BACKGROUND ART Recently, the number of persons using the lottery service tends to increase suddenly in anticipation of pecuniary profit or amusement.

The lottery service is generally performed in a way that a ticket on which a lottery number is printed is sold to a purchaser, a winning number is generated and announced by a lottery program provided through the mass media such as newspaper or television, and then a lottery ticket having a lottery number coincident with the winning number is determined as a winning ticket.

However, since the conventional lottery service generates a winning number in domination of contingency, the probability of winning a prize is very low and a user may dream of making a fortune at one stroke without any effort. In addition, due to the frailty of the

conventional lottery service which users passively use, the lottery service does not grab the interest of lottery ticket purchasers in fact.

In addition, to use the conventional lottery service, the users in a general case should wait tediously from a ticket purchasing point till a drawing date, which is so unsatisfactory for users.

In order to solve the problems of the conventional lottery service, there is disclosed in Korean Patent Application No. 2000-36722 a lottery service system executable on Internet and its method. This lottery service system executable on Internet enables a user to access a web site of a service provider for selecting and purchasing lottery tickets as desired and then to check whether to win or not in the lottery by a real-time drawing.

This method just allows a user to check whether to win or lose in real time, not inciting immediate participation of the user. Thus, the above technique shows the limitation in satisfying users who desire amusement through the voluntary participation by himself/herself.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION The present invention is designed in consideration of the above problems, and an object of the invention is to provide a lottery service method based on a lottery game which allows a user to extract a lottery number through the lottery game so as to determine whether or not the user win a prize by checking that the lottery number is coincident with

a winning number which is previously set.

In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a lottery service method based on a lottery game executed in a system in which at least one user terminal is mutually connected to a lottery server through a network, which includes the steps of receiving a request data for a specific lottery ticket from the user terminal to the lottery server; generating a winning number for the requested lottery ticket and outputting the winning number to the user terminal; executing a lottery drawing software for extracting a lottery number so that the lottery number is coincident with the winning number, and then receiving the extracted lottery number in the lottery server; and determining whether the lottery ticket wins a prize by comparative operation between the wining number and the extracted lottery number.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a lottery service method based on a lottery game executed in a system in which at least one user terminal is mutually connected to a lottery server through a network, which includes the steps of receiving a request data for a specific lottery ticket from the user terminal to the lottery server; receiving a winning number designated by a user from the user terminal to the lottery server and then storing the winning number; executing a lottery drawing software for extracting a lottery number so that the lottery number is coincident with the winning number, and then receiving the extracted lottery number in the lottery

server; and determining whether the lottery ticket wins a prize by comparative operation between the wining number and the extracted lottery number.

On the other hand, there is also disclosed according to another aspect of the invention a lottery service method based on a lottery game which is used for an event and executed in a system in which at least one user terminal is mutually connected to a lottery server through a network, which includes the steps of receiving a request data for participating in the event from the user terminal to the lottery server; endowing a winning number to a specific lottery ticket and then transmitting the winning number to the user terminal; executing a lottery drawing software for extracting a lottery number so that the lottery number is coincident with the winning number, and then receiving the extracted lottery number in the lottery server; and determining whether the lottery ticket wins a prize by comparative operation between the wining number and the extracted lottery number.

In addition, in another aspect of the invention, there is also provided a lottery service method based on a lottery game which is used for an event and executed in a system in which at least one user terminal is mutually connected to a lottery server through a network, which includes the steps of receiving a request data for participating in the event from the user terminal to the lottery server; receiving a winning number designated by a user and storing the winning number

in the lottery server ; executing a lottery drawing software for extracting a lottery number so that the lottery number is coincident with the winning number, and then receiving the extracted lottery number in the lottery server; and determining whether the lottery ticket wins a prize by comparative operation between the wining number and the extracted lottery number.

