GB2431260A - Collating lottery tickets with purchase orders - Google Patents
Collating lottery tickets with purchase orders Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2431260A GB2431260A GB0619991A GB0619991A GB2431260A GB 2431260 A GB2431260 A GB 2431260A GB 0619991 A GB0619991 A GB 0619991A GB 0619991 A GB0619991 A GB 0619991A GB 2431260 A GB2431260 A GB 2431260A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- ticket
- numbers
- lottery
- computer
- purchase order
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
- G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
- G07F17/32—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for games, toys, sports, or amusements
- G07F17/3286—Type of games
- G07F17/329—Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06Q30/00—Commerce
- G06Q30/04—Billing or invoicing
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06Q30/00—Commerce
- G06Q30/06—Buying, selling or leasing transactions
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06Q50/00—Systems or methods specially adapted for specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism
- G06Q50/34—Betting or bookmaking, e.g. Internet betting
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07C—TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- G07C15/00—Generating random numbers; Lottery apparatus
- G07C15/005—Generating random numbers; Lottery apparatus with dispensing of lottery tickets
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
- G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
- G07F17/32—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for games, toys, sports, or amusements
Abstract
A method of collating lottery tickets, each bearing a sequence of numbers, with electronically submitted purchase orders for lottery tickets, each purchase order including a sequence of numbers selected by a ticket purchaser, so as to match each lottery ticket with a purchase order for that lottery ticket, the method including the steps of (a) scanning a lottery ticket so as to create a digital image of the scanned lottery ticket; (b) performing an automated character recognition operation on the digital image so created, so as to create a computer-readable ticket record associated with the digital image, containing the numbers of the scanned lottery ticket in a computer-readable data format; and (c) running a computer program to match the computer-readable ticket record with a purchase order having numbers the same as the numbers of the scanned lottery ticket.
Description
METHOD OF COLLATING A LOTTERY TICKET AND AN ELECTRONIC PURCHASE
ORDER FOR SUCH LOTTERY TICKET
This invention relates to a method of collating lottery tickets with electronic purchase orders for such lottery tickets.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
Many people in countries around the world participate in lotteries in foreign countries or distant regions by purchasing lottery tickets online through Internet-based intermediaries.
According to the underlying business model, a website operator operates a website, whereupon the website operator offers to purchase lottery tickets for a third party-operated lottery. In order to purchase a ticket, a ticket purchaser visits the website and completes an electronic purchase order. In completing this electronic purchase order, the ticket purchaser enters user-selected numbers into a data entry field on the website. The website operator then causes a ticket to be purchased on behalf of the ticket purchaser, bearing the selected numbers. In the event of the selected numbers being winning numbers, the website operator collects any prize accruing by virtue of the ticket and delivers such prize to the ticket purchaser.
A natural concern of a ticket purchaser is that an unscrupulous website operator might well not even purchase the ticket as ordered. Also, the website operator may not purchase a ticket correctly according to the order. This is naturally a concern for both website operators and ticket purchasers alike.
It is known for online lottery ticket selhng website operators to offer a service of scanning a particular ticket on request by a ticket purchaser, and e-mailing an image of that ticket to the ticket purchaser. However, a successful website operator will purchase a great number of tickets for any particular lottery draw, and the time frames involved make it impossible to process a great number of lottery tickets manually in the available time.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a method and system for providing a purchaser of a lottery ticket with an indication that a ticket has been correctly purchased.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of collating lottery tickets, each bearing a sequence of numbers, with electronically submitted purchase orders for lottery tickets, each purchase order including a sequence of numbers selected by a ticket purchaser, so as to match each lottery ticket with a purchase order for that lottery ticket, the method including the steps of (a) scanning a lottery ticket so as to create a digital image of the scanned lottery ticket; (b) performing an automated character recognition operation on the digital image so created, so as to create a computer-readable ticket record associated with the digital image, containing the numbers of the scanned lottery ticket in a computer- readable data format; and (C) running a computer program to match the computer-readable ticket record with a purchase order having numbers the same as the numbers of the scanned lottery ticket.
