Lottery Ticket Dispenser Array with POS Integration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current systems for selling instant lottery tickets at retail establishments require separate personnel and equipment, leading to increased costs and human error in tracking and reconciling sales, with retailers often facing financial burdens due to bulk ticket activation and manual accounting processes.

Innovation Solution

A system integrating a lottery ticket terminal with a POS register and a dispenser array, where each ticket has a machine-readable code, allowing for automated dispensing, tracking, and reconciliation, with a central server managing accountability and billing, enabling individual ticket activation and real-time sales reporting.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a separate lottery POS terminal is used, then lottery ticket sales can be conducted, but additional personnel and equipment costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelottery ticket sales capabilityVSAvoidpersonnel and equipment requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the lottery ticket dispensing function with the existing retail POS register into a single integrated system. The POS register is enhanced with a lottery ticket dispenser array that includes multiple bins for different ticket types, eliminating the need for a separate lottery terminal and reducing personnel requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The POS register is transformed into a multi-functional device that handles both regular retail transactions and lottery ticket sales. The system can dispense different types of lottery tickets through the integrated dispenser array, allowing one device to serve multiple purposes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Productivity

If manual tracking of ticket serial numbers is performed, then sales can be recorded, but human error increases particularly in busy environments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesales recording capabilityVSAvoidaccuracy of sales tracking

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The manual mechanical process of writing down serial numbers is replaced with an automated electronic scanning system. The scanner automatically reads the machine-readable codes on dispensed tickets and transmits the data to the central server, eliminating human error in recording.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements automatic feedback loops where the scanner continuously monitors dispensed tickets and immediately transmits sale data to the central server. This real-time feedback mechanism ensures accurate tracking without requiring manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Ease of operation

If entire packs of tickets are activated upon delivery, then tickets are ready for sale, but billing becomes due before significant sales occur creating financial burden

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveticket readiness for saleVSAvoidfinancial burden on retailer

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary activation of individual tickets within the pack at the point of dispensing rather than activating the entire pack upon delivery. The central server activates tickets as they are dispensed and sold, allowing the retailer to pay only for tickets that are actually made available for sale.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the ticket pack into individual activatable units. Instead of treating the entire pack as a single activated entity, each ticket can be individually activated and tracked, allowing for more granular billing and inventory management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Measurement precision

If automated systems record serial numbers, then calculation of tickets sold is improved, but balance reconciliation with POS register is not conducted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecalculation of tickets soldVSAvoidreconciliation with POS register

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The lottery dispensing system is merged with the POS register into a single integrated system. This ensures that all lottery ticket sales are automatically captured in the same transaction system used for retail sales, enabling seamless balance reconciliation without separate tracking systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS10672234B2Method and system for enhanced lottery ticket accounting and sales with smart bin dispensers at a retail establishment

Publication Date: 2020.06.02 SCIENTIFIC GAMES LLC

AI summary

A system and associated method are provided for dispensing lottery tickets at retail establishments. A lottery ticket terminal is in communication with a retail POS register and accepts a request for purchase of a particular lottery ticket selected from a plurality of different lottery tickets. A dispenser array is in communication with the terminal and includes a plurality of separate bins having a different respective lottery tickets stored. The lottery tickets have a machine readable code printed thereon and each bin includes a scanner disposed to read the code as the tickets are dispensed from the bin by an electronic drive mechanism. The lottery ticket terminal transmits a purchase signal for dispensing a particular lottery ticket that is routed to the respective bin containing the particular lottery ticket. The bin transmits a signal that is routed to a central lottery server for each lottery ticket dispensed from the bin, the signal identifying the lottery ticket from the scanned code.