MX2008001878A - Electronic sweepstakes entry distribution system - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of distributing sweepstakes entries includes associating a product with a user account. The product may be a product such as Internet access time, calling card minutes, gift card credit, other types of store credit, or any other type of product. One or more sweepstakes entries are associated the user account based at least in part upon the value of the product that has been associated with the user account. A user ticket (501) is dispensed to a user correlated with the user account. This user ticket (501) is associated with the product through information recorded on the user ticket (501), and is also printed with a respective indicia for each respective sweepstakes entry associated with the user account. A user receiving the user ticket (501) may see their sweepstakes entry results at a display terminal (106) that causes the results to be displayed in an entertaining fashion.

Description

ELECTRONIC SYSTEM DISTRIBUTION OF TICKETS TO DRAWS Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic lottery system that uses a physical user ticket to distribute tickets in a draw game carried out in connection with the sale of a product. The invention includes a method for the distribution of entries to the draw and the disclosure of the results of entries to the draw, and also includes a system for distributing draw tickets and a program product.

Background of the Invention Sweepstakes games are commonly used to promote the sale of various products or to encourage charitable donations. Generally, an entry to a drawing game, or a fixed number of tickets, is given to a buyer of a product that qualifies for a raffle or a donor in exchange for a charitable donation. The buyer / donor / raffle player can then redeem winning raffle entries for the identified prizes. Sweepstakes prizes can be cash prizes, store prizes, or merchandise prizes, for example. Commonly, sweepstakes rules define a higher level or "higher" prize and a number of other prize levels. A drawing game can offer only one or a very small number of large prizes and larger numbers of prizes at one or more lower prize levels. The results for the various draw entries can be determined in several different ways. In some sweepstakes games, each entry is associated with a given lottery result before the ticket is distributed to the buyer / donor / player. In other sweepstakes games, each entry is associated with some identifier and a drawing is maintained to identify the winning entries after the raffle entries are distributed to the buyers / donors / players. In sweepstakes games associated with the sale of products, tickets to the raffle may be in the form of tickets (which may alternatively be referred to as game pieces) that are incorporated in some form with the product packaging. By For example, a cereal box may have an entry ticket to the lottery printed on the cereal box itself, and the buyer / player of the lottery must cut the entry ticket from the box in order to redeem the entry for any associated prize. In another common example, an entry ticket to the draw may be printed on the interior surface of the lid of a soda bottle or on an interior surface of a label attached to the soda bottle. In any case, the entrance ticket to the draw may include a code for identification and / or verification purposes and, where the results are preassociated with the entries to the draw, an indicator showing the prize associated with the entry. Other sweepstakes games do not rely on entry tickets to the raffle incorporated into the product packaging. In these sweepstakes games, separate entry tickets are provided to the buyer / donor / raffle player at the time of purchase / donation. These raffle tickets are pre-printed and made available to the retailer or charity for distribution to buyers / donors / players. As with raffle entry tickets, which are incorporated into the product packaging, tickets distributed separately from the products include at least one code for identification and / or verification purposes, and may also include an associated award indicator with the ticket when the prizes are preassociated with the entrance tickets. Where raffle prizes are indicated on pre-printed entry tickets themselves, the prize indicators are preferably obscured in some way so that the ticket distributor can not see the prize associated with a given ticket before the ticket is distributed. To darken the prize indicator, opaque immaterial capable of being scraped or a removable opaque label or any other suitable arrangement may be used. Some government regulations related to sweepstakes games require that entries to such sweepstakes be made available to non-purchasers or non-donors. In this way, the rules for a given draw game can define an alternative method of entry (Altérnate Mode Of Entry, AMOE). A common AMOE requires a potential player to present a postcard or other form of entry into a distribution center. The distribution center responds to said postcard or entry form returning one or more entry tickets to the draw to the sender of the postcard / entry form. Regardless of whether entries into the sweepstakes are incorporated into the product packaging, whether they are provided on separate preprinted tickets, or whether they are distributed in an AMOE procedure, the previous lottery systems are limited in the way raffle prizes can be awarded. presented to the player. Typically, a sweepstakes player who has a ticket entry ticket that has been associated with a prize sees either an indicator on the ticket that directly indicates the winning prize or sees a code that can be correlated with a winning prize. In this way, the previous draw systems lack any arrangement to show the results of the draws in an attractive and entertaining way.

SUMMARY AND OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a method of distributing tickets to sweepstakes games in which the results of the draws can be shown to the draws player in an exciting and attractive format in an electronic display terminal. The invention encompasses a method for the distribution of tickets to draws as well as a system and program product for the distribution of tickets to draws and to reveal the results of draws in an electronic display terminal. A preferred method embodying the principles of the invention includes the association of a product with a user account. The product can be a product such as Internet access time, minutes for phone cards, gift credit cards, other types of store credits, or any other type of product. One or more draw entries are associated with a user account based, at least in part, on the value of the product that has been associated with the user account. The method also includes the delivery of a user ticket to a user correlated to the user account. This user ticket is associated with the product through recorded information on the user's ticket, and is also printed with a respective printout for each respective lottery entry associated with the user account. The distribution of draw entries according to the invention provides great flexibility in how the results associated with the various draw entries can be shown to the buyer of the product / draw player (hereinafter referred to as the "user"). In particular, methods according to the invention allow the results of the draws to be shown to the user in an attractive and exciting graphic format. A preferred form of the invention includes the production of a graphical display of the result of the draw entry in a display device in response to an entry command to the draw entered into a display terminal with which the display device is located. associated. This graphic presentation of the result of the draw entry may represent a result in a game of a card game, a reel-type game, or any other type of game. Depending on the nature of the product associated with the user account, this display terminal may also be used to provide the product to the user. For example, where the product is Internet access time, the display terminal can not only be used to show the user his results in the draw, but also to provide access to the Internet. Some forms of the present invention may include the printing of signs on the user's ticket in response to a product purchase request. In addition, the association of the user account with one or more tickets to raffles can be carried out in response to the request to purchase the product. The information through the. which the user ticket is associated with the product can also be recorded on the user ticket in response to the product purchase request. The association of the user account with each respective entry to the draw may include the random assignment of a respective entry to the draw to the user account from a set of entries to the draw. A preferred system embodying the principles of the invention includes a device for storing a data structure representing the user account. This data storage device may be associated with a draw controller who is responsible for assigning entry records to draws to the user account and managing the user account. This preferred system also includes a ticket dispenser to deliver a user ticket that is printed with signs for each respective entry to the draw associated with the user account. This ticket dispenser can include a printer to print the print on the user's ticket, preferably immediately before the user ticket is delivered to the user. One or more display terminals may be included in the system to reveal the results of the draws to system users. The present invention also includes a program product stored in at least one storage medium. The program product includes a set of instructions that can be read by a machine, which are configured to carry out the methods described herein. These and other advantages and features of the invention will be clear from the following description of the preferred embodiments, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a lottery system embodying the principles of the present invention. Figure 2 is a diagrammatic representation of a point-of-sale terminal included in the lottery system shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a diagrammatic representation of an access point device, display terminal, and / or combination device included in the raffle system shown in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a diagrammatic representation of a central system that can be used in the raffle system shown in Figure 1. Figure 5A is a diagrammatic representation of a side of a user ticket according to one embodiment of the invention. Figure 5B is a diagrammatic representation of the opposite side of the user ticket shown in Figure 5A. Figure 6 is a flow diagram showing process steps associated with the operation of point of sale terminals in a preferred form of the present invention. Figure 7 is a flow chart showing process steps associated with the operation of a combination device according to a preferred form of the present invention.

