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 161 and
partially on the transaction engine 164. The MX can take data
received via Internet protocol (IP) and makes it interpretable by
the lottery host 161 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.
[0108] System services component 80 can include a system database,
e-mail server, Java naming and directory interface (JNDI) server,
and business object repository, 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. Game
parameters can contain values specific to each game and device
profile contains information about the terminals connected to the
system.
[0109] The commerce services 60 in connection with the lottery
management system can provide for a claims and settlement system in
connection with the acquiring processor or transaction engine. The
claims and settlement system 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, such as institutions, interchanges, banks, merchants,
operators and terminals. The commerce services component further
provides for the management of user and device profiles, accounts,
product catalogs, electronic wallet functionality and electronic
fund transfer.
[0110] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a sample implementation of one
embodiment of the present invention. As shown therein, a
commissioned lottery retailer 275 (shown with doorway 285) such as
a gas station can have as part of its existing infrastructure a
plurality of transaction devices including cashier POS devices 315,
a self-service kiosk 320 such as convenience stores, and
self-service gas pump credit processing centers 322. The existing
infrastructure can be in the form of system hardware, software,
network connectivity and related services. Devices 315, 320 and 322
are connected via network connection to retailer server 325, which
can communicate with retailer manager system 333 and lottery system
330 as described above.
[0111] In one embodiment, the level of interaction permitted by a
specific retailer can be determined by the lottery provider
commissioning the specific retailer. Lottery or game players 365
can interact at any of devices 315, 320 or 322 to enjoy the game
offerings, buy and print tickets and conduct non-lottery
transactions, such as paying for gasoline, merchandise or other
items available. In one embodiment, the lottery interface allows
the users to track winnings, track account information and view
other player information.
[0112] As shown in FIG. 9, the lottery backend system 165 can
simultaneously serve multiple retailers and/or lottery
distributors, including retailer 12a having multiple POS
device-types (similar to gas station retailer 275 in FIG. 8),
retailer 12b having multiple POS devices 15 in a single location
(such as a supermarket, for example), and distributor 12c having a
plurality of stand-alone kiosk devices 320 spread over a region,
for example.
[0113] It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that any
computer system that includes suitable programming means for
operating in accordance with the disclosed methods also falls well
within the scope of the present invention. Suitable programming
means include any means for directing a computer system to execute
the steps of the system and method of the invention, including for
example, systems comprised of processing units and arithmetic-logic
circuits coupled to computer memory, which systems have the
capability of storing in computer memory, which computer memory
includes electronic circuits configured to store data and program
instructions, programmed steps of the method of the invention for
execution by a processing unit. Aspects of the present invention
may be embodied in a computer program product, such as a diskette
or other recording medium, for use with any suitable data
processing system. The present invention can further run on a
variety of platforms, including Microsoft Windows.TM., Linux.TM.,
Sun Solaris.TM., HP/UX.TM., IBM AIX.TM. and Java compliant
platforms, for example.
[0114] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will
so fully reveal the general nature of the invention that others
can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for
various applications such specific embodiments without departing
from the generic concept. 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. It is to
be understood that the phraseology of terminology employed herein
is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.
* * * * *