U.S. patent application number 12/576126 was filed with the patent office on 2011-04-14 for mobilekittens.
This patent application is currently assigned to Paul Francis Guziel. Invention is credited to Paul F. Guziel.
Application Number | 20110086692 12/576126 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43855271 |
Filed Date | 2011-04-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110086692 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Guziel; Paul F. |
April 14, 2011 |
MobileKittens
Abstract
Mobile device software application that uses the camera in a
web-enabled PDA, cellular phone or smart phone to capture a barcode
image off a lottery ticket, convert it to its unique serial number,
pass it via cellular data service through a database query to
append or change a game database and initiate a unique computer
game sessions on the mobile device that the consumer can play with
variable outcomes to determine the future value of the printed
ticket.
Inventors: |
Guziel; Paul F.; (Roswell,
GA) |
Assignee: |
Guziel; Paul Francis
Alpharetta
GA
|
Family ID: |
43855271 |
Appl. No.: |
12/576126 |
Filed: |
October 8, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/17 ;
463/42 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 2300/406 20130101;
G07F 17/3218 20130101; G07F 17/329 20130101; A63F 2300/1093
20130101; G07F 17/32 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/17 ;
463/42 |
International
Class: |
A63F 9/24 20060101
A63F009/24 |
Claims
1) A process by which a lottery ticket can be generated by an
existing lottery terminal with a future value determined by
variable actions of the player.
2) A process by which a mobile computer device with a built in
camera can recognize the ticket barcode of claim 1, convert to the
unique identifier and communicate with the lottery database to
append/change the record value of the ticket
3) The method by which claim 2 stores the present and future value
of the purchased ticket.
4) A Process by which the scanned ticket in claim 2 activates a
specific computer game in the mobile device
5) The method by which the prize results are randomly generated to
populate the possible outcomes of the game generated in claim 3
6) The method by which the activated computer game in claim 3 sets
the variable choices that the player can make to direct the path to
the randomized prize outcomes determined in claim 4.
7) The method of managing the communication between the device and
the lottery information database server to log the actions of the
player.
8) The method by which the appended variable outcome data is
encrypted and sent to the lottery database as described in claim
6.
9) The method by which the database sets and stores the probability
outcome of the game play in claim 6 to set the new value of the
ticket.
10) The method of managing the prize pool to generate possible game
outcomes that do not exceed a payout threshold set by the
lottery.
11) The method of throwing errors if the software determines
conflicts in communicating with the hardware, communicating with
the database or an inability to produce a valid result.
12) The method of generating a duplicate ticket barcode in the
mobile device that can be used as an alternate or backup vehicle to
validate/claim the prize at the lottery retailer.
13) The method of using the mobile device to validate and claim
electronically in future implementations
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD AND INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Terminal generated lottery tickets are printed on thermal or
dot matrix printers with limited graphic capabilities, but they can
print machine-readable barcode formats that contain unique
identifiers for a specific ticket. Those codes can be read by any
standard camera equipped mobile communication devices to generate a
game application that allows the player to make certain choices
that determine the outcome of the game.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Terminal generated lottery tickets like Mega Millions,
Powerball and Pick 3 are typically printed with limited graphics
capabilities from network terminals that record the ticket into a
game database and house fields like purchase date, drawing date and
selected numbers. The consumer then holds that ticket until a
scheduled drawing is held which will determine the win/loss result
of that ticket. With the development of our MobileCAT application
that allows lottery ticket results to be returned by a
camera-equipped mobile device/phone, the next stage of design is
apparent--to allow players to play out the results on their mobile
or internet device.
[0003] Lottery players and gamers want to have more interactivity
and control over their game. Gamblers that play card games or other
casino games typically dismiss lottery games as they feel they
don't have any control over the outcome. With this application, the
player can make a series of choices in their game play that will
change the outcome of the ticket.
[0004] While instant scratch lottery tickets have predetermined
outcomes, terminal generated lottery tickets have a time-delayed
outcome. When a scratch ticket is purchased, before the ticket is
scratched to reveal the outcome, the ticket is already a
predetermined win/loss with a specific value. The terminal
generated ticket has a purchase value, until the time of an
undetermined drawing that can change its value to $0 or a range of
winning prize amounts.
[0005] By changing the dynamic of the `drawing element` without
changing the mechanics of the game, a player can purchase a
terminal generated ticket and play out the game with more control
over the outcome.
[0006] The MobileKittens application uses the simple bar coded
terminal generated ticket to launch a variety of interactive
computer games that determine the outcome of the game. The prize
structure of the game can still be pari-mutuel, creating rolling
jackpot amounts and lower tier prizes based on aggregate ticket
purchases, and the database manages the distribution at the point
of activating the game.