Figure 8 is a flow chart showing process steps associated with the operation of the central system according to one embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Modalities The invention will be described below in connection with a specific modality in which the product being purchased comprises time of access to the Internet. It will be appreciated, however, that the invention is not limited to its use in connection with the sale of any particular type of product or service and is certainly not limited to cases in which the product comprises Internet access time. Various alternative systems adapted to the use in relation to the acquisition of other types of products and services will be described further below. Referring to Figure 1, a lottery system 100 embodying the principles of the invention includes a central system 101 for managing user accounts related to the sale of Internet access time. The central system 101 communicates with various system devices such as display terminals 106, point of sale terminals (PDVs) 107, access point devices 108, and display terminal / access point combination devices 109. Each display terminal 106 is referred to by the abbreviation "TV" in the drawings, while the abbreviations "PA" and "TV / PA" are used in the drawings for access points 108 and combined devices 109 of display terminals / access points, respectively. Also, the display terminal / access point combination devices 109 can simply be referred to as "combination devices" in this description. Draw system 100 includes groups of devices 102, 103, 104 and 105. These groups of devices typically, but not necessarily, are located in different physical locations that can be widely separated across a geographic area. Group 102 includes only PDVs 107, while group 105 includes display terminals 107, access point devices 108, and combination devices 109, but not PDV 107. Group 103 includes a PDV 107 in conjunction with display terminals 106, and access point devices 108, while group 104 includes only one PDV 107 and display terminals 106. The particular mode of the The invention shown in Figure 1 employs a communications array that uses switches to help facilitate communications between the various components of the system. In this manner, each group of devices 102, 103, 104 and 105 includes a switch (CON) 110. It will be appreciated that the network topology shown in Figure 1 is only one example of an appropriate network communications arrangement. The invention is not limited to any particular network topology or to any particular communication technique or protocol. Also, while physical connections are indicated in Figure 1, communications between system components may be wired or wireless within the scope of the invention. In addition, the invention is not limited to any particular number of devices included in the various device groups. The specific number of PDVs 107, display terminals 106, access point devices 108 and combination devices 109 shown in Figure 1 are shown only for example purposes. As will be described in detail below with reference to the flow charts of Figures 6 to 8, system 100 makes it possible for a user to purchase Internet access time in a PDV 107. System 100 associates the purchased product, ie , the time of Internet access purchased, with a user ticket through information such as an account identifier recorded in some way on the user's ticket. The system 100 also associates the user account with one or more tickets to draw. The number of said tickets to draw is based, at least in part, on the value of the product that the user has purchased in the respective PDV 107. The PDV 107 in which the user purchased the product also preferably delivers the user the ticket user. The user ticket is also printed with a respective printout for each respective draw entry that was associated with the user account in view of the product that was purchased by the user. Each impression is correlated with a result in the draw game preferably so that the user can determine the result of a respective entry to a draw game simply by observing the print and comparing it with a table of draw results that correlates several types of printing with a respective result of the draw game. Alternatively, the user can go to a display terminal 106 or a combination device 109 and use the user ticket, or information associated with the user ticket, to reveal the results of the draw game for draw entries that have been associated with the user account of the respective user. As yet another alternative, the system 100 can also be configured to allow a user to reveal the results of draw entry in a PDV 107. Additionally, or in lieu of one or more of these result disclosure arrangements, some forms of the invention can implement a website through which users can reveal their draw results using any computer connected to the Internet or Internet device. Used in this manner said computer connected to the Internet or Internet device can be considered as a display terminal within the scope of the present invention. The specific structure of a raffle distribution system that embodies the principles of the present invention will largely depend on the nature of the product or products that can be purchased. Since the product that is being purchased in the system 100 is Internet access time, the system includes access point device 108 through which the user can obtain Internet access in accordance with his purchase of access time to Internet. As will be described further below, the access point devices 108 may comprise computers through which a user may gain access to the Internet. Alternatively, the access point devices 108 may comprise or include a wireless gate device through which a user may access the Internet using his or her own laptop with wireless Internet connection or an Internet device. Each combination device 109 may comprise a computer system that can serve either to provide access to the Internet or to display the results of the draw as will be described below with particular reference to Figure 3 and the flow chart of Figure 7. In the system of Example 100 shown in Figure 1 in which the product to be purchased is Internet access time, each group of devices including access point devices 108 may comprise an Internet café. Typically the Internet cafe will include a PDV 107 where Internet access time can be purchased. Groups 103 and 104 are examples of a typical internet coffee arrangement according to the invention where a user can both acquire Internet access time and access the Internet, as well as view their draw results with a display terminal 106 or a combination device 109. However, it is not necessary it is within the scope of the invention to provide a PDV 107 in the same location where the purchased Internet access time can be used. The group 105 in Figure 1 is an example of a location that provides display terminals 106, access point devices 108, and combination devices 109, without providing any POS. On the other hand, it is not necessary according to the invention to provide display terminals 106, access point devices 108, or combination devices 109 in a location where Internet access time can be purchased. The group 102 shows an example of a location in the system 100 in which Internet access time can be purchased, but not necessarily used. Of course, the invention is not limited to any particular number of groups of devices such as groups 102, 103, 104 and 105. Figure 2 provides a diagrammatic representation of an example PDV 107 that can be used in the draw system 100 shown in Figure 1. The illustrated PDV 107 includes a processor 202 that communicates with the central system 101 through a communication interface 204 such as a network router and appropriate network interface card. The processor 202 controls a cashier 206 and also communicates with a user interface 208 and an operator interface. The user interface 208 includes a card reader 212 for reading information from a user account card. The account card is a physical card such as a credit card, a gift card, or any other type of card that can be correlated with a user account. In a preferred embodiment, the account card can also be printed with the lottery prints and thus represent a user ticket. However, the user ticket may be separated from a user account card. In a preferred form of the invention, the card reader 212 comprises a magnetic tape reader and the account cards and user tickets used in the system encode information on a magnetic material ribbon formed on the respective card or ticket. However, the invention is not limited to any particular technology for encoding the information required in a user account card or a user ticket. For example, the card reader 212 may comprise an optical scanner adapted to read bar codes, recognize graphic characters, and / or read any other optical array in which information may be encoded.

