Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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INTERACTIVE WAGERING SYSTEMS AND
METHODS FOR RECORDING WAGERING EVENTS
Background of the Invention
This invention relates to interactive
wagering systems and methods, and particularly to
wagering systems and methods that allow users to place
wagers on live wagering events, such as thoroughbred
races, harness races, dog races, etc., at locations
remote from the locations where the wagering events
take place, such as the users' homes. More
particularly, this invention relates to wagering
systems and methods that allow users to conveniently
record wagering events based on the wagers placed by
the users.
Wagering on live events, such as thoroughbred
races, harness races, dog races, etc., is an exciting
and increasingly popular leisure activity. However,
for many racing enthusiasts, it is difficult or
inconvenient to attend wagering events in person.
Although off-track betting establishments provide
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greater access to wagering opportunities, they are
still inconvenient in that the users must spend time
locating and traveling to such establishments in order
to place wagers.
The above-described difficulties that faced
wagering enthusiasts were addressed in commonly
assigned U.S. Patent 5,830,068 ("the '068 patent") of
Brenner et al. entitled "Interactive Wagering Systems
And Processes," which is hereby incorporated by
reference in its entirety. The '068 patent discloses
interactive wagering systems and processes that allow
wagering enthusiasts to place wagers on live wagering
events, such as horse races, from the convenience of
their homes through the use of an in-home wagering
terminal. The systems and processes of the '068 patent
allow users to place electronic wagers on horse races.
It is an object of the invention to provide ways in
which to automatically record wagering events based on
which wagers are placed by the user.
It is also an object of the invention to
provide an improved user interface for accessing and
viewing stored videos.
It is another object of the invention to
provide systems and methods for allowing a user to
search for desired racing videos from a racing archive.
Summary of the Invention
An interactive wagering system is provided
that checks to determine if an event on which a user
has placed a wager has an associated video that is
scheduled to be broadcast. This determination may be
made by comparing the selected event to a database of
upcoming wagering events. If the interactive wagering
system determines that the selected wagering event is
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scheduled for broadcast, the system may ask the user tc
decide whether or not the selected event should be
recorded. If the user chooses to record the event, the
interactive wagering system may direct a recording
device to record the selected event at the appropriate
time. If desired, the interactive wagering system may
actuate the recording device at the appropriate time.
This invention may be used with any suitable
recording devices, including analog and digital
videotape recorders, optical media recorders, and
magnetic media recorders.
The user may set a system parameter in the
interactive wagering system that causes the system to
record all events the user places wagers on that are
broadcast. This approach avoids the need for the user
to respond to a prompt after the wager has been created
or placed.
The manner by which the interactive wagering
system effectuates control over the recording device
may be determined in accordance with the particular
user's.hardware configuration. For example, if the
wagering system is implemented in a set-top box, the
system may control the recording device through a hard-
wired, wireless, or infrared link. Alternatively, the
interactive wagering system may be implemented using
the same hardware that performs the recording function
(e.g., a personal computer), in which case the
interactive wagering system can directly control
recording of selected wagering events without a data
3C connection to a peripheral device.
If desired, the interactive wagering system
may allow the user to easily access the user's stored
racing videos. The racing videos may be stored in a
personal archive. The user may be able to view or
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delete any of the stored or saved videos. The user may
access lists of the videos that are organized according
to criteria such as the track, race number, and date of
each race.
The interactive wagering system may include a
racing video archive located remotely from the user
equipment. The system may allow the user to search the
racing archive for desired races. For example, the
user may be able to search for desired races based on
user-specified criteria such as track, horse, track
conditions, trainer, jockey, and weather. Upon
completion of the search, the user may be presented
witi-~ a number of matches. The user may view one or
more of the matches or may save one of more of them in
the user's personal archive.
The foregoing embodiments may be implemented
using user television equipment, user computer
equipment, user telephone equipment, or any other
suitable platform.
Further features of the invention, its nature
and various advantages will be more apparent from the
accompanying drawings and the following detailed
description of the preferred embodiments.
Brief Description of the Drawings
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an
illustrative interactive wagering system in accordance
wit:n the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of illustrative
user television equipment in accordance with the
present invention.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of additional
illustrative user television equipment in accordance
with the present invention.
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FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of illustrative
user ccmputer equipment in accordance with the present
invention.
FIG. 5 is a diagram of an illustrative user
cellular telephone ea_uipment in accordance with the
present invention.
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of illustrative
user equipment in accordance with the present
invention.
FIG. 7 is an illustrative menu screen that
may be provided in accordance with the present
invention.
FIG. 8 is an illustrative Build A Bet track
selection screen that may be provided in accordance
with the present invention.
FIG. 9 is an illustrative Build A Bet race
selection screen that may be provided in accordance
with the present invention.
FIG. 10 is an illustrative Build A Bet wager
type selection screen that may be provided in
accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 11 is an illustrative Build A Bet horse
selection screen that may be provided in accordance
with the present invention.
FIG. 12 is an illustrative Build A Bet wager
amount selection screen that may be provided in
accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 13 is an illustrative Build A Bet player
identification screen that may be provided in
accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 14 is an illustrative Build A Bet screen
with a recording prompt that may be provided in
accordance with the present invention.
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FIG. 15 is an illustrative Build A Bet screen
with a reminder window that may be provided in
accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 16 is an illustrative bet queue screen
that may be provided in accordance with the present
invention.
FIG. 17 is an illustrative Build A Bet screen
with a pin-entry window that may be provided in
accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 18 is an illustrative Build A Bet screen
with a sending bets window that may be provided in
accordar:ce with the present invention.
FIG. 19 is an illustrative Build A Bet screen
with a bets sent window that may be provided in
accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 20 is another illustrative bet queue
screen that may be provided in accordance with the
present invention.
FIG. 21 is a flow diagram illustrating a
build a bet mode that may be presented in an
interactive wagering application implemented with user
television equipment, user computer equipment, or user
telephcne equipment in accordance with the present
invention.
FIG. 22 is an illustrative Build A Bet screen
with a save race in My Videos prompt that may be
provided in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 23 is an illustrative My Videos player
identification screen that may be provided in
accordance with the present invention.
FIGS. 24 and 25 are illustrative My Videos
main menu screens that may be provided in accordance
with the present invention.
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FIG. 26 is an illustrative My Videos screen
with a race options window that may be provided in
accordance with the present invention.
FIGS. 27a and 27b are illustrative racing
video display screens that may be provided in
accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 28 is another illustrative My Videos
screen with a race options window that may be provided
in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 29 is an illustrative My Videos screen
with a confirmation window that may be provided in
accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 30 is an illustrative Search Archives
main menu screen that may be provided in accordance
with the present invention.
FIG. 31 is an illustrative search results
screen that may be provided in accordance with the
present invention.
FIG. 32 is an illustrative Search Archives
screen with a race options window that may be provided
in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 33 is an illustrative Search Archives
screen with a player identification window that may be
provided in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 34 is an illustrative racing video
display screen that may be provided in accordance with
the present invention.
FIG. 35 is an illustrative Search Archives
screen with a confirmation window that may be provided
in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 36 is another illustrative embodiment o~
a Search Archives main menu screen that may be provided
in accordance with the present invention.
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Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments
An illustrative interactive wagering system
in accordance with the present invention is shown in
FIG. 1. Aspects of the invention apply to various
5 different types of wagering, but are described herein
primarily in the context of interactive wagering on
races (e. g., horse races) for specificity and clarity.
Races may be run at racetracks 12, which may
be located at various geographic locations. Races run
10 at the racetracks may be simulcast to television
viewers. For example, simulcast videos may be provided
to users with satellite receivers or to off-track
betting establishments via satellite.
System 10 may be used to provide an
interactive wagering service to users of various user
equipment. An interactive wagering application may be
used to provide the wagering service. The interactive
wagering application may run locally on the user
equipment (e. g., on a set-top box, personal computer,
cellular telephone, handheld computing device, etc.) or
may run using a client-server or distributed
architecture where some of the application is
implemented locally on the user equipment in the form
of a client process and some of the application is
implemented at a remote location (e. g., on a server
computer or other such equipment in the system) as a
server process. These arrangements are merely
illustrative. Other suitable techniques for
implemer_ting the interactive wagering application may
be used if desired.