The purchase order may be placed on an Internet website.
The digital image may be made available on the website to the ticket purchaser who placed the purchase order for that ticket. The digital image may be e-mailed to an e-mail address provided by the ticket purchaser.
Preferably, the scanning of the tickets is conducted using a scanner suitable for bulk scanning, such as a sheet feed scanner. The scanner is preferably adapted and configured for scanning sheets sized approximately 105mm x 83mm.
The character recognition operation may be performed by way of an optical character recognition (OCR") operation, or a similar process.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of collating a plurality of lottery tickets, each bearing a sequence of numbers, with a plurality of electronically- submitted purchase orders for lottery tickets, each purchase order including a sequence of numbers selected by a ticket purchaser, so as to match each ticket with a purchase order for that ticket, the method including the steps of (a) scanning a lottery ticket so as to create a digital image of the scanned lottery ticket; and (b) transmitting the digital image to a computer system configured for performing an automated character recognition operation on each of the digital images so created, so as to create a computer-readable ticket record associated with each of the digital images containing the numbers of the scanned lottery ticket, and run a computer program to match each of the computer-readable ticket records with a purchase order having numbers the same as the numbers on the face of the scanned lottery ticket.
According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a system comprising a scanner, configured to scan a plurality of lottery tickets so as to create a digital image of the face of each lottery ticket; and a computer system, connected to the scanner and configured for performing an automated character recognition operation on each of the digital images so created, so as to create a computer-readable ticket record associated with each of the digital images containing the numbers on the lottery ticket; and running a computer program to match each of the computer-readable ticket records with a purchase order having numbers the same as the numbers on the face of the lottery ticket.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a scanner, configured to scan a plurality of lottery tickets so as to create a digital image of the face of each lottery ticket in a digital format; connected to a computer system configured for performing an automated character recognition operation on each of the digital images so created, so as to create a computer-readable ticket record associated with each of the digital images containing the numbers on the lottery ticket, and running a computer program to match each of the computer- readable ticket records with a purchase order having numbers the same as the numbers on the face of the lottery ticket.
DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING FIGURES
The invention will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the following figures, wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the purchasing of lottery tickets online by ticket purchasers: Figure 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the transmission of a digital ticket image from a scanner to a computer configured to perform an optical character recognition operation on the digital ticket image; Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the step of comparing and matching purchase orders with digital ticket images; and Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the communication of digital ticket images to ticket purchasers.
DESCRIPTION OF A SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
As illustrated in figure 1 purchasing of lottery tickets online through a website 1 involves ticket purchasers 2; 3 each completing and submitting purchase orders 4; 5 on the website. The completion of the purchase orders 4; 5 requires the entry of details of the ticket purchasers' identity and selected lottery ticket numbers into data entry fields on the website. Each ticket purchaser 2; 3 is allocated a user-specific password.
The website operator then causes a ticket to be purchased with the selected numbers.
In order to demonstrate the purchase of a correct ticket to the purchaser, and to check the correctness of ticket purchases generally, the website operator collates tickets actually purchased with purchase orders for tickets.
In order to perform this collation, a system in accordance with the invention and as illustrated in the accompanying figures, including a scanner 6 connected to a computer system is used.
As a great number of tickets may be required to be scanned rapidly, the scanner 6 is selected and/or configured for automated scanning of a stack of lottery tickets. In the preferred embodiment, the applicant envisages that the scanner is a sheet feed scanner, configured for scanning sheets of about 105mm x 83mm, being the size of tickets for the UK National Lottery and various other lotteries internationally.
Scanning the tickets creates a digital ticket image 7 of each ticket so scanned.
The digital ticket images 7 are then transmitted to the computer system, as illustrated in figure 2.