As another example, the card reader 212 may comprise a smart card reader for reading information from a user account card carrying a suitable information storage device. Also, it will be appreciated that the card reader 212 may comprise a combination device adapted to read multiple and different types of media or may comprise multiple devices for reading different types of media. In particular, a user interface within the scope of the invention may include a card reader for reading a dedicated user account card for the establishment of a user account in the sweepstakes distribution system, and another card reader for read another type of account cards, such as a credit card used to acquire the desired Internet access time, or a single card reader device adapted to read both types of cards. The keyboard and / or mechanical button array 214 is included in the user interface 208 to allow the user to make multiple entries in the respective POV 107. For example, a user may be required to enter an account identifier and / or a number. of personal identification (PIN) as part of a transaction in the PDV 107. The keyboard / buttons 214 can also make it possible for a user to enter certain requests or commands in the PDV 107. For example, a user may be required to enter a time value of Internet access to be purchased and to enter a purchase request and / or verify the purchase request. As another example, a user may be allowed to enter a request for a ticket to be entered through the keyboard / button array 214. Part or all of the functionality implemented through the keyboard / button array 214 may also be , or alternatively, is implemented in a touch-sensitive display / screen 216. The touch-sensitive display / screen 216 may also be used to show the user the results of the draw entries, and / or display other information or graphics to the user. Alternative forms of the invention may include only one display device as part of the user interface and not a touch screen display / screen. It is also possible that a user interface associated with the PDV 107 within the scope of the invention may not include a display As with the user interface 208, the illustrated operator interface 210 includes a card reader 218, keypad / button arrangement 220, and a touch-sensitive display / screen 222. The card reader 218 may comprise any of the types of cards. card reader devices described above with reference to the card reader 212. Generally, the card reader 218 may be used to read information from a user account card, a user ticket, or both. The keyboard / button arrangement 220 and the touch screen / display 222 allow an operator to enter information and commands. The touch screen / display 222 also allows various news or other information to be displayed to the operator of the POS. However, some forms of the invention may include only a display with the operator interface rather than a touch-sensitive display / screen, and rely on operator inputs through the keyboard / button arrangement 220 and the card reader 218. The operator interface 210 also includes a card printer / encoder 226 that can be used to print and / or encode the user account card and / or user tickets in accordance with the present invention. It will be appreciated that a device may be included in a PDV 107 to print a user ticket and a separate device may be included to encode information in the user's ticket. While the exemplary PDV 107 shown in Figure 2 includes a double interface array, that is, a separate user interface 208 and an operator interface 210, it will be appreciated that other forms of the invention may not include dual interfaces in the PDV 107. In some raffle systems according to the invention, the PDVs may be unattended devices or kiosks that include only a user interface. In these types of PDVs, a card encoder / printer similar to device 226 in Figure 2 will be included as part of the user interface or as another component of the POS. Yet other lottery systems in accordance with the present invention may use PDVs serviced by a teller or operator, which include only an operator interface similar to interface 210, and no user interface. In these types of systems, the user provides information to the operator / cashier of the POS who subsequently enters the information within the system through the operator interface. A user may also be required to give his account card and / or user ticket to the POS operator / cashier so that the card / ticket can be scanned with an appropriate card reader / scanner that is associated with the POS. Still other PDV arrays within the scope of the invention can employ a shared user interface and operator interface, in which both the operator / cashier and the user have access to various components such as a card reader, keypad / array buttons, and display / touch screen. In some forms of the invention, the functions provided by the PDV 107 can be provided through a personal computer that has access to the Internet. That is, a website can be implemented to allow a user to buy the product, in this case time of access to the Internet, through a computer connected to the Internet or Internet device. In this case, a printer associated with the computer or the Internet device can be used to print the user ticket as will be described later. At a minimum, a POS in a system according to the present invention would allow a user to purchase a product and receive a user ticket associated with draw entries. Some forms of the invention may not include a printer and instead rely on user tickets that are preprinted with an appropriate number of prints each related to a draw entry. Figure 3 provides a diagrammatic representation of a system that can comprise either an access point 108, display terminal 106, or combination device 109 within the scope of the present invention. Each of these system devices may generally include a processor 302 connected for communications to the rest of the lottery system through an appropriate communications interface 304 which may be similar to the interface 204 shown in FIG. system (106, 108 and 109) also includes a user interface 306. The illustrated user interface 306 includes a card reader 308, keyboard / button arrangement 310, and a touch-sensitive display / screen 312. The card reader 308 comprises a device suitable for reading a user account card and / or a user ticket. The reader may comprise any of the arrangements of card readers described above with reference to the card reader 212 shown in Figure 2. The keyboard / button array 310 may comprise any arrangement of physical buttons, controls, or keys to enable a user enter the commands desired to use the particular device 106, 108 or 109. For example, where the device comprises an access point device 108 or a combination device 109, the keyboard / arrangement of buttons 310 may comprise a computer keyboard and a signaling device such as a mouse or a pointer ball. Where the device comprises a display terminal, the keyboard / button arrangement 310, for example, includes a game button that allows a user to make an entry to initiate an entry disclosure command as will be described later. The keyboard / button arrangement 310 for a display terminal may also include controls to enable the user to select a type of display by means of which the results of a draw entry are to be revealed, and controls to enable the user to to determine if the results of the draw are going to be revealed individually or in some combined form. While the access point device 108 may include a touch-sensitive display / screen 312 as shown in Figure 3, an access point device may simply include a computer monitor without the capability of a touch-sensitive screen. However, a display device associated with a display terminal 106 or a combination device 109 may include a display with touch-sensitive screen capabilities to enable the user to earn revenue in the course of a presentation of ticketing results. draw or to start the presentation of results. As shown in Figure 4, the central system 101 of the draw distribution system 100 shown in Figure 1 preferably includes a number of separate processing devices and their associated components. The central system 101 shown in Figure 4 includes an account database server 402, a manufacturing server 404, and a service computer 406. The account database server 402 maintains databases and data structures preferably used in draw system 100, particularly including data structures representing user accounts and related data structures. The manufacturing server 404 produces sweepstakes games and can store sets of sweepstakes games. These sets of draw games are preferably composed of a number of predetermined entries of draw entries. Each such record is associated with a result in the draw game and is also preferably associated with some draw entry identifier by means of which the various entry records can be distinguished. In some preferred forms of the invention each draw entry record comprises a data structure that includes at least one result field to contain a result index value and a field for the record identifier. Other fields may include a prize value field, a sequence indicator field for storing an indicator of the sequence of the respective record with respect to other draw entry records in the draw game. The service computer 406 handles communications to and from the PDVs 107, display terminals 106, access point devices 108 and combination devices 109. In particular, the service computer 406 receives product purchase information from a respective PDV 107, associates the appropriate number of draw entries with the appropriate user account that is maintained on the database server 402, and communicates the entries to draw back to the respective POV 107. The service computer 406 also it preferably maintains sets of draw entry records from the manufacturing server 404 and is responsible for acting as the draw controller to allocate draw entries to the respective user accounts used in the draw entry distribution system 100 shown in the drawing. Figure 1. However, the database server 402 may alternatively store raffle record sets and the 406 service computer may obtain entry records to raffle from the database server or have the database server communicate raffle entry records directly to the appropriate system component as will be further described below with reference to Figure 8. In any case, since the central system 101 in Figure 4 includes multiple processing systems that must communicate with each other and which may be required to communicate with other system components such as the PDVs 107, display terminals 106, access point devices 108, and combination devices 109 shown in Figure 1, a suitable communications arrangement is included in the central system 101 to facilitate communications required. Figure 4 shows a switch 408 for facilitating network communications between the components of the central system and between the components of the central system and other components included in the system for distributing tickets to draws. It will be appreciated that the example systems shown in Figures 1 to 4 are shown only for purposes of example and convenience in describing the present invention.

