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System and method for providing computer gamingRelated 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.)System and method for providing computer gaming description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060094492, System and method for providing computer gaming. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/162,219, filed on Jun. 5, 2002, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/295,582, filed on Jun. 5, 2001, the contents of both are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates generally to gaming systems, and more particularly, to a lottery system in which lottery games typically embodied in a ticket having multiple chances which represent a single outcome offered by a lottery authority are rendered on a gaming computer. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] In one type of conventional paper instant ticket system, a ticket generation system produces a randomized prize datastream comprised of a finite series of win/lose outcomes. Each outcome is assigned to a lottery ticket, and each ticket contains one or more game chances which yield the assigned outcome. The player cannot change the ticket outcome, he or she merely scratches off certain areas of the ticket in accordance with the rules of the game to reveal the outcome. The ticket contains indicia which provide the player with a means to determine win/lose results or prize status, and the type of prize (e.g., cash or a free ticket). The aggregate of all winning outcomes in any randomized prize datastream is a predetermined percentage payout of the total revenues that would be generated by the sale of all of the tickets incorporating that particular randomized prize datastream. [0004] As a matter of practice, each ticket is assigned a unique ticket serial number for validation purposes which identifies that ticket with a specific outcome, and a batch number which links the ticket to a master carton in which groups of tickets are shipped to lottery retailers in specific quantities. The ticket serial number is usually concealed beneath the foil of the ticket. The batch number is typically visible on the ticket in the form of a bar code. All tickets in a given master carton are part of the same ticket lot and are sold at the same price point. Each master carton is labeled with a unique master carton serial number which is tracked by a central computer associated with the lottery authority. A central system may also store every ticket serial number and the associated outcome for that ticket. When the instant tickets are to be sold to customers, the lottery retailer communicates the master carton serial number via his on-line agent terminal to the lottery central computer and thereby activates all of the paper instant tickets in each master carton. This action activates all of the ticket serial numbers in that master carton, and typically causes the lottery retailer's lottery bank account to be automatically debited for the wholesale cost of that master carton within a specified time period. [0005] To redeem a winning paper lottery ticket, the player presents the same to a redeeming agent, either at a lottery retailer or lottery office, or mails the ticket in for redemption. To effectuate the redemption process, the redeeming agent scans the bar code on the ticket which represents the batch serial number on the ticket through a bar code scanner associated with the agent terminal. The ticket agent also enters the ticket serial number into the agent terminal. These ticket serial numbers are transmitted to the central system for purposes of validation. When the central system receives a validation request, it validates a ticket's value using the particular ticket and batch serial numbers to confirm that the ticket came from an activated master carton. If the ticket's value is confirmed as a proper payout, the system authorizes the lottery retailer to pay the player cash or provide another prize (e.g., a free ticket). [0006] In other paper instant ticket systems, there is no lottery central system which manages the system. The lottery retailer simply buys tickets from a printer, resells them to players, and then handles all aspects of validation and payment of winnings. [0007] Paper instant ticket systems suffer from several drawbacks. These include the costs of printing tickets, the physical inventory costs, the costs to the lottery authority and retailer associated with unsold tickets, the inability to effectively offer low-price games (e.g., $0.25, $0.10), the limited game choices for the player, and the stigma associated with paper tickets as appealing toward lower income players, among others. [0008] U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,640 to Walker et al., incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, describes a system for playing instant-type lottery games on a gaming computer. The Walker et al. system overcomes some of the drawbacks associated with the paper instant ticket systems; however, the system has its drawbacks. According to the '640 patent, the player purchases a number of predetermined outcomes from a lottery retailer. After purchase of the predetermined outcomes, the predetermined outcomes are obtained from a central computer and then must be loaded onto the gaming computer. The predetermined outcomes are loaded onto the gaming computer at the point of sale and after purchase by the player. A complex series of computer processes are initiated by the lottery retailer's computer to obtain the predetermined outcomes from the central computer after purchase by the player. The lottery retailer's computer provides a coded message, in response to the communications with the central computer, containing the predetermined outcomes from the central computer. The player or lottery retailer enters the coded message into the gaming computer. The coded message causes the gaming computer to generate the predetermined outcomes to enable play on the gaming computer. [0009] Consequently, in the game system of the '640 patent, the gaming computer can only be activated at certain locations where the lottery retailer's computers are present. Thus, the availability of and access to the gaming computers is limited. Moreover, after purchasing the gaming computer, some type of initialization action must be taken for the gaming computer to be used. For example, the coded message must be entered into the gaming computer by the player to enable play. This complicates game play and also allows for errors to occur during entry of the coded message into the gaming computer. This also causes a delay before the player can begin playing the game, taking away from the instant aspect of the game. Furthermore, the game system of the '640 patent requires the lottery authority and lottery retailers to acquire hardware and software in additional to that used in conjunction with traditional paper instant tickets. [0010] In addition, an increased use of hand-held game devices is a result of the need for portability and accessibility in games, and such features are needed for lottery ticket games. Furthermore, the need for a simple and cost effective process to provide instant-type lottery games which allows players to control how many "plays" between trips to a lottery retailer. