Techniques to create targeted lottery systems using electronic media interfaces

Abstract

A system to encode lottery number onto magnetic strip cards used as fare cards for public transportation systems. The system is activated by user selection of a lottery option and increased payment at the time of the fare card purchase, or altered after purchase in a separate hardware system. A second unit determines those cards that will be selected for payout (e.g., winning cards). The system is designed to provide additional revenue to replace/reduce government subsidization of public transportation, by collecting additional revenues from that portion of the population that uses the transportation system and opts to participate in the lottery. Most services provided by an electronic media interface (e.g., fare card, credit card, ticket, computer modem, etc.) can be modified to provide this targeted lottery feature.

1 . A system to increase revenues paid to commercial product corporations by addition of electronic lottery processes and operations, which may collect additional revenues from customers for said lottery operations, above and beyond those paid for normal products or services, said invoices selected from the group of: tickets, credit card receipts, credit card bills, comprising: 
 means for electronically identifying and redeeming customer invoices which contain modifications provided for additional wager and customer identification information for lottery to provide predetermined payouts to winning lottery customers;    means to collect said additional revenues from customers of said lottery operations;    means to ensure the security and integrity of said lottery processes and operations to prevent fraudulent use of invoicing media to obtain said payouts of lottery funds;    wherein said commercial products corporations consist of large consumer retail corporations;    and wherein the means for electronically identifying and redeeming customer invoices is chosen from the following group:    a.) existing cash registers which add an additional marking to receipts at point of purchase;    b.) existing receipts mailed from commercial corporations or financial institutions with said lottery payouts.    
   
   
       2 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein said commercial product corporations are consumer retail chains with cash register networks, which employ magnetic strip/manual entry credit card order machines, adapted to accept additional lottery funds by recording said funds and marking said credit card receipts for further processing to determine total funds available for payout to operate said lottery processes.  
   
   
       3 . A system according to  claim 1  where said commercial product corporations operate a large Internet marketing service which is adapted to accept additional lottery funds by marking said customer invoices with the value of said additional funds and an identification code of the customer, to operate said lottery processes; and 
 wherein means for electronically identifying and redeeming customer invoices consists of adapting said marketing systems to add to the customer on-line bill the amount chosen for lottery processes, which is equivalent to use of the existing system for recording an additional purchase of merchandise, in this case the lottery option; and    said means of redeeming includes mailing the invoice or electronic crediting of said customer's account.    
   
   
       4 . A system according to  claim 1  where the commercial product corporations are parking lots, theaters, and sports arenas and the invoices are the tickets sold at these venues, along with additional information written on the ticket to identify the amount of lottery funds added; and 
 where the means for redeeming the customer invoice includes mailing the invoice or the use of an electronic ticket redemption machine.    
   
   
       5 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein said corporations include government-funded organizations.  
   
   
       6 . A system according to  claim 5  wherein said government-funded organizations include parking lots, sports arenas, theaters, and cultural organizations and the invoices are the tickets sold at these venues, along with additional information written on the ticket to identify the amount of lottery funds added: and 
 where the means form redeeming the customer invoice includes mailing the invoice or the use of an electronic ticket redemption machine.