Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SMS-BASED MOBILE LOTTERY GAMES
~oo~~ A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material
that
is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to,
the facsimile
reproduction by anyone of the patent document or patent disclosure as it
appears in the
Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all
copyright
rights whatsoever.
Background
[002 Users may operate cellular telephones for numerous purposes. For
example, users may contact one another, play games, access the Internet, etc.
Messaging and file upload and download between the user and a system and
between
numerous users is commonly found. The Internet is one network that allows
these
activities. However, to use the Internet as the conduit via which to perform
these
activities is costly.. To reduce cost, many cellular telephones use Short
Message
Service (SMS) text messaging, such as that described in Simon Buckingham,
IlVhat is
SMS?, http://www.gsmworld.com/technologylsmslintro.shtml (2000), rather than
the
Internet. Indeed, in many countries, the cellular telephones that provide for
SMS text
messaging far outnumber the cellular telephones that provide Internet service.
Consequently, to reduce cost, and to provide accessibility to as many cellular
telephone
users as possible, there is a great desirability to provide a way to use SMS
text
messaging for mobile applications wherever. possible.
Gaming systems are in widespread use and continue to grow in
popularity. For example, the use of point-of-sale terminals has expanded from
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traditional retail environments to a wide variety of non-traditional
environments. Indeed,
in some markets consumers can purchase lottery tickets via the Internet from
the
comfort of their own home.
Brief Description of the Drawinas
Fig. 1 a is a flowchart that illustrates an example procedure in which lottery
game data may be sent to an application server, according to an example
embodiment
of the present invention.
.(005 Fig. 1 b is a flowchart that illustrates an example procedure in which
lottery
game data may be sent to a remote terminal, according to an embodiment of the
present invention.
(oos) Fig. 2 is a block diagram that illustrates the components of an example
wireless network, according to an example embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 3 is a flowchart that illustrates an example procedure in which players
may collaborate to play a lottery game, according to an example embodiment of
the
present invention.
Detailed Description of Example Embodiments
SMS text messaging support for mobile lottery game systems, where a
user may purchase, via a cellular telephone or any remote terminal of a
wireless
network, an electronic lottery ticket for a future drawing or other lottery
games, such as
instant win games, e.g., simulated scratch-off games; highly graphical user
interactive
games; and any other kind of lottery game, is not provided. Accordingly, there
is a need
in the art for SMS text messaging support for mobile lottery games in a
wireless
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netWOrK.
. Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to mobile lottery
games. More particularly, embodiments relate to the use of Short Message
Service
(SMS) tent messaging to transmit data relating to lottery games over a
wireless network.
(ono) To reduce cost and also to make mobile lottery games available to a
multitude of cellular telephone users whose cellular telephones provide
support for SMS
text messaging, but not for Internet, embodiments of the present invention
provide for
lottery games data to be transmitted over a wireless network as SMS text
messages. A
gaming SMS text message is an SMS text message representation of lottery game
data. Lottery game data is data of a lottery game provider system, such as a
lottery
game request, the actual lottery game, or other lottery game data as will be
described.
Figs. 1 a and 1 b are flowcharts that illustrate an example procedure in
which a user may obtain a lottery game from a data center, according to an
example
embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. 1 a, a remote terminal receives
player input
data in 1. The data may include, for example, a lottery game request. The data
may
identify the particular game a player desires, for example a lottery ticket,
in particular an
electronic representation of a lottery ticket. The data may include, for
example, a series
of numbers for a lottery ticket drawing, and/or the date of the drawing in
which the user
wishes to enter. Other data may include player or phone identification data,
security
information or codes, geographic information, etc. The request may be sent,
e.g., over
a wireless network, ultimately for submission to an application server in the
data center.
The application server processes lottery game transactions to provide lottery
games to
remote terminals. Once the request is submitted, in Fig. 1 b, the application
server,
using the reverse process, may return a requested lottery game toward the
remote
terminal. The requested lottery game may be, for example, an electronic
representation
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or a lottery ticket arid%r a lottery entry confirmation. The described process
may be
used for all data transfer between the application server and the remote
terminals.