Real-time videos from racetracks 12 may also
be provided to video production system 14 for
distribution to users as part of a television wagering
service (i.e., a wagering television channel or similar
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In~ernet-delivered service or the like). If desired,
multiple simulcast videos may be provided to video
production. system 14 in real-time. Talent (e. g.,
coT.~-nentators who discuss horse races) for the
television wagering service provided by the interactive
wagering application may be located at studio 16.
Studio 16 may provide a video feed containing
commentary and the like to video production system 14.
Graphic overlays for the television wagering service
may be added to the service at video production system
14.
The television wagering service may use video
production system 14 to combine selected video segments
from desired racing simulcasts with the video feed from
studio 16 and suitable graphic overlays. If desired,
video production system 14 or a separate facility may
be used to reformat simulcasts from racetracks 12. For
example, if racetracks 12 provide simulcasts as
traditional analog television channels, video
production system 14 (or a separate facility) may
convert these simulcasts or portions of these
simulcasts into digital signals (e. g., digital video
signals) or into a different number of analog signals.
Digital video signals may require less bandwidth than
analog video signals and may be appropriate for
situations in which videos are to be transmitted over
either high or low bandwidth pathways. Low bandwidth
pathways may include telephone lines, the Internet,
etc.
Video production system 14 may be used to
provide a television wagering service that includes
selected simulcast videos, video from studio 16, and
graphic overlays to television distribution facilities
18 (for redistribution to user television equipment 22
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and user computer equipment 20), to user computer
equipment 20, and to user telephone equipment 32 (if
user telephone equipment 32 has a display capable of
displaying moving images). Television distribution
facilities 18 may be any suitable facilities for
supplying television to users, such as cable system
headends, satellite systems, broadcast television
systems, or other suitable systems or combinations of
such systems. User computer equipment 20 may be any
suitable computer equipment that supports an
interactive wagering application. For example, user
computer equipment 20 may be a personal computer. User
computer equipment 20 may also be based on a mainframe
computer, a workstation, a networked computer or
computers, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a
handheld computing device such as a personal digital
assistant or other small portable computer, etc.
Each of television distribution facilities 18
is typically located at a different geographic
locatic~. Users with user television equipment 22 may
receive the television wagering service from an
associated television distribution facility. User
television equipment 22 may include, for example, a
television or other suitable monitor. A television may
be used to watch the television wagering service on a
traditional analog television channel. User television
equipment 22 may also include a digital or analog set-
tcp box connected to a television distribution facility
18 by a cable path. A digital set-top box may be used
to receive the television wagering service on a digital
channel. If desired, user television equipment 22 may
contain: a satellite receiver, a WebTV box, a personal
computer television (PC/TV), or hardware similar to
such devices into which set-top box capabilities have
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been integrated. A recording device such as an analog
or digital videotape recorder, optical media recorder,
digital video recorder (DVR) which may also known as
personal video recorder (PVR), magnetic media recorder
(e. g., hard disk drive or the like), or any other type
of recording device may be used in user television
equipment 22 to store videos such as wagering events.
The manner by which the television wagering service
exerts control over the recording device may depend
?0 whether the recording device is separate from or part
of the components of user television equipment 22. If
the recording device is separate from the hardware that
implements the television wagering application, then
the television wagering application can control the
recording device to record videos through a hard-wired,
wireless, or optical link (e.g., infrared). If the
recording device is part of the same hardware that
implements the television wagering application, then
the television wagering application can directly
control the recording device without a data connection
to a peripheral device.
Illustrative user television equipment 46 is
shown in FIG. 2. Set-top box 50 may receive television
programming and data at line or input 48. Set-top
box 50 may have analog and digital television tuning
circuitry for handling analog and digital television
signals. Television signals may be passed to
videocassette recorder 54, which is separate from the
hardware (i.e., set-top box 50) that implements the
television wagering application, for recording. Set-
top box 50 may also control the operation of
videocassette recorder 54. For example, set-top box 50
may issue infrared commands that are received by
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videocassette recorder 54 at the same inputs at which
standard remote control commands are received.
Videocassette recorder 54 may be connected to
television 58. Television programming and graphic
display screens generated by applications implemented
using set-top box 50 may be passed from set-top box 50
to television 58 through videocassette recorder 54.
Set-top box 50 has memory and processing
circuitry. This allows set-top box 50 to be used to
implement applications that support an interactive
wagering application, television wagering service,
interactive television program guide, web browsing and
Internet access, and other services such as home
shopping, home banking, and video-on-demand services,
etc.
A remote control 60 such as an infrared
remote control may be used to control set-top box 50,
videocassette recorder 54, and television 58. Remote
control 60 may have buttons 62 such as a power button,
righlt, left, up, and down arrow keys, an OK or select
key, a favorites or fav key, a lock or parental control
key, etc .
Illustrative user television equipment 66
based on a digital video recorder 70 is shown in FIG.
3. Digital video recorder 70 may receive television
programming and may access interactive services using
line or input 68. Digital video recorder 70 may have
analog and digital tuning circuitry to receive and
process television signals. Digital video recorder 70
may be used to record television programs in any
suitable format. For example, digital videos may be
stored using the MPEG-2 format.
Recorded videos or real-time videos from
input 68 may be displayed on television 74 or any other
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suitable monitor. A remote control 76 such as an
infrared remote control may be used to control digital
Video recorder 70 and television 74. Remote control 76
may have buttons such as a power button, right, left,
up, and down arrow keys, an OK or select key, a
favorites or faV key, a lock or parental contrcl key,
etc.
Digital video recorder 70 has memory and
processing circuitry that allows digital Video recorder
70 to be used to implement applications that support an
interactive wagering application, television wagering
service, interactive television program guide, web
browsing and Internet access, and other services such
as home shopping, home banking, and video-on-demand
services, etc. Television programming and display
screens generated by interactive applications may be
displayed on television 74.
User computer equipment 20 may receive the
television wagering service using a video card or other
video-capable equipment to receive analog or digital
(e. g., moving picture experts group or MPEG) videos
from a television distribution facility. User computer
equipment 20 may also receive the television wagering
service directly from video production system 14 using,
for example, a modem link. If desired, the video for
the television wagering service may be compressed
(e.g., using MPEG techniques). This may be useful, for
example, if the path to user computer equipment 20 is a
modem connection using telephone links. If video
production system 14 is only used to serve user
computer equipment 20 without traditional analog
television capabilities, video production system 14 may
only need to supply such digitally-compressed video
signals and not analog television signals. A recording
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device such as a magnetic media recorder (e. g., hard
disk drive, tape drive, or the like), optical media
recorder (e. g., compact disc recorder drive, compact
disc rewritable drive, digital video disk recordable
drive, or the like), analog or digital videotape
recorder, DVR or PVR, or any other type of recording
device may be used in user computer equipment 20 to
store videos. If the recording device is separate from
the hardware that implements the interactive wagering
application, then the interactive wagering application
can control the recording device to record videos
through a hard-wired (e. g., serial port connection,
universal serial bus connection, parallel port
connection, IEEE-1394 connection, or the like),
wireless, or optical link (e.g., infrared link). If
the recording device is located within the same
hardware that implements the interactive wagering
application, then the interactive wagering application
can directly control the recording device witout a
data cor_nection to a peripheral device.
Illustrative user computer equipment 77 is
shown ~_. FIG. 4. User computer equipment 77 may be
based or: a personal computer 80 or any other suitable
computing device. Personal computer 80 may receive
televis;~on programing and information for interactive
services using line or input 78. Personal computer 80
may contain a tuner card 82 or other suitable circuitry
for handling analog and digital television signals.
Personae computer 80 may also contain memory and
processing circuitry that allows personal computer 80
to be used to implement applications that support an
interactive wagering application, television wagering
service, interactive television program guide, web
browsing and Internet access, and other services such
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as home shopping, home banking, video-on-demand
services, etc. Personal computer 80 may contain a
storage device such as a hard disk drive to store
videos.
Television signals and screens generated by
interactive applications may be displayed on monitor
84.
The user may interact with personal computer
80 using any suitable user input interface, such as
keyboard 86, a pointing device such as a trackball,
mouse, or touch pad, a voice recognition system, a
handwriting recognition system, etc. If desired, the
user may interact with personal computer 80 using a
wireless remote control such as remote control 88.