Numerous variations to these systems may be included within the scope of the present invention. For example, the systems shown in Figures 2 through 4 are based on a general-purpose computer model in which processes are performed or controlled by a respective general-purpose computer running an operational program code. Other forms of the invention may include general-purpose processors to perform and control the various functions of the draw distribution system 100 shown in Figure 1. Also, although a single general-purpose processor is shown for PDV 107 in Figure 2 and system devices 106/108/109 shown in Figure 3, multiple general-purpose processors may be used in some implementations. Similarly, while Figure 4 shows separate computer systems 402, 204 and 406, the various functions provided by the central system 101 may be distributed among more or less computer systems within the scope of the present invention. It should also be noted that although the display terminals 106 were described above as video-type devices in which the results of the draw entries are presented to the user through a video presentation, some or all of the terminals of the video display included in the system 100 may use a presentation other than a video type to reveal to the user the results of the draw. In particular, a mechanical slot machine may be used as a display terminal 106 to reveal to the user the results of the draw. Those trained in the area of data processing systems will appreciate that Figures 2 to 4 illustrate highly simplified representations and omit many details of the data processing system. Such system details include power supplies, non-volatile storage devices, volatile memory, cooling fans, touch-sensitive screen drivers and graphics processors for example. With respect to the central system 101 in Figure 4, an operator interface has also been omitted in the figure. These system details are omitted in the drawings so as not to obscure the invention with unnecessary details. The absence of these system details in the drawings should not be construed as indicating that these common computer system components would not or could not be included in a given implementation of a raffle distribution system according to the invention.

Figure 5A is a diagrammatic representation of a first side 500 of a user ticket 501 that can be used in a lot distribution system according to the present invention. The user ticket 501 may display a user account identifier 502, a game serial number 503 that identifies the respective draw game from which the entries are taken, and an amount of impressions 505 each of which is associated with a respective draw entry. The first side 500 of the user ticket 501 is also printed with a date 506 indicating the date on which the user ticket was issued, a value 507 of the cost of the purchase, a value 508 of total access time, and a 509 value that indicates the number of draw entries associated with the user ticket. This particular user ticket 501 is similar to that described in United States of America Patent No. 6,899,622, entitled Electronic Game System for Removable Label. Because the impressions 505 associated with the draw entries are easily visible on the user ticket 501 and can be correlated with respective draw prizes through a suitable prize table, some forms of the invention may include a cover material ( not shown) that darkens the impressions 505 at the time that the user ticket 501 is dispatched. In this case the user will be asked to remove the cover material in order to see the impressions 505. In the mode of the user ticket 501 shown in Figure 5 AEach entry print 505 includes a verification code that is uniquely identified with a respective result and a respective draw entry in the draw game. In other forms of the invention, the impressions printed on the user ticket 501 may comprise generic result identifiers conformed by one or more symbols. Preferably, each generic result identifier would also be labeled on user ticket 501 as being associated with a particular entry for the user ticket, such as "entry 1," "entry 2," and so on.

Figure 5B illustrates the opposite side 510 of the user ticket 501 shown in Figure 5 A. The opposite side 510 includes a strip of magnetic medium 511 which can be encoded with various data according to the invention. As used herein in connection with alternative forms of user tickets described below, "encoded" means that the information is encoded in some form that can be read by a machine. and that it is not necessarily capable of being read by a person without the help of a machine. Also included is a signature space 512 on the side 510 of the user ticket 501. A user ticket 501 that can be used in the present lot distribution system may include numerous variations from the example user ticket 501 shown in Figure 5 A and 5B. Of course, more than a magnetic tape 511, user ticket 501 could include a bar code or other type of optical reading code (not shown). Other forms of user ticket may include a memory circuit for storing information that could be stored on the magnetic tape 511 on the example user ticket 501. Also a user ticket within the scope of the invention need not have the particular configuration of example ticket 501. Alternative user tickets may include a magnetic tape or other information carrier arrangement on the same side of the ticket as the draw entry and card identification information impressions. Neither do user tickets need to be rectangular. The substrate from which the user ticket is formed can be paper, plastic, or any other suitable material for a given combination of characteristics to be included in the user's ticket. A particular type of user ticket within the scope of the invention comprises a ticket printed in the same manner in which a receipt can be printed on a PDV 107 (Figure 1). In these types of user tickets, the user account identifier is preferably optimally encoded on the ticket with a bar code or some other appropriate code, and information about the user account is stored, including information about the draw entries. and the results associated with the user account, in a suitable component (such as the central system 101) and that can be accessed through a user account identifier that can be read from the user's ticket. Regardless of whether the data is encoded on a magnetic tape such as tape 511 in Figure 5B, or encoded on a bar code, memory circuit, or any other device or array on the ticket, the user ticket is associated with the product purchased through information recorded on the user's ticket. That is, information recorded on the user ticket associates the user ticket with the product that was purchased to entitle the user to the draw entries. This information can be recorded on the ticket in a number of different ways. In one arrangement, the user ticket is encoded with the user account identifier coinciding with the account identifier (such as account identifier 502) which may also be printed or otherwise formed on the ticket. A product identifier such as an access time value 508 in Figure 5A, an acquisition price such as the price 507 in Figure 5A, or any other information may be printed and / or encoded in the user ticket to associate the user ticket with the purchased product. The user ticket may also be encoded with the serial number of the draw game such as the serial number 503 shown in Figure 5A. In some implementations of the invention, a user ticket such as ticket 501 may be encoded only with an account identifier. This account identifier can be used to access all the necessary information that is associated with the user ticket stored in appropriate data structures that are maintained by the lottery system. In other implementations of the invention, the user ticket 501 may be encoded with information related to the draw entries that have been assigned to the user account, or may be encoded with the actual entries of the draw entries. As will be further described below, even where the actual draw entry information is encoded on the user ticket, a suitable system component such as the central system 101 stores the draw entry data at least for verification purposes. These and other variations in a user ticket that can be used in the present invention will be clear in the following description of the operation of the invention in view of the flow diagrams presented in Figures 6 to 8. The flow diagram of the Figure 6 shows process steps associated with the operation of the PDVs 107 in the example lottery distribution system 100 shown in Figure 1. As shown in process block 602, the process performed in a respective PDV 107 includes the reception of an input signal from an operator or user of the respective POS. If this entry comprises a product purchase request, that is, a request to purchase Internet access time as indicated in decision block 604, the POS continues through the steps indicated in process block 606 with order to complete the purchase of Internet access time and produce the User ticket for the tickets to the draw games that have been assigned to the buyer. If the input received in the process block 602 does not represent a request for acquisition of Internet access time but instead represents a request for exchange of a draw entry as indicated in the decision block 608, the PDV 107 then proceeds through the draw entry swap process indicated in process block 610 in Figure 6. In the example process shown in Figure 6, the only two possible entries in block 602 are purchase requests from Internet access time and requests for the exchange of a result associated with a draw entry. In this way, if the entry in block 602 is not recognized as either of these two types of requests, then PDV 107 produces an error message for the operator and / or user as indicated in process block 612. The input received in PDV 107 as indicated in process block 602 in Figure 6 can be entered in any number of ways within the scope of the invention. Where the PDV 107 includes a user interface such as that shown at 208 in Figure 2, the user can make the same desired entry through that interface. Where the PDV 107 includes only an operator interface such as that shown