Method and Apparatus For Checking A Ticket Status From A Random Draw Game

Abstract

Mobile computer device configured with instructions that upon execution uses the camera in a web-enabled PDA, cellular phone or smart phone to capture a two-dimensional encapsulated code printed on a random draw game ticket, convert the code image to a unique digital representation, pass the digital representation through a database query using cellular data service to a remote computerized database to generate a result set of win/loss data as to the game ticket, and returning the result set to the PDA device for display.

1 . A method for checking a results status of a ticket held by a player from a random draw game having a plurality of tickets each ticket associated with selected game numbers and bearing a unique identifier, which selected game numbers when matching to numbers selected at random as winning numbers during play of the random draw game define the ticket as a winning ticket by which the player in possession thereof wins a prize, comprising the steps of:
 (a) imaging a code printed on a ticket from a random draw game, which ticket is associated with selected one or more game numbers and bearing a unique ticket identifier and the code encapsulating a game identifier, the game numbers, and the ticket identifier, with an imager of a mobile computer device;   (b) creating a digital representation of the code;   (c) communicating the digital representation with a communications device connected to the mobile computer device to a remote computer that maintains a database of random draw games and the numbers selected at random during a play of the random draw game as winning numbers;   (d) interrogating the database as to the status of the ticket by comparing the game numbers of the ticket with the wining numbers for the random draw game;   (e) receiving from the remote computer a response indicating the status of the ticket based on the interrogation; and   (f) displaying the response on a display screen of the mobile computer device.   
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the game identifier includes a game number associated with one of a plurality of random draw games and a play date for the random draw game on which date the selected game numbers associated with the ticket are to be compared with winning numbers selected during play of the random draw game. 
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the mobile computer device comprises a cellular telephone and step (a) images the code using a built-in camera of the cellular phone. 
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the step (a) comprises enabling an imaging operating mode of the mobile computer device, aligning the code of the ticket within a designated viewer displayed on the display screen, and operating a switch to record an image of the code. 
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the code is a two dimensional barcode. 
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 populating a player database by the remote computer with the game identifier, the game numbers, and the ticket identifier encapsulated within the digital representation and an identifier of the portable computer device that communicated the digital representation;   periodically comparing the game numbers of the digital representation with winning numbers stored in the database of plays of the random draw game; and   communicating a signal to the portable computer device associated with the digital representation upon identifying the numbers in the digital representation as matching winning numbers in one of the plays of the random draw game.   
     
     
         7 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of storing the digital representation in a storage media of the mobile computer device; and periodically repeating steps (c)-(f). 
     
     
         8 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of emitting a sound from a speaker of the mobile computer device upon receiving the response indicating that the ticket matches a winning ticket from the random draw game. 
     
     
         9 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of associating an unique user identification with the digital representation, communicating the user identification with the digital representation to the remote computer; and recording the user identification in association with the digital representation. 
     
     
         10 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the digital representation is encrypted prior to step (c). 
     
     
         11 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of storing in a memory device the image created in step (a). 
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the result is undetermined due to a selection event to draw the winning ticket not yet occurring, further comprising periodically repeating steps (c) and (d) until the winning numbers in the play of the random draw game are selected and the status of the ticket is determined, then steps (e) and (f). 
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the random draw game comprises a lottery game. 
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the random draw game comprises a game offered by a commercial establishment. 
     
     
         16 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of registering an owner of the ticket in association with a key that identifies the mobile computer device communicating the digital representation to the remote computer. 
     
     
         17 . A system for a player of a random draw game to determine a results status of a ticket held by the player, which ticket has associated selected game numbers for play in the random draw game encapsulated in a two-dimensional code, which selected game numbers when matching to numbers selected at random as winning numbers during play of the random draw game, define the ticket as a winning ticket and the player in possession thereof wins a prize, comprising:
 a remote computer server that maintains a database of a plurality of random draw games and numbers selected as winning numbers during a play of one of the random draw games;   at least one mobile computer device having an imaging device for imaging, a communicator device for communicating with at least the remote computer server, and a display screen for displaying a response from the remote computer server; and   a computer application having a sequence of instructions for being executed by the mobile computer device to image the encapsulated code of a ticket in the possession of a player of a random draw game, convert the imaged encapsulated code to a digital representation, communicate the digital representation to the remote computer server for interrogating the database as to the status of the ticket, and displaying on the display screen a response from the remote computer server indicating the status of the ticket.   
     
     
         18 . The system as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the database maintained by the remote computer server is populated in response to accessing a report of winning numbers from a play of the random draw game. 
     
     
         19 . The system as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the report is provided by an operator of the random draw game.