Remote control 88 may be, for example, an infrared
remote control.
Video clips of races and other simulcast
information may be provided to users in the form of a
television wagering service or by an interactive
wagering service provided by the interactive wagering
application. If desired, race-related videos may be
provided to the user by using video production system
14 or other suitable equipment to route appropriate
video clips from the simulcasts to the user in real-
time. Video clips may also be stored for later
viewing. For example, one or more video servers
located at racetracks 12, video production system 14,
television distribution facilities 18, or other
suitable locations may be used to store video clips.
The stored videos may then be played back in real-time
or downloaded for viewing at user television equipment
22, user computer equipment 20, or user telephone
equipment 32. The video clips may contain videos of
races, commentary, interviews with jockeys, or any
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other suitable race-related information. If desired,
real-time or stored videos may be provided from
racetracks 12 directly to user television equipment 22,
user computer equipment 20, or user telephone equipment
32 over the Internet or other suitable communications
paths without involving video production system 14.
Videos may also be provided by routing video signals
through equipment located elsewhere in system 10. For
example, videos may be routed through transaction
processing and subscription management system 24.
Transaction processing and subscription
management system 24 may contain computer equipment 26
and other equipment for supporting system functions
such as transaction processing (e. g., handling tasks
related to wagers, product purchasing, adjusting the
amount of funds in user accounts based on the outcomes
of wagers, video clip ordering, etc.), data
distribution (e.g., for distributing racing data to the
users), and subscriber management (e. g., features
related to opening an account for a user, closing an
account, allowing a user to add or withdraw funds from
an account, changing the user's address or personal
identif,lcation number, etc.). Databases within
transaction processing and subscription management
system 24 or associated with system 24 may be used to
store racing data, wagering data and other transaction
data, and subscriber data such as information on the
user's current account balance, past wagering history,
individual wager limits, personal identification
number, billing addresses, credit card numbers, bank
account numbers, social security numbers, etc. Using
such databases may allow the user to access information
more quickly and allows for central administration of
the wagering service.
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If desired, racing videos and other services
may be provided using servers and other equipment
located at transaction processing and subscription
management system 24. For example, video clips may be
provided to the user on-demand. Interactive
advertisements may be provided to the user. Gdhen the
user selects a desired advertisement, transaction
processing and subscription management system 24 may
provide additional information or other services
related to the advertisement to the user.
Product ordering services may be implemented
using computer equipment at transaction processing and
subscriber management system 24 to handle orders and to
assist in adjusting the appropriate account of the user
accordingly. Orders may be fulfilled using merchandise
fulfillment facilities 34. Merchandise fulfillment
facilities 34 may be operated solely to provide
merchandise fulfillment or may be associated with
independently-operated mail-order or on-line
businesses. Similar facilities may be used tc allow
users to order services.
Statistical racing data such as the post
times for each race, jockey names, runner names and the
number of races associated with each track,
handicapping information (e. g., information or. east
performances such as the number of wins and losses for
the past year, etc.), and weather conditions at various
tracks may be provided by racing data collection and
processing system 28. Some of the data may be
collected from racetracks 12 and some may be provided
by third party information sources such as Axcis Pocket
Information Network, Inc. of Santa Clara, California or
other suitable data sources.
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Racing data may also be provided from
totalisators 30. Totalisators 30 are the computer
systems that may be used to handle wagers made at the
racetracks, made at off-track betting establishments,
and made using interactive wagering system 10.
Totalisators 30 generate wagering odds in real-time.
Totalisators 30 generate these odds based on
information on which wagers are being placed (e. g.,
based on information on which wagers are being placed
c:. races at racetracks 12). Totalisators 30 are
available from companies such as Amtote International,
Inc. of Hurt Valley, Maryland. Totalisators 30 may be
associated with individual racetracks 12 or groups of
racetracks 12. Totalisators 30 may communicate with
one another using a communication protocol known as the
Intertote Track System Protocol (ITSP). This allows
totalisators 30 to share wagering pools. Totalisators
30 may provide racing data including information on the
current races at racetracks 12, the number of races
associated with each racetrack, win, place, and show
odds and pool totals for each horse or other runner,
and exacta, trifecta, and quinella payoff predictions
and pool totals for every possible combination of
runners. Totalisators 30 may also provide current odds
and other real-time racing data for other types of
wagers. Totalisators 30 may provide the time until
post time for each race.
Totalisators 30 may provide race results,
such as the order-of-finish list for at least the first
three positions and payoff values versus a standard
wager amount for win, place, and show, for each runner
in the finish list. Payoff values may be provided for
winning complex wager types such as exacta, trifecta,
quinella, pick-n (where n is the number of races
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involved in the pick-n wager), and daily double. The
payoff values may be accompanied by a synopsis of the
associated finish list.
Totalisators 30 may also provide program
information of the type typically provided in printed
racing programs. Such program information may include
early odds, early scratches, race descriptions
(including the distance of each race and the race
surface - grass, dirt, artificial turf, etc.), allowed
class ratings (based on a fixed ratio of external
criteria), purse value (payoff to winning runner),
allowed age range of runners, and the allowed number of
wins and starts for each runner.
If desired, some of the information provided
to transaction processing and subscription management
system 24 by totalisators 30 (such as the program
information or other suitable racing data) may be
provided by racing data collection and processing
system 28. Similarly, some of the information provided
to transaction processing and subscription management
system 24 by racing data collection and processing
system 28 may be provided by totalisators 30.
Moreover, the foregoing examples of different suitable
types of racing data are merely illustrative. Any
suitable data related to racing may be provided to
transaction processing and subscription management
system if desired.
Transaction processing and subscription
management system 24 provides the racing data to users
at user television equipment 22, user computer
equipment 20, and user telephone equipment 32 for use
in following race results and developing wagers. If
desired, racing data may be provided to users using
paths that do not directly involve transaction
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processing and subscription management system 24. For
example, racing data may be provided from racing data
collection and processing system 28 to user television
equipment 22, user computer equipment 20, or user
telephone equipment 32 using the Internet or other
suitable communications paths.
User telephone equipment 32 may be a
conventional telephone, a cordless telephone, a
cellular telephone or other portable wireless
telephone, or any other suitable telephone equipment.
Users at user television equipment 22 and user computer
ea_uipment 20 may view information on the racing data on
a television or other suitable monitor. Users at user
telephone equipment 32 may listen to racing data using
an interactive voice system. User telephone equipment
32 may be based on cellular telephones or other
telephones with displays. Users may view racing data
and videos on such displays. A recording device 33
such as a magnetic media recorder (e. g., hard disk
drive or the like), memory (e. g. flash memory, EEPROM,
or the like), or any other type of recording device may
be used in user telephone equipment 32 to store videos
such as wagering events.
An illustrative cellular telephone 90 with
which the user may use the interactive wagering
application is shown in FIG. 5. A portion of the
software that is used to implement the interactive
wagering service is resident on cellular telephone 90.
Cellular telephone 90 may have a recording device for
storing software instructions and videos and a
processor for executing the instructions and displaying
the videos.
Cellular telephone 90 may have an antenna 92
to support wireless communications with transaction
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processing and subscription management system 24,
customer service facility 36, or video production
system 14. A power switch 94 may be used to turn on
and off cellular telephone 92. A speaker 96 allows the
user to hear conversations and to hear audio prompts
from transaction processing and subscription management
system 24. A microphone 98 allows the user to converse
with others. Display 100 may be a liquid crystal
display (black and white or color), a plasma display, a
light-emitting diode display, an active matrix display,
or any other suitable type of small display screen.
Kevs 1G2 allow the user to enter inputs. Numeric keys
102 (including the star and pound key) allow the user
to respond to interactive voice response system prompts
such as "press 3 to select race 3" and allow the user
to enter numbers to select numerically identified on-
screen menu options and the like that are displayed on
display 100. If desired, some of the numeric keys 102
may perform secondary functions if, for example, they
are pressed and held for at least a predetermined
length of time. Clear key 104 may be used to clear
characters from display 100. If the user presses and
holds clear key 104, the user may be taken back to the
initial screen displayed on display 100 upon power up.
Navigation key 106 may be used to access menus, make
telephone calls, etc. Scroll keys 108 may be used to
scroll through menus and to scroll through other items
presented on display screen 100.
