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Lottery system/electronic gaming device interface and gambling gameRelated Patent Categories: Amusement Devices: Games, Including Means For Processing Electronic Data (e.g., Computer/video Game, Etc.), In A Chance Application, Lot Match Or Lot Combination (e.g., Roulette, Lottery, Etc.)Lottery system/electronic gaming device interface and gambling game description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060178190, Lottery system/electronic gaming device interface and gambling game. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This continuation-in-part application claims priority to the filing date of a related utility patent application Ser. No. 09/834,537 filed Apr. 13, 2001 which in turn claims priority to related provisional application serial No. 60/196,827 filed Apr. 13, 2000. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Technical Field [0003] The present invention relates to interface devices for electronic devices and, more particularly, to a lottery system/electronic gaming device interface and gambling game which is operative to signal the lottery system to issue an entry into the lottery when a preset event or series of events occurs in or around the gaming device. [0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art [0005] Spinning reel slot machines, video slot machines and video poker machines continue to be three of the most widely used types of electronic gaming devices found in the gaming industry. While the types and designs of the slot machines and video poker machines have continued to evolve, game play has remained generally the same in that when a specific combination is hit on the reels or turned up in the cards, it produces particular winning combinations and payouts based on the pay table of the slot machine or video poker machine. With that in mind, many slot machine manufacturers have attempted to increase the excitement generated by game play by adding peripheral devices such as sound generators or video screens which promote increased game play by presenting entertaining accompaniments to the game play of the slot machine or video poker machine. The trend has continued in that many of the currently produced slot machines and video gaming devices include various bonus generators which are shown on the primary or accompanying video screens or other informational devices as an entertaining way for a slot machine player to receive a bonus. Of course, due to the limitations of the slot machines, a bonus is generally paid in additional credits or coin which, while admittedly generating additional interest in the game, can only go so far to increase the enjoyment and hence encourage repeated game play of the device. There is therefore a need for a bonusing system which produces a bonus which is randomly generated and includes a bonusing factor beyond mere credits. [0006] One of the most popular forms of gambling currently available are the random drawing lotteries offered by many states, such as Powerball, Pick 5, The Big Game and other such random lottery drawings. Obviously, due to the nature of these drawings, it is much more difficult to win the significant amounts of money than the smaller jackpots available by playing slot machines or the like, but it is the appeal of these enormous amounts of money that lure people to participate in the various lotteries. Currently, there is little, if any, connection between slot machine play and random drawing or scratch ticket lottery play, although the two forms of gambling are often participated in by the same gambler. It is entirely possible that the synergy produced by being able to simultaneously participate in these two generally disassociated forms of gambling will increase the amount of game play of both forms of gambling. It is clear that when casinos enter a market, the amount of money spent on lotteries decreases. It is believed that creating a closer connection between casino operations and lottery games will increase the exposure for the lottery games, introducing them to a new group of consumers, thereby increasing revenues. Therefore, there is a need for a gambling connection between slot machines and lotteries which will permit a gambler to participate in the two forms of gambling generally simultaneously. [0007] Some of the most popular forms of slot machines currently available on the market are found in Quartermania, Cool Millions and Megabucks, amongst other wide-area progressive links, which offer the opportunity for the player to win upwards of one million dollars on a single spin of the slot machine. Of course, though the chances of winning the top jackpot are very small, a player will play the game for that chance and also for the enjoyment of winning smaller prizes during game play. It is believed that the game play will be further enhanced by the addition of additional chances for the winning of even more significant amounts of money, such as through a Powerball jackpot or the like. There is therefore a need for an interface between a slot machine and a lottery system to permit the dispensing of lottery entries in response to particular reel combinations or particular events occurring on the slot machine board environment, or in response to actions or activities related to associated and peripheral equipment, thereby enhancing game play. [0008] Therefore an object of the present invention is to provide a lottery system/electronic gaming device interface and gambling game. [0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a lottery system/electronic gaming device interface and gambling game which will permit the dispensing of an entry into a lottery drawing in response to a particular event or series of events occurring in the slot machine board environment or in and around the slot machine. [0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a lottery system/electronic gaming device interface and gambling game which will enhance game play and encourage additional game play for the gaming device player. [0011] Another object of the present invention is to provide a lottery system/electronic gaming device interface and gambling game which is usable with many different types of gaming equipment, including but not limited to VLTs, linked VLT systems, slot machines with physical reels, video slot machines, central draw finite systems, bingo and keno machines and systems, table games and video poker devices. [0012] Another object of the present invention is to provide a lottery system/electronic gaming device interface and gambling game which is usable with virtually any operable networking system, including but not limited to LAN, WAN, Internet, G3 cellular systems, radio-frequency (RF), line-of-sight, fiber-optic, wireless and networks using various protocols including TCP/IP. [0013] Another object of the present invention is to provide a lottery system/electronic gaming device interface and gambling game which will receive event occurrence signals from the electronic gaming device, translate those event occurrence signals into discernable commands for a lottery system and command the lottery system to output a particular type of lottery entry in response to the occurrence of a particular event or series of events in or around the slot machine. [0014] Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a lottery system/electronic gaming device interface and gambling game which is efficient in design and use and will encourage increased patronage of the electronic device and therefore of the lottery itself. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0015] The present invention provides a lottery system/electronic gaming device interface and gambling game includes at least one detection device operative to detect selected event occurrences of an electronic gaming device and output event occurrence signals upon detection of an event or series of events occurring in or around an electronic gaming device and an interface device in information transmission connection with the detection device, the interface device operative to detect and receive event occurrence signals from the detection device, analyze and translate the event occurrence signals and output lottery entry dispensing commands. Finally, a lottery entry device is in information transmission connection with the interface device and in information transmission connection with a central lottery system, the lottery entry device operative to receive the lottery entry dispensing commands output by the interface device and output at least one entry ticket into a lottery event via and in connection with the central lottery system whereby an operator of an electronic gaming device receives at least one entry into the lottery event. [0016] The advantages of the present invention over those devices found in the prior art are numerous and include the fact that the present invention may be added to any gaming device to produce command outputs in response to event occurrences in the electronic apparatus, thereby printing at least one lottery entry ticket. Furthermore, because the present invention may be quickly and easily reprogrammed to respond to different gaming device events, a variety of response schemes may be instituted over the life span of a gaming device, thus insuring that consumer interest in the games remain relatively high. Furthermore, because the interface of the present invention can be networked, a group of interfaces may exchange information and be controlled via a remote system, thus increasing efficiency while decreasing the potential for downtime often required for updated programming, maintenance functions or downloading data. [0017] The present invention also combines the excitement of the traditional slot machine or video gaming device with a heretofore entirely separate element of gaming, the lottery game. With the present invention, not only are winning combinations paid, but the player also will have the opportunity to win huge bonus prizes with his or her entry into the associated lottery event. Therefore, the present invention provides a substantial improvement over those devices found in the prior art. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0018] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the operation of the present invention. [0019] FIG. 2 is a lower-level block diagram of the operation of the present invention. [0020] FIG. 3 is a lower-level block diagram showing the networking of the LIBs. Continue reading about Lottery system/electronic gaming device interface and gambling game... Full patent description for Lottery system/electronic gaming device interface and gambling game Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Lottery system/electronic gaming device interface and gambling game patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Lottery system/electronic gaming device interface and gambling game or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Gaming apparatus and systems Next Patent Application: Network-based voting systems and methods and recording media storing programs for use in such systems Industry Class: Amusement devices: games ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Lottery system/electronic gaming device interface and gambling game patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.39279 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Software: Finance , AI , Databases , Development , Document , Navigation , Error 174 |
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