IES84422Y1 - Directory service provision - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT A method for delivering prepaid lottery numbers to customers by a directory service provider using a telecommunications system is described. The directory service provider allocates one of a pre—purchased pool of sets of lottery numbers to the customer and transmits the allocated numbers by SMS protocols. A prize claim verification code is also transmitted in an SMS message with the allocated numbers to enable authentication of any subsequent prize claim made by a customer once a lottery has taken place.

Description

Introduction The present invention relates to a method for the delivery of prepaid lottery numbers to customers by a service provider using a telecommunications system to provide the service. The method is particularly related to the provision of telephone numbers from a directory service provider, in which the directory service provider additionally sends an SMS message to the customer detailed in the number provided.

Directory service providers are continually searching for ways to promote their services and to provide added value to their customers. This is usually done by various promotions and other ways of persuading the customers to continue to use the services. Unfortunately, most of the ways proposed heretofore are rather expensive to operate and further require a considerable infrastructure. There are also considerable problems in finding an efficient way to deliver prizes, rewards or other incentives to such customers. Most proposals heretofore have been unwieldy, expensive and, even more importantly, have lacked clarity and openness insofar as the customer is concerned. To the customer it always appears to be somebody else who gets the reward, other than the faithful customers.

There are many service providers which rely on theuse of SMS messaging and text messaging as an important means of communication between the provider and it’s customers. This fact has been realised by many service providers who have used such text messages to add additional advertising and other promotional data to such text messages.

There is a demand in the industry for a system that provides some incentive or reward to the customer that is transparent in its provision and, more importantly, can be easily implemented out without excessive costs.

S1atemen1s_of_lmLenl:ion According to the invention, there is provided a method for the delivery of prepaid lottery numbers to customers by a directory service provider using a telecommunications system to provide the service, on the customer purchasing a predetermined service, the method comprises: sending an SMS message to the customer's phone; allocating one of a pre-purchased pool of sets of current lottery numbers to the customer; transmitting one of the sets of numbers as one of, part of the SMS message and a separate SMS message to the customer; transmitting a claim verification code with the ‘set of numbers; and on the lottery draw taking place: making a claim for any prize awarded to any set of winning numbers in the lottery draw; storing the prize money for each set of winning numbers; and delivering the relevant prize money to a claimant who transmits an SMS message containing the set of winning numbers and the claim verification code.

In one embodiment, the claim identification code comprises one or more of: call line identification number (CLI); time of call data; a random SMS message number, and a message ID.

In one embodiment, the claim identification code is encrypted and stored for subsequent retrieval. in one embodiment, there is provided a method in which: the set of numbers in the pool is divided into different categories of sets of numbers within the pool, the categories comprising one or more of: sets of numbers to be transmitted only once; sets of numbers to be transmitted only a certain number of times; sets of numbers to be transmitted to a predetermined sets of customers only; and sets of numbers to be transmitted without restriction.

In another embodiment of the invention, allocation of the sets of numbers is based on one or more of: usage by the customer of the service over a preset period; location of a customer; and time of day when the SMS message was sent. in one embodiment, the allocation of a set of numbers from a specific category of sets of numbers comprises: checking the caller's CLI and on the customer's use of the service exceeding a predetennined amount over a preset period, one of the sets of numbers of the category to be allocated only once is allocated to the customer and only if all have been allocated, will a set of numbers - 4 9 other than these be allocated. in one embodiment of the invention, on the lottery taking place: the winning sets of numbers are stored on a database; the prize allocated to each customer is listed for each winning set of numbers; and on a customer sending an SMS message including the claim identification code; the customer is sent an SMS message detailing how the prize may be claimed. in another embodiment, there is provided a method in which on a set of winning numbers being allocated a prize, the number of customers to which the set has been allocated is determined and the share of the prize money due to each customer is calculated.

In one embodiment, the payment of the prize money to the customer is carried out on receiving a claim by one of: sending a payment of the prize to the customer by a suitable currency transfer method; and crediting the customer with the monetary amount of the prize against future purchases with the service provider.

In one embodiment, when the prize due to the customer is less than a preset amount, the customer is credited with the monetary amount of the prize against future purchases.

In one embodiment, on the share of the prize for each customer being less than a preset amount, the share is increased to a greater amount and the greater amount is given to claimants until all these shares have been claimed.

