Lottery Ticket Security via Prize Data Segmentation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lottery ticket security systems, such as keyed dual security, still allow unscrupulous individuals to determine the presence of high-tier winning tickets by correlating book numbers with validation numbers, enabling fraudulent practices.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that generates a game generation file without high-tier prizes, creates a list of validation numbers from books with only low-tier winning tickets, and randomly selects validation numbers for high-tier tickets, storing this information in a separate secured file to disconnect high-tier prize data from the original generation file, ensuring increased security and access control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If keyed dual security is used to store high-tier prize data in a centralized generation file, then ticket printing efficiency is improved, but security against fraud is worsened because individuals can correlate book numbers with validation numbers to locate high-tier winning tickets
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the centralized generation file into multiple distributed seed files, with each file containing only a portion of the high-tier prize validation numbers. This segmentation prevents any single compromised file from revealing all high-tier winning tickets, as fraudsters would need to correlate multiple distributed files rather than accessing a single centralized data source.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimensional layer of security by implementing a multi-file distribution system with hierarchical organization. Instead of a single flat generation file, the system creates multiple seed files that must be collectively accessed to reconstruct complete ticket validation data, adding a dimensional complexity that frustrates fraud attempts while maintaining printing efficiency.
2Device complexity
If a centralized generation file stores all validation numbers and prize data, then access control is simplified, but the risk of fraud increases because compromising one file reveals all high-tier prize information
Solution Approach 1:
The centralized generation file is segmented into multiple distributed seed files, each containing a subset of validation numbers associated with high-tier prizes. This segmentation ensures that compromising a single file does not expose all high-tier winning tickets, as the complete prize information is distributed across multiple files that must be collectively accessed to be useful for fraud.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer in the form of a ticket reconstruction system that mediates between the distributed seed files and the final ticket validation process. This intermediary randomly distributes validation numbers across multiple files and controls their assembly, adding a protective buffer that prevents direct access to complete prize information while maintaining system functionality.
3Reliability
If book numbers are shuffled to disconnect validation numbers from high-tier prizes, then security is improved, but the ability to track and reconstruct tickets is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary shuffling of book numbers and validation numbers during the seed file creation process, before tickets are actually printed or distributed. This preliminary randomization disconnects the relationship between book numbers and high-tier prizes in advance, preventing correlation attacks while the ticket reconstruction system retains the ability to track tickets through the shuffled validation numbers when needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method of printing lottery tickets produces a prize structure with ticket books containing all available prizes. A game generation file is then generated withholding the high tier prizes. A list of validation numbers is then created from ticket books that hold only low tier winning ticket values. In one embodiment, only validation numbers associated with tickets having no redemption value are included in the list Individual validation numbers are then selected at random from the created list of validation numbers, and high tier ticket prize data is assigned to each record associated with a selected validation number. The information is stored in a new file that can be contained on a separate file server from the original generation file, invoking increased access control and monitoring for additional security purposes. The new file contains the raw ticket data that is used in the printing of the tickets.