A generalized schematic diagram of user
equipment (i.e., user television equipment 22, computer
ea_uipment 20, and user telephone equipment 32) of
FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. 6. Control circuitry i12 and
memory and storage 114 may have communications and
memory and processing circuitry for supporting
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functions such as receiving television programming,
recording videos in storage, and accessing interactive
services over line 110. Line 110 may connect to
communications paths such as paths 42, 44c, 44d, 44f-i,
44m, and 44n of FIG. 1. Television programming and
text, graphics, and video associated with interactive
services may be presented to the user with display 116.
Display 116 may be a television, a computer monitor, or
any other suitable display equipment.
The user may interact with control
circuitry 112 using any suitable user input
interface 118, such as a remote control, a keyboard, a
wireless keyboard, a display remote, a handheld
computer, a mouse, a trackball, a touch pad, or any
other suitable input device.
Users who wish to place wagers may establish
an account at transaction processing and subscription
management system 24. An account may also be
established at one of totalisators 30. The user and
the interactive wagering services may have their own
bank accounts at financial institutions 38. A user may
set up an account electronically by using user
television equipment 22, user computer equipment 20, or
user telephone equipment 32 to interact with the
subscriber management functions of transaction
processing and subscription management system 24. If
desired, accounts may be established with the
interactive wagering service with the assistance of
customer service representatives at customer service
facility 36. Customer service facility 36 may be at
the same location as transaction processing and
subscription management system 24, may be part of
system 24, or may be located remote from system 24.
Customer service representatives at customer service
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fac,~lity 36 may be reached by telephone. If user
telephone equipment 32 is used to access the
interactive wagering service, for example, user
telephone equipment 32 may be used to reach the
customer service representative using communications
path 42. If user television equipment 22 or user
computer equipment 20 is being used with the service, a
telephone at the same location as that equipment may be
used to reach the customer service representative.
The user's identity may be checked using
social security number information or other
identification information with the assistance of
subscriber verification facility 40. The services of
subscriber verification facility 40 are used to ensure
that the user lives in a geographic area in which
wagering is legal, that the user is of a legal age, and
that the identification information (e. g., the user's
social security number) matches the name provided by
the user. If the user is using a cellular telephone or
handheld computing device, the user's present physical
location may be determined by determining which general
part of the cellular telephone network is being
accessed by the user or by using the cellular network
or a handset-based location device such as a global
positioning system (GPS) receiver in the body of the
cellular telephone to pinpoint the user's location.
This location information may be used to verify that
the user is located in a geographic area where wagering
is legal.
In a typical enrollment process, the user
provides personal information to the interactive
wagering service and provides funds with a credit card
or funds from the user's bank account. The interactive
wagering service sets up an account for the user at
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transaction processing and subscription management
system 24 and directs one of totalisators 30 to set up
a new account for the user at the totalisator. The
totalisator is also directed to credit the user's
account to reflect the amount of funds provided by the
user. After the user places a wager and wins or loses,
the totalisator adjusts the user's totalisator account
to reflect the outcome of the wager. The totalisator
may periodically inform the interactive wagering
service of the adjusted balance in the user's account.
This may be accomplished using any suitable technique
(e. g., periodically, continuously, on-request, etc.).
For example, reports may be collected periodically
(e. g., once a day in an end-of-day report) and provided
to the interactive wagering service to reconcile the
account balances at transaction processing and
subscription management system 24 with the account
balances at totalisators 30.
If the user makes a balance inquiry, the
inquiry may be passed to the appropriate totalisator by
transaction processing and subscription management
system 24. If the user is charged a fee for
subscribing to the service, the service may debit the
fee from the user's account at the transaction
processing and subscription management system 24.
The accounts at totalisators 30 and
transaction processing and subscription management
system 24 are typically maintained separately, because
the business entities that operate totalisators 30 and
transaction processing and subscription management
system 24 are independent. If desired, financial
functions related to opening and maintaining user
accounts and the like may be handled using computer
equipment at another location such as one of financial
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institutions 38 or other locations remote from
totalisators 30 and system 24. Such financial
functions may also be implemented primarily at a
totalisator 30 or primarily at the transaction
processing and subscription management system 24 if
desired.
Users at user television equipment 22, user
computer equipment 20, and user telephone ea_uipment 32
may place wagers by providing wagering data and
otherwise interacting with transaction processing and
subscription management system 24. The interactive
wagering service may provide a user at user television
equipment 22, user computer equipment 20, or user
telephone equipment 32 that has display capabilities
with screens containing various racing data. For
example, the user may be presented with screens that
allow the user to view the current odds for horses in
an upcoming race at a given track.
The service may provide the user with
interactive screens containing menus and selectable
options that allow the user to specify the type of
wager in which the user is interested and the desired
wager amount. With a set-top box arrangement, for
example, the user may use a remote control or wireless
keyboard to navigate the various menus and selectable
options. With a personal computer, the user may use a
keyboard, mouse, trackball, touch pad, or other
suitable input or pointing device. With a cellular
telephone with a display, the user may use buttons on
the telephone. When the user has made appropriate
selections to define a desired wager, the user
television equipment, user computer equipment, or user
telephone equipment may transmit wagering data for the
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wager to transaction processing and subscription
management system 24.
Users with telephones may also interact with
the service using an interactive voice response system
located at transaction processing and subscription
management system 24. The interactive voice response
system may present menu options to the user in the form
of audio prompts (e. g., "press 1 to select a $2 wager
amount," etc.;. The user may interact with the service
be pressing the corresponding buttons on a touch tone
telephone. User telephone equipment 32 that is based
on cellular telephones allows the user to interact with
the wagering service in this way. User telephone
equipment 32 that is based on cellular telephones with
messaging and display capabilities also allows the user
to interact visually with the interactive wagering
seance.
The components of system 10 may be
interconnected using various communications paths 44.
Ccmmunications paths 44 may include satellite paths,
coaxial cable paths, fiber-optic paths, twisted pair
paths, other wire or cable-based links, wireless paths
through free space, or any other suitable paths or
combination of such paths. Communications over paths
44 may involve analog transmissions, digital
transmissions, wireless transmissions, microwave
transmissions, radio-frequency transmissions, optical
transmissions, audio transmissions, or any other
suitable type of transmissions or combination of such
transmissions. Communications may involve Internet
transmissions, private network transmissions, packet-
based transmissions, television channel transmissions,
transmissions in the vertical blanking interval of a
television channel or on a television sideband, MPEG
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transmissions, etc. Communications may involve
wireless pager or other messaging transmissions.
Communications paths 44 may include cable connected to
cable modems, digital subscriber lines, integrated
services digital network (ISDN) lines, or any other
suitable paths. Examples of suitable communications
pat:.s are described below. Those examples are,
however, merely illustrative. Any of the
communications path arrangements described above or
ether suitable arrangements may be used if desired.
Communications paths that carry video and
particularly uncompressed analog video or lightly-
compressed or full-screen digital video generally use
more bandwidth than communications paths that carry
only data or that carry partial-screen digital video.
For example, if it is desired to transmit high-quality
simulcasts of races from racetracks 12 to video
production system 14, analog or digital videos may be
transmitted from racetracks 12 to video production
system 14 over path 44a using satellite links. Video
may be transmitted from studio 16 to video production
system 14 over path 44b using a satellite link or a
high-speed terrestrial path such as a fiber-optic path.
Studio 16 may also be located at the same site as video
production system 14, thereby avoiding the need for a
long-haul transmission path. Videos may be transmitted
from video production system 14 to user computer
equipment 20 over path 14c using a modem link (using,
for example, a digital subscriber line, a telephone
network link, a wireless link etc.) The modem link may
be made over a private network.
A user with a cable modem may connect a
personal computer or other such user computer equipment
20 to an associated cable system headend using path
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44d. (The headend in such an arrangement would be one
of the television distribution facilities 18 shown in
FIG. i.) The user may then receive videos from the
headend via cable modem. Videos may be provided to the
headend over path 44e using a network link, fiber optic
links, cable links, microwave links, satellite links,
etc. A user with a set-top box (shown in FIG. 1 as
part of user television equipment 22) or similar device
may also receive videos from a cable system headend
10using a cable modem or other such communicaticns device
over path 44f. In addition, a user with user
television equipment 22 may receive videos over the
Internet or a private network using a telephone-based
modem or other such communications device using path
44g. In a system with distributed processing,
interactive wagering services may be provided using a
television distribution facility 18 that includes
equipment that supplements or replaces at least some of
the equipment at transaction processing and
subscr;~ption management system 24.