In one embodiment, on the expiry of a preset period after the lottery draw has taken place: all the unclaimed prizes are cancelled; the unclaimed prizes are allocated to an unclaimed prize fund; and on the unclaimed prize fun exceeding a predetermined amount, the amount of the unclaimed prize fund is distributed by one or more of: a draw of a number of sets of numbers for the current lottery; a grossing up of the amount of the prizes for the current lottery; and allocation of the unclaimed prize fund to a charity.

In one embodiment, the set of numbers is allocated on the basis of one of: random selection; and sequential selection as SMS messages are sent.

In another embodiment of the invention, at a predetennined time, prior to the draw, the process is terminated and no further sets of numbers are allocated for that draw.

In one embodiment, all SMS messages for which a set of numbers is not allocated are stored until the next pool of sets of numbers is purchased and then the sets of numbers are allocated for this new draw and the SMS messages are sent.

In one embodiment, the predetermined service being purchased is the provision of a telephone number from a Directory Services Provider in which the Directory Services Provider additionally sends an SMS message to the customer detailing the telephone number provided.

In another embodiment, one or more of the steps are carried out outside the jurisdiction.

In one embodiment of the invention, there is provided a computer program comprising program instructions for causing a computer to carry out the method as described above.

In one embodiment, the computer program may be embodied on a record medium, on a read only memory, stored in a computer memory or carried on an electrical signal carrier.

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The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of some embodiments thereof, given by way of example only, in which: Fig. 1 is a stylised view of a system architecture for carrying out the invention, Fig. 2 is a simplified flowchart of part of one method for carrying out the invention, and Fig. 3 is a flowchart of another part of the method of carrying out the invention.

In this specification, the term “service provider” is used, not only to relate to directory service providers, but also to other service providers who give or download services on purchase to a users telephone. However, the present description largely relates to the use of national and trans-national lotteries in which players in the lottery are given a set of numbers. A typical lottery, for example, might allow a purchaser to choose six numbers, any one of which is a number between 1 and 49 with no number repeated. Then the lottery provider canies out a draw and issues prizes based on four or five numbers or various other combinations, all of which lead to a share in a cash prize. Then there is usually a major prize which is awarded to those players who match all six numbers.

However, the tenn “lottery” and “lottery numbers” could also be used to encompass, for example, the simple numbering of tickets for a draw or some other way of awarding prizes based on a number.

The term “a set of numbers” is used to refer to any numbers that are allocated to a player and would be lead to the award of a prize. Thus, a winning set of numbers refers to any set of numbers for which a prize has been allocated in the draw.

Simply, in operation, the service provider will purchase, for example, a substantial number of lottery tickets, for example 10,000, at the beginning of the week prior to a particular draw. These lottery numbers or sets of numbers would then be appended to each text message issued in the week prior to the draw and thus, depending on the number of sets of numbers that are purchased by the service provider, the customer will have a greater or lesser chance of winning a prize. Thus, for example, if a company were to purchase 10,000 lottery tickets, that is to say, sets of numbers, and were to send out 100,000 sets of numbers to customers over the relevant period, each set of numbers would be used around ten times before the particular draw.

Thus, one can easily see that the customer has a considerable chance of winning a prize or at least, more properly, sharing in a prize, without having to make any purchase. It should be noted that with the method according to the present invention, it is envisaged that certain sets of numbers will only be allocated once to customers and thus the customers willknow, on allocation, that they have received a set of numbers in exactly the same way as if they had purchased the number themselves.

Now referring to Fig. 1, there is illustrated the system according to the invention, indicated generally by the reference numeral 1, connected to a telecommunications network 2 to which there is also connected a number of customer mobile phones 3 and landlines 4 capable of receiving a text message. The system 1 is a directory enquiries provider and comprises a plurality of operator workstations 10, only one of which is illustrated, and two databases, namely, a systems database 11 and a control database 12. The systems database 11 is connected to a communications control database 12 which in this case is identified by the brand VAS, and which is, for example described in British Patent No. 2,334,410 by the present applicants. This control database 12 handles the SMS messaging. There is illustrated a lottery numbers input device 15 connected to a numbers assigner device 16 which in turn is connected to the control database 12 and also to the systems database 11. There is also provided a password generator 17, a lotto number recorder 18 and a winner validator unit 19 which in turn is connected to a website 20 operated by the systems services provider. in operation and referring now to Fig. 2, on the week prior to a lottery, in step 1, a number of lottery numbers are purchased from the lottery operator. In step 2, the lottery numbers are stored. In step 3, a request for a service is received and then in step 4, an SMS message is sent giving, in this case, the telephone number requested. If, by any chance, no SMS message is sent, then in step 5, the operation " is terminated. However, presuming an SMS message is sent, the database is consulted in step 6, where the lottery numbers have been stored. Then, in step 7, a set of numbers is extracted and in step 8, simultaneously, a random key code is selected and in step 9, a hash key is generated. Then the extracted set of numbers from the database and the generated hash key is added as an SMS message in step , which is then transmitted in step 11 to the customer. Therefore, the customers request for the telephone number is accompanied with this additional number and a generated hash key. These are stored by the directory services provider in step 12 as a set of numbers with the generated hash key.