at 210 in Figure 2, or where both the operator interface and the user interface are included, a user can request the operator of the POS to make an entry. adequate through the operator interface. In any case, the entry may require the entry of at least some information required to complete the application. For example, an appropriate entry in block 602 may be required to include or to identify the user account for the respective user and perhaps enter a PIN. Alternatively, the user account information and any required PINs can be entered later in the process as part of the steps in block 606 or 610 in Figure 6. The specific process steps that are required to complete a time purchase Internet access in process block 606 may also vary greatly from one implementation of the invention to another. Generally, the termination of a request to purchase Internet access time includes the receipt of the amount of the product that will be purchased, that is, the amount of Internet access time that will be purchased. This information can be entered in PDV 107 by the user or the operator of the PDV depending on the configuration of the respective POS. The PDV 107 may also cause a user ticket request to be communicated to the component responsible for assigning draw game entries, such as the central system 101 in Figures 1 and 4 for example. A request for Internet access time will also be communicated to the system component responsible for the allocation of Internet access time for a user. In one form of the invention, the central system 101 may also be responsible for managing time of access to the Internet and in this way, the communication to request access time to the Internet may be combined with the communication to request lottery entries. Also, in some forms of the invention, the communication requesting access time to the Internet may itself represent a request for lottery entries. Once the draw entry request and the Internet access time request are communicated to the appropriate component or system components, the PDV 107 waits for a return communication that includes enough information for the PDV 107 to make the ticket of user is dispatched. This information may include data related to each raffle entry assigned by the purchase of the Internet access time, the identifier of the user account that has been associated with the purchased Internet access time., a serial number that will be assigned to the user ticket, and perhaps other information. Finally, the PDV 107 causes the appropriate user ticket to be dispatched to the user. This process may include the selection of an appropriate user ticket from pre-printed or partially printed user ticket reservations in the PDV 107, or may include the printing of information on a substrate of a target user ticket. In any case, the PDV 107 preferably encodes the user account identifier and perhaps other information in the user ticket in a form that can be read by a machine using a suitable encoding arrangement for the respective type of user ticket that is being used in the system. The PDV 107 can also issue a receipt for the acquisition of Internet access time in the system. The process performed in the process block 610 in Figure 6 will depend at least in part on the manner in which the draw entries are associated with a user account in the given implementation of the system. Where only a user account identifier is encoded in the user's ticket, and not direct information about the entries of assigned to the lot, the process in block 610 preferably includes having a communication sent to the appropriate system component to obtain draw entry information. For example, the central system 101 shown in Figure 4 can store assigned draw entries so that they can be accessed by the user account identifier. In this example, the PDV 107 causes a communication to be sent to the central system 101 by means of which the central system can retrieve information on at least the next draw entry result to be exchanged for the given user account, and perhaps the total lottery entry results associated with the user account. The PDV 107 would then receive the required information from the central system 101 as indicated in block 610 in Figure 6. The PDV 107 would then pay the user any prize associated with each redeemed entry result exchanged. This payment can be in cash for prizes in cash, or it can be in the form of credit for cash or credit for Internet access time. Where raffle prizes are physical items, the payment may involve the delivery of the physical item to the POV or the issuance of a promissory note in the POV that can be exchanged at some other location such as the location of the central raffle office or an award redemption station (not shown in the figures). Depending on the configuration of PDV 107, the reward may involve the action of an operator or may be completely automated. In alternative forms of the invention, the user ticket (such as user ticket 501 in Figures 5 A and 5B) may be encoded with information identifying the respective entry or draw entries associated with the user account. In this case, a communication to another system component is not required in order to exchange a draw entry result for any associated prize draw. That is, the lottery result information can simply be read from the user's ticket in an appropriate manner and then the PDV 107 or the PDV 107 operator can grant the user the indicated prize or prizes. However, even where the information of the result of the draw entry is encoded in the user ticket, the information is preferably verified by communication with a component such as the central system 101 in Figures 1 and 4. Also, preferably information related to the exchange activity is communicated from the PDV 107 to the system component appropriate to allow the system component to update its records / data structures related to the user account. Of course, PDV 107 would also update the information encoded in the user ticket to indicate which draw entries have been redeemed. A redemption request entered in process block 602 in Figure 6 can be made after the user has seen one or more draw entry results for a given user ticket issued in accordance with the invention. As will be further described below in connection with Figure 7, the result associated with a draw entry may be revealed using a display terminal (106 in Figure 1) or a combination device (109 in Figure 1), and subsequently, the user can actually exchange the results in a PDV 107. However, some forms of the invention may give the user the option to exchange the draw entries for the associated result directly in a PDV 107 without first having to reveal the results to through a presentation of the input result in another system device or in the POS. Other forms of the invention may also allow a user to disclose the results of draw entries in a suitable device such as a display terminal 106 or a combination device 109 in Figure 1, and also exchange the results directly in the respective display terminal or combination device. The display terminals 106 and the combination devices 109 in this latter form of the invention will be equipped with an appropriate prize dispatcher to deliver prizes or a promissory printer to print promissory notes that can be exchanged for prize draws in a PDV 107 or in some other location. Figure 7 shows the process steps associated with the operation of a combination device such as device 109 shown in Figure 1. As indicated in process block 702 in Figure 7, combination device 109 receives a signal input initiated by a user to start the process. This user input signal may include reading the user ticket with an appropriate reader in the combination device 109, such as the reader 308 in Figure 3 or receiving a manually entered user account identifier through a user interface. suitable input device such as a keyboard array 310 shown in Figure 3. The user account is preferably verified as indicated in process block 703, preferably by communication with the central system 101. If the user account can not be verified in the process block 703, the display associated with the combination device 109 may notify the user and perhaps provide instructions and / or an alert to the operator of the system. If the user account is valid, the user is shown a user options screen as indicated in process block 704. This user options screen makes it possible for the user to choose the function that will be performed on the device of combination 109. That is, the user options screen allows the user to make an entry to select the operation as a display terminal to show results of draw entries or an operation as an access point to use the access time Internet purchased. The user options screen in the process illustrated in Figure 7 also preferably provides a "disconnect" option. If the user selects to use the combination device 109 as an Internet access device as indicated by a negative result in the decision block 706 and a positive result in the decision block 708, Internet access is provided as shown in the process block 712. This step shown in block 712 may include the configuration of the combination device to provide the desired access. For example, the combination device may load an appropriate Internet browser program and an email program in response to a user selection to use the combination device as an Internet access device. The step of providing Internet access as shown in process block 712 may also include sending communications to the system component responsible for managing user accounts and also receiving communications from that component. For example, the combination device 109 will at least communicate with the system component responsible for managing user accounts, such as the central system 101, to allow that component to know when the user's Internet session starts. Also, in preparation for providing access to the Internet, the combination device 109 can communicate with the central system 101 to determine how much Internet access time the user has left associated with his or her user account. Alternatively, this verification may have been performed in process block 703 as part of the user disconnection procedure.