Preferably, the lottery number is generated by a click signal which is input by the user in order to stop changing numbers at a specific point.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other features, aspects, and advantages of preferred embodiments of the present invention will be more fully described in the following detailed description, taken accompanying drawings. In the drawings: FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a system in which a lottery service method based on a lottery game according to the present invention is realized; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the lottery server of FIG. 1 ; FIG. 3 exemplarily shows a web page for executing the lottery game according to the present invention; FIG. 4 is a flow chart for illustrating the process of executing the lottery service method based on a lottery game according to an

embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 5 is a flow chart for illustrating the process of the lottery service method applied to a free gift event according to an embodiment of the present invention.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a system for realizing a lottery service method based on a lottery game according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the system includes at least one user terminal 10 and a lottery server 30 connected to the user terminal 10 through a network 20.

The network 20 may adopt various means giving a data communication function such as a wire/wireless Internet, PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) and a mobile communication network.

The user terminal 10 is a computer of a user who accesses the lottery server 30 and uses the lottery service by selecting a lottery ticket and participating in the lottery game according to the present invention.

Preferably, the user terminal 10 may adopt a common personal computer in which communication protocols such as TCP/IP, a web browser and a communication module for data communication are loaded. Alternatively, the user terminal 10 may adopt various mobile

terminals such as a personal digital assistant (PDA) or a mobile phone.

The lottery server 30 is a computer which provides various lottery games and corresponding lottery tickets on line according to the present invention. The lottery server 30 is configured as shown in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 2, the lottery server 30 includes a server engine 31 for overall management of the system, a web server 32 for generating web pages 32a provided to the user terminal 10 for the lottery service, a winning number generating module 33, a log-in unit 34 for receiving an identification information peculiar to the user from the user terminal 10, a designated winning number obtaining module 35, a lottery game executing module 36, a winning checking module 37, a result notifying module 38 and database 39. At this time, the web pages 32a are preferably made in HTML (Hyper-Text Markup Language) format, but the web pages 32a can be written in any format capable of being read out by a computer system.

The winning number generating module 33 plays a role of generating a winning number for the lottery selected by the user by means of such as a random number generator and then providing the winning number to the user terminal 10. At this time, the means for generating a winning number is not limited to the random number generator, of course.

In addition, in case a user designates a winning number according to an embodiment of the present invention, the designated

winning number obtaining module 35 is used to receive the designated winning number.

The lottery game executing module 36 transmits game software corresponding to the lottery type and then executes the lottery game according to an embodiment of the present invention.

At this time, the lottery game is used for extracting a lottery number coincident with the winning number. For example, the lottery game is executed as shown in FIG. 3 so as to extract numbers coincident with the winning number in the following processes: a user clicks a'START'button by using a mouse so that numbers change continuously and then clicks a'STOP'button so that the numbers stop and a specific number array is shown. As an alternative, there can be used a game like a pool or pocket billiards in which a user puts an object corresponding to a desired number into a hole. In addition to those cases, the lottery game may have various styles to select numbers, adapting common game software.

The winning checking module 37 functions for checking whether the user wins the lottery by means of comparative operation between the winning number previously set and the lottery number generated or extracted by the user.

The result notifying module 38 functions for receiving a winning result data from the winning checking module 37 and outputting the data on a web page. The result notifying module 38 also transmits the

winning result to a prize/gift provider in case a prize or a gift is provided according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The database 39 preferably includes a lottery type DB 39a, a user information DB 39b, a winning number DB 39c and a winning detail DB 39d.

The lottery type DB 39a stores data related to various kinds of lotteries the user may select and corresponding lottery games according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The user information DB 39b stores personal information of the users who use the lottery service of the present invention. Preferably, the user information DB 39b includes a table which has fields for ID, secret number, address and so on.

The winning number DB 39c receives and stores a winning number from the winning number generating module 33 or the designated winning number obtaining module 35.

In addition, the winning detail DB 39d stores data related to whether or not the user participating in the lottery service wins a prize, or data related a prize or a gift.

Now, the process for realizing the lottery service of the present invention through the above components is described with reference to FIG. 4.