Then the lottery takes place and referring now to Fig. 3, in step 20, the numbers drawn in the lottery are received and in step 21, the database is checked to find out what winning numbers have actually been purchased. Then, in step 22, details of the winning sets of numbers and the relevant prizes are stored. in step 23, the database is checked for the winning SMS messages. In step 24, the necessary prizes are allocated to the winning customers. It will be appreciated that in some cases, obviously more than one customer will share a prize. Then, in step 25, a claim for a prize is received from the customer and in step 26, validation takes place and either the claim is rejected in step 27 or the claim is accepted and a prize is delivered to the customer in step 28. it will be appreciated that it is very important to ensure there is absolute security so that sets of numbers are only allocated to those SMS messages they should be.

Thus, each operator workstation, namely the workstation 10 of Fig. 1, will require a secure encrypted log-in (UID) and password (PWD) on start-up. It is envisaged that it may be necessary at set intervals to repeat such encrypted log-in and password generation. This password generation will be required, as well as the UID. so that the combination will be needed to submit an SMS message effectively to the queue in the secure database 11. It will be appreciated that any well known algorithm may be used to decrypt the password which can be coded into the various workstations 10.

Then the UlD and PWD combinations will be generated by the password generator application.

It is envisaged that the purchase of sets of numbers can be written‘ to‘ both secure databases 11 and 12 with no indication of how they will be used. They can also be read into memory by an application which will determine how the sets of numbers will be selected. For example, it will be possible to randomly select one set, which will be categorised, by the fact that it may be used only once and other sets which may be shared among a number of users. Thus, for example, it is envisaged that some of the sets of numbers will be used much more often than others, or allocated more often. When assigning a set of numbers, the numbers can be assigned randomly by using some random number generator or indeed simply sequentially since the requests come in randomly and thus by allocating the sets of numbers on a purely sequential basis, the effect is random since no user of the service could possibly predict where in a particular queue he or she would be.

It is envisaged that the password generator will automatically determine encrypted UID/PWD combinations for use by the workstation. It is also envisaged that a web interface may be provided which would have limited functionality to allow a customer to check if they have won, based on their own call line identification number (CLI) andlor lottery numbers and/or the hash key or other key code assigned to them.

It is envisaged that security will be very important and security needs to adequately deal with the queuing of messages and the assigning of lottery numbers and unique values to the messages. In the embodiment described above, only SMS generated as a result of a directory enquiry will be eligible for the draw. Therefore, it is essential that no other message can be put into the queue. Thus, it is necessary to generate the necessary UID/PWD combinations for use by the workstations to submit the messages. It is envisaged that the operation will work somewhat as follows: (i) Application generates the UID/PWD and places in an encrypted table. (ii) The application generates a login on the secure database to allow the workstation write-only access to the message queue. (iii) The workstation reads and decrypts the new values either at set intervals or on start-up and refreshes its connections. (iv) Once a suitable time period has elapsed, the application removes the previous login.

By carrying out such a process, this should ensure that only valid workstation messages are placed in the queue and only by the designated workstations.

As well as regularly changing logins, it is envisaged that processes will be provided to validate SMS messages against calls using CDR data. This should not cause any difficulty as it is relatively easy to validate that an SMS message is a result of a valid call by comparing the CLI time data and thus any SMS message generated by any fraudulent source should be detectable. An added advantage of this is that it would also monitor any unusual patterns of multiple messages to the same CLI.

As mentioned already, there are many ways in which, for example, a unique identifier may be provided. For example, it may be possible to provide a random alphanumeric such as a seven digit key code. This can in turn be encrypted for validation reference.

It is envisaged that a hash key may be provided based on a combination of unique fields including, for example, time queued or time of the call received, CLI, number requested, key code, lottery numbers and indeed message ID. Again, this key will be written to an encrypted field.

Once the draw has taken place and the prizes are available, it is important to ensure that there is adequate security.