If desired, user television equipment 22 or
user computer equipment 20 may receive analog or
digital videos from an associated television
distribution facility over the communications paths
normally used to distribute television programming
(e.g., paths 44f and 44d). For example, videos may be
received as part of a wagering television channel. If
videos are provided as digital signals (e. g., MPEG
signals), 10 or more digital videos may be carried on a
single analog channel (or one digital video may be
carried on one-tenth of the bandwidth of an analog
channel). If the videos are not full-screen videos,
even more videos may be simultaneously provided without
a loss of image quality.
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Racing videos may be provided to user
telephone equipment 32 over a partially-wireless
telephone Internet --ink or other telephone link using
path 44n.
If desired, racing data may accompany the
racing videos along any of these paths. Moreover,
racing videos may be provided by routing them directly
from racetracks 12 to user television equipment 22,
user computer equipment 20 (e.g., over the Internet or
a private network, etc.), or user telephone equipment
32. Racing videos _:,ay also be provided by routing them
through transaction processing and subscription
management system 24. If a cellular telephone or
portable computing device has sufficient display
capabilities to support moving images, racing videos
may be displayed. Such videos may be provided using
any suitable path, such as a direct path from
racetracks 12, a path through video production system
14 or other suitable video processing equipment,
through a hub such as transaction processing and
subscription management system 24, etc. Racing videos
may be provided in real-time or may be recorded for
later distribution. Videos that are not provided in
real-time may be downloaded by user television
equipment 22, user computer equipment 20, a cellular
telephone, or other suitable user equipment at a lower
data rate than would otherwise be required and may be
downloaded in the background if desired. Such videos
may also be provided to the user at real-time video
rates for direct viewing by the user.
The interactive wagering service may
automatically record or ask a user whether to record
racing videos of races that have been wagered upon.
The recorded racing videos may contain pre and post
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race proceedings such as commentaries, interviews, or
the like. The racing videos may be recorded locally at
user television equipment 22, user computer equipment
20, or user telephone equipment 32. The racing videos
may be received by the user equipment in real-time or
at a later time. For example, all of the races that
are scheduled to be recorded for a particular day may
be transmitted overnight to the user equipment in order
to be recorded.
Alternatively, the racing videos may be
recorded on one or more remote video servers which may
be located at racetracks 12, video production system
14, television distribution facilities 18, transaction
processing and subscription management system 24, or
any other suitable location. The users of the
interactive wagering application may be allotted a
certain amount of storage on one or more of the remote
videos servers. This may be done by creating a
specific directory or personal archive for each user.
A user may be able to purchase additional space in his
or :ner directory if desired. Users may be able to
access their recorded racing videos on-demand from user
television equipment 22, user computer equipment 20, or
user telephone equipment 32.
The interactive wagering service may archive
pass races on the one or more remote video servers.
The interactive wagering application may allow users to
access and search for desired racing videos with the
user equipment. A user may able to search fcr and view
racing videos associated with specific tracks, horses,
jockeys, trainers, weather conditions, track
conditions, etc. There may be a charge associated with
viewing or obtaining the archived racing videos. The
system may allow a user to save a copy of an archived
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racing video in his or her specific directory on the
remote video servers. In order to conserve disk space,
a ink to the archived racing video may be saved in the
user's directory instead of the entire racing video.
Racing data and other information related to
the interactive wagering service may be provided to
users over paths connected to transaction processing
and subscription management system 24. For example,
racing data and other data for the service may be
prc-~ided to user computer equipment 20 over path 44h
usi=~g a modem link. Path 44h may be a private network
path or an Internet path. Path 44h may use telephor_e
lines, digital subscriber lines, ISDN lines, wireless
data paths, or any other suitable type of
communications links. User television equipment 22 may
receive data for the wagering service over
communications path 44i, which may be a telephone line,
digital subscriber line, ISDN line, or other suitable
type of communications path and which may use a private
network path or an Internet path, etc.
Data for the wagering service may be provided
to users of the interactive wagering application via
communications path 44j and paths 44f and 44d.
Communications path 44j may be provided over a private
network, using the public telephone network, using
satellite links, or any other suitable type of links.
Data from paths such as path 44j may be routed to paths
sucr. as paths 44f and 44d directly by associated
television distribution facilities 18, or may be
buffered at television distribution facilities 18 l
desired. Paths 44f and 44d may include coaxial cable
and use of paths 44f and 44d may involve the use of
cable modems or the like. If data is provided over
path 44j and path 44f or path 44d using an Internet
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protocol, a web browser or similar software running on
user television equipment 22 or user computer equipment
20 may be used to access the data. Such software may
be integrated into the interactive wagering application
or may be used separately. Software may also be used
to view videos and may be used on other platforms
(e. g., advanced cellular telephones) if desired.
The communications paths 44k that are used to
connect various other components of the system
typically do not carry high-bandwidth video signals.
Accordingly, paths 44k may be telephone-like paths that
are part of the Internet or a private network. Such
paths and various other paths 44 may be dedicated
connections for security, reliability, and economy.
User telephone equipment 32 may receive
information for the wagering service via path 44m. If
user telephone equipment 32 is a standard (non-
celluiar) telephone, such information may be in the
form of audio prompts ("press 1 to place a wager") and
audio .acing data ("the current win odds for horse 2
are 5-?"). Transaction data processing and
subscription management system 24 may contain
interactive voice response equipment that provides such
information to the user and that responds to touch-tone
signals from the user when the user responds to prompts
by pressing buttons on the user's telephone.
If user telephone equipment is a cellular
telephone, racing data and other information for the
interactive wagering service may be provided to the
user by using a cellular wireless connection as part of
path 44m. Users with cellular telephones may be
provided with audio prompts using an interactive voice
response system located at transaction processing and
subscription management system 24 to which the users
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may respond b°~ pressing cellular telephone buttons to
generate touch-tone signals.
Racing data and other information for the
interactive wagering service may be provided to
cellular telephones in the form of alphanumeric
messages. Such messages may be transmitted to the user
by usir_g paging or other alphanumeric messaging formats
or any other suitable data communications scheme. If
desired, data may be provided to the cellular
telephones over the voice channel and decoded by the
cellular telephone using modem circuitry or other
suitable circuitry. Data may also be provided using
any other suitable cellular or wireless path.
Regardless of the way in which racing data and other
information for the interactive wagering service are
provided to the cellular telephone, such information
may be provided to the user by displaying it on the
cellular telephone display screen or by presenting it
in audible form through the speaker of the cellular
telephone.
Racing data and other interactive wagering
service information for the users may be provided in
one or more continuous data streams, may be provided
periodically (e.g., once per hour or once per day), or
may be provided using a client-server arrangement in
which data is requested by a client processor (e. g.,
user television equipment 22, user computer equipment
2C, user telephone equipment 32, or any other such
equipment) from a server (e. g., a server implemented
using computer equipment 26 at transaction processing
and subscription management system 24 or computer
equipment at another suitable location. Videos may
also be provided using any of these techniques.
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A return communications path between the user
and the interactive wagering service may be used to
aiiow the user to place wagers and otherwise interact
with the interactive wagering service. For example, a
user with a standard telephone or a cellular telephone
may interact with the service by pressing touch-tone
keys on the telephone in response to audio prompts
provided by an interactive voice response system at
transaction processing and subscription management
system 24. If desired, users may call customer service
reoreser_tatives at customer service facility 36 and
place wagers with manual assistance. The user of a
cellular telephone may interact with the wagering
service by selecting menu options and otherwise
interacting with information displayed on the cellular
telephone. When a selection is made, software
implemented on the telephone may be used to assist the
user in transmitting appropriate data (e. g., wagering
data) to the wagering service. Such data may be
transmitted using any suitable technique. For example,
data may be transmitted using a wireless data link that
is separate from the cellular voice channels. Data may
also be transmitted over the voice channel (e. g., using
a modem built into the cellular telephone, by
automatically generating touch-tone signals that may be
recognized by the interactive voice response system at
transaction processing and subscription management
system 24, or using any other suitable arrangement).
