On-demand ticket system
View Patent ↗A distributed manufacturing and distribution process for lottery tickets is disclosed. The manufacturing/vending system comprises a ticket manufacturing server and one or more vending devices located at remote sites. Each vending device is operatively coupled for communication with the server, normally via a network connection. Each vending devices is further equipped with blank media and printing means, so that a customer is able to purchase on-demand tickets from a vending device in communication with the server. Additionally, the vending devices may be configured as electronic aid to display the results of the purchased lottery tickets in entertaining ways to the customer.
1. A system for manufacturing on-demand lottery tickets comprising:
a lottery game server to:
generate a plurality of lottery ticket pools each comprising a plurality of lottery ticket pool games, and
supplement one of said lottery ticket pools with a new lottery ticket pool when the number of un-played games within said one pool drops to a predetermined threshold value; and
at least one vending device, operatively coupled to said lottery game server and comprising at least one printer and at least one display device, to:
process blank lottery ticket media;
retrieve ticket data from said lottery game server responsive to a purchase request, said purchase request including information identifying at least one of said plurality of lottery ticket pools, said ticket data uniquely identifying a single ticket and a game outcome;
provide a lottery ticket using said media and said at least one printer, said lottery ticket including indicia representing said retrieved ticket data;
wherein said vending device further displays on said at least one display device said game outcome of said provided lottery ticket concurrently with providing said lottery ticket.
2. The system for manufacturing on-demand lottery tickets of claim 1 , wherein said game outcome comprises an amount of a win.
3. The system for manufacturing on-demand lottery tickets of claim 1 , wherein said game outcome comprises game symbols which may be compared against a pay table to determine an associated amount of a win.
4. The system for manufacturing on-demand lottery tickets of claim 1 , wherein said at least one vending device indicates a plurality of game outcomes on said provided lottery ticket.
5. The system for manufacturing on-demand lottery tickets of claim 1 , wherein said provided lottery ticket is redeemable for a win amount associated with said provided lottery ticket.
6. The system for manufacturing on-demand lottery tickets of claim 1 , wherein said vending device further reads said provided lottery ticket to determine said game outcome, and displays said read game outcome after said reading is carried out.
7. The system for manufacturing on-demand lottery tickets of claim 1 , wherein said vending device displays said game outcome by:
animating spinning slot reels on said display means, and
stopping said animated spinning slot reels to indicate resulting game symbols corresponding to said game outcome along at least one payout line.
8. The system for manufacturing on-demand lottery tickets of claim 7 , wherein said vending device stops said animated spinning slot reels after said printing is completed.
9. The system for manufacturing on-demand lottery tickets of claim 1 , wherein said vending device displays said game outcome by displaying game symbols from one of: a poker hand, a keno game, or a bingo game.
10. The system for manufacturing on-demand lottery tickets of claim 1 wherein said vending device further provides tickets at a counter, said counter operable by an attendant for input of purchase requests, and operatively coupled for communication with said lottery game server.