Telephonic-interface lottery system

A method for conducting a telephonic-interface for use with a communication facility including remote terminal apparatus for facilitating calls from persons holding tickets or cards, including voice communication means, and digital input means in the form of an array of alphabetic numeric buttons for providing certain identification data, comprising the steps of:

• developing a consumable key number for use with an interactive call processing format;
• providing said consumable key number on a ticket or card for identification, said consumable key number for entry by each caller via said digital input means;
• and
• receiving said consumable key number from a remote terminal apparatus and testing said consumable key number to limit access by said caller to said interactive call processing format, based on entitlement of said caller to a limited number of uses.

A telephonic-interface control system for use with a communication facility including remote terminal apparatus for individual callers to call, including voice communication means, and digital input means in the form of an array of alphabetic numeric buttons for providing identification data, said telephonic-interface control system comprising:

• interface means coupled to said communication facility to interface said remote terminal apparatus for voice and digital communication with said individual callers based upon dialed number identification signals (DNIS) indicative of a called number provided automatically from said communication facility;
• voice generator means coupled through said interface means for providing vocal instructions to an individual caller to enter data and identification data;
• processing means for processing said data supplied by said individual callers, said processing means coupled to said interface means and selecting at least one subset of at least one caller from said individual callers;
• qualification means coupled to said interface means for limiting access to said processing means based upon comparing said identification data with previously stored identification data, said qualification means for limiting access comprising a consumable key test means to qualify callers with respect to limited access, said consumable key test means including a check digit verification, and
• means for storing coupled to said interface means for storing said data in association with said previously stored identification data.

A method for conducting a telephonic-interface ticket control operation for use with a communication facility including remote terminal apparatus for individual callers, including a voice communication device, and a digital input device in the form of an array of alphabetic numeric buttons for providing identification data, comprising the steps of:

• providing dialed number identification signals automatically from the communication facility (DNIS) to provide digital identification data indicating a called number, wherein said called number is indicative of an interactive call processing format selected from a plurality of different interactive call processing formats under control of said dialed number identification signals (DNIS);
• assigning at least one predetermined limit on access to said interactive call processing format;
• providing an identification number on a ticket, said identification number entered by each individual caller via said digital input device to access said interactive call processing format until said at least one predetermined limit is reached and providing visual indicia on said ticket illustrative of a name of a specific interactive call processing format from a plurality of names of interactive call processing formats wherein said visual indicia further includes a specific visual theme associated with said interactive call processing format taken from a plurality of visual themes associated with a plurality of different interactive call processing formats;
• storing data indicative of an extent of access accomplished for said identification number entered by each individual caller;
• testing said data indicative of said extent of access accomplished against said at least one predetermined limit on access to determine if said at least one predetermined limit on access is reached;
• providing a distinct indicia associated with said ticket;
• prompting said individual callers via a voice generator to enter data;
• storing at least certain of said data responsive to said prompting step;
• and
• co-relating said distinct indicia to at least a portion of said identification number.

A method for conducting a telephonic-interface ticket control operation for use with a communication facility including remote terminal apparatus for individual callers, including voice communication means, and digital input means in the form of an array of alphabetic numeric buttons for providing identification data, comprising the steps of:

• providing dialed number identification signals automatically from the communication facility (DNIS) to provide digital identification data indicating a called number, wherein said called number is indicative of an interactive call processing format selected from a plurality of different interactive call processing formats under control of said dialed number identification signals (DNIS);
• assigning at least one predetermined limit on access to said interactive call processing format;
• providing an identification number on a ticket, said identification number entered by each individual caller via said digital input device to access said interactive call processing format until said at least one predetermined limit is reached and providing visual indicia on said ticket illustrative of a name of a specific interactive call processing format from a plurality of names of interactive call processing formats wherein said visual indicia further includes a specific visual theme associated with said interactive call processing format taken from a plurality of visual themes associated with a plurality of different interactive call processing formats;
• storing data indicative of an extent of access accomplished for said identification number entered by each individual caller;
• testing said data indicative of said extent of access accomplished against said at least one predetermined limit on access to determine if said at least one predetermined limit on access is reached and further testing to limit access during at least one predetermined interval of time;
• providing a distinct indicia associated with said ticket;
• prompting said individual callers via a voice generator to enter data;
• storing at least certain of said data responsive to said prompting step;
• and
• providing indicia indicating a toll free number for callers to dial from a plurality of toll free numbers, where said indicia indicative of said toll free number is related to a specific one of said visual themes.

A method for conducting a telephonic-interface ticket control operation for use with a communication facility including remote terminal apparatus for individual callers, including a voice communication device, and a digital input device in the form of an array of alphabetic numeric buttons for providing identification data, comprising the steps of:

• providing dialed number identification signals automatically from the communication facility (DNIS) to provide digital identification data indicating a called number from a plurality of called numbers and wherein said called number is indicative of said interactive call processing format selected from a plurality of different interactive call processing formats under control of said dialed number identification signals (DNIS) and wherein said called number is indicative of said interactive call processing format selected from a plurality of different interactive call processing formats under control of said dialed number identification signals (DNIS);
• assigning at least one predetermined limit on access to an interactive call processing format;
• providing an identification number on a ticket, said identification number entered by each individual caller via said digital input device to access said interactive call processing format until said at least one predetermined limit is reached;
• storing data indicative of an extent of access accomplished for said identification number entered by each individual caller;
• testing said data indicative of said extent of access accomplished against said at least one predetermined limit on access to determine if said at least one predetermined limit on access is reached and further testing to limit access during at least one predetermined interval of time;
• providing a distinct indicia associated with said ticket and co-relating said distinct indicia to at least a portion of said identification number;
• providing visual indicia on said ticket illustrative of a name of a specific interactive call processing format from a plurality of names of interactive call processing formats and wherein said visual indicia further includes a specific visual theme associated with said interactive call processing format taken from a plurality of visual themes associated with a plurality of different interactive call processing formats;
• prompting said individual callers via a voice generator to enter data;
• and
• storing at least certain of said data responsive to said prompting step.