~0~2~ fn an embodiment of the present invention, players may purchase lottery
tickets for a future drawing. In Fig. 1a, players purchase tickets, in 1,
e.g., by inputting
requests for tickets into their cellular telephones, or any other wireless
network remote
terminals. In 100, the remote terminal may export data, e.g., the requests,
security
information, player or account code information, etc. The data may originate
in 100, for
example, as a Java transaction object. In 110-120, the requests may be
converted into
SMS text messages. At 125, the requests may be transmitted, e.g., over the
wireless
network towards the game-providers data center. The requests may be submitted
to
the data center in 130. In 135, multiple requests, for example from many
players using
many remote terminals, may be aggregated and routed to, for example,
particular
application servers. After the data center receives the SMS text messages, in
140-150,
the SMS text messages may be converted to, for example, Java transaction
objects. In
160, an application server may receive the Java transaction objects and
decipher them
as lottery game requests. The application server may then, for example,
retrieve the
correct games (i.e. the tickets for the requested drawing). In Fig. 1 b, the
application
server may export data, e.g., the games, in 101. The data may originate as
Java
transaction objects, for example. In 111-121, the data may be converted into
corresponding SMS text messages. In 136, multiple messages, for example from a
number of application servers, may be aggregated and routed, for example to a
number
of remote terminals. In 131, the data may be exported from the data center. In
126, the SMS text messages may be transmitted over the wireless network toward
the
requesting remote terminals. To complete the process, in 141-151, the SMS text
messages may be converted into, for example, Java transaction objects. In 161,
the
messages, already converted into Java transaction objects, may imported into
the
4
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remote terminals, for eXample to, display the games on the remote terminals'
user
interFace display. Alternatively, the games may be displayed by any other data
output
means, such as a printout. Alternatively, the games may also be stored for
future play,
e.g., as an animated graphical game which may be displayed on a user's cell
phone.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, messages, whether
those in the form of repuests or other data sent by the remote terminals
toward the data
center, or those in the form of games or other data sent by the data center
toward the
remote terminals, originate as Java transaction objects and are converted to
SMS text
messages for transmission over the wireless network. A number of translators
may be
employed to implement this conversion. More particularly, three translators
may be
employed.
In Fig. 1a, when transmitted from the remote terminal toward the
application server, the data may originate, in 100, as a Java transaction
object and may
undergo a series of conversions before transmittal, in 125, over the wireless
network. In
110, translators may convert the message first from a Java transaction object
to a
binary message, then, in 115, to an ASCII text message, and finally, in 120,
to an SMS
text message. Once in an SMS text message format, in 125, the message may be
sent
over the wireless network toward its intended destination, e.g., the
application server.
Once sent over the wireless network, the reverse process may take place in
140, 145,
and 150, wherein the message is reconverted to a Java transaction object for
use at the
intended destination, i.e. the application server.
fo~5j Similarly, in Fig. 1 b, data may be transmitted from the application
server
toward the remote terminal. In 101, the data may originate, e.g., as a Java
transaction
object. The data may undergo a series of conversions. In 111, translators may
convert
the message first from a Java transaction object to a binary message, then, in
116, to
an ASCII text message, and finally, in 121, to an SMS text message. In 126,
the
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converted data may be transmitted over the wireless network. The data may be
sent as
an SMS message over the wireless network toward its intended destination,
e.g., the
remote terminal. Once sent over the wireless network, the reverse process may
take
place in 141, 146, and 151, wherein the message is reconverted to a Java
transaction
object for use at the intended destination, e.g:, the remote terminal.
Consequently, two sets of translators (e.g., 6 translators total) may be
provided, one set for messages transmitted between the wireless network and
the
remote terminals, and a second set for messages transmitted between the
wireless
network and the data center. The remote terminals and the data center may each
contain their own set of translators, or external translators may be provided
to perform
the necessary translations.
Various communication protocols may be employed for transmitting game
data between a remote terminal and an application server. Similarly, various
messaging protocols, by which a translator translates game data between a Java
transaction object and an SMS text message, may be employed. The discussed
embodiment that employs a messaging protocol, whereby translators translate
between
a Java transaction object and a binary message, between a binary message and
an
ASCII text message, and between an ASCII text message and an SMS text message,
is
only one example protocol. Those skilled in the art can appreciate that other
translators, that employ other messaging protocols for converting game data
between a
Java transaction object and an SMS text message, may be employed.
~o~s~ The above-described data transmission process may be repeated
numerous times depending on the type of games the players play. For example,
players may request quick pick tickets, wherein the game provider pre-selects
the
lottery ticket numbers, in which case after receiving the lottery games, the
players need
not send new data to the data center. Alternatively, players may choose to
manually
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pick the lottery ticket numbers. In this instance, in Fig. 1a, the players may
input their
lottery ticket numbers into their remote terminals, in 1, and the inputted
numbers may be
transmitted toward the data center, in 125-130, as SMS text messages.