The computer system is configured to perform an optical character recognition operation 8 on the digital ticket images 7, so as to create a ticket record 9 in respect of each of the scanned tickets in a computerreadable data format. This ticket record is associated with the digital ticket image of the ticket from which it is derived. The ticket record contains a data record of the details of the scanned ticket, including the numbers of the ticket. Naturally, although this specification refers to "numbers" as most lotteries use numbers, in the event of a lottery using other alpha-numeric characters, the term "numbers" as used in this specification should be read to extend to such other alpha-numeric characters.
As illustrated in figure 3, the computer system includes a second computer, linked to the first computer via the Internet. The second computer is also linked to the website such that it has access to the ticket purchase orders 4, and specifically to the numbers selected by each ticket purchaser. The second computer is configured to run a computer program which performs a comparison and matching operation 10 which compares and matches the purchase orders with the ticket records 9. As each ticket record 9 is connected to a digital ticket image 7 of the ticket from which it is derived, each digital ticket image is thus matched to a purchase order 4.
Each digital ticket image 7 is then made available to the ticket purchaser 2, 3 who placed the purchase order for that ticket for verification, as illustrated in figure 4. The digital ticket image 7 may be made available in various ways. For example, the digital ticket image may be posted on the website, and made accessible only to the ticket purchaser concerned by virtue of the password protection. Alternatively, the digital ticket image may be e-mailed to an e-mail address provided by the ticket purchaser when submitting the purchase order.
It will be appreciated that the invention may be performed in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined hereinabove. Particularly, the nature of the various steps involved in performing the invention is such that these steps need not be performed in the same location. Indeed, the very purpose of purchasing lottery tickets online is to facilitate the purchasing of lottery tickets in locations distant from the purchaser.
Claims (11)
1. A method of collating lottery tickets, each bearing a sequence of numbers, with electronically submitted purchase orders for lottery tickets, each purchase order including a sequence of numbers selected by a ticket purchaser, so as to match each lottery ticket with a purchase order for that lottery ticket, the method including the steps of (a) scanning a lottery ticket so as to create a digital image of the scanned lottery ticket; (b) performing an automated character recognition operation on the digital image so created, so as to create a computer-readable ticket record associated with the digital image, containing the numbers of the scanned lottery ticket in a computer- readable data format; and (C) running a computer program to match the computer-readable ticket record with a purchase order having numbers the same as the numbers of the scanned lottery ticket.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the purchase order is placed on an Internet website.
3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the digital image is made available on the website to the ticket purchaser who placed the purchase order for that ticket
4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the digital image is e-mailed to an e-mail address provided by the ticket purchaser.
5. A method according to claim 1, wherein, the scanning of the tickets is conducted using a scanner suitable for bulk scanning.
6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the scanner is a sheet feed scanner.
7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the scanner is adapted and configured for scanning sheets sized substantially 105mm x 83mm
8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the character recognition operation is performed by way of an optical character recognition ("OCR") operation.
9. A method of collating a plurality of lottery tickets, each bearing a sequence of numbers, with a plurality of electronically-submitted purchase orders for lottery tickets, each purchase order including a sequence of numbers selected by a ticket purchaser, so as to match each ticket with a purchase order for that ticket, the method including the steps of (a) scanning a lottery ticket so as to create a digital image of the scanned lottery ticket; and (b) transmitting the digital image to a computer system configured for performing an automated character recognition operation on each of the digital images so created, so as to create a computer-readable ticket record associated with each of the digital images containing the numbers of the scanned lottery ticket, and run a computer program to match each of the computer-readable ticket records with a purchase order having numbers the same as the numbers on the face of the scanned lottery ticket.
10. A system comprising a scanner, configured to scan a plurality of lottery tickets so as to create a digital image of the face of each lottery ticket; and a computer system, connected to the scanner and configured for performing an automated character recognition operation on each of the digital images so created, so as to create a computerreadable ticket record associated with each of the digital images containing the numbers on the lottery ticket; and running a computer program to match each of the computer-readable ticket records with a purchase order having numbers the same as the numbers on the face of the lottery ticket.
