The present invention generally relates to computerized gaming including lottery, keno, and bingo. BACKGROUND

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.

Lottery is a form of gaming which involves the drawing of numbers for a prize. Some lottery players are creatures of habit and play the same combination of lottery numbers week after week. However, the Applicant has perceived that many lottery players become bored with the tedium of selecting numbers week after week, particularly when using computerized electronic gaming systems where the same numbers can be used for successive draws.

Embodiments of the present invention provide computerized gaming techniques which spark the player's interest.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computerized method for playing a lottery game, the method including the steps of:

associating at least one electronic image with numbers; and

enabling the player to use said electronic image to form a combination of entry numbers for the lottery game. Preferably, said image is captured by a player using a smartphone or other internet connectable device

The image may be a single image captured using a mobile phone or personal digital assistant (PDA) camera. The image may be a photograph. Portions of the photograph may be associated with respective numbers. The numbers may be arranged in a grid. The numbers may be sequentially arranged. The method may involve the step of the player selecting portions to, in turn, select respective numbers.

Alternatively, said at least one image may be a set (or series) of images (e.g. video). The images may be associated with respective numbers. The images (i.e. portions) of the set may be selectable by the player to, in turn, select respective numbers.

The method may further include the step of lodging a lottery ticket including the combination of entry numbers. The lottery ticket may be for multiple draws. The draws may relate to photographs of a set (e.g. vacation). The method may involve enabling a lottery player to play online with an internet device (e.g. smart phone) connected to a server over the internet.

In one embodiment, portions of the at least one image are associated with corresponding numbers and the method further includes the step of:

associating the image portions with corresponding sounds to be emitted during lottery play.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic gaming method including the steps of:

electronically associating one or more portions of at least one item personalized by a player with respective one or more win identifiers; and

electronically enabling the player to select said portions of said item, and therefore associated win identifiers, to be used in determining a win. Said item may be at least one image captured by the player using a mobile phone or personal digital assistant (PDA) camera. Said portions may be a grid cells of an image. Alternatively, each portion may be a single image of a set of images.

Said win identifiers may be numbers which are used to form a combination of entry numbers in determining a win in a lottery draw.

Said one or more win identifiers may be a single win identifier in the form of an instant prize. The method may involve the step of the player selecting a portion to reveal the instant prize.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic gaming method, the method including the steps of:

electronically associating one or more nonnumeric items of a set with respective one or more win identifiers; and

electronically enabling the player to select said items, and therefore associated win identifiers, to be used in determining a win. The set may be a recipe of ingredients. The set may be a team of sports players or a league of sports teams. The set may include cities (e.g. London, Paris, Rome, etc.), vehicles (e.g. Ferrari, Porsche, etc.) or foodstuffs (e.g. carrots, tomatoes). The items may be depicted by icons. Said win identifiers may be numbers which are used to form a combination of entry numbers in determining a win in a lottery draw.

The method may further include the step of lodging a lottery ticket. The lottery ticket may be for multiple draws. Said set (e.g. recipe) may relate to a single draw and be a subset of a larger set (e.g. banquet) relating to the multiple draws.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic gaming system, the gaming system including: an association device for electronically associating one or more nonnumeric items of a set with respective one or more win identifiers; and

a selector for enabling the player to electronically select said items, and therefore associated win identifiers, to be used in determining a win..

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings as follows: Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an electronic gaming system;

Figure 2 is a flowchart showing a method for playing a lottery game with the gaming system of Figure 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 3a is a schematic diagram showing a number grid associated with a photograph in accordance with the method of Figure 2;

Figure 3b is a schematic diagram showing selection of portions of the photograph of Figure 3a;

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing selection of recipe ingredients and therefore associated numbers in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing selection of cells associated with instant-win prizes in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an electronic gaming system 100 as shown in Figure 1. The gaming system 100 enables association of nonnumeric items (e.g. photograph frames) of a set (e.g. video) with respective win identifiers (e.g. lottery numbers). The player can select the items, and therefore associated win identifiers, to be used in determining a win (e.g. during a lottery draw). The selection of nonnumeric items sparks the player's interest when compared with conventional number selection which can become boring. The use of photographs enables the player to personalise the gaming experience thereby adding to the player's interest and enjoyment. The system 100 is described in detail below.

Turning first to Figure 1 , the electronic gaming system 100 includes at least one lottery server 102 administered by a lottery provider (e.g. Tattersalls, South Australian Lotteries, Western Australian Lotteries, etc.) conducting at least one lottery. The system 100 further includes an agent server 104 interfaced to the lottery server 102 via the Internet 06. The agent server 104 is configured to sell tickets for the lottery online to players operating smartphones 108 and personal computers (PCs) 110. The smartphones 108 and PCs 110 are also interfaced to the agent server 104 via the Internet 106.

The agent server 104 hosts a gaming website. The agent server 104 executes a software product, in the form of executable machine readable instructions, to perform the method 200 for playing the lottery game described below with reference to Figure 2.