At first, a user accesses the lottery server 30 to use the lottery service according to the present invention (step S100). Then, the list of

lottery types extracted from the lottery type DB 39a is output on a web page so that the user may select the type of lottery (step Sl l0).

Then, the user is asked whether or not to receive a winning number generated in the lottery server 30 (step S120). If the user accepts the winning number, the winning number generated in the winning number generating module 33 is output to the user terminal 10 (step Su40).

However, if the user wants to designate a winning number, the server allows the user to input a winning number (step Su30), and then proceeds to the step Su40.

Then, the lottery game executing module 36 of the lottery server 30 executes the lottery game software, and the user accordingly generates a lottery number by the way of, for example, selecting desired numbers at a specific time point (step S150).

The lottery number generated as above is transmitted to the winning checking module 37 of the lottery server 30 and then the winning checking module 37 checks whether the user wins a prize by comparative operation (step S160).

At this time, if the winning number is coincident with the lottery number and thus the user is determined to win a prize, the result notifying module 38 notifies the winning result to the user terminal 10 and a prize provider, and the prize is remitted to the user (step Su70).

On the other hand, if the winning number is not coincident with

the lottery number and the user is determined not to win a prize, the server asks the user whether to attempt the lottery game again (step S165). If the user wants a retrial, the process may return to the step S 150. At this time, the number of retrials can be limited, of course.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a lottery service method for an event. In other words, the lottery service method can be applied to various events which provide a free gift or a free lottery service to users. The process for executing the lottery service is described as follows with reference to FIG. 5.

In this embodiment, the lottery server 30 preferably operates in linkage with other web sites, and a guide window for a gift event can be displayed in the web site the user accesses (step S200).

If a user desires to participate in the gift event according to the guidance of the guide window, a request data related to the event participation is transmitted from the user terminal 10 to the lottery server 30 (step S210). For example, there is provided an'event participation'button in the guide window for the gift event, and the user clicks the bottom so that the request data may be transmitted to the lottery server 30.

Then, the lottery server 30 outputs a lottery information window in which the list of lottery types extracted from the lottery type DB 39a is displayed so that the user may select a desired lottery type (step S220).

In addition, the user is asked whether or not to receive a winning number generated in the lottery server 30 (step S230). If the user accepts the winning number, the winning number generated in the winning number generating module 33 is output on the user terminal 10 (step S250).

However, if the user wants to designate a winning number, the server allows the user to input a winning number (step S240), and then proceeds to the step S250. At this time, the winning number designated by the user is not only output on the user terminal 10 but also stored in the winning number DB 39c through the designated winning number obtaining module 35 of the lottery server 30.

Then, the lottery game executing module 36 of the lottery server 30 executes the lottery game software, and the user accordingly generates a lottery number by the way of, for example, selecting desired numbers at a specific time point (step S260).

The lottery number generated as above is transmitted to the winning checking module 37 of the lottery server 30 and then the winning checking module 37 checks whether the user wins a prize by means of comparative operation (step S270).

At this time, if the winning number is coincident with the lottery number and thus the user is determined to win a prize, the result notifying module 38 notifies the winning result to the user terminal 10 and a gift provider, and the gift is then delivered to the user (step S280).

On the other hand, if the winning number is not coincident with the lottery number and the user is determined not to win a prize, the server asks the user whether to attempt the lottery game again (step S280). If the user wants a retrial, the process may return to the step S260 so as to execute the lottery number generating step.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY According to the lottery service method based on a lottery game of the present invention, the processes are configured so that user may voluntarily participates in the lottery service through the game for extracting a lottery number coincident with the winning number, so this method may stimulate interest and increase purchasing desire, and the method is eventually helpful to making more profits according to the selling of lottery tickets.

In particular, since the method allows users to designate a winning number by themselves, the present invention may attract users to actively use the lottery service.

In addition, when the lottery service of the present invention is applied to a gift event, the users will more voluntarily participate in the event.

The present invention has been described in detail. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.