These approaches may be used even if the user receives
racing data and other information for the service using
a platform other than a telephone-based platform.
Users with user television equipment 22 may
interact with the service by sending data (e. g., wager
data) to transaction processing and subscription
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management system 24 using path 44i or using paths 44f
and 44j. Users with user computer equipment 20 may
send data (e. g., wager data) to transaction processing
and subscription management system 24 via path 44h or
paths 44d and 44j. Users at any user equipment may
send data for the service to locations other than
transaction processing and subscription management
system 24. For example, the user may provide
information directly to customer service facility 36,
etc.
If desired, the user may send data to the
service at transaction processing and subscription
management system 24 using different paths than those
used to receive data from transaction processing and
subscription management system 24. For example, racing
data may be received at user television equipment 22
via paths 44j and 44f, whereas data may be sent by the
user from user television equipment 22 to transacticn
processing and subscription management system 24 using
path 44i, etc. Moreover, the paths used to receive
certain video information may be different from those
used to receive racing data. For example, user
television equipment 22 may receive racing videos using
path 44f, but may receive racing data using path 44i.
These examples are merely illustrative. Any suitable
combination of paths may be used to distribute racing
data and other information for the interactive wagering
service, any suitable combination of paths may be used
to receive videos, and any suitable combination of
paths may be used to send data to the wagering service.
In order for the interactive wagering service
to automatically record or ask a user to record racing
videos of races, the service may need to know if the
race is available to be recorded. Additionally, the
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start and end time of the race may need to be known.
Therefore, the racing data may include racing video
data. The racing video data may contain information on
which races are available to be recorded with the
interactive wagering service. The racing video data
may also contain the television channels and start and
end times of the races. Alternatively, if the video is
transmitted over the Internet, then the racing video
data may contain information to allow the interactive
wagering application to download the racing v,_deos.
The racing video data may also contain specific
information regarding the races. For example, the
racing video data may contain the names of the horses,
jockeys, trainers, weather conditions, track
conditions, start positions, or any other information
specific to a given race.
If the system archives past races, then the
racing video data may be stored with the archived past
races and used to allow a user to easily search and
find a desired past race.
If desired, the user may interact with the
wagering service using more than one platform. For
example, the user may place a wager using a cellular
telephone while the user is driving home. When the
user arrives home, the user may determine the outcome
of the wager by watching a video of the race on user
television equipment. Later in the day, the »ser may
check tie user's account balance using a personal
computer. This is merely an illustrative example. The
various wagering platforms may be used in any suitable
combination.
Although system 10 has been described in the
context of a system that supports multiple wagering
platforms, system 10 may support fewer platforms if
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desired. For example, aspects of the invention may be
implemented using a system 10 that only supports
cellular telephone wagering or wagering using handheld
computer devices. If desired, system 10 may be
configured so that it does not support personal
computer wagering, wagering with standard telephones,
or wagering with user television equipment. The system
may support cellular telephones and/or handheld
computing devices such as personal digital assistants,
palm-sized computers, etc. in combination with any
other suitable platform.
The interactive wagering application may be
implemented using application software that runs
primarily on a set-top box or other such local platform
or using a remote server or other computer that is
accessed from a local platform. Arrangements in which
interactive wagering services are implemented using
software on remote computers that is accessed on-demand
from local platforms may be referred to as client-
server arrangements. Such client-server arrangements
may be used to allow client processes on set-top boxes
to access server processes running on servers located
at cable system headends or other television
distribution facilities 18 (FIG. 1). Regardless of the
type of system architecture or platform used, the
software that supports the interactive wagering service
features described herein may be referred to as an
interactive wagering application.
An illustrative display screen that may be
provided by the interactive wagering application, and
particularly by an interactive wagering application
implemented using user television equipment 22, is
shown in FIG. 7. Screen 700 contains a main menu 702
displayed on top of the video for a television wagering
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channel. Menu 702 contains menu options 704 that are
selectable by the user using highlight region 706.
Menu 702 also includes an operator icon 728. Main menu
selections and other selections may be made by
positioning highlight region 706 on top of an item of
interest and pressing a select or enter or OK key on a
remote control. Highlight region 706 may be positioned
using remote control arrow keys or any other suitable
user input arrangement. Main menu 702 may also be
presented as a full screen menu that covers the entire
screen 700.
Main menu 702 includes a "Probet" option 710,
a "Build A Bet" option 712, a "Handicapping"
option 714, a "Track Info" option 716, a "Player Info"
option 718, a "My Videos" option 720, a "Search
Archives" option 722, a "Watch TVG" option 724, and a
"Setup" option 726.
If a user selects Build A Bet, the
application may present screen 800 to the user as
illustrated in FIG. 8. The Build A Bet mode presents
an interactive sequence of screens designed to guide a
user through the steps of creating a wager. Screen 800
contains a status bar 802 which may display the
operator icon, the current menu status which is
currently Build A Bet, the current time, and a
selectable "Menu" option 804. If the user selects
"Menu" option 804, then the application may display
main menu 702 as shown in screen 700 of FIG. 7.
In this mode, a ticket window 806 and tab
options 808 are displayed. Ticket window 806 shows a
simulated wagering ticket that may be updated as the
user navigates highlight region 706 and makes his or
her selections. Tab options 808 show the information
that is required for the user to create a wager. For
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example, the left-most tab 810 indicates that the user
must select a track for the wager. A track is selected
b=r selecting one of track options 814. As with other
menu selections, in the Build-A-Bet mode, the user r,:ay
select an option 814 by positioning the highl;~ght 7~6
that is shown around the "Gulfstream" option to a
desired option and pressing the select key on a remote
control, or by any other suitable method. Although
only three tab options 808 are illustrated in screen.
J00, arrow 812 may be presented to indicate that ot~:er
tab options are available to be selected. To move
between tabs, the user may press a right or left arrow
key on a remote control (or make any other suitable
input) to move the highlight illustrated around
"Gulfstream" to other tabs.
Once a user has selected a track from
screen 800, the user may be presented with screen 900
as illustrated in FIG. 9. As shown, screen 900
i:.dicates the track selection made by the user in
status bar 802 and ticket window 806. Ticket
window 806 also displays the race number currently
~:ighlighted by highlight region 706. At this point,
~e user is preferably required to select a race at the
selected track. The user may also select Multi-Race
Bet option 902. As shown, some races, such as race "1"
may be finished (as indicated by "F") and thus may not
be selectable.
Once a user has selected a race, such as race
"3" from screen 900, the user may be presented wits
screen 1000 as shown in FIG. 10. Ticket window 806
_ndicates the race selection made by the user and the
wager type currently highlighted by highlight 706.
Status bar 802 indicates the time remaining until the
beginning of the selected race. Arrow 1002 is
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displayed to indicate that tab options, such as
tab 810, which were previously accessed are no longer
visible. Screen 1000 prompts the user to select a
wager type from the displayed wager types 1004. Wager
types 1004 may include "Win", "Place", "Show",
"Exacta", "Exacta Box", "Quinella", "Tricfecta",
"Trifecta Box", "Win-Place", "Win-Place-Show", "Place-
Show", and any other suitable wager type.
If a user selects a "Win" wager, the user may
be presented with screen 1100 as shown in FIG. 11. The
user is prompted i~: screen 1100 to select a horse from
the displayed horses 1102. Depending on the type of
wager chosen by the user, the user may be prompted to
select more than one horse. For example, if the user
selects an exacta wager, then the user would need to
select a first and second horse for the wager. Ticket
window 806 indicates the wager type selected by the
user and the number of the horse currently highlighted
by highlight region 706. Arrow 1104 indicates that
there are additional horses that are available to be
selected. The user may view the additional horses by
navigat,~ng highlight region 706 down. A user may also
access the additional horses by navigating highlight
region 706 up or by entering the horse number of one of
the additional horses. The horse number may be
entered, for example, by pressing number keys on a
remote control.