Regardless of how the desired Internet access is provided in the combination device 109, the user will eventually end the Internet session either by entering an appropriate end-of-session command or by using all of their Internet access time. At that point, the combination device 109 can send a communication to the central system 101 indicating that the user has finished his Internet session so that the central system can update the user account accordingly. The process in the combination device 109 can then be returned to display the user options screen as indicated in process block 704 in Figure 7 so that the user can select to see his lottery results or perhaps restart his session of Internet access if you still have time remaining in the Internet access account. It will be appreciated that a communication of the combination device 109 may not be required to signal the central system 101 that the access session has ended if the user has exhausted his Internet access time and the central system itself has caused the Internet session to terminate . It will also be noted from Figure 7 that if the user has not selected Internet access as indicated in decision block 708, the only other option is that the user has disconnected from the device, and in this way the process ends then as indicated in process block 710. If the user has requested to see any lottery results for draw entries that have been associated with his user account as indicated by a positive result in the decision block 706, the process shown in Figure 7 then determines whether the draw results are available as indicated by the decision block 716. In some preferred forms of the present invention, the determination in the decision block 716 is if the user account is associated with some draw entries for which the results have not been previously revealed to the user. In other forms of the invention, the determination in block 716 is whether the user account has some non-redeemed draw results. In either case, the determination may include communications with the user account management component such as the central system 101 in Figure 1. These communications may include a question of the combination device 109 and an answer to that question. Alternatively, this information from the user account management component may have been communicated to the combination device 109 as part of the verification process shown in the process block 703. In this case, the determination indicated in block 716 may simply involve the analysis of the account information that was communicated to the combination device 109 as part of the process of account verification in process block 703. If the result of the determination in block 716 is that lottery results are not available to be revealed to the user, the user is shown an appropriate message indicating that result as is displayed in process block 717 and the process returns to display the user options screen as shown in process block 704. If there are lottery results available to be revealed to the user as indicated by the determination made in the decision block 716, the process in the combination device 109 may include inviting the user to enter a Giveaway entry disclosure command (disclosure command) as shown in process block 718. Prior to prompting for a disclosure command, the combination device 109 may also be configured, or configured itself, to serve as a display terminal in the lottery system. This may include changing the graphics displayed on the display device associated with the combination device 109. It may also include providing the user with a choice to select how the draw results are to be revealed in a presentation of draw entry results. . For example, the user may be enabled to choose between a slot machine type display to show the draw results, a card game vr, a simulation of some other casino game, a simulated horse or dog race, or some other kind of entertaining visualization. In preferred forms of the invention, the user will be required to initiate a disclosure command by some appropriate input signal for the type of display used to disclose the results. For example, where the vr is a slot machine type vr, the disclosure command may be entered when the user activates a physical or virtual "play" button associated with the combination device 109. Where the vr is related to a set of cards to the user may be required to activate a "Deal" button to enter a disclosure command. The card game type visualizers and other types of Visualizers may require more than one entry by the user in order for the user to see their results. For example, a chart game type vr may allow the user to extract additional cards, and a horse or dog race type display may allow the user to select his or her horse or dog from a given field. When the disclosure command is entered as indicated by the result in the decision block 720, the combination device 109 shows the user the following draw entry result that can be revealed to the user as indicated in the process block 722 This stage preferably includes the production of the appropriate presentation of the draw results. Preferred forms of the invention rely on the underlying result of draw entries to define the results finally shown by the presentation of draw game entry results, career, or other presentation of draw entry results. For example, a draw entry result can pay a cash prize of $ 5. In this case, the result in the presentation will be controlled in the combination device 109 so that the result in the presentation matches the input result of $ 5 draw. Continuing with this example in a poker-type presentation, the user's final hand of cards would be controlled to show a hand that returns a prize of $ 5 according to the rules of the game of poker. Once the result is revealed through the respective type of presentation, the user may be allowed to reveal additional lottery results or fail to disclose results as indicated in decision block 724. When the user indicates his desire to stop reveal lottery results, the illustrated process returns to the user options screen in process block 704. Otherwise, the process returns to the disclosure command invitation shown in process block 718 if the results are available as it is indicated in decision block 716. It will be appreciated that the step of disclosing the next draw result to the user as indicated in process block 722 may require communications from the combination device 109 to the system component responsible for handling the user accounts, such as the central system 101 shown in Figure 1. For example, an implementation of the invention may require that the combination device 109 initiate a request for the next draw result in response to a disclosure command entered in process block 720 in Figure 7. This request would be communicated to the central system 101 which would respond with information on the next draw result available for the user. This information about the next available draw entry result can include as little as a result index value which specifies a given result in the draw game. Alternatively, some forms of the invention may communicate all of the available draw entry results for the user to the combination device 109 as part of the account verification process in process block 703 or in some other way. In this case, the information required for the combination device 109 to display the next draw entry result to the user is already in the combination device and no communication to the central system is necessary. As mentioned above, the process shown in Figure 7 is specific to a combination device such as device 109 in Figure 1, which can be used as an access point device to access the Internet or as a terminal of display to reveal draw results associated with the Internet access time the user has purchased. Dedicated access point devices such as the device 108 shown in Figure 1 can perform only those steps shown in Figure 7 associated with the use of purchased Internet access time. That is, an access point device 108 dedicated in Figure 1 can perform only the steps shown in the process blocks 702, 703, 712 and 714 shown in Figure 7. A dedicated access point device may or may not display a separate user options screen in the process of providing Internet access. Where a user options screen is not used, the access point device can simply activate an Internet browser once the user account has been verified with unused Internet access time and is available in the account of user. The user can close or exit the browser to terminate the Internet access session. A dedicated display terminal such as the display terminal 106 shown in Figure 1 can also perform only a subset of the processes shown in Figure 7. For example, a display terminal 106 can receive a a user's input signal as indicated in process block 702 in Figure 7, verify the user account as shown in process block 703, and determine if draw entry results are available to be revealed as indicates in the process block 716. If no results of draw entries are available, the display terminal 106 may display an appropriate message and then disconnect the device. Otherwise, dedicated display terminal 106 may perform the steps described above with reference to process blocks 718, 720, 722 and 724 in Figure 7. When the user interrupts the game as indicated in process block 724 , the dedicated display terminal 106 can simply disconnect the user's device, dispatch any prize or promissory note that is pending delivery to the user, and go to an attractive display mode. Figure 8 can be used to describe preferred process steps and associated with the operation of the user account management component such as the central system 101 of the draw system 100 shown in Figure 1. In the process block 802, the central system 101 receives a request for a system component such as a PDV 107, a display terminal 106, an access point device 108, or a combination device 109. The process shown in Figure 8 assumes that there are four different types of requests that can be received in the central system 101 from