Electronic apparatus for generating sets of numerical values for playing lottery games

An electronic apparatus for generating combinations of numbers to be used by a player when selecting his bets for a lottery game of the 6/36, 6/44 or 6/49 type more generally expressed a m/k wherein m is the number of distinct numbers forming a combination C.sub.j and wherein said distinct numbers being chosen from an array A.sub.k constituted by a number k of consecutive numbers usually ranging from 1 to k, said apparatus generating a plurality of different combinations C.sub.j taking into consideration parameters dictated by the player, said apparatus comprising:

• input means for entering said parameters, namely for entering n distinct selected numbers chosen from said array A.sub.k thus forming a sub-array a.sub.i wherein n is greater than m and less that k, and for entering p, a redundancy index whose numerical value is less than m;
• processor means operatively connected to said input means for storing said n distinct selected numbers and said redundancy index p, said processor means successively generating a comprehensive series of combinations C.sub.j of said distinct selected numbers n chosen from said sub-array a.sub.i except combinations C.sub.j thereof which comprise at least p distinct numbers in common with any previously generated combination C.sub.j ;
• and
• output means operatively connected to said processor means for successively outputting the combinations C.sub.j generated by said processor means.

An electronic apparatus for generating combinations of numbers to be used by a player when selecting his bets for a lottery game of the 6/36, 6/44 or 6/49 type more generally expressed as m/k wherein m is the number of distinct numbers forming a combination C.sub.j and wherein said distinct numbers being chosen from an array A.sub.k constituted by a number k of consecutive numbers usually ranging from 1 to k, said apparatus generating a plurality of different combinations C.sub.j taking into consideration parameters and references dictated by the player, said apparatus comprising:

• input means for entering said parameters, namely for entering n distinct selected numbers chosen from said array A.sub.k thus forming a sub-array a.sub.i wherein n is greater than m and less than k, and for entering p, a redundancy index whose numerical value is less than m;
• processor means operatively connected to said input means for storing said n distinct selected numbers and said redundancy index p, said processor means successively generating a comprehensive series of combinations C.sub.j of said distinct selected numbers n chosen from said sub-array a.sub.i except all the combinations C.sub.j thereof which comprise at least p distinct numbers in common with any previously generated combination C.sub.j ;
• and
• output means operatively connected to said processor means for successively outputting the combinations C.sub.j generated by said processor means.

A pocket size apparatus for generating combinations of numbers to be used by a player when selecting his bets for a lottery game of the 6/36, 6/44 or 6/49 type more generally expressed a m/k wherein m is the number of distinct numbers forming a combination C.sub.j and said distinct numbers being chosen from an array A.sub.k constituted by a number k of consecutive numbers usually ranging from 1 to k, said pocket size apparatus generating a plurality of different combinations C.sub.j taking into consideration parameters dictated by the player, said pocket size apparatus comprising:

• keyboard means having function keys for controlling the operation of said apparatus and numeric keys for entering numerical data, said numeric keys being used for entering said parameters, namely for entering n distinct selected numbers chosen from said array A.sub.k thus forming a sub-array a.sub.i wherein n is greater than m and less than k, and for entering p, a redundancy index whose numerical value is less than m;
• processor means operatively connected to said keyboard means for storing said n distinct selected numbers and said redundancy index p, said processor means successively generating a comprehensive series combinations C.sub.j of said distinct selected numbers n chosen from said sub-array a.sub.i except the combinations C.sub.j thereof which comprise at least p distinct numbers in common with any previously generated combination C.sub.j ;
• and
• display means operatively connected to said processor means for successively displaying the combinations C.sub.j generated by said processor means and wherein said processor means comprises memory means for storing the numerical values of n and p and for storing every distinct selected number of said sub-array a.sub.i, said memory means also having a plurality of read only memory (ROM) areas, there being one ROM area for every valid value of p each ROM area containing a model set MS.sub.p of model combinations MC.sub.j of m slots each, the model set MS.sub.p being constituted by a plurality of subsets S.sup.p n, there being one subset S.sup.p n for every valid value of n, each subset S.sup.p n containing an exhaustive set of model combinations MC.sub.j corresponding to the limitations imposed by the associated values of n and p, the subset S.sup.P n corresponding to the maximum allowed value of n and being equal to the model set MS.sub.p, the subsets being interrelated according to the following relationship:
• S.sup.P.sub.n-1 S.sup.P.sub.n
• said processor means also comprising means for correlating each selected number of said sub-array a.sub.i with its corresponding slots of the model combination, said keyboard means comprising among its function keys a combination display key which, when actuated
• (a) causes said processor means to generate said combinations C.sub.j by accessing the ROM area correspondin, to said p and accessing therein the subset S.sup.P n corresponding to the value of n, said processor means forming combinations C.sub.j of m selected numbers of said sub-array a.sub.i, in accordance with the model combination extracted from the last mentioned subset S.sup.P n and
• (b) causes successive display of said combinations C.sub.j by said display means.