# US 2012/0214570 A1 · Systems and Methods for Lottery-Style Games > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2012/0214570 A1 - Document ID: US20120214570A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/459,913 - Filed: 2012-04-30 - Published: 2012-08-23 - Earliest claimed: 2008-07-25 - Assignees: Roboreus Limited - Inventors: James Allan Oakes; Henry Edward Oakes - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20120214570A1 ## CPC - G07F 17/329: {Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards} - G07F 17/32: for games, toys, sports, or amusements - G07F 17/3211: {Display means} - G07F 17/3237: {about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players} - G07F 17/3248: {involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value} - G07F 17/3251: {involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens} - G07F 17/3255: {Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements} - G07F 17/3258: {Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots} - G07F 17/3272: {Games involving multiple players} - 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 Systems and methods for lottery-style games are disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, a computer-implemented method may comprise: establishing a map-based game associated with a gameboard comprising a map of a geographical area, the map being divided into a plurality of units wherein each unit represents a geographic location in the mapped geographical area; providing at least a portion of the gameboard for display to a player via a personal computing device, thereby accepting enrollment of a plurality of players in the map-based game; receiving from each player a selection of at least one geographic location of interest corresponding to at least one unit on the map; and for each lottery drawing, making a substantially random selection from some or all of the units on the gameboard to select at least one first unit to win a first prize. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method for lottery-style games, the method comprising using at least one processor and at least one storage medium for performing the following: establishing a map-based game that is scheduled to have a number of lottery drawings associated with a gameboard comprising a map of a geographical area, the map being divided into a plurality of units wherein each unit represents a geographic location in the mapped geographical area, and the gameboard being stored as digital data at least part of which are capable of visual display via a graphical interface; providing at least a portion of the gameboard for display to a player via a personal computing device, thereby accepting enrollment of a plurality of players in the map-based game; receiving from each player a selection of at least one geographic location of interest corresponding to at least one unit on the map and a commitment to participate in at least one of the lottery drawings by contributing things of value on behalf of the selected at least one unit; and for each lottery drawing, making a substantially random selection from some or all of the units on the gameboard to select at least one first unit to win a first prize. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein each said player has virtual ownership of the at least one unit on the map. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: selecting one or more second units to win lesser prizes, the selection of the one or more second units being based on relative map positions of the one or more second units with respect to the at least one first unit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein the one or more second units comprise units that are neighbors of the at least one first unit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: making the substantially random selection to select a first group of one or more units to win a first tier of one or more prizes and to select a second group of one or more units to win a second tier of one or more prizes. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said things of value comprise tokens or credits obtained by said each player by engaging in activities selected from a group consisting of: exchanging credit card cash-back bonus points; exchanging one or more coupons; taking part in one or more online surveys; viewing one or more online advertisements; and increasing activity level at a social networking website or a blogger website. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the first prize is selected from a group consisting of: tokens, cash or cash equivalents, value points for online or in-store purchases, coupons, downloadable music, ring tones, game score units in an online video game or a virtual society, mobile telephone airtime, long-distance telephone minutes, and products or services sponsored by a business partner. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the map-based game is established in connection with one or more virtual reality games and/or multi-player video games. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the geographical area comprises a virtual or fictional location. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of units is of a size or shape that is different from at least another unit. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of units has a chance of winning that is different from at least another unit. ### Claim 12 A system for lottery-style games, the system comprising: a processor; at least one storage device coupled to the processor; a user interface coupled to the processor via one or more communication networks; wherein the processor is adapted to communicate with the at least one storage device and the user interface to execute instructions to perform the following tasks: establishing a map-based game that is scheduled to have a number of lottery drawings associated with a gameboard comprising a map of a geographical area, the map being divided into a plurality of units wherein each unit represents a geographic location in the mapped geographical area, and the gameboard being stored as digital data at least part of which are capable of visual display via a graphical interface; providing at least a portion of the gameboard for display to a player via a personal computing device, thereby accepting enrollment of a plurality of players in the map-based game; receiving from each player a selection of at least one geographic location of interest corresponding to at least one unit on the map and a commitment to participate in at least one of the lottery drawings by contributing things of value on behalf of the selected at least one unit; and for each lottery drawing, making a substantially random selection from some or all of the units on the gameboard to select at least one first unit to win a first prize. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system according to claim 12, wherein each said player has virtual ownership of the at least one unit on the map. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The system according to claim 12, wherein the processor is further adapted to: select one or more second units to win lesser prizes, the selection of the one or more second units being based on relative map positions of the one or more second units with respect to the at least one first unit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system according to claim 14, wherein the one or more second units comprise units that are neighbors of the at least one first unit. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The system according to claim 12, wherein the substantially random selection causes to be selected a first group of one or more units to win a first tier of one or more prizes and a second group of one or more units to win a second tier of one or more prizes. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The system according to claim 12, wherein said things of value comprise tokens or credits obtained by said each player by engaging in activities selected from a group consisting of: exchanging credit card cash-back bonus points; exchanging one or more coupons; taking part in one or more online surveys; viewing one or more online advertisements; and increasing activity level at a social networking website or a blogger website. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The system according to claim 12, wherein the first prize is selected from a group consisting of: tokens, cash or cash equivalents, value points for online or in-store purchases, coupons, downloadable music, ring tones, game score units in an online video game or a virtual society, mobile telephone airtime, long-distance telephone minutes, and products or services sponsored by a business partner. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The system according to claim 12, wherein the map-based game is established in connection with one or more virtual reality games and/or multi-player video games. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The system according to claim 12, wherein the geographical area comprises a virtual or fictional location. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The system according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the plurality of units is of a size or shape that is different from at least another unit. ### Claim 22 (depends on 12) The system according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the plurality of units has a chance of winning that is different from at least another unit.