Mobile Lottery Ticket Ordering via Machine-Readable Code
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for selling lottery tickets are inconvenient for customers, requiring them to physically visit distribution centers, which increases costs and reduces sales, as they need to fill out play slips and use expensive hardware, limiting accessibility and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A system and method allowing users to make lottery ticket selections on their mobile devices, generating a machine-readable code that can be scanned by retailers to order tickets, eliminating the need for physical play slips and reducing hardware requirements, enabling faster, more convenient, and cost-effective ticket purchases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If customers physically visit distribution centers to purchase lottery tickets, then tickets can be sold through traditional channels, but customer convenience deteriorates and sales opportunities are lost due to the inconvenience of travel and filling out play slips
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical play slips with digital representations on mobile devices. Customers can select and store their lottery numbers electronically, generating a digital play slip that can be presented at the point of sale without requiring physical paper forms or manual filling out.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of physical play slips and manual number entry with an electronic system using mobile devices. The mobile device stores customer selections and presents them digitally at the retailer, eliminating the need for physical paper handling and manual data entry.
2Reliability
If brick and mortar distributors use expensive hardware and facilities to sell lottery tickets, then ticket distribution can be maintained, but operational costs increase and overhead requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive specialized lottery terminal hardware with standard mobile devices that customers already possess. The mobile device serves as both the selection interface and the presentation medium, eliminating the need for dedicated lottery machines at retail locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables standard mobile devices to perform multiple functions: storing customer selections, generating the digital play slip, and presenting it at the point of sale. This universal device replaces multiple specialized components previously required in the distribution system.
3Ease of manufacture
If customers fill out play slips manually at distribution centers, then ticket purchases can be processed, but the purchasing process time increases and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent allows customers to pre-select and store their lottery numbers in advance on their mobile devices. When they arrive at the retailer, the selections are already prepared and can be quickly presented without requiring on-site filling out or manual entry of play slips.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of filling out physical play slips with an electronic system where selections are stored and presented digitally. This substitution dramatically reduces the time required for the purchasing process while maintaining simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile application or mobile website allows a user of a mobile device to make player selections associated with the order of a lottery ticket. The mobile device then displays a machine-readable code image. When a lottery retailer scans the image, the code conveys the lottery ticket order to the retail system, allowing the retailer to sell lottery tickets corresponding with the order. The mobile application or website may record player selections for reuse, record purchased tickets to report lottery status to the player, and assist the player in locating a lottery retailer.