US5954582A — Wagering system with improved communication betwe…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 159 words

The method of operating a computerized lottery system, wherein the necessity for spontaneously transmitting each individual wager from a remote terminal to a host computer is eliminated, and wherein the total amount of data transmitted therebetween is substantially reduced, thereby reducing the consequent cost of transmission and enhancing the number and types of economically viable transmission alternatives, comprising the steps of: providing a host computer and a remote terminal; generating a seed number at said host computer specific to a pool and said terminal; transmitting said seed number to said terminal; producing pseudo-random wager numbers sequentially for sequential plays within said pool at said terminal from said seed number; conveying from said terminal to said host a total number of said sequential plays and a means for identifying said terminal uniquely; and reconstructing pseudo-random wager numbers and serial numbers associated with each of said plays at said host from said total number of sequential plays and said identifying means.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 159 words

The method of operating a computerized lottery system, wherein the necessity for spontaneously transmitting each individual wager from a remote terminal to a host computer is eliminated, and wherein the total amount of data transmitted therebetween is substantially reduced, thereby reducing the consequent cost of transmission and enhancing the number and types of economically viable transmission alternatives, comprising the steps of: providing a host computer and a remote terminal; generating a seed number at said host computer specific to a pool and said terminal; transmitting said seed number to said terminal; producing pseudo-random wager numbers sequentially for sequential plays within said pool at said terminal from said seed number; conveying from said terminal to said host a total number of said sequential plays and a means for identifying said terminal uniquely; and reconstructing pseudo-random wager numbers and serial numbers associated with each of said plays at said host from said total number of sequential plays and said identifying means.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method of claim 1 comprising the additional steps of: determining winning plays at said host computer; ascertaining liability of said terminal; and communicating new seed numbers, winning selections and liability data from said host computer to said terminal.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 48 words

The method of claim 2 comprising the additional steps of: reproducing each pool at said terminal; identifying winning tickets to produce a result set; and comparing said result set to said liability data received from said host to confirm accurate data exchange between said host and said terminal.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method of claim 1 comprising the additional steps of: developing a pseudo-random number generating algorithm; and delivering said algorithm to said host computer and said terminal.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method of claim 4 wherein said generating step is performed using said algorithm.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method of claim 5 wherein said reconstructing step is performed using said algorithm.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method of claim 4 wherein said host computer and said remote terminal accept wagers for multiple games, said developing step further comprising developing a pseudo-random number generating algorithm for each of said multiple games.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 12 words

The method of claim 1 wherein said seed numbers are random numbers.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 86 words

The method of claim 1 comprising the additional steps of: providing an additional remote terminal; generating an additional seed number at said host computer specific to said pool and said additional remote terminal; transmitting said additional seed number to said additional remote terminal; producing pseudo-random wager numbers sequentially for sequential plays within said pool at said additional remote terminal; and conveying from said additional remote terminal to said host a total number of said sequential plays and a means for identifying said additional remote terminal uniquely.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 1 comprising the additional step of accumulating said total number of sequential plays at said terminal.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 56 words

The method of claim 1 wherein said total number of sequential plays is conveyed to said host by a fixed length message which is independent of a value of said total number of sequential plays, said fixed length message being smaller than an accumulated listing of said wager numbers associated with each of said sequential plays.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 61 words

The method of claim 1 wherein said total number of sequential plays is conveyed to said host by a fixed length message which is independent of a value of said total number of sequential plays, said fixed length message being substantially smaller than an accumulated listing of said wager numbers and said serial numbers associated with each of said sequential plays.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 1 comprising the additional step of closing said terminal to further plays prior to the step of conveying.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 1 comprising the additional step of printing wager tickets intermittently with said producing step.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method of claim 14 comprising the additional step of determining wining tickets and cashing winning tickets.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 188 words