Once a user has selected a horse or horses
for the wager, the user may be presented with screen
1200 as illustrated in FIG. 12. Screen 1200 prompts
the user to enter a wager amount. Ticket window 706
indicates that horse "4" was selected and displays the
wager amount and the total cost of the wager currently
highlighted by hig~:light region 706. In a win bet, the
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amount of the wager and the total cost may be the same
as indicated by ticket window 806. If the interactive
wagering system applies an additional fee for placing a
wager, then the total cost of the wager may not be
equal to the wager amount. The total cost of a wager
may differ from the wager amount depending on the type
of wager placed. For example, in an exacta box wager,
the total cost of the wager is double the wager amount
because an exacta box wager is actually two exacta
wagers.
If the user selects $5 for the wager amount
from screen. 1200 and the application is setup for
multiple users, then the user may be presented with
screen 1300 as shown in FIG. 13. Screen 1300 includes
a player identification window 1302. Using window
1302, the user can then identify the desired player's
account.
After the user has identified the desired
player's account (as shown, Pete's), the user may be
presented with screen 1400 as show in FIG. 14. Screen
1400 contains window 1402 which prompts the user to
decide if he or she would like to record the race
wagered upon. The user may select "Yes" or "No" by
positioning hightlight region 706 over the desired
choice and pressing the select key on a remote control,
or by any other suitable method.
If the user selects "Yes" from window 1402,
then the application may display screen 1500 as
illustrated in FIG. 15. Screen 1500 is generally
displayed when the interactive wagering application is
implemented on user television equipment 46 as
illustrated in FIG. 2. Screen 1500 includes reminder
window 1502 to remind the user to place a videocassette
tape in the VCR in order to record the race. Window
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15C2 also informs the user that the application will
automaticallv tune to the race at post time.
Alternatively, the application may tune to the race at
the start of the race or prior to the race in order to
record race commentaries, interviews, or any other
suitable race-related video. The application may also
record post race race-related video. Reminder 1502 may
time out after a predetermined or user-selectable
period of time. Reminder 1502 may also be dismissed if
the user presses the OK key on a remote control or by
any other suitable method.
Once reminder 1502 is dismissed or if the
user selects "No" from window 1402, the user may be
presented with screen 1600 as illustrated in FIG. 16.
Screen 1600 includes a queue window 1602. Within queue
window 1602 are a bet queue 1604, recording icon 1606,
and action selections 1608. From bet queue 1604, the
user can see all of his or her previously created, but
unsent or unplaced bets. Also shown in screen 1600 is
an odds window 1600. Using this odds window, the user
car. monitor the odds for each horse to win. As can be
seen, horse "1" is showing 7-to-1 odds to win. By
selecting one of action selections 1608, the user can
indicate to the user interface how to proceed with the
bets shown in the queue. More particularly: by
selecting the "Send" selection 1608, the user can send
the bets; by selecting the "New" selection 1608, the
user can add another bet; by selecting the "View"
selection 1608, the user can view bet details; by
selecting the "Dup" selection 1608, the user can
duplicate a bet; by selecting the "Del" selection 1608,
the user can delete a bet. Recording icon 1606
indicates if the race or races involved with each wager
are scheduled to be recorded.
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If the user selects the "Send" selection 1608
from screen 1600 of FIG. 16, the application then
prompts the user for a pin using a pin-entry window
1702 as shown in screen 1700 of FIG. 17. Using window
1702, the user can enter a personal identification
number (pin) in pin field 1704.
After the user has properly entered the
required pin, a sending bets window 1802 is displayed
as illustrated in screen 1800 of FIG. 18. Window 1802
includes a list of the bets to be sent. Once the bets
have been sent, the user is presented with a bets sent
window 1902 as illustrated in screen 1900 of FIG. 19.
After the user is done viewing the bets sent, the
viewer may proceed by selecting the next button 1904.
After next button 1904 has been selected,
screen 2000 is displayed as shown in FIG. 20 with bet
queue 1604 cleared of the bets that were sent. At this
point, the user may proceed by selecting one of action
selections 1608 as described above in connection wit:
FIG. 16. The user may also select "Menu" option. 804 to
return to main menu 702 as illustrated in FIG. 7.
It will be understood that the series of
Build A Bet screens 800-2000, as illustrated in
FIG. 21, are exemplary and that additional screens may
be added and some of the screens may be omitted or
modified. For example, if the interactive wagering
application is setup for a single user, screen 1300 of
FIG. 13 which presents player identification window
1302 may be omitted.
If the interactive wagering application is
implemented on user television equipment 66 which is
based on digital video recorder 70 as shown in FIG. 3,
then FIG. 15 may be omitted. With the interactive
wagering application implemented on digital video
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recorder 70, it is not necessary to remind the user to
place a videocassette in a VCR since the recording is
performed within digital video recorder 70.
While window 1502 of FIG. 15 indicates that
the race or races will be automatically tuned to at
post time, the races may be provided by the interactive
wageri:~:g system at a later time. Therefore, the race
or races may be tuned to at a time later than the
actual time in which the race or races take place. For
example, if video clips of races are available on-
demand, the application may access and record the
desired racing videos when the user is not using user
television equipment 22. Alternatively, the desired
racing videos may be accessed and recorded at a
predetermined time.
While window 1400 of FIG. 14 is presented
after ~=~e user has defined or created his or her wager.
The user may be presented with window 1402 of FIG. 14,
which prompts the user whether to record the race
wagered upon, after the user has placed his cr her
wagers 'e. g., after FIGS. 18 or 19).
If the desired races are stored locally in
user television equipment 22, user computer equipment
20, or v,:ser telephone equipment 32, or remotely on a
remote video server, then the stored races may be
accessed from the interactive wagering application.
For example, the stored races may be accessible from
main menu 702 by selecting My Videos option 720.
An illustrative display screen that may be
provided to the user in place of FIGS. 14 and 15 is
shown ~_. FIG. 22. Screen 2200 contains window 2202
which prompts the user to decide if he or she would
like tc save the race wagered upon in My Videos.
Window 2202 may also include notification 2204 which
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informs the user that there is a service charge to save
the race in My Videos.
If a user selects My Videos option 720 from
main menu 702 in FIG. 7, the user may be presented with
screen 2300 as illustrated in FIG. 23. Display
screen 2300 may be provided by the interactive wagering
application, and particularly by an interactive
wagering application implemented using user television
equipment 22. Screen 2300 includes status bar 802 and
player identification window 2302. Status bar 802
displays the current status of the application which is
currently My Videos. Using window 2302, the user can
identify the desired player's account. Player
selection may be made by positioning highlight
region 706 over the desired player and pressing a
select, enter, or OK key on a remote control.
Highlight region 706 may be positioned using remote
control arrow keys cr any other suitable user input
arrangement.
Upon selecting the player identification (as
shown, Pete's), the user is presented with screen 2400
as shown in FIG. 24. Screen 2400 includes Pete's
Videos window 2402. Window 2402 includes stored
videos 2406. When a desired race is stored in My
Videos, it is preferably stored with race information
associated with that race. For example, as shown,
stored videos 2406 are displayed listing the track,
race number, date and winner of each race. This allows
a user to easily find a stored video. Highlight region
706 is currently highlighting the track caption. Sort
icon 2408 is pointing down. This indicates that the
stored videos are sorted alphabetically by track in
ascending order. By selecting the track icon with
highlight region 706, the sort order can reversed. If
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the sort order was reversed, then sort icon 2408 would
point up instead of down. The stored videos can also
be sorted by any of the other captions, such as by
race, date, or name of the winner horse. This may be
perfcrmed by navigating highlight region 706 to the
desired caption and selection that caption. In
addition, stored videos 2406 may also be listed
according to any other race information associated with
the races. For example, stored videos 2406 may be
listed according to trainer name, jockey name, the
horse name wagered upon, or any other suitable race
information. The race information may be obtained from
the racing data provided to the interactive wagering
application. The race information may be stored with
each respective stored video 2406 or separately. Arrow
1104 in window 2402 indicates that additional stored
videos 2406 are available.
If a user desires to access race "2", the
user may navigate highlight region 706 down to that
race as shown.in screen 2500 of FIG. 25. By selecting
race "2" with highlight region 706, the user may be
presented with screen 2600 as illustrated in FIG. 26.