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0011] The present invention includes an improved system and method for providing remote instant type lottery games using preprogrammed game cartridges for use in portable gaming computers. The instant type games are presented on a portable gaming cartridge which serves the above-stated needs. Predetermined outcomes are pre-programmed into the portable gaming cartridge. The pre-programming may be done during manufacture of the portable gaming cartridge or at the point of sale. Alternatively, the portable gaming cartridge may be updated with new programming at one or more locations. Games that yield at least one of the predetermined outcomes are presented on a display. In embodiments of the present invention, the portable gaming cartridge may be programmed at a central location and presented to a player at the same location with a portable gaming computer as a ready to play units. Thus, the gaming cartridge can be sold at virtually any location and does not necessarily require activation to be played. However, there may be a validation process that is carried out before any winnings from playing the gaming cartridge on the gaming computer are paid out. [0012] In another embodiment of the invention, a programmed game cartridge for use with a computer gaming device for executing computer readable program code is provided. The cartridge comprising a computer readable memory for storing a computer readable program code for execution by the computer gaming device, wherein the computer readable program code includes instructions for causing the computer gaming device i) to generate and present a game for yielding at least one of a number of predetermined outcomes, ii) to keep a running balance of amounts won from the predetermined outcomes, and iii) upon receipt of a stop signal, to store the amount of the running balance and prevent other games from being played; and a connector for electrically connecting the programmed game cartridge to the computer gaming device. [0013] According to embodiments of the present invention, a system for a remote lottery game on a cartridge is provided. According to one embodiment, the system comprises a gaming cartridge having a program stored in a computer memory. When inserted into a gaming computer and activated by a player, the program generates one of a number of predetermined outcomes on a display of the gaming computer. The predetermined outcomes may be pre-programmed into the computer memory directly via a programming computer. In embodiments of the present invention, a portable data storage unit is associated with the portable gaming cartridge. The portable data storage unit stores an identifier for the gaming cartridge and the predetermined outcomes programmed into that gaming cartridge. According to embodiments of the present invention, a central computer is provided with a memory storing the identifiers for each gaming cartridge and associating the predetermined outcomes programmed into the gaming cartridge's computer memory with the identifier for that gaming cartridge. In further embodiments of the present invention, a validation computer is provided for reading the portable data storage unit and generating a redemption request based thereon, communicating the redemption request to the central computer and receiving a validation message from the central computer. In additional embodiments, the central computer may also include processing means to compare the redemption request and the identifier and associated predetermined outcomes for the gaming computer and to generate the validation message based on the comparison. [0014] According to embodiments of the present invention, a portable gaming cartridge is inserted into a portable gaming computer for use. The portable gaming computer according to embodiments of the invention; includes a computer processor, a display, a locking button that when actuated by the player generates a stop signal and a socket into which a portable gaming cartridge may be inserted. A computer readable memory storing computer readable program code means causes the computer processor to generate and present on the display at least one game that yields at least one of the predetermined outcomes, to keep a running balance of amounts won from the predetermined outcomes, and upon receipt of the stop signal, to store the amount of the current running balance and prevent additional games from being played. [0015] In a further embodiment, the computer readable memory further includes computer readable program code means for causing the computer processor to set a flag indicating the stop signal has been generated. Additionally, the computer readable program code means may also cause the computer processor to generate a redemption request, the redemption request including the flag and the current running balance. [0016] According to another embodiment of the invention, a computer lottery system is provided. The system includes a portable gaming computer with a gaming cartridge having a computer readable memory storing computer readable program code means therein. The program code causes the gaming computer's computer processor to generate and present on the display at least one game that yields at least one of the predetermined outcomes, to keep a running balance of amounts won from the displayed predetermined outcomes, and upon receipt of the stop signal, stores the amount of the current running balance, prevent additional games from being played and predetermined outcomes from being presented, to generate a redemption request, the redemption request including the flag and the current running balance. A central computer is provided with a computer readable memory storing identifiers for each gaming cartridge and associating the predetermined outcomes in the portable gaming cartridge's computer readable memory with the unique identifier. The computer readable memory in the central computer stores computer readable program code means for causing a central computer processor to check the redemption request against the unique identifier and associated predetermined outcomes and generate a validation message in response to the redemption request. When the flag is set, the validation message includes an instruction to pay the current running balance. A validation computer is provided to receive the redemption request from the gaming cartridge, communicate the redemption request to the central computer and receive and process the validation message to enable any payoff. [0017] Another embodiment of the invention includes a method of providing a remote lottery game. A number of predetermined outcomes for the lottery game are generated. In an alternative embodiment, at least one of the predetermined outcomes is programmed into a memory of a gaming cartridge before the gaming cartridge is presented at a point of sale. The gaming cartridge may be validated at the point of sale. The predetermined outcomes stored in the memory can be associated with an identifier for the gaming cartridge. In another embodiment, the predetermined outcomes are programmed into the memory before payment for the gaming cartridge. [0018] In a further embodiment, the gaming cartridge comprises a program stored in a computer memory. The program generates on a display one of the number of predetermined outcomes that are stored in the memory when activated by a player. The predetermined outcomes may be progressively revealed on the display. The player can select the manner in which the predetermined outcomes are progressive revealed. [0019] In yet another embodiment, a computer gaming device is provided. The device comprises a display, player input controls, a computer processor and a gaming cartridge. A computer readable memory in the gaming cartridge stores computer readable program code means for causing the computer processor to generate and present on the display a game that yields at least one of the predetermined outcomes. The predetermined outcome may be revealed on the display in a progressive manner in response to input from the player input controls. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Continue reading about System and method for providing computer gaming... Full patent description for System and method for providing computer gaming Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this System and method for providing computer gaming 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. 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