Networked search and tracking games

• US 20010024974A1
• Filed: 12/21/2000
• Published: 09/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Cohen
• Original Assignee: Robert Cohen
• Inventors: Cohen, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 6,769,990 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0053 Computers, e.g. programming

Abstract

An Internet-based Web Search Contest. Participants are provided clues as to target Web sites. The target Web sites are maintained in an ordered list and participants sequentially locate the target Web sites and are provided clues as to the next target Web site in the list guided by a character voice. Answers to the provided clues are awarded points and that are stored in a bucket associated with individual participants.

Claims

1. A method of tracking a user of a search and tracking game, the user navigating between a game site and a plurality of target sites, comprising:

providing clue information regarding at least one of the plurality of target sites at a start time;

connecting the user to the at least one of the plurality of target sites, the at least one of the plurality of target sites including a plurality of target locations;

receiving answer information responsive to the clue information;

comparing the answer information to a predetermined answer key;

recording an end time upon a match between the answer information and the predetermined answer key; and

associating points to a difference between the end time and start time.

2. The method of tracking a user of a search and tracking game, the user navigating between a game site and a plurality of target sites, of

claim 1

wherein connecting the user to the at least one of the plurality of target sites, the at least one of the plurality of target sites including a plurality of target locations, comprises providing the user a link to the at least one of the plurality of target sites.

3. The method of tracking a user of a search and tracking game, the user navigating between a game site and a plurality of target sites, of

claim 2

wherein the link is a URL of the at least one of the plurality of target sites.

4. The method of tracking a user of a search and tracking game, the user navigating between a game site and a plurality of target sites, of

claim 3

further comprising:

identifying the user at the game site; and

providing the identified user unique user identification information.

5. The method of tracking a user of a search and tracking game, the user navigating between a game site and a plurality of target sites, of

claim 4

wherein the predetermined answer key includes a plurality of answers, each answer of the plurality of answers including specific information associated with and available at the at least one of the plurality of target locations of the at least one of the plurality of target sites.

6. The method of tracking a user of a search and tracking game, the user navigating between a game site and a plurality of target sites, of

claim 5

further comprising:

selecting at least one of a plurality of games; and

generating a unique voice module associated with the at least one of the plurality of games selected, the unique voice module providing game information to guide the user to the at least one of the plurality of target sites.

7. The method of tracking a user of a search and tracking game, the user navigating between a game site and a plurality of target sites, of

claim 6

wherein the generation of the unique voice module and the clue information is based on the at least one of the plurality of games selected.

8. The method of tracking a user of a search and tracking game, the user navigating between a game site and a plurality of target sites, of

claim 7

wherein the connection of the at least one of the plurality of target sites is based on the game selected.

9. The method of tracking a user of a search and tracking game, the user navigating between a game site and a plurality of target sites, of

claim 8

further comprising:

aggregating the points associated for each answer information that successfully corresponds to the predetermined answer key; and

storing the points aggregated at the game site.

10. The method of tracking a user of a search and tracking game, the user navigating between a game site and a plurality of target sites, of

claim 9

wherein storing the points aggregated includes establishing individual buckets for each identified user and associating the points aggregated to the individual buckets established and a plurality of prizes.

11. The method of tracking a user of a search and tracking game, the user navigating between a game site and a plurality of target sites, of

claim 10

further comprising:

identifying a plurality of users at the game site; and

generating unique user identification information corresponding to each of the plurality of users identified.

12. The method of tracking a user of a search and tracking game, the user navigating between a game site and a plurality of target sites, of

claim 11

further comprising notifying each of the identified user regarding status of the game selected.

13. The method of tracking a user of a search and tracking game, the user navigating between a game site and a plurality of target sites, of

claim 12

further comprising:

generating additional clue information, the additional clue information pertaining to an additional one of the plurality of target sites;

initiating additional start time in response to generation of additional clue information;

connecting the user to the additional one of the plurality of target sites;

receiving answer information after connection of the user to the additional one of the plurality of target sites;

comparing answer information to a predetermined answer key;

recording an end time upon the comparison of the answer information to the predetermined answer key being successful; and

associating points to a difference between the end time and start time.

14. A search and tracking game system comprising:

a client computer;

a game server coupled with the client computer and including;

a game agent monitoring a selection of games, providing clue information for the selection of games, the clue information pertaining to a target location to the client computer, to determine if the client computer has received target information from the target location and comparing answer information provided by the client computer to a predetermined answer key and associating points to the answer information provided; and

a game database storing records having information on a target location and answer information provided.

15. The search and tracking game system of

claim 14

wherein the game agent further comprises a voice resource configured to generate a unique character voice and animation presentation associated with at least one of the selection of games, the unique character voice and animation presentation provides game information to guide the user to the at least one of the plurality of target sites.

16. The search and tracking system of

claim 15

wherein the unique character voice and animation presentation and the clue information are based on one of the selection of games.

17. The search and tracking system of

claim 16

wherein the game agent further comprising a tracking means including an entry means for entering on the user computer a code word guess and comparison means operated by the user computer for comparing the code word guess with the code word and associating a predetermined number of points for the code word guess.

18. A computer-based tracking and search game comprising:

a plurality of computer-readable clues, each one of the computer-readable clues being associated with one of a plurality of target web pages provided by at least one web server;

a server computer, with a computer memory, connected to the Internet and storing the plurality of sets of computer-readable clues and points in the computer memory, the server computer comprising;

clue provision means for providing one of the computer-readable clues to a user computer connected to the Internet, the one of the computer-readable clues being associated with one of a plurality of target web pages;

tracking means for determining if the user computer has received the one of the plurality of target web pages from at least one web server; and

bucket means for viewing computer-readable points by the user computer.

19. The computer-based tracking and search game of

claim 18

further comprising voice means for providing an electronic character to provide a multi-media presentation of information to the user computer from the server computer;

20. A method of tracking a user of a search contest, the user navigating between a game site and a plurality of target sites, comprising:

providing clue information regarding at least one of the plurality of target sites to the user;

connecting the user to the at least one of the plurality of target sites, the at least one of the plurality of target sites including a plurality of target locations, at a start time;

receiving answer information responsive to the clue information;

comparing the answer information to a predetermined answer key;

recording an end time upon a match between the answer information and the predetermined answer key; and

associating points to a difference between the end time and start time.

21. A method of tracking a user of a search contest, the user navigating between a game site and a plurality of target sites, comprising:

providing clue information regarding at least one of the plurality of target sites to the user;

connecting the user to the at least one of the plurality of target sites, the at least one of the plurality of target sites including a plurality of target locations;

receiving answer information responsive to the clue information;

comparing the answer information to a predetermined answer key; and

granting points based upon a match between the answer information and the predetermined answer key.

22. The method of

claim 21

further comprising measuring a time period delimited by when the clue information is provided and when the answer information is compared, such that the points granted is further based on the time period measured.

23. The method of

claim 22

further comprising deducting points based upon a difference between the answer information and the predetermined answer key.

24. The method of

claim 23

further comprising measuring a time period delimited by when the clue information is provided and when the answer information is compared, such that the points deducted is further based on the time period measured.

25. The method of

claim 21

further comprising deducting points based upon a difference between the answer information and the predetermined answer key.

26. The method of

claim 25

further comprising measuring a time period delimited by when the clue information is provided and when the answer information is compared, such that the points deducted is further based on the time period measured.