Screen 2600 includes window 2602 which indicates
options available to the user. As shown, the user may
view or delete the desired race. In addition, the user
may exit window 2602 in order to select another race or
to return to the main menu. Window 2602 indicates that
by pressing "Last", window 2602 may be cancelled or
exited. However, window 2602 may be cancelled or
exited by another other suitable method. Window 2602
may also include additional race information associated
with the selected race. For example, the wager placed
and outcome or any other race information not shown in
stored videos 2406 may be presented to the user.
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If the user decides to view the desired race,
the user may select view option 2604. By selecting
view option 2604, the user may be presented with the
video of the desired race as shown in screen 2700 of
SIG. 27a. Upon completion of the video of the desired
race, the user may be presented with screen 2600 of
FIG. 26. From screen 2600, the user may view the race
again or delete the race. During playback of the
desired race, the user may be able to invoke playback
1C -,window 2752 as illustrated in screen 2750 of FIG. 27b.
ibis may be done by pressing a menu key or by any other
suitable method. Alternatively, by selecting view
option 2604 of FIG. 26, the user may initially be
presented with the video of the desired race as shown
15 in screen 2750. Screen 2750 includes playback window
2752. Window 2752 allows a user to control the
playback of the video. Window 2752 includes rewind
cption 2754, stop option 2756, pause/play option 2758,
and fast-forward option 2760.
20 By navigating highlight region 706 to and
selecting rewind option 2754, the user may rewind the
video of the race for a user-specified period of time.
For example, the user may want to replay the finish of
the race. By selecting stop option 2756, the user may
25 sop the video and return to screen 2600 of FIG. 26.
By selecting pause/play option 2758, the user may
alternate between playing the video and pausing the
T.-ideo. This may be particularly useful for a close
finish. By selecting fast-forward option 2760, the
30 v,~ser may speed up or fast-forward the video of the
race. These options may also be accessible from a
.emote control or other user input device with playback
window 2752 omitted.
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If a user decides to delete a desired race
from My Videos, the user may navigate highlight
region 706 and select the desired race from window 2400
of FIG. 24. The user may then highlight delete option
2802 from window 2602 as shown in screen 2800 of FIG.
28. By selecting delete option 2802, the user may be
presented with screen 2900 as illustrated in FIG. 29.
Screen 2900 includes confirmation window 2902.
Confirmation window 2902 prompts the user to confirm
that the selected race is to be deleted. If the user
selects yes, then the selected race is deleted from My
Videos and the user may be returned to screen 2400 of
FIG. 24. Alternatively, if the user selects no, then
the user may be returned to screen 2800 of FIG. 28 or
screen 2700 of FIG. 27.
The foregoing My Videos screens 2300-2900 are
described in use with user television equipment 22. It
will be understood that My Videos screens 2300-2900 may
also be implemented on user computer equipment 20 or
user telephone equipment 32. For example, a user may
place a wager on a race with user telephone
equipment 32 on his or her way home from work and save
the race wagered upon in My Videos. When the user
arrives home after the race has been run, the user may
use user computer equipment 20 to view the race results
and access My Videos to view the wagered upon race. If
the saved races in My Videos are stored on a remote
video server, then user television equipment 22, user
computer equipment 20, and user telephone equipment 32
may be able to access the remote video server to access
the stored videos. There may, however, be more than
one remote video server. The remote video server may
store more than one format of each stored video. For
example, the remote video server may store a high-
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resolution and a low-resolution format of each stored
video. User telephone equipment 32 may be provided
with the low-resolution format of each video while user
television equipment 22 and user computer equipment 20
may be provided with the high-resolution format.
Alternatively, the system may archive all
available races on the remote video server. In this
embodiment, if a user decides to save a video in My
Videos, a link may actually be saved locally on the
user equipment or remotely that allows a user to access
the saved video from the archived videos. This may
minimize the storage space required on the remote video
server by allowing more than one user to access the
same stored video.
I5 The system may also allow a user to search
through the video archive to find a desired video.
This may be done by selecting Search Archives option
722 from main menu 702 of FIG. 7. If a user selects
Search Archives option 722, then the user may be
presented with screen 3000 as illustrated in FIG. 30.
Screen 3000, as illustrated, may be provided by the
interactive wagering application, and particularly by
an interactive wagering application implemented using
user computer equipment 20. Screen 3000 allows the
user to search for archived racing videos based on
user-defined criteria 3004. As shown, criteria 3004
includes the track, horse, track conditions, trainer,
jockey, and weather associated with the archived races.
Criteria 3004 are exemplary and may include any other
suitable search criteria such as date, day of the week,
time of day, race distance, etc. The user may select
the search criteria by using cursor 3002 or any other
suitable method. For example, the user may click on
any of drop down menus 3006 to view and select
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available criteria or may enter the criteria with a
keyboard or any other user input device. As shown in
FIG. 30, the user has currently selected the track
"Caldor" and the horse "Baby Blue".
By selecting submit button 3008, the user may
be presented with results screen 3100. Screen 3100
includes search results 3102. Search results 3102 show
three races from the race archives that match the
entered criteria. The results are ordered in
descending date order as indicated by sort icon 3104.
The user may also sort the race results by any of the
other captions by selecting them with cursor 3002.
If the user desires to buy race "2", then the
user may select "Buy" button 3106 which is adjacent to
race "2". Upon selecting button 3106, the user may be
presented with screen 3200 as shown in FIG 32.
Screen 3200 includes window 3202 which presents the
user with the option to "View Now" or "Save in My
Videos". There may be a fee associated with these
options such as $1.95 as shown.
If the user selects "View Now" and the
application is setup for multiple users, then the user
may be presented with screen 3300 as shown in FIG. 33.
Screen 3300 includes player identification window 3302.
Usir~g window 3302, the user can then identify the
desired player's account. Upon selection of a player,
the user may be presented with a screen (not shown)
that prompts the user for a personal identification
number.
The user may then be presented with the video
of the selected race (race "2") as illustrated in
screen 3400 of FIG. 34. Window 3400 includes window
3462 that allows a user to control the playback of the
video. Window 3402 includes rewind pause/play option
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250, stop option 2756, rewind option 2754, and fast-
forward cption 2760 as described in the foregoing.
Window 3402 also includes volume control optio:~ 3404
and slider 3406. By selecting volume control option
3404, the user may increase cr decrease the sound
volume. By selecting and dragging slider 3406, the
user may rewind, fast-forward, slow down, or stop the
video of the race. Slider 3406 also indicates how much
of the video has been displayed and how much of the
video remains. The application may also save the race
selected for "View Now" in My Videos.
If the user selects "Save in My Videos" from
window 3202 of FIG. 32, the user may be subsequently
presented with a player identification screen (as shown
15 in FIG. 33) and a screen (not shown) that prompts the
user for a personal identification number. The user
may then be presented with screen 3500 as shown in
FIG. 35. Screen 3500 includes confirmation window 3502
which confirms that the selected video has been saved
2~ in My Videos. Window 3502 may time out after a period
of time cr may be dismissed by the user. This may
result in the displaying of screen 3100 of FIG. 31.
With the selected racing video saved in My Videos, the
user may access that video from the My Videos mode of
25 the interactive wagering application.
While the Search Archives mode has been
presented in use with user computer equipment 20, it
will be understood that the user will be able to access
that mode with user television equipment 22 and user
30 telephone equipment 32. For example, screen 3600 of
FIG. 36 presents an illustrative display screen of the
Search Archives mode accessed through user telephone
equipment 32. Display screens on user telephone
equipmer_t 32 may be of lower resolution or smaller in
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size than user television equipment 22 and user
computer equipment 20. This may require a more
simplified user interface. By using a user input
device, such as the keys on illustrative cellular
telephor_e 90, the user may navigate highlight region
706 up and down criteria 3004. The user, for example,
may use navigation key 106 on cellular telephone 90 to
navigate highlight region 706. The user may use scroll
keys 108 to scroll through the available criteria
selections as indicated by arrows 3602. The user may
also enter the desired criteria selection with the use
of any of the keys on cellular telephone 90. When the
user has finished entering the desired criteria
selections, the user may highlight and select "Submit"
button 3604 to search for videos that match the
criteria selections from the race archive. User
telephone equipment 32 may also present screens similar
to screens 3100-3500 as described above.
One skilled in the art will appreciate that
the present invention can be practiced by other than
the described embodiments, which are presented for
purposes of illustration and not limitation, and the
present invention is limited only by the claims which
follow.