At step 202, the player accesses the agent website hosted on agent server 104 with the smartphone 108.

At step 204, the agent server 104 receives a selection from the player indicating that the player wishes to purchase a ticket for the lottery involving the draw of a subset of numbers from a predefined set of numbers. At step 206, agent server 104 receives a photograph 300 shown in Figure 3 that was captured by the player using a camera 1 12 of the smartphone 108. The player can use the camera 1 12 of the smartphone 108 to capture either a single image 300 or a video of images (i.e. frames).

At step 208, the agent server 104 (i.e. association device) associates the photograph 300 with the range of numbers (e.g. 1 to 36) from which five lottery entry numbers (e.g. 1 , 6, 15, 32, 36) can be selected. As can best be seen in Figure 3a, an invisible grid of sequential numbers is superimposed with the photograph 300 using digital image processing techniques whereby rectangular portions 302 of the digital photograph (corresponding to cells of the grid) are associated with respective numbers. Only the photograph 300 (i.e. and not the grid or numbers) is displayed to the player on the smartphone 108 (i.e. selector). Furthermore, the agent server 104 associates the rectangular cells 302 with respective sounds (e.g. bells, whistles, etc.).

At step 210, the agent server 104 (i.e. selector) receives a selection of photograph portions 302, in turn, corresponding to a selection of respective lottery entry numbers (e.g. 6, 15, 32, 36). Referring to Figure 3b, the player can select a portion of the photograph 300 (indicated by cross 304) to select a corresponding number by pressing a finger on the touch display of the smartphone 108. The smartphone 108 emits sounds responsive to selection of corresponding cells 302 which enhances the playing experience. At step 212, the agent server 104 lodges a lottery ticket including the combination of selected entry numbers with the lottery server 102..

Another embodiment is described with reference to Figure 4 in which the photograph 300 is replaced with a chart 400 of vegetables 402 (i.e. set of nonnumeric items or readily distinguishable icons). The lottery gaming method involves associating one or more vegetables of the chart with respective numbers (i.e. win identifiers) as before. The player can select vegetables (see crosses 404 in Figure 4), and therefore associated numbers, to make up a soup recipe. The selected numbers can then be used in determining a win if the selected combination matches the drawn numbers by the lottery provider. The lodged lottery ticket can be for multiple games or draws whereby each recipe (e.g. entree, main, dessert, etc,) relates to a single game or draw of a banquet which makes up the entire ticket. Advantageously, the agent server 104 selects the icons, and not the lottery player.

Another embodiment is described with reference to Figure 5 in which the photograph 300 is used in a instant win rather than a lottery game. The instant-win gaming method involves associating cell portions of the photograph 300, personalized by the player, with respective dollar amounts (i.e. win identiifiers). The player can select three portions of the photograph, and therefore associated dollar amounts, to determine a win in the event that the selected dollar amounts match. As shown in Figure 5, the player wins the dollar amount of $20 by selecting the three cell portions of the photograph 300 associated with that amount. The other cell portions are associated with other amounts.

In one embodiment, one of the cell portions of the photograph 300 may be associated with a single win identifier in the form of an instant prize represented by a "car" icon. The instant-win gaming method can involve the player selecting the cell portion to reveal the instant prize and win the car.

A person skilled in the art will appreciate that many embodiments and variations can be made without departing from the ambit of the present invention.

The numbers in the grid of Figure 3a were sequential. In another embodiment, the number are randomly distributed in the grid. In one embodiment, the smartphone camera 112 may be used to capture a series of images in the form of a video at step 206. Complete images can be associated with respective numbers and the images (i.e. portions) of the video can be selectable by the player to, in turn, select respective numbers. The lodged lottery ticket at step 212 may be for multiple lottery draws or games. In this manner, the games or draws can relate to respective photographs of a set (e.g. vacation). Figure 4 related to a nonnumerical set of items in the form of a chart of vegetables. In alternative embodiments, the set can be a team of sports players or a league of sports teams. Alternatively, the set can include cities (e.g. London, Paris, Rome, etc.), national flags, sports indicators, beverages, vehicles (e.g. Ferrari, Porsche, etc.) or foodstuffs (e.g. fruit, fast food, etc). The items are typically depicted by icons.

In one embodiment, the photograph 300 may not be captured by the player and can instead be selected from a range of images so that he player can still personalize the game to their liking.

In one embodiment, the agent server 104 may be omitted from the gaming system 100 whereby the lottery server 102 instead performs all of the steps of the method 200. In this manner, the lottery server 102 conducts the lottery and sells gaming tickets to the public directly without the need for an agent. Accordingly, the gaming system 100 may include one or more servers.

The lottery can be a governmental lottery or a private lottery.

In one embodiment, a lottery player's computer emits sounds corresponding to cells 302 responsive to a mouse pointer being coincident with the displayed cells 302, whether or not those cells are actually selected as inputs for the lottery draw.

In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific to structural or methodical features. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to specific features shown or described since the means herein described comprises preferred forms of putting the invention into effect.