Subsequent to
the lottery drawing, the data center may transmit toward the remote terminals
follow-up
win-loss notices, SMS text messages that indicate to the remote terminals
whether the
players have won or lost the lottery games. The winnings may vary according to
drawing. For example, one lottery-drawing's grand prize may be one million
dollars,
while another lottery-drawing's grand prize may be two hundred thousand
dollars. Each
drawing may have a number of win levels, for example, a grand prize of one
million
dollars and a second prize of two hundred thousand dollars. The follow-up win-
loss
notices may indicate a win type, e.g., grand prize winner or second prize
winner, and it
may indicate a win amount, e.g., one million dollars or two hundred thousand
dollars.
In an alternative embodiment, the remote terminals may locally store the
inputted numbers, wait for SMS text messages from the data center indicating
the
winning numbers, match the winning numbers, and if the two number sets match,
transmit SMS text messages toward the data center indicating a win. The remote
;terminals may also indicate the type of win, e.g., grand prize or second
prize.
(020 In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, players may play
lottery games having highly enriched graphics. The highly enriched graphics
games
may take the form of interactive games that give the players the illusion that
they are
playing games of skill. However, even these games may be games of chance, the
game outcome independent of player skill. These games may depend on a future
event. Alternatively, the data center may encode the transmitted lottery games
with
predetermined outcomes. The players are not initially made aware of the
predetermined outcomes. Once the games are played, the players learn of their
games'
outcomes. The outcomes may be based on an algorithm that randomly assigns
winning
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and losing outcomes. In contrast with the embodiment involving lottery
tickets, in this
embodiment, players are not credited with a win until the players actively
play their
games and win.
~02~~ In an alternative embodiment, the games may take the form of instant win
games. For example, a scratch-off lottery game, wherein a card has a number of
concealed game results, may be simulated on a display. The players learn the
game's
outcome by uncovering the concealed predetermined lottery game results. The
outcome may be based on an algorithm that randomly assigns winning and losing
outcomes. Players may be 'credited with a win after the players actively play
their
games and win.
~022~ After the data intended for the application server is sent, in 125, over
the
wireless network, an aggregator may, in 135, collect the data, identify the
requesting
terming! from which the data was sent, and, if more than one application
server is
provided, route the message to the corresponding application server.
Similarly, in Fig.
1 b, before sending the message from the application server over the wireless
network,
the aggregator may, in 136, route the message to the intended requesting
terminal.
.~023~ Fig. 2 is a block diagram that illustrates an example embodiment of the
physical architecture of the present invention. The diagram illustrates the
components
of an example wireless network. A player may input data into cell phone 200.
The input
data or other cell phone game data may be converted by translators 202, shown
here
by way of example as external to cell phone 200, into SMS text messages. The
SMS
text messages may be sent via wireless network 205 toward data center 210.
Translators 207, shown here by way of example as external to data center 210,
may
translate the SMS text messages into, for example, Java transaction objects.
Within
data center 210, aggregator 215 may be provided to collect cell phone game
data of
numerous~:cell phones and route the data to an appropriate application server
235.
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Additionally, aggregator 215 may route application server data to the correct
cell phones
200. To implement routing of data to an appropriate application server 235,
routers 220
may be provided. A single or multiple firewalls 225 may be provided to protect
application server 235 from corrupt data. Switches 230 may be provided to
facilitate
input to and output from application server 235.
[024 Data center 210 may facilitate the play of many different types of games.
Therefore, data center 210 may provide for many application servers 235,
wherein each
application server 235 contains and provides only some of the lottery games
provided
by data center 210.
lo2s~ Since many players may each request a single.or multiple games,
aggregator 215 may be provided. The aggregator 215 may be configured to
collect
each of the game requests (or other terminal data), route each request to the
corresponding application server 235, receive the SMS text message
representing the
game (or other game data), and route it to the corresponding cell phone 200.
Aggregator 215 may be provided within data center 210. Alternatively, external
aggregators may be provided.
[o2s) According to an embodiment of the present invention, data center 210
may keep an account for each lottery game player or, alternatively, for each
cell phone
200. Alternatively, a separate entity for account holding may be provided,
wherein data
center 210 and the separate entity are communicatively in contact. Any number
of
schematics may be employed with numerous entities in contact with each other
to
facilitate the use of the present invention.