other system components. A ticket request from a PDV 107 may be received or an exchange request may be received from a POS, display terminal 106, or combination device 109 as indicated in decision block 804 in FIG. 8. A communication resulting from a The draw result disclosure command may be received either from a display terminal 106 or a combination device 109 as indicated in process block 808. An account verification request may be received from any of the system components 106, 107, 108 and 109 shown in Figure 1 as indicated in 812 in Figure 8, and a request for Internet access can be received from any access point device 108 or a combination device 109, as shown in the block of process 816. If the communication is not susceptible of being recognized as one of these general types of communication, then apparently some error has occurred and the system central 101 returns the appropriate error message to the device from which the communication was received as indicated in the process block 820 in Figure 8. If the request received in the central system 101 comprises a request for a user ticket associated with the purchase of Internet access time in a PDV 107, or an award redemption request from a PDV 107, display terminal 106, or combination device 109, the process branches from decision block 804 in Figure 8 to the process block 806. In response to a user ticket request, a ticket / account creation process is carried out in the central system 101. This process may include the creation of a user account if it has not yet been created a user account. The stage of creating the user account will generally include the assignment of an account identifier and may include the establishment of the data structures that will be used to track the user account. This ticket / account creation process indicated in process block 806 in Figure 8 may also include the assignment of one or more draw entries for the user account. These draw entries are allocated on the basis, at least in part, of the product value being purchased. In the example user ticket shown in Figure 5A, a draw entry is assigned for every two minutes of Internet access time being purchased. In this case, the number of draw entries assigned is based entirely on the value of the product purchased, that is, the price of the product purchased. Other forms of the invention may assign a draw entry for each increasing amount of product over a certain minimum amount, or may allocate draw entries based on purchases only on certain days of the week and / or at certain times of the day, or in any other form that is based at least in part on the value of the product being purchased. In a preferred form of the invention, specific records of draw entries of a draw game are assigned to the user account and data related to the specific draw entries are recorded for the user account. Other forms of the invention may assign only the right to a draw entry at this point in the process and not a specific draw entry. In this latter form of the invention, specific raffle entries are assigned only in response to a disclosure command initiated at a display terminal 106 or combination device 109, and the user account simply keeps track of the number of draw entries to which the user is entitled and may keep a record of the specific draw entries assigned to the user account as such entries are assigned. In any case, the ticket / account creation process in the central system 101 preferably includes the communication of sufficient information to the device from which the request was received in order that the respective device can produce or dispatch the appropriate user ticket. as described above in relation to Figure 6. In the event that the request identified in decision block 804 is a redemption request, the process carried out in process block 806 comprises a suitable process for enabling the user to exchange the draw prizes to which it is entitled by virtue of the draw entries that were assigned to the user in relation to the purchase by said user of Internet access time. For example, a redemption process may include the identification of the prize or prizes that will be awarded to the user based on their draw entries, the communication of information about the prizes to the requesting system device such as one of the PDVs 107, and the modification of the user account to indicate which user's awards have already been exchanged. As described above in relation to Figure 6, the results of draw entries can be exchanged in a PDV 107 by issuing a promissory note that the user can exchange for a physical prize. In this case, the information returned to PDV 107 is sufficient to enable the PDV to direct the production of an appropriate promissory note. Alternatively, the results of draw entries can be exchanged at a PDV 107 through the PDV or a PDV operator that delivers the prize or raffle prizes directly to the user. In the latter case, the information returned to the PDV 107 from the user account management component is sufficient to show the PDV operator which prize is going to be delivered or is sufficient to make the PDV dispatch the prizes without the intervention of the operator , and preferably produces an appropriate receipt for the prize awarded. In some preferred forms of the invention, the results of draw entries can be exchanged directly in a display terminal such as the display terminal 106 in Figure 1 or a combination device 109 in that figure. In a preferred arrangement, each display terminal 106 and combination device 109 It can include a dispatcher device to deliver prizes directly to the user. In this case, the information returned to the display terminal 106 or combination device 109 from the central system 101 in response to the exchange request is sufficient information to allow the display terminal 106 or the combination device 109 to direct the device dispatcher to deliver the prizes. In another arrangement, the display terminals 106 and the combination devices 109 may each include a printing / encoding device that produces a promissory note that may be exchanged for the prize or raffle prizes in a manner similar to the promissory note described above and produced by a respective PDV 107. If the request received from the system component is a communication resulting from a disclosure command initiated at a display terminal such as terminal 106 in Figure 1 or a combination device such as combination device 109 in Figure 1, then the process shown in Figure 8 branches off from decision block 808 to process block 810. As indicated in process block 810, central system 101 responds to the request resulting from a command from disclosure by conducting appropriate disclosure process. This disclosure process in the central system 101 may include the communication of the information about the next assigned draw entry back to the requesting device so that the requesting device can reveal the result to the user. It should be noted, however, that in implementations of the invention in which the allocated lot entry information has already been communicated to the display terminal 106 or combination device 109 as part of the account verification process indicated in the block process 703 in Figure 7, there may be no request received in central system 101 to produce a positive result in decision block 808 and there will be no disclosure process 810 in the central system. Rather, the display terminal 106 or the combination device 109 in which the disclosure command was initiated responds to the same draw result request without the need for help from the central system 101. Even in this case, the display terminal 106 or combination device 109 may send information to central system 101 to allow the central system to appropriately update the data associated with the user account.

In the event that the request received by central system 101 comprises an account verification request, the process branches from decision block 812 in Figure 8 to the verification process shown in process block 814. In some Forms of the invention, the process in block 814 may include the return to the requesting device of an indicator that the account is valid or invalid. Alternatively, as described above, communication back to the system device that requires verification of the user account may include sufficient information about the respective user account to enable the requesting device to identify results of draw entries, so that reveal results of draw entries, and to redeem any prizes correlated with those results. It should also be noted that the present invention can be implemented in a form that does not include any request for account verification separately from the central system 101. Rather, the account verification may be implicit in the communications related to a ticket request, request for exchange, request for disclosure of the results of raffle tickets, and request for Internet access. If the request received in the central system 101 comprises a request associated with the use of purchased Internet access time, the process shown in Figure 8 branches from decision block 816 to the Internet access process indicated in process block 818. In some cases the request that produces the affirmative result in decision block 816 may comprise a request to start Internet access in an access point device 108 or a combination device 109 shown in Figure 1. In these cases, the process shown in process block 818 may simply include the start of a timer to decrease the available Internet access time and communicate an Internet access enabling instruction to the device from which the request for Internet access originated. In the event that the request for Internet access received in the central system 101 comprises a request to terminate the Internet session, the process of accessing the Internet in the process block 818 may include the stoppage of the timer and the updating of the time. of Internet access remaining as necessary, and may also include sending a communication to the requesting device to disable access to the Internet.