11. A scanner, configured to scan a plurality of lottery tickets so as to create a digital image of the face of each lottery ticket in a digital format; connected to a computer system configured for performing an automated character recognition operation on each of the digital images so created, so as to create a computer-readable ticket record associated with each of the digital images containing the numbers on the lottery ticket; and running a computer program to match each of the computer- readable ticket records with a purchase order having numbers the same as the numbers on the face of the lottery ticket.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZA200503771 | 2005-10-11 |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB0619991D0 GB0619991D0 (en) | 2006-11-15 |
| GB2431260A true GB2431260A (en) | 2007-04-18 |
Family
ID=37454280
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0619991A Withdrawn GB2431260A (en) | 2005-10-11 | 2006-10-09 | Collating lottery tickets with purchase orders |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2431260A (en) |
Cited By (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2011077259A3 (en) * | 2009-12-22 | 2013-08-08 | Multilot As | Lottery tickets, systems, and methods |
| US10565823B2 (en) | 2009-12-22 | 2020-02-18 | Multilot As | Games, lotteries, and sweepstakes and tickets, systems, technologies, and methods related thereto |
| US11011027B2 (en) | 2009-12-22 | 2021-05-18 | Multilot As | Games, lotteries, and sweepstakes and tickets, systems, technologies, and methods related thereto |
| US11244538B2 (en) | 2009-12-22 | 2022-02-08 | Multilot As | Games, lotteries, and sweepstakes and tickets, systems, technologies, and methods related thereto |
Citations (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5417424A (en) * | 1993-09-28 | 1995-05-23 | Gtech Corporation | Player operated win checker appended to lottery agent terminal |
| US6199044B1 (en) * | 1998-05-27 | 2001-03-06 | Intermec Ip Corp. | Universal data input and processing device, such as universal point-of-sale device for inputting and processing bar code symbols, document images, and other data |
| US20010033689A1 (en) * | 2000-02-07 | 2001-10-25 | Meder Martin G. | Method of checking lottery ticket numbers |
| US6357658B1 (en) * | 1999-04-28 | 2002-03-19 | Peripheral Dynamics, Inc. | Apparatus and methods for scanning documents including OMR, bar-code, and image data |
-
2006
- 2006-10-09 GB GB0619991A patent/GB2431260A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5417424A (en) * | 1993-09-28 | 1995-05-23 | Gtech Corporation | Player operated win checker appended to lottery agent terminal |
| US6199044B1 (en) * | 1998-05-27 | 2001-03-06 | Intermec Ip Corp. | Universal data input and processing device, such as universal point-of-sale device for inputting and processing bar code symbols, document images, and other data |
| US6357658B1 (en) * | 1999-04-28 | 2002-03-19 | Peripheral Dynamics, Inc. | Apparatus and methods for scanning documents including OMR, bar-code, and image data |
| US20010033689A1 (en) * | 2000-02-07 | 2001-10-25 | Meder Martin G. | Method of checking lottery ticket numbers |
Cited By (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2011077259A3 (en) * | 2009-12-22 | 2013-08-08 | Multilot As | Lottery tickets, systems, and methods |
| US9987550B2 (en) | 2009-12-22 | 2018-06-05 | Multilot As | Lottery tickets, systems, and methods |
| US10565823B2 (en) | 2009-12-22 | 2020-02-18 | Multilot As | Games, lotteries, and sweepstakes and tickets, systems, technologies, and methods related thereto |
| US11011027B2 (en) | 2009-12-22 | 2021-05-18 | Multilot As | Games, lotteries, and sweepstakes and tickets, systems, technologies, and methods related thereto |
| US11244538B2 (en) | 2009-12-22 | 2022-02-08 | Multilot As | Games, lotteries, and sweepstakes and tickets, systems, technologies, and methods related thereto |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB0619991D0 (en) | 2006-11-15 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |