Terminal generated mobile random draw games

Abstract

Mobile communications device that uses a camera in a web-enabled PDA, cellular phone or smart phone to capture a barcode image off a lottery ticket, convert it to its unique serial number, pass it via cellular data service through a database query to append or change a game database and initiate a unique computer game sessions on the mobile device that the consumer can play with fixed or variable outcomes to determine the future value of the printed ticket. A method is disclosed of generating a mobile lottery game for play on a mobile device by which a consumer can reach fixed or variable outcomes to determine the future value of a game ticket.

1 . An interactive random draw game, comprising:
 a random draw game database having a plurality of prizes and a plurality of ticket codes each associated with one random draw game ticket;   a game provider configured to receive from a game player an identifier corresponding to one of the ticket codes, to select randomly a ticket status indicative of whether the random draw game ticket associated with the identifier is to receive one of the prizes or be designated as a non-winning random draw game ticket, and to return the ticket status to the game player;   an interactive game operated on a mobile communications device requiring at least one play selection by the player before the game displays the ticket status.   
     
     
         2 . The interactive random draw game as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the player obtains the random draw game ticket from a terminal operated by the game provider. 
     
     
         3 . The interactive random draw game as recited in  claim 2 , wherein a future value of the random draw game ticket is determined by the player initiating communication with the game provider using the mobile communications device. 
     
     
         4 . The interactive random draw game as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the ticket status is based on the random draw game ticket selected to receive one of the prizes and the prize is selected from at least two different prizes as an outcome result; and the future value of the random draw game ticket is determined by the player making at least one variable action before the game displays a final ticket status associated with one of the outcome results; and further comprising the game provider configured to receive a communication as to the final ticket status and to update the random draw game database as to which prize was selected by the variable action of the player. 
     
     
         5 . The interactive random draw game as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the game provider maintains an outcome record value of the random draw game ticket based on the final ticket status communicated by the mobile communications device to the game provider. 
     
     
         6 . The interactive random draw game as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the ticket status is selectively one of the prizes and a non-wining result, and the future value of the random draw game ticket is determined by the player making at least one variable action before the game displays a final ticket status associated with one of the ticket status; and further comprising the game provider configured to receive a communication as to the final ticket status and to update the random draw game database as to whether a prize was selected for the random draw game ticket by the variable action of the player. 
     
     
         7 . The interactive random draw game as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the mobile communications device further comprises:
 an imaging device to image a unique code printed on random draw game ticket; and   an analyzer configured to interpret the unique code and to generate a numerical representation thereof, the numerical representation communicated as the identifier of the random draw game ticket.   
     
     
         8 . The interactive random draw game as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the identifier and the ticket status communicate between the mobile communications device and the game provider using a telecommunications network. 
     
     
         9 . The interactive random draw game as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the game provider maintains at least an outcome record value of the random draw game ticket based on the final ticket status communicated by the mobile communications device to the game provider. 
     
     
         10 . The interactive random draw game as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the game provider maintains an initial record value of the random draw game ticket. 
     
     
         11 . The interactive random draw game as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the mobile communications device is configured to commence an interactive game playable by a player using the mobile communications device. 
     
     
         12 . The interactive random draw game as recited in  claim 11 , wherein upon imaging of the random draw game ticket the interactive game commences. 
     
     
         13 . The interactive random draw game as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the game includes variable choices that a player may make to direct the game to one of the outcome results. 
     
     
         14 . The interactive random draw game as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the game provider is configured for managing the prize pool to generate possible game outcomes that do not exceed a predetermined payout threshold set by the game provider. 
     
     
         15 . The interactive random draw game as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising means for accessing a prize that is downloaded from a web site to the mobile device upon determining the ticket status is a winning ticket. 
     
     
         16 . A method for an interactive random draw game, comprising:
 (a) providing a random draw game database having a plurality of prizes and a plurality of ticket codes each associated with one random draw game ticket;   (b) communicating from a mobile communication device an identifier corresponding to one of the ticket codes to a game provider configured to select randomly a ticket status indicative of whether the random draw game ticket associated with the identifier is to receive one of the prizes or be designated as a non-winning random draw game ticket, and communicating the ticket status to the mobile communication device; and   (c) performing an interactive game operated on the mobile communications device requiring at least one play selection by the player before the game displays the ticket status on the mobile communications device.   
     
     
         17 . The method for the interactive random draw game as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising obtaining the random draw game ticket from a terminal operated by the game provider. 
     
     
         18 . The method for the interactive random draw game as recited in  claim 17 , further comprising determining a future value of the random draw game ticket by the player initiating communication with the game provider using the mobile communications device. 
     
     
         19 . The method for the interactive random draw game as recited in  claim 18 , wherein determining the ticket status is based on the random draw game ticket selected to receive one of the prizes and the prize is selected from at least two different prizes as an outcome result; and determining the future value of the random draw game ticket by the player making at least one variable action before the game displays a final ticket status associated with one of the outcome results; and further comprising communicating the final ticket status to the game provider to update the random draw game database as to which prize was selected by the variable action of the player. 
     
     
         20 . The method for the interactive random draw game as recited in  claim 19 , further comprising maintaining an outcome record value of the random draw game ticket based on the final ticket status communicated by the mobile communications device to the game provider. 
     
     
         21 . The method for the interactive random draw game as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the ticket status is selectively determined from one of the prizes and a non-wining result, and further comprising determining the future value of the random draw game ticket from the ticket status by the player making at least one variable action before the game displays a final ticket status associated with one of the ticket status; and further comprising communicating the final ticket status to the game provider to update the random draw game database as to whether a prize was selected for the random draw game ticket by the variable action of the player. 
     
     
         22 . The method for the interactive random draw game as recited in  claim 21 , further comprising:
 imaging a unique code printed on random draw game ticket; and   interpreting the unique code and generating a numerical representation thereof, which numerical representation communicates as the identifier of the random draw game ticket.   
     
     
         23 . The method for the interactive random draw game as recited in  claim 22 , wherein the mobile communications device and the game provider communicate using a telecommunications network. 
     
     
         24 . The method for the interactive random draw game as recited in  claim 23 , further comprising maintaining at least an outcome record value of the random draw game ticket based on the final ticket status communicated by the mobile communications device to the game provider. 
     
     
         25 . The method for the interactive random draw game as recited in  claim 24 , further comprising maintaining an initial record value of the random draw game ticket. 
     
     
         26 . The method for the interactive random draw game as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising commencing an interactive game playable on the mobile communications device by a player using the mobile communications device. 
     
     
         27 . The method for the interactive random draw game as recited in  claim 26 , wherein the interactive game commences upon imaging of the random draw game ticket. 
     
     
         28 . The method for the interactive random draw game as recited in  claim 26 , further comprising providing at least one variable choice that a player may make to direct the interactive game to one of the outcome results. 
     
     
         29 . The interactive random draw game as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising managing the managing the prize pool to generate possible game outcomes that do not exceed a predetermined payout threshold set by the game provider. 
     
     
         30 . The interactive random draw game as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising the step of downloading a prize from a web site to the mobile device upon determining the ticket status is a winning ticket.