It is envisaged that at predefined intervals before drawing of the numbers, all SMS entered for that draw should be effectively quarantined. Thus, the SMS messages will effectively be stored and queued for the next draw. it is proposed to run a script that will automatically remove valid SMS’s from the live queue at a defined time to a secure read only draw table. This table will contain messages for that draw only and can be named to reflect that.

Once the winning numbers have been received and validated against X number of sources, an application will be run to automatically generate a list of winners for delivery to appointed personnel only and recording to a secure database.

There are many systems, it is envisaged, that may be used to validate the claimants.

Indeed, in certain circumstances, when the prize is above a certain amount, the claimant will be required to show evidence of having received the message. This may include the CLI that received it, the time it was received and the content of the SMS. The CLI, requested CLI, lottery numbers claimed and the 7 digit key code, mentioned above, can be validated against the message queue and previously generated winners list. if a match is found, then the corresponding message can be located in the message queue and the hash value validated against the content provided and queue parameters. If required, the SMS can be checked against call records or workstations statistics to further validate its authenticity. Needless to say, the elaborate validation would only occur for relatively large prizes.

In relation to the allocation of prizes, it is appreciated that in certain instances the amount of the prize may be such as not to make it worthwhile sending a sum of money to each of the customers, in which case, it is envisaged that the prize will be simply allocated on the basis of a credit for future use of the services. Alternatively, for example, it may be that instead of sharing the prize with, for example, 100 customers, it will be decided to share the prize within the first ten customers requesting the prize. It is also envisaged that, for example, instead of allocating the prize to individual customers, when the amount the customers would achieve is very small, it may be distributed in some other way. Also, it is envisaged that at a certain time after the draw, any unclaimed prizes will be simply allocated to a pool of unclaimed prizes for future distribution. Since the national lottery operates a similar time base system, it is envisaged that with the present invention, such a time base system would be utilised operating in exactly the same way as the national lottery. it is also envisaged that any unclaimed prize money can be used in various ways, possibly by way of having a separate draw among customers by way of grossing up the value of the prizes in a subsequent draw or simply allocating the money to charity or some other good cause. it is also envisaged that the manner in which the sets of numbers may be allocated may be changed, depending on particular circumstances. For example, it may be decided that to allocate initially to those customers who use the service more than a certain amount of time in any particular period, they will receive a set of numbers which is not allocated to any other user. Similarly, one might decide to allocate more numbers or more useful, as it were, sets of numbers to customers, depending on when they requested the service or indeed where they were located. There are many ways in which this can be done.

It will also be appreciated that some or all of the steps of carrying out the methods of the present invention may be carried out within or outside the jurisdiction. Further, it will be appreciated that a computer program comprising program instructions for causing the computer to carry out the method of the invenfion may be provided. That computer program may be embodied on a record medium, on a read only memory, stored on a computer memory or carried on an electrical signal carrier.

In the specification the terms “comprise, comprises, comprised and comprising” or any variation thereof and the terms “include, includes, included and including” or any variation thereof are considered to be totally interchangeable and they should all be afforded the widest possible interpretation and vice versa.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment hereinbefore described, but may be varied in both construction and detail within the scope of the claims.

Claims (5)

1. A method for the delivery of prepaid lottery numbers to customers by a directory service provider using a telecommunications system to provide the service, on the customer purchasing a predetermined service, the method comprises: ' sending an SMS message to the customers phone; allocating one of a pre-purchased pool of sets of current lottery numbers to the customer; a transmitting one of the sets of numbers as one of, part of the SMS message and a separate SMS message to the customer; transmitting a claim verification code with the set of numbers; and on the lottery draw taking place: making a claim for any prize awarded to any set of winning numbers in the lottery draw; storing the prize money for each set of winning numbers; and delivering the relevant prize money to a claimant who transmits an SMS message containing the set of winning numbers and the claim verification code.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the claim identification code comprises one or more of: call line identification number (CLl); time of call data; a random SMS message number; and a message ID.

3. T A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which: the set of numbers in the pool is divided into different categories of sets of numbers within the pool, the categories comprising one or more of: - sets of numbers to be transmitted only once; sets of numbers to be transmitted only a certain number of times; sets of numbers to be transmitted to a predetermined sets of customers only; and sets of numbers to be transmitted without restriction.

4. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which, on the lottery taking place: the winning sets of numbers are stored on a database; the prize allocated to each customer is listed for each winning set of numbers; and on a customer sending an SMS message including the claim identification code, the customer is sent an SMS message detailing how the prize may be claimed. '

5. A method for delivery of prepaid lottery numbers substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Dk\spec\m4190-11 conduit spec 06]une05temp23 les