Method of drawing attention to advertisements

• US 20020046087A1
• Filed: 09/25/2001
• Published: 04/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: John Hey
• Original Assignee: John Hey
• Inventors: Hey, John
• Application Number:
  US09/682,590
• Publication Number:
  US 20020046087A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0215 Including financial accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising

Abstract

A method for compelling that attention be paid to an advertisement within a sufficiently interactive environment, comprising presenting an ad prior to the delivery of material desired by a viewer, and requiring that the viewer answer a question about that ad before receiving the desired material.

Claims

1. A method for compelling a viewer within an interactive environment to read an advertisement, comprising:

presenting the advertisement to the viewer;

presenting, proximate the advertisement, at least one question whose answer can be gotten by reading the advertisement; and

requiring the viewer to answer correctly at least one such question in order to proceed.

2. The method of claim 1, in which the advertisement accompanies a sequence of material being presented to the viewer:

in which the advertisement is presented prior to delivering at least some of the desired material; and

in which the viewer is required to answer the question correctly in order to receive at least some of the desired material.

3. The method of claim 1, in which the question confirms directly the viewer'"'"'s grasp of at least one principal fact the advertisement seeks to convey.

4. The method of claim 1, in which the advertisement is charged at a premium over ordinary advertisements.

5. The method of claim 1, in which the advertisement and question are presented at widely separate locations within the material.

6. The method of claim 1, in which the answer by the viewer comprises payment by the viewer for material yet to be delivered to the viewer.

7. The method of claim 1, in which the answer by the viewer comprises payment by the viewer for continued sequential access of material in an interactive environment.

8. The method of claim 1, in which the answer by the viewer comprises payment by the viewer for play of a game in an interactive environment.

9. The method of claim 1, in which the answer by the viewer comprises payment by the viewer for access to a restricted environment.

10. The method of claim 1, in which the answer by the viewer comprises payment by the viewer for a membership or similar affiliation.

11. The method of claim 1, in which the answer by the viewer comprises payment rendered by the viewer and deposited into an account credited to him.

12. The method of claim 1, in which the number of viewers correctly responding to the question is tabulated as a credible tally of the advertisement'"'"'s impressions.

13. The method of claim 1, for which correctly answered advertisements are tabulated for each viewer, which tabulation is consulted to eliminate superfluous further presentations of advertisements to the viewer.

14. The method of claim 1, for which correctly answered advertisements are tabulated for each viewer, which tabulation is shared among two or more advertisement presenters.

15. The method of claim 14, in which the tabulation identifies also the presenter of each correctly answered advertisement.