As indicated above, some preferred forms of the invention may allow a user to view their results of draw entries through an Internet website. In these forms of the invention, the central system 101 can implement an Internet server that is suitable to host the website. The website can be implemented in such a way that a user can connect to the website from any computer connected to the Internet or Internet device and that they enter either their account identifier or individual user ticket impressions. The website would then respond with a suitable presentation to reveal to the user the results of the draw entries. In preferred forms of the invention the host of the web site would serve as a gateway through which the central system 101 would respond to disclosure commands entered into the computer connected to the Internet or Internet device. While the exemplary system 100 described above and shown in Figure 1 is directed to a system in which the product to be purchased comprises Internet access time, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited by any means to any product or product. particular products. Systems according to the invention may vary widely to accommodate various products that may be associated with draw games. The product may, for example, be a telephone card associated with long-distance and / or local dial-up time. In this case, the access point devices may comprise the telephones. The telephones can be either particular units associated with the system or can be any phones available to the public. A preferred arrangement may include non-dedicated telephones connected to the system, but rely entirely on public telephones. Said system would not include access point devices such as those shown at 108 in Figure 1. In another form of the invention, the product being purchased comprises a prepaid gift card from a store or a credit card. Where the product comprises said prepaid gift card from a store or said credit card, the lottery system according to the invention may not include access point devices or combination devices such as devices 108 and 109 in the Figure 1. Rather, the system may include only point-of-sale terminals such as PDVs 107 and display terminals such as display terminals 106 shown in Figure 1. The POS terminals in these implementations of the invention may comprise regular store terminals where items including store or gift credit cards may be purchased. In still other forms of the invention, the products associated with the draw game can be tangible products. For example, draw entries may be associated with a user account in accordance with the invention based on the purchase of gasoline by a user or another fuel at a service station, or the purchase of several products in one. convenience store, or the purchase of several products in a number of stores using a particular credit card or debit card. In the case of draw entries based on the purchase of fuel, the point of sale terminal may comprise the terminal of the cashier serving in the link of the purchase or may comprise an automatic dispenser such as a fuel pump of the pay-in type. -the bomb. The user ticket can be printed by the receipt printer either from the automated dispenser or ATM terminal, or a separate user ticket dispenser can be included with any device. Said raffle system where the products that entitle the user to raffle tickets comprise fuel or other tangible products, again they will not include access point devices such as devices 108 in Figure 1. Display terminals to reveal draw entry results to users in these types of lottery systems may be included in the stores where they are located. they make purchases or they may be included in separate locations, or both. It should also be noted that the user accounts used in the present invention for the distribution of draws may vary greatly from one implementation to the next. In some forms of the invention, the user account with which the draw entries are associated is a separate account of the account associated with the product or service that is being purchased and which entitles the user to the draw entries. For example, an implementation of the form of the invention shown in the figures may use a user account with which draw entries are associated and a separate product account with which the Internet access time is associated. These two accounts are preferably linked in an appropriate manner, but remain separate accounts with separate account identifiers. However, other implementations of the system shown in the figures can use a single account as well as a user account with which draw entries are associated with which the purchased Internet access time is associated. These same account variations can be used in raffle distribution systems according to the invention that are associated with other types of products. For example, where the product is a credit card or a gift card of a store, for example, the user account can be the account of the gift card or the credit card of the store or a separate account . Another type of account variation within the scope of the invention refers to systems in which draw entries are distributed by fuel purchases or other credit purchases. In these cases, where the purchase that entitles the user to one or more draw entries is made on a credit card, the user account with which the draw entries are associated can be the credit account itself or a Separate account linked to the credit account in an appropriate form. This link can be through a credit account number associated with the buyer's credit card or by some other unique value associated with the credit card, or with a combination of credit card information. The user can again access the system to reveal draw entries either by having his credit card read on a display terminal such as terminal 106 in Figure 1, or by having his user ticket read on the display terminal. A draw entry distribution system according to the invention may include an alternative method of entry (AMOE) procedure that allows a person to obtain one or more draw entries without having to buy a product. In a preferred arrangement, a person can send appropriate identification information (name, mailing address, etc.) to a sweepstakes operator. The operator can then have a user ticket printed for the person and can make the user ticket available to the requesting user. For example, the sweepstakes operator may mail the return user ticket to the requesting person or leave the user's ticket at a specified location for it to be picked up by the requesting user. In the case of the user ticket generated by an AMOE, the user ticket will not be associated with any product. However, the person who buys the user ticket generated by an AMOE may reveal the result or the results of the draw entry associated with the user ticket in any of the ways described above to reveal the results, and you can exchange the results in any of the ways described above. It should also be noted that participation in a draw game according to the invention may be voluntary. That is, a user can be given the option to receive draw entries as described above, or to ignore such draw entries. The procedure in a point-of-sale device in this case may require additional steps to allow the user to select their participation option. As used herein, either in the foregoing description or in the following claims, the terms "comprising," "including," "carrying," "having," "containing," "involving" and the like shall be understood as open terms, that is, they mean that they include but are not limited to. Only the transitional phrases "consisting of" and "consisting essentially of," respectively, shall be closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, as established, with respect to the claims, in the Office's Patent Examination Procedures Manual. of Patents of the United States of America (Eighth Edition, August 2001, as revised in May 2004), Section 2111.03. The use of ordinal terms such as "first," "second," "third," etc. in the claims to modify a claim element does not connote by itself any priority, precedence or order of one claim element over another or the temporal order in which acts of a method are performed, but are used only as tags to distinguish a claim element having a certain name of another element having the same name (but by use of the ordinal term) to distinguish the elements of the claim. The preferred embodiments described above are intended to illustrate the principles of the invention, but do not limit the scope of the invention. Various other modalities and modifications to these preferred embodiments may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, the various process steps described above can be performed by any suitable processing device or devices included in the system.

Claims (11)

1. Claims 1. A method, which includes: (a) associating a product with a user account; (b) associate the user account with one or more draw entries, the number of draw entries being based at least in part on the value of the product; and (c) dispatch a user's ticket to a user correlated to the user's account, the user's ticket being associated with the product through information recorded on the user's ticket, the user's ticket being printed with a respective printout for each respective draw entry associated with the user account.
2. 2. The method of claim 1, which further includes printing the printout on the user's ticket in response to a request to purchase a product.
3. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the association of the user account with one or more draw entries is made in response to the request to purchase the product.
4. 4. The method of claim 1, which further includes recording in the user's ticket the information through which the user ticket is associated with the product, the engraving being made in response to a product purchase request. .
5. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the association of the user account with one or more draw entries includes the assignment of a respective draw entry record to the user account for each respective draw entry in the number of entries of lottery, each respective lottery entry record being assigned from a set of lottery entry records. The method of claim 1, which further includes the production of a graphical display of draw entry results in a display device in response to a draw entry disclosure command entered into a display terminal associated with the display device. The method of claim 6, which further includes providing the product to the user through the display terminal. The method of claim 7, wherein the product comprises Internet access time. 9. A system which includes: (a) a device for storing a data structure representing a user account, the user account being associated with a product and with one or more draw entries, the number of draw entries being based at least in part on the value of the product; and (b) a ticket dispenser to deliver a user ticket to a user correlated to the user account, the user ticket being associated with the product through information recorded on the user's ticket, the user ticket being printed with a respective print for each respective draw entry associated with the user account. The system of claim 9, which further includes a printer associated with the ticket dispenser, the printer for printing the respective print for each respective draw entry. The system of claim 9, wherein the user account is associated with one or more draw entries in response to a request to purchase a product. The system of claim 9, wherein the ticket dispenser is also for recording information on the user ticket through which the user ticket is associated with the product, the engraving being made in response to a purchase request of product. The system of claim 9, which further includes a draw controller for the assignment of a respective draw entry record to the user account for each respective entry of the one or more draw entries to the user account , each respective draw entry record being randomly assigned from a set of draw entry records. The system of claim 9, which further includes a display terminal for receiving a draw entry disclosure command and causing an associated display device to produce a graphical presentation of draw entry results in response to the command of disclosure of results. 15. The system of claim 14, where the display terminal is also to provide the product to the user. 1
6. 6. The system of claim 15, wherein the product comprises Internet access time.