# US 12,183,153 B2 · Optimizing drawing prize awards > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,183,153 B2 - Document ID: US12183153B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/694,388 - Filed: 2022-03-14 - Published: 2022-08-18 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2014-11-11 - Assignees: Acres Technology - Applicants: Acres Technology - Inventors: John F. Acres - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12183153B2 ## CPC - G07F 17/3244: {Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes} - G07F 17/3218: {wherein at least part of the system is portable} - G07F 17/3223: {Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, leader-follower, wireless communication} - G07F 17/3225: {Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users} - G07F 17/3255: {Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements} - G07F 17/3267: {Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games} - G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00}) ## Abstract A promotional game is conducted over participants' cell phones. During a play period, a participant advances on a virtual game board using cell phone commands. During the player period drawing entries are generated proportional to play on electronic gaming devices, play of the promotional game, or retail purchases. Some players receive a multiplier for their drawing entries to enhance chances of winning the promotional game. In one embodiment, the multiplier is removed for a player after a cutoff threshold for prizes awarded to that player is reached. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: receiving, by a game server, during an enrollment period, from one or more user devices, one or more standard text-messaging protocol enrollment messages, wherein the one or more standard text-messaging protocol enrollment messages are configured to enroll the one or more user devices in a game; determining, based on the one or more standard text-messaging protocol enrollment messages, one or more gaming parameters associated with the game; receiving, from the one or more user devices, one or more standard text-messaging protocol play messages configured to advance play of the game; associating, based on the one or more gaming parameters and the one or more standard text-messaging protocol play messages, the one or more user devices with one or more outcomes; receiving, from an electronic casino gaming device in a casino, an indication that a user associated with a user device of the one or more user devices is in the casino; and causing, based on the indication, a display device in the casino to display an outcome of the one or more outcomes. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more standard text-messaging protocol enrollment messages comprise one or more identifiers associated with the one or more user devices. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the game comprises a wagering game. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more gaming parameters comprise one or more of: one or more paytables, one or more game board configurations, one or more wagering protocols, or one or more bonuses. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the indication is received from a player tracking unit of the electronic casino gaming device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more outcomes comprise one or more winning outcomes or one or more losing outcomes. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising, determining, based on a user device identifier associated with the user device, a player account. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more standard text-messaging protocol enrollment messages and the one or more standard text-messaging protocol play messages comprise one or more short messaging service (SMS) messages. ### Claim 9 An electronic casino gaming apparatus comprising: one or more processors; and memory storing processor executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the electronic casino gaming apparatus to: receive, during an enrollment period, from one or more user devices, one or more standard text-messaging protocol enrollment messages, wherein the one or more standard text-messaging protocol enrollment messages are configured to enroll the one or more user devices in a game; determine, based on the one or more standard text-messaging protocol enrollment messages, one or more gaming parameters associated with the game; receive, from the one or more user devices, one or more standard text-messaging protocol play messages configured to advance play of the game; associate, based on the one or more gaming parameters and the one or more standard text-messaging protocol play messages, the one or more user devices with one or more outcomes; receive, from an electronic casino gaming device in a casino, an indication that a user associated with a user device of the one or more user devices is in the casino; and cause, based on the indication, a display device in the casino to display an outcome of the one or more outcomes. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The electronic casino gaming apparatus of claim 9, wherein the one or more standard text-messaging protocol enrollment messages comprise one or more identifiers associated with the one or more user devices. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The electronic casino gaming apparatus of claim 9, wherein the game comprises a wagering game. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The electronic casino gaming apparatus of claim 9, wherein the one or more gaming parameters comprise one or more of: one or more paytables, one or more game board configurations, one or more wagering protocols, or one or more bonuses. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The electronic casino gaming apparatus of claim 9, wherein the indication is received from a player tracking unit of the electronic casino gaming device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The electronic casino gaming apparatus of claim 9, wherein the one or more outcomes comprise one or more winning outcomes or one or more losing outcomes. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The electronic casino gaming apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the electronic casino gaming apparatus to determine, based on a user device identifier associated with the user device, a player account. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The electronic casino gaming apparatus of claim 9, wherein the one or more standard text-messaging protocol enrollment messages and the one or more standard text-messaging protocol play messages comprise one or more short messaging service (SMS) messages. ### Claim 17 One or more non-transitory computer-readable media, storing processor-executable instructions thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to: receive, by a gaming server, during an enrollment period, from one or more user devices, one or more standard text-messaging protocol enrollment messages, wherein the one or more standard text-messaging protocol enrollment messages are configured to enroll the one or more user devices in a game; determine, based on the one or more standard text-messaging protocol enrollment messages, one or more gaming parameters associated with the game; receive, from the one or more user devices, one or more standard text-messaging protocol play messages configured to advance play of the game; associate, based on the one or more gaming parameters and the one or more standard text-messaging protocol play messages, the one or more user devices with one or more outcomes; receive, from an electronic casino gaming device in a casino, an indication that a user associated with a user device of the one or more user devices is proximate the electronic casino gaming device; and cause, based on the indication, a display device in the casino to display an outcome of the one or more outcomes. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17, wherein the one or more standard text-messaging protocol enrollment messages comprise one or more identifiers associated with the one or more user devices. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17, wherein the game comprises a wagering game. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17, wherein the one or more gaming parameters comprise one or more of: one or more paytables, one or more game board configurations, one or more wagering protocols, or one or more bonuses. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17, wherein the indication is received from a player tracking unit of the electronic casino gaming device. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17, wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to determine, based on a user device identifier associated with the a user device, a player account. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17, wherein the one or more standard text-messaging protocol enrollment messages and the one or more standard text-messaging protocol play messages comprise one or more short messaging service (SMS) messages.