[0007] This application utilizes new technology and trends that
make play and wins possible, without breaching the rules and laws
that govern lottery business in most jurisdictions.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] A mobile device application that can capture a barcode image
off a lottery ticket using the built-in camera on the mobile device
(smart phone/cell phone/PDA); convert that barcode into a
recognizable number. Using the mobile device data connection it can
submit that number in a SQL string to a ticket database where it
generates an interactive computer game that gives the player a
series of choices to make that will determine the outcome of the
game. The outcome is secured and returned back to the game database
locking in the value of that purchased ticket.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1--Camera Phone Barcode Reader: The built in camera on
the consumer mobile device (phone) can be used to image the barcode
off a lottery ticket. Once the image is captured, the software
application interprets the barcode from the captured image and
converts it to the unique code of the ticket.
[0010] FIG. 2--Mobile Game Activation: Once the unique ticket code
is identified, it can be used as a parameter in an SQL script that
can be sent over the phone data connection to append/update a
database of purchased lottery tickets. The query pulls the data
from that ticket and activates a mobile game on the device that the
consumer can play to determine the outcome/value of the purchased
ticket.
[0011] FIG. 3--Probability Path: The random number generator
provides a series of different prize outcomes based on the player's
path/choice. This is generated from the available prize pool in the
database and sent back to the mobile device to display the specific
results based on the player's choice. After the player makes
his/her choice, the outcome is sent back to the database to flag
that ticket record and if a prize was awarded, it is removed from
the available prize pool.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0012] Gaming enthusiasts and gamblers infrequently play the
lottery because they feel they don't have any control over the
outcome of the game. Rules and regulations make it difficult for
lottery organizations to change this aspect of their product
offering. They are bound by guidelines that mandate random outcome
and no-skill type game play.
[0013] In order to remedy this conflict, the MobileKittens uses
existing technology in the form of mobile phone cameras, data
connectivity and operating systems that can handle the game
engines.
[0014] When a terminal generated ticket (Mega Millions, Lotto, Pick
3) is printed, the ticket value at that point in time is that of
the purchase price. The value of that ticket changes at the
dedicated time of a drawing. Once the outcome of the random drawing
is held, the ticket can be worth $0 or a range of prize amounts
based on a table of matching play numbers to the drawing
numbers.
[0015] Just like the future drawing, a ticket value outcome can be
determined by another random action with a variable overlay. Since
the lottery cannot payout more than it takes in, the prize outcome
could be randomized by the database at the point of player game
generation. This could include a number of different amounts in the
game play. The variable outcome would then be based on the player's
actions.
[0016] For example, the player would purchase a $1 terminal
generated ticket at the lottery retailer for a baseball game. The
lottery terminal would print a single color lottery ticket with a
barcode printed on it. The barcode would contain the unique
identifier of the ticket and retain a value of the $1 purchase
price. The player could hold that ticket for any amount of time and
it will remain valued at $1.
[0017] When the player is ready to play out his/her ticket, she
uses her camera enabled mobile device with the MobileKittens
application installed to scan the barcode on the printed ticket.
Once the barcode is scanned, the mobile device sends a call message
to the lottery database to activate the baseball game. The game
play is then initiated.
[0018] The computer game would run on the player's mobile device
and prompt the player to make some game decisions. In this example,
the pitcher would throw a pitch and the player would have the
choice of taking the pitch, bunting or swinging away. The game
would continue and show the result of either hitting the ball,
taking the pitch, which could be a strike or a ball, or running out
a bunt. All of the mechanics of the game would be engineered to
follow an outcome path based on the player's decision. The path
could lead to a non-win or it could lead to any number of different
cash prizes.
[0019] The game play could be as detailed as possible, but the path
would always be simple for the lottery game database to log the
variable outcome.
[0020] Once the game play is complete, a value code is sent from
the player's mobile device to the lottery database to set the value
of the printed paper ticket. The mobile device would also
regenerate the ticket barcode and store it in that game record.
[0021] If the outcome of the ticket is a cash prize, the player
would return that printed ticket to the lottery retailer to claim
his/her prize. He could also bring the device back to the retailer
and open the barcode on the device screen and hand it to the
retailer to scan and validate with the lottery terminal.
[0022] Future applications will allow for full mobile purchase and
validation via the handheld device.
[0023] Just like a drawing game, the value of the ticket is
initially set at the purchase price until a future event happens to
change the ticket value. Then the ticket reserved in the database
is valued at the win/loss value for validation and claims.
DRAWINGS
[0024] The following 3 pages are images diagramming the process by
which a PDA/Cell phone can be used lottery game play device that is
activated/initiated by a terminal generated ticket purchased at the
traditional bricks and mortar lottery retailer. Detail of each
drawing is described in paragraphs [00008]-[00010] above in the
section titled "BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS".
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