A method of securely and compactly communicating wagering information regarding plays of a game between remote computers comprising the steps of: establishing one of said remote computers as a host terminal, and establishing at least one of said remote computers as an agent terminal; delivering to said remote computers a pseudo-random number generating algorithm; generating a seed number and delivering said seed number to said remote computers; using said algorithm and said seed number to produce pseudo-random wager numbers; assigning at said agent terminal said wager numbers and sequential serial numbers to sequential plays made at said agent terminal, and creating a wager receipt for each of said plays therefrom; closing said game; conveying a total number of said sequential plays from said agent terminal to said host terminal; reconstructing said wager numbers and said serial numbers at said host terminal from said algorithm, said seed number and said total number of said plays; determining winning wagers; ascertaining a liability of said remote computers based upon said winning wagers and said wager numbers at said host terminal; and communicating winning selections and liability data to said remote computers.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 188 words

A method of securely and compactly communicating wagering information regarding plays of a game between remote computers comprising the steps of: establishing one of said remote computers as a host terminal, and establishing at least one of said remote computers as an agent terminal; delivering to said remote computers a pseudo-random number generating algorithm; generating a seed number and delivering said seed number to said remote computers; using said algorithm and said seed number to produce pseudo-random wager numbers; assigning at said agent terminal said wager numbers and sequential serial numbers to sequential plays made at said agent terminal, and creating a wager receipt for each of said plays therefrom; closing said game; conveying a total number of said sequential plays from said agent terminal to said host terminal; reconstructing said wager numbers and said serial numbers at said host terminal from said algorithm, said seed number and said total number of said plays; determining winning wagers; ascertaining a liability of said remote computers based upon said winning wagers and said wager numbers at said host terminal; and communicating winning selections and liability data to said remote computers.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 60 words

The method of claim 16 comprising the additional steps of: reproducing said sequential plays in said game at said agent terminal; identifying winning tickets from said sequential plays to produce a result set; and comparing said result set to said liability data received from said host terminal to confirm accurate data exchange between said host terminal and said agent terminal.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 34 words

The method of claim 16 comprising the additional step of: developing and transmitting an additional algorithm to said remote computers for use in an additional game, whereby system security between games may be enhanced.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 13 words

The method of claim 16 wherein said wager receipt comprises a printed ticket.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 169 words

A wagering system for a game which assigns wagering selections to players at an agent terminal and communicates said wagering selections to a physically remote host terminal, both said host terminal and said agent terminal capable of communications therebetween and also capable of performing mathematical computations and storing the results thereof, wherein the improvement comprises the further combination of a seed number and a pseudo-random number generating algorithm each stored at both of said host terminal and said agent terminal and each used at said agent terminal to generate said wagering selections, and a counter value which directly or through computation represents the total number of said wagering selections assigned at said agent terminal for said game, whereby said agent terminal may communicate said counter value to said host terminal and said host terminal can then reconstruct each of said wagering selections using said pseudo-random number generator, said seed and said counter value, thereby substantially reducing the amount of data communicated between said agent terminal and said host terminal.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 169 words

A wagering system for a game which assigns wagering selections to players at an agent terminal and communicates said wagering selections to a physically remote host terminal, both said host terminal and said agent terminal capable of communications therebetween and also capable of performing mathematical computations and storing the results thereof, wherein the improvement comprises the further combination of a seed number and a pseudo-random number generating algorithm each stored at both of said host terminal and said agent terminal and each used at said agent terminal to generate said wagering selections, and a counter value which directly or through computation represents the total number of said wagering selections assigned at said agent terminal for said game, whereby said agent terminal may communicate said counter value to said host terminal and said host terminal can then reconstruct each of said wagering selections using said pseudo-random number generator, said seed and said counter value, thereby substantially reducing the amount of data communicated between said agent terminal and said host terminal.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2002-09-20	2003-03-22	2003-09-21	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2006-09-20	2007-03-22	2007-09-21	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2010-09-20	2011-03-22	2011-09-21	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Wagering system with improved communication between host computers and remote terminals

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