[027) To record debits and credits of a playerOs account, application server
235
may be connected to account records 240. When a player purchases a lottery
game,
application server 235 may indicate the purchase to account records 240 to
record a
debit. When a player wins a lottery game, application server 235 may indicate
the win
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to account"records ~~b to record a credit. In an alternative embodiment,
aggregator
215 may directly route account records data to account records 240 to process
a credit
or a debit, bypassing application server 235. The amounts debited and credited
may
vary depending upon the games the players play.
[02$] In an embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in Fig. 2,
data
center 210 may be in contact with a players bank 245, or other financial
entity, for
funds transfers according to a playeras account in account records 240. Funds
transfers may take place at predetermined time intervals, such as weekly,
monthly, etc.
Alternatively, funds transfers may take place transactionally, wherein, for
example,
funds are transferred from the players bank 245 immediately upon a lottery
game
purchase.
[029 Fig. 3 is a flowchart that illustrates an example procedure in which many
players who use individual cell phones 200 may contact one another to
collaboratively
play a lottery game, according to an embodiment of the present invention. By
way of
example, the flowchart illustrates this procedure with respect to a lottery
drawing game.
[030] In 300, players enter input into their cell phones indicating a desire
for
collaborative playa In 305, one or all of the collaborating cell phones 200
may request
from data center 210, via an SMS text message, the purchase of the lottery
drawing
game and may indicate the cell phones 200 contributing to the lottery game.
Each cell
phone 200 may contribute to the game equally or with varying percentages. In
310, the
extent of the contribution of each cell phone 200 may be indicated to data
center 210.
Alternatively, a player chosen share distribution may be indicated.
Alternatively, an
indication of collaboration may be indicated, so that debits and credits are
equally
distributed among the participating cell phones' accounts. These indications
of
collaboration, contribution percentages, and/or share allocations may be
transmitted
toward data center 210 when the game is purchased. In an alternative
embodiment, the
io
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indications may be transmitted subsequent to game play.
[031] In 315, the lottery drawing may be conducted. In 320, data center 210,
for
example, may determine whether cell phones 200 won or lost. In 325, if cell
phones
200 lost, data center 210 may transmit a notice of loss toward cell phones
200. If cell
phones 200 won, in 326, data center 210 may determine the win type andlor win
amount. Then in 331, data center 210 may transmit a notice of win, win type,
and/or
win amount toward cell phones 200.
[032 In accordance with computations in 330 and 336, respectively, account
records 240 may allocate a portion of the debits and credits pertaining to the
collaboratively purchased lottery game, in 335 and 341, respectively, to each
of the
contributing cell phones 200. The computations in 330 and 336, respectively,
may be in
accordance with the equal or varying contributing percentages. Alternatively,
the
collaborating players may indicate the percentages of each collaborating
playerds share
in the debits and credits. The indicated percentages need not equate with the
players'
contributing percentages. The amount allocated may be in accordance with the
indicated percentages, rather than the contributing percentages.
[0331 In 345, each cell phone 200's balance may be computed based upon each
cell phone 200's debits and credits. At some point in time, in 350, funds
transfers
between each cell phone 200's bank and.application server 210 may. be
implemented,
based upon each cell phone 200's balance.
Data center 210 may itself provide the cell phones 200 with messaging
capabilities to transmit messages over the wireless network. Alternatively,
data center
210 may collaboratively coordinate its functionalities with those of one or
many cellular
telephone-providers' functionalities, for example, to provide the cell phones
200 with the
messaging capabilities. Any of numerous implementations of physical network
architectures as known in the art may be employed. Numerous networks, each
with
m
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various assigned functions may be interconnected to achieve the described
system or
method. Data center 210 may employ a number of aggregators, routers,
firewalls,
switches, and application servers. Alternatively, some of these components may
be
externally provided. Any communication protocol as known in the art, such as
GPRS,
SMSC, TCP/IP and RMI, may be used to transmit data within the network.
[035] Those skilled in the art can appreciate from the foregoing description
that
the present invention can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore,
while the
embodiments of this invention have been described in connection with
particular
examples thereof, the true scope of the embodiments of the invention should
not be so
limited since other modifications will become apparent to the skilled
practitioner upon a
study of the drawings, specification, and following claims.
i2
